The next morning, Natsumi Sakura went to her new school with her mother, accompanied by a few surviving students, including Houichi Matsubara.
Muxiao had considered tagging along to check it out, but… it was broad daylight, which was inconvenient, and Reina's situation was more pressing. As for the school, he could visit anytime.
So when Reina arrived in the car, he climbed into the back seat—his designated spot.
"Reina, you're looking radiant. No issues with your body, right?"
"Thanks to your treatment, I'm healthy," Reina said, winking playfully. "So don't worry. If anything comes up, I'll come to you. I trust you more than any hospital, Leader~"
"While I'm confident in my abilities," or rather, his system panel, "you should still get a full checkup at a hospital when you have time. But for now, let's head to the cult's base."
The Himegami Society's headquarters, an apartment building, housed the Leader's room, which, aside from a curtained bed, was filled with suggestive, intimate props.
Ugh, all this shady stuff. Not a single document about the cult itself.
"No worries, I got them from Miss Izuki," Reina said nonchalantly, admiring a nude painting on the wall with intrigued, sparkling eyes.
She waved a thick stack of files. "These contain detailed info on all the cult's believers, their contact details, and records of some supernatural events… You'd be interested in those, right, Leader?"
"Yeah, I'll check the supernatural events. You look over the believers."
Muxiao's tentacles took the highly confidential notebook, its elegant handwriting suggesting a woman's touch—possibly Izuki's, though he wasn't sure.
The first page was brief, listing mysterious phenomena from the internet, marked by Izuki as unverified.
The second page detailed paranormal experiences reported by believers. Two sisters named Sakura-miya encountered a strange mansion during a trip, rumored to house a demon. Though unconfirmed, believer accounts were more credible than online rumors.
But without verification, the details were sparse.
"Sakura-miya Saya? Sakura-miya Hinata? Reina, any info on these sisters among the believers?"
"Sakura-miya? Let me check—"
From the third page, Izuki recorded events she'd personally witnessed or confirmed, like the Nishikino Hospital…
"Wait, a flesh-tentacle monster at Nishikino Hospital?" Muxiao was stunned. "So the monster wasn't Tomie but a flesh-tentacle creature like me?!"
So Tomie was an unexpected bonus?
What's this flesh-tentacle monster?
"It makes strange sounds, seems capable of communication, but prolonged exposure drives people insane, and it devours flesh—"
Hiss, Cthulhu? No way, a real monster like that? Compared to that, Muxiao was tame. I need to lay low.
"Found them, Muxiao, the Sakura-miya sisters," Reina said, leaning closer with her stack of files. "The cult doesn't have many believers, but their info is detailed, including these sisters."
The first thing Muxiao saw was a photo of two beautiful, smiling girls, around Natsumi's age. Hmm, don't know them.
But they were quite pretty.
Like Natsumi—not a main character, yet just as charming as Reina's daughters. And with Nishikino Hospital, this world had Love Live and The Quintessential Quintuplets.
But aren't you all slice-of-life series? Why all these supernatural beings?
"Let me see. Whoa, the first line says yuri?" Muxiao was speechless. "Non-blood-related sisters in a romantic relationship? Heavy stuff. Does the cult specifically recruit weird women?"
Such a pity.
Wait, pity for what?
"They weren't accepted for their relationship, but the cult supported their desires, praising them, so the Sakura-miya sisters joined, hoping to find their place here."
"As for the supernatural event, during a hiking trip, they had an accident and stayed in a lone mansion. Inside was a stunning mother-daughter pair, but the eerie mansion had ghosts. The sisters fled in fear at night…"
Reina read, then looked up. "They claim to have seen it themselves. What do you think, Muxiao?"
"If they saw it, it's likely true… The cult really takes in all kinds, huh? Not sparing even young, pretty girls. Ahem, let me see who else is in here."
Curiosity piqued.
Flipping through, it was all beautiful women—none he recognized, but their looks were top-tier. As for their profiles?
Ordinary housewives, destitute homeless women, runaway teens—not many, but all female, not a single man.
And their contact info was included.
This list was pure temptation.
Izuki, giving us this list—another one of your schemes? So devious~~
"Muxiao, look at this—"
As Muxiao resisted the allure of the beautiful believers with great willpower, Reina placed a photo before him. It showed a breathtakingly gorgeous girl with smooth chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders, her curvaceous figure perfect in a school uniform.
Her fair face was expressionless, exuding coldness, her gem-like eyes icy with hidden hatred and anger.
Though well-concealed.
Overall, a strikingly beautiful, charismatic girl—that was Muxiao's first impression.
"What's up?"
"Look at her profile."
Reina's expression was serious.
"…Tsubaki Ryuurikawa, a noble heiress, but the Ryuurikawa family was destroyed by a more powerful clan. Her parents died, her wealth was seized, and she fell from nobility to a struggling commoner, living alone in a rundown apartment, worse off than most."
"Wow, someone like that? Guess real life has soap-opera drama too… No wonder she looks so bitter. But she's just an ordinary person, right? Why show me this, Reina?"
The red-haired woman tapped his head, exasperated. "Muxiao, a believer like this is perfect for recruiting, don't you think?"
"And… she seems so pitiful. Helping her would be a bonus. What do you say?"
"…"
Muxiao met Reina's gaze, smiling helplessly. "You're too kind, Reina. Teacher's syndrome? Fine, we'll help her—call it recruiting talent."
Reina didn't reply, but her gaze toward Muxiao grew even softer and sweeter.