The next day.
Morning.
At the dining table, Utaha poked the food in her bowl, feeling a bit depressed.
She had no appetite.
She looked at Saeko Busujima with resentful eyes.
It was as if she was asking why Lynn hadn't gone to her room last night.
Saeko Busujima smiled, "There's nothing I can do. No one can predict where Master wants to go."
She recalled, "I remember one time, Master didn't even come to the Dead Body World."
Utaha froze for a moment, then remembered.
And then she became even more depressed.
That day, Master and Koneko played video games all night.
Without her knowing, Master and Koneko had become so close!
Could it be...
Were the women of his dependents no longer enough for Lynn?
Utaha's thoughts wandered, eventually returning to herself.
Continuing like this was not a solution.
If she wanted to give, could she not give?
However, the courage she had finally mustered...
Weekend.
Higurashi Shrine.
Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama stood beneath the torii gate.
"Yukino Shita, will it really work?"
Yui Yuigahama tried her best to restrain her eyes from darting around.
Several days had passed since the Old School Building incident.
With a few days of experience dealing with Curse Spirits, they could now handle them a little better.
But...
It was still so terrifying!
Every day was spent in fear and anxiety.
This left them physically and mentally exhausted, and dark circles had appeared under their eyes.
They had also become listless.
They had even peed themselves several times out of fear!
Moreover, the cunning Curse Spirits would disguise themselves and lure them.
They felt like they were almost discovered to be able to see them several times.
Hmm...
If this continued, it would be no different from dying.
Yukino Yukinoshita's face was weary, and she bit her lip, saying, "This is the last shrine nearby. If this doesn't work..."
They could only ask Club President Lin for help.
"Let's go."
Yukino Yukinoshita was the first to step onto the stairs.
As they ascended the stairs to the shrine, they observed their surroundings from the corner of their eyes.
"Yukino Shita, it seems like there are no Curse Spirits, huh?"
Yui Yuigahama became slightly excited.
Yukino Yukinoshita's eyes also brightened a little, and a glimmer of hope rose in her heart.
Perhaps, this shrine could work!
A moment later.
The two finally climbed up.
They arrived outside the shrine's main hall.
"Hello, are you here to worship?"
Higurashi Kagome, dressed in a miko outfit and holding a broom, looked curiously at Yukino Yukinoshita and the other girl.
She had a feeling...
Their situation wasn't very good?
Yukino Yukinoshita paused, then said, "Yes, we are here to worship."
Higurashi Kagome smiled, "Alright, please follow me."
Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama exchanged glances, then followed her.
This shrine was very clean!
Perhaps!
As Higurashi Kagome led Yukino Yukinoshita and the other girl around a corner, passing a very small-looking shrine.
"Yaaaaaaa!!"
A terrifying shriek came from beneath the small shrine.
Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama instantly froze.
Wh-What was happening?
Why did it sound like they heard something strange?
Yukino Yukinoshita glanced around with her peripheral vision. After finding nothing, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
It-It must be an illusion, right?
Perhaps it was an illusion caused by her nerves being too tense recently.
Just as she relaxed.
Bang!
Bang bang!!
Yukino Yukinoshita stiffened again.
"Ahaha~"
Higurashi Kagome looked a bit embarrassed and helplessly glanced at the blocked well.
Lately, that well always made strange noises, causing no one to dare come to the shrine to worship.
Sigh!
If this continued, the shrine would soon go bankrupt!
"Um, actually, it's nothing, really nothing, it's just... it's just..."
Higurashi Kagome was a bit awkward.
She wasn't lying.
Although strange noises always came out, nothing was found when it was opened for inspection.
Moreover, nothing strange had happened at the shrine so far.
But...
People who came to worship were indeed scared.
Seeing Higurashi Kagome's expression, Yukino Yukinoshita subtly looked at the source of the noise.
It seemed...
It really wasn't a Curse Spirit?
But it was still very strange!
They should quickly worship and leave.
She also didn't know if it would be effective.
A moment later.
The two left Higurashi Shrine, each holding a jewel of four souls.
Then.
"It really didn't work, did it?"
Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama exchanged glances and fell silent.
The reason there were no Curse Spirits at that shrine was indeed because of the strange noises, right?
Higurashi Shrine.
Higurashi Kagome complained, "Mom, if we don't solve this, the shrine will go bankrupt!"
"Mom can't do anything either. Why don't you, Kagome, think of a solution?"
"Sigh..."
Monday.
Shuchiin Academy.
3 PM, Supernatural Investigation Department.
Yukino Yukinoshita bowed deeply, saying, "Please, Club President Lin!"
Lynn felt no emotional fluctuations upon seeing Yukino Yukinoshita again.
Looking at her, she must have suffered a lot recently.
"Off-campus exorcism services start at five million Japanese yen. Just have the money ready."
Lynn reactivated the exorcism business that had been shelved for a long time.
Fi-Five million...
Yukino Yukinoshita's face stiffened.
Five million Japanese yen was something both her sister and mother could afford.
But just because they could afford it didn't mean she herself could!
Should I speak to my sister?
Yukino Yukinoshita hesitated slightly.
She didn't want to involve her family in supernatural events because of her own reasons.
But... it seemed there was no other way.
"Wait a moment."
Yukino Yukinoshita stepped out of the Supernatural Investigation Department, bit her lip, and dialed Yukino Yukinoshita's phone number.
"Oh my, how rare. Yukino is actually taking the initiative to call her big sister."
A lively voice came through the phone.
"Sister..."
On the other end of the line, Yukino Yukinoshita's movements paused. She temporarily put down what she was doing and narrowed her eyes.
"Yukino's voice... sounds very unusual?"
"Did something happen?"
Yukino Yukinoshita was silent for a moment, then said, "It's nothing, um... can I trouble sister to transfer five million yen to me?"
Yukino Yukinoshita fell silent.
Five million yen wasn't much to her.
But she wanted to know what Yukino wanted five million yen for.
She had a feeling it wasn't anything good.
She took a deep breath and tried to probe in a joking tone, "What is Yukino going to do? Could it be that you're keeping a man?"
"..."
Silence came from the phone. Yukino Yukinoshita sighed, "Alright, I knew you wouldn't say."
"I'll transfer the five million to you, but!" Yukino Yukinoshita said with narrowed eyes, "I will find out exactly what this five million was used for."
The call hung up, followed by a beeping sound.
Yukino Yukinoshita sighed helplessly.
"I knew it would turn out like this..."
But... this was the last resort.
At the very least, she couldn't let Yui endure it any longer.
She couldn't manage the Curse Spirits on the streets.
But at least the home should be a bit quieter, right?
She put down her phone and walked back into the Supernatural Investigation Department.
"The money has been prepared."
Lynn looked up at her and gave an affirmative hum, "Shiwa, Miko, you two go with her."
Five million wasn't worth his personal intervention.
Especially when it was just a simple exorcism.
Shiwa and Miko were enough.
He had more important things to do.
The [Demon Contract] finally moved!