No matter how much she disliked it verbally, Kaju still obediently held hands with Asakura in the end.
"Huh?"
Asakura's eyebrows raised: "Nukumizu (younger sister)'s magic power seems to have increased a bit compared to before."
"Eh? Is there anything wrong with that?" Anon, who had recovered her energy, asked curiously.
"The probability of awakening a magic curse has increased. And considering that just touching things before could activate mystical items, I'm afraid this child's magic activity isn't low either."
Asakura stroked his chin and summarized: "Well, anyway, there's no problem for now—for now, that is."
"This kind of deep, meaningful way of putting it is really hard to let go of..."
Kaju shook her hand, which was held together with Asakura's, and muttered contextually in dissatisfaction.
"Yeah, the world somehow became different all of a sudden, making it feel as if the first half of my life was lived in vain."
Anon leaned on the table, nodding as she spoke: "Compared to these things, it feels like the problems I encountered in the past don't even count as problems anymore."
"There is still quite a bit of time left in the summer vacation. Is Takuma-kun going to continue traveling afterwards?"
Asagumo asked Asakura.
"Yeah, there are still a few places with ghost stories that I want to visit."
Asakura nodded: "Well, but looking at the information gathered so far, those ghost stories are probably just stories people made up on 2ch. It's estimated that it's highly unlikely for actual supernatural entities to exist there."
"In that case, is there still a need to go?"
Yui asked curiously.
"Although those ghost stories are pretty typical horror tales, if by some freak chance one turns out to be true, the supernatural entities inside would be pretty dangerous things," Asakura replied. "Just to be safe, it's more reassuring to go check them out in person."
Furthermore, the unified fear that many people share toward a certain object is itself one of the conditions for creating an anomaly. If those ghost stories have a high level of circulation, it would only take one or two supernatural items acting as a source to trigger an extraordinary phenomenon, and the entities within the ghost stories could very likely actually be materialized.
"Could it be things like the Slit-Mouthed Woman or Hachishaku-sama?" Yui seemed even more curious.
"Pretty much."
Asakura nodded: "As a side note, both the Slit-Mouthed Woman and Hachishaku-sama do exist. It's just that because a lot of doujinshi about them have appeared recently, the fear toward the ghost stories got mixed with other 'colored' elements, which resulted in them being entirely harmlessized."
"...In a certain sense, that really is a ghost story containment method with unique Japanese characteristics."
Anon said helplessly: "Just like when my former roommate mentioned Japan, it was always 'ninja', 'anime', and 'Kitsune-bi'."
"I can understand ninjas and anime, but what on earth is that last one?" Yui looked completely blank.
"Fox-fire viewing. It seems to be a spiritual phenomenon tracked and recorded in the mountainous areas of Niigata or Akita." Anon replied: "I think it's probably a type of phosphorescent fire."
"With so many cultural stereotypes out there, why bring up something so obscure..." Yanami complained.
"Who knows, maybe foreigners just happen to like strange things." Anon replied: "My other roommate was even researching the Sacabambaspis."
"What is that again?" Yui looked even more bewildered.
"A fish with a (▯▼▯) face," Anon made a 'wise' expression, probably to show the others what the fish looked like, then reverted to her usual look and continued, "It seems to be extinct since the Devonian period."
"Is there any point to that?"
"Maybe the other person found it very interesting. But because I heard the word so much, I was actually thinking at the time that I definitely had to write a song with Sacabambaspis as the theme in the future." Anon let out a dry laugh of 'ahahaha', seemingly wanting to mock herself from back then—the self who fell into depression and was always letting her mind wander because it was so hard to communicate with her roommate.
"I feel like it would go viral." Asakura stroked his chin and said suddenly.
"What would go viral?" Anon blinked.
"Sacabambaspis (Note)." Asakura said.
"..."
The girl looked at Asakura with a 'for real?' expression, thinking he must be teasing her.
"Um..."
Kaju suddenly raised her hand, which was still held together with Asakura's: "Is this... not done yet?"
"Not yet." Asakura replied.
"Although saying this is a bit strange, I can't help but feel that the time Takuma-kun spends holding Kaju's hand seems to be longer than the time he spent shaking hands with everyone else?"
With a gentle smile on her face, Asagumo asked Asakura in a thoroughly domineering tone: "As expected, is younger better for Takuma-kun? Is the skin more hydrated, and the flesh softer?"
"No, no, no, it's just because her magic power is relatively higher! Besides, you guys are only two years apart, right? A difference of that degree can't completely pull you apart!"
The corner of Asakura's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but complain loudly.
After all, the vast majority of Asagumo's magic power was taken to pay back her debt, while Yui's magic power was mostly used to maintain holding Napoleon and the mini dessert magical realm inside it. Anon's magic power was merely at a normal level and couldn't really be considered much, and Yanami didn't even have proper magic power, only serving as a mascot... Calculating it this way, Kaju, who was originally just called in to make up the numbers, turned out to be the one with the most magic power on the field right now...
Asagumo didn't pick up the conversation, but Yanami spoke up instead.
"That's not it at all, Asakura-kun really doesn't understand." She looked at Asakura with a deeply regretful expression and shook her head, "A two-year gap is a chasm! An abyss! For example, at Shokumonogatari-age (Note: should be Monogatari-age / fifteen years old), I am already infinitely close to being an 'adult'! While the thirteen-year-old Kaju-chan is still within the category of a loli! The difference between the two is huge! That's why I say Asakura-kun, you're just no good in this kind of area!"
"Is it my imagination? Why do I inexplicably feel like you're secretly implying I'm a lolicon, Yanami?" Asakura muttered, his brow furrowing.
"It is indeed Asakura-kun's mistake."
"Is that so..."
"Yes, I wasn't saying it secretly."
"Isn't that even worse?!"
Veins popped up on Asakura's forehead.
"I say..." Suddenly, an even lower voice came from beside him.
The two subconsciously looked to their side, only to see Kaju with half her face darkened: "Even if Kaju doesn't care at all and hasn't said a word, that doesn't mean you can keep calling me 'loli, loli' non-stop."
No, no, no, you clearly care a whole lot, don't you?
"See, stupid Yanami, hurry up and apologize!"
"The target of Kaju-chan's anger is you, it should be Asakura-kun who apologizes!"
"Don't talk nonsense, how could it be me apologizing! You were clearly the one who first said Nukumizu (younger sister) is a loli!"
"I was just discussing the facts! And at the end of the day, isn't it because Asakura-kun likes a loli's hands!"
"Shut up! That's slander! I don't like a loli's fragrant and soft little hands!"
"Doesn't this look like you like it a lot!"
"In short, it's all Yanami's fault!"
"Hey, don't make it sound like I'm some kind of All the World's Evil! I'm not taking the blame for this!"
"It's not a false accusation, it's the truth!"
"Enough, whether it's Asakura-senpai or Yanami-senpai, are you both children! Seiza for me!"
Kaju shouted sharply.
"Huh, h-here?" "It's clearly not my fault—"
"Se·i·za!"
"Yes."
Overwhelmed by the momentum of the tiny girl, both senpais obediently sat in seiza on the tatami.
"...What on earth are you guys doing, Takuma-tan, Anna-chan." Even Yui, who was on the side, helplessly held her forehead and sighed.
Anon was gloating over their misfortune.
Meanwhile, Asagumo looked with surprise at Kaju, who exuded the full aura of a legal wife, with an expression that said 'this child has the presence of an Ooku consort'.
However, because the girl didn't show any romantic affection toward Asakura, there was no need on her end to think 'this child is terrifyingly formidable, if not eliminated early, she will become a great disaster!'.
As a side note, because Asakura was still holding hands with Kaju, after Asakura sat in seiza, Kaju could only be pulled down to sit right next to him.
"Um..."
Asakura also felt that the elementary school-level argument with Yanami just now was too degrading, so he hurriedly wanted to say something to restore his reliable adult image: "Does Kaju want something to eat?"
"If I want to eat, Kaju will get it herself," the girl said icily, obviously still angry.
However, combined with her tiny stature, it inexplicably gave her the cute feeling of a Hina doll.
"But you only have your left hand free, so eating isn't very convenient, right? If you don't mind, why don't I..."
"I do mind."
"..."
The conversation was completely dead.
Seemingly finding Asakura's awkward expression a bit pitiful, the girl sighed and finally spoke.
"I don't dislike Asakura-senpai, nor do I want to hinder you from hanging out with Yanami-senpai... or other girls. It's just that you are the backbone of the Magic Club and the one everyone relies on, so if possible, I hope you can be more mature and serious."
"Be that as it may, rather than me, I'd prefer it if Nukumizu (younger sister) could relax a bit more."
Asakura shook his head instead.
"Why do you say that?" Kaju looked at Asakura, realizing he didn't seem to just be saying it casually, and couldn't help but ask, "Ah, by the way, that way of calling me 'Nukumizu (younger sister)' is really a bit strange. You can just call me Nukumizu."
"Am I not calling you Nukumizu? Adding the (younger sister) is just to differentiate you from Nukumizu (older brother)."
"Let's skip that kind of naming style, it sounds like the Toguro brothers or something, it just feels way too weird. Since that's the case, Asakura-senpai can just call me Kaju. You're a senpai anyway, so it's perfectly normal to call a kouhai by their first name."
"Kaju (younger sister)."
"Is Asakura-senpai intentionally trying to make Kaju angry?"
"Kaju (laughs)."
"The meaning has completely changed! It feels totally like a mockery now!"
"Sorry, sorry, it's just that Kaju's reaction was too amusing."
Asakura apologized to the girl, who was puffing out her cheeks in anger and looking even cuter: "I just couldn't help myself... ah!"
Speaking up to this point, Asakura instantly realized something and glanced to the side.
And sure enough, he saw Yanami staring at him with an icy glare that practically read, 'And you still say you aren't a lolicon.'
Damn it, a momentary lapse in attention... it must be that my cold hasn't fully recovered yet, which is affecting my judgment!
"In any case, though I don't know why you always feel like a tightly wound string, Nuku... Kaju, going on like this won't do. Humans aren't creatures that can maintain a state of nervous tension forever." Asakura gave a dry cough and said to Kaju as if nothing had happened, "Even an ancient bow needs to have its string removed when not in use to maintain enough elasticity."
"Kaju, I didn't..." The girl instinctively wanted to deny it.
"What exactly are you afraid of? If you don't mind, tell us about it. Everyone will help you out if possible," Asakura interrupted the girl's instinctive defense and said earnestly.
"...Of course I'd be afraid, after learning that disasters that completely defy reason exist in this world."
After being pressed step by step by Asakura, the girl spoke softly as if giving up, "I don't care about myself, but if my family were to be hurt by some incomprehensible thing... whenever I think about such a possibility, I completely can't bring myself to relax..."
"That's only human nature. I won't say things like 'everything will be fine because I'm here.' After all, even without supernatural disasters, things like car accidents and illnesses still exist. As long as people are alive, they will hold fear and vigilance toward accidents. All I can say is that I will do everything in my power to resolve those harmful supernatural entities and protect the people around me."
Asakura replied earnestly.
He had always done so.
"Sorry, I also know I overreacted just now. It's probably because these thoughts are always troubling Kaju, so I subconsciously took out my frustration on Asakura-senpai..." the girl said softly.
"It's fine, I don't really mind this sort of degree," Asakura gave her a thumbs-up. "In fact, in certain industries, Kaju's expression and scolding just now would be considered a reward!"
Kaju stared blankly at Asakura, then let out a smile that was a mix of shyness and being amused by anger.
Asakura returned the smile, then gently let go of her hand. "With this, the replenishment is complete. I will make good use of Kaju's magic power."
Then, a chill ran down his spine as he felt several gazes filled with deep resentment.
"Takuma-tan... so you really are on that side?"
"Asakura-kun, you've completely stopped hiding it..."
"As expected, you like the young ones, Takuma-kun..."
"Damn it, I'm a kouhai too, even if I'm only a year younger..."
"Wait, this is a misunderstanding, listen to me!"
Asakura tried hard to clear himself of the lolicon suspicion, "Kaju, help me explain—"
Meanwhile, Kaju looked at her right hand, which had just been closely intertwined with Asakura's, and murmured softly.
"It feels... a bit strange..."
"Pouring oil on the fire at a time like this?! No————!"
Note: Even without counting fan creations, the song "Sacabambaspis (Sakasa Kabanban Basu Pisupisu)" has over 15.72 million views on Bilibili across the original track, the HD version (is an HD version for this really necessary?), and the animated remake version. This is already considered a highly outstanding achievement within Vocaloid circles.