The scent of grilled fish, steamed rice, and miso soup drifted through the corridors of Yuragi-sou, drawing the trio from their room with both curiosity and hunger. It was nearly seven, and as promised, dinner was being prepared—and the aroma alone was already winning their hearts.
The trio made their way to the communal dining room. It was spacious and warmly lit, a long wooden table stretching across the center, already lined with dishes and set for many.
Several residents were already present. Most looked… ordinary. A few didn't.
Alice's gaze sharpened instinctively as she stepped into the room. Her clairvoyance whispered at the edges of her perception—nothing aggressive, nothing divine-level, but definitely not mundane either. The aura around the inn was strange… not dangerous, but curious. Twisted just enough to stir questions.
Hajime, too, felt something. Or rather, he didn't feel something he normally would. His instincts as a Campione—a slayer of gods—remained silent. That silence itself was telling. Whatever power lingered here, it was subtle, and well-shielded.
He said nothing, only exchanged a brief glance with Alice, who offered a slight nod in return.
Anisphia, meanwhile, bounced a step ahead of them, hands clasped behind her back and eyes bright. "Okay, this place already has like… five sitcom setups waiting to happen. I love it here already!"
The first to notice them was a girl with light brown hair tied in twin buns, wearing a slightly oversized cardigan that gave her a cozy, sleepy vibe. She looked up from where she had been lazily setting down a tray of pickled vegetables, yawned mid-motion, then waved casually with one hand.
"Oh, new people. Cool. You made it in time for dinner."
"Uh… thanks," Hajime replied, slightly caught off guard by her energy.
"I'm Yaya," she continued, "and that's Nonko-san."
She gestured toward a tall, buxom woman lounging back with a can of beer in one hand and a soft grin on her lips. Her reddish-brown hair was tied up casually, and though her demeanor was relaxed, there was a surprising sharpness in her eyes.
"Yo," the woman greeted, waving with her beer hand. "Name's Nonko Arahabaki. Manga artist, resident drinker, and professional nap-taker. Just don't wake me up before noon and we'll get along fine. If you like manga, we'll get along even better."
Anisphia leaned forward, her eyes lighting up. "Wait—you're a manga artist? That's so cool! What genre?"
"Ecchi comedy, mostly," Nonko replied with zero shame, taking a sip of beer. "A lot of bath scenes. Artistic integrity, you know?"
Hajime choked on his tea, coughing loudly. Alice raised a brow but said nothing.
Anis whistled. "Respect. Pure confidence. I love it here already."
"We've got Sagiri-senpai in the kitchen," Yaya went on, "and I think Yuuna's helping her—if she doesn't float through the ceiling again."
Alice offered a small bow. "I'm Alice Gododdin. This is Hajime Nagumo, and she's Anisphia Wynn Palettia. We're part of a student exchange program—our sponsor is a small foundation focused on historical culture studies."
Anisphia waved with both hands, grinning. "Yep! Exchange students with scholarship credits and everything! Totally official, thanks to our virtual administrator."
Hajime gave a short nod, his voice flat but polite. "Temporary residence. We'll try not to cause trouble."
"You're fine," said a new voice from the doorway.
A teenage girl with purple hair tied into a side ponytail, held by a shuriken-shaped accessory, and striking green eyes entered the room. Dressed in traditional kunoichi attire, her posture was disciplined, and her gaze sharp. She approached the trio with a composed demeanor.
"I am Sagiri Ameno," she introduced herself, her voice steady and formal. "A member of the Ameno clan, tasked with maintaining the spiritual integrity of this inn. As long as you respect the rules and boundaries, we shall coexist peacefully."She paused, her eyes scanning the trio. "As long as you don't cause trouble… we'll get along."
"Understood," Hajime said immediately, voice steady.
"Good," Sagiri replied, then passed them and began setting the table without another word.
Just then, a familiar spectral presence drifted in— the floating girl from earlier. She appeared around the corner with a small bowl of tofu in her hands, her long, silver white hair flowing behind her in waves, lightly shifting with her ghostly movement. Dressed in a yukata that had somehow kept its charm despite her incorporeal state, she exuded a warmth that immediately softened the room.
Her bright smile, full of sincerity and a touch of clumsy energy, lit up the atmosphere as she hovered slightly above the floor. There was a light shimmer around her edges, a gentle reminder that she was not entirely part of the physical world—but her presence was far from eerie. If anything, it was comforting.
"Hi again!" she chirped, beaming. "I'm Yuuna Yunohana! I hope you like the food. I helped Sagiri make the miso soup!"
"It smells wonderful," Alice said sincerely, her tone soft but genuinely impressed. Her gaze lingered on Yuuna a moment longer, curious—not at her ghostly nature, but at the gentle aura that reminded Alice of those who never stopped caring, even beyond death.
Hajime blinked. "You can cook?" His voice carried a tinge of disbelief, not from disrespect, but because his warrior instincts had expected spectral entities to be more... ominous. Instead, Yuuna felt like the embodiment of cozy nostalgia.
Anisphia leaned over the table with a mischievous grin. "An Adorable Ghost chef girl? Ten outta ten already. If you can bake too, I might have to stay forever."
Yuuna laughed. "I used to cook all the time when I was alive! It's kind of second nature now. Ghost nature? Whatever!"
As the final dishes were placed and everyone took their seats, Chitose clapped her hands together.
"Alright! Let's eat while it's hot, everyone. And don't forget—guests eat first!"
Hajime, Alice, and Anis sat politely, a bit overwhelmed by the barrage of introductions but grateful for the warm welcome. The atmosphere was casual, yet strange—normal and not, peaceful yet filled with quirks.
As dinner began, the clink of dishes and the hum of conversation wove together into a warm, bizarre harmony. But it didn't stay quiet for long.
Hajime took a bite of grilled fish, his brow lifting slightly in surprise. "This is... really good," he muttered, glancing at the miso soup next. After a moment, he nodded to himself, a rare expression of peaceful approval crossing his face.
Alice, meanwhile, delicately sipped her tea and sampled the pickled vegetables. Her green eyes softened with appreciation. "The balance of flavors is thoughtful. Familiar, but made with care." She glanced toward Yuuna and Sagiri. "You can tell someone puts their heart into this."
Anisphia was already halfway through her rice bowl. "Okay, I don't care if this place is haunted or held together by ghost duct tape. If I get meals like this every day, I am never leaving."
She stuffed another bite in and beamed. "Seriously, why aren't more inns like this? Food, drama, AND floating roommates? Peak hospitality."
——-
Anisphia found herself sitting beside Nonko, who was already halfway through another can of beer and radiating a mix of laid-back confidence and seasoned charm. The older woman gave Anis a sidelong glance and grinned.
"So, Sparkles, you one of those runaway princesses hiding out in a haunted inn?"
Anis gasped theatrically, then smirked. "Oh no, you caught us! We were totally roped in by a demon king and forced into exile. Now we roam the land pretending to be exchange students!"
Alice, sipping her tea across the table, didn't even blink. "It's technically not a lie."
Hajime paused mid-bite, sighed deeply, and muttered without looking up, "I'm not a demon king."
Nonko raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Well, if that's the case, you're definitely the grumpiest-looking fake demon king I've ever seen."
she chuckled, tipping her can in salute. "Then you'll fit in just fine around here. We're all a little strange under one roof. That's the Yuragi way."
She took another swig and leaned back, glancing at the others. "You'll get used to it fast. Ghosts, hot springs, crazy ninja girls… and food that makes it all worth it."
Anisphia's grin widened. "Yup. I'm officially not leaving."
Sagiri, who had been quietly finishing her food a few seats down, glanced up and narrowed her eyes slightly. "So you're exchange students from out of town? That explains the formality. Are you enrolling in Kuoh Academy?"
Alice gave a composed nod. "That's correct. Our sponsor arranged the enrollment to help us adapt and learn about the local culture."
Hajime added with a sigh, "And gave us a mountain of paperwork."
Anisphia beamed. "And now we get to be normal students! Sparkles and all."
"Please don't say it like that," Hajime muttered, deadpan.
Sagiri blinked, then gave the faintest of smirks before returning to her food. "Just don't bring the sparkles to the faculty office."
Even Chitose, usually composed, couldn't help but giggle as she refilled tea.
By the end of the meal, stories had been exchanged, laughs shared, and the invisible wall between guests and residents had begun to crack.
Yuragi-sou was weird. But it was starting to feel… a little like home.