Chapter 291: Ryokan in the Snowstorm
Afternoon.
The two of them sat on the cable car.
"…Kaguya-san, are you sure we still have to ski?" Sakurai Saki glanced around the cable car; aside from them there were no other tourists.
The snow was getting heavier, from light snow to medium, and many tourists had already given up on going up the mountain, heading down to the ryokan at the foot of the mountain to prepare to leave.
It was getting late; if the snow grew heavier, serious problems might occur.
"Are you scared?" Shinomiya Kaguya said only two words.
"No, it's not like I've never lost to you before, what's there to be scared of? Competing over something like this, I think that kind of person is really childish." Sakurai Saki retorted.
"You're calling me childish?" Shinomiya Kaguya immediately caught the point.
"Are, Kaguya-san, are you comparing yourself?"
"Coward." Shinomiya Kaguya revealed a mocking expression and said: "Just because there's snow falling you don't dare to ski, how cute~."
"Me, scared? You're overthinking."
Sakurai Saki said seriously: "Heavy snow will affect visibility. If a 'torpedo' crashes into us from behind and we can't brake in time, it could cause an accident. Kaguya-san, I'm worried about you."
He couldn't let Shinomiya Kaguya get hurt in front of him—after all, the two of them were friends.
"…With snow only like this we still have plenty of time for one race." Shinomiya Kaguya glanced at the distant cable car station, then continued: "In a moment I'll keep the fastest speed, leave you and the others far behind, so there's basically no need to worry about a torpedo."
On the slopes, reckless fools who charged down from behind and crashed into others were called torpedoes.
Normally, without skilled technique you couldn't enter the intermediate–advanced slopes; it would be very dangerous, especially for someone who had only practiced for one day, like Sakurai Saki. But in just the morning he had mastered the plow style and even conveniently learned the parallel style, so as long as he didn't act recklessly it was still safe.
Even if someone bumped into him, Sakurai Saki was the type who wasn't afraid—after all, he couldn't die from it.
More than ten minutes later.
"Alright, we're almost at the cable car exit, be careful not to fall." Shinomiya Kaguya put away her expression.
The cable car exit was a small slope.
The two braked steadily as they slid off.
"Really steep. Truly worthy of a black diamond run." Looking at the 40-degree slope, Sakurai Saki felt a bit uneasy.
"Ten kilometers long, just right to reach the foot of the mountain. After skiing down we can go to the restaurant below to celebrate my victory." Shinomiya Kaguya had no thought of losing.
"Nah, i'd win." Sakurai Saki put on his snow goggles.
"Hmph, just you wait and see." Shinomiya Kaguya slid forward a bit.
The two found a relatively flat spot.
"I'll count 3, 2, 1 and then we go together. Whoever reaches the finish first wins, alright?"
"Of course. But the snow's much heavier now, are you sure you still want to continue?" Sakurai Saki raised a hand to wipe snow off his goggles.
They stood on the windy peak, the wind blowing against them without stop. On the mountain top there was no shelter, so the wind was very strong.
"Even if we give up, we still have to ski down. There's a ryokan halfway down the mountain where we can take shelter." Shinomiya Kaguya also felt something was wrong; today's weather was a bit unusual.
A snowstorm? This place was near the Japanese Alps, so snowfall was expected, but for the wind to suddenly grow this strong was indeed strange.
"Race paused, let's get down the mountain first."
Staying alive was more important than winning or losing.
"Umu." Kaguya nodded.
On the advanced slope there were only the two of them; they began quickly skiing downward.
The snow howled, accompanied by raging wind. Within their sight it was all white, and the sky grew gloomy.
Only a few minutes later, the snowstorm had almost made it impossible for them to move. Sakurai Saki was fine, but in such poor visibility, Shinomiya Kaguya might run into trouble.
"Kaguya-san!!!!!"
He shouted loudly toward Shinomiya Kaguya, who for some reason had stopped and wasn't moving ahead.
Seeing that she didn't respond, Sakurai Saki hurriedly slowed down, then came to her side.
"What's wrong?"
"The ski pole has a problem." Shinomiya Kaguya held out her pole. Just now, when turning, she'd used the wrong force and the ski pole snapped halfway through. It wasn't completely broken, but it definitely couldn't be used anymore.
"Want to use mine?" Sakurai Saki asked.
"No need. I'll try to see if I can make up for it with technique."
"Are you kidding?!" Sakurai Saki was a little angry.
This person didn't value her own life.
"If you fall and accidentally get injured, in this situation there's only one option—wait for death."
"Then what should we do?" Being cared for warmed Shinomiya Kaguya's heart, but she still couldn't borrow the other's pole.
"Use the phone to call someone." Sakurai Saki pulled his phone out of his pocket.
Poor signal—or rather, no signal at all.
Did this area really not have a transmission tower? Or maybe it was the harsh weather of the snowstorm.
"From your face, it doesn't look good."
"Pretty much." Sakurai Saki stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
Now what? Wait for their teachers to come rescue them? Shirogane Miyuki and Hayasaka Ai knew he and Shinomiya Kaguya came here to compete; seeing the wind and snow like this, they'd definitely be worried.
Or… directly release part of the seal and use superpower…
Wait, superpower?
Sakurai Saki suddenly remembered that today his ability was Pathfinding, which he'd thought was too weak to be useful, but unexpectedly it had its use.
He activated the ability, searching for the nearest ryokan.
[Hint, target is 589 meters away.]
Not far away, a building appeared highlighted in Sakurai Saki's vision.
"Kaguya-san, good news, we might be very close to the ryokan you mentioned."
"Really?" Shinomiya Kaguya asked.
"Umu, my eyesight is good, I can see the outline."
"You're more useful than I thought." Inside, Shinomiya Kaguya let out a breath of relief.
The two didn't talk further, slowly heading toward the destination. Along the way they left the slope, walked a stretch through the snowy pine forest beside it, and then the path gradually leveled out.
Ten minutes later.
A fairly luxurious ryokan appeared before them.
Knock knock.
Very quickly, the main door of the ryokan was opened.
The person who opened it was a young girl in a white kimono, her long hair as white as snow.
"Welcome… guests?"
The receptionist girl's voice held surprise.
"The snow outside is heavy, please come in quickly." The girl swiftly regained her composure. Looking at Sakurai Saki's face a few times, she showed a look of delight.
"Thank you." Shinomiya Kaguya slightly bowed.
"Thanks." Sakurai Saki said with a smile.
The receptionist of this ryokan was quite cute.
"Does this place rarely have visitors?" Sakurai Saki and Shinomiya Kaguya walked inside.
Then he asked the long white-haired girl a question.
"Umu, after all, the location isn't very convenient." The receptionist introduced herself: "Guests, my name is Shirley."
Shirley didn't let the two stand at the entrance for long; very quickly she led them toward the guest rooms.
"This ryokan provides free meals and hot springs, and there are clothes to change into."
Sakurai Saki narrowed his eyes, looking at the white-haired girl ahead whose face was full of joy.
Shinomiya Kaguya didn't notice anything unusual, but he felt something was off—this ryokan had no other guests.
Even in a snowstorm, for a ryokan halfway up the mountain, how could there be no lodgers?
"Is this ryokan managed by only you, Shirley-san?" Shinomiya Kaguya asked curiously.
"No, my mother is here too."