"Chitanda is your classmate from the international course, so I won't go into introductions."
Since Chitanda and Yukino were already classmates, Hiratsuka skipped the formalities and turned to Shira, who was still eating lunch.
She beamed proudly.
"Shira—you probably remember him. He's from my class. Very reliable, and currently the president of the Classic Literature Club."
"If there's anything you can't handle, I'm sure he'd be happy to help."
Yukinoshita Yukino—just like her name—was the untouchable flower of Sobu High.
Cool and elegant.
Though also a long-haired beauty like Chitanda, Yukino's personality was completely different. She wore a JK uniform with black over-the-knee socks.
And held a famous novel in her hand.
Even with Hiratsuka introducing her, this aloof beauty simply gave a small nod as a greeting to Shira.
She obviously knew who he was—ranked #1 in the liberal arts, excellent academically, polite to everyone, and well-liked.
That was it.
"Yukinoshita-san, looking forward to working with you," Shira replied simply. He had no strong thoughts about her attitude—after all, they wouldn't be interacting much.
The club leadership had already been handed over.
Once Hiratsuka finished her instructions…
Shira turned back to his half-eaten lunch. He had to admit—Mio's cooking was improving, and her dishes were becoming increasingly authentic.
He chatted idly with Chitanda.
Yukino, having finished her lunch, silently moved to a seat by the window and began reading.
The atmosphere was calm.
As Shira packed away his bento box, preparing to return to class, a knock sounded at the closed clubroom door.
"Excuse me, is this the Classic Literature Club's room?"
"…"
The voice was familiar. Shira instantly recognized it—Yumiko from his class.
"Come in, Miura-san."
"Oh."
Unlike her usual entourage of Ebina and Hayama, Miura had come alone. She looked anxious as she stood at the door, glancing around nervously.
Once she confirmed there was nothing scary inside…
She stepped into the room.
Gone was the queenly aura of Sobu High's Miura. Her smile looked forced.
"Ishikawa-kun, you're here too."
"Just looking for a quiet place to eat," he replied, pointing to his bento with a chuckle. Then he explained,
"This is the Classic Literature Club. We usually just study hobbies and interests."
"Yukinoshita is the president of a new club—the Service Club. If you've got any troubles, she's probably your best bet."
However…
Yumiko shook her head as she listened. Her gaze turned wary as she looked at Yukino. No matter how you looked at it—
She eventually sighed.
"I actually came to see your club."
The Classic Literature Club did study urban legends and ghost stories.
But the real reason was that Shira's Exorcist profession could gain XP from helping others learn about and understand spirits and folklore.
Even Shira hadn't expected a normie like Yumiko to show up. It was surprising, but he smiled.
"Alright."
"So, Miura-san, what brings you to our club?"
Shira glanced over at Chitanda, who was still eating but clearly curious. As vice president, she'd probably step up soon.
Shira, meanwhile, poured Yumiko a cup of floral tea using a paper cup. Honestly, he didn't even need to ask—his spiritual vision, courtesy of the Exorcist profession, already gave him a good idea of what was going on.
"This is…"
Yumiko had always been proud. She didn't bring Ebina or Hayama along and had just made up an excuse to get away.
Because what she was about to say sounded absurd.
She hadn't even told her friends, let alone say it in front of someone like Yukino. Her gaze drifted toward the girl by the window.
She hesitated.
"It's okay. Just think of it as sharing an interesting story. I'm sure Yukinoshita won't mind."
Shira could sense her unease. But this was a shared clubroom—they couldn't exactly ask Yukino to leave.
Yumiko finally said it.
"You might not believe this, but… the stuff your club talks about? It's happening to me."
Her everyday life had been turned upside down.
Starting just two days ago, her world had changed dramatically.
She saw them—spirits reeking of decay and overflowing with malice—roaming the streets of Chiba. And they were watching her.
Even with strong nerves…
Yumiko was still just a high school girl. The spirits hadn't hurt her, but her sleep quality had plummeted.
Even with her eyes closed, she saw their horrifying faces.
Shira estimated she had awakened some kind of spiritual awareness—though not to the extreme of someone like Miko.
He said casually,
"You mean… spirits?"
"How did you know?!"
Yumiko's eyes widened. She stared at him in disbelief. This was a problem that had haunted her for days.
Even visiting temples on the weekend for protective charms hadn't helped. And now, she hadn't even explained everything—yet Shira had guessed it.
"Of course I know."
In this world, Exorcist was the main profession. If even he couldn't recognize these spirits…
Then they'd be something truly terrifying.
Finally finding someone she could talk to, Yumiko forgot Yukino was still in the room. Her tone grew earnest.
"It's real. Every time I wake up, I still see them."
"Even in my dreams, they haunt me."
"Ishikawa-kun… since you know about these ghosts, is there a way to get rid of them completely?"
Her eyes were full of hope.
Shira caught Yukino struggling to suppress her laughter but didn't pay it much mind. He said casually, "Of course there's a way."
"R-Really?"
She had only asked on a whim, but even Yumiko didn't expect an actual answer. Looking at Shira's relaxed smile, she couldn't help but press further: "So how exactly can I solve it?"
Studying her seriously, Shira shook his head. "There are many ways. The only question is whether you can handle the cost."
"Help me! I'll do whatever it takes!"