Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

The breathing on the other end sounded somewhat disordered and something seemed off.

It's very strange, extremely strange.

"Fujiwara-san?"

Kaguya frowned and called out again.

"What...is wrong, Kaguya-san?"

The response sounded even more off than before.

And we also heard a sound like something sliding forcefully on the barrier.

Are you really alright? Are you feeling unwell?

As Kaguya spoke, she opened her own cubicle, not bothering to wipe the water droplets off her body, and then went directly to Fujiwara Chika's cubicle to ask.

"...It's nothing, I just accidentally bumped my shoulder. I tried not to cry out, but it still hurt a little, hahaha..."

Chika's reply from the cubicle sounded slightly more normal.

But once Kaguya was focused, her enhanced senses naturally allowed her to detect something amiss, such as another footstep mixed in with Chika's footsteps, another breath, and the presence of another person.

There were two people in the cubicle.

What's going on? Has someone taken Fujiwara-kun hostage?

Kaguya, instantly on high alert, was already prepared to break down the door.

But then, in the next instant, she heard the voice of a second person in the cubicle.

"I knew it... Waaaaah..."

It's Princess Zhenfei's voice.

The second person in the cubicle was Shijo Maki.

"Maki-san, are you showering with Fujiwara-san?"

Kaguya, who was just about to break down the door, froze on the spot, her forward steps coming to an abrupt halt.

"That's right, Maki isn't feeling well, so I'm helping her wash, although she doesn't seem too keen on it, hehe."

Fujiwara Chika's voice was completely normal, while Maki's suppressed cries of pain began to echo from the cubicle.

"Oh...I see...then you can take your time washing."

Even now, Kaguya still felt that many things were strange, and that the truth might not be as it seemed.

However, she ultimately chose to return to her own cubicle, listening to the occasional bickering between the two girls next door. She then silently finished rinsing and, after confirming that Chika and Maki would need a little more time to finish rinsing, went ahead to the hot spring.

Strangely, neither Chika nor Maki came to soak in the hot spring until she finished and returned to her room.

Throughout the entire day, only Kaguya spent some time soaking in the hot spring.

Since you've come all the way to the hot spring shower room to wash yourself, you should definitely soak in the hot spring, right?

But they didn't come to the hot spring area, so what are they doing in the shower room?

After that, where did they go and what did they do?

This mysterious event, and the series of questions associated with it, remained in Kaguya Shinomiya's heart for a long time, troubling the young girl for quite some time afterward.

Interlude 2-29: The Figure in the Nightmare and the Approaching Shadow

Alice...

I think I heard someone's voice beside me.

Alice...

It was a voice that sounded like a soft call, or like talking to oneself.

Alice... is here...

The voice, close to my ear, carried a low, chuckle-like sound, as if it were introducing itself.

Gao Hai opened his eyes.

He looked to his side and saw Princess Zhenfei, with her long brown hair disheveled, sleeping beside him.

The girl wasn't sleeping soundly, frequently frowning, probably because she'd been teased a bit too much earlier. She'd suffered quite a shock yesterday, and hadn't gotten a proper rest today, so she was probably still feeling unwell. Of course, this was also Maki's own choice; after all, she'd been the one to show up at such a crucial moment.

Gao Hai looked at the other side of him again, where Qian Hua was also leaning against him, her head resting on his shoulder as she slept peacefully.

Chika wasn't sleeping very soundly at this moment. She would unconsciously twist her body from time to time, so that her shoulders were already outside the blanket, and even the thin rope around her neck was partially exposed.

I forgot to untie the ropes before going to sleep, but to be honest, I don't really know how to untie them myself, since I just tied them up haphazardly with Maki. I'll just have to wait until Chika wakes up and see how to untie them; maybe I'll just have to cut them.

With two sleeping girls pressing down on him from both sides, Gao Hai really wanted to get up, but in the end he could only lie obediently on the bed.

Come to think of it, my current lifestyle is incredibly decadent. I actually did something utterly despicable, going along with two girls, and I was enjoying it so much! Oh dear, I'm such a wicked person. How did I come to feel this guiltless, blissful feeling?

However, this makes Kaguya feel even more distant from the rest of them.

Gao Hai fell into deep thought.

In a sense, Kaguya Shinomiya seems to be the only decent person in her small group who doesn't engage in casual relationships. Hmm, that's strange, why do I feel like tearing up? That's really odd.

No, no, now is not the time to think about such things.

Gao Hai frowned slightly. He felt as if he had forgotten something, something that seemed important yet unimportant.

The only certainty was that he was feeling sleepy again. After all, he had been fighting two cute girls for several hours straight, and even with his S-rank physique, he was still feeling the strain. So, after a brief moment of clarity, Gao Hai yawned, closed his eyes, and fell asleep again.

The night remained deep.

People are immersed in their dreams, waiting for the next day to arrive.

However, some people have wonderful dreams, while others are trapped in nightmares.

Yotsuya Miko opened her eyes somewhat dazedly and found herself back at school, sitting in a classroom.

Am I... currently in class?

His consciousness was still very unclear, and everything seemed to be done purely on instinct.

Looking around, the faces of the students sitting around me seemed blurry, as if they were covered by a filter.

It seems... I don't see any classmates I recognize?

He vaguely saw that Zi tilted his head slightly.

However, since it was a dream, she was only a little confused about it and did nothing, so she continued to sit in her seat.

The teacher on the podium was still speaking.

I couldn't hear what she was saying.

I couldn't make out any of the surrounding sounds.

What... is going on?

Pah pah pah pah——

The teacher on the podium suddenly started clapping.

The surrounding students joined in clapping and cheering.

Startled by the sudden applause, Miko looked up in confusion at the figure everyone was watching.

That is……

Hello everyone, I'm Alice.

They approached amidst laughter and giggles.

Alice's favorite thing is making friends, so everyone should become good friends with Alice!

A voice filled with innocence, boundless joy, and a gentle smile.

Let's create the happiest memories and most beautiful moments together with Alice here!

Amidst cheers and exclamations, under everyone's gaze, came the sounds of laughter and joy.

Who is that?

Under the bright lights, Jianzi felt only a chilling sense of terror.

No.

She could almost hear a voice speaking to her from the depths of her heart.

No, no, no, no—

You can't watch this!

Absolutely do not watch!

She lowered her head and buried it completely in her arms.

You can't look at that person, you can't look at her face, you can't stare at her...

If I see it... if I see it...

Why don't you lift your head?

A smiling voice rang in my ears.

Why not take a look at Alice?

Don't you want to be Alice's friend?

Alice, I really want to be your friend!

It was like the innocent laughter of a child.

A clear voice, seemingly without any impurities, perfectly pure from birth.

It's a sound that feels incredibly desirable, as if it has never been tainted by any filth since birth.

But it's not right.

That's not what she saw.

That's not what she saw.