After a refreshing soak i spring, the girls felt much better, having washed away their fatigue from the journey.

  The hot spring hotel kept the air ditioning on at all times, so even in just a yukata at night, no o particurly cold.

  But it was still too early to go to bed.

  Even though they had dried their hair, the length made it so that the inner yers were still slightly damp.

  Going straight to bed like this wasn't an option.

  More importantly, none of them were tired enough to sleep yet.

  Excitement filled the air.

  The supernatural enter earlier had been a major test for them but at the same time, it had made this trip all the more thrilling.

  The adrenaline rush from the experience left the girls wide awake, even after bathing.

  Sihere was no way they could fall asleep so soon, the group gathered iel's on lounge.

  However, it seemed they weren't the only oill awake.

  ---

  "Amamiya, you're still up too?"

  Fujiwara was the first to approach when she spotted Ren sitting in the louh a deck of cards in hand.

  "Yeah."

  Ren didn't look up, his attention focused on the cards spread out oable.

  "I'm perf a divination on the isnd's situation."

  "I o firm whether there's anything that might threaten our safety."

  Divination.

  Fujiwara nodded slightly. She had heard Reion before that he possessed abilities reted to that.

  " it really be that accurate?"

  "Yeah." Ren gave a brief response.

  Divination wasn't infallible, but the circumstahat would re unreliable didn't seem to exist in this world.

  For now, he could trust its revetions.

  "Divination is the process of obtaining insights through rituals and inquiries, then eg the results to interpret information."

  "Among them, Tarot is the simplest form, anyone use it, but the revetions it provides are retively weak."

  "Tarot divination relies on specific rituals, which makes it easier to access certain insights."

  "Pendulums and dowsing rods require a much higher degree of attu. Ordinary people likely wouldn't be able to extract accurate revetions from them."

  "Oh~"

  Fujiwara listetentively, even if she doubted she'd be able to use such methods herself anytime soon.

  That didn't stop her from being curious about the results.

  "So? What did you find out? Are we in danger?"

  "No."

  Ren shook his head slightly.

  "There's no direct threat from the evil spirits."

  "They are only active between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m."

  "Additionally, the spirits on this isnd have a clear target."

  "Despite g rational thought, they instinctively pursue the ones who killed them."

  Ren had a theory about this.

  "It's likely because these spirits were only retly formed and because the ones responsible for their deaths are still alive."

  "Until those murderers are dealt with, the spirits won't harm others."

  Fujiwara was a little surprised.

  "You got all of that through divination?"

  "Yeah."

  Ren nodded.

  This revetion expined something that had been b him.

  Despite the sheer number of evil spirits roaming the isnd, none of the ordinary visitors seemed to have been affected.

  Now, at least, he uood why.

  Just as he raised his head, Ren abruptly froze.

  And then he averted his gaze.

  "Fujiwara… your colr."

  "Eh?"

  Fujiwara blinked in fusion.

  Gng down, she immediately noticed that the front of her yukata had e loose, revealing far more than it should have.

  Realizing that Ren had just seehing, her fastantly turned crimson.

  She sprang to her feet and quickly adjusted her yukata, pulling the chtly shut.

  Only after seg it properly did she let out a relieved sigh.

  Ren's reairrored hers.

  His slightly messy curls, the absence of his usual gsses revealing more of his face, and that delicate yet serious expression, now tinged with a bit of red.

  "Gulp~"

  Fujiwara suddenly uood.

  This must be why Sonoko was so drawn to him.

  An i, introverted, and slightly shy boy like Ren, this kind of trast was impossible firls to resist.

  Wait a minute—

  Why am I the one who got see I'm the one feelied?!

  "Ahem!"

  Clearihroat, Fujiwara broke the awkward silence.

  "So, Amamiya… did you prediything else?"

  This time, she was extra careful, keeping a firm hold on her colr and making sure not to lean forward.

  Ren exhaled quietly, seemingly regaining some posure.

  "I found the reason behind the disturbances on this isnd."

  "It's drug traffig."

  "!?"

  Drug traffickers?

  The expressions of the girls in the room ged immediately.

  Of all criminal groups, drug traffickers were among the worst.

  These kinds of people were ruthless.

  And they wouldn't hesitate to use lethal force if they felt threatened.

  Now, it made sense why so many evil spirits existed on this isnd.

  Drug dealers didn't iate.

  If they so much as suspected someone might expose them, they would kill without hesitation.

  Even Fujiwara tensed up.

  "Then… are we in danger?"

  She had asked this question earlier, but now it had a pletely different meaning.

  "No."

  Reed his answer.

  "The reason they chose this isnd is because of its proximity to Tokyo."

  "But more importantly, it's an isoted archipego where w enfort is x."

  "If someone wao establish a drug traffig hub and use this isnd as a gateway to Tokyo, this location would be ideal."

  Hayasaka furrowed her brows and raised a hand.

  "But there are still a lot ur residents here. How are the traffickers avoidiion?"

  "Under normal circumstances, it would be difficult."

  Ren shook his head.

  "Any dog ships would be noticed by the locals."

  "If anyone became suspicious, this pce would no longer be safe for them."

  "But if the local leadership is involved… then they wouldn't o worry about being exposed."

  Hayasaka's eyes widened as she immediately caught on.

  "It's the Isnd owner, isn't it?"

  ***

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