But that negotiation didn't end there.

"Fine, fine."

Kaoru spoke as if she had retreated as far as she possibly could.

"Summoning demons takes a lot of effort anyway. We'd have to clear the desk and draw patterns on the floor with blood."

So she was planning to use blood.

...

Wait, that might actually work in this world. It's a world where yokai exist, where barriers can be created to stop them, and where talismans are used.

Plus, the place where Koko was sealed wasn't just a refrigerator. Under the plastic wrapping the room, there were many things drawn in dark red.

The barrier was only broken when we destroyed the ceiling.

And actually, there was someone in this room who could do something similar right now.

That would be me.

There's some kind of summoning circle or magic circle engraved on my wrist, and if I cut it with a knife... a new knife emerges. Maybe I could summon something other than knives. Though I have absolutely no intention of summoning anything but knives right now.

Just in case, I glanced at Yuka, but she didn't even snort at Kaoru's words.

...Well, that makes sense.

If it were that easy to summon things, this world would be much more chaotic than what I'm seeing now.

"Then, let's try Kokkuri-san instead. That should be fine, right?"

Kaoru smiled and pulled out a sheet of paper from her bag. She must have planned to do this regardless of anyone's objections, as it already had hiragana written on it.

...And there was a pentagram, YES, NO, and numbers too.

Isn't it usually a shrine drawing rather than a pentagram? Since it's "Kokkuri-san" (fox, dog, raccoon).

I've only watched others do it, but I've actually seen it done before. Not just high school students, but middle and elementary school kids are interested in ghost stories too. Naturally, some make a big fuss while performing creepy rituals.

For elementary school kids, even just claiming to have seen a ghost can be something to brag about.

"Why is there a pentagram instead of a shrine drawing?" Izumi asked incredulously.

Kaoru shrugged. "I thought combining Eastern and Western elements might summon more types of spirits. Maybe a passing demon might answer."

I looked at Yuka again.

Yuka looked back at me with an expression that suggested she had no idea why I was looking at her after hearing such nonsense. Apparently, there was no basis for what Kaoru said.

Still, Izumi didn't stop Kaoru from spreading the paper on the desk.

It seems the door-closing negotiation technique didn't work on Kaoru, but since this wouldn't require rearranging the club furniture, Izumi just let it be.

It was more like she was too tired to argue anymore.

Unlike the exhausted Izumi, some of the other kids in the clubroom showed interest in what Kaoru was saying.

"Sounds fun," Harumi said, grabbing Yuu's wrist from where she was still sitting in the corner and pulling her toward us. Yuu came along with a somewhat bothered expression.

Mako looked somewhat interested. Thinking back to elementary school, Mako always had some interest in topics that kids her age would typically be curious about, despite her seemingly quiet demeanor.

...I think she was also a bit interested in romance stories.

In subculture, there's often a setting where characters who look like they enjoy having fun openly don't have boyfriends, while the seemingly quiet ones have more experience. Mako wasn't like that at all, but she did enjoy romance stories and ghost stories.

"Right? It's just for fun," Kaoru said, getting more excited with the support of her juniors.

She rummaged through her pocket, took out a 10-yen coin, and placed it on the paper.

"Now then, Kotone, can I borrow your finger?"

"Huh? Me?"

When I asked, Kaoru nodded.

"Yes."

"Is there a reason?"

I wasn't really trying to argue, I was genuinely curious.

Kaoru had liked me and Koko from the moment she first saw us. Was it just based on appearances?

"Hmm, I just feel like you'd be a good fit."

But her answer left me speechless.

Should I consider it good intuition, or just coincidence?

...

Actually, thinking about it, there were four of us with unusual situations related to yokai family bloodlines: me, Yuu, Yuka, and Koko.

Mako's father worked in that field, and Harumi was also strangely connected.

So no matter who Kaoru had chosen in this group, it would have seemed somewhat plausible.

I turned to look at Yuka.

Yuka shrugged as if to say it didn't matter either way.

It seemed that in Yuka's view, this paper Kaoru had prepared had no magical power whatsoever.

Well, if that's the case.

I nodded and leaned forward slightly.

"Now, put your finger on the coin here."

Kaoru said this and took my hand, placing it on the coin. I simply did as she instructed.

To be honest? It was a bit fun.

This is what I wanted from the club. Not being too strict, sometimes doing meaningless activities, but creating small, enjoyable memories while spending time together.

That's why I brought all my friends and had them join.

"Next, let's all chant the spell together," Kaoru said.

"How?"

"Just follow me. Now, Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, please come to us~"

Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, please come to us~

Harumi, who was watching the situation with amusement, Mako, who was looking at us with quite a bit of interest beside her.

Me, sitting in front.

Including Kaoru, the four of us chanted the spell.

Nothing happened—

—No, nothing should have happened.

Suddenly, the surroundings grew cold.

Goosebumps rose on my back.

I knew this sensation. It was what I felt whenever I was facing a yokai's lair.

"You have called me."

"..."

Uh, I didn't expect to meet like this.

My fingers felt stiff, unable to move. It was like I was firmly pressing down on the coin, similar to how kids who want to manipulate something during games like Bunshinsaba would do.

But it wasn't just the coin that wasn't moving.

The sounds of this world had stopped too. All I could hear was the voice whispering in my ear.

"You don't seem pleased to see me."

But the voice didn't sound disappointed at all.

"How strange. I have always been helping you."

"...Anyone would react this way if they suddenly heard a voice in this situation."

I answered.

Had my mind stopped? Had time in the world truly stopped? I couldn't tell. But strangely, in this world where everything seemed to have frozen, only my mouth could move.

I tried to look around forcibly. Unfortunately, my gaze was fixed on the coin, so I couldn't see my surroundings.

I could only see Kaoru's face, which didn't look particularly serious. Just the usual Kaoru.

But it was bizarre. Like she had turned to stone while retaining her human skin, not even breathing.

After that, I exchanged a few more words with "me."

Even after several conversations, "me" was still just "me." Always an unknown entity, giving off only the impression of some transcendent being.

That's why it was always suspicious.

"How unfortunate. You find me suspicious."

I hadn't spoken, but my attitude so far made such a reaction natural.

It had saved me several times, and without that knife, I probably wouldn't have been able to fight properly.

Nevertheless, every time we talked, I strongly felt that this being was hiding something from me.

"I see."

"Me" said.

"Then, it would be good to ask me one thing. If I answer, perhaps my little lamb will be able to trust me."

But at the same time, the voice suggested it didn't really care whether I believed it or not.

That voice was, how should I put it.

It just sounded amused. An attitude that simply enjoyed watching something.

"..."

"Didn't you call me?"

I did.

But Kokkuri-san isn't that kind of entity. It's a weak ritual meant to summon a weak being, not something extremely transcendent.

Who would have imagined something like this would appear?

But at the same time, it seemed like we would stay like this forever if I didn't answer, so I spoke.

"...How did you get here?"

"To waste your question on such a thing, how disappointing. But since I am the one who promised to answer, I shall."

"Me" said with a smile.

"It is not the calling that matters, but the answering. Isn't that so?"

"..."

I couldn't respond to that.

"I shall give you one more chance."

"Me" said.

"This time, I would like a more interesting question."

Another arbitrary statement.

After thinking briefly, I asked what I was truly curious about.

"...The murder cases in the news. Are they the work of yokai?"

"Oh."

"Me" laughed.

"I see. That is a good question."

"Me" said that and—

"...Huh!?"

Yuka jumped up from her seat, gasping for breath.

"Kotone!?"

She wasn't the only one surprised.

Koko was also frozen, staring blankly with wide eyes.

"...Huh?"

Kaoru reacted too.

Their gazes were fixed on the tip of our fingers, so I turned my attention back there as well.

The coin was pointing to "YES."