Arriving at the classroom of Class 1-E, I decided to talk to Marin and Hiyami san about Shimakawa Yuya.

Marin, perhaps thanks to having some time away, seemed to have largely recovered her composure and had her usual, almost insolently cool expression.

"The one turned into a wall was a third-year student. Furthermore, is he related to the buried female student, Nanase...?"

"If the sacrifice theory is correct, I don't think it's unrelated."

"If it comes to this, the fact that the survivors with Erika senpai are full of related parties is also becoming suspicious."

"Even so, this information doesn't necessarily serve as a clue for escape."

"But I heard a voice that sounded like Shimakawa Yuya. Rather than a voice, it felt like it resonated directly in my head, though—none of the other people mentioned hearing anything like that."

If they had heard it, someone surely would have mentioned it by the next morning.

The fact that it didn't even come up as a topic means it was a phenomenon only I heard, different from a hallucination.

"However, Marin and I did not hear such a voice."

"Let's keep the existence of Shimakawa Yuya in mind. And the girl named Nemushia Adrak, as well as the red hallway Erika supposedly wandered into. I hope these clues lead to an escape."

I told them about the red hallway before arriving at the infirmary.

But honestly, I haven't even been able to deduce what that was yet either.

"In that red hallway, I was suddenly attacked by a massive amount of monsters, but I wonder what would have happened if I went in the opposite direction."

"The place where the horde was driven away?"

"The boss might be hiding in a place like that."

"There are risks, but it is worth trying. Provided we know how to get in, that is."

"That's the thing. At that time, I was at the entrance, and while being attacked by monsters, I felt like I had somehow slipped into it before I knew it."

The clues are still isolated dots.

I don't even know if they connect in the first place, but I had a premonition that if we found even one clue, we could move forward in a flash.

"You also mentioned that Nemushia Adrak resembled a student named Ikunari Yumemi—"

"Ah, yeah. They look exactly alike."

"Is Ikunari Yumemi truly not in this school?"

"It's way too late for that now. She went missing months ago, and she's sent me pictures many times since then. It's questionable if she's even in the prefecture."

"However, it is a strange story. Making a 16 year old high school student do indecent work? How could a student have connections with someone who could arrange such work?"

"Shudou kun often boasts that he has friends who are semi yakuza... but it's possible that a teacher is involved in that as well."

"Your homeroom teacher is Ooki sensei, right? I haven't heard any bad rumors."

"Only her outward appearance is good. She was a crazy teacher who could be kind to her students or look down on me and make fun of me without changing her expression."

Rea also said it, but it seems Ooki sensei's reputation among the students who took her classes isn't bad.

What kind of psychology must one have to play such a person while mercilessly stabbing my heart to shreds?

"Thinking about it now, the reason the police didn't properly investigate that incident might be because Kaisei kyou was behind it."

"A city that raises humans suited for sacrifice and offers them to Giraiguu—haha, what a nasty conspiracy theory."

"But now we've been caught up in this very conspiracy, and our lives are in danger. It's no laughing matter."

"It's certainly not something to laugh about, but when you think about such a thing happening in reality, you can't help it. You can't get by without laughing."

The school connected to another world, overflowing with zombies, and we became able to use magic, all actually because of rituals by an evil cult infesting the school—just as Hiyami san says, it makes you want to laugh.

And even with this, there are still missing pieces.

Something that will leave us with no choice but to laugh even more is lurking.

◇◇◇

After exchanging contact information with the two of them, I left Class 1-E.

It's a strange feeling having people's names lined up on my smartphone.

However, it would be weird to have only Yumemi chan, Hiyami san, and Marin, I plan to exchange my info with Rea too when I get back to the infirmary.

Ah, but... the fact that I'm even thinking of exchanging it might be a huge step forward for me.

Even with Yumemi chan, she basically forced her contact info onto me.

"...If Yumemi chan hadn't betrayed me, huh."

While walking down a quiet hallway where only zombie voices could be heard from afar, I become lost in thought.

I wasn't betrayed.

There must be some reason.

Even I thought like that many times.

Because I didn't want to be betrayed.

If possible, I wanted to stay in a relationship where we could continue to trust each other forever.

It was precisely because I thought that—that day, surrounded by a multitude of malice, I grieved and went mad with anger.

And hypothetically, if she hadn't betrayed me, but was forcibly taken by Shudou kun, the others and Ooki sensei and made to do those things, I might have suffered even more.

No, but if that were the case, Yumemi chan's parents would have surely taken action too.

Why was I blamed in the first place?

They said because she became friends with me, she disappeared.

Were those parents believers too?

No, that can't be.

Because Yumemi chan and I meeting was a coincidence, we weren't manipulated by anyone, but I was put into this school to become a sacrifice, right?

Perhaps, right from the start, Yumemi chan was a person who approached me in order to betray me, to make me dominated by hatred like this—

"There's no way that's true!"

I slammed Dreamer into the wall.

The wall shatters.

I could see a few bones inside.

"Calm down, calm down, me. No matter what the truth was, the result doesn't change. Neither does what I will do. I'll make my classmates and teachers suffer to the point where even death feels lukewarm, torment them, and then I will escape from here! With Rea! That's all. What I need to do is not to aggravate my delusions and self-destruct...!"

But regarding delusions, where does the boundary lie?

In this broken, delusion-like world.

How much meaning is there in making a distinction?

"Haa... this is bad, this is bad, me. I need to hurry back to the infirmary... Right, let's go see Rea. If I do that, I might calm down a bit..."

Let's stop thinking about petty things like whether I can trust her or not.

I need Rea.

So, I have no choice but to lean on her now.

Because she wants that too.

Ah... but at a time like this, I wish someone was here.

Like a classmate who cheers me up, just rolling around nearby.

I don't even care if it's a zombie anymore, someone whose death would make me happy, somewhere.

"...Hm?"

Suddenly, I stopped in front of the restroom.

No—even though I call it a restroom, it's not something that originally existed here, and the sign on the wall is neither a man nor a woman, but an incomprehensible green, six-legged creature.

There's no door, so there's no worry about opening it and connecting to another world.

But inside, there were distorted toilets that no one knew how to use, and jagged faucets that sucked up dark water from below.

But that wasn't the issue.

I heard a voice.

A woman's sobbing voice came from inside a private room with a round door at the back.

I step into the restroom.

The floor is curved and soft, so I proceed carefully.

And, I knocked on the door at the back.

"Hiii! Who is it!?"

Ah.

Aaaah.

Aaaaaah!

I'm so happy, nothing could make me happier!

I felt my facial muscles rejoicing in tandem with my emotions.

This voice! Could it be! From the same class!

"Inuzuka san!?"

Inuzuka Supika—Inuzuka san, renowned for her completely unreadable name!

Inuzuka san, who cut my hair numerous times, and even cut my ears and tore off my nails!

Inuzuka san, who trampled on me repeatedly that night, laughed, burned me with a lighter, submerged me in water, and made me almost suffocate!

Inuzuka san! Inuzuka san! Inuzuka saaaan!

"Th-that voice... that voice, don't tell me—"

The lock opens.

A face shows from inside.

It was messy hair, rough skin, dirty and smelly, without a trace of her usual haughty demeanor looking down on me like trash; it was a completely weakened stray-dog Inuzukasan. (TL note: Inu mean dog in japanese)

Looking into the toilet, the inside was barely in a normal shape.

The water was also close to a transparent color.

She survived because she locked herself in here and drank that water.

"Kuraganeeeee...! You were alive. Help me, quickly, save meeee!"

The moment she saw me, she grabbed me and ordered me from above.

This, this, this is exactly Inuzuka san!

"Sure, I'll help you."

When I said that, she slapped my cheek with zero hesitation.

It wasn't an open-handed slap.

It was a strike with a clenched fist.

It didn't hurt at all, but I was happy to see the unchanged Inuzuka san even when weakened.

"What do you mean 'I'll help you' from a lowly Kuragane? It's obvious, isn't it? It's only natural for trash to help humans! Just hurry up and take me to a safe place!"

"Yeah, okay, come here."

"Wait. Why are you grinning—"

Inuzuka san's voice stopped when she saw Dreamer.

Her cheek twitched, and a faint terror appeared on her expression.

"You, don't tell me with that knife."

Her expressions are so rich and fun.

As I thought, Inuzuka san was also aware that I resented her.

"H-haha... you wouldn't do such a thing, right? You understand that trash can't possibly do that to an esteemed human, right?"

She's acting tough, but her voice is trembling a little.

I wonder what would happen if I threatened her here.

Would she apologize while wetting herself?

Or would she keep acting tough and looking down on me until the end?

But patience, patience.

I didn't come here to kill Inuzuka san.

Besides, just being able to see this filthy state is satisfying enough for now.

"Answer me, Trash-gane! If you stay silent, I'll leak that video on the internet, you understand!?"

"I understand, Inuzuka san. There are other survivors in a safe place, so let's go together."

"...W-wait. There are other survivors?"

"Of course."

She looked at her own appearance anxiously.

She is in no condition to appear in front of people—but her life is on the line; this shouldn't normally be the time to worry about such things.

Probably, if someone other than me had come to help, she wouldn't have acted strangely tough.

But Inuzuka san is under the curse that she "must act tough" and "must be the ruler who looks down on the other party" in front of me.

"There's no way I can appear in front of people looking like this, you really are so inconsiderate! Just drop dead!"

Saying that, Inuzuka san kicked at me with the sole of her foot.

It was just plain dirty, so when I dodged it, she glared at me intensely.

"So cheeky...! In the first place, why are you alive, and other people have to die? What is this, why are zombies wandering around in this school!"

It was a question a lap behind.

Watching such an Inuzuka san, I smile brightly.

"Don't laugh, Kuraganeeeeee! Fine, if you're going to take that attitude, I have an idea too. Lend me that knife."

"No way."

"I'm telling you I'll discipline you! Trash won't understand unless they experience pain!"

The fact that she doesn't understand her own position is also endearing.

Still smiling, I activate Water right in front of her, letting clean water flow from my palm.

"Wh-what is, that..."

"Magic. I can produce water too, so you can use it if you want to wash your body."

"Magic? Have you lost your mind... No, fine. I'll let you let me use it. Also, I'll exchange my uniform for yours, so take it off right here."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious! Why do I have to wear a dirty uniform while only you get a clean one!"

"I don't want to wear such a smelly uniform either."

"You're the smelly one, Kuraganeeeeeee!"

Being called smelly made me snap by reflex.

I grabbed the wrist of the opponent who lunged at me, pinned her body against the wall, and thrust Dreamer right next to her face.

"Hiyuuuuh!?"

So~ cute~.

Getting teary-eyed and scared.

That Inuzuka san! Inuzuka Supika! Looking incredibly unsightly! Ahahahahahaha!!!

"A-are you planning... to kill me...?"

"I'll go get a clean uniform from a nearby classroom, so wait until then."

"You're planning to leave me here!?"

"The ones around here have already been defeated. If you stay inside that toilet stall, they won't find you."

"Nooooo! Don't leave me! I don't want to be alone!"

"If you raise your voice, the monsters will come, you know?"

"...!?"

Her eyes wide open, Inuzuka san covers her mouth and falls silent.

Cute to death. Lovely enough to kill.

Today is a very happy day.

Humming a tune, I go to a nearby classroom to fetch a uniform.

Then, after fixing her appearance, I decided to return to the infirmary together.

I'm excited. My heart is pounding.

I feel like it's the day the new volume of my favorite manga comes out.

Even the artificial sunlight streaming in, even the air mixed with the stench of decay, feels refreshing.

Now, how should I corner Inuzuka san?

How should I make her self-destruct?

Inuzuka san is simple, emotional, and has a terrible personality, so surprisingly diverse plans come to mind.

Feeling fluffy as if I had come to an amusement park, I walked alongside her.