Perhaps, just as Ooki had done to Rea, our smartphones might have also been tampered with.

The people in the class who sensed beforehand that we were going to elope saw it as an opportunity and took action.

The group centered around Shudou kun assaulted me, telling me that Yumemi chan had betrayed me to cloud my heart.

All so that my soul would become a more fitting sacrifice for Giraiguu.

Meanwhile, the group centered around Ooki abducted Yumemi chan and brought her into the school.

Ikuna Yumemi was a highly suitable sacrifice to serve as the "core" of the ritual for Giraiguu's descent.

The major reason for this was that her parents were Kaisei kyou believers, and she had been administered a part of Giraiguu while she was still a fetus.

Through the rituals performed by the Kaisei kyou, a part of Giraiguu's body had already manifested in this world.

That was the black object Ooki and Nakami used to change their faces.

And by administering it to a fetus, that child gains superior abilities compared to other humans.

Normally, a child raised this way becomes a candidate for an executive position in Kaisei kyou—but there were certain circumstances regarding Yumemi chan.

That was, the part of Giraiguu her parents obtained was not acquired through "official routes"; it was, so to speak, what you might call an "illegal Giraiguu."

To them, Giraiguu is practically a part of God.

A precious substance granted only to chosen, outstanding believers.

There's no way Yumemi chan's parents, who were mere followers, could have obtained such a thing—they probably paid a large sum of money and acquired it through illicit channels.

Because of that, Yumemi chan wasn't recognized by the cult as an executive candidate.

That's why she was subjected to bullying at Hikarinomiya Academy.

However, that turned out for the best.

Being a child with superior abilities meant she was also superior as a sacrifice for Giraiguu's descent.

Different from the students buried in the school as sacrifices in the past who became part of the ritual's formula—an existence capable of becoming the core of the massive ritual.

Yumemi chan became exactly that.

That's why she was abducted and confined in the altar beneath this academy.

On the first day of her abduction, Yumemi chan's limbs were amputated.

Apparently, they used as little anesthesia as possible during this time.

In order to amplify the hatred within her.

Even in her current state, she had enough aptitude to be used as the core for Giraiguu's descent, but to increase the stability of the ritual, they apparently needed to make Yumemi chan suffer even more.

There was a note stating that her screams during this were recorded on the PC.

The part of Giraiguu manifested in this world gradually weakens because it has no way to replenish its energy.

However, it seems to regain a bit of vitality when it hears fresh human screams like these, which is why they record them.

Especially since Yumemi chan had high aptitude as a sacrifice, Giraiguu was reportedly overjoyed.

I stopped reading the file and staggered over to the PC.

Nemusia supported my body midway.

"You are sweating profusely, you know? Perhaps you should take a break—"

I sit down in the chair.

What was placed there was a laptop, and perhaps because it still had battery left, it booted up normally.

Stupidly enough, the password was written on a sticky note nearby, making it easy to log in.

I search through the files inside.

In a folder labeled "Screams," the recorded voices of various students were saved.

Nanase Asami's name was also there.

When I opened it, her voice when she was pushed off the roof and the sounds leading up to the moment she slammed into the ground and died were recorded.

Something rose up from my stomach.

I tightened my core and desperately held it down.

I search for Ikuna Yumemi's name.

Then I found a new folder.

It wasn't a single file—multiple audio files numbered Ikuna Yumemi 1, Ikuna Yumemi 2, and so on were saved.

I play the first one.

『Why are you doing this! If you hate us, just leave us alone! We just wanted to go far away together!』

『Where is Erika chan? What did you do to Erika chan! Stop it, why do you need to go this far to hurt her! I will absolutely never forgive you!』

『What is that... stop it, why something like that... no, noooooo! H-gahiiiiii, it hurrrrts, i-giiiiii!』

『S-Someone, someone help meeeeee! Erika cha, hic, Da-ad, Mo-oom! Stop it alreadyyyyyy!』

The sound of something like a power tool going Gweeeee!, the sound of blood splattering, and the sound mixed with Yumemi chan's screams echoed throughout the room.

"Ugh... bu, bwaeeh...!"

"H-Hey, Erika!? Mgh... use this container."

Because the hallway was built like a cave, the sounds echoed excessively, creating a sense of realism.

『Gi, ga, ogooooooh! Go, hyu, erika, cha... gyaaaaaaaah!』

"Blaaarrrgh... urp, ugh, guh."

"That is enough! That is more than enough!"

『No, I don't want this anymore, stooooop... stop... hi, u, ah...!』

"Still... it's still only the first one, so... it's not enough, it's not enough at all...!"

"Erika!"

My heart hurts.

My brain feels like it's going to burst.

My soul feels like it's going to shatter.

Tears falling, snot and drool constantly running down, spewing out the entire contents of my stomach.

But what meaning is there in my suffering?

If my suffering is 1, then Yumemi chan's is 1,000,000,000,000. No, even more.

That's why, that's why, that's why! I still, I still have to witness everything!

"There are... 10 files, so. I'm going to listen to all of them, so until then, Nemusia, you can wait outside... it's fine."

I play them one after another.

The vivid voices left behind.

The voice of Yumemi chan, who eventually stopped calling for her mom and dad.

I wonder if she found out.

That her parents were actually part of the group of people who abducted and tortured her.

And she continued to call my name endlessly.

Even when she was shown the video of me.

Even when all her hair was cut off and her brain was exposed.

Even when she learned that someone impersonating her sent insulting messages to me.

Even when her eyeballs were pulled out.

I was there.

That makes me an involved party.

I am not a stranger, I have to know everything, I have to, everything—

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

I stabbed Dreamer into my left hand.

Splattered blood stuck to my face.

My body stiffened from the pain.

"..."

Nemusia didn't say anything anymore.

It can't be helped, because this is a rightful condemnation.

Because my foolish self started thinking in the corner of my brain that I didn't want to listen anymore, even at this stage.

Because I started saying 'that's enough' and tried to stop the playback.

I have no choice but to stab it.

Don't say such bullshit anymore, Kuragane Erika.

Next time, I'll kill you.

Even if it's you, I'll kill you!

『Erika... cha...』

"Yumemi chan..."

『Erika... chan... live...』

"Yumemi chan, Yumemi chan, Yumemi chan, Yumemi chan, Yumemi chan, Yumemi chan, Yumemi chaaaaaan!"

I heard it, all the way to the end.

Your voice.

Your agony.

I probably understood about 1/10,000,000,000 of it.

I stand up from the chair.

I return to the front of the file.

I resume reading.

On that day when I killed Shudou kun, the ritual was finally performed.

By that time, Yumemi chan had her limbs amputated, leaving only the minimum organs necessary for life support, and her head was opened, with a part of her brain removed.

She barely had any consciousness, but because a substance that "causes humans to have nightmares" was being administered through one of the countless tubes connected to her body, her brain was constantly in a state of extreme stress.

Thus, Ikuna Yumemi became a perfect sacrifice.

And through the formula created by the countless corpses buried in the school, Giraiguu descended upon this world.

However—at the end of the file, a strange handwritten text was left behind.

It seems that right after the ritual succeeded, the teachers went upstairs from this basement to receive Giraiguu's blessing.

And someone who went up once returned here.

They wrote this:

『Is that truly Giraiguu?』

『Is that truly what we summoned?』

『If so, why is my body rotting?』

『Wasn't the sacred light supposed to purify everything and open the door to the True World?』

『Giraiguu is an entity that devours human darkness. Because it is an entity that exists in contrast to darkness, it should bring light to this world.』

『Is this merely a process along the way? Am I just being impatient? However.』

『This world we have arrived at is like hell itself, a manifestation of the darkness in human hearts.』

The regret of a sinner oozed from those words, and there, I finally laughed.

I laughed, and laughed, and stood up, and with a "Uaaaaaaahhhhh!", I stabbed Dreamer into my own stomach.

The cold blade, "Aaaaah! Ugu, gah, oooooooh!", the organ of condemnation bearing Yumemi chan's name churned my internal organs.

"Stop, Erika! Even if you do something like that, it's meaningless!?" It felt good.

The pain I needed was inflicted upon me, and I felt my heart being satisfied.

No, "Ubu, u, gu, oooooooh!", there's no point in being satisfied. "Aaaaah, hyu, hi, giiiiii!". But condemnation is necessary.

What should I do, Yumemi chan. "Even if you do something like that, Yumemi will not be satisfied at all!".

What should I do, me. "If I don't die... Kuragane Erika must die!"

I cannot forgive myself. "That is why I'm telling you, Yumemi does not wish for this!" A me like this, "But, butttt!" unless I die, forgiveness is—

"Look at me, Erika! Why do you think I'm crying!?"

"Ugh... why, you ask..."

"It is true I felt sympathy, but I'm a Queen, not someone in a position to shed tears so easily. This means that the Ikuna Yumemi remaining within me is crying. Because even though Erika managed to survive safely, you are attempting to take your own life!"

"Yumemi... chan, is...?"

"Yes! Well... the most important part of Ikuna Yumemi is likely no longer in this body. Only I'm here. However! The days spent with you are ingrained in this body. That is why I'm cry. These are Yumemi's tears."

"...But."

With Dreamer still stabbed into my stomach, I slump into the chair.

A heavy pain spreads from my stomach throughout my body, and blood spills from my mouth with a blop.

"Cough... gu, pu... But, I, I, can't forgive."

"Yes, it is unforgivable. What those people did is absolutely unforgivable."

"I hate it. I hate myself for hating Yumemi chan...!"

"Kaisei kyou must have orchestrated things to make you feel that way."

"Why couldn't I realize it... If only I had believed in Yumemi chan, I, I...!"

"The power of a single human is insignificant. Just realizing it now like this, you are admirable."

"Is that, so..."

"Umu, it certainly is. So stop hurting yourself with that blade. The anger you direct at yourself should all be directed at them."

"...Ah, you're right. Even if I hate myself, I'll just wear myself down."

I know my own worthlessness.

What meaning is there, other than self-satisfaction, in such a person being judged.

It's only worthwhile if you kill someone of value.

Violence, only then, holds meaning.

In that sense, those people in my class who poured all their efforts into tormenting me are incredibly foolish.

After pouring their efforts into violence that yields nothing, their valuable lives will be taken by me.

"Yumemi chan... I'm going to kill them."

With renewed determination.

As if drawing a legendary sword, I pulled Dreamer out of my stomach.

And I rubbed my cheek against its blood-stained blade.

At first, I thought it was a weapon with an obnoxious name, but—

"With your blade, I will massacre them all."

Now, it is dear to me.

◇◇◇

After closing my wounds with Healing, I returned to the hallway.

The second room we headed to was a place resembling an operating room.

This must be where Yumemi chan and various others were tortured.

And the largest room at the end of the hallway is the altar.

Four giant pillars stand tall, and in the center are a mysterious stone statue and a stone coffin.

"I awoke here."

Nemusia said while looking inside the slightly dirty stone coffin.

Yumemi chan must have been confined here, connected to life support machines.

During the ritual, many teachers were likely watching Giraiguu's descent here—but now, looking around, there's not a soul in sight.

If so, where did the person who left the handwritten text in Yumemi chan's file go?

Perhaps they were too scared to die in such a lonely place and went back upstairs.

Also, looking up at the ceiling, there was a hole large enough for one person to pass through.

"Where does that hole lead?"

"I do not know. I tried firing magic to check, but it exceeded my range."

It seems to be quite deep.

Was it there from the beginning, or did it open up after the ritual?

At the very least, for a hole opened with modern tools, I thought its shape was strangely distorted.

And finally, Nemusia returned to the hallway and guided me to a certain place.

"There's a ladder here too."

"Umu... this one does not seem to be rotten."

"What's up there?"

"There is a creepy wall, and until yesterday I could not proceed any further."

"That means..."

"I found a similar wall on the floor where I encountered you, and suspected a connection."

"So you knew about that place too, Nemusia. Which means, if we climb this ladder, we can go to the second floor, right? Why did you go out of your way to try and use the stairs over there?"

"That is... well."

Nemusia mumbled, slurring her words.

She looked somewhat embarrassed.

"The monsters kept getting stronger, and I felt the limit of running away using magic... so, um..."

"You wanted companions, so you followed us?"

"I was not following you! I was running around startled by the earthquake, and just happened to spot you!"

"That's the same thing. You should have just called out to us sooner... Well, thanks to that, we were saved, though."

"I was planning to speak to you after climbing to the second floor."

"Surprisingly shy?"

"I'm a Queen! There is no way that is true!"

She was originally shy, but since her family disappeared, she must have been trying her best to act like a Queen.

"What is with that face! Do not smirk! It is disrespect! Execution!"

Nemusia lightly pounded on me.

I see, she still has a side that fits her age.

"Good grief... let me warn you, if you do the same thing in the Adrasia Kingdom, you truly will be executed for disrespect, understand? Do not forget it."

"Got it. I'll be careful when I visit."

"Umu, that is fine. Now, let us climb."

Nemusia climbs the ladder first.

As expected for something leading to the second floor, the ladder is quite long.

The old me probably would have given up halfway.

It seems, as expected, that creepy wall was gone, and when we opened the hatch at the very top, there was a room beyond it.

A dim, slightly dusty space—but definitely inside the school.

After entering the room, when we closed the hatch, it completely blended in with the floor, making it indistinguishable.

With this, no one other than those who know about it would ever notice.

"Where is this place?"

Scanning the shelves lined up against the wall, I saw teacher's guidelines and such lined up.

"It might be the reference room at the back of the staff room. A place students absolutely never enter."

"The perfect place to hide an entrance, then."

"Maybe. For now, let's move to the staff room."

Through a nearby door, we enter the next room.

There, a wide space with desks lined up in rows awaited.

However, there was no sign of anyone.

It would have been nice if I could have killed at least one person here, but I guess it won't be that easy.

"It is spacious and the air is clear. It might be good to use as a base."

Nodding at Nemusia's words, I turned my gaze out the window.

There, I saw blue sky, green trees, and—

"A roller coaster!?"

There was playground equipment that shouldn't exist in a school.

Looking out the other windows, I could see a merry-go-round and a Ferris wheel.

"What on earth are those strange structures? They seem to be moving, though."

"It's called an amusement park."

"A-muse-ment park? Is it part of the academy?"

"No. It's a facility where guests ride those attractions and have fun, a completely different place."

And, it's a place of memories for Yumemi chan and me.

...I wonder if this is a coincidence.

"Are different lands mixed together?"

"Seems like it. To think the second floor of the school connects to Hikarinomiya Fantasy Land, it's like a dream school."

"It appears there are guests as well, but..."

It's a scenery that makes you harbor hopeful observations, like maybe we were able to get outside.

But once you see the faces of those "guests," you should immediately realize that's a mistake.

"They are not human, are they."

"They have huge holes in their faces, after all."

For the most part, their clothes and appearance are close to normal Japanese people, and there's a mix of students, families with children, and elderly couples—but not a single one of them is a normal human.

The Fantasy Land that the citizens of Hikarinomiya loved so much seems to have literally become a fantasy world where monsters roam.