"Puyoh?"
What is that sound?
Hayakawa frowned slightly. And what is this strange sensation on my arm?
Hayakawa silently turned his head to look sideways, only to see Ogata Rizu clutching his arm. She was rapidly scanning the surroundings, calmly mumbling phrases like, "There's absolutely no problem."
"..." Hayakawa felt as if his arm had sunk into a mass of springy cotton. He looked in that direction, and his pupils immediately contracted.
B-boobs are amazing~
As expected of a child whose family runs a restaurant, she is clearly over-nourished…
A cow?
Hayakawa's expression shifted slightly. He then looked at Ogata. "Ogata, why are you grabbing me?"
"Oh." Ogata Rizu let go casually, saying calmly, "It was an accident."
Hayakawa didn't respond. He turned his head and continued along the path. However, after only a moment, that soft, yielding sensation wrapped around his arm again.
Hayakawa Haku: "..."
He glanced in Ogata's direction, only to find her staring straight ahead, not looking at him at all. A faint blush was clearly visible on the girl's delicate profile.
Faced with this situation, Hayakawa finally reached a conclusion.
This child… is afraid of ghosts, after all.
"..." Hayakawa mused internally. Indeed, not everyone can be as mentally resilient and fearless as I am. Even if Ogata Rizu has talent in some areas, she is still far inferior to Great Emperor Hayakawa; she is just a mediocre loli.
No choice, no choice. I'll let you hold onto my arm. Consider it a reward for your usual dedication to studying.
Hayakawa looked smug. He had just turned his head when he came face-to-face with Furuhashi Fumino.
Furuhashi Fumino: O_O
The outwardly calm girl stared at him with vacant eyes, specifically zeroing in on the arm being held. A faint black aura emanated from her, giving off an eerie vibe.
Hayakawa: "..."
It seems ghosts do exist in this world.
"Ogata," Hayakawa hesitated, then leaned down and asked Ogata, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Ogata Rizu lowered her head, feigning nonchalance. "I just can't settle my mind. Let's hurry back and study."
As she spoke, the hands gripping Hayakawa's arm tightened, making the cotton-like sensation even more pronounced.
Furuhashi's gaze also grew even more terrifying.
Why are you looking at me like that? It's not my fault someone is grabbing me.
Hayakawa felt a little irritated. Just as he was about to say something, Furuhashi Fumino suddenly stepped forward and embraced Ogata's arm, saying fearfully, "Ah, Rizu-chan, this forest is so dark. It feels kind of scary."
"Fumino…" Ogata Rizu was startled. She instinctively released Hayakawa's arm and gripped Furuhashi's hand instead, saying, "I can't do anything with you. I'll hold your hand then. That way, you won't be scared, right?"
"Thank you, Rizu-chan. You're so reliable." Furuhashi Fumino thanked her, then gave Hayakawa a less-than-friendly smile.
"..." Hayakawa was silent for a moment, then said, "Let's hurry out of the forest."
Saying that, he ignored the two girls behind him and quickly walked down the path. But for some reason, he felt a strange emptiness inside. He actually missed the elastic pressure on his arm from just moments ago, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss. His eyes uncontrollably glanced in that direction, and he even had the fleeting thought of wanting to be held again.
This is…
Instantly, Hayakawa's heart lurched.
What is wrong with me? I'm actually wavering because of boobs?
It's just a pair of mere boobs.
Though they are large.
Damn it… Is this the physiological urge of a creature? As a male, I fundamentally can't restrain my desire for the symbols of the opposite sex!
Hayakawa felt as if his heart were being squeezed. In this moment, he felt the limitations of his humanity. The more he tried to suppress the desire, the harder it was to resist.
Bastard! How can a heart so easily swayed become an Emperor? I must come up with a countermeasure!
[Maybe I should become a monk, or cut off…]
"Wuuuuu wuuuuu…"
Hayakawa Haku was lost in these bizarre thoughts when he suddenly heard a strange wailing coming from ahead. The sound was filled with resentment and longing, like crying and like whispering. It was both like a widow on the prow of a boat desperately searching for her husband in the lake, and like the ghost of someone hanged on a crooked tree confiding in a passerby.
"Aaaaaaah!" Ogata Rizu instantly broke out in goosebumps. She threw herself into Hayakawa Haku's arms without hesitation, burying her head so she couldn't see outside, her whole body trembling like a sieve from nerves.
"W-what is that sound? What is that sound?!" Furuhashi Fumino's face drained of color from shock. She instantly hid behind Hayakawa Haku, saying with a pale face, "Run, Hayakawa-kun!"
It wasn't just the two of them; even Hayakawa felt a chill. In a deep night forest, in the heavy shadows where ghosts seemed to lurk, a soul-calling sound suddenly erupted. Anyone would be afraid in that scenario.
"Calm down," Hayakawa sheltered Furuhashi Fumino behind him. He used his other arm to keep the panicking Ogata in front of him, looking gravely into the shadows ahead. "It should just be a classmate."
"Absolutely not! How can a human make such a terrifying sound!" Ogata Rizu vehemently retorted. Her small head butted against Hayakawa's chest like a squirrel trying to burrow into a tree hole. "It's definitely a female ghost!"
"Don't say such terrifying things, Rizu," Furuhashi Fumino's face turned white. She sounded like she was both blaming Ogata and reassuring herself. "There are no ghosts in this world…"
Just as she spoke, the source of the sound nearby seemed to notice the presence of others, and the mournful wailing instantly became even more high-pitched.
"Ni-no~"
"Eek!!" Furuhashi Fumino and Ogata Rizu clung to each other, simultaneously letting out terrified screams.
"Stop wailing." Hayakawa tapped both girls on the head impatiently. He had already recognized the voice.
"I'm going to check it out." Hayakawa stepped forward, intending to go, but someone grabbed his hand. He turned back, puzzled.
"Don't… don't go. It's dangerous." Ogata Rizu gripped his hand tightly, her pale little face shaking like a rattle, filled with worry and fear.
"...Don't worry." Hayakawa was silent for a moment, gently pulling his hand free. "It's fine."
With that, Hayakawa walked forward and quickly found the source of the sound. It was at the base of a tree, and sure enough, he saw Itsuki weeping with her head buried in her arms beneath the tree.
"What are you doing here?" Hayakawa asked expressionlessly. "Itsuki."
"Eh?" The red-haired girl heard the voice and looked up blankly, her tear-filled eyes instantly widening.
"…Hello?" Hayakawa saw her staring blankly and not reacting. He asked with confusion, "Are you alright?"