Chapter 297: Business (20)

"Let me go first." 

Miss Tanaka, trapped in the hotel alongside Kaguya and Umi, stood up decisively. Without hesitation, the female player declared: 

"I choose the escort service." 

—The Details of nozamA's Proxy Training—

nozamA's proxy training offers two levels of service. 

The first option is the basic 'solo guidance'. This involves entering the space alone while Amamiya provides instructions remotely. It's cheaper, but it comes with a major drawback: there's no direct assistance. If an emergency arises, the player has to fend for themselves. 

The second option is the 'companion play service'. In this premium service, Amamiya personally enters the otherworldly space, staying by the player's side and offering full protection. Naturally, this service comes with a higher fee. 

"You'll be satisfied," Amamiya assured her before turning to Hanako. "Where are the stairs?" 

"The corridor on the east side of the fourth floor," the wraith loli grumbled, baring her shark-like teeth as she reluctantly revealed the location. 

Damn humans! 

If you hadn't threatened me with my mother, I would never cooperate with you! 

"Hanako-chan, open wide." 

Chika, holding Amamiya's peculiar culinary creation, occasionally fed Hanako. 

"Ah…" 

The wraith loli opened her mouth instinctively, her reflexes unknowingly conditioned by habit. 

--- 

The group headed straight to the fourth floor, quickly locating the thirteenth step. 

"I'll go in first," Amamiya said, stepping onto the staircase. His figure vanished instantly. 

In the next moment, as the darkness receded, the familiar scenery unfolded before him once more. 

A dim corridor. 

A deathly still campus. 

Time frozen at sunset. 

Amamiya pulled out his notebook and began establishing communication with the outside world. 

A girl's elegant handwriting appeared on the notebook shortly after. 

"Hanako says the new thirteenth step is on the west side of the second floor." 

"Got it." 

Without hesitation, Amamiya made his way to the second floor, finding the thirteenth step and relaying instructions back to the outside world. 

"You can come in now," he wrote. 

Seconds later, a figure materialized beside him. It was Miss Tanaka, the self-proclaimed nymphomaniac player he had rescued earlier. 

"Whoa, so this is the alternate dimension?" 

Miss Tanaka trotted down the stairs eagerly, joining Amamiya's side and glancing around with fascination. 

"I've already explained the situation," Amamiya reminded her. "If you want to clear this level, you'll need to interact with at least one ghost story. There's no point in entering only to flee the next moment." 

"So far, we've confirmed two curses: the vengeful spirit of the table-wiping elementary schooler and the bathroom spirit. Of course, you could also try engaging with a new ghost story—it might give you a higher score." 

Last night, while testing his theories with Umi, the videotape's cover had briefly displayed an image of Umi hugging the ghostly loli. It made him suspect that higher ratings might come from engaging more deeply with the ghosts. 

Amamiya wasn't sure how many vengeful spirits existed in this space. Even Hayasaka, who had spent hours inside, had little information. Much remained unexplored. 

"No, I'm not interested in any of that," Miss Tanaka replied firmly. "As long as I can clear the game and return safely, that's all I care about." 

She sighed. "I just want to go back to my apartment and relax. I don't care about scores or achievements. I've never been one of those completionist types." Bowing slightly, she added, "I'll leave everything to you, Amamiya-kun." 

Amamiya smiled. "Leave it to me." 

He didn't mind players like Miss Tanaka, who sought only the basics and were satisfied with minimal services. 

Despite revealing her unfiltered thoughts in her dream—where she'd asked Amamiya to help unclog her 'sewer'—Miss Tanaka behaved quite obediently in reality. Staying close to him, she followed without complaint until they arrived outside the first-floor bathroom. 

"Woo…" 

Low, mournful wails seeped intermittently from the bathroom, blending with the dim twilight and the eerie silence of the campus. The atmosphere was nothing short of chilling. 

Amamiya stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on the bathroom not far away. 

'Aqua-chan, I've brought you another customer.' 

The elementary schooler wiping the table was technically closer, but Miss Tanaka, who was afraid of pain, had decisively chosen the weeping ghost in the bathroom after hearing that the alternative might involve discomfort. 

"I'll wait for you outside," Amamiya said calmly. "I've already explained everything—you can handle it on your own." 

Miss Tanaka hesitated, her nervousness clear in her voice. 

"Are you sure it's safe?" 

"Don't worry," Amamiya reassured her with a confident thumbs-up. "Aqua-chan guarantees she won't harm any humans or animals. We're a certified golden brand." 

"…" 

Speechless, Miss Tanaka forced a smile, mustering her courage before inching toward the bathroom. 

Players weren't ordinary people. Having encountered numerous strange and malevolent spirits in reality, they had developed a certain level of immunity to fear. Yet, actively seeking out vengeful spirits was another matter altogether—it was only natural for her to feel on edge. 

Amamiya remained in the corridor, standing vigilantly. 

The weeping loli inside the bathroom posed no real threat, so there was little to be concerned about. 

Moments later, Miss Tanaka darted out of the bathroom, her face pale and her breathing uneven. 

"I-I saw her," she stammered, her voice trembling. "Her eyes… they were terrifying. And it was so cold!" 

"Let's head to the third floor," Amamiya said, raising the notebook in his hand. The next destination had already appeared on its pages. "Once we leave this space, the curse will naturally vanish." 

"…" 

Without pausing, the two ascended to the third floor, quickly locating the thirteenth step. 

"Amamiya-kun, I'll go first!" Miss Tanaka said, shivering yet smiling in relief. She gave a quick wave, stepped onto the stairs, and disappeared instantly. 

Amamiya didn't follow her out. Instead, he consulted the notebook again, identifying the next location where the stairs would appear and heading straight there. 

A short while later, another player arrived at the alternate dimension. 

"Amamiya-senpai, I'm counting on you," the newcomer said. 

"Understood," Amamiya replied simply. 

"…" 

Like Miss Tanaka, the other players had also chosen the companion service. Safety was paramount, and those confident in their abilities wouldn't have sought help in the first place. 

Business continued smoothly. 

The only inconvenience was that Komi's ability needed to be refreshed periodically. The skills Amamiya copied from her were temporary, so once their effects expired, he had no means of communicating with the outside world. 

This required him to seek out Komi regularly. 

For instance, right now. 

Amamiya stepped onto the thirteenth step, returning to the real world. Spotting a girl with long black hair, he approached her. 

"Komi-san, I need your help again." 

"…" 

Komi's pale face flushed instantly. Lowering her gaze to her toes, she clasped her hands in front of her stomach and hurried toward the classroom. 

There were too many people in the hallway. Holding hands with a boy in front of everyone? Absolutely out of the question! 

Amamiya followed her, as composed as ever. 

"Don't bully Komi-san," a gentle voice called from behind. 

Sajuna, her tone soft yet firm.

"Don't worry," Amamiya replied with a wave of his hand. "I always keep my promises." 

"Eh?" Umi blinked, startled. "Amamiya-kun, what kind of promise did you make with JuJu-sama?" 

Sajuna's face turned crimson as she averted her gaze, guilt etched across her expression. 

'I decided to sacrifice myself to protect her… but I can't even say that out loud. You can bully me, but don't touch Komi-san!' 

Inside the classroom, Amamiya and Komi sat across from each other. 

"Put your hand out," Amamiya instructed. 

"…" 

After a moment of hesitation, Komi slowly extended her right hand. 

'Pop.' 

Amamiya grasped it lightly. 

By the time she realized what had happened, her body had already stiffened. Her pretty face turned away in a fluster, her wide eyes focusing on the gloomy sky outside the window. A delicate blush spread across her pale cheeks, reaching all the way to the tips of her ears. 

And then… five minutes of silence. 

No matter what Amamiya said, Komi simply nodded, shook her head, or trembled slightly. She didn't utter a single word, keeping her communication as minimal as possible. 

'Even the stereotypical "quiet girl" characters talk more than this!' 

The five minutes passed quickly. Once the skill was successfully copied, Amamiya let go of her hand and suggested with a wry smile: 

"Next time, how about we bring Sajuna along? The three of us can do this together." 

He didn't mean anything inappropriate by it—he just wanted someone to talk to. Spending such prolonged, silent moments staring at each other was unbearable. 

——

The process continued smoothly. 

Hanako played the role of an informant, constantly reporting the updated location of the ghost story stairs. Komi provided support via her notebook, while Amamiya handled the tasks inside the alternate dimension. The operation was efficient, running like a well-oiled machine, with no surprises or unexpected events. 

The only one having a hard time was Aqua, the 13-year-old ghost girl. With people coming and going constantly, she didn't even dare cry anymore. 

Half an hour later. 

Amamiya emerged from the alternate dimension and looked around the corridor at the gathered players. 

"Has everyone got their videotape?" 

"I've got mine." 

"Thank you, Amamiya-kun." 

"Really, thank you so much." 

"…" 

The players expressed their gratitude one by one. 

With the ghost story videotapes successfully submitted, the main quest was complete. All that remained was to survive until the end of the dungeon, and they'd successfully clear the level. 

"Now that you've collected everything, it's time to leave the school," Amamiya announced, his gaze shifting to Komi. 

The girl with long black hair pressed her trembling lips together as if trying to say something. Yet, no sound came out. In the end, she merely lowered her head, looking aggrieved. 

'Seriously?!' 

Amamiya was left speechless. 

'You won't even speak now? If someone kidnaps you someday, will you just stay silent and not even ask the police for help?' 

Kaguya glanced at her and remarked calmly, "It seems Komi-san hasn't gotten her videotape yet." 

"Oh no, I forgot!" exclaimed Chika, slapping her forehead. "Komi-san, you haven't received yours yet?" 

Komi nodded quietly. 

Sajuna bit her lower lip, realizing she'd forgotten as well. "Komi-san, hurry up and head into the alternate space to retrieve it." 

"Wait a moment," Umi interrupted. "If Komi-san goes in, Amamiya will have to stay behind." 

Amamiya nodded in agreement. "That's correct. Someone has to stay outside to take notes. We can't have two people inside at once." 

The ever-practical Hayasaka raised her hand. 

"I'll go with Komi-san." 

Of everyone present, Hayasaka was undoubtedly the most familiar with the alternate space. 

Komi hesitantly approached Kaguya, her hands nervously clutching her trading items. She had participated in the game only a few times and didn't own anything particularly valuable. 

Kaguya shook her head slightly. 

"Komi-san, you don't need to offer anything," Amamiya said reassuringly. He smiled faintly and added, "You're Sajuna's friend—there's no need for these formalities."