-This is a story about a doll that has been handed down in Nishiki for ages. |
Everyone, have you heard of Nishiki dolls? Many of them look like little girls in beautiful kimonos, and their exquisite workmanship is highly regarded even outside Nishiki. |
In an old temple in a village, there is a doll known as the Cursed Nishikese Doll. |
This doll, is said to start moving on its own when the moon in the sky is half full. She is said to walk around the mansion, run down the long corridors, and carry tea sweets to the porch. |
In this empty mansion, the doll is said to stare at the moon when it is half full. Then in the morning, she would return to her room and get into her futon... |
Yoshino |
"...There are two spooky points about this story. One is that we don't know who brought the Cursed Nishikese Doll to the temple." |
Vivienne |
"B-but that's just an old story, right? There can't even be a record of it anymore." |
Putra |
"And what's the second point?" |
Yoshino |
"The Cursed Nishikese Doll that was supposed to be enshrined in the temple... is missing to this day." |
Yakutsk |
"WWAAAAAAAAAAAA-HH!!" |
Putra |
"WOAAAAAH!!" |
Vivienne |
"KYAAAAHH!!" |
Yakutsk |
"Pant, pant..." |
Putra |
"My heart, I thought it's going to pop out of my ears..." |
Vivienne |
"From your ears! Really from your ears!?" |
Yoshino |
"Is it going to split in two, or does it pop outside one of them?" |
Putra |
"It feels like, it's coming out from the left..." |
Yoshino |
"Ooooh-, mysteries of the human body." |
Yakutsk |
"Dolls aren't scary, dolls aren't scary..." |
Vivienne |
"Well uhh..." |
Vivienne |
"I'll just go ahead and ask, Yakutsk... you alright?" |
Yakutsk |
"DOLLS AREN'T SCARY!" |
Vivienne |
"O-oui..." |
Yakutsk |
"I'm not scared at all! I just destroyed a cursed Nishikese doll the other day! It's just a fancy little matryoshka that's all. If it shows up again, I'll whip it up until its joints detach!" |
Putra |
"Then, do you know this story? It's about The Bendy Doll With No Joints..." |
Yakutsk |
"JUST STOP!" |
The second night of our Nishiki expedition. For some reason, the Train Knights had gathered in my room and were holding ghost story challenge called the hundred Nishiki ghost stories marathon. |
Conductor |
I feel like you're making a bit too much noise, but I'll let it slide. Because of all the things that happened on the first day, you all of the Special Steel Squad have not had a good rest until today. To do a good job, you all do have to let off some steam. |
Yakutsk |
"But doing this right after we're told to let of some steam? Don't you girls try too hard with your ghost stories? A hundred Nishikese ghost stories in Conductor's room right after dinner? Not even a meeting to reflect on them? Are you all idiots?" |
Yoshino |
"And yet here you are, Yakutsk is participating." |
Putra |
"You could have just stayed in your room, you know?" |
Yakutsk |
"T-that's..." |
Yakutsk |
"Uh, we're on an expedition, so it's best to not act alone, right?" |
Putra |
"Well, Queensway is out on patrol alone." |
Yakutsk |
"Queensway is on duty, that's a given! I stayed behind because I thought it was necessary to discuss our next steps with Conductor!" |
Conductor |
Indeed, we need to think about our next steps. We can't just stay here in this inn town forever. |
Conductor |
After restoring the barrier that had been broken by the wanted 'Kekkai Yaburi' Yuzen, the SSS continued investigations around the inn town, but we have found no useful information regarding the unusual outbreaks of Phantom Mist or anything regarding the 'treasure hunt'. Seems like, our missing Yuuzen was the biggest clue... |
Queensway |
"Excuse me. I met Miss Nana in front of the inn and brought her with me. She said she had something to tell Sir Conductor." |
Nana |
"Good evening." |
Yoshino |
"Nana!" |
Nana |
"Yoshino-chan, good evening♪" |
Queensway brought back Nana while she had been out on patrol. Since the 'treasure hunt', Nana, the apprentice seamstress in this town, has become Yoshino's friend. They seem to be on the same wavelength, and they get on very well even though it's only been a day since they met. |
Yoshino |
"So, what do you want to say? Was it about the delicious ohagi shop we were talking about this morning?" |
Nana |
"No, that ohagi shop... already closed up for good." |
Yoshino |
"Ooooh-, it's a difficult time in this world. It must have been tough to live with only ohagi..." |
Nana |
"The ohagi there were so delicious..." |
Nana |
"N-No! That's not why I here! I want to talk about something more important!" |
Putra |
"Oho, delayed straight man comedy. That's impressive, Nana." |
Nana |
"I saw another suspicious person near the back of the mountain." |
Yoshino |
"The back of the mountain, the one Yoshino and friends climbed yesterday?" |
Queensway |
"Yes, Miss Nana said she saw a suspicious Nishiki local heading towards the torii alone. We think she was probably heading towards the mountain." |
Nana |
"She was kind of weird. She was holding a doll and mumbling to herself." |
Yakutsk |
"More dolls!? That's enough already!" |
Nana |
"So-sorry." |
Yoshino |
"Nana, don't worry about it, Yakutsk is just scared of Nishiki ghost stories." |
Putra |
"Hey Nana. What was that weird person like? Was it Yuuzen... I mean the doll seller?" |
Nana |
"It was too dark to see clearly, but I don't think so." She was much smaller than the big sis that sells dolls. Maybe even smaller than Yoshino-chan...". |
Putra |
"So a kid?" |
Vivienne |
"Oui, a kid." |
Yoshino |
"Chotto chotto, don't be so judgmental. Nishiki folks are generally small. Even Yoshino, looks like a little girl, but is a grown-up, okay?" |
Yakutsk |
"Doesn't matter if she's an adult or a child. It's suspicious enough that she's mumbling to herself with a doll in her arms and going up there this late. Especially right after an incident like that." |
Queensway |
"I think she's suspicious too. It could be that she's related to the Nishiki Army, but I don't think any soldier would be carrying a doll in their arms while on duty." |
Conductor |
According to Ohana's information, the Nishiki Army has no known investigation missions currently at night. Safe to assume that she is a suspicious person. We will immediately rush to the scene and check if the person is still there. |
Yakutsk |
Anyways, that's enough of ghost stories for tonight! We are the SSS. We work hard day and night!" |
Yoshino |
"It's dangerous, so you wait here, Nana. Once Yoshino comes back, let's sleep in the futon together, okay?" |
Nana |
"In the same futon?" |
Yoshino |
"Eh? You don't want to? |
Nana |
"No! It's not like that! I don't mind at all. If it's okay with Yoshino-chan, I'd love to..." |
Yoshino |
"Then we'll sleep in the same futon tonight... and we'll talk a lot of Nishiki stories until we fall asleep." |
Nana |
I'm so happy! I'm so excited! Come back home safe, Yoshino-chan." |
Yoshino |
"Yes, will be back. Yoshino will keep her promise." |