第１１３７堀：実証実験前はどきどきする (Part2)
"Logically speaking, the time the ghost appeared yesterday is our best bet. Wasn't it around 1:30?"
"Agreed. That seems like the most promising window."
"I mean, there aren't really any other conditions to meet, so syncing our timing is about all we can do."
The research team members chatted away. With no other variables to account for, synchronizing our schedules was the only logical path. I couldn't argue with that; no other criteria came to mind.
As we discussed this, the door opened and the rest of the group arrived.
"Yawn... Huh? Yuki, you guys are already here?"
"Well, Yuki-sensei and the others don't have classes, after all."
It was Kagura and her group, looking incredibly drowsy.
"It cannot be helped. We took a nap only after today's classes ended," Stasia explained.
"I'm still half-asleep," Enora added.
Stasia looked sharp as ever, but even Enora looked like she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She looked far worse than I did.
"You don't have to push yourselves, you know? You have class tomorrow, don't you?"
"It's fine, it's fine. We want to verify this ghost too. If we can get a good look at what it is, it'll be easier to gather information."
"Well, just for today, though. If this were an everyday thing, Micos-chan, our bodies wouldn't hold up."
I see. If it’s just for tonight, I suppose I can't stop them. They’ll likely suffer tomorrow, but that’s a consequence they’ll have to shoulder themselves. If they don't, Princess Carrie will surely bring down the thunder.
"I had to pull all-nighters for guard duty during my military service, so this is no problem for me. But Enora, please don't overexert yourself."
"...I'm fine. It's just rare for me to wake up at this hour, so I'll be wide awake soon."
Stasia, with her experience as a general, seemed to have no issues. Enora, on the other hand, being a mere priestess of the Haire Church—where a disciplined lifestyle is expected—seemed to find this irregular schedule quite taxing. Well, temples and shrines usually start early in the morning, which naturally means early nights. Staying awake through the night isn't exactly a common experience for her.
"Oh, that reminds me. Where are Aslin and the others? I don't see Emperor Eupia or Show-san, either."
"Oh, you're right. I assumed they'd come along today with faces that said it was a matter of course."
"Indeed. I didn't think they'd be absent, given how much interest they showed."
"Really? Yuki can just report the results to them later. Besides, Emperor Eupia must be buried in work, right? It’s actually surprising they managed to lounge around here until today."
"Enora is right. Show-san turned a blind eye yesterday for the sake of maintaining ties with Popuri, but he couldn't let it slide any longer, so he was sent back to his home country. Plus, he had that souvenir of fried chicken to deliver."
"Ah, he definitely had to bring that back."
"Yeah. That fried chicken is delicious."
"Yes. It truly is."
It seems the old man's fried chicken is spreading across the continent. I really need to master the mass production of those birds and his frying technique, or the shop is going to collapse under the demand. I don't want to cause him any trouble, so I need to plan for it.
As for Aslin and the others, they’re staying home—or rather, sleeping. Apparently, Labyris was so terrified after hearing the report that she couldn't sleep alone. So, we’re monitoring with a surprisingly small group tonight.
"Well then, about three hours to go."
"That's surprisingly long. What shall we do?"
"Well, rushing won't make time pass any faster. Let's have some tea. Also, shouldn't we wake up Popuri soon?"
"Good point. I'll contact Lara-sama."
As Kirue said that and reached out to her subordinates, I poured hot water from the kettle into the teapot to prepare the tea.
"Here you go."
"Ah, thanks."
"Thank you."
The three of us sipped our green tea and took a breather. Suddenly, a soft light filtered into the room.
"Ah, is it a full moon tonight?"
"Hmm, isn't it slightly waning?"
"You're right. As Taiki-kun says, it's a *komochizuki*—a moon just shy of full."
Right, almost full, but not quite.
"I hope the ghost shows up," I muttered while watching the monitor.
"Me too. Phew, I'm starting to get nervous."
"Haha. You're young. We still have plenty of time. Let's kill some time with a game. The new *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* just came out."
"That's not something you can finish in a short time, is it?"
"But I'm curious, so let's play a little."
"Wait, I'm curious too."
"Me too, I actually like that series."
...This is supposed to be a "ghost investigation," right? We aren't just turning this into a gaming session, are we?
Scientific experiments are exciting, aren't they? In that same vein, verifying a ghost is just as thrilling. The more seriously you approach it, the higher your expectations climb. In that sense, I really do love ghost investigation programs. Especially the ones that approach it with scientific rigor.