Maichi Watanabe was dumbfounded.

Chitose Watanabe was also a little dumbfounded.

The two of them unconsciously stopped their chopsticks and looked at Beichuan Temple, which had already added three large plates of rice.

A pot of curry, the two of them didn't eat much, and basically went into the stomach of Kitagawa Temple.

“... I thought Brother Kitagawa was joking, but now it seems... This pot doesn't seem to be enough for us to eat. Watanabe Maichi muttered in surprise.

It's not that he can't bear this curry, but the amount of food in Beichuan Temple is too terrifying.

The key to eating in Beichuan Temple also has a sense of calmness and slowness.

That's pretty weird.

Kitagawa Temple is the most eaten, but his eating appearance is the most gentle.

This strange sense of contrast made Watanabe Chitose lose her appetite after eating two bites of curry, and she asked curiously, "Brother Kitagawa, do you usually eat so much?" ”

"Almost, this kind of portion is fine, sixty percent full, and it won't affect my actions." Kitagawa Temple replied blandly.

Hearing this, Maichi Watanabe couldn't help but joke: "Brother Kitagawa must usually eat with a rice cooker." ”

But he didn't expect Beichuan Temple to nod with deep sympathy: "Indeed, sometimes it's a little troublesome to add rice and bowls, and I can consider buying another rice cooker as my rice bowl." ”

Uh-

Watanabe Maichi blinked.

Chitose Watanabe also blinked.

The two of them didn't expect that Beichuan Temple really planned to implement such a crooked idea.

"I'm kidding." Kitagawa Temple glanced at Maichi Watanabe and said expressionlessly.

Joke?

The question is this joke ...

Maichi Watanabe and Chitose Watanabe laughed twice at Kitagawa Temple, only to feel that their bodies had become much colder inexplicably.

After the meal, Kitagawa Temple took the pots and pans to wash and return them to the Watanabe father and daughter.

After all, he also ate the other party's meal for no reason, and this little thing still has to be done.

And just as Kitagawa Temple handed the dishes to Watanabe Chitose, the little girl suddenly screamed a little, and she pointed to Kitagawa Temple's shoulder.

"Brother Kitagawa, on your shoulder..."

Kitagawa Temple looked over his right shoulder.

It turned out that he didn't know when, but the pity was already lying on his shoulder, and the little puppet's head was particularly abrupt.

"This is... Muppets? Watanabe Chitose looked at the pitiful little one on Kitagawaji's shoulder and asked curiously.

Beichuan Temple nodded and said, "This is a talisman." ”

Use the doll as a talisman...

Is this also common in Tokyo?

Watanabe Chitose was thinking about it, but the little puppet who was originally lying on the shoulder of Kitagawa Temple suddenly raised his round little hand and waved at her.

Yes...

She let out an 'ah' sound, and after blinking her eyes, she found that the little puppet was still lying on the shoulder of Beichuan Temple in its original appearance.

For some reason, the puppet on the shoulder of Beichuan Temple was hideous, but it didn't make her feel scared at all, and even in this cold night, it gave her a sense of indescribable intimacy.

"Chitose-sama, you're almost going to sleep too, so I won't bother." Kitagawa Temple said.

"If you don't mind, Brother Beichuan can also spend the night with us, anyway, my father's tent is very big, and it is windy here at night, if you only use a sleeping bag, it will be very cold at that time, and it will not be good if you get sick." Chitose Watanabe tries to keep it.

"No, it's not good to keep bothering." Kitagawa Temple politely declined.

Chitose Watanabe watched the back of Kitagawa Temple walking straight back to his own camp, his mouth moved, and finally gave up.

The cold wind howled and made people's scalps cold.

Night... It's still a long time.

......

Kitagawa Temple woke up with a crackling and restless sound.

He clearly heard Mama Watanabe's hoarse call.

"Chitose! Can you hear me? ”

"Chitose! Where are you? ”

Is Chitose Watanabe missing?

Kitagawa Temple, who had been in a light sleep, opened his eyes.

The whole camping camp began to agitate.

Many of the tourists who learned the situation from Maichi Watanabe helped with flashlights to find the people.

Kitagawa Temple's simple action of turning over made Nishikujo, who was originally lying quietly on his chest, pitiful, also fall to the ground with a click because of this action.

He picked up Nishikujo pitifully, put his backpack on his back, and came to the panicked Watanabe Maichi.

"Mr. Watanabe."

"Brother Beichuan, you came just in time! Help me find Chitose, I woke up and found that she was no longer with me. Watanabe was anxious.

Chitose Watanabe is only a little girl of twelve or thirteen years old, and a girl of this age is missing in this mountain, and the chance of survival is basically zero.

Not to mention that it is still winter, and the weather at night is extremely cold, which is not something that a little girl's physique can withstand at all.

"I see, I'll help, Mr. Watanabe, don't worry." Beichuan Temple nodded, but at the same time he was a little strange.

It's still the middle of the night, where can Chitose Watanabe go alone? Where does she want to go?

After all, why did she leave camp at night?

A twelve or thirteen-year-old girl should also understand the danger of losing her way in the mountains.

Hideki Hirasaka... Chitose Watanabe...

If it's like what you think.

Kitagawa Temple's eyes were swirling with black gas.

Looking at Chitose Watanabe's tent.

Sure enough, on top of the small tent, wisps of resentment were freed up.

"Sure enough." Kitagawa Temple's eyes twinkled.

He followed the remaining wisp of resentment all the way through the dense forest, and walked step by step towards the river.

......

Chitose Watanabe saw...

The crowd crowded and lined up towards the mountain.

A priest holding a little blue flame.

The flames shimmered with a dazzling light.

Along the way, there was a strange whispering voice of a woman, and the chime also sounded one by one.

Merge with the mountains...

Merge with them...

Yes...

When Watanabe Chitose came back to his senses, he had been dragged into the flow of people and walked towards the mountains step by step.

There's no turning back -

Chitose Watanabe walked in a daze, only to feel so cold, as cold as immersion in ice water.

She was shivering with cold, but her feet couldn't stop.

Can't stop.

There's a torii gate right in front of you, so if you step into it, you'll never be able to come out again, right? Escape into seclusion, completely cut off from the real world...

Watanabe Chitose didn't want that, but his feet didn't obey and walked forward step by step, and his body became colder and colder.

And then—

"Chitose sister!"

Someone grabbed his hand.

At that moment, Watanabe Chitose only felt that his five senses had returned to normal, and that dream-like torii scene was shattered in front of him.

When she came to her senses, she was trembling again.

The view displayed in front of her made her shudder.

In front of her was a dark, bottomless mountain abyss, and she was just one step away from falling.