This wasn't the first time.
The scene before him reminded Takakai of his first loop in Nutty Putty Cave, when he and Fujiwara Chika had been forced to share a bath in the research base. Though Chika had no memory of that now—and bathing together had since become routine—the situation repeating itself with another girl made Takakai inwardly sigh.
Is this some harem light novel protagonist treatment? Forced bath scenes with beautiful girls? How shamelessly otaku-bait can this get?
Enough. Any more, and he'd just be flexing.
Keeping his expression neutral, Takakai remained still in the pool, his gaze occasionally flickering to the grotesquely deformed specter students around them (whose descriptions would likely breach censorship). Meanwhile, his back pressed firmly against Yotsuya Miko's, her presence unmistakable.
Miko was panicking.
Her emotions were in chaos.
On one hand, the ghost students sharing the pool made it impossible to relax. Even when she tried not to look, their whispers—pleas for mercy from their final moments—wormed into her ears.
On the other hand, the man pressed against her—the one who'd protected her time and again—sent her heart racing. The rough texture of his skin, the warmth of his body, and the hint of something more she'd begun to feel for him left her utterly flustered.
"Don't worry. They won't touch us."
Takakai's voice was soft, noticing her trembling.
The specter students didn't dare approach—partly because Takakai still clutched the bull head even while bathing. Twice, the severed head had regrown flesh (as specters couldn't truly die), forcing him to re-carve it to maintain their bluff.
"How… long do we have to stay here?"
Miko kept her eyes fixed on the water, her voice barely audible.
"Until lights-out. Relax. We'll be fine."
As he answered, Takakai's gaze drifted to the pool's entrance.
Under the Bathing Area Regulations, once the dorm returned to its "orderly" state, they had to bathe. But with their unknown tally of rule violations—and Miko's vulnerability if separated—Takakai had chosen the Livestock Wash Pool, the only zone where no rules could be broken.
To his surprise, the pool was clean, even warm—nothing like the blood-soaked or filth-filled hellscape he'd expected.
Maybe bringing "Old Man Ox's" head helped. Even in the worst zone, a Teacher's presence forces some decorum.
But Alice would come soon.
The 3-minute stun from Kumami had long expired.
Preemptively, Takakai had summoned a second Rescue Team member to stand guard.
A footstep.
Then a childlike hum.
[Stepped on a cat~]
[Stepped on a cat~]
[Stepped on a napping kitty~]
The voice crept closer—or so Takakai thought.
Because when he glanced aside, Alice was already there, sitting casually in the water, wrapped in a towel.
She'd bypassed the guard entirely, using illusions to fake her approach.
But Takakai knew her tricks. With the guard's shared vision, he spotted her instantly.
[Oh dear, I've been caught~]
Alice giggled, materializing fully with a sweet, inhuman smile.
Even Takakai staggered briefly under its charm—but he yanked Miko into his arms, covering her ears.
Prepped earlier, Miko squeezed her eyes shut, burrowing into his chest.
This was their only defense: block her senses to minimize Alice's psychic corrosion.
[Teacher's so wary~ Did you meet another me in the main building?]
Alice melted into the floor, reforming nearby—now fully dressed.
Fragmented visions flashed: a crushed column of student remains, the origin of this Alice.
She's part of the building. Nowhere here is safe from her.
Then—her odd phrasing.
"Why call me 'Teacher'?"
[Because you are one~ Even if no one else thinks so, Alice knows.]
"Cut the act. What do you want?"
[Alice just wants to be friends! With Teacher… and little Miko~]
Her grin widened, eyes locking onto Miko.
"Never. The only place for you is hell."
Takakai's head throbbed—Miko's psychic backlash was bleeding into him.
But Alice reacted strangely.
['Originally pitiable'? Ohhh… Teacher can see too~ Not as much as Alice, but…]
Her gaze swung back to Miko, hungry.
[Miko-chan is just like me.]
Takakai's mind raced.
First and second loops: Alice only possessed Miko.
Other girls were never targeted—only posthumously puppeted.
"You need her. Alive."
His voice was steel.
"Because she's like you—her perception is strong enough to be your vessel. That's how you escaped this school before. That's why you want her."
The pieces connected:
The original Alice—a girl with Miko's abilities—had been trapped here, becoming the school's specter. Only by possessing a similar vessel (the "Idol Alice" body) could she leave.
But that body was destroyed (the umbrella, the bone staff).
Now, she was trapped again—until Miko arrived.
[So smart~ How did you steal the main building's core?]
Alice's smile twisted, her voice dripping with malice.
Then—
A new presence.
Something long-limbed and monstrous slithered from the hole Takakai had torn in the wall.
Before he could react, a clawed handyanked him and Miko—along with the door he'd ripped off—into the breach.
[Psst~ Did you know?]
[This dorm has a floor that doesn't exist.]
[Some call it -1F… but those who've seen it say it's different.]
[And then? They disappear.]
Alice's voice faded as the wall sealed behind them.
Before Takakai and Miko, the [-1F] markermelted into blood, reforming as:
[0F]
A door creaked open.