"Isumi, are you hiding something from me?"

  Seeing Isumi's hesitant expression, Nagi could tell immediately that her friend was keeping something from her.

  "Hmm…"

  Nagi's questioni Isumi visibly flicted.

  "Nagi…"

  But before Isumi could say anything, Nagi cut her off.

  "Fet it."

  Just as Isumi seemed ready to fess, Nagi chose to drop the matter.

  "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I just o know that you and I are in the same boat."

  Nagi wasn't the type to push too hard, especially when it came to her closest and most trusted friend. She felt there was o press Isumi further. Some things, she believed, would e to light naturally in time.

  "Nagi…"

  Isumi's heart wavered at Nagi's response, and her voice softened.

  "Since you've already e into tact with these things, you'll iably enter them again iure. Maybe it's better if I tell you now rather than keep hiding it."

  The unknown always breeds fear. If Nagi were to face these things unprepared, the sequences could be worse.

  "Nagi-, there are special powers in this world, and there are also evil spirits that wield them."

  "Evil spirits… ghosts?"

  "Yes. Nagi-, I know how much you're afraid of these things, which is why I old you before."

  "… I see."

  Indeed, Nagi's greatest fear was anythied to ghosts or the supernatural. Even just hearing about them made her legs feel weak.

  Still, she reached out and pced her hands firmly on Isumi's shoulders.

  "What about you?"

  "Me?"

  Isumi blinked, fused by the suddeion.

  "We're the same age, right? I'm terrified of ghosts, but what about you? Aren't you afraid of them?"

  "…"

  Isumi hesitated before nodding slightly.

  "I was scared at first. I didn't know what to do when I entered them. But as I kept fag them, I gradually learned how to use my power. Even so, during my exorcisms, I met people who feared me because of my abilities."

  "That's when I realized people fear what they don't uand. As long as they 't trol it, that fear will never go away."

  "So that's why you didn't wao know?"

  Nagi took a deep breath, then reached out and pinched Isumi's cheeks with both hands.

  "Isumi, I would never be afraid of you. You're not some monster people should fear. You're a knight, someone who steps up to help others when they're in trouble."

  "This is your punishment for not trusting me. If anything like this happens again, you have to tell me. We're best friends, aren't we?"

  "… Okay, Nagi-. I promise to tell you ime."

  Looking into Nagi's sincere eyes, Isumi felt a weight lift from her heart.

  She didn't even mind Nagi ping her cheeks. Instead, she stepped forward and hugged her tightly.

  "Nagi-, I like you the most."

  "Huh? Why are you saying that all of a sudden? But… I like you the most too, Isumi."

  Nagi's face flushed at the sudden fession, but she didn't shy away from admitting her feelings iurn.

  The invisible barrier that had existed between them shattered in an instant, and the two reaffirmed their bond as best friends.

  ---

  "Ah, Nagi and Isumi really are close," Maria ented, watg the se with a smile.

  Since she had started taking care of Nagi, Maria had always noticed how close Nagi and Isumi were.

  Nagi loved sharing her favorite anime plots with those around her, and she even drew her own manga from time to time.

  Although Maria often found Nagi's manga a bit surreal, Isumi was the only one who could fully appreciate both the stories and the art. The two often discussed them i detail.

  Perhaps that was why they had such a strong e.

  And now, their bond seemed even deeper.

  ---

  After the emotional moment, Nagi quickly shifted the topic, clearly unfortable with the lingering atmosphere.

  "By the way, Isumi, what do you think of this diary?"

  "I'm not sure," Isumi admitted, shaking her head.

  "This whole thing is strange. From what you've told me, just reading the diary grants you a ce to win something in a lottery. And the rewards… they're absurdly powerful. The effort and the retur proportional at all."

  The bance was pletely skewed, too little was given, and far too much was gained.

  "It's basically getting something for nothing," Isumi added.

  "Not only is the diary strange, but the person who wrote it is just as odd," she tinued.

  "That man wrote his hout aation, practically inviting people to iigate him. Anyone who dig up information on him could easily figure out what he's been up to. It's almost as if he's deliberately setting a trap."

  "Why would he write his name in the first pce?"

  Isumi found it baffling. He could have hidden his identity and gained a signifit advantage by doing so.

  "True," Nagi agreed, her expression thoughtful.

  "Revealing his identity so openly is practically asking for trouble. Normally, you'd keep your identity a secret until you were strong enough to protect yourself. Only then would it be safe to reveal anything."

  "If someone realizes how valuable the diary is and decides to trol the person who wrote it, that person would be in serious danger."

  Having faumerous kidnapping attempts since childhood, Nagi uood all too well the dark side of human nature.

  For money, people were willing to do anything.

  And now, with the promise of supernatural power, even more people would likely cross the line of morality.

  "That man must know this," Isumi said.

  "And earlier today, after reading his diary, he eveiohe lottery rewards. That wasn't a ce, it was iional."

  "So, he's fishing, huh?"

  ---

  A/N: Well, revealing his name so early was a bit of a plot hole. I'll patch it up with some additional expnations. Thank you for your uanding!