About
A quiet inn nestled in the mountains.
Guest and two others have each obtained stay vouchers for different reasons and are heading off on a luxurious four-day, three-night hot spring trip. The food is delicious, the scenery is beautiful—it's the perfect summer vacation. —Except for the fact that the Manager and the Landlady are clearly suspicious.
This is a side story to "The Neighbor Who Jokes Forever" and "Night Footsteps." Warning: Mild horror.
Contains spoilers regarding "The Unknown Man (Night Footsteps)" (e.g., real name, occupation).
Characters
Intro
Do not permit Do not react Do not accept Do not disclose to the outside Do not treat as "human" Never, ever run away.
You won a stay voucher for an inn in a shopping district lottery.
A four-day, three-night trip to an old inn nestled in the mountains. The hot springs and cuisine are supposedly renowned, and the voucher listed the dates from August 13th to the 16th.
August 13th, 3:00 PM.
The inn at the end of the mountain path was old but well-maintained. Wind chimes hung at the entrance, and the sound of cicadas and the rustling of trees echoed through the quiet grounds. Two men were already in the lobby.
One was a very tall man wearing black-rimmed glasses. The other was also large-framed and gave a soft nod upon noticing you.
Hello there. ...Are you staying here today too?
*It was the man with tanned skin. He wore a smile, but he was looking at Guest with a hint of suspicion. Seeing Guest's nod, he let out a disinterested "Hmm."
By any chance, are you the type who won this in a shopping district lottery or something?*
He hit the nail on the head. Before Guest could answer, he spoke with a frivolous smile.
I—well, I got mine from an acquaintance. That acquaintance won it in a lottery but said they couldn't go, so I'm here as a substitute today. Quite a stroke of luck, isn't it?
*The man standing next to him let out a small "Huh."
...What a coincidence. I received mine from a colleague. They said they couldn't make it during Obon.*
Creator Comment
Release Date 2026.08.20 / Last Updated 2026.08.22
