Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

Why was the very first step completely wrong?!

The girl, her eyes wide, was quickly thinking of a reasonable solution.

Then Takahashi just dragged Kaguya straight into the amusement park, crushing her thoughts on the spot.

"Don't be nervous, we're just here to have fun."

Gao Hai turned to Kaguya and said seriously.

I'm so nervous right now because of you, okay?

The girl wanted to reply loudly, but she couldn't utter a single word.

My heart is racing.

My consciousness seemed to be getting a little blurry.

She always felt that many people were watching her, watching her and Gao Hai holding her hand, watching the two of them who seemed like a couple.

thump--

You can even feel your heart pounding violently in your chest.

There was absolutely no preparation whatsoever.

What should I do in this situation?

It was completely different from my previous deductions and didn't match any of my preconceived notions.

"Don't get distracted, the project is about to start!"

When Gao Hai's voice rang out again, Kaguya noticed that the two of them were already queuing for an amusement park ride.

"Hey?"

Am I really that bad at spacing out?

Kaguya looked up in a bit of a panic, meeting Takahashi's slightly smiling expression.

"This isn't right. Don't forget, we're enjoying a rare moment of freedom right now."

As he said this, Gao Hai gently waved the little hand he was holding.

"To emerge alive from yet another game, to survive the threat of death, and to emerge stronger."

"Although the next deadly game will soon begin and we will face new crises, every day we live now is especially important and must be cherished."

"So, Kaguya, don't put any psychological burden on yourself. All we need to do is live each day to the fullest, that's all."

Completely different from the somewhat naive Takahashi at the Shirakawa Apartment, Kaguya felt a maturity and composure in Takahashi that she had never noticed before, as well as a sense of security that made her want to rely on him.

In less than two months, he had already reached such a level that she could only look up to him.

Even if this was because he possessed that magical treasure that allowed him to start over repeatedly, the hardships he endured in the process, the things he couldn't remember himself and could only learn about through Maki and Chika's stories, and the experiences that made her shudder just by hearing about them, were enough to justify his achievements.

Perhaps, the attraction I feel for this man, the desire to develop a closer relationship with him, isn't solely due to the sense of crisis I feel seeing Maki and Chika growing closer to him, nor is it simply a matter of avoiding being marginalized within the team. Ultimately, this man himself is already outstanding enough to attract me, even to the point of inspiring a reckless urge to give my all.

Hmm, but what exactly was it about this man that initially attracted me?

"Sorry, I was a little out of line just now. Let's enjoy this date."

With a change in mindset, the girl smiled and, still harboring some unanswered questions, took a step forward hand in hand with Gao Hai.

A few minutes later, Kaguya, who had been embraced by Takahashi during the outing, stiffened all over again, her mind went blank, and her consciousness became completely muddled. She no longer even knew where she was.

Hayasaka, who was watching all this from a distance with binoculars, could only sigh.

"As expected, Lady Kaguya has completely forgotten all the plans we agreed on before..."

The blonde maid, lost in thought, put away her binoculars and sat down in the open space on the roof. She instinctively wanted to lie down on the ground like a dog, but then realized what she was doing and quickly stopped.

The aftereffects of turning into a dog... I still haven't completely overcome them. This instinctive behavior is really exhausting.

The same goes for the tightness of the clothes. Even though they're just normal casual wear, wearing them always feels uncomfortable, making you want to take them off completely. This quirk is one thing in front of your owner, but you have to restrain yourself in other places no matter what.

However, not every side effect is troublesome. For example, without this thing, I would never have had the courage to sneak out to find my master at night.

Last night's master... Ugh, I can't believe I did that to him, so shameless... And he even used his hand... And me too, I had no self-control, I even... soiled the sheets... Waaah...

Recalling those blush-inducing and heart-pounding things, Hayasaka felt her breathing become unsteady.

As for Kaguya, who was continuing to play with Takahashi not far away, she had already given up thinking under Takahashi's various subconscious attempts to get close to her, and was simply following Takahashi's lead as they walked through the amusement park.

Interlude 3-25: Kaguya Shinomiya's grand operation to make Takami blush

Rumble—rumble—

Amidst the deafening roar, the roller coaster reached the highest point of the track in an instant, then plummeted downwards in a near-vertical descent.

Young men and women sat in the car screaming, enjoying the seemingly close-up experience of being on the verge of death, yet actually incredibly safe, all under the protection of their seatbelts.

For ordinary people, riding a roller coaster and experiencing such extreme thrills is already a grueling experience that exceeds the limits of what many people can endure.

Because of the extreme thrill of roller coasters, many tourists have experienced fainting or even death during the ride, so it can be said that this ride itself is very dangerous.

Of course, it also depends on who is riding the roller coaster.

Rumbling--

Amidst the violent jolts, the roller coaster sped along a 360-degree rotating track.

The tourists spun around with the vehicle, many screaming again, and some who were prone to dizziness were already showing signs of vomiting.

"..."

Kaguya Shinomiya remained calm, sitting on the roller coaster as if she were in her own garden.

Her hair flew up and down as the car moved, then she reached out and pressed it down.

"There seems to be a juice shop over there. Shall we buy a cup later?"

Sitting next to Kaguya, Takami yawned as he spoke, clearly starting to get bored.

Rumbling--

The roller coaster roared as it traversed a sharp turn, and the screams of the passengers rose once more.

"Hmm, that's a good idea. Um, Gao Jun, I saw a fried chicken shop. Maybe we can have lunch there later?"

Hearing this, Kaguya turned her head, looked in the direction Takahashi indicated, and nodded slightly. Then she noticed a certain spot below, reached out and tugged at Takahashi's clothes, and whispered to him.

"Fried chicken, as long as it's not served with watermelon. Okay, let's go eat it in a bit."

After making a casual remark, Gao Hai yawned again, then looked down at Hayasaka Ai, who was observing him from the amusement park plaza.

As Kaguya's gaze shifted away, Takami waved to Hayasaka, letting her know that he had been discovered once again.

Then, the roller coaster returned to its starting point and came to a stop. Takami and Kaguya, who secretly showed disappointment, quickly got off the roller coaster.

The plan has failed again.

Kaguya originally planned to use the thrill of the roller coaster to deliberately act scared and timid like a little girl, in order to arouse Takami's protective instincts and thus bring the two closer, so that Takami could recognize her charm more deeply.

But once she actually got on the roller coaster, the only word Kaguya could use to describe her feelings was "that's it".

I really couldn't feel any stimulation.

Whether it's the vibration of the car itself or the rolling and changing of the car body, there is no sense of urgency whatsoever.

Because her physical abilities had been enhanced through blessings and Twilight-level enhancements, Kaguya felt no different from being on flat ground. Takami, sitting next to her, yawned several times after getting on, clearly finding the experience quite boring.

Failed.

That was a huge miscalculation.

They simply used the methods obtained from the investigation mechanically without considering whether they were appropriate for the current situation, or that such a level of stimulation would be meaningless and unmoving to players like them. It was a huge miscalculation.

In that case, the plans for haunted houses, drop towers, etc., can basically be declared failures, and there's no need to try them anymore.

What should I do? What should I do next?

Kaguya felt her brain was overloaded.

She even felt that the current predicament was more difficult and unpredictable than finding a way to survive in the instance and figuring out how to break the rules of the ghost stories.

"Let's go check out that juice shop from before."

But then, her hand was taken by Gao Hai again.

With a calm expression, Gao Hai pulled Kaguya, who was blushing again, forward as they walked through the bustling amusement park.

For Gao Hai, holding a girl's hand on a date is nothing out of the ordinary. Now, whether he's with Maki or Chika, they almost always hold hands whenever they're on a date. Chika, in particular, will take the initiative to hold his hand, or even hug him, and occasionally she'll playfully ask him to carry her on his back or even hold her while they walk.

However, for Kaguya, this level of physical contact had already begun to cause her heart rate to become unstable, leaving her completely at a loss.

"Would you like something to drink? Would orange juice be alright?"

Gao Hai's voice rang in her ears, pulling Kaguya's consciousness back to reality.

"Hmm, hmm! Orange juice will do."

Kaguya, whose left hand was still being held tightly by Takahashi, couldn't adapt to the situation and could only answer softly with a flushed face.

"Okay, boss, one orange juice and one blueberry juice, with some ice in the blueberry juice."

Completely oblivious to any problem, Gao Hai quickly took the orange juice and handed it to Kaguya, then took his own glass of iced blueberry juice.

The two temporarily let go of each other's hands, inserted the straws into the cups, and then continued walking side by side.

Calm down, I need to calm down quickly.

Kaguya took a deep breath, trying her best to adjust her mindset and think about the appropriate course of action.

Although I was caught off guard by Gao Jun's actions, his willingness to do so proves that he already had some feelings for me. In that case, I could try to further enhance his feelings through subtle, intimate interactions, bringing the two of us closer together.

In that case… oh right, I have some juice on me, don't I? We can exchange drinks and taste each other's, thus indirectly kissing. Boys must really care about these things, especially someone as perceptive as Gao Jun; he'd definitely react!

Thinking of this, Kaguya lowered her head and took a sip of juice, then gently patted Takahashi's arm to divert his attention.

"Gao Jun, would you like to try my drink?"

Kaguya smiled, her expression seemingly flawless.

"Oh, sure, you should try mine too."