Chapter 9: Fujiwara-san, Hurry Up and Use Your Fat to Think of Something!
"The cafeteria, huh..."
Natsuki pondered for a few seconds. "Let's check it out first."
The three of them walked forward along the path and soon spotted a cafeteria building ahead.
"Speaking of which, our school has a cafeteria too. I've been there with friends—the food is amazing." Chika clasped her hands behind her back, looking around. "Kaguya-chan, have you ever eaten at the cafeteria?"
"No."
Kaguya answered calmly.
"What about you, Amanomiya-kun?"
Natsuki replied, "I've been there."
"Eh? What do you like to eat there? My favorite is the teriyaki chicken cutlet—it's absolutely delicious."
Natsuki sighed silently, finally confirming that this Fujiwara-san... was indeed a genius.
This was a perilous school of vengeful spirits. Couldn't she take it a little more seriously?
The journey was uneventful—they encountered neither other players nor any vengeful students.
Soon, the three arrived at the cafeteria entrance. After exchanging glances, they stepped inside.
The next moment, the scene before them abruptly changed.
The lighting was dim, the flickering yellow bulbs threatening to go out at any second.
The air carried a faint metallic scent of blood, mixed with an indescribably strange odor.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The dull sound of a blade chopping into bone echoed from the back of the cafeteria.
Other than that, there was no other sound. The entire place was suffocatingly oppressive.
There weren't many customers inside—just a few vengeful students. The moment the three living humans entered, all the spirits turned their heads in unison.
Their faces were deathly pale, their expressions lifeless. Some didn't even have eyes. The sudden movement made Chika gasp in fright.
"Why are there vengeful spirits in the cafeteria?!"
Obviously, students coming to the cafeteria to eat was perfectly normal, wasn't it?
Kaguya remained expressionless, as if nothing in the world could faze her. But the words floating above her head were completely at odds with her calm demeanor.
[So scary so scary so scary.]
At the same time, a cold, raspy voice echoed in the minds of all three.
[You have entered the scenario: Ghostly Cafeteria]
[Game Rule: Good students must eat on time. Please finish your last supper and give it a five-star review]
[Cafeteria Dining Rules: Each serving must be no less than 200 grams]
"Eating to clear the stage sounds much easier than the statue game," Chika's eyes lit up.
"Easy?" A cold chuckle rang out. "I hope you won't be crying later."
Natsuki followed the voice and saw a hooded player. Pale-faced and drenched in cold sweat, the player had clearly been through something harrowing. Before them sat a bowl of soup where... a black skull-shaped mist was eerily rising from the broth.
"What kind of dish is that?"
The smile on Chika's face gradually froze.
"That looks like a lethal meal," Natsuki's eye twitched slightly as he took a deep breath. "Anyway, let's check the cafeteria counter first."
The three approached the serving window.
The dull chopping sounds ceased, and a figure emerged from the darkness.
It was a nearly two-meter-tall, burly pig-headed butcher, clutching a blood-dripping cleaver. His apron was splattered with so much blood the original color was unrecognizable.
As the pig-headed butcher appeared, the ghostly students in the cafeteria all lowered their heads, the intimidation factor maxed out.
"Good evening, what would you three like to order?"
A low, hoarse voice came from the pig-headed butcher as he pointed to a signboard. "Here's today's menu. Please choose for yourselves."
Natsuki looked at the signboard, which listed only one dish.
[Today's Special: Mystery Borscht. Please don't be surprised by whatever you find in it]
[Today's Special: Mystery Meat Cutlet Rice. Do not inquire about the meat's origin]
Natsuki scanned further down—good grief, every item was straight out of the underworld's kitchen. Not a single normal human dish in sight.
"Is it really safe to eat this kind of food?"
Chika couldn't help muttering under her breath.
Soon, the trio realized that whether the food would make them sick was one thing—whether they could even stomach it was another matter entirely.
"The cafeteria will close in thirty minutes. Please finish your meals within the allotted time," the pig-headed butcher intoned. "Those who don't finish their meals or fail to eat within the time limit will remain in the cafeteria."
"Um, thank you for the reminder..." Chika blinked, about to make a quick exit, when she suddenly gasped. "Eh? The door's gone?"
Natsuki turned to look behind them—the cafeteria door had vanished, replaced by swirling black-red mist.
Leaving easily was clearly not an option.
Shifting his gaze back to the pig-headed butcher, a line of text slowly materialized before his eyes.
[True Name: Oink]
[Hates food wasters above all else]
"In that case, we have no choice but to eat," said Kaguya, arms crossed, her expression as composed as ever.
Then came the next problem.
"Payment first, please," the pig-headed butcher rumbled.
"Eh? We have to pay?" Chika's eyes widened.
The butcher silently tightened his grip on the bloodstained cleaver. "Are you trying to dine and dash?"
"Please don't misunderstand," Kaguya swiftly pulled Chika behind her, her expression stern. "We despise people who skip out on bills."
"Let me try."
Natsuki suddenly thought of a possibility and quickly took out his wallet from his pocket, pulling out a ¥1,000 bill—only for the worst-case scenario to unfold.
"The cafeteria only accepts currency circulated within the school. Money from the human world is unusable," the pig-headed butcher said in a low voice.
It made perfect sense.
This was a school of vengeful spirits, after all. It was only natural that human currency wouldn't work here.
"Money… can't be used?" Chika whimpered pitifully. "Then how are we supposed to buy food?"
"You may choose to barter, honored guests," the pig-headed butcher said as he wiped down the counter. "For 200 grams of food, you need only offer 200 grams of bodily tissue. Equivalent exchange—fair and square."
"What about clothes?"
"No. It must be bodily tissue with the potential to become ingredients."
This cafeteria might as well be a cannibal's dumpling shop! Serve dumplings to the customers, knock them out after they eat, drag them to the back to be made into more dumplings—an endless cycle!
Natsuki finally understood why the hooded player had been gloating when they first entered.
"For you humans, 200 grams of bodily tissue isn't fatal," the butcher rumbled. "Blood, muscle, bone, useless fatty tissue—all can be exchanged fairly."
"Useless fatty tissue…"
Natsuki's mind stirred, and he couldn't help but glance at Chika.
Kaguya also pursed her lips and looked over.
The useless fat was right in front of them—enough to cover all three of their needs.
"What are you two looking at?!" Chika hastily covered her chest and shouted. "No way! Not my boobs!"