Track 1
[Last week, Tatemori Town saw its second kidnapping this month, however the culprit still remains at large.]
[The police are continuing to investigate this case—]
—In the dead of night.
Moonlight streamed through the window, cutting diagonally across the dingy apartment.
The room still smelled of life, as if someone had been there mere moments ago.
At its center, a shadow stands quietly.
*Shing!*
A dull sound shatters the silence.
In their hand was a large knife.
The dull, white wall was being gouged.
*Shing!*
What remained were deep, large wounds that looked like the claw marks of a monster.
Near them, bright red words emerged.
The night devours all.
The writer stood there for a moment, as if finishing a ritual,
*Door opens and ? leaves*
Before leaving the room.
However, they did not realize.
Outside the window, beneath the quiet moonlight.
Another shadow had been watching them from the start.
"……"
The shadow gazed silently upon the scene of the crime.
As if watching over—No, observing it.
Inside a car
Tatemori Town. To the east it faces the sea. A small, bustling harbor town surrounded by majestic forests with a population of about 80,000.
It’s here that I work as a tour guide alongside my younger sister.
Today’s the first day off I’ve had in a while, and I’ve gone on a short trip at the invitation of my coworker, but…
By the waaay, Hamasaki-san, thanks for letting us use your car.
No worries, count it as thanks for inviting me on this trip.
Still, this is pretty deep in the mountains, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure you’d need a car to get there.
You’re right about that~ I’ve alwaaays wanted to go to the hotel I mentioned, but I don’t have a car, so I couldn’t.
But right now, being able to come along with you is a biiiiiig help. I’ll forever be in your debt!!
Ahaha, you must’ve really wanted to go. Where did you hear about this hotel?
Huh? …I-I just happened to find some good reviews about it~
It’s a bit unusual, but it’s in the middle of a forest, so it’s easy to relax.Hamasaki-san, you’ve been recently busy with work, so you’re probably tired. I thought it’d be nice to have some time to freeeeshen up.
That’s true. Thanks for your concern.
No problem! You’re always taking care of me! Let’s take this trip to relax our pent-up fatigue.
(What Yachiyo said is right, I’ve been feeling pretty tired lately so this is perfect timing.)
By the way, are we heading the right direction? It’s a bit foggy so I can’t really see…
I’m sure we are! I think we’re probably almost there…
…Ah, over here!
Forest Hotel
It’s called Hotel NOTTE!
(Wow, this hotel has quite the atmosphere …)
We’ve arrived! Thanks for the drive~!
…It feels eerily quiet.
Gufufu, it seems like a ghost could just pop out here.
In the midst of a thick forest stands a deserted, long-established hotel. It smells like something’s going to happen~
(It’s hard to deny, considering the thin layer of fog shrouding the area…)
Right, Hamasaki-san do you know about the “Monster Incidents”? There have been talks of it recently!
…Oh, yeah. It’s been on the news a lot lately.
Because of the strange state of the crime scene, they call the criminal “The Monster.” There have been a lot of mysterious kidnapping cases—
Within a month, there have been 3! The kidnapped are still missing to this day!
Isn’t it so scary~~ There have been rumors online that the culprit is hiding somewhere in the forests of Tatemori Town.
Really…
At last. I was getting sick of waiting.
Hm? Did you say something?
Huh? No…?
Boo!!
UWAAAAAAaAAAAAAAAH!?
W-Who!?
…Wait, huh? No one’s there?
No, no! There was definitely someone there, right!? Was it a ghost? Or maybe—
It’s the “monster” we just spoke offffff!?
Uh, I don’t think so…
(Judging by his attire…it looked like he was a hotel employee? Probably.)
Eeeek!! L-Let’s hurry up and go!!
Forest Hotel Lobby
Wow, the interior is nice too.
S-Sorry but Hamasaki-san, I need to use the toilet for a bit……
Okay, feel free. I’ll go check in first.
Um, the front desk is—
Kaede-chan?
Wait—
Kafka!?
Ah, it really is you! It’s been a while. How have you been?
Right back at you! Wow, it’s such a coincidence meeting you here…!
Wait, but that uniform… Do you work here? I was sure you were working at a hotel overseas…
Well, I actually started working here a few months ago. I’m sorry I didn’t let you know sooner.
I was thinking of showing you around once I settled down a little…
But I didn’t expect you’d be coming here at a time like this.
(At a time like this?)
Phew~, sorry to have kept you waiting~
Ah, welcome back, Yachiyo-kun.
Alright, time to check in too…
…Do you know this guy?
Yeah. His name is Yachiyo Fuefuki. We work together at the same travel agency.
He’s the one who invited me to stay here as well.
Huh…
Yachiyo-kun, this is Kafka Oguro. He’s my childhood friend and a top-notch hotelier.
Oguro…. Hotel…?
He’s the heir to Oguro Hotels.
I-It’s really him?! From that high-end, long-established hotel…! Isn’t he a blueblood of the hotel world!?
Haha, thanks. All that is my Dad’s doing, though, I’ve still got a long way to go.
Sooounds nice…. If I was born into a filthy rich family, I’d probably have a debt-free life, huh…
Yachiyo-kun?
YES!!! I-I-It’s nothing!
…But still. You’re close enough that he’d invite you to stay at a hotel together, huh?
Eeek! S-Somehow I'm getting the chills….
K-Kafka?
…Ah well, you’ll have separate rooms anyway.
Ahem. Let us show you to your rooms, then. Our bellboy Murakumo will take your luggage.
Hello there. I’ll be taking your luggage for you~.
I’ll be in your care~!
(At this time, little did we know…)
(That we’d be caught up in such a terrifying incident at this very hotel—)