"This mission is just the two of you, or is there anyone else coming?" Fukada asked.
"I'm not entirely sure either, but as far as I know, it's just the two of us," Hatsune replied.
Fukada nodded silently. Although he felt a bit disappointed, he understood that there wasn't much more to be done. Additionally, the young man in white seemed capable.
"Are all the hot spring inns closed at night now?" Hatsune asked.
"With so many people disappearing without a trace, who would dare stay open? Even if they were, no one would dare to visit. Since the disappearances began, tourists have stopped coming altogether," Fukada said, swallowing hard. Even sitting in his own home, the fear in his voice was evident.
"Not only are tourists afraid to enter the hot springs, but even the owners are too scared to stay inside. Once, a female owner decided to stay overnight, thinking it was just a superstition. By the next morning, she was gone."
"Was she eaten by a demon?" Nae, who had remained silent all evening, couldn't help but ask out of curiosity now that the desserts and fruit were finished.
"We don't know. We still don't even know for sure if a demon is involved," Fukada replied.
"Tomorrow, find the largest and most luxurious hot spring inn in town. Tomorrow night, we'll soak in the hot springs. Tell the owner that no one else is allowed to enter except us," Hatsune instructed.
"Soak in the hot springs?" Fukada and Nae simultaneously exclaimed. However, their expressions were vastly different; one was filled with fear and resistance, while the other was a mix of excitement and a hint of shy embarrassment.
"All the disappearances share two common factors: hot spring inns and nighttime. If we want to find out what's really going on, there's no other way. If you're afraid, you can leave it to us," Hatsune said directly.
Fukada's face turned red with embarrassment. "No, it's fine. I'll take you there. I'm familiar with the town."
"Good. It's late now. Let's discuss the rest tomorrow. Please show us to our rooms," Hatsune said.
Fukada led them to the second floor and showed them to two adjacent guest rooms.
The next day, after breakfast, Fukada went out alone to the local government to explain the situation.
Hearing that someone had come to solve the disappearance cases, the government officials were naturally overjoyed. They immediately sent personnel with Fukada to find the owner of the town's largest and most luxurious hot spring inn to discuss the plan for the night.
The owner, a man in his forties, had made a fortune from his hot spring business over the years. He had recently spent a huge amount of money renovating the inn to resemble a palace. But shortly after, the disappearances began.
After the initial reports, law enforcement conducted thorough searches but found nothing. Initially, the owner suspected it was a scam, but the genuine grief of the victims' families and the fact that no one had seen anyone leave made it hard to deny.
Despite not finding any clues, the officials pressured the owner, who ended up paying a large sum to the families to protect his business's reputation.
Soon after, another young woman disappeared while soaking in the hot spring. Two disappearances in a short time made it clear something was wrong.
The inn was closed, and the owner's business plummeted. Law enforcement suspected him as the culprit but found no evidence linking him to the disappearances.
It wasn't until disappearances occurred at another hot spring inn that the suspicion shifted away from the owner.
Over the next few months, numerous women and children vanished at night while bathing in hot springs, casting a shadow of fear over the entire town.
Rumors about the haunted town spread nationwide, turning the once bustling hot spring destination into a ghost town.
Fukada made his intentions clear to the owner.
Hearing that experts had been brought in to catch the culprit, the owner initially showed excitement, but it quickly faded.
The previous cases had left a deep impact on him, filling him with a sense of hopelessness about the situation and life in general.
However, he did not refuse the request to use the inn, saying simply, "You can use it. Just don't blame me if anyone else disappears."
Clearly, the owner still held resentment towards the officials and public for their earlier accusations.
Hatsune spent the morning in his room, meticulously polishing his Nichirin sword with a cloth.
In the afternoon, he and Nae took a walk around the town.
It was hard to believe that this once prosperous hot spring paradise had fallen into such a state.
The broad streets were almost deserted even in daylight. The once hospitable locals now hurried past the pair, avoiding them as if they were a plague.
The two circled the outskirts of the town, hoping to find any traces of demon activity, but found nothing.
By dusk, they returned to their lodging.
Fukada informed them that he had successfully arranged to use the hot spring inn.
After dinner and a short rest, they gathered their bathing items and, led by Fukada, headed to the opulent hot spring inn.
The inn, situated at the town's entrance, was practically the town's landmark.
Fukada led them through the lobby to the courtyard hot spring pools.
The hot springs were divided into two separate pools: the left for men and the right for women, separated by a meter-wide bamboo wall.
According to Fukada's information, most of the missing persons were young women and children, making it likely the culprit would target Nae.
Hatsune wasn't worried; his ability to sense temperature fluctuations covered the entire hot spring area. However, to ensure safety, he reminded Nae to stay vigilant.