Chapter 150: Festival Excitement???

Student Council President Sakura Hanamura moved through the festival grounds with her clipboard, flanked by two council members taking notes. Her ice-blue eyes swept over each booth and café with critical precision.

“The Cultural Society’s tea ceremony display needs better lighting,” she said. “And tell Class 1-A their haunted house can’t block the fire exit. Safety regulations.”

“Yes, President,” her assistants chorused.

Sakura had been up since 5 AM coordinating final preparations. The Cultural Festival was the biggest event of the year, and as Student Council President, it was her responsibility to ensure everything ran perfectly.

She approached Class 2-B’s elaborate setup and paused.

Akira stood near the entrance in his butler uniform, clipboard in hand, trying to maintain some semblance of order as customers flooded in.

The transformation was impressive: black curtains, dim lighting, and carefully arranged tables created an intimate atmosphere that would have been charming under normal circumstances.

But these weren’t normal circumstances.

The pink mist was so thick now it was almost visible to normal eyes, creating a hazy quality to the air like looking through gauze. And the customers… something was wrong with them.

Akira and Sakura’s eyes met across the gym floor.

Sakura’s face remained impassive, but she felt her heart rate spike. She’d been avoiding him since his public humiliation of Kenji on the basketball court, since the moment she’d realized he wasn’t the pathetic boy she’d destroyed that Halloween night.

“President Hanamura,” Akira said formally, inclining his head. “Thank you for visiting our café. Would you like to inspect our preparations?”

His voice was so polite and cold, not a trace of the desperate confession, the pleading in his eyes from that night.

“That won’t be necessary,” Sakura replied in an equally professional voice. “I can see from here that you meet the basic requirements. But that painting…” She gestured at the massive canvas. “It’s quite… intense. Are you certain it’s appropriate for a school festival?”

“The art teacher approved it personally,” Akira said. “And you too, remember?”

Sakura nodded, as if just recalling that she had inspected it two days before. “Just ensure your customers don’t get too… immersed,” she said finally. “Safety first.”

“Of course, President.”

She started to leave, then paused. “Kanzaki-kun.”

“Yes?”

Sakura turned back, and for just a moment, her carefully constructed mask slipped. “You look… this suits you. The butler uniform.” A faint blush touched her cheeks. “I mean, it’s professionally appropriate for the theme.”

“Thank you, President.”

The mask snapped back into place. “Carry on.”

As she walked away, Sakura’s mind raced. Why had she said that? Why did seeing him in that uniform make her chest tighten? And why, despite everything, did part of her wish she could stay and see what he’d created instead of moving on to inspect the next booth?

She forced the thoughts away. She was Student Council President. She had responsibilities. Whatever complicated feelings Akira Kanzaki stirred up… they would have to wait.

—

“How do I look?” Mia asked as she appeared beside Akira, doing a little spin.

Mia was already in her nurse outfit: a white dress with a red cross, short skirt, and low neckline that managed to be provocative without crossing into inappropriate. Her hair was pulled back with a small nurse’s cap pinned at an angle.

“Perfect,” Akira said honestly. “Just remember…”

“I know, I know. Professional but flirty. Encourage tips but discourage touching.” She smiled. “I’ve got this, Akira-kun. Stop worrying.”

Across the café, Rina made one last adjustment to her bunny girl outfit. The black leotard looked great on her athletic body. The fishnet stockings and white cuffs gave it that classic Playboy look. The bunny ears on her head finished the outfit.

But her violet eyes kept drifting to the painting, and Akira could see the hunger there. She was feeling the lust energy already, fighting the urge to feed.

Aoi worked at her witch-themed dessert stand. Her pointed hat was a little crooked. Her black dress showed just enough skin to fit the costume without making her feel uneasy. But, her hands shook a little as she set out the pastries.

“Akira-kun,” she said quietly as he passed. “Is it just me, or does the air feel… heavy?”

“It’s just pre-opening jitters,” he lied smoothly. “You’ll be fine once we get started.”

Ayaka stood near the back exit in her maid outfit. To any observer, she was just another student. But Akira could see the way her crimson eyes tracked every shadow, every movement. She was on high alert.

Their eyes met across the café, and she gave him a subtle nod. Ready for whatever happens.

The gym doors opened, and the first customers began filtering in.

“Welcome, Master!” Mia greeted the first customer with a bright smile and a curtsy. “Please, let me show you to your table.”

The middle-aged man’s eyes glazed over the moment he saw her. His gaze traveled slowly down her body: chest, waist, legs, with an intensity that made Akira’s jaw clench from his position at the entrance.

But the man simply nodded and followed her inside, docile as a puppy.

The next fifteen minutes were smooth. Customers came in, were seated, ordered drinks and desserts. The atmosphere was playful, flirty, but appropriate. Just what a cosplay café should be.

Then the pink mist began to thicken.

Akira saw it first: the way the air seemed to shimmer near the painting, the way shadows moved independently of their sources. He checked his system.

[AMBIENT LUST ENERGY: RISING]

[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 15%]

[WARNING: GATE ACTIVITY INCREASING]

At table three, a young man who’d been nursing his tea for ten minutes suddenly stood up. His eyes were slightly unfocused as he approached Rina at the dessert station.

“Hey, Bunny-chan,” he said in a just a bit too loud voice. “You look really good in that outfit. Like, really good.”

“Thank you, sir,” Rina replied professionally, keeping the counter between them. “Can I get you another pastry?”

“I’d rather get your number.” He leaned against the counter, invading her space. “Come on, just a number. What’s the harm?”

“I’m sorry, but fraternizing with customers outside the café isn’t permitted,” Rina said firmly. “Now, if you’d like to return to your seat…”

“Just a number,” the young man repeated, reaching across the counter to grab her wrist.

Akira was there in three strides. He placed his hand on the customer’s shoulder, gentle but with enough pressure to make his point. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to return to your table. The staff are here to serve tea and desserts, nothing more.”

The young man blinked, the fog in his eyes clearing slightly. “I… sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Festival excitement,” Akira said smoothly, guiding him back to his seat. “It affects everyone. Please enjoy your tea.”

[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 18%]

It was getting worse.

By 4:15PM, the gym doors opened and Kenji Takahara strutted in, flanked by three basketball players. They were all wearing their team jackets, clearly trying to make an impression.

“Well, well,” Kenji said loudly, his eyes finding Akira immediately. “Look at this. The co-captain playing dress-up. How cute.”

His teammates laughed.

Akira kept his expression neutral. “Welcome to Class 2-B’s Cosplay Café. How many in your party?”

“Four,” Kenji said, smirking. “And make sure we get a good table. Co-captains should take care of each other, right?”

“Of course. Please follow me.”

Akira led them to a table near the center; it was visible but not isolated. He could keep an eye on them from here. Something about the way Kenji’s eyes were already tracking the female servers made his instincts scream warning.

“Your server will be with you shortly,” Akira said.

“Hey, butler boy,” one of Kenji’s teammates called out. “Send over that nurse. She’s hot.”

“I’ll see who’s available.”

As Akira walked away, he heard them laughing. Heard Kenji say, “God, he’s so fucking pathetic. Even in a butler costume, he’s still a loser.”

Akira’s fists clenched inside his white gloves, but he kept walking.

[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 23%]

The pink mist was swirling thicker now, pooling around certain customers like they were magnets. And the basketball team, with their testosterone and competitive aggression, were attracting it in waves.

Every other thing went on at a manageable rate, until the first disappearance at 4:47 PM.

Mrs. Yamamoto, a middle-aged mother helping with the PTA’s charity booth, wandered into Class 2-B’s café during her break. She’d heard from other parents that the students had created something impressive.

The painting caught her eye immediately.

“Oh my,” she breathed, approaching it. “This is extraordinary.”

She climbed onto the stage to examine it more closely, pulling her reading glasses from her purse. The detail was incredible; she could see individual leaves, the texture of bark, even small flowers growing between the roots.

And there, in the background, was that a face?

Mrs. Yamamoto leaned closer, squinting. It looked almost like… like someone trapped in the trees, with their features blending with the bark.

She reached out to touch it.

And then the canvas rippled.

A tendril of darkness, thin as thread but strong as steel, wrapped around her wrist. Mrs. Yamamoto gasped, trying to pull back, but more tendrils emerged… around her other arm, her waist, her throat.

“Help,” she tried to say, but the tendril across her throat tightened, cutting off sound.

She was pulled forward until her body was pressing against the canvas. The surface gave way like water, and she felt herself sinking in, as if reality became two-dimensional, the world shrinking into just paint and shadow.

Her last thought was of her daughter waiting at home.

Then the Hollow Woods swallowed her whole.

The painting settled back to stillness. And now there were three faces visible in the trees, all frozen in silent screams.

Akira saw it happen from across the café. He started forward, but Ayaka grabbed his arm.

“Too many witnesses,” she hissed. “You can’t reveal yourself. Not yet.”

“But…”

“Not yet.”

Akira watched helplessly as Mrs. Yamamoto’s form faded completely into the canvas. One of her PTA friends would start looking for her soon. Questions would be asked.

And the Gate wasn’t even fully active yet.

[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 31%]

[VICTIMS CAPTURED: 3]

[WARNING: GATE APPROACHING CRITICAL THRESHOLD]

—

5:23 PM – Escalation

The café was full now. Every table was taken, and people were standing in groups near the walls. The noise level had increased; laughter was too loud, conversations were too intense, and the air felt exciting and a little dangerous.

The pink mist was visible even to normal eyes now, creating a hazy quality like looking through gauze.

At table seven, one of Kenji’s basketball teammates grabbed Mia’s wrist as she set down their drinks.

“Hey, Nurse,” he slurred, his eyes completely glazed. “How about you sit on my lap for a bit? I’ll tip you real good.”

“Hey, let go of my wrist,” Mia said firmly, trying to extract herself.

“Come on, don’t be shy.” He pulled her closer, his other hand reaching for her thigh. “The festival’s all about having fun, right?”

Akira crossed the café floor in four strides. He grabbed the basketball player’s wrist and applied pressure to a nerve cluster with precision.

The player’s hand went numb instantly, releasing Mia.

“Ow! What the fuck…”

“Listen up,” Akira said in a voice cold enough to freeze nitrogen, “if you touch any of them inappropriately again, I will personally ensure you regret every choice that led you to this moment. Do you understand?”

The basketball player looked up at Akira, and for a moment, something in Akira’s eyes made him genuinely afraid. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I understand.”

“Wonderful. Enjoy your tea.”

Kenji stood up from the table, looking angry. But there was something else in his expression; the mist was affecting him too, making him aggressive and confrontational.

“What the hell, Kanzaki? That’s assault! You can’t just grab customers…”

“I can when they assault my girl first.” Akira’s golden eyes locked onto Kenji’s. “Control your team, Co-Captain. Or I’ll have security remove all of you.”

“Security? There is no…”

“There is now.” Akira gestured to two volunteer students stationed at the door. “Gentlemen, please keep an eye on table seven. Any further incidents and they’re removed from the premises.”

Kenji’s face went even redder, but he sat back down. His hands were shaking with barely suppressed rage… or was it something else? The mist was swirling around him like a tornado.

[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 44%]

Akira could feel it himself now, the influence trying to worm into his mind, whispering suggestions. Take Mia right here on the table. Make Kenji watch. Show him who’s really in control.

He activated his Essence Cloak harder, pushing the influence away. But normal humans didn’t have that protection.

Across the café, a girl from Class 1-C was giggling too much, pressing herself against her boyfriend with abandon. Two male customers were arguing loudly over which server was “hotter.” A teacher supervising from the doorway kept adjusting his glasses and staring at the female students with increasing intensity.

It was a powder keg waiting for a spark.

By the time Akira returned to his position, Ai alerted him to another disappearance.

[VICTIMS CAPTURED: 4]

[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 51%]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep