GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE story · Event stories
LITTLE WITCH TRICK
15 scenes, 1,830 lines
1. Suspicious Witch Belorta
36 lines*Gurgle, gurgle*
*Squeak, squeak*
*Scritch, scritch*
Inside a dark room...
Ominous sounds fill the workshop.
And in the center of it all...
*Splosh, splosh, splosh*
A-ahhhhh...!
Wouldn't that make it look too creepy...?
*Splat*
Oh... oh no...
Old-Timer!
We should carve this eye a little deeper,
and extend its mouth aaaall the way over here! ♡
... It's starting to look weird.
...
Um...
Er...
Is this how things are supposed to be...?
How did things get so wrong...?
Thinking back, it all started with that one poster.
2. A Witch's Preparations: A
128 lines*Rustle*
I take the poster Belorta hands me.
"Chills and Thrills! Welcome to the Halloween Festival!"
So you're saying...
You want to run a toy booth together at the Halloween Festival?
That's right! ♡
The Halloween Festival will be held at the Ark for two weeks, and that's where we'll be setting up our booth! ♡
This will be my first time running a booth, so I'm really excited!
Yay, me too! ♡
...
Now that I've read the poster,
Belorta and Mica's outfits suddenly catch my eye.
... What's with the getups?
I'm Belorta the Witch! ♡
I get that... but why are you already in costume?
Just thinking about the Halloween Festival got me all excited, you know?
So I decided to try on my costume ahead of time. ♡
I also dug out the outfit I wore at the Snowfield Hot Spring and put it on again. I haven't worn this in a while.
Belorta said I should dress up for the occasion...
...
... For me?
Belorta hands me a box.
Inside, I find a black suit and a cape...
... as well as set of sharp fangs.
... Can't I just wear it on Halloween?
Nuh-uh! No way.
Halloween starts the moment you start getting ready for it!
Now hurry up and get changed! ♡
...
Go on! ♡
A few minutes later...
I finish getting changed into the Dracula costume Belorta picked out for me.
It looks great on you!
... Thanks.
So, we can set up a booth just like that?
So soon?
Belorta and I waited in line at the registration desk for two days.
... Two whole days?
Because of that, we were the first ones to sign up! ♡
I really wanted to run a booth! ♡
Since we're doing this, we might as well go for first place!
First place?
They'll pick the most popular booth on the last day of the festival.
If we win, we'll get prize money and first dibs on signing up for the next festival! ♡
So that's why you're aiming for first place.
So... are you just going to sell toys at your booth?
Sweet treats?
It's hard to walk by something that smells delicious.
We'll lure people in with sweets, then get them to check out the toys. ♡
... Who's making the sweets, then?
Come to think of it, she should be here soon...
Is someone else coming?
*Knock, knock*
*Whirr*
Hello, everyone!
Crust?
I brought her in to make the sweets for our booth. ♡
People won't be able to resist stopping by if they're made by Crust.
Hehe. Thank you for saying that, Mr. Gourmand!
Wow, Crust! You're in your Halloween costume too! ♡
I came straight here as soon as I finished filming the Crunchy Cooking Class!
You look so adorable in it! ♡ It even goes perfectly with our booth!
All right, looks like everyone's here!
Crust is in charge of the sweets! ♡
Mica is in charge of the toys! ♡
And Old-Timer is in charge of...
Me?
... moving things, decorating hard-to-reach places, managing the queues, handling unexpected incidents, advertising...
That's why Old-Timer is our jack-of-all-trades! ♡
...
So you're saying everything those two aren't handling is my job.
That's right! ♡
And... what if I say no?
If you say no...
Mica and Crust will be struggling under the weight of all the heavy stuff...
We won't win first place...
And I'll probably have to camp out overnight in front of the registration desk at the next festival...
... Why do you even have to resort to that?
Belorta slowly lifts her hands to her face,
placing them over her eyes.
I can't believe you won't do this with us... I'm... so... sad.
*Sniff, sniff*
*Glance*
Belorta peers at me through her fingers.
...
*Sniff, sniff...*
... Fine. I'll help.
Really? Yay!
You're the best, Old-Timer! ♡
Just thinking about running a booth with you made my tears disappear. ♡
...
... Then what are you in charge of, Belorta?
I'm coordinating the whole booth! ♡
Coming up with product ideas, decorating the booth...
I also need to think of ways to attract customers! ♡
And if anything happens, I'll be the first to step in!
...
Now, let's get started with the preparations! ♡
We're starting right now?
3. A Witch's Preparations: B
163 linesWe follow Belorta to a workshop in the heart of downtown.
*Whirr*
The door opens, revealing a timeworn but spacious room.
When did you even get a space like this ready?
It's a temporary workshop provided to those preparing for the festival.
It's a little run-down, though...
Belorta opens a box sitting in one corner of the workshop.
The box is packed to the brim with large pumpkins.
*Thud*
Belorta takes one out and places it on the floor.
... Pumpkins?
We'll carve out eyes, noses, and mouths into these pumpkins,
then line them up in front of our booth. ♡
... All of these?
We can't have the front of our booth looking all bare!
Looks like we're off to a tough start.
Heeheehee! It's super important work, though. ♡
These pumpkins will be the first thing our customers see when they visit our booth.
Here, use this tool. ♡
Belorta hands me a carving tool.
Let's carve the eyes nice and big here, with a small nose in the middle.
As for the mouth...
I'll leave that up to you! ♡
...
If we work on it together, I'm sure we'll be done in no time!
... I hope so.
Let's get started then! ♡
*Scritch, scritch*
Belorta and I each place a pumpkin in front of us and start carving out the eyes, nose, and mouth.
I mean, all I have to do is carve out a few shapes.
If anything, I thought it looked like you.
No way! It's totally you! ♡
...
I stop myself from arguing back.
Let's just stay calm. This is Belorta we're dealing with.
... I guess so.
Heeheehee! Right?
...
After that, I quietly focus on carving the pumpkins.
*Scritch, scritch*
*Scritch, scritch*
I wonder how much time has passed...
Here, Old-Timer. ♡
Belorta holds out a heart-shaped piece she carved from the pumpkin.
What's this?
A little gift for my grumpy Old-Timer!
... I'm not grumpy.
I was just focused on carving the pumpkins.
Hmm... Then let's just say that it's a gift for my focused Old-Timer. ♡
... Thanks.
I take the heart-shaped piece of pumpkin from Belorta.
...?
I feel a strangely sticky sensation in my palm.
...
I look down to find a heart-shaped blot of red paint stamped onto my palm.
Heeheehee, gotcha! ♡
... You got me.
It's a gift from a witch!
Belorta gets up and dashes away.
Where are you going?
...
Hang in there, jack-of-all-trades! ♡
Belorta giggles and runs toward the kitchen.
I gaze down at the red heart imprint left on my palm.
I should wash this off first...
We spend the next few days coming and going from the workshop.
Crust works on the sweet treats,
Mica assembles the toys,
while I carve out pumpkins.
Belorta goes back and forth between us, helping us prepare in her own way.
Belorta tilts the bottle of hot sauce over the candy dough.
*Splosh, splosh, splosh*
A-ahhhhh...!
While Crust hurriedly stirs the candy dough to salvage its flavor...
The puddings should be done by now too!
Belorta takes the puddings out of the fridge.
Then...
*Squirt*
... She squirts ketchup onto them in the shape of hearts.
Nope, it's ketchup.
... Whaaaaaat?!
I read somewhere that sweet and sour flavors go really well together!
I'm sure it will taste good.
It's fine, it's fine!
Since it's Halloween, we should make the treats look as scary as possible.
They should look absolutely ominous!
Ahh... Ahhhhhh...
Crust lets out a small yelp with each squirt of ketchup.
...
Wouldn't that make it look too creepy...?
*Splat*
Belorta splatters red paint across the witch doll's eyes and mouth.
There, a bloody witch! ♡
Oh... oh no...
Oh, right! I also brought a bunch of fake hands...
Belorta opens a chest tucked away in a corner of the workshop.
*Creak*
Inside the chest are a bunch of fake hands that look just like real human hands.
... What are you planning to do with these?
It'd be boring if they were just hands!
*Swish, swish*
*Poke, poke*
Belorta draws crooked lines on the backs of the fake hands.
Then, she pokes small dots along the lines to give the illusion of needle stitches.
... Oh geez, these dolls look seriously creepy.
...
Old-Timer!
We should carve the pumpkin's eye a little deeper,
and extend its mouth aaaall the way over here! ♡
... It's starting to look weird.
... Following Belorta's instructions, I carve the pumpkin's mouth into a long, wide grin.
...
Um...
Er...
Is this how things are supposed to be...?
Suspicious sweet treats loaded with hot sauce and ketchup.
Witch dolls with red eyes and lips, and fake hands covered with what look like stitches.
And pumpkin decorations with mouths stretched wide enough to swallow a person whole...
Just like that,
the items for our booth grow increasingly unusual.
... Will this really work out?
...
And so, the day of the festival finally arrives.
4. Little Witch Trick!: A
143 linesThe area around Central Park, where the Halloween Festival is set to take place,
is already abuzz with excitement even before it has officially begun.
Mommy, do you think they sell candy over there?
Let's take a photo as soon as the festival begins!
Did you see that?! That ghost decoration just moved!
There are so many people, even though the festival hasn't even begun yet...
Everyone's costumes are so fancy, too...
Where's our booth?
Belorta stops at a lot tucked away in a secluded corner of the park.
See? Perfect spot, right?
I don't think there's going to be much foot traffic around here...
The organizers assigned this lot to us...
Aww... I had high hopes, since we were the first ones to sign up...
Right? ♡
...
First, we should take out the most important thing! ♡
The most important thing?
*Swoosh*
Belorta unfolds a small banner that reads,
"Little Witch Trick!"
Whoa... Is that the name of our booth?
I-I guess you have a point...
Y-yeah, I think it suits our booth really well!
I knew you'd like it! ♡
The name of the booth is what matters most at a festival!
Now, let's get everything set up! ♡
We start decorating the booth one piece at a time.
The sweet treats should be nice and visible if we put them here, right?
Crust sets down small dishes in a neat row at the front of the booth.
Candies in blood-red wrappers,
puddings with heart-shaped ketchup drizzled across them, making them look like they're covered in blood...
... The desserts look rather suspicious.
Mm-hmm, they look so delicious! ♡
I'll put the toys on the shelves to the side, then!
Mica carefully arranges the toys on the shelves a short distance from the sweets.
Witch dolls with their eyes and lips painted red,
and fake hands covered in drawn-on stitches...
... The toys look like they're some kind of bad omen.
Uhh... do you think people will buy these?
Of course! ♡
All that's left is to add some finishing touches!
Old-Timer, could you hang these bats up there?
Belorta holds out several bats attached to strings.
Over here?
A little more to the left!
No, that's too much. A little to the right.
Just a teeny bit more! A teeny-tiny bit!
...
I follow Belorta's instructions and hang several toy bats above the booth.
... Are you sure you want to decorate the booth like this?
Belorta starts decorating the walls on either side of the booth, humming to herself.
Toy eyeballs, small skull ornaments,
and doll heads with strangely misaligned eyes.
The walls quickly fill up with sinister and unsettling decorations.
...
And now, for the final touch...
*Thud*
Belorta places the pumpkins I carved over the past few days in the center of the booth.
Heeheehee! With all the decorations, it really looks like a Halloween booth now! ♡
... It looks more like a haunted house.
Isn't the decor a little too creepy...?
I-I think it's unique!
... Hey, look over there.
That booth looks so disturbing.
I bet it'll make all the little kids cry.
Haha, you're right.
...
Oh no... People are laughing at us.
Our booth is way better.
At least we won't have to worry about them stealing our customers.
Footsteps approach.
Hey.
It's rude to speak that way about someone else's booth when you're standing right in front of it.
W-we were just talking amongst ourselves...
Hey, let's just go.
The two quickly move away.
Are you okay?
Yes, yes... I'm okay...!
Don't worry about those people.
They must just be intrigued because your booth caught their eye.
Who are you?
Oh, I'm the owner of the booth over there by the main road. It's called "Mystery Box."
I'm selling Halloween mystery boxes.
Halloween mystery boxes?
Yes. Each box contains a random assortment of Halloween toys and sweets.
You won't know what you'll get until you open the box.
Ahaha.
I'd like to think of us as fellow vendors, here to enjoy the festival.
Let's both work hard and make some good sales.
Hehe, sounds good!
Is this your first time running a booth at the Halloween Festival?
I don't think I've ever seen your booth before.
I see.
You've really gone all out for your first time. The booth really catches the eye, too.
R-really?
Of course.
I've been doing this for a few years now, but it's rare to see a booth draw this much attention before the festival even starts.
Oh, you've been participating for several years now!
Yes. I've been fortunate enough to have my booth voted the most popular every year.
First place every year? That's amazing!
... Ahaha, is that so?
I think you could definitely pull it off with this booth.
Heeheehee! You think so? Thanks!
Actually, I'd like to buy a witch doll and a bag of candy.
I know you're not officially open yet, but I'd like to be your first customer.
Once you make your first sale, the rest tend to follow.
Wow...! Thank you so much! I'll pack them up for you right away!
Mica takes out a bag of candy and a witch doll from the display shelf and carefully wraps them up.
Here's your candy and your witch doll!
Thank you.
Well, good luck with the rest of your preparations!
The man in a jacket gives a slight nod before returning to his booth.
He's really kind!
He seems like a good person...
You think so?
...
*Ding-dong-ding!*
Just then, an announcement rings out across the park.
Thank you all for waiting!
The Halloween Festival will now begin!
Whoooooo!
The lights hanging throughout the park flicker on at once,
bathing the entire Central Park in an orange glow.
5. Little Witch Trick!: B
147 linesAll the booths in the park open simultaneously and begin welcoming customers.
Whoa... There's already a line at that booth.
Belorta picks up a bag of candy and a witch doll.
All right, let's get started too! ♡
We proudly showcase our sweets and toys,
calling out to passersby.
Come on in to Little Witch Trick! ♡
You can sample our sweets!
W-we have toys too...!
Come on, Old-Timer! Get out there and promote us!
...
Get to it! ♡
Come and get Count Dracula's favorite candy!
Ahhhhhhh!
A little girl standing near the booth screams and runs away.
...
Look at that toy. It looks so terrifying...
Mommy, I wanna try that candy!
... Don't you think the color is a little weird?
... Everyone's avoiding our booth.
But we worked so hard on it...
Let's give it some more time.
Hmm...
Belorta takes a look around.
She makes eye contact with a boy in a hoodie staring intently at our booth.
You've been eyeing this candy for a while, haven't you?
... Was it that obvious?
Yup!
Is this really edible?
Of course it is!
...
Hehe! Why, does it look suspicious?
... A little bit?
Belorta picks up a piece of candy.
She pops it into her mouth...
*Crunch, crunch*
... and munches on it right in front of the boy.
Mmm, it's so good! ♡
...
Wanna try one?
After a brief moment of hesitation, the boy nods.
Belorta hands him a piece of candy.
The boy pops it in his mouth,
and carefully bites down on it.
*Crunch*
...?!
Ack...!
Hang on, this is really spicy!
Wh-what do we do...?!
...
But...
One piece of that candy woke me right up.
It's really spicy... but weirdly addictive.
*Munch, munch*
Do the other treats have something special in them too?
You'll find out once you try them! ♡
...
Then I'll take a pudding as well!
Sure thing! ♡
Belorta hands the boy a pudding.
...
Exia?
Novel?
Hey, Noob. I see you've turned into Count Dracula.
Watson?! Did you switch careers and become Count Dracula?
... No, I'm just here to help out with the booth.
Hi, Exia, Novel!
Eh... It's just a Halloween-themed booth, isn't it?
Uh... They're just normal toys...!
What kind of trick?
First, try these veeery delicious Halloween candies! ♡
Belorta picks up two pieces of candy in red wrappers.
Those look like they'll inflict a debuff upon consumption.
Come on, just try some first! ♡
Belorta pops a candy...
into each of Exia's and Novel's mouths.
*Crunch, crunch*
...
...
What do you think?
Ooh...
Ooooh...
This flavor...
Forced brain reboot!
That snapped me awake!
Also, it's way too spicy.
This might have the highest Scoville rating in the Ark...
*Huff, huff*
The culprit known as spiciness ambushed me from the very first bite!
And it's refusing to let go of my tongue!
Exia and Novel's faces flush red.
... You guys all right?
It's incredibly addictive!
Wow, we sold another bag!
Coming right up!
Yay! Thank you! ♡
... People are actually buying our stuff.
I'll also take one of those witch dolls.
A witch doll too?!
It looks just like a raid boss.
The red eyes, the red lips, and the menacing aura...
It looks like it could unleash an ultimate attack.
I think it'll make my raid experience more immersive if I put it next to my monitor.
Exia! That's no ordinary doll!
Then what is it?
This witch doll is clearly a key player in a case!
Um... Like I said, it's just a normal toy...
Hmm...
Novel's gaze drifts toward the pudding on the display stand.
You just want to eat more, don't you?
Drawn in by the commotion caused by Exia and Novel, passersby begin stopping one after another.
Um...
Could I try one too?
I got a little curious after seeing them eat it...
Oh, yes! We have some samples over here!
I'd like to try one as well.
H-here you go!
Little by little, the booth begins to draw a crowd.
6. A Popular Booth: A
114 linesIn just one day, a long line stretches out in front of the once-quiet booth.
E-everyone, look at this!
Mica rushes toward us with her phone in her hand.
Title: Has anyone tried the candy from Little Witch Trick?
Title: It's crazy spicy but weirdly addictive
Title: Who's the genius that came up with ketchup pudding? It's freaking delicious!
Title: Bought a fake hand and put it on my friend's shoulder LOL
What am I looking at?
It's a forum that's only active during the festival.
I checked to see if anyone was talking about our booth.
Sure enough, people are posting about us...!
Phew... I'm glad people seem to like our booth!
Hehe... just as I thought, word's getting around! ♡
Just as you thought?
Mm-hmm. ♡
As long as we leave a lasting impression on just one person...
I figured they'd spread the word!
Then anyone who's curious about our booth is bound to come looking. ♡
As soon as Belorta finishes her sentence, a few customers gingerly approach us.
Um... We read about your booth on the forum and came to check it out...!
This is the place!
This is the booth that's selling the witch dolls that bring misfortune to anyone who looks at them!
B-bring misfortune...?
Someone posted about it on an occult forum yesterday.
They said this place is selling dolls with incredibly sinister energy.
Uhh... it's not thaaat sinister...
...
Excuse me! I'll take a fake hand, please!
Are there any witch dolls left? I'd like to buy two...
*Shuffle*
*Shuffle, shuffle*
??
Maiden, dressed as a nurse, cautiously shuffles closer through the crowd.
... Maiden?
So it really was you, Commander.
Why are you sneaking up on me?
I wasn't sure if it was actually you because of your costume.
You're one to speak, Maiden.
I thought I'd stand out more if I came in a normal outfit...
I think you stand out even more now...
I heard about the witch doll in my guild chat, so I came here to buy it.
There's this raid boss my guildmates and I have been having trouble with,
and I saw a new guide posted in the guild chat.
"You'll be able to clear it if you buy the witch doll from Little Witch Trick."
"I cleared it as soon as I placed it next to my monitor."
"Give it a shot."
Or so they say.
... You really believe that?
Um... that's just a rumor.
Even if there's even a one-percent chance, it's worth a try.
Heeheehee! Who knew our dolls had such an amazing hidden power?
...
Maiden leaves the booth with the dolls clutched to her chest, wearing a solemn expression.
Umm... our dolls are selling for all the wrong reasons...
As long as they sell, I'm happy! ♡
*Rustle*
??
S-surely I won't get caught at this distance...
Maybe I can see what kind of vibe the witch doll and fake hand will create in my room...
... Label?
E-eek...!
H-how... how did you know it was me?
I thought my disguise as an occult researcher was perfect...
Figures. I can't even disguise myself properly...
... I heard you talking to yourself.
... I see.
That costume looks great on you.
Label hurriedly takes out a notepad and scribbles something down.
... So what brings you to our booth? Are you here for the toys?
Y-yes...!
I thought they would go well with my costume.
I'm here to buy a witch doll and a fake hand...
All right. I'll wrap them up for you.
Th-thank you...!
A little while later, Label leaves with the wrapped witch doll and fake hand held tightly in her arms.
...
Even after that, customers who read about our booth on the forum keep trickling in.
We're getting more and more customers who found us through the forum.
Hehe, I'm glad that things worked out well! I wonder if anyone's posted anything new.
Let me check!
When Mica refreshes the page, posts about Little Witch Trick fill the screen.
Title: There were so many people at the Little Witch Trick booth :( I wasn't able to buy anything
Title: Horror fans, check out the booth deep in the park
Title: Little Witch Trick might win first place at this festival
Judging from today's reception, I think we're only going to get more customers as the festival goes on!
That's great news, but...
At this rate, we won't have any more items left to sell tomorrow.
Oh... We should make some more candy today.
... Me neither.
We just gotta make more! ♡
Then I'll make about twice as much candy as I made today!
Toys too!
No time to rest, huh?
Heeheehee, that's the price of being a popular booth!
If we keep selling out like this, first place is ours! ♡
Once we close for the day, let's head straight to the workshop!
Tomorrow will be busier than today! ♡
7. A Popular Booth: B
62 linesThe next day...
The display stand is stocked with far more sweets and toys than yesterday.
We won't have to worry about running out of stock now!
That's right! We made twice, no, three times what we did yesterday!
Let's sell it all again today! ♡
It's almost time to open for business.
All right, everyone, to your stations! ♡
Mica walks over to the toy shelves, and Crust heads toward the sweets.
I stand behind the cash register, while Belorta takes up position at the front of the booth.
Shall we open?
Okay!
Yup!
All right.
Little Witch Trick is open for the day! ♡
*Swoosh*
Belorta pulls back the curtain covering the front of the booth,
revealing an array of suspicious-looking sweets and ominous toys.
... Huh?
Um...
...
*Whooosh*
The area in front of the booth is completely empty.
There's... no one here.
B-but the line seemed endless yesterday...
Hmm...
Belorta waves to a couple walking past the booth.
... Uh, we're good.
You can just look around, too!
We're good, thank you...!
The two of them hurry off.
...
Aww, they left...
They must be in a rush...!
I don't think that's it.
Huh?
It didn't seem like they weren't interested... I think they were avoiding me on purpose.
They wouldn't look me in the eye the whole time.
... Maybe they heard some kind of rumor about our booth?
After some thought, Mica takes out her phone.
*Tap, tap*
What are you doing, Mica?
I'm checking the festival forum.
Maybe there are some posts about our booth, like there were yesterday...
Mica types in "Little Witch Trick" in the search bar.
...
Did you... find something?
H-hold on a second...
Mica opens up a post.
As she scrolls down, her expression turns grim.
...
Mica silently swipes on the screen a few more times.
8. A Suspicious Post
73 linesWe lean in to look at the phone screen Mica holds out to us.
Title: I'm worried about the witch doll
I bought a witch doll from Little Witch Trick.
But ever since I brought it home, bad things keep happening.
At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but it got to a point where I started seeing things.
On a hunch, I opened up the back of the doll just a little.
A photo of a torn open witch doll is attached underneath.
Inside the doll is a piece of paper covered in dense red writing and a bundle of hair bound with string.
What could these be?
These definitely aren't things you'd expect to find inside an ordinary toy.
Now I'm scared that they might've actually put a curse on the doll.
I get that it's a Halloween toy, but are they really allowed to put something like this inside?
... I-I didn't put anything like that inside the dolls.
Those dolls are only filled with cotton...!
I know. I was there when we made them.
Does that mean someone intentionally planted those objects inside the doll...?
... We can't draw any conclusions from a photo alone.
Hmm...
Mica taps on the next post with a tense expression.
Title: Went to the clinic after eating the candy from Little Witch Trick
Yesterday, I ate a piece of candy from Little Witch Trick.
I thought it was just the spice at first,
but after awhile, I felt a splitting headache and intense nausea.
I was so nauseous, I could barely stand.
I ended up fainting and woke up at the clinic.
Did anyone have a similar experience?
There's no way!
I taste-tested all the candy myself before selling it...!
Sure, they're spicy, but I didn't include any ingredients that might cause anyone harm...!
I know this isn't your fault, Crust.
... There are more posts like this.
Mica quickly scrolls down the forum page.
Title: I threw up all night after eating the pudding from Little Witch Trick
Title: Anyone hear a weird sound coming from their Little Witch Trick toy?
Title: My kid collapsed after eating their candy
Title: Don't go to Little Witch Trick!
... The first post was uploaded yesterday evening.
After that, more people started posting about similar issues.
There are dozens of comments under each post.
Comment: I was planning to go with my kid, but I changed my mind.
Comment: So both the sweets and the toys are problematic?
Comment: The organizers should investigate this ASAP.
Comment: Why is this booth still allowed to stay open?
Sh-shouldn't we put out a statement first?
I don't think people will believe us so easily even if we deny these allegations now.
...
Then let's find out if what they're saying is true first!
We can start with what's left over from yesterday.
O-okay...!
I'll check all the leftover sweets.
I'll also make sure that there's nothing wrong with both the ingredients and storage method.
Let me help. We'll do it together.
We check the items carried over from yesterday's stock one by one.
*Rrrip*
Mica rips open the backs of all the dolls from yesterday, but all we find are cotton fillings.
... There's nothing, just as I thought.
It's just cotton in these ones!
Same with the ones I checked.
I checked all the sweets too.
The ingredients are fine, and everything was stored properly. Nothing went bad, and there was no contamination.
So someone lied on purpose...?
We don't know that for sure.
It's possible that only the products we sold were affected.
Let's ask the organizing committee, then!
If these incidents actually happened, someone must've reported them.
You're right!
If we ask the organizing committee...
We can also check if anyone has had a medical emergency because of something they ate at the festival!
Right. So let's go and see for ourselves!
Yeah, let's do that.
And so, we close up the booth and head to the organizing committee's office.
9. Catching the Culprit: A
126 linesAt the organizing committee's office...
*Whirr*
The door opens, revealing a cramped office filled with stacks of documents and boxes of supplies.
*Clack, clack*
An employee sits at a desk toward the back, typing away on a laptop without even looking up.
Excuse me.
...
... Hello?
Yes, what is it?
The employee's gaze is still fixed on the laptop screen.
We're with the Little Witch Trick booth.
There have been several posts about people having bad experiences with our booth on the festival forum.
We wanted to know if there have been any reports made to the organizing committee regarding these issues.
Oh... that booth.
The employee finally looks up from the screen and gives us a once-over.
As far as I know, no one has filed an official report yet.
... Did you check thoroughly?
*Sigh*
The employee lets out a pointed sigh and slowly starts typing away at the laptop once again.
*Clack, clack, clack*
... Nope. Not a single one.
N-none...?
Yes, none.
C-could you inspect our booth, then?
If the organizing committee confirms that there aren't any problems with our products, I'm sure the rumors will...
I'll put in a request for an on-site inspection,
but inspections are handled in the order they're received.
Th-then... when will it be our turn?
The employee nods toward a stack of paperwork.
... I can't say.
Sometime before the end of the festival.
...
Would it be possible to check the clinic records here as well?
That's under the clinic's purview.
Should we go down to the clinic and ask them directly?
Even if you do, they won't be able to give you any information.
We cannot disclose any records without the patient's consent.
The employee turns back to the laptop before they even finish speaking.
*Clack, clack*
Oh...
... Understood.
*Whirr*
We leave the organizing committee's office without any answers.
We didn't learn as much as I hoped...
Yeah... I thought we'd be able to resolve things once we spoke to the organizing committee.
Hmm...
Belorta slowly paces around, seemingly lost in thought.
Isn't it strange, though?
What do you mean?
So many people posted about their negative experiences on the forum,
but none of them filed a report with the organizing committee.
Hmm... you're right.
Nobody took the products in to have them checked,
and there's no mention of what happened afterward, either.
Hmm...
Why don't we see if there were any posts like this at previous festivals?
If we can find some old posts, maybe we'll be able to see what happened after people reported them and how things were handled!
Mica hurriedly takes out her phone.
*Tap, tap, tap*
I'll set the date range to the previous festival dates...
I'll search for keywords related to any complaints!
*Tap, tap*
Did anything come up?
More than you expected?
Mica turns her phone toward us.
Title: Breaking out after using masks from the Face-Off booth
Title: I threw up all night after eating candy from Candy House
Title: Don't go to Horror Master
Don't these titles remind you of the posts about our booth?
M-maybe the titles just happen to be similar...
... Let's read through the posts!
Mica opens up the first post.
Though the booths in question are different, the posts follow a pattern eerily similar to what's happening with our booth.
These are... far too similar to be a coincidence.
Mica scrolls down to the comments.
Comment: Hi, I'm the vendor running this booth. If you bring the product in question to our stall, we'd be happy to take a look at it, issue you a refund, and compensate you for any inconvenience caused.
Comment: OMG! The vendor's in the comments. LOL!
Comment: I don't know if this is true or not, but I'm not taking any chances. I'd rather protect my skin.
Mica quietly swipes through the other posts as well.
Accounts that appear to belong to the vendor have commented explanations under each post,
but the replies are filled with nothing but ridicule and mockery.
... The pattern is identical.
Whenever the vendor asks them to follow up, the original poster never responds.
*Tap, tap*
Mica looks up each booth mentioned in the posts.
...
It looks like all of these booths shut down operations right after the posts were made.
Though there's no way to know if these posts were the direct cause of them shutting down...
...I doubt these posts didn't have some effect.
If the patterns are this clear, I don't think this is a coincidence.
Hmm...
Different accounts don't necessarily mean they're different people!
Then let's take a closer look at these accounts!
... At the accounts? How?
... Is this really something we can do?
We just need to find someone who can! ♡
*Knock, knock*
...
*Clack, clack, clack*
All we can hear behind the door is the furious clacking of a keyboard.
*Knock, knock, knock*
Thirty seconds until the raid ends. Please wait.
...
We stand together by the door, waiting for the thirty seconds to pass.
Raid cleared. Come in.
*Whirr*
Exia!
Hello, Noob and gang. I thought you were busy running your booth.
We have a favor to ask, Exia.
What is it?
Someone's been spreading rumors that we're using our dolls to curse people.
There are lots of posts from people claiming to be victims...
But no one actually filed a report to the organizing committee!
And it seems similar things have happened at previous festivals, too.
Exia swivels her chair around and faces us.
10. Catching the Culprit: B
104 linesWe explain everything that has happened so far to Exia.
O-okay...! Sent!
*Clack, clack*
A stream of letters and numbers rapidly scroll across Exia's monitor.
Accounts confirmed.
Total number of accounts that posted complaints and comments about Little Witch Trick:
Thirty-two.
... Thirty-two? That many?
I didn't realize so many people had posted...
The number of accounts doesn't necessarily reflect the number of individual people.
... In other words, one person could be behind multiple accounts.
It's possible.
Can you find out who's behind these accounts?
So there's no way to find out...?
It is possible to determine if some of these accounts were accessed from the same devices.
So even if the accounts are different, you can still trace the devices they were accessed from?
That is correct.
*Clack, clack, clack*
Exia's fingers dart across the keyboard.
Cross-referencing device records.
...
Cross-reference complete.
Total number of devices associated with the thirty-two accounts:
Three.
Only three devices were used to access all those accounts...?
Though there's no way to know the exact number of users,
we can confirm that multiple accounts were used across three devices.
Can you find out how each device and account was being used?
Yes.
*Clack, clack*
One device would be used to post the complaint.
Immediately after,
the other two devices would take turns leaving comments using different accounts.
After that, the three devices took turns posting and commenting from different accounts.
... So they deliberately manipulated public opinion.
That's highly likely.
Exia, could you take a look at the data from past festivals?
I have a feeling that the same people might be behind all of this. ♡
Cross-referencing access logs from previous festivals.
*Clack, clack*
...
Cross-reference complete.
The devices used to make the posts and comments back then,
they match the three devices currently identified.
Which means...
It's confirmed to have been carried out by the same group.
They've been repeating the same tactic every year at the festival, changing only the accounts they use.
This is a systematic and malicious manipulation of public opinion.
... But something doesn't add up.
Why would they keep using the same tactic every year?
The targets and nature of the incidents changed each time.
Each incident would've appeared to be unrelated.
Since they created new accounts each time, they must've thought they could get away with it!
That's highly likely.
... So those booths from previous years suffered because of them, too.
To think all those innocent people have been going through the same thing...
Tracking is possible.
Even their current location?
Yes.
But tracking these devices in real time,
it would be a clear invasion of privacy.
This is not a legitimate means of obtaining information.
But if we let them get away now, they'll just do the same thing to someone else.
Track their locations, please. I'll take responsibility.
*Clack, clack*
A map of the festival appears on Exia's monitor.
Tracking the current locations of the three devices...
Pinpointing locations via access points...
*Clack, clack, clack*
Locations found.
All three devices are located to the east of the main road.
Current location:
inside the Mystery Box booth.
... Huh?
Isn't Mystery Box...
I suddenly remember the man in the jacket who smiled and offered to be our first customer before the festival began.
H-he bought one of our witch dolls!
And a bag of candy, too!
So he's the one who made those posts...?
... I thought he was just a good guy.
I'm unable to confirm that.
The only thing that has been confirmed...
is that the three devices in question are all currently in that booth.
But we don't know who actually used those devices.
Precisely.
Still, since all three devices are in that booth right now...
Why don't we all go and check for ourselves?
... In person?
We'll go to the Mystery Box booth and bring it up without letting on that we suspect anything.
We'll see if they really don't know anything,
or if they're hiding something. ♡
...
All right. Let's go and check out their booth.
Off we go! ♡
11. Finding the Culprit: A
125 linesWe all make our way to the Mystery Box booth together.
Mica, Crust! Could you two stand a little farther away from the booth? ♡
Once Old-Timer and I start talking to the vendors,
I don't think we'll be able to keep on eye on everything that goes on inside the booth.
So keep watch from outside and let me know if you see anything suspicious. ♡
Okay! I'll keep a close eye on the inside of the booth!
Then I'll make sure that there aren't any suspicious people around the booth!
Mica and Crust take their place where they have a good view of the whole booth.
Meanwhile, Belorta and I make our way through the crowd.
*Murmur, murmur*
A throng of customers are gathered in front of the Mystery Box booth.
You won't know what's inside until you open them!
Try your luck at the Mystery Box!
Inside, three staff members are busy serving customers.
... There are three of them.
And Exia confirmed there were three devices.
The numbers match perfectly.
Let's keep an eye on all three of them.
Yup! ♡
Go ahead and pick a box that you like.
The man in the jacket who stopped by our booth earlier is explaining their boxes to the customers.
*Slide, thud* *Slide, thud*
Another male staff member is restocking the display stands.
*Beep*
Thank you for your purchase!
The female staff member is helping a customer with their payment at the register.
The male staff member sets the box down he was about to put on display, then walks over to the cash register.
Aren't you going to finish restocking the display stands?
Looks like it's busier over here. I'll help with the packing.
Oh, thanks.
The male staff member picks up a packaging box,
but suddenly comes to a halt, his gaze fixed on something behind the female staff member.
... Huh?
What's wrong?
...
Wh-what is it?
Behind you...
S-someone's standing behind you in white clothes...
with their head bent backward.
Am I the only one seeing this?
... Huh? Huhhhh?!
The female staff member turns pale and freezes in place, unable to look back.
Pfft.
...
Actually, there's nothing there!
Oh, come on! You know I hate it when you make jokes like that!
Haha! I can't believe you fall for it every time.
It's not funny...!
Hey, it's Halloween. Chill out, haha.
Both of you, quit chatting and get back to work.
Okay, okay.
The two staff members return to work.
Hmm...
What's wrong?
It's nothing! ♡
Belorta and I take advantage of a brief lull in the crowd to approach the Mystery Box booth.
Welco...
...
Oh, you're the people from Little Witch Trick.
Hey! You remember us!
Of course. I was Little Witch Trick's first customer.
Ahaha, I'm honored.
Feel free to pick any box you like.
You won't know what's inside until you open it, though.
The display stands are stocked with boxes of various shapes and sizes.
Belorta slowly looks around, touching each box.
The festival forum?
Yeah! People are posting all kinds of bad things about our booth.
Some say that they found strange objects inside our dolls.
Others claim that they've been sick since eating our candy.
... Ah.
I did see a few posts like that.
Once bad rumors start spreading at a festival, it's hard to undo the damage.
You must be going through a lot.
Come to think of it, you also bought a doll and a bag of candy from our booth, right?
Yes, that's correct.
Were they okay?
... Mine were fine.
The doll was normal, and there was nothing wrong with the candies, either.
Right?
After seeing those posts, we also checked all the dolls we had left at the booth...
but none of them contained anything like the paper covered red writing or the bundle of hair shown in that one post's photo.
We even double-checked the candy's ingredients and our preparation methods!
But there weren't any complaints filed with the organizing committee.
Precisely.
If there really were issues, they could've come to us about it,
or handed our products over to the organizing committee.
So we're suspecting that someone might be framing us.
Has something like this happened before?
You said you've run a booth at this festival for multiple years now?
... Similar rumors have circulated in previous years, yes.
Really?! What happened then?
The booth operators tried to clear their names, but they eventually lost their customers and had to shut down.
I see...
If I may offer you a word of advice, I think it'd be best if you two didn't push yourselves too hard.
Why not?
The thing about rumors is that they often grow bigger the more you try to explain yourselves.
I hope Little Witch Trick doesn't end up like the other booths that shut down in previous years.
The man looks at us with a worried expression.
Are you worried about us?
Of course.
Thank you for your concern!
But don't worry. We don't plan on quitting over something like this! ♡
... If you keep reacting to those posts, the situation might get worse.
It's okay! We just need to find out who's behind all of this, and why.
...
Once we find the culprit, you'll be the first to know. ♡
Ahaha, I look forward to hearing good news.
Belorta picks up one of the boxes on the display case.
And I'll take this one!
You can pay over there.
Belorta walks over to the cashier with the mystery box in hand.
...
*Beep*
... You're good to go.
Thank you.
Belorta takes the box back and strolls out of the booth as if nothing happened.
Good luck with your business!
... I wish Little Witch Trick the best of luck as well.
12. Finding the Culprit: B
136 linesBelorta and I make our way back to where Mica and Crust are waiting.
H-how did it go?
We didn't find any conclusive evidence.
Did you two notice anything suspicious?
W-we did!
At first, the male staff member was organizing the boxes from the other side of the display stand...
But once you and Belorta started talking to the owner, he kept stealing glances at you.
As the conversation went on, he gradually inched closer, while pretending to rearrange the boxes.
... It looked like he was trying to eavesdrop.
The female staff member kept looking over her shoulder while helping customers, too!
Exia identified three devices, and there are three people working at the booth...
Do you reckon they're the ones behind everything?
We still don't have hard evidence.
Then how should we go about finding the evidence...?
We can get them to spill the truth themselves!
Get them to spill the truth...?
Yeah! I think I know how! ♡
How?
Why do you want to stop by our booth...?
We stop by the booth and picked up the witch dolls before heading over to Exia's room.
So...
there were three people working at the booth,
and the female staff member seemed to be easily spooked?
That's right. So I plan on giving her a scare! ♡
She might just spill the beans if we scare her enough. ♡
How are we going to scare her?
First, we'll leave a comment under their post.
Instead of making a new post...?
Yup! Because they might not see our post otherwise!
*Clack, clack*
Checking the post about the witch doll...
All three devices were involved in creating this post.
One device was used to make the post, and the other two devices were used to leave comments under the post.
... Which means that they'll all be notified if we leave a new comment.
Bingo.
What do you want to say in the comment?
We'll say we found another witch doll in the past with the exact same things inside.
By "things," you mean...
The paper covered in red writing and the bundle of hair.
We'll say that bad things keep happening to us ever since we got that doll, and that it keeps coming back even if we throw it out!
We'll also mention that we're still haunted by that doll. ♡
Ah-ha! So we're going to make it look like someone who experienced the doll's curse firsthand left the comment?
Then how about we finish it off by telling them to be careful? It'd be like a warning!
Excellent! ♡
Exia! Could you leave a comment under that post with everything we just talked about?
Sure.
*Clack, clack*
Exia compiles what Belorta said and starts writing a comment under the witch doll post.
"A few years ago, I also came across a witch doll."
"It had the same red paper and bundle of hair in it."
"Ever since I brought that doll home, bad things keep happening to me..."
"Even after I threw it away, it kept reappearing near me."
"Even to this day, I'm still haunted by that doll."
"If you find something similar, be careful."
"It's best to keep it far away from you."
Perfect! Post it, Exia!
*Click*
Comment posted.
Exia's comment appears under the witch doll post.
Umm... But there's no way a doll like this is actually out there somewhere, right...?
Eek...!
Heeheehee! Just kidding, just kidding! ♡
Urgggh... Belorta!
Do you really think she'd believe it's a curse just from this comment, though?
Of course not!
We'll have to make it look like the doll keeps appearing near her, just like it says in the comment. ♡
If we only target the places that the female staff member frequents, she'll start believing the doll is following her around, right?
And to finish off, I have one very important mission for you, Exia!
What is it?
When I give you the signal, I want you to send her a message with a photo attached. ♡
What do you want me to write in the message?
I'll leave that up to you. ♡
Roger that.
Heeheehee... I'm already excited just thinking about it!
Belorta smiles mischievously.
That evening...
Shortly before the festival closes for the day...
We blend in among the customers and survey the area around the Mystery Box booth.
... Look, there's a stack of empty boxes just outside the packing station.
And it's within reach even from outside the booth.
Perfect. That can be the first spot where we leave the doll.
...
Commander...?
Eek...!
Startled by the sudden voice, we turn around to find Label standing there.
... Label?
Hi, Label! ♡
H-hello...
Wh-why are you all hiding here and watching that booth...? D-don't tell me you've gotten yourselves involved in something dangerous...!
... We haven't.
Hmm... Label! Do you think you could help us?
M-me...?
Yeah! I think you'd be perfect for the job! ♡
Belorta points to the empty boxes stacked outside Mystery Box's packing station.
Could you secretly hide this doll between those boxes? ♡
S-secretly...? C-could someone like me really do it?
Mm-hmm! If anyone can blend in and approach the booth without being noticed, it's you, Label. ♡
...
Label hesitates, lowering her gaze.
Please, Label.
Label takes the witch doll from Belorta and tucks it against her chest.
Y-you're worried about me...! Th-this must mean you really care about me... hehehe...
... Hurry back.
Um, y-yeah, okay...!
Label blends into the crowd and approaches the Mystery Box booth.
She slowly circles the booth while pretending to browse the displayed boxes.
... Will she be okay?
She's acting perfectly natural so far.
Just then, all the staff members turn around to face another customer.
*Thud*
Label intentionally drops a bag of candy in her hand in front of the empty boxes stacked outside the booth.
As she bends down toward the candy, she quickly drops the witch doll into one of the open boxes.
Then, she closes the box and picks up the candy,
before leaving the booth as if nothing happened.
A moment later...
Label slips back over to us.
I-I hid it...!
Good work, Label! ♡
Thanks for helping us.
T-to think you actually complimented me... hehehe...
Hehe, then the first trick is all set! ♡
Now we just need to wait until the female staff member sees it.
Yep! And we're only just getting started with our tricks! ♡
13. A Witch's Trick: A
142 linesAfter the festival has closed for the day,
the three staff members of the Mystery Box booth put away the remaining boxes.
Business was pretty good today, too.
At this rate, looks like first place is ours again this year.
I heard the prize money this year is higher than last year's.
Yeah, they say it's fifty million credits.
Then, as promised...
I know.
As long as we come in first, you'll get a fat share of the money.
You're the best, boss.
... But I'm a little concerned that the people from Little Witch Trick came by our booth today.
They didn't look like they were just here to buy our boxes.
They kept asking about the doll and the forum posts...
Do you think they've caught on to something...?
As if.
Every account was made under a different name.
Plus, we changed our connection routes every time to make sure our IP addresses never matched.
Based on the records alone, the posts will appear to have been written by different people.
They have no way of tracing it back to us.
Besides, if they'd really figured it out, they would've confronted us with the evidence.
I guess so...
Stop worrying over nothing and let's finish packing up.
All right, got it.
The three of them resume putting away the boxes.
*Rustle, rustle*
... Huh?
What is it?
Someone posted a new comment under the witch doll post a few hours ago.
I must've missed the notification while I was busy working.
It's probably another comment saying they're too scared to go or that they should be careful.
Those kinds of comments are always welcome!
I wonder how long those guys will last.
The booths from previous years closed down within a few days.
So what does the comment say?
Hang on...
The male staff member slowly scrolls through the comment on his phone.
...
What is it? What does it say?
Apparently, someone who had a similar witch doll before got cursed.
... Cursed?
It says that no matter how many times you throw it away, the doll will always come back, and that the curse will eventually return to the person who made the doll.
...
What curse? We're the ones who planted the paper and the hair.
That's true.
Still, they made it sound pretty convincing.
Haha! This comment will put the final nail in their coffin.
Who would go to their booth after reading something like this?
No kidding.
Looks like they won't be getting any more customers from now on.
... Wait, let me read that comment.
The female staff member takes the phone from the male staff.
...
You're taking it more seriously than I expected.
You don't actually believe this, do you?
Of course not...!
I just wanted to know what it actually said.
She reaches the end of the comment and returns the phone to him.
All right, once we clear these boxes away, we're done. Let's finish up quickly and go home!
Okay, okay.
The three staff members get back to organizing the remaining items,
and the female staff member begins to flatten the empty boxes stacked outside the booth one by one.
*Plop*
Just then, a small witch doll falls out of one of the boxes.
What the...
The back of the doll is roughly torn open, and a piece of paper covered in dense red writing and a bundle of hair bound with string are poking out through the tear.
...
A-aaahhhh!!
What's wrong?
Did something happen?
The other two staff members hurry over to the female staff.
Th-this...
With a trembling hand, the female staff member points at the witch doll on the ground.
That's the doll that I tossed out...
Huh? Really?
Y-yeah...! It even has the paper and the hair that I put in...!
I definitely threw it in the trash after taking the photo...
Are you sure you're not imagining things?
It's not like the doll could've come back on its own.
That's true.
I'll go and throw this out, then.
Sure.
Just toss it in a trash can somewhere far away.
Yeah, yeah.
The man in a jacket turns his gaze back to the display stand, unconcerned,
while the male staff member picks up the fallen witch doll and heads out of the booth.
...
The next morning...
The three Mystery Box staff members begin preparing to open for the day.
Should I put more boxes on this display stand, boss?
No, that's enough.
Did you restock the wrapping paper?
Oh, I'll do that right now.
The female staff member walks over to the stack of boxes behind the booth.
Which one box had the wrapping paper again...?
She picks up a box and opens the lid.
...
A witch doll is sitting on top of the wrapping papers inside the box.
Gaaaaaahhh!
W-what is it?!
What's going on?!
Hearing her scream, the other two staff members rush to the back of the booth.
L-look...
L-look at that...!
The doll came back...
... What?
The two men look toward where the female staff member is pointing.
... Huh?
I definitely threw it away in a trash can somewhere far away last night...
Are you sure you tossed it out?
Of course I am.
...
Check the security footage.
All right, give me one second.
The male staff member pulls out his phone and checks the security footage around the booth.
... Huh?
What's up?
There's no footage from after we closed yesterday until now.
What?
Y-you mean there wasn't any footage recorded?
...
Looks like someone's jealous of our booth's success. They keep pulling this prank on us.
A-a prank?
That's right. It's not like the doll could've crawled into the box on its own.
Th-that's...
First things first, I'll go and throw this doll out again.
W-wait...!
*Dash*
The female staff member retrieves a pair of scissors from the booth.
What do you need those for?
I'm going to make a mark.
Let's see if it's actually the same doll that keeps coming back.
*Snip*
The doll's left ear falls to the ground.
If the next doll that shows up has an intact left ear, it means it's a different doll.
Then we'll know for sure that someone's trying to prank us.
Yeah, that'll be a surefire way to find out. Now go toss it out.
All right.
The male staff member leaves the booth carrying the witch doll with its left ear cut off.
The female staff member watches him leave with an uneasy expression.
We're hiding a short distance away from the booth and keeping an eye on the female staff member.
14. A Witch's Trick: B
279 linesThe next morning...
As usual, the female staff member walks through the alleyway toward the Mystery Box booth.
...
As she approaches the booth, she comes to a stop.
A small witch doll sits alone on the bench across from the booth.
No... it can't be.
The female staff member slowly walks over to the bench.
...!!
She stops dead in front of the doll, staring down at its missing ear.
*Swoosh, swoosh*
She looks around frantically, but there's no one else around.
B-but we definitely threw it out yesterday...
H-how did it...
She picks up the witch doll with trembling hands and sprints to the booth.
B-boss!!
Whoa, why are you sprinting here this early in the morning?
Y-you have to see this...!
The female staff member holds up the witch doll.
... Huh? Isn't this the doll we threw out yesterday?
I-it is...!
It's missing an ear, exactly the way I cut it off!
I-it's the same doll. It came back again...!
...
Give me that.
The man in the jacket snatches the doll away and examines its severed left ear.
... Is this really the same cut you made?
Y-yes! It's the same! You saw it yesterday, too!
... I'm sure I threw it away in a trash can far from here, too.
Was there anyone near you when you threw it out?
No, there was no one.
... Looks like we're being watched.
B-being watched?
Yeah.
Otherwise, there's no way to explain why the doll keeps coming back.
Th-then...
It must be those people from Little Witch Trick!
What?
They're the only ones who have multiple witch dolls like this...!
They even came by our booth to ask about the doll and the forum posts.
Th-they must've found out that we were the ones who made the posts...!
I-it has to be them... They're scaring us on purpose because they know what we've done...!!
J-just calm down first.
H-how am I supposed to calm down?!
...
... Then let's go there ourselves and find out.
We need to talk.
The three Mystery Box staff members approach us.
*Plop*
The man in the jacket drops the witch doll with the missing ear in front of us.
Is this your doing?
What are you talking about?
D-don't act like you don't know anything!
Th-this doll keeps showing up at our booth...!
You're the only ones who make these dolls!
Do you have any proof it was us?
You came to our booth before to pester us about the forum posts and the dolls.
This whole thing started right after your visit.
Huh? How does that prove anything?
Excuse me?
Then by that logic, shouldn't you be suspecting every customer at the festival!
... Don't change the subject.
W-we've already disposed of all the witch dolls, so we don't have any left.
L-liar...
I bet you're hiding them somewhere!!
Umm... B-but we really don't have any...
You can go ahead and find them for yourselves. ♡
The man in the jacket jerks his chin, and the male staff member steps into the booth and opens the boxes one by one.
Inside, there is nothing but leftover wrapping paper, cooking utensils, and decorations used around the booth.
...
There aren't any witch dolls.
... Wh-why aren't there any?
Th-they have to be here somewhere...
We don't have them, so...
...
...
It keeps coming back even when we throw it out...!
And how is that our fault?
...
W-well...!
... Never mind.
... Boss?
There are none here. There's no point in looking any further.
Let's go.
...
No, I'll stay.
What?
I need to see for myself whether these people really aren't up to anything today.
... Do you really need to go that far?
I-I won't believe it until I see it for myself.
...
*Sigh* Fine. Do whatever you want.
The man in the jacket and the male staff member head off.
...
But we're gonna be leaving the booth unattended.
... Huh?
Since we don't have any customers, we're gonna close the booth for a bit and take a look around the festival. ♡
If you're planning to keep an eye on us all day, you might as well come along!
...
... I'll come.
Suit yourself. ♡
We leave a note on the booth saying we'll be away for a bit, then start walking around the festival.
Old-Timer, I have a gift for you.
That came out of nowhere.
Belorta holds out a light green cookie.
I got this just for you. Try it!
And if I refuse...
No refusing!
Belorta shoves the cookie into my mouth.
...!!
Heeheehee! It's a wasabi-flavored cookie! ♡
... Blegh.
...
Mica, look behind you!
Huh?
*Click*
I'm a witch ghost!
Belorta shines a flashlight under her chin, making a creepy face.
Eeeeeeek!!!
I'll gobble you up, Mica!
N-no... B-Belorta!!
...
Crust, look!
Hmm?
Belorta presents Crust with a bizarre concoction of candy, sausage, and a mountain of whipped cream.
... Wh-what's this?
A-aaahhh...!
...
The female staff member spends the entire day following us around the festival.
Belorta watches her for a moment before walking over.
Hey, we're about to head home. Are you gonna follow us all the way there, too?
...
Well, I don't mind either way. ♡
*Sigh*
The female staff member gives us a weary look, then eventually returns to her booth without saying a word.
... Do you think things will be okay?
It'll be over soon. Just be patient for a little longer. ♡
When the female staff member returns to Mystery Box, she's greeted by an empty booth...
A note has been left on the table.
"We'll bring everything we need for tomorrow's sales, so you can head home for today."
... I guess they went to restock.
The female staff member looks around the empty booth.
*Sigh* I really should head home and get some rest.
*Bzzt*
... Huh?
A message from an unknown sender arrives on her phone.
"Hi."
"I'm the witch."
"I'm at the garbage dump right now."
E-eeeek...!!
The female staff member frantically looks around.
But there isn't a soul in sight.
*Bzzt*
"Hi."
"I'm the witch."
"I'm at the alleyway across from the booth."
Wh-who is this?! Who's playing this stupid prank on me?!
*Bzzt*
"Hi."
"I'm the witch."
"I'm right behind you."
There's a photo attached below the message.
In the photo, the female staff member is standing alone in front of the register, her back to the camera.
...
*Roll...*
The female staff member slowly turns around.
A witch doll rolls across the floor and comes to a stop.
Gaaaahhh!
The female staff member sprints out of the booth,
screaming at the top of her lungs.
*Whirr*
The female staff member runs into the organizing committee's office.
An employee sits at a desk toward the back, typing away on a laptop without even looking up.
Um, excuse me...
...
Excuse me...!
Yes, what is it?
The employee's gaze is still fixed on the laptop screen.
Um... I work at the Mystery Box booth...
I'd like to report myself!
... What?
The female staff member hurries over to the employee and grabs their arm.
Those posts about Little Witch Trick...
My coworkers and I were the ones who made it up and posted it!
I-I'll own up to everything I've done, so please just take me somewhere safe!
I-I've been cursed...!
What are you... Can you let go of me first...?
Please...! I'm sorry!
I really didn't know the curse would come back to me...!
Once the female staff member's statement is officially filed, the organizing committee temporarily suspends the Mystery Box booth's operations.
Although the man in the jacket and the male staff member claim that the female staff member acted alone,
their story falls apart when the account and device records she submitted match the findings of the analysis.
The investigation reveals that the three of them fabricated all the posts and comments targeting Little Witch Trick.
It also confirms that the same group was behind the posts targeting other booths at previous festivals.
As a result, the three of them are permanently banned from participating in the festival.
Now that everything has been settled, Belorta looks at us with a satisfied smile.
Hehe... the Witch Doll Trick was a total success! ♡
I'm just glad it all worked out.
... That was one hell of a plan.
Heeheehee! Still, wasn't it fun?
But how did you manage to place the dolls at all the right spots?
We don't know anything, since Mica and I have been at the booth this whole time so we'd have an alibi.
Hehe, about that...
After the festival closes for the day and the area falls quiet,
Belorta and I head toward the Mystery Box booth with the small witch doll in hand.
Exia, how'd it go with that thing I asked you to do?
The security cameras around the booth have been disabled.
No footage from the area will be recorded until tomorrow morning.
Perfect! ♡
Shall we begin, then?
Yep! ♡
As for the next doll, we scoped out the lady's schedule and route beforehand,
then placed the doll on the bench first thing in the morning!
... I had to wake up earlier than usual, too.
Heeheehee, but we succeeded in the end! ♡
The doll kept coming back every time they threw it away. Can you imagine how scared she must've been?
Since they're the one who cooked up that lie, they should be the ones to put an end to it!
What about the photo sent to her phone?
Exia took the photo using a camera near the booth and sent it to her. ♡
She made it look like someone had taken the photo while standing right behind her!
As for the witch doll, when Exia gave the signal...
Label, who was standing behind the booth, rolled it under the tent. ♡
Just like that, our Witch Doll Trick comes to a successful end.
A few days later...
Customers begin to flock to Little Witch Trick once again.
And the freshly made candies are over here!
Belorta watches the long line stretched out in front of the booth.
It looks like our booth will win first place this year! ♡
Er...
Um...
Mica and Crust exchange glances.
Um... Belorta? I guess you haven't seen the forum post yet.
Huh? What post?
The organizing committee posted an announcement.
Since the forum was used to manipulate the rankings, they decided it would be difficult to determine a fair ranking this year.
So they're canceling this year's most popular booth selection...
N-no way...!
Belorta lowers her head in disappointment.
...
S-still, ever since we cleared our name, we've been getting so many customers!
Y-yeah!
Sure, there may not be an official ranking anymore... but we're getting customers nonstop.
Our booth is definitely one of the most popular!
... But if we want to participate again next year, we'll have to stand in line to sign up again.
I'll stand in line with you...!
... Really?
I'll join you as well!
... You too, Crust?
Hehe, I had so much fun at this festival!
Belorta looks at Mica and Crust for a moment before turning toward me.
...
What about you, Old-Timer?
Huh?
Belorta walks up and looks up at me, her eyes filled with anticipation.
... Behind her, Mica and Crust are staring at me with the same expectant look.
...
You'll join us next year too, right?
Um...
You will, right?
It'd be really reassuring to have you with us, Old-Timer!
I'd love to do this again with you, Mr. Gourmand!
Next year will be even more fun than this year!
All three pairs of eyes turn toward me at once.
...
... All right.
...
Then we're all doing this together again next year! ♡
Look forward to it, everyone!
Little Witch Trick isn't going anywhere! ♡
Little Witch Trick: The End
15. The Final Prank
52 linesNow that the Halloween Festival is over,
I'm finally able to catch up on some rest.
*Knock, knock*
...
*Knock, knock, knock*
... Come in.
*Whirr*
Old-Timer!
... Belorta?
What brings you to the Commander's Room?
I wanted to thank you for helping me big time during the Halloween Festival! So I brought you a present. ♡
... A present?
Belorta pulls out the box she'd been hiding behind her back and sets it on the desk.
Here, open it. ♡
...
Why aren't you opening it?
My gut is telling me not to...
...
I cautiously lift the lid of the box.
*Boing!*
!!
A toy bat springs out of the box.
*Sigh*
... Huh?
When I move the toy bat aside, I find a doll underneath it.
... A witch doll without a left ear.
Belorta... I've had enough of this witch doll.
I pick up the earless witch doll.
Huh? What's this?
... Huh?
I never put this in here...
... Stop joking around.
No, really! I didn't put it in here!
... Seriously, stop that.
I'm telling you, it wasn't me...!
...
...
Belorta and I turn toward the witch doll at the same time.
Gaaaaaahhh!
Aaahhhhhh!!!
We bolt out of the Commander's Room together.
...
*Peek*
I snuck it into the box when Belorta asked me to help wrap the present...
But I didn't think they'd be this surprised. Hehe.
Hehe! You really got Belorta good!
Right to the very end, Little Witch Trick...
is a complete success!