Chapter 4: This Is, Without a Doubt, the Real Thing

“I am Kirishima, a paranormal appraiser.
Today, I will calmly and impartially examine, with my own eyes, a paranormal photograph that has been making waves in certain circles.
God-kun has stated outright that “this is legit,” so it is probably genuine… however, setting aside any consideration, it is my duty to discern the truth.”

She was dressed in a white jacket with a golden stole draped over it, and a large amethyst pendant hanging at her chest.
Her black hair was neatly slicked into place, and her eyes were emphasized with heavy eyeliner.

After bowing politely, the screen switched to the photograph.

“The first thing that catches the eye is this orb here… it is often said to be ‘dust’ or ‘moisture.’
Certainly, there are many cases like that, but in my experience, not all of them are.
Orbs are fragments of souls, or the visualization of strong residual thoughts that have accumulated in a place.
Especially this orb in the photograph—its shape, the layers of light, and the way it floats… this is absolutely not just dust.
It is a typical pattern of lingering thoughts left behind by a suicide victim.
That said, not all of them are like this.
The majority are probably additions made later through editing.”

After a brief pause, she continued speaking, pointing with her finger.

“This hand near the feet… this is without a doubt genuine. It is extremely dangerous.
The black shadow behind them can also be judged as an extremely dangerous spiritual presence. It bears resentment toward the ancestors of the black-haired girl. This type of grudge often drags entire bloodlines down with it, making it particularly troublesome.
However, the white mass between the two, and this white haze above it… these are typical staging elements. There is no doubt they were added later through editing.”

The screen returned, and she took a breath.

“Overall, this is what you might call an ‘over-embellished photo’—one that contains genuine elements, yet has been subjected to excessive editing.
Such irresponsible actions carry the risk of causing harm not only to oneself, but also to those around them.
I can only pray that these children are safe.”

She let out a small breath and continued.

“As expected, I cannot recommend going to such dangerous places on a whim.
To go so far as to take such a frivolous photograph… that goes far beyond carelessness.”

Finally, she bowed deeply.

“That concludes my appraisal. This was Kirishima, paranormal appraiser.
Until next time, let us meet again through a calm and impartial appraisal.”

Her appraisal, too, was riddled with mistakes.
She had not reached the most important truth.
She had brushed against the facts—only slightly, ever so slightly—
but it held no power to change the future.

Yet within the comment section, there was, undeniably, a hint that could change the future.

"As expected of Sensei Kirishima—on a whole different level of credibility!"
"That orb explanation was god-tier. This should seriously be taught in schools."
"So there really was editing, huh. Yeah, I thought so too (quick flip)."
"They keep saying it’s edited, but it’s obviously just dust. Anyone believing this is a joke, lol."
"That twin-tail girl is definitely dangerous (no doubt)."
"That black shadow in the back—doesn’t its shape look weird? It doesn’t look like a human shadow at all."
"That hand near the feet—the angle’s weird. Does it even bend like that?"
"The black-haired girl’s clothes look past Showa—more like Taisho, honestly."
"If it were edited, the face outline would be rougher. It’s way too crisp."
"Forget the haze—the shadow in the back looks seriously dangerous."
"At this point, even before editing, doesn’t the subject itself seem not normal?"
"The more I look at this photo, the more unsettling it gets."
"No pulling punches (LOL)."
"There it is again—‘fragments of souls,’ lol. Since when does dust have a soul? lmao."
"That black thing in the back? It’s actually just a human."
"Another great one today! Sensei Kirishima, please take care of yourself."
"Sensei Kirishima is the only one I trust. Everything else is staged."
"Stop cluttering this up with pointless chatter! You haters!"

—That hint never caught anyone’s eye.