After lecturing in both classes on a new Monday, Alice led some visitors to the table in the folklore department's break room. "Thank you all for gathering today to discuss the logistics of this research assignment. There will only be the four of us, so let's introduce yourselves."

"Hi everyone!" a mauve-haired boy greeted. "I'm Baron Leltoy, a first-year student in speech-language pathology! I'm in the 09:30 AM class. My hometown is Vestal, so I do need to live on campus."

Next to him was an auburn-haired female student. "Good afternoon. My name is Soon Spidaro. I'm a second-year psychology major in the 11:00 AM class instead. I commute to campus from my home in Bayview's Minakami district."

Across from the students was the raven-haired secretary. "I'm Shun Kazami and the current department secretary. I didn't attend BIU, but I earned my engineering degree from the extension campus in Wardington, where I also live."

The assistant professor laid out several pieces of written binder paper on the table. "The project I planned for this year is to finish Shiori-san's unfinished anthology of urban legends, based on these notes that she left behind. The first one on the list is Kashiwagi's tree spirit."

Soon flipped through the makeshift table of contents. "The news has been covering the death of a young woman at Hanayome-no-taki. Do you think the bride's vengeful ghost killed the victim?"

"What is that?" Baron asked.

Alice explained the story behind the natural plunge pool to Baron. "Shun also asked me the same thing, which makes sense since the both of you aren't locals. But Soon, it's very unlikely that a vengeful ghost from hundreds of years ago is still active today to murder anyone." Suddenly, a notification flashed on her laptop screen. "Speaking of murder, the police are releasing details right now."

She changed the webpage to a news livestream right outside the police station. "The police have revealed that the victim at Hanayome-no-taki is 26-year-old Vanessa Depass, a renowned model and philanthropist. The cause of death is still under investigation, but the police believe that this may be a homicide rather than suicide."

The scene changed to a middle-aged couple wearing blue surgical masks and black sunglasses. The husband faced the camera and said, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our only child. She was a very sociable and generous person. I can't think of why anyone would want to kill her. My wife and I would like to make funeral arrangements for her as soon as possible, so please do not disturb us."

While the others continued watching the news, Alice saw unread messages from Dan on her phone. "Can you help me look at Vanessa's murder again? We have new information."

"I'll see what I can do. Where are you?"

"I can come by your office after seeing Runo."

The assistant professor locked her phone and changed the laptop webpage to an article about the Kashiwagi tree spirit. "Even though you're from Minakami district, do you know anything about this urban legend, Soon?"

"If I'm not mistaken, Kashiwagi earned its name because of its numerous oak trees. One afternoon, aa resident decided to cut down a certain oak tree, but the tree excreted a red liquid upon impact. Once nighttime came, the same resident later died near that exact tree with several deep cuts on him. People speculated that the oak tree was seeking revenge."

Baron simply stared with wide eyes, while Shun asked, "Does the story just end there? Did anyone end up cutting down that tree?"

Alice opened a news article on her laptop. "That's where the plot twist comes in. Sixteen years ago, there were rumors that a man hung himself on one of the tree's branches, Due to the surrounding circumstances, the residents insist that this was neither suicide nor homicide, but rather death by the oak tree spirit."

"Wouldn't there still be a police report?" the mauve-haired student asked.

"According to Shiori-san's notes, the police ruled it as a suicide based on how they interpreted the physical evidence. However, all of you should know by now that urban legends are most often used to hide some unspeakable secrets. This is as far as Shiori-san's notes go for the story of the oak tree spirit, so that's where we'll begin our research. I just sent all of you a polling link to select your available dates and times to visit Kashiwagi. That's it for today's meeting."

After Baron and Soon left, Dan arrived and took a seat next to Shun with his legs crossed. "Alice, I didn't know you had visitors! I was waiting outside your office for five minutes until I saw two kids leave this room."

"How are you still able to return to campus buildings so easily despite not being a current student?" Shun argued.

"Guys, calm down," the assistant professor insisted. "Most buildings are unlocked and don't require card access during business and school hours. And Dan, I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you that I was in the break room working on this year's research project. Anyway, what do you need me to help with you this time?"

"Surprisingly, I recovered Runo's lost picnic basket after finding the murder knife in the shrubs! Did you watch the news segment where the reporters were interviewing Vanessa's parents? I had no idea that there were reporters following them all the way to the police station. They're not as well off as Vanessa is, even if they were to receive her inheritance and life insurance payout. They just want their daughter to rest in peace."

"I just watched that news segment and highly doubt that her parents killed their own daughter, but what about Volt Luster? Don't you find it odd that Vanessa kept her engagement a secret? Besides, whoever strangled Vanessa couldn't bear facing her eye to eye, but whoever stabbed her did it so cleanly as if Vanessa was just another bystander."

"Yeah...we're still investigating Volt Luster, although he seems quite busy with funeral arrangements and taking time off too. But I'll relay what you said to my supervisor. This is an all-hands-on-deck case that has everyone working overtime." Dan then glanced at the loose papers on the table. "Is your research project about the tree spirit in Kashiwagi?"

"That's one of many urban legends that Shiori-san was researching. Do you know anything about it?"

"I thought it was just a scary story that parents told their kids to make them behave. My parents used to live in Kashiwagi district before moving out into central Bayview, so let me know when you want to visit. Tsukimi is coming soon, so my mom will be going in and out often. Anyway, see you all later!"

After the brunet left, Shun stayed and asked, "What if I can't go to Kashiwagi with you guys?"

"Are you worried about not committing to your commute schedule?"

"First of all, I didn't expect you to get me involved with this research project, but I do want to help Mom finish whatever she didn't finish. But I also made a promise to—"

"Shun, think of it this way. Pretend you're back in undergraduate again, but you live on campus instead. Most students don't go home every weekend if they don't need to or can't leave at the moment. Was your original intention to go home every weekend? Maybe you can shorten it to only Saturday or Sunday. Other options include every other weekend or twice a month. I don't know what other family you have at home, but if they're willing to let you temporarily move to Bayview, then I'm sure they'll understand your schedule changes as long as you're honest with them."

The raven-haired secretary nodded and gripped his phone tightly. "That sounds reasonable. I'll make a call and then answer your polling link. Thanks for the advice, Alice."

"No problem. I'm always here to help."

-x-x-x-x-x-

After Alice informed Dan of the best date for her group to visit Kashiwagi, the brunet requested time off from his supervisor to be their tour guide. "Here's the village entrance. My mom is cleaning up her old house. Since Soon's from Minakami district, this might place might seem like cottagecore to you. Shun and Baron will be in for a surprise. Kashiwagi isn't completely wilderness, but there are some areas full of trees and bad reception. You've been warned."

"Master Dan, if this district is called Kashiwagi, then where are all the oak trees?" the mauve-haired student asked. "I saw some residences with fruit trees instead."

"People began cutting oak trees at home in favor of planting fruit trees, like you saw. Then the government began massively cutting oak trees in general for local construction...until someone got into an accident."

"Was that when a man had hung himself on an oak tree sixteen years ago?" Alice asked.

"Don't get me started. Even though I forgave my mom for scaring me with that urban legend, this hanged-man story still haunts the villagers to this day. I was only a kid and already living in central Bayview with my parents when that man died, but those trees still freak everyone out. If you even try to cut that tree, then you die. End of story. Is that the only thing you're interested in—"

"Daniel, there you are!" A tall brunette woman wearing a pink polo shirt and mom jeans rushed forward. "You brought all your friends like you said."

"Mom, you're embarrassing me..."

Alice bowed briefly in front of the visitor and spoke. "Miyoko-san, I asked Dan to show me and my students around Kashiwagi district for a research project that we're working on. I hope we're not bothering."

"Not at all, Alice! We're just busy planning for Tsukimi, but you're always welcome to—whoa, easy there, kid!"

Baron tripped while walking, but all five people around him caught him in time. "That was embarrassing. I couldn't tell that the ground was wet."

"I forgot to tell you. It's been raining heavily recently, and one of the trees got hit by lightning. Speaking of trees, I just remembered why I ran over here. Daniel, I need you to conduct law and order!"

"What does that even mean?!"

The brunette mom dragged her son by his wrist as the others followed. They all arrived in front of a huge oak tree where several people were arguing over each other. "We had to call the police because there's someone holding a chainsaw—"

"Mom, let the real police handle this! I'm off duty!"

"Do you want someone to get chopped into pieces today?!"

A young man with blond hair and lavender eyes raised his chainsaw and screamed, "This tree is in the way of installing faster internet!"

An elderly bald man wearing a brown fur-lined trench coat argued back. "How dare you try to cut a tree on someone else's property! You don't belong here!"

While the crowd continued arguing, Alice asked, "Miyoko-san, how did this argument begin?"

"As far as I've heard, the young blond man's name is Hydron. He's here on a consultation visit to determine how to best install fiber-optic internet here. That bald man is Nurzak, one of our longtime residents. He opposes cutting this tree because...that's where the oak tree spirit lives."

Baron and Soon hid behind their professor in fear, while Dan walked over to break the crowd. "If Hydron is just visiting, then how he did gather a following of people behind him to argue against Nurzak and his crowd?" the redhead asked next.

"This is fiber-optic internet we're talking about. All the youngsters that still live here definitely want faster internet, whereas the older folk don't really care. I have no idea how exactly this tree is impeding installation, but the older folk disagree with cutting this tree for any reason."

"That's understandable. Maybe we can ask Hydron to reevaluate and—"

"I give up." The brunet returned in defeat with a fresh bruise on his face. "Everyone's so busy arguing that they shoved me aside."

"You can technically arrest them for assaulting an off-duty police officer like yourself," Shun suggested. "Let me try getting their attention."

He opened his phone's camera app and maximized the shutter volume, then began taking consecutive photos. All eyes faced Shun, and Nurzak yelled, "Who are you and why are you photographing us?!"

The police officer stepped forward and snapped his fingers. "It's me, Dan Kuso! I'm back with my mom! What are you guys arguing about?"

"Dan... I remember now! And thank goodness you're here! Tell this brainless visitor that he's invading other people's property!"

"Your village chief invited me to install faster internet, which is how I got approval to cut this tree!" Hydron argued. "Besides, all the young people standing behind me support my idea. Now move over!"

"Now you're just disrespecting your elders!"

Suddenly, someone blew a referee whistle loudly. A short elderly man with gray hair and beard, sunglasses, and a wooden staff appeared before the crowd. "What on earth is going on?"

Nurzak stepped forward and asked, "Frosch, did you invite this ill-mannered lad into Kashiwagi to cut this tree and install high-speed internet?"

"I did invite Hydron and his friend, but I didn't allow him to ruin any property on this land. Hydron, why do you need this tree gone?"

"Mister Frosch, this tree is blocking Wi-Fi and cell phone signals from traveling efficiently. That's why everyone says that reception is nonexistent in the grassier—"

"If you insist on cutting this tree, then we'll find another internet provider that doesn't need to!" the bald elder argued.

Both sides continued arguing as if Dan and Frosch didn't exist. Other community members rushed forward to prevent a potential physical altercation, inadvertently knocking over Alice. "My hand is bleeding..."

Shun took out an alcohol wipe from his pockets. "This will sting your hand, but it's better than nothing."

"I'll take it, since I forgot my hand sanitizer at—"

"SOMEBODY HELP ME! THE TREE IS BLEEDING!"

Everyone saw red liquid spray everywhere from until Hydron removed the chainsaw from the entry site. He dropped the power tool onto the ground and stared at the red stains all over him. "Does that mean the tree spirit is furious?" Baron asked.

In the distance, a young woman with long creamy-blonde hair watched the commotion briefly before running away quickly. Alice noticed the visitor but continued cleaning her wound instead. "Since Hydron's clothes are completely stained, I doubt he'll continue cutting the tree, unless he changes into fresh clothes and returns to cut the tree again."

The raven-haired secretary shook his head. "This bleeding tree scene is scaring everyone. Time to disband and go home."

After Frosch finished observing the tree's bleeding site, he faced two bystanders and asked, "Ren and Fabia, may I have you put several folding screens around this tree to protect from trespassers?"

"Will do, Mister Frosch," they replied.

The crowd dispersed shortly after the folding screens were installed. "Looks like the show's over," Dan commented. "Mom, do you need me with anything else?"

"You can help me clean the gutters at our old house!"

Baron and Soon laughed as the police officer shook his head in disbelief. "I don't think I have time to show you guys around anymore, but let's clean Alice's injury first."

While the redhead's hand was being disinfected and patched with a bandage, Shun saw an orange-white dog sitting patiently at the house entrance. "Dan, do you have pets?"

"No, but is there a shiba-inu outside?" The brunet put the first aid kit away and poured some fizzy golden liquid into a dented metal bowl. "That's what I thought! This shiba-inu is a stray dog, but he'll go to anyone's house that offers apple cider vinegar."

"Interesting choice of beverage...for a canine."

Alice grabbed her belongings and led her group outside. "That was a short but interesting tour of Kashiwagi. Maybe we'll come back another time, Dan."

"Just let me know when! I'm pretty flexible as long as my supervisor approves my day off requests."

After leaving Kashiwagi, Alice dropped Baron and Soon off at the subway station per their request, leaving her and Shun behind in her car. "I can't believe we witnessed that oak tree bleeding during our first visit to Kashiwagi," he murmured.

"I was surprised too, but that spewing tree blood is definitely fake."

"How do you already know that?"

"The blood splatter we saw was dark red and extremely watery." Suddenly, her phone rang. "Dan, I'm driving. What is it?"

"Billy just told me that they found Vanessa's killer!"

"Really?! Did he tell you the murderer's identity?"

"It's broadcasting on every news outlet right now! You'll be surprised to know who it is!" After Dan hung up, Shun tuned into live news on his phone and maximized the volume.

BREAKING NEWS: Volt Luster and several of his family members were arrested for first-degree manslaughter in the death of Vanessa Depass.

"The fiancé and his family were in on this?!" the raven-haired secretary exclaimed. "The murder knife that Dan found had the father's epithelial cell DNA on the handle, and Volt's epithelial cell DNA was found on Vanessa's neck. This is...unacceptable, to say the least."

"Unacceptable, but not surprising." After hearing a few more sentences, Alice commented, "Now that I know that Volt was the one who had his hands on Vanessa's neck, I finally understand why he couldn't finish strangling her. The most unacceptable thing about this whole case is murdering Vanessa for her money even though she and Volt aren't formally married yet. Don't they know that they won't get a single cent from her?"

"At least we know that there's no vengeful spirit like the legend says."

"You never know... Vanessa could be next." She checked the time and asked, "Would you like to visit Hanayome-no-taki right now?"

"I thought that place was blocked off for investigation."

"I'm sure it's open again, now that the case is closed... Unless you have somewhere to be?"

"No, I don't."

"Great! You won't regret this!"

The assistant professor changed routes immediately and later arrived at the entrance of the hiking trail in fifteen minutes. "There's a series of trails to hike through before reaching the plunge pool itself. This is a very popular location for hiking and picnicking because the trails are very straightforward, and there are several flat-level areas featuring rest stops."

"Basically, this place is family-friendly and recommended for beginners."

"Something like that." After a few minutes, the pair reached the famous plunge pool. "Welcome to the place where the bride in the legends died and also where Runo first saw Vanessa's body."

"That's not something I'd be excited about..."

"Shun, I teach folklore studies in Bayview. Of course, I'm enthusiastic about things like this. Do you still remember how Hanayome-no-taki earned its name?"

"The bride fell into the pool because one of the servants slipped and lost control of the carriage."

"That's one version of the story. There's a second version that says the bride was forced into this arrangement and voluntarily jumped into the water. She'd rather kill herself than live miserably for the rest of her life."

"Well...it sounds like this story originated from the olden days, so I'm not surprised. At least everyone now has more autonomy in deciding who to spend the rest of their lives with."

"And then there's a third—"

"What?! Alice, stop. I came to sightsee, not listen to—"

"—third and final version that not many people talk about because it's the most unbelievable out of all three."

Shun finally stopped complaining. "Is it unbelieve like the story of Boufuseki that you told on first day of lecture?"

"You bet. The final version says that the bride and one of the servants had been in love with each other for a long time, even before this marriage arrangement began. Since there was nothing could do to stop the marriage, they staged an accident here at this plunge pool and escaped together."

The raven-haired secretary was at a loss for words. "But... they're from different social classes. What happened afterwards?"

"If they really despised each other's social status, then they wouldn't have escaped together to begin with. Maybe the bride wanted a simpler life instead. And who knows what happened to them afterwards? They probably kept their true identities a secret to avoid getting caught."

"It's still an odd dynamic."

"Which is totally fine. This is what the thought process is like when I study and research folklore material. The less obvious things are more important than what is obvious. That's what makes these local areas of interest so intriguing."

After hearing the redhead's explanation, Shun stared at their reflections and the rocks in the clear water. "I wonder if Mom had to learn and research all your local urban legends from scratch when she accepted the teaching position at BIU. She mentioned that the Wardington campus canceled the program because of low enrollment."

"Were you ever upset that she decided to teach two hours away from home, here in Bayview?"

"I mean...it was difficult at first adjusting to her not being home until on weekends, but that's all in the past. I got over it once I started college. What's more important is finding her right now, even though I don't know where to start."

"That's why I wanted show you around." Alice tossed a pebble into the water, creating ripples that distorted their reflection and drawing Shun's attention back to her. "It's been a long day. Time to go home!"

He watched the assistant professor leave first and sighed. Maybe my impulse decision wasn't so bad after all.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"Daniel, are you done cleaning the gutters yet?!" Miyoko yelled from the kitchen window.

During the waning hours of twilight, the brunet stood uneasily on a straight ladder that leaned against the side of the house. He swept a few leaves out of the gutters with a broom before answering. "This will take me forever, Mom! Why didn't you install filter covers like I've been telling you?!"

"I did listen to you! We have leaf filters at home already!"

"But that's our main house in Bayview! I'm talking about this house here in Kashiwagi! I didn't request vacation time to do autumn cleaning!"

"And you'll continue cleaning all the gutters so that everyone knows you're an obedient son! Anyway, come down for dinner!"

"Finally!"

Even after dinner, Dan had to continue his unfinished chores outside. After several notification alerts from his phone, he got off the ladder to read everything. Runo had texted, "Are you free to attend Harvest Moon Festival on campus this year?"

"When and what time?"

The bluenette sent a photo of the promotional flyer. "It's free for current students, but graduates get discounted pricing."

"Let's invite everyone else then!" Suddenly, Dan saw Fabia run over asking for Miyoko. "BRB. There's a visitor."

The brunette mom asked the emerald-eyed girl, "What's going on, dear? You look pale."

"We have an emergency at the old oak tree!"

Miyoko, Dan, and Fabia ran over to the said tree immediately and joined several other residents. Floating across the protective screens was the shadow of a tree with several branches sticking out. "The tree spirit is on the loose!" the police officer yelled.

Ren later ran over and stopped to catch his breath. "You know... the girl... that came... with Hydron?" He pointed in the direction of a red gazebo. "She's bleeding..."

Everyone ran over to the gazebo and saw a creamy-blonde girl lying on the gazebo steps. "I'm calling an ambulance!" the brunette mom declared.

Dan kneeled down and asked, "What's your name? What are you doing here? Who did this to you?"

The girl's final words before passing out were, "Tree... spirit... revenge..."