第５９８堀：第二次探索と結果 (Part1)
### Chapter 598: The Second Exploration and Results
**Side: Agil, If Continent, Holy Kingdom of Enaria, General and Technical Officer**
"Whoa!! That’s amazing!!"
I cheered, unable to suppress my excitement. It reminded me of the first time I visited Weed. Honestly, being around Yuki and his group is never boring. We were enemies back then, but now we’re like friendly neighbors—you never know what life has in store for you. Though, I imagine Prism, who once crossed blades with the Queen, probably gets a stomachache every time she visits Weed.
Still, I’m thrilled to be in a position where I get to be brought along to the New Continent. Plus, I just had such a bizarre experience.
"What’s going on? It’s looping!!"
"Hey, wait a second!?"
I think I heard Taiki call out from behind me, but I didn't stop. I kept running along the wall, and before I knew it, I had arrived right behind Taiki and the others. And this was a straight, single-path hallway!
*Uwah*, this is incredible! Just as Yuki and Taiki said, it must be that the space is distorted and connected somewhere.
"I'm back~!!"
"Eek!?"
When I called out cheerfully from behind, Amanda-kun let out a surprised yelp. Everyone turned around, and Taiki looked at me with a weary expression.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, asking such a boring question.
"Obviously, I was testing this 'loop' phenomenon you all were talking about."
That’s right; I didn't just run off out of pure excitement. I intentionally tested whether the loop would trigger for an individual to unravel the mystery of this place. The result? It seems everyone in this space is subject to the loop. Just as Yuki and Taizo-dono suggested, it feels as if we are being kept captive within this space.
"Sigh. This is why researchers are... Well, fine. At least we've confirmed that even we can be tossed into this space just like that."
"Yup. Knowing that is what matters most."
The purpose of our second library exploration team was to confirm the reproducibility of the trap, its conditions, and whether it was constantly active. This time, it wasn't a student of the academy who triggered it, but Amanda-kun. Next, it’ll probably be my turn or Taiki’s, but since Amanda-kun—who is largely unrelated to this—triggered it and was sent here, I’m sure we’ll be sent here too.
"Ruth, do you feel anything?"
"No. I don't feel any killing intent, nor do I feel like I'm being watched."
"What about you, Agil-san, Amanda, Eoid?"
When Taiki asked, we all shook our heads. Being in this place, there’s no such sensation. Personally, I agree with Akiten-chan and Water Dragon-dono; it feels almost like... playfulness. If anything, I’d love to learn how to create a space like this in another dimension. It seems to vanish from the other side, so it would make for a perfect, safe shelter. I could expand my cramped laboratory, and it would be the perfect place to hide from Prism’s lectures.
"But why are Yuki-san and Taiki-san so wary of this space?"
"The rumors said no one had gone missing here, right?"
"Yeah, that’s what I found strange too. If there were deaths or disappearances, we’d have to be on guard, but there haven't been any related cases. Yet, the two of you seem unusually cautious. Why is that?"
If they said they were just being extra careful, that would be the end of it, but it feels more like Yuki and Taiki are genuinely afraid.
"Uh, well, it’s just because we’re very familiar with these kinds of stories."
"Does that mean you’ve experienced this mysterious space before?"
"No, not this one. But back home, it’s a trope that if you enter an infinite loop like this, you never come out alive."
"Ah, I see. So for you two, this is a very dangerous place."
That explains the excessive caution. To them, this place is likely the same as a death row. Even if you’re told it’s fine while standing on the guillotine or the gallows, you wouldn't feel at ease.
"That’s why you shouldn't go off on your own. Picking off people who wander away one by one is a standard tactic, isn't it?"
"Yeah. That was my fault."
I apologized honestly. As Taiki said, if this were a malicious trap, I would have certainly been taken out. Defeating enemies in detail is a fundamental rule of combat, after all.
"So, Your Majesty, the plan was to verify if we hear voices after triggering the trap. What shall we do? Shall we continue, or verify the time limit first?"
"Hmm. Ruth and the others don't get a bad vibe from it. Let's try it. Is everyone okay with that?"
I had no objections, so we agreed to continue the verification. Amanda and Eoid were also fine with it, so we proceeded to test the "hearing voices" aspect.
"This time, it’s Amanda and Eoid. I remember the Japanese, so that’s fine. But let me know if you feel anything strange."
"Yes."
Apparently, the two of them had learned the language of Taiki and Taizo-dono’s country without realizing it. I’m dying to learn it myself, as I’m very interested in Nihon’s technology, but that’s still a long way off. *Hah*, this is why I hate being a high-ranking official. I’d much rather live a leisurely research life like Comet-dono or Narjia-dono.
While I was lost in thought, the two of them held hands and triggered the trap. Last time, it felt like only Ria had triggered it and heard the voice, so we were testing if there would be a reaction if two people triggered it together. Seeing them holding hands, I remembered they were married, and I felt deeply saddened by my own single status.
*No, I have Prism! I have my research!* I told myself. Since I’m having these feelings, maybe I should start looking for a partner? If I had a husband, I wouldn't have to work so hard and could research to my heart's content!? Wait, wait, marriage isn't about working your husband to the bone... Hmm, maybe marriage is still too early for me? Should I ask Comet-dono or Narjia-dono later? Hm? Is it right to ask two singles? Well, they’ve lived longer than me, so...
As I was planning my future, Amanda and Eoid suddenly looked startled, as if they had heard something.
"We heard it. It was in Japanese."
"It said to come to the second floor."
"A lure, huh?" Taiki said, looking weary.
"What do you mean by a lure?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. It’s guiding us forward, and if there’s malice involved, that means..."
"Ah, that’s not good."
It’s what you’d call a trap to catch everyone at once. It’s like being thrown into a beast’s cage.
"Your Majesty. I’m against going down to the second floor, but for now, shouldn't we confirm if the stairs actually exist?"
"You're right. Let's check if the loop has been lifted."
When we first entered this space, there was no exit no matter where we walked. But since there was a prompt, it’s possible the stairs have appeared. We headed toward where the stairs had vanished, and sure enough, they were there.
"Agil-san, don't go down."
"I won't, obviously. But at least now we know what our next move should be."
The next exploration will be heading down those stairs to explore the second floor.
"For now, let's all return to the history book corner. It’s almost been ten minutes. Let’s see if things return to normal."
And just as ten minutes passed, the infinite loop was lifted, and we were able to contact the others who were waiting. After regrouping, we held another meeting in the conference room.
"Hmm. A lure, huh? I don't like that. Well, I suppose just hearing a voice doesn't mean we know all the secrets."
"There was talk that the library had a secret room to begin with. We can assume that voice is a guide to that secret room."
Yuki and Taizo-dono discussed this after hearing our report on the second exploration.
"At least it seems true that we can return after ten minutes. I don't really understand the principle, though."