第６０９堀：お掃除 (Part1)
Chapter 609: Cleaning Up
Cleaning Up
Side: Yuki
The day after the social gathering, we took action regarding the final rumor.
"Alright, first up is cleaning the warehouse. Let’s do this!"
"Yeah!"
Yes, it started with cleaning.
The common problem and root cause of ghost stories is often the impurity of the site—in other words, filth.
Furthermore, for us, it was physically and hygienically undesirable. It’s a natural reaction to want to avoid spending long periods in a space filled with swirling dust.
Besides, there was also the lingering hope that we might find something while we were at it.
However, I couldn't help but feel a bit conflicted.
"…Ever since coming to this academy, our main activities have been teaching classes and cleaning, haven't they?"
"Don't say it, Taiki-kun."
Taiki-kun, who was busy hauling luggage just like he had at the library warehouse, said exactly what I was thinking.
It was spot on. I felt like we were just a professional cleaning crew hired by the academy.
"We can't just leave it to others, though."
"I mean, whether it’s the library warehouse or this place, if one or two people tried to do this, it would never end. At most, you’d wipe down the dusty boxes and clean the floors and walls. You wouldn't even dream of hauling everything outside."
"True. Who would want to do such heavy labor?"
"Even during year-end deep cleaning, we usually leave the big furniture where it is."
"Your house really took deep cleaning seriously, Taiki-kun. At my place, we just vacuumed and maybe did some extra wiping."
"Well, isn't that normal? When you're busy, you don't have the energy for more than that."
"I guess you're right."
As we were talking, Taizo-san caught up with us, carrying a load of boxes.
"My apologies, the underground passage makes voices echo, so I couldn't help but overhear. Deep cleaning, huh? That brings back memories. Speaking of deep cleaning at home, we used to replace the *shoji* paper."
"Replacing *shoji* paper… that sounds tough."
"No, it’s not actually that difficult. You just wet it, peel the old paper off cleanly, paste the new sheets on, and let them dry. It’s not like we were making the high-end screens a professional craftsman would."
"Ah, I see."
"Japanese houses seem like a lot of work with things like *shoji*."
It just meant more cleaning, after all.
"Well, yes. Those with extra money in their wallets would replace the *tatami* mats, too. That requires a lot of labor. But in those days, it was standard to call the neighbors to help out."
"Ahhh…"
I suppose you wouldn't tackle a job that big with just one family. Unlike the modern era, the neighborhood social bonds were quite strong back then.
"I feel like there’s something wrong with men getting all excited talking about cleaning."
"No, no, Deryu, you should try cleaning a bit more yourself. Even if dust doesn't accumulate much, you should at least fold your clothes and throw away your snack bags. We can’t bring Yuyu-chan and the others into that room of yours."
"…I will endeavor to do so."
"That’s the exact response you give when you have no intention of doing it at all."
Deryu is bad at cleaning. Perhaps because she spent so long traveling, she’s ingrained with the habit of using things until they are completely worn out. Usually, new weapons are better, but since Deryu fights primarily with her fists, that’s not an issue.
If she replaced everything every time it got worn, she’d run out of money, so it’s a natural mindset for a traveler.
She supposedly wandered around wearing that dress with a backpack the whole time, so it’s a bit of a "well, what can you do" situation.
Wait, she wore a robe over it, so maybe that was fine?
Well, the dress is a sentimental item for Deryu, so I suppose it can't be helped.
Given that background, she’s bad at throwing things away. Snack bags aside, she tends to leave her favorite clothes piled up in her room.
"Ria, why don't you add a few more things to your room? It’s so lonely in there."
"You think so? I actually like how spacious and empty it is."
Conversely, in Ria’s case, having been a village girl and experienced life as a slave, she wasn't used to the idea of having "possessions."
She buys clothes and furniture to her own taste now, but the amount is quite modest.
Well, I guess it’s just a matter of personal preference.
It’s her own room, so as long as it doesn't cause injury or illness, she should be free to do as she likes.
While we were chatting, we left the dormitory building and placed the luggage in a nearby vacant lot.
"Alright, thank you for your hard work. Let’s see…"
"This belongs to this section here."
I pointed to the map Kanna-san was holding to show her where the luggage had come from.
"Ah, this desk. Hmm, this is marked for disposal. Kagura, please take this over there."
"Got it. Wait—whoa, this is heavy!?"
Kagura tried to move the desk I’d brought, but she couldn't lift it at all.
Well, I’ve been using body reinforcement to boost my strength quite a bit, and our base levels are different, after all. Kagura is a mage and isn't physically strong, so it was a natural reaction.
"Don't push yourself. It goes over there, right?"
"Oh, yeah. Thanks."
She took the desk to the disposal area, where a large pile of other items had already been gathered.
"There’s quite a lot of stuff, though."
"It can't be helped. The basement of the dormitory is surprisingly large."
"That was a miscalculation on my part."
I should have realized it when I heard "dormitory basement," but I had assumed it would be small.
In other words, the basement spanned the entire width of the dormitory building.
Well, it was only about ten rooms, so it was far better than a dungeon, but hauling luggage up and down the stairs repeatedly was still a chore.
We had considered using a dedicated "trash" item box to clear it out in one go, but only the Weed members could use item boxes, and we needed to keep records of where each item came from, so we opted for this manual method.
Besides, it’s often the case that what we consider trash might actually have value to the people of Heiden.
Furthermore, we didn't know which room was the source of the rumors.
In that sense, a thorough cleaning was required.
"I know it’s a bit late to ask, but there’s no chance that we’ll finish cleaning and find out the 'exorcism' was just that, right?"
"What do you mean? Can ghosts be removed just by cleaning?"
Micos tilted her head at Taiki-kun’s question. But it was Kagura who answered.
"That’s right. Though, I don't have any personal experience with it. The Kamishiro family are shrine priests, so I’ve heard stories like that."
"That ghosts can be defeated by cleaning?"
"I feel like 'defeated' isn't quite the right word, but that’s the gist of it. You’d think that dirty places attract dirty things, right?"
"Well, yeah, I suppose."
"By cleaning a place, it’s said that you wipe away that filth and impurity. In town, you see more suspicious people in the back alleys than on the clean main streets, don't you?"
"Ah, I see your point. So it’s a psychological thing?"
"Maybe 'psychological' isn't quite right, but that’s the nuance. People with something to hide prefer to stay in dark, quiet places."
As Kagura said, it was a matter of mentality. It’s like a variation of the "broken windows theory."
If everyone thinks a place is safe, it becomes a safe place; if everyone thinks it’s dangerous and suspicious, it becomes a dangerous and suspicious place.
People’s behavior changes based on that perception. That’s what she meant.
"It’s pretty much exactly as Kagura explained. Well, if there’s really something here, with this much activity, we’ll get some kind of reaction."
"I see. So, we’re cleaning to clear it out, and at the same time, reducing these kinds of neglected areas in the future?"
"Exactly."
This cleaning wasn't just about finishing the chores.