落とし穴１１７堀：㐧弐夜 開幕 (Part1)
**Pitfall 117: The Second Night – Opening**
**The Second Night – Opening**
**Side: Mikos**
"We are about to step into a truly fantastic place!"
I said this with high spirits, but Kagura and the others didn't react with much enthusiasm.
"…Mikos, I don't know how you can be so cheerful given the state of this place."
"I agree… something feels really strange about it."
"Well, I understand being uneasy in such a dilapidated place, but like I said before, I don't sense anything. Right, Kagura?"
"…Yeah. I don't think there’s any malice or anything like that here… I think."
I decided to give them a little pep talk.
"Come on, everyone, let's get motivated. This is a divine mission from Lady Luna, after all. Are you really going to turn back now?"
"No, we aren't going to turn back, but…"
"Then let's enjoy it! Sure, it’s run-down and we might get a little dirty, but we can just include that in our report."
"…You’re right. As Mikos said, we accepted the task, so it’d be a waste not to enjoy it."
"…Ugh. You’re right. I’ll do my best."
"Don't push yourself too hard, Solo. Reporting that 'there was a girl like Solo' is useful information in its own right."
Thanks to my encouragement, Kagura and the others regained some of their motivation and stepped into the desolate, abandoned school.
Well, seeing it this ruined, you’d naturally suspect something is up.
Actually, since Lady Luna told us to go have fun, it’s obvious that she’s set something up here.
"Alright, let's pull ourselves together and head inside."
I took the lead, opened what I assumed was the main entrance door, and stepped in.
The interior was, as expected, just as ruined as the exterior.
Or rather…
"What is this? This isn't just a few years of neglect, is it?"
Enola said this while staring at a wooden chair placed in the entrance for some reason.
The chair’s frame was made of iron pipes and kept its original shape, but the parts that should have been sturdy wood—the backrest and the seat—were corroded, full of holes, and crumbling away.
"E-er, Weed hasn't even been around for five years yet… so why is this place so ancient-looking?"
Solo had been on guard before entering, and the state of the interior only made her more vigilant.
Even I, Mikos, was starting to think this situation was strange. Kagura leaned forward, peering into the entranceway, though we couldn't see what she was looking at.
"There’s a clean sign in the back. Let’s see… what does it say?"
And the words that spilled from Kagura’s lips were…
*“Welcome to the Haunted House. If you wish to escape this school, exit through the back gate. (Note: This building is staged to look old and dilapidated. Please do not attempt to break through blocked-off areas. If you follow the open paths, you will naturally reach your destination.)”*
It was a rather anticlimactic explanation.
"It really does seem like Lady Luna’s handiwork. Well, she is the Supreme God, so it’s only natural she could do something like this."
"No, no, that’s not the point. The point is the word 'Haunted House'."
"Does that mean there are ghosts!?"
Solo couldn't help but scream and cling to me.
"There, there. It’s okay. You’ve trained to face zombies and liches, so there’s nothing to be afraid of."
That’s right. To storm the main headquarters, we had undergone hellish training prepared by Yuki-sensei.
There was no way we would be scared of something as vague as a ghost now.
"Actually, I think I understand what Lady Luna meant by 'entertainment.' This is what they call a 'test of courage'."
"A place where you go to get scared and have fun, huh."
"We had those at the Academy, too. Though, two of those rumors were just Kagura’s room and the bathroom Solo used for lunch."
"What was that?"
"“Don’t say it!”"
Incidentally, the ghost stories at the Academy—other than the ones involving Lord Sota—were all just hearsay or human-made pranks.
The rumor about the blood-stained floor in Kagura’s room was just a couple flirting, and the woman’s voice from Solo’s bathroom was just her spending lunch alone.
It would be fun to tell Enola, but this wasn't the time to be lounging around.
"Well, let’s save those stories for when we leave. Lady Luna asked us to do this, and we know it’s not that dangerous."
"That’s true. If it’s a test of courage, it’s natural that there’s nothing actually there. But knowing Lady Luna, there might be some amazing tricks. We shouldn't keep her waiting."
"“Phew.”"
The two of them felt relieved that Enola agreed to move forward instead of asking about the stories…
"Once we finish exploring this place, you have to tell me those ghost stories later."
"Of course."
"W-wait!?"
"T-that’s not allowed!?"
I teased Kagura and Solo as we moved forward…
"Should we just go straight?"
"Hmm. The door to the staff room next to us seems to open. What do you think?"
Enola tried to head straight down the hallway, but I had checked the door to the staff room right by the entrance and confirmed it opened, so I decided to ask.
I knew it was a detour, but I was curious, so I asked just in case…
"She asked for our impressions, so shouldn't we check everywhere we can?"
Surprisingly, Kagura agreed.
"When you put it that way, you’re right. It would be awkward if Lady Luna asked for our thoughts and we just went straight for the exit."
"Alright!! Then let’s explore this room—wait."
Before I could fully open the door, I noticed Solo turning pale and stopped.
"Solo? Are you feeling sick? You’re pale."
"Eh? Oh, really? Are you okay, Mikos?"
"You don't have to push yourself. I don't think Lady Luna would be happy if you worked yourself sick."
The three of us said this, but Solo shook her head vigorously…
"N-no, that’s not it. The moment I opened that door, someone was peeking at us through the gap."
"Eh? Did someone get here before us?"
I took Solo’s words to heart, turned my attention back to the staff room, and opened the door completely to look inside.
However, all I could see was a desolate, empty room. There were no signs of anyone being there, as Solo had claimed.
Still, Solo didn't seem like she was lying.
"Hmm. There’s no one here. Did you missee something?"
"No, they were definitely peeking."
I had checked just in case, but since there was actually no one inside, I could only assume Solo had misseen something.
"Kagura. Did you feel anything?"
"No. There’s no magical reaction to speak of. Enola?"
"I don't feel anything in particular, either. But, it does feel a bit… prickly."
"Prickly? You too, Enola? Then maybe it’s not just your imagination?"
The two of them seemed to be sensing something, tilting their heads in confusion.
"Wait a second. You’re both sure you feel something?"
"Eh? Ah, if Enola feels it too, then I guess so? But it’s not at a level that bothers me if I don't pay attention to it…"
"That’s right. Like Kagura said, it’s not something I can say for sure. But ever since we entered this abandoned school, the air has felt strangely prickly, or maybe heavy…"
It seemed they were having trouble describing what they felt.
But both of them were sensing something. Did that mean Solo felt it too?
Does that mean I’m the one with the poor reaction?
No, let’s just call it a difference in talent.
Regardless, we had to decide how to move from here… Alright!!