落とし穴１４４堀：夏の怪談リバイバル 大人の夏休み始まる (Part1)
Pit 144: Summer Ghost Story Revival - The Start of an Adult's Summer Vacation
Side: Yuki
*Jii-wa, jii-wa, jii-wa-wa-wa-wa...*
Summer is when the deafening chorus of cicadas forces its way into your ears whether you like it or not.
Before I knew it, I’d reached the season where I couldn't help but find those insects absolutely detestable.
Well, for a working adult, that sound is about the only thing that truly heralds the arrival of summer.
Hearing the voices of these creatures, which shatter any hope of concentration, is how I realize summer has finally arrived.
"When I was a kid, the start of summer vacation was the true sign of summer..."
"Well, I suppose that’s just how it is for adults..."
The arrival of summer, once filled with dreams and hope, is now a story from the distant past. For us, it’s just the daily grind of work, continuing on and on.
"I wouldn't go so far as to say I miss being a kid or a student, but..."
"We could certainly use a break, couldn't we?"
Exactly. As Taiki-kun says, what we need right now is a vacation!
A vacation.
It is the name of the elusive utopia for every working adult.
You might think, "If you quit your job, you could have all the time off you want," but if you did that, you’d just end up struggling daily, worrying about living expenses.
How many times have I fervently wished for a steady income combined with an eternal vacation?
The breaks I had as a student don't count. The limit on how much money you can actually spend is too low. You can't truly enjoy summer like that.
And yet, now that I’m an adult with enough money to actually enjoy the season, I’m plagued by the nightmare of having no time to spend it.
The world is full of contradictions. A paradox, if you will.
"Well now, you two. It might not be a full summer vacation, but you did get four days off this time, didn't you? You have to enjoy them to the fullest."
"Oh, Taizou-san."
As the two of us sat on a bench discussing such pointless matters, Taizou-san approached us.
"Well, there's no point in grumbling about what we don't have. Let's enjoy today!"
"Yes. The vacation starts tomorrow, so we have four and a half days in total. We have time."
"That’s the spirit. Our summer vacation starts now. Let’s have some fun!"
"Yeah!"
And so, we gathered to make the most of this "summer break"—or rather, these mere four days of time off.
For this moment, we would forget the daily routine of work and just relax!
Besides, the wives were surprisingly understanding when we said we wanted to spend some time just hanging out as men.
"So, I heard your wives prepared everything for this trip, Yuki-kun?"
"Ah, I heard about that too. Though, they did tell us to stay at a different inn than usual, didn't they?"
"Yeah. Ratz said she built a new type of accommodation, and she wants us to evaluate it."
That’s right. Unfortunately, it wasn't just a simple vacation. We had a task: to evaluate a newly built facility. They wanted a man's perspective.
"Where is this inn located?"
"Let's see, it seems they built it at the very edge of the Commercial District."
"Wait? The edge of the Commercial District... does that mean it's in the middle of nowhere?"
"No, I mean the *very* edge. It’s not even in the undeveloped zone; it’s further out, in the forest region beyond that."
"I see. So it’s more of a hidden retreat than an established, traditional spot?"
"Ah, I get it. Not in a prime location with good transportation, but a high-class resort for those in the know, tucked away somewhere?"
"Probably. They said the place itself is a surprise. If it’s a hit, they mentioned building tourist attractions along the path leading up to it."
"I see. So the journey itself is part of the fun."
"Like a post town, then?"
"Exactly, something like that."
Ratz had been so excited when she told me. Though, I do find myself wondering where exactly this dungeon is headed.
Then again, I’m hardly in a position to complain.
"Well, all that’s left is to head over. Should we buy some things first?"
"Good idea. We need to stock up for an overnight trip."
"True. I’m sure they have things provided, but the night is long."
We exchanged knowing smiles and nodded. When men go on an overnight trip, you know exactly what kind of "playing" we have in mind.
"Are we settling the score today?"
"We’ve got the big fighting games, Mario Kart, and PUBG, too."
"I want the three of us to win at least once in PUBG. Oh, and I asked Zargis-kun to be our fourth."
"It would have been nice if he could have come along."
"It can't be helped. He seems busy with work."
"Or rather, he’s just obsessed with compiling his research data."
Since his hobby is his work, he never knows when to stop. The only time he takes a break is when we invite him to play games, which is... well, a bit sad, I suppose.
"Anyway, putting that aside, first things first: food shopping. We’ll get dinner provided, so we mostly need late-night snacks."
"Come to think of it, does the inn we're going to have a shop?"
"I’m sure it does, but it’ll probably be closed at night, and there’s always the risk the food won't be great, so it’s safer to buy our own. Plus, hotel vending machines are notoriously expensive."
"Ah, that’s true."
"Exactly. Alcohol is especially pricey, so it’s better to buy it at the supermarket."
With that, we headed toward Super Ratz, but then...
"Huh?"
"Hm? What’s wrong, Taiki-kun?"
Taiki-kun suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring in a certain direction. I looked over with Taizou-san, but there was nothing particularly noteworthy there.
"See something?" I asked, placing a hand on Taiki-kun's shoulder.
"Oh, no. I just caught a glimpse of someone wearing a bright red dress, and I thought it was a bit unusual."
Taiki-kun pointed toward where he had been looking, so I tried to spot the person in the red dress, but...
"A bright red dress? ...Hmm, I don't see anyone."
"Eh? She was right there a second ago..."
Taiki-kun turned back to check the direction he had pointed, but...
"Huh, she’s gone. Did you see her, Taizou-san?"
"No, I didn't see anyone either. Was she that close?"
"Not super close, but... oh, there’s a side path over there. Maybe she went that way?"
"Hm? Ah, that might be it."
There was indeed a side path. It was possible she had just turned off at that moment. There was no reason to stand around dwelling on it.
"Still, a bright red dress. Maybe she’s some noblewoman."
"Yeah, it was a truly vibrant red, the kind of thing only someone like that would wear."
"Well, this is Weed. Nobles from all over the world come here, so it’s not surprising. Anyway, let’s finish our shopping."
"You're right. Sorry for the delay."
"Don't worry about it."
And so, despite the minor distraction, we finished our shopping at Super Ratz and headed toward the inn...
"Man, the distance is a bit much, isn't it?"
"Yeah. I didn't expect it to take ten minutes even by car."