第１００５堀：噂がある屋敷 (Part1)
**Chapter 1005: The Haunted Mansion**
**Side: Labyris**
"This is the location we have selected for information management. As I explained in the conference room earlier, it is within the Imperial Capital, yet sufficiently distant from the Imperial Castle. Since human traffic is sparse here, it satisfies the conditions for effective counter-intelligence."
Standing before me as Showu explained this was a sprawling, towering mansion. However, it appeared to have been abandoned for years, left to the mercy of the wind and rain, and looked thoroughly dilapidated.
"It’s quite old, isn't it? Tell me, is there some sort of 'story' attached to it?"
When a mansion this grand sits empty, one can't help but imagine the worst. I really wish ghosts would just go extinct already.
"Indeed, that is so. A nobleman of some standing lived here previously, but he fell in battle during a war long ago. Due to various circumstances, his heirs vacated the property, and it has remained empty ever since. The fact that the owner died in battle is the sticking point. It’s considered bad luck, so it has remained unsold."
Ah, so it’s just a superstition thing. That’s a relief.
"I see. We have similar situations in our country."
"We do, don't we?"
Firia and Aslin didn't seem to quite grasp it. Well, they aren't the type to care about bad luck in the first place.
"Thanks to that, it’s a property that makes counter-intelligence easy. Because of the rumors—like ghosts appearing night after night—people in the noble district avoid it entirely. Conversely, if there is a human shadow around here, it means they are a suspicious individual."
Wait, so there *are* ghosts after all!
"…I see. So, Firia, as our advisor, what do you think?"
I directed a gaze filled with as much intensity as I could muster toward the leader of this mission. I was trying to convey, *You know I absolutely hate ghosts, right?* I thought I had made that perfectly clear, but…
"Hmm, I think it’s good. It meets the requirements. The rest depends on how we defend this place."
"It’s about the people, isn't it? No matter how good the base's defenses are, if the people aren't up to the task, it’s useless."
Ugh, they really don't get it. Come to think of it, since we teamed up to pull a prank on Yuki during that test of courage the other day, maybe they’ve completely forgotten that I’m terrified of ghosts?
Well, what they said to Showu wasn't wrong. There is no such thing as an impregnable castle; you can always break it from the inside. But aside from that, I was getting a very, very bad feeling about this.
"Yes. I am well aware of that. I will explain the personnel selection later, but we must decide whether to rebuild or just perform renovations, so I believe it would be best to take a look inside."
"That’s a good idea. Let’s go take a look right away."
"Yeah, let's go."
"Yes, that sounds best."
"Well, that is the most logical course of action."
Everyone accepted Showu’s opinion and was fully committed to touring the mansion. It was as if my discomfort didn't exist at all.
"Your Majesty, what will you do?"
"Indeed. I cannot accompany you inside the mansion. Report to me once you have reached a conclusion."
"Understood."
Unfortunately, Emperor Yupi seemed to be leaving. Wait, should I go back too, under the guise of contacting Yuki? Yes, that might be a good plan.
"Firia, you guys go ahead. I’m going to send photos of the mansion’s exterior to Yuki and ask for his opinion."
"Oh! That’s a great idea. I’ll leave it to you then."
"I see. That is another way to utilize our resources. Please do so. We will head inside now. Labyris-sama, please contact us if anything comes up."
"Yes. I’ll let you know if I have any questions."
Just as I was about to part ways with the group, Deryu sidled up to me.
"You managed to escape quite skillfully."
"Oh, come on, Deryu, you hate them too, don't you? Just look after Firia and the others, okay?"
"Nngh…"
She could just admit she’s scared. Well, if Deryu is there, she can probably pulverize any ghost with a single punch.
After watching Firia and the others enter the mansion, I began moving to inspect the perimeter with the soldiers the Zuraburu Great Empire had assigned as my guards. Showu must have been thoughtful, as they were all women, which I appreciated.
Still, looking at it again, it really is an old building. The skeleton of the structure is solid, but there are holes here and there; I’m starting to think a total renovation might be necessary.
As I was pondering this, about a quarter of the way around the perimeter, I noticed something.
"Hey, can I ask you something?"
"Yes, what is it?"
"About what Showu-dono said earlier—the rumors about ghosts appearing here. Do you happen to know the details?"
"The rumors about ghosts? Is Labyris-sama interested in such things?"
"Well, if it’s truly a ghost, we have to deal with it. But if it turns out *not* to be a ghost, that means something else is coming in and out of this mansion, doesn't it?"
The guards all looked startled at my words. Good, they were quick enough to understand the implication.
"In other words, if there are no ghosts, there is a possibility that someone is using this place?"
"Exactly. Places like this, where no one goes, are often used for illicit transactions by unsavory types… That’s why I’m curious about the ghost rumors. It’s suspicious how they seem designed to keep people away."
"I see. The story I heard was that a blood-stained woman stands by the window of this mansion. What about you?"
"Yes. I heard that a patrolling soldier saw a light coming from the backyard, and when he entered the grounds to investigate, he saw a man who looked like a nobleman standing there covered in blood…"
After asking all four guards, the rumors were: three mentioned the nobleman in the backyard (likely the former master), two mentioned the blood-stained woman at the window, and one mentioned monsters roaming the grounds. The numbers didn't add up because some knew multiple versions.
"Hmm. I see."
"Did you figure something out?"
"No, not yet. For now, let’s check the locations mentioned in the rumors. If someone is coming and going, there should be traces."
With that, we headed toward the backyard, one of the rumored spots. Though…
"This mansion really is huge, isn't it?"