第１１２７堀：集うゴーストハンターズ (Part2)
The notion that only those who claim to possess specific spiritual abilities can discover or confirm such phenomena is, frankly, absurd. In this age of science, the prevailing consensus is that such things simply do not exist.
And yet, the world remains rife with mysteries that science has yet to unravel. Paranormal phenomena are chief among them. Even Einstein himself reportedly conducted extensive research into communicating with the dead, and to this day, ghost stories remain a staple of human discourse.
"…I hate to interrupt such a lively discussion, but in this world, we have actual monsters called ghosts. Isn't that a more likely possibility?"
As I posed the question, the classroom door swung open once more, admitting another arrival.
"Unfortunately, that is not the case. This academy is, for all intents and purposes, under my jurisdiction. I leave the management and operations to Popuri, but..."
"I certainly have no recollection of any unmanaged monsters appearing within my own academy. What about you, Lara?"
"I have never seen such a thing, either. We do have a facility for managing monsters—Amanda’s Wyvern, Wai-chan, for instance—but that isn't what Taiki-sama is asking about, is it?"
"Exactly. I’m talking about unmanaged monsters appearing out of nowhere... though, I suppose if that were happening, you would have investigated it already."
I felt foolish even asking; it seemed impossible. I, too, keep a rigorous watch over the Ranks territory and the royal castle. Even now, the remnants of those who worshiped Bicks—the sycophants who once feasted on his influence—still lurk in the shadows, seeking my life.
...Though, I still find it dreamlike that anyone who tries to make contact with Bicks is promptly subdued by swordsmanship taught by Terutora-san and delivered straight to my doorstep. But I digress; my country’s affairs are beside the point.
"Precisely. I understand the desire to escape reality, but you wouldn't want your acquaintance's base to turn out to be a haunted house, would you? And wouldn't it be troubling if your friends simply vanished without a trace?"
"Troubling is an understatement. I understand the situation now. So, what is this 'Academy Ghost Story' actually about?"
That was the crux of the matter. I had never heard a single ghost story about this academy. Perhaps I had simply been here too short a time to hear them, but still.
"Actually, we are currently investigating it. Or rather, there are no clear rumors to grasp as of yet."
"Huh? Then why the investigation?"
If there were no rumors to go on, I wouldn't even know where to start. I wondered aloud why Yuki-san would bother, when he replied...
"Taiki-kun, do you remember when you first met Cleena?"
"With Cleena? Let me see... she was in a hidden room in the library, wasn't she? A hidden room that made absolutely no sense."
It was true. Why on earth would anyone go to the trouble of building a room like that?
"Exactly. We discussed back then that this academy is riddled with hidden rooms—or 'dead points,' as it were, didn't we?"
"Yes. We noted that there were an odd number of hidden rooms and said we’d look into them if we had the time. Does this mean the time has come?"
I asked, assuming something had triggered this sudden interest, but Yuki-san’s expression remained grave.
"Well, you could say the time has come, but why do you think we left them alone until now?"
"Eh? Because we didn't have the time, right? There are over fifty of these hidden rooms—these dead points."
"With so many places of unknown purpose, why did we just leave them be?"
"Hmm? Now that you mention it... why? Was it because the Call screen showed no danger? No, the Call screen is merely an auxiliary tool. It’s only natural to verify such places thoroughly. Wait... why haven't we properly investigated our own 'base'?"
Only now did I realize the sheer strangeness of our past behavior. While it was true we were pressed for time, we could have at least checked on the dead points. When Yuki-san went to Roday to capture the Holy Sword users, I had remained at the academy; I could have checked them then.
As I began to spiral into a labyrinth of thought, Sui-san flew over to us.
"Hmm. Is our perception being shifted? Or perhaps... our thoughts are being guided."
"What do you mean, Sui?"
"It is similar to a barrier meant to keep people away. It is a fundamental technique: preventing people from even approaching a significant location by erasing the very desire to go there."
"I see. So, Yuki-san, you realized that?"
"No, it was Kirika who noticed. I was just as oblivious as you, Taiki-kun."
I see. Only Kirika-san had realized it.
...This felt like a much larger undertaking than I had anticipated. If we were going to investigate, we would have to do it properly. But then again, the fact that it requires a serious effort is exactly what makes it fun!