第１３０７堀：知らないことは調べよう色々なことをして (Part1)
Chapter 1307: Investigating the Unknown Through Action
Side: Yuki
Before I knew it, the day for the exchange program’s entrance exams had arrived.
That said, I didn’t intend to meddle much in the actual school administration. On the surface, Ratz would serve as the principal and Eris as the vice-principal. Unless a major problem cropped up, I planned to stay in the background.
“And with that, we’re back!”
“Yahoo!”
Comet and Havia were at maximum energy.
“Ugh, I’ve had enough of the forest for a while…”
“Indeed. I must agree that it was quite tedious.”
In contrast, Noriko and Deryu looked utterly drained, their weariness apparent in every line of their bodies. Noriko was one thing, but for Deryu to be this exhausted meant the toll was purely mental. She wasn't the type to get physically winded.
It likely came down to a difference in perspective. To a researcher, the forest was probably a theme park, but to Noriko and Deryu, it was just a bunch of trees. If something obvious had happened, it might have been different, but the trip had been uneventful.
Well, except for one thing.
“Here, Big Brother Yuki.”
With a smile, Havia handed me a neat, square box. Normally, one would assume it was a gift, but in this specific instance, I knew better.
“May I look inside?”
“Go ahead.”
She gave her permission without the slightest hesitation. I wasn't entirely sure how to react. There was a chance she was just putting on a brave face, so I didn't want to be the one to break the mood.
Steeling myself, I lifted the lid. Inside lay a skull—a size that sat somewhere between child and adult. The lower jaw was missing; only the upper cranium remained. *The mandible is a separate piece and small, so it’s usually the first thing to go missing,* I thought, my mind drifting toward irrelevant trivia as I stared at what were once Havia’s remains.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, I was just thinking it’s good that you found it. But tell me, do you know this is your skull based on intuition?”
“Oh, yeah. I just knew it was mine. When we found it, I had this feeling like a part of me was right there.”
“I see. Noriko, is that a common thing?”
“Huh? Why ask me all of a sudden?”
“Well, you’re the only other ghost in the room.”
I wanted a spectral opinion, and since Havia and Noriko were the only two ghosts present, Noriko was my only source.
“I mean, sure, but you’re forgetting the basics, aren't you? I only ended up like this because Luna-san did it intentionally. I haven't spent decades as a spirit, and I don't have some deep, lingering grudge. I’m not wandering around searching for my own bones, so I don't have a clue what Havia’s feeling.”
“Ah, right. Good point.”
Noriko couldn't exactly be called a "natural" ghost.
“Give me your opinion anyway. Do you think it’s plausible for a ghost to have a sixth sense for things they had a connection to in life, like Havia says?”
“I’d say so. Ghost stories are full of tales where only members of a certain bloodline or people who did a specific thing get targeted. There’s always a connection.”
“Fair enough. Those stories are common. I suppose it’s not strange that Havia was the one to find it, then.”
There were countless legends of ghosts and spirits wandering in pursuit of some karmic bond. Of course, those were stories from Earth. If I started doubting every little thing, I’d never finish, so I decided I’d consult Sota or Sui about it later.
“Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. Havia, take those remains to Sota for safekeeping. After that, go see Rurua for a medical checkup—a full health screening.”
I’d given them a brief once-over myself, but I wasn't a specialist. It was better to have them properly examined at the clinic.
“Okay!”
“Right, let’s get going. I want to get this over with so I can go sleep in my room.”
“Mmm, I am truly spent.”
With those parting words, Havia and the others filed out of the monitoring room. Comet, the only one who remained, turned back to look at me.
“So, what about the reason we didn't run into any monsters?”
“Here.”
I handed her a set of documents. These were reports from the Mercenary Guild and the Adventurer Guild regarding recent monster encounter rates. I’d even gone through the trouble of turning the data into easy-to-read graphs.
“I see. There hasn't been any significant fluctuation over the past year. And this matches the testimonies from the Logari Adventurer Guild regarding monster movements. So, we really did just happen to sprint through the territories of high-population monsters like goblins and kobolds without hitting any?”
“Probably. Unless something managed to slip past Deryu’s detection while being right under your noses.”
“I’d like to think that’s impossible. I had my feelers out the whole time—mana detection, atmospheric sensing, the works.”
“Besides, three of you—excluding Noriko—are veterans of monster combat. Your intuition should be sharp. The odds of something sneaking up are low.”
“Setting aside the fact that we didn't see any goblins, is it possible the route we took through the deeper parts of the forest was a 'dead zone' where no monsters live?”
Comet shifted her gaze to the survey map displayed on the large monitor. The route they had taken was highlighted in red.
“Hard to say. We know next to nothing about the monster habitats in the Great Forest. It’s risky to conclude it’s a dead zone. After all, that’s the very area where Havia lost her life, even if it was a long time ago.”
“That’s the thing. Havia said it was an undead wyvern, right?”
“Yeah, that’s what she said. Though there’s always the chance she misidentified it.”
“You don't really mistake a wyvern for something else, do you? If we assume she was right, there should be something big lurking in that area. Wouldn't a creature like that come out if its territory was being trampled?”
“I can't give you a definitive answer; I’m not a monster expert. But then again, did you really 'trample' it? You were just conducting a survey, not destroying the environment. Or perhaps... if the monsters were strong enough, they sensed the presence of your group and decided to hide?”
“Well, that’s certainly possible. In fact, it sounds like the most likely scenario. But if that’s the case, finding them is going to be a pain.”
Searching for monsters that were actively hiding and running away was a daunting task. Still, if it came to that, we’d just have to search with everything we had. A wide-range detection spell would eventually turn something up.
“For now, just stick to the investigation plan you and Agil drew up. Use this data as a reference. There are things you can only understand once you’re actually on the ground.”
“Right, it’s dangerous to get too hung up on old information. I get it. It’s just... things have been going so smoothly lately that I half-expected something big to pop up.”