第１６０９堀：現場での作業 (Part2)
"Ugh... are we starting from those documents?"
"That’s the one. Well, honestly, having too many is better than having too few."
Sona offered a wry smile as she looked at the stack of applications from those who had volunteered. It was true; everything started with reviewing those papers. But as I’d just said, it was far better than having no one at all. In fact, it was clear that this port town project had been received favorably in Weed—or rather, by the staff at the government office.
If the project had stalled due to a lack of manpower, that would have been truly tragic. Starting from scratch to recruit people would have been a nightmare compared to our current situation, and that was plain to see.
"You're right about that. We’ve been here since the dungeon days before Weed, and back then, trying to accept immigrants with so few people was incredibly tough. Oh, looks like the breaker’s been flipped."
Just as Sona said, the light bulbs flickered to life, bathing the entire floor in a warm glow. The switch I had touched earlier must have been in the 'off' position, leaving that one spot dark, so I pressed it again to brighten the area. That was when I noticed something.
"Does every room need to be turned off like this?"
"Ah, yes. It’s to verify that the system is functioning properly, and it serves as a way to check each room individually."
"I see. So, a room with the lights on means it hasn't been checked yet. That’s easy to understand."
That should prevent any oversight. As I was thinking this, Sisua and Prof, who had gone to operate the breaker, returned.
"Welcome back. How did the power generation system look?"
"Yes. The magical energy conversion system appears to be functioning perfectly."
"Next, we need to check the backup power systems installed elsewhere and verify the switching operations," Prof added, holding a checklist and reporting as she stood beside Sisua.
"What should we do?"
"Let's see. Please proceed with checking each room. As for the lobbies on each floor, we’ll handle those together."
And so, the five of us headed off to check the rooms on the second floor. The stairs would have to wait. We’d managed to climb them without incident, so there likely wasn't anything overtly wrong, but skipping an inspection wasn't an option.
"Alright, let's start this way."
"Yes!"
With that response, the five of us—myself, Orelia, Hovis, Yayui, and Ryushi—began our rounds. Prof was paired with Sisua, and the other members had split off into their own teams to conduct their checks. I was the only one with a larger group, apparently to provide support, guidance, and protection for my subordinates. I didn't dare suggest that we could have been more efficient if we’d split up; I knew I’d get an earful if I did.
Setting that aside, we went from room to room with our checklists, confirming that the power was flowing correctly.
"There’s nothing in here, is there?" Yayui remarked suddenly.
"That’s to be expected," Orelia replied. "The lobby reception area was custom-made, but the other rooms are meant to be furnished according to the needs of whoever moves in."
"I understand how Yayui feels, though. It’s so empty that it feels... strange, doesn't it? It’s not dirty, but it feels inorganic—almost unnatural."
"Ah, now that you mention it... you’re right. What do you think, Yuki-sama?"
They wanted my take on it, did they?
"The reason it’s empty is just as Orelia said. But Hovis and Ryushi are right to feel that it’s strange. It’s a contradiction—a man-made space that’s completely devoid of anything. If there were signs of life, it would be different, but it’s a brand-new building. Then again, if a brand-new building already had signs of life, that would be a horror story in its own right."
"...P-please don't tell scary stories."
Yayui, perhaps imagining the scene, shivered and huddled closer to me. Well, she was quite good with vehicles, so I’d had her try out various simulators through our games, and I suppose I’d made her play a few horror games along the way, too. I couldn't really blame her.
And so, with a lingering sense of unease, we continued our inspection of the rooms.
It’s easy to understand if you imagine the countryside. A single building standing alone in the middle of a vast field or meadow. In a place like that, you have nothing to do but work, which can be quite unsettling. Besides, there is a certain kind of eeriness to a building that has just been completed, isn't there?