夏のスペシャル ２０２５年度 夏の怖い話 その７ (Part1)
Summer Special: 2025 Summer Ghost Stories, Part 7
Side: Yayui
"With Lyushi and Orelia accounted for, is it my turn next, or perhaps Hovis?"
"I am still waiting for my turn as well."
"That’s true. Prof-san is also a candidate, isn't she? What kind of experience are you hoping for?"
"Something with minimal shock value would be ideal."
I couldn't agree more. If you get too startled, you end up paralyzed, unable to move. We were chatting away like this as we made our way toward the next house on our tour.
"It really is hot, isn't it? Even though we’re here to experience the supernatural, the outside world remains stubbornly sweltering."
"That’s just how it is in reality. Though, I suppose if we were truly terrified, we’d be breaking out in cold sweats."
Yuki-sama and Taiki-sama were discussing the same thing. Indeed, no matter how many ghosts might appear, the reality of the world remains hot. This is just what summer feels like, isn't it? Actually, this particular area—this town-like place—feels strangely hotter than the rest.
"Excuse me, Yuki-sama. Doesn't this place, this town, feel hotter than everywhere else?"
Lyushi, who was by Yuki-sama’s side, seemed to be thinking the same thing and voiced her question. As if I could possibly know why...
"Ah, that’s due to the heat reflection from the concrete and asphalt."
"Reflection?"
"Exactly. Sunlight bounces off the concrete and asphalt, intensifying the heat."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Usually, earthen ground has some irregularities, and vegetation helps retain moisture. But these paved surfaces lack that texture and have no mechanism to mitigate the heat. That’s why it feels even hotter."
"I recall hearing that there’s a five or six-degree difference between the city and the countryside, right?"
"Well, it’s rarely that extreme, but I have heard that in the shade, the difference can be that significant due to the heat reflection."
"See?"
"I had no idea the difference could be that large."
I was genuinely surprised. To think he knew things like that, too.
"Well, that aside, this is the next house. We aren't lost, are we?"
Before I knew it, we had arrived at our next destination. However, I found myself hesitating. The reason was...
"Yes. It matches the address, and according to the map layout, this is definitely the place. But..."
"It looks like it’s been abandoned for quite some time, doesn't it?"
As Hovis pointed out, the house looked as though it had been left to rot for ages. Specifically:
"The vegetation is overgrown."
"Truly. The weeds have reached all the way to the entrance."
Prof-san and Orelia were right; the greenery had grown so wild that it was a chore just to pass through. It made you wonder how long it had been left unattended.
"Goodness, what could Luna-sama have been thinking, choosing a house like this? It’s filthy."
I agreed with Prof-san. If the entrance was that neglected, the interior was bound to be even worse.
"I suppose that’s part of the experience. Fortunately, I borrowed some slippers from the last house."
"The people at that previous house must have been very meticulous. They had ten pairs of guest slippers, after all."
Ah, yes. That bungalow had been remarkably clean. There must have been a kind old woman living there. After all, Orelia had seen her.
"However, if it hasn't been maintained to this extent, the inside might be thick with dust. That could lead to illness. Isn't that right, Lyushi?"
"Eh? Oh, well, it’s only natural that one’s health might suffer in a poor environment, but... Yuki-sama has a skill that prevents such illnesses, doesn't he? And, well, so do we."
" " "Ah." " "
She was right. Yuki-sama had been granted a skill by Luna-sama to ensure he wouldn't be hindered by obstacles—like diseases—while investigating the phenomenon of the world’s mana depletion. I had personally hoped for something like immortality or invulnerability to injury, but apparently, there had been foolish Dungeon Masters in the past who went on rampages with such powers. It’s incredibly frustrating that Yuki-sama’s safety is still at risk because of those idiots. Though, Yuki-sama claims that this level of vulnerability is just right.
Anyway, that aside, the point was that this level of filth wouldn't be a problem for us.
"Just because we won't get sick doesn't mean we should just waltz in. Yuki-sama could track pathogens back to Weed and pose a threat. Furthermore, it damages Yuki-sama’s authority. People might think he’s broke if he’s seen hanging around a hovel like this. At worst, he’ll be mistaken for a burglar."
Indeed, seeing Yuki-sama lurking around a shack like this would certainly look suspicious. It would definitely be a problem if the people of Weed thought that of him.
"Ah, that’s a fair point. Still, time is frozen here, so please, bear with me. This is all part of the job."
"Exactly, exactly. This is a common sight in Japan, too. Well, abandoned houses, that is."
"Common? What do you mean by that?"
Orelia, intrigued by Taiki-sama’s explanation, asked for clarification.
"Well, let’s head inside and I’ll explain. Pardon the intrusion."
As Yuki-sama said this and opened the front door, he stopped in his tracks without entering.
"Oh, it certainly feels like an abandoned house."
Yuki-sama didn't step inside; instead, he crouched down to pick something up.
"A newspaper? That’s fortunate. We might be able to figure out what happened in the vicinity."
Taiki-sama did the same, picking up a piece of paper from the ground. It looked strangely familiar...
"Um, Yuki-sama. Is a newspaper that thing from the manga and anime?"
"Ah, yes. It’s one of the primary tools for information sharing in Japan—or rather, on Earth. It’s been around since before the invention of television or radio. That said, it hasn't exactly gone obsolete. It covers local incidents and the like, so in that sense, it’s a valuable source of information."
Ah, thanks to Hovis, I remembered. I had seen scenes of people reading newspapers in anime several times.
"In Weed, the Micos magazines are the closest equivalent. Though, printing and selling newspapers daily is a bit of a questionable business model."
"Because of the literacy rate?"
"Exactly, as Orelia said. And then there’s the question of what information people actually want to get from a newspaper. Since it costs money, after all."
"I see. It’s meaningless unless you can provide value worth paying for."