knock, knock, knock.
The next morning.
Should I stay quietly at home, or go out for a bit? After pondering, I chose the latter.
I didn’t plan to have an extravagant time. Today is Saturday, and I needed to be at work by one-thirty due to my part-time job.
If I leave straight from school, I’d arrive just in time, but it will take three times longer from Saitama. I only had enough time for a quick walk around the neighborhood and a simple meal before heading out.
I have to leave at a similar time tomorrow anyway. Let’s rest properly on Monday.
With that thought, I left my room a tiny bit earlier than usual.
And I ran into the guy next door.
“Ah.”
The man smiled at me as if he was happy to see me and waved a hand.
Unsure how to respond, I bowed my head slightly. He looked younger than my previous life age, but I thought it would be a bit inappropriate to talk casually in this current situation.
Hmm, if it’s Fukuda, I feel like once we get a bit closer, he’ll start talking casually right away.
“So, it seems like you’re on break.”
“Yes.”
I nodded and looked at him.
This person had always been dressed as Namahage whenever I encountered him. I wondered if his job was related to that?
…But considering he wore the same outfit when he got off work, it probably wasn’t just for work. Honestly, if someone was casually wandering around in that outfit in a residential area, it wouldn’t be strange for someone to report them.
However, he was dressed normally now, not in that Yōkai outfit.
He had on a shirt that looked like something an office worker would wear and suit pants. His shoes were more the kind that bend well rather than professional leather shoes.
“Oh, that’s because… today is a day for an interview.”
He said that without me even asking. He must’ve looked himself over from top to bottom.
So that’s why he’s wearing a jacket. To wear formal attire for an interview in this weather is quite rigid of a company.
Wait, thinking back, this world is about 20 years older than the world I came from.
Although I hadn’t worked back then, if I think about the convenience store manager I worked for when I first got a job, or the friend who had just started working at that time and complained while drinking about their boss, I feel like it might be worse, not better.
“I used to work part-time at a kindergarten, and I also played the role of a Yōkai villain on the rooftop of a department store… I was thinking that maybe it’s time to settle down a bit.”
Is that so?
Ah, so that’s the reason for that outfit?
“…Are you commuting in that getup…?”
“Huh? Ah, no, no, it’s not like that!”
Seeing my expression look a bit shocked, he replied hastily.
“On the day we first met, I was trying on clothes inside the house.”
“……”
“Well, yesterday, a coworker spilled on my clothes during a company dinner.”
……
Then why are you wearing the mask?
“…I was told it’s clothes I won’t need anymore. They said they’d give it to me instead of severance pay since I won’t appear again…”
……
I’m not sure what to say anymore.
Well, thanks to that, I can still be here perfectly fine.
However, to say they gave you clothes you’re not going to need means you didn’t want to get a job but were simply laid off instead.
I’m not that inconsiderate to bluntly ask something like that in front of you.
“Did you fix the door?”
“No, not yet.”
I figured. There probably aren’t many places working at this early hour.
The man realized he was taking up space in the doorway and quickly stepped away from the door to walk down the stairs.
I slowly walked down the stairs after him.
But if Kagami is indeed the landlord of this apartment, shouldn’t that person fix the door too? Ah, no. Since it’s not really broken, he must need to do it at his own expense since he lost the keys?
“…Is it okay if you leave like that?”
“Anyway, I don’t have much to bring inside. And all the other apartments are empty, right?”
“……”
At the man’s words, I fell silent for a moment.
“…It’s empty?”
“Didn’t you know? Our apartment doesn’t have any cars in the parking lot. And the odd ones that come by are probably cars from people who don’t live around here.”
Oh…
No, even so, I thought there would be some people living here. This is Saitama, right next to Tokyo. Is it possible for there to be that many empty apartments?
“I guess I have to go now. Bye! Thanks for yesterday!”
The man looked at his phone now and waved goodbye to me, turning around quickly.
What a positive person.
The fact that he knew I was the only one living in this apartment with him and didn’t seem scared means he’s lived here quite calmly.
No wonder it’s been so quiet.
I looked up at the building a bit uneasily.
Yūki’s past comment popped back into my mind. Though he started to say something and then stopped, I’m sure he wanted to say that there are ghosts here too.
Hmm…
What should I do?
I have a feeling I’m going to be overly cautious about the nights from now on.
*
Let’s rethink that ‘snoring sound.’
Since I got here, I’ve heard snoring for quite a while. The direction of the sound was coming from the next room, where that young man lived.
Even someone who doesn’t snore when incredibly tired can end up snoring. Maybe the man was incredibly tired and after a month, has finally started to feel okay?
“Snore?”
The next morning.
As I heard the sound of the door next door opening, I stepped outside with a slightly late timing.
Fortunately, I had no problem catching up to the man.
“Do I snore?”
I shook my head.
“Recently, I’m okay.”
“If my snoring bothered you, I’d feel a bit sorry about that… but that’s a bit strange.”
“…What do you mean ‘strange’?”
“Well, you’ve lived here since before, right?”
I nodded.
I don’t know what it was like before I woke up, but it seems that’s how it was set up.
“I only moved in at the end of April. If you’ve heard that sound before then…”
“……”
Oh?
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, I’m sure.”
He tilted his head in confusion.
“And I have a research lab I visit separately from my job… From April to May, I was quite busy, and there were many days I couldn’t come home. So if you heard snoring from my room, that would be a bit strange.”
Hmmm, feeling a chill run down my back while watching the man tilt his head in thought, I realized it wasn’t because I was meeting Yōkai. It was just a personal feeling of mine.
“Ah, sorry. I should be going soon. If you’re unsure, wouldn’t it be better to ask your mother?”
He said that, waved goodbye to me, and turned away quickly.
“……”
I stared blankly at his back, then looked back towards the apartment.
And at that moment, I realized.
This apartment, doesn’t have people who haven’t entered, but rather, they ‘never accepted’ anyone in the first place?
Maybe there was some issue with the other rooms, making it awkward to show them to people. But if no one lives in it, that’s a problem too, since people nearby would look at it strangely.
When I think about it, the apartment was being managed to some extent. It was a bit worn down, but nothing was completely broken and unusable.
If it were abandoned, all sorts of strange things would gather, and people living nearby would protest. The fact that isn’t happening means the apartment is still being maintained.
…But.
I recalled when Miura was in that building.
Right. If you want to hide something in the city, the best way is to hide it in a perfectly normal building. I’ve even heard stories about a sex trade business above a salad bar.
I headed towards the first floor.
Looking around, I couldn’t see anyone passing by.
I slowly approached the door and put my ear to it.
“……”
I didn’t hear any sound.
clink, clink, I turned the doorknob, but the door didn’t budge. It was locked tightly.
The adjacent rooms too, and the one below all seemed the same.
There were no windows facing the hallway, so there’s no way to confirm from here.
I went up to the second floor.
The room closest to the stairs was the man’s. The one next to it was mine.
So then, what about the two rooms next door?
The doors there didn’t open either.
I understand. If I hadn’t heard such stories from the man, I would have simply thought a homeless person locked them out to keep them from sleeping.
But…
Should I call Kagami and ask?
I seriously pondered, but I thought that might not be the best option.
Honestly, I was slowly sinking into the inside of the congregation already. I can’t say that I’ve sunk into the depth of it yet, but thinking about the prophecies, it would eventually go that way.
And above all, to be honest, Kagami is a bit… scary.
She’s fine normally. Especially in moments when I really needed my parents at places like the police station, chatting with Kagami who puts on a show is a bit funny.
But, I don’t know how to put it.
When talking about Shura—Nirlas, her mode changes completely to fanatic mode.
It’s not that she’s completely crazy; it’s just that she shows how ordinarily and logically she can converse in a clear way. Her calm tone of voice is more unsettling. It’s like she knows she’s crazy while pretending not to be.
…And even if I find out the secret of the room, I might end up getting entangled in her explanation and unable to escape.
Then, there’s only one option left.
I took a long breathe.
*
“So, you called me here.”
Jjapgurasu said.
“To think you fear the goddess yet are not afraid of Her is strange.”
“Because I think it’s entertaining. At least I know you won’t suddenly go crazy and try to stab me.”
“Shouldn’t you thank Her?”
“……”
I had no words.
“The last time, the reason was to reward the man who kept Her toy.”
Jjapgurasu continued.
“Then, what are you offering this time?”
“……”
Naturally, you can’t just say ‘fun.’ If you keep toying around like that, Jjapgurasu is bound to get angry. It’s just wordplay that takes advantage of oneself.
“…Do you want something?”
I asked cautiously.
Jjapgurasu paused before slowly opening his mouth.
I felt someone place a hand on my shoulder.
“You are the first child of Her.”
“……And?”
Feeling a chill as he whispered into my ear, Jjapgurasu leaned closer as if ensuring that no one else would hear.
“Her child cannot run away from fear.”
“……”
“No matter what you see inside, you must not escape.”
That seemed like a condition that would definitely be a loss for Jjapgurasu.
But…
I thought for a moment.
If I send Jjapgurasu back and call a locksmith, or I could make my own key and check it myself.
And I reached a conclusion.
The former would involve people getting tangled.
Moreover, if Jjapgurasu is to be believed, something ordinary would not be in there.
Given that it lies in the middle of the city, it wouldn’t be anything major immediately, though.
“…Fine.”
Above all, I just wanted to check inside.
As I nodded, a key that looked just like the one I made yesterday fell to the floor.
It was longer at the part that goes into the keyhole than a regular key, and more jagged. It had to be a shape to fit into every lock.
I left the room.
Rather than wandering about in the first floor, I figured I’d just check the adjacent room—
…I thought that, but ended up walking towards the next room.
If I confirmed that something might be in the neighboring room, I wouldn’t be able to sleep well at night.
Plus, I had to leave for work soon. I can’t afford to be absent-minded, making mistakes throughout the day.
“……”
I paused in front of the door, hesitated for a moment, and then inserted the key.
The door opened incredibly easily.
“…Ugh.”
The smell coming from inside made me grimace.
Not that it was an overwhelmingly bad smell.
I fumbled along the walls to find the switch and turned on the light. Had the electricity gone out? Since Kagami manages this apartment, she could probably do that if needed.
If that’s the case, it also means this place isn’t just used for social profit. If it wasn’t needed, they could just clear everything and let people move in.
The room that lit up was—
Covered in plastic.
It was thick transparent plastic, almost as if it was laid out to easily clean up anything spilled on top.
…Yeah, this was the kind of setup you often see in movies or dramas involving planned murders.
If it had only been the plastic, I could’ve thought it was to prevent dust from accumulating. But beneath it—
There were dark stains.
I knelt down to take a closer look. Spreading the plastic to the sides to lay it flat showed the stains more clearly.
It wasn’t just black; the ends looked oddly red.
That means it’s probably not just paint or something that stuck. More like dried remnants after being graphically displayed.
I know well what happens when some liquid is left there for a long time and turns that color.
The smell didn’t come from that side. As I turned my head to follow the light odor hanging in the room, a refrigerator appeared.
In my living space, the refrigerator is next to the entrance. Since the entrance and the kitchen share the same space, it’s placed there.
But that refrigerator was where the TV was in my place.
“……”
I placed my TV there for a simple reason.
That’s where the outlet was.
So that means they set up that refrigerator there to run it.
I could hear the sound of it humming in my ears.
…As Jjapgurasu said, I was told not to run.
I slowly pulled myself up and started walking toward where the refrigerator was.
As I walked, the smell became increasingly overwhelming. Even if it was overwhelming, it wasn’t unbearable. Normally, when food rots in a refrigerator, as long as you don’t open it and the fridge stays running, the smell wouldn’t be too intense.
I slowly reached out, opened the refrigerator door.
A cracking sound came out, as if it hadn’t been opened in ages.
I could feel my heart racing.
I wished Jjapgurasu would say something.
The room’s windows were covered with curtains. It was so thick that almost no sunlight could come through.
I think I understand now why they placed them there.
If someone looked from outside into the room, they would surely think something was odd from the inside.
The refrigerator door fully opened.
Cold air whooshed out.
And.
“…What is this?”
Inside were thickly wrapped things, looking like meat chunks, all packed away.
I had no idea what that was sliced from. I have no clue what they were, but I understood why they were tightly wrapped up.
If they weren’t wrapped up, the smell of rot wouldn’t be held back like this. Had it not been in the refrigerator, the body fluids might have seeped through the ceiling and down to the lower levels.
Among those unidentifiable meat chunks, at the deepest point, something was visible.
Although it was wrapped and tightly pressed down, it looked like…it was hair. Not very thick hair, but pale skin clung onto it.
It wasn’t… that big of a chunk.
It was probably smaller than my head. Much smaller.
I gritted my teeth and slowly closed the refrigerator door.
Then I stood back up and went outside.
I shut the door behind me and locked it before heading to the next room.
And I checked it. It was the same. Here too, it was similarly wrapped in plastic, and there were smeared bloodstains beyond the plastic, while the refrigerator inside was filled with chunks that seemed to be smaller than what I just saw.
It was a bit strange.
If what I was thinking was correct, then that part… shouldn’t be like this.
Some were too big, while others were too small. The refrigerator was ‘full’ in there, so the quantity likely wasn’t just one or two, but still, something felt off. There were parts clearly mismatched for ‘that age.’ There were also obvious parts that extended out like legs.
A human leg shouldn’t just stick out like branches.
It wasn’t until I made my way down to the first level that a thought struck me.
“You are the first child of Her goddess.”
“……”
And before I could even draw that conclusion, Jjapgurasu grinned and spoke.
“What will you do? You promised not to run away.”
Right, that was the condition of our deal.
“……”
I turned back to the room without saying a word.
And just like yesterday, I tossed the red key into the bathroom.
I unraveled the bandages to confirm the wound had healed, then I sat down.
And I let out a long breath.
“Tell me. What’s the extent of ‘running away’?”
“Hooh.”
Jjapgurasu made a delighted sound at that.
How dare he be so annoying.
“So you aren’t afraid, huh?”
“…It wouldn’t be you who’d be the issue; it would be more so whoever summoned you.”
Of course, Jjapgurasu became intrigued, beginning to gaze towards the Earth.
No, perhaps that’s not it.
If Kagami was really the entity I had initially thought, maybe Jjapgurasu might have sent him directly.
“How amusing. So very amusing.”
Jjapgurasu said, chuckling with delight as he drifted away.
…The terms of the deal were way too favorable for me.
From the beginning, I never had any intentions of running.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.