episode_0162

161.

I roughly know the way. Even though I’ve been here before, my memory isn’t perfect, so I ascend the mountain path somewhat haphazardly. It’s not terribly difficult, nor is it a long way. It’s to the point that even the luggage would be unnecessary if this were a normal hike. I wish it were that easy, but this trip certainly won’t be that convenient.

“It was probably around here, I think.”

It’s not a small structure, so it should be visible when we get close. Even though it’s covered in weeds and moss, it’s bound to be noticeable.

Even for a northern region, the weather is quite warm since it’s thawing. Compared to what we’d hoped for, it’s a bit chilly, but it’s warm enough. And the warmer weather means the insects have started to appear in large numbers.

“Eek!”

A swarm of insects suddenly takes flight, brushing past Hanna causing her to let out a cute shriek.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-yes… because of the insects…”

“Really, insects are disgusting no matter how many times you see them. Ugh…”

“They’re annoying, but they’re useful… so I just put up with them.”

Aries shakes her head from side to side.

“Some are cute, though?”

“What??”

“No, really. Some of them look cute, you know?”

No one agrees with Levi. Everyone just recoils with expressions of disgust.

“Earthy, don’t you agree a little?”

“Not at all.”

I try to subtly ask Earthy, an elf who lives in nature and enjoys nature, but her reply is cold.

“I admit they’re useful. But cute?”

“Aw, it’s because you don’t look closely enough, right?”

We lighten the mood with lighthearted chatter as we ascend the mountain path. How much farther did we walk? It definitely wasn’t long. The warm air, the humid breeze filtering through the trees. The scent of earth, where lush greenery untouched by a single hand greets you wherever you look. In the green mountain path, reminiscent of home, Erina feels a sudden chill. She can’t explain it in a single word, but it’s a palpable coldness.

“It’s nearby. I can feel it.”

A sinister feeling different from Magi’s. A nauseating chill that she could never get used to, no matter when or where she felt it.

Even if there were many of us, I’m not sure we could handle it. It possesses the ability to stop time, so whether we can even react is questionable.

“Should we prepare for battle?”

“No. We probably can’t win. Let’s try to proceed as quietly as possible.”

However, there was no need to go any further.

For a very brief moment, the party’s eyes blinked simultaneously, just a fleeting instant.

“??????!??!??”

Levi, Aries, Earthy, and Hanna feel like they’re dreaming. One moment they were walking through the dense forest, and the next, they were inside a dilapidated building with an overwhelming stench of mildew.

“Welcome. Long time no see? Or was it yesterday? Hmm. I’m not sure, but I’ve been waiting.”

“…! You.”

“So, what were you going to talk about?”

“As I’ve heard, you’re uncouth.”

Earthy subtly criticizes him, but Piki ignores her entirely. Furthermore, he acts as though the four of them, excluding Erina, don’t even exist, not giving them a single glance.

“About the Goddess. And about the lord of this place.”

“Sit, sit. …I feel like having a cup of coffee.”

He gestures towards chairs covered in dust, hinting at the vast passage of time. Only then, looking around the room, do we notice the unfamiliar style of the room. Although each piece is disgustingly dirty, it’s meticulously crafted. It gives the impression of having been made by several skilled artisans.

“U-um… there’s coffee…”

Hanna seems surprised that she herself spoke, finding it unexpected.

Erina certainly mentioned it, but the sense of oppression, unease, and goosebumps she feels aren’t transmitted to the others. Although they sense a strange atmosphere, they also think he just looks like someone their age, so they inadvertently strike up a conversation.

“Really? Let’s see.”

Hanna hands him a cup of coffee from the thermos. Erina watches, unable to stop them, her face filled with apprehension.

“Hmm. This tastes terribly awful. Ugh.”

“…….”

He takes a subtle sip, then pours the rest onto the floor.

“Hey. How did you do that? Just now.”

“What?”

Aries takes the opportunity to ask.

“The forced relocation.”

“It’s nothing special. I just overlapped the spaces and dispersed them again.”

“…….”

They reflexively contemplate this method theoretically, but the more they think about it, the more nonsensical it becomes. Taking advantage of the moment of silence while they think, Levi speaks this time.

“What is your identity? What country are you from? Are you human?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to belong anywhere. If I had to say, I’d be a heretic.”

“A heretic…! Yes. That’s exactly what we wanted to talk about.”

Erina takes a large step forward.

He can communicate. Compared to when they first met, his mental age seems to have doubled. They don’t dislike children, but his capricious nature is the worst of any child.

“Huh? What is it? There were some flies around?”

“What did you say?”

Piki finally seems to notice Erina’s companions, his expression turning unpleasant.

“You’re not referring to us, are you?”

Levi tries to speak gently, but no response comes. What had been peaceful moments ago is broken, the atmosphere changing entirely. In an instant, the tension envelops the room, to a degree the air itself feels frozen over.

“It’s noisy, really. All of you disappear for a moment.”

“…?!?”

Everyone can feel it. Not just Erina, even Hanna, who doesn’t have a trace of magical powers, can distinctly feel it. A boundless malevolent magical presence, so substantial it feels like it has a physical form, invades their five senses.

“Kugh―!!”

“Aaaack―?!!”

There’s no pain. It’s not a physical attack. The sensation of being enveloped by pitch-black darkness is undoubtedly an illusion. The moment they realize this, they clearly hear the sound of a mechanical device clicking.

Then, after another fleeting moment, only one person remains in the room.

“Ah, a mistake. I sent the nun away too. Well, if they aren’t real flies, they’ll crawl on their own. …Do flies fly?”

Piki plops down onto a cobweb-covered chair. It is a matter of indifference to him. The ending will be the same regardless. Time is limitless. He only needs to wait, as always.

Meanwhile, the others experience the sensation of falling endlessly in the pitch-black darkness, hearing countless mechanical devices whirring around them.

Aries uses her magical power to slightly reduce their falling speed, faintly illuminating their surroundings to assess the situation.

Levi, with reflexes worthy of being called a hero, kicks off the walls, using his instincts to understand the situation.

Earthy, with the agility of an elf, lands gracefully, her breasts bouncing with each acrobatic maneuver.

Erina, as always, prays. She prays with faith that the Goddess will protect them.

Hanna, having nothing else, only lets out a huge, “Aaack!” Her heart overwhelmed with a terror that is almost a kaleidoscope of vivid nightmare imagery closing her eyes.

There’s a soft thud as they land on the floor.

“Sniff…?”

Fortunately, there’s a thick layer of cushioning on the floor, so they’re unharmed. Though still dark, they are at least uninjured. After wiping away tears with her sleeve, she realizes that none of her companions are around.

“Ev-everyone!!!”

Even though she calls out loudly, the only sound she hears is her own voice echoing back from all directions. A chilling loneliness prevents her from fully standing up.

She carefully wiggles her fingers and feels the soft, cushy cushioning. She forces her brain to work, refusing to let it remain inactive.

‘…So, um. Yes. It’s not something someone installed later. This was the original structure. I don’t know what they did, but they only started this room’s mechanism.’

She takes a long, slow, deep breath. If she is safe, then her companions are one hundred times safer.

‘Should I just wait quietly for help?’

The worst thing a lost person can do is wander around needlessly. The probability of quietly waiting for her friends is the highest.

It’s comfortable, and she might wake up to being helped.

‘…How foolish. I shouldn’t have come along in the first place. I went to so much effort to plead to come along.’

A deep breath calms her down, just a little.

‘Now that I think about it, this familiar scenery… even though it’s disgustingly old… It’s definitely in my memory.’

Hanna cautiously begins to walk around. The mildew smell is slightly bothersome, but walking isn’t difficult. It’s more than just familiarity. She feels a sense of déjà vu that borders on knowing. While this is undeniably her first time here, the style is familiar.

“Could it be. No, perhaps this is the only possible answer…”

The more she walks, the clearer her memories become.

It’s too similar to the research facility where she used to work before being transported to this other world. It must be another branch of the research facility. It’s not a pleasant feeling. The moldy, decaying state seems to depict her future.

Her arrival here may not have been such good fortune. A sense of impending doom makes the hairs on her arms stand on end. She feels something deeply connected.