Volume 3 Chapter 5.3

Haruna said that and resumed her search for the library to get the matter off her mind. In the end, aside from the porn novel that was written in ancient Farlanish and Darlish, and a strange paper about economic theories, they weren’t able to find anything immediately readable, so, for the time being, they joined Makoto and the others who were investigating the hidden stairs.

At the same time, Makoto and the others were…

「Tch, these ruins are really messed up huh…」

「Mako, calm down.」

「I know, alright?」

They had managed to avoid the booby traps— that is until Primula had carelessly triggered one.

「That was quite a water basin trap though.」

「Even though Primula pulled the string, it was me who got hit directly. Don’t think I won’t keep a grudge…」

「I’m-I’m so sorry!」

That’s right. Since there were strings and levers that gradually became more and more tempting to pull, one of the three of them was bound to trigger one of the traps. However, even though Primula pulled one of the strings, for some reason, Makoto, who had been in another area, had been hit by a water basin that came tumbling down from above. That was the cause of Makoto’s foul mood.

Moreover, it hadn’t been just one basin. Surprised by the pain, Makoto had jumped ahead only to be hit by another. As she staggered ahead from shock an extra-large one fell down as well. The hits were so accurate that it seemed like someone was watching and aiming from above. It was very painful. The last one was big enough for both Mio and Lime to bathe in.

She had only been focused on the government-like building, and yet she had been ensnared in a trap that she couldn’t avoid and had been made a clown. Even though she always kept her nerve, that feeling really rubbed her the wrong way.

「…I found some suspicious letters.」

「At any rate you can’t read it, right? 」

「I can read it this time.」

「Surprised by Mio’s words, Makoto and Primula rushed over to where she stood.」

「So, what does it say? 」

「It says, ‘Look up’. 」

「…I’m getting a bad feeling about this.」

「Even so, unlike what happened just now, there’s nothing strange up there right?」

「Yup, nothing there」they said while looking up.

「Now it says to look down. 」

There’s nothing at our feet. No mistake about that. 」

「Still, I’m getting a very bad feeling about this.」

「Me too. Or rather, about getting made fun of again. 」

Despite their shared premonition, the three of them unaffectedly looked down at their feet. There, the words ‘Serves you right’ were written.

「…I’m getting very pissed off…」

「These are definitely a Drifters type of ancient ruins.

「Mio, doesn’t this make you angry? 」

「Not enough to have bloodlust like you, Mako.」

At Mio’s excessively calm composure Makoto’s anger only simmered. However, she wasn’t one to vent her anger on those younger than her. As a senior to others she was fully capable of withstanding all sorts of things without complaint.

「I’m obviously angry, but how about we continue our search in another area?」

「Got it. 」

「This time let’s be careful…」

They followed Makoto’s orders and continued to search the building. Naturally, there wasn’t anything interesting to be found. For example…

「Did you find anything?」

「There was some writing inside the box that I couldn’t read. 」

「What one, which one… Is this Japanese?」

Since the memo was in Japanese she read it and—

「Un, an idiot sees, bu…」

「Mako, it’s too dangerous to say anymore than that!」

It seemed that she was on the verge of infringing the copyright of what was in the box.

「What’s up with this revolting doll…」

「Mako, don’t you know? 」

「Know what? 」

「It’s an old rubber toy that was very popular back then, it’s called ‘doll on the verge of death’.」

[Note: ‘Doll on the verge of death’ is 死にかけ人形 it’s a grotesque plastic doll that looks just as its name entails.]

「This is a drawing of a cat wearing strange clothes.」

「That’s Nameneko…」

[Note: Nameneko is a franchise that was popular in the 80s. It depicts cats dressed in a bosozoku style.]

Mio seemed to know about all the vintage items inside the box. (To the point that one may even doubt her age.) The vibe was very gloomy; it was nothing like the try-not-to-laugh feeling from Drifters.

「It’s just as I thought, there’s nothing worthwhile isn’t there…」

「Well, this seems like something the octogals would do, but how do think this stuff got in here? 」

「I know you wouldn’t suspect any humans but I also doubt it. I don’t think it was the octogals this time, besides none of this stuff is recent. 」

「There’s also the possibility that it isn’t from long ago. All of this is from roughly around the end of the Showa era to about the middle of the Heisei era?」

「The fact that you even know that is exasperating…」

Makoto grumbled while Mio easily identified the era of their findings while toying with an eraser that had a drawing of a man eating gyudon.

「It seems that the more we look around the more we play into the hands of the people that built this place.」

「Their tricks only are only meant to cause anger so it’s no big deal.」

「Got no choice huh…」

At Mio’s words Makoto once again let out a sigh of exasperation and stood up from where she sat. Primula also stood up but when she rested her hand on the table…

「！？」

The tabletop had sprung up and hit Primula’s face. It was just like the popular pranks on comedy shows, but nevertheless it was more like a painful surprise attack.

「A-are you okay!? 」

「I-i’m, okuiy…」

Primula assured them that she was fine while mumbling something unintelligible and pressing down her red nose. The pranks had changed direction so she had let her guard down. This time only Primula had been the victim and Makoto had avoided becoming a victim a second time.

「It really does look like we’re the main characters of a comedy skit. 」

「Well it’s not that different from our usual lives. 」

「This time it wasn’t my fault. 」

Makoto braced herself and lowered her shoulders as she heard Mio point that out.

Actually, the reason as to why their lives resembled a comedy show wasn’t as bad as in Hiroshi and Haruna’s case, therefore Mio wasn’t one to judge.

「Well let’s forget about that and just look around a bit more. But, we have to be careful so that this comedy show doesn’t go on. 」

「Got it.」

「Understood.」

In accordance with Makoto’s order the three of them recommenced their exploration. Of course, Primula understood what the others had meant by ‘comedy show’ that is to say she must under no circumstances touch anything that seemed suspicious. She must, along with the others, proceed with the investigation with utmost caution.

Since they had learned by experience they successfully finished exploring the first floor without running into any traps. When it was time to explore the second floor Makoto and Mio suddenly stopped.

「Hey, Mio…」

「Mako, are you thinking what I’m thinking? 」

「This looks a normal turn of events doesn’t it?」

「Looks like it will be normal.」

Primula made a confused face at the other two’s cryptic conversation. Even though she understood what they meant by ‘comedy show’ she didn’t understand what ‘a normal turn of events’ meant.

「Let’s search the stairs thoroughly. 」

「Got it. 」

「Um, is there something in the stairs? 」

「If from here on out things turn out the way I think it will then there’s definitely something here. 」

So, they waited for Mio to finish searching the stairs but…

「Sorry, I couldn’t find anything suspicious. 」

「Not even a strange seam or a funny looking device? 」

「At least nothing that I would be aware of. 」

「I see. 」

The probability that something was there was 8 out of ten. Even though they knew that they couldn’t come up with a counterplan. It was also probable that they wouldn’t find any worthwhile information on the second floor so it would probably be best if they skipped this floor altogether. As Mio tried to tell the others that…

「Mako, the building’s door is secured with a special kind of key. It’s impossible to unlock. 」

「So we should just let anything happen huh? 」

「I’ll go and tie a rope to the handrail. Besides it’s unfair that I’m the only one who hasn’t been caught in a trap. 」

「Are you sure? 」

「These aren’t fatal traps, right? 」

They widened their eyes in admiration at Mio’s words. It was true that all the traps hadn’t been fatal. However, it wasn’t the kind of trap any young person would be willing to endure, therefore it was better for them not to unnecessarily sacrifice anyone. That made the youngest girl of their team’s declaration to withand those underhanded traps all the more impactful.

「Besides Mako, it wouldn’t be enjoyable if me getting caught in a trap doesn’t make it to the screen. 」

「The ‘screen’? 」

Makoto’s energy was instantly drained by Mio’s meta comment. This was just the same old Mio after all.

「I’m sure they’re watching. Probably. Maybe. 」

「If they’re not watching then you won’t get hurt okay? And don’t make light of people getting hurt.

Mio shrugged Makoto’s retort by cheerfully humming. If she said anything else they wouldn’t listen to her anyway. There wasn’t anything else she could do. They just had to trust her.

「Well, I’m off. 」

With that she carelessly started up the stairs,

「Ah! 」

「As expected. 」

Just as they had thought the stairs fell into a slope knocking Mio off her feet while,

「Tch. 」

She tightly secured the rope around the handrail and settled into an upright posture.

「I didn’t get hit in the face so the audience isn’t probably enjoying this. 」

「Don’t talk about wretched things like that. 」

As Mio tried to personify the ideas of the corrupted side of show business Makoto was disgusted and retorted her actions. The three of them managed to ascend to the second floor and were dragged into another trap. It was like they had become actors in a comedy skit where their lives were at stake.

「Seems like you all had a hard time. 」

「When you’re investigating some ancient ruins you don’t expect to put yourself in danger do you? 」

「…Ah~ congratulations on making it through. 」

「Haruna is acting suspicious. Did something happen? 」

「Well, what’s your take on delving into an ancient ruin’s archives and discovering a porn novel? 」

「…I see what you mean…」

The ruins had been far from what they had expected. Even though this was a fantasy world it was nothing like what you’d find in a storybook. They’d braced themselves for that but this world’s reality was warping further and further.

「So, you found some hidden stairs? 」

「Yeah, in a place where structurally speaking it’d be weird to find some stairs.」

「What do you mean? 」

「There. Underneath the stairs there is an ordinary looking open space, like a tearoom. 」

「Ah~ this seems like a template. Like from an American movie. 」

An American movie—physically speaking it was a building with an impossible architectural structure. When Tatsuya saw that his face contorted with confusion. He could do nothing but agree. The reason why he didn’t retort even a little bit, wasn’t at all like when a scene has been filmed and the characters’ expressions and clothings change, it was because, in some way, he was being courteous.

「By the way, when you went up to the second floor were the stairs alright? 」

「Stairs?…Ah. You could say we ran into something you often see in comedy skits. 」

「Yeah, and I got directly hit by it. 」

「That didn’t happen to us but there were a lot of tricks set up within the bookshelves. 」

「Then it’s just as I thought. These ancient ruins are a total joke.」

The oldest pair of the group briefly exchanged information while unconsciously sighing out loud. Since they had come all this way they had wanted to explore what they could and return. What they didn’t want was for this turn of events to continue endlessly. Their sighs were filled with wishes for forbearance.

Afterwards, for better or worse, Makoto and Tatsuya’s worries were dispelled. When they went down the secret stairs the ancient ruin’s pattern of events suddenly changed. The traps were now different from all the ones up to this point, making it impossible for anyone to anticipate the ‘Drifters style’ trap pattern.