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V2C3 Part1




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<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\n{Chapter 3} Home Occupation by Outsiders\n
Part I\n
　It was Friday, the day after Yuto revealed the secret of his abilities to Ichigo, and also somehow managed to keep the secret, at great cost.\n
　Yuto’s grandfather, Tenzo, was lazily lying down in his living room, reading his favorite adult magazine. This is his daily routine.\n
　Then the relaxed expression on his face disappeared, and he pulled out a compass-like object the size of a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his robe and frowned.\n
“Oh, by the way, this is the time of year when the earth’s veins are ……. I forgot to tell Yuto about it. Well, that’s okay. It may be a bit much, but it’s lively.”\n
　After talking to himself, he immediately concentrated on the magazine.\n
“This curve is also ……. Yeah, yeah, yeah ……. gufufu…gufufufufu.”\n
　Yuto clenched his fists as he left school.\n
“It’s now!　I’ll definitely be leaving on Sunday!　Though I couldn’t tell Mirei-sensei about it,…….”\n
　So …… in the end, Yuto couldn’t tell his homeroom teacher, the super cool beauty Takano Mirei, that he was going to miss a week of school. When he thought about what would happen afterward, he was too scared to say anything.\n
　That was the only thing that stuck in his mind, but Yuto pulled himself together.\n
“But I really want to repair the house, and then I can hide Gaston, who doesn’t know where he’s going,……, in a house as big as this.”\n
　The primary reason for accepting the request was, of course, that living in a tent was unbearable.\n
　In addition to that, Yuto was worried about Gaston. He was supposed to be dead, but if he was found to be alive, he would be a wanted vampire.\n
　He was once a violent man with a broken heart, but now he is a friend and comes to take care of Yuto in any way he can. Also, he is not afraid to cross dangerous bridges for Yuto. Even though Yuto was sure that he would be punished by Mirei, he wanted to restore the house and also make a place for Gaston.\n
　When Yuto arrived at his house, he looked at the large gate and exhaled.\n
“Well, I’ll accept my punishment and try my best to regain her trust. Above all, a good house is the basis of life.”\n
　When he put his hand on the gate, ……\n
　His face tensed and his hand stopped.\n
“……hm?　What is it?”\n
　There was something.\n
“No way……. No, but this is …….”\n
　Moreover, this was not a sign of a human being,…….\n
　When he was referred to this house by Tenzo, he was delighted to learn that there was a strong sense of the sacred energy that is characteristic of high-class temples and shrines in the grounds, perhaps because there is a shrine on the mountain behind it. For Hiroto, who is often attacked by small spirits, this kind of sacred energy would make it hard even for ordinary people to enter.\n
　It would be a different story, if it were a Quasi-Majin Gaston, referred to as Nosferak, but there are not many such high-class non-human beings.\n
　But now, ……, from within the premises, he felt a presence that was clearly human.\n
　For a moment, Yuto thought about what to do, but this is his home. There is no way around it.\n
　When he came to that conclusion, the earlier presence disappeared.\n
“…… Huh?”\n
　Was it just my imagination, Yuto wondered?　Though he was a little hesitant, he opened the gate.\n
　And as he nervously tried to enter, a housewife-looking woman with a shopping bag in her hand entered his field of vision.\n
　The woman walking toward him was probably a neighbor.\n
　However, her face was clearly suspicious as she stared at him.\n
　To tell the truth, Yuto had not yet informed his neighbors that he had moved into this house.\n
　He had been so busy since entering school that he hadn’t had time to think about greeting the neighbors.\n
(It’s only natural that they would be suspicious if a high school student, who they didn’t know, tried to enter this rundown house)\n
　Yuto was a bit flustered, but he thought that not greeting them would make them look even more suspicious, so he decided to greet them as politely and cheerfully as possible.\n
“Ah, hello!　I am Domori and I just moved in here the other day. I was planning to go say hello to my neighbors again, but I haven’t been able to do so yet ……. I’m sorry.”\n
“……eh?　In this house!?”\n
　When Yuto lowered his head, the woman’s face became …… paler and paler.\n
　And Yuto, who saw the scene, you ask?　He became anxious.\n
　Immediately afterward, the woman hurriedly bowed her head as if in a hurry.\n
“Ah, I’m sorry. I apologize for being so rude. I’m Ayasaka, and I live in the house on the corner there. It’s nice to meet you, too.”\n
　The middle-aged woman who introduced herself as Ayasaka had a good skin tone and a chubby figure, giving the impression of an old lady who liked to talk.\n
　He also remembered the house on the corner that the woman mentioned, because it was a large and magnificent house when he moved in. Looking closely at her, her clothes also looked neat and clean.\n
　Yuto said, “Yes!　It’s nice to meet you,” he replied, a little relieved.\n
　Then, as if she was looking at him, the woman asked in a somewhat uncomfortable manner.\n
“Well, will you be living here ……?\n
“Eh?　Yes.”\n
“I see. ……”\n
　Yuto tilted his head suspiciously at the way she spoke as if something was caught in her back teeth.\n
“Ah, what is it?　Perhaps something troublesome …….”\n
“I’m sorry, it’s not that. You know, …… that’s right!　It’s probably best to just say it.”\n
　The lady said as if she had understood something.\n
” Don’t think I’m weird or anything. You know, it’s just a rumor. …… I wonder if you’ve heard about this house.”\n
“…… Nothing at all.”(いえ this also pronounced as House/residence)\n
　In fact, he really didn’t know. He was introduced to the house by an acquaintance of Tenzo’s and was only given a map before the entrance ceremony, so he had no idea what the house looked like.\n
“In fact, this house had been vacant for a long time, ……. So, you know, the …… problem is…”\n
　The lady took a deep breath.\n
“Actually, there is a rumor …… it has……”\n
“it has?”\n
“Yeah, …….”\n
“It has……has…… ……. Ehhh-ehhhh?　You don’t mean that……, do you?”\n
“Yes, that one.”\n
　The woman then brought her hands in front of her chest, turned her hands towards him, and dangled them slackly. The shadows on her face suddenly increased, which was strangely scary.\n
(Like this I think)\n
“Well, no way … that kind of thing …”\n
“I’m sorry to say this out of the blue. It’s just that Tsuzuki-san, who lives across the street, told …… that he heard a lot of people’s voices coming from this house in the middle of the night last month. It’s supposed to be an empty house, yet he heard many noisy voices. Tsuzuki-san’s daughter here is famous for being very spiritual …….”\n
　Apparently, …… this house is a famous haunted house in the neighborhood.\n
　Occasionally, young people come to test their courage, but then they scream and run away in a frightening manner, just like the story of Tsuzuki-san, and there is no shortage of such stories.\n
( So that’s why when I first came here, the lock was broken. ……)\n
“Well, ……, at any rate, so far everything’s fine, you know?　I think it’s okay because I was able to rent it through an acquaintance of my grandfather. Ah, and I’ll be coming back to say hello there too.”\n
“…… Greetings!?　Oh, don’t mind me!　Well, I have dinner to prepare!”\n
The woman laughed and stepped back as if to run away.\n
“Alas, ……. Uhm, then the presence I felt earlier was ……. No, but I don’t think so.”\n
　Though Tenzo looks a bit strange, he is also an ability user. No matter what, Tenzo would never introduce his grandson to a haunted house where he would live alone.\n
　No… …… I would like to think so.\n
　Hiroto went through the gate, crossed the large yard, and put his hand on the front door of the house for the second time since the first time he looked inside. The key was still broken, so he just rattles open the front door.\n
(It’s magnificent, but …… people think it’s a haunted house because it’s so old and tattered. Alright, if I do my job well at the agency and fix everything, those rumors will go away.)\n
　It’s in shambles now, but it’s surprisingly solidly built. And the strong sacred energy was comforting.\n
(After all, it can’t be a ghost.)\n
　In a place with such strong sacred energy, no wandering spirits can enter, and no self-binding spirits would be able to exist.\n
　The hallway runs straight from the entrance to the back door, with the kitchen on the far right and the living room on the far left. The floor space is quite large, and if it were restored, it would be very comfortable to live there.\n
　After settling down completely, Yuto went to take off his shoes, just in case he wanted to explore the inside.\n
　He felt the presence of non-human beings for a moment in front of the gate, but he thought it was just his imagination.\n
　In fact, even those with abilities can be mistaken.\n
“Well, I finally got a job from the agency, and my high school life is just beginning, and I can’t have a ghostly disturbance like that happening. I can’t be bothered by all troubles. The world is a fairer place. I’m a hard worker too.”\n
　Yuto smiled with relief as he said this, and stepped to the door.\n
　At that time, ……\n
(……huh?　A Voice?)\n
　Sweat beaded from Yuto’s forehead.\n
(I am sure I heard it. Or rather, I can still hear it. …… Is that a laughing voice?)\n
　It was on the left side at the end of the hallway. He heard it from a room that looked like a living room. No way, it’s really a ghost. …… But then again, he thinks, it’s impossible. And he didn’t feel the arbitrary vibes characteristic of a spirit.\n
(It’s not a person, either. It’s hard to recognize. …… making it hard to recognize. ……)\n
　He couldn’t tell unless he got closer, but there were clearly things that were not human.\n
　These individuals are unusually good at disguising themselves. ……He couldn’t grasp their true identity at all. Even Hiroto, who is an ability user, knows that they are there, but he can’t get any more information than that.\n
　Moreover, it is astonishing that they are present in a place with such a high level of sacred energy. Are they sacred beings or extremely powerful spirits or demons?　His alertness was increasing. ……\n
(Ahhhhh, there’s something strange about this. Why is it that I am the only one for whom something incomprehensible is happening?)\n
　Yuto’s eyes began to tear up, and he felt a pang of frustration at the lack of peace in his life.\n
　Then he heard a lot of laughter from the back of the room, and his knees relaxed.\n
(What are they doing?　It looks so lively. …… It’s like a banquet.)\n
　I don’t know what’s going on here. Yuto took off his shoes and fearfully headed to the end of the hallway. He slowly made his way down the corridor and finally stood in front of the ragged sliding door of the room where he could hear the ongoing buzz.\n
“Gulp.”\n
　He stood there for only a few moments, but he was ready, and he put his hand on the sliding door …… and slowly opened it.\n
　His eyes met.\n
　There were a lot of people.\n
　The large room that had been so bustling with activity was now silent.\n
　Yuto gulped.\n
　There are about thirty …… large and small ones in there.\n
　Some of them are floating …….\n
　It’s as if time has stopped.\n
　For now,……, Yuto slowly put the sliding door back in place without making a sound.\n
“>3kз7ΣM5Θ!!”\n
　Using his inhuman physical ability, Yuto left an afterimage on the spot and dived for the shoes in the doorway, dexterously putting them on with both hands. Then, he rolled forward and landed on his feet, and instantly came out to the gate outside.\n
　With his shoes in his hands and his feet still in his socks, breathing heavily over his shoulder, Yuto tried desperately to put his confused mind together.\n
(What the hell was that? !　They were floating!　And drinking! They were Human-like……no, they took that form!　It was quite a party!　Yes!　It was a lot of fun!　And drinking!![TN: He said it twice])\n
　He couldn’t get it together at all.\n
(That’s right, …… let’s be calm first. Yeah ……?\n
　As he shook his head to calm himself down, he saw that the lady who had just called herself …… Ayasaka was looking at him with a worried, yet frightened expression.\n
　Apparently, she came back to the …… site after running away earlier because she was curious.\n
　She was looking at him behind a telephone pole, unable to hide even half of her body.\n
　And their gazes definitely overlapped.\n
“”…………………………””\n
　Suddenly, Yuto widened his hands, still wearing his shoes.\n
“N-no!　This place is much more livable than I thought it would be, good, good.”\n
　His voice was clearly loud. And then.\n
“Ah, that?　Ayasaka-san?　Thank you for earlier!”\n
　The startled lady came out from behind the pole, looking a little embarrassed.\n
“Yeah, um, are you okay?”\n
“Eh?　By okay you mean?　Aaah, you mean the house?　Yes, of course!　It’s a little old, but it’s very comfortable to live in. Yeah, really. Ha-ha-ha ……”\n
“But weren’t you in a hurry just now?　You looked like you were in a hurry to get out. And the shoes ……”\n
　Yuto put his shoes on his hands and kept his socks on as he talked.\n
“Ah …… ahh!　This!　These are not paws ……. I was a bit happy and excited about this. It’s such a big house. It…… called youthful indiscretion!　Haha, nope, I’m embarrassed!”\n
“Huh…….”\n
　In response to his suspicious reaction, Yuto wanted to change the subject, but that was not the point. He asked the lady what he needed to do most at the moment.\n
“I’m sorry, but is there a payphone around here?　I forgot something at my parents’ house. …… My grandfather’s house. …… No, I’d like to get in touch with my grandfather.”\n
“Eh?　Well, there’s no such thing around here. You have to go to the station.”\n
　The woman looked at him curiously, and he realized what she meant.\n
“Ah, I don’t have a cell phone. I really don’t feel the need for it. The station you said, thank you very much. I’ll be back in a bit.”\n
[TN: their conversation is as awkward as it sounds]\n
　Well, he didn’t actually have one for financial reasons, but the lady seemed strangely impressed.\n
“I see. ……. Hold on a second. If you want, I could lend you our phone.　It’s right here.”\n
　She suggested with a laugh.\n
“I see…you do not have a cell phone. I wish my daughter would hear that.”\n
　However, Yuto jumped at the suggestion because he wanted to get in touch with someone as soon as possible.\n
“Are you sure?　Sorry about the inconvenience!”\n
“It’s okay. Let’s go.”\n
　Yuto followed the lady and was let inside the Ayasaka residence, which was just around the corner from the place. Then, he borrowed the landline phone from her, which was located at the entrance.\n
“Call me when you’re done. I’ll be in the back.”\n
　Yuto bowed his head, watched as the lady disappears, and hastily made a phone call to his grandfather\n
　…… There was no answer.\n
　As he grew increasingly frustrated, he finally heard an unwilling voice.\n
{Ah, hello. This is the Domori Kenjutsu Dojo. We’re busy at the moment, so please keep your message short. ……}\n
　This is why we don’t get any students!　But that’s not what’s important right now.\n
“Grandpa!　It’s me!”\n
{Hmm?　So, it’s one of those ‘It’s A me’ scams that’s been going around lately. You’re 183 years too young to be trying to cheat me, the gambler of the world. ……”\n
“No, it’s not!　It’s Yuto!”\n
{It was Yuto, huh. What do you want?　I’m busy right now.  Already homesick?}\n
　Since Yuto was in a stranger’s house, he kept his voice low but spoke with all his strength.\n
“No, I’m not!　Hey, Grandpa!　What is that house!”\n
{What’s what?}\n
“Don’t play dumb!　There were all kinds. All kinds of non-humans, ancient and modern!　And some of them were pretty high class!　Quite a bunch, to look so comfortable in such a place with strong sacred energy!”\n
{Ah, well just relax. I am not understanding what you are saying. ……}\n
“I’m telling you, the house looks like a haunted house!　Anyway, it was full of monsters, and they were having a party and making it very lively!”\n
{Oh, good for you. You said that living alone can be lonely.}\n
　Yuto’s voice grew louder and louder at the exchange with Tenzo, who wasn’t quite on the same page.\n
“I’m not talking about that!　I don’t want to say it, but it’s hard to repair a house that’s in such ruins, and I’m saying that I can’t live in a haunted house!”\n
{Uh …… Yuto. Well, let’s check the current situation first.}\n
　It was Friday, the day after Hiroto revealed the secret of his abilities to Ichigo, and also somehow managed to keep the secret, at great cost.\n
　Hiroto’s grandfather, Tenzo, was lazily lying down in his living room, reading his favorite adult magazine. This is his daily routine.\n
　Then the relaxed expression on his face disappeared, and he pulled out a compass-like object the size of a pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his robe and frowned.\n
“Oh, by the way, this is the time of year when the earth’s veins are ……. I forgot to tell Hiroto about it. Well, that’s okay. It may be a bit much, but it’s lively.”\n
　After talking to himself, he immediately concentrated on the magazine.\n
“This curve is also ……. Yeah, yeah, yeah ……. gufufu…gufufufufu.”\n
　Hiroto clenched his fists as he left school.\n
“It’s now!　I’ll definitely be leaving on Sunday!　Though I couldn’t tell Mirei-sensei about it,…….”\n
　So …… in the end, Hiroto couldn’t tell his homeroom teacher, the super cool beauty Takano Mirei, that he was going to miss a week of school. When he thought about what would happen afterward, he was too scared to say anything.\n
　That was the only thing that stuck in his mind, but Hiroto pulled himself together.\n
“But I really want to repair the house, and then I can hide Gaston, who doesn’t know where he’s going,……, in a house as big as this.”\n
　The primary reason for accepting the request was, of course, that living in a tent was unbearable.\n
　In addition to that, Hiroto was worried about Gaston. He was supposed to be dead, but if he was found to be alive, he would be a wanted vampire.\n
　He was once a violent man with a broken heart, but now he is a friend and comes to take care of Hiroto in any way he can. Also, he is not afraid to cross dangerous bridges for Hiroto. Even though Hiroto was sure that he would be punished by Mirei, he wanted to restore the house and also make a place for Gaston.\n
　When Hiroto arrived at his house, he looked at the large gate and exhaled.\n
“Well, I’ll accept my punishment and try my best to regain her trust. Above all, a good house is the basis of life.”\n
　When he put his hand on the gate, ……\n
　His face tensed and his hand stopped.\n
“……hm?　What is it?”\n
　There was something.\n
“No way……. No, but this is …….”\n
　Moreover, this was not a sign of a human being,…….\n
　When he was referred to this house by Tenzo, he was delighted to learn that there was a strong sense of the sacred energy that is characteristic of high-class temples and shrines in the grounds, perhaps because there is a shrine on the mountain behind it. For Hiroto, who is often attacked by small spirits, this kind of sacred energy would make it hard even for ordinary people to enter.\n
　It would be a different story, if it were a Quasi-Majin Gaston, referred to as Nosferak, but there are not many such high-class non-human beings.\n
　But now, ……, from within the premises, he felt a presence that was clearly human.\n
　For a moment, Hiroto thought about what to do, but this is his home. There is no way around it.\n
　When he came to that conclusion, the earlier presence disappeared.\n
“…… Huh?”\n
　Was it just my imagination, Hiroto wondered?　Though he was a little hesitant, he opened the gate.\n
　And as he nervously tried to enter, a housewife-looking woman with a shopping bag in her hand entered his field of vision.\n
　The woman walking toward him was probably a neighbor.\n
　However, her face was clearly suspicious as she stared at him.\n
　To tell the truth, Hiroto had not yet informed his neighbors that he had moved into this house.\n
　He had been so busy since entering school that he hadn’t had time to think about greeting the neighbors.\n
(It’s only natural that they would be suspicious if a high school student, who they didn’t know, tried to enter this rundown house)\n
　Hiroto was a bit flustered, but he thought that not greeting them would make them look even more suspicious, so he decided to greet them as politely and cheerfully as possible.\n
“Ah, hello!　I am Domori and I just moved in here the other day. I was planning to go say hello to my neighbors again, but I haven’t been able to do so yet ……. I’m sorry.”\n
“……eh?　In this house!?”\n
　When Hiroto lowered his head, the woman’s face became …… paler and paler.\n
　And Hiroto, who saw the scene, you ask?　He became anxious.\n
　Immediately afterward, the woman hurriedly bowed her head as if in a hurry.\n
“Ah, I’m sorry. I apologize for being so rude. I’m Ayasaka, and I live in the house on the corner there. It’s nice to meet you, too.”\n
　The middle-aged woman who introduced herself as Ayasaka had a good skin tone and a chubby figure, giving the impression of an old lady who liked to talk.\n
　He also remembered the house on the corner that the woman mentioned, because it was a large and magnificent house when he moved in. Looking closely at her, her clothes also looked neat and clean.\n
　Hiroto said, “Yes!　It’s nice to meet you,” he replied, a little relieved.\n
　Then, as if she was looking at him, the woman asked in a somewhat uncomfortable manner.\n
“Well, will you be living here ……?\n
“Eh?　Yes.”\n
“I see. ……”\n
　Hiroto tilted his head suspiciously at the way she spoke as if something was caught in her back teeth.\n
“Ah, what is it?　Perhaps something troublesome …….”\n
“I’m sorry, it’s not that. You know, …… that’s right!　It’s probably best to just say it.”\n
　The lady said as if she had understood something.\n
” Don’t think I’m weird or anything. You know, it’s just a rumor. …… I wonder if you’ve heard about this house.”\n
“…… Nothing at all.”(いえ this also pronounced as House/residence)\n
　In fact, he really didn’t know. He was introduced to the house by an acquaintance of Tenzo’s and was only given a map before the entrance ceremony, so he had no idea what the house looked like.\n
“In fact, this house had been vacant for a long time, ……. So, you know, the …… problem is…”\n
　The lady took a deep breath.\n
“Actually, there is a rumor …… it has……”\n
“it has?”\n
“Yeah, …….”\n
“It has……has…… ……. Ehhh-ehhhh?　You don’t mean that……, do you?”\n
“Yes, that one.”\n
　The woman then brought her hands in front of her chest, turned her hands towards him, and dangled them slackly. The shadows on her face suddenly increased, which was strangely scary.\n
(Like this I think)\n
“Well, no way … that kind of thing …”\n
“I’m sorry to say this out of the blue. It’s just that Tsuzuki-san, who lives across the street, told …… that he heard a lot of people’s voices coming from this house in the middle of the night last month. It’s supposed to be an empty house, yet he heard many noisy voices. Tsuzuki-san’s daughter here is famous for being very spiritual …….”\n
　Apparently, …… this house is a famous haunted house in the neighborhood.\n
　Occasionally, young people come to test their courage, but then they scream and run away in a frightening manner, just like the story of Tsuzuki-san, and there is no shortage of such stories.\n
( So that’s why when I first came here, the lock was broken. ……)\n
“Well, ……, at any rate, so far everything’s fine, you know?　I think it’s okay because I was able to rent it through an acquaintance of my grandfather. Ah, and I’ll be coming back to say hello there too.”\n
“…… Greetings!?　Oh, don’t mind me!　Well, I have dinner to prepare!”\n
The woman laughed and stepped back as if to run away.\n
“Alas, ……. Uhm, then the presence I felt earlier was ……. No, but I don’t think so.”\n
　Though Tenzo looks a bit strange, he is also an ability user. No matter what, Tenzo would never introduce his grandson to a haunted house where he would live alone.\n
　No… …… I would like to think so.\n
　Hiroto went through the gate, crossed the large yard, and put his hand on the front door of the house for the second time since the first time he looked inside. The key was still broken, so he just rattles open the front door.\n
(It’s magnificent, but …… people think it’s a haunted house because it’s so old and tattered. Alright, if I do my job well at the agency and fix everything, those rumors will go away.)\n
　It’s in shambles now, but it’s surprisingly solidly built. And the strong sacred energy was comforting.\n
(After all, it can’t be a ghost.)\n
　In a place with such strong sacred energy, no wandering spirits can enter, and no self-binding spirits would be able to exist.\n
　The hallway runs straight from the entrance to the back door, with the kitchen on the far right and the living room on the far left. The floor space is quite large, and if it were restored, it would be very comfortable to live there.\n
　After settling down completely, Hiroto went to take off his shoes, just in case he wanted to explore the inside.\n
　He felt the presence of non-human beings for a moment in front of the gate, but he thought it was just his imagination.\n
　In fact, even those with abilities can be mistaken.\n
“Well, I finally got a job from the agency, and my high school life is just beginning, and I can’t have a ghostly disturbance like that happening. I can’t be bothered by all troubles. The world is a fairer place. I’m a hard worker too.”\n
　Hiroto smiled with relief as he said this, and stepped to the door.\n
　At that time, ……\n
(……huh?　A Voice?)\n
　Sweat beaded from Hiroto’s forehead.\n
(I am sure I heard it. Or rather, I can still hear it. …… Is that a laughing voice?)\n
　It was on the left side at the end of the hallway. He heard it from a room that looked like a living room. No way, it’s really a ghost. …… But then again, he thinks, it’s impossible. And he didn’t feel the arbitrary vibes characteristic of a spirit.\n
(It’s not a person, either. It’s hard to recognize. …… making it hard to recognize. ……)\n
　He couldn’t tell unless he got closer, but there were clearly things that were not human.\n
　These individuals are unusually good at disguising themselves. ……He couldn’t grasp their true identity at all. Even Hiroto, who is an ability user, knows that they are there, but he can’t get any more information than that.\n
　Moreover, it is astonishing that they are present in a place with such a high level of sacred energy. Are they sacred beings or extremely powerful spirits or demons?　His alertness was increasing. ……\n
(Ahhhhh, there’s something strange about this. Why is it that I am the only one for whom something incomprehensible is happening?)\n
　Hiroto’s eyes began to tear up, and he felt a pang of frustration at the lack of peace in his life.\n
　Then he heard a lot of laughter from the back of the room, and his knees relaxed.\n
(What are they doing?　It looks so lively. …… It’s like a banquet.)\n
　I don’t know what’s going on here. Hiroto took off his shoes and fearfully headed to the end of the hallway. He slowly made his way down the corridor and finally stood in front of the ragged sliding door of the room where he could hear the ongoing buzz.\n
“Gulp.”\n
　He stood there for only a few moments, but he was ready, and he put his hand on the sliding door …… and slowly opened it.\n
　His eyes met.\n
　There were a lot of people.\n
　The large room that had been so bustling with activity was now silent.\n
　Hiroto gulped.\n
　There are about thirty …… large and small ones in there.\n
　Some of them are floating …….\n
　It’s as if time has stopped.\n
　For now,……, Hiroto slowly put the sliding door back in place without making a sound.\n
“>3kз7ΣM5Θ!!”\n
　Using his inhuman physical ability, Hiroto left an afterimage on the spot and dived for the shoes in the doorway, dexterously putting them on with both hands. Then, he rolled forward and landed on his feet, and instantly came out to the gate outside.\n
　With his shoes in his hands and his feet still in his socks, breathing heavily over his shoulder, Hiroto tried desperately to put his confused mind together.\n
(What the hell was that? !　They were floating!　And drinking! They were Human-like……no, they took that form!　It was quite a party!　Yes!　It was a lot of fun!　And drinking!![TN: He said it twice])\n
　He couldn’t get it together at all.\n
(That’s right, …… let’s be calm first. Yeah ……?\n
　As he shook his head to calm himself down, he saw that the lady who had just called herself …… Ayasaka was looking at him with a worried, yet frightened expression.\n
　Apparently, she came back to the …… site after running away earlier because she was curious.\n
　She was looking at him behind a telephone pole, unable to hide even half of her body.\n
　And their gazes definitely overlapped.\n
“”…………………………””\n
　Suddenly, Hiroto widened his hands, still wearing his shoes.\n
“N-no!　This place is much more livable than I thought it would be, good, good.”\n
　His voice was clearly loud. And then.\n
“Ah, that?　Ayasaka-san?　Thank you for earlier!”\n
　The startled lady came out from behind the pole, looking a little embarrassed.\n
“Yeah, um, are you okay?”\n
“Eh?　By okay you mean?　Aaah, you mean the house?　Yes, of course!　It’s a little old, but it’s very comfortable to live in. Yeah, really. Ha-ha-ha ……”\n
“But weren’t you in a hurry just now?　You looked like you were in a hurry to get out. And the shoes ……”\n
　Hiroto put his shoes on his hands and kept his socks on as he talked.\n
“Ah …… ahh!　This!　These are not paws ……. I was a bit happy and excited about this. It’s such a big house. It…… called youthful indiscretion!　Haha, nope, I’m embarrassed!”\n
“Huh…….”\n
　In response to his suspicious reaction, Hiroto wanted to change the subject, but that was not the point. He asked the lady what he needed to do most at the moment.\n
“I’m sorry, but is there a payphone around here?　I forgot something at my parents’ house. …… My grandfather’s house. …… No, I’d like to get in touch with my grandfather.”\n
“Eh?　Well, there’s no such thing around here. You have to go to the station.”\n
　The woman looked at him curiously, and he realized what she meant.\n
“Ah, I don’t have a cell phone. I really don’t feel the need for it. The station you said, thank you very much. I’ll be back in a bit.”\n
[TN: their conversation is as awkward as it sounds]\n
　Well, he didn’t actually have one for financial reasons, but the lady seemed strangely impressed.\n
“I see. ……. Hold on a second. If you want, I could lend you our phone.　It’s right here.”\n
　She suggested with a laugh.\n
“I see…you do not have a cell phone. I wish my daughter would hear that.”\n
　However, Hiroto jumped at the suggestion because he wanted to get in touch with someone as soon as possible.\n
“Are you sure?　Sorry about the inconvenience!”\n
“It’s okay. Let’s go.”\n
　Hiroto followed the lady and was let inside the Ayasaka residence, which was just around the corner from the place. Then, he borrowed the landline phone from her, which was located at the entrance.\n
“Call me when you’re done. I’ll be in the back.”\n
　Hiroto bowed his head, watched as the lady disappears, and hastily made a phone call to his grandfather\n
　…… There was no answer.\n
　As he grew increasingly frustrated, he finally heard an unwilling voice.\n
{Ah, hello. This is the Domori Kenjutsu Dojo. We’re busy at the moment, so please keep your message short. ……}\n
　This is why we don’t get any students!　But that’s not what’s important right now.\n
“Grandpa!　It’s me!”\n
{Hmm?　So, it’s one of those ‘It’s A me’ scams that’s been going around lately. You’re 183 years too young to be trying to cheat me, the gambler of the world. ……”\n
“No, it’s not!　It’s Hiroto!”\n
{It was Hiroto, huh. What do you want?　I’m busy right now.  Already homesick, huh?}\n
　Since Hiroto was in a stranger’s house, he kept his voice low but spoke with all his strength.\n
“No, I’m not!　Hey, Grandpa!　What is that house!”\n
{What’s what?}\n
“Don’t play dumb!　There were all kinds. All kinds of non-humans, ancient and modern!　And some of them were pretty high class!　Quite a bunch, to look so comfortable in such a place with strong sacred energy!”\n
{Ah, well just relax. I am not understanding what you are saying. ……}\n
“I’m telling you, the house looks like a haunted house!　Anyway, it was full of monsters, and they were having a party and making it very lively!”\n
{Oh, good for you. You said that living alone can be lonely.}\n
　Hiroto’s voice grew louder and louder at the exchange with Tenzo, who wasn’t quite on the same page.\n
“I’m not talking about that!　I don’t want to say it, but it’s hard to repair a house that’s in such ruins, and I’m saying that I can’t live in a haunted house!”\n
{Uh …… Hiroto. Well, let’s check the current situation first.}\n
“What do you mean, “the current situation”?　It’s just what I just said!”\n
{Hiroto ……, you know that right now, our family, unfortunately, doesn’t have enough money to support you.}\n
“It had!　Grandpa you’re ……”\n
{And!　You also insisted that you really, really want to be in high school, no matter what it takes.}\n
“…… Uh-huh.”\n
　Although the way he said it didn’t make sense to him, he reluctantly listened to his grandfather.\n
{So I talked to the principal of Horaiin Kitsurin High School and managed to get him to admit you.}\n
“…………”\n
{Also, one of the conditions was that you had to make a living on your own. You accepted it willingly. And moreover, you confirmed that a man does not need two words.}\n
“…………”\n
{But I took pity on you, and asked a friend of mine to provide you with a cheap place to live. I’m sure you’ve already said that you’re a man and that you can take care of yourself. And if possible, you could even send money home!}\n
　Hiroto was thinking, Did I say that before?　He thought.\n
{That means you’ve already decided what you’re going to do. You’re going to live in that house and live the high school life you’ve always wanted. And you’re going to do everything you can to make that happen. A man can only be a man when he can do what he says he will do!}\n
　Tenzo spoke passionately as if he was making a speech.\n
{Do you understand?　You have only one thing to do. You can only persuade the unfaithful people who are occupying the house and tell them who the hell is the landlord.}\n
“Eh!?　Persuade them, you say, they’re not people, you know. There’s no way I can do that!”\n
{Fuuh. So you’ve given up. Alas, what is youth for? ……. How can a person from the Domori family say such a thing? And in your case, it would be more difficult if the other party was a human.}\n
“Even so!”\n
{Hiroto. Your situation has already been decided. You will live there. And you’ll go to school from there. That’s it. I’m hanging up now. Oh, and don’t come back here. I’ve changed the locks. Show me you can get through this on your own, my unworthy grandson!　…… Oh, I got a cell phone call. This is …… Hiroto, I’m busy!　I have to go!　……Yeah, Himawari-chan?}\n
　Click.\n
“Hold on!　He really hung up on me!　That old bastard!”\n
　Making a fist with the telephone receiver in his hand, Hiroto swore as hard as he could. By the way, Himawari-san is a hired worker for a snack bar that Tenzo is crazy about, and she is also a mother with two children.\n
　Then, ……, the lady opened the door quietly and came out, looking worriedly at him.\n
“AH, sorry. I heard a loud voice. …… I was wondering if you’ve made the call yet?”\n
　Hiroto hastily put the receiver back and tucked his hands behind his back.\n
“Ah, I’m sorry!　Well, yeah, I couldn’t tell where I left my things, so I spoke louder than I should have. Thank you for lending me your phone.”\n
“You’re welcome. Are you done?”\n
“Yes, I’m done!　I can handle the rest on my own!”\n
“……?　Yeah.”\n
“Umm!　Thank you very much.”\n
　Hiroto bowed deeply and left the Ayasaka residence.\n
—Part I end–\n
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