Chapter 72: Strange Child.
The four sat at the table in confusion.
Knock... knock…
The sound of knocking was somewhat urgent and quickened.
The four sat at the table in silence, looking toward the door. They all realized the knocking sound had become faster.
Takeshi spoke in his small, low voice:
"In short, there is nothing, what do you all think?"
Elyssia had a pensive look.
"This is hard to say, isn't it? Only the sound of knocking, and yet no one is there."
Ayaka let out a sigh. Her voice was nonchalant, a bit scared but not showing it.
"Fortunately, it's only the sound of knocking. If someone called from outside the water, I would probably be scared to death."
Takeshi glanced at Ayaka.
"You stayed in the pitch-black forest for so long, yet you are scared like that?"
Ayaka smiled with a bit of embarrassment.
"At that time I had a different fighting ability; here, I do not."
Airi turned to Elyssia.
"Did you record it yet, Elys?"
Ayaka tilted her head, a bit curious.
"Elys?..."
Airi smiled.
"Can I call you that for short, Elyssia?"
Elyssia nodded slightly.
"Whatever you like."
Ayaka felt a bit happier; she smiled at Elyssia.
"That name sounds good."
Takeshi sat observing; he interrupted the story:
"Alright, let's get to the main point."
The three returned to a serious state.
Elyssia: "In short, I have recorded it, and I have also recorded here that this is the second memory erasure on the paper."
Airi nodded.
"That works. If the memory erasure is real, then we will remind our other selves of the missing memories."
Ayaka glanced at everyone, then looked toward the door.
"So what do we do about that sound outside the door? It has been knocking for a while and seems to have become much faster."
Takeshi stroked his chin, nodding in thought.
"So something is knocking on our door from the outside with some haste?"
Airi glanced at Takeshi and considered his words in her head. Her face darkened.
"This is quite difficult; just with a knocking sound, asking us to find something is surely very hard."
Ayaka: "How about we try opening the door? I think we should check."
Airi: "For now, don't open it, just sit and wait. What if there is some monster with the ability to turn invisible standing outside knocking?"
Takeshi: "The invisibility ability sounds dangerous."
"But why doesn't it call out? Like: 'Is anyone there, please open the door for me.' Wouldn't someone inside open the door for that?"
Airi let out a sigh; she didn't understand either.
"Who knows? Why not ask?"
Elyssia opened her eyes wide. She immediately offered her hypothesis. Her voice was suspicious:
"Is it possible that if we speak loudly now, it will do something? Or if we ask: 'Who is it?', maybe it will answer?"
Takeshi immediately remembered the Yokai; the image of Kuralak appeared.
"Could it be a ghost of someone? Or a Yokai with some kind of cloaking ability?"
Airi nodded slightly.
"It's possible, but currently we are only giving hypotheses. Sitting here guessing blindly is truly like finding a path at night."
Airi glanced over at Elyssia.
"We are out of paper now, aren't we? If so, we open the door; maybe there will be a clue or something that we can't record."
Elyssia nodded slightly; it was true that they were out of paper.
Ayaka spoke with a speculative voice.
"So that means we just ignore this knocking sound?"
Airi nodded slightly, a bit helpless.
"That is all we can do."
Takeshi scratched his head in frustration; his head was as tangled as everyone else's when they couldn't think of a way. Then suddenly, a spontaneous idea appeared when he looked at the wall.
"Hey, is it possible for us to write on the wall?"
Elyssia frowned; she seemed to realize something.
"I think not. Perhaps during the first memory erasure, we already did that, and there is nothing on the wall."
"But I think, how about trying to write on our hands? The paper on the person is still kept when memories are erased, but who is sure the paper touched us? I stuffed the paper in my shoe and it's separated by a layer of sock. Writing on the hand might be reasonable."
The three sat in silence listening; they all felt it was reasonable.
But Airi frowned; she felt it wasn't quite right either.
"But IF during the first memory erasure we wrote on the wall and couldn't carry those lines of text. And our selves in that head might also have thought of writing on the hands and it didn't work? We still haven't been able to verify it."
Elyssia also found it correct; she let out a sigh. Her voice was a bit discouraged:
"Then try it now."
Ayaka nodded.
"That works."
Takeshi smiled:
"Remember to write down all the things we deduced too."
"Let me be the place to write."
Elyssia leaned down and took the pen out of her shoe. While looking up, she said:
"No need, we are writing on the hands. Whenever there is important information and a lot of it, then we will use your back, okay?"
Takeshi nodded in understanding.
"Yeah, that works too."
Elyssia lifted the pen; she wrote crooked lines on her hand. The pen tip with black ink pressed down into the palm; she was careful and tried not to shake while writing, avoiding illegible script.
On her palm was written: "If the words on the palm remain, then writing on the body is reasonable."
After Elyssia finished writing, she looked up and nodded to signal completion. Her right hand stuffed the pen into her shoe, then she used her hand to tuck back her long platinum hair. She held her palm out in front for the others who were silently watching her write.
Knock... knock…
The sound of knocking outside blended with the rain pouring down like a waterfall and the thunder echoing from afar. Like some symphony of despair repeating and trying to do something.
The group looked over the lines on Elyssia's hand and nodded slightly.
Suddenly the repeated knocking sound disappeared. A loud noise rang out, as if someone stepped very hard on the wooden floor outside the door, the "creak" sounding very loud.
The group immediately started; their hearts felt as if they would jump out of their chests. They stood up abruptly, making the table shake and chairs jostle. They immediately turned toward the door with extremely desperate eyes.
Creak…
At the same time everyone turned around. The sound of an old door opening rang out, making spine-chilling noises.
The door was opened…
It was a boy about 7 years old, small in stature, wearing a fairly new set of clothes, appearing well-off but not too elaborate, just two colors, black and white, mixed harmoniously. Hair black as coal, eyes clear as forest spring water, innocent and harmless. His face was terrified as he ran inside as if being hunted; his body and clothes were soaked from having to bathe in the downpour like pouring water outside.
The group had just turned around and saw the boy; they froze, everyone's eyes opened wide, but in their eyes was still suspicion. No one forgot to be alert; everything that appeared could not be fully trusted.
But the boy had only just pushed the door, peeked in, and taken one step into the house. The tiny black cloth shoe, soaked with water, had just set foot on the floor; rainwater fell from his body onto the boy, soaking into the stone floor.
Immediately a sword pierced through the boy's body from behind his back and through to the front. The boy's tiny eyes opened wide in shock, blood sprayed from his mouth, his body arched according to the thrusting force of the sword.
The four could not react in time; their eyes could only open wide before this scene.
Elyssia did not forget her duty. She had just bent her body down, wanting to take the pen out of her shoe.
The sword piercing through the boy was immediately pulled out. The boy's body hunched according to the backward pulling force of the sword by someone still standing behind the door who had not revealed their face.
But we can see clearly that it was the sword of the one who killed Takeshi in some memory erasure.
Immediately that sword was launched, carrying the bright red blood of the ill-fated boy, heading straight for Elyssia; she was the person sitting with her back to the door, also the closest person. She had only just bent down, not yet having time to take the pen, the sword immediately pierced her waist.
Thud!!!
Blood flowed out of the wound; Elyssia's eyes were not only shocked but also mixed with intense pain.
Takeshi, Airi, Ayaka could not react, they could only stand rooted to the spot. Currently, their muscle strength was even less than a normal person's; how could they possibly react in time?
Space at the same time transformed, as if the surrounding space was a whirlpool on the water's surface, gradually becoming distorted.
Opening eyes wide once again, the group had no memory of any memory erasure at all.
The four stood in the middle of the room with surprise and glanced around.
Airi with a suspicious voice, eyes glancing around.
"So this is the trial space?"
Takeshi, while walking slow steps, said:
"Probably so."
Elyssia walked one step; she felt something inside her shoe, she felt it very clearly. She leaned down in confusion and suspicion, putting her left hand into her right shoe. Her hand had touched something; she frowned and pulled her hand out of the shoe.
A pen and a large piece of paper folded neatly into a square shape were showing signs of unfolding when the folding didn't use too much force.
But her attention at this time was not focused on the pen or the paper, but on her left palm which was holding the pen and the folded paper. The two items pressed against and hid the black lines written on her hand; they still peeked out and were enough to attract attention.
She frowned and grimaced with a bit of confusion. Her right hand immediately took the paper and the pen, leaving the left hand empty.
The black lines were revealed; on them was written: If the words on the palm remain, then writing on the body is reasonable.
Elyssia muttered in her mouth, her plump pink lips moved, she rolled her eyes and observed several times. Her eyes clearly showed confusion.
-"What the hell is this? Why does my hand have writing?... Is it part of the trial?"
....
Takeshi, once again, probably due to coincidence, or because he was standing near the cabinet, went close and checked immediately.
The two large cabinet doors were swung wide open. Takeshi turned back with an hourglass in his hand; he was a bit confused. But his voice excitedly said:
"Look, I found this clock."
Ayaka and Airi, standing by the bed, immediately stepped forward, their faces a bit confused.
Ayaka: "Clock?"
Takeshi nodded; he immediately noticed the writing on the clock.
"Huh? This hourglass is one day?"
Airi and Ayaka stood silently observing.
Ayaka was curious.
"What is this hourglass for?"
Airi glanced at Ayaka then glanced back at the hourglass; her gaze was a bit reluctant.
"A clock is for measuring time, what else?"
Ayaka smiled and used her hand to stroke her hair, tucking it behind her ear.
"Hihi."
Airi spoke with a voice that was both reasonable but also not certain:
"Having only the clock is truly like having nothing at all. Because even knowing, what can be done? Check the hour? But there aren't even hour markers."
Takeshi nodded while listening to Airi, then he glanced to the left. Elyssia was standing silently there like a still tree, looking at her palm without looking away.
Takeshi curiously called out:
"Hey Elyssia? What are you doing?"
Elyssia turned back and stepped close to everyone; she opened the paper and held it forward.
"See what I found?"
The large piece of paper was torn and accompanied by two other small scraps. She placed them all together for everyone to read.
The three peeked in with curious eyes. On the large paper was a summary of all of them:
Likely this is the 1st memory erasure.
When the hourglass runs out, memories will be erased.
Must be careful in every action.
We were in a room; after a while, a loud noise rang out from outside the door. Then someone knocked on the door. Then a man broke the door and rushed in. He cut off one of Airi's arms, Takeshi was decapitated.
the lines were separated as if for easy recognition.
This is the second time.
The adjacent room is safe.
Downstairs is temporarily safe.
Then Elyssia turned her palm out in front of everyone; on it was written:
If the words on the palm remain, then writing on the body is reasonable.
The three stood frozen after reading; the atmosphere was quiet in a somber way. There was only the sound from the large rain outside and lightning striking in the distance, echoing like drums. A flash of lightning flared from the window and reflected on their faces.
Takeshi instinctively touched his neck and rubbed it; his eyes were a bit bewildered. His voice trembled slightly:
"I-I was cut?"
Airi frowned, her face serious, but also radiating calmness. Her voice spoke loudly:
"Calm down... Now we need to analyze."
Hearing Airi's reassurance, Ayaka also stopped her eyes from wavering continuously in their sockets; she seemed quite worried. Takeshi stood straight again; the bewildered expression disappeared, giving way to coldness.
Elyssia nodded slightly.
"That's right."
Airi: "According to the information we currently have, it means this is the 3rd time our memories have been erased, and we have apparently failed two times before."
Elyssia nodded slightly.
"Right, and the second time did not clearly record the manner of death. So we were attacked by surprise and did not have time to record."
Elyssia glanced at the clock in Takeshi's hand and looked at the text; she also realized.
"So we will have our memories erased after every day, and can only write on the paper or on the body."
Airi: "It's also possible this is a scenario created by the trial and the way the paper or the words on Elyssia's hand are clues. But that is not important; we know that man killed Takeshi, and the second time is not yet clear. Likely I think we need to not let him kill us."
"So this could be a survival trial, to stay alive."
"The last line is: Takeshi was decapitated."
"Although it is a hypothesis, it is very reasonable."
Takeshi smiled and nodded.
"I think we should now think of the worst-case scenarios that could happen to be prepared just in case."
Elyssia calmly analyzed.
"So that means we will have to both explore the room and record so that when erased there is something to analyze and grasp the situation."
"Even though the paper said: downstairs is safe or the next room is safe."
"We still need to check; who knows if this is the arrangement of the trial? And us not checking again is a mistake, and there are mysteries or something."
Takeshi rested his hands on both hips and let out a sigh; it seemed quite difficult.
"We currently cannot use energy so if something rushes out, we'll probably lose our lives."
Ayaka pointed at the door; she was a bit worried.
"So do you think: us opening the door is the mistake? For example, something is already standing there. And maybe this is just a trial of patience?... And we only have one life too..."
Airi nodded while looking at Ayaka.
"Very reasonable, but I don't think so. Let's just try opening the door; I feel that way."
Takeshi glanced at Airi, his voice joking:
"You are funny, Airi."
Airi didn't care; her voice was calm:
"I find it reasonable."
Elyssia: "I think Airi is right; there's a possibility it's not that, Ayaka."
Ayaka smiled slightly.
"I was just guessing."
Elyssia: "In general, a trial must have something interesting, right? If we sit still and that guy gives such a trial, it's also impossible; looking at him like that, he will surely look for something interesting, won't sit still."
Takeshi: "But isn't the possibility that it could be like that excluded either?"
Airi: "Alright, I think this is also quite hard to say. So what does Ayaka think?"
Ayaka with a pensive look.
"I don't know, but let's go with Airi."
Airi: "In general, still need to be careful."
Elyssa: "It seems I am the one who wrote this paper. So let me write."
She pointed toward the table at the window.
"There is paper there, for writing. There it also says: write what you remember before night falls."
Airi nodded slightly, her eyes trusting Elyssia.
"Yeah, so you will write."
Ayaka was still very cautious in every deduction.
"Are we rushing too much? Just based on a few lines and subjectively rushing out, I still find it very worrying."
Takeshi let out a sigh; he knew Ayaka's worry was not redundant. He pointed at the closed door.
"You think we are protected by that wooden door? Now the door is just a reassuring measure; if I had a bit of strength from before, I would have kicked it away."
Elyssia nodded, calmly analyzing.
"Right, best we go out and consider as fast as possible. Looking at a day, it seems long, but actually, this trial is definitely long." After speaking, she hurriedly walked near the table and picked up the blank paper. She glanced at the dark sky raining outside and turned back.
Airi saw Elyssia was prepared. She nodded slightly and spoke a bit louder:
"Alright, let's go."
Takeshi immediately stepped forward, then turned back, his red eyes were extremely serious, blocking Airi's path.
"Let me go first, you all stay behind."
Airi frowned, also guessing what Takeshi wanted to do.
"You want to show off?"
Takeshi smiled, a bit confident like a pillar of support.
"Can't let you girls go first. Therefore, me going first is reasonable."
Airi let out a sigh; the issue wasn't worth talking about.
"Fine then..."
Takeshi stepped to the door extremely confidently, without a shred of fear; his entire expression and inner mind were filled with determination. He held the door latch; the cold feeling from the metal transmitted to his hand made him shudder a bit.
Takeshi quickly and without hesitation opened the door. He slowly stepped out, his eyes glancing around in alertness. But there was nothing. He turned back and nodded, signaling safety.
The three girls stepped outside. Airi and Ayaka walked side by side, Elyssia went last, her hand holding the paper and pen, ready to record. At the top, she had already written: the third time.
It was still the scene of that house. But now to them, it was the first time and looked so strange.
The group glanced around, observing everywhere; no one had a cheerful or nonchalant expression, but one of alertness and careful observation.
Ayaka pointed downstairs; Airi followed her gaze. Elyssia stood behind staring.
"Seems downstairs is safe, right?"
But at this time, Takeshi was not standing with them. He was slowly stepping toward the adjacent room with light steps and a bit of suspicion.
-"Even though I know it will be dangerous, I feel the paper told the truth."
He opened the door gently, a "creak" rang out; the three girls standing there immediately noticed and turned over. But Takeshi had already gone inside; in the corridor with dim light, only the monotonous door sat there.
The three girls all knew that it was caused by Takeshi. They frowned and ran over in haste and worry.
Takeshi stood in the middle of the room observing but there was nothing. The room was no different from the room next door, from the arrangement to the colors of the objects.