Chapter 73: Tunnel
The three girls ran over, a bit worried for Takeshi and afraid there would be something inside.
Airi with a reproachful voice, resting both hands on both hips:
"Hey? Why did you act on your own without us?"
Takeshi smiled and turned over, he scratched his head.
"Ah, sorry."
Airi was speechless and let out a sigh.
Elyssia spoke nonchalantly, but also with the intent that she didn't want Takeshi to act alone.
"You should act carefully; we must not leave each other. Who knows if this trial has something transformed into you?"
Takeshi could only force a smile, knowing he was wrong to be curious. He could only stand still and listen to them speak.
Ayaka sighed.
"Haizzz, it's okay, after all, it's safe."
Takeshi pointed around the room.
"Hey, is it possible that during the previous memory erasure we checked and still missed something? Now let's try turning this place upside down."
The three girls immediately stepped into the room and observed once.
Elyssia: "I find it reasonable, but if during the previous memory erasure we searched and didn't find anything, then us searching now isn't it a waste of time?"
Takeshi nodded, understanding what Elyssia meant.
"I see, but it's also possible it's not so. I will check quickly."
Airi nodded, hands on hips and glanced around.
"Yeah, I think we should try."
Takeshi swung the cabinet open but there was nothing. He jumped very high to observe the top of the large cabinet. But there was nothing either. He went to the side of the cabinet with suspicion.
-"I wonder if there is anything on the back of the cabinet?"
The weak body tried to use strength and pulled the light wooden cabinet out with difficulty. He peeked in to verify, and still nothing.
Ayaka turned the bed over and searched the small cabinet; nothing there either. She crawled on the ground and peeked into the under-bed area. The under-bed was strangely clean, but also nothing there.
Elyssia stood in the middle of the room observing, ready to write anything in.
-"This room has few items; likely there is nothing. It seems this trial will not give any clues and forces us to find them ourselves then record after each memory erasure? Sounds so tedious?"
Suddenly, Airi's voice rose. She was crawling lying on the ground and observing the underside of the table at the window.
"Everyone... come here. I found it."
Airi slowly stood up, she brushed her clothes, thinking her person was dirty, but actually, the floor was very clean.
Elyssia, Takeshi, and Ayaka immediately ran over. Everyone was expectant and a bit tense.
Elyssi: "What's the matter?"
Takeshi: "Found something?"
Ayaka: "What item?"
Airi with serious eyes, but her mind also had some thoughts about it.
"Under the table it's written: You... cannot, and do not let it in."
"Likely a clue."
Elyssia immediately recorded it on the paper.
Takeshi and Ayaka leaned down to try and see; Airi looked down and asked:
"See it yet?"
Takeshi and Ayaka slowly stood up.
Takeshi nodded.
Ayaka: "Saw it, words in red too."
Elyssia nodded.
Airi: "It's written quite strangely. The word 'You' then three dots, then added 'cannot'. After that is a comma, then 'and do not let it in'. Likely this is an implication."
Elyssia hurriedly corrected it, then stood looking at everyone, her face pensive in thought.
"The word 'You' probably refers to us. As for 'cannot', it's likely preventing us or could also be alluding to something. Next is 'do not let in', likely referring to the one who killed us."
Takeshi nodded, also finding it reasonable.
"I see, so likely we can be certain this is a life-saving trial. If we can't keep our lives, we'll be stuck in here forever."
Airi let out a sigh.
"Let's assume that, but how? Likely the loud noise recorded in the paper, maybe the killer kicked it open. And if he kicks it open, whatever is used to block it is the same."
Airi turned and stepped outside, her eyes serious to the point of discomfort looking downstairs and observing. But her head didn't know what to do.
The three in the room immediately went out right after Airi.
Airi: "Currently we will explore this entire house. Maybe clues are hidden somewhere."
The four slowly stepped down the stairs, every step was many times glancing and observing everywhere carefully.
The "thud thud" sound when they stepped on the stone floor.
Takeshi went first, pointing at the small kitchen.
"Let's check it."
Elyssia cautiously reminded.
"Remember whatever you do, do it a bit slowly, so I can record."
Airi and Elyssia stood outside observing because the kitchen was quite small; four people entering would be a bit cramped.
Takeshi and Ayaka checked every cabinet door; inside were only bowls, plates, and pots, pans…
Takeshi grimaced and stood up; he scratched his head trying to scan his eyes around with a bit of hope.
"This is a kitchen yet there are no knives?"
Ayaka also stood up and had no harvest.
"Probably not allowed for us to use. I think Vilkel thinks we have reduced strength and agility, but the ability to use weapons proficiently remains."
Elyssia added to the paper: Kitchen safe and no knives.
Airi glanced around.
"Likely so..."
Elyssia: "I think we have too few clues; if it continues like this, then erasing memories 10 more times might not be enough to finish. There isn't a single thing."
Ayaka and Takeshi sequentially stepped out of the kitchen.
Takeshi, while walking, glanced around, wishing there would be something.
"Yeah, that's right. Outside it's raining like that, we also can't go out. If clues are outside, it will be quite a mess."
Elyssia stroked her platinum hair up so it wouldn't get in the way.
"At the current time, do we just sit and wait for something to come and record it for the next memory erasure? That won't do; I think we still need to find it quickly."
Ayaka clicked her tongue, a bit uncomfortable before this situation.
"But the problem is there is nothing, that's what's hard; if there were something to guess, it might not be like the current situation."
Takeshi was standing observing everyone talk. Because this scene was strange, he frequently glanced around. Suddenly, his eyes hit…
It was the gap of the stairs; because this was a folding staircase, it had left a small empty space. And there, a door could still be dimly seen.
Takeshi curiously and silently stepped over with light steps.
-"Huh? In that gap there is a door; is it a basement or a secret passage?"
-"Likely this will be the next clue for us, great. Yet while going down the stairs no one noticed."
Standing before the small gap, looking closely he saw he would likely fit. Takeshi tilted his person to peek in.
A quite small wooden door, the paint layer scratched and dilapidated, even damaged in a few places.
Takeshi frowned while observing, touching the door made him clearly feel the roughness and imperfection.
"Door is so old? Probably a long time already."
The three girls also stopped discussing long ago, stepped to the back of Takeshi's back and peeked in to look.
Ayaka was a bit surprised.
"Oh, a door? Seems to be a tunnel."
Elyssia immediately recorded on the paper: Under the stairs there is a door.
Airi calmly analyzed.
"Likely a basement. We might find something terrible down here, just wait and see."
Takeshi turned back, grimacing in thought.
"Try checking?"
Elyssia: "Just check, we need clues. If something happens, likely we will be returned to the beginning without dying."
Airi turned to Elyssia.
"Remember to record as fast as possible, okay Elyssia?"
Elyssia nodded slightly.
"Yeah, I am still ready."
Ayaka was a bit worried.
"In short, just be slow, slow and steady. We just take slow steps, and seeing anything down there try not to panic."
Airi hummed.
"In short, keep calm if something happens, and try not to be killed in one blow. Otherwise if Elyssia doesn't record in time, it's over."
Takeshi: "Got it."
The four were standing in the small gap and following each other leading to the door. First was Takeshi, second was Airi, third was Ayaka, and finally Elyssia. Elyssia would stand last and the others would stall time for writing.
Everyone was tense, eyes directed toward the door.
Takeshi gripped the door which was not locked or latched; a rough sensation transmitted to his hand as if when making the door the wood was not planed at all.
Slowly pulling the light and thin door open gently. It felt as if just by using strength, the door might fall off.
The space inside was pitch black like the group's future, not a single bit of light at all. Only deep darkness that could not be seen into.
The 4 were silent and peeked in to observe.
Takeshi whispered:
"Someone take a glowing stone; too dark. Like this we can't even see, let alone be alert for something rushing out."
Elyssia backed up, to let Ayaka step outside. No one said a word, but they also understood what they needed to do.
She went up the stairs; on both sides were many sticks with glowing stones attached on top, emitting pale orange light.
Ayaka took two sticks, on both sides of the stairs, and went down. The two sticks with glowing stones held in her hand shone right near her, making the white skin turn orange.
Ayaka stepped past Elyssia who was standing outside the gap. She gave Airi, who was standing in front, one stick, so Airi and Takeshi going first could observe more clearly. Another stick was for her to shine for Elyssia to write, because inside it was very dark, but that was what Ayaka thought. Actually, the eyes of an angel were not affected by the night.
Airi gave Takeshi the stick with the glowing stone. He turned back and took it, held it out in front of his face and pointed it into the darkness.
The dark space inside was revealed; the orange light shone reflecting on the dry walls all around, revealing cracks, dirt, and spiderwebs densely covering the walls. This place looked as if no one had gone in, making it so dirty.
Inside there was a staircase going down and turning to Takeshi's right; it seemed to be a tunnel connecting to someone's house, or adjacent; the staircase was not too high, it was only 15 steps. After that was a straight path forward.
Airi whispered, afraid that something would detect them:
"Currently it's stable."
The four slowly stepped inside with silent steps that made no noise. They were very careful, understanding and fearing that if they made noise they might be detected; although not clear, alertness was still paramount.
They went down the stairs. Every step was taken very slowly; they lifted them high and only after a while set them down. In the view of the orange light from the glowing stone, flickering according to their movement, in the dim light, at this time there was only the air of caution.
After being inside for a while, they also smelled very unpleasant dust, showing that this place had been abandoned for a long time.
The light gradually lowered according to each step, stepping down to the next step…
They finished going down the stairs; now before them was a large and straight road. Far in the distance, escaping the illumination range of the stone, there was only black color.
No one said a single sentence, but they implicitly understood to keep going. Airi walked beside Takeshi and observed. Ayaka held the stick with the glowing stone to shine for Elyssia, who was ready to write.
Again, slow and silent steps; everyone was very careful. The light reflected on their faces made their serious faces become frightening.
Going a bit further, before the group's eyes was another door. Seemed to be the other end of the tunnel. The four stood still to observe.
The door was crude, only a thin layer of wood, apparently not locked.
Takeshi and Airi turned back; Ayaka and Elyssia following behind also stopped.
Takeshi pointed his thumb backward and nodded. It seemed he wanted to ask: open the door, okay.
Ayaka nodded slightly, eyes cautious.
Elyssia also followed with a nod.
-"Likely this is a tunnel leading to someone's house. Surely there will be some secret. Only afraid that meeting danger, I might accidentally drop the paper...."
Takeshi turned back to face the door in silence, eyes flashing with light that was not fearful.
Airi standing beside also silently waited.
Takeshi gripped the rough wooden door with his left hand. He did not hesitate to pull the door toward himself.
That was again a pitch-black space, but the glowing stone had illuminated almost the entire room.
They came out from behind the small gap of old wooden crates that had hidden the door high up to the ceiling.
In the middle of the room was a large circular stone block, protruding (0.5 tharn).
The stone block was like a formation table. On top was placed a skull right in the center; the skull was quite small, appearing to be that of a child.
Around were 10 candles stuck near the edge of the stone block; the burning candles emitted weak light.
Each candle base was drawn with strange characters and connected together. As if this was a seal, sealing non-existent creatures.
The four stood still before this scene; everyone was a bit bewildered. Except for Elyssia; she was very focused and didn't bother to deduce anything about these things. She knew, if slow, it's death.
Takeshi frowned, standing still quite far from the stone block, a bit bewildered, and afraid he would do something wrong and something would appear.
Airi with a pensive face, eyes staring at the skull.
-"What? What the hell is this? A summoning table? Or a seal? Or some weird ritual? If so, likely this is the basement of the house of the one who is above, and these things were done by him."
Airi stepped forward and grabbed Takeshi's hand then pulled him back.
Takeshi was standing, was suddenly pulled away quite surprisingly. But he knew she wanted to say something.
They faced Elyssia and Ayaka. By this time surely discussion was needed; if this was a basement, surely speaking low would not fear being heard.
Airi whispered: "Keep going?"
Takeshi stood with Airi; he glanced over to the left and saw stairs and a quite small path, they were a bit steep, seemingly used to go upstairs.
Elyssia had just finished recording; she tucked the paper and pen into her chest; although a bit uncomfortable, it would be convenient.
She whispered: "Still going."
Ayaka leaned over, pointing at the stone table.
"Does anyone know how to use that table, or can decipher it?"
Takeshi turned back and pointed toward the stairs.
"Everyone, there are stairs there."
They looked in the direction Takeshi pointed.
Airi nodded.
"Saw it, so it seems to be the way up into the house."
Elyssia had an intuition that they needed to be fast; feeling as if someone was standing beside her and continuously urging her to be fast.
"Just search, what to fear? Exploring as fast as possible is the only choice we have made."
Airi nodded slightly, agreeing with what Elyssia said.
Takeshi nodded.
"Then go."
Takeshi and Airi turned and stepped toward the direction of the stairs. Ayaka and Elyssia stepped right after and observed.
Stepping to the stairs leading up was a door dimly illuminated by light from the glowing stone. It was still that type of crude door, as if the one who made this door had quite bad aesthetic taste, and only made it for the sake of it.
Takeshi looked back, nodded, and stepped forward. Airi also walked right beside. Stepping up 15 steps gently, and a silence that was terrifying.
Stepping to the door and without hesitation opening the door; only a very light force was needed for the door to pull toward him without a single sound.
Stepping up with alertness and slowness; the dim light of this place was truly hard to see.
They came out from a door from a staircase. Precisely the staircase of this house.
This was the home of someone; this place was quite dirty and messy. Dishes broken, debris, food scattered everywhere, overturned cabinets and broken chairs. Spiderwebs densely covered the walls. But around there were quite many glowing stones, helping to illuminate better.
Light from flashes flared from the window outside, reflected on the serious and cautious faces of all 4.
Boom!!!
Right after the light from the flash. A loud thunder rang out like a drum striking their hearts, making those hearts beat faster instinctively.
Ahead was a quite large and long table, but extremely filthy. Only wine bottles and bones of slaughtered animals were left.
They slowly continued with slow and sluggish steps. Observed this place once more as if to be certain.
Takeshi whispered: "This will be our next clue. Search, hurry up."
Elyssia with the large paper in hand recorded almost half, the pen still in writing position.
Airi looked up at the upper floor.
"We will ransack this place."
Ayaka: "Don't know if this is an abandoned house or not? If there is nothing, that's great."
Takeshi shrugged, also a bit helpless.
"Who knows?"
"Looking at this house, I see it's even messier than the other house, although the items are a bit newer."
They stepped out to the middle of the house and looked around once. Then they intended to turn back to step onto the stairs to go to the upper floor…
But outside, suddenly a loud cough rang out; hearing it, one knew it belonged to a man. The group started, entering an alert state.
Coughing several times consecutively, that sound was gradually getting closer; it seemed the owner of this house was returning.
Immediately, the group moved quickly to turn, but still didn't forget to be silent; everyone was bewildered. They took large steps, but had to be very gentle. They immediately ran to the door under the stairs then ran into it, not forgetting to close the door carefully, avoiding detection.
Click... clack…
The sound of the door opening gently rang out.
The door opened when he pushed inside; that was the man who had twice killed the whole group in previous memory erasures. He went into the house with a body a bit wet, and heavy steps of boredom. His eyes were vacant and indifferent, moving slightly around the room.
He went to the basement door below the stairs where the group had gone.
He was silent without saying a single sentence, walking quietly.
He stepped to the door and opened it nonchalantly; it seemed he was too familiar with this house. He didn't enter hurriedly, because it was too dark. He went to the foot of the stairs and picked up a stick with a glowing stone, then turned to go down to the basement.
Cough... cough…
He coughed a few times; it seemed his body was quite frail, his face clearly showed exhaustion. Before the light of the glowing stone, it highlighted that even more.
Taking steps down the stairs n ot too slowly, but also not too fast. Like something was gradually searching, appearing dangerous, but hiding potential danger.
When he reached the bottom, he stepped near that large stone block, his face a bit grumpy.
…
Stopped for a beat... face stiff like stone.
Standing there with eyes of disbelief, he opened his eyes wide; it seemed there was something very terrible to him. He stood still for a long time, face darkened. Breath became more audible.
He glanced around once more. His mouth muttered in panic.
"N-No... no... why is there no more?"
He lifted his hand and pointed straight at the stone block, eyes wide as if not believing his eyes, the pupils dilated and shaking in the sockets. At the fingertips, it was clearly seen that he was trembling.
Immediately he turned and stepped quickly back toward the stairs in haste.