Chapter 38 – It seems to be a night in the deserted house

“Impossible! Impossible, impossible, impossible, impossible! It is impossible! Hey, let’s go back, Renya…” (Shion)

Clinging to Renya’s right shoulder with both hands, Shion frantically appeals with upturned eyes.
Stirring up her hands helplessly like a lost child, her up-looking eyes are completely blurred with tears.
There was no doubt that her chest touching him, even if only slightly, was a spectacle for a man, but since Renya has his shoulder crushed with a terrific grip additionally to having his senses stolen, he tears off Shion’s hands and thus doesn’t pay attention to that spectacle overly much.

“Why are we spending the night in a property where something like ghosts appear…? I beg you, let’s go baaack…” (Shion)

“No way, I told you, it’s for the sake of confirming that, right? As they are ghosts, they won’t come out unless it’s night. You know that there’s no other method but to stay the night, if one considers to check it out, right? If you want to go back, isn’t it fine for you to go back by yourself?” (Renya)

“After hearing such a story, there’s no way for me to be able to return by myself through the streets in the night, is there? Renya, you brute!” (Shion)

Due to the state of Shion, which is close to a situation of the offender being angry at the victim, Renya begins to wonder whether it had been a mistake to have brought her along.
However, since it’s certainly his own fault that he didn’t take her along after properly explaining the circumstances in advance, he isn’t able to strongly talk back either.
All things considered, it was unexpected that Shion was hopeless in regards to ghost stories, or rather in regards to ghosts.
In the first place, rather than not knowing whether ghosts exist or not, Renya considered the visual and threatening state of the melted human types, which they encountered in the dungeon, to be manifold more scarier. But once he tries to question about those circumstances,

“You can’t kill ghosts with a sword, can you!?” (Shion)

was the answer he got.
Listening to that reply, Renya gradually rated Shion as disappointing young woman. He decided to assign the new word “physics idiot” to her. (T/N: 物理馬鹿 or butsuri baka)
While trying to drag along Shion, who insists on going back in a loud voice and desperately pulls his sleeves, Renya starts the investigation of the building.
The first floor faces the road on the opposite side of the entrance. This has become the store space.
One of the two storehouses can only be entered from the store’s side. The other is adjoining to the workshop and it can’t be entered from anywhere but the workshop.
There was furniture left behind in the parlour from the time when people lived here, but he discovered many of them being moth-eaten and corroded and moreover a thick layer of dust and dirt had been formed and accumulated.
Rather than repairing and cleaning the furniture, all of them will be disposed once. The types of the newly bought ones might depend on the money, but there’s no mistake that it will also take time, Renya judges.
There was something that resembled a dining room too.
The cookware was left behind there, but, as expected, even Renya has no intention to use items, which were used by a criminal of a bizarre serial murdering case. He decides to get rid of everything.
The kitchen was established as something expensive, which used plenty of magic tools.
If a magic stone is supplied, water and fire are even usable with a single button. “The degree of strength can be freely adjusted as well”, Shion explains. Renya admires this place for being strangely high-tech.
The workshop’s devices were quite the splendid items as well.
In order to be able to work with fire, a furnace, which used magic stones as fuel, had been installed. Besides that it had been provided with stuff like an imposing cupboard, making it possible to place ingredients and chemicals on it, and a sturdy work table. The workshop is in a state of being usable right away once the cleaning has finished there.

“I wonder, was someone killed on this work table…?” (Shion)

It’s a work table, which has space to the degree that a single person is even able to lie down on it. While staring at it timidly, Shion asks so, but Renya shook his head.

“By no means something like that happened, right? If for argument’s sake such thing had been done, I will scold the ghosts at the time they come out.” (Renya)

A work table is a place where a craftsman works.
Renya doesn’t intend in the least to overlook someone, who does such an insolent action at a place like that.

“You will scold the ghosts? I wonder if they will listen…?” (Shion)

“That I don’t know. It’s something I haven’t done yet either.” (Renya)

Ascending to the second floor, there are three bedrooms.
The bedroom of the married merchant couple, who were the original inhabitants, one bedroom for each child and one bedroom for guests.
The furniture and bedding was left behind here as is as well, but, as expected, without any intention to use something which was used by strangers and since they are extremely dirty, Renya plans to dispose of it entirely.
The bathrooms are quite spacious. With the bathtub being something gorgeous made out of marble, the hot-water supply device is something that used magic utilizing a magic stone and it has even a shower installed. In spite of not having been used for a long time, its condition was quite satisfactory.

“It’s great for the bath to be spacious. It’s big enough so that one can enter with several people.” (Shion)

“I have no plans for mixed bathing though.” (Renya)

Shion followed trying to hide behind Renya’s back as usual, but her eyes were sparkling when she saw the facilities of the bathroom.

“Don’t you want to see Rona’s bathing appearance? Although she is already amazing normally, it gets even more amazing once she gets wet.” (Shion)

“I don’t know what’s amazing, but the stability of my life and mind is precious.” (Renya)

She likely won’t make a fuss even if he peeps at her for example, but Renya has the belief that she will absolutely make use of that matter for something else.

“H-How about mine, I wonder? I have pride in them being reasonably well, but…” (Shion)

“What are you expecting of me? It would be better for you to explain it precisely once.” (Renya)

While answering with a fed up expression, certainly, Shion might have sex appeal exposing her slightly flushed skin and with her hair put up, he ends up suddenly thinking about such things.
Did that end up appearing on my face? Renya sighed slightly due to Shion floating a smile with a smug face. (T/N: author uses ニヤニヤ here or nimanima, it expresses a voiceless laughter loaded with self-satisfaction)
The two tried to visit the remaining library, living room and nursery, but there was nothing, they should examine in particular, there.
Some types of furniture were left behind after all, but there isn’t anything in a condition that could be re-used. When they arrived at the library, everything, such as all kinds of books, was gone.
After roughly touring the building, Renya created a space in the garden by suitably mowing down the weeds, which had grown thickly, and decided to begin dinner preparations there.
It’s not like the cooking equipment of the dining room can’t be used, but that doesn’t mean that he bought the property at present. Both of them have no magic stones, which serve as fuel, in the first place.
Naturally deciding to make a fire by themselves for the dinner preparation, it’s only natural that they must do that outside.
Taking firewood out of his [Inventory] and piling it up, Shion sets fire to the pile with magic.
Since fire will create embers once it burns to a certain extent, he places a pot, similar to a shallow frying pan, on top of it. He thinly pours something mixed with water and dry flour of crops, which resembled corn and wheat flour, into the pot.
Once he roasted this, something like thin bread has been completed, but after roasting several sheets of that, Renya pours oil into the same frying pan and this time he tosses stuff like meat and vegetables cut in large pieces into it. He fries those with salt, alcohol and a small dose of honey.
It will truly become something yakiniku-like, if he puts in soy sauce, sesame oil and mirin in here, but it can’t be helped if he doesn’t have those things.
Although it’s fine, once I will be able to make my own creations sooner or later, Renya comforts himself.
Anyway, once the frying finished, he distributes it on large plates, garnishes it with vegetable leaves, washed with water, and it’s done.
Also, placing vegetable leaves on top of the thin bread and putting the fried meat on top of that, he rolls it up and eats that.
Preparing even mustard, he is fond of, in order to apply it, he tried to line up a light wine as beverage.
He experiences a deep taste with the fried food from the beginning. He also makes sure that it won’t become bland even if he inserts t into bread and vegetables.

“Renya, at least don’t get absorbed in food.” (Shion)

Shion, who sank her teeth into the rolled up dish placing the ingredients together as she was taught, said this seriously.
Adventurers often won’t do something like cooking while mobilising.
Although it’s a consequence of it not being deemed acceptable to increase the luggage, the reality is that many people aren’t able to cook in addition to that.
With food at the level of it being grilled with salt sprinkled on top at most, there are many parties, for whom it’s absolutely out of reach to do something like boiling, frying and steaming.
With Shion definitely not being the cooking type either, she seems to have gotten accustomed to eat simple meals, which won’t take much time to prepare, like the other adventurers.

“It’s extremely unlikely for me to return to my previous life, if I’m acting together with you, Renya.” (Shion)

Holding the rolled-up bread with both hands, Shion smiles bitterly while biting into it with proper manners. Renya bit into his own share of bread without knowing what he should answer to that.
Shion laughed even more while thinking by his appearance, he is embarrassed, I think, but immediately following her body freezes with a start and her face, that was smiling, stiffened.
Due to her face suddenly becoming pale, Renya, who perceived that something likely happened, asks a question,

“What’s up?” (Renya)

“Just now… someone laughing…” (Shion)

Since the cooking was done outside, the place, where they are eating their dinner, is outside as well.
Given that it was unpleasant for both of them to be sitting directly on the bare ground, they took their meal sitting on the chairs Renya brought along, but as there’s only the garden, overgrown with weeds, and the building in the vicinity, there’s no indication of someone lurking around.

“Haven’t you misheard?” (Renya)

“I don’t know… but, it’s been someone’s laughter after all…” (Shion)

A giggling of a small girl.
It’s a voice laughing with a giggle, but this time both of their ears heard the voice.
While Shion becomes pale, Renya surveys the vicinity vigilantly, but in the space of the garden, that doesn’t even have the sound of weeds and tree leaves swaying, only the low laughter of a woman can be heard.

“R-Renyaaa…” (Shion)

“Don’t use such pathetic voice.” (Renya)

The laughter gradually become louder. Before long it changes into a loud laughter as if gone crazy with a *gera gera* (T/N: sound for loud, hoarse laughter/giggling)
Shion jumped at Renya’s left shoulder on the verge of tears, but she doesn’t do something like dropping the meal, she held with her hands.
While instinctively praising her as admirable, Renya embraced Shion’s waist with his left arm in order to calm her down.

“It appeared! It’s a ghost, Renya!” (Shion)

Clinging to Renya’s shoulder with all her might, Shion was shaking that shoulder, but maybe because of the difference in body weight and strength, Renya’s body doesn’t move even a bit no matter how much Shion shakes it.
It was completely a scene one might imagine as a kitten rampaging and clinging to a large tree.

“Hmm? Surely it looks real, but…” (Renya)

Within the ongoing laughter, while embracing Shion, Renya indifferently muttered,

“But, with it only being laughter, isn’t it nothing but annoying?” (Renya)

Once Renya’s words, which he stated carelessly, entered Shion’s ears, she needed several blinks until her brain comprehended them to be words.

“Eh?” (Shion)

Pressing her face into Renya’s shoulder, Shion was on the verge of panic, however she looked up at Renya’s face with an expression as if she had heard something in Renya’s words she can’t believe.
Tossing the remaining bread, which was left in his right hand, into his mouth, Renya slowly chewed and then gulped it down. While wondering whether he had said something strange, he continues his words,

“Certainly, since this will be unbearable at the time of sleeping, there’s some kind of counter-plan necessary, but basically it’s harmless, right?” (Renya)

Did she hear Renya’s word being fixated on the noise being a bother to the neighbourhood? The woman’s loud laughter suddenly stopped.
At the same time Renya is attacked by countless pebbles, making small sounds of cutting the wind, from all over the garden.
While holding onto Shion, who has tightly closed her eyes, Renya, who drew his katana with his right hand, strikes the pebbles, coming flying one after the other, not with the blade but the back of the katana making them drop.

“After laughter, pebbles come flying? Isn’t that called a poltergeist?” (Renya)

What rolled around on the ground after being stricken and dropping are small stones.
Those are likely everywhere in the garden. That’s nothing to be afraid of or even something particularly unusual.

“Well, what will appear next?” (Renya)

Ahead of the gaze of Renya, who poses such question, many blueish-white shadows of people, obviously gushing out of the gaps in the weeds, could be seen standing up while their forms swayed with a wobbling.
Even if they are slimy, unable to have their faces distinguished, they raise their voices into a roar as if fully loading their resentments towards all living into the their voices.
Being pierced in the head by the silver blade, which was thrust out as if penetrating the darkness of the night, they scattered.
Even as he holds Shion, who is still clinging to him with closed eyes, with only his left arm, Renya apparently doesn’t consider something like dropping the speed of his charge.
To say nothing about the ground being overgrown with weeds.
Without knowing the state of the ground, he charges at, he should get obstructed in his movements by the freely extending weeds certainly twining themselves around his feet.

“See, they can be killed, can’t they?” (Renya)

Placing a sentiment similar to having signs of regret in his voice, he doesn’t even show any interest in the scattering blueish-white light.
While enjoying the fragrance and sensation of Shion, who is pressed into his left body half, Renya thrust the katana at a countless number of appeared shadows of people and laughed.

“Well then, let’s get on with the major cleanup, shall we?” (Renya)

 

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