Chapter 82: Only Two Left.
Ayaka shook her head slightly, simultaneously half-closing her eyes.
"That I do not know, I only picked up the book. Perhaps the trial gave us more clues midway."
Airi propped her hands on the table and rested her cheek in her palm; she seemed to feel weary.
"Very possible, we are sitting waiting and waiting for clues to appear."
Elyssia, while writing on paper, spoke:
"So temporarily consider the mission as sealing that monster, treat it as the goal. For now, we need to find where the seal is first."
Takeshi nodded.
"The trial gives a goal but doesn't give other information and forces us to find it. Sounds reasonable."
Airi felt a bit of danger, worried and remembering what she had just read.
"But the person who sealed that monster gradually went mad. So if we seal it, will we be like him?"
Elyssia finished writing, she stowed the paper and pen into her shoe, then joined in. Nodding as Airi hit the exact key point she was also thinking of.
Takeshi felt worry clearly through his voice:
"I fear one person must stay behind and hold the seal like the person who sealed the monster before."
Everyone had to be silent in this moment, after Takeshi finished speaking.
Ayaka: "Hope not."
Elyssia tapped her finger on the table and spoke, as if drawing attention:
"Vilkel said he would give us the stone after completing the trial, he won't play a game of having to choose like that."
Airi sighed, a bit difficultly.
"Who knows? He is of the Phantom race, and they quite like playing around."
Ayaka: "Then if we reach the sealing step, let's find out more carefully and see if there is any price to pay?"
Airi nodded with a bit of difficulty as if there were only one choice.
"Can only be so."
Ayaka: "But now where to find it?"
She stood up, the old chair she sat on had soaked up water and turned black when she sat on it with wet pants.
"I feel so uncomfortable, clothes are all wet."
Airi looked over and clicked her tongue once.
"This is hard, we don't have clothes here. Letting you wear that and catch a cold is not good."
Elyssia looked over and sighed helplessly.
"Try to endure it, Ayaka; now if you wear outer clothes that are dry, but inner clothes that are wet, it's easier to catch a cold."
Ayaka sighed reluctantly while trying to lift the wet parts off her body as they were clinging tight to her.
"Hope I don't catch a cold."
Takeshi looked around the house once, still simple details with nothing new.
"We have finished exploring this house, there is nothing else. Could it be that now it's the clues' turn to be outside?"
Ayaka silently thought and looked at the three people sitting in front of her:
"Seems they haven't found the inscription under the table, otherwise I would have been suspected and not allowed in."
Airi turned over.
"Ayaka, did you enter any house outside to shelter from the rain?"
Ayaka shook her head.
"I did not."
Airi: "Then probably it's time for us to go out."
Ayaka turned and stepped toward the door, as she walked she spoke:
"I'll open the door for some air, it's too stuffy in here, it'll take forever for my clothes to dry."
She stepped to the door and opened it, a wave of cool air stabbed straight at her like a powerful splash. She felt a bit of relief, eyes directed toward the black sky and the distant houses like black shadows.
She turned; currently she was standing close to the wall and could see a bit from the crevice at the stairs.
Looking out at the three people sitting, they seemed to be thinking. Then she cast her gaze toward the stairs. She felt this moment was appropriate.
She was quite surprised and pointed toward the stairs. Voice a bit curious:
"Everyone, is there a path over there?"
The three sitting on chairs immediately cast their eyes following. Ayaka stepped back inside and walked close to the wall, then leaned her body trying to look.
The other three also stood up and came over.
They walked close and saw a small crevice and at the end was an old door there.
All four were quite surprised and looked at each other once.
Ayaka felt very curious.
"Is it a basement?"
"Currently going with them and exploring the man's house is best."
Takeshi stroked his chin and nodded.
"Seems so."
Elyssia took out paper and pen from inside her shoe and recorded.
Airi went up the stairs and grabbed two sticks with glowing stones and went down, while walking she spoke:
"Let's try seeing what's in there."
Takeshi was excited but also quite worried fearing that below was something bad.
"Well there's no other way, maybe down here is the place sealing that monster."
Airi gave a glowing stick to Ayaka and she took it.
Holding the glowing stick in hand, it reminded her of the people similar to them who also went down with her; her eyes sank a bit, but she quickly controlled her emotions and returned to normal.
Airi held the glowing stick and walked past Takeshi. But he grabbed the glowing stick Airi was holding. Airi turned and saw Takeshi smiling, voice calm and confident:
"Let me go first."
Airi held the gaze for a moment then looked away. Released her hand from the stick. Voice as if mocking:
"Showing off."
Takeshi still kept the smile as his steady support.
"Me going first is most correct."
Airi with expressionless eyes looked at Takeshi, as if speechless.
Takeshi seeing Airi looking at him like that also made the smile on his lips gradually stiffen.
Airi: "Up to you."
Takeshi scratched his head.
"You must trust me? Since when did I lose trust in your eyes?"
Airi turned away, not bothering to look at Takeshi anymore.
"I haven't lost trust, don't worry."
Ayaka turned to Elyssia who was standing and waiting for Takeshi to enter the small crevice first, followed by Airi immediately after.
"Shall I shine the light for you to write?"
Elyssia shook her head.
"Don't worry, no need."
Ayaka was curious, but also quite confused and tilted her head to one side.
"Why?"
Elyssia seeing Ayaka looking at her like that, she also answered:
"I am an angel, night to me is like day. Therefore I don't need lamps or glowing stones."
Ayaka was quite surprised and let out an "Oh."
"So that's it, sounds wonderful."
Takeshi standing near the door also found it quite interesting and turned back to speak:
"Then she should be the one going with me."
Airi stood right beside and sighed helplessly.
"If she goes first and is the one writing, if something happens doesn't it mean we return to the initial starting point?"
Takeshi froze, he seemed to have forgotten that. He smiled wanting to let it pass.
"I forgot, my apologies."
Ayaka entered, followed by Elyssia.
Takeshi opened the door slowly, left hand he held the stick with the glowing stone and shone it inside.
Takeshi alertly entered inside, followed immediately by the three girls.
The "squeak squeak" of rats echoed.
All four looked down at the stairs a bit worriedly.
Takeshi was the first to step down, not forgetting to remind:
"Remember to be careful."
They slowly stepped down each stair, with slow but steady footsteps, each step was one time observing very carefully again.
Going down below, before them was a passage of unclear length. But it was quite dark as the light from the glowing stone could not shine far.
In front was darkness making them extremely alert, every sense as if in the highest state of activity.
Going another distance, they reached an old and simple wooden door, without a bit of smoothness or polishing.
Takeshi swallowed saliva and turned to Airi standing beside him, he nodded once as a signal.
Airi also nodded as a word of "ready." She turned back and nodded.
Elyssia and Ayaka also nodded ready.
Takeshi slowly opened the door, but blocking before him were wooden crates being stacked high all the way up.
Takeshi walked close and turned to the left side and saw a small path, he did not hesitate and stepped forward.
Before the whole group was a large cylindrical stone block, around the edge were burning candles emitting weak light. On the stone surface were strange drawings and patterns, and in the middle was a small brown head.
All four froze for a beat a bit bewildered, everyone found it extremely confusing.
Ayaka silently looked and thought, eyes staring at the stone block:
"This is the sealing place, earlier I ran in such a panic I didn't notice, now observing it's true."
"So will have to seal that monster again as if reinforcing the seal."
She flashed a thought of Kuralak, but then pushed it away.
Airi: "Seems this is the sealing place?"
Elyssia stood behind and recorded carefully.
Takeshi stepped forward and observed, he accidentally saw the path leading upward. Pointed toward there and turned back.
"Everyone, here is this path."
Ayaka stepped right beside.
"Perhaps should explore those three rooms first to see if there are any more clues."
She pointed toward there.
"How about we go this way?"
Airi also came and spoke right after Takeshi and Ayaka who were standing in front.
"Wait a moment."
Suddenly, a red light flashed.
Elyssia stepped closer and wanted to observe more carefully, she opened her eyes wide when red light flashed from the characters on the stone block. She was bewildered and instinctively recoiled. The brown head shook violently, the candle light brightened more strongly…
And then, that light swallowed her. Elyssia immediately disappeared without being able to react.
When the three saw the red light flash and turned back. They no longer saw Elyssia anywhere.
Airi was bewildered but full of alertness as she glanced around.
"What was that bright light?"
Takeshi frowned, he felt something was missing, suddenly realized... Voice loud and very panicked:
"Where is Elyssia?"
At this time, Airi and Ayaka only realized, Elyssia had disappeared from who knows when.
Ayaka bewildered, hurried to the door behind the crates and peered in, but there was nothing, also didn't see the door move; because she was the last one and closed the door so she still remembered.
"Where is she? Is she joking?"
Airi turned side to side.
"Could it be she went back to the other side of the house?"
Takeshi: "If she doesn't fear the dark then it's very possible."
Ayaka grimaced in confusion.
"But we said to explore?"
"How about I go back and find her?"
Airi nodded heavily.
"Okay, but must be careful, we are very passive."
Ayaka nodded, amethyst eyes flashing trust.
"Um."
She turned and ran into the tunnel, hand tightly gripping the stick with the glowing stone.
"What the hell is going on? Why disappear?"
Airi and Takeshi stood still saying not a word in this situation full of bewilderment.
Suddenly Takeshi spoke, he pointed at the stone block:
"Hey? Could it be caused by this stone block?"
Airi had thought of that already, but she didn't think of anything more, face still very serious.
"I don't know, I fear this is some kind of seal that if getting close one gets sucked in."
Takeshi was quite surprised.
"There is even that kind? So Elyssia stepped in there and was sealed?"
Airi shook her head.
"Don't know."
Finished speaking, she turned to Takeshi with serious eyes and a warning:
"You should be careful, best not to get close."
Takeshi was quite worried and impatient when Elyssia disappeared without a clear reason.
"So now what to do?"
Airi was calming down, her voice returned to normal:
"Just stay calm and wait for Ayaka to return and see, see if Elyssia is on that side."
Suddenly, a deep voice, carrying threat and death, he growled:
"You monsters want to come save it? You will never break my seal."
Airi and Takeshi opened their eyes wide in bewilderment, slowly turning back. Before both was the man standing still there, the stick with the glowing stone thrown at his feet, making the light shine from below up onto his face making him even more terrifying.
The sword had been drawn at some point, currently pointing the tip down toward the ground, his hand tightly gripping the hilt.
Airi spoke first, she was still very bewildered when another man appeared here. Smiled lightly and appeared a bit friendly:
"We were exploring the basement, didn't expect it to connect to your house."
The man who was standing silently and with hostile eyes looking at both suddenly broke into a smile wide to his ears.
Expression changed fast in a confusing way.
Pure white teeth revealed, face as if very interested, along with light from the glowing stone shining from below up making him at this moment extremely terrifying without needing to lift a hand, already enough to threaten mentally.
His voice changed dizzyingly from deep to clear, the clear voice making his laughter even more terrifying.
"Hahaha, as monsters you must certainly die. You don't need to save it, I'll let you be together."
He lunged with extreme speed, the sword in his hand swung from above down.
Takeshi standing in front did not react in time to that speed. Only stood still and received the slash lunging toward him.
Schlick!!!!
The sword slashed vertically from above down and split Takeshi in half easily without the slightest difficulty.
Blood splashed onto Airi's face who was standing still, eyes wide in stunned shock, body frozen and bone-chilling cold.
…
Ayaka at this time was running in the tunnel and returning, she was very hurried.
"I searched the whole house but didn't see Elyssia anywhere, must go back and tell the other two."
"Could it be those patterns on that stone block are a seal or something?"
"Damn it, finding a place where people don't suspect is very hard. Now going elsewhere surely those people in that house will suspect."
"So unlucky, out of nowhere Elyssia disappeared, like that it becomes missing one person. Also don't know if I can find another house missing me or not?"
While running, she froze when feeling something was not right. The surrounding space as if distorting, like silent water to the point of thickening suddenly having a boat pass through and making the water surface change accordingly.
Bewildered and looking around, her eyes wide trying to see.
"What is it? Is something wrong with the tunnel? Or because the light of the glowing stone is weak it makes me see like that?"
Suddenly realizing something horrific, she rushed forward.
"That is the man's basement, could it be he went down and encountered Airi and Takeshi there, then killed them."
She was running then stopped, feeling confused and if running it would be harder to think than standing still.
"So it means they will have memories erased."
She looked around the dark space.
"Then what about me? Could it be because I am not a person of this house? And I am not affected by that?"
"Elyssia disappeared, there will be no more paper she recorded on, meaning everything will return to the start. Will Elyssia return? And what about the Ayaka of this house?"
She was bewildered and ran back... After a while running to the door, she stopped but didn't open immediately. Swallowed saliva in anxiety.
She gripped the door and slowly opened, but as soon as it opened a bit, she froze when hearing a voice.
…
Airi and Takeshi stepped outside in bewilderment. They walked along the hallway and looked down at the house with unfamiliarity.
Takeshi felt very confused.
"Why were only the two of us transported to the trial?"
Airi shook her head, shrugged.
"Don't know, maybe they will receive a different trial."
Takeshi: "So the two of us will have to solve one trial together? Not clear if those two are together or not, but we have two people, surely the trial will be very hard now."
Both stepped down into the house, footsteps "thump... thump" as they stepped on the stone floor. They stood there and observed around the room once more.
Takeshi looked around the room.
"What is this place? What do we need to do?"
Airi shook her head while looking over the room.
"Must search."
Takeshi was a bit uncomfortable.
"Forcing us to find treasure in this house?"
He felt this house was also ordinary, voice lowering:
"But this house is quite ordinary, right? If finding treasure it's probably only a matter of time."
Airi stepped forward, as she walked she spoke:
"Who knows if it's finding treasure or not?"
Takeshi followed right after.
"Also possible, currently we don't know anything either."
Airi walked near the kitchen and entered wanting to check if there was anything inside here.
"This house is quite simple, maybe it takes clues or something from somewhere."
Takeshi walked near and peered into the kitchen.
"Could it be it forces us to play a jigsaw puzzle?"
He stroked his chin.
"How to say?"
Then thought of it.
"The trial forces us to collect clues and piece them back then find something for example, or collecting enough is escaping."
Airi was opening each cabinet door in the kitchen and lifting each bowl and plate to examine.
"Also very possible."
Takeshi turned and walked near the table and looked over once.
Airi stepped out of the kitchen without harvesting anything, face clearly showing a disappointed expression.
…
Ayaka at this time was standing behind the basement door and heard the entire conversation of Airi and Takeshi.
She was feeling very difficult, her head was very tangled.
"Just assume Elyssia was sealed, and when sealed cannot return anymore. Being sealed is disappearing forever."
"And I am an outsider stepping in also not affected at all, only those already in the house have memories erased."
"No, this is like a form of loop to be exact, and every one day or someone gets killed then the loop will bring back to the start."
"So what do I need to do? Now they are lacking me and Elyssia, if I suddenly appear then how to explain?"
She turned her head and looked down at the stairs being lit by the light of the glowing stone, her eyes sank.
"Not good at all, likely I need to act alone by myself. After that find some house that is also lacking me."
"If the loop just started, does it mean the man hasn't returned home yet? If so I need to explore the two rooms in his house as fast as possible."
Ayaka turned, she urgently ran down the stairs... And wanted to return to the man's house.
Running in the tunnel, because in here it was quite dusty it made her nose quite uncomfortable.
"A-choo!"
She sneezed once hard, but didn't care and ran on.
…
She ran to the door and opened it urgently, and ran in, past the stone block, but she didn't care and continued running and didn't want to waste time down here.
Running up to the man's house, she urgently ran up the stairs without the slightest hesitation. Eyes glanced to the first room and then diverted far away, where the second room was.
"First room checked already, skip it. I need to check the second room."
She ran over and opened the door, the room quite dark, but her hand already held the glowing stone. Raised it and observed around the room.