NOVEL NEXT WORLD Side Story 2
Side Story 2. Investigation
The lonely elementary school, where no one goes anymore, has now become a temporary base for a group of delinquents. The sound of crunching glass fragments echoes with each step. Unusually, an antique pillar clock hangs on the wall, and fake potted plants, covered in dust, lie scattered in the hallway. The posters are faded, making it hard to tell what was written on them. The remaining window glass is barely intact, with most of it missing, leaving only the frames, as if the delinquents had smashed it all.
“Don’t you think this place is lonely? Hey, this used to be a facility where children came to get an education, you know?”
The guide glances at me, dressed in all black, shrugs indifferently, and walks ahead down the hallway.
“Not much of a friendly guy, huh?”
“Not many people would be friendly when they see someone dressed all in black like Sakimori-nya.”
“Sayoke.”
With a bitter smile, I follow the guide, finding it all rather dull, and am led to the former principal’s office. Despite being an elementary school principal’s office, the door is surprisingly grand. When it opens, several people are waiting inside. A woman sitting arrogantly on a sofa, and three men with scowls on their faces, holding crossbows, standing by the wall.
“Welcome. You’re Amano Sakimori, right? The strongest man in the abandoned town?”
“I’m troubled by the rumors, but it’s true that I’m Amano Sakimori.”
I answer nonchalantly and sit down across from Kocho. The springs creak, and a small cloud of dust rises. The bodyguards twitch their eyebrows in displeasure at me sitting on the sofa without permission, but since Kocho says nothing, they don’t act. Seems like they’re well-trained.
“I doubt there’s any tea, so let’s hear the request.”
After glancing at Karin sitting next to me, I address the woman who introduced herself as Kocho. If she were dressed elegantly, as her name suggests, I might have been captivated, but she’s wearing military combat gear and a heavy-looking anti-blade jacket, so there’s no charm. Her hair is cut short, and though her features are sharp and beautiful, she’s not wearing any makeup, so it doesn’t seem like she’s holding this group together with her looks. She’s probably in her late thirties.
“I think it’s good that you’re quick to get to the point. What I want from you is simple.”
Leaning forward, Kocho observes my face with amusement as she makes her request.
“I want you to take down a Living Mail in a building where there’s treasure. I’ve heard that it’s difficult to defeat without magic.”
“Ah, a Living Mail. I see.”
Now I understand why they came to me. So it’s because of a Living Mail. That’s a rare monster…
“What’s a Living Mail-nya?”
“Huh? You don’t know, Karin? Well, it’s not a monster that appears often. A Living Mail is an empty suit of armor that’s become a monster. You can blow it to pieces with a gun, but other than that, magic is the only way to defeat it. That said, it’s a rare monster, so why is it pinpointed in a place with treasure?”
Karin tilts her head in confusion, but since Living Mails are indeed rare, it’s no wonder she hasn’t heard of them. They’re so rare that I’ve only seen a few in my life.
The first time I saw one was a long time ago. No matter how much we hit or stabbed it, it wouldn’t go down because it was just a lump of metal, and many people died. Later, the military showed up and easily blew it to pieces with AP rounds.
More recently, I took one down myself. Since it’s a lump of iron, crossbows and iron pipes don’t do much damage, but it’s vulnerable to magic. That’s why I remember it being an E-rank. Kocho must have caught wind of that rumor. There aren’t many magic users around, and at a practical level, it’s probably just me.
It’s definitely a troublesome enemy. I understand why they came to me, but Living Mails aren’t the type to Sakimori treasure. They just wander around, seeking humans.
“I don’t know much about the nature of monsters. But it’s definitely stationed in front of the treasure. The reward is 50,000 yen. How about it? It’s a bargain, right?”
Kocho offers an unusual condition of cash payment, her lips curving seductively.
“Hmm…”
A Living Mail Sakimoriing treasure, huh… Sounds fishy. It doesn’t smell like a butterfly, more like a poisonous moth. Some of the guys around are smirking, so I can tell this request is no good.
But 50,000 yen is tempting. To fill my pockets, I’ll have to climb a dangerous ladder.
“30,000 upfront. You understand how shady this request is, right?”
I snap my fingers and narrow my eyes. Kocho casually pulls out the money from her pocket and places it on the table.
“It’s a relief you’re quick to act. Then let’s go now. To the place with the treasure.”
“Now? We need to prepare.”
“You’ll use magic to take down the Living Mail. We’ll handle the escort on the way. Hey, you guys, get ready! That money includes an express fee, you know.”
I’m stunned, but Kocho shows no mercy. Well, I guess there’s no helping it. I take the bills on the table, stash them in my pocket, and grab the cat girl’s shoulder next to me.
“I’m a man of love. I won’t ask how much the fee is, okay?”
“What kind of twisted love is that-nya? What kind of love-nya?”
“Pet love.”
“Can I hit you-nya?”
I imply that she should come along, and Karin puffs out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, poking me. This request is too shady. I think I have to take the cat along as a pet.
I’m impressed by the sound of the engine, something I haven’t heard in a while. We’re moving at quite a speed, and the vehicle keeps bouncing, making my butt hurt as I sit in the chair. I casually glance around.
Surprisingly, Kocho’s group of oil sellers brought trucks. A military personnel transport truck and a large cargo truck, two in total. I’m currently sitting in the cargo area with Karin and a few other men. Kocho seems to have her usual spot in the passenger seat of the cargo truck.
The personnel transport truck, which should normally have a canopy, has been reinforced with plywood, probably to protect against arrows. It’s been modified to withstand arrows from goblin archers. It’s a rare truck, designed for use in the abandoned town.
Occasionally, goblins appear, but we ignore them and pass by. Civilization’s tools are stronger than monsters. With a vehicle, you can move through the abandoned town relatively safely.
Still, I’m impressed by the car. Nowadays, gasoline is something you can’t get in the abandoned town. Even in the outer districts, you need a solid reason to get a permit to use it, so the fact that they’re using it means they must have strong connections with officials.
“How far are we going?”
I ask the man next to me, feeling nostalgic from the car’s vibrations.
“It’s a place you don’t need to remember.”
He replies curtly and falls silent. These guys seem to be the quiet type who don’t like to talk. As the truck rattles again, the men sit with their arms crossed and eyes closed, not saying a word for over an hour.
“You won’t be popular if you’re not friendly.”
Even to my teasing, the man remains expressionless. Good grief, how boring.
“It seems we’re heading towards Tokyo Bay-nya.”
Amidst the lonely abandoned town of buildings and abandoned vehicles on the road, Karin spots a rusted, mud-covered road sign and tugs at my sleeve. I look outside and nod as we pass the sign.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the sea.”
“I’ve never seen the sea-nya. Is it like a big pool-nya nya?”
Hearing her say something so cliché, I can’t help but smile bitterly. She’s so young, this cat girl.
“I’m surprised you know what a pool is.”
Karin’s face twitches. Pools aren’t something kids in the abandoned town, let alone the outer districts, know about. She seems to realize she’s said something she shouldn’t have. So I pat her cat-eared head and give her a gentle smile.
“It’s okay. I’m kind, so I’ll only hold two debts over you.”
“Where exactly are you kind-nyaa?”
I’m kind, you see. I’ll only hold two debts over you.
“…We’ve arrived.”
While chatting with Karin, 30 minutes later, the quiet man speaks up on his own.
“Arrived, huh?”
“It’s a big building-nya.”
The truck stops in front of a deserted park, and along with the oil sellers, Karin and I get out. A massive complex looms before us. It used to be called an amusement park. The sea is visible in the distance.
“Is the Living Mail and the treasure inside this complex?”
No one comes here to play anymore. A giant, tilted sign with unreadable letters exudes a sense of desolation.
“Sorry, but we’re not here to play. The entrance is the underground parking lot over there.”
Kocho stretches her shoulders as she gets out of the truck and points to the entrance. The concrete underground parking lot is half-buried in rubble, its dark entrance gaping like a cave. The wind howls, sounding like the screams of ghosts. Quite the atmosphere, huh?
“Well, it looks like the only fun we’ll have is a haunted house.”
“Are you suffering from a disease where you can’t stop making jokes or you’ll die?”
With a look of exasperation, Kocho signals her subordinates with a nod of her chin. Several of them run to the entrance and start clearing the rubble. The rubble is quickly removed, revealing a generator.
“There’s a generator?”
“Yep. We’ve been preparing for a long time to get this treasure. Start it up.”
At Kocho’s command, the subordinates start the generator. It rumbles and bangs, and the naked light bulbs on the ceiling of the dark parking lot light up.
The generator is placed in the middle of the parking lot, brightening the area, but the edges become even darker, blocking visibility. It’s the kind of place where monsters could easily be lurking.
“You’ll be protected. We’ll handle any monsters that show up.”
“Thanks.”
Kocho’s subordinates, armed with crossbows, spread out with trained movements. Kocho herself shows no fear as she heads inside, so I follow, stopping briefly. There’s something I need to prepare.
“Karin, I can’t take you, my beloved, into such a dangerous place. So wait here for me.”
“If you use love here, all that’s left is courage-nya.”
“Yeah. That’s enough, right?”
I grab Karin’s shoulder and whisper in her ear. Her cat ears twitch, and she gives a faint smile.
“Understood-nya. Then I’ll leave love here-nya.”
“Leave it to me. I’ll be back.”
With my shadowy coat fluttering, I head into the parking lot.
It’s a creepy and suspicious dungeon. Let’s see how this goes.