Chapter 88 - Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [5] (1/2)

88. Top Secret and Thousand Blade Festival [5]

When we went through the haunted house door, there was a dimly lit small room.

「This is…」

There was a large poster there.

It was the instructions of the haunted house.

Because it is dangerous, please do not run in the building.

If you feel sick, please wait on the spot. The students of this class will come to pick you up immediately.

There are some representations which use manipulation-type soul dress. Please bear that in mind.

Then, please be careful and continue forward.

The instructions were like a real haunted house, and my expectations naturally grew.

「Ria, Rose.」

「Y-Yes…!!」

「What’s the matter with you two?」

Just calling out, gave them a jump.

(…I wonder if it’s really all right.)

A little, no, I’m plenty worried, but…

Since they stubbornly insist on not being『afraid』, there’s nothing I can do about it.

「We’ve read the instruction, so let’s continue on.」

I pointed to the only door in the room.

「Y-Yeah, yes!」

「Aa, r-right…!」

Then, I slowly opened the door.

Beyond that point was a narrow passage with black curtains on the left and right.

Light blue lighting illuminates the floor and shows the direction.

「He-hee… Q-Qu-Qu-Quite a nice atmosphere isn’t it… Well, I’m not afraid at all, though…」

「R-Right… The president and senpais did a pretty good job… I’m also not afraid at all though…」

「Ahaha, it certainly has a good atmosphere.」

I took a step forward, smiling at their brave front -『click』- the sound of a lock was heard from behind.

「「Hii!?」」

Ria and Rose let out a shriek and tried to open the door behind us.

However, the door was locked and could no longer be opened.

「W-WW-WW-What do we do… Allen?!」

「L-Locked… We’re locked inside?!」

Ria and Rose shook my body violently, bewilderedly.

The two trembling this much was something rare, and was rather cute.

「It’s okay, so calm down…」

I said gently, trying to calm Ria and Rose.

「U-Un… Thank you.」

「Fuu… s-sorry, I lost my composure.」

And when they regained their coolness,

「Let’s move on.」

We finally started to go into the haunted house.

I walked in the lead, whereas the two followed behind me; Ria on the right and Rose on the left.

Their hands were tightly clutching the sleeves of my uniform, and it was very hard to walk.

However, there was no way that I could say 『It’s a little hard to walk…』

to the two of them who were trembling.

(Even so, the『sound of door locking』was a good touch that induced anxiety.)

The reality of being『trapped』reminds human beings of the feelings of oppression, fretfulness, and dread.

In that sense, the current trick was a simple but very good『introduction』.

(If I’m not mistaken, the general manager was Ferris-senpai, wasn’t it…)

When I looked around, I saw a broken mirror, one indoor slipper of a pair, a half-open locker, and so on. Props which induced fear indirectly caught the eyes.

(All of them are clever props. They didn’t spare a thought in inducing fear.)

Should I say, as expected of the haunted house that made more than ten people faint last year.

(Fufu, it’s getting a little fun.)

As we went down the narrow, dark course, a student dressed as a short old-man with a bent waist slowly came toward me, tapping his cane on the floor.

「Oh, you guys…! I wonder if you’re still alive…?!」

Then, he began talking without waiting for our reply.

「We『dead souls』are bound by the『keystone』at the far end of this building, and are unable to enter Nirvana. I’d like to ask you guys a favour. I want you to find the『curse dispelling amulet』somewhere in this building and place it on the keystone.」

Apparently, the condition to clear this haunted house is to listen to his request, and help the dead souls bound to the house reach Nirvana.

「Just like how there are dead like me who can reason, there are also dead who can’t and will attack the living at first sight. Be very careful.」

Having said that, he walked away somewhere.

「Curse dispelling amulet he says…」

「I see, it seems like we have to look for it first…」

With a clear purpose, the two were completely absorbed into the world of the haunted house.

「Well, then, let’s go find the curse dispelling amulet.」

「Un.」

「Aa.」

After that, the two of them, who got used to the atmosphere here, came to walk shoulder to shoulder with me.

As we advanced to through the narrow passage, we came out to a wide spacious room

(There is something here…)

The moment I tried to cross the hall while being slightly cautious, the sound of wings flapping and the ominous cries of ravens resounded.

「「Hiiii!?」」

Ria and Rose hugged me involuntarily. But the trick is not over yet.

Cold wind blew from all sides, and a big doll in red clothes attached to the ceiling began to rattle.

「「A-A-Aaaa…」」

While their eyes were glued to the ceiling,

(So, the ”floor”, huh…)

After checking the ceiling quickly, I calmly shifted my eyes to the floor.

(A big doll that outright attracts attention. This is probably a typical trick which shifts people’s gaze.)

Then,『blood-painted hands』which would probably grip our ankles came from the floor.

Perhaps this was the note『representation using manipulation-type soul dress.』

(As expected, it came from the floor after all. Even so, the『hand』looks quite realistic. I wonder if it’s made of clay or something…)

While thinking about that, I easily avoided the creeping hands.

At that moment,

The blood-stained hands gripped the ankles of the two who were distracted by the doll above.

「「KY-KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA?!!!」」

The two, who had been completely fixated on the doll, shrieked like hell.

「C-Calm down, calm down! It’s okay! Because it is a prop hand!」

When I spoiled the trick,

「R-R-R-Really…? Oh, it’s true…」

「I-I was surprised as hell…」

They must have been terrified.

Ria and Rose trembled with tears in their eyes.