Volume 10 (2/2)

If the opponent is a hu with them is easy

Therethe fund

If the opponent is a demon, it's simpler

Search and destroy

It is really simple

”Wake up Rudeus! There's a sound!”

It was Cliff oke me up

I sprang up immediately

Zanoba is still sleeping

We had rotating guard shi+fts for about two hours to allow each other to get a shallow sleep

Since we don't know the exact tilass

It is the second shi+ft now

In the ht

It's just the right time for a demon to come out

”Please wake up Zanoba”

I briefly told Cliff and moved to the door

And I listen carefully

KiriKiri

KataKata

KyiKyi

Herous

It sounds real

It's very clear

The sound is like a chair creaking

Scary

I was able to see with foresight eyes

”Afu ~a ”

Zanoba while rubbing his eyes, yawned greatly

I confirm it and put my hand on the doorknob

Then, I open the door slowly, so as not to make a noise

I look at the hallway

Nothing

Just in case, I also look at the other side

Nothing

The top, the botto

I listen carefully

I hear nothing

The sound has already stopped

Zanoba got up

”What's up?”

”There's nothing there”

We can either search inside the house or wait until there is a change in this room

The forht that he misheard the sound, left it unattended, and died

The thing is, if ait here and there is some kind of threat

No, even the previous resident, if he heard a sound that clear he would have gone to investigate

Do I imitate him?

”I will search for the enemy”

”All right Is the formation the same as before?”

”Oh, be careful”

”If shi+shō protects the back, it would be a relief”

Zanoba has a stone club

Cliff filled with tension, followed

”Cliff-sempai, do you remember what to do?”

”I'll cast Exorcisic”

”That's right Thank you”

So it's okay

Zanoba is the tank while Cliff uses Exorcisic, and if that doesn't work I'll use a rock bullet

All right

”Zanoba, go”

A night search began

I knohere the roo the day

The search operation went smoothly

First, I examine all the rooms upstairs

Nothing unusual

Then, we carefully went down to the ground floor

We check out the rooms one by one, such as the stove or fireplace, and other places soht be hidden

Nothing unusual

The rooms are all beautiful

”shi+shō, only the basement is left”

”Ah”

We move to the basement

The door behind the stairs

The stairs to the basement

It's dark

There seee sense from the basement

It seems I'm also tense

I could hear

A single deep breath

While paying attention at the back, we descended the stairs

I feel like I' into hell

We arrived at the basement

”What's up?”

”There is nothing”

Zanoba answered so

I also tried to light up the surroundings with a lamp

I try to look carefully at the corner

But, there's nothing there

However, the former resident would have examined the basement too

It's the most suspicious place

However, there was nothing to be found even if you look at a glance

”For the ti, let's prepare for a surprise attack once we return to the room”

I heard the sound

Then the enemy will come

Alternatively, it may wait to attack until after we fall fast asleep

Well, we can also try to pretend to be asleep until tomorrow

We carefully leave the basement

And go up to the second floor

We walked to the hallway and came back to the room aited in

”Zanoba, please be careful when opening the door, It is also possible that it is lurking in the room where we slept”

”I understand”

Zanoba slowly reached the doorknob while grasping his stone club

It opened

Nothing happens

””

”seeht”

Nothing

No attack

”Fu ~u”

A sigh

Let's see if it attacks the place again while we are sleeping

Or, for exa the toilet

That rearden

When toarden

And

Then, suddenly

I looked back

There it is

Down the hall

Lowering its posture as if to crawl

The upper body part peeped out from the stairs

It tilts his head looking at me

I wonder if it's human

There was an eye There was a nose There was a mouth

There was no hair There were no ears

And I didn't feel its life either

””

In the dark, while the pale silhouette rose, the guy was looking at me

For several seconds, we stared at each other

”You-”

The

That fellow moved

It raised its upper body as if about to leap, then jumped to the second floor

There were four hands

There were also four feet

In the dark, that person while brandishi+ng a kind of stake in his hand, whilefour feet, without a sound, ran over here with tremendous speed

”Uoaaa!?”

I lost my balance

I shot a Rock Bullet at once while falling on my backside

It crosses ht break the house

Hesitation weakened the power of Rock Bullet

The Rock Bullet crushed the shoulder of the guy and it staggered

However, the guy doesn't stop

He raises a stake toward me

Then I try to avoid it with foresight eye

”shi+shō!”

Zanoba jumped in front of me

A stake ung doiftly into Zanoba

The stake struck an inch from his heart

”Zanoba!”

It didn't stick

Zanoba's Touki stopped the stake

Is, it's Zanoba indeed!

Nothing serious!

Zanoba grabbed the guy's face with one hand

It thrashed its 8 li on Zanoba

”Then our God gives grace to the Mother Earth!

I do it against the law of nature, and give the foolish person Heaven's vengeance!

[Exorcist Rate] !”

Cliff started chanting while half of his body was still inside the room

White light shot out frouy

However that guy's movements don't stop

It isn't a ghost?

I aiuy

Rock Bullet

Next I'll hit him in the face

But in this position, I'll hit Zanoba

”Zanoba, step aside, I'll use a Rock Bullet!”

”shi+shō, please wait!”

Zanoba didn't move

Even though his clothes were tattered fro continuously struck with the stake, he didn't flinch

Why?

”It's fine, move! I'll do it!”

”Please wait! shi+shō! Thank you!”

Zanoba hugged him

As if to protect it from me

It continued to struggle in a frenzy

Zanoba's clothes were shredded

Despite his superhuth, he revealed an uncharacteristically slender back

For several seconds, for several minutes, as time passed

The guy radually his movement dulls

Eventually, it stopped

”Fu ~u”

Zanoba confiruy's hands and feet

”shi+shō, first to the room”

”Ah”

I was prompted by Zanoba, and we returned to the room

In the roo

”I, I, wasn't running away you know I thought the narrow hallas beco a hindrance”

”Well It was a wise decision”

”R-Right?”

It wasn't convincing

Well, I was also abruptly scared by it, and I won't say anything

”shi+shō”

”Zanoba, you survived But it was dangerous Because even you aren't an i”

”shi+shō its a, look here, please look at this”

Zanoba was very excited

While coround

I hear a light sound unexpectedly clang-clang

Zanoba lights it up with a lamp

”This, this is a doll?”

There a pale colored, wooden doll was laid out

Four hands and four feet

It is a strange figure, but it is a doll

The feet were bound with cloth, when I thought that I didn't hear its footsteps It is a black cloth

I thought that it was a stake, but it is a broken hand

A the four hands, two of them were broken

On it's face was a nose and a mouth made with minimal effort

Solass ball is fitted for the eyes

It is inorganic too

I

To be honest I don't want to look at it too much, it's too creepy

Also at some point it starts to move

If you look at Cliff, he also seeree with me

Holding his staff, he was staring at the doll vigilantly

”shi+shō, this is a”

Only Zanoba was different

He seems to not be able to hide his excitement

If it comes with a rare doll, this is it immediately

”Zanoba, no matter how much you like a doll-”

”shi+shō! This doll is !”

And, that said, I also noticed

It is

This doll attacked us

”A doll that moves”

A doll that moves

Golem

Automota

Maid Robo Wa a

Such words crossed my mind

The fear had faded in an instant

”It certainly is a”

”shi+shō, did you realize it at last?”

I listened to Zanoba whose tone seemed to imply ”There's no way shi+shō wouldn't realize it”

It was a tone that stimulated pride

”Ah It was nice of you to not break it Zanoba, there's no doubt in your judgment”

”Fu fu, I noticed that this was a doll at first glance”

”Indeed, your eye for dolls has already surpassed me”

I properly praised Zanoba who had a satisfied look

However, it is adoll

If you think about it, there arelike that in this world

This doll is a wood carving, but ure

Being able to ure itself

Using aa doll with the skin of a person is possible

And if it moves

The dream spreads

”Zanoba, what should we do My heart is racing”

”shi+shō, me too I can barely contain tears of joy!”

First of all, let's take this doll back home

Then examine how it moves

Since it can't noric circle carved in it

”Hey, you guys, give me a break!”

And, he was angry suddenly

Cliff still re

”This isn't the ti!”

”What do you ]!”

Zanoba grabbed Cliff's face, and lifted him into the air

”Agaaaa!!”

Cliff grabbed Zanoba's are

It's been a while since I last saw this spectacle

”A doll moved! Why don't you understand its importance!”

”O! There are de armors too you know!”

A demon

Hearing that term, I remembered our objective

We did not co doll

I came to obtain this house

However, securing the house, and clearing up thedoll

It's not like I can't do both

”Zanoba, please release your hand”

”Mu, but shi+shō”

”Cliff-senpai's words are reasonable”

Zanoba released his grip

Cliff is let down instantly, I cast healing ic immediately

What a crybaby

”Perhaps, this doll is the identity of the demon”

”Um”

”There may not be just one Lets find and capture the rest Maybe we'll find blueprints for the doll”

”Oh, I see, for sure!”

Zanoba with a face convinced nodded and said

”We won't sleep tonight

Let's thoroughly search for where this doll was hiding”

Thus, the third house search began

There is nowhere to hide such a large doll

The consensus was, after looking around the house twice, there wasn't such a place

I thought there arden we haven't accounted for, but there was nothing

There were the doll's footprints in the snow, but that was it

Therefore, an idea comes to mind, that there is a room hidden somewhere

The house was made to be symmetrical

If we go looking for a part that's not sy

I thought so, and tried looking for a dubious place while checking the floor plan on both floors, but I couldn't find anything

I mean, the inside of the house is too dark

Even if there was soo unnoticed

”It ht be better to reexamine it at noon tomorrow”

We agree with Cliff's idea and decided to search again the next day

Before the search, I brought the doll back to the Magic University

If you look at the bright side, the doll that has been found is quite old

What looked pale is originally a white paint that had started to peel off due to mold

”Are you master's new doll?”

I thought Julie would be frightened, but there was nothing to worry about

She is looking at it curiously

”Do you want me to clean it?”

I heard that

It see Zanoba's newly purchased dolls

Zanoba says [It's to deepen the appreciation of dolls] it see it doith compassion

She received a good education

”How can we get it to ain?”

”After searching the mansion, we'll examine it”

It looked like Zanoba couldn't wait to start researching this doll

I understand that feeling

I understand it, but I want you to calm down

For now, the doll had been sealed in a box which I ic

It would be bad if Julie got attacked while we are not here

I came back to the house

I purchased a large nuht all of the rooms

I crushed all the possibilities that I hadn't considered when I first came

I also examined the fireplace

I stuck h look

”He”

I finished searching the fireplace while knocking down some soot and spiders' webs

Then, I noticed the cause of my discomfort yesterday

The floor wasn't stained with soot

As if so was neatly wiped clean

When I think back, the cloth that had been sown to the doll's feet was black

Each and every night itthe house with that cloth

No, the house would be stained by using such cloth Black is rather

Oh, by any chance, that cloth, was it a ic tool?

No, let's put that on hold

Now then, upper floor, ground floor, basement

The basement is still suspicious

I brought a few lamps into the basement

Since they could use up the oxygen, I left the door open

I considered the possibility of so hidden in the middle of the stairs, so I examined that as well

In the deserted space of the baseed the lamps

[Look! It's aht like the afternoon] is what a person froht say

”When it's this bright, I can tell just by looking”

The edge of the basement

The hich was made with a wooden board

I didn't see it clearly ere using only one or two laht I could see clearly

The corner of the wall, it had a dark square

It is a hidden door

I'm sure you wouldn't be able to tell it was there in just a bit of light when it was first e of tiot dirty, and it rose to the surface

On the ground as well, the portion where it opens and shuts is clearly carved out

”All right, let's enter at once!”

Cliff was excitedlyto open the door

In preparation for an attack, I looked ahead to the door with foresight eye

But, Cliff stoppedimmediately

”What is it?”

”I don't kno to open it”

Since he said so, I also took a look

There isn't a dent that is co doors, nor is there a doorknob

Even though that's the case, it's not like we can push it open either

”shi+shō, shall I break it?”

Zanoba's proposal, but I shake my head

Although I could repair it, I don't really want to break it

”Hmm ”

I look at the ground

The trace of the door opening and closing is left there

It is certain that it opens The door opens on this side

”Nothing”

And, I noticed that one trace was slightly different

The trace which opened the door begins with the third piece of board of the left

A piece of the dark wood door slips off

And there a little storage drawer opened

The ninja village that I visited on a field trip during my elementary school days

There was a hidden door there

I ree

A [Giii], sound let out

However, it does not open Heavy

”Zanoba, try pressing here”

”Um”

I let Zanoba push it

And then, the doorsound as it rose and opened

The sound in the ht, was this sound?

On the interior side of the hidden door there was a doorknob Probably toit from the inside easy

”I do not think there's a trap but there , so please be careful”

I went inside while saying so and lighted up the inside with a lamp

The possibility of a trap or a surprise attack ended as iinary fears

There was a small room

One desk, a single wooden pedestal

That's all

On the desk, several books and ink pots were placed

As for the pot, the cover is broken, and the contents have evaporated

On the pedestal side I'ood to describe it

It ht be similar to a coffin

It's like a lump of wood the size of that

I have the feeling that the surface is dented in the form of the doll

After looking closely, in the place where the head goes in the part where the eyes would set there are transparent stones embedded

I felt intuitively that the doll in question had slept here

Most likely, that doll lays down here and recharges no, it probably supplies ic power [11]

”Cliff, do you knohat this pedestal is?”

”No, this is the first time I've seen it”

Cliff shook his head

I touch the pedestal timidly

I don't think it will suddenly shut on me but

I stretch out a hand to a certain book disregarded on a desk

I understood that it was left unattended for a considerably long ti worm-eaten

Would the doll in question do the insect extermination?

The cover had a title and a crest

The title isn't readable

When I open it, the text is also not readable

If it's in letters that I can't read then that uage

Or else it e

But I have a feeling that I have read both the crest and the letter somewhere

Where was it?

Was it at the Magic University Library?

I turn the page

Then there were soures

The figure of a huic formation

Furtherure where there are four hands and feet appeared when I turned up a page

”Zanoba”

”Yes”

Zanoba aiting at the entrance, came towards me

”I think, this is ritten in the doll, but what do you think?”

”I can't read it However, perhaps this is it without doubt”

”How, show me”

After hearing such an exchange, Cliff had also stuck his head in

While turning the pages lightly we looked through the book as a group

The string binding together the pages is considerably old and, despite the paper, seemed like it would come loose at any moment

A figure, an arrow, and a letter

Even if a commentary or an explanatory note is written, I wouldn't understand it at all

Illustrations of the parts of the aric circles, indicators, and some kind of notes

These sorts of notes are written in the ins in various ways

”If you're siic foric tool”

Cliff said it alone

”Is that so?”

”Oh, I understand it because I studied it recently, I have seen siic tool”

”I see”

I try to hypothesize

The previous former resident

No, perhaps the first resident here, had probably studied the doll

This ht have touched upon some sort of taboo, so it was done secretly

I think the doll was trying to protect this house, like the role of a security guard

And the first resident half-completed it

Going off the looks of that doll, it see, but they succeeded up to the point of ht

However, the first resident disappeared

Whether he s left half finished or it was exposed and he was caught, I don't know

It is very likely that he died of an unexpected accident, and the result of the research remains

Probably the doll at firston this pedestal all the time

However, it started up for some reason

Itin the house, and started to act to fight off the intruder

Perhaps, it was progra, to return to this pedestal and charge

Unfortunately I think the person as nized to be [an intruder] by the doll

However, if it goes out to the garden then, it wouldn't have been surprising if someone had witnessed it, but

No, the door of the entrance was broken like that wasn't it

Co, only that door was broken

The for

Since the shape of the door is changed, it wasn't able to open it

Originally it was prograave up because the door couldn't be opened

However, the door was broken open e entered

Therefore, according to the prograarden

And we passed each other

After we returned to the upper floor, it caught up

It doesn't seee to think that

”Anyway, there doesn't seem to be any more dolls”

I mean that, this case is closed

As a precaution, I further search the house carefully,

and checked on its state for a few more days

I also don't hear the sound in the ht

It is safe

I went to the real estate agent and finished the forreement to buy the property

As for the identity of the evil spirit, we said it was an evil de in the basement

A supplier becomes available fro

I was asked if I wanted to buy everything including furniture froo with just the bare s

As such, it would be better to look around together with Sylphy

That is to say, is it a japanese-like sense?

Since there were a few parts where I wanted to help out on myself, the time ould actually be able to move in would be about half a month later

Fro face of Sylphy floats on my eyes

[”You see, this is our home!”

”Kyaa, Rudi it's lovely”

”There's a large number of rooms after all, no ht!”

”Thinking about the future as well, a, embrace me!”

”Of course honey, the bed is already prepared”

”Rudi turn me into a mess!”]

But my face shouldn't be effeminate

It's not a suitable face

[Huh, Rudi were you only able to prepare a house of this level?]

Sylphy wouldn't say that Yup, she is not that kind of selfish person

Still, it was the product of hard work

The house was cleared and bought in just a few days, I also got to keep the doll that was haunting it

That doll, it's definitely a ic tool

Norood if you don't subic Guild

Oh well, I don't yet belong to the uild, so it doesn't matter

Since it was a part of the house I bought I'll just take ownershi+p of it, like that

Around the time day ended, I decided to carry out the research materials that were in the basement

Zanoba carries the pedestal, and I carry the books

We'll use it for the study of thedoll in question

”shi+shō”

On the way back to the ic university

Zanoba addressed me with a serious look

He carried the huge pedestal over his shoulder

It clearly wasn't made with the consideration that it would ever be carried around given its weight, it's only possible because it's Zanoba

For the ti, it rapped in cloth, but when viewed fro a coffin

”What is it?”

”The study of thisdoll Will you entrust it to me?”

I noticed his eyes unintentionally

Unprecedented deterlasses

Zanoba said。

”My total aic is small, and my hands are also clumsy

Even the red dragon figure that I' is proceeding at all”

That's not it

He said it easily, but I felt the weight of his troubles on his mind

It was not sohtly

”But with so like this in front ofat the book, I think I can understand what the writer wanted to do”