I will put this on the when this chapter is done
Progress: 35%
Remember: the senpai usually lengthens her words (nani > nanii), so I will lengthen some words if possible, it’s not a typo okay?
In an air-conditioned car, I became uneasy and was restless.
「Ikuno-kun, are you worrying about imouto-san?」
Asked by Shinonome, I reluctantly recalled what happened a while ago.
After that, I returned home and finished preparing, the limousine in which Shinonome and Aizawa took a ride came to pick me up. And, while the luggage was loaded by the driver.
「……Sharte」
「Yesterday, Nii-san also said that you had an important errant with the guys in the club and left the house.
「Sorry. It’s the business that I can’t slip away no matter what」
「Ikuno-kun. This area seems to be a No Parking one, so it will help if you hurry a little」
「That woman……what does she mean?」
But to me, she was mad and seemed like a wife questioning about affairs.
「Yaga, hasn’t come back since his leaving yesterday」
Then, does it mean Sharte is completely alone?
However, I will cause trouble to Shinonome-tachi if I don’t hurry.
「ーーSorry Sharte! When I return, I will properly explain today’s thing!」
Shaking of Sharte who extended her hand, which seems to hot on my heels, I entered the car. Soon the limousine departed quietly without a sound, I worriedly turned my head back.
Standing alone in front of the house, my imouto murmured something, she rapidly became tiny.
Understanding what Sharte was saying, I felt pain in my chest even more.
ーーplease don’t, leave me aloneーー
Surely, she remembered the fear of being isolated and must have trembled.
……Sharte, really sorry.
Then, Aizawa who looked around the interior of the limousine in an excited state said.
「That’s true. She’s like a doll and doesn’t resemble Ikuno at all」
Soon the car leaves the downtown of Urotan city and approaches Ujibashi which connects to the neighboring town (Uji-bridge) When we cross over the bridge and go through the tunnel, different from Urotan where only buildings stand out, mountains forming the ridgeline and the tranquil rural landscape spread out.
Because Aizawa who pointed at the outside turns back innocently, I smile instead of replying, then Aizawa also smiles in return. Somehow, currently it looks like the exchange with a lover character whose favorable impression is at max, it’s embarra.s.sing.
「Ibuki, certainly this is Kuriyamachou, where Kameno-senpai’s home is, right?」 (Kuriyama city)
After seeing Shinonome’s gentle face when she watches over Aizawa who is br.i.m.m.i.n.g with curiosity, I also look outside.
「Ahaha. Ikuno, it’s the same for me」
While talking, we reaches the center of Kuriyama-chou. The souvenir shops form a line on both sides of the road, the white-clothing old people who I thought to be pilgrims stand out. On a plot of land of the line, Kamero ryokan stands.
「Thank you Jiiya (爺や). Again, tomorrow morning, please pick us up」
And, after pa.s.sing through the splendid gate of the ryokan.
Before our eyes, before coming to the straight branch road, a huge white torii (shinto shrine archway) was built.
「……I, if I’m told to climb that, perhaps I will be exhausted midway」
When Aizawa smiles wryly, Shinonome says so and smile.
After having looked at the heart-breaking stair for a while, we crossed the threshold of Kameno ryokan.
「Haai, here’s the tea」
「a, thank you (doumo). Thank you for your courteousness」
Senpai, who serves customer as a waitress dressed in kimono, after lining up the tea cakes and tea, lowers the tray to the side.
「But I’m sorry. It looks like we are able to be lodged in, free of charge」
When Senpai discuss with her parents, look like it’s the condition.
「because you did this far for us, it’s not good if we don’t try and solve the case! Although I’m weak at scary things, I will try」
「Un, I don’t know if I can be helpful, but I intend to do my best」
「Thank you. But it will be rough even if you do your best, please enjoy the tea for the time being」
The sun gradually goes down, when the surroundings begin to be dyed in faint indigo blue, Shinonome goes into the main issue.
After Shinonome slightly looks downward, as if thinking over,
「Eetto. Because I only heard from the employees that there was no one in strange condition, I can’t prove it directly」
「It’s fine but……you will have to hear the stories of about ten people. Is it alright?」
As expected, it seems hard to hear the same thing from that much people.
「Hihi. If so, I’m alone is enough」
From I and Aizawa’s back, a hoa.r.s.e voice can be heard suddenly, she then embraces me.
When I looked back, at the back of the tatami room where the fusuma (j.a.panese sliding screen) was left open, an old, small obaa-san wearing the waf.u.ku (j.a.panese clothes) was doing seiza.
「Obaba-chan……a, then, this ryokan’s」
The pet.i.te okami-san who replies to my words slowly stands up and moves to this room.
「Then, the good-looking ojou-san over there. Do you have something to ask me?」
「By no way am I a good-looking girl, okami-san」
T, this okami-san, awesome!
「Obaba-chan, what are you saying! S, sorry, Ibuki-chan」
「Ibuki…..are you ok?」
「It’s nothing. Other than that, okami-san, is it alright to answer me?」
Okami-san grinned and slapped her knee *pon*.
「Can I ask the base of that affirmation?」
「I’ve become the okami here for few decades, in the busy weekends, I would always wait in the reception desk and meet the visitors, or see them off. If the guest’s condition seems bad, I will notice immediately. Besides, the management of the ingredients used in the dishes are done strictly by me. During the times as a working okami, not even one case of food-poisoning happened」
「Okami-san, thank you very much. The point that there was no food-poisoning or anyone holding strange illness, I think the majority of it was proven just now」
The thing Shinonome would do now is a close investigation of whether or not the information gotten from Kameno-senpai was correct. In other words, it’s necessary to check another one. I ask.
Thus, by settling the information to cut it down, the prediction range of the solution will be narrowed and found out.
「I’m no good, right? Then, because right now everyone has collapsed, there’s no other way but having Ten-chan testify. But because the ryokan is large, right now where she’s working is……」
There are several buildings, and they seem to be quite wide.
「Haa……although I thought of going together with Kousuke after school, cleaning alone is unlucky」
「Ten-nee. It was just good. We are looking for you」
When I called out, Ten-nee was startled and looked at me. The girl whose eyes opened wide and irises narrowed stood up and blushed at the same time.
Understanding that the remark just now was heard by everyone, she grabs the dust cloth tightly with full of strength. Since it’s poor to mention, I ask at once.
For example, even if it was considerably hard, I can’t think that they would absent from school for many days. However, I will hear our anyway to go to the next reasoning after smashing this route certainly,
「……I see」
「It led to the consultation. Thank you Ten-nee」
Worrying about everyone’s gaze, Ten-nee hurriedly takes the cleaning posture, disappears straight from the place with her reddened ears. (the “get on all fours, raise the b.u.t.t and push the cloth forward to clean the dust” posture)
「Shinonome, since just now, there are proof that everyone in the club didn’t collapse because of the fatigue from the training camp, food poisoning or infected illness inside the building, right?」
「Un. In the email with Aya-chan, she wrote that the doctor said it was just common summer cold. Therefore, it’s hard to think that it infected everyone」
Having gotten the consent, with this, without looking aside, we move to the next reasoning.
「Then, the curse is the cause after all……?」
「I don’t want to think so very much, but it’s also the fact that there’s no other good idea coming to mind. For now, okami-san, can we also hear the origin of the cursed room?」
「……」
Perhaps, those two were on bad terms?
「A story of the Edo era. From that time, by visiting all temples in the land of Kuriyama on the 12th day, then going to the opposite huge shrine – Suwa shrine, it was supposed that one’s wish would come true. And then」 ( 当時から栗山の地は全札所を十二日のうちに回り、向かいの大きな神社-諏訪神社へ参ることで)
「Ho, you are sharp」
「A pair of youth called Kihachi and Hatsu stayed. Because of the difference in social status, it was a pilgrimage, wishing to be tied together peacefully. But along the way, Hatsu’s foot was sprained, they didn’t match the day when the wish could be fulfilled. Those two understood the meaning and despaired, thenーー」
Shinonome says with a serious look, okami-san makes a plum with her chin and nods (literally, search google image 顎に梅干しを作って)
The calm time of the dusk, coupled with the quiet sound of the insects, make my back feel a chill. As if because okami-san was here, Aizawa didn’t cling to me like the time in the clubroom, she endured it by only grasping the hem of my shirt.
「Such past story was circulated until now, it’s amazing……」
「The story just now is what I heard from my mother. Until the times of my mother, it seemed like there were guests staying there, but all of the guests staying there had their physical conditions destroyed. Therefore, it hasn’t been used until now, but an unreasonable child let the young children stay there」
「B, because! I didn’t believe it so it can’t be helped」
「……Why does the name of Yuki-chan appear here? Certainly, Yuki-chan is a good, hard-working girl. Therefore, I understand that while serving customers, obaachan was pleased and had a long talk with her. However, I also said that I would succeed the ryokan before. Isn’t it a bit cruel?」
「Certainly, I have troubled Yuki-chan. But, it’s unrelated to obaachan, right?」
First of all, I should stop them (not sure about this とりあえず止めさせて聞くこと聞かないと)
「……what?」
「Etto……is it true that the people staying would die within ten days?」
Then, we actually don’t know what will happen to everyone of the club when ten days pa.s.s.
「Nee Ikuno, what should we do? If the curse is really the cause, it would be ugly if we don’t do the oharai……」
I don’t believe the curse, but I’m pushed by the situation and become weak-kneed.
「Ikuno-kun, Aizawa-san, you don’t need to make such a worried face. First of all, staying here like this is useless, so let’s look at the cursed s.p.a.ce. During that time, a different reasoning may occur」
I and Aizawa are surprised. Because, it’s indeed scary to enter it in the current situation.
「……I understand even if obaa-chan doesn’t say」
「Everyone, let’s go. I will guide you to the room」
「Hou. Nice waist and b.u.t.tocks similar to Ayumu’s. In the future, it looks like you will give birth to healthy child」
*pat* the surprised Aizawa hides her b.u.t.tocks with both hands and turns back.
I will know whether one is the type that deceives men, or the type that is deceived by men」
Though I think it’s different, because she hasn’t returned my important manga……which one is it?
After loitering her eyes around, the blushing Aizawa shakes her hairdo and follow Shinonome-tachi.
Having a troubled smile, I nodded lightly to okami-san and left the place.
Sorry for not posting anything for a while, I’m really busy atm (have to work from mon to sat, then every 2-3 weeks I have to prepare a presentation until July)
About this part is about 20% of the chapter, this s.h.i.t took too long since the raw was unreliable, I had to recheck the image frequently, and the historical stuff in this part was confusing too.
I will alternative between Master x Disciple and b.i.t.c.h, it’s b.i.t.c.h this time so next time would be MxD