Chapter 113.3

[Part 3/5]

Noticing the shift in the atmosphere, Tamaki became slightly frightened but still explained to us.

"Can you tell me when it happened in terms of the timeline? Was it before you met Botan?"

'(゜▽゜*) I guess that was during the Haitei Raoyue!'

"Um... I think it was the third room I entered? Yeah, it was a room I encountered well before meeting Botan-san."

Both Botan and I seemed to have a suspicion after hearing her explanation.

"So, you encountered Shishimai in 'Mayoiga' shortly after getting lost, right?"

"Y-Yes, but..."

"What was the characteristic of the room where you got lost initially?"

"Huh? Um... It was an indoor room, similar to this one. It was a small study with a writing desk and cushions. There were hanging scrolls and a brazier too."

"...And there were no youkai or creatures of that kind?"

"No. But when I rushed out into the corridor to find an exit, I was attacked."

Botan chimed in from the side and Tamaki recalled the details of the situation and answered.

'I see, so you encountered that entity. Hohoho, how ironic, as they say, the darkest place is right under the lighthouse.'

"Is that sarcasm? ...Well, it seems like you've found the clue, servant."

Botan chuckled at Hummingbird's cheerful laughter while I gave a strong nod, agreeing with the conclusion they reached through analyzing youkai psychology. I had also cross-referenced the information with the original work.

I see, so that's what happened. It makes sense that 'Mayoiga' revealed Shishimai Asami as the hidden card at that moment.

"Well then, shall I use this?"

Saying so, Botan leaned against the wall and took out a small compass. She then wrapped something around the red-painted tip of the needle.

"Animal fur?"

"I managed to pluck some during the close combat."

Tamaki tilted her head in confusion, and Botan answered matter-of-factly. Apparently, she had borrowed some of Shishimai's mane-like hair during their battle when they entered the gate. It served as a catalyst for the curse of finding things... The needle of the compass, originally pointing north, was now indicating the direction Shishimai had vanished to. The needle was slightly moving, suggesting that she was likely still on the move.

"...Are we planning to pursue her?"

Having grasped the rough direction of Shishimai's whereabouts, Tamaki looked up at me with a tense expression and asked. There was a sense of determination in her gaze. However...

"Oh, no, we're not going after her."

"Huh?"

'Σ(; ﾟДﾟ) Huh!?'

Tamaki was taken aback by my brief response, and even the spider-youkai seemed surprised. Well, can't blame them.

"Um, well... Then, why did you use the 'Curse of Lost Items'?"

"Simply put, it's to go in the opposite direction. ...Let's go. Hey, why are you still patting your butt?!"

'Grrrr…'

Tamaki asked the question, and Botan answered. After the answer, Botan commanded the bear-youkai to carry her. The teary-eyed bear-youkai reluctantly complied, holding Botan in its uninjured arm. '(*ﾟ∀ﾟ) Even if I get hugged, it's okay, Papa.'—No, I won't do it

"...Thank you, Miss Tamaki. Thanks to you, we see a glimmer of hope."

'It's not an easy fight, though.'

"It's just a usual thing..."

I expressed my sincere gratitude to Tamaki, who provided the breakthrough. Meanwhile, I casually brush off the old man's words. It was a really belated revelation.

"Um, um...!? Sorry, I can't keep up with the conversation. What's going on, exactly?"

Tamaki, left behind and unable to follow the conversation, asked for an explanation. The old man and Botan seemed to want to say, "She's slow" but that would be harsh. After all, the protagonist isn't exactly an exorcist.

"I apologize for being unclear. In essence, it means... to go and express our gratitude to the one who prepared this welcome for us, so to speak?"

* * *

As mentioned before, powerful abilities and supernatural powers often come with constraints, conditions, and weaknesses as a price. One of the constraints in Mayoiga's abilities is that "the one who is lost cannot determine the first room they enter."

Now, consider this: Many people were drawn into Mayoiga this time. Out of all of them, Shishimai contacted Tamaki first... Is it just the protagonist's plot armor? Well, even if that's the case, there must be some reason on Mayoiga's side that causes the protagonist's plot armor to activate.

And then, there was the ambush during the transition... In the novel version, it happened just when the protagonist was trying to escape, but this time it's different. Despite Tamaki having already broken through to a connected room, why would Shishimai need such a powerful ambush?

No, undoubtedly, Mayoiga had a reason to set up that ambush. I deduced the answer from fan-made videos on the video-sharing site.

"So it means 'there's no place like home'...!!"

While the bear-youkai rushed forward, Botan shouted as she released a curse. The curse sealed the movements of the tooth-exposed flying head right in front of us. The bear-youkai then jumped in and beat the spasming flying head to death.

"Well, something like that...!!"

'(>ωω﹏<*)′ This stinks!!'n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Wha!? What!?"

The protagonist and the spider warn me. Before I can grasp their meaning, the sliding door and the wall are blown away, and it appears. A red-black mass of flesh, emitting a foul odor that fills the room. A face with sagging flesh reflected in my vision. And then, a fist, a backhand, is swung.

"Go!!"

I swiftly kick up the pale-skinned member of the Art Club (no. 2) who was right next to me. With a wall-like slap, they turn into minced meat and embed into the wall. Good job!!

"What...?"

"Looks like another troublesome one. 'Nuppeppo,' is it...!!"

'φ(゜▽゜*) Fluffy-fluffy!'

Tamaki, who was cutting through the clinging feathered creatures, is dumbfounded, while Botan grits her teeth. The flesh doll that appeared as if to block us from here was undoubtedly not an easy opponent for us at this moment.

'Nuppeppo'... a youkai that is said to be the origin of the Nopperabo in my previous life. Its body resembles a wall with haphazardly attached limbs, making it appear somewhat unstable. Unlike Nopperabo, its face is not visible due to the sagging flesh, giving it an impression of an elderly person.

And... that putrid abomination twists its mouth upward. Sadistically, it distorts its mouth.

"Get lost!!"

Feeling a visceral disgust, I immediately move to deal with it. Cutting down the surrounding youkai, I swing Teguruma grandly to take down the monster before me. But...

"Uh-oh!? It stopped me!?"

'(○´･д･)ﾉ No way!?'

The spider's threads, which had severed several youkai, are blocked when they are about to cut a third of the thick body of the 'nuppeppo.' No, it's not that it stopped them, but rather...!?

(I see, it's like a blade disarm...!!)