Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 6 Chapter 4 (section)

===<center>1</center>===
His “older brother” was Yasutaka-san, the second son.

He was the person who was originally very cheerful, however, recently he’s been depressed for some reason.

When we rushed into Yasutaka-san’s room, it was stained with patches of thick, viscous blood. A futon was laid to one side of one of the two six tatami mat divisions and Yasutaka-san was sprawled there. The family had crowded around him. Both of his hands were thrown out atop the futon and his wrists were marred with deep, horrific wounds. The futon was soaked in blood.  A utility knife laid abandoned on his chest.

I felt dizzy. The smell of the blood made me nauseous.

Bou-san leapt into the room. He pushed aside a sobbing Hiroe-obasan and leaned over Yasutaka-san’s bedside, then he immediately stood up and opened the dresser.

“Young master, did you call an ambulance?”

“I called.”

Bou-san pulled neck ties out from the inside of the dresser and with them, tightly bound the upper part of Yasutaka-san’s arms.

He’s still okay. He’s still… breathing. We’ve mostly stopped the bleeding, so surely he won’t die.

Before I was aware of what I was doing, I had tightly clasped my fingers together. Left in a daze and unable to move, someone poked me.

“Is Yasu-ojichan dead?”

Wakako-chan asked with an innocent face.

“Hey, is he dead?”

Their expressions were like they were seeking pleasant news. I didn’t know how to reply to that. Wakako-chan looked at me as if surprised and then met eyes with Katsuki-kun.

“He’s still alive.”

“Whaat!”

The pair were truly frightening with their innocently bored-looking expressions. Would they prefer it if their uncle died? I tried to ask, but I was afraid to hear the answer. The pair left me, who could not speak, and ran down the corridor while whispering secretly. The sound of ambulance sirens blared.

<font size="4"><center><b>***</b></center></font>

Yasutaka-san was taken to a nearby hospital. ‘I’m going crazy,’ he had said after he regained consciousness. Akifumi-san, who stayed by Yasutaka-san’s side and went to the hospital, told us this after he came back.

“It seems he was hearing voices when he was alone. He said they ordered him to kill the family.”

Akifumi-san’s facial expression held a deep look of grief.

“It seems he saw dreams when he was sleeping. Dreams where he would kill the family. He said he remembered the feel of stabbing people because the dreams continued excessively. The content being such, my brother couldn’t tell anyone. Then he said... at this rate he thought he might actually kill us someday.”

Bou-san, who had listened to the story with a grave expression, bowed his head.

“If he had been discovered too late, then he would have become the first victim. I’m sincerely sorry for our lack of assistance.”

“...No. The disaster with Shibuya-san was because of us as well.”

After lightly shaking his head, Bou-san stood up and opened the adjacent sliding door.

There was no change in the appearance of the room. The solitary futon was spread out and Naru was sleeping. After overlooking the room, Bou-san looked back at Lin-san.

“You left your shiki around Naru-bou, right?”

“Yes.”

“Would you know if a spirit approached Naru’s vicinity?”

“I would know.”

“Well, what about the opposite? Would you know if a spirit left Naru?”

Lin-san widened his eyes slightly.

“Of course I would know. For one thing, it’s impossible for the spirit to leave because of the spell effect placed on him.”

“That means...”

Bou-san looked around at us.

“There isn’t just one spirit haunting this house. That’s what it means.”

“Wait a minute!”

Ayako exclaimed.

“Then, are you saying Yasutaka-san is possessed?”

“Another is probably unthinkable, but...”

Surely…

“Caution is necessary with the rest of the family as well. Because there’s also the possibility that there isn’t just one spirit, but three or more. —John.”

“Yes.”

“How was Hazuki-chan’s condition?”

“It wasn’t clear to me, however, Hara-san said there is a possibility this is a malicious evil spirit. For the time being, we’ve performed a simple exorcism and sealed the room.”

“Was there a response?”

“I don’t know.”

“Masako. —Do you know what kind of spirit this thing is?”

Masako shook her head.

“I do not know. However, it had the same feeling as that spirit that is possessing Naru. If I had to say, it is perhaps hollow.”

“Hollow?”

“Yes. It neither feels resentment nor bears a grudge. If that is the possessing spirit, then it is a very empty spirit. ”

“What about you, Mai?”

He suddenly spoke to me and I got flustered.

“Ah, me?”

“Don’t you feel anything? Anything is fine. Was there anything that caught your attention from out of yesterday’s dream?”

I was slightly hesitant, then I cautiously spoke.

“It seems to conflict with Masako’s opinion, but I think there were people who died bearing a grudge.”

...always be cursed until the end of days…

“I think they were people who were cruelly betrayed. They were surrounded by their adversaries and killed.”

There was the pair who committed suicide by throwing themselves into the sea from the cape. If that’s case…

“I think those were probably the people who died in this area. I suspect there’s at least a connection to the land.”

Masako scowled.

“Certainly not! If it was that kind of spirit, I would have recognized it.”

“Well, perhaps it was simply a dream.”

“It was a dream!”

Jeez, you’re fussy.

Bou-san turned his head towards Akifumi-san.

“What do you think? Do you know anything about it?”

“...I’m sorry, but… I’ve never heard that kind of story. Although, it may be that I just don’t know.”

“I see. Did you find out around when the Yoshimi family moved here?”

“I’m sorry. It seems even my grandmother doesn’t know anything beyond what I told you.”

Bou-san contemplated for a moment. Then,

“John. Go to the hospital and attempt an exorcism on Yasutaka-san. While you’re at it, mind your own business and speak minimally. So you don’t make a fool of yourself again.”

“Okay. I’ll try.”

“Ayako, make charms. Enough for each of us and the family.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“I’m going out for a little bit. Akifumi-san, I’m sorry, but could you please guide me to the family temple?”