Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 5 Chapter 1 (section)

===5===

To begin we had to move the equipment to the room which was to act as the headquarters of the investigation. There were computers, instruments of all shapes and sizes, a huge pile of surveillance equipment, etc. We put together the stands then installed the equipment while connecting the computer and monitor cables. While we were engaged in those jobs, Ohashi-san appeared.

“Is the arrangement of having your rooms here alright?”

Yasuhara nodded to Ohashi-san in greeting.

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

“The equipment is really impressive.”

Ohashi-san looked up at the equipment on the stands with a look of awe.

“Thank you for saying so. Then, I have a question I would like to ask you, may I?”

… Eh eh. Yasuhara is doing the questioning?

“Ah, ask away.”

“Then…”

With that, Yasuhara turned back to look at Naru.

“Narumi-kun, could you please.”

Aiyah, so there was still this hand to play.

Yasuhara smiled pretentiously.

“I have to go to the van to check on the equipment. –Ohashi-san, excuse me. Thank you.”

With that said, Yasuhara left. Naru let Ohashi-san take a seat, and then sat down himself. He opened a file at the table we had asked them to prepare.

“First, could you please confirm once more the content of the initial request.”

Eh. With Naru starting work, the atmosphere also started to stretch taut. Even the air around the ones assembling equipment tensed.

Ohashi-san began to speak very seriously.

“This building was originally the property belonging to the master’s in-laws. Not only had the mistress never lived here, even her father… that is the previous generation, had also never lived here. Furthermore there are legends about spirits appearing here, and then now these things have all been forgotten. The month before last, there was a boy who vanished in this building.”

“… this, how is it explained?”

“Because this is a vacant house, there were some young people from the nearby suburbs coming and going. That is to say the entire ‘Bōsōzoku’ (tl/n: motorcycle street gang) trespassed in here, then one of them disappeared, and they reported it to the police. Because the design of this huge building is extremely complicated, everyone thought that the youth was not feeling well at some place and couldn’t be found; the police also gathered manpower to search, but he still couldn’t be found. And this isn’t the only thing.”

Ohashi-san laughed bitterly, looking very troubled.

“Even a youth from the fire department involved in the search has disappeared.”

… wow…

“At that time there were a few who said they had seen ghosts and the type. When this place was renovated, an incident of a workman disappearing had also occurred. The previous generation had repeatedly exhorted during their lifetime that this building should not be touched.”

Ohashi-san himself looked half-believing; his face wore a bitter smile.

“However, two people have disappeared here, and bad rumors have spread, so we can’t leave it as it is. Or rather, we also don’t wish for more victims to appear… Therefore we are trying to ask you psychics to take a look.”

“So that’s the case.” Saying that Naru looked around the room. This was also a posh and spacious room – just like the mansions that appear in foreign films. Although there are some places that have been badly degraded, it was spick and span.

“This looks like an ancient building… when was it built?”

“I’ve heard that it was initially built around the 10th year of the Meiji Era.”

“The 10th year of the Meiji is…”

“About 110 years ago. The year was 1877. However, after its construction this house was continuously added to or renovated, and it is said that there is practically nothing remaining of the original building now.”

“Do you know when the renovations took place?”

“Unfortunately… This building was built by the generation before the last – by the mistress’s grandfather. Apparently from that time he had frequently renovated the house. When the previous generation was around, he would renovate a part of the house almost every year.”

Naru stopped writing in the notebook and looked up.

“Every year? But they don’t live here right?”

“Yes, it was like that.”

… how strange. If that’s the case, what did they do the construction for?

“Could I ask what the name of the generation before last was?”

“He was called Miyama Kaneyuki (美山钲幸). He owned a large piece of land in the Suwa region. Then he built a (cotton? silk?) spinning factory, and was a philanthropist. Apparently he founded an orphanage or a private hospital or something. At first, it was said that due to the unrest in Meiji 40, that is to say 1907, the hospital etc was forced to close amongst all the other businesses that were sold off.”

… is this a Japanese History lesson?

“In the end Miyama Kaneyuki passed away about three years later.”

How tragic ~~. He must have felt very depressed then.

“Subsequently the next generation 宏幸(Hiroyuki?) inherited Kaneyuki’s work. The previous generation also died about twenty years ago.”

Naru knocked on the table with his fingertip.

“Did Kaneyuki live here?”

“Yes. The previous generation was born in the main house in the Suwa region, and apparently never lived over here. This place was just a holiday home at first.”

“Has Hiroyuki ever been here before?”

“It appears so.”

“Have you ever seen anything here yourself, Ohashi-san?”

“I arrived here about a week ago to make preparations. However nothing like that has happened.”

“The others too?”

“Yes. I have not heard of anything happening.”

Naru looked deep in thought. He frowned slightly,

“That… Could I talk to the people who were with the missing person?”

“I’m very sorry; if it is possible we would wish to proceed with the investigations in secrecy…”

Naru frowned slightly. But regarding that issue he made no further comment.

“Lastly, do you have any opinion on the cause of the rumours?”

“I really don’t know anything.”

“Thank you very much.”

Lowering his head gently, Naru spoke.

“Ah ah, Ohashi-san. Could you give me the floor plan of this building?”

“I’m really very sorry. I’ve enquired before, but it’s said that such a thing doesn’t exist at all. Just as a floor plan was about to be drawn the building was coincidentally renovated again and…”

“… is that so? Thank you.”

“This building does give one the feeling of a haunted house don’t you think?”

Once Ohashi-san had left, Ayako’s excited-for-no-reason voice piped up.

Bou-san also laughed contentedly.

“Exactly. An ancient bungalow. A deep and long history. … Naru-chan, how is it?”

Naru looked reluctant.

“I feel a little unsettled.”

“What about?”

“A haunted house left vacant for a long time. The building itself is very complicated and there is no floor plan. But we have to live inside.”

Yeah. In such situations Naru has always advocated not staying at the site until safety can be verified.

“Aiyo, such a cowardly statement.”

“Can’t you call this being cautious? – Mai.”

“Yes~~.”

“Anyway set up thermographs around this area and observe. Go with Bou-san. Do not continue once the sun has set. After dusk you must stay together with the others. Do you understand?”

“… Yeah.”

After saying that, Naru looked at Ayako.

“Can you write some protective charms?”

“Of course I can. I am a Miko after all.”

… and that’s true too. If there’s anyone who thinks that Bou-san looks like a monk he deserves my praise.

Naru rapped the table with a bang.

“The protective charms – please make one for each person. Also make one for each room.”

Bou-san tilted his head.

“Isn’t this over-reacting?”

“This is a line from a fellow lacking in thought trying to find excuses to be lazy.”

Bou-san’s face sank momentarily. Then he smiled contentedly.

“-Yeah. It is indeed better to be a little more cautious.”

He looked at Naru with a celebratory expression.

“… what?”

“That attitude, if you aren’t more careful and change your behavior normally you would be seen through, Narumi-kun the investigator.”

Ayako also clapped her hands.

"Ah, what he says is true. Oh, you are really too arrogant to be seen as an investigator~~"

Hehe.

"Oh, we were asked to helped to the best of our capabilities by the director, who is our distinguished guest. If you don't listen to us with the appropriate attitude~~"

Naru frowned slightly.

“… I understand. And your ages are truly ''much greater'' than mine.”

This guy. He clearly emphasized the words “much greater”.

Naru stood up. He immediately put a pretentious smile on his face.

“Then, I would like to start work. Could everyone help out? Matsuzaki-san, Takigawa-san?”

This is really chilling. Or more accurately it makes one shiver although it isn’t cold. John, looking over, also hugged his head.

“Whatever… Mai, let’s go.”

“Yes, I’m coming.”

Only Bou-san and I hurriedly escaped from that place.


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