Editing Ghost Hunt:Volume 5 Chapter 3 (section)

===5===

Suddenly being woken up, I looked at my watch; it was still 3 am.

“Have you all seen Atsugi-kun?”

圣-san’s face was stark.

“… Atsugi-san?”

Who was that?

“He’s my assistant. He’s a medium.”

I tilted my head and turned towards Ayako and Masako. Both of them were also seated on their beds, with heads tilted.

“I haven’t seen him since glancing him during the exorcism. Have you guys seen him? He’s been gone for 2 hours already.”

2 hours already.

“Please wait a moment.”

I put on a sweater on top of my pajamas then I sprinted out of the room.

“Let’s go to the base.”


Bringing 圣-san along, I went to the base. Naru and Lin-san had already gathered inside the base much earlier.

“Naru, Atsugi-san, he – “

“I’ve heard it. We’re playing the recordings now.”

This time, the night vision cameras were still running. Perhaps one of the cameras might have caught Atsugi-san.

“Naru, we have it.”

This monitor was for Camera Number 4. I pulled out a floor plan from the mountainous pile of papers on the table, and confirmed the position of Camera Number 4.

“The location is?”

“The west side of the building, near the center.”

“Even if you say it out I wouldn’t know where it is.”

How long winded; in this extreme situation.

“There’re no blank spaces nearby, and there’re no strange rooms nearby either. Based on the diagram, that shouldn’t be a suspicious location.”

The monitor for Camera Number 4 showed the figure of Atsugi-san gradually moving down the corridor. The corridor where the camera was located ran east wards; the corridor at the very end ran northwards.

“That corridor is a blind alley; there are no branches.”

“Good, we will go take a look. Lin, let’s go. Mai, stay here. Bou-san and the rest will soon be here.”

“Yes, alright.”


Practically brushing by Naru etc, Bou-san, John and Yasuhara had all risen and arrived at the base.

“What about Naru-chi?”

“Gone to look for Atsugi-san.”

“Good, we will go to, John.”

Bou-san, who spoke to John, also began to leave.

“Young man, I’ll leave Mai to you.”

“I will try my utmost best.”

“Will you only try?”

“Because if Taniyama-kun goes on a stampede, there’s no one here that can stop her.”

… what?!

Really… Bou-san left smiling with that said. I glared at Yasuhara-kun who was smiling lightly.

“Who did you say will go on a stampede? Who are you calling Ohmu (tl/n: see Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Ohmu are tank sized cross between a caterpillar and a beetle that stampede when enraged)?”

I couldn’t help brandishing my fists.

“Aiyah, Taniyama-kun is thoughtful, mature, honest and gentle, I really like her~~”

“Are you mocking me? You’re mocking me, aren’t you?”

“That’s why I said that, right? And you don’t like it when I lie to you.”

“Yeah, that’s right… not!”

Just as I was about to lose control and beat up Yasuhara, Ayako and Masako had both gotten up and arrived at base. The four of us waited nervously; before 7, Naru and co returned. They said they couldn’t find Atsugi-san. And that corridor was clearly a blind alley.

After breakfast we had a meeting; this time the decision was to have everyone search that blind alley for secret passages. There should be a path somewhere. If that wasn’t the case then Atsugi-san’s disappearance would be incomprehensible. Knocking on the walls, and searching all the rooms – even those with furniture – thoroughly; even like this we couldn’t find the path.

As though appointed, all of the psychics had gathered at the Dining Room. Twenty people less two. Everyone looked exhausted.

“Really, what exactly is going on in this house?”

Imura-san said in a disdainful tone.

Igarashi-sensei looked towards Minami-san.

“Can’t Professor Davies do anything for us?”

圣-san looked up at once.

“Oh yes… if it’s the Professor…”

Minami-san looked obviously unhappy.

“The Professor’s clairvoyance has limited scope. I asked just now, the Professor said he couldn’t feel a thing.”

“In that case, could you please call other people here.”

Igarashi-sensei said forcefully.

“Don’t you have other friends? Won’t it do to call anyone who could help?”

“Even if you suddenly tell me so, I can’t do anything: because everyone lives overseas.”

“This is an urgent situation. If it’s you then won’t there always be a way? Or are you saying that on the first day, the things that you said about being able to get the help of Geller or Taunus was all hot air?”

Sensei’s interrogating questions were incredible. Minami-san looked angered.

“Alright. In conclusion let me make an appointment first. However, as they are all busy people, it would be very troubling to organize a time for them to come here.”

“Are you making excuses and shirking responsibility?”

It was Imura-san who spoke.

“What did you say?”

“You’re planning to say that then run away, right? Even if you say you will call them here, they will not come. Because you won’t call them at all. You don’t even know them at all, isn’t that right?”

“You’re insulting me.”

圣-san stood up and spoke.

“Please make an appointment then, Minami-san. If you’ll tell me the telephone number, I’ll make the call, shall I?”

With that said, 圣-san stood there and laughed.

“That’s great, I’ll make the call. Please tell me the telephone number. Because the one missing is my medium, it’s only polite that I make the appeal to them.”

“I can’t tell the telephone number to other people.”

“If that’s the case, you make the call, then allow me to speak. Because it’s only polite for me to make the request.”

Minami-san put on a shocking expression and stood up.

“You’re dishonoring me. This is an extreme insult. If you all are still suspicious then so be it. Regardless, I refuse to allow my busy friends to be worried over this. I think that this issue is one I can solve on my own.”

Minami-san urged the Professor, who was looking around, perplexed.

“Let’s go. I’d let it go if it were only me, but they even insulted the Professor. Really, it makes one exceedingly unhappy.”

With that parting shot, Minami-san left the Dining Room. Behind him followed his 3 assistants and the Professor.

And suspicion was left behind. A strong suspicion of Minami-san.

Can that person be trusted?