MPBAGS Chapter 53

"Ugh, the smell of alcohol is overwhelming."

Jelly, who had a sensitivity to smells, covered his nose. So that's why he was swaying around - he was drunk. His face was alcohol-red, showing just how much he'd had to drink. He must have sold out the kids, pocketed the money, and used it to buy alcohol. Just like a typical fantasy villain.

"Hey. Wake up."

Even though Jelly grabbed his collar and shook him, Troy showed no response at all, as if he'd completely lost consciousness. He'd already collapsed after being hit on the head, and now with all this shaking, it seemed like he wouldn't come to his senses at this rate, so I stopped Jelly.

When Jelly let go, Troy flopped down onto the floor with a thud. But still, there was no sign of him regaining consciousness.

"It looks like it'll take quite a while for him to come to his senses?"

"I'm sorry for acting on my own."

At the mention that there would be further delays, Daisy gripped the shoe she'd used to strike Troy's head and bowed her head. The heel didn't even look that high - how could she knock someone out to this extent with that thing...? Even though I wasn't the one who got hit, the back of my head felt tingly. I'm really glad Daisy didn't hit my head with her shoe.

"For now, let's go inside and wait until he wakes up."

It seemed like we could just go inside the orphanage building and wait.

I'd like to wait in the carriage if I could, but it was too cramped for that. It's not a count's carriage but one available to the public, so it's just right for four people. And it would be a bit much to leave the unconscious Troy on the ground to use as a footrest.

While we're at it, we could search inside the orphanage and look for evidence too.

"The door is..."

The door is wide open. After passing through the iron gate that looked like a prison door, there was a small front yard - not spacious, but good for children to run around in - and right there was the pitch-black orphanage building with not a single light on.

Even the gas lamps outside were going out, making it even more gloomy. Today the moon was also obscured, making it seem impossible to see even an inch ahead. We crossed the yard relying on the dim light filtered through the clouds. Troy was being dragged along well by Jelly, who had grabbed him by the scruff of the neck.

"There should be candles in the bedroom."

I silently followed behind Daisy. Footsteps cut through the silence. It's really quiet.

"Here it is."

We'd already arrived. It was a large room with several beds so multiple children could stay there. Daisy rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a candle, lighting it. The flame flickered up, casting a red glow on Daisy's face.

Daisy held one, and Kanna and Jelly each took a candle.

"Is it okay to put him here?"

Jelly threw Troy onto a bed and plopped down heavily at the edge. The children's bed creaked as if it would collapse under the weight of two adults. Daisy looked at the bed anxiously.

"Please be careful since it's the children's bed."

"But those kids aren't here?"

"The young lady said she would find them."

Kids... Even if you two are a sub-couple who grow fond of each other through fighting, let's not fight right now... When I gave them a look, Daisy and Jelly shut their mouths. How nice it would be if you got along well from the start?

"......"

And then came a time of silence.

Kanna was avoiding looking at Daisy and staring blankly at the fire, as if she didn't like her. Daisy was watching for when Troy might wake up while just fidgeting with her hands. Jelly was sitting on the bed playing around with Pudding.

Troy showed no signs of waking up. Since waiting here any longer seemed like a waste of time, I stood up.

"Young lady?"

"I should take a look around inside."

I'd like to just hide here because I'm scared, but what if I just sit still and later Daisy complains about what help I actually provided? I need to at least move around and show that I made an effort.

Kanna naturally got up to follow, and Pudding jumped into my arms.

"I'll come too."

Daisy also got up, taking her candle. Well, it would be better to go together since Kanna and I might get lost and wander around if we went alone.

"Jelly, you stay here."

"Yes, yes. I'll keep a good watch on this guy."

Jelly waved his hand lazily. We left the bedroom and went around looking at the rooms. The bathroom - nobody there. The hallway - no sign of people. The dining room... As we entered the dining room, the smell of soup hit us.

"It looks like the dining room was used until recently?"

Kanna looked over the unwashed cooking utensils. Certainly, if the smell was still lingering like this, it would be at most a day.

So they were kidnapped today? If we'd come just one day earlier, it would have been fine, but we were too late. Still, if only one day has passed, there's a high chance the children are safe, so that's fortunate.

I was thinking that when I heard a strange sound.

"H—ungry."

Hik. What? There was absolutely no sign of people in the building, but somehow it seemed like I heard a voice carried on the wind.

It sounded like someone muttering about being hungry - could it be the ghost of a poor orphan who starved to death due to the orphanage's financial difficulties? What's that? It's not scary at all, just pitiful instead.

It seemed like I was the only one who heard that sound. Could it really be a ghost? I felt goosebumps rising on my arms. I hugged Pudding tightly and quietly moved closer to Kanna.

Now, let's calm down. They say that if you hear a ghost talking and act scared and pretend to know about it, the ghost will cling to you. Let's thoroughly ignore it.

"That's strange. There are traces of cooking but no traces of eating."

Maybe that was like an offering or something? That's why there are no traces of eating - because of the ghost.

"Maybe Troy ate it."

Daisy is right. Come to think of it, Troy was acting suspicious in front earlier. He probably ate it as a drinking snack! Logically, there can't be ghosts... But wait, since this is inside a novel, maybe there could be?

"There doesn't seem to be anything more to see."

I'm absolutely not saying we should quickly get out of the dining room because I'm scared. As we left the dining room, I heard that strange sound again. This time it didn't seem like I was the only one who heard it.

"What's that sound?"

Following the direction of the sound, we found a room hidden in the most secluded corner.

"What's this room?"

"It's the director's office..."

Having the director's office in the most remote location - unlike other orphanages that embezzle money while abusing children, this one seems to be on the honest side. Well, that's probably why Daisy still trusts it.

Kanna put her ear to the door.

"It's coming from here."

It seems the sound is indeed coming from inside there. But Troy should be with Jelly, right? Could it be a thief? Or maybe accomplices of the kidnappers are hiding together. They felt our presence and hid in there.

When I listened carefully, I heard a scratching sound. Scritch scritch, like someone scratching the wooden wall with their fingernails.

But if it were accomplices who hid after sensing our presence, there would be no reason to deliberately make noise and draw attention, right? Are the people inside really accomplices? Are they even people in the first place? After hearing the ghost-like whisper of someone who starved to death earlier, everything seemed suspicious.

"I, I can't go in there."

"Scared?"

"...Yes."

Daisy shook her head, terrified. Maybe Daisy is also scared that a ghost might appear? It's fortunate that I'm not the only one trembling in fear.

"It's okay since I'm here."

When I told Daisy that she wasn't the only one who was scared, she seemed relieved. Even if she has the skill to knock out Troy with one hit of her shoe, it's understandable to be scared if the opponent is a ghost that doesn't follow the laws of physics.

"I'll open it."

And Kanna is here too, right? Look at that composed and fearless appearance! Kanna, as a suffering female lead, seems to be immune to situations like this.

Until we open the door, we won't know if there are accomplices or ghosts inside. Should this be called Schrödinger's director's office?

Kanna opened the door without hesitation—

And there was nothing inside the room. Nothing was visible, but the scratching sound could still be heard. This is crazy, maybe it really was a ghost...!

I felt like tears were about to stream down. I can't go into the room either because I'm scared.

"Stop, please stop."

Daisy was more serious than me. Even though Kanna saw us trembling, she didn't care and started opening every door in the room. Isn't she even scared...? As expected of a female lead, her courage is no joke.

And when Kanna opened the closet door, something popped out from inside.

"Hup!"

I heard the sound of someone gasping right next to me. Me? I'd been holding my breath for a while.

"A mouse?"

What jumped out of the closet was a mouse. The mouse that popped out of the closet quickly disappeared from view. Our Pudding just yawned, whether a mouse appeared or not. A cat with no interest in mice... I never thought I'd realize in a place like this that Pudding isn't really a cat but a beastman.

"It must have been the sound of the mouse scratching the closet door."

That's right. Now there's no sound at all. Not a ghost, not accomplices, just a mouse. I felt somewhat deflated after being so tense, embarrassed by my nervousness.

"Miss, look at this."

At the sound of Kanna calling me, I entered the room. As soon as I crossed the threshold, the air suddenly became heavy as if it had sunk, making it difficult to breathe. It must be my imagination.

On the floor that Kanna was illuminating, a familiar shape was reflected.

"A summoning circle?"

Why is this drawn here? I was baffled by its sudden appearance, then remembered the paper Gabriel had shown me before.

The monastery priest also said he succeeded in summoning after seeing Donau's drawing. So this must be the same thing. Since this is the director's office, maybe that supposedly good director drew it?

"Daisy."

I looked at Daisy, thinking she might know something about it, but Daisy was backing away. However, she couldn't go far. She bumped into someone standing behind her. Daisy couldn't even scream and staggered. Just as she was about to fall, Jelly behind her caught her stylishly.

"Jelly?"

"Jelly. Why did you come?"

Surely he didn't appear for some romance novel development where he catches the stumbling Daisy. Did he leave his post knowing when Troy would wake up? I was about to scold him when Jelly quickly made an excuse.

"He said he absolutely had to say something."

When Jelly nodded, Troy appeared from behind him, completely cowering. Daisy's face immediately crumpled. When Troy hesitated and grabbed Jelly's sleeve, Jelly brushed it off like dusting. Troy clenched his empty fist tight, then bent his waist.

"Daisy, I'm sorry, sorry... I couldn't stop mom."

"What are you talking about? Why are you bringing up the director?"

Troy opened his mouth with difficulty, as if carrying all the world's burden on his shoulders.

"Mom... took the kids away..."