Episode 308: Contents of the coffin

“That’s definitely suspicious.”

“Really.”

 Rei and Amane nod to each other.

 There’s no doubt that there’s something there, just as the two say. Because, there is a faint response to my detection.

“What should we do? We’ve come this far, but should we stop going?”

 There’s no need to dare to jump into danger, and we were able to enjoy Bran Castle itself, so I don’t mind if we choose to return here.

“No, no, we can’t go home without looking inside even though it’s that suspicious!!”

 However, as expected, Amane doesn’t think there’s the option of returning without looking inside.

“I got it, I got it. Let’s go check it out.”

 We slowly approach the coffin.

“It looks like a normal coffin.”

 Amane mutters as she comes to the side of the coffin. We gather around the coffin, and Nanami sticks behind me, timidly sticking her face out slightly to see what’s going on.

 Nanami is not good with ghosts. The Vampires that come out in the dungeon don’t seem to be scary, but the real thing seems to be another matter.

“No, this coffin is strange. It’s not deteriorated at all, it’s not even dirty.”

“Certainly.”

 Rei brings her face closer to the coffin and traces it with her finger like a mother-in-law who is teasing her daughter-in-law. I also find it strange and agree.

“Who will open it?”

 Shia tilts her head and asks all of us.

“I will open it!!”

“No, no, I’ll do it!!”

“Nn, me.”

 For some reason, the three other than Nanami all raise their hands and run for the position.

 Do they really want to open it themselves!?

 I’m perplexed by the actions of the three.

 However, just like with the elves, there is no doubt that this coffin has some kind of magical effect.

“No, no, it’s dangerous, so I’ll open it.”

“”Go ahead, go ahead.””

 I don’t know what’s going on, so I raise my hand, and everyone gives it to me with an expression that seems to say it’s a promise.

 What exactly did they want?

“Haa … I don’t really understand, but I got it. Nanami, stay back.”

“Yes.”

 I have Nanami pull back as a precaution.

-Gigigiiiiiiiiiiii!

 When I lift the lid, it slowly opens with the sound of an unoiled door.

 The lid isn’t the type that can be completely removed, it’s the type that’s hinged like a door, and once it’s opened to a certain position, it can be left open.

“Eh!?”

“Is this …”

“No way …”

“A girl?”

 When I open it up and everyone sees what’s inside, I hear voices of surprise from those around me.

“Su ~ … Su ~ … Zzz.”

 It is because the person inside is, by all appearances, nothing more than a girl. She’s even smaller than Nanami, so she’s probably in elementary school.

 She seems comfortable, and she is sleeping peacefully.

“Is this a lost child?”

“There’s no way a lost child would be in this hidden room, right?”

 When I mutter like I am escaping reality, I am immediately shot down by Amane, which makes me sad.

“What exactly is this?”

“This girl, she’s definitely not a normal girl, is she.”

 Rei answers my question.”

 Well, in a place like this, isn’t it normal to see a girl in a coffin with something magical attached to it?

“So, what are we going to do? We can’t just leave it like this.”

“Right. Now that we’ve found her, I think it’s better to protect her and entrust her to somewhere.”

 When I ask about the treatment of this child, Rei insists that we should bring her along.

 As Rei says, we can’t just leave such a small girl alone.

 However, the problem is whether to report it.

“But, you know. We’re intruders, so we can’t explain it well.”

“We can just say we found her in the dungeon.”

“Is that so.”

 However, the problem I come up with is quickly resolved.

 The dungeon is a place where you never know what will happen. It wouldn’t be strange if such a little girl was taken into custody. It’s easy if you sneak into a suitable dungeon by hiding in the shadows and bring the girl out. The situation where the girl was taken into custody in the dungeon is completed.

 That means it’s possible.

“Even so, this child won’t wake up at all.”

“Shake her a little and see, Onii-chan.”

 Nanami, who feels that she doesn’t look like a ghost, asks me while peeking from behind me.

“Understood. Hey, get up. It’s morning.”

 I call out to the girl while gently shaking her.

“Su ~ … Su ~ … Zzz.”

 However, she doesn’t seem to react at all.

“Food’s ready!! Get up!!”

“Su ~ … Su ~ … Zzz.”

 I try shaking her a little harder, but that doesn’t help either.

 What exactly is going on?

 It won’t work unless some special conditions are met?

“Ohh? There’s a sentence here. It looks like it says ‘Offer blood to the mouth’.

 As I thought, Rei reads out a sentence written on the back of the coffin.

“Obviously if you give it, you can make some sort of contract, right?”

 Amane mutters as if to represent my feelings.

 I have a feeling it will definitely happen.

“Who will challenge this flag?”

“”…””

 Everyone falls silent at my question.

“Make her my Imouto.”

 However, the one who breaks the atmosphere is Shia.

“Imouto?”

“Nn. Want Imouto like Nanamin. Same hair color as me. Just right.”

 When Nanami tilts her head at Shia’s words, Shia speaks longer than usual.

 She certainly has the same hair color as the girl sleeping in the coffin, and it can be said that her face also resembles Shia to some extent. Maybe people would believe her if she said she was her sister.

“I see. If Shia is alright with that, I have no problem. However, we haven’t even woken her up.”

“Me too!!”

“I’m okay too ~.”

“I have nothing to say, either.”

 We don’t object at all because Shia’s serious thoughts are obvious just by looking at her ahoge.

 Her face looks a little happy too.

“Nn. Then, wake her up.”

“Yeah.”

 Shia cuts the tip of her finger just a little and drips a drop of her blood onto the mouth of the girl who is lying on her back.

“Nn … Nnhh …”

 The girl slowly opens her eyelids and raises her upper body.

 And she says one line.

“Are you my new covenant master?”

 For some reason, her face is facing me.