A Story of How I Went to Commit Suicide, but Ended Up at a Mysterious House and Got Pampered by a Motherly Beauty - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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“What is this…?”

I stared up at the mansion in shock. Impossible. There was no way a grand building like this could be here… I had done my research thoroughly. I spent so much time preparing, confirming this mountain had no owner.

Climbing it myself, I understood firsthand how poorly maintained it was. There were no signs of human paths, so no one should have even entered this place. Yet, this magnificent building…

“And in the middle of a mountain like this, on uneven ground…”

I had no architectural knowledge, but even a layman could tell how difficult this must be. Building properly on a slope would be incredibly challenging. And not in a maintained residential area, but in this wild, untamed mountain… How did they transport materials and workers without paths…?

“No way there’s such a grand building in a place like this…”

If it were a small shack, I might understand. But the massive mansion towering before me could house at least ten people… No, more. To not notice something like this until now… Was I that exhausted?

“Haa… I’ll have to find another place.”

I let out a deep sigh. Of course. I couldn’t kill myself here anymore. I didn’t want my death to trouble others. This mountain was supposed to be unowned, but with such a splendid Japanese-style mansion, it couldn’t possibly be. If it were dilapidated, I might have assumed it was abandoned, but it looked pristine from the outside.

I don’t have any other choice. I’ll head back.

Luckily, I hadn’t vacated my room yet. That was a relief.

“…But who could live here?”

I muttered, looking up at the mansion. Why would someone live deep in this wild mountain? What reason could they have? Curiosity stirred within me.

“…Maybe I’ll check it out for a bit. If no one’s living here, I could die here.”

With that thought, I decided to look for the entrance. Maybe a murderous yamanba(mountain witch) lived inside. That wouldn’t be bad for me, though. After walking a bit, I found the entrance along the grand outer wall. 

A heavy wooden gate, open as if welcoming guests. Leaving the gate open might be a sign of carelessness, but considering hardly anyone came here, the owner might not see the danger of leaving the gate open. Of course, I couldn’t just barge in.

“Excuse me!”

I called out from outside the gate. Peeking inside, I saw a wide garden. An engawa was visible, suggesting sitting there and gazing at the garden would be blissful. I waited, but no one came out. There wasn’t even a hint of human presence. I wasn’t trained to sense people like a soldier, but… The building seemed empty.

“…Pardon the intrusion.”

I called out and stepped inside. Curiosity got the better of me, and I entered the grounds.

If someone comes out, I’ll apologize profusely.

“Wow…”

Looking at the garden, I let out a sigh of awe.

Is this a Japanese garden?

I couldn’t tell if it was maintained, but it didn’t feel overgrown. Trees, moss, rocks, and stones were arranged, with a small stream flowing into a pond where large fish swam leisurely. Walking further, I noticed several buildings in the garden, separate from the main residence.

There were storehouses and detached rooms, but what shocked me most was the presence of horses and chickens being raised. I glanced at them. The horses were large, sturdy, and alive. The chickens had an unusual aura, also clearly alive. They stared at me, recognizing my presence, but surprisingly, they didn’t make a sound.

I was a stranger, and in a remote place like this, they shouldn’t be used to anyone but their owner. Yet, they didn’t fuss, panic, or cower, just stared as if sizing me up. Feeling uneasy and awkward, I didn’t approach them.

This confirms it. People live here.

The fish, horses, and chickens were healthy and well-fed, meaning someone was caring for them. How unfortunate. I couldn’t die on this mountain then.

“…Time to go back.”

I’d have to find another place to die. As I turned to leave…

“Hm…?”

I sniffed involuntarily. A delicious aroma wafted over, making my stomach rumble.

Food? Is someone really here?

They might be wary of me. Since people rarely come, they could be sensitive to strangers. Looking toward the mansion, I saw an open shoji screen, revealing the interior. A large table was crowded with dishes, steaming as if freshly prepared. The sight alone made my stomach growl, tempting me to eat. But a cold, rational part of me warned me.

Who prepared this, and when?

It looked just made, so someone must have set it out recently. Yet I hadn’t noticed anyone. They should have found it odd that I was trespassing and called out to me. But they didn’t. And yet, the open shoji and untouched table seemed prepared just for me.

“…”

I wanted to eat. I couldn’t deny that part. I hadn’t eaten properly lately due to my lack of means. The kaiseki-style dishes, like those from a high-end ryotei, were tempting.

But those aren’t mine.

Trespassing was already rude enough. Eating food meant for someone else would be beyond disrespectful. Maybe the person who set it out was too scared of a stranger like me to speak up. If so, I should leave immediately.

“Sorry for the intrusion.”

I stepped outside the gate.

Too bad, but I’ll find another place for suicide.

I was glad I kept the return fare. Thinking this, I walked away. Halfway, I glanced back. Thick fog was forming again, obscuring the mysterious mansion. Not wanting to be delayed, I quickened my pace down the mountain.

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