Vol 3 Chapter 25 – Tiger’s Claw (【The Exonerator of the Maritime Nation】Arc)

As we finished the tour of the facility with Sugiyama-san and took a break in the office, she mentioned something intriguing.

“Actually, this movie theater has a hidden underground room!”

“An underground room…?”

I had walked all around the theater, but I hadn’t seen any stairs or passageways leading underground.

If it’s a hidden underground room, then there must be some kind of secret escape route.

“Is it really all right to tell him about the underground room!?”

The Condemner spoke to Sugiyama-san with a slightly surprised expression.

What was that…? Did this underground room contain a secret that they didn’t want others to know?

“It’s fine. Sakata-san is now one of us, our ally. There are no secrets among us.”

“Well, if Sugiyama-san says so…”

The Condemner looked reluctant but didn’t press any further.

“Follow me. I’ll show you the way.”

“A theater room…? So there’s a passage to the underground here?”

Sugiyama-san had led us to one of the theater rooms.

Rather than a big, urban cinema, this place had the look of a small-town movie theater. The seating barely seemed to accommodate 200 people.

Since Sugiyama-san was using it as a hideout now, the theater had likely been closed down long ago.

Of course, nothing was being projected on the screen.

“That’s right. Even if an intruder broke in, they’d never suspect that a place like this would lead underground.”

She laughed as she stopped at a particular spot.

“Here it is!”

“This is… a cleaning supply closet?”

In front of us stood a slightly large locker labeled as a cleaning supply closet.

“Well, it is a cleaning supply closet, but…”

Saying that, Sugiyama-san pulled out something resembling a remote control.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a device to open this locker. Just watch.”

She operated the remote, and the locker door swung open.

At first glance, the inside appeared empty, but upon closer inspection, the floor was missing—revealing a ladder leading downward.

“So this leads to the underground room…”

“That’s right. From here, it won’t arouse much suspicion.”

With that, Sugiyama-san began climbing down the ladder.

“……”

“—What are you waiting for? Hurry down here.”

When I hesitated, the Condemner urged me on.

There was no way they’d kill me as soon as I got down, right?

Feeling a bit uneasy, I cautiously began my descent.

It was dim down there; about three minutes after I started descending, a light shone up from below.

“Whoa…”

The sight before me made me exclaim in amazement.

What lay before me was a space filled with appliances and furniture, resembling a fully furnished apartment or a room in a residential building.

“So this is the underground room…?”

“Yes. Well, it’s more like a minimal living space than just a basement.”

“A minimal living space?”

“Since the theater doesn’t have a kitchen or a proper place to rest, we set up a space like this underground.”

From what Sugiyama-san said, does that mean the organization is always prepared for an attack?

Indeed, if the theater’s entrance door were broken, it would be a real problem…
Well, though I doubt any idiot would actually do such a thing…

“Sakata-san, do you like coffee?”

“Well, about as much as any normal person.”

“That’s good to hear.”

With that, she activated the coffee maker installed in the room.
After a while, coffee was brewed, and its pleasant aroma spread throughout the room.

“Please, have a seat.”

I did as Sugiyama-san said and sat on the sofa.
The sofa was soft, and I felt myself sinking into it.
She, too, sat opposite me and began to speak.

“Now then, let’s talk about what’s next.”

The topic she broached was an important matter concerning my future.

—————————————————

“Actually, this underground room connects to a certain place.”

“A certain place…?”

I got the feeling that Sugiyama-san’s demeanor changed as she sat before me.
That vibe was something I had sensed before.

“Yes. We call that place ‘Sanctuary.'”

“Sanctuary….”

“I apologize for getting all religious on you, but that Sanctuary has a well… and if you throw an offering into it, there are times when a wish is granted.”

“That is an intriguing story.”

I don’t usually believe in occult tales, but the expressions on Sugiyama-san’s face—and on the face of the person listening behind her—were just like those of children who believe in Santa Claus.
However, something about the word “well” just didn’t sit right with me.

(I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere… What was it again?)

“Right now, I’ve had Hannya perform a safety check on the Sanctuary. As soon as that’s done, we’ll head over there as well.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

In the end, I still couldn’t figure out what was causing that lingering sense of unease.

“That said, it might take some time… Condemner, we’re going shopping.”

“Shopping?”

“Yes! We’re having a welcome party for Sakata-san tonight!”

Sugiyama-san spoke with a glint in her eyes.
…Eh, a welcome party? What’s that about?

“You don’t need to force a welcome party…”

“Not at all—it’s not about forcing it. It’s important as comrades starting a new revolution.”

“I see…”

Well, it’s fine, I guess…
Look, even the Condemner is giving off a look of annoyance.

“So, I’m off to go shopping then.”

“…Take care.”

I opened one of the three doors in the room.
Beyond the door, a dark corridor stretched ahead.

“You’re free to use the facilities in this room, so please take your time and rest!”

Leaving those words behind, the two of them proceeded deeper inside.

—————————————————

“Man, I’m exhausted…”

Today was such an intense day.
Arisu was kidnapped, but thanks to that, I managed to slip away from the Empress naturally.
I left a lot of things as they were, though…
Well, Hirata will handle it somehow.
It was just one exhausting day after another.
Today, I don’t want to think about anything anymore.

“Use the facilities as you wish…”

I decided to explore the room a bit.
I had heard it was a place where people actually ate, and indeed, it felt like a room where someone had lived.

“This place is….”

On a whim, I opened a door and found a washroom and a bathroom beyond.
Now that I think about it, I haven’t even taken a shower today, and I broke a sweat this morning.

“Maybe I’ll take a shower and refresh myself.”

Jumping straight into using the bathroom was a bit daunting, but more than that, I felt the need to wash away both body and soul.
Before I knew it, I had removed my mask and clothes, and stepped into the bathroom.

The bathroom was ordinary, spacious enough for one person.
Somehow, I felt oddly excited…
I turned the handle to start the shower.

It was then.

“—Huh…? What’s that sound?”

From somewhere, I thought I heard a loud, “crack” sound.
After all, this is the underground room, so maybe it’s just my imagination.
I ignored it and continued showering.
The sound of water echoing in my ears was comforting.
It washed away all the fatigue I’d accumulated.
Maybe it’s time to get out soon.
It was then.

“——————————————!?”

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open.
“Who the—!?”
Before I could react, someone grabbed me from the waist down and pressed my neck.
I was completely immobilized.
An attack…!? Why now, of all times…?!
Am I going to die like this…?

In the moment I resigned myself to death, I caught sight of a strangely shaped knife in my attacker’s hand.
The knife was sharply curved, resembling a tiger’s claw.
But I felt like I had seen it somewhere before.

Then, the person holding the knife circled in front of me.
The attacker’s face became clearly visible.

Clearly…

…Huh?

“Hirata… or Mayuzumi? What kind of joke is this…?”

Standing before me was the most terrible being ever.