Chapter 52

Chapter 52 The Mystery of the Mansion and the Stack of Compost

What?(Kazura)

When he was lifting the tatami with one of his hand, Kazura let out a surprised tone as he was staring dumbfounded by the unexpected sight of an iron plate . Why is there something like this under the tatami?This mansion supposed to be an antique building that had been handed down from generation to generation in Shino Family . So there shouldnt be anything like iron plates on the floor of an antique building . After staring at the iron plate for few second, Kazura put the tatami in his hand at the corner of the room and began peeling the rest of the tatami . Wha-(Kazura) After he had lifted all the tatami, Kazura could only groan at the sight in front of him . The floor of the room was completely covered by iron plates . Every 50 cm at a point that can be considered as the plates side there were traces of arc welding . Furthermore, if he watched it closely, the iron plates surface had an anti-skid striped pattern . [1] It was obvious that these iron plates were installed by someone long after this house first constructed . Kazura silently took out his cellphone from his trouser pocket and made a call for someone he thought as the most suspicious . The next morning . Valin, who returned to the residence at some point, had prepared the breakfast and Kazura was currently eating it together with Valin and Valetta . However, the seating position was different from the usual and there was no table conversation . The only sounds available in the living room was sounds of food chewing and the clatters of the wooden utensils . This extremely complicated atmosphere dominated the living room . (What is this extremely awkward situation?)(K) While sipping the piping hot soup made from canned beans and vegetables from the village, Kazura sent a glance towards Valetta . Just like last night, Valetta still had the same depressed expression and feebly brought the food to her mouth . Suddenly Kazura felt Valins gaze and turned towards him, Valin send a glance as if asking What happened?I also want to know about this, was something that Kazura had in his mind . Last night, Kazura kept stayed at Valettas side until she calmed down and hug her tightly to comfort her . Of course, he didnt feel embarrassed at all . Since that action was something that came into his mind when he thought what he can do for Valetta who has suddenly become strange . However, after some time passed, Valetta suddenly said, Im sorrywithout having contact with Kazuras eyes, she separated herself and went to her room . Thus, he arrived at the current situation . After the breakfast under such complicated mood finished, Valin asked Valetta to do the cleaning, and under the pretext of meeting with the villagers, he went outside while taking Kazura along with him . Kazura-san, Valettas behavior is really strange . (Va) When Valin arranged so that Kazura and Valetta were alone last night, he was under an impression that Kazura could do something about her . However, he never expected that Valettas behavior became even stranger . Last night, when he heard Valettas crying from beyond the door, he was optimistic that she would say all the things that she had saved up and threw them all at Kazura . Despite this, her state of affair become deteriorated . He honestly didnt know what was going on . Yes, but I also didnt know anything at all . During the time when Im not in the village, was there any change at Valetta-san?(K) Something is it? There is(Va)

When Kazura asked, Valin though back at Valettas situation during the last several days . If something came to his mind, it was After parting with Kazura-san in Isteria, Valetta became depressed all the time . I thought that she would cheer up a bit after she met Kazura-san again, so(Va) O, oh(K) Valin had given an unanticipated information, that made Kazura replied with a troubled reaction . If she felt depressed after parting with him, then that means it was hard for her to be separated from him . Because the one who said this information was none other than the father of the person in question, it was quite a queer conversation . Also, when the bandits attacked the residence, Valetta was pushed down by one of the bandits . Fortunately, the bandit was defeated before he could do something, but(Va) Eh!?(K) Although Kazura felt somewhat happy at Valins previous information, he was surprised at what Valin had said just now . If she was pushed down by a bandit, then that means she was going to be raped . In most cases, it wouldnt be strange if she got a trauma . So that means . Last night, when Kazura hugged Valetta to calm her down, there was a high possibility that he had stepped on a big landmine . Instead of calming her like he had intended, it might have opened her wound . Thinking along this line, then he could somehow understand Valettas behavior from last night until this morning . Valin-san(K) Yes?(Va)

Please tell me more about that incident, anything is fine . (K) Y-yes . (Va) Valin was not really understood the current situation, so Kazura let out a deep sigh . Several ten minutes later . Kazura drove his car through the mountains and arrived at the entrance ofGunmaa Ranch Ltd . that he had searched before on the internet . It was a vast ranch with pasture spread out over all direction, even though it was in the hottest season in the middle of August, there was no scorching heat or clammy humidity . Actually, it was rather cool . Since the location of the ranch has relatively high elevation and had less temperature and humidity even more than the mountains he passed until now . There was a big billboard erected at the entrance to the ranch, it was written with New Experience! Ranchs multi-storied tree house under construction Scheduled to be completed in May next year . Book a place ahead of time in red letters, with a picture that depicted a tree house in a still pristine undeveloped land . What did this ranch intend to go for its future anyway? Kazura entered the ranch and continue walking while looking at the cows eating the grass before he noticed something like a stand for tourist . When he asked where he could buy compost at the employee at the stand, the employee contacted the ranch owner through the phone . Before long, a young man came to the stand . His age was not that different from Kazura, but it seems that he was the owner of this ranch . Good morning . I see on the internet that you directly sell compost, so I come to ask how much of it that you are selling . (Kazura) Compost, right? One ton is 3000 yen without shipping cost, so may I ask how much do you n