Chapter 25: Anomaly Catching Anomaly

Adaptation to Site 17 (15)

After parting ways with the child I was playing tag with in a space like a shopping center.

Quite some time had passed, yet the kid never ended up chasing after me.

'Well, I guess it was bound to turn out like this.'

I felt a slight pang of disappointment, but I quickly brushed it aside, deciding not to dwell on it.

After all, children are quick to lose interest in things, just as quickly as they gain it.

Maybe he met another child to play with, or perhaps she discovered something interesting and ran off to enjoy himself.

There was no reason for me to drag her along on a playground exploration when I was just someone she had met.

'Besides, it's not like there's a shortage of people here.'

I looked back at the scenery I had passed, recalling the people I had encountered since entering this playground.

A person in a smiling mascot costume handing out candy, someone dressed in a large bear costume.

And someone wearing a fluorescent smiley face floating in the air, though I have no idea what technology was used to achieve that.

Seeing so many mascot employees, it felt more like a theme park than a playground.

Well, considering the size, that might not be far from the truth.

Even if it's just a playground, with such a large space, there should be at least one or two adults stationed as safety personnel.

They all glanced at me briefly before rushing off as if they had remembered something urgent.

I figured they were probably patrolling the vast space to check if any children were injured.

Of course, I encountered a few people who weren't mascot employees.

For some reason, they all looked unwell and asked me for directions to the exit. Were they rushing to the restroom?

Judging by the cheers and profuse thanks they gave me as soon as I opened the exit door, that seemed likely.

But aren't exits everywhere around here? Why did they need to ask me?

Ah, speaking of exits.

I can't help but think that this playground has too many entrances and exits.

I was just rambling about modern architectural standards and how you're just an old fogey if you don't accept them,

But even so, isn't this number of exits a bit strange?

Especially since when I first entered, I remember there were barely any doors to the next room, let alone exits.

Starting from when I passed through that orange door, the number of exits I noticed seemed to increase,

Until now, no matter which direction I looked, east, west, south, or north, I could see at least one exit.

At this rate, it felt more like a modern art installation than a playground.

Look, they've plastered arrows pointing to the exit all over the walls.

If they're going to put exits everywhere, front, left, and right, why bother marking the way with signs and arrows?

If exits are everywhere, wouldn't it be wiser to just put up a few signs that say 'Exit in any direction' or 'You are now entering the exit zone'?

Was there really no one among the architects who thought that putting up so many arrows and signs might confuse people?

Am I being too sensitive? If you think so, I apologize.

But constantly seeing walls plastered with arrows, signs, and the word 'exit' is surprisingly headache-inducing.

To be honest, it felt like someone was shouting at me to leave.

Of course, it's just a feeling; no one would have put up these arrows in advance to tell me to leave...

Anyway, as someone who came here to have fun, being guided to countless exits as if I were being forced to leave is not a pleasant experience.

'In any case, I don't feel like leaving right now.'

I avoided all the paths indicated by the arrows, intentionally heading towards places without exits.

Seeing how freely they're letting me roam, I don't think I need to risk getting into trouble by trying to escape.

Besides, this playground is so enjoyable that I'm just filled with the desire to explore it.

After exploring so many places, there are still endless rooms with various themes and phenomena that defy the laws of physics.

Really, I could play here forever and never get tired of it.

And after ignoring all the exits along the way.

I finally found something other than an exit.

'...A slide?'

It was a giant slide attached to the wall.

It was definitely a way to go down somewhere, but the destination was nowhere to be seen.

Decorated in colorful colors befitting a playground, with the word 'Welcome!' prominently displayed,

I guess this must be a door connecting to the next room.

'Well, this childish design certainly confirms that it's a playground.'

I entered the slide, appreciating the colorful scenery around me.

Ah, I didn't mean that in a bad way.

After all, the really fun games can make both children and adults happy.

This playground is a great place to play, more than enough to live up to that saying.

Even if that saying is no longer valid in modern times, my appearance wouldn't draw strange looks for playing in a playground,

So, I decided to be a little more brazen,

I threw myself into the dark cylindrical tunnel of the slide.

――Whoosh――

My body slid down, quickly passing through the narrow, long tube.

It started to accelerate, getting faster and faster, and I wondered if this was really safe for children,

But honestly, it was really fun, and I didn't think I needed to worry about such minor safety issues.

If someone dies riding it, they'll probably remove it then.

After sliding down for quite a while for a slide.

Just when I was starting to think it should be ending soon,

I began to see a place where light was leaking in from afar.

That must be the end of this slide.

'So, what will the next room look like?'

With the end of the slide getting closer and closer, I was filled with anticipation for what kind of scenery would unfold in the next room.

Finally reaching the exit, I crouched down as much as possible,

And as I popped out, I straightened my body and managed to land easily.

―Thud

The sound of my shoes lightly touching the ground was heard as my body landed safely.

It was unexpected that there wasn't even a mat, let alone a shock-absorbing cushion on the floor...

But thinking about it, there was nothing but a stone floor under the slides in the playground I used to go to as a child.

Someone once said that children should grow up strong.

Originally, children who broke one or two bones while playing grew up particularly strong among their peers.

'So, what does this room look like...?'

I immediately looked around, trying to see what this room looked like,

But soon, I realized that something was wrong.

The room I had entered this time was,

Compared to the rooms I had visited before, it was far too small.

'No, not just small. This is――'

But soon, I realized that this wasn't just a small room.

Because that large, futuristic-designed machine door that I had become so familiar with,

Proved that this was the entrance to the playground where Sophia had first brought me.

'...Am I back?'

Confused, I turned around and saw that the place I had just come down from was now a door firmly closed.

Didn't I clearly enter through this door when I first entered the playground?

There was no slide back then, so how is this possible?

Is this some kind of future technology? Does opening it again lead to another room?

To satisfy my unbearable curiosity, I began to walk towards the door that I was sure I had just come out of,

And just as I was about to grab the doorknob and turn it――

―Click

Suddenly, the sound of mechanical devices interlocking began to be heard from behind me,

And soon, a familiar voice calling out to me began to be heard from the gap in the door that wasn't even fully open yet.

"Number 19? Are you okay? Are you there?!"

The owner of the voice was, of course, Sophia.

It seemed like something urgent had happened, but as I couldn't make a sound, there was no way for me to respond to her call.

I had no choice but to let go of the doorknob I was holding and lightly knock on the opening mechanical door to make my presence known.

"Ah, ah, thank goodness. Nothing happened..."

She must have realized I was here from the sound of the knocking, as she let out a sigh of relief.

Finally, the door opened almost completely, and Sophia and I were able to properly see each other.

She squeezed through the still-not-fully-opened door, bent down, and suddenly started hugging me.

Wait a minute, what's going on?

"I'm sorry. I should have come sooner, I was too late, wasn't I?"

No, I was having so much fun that I lost track of time.

To be a little more honest, I was even thinking it might have been better if she had come a little later.

'More importantly, how long is she going to keep hugging me?'

I was feeling a little stuffy because Sophia had been hugging me for a while now,

I tried to gently push her away as a sign of refusal, but for some reason, she wasn't letting go of me today.

What's wrong with her? Did she get chewed out by her boss or something?

Come to think of it, considering how urgently that Hubae-looking man was looking for her earlier, she might have been called in by her boss and been getting scolded all this time.

And considering the time I spent playing in the playroom... that must have been a little, unbearably difficult.

If she didn't hear the call alarm because I was begging her to take me out...

....

...Well, even for me, I feel pretty sorry about this.

Should I just let her hug me for a little while, at least until she feels better...?

Right after coming out of the playroom.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of conscience and had no choice but to let Sophia hug me for a very long time with an awkward expression.

Only after she finally calmed down was I able to return to my room...

Report
Report on the Termination of 1983-β-Temporary Procedure

Task Force: Special Task Force Uniform-█ and █ Researchers

On September 25, ████, the third sudden movement of Anomaly 1983 was detected.

1983-β-Temporary Procedure was immediately implemented at Site 17, and all personnel ceased movement.

The Special Task Force searched Site 17, but the door connected to Anomaly 1983 was not found.

30 minutes after the emergency alarm was triggered.

The door opened very suddenly with a loud crashing sound from the Anomaly.

The Special Task Force immediately dispatched, but no movement was detected from beyond 1983.

Since the last emergency alarm was triggered.

The Anomaly is connected to a field full of reeds and no longer connects to other locations, even when repeatedly opened and closed.

Additional Report: Agent Henry Russell, who went missing on September 18, ████, was found in a general hospital in the downtown area of ███.

He was suffering from malnutrition and mental confusion at the time of discovery and is currently recovering.

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