Murder At The Rainy Mansion ~The Never Ending 100 Tales~

Chapter 3: Uh, I told you I can’t leave this place…

“Satoshi-san,” Ayano called the ghost inside the toilet and frowned. “Takato is here.”

Satoshi: “Oh. Isn’t that great?”

Ayano: “No, it’s not.”

The first time Ayano met Satoshi, the ghost inside the toilet, was two years ago. It all started when one of the family members brought a baby that she had never met and didn’t even know its name.

“I’m going to say hello to Grandpa Sokichi. Ayano, please look after the baby.” The woman, a family member that Ayano didn’t even know, passed the baby to her. She had never taken care of a baby before so she cradled the baby in her arm imitating others from her knowledge while walking down the corridor.

At that time, she happened to see the toilet interior through the open window. She could see the back of the head and upper body of a man sitting on the Western-style toilet with his head down.

Oops. Someone is using the toilet and forgot to close the window, Ayano thought to herself. She was about to walked away when she felt something was wrong.

That’s it! After thinking for a while, she realized what it was. The man with brownish hair was crouching on top of the fully automated modern type toilet. He was wearing an old fashioned student houseboy[1] attire making him looked so out of place.

Although Ayano felt bad to peep at someone who was using the toilet, she couldn’t help but turned back to the window to take another look out of curiosity. Then she noticed that the man was sitting on the seat cover.

Ayano was puzzled wondering how the man managed to sit on the seat cover. The seat cover would open automatically when the sensor detected any movement. Ayano was engrossed about the mystery when suddenly the man turned around.

Seeing his face, Ayano felt he had a typical look of a timid student houseboy. Although he had a well-proportioned good looking face, he seemed to be lacking vigour and looked absent-minded.

Ignoring the fact that she was peeping a person inside the toilet, Ayano asked the man, “Who are you?”

“Huh? Ayano-san?” the man replied.

Ayano was surprised when the man called her name.

Seeing her reaction, the man explained, “Oh, sorry. I’ve been living inside this toilet. I think…maybe I’m a ghost. I remember reading a book in the toilet, then… maybe I had a stroke? Somehow, I ended up being here. Perhaps the magnetic field here is bad, so the people in this mansion couldn’t see me.”

The man said his name was Sudo Satoshi. Considering his surname is Sudo, Ayano realized he couldn’t be a student houseboy. Based on his story, he seemed to be one of the relatives who lived in the Rainy Mansion. However, he could vaguely remember the memories from when he was alive, perhaps because he had been here for a long time.

“I know you all very well. It’s easier to remember the recent memories of the current residents compared to acquaintances from the past.”

“Wa- Wait a minute!” Ayano exclaimed when she realized something. “You have been here all the time?”

“Yes. I’ve been here since long time ago. I often listen to the voices of the residents running around the hallway at the front and behind the toilet,” Satoshi explained earnestly.

It’s fine if he only listens to the voices, but… Ayano thought quietly. “I will never use this toilet again.”

“… Please do so. But it’s not like I’m here because I wanted to,” Satoshi complained.

Ever since then, Ayano had become friend with this strange ghost. Perhaps because of the magnetic field, Ayano was unable to see him once she entered the toilet, so she could only talk to him through the window.

[1] Student houseboy: Refers to male Japanese scholar in late 19th century to early 20th century who went to the city to study while living at other people’s house as servant/houseboy.