Chapter 17

The fact that it became an open space means that the roof had fallen.

So, I, who was using it as a foothold, also fell into the house at the same time.

Thanks to the "Hare Boots," I floated down slowly and gently, and landed on both feet on the first-floor floor.

"Thud, good."

"Quack."

The moment I placed my feet, a squished frog-like sound came from the floor.

Probably, someone was right there.

"Ugh... Ugh..."

"Agh..."

If I listened carefully, I could hear many such voices.

Six people had entered the house, but there might have been a few more inside. I knocked everyone out in one go, so I'm not sure.

I thought it would be easier to finish them all at once, so I remodeled, and it went perfectly.

As expected of me. The strongest three-year-old.

I puffed out my chest. Then, since I still had things to do, I started the next task!

"Excavation!"

The next task was excavation.

"One, two, one, two, one one, two"

I hooked and sorted through the pile of something wooden and broken furniture on the first-floor floor with the claws of the "Cat's Hand Gloves."

People to the left, wood to the right.

While roughly separating people and debris, I dug until the first-floor floor was visible.

In the process, I found what I was looking for—

"There. Leader."

When I moved the heavy furniture, there was a large man.

Yes, this was the leader among the six who had come to my house.

The others were trying to stop being involved with my house, but this person stopped them and led the conversation.

As a result, no one gave up, and my house continued to be targeted.

Without this person, the problem with my house could have been resolved relatively peacefully.

"Let's talk."

So, I thought it was necessary to have a talk with the leader.

I hooked the found leader with my claws and dragged him along.

Although the roof was gone, the walls still existed on all four sides. So, I made him sit with his back against the north wall.

"Get up."

I called out, but there was no sign of the leader responding.

I had moved a lot of wood, furniture, and people to excavate the leader.

It seems the weight was considerable, and he lost consciousness due to lack of blood circulation.

Hmm. Waiting for him to wake up is a hassle...

While I was pondering, a "Hiss" came from the left—

"What is this... What's happening... Damn it..."

It seems the first person had woken up.

The man, seeing the destroyed hideout and his comrades haphazardly piled up, let out a scream.

The panicked man, unable to stand, was crawling towards the door.

He was trying to escape.

"You can't run."

I left the leader and stood in front of the man trying to escape.

Then—

"Cat's claws"

Zashu

I launched the "Cat's Claws" at the floor where the man was trying to move.

Five lines were firmly etched into the floor.

"Aaaaah!"

Seeing the gouged floor, the man crawled back the way he came.

He seemed to be desperately trying to hide himself behind the piled-up comrades.

"I don't want to anymore... That house is definitely strange... We should have backed out, this, this..."

He muttered to himself, trembling in fear.

I thought for a moment, then hooked a nearby piece of debris with my claws and tossed it.

Thud!

The sound of the debris hitting the wall.

The man shuddered and screamed at the sound.

"Help me... Help me..."

It seems the man was really shaken, as he finally clasped his hands in front of his face and started praying.

Shaking violently, his desperate prayer was truly filled with fear...

I didn't want any more eerie things to happen, and that feeling was palpable.

"I see."

"Aaaaah!"

He overreacted even to my muttered voice.

From his reactions so far, it seems everything I do appears to be a paranormal phenomenon to him.

That might be understandable.

He can't see my appearance, as I'm wearing the "Hermit's Robe" with the hood up, and he can't sense my presence.

Suddenly, the roof fell, objects moved on their own, people were piled up, and then the floor was gouged and objects hit the wall—

...It must be scary, indeed?

"It's a curse... We're cursed... Ahh"

I clapped my hands, and the pads of my paws made a "kyum" sound.

The man even screamed "Ahh!" at such a cute sound.

—It seems I have become a malevolent spirit.