LIGHTNOVELONLINE After parting ways with the child who was playing tag in a space resembling a shopping center, some time had passed.
Despite quite a bit of time passing, that kid never chased after me in the end.
“Well, I sort of expected that.”
I felt a little disappointed, but I quickly brushed that thought away and decided not to have any other feelings.
Children easily get interested in something, but they also lose interest just as quickly, right?
They might have found another kid to play with or discovered something interesting to rush over and have fun with.
There was no reason for me, someone they had only just met, to drag them around for a playroom adventure.
“And it’s not like there aren’t people here.”
I began to recall the people I had met since coming to this playroom, reflecting on the scenery I had passed.
There was someone in a laughing mascot costume handing out candy, and another person in a giant bear suit.
And there was someone wearing a glowing-smiling-face thing that defied all logic, floating in mid-air.
Seeing so many mascot staff made it feel less like a playroom and more like some kind of theme park.
Well, considering the size, it wasn’t such an incorrect statement after all.
Even if it’s called a playroom, in such a large space, at least one or two adults would have to be stationed as safety personnel.
They all just gave me a quick glance before rushing off somewhere else as if remembering some urgent task.
I imagined they were checking if any kids were getting hurt as they wandered around this vast space.
Of course, I did encounter a few people who weren’t mascot staff.
For some reason, they all seemed to be in a bad mood and asked me about the direction of the exit. Were they in a hurry to get to the restroom or something?
When I opened the exit door, several of them cheered and repeatedly thanked me, so maybe that was the case.
After all, isn’t the exit just lying around nearby? Was it really necessary to ask me about it?
Ah, speaking of which, now that the topic of exits has come up, I can’t help but think this playroom has way too many entry and exit points.
I mean, sure, I might have rambling about modern architectural standards earlier, claiming that if I couldn’t accept that, I’d just be a grumpy old person, but still, doesn’t the sheer number seem a bit strange?
Especially when I first entered this place, I recall there being hardly any exit doors or even a single door leading to the next room sometimes.
After I passed through that orange door, I felt like the number of entry and exit points suddenly began to increase drastically, and now, it’s reached a point where at least one door is visible no matter which direction I head in.
At this rate, it would look less like a playroom and more like some modern installation art museum.
Look, there are arrows pointing to the exit crazily plastered on the walls here.
If you’re going to create exit doors in the front, left, and right, then why bother marking the way to the exits with directions or arrows?
If you’re planning for every path to lead to an exit anyway, wouldn’t it be smarter to just put up signs saying, “There are exits ahead” or “This area is an exit zone”?
Isn’t it a bit confusing for the visitors to have this many arrows and signs? Didn’t any of the architects think that?
Am I being too sensitive about this? If so, I apologize.
But honestly, staring at walls plastered with arrows, signs, and “exit” texts is more headache-inducing than I thought it would be.
To be frank, it felt like someone was yelling at me to please leave.
Well, I mean, that’s just the impression I got, not that anyone actually placed these arrows with the intent of telling me to get out…
Anyway, as someone here for leisure, being guided towards countless exits feels just terrible.
“Anyway, I don’t plan on leaving right now.”
I began deliberately moving toward places where there were no exits, avoiding all the paths indicated by the arrows.
Since I felt like I was being allowed this much freedom, I figured there was no need to go through the trouble of escaping, and honestly, the playroom was so enjoyable that all I wanted was to explore.
Even after exploring so many places, there were still various themed rooms and phenomena defying the laws of physics that continued to appear.
Really, at this rate, I felt like I could play here forever without ever getting bored.
Disregarding all the exits lined up at every turn, I finally found something that wasn’t an exit.
‘…A slide?’
It was a huge slide attached to the wall.
So I was definitely going down somewhere, but the end destination was invisible, a type of slide.
It was decorated in bright colors fitting for a playroom, with the words “Welcome!” written big, so this must serve as a door leading to the next room.
“Alright, with this childish design, it fits the playroom.”
As I climbed into the slide, I admired the colorful scenery around me.
Oh, I didn’t mean that negatively.
After all, isn’t it said that truly fun play can happily engage both children and adults?
This playroom certainly lived up to that claim and more, being a splendid place to have fun.
Even if that phrase has become outdated in modern times, I wouldn’t get any strange looks for playing in a playroom based on my appearance.
So, why not act a bit more brazenly?
I launched myself into the dark cylindrical tunnel that lay at the end of the slide.
――SWOOOSH
My body slid down swiftly through the narrow and long tube.
As I gained speed, I briefly wondered if this was really safe for kids, but honestly, it was incredibly fun, and I figured safety concerns were not something I needed to worry about.
If someone ends up getting hurt, they can just remove it later.
After quite a long slide, I started to think it had to end soon, and just then, I began to see a light shining from a distance.
That spot must be the end of this slide.
“So, what will the next room look like?”
As I approached the end of the slide, my excitement mounted over what kinds of scenes would be unfolding in the next room.
Finally reaching the exit, I crouched down as much as I could, and as I leaped out, I spread my body out to land easily.
―THUD
The sound of my shoes lightly tapping on the ground signaled that my body had landed safely.
Surprisingly, there was no shock-absorbing cushion or even a mat under me…
But then again, when I think back to the slides at the playground I visited as a kid, there was nothing but rocky ground below.
Someone once said kids need to be tough as they grow up.
Kids who broke a bone or two while playing often grew up to be sturdier than their peers, after all.
“So, what does this room look like?”
As I emerged from the slide, I quickly looked around to see what this room was like, but soon I realized something was off.
It was because the room I entered this time was, compared to the previous ones, alarmingly small.
“No, it’s not just small. This is—”
But before long, I could tell this wasn’t just a small room.
The large, near-futuristic designed mechanical door that was already familiar to my eyes proved that this was the entrance to the playroom where Sophia first brought me.
‘…Did I return?’
Feeling confused, I turned around to see that the place I had just come down from had now shut tightly like a door.
Didn’t I enter through this door when I first came into the playroom?
At that time, there was no slide in sight—how is this even possible?
Is this some kind of future science? Could opening it again lead to a different room?
To satisfy my unbearable curiosity, I began walking toward the door I had just exited and, as I finally reached for the doorknob…
―CLICK
I suddenly heard the sound of mechanical devices engaging behind me, and soon after, a familiar voice was calling out from the gap of the not-yet-fully-open door.
“1, 19th entity? Are you okay? Are you there?!”
The owner of that voice was, of course, Sophia.
She sounded as if something urgent had occurred, but with no way to respond, I had to drop the doorknob I was holding and lightly tap the door to let her know I was here.
“Oh, thank goodness. You’re alright….”
Had she figured out from the sound of my knocking that I was here? She sighed in relief.
Finally, when the door swung open enough for both Sophia and me to see each other clearly, she squeezed through the still closing door and suddenly hugged me tightly.
Wait, hold on a second, what’s going on?
“I’m so sorry. I should have come sooner, but I took too long, didn’t I?”
No, I was just having too much fun to notice the time.
If I were to be completely honest, I thought it might have been better if she came a little later.
“But how long are you planning to hug me like this?”
Having felt a bit stifled from Sophia continuously hugging me, I attempted to nudge her away slightly, but for some reason, she didn’t seem to want to let go today.
What’s with her? Did she get ripped apart by her boss or something?
Now that I think about it, that guy who looked like her junior was in such a hurry to find her. It’s possible she got called into some meeting due to work issues and came back shaken.
Considering how much time I spent having fun in the playroom… it must have been hard for her.
If it was because I asked her to come find me, and she didn’t hear the call alarm…
…Well, I can’t help but feel a bit guilty about that.
Maybe I should just hold still for now until she calms down…
Right after leaving the playroom, I felt the weight of guilt creep in, and with a slightly sour expression, I had no choice but to let Sophia hold me for quite a while.
Finally, after she calmed down, I was able to return to my room…
—
Report
Report on the termination of 1983-β provisional procedures
Task force involved: Special Task Force Uniform-█ and █ researchers.
On September 25, ████, the 1983rd entity of abnormal phenomena was detected moving suddenly for the third time.
A provisional procedure for 1983-β was immediately implemented at Base 17, and all personnel ceased their movements.
The Special Task Force searched within Base 17, but no doors connected to the 1983rd entity were found.
Thirty minutes after the emergency alert was triggered.
Suddenly, a rough crashing sound was heard from the abnormal phenomenon, followed by a door swiftly opening up.
The Special Task Force immediately deployed, but no movement was detected from beyond the 1983rd entity.
Since the last emergency alert was triggered.
The abnormal phenomenon is now connected to a field filled with silver grass, continuously opening and closing without connecting to any other location.
—
Additional report: On September 18, ████, missing Agent Henry Russell was found at a general hospital in the urban center of ████.
At the time of discovery, he was suffering from malnutrition and symptoms of mental confusion and is currently recovering.