When we stepped out of the car into a dirt clearing, an untouched primary forest spread out before our eyes. I had heard the property was in a remote, mountainous area, but this felt like the literal middle of nowhere. Was there really a destination further in?
"Whoa... this is an incredible place. I never imagined it would be this deep in the mountains."
"We did pass that station on the way, the one mentioned in the description... but 'secluded station' is the only way to describe it."
"During the drive after we hit the mountain road, I only saw a few decaying buildings. Not a single proper house. Does anyone even live around here?"
We couldn't help but voice our surprise at the scenery, which was several levels more rugged than we had imagined. Yuta-san let out a wry smile at our reaction and offered an explanation.
"Haha, well, I suppose anyone would feel that way seeing this for the first time. Let me give you some context. This region’s industry was originally built around the mine we’re heading to. The station you saw earlier was established for the mine workers and the local community. Once the mine closed, the industries pulled out, the residents left, and now only the station remains. There was a movement to abolish it at one point, but after much debate, it stayed. Of course, it’s just a dilapidated, unstaffed station now."
"I see... so it has some history. Then those ruins we saw on the way are remnants of that era?"
"Yes. To be blunt, it costs money to demolish buildings, and since this is such a remote area where no one ever comes... well, they're dangerous, but they’ve been left abandoned for years."
We nodded, understanding his explanation. It made sense; once a region loses its primary industry, it declines rapidly. The younger generations move away for work, and while the elderly might stay out of a sense of attachment to their home, they eventually pass away as time goes on. With no jobs to attract new people, even with a train link to the nearby town, it was the perfect recipe for a decline. It was a classic case of a vanishing village.
"Now then, I’d like to start moving toward the site... is everyone ready?"
"Yes, we're all set. How about you, Yuta-san? Are you ready for the hike?"
"Yes, quite. But... are you all really going to be okay? I've heard you're capable, but..."
Yuji replied with a confident smile, but Yuta-san still looked skeptical. I suppose it was only natural for a normal person to worry.
"Of course. If anything, we usually carry much heavier gear when we're exploring dungeons. This is nothing."
"I see..."
"Our word isn't enough to ease your mind, is it?"
"No, it's not that, exactly..."
His eyes said more than his mouth did. He was clearly filled with anxiety. I suppose we had to show him.
To put Yuta-san at ease, I... or rather, Yuji, decided to give him a little demonstration.
"Well, that's a fair reaction. Let me show you what we're capable of."
"Show me?"
"Yeah... Ah, that looks perfect."
After scanning the perimeter, Yuji walked over to a log lying in the corner of the clearing. It looked like it had been left there after some forest thinning—about the thickness of a utility pole and three meters long. Yuta-san tilted his head, watching Yuji with a puzzled expression, but his eyes went wide at what Yuji did next.
"Watch closely, Yuta-san."
"Um, Hirose-san, what are you doing with that log?"
"Just a little demonstration... Hup!"
"Eh? What—!?"
With a casual grunt, Yuji hoisted the massive log onto his shoulder as if it weighed nothing. Yuta-san’s face went blank for a second before he cried out in pure shock.
Yuji made it look easy, but a log of that size and density would easily weigh over a hundred kilograms.
"And for the record, I can do this, too."
Still holding the log, Yuji performed a few squats and jumps. Then, he shifted the log to a vertical carry and began a light jog around the clearing at a standard pace. Yuta-san watched, his mouth hanging open, utterly speechless.
Well, anyone would react that way after seeing a human perform a feat like that so casually.
"Phew... So, as you can see, there's no need to worry about us."
"..."
"Uh, Yuta-san?"
"Ah! Oh, excuse me... I was just a bit overwhelmed."
When Yuji called out to him, Yuta-san started rubbing the bridge of his nose, looking like a man trying to process something impossible. He probably couldn't believe his own eyes.
After about ten seconds, Yuta-san looked up and met our gaze. He seemed to have finally managed to digest the reality of the situation.
"My apologies. It seems my concerns were entirely groundless."
"Don't worry about it. It was a perfectly normal thing to be concerned about."
"Thank you. Then, let’s get moving immediately... if you're ready."
"Right. I'll carry you for the first leg, then."
With that, we began our trek toward the former mine.
We sprinted along a mountain path that was barely recognizable as a trail, dodging overgrown vegetation, fallen trees, and loose rocks. I could see why a car couldn't make it up here; the road was in terrible condition. Then again, there was no reason for anyone to bother maintaining it.
"Watch out... the path has collapsed here."
"Y-yes! This road is rarely used, so it only gets the bare minimum of maintenance. Please be extremely careful of rockfalls and landslides!"
"Roger that."
Yuta-san, clinging to Yuji’s back with a look of pure terror, did his best to give us advice. I couldn't blame him; being carried by a man running through a wilderness path at the speed of a motorized scooter would be a nightmare for most people. The violent vertical swaying, the branches and rocks whipping past at high speed... it was objectively terrifying.
I stayed at the front of the line, clearing a path by beating back branches and long grass. Our formation was me in the lead, then Yuji carrying Yuta-san, followed by Hiiragi-san.
"Yuta-san, where are we now?"
"N-now? Let's see... that landmark there means... we're more than halfway!"
"In that case, we should be there in less than ten minutes."
Since it was our first time on this trail, we weren't going at full tilt, but we were still moving at a brisk pace. We had estimated thirty minutes for the hike, but it looked like we’d finish it in twenty.
After pushing through the brush for a while longer, we emerged into a cleared area overgrown with long grass.
"Looks like the mountain path ends here."
"Y-yes. A little further ahead, and we’ll reach the site where the mining excavations took place....Ugh."
"Something wrong, Yuta-san?"
"S-sorry. I feel a bit... nauseous."
Yuta-san covered his mouth, his face pale. It looked like the piggyback ride had given him motion sickness. Yuji had been careful, but the constant jumping and dodging had caused a lot of vibration. It was inevitable.
Since we didn't want a disaster occurring on Yuji’s back, we decided to take a break until Yuta-san recovered, even though the destination was right in front of us.
"Phew..."
"Feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you. I'm much better now."
"That's good to hear. Should we skip the piggyback ride for the way down?"
Yuta-san had to drive us back later, so it wouldn't be good if his equilibrium was shot. Driving while dizzy and nauseous is a recipe for an accident.
However, Yuta-san waved his hand in a dismissive gesture.
"No. If we walk at my pace, the sun will go down. It’s far too dangerous to descend this mountain in the dark without any proper lighting. We'll go down the same way we came up. I’ll be fine as long as I get a little rest afterward."
"If you say so. Understood."
He had a point. The path was so obstructed by fallen trees and rocks that walking at a normal human pace would take forever. I’d be the one carrying him on the way back, so I’d have to be extra careful not to jostle him. Since I already knew the layout of the path, it should be a smoother ride than the way up.
After a ten-minute break, Yuji hoisted Yuta-san back up, and we began the final approach to the mine.
"When the mine was operational, this area was cleared out to serve as a supply hub. Back then, transport was mostly done by horse and carriage, so there were many stables built around here."
"Heh, horse and carriage, huh? Wait, if that's the case, then the station down below..."
"That was built in the mid-to-late Meiji era. But given the terrain, transport from the mine to the station continued to be done primarily by carriage. That's likely why this road was built wide enough for a horse-drawn wagon but is too narrow for a modern car."
"It certainly was a tight squeeze."
The path we’d taken was about 1.5 meters wide at most. Plenty of room for people, but definitely too narrow for a vehicle. I didn't know the exact dimensions of Meiji-era wagons, but they must have been smaller than a modern light truck.
We continued past the ruins of the old clearing, following Yuta-san’s lead.
Exactly thirty minutes after leaving the parking lot, we finally arrived at the abandoned mine. On the mountainside stood a decaying wooden structure that looked like a shack. A rusted, weathered sign was bolted to the door: "DANGER: KEEP OUT."
It had a distinctly eerie, haunted atmosphere.
"This is the entrance to the former mine. As you can see, it has been sealed off. Even if you purchase this mountain, please do not under any circumstances enter the tunnels. They are incredibly old, and there's no telling when a section might collapse."
Yuta-san warned us with a grave expression. It was a reasonable warning. This place had been excavated in the Meiji era and left to rot after it closed; nobody could guarantee its structural integrity.
After explaining the dangers of the tunnels, Yuta-san led us to another spot.
"This is the site of the former ore processing and refining plant. The buildings are long gone, but this is where gold and silver were processed back in the day."
The refining site was a large, leveled plot of land. At a glance, it looked slightly larger than a school gymnasium. I felt a twinge of concern about a Meiji-era refining site, but the tests had supposedly come back clean, and the flat ground gave it high utility value.
Still, I had to double-check.
"A refining plant... you mentioned the mineral toxicity tests were fine, but I've read that lead and mercury are often used in gold and silver refining. Is this site really safe?"
I didn't want to find out the hard way. If we were dealing with a shady agency, they might pull a fast one and claim they only said the mine was safe, not the refining site.
"Yes. We've tested this specific area as well, and it cleared all environmental standards."
Yuta-san didn't seem bothered by the question and answered immediately. It looked like our worries were unfounded.
But that brought up one more concern: the waste soil produced during mining. The road up here wasn't wide enough to have hauled away vast quantities of earth. If the soil wasn't backfilled, there was likely a slag heap somewhere. If those aren't managed properly, they can leak toxins into the environment.
When I asked my final question about the presence of a slag heap, Yuta-san’s expression soured, and he averted his eyes. Oh, no. Don't tell me...
"Um, well... it’s not included in the parcel currently up for sale, but there is a slag heap nearby where the mine's waste soil was collected."
"..."
After a heavy silence, Yuta-san finally let the truth out.
Wait a second—did he just drop a bombshell on us at the very last minute?!