The house stood on high ground, separated from the group by a gap.
The blond university student looked down into the gap, then quickly pulled his head back, suddenly afraid of heights.
Because it was nighttime, everything below was pitch-black and impossible to see. But it was certain that there was land beneath them. If anyone fell, they would be smashed into pulp.
"You two, go in and see what's inside."
Makishima said this to Tama-na and the glasses-wearing man, who had only just managed to catch up from behind.
"Why do we have to go in?" The glasses-wearing man put down the ladder with obvious displeasure. "We've already done more than enough work."
"Do you want me to risk my life on that ladder of yours?" Makishima looked at the crude ladder on the ground with a mocking expression.
No one knew when those rusty nails fastening the wooden planks would snap.
"Watch your mouth! Don't insult the crystallization of our collective wisdom!"
Tama-na, who had only just recovered some of his ability to speak, shouted angrily.
"Let's go!" Tama-na hoisted the ladder onto his shoulder. "This Secret Realm isn't that dangerous. If Tsukikawa Shu could get so lucky, could our luck really be any worse?"
"Um..."
The glasses-wearing man hesitated nervously. But after looking at the others and seeing the threatening looks in Makishima's group, he gritted his teeth and followed Tama-na.
At the gap beside the red-roofed house, Tama-na set up the crude ladder but did not dare climb it for a long time, constantly adjusting its angle.
Even Tama-na felt terrified looking at the flimsy ladder. Beneath it was a bottomless abyss. One misstep, and they would be finished.
"Maybe... we should go back..." The glasses-wearing man also felt his scalp tingle.
"No. We can't let