The Conductor and the Face Behind Him

In the darkness, a tiny Origami Frog hopped forward.

Although lights were spaced at intervals along the sleeper Train's corridor, they were not very bright—more like night-lights.

Their purpose was not illumination, but to keep people from bumping into things and to provide a sense of reassurance, so the carriage would not be completely dark.

After briefly investigating her surroundings, Yu Gugu had basically grasped her current location.

If the sleeper carriage she was in were divided into ten equal sections, she was located in the seventh. Ahead of the first section was the boiling water room, while beyond the tenth section was the restroom, which was also the turn connecting to the next carriage.

However, since the door leading to the next carriage was closed, she could not see what was happening there. The connecting area itself was brightly lit.

The Origami Frog she had folded was exploring from the seventh section toward the first.

"Generally speaking, every carriage has a Conductor assigned to it, and the Conductor patrols the carriage at regular intervals..."

After releasing that Origami Frog, Yu Gugu paid it no further attention. As she contemplated matters related to sleeper Train carriages, she folded another Origami Creature in her hands.

But compared to the Origami Frog from before, this one was an Origami Mosquito.

Using these tiny, agile, low-cost Origami Creatures to scout ahead and trigger any possible traps had always been one of her combat methods.

But before Yu Gugu could release the mosquito in her hand, which could fly even in winter, the Origami Frog she had sent out earlier suddenly lost all connection with her in an instant.

"...It died?"

Her movements stopped abruptly, and Yu Gugu tilted her head slightly.

The frog had been sent out to scout, so its death was