【Materials Submitted to the Enri Agency】
Document Number: EN-RPT-2025-0913-SURV
Author: Enri Bearer Assistant member (name withheld)
Submission Route: Distress Signal Receiving Device → Transfer → Second Bureau, Enri Agency Anti-Enri Disaster Section
■ Situation Report (Fragment)
Standing by on the ██th floor of apartment building ██.
Everyone with me, including the captain, was “swallowed by the windows.” They are gone. Only their voices are reflected in the hallway windows.
The windows are increasing in number. Both sides of the hallway have all become “snake eyes.”
I have not turned into a window yet.
There are bruises on my arms and legs.
I can feel my shadow stretching out long and thin.
When I speak, someone repeats it from inside the windows.
My own voice echoes twice.
Requesting rescue.
But if you are coming, hurry.
Before the windows swallow the entire room.
■ Addendum
(The text is distorted.)
“…If I have become a window by then, when that time comes, do not hesitate. Break it.”
“However you look at it, this is another troublesome one.”
Senano muttered that while looking over the documents in her hand.
Enri Bearers got no rest.
That was only natural for a genius who had reached A-rank while still a student.
“So this is my exam site.”
After quickly finishing breakfast, Senano had then been flown straight to the destination in a helicopter.
The morning sun had risen, illuminating the outline of a small town in Tohoku.
The road, lined with street trees that would normally see people walking to school or work, was unnaturally empty.
That was because measures had been taken to treat it as an unexplained gas leak incident within the apartment building in order to deal with the Aberrant Entity.
In front of the apartment building stood two local Enri Bearers who had been left behind as lookouts.
One was a gaunt middle-aged man with thinning hair, and the other was a solidly built man who still retained a trace of youth.
They were in the middle of eating breakfast.
Though they were older than Senano, they were somehow fidgety, staring uneasily at the apartment building behind them.
(Well, it’s only natural for local Enri Bearers to be scared. This is nothing like the usual seasonal type.)
So that they would notice her presence, Senano deliberately walked in a way that made the soles of her sneakers smack against the asphalt.
One of the Enri Bearers noticed her at once and looked at Senano with a hopeful expression.
But the moment he realized she was a child, their faces were immediately dyed with despair.
Pretending not to notice, Senano bowed with a smile.
“Thank you for your hard work. I’ve come to handle this case at the request of the Enri Agency. I’m Mikama Senano, a second-year at Enri Academy.”
At those words, the middle-aged Enri Bearer said,
“Second year… you’re still just a child. Young lady, are you really going to be alright?”
The middle-aged Enri Bearer asked that anxiously.
There was a glimpse of genuine concern for Senano in those words.
But that only irritated Senano all the more.
Even so, keeping a smile plastered on her face, Senano nodded.
“It’s alright! After all, I’m A-rank. Besides, once I finish this mission, I’m supposed to become S-rank.”
“Huh, S!? Th-that’s quite an incredible kid they’ve sent out here…”
“Senpai, this is my first time seeing an S-rank. There’s only one A-rank even in the next town over.”
(Heh heh, right, of course it is! I’m such an elite that even people older than me end up reacting like this!)
Senano puffed out her chest inwardly, thoroughly pleased.
However, she did not let that show on the surface. The elite within her did not rejoice over something like that.
“Then, let me introduce myself properly. I’m Yoshiba. The younger one here is Kiba.”
“Nice to meet you, Mikama-san.”
“Please take care of me.”
“Then, sorry to rush things, but can I show you the way? I never thought something like this would appear in this town, and it’s got me feeling creeped out. As for a labyrinth, I’d only seen one once back when I was young.”
“I’ve only seen one in training videos.”
Led by the two men, Yoshiba and Kiba, Senano ducked under the no-entry tape and stepped into the apartment grounds.
As soon as she entered, an old set of metal playground equipment caught her eye.
The red and yellow paint had peeled away in places, and scratch marks from years of use ran along the sides of the slide. The chains of the swing creaked faintly in the wind, giving off a soft metallic sound whenever they swayed.
“Was this built quite a long time ago?”
“Yeah. It was built in the ’80s, so it’s got some age on it. That’s why Aberrant Entities like it too. Same as rats.”
The white paint on the exterior walls had faded under the sunlight, and fine cracks ran here and there.
It had none of the glossy sheen of a new building, but for that very reason it blended into the townscape and had become part of the everyday scenery.
Even Senano, seeing it for the first time, somehow felt a sense of nostalgia without realizing it.
(At a glance, there’s no particular change. If it’s still contained within the labyrinth, there are still any number of ways to deal with it. Maybe I’ll collect it as a souvenir.)
Thinking that, Senano followed behind the two men.
“The problem spot is here, Building Three.”
Yoshiba stopped in front of the target apartment building and said that while looking up at it.
Its exterior looked no different from the others.
“This is where the Aberrant Entity was confirmed, and a team was dispatched immediately. We thought it was the usual seasonal type. Mikama-san, do you know Shadow Serpent Shutter Screen?”
“That’s an Aberrant Entity that appears mainly in Tohoku from June to September. It’s D-class, and I don’t believe it’s all that dangerous. It should do little real harm aside from making the shadows of snakes appear in windows and shoji screens.”
“As expected of you. That’s right. Around here, it’s practically a sign of summer by now. Old folks don’t even get surprised when they see them, and they don’t report them to the city or to us either.”
With a bitter smile, Yoshiba pointed toward the entrance.
“Past there is the labyrinth. Be careful. It looks almost exactly like a normal apartment building.”
“Almost… Is there some clear difference?”
Yoshiba pointed nearby.
What lay there was a grimy window set into an old frame.
“…A window?”
“There are an unnatural number of windows. Since there’s a chance that’s some kind of trap, it might be better to explore without touching the windows too much. …Well, I guess I don’t need to tell you that, coming from an old guy like me.”
Saying that, Yoshiba gave a good-natured smile.
Beside him, Kiba wore an apologetic bitter smile.
“Then I’ll leave the rest to you. If anything happens, speak to us through this radio.”
Senano, having been handed the well-worn radio, looked like she wanted to say something, but somehow managed to smooth it over with a smile and thank them.
Then she tucked the radio into her pocket.
“Well then, I’m off. I should have this wrapped up before noon.”
“That’s reassuring to hear. Well then, see you again.”
“Be careful.”
Yoshiba and Kiba waved.
Seen off by the two of them, Senano stepped into the entrance.
■
【Enri Agency Initial Response Report】
Document Number: EN-RPT-2025-0830-LOCAL
Origin: Enri Agency Local Branch Office (██ Prefecture, ██ Suboffice)
Recipient: Second Bureau, Enri Agency Anti-Enri Disaster Section
■ Case Overview
Date of Occurrence: August ■, 20██
Location of Occurrence: Apartment Building 3, outskirts of ██ City
Report Details: A resident reported that “snake eyes are appearing in the windows” and “the family next door suddenly vanished.”
■ Initial Response
Two local Enri Bearers, 『Yoshiba』 and 『Kiba』, were dispatched to the site for investigation.
Investigation Start Time: 08/■ 22:15
Entry Point: Room ██ on floor ██ (source of the report)
■ Progress Log
22:17: Both individuals reported over radio, “Snake shadows confirmed.”
22:19: Communications became unstable, with intermittent noise.
22:20: Final transmission. Audio was recorded saying, “Inside the window…” After that, silence.
22:25: The surveillance team rushed to the scene. The target room was empty, with only the window frame remaining. No human figures or bodies were found inside.
■ Result
The two Enri Bearers in question are missing. Their whereabouts remain unknown.
Site investigation confirmed traces showing that the surface of the window glass had “wavered like the surface of water.”
There was also testimony that voices faintly calling the two names were echoing from the wall of the room.
■ Initial Assessment
At first, it was judged to be the work of the C-class Aberrant Entity Shadow Serpent Shutter Screen (EN-2819-JP).
However, due to the disappearance of the windows and the complete disappearance of personnel, the target was designated an unidentified Aberrant Entity estimated to be B-rank.
It was thereafter requested that a B-rank Enri Bearer be dispatched for further investigation.
Submitted with signature: Director of ██ Prefecture ██ Suboffice, ████
Submission Date: August ■, 20██