As the car hit a bump I suddenly jolted awake. The sun's rays hit my open eyes as blinding as a white sandy beach.
Kuromaku was next to me in the driver's seat. Currently, we were driving towards the bakery Sophia told us about.
It's an old fashioned bakery that has no dine in, so you only buy the bread then go. That's why not many people go there.
But that's not what makes it suspicious. The bakery, despite not making any profit, is still standing and active as of right now.
Some witnesses have also heard loud scrapings of metal all the way below the bakery.
Of course many investigators have tried to... well investigate these strange events. But all of them said the same thing once they came out the bakery. That the bakery was normal, and the loud noises at night were just employees moving storage.
Still all of them were acting strangely abnormal. Like they lack the aspirations they once did.
After these events the royal family sent their own spies. Telling them to be careful and only observe outside.
They found out that the cashier reacts differently at customer's taking a specific order. They speculate that this must be a code word and want me to use it.
"4 egg red pies and a milkshake. Aren't code words supposed to be cooler? And milkshake in a bakery?"
"We're here."
Kuromaku pressed on the brakes stopping the car in front of a rundown-looking bakery. Parts of the walls were broken and covered with metal sheets. It was also the only building around making it look more uninviting.
"Is this really it?"
Kuromaku handed me an earpiece. I also saw that he was wearing a similar one.
"Put this on. I'll tell you what to do when you're inside."
"I already know what to do." Still I put on the earpiece. It's good to know I won't be alone in this.
I got out of the car and walked straight to the bakery. Opening Its doors, I saw that the inside was actually pretty clean.
There was no tables nor chairs. There was only a counter desk that showcased baked bread with a glass covering. There's cake and pies too.
The cashier was a woman in her thirties. Wearing a brown apron and what seems to be their uniform under.
"Is there anything I can get you sir?"
"Yeah, I would like umm... four red egg pies and a milkshake."
The cashier nervously chuckled before going in the back. I put my hands inside my coat reaching for my gun in case anything happened.
A few moments later, the cashier came out the door holding four stacked and tied boxes each labeled red egg pie, a vanilla milkshake on the side, and the receipt.
The cashier handed me the tray with a smile on her face. I made sure to hold it with one hand, making sure the other was free.
"... Can I keep the tray?"
"Of course sir. It's reusable as well."
With that I calmly walked out the bakery still confused as to why nothing happened. Walking out, I expected the cashier to suddenly attack me, but no nothing of the sorts happened.
I reached the car with Kuromaku still inside listening to the radio. "Hey, what now?"
Kuromaku looked at me bewildered. "I have no idea."
"Are you not supposed to tell me what to do? Seriously this is why the chapter is called stupidty at it's finest."
"What chapter?
"Nothing, let's check the boxes."
Getting inside the car, Kuromaku and I started going through the boxes one by one. Halfway through I noticed something weird with the receipt.
"Hey, look at this."
"What?"
"The receipt has these weird looking numbers at the bottom. They're like... in another font."
"What numbers?"
"1... 2.. 7.. 5... 6."
Kuromaku looked at the receipt as well. He looks like he figured something out.
"It must be a code. Maybe to enter the underground part of the bakery."
"What?! Another damned code. I've had enough of this."
I got out of the car and again headed back towards the bakery. I wasn't going to go solve this damn puzzle.
Halfway to the bakery, I heared Kuromaku question me through the earpiece.
"SAITOU! What do you think you're doing?"
"Fixing the problem."
"What? It's only the second code, why the hell are you so mad?"
Ignoring Kuromaku and heading straight to the bakery, I opened Its doors once more.
Seeing the same cashier on the same counter. Before she could even say anything, I pointed my gun at her with an irritated expression on my face.
"Just take me underground. I really don't have time for these stupid puzzles."
***
After struggling to make the cashier lead me underground, I eventually just shot one of her fingers off and threatened to shoot her head nest. Apparently that's a good way to convince someone as it immediately worked.
"Hey, don't you think that's a bit brutal?" Kuromaku whispered using the earpiece.
"Well it was her fault for denying to know anything. Also because of the codes."
Our conversation came to an end as the cashier and I reached a metal trapdoor in the back of the bakery. The trapdoor had a lock with a number code used to open it.
Kuromaku whispered in my ear again as the cashier enterd the code. "See, this is what the code is for. You didn't need to do all that."
I was quite shocked by what he said. Not because of the mockery, but because he can actually see what I see.
Still, I didn't say anything and only watched as the cashier entered a different code and not the one on the receipt.
I chuckled at Kuromaru's silence which seemed to creep out the cashier as she flinched back a little.
"Umm... Sir we can enter now."
"You go in first."
The cashier followed my command and went in the dark staircase that even I had struggled to see the end of, without hesitation.
I followed after her. Stepping on the concrete stair case. Going down and down and down and down. At one point, my earpiece suddenly glowed a bright blue light, making me see clearly a few more steps ahead.
After a long long time, we finally got to the other end. I saw a large broken and abandoned hall with cobwebs and dust all over the place. The only light source was my earpiece, illuminating the hall with a blue hue.
At the other side of the hall lay a massive iron door with a keypad on the side. The keypad was clear of any dust, which implies it's often used.
Reaching the iron door wich is at least twice my size, the cashier suddenly stopped and stepped to the side. She stared at me as if waiting for something.
"What is it?"
"U-umm... The lock changes fr-fom time to time. So I need the receipt I gave y-you earlier."
"Don't you know the code?" At this point there was a slight irritation on my voice, only slightly of course.
"I f-forgot."
What? Didn't she make the receipt? And I'm beginning to question if she's actually a criminal or not.
"Fine... I think the code was 1, 2, 7, 5, 6."
The cashier quickly typed the code in the keypad making it automatically open. My hand quickly moved under my coat, taking out my gun, and pointing it at the door.
The door slowly opened as light washed over my face.
I crouched down, preparing for the worst. But what I saw inside left me quite shocked.
An empty hallway with only a bright flickering light on the ceiling. The hallway was pure white, the floor, ceiling, and even the ground. Strangely enough, it was also clean and free of any dust or cobwebs.
I pushed the cashier in first, signaling for her to move forward with my gun. I followed behind her once again, making sure to be extra careful this time.
We walked for a while until we reached a door on the side. This door doesn't have any locks and simply opened once pushed.
Inside was a room as large as your average living room. It was empty as well, with only a flickering light in the ceiling.
Seeing as I have nothing to gain here, we continued to march forward the long hallway. There were many other rooms like the previous one, all empty but clean.
"Hey, what's going on here?" I asked the cashier with a clearly confused expression. This was a criminal hideout after all. I expected there to be a lot of people shooting me right now.
It was strange from the start actually. There wa no one on the way down, no one at the broken hall, and now no one here as well.
"Don't tell me this place is abandoned."
The cashier seemed hesitant and unsure of what to say next. "I d-don't know the details b-but, that person said this basement has been abandoned by its previous i-inhabitants."
"What?! Abandoned? And who the hell are you taking about?!"
The cashier closed her eyes scared, tears streaming from her eyes. And I guess when she's scared, she talks really fast.
"I always dreamed of opening a bakery. So when he offered to sell me this place I couldn't refuse. I know this is a criminal hideout but I really wanted to open a bakery so I accepted his offer. He also said the code word and the entrance password but I was so scared that I tried to forget them."
She paused for a bit, taking in a long, deep breathe.
"Also that man said when someone entered and said the code, I was supposed to give them the receipt and guide them down here. But when you entered and said the code word I panicked and forgot to guide you. I thought you were the man's friend and was meeting up with him here. I also don't know anything else about the man."
She finally stopped talking and slumped down to the floor out of breath.
So basically this woman brought a bakery from a suspicious stranger knowing it was a criminal hideout. And that said stranger is still down here somewhere. Maybe this is the actual reason why the chapter's name is "Stupidity at its FINEST".
Well, even if this place is empty, that man she said might have some interesting information, so it might be worth trying to find him.
"Ok, you can go. My actual accomplice is out there so find him and he can treat your wounds."
"R-really sir? I t-truly appreciate it."
After saying those words, she immediately ran back where we came from.
Even if she was lying to escape, Kuromaku will take care of her outside. I didn't see any exits other than the staircase and Kuromaku can hear me right now so it should be fine.
She didn't sound like she was lying about the man and this place being abandoned, so I guess it's exploring time for me.