After that.
I returned the two of them to their rooms, and strictly ordered them to not go outside their rooms tonight no matter what.
I went around to the rooms of all of the family members on the second floor, and locked them from the outside with earth magic.
I went around to all the rooms on the first floor, and confirmed that nobody was there.
After that, I returned to the laboratory, and stripped off everything on the old man.
"...!"
His body had no stomach.
There was a large hole from his ribs down, and I could only see bone and skin.
There were almost no internal organs.
But aside from the stomach, it was a splendid body.
There was so much muscle that you wouldn't think he was in his late 60s, and scars from his history of battles remained in various places.
There was a welded-like scar on his chest, and a mole in a place slightly different from where mine was located.
From the looks of it, his body was the same as mine.
If I had to mention a difference, it would be that he has a left hand.
He said he grew it... So healing magic also has some impressive skills.
Aside from the diary, the old man didn't have anything in particular.
No ornaments, no staff.
Below the robe was just a shirt, trousers, and underwear.
There wasn't anything in his robe pocket or his pants pocket.
Although if it was me, if Sylphy or Roxy died, I think I'd at least carry around something that belonged to them.
But 50 years, huh.
It might have all been lost.
I gathered all that in the corner of the room, and wrapped the old man in a blanket that was lying around nearby.
Carrying the body, I headed toward the backdoor located in the kitchen.
"..."
In the kitchen, leftovers from last night's cooking had been placed on top of a dish.
So he was saying that the mouse would eat that.
In which case, I should dispose of it.
I go outside through the backyard, and went to vacant land in the neighborhood.
I dug a hole there, put the old man's body in it, and set it on fire.
The magic fire burned up the old man in the blink of an eye, changing him to ashes.
The unpleasant odor of burnt human flesh hung in the air.
The smell of my own corpse.
"Uugh..."
When I thought that, I became nauseous, and vomited in the corner of the vacant land.
After burning the body, I made an urn with magic, and placed the old man's ashes in it.
I'll bury these ashes in the same place as Paul.
If the old man is really me, that ought to make him most happy.
After collecting the ashes, I filled the hole and returned to the house.
I entered through the backdoor and went straight to the laboratory.
I set the urn next to his belongings, and picked up my staff.
I headed toward the basement.
I've already opened up my demon eye. [4]
The old man said [Don't go].
He said that a mouse will come out, fish through the leftovers, and the fetus inside of Roxy will become infected with the mouse's disease.
Therefore, I have no choice but to confirm it for myself.
Whether there really is a mouse.
If I don't do that, I won't be able to trust the old man.
And if it really is there, I can't leave it alone.
"..."
The stairs to the basement were dark.
I took out a light spirit scroll from my pocket, illuminating the surroundings.
I descended the stairs, took a deep breath, and placed my hand on the door.
"...hm?"
When I did that, in the corner of the stairs.
Among the thin layer of dust, I found something that bothered me.
Footprints.
A mouse's footprints.
Those footprints continued toward the basement, and there were no footprints going out.
I did... not... open the basement door. [5]
I opened a fist-size hole in the center of the door with magic, and stuck my staff through it.
I sent mana to my staff.
The image was ice, the scope was the entire room.
In the basement there was manure that Aisha used for the kitchen garden, and there were magic items and such, but I wasn't going to pay that any mind.
"...Frost Nova."