Surviving a Hot Air Balloon-13（熱気球からの生還）

This work is a fiction designated R-18G and contains brutal language, but does not promote criminal acts.

The names of all characters and places in this work are fictitious and have no relation to any real person or place.

All characters are adults.

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When the clock hand passed 4 minutes, she finally managed to break free from the chains and stand up in the tank.

By this time, the water level had reached almost to the top of the tank.

She quickly brought her face out of the water and gasped, taking hurried deep breaths.

But even this small gap would soon be submerged by the rising water.

However, Mai didn't panic and seemed to prioritize regulating her breathing.

"Mai-san, what's wrong?! Hurry! The entire tank will be submerged if you don't hurry!!"

The emcee shouted through the microphone.

It seemed she heard his voice this time. Mai turned towards the emcee and signaled that she was okay.

It was astonishing; even in this situation, she still had enough composure to act calmly?

So, the staff had been watching her without taking any action from the beginning, but it seemed they had seen through her skill.

With that trust, they could watch over her even in this kind of situation.

"Mai-san, do your best!" Voices of support for her could be heard from the audience.

At that moment, the water level finally rose above her head.

At the same time, a large amount of water covered her, and her figure disappeared into the water again.

Mai held her breath again and began working on unlocking the last lock securing the door.

時計の針が４分を回った時、やっと彼女は鎖からの拘束から抜け出して水槽内で立ち上がる事に成功した。

この時既に水面は水槽の天井付近まで来ていた。

彼女は素早く水面から顔を出すと喘ぎながら急いで深呼吸した。

だが間もなくこの僅かな隙間も間もなく上昇して来る水に依って水没してしまうのだ。

だが舞は慌てることなく呼吸を整えることを優先しているようだった。

「舞さんどうしたんですか！？急いで下さい！早くしないと水槽全体が水没してしまいます！！」

司会者がマイクを通して叫んだ。

今度は彼の声が聞こえたようだ。舞は司会者の方を振り向くと大丈夫だと合図を送った。

驚きである、彼女は之ほどの状況になってもまだ落ち着いて行動出来るだけの余裕があるというのか？

なるほど、先程からスタッフたちは一切行動を起こさないで彼女を見守っていたが、どうやら彼らも彼女技量を見抜いての事なのだろう。

その信頼関係があればたとえこの様な状況下であっても見守ることが出来るということなのか。

「舞さん、頑張って下さい！」観客席からも彼女の応援する声が聞こえる。

その時、とうとう彼女の頭上まで水面が上昇した。

同時に大量の水が彼女の上に覆い被り再び彼女の姿は水中に没した。

舞は息を再び止めて扉を固定している最後の鍵の解除に取り掛かるのだった。