CH 53

Academy Ghost Commotion (1)

“I saw it! I really saw it!”

While I was waiting for my major class, I heard a distressed voice in front of me. What did they see? The one who exclaimed loudly was none other than the chatterbox boy in our class. He raised his voice, clenching his fist tightly with a flushed expression. 

“Be quiet.”

When Leto said that, the atmosphere turned cold. Watching Leto quietly, the guy closed his mouth and came to where we were. The guy approaching us with a grim look on his face was strange. I glanced at Leto, worried that he was trying to harm him. Leto continued to do his notes, unbothered whether he came or not.

Soon, the guy approaching Leto loosened his stiff expression and grabbed Leto’s shoulder with teary eyes. 

“What do you want?”

As Leto frowned and showed signs of discomfort, the guy shook Leto’s shoulders.

“Believe me, Leah. I really saw a ghost! In the school library!”

“Why are you shaking me…!”

“I saw the ghost with my own eyes so how can I stay calm? Huh?”

The guy was out of his mind, as though he had been severely affected by sleep paralysis. Unable to watch this, the class rep forcibly removed the guy’s hand that was holding Leto’s shoulder.

“The ghost commotion is over. May has passed.”

Oh, come to think of it, I had forgotten about it because of the cricket practice. It was a famous story that ghosts appeared on May 29th, the day of the curse. But Leto and I knew another side of the story. The truth was, Professor Hartz had summoned spirits to see his deceased brother.  

Perhaps that had something to do with it, Leto and I looked at each other. We both seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Leto erased his concern and spoke to me, who was deeply troubled. Even if I tried not to care, I knew the truth, so I couldn’t help but wonder if it was somehow related. As I was deep in my thoughts, the professor came in. 

As I was in the middle of my major class, a note was thrown towards me and Leto.

When I looked up, the students in front of me seemed to be the sender, and they were beckoning it. I carefully opened the note to see what it was, and it wrote [Looking for people to go to the library together.]. They weren’t going for the purpose of studying, rather it was probably to check out the ghost.

I could already guess who came up with this idea. Unlike how they had been criticising it earlier, the curious kids wrote their names down below. I noticed that there were already about ten names written on it.

“……Pointless.”

Leto sighed deeply as he looked at the note. I didn’t want to join either, so I returned the note back without writing my name down.

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Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

After the class was over, Leto silently packed his bag and glanced at the time. Currently, the cricket tournament was about two weeks away. An arduous training was waiting for Leto, who became a main player. At first, I followed after Leto to support him, but my steps shortly stopped.

I patted Leto’s back as he was about to go alone.

“Good luck, Leah. We should win this time, right? Our magics department can’t lose!”

Leto nodded at my words. Leto’s academy life completely changed after becoming a member of the cricket team. There was no one in the academy who didn’t recognise Leto’s face. Of course, it was the same as usual, but if they had looked at Leto with a negative and jealous gaze before, now they were looking at him with a positive and longing gaze.

Perhaps Leto was aware of this, but he didn’t express his displeasure towards those gazes. I was happy with the subtle change. After Leto went ahead, all I would usually do was go back to the dormitory to study or wait for Leto. But these days, Leto’s training period has been extended.

I tried to wait for him without sleeping first, but it was only after midnight that Leto came back, so I ended up falling asleep first. The dorm felt empty without him. However, while I was studying, I couldn’t concentrate because I kept thinking of Leto.

Eventually, I made my way to the library and saw that it was almost empty inside. It had been full during the exam period, but by the festive season, there were hardly any students in the library. Sitting in one of the empty seats, I opened my book. After having a sandwich for dinner, I focused on my studies and time passed by quickly.

“Hello, Bree.”

I was so focused on my studies that I didn’t even notice Vivian sitting in front of me. Upon noticing him belatedly, Vivian grinned and offered me a strawberry milk. After thanking him, I concentrated on my studies again.

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Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

Night fell. As it got dark, the lights in the library went out one by one. When I looked around, the only people in the library were me and Vivian.

“Are you done? Shall we go now?”

When I asked, Vivian rose from his seat as if he had been waiting. When I came out, the kids in my class who had not been in the library just now, were gathered.

“Bree!”

They found me and came straight over.

“You said you wouldn’t come, but you still did!”

“I knew it. Bree wouldn’t leave out something like this!”

I was wondering what was going on, but it was about the ghost story that happened earlier in the day. Unintentionally caught up in the ghost commotion, I looked at the students’ faces one by one. Was the ghost commotion such a hot issue that had half of the class involved? As they dragged me away, I looked at Vivian. At my tacit request to go together, Vivian shook his head and headed to his dormitory.

I was taken aback when I saw Vivian speed away quickly. Then, the class rep beside me opened his mouth.

“Wasn’t Vivian Rawol who got first place this time?”

“That’s right. I wish he would come along, but he left.”

“He’s always like that. He’s hard to get along with, and he’s timid.”

He spoke as though he knew Vivian well. I was going to say something because the way he spoke of Vivian seemed to be sarcastic, but someone changed the topic first and eliminated my chance to speak up. 

“The basement is a prohibited area, so don’t go there. Let’s divide into groups and go up the floors one by one. We’ll get caught if we use magic, so here. Light a torch before you go.”

He handed out torches to the students one by one and continued to speak with a serious look on his face.

“If you see a ghost, tell me. I have to make a wish.”

“A wish?”

What’s with the sudden wish? When I asked, the students looked at me, questioning how did I not know.

“Bree, if a ghost appears in the academy, you must make a wish. It is said that they would grant your wish.”

“I’m going to wish that my rank will go up this time.”

“I wish to get good grades in divination.”

They all spoke one by one, as if they had already decided on their wish. Somehow, it had been too enthusiastic to say that it was an act of simple curiosity. I didn’t know there was that kind of superstition. But it was hard to believe it. They were smart kids, but were surprisingly simple.

“Okay now, let’s divide into groups.”

The groups were divided by drawing lots. There were five groups of four, and I was in the group that will look around the 5th floor at the top. The students all lit their torch and peered into the dark library. I didn’t realise it during the day, but the library with all the lights off was really scary as though there were actually ghosts. At times like these, it’s safe to have Leto by your side.

No, Leto didn’t like the dark, so it was best not to. I gulped and went inside the library with the group of students.

“……I’m scared, should we sing?”

Mark, the kid who’d always pour questions to the professor, said.

“Say something that makes sense. If we sing, the ghost will realise we’re here and run away.”

“They might come instead. Since they like to play pranks.”

“No, a real ghost who grants wishes would rather hide themselves. So shut up and follow me.”

It was a fierce quarrel between each other. In the end, everyone shut up and went up to the 5th floor. There was nothing. There was a strange chill feeling. It was an atmosphere in which it wouldn’t be odd to find an actual ghost, so perhaps the students were frightened by that and unlike their warning to not sing, everyone opened their mouths.

“Oh, Lexley. We are the prestigious Lexley. Lexley, always the top. Lexley, with brilliant students. Lexley, excels in every way. Lexley, superior by consuming the spirit of the Lexley Mountains.”

It was just like me who instantly chose to sing the school anthem when I was scared.

“I always wonder every time the school plays this, but why is it always consuming the spirit of the mountain range?”

“They must have been hungry.”

When Mark asked another question, the girl next to him replied, seemingly tired of him. We continued to sing the school anthem and moved forward.

“……But is there really a ghost? What if we run into one and I can’t make a wish because I’m scared?”

“What to do, you’re screwed.”

“No way. I have to climb up the ranks this time……”

As they were talking nonsense, I looked around. There really doesn’t seem to be anything. Then, I noticed something strange.

“Guys.”

“What’s wrong, Bree?”

“Did we originally have three members in our group?”

At my words, the students who were walking, immediately halted. There were really only three of us. There should have been one more person. But I couldn’t recall who it was. Upon realising this, the students’ faces began to turn blue. At the same time, a cold wind blew. Thanks to that, the fires of our torch shook restlessly and soon went out.

We were covered in darkness. 

“I think we’re screwed, aren’t we?”

In the midst of this, Mark asked while trembling.

“R-Right. If we’re screwed, should we just head……down. What do you say, Bree?”

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

We reached an agreement and were about to head downstairs. From far away, stomp, stomp. A clear sound of footsteps was heard. Goosebumps ran down my spine and my body went cold. Was it a ghost? I was contemplating whether I should make a wish or run away, but the other students had already turned around, already determined to run away. In an instant, I was alone, and only then did I feel a sense of fear. Ah, this can’t be it. 

“Oh, Lex-Lexley. We are the prestigious Lex-Lexley.”

As I was stammering while singing, a hand suddenly appeared in front of me. I shut my eyes tightly.

“What are you doing here?”

“Ack!”

“……Bree, it’s me.”

“Huh?”

The person who spoke was Senior Jimbo.