CH 325

“Hmm, so Grandma Fath is staying with Makina to pass on her skills.”

“Yes. I’m sorry to Makina for interrupting her lovey-dovey life with Lars, though.”

Helena walked lightly alongside Fath through the back of the lightly lit theater. It’s a pair that never talked to each other before, but since they’re both not shy, they’re talking to each other surprisingly easily.

“Aha♪ But I think it’s good that Lars prefers a lively atmosphere, so I think it’s okay. Lars, in particular, is not very good at love, so I would like you to help Makina if you can? I don’t think it’s going to go anywhere unless the people around him encourage it.”

“Looks like you’re not old friends for nothing, you understand them very well. But there’s no doubt that they like each other, and Lars follows up when he couldn’t give her any attention, so I think going little by little is fine.”

“Oh, that’s true too. By the way, Basleigh-sensei couldn’t come?”

However, the conversation was mostly about Lars, Makina, and Basleigh. Fath was talking about the past, while Helena was filling in the blanks on what Lars and the others were up to now.

“She tried to follow us, but I told her she had an important meeting tomorrow, so she wrapped herself up at home. I asked Dedite and Nora to keep an eye on her.”

“Oh …… she’s still the same.”

Helena smiles as she recalls her first and last Oblivion Academy class competition. As they approached the corridor lined with waiting and dressing rooms, she changed the subject.

“So, why did Grandma Fath choose me?”

“Well, I’m sorry to tell you, but you’re ‘bait’. You’ll see what I mean.”

“Bait?”

She tilted her head and was about to ask, but Fath opened her mouth first.

“I was going to ask Kleinert-dono, but I have a question for you as well.  Is there any security or patrol in this theater?”

“Yes, there is? There are two of them, and they go around every day?”

“Fumu …… I was in the theater for a good amount of time yesterday and only saw Kleinert, so I was curious.”

Of course, he can’t not be here, Fath thought to herself, her eyes narrowing, convinced of her own thoughts. Then Fath stopped in front of the wardrobe.

“…… Helena, can you get into this room?”

“What? No, I can’t. The only people who have keys to this room are Kleinert-san and the patrolman, so I don’t think we can get in.”

“I see, then …… Mu?”

Just as Fath was about to speak, they heard footsteps coming from the opposite direction, so they turned to look.

Then–

“Who’s there ……!”

A man with a lantern in one hand and an iron rod at his waist shouted. Helena, who had seen him before, raised her hand in reply.

“Is it the patrolman? It’s me, Helena, thanks for the hard work.”

“What!? Eh!? Is it, Helena-san!? Hi! G-Good evening! …… Have you been staying here this late at night?”

“No, I’ve heard of ghosts lately, you know? My friend got a request from Kleinert-san, so I helped him out. Fath-san over here is …… Oh?”

“…… There’s no one there, though ……”

“Fath-san? Where did you go?”

By the time she noticed, Fath has disappeared and Helena is the only one here. When the guard saw Helena’s pouting face, he called out to her.

“Are you here with someone ……? Wouldn’t that be the ghost ……?”

“No, that can’t be, she’s the grandmother who lives with Lars.”

“…… Lars? Who’s that?”

“My friend? Anyway, have you ever seen a ghost?”

Helena had no choice but to ask the patrolman in front of her. Then, the man answered with a smile.

“…… Well, I’ve never seen one, but a colleague of mine said he had. It’s in the waiting room, but would you like to go there?”

“Hmmm, I guess so. It’s a little scary to move alone from here, so I’ll go. Grandma Fath! I’m going to the waiting room!”

Helena shouted into the corridor, but there was no answer and silence fell again. Helena put her hands on her hips, let out a sigh and turned to the man.

“Oh well. I’m going to the waiting room, thank you♪.”

“Oh, I’m coming with you. It’s not safe for you to be alone at night, after all.”

“The theater is like my garden, so it’s okay.”

“No no, you never know what might happen. Besides, it’s a good chance to escort Helena-san, a very popular idol.”

The patrolman laughed, and Helena smiled and said she would let him escort her to the waiting room. Helena occasionally looked back to see if Fath was following her, but there was no sign of her. Eventually, they arrived at the waiting room and the man unlocked the door and went inside.

“I heard the ghost is a little fat man ……?”

“Oh, really? I’ve never seen one before.”

“Oh, don’t touch anything around here, okay? And don’t steal anything …… Hmm, there’s nothing strange anywhere……”

“Ahhh, I don’t this kind of stuff, after all. Anyway, the Lars you were talking about is a man, right? Is he your boyfriend, by any chance?”

The man narrowed his eyes and called out to Helena’s back, to which she responded with a casual reply.

“Hmm? Well, he’s rich, good-looking, and I became an idol thanks to Lars, so if it weren’t for Makina and the others–“

When she mentioned what she had been thinking, the man’s behavior changed immediately.

“…… A-As I thought, that’s how it is ……! Even though we’re rooting for you, and you’re getting a boyfriend ……!”

“Huh? No, no, Lars is not like that. I don’t see anything here, so let’s move on.”

“That’s right, there’s no one here …… but me …… and Helena-san ……”

“?”

Helena wondered at the mumbling man. Just as she was about to speak to him, the man came up to Helena.

“It’s just the two of us …… and no one’s watching ……! Hahaha, if a fait accompli is done here, you’ll be mine–“

“Ehhhhh …… you’re that kind of guy? Sheesh, If you think I’m just an idol, you’re going to get hurt, you know?”

“I, I won’t be fooled by those words!”

The man tried to run to her, and Helena held her ground, looking annoyed. Oh, he’s really just security, she thought calmly, looking at her opponent. He’s slow, and if he’s going to attack me, he’s going to target my feet so I can’t get away, but I’ll lower my shoulder, and aim for a counter-attack.

But then–

“So it was an inside job after all.”

[You, are you trying to lay your hands on an Idol!]

“Grandma Fath! …… and, who are you!?”

“What the hell!?”

Helena smiled at Fath as she came through the doorway, and was startled by the little fat man who for some reason came from behind her.

And then more screams from the hallway–

An unexpected ……!

Thank you for reading!

[Afterword Theater]

“Now, it’s getting exciting!”

There was more than one ghost ……!?