Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Is This School Full of Perverts?
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"...Seo-ah unnie. You're actually following all of these, aren't you?"
I took the paper and read through it line by line, but my head kept hurting the whole time. Don't go into certain spots on the second floor, don't use the bathroom after a certain hour...
Anyone could see this was a total Napolitan rulebook.
"Yeah. These are the rules we're supposed to follow, right?"
Oh no, this won't do.
The beauty right in front of me was so pure it was blinding... I had to protect her.
There was no way this was a real Napolitan rulebook, but just in case, since who knows... No, thinking about it, Seo-ah was a rule-breaker who secretly carried a gaming console around.
"...Seo-ah unnie. Isn't it kinda rich coming from someone who carries a gaming console around?"
I kinda wanted to tease her a little. She was bound to have the cutest reaction... Huh...?
Drip, drip...
"...You're right. I really shouldn't carry it around, should I?"
"No, no, it's fine, it's totally fine... Don't cry. I was just messing with you for a second. Okay?"
"Okay..."
That was close...
Seo-ah was actually pretty bothered by the fact that she was breaking the rules. I needed to change them quick so she could play her games out in the open.
Swipe, wipe.
I stood on tiptoe and gently wiped the tears gathered at the corners of Seo-ah's eyes. Might as well get the ones streaking down her cheeks too.
"Seo-ah unnie, I'll change the rules as soon as I can. Okay? So don't worry about it too much."
"...Okay. I'll be waiting."
"See? Seo-ah unnie looks prettiest when she smiles."
Hehe.
"...Yujin is prettier."
"Nah, compared to you, I'm just a weed on the roadside. Come on, crybaby's done crying, so let's head into the school."
...I meant that sincerely.
"Let's go in quick!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming, you don't have to push."
Oh no, that was dangerous in a whole different way...
My face had to be beet red right now, right? I definitely muttered that last bit super quietly...
Ugh, my face feels so hot...
I'd heard I was pretty plenty of times, and I knew I was cute, but praise from such a pure heart was too embarrassing to handle...
Good thing I'm short.
If I hid behind Seo-ah while we walked, no one would see... I should tell her to just look straight ahead too. At least until the heat dies down.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Seo-ah unnie, do you have a usual patrol route you follow?"
"Yeah. I check the first-floor hallway, then all the bathrooms, then the empty classrooms."
"...Do you really have to check the bathrooms too?"
"They're gone now, but there used to be a delinquent club... or something like that. They hung out in the bathrooms a lot and did all sorts of weird stuff."
"Heh..."
A delinquent club in a school full of rich girls? That's kinda wild.
Whatever, if they're gone, it's not my problem. Let's check the first-floor rules first.
1. This set of rules has been written for the Sisters patrolling St. Teresa Academy at night. Please follow them strictly. The academy takes no responsibility for any harm that may come from disobeying them. ...Why start off like that? It's not even trying to scare us.
2. The art room on the first floor is locked unless there's a special event. If you hear impure sounds near the art room, ignore them. 3. If you encounter another Sister while patrolling the hallway, give a simple greeting and move on. However, if she is wearing a red habit, guide her to the art room. "Um, Seo-ah unnie."
"What's up?"
"Have you actually experienced rules 2 and 3?"
"Yeah."
"For real?"
What? This is legit? It's not just a prank or something to scare people—there's actually a woman in a red habit wandering around?
...Ugh, that's a little scary.
Squeeze.
"...Scared?"
"N-no, just chilly."
"Want me to lend you a jacket?"
"I'm good. Holding your arm is plenty warm. Hehe."
Great, great. Seo-ah doesn't suspect a thing, which is perfect. No need to admit I hate ghosts... She might think she shouldn't have brought me.
"Alright! First, the first-floor hallway..."
Step, step.
The moment I took a confident step toward the hallway, footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.
My step toward the hallway instantly changed direction as I plastered myself to Seo-ah.
"Wh-who's there!"
I clung to Seo-ah's waist like a cicada and peered down the hall, but the dark corridor didn't show the figure of whoever was approaching.
Ugh... Why was Seo-ah so calm? A ghost was coming right now!
Click.
With the sound of a button, light spread from Seo-ah's hand, illuminating the hallway. Right, she said she brought a flashlight.
"Aida Sister."
The person approaching from afar was, surprisingly, a Sister in a black habit.
Early to mid-30s maybe? She was the oldest person I'd seen since coming here, but she had an incredibly beautiful face.
...Do they pick Sisters here based on looks?
"Lady Seo-ah?"
No way, she looks at least ten years older than us, and she's calling her "Lady"?
How high up is Stella in this school...? Even yesterday when I was with Airi, everyone bowed their heads to greet us.
"I hope you've been well, Aida Sister."
"I'm always fine... Lady Yujin!?"
"Aha, ahaha... Hello..."
...I wanted to crawl into a mouse hole.
Not only did I mistake a perfectly normal Sister for a ghost, but I was clinging to Seo-ah all terrified. So embarrassing...
"...You two really do suit each other. You said you became sworn sisters this time, right?"
Squeeze.
"Yes. I won't hand her over to anyone."
No, no, why is everything she says so cool...
Save lines like that for your lover. You're giving people the wrong idea.
"Hehe, you really do match. Well then, I'll be going... Oh."
The Sister who was about to leave seemed to remember something and clapped lightly.
I wished she'd just go without saying anything. In horror movies, extra chit-chat in situations like this is a total cliché for danger...
"You shouldn't go up to the third floor tonight."
"Any particular reason?"
"Hmm, I only heard this secondhand, so I don't know the details... but they say the 'White Ghost' has appeared."
"...Understood."
What? What? White Ghost? What are you two talking about without me?
There wasn't a word about that in the school history or records Catherine gave me... This was supposed to be a clean school with zero ghost stories!
Step, step.
The Sister who threw me into a panic frustratingly just walked away.
Since we're already scared, it would've been nice to patrol with three people. She just amps up the fear and leaves... Mean.
"Yujin."
"Wh-what?"
"If you're scared, you can go back."
Gulp.
Yeah, I'll head back!
I somehow swallowed those words and shook my head.
"I-I'm fine! I like watching horror movies too. I've seen Ring and Ju-on uncut...!"
"...You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah. As long as Seo-ah unnie's here to protect me, right?"
With those lean muscles on her, she could probably fight a hundred times better than me.
"...Yeah. I'll definitely protect you. No matter what."
"Then I'm good."
She already knows I'm a scaredy-cat, so what's left to fear?
Plus, I really do like horror movies. You know how it is? Scared people end up loving ghost stories even more.
That chilling thrill gets addictive.
Step, step.
As I steeled myself and patrolled the hallway with Seo-ah, I got curious about that keyword from earlier: 'White Ghost'.
Was it a real ghost? Or some metaphor for a situation or person?
"Hey, Seo-ah unnie. What's the 'White Ghost'?"
"...You wanna know?"
"Yeah."
"It's just... a famous ghost story around school. Kinda."
"...Ghost story?"
"Yeah. We already had the famous seven wonders, and this one got added, making it eight."
Gyaaaaah!
Of course an old school like this would have ghost stories... Especially with all these chatty girls around.
Did Catherine leave out the ghost story info on purpose...? She probably knows I'm a wimp from that thing with Airi, so maybe it was consideration.
"If Yujin wants to know, I can tell you... but you sure?"
Squeeze.
"Yeah. Gotta hear it next to you, or when else would I?"
Nihehe.
"...Yujin really is cute."
Eek, eek...
She hits me out of nowhere again.
"Qu-quick, tell me."
If I were a normal girl, I'd have already fallen for Seo-ah and be all gooey-eyed by now.
...Truth is, I'm already half-gone. Dangerously so.
"It's more of a ghost story, but... it was a real person."
"A person?"
"Yeah. The top star who shone brighter than anyone at this school before me."
Before Seo-ah...? Sounds intriguing. Was she special from birth like Seo-ah...? Or maybe I could learn how someone becomes top star.
"A genius pianist who won every competition she could enter at a young age... I heard she became top star faster than anyone else, not long after enrolling."
...No way I could match that.
"...Maybe she was too much of a genius. Seems like a lot of people were jealous."
Step, step.
...Bad feeling about this.
"A few pianists who kept losing to her over and over got together, hurt her... and pushed her off the roof."
"St-students from this school?"
"One was. The rest were intruders from outside... The furious academy caught them, but all they said was they didn't know why they did it."
What the...?
"They went to trial, but money got them light sentences. Though afterward, they all died in mysterious accidents..."
Ooooh.
True-blue ghost story!? Sure, the villains got punished... but whether it was physical or spiritual, that's spooky either way.
"Since then, students occasionally report seeing a white ghost along with beautiful piano music from the third-floor music room."
Step, step.
Absorbed in the story as we walked, we'd arrived at the art room before I knew it.
Before hearing that, the art room creeped me out big time, but now? Eh, whatever.
"Poor White Ghost."
"...Yeah, pitiful."
"...If it were me, I couldn't die even if I was full of resentment."
"If someone tried to hurt Yujin..."
Zing.
Was she imagining someone attacking me?
Seo-ah glared straight ahead fiercely and clenched her fist. Hard enough to burst veins.
I'm grateful she cares that much, but calm down before you scare me with just your imagination.
"Seo-ah unnie, we've checked the whole hallway, so next the bathroom..."
Ah, ahh.
A weird voice from the art room.
Naturally, both our faces turned toward it, but the curtains blocked the view inside.
Still, I could guess what was going on.
"...Seo-ah unnie, let's head back quick."
"Yeah. Rules say ignore any sounds."
Ahn, ah! Si, Sister...!
...Phew. Good thing Seo-ah's clueless about this stuff.
Not just the students—the Sisters in charge of education are getting in on the debauchery too. This school...