Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Dormitory Ghost Incident (2)
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Eve had gone back, leaving me alone.
I stashed the accessories away, flipped open my notebook, and started jotting down notes on a sheet of paper.
What would happen in Act 1, Chapter 1 if Eve never met Kelters?
At the top of the page, I'd written Eve von Loengrin turns from raw sweet potato to baked sweet potato, but now I crossed it out with a big fat X.
"Come to think of it, I overlooked something."
The clear-impossible premise.
"Normally, with her magic power at 22, she'd blow the ghost away the moment she swung—but that's not how it works."
In the original story, Eve von Loengrin couldn't do that.
Because the instant she unleashed magic power 22 in the first-year dormitory, all the surrounding first-years would get tossed around like ragdolls, heads spinning. So Eve always held her power back as much as possible.
And... well, the enemies in 1-1 just happen to have a terrible matchup against her.
That's why she borrowed Kelters's strength. That's why he was helpful. If she could just rampage freely, why would she need him? She could handle it all herself.
"Hmm. Never even imagined a no-clear scenario..."
So, what happens if she can't clear it...?
I have no idea. Even with Kelters, it led to game over, and after that, nobody ever saw them again—just straight back to the title screen.
Jefrin could turn into total chaos... or maybe not. This game has way too many variables depending on routes and branches.
But a clear-failure ending that surpasses the baked-sweet-potato Eve right from 1-1.
"Hm."
Why can't she clear it?
Because Kelters isn't there.
So, what then?
Maybe find a replacement for Kelters.
The next day.
A decent replacement showed up first thing in the morning.
"...You want me to go to the first-year dormitory at night?"
"That's right."
"Why the hell would you go there? Wait, you're telling me to go?"
"Help deal with the weird incident happening there tonight."
"Even so, I'm a second-year now. Sneaking in like that feels a bit..."
Nefti tilted her head, and I pulled out some bills.
"200,000."
"Well, technically speaking—"
"250,000."
"It's not easy, but..."
"300,000."
"What time should I show up?"
"Just go with Eve when she heads to the dormitory."
"...The Student Council President is going to the dormitory?"
Nefti didn't get it at first, then nodded with an ah.
"Now that you mention it, I've heard rumors. The first-years are saying there's a ghost in the dormitory."
"Exactly. And Eve plans to handle it alone tonight."
"Aha. She's your little sister, right, Wolfram? You're worried about her."
She looked at me all appreciative-like.
Knock off that gross imagination.
"Alright, sounds good. I'm a second-year in the Knight Division, and folks trust me there. I can say I went to check on the first-years out of concern—they'll buy it."
"Perfect. Thanks."
"Sure thing. The heart of a big brother looking out for his sister. Got it."
That's not it at all.
If Nefti teams up with Eve to clear 1-1, that'd be ideal.
"Hm. Hmmm."
The next day, after classes ended, I quietly jotted down strategy notes for 1-1 in my notebook.
According to the original story, the 1-1 plot went like this.
Dormitory Ghost Incident.
Last year's Student Council President, Wolfram von Loengrin, got expelled, ending his era. Then came the reign of Eve von Loengrin, the Light Saintess—but the first-years couldn't feel any of that.
If anything, their spirits sank even lower.
Not long after classes started, one in ten Jefrin students had dropped out or been expelled.
Unable to keep up, realizing their limits, tormented by professors critiquing the geniuses from back home—they left this place of learning called Jefrin.
If they'd left peacefully, fine. But their lingering regrets stayed in the dorms, and the first-years' grief and anguish infused their magic with a certain tendency.
Eventually, the magic ran wild, birthing clumps of drifting regrets that haunted the dormitory at night.
A human-shaped mass of blue magic, wearing a new student uniform, wailing, "I wanted to stay longer... I wanted to do well too..." as it wandered the halls, sobbing pitifully.
That's the full story of the 1-1 Dormitory Ghost Incident.
"Here... Eve can't just slash that vengeful spirit."
Surface reason: she might affect the nearby first-years.
But deep down, Student Council President Eve von Loengrin hesitates against magic born of such sorrow.
The situation stalls—then Kelters, at her side, draws his sword, charges the spirit, and cleaves it in one strike.
And Kelters says:
"Sorry. But we can't stop here either."
He sheathes his sword and smiles at Eve.
"You're a really good person, President."
"Wh-what?! D-don't tease your senior!"
Eve blushes at Kelters's words, and the episode ends...
"...Nefti would never say that to Eve, and I don't have to see that nauseating scene. Silver lining."
I meant it sincerely.
"Hm. Now, the real issue starts here."
I pondered what was to come tonight.
Assume Nefti and Eve handle the incident together. What would Wolfram do?
"How can I sneak in, snag the clear item, and slip out?"
Yeah.
You two clear it yourselves.
The righteous knight of conviction and the great Student Council President of light—liberate that wandering magic of regrets.
This third-rate extra convenience store boss plans to do his best to grab the reward item and bail. Eat-and-run route.
Eve von Loengrin glanced at the Knight Division student glued to her side and tilted her head.
"Nepthelian?"
"Yes, Student Council President Eve von Loengrin."
Second-year runner-up.
A girl of impeccable conduct, trusted by all, whose every action embodied a proud knight.
"Why are you here?"
This was the dormitory at evening.
Eve had ordered the first-years to stay inside if possible, planning to handle the ghost alone. The sudden arrival of a peer left her puzzled.
It was quite surprising.
She hadn't officially requested Knight Division support, and she'd even told her attendants to stay out of it. A third party inserting themselves was downright unwelcome.
But Eve didn't antagonize Nefti. No hostility.
Last year in the general dorms, Nefti's conduct had been spotless. Her stats were a bit lacking, but Eve believed she'd make a solid worker for the empire someday.
Nefti was a knight among knights—faithful, conviction-driven. Eve's bias painted her as a good person.
"I heard there's a ghost in the dormitory. So... I came to help."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but you can go. I can handle this alone."
"Ahaha... Humbly speaking, I can't do that. Please, show mercy."
"Why not?"
"It's not about advance payment... er, someone worried about you asked me to guard you until this is resolved."
Strictly speaking, it wasn't entirely a lie. Eve was shocked.
"Someone like that exists...? I'm a brand-new president, and there's a student worried enough about me to hire you..."
"Yes. Someone who worries about you like real family. So, may I dare be your shield?"
Eve stared into Nefti's eyes and let out a small sigh.
How could she refuse?
But first.
"What are your stats? Skills?"
"Pardon? ...Well, stamina's 16, and..."
After hearing Nefti's full stats, Eve nodded.
Not exceptional, but stable and solid.
Lacking in offense, but her skills all focused on defense and protection.
"Got it. You're my shield, then."
"Yes! But... do ghosts really exist?"
Nefti's question drew a melancholic murmur from Eve.
"...About that ghost. I have a rough idea what it is."
"Really?"
"Yes. Probably the new students'..."
"New students'?"
"...We'll confirm the truth when we meet it. Let's start from the upper floors and work down."
"Y-yes!"
Late afternoon, just before 1-1 kicked off.
"Hoo. Hoo."
I slipped out of the convenience store and headed for the first-year dormitory.
After racking my brain, I'd mapped out a route.
"The dormitory has a back path. Take that, and I can reach the clear room without being spotted."
Clear room.
The room that pops up behind the boss after you beat it, with the reward item.
So while Nefti and Eve are busy fighting, I wait in the clear room, grab the item, and bounce.
No chance of getting caught.
If I do, just say I came to check if Nefti was handling things. Shameless works.
On my way to the dormitory, a heavy elderly voice rumbled in my ear.
"...Hoo, hmmm. Y-you there... Wolfram, isn't it?"
"Professor Lantica Grace?"
An old professor with bloodshot eyes, tie loosened, gasping for breath.
The demon who'd tried shoving me into grad school was right there.
His eyes gleamed as he lumbered toward me.
"What a coincidence running into you here. Hm. Care for coffee? Or dinner? I know a great steak place. We could chat about academics over a meal—sound good?"
"...Uh, well, you see."
Steak on the professor's dime while discussing scholarship? You're a real psychopath.
I had to refuse desperately, but one wrong word and he might dock my grades out of spite. Ruin everything.
This life's hell difficulty, fuck!
"Um, Professor. I'm heading to the first-year dorms to check my cart. We can talk anytime later, right?"
"Hm. I see. Vending around here, eh? I poked around near the grad labs since that's what I heard... Fine. Now I know your spot, plenty of time. Come by after classes tomorrow."
Stop investigating!
Don't come find me, you maniac!
"S-so, why are you here, Professor?"
"Oh, one of my lab students skipped out without notice. Came to... fetch him. Haha."
"I, I see."
"Yeah. Word is he wants to be a freshman now—spotted near the first-year dorms. So I came to drag him back... er, fetch him. Lab student or not, he's my pupil. Guiding him right is a professor's duty."
"Uh, yeah. Got it."
"Anyway, if you see that punk... I mean, that student, tell him I'm looking and to get back ASAP. Name's Zolf."
"...Understood."
Zolf.
Still not back, huh.
"Hoo. Hmmm. Just wait till I catch that bastard..."
I watched the professor vanish into the shadows and prayed for Zolf's soul.
"Ah. Not the time. Gotta hustle for that eat-and-run."
No time to worry about runaway grad students now.
In the end.
I successfully infiltrated the dormitory.
This back path was a game mechanic for Kelters's night ops up to Act 3—no detections ever.
I worried since Jefrin was real now, but it was flawlessly clean.
I slipped into the room behind the first-floor hall, where the ghost battle would rage.
"Hoo."
I caught my breath, hunkered in the corner, cracked the door, and watched.
No signs of life.
As expected.
In the original, Eve ordered all first-years to stay in their rooms while she patrolled solo. That's why Kelters was impressive—she asked him for backup.
Right now, Nefti and Eve were scouting upstairs, bound to hit the ghost on the first floor.
"...Ugh, uwooo. Uwooooo..."
"Oh. Boss."
What a nostalgic feeling.
That was a lump of magic infused with a new student's intense regrets.
A sad portrait of our era, born from obsession with staying at Jefrin.
I listened to the pitiful voice.
That wail was so heartbreaking, a message about how brutal Jefrin really was.
Brings back memories. So surely...
"Graduation... deeeeegreeees... graaaaduation... new stuuuudent... master's in a flaaaash... No. PhD in a flaaaash..."
"?"
That's how it wailed...?