Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Academy Ghost Story
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.....
"So, you have to be really careful, Rowen... Rumor has it some students even got carted off after getting too scared...!"
"Ahaha... Got it, Lea."
"Ugh...! I'm not kidding! You always come back hurt somehow... I just have a bad feeling about this time too..."
Lea continued her tale in a trembling voice.
Even as she spoke, her face twisted in preemptive fear.
Watching her like that, I couldn't help thinking she looked like a scared little puppy.
'Looks like it's finally starting to move.'
This was right after the first midterm exams at Avillon Academy had ended.
Strange rumors began circulating among the students.
Tales of a ghost taking the form of a child haunting the academy cafeteria late at night.
After some students who went to check it out actually got seriously hurt, all sorts of embellishments piled on.
It had turned into a truly ominous ghost story that no one dared provoke anymore.
'Of course, there's no such thing as a ghost.'
Contrary to the students' expectations, the truth behind the ghost was nothing special.
No, if anything, it wasn't even a ghost.
The entity people called a ghost was actually a person.
To be precise, not just any person—it was one of the continent's non-human races: a dwarf.
"G-Ghosts don't exist, Lea... Can we talk about something else...?"
"E-Ehehe... You're not scared, are you, Estelle? No way our highborn lady is afraid of a mere ghost... right?"
"Ugh... Not scared at all. If it shows up, I'll just blast it with magic."
"Ahaha... Estelle, that might be a problem."
As she said that, Estelle pulled out her magic staff, its tip already glowing with white light.
She looked ready to blow everything around her to bits right then and there.
Her usual blank expression cracked, replaced by teary eyes as she began chanting a spell. I barely managed to stop her.
After calming Estelle, who stared at me with trembling eyes, I picked up where my earlier thoughts had left off.
'This is the perfect chance... to get a new sword.'
As I'd mentioned before, the ghost haunting the academy cafeteria was a dwarf.
The greatest blacksmith on the continent, no less.
Why was someone like that in the academy cafeteria, you ask?
Simple—he got too hungry and went looking for food.
Dwarf Michelan.
The finest blacksmith of his era vanished one day, determined to create his masterpiece.
He chose the land richest in mana and resources.
Then, in true dwarf fashion, he stocked up on decades' worth of food and beer, dug a tunnel, and holed up inside.
'Beer... but he brought food instead.'
His supplies ran out sooner than expected, forcing him to surface in search of more food.
That's when he emerged into a world utterly changed from the one he'd known.
Whatever the circumstances, he wandered the academy grounds to fill his starving belly.
And that's how he stumbled upon the cafeteria.
"Then we should go, right?"
"...Huh?"
"N-No, I don't wanna..."
Lea blinked in confusion, as if she'd misheard, while Estelle shook her head vigorously with terrified eyes.
But their reactions didn't shake my resolve to seek out the dwarf.
The greatest blacksmith of his time—no, even now, his skills were unmatched.
He was just disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings and people.
Considering the dwarves' emphasis on friendship and loyalty, it was high time I went to help him.
"Huh? Didn't you say you weren't scared? You're not... backing out, are you?"
"Wh-When did I...!"
"...!"
Lea yelled loudly with a quivering laugh, flustered, while Estelle froze solid.
The magic words worked their charm once again today.
Of course, part of it was to avoid going alone and worrying Lea and Estelle unnecessarily.
But across all of Avillon Academy, opportunities like this were rare.
What really drove me was the desire to gift them some top-notch gear.
"Alright, then. Tonight after dinner, we meet at the park. Sound good to everyone?"
"G-Good! Who said I couldn't?"
"...Okay."
Lea puffed up with bravado, while Estelle barely nodded with shaking eyes.
These two could crush any freshman in a fight without breaking a sweat.
Yet here they were, trembling over a mere ghost. It was unbearably cute to me.
"Oh, and Arien's coming too. That's fine, right?"
"Hmm... Arien, you mean the Hero, right? I've never talked to him, but... he came running faster than anyone when you got hurt. Everyone who likes you is super nice. I'm in!"
"...Yeah. Me too."
It wouldn't feel right without the protagonist in an event like this.
No matter how much I'd been neglecting Arien lately, I wasn't about to leave him out of something this important.
Besides, the game let up to four people receive Michelan's masterpieces.
Might as well fill the party to the brim.
We finished our drinks and chit-chat, then parted ways early to prepare for the late-night courage test.
I headed to the dorm to convince Arien.
Knock knock!
It was still early evening, the sun not even fully set.
After parting with Lea and Estelle, I'd arrived at my dorm room door.
I'd suggested hanging out a bit longer, but their answers were unanimous.
—"Huh...? Already leaving?"
—"Y-You're the one going to meet a ghost, Rowen...! I need to grab salt and holy water!"
—"M-Me too... I have to finish the magic I've been researching. It hates light, right...?"
—"..."
They insisted on preparing for the ghost.
No matter how much I assured them it'd be fine, their teary, stubborn faces won out.
Surprisingly early, I found myself at the dorm.
Click.
No answer despite waiting, so I opened the door and stepped in.
The air felt oddly damp, and there on the bed—Arien, sleeping soundly.
"...?"
One problem: that was my bed.
Arien breathed softly, his face peaceful in sleep.
For some reason, he'd chosen my bed over his own.
"Um... Arien?"
He'd clearly showered—hair fluffy and fresh—and was in perfect pajamas.
Yet he'd trashed my bed while leaving his spotless. Infuriating.
"Hey...! Get up already!"
I yanked the blanket off him.
"Ugh, what is it..."
Arien blinked sleepily, groggily scanning his surroundings.
His lips pursed in annoyance at being woken.
Whoosh!
"What kind of demon are you?! All the windows were closed, and now...!"
"B-Bright..."
Not sure why, but to air out the muggy room, I flung open the window.
Arien winced like the light stung his eyes.
Yet he stayed quiet, no complaints.
'Hmm... What's up?'
Arien, not getting mad?
I had no clue how to handle this unprecedented situation.
"Wh-Who are you? What did you do to Arien?!"
"...What're you talking about?"
He glared sharply but held back his irritation to the end.
I fought back tears at the sight, struggling to compose myself.
'Our Arien's changed...!'
He was improving visibly.
Now we'd reached the point where we could communicate without him exploding.
Momentarily touched by his unbelievable growth—
As I reached for the blanket to fix the mess he'd left—
Squelch...
"...?"
My hand felt wet.
The blanket soaked in some unknown liquid—sweat? Something else?
I stared at Arien in disbelief; he just shot back a sharp glare.
"No way... It can't be... right?"
"...?"
Sleeping in my bed and sweating that much?
No, the idea it might not be sweat was worse.
Cautiously, I peeled back the blanket and dropped it on the floor.
Only then did Arien's face shift to panic, like he'd just remembered.
He stammered in a shaky voice.
"Th-That's sweat! I just lay down before training. It's not whatever you're thinking!"
"...It's okay, Arien. Accidents happen. I get it..."
"Argh, you're driving me crazy...! Look! My clothes are dry! It's sweat from before I showered...!"
"Still... You should clean up your own mess, don't you think...?"
I backed away from the hopelessly ruined blanket.
Gazing at him with contemptuous eyes.
Arien's face flushed red under the stare, flustered.
I mean, come on... a guy wetting the bed?
Even a Hero had weaknesses, it seemed.
...A pretty massive one, at that.
"Wh-What's with that look? I said it's sweat...!"
"......"
"Y-You psycho! Don't sniff it!"
With great resolve, I brought my damp hand to my face at his protests.
Smack!
My resolve shattered as Arien's lightning-fast kick sent me flying across the room.
Damn it...
......
"So, what's your point?"
After the commotion died down.
I'd agreed to let Arien's earnest pleas slide—just this once.
Dropped the trashed blanket at the laundry and returned to the dorm.
Gone was the docile act; he was back to his usual prickly self.
Perched on his own bed, legs crossed, glaring at me like some delinquent boss.
'What a temper...'
He messes up, then takes it out on me?
Arien's outbursts over weird things were beyond me sometimes.
"Nothing much. You heard the rumor going around the academy lately?"
"...Yeah."
He looked at me pitifully, like I was a kid.
As if saying, 'You believe that crap?'
After all my consideration...!
It stung that I lacked the power to retaliate against such treatment.
"Me and some friends are going tonight. Wanna come?"
"Sigh... You don't actually fall for kids' pranks, do you?"
"Hey, if you're too scared, no big deal. I don't make a habit of dragging scaredy-cats along."
"...!"
Arien's eyes widened, lips twitching upward in barely contained fury.
The magic words pulling their weight again today.
"...Who said I was scared? Not scared at all. I'll hang out with you this once—because I messed up a little today."
"If you admit you messed up, why'd I get kicked...?"
"...Shut up."
Crunch!
He raised his clenched fist threateningly.
"..."
Before overwhelming force, words meant nothing.
I swallowed my tears inwardly, biding my time for the future.
...This is so unfair.