Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: Ghost Mansion #1
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[Chapter 60] Ghost Mansion #1
According to academy rules, Arc students aren't allowed to casually leave the grounds.
There was one exception, however: weekends, when they gained free access to the outer city of Gracia.
On Saturdays and Sundays, Arc students would head into the city to buy necessities, relax, or pick up short-term part-time gigs.
Adventurer-turned heroes might even take on quests.
As a result, the church city of Gracia always buzzed with energy on weekends, welcoming the throngs of Arc cadets.
I, too, planned to venture outside the academy for my first weekend.
Today was the day I'd promised to meet Mirna Draco—the older of the Draco family's twin noble ladies.
I was busily preparing to head out when someone knocked on my dorm room door.
Knock, knock.
Before I could say a word, the door swung open, revealing a blue-eyed high school idol type with her abundant golden blonde hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Hey, I'm bored. Let's hang out."
Elga von Liones strode into the dorm, dressed in tracksuit-like attire. She glanced at me, then scowled at the bandages wrapped around my arm and the cast.
"What'd you do to get hurt like that?"
"Oh, this? Well, you see..."
As I started to explain, Elga clicked her tongue.
"Did the other guy get hurt worse?"
"Probably."
His ribs were likely shattered.
From the blood spewing from his mouth, I'd guess his internals took a serious hit too. He might not have died, but he'd be suffering for weeks or months.
Elga plopped down on my bed and said,
"I heard about it. You tangled with those Silver something-or-others, right? I figured you'd get wrecked, but looks like you held your own."
"Yeah. So, what brings you to my humble abode?"
"Nothing much. It's the weekend, so I thought we'd hit the town. Gotta grab some stuff anyway."
Got it.
Elga wanted to spend the day with me.
I'd been too busy lately to keep tabs on her, unfortunately. But today, I already had plans with Mirna Draco.
"Sorry, but I'm tied up today."
"What? You're turning me down?"
Elga growled like a starving lioness. My roommates, who had been quietly sitting in the dorm, flinched.
"Fine. I don't like you anyway."
Whoosh.
Elga spun on her heel and stormed out.
She seemed seriously pissed. I started worrying she'd do something reckless out of spite.
Benjamin, who had been holding his breath, spoke up.
"That's Lady Liones, right? I'd only heard stories—first time seeing her in person! She's got real presence, in every way."
He meant her chest, probably.
Hans turned to me with a serious look.
"Friend, turning down an escort from a grand noble lady like that? I just can't wrap my head around it."
They seemed almost disappointed that I'd rejected Elga's offer. Makes sense—she was the object of many people's admiration.
But unavoidable commitments are unavoidable.
Right then—
The door opened again, and Elga poked her head back in. She stretched her hand inside and crooked her finger.
"Hey, you two. Come with me. Fatty and Wimp. Got a job for you."
Benjamin the apprentice priest lit up.
"Lady Liones! It's an honor to meet—"
"Save it. You're carrying luggage today, so brace yourselves."
"Luggage...?"
Looks like those two would be Elga's punching bags for the day instead of me.
I offered a silent prayer for them.
* * *
"Lately, there've been reports of large numbers of undead appearing on the city outskirts. Be careful out there."
I received my outing pass after getting those warnings from an Arc staff member and headed into the city.
It felt refreshing to head out alone after so long.
It was around ten in the morning.
First, I made my way to the accessory shop.
"A blue goshawk feather, huh? Where'd you get such a fine one? Blue goshawks are rare enough just to spot."
I brushed off the young female shopkeeper's question with a vague, "Found it by chance."
She didn't pry further and quickly made the item I'd requested.
I tucked it away carefully and headed to the address Mirna Draco had given me beforehand. Apparently, the Draco family's villa was somewhere in Gracia.
"Is this the place?"
As I reached the city outskirts, an old cemetery filled with weathered tombstones and withered, creepy trees came into view. In the center stood a mansion swarming with crows.
Even though it was still before noon, that place alone looked pitch-dark, like a haunted house on a winter night. Gave me chills.
Felt like a ghost-infested abandoned building.
Was this really it?
I felt a twinge of fear stepping into what was supposed to be the Draco family villa. House Draco had been a major player in toppling House Angmar.
Was I walking straight into the lion's den—the home of my family's arch-enemy?
Still, I couldn't just stand there cowering.
I stood before the massive iron gate leading to the garden and knocked on the handle.
"......"
I'd half-expected no one to answer, but the skull decorations—which I'd thought were just ornaments—rattled and clattered as they swung the gate open.
"Ugh."
I nearly yelped in surprise.
Pretending nonchalance, I stepped through and walked toward the garden entrance. But a chilling sensation of being watched dogged me the whole way.
Zuzuzuzuzu.
Sssseut ssseut.
Strange beastly cries echoed from somewhere, urging me to hurry to the mansion entrance.
"Miss Draco? It's Theo Gospel."
Knock, knock on the mansion door. It flew open as if someone had been waiting.
Beyond it stood a Draco lady in her school uniform, despite it being the weekend.
"You're late, commoner."
Her curt attitude marked her as the older sister, Mirna Draco.
"I thought I was on time? Before lunch, right?"
"House Draco has lunch at 10 a.m. That's an hour late for a commoner."
Didn't know that.
I bowed my head politely and entered. The interior was like a pitch-black darkroom, with most windows curtained off.
Only candlelight and chandeliers dimly illuminated the space.
Skull fragments scattered everywhere, along with horrific self-portraits of people screaming in agony—it was plenty to unsettle my mind.
This was a total haunted house.
No wonder Elga had mocked the Draco lady as "that gloomy shadow-hider." Spending every weekend in a creepy place like this would twist anyone's personality, making them prickly.
But I couldn't let myself be overwhelmed.
Time to deploy the secret weapon I'd brought.
"Here—this is a token of thanks for inviting me to the esteemed Draco family villa. It's modest, but heartfelt."
Shhk.
It was a fan made from vibrant blue feathers.
I'd made it from the blue goshawk feather I'd snagged while cleaning Professor Belhock's office yesterday. Figured Mirna Draco—who always carried a fan—would like it.
"Better sense than I expected."
Mirna took the fan and showed a flicker of interest. She fanned herself with it, then spoke in surprise.
"The cool breeze... it's a blue goshawk feather, isn't it? I heard they only rarely inhabit the southern plains..."
"Impressive eye."
Nobody hates a useful gift.
I felt my stock with Mirna Draco rise a bit.
"Sit wherever. I'll even treat you to some tea."
Shhk.
In return for my gift, Mirna vanished into the shadows. Take and give, huh? Surprisingly principled.
"Hmm."
Left alone in the empty mansion lobby, I glanced around. More bone-and-skull furniture and sculptures everywhere.
One other thing I noticed—
"......"
Dead silence. No sign of life.
It felt like the only people in this villa were me and Mirna Draco.
Not a single movement.
Even my sharp half-elf ears picked up nothing.
Was that rumor true?
That House Draco, the last to betray the Angmar royal family, had been cursed by the Demon King and all met early deaths.
What could have driven them to betray the Demon King, risking such a curse?
* * *
I sat in the villa's guest parlor and had a long talk with Mirna.
Business talk, mostly.
"Commoner, your backstory is this: a hero from a distant kingdom who enrolled at Arc to revive his fallen realm. Got it?"
"Got the setup. Understood."
"A fallen royal house."
"Like House Angmar?"
"......"
I subtly probed Mirna during our chat. House Draco had once been House Angmar's right-hand loyalists.
Even now, Mirna saw Queen Aira as a usurper and refused to acknowledge her authority.
Maybe I could leverage that loyalty for Theo Angmar's gain.
"The reason for the fall: betrayal and rebellion from within the kingdom, like with House Angmar?"
"Yes, let's go with that."
She agreed readily, but Mirna seemed uneasy somehow. Talking about House Angmar clearly soured her mood.
Still, I wasn't about to waste this rare one-on-one.
"But now that I think about it, I have questions. House Angmar had such overwhelming power and treasures. How'd they crumble overnight?"
"There were reasons enough. Even Demon King Solomon couldn't stand against your houses' alliance."
"Right, my houses. But isn't it weird? House Draco was Angmar's faithful ally. What made you turn suddenly...?"
"Is that relevant to our discussion? Don't cross the line, commoner."
"......"
Half-baked ploys won't work on her. She's in the same league as Elga or Aira when it comes to villainy.
I was about to back off gracefully when—
"House Draco didn't betray House Angmar. Fools like you might not know, but..."
"Not betray Angmar? What do you mean?"
"It's..."
"It's...?"
I caught a hint of hesitation flicker across Mirna Draco's face.