Chapter 114
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: The Great Mage of the Basement (4)
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Sylvia, our club president, suddenly declared we were heading out for an exploration tonight.
Claire, that thoughtless airhead, let out a big "Yay!" cheer.
"E-exploration sounds a bit..."
Senior Thomas turned pale.
"The old alchemy department building... that's a restricted area, right?"
"You know what? This old library we're in used to be a restricted area too, but I and the Ghost Story Research Club seniors pushed hard and claimed it as our clubroom~ That's the story."
I'd bet anything that Sylvia, who was probably a freshman back then, contributed over 90% to that achievement. No need to see it to know.
"Eek—exploration sounds like a hassle."
With Senior Thomas casting his opposing vote, I chimed in with my own objection.
"Can't we just read a bit more of these papers here and then head back to sleep?"
Honestly, nighttime is for sleeping. Wandering around would just make us tired.
"Oh, we're going tonight?"
At that moment, Princess Celestina's eyes sparkled as she asked.
"What do you think, Your Highness? Do you have other plans? It'd be great if you could join us."
"I don't have any schedules or anything... It's just so sudden..."
The princess blushed slightly, giving a shy smile.
"Still, my heart's racing with excitement. I've always wanted to try something adventurous like this."
"Huh? Didn't you go on quite a few explorations last semester? You never got to go even once, Your Highness?"
"Yeah. I enrolled late, and since then, it feels like all I've done here is study for exams..."
Then Princess Celestina suddenly looked at me and added,
"I'm looking forward to hanging out with friends my age."
Faced with her sparkling eyes, I let out a deep sigh and laid out the reality.
"We'll probably just end up breathing in dust. There might even be rats. You'll just suffer for nothing."
"Even if there's nothing special, that's fine. Isn't the point that we're going together?"
With the princess's words, Sylvia drove the nail in.
"Great! That's 3 votes for and 2 against, so tonight's club activity is a late-night exploration!"
"Yay—!"
Claire, ever the picture of innocence, raised her hand and cheered again.
No, Claire's going to scream her head off with "Eek!" and "Kyaa!" the whole time, so why's she so excited?
She grumbled that it made no sense, but...
My eyes were still fixed on the equations in the paper.
What if, just what if.
If we could find something Laberna left behind in the old alchemy department's lab building.
"The dream of a sub-space bedroom... it's close now...!"
"Huh? Luna, what'd you just say?"
"Oh, nothing."
When you think of Elterion Academy, everyone pictures something pristine and neat.
But look closely inside, and you'll find surprisingly many poorly maintained abandoned buildings.
The reason's simple.
If the land was tight, they'd have demolished the useless old buildings to make space for new ones.
But this school has way too much land to spare.
They just build new ones on empty plots everywhere, no need to bother tearing down the old ones.
Demolition costs money and time, after all.
That's why eyesores are scattered here and there in every corner of campus.
The old research department lab building right in front of me was one of them.
Withered ivy covered the outer walls completely.
Broken windows let out eerie wind sounds like ghost wails.
Even viewing this creepy abandoned building by daylight feels unsettling, but at dusk, it's downright sinister.
"Eek...!"
Vice President Thomas's face was ghostly white.
You could tell he wanted to run, but Sylvia had him under her thumb, leaving him stuck. Poor guy.
Sigh, what is this crush business anyway.
"Lu-Lunaaa..."
Claire looked serious too.
This super scaredy-cat was clinging to my left arm, trembling.
"Claire, back off a bit. Blood's not circulating."
"Ughhh—Luna, you're so heartless...!"
"Feeling better now?"
See, I told you not to go.
"Sh-should we turn back now?"
"You chose to come. Grit your teeth and endure."
"B-but! I didn't know it'd be this scary! It feels like real ghosts are gonna appear!"
As Claire started sniffling, Sylvia, leading the way, turned back with a grin.
"If a real ghost shows up, wouldn't that be great? We've seen the witch, now ghosts too! Just imagining it gives me chills of excitement?!"
She even hummed a tune as she strode toward the abandoned building.
That woman's the real deal.
She must not feel fear at all.
I shook my head and was about to follow Sylvia when...
Suddenly, a soft, heavy sensation pressed into my empty right arm.
Princess Celestina had somehow grabbed onto it tightly.
"Luna. I'm a little scared too."
I looked at her quietly, then let out a soft sigh.
"Your Highness."
"Yes, Luna."
"I know you're fine. You don't have to pretend to be scared."
Her eyes widened round at my words.
She blinked for a moment, then blushed shyly and smiled.
"Busted?"
"It's all over your face."
"Hehe. Truth is, I got jealous seeing Claire stuck to you like that."
Now she was being bold, hugging my arm even tighter.
"This makes it fair, right?"
"Y-Your Highness! I'm not joking! I'm really, really scared!"
Claire, who'd been listening, wailed from the side.
I nodded toward her.
"See? That's how you act scared. You're lacking realism, Your Highness."
"Oh dear. I need to step up my game."
"Argh, seriously!!"
Despite all the fuss, the inside was disappointingly empty.
True to its title of witch's lab, it was just a series of bare rooms.
Something like traces of biological experiments or a chimera pickled in chemicals popping out would've made for an entertaining scene, even if no ghosts.
"I never imagined not even a desk or chair..."
"Ugh, seriously! Total bust right to the end!"
At the end of the B2 corridor, the innermost room.
Sylvia openly showed her disappointment.
"What... there's nothing here."
"Phew. Yeah."
Vice President Thomas and Claire finally relaxed, sighing in relief.
"Well, it's been a long time. Doesn't make sense they wouldn't have cleared it out."
"Th-then... should we head back now...?"
As everyone deflated and turned to leave...
Arke, floating behind me, suddenly started flickering.
"Gah!!"
"Argh, seriously Lunaaa! I said no pranks!!"
Violent Claire smacked my back.
"No, I didn't do anything. It's acting up on its own."
I gripped it tight and infused mana, and it finally calmed down.
This thing—was it throwing a tantrum for more mana?
"...Wait a sec."
The moment I held Arke, a strange incongruity hit me from this room.
I narrowed my eyes and scanned the room again.
Cracked walls, dusty floor.
Seemed normal at a glance, but...
Following the mana flow, I focused, and noticed the seam between wall and floor was slightly off.
Like a puzzle piece jammed in wrong.
"Something's weird..."
I tilted my head and shoved Arke into the spatial gap.
Then swung my arm horizontally toward the ground.
-Rriip!
With a chilling tearing sound, space split like a ripped curtain, top to bottom.
Beyond the torn gap...
A new door revealed itself.
"Wh-what...?"
"Wh-what is this?!"
Sylvia and Claire gasped, stumbling back.
"Looks like our witch of greed hid her workshop nice and tight."
I slung Arke over my shoulder and reached for the door before me.