After the Shadows: Rone's Confidence Hangover
The ominous energy that had filled the Shadow Plastic Surgery corridor vanished, and the sticky air cleared up.
"Has it... been resolved?" Elaine asked cautiously.
Aurora glanced around once before nodding. "It seems so."
Her gaze had already shifted back to my original body. Though I was drenched in sweat from head to toe, my clothes torn and my body covered in wounds, at least my limbs had returned to normal.
Well, yeah, that makes sense. Rone had reverted to normal after we took out a few ghosts, so killing them all should bring me back too. Still, I'd been worried what if it didn't work? Thank goodness.
"Phew. I'm so relieved you're safe, Teacher. Ah, are your wounds okay?" Elaine let out a sigh of relief as she asked.
"Hmm... The scratches sting a bit, but luckily, I can still move without issue."
I tested my limbs at her words, and fortunately, there didn't seem to be any lingering effects.
"Honestly, it gave me chills. Suddenly, I couldn't see anything, and then blood started splattering everywhere."
Aurora let out a faint sigh as well. Then she turned to the collapsed Rone and spoke up.
"More importantly, Rone's personality seems to have changed... Is it from the gift strengthening?"
"Yeah. At least, that's what my 'Observation' showed. Her personality got... bold, right?"
I chuckled as I said it. Elaine gave an awkward "Ahaha..." laugh, while Aurora twisted her lips into a wry smile. "Is that what you call bold?"
It was pretty shocking, yeah.
After that, we cleaned up the filthy site. We wiped up the blood on the floor and picked up the scraps of torn clothing. I'd have to head back to the on-duty room later to wash up and change. If I went to work in these clothes tomorrow morning, the other teachers would faint.
And soon after, we decided to return to the club room.
"I'll carry Rone on my back."
As I reached for the unconscious Rone, Elaine shook her head and stepped forward. "No, Teacher! You're badly hurt—you can't carry Rone!"
In the end, Elaine and Aurora took turns carrying her. Aurora made a disgusted face but still obediently shouldered Rone without protest. Ironically, Elaine, who had offered first, lacked the stamina and collapsed after just a short distance.
Thus, we made our way back to the Paranormal Investigation Club room with Rone in tow.
Upon entering, Rozalia—who had been waiting—gasped in horror at the sight of my condition.
"Teacher! What in the world happened!? Are you alright!? Why is your whole body like this! Kyaaah, blood! It's covered in blood! Are you really okay!? What are we to do!"
"I'm fine, Rozalia. No major injuries."
I tried to reassure her. That's when Rozalia spotted Rone on Aurora's back over my shoulder, and her eyes sparkled.
"Rone! Lady Rone! You've returned! Sniff sniff, what a relief! I thought we'd never see you again!"
Tears welled up as she rushed toward Rone. But seeing no reaction even up close, Rozalia froze as if she'd witnessed something unbelievable.
"Lady Rone...? Lady Rone!?"
She shook Rone's unconscious body, then frantically patted her all over with a look like she might collapse herself.
"Lady Rone! Pull yourself together! Oh my lord! Why are you like this!? Why is your face so pale, and why won't you open your eyes? Please, just open them! Lady Rone!"
With a tearful face, Rozalia shook Rone's body and cried out almost sobbing.
"Your body is clearly back... So why won't you open your eyes!? Don't tell me this is another ghost story's doing!?"
At her words, the three of us—me, Elaine, and Aurora—exchanged glances.
"Well, if it's a ghost story... then yeah, a ghost story."
I mumbled evasively. Rozalia wiped her tears, clenched her fists in fury, and vowed revenge.
"The 'Shadow Plastic Surgery' ghost story...! To do this to Lady Rone! I shan't forgive it!"
That ghost story? The Rone you're holding already took care of it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next day, after finishing my on-duty shift and catching some sleep, I returned to the academy. We gathered in the club room once more.
The traces of last night's fierce battle in the academy at midnight had been neatly erased, but the lingering tension remained.
We all stared silently at one spot.
There sat Rone, fidgeting helplessly, constantly stroking her fluffy hair. Her face was tinged a subtle pink, her eyes darting between the floor and ceiling.
The memory of her activated gift 'Self-Esteem Explosion' hadn't faded; she couldn't even bring herself to look at us.
Yesterday's Rone was... incredible. Her Stage Constitution at 100% max power was always impressive, but taking down that horde of little ghosts single-handedly in an instant? Gift strengthening had boosted her max potential a bit too.
But what stood out most was her personality shift. True to 'Self-Esteem Explosion', she'd brimmed with confidence like a whole new person. She wasn't passive to begin with, but during activation, it was on another level entirely. Her self-esteem had overflowed, reshaping her personality.
Maybe future strengthenings would cause similar changes.
With that in mind, I grinned mischievously at Rone and shouted.
"Everyone, a round of applause for Rone, who bravely vanquished the ghost story all by herself!"
Clap clap clap clap!
At my playful cue, the students joined in perfectly, as if they'd been waiting. Elaine laughed softly with an "I can't stop you" look but clapped enthusiastically, her eyes warm with affection for Rone.
Rozalia clapped with pure admiration, eyes sparkling. Ironically, her genuine respect embarrassed Rone the most.
Aurora sighed but eventually clapped along reluctantly. Still, the corners of her mouth twitched upward faintly.
Under the applause, Rone's face flushed deeper, and she pleaded in a tiny voice.
"Please... stop now..."
She hung her head, on the verge of tears.
"Alright, fun's over."
She looks ready to cry. I gestured for the clapping students to stop. Rozalia pouted like she wanted to praise more, but I held her back—any further teasing might really break Rone.
Afterward, we reviewed the 'Shadow Plastic Surgery' ghost story.
"Honestly, my judgment was careless."
I spoke first. "I should've been more cautious."
"It couldn't be helped, Teacher. There's no 100% safe way to handle ghost stories to begin with."
Elaine defended me.
"...That's the tricky part about ghost stories."
Aurora nodded in agreement.
I appreciated their support. Indeed, there's no foolproof strategy for ghost stories. They don't exist to be cleared, after all.
I sighed. "Even so, there might've been a more elegant solution. Like exploiting the ghost story's shadow-manipulating nature."
Melissa had turned monstrous because of it, but reversed, it could've crushed the shadow ghosts.
"For instance, creating a nearby light source to enlarge my shadow, then stomping the little ghosts flat with my giant form. No need for all that struggling."
But in the heat of the moment, I hadn't thought of it and nearly died instead. If Rone hadn't broken free, I definitely would've.
Elaine spoke again. "But you came up with using the white candy on the spot. It couldn't be helped."
"Ghost stories won't cut you slack for 'couldn't be helped,' though."
Elaine looked dejected at my rebuttal.
"Fundamentally, we failed to think of countermeasures because we don't actively use our relics enough. If we'd trained with them more, we'd have considered the white candy before challenging 'Shadow Plastic Surgery' and prepared accordingly."
It really hit home: to fight ghost stories, we need matching power. Asymmetric threats demand asymmetric responses; supernatural attacks require supernatural counters.
This time, without the 'white candy' relic from Brandon, we couldn't have won. We'd have abandoned it like the apartment ghost story—Rone gone, my body grotesquely twisted.
"From now on, let's make a habit of using relics more proactively."
The club members nodded thoughtfully.
Though the red cookies are long gone, and we used up the white candies here too.
Elaine only had the wrappers left from those cookies and candies. Consumed relics don't return even on regression, like ghost stories themselves.
So, what's left? This club room—which we're using fine—and the Lucky Letter...
The room's great, but I have no clue how to use the letter. It's a one-read consumable, so I can't test it lightly.
Thinking that, I slipped my hand into my pocket. Focusing on the Lucky Letter made it materialize naturally. I'd learned late: relics appear by your side when needed, even if not carried—like a cursed item that keeps returning no matter how many times you discard it.
"I just said to use relics actively, but we can't for a while."
With that thought, I suddenly asked Rone.
"Oh, right. Rone."
"Y-Yes!?"
She jumped, having been silently fiddling with her lips.
"Why so startled?"
"Uh, n-nothing."
I questioned the evasive Rone.
"By the way, how's Melissa? She escaped the 'Shadow Plastic Surgery' influence before resolution, so she should be fine, but..."
Rone replied. "No issues! And I heard from other dorm students that someone saw Emma apologizing to Melissa!"
Emma must've confessed as I suggested. She truly saw Melissa as a friend, not a tool for her shadow surgery. That's why she came to us despite the risk of exposure if Melissa had actually gone wrong.
"Good. Glad it worked out."
"Yeah, right?"
"...Hmph."
Rone and I were satisfied with Emma and Melissa's happy ending, but Aurora, listening in, didn't seem pleased.
As I moved to dismiss the club, I paused. My eyes caught the calendar.
"...Midterms are coming up soon."
I muttered. Rone and Rozalia flinched. Elaine and Aurora, ever the model students, remained calm.
I eyed the guilty-looking pair avoiding my gaze and quietly said,
"Starting tomorrow, we'll study for exams here in the club room between activities. Can't have you flunking because of club focus—won't hear the end of it."