First Night on Duty
After founding the Paranormal Investigation Club and resolving our first ghost story, I had expected a storm of incidents to hit without respite. But contrary to my predictions, the next few days passed in peaceful normalcy, free from any supernatural assaults.
The first day or two, we gathered in the club room outside of classes, tense and vigilant against potential attacks. But we couldn't maintain that state of alert forever amid the ongoing calm. Besides, we hadn't come to Everlight Academy just to deal with ghost stories. We each had our own daily lives—our proper duties as academy students and staff.
Soon enough, we dialed back our vigilance a notch. We agreed to check in at the club room periodically rather than constantly, and returned to our routines. For me, that meant finally attending to my responsibilities as a teacher, which I'd been neglecting amid my focus on the club.
“On night duty, you say?”
“Heh heh. That's right, Mr. Allen. It's your turn for night duty tonight.”
Fresian delivered the sudden assignment without warning, his face unusually stern.
“But this is so abrupt...”
“It's not 'abrupt,' Mr. Allen. Classes have been in session for quite some time now. Have you ever once stood night duty?”
“Well, now that you mention it, no, I haven't...”
“Of course not. Until now, Lydia has been covering all your shifts.”
“Lydia has?”
“Yes. Since you were a new teacher—and after that hospital stay from the courage test incident—we skipped you in the rotation. Lydia volunteered to take your turns instead. But we can't keep having her cover for you indefinitely.”
Thinking back, I hadn't even noticed the night duties because I'd been oblivious. By the schedule, I should have had at least two or three turns already. Clearly, Lydia had stepped in behind the scenes. Was she still hung up on the Murder Hotel incident?
“F-Fresian, that was supposed to stay quiet...”
“Come now. Anyone who checked would find out in a heartbeat.”
“True, but...”
From what he said, Lydia kept volunteering to take my shifts until Fresian, fed up as grade chair, had to intervene.
“And I've heard you've been pouring yourself into club activities lately. It's good to be dedicated, but I'm worried you're neglecting your core duties as a teacher. Since founding the club, you've spent more time in the club room than the staff lounge, haven't you?”
Oh. Not only that—I'd barely lingered in the staff lounge at all lately. No wonder Fresian's attitude had felt oddly cool recently.
I bowed my head and apologized before he could lecture further.
“Sorry. This is my first time as a teacher, so I overlooked the night duties. I didn't mean to burden Lydia. I've just been so preoccupied lately that it slipped my mind.”
I had focused on the club these past days, but I wasn't ready to tank my reputation at the academy yet. A good standing now could open doors later. Today would be reputation recovery day.
“Heh heh. So you'll handle tonight's duties, then?”
...
“...And that's how I ended up on sudden night duty tonight.”
“That's a big problem!!”
With no ghost stories cropping up, we'd gradually accumulated personal items in the club room, turning it into something like a dedicated lounge for the members. I explained the staff lounge encounter to the students, each doing their own thing.
It was only natural they'd react that way.
“Alone on night duty in the dead of night? That's the perfect setup for a ghost story!”
I thought so too.
“We can't skip it. It's part of the job now that I'm a teacher here. And if a ghost story does pop up, better to handle it before it drags anyone else in.”
“This isn't the time to be so casual. It's too dangerous for you to go alone. We'll stay at the academy with you.”
“Eh, Elaine? You mean us too?”
“Are you saying we should just leave you to get caught up in a ghost story alone?”
“N-No, that's not...”
Rone squirmed under Elaine Astraea's scrutiny. But much as I hated to side against her, I agreed with Rone.
“No, Rone's right this time. Rumors of a teacher and students meeting secretly in the empty academy at night? That wouldn't end with suspension—it'd be instant dismissal.”
“So you'll really do it alone? If we get caught, we can just loop back. Compared to the risk of dying in a ghost story...”
“No, they're the same. Whether we loop from expulsion or death, the resentment cost is identical.”
“You're serious? Even if they're equal, avoiding death is always better. Aren't you scared of dying? It's your life.”
“That's exactly it.”
We'd been overly fixated on death—me included. With regression available, death wasn't permanent farewell for us, just a temporary setback. As we tackled more ghost stories, it needed to become a calculated risk, not something to avoid at all costs.
I didn't want us numb to others' deaths, but we had to get used to the idea. In that sense, my solo night duty was training for everyone to embrace death's risks.
“Besides, no ghost story is guaranteed yet.”
Elaine sat down with a dissatisfied frown, emotionally unswayed but rationally accepting, as expected of her brilliance. That was her tacit approval.
And so my first night duty began.
...
“...So you'll spend most of the time relaxing in the duty room. Just make sure you're on time for the midnight patrol at 12. The route's in the duty log—follow that, fill it out when done, and you're good.”
“Got it.”
After classes ended, Lydia briefed me on the duties despite it being past quitting time. She stayed till the end to cover the details.
“That covers the basics. Check the log for anything else.”
“Thanks for the help. Head home and rest—it's late.”
“Ah, yes. Good luck on your first shift.”
The handover was quick; the job wasn't complicated. Lydia gave a shy thumbs-up and left.
Now I was alone in the academy.
So, details in the log? I patrolled for open doors or windows, then headed to the duty room to review it.
It wasn't as vital as ghost stories, but I couldn't shirk teacher duties entirely. My recent club obsession had eroded my good reputation. Unlike the Murder Hotel, no ghost story was certain this time—but I'd give this 'normal' task my all for once.
Back in the duty room, I rummaged for the log.
“This thing's ancient. Makes sense for Everlight Academy—the log's been around as long as the place.”
If a ghost story hit, it'd likely be during the midnight patrol. Until then, I'd read the log and kill time till 12. Maybe it'd hold hints.
Seated with the log, I unwittingly dozed off.
...
“...Sir.”
Nngh...
“...Mr. Allen.”
...Who's that? That voice just now.
“Mr. Allen.”
“...Elaine?”
I opened my eyes to Elaine calling me from right in front.
“Elaine? What are you doing here...? Did I fall asleep?”
“Sorry. You told me not to come, but I was worried. I snuck out after dorm roll call.”
“You came anyway.”
I'd half-expected it, but not really.
“You should listen when people talk...”
“And yet you're smiling.”
“Ahem! Must be your imagination.”
I hid my involuntary grin and schooled my face. Truth be told, having Elaine here was reassuring.
“Hm? Wait—you said after dorm roll call?”
“Yes. Otherwise I'd get caught by the dorm monitor.”
“What time is it now?”
“It was just before 11 when I left, so nearly 12, right?”
Beep-beep! Beep-beep!
Then it rang—the alarm blaring sharply.
“Kyaa!! What was that!? A g-ghost story...!?”
“No, just my backup alarm from Allen Trading Company. Relax.”
I calmed Elaine's startle, silencing it. The clock read midnight—patrol time.
While I'd slept, the hour had arrived.