Shini Yasui Kōshaku Reijō to Nana-ri no Kikōshi-Chapter 112 - Seven Wonders of the Academy (part two)
When the lights went off and the students in the dorm went to bed, I started preparing.
I changed from night clothes to my uniform and robe and wore my gloves of storing.
I packed the wands, scrolls and potions in my space-expanded leather bag and asked Tirnanog to carry it.
Since it is forbidden for students in general to go out after the lights out, I used the scroll of Invisibility as a finishing touch and hid our figures.
Okay, we’re ready.
After this, as long as we move carefully, we should be able to avoid opponents who use demonic eye magic.
『Where are we going to investigate tonight, Erica?』
“The aim is the Ghost of the Fallen Boy, so we’re going to the alchemy workshop building.”
The reason why I chose this is because, out of all Seven Wonders, there are wonders that seem to have nothing to do with the morgue of the headless prince.
This is my favorite way of filtering the irrelevant things first.
When it was around 12 am, I went out of the West Dorm along with Tirnanog through the back door.
The air was clearer than it had been during the afternoon and it felt cold.
There was a fragrant smell of tea olive blooming somewhere.
When I concentrated my eyes, I could see the figures of the patrolling teachers and the prefects moving about.
We avoided them and chose the most shadowy path as much as possible.
We went through the small garden between the dormitory buildings and crossed the square gazebo and the water well.
After that, if we go around the back of the school building, there will be the alchemy workshop, our destination.
I confirmed that there was no one around, but just as I let out a sigh of relief, on the next moment I heard a voice chanting a spell from behind.
(Since when……!?)
Without having time to turn around, the magic of Invisibility was wiped out by Dispel.
The figures of me and Tirnanog, who was carrying a bag, were revealed.
“What are you doing in the middle of the night. Where are you going?”
“It’s a good evening, right, Erica? Are you taking a stroll?”
There were familiar voices.
Although there should have been no one earlier, there were the figures of Klaus, who was holding a staff, and Auguste, who was accompanied by Goldberry.
“Klaus-sama, Auguste-sama!? W-why are you two here?”
“We are the student council members who are on patrolling duty. More importantly, you haven’t answered the question yet.”
“I left something behind a while ago, so I’m going to go and get it.”
“Hou. For someone with that purpose, you look more heavily armed than when you were dueling.”
Klaus’ sharp eyes were directed towards Tirnanog and the bag he was carrying.
Good thing I made Tirnanog wear the talisman to avoid Glam Sight.
When I made a signal to Tirnanog with my eyes, he nodded slightly.
For times like this, we already had a briefing session for him to act like a golem.
“What is it? Why can’t you answer our question?”
“Don’t be too harsh, Klaus. No matter how I think about it, you came here to investigate the mysterious story from before, right?”
When I was at a loss for an answer, Auguste easily saw the truth.
My behavior pattern was completely seen through by him.
“You know me well, Auguste-sama.”
“Because you looked like you were interested in the mysterious stories. I also wanted to come along because it looks interesting.”
“Eh?”
“Auguste, it’s too early to give it away.”
“You weren’t patrolling then?”
Instead of answering, Klaus’ lips curled up into a grin.
Oops, I was about to be tricked without knowing.
The boundary between Klaus’ seriousness and joke is beyond my comprehension.
“We came to watch over you. It was a request from Eduart.”
“Oh, then you are to become my guards?”
I remembered the daytime conversation.
After that, my brother must have asked the two of them to watch over me.
Certainly, these two people are strong.
We have a long relationship, so it’s no wonder my plan was seen through.
“I think the person who would attack you is more at risk. Those people who are overreaching themselves have to be protected.”
“What’s with that, do I look like a beast to you?”
“So, which of the Seven Wonders is your target tonight?”
Klaus asked, ignoring my criticism easily.
I gave up secrecy and decided to be as honest as possible.
“I’m going to go to the alchemy workshop building.”
“Heeh~ is there one of the Seven Wonders in that place?”
Auguste’s eyes were sparkling like an innocent child.
He bit the bait properly.
Speaking of which, this person likes local legends.
“It’s a ghost story about the Ghost of the Fallen Boy. There was a rumor that the spirit of a broken-hearted student who committed suicide will come out.”
“I would like to see that ghost as well. I’d like to do something for him, even if it’s just a love consultation.”
“Good grief, you guys. At any rate, I understand that this is the prank of people with bad taste……”
Klaus sighed at me and Auguste who were getting excited.
Auguste took Klaus, who was still saying something, by his hand.
“Oops, let’s continue the conversation later. The patrolling teachers will come here soon.”
“How do you know that, Auguste-sama?”
Auguste tapped his temple.
“I have stretched around my broad telepathic sense. It allows me to sense the location of living creatures with thinking ability.”
“So have you become able to interfere with the people of Aurelia, too, by now?”
“I can’t interfere with their mind. But, looking at it the other way around, when I can’t I know that it must be a person from Aurelia, right? That or someone from Lucanrant wearing snowsilver ore.”
I see, so this is the trick by which they could ascertain it was me in this location.
Even if he doesn’t borrow the dragon’s eyes, it’s amazing that a single human being can perform up to this extent.
This may be the result of his long-time training as a Theurge.
Auguste stood at the lead, and we formed a line following him behind.
Goldberry was happy being able to ride on top of Tirnanog’s head after a long time.
With the precise guidance of Auguste, we reached the alchemy workshop building through the shortest route without encountering anyone.
The alchemy workshop was locked. I opened the backdoor using the Wand of Unlock and crept in.
“Just why exactly are you siblings good only when you’re doing this kind of thing……”
“Because I don’t want to trouble you, Klaus-sama.”
While smiling at Klaus’ dumbfounded expression, I peered at the passage inside the dim workshop.
There is still light from some of the rooms in the workshop building.
There are much more people still awake than I thought.
Perhaps they are those who are making or studying something all night long.
We should be careful not to make loud noises or sounds.
According to the information, the ghost appears on the third floor of the west passage.
We went up the stairs, taking care not to come across anyone.
“It seems that it is a ghost of a broken-hearted boy who committed suicide by jumping to his death from the west passage on the third floor of this building.”
“It’s beyond me why someone would commit suicide from some love affair. Even if it’s just an idle gossip, I think they should have prepared a better cover story.”
“I don’t hate it. That sort of love is common, right?”
As we were walking while criticizing the ghost story with low voices, we reached our destination.
On the third floor of the alchemy workshop building, there is a west-facing passage with a faint moonlight shining from the glass window.
Unlike the first and the second floors, there is no lit up room.
The good news is that nobody is up inside the rooms along the passage.
Klaus magically lit a candle-like light at the end of his staff.
I accepted my leather bag from Tirnanog and took out the Historio Electrum.
“Oh, what’s that?”
“This is a magic tool called Historio Electrum, we can record images by using this tool.”
“Heeh~ so there is something convenient like that, huh~”
“This is just to make sure. But let’s also incorporate Glam Sight in it.”
Klaus accepted the Historio Electrum, cast the spell out-loud, and incorporated Glam Sight.
Now we should be able to record the magic information that Klaus will confirm using Glam Sight as well.
Thanks to the cooperation of the two people, things went better than expected.
We looked around our surroundings while advancing slowly through the passage.
We went to the middle of the passage, but no ghosts were found.
However, it’s cold here somehow.
“After all, if we come with this many people, the ghost won’t come out, will he?”
“It’s a prank made by a student. I don’t think there is such a consideration.”
We’re about to reach the other side of the passage.
But nothing has happened yet.
“Nothing is reflected in Glam Sight……but, what is it? The air here is awfully humid.”
As Klaus pointed it out, I noticed that the humidity on the third floor was strangely high.
Is it a pipe leak?
Well, if it’s inside the alchemy workshop building where temperature control is important, it should be repaired immediately.
“Guys! Look at the window!”
Hearing Auguste’s voice, Klaus and I looked back towards the passage.
Splat, splat.
Splat, splat, splat, splat, splat.
Innumerable white hand marks are sticking to the window glass.
It is as if something awful is looking for the entrance on the other side of the window.
At the same time, I heard a loud voice coming from nowhere.
It felt like some simple words were being repeated single-mindedly in a monotonous voice.
The voice was small and I couldn’t hear what it was saying.
The passage was cold like an ice chamber.
Our breaths came out in white puffs.
When I looked closely, the handprints on the window glass were covered with frost.
Suddenly, I noticed that the frost was adhering to the inside of the window, not outside.
I was horrified.
The ‘something’ that made those handprints is already inside this passage.
Thin mist enshrouded the passage floor.
The mist swirled, changed shape, and formed something.
『……love you. I, love you.』
Repeating such words, the innumerable white hands that had appeared stretched out towards us.
