Chapter 141: Wandering Ghosts (part one)

After school the next day.

I met up with the usual four people in the dining hall.

Marquia and Tricia sandwiched me between them while Chloe and Beatrice sat across from us.

And while enjoying the sweets I got from Gilbert last night, everyone chatted with one another happily.

“Everyone, did you notice that there is an unfamiliar person in the academy?”

Marquia raised the topic about Citrouille, the new insurance healer.

“You mean Citrouille-sensei, Marquia-san?”

“Yes, Tricia-san. That’s right! Doesn’t he seem like a wonderful person somehow?”

To think that he was able to gain popularity from the eagle-eyed female students this quickly, as expected from an ikemen.

He has a wild charm which the school teachers and staff members don’t have.

But that person might be a member of the Inquisitors belonging to the Military Order of Útför.

“With that dangerous aura of his……he sure gives off a rough vibe.”

Dangerous like he’d lock you up, rough like he’d get very violent with you, that sort of feeling.

If he was an inquisitor behind that refreshing smile, it’d make for a horrifying contrast.

“I understand! The charm of a dangerous adult!”

“And, the wild beauty!”

Marquia and Tricia agreed, although they missed the point due to my ambiguous response.

If only he truly was just a grown man who seems a bit dangerous, how easy my life would be.

“The new insurance healer……he’s watching you from time to time, Erica-san.”

Chloe muttered something worrisome forthrightly.

Eeh, that person was staring at me?

“When was it?”

“When you were passing through the corridor, you didn’t notice?”

“……I didn’t notice at all.”

“Then, how about now?”

Chloe didn’t move her head, but her eyes were directed towards the doorway.

I reflexively turned my head towards that direction.

There was the figure of Citrouille.

When his eyes met mine, Citrouille put his index finger in front of his lips and showed me a refreshing smile.

Eeeeh……what’s with that, how scary!

As expected that person is scary!

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“Kyaa~ perhaps he fell in love with you, Erica-sama? No way, how scandalous! The age difference!”

“In addition, the differences in social status! But, forbidden love is also wonderful!”

Marquia and Tricia began to fantasize excitedly.

That smile just now, I wonder if that was a threat that says he wouldn’t forgive me if I spill his secret.

Beatrice whispered while watching Citrouille leaving the dining hall.

“He used to watch you before, Chloe-chan.”

“Hmm, yes……that’s right.”

Chloe replied with a small voice.

So his surveillance targets are me and Chloe, huh.

No way, does he know Chloe’s true identity?

That seems likely.

“The things that Erica-sama and Chloe-chan have in common……I guess both of you are tall and beautiful……?”

“Hmm, I am tall, but I think my face is ordinary and unremarkable~”

The person in question said so, but because it’s a heroine-like ‘ordinary and unremarkable’, Chloe is amazingly cute.

She is the type of person that would be easy to pick out even in a crowd.

At times, the memory of her fight against the vampire flickers in the back of my mind—well, she’s still a cute girl.

But, in this current situation, I’m worried about myself.

I want to spend time as much as possible without being monitored by Citrouille.

But I can’t avoid it if I’m in the school building.

When the topic about Citrouille settled down, our conversation topics changed in rapid succession.

About Marquia’s small dragons that were transported safely from the viscounty.

About Beatrice’s success rate in looking into the future.

To another explanation about the special heat source from Tricia.

When I talked about the golem’s field investigation plan, Chloe seemed to be very interested.

“The location is in the northern part of the school, right? Like the forest or lake and marshes area. How enviable~~”

Chloe is not interested in the golem and seems to be yearning for the outdoors instead.

I guess the controlled trees in the academy grounds are a little unsatisfactory, huh.

“How about you also come with me, Chloe-san?”

“Eeh, is that okay!?”

“Yes. I will feel relieved if you come, Chloe-san.”

By the way, I have asked Eduard-oniisama to accompany me as a guardian.

My brother and Chloe.

Even with these two people alone, the level of security is already quite high.

I stood up a minute later.

“Well then everyone, I have another matter to attend to right now, so I’ll have to excuse myself.”

With that I left them and went to the next destination: the student council room.

☆

The purpose of going to the student council room is to supply sweets intake to Auguste and Klaus.

They must be tired from working, and since they have the biggest sweet-tooth, they should be pleased.

When I arrived at the student council room, I saw Klaus and Auguste holding their heads.

“What happened, both of you.”

When I called out to them, both of them looked at me with troubled expressions.

“Oh, it’s you, Erica. You came at a good time.”

“……I’m still extremely torn whether we should be discussing this with her……”

Auguste who has an enthusiastic smile, and Klaus whose frustration is as obvious as day.

I wonder if any problem has occurred during the preparation for All Souls’ Day.

Thank you for your hard work.

Mistakes are bound to happen in events where plenty of people and money move.

“Did something happen?”

“It seems that some kind of strange phenomenon has been confirmed at school……!”

Klaus said with a scowl.

“There are already thirteen reports from students who were working until late for the preparation of All Souls’ Day.”

Auguste spread the reports on the desk.

A new strange phenomenon?

No, perhaps this is……somehow I feel like I have an idea what this is.

“May I see the report?”

After asking for permission, I reached out for the documents.

I read out the report nervously.

“On the first night of this week, a student from the South Dorm witnessed it near the stable’s water tank. Groan-like murmurs were heard.”

“That’s the first sighting.”

Hearing Klaus’ remark, I increasingly feel like my premonition is coming true.

“When they looked back, they saw a white sheet that floated gently. And when the witness reached out their hand to check it, the air swirled and they were touched with moist hands, and then they fainted for some time. The witness was found fainted wearing a drenched sheet.”

I have an idea what this is after all.

I mean, isn’t this similar to what the mist golem did?

“On the second evening of this week, a staff witnessed it in the large pond in the Magical Botanical Garden. A hand came out of the pond and they seemed about to be dragged into it.”

“The victim’s feet slipped as they tried to avoid the hand and got soaked.”

And then Auguste added that the witness now has caught a cold.

The pond in the Magical Botanical Garden, huh……

As expected this is suspicious.

Although it is slightly off from the golem’s activation point, the location is close.

More specifically, it occurred within 20-30 meters in diameter from the activation point.

“Same day, same time, in the forest northern of the school. A student who was picking mushrooms witnessed a ghost beckoning from inside a small swamp.”

“Water tank, pond, and swamp……”

At the third strike, my suspicion turned into conviction.

Aah, this is most definitely the mist golem.

“It would be a problem if some strange fear becomes widespread~ But, even if we want to investigate, there are not enough people.”

“I have no problem going, but what do you think, Auguste?”

“Well~ if you leave, Klaus, then my burden will increase~”

“You’re right, if so—”

Before Auguste and Klaus could take a concrete measure, I raised my hand with a feeling as if confessing my sins.

It would be better to confess early rather than to make excuses later.

“Um, about this, I……”

“What are you going to do if it’s something troublesome? If, by any chance, something like that night happens again—”

Klaus pierced me with quite an intense glare.

If one comes across a vampire like that one, well, normally they will die.

“No, no, I mean, I already know the cause.”

“What did you say!?”

“Ah~ perhaps, you……”

Klaus raised an intimidating voice, while Auguste made a remark as if he could guess it one way or other.

I showed a harmless smile without any hostility towards the two of them.

It is a smile of one who wants to improve their image as much as possible.

“Yes, this time I’m the instigator of this phenomenon.”

Klaus was holding his head beside Auguste who was making understanding noises.

I kept explaining.

“I released the mist golem from before and was conducting various investigations.”

“I feel like something similar to this has happened before, but I can’t remember……kuh, why……”

Klaus groaned as if in pain.

Speaking of which, I also released Tirnanog without warning.

It is a nostalgic memory where Klaus was angry about it in the Burial Chamber of Angels.

Thank you, Palug’s oblivion magic.

“Fufu, it’s just your imagination, Klaus-sama.”

But, I didn’t expect there would be so many sightings.

The scope is probably wider than I thought, that mist golem.

These incidents have occurred in a range of about 30 meters wider than the route confirmed by Tirnanog.

Maybe this mist golem is actually really big.

Is it about 60 meters big in diameter?

I gave the two of them the golem investigation results compiled for Harold to justify myself.

“Here is the record of the experiment. Well, how curious! The time and place are almost the same! That’s great. That means the case is settled!”

“Of all days, why are you doing golem experiments at this time……!”

Klaus’ eyes emitted angry and violent gleam.

“Yes, Klaus-sama. So, the ghost that was seen roaming around the school is absolutely this golem.”

I nodded without breaking my smiling iron mask.

“Have you done this experiment without proper permission?”

“It’s already been approved by the principal. How unfortunate, Klaus-sama.”

“He’s too lenient, that principal~~~~~!”

Klaus turned his anger towards the principal.

I can’t thank the principal enough for this!

“Now, now, calm down, Klaus.”

“Guh……”

Dissuaded by Auguste, an expression as if swallowing a bitter bug showed on Klaus’ face.

“But, you know, I feel like the route is slightly off.”

“It’s most likely a huge golem with a diameter of about 60 meters centered around the core……”

“Ah~……how amazing, so the exact size is uncertain……”

Without this report, I wouldn’t have noticed.

The hallway of the alchemy workshop building must have been too narrow for the golem, huh.

“Even so, I wonder why alchemists like to make strange golems using strange materials……”

I answered Auguste’s simple question.

“Because it’s fun. Also, because it’s interesting.”

I guess this is the spiritual nature of the alchemists of Aurelia.

The people I know—Eduard-oniisama, Harold, and Tricia—are also prone to this tendency.

“About the golem, please rest assured since it will be activated outside the school on holidays after this.”

“You’re going to activate it outside the school on holidays!?”

“You’re not doing it alone, are you?”

There were relentless retorts coming from Klaus and Auguste.

“There will not be anything dangerous. I’m planning to have my brother accompany me as a guardian.”

“Eduard, you say?”

“And Chloe-san, who I am close with recently, is also going to come with me.”

“Eduard, and the woman you were with during that incident……”

Klaus groaned bitterly.

Since I have these two as guards, there should be no objection.

As I was talking about that, I heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Ah— so you were here, huh……”

It’s Actorius-sensei.

Brad was following behind him like an attending physician.

“Actorius-sensei……are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. I have finally recovered. Thanks to that, now I can teach again.”

“Also, we have a message: Elric and I will be accompanying you in your field investigation.”

Oops, this is an unexpected development.

Actorius-sensei smiled apologetically.

“Eduard really wanted to come along, but he was stopped by Citrouille-san.”

“That is why, reluctantly, I also have to follow along.”

I wanted to have a fun field trip with my older brother and Chloe.

I’m okay with Actorius-sensei, but I feel complicated about Brad coming along.

“Actorius, huh……If that’s the case, I think it’s going to be okay, but……”

“What is it, Klaus-kun?”

“Evacuate immediately if it’s really dangerous. Also, keep an eye on her carefully so she doesn’t inadvertently harm any suspicious person.”

“Yes, please leave it to me!”

Klaus made such a request to Actorius-sensei.

I’m being treated like a fierce beast, this is too much.

I mean, Actorius-sensei, please deny it!

“Hmm~ Professor, you surprisingly seem to be having fun. You don’t seem to be that ‘reluctant’ to me.”

“Auguste……I thought I told you not to call me that at school.”

Auguste teased Brad with a low voice.

Eh, but, by ‘Professor’, does he mean the Professor who possessed the black dragon from before?

I thought it was a researcher who was withdrawn somewhere in the academy and didn’t take charge of classes.

But then, that means Brad is Auguste’s cousin.

So he’s an Ignitian royalty?

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Then I recalled the words of Jack Citrouille.

So, who did Brad descend from?

His Majesty, the Third Prince Henri should have been the youngest.

Then it should be from His Majesty’s brothers or sister.

The Second Prince seems to have been infertile until Louis was born.

Then, it was either the First Princess Eléonore who died young or her twin the First Prince.

This is also the story that seems to be related to the terrible part of the royal family.

It’s difficult to ask, and even if one asks about it, it seems they would gloss over it.

“Erica Aurelia.”

I was brought back to reality by Brad’s voice.

When I raised my gaze, I was pierced by Brad’s severe gaze.

He has intense reddish purple eyes.

“It seems you were lost in thought, but you don’t have any objection about this arrangement, do you?”

“Y-yes……!”

I replied reflexively to Brad’s intimidating voice.

Uwah, this is bad.

The field trip that should have been fun has become troublesome—!