Chapter 19
The student council president lifted me easily, as if carrying a princess.
Not expecting such an embarrassing position, I rolled my eyes in confusion.
As soon as the president appeared, the ghosts went into a frenzy as if they’d seen a ghost themselves.
‘They’re ghosts themselves, but why do they look like they’ve seen a ghost?’
The ghosts trembled in fear of the student council president, which seemed pitiful but also quite interesting.
“W-Wait a moment! President! I’m coming too.”
Erica trailed behind us as the president carried me out through the lobby.
When we reached an alley where there were fewer people, I carefully said while in the president’s arms:
“You can put me down here. I’m really fine. I just need to rest a bit.”
“But your nosebleed hasn’t stopped?”
The president gestured towards my face as he spoke.
As he said, blood was still trickling from my nose. Now I was starting to feel dizzy.
No, after returning to the past, it’s as if my body had turned into a sunfish. Why had I become so weak?
“What are you saying? We need to go to the hospital! Melody, are you okay? Hey? Melody?”
Erica’s fussy voice seemed to grow distant. I felt terribly dizzy.
Leaning my head against the president’s broad chest, I shook my head vaguely.
“…lody! …dy!”
Erica’s voice was really fading away. And then my vision went dark.
🐈⬛
04. Girls’ Dormitory Elevator
When I next regained consciousness, it was the middle of the night.
An unfamiliar ceiling came into view, and an unfamiliar place filled my sight.
Where am I?
“That’s right. Erica…?!”
I hurriedly threw off the blanket.
[Erica is fine. She returned to the dormitory because it got late, due to school rules. So worry about yourself.]
“Ah! You startled me!”
Surprised, I turned my head towards the voice. A cat was sitting on the bed where I had been lying.
It was Blackie.
No, is it really Blackie?
Strangely, while the appearance was clearly Blackie’s, its eye color had now changed to blue.
I guess I hadn’t been mistaken when I thought I saw its color change earlier in the dormitory lobby.
How could its eye color change?
“What exactly are you?”
[That’s not what’s important right now.]
“What could be more important than…”
I was about to say what could be more important than Blackie’s identity.
If only I hadn’t made eye contact with the ghosts plastered to the window, staring at Blackie and me.
[This is the hospital within Saint Gloria Private School. You’re in a second-floor student room.]
The ghosts that met my eyes seemed flustered, fidgeting and floating back and forth outside the window.
Just like puppies that needed to pee.
I must be going crazy to think ghosts look like puppies.
Blackie raised one eyebrow as if perplexed. I didn’t know cats could make such expressions. It almost seemed human.
It asked me in an amused tone.
[You can see them? I guess it wasn’t a coincidence that you saw those things in Chesswind.]
“Them? Wait, Blackie, you can see them too?! More importantly, why are you talking?!”
Blackie turned its back without answering.
As it looked at the window, the ghosts that had been watching us disappeared with a whoosh.
[There are evil spirits and benign spirits in this school.]
“…Blackie, what on earth are you talking about?”
[You’ve seen the benign spirits. In Chesswind village.]
I stopped talking in surprise.
Of course, I realized that the people in Chesswind village weren’t human.
Hearing it from Blackie’s mouth felt a bit strange.
[Beings that harm humans are called evil spirits, and those harmless to humans are called benign spirits. The ones outside the window are the same.]
“Blackie, I don’t understand what you’re saying at all. If evil spirits and benign spirits exist in the school, why isn’t the school taking any measures? Does everyone know about this?”
[Would you believe this if you heard it? If it were you before experiencing the Chesswind village incident?]
If it were me before the Chesswind incident?
Of course…
“…I wouldn’t have believed it.”
I immediately understood Blackie’s question. The reason why the school takes no action.
In this age of scientific advancement, who would believe in evil spirits or benign spirits?
No one would believe it. Only those who have actually experienced these supernatural events would understand.
“What are you? How do you know all this? And how can a cat talk? Are you a ghost too?”
[I’ll tell you my identity once you solve this ghost story. I need your trust too.]
“… Ghost story?”
[Yes. This incident. You know that strange phenomena caused by spirits are called ghost stories, right?]
“No, I didn’t know. I just thought ghost stories were stories made up by people… I’m starting to realize that’s not the case now.”
Blackie sighed.
It was disconcerting to feel intimidated by a cat for the first time.
“Blackie, you seem to know a lot about evil and benign spirits. Can’t you solve it yourself?”
[What can a cat do?]
“…Well, that’s true.”
[Anyway, since last semester, someone has been intentionally causing ‘ghost stories’. So I need your help. To seal away the evil spirits. You can see them, after all.]
“That means other people can’t see ghosts. Are there certain conditions to be met to see them?”
[Unless special circumstances occur, ordinary people can’t see them. That’s why ghost sightings spread like urban legends.]
I tilted my head curiously at Blackie’s request.
[Do you understand now? Why do you need to help with this?]
“No. I don’t get it.”
Blackie looked flustered at my firm answer.
[Are you going to stand by while your friends are in danger? You could be in danger too.]
“I’m planning to leave this school anyway once I convince my brother. I could leave tomorrow even.”
[Brother… Raven Hastings?]
I nodded.
Then Blackie let out a scoffing laugh.
[Raven Hastings is determined to stay at this school until graduation no matter what. You’d better give up trying to take him out.]
“Determined to stay no matter what? Why?”
[Well, I don’t know the exact reason, but I suspect he might have been brainwashed by the Dean.]
“Brainwashed?”
[If you want to hear about that… you’ll have to help me too. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, Melody.]
I pressed my lips together. This cat is quite good at negotiating.
It seemed Raven was avoiding me, and it was frustrating that no one knew why.
‘Currently, this cat is the only one who might have information about Raven.’
If so, there’s only one answer.
“Fine. What do I need to do?”
Then Blackie grinned.
Goodness. I never knew a cat’s smile could look so wicked.
🐈⬛
Thank you for reading! ♡
