Chapter 35
“A deal?”
“If you join the investigation team for the urban legend incidents, I’ll grant you what you want in return.”
“What I want is to leave this school with my younger brother Raven, you know?”
Senior Noah looked at me as if he had heard an unexpected answer. After a brief silence, he asked,
“Why do you want to leave with Raven?”
“I can’t say.”
I know he wouldn’t believe me even if I told him.
He didn’t believe me when I said I had traveled back in time by a year either.
“If you don’t mind being hated by your sibling, I could help arrange for expulsion.”
“That’s…”
If that happens, Raven will hate me. He might never forgive me for the rest of his life.
But is that more important than Raven’s life?
“Like you, that child is also on a scholarship, so it’s probably not about tuition fees.”
I nodded at Senior Noah’s words. While we’re not well-off, that wasn’t the immediate concern.
“I’m anxious about leaving my sibling in this school filled with ghost stories.”
“I feel the same way. I’m worried about the students of this school. It seems our goals align, don’t they?”
Should I get Raven expelled, ruining his future but saving his life?
Or should I risk my life to protect him by staying by his side?
I was given two choices.
“To be honest, I can’t guarantee that I can help get Raven expelled. That child is in the principal’s good graces.”
“Ah, right…! You were going to tell me why Raven is in the principal’s good graces.”
“Because he’s easy to handle.”
“What?”
“Raven is a child with a strong attachment to the school and a great desire to succeed. Plus, he’s smart enough to be on a scholarship, so the teachers like him. Above all, he’s an orphan. Is there a student easier for the principal to manipulate?”
Every word Senior Noah said struck deep into my bones. Not a single word was wrong.
If he had said this about me, it wouldn’t have been so impactful, but it was about Raven, which made it worse.
Seeing my expression, the senior apologized with a slightly guilty look.
“I’m sorry for saying such painful things. But Melody, you need to face reality to prepare for the future.”
That’s true too. I needed to know the truth and understand about Raven. Sad as it is, this is reality.
“I didn’t bring it up to hurt you. If you’re worried about Raven’s well-being rather than his expulsion, then the problem would be solved if the evil spirits sealed in this school disappeared, right?”
As I continued listening to the student council president, a question arose.
Was Raven in 903 really a suicide? Or was he murdered by someone?
If not that, then…
Could it be that the past Raven was also involved with the ghost stories?
Knock knock.
At that moment, the hospital room door opened and two familiar female students entered.
It was Erica and Sally.
“Melody! Are you okay? Do you know how worried Sally and I were?”
Erica asked me with a concerned face.
Even though we share the same dorm room, I didn’t run into Erica yesterday or today. The main building students had different school start and end times.
Anyway, I had only said I was going to school yesterday before disappearing, so it was understandable that they were worried.
The two approaching me noticed Senior Noah and looked surprised.
“Why is the president here again…?”
“Tell me. You two knew each other before, right?”
Erica and Sally asked in turn. Senior Noah shrugged in response.
He didn’t give any answer and said goodbye to me.
“Think carefully about what I proposed.”
Erica and Sally suspiciously watched Senior Noah’s back as he left the hospital room. Then they quickly came to me and said.
“The student council president is a no-go.”
“That’s right. The student council president is a hot topic both inside and outside school, so Melody will have a hard time.”
“It’s not like that. Really.”
Erica and Sally sighed in relief, saying that’s good then.
Anyway, the doctor said there was nothing wrong except for my finger, so I could be discharged right away.
So I was discharged with Erica and Sally fussing over me.
🐈⬛
The next day, the bulletin board was filled with stories about me and the student council president.
Saint Gloria Private School Student Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board for Continental Year 902, September 6th
Did anyone see the student council president carrying the transfer student yesterday?
⌎Was that a dream?
⌎No, I saw it too. Quite a few people saw it.
⌎No way. The student council president?
⌎What’s wrong with the president? It could happen, right? He’s kind. I’m jealous of the transfer student. I want to be carried too.
⌎He’s kind to everyone but not close to anyone.
⌎He has a close friend. Easton.
⌎I’m not that close to the student council president (Easton himself)
I had somewhat expected this given the shocked looks from students every time the student council president carried me yesterday, but…
I was so embarrassed I could hardly stand it.
Anyway, apart from that strange post being preserved, peaceful days passed.
The student council president told me to think about his proposal, but he hasn’t approached me since then.
However, it was a bit of a problem that Raven kept avoiding me.
After a few days like this passed, one day.
I couldn’t stand it anymore and made a decision.
‘Today, I’ll definitely meet Raven!’
So I skipped the last class and headed to the main building.
I decided to wait for Raven’s class to end in front of the 1st year S class.
‘It’s always chaotic here.’
Johannes Castle, where F class gathered, had a desolate and isolated atmosphere, but the main building had a completely opposite vibe.
Not only students but also school staff passed by, giving it a bustling feel.
It looked hectic with uniformed students passing by, as 3rd and 4th years seemed to have finished classes already.
“Isn’t that Hastings?”
“Hey, it’s the transfer student.”
Students passing in the hallway started whispering when they spotted me.
I knew I was famous, but I didn’t realize it was to this extent.
‘It’s burdensome.’
In Johannes Castle, everyone rather ignored me so I didn’t mind much.
I checked the time and glanced inside the 1st year S class.
I could see the classroom interior through the hallway window, and Raven was visible sitting in the very back row.
After standing there for about ten minutes, receiving attention from passing students, the bell signaling the end of classes rang outside the main building.
A minute later, the teacher left the classroom first, followed by a stream of students.
When I had been hanging around the boys’ dormitory, I had been reported and dragged away by other students a couple of times.
So I was banned from approaching within 100m of the boys’ dormitory, leaving this as my only option.
My heart was pounding.
I’m finally meeting Raven. I haven’t practiced how to greet him yet when we meet again.
As I waited for Raven with an excited heart, he didn’t appear no matter how long I waited.
‘Huh? What’s going on?’
It seemed most students had left the classroom, but Raven was nowhere to be seen.
Just then, a male student coming out of the 1st year S class stopped when he saw me.
He was a boy with platinum blonde hair and emerald eyes, and his face looked familiar.
It was Easton Leaven Lauderdale, Raven’s roommate.
“Is Rav…”
“Are you looking for Raven Hastings?”
I nodded vigorously.
“Where…”
“He was escaping through the window.”
Window?
I was startled and opened the back door of the classroom to look inside.
The classroom was empty, and as Easton said, just one window was open.
‘This is the second floor.’
🐈⬛
Thank you for reading! ♡
