Chapter 54

Thank you for the reviews, bookmarks, and more.

I am now enjoying dinner with my parents in the dining room at home. However, my mind is preoccupied with the conversation in the parlor today.

According to the princes, the commotion with the teacher sent by the church was caused by my father, who was a new student at the time. I wondered if that was the reason the church became uncooperative, but too much time has passed, and it might be time for them to start working together again. When I pointed this out, the princes also mentioned it, but it seemed that the principal was hesitant or hiding something. According to McGill, it felt more like the school was wary of something rather than the church being uncooperative. It seemed that the church would not send anyone unless the school requested it.

Currently, only the people involved and the principal know what happened back then. If that's the case, I could only ask my father, who was enjoying tea after dinner right in front of me.

"Father, I have something I'd like to ask you."

"Hmm? What is it, Mary?"

With a tense expression, I spoke to my father, who turned to me with a happy face and put his cup back on the saucer.

"I heard a little at school that when you entered, you... well... had a... commotion with a teacher sent by the church."

I asked my father, my heart pounding, as I spoke hesitantly. It might be something I shouldn't bring up, and if it went badly, my father might get angry and go to the school again.

"When I entered? A commotion with a teacher? Hmm?"

Perhaps because it was an old event, my father couldn't immediately recall it. He put his hand on his chin, looked thoughtful, and gazed at the ceiling.

After a few minutes, my father, who had been humming, suddenly seemed to remember something and snapped his fingers.

"Oh, that! The time I beat the teacher to a pulp!"

(What are you saying, Father!)

I couldn't help but comment in my mind as my father, delighted to remember, said something very dangerous with a happy face.

"Wh... why did you do that?"

"Hmm? How was it? I think I found a good place to take a nap in the annex, which is the old building where you, Mary, are now. I was sleeping well when I heard some noise. I found the noisy person and physically silenced them, only to realize it was a teacher... something like that?"

(Really, what are you saying, Father!)

Hearing such a ridiculous story, I was more exasperated than surprised and couldn't help but comment.

(But if what Father says is true, it doesn't seem to be the reason the principal is wary of the church, as the church might be wary of being beaten up by a student.)

Father seemed to be in a good mood, recounting his old heroic tales, but I listened to them while thinking.

(Well, even if this issue isn't resolved, if I use the sacred magic from the story of the Silver Knight I found in the library, it will be solved immediately. Fortunately, it was a second-level spell in the story, so it should be fine to use.)

I recalled the day we went to the library with the four of us. The spacious room, with its modern design, was filled with bookshelves, and the shelves were packed with various books. Some books were even piled up in front of the shelves. Surprised that most people didn't know where anything was, we divided the work and searched for the story of the Silver Knight. After a few hours, I found a few books and thanked the others, then skimmed through them. Fortunately, I found a description of a knight purifying a ghost, and since the magic was similar to what I used in the game, I decided it would probably work, and we left the library.

(What should I do? Should I tell everyone about Father's story? No, it's a family shame, so it's better not to say. I'll just say he caused some minor injuries.)

I decided this, ended the conversation with Father at a good point, and went back to my room. Father looked very sad when I ended the conversation.

――――――――――

A few days later.

I told everyone the story about Father, but I softened it. We were in the parlor at Alerios, and everyone's gaze was still making me nervous.

"Hmm, I don't think Lord Legaria would use violence without reason. Something must have happened at the time, I think."

"Right, maybe it's related to the current ghost problem."

Prince and McGill, who were listening to the story I found exasperating, spoke seriously.

(It seems the people around me are easily misunderstood. Father was quite mischievous, too.)

I recalled Father's old heroic tales, which often had trivial reasons, but I was too embarrassed to tell everyone.

"I also had the palace investigate the situation at the time, and it seems there were rumors of ghost problems in the school back then, just like now."

"Really?"

Surprised by the prince's report, I inadvertently spoke out loud, attracting attention from the audience, and quickly covered my mouth with both hands and looked down.

"Is the current ghost problem related to something from the past?"

"It might be premature to connect them, but something definitely happened."

Prince answered McGill's question cautiously.

(I feel like this is getting complicated. Maybe I should tell everyone I can use sacred magic and quickly resolve the ghost problem.)

While everyone was discussing seriously, I felt bad about interrupting but was about to reveal the magic when someone spoke from behind.

"Everyone is gathered again about the old building, I see."

We all turned to see Senior Alice, dressed in a robe, bowing politely and looking at us.

"If it's about the ghost problem, can I join you? I also want to gather information to solve it."

Senior Alice smiled gently, and I had no objections. The prince nodded, so I asked Tütte to add a seat, and she joined the conversation.

"Recently, I noticed that a wide-area barrier has been set up in the old building. However, I believe it was set up a long time ago, not recently."

After we shared our information with Senior Alice, she provided her own.

"Is it a barrier to contain the ghosts?"

McGill asked Alice with interest.

"No, I don't think it's a barrier for ghosts. It was a barrier to contain the undead, so perhaps the ghosts are being drawn to it."

"If we destroy the barrier, the ghosts won't gather in the old building, right?"

"I thought so too, but I couldn't find the source of the barrier inside the old building. Given the size of the wide-area barrier, I expected to find something ritualistic, but I couldn't."

The conversation paused, and a brief silence followed.

"Um... I... I have a question..."

Safina, who had not participated in the conversation, spoke hesitantly. She was looking at the prince, seeking permission to speak. The prince nodded with a smile, and Safina, though no longer fainting, was still cautious about speaking in his presence.

(I hope she gets used to it soon, but I'll wait patiently.)

"Originally, why is such a barrier set up in the old building?"

"That's because it's a barrier to contain the undead, so it must be to contain the undead..."

As I answered Safina's question matter-of-factly, I realized the implication and my face turned pale.

"Does that mean there are undead monsters in the old building?"

Zahha, without any tact, voiced what I was thinking, causing a murmur among the audience. I tried to shut him up, but he was already face-down on the table, trembling. I noticed McGill looking at him coldly.

(McGill is quick to act.)

"I think it's best not to jump to conclusions without evidence. We should go back to the old building and focus on finding the source of the barrier."

The prince lowered his voice, careful not to be overheard, and we all nodded quietly. Safina and Tütte, pale-faced, were frozen in place, unable to refuse.

Thank you for reading this far.