Chapter 32

It's been a while. I'm sorry, this is an extra chapter. If you can recall the atmosphere of the story... This is a story from the summer before the second year. It was a few months after Ryu was born, and Yumiera had just realized her feelings for Patrick.

Sometimes I almost forget, but this academy is the stage of a dating game. Of course, there are no shortage of events.

It's now the summer of the second year, and the ghost event should be starting soon. I could just let it be, but I don't want to be blamed again. I decided to take the initiative in solving the case, even before the protagonist Alicia.

It would be a bit lonely to deal with the ghost alone, so I decided to invite Patrick.

"Patrick, do you know about the ghost story?"

"Yeah, some curious people are spreading rumors. I don't know much about it, though."

I hadn't heard anything, but it seems the event had already started. Patrick is well-informed.

"Patrick, are you surprisingly interested in rumors?"

"Every student in the academy knows. It's a famous story from the past few weeks."

"…That's right, I guess."

If I didn't have the knowledge of the game, I would never have known. My isolation is quite severe.

Then Patrick said something I hadn't heard before.

"Is Yumiera interested in the Seven Mysteries?"

"Huh? The Seven Mysteries?"

What exactly are the Seven Mysteries? In the game, there was only one supernatural event, so why are there now six more? The current situation deviates from the original scenario, but this time it's not because of me.

There might be something I don't know about in the academy.

I shivered… but no matter what lurks in the academy, I can probably knock it out. If I can't, I'll just erase the space where it exists. Perfect plan.

◆ ◆ ◆

The next day after school, Patrick and I were investigating the Seven Mysteries of the academy.

Neither of us knew the details, so we had taken notes from the information we gathered the previous day.

Incidentally, it was Patrick who did the information gathering. I tried to ask, but everyone just dodged the question and no one would tell me about the Seven Mysteries.

"Here's the first one. It's said that a terrifying monster appears here."

"Monster? That doesn't match my image."

Patrick stopped near a warehouse at the edge of the campus.

I had imagined something like hearing voices or objects moving on their own, but it seemed more like an unidentified creature.

At that moment, a large black object slithered out of the warehouse entrance.

Yes, this warehouse is the home of my beloved child.

"Ryu! You were at home, were you good?"

The dragon Ryu rubbed his head against me, being affectionate. Oh, he's so cute.

While petting Ryu's head, I asked,

"Hey, Ryu, have you seen any monsters around here?"

Ryu had a look of confusion. It seems it was just a rumor after all, and there was no terrifying monster.

"It seems the Seven Mysteries are just lies."

"Probably, but… isn't it Ryu…"

Patrick said, looking at Ryu.

What about Ryu? A mouth big enough to swallow a person whole, claws that could tear through armor like paper, such a perfectly adorable dragon has nothing to do with a terrifying monster.

After saying goodbye to Ryu, we headed to the next location.

Patrick pointed to the girls' dormitory, specifically the building where my room is.

"The second one is here. It's said that a female student attempts suicide by jumping from the rightmost window on the second floor."

"That's my room."

"If Yumiera hasn't seen it, then there's probably no such student."

Another baseless rumor, I guess. Besides, jumping from a second-story window is suspicious. The height is not enough.

"I sometimes enter and exit my room through that window, but I've never seen a ghost."

"Huh? Through the window?"

"Yeah, I jump out and go outside, or jump back into the room."

"…Ah, I see."

"What? What do you mean?"

After that, I was scolded by Patrick for being impolite. It's fine, it's just a shortcut.

The third location was the library, a place I often visit.

"It's said that someone plotting to overthrow the state is reading military strategy books while laughing."

"What? That's not a ghost story."

That sounds more like a conspiracy theory than a mystery.

Thinking it was probably another lie, Patrick said,

"I see a pattern. What kind of books does Yumiera read in the library?"

"Well, I've read all the history and magic books, so lately I've been reading military strategy books too."

"I see, I understand."

The books seriously discuss battle formations and such, but I think it would be better to focus on leveling up. When I imagine a battlefield of ten thousand versus ten thousand, we ignore formations and just spam the highest-level magic. It's so futile that it's laughable. Military strategy books don't suit me.

But Patrick said he saw a pattern. What does he mean? I can't think of any common points in the Seven Mysteries so far. When I asked him directly, he just dodged the question.

We walked around the entire campus, but found no credible stories.

Perhaps because we didn't achieve any results, Patrick looked tired.

"Ah, this is the last one. It's said that the piano in the East Dormitory Hall plays by itself at midnight… Can Yumiera play the piano?"

"I can't… but it must be a ghost, right?"

There's no way I can play an instrument. Oh, I often play the monster-summoning flute. Does that count as an instrument?

This is the ghost event that happens in the game.

The truth is that a ghost-type monster is hiding inside the piano and plays it at night. This is the only combat event with monsters in the academy, so I remember it well.

It was supposed to only appear at night, but it's a hassle to come back later.

I peered inside the piano but didn't find the monster.

"Hmm, I guess we have to come back at night."

"So, what does Yumiera do here at night?"

"I'm not doing anything! "

Does Patrick think I'm the cause of the Seven Mysteries? I haven't done anything that could turn into a ghost story.

I sat down in front of the piano. Looking at the keys, I felt like I could play. I'm level 99 with superhuman reflexes. I might be able to play an impromptu performance.

The problem is my musical sense, but… it should be fine. I think I have a decent sense, even if I'm not a genius.

"Okay, I'll start my concert."

"I have a bad feeling about this."

I am the performer, Patrick is the audience, and a concert for two begins in the empty school after school. It's a bit romantic.

I gently tapped the keys. I didn't touch the pedals because I didn't know their function.

"Depending on how you listen… it's just bad. You're just randomly hitting the keys, right?"

"Hey, show some manners while I'm playing."

I'm bad? No way, such a pleasant sound is ringing out. Maybe Patrick has no musical talent. I'll accept him anyway.

But if I keep playing normally, it will just be a regular performance. I should… yeah, try to play as fast as possible. With my physical abilities, I should be able to.

The music gradually speeds up. One moment my right hand is playing high notes, the next it's playing low notes on the left end.

How about that? Patrick should understand how amazing I am.

When I checked, he was pale and covering his mouth.

"I'm feeling sick."

"Hey, what—"

Just as I was about to question Patrick, something flew out of the piano.

It was a semi-transparent ghost-type monster.

"It's out! Dark Flame."

The monster was melted by the black flames and disappeared. Well, I can one-shot enemies in side events.

Finally, Patrick, who had just grasped the situation, said,

"Really, it was there… Is that a wraith?"

"Something like that. I wonder how it got in."

"Maybe it couldn't stand Yumiera's performance and came out."

"I didn't think I could play so well that even a monster would be moved."

"…Yumiera, it's better not to touch instruments. There are still nice things about Yumiera…"

Thanks to my wonderful impromptu performance, the ghost event came to an end.

This should calm down the rumors of the Seven Mysteries that have been buzzing around the academy.

The next day, the rumors of the Seven Mysteries seemed to heat up even more. And the story about the piano had changed a bit.

The piano in the East Dormitory Hall weaves eerie melodies. The dark and bizarre melody, unlike anything in this world, drives people to madness.

What, that's a scary story. I'll stay away from that piano.

I'll start the next chapter next week.