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yumemory[Location: Beryl School, morning]
Teacher: There's quite a lot of leaves by the hallway down there. Mind cleaning it up for me?
Riquet: But there's something else we need to do...
Voice of a Student: Ah, sir, excuse me! I have something to ask about your next class...
Teacher: Coming! I'll leave it to you guys, 'kay?
(The teacher walks away)
Riquet: He’s gone...
Chloe: Um... So, what now?
Akira: Hmm... For now, I guess we should do it, and observe the students while we’re at it.
Chloe: Ahaha... I didn't expect that a teacher would ask us to do some cleaning so suddenly.
Akira: Come to think of it, it's easy for the teachers to mistake us as students because we're dressed up like one.
Riquet: But it's refreshing and somewhat pleasant to clean together like this, and......... Ah.
Riquet: ...I apologize. That’s not how I should be thinking about when Sukey and Polly are having a hard time right now.
Riquet: I need to focus on the investigation... I am the one who took this case, so...
Riquet still seemed concerned about what Owen told him and Chloe earlier. He gripped his broom and straightened his posture.
Chloe: Well, I don’t think it's a bad thing. Becoming a student and doing something like this is a part of our investigation, isn’t it?
Chloe: ...And to be honest, I'm kind of happy about it, too.
Chloe: Just the other day, I told you guys that I wanted to go to school with you. I didn't think it would happen so soon.
Chloe: So right now, even the most trivial activities we’re doing here feel special to me because we're experiencing them all together...
Riquet: Chloe...
Chloe brushed his hands against the falling leaves, as if taking in every moment of a dream that just came true.
Akira: Enjoying the moment and forgetting our mission are two separate things.
Akira: We can accomplish what we're here for while also having fun, right?
Riquet: ............
Riquet: ......Okay! Then, I'll attend to my responsibility as a student and clean this area over here.
Chloe: Wah, I won't lose to you, Riquet!
Akira: (I’m glad Chloe managed to loosen Riquet's shoulders...)
They looked just like real students, laughing together as they tidied the place up.
(footsteps)
At that moment, we heard the sound of several footsteps, and I accidentally bumped into someone.
Akira: I’m sorry. Are you okay?
Male Student with Brown Eyes: Ah, yeah. Sorry for bumping into you.
Female Student with Blue Eyes: Huh? I don't think I've seen you three here before...
Chloe: We transferred here just recently, actually. Nice to meet you!
Riquet and Akira: N-Nice to meet you!
Female Student with Blue Eyes: Oh, I see. Nice to meet you too, then!
Akira: (...That's right. Now I think we can start investigating.)
Chloe then casually started inquiring about the mysterious incidents at the school, as if he thought the same thing as I did.
Chloe: Oh, by the way. Is it true that the Nightwalker lurks in this school?
Male Student with Brown Eyes: Huh.
Riquet: I’ve also heard something like that... It's a rather widespread rumor.
Chloe: I don't do well with scary stuff, so if that rumor is true, then I definitely won't be able to sleep on my own tonight!
The students looked perplexed as they glanced at each other, before lowering their voices to say:
Female Student with Braids: ......It’s true.
Female Student with Braids: A lot of students in this school have gone missing because of the Nightwalker.
Chloe, Riquet, Akira: ......!
Akira: N-No way... Is there a possibility that these students have just run away from home or something?
Male Student with Brown Eyes: Not at all! Some of my classmates have gone missing, too. We looked for them everywhere, but we couldn't find anything, not a single clue.
Female Student with Red Hair: And there's also this girl I'm really close with! She stayed up late doing research, and then she just suddenly disappeared...
Male Student with Black Hair: I'm only here because the school is still open, but if I’m honest, I'm really worried. What if I'm the Nightwalker's next target?
Male Student with Black Hair: The teachers wouldn't take us seriously, saying we shouldn't believe that nonsense, but...
Akira: (This is all pretty much what Sukey told us...)
Riquet: Has anyone actually seen this creature?
Female Student with Braids: No way! I'll definitely get attacked as soon as it lays its eyes on me.
Male Student with Brown Eyes: Isn’t it scary how no one knows exactly what it is? What if it's hiding among the teachers or students, looking for its next victim...
Female Student with Red Hair: Maybe I should stop coming to school after all. If these ghost stories turn out to be true, what would we do?
Akira: Huh? Are there other stories besides the one about the Nightwalker?
Female Student with Braids: There are! For example, there's one that says you'll be cursed if you look at the mirror in the dining hall at night...
Male Student with Brown Eyes: I’ve also heard stories of students walking down the hallway and hearing footsteps behind them, but then no one's there when they turn around!
Everyone began sharing their thoughts. Just like in my world, the school has a lot of terrifying stories surrounding it.
These may just be common urban legends invented to stimulate the students' otherwise peaceful life.
However, the people in front of me trembled and went pale as they spoke.
After all, there are people they personally know who were taken away by an unknown creature. That fact alone was enough to instill unimaginable fear in them.
Male Student with Black Hair: ...Actually, the other night, I saw one of the paintings in the hallway change. It was a full moon at that time.
Male Student with Black Hair: I forgot my homework, so I went to get it. That hallway is usually decorated with paintings of people. But at that time, what I saw was a painting of an old door.
Male Student with Black Hair: I got curious, so I went and took a closer look. And then... I heard the sound of a door opening...
Riquet: ............
Female Student with Blue Eyes: Um! I... I actually know the truth.
Female Student with Blue Eyes: ...I heard from one of our seniors that the Nightwalker who kidnapped us was actually a wizard...
Chloe and Riquet: What?
Male Student with Brown Eyes: ...A wizard?
Female Student with Braids: R-Really?
Female Student with Blue Eyes: Yeah. I didn’t say anything sooner because I’m afraid one might be listening in...
Female Student with Blue Eyes: I mean, evil wizards threaten and curse people, don’t they? And they can appear totally out of nowhere.
Male Student with Black Hair: It definitely makes sense if all of this is the work of an evil wizard. Kidnapping people is easy with their power, after all.
Suspicion is contagious and spreads like a wave. And small suspicions born of anxiety can easily evolve into anger.
Riquet: Please hold on for a moment. You can't just say that a wizard is behind all of this.
Male Student with Black Hair: That wizard is scaring the living daylights out of us. I bet he's out there somewhere laughing at us...
Female Student with Red Hair: Wizards really are nothing but a nuisance. If only they'd disappear.
Riquet: Don't say things like that as you please! Such insults are unacceptable.
Riquet: Wizards have noble missions. They are not scary as you describe them to be!
Students: ...Huh?
The confused and enraged students suddenly quieted down after hearing Riquet's words like they had been doused with cold water.
Chloe: Riquet...
Female Student with Red Hair: ...Why are you so protective of them?
Female Student with Braids: Yeah, it's strange. I mean, we all know how wizards can be, right?
Riquet: I......
Mithra: Please refrain from asking foolish questions. It's because we are wizards.
Owen: Well, hello there. It seems like some humans are saying bad things about us.
Owen: Do you want to know what a real evil wizard's powers are like? I can show you something much worse than death right here and now.
Akira: Mithra! Owen!
TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle
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