第６０３堀：残る噂 (Part2)
"Right, so the first one is about a ghost appearing in the basement of the dormitory at night. The rumor says that people have seen a strange figure in the storage room located in the basement. There’s no mention of any actual harm, though."
Souta-san, who was holding a notebook, gave his report.
"Was it originally a graveyard or something?" I asked.
"I’m not aware of anything like that. Do you know anything, Principal?"
"No, I have never heard such a story..."
"Wait, Duke, please hold on a moment. I seem to recall hearing that someone passed away in the basement..."
"Passed away? I... actually, now that you mention it, I do recall hearing something of that nature."
"It doesn't sound like you found an actual record of a death, though," Souta-san noted.
"Correct. It’s just a rumor. The basement is used as a storage area now, but I don't know how long ago it was, but there is talk that it used to be a room for students."
"Yes, I’ve heard the same as the Principal. Since it was a basement room, I heard that struggling students used it for a very low price."
"Struggling students? Did the tuition exemption system for top-tier students not exist back then?"
"No, the tuition exemption system for top-tier students still exists today, but there are students who miss out on that and still want to learn, so they work side jobs cleaning or managing the school while focusing on their studies."
"I see... Personally, I’d like to support students with that kind of drive, but I suppose that’s not possible."
"Indeed. We appreciate their spirit, but if we were to provide aid, it would be unfair to the students who worked hard to earn the tuition exemption or those who paid their entrance fees normally. However, do not worry. As the First Generation mentioned, the scholarship system was implemented about 100 years ago, so even though they have to work, it isn't as grueling as it once was."
"I see. The fact that a scholarship system could be established means the significance of the academy was properly recognized, then."
"Yes. With the establishment of the academy, the quality of mages has improved year by year, and now, this Heiden Magic Academy serves as a model for similar institutions in other countries. Nowadays, no one questions the investment in the academy. Kagura calling for Yuki-sama and the others this time has also worked in our favor."
It really makes me think about how much effort Souta-san put into establishing the school. To think he managed to get this far when he had no understanding or support at the time.
"I see. That’s certainly heartening. But anyway, back to the mysteries."
Ah, right. We’re here for the mysteries, not to talk about the hardships of the academy’s history.
"Ah, my apologies. Before the scholarship system was implemented, students who were paying their full tuition every month while working hard used the basement at a low cost."
"That student didn't die in the basement, but rather died in an accident while working in town, and as a result..."
"The student, still attached to the academy, appears night after night, is that it?"
"Yes. They were busy with studies and work during the day, so they would study on their own in that room at night..."
"There weren't many records of deaths while off-campus, so..."
"No, thank you. Hearing that kind of background is a plus."
With that, Duke Kamishiro, the Principal, Kanna, Kagura, and Mikos racked their brains to see if the other two rumors had any similar backstories, but in the end, nothing concrete remained outside of the dormitory basement. We decided we would just have to investigate them ourselves.
The remaining rumors:
・A mysterious classroom appears in the evening.
・Do not use the east women's restroom on the second floor.
・A ghost appears in the dormitory basement at night.
Well then, are these just rumors, or is there something real lurking among them? I just hope that if there is something real, it isn't carrying anything too troublesome.
"So, which one do you think is the real deal, Taiki-kun?"
"Let's see. Based on what we've heard, the basement one seems the most likely."
As we were talking, Taizou-san and Souta-san joined the conversation...
"On the contrary, the fact that there is no related information might actually make it more likely to be real," Taizou-san suggested.
"Because the people who experience it never come back, so no clear records or stories are left behind, right? That’s plausible. I’m one to talk, after all."
Ah, the classic trope of the "dead men tell no tales" horror story, or the contradiction of "who heard this story if everyone died?"
While we were discussing this, Deryu poked me.
"What is it?"
"What do you mean 'what'? You're just stoking fear. If Souta-sama says there's no connection, then this is just a ghost story exploration tour with no guarantee of safety, isn't it? Especially, who is going to go into the women's restroom?"
"..."
Needless to say, the men had a hard time convincing the women after that.
And so, we continued to listen to the details and investigate the remaining rumors. Of the three, the dormitory basement is the most suspicious. But the other two are plenty creepy, too!
Next time, we get to the bottom of the rumors. What will happen to the Ghost Story Investigation Team!! And who will be the members of the Women's Restroom Investigation Squad!!
By the way, there were rumors about the men's restroom at my school, too. How about yours?