第１１４１堀：第一次接触 (Part1)
Chapter 1141: First Contact
Side: Popuri
*Tap, tap...*
My own footsteps echo with an unnatural intensity, grating against my ears. It’s not just my own; the sounds of Lala and Sota-san’s footsteps are equally loud, equally intrusive. Logically, I know they are no different than usual—sounds that would never bother me in the light of day—but right now, they feel deafening.
Is this nerves? The weight of knowing I am about to meet a ghost? Perhaps I’m worried that the noise might provoke it.
Wait—no, I should be worried about provoking it. That’s only natural. I turn to the experts for guidance.
“...Sota-san, Mizu-san. Is it really alright for us to be making this much noise?”
“It’s fine. If you try too hard to hide your footsteps, it will only make the target wary. Walk with confidence.”
“Indeed. If they see us acting suspiciously, they’ll be on guard even if they harbor no hostility. Just walk as you normally would. Once we’re close, address her as you would any other student.”
“Exactly. If you walk up and say, ‘I can see you, let’s talk,’ she’ll put her guard up. Just act as if you’re passing by and offering a casual warning.”
I see. I understand the logic. Even if she is a ghost, she was once a person. Still...
“A warning, you say?”
“Yes. It’s late at night, so something like, ‘Hurry back to your dorm,’ would be appropriate.”
“Right. That’s the safest route. If you try to get too deeply involved right off the bat, you risk being possessed.”
“Possessed...”
It seems there are principles to ghost behavior that remain beyond my understanding.
“Well, usually, you shouldn’t even acknowledge them at all.”
“Why is that?”
“By nature, ghosts are invisible to the living. They are there, yet they do not exist. They don’t linger in the field of vision. That is why they are lonely. And because they are lonely, they cling to the things that *can* see them. That is how possession occurs.”
“I see, I see.”
I think I understand. When we first saw Havia on the monitor, she was only visible to Sota-san and me. I haven’t confirmed if she appears during the day, but if she’s been wandering these halls for years, unseen by everyone, that must be a terribly hollow existence. It’s no wonder she would want to reach out to someone who could finally see her.
“But, Principal—if my memory serves me correctly, Havia wasn’t particularly close to us. Back then, the defense and exploration of the Great Forest were much more active than they are now, and there were plenty of specialists in monsters. Havia was just one among many.”
“True enough. Still, I remember her clearly because she was always sneaking out to investigate without permission, only to get caught and dragged back. You remember that too, don’t you, Lala?”
“I do. But we only ever received reports. I think I only spoke to her directly to reprimand her once or twice.”
“Same here. Her treatment wasn’t any different from the other students. That’s why it’s still a mystery why she chose to appear to me...”
As I lamented that I still had no clue why she was visible to me, Sota-san spoke up.
“Perhaps it’s simply because you, Popuri-san, are the one who remembers those days most clearly.”
“That’s likely. Or perhaps her ability as a ghost was too weak, or she’s the type that simply cannot be seen directly. It’s possible something triggered her manifestation now, but that seems unlikely.”
“It is strange that she would appear after all this time. It has been two hundred years, after all.”
Thinking about it brings a pang of guilt. We have essentially ignored her for two centuries. But now that she has entered my field of vision, I feel a duty to do something for her, as her former teacher.
While I was steeling my resolve, we reached the corridor in front of the target classroom.
“This is Popuri. Approaching the scene now. Monitoring room, what is the status of the target?”
*“Monitoring room here. Signal is clear. The target is still walking slowly down the hall. Or rather, she’s pacing back and forth.”*
“Pacing? Is she looking for something?”
*“Hard to say. She doesn’t seem to be searching with her eyes. She hasn’t looked at our cameras once, either.”*
“There don’t seem to be any immediate issues, so we are proceeding.”
*“Understood. Be careful, Sota-san. Popuri, Lala—stay safe.”*
“I know.”
“Yes. We will retreat immediately if we sense danger.”
*“Oh, Popuri? Don’t forget to turn on the voice recorder.”*
*“And please remember to hand over the souvenir to the target.”*
“...Understood.”
Honestly, those last two are so focused on their research that it’s almost comforting. Thank you for staying true to form. Data is clearly more important than my safety.
*“Hm? Did I just get subtly insulted?”*
*“I feel like we were just called heartless.”*
*“I’m sure of it. We prioritized data collection over Popuri’s well-being, after all.”*
“Yes, exactly. Master, Agil—you two should try to cultivate a bit more compassion for people before your ‘research.’ At this rate, Master will be alone forever, and Agil, you’ll be hated by Yuki-dono one day.”
*““Guh.””*
Oh, it seems I hit a nerve. I hear them both groaning in unison. It’s good to know I can still get a jab in.
I exchange glances with Lala, Sota-san, and Mizu-san.
“As we discussed, we will walk down the hall as usual. We’ll frame it as a routine classroom inspection.”
“That sounds best. Pass by her once to gauge her reaction. We’ll speak to her after that.”
“Understood. Lala, are you ready?”
“Yes. I am.”
With the final plan set, we step into the hallway where she is supposed to be. I expected to hear some kind of supernatural sound, but all I hear are the footsteps of myself, Lala, and Sota-san. As we get closer, I find myself wondering if I’d just imagined the whole thing—a foolish thought. We all saw her. It would be impossible for it to be a mistake.
There is *something* in this hallway.
Yet, there is no eerie noise, no chill in the air. We step into the corridor, a place that usually bustles with students, now wrapped in the heavy, silent shroud of night.
And then...
There she was.
The ‘thing’ from the camera was truly there. In my field of vision, the figure of Havia stood, her silver hair now cropped short.