Surviving in a School of Ghost Stories-Chapter 36

I stared at the open window, slightly shocked, and then turned to Eastern with a question.

"Senpai, do you know why Raven is acting like that?"

"Well... I don’t know either. That’s why I was hoping you could talk to him..."

"It’s probably going to be hard to get through to him. He doesn’t listen to anyone."

"Still, you could meet him..."

"Yeah, I don’t think that’s possible. He’s really good at running away. He’s incredibly fast. Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do to help."

No, can I speak for a second?!

Eastern crossed his arms and looked me up and down, giving me a confused expression.

"You really don’t look alike at all."

"Who don’t I look like?"

"You and Raven. You don’t look alike."

I’d heard this a lot since I was a child, so it didn’t really bother me. Not all siblings look alike, after all.

Then, Eastern said something strange.

"Don’t try too hard here."

"I’m not sure what you mean."

"No matter how hard you try, the ones who succeed are always going to be different."

Eastern looked at me sympathetically, tapping my shoulder.

"Good luck, senpai. I’ll really be rooting for you."

I felt strange, but since I could tell Eastern was genuinely rooting for me, I was unsure how to respond.

I wanted to argue, but he had already walked away.

New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on ƒгeewebnovёl.com.

After that, I went to the first-year S-class a few times, but it was tough to catch Raven, who kept running away desperately.

Eventually, I was banned from approaching the building within a 100-meter radius due to complaints from the first-year homeroom teachers about how I was disrupting the class atmosphere.

And that news quickly spread across the entire school.

Holiday Afternoon.

Sally suddenly came to our room.

"I thought you all would be holed up in your rooms! Let's go out to the village for a change of pace!"

She flashed ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) a smile and walked into our room.

Kkamang, with its yellow eyes, and Erika, who had been rolling around on the living room floor, both looked up sharply.

"Why is Melody going to the village with you, Sally? You’re not even close."

"We’re close. And aren’t you coming with us, Erika?"

"Yeah, we’re close alright."

Erika, as if waiting for this moment, picked up Kkamang and stood up.

I checked Kkamang’s eye color. It was yellow. I stared at Kkamang for a while, then answered a bit gloomily.

"I didn’t say I was going."

Sally squinted at me, looked me up and down, then shook her head as if giving up.

"Well, if you get scolded by money, you might think differently."

"Why would money scold me...?"

"If you're curious, come along. I’m gonna teach Melody a lesson with money."

Why do I suddenly need to be taught a lesson with money?

Confused, I was dragged out by Erika and Sally.

The two women, who had once been rivals, seemed to have become quite friendly since the elevator ghost story incident. That was a relief.

To go out to the village on the weekend, we had to get an exit permit, which meant heading to the main building.

And the main building lobby had the student bulletin board.

"Wait, hold on."

Sally stopped in front of the bulletin board, and I immediately understood why.

There was another post about me on the student bulletin board.

Saint Gloria Private School Student Bulletin Board.

September 10, 902nd Year, Board Post.

"It seems like the transfer student and that idiot Raven are playing tag or something. Anyone know what’s going on?"

⌎Just leave them be. I’m going to school just to watch those two play tag lately.

⌎I wonder when that idiot Raven is going to be caught.

⌎Doesn’t anyone care why they’re playing tag?

⌎Who cares? As long as it’s fun.

⌎The future of this school is bleak.

⌎Then illuminate us.

"Melody, you’ve been up to some fun stuff."

Erika commented with a completely neutral face, intrigued.

Sally was about to say something, but someone else spoke to me first.

"Hastings. Every time I’ve gone to look for you, we’ve missed each other. I guess I’ll run into you here."

I turned around to see a familiar face.

A cold, almost never-smiling face, with intelligent-looking glasses—Western Campbell Lauderdale, a fourth-year student.

Seeing Erika, Western furrowed his brow. He must have known she was a member of the student council.

I was reminded again that the disciplinary committee didn’t get along with the student council.

"With a member of the student council, huh?"

"We’re roommates."

Western looked at Erika and me alternately, then sighed as he brushed his hair back.

He took a long, calm look at me and then spoke in a measured tone.

"I heard you suddenly disappeared from the girls’ dorm. Glad to see you’re alright."

Despite his cold and distant tone, his eyes were quite warm.

"All the members were worried. Especially Father Miella. Be sure to at least say hello to him."

That’s when I remembered that I hadn’t greeted the disciplinary committee members.

Since the male members couldn’t enter the girls’ dorm, I had been assigned to watch the lobby, then disappeared. They had every reason to be worried.

I gave Western a slightly apologetic look.

"Sorry. Something urgent came up that day, and I lost track of time."

Western tilted his head in confusion.

"What could have been so urgent that you disappeared and forgot all about it until now?"

"It’s our fault. Melody didn’t do anything wrong."

Just as I thought Western was about to press me further, Sally stepped in to defend me.

Erika, who had been silently observing the situation, chimed in as well.

"That’s right. Sally and I were fighting in the lobby, and Melody got caught up in it."

Only then did Western seem to understand the situation, as he must have seen Erika and Sally argue more than once.

"Anyway..."

He shook his head as he looked back and forth between Sally and Erika.

"Just be careful when you go to the village."

"Yes, senpai!"

"Understood."

"Sorry for causing worry."

Sally and Erika said their goodbyes first, and I followed up with my own farewell.

For a moment, I felt like a bird chirping as it greeted a familiar older brother.

Perhaps thinking the same thing, Western let out a small laugh.

"Alright."

Then, he coolly walked away.

We quickly got our exit permits and escaped the attention of the students who had been watching us, heading out of the school.

Noah Eugene Eglinton** was reading a book in the student council room.

At that moment, Eastern burst in, slamming the door open. With a lazy movement, he swung his bag over one shoulder and asked Noah.

"Senpai, I saw the student bulletin board. What’s your relationship with Hastings?"

"Raven?"

"No, not Raven Hastings. Melody Hastings, senpai. Don’t pretend you don’t know."

Noah closed the book he was reading.

"I think it’s time to start our plan in earnest."

"Why are you suddenly changing the subject? We’re talking about Hastings."

"I’m still talking about Hastings. She sees ‘them.’ It’s as natural as breathing."

"What? Melody sees what? ‘Them’? She sees them naturally, like she breathes?!"

At Eastern’s shocked question, Noah nodded.

"Even I, with the blood of a shaman, can only see them under specific conditions. How is she able to? My brother, who also has the bloodline of a shaman, can’t see anything. Even the clergy can’t see them as naturally as breathing."

"So, shouldn’t we keep her close?"