"Ha [https://em.wattpad.com/d014ead7a172354f3d23a91e5c0d0bcb02fbfc30/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f705255455165676548782d6342413d3d2d3333363937333333302e313438616466653330663465366166383930373233393635363033392e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"Ha... ha... ha..."
Though exhausted, the lady in black kept running through the forest, her stalker's killing intent telling her that she was serious on taking her down. She tried to blend among the forest's' shadows using her strange ability, but it was in vain, as the glowing book in the possession of her enemy kept on revealing her. Worse, her enemy kept up with her pace, as it hovered through the branches. The odds of getting caught were high, but, as if trying to convince herself she let out a low voice...
"I... can't die here."
As her enemy closed in, she held up her speed, took a deep breath and started chanting an unknown language.
O magnum umbra. commoda mihi vires...
"It's over!"
She was already behind her. She twisted her body in the air and swung her sword, its blade rang through the air as it makes its way into its target. But before the blade could even touch her, the lady in the black faced the little girl and stretched out her right hand.
...Displodo.
An explosion erupted throughout the forest [https://em.wattpad.com/c4b871909fdc01b264e10b2d66e64647fbbbe3b9/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4758624369785568663342484e773d3d2d3333363937333333302e313438396161633737363965393434633336373031353435333436342e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
An explosion erupted throughout the forest. Every bamboo stalk was shaken and the blast made a huge mark on the ground where the little girl was standing. However...
"Whoa! What the heck are you doing? Good thing I've set up a barrier beforehand so no sound could escape this forest. I'm a genius after all." She puffed her chest in confidence as she unfolds her cape. It's as if she's merely fooling around with her opponent.
The lady in black was stunned. There wasn't any scratch on the little girl at all. She managed to block the explosion using her cape—a normal one won't be able to withstand such magic, but her cape only had burn traces all over it. The little girl stood in front of her, unfazed by the lady's power.
"Well then... Playtime is over."
*~~~~~~*
Both of us fled the scene as soon as we sensed the danger we're in. It was no question that a murder happened. I did say I was curious about the ghost rumors, but a murder was totally out of the question. What's more shocking was that I know the person standing in there. It was one of our classmates and also my dorm-mate, Satou Nodachi.
"Hey, that was Satou-san over there, right?"
Fleurblanc-san suddenly asked me as we went back to the wall where we climbed. So she did notice.
"...Yes. I also think that was Satou-san."
There was no doubt. I also saw her myself. That was definitely Satou-san.
"...And those were blood, right?"
I also couldn't deny it. That was the reason why we're running away in the first place. We could have stayed if it was just Satou-san standing naked in the middle of a bamboo forest—I mean what could possibly go wrong? Seeing her covered in blood is just something else.
"We should hurry and get out of here."
Looking at my phone, it's already 8:45PM. As we climbed over the wall once more, I just noticed that the school at night looks so peaceful, if not for the scene we had just witnessed moments ago. This was the first time I've seen the school so empty.
"You should go home." I suggested to Reina as we finally made our way to the school gate.
"What about you?"
"I'll be going home as well."
"Are you sure you'll be fine?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. You and Satou-san live in the same dormitory after all."
"How did you know?"
"I happen to see Satou-san going out of the Miyamae residence. That's where you live right?"
"Okay, but how did you know I live there?"
"Hmm~? Well, you're pretty famous, Takehaya-san."
It didn't process to me at all. I couldn't understand everything that she had just said. First of all, Fleurbanc-san worried about me? I guess I could add that up to my list of surprises for today.
"Did you know that you're this school's top delinquent?"
"............"
Oh, right. Thank you for reminding me of that incident.
"Well, I have a suggestion, Takehaya-kun~"
"Hmm?"
*~~~~~~*
9:30PM. I was still in trying to think over the events that happened an hour ago, as I lie on a bed—a beautiful bed, inside a very Western-style room.
"How did it end up like this?" I stared at the ceiling while I asked myself about my current situation.
I then recalled the scene from the bamboo forest.
Satou-san. She was holding a sword. I didn't get a good look at it but the shocking part was that there were blood stains everywhere. I could only deduce that a murder has occurred, but I didn't see any dead body or parts of it lying around because I was too fixated on Satou-san. But one thing's for sure: that amount of blood was not just a flesh wound. I've never talked to her before so I wouldn't know anything personal going on with her life. She always had that cold look in her eyes. Was that a sign of a person who could simply commit to a crime? I wouldn't really know.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Moments later, somebody came knocking on the door.
"Takehaya-kun, can I come in?"
I snapped out from my inner thoughts when I heard Fleurblanc-san behind it.
"Eh? Uhh... sure?"
I wasn't actually sure if I should even answer that question—this was her house after all. She could freely enter the room even without asking permission. Though I admire her respect for privacy, I'd question the idea of the two of us being alone in a room.
"I'm going in."
Fleurblanc-san walked into the room [https://em.wattpad.com/6766fe9cc1f64b866dd6def22a26fdbd99dc5807/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f4730754a4e56795a3864302d33513d3d2d3333363937333333302e313438616432383130663664363535353230363030303532393633352e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
Fleurblanc-san walked into the room. She's wearing shorts! A really short one! I instantly averted my eyes in embarrassment.
"W-What is it?" I heard myself stuttering. I suddenly got nervous, I avoided eye contact with her. "Do you need something?"
As I tried to distract myself from looking, I noticed a figure behind her.
"I've prepared tea, Reina-sama."
"Just leave it at the table."
I think I had seen this person before--- she was the one escorting her just this morning. She must be her personal maid, then.
"Since you'll be spending the night in my place, let's have a little chat before we go to sleep. Is that okay?"
Well it's not like I can refuse the very owner of this house, so I just nodded.
"Very good, then."
She then sat on the bed next to me, taking with her a cup of tea her maid prepared. Now that I've realized there's another bed beside mine, she's seriously close!
"I-is it about Satou-san?" I asked while trying to stay composed.
"Mhm... Yes... and something else. But before that, let's start with a bit of information sharing about Satou-san. What do you know about her?"
I had to go first, huh.
"Well first of all. I don't know her personally. We've never talked before even though she was also my classmate last year."
"Uwah..."
"Hey, I don't have any intention to get close to her in the first place."
"Right, right. Go on, I'm listening."
"Anyway, she is actually my roommate in the Miyamae Guesthouse. I learned that this morning when I saw her leave her room when I was heading out myself."
"Ohh, that sounds like fate to me."
"I'm not so sure about that. Anyway, that's all I know about Satou-san."
"Oh? I guess you really don't know much, huh."
"Were you expecting me to know more? I'm sorry but I really am clueless about Satou-san."
"Well since you're pretty much involved now, I guess you now have the right to know."
"...What do you mean?"
"That Satou-san is not normal."
"I can see that."
She looked at me as if trying to convince me that that was not the case.
"Okay then. Tell me, what do you know about her?" I asked her straight away.
"Remember what I mentioned earlier?"
Earlier? I tried to recall what she said and the only thing I remember was...
"Something about the other world?"
"That's right. In that forest, there's a passageway that may lead to another world. How did I know this? Here, take a look."
She then showed me a mirror. It's an oval-shaped one with a gold ornate border, yet from the looks of it, it's pretty old.
"What about it? Is that a mirror from the other world?"
"Well, see for yourself." She then pressed the mirror closer to my face. Did she meant to take a look at myself in the mirror?
"...Wha--?!"
To my surprise, it's not my face that I saw, but a place I'm not familiar with. The reflection showed a view mountain, where you can see a large forest just below it... and some sort of a town.
[https://em.wattpad.com/18c2ad1357ab5ca1b9c6773eba598761b47354f2/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f5a726235304b3571476752784a673d3d2d3333363937333333302e313438616432613761663831656136323439353934353838363932382e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"What's this, some kind of CCTV?"
"Something like that. But it's not powered by electricity. As you can see, that mirror doesn't have batteries or anything to keep it powered up."
I looked at the mirror intensively as she flipped it to show the back. She was right. There's no way you could fit batteries anywhere in this mirror.
"The mirror's made from heavenite, a magical ore used by the heroes from the other world."
"You keep talking about this 'other world'. What is this other world exactly?"
"I only know little about it but it appears to be connected to our world."
"Connected? Like there's a gate or portal to get there?"
"Exactly. And according to my research, the entrance is located just behind the school, somewhere inside the bamboo forest."
"Does this mean Satou-san is connected to it somehow?"
"You're quick to follow. Yes. I had my maids investigate the area since last year when I transferred here. And after a year, we only had a few clues that Satou-san is involved with the other world."
I won't question about her maids being investigators, but something else was bothering me. I had to reassure my thoughts.
"Tell me, how did you know that there's another world?"
"...Alright. First of all, the mirror. It belonged to my great, great grandmother, Victoria Novak, the original head-maid of the Advincula family, back in France. She once served Lucretia Advincula, the eldest daughter of Guilhem and Luna Advincula. They're one of the richest families back then. Apparently, Lucretia and my great, great grandmother Victoria went to the other world, according to the diary my family found in one of our family's expeditions to find clues about the two. The diary was written by Victoria. Unfortunately, there isn't any notable information in the diary aside from the clue that the entrance is in Takemori's bamboo forest."
"Was it written there where the exact entrance is?"
"No. But there was a drawing on a diary which made things easier for us. It was actually discovered just last year, in an old bookstore in China by accident. A relative of mine managed to buy it and informed the family as soon as they learned that it was from our great, great grandmother."
"Was there a date on that diary?"
"Yes. The last note she has written was twenty eight years ago when they appeared inside the bamboo forest from the other world."
"Wait, twenty eight years? Doesn't that mean your great, great grandmother is like over a hundred years old?"
"No... If she's still alive... she could be more than a thousand years old."
"W-wha--?!"
*~~~~~~*
A few hours passed and I saw myself lying back on the luxurious bed again. Fleurblanc-san went back to her room already. I couldn't believe all the things she said were true. It's just too out of this world... I mean literally. You'd normally think she's out of her mind. However, if she did have those evidences and her family was seriously looking for their "great, great grandmother", they might be really into something. But right now, I'm still worried about Satou-san being a murderer. After all, she's my classmate and dorm mate...
"...Wait."
Didn't that mean Tsubame-san and Senri-san might be in danger?
"Shit."
I got out of the bed and hurried out. As I exited the room, I saw a maid right at the hallway.
"Excuse me sir, but where might you be going?"
"I decided to head home after all. I'm sorry for all the trouble, but please don't stop me."
"Oh don't worry, sir, I won't. I'll escort you to the entrance."
"No don't worry. I'm in a hurry. Thanks anyway."
"Take care of yourself, sir. I'll inform my lady about your sudden departure." She said all that in a deadpan tone. I'm not sure if she's really concerned of or simply doing her duty.
"Yeah thanks again."
I dashed out of the mansion and went straight to the Miyamae Guesthouse. I just hoped I'm not too late.
I checked the time on my phone. It's already 10:16pm. I better hurry up.
*~~~~~~*
When I arrived, I saw a familiar person standing near the gate of the guesthouse.
"Tsubame-san?!"
"Masato-kun. Nee-sama is waiting for you."
"Waiting for me?"
She didn't say anything and walked inside slowly as if waiting for me to follow her.
"Hey. Tsubame-san. Did something happen?"
"..."
No answer. She's acting weird—I don't remember her acting this way whenever we had one of our talks. She would usually answer me right away whenever I ask her anything. Anyway, I followed her to Senri-san's room. Tsubame-san opened the door and gestured for me to go inside first.
"Is she inside?"
She only stared at me. Those eyes seemed to tell that I should go in.
As I stepped into the room, I saw Senri-san looking outside the window while she was sitting on a chair. The room was a little dark, with the light coming only from the bright full moon. I could vaguely see her face from here.
"You're finally here."
"Senri-san, what's going on? Did something happen?"
"Please take a seat," she said that in a serious tone. As I sat down, a figure appeared from the unlit corner of the room and stopped beside Senri---a figure who had been on my mind the whole time.
As I sat down, a figure appeared from the unlit corner of the room and stopped beside Senri---a figure who had been on my mind the whole time [https://em.wattpad.com/cc8e26183228437d3b787ac75a0aab36809a9ef5/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6d3938646a364d305835546b74773d3d2d3333363937333333302e313438396165393638393565643565653835363134353131373935312e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]
"Satou-san..."