Time flies when you’re having fun.
Most students attending the academy have quite good stamina. Even those who aren’t specialized in wielding swords or blunt objects eventually need at least a minimum level of stamina to keep up with the basic lessons required to become a hero.
Selenas, who primarily uses magic, and Aurora as well, along with Erica, who utilizes her unique healing abilities rather than combat skills, obviously had much better stamina than your average high school teenagers.
It’s not even worth mentioning Seo-A, who casually mingled with kids ten years younger than her.
Me? My stamina was only bad back when I first came here. Compared to the people around me, I wouldn’t call my combat skills the best, but I don’t think I was weak enough to be stuck in the back constantly. At least my close combat skills were on par with Rina’s.
Even though I might seem like it, I’m an all-rounder who can tank, deal damage, and heal.
The reason stamina builds up quickly is probably due to the innate potential this body had from the start. It wasn’t that my stamina was good from the beginning, but perhaps because my body was newly created when I crossed over.
…I’ve strayed off topic a bit, but what I want to say is that the stamina of the kids here is far better than that of regular people.
Being at an age overflowing with energy, they had such superior stamina that there was absolutely no need for breaks while playing.
What started as splashes of water soon escalated to the level of water cannons or small waves. The pool, which should have maintained a calm surface — after all, it was just stagnant water — had about half of its water left by the time dinner rolled around, indicating just how intense the activity was.
Yes. The idea of a “beautiful, serene atmosphere, giving off a romantic vibe that makes it appear connected to the sea when gazed upon” meant absolutely nothing to these kids.
So what about me?
Of course, I was the same.
*
“…I think we should clean up once more before dinner.”
Seo-A, in her mid-twenties and nearly ten years older than the students here, finally seemed to regain her senses and said that.
“…”
Looking around, it was pure chaos.
What was originally a pool with water up to our waists had dropped to just above our knees, showing just how much fun we were having splashing and throwing water at one another. Naturally, the water that splashed outside of the pool remained around us. It was too much for the sun to evaporate it all.
…If the water was just around the area, it might not have been a big deal, but the pool was on the rooftop of a villa.
Water flowed down the walls and wet the windows, leaving marks after evaporating, and the wooden floor of the terrace was shiny from being soaked.
Honestly, if I owned the villa, I’d be pissed. I’d be asking, “What kind of mess is this for a free rental?”
And it seemed I wasn’t the only one thinking this. Everyone was sneaking looks at Erica, clearly aware they messed up.
“Ahem.”
Seo-A covered her mouth with her fist and cleared her throat loudly to gather our attention.
“First, let’s clean up properly. Since we did some of it earlier, we should just wipe up the excess water. We should finish this before showering and changing our clothes.”
“Understood.”
Everyone nodded vigorously in agreement.
“And, we’re banning such intense water games in the pool from now on. Upon reflection, we have valleys and beaches available; there’s no need for us to cause a ruckus here. Playing in the pool is fine, but let’s try not to make a huge mess. That’s it!”
…She might be talking like she’s giving instructions during an academy class, but didn’t she also play her part to get here?
Of course, I can’t complain since I didn’t just sit still either.
Still, since I resonated with Seo-A’s words, we all silently went off to find cleaning tools without grumbling.
*
We swept up around the pool area to make it clean. Honestly, I wondered how many people would actually get hurt slipping and falling here, but it definitely didn’t look good physically.
After tidying up the water splashed onto the terrace and wiping away the water flowing down the windows, the fatigue from the day’s play mixed with the cleaning gradually set in. But it wasn’t the kind of fatigue that made you feel like you were about to collapse from forced training—it had a satisfying, achievement-like fatigue.
We’d nearly lost the entire morning coming to the villa and spent almost an hour cleaning up. After several hours of fun, when we finally finished the post-clean-up, it was already dinner time.
It was still midsummer, and while the sky teetered on the edge of sunset, it still had at least an hour before the sun went down.
Fortunately, there were plenty of showers available. Two to three people per room were using the showers, and while the stalls were single-person, they sufficed for a quick wash, provided nobody hogged the shower.
Despite quite a few girls being concerned about one guy, no one had the open-mindedness to think about wearing swimsuits until dinner, so when we gathered in the living room, everyone had already changed into comfortable clothing.
“Let’s go for a simple dinner. Everyone’s tired, right?”
Saying this, Seo-A emerged with an abundance of instant food.
Everyone chuckled with incredulous expressions, but in truth, we had all been overly excited from the very first day and hadn’t moderated our energy.
Honestly, it sounded like a real hassle to cook right now.
Well, a barbecue party is something you absolutely can’t miss when hanging out with friends, but… we still had plenty of time left on the schedule.
By the way, though I might’ve thought I had planned a curriculum worthy of showing, it seemed like that was just for show after all.
Looking at Seo-A, who was grinning while heading to the kitchen, all I could sense was, “I’ll just relax.”
“Choose whatever you want to eat. I bought plenty of different things just in case, so feel free to pick!”
Seo-A called out while placing pots and kettles on the inverter.
While everyone smiled wryly at her enthusiasm, one person with sparkling eyes was none other than Aurora.
Now that I thought about it, it wasn’t uncommon for nuns to eat instant food.
Since the convent usually provided meals.
“Can I have a bite too?” Aurora asked as she moved closer to me. Ultimately, having finished off the curry and instant rice she picked, Aurora wandered around asking for a bite from everyone else. It seemed she was quite curious about the other foods.
“Sure.”
“…Is it really okay?”
Both Selena and I said the same thing, though the meanings behind our words were completely different.
However, Aurora placed her trust in my words rather than Selena’s, which was unfortunate for her.
“Well then, I’ll dig in!”
As Aurora took a mouthful of the noodles I passed her with chopsticks, her reaction came immediately.
“Ugh!”
Surprised and unable to spit the food out, covering her mouth with both hands while tears welled up in her eyes, I tilted my head in confusion.
Does the spiciness really come up that quickly?
Typically, doesn’t it rise gradually after taking a bite, causing you to suffer afterward?
While I was slurping down my noodles, I caught sight of Aurora dashing to the table to find water, and Selena’s expression grew even stranger.
Hot hot! This is the power of Spicy Korean! I can handle any ordinary spiciness with ease!
Even though I struggled with spicy foods in my past life, it seems I’ve turned into someone who can eat spicy food quite well after coming here.
It felt a bit like an isekai trope. The weakest character in this world has reincarnated and suddenly becomes the world’s strongest!?
Of course, there must be Korean, Indian, and Mexican influences in this world, so I wouldn’t claim to be the absolute strongest.
*
After finishing the meal, as we cleared away the trash that piled up from all the instant meals, Selena’s attention was caught by a cup ramen that Clara had been eating.
The bright red packaging looked unbelievably spicy at first glance.
The smell wafting from nearby was definitely intense.
In fact, Aurora had almost shed tears after just a single bite, proving it was not something to be taken lightly.
Selena, holding the empty cup ramen container, read what was written on the packaging.
“12,000 Scoville…?”
I didn’t know exactly how spicy that was, but with such a large number emphasized, it surely wasn’t a small amount.
“Oh, she actually ate that.”
Seo-A, who had been cleaning up the trash next to me, said.
“…But it’s completely empty?”
And upon seeing the completely empty container, she tilted her head.
“I thought it was mixed in as a gag of sorts, but who could have eaten it all?”
“Clara was eating it earlier.”
“Clara, huh?”
Seo-A’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Clara lives in the convent. She’s never had spicy food, let alone bought something from outside.”
“They do eat with us after school often, but it was mostly drinks or desserts. I can confidently say she’s never had anything like this.”
“…Does the convent regularly serve spicy food, perhaps?”
“Aurora was about to faint after just one bite.”
Both Selena and Seo-A fell into silence.
“…Clara, what a scary girl.”
“…I realized that today too.”
*
After cleaning up post-meal, the sun began to set.
This villa, built on a cliff, wasn’t exactly in a picturesque spot, but they created a scenic area by carving the cliff, and large windows faced the coastline. The sunset over the endless horizon was stunningly beautiful.
This villa was said to be located on the western side of a small peninsula.
It’s not ideal for the New Year’s sunrise, but it’s a great place to end the year. Though, even then, I felt it would be too shameless to ask to borrow it for free.
What’s it to me? Even in my past life, I didn’t particularly care for the New Year or year-end celebrations. I’d just throw out a casual “Happy New Year” in a group chat whenever I saw someone post it.
Without a girlfriend, I just repeated the monotonous cycle between work and home, so January 1st was nothing more than a red day on the calendar.
…Hmm, thinking about it like this sounds a bit sad.
Well, this year, I likely wouldn’t be able to skip it. I lived in a convent, after all. In terms of religion, the start and end of the year are always significant events.
“…”
When I looked back, everyone was sprawled around the living room.
Oh, wait. Seo-A, Ramihi, and Satsuki were the only ones sitting up straight. Seo-A was just sitting there, while Satsuki and Ramihi were sitting upright with their eyes closed, as if meditating.
…Or perhaps they were engaged in some sort of pride contest.
Even during club activities or when they visited here, it didn’t seem like the two would directly speak to each other. It wasn’t that their relationship was bad; rather, it seemed they had no intention of getting closer.
When they lived in the Elven District, did they even know each other?
…That’s a rather sensitive subject so I shouldn’t pry.
Well then… until Remine, who was defending the elder of the elven district, reveals information about it, it’s better to keep it buried. I had no reason to lose potential allies around me.
“Alright!”
While I was lost in thought, suddenly, Seo-A clapped her hands and yelled, startling me.
Not just me, but everyone lounging around the living room jumped a little. Even Satsuki and Ramihi, who had their eyes closed, were surprised by the loud sound.
“It’s getting dim now!”
With that cheerful announcement, Seo-A stood up with a beaming smile.
“Since it’s dark now, how about we tell some scary stories!”
She ran to the kitchen and brought back candles, enough for everyone.
…Is she perhaps the most excited one in the group?
After all, the idea for this trip had originally come from me. I just suggested it, and Seo-A did all the planning, but if she wasn’t excited, she wouldn’t have bothered with all this hassle.
On our way here, Seo-A turned off the living room light. As the light went out, the warm sunset glow outside illuminated the space.
The sun hadn’t fully set yet, and with the glow coming through the window, it wasn’t overly dark, but it created quite a cozy atmosphere with red light tinting the room.
“Hmm, it’s still too bright to light the candles. I’ll leave these here for now.”
Saying that, she dropped the candles onto the table.
“Alright, everyone! Don’t just sit there; gather round. Let’s share some scary stories!”
Scary stories, huh?
I like reading horror novels because they never surprise me. But with scary stories… there often are those moments that suddenly make you jump.
Though to be honest, I’m interested in the real scary and chilling tales.
I usually forget nearly everything I hear, so I can never share any myself, but listening to them isn’t something I dislike.
It seemed like the others weren’t opposed to scary tales either, as the kids who had been looking at each other began to gather around the table in small groups.
*
Someone once said the strongest emotion felt by humanity is fear, and the greatest fear is the fear of the unknown.
…However, there was one flaw in that idea.
This world was different from the one I knew.
In the battlefield, new beasts and demons are always discovered, and grotesque beings that are hard to face directly often appear.
Psychic powers and magic actually existed, and there were heroes hunting down criminals who used them.
Therefore, many typical scary stories wouldn’t be particularly frightening.
Moreover, the people here aren’t exactly ordinary folks; they are individuals on a path of learning to face those very beings head-on.
“An unidentified creature? Isn’t it just a beast? If it walks upright, the head must be its weak point. Having eyes below would be inefficient, right?”
“Wouldn’t having eyes on the waist be better for camouflage?”
“That leaves the arms out of sight. Even if you have eyes, being blind is no better than being without.”
“Um… guys. How about we not delve into technicalities, just for fun?”
“Yeah, Erica’s right. Shouldn’t we just think of it as an unknown entity?”
“…Then tell me honestly, Jian. Does that scare you?”
“…Uhm…”
With each scary story told, discussions like this unfolded.
Of course, it’s hard to feel fear talking about the unknown among individuals devoted to fighting the very unknown.
Also, if it’s something you need to crush, that makes it even harder.
No matter how scary the monster might seem, in this harsh reality, it would just be obliterated with a single artillery shell.
And among us, the one showing the most indifferent expression was Rina.
…Seeing as she was part of that unknown, she was practically not even considered an “unknown.”
“…Does anyone know any ghost or spirit stories?”
“But ghosts and spirits don’t exist. It’s not really scary to hear about.”
That was true. For some reason, the people in this world hardly believed in ghosts or spirits.
After all, in a world teeming with mysteries, believing in ghosts or spirits seems meaningless. Since when you die, your soul goes to the goddess, what’s the point in being afraid of a ghost or spirit?
…Hmm? Hold on.
“Oh, ghosts or spirits could exist.”
As soon as I said that, everyone turned to look at me.
“Um… Clara. It feels a bit odd to say this to someone akin to a priest, but when a soul dies, doesn’t it go to the gods for proper judgment? Wouldn’t that mean there couldn’t be souls left behind on earth?”
Selena had a valid point. But—
“Yet, I’ve seen them myself. And it’s not theologically impossible either. Under certain conditions, souls might linger instead of departing this world.”
That’s right. I had seen it firsthand.
Countless elven souls trapped within Arlil, unable to ascend to the heavens.
“…Clara sister, did you… see that yourself?”
Linea asked, her voice trembling unusually.
“Yes, it’s a personal experience.”
“…”
Silence.
Uh-oh, was this supposed to be a scary story?
Everyone, including the teacher and students, were staring at me intensely.
“Where did you see it?”
Aurora asked, gulping nervously, clearly tense. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her expression.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that. There’s an ongoing situation related to it.”
After all, sharing details too soon could lessen the shock. To address this thoroughly, it would be more effective to surprise all members of society rather than spill too early.
“However, I can share the conditions. Would you like to hear it?”
Everyone nodded eagerly.
“When someone dies but isn’t aware that they’ve passed or firmly believes they haven’t gone to the goddess, their soul might remain at that location. Or if they believe their soul has shattered into pieces, it could remain in that form. Additionally, if they think they’ve been forsaken, they might also linger.”
Honestly, I was curious about how one ends up going to the gods too. But it’s definitely a lot less confusing than leaving behind.
“I-is it possible that if you don’t believe in the goddess, you might not ascend to heaven?”
“Hmm…”
I doubted that was the case. Elves generally didn’t believe in the goddess but their souls would’ve ascended regardless.
Since divine power comes from faith in the goddess, it’s possible that at least elf saintesses believed or were educated to believe in her.
“The goddess is merciful, so I don’t think that’s the case. It’s merely something that happens under very special circumstances.”
When I answered, a wave of silence fell over the room again.
Hmm.
Did I accidentally share the scariest tale of all?
I personally didn’t find any part of my story scary, but I could see how it might seem terrifying to someone who believed there were no ghosts.
In truth, this kind of situation would require an immensely vast and firm consciousness, like Arlil does, to trap a person’s essence, but I didn’t disclose that. After all, part of the intrigue in ghost stories lies in the unknown.
In this frozen atmosphere, I sat back comfortably while everyone else remained frozen.
Now I understand why those who tell ghost stories seem to enjoy it so much.
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