CHAPTER 57 - Special Test. Part 2.
It's three in the afternoon, and I have nothing to do. Everyone's socializing or enjoying the ship's pool. I'm here too, but mainly because Hanako invited me… Oh, and I accepted because I was hoping to see Naima in a swimsuit, and yes, that wish came true.
Naima's swimming, alone. I'd say she must feel lonely, but for her, friends are just tools for survival. I highly doubt she thinks she can't live without them.
A person who sees everyone outside her family as mere tools she can use however she wants.
I'm like her, except I stay solitary because, unlike her, I don't need to socialize to survive in this world. And I can't use people as tools either. I can manipulate them with certain moves, but I wouldn't say I'm an expert at it. I've always been pretty solitary, even as Shadow. The few times I teamed up with members of the ghost-hunting organization, things always ended badly. The biggest disaster was when a group of seven members with the natural ability to see ghosts died because I went off to chase the ghost of a woman that Number 31 seemed to know. Since I owed her a favor, I wanted to help her recover her memories from when she was alive, but that led to their deaths, and as a result, the residents of a small town turned into zombies, and I had to kill them. It wasn't my fault—they chose to come with me. I clearly told them not to trust me, but the leader's stupid mindset doomed them. "There's no way a cute little kid could be a bad person." I'll admit that girl was pretty adorable and full of energy, but she died because she trusted me.
Ugh… Why do I always end up thinking about my past? Saik, you're here to see Naima in a swimsuit, not to dwell on your past.
Though my view just got blocked by Hanako's large breasts, which bounced as she jumped and stood in front of me. Hey, that was reckless, Hanako. Don't jump; the floor's wet, you could slip.
"I-I'm done changing! H-how do I look?"
"Hmm…"
A pink swimsuit, a bit tight… Hmm… That white ribbon adds a certain extra charm.
It's cute. I give it a 7 out of 10 overall. For sexiness, a 9 out of 10.
"Well… I guess you look good. Yeah, it's pretty cute on you, Hanako. If I were a pervert, I wouldn't take my eyes off you."
"T-thank you so much!"
Naima isn't even looking at me. Ugh, trying to make her jealous won't work until I manage to make her feel something for me.
"Wanna play with me? Look, I got a ball."
"Sure… In the water?"
"Yup!"
"Oh… I see…"
I'll have to get wet… Well, Naima's into muscles, so I think taking off my shirt will help me score some points with her.
I'm already wearing a swimsuit you can rent on the ship; I just need to take off my shirt.
I took off my shirt, and almost immediately, the perverted ghost that follows Hanako started hugging me and pressing her breasts against my chest.
I ignored it and left my shirt on a chair.
"And Cristal isn't playing?"
"I-I haven't seen her. I-I think she's in her cabin."
… A dark aura started emanating from Hanako's body, and black tentacles began emerging from that aura.
"So it'll just be you and me, huh? That's fine."
The tentacles grabbed the ghost and pulled it away from me.
"H-hey, Hanako 2, what's your problem?!"
Oh, little Hanako turned into a monster, huh? What a waste. The Hanako from the past was such an adorable little girl; it's hard for me to believe she became so evil.
I've always thought the ghost-hunting organization was useless, but this is ridiculous. Haven't they noticed a ghost is corrupting Hanako?
"Well, let's get in the water."
"W-wait…"
Hanako grabbed her phone from the chair and came closer to me.
"Can we take a picture?"
"I don't like taking pictures, but alright."
I stood next to her, and we took a photo. Hanako's smile is still just as adorable, but honestly, I don't remember it much. Ever since I killed her parents, our relationship broke, and we never spoke again until now, when she only talks to me because she thinks I'm not Shadow, the kid who broke her heart.
I completely forgot about her. Even when I saw her again, I didn't recognize her. I only remembered her when I realized that ghost was spying on me sometimes.
After remembering her, I thought it was fate. I was drawn to her when I met her, and if I hadn't had issues with that organization, we might've been a couple. She was the opposite of what I look for—she was weak and very timid—but I really liked her. I don't think my younger self fell in love with her; I just liked her, that's all. We didn't have enough time for that feeling to turn into love.
But the current Hanako? I don't like her at all. She let a ghost corrupt her. She's become powerful, but that power is hers. I'd say the ghost gave her its power, but even though that ghost is strong, it's not strong enough to be considered dangerous.
I think that ghost is training her somehow. Hanako was so weak she couldn't even control a ghost. She was considered useless because she was the only one in her family with the natural ability to see ghosts, but her power rejected her. Her own power damaged her soul, making her unable to control ghosts. The rest of her family has the natural ability to see ghosts and controls that power perfectly, making Hanako a burden to them.
I think that's why I liked Hanako when I was a kid. I was considered a weirdo, and everyone avoided me, while Hanako was seen as a burden to her own family. We were both criticized and mocked, so we made a good pair.
Unfortunately, Hanako hates me, so we can't even be friends anymore. The current Hanako is powerful, and I can tell she's not weak-minded. I could fall for her, but there's a small problem. She's part of the ghost-hunting organization, which I want to stay far away from. I can only be her friend, that's it.
For me, Naima is the only girl in my heart.
I glanced over and saw Naima sitting on a chair, eating some chips. Her wet body… Her small but pleasant breasts. She's a girl with a small but cute butt… Wow. She's really beautiful. I definitely need to make her fall for me.
My strengths as a man are my looks. Women who see my face think I'm handsome. If I use that, I might be able to make her fall for me, but I don't want to. I want her to fall for me because of my personality. My parents taught me that love should be felt through emotions like love and friendship. Falling for someone because of their looks is just lust.
Beauty doesn't last forever; it fades as people age. But if I fall for someone's personality, I'll never stop loving them.
If Naima falls for me because of my personality, it'll mean she truly loves me and wasn't drawn to something as shallow as beauty.
"Saik? Hey, Saik… Are you feeling okay?"
Hanako started shaking my shoulders. I guess I got too distracted staring at Naima.
"Oh, don't worry, I was just remembering I left home without preparing for a trip. I'm not sure if I left the lights on. Oh well, doesn't matter. Let's play."
Hanako's sinister aura vanished.
"By the way, can I tag you in the photo?"
"Uh… Well… I guess so, that's normal, right? I hear friends do that when they take pictures together. Sure, you can tag me."
"Thanks!"
… Something smells weird…
"Master, I detect the smell of death."
Legendary Ghost Number 30, the tracking ghost, can use her powers even in her current state because it's a natural ability she has. I can still use legendary ghosts whose abilities are tied to their bodies, like strength, sight, and smell.
"It smells like… a dead Elf."
Oh, it's an Elf. I thought it was something important. If it were a student, I'd go save them—I don't want my plans with Naima ruined because of a killer—but since it's a shitty Elf, I can ignore it.
"Hey, Hanako, sorry, but I think friends do this."
"What?"
I grabbed her phone and pushed her, making her fall into the water.
I left her phone on the chair and jumped into the water, whispering something just before my head hit the water.
"Investigate."
I spoke so softly—after all, the legendary ghosts are inside me. They can hear everything I say if I want, even if I whisper.
I entered the water, and Numbers 4, 30, and 31 left my body, flying away from the ship.
Oh… So the Elf is far away? Got it.
I surfaced to catch my breath… Ugh…
"Hanako, don't touch my crotch."
"Huh?! I-I'm not touching your crotch!"
"Huh…? But… That's weird… I could've sworn someone was touching my crotch just now… I must've imagined it. Alright, let's play."
Another test to confirm I'm not Shadow, huh? This time, the perverted ghost touched my crotch with enough force that even a normal human could feel it. If I pretended not to feel it, they'd know I was acting. Well played, Hanako, but I'm an expert when it comes to ghost powers.
"By the way, Saik, I-I want to ask you something."
"If it's money, I can lend you a little. I'm saving up so I don't starve in the future."
"N-no, it's not that…! You and Sylphie are teaming up to get to Class A, right? It's a rumor going around my class."
"Am I that famous? And here I thought I'd have a quiet school life. Ugh… Yeah, we're teaming up. She helps me expel students, and I protect her from anyone who tries to mess with her. As long as she doesn't betray me, I'll keep helping her. Why?"
"I… C-can I join your team? I-I want to get to Class A too! I-I'll do anything you say!"
"Huh? Well… I guess so, sure. I help you, you help me."
"It's a deal! Thank you so much!"
An excuse to keep an eye on me, huh? You won't find anything anyway.
First, I'll try to get to Class A the normal way, with class points, since it's the most straightforward method. If I reach my third year and I'm not in Class A, I'll make my next moves to earn positive points and buy our passes to Class A.
Hmm… How's the class situation?
Class A, Tanya's class, has 281 class points. Class B has 266 class points. Class C, the Keeno twins' class, has 268 class points. Class D, the prodigy Kristio's class, has 255 class points. Class E, Ethan Flowerk's class, has 235 class points, but I'm not sure if they lost 50 points because one of their students was expelled. I think Class E has 185 class points.
Each class, except Class E, has 20 students.
Hanako took Ninda's spot, who was originally from Cristal's class, so there was no change in the number of students in that class.
Hmm… Tanya's class is the strongest, but I don't want to obey her. And I can't use Hanako as a spy because Tanya knows she and Cristal hang out with me a lot… Ugh, in moments like this, I think it would've been better if I'd enrolled in a more normal school.
… Oh… Right, Hanako and Cristal are in Class D; I forgot. Ugh, sometimes I forget intelligence isn't my strong suit.
•
•
(POV - Kevs)
… Am I that ugly? I got rejected from every waiter job. They told me there were no openings, but a classmate mocked me because they hired him right after I left.
Am I really that ugly?
Ugh… My partner, a girl, was also disgusted by me and went off on her own. We'll share an apartment—that's mandatory—but she threatened me and told me not to even talk to her.
… Looks really do play a big role in society.
"At least I got a job."
It's not too bad; I just have to clean and take out the trash. Working at this butcher shop won't be so bad, even if it stinks of blood and death.
Online classes are over, and I need to work to earn my keep. We're forbidden from receiving money from other sources; we can only rely on our salaries. My grandpa wanted to come and give me money under the guise of a tip, but I told him no—that would only cause me trouble. Besides, I don't need the money; I can live perfectly fine with the salary I'll get from this job.
"Hey, idiot…"
"Huh?"
One of the employees threw a trash bag at my face.
Ugh… Even here, I'll be bullied? Is being ugly an excuse to treat me badly?
"Do your job."
"Y-yes… Yes…"
There's no point in complaining; it'll only make things worse if I do.
I picked up some trash that spilled from the bag and went out the back door to throw it out… Ugh… It's not sorted. Why don't they sort it themselves? Are they too lazy to put it in the right bins? Or they probably did it on purpose to give me more work. As if I don't know the government pays students' salaries, not the businesses. The owner of this butcher shop doesn't pay me; the government does, but he takes advantage of that to pile on the work.
"Damn it."
I set the bag on the ground and tried to relax… Alright… Alright… Kevs, I know this situation sucks, but you have to endure it. They'll take away your scholarship if your grades drop, Kevs. Your future depends on this.
"But… I don't know if I can keep enduring this."
I know I pretend to be okay… I need psychological help. I'm scared I might be depressed. I don't want to be depressed. If I get depressed, my grades could be at risk. I can't waste all the effort I put into getting that scholarship.
Vanessa cheated on me, and I lost all my friends… Friends and girlfriends aren't necessary to keep living. Kevs, don't worry, you can enjoy your life even without a girlfriend or friends.
Besides, if you don't have a wife or kids in the future, you'll have more money for yourself. I'm smart; I can get a well-paying job, and if I behave and earn Tanya's trust, I can graduate from Class A. I just need to keep moving forward and not think about my mental issues.
"But, Kevs…"
Yes, Kevs?
"If you're so sure we can move forward with our lives, why am I crying?"
… Oh… You're right… You're crying, Kevs… I'm crying…
I… I… Why was I born?
My grandpa is the only person who loves me… I don't have any other family… I hate my life, but my grandpa would be sad if I were a sad person. He helped me move forward; I won't let him down.
I wiped my tears. I'd better not think about that. I need to finish my work.
"Meow."
A cat…? Wow… This cat is so cute. A cat with golden fur. No, Kevs, you idiot! Don't you see?! Some jerk painted the cat! Cat fur isn't supposed to be painted!
"Don't worry, kitty, I'll take you to an expert. I don't know if the paint they put on you is harmful."
"Meow…"
It's rubbing against me. Wow. So cute. I need to take a picture! Thanks, kitty, you made me happy. I needed that… Huh?
It ran off… Oh… Well, I guess that's goodbye. I doubt I can catch up to it, and I can't leave; I just got hired.
"Meow!"
… Huh? It stopped and pointed with its paw in a direction while looking at me.
It wants me to follow? An intelligent cat? Is this some new kind of robbery or kidnapping? Wow. Is it really possible to train cats to become criminals and lure innocent people with their cuteness?
Heh. Criminals, I don't know if you know this, but I just need to press a button to be rescued. I'm sure the school hired people to protect us. After all, it's a school for the rich; they can't leave students from wealthy families unprotected.
Normally, I wouldn't do something as dangerous as following an intelligent cat, but I liked that cat. I'll keep it when they catch the thieves. Don't worry, cutie, I'll train you to be a kind kitty.
I ran toward the cat and started following it.
The butcher shop is in an area where four alleys meet.
This design is like that because there's a statue of the Dog God in the center. I heard it's part of a ritual or something. I don't know much about it because my grandpa isn't religious, and I never had time to think about religions.
It turned left, and so did I… Oh… Ugh… I don't understand anymore.
There are two women on the ground; they seem to be asleep… Huh? Something's off about them. They have pointed ears… Oh, cosplay. Otaku girls? Well, well… What should I do? If this is a new way to rob people, I congratulate them; they're very original and cute.
"Please, take care of the princess."
Someone spoke?
"Huh? Who said that?"
"Don't worry, you'll have everything you need to take care of the princess."
"Princess? What? I don't understand."
"Down here."
… That voice…
I looked down… The cat… spoke?
"You… talked?"
The cat nodded.
"… Hahahahaha! Listen, you hidden camera idiots, I may be ugly, but I'm not an otaku! I'm not falling for this prank! Bye!"
I walked away. Tsk. Just because I'm ugly, they think I'll believe a cat talked to me and asked me to take care of a princess? I'm not an otaku! I don't have time for anime or video game stuff.
"Please, don't go, Angel."
"My name's Kevs, not Angel. Bye."
"Sorry, I can't allow that."
"C'n't 'llow th't. I have enough problems; I don't have time for this nonsense. And if you post me online, I'll sue you…! Huh?"
Someone put a hand on my head.
"Oh… Seriously, you won't leave me alone?"
I turned to see the person, but… I-I didn't expect to see what I saw.
"My name is Mariel, the former magical familiar of the late Elf Queen."
I-I looked up… A-a giant cat… A cat over two meters tall… I-I can feel its paw…
"T-this… T-this is… Awesome! I've never seen such advanced technology! This giant cat looks so real!"
I hugged it and sniffed it.
"Wow, it even smells like a cat!"
"H-hey, don't sniff me, you pervert!"
"Wow, this is incredible! Hey, people recording this, where did you get this?! I'd love to know more about the company behind this masterpiece!"
My dream is to build my own robot. I'd love to study something related to that.
"Oh… I guess I need to give you proof."
"Proof?"
"Climb on me."
"Of course!"
I immediately climbed onto the giant cat's back. So soft!
"Don't worry, my magic will keep you from falling."
"Falling?"
… Did it just jump?! W-what?! W-we're not stopping!
"Now do you believe me?"
It stopped climbing and stayed still, as if we were floating in the air. I-I can see the whole city… The whole city…
"T-this is so… awesome! Even the technology they have can create such high-level holograms! It's like I'm really in the sky!"
"Are you serious?"
"I'm not falling for your pranks. I'm not dumb enough to fall for this kind of joke."
"Yes, you are dumb."
"Wow, I even feel dizzy, like I'm running out of oxygen… Awesome…! Oh, I wish I could stay longer, but I need to get back to work. Bye."
I got off the cat. I need to go back and keep working; I don't want to get scolded and given more work…
… Weird… I don't feel the ground… Wait… I feel like I'm falling.
I looked down… Oh… T-this… Oh…
"This is definitely impossible!"
Whoa! I'm falling too fast! My body's feeling it! This is definitely real! Was that cat actually magical?! I-impossible, magic doesn't exist! Whoa! I'm a dead man!
I closed my eyes, waiting for death. I'm sorry, Grandpa, I won't get to say goodbye. I'd say something more emotional and epic, but fear's overwhelming me! I don't want to die yet!
"… Hey, idiot, open your eyes."
"Am I dead already?"
"No, I caught you."
"Huh?"
I opened my eyes… T-the cat caught me with its left paw.
"You can thank me anytime."
"Why are my bones still intact?! If you caught me so suddenly while I was falling at high speed, my bones should've been damaged, but I feel fine! This makes no sense!"
"My magic protected you."
"M-magic?!"
"Now, idiot, will you let me explain what's going on?"
"Y-yes."
I-I don't understand anything anymore.
We went back to the ground. Dear ground, I missed you so much. I think I developed a fear of heights.
"I'll repeat: My name is Mariel, the former magical familiar of the late Elf Queen."
"M-my name's Kevs, n-nice to meet you."
"My world is in danger, which is why the princess was sent to this world to be safe. I want you to take care of her while she's here. Basically, you'll be her personal servant and teach her the wonders of this world."
"Nope, I refuse! First of all, I don't have time to… Whoa!"
It put its claw on my forehead.
"I'm not asking you; I'm ordering you. You'll do what I say, whether you like it or not. Any complaints?"
"N-none, miss, b-but I can't neglect my studies. I-I can't travel the world, and I don't have the money to do it."
"You're a student?"
"Y-yes."
"I see… Yes, that could be safer; no one would suspect a student. She'll be a student too. She's 29, but since Elves age slowly, their adolescence spans from 20 to 50. She looks a bit younger than you. How old are you?"
"I-I'm 15."
"Then she'll be 15 too. Take care of her and make sure she isn't discovered. And please, this is the most important thing: if you ever meet someone named Shadow, kill him."
"Whoa! I-I'm not a murderer!"
"… You're a coward… Ugh, this is disappointing… Just take care of the princess and teach her this world's common sense."
"B-but… She can't be a student. She's from another world; she doesn't have official documentation from this country. She won't be able to enroll."
"Syln will take care of getting you everything you need, don't worry… Also…"
It put its claw on my chest.
"I know you'll do a good job, Angel. Take good care of Princess Sylphie."
Her name's Sylphie? I think I know someone with that name… Isn't Sylphie the name of Saik's girlfriend, the top first-year student? That could be confusing.
"Sylphie, huh?"
"What's wrong with her name?"
"N-nothing, it's a cute name. I just remembered I know a girl with that name."
"I see… Oh, right, it's dangerous to keep her name. When she wakes up, tell her she needs to think of a new name that's normal in this world. Any suggestions?"
"I-I think it's best if she chooses her name… By the way, why do you keep calling me Angel? My name's Kevs. K.E.V.S. Kevs."
"I have my reasons."
"I see… So, I just need to take care of her and teach her this world's common sense?"
"Yes, that's all. Also, this is the most important thing: don't let her virginity be taken. Elves must only be with Elves; that's a rule that must never be broken. In other words, if some idiot tries to rape her, you must stop it at all costs, and that includes you. If you dare lay a finger on her, I'll…"
"I-I won't do anything, I promise! I-I'm not even attracted to women anymore; I stopped believing in love! I-I promise she'll stay a virgin… But… What if she falls in love with a man and wants to give him her virginity?"
"Then you'll kill that man."
"I-I'm not a murderer!"
"Besides, I highly doubt the princess will fall in love with a human. There are no Elves here, so that won't happen. Just protect her from rapists."
"Y-yes, I understand… Basically, I just need to give her a home, food, teach her common sense, and help her become a normal student… I see… B-but my family's poor. We can't…"
"Money won't be an issue; Syln will get you all the money you need."
"And her ears? How do I explain the ears?"
"Don't worry, Syln has a magical device that makes Elves' ears look human."
"I-I see… And… So… Do I have to do everything she tells me?"
"Yes."
"… I see… Oh… At least, do I get something out of this?"
"Yes, staying alive."
W-wow, what a great reward.
"I-I think that's enough, thank you for letting me stay alive."
"Goodbye. We'll meet again in five years."
Five years taking care of an Elf who's probably arrogant and rude to me?! Argh!
A magic circle appeared beneath her and started glowing.
A famous magic circle… Argh! This is so weird!
"Goodbye."
She disappeared… Argh! Stupid cat! Now I have to take care of an Elf and protect her from rapists! I have a feeling I'll come close to death several times after this.
"Ugh… I hate this."
… Magic exists…! Well, at least in another world.
… So… What do I do now?
I looked at the Elves. One of them has long, blonde hair and is wearing a very elegant white dress… A true beauty. I guess she's the princess, because the other girl, though also beautiful, is wearing some kind of armor… Oh… Argh! She's too beautiful! M-many men will be after her, and I, as her servant, will always be near her, making others jealous… Argh! The bullying's going to get worse!
A-and it'll be hard to keep her safe from other men… Damn it, why was I chosen for this job? It was probably random, and I had the bad luck of being picked… Ugh, I hate my life, but life hates me too.
Well… Oh… I guess I need to wake them up.
I approached them and tried to wake the princess by shaking her shoulder, but before I could touch her, someone grabbed me by the neck and lifted me. Whoa! The Elf in armor was awake!
"What do you think you're doing, filthy human?!"
"Whoa! I-I was just…!"
I-I can't talk! S-she's strangling me!
"Tch. You disgust me. Why were you chosen?"
She threw me against the wall. Damn lunatic, that hurt! I'd insult you, but I'm scared to.
"I-I was just trying to…"
"Shut up, you disgusting pervert."
"… Pervert?"
But… I didn't do anything perverted. I was just trying to wake her.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, wake up."
… You can touch her? Isn't that a bit hypocritical…? Oh… I think you're looking down on me for being human… I see.
"Huh? Are we here already?"
Wow, even the princess's voice is beautiful. As expected of a true princess.
I-I need to introduce myself, or they might kill me. I think the woman in armor knows I was chosen, but better safe than sorry.
I approached them and extended my hand to the princess.
"N-nice to meet you, Princess. My name's Kevs… Argh!"
T-the woman in armor punched me in the stomach, knocking the air out of me, while both of them looked at me with disgust.
"You're disgusting, idiot. Don't act like you're our equal, filthy human."
"Disgusting pervert!"
"But… I'm just introducing myself. Why are you calling me a pervert?"
"Stay away from me! You disgust me!"
"But… I'm not a bad person…"
The Elf kneed me in the stomach, and I fell to my knees.
D-damn… W-why are they treating me so badly? I-I was just introducing myself.
"Shut up and speak when I tell you to. What did Mariel tell you?"
Elves are crazy.
•
•
While Kevs tried to explain what the magical familiar told him, Mariel was in trouble with some very dangerous beings. The twins.
"Hehe. Hey, Elf, this is disappointing. Brother, what do we do with her?"
"We should kill her, sister. We already got what we wanted. Any last words, cat-looking Elf?"
Sheik and Shaik, the twins, were observing Mariel's dying body.
"H-how did you manage to redirect the teleportation spell?"
"Magic is powerful, I won't deny that, but don't forget that in this world, the most powerful thing is the power of the soul, not magic. It was easy to take control of your body just before the spell activated. Right, brother?"
"Exactly, sister. That's why magical beings will never be a match for us."
"Hehe. An Elf that looks like a cat? This is really weird," said Number 31.
"Well, well. Sister, it seems we have visitors."
"Shall I prepare tea, brother?"
"I don't think they'll accept our hospitality, sister."
Numbers 4, 30, and 31 landed next to the cat.
"Well, I wasn't expecting to see the magical familiar of the Elf Queen," said Number 30.
"It's been a while since I killed an Elf," said Number 4.
"Yeah, kill her. Our master hates Elves," said Number 30.
"Saik doesn't hate them; they're just insignificant to him. What's the point of hating something so weak? What Saik feels for them is simple disgust for thinking they're superior. They're pathetic," said Number 31.
"Well, well. So that's what Shadow thinks of Elves? He's more evil than I thought. What do you think, sister?"
"Exactly, brother. Shadow has the mindset of a villain."
"Master…? Shadow… You're Shadow's servants?!"
"Nope, I'm his girlfriend," said Number 31.
"I am his servant," said Number 30.
"I'm like Shadow's little sister," said Number 4.
"D-damn you… You'll regret this!!"
Number 4 pierced the cat's eyes with her arms, then shoved them in completely, destroying her head and ripping out her brain without mercy.
"Hahahahaha! That was so easy! Thanks for weakening her for me," said Number 4, grinning widely with blood on her face as she caressed the brain.
"…"
"…"
"…"
Everyone fell silent, and Number 31 smacked Number 4 on the head.
"Ow! What was that for?!"
"Even though she was an Elf, she looked like an adorable cat! You should've killed her in a less gruesome way," said Number 31.
"I still can't believe one of the weakest legendary ghosts is one of the most disturbing," said Number 30.
"You crazy bitch, don't show something so gross to my cute brother."
"Don't worry, sister, we've seen worse, so I don't mind."
Saik's legendary ghosts stood in front of the twins, exchanging glares.
"So, are we fighting? Sister, they're dumber than I thought."
"I agree, brother, they're idiots. Do they really think they can beat us? After what happened with Nancy, you're only as strong as a normal ghost. You'd only beat us in your dreams."
"Yeah, I admit you're powerful, but that doesn't change the fact that you're just minions of the main enemy. Now, I need information. Why does the Ghost Goddess want Saik on her side? He's not interested in that. If you keep bothering him, I might take care of her myself," said Number 31.
"Yeah, I know, it's weird. Even we don't know why she wants Saik on her side so badly. But our mistress's orders are absolute; we won't disobey her. For now, we'll stay away from Saik, but that doesn't mean we won't try to kill him in the future. Right, brother?"
"Of course, sister. Our mistress's orders are absolute. We could try to capture you right now, but that'd be pointless, right? You can't attack us, and we can't attack you because our Goddess forbids us from angering Saik. So we'll give you a warning."
"If Saik decides to get in our way…"
"He'll regret it."
"And we're not as weak as Nancy."
They held hands, and their bodies started turning into black vapor.
"If he decides to help Nergio or the ghost-hunting organization…"
"We'll become his worst nightmare."
"Got it?" they said in unison before fully turning into vapor and disappearing.
The three stood in silence for a few seconds, the atmosphere quite awkward.
"… Pfft. Hahahahaha!"
Numbers 4 and 31 burst into laughter, while Number 30 covered her mouth to stifle her giggles.
"'W-we'll b-become h-his w-worst n-nightmare!'"
"'G-got it?!' Hahahahaha! Seriously?! That was the worst villain threat I've ever heard!"
"They were clearly improvising! Hahahahaha!"
Number 30 cleared her throat and adjusted her suit's collar.
"Well, I think we should head back. Let's dispose of the body."
"Ugh, the boring part of the job," said Number 4.
Extra - Legendary Ghost Number 15, the Ghost of Hope.
(POV - Saik, age 6)
Alright… Winter break starts today. Christmas is coming soon! Gifts, gifts, cute gifts. This year, I'll ask that fat, bearded guy to help me kill my enemies. Lately, I've been visited by evil ghosts! I haven't slept in days! Using the legendary ghosts too much damages my body and soul, so I can't use them to protect me while I sleep. That's why I have to stay awake and fight on my own. I hate them so much! Fortunately, my hair covers my eyes now, so my parents don't notice the huge bags under them.
I'm so sleepy, but if I let my guard down, my soul will take damage, and I'll get weaker. I'd say having legendary ghosts is a disadvantage, but no—it's my natural ability to see ghosts that attracts these evil ghosts.
Unlike normal ghosts, evil ghosts aren't sentient; they act on instinct. I'm like their natural enemy, so they're always trying to kill me. Over time, my power has grown stronger, even without my legendary ghosts. Number 1 told me it's because the few people with the natural ability to see ghosts who survive usually become ghost hunters for the organization, and I'm one of the rare cases where someone with this power survives. In other words, I was doomed to die. If I hadn't started collecting legendary ghosts, I probably wouldn't have the power to defend myself from all these ghosts and would already be dead.
Evil ghosts are the only ones that can't be controlled, and since they attack humans too, if a member of the ghost-hunting organization notices an evil ghost attacking me, they wouldn't suspect me because that's normal and would send a ghost to eliminate it.
I'm safe from being discovered that way, so I don't need to worry.
"Whoa! Get me out of here!"
"Hehe. My masterpiece. I call it: 'Crybaby Idiot.'"
This idiot knocked the cookie I was eating onto the floor—a cookie my loving mother gave me. I usually avoid sugary stuff because I don't like sweets, but my mom made those cookies with love, so I couldn't say no.
But this idiot dared to knock my cookie down and mock me. Did he really think I wouldn't get revenge?
I beat him up and dragged him to an empty classroom, where I kept hitting him and wrapped his body in duct tape. Nice. I highly doubt he'll break free.
"Hehe. Should we kill him?" said Number 4.
"Nope, that could draw the ghost hunters' attention. I don't want them suspecting I'm Shadow. Number 1 should be done destroying the security cameras and erasing the surveillance footage. If we erase his memory, I'll be safe."
I entered his body with my spiritual power to erase his memories, and before leaving, I made him wet himself.
I exited his body, and he fell asleep. Good, I'm safe.
"Saik, someone's coming."
"Thanks, Number 3."
I turned invisible and calmly left the room.
I walked past the teacher.
He'll notice what happened in 5… 4… 3… 2…
"What is this?!"
Hehe. That's what he gets for messing with me. Number 1 stole some money from the school; I'll figure out how to return it later. I did it so they'd think thieves broke into the school and taped up that kid to keep him from ratting them out.
No way I'm keeping the money; I'm not a thief.
I left the school in my normal form and yawned. Alright… Let's go… Where's Rossy's mom? I'm running late. I have a date with my bed. I saved up energy to sleep at least five hours without worries.
"Let's go, son."
Huh? Dad? Wait… Oh… Right… Noooo! I forgot! I don't want to go to that party!
"D-Dad, can't you go to the party without me? I'm too lazy."
"No, Saik, you have to come with me."
"Why?"
"Because it's a party where employees bring their kids. It's a tradition we have to follow."
Ugh… I can't escape, can I?
"Fine, let's go."
"Get in the car; you can change on the way."
So boring!
I climbed into the back of the car and changed as fast as I could. If I remember correctly, the party's at the university where my dad works, and I think it's about a 30-minute drive. I'll take advantage and sleep!
"By the way, Saik, there's a man at the party I want you to meet. He's a mind doctor."
In other words, a psychologist or psychiatrist. Dad, I'm not that ignorant.
"You've been pretty down and low on energy, Saik. Talk to him, please. From what I've heard and researched, all his patients regain their energy and will to live after talking to him."
"… Does he give people hope?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"Sounds good. I'll talk to him. What's his name?"
"His name's Michael Junie."
Hehe. What a weird name.
Numbers 3, 4, 7, and 30 emerged from my body, and I pulled a notebook from my backpack to write.
I wrote: "Find that man at the party. If you sense he's powerful, Number 3, disguise the others as demons and pretend you're after him and know what he did. Someone as famous as him probably has dark secrets."
I'll handle the rest.
•
•
We arrived at the party, and as I expected, it's boring.
And worse, they left me alone at the table… Well, not alone—they left me with a little girl who won't stop bothering me.
"Hey, hey, my mom said you were cute! Why do you hide your eyes?! Let me see them!"
"No, thanks."
"Show me your eyes!"
And she started shaking me. Damn lunatic! Rossy's enough; I don't want to deal with another annoying girl… Oh, that man looks nervous. I think it's him.
My legendary ghosts returned to my body, and I stood up from the table.
"Oh…"
What I have to do to achieve my goal.
I combed my hair so my eyes could be seen and extended my hand to the little girl.
"Would you like to dance with me, miss?"
"Y-yes, of course!"
Huh? Why's her face turning red? Weird.
She took my hand, and we started dancing… Good, I look like a little kid dancing with a little girl. Nothing suspicious. Now let's proceed with the plan.
I activated Number 3 to make the man see everyone in the room melting and screaming in pain, scaring him. He started crying and shouting.
A huge demon made of human eyes rose from the floor.
"Hehe. I've come for you. You can't escape your fate. Accept your destiny!"
"N-nooo!!"
He ran out of the party… Oh, he was really scared. How much did they scare him?
Hmm… I can't leave the party.
"Wait, please."
I let go of the girl and approached my dad.
"Oh… Dad, was that lunatic the man you were talking about?"
"W-well… Yes…"
"… Dad."
"Yes?"
"I'm never talking to him."
"Oh, I completely agree."
Number 30 emerged from my body.
"Kill him?"
I moved away from my dad and pretended to yawn, covering my mouth so no one could see me talking.
"Make it look like suicide."
"Got it. Count on me, master."
I returned to the girl, but another boy was asking her to dance.
"Sorry, I'm dancing with Saik; I can't dance with you."
"You guys dance; I'm going to sleep."
"Huh?"
I went back to my table and tried to sleep.
At the end of the party, everyone found out that man had jumped onto the subway tracks, and I gained a legendary ghost.
The reason the demon plan worked so well was because he was very religious, and the idea of going to hell drove him insane.
It worked perfectly, but I wasn't the only one planning to capture him. Number 30 told me some members of the ghost-hunting organization were in the area, but fortunately, she managed to avoid them.
"Ugh… Let's go."
They can't suspect Shadow was responsible, or they'd suspect me since I'm the same age as Shadow. I'll pretend a woman captured him.
Numbers 3 and 4 went to distract them.
Oh, at least it worked; I got them away from this place.
When I got home, they returned to my body and told me what happened… Number 4 killed all the members in the area except two, who'll serve as witnesses… She went overboard, but since they'll think it was a woman and not Shadow, they won't suspect me, and Hanako won't be mad at me.
Number 3 and her illusion power are really useful… Well, I have 16 legendary ghosts under my control; 84 to go.