Journey to Godhood Begins in Frieren

After lunch, Shichen headed back to school with Kotegawa Yui. Together with Momioka Risa and Sawada Mio, they made their way toward the old school building.

The two girls had been itching to go.

Shichen, for his part, did not let Esther reveal herself.

Along the way, Lala chatted excitedly with Kotegawa Yui and the others.

" What exactly is a ghost?" she asked.

"A ghost is someone who's died—Lala, how can you not know that and still come along?" Kotegawa Yui explained.

"Why does a person become a ghost after dying? And are they really dead or not?" Lala pressed on, curious.

In alien culture there was no concept of ghosts.

"Don't ask me. Ghosts don't exist," Yui replied flatly.

"Really?"

"Lala, are there no ghosts out in space either?" Risa asked.

"I've never seen one."

"Hmm… I wonder if ghosts are real… Principal, what do you think?" Mio turned to Shichen.

"We'll know soon enough," Shichen answered with a smile.

"The principal won't give a straight answer—could ghosts actually exist?" Mio adjusted her glasses, intrigued.

"No way. Ghosts simply can't exist," Yui rebutted without expression.

"But aliens do."

"Aliens are aliens; ghosts are ghosts. Ghosts just don't fit with science."

"This day and age, Yui, you still believe in science?" Shichen teased her.

"What's wrong wi—"

Yui stopped mid‑sentence as she suddenly remembered that Shichen's abilities were completely unscientific.

"Don't tell me ghosts are real…" She grew anxious.

"Heh‑heh—just wait and see." Shichen rubbed her head, giving no direct answer.

"You're only making me more nervous!"

"It'll be fine. I'm here."

"Uh—o‑okay."

"Yui and the principal… what exactly is your relationship?" Risa and Mio watched the two of them with sparkling eyes.

"What do you think?" Shichen slipped an arm around Yui's shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" Yui pushed his hand away, cheeks blazing.

"Principal, could it be that you—"

"And what if I am?"

"Should aliens have to follow this planet's rules?" Shichen countered with a grin.

"I see!"

"Yui, we support you!"

"Who asked for your support! And you, Shichen-nii—stop spouting nonsense!" Yui glared at him in embarrassed anger.

"All right, all right. Looks like Yui's getting shy; let's drop it," Shichen said to the other two.

"Okay!"

"You two—"

"We're here!" Lala suddenly shouted.

Involuntarily, they all looked in the direction she pointed: a dilapidated dorm stood not far ahead.

The area was desolate; the building was in ruins. The broken windows were pitch‑black inside, and a "No Entry" sign painted in red hung at the doorway. A chilling atmosphere rushed toward them.

Kotegawa Yui, whose disbelief in ghosts had been shaken, hugged herself nervously.

"Let's go in and see!" Lala said, brimming with excitement.

"Here we go!"

Risa and Mio flanked her and walked straight into the old building.

"Shall we?" Shichen looked at Yui.

"Uh‑huh…" Yui didn't move.

"Scared?"

"Tell me—are there ghosts or not?"

"You'll know once you see them."

"See th‑them…?" Yui stared blankly at him.

"Relax. I'm here. There's nothing to fear from ghosts." Shichen took her hand and led her inside.

The trio hadn't waited; they were already well ahead. When Shichen and Yui stepped in, they caught sight of the others just turning a corner and disappearing.

"They're fast—let's hurry."

"W‑wait…" Yui suddenly tightened her grip on Shichen's arm—soft and trembling.

"Isn't this place going to collapse?" she whispered.

The old building was entirely wooden, riddled with holes and decay.

"Of course not…" Shichen chuckled and shook his head. "You're not really scared, are you?"

"B‑but it feels… so wrong in here."

"And I told you—I'm here."

"Easy for you to say! If not for you, I wouldn't be scared at all."

"So if I didn't mention ghosts they'd vanish?"

"I don't care!"

"Then what do you want?"

"Maybe… we should leave first?"

"And abandon Lala and the others?"

"Ugh—let's go." Shichen pulled her deeper inside.

Though frightened, Yui clung tightly to him.

Creak—

Every step made the rotting floorboards groan.

They reached the corner, and as they turned, they saw the other three standing rigid, immobile.

"What's wrong with you?" Shichen and Yui hurried over.

"Shichen, you're here!"

"Principal, we heard a strange sound…" Risa said nervously.

"Really? From where?"

"That classroom."

Shichen followed her finger to a pitch‑dark classroom and sensed—it was one of his own people.

"Heh‑heh, no need to wor—"

"Eeek!" Yui suddenly shrieked, leaping into Shichen's arms.

"Aaah—" Risa and Mio screamed as well.

Squeak‑squeak.

Shichen looked down and saw a small black mouse scurry across the floor.

He patted Yui's back gently. "No need to panic—it's just a mouse."

"A—a mouse?" Yui peeked down, saw it, yet still didn't climb down from him.

"What are you yelling about?" From the classroom Risa had pointed to, a black‑and‑gold figure emerged.

It was Yami. She carried a stack of books in one arm, and in the other hand held half‑eaten taiyaki.

"Yami? What are you doing here?" Lala asked, puzzled.

"Lala… There are lots of old books here. I came to look at them."

"I see."

"Shichen, why are you all here?" Yami asked calmly, her gaze settling on Yui still in Shichen's embrace.

"Lala and the others were curious about ghosts, so I came along."

"Is that so…"

"You're Yami, right?"

"What's your relationship with the principal?" Risa and Mio crowded in, gossip‑mode activated.

"H‑huh? Um… and you are?" Yami looked flustered.

"Yami, these are Risa and Mio."

"Hello," Yami greeted softly.

"Hi! So, what's up with you and the principal? We see you together a lot."

"Shichen and I…" Yami couldn't help glancing at him.

"You two." Shichen walked over, still holding Yui with one arm. With the other he plucked the taiyaki from Yami's hand. "Why are you so curious about this stuff?"

"Because we really are!" the girls chimed.

"Why'd you take my taiyaki?" Yami protested.

"Didn't we just have lunch? Why are you still eating sweets?"

"It's only one." She reached for it, but Shichen held it high out of reach.

"Give it back!"

Yami puffed her cheeks in frustration.

"That's what you get for not eating properly—I'm confiscating it." Shichen said, popping it into his own mouth.

"—!" Yami glared at him, mortified.

"Principal, now we're even more curious!" Risa exclaimed.

"Me too!" Mio added.

"You kids don't need to know all that. Weren't you here to look for ghosts?" Shichen waved them off.

"Ghosts are probably fake, right?"

"Yeah, not half as interesting as the principal."

"You two—"

"Can we leave now?" Yui, still nestled in Shichen's arms, raised her head to ask.

"Eh? We haven't finished searching," Lala cut in.

"Lala, ghosts don't even exi—"

"Get out!"

A sudden, muffled voice thundered, cutting Yui off and freezing her in place.

"Eh?"

Risa and Mio tensed as well, clutching each other.

"Wh‑what? Is that the ghost?" Lala sounded thrilled.

"Get out! Get out!"

The angry, booming voice rang again.

"L‑Lala… are you trying to scare us?" Yui's voice quivered.

"Me? I didn't make a sound."

"Then where's it coming from…" Yui's tone rose to a high pitch.

"Could it be a ghost?" She stared into the pitch‑blackness ahead.

"H‑how could there be a ghost…"

"No—something really is in there," Yami said gravely, her gaze fixed inside.

"Get out, or else—"

~~~

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