Hello. I am a ghost who lives in the Old School!
Sometimes, people who come here call me an evil spirit, but I hope you’ll be careful because hearing that really hurts!
I just like the basement and playing pranks a little, but I’m not an evil spirit.
Actually, I’ve been here for quite a while.
Back when I couldn’t speak and had no special powers, this building was full of bustling students, but suddenly, everyone disappeared.
The caretakers of the building disappeared as well, and as it grew eerier, my powers grew stronger, but the friends I could play pranks on disappeared, so I was lonely.
Still, for a few years, there were always students who would sneak around with their friends or lovers, and that was some comfort.
Thanks to my increasingly strong powers, I could play much more interesting pranks.
One of them goes like this!
First, I need two people. Why two, you ask?
Some people come here for a bravery test, but often, it’s a guy and a girl who probably like each other.
Hence, two people!
Now, those two enter the room.
Then, I read the heart of the first person to come in and what the second person entering the room desires.
Of course, it’s challenging, but my specialty is uncovering hidden, dark desires!
Then, I lock the two in the room and don’t let them out until they’ve fulfilled that desire.
Of course, I’ve taken full precautions so that the friends aren’t harmed and those outside don’t worry.
Now, what happens next?
Hem! Thanks to my pranks, 42 couples have formed!
At first, not many friends were coming, but it seems rumors spread, and eventually, more people started visiting.
But that didn’t last long.
Maybe because I was too conspicuous, the friends stopped coming, and instead, evil mages came and started tormenting me and my ghostly friends.
So, I hid in my beloved basement and hid the stairs too.
Fortunately, it seemed the evil mages didn’t notice.
But the joy was short-lived.
While I managed to escape the evil mages, the friends I could play pranks on no longer came.
Now, I could read their desires even better, but without those friends, I was terribly lonely.
But then, what a surprise!
After such a long time, a bustling group of many friends came to visit me.
Looking at the young friends, it didn’t seem like the evil mage uncles and aunties had sent them.
I invited the most interesting-looking friend to the basement first.
The rest of the group, being good friends, searched thoroughly for the missing friend, worried.
When they reached the basement, I was so happy.
So, I decided to try playing a prank after such a long time.
The first victim was a cute little mage. Since the child was cute, they wouldn’t hurt like the bad mages, and they’d surely be a good mage.
Sure enough, the little mage brought another pretty friend.
Now, it was time to read the little mage’s desire.
Had it been a boy-girl pair of friends, I could’ve made another couple, which was slightly disappointing.
But wait?
The little mage’s desire was strange. They wanted to hug the pretty friend tightly!
Hmm… The way they addressed each other was a bit odd, but they must be an older and younger sibling relationship, it seems.
We cleared it lightly, and they escaped the room.
Now, now. The first was a bit disappointing, so let’s expect something fun from the second friend.
The second chosen friend was a little red-haired friend.
Wait? The red-haired friend also brought a pretty friend? They’re quite popular.
Now, let’s read this red-haired friend’s desire like we did before.
What!?
Our little red-haired friend is mischievous.
They want to kiss the pretty friend!
Hmm… But are they together, two women kissing?
I don’t know. I’ve never seen it among the couples I’ve helped form.
But it doesn’t matter. It would be fun!
As soon as I locked the door, the red-haired friend tried to break it down. But it’s impossible. At least in this basement, no one can overcome my power.
Finally, both of them found the written phrase on the door.
Hehehehehehe…
Both their faces turned bright red!
This is what I wanted to see! It feels like quenching a thirst I’ve had for decades.
They stood there for a while, but there’s no need to worry.
As I mentioned before, time flows differently inside the room than outside.
And finally, the pretty friend seems ready to kiss the red-haired friend.
Uhuu…
The pretty friend looks very shy. They’ve stopped just in front, unable to move.
Ah! The red-haired friend couldn’t take it anymore, grabbed the pretty friend, and started kissing intensely.
Kyaah!
The last tenth kiss made even me cover my eyes, though with transparent ghostly hands, I could still see everything!
The red-haired friend hurriedly ran out.
I’ve missed these pranks so much. But I can’t stop here.
There’s still one more friend left.
It’s a beautiful blonde-haired friend as lovely as the silver-haired one… but for some reason, I feel scared. I don’t know why.
Even when the evil mage uncles and aunties came, I wasn’t this scared.
But it’s been decades since these kinds of fun. I can’t stop now.
Let’s invite the blonde friend. As usual, she came with a pretty friend.
The pretty friend is getting used to these situations; they remained calm even when they saw the closed door.
Now, let’s read the blonde friend’s desire.
…
…
…
Kyaaaah!
It’s… lewd! Pervert! Lustful demon! Oh, how could a friend have such a desire…?
But according to the rules of my room, I’m obligated to let them act on their desire.
But there’s no way I can write THAT… THAT thing on the door!
I can’t do it. Ghost judges, come out, please!
*
“Hmm? Is it broken?”
The door, which had stopped halfway through generating words, was tapped repeatedly, and we examined it from all sides, but there was no sign that the text would finish forming anytime soon.
Selian also looked puzzled, not understanding the situation.
Just as I wondered if I should break the door this time, three previously unseen ghosts suddenly appeared from one side of the wall.
Clang!
Selian and I immediately drew our swords and prepared for battle, but there was something odd about the ghosts.
Instead of attacking, they were whispering among themselves.
As I considered whether to make the first move, it seemed the ghosts had finally decided to attack and took something out of their sleeves.
But after seeing it, Selian and I were plunged into deeper confusion.
What the ghosts pulled out were not weapons but some kind of placards.
Each of the three ghosts held up a placard with “O” or “X” written on it in both hands.
Then the first ghost held up an “O” placard, followed by the second ghost holding up an “X.”
What on earth is happening?
Based on the situation earlier, it seemed it was the third ghost’s turn. But for some reason, the third ghost hesitated, unable to hold up a placard.
Trying to lift one side, and then the other…
While this was happening, Selian and I stared at them for a while. Eventually, the third ghost seemed to make a decision and finally raised a placard.
The placard that was lifted was “X.”
So… With one “O” and two “X’s…” What does it signify?
But instead of solving our confusion, the three ghosts, seemingly satisfied with holding up the placards, just disappeared on the spot.
…?
“What was that?”
“I… don’t know.”
The room now only had Selian and I, holding our swords, standing there awkwardly.
Leaving the strange ghosts behind, I turned around with the thought of smashing the door now that the swords were out.
But the sentence that was incomplete just moments ago was now complete.
“‘You must confess your love to each other 10 times to exit the room.'”
…
Was I foolish trying to understand what the evil spirits were doing?
Still, this one didn’t seem too difficult. At least it was easier than the 10 kisses with Anne.
“Um… Selian? Can you hear me out for a moment?”
I mentioned my previous experiences with Presia and with Anne when we were locked in, to explain about the room.
Of course, I didn’t go into detail about what the conditions were in those other incidents.
How could I openly say something like hugging tightly or kissing?
“So… We need to follow this sentence to get out, right?”
Selian didn’t seem particularly nervous.
“Yeah. That’s right. If you defy the evil spirit and try to smash the door or make it angry, it might give us an even stranger condition. So, it’s best to play along… Whaa! Stop! Selian! Stop, stop!”
While she was listening, Selian suddenly moved to smash the door, so I quickly grabbed her with my entire body to block her.
I get why you’d be upset about something ridiculous like this, Selian, and you might actually be capable of breaking the door, but if it’s destroyed unnecessarily, it’s possible we’ll get some weirder conditions, so please hold back.
“Come on. Calm down and don’t get worked up.”
“…I’m calm.”
Does a calm person suddenly try to break the door, Miss Selian?
“We just need to… Anyway, saying this 10 times should be enough. It’s not difficult, right?”
“…Alright.”
Fortunately, Selian decided to go along with the prank too.
“Alright, shall I start?”
“Yes.”
Thus, Selian and I sat facing each other to clear the mission.
“Sa… Sa…”
But this isn’t as easy as it seemed.
I thought it would be easier than 10 kisses before, but it seems saying “I love you” was more difficult than kissing unexpectedly.
“…I love you.”
“Huff!…”
I managed to say it once with barely audible voice.
But Selian also seemed to shrink, trembling all over.
“I love you too.”
It was Selian’s turn.
But after listening, I think I understood why Selian was trembling.
It was embarrassing to say, but it was also embarrassing to listen.
Especially since I had a man’s inner feelings, it felt even more intense to feel like I was really confessing.
“I love you.”
“Huh… I love you too.”
“I love you.”
“Ah… I love you more.”
…Miss Selian, the more you try to joke around, the more embarrassing it gets for me.
After spending a considerable amount of time, we barely managed to reach the tenth time, and finally, there was the sound of the door unlocking.
Having exhausted all my spirit, I left the room like Selian, whose face looked detached after the ordeal, and fled outside.
…Just wait until I catch those evil spirits.
