That sounded like a line straight out of a horror movie. Sunday Serenity gulped.
Sunday Silence's tone didn't sound like she was joking. If that person saw her face, something absolutely terrible would definitely happen. And Sunday Serenity had a feeling that even if she asked what would happen, she wouldn't get an answer.
'Consume'...
Did she mean that literally? Or was it something else? What method could a ghost possibly have to devour a physical body?
It just didn't seem realistic. They didn't grow, they didn't feel hunger or thirst, so how could they possibly eat people?
Before she could untangle her thoughts, the sound of footsteps echoed down the quiet hallway. Sunday Serenity listened carefully; whoever it was, they were heading this way.
Most of the third floor was storage rooms. Even after class, few people passed by.
The identity of the visitor was obvious.
"Cafe," Sunday Silence said. "She's back."
With a creak, the door opened. It was like a signal. Sunday Serenity immediately stood up, turning her back to the doorway.
To run into the real one so soon!
Sunday Serenity wasn't mentally prepared at all. She tried her best not to look at the other girl, and to prevent herself from being seen.
What should her first words be?
Something optimistic and cheerful like, 'Hey, friend, long time no see'? Or something simple and aloof like, 'Morning'?
Just as Sunday Serenity was caught in a mental whirlwind, trying to choose the right line, the girl who had entered the room spoke.
"So you are... here."
Hearing that voice, Sunday Serenity's heart skipped a beat.
It was similar...
No, it was more than similar. It was absolutely identical. Her voice was no different from Sunday Silence's, or from her own—soft and gentle. If not for the slow, deliberate pace of her speech, Sunday Serenity would have thought it was Sunday Silence talking to her.
"I couldn't find you... since morning. I thought you had... gone somewhere."
The voice drew closer. Sunday Serenity shifted her feet, slowly moving away, making sure she kept her back turned. To seem as natural as possible, she deliberately mimicked Sunday Silence's posture—hands shoved into her coat pockets, legs slightly apart, like someone waiting around.
"Hmm?"
A questioning sound came from the girl behind her.
"...You seem... different from before."
Hearing this, Sunday Serenity shook her head emphatically. Sunday Silence was right there, but now of all times, she chose to say nothing, as if observing Sunday Serenity's reaction.
'This is bad.'
"...Is that so? Perhaps I'm overthinking it."
Maybe it had never occurred to her that a ghost could change. After that simple inquiry, the girl didn't press further.
She straightened up the slightly messy sofa, then spoke.
"This afternoon... during training... will you accompany me?"
Together!?
Come to think of it, Sunday Silence had mentioned that Tracen wasn't just a training school; it also had regular academic classes. Mornings were for knowledge, afternoons for physical training.
Usually, it was Sunday Silence who accompanied her.
But today was different. Everyone else could see her. If the two of them showed up on the training grounds together, it would definitely cause a commotion.
Before things spiraled out of control, Sunday Serenity had to put a stop to it. But facing the girl's first request, it felt wrong to refuse outright. So she just stood there, silent, like a real ghost, playing dead.
"I see... I understand. Then, at least... come and watch my training..."
She was very understanding and didn't insist. After tidying the sofa, she left the classroom. When the door closed again, Sunday Serenity let out a sigh of relief.
Silence truly was golden.
"Not bad," Sunday Silence commented. "I'd give the acting about sixty-five points. Better than last time."
"My shoulders... feel like they're weighed down by a thousand pounds."
The pressure was immense. Her non-existent stomach was starting to ache psychosomatically—
"Relax. Cafe can see me, but she can't fully make out what I'm saying. Most of the time, she only gets a vague sense of the meaning. From a few meters away, she might not even hear my outline clearly."
(T/N: I really thought I was tripping cause I couldn't see any dialogue)
"Then how do you two usually communicate?"
If they were 'friends,' it couldn't just be through understanding fragments, right?
"Like this..."
Sunday Silence placed her hands on Sunday Serenity's shoulders, rose onto her tiptoes, and pressed her mouth close to Sunday Serenity's horse ear, whispering, "I~'m~ r~i~g~h~t~ h~e~r~e~"
"Eek—!"
It felt like an icy finger was tracing down her spine. A shiver of cold ran from the top of her head to the soles of her feet.
The sensation was seriously intense—both thrilling and terrifying.
"But your voice isn't ghostified. Remember to keep your voice low when you speak, don't enunciate too clearly. If it's too distinct, she might notice something's off."
"I'm starting to understand everything."
Sunday Serenity was rapidly catching on to being a proper ghost.
"It's a bit of a shame we can't train with Cafe this afternoon, but..."
The girl beside her let out a meaningful chuckle.
Sunday Serenity had a feeling she was thinking about something pretty outrageous.
"Let's go take a look. Since Cafe invited us."
Sunday Silence gave her a push from behind. "Get to know Tracen a bit. See what they're like during training. And there are some things... I'd like to get your opinion on..."
--+--
Her 'friend' was a little different from usual today.
Back in her classroom, resting her pale, snow-white cheek on her hand, Manhattan Cafe watched the bright sun rising outside and couldn't help but think.
No matter what she asked, her 'friend' wouldn't answer, and she'd been resistant to training together. Nothing like this had ever happened before. Was she in a bad mood?
Not only that, but her 'friend's' overall condition felt off.
Manhattan Cafe, who had grown up watching her 'friend's' back, had naturally noticed the problem.
Her 'friend's' movements lacked their usual sharpness.
Normally, just standing there, she gave off an aura of imposing authority, of looking down on everything.
It was this very 'friend' who had pulled her, a young, ignorant girl troubled by ghosts, out into the wider world.
Whether it was becoming an Uma Musume or entering Tracen Academy, both were decisions she'd made under her 'friend's' guidance. She was like a teacher, instructing a lost and confused Cafe on how to move forward.
But now, Cafe was seeing uncertainty in her, a wavering instability. This shaken figure was hard to overlap with the 'her' from yesterday.
Could she be sick?
Manhattan Cafe couldn't help but worry.
But even if she was sick, how could she be cured? Were there any methods for treating a ghost? The thought of asking a doctor crossed Cafe's mind, but reason told her she'd just be dismissed as a troublesome weirdo and taken away.
Her golden eyes turned to look out the window, a worried expression on her face, so similar to Sunday Silence's, appearing.
Because of this, Manhattan Cafe had been completely unable to focus on the morning lessons. The faint, shadowy aura she unconsciously emitted made the Uma Musume sitting next to her shiver, instinctively pulling their clothes tighter around themselves.
"Cafe-senpai!"
After the bell rang, a short-haired Uma Musume with a blunt bob appeared at the classroom door and called out to her.
"I remember you... Special Week-san."
She'd seen her a few times during training.
Whether she was naturally cheerful or just a bit airheaded, Special Week never shied away from Cafe because of her habit of staring into empty corners and talking to herself, or because of the chilly atmosphere she gave off. Every time they met, she always greeted her with enthusiastic warmth.
"I'm really sorry for bumping into you this morning!" She bowed her head to Manhattan Cafe, leaving the older girl bewildered.
"Bumping into... me?"
She didn't remember this happening at all.
"Yes! And you were so kind, you helped me up. But then I noticed, Senpai, your hands were frighteningly cold. My mom says cold hands are a sign you're not well, and that you need to eat more. So, to apologize, please have lunch with me, Cafe-senpai! Tell me anything you'd like to eat, and I'll go buy it for you!"
Special Week thumped her chest, making a fist as a guarantee.
Huh...
Cafe was stunned by the scene.
But... isn't the cafeteria a free buffet?
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.