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"Creak…"
The sound grated against the ears like nails on a chalkboard as the old, long-sealed door slowly swung open. Dust swirled into the air, making Asher cough as he waved it away.
Once the haze cleared, a strange passage revealed itself, stretching into darkness so deep it seemed endless. Its destination was unknown.
But with Asher's spiritual sight, he could see something unmistakable: a dense, eerie aura radiating from the depths.
This had to be the hiding place of that ghostly girl he had just encountered.
Without hesitation, Asher, with Hutaru-gusa at his side, stepped into the dark corridor.
He ducked for some distance before the passage finally widened enough to stand upright. At its end was an old wooden door, worn with age and neglect.
"This has to be it."
Asher muttered, pushing the door open.
What he saw next caught him off guard.
Inside was a room—a distinctly feminine room, filled with neat, carefully arranged ornaments. The space was clearly well-kept, often cleaned. But what drew Asher's attention most was the center of the far wall.
A wooden table held a box, about a meter long and half a meter wide. Above it, a black-and-white photograph was hung.
The girl in the photo was beautiful, smiling softly. But somehow, the room didn't feel like a normal bedroom—it had the air of a memorial.
Approaching the table, Asher studied the photo. That familiar face… it was the ghost he had just seen.
Curiosity got the better of him as he reached for the box, but the moment his hand hovered over it…
Vibrato…
A subtle tremor ran through the air, coming from a life-sized mirror in the room.
Asher's lips curled into a smile. So that's where she'd been hiding all along.
But even so, he didn't retract his hand. He was curious—what could be inside this box that made even a ghost nervous?
He laid his right hand firmly on the wooden lid, ready to open it.
"Ah—!"
"No—stop!"
A sharp scream rang out, and a slender, curvaceous figure shot out of the mirror, hurtling straight toward him.
Just as she was about to touch him, Asher, facing away, tapped his foot lightly.
Clack!
Two chains appeared out of nowhere, binding the ghost in midair.
"Wha…?"
The ghost struggled, confused and panicked, but quickly realized she couldn't break free. No amount of effort budged the chains—they weren't something a ghost of her level could escape.
Exhausted, she stopped fighting, her eyes wide with fear as she stared at Asher.
"P-please don't open it!"
"I'm begging you!"
Asher arched an eyebrow. "So… what's in here, exactly?"
The ghost hesitated, biting her lip nervously. Words tumbled out in fits and starts, but she couldn't explain properly.
"Then I guess I'll just find out myself."
Ignoring her protests, Asher flipped open the lid.
Inside was… a human skeleton, curled up inside the half-size box.
Asher blinked. That's it? He'd expected something significant, something supernatural, and all it was… was a skeleton.
Behind him, the ghost's wailing filled the room.
"Oh no… oh no… it's all seen…"
"Waaah… now I'll never get married… I haven't even had a chance at love…"
Asher stared blankly. Wait—this skeleton belonged to her?
Shaking his head with mild disbelief, he snapped his fingers. The spiritual chains vanished instantly. The ghost fell to the floor, blinking up at him in confusion, as if unsure what just happened.
"Alright, spill it. What's going on here?" Asher asked calmly. "And why are you even here?"
From what he could tell, the ghost wasn't dangerous—her scare tactics aside, she had no combat ability, couldn't even break free from spiritual bindings, and had probably existed for decades without harming anyone.
The more harmless she seemed, the more curious Asher became.
"You're not here to… kill me, right?"
The ghost, wiping at nonexistent tears, looked at him with wide eyes. Asher neither confirmed nor denied. After all, his task was to trace the origin of the school legend, not eliminate spirits.
Seeing his silence, she began to explain.
"I… I don't even know who I am, or why I exist here. I only remember becoming a ghost once I gained awareness. Humans can't see me at all. Over time, I got lonely, bored… but I could make noises to get their attention."
She paused, then added, "My name is Kanoe Yuuko."
Asher listened intently, processing her words. When she said her name, he frowned slightly. The name sounded familiar… Could she be a character from some anime?
Wait… Kanoe Yuuko… wasn't she the protagonist of that old supernatural romance anime Twilight Girl?
A memory surfaced, though frustratingly vague. All he could recall was her name—nothing of the plot.
"....."