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A sudden shout.

That voice belonged to the girl evil spirit who had been threatening us just moments ago.

– “If the hero saves the princess, a passionate kiss is a must! And what’s with carrying her on your back? Don’t you know how to hold the princess? You have no sense at all!”

…?

While I stood awkwardly unable to draw my sword with Yuli on my back, the girl evil spirit suddenly appeared again, saying something odd.

“What…?”

“Hi-eek!”

Yuli screamed once again, surprised by the sudden appearance of the girl evil spirit.

– “Ah… This isn’t right…”

However, rather than attacking us again, the girl evil spirit seemed to be watching us nervously.

In fact, unlike before when she was threatening, she had neither horns, wings, nor claws.

In the meantime, I quickly lowered Yuli to the ground and drew my sword.

– “Tch, since I got caught, I guess there’s no help for it! Ghosts, come on!”

Snap!

As the girl evil spirit snapped her fingers in the air, the ghostly horde that had been blocking Selian, Anne, and Frecia reappeared.

Then, unlike before, this time they formed a dome shape…

– “Once you save the princess, finishing with a deep kiss is the proper way! You can’t leave until you kiss!”

They trapped us just like that.

I approached the edge of the translucent dome and swung my sword, but the resistance felt quite solid.

It seemed the sound was isolated from the outside, as the three people outside were shouting something, but I couldn’t hear a thing.

“A, a kiss…?”

Did Yuli hear what the evil spirit said? She covered her mouth with both hands and, with wide eyes, whispered.

Yuli stared up at me, sitting down, as her face began to gradually turn red from embarrassment.

“Well… that probably seems like the evil spirit’s prank.”

Most likely, all the tricks from before in the basement were the doing of this evil spirit.

The power I sensed from the evil spirit hovering in mid-air still felt substantial.

Breaking through this dome would probably be impossible for us.

But thinking back to the previous rooms, it was highly likely that if we just did what that girl evil spirit said and kissed… they would likely let us go peacefully.

“Actually, I was trapped in a strange room while looking for Yuli earlier.”

I started to explain the situation to Yuli, who was still unsure of what was happening.

“So, all we need to do is kiss to get out?”

“Um… yeah, that’s about it.”

Outside, they were still trying to rescue us, swinging their swords and casting spells, but to no avail.

“Phew, ha…! Yes! I’m ready! Come on!”

Interestingly, in the meantime, Yuli quickly gathered her courage and spread her arms towards me.

I glanced back at the girl evil spirit, who had taken a position as if sitting on a chair, cupping her chin with both hands as she watched us.

She looked so cheerful, it made me want to give her a light smack on the head.

…I felt like a spectacle, which wasn’t pleasant, but there was no other way to go about it.

I slowly approached Yuli and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

I had already kissed Anne, but… since this time the ghost explicitly mentioned a kiss, it probably wouldn’t be just a peck.

Still, thanks to the embarrassment I had faced repeatedly, I slowly drew closer to Yuli’s lips.

And just before our lips touched, feeling our breaths intertwine,

Slash!

I heard a slashing sound reverberate through the previously quiet dome.

Startled, I turned my head to see Selian walking towards us, cutting through the wall of the dome.

– “How did you manage to break through the ghosts’ wall?”

The girl evil spirit seemed shocked as she looked at Selian, uttering something in disbelief, and Selian also turned to look back at the girl evil spirit.

– “Hieek!”

But it was just their gazes meeting, and the girl evil spirit let out a scream, backing away with both her hands and feet.

While everyone else stood frozen in shock, only Selian was walking steadily towards the girl evil spirit.

And as Selian reached the backing away girl evil spirit…

…Though the power was certainly much greater in the girl evil spirit, for some reason she was trembling in front of Selian.

“Can I just leave now?”

Selian asked in a calm voice, not trying to scare the girl evil spirit.

Nod, nod, nod.

In response to Selian’s question, the girl evil spirit couldn’t even answer and vigorously nodded her head up and down instead.

What could it be that frightened the girl evil spirit so?

That question was resolved almost immediately.

“Elysia?”

“Yes, yes!”

This time, Selian approached us, calling my name.

While she was smiling as usual, her voice calling my nickname was calm yet carried an eerie chill.

It suddenly felt colder than when the evil spirits were around earlier.

“Shall we head back?”

Nod, nod, nod.

In the midst of an inexplicable fear, all I could do was nod my head along with the girl evil spirit.

“Alright, then I’ll carry Yuli.”

“No, I’m fine…”

Though Yuli tried to refuse Selian’s kindness, she still had no strength in her legs and inevitably had to get on Selian’s back.

– “W-we want to go too!”

Just as we were about to return since we had saved Yuli and settled everything, the girl evil spirit, who had been quivering in the corner, shouted out.

– “Th-that is…”

As everyone’s gaze turned towards the girl evil spirit, she stammered for a moment and then finally spoke.

– “I’m so tired of this basement. There are no friends visiting anymore… I’m bored!”

“Be careful. If that evil spirit comes at us with all its might…”

– “I’m not an evil spirit!”

Just at the moment Frecia was warning us to be cautious, the girl evil spirit interrupted.

– “Evil spirit, evil spirit, that cursed evil spirit! Have you ever seen such a pretty evil spirit? Our ghosts are just as cute!”

Then she pointed at the dozens of evil spirits that had turned from a dome shape back into human shapes.

The dozens of evil spirits were scratching their heads or twisting their bodies, acting all shy and embarrassed.

…Just looking at them was enough to understand they weren’t actually evil spirits.

Well, even though they were renamed from “evil spirits” to “ghosts,” it didn’t justify why they should accompany us.

“But still, aren’t they ghosts? They must be weak against sunlight, and it would be hard for them to leave this place anyway?”

Most ghosts can be classified as lingering spirits.

They are beings who died with a tragic story regarding that place or, like now, newly formed ghosts created from an accumulation of negative energy.

– “It’s okay! This friend will help us!”

With a sudden pop, the disappearing girl ghost appeared next to Selian, or rather, right next to Yuli.

Along with her, the group of ghosts had also gathered around Selian and Yuli.

– “We have an extremely high resonant ability! As long as we’re near this friend, we can maintain our forms!”

“Eek!”

As the girl ghost placed her hands on Yuli’s shoulders, she screamed and dove into Selian’s back.

Even the strength in her grip around Selian’s neck was so tight that Selian was choking and struggling despite the size difference.

– “Hey, hey. Let’s make a contract! Take us with you!”

“Waaaaah! I really don’t want to…”

Yuli began to cry again, soaking Selian’s back with tears.

Though it was unfortunate for the ghosts, with Yuli so frightened, there was no way to talk of contracts.

However, the girl ghost persisted as though it was her last chance, clinging on and trying to persuade.

– “You’re the first person who can handle all of us. Okay? Don’t cry, let’s make a contract!”

“G-get away…”

Upon Yuli’s words, the swarm of ghosts retreated again. It seemed they were listening to Yuli well, likely due to that resonant ability or whatever it was.

Yet amid them, the girl ghost remained stubbornly close to Yuli.

“Enough already…”

As I could no longer sit back and watch, just as I was about to step forward, the girl ghost spoke again.

– “We showed you our strength earlier, didn’t we? If it’s you, you could fully unleash our abilities outside! If you ever find yourself in trouble, we will help you.”

“Sniff… strength…? Really?”

– “Really! Of course, it won’t be as strong as here due to this basement’s characteristics, but that doesn’t mean our strength will weaken outside. For most foes, we’ll be more than a match!”

“If that’s the case…”

“Yuli, don’t trust them so easily. What if the ghosts are lying?”

“I doubt they are lying. If they aren’t evil spirits, then these fear-free ghosts could be seen as a type of spirit too. Although that’s just a metaphor.”

– “That’s right! Have you ever seen such kind ghosts? We may enjoy some mischief, but we aren’t bad ghosts!”

The girl ghost desperately defended herself.

Did her words manage to turn Yuli’s heart? Yuli smiled slightly and spoke to the girl ghost.

“Hehe… You must have been very lonely for a while. Come along with me now.”

– “A-are you serious?! No turning back? If it’s a lie, I might become a real evil spirit then!”

“Right, I said it’s a contract. My name is Yuli Atillea. What is your name?”

Finally, having achieved the desired contract, the girl ghost lowered her head with a gloomy face at Yuli’s question.

– “…I don’t have one.”

“Eh?”

– “How could there be one? I was born here and have lived here alone all this time.”

The girl ghost’s voice was filled not just with ghostliness, but a deep melancholy.

“…Then can I name you?”

– “Name me…?”

“Is that okay… or doesn’t it feel good?”

– “No! I’m just surprised. I never thought someone would want to give me a name…”

Whether it was the truth that she was surprised or not, there was a tremor in the girl ghost’s voice.

“Selian, could you let her down?”

“Are you sure it’s alright?”

“Yes, I feel calm now.”

Having regained her strength and not having any trouble, Yuli stood facing the girl ghost.

Then she reached out and grasped the girl ghost’s half-transparent hands.

“From now on, your name is ‘Linne’. Linne Atillea. I will be your family. From now on, we will be sisters, siblings, and friends.”

– “Linne… Atillea…”

“Is it not to your liking…?”

Wiggle, wiggle.

The girl ghost, who now possessed the name Linne, shook her head vigorously as if the wind was blowing.

– “No! I’m just… so happy! Yes! I am now Linne Atillea! Yuli’s family and friend, Linne Atillea!”

With Linne’s words, a faint light enveloped the hands of the two.

A moment later, the light that had enveloped one person and one ghost disappeared.

However, unlike before, Linne’s body appeared to have more substance than earlier.

Though it remained semi-transparent, it was now hard to tell she was a spirit unless you looked closely.

– “Yuli!”

Linne suddenly supported Yuli, who was sitting down.

Yuli smiled faintly at Linne and said,

“Hehe… I feel a bit tired.”

“It’s probably because of the contract.”

As Frecia took a step closer to Yuli, she began to explain.

“Even making a contract on names binds our souls together; and seeing as we established a strong bond with a name given, it’s quite surprising it ends up exhausting you. Just as Linne mentioned, it’s probably thanks to the resonant ability of your souls.”

Well, that’s about the gist of it.

– “Uuuung.”

After the contract with Linne ended, the group of ghosts approached Yuli, as if expressing their desire for names too.

“Hi-eek!”

But while Linne had now become a sense of familiarity, the ghosts were still scary, causing Yuli to scream and cling to Linne once more.

Hey, Yuli? Linne’s just like those guys, you know?

“That’s a story for those ghosts, but right now with your power, you can’t name them. Maybe in the future when you become stronger.”

“W-will those ghosts remain here…?”

While still scared, Yuli was worried about the ghosts.

The ghosts, too, seemed despondent, their shoulders slumping in disappointment.

“Well, I think I can help with that. While naming them isn’t feasible, arranging simple contracts shouldn’t be too hard if I assist.”

As Frecia offered positive news, the ghosts began to hug one another joyfully as if celebrating with glee.

Ultimately, thanks to Frecia’s help, Yuli could contract with a total of 99 ghosts, aside from Linne.

It may seem like a lot, but it was really 100.

“Giving them names will depend entirely on you, so make sure to work hard from now on.”

“What… should I do?”

Having received help from Frecia, honorifics naturally came out of Yuli’s mouth.

“Well, I’m not well-versed in that area. But perhaps learning spirit magic or contract magic would be helpful?”

“Magic…?”

“Hey, but… if we go back now, won’t the dormitory or academy end up in chaos?”

While Yuli was quietly contemplating, Anne suddenly brought up the point.

Thinking about it, if all these ghosts began to follow Yuli around, the potential for mayhem was significant.

No matter how much we assured that Yuli was now safe after contracting, there could still be others who would be scared alongside her, and some might take issue just with the existence of ghosts themselves.

– “Don’t worry about that part!”

Just as Yuli, Frecia, Anne, Selian, and I were all lost in thought, Linne shouted confidently.

– “Ghosts! Stealth mode, activate!”

Snap!

Once again, Linne snapped her fingers towards the air.

Following that signal, the ghosts’ forms became not just translucent but completely vanished from sight.

Even the presence we had previously sensed from the ghosts disappeared.

Wow, this is a skill I’d really like to learn as an assassin.

– “Hehe… This should do it. Of course, I can do it too! But it’s like hiding inside Yuli’s body, so I can’t be too far!”

“Well then, I guess that settles everything. It’s getting late. Let’s head back.”

I wasn’t sure exactly what time it was, but I could definitely feel that a lot of time had passed.

Thus, we returned to the dormitory, accompanied by our new friends Linne and the ghosts.

– “Uuuung.”

“Hi-eek!”

…By the way, having formed a contract and still getting surprised by every ghost was so very much like Yuli.

 

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