Chapter 106: Ghost (2)

On the outskirts of the Floating Island.

A wizard driving toward the center saw a strange person reflected in their rearview mirror: a very tall woman. It was a little chilly, but it was nothing to worry about on the Floating Island. It was a place where so many magical events happened, after all.

The wizard continued to drive on without giving her much further thought. After some time passed like that, she casually looked into the rearview mirror again.

“…?”

Even then, the very tall woman was standing in the corner of the rearview mirror. The car kept going, but the woman didn’t grow any more distant.

“What…”

The wizard, belatedly noticing this oddity, stepped on the accelerator.

Vroom—

Her car raced to move away from the woman.

“!”

But, she appeared right before her eyes.

Screech—!

The wizard cranked the steering wheel, driving it into the bushes to the side of the road.

“Hah, hah, hah…”

The car was unharmed thanks to her quick application of auxiliary magic. The wizard paid it little mind, however, as she caught her breath and searched ahead. The woman wasn’t there. She was nowhere to be seen, neither in front, behind, or to the sides.

“Whew…”

Did she imagine it? The wizard sighed, leaning back against the driver’s chair.

Rustle- Rustle-

She felt movement behind her. The wizard stiffened, her bloodshot eyes widening as she looked up to the rearview mirror.

“…”

Sitting with her huge body half bent over, the ghost smiled bizarrely at her, her bright red pupils flashing violently.

“Ahhhhhhhhh-!”

* * *

Epherene was discharged immediately. No matter how much she talked about the ghost, Allen and Drent, let alone the doctors, didn’t believe her.

“Ah~, tomorrow is the start of the class~.”

On the way back to the tower, Julie, whom she met by chance, walked beside her. Epherene looked carefully at the bracelet on her wrist, another new accessory she had never seen before. Her whole body would turn into an Artifact at this rate.

“But, Ifi. Was it a ghost? Didn’t you see things? You’ve been having a really hard time with Deculein.”

“I saw it.”

That terrible visage was no lie, nor was it a hallucination. Of course, she was tired at the time, but…