Volume 3 Chapter 28 Bring Spare Clothes For The Expedition
As the Void Walker vanished, the unsettling aura that had enveloped the area dissipated, washed away by Randy's triumphant laughter.
The ominous red glow around them started to fade, and the broken hallway walls began to reverse their destruction, reconstructing as if rewinding a tape. Meanwhile, the scattered desks and chairs vanished one by one into the void, as if pursuing the defeated Void Walker.
"Whoa, is this...?"
"Looks like we're free to leave," Ellie sighed as she stepped back into the classroom. Outside the window, the once normal scenery was replaced by a bizarre, warped landscape.
"So," Randy teased, "do you believe me now?"
Despite having defeated the Void Walker in the most ridiculous way Ellie could imagine──hacking it apart and headbutting it into submission──Randy remained his usual self. In all her knowledge, Ellie couldn't recall anyone who'd ever managed such a feat.
"If you ever go berserk, I'll stop you."
Randy replied, flexing his muscles with a laugh. "But yeah, don't worry──I'm not about to headbutt you."
Ellie glanced away, cheeks slightly flushed, embarrassed by Randy's bold, determined words echoing in her mind.
"It's... barely a pass," she muttered, trying to downplay his achievement. "I could've wiped that thing out in under a minute."
Randy leaned closer, trying to peek at Ellie's face. "Oh yeah? You serious?"
As he raised an eyebrow, a memory of another time flared in Ellie's mind: Randy's declaration, one she had thought absurd, yet he had made the impossible happen.
──"Back then, I decided," he had said. "It's not about whether I can or can't. I just do it."
Ellie's ears flushed red as she remembered those words────and the promise that came after: "If that time comes, I'll stay by your side." She had dismissed him as a reckless fool, but the memory made her heart race.
"Hey, what're you blushing about?"
"S-stop! It's because... because you're half-naked and way too close!" Ellie stammered, putting more space between them.
Randy smirked. "Ha! Got a thing for my impressive physique, huh?"
"Get away! You reek of sweat!" Ellie snapped, backing up another step.
"It's not sweat──it's pheromones," Randy retorted smugly.
"Enough, you idiot!" Ellie growled, face still flushed.
"You know," she huffed, "to be a real warrior, you'd have to beat hundreds of those things effortlessly."
Randy grinned. "Guess I've got a long way to go, huh?" But the challenge didn't seem to discourage him in the slightest.
(Proven, isn't it?)
(Hmph. Not even close.)
Ellie tried to suppress a small smile, but Randy noticed. "Wait, your face really is red!"
"It's the sunset, you dolt!" she said, punching him lightly.
"But it's already dark outside──"
"Sunset! I said!"
"But really──"
"Shut up! At least pretend to feel some pain!"
From the other end of the hallway, Cecilia observed them. "Sir Randolph... not just a fool after all," she murmured.
Luke, standing beside her, nodded. "An extraordinary fool, perhaps. Just when you think you've caught up, he pulls ahead again. Annoying, isn't he?"
Despite his words, Luke couldn't hide his admiration. Cecilia noticed and teased him with a smile, "You're grinning, you know?"
"Well," Luke admitted, "call me foolish, but it's thrilling to witness a moment of possibility. When someone reaches new heights... it means we can, too."
Luke's eyes reflected a mixture of determination and hope as he watched Randy and Ellie. Their magic and swordplay were far beyond his reach for now. But the word "yet" lingered in his mind, for he believed that if they could carve paths to greatness, so could he.
In fact, he had been climbing up the mountain like that until now. There was no way Luke could go back down the mountain now.
Luke thought about how far he had come up the mountain. There was no way he could go back down now.
"Magic and swords, it seems like I can still get better at everything. This is the best news ever. I can still move forward. There's a long way to go... The path to the top is tough, but if I can see it, I have to climb it."
"You are really a big fool, you know."
Cecilia looked at Ellie and then turned her gaze back to Luke.
"If you're my knight, you have to reach the top."
"That's a tough challenge. I'll work hard."
The two smiled at each other. Just then, Randy and the others came back from their old classroom.
"Randy."
Luke bumped fists with Randy, who responded in kind.
"Thanks for having my back."
Luke's focus on defense gave Randy the chance to fight with full force, knowing he had backup covering his flank. Without Luke’s support, taking down the Void Walker alone would've been impossible.
"You went ahead without me," Luke remarked.
"Of course," Randy replied with a grin. "I'm the captain──I can't let my team outshine me." They shared a strong fist bump, a familiar gesture that made Cecilia smile warmly, while Ellie sighed in exasperation.
"Hey, everyone, look outside!" Cory called out, pointing to the window. The distorted scenery had transformed into something completely different.
Instead of the familiar school grounds──basking in the sunset glow, sports teams practicing, or students heading to the dorms──a massive tower now stood on the playground.
"What is that huge tower?" Randy rushed over to the window.
"I... I'm not sure, but..." Annabelle examined the structure. "It looks like the 7th wonder: the 'New Moon Tower.'"
Everyone gathered to stare at the enormous tower. It pierced the sky, disappearing into purple clouds, and stretched so high that the top was invisible.
"Wow," someone whispered. "That's definitely one of the 7 wonders... not just of the school but of the whole world." The mysterious tower, existing in a space between dimensions, left everyone speechless. Suddenly, it vanished, replaced by a bright, enveloping white light.
"W-What's happening now?"
"Stay calm," Ellie reassured. "We're crossing dimensions. That light is just the energy becoming visible."
Randy squinted, overwhelmed by a series of strange images flashing through his mind: a classroom at sunset filled with students chatting, a man sitting with his head down in sorrow, a woman’s spirit appearing, someone pointing happily at the spirit, another woman shouting.
Emotions washed over him──gossip, malice, fear──all tied to these scenes. Amidst the swirling white light, Randy sensed a presence. He turned and saw a woman at the edge of the room. She looked like the Void Walker he’d just fought but was dressed differently.
"Thank you... for avenging me," she said softly.
"Avenging?" Randy asked, confused, as she approached.
"That man..." she whispered, and in an instant, Randy understood.
(So that’s what it was.)
The flood of memories he’d experienced were hers. This woman had triggered the mystery of the 7th wonder, but she wasn’t the true villain. Instead, she seemed bound to this place because of her tragic story.
(A girl who ended her life after being abandoned by her boyfriend... that’s how the story goes.)
It seemed she had simply lived her life to its end, and then lingered.
"Thank you... I have to go now," she said.
"Yeah," Randy replied gently. "I hope you find your boyfriend wherever you're headed." She smiled at him, glowing as she started to ascend, becoming brighter and brighter.
Ellie appeared beside Randy without him noticing. "...A lost soul," she observed with a smile. "Looks like she’s been wandering here for a long time."
The woman’s final words were, "You too," before fading away completely.
"Ellie, what just happened?" Randy asked.
Ellie shrugged. "In your words, she was just a lonely girl. Nothing more, nothing less." She gave a teasing grin as the light dimmed, leaving Randy and the group in a shadowy hallway.
Outside the window, the sun was setting, and the scenery was getting darker. They could hear the lively voices of students rushing to clean up.
"Did we make it back?"
Luke tilted his head and slowly opened the window. It creaked a bit, but the voices of the students outside sounded a little louder than before.
"It seems like we did..."
Cory quickly helped Annabelle, who had slumped down weakly.
"I-I'm sorry... it's all my fault──."
As Annabelle looked like she might cry, Randy smiled at her and said, "Don't worry about it."
"It was fun to have a real challenge for once, and I got stronger too."
With a smile, Randy made Annabelle's eyes well up as she said, "S-Sir. Randolph..."
"Well, they're a ghost, so they don't actually have bones."
"That's right, you silly Randy."
Cecilia teased, and Luke joined in with a laugh.
"You were the one who started it!"
Randy pouted at Luke, but Luke just played dumb and said, "Who knows?"
"Alright, you've got guts... today I'll show you what I'm made of──."
"Randy, you can't act up here."
Liz had come back without them noticing and looked at Randy with a disapproving face.
The 4 of them were acting so normal that Annabelle and Cory were left speechless. Liz smiled gently at Annabelle and reached out her hand.
"Lady Annabelle, for us, that was just another day."
Liz's kind lie continued the atmosphere that Cecilia and Luke had created earlier.
"So, don't hesitate to invite us again. Even I'm curious about the 7th mystery."
Seeing Liz's warm smile, Annabelle couldn't help but nod and say, "...Okay."
"But if that tower is one of the 7 mysteries, it must be full of ghosts inside."
Randy grinned, making Liz jump a little and her smile falter.
"And it's getting dark here, so the ghosts will be more active──."
"L-Let's just go home for today."
Liz spoke quickly and pulled Randy along with her.
The usual lively atmosphere of the 4 made Annabelle and Cori burst out laughing.
"S-Sorry──."
"Lady Annabelle, let's go home."
Feeling embarrassed for laughing, Annabelle almost bowed her head, but at Randy's words, she slowly nodded and stood up.
"Let's take a break tomorrow and do the testing the day after."
"Y-Yeah, I'd like to relax a bit tomorrow."
As Annabelle nodded, she apologized again, saying, "It's my fault..." But still, Randy and the others laughed as they headed home, feeling like they had a good experience.
"I'm shirtless, but I hope it's okay on the way back."
"...Hey, why is everyone moving away a bit?"
"Luke, we're friends, right?"
"Stop it! Don't put your arms around me! People will think I'm a weirdo too!"
The earlier crisis was forgotten, and they left the old school building with their usual cheerful laughter.
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