Extra 09: Courage Test Gathering — Dare to Come In?

“I—I object! Absolutely not!”

Bohm’s voice rang sharply through the maids’ break room.

Her eyes, always brimming with tears, were now wide open. Her hands clutched the edge of her apron so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

“Oh come on, Bohm~”

Phil leaned lazily against the window, moonlight spilling through the glass onto her orange bob-cut hair.

“It’s just a little courage test gathering. It’s not like we’re sending you to your death.”

“B-But that old house in the rear garden…”

Bohm’s voice grew smaller and smaller.

“Everyone says there’s… a ghost there!”

Su Ling set down her teacup.

The porcelain made a crisp sound against the wooden table.

Her silver hair shimmered softly in the candlelight, her expression calm.

“I’ve looked into that house. According to the castle records, it was built a hundred and fifty years ago as the butler’s residence.”

Su Ling produced a piece of parchment.

“It was abandoned twenty years ago after a small fire. The so-called ghost stories are just fabrications made up later.”

Tii chuckled softly.

She reached out and ruffled Bohm’s messy hair.

“If you’re scared, Bohm, you can be in my group. I’ll protect you~”

“R-Really?!”

Bohm was deeply moved.

“No way, no way. Tii, you’re spoiling her too much!”

Phil was clearly displeased.

“You can’t let Bohm act spoiled all the time. This time, Bohm is with me.”

Bohm immediately wanted to refuse.

But seeing Phil’s assertive gaze, she shrank back.

“Um… with Phil, huh? Can you handle that, Bohm?”

Tii asked.

Bohm didn’t answer.

“And Phil? Do you need me to protect you?”

“I don’t need protection!”

Phil straightened her back at once.

She was always like this—the more afraid she was, the more she tried to act tough.

“Besides, I was the one who suggested the courage test gathering! Of course I’m participating!”

“Then it’s settled.”

Tii smiled, her eyes shimmering with gentle light under the candle glow.

“Tonight is a full moon, perfect for a courage test. Tii and Su Ling are one group; Phil and Bohm are the other. We’ll enter from opposite ends of the house and meet in the central living room.”

Bohm let out a tiny whimper.

But seeing Phil’s glare, she swallowed her protest.

Moonlight poured like water onto the path of the rear garden.

The four girls carried lanterns as they walked along the gravel path strewn with fallen leaves toward the abandoned house.

The night wind brushed through the treetops, rustling like countless tiny whispers.

“I heard…”

Bohm’s voice trembled.

“Twenty years ago, in that fire, a maid was burned to death. Ever since, on every full moon night, you can see a white figure wandering inside the house…”

Su Ling walked at the front.

Her silver hair was almost translucent under the moonlight.

“Structurally speaking, that house has two entrances and exits. Tii and I will enter from the east-side kitchen; Phil and Bohm will enter from the west-side servant passage.”

“Based on calculations, we should meet in the central living room in about fifteen minutes.”

The house gradually came into view.

It was a two-story building.

The outer walls were overgrown with ivy, and several windowpanes were broken, staring like hollow eyes.

Under the moonlight, the entire structure cast a distorted shadow.

“A-Are you ready?”

Bohm’s voice sounded like she was about to cry.

She tried to force calm, but her flickering eyes betrayed her.

The two groups separated in front of the house.

Su Ling and Tii headed east.

“Scared?”

Tii asked softly.

Su Ling shook her head.

“Not really.”

“So disappointing~ I was hoping little Su Ling would be so frightened that she’d burrow into my arms.”

Tii laughed as she pushed open the kitchen door.

The rusty hinges screeched loudly.

The kitchen was filled with the smell of dust and decay.

Moonlight slanted in through the broken windows, illuminating a dusty stove and a collapsed cupboard.

Su Ling’s lantern swept across the floor, illuminating a strange trail of marks.

“Tii, there’s a footprint here.”

Su Ling crouched down.

“And it’s fresh.”

Tii walked over.

“Looks like we’re not the only visitors tonight.”

She said softly.

Meanwhile.

Phil and Bohm were trembling as they pushed open the west-side door.

“I—I think we should go back…”

Bohm clung tightly to Phil’s sleeve.

They entered a narrow corridor.

The wallpaper was peeling, revealing moldy wooden boards beneath.

The lantern’s light was limited, only illuminating a few meters ahead.

Suddenly, a cold draft blew from the end of the corridor.

The flame of the lantern flickered violently.

“Ah!”

Bohm screamed and nearly threw the lantern.

But just as her voice died down.

From the end of the corridor came a clear squeak.

Like the sound of a door being pushed open.

Both girls froze in place.

“Did—did you hear that?”

Bohm’s voice was choked with tears.

Phil swallowed hard.

“I—I heard it.”

They continued forward.

With every step, the floor let out ominous groans.

At the end of the corridor was a half-open door.

Beyond it was pitch black, nothing visible.

Then from behind the door came a faint scraping sound.

Like something slowly moving across the wooden floor.

Phil and Bohm’s blood seemed to freeze.

“A-According to the plan, we’re supposed to go through that room…”

Phil said.

Bohm shook her head desperately.

“No! Absolutely not!”

Just then, another faint scraping sound came from behind the door.

“Run!”

Phil suddenly shouted, grabbing Bohm and turning back to dash out.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the house.

Su Ling and Tii stood in front of the stairs.

“Did you hear that?”

Tii asked quietly.

“Sounded like screaming.”

Su Ling nodded.

“Yeah… that must be Phil and Bohm. They should already be near the central area.”

“Should we go find them?”

“No~ Let’s keep going according to plan. We’ll deal with it later.”

So the two continued upward.

The stairs groaned ominously under their weight.

Several steps were loose.

When they reached the middle of the staircase, a clear thump came from above.

Like something heavy had fallen onto the floor.

Tii instinctively grabbed Su Ling’s arm.

“The sound came from the east-side room on the second floor.”

Tii analyzed.

“It could be a loose floorboard or furniture.”

“Tii… are you sure you want to go up?”

Su Ling showed rare hesitation.

Tii smiled.

“Since we’re here, we should complete the challenge.”

They carefully ascended to the second floor.

The corridor was even more dilapidated than the first floor.

Several sections of flooring had collapsed, revealing the storage room below.

Moonlight streamed in through the window at the end of the hall, casting long shadows on the floor.

Just as they were about to move forward.

A white figure suddenly glided past the room at the end of the corridor!

Su Ling gasped.

Tii squinted.

“It’s fine. It might be the moonlight.”

Tii said.

“Are you sure?”

Su Ling whispered.

“Not sure.”

Tii admitted frankly.

“But it’s the most reasonable explanation.”

They continued forward.

Reached the room in question.

The door was ajar, pitch black inside.

Su Ling pushed the door open and raised her lantern.

In the center of the room sat an overturned chair.

Scattered around it were some charred pieces of cloth.

“Looks like this is where the fire started.”

Su Ling said.

Suddenly, Tii’s lantern went out.

“Tii…”

Su Ling’s voice trembled.

“Your lantern…”

Just then, Phil and Bohm’s screams came from downstairs.

This time they were even more panicked than before.

“We need to go down!”

Su Ling said decisively.

The two quickly descended the stairs and followed the sound to find Phil and Bohm curled up in a corner on the first floor.

Bohm was clinging to Phil, shaking.

Phil, though trying to look tough, was pale as paper.

“Th-There’s something chasing us!”

Bohm cried.

“Nonsense!”

Phil immediately countered.

“It’s—it’s just wind!”

But as she said that, she clearly saw—the window was closed.

Just then.

From deeper inside the house came distinct footsteps.

Slow and heavy.

Getting closer.

The four girls froze.

Even their breathing stopped.

The footsteps drew nearer.

Accompanied by a strange sound like fabric rubbing together.

Suddenly.

A tall white figure appeared at the end of the corridor!

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA——!!!”

Bohm let out a scream that could shatter glass.

Phil simply collapsed onto the floor.

Tii shielded the other three girls behind her, her expression calm.

The white figure moved forward.

Moonlight illuminated its face.

“Lord Knight?!”

Tii exclaimed in shock.

Standing before them was Howard, the castle knight.

He was draped in a white cloth, holding a lantern in his hand.

“Th-So the ghost was…”

Phil stammered.

“Me, of course!”

Howard said proudly.

“I’ve been guarding this tradition for twenty years. But…”

His expression suddenly turned serious.

“You girls really shouldn’t be here. This house is old and dangerous.”

Just then.

A loud crash came from deep inside the house.

Like something heavy had collapsed.

“Get out now!”

Howard’s face changed.

“The house is about to collapse!”

The five of them rushed toward the exit amid dust and rubble.

The moment they stepped across the threshold.

A huge roar sounded behind them—

The roof of the house caved in.

Standing at a safe distance.

Staring at the ruins that had become a pile of debris, Bohm finally broke down and cried.

Phil patted her back.

But her own legs were still trembling.

Tii let out a long sigh.

Su Ling, however, looked thoughtfully at the wreckage.

“Wait…”

Su Ling suddenly said.

“If the ghost was actually Sir Howard in disguise, then the white figure on the second floor…”

Howard frowned.

“What white figure? Tonight I only moved on the first floor.”

A chill ran down everyone’s spine.

Just then.

Under the moonlight, they clearly saw—

Deep in the ruins, a white figure stood silently.

Then slowly turned and disappeared into the collapsed wreckage.