Ch. 3: The Castle's Rumor
Just after entering the bustling town of Sinva, Leonie, who had just woken up, was surrounded by people.
Leonie: "…damnit…if I only had courage…"
Within that group, I was the only one who heard his quiet muttering…
Without knowing what he had said, the people around us started gossiping.
Villager 1: "Now that I think about it, I heard a ghost moved into the castle while Prince Leonie was gone…"
Leonie: "What!? G-g-g-ghost!? In the castle…"
While I watched, his face turned pale.
[CHOICE]
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Scary… (SUN)
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Are you all right? (MOON)
But at that time, a loud sound rang out behind us.
Leonie: "Eeeeeee!?"
In that moment, Leonie jumped up and looked over his shoulder.
Shopkeeper: "Ah, sorry. I dropped something."
It looked as if the shopkeeper of an antique stand had broken a dish.
Leonie: "Oh…don’t scare me like that!"
While scratching his sweating forehead, Leonie tightly clutched his stomach.
He really doesn’t look all right…
As the sun was slowly disappearing over the western sky, the main street dimmed and the lights started to come on.
Villager 2: "Ah, oh dear. I have to get home."
One by one, the people left, and the two of us were left alone.
Leonie looked in the direction of the castle and his shoulders shook.
Leonie: "Damn it…damn it!! What am I supposed to do about a ghost…I’m not very good with ghost stories…"
A warm breeze ran over our feet.
His head down, Leonie crossed his arms and began to fidget.
Leonie: "If I could just find my courage…like before, I could do anything!"
Find courage? I wonder what he means?
[CHOICE]
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Is it ok to not go back to the castle? (SUN)
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Did something happen? (MOON)
Leonie cleared his throat and took a step towards the castle.
But that foot was shaking ever so slightly.
OO: "If you’re scared, do you want me to go with you?"
Leonie: "I-I’m n-n-n-not scared! It’s just…look, if the ghost turns out to be a little animal or something, I’d feel bad about kicking it out. So I…"
Leonie’s fingers confusedly grasped for mine…
The hand that gently touched mine was sweating, telling me how afraid he was deep down.
OO: "You can do it Leonie."
Leonie: "Y-yeah…"
He tightened his grasp on my hand.
Was it fear that made my heart start to beat a little faster or…
We hurried off to the castle before the night could come.
OO: "When you say ‘find courage,’ did something happen to it?"
Leonie: "That’s…"
He hesitated, and his eyes wandered.
Does he not want to talk about it?
OO: "A ghost...how scary..."
The eerie story made my shoulders shake a little.
And then...
Leonie: "W-what? Are you afraid of g-ghosts?"
OO: "Aren't you Leonie?"
Leonie: "O-of course not! I can handle a ghost or two..."
OO: "Leonie, are you all right?"
He was so obviously afraid that I asked out of concern.
Leonie: "W-what do you mean, of course I’m not scared! I can handle something as insignificant as a ghost…"
OO: "Is it all right to not go back to the castle?"
Leonie: "..."
OO: "If we don't go soon, it'll get dark and..."
Leonie: "Let's go right now!"
OO: "Y-yeah."