“Nooo! Teacher Evelyn, please don’t beat the haunted house staff!!!”
“A vengeful spirit? No, no, no! She was only trying to scare you—not attack!”
“A skeleton warrior? I swear, he just *looks* scary—he didn’t even bring a weapon!”
Gegelia Tri, the haunted house founder and first-year freshman, wailed while prostrating herself before the Forest Fey, her voice cracking with heartbreak:
“Nooo! It’s over! My youth is over! I practiced summoning magic until I passed out every single day for this festival… Waaah… Everything’s ruined!”
The Forest Fey blinked blankly at the sobbing girl, then turned to Maur with genuine confusion.
“I only injured monsters trying to harm you. Why is she crying?”
*Predictable. A Forest Fey with zero common sense.*
Forced into the haunted house and stuffed into a wizard robe he loathed, Maur cackled inwardly, already cooking up a perfect revenge scheme.
Smirking, he said, “Teacher Evelyn just doesn’t get it~ Haunted house monsters only *pretend* to scare visitors—zero physical contact. You were supposed to run away when you saw them.”
“Run?” Evelyn frowned. “Why not kill them?”
Few beings in this world could make Evelyn flee.
The Legendary Spellcaster truly couldn’t comprehend his logic.
“WAAAAH—!” Gegelia wailed louder, her choked sobs oddly resembling piglet squeals.
*Too noisy.*
To the quiet-loving Forest Fey, the crying was unbearable.
Evelyn’s staff-hand twitched—tempted to silence the noise.
The haunted house was pitch-black, lit only by a flickering wall sconce.
Maur missed Evelyn’s subtle shift.
He fanned the flames: “This was Gegelia’s painstaking effort—shattered so carelessly! Teacher, that’s cruel!”
“Waaah, yes! So cruel!” Gegelia instantly agreed…
—but shrank back the moment Evelyn glanced her way, sniffling *So scared… I’ll cry quietly…*
Maur: “…Tch. What a coward.”
*Stand up! Fight this damn Fey!*
Only fading whimpers answered him.
*Ugh. Never relied on others anyway.*
“Teacher Evelyn, you must take responsibility!”
Dropping all pretense, Maur laid bare his goal:
“You destroyed Gegelia’s haunted house. Compensate her—summon a few Level 4 undead monsters as replacement staff.”
Gegelia’s eyes sparkled. Tears vanished. She stared at Evelyn, hopeful: “Teacher! Just Level 4 undead! My own only reach Level 2… but *you* could summon Level 4! My haunted house would be legendary! Terror level: MAX! Hooray!”
She already pictured it—the shining star of the festival.
“No.”
Evelyn refused instantly.
“I despise the undead.”
She’d never learned necromancy.
Forest Fey embodied life—archery, plant growth. Undead magic was anathema.
*Strange.*
Maur knew this from her notes. So why suggest it?
Evelyn wasn’t stupid—just emotionally naive.
…Ah.
The scheming student had drifted farther from her… and closer to the exit.
“Trying to escape?”
With a flick, Evelyn cast a Level 4 Sleep spell. Gegelia slumped unconscious.
Vines erupted from the floor, spiraling from the Fey.
They coiled Maur’s legs. Tendrils dripped from the ceiling.
*Damn. Plan failed.*
He’d meant to flee while Gegelia distracted her—and force her to use hated necromancy.
“Y-you! This is public! Students will walk in! Don’t—!”
“And as a teacher, how can you destroy a student’s work *and* knock her out?!”
Familiar flowers bloomed on the vines, bearing nutmeg fruits.
Sweet, heady scent flooded Maur’s nose—warmth spreading, breath quickening.
He clamped his nose shut. “Damn it! How many times with this trick?!”
Evelyn’s voice stayed calm: “As many as needed to make your body honest.”
A useful spell never grew old.
His lying mouth? Unreliable. His honest body? Perfectly clear.
“I planned to tour longer with you.”
“But you tried to escape… so we begin early.”
Maur’s breathing hitched. Heat flushed his skin. Excitement surged.
A week of exposure had conditioned his body—nutmeg scent triggered instant reaction.
Evelyn stepped close, hand sliding downward.
*Ready.*
Her student was prepared.
“Shall we begin?” she asked politely, then added, “Don’t worry. I’ll take over Gegelia’s haunted house. Students can still visit—I’ll replace undead with other Level 4 monsters. They’ll have fun.”
Today’s haunted house would surely become Divine Grace Academy’s most terrifying festival memory.
“Huh? Why’s my back so cold? A vengeful spirit?”
“Weird… This place suddenly feels *actually* scary…”
“Imagination. Freshman project—max Level 2 undead. Relax.”
Student voices drew nearer.
“Eep!”
*They’re here!*
Maur froze solid.
Vines bound him into a shadowed corner. Evelyn kissed his throat.
“They’re coming. Won’t you activate the concealment magic?”
*Concealment…?*
Right—the blessed robe she gifted held a permanent Level 4 concealment enchantment.
Gasping, Maur choked out, “Y-you… damn Fey… You planned this all along!”
*Tap tap tap—*
Footsteps closed in.
“Huh? So many vines? What’s up ahead? Other visitors?” a student wondered.
