Doggone Academy

Chapter 129 The Phantom of the Guardian Tree (8)

In response to my question, Cecil whispered back,

“It’s a bit famous, I guess.”

Right, in a world where beauty alone could prompt a journey across borders, such rumors couldn’t help but spread.

The man in the mask relaxed a bit, shoulders slumping as he took in our unusual getups for a few moments,

“You’re first-years, aren’t you? Why are you dressed like that? Made me jump for nothing.”

By his manner of speech, he seemed to be an upperclassman. The canvas he cradled under one arm and the brushes tucked into his belt suggested he might be from the art club.

Cecil retorted,

“It’s you who looks the most suspicious and dangerous here.”

“Whatever, what are you doing here? This isn’t a place for romantic escapades.”

“And what about you?”

Exaggerating the canvas and brushes, he replied,

“I’m here for painting.”

Cecil crossed her arms and muttered,

“By the look of it, you could be some fanatical devotee ready to offer a sacrifice.”josei

The man scratched at his mask awkwardly.

Victor stepped forward, speaking politely,

“We heard there were ghost sightings in this area.”

Upon hearing the word ‘ghost,’ the masked man tensed up and muttered discontentedly,

“Damn, I told them not to talk about it.”

“?!”

He pressed us with the question,

“Who did you hear that rumor from?”

Cecil answered,

“It’s spread so much by now, it’s pointless to pinpoint who started it.”

The man sighed deeply.

“I figured you came out of curiosity. If you blatantly stick around in front of the Guardian Tree, the priestess will definitely not appear. You’re just a disturbance.”

He spoke as if he had encountered her himself.

Curious, I also chimed in to probe further,

“Have you personally seen the ghost?”

“Of course. I was the first to encounter her.”

“Have you ever spoken to her up close?”

He shook his head.

“No, I approached her while she was praying, but then I suddenly lost consciousness. That’s when I experienced an overwhelming holy power.”

“Have you seen her since then?”

“Just once more, just a glimpse from a distance.”

“…”

“Have you understood? Then, it’s time to leave, don’t you think? The priestess only reveals herself to those with true desire and deep faith. Not to haughty youngsters like you all.”

He spoke as if he owned the place, almost as if he’d been lying in wait for the ghost as soon as the surveillance around the Guardian Tree loosened. Judging by the art supplies he carried, he was probably infatuated with the ghost. I’ll probably see him in the art class tomorrow.

Tonight, I’ll have to remind Trisha sternly once I’m back in the Thorn Garden dormitory.

Cecil countered his remarks once again,

“It doesn’t seem like you came here with a devout heart either.”

“Wha- What do you know about me? I’ve been faithful from birth.”

Cecil was about to unleash a sarcastic retort, so I quickly took her wrist and guided her away. Arguing any further would just lead to a headache.

“Please excuse us.”

“Wait… Candy!”

After we had put some distance between us and the others, I spoke to Cecil,

“Let’s head back.”

“Why are we leaving so soon?”

“There are too many people. Even if the security is lax, a crowd this big could attract the administrators.”

I knew enough by now. If I gave Trisha a stern warning, this ghost commotion would likely die down without further ado.

“…”

Cecil let out a breath, her wine-scented exhalation brushing against my chin. She shook the bottle of wine in her hand, about a third of it still remaining.

“Sigh, I didn’t expect there to be so many party crashers.”

“Do you really want to see the ghost that badly?”

“Yeah, you know the Guardian Tree is a place for confessions? There’s something I really, really want to ask. Of course, I’m also slightly curious to see a drunken Candy.”

“What are you curious about? If I ever meet her, I’ll ask for you.”

“Ha, forget it. Your heart is too sly; the priestess wouldn’t bother with you.”

“…”

Although unlikely, if she really existed, I’d have a few questions of my own, related to Silveryn, things I couldn’t ask her directly. Purely out of curiosity, of course.

“Then take me to the dorm now! It’s scary in the dark.”

Cecil sidled up next to me and looped her arm through mine.

As we walked, Cecil suddenly spoke as if something dawned on her,

“But Candy,”

“Yeah?”

“Why did you send Stitch this morning?”

“Ah, I almost forgot.”

I pulled out the crystal taken from the heart of the wingless dragon and handed it to her.

The previous resentment seemed to have faded a bit, so it was probably fine to ask.

“When you have time, could you please appraise this for me?”

Cecil examined the crystal against the moonlight and asked,

“What’s this?”

“I got it from a lizard in the cardiovascular. It needs an expert appraisal.”

***

After seeing Cecil off, I collected a few belongings and headed to the Thorn Garden dormitory within the labyrinth for the first time in a while. It was approaching midnight.

I stepped inside after opening the front door, and suddenly there was a loud crash from the second floor. Immediately after, Trisha came hurriedly down the stairs, bare feet pounding.

She paused halfway down, threw her body over the railing, and yelled at me,

“Why have you come only now?!”

“Where were you during the day? You weren’t there when I checked.”

“I went to attend classes. What about the welcome ceremony?”

Shoot, I had indeed promised to join the dormitory’s welcome ceremony. Just like everyone else…

Damn it, after all that chaos, the mere sight of underwear now makes my skin crawl. To this day, there are still three baskets full of fabrics taking up space in my room. I never want to experience that foolishness again.

Trisha’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. She slapped the railing, as if it were a drum,

“Welcome ceremony! Welcome ceremony! You already had your fun, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, had quite the ordeal.”

“I want to do it too!”

Involuntarily, I shook my head as if disgusted,

“Do you really want to go through that?”

“Yes!!”

Distressed but bound by a promise, I conceded to hold a modest ceremony for her.

“All right… fetch a piece of underwear or a sock and meet me in the garden.”

“Okay!!”

Ecstatic about something, Trisha energetically responded and bounded off, making a racket as she ran back to her room.

I went into the kitchen, grabbed a pair of firewoods, and also took a spare piece of underwear, then proceeded to the garden outside the main entrance.

I found a spot where the fire wouldn’t catch and split the firewood into a cone-shape setup.

Trisha exited the entrance at such a speed, I worried she might trip. A white piece of fabric flapped in her hand like a flag.

Then she scurried to my side, her eyes shining brightly,

“What do we do now?”

“We’re going to start a fire.”

I couldn’t expose Trisha to the seniors’ barbaric rituals. We would perform the ceremony in our way, more mature.

I summoned a fire spirit to my hand and touched the firewood. The tiny creature fluttered its wings, igniting the wood before soaring upwards and naturally perching onto Trisha’s shoulder. That little one seemed to prefer being around others than me.

Trisha stroked the spirit with her finger and remarked,

“He looks chubbier than the last time I saw him.”

“…Really?”

I couldn’t tell the difference.

“Yeah. Look how plump he is! You sure you haven’t been feeding him too much?”

“I’ve never fed him. I don’t even know what it eats.”

“Then who has? You should be taking care of him! If you feed him any more, he might not be able to fly.”

I suddenly thought of someone who could be spoiling the spirit more than I would. This person used the spirit more aptly than me, but truly, I had no certainty whether they actually fed it or if it had really gained weight.

“…Sit down.”

I sat down in front of the smoke-belching firewood, and Trisha followed suit, crouching opposite me.

“The ceremony begins now.”

“What should I do from here?”

As the fire started to grow, turning into bright red flames, I threw my piece of underwear into it.

Trisha asked, puzzled,

“What’s that?”

“Throw it onto the fire.”

“Is this a tradition?”

“Yes. Do you dislike it?”

“No, it’s completely absurd, and I like it even more for that.”

Her words were affirmative, but her tight grip on the fabric exhibited some reluctance.

“Why? Is that an attachment thing?”

“It’s… my cherished underwear.”

“Then bring something else. Socks or gloves are fine too.”

After hesitating, she made up her mind and said,

“No. I want to throw it. It’s got holes anyway, I can’t wear it.”

She unfolded the underwear to show me a hole, verifying its condition by sticking her hand through it.

She’s like a partially-civilized wild beast. There was no need for her to demonstrate it to that extent.

With resolve, Trisha flung the piece onto the firewood.

The piece of fabric made for the ceremony blackened, emitting thick smoke.

I closed my eyes and prayed to the goddess.

To let Trisha and me live well in Eternia.

This subtle and dignified approach felt appropriate compared to Eternia’s customs.

Trisha wrapped her arms around her knees, resting her chin on them, and watched the small pyre.

The roaring yellow flames reflected in her pupils.

After observing in silence for some time, she opened her mouth,

“I’ve seen this before.”

“…Where?”

“I remember clearly. In a small village called Harongcos.”

“Do they have an academy there?”

“No, I saw it while passing through the village. It’s an old place. There, they called this a ‘soul marriage ceremony’.”

“Soul marriage…?”

“Yes. If an engaged couple didn’t reach adulthood before their demise, they burned their beloved’s underwear and hair together. The union was fulfilled in this manner.”

“Well, there are similar rituals involving the burning of clothes. Probably customary in some cultures.”

“It was sad. They loved each other but couldn’t fulfill their relationship. Even though I didn’t know them and hadn’t heard their story, it was heartbreaking enough for me to cry. That’s why it’s memorable.”

“This ceremony is about new beginnings. Just push the memories to the side for now.”

As Trisha’s expression became a bit sullen, I changed the subject,

“Besides, tomorrow’s an important day… showing up swollen-eyed won’t do.”

“Why?”

“You promised to help, remember? The art club’s friend-drawing class.”

Trisha’s eyes and mouth opened wide in surprise,

“Right!”

“Come moderately dressed. If you’re too flashy, it gets difficult to paint.”

“Got it. I’ll dress very prettily!”

Trisha shook off the gloom and returned to her usual buoyant self. Indeed, Trisha’s resilience is a joy to behold.

“By the way, can you sit still for three or four hours while they draw you?”

The art club seniors are rather peculiar, and Trisha is notoriously unpredictable, so I worried about potential conflict.

Trisha replied confidently,

“No problem!”