Chapter 1916 Let me handle this

Chapter 1916 Let me handle this

Did the exit truly disappear on them? That’s the first thing I tried to confirm on the four while they’re still trying to catch their breath.

Of course, that should be impossible. Maybe in their panic, they just kept running around the place, searching for a place to hide. But then again, how did they show up right after I opened the door? Furthermore, I might not be that much of an expert when it comes to acting but they acted genuinely relieved to see an exit to that place.

This was certainly strange.

If earlier, it was just a ghost story and we even experienced exploring inside, their experience was like no other. It’s like they were trapped.

Wait...

Let’s take this as positive. Whoever trapped them inside that turned them into a bunch of screaming pigs waiting to be butchered, helped us get sufficient time to satisfy each other.

I should thank them, no?

Ugh. Alright. That’s absurd no matter how I look at it. However, that ended up becoming the result.

After grabbing the flashlight that already ran out of battery and Juri’s wristwatch from them, I let those four catch their breaths while I shared with the girls my thoughts. We could ask them for their experience later, anyway.

Shizu and Izumi were definitely puzzled by what I shared. On the other hand, Arisa and Juri got their interest in the history of the place triggered.

Arisa even jumped up and down saying, ‘It’s real! The ghosts played a prank against them!’

Well, even if that’s the case, there’s no way to prove that it happened, no? Maybe they just experienced a collective paranoia. They all believed that they were trapped inside and the door they entered disappeared.

“Numbskull, can they go back like that?” Shizu asked.

The four looked haggard as though they’d been bathing in their own sweat. When they dried up, they’d surely smell.

I took a glance at the four who were now sitting with their butts on the ground and still gasping for their breath. Maybe if they had more strength, they would’ve already run away from the manor. They’re even making sure not to look back – maybe thinking that they would be sucked inside again.

“Maybe not... Let’s see... Why don’t you all leave this to me? I’ll handle them. I’m sure they already learned their lesson but let me make sure that they won’t cause you trouble because of this.” I suggested it after a while.

My reasoning for that suggestion was to avoid trouble coming to them in case these four idiots talk to the other students about how they were sent to explore the manor by Shizu and the other girls.

“I’ll scold you next time for this, numbskull. Prepare yourself this Monday, okay?”

“I understand. I’ll accept all the scoldings. I also needed that to serve as a reminder anyway.”

“Psh. I’ll seal off your tongue too. That way, I can prevent that glib of yours from sweet-talking me.” Shizu was expectedly unamused at my response. In any case, I know that she just couldn’t accept that I wouldn’t let her join me in handling these four idiots. She still means well no matter how she worded it.

After giving the four one last glare that made them cower on their spot, she turned around to leave with the other three.

I watched all three of them until their backs disappeared before turning around to accomplish what I set out to do.

“Now then... Senpai, are you alright?”

I approached the four who were just starting to recover. There’s still fear in their eyes but it’s not towards me. Most likely, part of them were still left inside that manor, relishing the horror that they faced.

“W-we’re fine... But Onoda-kun... How long did we end up there and how come we cannot find the exit... The boiler room that you told us about... it’s blocked.”

Starting from that, I listened to their retelling of the events that were vastly different from my experience with Arisa earlier.

According to them, they did see some apparition, or at least, they believed they did.

Well, unless there's videographic evidence, there’s no way to prove that. To calm them down, I made them believe that they were just stricken by fear that they started hallucinating.

Whether they buy it or not is up to them. Do they want to keep reliving their nightmares or do they want to move past it and think of it as just some bizarre experience?

Anyway, once they got back on their feet, I escorted them out of the area, leaving that haunted manor behind.

When I glanced back one last time, the door that I remembered I left open was mysteriously closed shut.

Or did I close it? I don’t know. I guess I better treat that as a strange occurrence instead. Let’s not turn this into a supernatural genre. Whether there were truly ghosts or not, I could just honestly say that I’m thankful for the opportunities we’ve gotten.

Ah. Right. The four idiots believed that I saved them not just from being trapped inside that manor but also from Shizu’s wrath. They’re now looking at me like I’m some kind of a messiah...

If they found out that it was originally my idea to punish them, they’d definitely flip. But well, being ignorant about it will be their fortune.