Chapter 7: Ghost princess: Henriette
Hironobu waited for Fairy and Ayaka to recover their stamina after their consciousness has returned then resumed the search for Firana.
They cut down the ghosts that come out and searched through the castle thoroughly.
Then, they finally reached the top floor.
「This is the only one remaining. Don’t forget to be cautious」
The three of them nodded.
(Templates have the boss waiting on the top floor…)
They searched the rooms being more careful than ever.
But, there’s no ghost appearing unlike the lower levels.
They entered the final room at last.
「Okay, let’s go」
All of the members entered all at once Hironobu signaled.
The inside is a big luxurious room.
In addition, there’s no deterioration of articles like the other rooms.
The curtains and carpets are also new.
And, Firana’s sitting down on the easy chair at the center of the room.
「Firana, are you okay?…Firana?」
Hironobu calls her but there’s no response.
He closed up to her then she stood up slowly.
「Who are you? Get out」
Firana says and pushed out Hironobui.
「Who?…It’s me, Ozawa Hironobu. There’s no way you don’t remember it don’t you?」
「I don’t know, get out…!」
「What’s wrong, Firana? Did something happen?」
HIronobu’s confused from the reaction that’s clearly different.
Firana’s the only partner he can open his heart up to so it’s quite a shock for him.
He tried to close up to talk but this time she turns her hand towards Hironobu.
「I even told you to get out!」
The hand suddenly shines and magic hits towards Hironbu.
A lump of ice is created by her approached Hironobu in a deadly speed.
Not expecting for Firana to attack, he dodged too late.
「You, I won’t let you」
But, Ayaka who’s close by him made him evade.
The lump of ice grazed overhead and hit the stone wall.
「W-wait, Firana-san, what’s wrong with you?!」
Youko tries to talk to her but she’s not listening.
「No! Don’t come! I’m not Firana, I’m henriette!」
Saying that, she turned her magic towards Youko this time.
But, she was cautious after she saw what happened to Hironobu so she was able to avoid the attack.
It seems that Firana’s being controlled by magic somehow or another.
「Henriette?…Could it be that you’re a ghost?」
While her attention is pointed at Youko, Fairy helped the two that were down.
「Ghosts that possess people shouldn’t be able to make a conversation but…」
Saying that is Youko who had her consciousness returned by Hironobu.
When possessed, they just attack without even making a conversation.
「But, we’ll get hurt if this continues. We have to stop her first」
Just as Ayaka said, it’s a fact that they were attacked.
And they can’t just leave Firana who’s already in front of them.
The three nodded at each other and sends a signal to Youko by hand.
「If we can’t talk with you peacefully, we have to capture you by force!」
Saying that, Hironbu dashed out.
Ayakak set up her sword at the same moment and stepped forward.
「Don’t come! I told you not to come!」
Henriette activates her magic while screaming.
That’s a bundle of lumps of ice and fired up in small shots.
Still, Hironobu doesn’t surpass a human being so he won’t be able to avoid this but his companions got him covered.
「The power decreases when it gets small」
Youko swings one of her arm and made a mana shield standing in front of Hironobu.
The shots of ice made a direct hit on the shield that covered his body.
Though the power of one is small, the shield is hit by a hundred small shots.
Though a crack builds from the impact, Hironobu runs away from the trouble in the meantime.
「Uu…don’t approach me」
Henriette activates her next magic while showing an expression of fear.
She raised her arm and an icicle formed a line on the ceiling in an instant.
Then, sharp icicles falls all at once.
「Kuh, this is impossible!」
「I can’t get close, I’m done」
It’s falling with a considerable force and it’s a lot too.
The two vanguard considered that the shield is useless so they retreated.
Seeing that, Henriette lost strength and sat down on the floor.
「Why, why am I always aimed at?…」
She sheds tears as she’s disappointed at her reality.
Seeing that, Hironobu picked up the sword from the floor and talks again.
「Was it Henriette?」
Then, she answered seeming cautious.
「That’s right, it’s Henriette」
Feeling relieved that she answered, Hironobu continued.
「Are you a ghost? That body is our friend」
They speech is different but she’s Firana herself.
Her face, her clothes and figure too.
「It’s the fault of the people who entered without permission. This is my castle!」
Henriette told Hironobu with hostility.
She intends to use immediately whenever Hironobu and the girls make a strange move.
They’re in an extreme disadvantage as they might get injured badly.
But, Hironobu continues to talk calmly.
「Even if you say that this is your castle, there’s no way you’d be the lord of the castle at that age you know?」
If you think from the way she speak, it’s true that she’s still young.
「Uu…But, all of the former owners died. I also died but this is my castle because I’m here」
「Who’s the original owner?」
「The earl. My father made a transaction with the earl, I’m a hostage…but I came here in my own discretion」
「Then, it’s a hostage exchange?」
It’s normal on any world to have hostages as a proof of non-aggression between nobles and between countries.
However, Hironobu sympathizes with Henriette who’s lived a life as a hostage by her own discretion.
「Still, I spent it without receiving cruel treatment and yet…One day the demons attacked」
「And this castle crashed」
「Without having time to escape, even the earl died. And what’s left is me who became a ghost…」
Henriette is bound as a ghost, unable to enter nirvana.
(It must be lonely to die not being able to see the face of the parent.)
Hironobu thought, then he approached her by one step.
「Hii, don’t come!」
「It’s fine, that body is someone important to me. I won’t hurt it」
「Important?」
She looked up a bit in response to Hironobu’s words.
「Do you love this person?」
「Yeah, of course」
Hironobu feels embarrassed saying it face to face but there’s no way he can manipulate the truth.
He likes Firana, he thinks of her dearly.
Did she feel it? Henriette flushed.
「W-What is this…my heart’s beating so fast!」
It seems that’s she surprised from the sudden change.
「My body turned hot instantly…I don’t know this sensation」
Henriette speaks to Hironobu.
「Firana might be embarrassed. Other people are listening after all」
「That’s…I’m possessing her you know?」
She doesn’t look like she believes it.
「What to test it? If my feelings connect to her Firana might answer」
「How?」
「There’s our usual method. We only have to keep me a company」
Hironobu finally closed up to her and he placed his hand on Henriette’s shoulder.
“I’ll teach you how our hearts connect on top of the bed”
Saying that, he carried Henriette instantly.