Chapter 45 – Ghosts, No, It’s Magic

　Next morning, I wake up, take a shower, change into my exploration clothes, and finally put on the long coat I’d been given when I joined the Clan.

“………Does it look good on me?”

　I look at the outfit with a mirror, but I’m not sure if it suits me.

　Right now, I feel out of place in this attire, but I hope I’ll get used to it soon.

　Seeing myself in this attire makes me realise once again that I’ve really joined “Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit.

　After changing, I sit down on a chair and eat some portable food I made myself.

　During labyrinth exploration, it’s not unusual to have to perform strenuous movements. 

　If you eat a full meal in the morning, in the worst case, there’s a chance you might vomit it all up.

　Therefore, on days where I go on labyrinth explorations, I only eat a little bit of nutritious food. 

　For the taste, somehow through trial and error, it’s at the point where it doesn’t taste bad. 

　After finishing a simple breakfast, I go outside and buy three different newspapers. 

　Returning to the Clan headquarters, I proceed to the operations room where we’ll be meeting today. 

　On my way there, I take some books out from the library and enter the operations room. 

　The current time is a little past seven.

　There are about two hours until it’s time.

　I put the newspapers and the books I brought on the table in the centre of the room and sit down on a chair.

　To kill sometime until the meeting, I’ll be doing some reading. 

　　◇

　After I’d been reading for a while, the door was opened forcefully.

“I’m first today too–! –Eh, Orn’s here!? How early~!

　Lucre entered the room in high spirits.

“Morning.”

　Without shifting my gaze from the book, I greet Lucre.

“Yeah, morning. You reading?”

　Reaching a good place in the book, I stop reading, close the book and turn towards Lucre.

“Yeah, well. I had some time.”

“Still, you’ve brought too many, haven’t you? Surely you can’t read them all?”

　There are thirty two books on the table.

　On my right, there are a total of thirty books in piles of five. 

　On my left side are two books.

“The ones stacked here are those I’ve already finished reading though?”

　I answer Lucre’s question while pointing to the thirty books on my right. 

“……Huh? Eh, don’t tell my you’ve been reading since yesterday without sleep? We’re exploring the labyrinth today, you know!?”

“No, I did sleep. I’ve been here since about seven.”

“Oh, that’s good. Wait, then you couldn’t have read this much, right!?”

“Lucre, you have a good point, but I’m a fast reader. So it’s true that I’ve already finished these books.”

“O, oh……. A fast reader. It’s really amazing that you can read this much in an hour and a half!”

　Lucre is honest in her praise.

　I’m aware that I’m cynical, so I’m a bit bad with people who are open and honest, but for some reason I don’t find Lucre hard to deal with. 

　I wonder why?

“Thanks. We’re going to be exploring the labyrinth afterwards, so I think I’ll leave the leisure reading for here now.” 

　Saying so, I stand up and activate the same magic that I’d used to bring to bring the books here making the books float. 

“Eh, magic……? Wonderful! I’ve never seen anything like this!”

　This is also one of my original magics.

　It can only levitate light objects, so it can’t levitate people, but it’s very useful in everyday life.

　I heard that “Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit” has some secret techniques, so I’d thought this magic might just be one of them, but Lucre’s surprise means that this magic is also not known here. 

　That’s a good thing to discover.

　At that moment, the door opens and Lain enters.

“Lucre, don’t make a fuss from the morning, seriously. –Eh?”

　As Lain asks Lucre to be mindful, it looks like she sees the books floating in the air. 

　Seeing books floating and trembling, she mutters “poltergeist……? ghost……?” and appears quite frightened.  

“Lain isn’t good with ghosts, you see. Even though she’s fine if they’re in the labyrinth– Ah, got it. Hee hee.”

　After Lucre explains to me by whispering into my ear, she seems to have come up with something and smiles wickedly.

“Kya–, Lain, ghost, spooky.”

　Really monotonously……

　Lucre grins and asks Lain for help.

“It was a ghost after all!? I, it’s okay, Lucre. L, leave this to your, s, sister here!”

　Her voice shook unreliably.

　Even so, she tries to protect Lucre, perhaps out of pride as someone older.

　Her frightened figure matches her appearance. 

　It looks interesting, so I watch without correcting her.

　Then.

“……Hmm?”

　Magic power concentrates around Lain and a magic formation appears.

“Wait, Lain, don’t do that!”

　Lucre, who sees the magic formation, is surprised and tries to stop Lain.

(Attack magic!? Not good!)

　I judged it to be intermediate magic from the amount of magic power flowing into the magic formation, and promptly disrupted the magic power around Lain.

“My magic power can’t flow well!? G, ghosts can do this sort of thing!? But I won’t lose!”

　Even while she’s shocked, she still tries to forcefully channel magic power into the magic formation.

　As expected of a Magician from an S Rank party. –Wait, this isn’t the time to be impressed!

“Sorry, Lain! This isn’t a ghost, it’s my magic! So don’t fire off your attack magic here!”

　Saying that, I hastily release my magic and stack the books on the desk.

“……Eh? Orn’s, magic?”

　Understanding that this wasn’t because of a ghost, Rain erased her magic formation. 

　Seriously panicked……

“Yeah, I was using magic to levitate the books for putting them away.”

“Ah-……, so, that’s what it was……. I, I’m not scared anymore. I almost ended up making a light attack, didn’t I?”

　Light? It’s true that the power was suppressed, but…..

　Lucre moves toward me, away from the reassured Lain.

“I’m sorry, Orn. I didn’t think Lain would react so seriously…….”

“It’s good nothing happened in the end……”

　I made a firm vow to myself that I would never mess around with Lain ever again.