“GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! GHOSTTT!!!” And so they screamed.

“Hihihihihihi~~~~” the ghost, no rather, ghosts that look like floating bed sheets with two eye sockets cut carelessly by a bunch of children, cackled - their ghostly voices resulting in the two figures to turn completely frozen in fear.

“Hihihihihihi~~ It’s been a while since we had guests coming into this dorm~~~”

“Let’s get new comrades for a change~~~ Hihihihihi~~~”

Aediva backed away.

“Cath! Do something! They’re gonna kill us and make us into ghosts!” she said in a panic. Cath shrieked when feeling the ghostly touch of the sheet apparitions circling around them.

“There’s three of them and you’re useless cause you can’t even use magic! Are you expecting me to do everything on my own?!” Cath screamed. Aediva yelped.

“I thought you’re gonna be a great magician! How come are you scared of floating bed sheets?” she said, ticking Cath off with her remarks.

“This and that are different things!” Cath replied, annoyed. The three ghosts cackled as they circled around both Aediva and Cath.

“Come~~~ Join us on the other side~~~” they chanted with their ghostly voice.

“Gyahhhh!!!” Cath shouted,closing his eyes shut as he instinctively breathed out silver flames towards the incoming ghost - an action that Aediva quickly find out drove the ghost away with a fearful shrill. In quick realization, Aediva ordered Cath.

“Cath! Breathe those fires again!” she directed. Cath looked at her in disbelief.

“W-what?”

“It made them back away! If we do it enough, they’ll not come back. Probably” Aediva suggested. Cath frowned.

“Probably?! You aren’t even sure yourself!!!”

“What the hell are you expecting from someone who knows nothing and remembers nothing. Stop wasting time and spray fire at those things before we’re dragged to the Underworld ourselves!” she ordered, bracing herself when all three of those ghosts sweep down to possibly grab them.

Flare!

The moment the ghosts passed through the silver flames, their translucent visage disappeared. All seemingly stand to a halt at that moment as the two looked around in disbelief that their arbitrary exorcism worked.

Aediva let out a long sigh.

“W-We’re good…” she said as Cath looked around with flattened ears.

“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to throw up from the stress…” Cath admitted as the two fell in sync with the encumbering fatigue crashing down on the body.

Drip. Drip.

As she thought, she simply can’t go ahead and find a room to sleep right away. The roof is leaking! A dorm infested with three pesky ghosts and even has the roof leaking. She would like to say that she could just choose the floor downstairs but she’s mentally and physically tired to even clear it in one session to proceed to a room. That said, the room they’re in right now sure is a lot bigger than anticipated.

“This room is super big! And it has an en suite bathroom!” Cath said excitedly. Aediva crossed her arms.

“Yes, but the water dripping from the ceiling is even falling on the bed. Huh… This is such a tiring day. I was hoping I could just flip the mattress and sleep right away. Maybe I’ll wake up from this long dream…” Aediva sighed, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose.

“You… You’re just gonna do that and pass out?” Cath asked with somewhat of a disgusted look on his face. Aediva growled.

“Don’t give me that look. Given the circumstances (you), I wouldn’t just flip the mattress of course. Enough talk, let’s find some bucket to contain the leak. And we have to move the bed to another part where it doesn’t leak too” the youthful female said.

“Huh?! Don’t you order me around, human! I’m Cath! And I named you! Technically speaking, I’m your owner you know!” Cath retorted, only to be blatantly ignored by Aediva who is already pushing the queen-sized bed away from the leaking part of the room while mumbling to herself, “I guess this is the reason why normal cats don’t get the ability to talk. Ugh, my back.”

Aediva straightened up, looking at Cath who stood still where he was.

“You know, as much as I’m grateful to finally have a name given by someone. I wouldn’t hesitate to throw you off the window if you refuse to help. The doors downstairs are also locked. So you better start getting some sort of containers to get this leak under control or you’ll be sleeping in the rain tonight” Aediva said, without a hint of remorse in her tone as she looked at Cath who immediately sprang into action. After a while, Aediva and Cath each let out a tired sigh - wiping the sweat off their foreheads.

“Fuh… I… Really hate… cleaning…” Aediva panted. Just when they thought they’d finally had to the time to finally relaxed, they heard the doors of their room being slammed open. Both Aediva and Cath turned alarmed but soon just sigh when seeing a familiar man in feathered cape.

“Principal Krow…” Aediva sighed out in lethargy.

“Good evening, little bird. I figured it’s still pretty cruel to leave a young girl without necessary supplies and even dinner. And so, I returned with--- Wait a minute, isn’t that the monster that caused ruckus during the opening ceremony?!” Krow’s initially cheerful voice turned quite surprised the moment he saw Cath clinging on Aediva’s shoulder.

“I thought we drove him out! Why is he here?!” the principal questioned. Aediva shook her head.

“He helped me get rid of the ghosts haunting me earlier” she said, purposefully avoiding to answer the question directly since her head is starting to hurt.

“Hm? What do you mean by that?” Krow asked when he seemed to be struck with a thought.

“Ah… Come to think of it, there have been some ghosts that settled here and drove students out of this ‘Aval Dorm’… About a year ago” Krow explained. Aediva didn’t reply, only turning more annoyed at her miserable fate if anything. And plus, a year ago? That is simply absurd! This place seems to have been abandoned for at least a decade!

“So you both worked together and drove the ghost away?” Krow said, placing the two bags in his hands on the single round table that has not been broken in the room.

“Interesting…” the principal murmured before turning to look at Aediva and Cath who looked like they’re ready to drop from exhaustion at that point.

“Very interesting indeed” he said in a low voice as he observed the two.

“I have a question, Principal Krow” Aediva broke a question, gaining the attention of the Headmaster.

“Yes, little bird?” he responded.

“Is it permissible for Cath - this creature right here to stay with me? I might be asking a bit too much for someone who caused quite a lot of problems today but I don’t exactly feel safe staying here on my own. It was short but Cath did help me from being tormented by a ghost that you forgot to tell me beforehand” Aediva said. Krow fell silent, slightly perturbed at Aediva’s merciless remark towards him.

“Hmm… To let a monster live here…” Krow thought to himself before sighing in resignation.

“... It can’t be helped. Very well” he answered. Cath only looked at Aediva in silence, blinking his round silver eyes at her.

“You…”

“However! There is no way I can let someone who was not chosen by the Black Mirror and especially a monster to enroll in the school” Krow quickly made it clear. Cath’s ears flattened.

“And that said, I also cannot just let you freeload in the duration of your stay.”

Both Aediva and Cath looked at the principal with a tired look with a low-energy shock.

“Man… What a killjoy…” Cath complained.

“Allow me to finish speaking first” Krow said calmly.

“The Black Mirror and consecutively, the Ba’athoris Night Academy are also responsible for summoning you here. And such, for the time being, we will offer you free lodging. However, you will have to pay for your living necessities on your own” Krow said. Aediva, once again let out a sigh.

“Please don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking it is…” she said tiredly. Krow chuckled, amused.

“You’re a healthy young girl with a healthy body. Of course, I will not suggest if I think of you as a fragile little bird. The campus is always in need of janitors to clean around the place. How about it? That way you’ll be able to get pay for your services and I too, will be able to give you a special permission to stay in the school compound. I will also give you permission to use the library to gather information about everything that might be able to recover your memories and of course, as well as to study. Aren’t I generous?” Krow said with a cheerful smile. Aediva stared at the eccentric bird man.

In the end, she simply resigned to fate.

“Eeehh?! Noo I don’t wanna!” Cath protest, dissatisfied.

“I wanna be a student and get the cool uniform!” he said.

“If you aren’t satisfied with this, that’s fine. We can just throw you out again” Krow’s reply was calm but the content was definitely scaring the feline monster.

“Gyah?! Grrr… Alright! Alright! I got it! I will do it!” Cath said. Krow turned to look at Aediva.

“... Understood” she gave him the answer he wanted to hear. Krow’s smile only widened more.

“That’s great news! Starting tomorrow, the two of you will work as Ba’athoris Night Academy’s janitors!” Krow announced to the tired pair of girl and monster cat who only responded with enduring sighs.