Transmigrated as an Extra: Awakening of The Ex‐Class'-Chapter 63 : Haunted building part 1

She jumped slightly, surprised, perhaps thinking that no one had seen her. She quickly tried to hide the book behind her back, but it was too late. I had already seen it.

"Nothing important," she replied, trying to keep her composure, although a slight blush was beginning to appear on her cheeks. "I was just... checking something."

"Checking something?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow in a mocking gesture. "A romance book? Amelia, I didn’t know you had such a... passionate side."

She crossed her arms and gave me a look that could have melted steel, but I wasn’t intimidated. I looked back at her with a smile on my face.

"It’s not what you think," she said, trying to sound serious, although the blush on her face gave her away. "I just wanted to... find out something."

"Sure, sure," I replied, holding her gaze with a mischievous smile. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Although, if you want, I can recommend some titles.

Amelia sighed, annoyed by my clear mockery, but also seemed to be struggling. Finally, she stopped hiding and brazenly pulled the book out from behind her back.

"Okay, you got me," she said, admitting defeat. "But if you tell anyone about this, I assure you that you’ll find your name on the list of people who "accidentally" got hurt during a combat exercise."

"I promise to keep your secret," I said, raising my hands in surrender. "Although, I must admit, I’m surprised to see this side of you. Amelia Hart, the princess of the Grimio Dawn reading about forbidden loves and fiery passions. Who would have thought?" I said in a raised and exaggerated tone.

She rolled her eyes, but this time she couldn’t help but laugh a little. It was a soft laugh, almost imperceptible, but it was there.

—Well, since you’re here —she said, changing the subject—, how about you help me get this book out without anyone else noticing? Then I’ll forgive you for stealing it from me.

—Sure, but you owe me a favor—I answered, approaching the counter and taking the book from her hands—. Is the protagonist a mysterious warrior with a dark past? Or maybe a love story between two rival cadets? I asked as I passed the book across the counter.

Amelia gave me another dirty look, but this time she couldn’t help but smile.

—Shut up—she said, giving me a gentle push.

After taking the book out and making sure no one saw us, we walked together towards the library exit. Amelia held her book carefully, as if it were a precious treasure.

—Thanks—she said, looking at me with an expression I couldn’t quite decipher.

—Okay, see you later—I replied, smiling.

After saying goodbye to Amelia, I headed to my room. The whispering of students could be heard in the hallways, but I paid them no attention. Upon reaching my room, I opened the door and let myself fall onto the bed, feeling the weight of the day fall on my shoulders. The mattress gave way under my weight, and for a moment, I closed my eyes, letting the darkness envelop me.

***

The next morning I woke up early, as usual. The sun was just beginning to filter through the curtains of the room, illuminating the space with a soft, golden light. I quickly dressed, putting on a white sweater and a gray sweatshirt, and headed out to the gym. Since I had secured my place as a second-year student at NOVA, I had access to its top-notch facilities. However, this particular gym was exclusive to Class A students, a privilege not everyone could enjoy.

As I walked through the halls, the sound of my footsteps echoed throughout the place, soon arriving at a reinforced metal door, imposing and cold. I held the bracelet on my left arm in front of the reader, and it glowed in blue tones, scanning the gem embedded in the center of the bracelet.

«Beep»

A soft hum, like that of a mechanical bee, resonated in the air, and the door opened with a soft click.

I entered, expecting to be the first to arrive, but I was wrong. Erwing was already there, lifting gravitational weights with an ease that seemed almost supernatural. His blond hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat, and his muscles tensed with each movement. Looking at him like that, there was no doubt why he was the protagonist.

«Don’t you sleep?» I asked, approaching with a mocking smile.

Erwing dropped the weights on the floor with a thud and turned to me. His smile was wide, almost defiant, as if he knew something I didn’t.

"Cyan, you’re late as usual," he said, wiping the sweat off his forehead with a towel.

For a while now, we’d been meeting at the gym almost every morning. What had started out as a coincidence had turned into a routine, and without realizing it, we’d ended up getting pretty close.

I dropped my stuff in the lockers on the side and walked over to the gravity dumbbells. I set the weight to 150 kilos and then turned the power up to level 5. The weight immediately increased, and my muscles trembled slightly under the strain. I took a deep breath and began to lift the weights, over and over again, feeling the sweat begin to slide down my forehead. My arms throbbed, but I kept going. This weight was nothing to me, not after having pushed the limits of the human body through constant training.

After a few minutes, I took a break. Erwing came closer, looking at me with those green eyes that seemed to see more than what they showed.

"Cyan, how is it that your body is so perfect?" he asked, admiring my physique with a curiosity that bordered on the uncomfortable. "It’s perfectly balanced. Do you have any special constitution?"

I looked at him for a moment, feeling the discomfort take over me. I stepped back, placing the weights on the floor carefully.

"Sorry, Erwing, I like women," I said sincerely and mockingly.

Erwing looked taken aback for a moment, but then burst out laughing, as if my ridiculous response was the funniest thing he’d heard all day.

—Oh, right, Cyan, he said, lifting the weights again. "But, hey, have you heard the rumor?"

—¿Rumor? I asked, arching an eyebrow.

—Yes, among the first-year students. There’s a rumor that a woman’s screams can be heard in the abandoned building near the lab.

—You mean that old building that used to be the girls’ dorm? I asked, vaguely remembering the stories that circulated about that place.

—Yes, that very one, Erwing confirmed, setting the weights down on the floor. "Although I don’t know why they changed it." The first years came to me, asking me to investigate.

—Why are they asking you? I asked, genuinely puzzled.

—I don’t know, Erwing said, shrugging. "But I’m curious. Do ghosts really exist?"

I watched as his eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and excitement that only he could have. I knew immediately that it was inescapable. This was an event that had occurred in the novel, and although I didn’t want to get involved, something about his enthusiasm made me want to reconsider.

—Cyan, don’t you want to come investigate with me? Erwing asked expectantly.

—No, I flatly refused. "It seems like a lot of work. I commented before he could say anything else to convince me.

—That’s a shame,Erwing said, though he didn’t seem too disappointed. "Well, I’ll be investigating."

As we continued to exercise, time seemed to slip through our fingers without us even realizing it. Soon, the sound of the clock could be heard in the gym, announcing that it was time to go to class. However, the thought of the abandoned building kept lingering in my mind, like a persistent shadow that refused to go away. I was afraid. Afraid that this event, like the one in the dungeon last year, would be altered by some butterfly effect due to my intervention. Also, that strange feeling that pulsed in my chest, a mix of anxiety and a mix of anxiety that wouldn’t leave me alone. I couldn’t help but wonder if I should have accepted Erwing’s offer. Maybe getting involved would have been the best option, but it was too late to regret it now.

History class had started and it passed like a dream. The teacher’s words echoed in the air, but my mind was elsewhere, full of worries. I didn’t know if the reason for this strange anxiety was related to the haunted building. The only thing I knew for sure was that I had to act. But how? I had already refused to investigate with Erwing, so my only option was to follow them silently, hiding in the shadows. If everything happened according to the novel, I could simply leave without anyone noticing. But what if it wasn’t? What if something went wrong?