Someday.

During a break between classes, Morgen asked Almark .

"Almark, do you know the tale of the stone statue of Lord Boruk in the garden?"

'Lord Boruk?"

Almark frowned.

'Who is this Lord Boruk ......? I don't think I've heard of it."

ЭYou've never heard of him? We learned about him in class,......, last year, I think. Was it before you came to the academy?"

Morgen considers.

Almark murmurs, "The garden, huh?"”

"I haven't seen that garden properly, but I think there are a lot of stone statues there"

"Yes, there are a lot of them. The statue of Lord Boruk, you know, in the planting in the garden labyrinth .

"Oh, ......."

Almark nodded.

The vast garden that extends from the main entrance of the academy to the school building is kept up by a large number of in-house gardeners.

These are the same garden that Almark walked through on his first day with Ziad. The garden is hidden in the shadows of the trees, and it leads right up to the dormitories.

Many students take the path through the garden when they go out of the dormitories to the city, as this is a shorter route than going toward the school buildings.

In the center of the garden, there is a labyrinth of plants about the height of an adult, forming a symmetrical and complex pattern, and the paths that lead through them are like a complete labyrinth.

At the end of the labyrinth, there was a stone statue of a scholar or a magician in robes.

This garden was said to be a relic of the former site of the lord's mansion that ruled the island of Nork.

Almark remembered the name of the former lord.

The name of the former lord was Lord Boruk, as I remember ."

This island is now under the direct jurisdiction of the king of Garai, who gave it to the king.

"Yes. , Lord Boruk."

Morgen nodded his head.

“I knew you' have heard about it.”

"I'm sorry,, it didn't cross my mind."

Almark apologized to Morgen and reflected on the situation in his mind. He had crammed so much knowledge into his head that he had yet to organize it properly. This doesn't mean he had memorized or understood it.

"So what's up with that Lord Boruk?"

At Almark's question, Morgen suddenly lowered his voice and made a serious expression.

'Between you and me, ......"

(What a waste of time!)

Almark looked somewhat puzzled.

Mogen shook his head.

"Don't make fun of it," he said.

"The statue of Lord Boruk"

"Yeah."

"At night, it talks."

Morgen looked at Almark's face as if to say, "What do you think? "Almark had nothing to say.

Mogen's face was extremely dissatisfied with Almark's reaction.

" you are more surprised and frightened than I thought ."

“No, that's not really what I meant: ......."

Almark scratches his head.

“Is this some kind of ghost story?"

'Of course it is!'

Mogen's loud voice drew a group of people, including Nelson, Wendy, and Liltie,

"What's wrong, Morgen? What are you talking about?"

Wendy asked.

Mogen replied, "Just in time. Almark is so boring," he replied,

He turns to Almark again.

“Listen to me .Imagine this: it's dark in the middle of the night. It's the middle of the night, you're in a dark, deserted garden, and you hear someone talking in a whisper. Almark, you hear the voice and walk through the garden, wondering who is speaking. The voice seems to be coming from the back of the labyrinth. Even a labyrinth is easy to get lost in, and on top of that, it is dark at night. You gradually get closer to the voice as you struggle to find your way around the labyrinth. And then, you get through the labyrinth and reach the owner of the voice! And just when you think you've found it, ......"

Morgen paused , and then continues.

"There is no one there. Only the stone statue of Lord Boruk stands there quietly. .....".

"Oh!"

Nelson shouts, and Wendy crackles and claps. Liltie had moved away, covering her ears with her hands in the middle of Morgen's speech.

'You sound as if you've seen it with your own eyes ......'

Almark said.

"Is this Mogen's experience?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't think I'd have the courage to do that."

"Have you heard it from someone else?"

Nelson sounded exasperated.

I thought it was Morgen's tale," Nelson said. “So you didn't hear a stone statue talking?"

"Why should I have to go through all alone?"

"Don't be so proud of it. I'm curious about that story, even if it's ......."

Nelson's eyes sparkled.

Nelson is a very good-nature boy with an open and honest personality, but he still retains a childish side compared to the rest of his classmates.

His childishness is evident in the way he is easily tickled by Morgen's ghostly tales.

"Hey, let's all go and see Lord Boruk tonight, shall we?"

"No!"

Morgen answered immediately. For someone who was the one who started the conversation, this was a very cold and blunt answer.

"I don't know why anyone would want to go to such a scary place."

"What the hell, you're the one who started it, aren't you? You're a boring guy, aren't you? "

"No, I'm not that interested in ......"

Me neither. ......”

When Almark and Wendy turned him down in quick succession, Nelson's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

I can understand Wendy , but Almark, I thought you'd understand the romance of men."

"Sorry, Nelson."

Almark apologizes. Honestly, right now he is more worried about daily training than ghost stories.

"I'm sorry Nelson, but I don't want to waste my time meditating."

"I understand. I'll go alone. and find out what the voice really is."

"It's not safe."

Nelson's words made Wendy stop him in hurry.

“I'll be fine. I don't care if it's a forest of night or it's a garden. There's a main gate a little further down the road, and the guards, . Zaid , are there to protect me . There's nothing to worry about.”

Nelson was confident.

I'll go there tonight," and you'll have to wait and see what the voice is all about.”

Almark looked at Wendy, who looked at him and shook her head in resignation.

The next morning, when they met at the breakfast table, Nelson's face had an unhealthy color.

" Nelson, you look awfully pale. Are you okay?"

Almark called out to him, and Nelson looked at Almark with reddened eyes.

'Almark, Morgen ...... was right"

"What?"

'I heard a voice from the back of the labyrinth,...... and when I went there, all I found was a stone statue of Lord Boruk. There was no one there. ......"