Castle Phantom

Getting closer to the Smolenice Castle, the group stops at a certain store just outside.

“This is a souvenir store that my friend’s family owns. He’s here during the weekends, renting out paintball equipment,” Ravel explains to everybody.

“P-paintball?!” Eleona’s face is fills with terror.

“Yes! We’re gonna play a game of paintball in the marked area of the forest!”

“Woah, woah, woah, nobody told me anything about this! I hate pain!” Eleona protests further.

“Don’t worry, Eleona! I’ll protect you!” Zhang steps forward to reassure her.

“It’s gonna be fine, Eli! I’m very excited!” Fantasia rubs her back.

“I-I guess I have no choice then…” Eleona tilts her head upwards but it sinks back down.

“Go use that cabin over there to get changed into your old clothes and read the short guide about paintball, I’ll go rent the equipment in the meantime,” Ravel instructs them.

Ravel enters the store and spends around 10 minutes inside. Everybody gets changed as the excitement for the game fills the air.

He distributes the protective gear, fake weapons and ammo, small spherical capsules filled with paint, and explains the rules to the group.

The game is going to consist of five two-member teams. Each team is going to get assigned a color and a flag they will need to protect. The objective is to gather all the flags within a 30-minute time limit. 'Killing' enemies is optional, but when a player gets shot, they are marked with colorful splatters of paint. A vital hit renders a player 'dead' and unable to continue until the next game.

“I’m gonna be with Ravel!!” Fantasia exclaims, making Ravel’s infatuated soul happy. They receive red colored balls.

“Guess we have to team up to beat them, as another official pair here, hehe,” Zinia invites Ares to form a team, getting blue balls.

“I think everybody forgets that I’m injured, I cannot play a game like this,” Seko’s disappointed about his circumstances.

“D-don’t worry, I’ll team up with you and p-protect you! You don’t have to run, you’ll just k-keep eyes on our flag!” Leanna suggests while taking green balls and flag.

“Let’s crush them! Bam!!” Zhang takes the yellow balls and offers cooperation to Eleona, which she gladly accepts.

“Oh look, what do you know, we have to team up. What a drag, right?” Yutaka’s too excited to end up with Silveria without having to fight for it.

“Just don’t hold me back,” she already loads her gun with pink balls.

“Alright, anybody wants to make any kind of bet and make it more engaging?” Ravel looks at Silveria, hinting at the last time’s competition in the game of ‘Accused’.

“No, we’re good!” Silveria resolutely claims.

The five teams enter the forest arena, each heading in a different direction to find their colored bases. They are equipped with timer devices set for 30 minutes and walkie-talkies to synchronize the start of the game.

***

On the pink trail, Yutaka walks a few steps behind Silveria, who’s been silent again.

“Hey, did anything happen to you?”

“Yes, seven years ago.”

“…”

“You said it twice… there’s just one guy who ever called me ‘Forest Fairy’.”

Yutaka sighs as he understands she’s figured him out.

“’You’re the hottest girl I’ve ever seen! You look like a Forest Fairy!’, that’s how it went, eh?”

“Where have you been up until now, you jerk?” Silveria’s voice trembles as she turns around to face Yutaka with her eyes filled with tears. “I’ve been thinking about you every single day of my life!”

“Woah…”

“I’m… I’m so glad you’ve found me. You’ll never leave me again, will you?”

Even a strong personality like Silveria now appears more girly and vulnerable than ever before. But this is what Yutaka has longed for.

“I won’t. But let’s play the game for now, the others are waiting,” Yutaka wipes off her tears.

***

On the yellow route, Zhang fearlessly marches towards their base, with Eleona following his lead.

“Hey, Zhang?”

“Yes?!” He’s as loud as ever.

“I’m… I’m very sorry to have doubted you. I didn’t want to see it but… I understand that your feelings, that I tried to dismiss as innocent flirting, are genuine…”

“Did Fantasia enlighten you?”

“…Yes. I just didn’t want to get hurt. But I… but I heard what you said about my skin condition during the Beauty Contest. That I shouldn’t be ashamed of it.”

“And I still mean it! Eleona, let’s form a couple!” He halts his advance to face her.

Eleona flinches at his sudden declaration, “W-what? But it shouldn’t be like this, it’s so sudden, I mean, we don’t know each other that much and, and…”

“Bullshit! I don’t like being told what to do. Screw societal pressure! Who says we couldn’t start a relationship and get to know each other along the way?”

Eleona smiles under her breath, as she’s being drawn to his confidence more and more.

“I guess I have no choice but to give it a thought, huh,” she tilts her head upwards and gets ahead of him.

***

Zinia and Ares have almost reached their blue base.

“Why don’t you face Fantasia, Ares?” Zinia asks considerately.

“It’s very hard… and I don’t know what I should even say to her… I fear I’d blurt out some nonsense just to hide my nervousness again…”

“You’ve known her practically your entire life, although only from the shadows. But I’m sure she’ll be glad to know who her secret knight was.”

“Knight… don’t make a hero out of me, I’m nothing but a coward.”

“That’s not true,” she holds his hand. “You’re my hero. And I don’t want you to regret anything anymore. You’ve been regretting not standing up for her this whole time. Don’t make the same mistake…”

“…I’ll see what I can do.” Ares’ decision brings joy to Zinia.

***

Leanna supports Seko as he struggles to move in the protective gear, slowly making progress on the green trail.

“Have you noticed that everybody kinda makes a good pair?” Seko asks out of nowhere.

“W-what? Well… y-yeah. I think all of them would make a very nice c-couple. Just look at Big Sis and Ravel!”

“I feel a little uncomfortable about it. I don’t want to be left alone since I don’t have anybody like that.”

“O-oh, don’t say that! You’re not alone, you’ve got me here!”

“True that you exercise and I can see myself buying you flowers, umbrellas or other cool romantic gifts, but can you imagine dating me?”

Leanna blushes at Seko’s straightforwardness.

“No, no, no, I didn’t mean anything like d-dating! I’m just saying I’ll be your friend, so that you’re not alone…”

“Oh… you’re right. We don’t have to date just to spend some time together, I guess. And we can exercise a lot! Who knows… maybe you’ll even fall for me.”

“Hehe, I’m not ruling out that possibility just yet.”

***

Fantasia and Ravel have reached their own red base, planting the team flag in the ground.

“Do you think they’re all at their bases already?”

“Let’s check it out!” Ravel activates the walkie-talkie and confirms that everybody has found their starting points.

After the confirmation, everybody starts their timer that will go off in exactly 30 minutes.

BANG! BANG!

“Huh??” Ravel and Fantasia hear gunshots through the walkie-talkie.

“How could somebody engage in a combat so soon? It’s been hardly 60 seconds!” Fantasia makes a valid point.

‘Hey, it’s Zhang! This is bull—t! So---ody wi-h a diffe-e—c---- hit El-ona! It’s----‘ Zhang has been trying to relay a message through walkie-talkie until the signal got lost.

“I didn’t catch a thing!” Ravel tries to reply to Zhang.

***

Seko and Leanna are strategizing how they should navigate the arena with his handicap, when suddenly…

BANG! BANG!

“Aaah!!” Leanna screams.

“What??” Seko gets startled by the shots, and falls to the ground.

When he comes to his senses, he realizes Leanna has been shot twice in the abdomen.

“Fuck, you’re supposed to be the strongest among us! I’m not going to win this!”

“I’m so sorry to get e-eliminated so early! P-please don’t hate me!”

“Hehe, don’t worry, it’s alr- … wait, what color is that?!”

***

“Hey guys, it’s Yutaka.”

Yutaka talks to his walkie-talkie with Silveria being shot behind him.

“Somebody has killed Silveria… with a white color. And they left without our flag.”

***

“White color?” Ravel receives the message. “Oh no…”

“What?” Fantasia, still alive, asks worriedly.

“Listen up, everybody. I’ve heard this urban legend about a paintball player from Smolenice Castle who targets female players. They kill only for pleasure, not caring about capturing flags…”

***

At another location, Ares kisses fallen Zinia on forehead and runs off from his base, leaving the flag behind.

‘The player’s name is… Castle Phantom.’ Ravel’s voice resonates through the walkie-talkies.

CHAPTER 40: END