Chapter 73: Locked Doors and Fluttering Spirits

The eerie silence of the abandoned school was unsettling. The fluorescent lights above flickered weakly, casting long shadows across the dusty hallways. The group stood at the center of the corridor, eyes locked on three classroom doors, each sealed shut with rusted chains and heavy locks.

On the blackboard beside them, faint chalk writing read:

“Find 3 keys to unlock the doors and 11 spirit butterflies to proceed.”

Furina crossed her arms. "Looks like we have no choice but to collect these... whatever they are."

"Oh great, another fetch quest," Heizou groaned, rubbing his temples. "I swear, this is just a never-ending loop of puzzles."

"Stop whining and start looking," Aether ordered, already stepping forward. "The faster we do this, the faster we get out of here."

Hu Tao, ever the mischievous one, grinned. "What if the butterflies aren’t normal? Maybe they’re ghosts, waiting to latch onto someone..." She trailed off, eyes twinkling with mischief.

Lumine shivered. "Not funny, Hu Tao."

Scaramouche smirked, leaning closer to Lumine. "Scared, princess? Or do you just want me to hold your hand while we search?*"

Lumine shot him a glare. "I’d rather hold hands with a corpse."

"That can be arranged," Hu Tao said, laughing.

Ignoring them, Aether gestured for the group to split up. "We’ll cover more ground this way. Let’s go."

The Search Begins

Lumine and Scaramouche ended up searching the science lab. Dust-covered beakers and textbooks were scattered on the desks. The windows were cracked, letting in a cold breeze that sent chills down Lumine’s spine.

"Check the cabinets," Lumine suggested. "Maybe the keys are hidden there."

Scaramouche let out an exaggerated sigh. "Bossy as ever." Still, he complied, opening one of the old drawers. A cloud of dust puffed out, making him cough. "Ugh, disgusting."

"Oh, quit whining—" Lumine’s words were cut short when she noticed something glowing faintly in the corner of the room. A small, ethereal butterfly fluttered just above an overturned desk, its wings a soft shade of blue.

"Found one!" She reached out, and the moment her fingers brushed against it, the butterfly vanished into thin air, leaving behind a faint sparkle.

"One down, ten more to go," she muttered.

Scaramouche leaned lazily against a desk. "You’re really into this, huh?"

"Maybe because I want to get out of here?" Lumine shot back.

"Tch. And here I thought you were enjoying our alone time." He grinned.

Lumine groaned. "Can you shut up for two seconds?"

"Not a chance."

Before Lumine could retort, Heizou’s voice rang through the hall. "I found a key!"

Unlocking the First Door

The group regrouped near the locked classrooms, Heizou holding up an old, silver key. "Let’s see which one it opens," he said, inserting it into the first door’s lock.

With a loud click, the chains fell away, and the door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit room. Inside, the walls were covered in strange, faded writings. Another glowing butterfly fluttered by the window.

Hu Tao rushed in. "Two butterflies down!" she cheered, grabbing it.

"Let’s hurry and find the rest," Aether urged. "We don’t know how much time we have."

As they ventured deeper into the haunted school, none of them noticed the shadow watching from the far end of the hallway…