OJTTEG-Chapter 16: Ah, the Long-Lost Campus Life

"Morning, Mr. Haunter." Several people greet him as he walks in, one of them approaching directly and smoothing her skirt before sitting in the seat in front of him.

"Morning," she says. "Glad to see you’re not fighting anyone today."

"Why do you think I’d be fighting every day?"

"Because you’ve got quite the reputation."

"Not exactly a good one, Fiona." Haunter takes a bite of his sandwich, noticing that his classmate looks a bit off.

"Why do you look like your favorite celebrity just got diagnosed with a terminal illness?"

"Hey!"

"Sorry."

"How can you be so tactless? Say something like that again, and I might just call the cops," Fiona retorts, her forehead creased in frustration as she glares at him. "Mr. Fighter."

"Sorry again. My bad," Haunter replies swiftly.

He really dislikes being reminded of his "school tyrant" reputation. Every time he thinks about dunking so many people into toilets without a shred of guilt, it feels strange.

It’s as if some deity decided to compensate him by stripping away his ability to feel guilt in this lifetime. It’s like having all limits on causing trouble lifted.

But there’s a downside too. Without the restraint of guilt, as movies often depict, losing negative emotions could turn someone into a heartless monster.

"By the way, have you heard? There’s already an eleventh victim."

Fiona Karenina, with her striking orange hair and eyes, might seem a bit flamboyant, but she's actually quite perceptive. Otherwise, she wouldn’t get along so well with someone as seemingly intimidating as Haunter.

She’s usually one of the earliest to arrive in class, and right now, she’s raising her slender eyebrows at Haunter. Standing nearly six feet tall, her gaze can be quite imposing, but the moment people see her face, they tend to relax. She’s as adorable as a giant ragdoll cat.

As for her personality, she’s the type who can take a joke, which is why Haunter enjoys joking around with her.

"Are you talking about that serial killer case?"

"Yeah." Fiona blinks, scribbling on a piece of paper before placing it in front of Haunter. "I connected the dots of the eleven murders over the past three years and noticed he seems to be moving through the city. The next area might be here."

"Let me guess, if his targets are still the same—attacking pretty people—then the next target could be you. He’ll probably try to lure you with words, and once you’re in a secluded spot, he’ll strike, then you will disappear without a trace."

"Oh my, how can you be so harsh?"

"Aren’t you worried about this every day because of that fear?"

"I’m just concerned, you know? In this world, nothing is impossible. I need some reassurance."

"Then you should find a boyfriend and get some comfort in his arms."

"It’s too early for that kind of thing; I’m not that open."

Haunter casually opens his phone. The cases are barely mentioned in the news, with tiny articles that almost no one notices. However, the reports do mention people going missing, and according to rumors, these individuals are already dead, and their deaths are quite gruesome.

Initially, this caused a bit of panic in the class, but under the teachers' deliberate guidance, the chatter gradually died down. Yet, Fiona is still discussing it with him.

Could it be the work of that vampire at home?

Probably not, but it’s unwise to dismiss it entirely.

The arrival of Anastasia at the school didn't go unnoticed. Her stunning looks, which appeal to both genders, along with her aloof demeanor, quickly garnered a fanbase. However, when a bold student tried to forcefully confess to her and ended up getting publicly beaten, people began to realize that this sibling duo might both have the makings of school bullies.

The consensus about these two was straightforward: "When it comes to fighting, they really mean business."

Once everyone understood that these siblings were not to be trifled with, the attention on her waned. Only a handful of students who managed to get along with her dared to continue interacting with Anastasia.

"Miss Fiona, you look exceptionally beautiful today," a somewhat abrupt voice chimes in as a tall guy wraps his arm around Haunter's neck.

"I'm trying to eat here, don't lean on me, Cain," Haunter warns.

Cain, a tall boy with coarse black hair and green eyes, reluctantly lets go and leans against the nearby windowsill.

"I overheard you guys. Are you talking about those mysterious disappearance cases where the victims are all notably attractive?"

"That's right."

"Oh~ then it seems our dear Fiona might be in a bit of danger."

"Cain, not you too?" Fiona puffs out her cheeks, looking like a startled little deer from Doraine City, making everyone want to tease her.

"Don't worry, I'll definitely protect you."

"If a real killer shows up, don't be the first to run away."

"How could I? I‘d lift you up and take you to a safe place."

"That kind of talk is bordering on harassment, you know."

This guy named Cain is also a transfer student, but unlike Haunter, Cain just joined last month. From the moment he arrived, he found Fiona incredibly beautiful, almost like a celestial being, and has been trying all sorts of ways to get into her circle. Who knows why he transferred here—could it really be just to chase girls?

As the class bell rings, Haunter notices An quickly entering the classroom and taking her seat. It seems Ormond greeted him and then went to sleep, not waking An like he usually does. This confirms that An slept in a bit this morning and ran all the way here.

Even though she ran, there's no sign of sweat on her, and her chest isn't heaving. She's truly a stamina monster; it's hard to imagine what kind of creature could stand against such a mysterious being. Haunter thought he might clash with her over these three years, but that hasn't happened.

She's quite different from those vampires in the animations. According to the novels he's read, aside from a certain blonde vampire who can stop time, he usually makes peace with vampires within three episodes, right?

An seems like a blade lurking in the shadows, ready to slice his throat when he lets his guard down. Given An's personality, Haunter is sure she won't stay quiet for long, nor would she allow him to live at their place forever.