Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
100 Böklund Street, in a corner of the garden in Portland Momentâs residence.
The many ants and worms that were gathering there slowly dispersed as the cold, creepy sensation faded.
That person with extraordinary powers likely doesnât have any experience... With her goal achieved, Hazel nodded indiscernibly before turning around briskly and strolling through the garden.
She wasnât in a rush to return as she enjoyed the crimson moonlight, the cold air, and the faint flowery scent.
After a long while, Hazel stopped her stroll and left the garden, entering the hall on the first story.
At this moment, apart from the guests still playing Texas holdâem, many ladies and gentlemen had bid farewell. Moments after Hazel found her mother, Maâam Riana, she saw her father, Member of Parliament Macht, and a few other gentlemen walking down as they conversed with lively expressions.
âAre you ready to head home? You have to visit a very important guest tomorrow morning.â As Riana gestured for her daughter to come close, she walked towards her husband and greeted the others with a smile.
Macht nodded and said, âI wouldâve loved to try another of Portlandâs cigars if not for that matter.â
Riana swept her gaze to Willis, Dwayne Dantès, and company, and she asked in passing, âGentlemen, what are you talking about? It sounds interesting.â
Macht turned his body to the side and said with a smile, âDwayne said that he encountered ghosts when he was in the Southern Continent.
âHe and his companions suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and found themselves unable to open their eyes. Their bodies were heavy, as though someone was pressing on them.
âThey used a great deal of strength before escaping such a state and left their beds. However, they discovered their rooms were extremely cold. You might not know this, but East Balamâs weather is hot most of the time.
âThen, Dwayne and his companions each held double-barreled hunting rifles and stood guard the entire night. They frantically left the town after the sun rose.â
After hearing that, Maâam Riana looked at Dwayne Dantès with piqued interest.
âIs that true?
âDo ghosts really exist?â
Klein shook his head with a smile.
âThat Iâm not sure of. Perhaps my companions and I had just experienced a harrowing adventure and our bodies and minds werenât in the best of conditions. This mightâve resulted in all kinds of problems.â
The stories he told were sourced from one of Andersonâs experiences. Back when the Strongest Hunter of the Fog Sea was exploring a temple in the primitive forest, he chanced upon a specter, creating a large-scale breakout overnight.
Ghosts... Hazel turned her head to look towards the garden as the corners of her mouth curved up slightly before she held back.
She didnât say a word as she quietly listened to her parents bidding the rest of them farewell before returning home together.
Late at night, Hazel, who had changed into a sleeping gown, walked to the balcony and stood behind a gap in the curtains. She looked towards the sewer manhole on Böklund Street.
As she looked at it, her face gradually turned pale as though she had recalled an experience filled with pain and horror.
She forced herself to retract her gaze, took two deep breaths, and turned around to walk to her bedside.
During this process, she bit gently on her lip and muttered silently, That was likely a wraith... Definitely...
I need items or charms in the Sun domain...
While Hazel was looking at the manhole, Klein was also doing the same.
Itâs been days. I wonder how well that Demoness, Trissy, has recovered and whether she has left or not... Thankfully, after Hazel was given a scare by me, she hasnât dared to approach the manhole... Kleinâs gaze swept the iron-black street lamps as he nodded slightly.
He opened the iron cigar case and made his Wraith marionette appear within the full-body mirror.
He had already decided to send Senor down the sewers to check the area to confirm Trissyâs condition. He didnât want that Demoness to cause any trouble.
Furthermore, the sewers were just physically too close to his identity as Dwayne Dantès. Klein didnât wish for Trissy to be in the vicinity any longer, wishing that she could recover soon and take action. That would prompt her to leave Böklund Street.
Hmm, having Admiral of Blood Senor appear every once in a while would fulfill the character setting I previously created. It doesnât live nearby, and because the sewers contains a secret, it often wanders around in search of it... As Klein was thinking, he made the marionette in the ancient triangular hat leap onto the street lampâs surface before passing through the manhole cover in a Wraith form, quickly approaching the hidden fork where Trissy hid herself at.
Before reaching the dead end, Senor, who had night vision, could see that the area was empty.
Sheâs already recovered and left? Klein thought as he made the marionette continue forward, stopping at the spot where Trissy was previously sitting.
He discovered that the place was tidied up. Not only was the ground not muddy and moist, even the moss on the walls and corner had vanished.
There isnât any leftover food either... That fellow became a germaphobe after becoming a woman? No, perhaps he was like that to begin with... With Senorâs vision, Klein surveyed the area and determined that either Trissy hadnât left, or she hadnât left for more than a day; otherwise, it was impossible to maintain the cleanliness of the place.
Just as this thought flashed through his mind, light footsteps sounded into the Wraithâs ear.
Under his control, Senor retraced his steps and wasnât surprised to see Trissy in her black dress.
This Demoness had her luscious black hair cascading down, unlike peers her age who had different hairstyles. It was simple and neat.
Matched with her pale face that had just recovered some of its ruddiness, Trissy looked like a dreamy flower that was silently blooming in the night.
As expected of a Demoness... Thankfully, thereâs a marionette in between us; otherwise, I would just end up staring at her... Heh heh, a dead person wonât be enticed! No matter how charming a Demoness is, thereâs no way they can make the deceased climb out of a tomb like a zombie... Klein lampooned as he looked at Trissy who had a blank expression but was secretly wary, having released the invisible threads.
âWhere did you go?â
Trissy pricked up her brows and said, âWould you like to relieve yourself where you sleep?â
Uh... I thought a Demoness wouldnât need to use the washroom... Klein gave a self-deprecating comment and made Senor chuckle.
âAre you referring to pissing and shitting?â
He had deliberately made the marionette say such words, as it matched Admiral of Bloodâs persona of a boorish pirate.
Trissy indiscernibly frowned and said, âIs there anything else?â
Senor didnât continue on the topic as he said, âYou look like youâve almost recovered.â
Trissy smiled.
âNot bad. Iâll be leaving tomorrow.â
She paused as she slightly narrowed her slender eyes.
âTo be frank, I doubt whether youâre the real Admiral of Blood at times.â
Of course itâs real! You should ask if heâs alive or dead... With his interest piqued, Klein made Senor ask, âWhy do you say that?â
Trissyâs gaze swept over the Wraithâs face and said, âItâs said that Admiral of Blood is someone who indulges in his desires, and he has no resistance towards beautiful females and males.
âYet, I donât see any sparks of desire when you face me.
âI believe the real Admiral of Blood wouldâve added the condition of doing something I wouldnât want to in the agreement.â
Klein deliberated for two seconds and made Senor give a self-deprecating smile.
âIâm afraid of finding myself lost to Pleasure and ending up being controlled by you.â
Trissyâs expression instantly changed. This was indeed one of the reasons why she had raised the topic.
To a Demoness of Pleasure, Beyonders who habitually indulged in their desires were natural prey.
Klein actively ignored the topic and made the marionette say, âYouâre seeking out the target tomorrow?
âVery clearly, the royal guard captain knows you and knows what you look like.â
After all, you were arranged by them to be by Prince Edessakâs side... Klein silently added.
Trissy lowered her head and looked at her toes before chuckling.
âRest at ease, I have the perfect plan.â
As she spoke, she turned her body sideways and casually looked deep into the sewers.
âIf you set off from here, at the end of the sixth left fork is a hidden passage. It has signs of prolonged human activity. Heh heh, I discovered it while walking around in the past few days.
âI believe it has something to do with that girl, right...
âItâs also the reason why youâre here?â
Hidden passage? Klein didnât confirm or deny it. He made Senor smile and say, âDid you discover anything?â
Trissy shook her head.
âThere was nothing at all. Perhaps only a certain pathway, or someone with a specific item, can find the clues.â
A Marauderâs intuition, or something on Hazelâs person? Klein didnât make Senor continue on the topic as he pressed his hand to his chest and bowed with a smile.
âSince youâve recovered, I can be at ease.â
The moment he said that, he suddenly vanished.
Trissy focused her eyes into a stare, but it was to no avail. Only when the invisible threads she had released was hit by a breeze did she retract her gaze, confirming that Admiral of Blood had really left.
At that moment, Klein had brought the Wraith back to the manhole without attempting to explore the spot which Trissy had mentioned.
There were three reasons for his decision. First, it had exceeded a hundred meters. Second, he suspected that he wouldnât find anything since he wasnât from the Marauder pathway, nor did he have the corresponding items. Third, Trissy was still around.
...
Fors woke up naturally on a Sunday morning as she got up to wash up. As she chewed on a fresh piece of toast, she retrieved a stack of items from her mailbox.
As she walked to the coffee table with a cup of coffee on it, she casually flipped through the items and discovered a reply letter she had been looking forward to.
Throwing down the papers, bills, and other letters, Fors tore open the envelope.
â...Teacher is already in Backlund?â Fors quickly read through the letter as she muttered in surprise.
At the same time, she saw the toast in her mouth plunge to the ground.