[Waaaaaahhhh!]
“…”
I thought she would stop by herself after feeling satisfied.
[Uwwooooooohhh!]
And considering the time she had spent as a soul, this felt like a rather unpleasant prank.
[Aaaahhhhhh!]
However, she didn’t stop.
[Please, help meeeeee!]
“What are you even saying? You already died.”
[Stop this, pleaseee!]
It was not just the Dark Spiritualist, the staff she held was also spinning along with her.
If the people around us who couldn’t see the Dark Spiritualist were to see this, all they would have seen was the staff floating and spinning on its own.
“…”
Watching the Dark Spiritualist spinning like that, I felt a strange sensation seeping into the soles of my feet.
How should I explain it? It was as if all her seemingly trivial and foolish actions up until now suddenly felt like part of a single foreshadowing laid out all along.
“Dark Spiritualist, stop it.”
[If I could stop, I would have already!]
And now, she almost looked like a black orb due to how fast she was spinning.
Even Stella, who was standing beside me, wasn’t sure of what to do but then stretched out her hand.
“…”
Thud.
In the end, unable to bring herself under control, the Dark Spiritualist reached out for help. Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her towards me roughly, and she finally stopped after collapsing onto my chest.
[Phew, thank you.]
I looked down at the Dark Spiritualist, pretending to wipe her sweat even though she couldn’t physically sweat as a soul, and my furrowed brows.
Come to think of it…
There were a couple of other times before when the Dark Spiritualist behaved like this.
For example, on our way to this village, a part of her body accidentally stuck out of the carriage, or only her bottom was inside when she sat on the ceiling.
It was strange to see that someone who had accompanied me as a soul for so long would make such absurd mistakes.
Especially now.
She couldn’t even control her own body and just spun in place.
“Since when?”
[…Pardon?]
Still in my arms, the Dark Spiritualist looked visibly confused. Embarrassed, she tried to pull away, but I held her wrist firmly, refusing to let go.
“Since when did you start having trouble controlling your body?”
[…]
From her expression beyond the semi-transparent veil, I realized that the Dark Spiritualist had already known about her condition.
“This is important. Tell me the truth.”
I tightened my grip on her wrist. Realizing that I would not let this matter pass, she sighed and answered.
[It all began after I was trapped inside Heralhazard’s staff.]
“…”
[So, um, how should I put this? Should I say that I am unable to control my power?]
Letting out a deep sigh, the Dark Spiritualist lowered her gaze, focusing on my chest as she continued speaking.
[Something feels strange. It’s true that I’ve become stronger, but ever since I became bound to the staff, I’ve been having trouble controlling it.]
A wave of fatigue crashed over her eyes as a damp, unpleasant sensation seeped into her voice and spilled out.
“Why?”
[Eh?]
“Why did you not say anything?”
The Dark Spiritualist was currently bound to Heralhazard’s staff.
It was the same staff used during the great massacre that wiped out a quarter of the Griffin Kingdom 200 years ago. So, no way it was an ordinary staff.
[I’m your teacher, after all.]
The Dark Spiritualist responded somewhat awkwardly, as if trying to make light of the situation.
[I should be the one helping my apprentice, not the one asking for help.]
“…”
[And besides, your situation is even weirder! Look at what you did to the village! If it were the you I know, you wouldn’t have done something like this…!]
The Dark Spiritualist kept ranting, but her words were already falling on deaf ears.
Heralhazard’s staff was the trigger that turned Luaneth into Heralhazard.
While I was able to defeat Luaneth fairly easily back when I confronted him directly, it was different when he became Heralhazard.
If there was any difference, it surely lay within that staff.
So, where was Luaneth now?
I hadn’t had time to think about it, but Luaneth Luden Griffin hadn’t entered my mind either.
A sigh escaped my lips as I felt a dizzy spell come on.
After all, a soul could be considered an embodiment of mental strength mixed with mana.
But I hadn’t anticipated the possibility of resentment and blood staining the staff when the Dark Spiritualist became bound to it.
[Could it be that the souls within you are corrupting you? If that’s the case…!]
She continued speaking menacingly.
But, in fact, it was the opposite.
It was not me, but rather the Dark Spiritualist who was gradually being consumed by the staff.
Especially since evidence of her inability to control her spirit form, like just now, was starting to show.
[So, for now, I’ll…!]
“Dark Spiritualist.”
[Huh?]
When I called out to her with a frown, the Dark Spiritualist looked up at me with a startled expression.
[Ah, no, wait. I might’ve said something a bit too harsh.]
She tried to make excuses, but that was not important right now.
“Give me the staff.”
I snatched the staff from her and the moment I held it, a strange sensation clung to my palm.
“From now on, I will be keeping it.”
[What? I-if you do that, then I won’t be able to separate from you anymore.]
Clearly flustered, the Dark Spiritualist’s face turned red. This would be uncomfortable for both of us, but it was necessary.
“We have no other choice.”
Holding her tightly in my arms, I gripped the staff firmly.
I had no intention of losing the Dark Spiritualist to something like this.
***
On the way back to Graypond.
Gloria, from the Royal Knights, and Saintess Lucia came to see me, saying they had come to escort me.
Although they were in different carriages, both welcomed my return enthusiastically and said His Majesty ordered the servants to prepare a banquet immediately after hearing the news.
Not bad.
My return needed to be announced in a relatively grand manner. seaʀᴄh thё NovelZone.fun website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Even if it were just a fleeting moment, there were things I had to do while many eyes were on me.
“…”
Eleanor and Aria looked as they observed the destruction I had caused.
It was true that the village, which had attempted to distribute drugs, needed to be punished, but I had taken action in an overly unilateral and violent manner.
They probably felt it was uncharacteristic of me.
For the time being, I still needed to keep the act up.
Next is the Wellington Trading Company.
After this incident, the Wellington Trading Company must have anticipated that they would be my next target and were probably scrambling to erase any traces of their involvement.
However, it didn’t matter.
No amount of effort would be enough to put a stop to my relentless charge. I could only pity the people in the Wellington Trading Company, who were surely wasting their time.
[What are you thinking about?]
I didn’t let go of the staff even in the carriage, and it was now vibrating. The Dark Spiritualist, who was right beside me, attached to my arm, asked with a slightly playful tone.
“I am thinking about the events that will happen next.”
[But Stella says that you seem to be planning to commit more sins. She believes that the events this time are part of that plan.]
“She is not completely wrong. And as the goddess, she said that she will not forgive me.”
By the way, Stella was traveling in the carriage with Lucia.
It had been a while since they had seen each other, so there must be plenty to talk about.
[Hmm, I see.]
Unlike Stella, the Dark Spiritualist seemed to react somewhat indifferently.
Being a Dark Mage, it was natural for her to lean more towards evil than good.
[Being together like this brings back memories, doesn’t it? Before Stella joined us, we used to travel a lot together.]
“Do you miss those days?”
[A little? But now that Stella’s here, it’s not boring, and it’s kinda nice. You’re a bit quiet, you know?]
“I see.”
That was enough.
I was about to say something, but the Dark Spiritualist spoke before I could.
[But, what if I suddenly get absorbed into the staff or change?]
“That is a pointless worry.”
That was the very reason I was holding onto her—to make sure that didn’t happen.
And it was pretty clear that staying by my side was helping the Dark Spiritualist stabilize.
A necromancer and a soul—our relationship could easily be defined like that.
[Stella has become a demi-god now, but I just became a haunting spirit. I’m only here because I promised the souls I would watch over you.]
“Dark Spiritualist.”
[Yes?]
“It is not something you need to worry about.”
[…]
“Just as I swore to the souls lying dormant within me, I must ensure that I do not misuse their power even after I took them in.”
[Right, that’s true.]
The Dark Spiritualist chuckled and slowly leaned closer to me.
I wasn’t sure if it was because she had become a haunting spirit, or if some other influence at play, or perhaps because she was using magic at that moment.
Yet, the soft sensation I felt from her oddly bothered me.
[I should stay close to you, even when you sleep, right?]
Looking at her innocent smile, visible through the veil covering her face, I decided to bite my tongue and simply observed in silence.
***
“Huff, is it because the air here is different, huh? It feels so refreshing.”
At the peak of the Norseweden Mountain Range.
Findenai, who had finished wiping out all the drug dealers trying to distribute the Yellow Flower in the Clark Republic, stretched and gazed at the land of the Griffin Kingdom.
Starting from the ones who tried to deal with Goben to the ones who secretly smuggled the Yellow Flower from Flowergarden.
Having thoroughly cleaned up the mess along with the resistance members, she was now returning triumphantly.
“I wonder if Master Bastard has already gone to Graypond?”
If so, she should hurry and follow him.
Although it hadn’t even been a month, just the thought of seeing his face after such a long time already brought a smile to Findenai’s lips.
After saying goodbye to the members of the Scrapyard Nomads who returned to the Clark Republic, she was about to descend from the mountain to return to the Griffin Kingdom with Snow White on her shoulder. However…
[Child.]
“Damn, you startled me.”
Findenai jumped in surprise when a white tiger suddenly appeared from between the trees.
The Mountain Lord’s skill level was so high that even Findenai couldn’t sense his presence.
[Watch your language.]
“Then you should’ve made a sound before you showed up.”
Not wanting to lose the argument against the Mountain Lord, Findenai continued speaking with a cigarette dangling from her mouth, clearly displeased.
“What’s going on? Are you in danger again because of someone like Lanhardt?”
[I came to warn you of danger, but it’s not me.]
“Hmm?”
Confused by the puzzling words, Findenai took out a lighter and was about to light it.
However, the next words from the Mountain Lord made her freeze in place.
[I came to warn you that he is in danger.]
***
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