[Waaaaaahhhh!]
“…”
I thought she would stop by herself after feeling satisfied.
[Uwwooooooohhh!]
And considering the ti she had spent as a soul, this felt like a rather unpleasant prank.
[Aaaahhhhhh!]
However, she didn’t stop.
[Please, help eeeee!]
“What are you even saying? You already died.”
The person was spinning—it might sound strange to hear, but that was the only way I could describe what was happening with the Dark Spiritualist at the mont.
[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 , 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 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.
Co to think of it…
There were a couple of other tis 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 soone who had accompanied 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 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.
[Sothing feels strange. It’s true that I’ve beco stronger, but ever since I beca 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 sa 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 sowhat 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 sothing 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 beca Heralhazard.
If there was any difference, it surely lay within that staff.
So, where was Luaneth now?
I hadn’t had ti 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 co on.
After all, a soul could be considered an embodint of ntal strength mixed with mana.
But I hadn’t anticipated the possibility of resentnt and blood staining the staff when the Dark Spiritualist beca bound to it.
[Could it be that the souls within you are corrupting you? If that’s the case…!]
She continued speaking nacingly.
But, in fact, it was the opposite.
It was not , but rather the Dark Spiritualist who was gradually being consud 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 with a startled expression.
[Ah, no, wait. I might’ve said sothing a bit too harsh.]
She tried to make excuses, but that was not important right now.
“Give the staff.”
I snatched the staff from her and the mont 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 sothing like this.
***
On the way back to Graypond.
Gloria, from the Royal Knights, and Saintess Lucia ca to see , saying they had co to escort .
Although they were in different carriages, both welcod my return enthusiastically and said His Majesty ordered the servants to prepare a banquet imdiately after hearing the news.
Not bad.
My return needed to be announced in a relatively grand manner.
Even if it were just a fleeting mont, there were things I had to do while many eyes were on .
“…”
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 .
For the ti 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 involvent.
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 ti.
[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 , 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 ti are part of that plan.]
“She is not completely wrong. And as the goddess, she said that she will not forgive .”
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 seed to react sowhat indifferently.
Being a Dark Mage, it was natural for her to lean more towards evil than good.
[Being together like this brings back mories, 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 sothing, 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 beco a demi-god now, but I just beca a haunting spirit. I’m only here because I promised the souls I would watch over you.]
“Dark Spiritualist.”
[Yes?]
“It is not sothing you need to worry about.”
[…]
“Just as I swore to the souls lying dormant within , 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 .
I wasn’t sure if it was because she had beco a haunting spirit, or if so other influence at play, or perhaps because she was using magic at that mont.
Yet, the soft sensation I felt from her oddly bothered .
[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 ss along with the resistance mbers, 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 ti already brought a smile to Findenai’s lips.
After saying goodbye to the mbers 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 .”
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 argunt 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 soone like Lanhardt?”
[I ca to warn you of danger, but it’s not .]
“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 ca to warn you that he is in danger.]
***
sko-fi/genesisforsaken
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