Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Ghost Town Part 7
Crazy ghosts.
For a moment, I recalled the faint, translucent thing that lunged at me in the mansion. Was that a ghost?
I had seen ghosts before wandering the cursed lands with no will or memory left, but most of them were victims of monsters like zombies or skeletons, or those who had frozen to death in the cold. The ghosts of the cursed lands were weak and held little power.
What grants a ghost its strength is none other than "resentment". Murder, unfair death, and the like. A ghost filled with resentment becomes powerful. These ghosts were closer to a physical form and could exert influence on humans.
I hadn't identified "that thing" in the mansion at the time, but considering my memories and the village chief's reaction, "that thing" was probably…
…A ghost.
And not just any ghost, but a "crazy ghost" as he called it. Yet something about it felt off. If it truly was a "crazy ghost" bearing immense resentment, just as the village chief had said…
Then it doesn't make sense that I escaped without being harmed, especially in my weakened state.
Even if Ayla was a shadow wolf and all, it didn't add up. Earthbound spirits could wield dangerous power within their own space.
"…It would be really helpful if you could explain in more detail."
I spoke in a very calm manner, trying to gain the village chief's trust.
"..."
"It's time for you to tell me what happened in that mansion."
The village chief who was gripping a blood-stained handkerchief began his story after a harsh fit of coughing.
According to the chief, the "Dawson couple" were truly evil wizards. One day, they suddenly appeared in the village, built a mansion, and started living there. Ever since their arrival, strange occurrences plagued the village. Packs of wild dogs began circling and attacking people, cats wailed at night, and rats infested every house. It didn't stop there. A bizarre blight struck the wheat and barley, and for the first time in over a decade, the crops failed, and the village began to decline.
They felt something amiss, so the chief and the villagers went to see the couple. At that time, it wasn't to confront them. They simply sought the wisdom of the wizards, hoping they could help.
What the chief and the villagers saw inside the wizards' mansion was beyond imagination.
A huge hoard of gold and jewels.
And guarding those treasures was a monstrous dog that looked as if it had crawled up from the depths of hell.
"At that moment, I realized."
The village chief looked at me with one fiery eye and began to grit his teeth.
"That those mad wizards had sacrificed our village to a demon in exchange for that huge treasure."
"..."
"That treasure is rightfully ours, the result of squeezing this village dry…"
He coughed violently. The rising fit of coughing momentarily interrupted his words.
"Those crazy bastards cursed the mansion. Even when they fled, they couldn't bear to lose their treasure."
"..."
"That mansion is infested with ghosts and a hellhound. Because of that, we haven't been able to reclaim what's rightfully ours."
"…So that's the story behind it all."
"If you can recover those treasures for our village…"
"..."
"I will, cough… reward you handsomely. I promise you more gold than you could ever wish for."
The village chief's one eye gleamed. It looked as if his eye was burning with hatred, or perhaps boiling with greed.
…There's a treasure in that burned-down mansion?
I remembered the inside of the mansion. It was luxurious, but that was just the wizards' typical style. It didn't exactly look like a mansion built on immense wealth…
But that wasn't the only thing bothering me.
Setting aside the ghosts, I'm an intruder too, yet I wasn't attacked by the hellhound.
According to the chief, the hellhound was a vicious creature that tore apart anyone who stepped foot in the mansion. If that were true, I should have been attacked as well. But I hadn't seen even the faintest trace of that hellhound.
There's something suspicious about the chief's explanation…
Still, there was no need to show outright that I didn't trust him just yet. I gave a slight nod and stood up.
"Alright, I'll get ready and head into the mansion."
"You'd better be careful… though, perhaps there's no need for you to worry with your fine wolf, is there?"
The village chief snickered; his exposed gums twitched above his teeth since he had no lips. It seemed the "hellhound" was bothering him quite a bit. I petted Ayla's head proudly and said,
"Yes, as you can see, Ayla is a fine wolf. She won't lose to any 'hellhound'."
"Good, that's a relief."
We left the chief's house with his coughing echoing behind us.
Now, we officially had permission to investigate the mansion. If the villagers gave us any trouble, all we had to do was mention the chief. Things had definitely become easier, but…
…Why do I still feel so uneasy?
The chief's explanation wasn't exactly unbelievable. But it felt like a fishbone was caught in my throat and bothering me.
"First, we need to find out more about the Dawson couple."
I said this while chewing on a meat skewer I'd bought at the marketplace. Ah, this chicken skewer would be perfect if it were a bit spicier. And if it had some green onions skewered in between, grilled just right… Ahh, makes me crave some beer. Ice-cold, lightly frozen beer! But wait, I was talking about the Dawsons, wasn't I?
"But, Master, I don't think the villagers would tell us anything useful."
El, who was eating two skewers of chicken in each hand at a frightening speed, said in a puzzled tone.
"So you noticed it too. Yeah, the villagers already hate the Dawson couple."
"Then how are you going to find out?"
"I have my ways."
I finished eating the last piece of meat and snapped the skewer in half.
"I'll just send a letter to Khalid."
"That madma….I mean, uh, the wizard of Solen?"
"Yeah. Since they were a wizard couple, there must be some records about them in Solen."
In the portrait, the couple each wore the Solen Academy seal ring on their pinky fingers. So, the Academy would definitely have information about them; at least something more objective and factual than the gossip we'd heard from the villagers.
"I'll write the letter as soon as we get back to the inn."
"Good idea."
Lloyd nodded his head in agreement. After wandering around the village for a bit, we headed back to the inn. Although I had already made a request to the forest spirit, the fog remained thick as the sun set and night began to fall.
I lit a candle and began writing the letter on parchment. I asked briefly about his well-being, and oh, I also needed to tell him how much Legion had grown. I hinted that we'd soon be able to collect the molted shell…
– Khalid, do you know anything about the Dawson couple?
I asked what I was truly curious about.
I wrote a letter asking Khalid if he knew anything about the Dawson couple, what kind of people they were if he did, and if not, whether he could gather any information about them. After finishing, I sealed the letter with melted wax.
– Caw!
The crow in the cage looked at me and the letter alternately with its pitch-black eyes. It was only natural since it had been raised and trained to deliver letters. However, the crow now had no legs. In Dihid, it had lost both legs while traveling back and forth between the "Crows" and Barbason.
For a bird to fly, it needed more than just wings. Legs played an important role in takeoff; it allowed it to leap and flap its wings to fly. Now, with no legs, the crow couldn't even sit properly. It couldn't keep its balance.
However…
"Have you gotten used to it now?"
When I opened the cage door, the crow immediately sprang up. It began to move around the desk. Though it was a bit awkward, it still managed to get around straight.
"Looks like you like it."
What was replacing the crow's legs was the Bloody Yago I had implanted into its body. Bloody Yago was a parasitic plant that survived by absorbing blood; it usually used animals like foxes or raccoons as hosts. In the old forest, it wasn't uncommon for people to spot wild animals wandering with flowers blooming on their backs. That's exactly what happens when an animal is hosting a Bloody Yago.
In reality, it was more of a symbiotic relationship than a parasitic one. Animals that had Bloody Yago rooted in them could lure small prey with the plant's scent and also mask their own smell. Sometimes, a fully grown Bloody Yago even helped the host's camouflage and concealment.
Originally, Bloody Yago used mammals like foxes and raccoons as hosts, so it wasn't suitable for birds. However, Phew and I had modified it in the Dimensional Garden, and as a result…
-Tap, tap, tap.
Although it was still awkward, the crow could now move using the Bloody Yago's stems as legs. And the vines, though still weak, could extend out like toes and grasp onto things.
As long as the crow's nutrition was properly monitored and maintained, it wouldn't be a problem for it to keep using the Bloody Yago as substitute legs. Of course, it would need occasional trimming and care, but that much I could easily manage.
I tied the letter to the stem of the Bloody Yago, which was now serving as the crow's legs. Then, I fastened a necklace around the crow's neck, fitted perfectly with a green glass pendant. The round green glass shimmered faintly with a leaf pattern.
"With this, Khalid should be able to recognize it easily."
– Caw.
"Yes, this is the first time I'm asking this of you. I hope you'll do your best."
– Caw.
I patted the crow's head and threw the window wide open. The crow stood at the windowsill; it looked at me with its familiar pitch-black eyes before soaring powerfully into the sky.
"Have a safe trip, Blackie."
I watched its silhouette fade swiftly into the darkness and my eyes lingered there for a while.
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