Ch.20Ghost-Filled Island (2)

Splash.

Tiria’s smooth naked body was submerged up to her waist. Her cheeks were flushed crimson. Her irises were light pink, not much different from her blush.

Rachel methodically washed herself. After not being able to properly bathe for a month, the stream water felt incredibly welcome. Seeing Rachel, Tiria also began to pour water over her body with her delicate hands.

“Hnnng, it’s so cold.”

Compared to Rachel’s confident bathing, Tiria’s shower was timid. Watching Tiria hesitantly wash her hair, Rachel spoke up.

“Um, Colonel.”

“What is it?”

“Are you perhaps embarrassed?”

Tiria swallowed hard.

“…A little.”

In truth, it was more than a little.

This was an open area, and they were wearing nothing. Someone might see them.

Somewhere on this island, there might be Magic Kingdom soldiers monitoring them. If they were watching this scene in real-time…

“Hup!”

Tiria scrubbed her face vigorously. What was she thinking? Her imagination was running wild. This was all because of those romance novels.

“Aren’t you embarrassed, Major?”

“It’s not like anyone’s watching us.”

“Have you bathed in rivers before?”

“Yes. I did it often as a child.”

An unexpected answer.

Tiria nearly fell backward in surprise.

“I’m from a remote fishing village where plumbing was generally lacking. Unless you were from a wealthy household or government building, it was difficult to use clean water indoors. So except during winter, we would go to streams to wash ourselves.”

“I-I see.”

Their childhoods couldn’t have been more different.

In the cathedral where Tiria lived, warm water flowed year-round. She had her own private bathroom. After bathing with all sorts of luxurious bath products and flower petals, she would care for her skin with cold cream made from almond oil and rose water.

Back then, she found the whole process tedious. Now she realized how incredibly luxurious her life had been.

“So did you… show your naked body to others?”

“No, nothing like that.”

Rachel answered calmly.

“Women and men bathed at different times. There were partitions installed on one side of the stream. They were booths where you could feel the current while washing, then quickly get dressed again.”

Tiria, who had been listening attentively to Rachel’s words, let her thoughts drift naturally. From washing to partitions, from partitions to clothes.

“…Ah!”

“What’s wrong?”

“What if that man does something strange with my clothes?”

“Didn’t he say he was just making fishing rods and traps?”

“Yes, but… you never know. He might secretly be doing dirty, obscene things with my clothes.”

Rachel was momentarily at a loss for words.

Why was this holy woman acting this way?

Perhaps she secretly enjoyed reading erotic novels?

“Colonel, he may be a mage, but he’s not that depraved. He knows where to draw the line.”

“That’s because you don’t know men, Major. Do you know how consumed by desire men are?”

“Not all men lack self-control.”

“No, most of them do. I know this well.”

“Have you dated men before?”

“What about you?”

Rachel’s lips twitched momentarily. She had much to say, but since she was speaking to a colonel and a saint, she hesitated to be too direct.

“I haven’t.”

“Faith is never far away. Trust my intuition.”

The conversation about men ended there. After all, they had just met today. It was too awkward to delve deeper into such risqué topics.

“Are you done washing?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve rinsed off all the salt too.”

Just as the two women were about to leave the stream…

[“OUUUU.”]

A whirlpool formed on the water’s surface.

The whirlpool quickly grew and spread to where Tiria and Rachel were standing. As soon as the ripples reached them, their legs were pulled downward.

“Kyaah!”

Something unidentifiable dragged Tiria underwater. She was submerged up to her head. There wasn’t even time to take a breath. She couldn’t breathe.

“Colonel! Ugh!”

Soon after, Rachel was also sucked underwater.

Tiria squinted and looked down.

In the blurry vision, she saw a smoky, whitish presence. The entity had a human form. The smoke was gripping both of Tiria’s legs, pulling her down.

[“MANA, EM HOUT MANA.”]

The smoke was speaking.

The devil’s language, Incantation.

Tiria’s eyes, which had been tinged purple, soon returned to their original black color.

As befitting a saint, Tiria was well-versed in scripture. The holy texts contained not only religious teachings but also historical content, including descriptions of monsters and their characteristics.

This ashen figure was unmistakable. It was a type of water ghost described in the scriptures.

She tried kicking her legs, but it was a futile resistance. Tiria’s kicks passed right through the smoke, ineffectually.

It was as expected.

And it was actually fortunate.

Destroying specters impervious to physical force was precisely her specialty.

Tiria mentally recited an incantation to summon her Baculus. The Baculus was a staff of faith said to be bestowed by the goddess only to high-ranking clergy of archbishop level or above.

The role of this staff was to guide pitiful souls to the right path and cast evil spirits down to hell.

Whoosh!

Tiria swung the Baculus down.

[“AAAAAH!”]

The water ghost screamed. The pale smoke dispersed like ink in water.

Tiria immediately looked around.

Rachel was falling deeper below.

Though her lungs felt like they were rotting, she couldn’t abandon her comrade. Tiria swam down to the deeper waters.

After grabbing Rachel, Tiria easily dispatched the remaining water ghost. She took Rachel and ascended as quickly as possible. She was on the verge of suffocation from lack of oxygen.

Just when she thought she had reached her limit…

“Puhaaa!”

The two dramatically emerged from the lake.

“Haa, haa… Are you okay?”

“Cough, I thought… I was going to die…”

After catching their breath, the two continued their conversation.

“No matter how much I kicked and flailed my arms, it just wrapped around me more tightly… Thank you for helping me.”

“That’s what water ghosts do. You can’t hit a monster without physical form.”

“Why are there monsters here when the sun hasn’t set yet?”

“I’m not sure either. Maybe it’s because we’re underwater.”

“Anyway, I never want to come back to this lake.”

“I agree.”

Rachel and Tiria put on their clothes without taking time to dry themselves. They just covered what needed to be covered and left. Their bodies were clean, but their minds were deeply unsettled.

As the two women left the forest, they searched for anything edible. However, they only found a few berries in the bushes, and there was no sound of animals anywhere.

Rachel and Tiria simultaneously felt an eerie sensation. Just like when they arrived, the forest remained silent.

***

I finished the outer part of the fish trap by twisting branches and bark into a rope. Then I made another small funnel-shaped structure and fitted it into the outer tube.

Finally, covering the outside of the cylinder with one of the saint’s stockings… complete.

“Goddess, thank you for providing me with this nylon for daily use.”

I don’t believe in the Holy Spirit religion, but a little prayer can’t hurt, right?

“All the fish are dead.”

From what I could see, this island was quite large. With a mountain up there, there’s a high probability of a water source. I should find a suitable riverbank to place the trap today or tomorrow.

While thinking about what to make next…

[“This is unexpected.”]

A deep voice came from beside me. I reflexively turned my head.

[“To think there would be a lost mage in a place like this.”]

I could understand what was being said. It was Incantation.

When I turned, I saw a figure wrapped in black cloth from head to toe. The figure was thin and seemed taller than me.

The outline looked human. But having seen plenty of monsters on the previous island, I couldn’t trust appearances.

I reflexively reached into my pocket containing magic stones.

[“Hey now, no need to be so cautious.”]

[“Who are you?”]

[“Just a passing traveler.”]

Seems like they have no intention of revealing their identity. Since communication is possible, I’ll have to extract information indirectly.

[“Isn’t this an uninhabited island?”]

[“I thought so too until a few seconds ago, but apparently not.”]

[“Why are you speaking Incantation?”]

[“Because all mages use Incantation.”]

The man shook his head casually.

[“If you and I were from different countries, we might use different languages. But as fellow mages, there’s no need to struggle with communication. Where else can you find such a convenient common language?”]

[“You’re not from Hazkhail, I see.”]

The man sat down beside me without hesitation.

[“Now it’s my turn to ask. How long have you been on this island?”]

[“About five days at most.”]

[“Don’t lie. It’s been longer, hasn’t it?”]

[“I apologize for deceiving you. Actually, it’s been about ten days.”]

[“My intuition is sharp. Look at your beard. How long would it take to grow that length? Five days? Ten days? That’s ridiculous.”]

[“…A month.”]

The man chuckled, as if to say, “See, I was right.”

[“Concealment and deception are virtues among mages. But even considering that, you’re excessively cautious. How could you tell two consecutive lies with such a straight face?”]

Before I could speak, the man continued.

[“Anyway, tell me how you’ve been getting by.”]

[“I sleep in the lifeboat and survive by eating seafood and tree bark. I keep watching the horizon from here in case a rescue ship comes.”]

The man clicked his tongue.

[“Young people these days lack initiative. If you have a boat, your first thought should be to set sail, not waste precious time in this backwater.”]

[“You’re right about that.”]

I brushed it off lightly.

After that, the man stayed by my side for a while, chattering away. I could understand if he hadn’t met people for a long time, but he was too familiar.

[“Have you ever gone deep into the forest?”]

[“I’ve only wandered around this area. I can’t go far from the lifeboat.”]

[“That makes sense. But even considering that, it’s worth exploring at least once.”]

[“What’s in there?”]

[“It was my secret until now, heh heh. But I don’t mind sharing with a newfound companion.”]

The man revealed his snow-white teeth in a smile.

[“If you go into the forest in any direction, you’ll find a clean lake. It’s incredibly refreshing to bathe there. You should definitely go and enjoy a cool dip.”]