Ch.305305. Earth-Bound Spirit

[Uwaaaaaaaa!]

“……”

I thought it would end after a while.

[Uweeeeeeeee!]

Since she’d spent years as a soul, I figured it might just be an unpleasant prank.

[Aaaaaaaaaah!]

But it’s not stopping.

[Save meeeeee!]

“You’re already dead, what are you talking about?”

A person is spinning.

It might sound strange, but the Dark Spiritmaster was in a state that could only be described that way.

[Make it stooooop!]

It wasn’t just the Dark Spiritmaster spinning. The staff containing her was also rotating while clutched in her arms.

To anyone who couldn’t see the Dark Spiritmaster, it would look like the staff was floating and spinning by itself.

“……”

Watching the spinning Dark Spiritmaster, a strange sensation seeps into my feet.

How should I put it? All her seemingly trivial antics until now suddenly felt like foreshadowing.

“Dark Spiritmaster, stop it.”

[I would if I could! I’ve been trying!]

She was spinning so fast now that she almost looked like a black sphere.

Stella reached out from the side, trying to figure out how to help.

“……”

Thud.

Finally, I reached out to the Dark Spiritmaster who couldn’t control herself. I grabbed her wrist and roughly pulled her toward me, only then did she stop moving and collapse against my chest.

[Whew, thank you.]

Looking down at the Dark Spiritmaster who was pretending to wipe sweat despite being a soul incapable of sweating, my brow furrowed.

‘Come to think of it.’

There had been several occasions when the Dark Spiritmaster had behaved strangely like this.

Like when we were coming to this village, parts of her body slightly protruding outside the carriage, or sitting on the ceiling with only her bottom inside.

These were ridiculous mistakes for someone who had spent enough time with me to become accustomed to living as a soul.

Especially now.

A situation where she completely lost control of her body and was spinning.

“When did it start?”

[…Huh?]

Still in my arms, the Dark Spiritmaster wore a bewildered expression. She tried to pull away out of embarrassment, but I held her wrist firmly.

“When did you start losing control of your body?”

[……]

Through the semi-transparent veil, I could tell from her expression that the Dark Spiritmaster already knew about her condition.

“Tell me straight. This is important.”

I tightened my grip on her. Realizing I had no intention of letting her go, she sighed and answered.

[Since I entered Heralhazhad’s staff.]

“……”

[Well, how should I put it… I can’t control my power anymore?]

With a deep sigh, the Dark Spiritmaster lowered her gaze to my chest and continued.

[Something’s wrong. I’m stronger than before, but since being bound to the staff, I can’t control it well.]

A wave of fatigue hit my eyes. Unpleasant dampness seeped into my voice.

“Why.”

[Pardon?]

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Currently, the Dark Spiritmaster is bound to Heralhazhad’s staff.

The staff used during the mass slaughter 200 years ago that consumed a quarter of the Griffin Kingdom.

It couldn’t possibly be like an ordinary staff.

[I’m your master, after all.]

The Dark Spiritmaster answered playfully, seeming embarrassed.

[I’m supposed to help my disciple, not ask for help.]

“……”

[A-and your condition is stranger than mine! Look at how you turned that village into a wasteland! The person I know wouldn’t…!]

The Dark Spiritmaster continued shouting something, but I was already letting her words go in one ear and out the other.

‘This staff was the trigger that turned Luaness into Heralhazhad.’

When I faced Luaness directly, it was a relatively easy victory, but with Heralhazhad it was different.

Though they were the same person, the clear difference was this staff.

‘Where is Luaness now anyway?’

I hadn’t had time to think about it, but Luaness Luden Griffin hadn’t entered me.

I sighed from dizziness.

A soul is essentially the manifestation of mental energy mixed with mana.

But I hadn’t considered the possibility that the Dark Spiritmaster might be tainted by the countless resentments and blood contained in Heralhazhad’s staff when she was bound to it.

[Are you possibly contaminated by the souls you’ve absorbed? If that’s the case…!]

She was saying some harsh things, but.

It was actually the opposite.

There was a possibility that it wasn’t me, but the Dark Spiritmaster who was gradually being consumed by the staff.

The evidence was already showing in her inability to control her spiritual body.

[So anyway, I should…!]

“Dark Spiritmaster.”

[Huh?]

When I called her with a frown, the Dark Spiritmaster looked up at me with a frightened expression.

[Ah, I’m sorry. That was a bit harsh.]

She made a pathetic excuse, but that wasn’t important at all.

“Give me the staff.”

I snatched the staff she was holding. The moment I gripped it, a strange sensation clung stickily to my palm.

“I’ll keep it from now on.”

[What? But then I can’t be separated from you?]

She blushed in surprise. It would be somewhat uncomfortable for both the Dark Spiritmaster and me, but it was necessary.

“It can’t be helped.”

I held her in my arms and gripped the staff tightly.

I had no intention of letting something like this take the Dark Spiritmaster from me.

* * *

On the way back to Greyford.

Gloria of the Royal Guard and Saintess Lucia came to escort me, saying they had been sent to bring me back.

Though they rode in a different carriage, the two warmly welcomed my return, saying that His Majesty had ordered a banquet to be prepared upon hearing the news.

‘Not bad.’

My return needed to be announced rather grandly.

Even if it was just a momentary flash of attention, I had things to do while all eyes were on me.

“……”

Elenoa and Aria were worried after seeing the devastation I had caused.

While it was right that the village trying to distribute drugs should be punished, I had done it independently and violently.

They probably thought it wasn’t like me.

Still, I needed to continue acting this way for now.

‘Next is the Wellington Company.’

The Wellington Company, anticipating they would be targeted after this incident, would be frantically trying to erase their traces like they had fire under their feet.

It didn’t matter.

No amount of effort could stop my relentless steps. I could only pity the Wellington Company members who were working so hard in vain.

[What are you thinking about?]

The staff I was still holding even inside the carriage resonated. The Dark Spiritmaster, pressed right against my arm, asked innocently.

“I was thinking about what’s going to happen next.”

[Stella said you seem to be planning to commit sins. And what you did this time is part of that?]

“She’s not wrong. The goddess doesn’t forgive, they say.”

For reference, Stella was currently traveling in the carriage with Lucia.

They probably had a lot to catch up on after not seeing each other for a while.

[Hmm, I see.]

Unlike Stella, the Dark Spiritmaster showed a rather indifferent reaction.

As a Black Mage, she naturally leaned more toward evil than good, so it was understandable.

[Being alone like this reminds me of old times. We used to travel around just the two of us when Stella wasn’t around.]

“Do you miss it?”

[A little? But it’s nice having Stella around so it’s not boring. You’re a bit taciturn, you know.]

“True.”

That was enough.

I was about to say that, but the Dark Spiritmaster spoke first.

[But what if I suddenly get absorbed into the staff or change completely?]

“That’s a needless worry.”

Isn’t that why I’m constantly holding the Dark Spiritmaster in my hand now, to prevent that from happening?

I could clearly see that she was becoming more stable thanks to my presence.

Necromancer and soul.

Our relationship could be easily defined.

[Stella became a demigod. But I just became an earth-bound spirit. I’m only staying because I promised the souls I would watch over you.]

“Dark Spiritmaster.”

[Yes?]

“You have nothing to worry about.”

[……]

“As you swore to the souls resting within me, you need to prevent me from becoming intoxicated with their power and using them recklessly, don’t you?”

[Right. That’s true.]

With a grin, the Dark Spiritmaster snuggled closer to me.

Whether it was because she had become an earth-bound spirit, or some other influence.

Or perhaps she was using magic right now.

The soft sensation felt oddly distracting, but.

[I guess we’ll have to stay together even when sleeping?]

Seeing her innocent smile behind the veil covering her face, I withdrew what I was about to say and simply watched in silence.

* * *

“Wow, the air is different here! Absolutely delicious.”

At the top of the Norsweden mountains.

Findenai, who had annihilated all the drug dealers trying to distribute Golden Flowers in the Republic of Clark, stretched and gazed at the lands of the Griffin Kingdom.

Starting with those who were trying to deal with Goven, to those who secretly took Golden Flowers from the Flower Garden.

Having completely cleared them out with the resistance fighters, she was now returning triumphantly.

“Has the master already gone to Greyford?”

If so, she should hurry and follow.

Though it had been less than a month, Findenai was already smiling at the thought of seeing his face again after such a long time.

After bidding farewell to the scrap dealer returning to the Republic of Clark with snow on his shoulders.

Just as Findenai was about to descend toward the Griffin Kingdom.

[Young one.]

“Oh my, shit! You scared me.”

Findenai was startled by the white tiger that suddenly appeared between the trees.

The mountain spirit’s level was so high that even Findenai couldn’t sense its presence.

[Mind your language.]

“Then you should announce yourself before appearing.”

Findenai continued speaking, not particularly intimidated by the mountain spirit. She even put a cigarette in her mouth to show her displeasure.

“What’s the matter? Is it dangerous again because of people like Ranhart?”

[I came to warn of danger, but not my own.]

“Hm?”

As Findenai took out her lighter, wondering what that meant.

The mountain spirit’s next words froze her in place.

[I came to tell you that he is in danger.]