Ch.398Side Story: Owen’s Ordeal

“……I’m not sure if this is really right.”

In front of the carriage prepared for departure.

Deia was glaring at me with her arms crossed.

Though she often got irritable at times, this was on a completely different level.

She was tapping the ground with her foot to emphasize just how genuinely annoyed she was.

“Huh? You’re asking if this is right?”

“Haah, I already told you I’m going to Greyfond soon.”

When I answered Deia who was questioning me accusingly, she frowned deeply.

“This soon? You could stay a bit longer. It’s fine even now, just stay one more week before you go.”

“Deia, don’t be childish.”

“We’ve only been dating for a few days and you’re already leaving! Don’t you want to see me? I’m already feeling lonely just thinking about you going!”

“……”

When she spoke so bluntly, I momentarily felt a strong urge to stay. Perhaps noticing this, Deia approached me and whispered childishly.

“Hmm? Let’s just stay one more week before going. It’s not like there’s any rush anyway.”

“……”

“Come to my bed tonight. Let’s sleep together, okay?”

Yes, I had to admit Deia’s seduction was effective. Seeing her drop her usual grumbling and sarcastic demeanor to cling to me gave me both personal satisfaction and excitement, but…

“What bullshit.”

A woman’s voice, cold as ice, pierced through like a sword.

Findenai, who had loaded the luggage onto the carriage, openly glared at Deia.

“Remember the order? You’re not his sister-in-law anymore. You’re just one of his many wives.”

Crunch.

Even as she spoke, Findenai seemed disgusted and immediately stepped on my foot.

Thanks to that, I felt somewhat brought back to my senses.

“Stop stepping on me.”

“Sorry, I suddenly felt like crap. It’s weird to have so many wives anyway.”

“You all made it this way.”

I hope you remember that I tried to choose just one person.

“Right, and you told me I could be jealous all I wanted.”

Only then could I understand the intention behind Findenai’s words. She wasn’t upset about me having many wives.

She was annoyed that I hadn’t spent time with her during our stay in Norsweden.

“You’ve been sucking face with your little sister all day in Norsweden, that’s enough, you bastard.”

“……”

“Now pay some attention to your primary wife.”

[Wait! Who says you’re the primary wife?!]

At Findenai’s words, the Dark Spiritmaster, who was already in the carriage, immediately poked her head out the window and shouted.

[We agreed not to rank ourselves! And if we did, I’m his teacher, so I should be…!]

[Senior, please calm down.]

Stella pushed the Dark Spiritmaster back into the carriage. The subtle composure in her manner could be seen as a kind of confidence.

“Anyway, Deia’s had plenty of time. She tried hard as a latecomer, but this is where it ends.”

Deia glared at Findenai, who was provocatively shrugging her shoulders in a playful manner.

“Could you stop talking like we’re parting forever today? I’ll come to where you all are after you return from Greyfond anyway.”

“That’s then.”

“Besides, Findenai shouldn’t be going to Greyfond either.”

Deia questioned Findenai, who kept speaking smugly, asking if something wasn’t strange.

In truth, Findenai was someone who shouldn’t show her face not just in Greyfond, but anywhere on the continent.

There were probably still people searching for her, claiming they would catch the runaway.

“Ha, I…!”

“She’s right about that.”

As she was about to retort, I agreed with Deia, and Findenai immediately turned to me with wide eyes.

Her look seemed to demand I repeat what I’d just said, but it wasn’t wrong.

“Findenai might not be safe even years from now. I’m actually worried about her coming to Greyfond with us.”

Even when we went to Clockwork, the capital of the Republic of Clark, Findenai almost showed her face to people.

No, there must have been people who saw her.

“No… master, are you going to leave me behind because of that?”

Findenai’s expression as she looked at me with a sense of injustice was somewhat amusing.

“If I’d known this, I would have joined you in bed too! I stayed away trying to be considerate!”

What was she talking about now?

“Spending time together isn’t just about having relations.”

Even if I slept with Deia, I spent time with the other women too.

During that time, the Dark Spiritmaster and Stella occasionally seduced me and we had relations once or twice.

As for Findenai, didn’t she avoid it herself, saying it was difficult?

“Whatever. I feel wronged, so I’m coming with you. If you leave me behind, I’ll ride on top of the carriage.”

Looking at Findenai who was basically saying “I don’t care,” I shook my head.

“Just get in. I never planned to leave you behind anyway.”

I had no intention of leaving Findenai behind since she had the power to escape if necessary.

She doesn’t have any other responsibilities now.

But in Deia’s case, if she were caught, she would be connected to the Verdi family.

She must know this well too, which is why she can’t say she’ll follow but is asking me to stay.

“Yay!”

Findenai immediately climbed into the carriage, afraid I might change my mind. After confirming everyone was in the carriage, I looked at Deia and carefully took her hand.

“I’ll come back after I finish my business in Greyfond. It won’t be too long, so don’t worry.”

“Come back soon. I’ll really be lonely.”

After gently embracing her, I also said goodbye to Darius, Illuania, and Sevia who were waiting behind.

‘Phew.’

Actually, I could have used the general store door to move directly to Greyfond, but I didn’t this time.

I was planning to visit the places where Owen had overcome trials to become a Spiritmaster.

I also wanted to take in the scenery of the Griffin Kingdom after so long.

“Let’s go.”

As I got in, the carriage began to move.

* * *

On the way to Greyfond, we spent time visiting various places, which delayed our arrival by a few days.

We were stopping by places where Owen had undergone trials to become the 2nd Spiritmaster.

While traveling around, I noticed something strange.

Like right now.

I was in a forest a little distance from Greyfond. Right next to it was a communal cemetery used by the surrounding villages.

[What could have done this?]

Stella beside me tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

I couldn’t help but have a similar reaction. The souls I was seeing after a long time looked displeased, as if they had been sleeping and someone had woken them up.

[Is it okay to leave them like this?]

In response to Stella’s concerned question, the Dark Spiritmaster popped out from behind and shouted.

[You’re neither Deus Verdi nor a Spiritmaster anymore, so don’t interfere! Let’s see how well our Owen does!]

“You’re misunderstanding something.”

I sighed as I passed by the Dark Spiritmaster. I didn’t give souls peace because I was a Spiritmaster.

I didn’t listen to their stories and comfort them.

The name Spiritmaster was given to me because people saw my actions.

“We’ll stay here today. Tell Findenai to keep the carriage here and minimize our presence.”

Even just Findenai stretching out her aura would startle the souls here and make them tremble in fear.

[Shall I accompany you?]

I shook my head at Stella who was asking if I needed her help.

Even though she was no longer a Saintess, even if she were, I wouldn’t have wanted her help.

“Talking with the dead is something I used to do.”

[Fufu.]

Whether she liked my answer or it reminded her of the past, Stella folded her hands neatly as if in prayer and whispered.

[Do your best.]

With Stella’s encouragement, I entered the forest. The souls saw me coming, but like others, they turned their eyes away, thinking I couldn’t see them.

‘Hmm.’

The figures sitting on the high branches between the trees looked almost like fruit.

Or they seemed like bodies hanged as examples after execution.

Either way, it wasn’t a comparison to make about humans, and it wasn’t a pleasant sight.

“How.”

The forest was gray with cloudy skies blocking the sunlight, making it seem late despite the early hour.

At the center of it, looking up at many of them, I asked.

“Are you all awake?”

At my words, the eyes of those who were like living corpses, with no strength in their bodies but eyes open, turned to me again.

They still weren’t sure if I was really speaking to them, so I calmly spoke again.

“There should be plenty of room for you to rest.”

It’s different from before.

Unlike the saturated continent of the past, the continent was now empty.

There was no need to worry about soul saturation for at least hundreds or even a thousand years.

Therefore, there must be a reason why they were awake like this, and it seemed related to Owen who had undergone trials here.

[Can you see us?]

One middle-aged male soul approached me, and I nodded in response.

Then.

The other souls all rushed toward me and began pouring out their stories.

[There was an epidemic in this area recently. We suffered from it and eventually ended up like this.]

[But the epidemic was resolved thanks to the Black Mage who came from Greyfond.]

[We don’t hold any grudges! We were originally just sleeping!]

They were sleeping?

Though they were all talking at once from different directions, I was listening to everything.

While pondering with my lips tightly closed, I continued listening.

[But then a boy who seemed to be the Black Mage’s companion came and woke us up.]

[And then he left! He just woke us up and left without doing anything else!]

‘The boy must be Owen.’

But Owen’s piano playing had the power to comfort souls, so it was strange that he woke them up.

If given some time, they would naturally return to rest, but.

In this awakened state, there was a risk of them turning into evil spirits.

Whatever the case.

‘He forcibly woke them up.’

This was the important part.

Since Owen’s playing couldn’t wake souls.

‘Did he… learn necromancy?’

I couldn’t help but be suspicious.