episode_0038

“Um… Senior, that thing on your head….”

Sylphy pointed at my head with her finger.

“Yeah.”

“Am I seeing things?”

“You’re seeing it right.”

I raised my head and looked up, letting out a small sigh.

After resolving the Bellaforte Mansion incident, I gained a constant companion.

None other than the little demon ghost, Shari.

Upon returning to the mansion, Shari, who had clung to my leg, somehow ended up following me even after leaving the mansion.

Now, it seemed like she was perched on my head.

Even though she was a ghost and I couldn’t feel her wherever she clung to my body, it was still unsettling.

“You can come out of the mansion too.”

“I couldn’t originally leave the mansion, but after the funeral, it seems like I can now.”

“Doesn’t it feel heavy?”

“I don’t feel anything.”

*Sigh.*

Sylphy, who was watching me quietly, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“The sight of you carrying such a cute ghost on your head is a bit… amusing.”

“I’m genuinely worried. I wonder what others will think if they see.”

“Since she’s cute, it should be fine, right? I don’t think anyone would think badly of it.”

Sylphy continued to laugh, oblivious to my dilemma, alternating between looking at Shari and me.

An adventurer carrying a little demon ghost around, what if some strange rumors start spreading?

I felt a chill on my forehead, more than usual, and let out a small sigh.

* * *

The Bellaforte Mansion, acquired through a commission fee, was put up for sale by the guild at a low price.

Initially, I tried to find a way to make use of the mansion, but it was futile.

There was really no use for it.

While the mansion was worth thousands of gold, the lack of usable space led to exorbitant repair estimates.

Moreover, with the horrific events in the basement, and its vast size making it impossible to manage alone, it was impractical.

Even if I tried to sell the mansion again, the rumors of it being cursed had spread so far that there were no immediate buyers.

In the end, I decided to entrust the guild with the sale, turning the mansion into a mere burden.

The agreement was that if the guild found a buyer for the mansion, they would pay me half of the selling price.

In essence, I had handed over half of the ownership to the guild, but I had no regrets.

Since the mansion would only become a useless building in my possession.

Although the guild had yet to find a buyer, it was a relief not to have to worry about the mansion anymore.

Now, I could focus on being an adventurer again, which was actually a blessing.

“Thus, Yunoa’s grand dreams of striking it rich in Bellaforte Mansion vanished into thin air.

It was a bitter ending befitting someone consumed by greed for money.”

The narration in my mind subtly scratched at me.

It was you who took on that mansion commission in the first place.

If you hadn’t thought about the mansion being worth thousands of gold, you wouldn’t have taken on that commission.

“Having not gained any financial benefit from Bellaforte Mansion, Yunoa only regretted taking on the commission with money in mind.

If she hadn’t taken on the commission, Shari, who would have suffered in the mansion forever, wouldn’t even be a thought.

Yunoa was truly heartless, shedding no blood or tears.”

Harshly painting me as heartless once again.

Well… it’s not entirely wrong.

Glancing to the side, I saw Shari’s small, translucent body floating in the air, gazing at me.

If I hadn’t been here, this child might have suffered forever until someone who understood the nature of hallucinations appeared.

Well, in that sense, I don’t regret taking on this request.

Although it’s a bit burdensome to have Shari constantly following me in ghost form.

“Hmm? Look over there.”

“What’s that? There’s a strange fairy-like thing following you.”

One day, on the way to the guild to receive a request.

Other adventurers who saw me on the street each made a comment.

It seemed that Shari’s presence looked strange to everyone.

I tried not to pay much attention to it, but it seemed to be a problem for everyone who saw it.

I stopped on the road and quietly said as I entered a quiet alley with few people.

“Shari, can you make yourself invisible to other people normally? I’m having a hard time.”

At my request, Shari, who was attached to my head, floated in the air and came to me, tilting her head.

She didn’t seem to understand why I was having a hard time.

“It’s not because you’re embarrassed or don’t want to be seen, it’s because people are not used to your appearance and get surprised.”

Shari blinked her big, pretty eyes while floating in front of me.

“It’s not that you’re ashamed or don’t want to be seen, it’s just that people are not used to your appearance and get surprised.”

Shari blinked her big, pretty eyes while floating in front of me.

“Shari doesn’t like being misunderstood and hearing bad things for no reason, right? Since you’re a ghost, is there a way to make yourself invisible to others? If it’s too difficult, I’ll get you a bag that you can always go into, so how about staying there when you’re not needed?”

I spoke in a gentle tone, trying to comfort her like I would a child.

In response, Shari answered in a strange way, showing me various scenes in her head as she did when we communicated at the mansion.

“You don’t like the bag because it’s stuffy? You can make yourself visible only to those who know you? Others won’t be able to see you?”

Nodding.

Shari nodded vigorously with a bashful smile.

Indeed, this little demon child is too kind and cute.

As soon as we finished our conversation, Shari flew back and perched on my head again.

Come to think of it, there has never been a being that followed me and liked me so much in my life, it feels strange.

A life loved by a little demon ghost.

As promised, to confirm that Shari’s appearance is not visible to others, I walked out of the alley onto the street.

“Oh, it really doesn’t seem to be visible.”

The effect was immediate.

If I had known this would happen, I would have mentioned it sooner.

Just as I was about to head back to the guild, a man called out to me.

“I found you! Hey! You’re Yunoa, right?”

The man, upon spotting me, quickly ran over and asked.

What? Is there someone looking for me so urgently?

“What’s going on?”

“Hurry, go to the guild right now! Milaia is looking for you!”

Milaia.

It was a name I hadn’t heard in a long time.

She must have returned from hunting down the demons hiding in the human realm, but when did she come back?

Since I was already on my way to the guild, I hurried my steps a bit.

And so, I arrived in front of the adventurer guild.

“What… what is this….”

I was startled by the atmosphere at the guild, which was different from usual.

A considerable number of adventurers had gathered in front of the guild, murmuring.

Several supply wagons were parked, and soldiers in armor could be seen.

Moreover, as soon as I arrived, all the gazes of the many people were focused on me.

“Hey, hey! That guy is Yunoa.”

“What kind of guy is he?”

“He’s a silver-ranked adventurer?”

“Why do we have to wait because of that guy?”

Curiosity, suspicion, resentment, complaints… I felt like I couldn’t breathe under the various emotions in their eyes.

I didn’t do anything, did I?

All these adventurers were waiting because of me?

What’s going on?

I entered the guild, ignoring the uncomfortable gazes of the adventurers around me, as I knew that pondering here wouldn’t lead to any answers.

The scene that greeted me as soon as I entered the guild was Milaia standing with her arms crossed, talking to a man with a blank expression.

“Who exactly is this Silver-ranked adventurer that’s not leading the extermination team and just waiting here?”

“…Wait.”

“The departure time has long passed. If you don’t join at the meeting point on time, it will be a problem even in the capital.”

“…Wait.”

The man in heavy armor was fiercely questioning, while Milaia was coldly ignoring him with a simple “wait.”

Feeling a sense of foreboding, I approached them.

“Excuse me…”

“…You’re here.”

Milaia’s gaze turned towards me.

At the same time, the man who was questioning Milaia also turned his gaze towards me.

While Milaia’s expression was stoic, her eyes looking at me were surprisingly gentle.

But the man in front of her seemed ready to lash out at any moment with a fierce energy in his eyes.

Feeling overwhelmed by the extreme difference in their gazes, I decided to first ask what was going on.

“What’s going on here? Milaia, weren’t you supposed to go to Bynar?”

“I missed it.”

“What?”

“He was already gone when I arrived.”

It seems Bishop Javiel was indeed not at the Freya Church.

Based on the narration clues, it might have been a demon after all.

No, that’s not important right now.

“Anyway, what’s going on? Who are those people outside? Why are they all waiting for me?”

In response to my question, Milaia looked at me intently and said, “Yunoa, please join the monster extermination team this time.”

“What?!”

“The situation on the continent was becoming increasingly dire.

Recently, signs of a large-scale monster invasion were discovered.

In response, the kingdom organized a united monster extermination team consisting of guilds, knights, and kingdom forces.”

Before I could fully comprehend Milaia’s shocking words, a narration played in my mind.

“This monster extermination team has been summoned only for adventurers with exceptional achievements and experience.

Naturally, Yunoa, who has not even been a Silver rank for a year, was not on the list.

However, Milaia, who was appointed as the leader of the adventurer side, insisted that they wouldn’t depart without Yunoa.”

After hearing the narration’s explanation, I finally understood the situation to some extent.

“Will you come with us?”

Milaia asked again.

The man in armor standing next to her was glaring at me as if he was ready to kill me.

Outside the guild, many adventurers were waiting, wondering why the departure was delayed because of me.

…It seemed impossible to refuse in this atmosphere.

With almost tears in my eyes, I had no choice but to reluctantly accept this sudden proposal.