Chapter 377: Betrayal(3)
Chapter 377: Betrayal(3)
"So... both the 'innocent victim' and the two bereaved family members were actually demon worshippers, and they staged the whole thing just to get close to me and tarnish my reputation?"
"Yes."
"And that grandmother was found dead at the entrance."
"Yes."
"And that’s it?"
Kate nodded at my question, though she looked as if she wasn't entirely convinced herself.
And for good reason. The setup, the development, and even the rising action were perfect, but there was no climax or resolution. It felt like the story had been cut off right in the middle.
I understood the demon worshippers' intentions, but the execution felt far too flimsy, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what method they had actually used.
Just in case, Kate had even declared a Sanctuary, but no further anomalies were found.
I was just a bit dazed from being woken up in the middle of a nap. For something that had started so urgently, the conclusion was rather anticlimactic.
Pffft—!
In the midst of this baffling situation, a sound that was impossible to ignore reached my ears.
It was so loud that I didn't even need to check who it was. The sound had come directly from Ariel, whom I was currently holding.
I turned my head to look at her. I didn't know what she was looking at, but she was staring up into empty space with her head tilted back.
"Ariel?"
"Ung?"
"Was that you just now, Ariel?"
"Was what?"
Ariel tilted her head at my question. Come to think of it, Ariel didn't have gas—or more accurately, she didn't have basic physiological functions.
Given her origins, I usually just brushed it off, but I had been worried enough to give her a thorough examination before.
The results showed that she had all the parts a human should have, but they were mostly non-functional.
Even if she ate more than an adult, she never had bowel movements; at most, she might let out a burp.
So, the fact that she had just passed gas was quite a shock to me.
"What you just did. That poof sound and the feeling of your insides emptying out."
"Is that a fart?"
"That’s right."
Pfft!
"This?"
"...Yeah."
She didn't really need to confirm it for me. I let out a sheepish laugh at Ariel’s innocent response.
Anyway, what on earth did she eat to make her start farting? I started to worry that the snacks she had before bed might have been bad.
As the thought crossed my mind, concern took over. Ariel could technically chew and swallow stones, but if she actually ate something toxic, it would be a disaster.
Last time, she almost started nibbling on the ceramic plate itself, so I couldn't help but be protective.
"You didn't eat anything weird while Daddy was sleeping, did you?"
"..."
It must have been a sharp question. Ariel couldn't meet my eyes and looked away, which made it certain.
So, what did she eat? There was nothing in the dormitory that Ariel shouldn't be eating.
If I had to guess, maybe the dough I left in the fridge? But she had taken one bite of that before and spat it out immediately. I had scolded her quite a bit for that.
Pffft—
Just how much did she eat? I let out a hollow laugh as she kept letting them rip like a little gas machine.
Strangely enough, there was no smell at all. For the record, I had no intention of scolding her. I was asking out of genuine concern.
"Daddy is just worried. So, can you tell me?"
"Uung... Cloud Chocolate Cookies?"
"Cloud Chocolate Cookies?"
What a name. It sounded nothing like normal food.
I wondered if it was a new cookie Adelia had invented, or if it was just a name Ariel had made up on the spot.
Ariel began to explain, gesturing with her hands.
"I woke up because I felt something weird. And Cloud Chocolate Cookies were floating around in front of me. So I ate them."
"...?"
"...?"
Kate and I looked at each other the moment we heard the explanation. Judging by her expression, we were thinking the same thing.
Ariel’s meager explanation made no sense. Floating Cloud Chocolate Cookies?
I needed a more detailed description. I grabbed the notebook and magic pen I kept by the bedside. Drawing it might help clarify things.
"What did those cookies look like?"
"They looked like people."
"Like people?"
"Yeah. They didn't have eyes or noses, just mouths. And they weren't wearing clothes."
The more Ariel explained, the more my brow furrowed. Was she sure this is what she saw?
Once she finished her description, I showed her the sketch I had made. Both Ariel and Kate leaned in to look at my notebook.
"Did they look like this?"
"Yeah! That’s it! That’s exactly what they looked like!"
"..."
Seeing her bright response, it seemed my drawing was accurate. I tilted my head and re-examined the sketch.
A faceless egg ghost with nothing but a mouth. That was the perfect description for it.
"Um... Ms. Kate?"
"Yes. Please, go ahead."
"Do evil spirits usually look like this? From what I know, they’re supposed to look much more grotesque."
Since this was a fantasy world, ghosts, spirits, and evil spirits that directly harmed humans did exist.
In the case of evil spirits, the Church usually handled the exorcisms, while ordinary ghosts were either appeased or sent to the afterlife through shamanistic rituals.
However, I had never heard of a ghost that looked like the one in my notebook. Even ghosts usually had distinct features, but this thing was as blank as a faceless egg. Its identity was a total mystery.
"No. Evil spirits are beings that have become wicked due to lingering grudges from their past lives. They possess far more horrific appearances. They can even exert physical force."
"I see. Anyway, Ariel. You ate these things?"
"Yeah."
Poof—
Another cute, cheeky little fart. It seemed the digestion(?) process was still underway.
"Lord Isaac. This is merely a guess, but may I speak?"
"Ah, yes. Please."
"It seems the demon worshippers were attempting to possess you."
"Possession..."
I nodded at the highly plausible hypothesis. Possession literally meant being haunted or taken over by a spirit.
If a possession was successful, the victim's body would be snatched away. However, it wasn't necessarily permanent; if the right measures were taken, they could be returned to normal.
The problem here was that it was often impossible to tell if someone had been possessed. If they managed to fool everyone through acting, a catastrophe could easily break out.
"So, what you're saying, Ms. Kate, is that the demon worshippers first possessed the human trafficker, then the bereaved family members, all to get close to me?"
"Yes."
"And then they approached me in spirit form, only for Ariel to eat them up?"
"That seems to be the case."
"Is that even possible?"
Ghosts are beings that wander the world aimlessly because of strong grudges. In other words, their grudges must be deep enough to defy the 'Natural Order.'
Could that really be called 'will'? Absolutely not.
Yet, these demon worshippers had approached me in spirit form purely of their own volition.
Fortunately, a disaster was averted because Ariel had gobbled them up, but even considering that, their abilities were extremely dangerous.
"As I said before, it is only a guess. This is a situation I have never encountered..."
Pfft—
The sound of a fart rang out again in the middle of the serious atmosphere. Kate glanced at Ariel before finishing her explanation.
"...I cannot say for certain because I have never seen anything like this."
"Are there no experts in the Church regarding this?"
"Shamans tend to know more about spirits than priests... I apologize. I only know how to perform exorcisms; I do not know how to guide spirits to the afterlife."
"Not even you, Ms. Kate?"
"Yes. Shamanism is an ability that interferes with 'Providence' and nature. No matter how powerful one's Divine Power is, it cannot deviate from the Natural Order created by the Gods. That is why necromancy is also considered closer to shamanism."
I thought it was just a simple ability like a rain ritual, but it seemed I was wrong. Then again, humans used shamanism long before they learned magic, so its effectiveness was proven.
It was just highly unpredictable.
If magic uses 50 units of power to get 50 units of result, shamanism could result in 30, 100, or even 0.
I need to investigate this further.
I had rarely looked into shamanism, even if I knew about magic. It was an ability rarely used these days, and there were too many uncertainties.
But this incident gave me a reason to research it. Ariel had stopped them today, but there was no guarantee she would be there to stop them next time.
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work today, and now..."
Pfft—
Was she having trouble digesting because she ate something dirty? I looked at Ariel, who was opening her sphincter at every opportunity.
She was clutching her stomach with a tearful face, as if she really was having indigestion. Well, they were corrupted souls meant to target me, so it must be hard on her.
It wasn't like I could prescribe medicine, either. This wasn't a real stomach ache.
"Ariel. Does your tummy hurt a lot?"
"Uung... a little."
"Try lying down for a moment. Daddy will make it better."
"Really?"
"Don't you trust Daddy?"
The moment I asked, Ariel scurried to lie down on the bed. Her red hair, inherited from me, fanned out across the sheets.
I gave her a warm smile at her cute behavior and gently lifted her top. Her adorable belly button and plump little tummy were revealed.
Slide—
I then placed my large hand on her stomach. My hand was so big it could almost cover her entire belly.
At the very least, for young children, the ultimate panacea was the 'Mommy Hand'—no, in this case, 'Daddy's hand is a healing hand.'
It was an affectionate touch that everyone raised in Korea had experienced at least once. There was a superstition that the effect depended on how much love the mother put into it.
"Daddy’s hand is a healing hand. Ariel’s tummy is a potbelly."
I began to gently rub Ariel’s small stomach with my large hand. I made eye contact with her and gave her a bright smile.
For the record, this act actually has a physical effect. The theory is that it helps disperse gas in the intestines and, more importantly, confirms the child's sense of being loved, which dulls the pain.
Ariel burst into a giggle, perhaps feeling my love. I smiled back and continued the song and the healing hand.
I must have been doing it for quite a while.
Pfooooooot—!
Ariel let out a massive vent of gas, as if she had finally finished digesting. To be precise, it wasn't gas, but the remnants of the spirits.
"Huaaa..."
Judging by her relieved expression, it seemed she had expelled everything left inside. I rubbed her belly a few more times before gently pulling my hand away.
"Are you okay now?"
"Yeah! It doesn't hurt anymore!"
"That’s good. Up we go."
I scooped Ariel up from the bed. The small girl fit perfectly in my arms.
The Gods had said there would be no crises for the time being. That was probably because Ariel was by my side.
But I couldn't keep her by my side forever. Even if she was a transcendent being, she was still a person, and she deserved to live a free life.
I need to get stronger quickly.
At least enough so that I'm not a burden to others. Enough to protect myself.
As I was thinking that and patting Ariel on the back, I suddenly felt an intense gaze from in front of me.
I looked up to see Kate staring at us with a dazed look in her eyes. Her mouth was slightly agape, and her eyes were out of focus.
It was only natural to feel uneasy at that sight. I asked her in a hesitant voice.
"Um... Ms. Kate?"
"Ye-yes?"
"Is there something you'd like to say...?"
"No. Nothing."
Well, that’s a relief—
"Haa... haa..."
"...?"
"Lord Isaac’s healing hand..."
Wait, why are you rubbing your own stomach?
"Um... Lord Isaac?"
"...Yes?"
"I think my stomach hurts a little too..."
"I don't give healing hands to children who lie."
If I did that to a full-grown adult, it would become a 'healing hand' of a completely different nature.