Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 014
Chapter Title: Boogey Boogey Boogey (6)
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I stared down at Suhyeon's corpse, pondering the sudden turn of events.
I had no intention of scolding Grizzly. He'd only done it to protect me.
That said, I'd need to train him on controlling his strength later.
"Haa..."
It had all happened so fast, and it was just absurd.
Why had she charged at me with a knife, anyway?
Even if the evil spirit had driven her mad...
Still...
My eyes narrowed.
...In a way, this was the evil spirit's doing too.
Then a scream echoed from behind me.
"Kyaaahhh!"
Someone who arrived late must have witnessed it. I could guess who.
"Ah... Aah..."
It was the new maid, Kim Sora. Ellie rushed over at the scream.
"Sora! What happened!?"
"A-a evil spirit! The evil spirit again! It pushed Suhyeon..."
Nice assist.
Just like with the chandelier killing the shaman.
To Sora, it must have looked like Suhyeon's body suddenly flew off, smashing through the railing.
Yes, the work of a wicked evil spirit.
No need to complicate things further, so this worked perfectly.
She'd tried to kill us all anyway. Take the blame, you.
Plus, if they found out I had a Transparent Vampire, I'd have to silence them both.
It had just been an accidental death.
I'm not some psycho who kills without hesitation.
Even without clear physical evidence.
Killing someone only builds suspicion against me.
Better to let them live if possible.
I approached the collapsed Sora. While Ellie carefully chose her words to comfort her,
I spoke in a gentle voice instead.
"I don't want to die... Why won't it let me die..."
"I won't let you."
"...!?"
In the chaotic moment, my firm words made Ellie and Sora's eyes widen.
I smiled softly and gave them the reassurance they craved.
"It's natural to be scared, but no need to fear too much. Where there are demons, there are gods too."
Panicking in this mansion would only strengthen the Boogeyman inside Emily.
So I played the part of a seasoned expert, instilling calm.
This was only my second real exorcism, and my first ritual.
But it worked.
Sora's eyes still trembled, but she tried to stand.
"Sorry. It's not just you suffering."
Ellie shook her head and helped her up.
"No. It's natural to be shaken. But we have to walk through this darkness."
Her voice was gentle yet resolute.
"For those sacrificed to the evil spirit."
I nodded at Ellie's words.
"...Y-yeah."
I averted my gaze from the broken railing.
Right, it was in the past. What mattered now was solving the problem, as Ellie said.
For the shaman and Suhyeon, victims of the evil spirit's wicked schemes.
To prevent more victims.
And at that moment.
Kwang-!
The door to Emily's room shattered from the dark hallway. Pastor Go Juwon dangled in midair, legs kicking wildly as he wailed.
"God! Lord! Save me! Save meeee!"
Kwang- Kwajik!!
He slammed into the hallway wall.
Blood streamed from his eyes and nose, his body convulsing.
Like a tomato splattered against the wall, he slid down, leaving a bloody smear.
Pastor Go Juwon - DEAD
Another victim, immediately.
Sora's eyes welled with tears as she whimpered.
"Y-you said God exists...!"
Tsk, guess he didn't want to be saved...
Ellie and I had nothing to say.
At least this time it was purely the evil spirit's doing. ...No, not fortunate at all.
I rubbed my face with my palm and snapped back to focus.
Time was truly running out now.
After all this, if our paycheck Smith died too, it'd be a total waste.
"Got the censer?"
"Yes, we found it, but..."
At my question, Ellie and Sora brought over an ornate gold-decorated censer from behind.
Sora said cautiously.
"I heard it's an antique from Zoroastrian rituals. ...Is it okay?"
"Fine. It's the censer that matters."
I pulled a robe from my bag—a white coat inscribed with names of power—and slipped it on.
Not for show.
The hem fluttered as it settled.
I already had the incense pouch. I strapped the holy water bucket and sprinkler to my waist.
Preparations complete.
I gazed into Emily's room through the broken door, light spilling out.
I gripped the grimoire with its cold steel cover.
"Let's go."
Sora looked tearful, but following Ellie's resolute nod, she lit the paper bundle in the censer with her lighter—in place of kindling—and followed.
Emily's room was a wreck.
Pages from a Bible torn and scattered mockingly, as if a failed exorcism.
Smith slumped in despair.
And Emily... the evil spirit inside her lounged against the bed.
Staring at me with a chilling smile.
"Another godless fool comes preaching God's word, aping a servant!"
The girl's sweet voice mixed with a grating metallic screech.
"Try it! This body is mine, and this mansion my lair!"
I hadn't meant to laugh, but I did.
"-Ha!"
"...?"
Godless? Wrong. I believe in gods.
The world's full of invisible things.
No one denies solar power, electricity, nuclear energy.
I smiled faintly at the Boogeyman.
"Do you use electricity with reverence?"
"-What?"
Great Lord, amen, whatever.
All just codes to harness magical energy.
Yes, the ritual, incantation, procedure—that's key.
"Creature of fire, I consecrate thee." "Let all falsehoods flee from it. No harm shall come, nor deception." "Almighty Lord, bless this thing made by fire—"
⟨ Incense Blessing ⟩
I took incense from the pouch and tossed it into the roaring censer flames.
Whoosh-! The flames surged violently upward.
The incense burned instantly, smoke filling the room.
"—Bless it!"
A novice mage, but I grasped what magic was.
Gods, spirits, great names, demons.
Binding mysteries to arbitrary rules, wielding borrowed power shamelessly.
That's a mage.
Gods exist—pure energy.
Emily's chilling smile twisted amid the smoke and incense.
"Urk...! Uuurk-!?"
"Your kind's weak to incense. That's why you fled when you saw me in the lounge."
Raphael burned fish guts with incense.
Asmodeus fled the virgin's body.
I approached the grimacing, glaring Boogeyman.
Step- Step-
I drew the sprinkler from the bucket.
Solomon, son of David, wielded hyssop—and it became holy sprinkler.
I swung it, splashing holy water on Emily.
As it touched her skin.
"Aaaahhh!"
A monstrous wail—not Emily's—erupted from her throat. Sweat poured, eyes darting frantically.
Danger! Real deal! Bastard Solomon pretenders, heretics in God's name, demon thieves... True mage! Can't let him near!
Emily glared at Yohan, like when she flung the pastor.
But powerless.
[YOD HE VAU HE], [ADONAI], [EL], [ELOHIM]
The sacred names on the coat blocked her influence.
White coat fluttering through smoke, Yohan drew closer.
"Stay back... I said stay away-!?"
Emily lunged to stop him with force, but something immense pinned her to the bed.
"Keurk-!?"
"Grr..."
A low, unseen beast's growl.
Grizzly, naturally.
Emily's eyes narrowed fiercely, then softened pathetically. A pure, plaintive voice called to Smith.
"Uh... Euk... It hurts. Hurts... Grandpa. Help me. This man's...!"
"E-Emily...? You?"
I tossed the sprinkler back, pointless ploy.
"Shut it, wretch."
I grabbed her blonde hair, slamming her head into the bed.
Not from hate for Emily—demons feed on weakness.
"I'll drag the King of Ghosts before you. Need a beating to snap to?"
Son of God rebukes demons; the possessed man's illness heals.
"Think I won't? Nameless vermin, crawling in cracks."
A shadowy demonic face overlaid Emily's.
"This body is mine! Try it! I'll make her bite her tongue, gouge her eyes! She dies because of you!"
"Do it."
"-!?"
Emily's—the demon's—eyes bulged.
I leaned to her ear, voice low.
"Your body, not mine. You hurt, or me?"
Straightening, I looked down.
"Do it. Pretty face—fun to torment."
Bluff, of course. I'm no sadist thrilled by pain.
Emily's face contorted.
"Think... this scares me!?"
"Then why not kill me yourself?"
"─!?"
I knew it could be exorcised when it sent Suhyeon instead.
If just annoyed, it'd handle me directly.
Instead, seduced her to attack.
It avoided me, killed others, grew stronger.
I gazed at Emily's—the demon's—face, fear cracking the grimace. Eyes narrowed.
"You feared me."
"Ah... Aaaah...!"
The terror-eater's world flipped.
"Let's end this."
I placed a hand on her forehead, incanting.
"Lord, cage my foe in iron bars. Smite. Defeat."
⟨ Binding Rite ⟩
"N-no... Stop... Stoooop!"
At the demon's cry, I withdrew my hand, brushing back Emily's sweat-matted hair with mocking gentleness.
"Then cry. Beg if you want."
Needed stronger words—line from a fun novel.
"Cry."
I pressed my forehead to hers, staring into vacant abyss-eyes with a twisted, feral smile.
"Cry to prove your innocence, mongrel."
Dragging the hidden demon out. Nowhere left to hide.
"Ah... Aah...!"
Emily's mouth gaped; black shadow poured forth. Long arms flailing to escape.
"Haa..."
Grizzly's arm caught it, yanking back. Teeth sank in.
"Aaaaah! Mercy! Great One! Great One! Great One! Mercy! Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!"
Mocking mouth now begged.
My eyes darkened. Too late for flattery.
Absurd, I chuckled faintly.
"Didn't cry, idiot."
Low voice, quiet command.
"Eat."
The shadow shrieked in panic.
"Great One! I'll cry! Be your slave! Turner of stones to bread! Wearer of Solomon's crown! Beast Lord from the stars! Mercy...!?"
Too late.
"Gya~."
Grizzly gleefully tore and devoured it with teeth and claws.
"Aaaaaaah-!"
The mansion shook as the evil spirit shredded away.
Brutal to me.
To others, successful exorcism—spirit dispersing in air.
...Hope so.
Silence blanketed the room.
Smith stared at Yohan in disbelief.
"You... who... are you?"
Voice trembling, words failing.
Asking identity—would regret later from embarrassment...
Caught in the mood, I repeated my kitchen intro.
"Ghostbuster."
No one laughed this time.