A Ghost's Path to Redemption
"Get lost! You damn ghost!" The period at the end of that sentence summoned an uncomfortable silence. Then my mouth moved according to Kiriol's will, shattering the quiet.
"Since you're a priest too, I suppose you're going to launch into some sermon?"
The way my lips parted felt unnaturally stiff. Was that simply my own mood? The pronunciation of the words I'd spat out somehow didn't sound right. It seemed Kiriol hadn't spoken with a completely light heart either.
"I could tell you to abandon your lingering attachments, that none of it matters anymore. But... it's not as if I haven't tried. I've done all sorts of things to forget my obsession. Yet the harder I tried, the deeper it sank back in. You might call it an excuse, but... well. You're right. I have nothing to say even if you think it's pathetic."
"No. I don't think so."
My gaze shifted back to Laverre.
"If at some point that became the entire meaning of your life, and you lived for it, how could anyone call that wrong?"
I couldn't read Kiriol's emotions precisely, but the way my peripheral vision widened made it clear his heart was trembling.
"...What a strange priest you are."
"I hear that often."
Soon after, Laverre knelt down right in front of me. The pose carried an oddly sacred air that felt completely unlike her usual self.
"Mr. Kiriol. What is the nature of your grudge?"
Silence lingered for a moment. The words came with difficulty. The same was true for Laverre. After a brief pause, Kiriol finally spoke.
"The stigma carved into the arena. I wanted to erase it."
"Has that been tormenting you all this time?"
"Yes. Ever since my defeat at the Sword God's hands, I've lived for nothing else. Raising disciples was for that very purpose. If those kids could win the arena and simply mention my name, my honor would be at least partially restored."
"Then is that exactly what you desire?"
Another hush fell at Laverre's next words. This silence stretched longer.
"...Yes."
The moment he answered, Laverre broke into a bright smile.
"Then we will make it happen. So you can pass on without any worries, we'll win the arena and spread the word that Mr. Kiriol was a magnificent warrior."
A disbelieving snort escaped me.
"Hah! You speak as if it's something you can do whenever you please. Do you think there are that many people capable of winning the arena? The arena isn't nearly as fragile as you seem to believe. It's where the greatest fighters from across the world all gather."
After those words, a faintly bitter smile crossed his face.
"If the arena were that easy, I wouldn't carry this much resentment. The height of the wall standing before a dream only deepens the grudge in equal measure."
Kiriol looked almost unconvinced, but Laverre simply offered her usual smile and gently refuted him.
"Please don't worry."
"Why? Are you so confident you can pull it off?"
"You'll see soon enough."
Laverre gave a small smile, but this one held nothing priestly about it. It was simply the usual Laverre.
"Yes! I must offer thanks to the gods! This has turned out to be fortunate for all of us!"
"I don't know what you're talking about, but sure. Go ahead and give it your best. If you succeed, I'll be able to leave this guy's body feeling a bit more at peace."
Then Laverre pressed her palm against my forehead, nearly slapping it.
"Ow..."
The sound of flesh meeting flesh rang out, and a groan slipped from my mouth on reflex.
"Henry."
"Yeah?... Huh?"
I answered Laverre's call unconsciously, my mouth following along. Without realizing it, control of the body had returned to me.
"How does your body feel? Nothing too strange, I hope?"
"No. It's extremely strange."
"Speak only of the physical condition."
"The body seems fine. My limbs move properly, and I can speak. But it's like..."
I didn't know how to describe the sensation. It was more than simple mental exhaustion, yet too vague to pin down, and it didn't feel like a physical issue either. No matter how I searched for the right words, everything that came to mind felt imprecise.
"Like it's no longer entirely your own body?"
But the casual remark Laverre tossed out matched my state perfectly.
"Exactly. That's it."
"It's because two souls currently share Mr. Henry's body. When Mr. Kiriol possessed you earlier, your condition has essentially become his."
A cold shiver raced down my spine in an instant. This woman has finally abandoned her humanity.
"What the hell did you do?"
"Don't worry. Mr. Henry's soul is bound to his body, so it won't fly off somewhere like Mr. Kiriol's did."
"That's not the problem. What if Kiriol tries to take over my body?"
"I don't believe Mr. Kiriol would do such a thing, but if it happens, I suppose I would have to exorcise him."
The situation left me uneasy. Not because I doubted Laverre's abilities... No. The whole thing was unpleasant enough without any further explanation. A ghost wasn't something you could simply attach and detach like a piercing.
"If you truly dislike it, you may remain as you are. After all, it was you, Mr. Henry, who ignored my advice and ended up possessed."
With her maintaining that sulky attitude, I found myself unable to argue.
"...Fine. I understand. But what about the arena plan? What if Jian refuses to go? Karena will probably say she doesn't want to show her face and refuse too."
"Just wait and see. They definitely won't do that."
True to her confident reply, Laverre's prediction proved accurate.
Jian answered as if he'd been waiting for it all along. "Well. I don't have any particular reason to refuse."
He went on to explain with rather inelegant rhetoric that he'd been waiting for an opportunity like this, but I didn't pay much attention.
I stood up, took a step back, and whispered to Laverre.
"Why is Jian so happy about this?"
"Because there's nothing sweeter for someone without money than a chance to earn a nice sum."
"Hmm... You really don't seem suited to be a priest."
"I hear that often."
While we were talking, Karena finally emerged into the living room, scratching her belly and asking what was going on. I had no idea where she kept appearing from... Anyway, we gave her a brief explanation of the situation.
She plopped down on the sofa with a perfectly blank expression and replied, "So. After Jian wins the arena, we're gonna suck up to that bastard a little?"
"That's right! And while we're at it, we'll claim the prize money and improve the finances of our newly restarted party."
Karena listened with her head tilted all the way back, then suddenly asked, "But is that really enough?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Never mind. If the guy himself says it's fine, I shouldn't butt in."
Without moving her sharply tilted neck, Karena shifted only her eyes to look at me. Our gazes met.
"More importantly, Henry, you're not entering?"
"What would a magician who can't even use a single spell do there? I'd just embarrass myself for no reason."
Karena adjusted her posture on the sofa and gracefully crossed her legs. She twisted them completely, using every bit of her flexibility. Just like her personality.
"Give it a try. It would help you a lot."
"Eh."
At first I thought it was a half-joking comment meant to lighten the mood. But her expression showed she wasn't saying anything so trivial. She was far too serious.
"...Are you being serious?"
"Yes. Because."
I was curious what she would say next, but that rude Laverre jumped in and stole the words.
"That's an excellent idea! How about Mr. Henry enters as well?"
Her voice had grown far too bright compared to moments before. I felt a wave of anxiety. Just what had she picked up on to shift so dramatically?
"Why?"
Surprisingly, Karena didn't seem upset about being interrupted. She paused as if it were perfectly timed, still appearing lost in thought.
"It's exactly as Miss Karena said. Among us right now, the weakest one is Mr. Henry, isn't it? In a situation where you can't use magic, if any combat arises... Of course I would be there. And Miss Karena and Mr. Jian as well. Still, it worries me. You're quite frail, and your combat techniques aren't particularly outstanding, are they? It's not as if I can always be there to help. So I believe..."
The way her words suddenly sped up and multiplied only heightened my unease. The fact that her logic remained subtly orderly was equally unsettling.
"Yeah. Even when I think about it, that seems right."
Karena emerged from her thoughts. Seeing their opinions align so perfectly made me wonder if these two were pulling off some elaborate joke.
"More than that, Laverre. Why do you cut me off when I'm speaking?"
"Oh dear. That sort of thing can happen when people talk, can't it?"
I didn't join the meaningless argument that broke out between the two immediately after. Still, I felt it was somewhat fortunate that Laverre's anger seemed to have eased a little.
After that, the discussion about whether I would enter the arena never came up again.
At least not until the day the tournament began.