Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Haunted Territory - 3
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I stopped reminiscing.
Trail's voice rang out.
[Kaild places value on nothing but his own fame. Forcing a party member into a spell with such a price.]
'I have no intention of defending that guy, but maybe he had no choice with the situation being so urgent. Besides, given Jenia's personality, she probably stepped up first and volunteered for the spell.'
[Hmm. What do you think you would have done in that situation?]
'Don't ask pointless questions.'
Trail let out a hearty laugh, then continued in a soothing tone, as if patting me on the back.
[Whatever the case, you would have done better than Kaild. I believe in you.]
'Of course.'
[That was the touching moment.]
Just then, Mariana's voice came through.
"This is the true nature of the curse as far as I've grasped it."
"Hmm. So someone opened a gate to the underworld?"
"From what we've investigated so far, the spirits possessing the territory's people aren't from around here. And it doesn't make sense for vengeful spirits from all over the continent to gather in one place like this. Someone must have opened a gate to the underworld nearby."
"......"
"And opening a gate to the underworld isn't possible with ordinary incantations. You'd need to etch them densely enough on a single person's body."
Mariana took a sip of her tea, apparently tired from the long explanation.
Incantations.
Unlike wizards' magic circles, necromancers usually draw incantations on their own bodies.
They say it's easier that way to sense spirits.
In the meantime, Neril spoke up.
"Then the culprit must be someone with incantations etched on their body."
"Yes. And for the record, it's not me. I've already been checked."
"I didn't suspect you in particular."
"......Thank you. I guess I've been a bit sensitive."
That's when Tibur cut in.
He shot Neril a subtle glare, clearly displeased that outsiders like us were meddling in this.
"We'll check again."
"I already told you my examination is over."
"I've heard skilled necromancers can draw incantations so small they're invisible. Or make them transparent to normal eyes."
"......"
"I don't know who checked you, but someone without expertise in necromancy could easily be fooled."
Those words rang true, and Mariana bit her lip.
Then Jenia spoke.
"In that case, I'll check her."
"Lady Jenia?"
"No need to look so shocked. Tricks as shallow as what you described won't fool my eyes."
She was the perfect candidate—not just as a fellow woman, but with skills far surpassing Tibur's.
"If it's all right, shall we start right away? Mariana knows the most about this, and it's uncomfortable for everyone with these suspicions lingering."
"I'm fine anytime."
How could she be so brazen?
Even ranked seventh, did she really think she could fool a hero like Jenia?
[She doesn't know Jenia's hero rank yet.]
'Ah. Right.'
[More importantly, how long do I have to wait?]
'Huh?'
[Normally, you'd say you'd reveal the secret around now.]
This guy's got great timing.
Anyway, this was just wasting time, so maybe it was time to start.
'Alright. Do it now.'
[Okay.]
'I'll use the Eye of Omniscience. On Mariana Ain and......'
I trailed off.
Then I started rubbing both eyes with my hands.
Neril asked.
"What are you doing?"
"Eye boogers."
"Just say you're tired. You're embarrassing yourself."
Ignoring her, I picked at my eye... no, I spoke to Trail.
'Looks like I'm a bit tired. Mind giving my shoulders a rub?'
[You think that's possible? Even if it was, I wouldn't.]
'Sigh. What the hell is going on?'
[What's wrong with you?]
Instead of answering, I looked up at Mariana's head again.
-Innocent.
My Blood Letters follow certain rules.
One is that they appear in the order of sins the person wants to hide most.
Another is that they only mark sins above a certain level.
In that sense, "Innocent" isn't particularly special.
For example, infants who can't commit sins all read like that.
From experience, sins registered in Blood Letters are ones that would earn at least prison time under imperial law.
Trivial things like accidentally bumping into someone or drunkenly singing loudly at night don't show up.
Even so......
'A woman pushing forty with no sins? First time I've seen this.'
What kind of saint is this lady?
Thud.
In the meantime, Jenia returned with Mariana.
Her face somehow looked a bit pleased as she said.
"I've checked Mariana from head to toe. No incantations anywhere."
Tibur said skeptically.
"Are you sure?"
"Who do you think I am, Sir Tibur?"
"I-I apologize. Sigh."
In the end, the investigation circled back to square one.
For everyone else, and me too.
[Maybe your Blood Letters or whatever is glitching?]
'In my entire life, that's never happened once.'
[34 years and you call it your entire life.]
'I said 27, right?'
[You called it long, now it's shorter.]
Anyway, no more clues here.
I decided to step back for now.
"I understand the situation. We'll cooperate."
"Cooperate?"
"I mean we'll handle this case. Think of it as hiring mercenaries."
I was speaking to the count, but Tibur reacted.
"Unyielding Sword Emperor. I've heard you've been arrogantly calling yourself a hero lately."
"I didn't claim it myself. People just gave me an undeserved title."
"At least you know it's undeserved. The anomalies are Knights of Light business! Stay out of it."
I wasn't bothered, but Neril and Jenia bristled unnecessarily.
Especially Jenia, who spoke up.
"Then I'll interfere."
"Lady Jenia?"
"Separate from you, Sir Tibur, I'll take this case in my name. Maide will be my attendant assisting me. That settles it, right?"
Tibur had no retort and made a feeble objection.
"......Is that woman standing there blankly also an attendant?"
Neril replied.
"I'm a lady."
Tibur said he'd discuss more with the count, so our group and Mariana left the mansion side by side.
Then, a boy spotted us from afar.
A cute kid with shaggy black hair slightly covering his eyes.
He broke into a beaming smile, like a sunflower blooming.
And charged toward us energetically.
"Adwin. Don't run. You'll fall......"
Thud.
He fell.
Adwin was, if anything, over-Neril.
'His reflexes are still awful.'
Adwin jumped right back up, though.
And approached us more calmly than before.
Despite his earlier ecstatic expression, Adwin suddenly crossed his left and right arms in some bizarre pose.
Then he said.
"Heh heh. The only one who keeps the friend of the dead waiting is Mother."
"Adwin. You're at it again."
"But Mother has every right. She who calls desired souls from the infinite underworld beyond the Redby River, resting place of eternal spirits."
"Oh dear. What happened to my son?"
Mariana covered her eyes with her sleeve, genuinely regretful.
I regret it too.
That bizarre speech pattern, incomprehensible from any angle, hadn't changed.
While Adwin struck his pose, Mariana lifted his bangs.
From the recent fall, a bit of blood beaded on his forehead.
"Enough nonsense and let me heal you first. Looks like you got hurt falling."
"Ahaha! Even Mother can't steal my blood."
"......"
Jenia stepped forward then.
Before Mariana could stop her, she placed a hand on Adwin's forehead and began a prayer.
"Heavenly God......"
Using holy power enough to revive the dying on a mere scrape felt excessive, but I wouldn't interfere.
When Jenia removed her hand, Adwin's forehead was perfectly clean.
Mariana said, surprised.
"You didn't need to go this far."
"No. I have plenty of holy power to spare."
I'd never heard such a lame excuse in my life.
Mariana covered her mouth and laughed.
"Hee hee. Thank you truly. To think the Knights of Light have someone like you."
"Please don't think too badly of us."
"Yes. Guess I had prejudices at my age. You too, please."
"Ah, um. Sure. Since there are people like you among the necromancers."
Why was the mood suddenly so bright?
Adwin glanced up at Jenia slyly.
"Hoh. Impressive. Where did your life come from, and where does it go?"
"From God, back to God."
"I-Instant answer?"
"Some say life is from nothing to something, then back to nothing. What do you think?"
"Uh, well. I haven't thought that deeply......"
"Yeah. Plenty of time, so mull it over slowly. What's your name?"
"Adwin Ain......."
"Right, Adwin. Always be filial to your mom?"
"Yes. I will."
Only Jenia could bring Adwin back to normal.
How did she recreate his pre-regression self in just three minutes?
Neril whispered.
"That kid's got some head issues."
"Don't say rude things in front of his head-issue kid's mom."
"So you agree he's got head issues."
"It's a new symptom to me, but Jenia seems to handle it fine, so it'll be okay."
"Okay? We're not seeing them again anyway...... Oh right. You said he's your next party member pick."
By then, the symptoms subsided, and Adwin spoke to Mariana in a normal tone.
"Mother. How'd it go with the guests?"
"I told you not to worry."
"But I heard the territory folks whispering. The Knights of Light came to investigate. Were you suspected?"
He glanced at Jenia.
Jenia answered instead of Mariana.
"Don't worry. All suspicions cleared."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You trust Mariana, right?"
"Heh heh. I don't value the word trust. It's just a human illusion for comfort in a world of doubt."
"They say it's the primal value that let humans rise again after the Fall Demon King's reign."
"Uh, um. Is there such a saying?"
There isn't.
And what's "primal" doing there? Doesn't fit the context.
Whatever, good that Adwin's sane again.
Mariana looked at Jenia with wonder.
"Amazing, Miss Jenia. My son stays twisted for two days usually."
"Oh, no."
"If it's not rude, may I invite you to our home? Since you're handling this, I'd like to join hands with you."
Jenia glanced at me.
I nodded calmly.
Her face brightened at my approval.
"Understood. Looking forward to working with you."
Mariana's Blood Letters read "Innocent," but pre-regression, she was concluded as the culprit.
What was really going on?
If the Eye of Omniscience couldn't confirm, I'd check with my own eyes.
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