| Author: Akashari | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mui | English Source: Re:Library |
“M-Masteeerrrrr…!”
“Don’t talk, don’t cling, don’t get snot on me. Honestly, are you a magnet for trouble?”
Master tried to pry me off, but my arm strength far outweighed hers. I must have looked terrible, crying in fear, but even so, I couldn’t bear to be away from my master, feeling cold and helpless.
“Seriously, Specters, in a place like this? What is this nonsense?”
“Oooohhh….Ooooooohhh…”
Master didn’t even glance at me, her gaze fixed on something glowing and smoky floating nearby. The eerie, undulating outline of the smoke seemed to contain the distressed face of a person.
“W-w-w-w-what… is that… a ghost!?”
“A Specter, a parasite-like entity that houses residual magic from dead bodies. It drains the life force from living beings and kills them.”
“So it IS a ghost!!?”
“It’s not a ghost. It’s an amorphous but living creature. Don’t mistake it for a resurrected dead person.”
Though my master asserted so, to me, it looked like nothing but a ghost. The face emerging from the smoke appeared elderly. Could it be the owner of this mansion? Perhaps he was angry at us for trespassing and transformed…
“Don’t fear, you’ll be swallowed up. You’ve been drained quite a bit already. Rest now.”
“Ah… Okay.”
Sensing my trembling, Master stroked my head, calming me down.
Wow, up close, Master’s face is really handsome. Makes me forget about fear. Her eyelashes are long, her complexion fair, her eyes double-lidded and bright. Wow, I’d love to see her all dressed up properly. It would be amazing.
“Aaahhh… Uuuuooohhh…!!”
“Now, I’ll say this first—I’m angry 1. There will be no mercy.”
Facing the agonizing howls of the Specter, Master showed no sign of backing down. In fact, the heat radiating behind her was intensifying, indicating a spell far beyond what she displayed earlier…
“…Wait, Master, you can’t do that! You’ll set the mansion on fire!!”
“Tch, troublesome. Then, Explode.”
Hastily stopping her, my master switched spells and blew away the ghost that was looming in front of us with an explosion. It was the same spell used by the thief boss, but there was a remarkable difference in finesse.
Despite the explosion happening right in front of us, not even a speck of ash came our way.
“Aaaahhh… Uuuuoohhh…!!”
“Remember, Momo. As you can see, the opponent has no physical form. Most attacks will have almost no effect.”
“W-what should we do then!?”
As Master said, the ghost’s body, which should have been scattered by the explosion, quickly reformed.
With a body like smoke, there’s no way our punches or kicks would have any effect. We might be in serious trouble.
“If only we had a sorcerer, things would be easier, but we’ll have to rely on brute force. Therefore, let’s go with sheer force.”
“A-and…?”
“I said almost no effect, didn’t I? Pierce, Flame Arrow―― Line up, Ten.”
As Master chanted, arrows made of twisted flames appeared all around the space between us and the ghost. And in the blink of an eye, every single one of them launched towards the ghost.
As they pierced through even the dispersed fragments, they left not a single scorch mark in the mansion.
“Specters absorb human vitality… well, you could call it heat energy too. So, what do you think will happen if we keep adding heat rapidly from our end?”
“Umm… It’s like when you eat too much and feel stuffed? They’ll collapse?”
“A gentle way to put it. More accurately, they will exceed the amount they can absorb and burst. Now, Explode, explode.”
“Uooooooohhhhh…!?”
“E-Eeek…”
Arrows of flames and fireworks-like explosions relentlessly assaulted the ghost without respite. It was almost pitifully one-sided violence.
…I think the chill running down my spine wasn’t solely because of the ghost.
“U… Aaaahh… Gyaaaaaaahhhhh!!!”
And with a final scream, the ghost exploded into fragments without my master even touching it.
While I was freezing and nearly dying, my master didn’t move an inch and didn’t break a sweat.
“…Hey, Momo, it’s over.”
“Huh? …Ah, yes, you’re right!”
“Hmph, the moment you let your guard down, this happens. Make up for the lost time quickly.”
After checking my forehead and pulse, Master quickly pushed me away. Even though it was still chilly, I noticed fireballs appearing around me, warming me up as they swirled around.
“Th-thank you, Master… hehe.”
“What are you laughing about? Get back to work. Help me out.”
“Huh? Help with what?”
Without a moment’s rest, Master pushed through the crowded corridors.
Come to think of it, why did she even come up to the second floor? I couldn’t even call for help.
“W-what was that explosion just now!?”
“Oh, Mr. Client. Well, it’s a bit of a long story…”
In a panic, the client rushed over as well.
Seemed like that intense explosion was audible even outside. How do I explain this?
“A Specter appeared, probably one that was parasitizing the owner of this mansion. Do you recall anything strange?”
“A S-Specter!? I-I don’t have any recollection of anything like that! Why would something like that be in this town!?”
“I’m trying to find that out now. At first, I couldn’t sense its presence due to all the other clutter, but… it seems to be around here. Momo, start digging around this area.”
“Huh? O-okay, got it!”
Called upon by my master, I started moving the artifacts around the designated area, just like on the first floor.
The items being unearthed weren’t much different from before, all seeming to have designs reminiscent of things I’ve seen in my original world.
“…Stop for a moment, Momo. I’ve found it.”
After repeating the same task several times, Master, who had been searching diligently, reached into the pile of artifacts I was carrying. With her slender arms skillfully probing, she eventually pulled out what appeared to be a round metal plate.
“Th-that’s…!?”
“As I suspected. Client, I know you’re startled, but please bring someone from the church.”
Confirming what my master had pulled out, the client’s face turned pale, and he took a step back. On the surface of the metal plate, meticulously engraved, were images of a skull and a serpent.
“It’s the symbol of the Evil God Religion. We must act swiftly before the damage escalates.”
