Chapter 36: The Soul That Cannot Be Seen

There must be a lot of related research materials in the Mage’s Tower.

In my time, studies about the gods were also actively pursued.

‘If Furnel’s words sounded especially sweet, would that be a strange phenomenon?’

It was a method I never even dared to imagine.

A god who lost magic and created skills and traits as substitutes.

‘To deceive such a god’s eyes?’

Is that truly possible?

“Heh heh heh… What would be impossible? Do you know who had the worst relations with us mages in my era? It was the priests who served the gods. They especially despised us Necromancers and Black Mages. They claimed we were defying the gods’ will or something like that.”

That made perfect sense.

Necromancers who manipulate the undead.

Black Mages who wield magic through the aura of death. How could priests possibly like them?

“So, I will remain here and continue my research. This is partly to help you, but honestly, my personal desire for knowledge is even greater. That said…”

Furnel slowly approached Hio.

“Extend your hand a bit.”

“Hand?”

“Yes. Quickly. You must catch it well, you know?”

When Hio put his hands together and stretched them forward, Furnel flew over.

A ghostly form about the size of a head, with eyes, nose, and mouth.

“Ugh!”

The ghost frowned as if facing a great trouble, right on top of Hio’s hands.

“…What are you doing?”

Feeling very uneasy, Hio tried to pull his hands back, but—

“Don’t pull away! Ugh… Just wait a moment.”

Furnel kept groaning, telling him to keep his hands still.

Something felt very unpleasant and strange, but since it was unlikely the ghost would poop on him, Hio just stayed put.

‘How long had it been?’

‘Ughh! It’s coming out! It’s coming!’

Below Furnel’s pale body, something round gradually slipped out and dropped onto Hio’s palm.

A blue orb.

“This is…”

The orb was definitely something Hio recognized.

“Phew… It’s my first time doing this; it’s quite difficult.”

This was an artifact obtained by destroying Furnel in the game after he lost his ease.

The reason Hio came to the House of the Ghosts.

[Specter’s Essence – Soul of the Necromancer (??)]

[An essence obtainable when a high-ranked soul becomes a Specter]

[Does not seem to be a complete essence]

[Unpredictable results upon ingestion]

However, its effects were somewhat different from what Hio knew.

Same name, but different contents.

The epic rank was replaced by question marks, and there was a warning about unpredictable results.

‘I’ve seen question mark ranks before…’

Meaning it’s a rank that can’t be measured precisely.

This occasionally appears in growth-type artifacts or consumable items.

Looking at Furnel with the Specter’s Essence in hand, Furnel grinned wryly.

“Becoming a ghost made me instinctively aware that I could do something like this.”

Half of Furnel’s face had vanished.

Not a metaphor—his size literally shrank to half of what it was before.

“…Is this really okay? I won’t die, right?”

“Ha ha ha! It’s fine, perfectly fine. It just weakens my power as a Specter. I’m not going to become a Specter Lord or anything; my goal is solely magical research, so it doesn’t matter.”

Though he said that, Hio’s heart didn’t feel at ease.

It was like having half of his own body ripped away and given to someone else.

Of course, the appearance was a bit odd.

“Swallow it.”

“What happens if I swallow it?”

“Hmm… I don’t know the precise effect either, but probably part of my power will transfer to you.”

“Power, huh.”

He looked down at the blue orb in his hand once again.

Then, without hesitation, he brought it to his lips and swallowed it like a pill.

As it slid down his throat, he clearly felt the orb’s presence beneath his Adam’s apple.

That sensation gradually faded, then suddenly a mysterious energy spread throughout his entire body.

[Specter’s Essence – ‘Soul of the Necromancer’ successfully absorbed]

[Soul of the Necromancer’ seeps into the user]

[Partial inheritance of abilities achieved]

[Constitution changes according to soul type]

[Trait – ‘Ghost’s Eye’ acquired]

[Trait – ‘Spirit Form’ acquired]

[Stat – ‘Spirit Power’ generated]

[Stat – ‘Spirit Power’ increased by +10]

Messages flowed across his vision.

‘As expected…’

Abilities similar to those gained in the game.

An epic item granting new traits and stats: the Specter’s Essence.

Traits define a character’s identity.

That’s why they cannot be purchased even at point shops.

But what if an item changes your constitution and grants new traits?

It would cause a huge uproar.

Knowing its value so well, Hio had come to the House of the Ghosts even after his second evolution into the Azure Flame.

And in the end, he obtained it.

The traits he aimed for and the associated new stats.

The Hidden Piece known only to the supreme genius of the game’s top tier.

‘Though it seems the rank has dropped a bit…’

In the game, it raised the Spirit Power stat higher and even granted skills, but since this wasn’t a complete essence, it felt a bit lacking compared to back then.

Still, he didn’t feel particularly disappointed.

For Hio, skills were like a candle flame in the wind—one blow of violence and they’d vanish without mercy.

He had no regrets about skills.

If he worked hard during that time to learn a magic, he could always re-register it as a skill if it was deleted.

‘How great was that?’

Magic was definitely the best.

[Trait: Ghost’s Eye]

[Trait: Spirit Form]

He knew well the effects of these two newly acquired traits from the game, but reality was surely different from the game.

‘I’ll have to test them out.’

Just as Hio was about to use the traits,

“Oh, what a strange feeling. It’s like I’ve been split in two. No, it’s true—I really have been split in two!”

Furnel approached in a fuss.

“Huh? Split in two?”

“You ingested half of my soul, didn’t you? My other half went to you.”

“…That feels really disgusting.”

Furnel chuckled as he saw Hio’s very uncomfortable expression.

“Don’t be like that; hurry and go. Didn’t you say you had a lot to do?”

Pushing Hio toward the portal, “I will go, but…”

Being rushed like that made Hio feel uneasy again.

Standing before the portal, he infused it with mana and glanced back to see Furnel still grinning mischievously.

[Confirmed mana is 2nd Circle]

[Four regions available to travel]

“…You’re really going?”

“Hurry along. I’ll stay here and research ways to deceive the god’s eyes.”

“Alright. If I find another Mage’s House on the way, I’ll definitely stop by.”

[Imenia Southern Region Necromancer Branch (2) – ‘Mage’s House’ selected]

[Portal activated]

Furnel, still grinning, nodded as if wishing him well and then gradually dispersed.

Bright light blocked his vision, and when Hio opened his eyes again, he was back on the 4th basement floor of the House of the Ghosts.

“…It didn’t go exactly as planned, but it was pretty good.”

He had reached 2nd Circle and partially obtained the artifact’s power he aimed for.

More importantly, he had found a teacher to teach him magic.

They even promised to research a way to break free from the curse-like non-violence.

“Completely escaping it might be impossible… but still, it’s something.”

Even if the method was almost a trick, it was better than blindly enduring with no alternatives.

That was unquestionably a good thing.

“Alright.”

Hio tried to walk forward with a happy heart, but—

“What’s so good?”

A voice echoed inside his head that shouldn’t have been able to reach him.

“What?”

He looked around but saw no one.

He definitely had crossed the portal alone.

Then who was that voice just now…

“Who else? It’s me. Your teacher, Furnel Pencheff.”

“…Weren’t you supposed to stay in the Mage’s Tower?”

“I am in the Mage’s Tower. And at the same time, I’m with you.”

Though Furnel’s form was nowhere to be seen, his voice continued ringing inside Hio’s mind.

…No way.

“You mean splitting in two was about that?”

“Exactly. Heh heh heh. Half of me continues research in the Tower, and half is stuck with you. Of course, since it’s the same soul, communication isn’t a problem. How is that? Isn’t it amazing?”

At Furnel’s innocent voice, an ominous thought slowly crept up.

“Please don’t tell me… I have to be stuck with you for life…”

Cautiously asking just in case,

“Why not? Half of my soul now basically belongs to you.”

It was a terrible answer.

This was… something he hadn’t planned.

No matter where he went, he would have to be with this ghost?

What about his personal privacy?

“Heh heh heh. You and I are together forever now.”

“…Damn.”

He seriously started pondering if there was any way to spit the orb back out.

***

Two figures entering Duberro Village.

An old man sitting at the village entrance basking in the sun spoke to them.

“Young ones. Are you travelers?”

They seemed taciturn and only nodded in response.

The old man chuckled as if it didn’t matter.

“Heh heh heh. Welcome to Duberro Village. It’s a quiet and peaceful place; please rest well here.”

Toward the old man, a large man seemed about to say something, but the old man was faster.

“Oh, and just so you know, don’t go to the hill behind the village.”

At the old man’s words, the large man shut his mouth.

“There’s a terrifying house on that hill where ghosts appear. You must never go there.”

He nodded shortly and then quickly crossed the village with the woman beside him.

Only after they left did the old man tilt his head.

“…?”

He remembered the large man’s face, but strangely couldn’t recall the woman’s face who had been right next to him just moments ago.

They had definitely made eye contact before.

“…Maybe it’s time for me to go, too.”

The old man, who still had many years to live, looked up to the sky with tears in his eyes.

“That must be the House of Ghosts, miss.”

***

Knight Theodore and Princess Sylvia.

Arriving at Duberro Village, the two were able to find the House of Ghosts behind the village immediately, thanks to the talkative old man.

“I’ll go ahead.”

Theodore took a few steps forward.

His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it at any moment.

He was the senior professor Sirbert von Ernhem had confidently vouched for.

Regardless of Sirbert’s status or identity, his skill was genuine.

There must be someone before them worthy of Sirbert’s cautious approach.

Even Jason Klarok was afraid to make this person angry.

The ruler of the Amkak faction who always kept a composed demeanor before high-ranking nobles and powerful figures.

‘Who on earth is this person?’

Theodore couldn’t help but feel somewhat nervous.

A secluded master hidden from the world.

‘Was he a knight who controlled aura? A wielder of unique weapons? An enlightened one who used formidable skills?’

With no information, he had to be even more careful.

Perhaps he could use both aura and skills.

No, if even Professor Sirbert and Jason feared him so much, that must be the case.

The House of Ghosts they arrived at lived up to its name.

Untrimmed weeds grew tall.

The exterior walls of the three-story mansion were covered in vines and moss.

Despite it being broad daylight, the mansion emitted an eerie, sinister aura.

“Entering now.”

“Be careful, Theodore.”

“Yes, milady.”

The creaking front door opened.

Theodore drew his sword and stepped inside first, followed cautiously by Sylvia.

No lights entered the gloomy space.

Only the creaking sound of wooden floorboards echoed with their steps.

“…!”

Deep inside the mansion, faint noises were heard.

“Theodore…”

Amid the eerie atmosphere and unknown noises, Sylvia tightly gripped Theodore’s collar.

‘Could it be the rumored ghost?’

‘Or the person they sought?’

Heightened tension surrounded them as they slowly walked toward the mysterious sound.

“Stay back!”

The closer they got, the clearer the voice became.

Swallowing nervously, Sylvia took another step.

The voice was clearer still.

“…I said no!”

But the content was strange.

“Come out quickly! Aren’t you coming out?”

‘What kind of conversation was this?’

All the tension dissolved uselessly.

***

After taking a few more steps, Sylvia finally saw.

“Damn it!”

A ridiculous pointed hat and baggy robe.

A large staff on the floor and a skull-shaped ring on his finger.

The absolute worst fashion sense.

“This is cheating! I like being alone!”

He was already alone, so why he wanted to be alone again was beyond understanding.

The man clutched his head in anguish and screamed.

“Are you going to follow me to the bathroom too?”

Muttering to himself, he again held his head, yelling not to do that.

At the bizarre sight, Sylvia was momentarily stunned, but she faintly heard Theodore’s muttering:

“Is he insane?”

Sylvia barely nodded.

The notorious ghost turned out to be a madman.

How pitiful.

The senior professor of the Academy cautiously approached—

The ruler of the Amkak faction feared this madman?

No way, so this must be the rumored ghost.

It had to be.

“Hmm?”

Only then did the man, clutching his head and screaming, notice Theodore and Sylvia.

Their eyes met in midair.

Sylvia’s sparkling silver eyes locked on the man.

This was a habitual action.

A rare ability few in the royal palace knew of was about to manifest.

Eyes that grasp the essence of others.

Mysterious eyes that pierce through souls.

A fleeting gray flicker passed through the silver pupils, directed at the man before them.

“Show me your soul.”

“What kind of essence do you hold?”

“Good or evil?”

“How great is your rank?”

All would soon be reflected in Sylvia’s eyes.

It was a truth that had never failed.

Sylvia did not doubt it.

Confidently awaiting truthful information her ability would reveal.

But… no matter how deeply she looked, she could not see the man’s soul.

Her ability did not reach his essence.

It felt as if something pure white covered her eyes.

Frowning at the unfamiliar phenomenon, Sylvia tried to raise her power even more, but—

“How dare you!”

A fierce reprimand struck violently inside Sylvia’s mind.

“How dare you try to see!”

The furious voice, like a ghost, shook her mind as if echoing through her soul.

“Do not even think of looking. It is still too soon for you.”

The magnificent voice was too overwhelming to endure any longer.

“Child who sees souls.”

Sylvia collapsed on the spot.