Chapter 59: Things Unseen Even When in Plain Sight
Ascal was familiar with the term ‘psychic hotspot.’
It refers to places brimming with negative energy, where ghosts are often sighted and bizarre incidents frequently occur.
When night fell, the dense forest obscured everything, making it impossible to see even a step ahead. A wrong step could lead you into a swamp.
Naturally, the Witch’s Forest proudly ranks among the empire’s top ten psychic hotspots.
“Kyaaaaa!”
Thanks to this, Sushia found herself unexpectedly in the middle of a horror movie. Of course, to Ascal, who couldn’t see the ghosts, it seemed as though Sushia was performing a one-person show.
“Snap out of it, Sushia! Don’t forget you almost became a saintess! You have a natural advantage!”
Ascal advised.
It was like switching the genre from horror to exorcism.
Sushia recited the second line of the 22nd chapter of the holy book and sprinkled water from her flask onto the ghost.
The effect was remarkable.
Sushia gradually regained her composure.
“Let’s head back.”
“Just a moment, Minister-nim. It wasn’t trying to scare me. It just wanted someone to listen.”
“What do you mean by that...”
It’s common knowledge that the living should not commune closely with the dead. Ascal was determined to take Sushia away, even by force if necessary, but then Sushia’s eyes welled up with tears as tiny as chicken droppings.
“This ghost, it’s never had the chance to taste chicken in its life.”
Although Sushia could hardly be considered intelligent, even as a courtesy, her empathy was unparalleled, even by the standards of the evaluation department.
The noble lady of the Ducal family, unspoiled and pure, knew how to genuinely listen to even a ghost’s tale!
“Sob, sob. This ghost came into the forest searching for its parents but lost its way and fell into a swamp.”
“How tragic. It was supposed to meet its lover in this forest, but then it fell off a cliff!”
“Terrible. It was here to collect a debt but ended up turning into a ghost when the back of its head started burning!”
Sushia was genuinely engrossed.
To her, every ghost’s story felt as personal as her own.
For a while, Sushia listened intently to the ghosts’ stories, nodding, and shedding tears of empathy.
Ascal watched with a sense of resignation.
Then, something miraculous happened.
Semi-transparent entities, like souls, began to appear even to Ascal’s eyes, flickering one by one before starting to disperse.
The ghosts were attaining salvation.
The souls, which could only wander in their sorrow and anger, felt Sushia’s sincere empathy and were satisfied.
- Thank you.
- Thank you for listening to me.
- I think I might have been wrong. Still, thank you.
- So that’s what chicken tastes like.
It was a ritual for appeasing spirits.
Expressing their gratitude, the souls ascended to the heavens.
“I see why this halfwit was chosen as a candidate for sainthood. Might she end up founding a religious order someday?”
But then.
There was a soul that hadn’t disappeared.
Its color was a dark, blood-red.
- I’m not satisfied. I want to kill more. I want to smell more blood.
Sometimes, if a soul is too intense, it becomes visible even to the living.
And people usually call those evil spirits.
- Give me your body.
Before Sushia could react, the evil spirit lunged at Ascal’s body. It entered through his mouth and ears like smoke being inhaled.
“Minister-nim, are you alright?”
“Ugh... my body, my stomach.”
Ascal contorted in pain as if he had a stomach ache.
“Ugh.”
Then he relaxed.
“Minister-nim?”
“...What just happened?”
“Exactly.”
Sushia tilted her head in confusion.
****
Upon arriving at the place of the witch, Ascal and Sushia were greeted by girls wearing pointed hats.
“He came again!”
“Welcome, welcome!”
The girls cheerfully circled around Ascal and Sushia, seemingly their way of welcoming guests.
Ascal, almost instinctively, reached out to pat one of the girls on the head but then hesitated.
“May I ask how old you are?”
“What’s ‘how old’?”
“Your age.”
The girl started counting on her fingers, one, two, three, and then showed her palm to Ascal.
“Five years old!”
Another girl, similarly petite, spread out her palm.
“If she’s five, then I’m five too!”
Fortunately, the girls’ ages seemed to match their appearances. Ascal, relieved, gently patted the girl’s head.
“Me too! Me too!”
“Sure.”
At their age, everything is fun. Ascal indulged them, stroking their hair to their hearts’ content.
“Sushia?”
But something about Sushia’s expression seemed off.
“Minister-nim.”
Sushia whispered into Ascal’s ear.
“These children, they’re already dead.”
“But we can see them, and touch them?”
“I don’t know. But my intuition tells me they’re no longer alive.”
After a moment of contemplation, Ascal spoke.
“Are you, by any chance, deceased? If you’re dead, please tell us.”
“Eek! Minister-nim!”
In situations like this, taking the long way around just complicates things. Despite Ascal’s blunt question, the girls responded with a smile.
“Yeah! We’re dead!”
“But how can you talk to us?”
“Don’t know. Maybe the Great Witch did something!”
“Elenia can do anything!”
There’s surprisingly a lot she can’t do. Ascal thought to add a comment but decided to preserve the children’s innocent beliefs instead.
“Can you lead us to Elenia then?”
“Yes! Please tell her we guided you!”
“Will do.”
Once again, the girls happily led the way towards the swamp, which transformed back into a flower garden revealing a cottage.
“Thank you, girls.”
“Yep!”
The girls waved goodbye as Ascal reciprocated and then entered the cottage.
Inside was the witch Elenia.
Shadows were deeply etched under her eyes, and her tangled hair covered her dried lips.
Elenia’s eyes fixed on Ascal.
They were lifeless.
“Ever heard of a bath? You should clean up a bit and go out”
“...Don’t people usually worry when they see a woman looking like this?”
“What’s the trouble?”
“Hmph. Best left unsaid.”
Elenia chuckled lightly, straightening her messy hair with her hand and licking her lips. Now looking somewhat presentable, Elenia sat down.
“I won’t be giving you any medicine today.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s poison.”
****
The leader opened his eyes.
“The witch has betrayed us.”
“I knew it.”
“Her background was dubious from the start.”
Their plan had gone awry.
The leader spoke to the forger.
“Use the second method, Forger.”
“Alright.”
“What about the witch who betrayed us?”
“Leave her be. Being alive for the witch itself will become hell. It’s pointless to interfere.”
The candle was snuffed out.
****
Ascal took a seat opposite Elenia, leaving Sushia awkwardly standing due to the lack of extra chairs.
“Why would you openly share that with me?”
“It’s meaningless now.”
Endless talking leads nowhere. Sometimes, you encounter individuals who, lost in their own world, speak in a one-sided manner only they understand, convincing and concluding matters by themselves. It’s an exhausting type of interaction.
“Yulia.”
Ascal played his card. Elenia briefly lifted her head, then let it fall again, as if too weary to even feign surprise.
“This is my subordinate, Sushia. She nearly became a saint, but now she’s tormented by her ability to see ghosts. Is there a solution?”
Ascal leaned his chin on his hand, waiting for Elenia’s response, thinking she’d answer if interested.
“Why resolve it? There are many who wish for such a gift yet never receive it.”
“That might be the case in your world, but Sushia is ordinary. Seeing ghosts brings her no joy.”
“There is a way.”
Elenia waved her hand, and from the clutter in the cabin, a pair of ludicrous glasses popped out. They were overly large, with odd decorations hanging from them.
“Wearing these will make them invisible.”
“No, I can’t wear this around!”
“If you dislike these, there’s another method.”
“What is it?”
“Remove your eyeballs.”
Sushia was faced with the ultimate dilemma: wear the bizarre glasses or remove her eyeballs.
“Then, I’ll choose to remove—”
“Get a hold of yourself, Sushia.”
Ascal lightly tapped Sushia’s shoulder.
“Stop taking out your stress on others. If there’s no solution, just say so.”
“You caught me.”
“Isn’t there usually a third option?”
“Yes. Your subordinate could become a witch.”
Sushia’s mouth fell open.
“A witch? Don’t they face a lot of discrimination?”
“If you yourself say so, and I don’t have the luxury of time to waste on such a fool, it’s essentially a non-option. Please leave now.”
“Right. Oh, and the little witches, I mean girls, outside asked to let you know they guided us here.”
Elenia sprang to her feet.
“There were children? Still?”
“They were right outside the cabin. Don’t you always run into them?”
Elenia, without another word, dashed out of the cabin.
“Lorian! Flora! Are you there? Please respond!”
Her voice carried a hint of madness.
Ascal stepped outside, while Sushia quietly watched him. After a moment of uncertainty, Sushia finally spoke.
“Minister-nim, that person...”
“Yes. She cannot see them.”
The girls were right in front of Elenia. Elenia’s hand reached out to touch one of the girls, but it passed through them like a ghost.
The girls looked up at Elenia with sad eyes.
