Chapter 18

The girl with the smooth silver hair, braided, looked at me with her mismatched eyes, which could be seen even in the sunset. One was blue, the other gold—gold eyes that only the demon race should possess.

"What family owned this mansion... how many years ago was that?"

"It was about ten years ago. It was the Stollen Dukedom, do you not know of it?"

The three duchies that stand at the pinnacle of the Albein Kingdom's nobility are Vinsbruck, Orlandes, and Stollen. I, of course, know the name.

When I bought this mansion, the deed only listed the previous two owners. According to the kingdom's law, there was no obligation to trace back any further.

However, if the duke was the first owner, it would have been good to know. Or perhaps the real estate agent didn't know who originally built this mansion.

"I am the one who bought this mansion when it was on the market. My name is Dick Silver... but for reasons I won't go into, I'm using the name Sebastian with the guests here."

"Yes, I understand the situation. I am aware of all the events that have occurred in this mansion. Please forgive me; it is a privilege granted to those who once lived here. I have no intention of misusing it."

No matter where she was in the mansion, she knew the situation. It's not unusual, as there are common spells to gather information within a limited area. However, to spread the effect throughout the entire mansion, either magical runes would have to be inscribed everywhere, or the entire estate would have to be within a massive magic circle. Since I didn't notice it during my investigation, it's likely that advanced concealment was used.

"Why did the Stollen Dukedom give up this mansion? What is your position?"

"I am Beatrice Stollen, a member of the Stollen family. I cannot say more than that."

"…There seems to be some situation. You didn't answer my previous question, but can the Stollen family members enter and leave this mansion freely?"

"No... I have not been entering or leaving from anywhere."

"…That's impossible. We thoroughly searched the mansion during the day. Or is there some hidden place?"

"I have always been here. Not just here, but I am everywhere in this mansion."

—A cold shiver ran down my back.

She hasn't entered from anywhere, yet she is everywhere in the mansion and knows everything that happens inside.

If I take her words at face value... she is.

"I must watch over this mansion... even though it was abandoned by my family, I cannot abandon my responsibility."

"Responsibility...?"

Before I could ask what it was, I realized.

Beatrice's form was becoming translucent—only then did I realize she was not an ordinary human.

"Are you the spirit that appears in this mansion...?"

"...Yes. A priest with the power to purify unclean beings is here with you. But I cannot disappear."

"She said she won't send harmless souls to heaven. Beatrice... even if we find you, we won't immediately perform a purification ritual."

"...Her power feels suppressed. If it were released, a path to heaven would surely be shown to me. I cannot disappear yet."

"…If there is a situation, can you tell us? Is the rumor about spirits appearing in this mansion true?"

Beatrice's form became even more translucent. It seems she cannot maintain her form by will alone.

"I just want to keep this mansion as it is, so that my family can return at any time."

With those words, Beatrice disappeared.

Now I understood why the mansion was so well-maintained. Beatrice had been keeping it in order for her family to return.

If that's the case, then I, and any other nobles who have tried to live here, are targets for eviction.

But would the Stollen Dukedom, which abandoned this mansion, really return now?

I need to meet Beatrice again. I decided to explain the situation to Miralca and Aileen and consult with Yume, the expert.

◆◇◆

When dinner time came, Yume brought Miralca and Aileen to the dining room.

The sun had already set, and the room was brightly lit by magical lights. At the end of the dining table, which could seat about ten people, Miralca and Yume sat side by side, with Aileen sitting across from them.

It doesn't seem like Beatrice is trying to evict us immediately—there were no issues even while preparing the meal.

"Yume, you said there's a harmless soul in this mansion. Can you still sense it?"

"Yes, it's still watching us."

"Being watched unilaterally isn't a good feeling... Is there nothing we can do about it?"

I told Miralca about meeting Beatrice, but she still seems uneasy despite understanding the situation.

Aileen, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care at all and is enjoying her roasted lamb with a wine sauce.

"Mmm... Hmm, delicious. I got a massage and feel refreshed, and now I'm eating delicious food and drinking wine. Next is a bath, right?"

"...I wonder if it's okay. The bath is when you're most vulnerable... If I'm surprised, I might use magic without thinking."

"It's fine if we go together. I'll keep an eye on you. Even normally, when I wash my hair, I sometimes feel like something is behind me."

"Ch, come on... There's nothing behind me, obviously."

Miralca, who is looking around unnecessarily, then brought the vegetable soup to her mouth. She seems to eat little, taking only small bites of meat and bread, but she is drinking a fair amount of wine to match Aileen.

"Guests, there are some 'reasons' with this mansion, so please be careful if you leave your rooms at night."

"...You didn't have to say that now. If you did it on purpose, you're quite something, I'll praise you."

"Miralca, your hand holding the spoon is shaking... Are you really scared?"

"I, I didn't say I was scared. Besides, with Yume here, it doesn't matter what appears."

Miralca tried to shift the topic to Yume, but Yume didn't respond immediately. She was holding a glass of water with both hands, moving her lips slightly.

"...Purification... but harmless... I don't sense any evil, so purification... is wrong... I want to... purify..."

"Huh... Yume, do you want to do something wrong? For example, something that requires Dick's cooperation?"

"...Huh? Did I say something just now?"

Her eyes were completely glazed over, but Yume seemed to have no self-awareness.

"This is serious... We need to do something quickly, or Yume's heart won't hold up."

"Huh... My heart? What's wrong with my heart?"

"Well, it's like... it's really pent up. When it gets this pent up, usually people get irritated. Yume is the type to hold it in, so she needs to release it all at once."

"O, okay... I have something pent up. How can I release it?"

"The answer is clear. Purify and send Sebastian to heaven without thinking."

"Miss... Have I done something to offend you, to be so displeased that you want to send me to the heavens?"

"N, no, I want to send to heaven... N, no, never mind..."

It seems Yume wants to send me—Sebastian, not Dick—to heaven, but that sounds really bad. Is it because my mind is dirty that I imagine such things?

"Yume's ascension feels so good, just like when I sent undead to heaven."

"...Cough, cough. Why did you suddenly say that, Aileen? Do you understand the feelings of the undead?"

"Ahaha, no, I just thought that's how it would feel. Miralca, why are you choking?"

"It's because you said something weird..."

"No, I didn't say anything weird. Aileen is right."

"...Yume?"

Yume's eyes were glazed over again—just like when she approached me. Talking about purification is too stimulating for her right now.

"Saving a soul means freeing it from its attachment to the world. The doctrine describes the sensation as 'ecstasy.' This is a feeling that the priest guiding the soul can also experience. However, the moment of greatest ecstasy is when guiding a soul that feels a strong attraction. I have felt this attraction only once..."

"Y, Yume... Calm down, I understand, just take a deep breath."

"Huh... What did I just say, Miralca?"

"This is serious... Even I noticed, Yume, you're at your limit."

"G, at my limit... Is that so? Sebastian, am I at my limit?"

"N, not at all, I am deeply grateful for your wonderful teachings."

When she talks about experiencing ecstasy when sending me to heaven, I wonder what kind of feeling it is. Judging from Yume's excitement, it seems like a very unhealthy sensation.

◆◇◆

The dinner, which was somewhat tumultuous, ended, and after clearing the table, I was looking at the courtyard from the first-floor corridor of the mansion.

It was completely dark outside, but there were magical lights on the pillars, ensuring visibility. However, there was no sign of spirits appearing.

I thought Beatrice might appear again if I was alone, but it doesn't seem to be that convenient.

Now, the three of them are bathing. The bathroom is on the east side of the first floor, and I am a little distance away, but I am prepared to rush to the bathroom if anything happens.

The noble who bought this mansion always left after a short period.

If I had known the reason from Beatrice—while thinking about this, I sent my gaze to the courtyard, which should have been empty.

"...Are you appearing...!"

Without any presence, several figures appeared in the courtyard—spirits.

They looked like humans but were almost translucent ghosts. There were also ghouls, shapeless black mists, and the wights that Miralca said she was afraid of—their numbers were increasing as I watched.

"—Screeech!"

"...!"

A scream like a tearing silk came from the bathroom—since it was an emergency, I reluctantly entered the changing room.

"Misses, what happened... Oh!"

"W, while I was washing my body, something suddenly came from below..."

Miralca, naked, had run out. She was in the middle of washing, and her body was covered in soap bubbles—thanks to which, her important parts were barely hidden.

"Ah, ah, it's so ticklish! This... I can't hit them because they're so slippery...!"

In the bathroom, Aileen was kicking the approaching ghosts in the steam. However, as she said, without 'demonizing' or equipping a magical weapon, she couldn't effectively hit the undead, and her attacks were cutting through the air without any impact.

Seeing her with only a towel around her waist, her upper body was naturally visible—but I, as a professional, kept my composure and looked at Yume, who could resolve this situation.

However, she was sitting on the floor—she hadn't purified the spirits in a while, so it might take some time.

"Misses, this is dangerous! We need to escape and regroup..."

"Wait, Sebastian! Yume can definitely do it!"

"That's right... Yume, use your power! In times like this, you always help us... Stand up, Yume!"

Aileen and Miralca shouted. However, the spirits were approaching the spaced-out Yume—

If they touched her, I would blow them away in her place.

Just as I made that decision, the ghost that tried to touch Yume was silently purified and disappeared.

"...So many lost souls... gathering here from all over the capital. How could I not have noticed... with so many souls needing purification..."

Whether they were ghouls or wights, it didn't matter to Yume.

The light covering her naked body was the light of purification. Normally, even the most skilled priest would need to chant a spell to purify the undead—but Yume was different.

The 'Silent Purifier.' That's why she is called that—Yume doesn't need to chant.

And yet, her power of purification is extraordinary. In a cave full of undead, trying to purify one would result in the entire cave being purified.

That's why she has an adventurer level of 101,180. For purifying the undead, she received an SSS rank evaluation—she is Yufiel Manafloz.

"Let me purify you... I will listen to all your doubts and worries. In the promised land prepared by God, everyone will return to their original form... like a newborn baby."

Yume was simply praying with her hands clasped. However, the power of purification spread without limit, overcoming all obstacles, spreading endlessly.

"How far will the purification... Miss Yufiel, is it affecting your body...!"

In my butler tone, I asked, and Yume smiled and answered.

"...As Aileen said. Purification feels very good. I had forgotten... How could I have endured it? This is necessary for me to live... very, very important... Ah... But what I really want to purify is..."

—At that moment, I felt Yume's power of purification. Aileen and Miralca might have felt the same.

Her power is not just for purifying the undead and sending them to heaven.

It also calms the souls of the living. It felt as if Yume was directly caressing my soul.

I didn't find it terrifying, only pleasant. As Yume said, both the one purifying and the one being purified experience the same sensation.

Before I knew it, the spirits that had entered from outside were gone, and the presence coming from under the floor had disappeared. In the silence, Yume—sweat on her forehead, her skin flushed, but not tired, rather full of energy and vitality—said,

"Now... We need to talk to and purify Beatrice's soul. Sebastian, let's go to the attic. She is waiting there."

Yume said this, but I couldn't look at her.

It might be unrefined to say this to a reawakened saint. However, to avoid embarrassing her when she realizes she is naked, I vowed to keep my eyes averted for a while.