‘I feel like I’ve become a bad person.’

May’s face had turned pale. She snatched the letter Johan was reading as soon as she noticed he had dispelled the magic sphere. After quickly scanning the letter, she showed relief with a face that said ‘as I thought.’

Soon, May took a small breath and began reading it as loudly as she could. It was the part Johan had deliberately skipped.

About how much that foolish woman Chloe had loved that ghost. That perhaps hiding the pregnancy was also for the man’s sake. Following was a sharp rebuke to come to his senses. Johan watched the old man’s reaction while listening to May’s stumbling voice.

He could see the momentarily hesitating figure slowly raising its body. It wasn’t a sign of ‘weakening,’ but rather of the ‘grudge becoming lighter.’

“At…… at least the last time I saw her, she showed no signs of resenting you. She only wished for your happiness, to the point of foolishness……”

May looked at the old man after reading the last word. At the soul who now stood with a straight back.

Though black liquid was still falling from his eyes, the old man moved again as if following the will of ‘Chloe’ mentioned in the letter. Soon, the translucent body that had been circling the same spot disappeared through the mansion’s wall.

“…G-grandfather has–”

“He hasn’t disappeared, he just moved locations.”

Johan said this while narrowing his eyes.

‘And moving locations means the weight of the grudge has lightened that much.’

Indeed, his previously slow steps had become somewhat faster. It was quite a dramatic change for just hearing a few words.

Johan couldn’t help but recall his grandfather who had advised him to use gentle methods. He remembered his advice to listen to the souls’ voices. Since his father, who had given Johan direct teachings, never used this method, he hadn’t known exactly what it meant….

‘So this is what he meant.’

Though he hadn’t directly heard that senile ghost’s voice, he thought it might be similar in context to how the ghost had heard May’s worried voice from over there.

“Johan, forceful elimination isn’t the only way. Remember what I said about our true role being to help them leave on their own?”

Young Johan nodded at the benevolent question.

“Yes. But they said that way we couldn’t eliminate even one soul in the time it takes to eliminate ten. Father said so…. He also said we can’t afford to be so leisurely now, unlike when there were many priests.”

Confusion crossed the middle-aged man’s face at the child’s clear voice.

“Hmm…. That’s not wrong, but……”

“Then that’s fine. Actually, I get annoyed just watching them briefly, let alone observing them for long. I don’t understand this talk of helping either. They’re things that can’t communicate in the first place. Rather than removing the grudge, it’s better to eliminate them entirely. Cleanly.”

‘…Yes, cleanly.’

Moreover, he despised melodrama. But facing a face brimming with tears, he had no choice for now. Breaking that compass that had returned to May’s possession, and eliminating the soul once its protection disappeared.

Actually, he could do it if he tried. Though it would be somewhat strenuous. But now wasn’t the time. The reason Johan hadn’t acted aggressively until now was largely to study the strange thought-form May possessed.

That’s what he had thought…. But considering how quickly he withdrew his magic at that silly force hugging his waist, it seemed it wasn’t just for that reason. At least the old ghost wasn’t his research subject.

By then he had to admit it. That he liked May more than he had thought. It could be because of the moment they had shared intimate breaths, or it could be the will of the god he served.

Johan slightly furrowed his brow while looking at the sniffling woman.

“…D-does moving locations mean it’s a bad sign?”

Because he felt his fondness for her was being applied somewhat troublesomely. However, he didn’t want to erase his altruism. Even considering the thought-form residing in May’s body, he needed to take a step back for now.

“…It means the grudge has lightened somewhat.”

At Johan’s answer, the woman who had clasped her hands together looked up at him. A small laugh escaped at that utterly adorable sight.

“Th-then we don’t necessarily have to use physical force…?”

Johan nodded at the hopeful question.

“Yes, theoretically it’s not impossible. Though it will take time.”

Johan smiled while gently stroking May’s black hair. With an inner thought completely different from his gentle expression — that since he didn’t want to be hated by the woman before him, he would have to eliminate both the compass and the old ghost secretly when the time came.

‘What just happened was just a coincidence, and anyway, we can’t know all the circumstances behind that.’

There was no need to know either. So eliminating it at an appropriate time would be the answer.

* * *

May only went up to her room after repeatedly getting Johan’s promise not to harm grandfather.

Her hurried footsteps were evident from the end of the second floor stairs.

She pulled out a small paper from the drawer before the widely opened door could even close completely.

Dominic Vicenti

‘It wasn’t my imagination that the surname Vicenti seemed familiar….’

May furrowed her brow while looking at the business card in her hand. In her mind, she was recalling the man with black hair and gray eyes. The man who had handed her the will and advice.

Could that lawyer be related to Herman Vicenti, the sender of the letters? Though she wasn’t certain, considering that he was a lawyer hired by grandfather, it didn’t seem like a mere coincidence.

May let out a sigh while thinking of grandfather who had moved to the garden. Like his habit of circling the first floor, the ghost who had started making motions of digging the ground had once again closed his ears to listening. Even when she tried repeating the name Chloe just in case, nothing particularly changed.

As if that was the extent of the grudge that could be resolved with that name. Unlike May who had become needlessly anxious, Johan seemed to take it in stride. He had said this was how they usually were and told her not to feel too upset.

But she couldn’t just stay still after hearing that ‘the weight of the grudge had lightened.’

‘Could there be another medium that could move grandfather like that letter?’

In other words, something that could lighten the weight of the grudge. And when everything he carried was gone, he would finally be able to leave this world when he became lighter. Considering what Johan said was ‘theoretically possible’….

So she made up her mind to try anything.

May soon took out writing paper and envelopes from another drawer compartment. The blank paper quickly became filled with letters. Looking down at it, she made a troubled face for a moment.

“Please contact me if you need consultation later.”

‘I wonder if this is too personal a request for consultation….’

That’s what she thought. But May eventually copied the address engraved on the back of the business card onto the envelope.

And the reply to May’s letter arrived several days later. Though the content was indirect since she couldn’t write all the circumstances. May’s face brightened at the surprisingly quick reply and its positive content.

…Herman Vicenti is my father. Though meeting is impossible due to his severe illness, I believe I can help regarding the content mentioned in your letter. I will visit within a few days.

May hugged the short letter written in neat handwriting to her chest.

‘I hope we can find out something more….’

Her heart pounded with anticipation.

However, May’s expectations were shattered by an unexpected visitor who suddenly knocked on the mansion’s door.