NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16-Finding a Craftsman (1)
Finding a Craftsman (1)
Episode 16
The man swung the plank he was holding, smashing the puppet doll to pieces.
Yeah. Most people swing their planks at the doll, while some timid ones swing at the door first. Others just faint. It’s absurd when it ends before it even starts.
Oh ho. This one seems worth playing with.
Miss, your true feelings are showing.
What does it matter? If not now, I have no outlet for my stress.
I giggled while watching the man’s actions.
The first attraction was the first one I created after officially establishing the ghost house system.
At that time, I didn’t have many skills, and the mansion wasn’t properly remodeled, making the environment quite poor. Moreover, my spiritual power and level weren’t as high as they are now, so I had many limitations in what I could attempt.
Because of that, the first attraction focused on minimizing spiritual power consumption. It was concentrated on maximizing the use of pre-installed gimmicks in the mansion… I could call it a ‘gimmick trap attraction.’
I have enough gimmicks and traps prepared for you. Are you ready, Assei?
I watched the man rummaging around the room, trying to escape the servant’s quarters, smiling brightly.
Just how much fun will you provide me?!
And about ten minutes later, he fainted.
* * *
After Miira lured in the man with her beauty and Philip brought in four other men, I sighed in my office on the third floor of the mansion.
– Haa… Sebastian.
Yes, Miss.
Is there any meaning in developing these attractions?
That’s been a recurring thought lately.
No matter how brilliant and grand an attraction I create, what good is it if all the guests faint within two or three tracks?
Lately, I feel like just having one attraction with three to four tracks would be enough.
In terms of efficiency, that might be correct.
Considering the peculiar weakness of the people in this world against horror, it might be better to quickly scare them into fainting and look for the next prey. That would save time for preparation and cleanup.
But somehow, I find it hard to accept that.
Having lived as a ghost for about 30 years? Maybe I unexpectedly have a bit of an artistic temperament. When I develop an attraction, I pick a theme and go all out to create it.
But no matter how much passion I have as an artist, if my excitement keeps fading, it’s still tough.
Miss, Are you feeling unwell?
Sebastian asked me with a serious expression.
Unwell…
– …Yeah. I might be feeling unwell.
Even though I’ve lived nearly 70 years in total, my mental age is about 30.
In my previous life, I died in my mid-20s, and in this life, I lived about 18 years before dying; since then, I’ve lived for 30 years in the form of this voluptuous little girl.
So even though I’ve lived for about 70 years, I wonder why my mental age is around 30. It’s because humans are social animals.
A person becomes aware of their age through physical changes and how society treats them.
Physical changes are self-evident, and when young, others treat you like a child, making you realize you are one. Then, as you grow into a young adult, society treats you like one. When you become old, society treats you like an old person, and that’s when you realize your age.
I’m no different.
Having lived until my mid-20s in my previous life, my mental age aligns with that, and in this world, I lived for 18 years without any memories of my past life.
After dying, my memories of both lives merged, and I’ve lived for about 30 years. All that time, I’ve remained in the form of this voluptuous little girl.
So my mental age is roughly 30. Even though I know I’ve lived for about 70 years, subconsciously, I still think I’m in my 30s.
And that discrepancy sometimes troubles me.
– Sebastian.
Yes, Miss.
Until when must we live like this?
A question that arises whenever I feel gloomy.
How long must we live as ghosts? Does a true afterlife exist where the dead go? They say angels, the messengers of the gods, take the dead away… But is that true?
Countless questions arise and then sink back down.
When will we be saved…?
– Miss! This is bad!
My words were suddenly cut off by Philip’s outburst.
Ah, the timing is just perfect.
What is it? Both of you?
As Sebastian and I stared at Philip, he quickly continued with a panicked expression.
– No! This isn’t the time for this!
What is it?
It’s not like priests are coming. After all, I’m in a brothel.
Even if the slums are the city’s trash can, no one would touch it. There are things that only the poor can do and things that the rich need from the poor.
For instance, there are the prostitutes. Selling their bodies for money is something only those on the brink of despair can do.
Thus, the brothel exists on the border between the slums and the commercial district, and due to its nature, it’s somewhat sheltered from the church’s gaze.
I thought I had struck gold when I stumbled upon this place while wandering the city.
Outside… Outside…
Outside what?
– Outside…
Boom!!!
Philip’s words were drowned out by a massive explosion that engulfed us.
The enemy is on a narrow bridge. but not a bridge?
I hurried to the window of my office, startled by the explosion. No, the ‘explosion sound.’
After checking the situation outside, I gaped in shock.
– What, what is this?!
The scene outside the window… How should I put it?
It’s hard to summarize, but I can say this much:
It’s a mess.
Just a total mess.
“Scream!!”
“Help me!”
People who came for pleasure were running away, half-naked, and panicked.
“Ugh!!”
“Ahhh!”
And behind them were other humans chasing after them.
No, they looked like humans, but upon closer inspection, they weren’t ‘humans.’
With pitch-black skin, emaciated bodies, and the strength to tear through wooden walls. Their violent nature was aimed at devouring humans.
Above all, I could sense strong magic from them.
The power of the demon realm, the opposite of ‘divine power’ from the heavenly realm… I felt the bad energy of’magi’ that is harmful to living beings.
Could those things be the reason the church is mobilizing?
What are those monsters?
– They’re ‘sijigi’…