NOVEL NEXT chapter 7-I want To Go out
I want To Go out
Episode 7
However, this is the least problematic method I have.
‘Actually, the easiest method would be to just kill someone and dismantle their soul entirely.’
I once saw a necromancer from a distance, and that necromancer turned human souls into ghost monsters like that. I remember drooling over the immense spiritual power generated at that time…
But I can’t use that method. I shouldn’t? Why?
First of all, I can’t do that.
The necromancer I saw back then was quite a notorious villain. I heard he nearly obliterated a small duchy. In terms of skill, he was slightly less than a great magician, or so they say.
In contrast, I’m just a trivial ghost. Even though I’ve gathered some experience and strength over 30 years of living, I have no confidence that I can match that necromancer’s abilities.
The second reason is that I must not kill people.
It’s not that I avoid killing for humanitarian reasons. Oh, it’s not that I don’t have such reasons.
When a living being dies, the pain and sorrow of that moment create a strong negative energy. The necromancer called it ‘death energy,’ and I think that’s a perfect description.
The reason places like graveyards or spots where many people have died feel eerie isn’t because there are many ghosts, but because there is a lot of death energy. It’s the negative energy that makes one feel uncomfortable.
And that negative energy is not only bad for the living but also for ghosts like me.
I mentioned earlier that ghosts with strong grudges become vengeful spirits. That’s why the ghosts who died with me became vengeful spirits. Those vengeful spirits are the ghosts contaminated by death energy.
Because of this reason, I must not kill people. This death energy is an incredibly sticky energy that, once it clings to you, is not easily removed.
Moreover, since I need to absorb spiritual power periodically, if the power I need is contaminated with death energy, every time I consume it, death energy accumulates in my body.
And at some point, if I exceed my limit… I’ll stop here.
The third reason is somewhat related to the second: scaring someone is the method of extracting spiritual power with the fewest aftereffects for the victim.
Soul fragments are a part of a person’s soul.
In human terms, it’s like a body part. When a body part is cut off, naturally, there will be significant aftereffects.
If I forcibly extract a soul to take soul fragments, it would be a disaster, but if I make someone faint and they spontaneously expel soul fragments, there won’t be major aftereffects.
To put it simply, it’s the difference between cutting off hands and feet versus cutting hair.
Forcibly extracting soul fragments is like cutting off hands and feet, while causing someone to faint and have their soul fragments expelled is like cutting hair.
Hands and feet don’t grow back, but hair does, right? That’s how it is.
‘Well, PTSD might hit hard…’
My situation was dire, but shouldn’t I let that slide? It’s enough that I didn’t kill them.
It was a win-win strategy where both the victim and I could be happy, but there were downsides.
As I mentioned earlier, the preparation and execution processes are complicated, they require investment, and the amount of spiritual power earned is less than expected.
‘I guess I shouldn’t dream of a windfall.’
Well, in my previous life, I never bought a lottery ticket. It’s best to be happy only when you win a lottery and not think about it otherwise. Once you set your sights on a windfall, you usually end up on a one-way ticket to ruin.
Kaaah!!
Help me!!!
– Ugh…
At the distant sound of a scream, I couldn’t help but exclaim softly.
It seems the remaining prey… I mean, guests are praising the attraction. That scream was quite delightful.
First, let’s take care of this guy…
Swoosh…
– …
As I was about to dispose of the now unnecessary fellow, I glanced at the stream of liquid flowing from the man’s legs and smiled a rotten smile.
Can you stop wetting yourselves, you little pissers?
* * *
After a round of guests had come and gone.
Miria, holding a duster and broom, was wandering around the mansion cleaning.
– Hah!
Thud!
– Hah!
Squeak!
– Ugh!
Creak!
Is this cleaning?
How can the furniture that broke when she swung the duster return to its original state?
As I watched Miria’s astonishingly competent cleaning (?), I noticed Sebastian approaching me, adjusting his monocle.
Miss, the accounts have been settled.
– Oh? Good job.
I took the document that Sebastian handed me and read through it.
Total income for this month. Total expenses. Popular attractions. Revenue ranking by attraction. Areas needing maintenance and remodeling, etc.
It was an overview of this month’s activities.
Not bad.
That was my comment after checking the report Sebastian had organized for this month.
I didn’t earn a lot all at once, but it accumulated little by little, more often than not, which was more than I expected. Moreover, since most of the guests who came in fainted early on, they didn’t make it to the end.
Alright, let’s settle the salaries first. Call Philip.
– Understood.
Sebastian, who vanished in a flash, soon returned with Philip. Miria also appeared before me.
Before setting the salaries, I slowly looked at the three of them.
Philip was responsible for scouting and bringing in people.
Miria managed and maintained the mansion.
Sebastian served as my aide, taking care of the overall paperwork.
I was the owner and the center of this mansion, coordinating various ideas and overall arrangements.
Given the current situation where I couldn’t hire many servants, this was an efficient division of roles with the fewest possible personnel, and these three exceeded my expectations in fulfilling their roles.
‘I should reward them generously.’
I first allocated the basic salary as planned, then added performance bonuses.
Sebastian, who had been with me the longest, received the highest salary, followed by Miria and then Philip.
The boisterous Philip had a huge grin on his face, while Sebastian, who rarely showed any emotions, also wore a satisfied expression.
Indeed, nothing beats a salary.
And with what remains…
Since I had earned quite a bit, even after paying salaries, there was still a decent amount left. I needed to consider what I could do with this spiritual power…
I dismissed the servants for now.
Miria went back to finish cleaning the mansion, Philip set out to scout around the mansion and look for the next location, and Sebastian remained behind me, fulfilling his role as my steward.
With Sebastian trailing behind me, I headed deep into the mansion.
Originally, this was the room I used, but it was now being used as a storage room. Well, it was a place that originally stored various odds and ends, so… in a way, it had found its purpose again.
However, upon opening the seemingly shabby door, a completely different scene unfolded.
Whoooosh!!
– Ugh.
It was a circular library-like space with a hazy energy swirling in the center.
Yes, this was the storage room for the spiritual power I had collected.
Usually, mana, or divine power, is stored within the body. In martial arts stories, they often mention storing inner strength in the ‘dantian,’ right? It’s similar here.
But I am a ghost. I don’t have a ‘body’ to store such power.
Thus, I needed a place to store the spiritual power I wouldn’t be using yet, and since this mansion served a similar role as my physical body, I decided to store it here.
Sebastian, wait here.
understood, Miss.
After giving a polite bow like a butler in a painting, I left him behind and entered the storage room.
Placing my hand on the mass of spiritual power, I focused my mind, and my consciousness began to extend throughout the mansion.
The energy moved to Miria, who was cleaning; Sebastian was waiting at the door.
Suddenly, I felt sad.
This is how self-development works.