Chapter 18: Birthday Present

Hello?

A fresh and young age where you could wear flowers behind your ears and everyone around you would smile and call you cute!

I'm an 8-year-old girl named Emily!

Normally, I would have been eating snacks at home after finishing school at this time, but not today.

We were climbing a snowy mountain!

Why, you ask?

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure myself.

Mom and Dad just told me that we could no longer live in Flowergarden anymore, so we had to leave.

Oh, Flowergarden was my hometown.

It's famous for its beautifully blooming flowers even in the Clark Republic!

By the way, yellow flowers are my favorite! They suit me the best, after all!

But Mom and Dad told me not to go close to them! I wasn't even allowed to smell them!

So I had no choice but to admire them from afar.

Actually, my dad is a high-ranking person in the botanical garden, so he probably touched them everyday, though!

"Emily, are you tired? Do you want me to carry you?"

I guess my dad is worried about me. I told him I was okay with a smile on my face.

I'm not at an age to be carried, right?

Besides, I became a lady yesterday.

Why, you ask?

Because Delphin, who lived next door, confessed his love to me yesterday.

I learned from a book that you would become a lady when you understand love!

Of course though, I rejected his confession.

It was legally prohibited for people under the age of 20 to date in the Clark Republic.

Delphin said it was okay for us to date secretly. But it would be really bad if Mom or Dad ended up in a camp because of it.

But what if we don't need to follow the law anymore since we're moving?

Hmm, then maybe I'll reconsider it.

Of course, Delphin would have to confess again!

"Are you hungry?"

"No! I'm not hungry!"

"Okay, let's have a birthday party as soon as we cross over this mountain."

"Yay! Party!"

Mom's hand, covered in thick gloves, feels so good when she pats my head!

By the way, do you want to know a secret?

It's actually my birthday today!

I wonder what my present will be?

I'm really looking forward to it!

To be honest, the snowy mountain is too rugged. It's also difficult to keep up with adults' big strides, so I'm secretly hoping that I will get warm and fluffy pancakes as my present.

Still, I had to be patient.

Surely, once we cross this mountain, we'll be able to eat delicious food, right?

Everyone will celebrate with me, right?

Huh?

Suddenly, the people walking ahead started screaming.

"Please!"

"We've done nothing wrong!"

"Emily!"

Everyone is screaming something with a frightened expression, but I can't see why because my mom is holding me tightly.

I hug Mom tightly as well because the screams scare me.

"It's okay. I'll go talk to them."

Then, I hear Dad's voice.

When I turn my head slightly, I see Dad smiling confidently, just as he always did.

"My little, cute Emily. Don't worry too much. We'll live happily and peacefully again soon."

"Uh-huh."

"You know Dad doesn't lie, right?"

"Yes!"

Dad always received compliments from the villagers! Surely, Dad will solve everything!

"Margrave Norseweden! We came from Flowergarden of the Clark Republic! Please, just listen to our story once..."

Huh?

Dad's voice suddenly got cut off.

I want to take a peek, but Mom is holding me too tightly to squeeze my head out.

"I love you. I love you, Emily. You know that Mom and Dad love you very, very much, right?"

"Uh-huh, Mom. I love you too."

Mom is trembling so much that she feels like a sand castle that could crumble with a slight touch.

Seeing her like that, I got really scared as well.

"You filthy barbarians, don't you ever let me hear my name on your lips again."

An unknown, frightening voice.

Does he mean us when he says 'filthy'?

"Research Director Maalkus, capture them all for use."

"Yes, understood."

It was freezing cold this high on the mountain, but strangely enough, after hearing those words I instantly fell asleep.

* * *

KIYAAAAAAAAAAH!

Ow, my head hurts.

It was the first time my head hurt this much. I woke up to a terrifying scream, but where exactly am I?

It's all dark around me and the only lights are scary green ones.

"D-Don't look! You must not look!"

I try to get up, but suddenly I hear Delphin's voice next to me.

He covers my eyes with his hands, but what's this....

"KEUAAAAAAH! SAVE! SAVE MEEEEEEEE!"

"Mom?"

I shoved Delphin away and jumped up. I was trapped in a cage like an animal, but that wasn't important right now.

Outside the cage, Mom is surrounded by strange people in white clothes, screaming.

"Huh?"

Why?

Why are mom's arms and legs...

......Why?

"MOMMMMMM!"

Bang!

Mom is!

Mom is!

My mom is in pain!

I have to go and help her!

I had to go and save her!

"MOMMMM!"

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

"Don't hit the cage! Then, those people will-"

Delphin tried to stop me, but my head was empty of any thoughts. I just kept throwing myself at the bars, wanting to save Mom.

But only the sound of something breaking in my shoulder was heard. The cage never budged.

And then...

"Who is it?"

The oldest-looking one among the people surrounding Mom looked at me.

It was the first time I felt it in my life.

So this is what fear is.

A name tag was attached to the man's chest, just like at our school.

[Research Director Maalkus]

The one who knocked us all out...

"It's me!"

Delphin, raising his hand instead of me, was in tears.

I didn't understand what was going on.

"I'm sure I told you to stay put."

Director Maalkus walked towards us, step by step. I was so scared that I couldn't say anything. Only my teeth chattered.

"Emily."

Delphin, who raised his hand in my stead, gave a thumbs-up with a smile.

"I'll save you."

"Ah..."

"So, go out with me."

Tears flowed down my face in spite of myself as Delphin, smiling confidently, was taken by Director Maalkus out of the cage.

That's why I was sorry.

That's why I understood.

"GEUAAAAAGH! I-IT WASN'T MEEEEE! ACTUALLY! ACTUALLY, IT WAAAAAAS!!"

Even as he screamed and said it was actually someone else, I couldn't help but shed tears. I thought it was only natural for me to be cursed.

"E-EHHHHK! EMIL! EMILYYYYYYY! DID ITTTTTTTT! PLEA, PLEASEEEEE!"

No matter how many times I cried out in apology, Delphin didn't hear my voice.

And so...

Time continued to pass.

Every time the door to the cage opened, one less person remained.

It was full of so many people, but at some point in time, they were all but gone.

"You're the only one left."

I was the only one left inside the iron bars.

Mom had long been buried among the pile of corpses, no longer recognizable.

And Delphin turned to ashes from electric shocks and was swept into a trash can with a broom.

What about Dad, you ask?

I could always see Dad.

"Is that your father?"

In the center of the laboratory, only his head remained dangling.

Director Maalkus joyfully explained that showing Dad, who was the representative, as an example was meant to instill fear in us.

Since I was the last one, he said he would show me around the laboratory.

I didn't want to see it, but I had no choice.

And eventually, I, too...

Had to lie on the experimental table where so many had died.

A large blade pierces into my chest.

It hurts.

It hurts.

It hurts so much.

I want to eat pancakes.

I want to see yellow flowers.

I want to go to school with my friends.

I want to raise a puppy.

I want to hold hands and go on a date with Delphin.

I want to be hugged by Mom and Dad.

There's so much I want to do.

By the way,

"I shall save you."

What did the man in front want from me?

It's my first time seeing him.

I can't remember how long I've been unconscious. It just hurt so much that I felt like I was losing consciousness without even realizing it.

"What is your wish?"

My lips feel like they aren't mine, hardened like plaster.

Naturally, my voice doesn't come out.

It felt like a handful of chalk dust was in my throat.

I can't even moisten it with tears; I cried so much that I have no tears left.

Parched, I can't even utter a single-

Shluk!

Plop, plop.

Thick blood entered my mouth, rolling down my stiff tongue. A unique metallic scent, thick and powerful enough to numb my nose.

The man before me cut his hand with magic and was pouring blood into my mouth.

"Wet your throat and speak clearly. I will grant it."

"...Ah."

My throat was still clogged, so it didn't allow any words to come out.

But since the blood that flowed in let a bit of air through...

I realized I was permitted just one word.

What I want.

I said it before, didn't I?

There's so many things I want.

There's a lot of things I want to do too.

But,

If I have to choose just one.

If this is to be the last word of my life, as well as a slightly belated birthday present.

Then, what I want is...

"Re...venge."

I want revenge.

And upon hearing this, the cold man gave me a smile that I never thought he could make.

"Very good. Well said."

* * *

The girl's spirit believed in me.

The resentment of Emily, gently seeping into me, was so heavy it almost brought me to my knees

Findenai supported me as I stumbled. The monster she was dealing with had now become limp because Emily's spirit - the medium - had disappeared.

"Was that... That child's memory?"

"Did you see it as well?"

"...Yes."

Yes, that was possible.

"Spirits with a lot of resentment often show their past. They want someone to know."

"..."

Findenai clenched her mouth tightly.

At that moment, Deia also came near us, stumbling forward, as if her body had lost strength.

"Is this...the secret of the Household..."

Deia, evidently shocked, covered her face with both hands and gasped for breath before asking me.

"What do you plan to do?"

"Regarding what?"

"You said... You would get her revenge."

"..."

Findenai also stared at me.

"You're not planning to hold Darius accountable, are you?"

"He has only the guilt of condoning everything after knowing the truth. It would be too much to blame him for all the sins."

"...Then what are you going to do? The revenge that child wanted is already impossible."

Because they were all dead.

The girl, Emily, was a person of the past, from at least 150 years ago.

Naturally, all the people involved were already dead.

Therefore...

"My staff."

When I reached out my hand, the staff that had fallen to the ground flew back to me.

It had slipped from my hand earlier when spilling blood.

[Here it is.]

As the centipede had already vanished, Sukla, who was able to enter the basement, carefully placed the staff in my hand.

The two women were surprised that the staff had flown back to me without manipulating any mana.

I shoved Findenai away and supported my body with the staff.

My body felt like it would be torn to shreds due to the strong resentment.

But there was still something I must do.

"Do you remember what I said?"

"What?"

"What are you talking about?"

Breathing heavily, I once again began explaining to the two women who looked confused.

"All spirits whisper their grievances and regrets in secret."

This applied to every soul.

In both their past life and in their current life.

"Think of it as a kind of quiz. Although each soul tries to hide its thoughts like a quiz, they also hope for someone to solve it."

"What are you suddenly..."

Despite Deia's attempt to cut me off, I continued.

"It's no different from instinct to them. And most of them hold onto quizzes that are not all that creative, mistakenly thinking they're actually something grand."

I knew this well; after all, I have relieved many spirits of their grievances.

After all, they were ultimately human.

Isolated humans lacked creativity. Most would not be able to help but follow the same pattern of thought.

"For example, there are souls who act and speak in reverse. They may behave bizarrely and provocatively, but in reality, they are just like children throwing tantrums, wanting to be understood."

Findenai and Deia now looked utterly baffled, as if they wanted to argue against what I was talking about.

However, I was not speaking to them.

"So, what I wanted to say is..."

I slowly raised my head.

And while calming down Emily, who seemed ready to lash out and tear everything apart immediately, I spoke to him.

"Introducing one's names in reverse is a stupidly common riddle, Sukla."

[.......]

His face turned expressionless.

I scoffed, mixing contempt in my laughter.

"Did you really think you could fool me with such measly acting?"

The day I first met Sukla, he introduced himself to me like this:

'My name is Sukla Am, and it is an honor to finally be able to repay the grace I received 150 years ago from Dietros Verdi.'

"Did you think you could deceive me as a mere butler? Did you really think the way you brushed past the first letters would go unnoticed?"

[Ha... ]

Sukla Am, or rather, Research Director Maalkus, chuckled and scratched his head.

[Has my brain perhaps rotted upon dying?]

Despite being exposed, Maalkus remained all too defiant.

[To think I'd be so disgracefully caught by this ruffian of a second son.]

"..."

[Well then, what do you plan to do?]

Maalkus shrugged and raised the corners of his mouth as if in disbelief.

[Do you intend to judge me? By what right? I am Verdi! I only followed your Household's orders! In a way, aren't I also a victim?!]

"...."

[If you want to judge someone, judge your ancestors! The blood of those who orchestrated this runs in your veins. Yet, you dare to preach about judging me. It sounds nothing more than a son of a bitch yapping.]

"I have agreed to fulfill that child's wish."

[Is that your justification? You're going to be the avenger? Can you really say that this is the revenge that girl wanted?!]

"I'm sure you've seen it several times already."

The spirit of the girl floated above my hand.

The girl absorbed into me through necromancy was gradually transforming into a large blue flame.

"The soul contains mana."

[...!]

The blue flame took on the form of a small girl, before standing on the ground.

"I merely converted the mana contained in her soul into magic."

Exorcizing souls with necromancy was a skill with a highly difficult technique.

Ordinary Necromancers didn't have special eyes like me, so they were unable to directly see or have a conversation with souls.

But if that was the case, then why were Necromancers able to manipulate the soul?

Through pain.

By inflicting pain on the soul with magic, they controlled and domesticated them.

"With my basic necromancy, even if I wanted to exorcize her, I wouldn't be able to."

The pain would persist but never end.

The flames of a Necromancer gave the deceased a burning pain, hindering the rest they should enjoy in the afterlife.

And now, the girl had become my flame.

As such, I gently pushed her forward and whispered.

"Happy birthday, Emily."