Rain – night.

Rainy night.

A common word, a common weather, a word that can almost be called synonymous with nostramo.

Carlil opened his eyes.

No, he's not sleeping.

In fact, the peaceful and quiet sleep had been far away from him for a long time, and unlike ordinary people, the scene he saw when he closed his eyes was not the quiet and gloomy darkness.

He will see many things, but he will not see peace.

Sitting up, Carlil's expression was a little dazed, and the pain in his muscles and the wail of his bones were far away from him. Even so, he took a few deep breaths to calm his mind.

It's almost become a habit of sorts, and he needs to be calm enough to deal with whatever might happen next.

The nobles don't rest on their laurels, and Carlil knows this better than anyone else.

"It's noisy outside."

The ghost in the corner said.

He crouched on the ground and gently poked a wooden board he had picked up from the garbage heap with the index finger of his right hand. His nails can also be less sharp when not being forced. Therefore, the plank is still intact.

However, it is difficult to say after that.

At this moment, there is a neon sign outside the window, and through the window, it hits its noisy light.

As a result, Carlil could clearly see the ghost's dirty, sticky black hair, which was scattered across his pale forehead, looking terrible.

He frowned at this.

"Really?"

"Yes...... It's strange tonight, Carlile. ”

The Wraith looked up and blinked, "I've been to Seventeen to observe, and the Scarlet Finale's residency has been taken over by another group of people...... It's strange that they didn't fight for many days like they used to. ”

"Seventeen?" Carlil asked.

Instead of paying attention to the key information provided by the ghost for a moment, he turned to ask about another seemingly inconsequential matter.

"Gargoyle No. 17......" the ghost replied in a whisper, looking down. I love it. ”

"Ah, that's why you're naming them again...... Which point? ”

"Huh?"

"What do you like about it?"

Hesitating, the ghost raised its head again. He grabbed the plank, held it in his hand and shook it twice before answering Carlil's question.

"It'...... Its surface is flat? ”

"Answer me in the affirmative, Wraith." Carlil smiled. "People should be firm when expressing their likes or dislikes."

"It's flat." The ghost straightened his back and said. Even the sound was a little louder.

"What else?"

“...... Is it new? It's new, Carlil. ”

The ghost laughed, he wasn't used to the expression yet, so it was stiff. However, this is already a step forward.

"It's new." The ghost repeated. "I love it."

"So, do you prefer the new gargoyle?"

"No, it's not." The ghost shook his head, still not letting go of the plank in his hand. "I've found Eighteen and Nineteen, but I still like Seventeen the most."

"So, why?"

"Because ......"

The ghost's voice ended here, and he stared blankly at Carlil, unsure of how to proceed. He couldn't say any more reason.

It's really a poor expression ability.

You gushed on twenty-three different ways of cooking rats on the way back with me, and it was useless for me to want you to be quiet. Now, you can't name a third reason why you like Gargoyle Seventeen.

Staring at the ghost, two thoughts crossed Carlil's mind.

'Broken minds', and—

"Do you have any memories of the past, Spirit?" Carlil asked.

"Huh?"

"The past, your past."

The Wraith answered Carlil's question with a blank expression.

With a soft sigh, Carlil had to repeat his question again and add a description.

He'd realized that when talking to ghosts, you'd better not use metaphors or deliberately only say half the story.

"Where were you before you met me—or rather, before you entered that rat-ridden, very warm, mud-ridden pit?"

“......”

The ghost didn't answer immediately. He frowned and began to think. Carlil didn't rush him, he could see the latter's efforts on the ghost's face. Therefore, he will not care too much about the outcome.

...... Of course, if the ghost can name one or two, it will be the best.

Carlil could have figured out one thing even on his toes - the ghost could never have been a naturally born human, or a living being. He cares about it.

"I ......"

"Huh?"

"Fire ...... Also, I'm landing. ”

The Wraith whispered, he didn't look at all like the innocent monster Carlil knew about.

His body was shaking, his face was too, and the muscles under his skin were even trembling like a seizure, but the ghost himself didn't notice it.

Or rather, he found out, but he couldn't stop.

Carlil frowned solemnly and gritted his teeth, he had realized something and was ready. Frankly, he's now somewhat regretting asking the question.

Actually, very much regret.

"Twenty ......" the ghost continued in pain, his voice trembling.

At this moment, something began to churn in his dark eyes. Like rotten bones swallowed by a swamp, unwilling to see the light of day.

Carlil clenched his fists sharply, and an ominous premonition began to well-rise in his mind.

He tensed his muscles and whispered, "Stop, ghost." ”

“...... Destiny! Destiny! ”

The wraith roared sharply, and a bruise erupted on its neck.

Then he screamed and fell backwards.

"Nope! No! I don't belong there! I don't want to go back into the dark! ”

Screaming, the ghost fell to the ground with a bang, his dark eyes still staring at the ceiling of the sanctuary. The limbs twitched and the pain was exceeding.

Carlil's preparation worked, he approached the ghost the moment he fell to the ground, his right hand had even grabbed one of the ghost's hands, and was about to pull him up with a force—however, at this moment, Karil was struck like lightning.

His ear ...... Some voices were heard.

Wait, is that really a sound?

Or is it just his own imagination? In the midst of shrill noises and terrible whispers piercing the veil, Karil painfully let go of his hand, endless numbness and pain coming from the skin he made contact with the spirit.

The ghost was still screaming, and he ......

No.

Trembling, Carlil exhaled a cold current. The blue light of Senhan's eyes lit up—and then, in a wave of relentless indifference and cold trembling, he noticed it.

They.

Something from another world, another dimension.

They are striking at him with super-imaginable, edifice-like collapse, trying to unearth the hidden truth of Karil Lohals, the son of Nostramo's lost aristocracy.

Malevolent, they screamed, stabbing Carlil's heart with their small, poison-smeared blades.

They want his past, his stories, his desires...... They made promises without knowing everything, from worldly wealth to boundless power, and even showed him a new look for Nostramo.

But...... There is no Carlil Lohals here.

"Get out." The ghost trembled but said firmly. "I have nothing for you, I have no desires for you to drive......"

The ghost reached out his right hand and grabbed the ghost with swiftness.

"Get out! Get lost! He roared in command, the blue glow in his eyes shining so brightly for the first time. Stay away from him! ”

-----------------

"Carlil? Carlil? Wake up! ”

The ghost's panicked shouts made Carlil's eyes open in weariness, and he wanted to speak, but the sticky, dry lips were holding him back.

...... I don't even have the strength to do that? He thought to himself.

"Carlil?!"

Shake, shake, shake - and then, with a shudder, the ghost picked him up and placed him on the tattered chair he had picked up, gently and carefully. Immediately after, a gentle breeze came.

Carlil saw the ghost fanning the rotten plank, and he pursed his lips, his eyes wide open, and his face paler than all the people on Nostramo.

“...... Other. Carlil said reluctantly.

"You're still alive!"

Yes, I'm alive, but if you scream a few more times I'm going to die...... I'm really going to die.

Carlil glanced feebly at the Spirit, who had evolved like never before at this moment.

He understood what Carlil meant by his eyes alone, and then the ghost immediately fell silent, clutching the leg of his chair and not speaking.

Of course, this can't last long.

After a moment of silence, the ghost cautiously spoke.

"You, are you alright, Carlil?"

“...... Water. Carlil said with difficulty.

The ghost jumped to its feet, kicked the door open at a speed that no human could catch, and ran outside—Carlil knew what he was going to do, with a small rain filter at the top of the shelter.

Three seconds later, the ghost sped back, pulling out a missing tin cup from under the corner of his robe, and slowly handing it to Carlil's mouth.

Apparently, he hadn't forgotten that it was raining outside.

......

......

"Are you okay?" The ghost asked cautiously.

"It's better—besides, thank you for helping me get water, Spirit." Carlil said. "Also, I'm sorry I asked you that question."

"......" The ghost pursed its lips in silence and lowered its head.

"Lift your head up." Carlil said softly. "Don't act like you've made a mistake...... You've done good enough. ”

The ghost looked up at him blankly, not understanding what he was talking about.

Carlil just smiled.

You've done good enough, if you can hear those things all the time......

He sighed, "But I still have something to tell you - get your head up." ”

"Oh."

"In the future, if you have the same feeling as you did when you are alone on a mission...... "Carlil said slowly. Whatever you're doing, come to me right away. ”

The ghost was slightly stunned, and then, his expression became happy at a speed visible to the naked eye: "Your countdown won't go to zero?!" ”

“...... Is it raining outside? ”

Carlil turned his head and looked at the open door, he could have discovered the truth of the question with his own eyesight, but he still asked the question, and he didn't even forget to close his eyes.

"Huh?"

"Is it raining outside, Spirit?"

"It's raining, Carlil - won't your countdown go to zero?"

“...... Is it raining heavily? ”

"It's good, but will your countdown go to zero?"

“......”

Tonight, it's also raining in Nostramo, but it's not too big.