Finding my way back to the inn… yeah, that was supposed to be the easy part. Obviously, I was wrong. I spent hours wandering around in circles like an idiot.

In the end, and purely out of luck, not because of any actual skill, I stumbled across the inn after practically combing the entire district.

I went up to my room and shut the door behind me, then took off the mask and tossed it onto the table. I was exhausted to the point where I could barely think straight.

It didn't even take half a second before the spirits started appearing around me again. At first, I ignored them. This had become a normal part of my life, part of my daily routine. But when I actually looked at the ring of spirits drifting in circles around me, I noticed two new ones had joined them.

I focused on them. They were Adam and Diana.

Even with all the spirits around, they were easy to identify. Their features were faint and slightly transparent, but still clear enough. Something tightened in my chest. A weird mix of annoyance and guilt. I kept trying to remind myself that none of this was actually my fault.

I tried talking to them, but the overlapping voices of the spirits made it almost impossible to communicate.

"Ragu."

He appeared instantly the moment I called him.

"What do you want, you merciless butcher?"

I pointed at Adam and Diana's spirits.

"Can you talk to those two?"

He shrugged.

"Technically, yes. But why?"

"Just tell them I want to speak with them."

He disappeared, then returned several seconds later.

"I tried, but I couldn't communicate with them no matter what I did."

That made me think seriously about finding a way to speak to them directly. Under normal circumstances, I would've shrugged this off and moved on like I usually do. It's not like I give a damn about the dead. But this time I had questions and doubts I needed answers to. Things I couldn't ignore anymore.

I decided to take the risk and try using my wish-granting ability. I worded the wish as precisely as possible to avoid any unexpected disasters.

"I wish to be able to communicate directly with the spirits of Adam and Diana for fifteen minutes, without any other spirits present."

The spirits drifting around me slowly faded away until only Adam and Diana remained. They floated in front of me, transparent but with their full features intact. Basically, the way they looked before being turned into meat confetti.

I placed my hand on the table.

"Are you both still stuck in the material world?"

Adam answered in a quiet, confused tone.

"If you mean this form, then yes. But… is this because of you? And why are there so many spirits around you?"

I ignored his questions and went straight to the point.

"Have either of you met someone named Valentine Crow before? A man with half his face disfigured and one blind eye."

Adam shook his head.

"I've never seen or met anyone like that."

I turned to Diana, who was thinking deeply before she finally said,

"Yes. I've met that person before."

She started explaining how Valentine Crow had kidnapped her younger sister… Iris.

"You're Iris's sister?"

"Yes. I couldn't tell you during our first meeting, for obvious reasons. But I've always wanted to thank you for taking care of her."

"How did you even know about that?… Actually, never mind. Do you know that Iris is gone?"

"Yes, I know she's gone. I saw her. She was among the spirits drifting around you."

"You saw Iris among the spirits around me?"

"Yes. Why do you look so shocked?"

At that moment, all my doubts solidified into near certainty. The connection between the spirits and me had nothing to do with that deranged researcher Valentine Crow. There was no sign pointing to him.

The real reason was those golden threads I saw with my own eyes wrapped around the spirits. I was fully convinced now. Ragu had been lying or, to be more accurate, telling only a fragment of the truth.

The spirits stayed because of their lingering desires. Those two were the biggest proof of that. But their attachment to me… that was the Controller's doing.

I lifted my gaze toward Diana.

"Send Iris my regards… and tell her we'll meet again soon."

She obviously didn't understand what I meant. She was about to speak, but I didn't give her the chance.

"I wish to face Ragu directly, alone, with no other spirits around, and without him being able to escape or disappear, so I can get all the answers I want. And without anyone being able to observe or listen to us."

Adam and Diana vanished on the spot. In the same moment, Ragu appeared in front of me.

"What's going on? Where is everyone?"

I raised my gloved hand.

"Rule number one. The spirits don't allow me to lie here."

Transparent chains shot out of my glove, wrapped around Ragu's body, and yanked him backward.

"What do you think you're doing?! Let me go."

"Are you working with the person who bound the spirits to me?"

At first, he opened his mouth and tried to say something, but the chains glowed, forcing him to shut it. Then he said,

"...Yes."

"Who is that person?"

This time he answered without resistance.

"It is Garrod. The leader of the Bloody Fang."

I couldn't believe what I heard. Garrod was supposed to be dead, killed by the Claw's attack. I had never noticed anything strange about him.

"Garrod is the one who bound the spirits to me?"

"Yes."

"Is he the one manipulating everyone?"

"I don't know."

"Is Garrod still alive?"

"Yes. He… is still alive."

I placed my hand on my head.

"Of course he is… Why the hell wouldn't he be? Out of all the people who could still be alive…"

I lifted my head again and stared at Ragu.

"Do you know where he is now?"

"No. I don't know."

"What exactly did he order you to do?"

"He ordered me to convince you to go fight Valentine by any means necessary."

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