We sneaked inside the large manor after discussing things out in the Inn. We were going to sneak inside, slay the guy, and get over it with ease.
We moved inside of the place easily by sneaking using Shadow Sneak. Through this ability I was able to easily ignore most obstacles and sneak anywhere there were shadows around. I jumped around between shadows as I went, although I found some obstacles in what seemed to be a Rune-infused door.
With closer inspection, it told me it was some kind of special security system that they had in this world, where Runes and spells were placed over a door, and that way, people wouldn’t be able to easily break it open. It worked even against me, but I had something that they don’t.
So I just became a phantom and sneaked around, phasing through the walls and entering the entire building in a second. In an instant, I reached the interior and scanned the area using my senses, reaching upstairs and finding out there were two presences above. The second floor was where the Duke was, alongside someone else.
I couldn’t appraise them from where I was, but I knew they weren’t too much if they didn’t emanate strong mana from within them.
I flew upstairs while coating myself in stealth-based abilities as I found a very mildly obese man with short gray hair and blue eyes writing papers over his table.
There wasn’t any other second presence around, and when I scanned again, there wasn’t anyone.
Huh? Did I just imagine it? No way…
I was pretty sure I sensed two presences.
Where’s the other one?
I scanned the area again with my Mana, but nothing.
I decided to just get done with this instead of worrying anymore, as I emerged behind the Duke, like a specter of shadows.
I couldn’t help but smile deviously as my soul danced happily. The resentment inside of my very being was about to be fulfilled once more as another one of the pigs involved in this entire tragedy shall be slain for good.
I extended my arms around him and then…!
I felt as if a flash of bright light pierced through my arms and sliced them both.
I quickly sneaked back into the ground, but a flash of bright light reached the floor and illuminated the entire place, my ability to use Shadow Sneak was instantly negated.
I felt utterly desperate in the situation that suddenly changed before me. I escaped the bright light, but this only burnt through my entire body. My very being was of darkness. Such holy and bright light made me painfully aware that I wasn’t invincible even as a ghost.
This pain was terrible.
I constantly conjured Undead Heal on my own soul, regenerating the darkness that was being purified and then expanding a barrier of shadows around me. The bright light covered the walls, and I wasn’t able to use my phantom form to escape either. If I tried, my body would be instantly purified, and I would die right there.
Being an undead has such a weakness.
The bright light before me receeded some more, but it continued to enhance the walls around us.
“W-What’s going on, Maria-sama?!” Asked Emeraldine.
“Master?!” Asked Partner.
“There was someone waiting for us right here,” I said.
I looked in front of me, and as I stood in the corner of the room, there was a single person—a man of almost two meters tall, with short blue hair and sharp yellow eyes.
“You’ve survived that? You’re indeed a strong Undead. I couldn’t believe that the one behind the death of Duke of Affnaria was an Undead, but I guess all the clues led to that,” Said the man.
He was wearing clothes that reminded me of some sort of priest. Even his golden staff shone brightly.
But… how did he know that I killed the Duke of Affnaria?
What has been going on lately? And how did they predict I would come after the Duke here?
I looked at the duke and noticed a barrier of holy light was protecting him; he was terrified, though.
“I-It was really a smart idea to use me as bait! It really just came here to slay me… Unbelievable, is this woman a ghost, Sir Elderlight?” The fat man asked.
“That’s right. This is a monster, a ghost of some kind. We assume that this ghost is most likely the soul of the fallen Witch of Misfortune, Maria… The same day after her graveyard was found destroyed and her corpse gone was the day the Duke died, and the trails of phantom and dark mana were left in the horrendously destroyed corpses. We had to connect some dots around, but our secret informants used their abilities to see through clues using evidence. After doing some more, we finally came to the conclusion that it might really be her….” Said the priest.
They knew everything about me!
The only way to get out of here was by destroying the walls, but if there was a way to do that, he could still easily dissipate me with his light. Shadow and Death easily get beaten by this powerful Holy Light! My options are very few… But it’s not like I am without options…
But they already knew everything about me and even realized I was Maria converted into a ghost…
“Heh, I guess you’ve found me out. Indeed! I am Maria Fuentes Belles! The Witch of Misfortune!” I announced.
The priest squinted his eyes as he pointed his holy staff at me, while the Duke felt utterly terrified by my mere presence.
“You’ve come back from the dead to avenge your death and that of your family, haven’t you? Don’t worry, resentful soul, I shall purify in the name of all that is sacred!” He roared.
“Purify me? You’re mistaken. You’re already dead,” I said.
Of course, that was just a bluff to surprise him and gain time.
An army of a dozen of Undead suddenly emerged around me.