I headed to the church at the time Liliana specified. I wonder what a shut-in like me could possibly need to do there.
Liliana was waiting in the chapel of the church. From there, she guided me to a meeting room in the back.
It seemed like it was going to be a troublesome conversation.
At the very least, Liliana doesn’t seem to be in a festive mood. The ink that she was covered in earlier has already been neatly removed.
As I entered the meeting room, there was a familiar face. It was my father.
“It takes some nerve to keep me waiting… What was your name again?” (Robert)
“It’s Wilhelm. And I arrived on time. Do you need something from me?” (Wilhelm)
“Indeed, there’s an important matter to discuss.” (Robert)
“Work for a shut-in like me…?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah. But before that, there’s something I need to say to you.” (Robert)
My father directed a gaze at me as if he had years of resentment built up.
“Now, quietly hand over the wine!” (Robert)
“Huh, wine? Oh, from the other day. You mean the one I was holding onto. Are you still holding a grudge about that?” (Wilhelm)
“Of course I am. You bumbling idiot!” (Robert)
“Whoa!” (Wilhelm)
My father suddenly lunged forward with a headbutt attack.
It was so unexpected that I nearly got hit. That was close.
“I’ve been extremely busy with dealing with this ghost-related work lately!” (Robert)
“As you should.” (Wilhelm)
“I was planning to soothe my exhaustion with that wine, but you… youuuu!” (Robert)
“Huh? But that wine was like a precious bond between parent and child, right?” (Wilhelm)
It was a wine from the year I was born.
“That’s exactly why I wanted to secretly enjoy it in your absence!” (Robert)
What a parent.
Oh? A woman suddenly inserted herself between us.
She’s dressed in a luxurious white robe and has long orange hair. At first glance, she appears to be a modest person.
“Alright, that’s enough of the parent-child quarrel. Robert-san, Wilhelm-san, understood?” (?)
My whole body shivered with cold from my feet to my brain.
Wait, what was that just now? Why did her voice sound so gentle?
“Kuh, don’t interfere. Edelweiss!” (Robert)
“Interference is necessary. As the saint, I cannot allow such parent-child quarrels. It’s infuriating.” (Edelweiss)
Infuriating? What does that mean? Her character is completely out of whack, and once again, I shudder with cold.
“Now, both of you, offer your prayers to God. Pray for reconciliation and return to being a loving parent and child. As a saint, I will pray with you. Understand?” (Edelweiss)
Once again, my entire body shivered with cold.
I looked at the face of the saint. She had the appearance of a gentle older sister. Although my memories and impressions of her were completely different, there was no mistaking her identity. She’s someone I’ve known since childhood.
Her name is Edelweiss Selena Caramelise. She’s one year older than me.
“Edel-nee, right?” (Wilhelm)
We used to play together a lot when we were kids. I’ve always called her Edel-nee.
Edel-nee showed me a gentle smile.
“Yes, that’s right. It’s been a while, Wilhelm-san. I’m very happy to see you again.” (Edelweiss)
Once again, a chill ran through my entire body. This isn’t the Edel-nee I know.
“What’s with the way you’re talking? Your vibe is completely different from the past.” (Wilhelm)
“No no, I’ve always been like this, haven’t I?” (Edelweiss)
“No no no, it’s totally different.” (Wilhelm)
“Is that so? Then, what did you think of me back then, Wilhelm-san?” (Edelweiss)
“A brat.” (Wilhelm)
“N-No, that’s not true. I was the quiet girl who wore a white dress, sat in the shade of a tree, and gently petted a large dog while reading a book, right? That’s how you remember me, isn’t it?” (Edelweiss)
My father burst out laughing.
Edel-nee gave my father a sharp look. Ah, yes, that’s more like the Edel-nee I remember from my memories.
“Hey, Robert-san? Was that really the time to laugh?” (Edelweiss)
“Sorry, it just seemed so unreal.” (Robert)
“Unreal? This is who I am. Aren’t I the most refined and loving woman in town?” (Edelweiss)
My father burst out laughing again.
“Who’s supposed to be refined again?” (Robert)
“It’s me. Me.” (Wilhelm)
“Edelweiss’s father was always lamenting, you know? Even though the world is vast, he just so happened to get the only daughter who would break all the windows in school.” (Robert)
Oh yeah, I remember that. It was quite a commotion. The repair costs must have been enormous.
Edel-nee was always doing things like that just because they seemed interesting.
“Edel-nee, maybe it’s time to drop the act. You’re acting weird.” (Wilhelm)
“That’s right, it’s too late to go back now. Show your true self. Come on, come on!” (Robert)
Ah, Edel-nee shed her facade.
“Hey, why are you two acting like it’s a big deal? It’s fine. I was just playing the role of everyone’s desired pure-hearted saint.” (Edelweiss)
Ah, this is it, this is more like it.
Honestly, she’s still being a bit fake, but this feels more like the real Edel-nee.
“I prefer the real Edel-nee.” (Wilhelm)
Edel-nee glanced at Liliana.
She’s probably concerned about others noticing, aside from us
Liliana seems surprised by the sudden turn of the conversation.
“You don’t need to worry about me. I know Edel-san’s personality well. I find it easier to talk with the real Edel-san.” (Liliana)
“Liliana-san, are you saying that too? But you see, there’s one person here who believes in my saintly character because she’s such a pure-hearted girl. Don’t you think it’s better to let her dream?” (Edelweiss)
Ah, she just admitted that it was a facade.
And that one person she mentioned was Eva. Though, she looks apologetic.
“Sorry. Eva-chan already knows that the saintly personality isn’t real, you know? It’s quite a well-known story. Only little kids would believe in your saintly character.” (Eva)
“Gaaah!” (Edelweiss)
She seems utterly shocked.
“Tch, what a waste of effort. Oh well, forget it. Let’s just go back to how things were. I never should have tried to play the saintly character.” (Edelweiss)
Edel adjusted her posture in the chair, slouching and boldly crossing her legs.
Her pristine nun’s skirt got disheveled. But she’s not the type to care too much about that sort of thing. That’s the Edel-nee I knew.
“Anyway, it’s really been a while, hasn’t it? Were you doing okay, Wil?” (Edelweiss)
She addressed me the same way she used to.
“I’m not doing okay at all. Can I just go home and continue being a shut-in already?” (Wilhelm)
“Nope. You gotta work.” (Edelweiss)
“Edel-nee’s as strict as ever.” (Wilhelm)
“Edelweiss is right. You gotta work hard, Wil-something.” (Robert)
“Let’s work properly, Wilhelm-kun.” (Liliana)
“It’s cooler to work, Wil-onii-san.” (Eva)
Blackie-chan let out a “Nya” almost as if saying “You gotta work.”
“Everyone’s relentless today. This place feels like it’s enemy territory.” (Wilhelm)
I really want to just be a shut-in. This environment is too harsh for my weak mental state.
“I really want to go home soon, so let’s get to the point. Why did you specifically summon a shut-in like me?” (Wilhelm)
“The reason you’re called here is none other than…” (Robert)
It was my father who replied.
You don’t have to build suspence.
“To discuss what to do about the ghost, Bagi.” (Robert)
Well, I figured it would come to that.
Here we have Eva, the ghost specialist, and even a saint who manages the sword that seals Bagi, not to mention my father, who’s the top government official overseeing the troops. With this lineup, there’s really nothing else it could be.
“So, the barriers that Eva and I set up didn’t work, huh?” (Wilhelm)
Eva looked downcast. Her already gloomy demeanor seemed even darker.
“It seems we were up against a tough opponent. Reports say that Bagi becomes active at night and enjoys messing with adults. There have even been major injuries in the fights that ensued.” (Robert)
“As long as it’s just injuries and no casualties…” (Wilhelm)
“Bagi is a ghost that snatches away children to the afterlife and devours them. That’s the most worrying part of this whole affair… Liliana, could you provide us with the research findings from the old records kept by the civil service?” (Robert)
“Yes, I’ve examined records dating back 300 years. According to those documents, on the night the Sky Whale appeared, Bagi took away over 100 children. So, there’s a high likelihood that the same tragedy might occur tonight, especially considering the Sky Whale is currently in the city.” (Liliana)
Edel-nee nodded.
“I did something similar and had the nuns search through the church’s ancient records. And lo and behold, we found descriptions identical to what Liliana just mentioned. I’m pretty sure tonight is going to be rough.” (Edelweiss)
Blackie-chan seemed to be agreeing as it let out a soft “nya”.
Eva gave Blackie-chan a gentle pat on the head.
“Wil-onii-san, you know, the time when the Sky Whale appears is when the boundary between the afterlife and our world is closest. Ghosts, spirits, and souls find it most convenient to transition to the afterlife during this time. Bagi is no different. So, if Bagi’s going to take away children, this is the time.” (Eva)
Eva had already foreseen it. She always saw bad things happen to me. In other words, Bagi might just take away a child close to me. It’s not just scary; it’s terrifying.
In this situation, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.
“I understand the situation. We can’t let the children fall into the hands of Bagi. Let’s do whatever it takes with our power to stop it.” (Wilhelm)
It’s not just Anya. There’s also Clara and Daniel and his friends whom I’ve become close to lately.
But how do we stop Bagi? It’s not like our plan involves picking a fight and forcefully knocking him out with brute force, right?
Edel-nee took out a large sword and placed it on the table.
It looked quite old and rusty. The blade had magic runes engraved on it, though they were fading.
“This is the sword that originally sealed Bagi. Despite its weakened state, it still holds much more power compared to regular swords. Finding a replacement for this in modern times won’t be easy.” (Edelweiss)
“So, we’re using this sword to seal Bagi again?” (Wilhelm)
“As expected of you, Wil. You catch on quickly.” (Edelweiss)
“I am exceptional, after all.” (Wilhelm)
The ritual for resealing will be performed by Edel-nee, who has mastered all purification magic. Everyone else will support her during the process. That’s the plan.
“But we don’t know where the Bagi is, do we? Are we just going to wait until nightfall?” (Wilhelm)
Blackie-chan let out a “Nya” sound.
“Blackie-chan says to leave it to him. He’s really good at finding ghosts.” (Eva)
Blackie-chan looked proud. So cute.
Father stood up, and the other members followed suit.
“We must act swiftly. Let’s go now. We will definitely reseal Bagi before he starts causing more problems.” (Robert)
Everyone left the church together.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
And so the fate of the city has been left in the hands of a cat.
So, high bets that this is gonna fail cause that would be too anti-climatic.
Footnote:
- None