Chapter 11 - Boogie Boogie Boogie (3)

As I followed Smith, I spotted a magnificent, glittering chandelier in the mansion’s central foyer, where the stairs led up to the second floor.

I’d seen them in movies and comics, but this was my first time seeing one in person.

Perhaps sensing the other guests’ gazes, Smith gave an embarrassed smile.

“A friend gave it to me when I bought this mansion. He insisted that every mansion needs a chandelier.”

Well, it certainly would feel like something was missing without one.

Still, maybe because I’d never seen a chandelier that didn’t end up falling, it made me uneasy for no good reason.

... Especially under these particular circumstances, in a haunted house.

I took my eyes off the chandelier hanging from the ceiling and walked around it, avoiding the space beneath.

I was absolutely never walking under that thing.

When we reached the dining room, bread, soup, salad, and a meat dish were waiting on the table.

Five thirty in the afternoon.

A little early for dinner, but I’d gotten hungry on the way here, so I wasn’t complaining.

Smith looked around the dining room and asked the housekeeper, “Where’s Emily?”

“Well, miss says her stomach is upset, so she’ll eat separately in her room.”

“... I see.”

Smith nodded listlessly, and for some reason, everyone looked at me.

... I don’t smell.

Anyway, we made quick work of dinner... Though honestly, I didn’t want to rush it. I wanted to eat a proper meal for my health.

But given what we’d been summoned here for—exorcism—the guests put down their utensils at a suitable moment and focused on Smith, whose shadowed expression set a somber mood.

“I’ve been struggling to find a way to bring this up... But I’ll take your coming here as a sign that you believe me.”

Pastor Go Juwon, shaman Park Minhee, and Kim Yohan, just a young man with good energy.

Self-proclaimed banishers of paranormal phenomena.

Smith’s pupil, Kim Suhyeon, briefly looked displeased that his teacher had invited these dubious people, but he didn’t interrupt.

“It began with little things. The lights would suddenly go out in a lit room. In the evening, I’d hear creaking, as though someone were walking down the hallway...”

Listening to Smith’s account with half an ear, I stole a glance at Ellie.

A pretty young nun with black hair. Judging by her appearance and the style of her name, she was probably a foreigner.

Unlike me and the other guests, Smith had been genuinely happy to see her. Maybe he’d invited a close acquaintance he could trust to help ease his anxiety.

From their earlier conversation, that acquaintance seemed to be Ellie’s father, and she’d apparently come in his place because he couldn’t make it.

“... I imagine my words alone won’t make it feel real to you.”

With a worried expression, Smith told us what he wanted.

“So I’d like you to stay at the mansion today, wander freely, and investigate anything unusual... And please take turns speaking with Emily.”

Seeing it firsthand would certainly be better than listening to more explanations.

But I had something to do first.

After dinner, the pastor stuck close to Smith, offering sympathy and flattery to keep their conversation going, while the shaman went off to inspect the house.

I approached the housekeeper to ask about my assigned room.

“Could you tell me where I’ll be staying tonight? I’d like to unpack, and I’ve been sweating a little, so I’d like to wash up.”

What I needed to do was—

Feed Grizzly and purify my body.

* * *

Worried about Emily, Ellie knocked on her bedroom door and spoke gently.

“Emily, it’s Ellie. You didn’t come to the dining room, so I was worried. May I come in?”

Something didn’t sit right with Ellie, leaving her strangely uneasy.

Aside from her pale face, Emily had looked like herself. Yet during their earlier meeting, she hadn’t met Ellie’s eyes or spoken to her at all.

She hoped she was simply worrying over nothing...

But it was strange, considering how Emily had tearfully begged for help during their last phone call.

Just as Ellie was wondering whether she should force the door open, Emily’s quiet voice came from inside. She sounded weak, but calm.

“Ellie, I’m sorry. Meeting so many people made me nervous... I’m not feeling very well, either, so I’m going to rest for a while.”

Ellie hesitated at Emily’s words, but decided to leave for now.

With a gentle smile, she spoke reassuringly before walking away.

“Emily, if you need help, just tell me. Anytime.”

“... Okay.”

Meanwhile, inside Emily’s room...

“... Yes. I’m fine. I’m a little tired. I’m not feeling well. I’ll stay by myself. ... Yes, I’m scared. Save me. It’s been a while, Ellie.”

The blonde girl lay blankly on the bed, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes. Like a doll, Emily moved only her lips, repeating the words.

A deformed, skeletal arm, long as a withered branch, reached out from under the bed. It grabbed the meat from the plate and brought it underneath.

The grotesque figure seemed draped in shadows, with only its mouth visible. It stuffed the meat into that elongated maw and chewed irritably, as though displeased.

CHOMP, CHOMP. CHOMP, CHOMP.

Stupid painter. Stupid old man.

Bringing fresh sacrifices into the mansion had gone according to plan.

... But two troublesome humans had slipped in among them.

A woman under divine protection. A man with a foul smell.

Still, it was fine. The curse had already begun the moment they entered this place.

CREEEAK... CREEEAK...

Teeth collided and scraped against teeth as a grotesque laugh echoed beneath the bed.

* * *

Yohan marveled at the guest room he’d been assigned.

‘Wow... It’s like a hotel room. Way nicer than my studio.’

It even had its own toilet and shower. A bathtub, too.

That was fortunate, since he needed one for the ritual he’d been planning.

First, he took meat and milk out of the cooler and prepared Grizzly’s meal, giving him instructions as he did.

“I’ll signal you through the grimoire if I need you. Don’t let anyone see you, and don’t act on your own. Walk around the mansion and look for anything strange.”

I had a purification ritual to perform, and rather than go wandering around myself, I thought it would be better to send Grizzly ahead for a quick reconnaissance and make sure it was safe.

Honestly, I’d also wanted to try sending a familiar out to scout, like a wizard in a fantasy story.

Perhaps understanding my orders, Grizzly eagerly gobbled down his meal, swept his tongue around his mouth to lick off the milk, and answered enthusiastically.

“Gyaa!”

“Good.”

I stroked Grizzly’s head, gathered the grimoire and the supplies I needed, and went into the bathroom.

There still wasn’t any solid proof that this mansion was haunted by an evil spirit. But since Smith had hired me after experiencing paranormal phenomena himself, I intended to investigate thoroughly and take precautions for the sake of customer satisfaction.

... Emily’s reaction to meeting me bothered me, too.

According to Smith, Emily had experienced nightmares, sleep paralysis, feelings of fear in empty spaces, and visual and auditory hallucinations.

Now that I’d entered this mansion, perhaps I could experience the same things.

Hence, bodily purification.

The grimoire’s first method of washing: cleansing evil spirits’ curses and cleaning the body before practicing necromancy, summoning spirits or demons, or meeting with the mysterious.

... It kind of sounded like someone telling people to shower before going to an idol concert.

Anyway, first I filled the tub with warm water, got in, and recited the incantation.

“O water, created thing. I shall purify you. By the power of He who created you and gathered you in one place to reveal the land, the enemy’s schemes shall be pierced.”

“The impurity and defilement of evil spirits shall be cleansed and shall no longer cause harm. Through the grace of almighty God, who reigns unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Then, while washing my body with the water, I continued the incantation with mysterious names.

“Mertalia, Musalia, Dopalia, Onemalia, Zitanseia, Goldapaira, Dedulsaira.”

I repeated this as I washed, then got out of the tub and sprinkled myself with holy water using the holy-water sprinkler.

“Lord, cleanse me with hyssop, that I may become whiter than snow.”

To finish, I sprinkled a little salt into the bathwater and got back in. That was all.

Now I could enjoy the bath, then use shampoo and body wash.

In the bathroom filling with warm steam, Yohan soaked leisurely, resting in comfort.

* * *

The Invisible Vampire.

Following his master Yohan’s orders, Grizzly quietly roamed the mansion’s corridors in his enormous, invisible body, inspecting his surroundings.

He saw nothing particularly strange of the sort his master had mentioned.

Then, as he wandered through the mansion, he entered the kitchen.

“Gya? Gya... Gyaa...!”

Grizzly’s mouth fell open in surprise and admiration.

To borrow his master’s way of putting it—

That was one fucking huge refrigerator!

“Gyaaa...!”

Faced with a cold-emitting box far larger than the one in his master’s home, Grizzly reached out.

‧

‧

‧

THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK!

At the dull sound of something repeatedly opening and closing, Smith, Pastor Go Juwon, and Kim Suhyeon, who were in the dining room, the newly hired housekeeper pouring black tea, and shaman Park Minhee, who had been inspecting the mansion, gathered outside the kitchen with puzzled frowns.

“... What is that noise?”

“Maybe something’s breaking down.”

Then they looked inside the kitchen, and their gazes froze.

“...!!”

THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK! THUD—CLACK!

An inexplicable phenomenon.

At the sight of the refrigerator door opening and closing all by itself, unease turned to terror, and an instinctive scream burst from the housekeeper’s mouth.

“Aaaaaaah!”

Grizzly merrily opened and closed the refrigerator door.

Confronted with such a blatant sight, Smith’s legs gave out, and he sank to the floor.

“Ah... God... Oh, God...”

That was the moment the doubters became convinced that Smith wasn’t mad. The mansion really was haunted.

... Meanwhile, Yohan was soaking in warm bathwater, easing away his fatigue.

“Ahh, nice and hot. That feels good. Is this what a hotel getaway’s like? Maybe I’ll give it a try once I’ve saved up some money.”

Those were his thoughts on the matter.