Chapter 34: The Ghost of Cabaret (8)
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Chapter 34: The Ghost of Cabaret (8)
A vacant lot located 1km away from the hotel where we were staying.
In this place, there was a well with its bottom exposed and rendered unusable.
To prevent curious children from getting hurt, the entrance to the well was blocked with iron bars.
I took out Mantula's knife from my back.
With a strong swing, the flimsy iron bars were easily cut through.
I placed the knife against the wall, using Mantula's leg as support as I descended into the well.
On one side of the well's bottom, there was a passage leading to an underground waterway.
I inserted the knife and, in an awkward position, crawled through the tunnel into the underground waterway.
Luz was a planned city built near a canal.
So, the sewage and water systems were well-engineered with the latest technology.
The underground waterway was wide enough to float a small boat, and the water flowed smoothly without any obstructions.
I walked along the edge of the waterway, heading towards the ghost's hideout.
I had no worries about getting lost; I had been here in the game before.
Squeak, squeak.
Chick, who was sitting next to my neck, tickled my neck with her tail.
She was writing something with her tail.
Ella was giving her instructions through a "spirit link."
Long messages couldn't be sent because they had to be read through touch.
"Arrived."
Already arrived, huh?
In the game, there were monsters living in the waterways, and you had to navigate through collapsed areas, but there was none of that here.
"Where?"
"We'll arrive shortly."
I gently stroked Chick's head with my finger and continued walking.
*Sub-Quest: The Ghost of the Cabaret
Objective: Defeat the Ghost Derek.
Success Reward: [Phantom's Mask]
Failure Penalty: None.
***
The boat that was crossing the dark underground waterway came to a stop.
The ghost lowered the oars and placed them on the edge of the boat.
"We've arrived, miss. Were you scared? You kept your eyes closed tightly."
"Oh, um, just a bit."
The masked man extended his hand. Ella took his hand and carefully stepped off the boat.
A ghost that suddenly appeared in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
He introduced himself as the "Guardian Angel" living in this extreme place.
He said he wanted to catch the "monster" responsible for this incident, protect the circus, and free Ella, who was enslaved by the monster.
Ella, despite being a frightened girl, played her part perfectly.
And she pretended to believe his lies as she followed him.
In the middle of the underground waterway, there was an island carved out of stone.
A few dim lights illuminated the place, but it was still dark.New novel chapters are published on
Ella held the ghost's hand and carefully climbed onto the island.
The space on the island resembled an attic.
In the centre, an oiled torch was burning, and there were beds, bookshelves, musical instruments, and more placed in the corners.
"Is it really safe here?"
"Yes, of course. Even the monster you're afraid of won't be able to enter here without hesitation. I've set traps in various places along the passage."
Kind and considerate actions.
A voice that resonated like a song.
Although his face was covered by a mask, his words and actions were full of goodwill.
If Ella were an ordinary girl, she might have been charmed by his mysterious aura.
But Ella was now too mature to be captivated by such simple things.
A year ago, she might not have been as cautious, but now, she had developed a sense of wariness towards anyone who smiled without reason.
Thanks to, Wonderstein.
Ella felt a similar sense of disgust towards the man in front of her as she did towards Wonderstein.
Brazen and insincere evil.
If what Wonderstein had told her was true, this man was even more despicable.
A few hours ago.
When the play was interrupted, and the theatre staff gathered in the dressing room, Ella was lost in thought.
Was it really Wonderstein who dropped that light bulb?
Why on earth did it happen?
Was what she saw accurate?
Such doubts deepened when Maroine brought up the 'ghost' story after returning from the hospital.
The ghost had started its activities a week ago.
It had been since the day they arrived in Luz.
So she decided to question him.
Did he commit this incident?
But he spewed out completely unrelated nonsense.
"Ella, you signed a contract. To be my 'slave' for life."
Those words triggered something in her mind.
Code word.
Once you stepped onto the stage, even fellow acrobats couldn't tell if your actions were real or act. Especially since spontaneous dialogue or acting based on the mood of the moment was common, such confusion was even more pronounced.
The problem arose when there was an accident.
It was difficult to tell whether the person was really injured, accidentally caught fire, or was actually being dragged away by a lion, and even colleagues had trouble distinguishing.
So, the code word was essential.
The code word had to be agreed upon among the members for it to work.
What had Wonderstein and Ella promised?
He had promised to set them free if they cooperated for the next two and a half years.
But he suddenly said that she had signed a contract to be a 'slave for life.'
She had thought about that too.
All of this could be a devil's trick.
Maybe the other party wouldn't remember about it two and a half years from now? That could be an argument.
But just one week after making this promise, he brought up such a thing at an irrelevant time, which was strange.
His subsequent remarks were even more baffling.
"After all, Ella, you don't really have any 'work' in the circus."
The dagger was deeply embedded in his forearm.
Why?
I'm supposed to be invincible.
Nothing should be able to...
"You cannot transform into the intangible state while in contact with other living beings," Ella said, taking out another dagger from her robe and pointing it at him. "And if a certain amount of mass is embedded in your body, you cannot transform either."
Everything she was saying had been taught to her by Wonderstein.
"It's best not to do anything unnecessary. If I decide to throw this dagger, I can easily pierce through your body like a piece of wood."
Ghost looked at her in betrayal.
Damned woman.
He was deceived again.
Just like that woman who promised love and then ran away.
Just like that woman who embraced another man while promising to live only for him.
"Why, why! Weren't you trying to escape from that monster too?"
"Yeah, that's right," Ella said, raising the dagger and glaring at him. "But no matter how hard I try, I can't hold hands with you. The devil didn't seem interested in the likes of you from the beginning. Oh, and there's one thing that man is better at than you."
"W-What...?"
"He talks," Ella said. "He helped me find my precious belongings and even made a deal. He saved my life and put a contract on it. And he did something similar today too. Because he needed to. That's something I truly appreciate."
Doubt filled Ghost's eyes.
Why would she appreciate that?
It would be better if he whispered more affectionately, more lovingly...
"Thanks to that, I can hate that man as much as I want."
"W-Why...?"
"Derek. How have you treated the 'girls' who have passed through your hands?"
At the mention of 'girls,' Ghost shuddered.
How does she know...?
"When the teacher acts for the sake of the student's favour, problems arise."
Ella quoted something she had said to Wonderstein yesterday.
It had two meanings.
First, strict discipline was necessary for teaching.
Second...
"Affection generated in relationships with clear hierarchies can be oppressive."
Ella recited each word to Derek.
Yes, Wonderstein never demanded respect or love from them.
Even if they scolded him or cursed at him, he remained impassive.
If he felt he was needed, he stepped in to help.
That was it.
Ella was grateful to him for giving her the freedom to hate him.
'But when is this person coming?'
The person who said he would arrive soon still hadn't shown up.
And to make matters worse, Derek was acting strangely.
He was looking at her and chuckling.
"What's wrong?"
"Hehe, it's me. I have the magic noose, you see."
"What? Uh, uhuh!"
With a swift sound, something caught Ella's throat.
It was a rope.
A rope had flown through the air and wrapped around her neck.
"Uh, ugh!"
Ella desperately struggled to grab and loosen the rope, but it wouldn't budge.
It seemed like some kind of magical force was at play.
While it wasn't about to strangle her or anything, her breathing was gradually being restricted.
Derek stood up from his seat and approached her, suspended in the air.
Without being pierced by a dagger, he swung his intact arm toward Ella's abdomen.
Thwack.
"Ugh!"
"Have you finished talking, you wretch? So, what is it that you want to say?"
Thwack.
"Ugh!"
"After accepting all my help, are you rejecting me like those harlots for that monster? Huh?"
Thwack.
"Ugh!"
"Haha, die! Die! I will throw your corpse in front of that monster...."
Then, a silver streak flashed.
The rope was abruptly cut.
Derek gasped and recoiled in fear.
A blade attached to the end of a long spider leg.
It was the one she had seen during the day.
It had cut the rope.
The other leg of the monster gently embraced Ella as she fell from the sky.
She gasped for breath, her life nearly extinguished.
"How...how did..from that place...my trap..?"
A blond man appeared in the darkness.
He had clearly emerged from the "impassable path."
He approached step by step.
His bright smile gleamed in the torchlight.
"Oh, the traps were easily dismantled. Four pressure traps, two wire traps, three spike traps, and... a sewer ratman nest."
Wonderstein extended the two blades protruding from his back.
They were covered in thick, clotted blood.
"The sewer ratmen didn't know any better. There were none of these when I came last time."
He stared directly at the ghost.
His mouth was smiling, but Derek could see it.
The spark in his eyes.
"I've come to reclaim my assistant."
And then, he continued, not by emotion, but with composed words.
"You, you piece of garbage."
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Chapter 34: The Ghost of Cabaret (8)
A vacant lot located 1km away from the hotel where we were staying.
In this place, there was a well with its bottom exposed and rendered unusable.
To prevent curious children from getting hurt, the entrance to the well was blocked with iron bars.
I took out Mantula's knife from my back.
With a strong swing, the flimsy iron bars were easily cut through.
I placed the knife against the wall, using Mantula's leg as support as I descended into the well.
On one side of the well's bottom, there was a passage leading to an underground waterway.
I inserted the knife and, in an awkward position, crawled through the tunnel into the underground waterway.
Luz was a planned city built near a canal.
So, the sewage and water systems were well-engineered with the latest technology.
The underground waterway was wide enough to float a small boat, and the water flowed smoothly without any obstructions.
I walked along the edge of the waterway, heading towards the ghost's hideout.
I had no worries about getting lost; I had been here in the game before.
Squeak, squeak.
Chick, who was sitting next to my neck, tickled my neck with her tail.
She was writing something with her tail.
Ella was giving her instructions through a "spirit link."
Long messages couldn't be sent because they had to be read through touch.
"Arrived."
Already arrived, huh?
In the game, there were monsters living in the waterways, and you had to navigate through collapsed areas, but there was none of that here.
"Where?"
"We'll arrive shortly."
I gently stroked Chick's head with my finger and continued walking.
*Sub-Quest: The Ghost of the Cabaret
Objective: Defeat the Ghost Derek.
Success Reward: [Phantom's Mask]
Failure Penalty: None.
***
The boat that was crossing the dark underground waterway came to a stop.
The ghost lowered the oars and placed them on the edge of the boat.
"We've arrived, miss. Were you scared? You kept your eyes closed tightly."
"Oh, um, just a bit."
The masked man extended his hand. Ella took his hand and carefully stepped off the boat.
A ghost that suddenly appeared in her bedroom in the middle of the night.
He introduced himself as the "Guardian Angel" living in this extreme place.
He said he wanted to catch the "monster" responsible for this incident, protect the circus, and free Ella, who was enslaved by the monster.
Ella, despite being a frightened girl, played her part perfectly.
And she pretended to believe his lies as she followed him.
In the middle of the underground waterway, there was an island carved out of stone.
A few dim lights illuminated the place, but it was still dark.New novel chapters are published on
Ella held the ghost's hand and carefully climbed onto the island.
The space on the island resembled an attic.
In the centre, an oiled torch was burning, and there were beds, bookshelves, musical instruments, and more placed in the corners.
"Is it really safe here?"
"Yes, of course. Even the monster you're afraid of won't be able to enter here without hesitation. I've set traps in various places along the passage."
Kind and considerate actions.
A voice that resonated like a song.
Although his face was covered by a mask, his words and actions were full of goodwill.
If Ella were an ordinary girl, she might have been charmed by his mysterious aura.
But Ella was now too mature to be captivated by such simple things.
A year ago, she might not have been as cautious, but now, she had developed a sense of wariness towards anyone who smiled without reason.
Thanks to, Wonderstein.
Ella felt a similar sense of disgust towards the man in front of her as she did towards Wonderstein.
Brazen and insincere evil.
If what Wonderstein had told her was true, this man was even more despicable.
A few hours ago.
When the play was interrupted, and the theatre staff gathered in the dressing room, Ella was lost in thought.
Was it really Wonderstein who dropped that light bulb?
Why on earth did it happen?
Was what she saw accurate?
Such doubts deepened when Maroine brought up the 'ghost' story after returning from the hospital.
The ghost had started its activities a week ago.
It had been since the day they arrived in Luz.
So she decided to question him.
Did he commit this incident?
But he spewed out completely unrelated nonsense.
"Ella, you signed a contract. To be my 'slave' for life."
Those words triggered something in her mind.
Code word.
Once you stepped onto the stage, even fellow acrobats couldn't tell if your actions were real or act. Especially since spontaneous dialogue or acting based on the mood of the moment was common, such confusion was even more pronounced.
The problem arose when there was an accident.
It was difficult to tell whether the person was really injured, accidentally caught fire, or was actually being dragged away by a lion, and even colleagues had trouble distinguishing.
So, the code word was essential.
The code word had to be agreed upon among the members for it to work.
What had Wonderstein and Ella promised?
He had promised to set them free if they cooperated for the next two and a half years.
But he suddenly said that she had signed a contract to be a 'slave for life.'
She had thought about that too.
All of this could be a devil's trick.
Maybe the other party wouldn't remember about it two and a half years from now? That could be an argument.
But just one week after making this promise, he brought up such a thing at an irrelevant time, which was strange.
His subsequent remarks were even more baffling.
"After all, Ella, you don't really have any 'work' in the circus."
The dagger was deeply embedded in his forearm.
Why?
I'm supposed to be invincible.
Nothing should be able to...
"You cannot transform into the intangible state while in contact with other living beings," Ella said, taking out another dagger from her robe and pointing it at him. "And if a certain amount of mass is embedded in your body, you cannot transform either."
Everything she was saying had been taught to her by Wonderstein.
"It's best not to do anything unnecessary. If I decide to throw this dagger, I can easily pierce through your body like a piece of wood."
Ghost looked at her in betrayal.
Damned woman.
He was deceived again.
Just like that woman who promised love and then ran away.
Just like that woman who embraced another man while promising to live only for him.
"Why, why! Weren't you trying to escape from that monster too?"
"Yeah, that's right," Ella said, raising the dagger and glaring at him. "But no matter how hard I try, I can't hold hands with you. The devil didn't seem interested in the likes of you from the beginning. Oh, and there's one thing that man is better at than you."
"W-What...?"
"He talks," Ella said. "He helped me find my precious belongings and even made a deal. He saved my life and put a contract on it. And he did something similar today too. Because he needed to. That's something I truly appreciate."
Doubt filled Ghost's eyes.
Why would she appreciate that?
It would be better if he whispered more affectionately, more lovingly...
"Thanks to that, I can hate that man as much as I want."
"W-Why...?"
"Derek. How have you treated the 'girls' who have passed through your hands?"
At the mention of 'girls,' Ghost shuddered.
How does she know...?
"When the teacher acts for the sake of the student's favour, problems arise."
Ella quoted something she had said to Wonderstein yesterday.
It had two meanings.
First, strict discipline was necessary for teaching.
Second...
"Affection generated in relationships with clear hierarchies can be oppressive."
Ella recited each word to Derek.
Yes, Wonderstein never demanded respect or love from them.
Even if they scolded him or cursed at him, he remained impassive.
If he felt he was needed, he stepped in to help.
That was it.
Ella was grateful to him for giving her the freedom to hate him.
'But when is this person coming?'
The person who said he would arrive soon still hadn't shown up.
And to make matters worse, Derek was acting strangely.
He was looking at her and chuckling.
"What's wrong?"
"Hehe, it's me. I have the magic noose, you see."
"What? Uh, uhuh!"
With a swift sound, something caught Ella's throat.
It was a rope.
A rope had flown through the air and wrapped around her neck.
"Uh, ugh!"
Ella desperately struggled to grab and loosen the rope, but it wouldn't budge.
It seemed like some kind of magical force was at play.
While it wasn't about to strangle her or anything, her breathing was gradually being restricted.
Derek stood up from his seat and approached her, suspended in the air.
Without being pierced by a dagger, he swung his intact arm toward Ella's abdomen.
Thwack.
"Ugh!"
"Have you finished talking, you wretch? So, what is it that you want to say?"
Thwack.
"Ugh!"
"After accepting all my help, are you rejecting me like those harlots for that monster? Huh?"
Thwack.
"Ugh!"
"Haha, die! Die! I will throw your corpse in front of that monster...."
Then, a silver streak flashed.
The rope was abruptly cut.
Derek gasped and recoiled in fear.
A blade attached to the end of a long spider leg.
It was the one she had seen during the day.
It had cut the rope.
The other leg of the monster gently embraced Ella as she fell from the sky.
She gasped for breath, her life nearly extinguished.
"How...how did..from that place...my trap..?"
A blond man appeared in the darkness.
He had clearly emerged from the "impassable path."
He approached step by step.
His bright smile gleamed in the torchlight.
"Oh, the traps were easily dismantled. Four pressure traps, two wire traps, three spike traps, and... a sewer ratman nest."
Wonderstein extended the two blades protruding from his back.
They were covered in thick, clotted blood.
"The sewer ratmen didn't know any better. There were none of these when I came last time."
He stared directly at the ghost.
His mouth was smiling, but Derek could see it.
The spark in his eyes.
"I've come to reclaim my assistant."
And then, he continued, not by emotion, but with composed words.
"You, you piece of garbage."
Chapter 34: The Ghost of Cabaret 8A vacant lot located 1km away from the hotel where we were staying.In this place, there was a well with its bottom exposed and rendered unusable.To prevent curious children from getting hurt, the entrance to the well was blocked with iron bars.I took out Mantula's knife from my back.With a strong swing, the flimsy iron bars were easily cut through.I placed the knife against the wall, using Mantula's leg as support as I descended into the well.On one side of the well's bottom, there was a passage leading to an underground waterway.I inserted the knife and, in an awkward position, crawled through the tunnel into the underground waterway.Luz was a planned city built near a canal.So, the sewage and water systems were well-engineered with the latest technology.The underground waterway was wide enough to float a small boat, and the water flowed smoothly without any obstructions.I walked along the edge of the waterway, heading towards the ghost's hideout.I had no worries about getting lost; I had been here in the game before.Squeak, squeak.Chick, who was sitting next to my neck, tickled my neck with her tail.She was writing something with her tail.Ella was giving her instructions through a "spirit link."Long messages couldn't be sent because they had to be read through touch."Arrived."Already arrived, huh?In the game, there were monsters living in the waterways, and you had to navigate through collapsed areas, but there was none of that here."Where?""We'll arrive shortly."I gently stroked Chick's head with my finger and continued walking.*Sub-Quest: The Ghost of the CabaretObjective: Defeat the Ghost Derek.Success Reward: Phantom's MaskFailure Penalty: None.***The boat that was crossing the dark underground waterway came to a stop.The ghost lowered the oars and placed them on the edge of the boat."We've arrived, miss. Were you scared? You kept your eyes closed tightly.""Oh, um, just a bit."The masked man extended his hand. Ella took his hand and carefully stepped off the boat.A ghost that suddenly appeared in her bedroom in the middle of the night.He introduced himself as the "Guardian Angel" living in this extreme place.He said he wanted to catch the "monster" responsible for this incident, protect the circus, and free Ella, who was enslaved by the monster.Ella, despite being a frightened girl, played her part perfectly.And she pretended to believe his lies as she followed him.In the middle of the underground waterway, there was an island carved out of stone.A few dim lights illuminated the place, but it was still dark.New novel chapters are published onElla held the ghost's hand and carefully climbed onto the island.The space on the island resembled an attic.In the centre, an oiled torch was burning, and there were beds, bookshelves, musical instruments, and more placed in the corners."Is it really safe here?""Yes, of course. Even the monster you're afraid of won't be able to enter here without hesitation. I've set traps in various places along the passage."Kind and considerate actions.A voice that resonated like a song.Although his face was covered by a mask, his words and actions were full of goodwill.If Ella were an ordinary girl, she might have been charmed by his mysterious aura.But Ella was now too mature to be captivated by such simple things.A year ago, she might not have been as cautious, but now, she had developed a sense of wariness towards anyone who smiled without reason.Thanks to, Wonderstein.Ella felt a similar sense of disgust towards the man in front of her as she did towards Wonderstein.Brazen and insincere evil.If what Wonderstein had told her was true, this man was even more despicable.A few hours ago.When the play was interrupted, and the theatre staff gathered in the dressing room, Ella was lost in thought.Was it really Wonderstein who dropped that light bulb?Why on earth did it happen?Was what she saw accurate?Such doubts deepened when Maroine brought up the 'ghost' story after returning from the hospital.The ghost had started its activities a week ago.It had been since the day they arrived in Luz.So she decided to question him.Did he commit this incident?But he spewed out completely unrelated nonsense."Ella, you signed a contract. To be my 'slave' for life."Those words triggered something in her mind.Code word.Once you stepped onto the stage, even fellow acrobats couldn't tell if your actions were real or act. Especially since spontaneous dialogue or acting based on the mood of the moment was common, such confusion was even more pronounced.The problem arose when there was an accident.It was difficult to tell whether the person was really injured, accidentally caught fire, or was actually being dragged away by a lion, and even colleagues had trouble distinguishing.So, the code word was essential.The code word had to be agreed upon among the members for it to work.What had Wonderstein and Ella promised?He had promised to set them free if they cooperated for the next two and a half years.But he suddenly said that she had signed a contract to be a 'slave for life.'She had thought about that too.All of this could be a devil's trick.Maybe the other party wouldn't remember about it two and a half years from now? That could be an argument.But just one week after making this promise, he brought up such a thing at an irrelevant time, which was strange.His subsequent remarks were even more baffling."After all, Ella, you don't really have any 'work' in the circus."The dagger was deeply embedded in his forearm.Why?I'm supposed to be invincible.Nothing should be able to..."You cannot transform into the intangible state while in contact with other living beings," Ella said, taking out another dagger from her robe and pointing it at him. "And if a certain amount of mass is embedded in your body, you cannot transform either."Everything she was saying had been taught to her by Wonderstein."It's best not to do anything unnecessary. If I decide to throw this dagger, I can easily pierce through your body like a piece of wood."Ghost looked at her in betrayal.Damned woman.He was deceived again.Just like that woman who promised love and then ran away.Just like that woman who embraced another man while promising to live only for him."Why, why! Weren't you trying to escape from that monster too?""Yeah, that's right," Ella said, raising the dagger and glaring at him. "But no matter how hard I try, I can't hold hands with you. The devil didn't seem interested in the likes of you from the beginning. Oh, and there's one thing that man is better at than you.""W-What...?""He talks," Ella said. "He helped me find my precious belongings and even made a deal. He saved my life and put a contract on it. And he did something similar today too. Because he needed to. That's something I truly appreciate."Doubt filled Ghost's eyes.Why would she appreciate that?It would be better if he whispered more affectionately, more lovingly..."Thanks to that, I can hate that man as much as I want.""W-Why...?""Derek. How have you treated the 'girls' who have passed through your hands?"At the mention of 'girls,' Ghost shuddered.How does she know...?"When the teacher acts for the sake of the student's favour, problems arise."Ella quoted something she had said to Wonderstein yesterday.It had two meanings.First, strict discipline was necessary for teaching.Second..."Affection generated in relationships with clear hierarchies can be oppressive."Ella recited each word to Derek.Yes, Wonderstein never demanded respect or love from them.Even if they scolded him or cursed at him, he remained impassive.If he felt he was needed, he stepped in to help.That was it.Ella was grateful to him for giving her the freedom to hate him.'But when is this person coming?'The person who said he would arrive soon still hadn't shown up.And to make matters worse, Derek was acting strangely.He was looking at her and chuckling."What's wrong?""Hehe, it's me. I have the magic noose, you see.""What? Uh, uhuh!"With a swift sound, something caught Ella's throat.It was a rope.A rope had flown through the air and wrapped around her neck."Uh, ugh!"Ella desperately struggled to grab and loosen the rope, but it wouldn't budge.It seemed like some kind of magical force was at play.While it wasn't about to strangle her or anything, her breathing was gradually being restricted.Derek stood up from his seat and approached her, suspended in the air.Without being pierced by a dagger, he swung his intact arm toward Ella's abdomen.Thwack."Ugh!""Have you finished talking, you wretch? So, what is it that you want to say?"Thwack."Ugh!""After accepting all my help, are you rejecting me like those harlots for that monster? Huh?"Thwack."Ugh!""Haha, die! Die! I will throw your corpse in front of that monster...."Then, a silver streak flashed.The rope was abruptly cut.Derek gasped and recoiled in fear.A blade attached to the end of a long spider leg.It was the one she had seen during the day.It had cut the rope.The other leg of the monster gently embraced Ella as she fell from the sky.She gasped for breath, her life nearly extinguished."How...how did..from that place...my trap..?"A blond man appeared in the darkness.He had clearly emerged from the "impassable path."He approached step by step.His bright smile gleamed in the torchlight."Oh, the traps were easily dismantled. Four pressure traps, two wire traps, three spike traps, and... a sewer ratman nest."Wonderstein extended the two blades protruding from his back.They were covered in thick, clotted blood."The sewer ratmen didn't know any better. There were none of these when I came last time."He stared directly at the ghost.His mouth was smiling, but Derek could see it.The spark in his eyes."I've come to reclaim my assistant."And then, he continued, not by emotion, but with composed words."You, you piece of garbage."
