TMBIPYMEN Chapter 10

Layla momentarily recalled that strange magical device Yustar had used in Ridgecarse Village.

That thing that moved swift as flight... But didn't he say something about it needing to be charged, or whatever it was? If he'd had that in the first place, there would have been no need to walk for half a day.

It took less than a few seconds to realize he wasn't using a magical device. Layla panicked at the fact that she was simply dangling in his arms, and that Yustar was running through the crowd at the fastest pace possible.

"Yustar, you can't shake them off this way!"

Layla shouted. This kind of behavior would only draw the ghosts' attention.

When she turned her head, she saw the man's spirit following them at an unbelievable speed. She clenched her teeth. One of his legs was almost completely rotted away and barely visible, yet he was striding toward them with long strides despite his great limp.

"Yustar!"

"I know, Layla. I'm not just running away blindly, so don't worry."

While holding Layla, he skillfully leapt over the narrow stalls.

As her body lifted for a moment, Layla unconsciously clutched at his collar. When they reached a slightly less crowded area, Yustar hoisted Layla over one shoulder and rummaged through his pockets.

"Just a moment, hold on for a bit."

I really hate this position, Layla thought. Being slung over his shoulder like a sack wasn't pleasant, but worst of all was being unable to look away from the ghost that had followed so close it nearly touched her nose.

Splat, splat. Rotted fish fell from his mouth, which gaped so wide his jaw would have dislocated if he were alive.

"Got it, just hold on a little longer."

Yustar swung Layla's body from his shoulder back around to hold her in front. Layla saw the monocle fitted over his right eye.

"That monocle..."

"This way is better."

Yustar spun around and entered an alley, then set Layla down.

Immediately, the splattering sounds grew closer, and the man with his mouth gaping wide appeared before them. Whether it had stretched during the chase or was always that way, his elongated arms nearly touched the ground.

"Layla, you mustn't close your eyes. Look directly at it. I can only see properly if you see properly."

Creeeeak—a sound rang out. It was the sound of the man raising his arm. He swung his arm like a whip, and Yustar dodged backward while pulling Layla close.

"I—I just need to watch?"

"Yes, that's right. Don't close your eyes. Watch and listen. You've done it before. You can do this."

She saw the damp, pale hand that had struck the ground being dragged along. It felt like watching layered snake molts slither of their own accord.

Layla kept her eyes wide open and looked directly at the man while suppressing the nausea churning in her stomach. A buzzing sound rang in her ears. She also heard something whoosh through the air.

—Killed me. He killed me! That bastard killed me.

Layla knew this was the voice the half-rotted figure before her had possessed in life. He was enraged. Nothing could be felt except rage and anguish.

This kind is dangerous. Layla thought, trying to relax her tension-stiffened body.

Some ghosts retained a bit of reason, but others didn't. Among those without reason, one of the most dangerous kinds to encounter was a ghost consumed by rage. There must be a story behind this man's death. It wasn't a simple accident...

"Can you do an 'Overlay,' Layla?"

Yustar's whisper rang beside her ear. She briefly thought it was too close, but in this situation, the fact that he was right behind her was the only comfort.

"You mean see that man's memories? Like with Vin?"

"Yes, exactly. You know that even beings who remain only as spirits have a core, right?"

Layla nodded uncertainly, gnawing on her lower lip.

"I know."

"Only you, as a medium, can see that core. I can see that thing clearly with this monocle and your power, but I can't look into the core. Because I'm not a medium. I'll explain this later."

"Why do I need to see that 'core'?"

She turned her head and asked with a rather challenging attitude. The man's core—whatever it might be, she didn't particularly want to see it. Surely it wouldn't be anything like a pleasant circus performance.

Yustar spoke in a calm voice.

"Once you know what the core is, it becomes much easier to capture them."

Capture. Layla rolled the word around in her mind. Like how he'd gathered and eliminated the children's ghosts in Ridgecarse Village... Was he talking about something like that? But...

"All right. I'll try."

Layla nodded and raised her eyes to look directly at the man.

Something pitch-black was gurgling out from his mouth. It flowed down over his nearly detached lower jaw and his body that had rotted into rags, pooling wetly on the ground.

—Killed me, killed me... That bastard killed me.

Layla focused all her attention on his voice, on his single remaining eye, and on that gaping mouth. She felt the ghost's presence growing larger and larger.

For Layla, becoming aware of a ghost and drawing it in was similar to suddenly noticing a stain she hadn't known was there.

When you can't see the stain, no matter how large it is or how conspicuous its location, you can pass by without concern.

But once it enters your vision, from that point on you can't look away, and even when you try to avert your gaze, the stain seems to keep growing...

Layla was now staring directly at the stain, unable to look away, and approaching it closely. She was trying to touch it with her hand to find out what had caused the stain.

—Killed me! Can you hear me! He killed me! That bastard!

Something pitch-black spewed from the man's mouth. A fishy smell wafted strongly, and a clear scene rose in Layla's mind.

The buzzing sound grew louder and louder until she couldn't hear anything, but she could see two men. They sat on rocks, fishing. No one else was visible nearby...

A place only the two of them know. Layla thought. The two men had different hair colors—one had red hair, and the other was blond.

When she blinked, the red-haired man snatched away the fishing rod the blond man was holding. Then he kicked below his knee with a foot wearing thick boots.

The water was deep. But not so deep that one couldn't escape. The blond man could have survived. If only he hadn't struck his head on the rocks while falling.

Ahhh—a scream rang out. At the same moment, Layla was ejected from the man's memories. The despair of that moment when his head struck the rock, the betrayal felt at that precarious boundary between life and death.

That was the man's core.

"Very well done, Layla," Yustar whispered.

Simultaneously, Layla's body swayed, and Yustar drew his right hand, glowing blue, to his chest before spreading it to the side. Anyone who'd seen his movements would surely have thought him a handsome magician.

"The god Adiak asks: Do you have sin? I answer: It is the sin of another, not me. Behold, my two hands are clean as Havasuka's hands."

The black water—Layla could tell it was all manner of corrupted things and the man's obsession—lurched from the man's mouth as his waist bent sharply backward.

His head thump-thumped against the ground, and tattered fish corpses burst from his gaping mouth, scattering everywhere.

Yustar raised his voice. His right hand, wrapped in bluish light, had become almost invisible.

"Adiak asks: Do you have sin? I bow my head and answer: It is the sin of another, not me. Behold. My hands are clean!"

An ear-splitting scream rang out. It was so loud and sharp that everyone in the small town probably heard it. The man's spirit flew somewhere with a sound that cut through the air, his body bent backward and writhing.

Layla's eyes widened. She looked at Yustar's hand, from which the light had faded. Looking closely, she saw that a transparent, large glass orb rested on his palm.

Inside the orb was clean water, and no matter how much the orb moved, the water never tilted or rippled. Strangely.

"Did you drive it away?"

Layla asked. Yustar carefully placed the orb in his leather bag and checked her complexion.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine! More importantly, why didn't you capture it? In Ridgecarse..."

"Ah, there I needed to perform a soul-binding ritual. But that man... Well, I thought it would be fine without performing the ritual."

"Why is that..."

That's when it happened.

"Ahh, what the! Why's this guy acting like this!"

"Stop him! Stop him! What are you doing! He'll die!"

Shouts of people in confusion came from outside the alley. The moment Layla tried to rush out without thinking, Yustar grabbed her wrist.

"It's better not to look."

He did this, Layla thought. Screams rang out, and she saw several people running away. Though she didn't know what had happened around the corner, it was Yustar's doing.

"I think I need to see it."

"It's not a pleasant sight."

"I don't care. I've never seen a pleasant sight in my life anyway."

For a moment, a faint trace of amusement appeared and disappeared in Yustar's eyes. Was it pity? Either way, it didn't matter right now...

He pulled her hood back over her head, then wrapped her shoulders protectively and stepped out of the alley.

As soon as they turned the corner, a thick smell of blood hit them. The moment Layla covered her mouth and nose, a man covered in blood BANG! smashed his head against the solid wall.

"Dear gods!"

People screamed. Bright red blood flowed across the entire ground like a river. The man died with his eyes bulging toward Layla. Through his completely shattered head, she could see something like a gray mass inside.

"This person, don't tell me..."

Layla's voice trembled.

He was exactly that red-haired person who'd appeared in the dead man's memories. Though his face was covered in blood and crushed almost beyond recognition, she could tell for certain.

Yustar said,

"I set a destination for that man. Now that his grudge is satisfied, he won't appear anymore."

Layla turned away with an appalled expression, shaking off Yustar's hand. Her eyes looking up at him held a mixture of confusion and anger.