The Duchess Who Sees Ghosts - Chapter 14 [Part 1] – Ghost Turmoil (10)

Chapter 14 [Part 1] – Ghost Turmoil (10)

Translator: Yonnee

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“I think so, too,” Patrick said.

Leo glanced at Patrick, then spoke again as he looked at Doria.

“So, what do you plan to do after creating malicious spirits? Is your goal the Duchy’s devastation?”

“Kekekekek…”

After laughing like that, Doria suddenly stopped then turned his gaze diagonally. He smiled again when he saw Leo frowning at his bizarre behavior.

“No. Why would I do that?”

“Then why are you…”

With one hand, Doria scooped up the bone powder and brought it to his mouth. Leo and Patrick, who were watching him, twisted their mouths in disgust.

“Let me tell you, then. You know why it’s good when a lot of people die, correct? You can get fresh bone powder. And there’s nothing that makes me happier than to hear the screams of evil spirits.”

Doria’s eyes turned wicked.

*

Before Leo and Patrick arrived, Julia, who had lost consciousness, shouted as soon as she managed to open her eyes.

“What the hell are you doing?”

At Julia’s sharp tone, Doria frowned.

“As I thought. Ever since I saw you, Lady Julia, I knew you’re very strong.”

“…What?”

Usually, when women hear something like this, they’d think that it’s their personality being described as strong. But what Doria was implying was completely different.

“All I can say is this—it’s amazing that you can still keep your wits about you in a place like this.”

After hearing that, Julia looked around her surroundings. She had only lost consciousness for a brief moment, but her arms and legs were already tied up with ropes.

She didn’t realize it at first because of Doria’s sudden appearance, but when she exhaled, she felt that an intense chill permeated through her clothes.

And aside from that, strong negative energy was being emanated in this place. Julia’s familiarity with this energy made her feel stuffy, and eventually made it hard for her to breathe.

“This… what the hell is this?”

“Isn’t it amazing?”

Doria glanced around the room, then spoke.

“People have such strong energies within them, but they die before using up everything. Isn’t it such a waste? The living are so full of negative energy. It makes me tremble just thinking about it being so close!”

Doria shivered, hugging himself tightly. Julia’s expression crumpled as she stared at him, then his shivering stopped completely.

He leaned down and brought his face uncomfortably close to hers. She felt goosebumps up her spine as soon as her gaze met with his crazed eyes.

“Isn’t it lovely?”

“W-What is?”

“Listen carefully. Come now, listen!”

Julia was about to ask again what he was talking about, but a weak scream pierced through her ears.

[ …don’t want to… Please… please save me. I, I’m… I’m—! Kyaaaaa!!! ]

[ This is hell…! Hell!! Save me! Please!!! ]

[ Mom, mom!! Mommy! I don’t want to die again, mommy!! ]

Julia stared blankly as she heard the horrendous, tortured screams that were full of fear. Doria smiled in glee.

“Can you hear their screams?”

“This… this…”

Julia’s expression was pained.

[ Mommy… Mommy…… ]

The crying voice was becoming faint. It sounded like a young boy’s voice. As she heard the sobbing voice, she couldn’t speak.

[ It hurts… It hurts… It’s too dark here… I’m so tired. I… I died on the battlefield already. I’m dying here, too. Mommy… Mommy I miss you… ]

[ My wife… Everyone… I’ll see you all again in the next life… I’m so sorry I couldn’t be with you. I’m sorry… I’m sorry I couldn’t be with you. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t stay and watch over you… ]

[ My baby, Mommy’s sorry for leaving first, but you have to continue living even if I can’t stay beside you… Even though I’ve died, I have to watch you take your first steps and listen to your babbling, but… I’m so sorry my baby… ]

“…”

Julia bit her lips hard. The resonating voices were like direct hits to her chest.

As she bit her lips, her nails dug into her palms as she clenched them into fists. The desolate sadness hovered in front of her eyes.

“What the hell are you doing to them…”

“Oh, what is this? You can hear their voices? What do you think? Aren’t you just excited? As long as they become true to their instincts! This is it! This is what spirits should do! Why should they laugh and talk happily as if they’ve given up after they died?! Isn’t that right?! What do you think, Julia?”

Julia gritted her teeth, but Doria just laughed back.

“That’s why I like malicious spirits. I like those spirits that emit a crazy amount of resentment more than those that laugh pretentiously. That’s why I started working here and in this hospital. I’ll need a lot of patients to help me. Building a temple would just hinder me from spreading malice all over the place to make people’s health worse—I need them to be exposed to diseases. As a result, millions will visit this hospital, and soon after this, the Duchy of Epesia will have a terrible plague. Except here.”

He stomped his foot once, then laughed again. Julia narrowed her eyes.

“And after that, I’ll get what I need. Do you think I’m doing this for fun? I’ve been getting it all—fresh bone dust from the people who still had negative energy that hadn’t yet been used to their full potential when those people were still alive! And bodies that hadn’t decomposed yet! Everything!!”

His eyes were stricken with madness yet again, his voice frantic and his eyes threatening to pop out of their sockets.

“Soon, there will be malicious spirits all over Epesia. Then, when this creature is almost complete, a massive plague will spread and many people will die. Then I’ll make malicious spirits again from the dead, and I’m going to take as many fresh bodies that I want and use them however I want. What do you think? Isn’t it fun?! Kyahahahakekeke!!”

After saying all that, Doria approached Julia quickly and hit her hard on the back of her head. Before she lost consciousness, Julia looked up at him, then closed her eyes.

*

As Leo and Patrick were struck speechless by Doria’s insanity, Julia got up and trudged past them.

They both looked at her, who was undaunted by the two men’s presence here.

Julia stared at the frantic Doria, a smile on her lips despite her cold eyes. But as she tried to speak then, there was a quiet voice that pierced through her ears again.

[ Please help me… ]

Ahh… She knew. It must have been painful. They were waiting peacefully even though they didn’t get the death they wanted, but they were being extinguished like this.

“Haaa…”

Julia breathed out a shaky sigh. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The tortured voices shook her heart greatly.

The sorrow of those who were watching over their children, the pain they felt as they died, the resentment of not being able to keep the promise of simply watching from afar… These all brought her to tears.

Julia once asked Crone. Why was it that shamans grew stronger the more their emotions were worn out.

And Crone answered bluntly, as though it were natural.

[ Shamans need to be on the same perspective depending on the individual’s situation. Or else, those emotions would twist and explode. You need to prevent that. ]

She couldn’t understand Crone’s words at the time, but Julia seemed to understand what he said a little bit now.

“What is it?”

With his lips stretched to his ears in a wide smile, he looked at Julia.

[ Help me… I’m begging you… ]

Once again, it was a desperate call for help. Julia closed her eyes for a brief moment, before opening them again.

Her red eyes turned white.

She raised one hand, and perhaps she wasn’t aware, but she was holding a white fan.

The fan spread out and the sound of it echoed in the air. Julia covered her lips with the fan, then as she stared at Doria, she spoke to him slowly.

“Since you’re desperate to have them, taste for yourself the Dance of Demon Banishment.” *

Before they knew it, Julia’s clothes began to flutter, then blue energy slowly rose from her body.