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Chapter 23 - Julia the Necromancer (3)

\'A necromancer? Me?\'

Why? Why does it have to be me?

Why am I the one who can see ghosts?

I never wanted this!

The piercing screams echoing from a distance made Julia cover her ears and groan.

Aslan, Charlotte, and Sylvia seemed fine.

I’m the only one who can hear these voices.

They all look at me like I\'m strange.

\'I don\'t want to hear it! I don\'t want to see it! I want to go back to when I couldn\'t hear or see any of this!\'

Why me?

Out of all the people, why me?

Isn\'t this ability supposed to awaken in someone who actually wants to talk to ghosts?

I never wished for this!

\'Oh. Did this happen because I wished to understand the murmuring voices…?\'

There were times I had wished for something like this, but not really.

The constant murmuring near her ears that kept her awake at night.

Initially, Julia had wished for the voices to disappear.

But when they wouldn\'t go away, she started wishing she could at least understand them.

Was that what caused this?

The murmuring voices that tormented Julia and kept her from sleeping were gone.

Instead, she could now clearly see and hear the vengeful spirits of the dead.

But this isn\'t what I wanted!

\'I hate it. I really hate it. But… I feel so sorry for them…\'

Even though she hated it, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

The ghost was lamenting how the Dwarf King had killed him out of jealousy and how he should have finished the last Holy Sword before dying…

It was still terrifying, but at the same time, a deep pity arose within her.

\'The only way to get rid of them is to help them move on?\'

As scary as it was, there was no other choice.

If she wanted to get rid of the ghost, she had to help it find peace.

Just when she thought she might be able to resolve its resentment, Aslan spoke with an exasperated tone.

"Do you think a necromancer is some kind of ghost therapist? Just capture it and use its power."

"How can I do that to someone crying out in injustice...?"

"Do you still see it as a person? It\'s already an evil spirit since it couldn\'t leave this world. Who knows what harm it might cause if left alone."

"All the more reason to help it move on quickly!"

"Heh..."

Aslan couldn\'t help but laugh.

Julia couldn’t understand what was so funny.

Doesn\'t he grasp the seriousness of this situation?

I was so scared that I even showed my tears, which is so embarrassing...

"If that\'s what you think, then do as you wish. I’ll help a bit."

"Really!?"

"But I\'ll only assist. Since you\'re the only one who can talk to the spirit, you\'ll have to do the important parts by yourself."

"Ugh..."

I have to do it alone?

With that ghostly dwarf?

Julia felt a shiver run down her spine, making her hair stand on end.

But at that moment,

"It\'s okay! I\'m right here with you!"

"Charlotte...?"

"I can\'t see or hear anything, but I\'ll stay right beside you!"

Charlotte squeezed Julia’s hand tightly.

The tension eased slightly.

Julia smiled bashfully.

"Sorry, but you’re really not much help."

"Waaah!"

Even if she wasn’t much help, it didn’t matter.

Thanks to Charlotte, Julia felt less tense, and that was enough.

"Alright. I\'ll try talking to him. I\'ll find out why that dwarf\'s spirit is so restless and noisy…!"

Julia finally mustered the courage.

She had conquered fear many times before.

She had walked alone through a creaky hallway to use the bathroom in the dark of night.

She had listened to scary stories from Julia without covering her ears.

So there\'s nothing to be scared of!

Even if I really don\'t want to admit it...

As Aslan said, I am a necromancer.

A necromancer shouldn\'t fear ghosts!

[Can you... see me…?]

"H-he spoke! He spoke to me! Waaah!"

"Didn\'t you say you would try to talk to him…?"

Swoosh.

In an instant, Julia rushed and clung to Aslan.

Gosh. How embarrassing.

Why do I keep seeking this man when I\'m scared...

.

.

.

"So, that\'s the story. In summary, your grandfather\'s restless spirit is causing my servant to tremble in fear, so you need to help him find peace. His lingering regret is not completing the last Holy Sword, so you have to finish it."

"..."

Jacob stared at the long-quiet furnace, his heart heavy.

‘If only you had explained this from the beginning,’ he thought, swallowing the words.

"My servant, bravely facing her fear, managed to communicate with your grandfather. She found out where the unfinished Holy Sword was. Your muddied mana can be purified using the mana cultivation method, and we even obtained the details of the technique from your grandfather. All thanks to my brave and hardworking servant."

"..."

How many times is he going to praise his servant?

Alright, I get it. You love your servant a lot.

Jacob sighed and sat down on the floor as Aslan instructed.

The foundation of mana cultivation was meditation.

Clearing the mind and focusing on the flow of mana to purify it was the essence.

Of course, knowing the essence didn\'t mean everyone could practice it.

"Inhale to block the flow of mana, and exhale to let it flow again. The differing speeds of pure and impure mana will cause them to separate over time. This makes it easier to purify them."

Such detailed advice…

This could only come from someone who had mastered the technique.

Aslan Vermont claimed he couldn\'t manipulate mana, so he couldn\'t have mastered it.

‘Is it really... really my grandfather…?’

Master Artisan Jane.

To Jacob, that name felt like it belonged to a stranger.

His grandfather had died when he was just a baby.

Jacob had no memories of him.

The only trace of his grandfather was this small forge.

But Jacob never had the courage to follow in their footsteps.

Both his father and grandfather had been killed because of their abilities, and now he himself was under the suspicious eye of the Vermont family.

So he decided to stay far away from blacksmithing.

His grandfather’s inheritance provided enough money for him to live comfortably without working.

Since he seemingly had no talent, he decided to live quietly, like a mouse.

‘But in the end… it comes to this.’

He often felt a mysterious pull when he passed by the dusty furnace.

He found himself wanting to pick up the forging hammer, to the point where he hid it out of sight.

Despite his efforts to stay away, he was now learning blacksmithing.

Jacob smiled wryly as he felt the pure mana flowing through him.

‘This feels so natural, as if the cultivation method was made just for me…’

Was mana cultivation always this easy?

For someone deemed too impure to ever use mana, was it really possible to purify it this effortlessly?

This wouldn’t have been possible without a cultivation method tailored perfectly to Jacob and the knowledge to realize it.

It felt like someone who knew Jacob intimately had been watching him for a long time and created this method just for him.

Jacob began to compress the purified mana.

Though it was his first attempt, it felt surprisingly familiar.

Perhaps blood really is thicker than water.

"Mana Forge…!"

Ssssh!

A spark ignited at Jacob’s fingertip.

Soon, a green flame erupted.

Mana Forge.

A technique that burns mana along with oxygen to generate extreme heat, allowing the infusion of mana into metal.

A skill that only a chosen few could use was now blazing at Jacob’s fingertips.

Jacob’s mouth fell open in amazement.

"What are you dawdling for? Start the forging already."

"Yes!"

Although it was his first time, he knew exactly what to do.

Jacob poured the Mana Forge into the furnace without hesitation and began heating the unfinished Holy Sword.

Heating, hammering, heating, and hammering again.

The process caused the metal to absorb the residual mana, making it stronger.

Depending on how the mana residue arranged itself, the type of Holy Sword would change.

The sword had been just a piece of metal until now.

But at this moment, the seventh Holy Sword was being completed.

Jacob smiled with satisfaction, a feeling he had never experienced before.

"Ha, ha! I get it! I understand now!"

"Julia?"

Crash!

The forge door flew open, and Julia burst in.

She looked tormented, as if something was bothering her.

Aslan radiated killing intent in response.

"You damn ghost, have you lost your mind…"

"No! It’s not that! The ghost grandpa isn\'t tormenting me! Please calm down!"

"Then what\'s the problem?"

"He says the forging process is completely wrong, and it\'s driving him crazy! He told me to go in and say something... Huh? What? You want me to let you possess your grandson’s body? How is that even possible for me!"

Julia babbled at the empty air.

Aslan, ready to use his ‘Touch of Death’ skill to exorcise the ghost, was momentarily halted.

Sylvia gently patted Julia\'s shoulder.

"Why not give it a try?"

"Give what a try? How can I attempt a spell that\'s not even in the textbook?"

"Was my \'Boom!\' spell in the textbook?"

"No..."

"There are probably more spells not in the textbook than in it. The important thing when casting a spell is to listen to your heart\'s voice. Do what your heart tells you."

Good. Well done.

Aslan cheered silently.

Encouraged by Sylvia\'s guidance, Julia extended her hand.

Following her heart...

It wasn’t a textbook spell, but she felt a strong pull towards a particular magic.

"I don\'t know if this will work, but here goes!"

A large amount of mana began to concentrate at Julia’s fingertips.

This time, she wasn’t just separating a part but using all her mana.

Her hair stood on end from the intensity.

Sylvia was startled, her eyes wide like a rabbit’s.

This mana...?

"Did it work?"

As the concentrated mana dissipated, Julia’s body slumped from mana exhaustion.

Everything seemed quiet as if nothing had happened.

But there was a clear difference.

The previously clumsy hammering had become rhythmic and steady.

"Useless fool. How can you disgrace my lineage like this? You almost turned the Holy Sword into a mana lump."

"Ah! Ghost grandpa!"

"Don’t call me that."

Julia\'s face brightened with relief.

The speech, too, had changed from Jacob’s to one filled with wisdom.

A clear possession spell.

Master Jane’s spirit had taken over his grandson’s body.

"Master Jane. Is that really you?"

"Why ask when you know? I’m just a pitiful soul destined to vanish once the Holy Sword is completed. I’ll finish this quickly and disappear as the young lady wishes."

Jane continued hammering the sword with unwavering focus.

He had no interest in anything else.

His sole purpose was to complete the seventh Holy Sword.

"That\'s what evil spirits are like. They’re fixated on their grudges and can\'t think of anything else. For me, it was the unfinished sword. I remained in this world for the sole purpose of completing the seventh Holy Sword."

"..."

Was that really all?

Did he have no concern for his grandson?

As Aslan pondered, the heated sword was quenched in oil, revealing a radiant glow.

"This... this is...!"

Sylvia’s mouth fell open in astonishment.

Even Aslan, a novice in sword matters, was amazed.

Charlotte, who had followed them into the forge, was also mesmerized by the sword\'s beauty.

"The seventh Holy Sword. I leave it to you as a gift for your help. Maybe it’s also a bribe to take care of my grandson... Now that my grudge is resolved, I’ll soon disappear. What should I name this sword? Hmm."

"A gift? Can I have it then? Let\'s name it \'Super Strong Sword\'!"

"What!?"

As Charlotte eagerly grabbed the sword, it was enveloped in a dark hue.

The once radiant Holy Sword was now shrouded in a black wave.

The majestic and mystical glow vanished, leaving a sinister, jet-black sword.

Jane clutched his head and collapsed.

"No!!!! My Holy Sword! That little devil turned it into a cursed sword! Ahh! Ahhh!"

"Ghost grandpa… is disappearing…"

Master Jane’s spirit finally found peace and moved on.