DKFTI 87

What in the world is this?

Of course Aizen couldn’t deal with the ghost. His sword couldn’t cut a ghost, and cursing at it wouldn’t scare it away either.

–Name… name.

The ghost mumbled one thing over and over.

“It looks like it’s looking for a name.”

“Whose name?”

Aizen’s face filled with annoyance, and he folded his arms and answered bluntly.

“A murderer, or someone it wants revenge on, maybe something like that.”

Sibel and Aizen were watching the ghost mutter to itself. The ghost looked like it was in its mid-thirties. It had a calm air. Its face looked ordinary for an evil spirit.

“Try talking to it.”

“Me? Why? Can’t you see I’m in a bad mood because of that bastard right now?”

“You’re heartless. You’re living under the same roof.”

“Same roof huh ? That thing is trespassing.”

Aizen was dumbfounded. Living under the same roof? Since when did ghosts count as residents?

–Name…

What in the world did it want them to do? If it showed up in front of people’s eyes, it seemed like it wanted something.

“You made a fuss because you were scared of ghost stories, but now that you’re actually seeing one, you’re fine?”

“It looks normal.”

So it wasn’t scary. Then what did it want?

“Hey.”

In the end Sibel spoke to the ghost. Then the transparent bluish ghost’s head started to move little by little. Its lifeless eyes turned toward Sibel.

–Name…

“Name? Whose?”

–My name…

Sibel tilted his head.

“It says it’s looking for its own name.”

“How stupid do you have to be to forget your own name?”

Aizen answered sullenly.

“Maybe it forgot because it’s been dead too long.”

If no one had called its name for hundreds of years, maybe it could forget. Or maybe it had dementia when it was alive.

“If it knows its name, will it pass on?”

The ghost blinked slowly, then nodded.

“What has to be done for you to remember your name?”

–Underground… underground…

The ghost spoke in a slow voice.

“Underground?”

Of all things, underground. The story they heard today came to mind.

“The Demon King’s Castle underground…”

Actually they had already gone underground once. It was so big they hadn’t looked through all of it.

“That’s where we first met the Hero.”

“Why are you suddenly bringing me up?”

Aizen had been tied up tight there. Yeah. They should have finished him then.

When Sibel nodded while recalling the past, Aizen looked at him and asked.

“You’re not seriously going to do what this ghost says, right?”

Aizen’s doubtful voice made Sibel’s lips curl.

“We’re going underground.”

“You’re insane.”

“Then what, you want to coexist with the ghost forever? What if it suddenly shows up in the hall at night?”

Now it was fine because he was with Aizen. But if he suddenly faced it alone, his heart would stop. Not that his heart would stop that easily, but he would still be shocked. What about mental trauma, how would he deal with that?

“What’s underground?”

The ghost only blinked without answering.

“Do you become stupid when you turn into a ghost?”

Sibel jumped in shock and quickly covered Aizen’s mouth.

“What if it gets mad and turns into an evil spirit, why would you say that without fear?”

“Mmph, mmffph….”

Aizen’s mouth, blocked by Sibel, mumbled, then he ended up biting Sibel’s fingers.

“Ow!”

Sibel pulled his hand back from the pain and quickly wiped the saliva-soaked hand on his clothes.

“Gross…”

“What?”

“Nothing. Nothing.”

Next to Aizen, who caught even his quiet murmur, he whispered, “You’ve always had good hearing…” but trailed off at the sting of Aizen’s glare.

“Anyway, let’s go. Whatever, what could be there?”

Sibel put both hands on his hips with confidence. Aizen, who was watching him from the side, snorted.

“Fine. Do what you want. I’m out.”

Aizen waved his hand and turned away.

What, this guy?

Sibel hurriedly grabbed Aizen’s arm.

“Why are you being so petty?”

“I don’t like getting involved in these cheap jobs.”

“Who likes it?”

“Looks like you like it.”

It was shabby, but Sibel had to hold on to Aizen. What if the ghost suddenly turned into an evil spirit while he was alone with it?

“You’re not going to sleep now anyway.”

“I go to bed early these days.”

“Liar.”

He strengthened his grip on Aizen’s sleeve. He had no intention of letting go.

Aizen tried to pull his arm free, but he frowned at the uncharacteristically stubborn grip.

“Why are you like this?”

“I’m really scared to be alone…”

“Call your subordinates.”

“It would trouble them…”

“You’re so considerate, but why don’t you think it troubles me?”

Sibel deliberately let Aizen’s complaints pass.

“Come on, let’s just go. Please.”

“Ha…”

In the end Aizen raised the white flag. His body that hadn’t budged began to let itself be pulled along by Sibel’s grip.

“If we go underground, will we really find out?”

The ghost began to lead the way. But it gave no answer.

–Name…

It was like a robot repeating the same words.

“It looks like the only words it knows are name and underground. Now that I see it like this, it even feels pitiful.”

Sibel walked while looking at the ghost. Then he suddenly grew curious, and he carefully reached out one hand. His hand went straight through the ghost’s body.

“Oh.”

So a real ghost’s body was empty!

Sibel quickly pulled his hand back after satisfying his curiosity. Aizen, who saw the whole thing beside him, frowned in a subtle way.

“Are you really stupid?”

“You’re curious too”

“No. Not at all. I never thought of that.”

Aizen found Sibel’s behavior ridiculous, but also a little endearing. If he found something like this endearing, then maybe he wasn’t in his right mind either. A long sigh came out of his mouth.

***

After going down the winding spiral stairs for a long time, the underground of the Demon King’s Castle appeared with its desolate scenery. A damp, chilly air drifted from underground.

“I can’t believe I came to this crappy place again.”

Aizen was quick-witted. He realized right away this was the place he had been taken. Sibel quickly shut his ears and focused on the layout of the underground.

The ghost walked through the underground without hesitation.

If it could move around so easily, did it really need to ask them to come with it? Sibel wondered, but he silently held Aizen’s arm and followed behind the ghost.

“You know the way, right?”

–……

“But why does it have to come underground to remember its name.”

Something felt strange. When Sibel murmured, Aizen replied.

“Maybe it died here while being tortured.”

“…What?”

“Of course. Why else would it die here?”

Sibel hadn’t thought that far. Hearing Aizen’s words gave him chills. He had a bad premonition, maybe it was luring the Demon King here to take revenge.

“That wouldn’t be a good development.”

“You’re worried it might hurt you?”

Sibel nodded while looking at the ghost. Aizen looked at Sibel’s body pressed close to his arm.

If he was going to be this scared, why say he wanted to help…

But Sibel leaning on him so much didn’t feel bad. In fact, it even felt good.

So Aizen walked with the ghost while suspecting it. Why had it suddenly appeared?

It didn’t look malicious, but since it had interfered already, he disliked it. So whether it found its name or not, it didn’t matter to him.

“But underground was bigger than I thought.”

It was his own castle, but Sibel was amazed by the huge space underground he had never examined carefully. Rooms were packed into the tangled hallways.

It was packed so tightly it made him imagine grimly how many people they had dragged here to lock up.

Then the ghost turned at a corner. The two of them quickly followed.

“We could get lost…”

Sibel looked back at the path they came. They had changed directions so many times that he was confused where was where.

“You would, of course. Don’t stray and stick right here.”

Sibel held Aizen as if his arm was a lifeline. They kept moving ahead.

Then the ghost suddenly stopped.

“Oh.”

Startled, Sibel stopped too. There was a dead end with a huge iron door.

“There’s no doorknob.”

Aizen touched the door with his hand, interested in the iron door. Of course it didn’t move.

“There’s no keyhole either. Are we supposed to go inside?”

When Sibel asked, the ghost nodded.

“I see. So this is why it asked for help.”

They worried about how to open the tightly closed iron door.