Chapter 634: Gazing at the Weather Vane
“Watch your step,” Dean said.
“Is it because of the thick mist that the stones are damp? But it also looks like it’s seeping out from the stones,” Haulon remarked, squatting down as if he wanted to dig into the ground.
“If you’re going to dig, do it during the break. I don’t want to stop here,” Dinoss added, seemingly feeling the same way about Haulon.
The ground was covered in stones, with patches of grass that looked like wilted hair sticking to them. Overall, it was wet and very slippery. Surrounding us were numerous black ghosts.
We were walking along the coast, but the shoreline was a cliff, and the opposite side was also a cliff. A terrace? Well, the cliff that formed the wall cast a shadow, so I wanted to escape this shadow as soon as possible, just like everyone else.
The lantern was providing light, so I felt safe, but the overlapping black ghosts seemed like they might slide down from the cliff, which was unsettling. The sight of black hands emerging from the cliff was equally disturbing.
The lantern continued to erase the shadows within its reach. Even with the uneven terrain, the light remained circular, and there were no shadows in places that should have cast them—faces without shadows looked oddly flat, creating a strange atmosphere among us.
“This lantern’s light is quite mysterious. Is it the opposite of the layered shadows you mentioned earlier, Jean?” Haulon, along with Retze, seemed curious about various things.
Speaking of which, wasn’t there a phenomenon where light from car headlights would make pedestrians disappear? If there were a lot of lights, shadows wouldn’t just appear; they would multiply. But were those really shadows?
The lantern I made with Grandfather Paorul also erased even the shadows cast by the lantern itself.
As Retze pointed out, it seemed like a contradiction. Were the things being erased actually shadows? A new sense of unease began to creep in!
I was starting to feel more afraid of my own lantern than the ghosts. No, but it was made by Grandfather Paorul! I didn’t understand the mechanism, but it was safe, so it was fine. My heart raced; if it were just me, Haralfa, and Mishto, we would have ended up with a quality of trust that was unreliable in a different way.
“Hey, Dean. Don’t stick so close,” I said.
“If a black ghost suddenly crosses our path, I might accidentally draw my sword outside!” he replied.
“You can’t help but be on guard!” Retze chimed in, clearly enjoying the moment.
“Jean, shouldn’t you get a little closer?” Ash suggested, being considerate.
“Ah, thanks. I’m fine—” I started to say, but then Retze poked me with the end of the staff attached to the lantern.
“What? You want me to get closer?”
As I wondered about it, I moved closer to Ash. —Ah!
“Um, shall we hold hands?” I asked.
“Sure,” he replied.
This was a classic trope from horror manga!!! I didn’t think Ash would scream and cling to me, though!!!
Dean smirked silently at me, while Haulon and Dinoss looked at me with what seemed like pity.
I’m not used to this!
As we continued walking, the cliff on the land side eventually broke off, leading us to a place with a good view. Below us was a pitch-black sea that looked like it had been gnawed at, along with the silhouettes of dark buildings. It was an island devoid of light, but the swirling blue-white mist appeared oddly bright.
“Oh? Is that the weather vane?” Dean said, shielding his eyes with his hand as he looked at a distant point.
Following his gaze, I spotted something that resembled a weather vane on the roof of a building just outside the cluster of the port town.
“Yes, that direction—wait, it’s off! Why is it like that?!” I exclaimed.
“Eh, is it off? You have good eyesight,” Haulon shouted, with Dinoss beside him.
Haulon seemed to struggle with his vision. Wait, isn’t nearsightedness the problem with close-up vision?
“It should be facing the ruins of the castle,” I said, pointing toward the river that flowed from the sea.
“That way? The ruins of the castle?” Haulon confirmed.
“Yes, but the thick mist makes it hard to see any clear targets, so the direction seems uncertain,” he explained.
“Indeed, it does seem a bit off,” Ash noted.
“I can’t see well…” Dean added, responding to the butler’s words.
The butler had good eyesight too, huh?
“I’m not familiar with this area, but it sounds bad,” Dinoss said, furrowing his brow.
“Yes, very much so,” Haulon replied, gazing at the weather vane.
“I’m scared of black hands reaching out from the sea again, but this is a chance to witness the Great Sage’s work being recreated!” Chris said, breaking the tense atmosphere with a smile.
“Oh! A legendary recreation by the person himself, how extravagant! I’ll help with anything!” Dean laughed heartily.
“It’s not something that will happen immediately, right? For now, shall we eat our lunch?” I suggested, choosing a relatively flat spot to lay down a waterproof and cushioned sheet.
“You guys… Well then, shall we?” Haulon sighed softly and sat down on the sheet.
“Can’t work on an empty stomach,” Dinoss added.
“The lantern should go in the center, right?” Retze placed the lantern on the sheet, signaling that we were ready.
“Alright!” I said, pulling out the bento from [Storage] and laying it out.
“The main dishes are here and here. I’ve prepared various side dishes too,” I said, taking out glasses and plates, which the butler began to distribute.
“Wine… here? Is it alright to drink at this timing?” Dinoss asked, eyeing the bottle I pulled out.
The way he held the empty glass seemed to reflect a struggle between desire and reason.
“Just one cup might be a good way to boost our spirits…” Haulon suggested.
Despite everything, both of them really liked to drink.