It is better to act assuming there is magic that can detect lies, as Yuu said. I want to avoid becoming paralyzed by fear of the unknown. However, if I do not consider the possibility that it exists, it could cost me my life.
「Alright, I will deceive them」
『Eh?』
「I will not say that I can see or talk to spirits. I will not say that I can see ghosts either. If someone suspicious appears and questions my actions, I will thoroughly deceive them」
『Will that really be okay?』
That… I cannot say it will be okay.
「The important thing is to act so that Yuu’s existence is not discovered. But given my personality, it will be difficult to hide it completely」
『Are you giving up without even trying?』
「I know my own personality. In places with third parties, I might accidentally look at Yuu or accidentally answer his questions. There are many triggers that could expose me. Besides, it is impossible for me to live with constant tension. So, doing it to some extent is fine. Because」
I think I will be associating with Yuu for a long time. My intuition is quite accurate.
『What? What comes after ‘because’?』
「Because it seems I will still be with Yuu」
『Ah, certainly. It feels like we will be together until death』
「Eh. I do not want that」
I felt a chill from Yuu’s words just now. No way? Eh, really, no way?
『How cruel! I want to stay with Rina forever!』
「Wait, Yuu. You must not think that strongly」
『Eh?』
「A ghost’s words are engraved on their soul. Every time you think strongly and speak those words, you become convinced that it should be so, and you become bound by it. Therefore, you must not say things like ‘I will always be with me’」
『Is that so?』
「Yes. Have you heard of ‘Kotodama’ (spirit of words)?」
『I have』
「Kotodama refers to words that affect the speaker. Even the living are affected if they keep saying them. Ghosts are affected much more quickly and strongly than the living. So you must be careful」
『I see』
「Yes. You start saying it just because you hope it will happen, but then you can think of nothing else. Ghosts at spiritual power level one are often trapped by Kotodama」
『That sounds scary』
「It is scary. Do you remember when I said before, ‘When a ghost dies with unresolved regrets, their mind becomes filled with that single thing all day long’?」
『Yes』
「Ghosts often speak of their regrets. If there is someone they want to see, they keep repeating ‘I want to see them, I want to see them’ while thinking of that person. Before they know it, they become unable to think of anything else. This is because they have become trapped by their own words」
Ghosts who are trapped really do not think about anything else. I have been in serious trouble many times because of that.
If Yuu becomes like that, I will exorcise him. I will definitely exorcise him without hesitation.
『Understood, I will be careful』
When I look at Yuu, he is frowning. I might have made him anxious, but it is an important matter, so it cannot be helped.
「Alright, I mostly understand about Goddess-sama. I also understand that the existence of ghosts must be kept hidden in this world. Next, I am going to meet ghosts」
『Huh? Eh, meet ghosts? For what purpose? Ghosts in this world are existences abandoned by the Goddess, right? That means they are all bad people who committed evil deeds, so it is better not to meet them. It is dangerous』
I cannot help but laugh seeing Yuu shake his head while shouting. There is no need to be that afraid… probably?
「Goddess-sama. ‘sama’. You forgot」
I must be careful too, or I might forget.
『Sorry. But why do you want to meet ghosts who were punished by Goddess-sama?』
「I do not want to meet ghosts who were punished, but ghosts like Yuu who remained due to regrets. Even if the world changes, I think human feelings do not change that much」
『Human feelings?』
「In the original world, the wish most ghosts had was ‘I want to see my beloved person, even just for a moment, at the end’」
『Is that the most common wish?』
I nod at Yuu.
「In every country, that wish was the most common. The next most common were wishes like wanting to say ‘Thank you’ or ‘I am sorry’」
I open the wooden box containing clothes and take out my brother’s hand-me-down pants and T-shirt.
「Yuu, face the other way」
『Understood』
Since Yuu turned around, I change my clothes.
『I understand that you want to meet guys like me, but what do you want to do when you meet them?』
「First, I want to investigate the difference between the ghosts I know and the ghosts in this world. Also, if there are ghosts who can talk, I will negotiate with them」
『Negotiate?』
「Yes. I will say, ‘I will resolve your regrets, so please cooperate with me’」
『Cooperate! Eh, is it not dangerous to do such things?』
Yuu comes closer to me.
「I have not said you can face this way yet」
『Sorry. I was too surprised…』
「It is fine since I had finished changing, but be careful」
『Yes. So, is it okay to negotiate and ask for cooperation like that?』
「It is fine. One of the jobs of psychics is to resolve the regrets of ghosts」
『Eh, a job?』
「If there are too many ghosts with regrets, various problems occur. Therefore, psychics fulfill their wishes to prevent the number of ghosts from increasing too much. And in return for their cooperation, they receive a small amount of spiritual power from them」
『Spiritual power?』
「Yes. Usually, they receive just a little bit of spiritual power」
I dedicate that spiritual power to the family god to improve the shrine’s luck.
『The work of psychics is quite modest. Since I heard about exorcism from Rina, I thought they were exorcising evil spirits』
「Exorcising evil spirits is the Shinigami’s job, so psychics do not get involved. Also, according to my great-grandmother, the Shinigami hates trouble very much, so they do not leave things until they become evil spirits」
『A Shinigami who hates trouble?』
「Yes. Dealing with evil spirits might be difficult? I do not know much about that part」
『I see』
Yuu stares into the air with an indescribable expression.
He seems to be thinking of something ridiculous.
『A Shinigami who works diligently? The image…』
As expected.
『Ah, after resolving the ghosts’ regrets, what does Rina want?』
「Information about the Church. And information about those scums」
First, I will gather information about the enemy. And I also want to gather information about ghosts.
「Yuu, let us go」
『Are you not telling your mother?』
Yuu looks at me curiously.
「No」
『I think you should tell her because she will worry』
I think so too.
「If I tell her, I think she will say no and not let me go out. But I absolutely must meet the ghosts」
『Hmm… Understood. But we will only stay around the house. We will absolutely not go far』
After hesitating, Yuu looks at me with a serious expression.
「Of course I understand. There might be henchmen of those trash people nearby」
I will not do anything dangerous.
「I want to return before Mother wakes up, so let us hurry」
I gently open the door to my room and head toward the entrance, being careful with my footsteps. I take my outdoor shoes at the entrance and go to the back door.
『Are you not going out through the front door?』
I glance at Yuu and nod. When I reach the back door, I slowly open it, go outside, and put on my shoes.
Well, first I will look for ghosts and observe them. If communication seems possible, I will propose a negotiation. The point to note is to ensure that my ability to see them is not discovered until I speak to them.
『Someone is there』
「Are they looking this way?」
Pretending to look at my shoes, I ask Yuu.
『No, they are looking this… eek』
Something is wrong with Yuu.
When I look up from my shoes to Yuu floating in the air, he is staring at something with a pale face. When I briefly check where Yuu is looking, I see a ghost floating in the air just like Yuu, looking in our direction.
『Th-there is a ghost!』
「Huh?」
No, no, why are you reacting like that upon seeing a ghost?
『Can… see me?』
Ah, oh no, it found out. I just decided to be careful!
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