Chapter 20

Spirit (2)

“Interesting.”

Katya’s eyes shone as she watched from the side, a look of pure fascination on her face as Aiden was hurled back and forth across the room.

“Are you getting beaten up by a ghost right now?”

“Instead of just standing there watching, come help me—”

Before Aiden could finish his sentence, his body flew in another direction, crashing hard against the stone floor.

Ghosts existed in the spirit realm—a plane of existence overlaid directly atop the physical world. Ordinarily, specters could not exert significant physical force on the material world. That was the absolute rule, unless the ghost in question had been such a terrifyingly powerful individual in life that even the natural laws of reality bent around them.

In other words, the fact that this ghost could slam Aiden into walls and floors was undeniable proof of just how monstrous he had been while alive.

“You have some nerve, you little bastard!”

Katya couldn’t hear the voice, but the Knight of Dawn was snarling with astonishing ferocity.

His physical appearance, strangely enough, was remarkably refined compared to his explosive attitude. He possessed brilliant blond hair, sharp blue eyes, handsome features, and wore full plate armor symbolizing noble knighthood. If he simply closed his mouth and stood still, anyone would describe him as the picture of heroic dignity.

“Exaggerated? Petty? A brat whose blood isn’t even dry yet wants to die so badly—”

That heroic image would have worked perfectly if he hadn’t kept spitting out such aggressive curses.

‘…Senior, please calm down for a moment…’ Aiden thought as he tumbled across the floor once more.

“Senior, my ass! I have no reason to be tied to you by a word like that!”

The Knight of Dawn raised a glowing fist, breathing heavily with rage. He looked ready to deliver a direct blow, and this one seemed genuinely capable of breaking bones.

“I said stop already!”

Foom!

Divinity violently erupted from Aiden’s body with the shout.

The Knight of Dawn, who had been about to charge forward, froze instantly in mid-air. Suspicion and shock mingled in his spectral eyes.

“…Divinity?” the ghost muttered blankly. “You definitely smell like someone who channels qi. How are you using divinity too?”

“…”

Aiden gave a bitter smile and brushed the dust from his clothes as he stood up.

“Didn’t I tell you, Senior?”

It had worked exactly as expected. Demonstrating his ability to wield multiple supernatural powers had caught the ghost’s undivided attention.

“Your junior greets you. If we limit the category to individuals who wield multiple supernatural powers, then you and I are seniors and juniors, aren’t we?”

People capable of wielding multiple supernatural powers were an extraordinarily rare phenomenon across recorded history. One of those legendary anomalies stood right in front of Aiden now.

The reason the Knight of Dawn had been revered across the continent was simple: there had never been anyone else who could seamlessly master and utilize multiple distinct supernatural powers originating from different nations.

“I need your help.”

That was also the primary reason Aiden was trying to take this man with him. Across the entire world, this was the only person capable of understanding Aiden’s unique growth path from start to finish and advising him accordingly.

“…To be honest, Senior, I desperately need your guidance. If I don’t get it, something truly terrible is going to happen.”

More specifically, the fate of the entire world was at risk. Aiden was currently the only person who understood the looming threat known as the main scenario, which effectively meant that if he failed, everyone would perish together.

“…What kind of nonsense is this?” the ghost scoffed, crossing his arms. “You were just calling me overhyped and saying whatever you pleased. Why would I suddenly help you—”

“That was all a lie so I could meet you, Senior. Without doing something provocative like that, I couldn’t have summoned a spiritual entity of your caliber.”

“…”

“Who in their right mind would seriously insult the First Knight and a legendary continental hero?”

“…”

From the edge of his vision, Aiden could feel Katya staring at him in utter disbelief. She couldn’t hear the ghost’s side of the conversation, but her expression plainly asked if anyone could possibly fall for flattery that shameless.

System Message

▶ Contact established with ‘Knight of Dawn,’ Meyer Belford.

▶ This person does not directly affect the main scenario, but the abilities they possess are extraordinarily exceptional. The target holds value equivalent to an important figure.

▶ Bond stage with the target has risen to Stage 1!

▶ Linked with the skill ‘Weaver of Fate’!

Apparently, someone really was that simple. Aiden stared at the floating notification and laughed inwardly at the sheer absurdity.

He had suspected that playing into this side of the man’s personality would work, but having it succeed so effortlessly was almost ridiculous.

“…Do you really think anyone would fall for such halfhearted flattery?” Meyer muttered aloud.

The fact that the Knight of Dawn said it out loud made the situation even more hilarious. The historical hero crossed his arms, maintaining a sulky pout.

“Besides, I heard rumors that someone in this era has already pushed a man like me into the background. Lionheart, was it?”

Aiden had no idea how a spirit knew about current events, but this was a man who cared obsessively about his honor and reputation—as proven by how easily Aiden’s insults had drawn him out. It would have been stranger if he didn’t care about the knight who had taken the title of strongest alive.

“As it happens, I am Lionheart’s husband.”

Meyer’s eyes narrowed sharply, but his expression turned deeply bewildered as Aiden continued.

“I guarantee it, Senior. Even she would have difficulty catching up to your true potential.”

Katya’s lips twisted in the background, her face silently asking what nonsense he was spouting now.

However, Aiden was completely sincere. Setting aside the simple question of who was currently stronger, there was one condition under which that statement was factually true: if this man had only been granted a little more time in life, even Sir Noel would never have surpassed his peak.

For a deceased soul to linger in the mortal realm instead of passing on, two conditions had to be met: First, the individual had to be great enough to leave a permanent mark on history. Second, they had to possess a regret rooted so deeply in their soul that even death could not force them to rest.

For the Knight of Dawn, that regret was glaringly obvious.

“There are still so many heights you never managed to reach,” Aiden said softly.

The Knight of Dawn’s expression transformed completely. Until now, his face had shown only comedic anger and outrage. For the first time, Aiden’s words had struck a raw, deeply buried nerve.

“…”

The Knight of Dawn was a figure explored mostly through background lore in the game, yet he had left an exceptionally profound impression on players. Because he had recognized his own absolute potential too late in life, the realm he had narrowly failed to reach before his death was described in the lore with a single, chilling sentence:

It is not a realm meant for mortals to challenge.

Even the legendary feats Meyer had accomplished across the continent were merely the preliminary steps of his training toward reaching that divine tier.

“…You,” Meyer stared at Aiden for a long moment, then let out a dry, quiet chuckle. “You say some intriguing things. There shouldn’t be any public records detailing those aspects of my life.”

“Please consider it the profound dedication of a junior who deeply respects his senior.”

“Nonsense. You approached me because you want to use my power. Do you think I can’t see through something that obvious?”

“That is actually true.”

“…”

Meyer fell speechless at the blunt, unyielding honesty. Aiden shrugged casually before continuing.

“But there’s no better candidate for you to use in return either, is there?”

“What?”

“How long do you think it will take before another person capable of wielding multiple supernatural powers appears in this world?”

“…”

“And what are the odds that such a person would personally come here, find your remains, and initiate a conversation like this?”

“…”

“After defying all those impossible odds, what are the chances that this person would also swear to fulfill your lifelong ambition in your place?”

Meyer’s face twitched as his composure completely broke down.

“…You really know how to pick the most irritating words possible.”

Naturally, they were irritating because they were undeniably true. His next words made his surrender clear.

“What exactly do you want me to help you with? I’m just a ghost now, so I can’t do anything particularly grand in the physical world.”

‘Got him.’

Aiden grinned inwardly and reached out to pick up a nearby historical relic from a display stand. He had noticed it the moment they entered the Hall of Honor: a sleek metal bracelet that could easily be worn on his wrist without looking out of place.

“Put another way, there are things only a ghost can do.”

“What?”

“Would you mind stepping inside this first?”

Aiden then clearly explained the exact task he needed Meyer’s spiritual presence to perform.

“…How in the world did I end up getting dragged around by a bastard like you?”

The explanation was more than enough to draw that exhausted, defeated groan from the legendary hero.

✦ ✦ ✦

A short while later, Aiden examined the bracelet on his wrist, which now emitted a subtle, mysterious luminescence, and let out a satisfied breath.

It was obvious that Meyer’s soul had successfully bound itself to the item.

‘With this…’

He had accomplished every single objective he had set for this night.

Rania’s spiritual mediumship, Meyer’s spirit contacted through it, and even the Imperial Prince’s unique skill—which Aiden had not yet copied, but which was perfectly suited to manipulating spiritual entities—were all aligned. Every material needed to resolve Act 1’s upcoming Ghost Knight Incident was now firmly in his hands.

“Are you done?” Katya asked.

“Yes. We just need to leave now.”

He answered her question immediately and without hesitation.

“But…” Katya tilted her head, interrupting his movement. “Haven’t we been standing in here a bit too long?”

“Pardon?”

“That red thing wasn’t glowing earlier.”

Aiden followed her gaze toward a mana crystal embedded high on the wall. It was pulsing with a vibrant crimson light, clearly priming an automated security alarm. Under its influence, the entire room was beginning to bathe in a blood-red glare.

Aiden’s expression hardened as the alarm prepped to detonate its acoustic ward across the entire palace.

“Looks like an automated security array triggers if guests linger too long inside…”

“Instead of analyzing the system, we need to smash it!”

Aiden moved in a panic, but in the next instant, the glowing crystal shattered with a sharp, echoing crack. It had been bisected cleanly by a sword strike delivered at blinding speed.

Aiden stared blankly in the direction of the attack.

Noel had materialized out of the shadows without either of them detecting her approach. She was calmly sliding her longsword back into its scabbard with a weary sigh.

“I do not know what you two were doing in here, but please refrain from infiltrating restricted areas without permission. A mistake in this hall could spark an international incident.”

“…Sir Noel?”

Stella had explicitly informed him earlier that Noel felt unwell and had returned to her quarters.

“Where did you even come from?” Aiden asked, bewildered. “I thought you went back to headquarters.”

“…I intended to,” Noel muttered, looking away. “Then I noticed Mr. Aiden and Her Highness enthusiastically breaching Imperial Palace security, so I followed you just in case.”

“…”

“You looked as though you were about to trigger the security wards, so I stepped in.”

She had witnessed the entire infiltration from the start. Yet, despite knowing they were trespassing, she had chosen not to stop them, silently trailing behind as their secret guardian.

‘Well… thanks to her, we avoided a disaster.’

Aiden knew he owed her a proper debt of gratitude.

“You saved us from a massive headache. Thank you, Sir Noel.”

“…Yes.”

“…”

Aiden blinked at her bizarre reaction. The response was delivered in a voice so stiff and robotic that a wooden puppet would have displayed more emotion.

Noel turned her head sharply away and pulled her military hat down low over her eyes, clearly determined not to meet Aiden’s gaze under any circumstances.

“…Please follow me. I will escort you out through a private exit.”

“…”

“We are returning directly to headquarters. I would prefer not to prolong this night any further.”

Aiden tilted his head at her strangely cold, evasive behavior, but followed her out into the night.

Behind them, Katya trailed close, staring intently at the back of Noel’s head with a suspicious grin.

“Hmm…” Katya purred under her breath, her eyes narrowing. “Something about her attitude seems very different…”

✦ ✦ ✦

An unusual tension had settled over the Imperial Capital Command headquarters.

The cause was none other than Sir Noel herself, who had just returned from the palace banquet alongside her prospective husband.

During the short walk from the courtyard to her private quarters, Noel created an extraordinary amount of silent anxiety among her subordinates.

“Ah, Sir Noel! Was the banquet acceptable—”

An officer who had stepped forward to greet her instantly cut himself off. It was a natural self-preservation instinct; one glance at Noel striding down the hallway was enough to tell anyone that standing in her path was a terrible idea.

“S-Sir! Are you all right?” another officer stammered nervously.

“I am fine.”

“If you are feeling unwell, I can contact the medical bay immediately—”

“I said I am fine.”

“Eek!”

The officer swallowed his breath in terror. Noel’s reply had been frighteningly sharp.

She rarely displayed extreme emotions under normal circumstances, usually maintaining either an icy composure or a polite, professional expression. However, the blank face she wore right now clearly indicated that she was desperately suppressing something massive beneath the surface.

‘She must be in an awful mood.’

‘Did something terrible happen at the banquet?’

While her staff quietly backed away to give her a wide berth, Noel marched straight into her private office. She kicked the heavy door shut behind her, unbuckled her sword belt, and let the weapon drop onto the couch with a heavy thud. She shed her dress coat and hat, hanging them on the rack with trembling hands.

Then, she collapsed forward, slamming her forehead straight onto her wooden desk with a loud BANG!

The sharp pain of the impact seemed to vent a fraction of the searing heat that had flushed her face, her ears, and the top of her head a vibrant red.

Holding all of it inside and refusing to show a single trace of weakness in front of her subordinates had been utterly exhausting.

‘What was that?’

What was that? What was that? What was that?!

The single question completely dominated her thoughts.

Her breathing came in shallow, hot hitches as she tried to regain control of her shattered composure. She had somehow endured the physical embarrassment until reaching the privacy of her office, but now, intense heat rushed wildly through her veins—as if someone had poured liquid fire straight into her blood.

‘I like her.’

“…!”

The phrase echoed vividly through her mind once more, causing Noel to slam her forehead against the hard desk with another loud BANG!

‘…What was that supposed to mean?!’

She breathed heavily, keeping her forehead pressed flat against the polished wood. She dragged her head back and forth until her neatly styled hair became a tangled mess, yet the overwhelming confusion refused to leave her mind.

That man had declared—so boldly, in front of the Crown Prince—that he liked her.

Why? How? For what possible reason? As far as Noel knew, there was not a single logical reason for Aiden to harbor those kinds of romantic feelings toward her.

‘It was a lie.’

His original profession was a swindler. The most logical explanation was that he had simply uttered those words to navigate a dangerous political trap.

Intellectually, Noel understood that reality completely. The terrifying problem was that it was becoming impossible to dismiss his words as a mere lie after everything she had witnessed from him.

‘I will do it. I will prove my worth, if that is what it takes for us to fulfill our engagement.’

‘Why did Mr. Aiden want to learn Sacred Power in the first place?’

‘He said it was for someone he loves.’

‘I told you, didn’t I? You chose a fine husband. A man born with that level of talent who devotes himself entirely to you is more than enough to make life worth living.’

“…”

When she stepped back and reviewed everything, was it not entirely unnatural for Aiden to go to such extreme lengths—and tell such a monumental lie—just to take her side?

The proposal offered by the Imperial Prince aligned perfectly with the practical attitude Aiden had displayed since the day they met: he desperately wanted to avoid political danger, he cherished his family above all else, and he preferred living a quiet, peaceful life out of the spotlight.

So why would he reject an offer that guaranteed every single one of his desires, even if it meant committing treason by lying to the Crown Prince?

Why invent such a wild, embarrassing statement and declare that he liked her?

“…!”

Noel kept her face buried against her desk, her fists pounding rhythmically against the heavy wood.

The frantic gesture threw dignity, military composure, and aristocratic grace completely out the window, but she had zero mental capacity left to care about appearances.

‘Why would you say something like that, Mr. Aiden? Why in the world…’

Amid the chaotic, tangled mess of her thoughts, that single question floated with painful clarity.

“Haaaaah…”

A long, trembling sigh—sounding as though her very soul were being drained from her chest—escaped Noel’s lips into the quiet room.