Eyes of destiny-Chapter 34: First night in the castle

The boy jerked upright in bed as if possessed. His body was drenched in sweat, and his breathing was fast and uneven, as if he had just run a marathon. His heart pounded in his chest, and a shiver ran down his spine.

"Again...? Fuck, how many more times do I have to go through this?" he whispered to himself, clutching his head.

He glanced around the room. It was dark, the sky outside still veiled in night. Though he had just fallen asleep, it felt like ages had passed. His pajamas, chosen from the many lying in his wardrobe, were already soaked through with sweat, clinging uncomfortably to his skin.

"First night in the castle, and I'm already losing my mind... Get a grip, man!" he growled to himself, forcing himself to stand.

With some effort, he got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. The room was much smaller than his chamber, but it contained everything he needed. In this world, there were no toilets like the ones he knew, but the castle had its own special system.

Edo stepped inside and instinctively looked into the mirror. Then he froze.

"What...? What the hell is going on...?" he stammered, his voice echoing off the bathroom walls.

He wasn't there. His reflection was missing from the mirror. As if... he had ceased to exist.

His heart clenched, and a memory surfaced in his mind. He had experienced this before. The thought struck his consciousness like a hammer, and in an instant, he bolted back to his room.

When he reached his bed, his worst fears were confirmed.

Lying on the sheets was his body.

Edo let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temples.

"Of course... I should've expected this... It's not the first time this has happened to me in this world..." he muttered. "But... when does it actually happen? Maybe when I sleep too long? That seems like the only explanation."

Suddenly, the silence in the room was broken by a deep, slightly raspy voice.

"Welcome, boy."

Edo flinched and instinctively turned toward the sound.

In the corner of the room, sitting on a wooden chair by the desk, was a familiar spirit—Sirk, the spirit of adventure.

"Could you not scare me like that, for fuck's sake...?" Edo sighed, pressing a hand to his chest to calm his racing heart.

The old spirit looked at him with mild amusement.

"That wasn't my intention, so... my apologies," he replied calmly.

Edo waved a hand dismissively.

"Whatever... Just tell me, what are you doing here?"

Sirk didn't hesitate to answer.

"I came to collect my part of the bargain."

At those words, Edo's eyes widened. Right—he had agreed that in exchange for his power, he had to share his adventures with the spirit from time to time.

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"So you want to hear what's been happening with me lately...?"

The spirit nodded.

"Yes. I can sense that your recent days have been... eventful."

Edo smirked slightly before sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You know what? You're right. Not much time has passed since our last meeting, but I've been through quite a lot."

Sirk raised an eyebrow.

"Then I'd like to hear all about it, kid."

Edo stretched, as if preparing himself for storytelling, then began:

"So, here's what happened... I went into the Forest of Mist. Thanks to your power, I immediately sensed that the place was dangerous. But still, I didn't hesitate for even a second. After all, I'm someone who doesn't fear risks!"

The spirit listened attentively, not interrupting.

"And that's when I encountered a monster," Edo continued. "Not only was it massive, but it could also speak! The fight was tough, but of course, I came out of it unscathed. Though, I have to admit... it was pretty strong. But so what? It just picked the wrong opponent!"

"And you defeated it on your own?" Sirk asked, eyeing Edo curiously.

The boy smiled confidently and answered without hesitation:

"No... There was a sorceress with me. A cool woman, but well... she can't really compare to me, so the fight mostly depended on my skills."

He said it as convincingly as possible, emphasizing his role in the battle. He didn't want to downplay the sorceress's efforts, but he also didn't want the spirit to think he needed that much help.

Sirk narrowed his eyes, as if analyzing his words, then nodded.

"Hm... That does sound quite incredible. And interestingly, I don't sense any lies in your words..." His gaze suddenly fell on Edo's hand. "And that scar? What's that?"

Edo instinctively pulled his hand back, but it was too late. Sirk had already noticed the bandages and stitches still visible from his recent fight.

"Uh... this?" The boy scrambled for an answer. "It's... a mark... Yeah, a birthmark!"

He smiled innocently, trying to mask his slight panic. The spirit remained silent for a moment but ultimately didn't press the issue.

"Alright, I'll consider this story as payment for our contract!" Sirk announced.

Edo exhaled in relief and grinned widely.

"Thanks."

Though, in his mind, he admitted,

"I might've twisted the events a little... But hey, I'm a good liar. What matters is that the spirit liked it."

Satisfied with how the conversation had ended, he stretched and glanced around the room.

"Well then... I guess I'll go explore the castle. It's not like I can return to my body yet..." he muttered, heading for the door.

Sirk raised an eyebrow and spoke in a calm yet curious tone:

"Don't you want to sit and talk some more?"

Edo paused for a moment, considering.

"Hmmm... I don't know. Maybe another time. I'd rather look around while I still can. That way, I won't have to waste time searching for places that interest me tomorrow. Besides, as a spirit, I can move freely, but in my physical body, I can't really push myself too hard cuz of my arm....Well I mean to conserve my strength... yeah... Since, uh, I'm totally sick and all..."

The spirit nodded in understanding but then noticed something peculiar.

"I see... but why are you using the door? You want to move around the castle normally?" Sirk furrowed his brow. "You're a spirit now. You can fly and pass through walls."

Edo sighed heavily, as if the answer should have been obvious.

"You know... I just want to hold onto some shred of humanity. Even as a spirit..."

With those words, he turned around, stepped toward the door, and then... phased through it, beginning his nighttime exploration of the castle.

***

The boy slowly wandered through the castle halls, making his way toward the library located at the very bottom, near the main entrance. It was a place that intrigued him greatly, but instead of taking the shortest route, he chose a more winding path to familiarize himself better with the building.

The castle had an atmosphere straight out of dark fantasy—a haunting ambiance that sent shivers down one's spine. The corridors were lit only by small fire lamps hanging from the walls, casting flickering shadows across the dark blue, nearly black stone walls. As Edo walked through the passages, he passed numerous chambers but didn't dare to peek inside. Even as a spirit, he respected others' privacy.

From time to time, he encountered guards patrolling the castle. Some looked professional, but among them were a few whose posture and sluggish movements didn't inspire much confidence. Edo scoffed under his breath.

*"At least they're keeping watch over the castle... As for the selection of the court's forces, it's better not to comment."*

After a moment, he changed direction. The thought crossed his mind to check if Leni was still lying on the couch near Adam's chamber. When he arrived, to his surprise, she was no longer there.

"Good, at least that much..." he muttered quietly. *"If she had slept in that same uncomfortable position as before, she probably wouldn't be able to move in the morning. But... why do I even care? It's not like I'm her babysitter. Stupid habit..."*

He fell into thought for a moment, memories from the past surfacing in his mind. However, he quickly pushed them aside and resumed walking.

"Alright, time to head downstairs and check out the library. Maybe, even as a spirit, I can absorb some knowledge..." he said to himself, quickening his pace.

It didn't take long before he reached his destination.

***

As he entered the library, an incredible sight unfolded before him. It was a massive room, so vast that even an elf living for a thousand years might not be able to read all the books gathered here. Bookshelves stretched all the way up to the high ceiling, and between them, numerous tables and seating areas were arranged.

Despite the late hour, a few people were still present, engrossed in their reading. They read by the glow of small lamps that illuminated only the reading areas, leaving the rest of the library in an enigmatic twilight. Edo liked this atmosphere—quiet, peaceful, almost magical.

*"Alright... I wonder if I'll find something useful here. There's so much that I could sit here all night and still not get through even a fraction of it."*

He moved toward one of the shelves. Without thinking much, he reached out to grab the first book within sight... and then his hand simply passed through it.

Edo let out a heavy sigh.

"Of course... I forgot that in this form, I can't touch anything... It would've been too good if there were a way around this..."

Feeling defeated, he was about to leave when suddenly, he remembered something.

"Wait... There *is* a way!" His eyes lit up. *"Just like that time when I fell asleep with my phone and headphones! They also transferred to this form, and I could use them normally... But... what good does that do me now? I don't have anything useful on me..."*

He scratched his head and sighed again.

"Oh well... I guess I should get going. I'll explore the castle a bit more and wait for my soul to return to my body."

He was just about to turn away when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something strange.

Deep within the library, far from where he stood, a figure was floating.

It appeared... translucent, glowing blue, hovering in the air without any movement.

A shiver ran down Edo's spine.

"Is that... a ghost?" Edo thought as he gazed at the blue aura floating in the air.

Intrigued, he moved toward it, feeling a growing curiosity mixed with slight unease. Once he was close enough, he could finally make out the details of the figure.

It was a young man with blue hair, dressed in an elegant, almost stylish outfit. His eyes were hidden behind glasses, and he wore a tall hat, with his bangs falling over his forehead. However, the most striking detail was the bright yellow tie, which sharply contrasted with the rest of his attire. He was tall and held a book in his hands, completely absorbed in reading. He didn't acknowledge Edo's presence for even a second, as if the boy didn't exist.

Edo cleared his throat, unsure how to start a conversation.

"Uhh... hey," he muttered awkwardly.

The ghost briefly glanced at him, his expression cool and detached, before responding in a short tone:

"Greetings."

Then, just as quickly, he returned to his book, as if Edo were nothing more than background noise.

"What a jerk..." Edo thought, irritation creeping in.

But he wasn't about to give up so easily. Since he was here, he wanted to get something out of this encounter.

"So, uh... what are you doing?" he asked, immediately realizing how stupid that sounded.

The ghost let out a loud sigh before slowly closing his book, as if being interrupted pained him deeply.

"Isn't it obvious? I was reading. That should've been easy to figure out," he said with clear impatience. "Anyway, never mind. What do you want from me?"

Edo hesitated.

"Honestly... I don't really know. I saw a ghost and thought maybe this would move the story forward..." he admitted, scratching his head.

The ghost raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes.

"That's it? Just because you saw a ghost?" His tone grew even more irritated. "I know ghosts aren't exactly common in this world like they are in ours, but is that really a reason to interrupt my reading?"

Edo shrugged.

"Our world? You mean the spirit world?" he asked, slightly confused. "Actually... I'm human. I come from here. Well... sort of from here..."

The ghost narrowed his eyes and examined him with suspicion.

"Human? Do you think I'm blind?" he nearly shouted. "I can see you're a ghost!"

"My soul left my body," Edo sighed. "I don't know why yet, but it keeps happening."

The ghost studied him carefully, his face shifting into an expression of intrigue. He fell silent for a moment, seemingly processing Edo's words.

"Fascinating..." he finally murmured before a small smile formed on his lips. "This is the first time I've seen a human whose soul separated from their body but didn't immediately pass into the spirit world—one who still exists in this realm. I've never heard of anything like it! This is incredibly interesting!"

His eyes gleamed with curiosity. Edo had the distinct feeling that the ghost's cold and distant demeanor had just evaporated.

"And what's your name, human?" the ghost asked, scrutinizing him.

"Edo," the boy replied.

"Edo..." the spirit repeated as if committing the name to memory. "I've never heard a name like that before... Well, whatever. I'm Fred. Nice to meet you, Edo."

A faint smile appeared on his face, and his tone was now noticeably friendlier.

"So, what would you like to know?" he asked, now genuinely interested in the conversation.

Edo was about to say that he wasn't sure when his eyes landed on the book in Fred's hands. That's when something clicked.

"Actually... I do have a question," he said, narrowing his eyes. "You were reading that book, right? Where did you get it? From this library?"

Fred raised an eyebrow, as if puzzled by the obviousness of the question.

"Well, yeah. Where else would I have gotten it?" he replied, his tone suggesting that Edo was stating the obvious.

Edo frowned, deep in thought. **"If he can hold a book... does that mean ghosts can touch objects?"**

"How did you do that?" Edo asked, pointing at the book. "When I try to grab something, my hand just passes right through it..."

Fred sighed as if explaining this to someone was exhausting.

"I see you have no experience as a ghost..." he said, crossing his arms. "How should I put this...? I took this book without actually taking it."

Edo blinked.

"What?! What does that even mean?!"

Fred rolled his eyes.

"Alright, watch what I do."

He walked over to a bookshelf and reached for a book.

"You have to imagine that you want to take the object... but at the same time, you want it to stay in place. That way, you can extract its 'soul' and use it in this in-between world."

As he spoke, he reached for the book. For a moment, nothing happened, but suddenly... the book remained on the shelf while another, identical yet slightly translucent version appeared in his hand.

Edo stared in wide-eyed amazement.

"So that's how it works..."he muttered under his breath, processing the information.

Without wasting time, he stepped up to the shelf and took a deep breath. Closing his eyes, he recalled Fred's words. **"You have to imagine wanting to take the object, but also leaving it where it is."**

Slowly, he reached out and focused on the task. At first, nothing happened. But then—he felt something in his hand. He opened his eyes. He was holding a red book. To his surprise, he had succeeded on his first try.

— "Yes! It worked!"

Excited, he immediately opened the book to see what was inside. But his enthusiasm quickly turned to disappointment. He stared at the letters on the pages and... nothing. He couldn't read a single word.

"Right... I forgot. I can't read in this world..." he sighed in frustration.

Fred, who had already returned to his own book, chuckled.

"Then why did you even come to a library if you can't read? You're a weird one."

Edo felt his face heat up with embarrassment.

"Listen, where I come from, people wrote differently, okay?!" he tried to defend himself.

Fred raised an eyebrow.

"I have no idea what you're talking about..." he said slowly. "Everyone in the world uses the same writing system. Anyway, the point is—you just can't read. Simple as that."

Edo frowned.

"Before I can learn anything, I need to learn how to read first. But... that'll take forever."

He sighed, clenching his fists.

"Damn it... If only there were a faster way..."

Then, suddenly, an idea struck him.

He glanced at Fred, who was once again immersed in his book.

"Hey, Fred!" he called out.

The ghost looked up, slightly surprised.

"How about a contract?" Edo asked, a mysterious smile on his face.

Fred narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what Edo was up to.

"A contract, you say?"

"Yeah." Edo nodded. "I can give you tons of information you've never heard of before. I can tell you about things from my world that you've never imagined. In exchange... you give me the ability to read. Sound like a good deal?"

The ghost studied him carefully.

"Hmm... It does sound tempting. But you should know—I already know a lot. It'll be hard to surprise me."

Edo smirked.

"But I already did, didn't I? You were surprised when I told you I was human. And I can keep surprising you. I'll tell you about things so bizarre that you won't be able to sleep... if ghosts even sleep. And trust me, where I come from, there's plenty of that."

He extended his hand.

"So? Do we have a deal?"

Fred was silent for a moment, considering the offer. Finally, he sighed and shrugged.

"Eh... why not."

He reached out and shook Edo's hand.

At that moment, a blue flame surrounded their hands, and a faint wave of energy swept through the room. The contract was sealed.

Edo felt a strange sensation pass through him.

"Thank you, Fred! Thanks to you, I'll save a lot of time!" he said, opening the book to a random page.

However, when he looked at the text... he still couldn't read it.

"Uhh... I think the contract isn't working..." he said nervously, glancing at the spirit. "Do you know what's going on?"

Fred sighed, as if it was obvious.

"You don't know?" he asked with a hint of amusement. "If a spirit makes a contract with a human, the human can only use its power while in their physical form. Meaning, you'll only be able to understand this language once you return to your body."

Edo dropped to his knees, devastated.

"So I still have to learn the language if I want to read as a spirit... Damn it!"

Before he could say anything else, he felt his body begin to dissolve. Tiny, blue particles started peeling away from him and floating into the air.

*"Now I understand... My soul is returning to my body."*

He didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to Fred before his form completely vanished.

The spirit looked at the spot where Edo had just been and quietly said:

"So that's what it looks like... when a soul returns to its body."