Bang!
A thunderous crash tore their attention away in an instant. Both girls froze, eyes wide in shock. When they saw Norris sprawled helplessly on the floor, their faces drained of color — especially at the sight of the red pooling around his body.
Leci might often be irritated by Norris's behavior, but there was no way she could remain still when her cousin was hurt. Her feet carried her forward without hesitation, pushing through the servants who had begun to gather. Taryn, panicking, tried to rouse Norris, helping him sit up.
A second later, she screamed.
"Blood?! You're bleeding!" Taryn looked as though she might faint when she saw the red stains coating her palm after touching Norris's head.
Meanwhile, Leci's attention was drawn elsewhere — to Jayden, who was running away toward the forest. Her brow furrowed in confusion. When their friend had collapsed, why was Jayden retreating instead of helping? It almost looked as though he were avoiding something.
Unease crept into her chest.
Driven by suspicion, Leci immediately followed him, the crow still perched faithfully on her shoulder. As for Norris, she trusted that Taryn could handle the situation — there were plenty of servants who could help.
What mattered now was finding out where Jayden was going.
Leci knew she shouldn't be suspicious of him — especially after all the kindness he had shown. And yet, she felt she would regret it if she didn't follow her instincts.
Tracing Jayden's path, she eventually arrived at an old cedar tree not far from the villa. Ropes were tied around its trunk, and white cloth draped over its branches. Jayden stood there, his sharp gaze fixed on a transparent figure sitting atop the tree, swinging its legs innocently.
…Oh. So that's how it is.
Though embarrassed by her suspicion, at least now Leci understood why Jayden had rushed after that translucent presence. If she had to guess, what happened to Norris was undoubtedly connected to this mischievous ghost.
Before Leci could approach, she saw Jayden begin chanting a spiritual incantation. Moments later, long strips of paper shrouded in pale white mist appeared, surrounding the ghost.
Leci glanced around, noting how eerily deserted the area was. There were no hikers, no passersby — no one who might stumble upon them. She was grateful. This way, no one would accuse them of performing some illegal ritual.
She had intended to help — but Jayden had already finished sealing the ghost. She had only looked away for a moment, and he was already done.
He was more reliable than she had expected. Perhaps his spiritual prowess was even greater than hers.
"He's pretty good," Kieron remarked.
Hearing him speak while in the form of a crow sent a strange feeling through Leci. Didn't that make her look like a full-fledged shaman — talking to animals like this?
"But I still don't like him. Don't get too close to that boy, Leciara. He has a strong interest in you."
Kieron's warning carried a sharp edge, his gaze fixed intently on Jayden.
Leci didn't know what kind of interest Kieron meant. People interpreted things differently — perhaps Jayden's interest was simply as a friend, or as a potential partner in work. Honestly, after witnessing Jayden's exorcism, Leci found herself wanting to cooperate with him in dealing with Lost Spirits.
"Oh? Leciara? You're here?"
Jayden, who had been about to return, stopped short in surprise when he noticed her. It was clear he hadn't realized he was being followed. For all his calm, he could be careless too.
Leci nodded lightly, waiting until Jayden approached her. "I saw you leave in a hurry… you looked a little panicked. So I followed you," she said simply.
She almost blurted out the truth — because I was suspicious of you.
Jayden blinked a few times, then tilted his head with a grin. "You were suspicious of me?"
Thud.
It felt like an arrow of regret pierced her chest — painful, yet bloodless. Jayden's knowing smile cornered her completely. Left with no choice, Leci bowed her head and apologized sincerely.
"I'm sorry. I jumped to conclusions."
A soft sigh followed, then Jayden's calm voice. "It's alright. I understand why you were suspicious. You did it for Norris, didn't you? You were afraid your cousin had been betrayed by his own friend."
He was so accurate that Leci couldn't even deny it. She could only nod, accepting every word. "I'm sorry… again."
"It's fine. I won't hold it against you. More importantly—how is Norris?"
Jayden's tone remained steady, just as calm as before. It was proof enough that he wasn't offended by her actions.
Leci wondered just how deep Jayden's patience ran. One thing was certain — she never wanted to see him angry. The anger of a patient person was terrifying. "Taryn is taking care of him. He should be fine."
Then Leci remembered the ghost Jayden had just dealt with. "About that spirit… was Norris hurt because of it?"
Jayden nodded without hesitation. "Yes. It was fairly strong—able to conceal its presence and catch Norris off guard."
Norris really did have terrible luck when it came to spirits and animals. It was as though his aura naturally irritated most creatures.
"That's because Norris was careless and too focused on getting Taryn's attention. But… how could a ghost like that roam around here?"
"You probably don't know, but it has something to do with that cedar tree," Jayden replied, pointing to where the exorcism had taken place.
No wonder Leci had felt such a cold, eerie presence coming from it.
"Could there have been a death?" It was the most reasonable explanation. In remote forests far from settlements, people often committed terrible acts under the assumption that no one would ever see.
Jayden nodded again. "Exactly. And the perpetrator likely buried the victim beneath that cedar tree. It's far from the hiking path, and hardly anyone ever comes here."
"That's why the spirit became restless and caused trouble," Leci concluded.
"You're quick to catch on. If the spirit hadn't harmed anyone, its soul might never have been tainted." Jayden's voice carried a hint of bitterness. He clearly regretted how things had ended. As a fellow Exorcist, Leci understood that feeling all too well.
"Jayden… you did the right thing," she said gently. Seeing his baby-faced expression clouded like that was unsettling — like watching a child fail to reach a dream.
Jayden smiled faintly and took a deep breath. Some things simply couldn't be saved, no matter how much one wished otherwise. It didn't mean they were incapable — only that there were better choices to be made.
"May I have the soulstone you obtained?" Leci asked shyly. She needed it. No — more precisely, the crow on her shoulder did.
Though he didn't understand why Leci wanted such dangerous residue, Jayden handed it over without question. "Go ahead. Take it."
Leci accepted it with genuine delight. This meant she wouldn't have to hunt a Lost Spirit today.
"Thank you," she smiled. "Norris is lucky to have a friend like you."
Jayden blinked. "It's… nothing," he replied, though his face clearly flushed.
Before the crow on Leci's shoulder could release a dangerous aura that might make Jayden suspicious, the two of them decided to return to the villa to check on Norris.
When they arrived, Leci found no injuries on her cousin's body at all. Norris looked perfectly fine — lounging comfortably with his head resting on Taryn's lap while playing a mobile game. Not a trace of guilt crossed his face.
"What happened? Didn't Norris's head bleed earlier?" Leci asked. Taryn fidgeted, her unease obvious. Something was definitely off.
Playing with her index fingers, Taryn explained softly, "It wasn't blood… it was strawberry syrup. Norris fell while holding the bottle, and it spilled over his head."
"The ghost only threw a banana peel," Jayden added nervously. "Norris slipped on it. That part couldn't be avoided."
Huff… Leci exhaled deeply, again and again, forcing herself to stay calm. Embarrassment washed over her. After causing such a dramatic scene and drawing everyone's attention — this was all because of Norris's stupidity?
To release the storm raging inside her, Leci grabbed Norris's red hair and tugged it hard.
"You're absolutely humiliating, you idiot Norris!"