Due to their agreement, he first went to Kaila's home, where they shared a wonderful dinner. He spent a few hours with her, telling various random stories, and when it grew completely dark outside, he bid farewell to the poor, lonely lady with a heavy heart.
She desperately wanted him to stay, but after receiving an unexpected hug and a quick goodnight kiss, he had the door shut firmly behind him.
Hahaha, what a wonderful lady. If I had stayed with her tonight, I'm sure it would have been very… colorful. But sadly, I have something important to do. First, complete my mission, then I will thoughtfully reward this kind lady for taking such good care of me, Ed thought with a smile as he walked toward his villa.
After returning, he tidied up briefly and headed to his room. He took the small magic mirror necklace out of the closet again and placed it on the bedside table. At that moment, Ed felt the pocket watch in his coat vibrating slightly. He opened it and saw the blue crystal slice inlaid on the cover glowing faintly, the source of the vibration.
He immediately opened his inventory and pulled out the robot spider.
"Edward, Edward…" A familiar voice came from the device.
"I'm here," He replied calmly, casually observing the mirror in his hand.
"We're ready and will go to the place you mentioned at 3:00 a.m. tomorrow night. Do you want to come with us?" Elena asked.
Ed thought for a moment, calculating his schedule for the next day. "No problem. I'll meet you then."
"Okay, that's settled. Remember to stay safe," Elena said, genuine concern audible in her voice.
"Mm," Ed murmured softly with a smile before storing the spider back in his inventory. He sat beside the bedside table, staring at the magic mirror, waiting for midnight.
While he waited, Ed's hands moved quickly, practicing magic gestures and improving the flexibility of his fingers. Outside, the bright full moon hung high in the sky. The surroundings had grown deadly silent, giving off a distinctly eerie vibe.
Ed drew the curtains aside and looked at the magic mirror, but nothing unusual happened. He frowned slightly. After a moment of thought, he returned the mirror to the closet, extinguished the oil lamp, and went to bed.
Before long, the sound of Ed's steady breathing filled the room. In the darkness, a faint, distant sound began to whisper, so vague and subtle, it seemed to wrap around his ears like silk.
"Save… save me, save…" A voice pleaded.
In the dark, Ed heard the faint cry for help. He tried to open his eyes, move his hands, twist his body, but he couldn't. His body no longer obeyed his brain, though his consciousness and senses remained acutely aware. It was as if he had lost all control; it is the same as sleep paralysis.
He could only listen helplessly, unable to respond, trapped as if in a deep sleep.
A sense of desperation set in. After vaguely understanding the plea, Ed gave up struggling and let the words echo in his mind.
Who are you? Are you trapped in the magic mirror? How can I save you? The three questions repeated in his thoughts, an attempt to communicate with the mysterious presence.
It seemed to hear him. The hazy cries began to shift.
"Magic… touch… help…" Different combinations of these words whispered around him.
Ed pieced together a little of what the voice was trying to convey. To free whatever was inside the mirror, one needed magical power and had to become the "Toucher." At least, that's what he guessed, unless it meant he literally had to cover his hand in magic and touch the glass.
"Fine. If it's possible, I'll save you. But can you let me go now? I'd like to get some proper sleep, and maybe a pleasant dream instead of a creepy one."
This time, the voice responded more clearly, though hesitation was still audible.
"Okay… promise…"
"Alright, I promise. Once I become the Toucher, I'll find a way to release you from the mirror," Ed said casually. If he'd been awake, he'd have rolled his eyes. Not only is it harassing me and making threats, it also doesn't even believe me without a promise. What kind of plea for help is this?
Finally, he felt control return to his body. No longer lost in the dark, he opened his eyes to see moonlight spilling into the room. Ed got up immediately, lit the oil lamp on the bedside table, and opened the closet to look at the magic mirror he had tossed inside.
At that moment, the pattern on the back of the mirror was emitting a faint glow, the same color as the moonlight outside. It felt deeply suspicious, as though a great secret lay hidden within.
…
Early morning.
Sunlight streamed through the window onto the bed. Ed pulled the pillow over his face to block the light and tried to go back to sleep.
Getting up felt impossible. He wanted nothing more than to sink into the bed forever, and it would have been perfect if there'd been someone beside him to hug.
Last night, he had dreamed of the magic mirror and briefly conversed with the soul trapped inside. But as an ordinary person, the strange encounter hadn't improved his rest, in fact, it had stolen it. It had taken him a long time to fall back asleep, and he woke feeling even more drained. Despite eventually sleeping peacefully, Ed rose tired, his back and waist aching as though he'd never rested at all.
"Save your own ass for now. You'd better pray I don't sell you off, you b*tch, ruining my whole night for your amusement," Ed cursed angrily, lying in bed unwilling to rise.
How could he seriously consider saving something of unknown origin, trapped in a mirror, just because it pretended to be a pitiful girl? He might not have learned much in his past life, but he'd seen enough horror movies to know that nothing good ever comes out of a mirror. Until he had enough power to protect himself, whatever was inside could stay right where it was, or he'd find a way to dispose of it for good.
As the sunlight grew warmer and harder to ignore, Ed finally gave up on sleep. Groaning, he tossed the pillow aside and got up. After a quick wash, he tucked the map from the table into his inventory and stepped outside.
He offered a casual, polite nod and a practiced smile to the familiar faces of his neighbors, who seemed to have nothing better to do than watch his house all day, as he left the villa.
The neighbors, somewhat surprised that Ed had managed to live in the supposedly haunted villa another day without incident, returned his nod with new warmth.
Perhaps, they thought, the villa wasn't haunted anymore. That was certainly news worth celebrating, now they wouldn't have to worry about going out at night.
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Author's Heartfelt Apologies 💖
Dear wonderful readers,
Today marks a big change for my book as I've made the decision to lock Chapter 76 and make the rest of the book premium.
First, and most importantly, I want to say this from the bottom of my heart: I am truly sorry to any of my core readers who may be disappointed or feel excluded by this change, especially those who genuinely want to read but are facing financial difficulties. Your loyalty, comments, and engagement have been the fuel for this story since the very beginning, and the thought of losing you as a reader makes me feel incredibly guilty.
This was not a decision I took lightly. Creating this book is a passion, but it is also my full-time work, and making it premium is the step needed to allow me to continue dedicating my time and energy to writing, creating more content, and ensuring I can deliver the best possible story for you all.
Your support, regardless of how you show it, means the world to me. I hope you can understand that this premium shift is about supporting the future of my writing career.
If you are one of my long-time core readers and this paywall genuinely prevents you from continuing, please send me a short, private message. While I can't promise to solve every situation, I would love to explore ways (perhaps through contests, limited-time passes, or other opportunities) to ensure my most dedicated original readers can keep following the story.
Thank you again for your understanding, your support, and for being the best audience an author could ask for. I hope you'll continue this journey with me!
With sincere gratitude,
Your Kuru...