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The Lord of Wraiths.
His form was a bizarre intertwining of golden radiance and crimson darkness.
The left half was a flawless angel bathed in golden light; the right side around the eye was flayed bare, exposing a hideous skull.
From the golden eye on the left poured brilliant light; from the hollow socket of the skull surged a crimson aura laced with shadow.
Behind him, shattered and charred wing-bones wavered mournfully, black ash drifting from their tips.
The Lord of Wraiths looked down at Verdin and spoke.
“A spirit I’ve never seen before. So you are Calix’s atonement opponent.”
The moment his deep voice resounded, Verdin felt his spirit body tremble.
What kind of being could radiate such overwhelming power with voice alone?
Verdin momentarily forgot what he meant to say.
Seeing this, the Lord of Wraiths bared his teeth in a smile.
Those teeth matched his appearance perfectly.
The left side was orderly and white; the right side blackened.
In that smile lay a majesty Verdin dared not answer.
Pleased by the sight, the Lord of Wraiths continued with satisfaction.
“I sense reverence in your eyes. Good. Yet you must never stand upright and meet my gaze like this again. I will forgive it this once. Let me teach you the etiquette of this place: from now on, kneel and bow the moment you see me.”
The instant the words left his mouth, crimson aura enveloped Verdin entirely.
An irresistible force drove him to his knees.
-Kgh!
The pressure was immense.
Under the crushing weight, Verdin pressed his forehead to the floor in prostration.
At the same moment, every spirit in the hall knelt and bowed exactly as Verdin did.
Calix was no exception.
The Lord of Wraiths slowly surveyed the prostrate spirits, then nodded with a faint smile.
“Excellent. Truly excellent. Seeing you all like this pleases me greatly.”
He seated himself upon the throne behind him.
The throne was half radiant gold, half crimson shadow.
Only when he was seated did the spirits raise their heads.
From the throne, he looked down at Verdin, then turned to Calix.
“So. You truly believe yourself wronged.”
Calix bowed deeply and answered.
-I swear to you, My Lord, I spoke no lie.
“Hm… is that so?”
The Lord of Wraiths’s expression turned cold.
He recalled Calix’s previous report.
<Moreover, he used some forbidden art to annihilate a wraith.>
The annihilation of a wraith.
Annihilation itself was nothing special.
Spirits naturally fade as they forget their memories.
The problem was that it had been done artificially.
The Lord of Wraiths denied the very possibility.
It was impossible.
Even the great demons who had conquered Heaven, Hell, and the Abyss could not touch souls directly—that was why they demanded tribute from the living.
Souls could only be claimed through contracts.
Yet the only being capable of annihilating a soul was himself—the Lord of Wraiths.
The wraiths and plants that devoured souls could do so only because he had granted them that authority.
Thus, for thousands of years, he had solidified his domain without clashing with demons.
Therefore, a report claiming that a priest of the hostile Kallios Theocracy—someone with no connection to him—possessed the power to annihilate souls was utterly unacceptable.
“Calix. You told me that among those fanatic priests was one who could identify and annihilate our kin. Do you remember?”
-Yes.
Calix bowed again.
-It is the absolute truth. I witnessed it myself.
Yet the atmosphere was hostile.
The watching wraiths began to snicker.
-Still hasn’t come to his senses!
-A priest who annihilates our kind? An insult to us all!
-A mere priest daring to wield such power!
-The very imagination of it is repulsive.
-Isn’t something broken in him? Twisted by old memories, perhaps…
As the murmurs grew, the Lord of Wraiths cleared his throat.
Silence fell instantly.
“This atonement ritual will reveal the truth of your words. If you win here, I shall restore your Freedom and believe you. If not…”
He turned his gaze to Verdin.
Golden eye and flickering crimson eye fixed upon him; Verdin’s spirit shook violently.
But the trembling soon ceased.
With a resolve unlike before, Verdin met the Lord of Wraiths’s gaze.
The Lord of Wraiths regarded him with interest and continued.
“…your opponent shall receive Freedom.”
The moment he finished, Verdin spoke.
-That is unfair.
“Hm?”
The Lord of Wraiths’s gaze sharpened; Verdin quickly lowered his head and continued.
-In this ritual, Calix regains not only Freedom but also your trust, My Lord. Granting me only Freedom is unjust.
“Oh-ho.”
Interest flashed in the Lord of Wraiths’s eyes.
He stroked his chin with one hand and spoke.
“You make a fair point. Very well. In exchange for the ‘trust’ Calix seeks, what do you desire?”
Verdin answered without hesitation.
-I wish to find a person.
“A person?”
-In life, I swore loyalty to someone. I died without fulfilling that oath. Even now, I wish to protect them.
At Verdin’s words, the Lord of Wraiths’s gaze deepened.
No spirit had ever wished for such a thing before.
“To fulfill a vow of loyalty from life even after death—and after receiving Freedom from me?”
Verdin did not reply.
Laughter and jeers erupted around them.
-He’s insane.
-The audacity!
-Freedom from the Honored Lord, yet loyalty to another?
-A true wraith indeed.
The barbs stung, but Verdin stood firm.
He had come for one reason only.
To find Princess Lillian.
He refused to abandon that purpose.
Yet refusal seemed almost certain.
Their criticism was valid.
‘Then…’
Verdin bowed deeply and spoke.
-Human lives are short. You, My Lord, are eternal. Grant me merely a few decades of your infinite time.
“An interesting proposal. Then… what if I were to kill the human you seek right now?”
Verdin’s spirit shuddered violently.
The Lord of Wraiths had struck the heart of the matter.
He began to raise his head, then forcibly stopped.
‘If I show anger here, I lose everything.’
Bitter regret and longing cooled his emotions.
Soon he bowed again.
-Please, in Your mercy, do not. I withdraw my request. I desired too much.
“Is that so? Then you no longer need this person found?”
Verdin’s mind raced desperately.
The Lord of Wraiths had made his intention clear.
Whoever Verdin sought, revealing them would mean their immediate death.
Asking now would be foolish.
Verdin wanted Princess Lillian safe. If finding her would harm her, better to not search at all.
Having decided, Verdin spoke.
-I was foolish. I undervalued the Freedom you offer, My Lord.
Only then did the Lord of Wraiths smile. He nodded slowly.
“Good. You are quite clever. I like you. What is your name?”
-Verdin, My Lord.
“Very well, Verdin. Defeat Calix in this atonement ritual, and I shall grant you Freedom—and I will find the one you seek.”
-…!
Verdin’s spirit trembled once more.
A terrible sense of wrongness and dread swept through him.
The Lord savored the reaction and continued.
“So you must win. And by the way—the judge of this atonement ritual is not I.”
The moment he spoke, a figure appeared between Verdin and Calix.
A monster holding golden scales.
The Lord of Wraiths regarded the monster and continued.
“Lexira, Goddess of Justice. Long ago she stood at the left hand of the gods, guardian of truth and justice. Today, Lexira will lend her power to the luckier of you.”
Lexira looked from Verdin to Calix in turn.
Then let out an incomprehensible screech.
Instantly, thick walls rose around them.
At the same moment, iron collars snapped around both their necks.
The same collars worn by every spirit present.
Freedom.
In an instant, Verdin gained a solid body.
‘This is the power of Freedom?’
He touched the collar and felt sensation return.
And that was not all.
As his spirit solidified, dulled senses sharpened.
The feel of clenching and opening his fist.
The cool energy coursing through him.
The hardness of the ground, the weight of his own body standing upon it.
Different from when he had lived in flesh.
Sensations were clearer, his body far lighter.
He leapt lightly—rising the height of a grown man in a single bound.
‘My physical abilities have improved drastically.’
Memories sharpened too.
Moments ago he had needed focus just to remain conscious; now it came effortlessly.
He knew where he was and what he was doing without effort.
All five senses were vivid, far more exhilarating than in life.
Verdin closed his eyes, savoring the sensation for a moment.
Then a voice came from ahead.
“That is Freedom. Enjoying it is fine, but the atonement ritual comes first. Draw your sword. Do not keep me waiting too long.”
At the Lord’s admonition, Verdin opened his eyes.
He drew the rusty iron sword embedded before him.
Roars erupted from the surrounding wraiths.
The Lord of Wraiths leaned back against his throne and spoke.
“Lexira. Begin.”
Lexira whispered to Verdin and Calix.
[I am the Goddess of Judgment. I shall judge the unluckier of you two.]
Leaving the golden scales in her left hand untouched, she drew something with her right.
A large coin.
One side bore the Lord’s right half (the skull); the other his left (the angel).
At the sight, the crowd roared.
-The Coin of Fortune!
-It’s finally here! Let’s see who’s luckier!
-This is thrilling!
Lexira tossed the coin high into the air.
It soared nearly to the vaulted ceiling before falling.
Clink.
The Coin landed showing the Lord of Wraiths’s left side—the angelic half.
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