Demon Prince 53.1

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Chapter 53.1. The House Spirit

Haaaahhh...

"Come on, onii-chan."

"Let’s just get this over with quickly, alright?"

Yuu and Ai try to cheer me up.

But seriously, after turning down the Guild Master's request yesterday, I completed a different quest and returned to the castle—only to be summoned by Father.

He bowed his head to me.

"I'm sorry! Please, take on Lark's request for me!"

"No way!"

"I'm begging you! I owe him one! He specifically asked me to convince you! Please, do this for your father!"

In the end, I caved to his insistence.

Father, how could you do this to me?

For now, I gathered every anti-spirit piece of equipment from the castle, along with talismans to shield my heart from fear.

Even so, my steps toward the mansion felt unbearably heavy.

To think that learning holy magic as a countermeasure against ghosts and zombies would backfire like this... Oh, the irony.

"Ah, there it is. That must be the place."

"Ooo, it’s got quite the vibe."

Yuu and Ai always loved horror movies in our past life.

They seemed to be enjoying this situation.

But unlike fiction, this is real life. Do they even get that?

"Come on now, don’t just stand there. Let’s go in!"

"Yeah, onii-chan, let’s go!"

Why are they so eager about this?

"I have no choice. Let’s do this. Completely against my will!"

Our usual team lineup: me, Yuu, Ai, Sebas, Noella, Lily, and Hati.

"By the way, is everyone okay with ghosts? I know Yuu and Ai are fine..."

"I’m fine with them."

"I have no issues."

"Lily’s okay too!"

"Woof!"

Everyone else seems unfazed.

Did... did Hati just laugh at me a little?

"Jun-sama, why are you afraid of them? Nothing’s ever happened with undead before, right?"

"Let me keep that part a secret."

The truth is, when I was a kid in my past life, Father pranked me after a horror movie, and I wet myself in terror.

That incident left me with deep trauma.

Damn you, old man.

"So, where is the ghost supposed to be?"

"I only heard it’s somewhere in the mansion."

"So, we’ll have to search every corner, huh?"

Looks like it.

I just want to get this over with already.

"I’ll take the lead. Noella, guard the rear."

"Understood, brother."

We started searching each room from the entrance, purifying them one by one with holy magic to reduce spaces where a ghost could linger.

"Still, why would anyone bother buying a mansion like this?"

"True. It seems salvageable with repairs, but still..."

"Apparently, they didn’t know it was haunted. They said it’s close to their shop."

"Shop? Does the Guild Master’s acquaintance run a store?"

"Seems like it. I heard she’s a club hostess."

In Japan, I went to such places a few times for work relations, but I never enjoyed them much.

I wonder if it’d be more fun in this world, with all the beautiful people around.

"A club hostess, huh? Doesn’t seem like the Guild Master has much of a shot."

If she works in a place like that, she’s probably used to handling men.

Let’s just hope he’s not being taken advantage of.

"Three gold coins say he’s being played."

"I’ll bet all my savings on it."

"Then I’ll wager five gold coins."

"Lily bets one gold coin!"

Everyone’s so mean.

And those are some hefty bets.

"What about you, Jun and Sebas?"

"I’ll put one gold coin on 'being played.'"

"Same here."

I can’t blame them since I agree.

"Ha! Looks like we couldn’t even get a bet going."

"Well, yeah. If he had any real romantic experience, he’d know how to make a better impression."

Talking like this, we continued purifying the mansion.

After finishing the first floor, we moved to the second.

"So, this club hostess—is she single?"

"That’s what I heard."

"This mansion seems too big for one person to live in alone."

"Maybe she’s planning to get married? That could be why she bought it."

"And it’s definitely not with the Guild Master."

"Or perhaps he thinks she bought it for them to live in together."

Ah...

Maybe he’s convinced she’s in love with him, and that this mansion is for their future together.

That would explain his obsession.

If that’s true, fine. But if it’s not, how embarrassing.

"Embarrassing indeed."

"Honestly, it’s a little pitiful."

Yuu and Ai have already written off the Guild Master’s romantic hopes.

They really are heartless.

"Jun-sama."

Sebas’s voice carried a note of caution from the front.

Did we find it?

"This room?"

"Yes. It seems to have been the master’s private chamber."

Before opening the door, I took a deep breath

and gripped the talisman for courage.

Inhale... Exhale... 

"Okay, open it."

My knees trembled.

The blood drained from my face.

Even with the talisman, I hated this.

"Here goes."

The door opened with a soft click, no resistance.

Inside was... a seemingly ordinary girl.

She wore a maid outfit.

Was she a demon? No, maybe a half-demon?

Her lower half was translucent, fading away.

"Oh my, are you guests? Or perhaps my new master?"

"Neither. We’re here to purify you."

"Oh dear, that won’t do. I must ask you to leave."

The maid ghost bowed her head politely.

Thanks to the talisman, she wasn’t as scary as I expected.

Or maybe this particular ghost was just unusual.

"She seems to have a sense of self. In that case, maybe we can negotiate."

"Negotiate?"

"Some ghosts retain their personalities, while others don’t. The latter can only be purified. But if they have self-awareness, resolving their regrets might let them pass on peacefully. It’s said to be better for the ghost that way."

"I see."

Maybe that’s why she doesn’t feel as scary.

She’s actually kind of cute.

"Alright, let’s hear her out. Yuu, Ai, I’ll leave this to you."

"Got it~!"

"Okay!"

It’s easier for her to talk to women.

Not because I’m scared.

"My name’s Ai."

"I’m Yuu. And you are?"

"I am Merielu."

"Why are you haunting this place as a ghost?"

"Well..."

Her story, in summary:

This mansion once belonged to the family of a large trading company’s head.

When robbers broke in, she was tragically killed.

Wait, something doesn’t add up.

"Weren’t you killed by the master of the house?"

"No, the master was very kind."

So that old man didn’t bother to properly investigate.

"Then are you bound here out of hatred for those robbers?"

"Oh no. The robbers were captured shortly after and executed. I have no grudges tying me here."

"Then what’s keeping you from moving on? Tell us. Maybe we can help."

"Well, I... I’m actually half-demon. Specifically, half-human and half-succubus."

"Okay, and?"

"During my life... I never had the chance to date a man."

"My, what a waste! You’re adorable!"