Chapter 24: Another Method for Soulful Painters

Ashlyn Bailey was still a strange eccentric, Lucas thought to himself.

Sometimes he found it creepy, because for a human to recall what it felt like to be a cat was really no different from recalling being drunk.

But most of the time, he felt extremely satisfied.

Yes, being a fluffy little animal doesn't require those complicated formalities and hypocritical titles. He can say whatever he wants, since only Ashlin can understand him anyway.

How could she just abandon him without a word?

He quickly guessed that this was probably related to Aidan. They didn't do anything else, but Ashlyn had dressed up carefully and spent most of the day modeling for the great musician, and maybe even had afternoon tea.

Perhaps she had finally lost her mind from being such a fan, abandoning him at such a crucial moment, even forgoing the chance to pet a cat. As far as he knew, she had always loved petting small animals.

The key question is, why didn't she tell him?

The answer is obvious: he is still not trustworthy. Ultimately, he is still that prince who is very, very far away from her; she only liked him when he was hairy, which gave him the illusion that they trusted each other.

He couldn't help but wonder if coming to Fairy Valley was exactly what she wanted, and perhaps her initial purpose wasn't entirely pure. Maybe she felt that it was all just a fun trip.

She confessed in the dungeon that she wanted to be a traveler, an adventurer.

Now her dream is coming true.

He was still burdened by the curse, and his future was bleak: if the curse was not lifted, firstly, his parents and the whole country would find out; secondly, he might turn into a cat forever and lose his human sanity; and thirdly, Knox might get the other items first and then come looking for them.

More importantly, he still breathes the air he doesn't actually deserve, yet he must be grateful for it.

Why? He had clearly prepared for this long ago. Although the problems in the court could be solved if he simply remained a cat forever, dying of illness was certainly more efficient than becoming a mute little animal. Once his mother and father discovered the truth, they would definitely do everything in their power to turn him back into a human, and Ashlin would surely be punished.

By then, how many resources will Dias waste because of him, and how many innocent wizards will be condemned? The kingdom has recovered so painstakingly from the witchcraft cleansing and the war against the dragons; it cannot afford to fall into trouble again because of an incompetent prince and a careless witch.

He paced anxiously, afraid to venture out since he was a cat. Only after nightfall and he transformed into a human did he set off.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, a voice suddenly rang out behind him: "Who are you?"

There shouldn't be anyone else in this room anymore. Lucas turned around in slow motion.

A child appeared in Sheeta's portrait.

She looked exactly like the girl in the painting, with large, tearful eyes and delicately angled eyebrows that slanted sadly. The only difference was that she was translucent, like a reflection in glass.

He held his breath.

Before she turned seventy, her soul had not yet taken shape; the paintings created before that time left Sheeta's soul in the world.

The runes he gave Ashlin worked. Indeed, only those of divine lineage could execute this magic perfectly.

“My name is Lucas,” he said. “You’re Sheeta, right?”

Stop overthinking about that witch; now is probably not the time to speculate about Ashlin's unfathomable thoughts.

Lucas weighed the priorities in his mind and ultimately decided that Ashlyn's sudden departure was more important. If she were with Aidan, perhaps Aidan could be of some help.

He said to the ghost, "Please stay here, Your Highness, I will be right back."

The little girl didn't leave; she sat quietly by the bed. A faint black smoke emanated from her, as if she had emerged from a great fire.

“Sheda,” Aidan finally spoke, “is me.”

The girl turned around. "Uncle."

“I told you not to run away,” Aidan said softly. “The situation is dangerous now. The Divine Oak is sick, and you could be infected as well.”

“Wait,” Lucas interrupted them, “'Told you'? You already knew?”

“My uncle comes to see me often; he’s one of the few spirits who can temporarily unseal me,” Sheeta said sadly. “He wants to persuade me to see my mother, but I can’t. I’m afraid her grief will overwhelm me. I even burned that official portrait because of it…”

Ashlin stared intently at the smoke surrounding Hida, unusually remaining silent.

Lucas's thoughts, however, were occupied by another question.

The current Sheeta was unsealed by Ashrin, and Lucas is certain Ashrin could do it because she is a descendant of gods. Ordinary wizards do not possess the power to awaken ghosts. But why was Aidan able to unseal Sheeta?

He was a musician, not a wizard.

“She’ll be so happy to see you,” Aidan said.

"But I have no body; I am merely a shadow from the past..."

Even so, she would still want to see you.

“You don’t understand.” Hida shook her head. “I must obtain a real body… I cannot see her in a transparent form.”

"Watch out!" Ashlin screamed.

Sheida lunged at Lucas, but Lucas quickly leaped to the right, narrowly escaping.

He now understood why Ashlin had been acting strangely: her magic must have sensed something within Sheeta's soul.

Dark magic from the labyrinth.

The black magic virus that contaminated the sacred oak tree also infected Sheeta's soul.

The room temperature plummeted, the air seemed to freeze, and the shadows on the walls swayed uneasily.

"Don't let her possess you! A soul possessed by someone infected by dark magic will die!" Aidan shouted. "My music can temporarily purify her."

He took out a lute and was about to start playing when he was knocked away by Sheeta's ghost.

Ashlin manipulated the various plants in the room that she had previously used for practice, but they were clearly no match for a semi-transparent ghost and simply passed right through them.

“Only by having a physical body… can I see my mother.” Sheeta said through tears, “Of the three of you… one of you must lend me a body.”

Aidan played a few syllables, and Shida suddenly turned around, pushed him out the door, and slammed the door shut.

"Now there are only two humans left," the ghost girl said, her face still filled with sorrow.

A few faint notes of music came from outside the door. The door was magical; it not only kept ghosts away but also had excellent soundproofing, so the notes were completely inaudible.

The black smoke surrounding Shida had only thinned slightly.

The door was locked, and only Ashlin could open it, but she couldn't care less.

“Salt and iron can ward off evil spirits, Ashlin!”

Hida approached Lucas, her gaze vacant. He retreated, his head hitting the wall. Ashlin frantically rummaged through her bag; several scraps of paper, a small mirror, and a bottle of water lay on the floor.

"I used up all my salt crystals while treating you! I'm sorry!"

"What about iron weapons?"

She continued searching.

Sheida raised a finger and touched Lucas's forehead. Her hand was so cold, like a snowflake falling.

But as she drew closer, the feeling changed drastically, no longer resembling snowflakes. Lucas felt as if he had plunged into the Arctic Ocean and was about to start skinny dipping. His breath caught in his throat, as if all the air had been sucked out of his lungs.

The hand traced a line along his forehead, like a trail of frost. He instinctively flinched back, his back slamming against the wall with a dull thud.

“God, we don’t have a single piece of iron. Our only weapon is the dragonbone bow Charlotte gave us. I haven’t learned any spells to fight ghosts either!” Ashlin exclaimed in horror, looking at Lucas. “Oh no, you’re going to become a ghost.”

"Thanks for reminding me, I just noticed that."

At that moment, Aidan seemed to have finally defeated the doorknob with music and burst through the door. "Sheeta! I didn't expect you to be so indiscriminate. You didn't even choose a spirit to possess?"

She sized up Lucas and Aidan, seemingly weighing who had the more perfect appearance, before flying towards Aidan.

"The rainbow in Elf Valley can be used for communication. Contact Knight Commander Tara. I will stall for time as much as possible!"

The door closed again.

Lucas immediately stood up: "Can you summon a rainbow?"

Ashlin flipped through Sanova's notes, raised her staff, and chanted a spell. Nothing happened. She chanted it several more times, but it still had no effect.

"I've said before that I'm not good at this kind of precise magic, let alone weather..."

Lucas looked at the glowing mushroom Ashlin was holding.

Not everything can be solved with spells.

Where is the bathroom?

"Outside."

This was bad; they couldn't go outside, the Grand Musician was battling the ghosts. He looked around, searching for what they needed, his gaze settling on the things Ashlin had just dropped.

Do you have any basins, bowls, or similar items?

Ashlin rummaged through her bag and found a ceramic bowl.

Lucas quickly picked up the water glass and mirror that Ashlin had dropped, poured all the water into the bowl, and then inserted the mirror diagonally into the bowl, his movements as swift as magic.

“Light.” He reached out his hand to Ashlin.

Ashlinn immediately understood and handed him the glowing mushroom that had fallen from Aidan's pocket. It was originally just an inconspicuous little gadget, but now it became the only source of light in the dimly lit room.

He held the mushroom up to the mirror. The light traveled, reflected, and bent on the mirror surface, eventually striking the white wall opposite.

A brilliant rainbow suddenly appeared on the wall, seemingly dispelling all the darkness in the room.

“I need to contact the Grand Master of the Knights, Tara,” Lucas said clearly.

The rainbow light rippled slightly.

Sure enough, the face of the round-faced, brown-ponytailed elf was faintly visible on the rainbow.

“Prince Lucas?” Tara frowned.

Lucas spoke rapidly: "There's no time to explain. Please bring an iron sword and salt to Ashlyn Bailey's room. Princess Sheida's ghost is trying to attack us. Lord Aidan is in danger."

As soon as she finished speaking, Tara disappeared.

Ashlin frantically flipped through her spellbook, nearly tearing the pages apart, trying to find one or two spells that might be of help. Lucas, meanwhile, took a deep breath and opened the door.

Aidan's lute and flute were far away from him. He was cornered with nowhere to escape.

Lucas had a bad feeling; he felt pity for Aidan in advance.

"Aero Terebro!"

A powerful gust of air rushed towards Sheeta and Aidan. The ghost didn't explode; what exploded was Aidan's smooth silver hair.

Now, he has a fluffy afro.

Lucas felt this was not the occasion to laugh out loud, so he politely remained calm.

"Thanks for the new hairstyle," Aidan said, touching his hair with a sigh.

Hida began to slowly sink into his body.

“Hey, Princess!” Ashlin called out, “Isn’t it strange to possess your own uncle? I suggest you come at me, after all, we’re both girls.”

Sheeta's ghost was indeed quite young and easily fooled. She hesitated again, glancing back and forth between Aidan and Ashlin, before finally choosing to drift towards the witch.

Ashlin recited the second incantation.

A breeze swept by, but it did little more than make Lucas feel a little cooler.

Ashlin smiled awkwardly: "Let me fan you."

Just as Hida's transparent hand touched Ashlin's neck, an iron sword swung across.

The little fairy princess screamed, turning into a wisp of smoke, and immediately emerged from Lucas's side. Tara quickly scattered a ring of white salt around Sheeta, trapping her.

Now, the ghost had absolutely no way out.

Aidan, pale-faced, crawled to the edge, picked up his lute, sat down facing Sheeta's ghost, and began to play.

Lucas could hardly believe that the first time he heard his idol perform live in front of him was in such an absurd setting.

His music was beautiful yet sorrowful, more like a lament than a performance. The magical melodies filled Lucas with grief, as if the world were about to end and he, like Sheeta, would become a fleeting ghost.

The black smoke around Hida gradually dissipated. Her already large eyes widened even more as she looked at them in confusion.

Aidan stopped playing.

"It really is you this time, Sheeta!"

"Uncle!" Xida ran up to hug him, but found she couldn't reach him, so she awkwardly lowered her hand.

Lucas patted her on the shoulder.

Tara, on the other hand, is really serious.

"Lord Aidan, no ghost is to be seen in Ilovania, not even the princess..."

“I know. It’s all my fault,” Aidan said. “I’ve known that Sheeta’s spirit has been in the painting for a while now… I didn’t report it immediately, just to protect my friend. Tara, I hope you will do the same.”

He gave Tara a meaningful look.

"As you wish," the knight commander said coldly. "Then what will you do with the princess's ghost? I suggest burning the painting so she can rest in peace."

“Burning the painting won’t bring me peace,” Hida said. “I have something to say to my mother.”

"In ghost form?" Lucas raised an eyebrow.

Hida nodded: "Unless there is a better way."

Lucas smiled and handed Sheeta the sketches he and Ashlin had drawn during their previous practice.

"There are indeed better ways."