Chapter 129: [Arc 4] Chapter 10: Shame for a Lifetime

Okay, let's go! Rescue operation: initiate!

I looked out from the helmet of the Living Mail armor I was wearing. The ghost in this thing has already passed on, so it's a flawless disguise... a heavy one, but still flawless!

In any case, I could see the kitchen where the Ghost Chef, a special D-rank evolution of the Ghost-line, was busy preparing the soup that he was gonna throw Figaro the Small Fengfeng (the little, fat chicken-friend of Lily's) and Trip the Phoenix Hatchling (Lily's feathery friend #2) into.

It doesn't seem like he's paying me any attention after I entered the room. He must be thinking that I'm here to fetch some food or something (not that I can understand why ghosts need to eat). Then, while acting occupied with some crates, I used [Liquid Control] on the soup the Chef was stirring...

*SPLASH!!*

"GYAAAAA!!!" - Ghost Chef

The ectoplasmic cook shouted in pure agony as gallons of scorching hot, chicken-less soup was forced into his mouth. The Ghost Chef fled from the kitchen with a face that seemed to be from hell (he kinda is). 

That's what you get for being a ghost that can still taste food despite being dead!

I walked to the cages where Polaris and the two birds were kept after seeing the cook disappear into the horizon... or more like rounded the corner, at least. Good enough.

*Craaank...*

Wow, that's some damn rusty cages. This whole place is either top or bottom-tier and nothing in-between.

*Peck, peck, peck, peck!!*

Ouch, ouch, stop that! 

I removed my helmet to show it was me and-

*Peckpeckpeckpeckpeckpeckpeck!!!!*

Yeah, not a good idea!! Stop that, I'm gonna die! My stats are so low now that even some pecking is enough to kill me, you damn birds!! Can't you forget your grudges even in this situation!? Someone! Heeeelp meeeee~!!!

---

Ow...owie... that stupid bird... it took almost five minutes before it stopped... it should learn something from the chicken. That guy only pecked for ten seconds...

I escaped the kitchen with some HP remaining, which got the birds and Polaris to follow after me. So, we all escaped, I guess? We're now looking for the others. Lily and Alf should be here at least. If their abilities are gone as well, then we're in trouble. 

Not that I've had any luck finding them. This place is HUGE! Definitely a Dungeon. The size alone is telling me that. And I have to travel through it with only some murderous birds and a lazy bear cub as my allies and close to no combat abilities myself? Why's this game set on Maniac-difficulty!? 

That the huge area is also creating more open spaces without any enemies is something that irks me the wrong way. Decide whether you wanna be of help or not, you stupid Dungeon!!

I hate my luck... and here I found another open door. There was one more after the kitchen, but that led to another wardrobe room like the first one I found. Didn't find my stuff there either.

And this new room is... a casino? It looks fancier than the ones I placed in the hub areas, or as I like to call them, the "open to public" areas. Lots of lights, game tables, even slot machines! Did I end up in Las Vegas?

The animals are taking a fancy to the flashy environment, but what about the ghosts? Aren't there any guards here?

I wanted to scout the place, but my skills in that department are gone, so I don't have the confidence to do so. I'm no expert in stuff like that after all. All this time I've brute-forced my way through every problem with my skills and by improving my stats through level-ups. Having to survive through my own abilities is a completely new concept for me. 

Then I saw someone messing with some cards at one of the tables...Noire? It's Noire, right? I recognize those black wings, but that outfit... why the heck a bunny girl?? Who!? Just who could think of dressing poor Noire with one of the most bust-emphasizing outfits in the world? Who!?

Even the birds and the bear can't stand watching the poor angel. The outfit looks like it could slip any second... what's this? Tears? So even I have some kindness left in me~. Why in the world's she wearing such a mismatched outfit? Did she hit her head or something?

Not you too!! And this seems... worse than my situation, at least. She got more skills and classes, but this "Orders of Managand"... isn't this like when I was clearing some of the Quests in the castle hidden in the Water-Knot? My body moved against my will. The same thing must be happening here, just on a larger scale. Poor Noire.

Let's focus on the important points. For example, I got to know that there is a Quest that's the possible culprit for the theft of my classes and skills. The question is why it did so. The reasons for "how" it did it is beyond me to even think of, so I gotta focus on the reason, not the method.

As for Noire... 

"Welcome, dear... patron? My name is Belle-" - Noire

Did someone come...ah, it's that Phantom butler. What's he doing-

*Smack!*

What the-!? That... lousy...

"HEY! What's the big idea, you ectoplasmic jerk-in-a-suit!?" - Garami

I stormed out from behind the slot machine I'd used as cover and started to shout at that ghostly bastard after seeing him give Noire a supernatural slap on the face. Who wouldn't!?

"Oh, it's the miss from before. Please excuse me, I need to capture this perpetrator." 

"And what's she supposed to be guilty of!? Bad clothing? Because I tell you, this girl's got enough style to fuel a fashion show on her own! Get the guy that forced her into that mismatch of an outfit instead!" - Garami

"...Oh, so she is a friend of yours? I'm deeply sorry. I had no idea that she was not part of this by her own will."

"You better be..., wait a sec, part of what?" - Garami

The butler pulled out a scroll from his pocket... which is actually pretty surreal, considering he's a ghost. Let's see...

Okay, I didn't expect to find the Quest this fast... let's wrap that pitiful angel up like a burrito and hand her over to the authorities.

"My head...WHO DID THIS!? Who's the funny guy that wants to pick a fight with Noire, the most loyal servant of Filyn Belial!?" - Noire

And she's awake. Tsk. Looks like she's back to normal.

"Mind taking this talk somewhere else? Hopefully, somewhere we can dress up that pitiful thing." - Garami

"My thoughts exactly."

Oh, this butler's starting to grow on me.

---

We moved to the closest wardrobe room I discovered before stumbling over the casino and let Noire change into something resembling a female ranger. There, the butler, whose name's Jeeves Hamlingter by the way, started to tell his story.

"After I was freed by lady Garami here from my picturesque prison, I started to search for the master of the mansion, who, at the time when I was... 'alive', was master Louis Lutenford Managand. Even his ancestor or the new owner of the mansion would be fine, but as a true gentleman and butler, I needed to officially ask for my leave as the butler of this mansion." - Jeeves

"What if there was no owner by now?" - Garami

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I mean, this place has been recorded as a Dungeon for four hundred years, so the chance of an ancestor of this Managand-guy still living here's pretty low.

"And that is why a butler is such a respectful occupation. We need to stay true to our morals even then." - Jeeves

"You're seriously starting to remind me of someone I know." - Garami

"And? The reason for knocking me out? I am thankful for coming back to my senses, but that slap still hurts!" complained Noire, who had been given the breakdown on what I had experienced until now.

"That is due to the Quest that I discovered in the shape of this scroll when I arrived at the mansion's main hall. It did not take me long to figure out that these 'suspects' would be strangers to the mansion, so I simply followed the suspicious 'smell' that led me to that strange room." - Jeeves

Prolly some ghost-related search skill he must have gotten from turning into a Phantom. 

"You didn't know about the casino?" - Garami

"No, and I have cleaned this mansion for several decades... when I was alive. The number of areas seems to have increased as well..." - Jeeves

"Gotta be because the mansion turned into a Dungeon. The Dungeon itself could have adapted to the Quest given by your late master. So it prepared areas for those suspects or whatever." - Garami

"We did see a whole citadel turn into a Dungeon once... do you have any idea of who those five are? And why did I have to act the role of one of them?" - Noire

"It's prolly the fault of the Quest. It needed five people to play the part, so it makes the Dungeon-invaders play that part. Groups of five or less had been kicked out immediately from the Dungeon before. Prolly because there's no one capable of taking the 'detective'-role in this play." - Garami

Meaning that the other four idiots are bound to be roleplaying right as we speak. Geez...

"I think lady Garami's hypothesis is correct. Furthermore, the last thing I can remember before I was freed my lady Garami is that I was opening the door for one of the master's guests." - Jeeves

"You were gonna have a party?" - Garami

"Yes, the master's birthday party. He had invited five friends from across the continent... back in those days." - Jeeves

"...And those five were?" - Garami

"Let me think... there was the famous gambler Belladonna Brigannia, the archeologist Hamel O'Carnell, the monster hunter Jack Skallater, then..." - Jeeves

"Whatever. You can talk on the way. The point is, we need to get something from the other four who are trapped in the mansion, right? Then let's go already!" - Noire

"...Forgot to turn off the oven?" - Garami

"No, but the faster we clear this stupid mystery, the faster we can get our stuff back!" - Noire

That's... true. And now I get her panic. It's "that". No wonder...

"Okay, but first, what about the so-called 'piece of evidence'? Isn't it important for the Quest?" - Garami

"...Did I have something like that?" - Noire

Greaaat. Now we gotta go back to the casino and look for-

"You must mean this," said the butler while revealing a ring that he had in his pockets. It looks expensive, with a huge emerald and all.

"Lady Noire dropped this when I attacked her before. The foul 'smell' I mentioned before originated from this, so would it not be the evidence we are looking for?" - Jeeves

"......Yup. This is it." - Garami

Not that I'm certain, but a simple ring that repels the effect of [Identification] gotta be suspicious. Plus, Noire stopped acting like she was brainwashed after she got knocked out, is what I thought, but losing this ring may have been the real reason. She's got all her skills and classes back as well. 

This prolly means that the others will stay brainwashed until we can snag their piece of evidence. Just my luck...

"Alright, butler, wanna team up with us?" - Garami

"Hmm? Why do you ask?" - Jeeves

"Noire here is strong against the undead, but we got no means to find those 'pieces of evidence'. If you're such a loyal guy to the former master, then help us with this mess of a Quest-" - Garami

"No, what I meant was 'why do you ask that at this point?'? You are the one chosen by my master's will to solve this mystery. Not giving my assistance will be to tarnish my master's name." - Jeeves

Huh, he has some good points there... I'm the one chosen? Or...

In any case, this simplifies things... I'll make Noire have a Turn Undead ready in case this guy turns on us.

Then, off you go! Huh, I gotta go too? But I'm a weak and helpless detective~... fiiiine. But you guys have to be the muscles here! Like, for real!

---

Skill List:

Attack Skills: Magic Skills: Crafting Skills: Active Skills: Passive Skills: Resistance Skills: Perception Skills: Leadership Skills: Elements: Monster Skills:

Title List:

Hunting Titles: Status Titles:

Description:

Phantoms are a type of high-ranking Ghosts that retains most, if not all, memories from before they died. It is said to be an evolution that comes from the ghost's strong will to sustain its former identity despite its death.

Do not let their name fool you. Despite there existing several monsters with the word "phantom" in their names, some of which are of lower ranks even. Real Phantoms are miles ahead of your everyday grunts. A Phantom must be treated with equal caution as one would with a Lich, that is unless you want your soul to be sent to the netherworld, of course.

Appearance:

Phantoms can take on many appearances, as they are the ghost of a living being with a strong ego. They have obtained an appearance that is almost exactly like how they appeared in their prime, no matter what creature they were before dying.

Abilities:

Like other Ghost monsters, Phantoms are well-versed in the art of magic and Ghost attribute skills like [Poltergeist]. Great paranormal phenomena can almost often be traced back to a Phantom.

Phantoms also have strong charisma when facing other Ghosts, making them great leaders of the undead souls. A Phantom is considered worse of a leader of the undead (in the eyes of the living) than even a Lich, as long as all the undead in question are solely Ghosts.

Chaos' comment: For further information about why "Phantom" is such a popular name for monsters, ask Alvatria.

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