"We are guardians, but also a bunch of wretches constantly fighting danger and madness."
Dunn's words echoed within Old Neil's house, reverberating between the floors, walls, and ceiling showing signs of corrosion, and echoing in Klein's mind and heart.
Never before had he been so impressed by that sentence.
He felt that he might never forget this feeling for the rest of his life, even if he returned to Earth in the future.
In the almost frozen atmosphere, Dunn walked toward Old Neil's "corpse," squatted down, took a white handkerchief from the side pocket of his black trench coat, and covered the pair of dark red, crystal-clear, and painful eyes.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Klein saw that the piano keys had stopped jumping on their own, and a nearly transparent figure faintly appeared there.
This... Klein, who had activated his Spirit Vision before entering, was stunned.
He had completely failed to notice this strange "spirit" earlier!
Was it due to interference from Old Neil's mind or the influence of his abilities after losing control? Klein watched the nearly invisible figure quickly evaporate and disappear from his sight, vaguely understanding something.
Amidst the heavy and oppressive feeling, he heard the Captain order:
"Search Old Neil's house thoroughly for any possible clues."
"Okay." As soon as Klein spoke, he was stunned for a few seconds by his own voice—it was so hoarse, so low, like he had a bad cold.
"Okay." Loya followed in response.
Her voice is about the same as mine... Both nostrils are blocked... Klein glanced at this usually expressionless female teammate, as if seeing her for the first time.
He placed his cane in the umbrella stand in the hallway, circumvented the sealed item "3-0611," and walked into the living room with heavy steps, then went upstairs to search for clues room by room.
Old Neil hired temporary workers regularly to clean, so there was none of the typical bachelor mess; everything was neat and orderly, as if a real housewife existed here.
Half an hour later, Klein found some manuscripts on the bookshelf in Old Neil's bedroom, which contained chaotic records of strange and eerie rituals:
"Life Forging."
"Required materials include: 100 ml of Elven Spring (Golden Spring of Sonia Island), 50 grams of Star Crystal, half a pound of gold, 5 grams of Phlogiston, 30 grams of Hematite... and a large amount of fresh human blood."
Below "fresh human blood," Old Neil had noted:
"Consider extracting my own, accumulating bit by bit, and preserving it with ritual magic."
Consider extracting my own... Klein closed his eyes, and his fingers crumpled the paper.
............ .
Thursday, nine o'clock in the morning, hour of the Moon, Raphael Cemetery.
Klein, dressed in a pure black suit and shirt, holding a silver-handled cane, stood quietly in a corner of the cemetery.
In his breast pocket, he had a neatly folded white handkerchief, and in his hand, he held a solemn and tranquil Deep Sleep.
At this moment, Dunn, Fry, Leonard, and Conley lifted the black coffin containing Old Neil's "corpse," walked step by step to the front of the tombstone, and silently lowered it into the dug grave.
Watching the yellowish-brown soil shovel by shovel cover the coffin, Rosanne, dressed in a black long dress and a small white hat, sobbed softly:
"Who can tell me if this is all real?"
"Why does one lose control, why take potions, why become a Beyonders, why are there vengeful spirits, why are there monsters, why can't there be a safer way, why, why, why..."
Klein listened silently until Old Neil's coffin was covered with earth, until the traces of his existence were deeply buried in the grave.
"May the Goddess bless you." He drew a crimson moon on his chest, then stepped forward, bent down, and placed the bundle of Deep Sleep before the tombstone.
"May the Goddess bless you." Dunn, Fry, and others simultaneously touched their chests four times clockwise.
Klein raised his head, straightened his back, and saw the black-and-white photo on the tombstone:
Old Neil wore his classic black soft hat, with visible gray hair, deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and mouth, and slightly cloudy dark red eyes.
He was so calm, no longer sad, no longer in pain, no longer afraid.
Below the photo was engraved an epitaph, taken from Old Neil's recent diary entries:
"If you can't save her, then go accompany her."
The morning breeze blew gently, and the chill, quiet, and silence of Raphael Cemetery infected everyone present.
............ .
At noon, Klein took the sheet signed by the Captain and headed to the armory.
He pushed open the half-closed door and saw Bright, with his thick black beard, sitting behind the desk.