The Servant in the Horror Game is Suspicious Chapter 45

It was the third day of wandering in search of the wraith. Jade’s patience was reaching its limit.

The notebook he’d received from Ian stated that the Wraith of the Blind Servant appeared quite frequently, yet Jade couldn’t believe how elusive it was being when he was looking for it on purpose.

Today, he headed to the storage room, half-giving up. He planned to organize Buster’s box and other miscellaneous items he hadn’t managed to pack because he’d been so distracted trying to catch the wraith.

As he sorted through the items in the storage room, he had a premonition that today would be another bust. Just as he began to think the wraith had realized his intentions and was avoiding him on purpose…

Squelch, shiik, squelch, shiik.

The sound of one foot dragging and joints clattering. The bizarre noise of the blind servant he had been waiting for so long finally pierced his ears. Even the distinct smell of rot wafted into the storage room. It had finally appeared.

How long had he waited for this moment? He wondered if he looked like a psychopath for feeling so thrilled at facing a wraith that he was actually trembling. Jade hushed his movements and approached the storage room door, peeking into the underground passage.

Uuuggghhh—

The wraith made a sound and headed to the right. It was toward the area where he had first discovered it—the door leading outside. The sound didn’t get any further away, suggesting it had reached the corner.

Even though he had blocked the door to the outside, the thing could pass through doors and leave whenever it wanted, yet it didn’t. It seemed that spot was something like the wraith’s favorite haunt.

“If it was in the first head’s notebook, it must have been here a long time.”

Actually, now that he was about to eliminate the wraith, he felt a bit uneasy. It must have been human once, right? Why was it still wandering this place?

“I’m basically helping it find peace. Nothing good comes from wandering the world as a ghost.”

Jade shook his head, trying to steady his resolve. Whatever the story was, this thing was a wraith. If he got too curious, he might end up with misplaced sympathy. Hadn’t the system window explicitly told him to defeat it?

‘Healing potions, healing potions.’

Jade repeated the words like a mantra, brainwashing himself. His obsession with the potions wasn’t just for himself.

There were three healing potions to be gained by defeating the thing. He planned to leave two of them for Ian before he left. A young child would need at least that much to survive. And besides, this villa only functioned properly if Jade’s body was in good shape.

“Whew.”

Jade took a deep breath. Judging from their last encounter, the wraith had no interest in people. He had to take it down before it moved somewhere else again.

The plan was to open the storage room door and use the skill immediately. Jade’s plan was perfect. Fearing he might fumble the skill name, he double-checked those four simple syllables in his mind.

Creeak.

Having finished his full preparations, Jade threw open the storage room door and stood boldly, facing the spot where the wraith should be. His plan would have been executed perfectly if it hadn’t been for Buster’s sudden appearance.

“Fire…!”

“Myang?”

“Why are you here again!”

“Myang!”

Buster fluttered his wings brightly. Jade felt like he was going to explode.

Of all places, Buster was hovering right in front of the Wraith of the Blind Servant. Since it was a skill he had never used, Jade didn’t know the range or power of the Fireball. He might accidentally hurt Buster.

Buster was pointing his front paw at the wraith. The little brat had no fear at all.

“Meooooow.”

“I know. So, move out of the way.”

“Uuuggghhh—”

But something was strange. Specifically, the wraith’s reaction was odd; it was swaying its disjointed body slowly as if dancing, almost as if it were trying to play with Buster.

“What the…?”

“Myack.”

“Uuuggghhh—”

“Myang?”

“Uuuggghhh.”

The two exchanged cries as if they were having a conversation. Then, Buster flew over to Jade. He tapped Jade’s chest with a front paw, looking quite pleased, perhaps because of the blind servant.

[ >> System << Reward for Defeating the Wraith of the Blind Servant: Healing Potions (3) ]

The system flashed the reward window as if urging him to strike. Jade took a breath and brought the skill name to mind.

“Fi, Fi…!”

But he hesitated. Having seen it chatting with Buster, the opponent before him no longer felt like just a wraith. Especially since it had a human-like appearance and was wearing servant’s clothes, he felt a sense of useless kinship.

Back in high school, a friend had told him this once: that he would one day get into big trouble because of his shallow, lingering attachments. They said that even though he didn’t form deep relationships, he was so meddlesome and full of affection that he was a prime target for stalkers. And even if it wasn’t that, they warned his meddling would catch up to him eventually. But what could he do? That was just his personality.

“Myang! Myang! Myang-ung! Meow!”

While Jade hesitated, unable to attack the wraith, Buster was busily explaining something. He mimicked drawing something on the wall with a front paw and cried out as if imitating a puppy’s bark.

“A puppy?”

“Myang!”

“Uuuggghhh—”

As if Jade had correctly guessed what they wanted, Buster and the blind servant both nodded in response. The blind servant’s eyeless sockets seemed to shine, as if he understood what Jade had just said.

Dammit. A wraith you can communicate with. He really felt human. How could he possibly set the guy on fire? Jade’s shoulders slumped. Even now, the wraith hovered and lingered nearby as if he wanted to play with Buster. His fighting spirit had vanished.

“So you’re saying that man—no, that wraith—has a puppy?”

“Meooooow!”

Buster clapped his paws as if that was the correct answer. Jade had wondered why he kept drawing something like a puppy’s face on the wall, and that was exactly it. Jade was left dazed in spite of himself.

“You… you can communicate with that wraith?”

“Myang…”

Buster tilted his head, resting his chin on a front paw. It didn’t seem like perfect communication; rather, he seemed to be picking up on the general vibe. Even Buster himself didn’t seem to know exactly how he understood the wraith’s heart.

“A puppy, of all things…”

This wraith was so old that he was recorded in the first head’s notebook. So, if he’d had a puppy, it must have died a long time ago as well.

[ >> System << Reward for Defeating the Wraith of the Blind Servant: Healing Potions (3) ]

The system window flashed the same text as before, as if rushing Jade.

Right. He had to eliminate this wraith. Only then could he get the healing potions to treat his arm and prepare for the future. Besides, it wasn’t like he could find a dead puppy for him anyway. Jade wasn’t a Grim Reaper or anything.

“Sigh… So what do you want me to do? You died a long time ago, and your puppy is probably dead too.”

But in the end, Jade couldn’t bring himself to attack. His friend was right. This personality would catch up to him eventually. No, what do you mean “eventually”? It had caught him right now.

“Uuuggghhh—”

The wraith didn’t seem to understand Jade’s words. Whether he didn’t want to understand, or if he really only recognized the word “puppy,” it was impossible to tell. What should he do? Things had become complicated.

“What is that?”

“Gah, you scared me! Ian…!”

Ian had arrived without a sound. Whatever the case, one thing had become certain. Jade could no longer use his skill. He couldn’t exactly breathe fire in front of Ian.

“What is that, Jade?”

Ian asked again, pointing at the wraith. The wraith flinched and took a step back. Unlike animals, he didn’t seem to like children. Having judged the situation, Jade gave Ian a brief explanation.

“The Wraith of the Blind Servant. I think that’s him.”

“Ah… so that’s why you said you needed the notebook.”

“Haha, yes.”

“……”

Ian stared blankly at the Wraith of the Blind Servant. Since Ian had said he’d never seen the blind servant, this must be their first encounter.

The wraith had a fairly disgusting and grotesque appearance. The hollow eyes, the sagging, clattering jaw, the joints that moved like a long-limbed ghost, and the stench. It was a visual that would make anyone scream and faint if they met it unprepared.

However, Ian only blinked with a numb expression, showing no reaction at all. Usually, children would be crying and making a scene out of fear, but he was calm.

Maybe he was so scared that he’d frozen up. Ian was a child who didn’t express his emotions much, so that was possible.

Jade stepped in front of Ian. This wasn’t a visual for a child to see.

“He won’t hurt you, but hide behind me for now.”

“…Why?”

Ian asked, as if he didn’t understand Jade’s intention. He didn’t sound sarcastic; he genuinely seemed to fail to grasp Jade’s words.

“Aren’t you scared?”

“Pardon?”

“No?”

Jade asked, looking back at Ian who was hidden behind him. Ian thought deeply for a long time, as if Jade’s words were a difficult foreign language he had to translate.

“Ah… you’re right.”

But after a moment, Ian slowly rolled his eyes and hid behind Jade’s legs, clutching his clothes. As those little hands gripped his hem, a protective instinct naturally rose within Jade. As expected, he must have been so frightened that he’d frozen.

“I’m scared, Jade.”

“Don’t worry. I’m here. And it doesn’t seem like that guy attacks people.”

Jade shouted confidently, patting his own chest.

“Yes…”

Answering in a weak voice, Ian covered his eyes with Jade’s clothes and his shoulders trembled. To anyone watching, he looked like a fragile and pitiable little child.

“Myang….”

In a split second, Buster’s eyes narrowed. It was so nauseating he couldn’t stand to watch with both eyes open.

He had known from the first glance. That brat was a human with an aura stronger than anyone else’s. It was so strong that even his powers as a great monster didn’t work on him.

Look at him even now. That wraith was also cowering in fear after sensing Ian’s aura. And yet, hiding behind Jade and saying he’s scared of the wraith? It was truly staggering. He was a top-tier actor, not even blinking an eye.

“Myack! Myak!”

Sullen, Buster kicked the air with his hind legs. He was dying of frustration just watching Ian play the innocent act in front of Jade. Since he couldn’t speak human language, he couldn’t tell Jade and was just fuming inside.

“Buster, man, what’s wrong? You shouldn’t be so noisy.”

“Mya?”

Even now, the oblivious Jade only scolded Buster. It felt so unfair he could die.