[48.3] Ghost-be-gone!

I jumped in front of Cyrus with my wand raised, "Don't make another move."

Swordmaster grinned and resheathed her sword. She raised her hands innocently, "A proper swordsman never attacks those who are swordless."

I spoke in a rough tone, "He's only swordless because you attacked and broke it!! Do you know how expensive those things are!?"

"Expensive? That sword was an embarrassment. I wouldn't even call it a sword." Seeing us glare at her more, she scratched her head awkwardly, "I'm sorry. I will make you a better one."

Cyrus scoffed, "You?! Why would I want or trust a sword from you!?"

She frowned, "Oi. I'm not called Swordmaster due to arrogance. I am the best craftsman in all of existence."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure."

"You'll see. I will make you a sword that will properly respond to your body."

I scoffed, "And why would you go through all that trouble? Did you forget how you just attacked us out of nowhere?! You also don't even know us!"

She rubbed her nose smugly, "I'm a bit partial to a fellow red string bearer."

Wait.

Did she just-

I nearly fell over, "You know about the red string!?"

Cyrus gave me a confused look.

Swordmaster nodded, "Of course. You could say I'm an expert on this matter. I have one myself after all."

I put away my wand and went to her in excitement, "You have one too!?"

Cyrus quickly grabbed me and held me back, "Reika, wait. It might be a trick."

I stopped and realized I hadn't given it that much thought. I took a deep breath and realized that the red string only connected me and Cyrus.

I couldn't see one on her at all.

But how would this person know about the red string?

I raised an eyebrow, "So how do you know all of this?"

She waved me off, "Later, later. I have to go meet a relative of mine."

I watched in disbelief as she started to hum and walk away without another thought or care. Cyrus and I both gave each other a glance then rushed after her. Our suspicions of her only deepened as she walked straight to my house. She got to the door and without missing a beat, reached for the doorknob and opened it up.

She walked inside as if she was invited.

"..."

Cyrus and I were so shocked, we were speechless.

My mother and Rebecca poked their heads into the main room where all four of us watched the Swordmaster walk up to Marx and kick his feet, "Hey. You called for me?"

Marx groaned, still face down on the floor from where he passed out the night before.

The Swordmaster casually looked at Rebecca, "Did he go on another binger?"

She averted her gaze, "How would I know?"

The Swordmaster laughed, "If you were there then it's a yes."

My mother looked at the Swordmaster for a while before her face lit up, "Y-You! You're the woman who aided that demon in saving us!"

The Swordmaster tilted her head to look at my mother with a smile, "Did I? I can't remember."

My mother looked as if she was meeting her idol, "Yes! Yes! I know it's you! You both saved my life that night! It was in the desert territory of a slaver's village. You dropped in from a hole in the cieling and fought with that woman in a cloak with swords-"

The Swordmaster's eyes lit up in recognition, "Oh yeah! I remember that fight!! Man. Vira really is great with a sword. She sent me flying so many times!! HAHA! So impressive!"

My face twitched, "That's what you remember?!"

This girl has serious sword fever!

The Headmaster heard the commotion and walked down his stairs from his office, "What is going on down here? I have important work to-"

My mother rushed to him and pulled him down the stairs, "-Aldrich! This is a woman who saved Reika's and my life in the Desert!"

Aldrich paused to look the Swordmaster over then gave a nod, "You have my thanks for saving my family."

"Hmm?" The Swordmaster looked at the two then back to me, "She was pregnant with you?"

I nodded, "That's right."

She burst into laughter, "HAHA! No wonder Vira wanted her so badly! Interesting, interesting!"

I feel like I'm missing something here.

Should I know this Vira?

The Headmaster felt the same as me and asked, "What do we owe the pleasure to your visit?"

"Oh yeah!" She spun down and fiddled through Marx's clothes, "He called me here to assist with your problem."

The Headmaster didn't understand, "What problem?"

Swordmaster motioned to my mother, "That ghost attached to her."

My mother's face paled in shock, "Wait-"

The Swordmaster continued, "It's quite a vicious one. She's very aggressive and loud. I'm surprised you even survived up until now."

My mother looked at me in a panic, "R-Reika-"

I averted my gaze away from hers and bit my lip consumed by guilt.

It wasn't much of a shock since I had already found out yesterday that she was hiding it from me.

The Swordmaster continued to speak still looking through Marx's clothes, "Alas, that's the cost of stealing another's body. Unfortunately, you tied her fate to yours when you took over so even if you relieve the ghost of their resentment, you wouldn't be free."

Cyrus's eyes widened, "Wait. Body stealing?"

Rebecca took a sip of coffee, "I love family secrets."

My mother looked between me and the Swordmaster, "I-I can explain."

I scoffed, "She was already kind enough to explain."

The Headmaster shouted at the Swordmaster, "You can't just go around saying those things!!"

The Swordmaster finally found what she was looking for and pulled out a necklace with large amethyst jewels on it. From the outside, it looked like just expensive jewelry, but I could feel something ominous radiating off of it.

It filled me with dread and caused me to step back unconsciously.

The Swordmaster stood up, "Is there something wrong with what I said?"

The Headmaster glared so threateningly, the room iced over. He spat out, "It could get my family killed."

The Swordmaster still didn't seem to get it, "Get killed? For what?"

I shouted in annoyance, "Necromancy is a crime!!"

"It… It is?" For a brief moment, a flash of sadness passed through her eyes, "That's… Oh."

Did she not know?

She pursed her lips but snapped out of her thoughts. She looked through the necklace, eyeing it closely.

She whistled, "Say what you will, but he's always been a master craftsman. This will work perfectly."

We all watched as she took out a dagger from her waist and walked over to my mother, "Hand."

My mother reached out in confusion and the Swordmaster cut open her palm to drip the blood onto the necklace.

The Headmaster grabbed my mother protectively and pulled her away from the Swordmaster, "What do you think you're doing!?"

The Swordmaster ignored them and casually rifled through her pockets and pulled out a bottle full of strange-looking sand. She whistled as she spread it out, making a magic circle as she went.

Even though it was weird, I was still curious, "What's that?"

She responded matter of factly, "Ashes from corpses."

"..."

I regret asking.

After finishing the circle, she looked past my mother's shoulder and held out the necklace, "Come to me."

None of us could see anything except emptiness past my mother's shoulder. However, my mother gasped as she saw Red leave her side and appear in the magic circle.

Now that she was in the circle, Red was visible to all of us.

…Although she looked less like a living person and more like Spector.

In fact, you couldn't even see her legs.

Red stared at the necklace as if entranced. She reached out to touch it, and as soon as she made contact, her body was stuck inside.

The ashes were blown by a strong force, covering us all head to toe.

I started hyperventilating, "Gross gross GROSS!"

Swordmaster let out a breath, causing part of the ashes on her body to disperse into the air.

The Headmaster grumbled and used his wand to clean everything up.

Swordmaster walked over to my mother and put the necklace on her, "Her soul is now contained. You must keep this on you at all times. If it leaves your neck, that ghost will be released again."

My mother asked, "What exactly does that mean?"

Swordmaster grinned, "You don't have to get tortured by her anymore. I've successfully stored her away to give you peace."

My mother was completely shocked by this revelation, "W-What!?"

She nodded, "That body is yours now."

My mother's lips trembled, "But… It's not! It's not my body. I'm just occupying it."

Swordmaster paused and looked her up and down, "What are you talking about? That ghost willingly gave over her body. If anything, it's a gift."

This time, I was surprised, "She willingly did!?"

Then when I used the spell…

That's right.

Now I remember.

She was all too eager to follow my plans.

Swordmaster sighed, "It's such an admirable thing. As for why she tortured you afterward, I assume she's just a b*tch."

…Well that's not wrong.

My mother was still not convinced and shook her head, "Even if it was a gift, I occupied this body by force, ultimately taking away her life. It will never be mine."

The Swordmaster's face fell as she looked at my mother with sharp eyes, "And what about your daughter?"

I flinched.

Why am I being brought into this?

Her voice was oddly irritated, "Do you not see that girl as your own daughter? Do you see her as a parasite? An intruder?"

The Headmaster was genuinely confused, and upon seeing how all of us seemed to be in the loop and he wasn't, he was confused further.

My mother's eyes widened, "I-I don't! She is my daughter! My one and only!"

The Swordmaster pressed her lips together, "Then don't say those things."

My mother's gaze fell to the ground, "I never… Thought about it like that."

"Well!" Swordmaster walked over to Cyrus and me as she talked, "I have things to do, so I'll be seeing you."

Swordmaster casually reached out to pluck a hair from both Cyrus and me.

"Ow!" I rubbed my head, "What was that for!?"

She hummed as she walked out, "I will return as soon as I finish that sword for you."

As quickly as she arrived, she left.

I looked at everyone else, "What just happened?"