The haunted mansion

Hours melted away as Frey and Alex tackled the monumental task of cleaning the Whispering Willows mansion. Frey, armed with her magically enhanced Holy Broom and cleaning cloths, worked with a fervor that belied her initial grumbling. A faint lavender scent that was coming from the cloths gradually replaced the dust clouds that had previously obstructed the air. Cobwebs, long undisturbed, met their demise with satisfying snaps as Frey's broom swept across the vast spaces.

Meanwhile, Alex, ever the resourceful one, had discovered a peculiar ability. He called it "Building Mode," a skill that allowed him to summon furniture from seemingly endless storage back in his game. With a mischievous grin, he conjured comfortable armchairs, ornately carved tables, and even a plush rug for the foyer. Each piece materialized out of thin air, adding a touch of warmth and character to the previously desolate space.

As dusk settled, casting long shadows across the now-gleaming floorboards, Frey finally leaned against a newly summoned bookcase, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow.

"Phew, I think we made a dent in this place," she remarked, surveying their handiwork with a sense of accomplishment.

Alex, perched on a plush armchair, nodded in agreement. "Definitely! It actually feels kind of… homey now, wouldn't you say?"

Frey chuckled. "Homey for a haunted mansion, perhaps." Taking a moment to admire the progress, she admitted, "I have to give you credit, Alex. That Building Mode is pretty handy."

Alex puffed out his chest proudly. "Of course, it is! Back in the game, my kingdom was known for its luxurious furnishings. I figured a little comfort wouldn't hurt in this dusty old place."

Ding! A sudden chime echoed through the mansion, sending shivers down Frey's spine. She glanced at the clock that was always in there—it was midnight. Remembering Alex's words about the "playful residents," she eyed him nervously.

"Well," Alex drawled, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "looks like it's time to meet the midnight crew."

Frey swallowed hard. "Just… let's hope their idea of 'playful' doesn't involve throwing those new armchairs at us," she muttered, her voice laced with a hint of apprehension.

A soft groan and a faint giggle that echoed eerily through the halls came from the mansion's interior as the clock struck twelve. The cleaning may be done, but for Frey and Alex, the true adventure within the Whispering Willows mansion is just beginning.

A tense silence filled the air, broken only by the faint creaking of floorboards from somewhere deep within the house.

Frey cautiously placed the broom beside the newly summoned couch. A hint of vulnerability crept into her voice as she spoke, "Master..."

"Yes, Frey?" Alex responded, turning his gaze towards her.

"You know…" she began, her voice barely a whisper, "after all this time, I've always wanted someone to stand beside me on adventures. And now, thanks to you, I can finally feel the thrill of exploration." A small, genuine smile graced her lips as she looked down shyly.

Her words touched Alex, who responded with a warm smile. "Ohh? That's what's in your mind? That's good to hear, Frey. I'll take that as a compliment."

Frey continued to gaze at the floor, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks. The gruff and stoic demeanor she usually presented seemed to soften for a moment.

A sudden, playful "Wooo~" shattered the tense silence, causing both Alex and Frey to jump. A translucent figure materialized in the air beside Alex, its form swirling with an ethereal glow.

"Wooo, I'm a ghost!" it declared in a voice that sounded like a mischievous child.

Frey, with her keen senses, could see the spectral form clearly. However, a flicker of uncertainty crossed her face as she glanced at Alex. Could he see the ghost as well, or was he oblivious to its presence?

The ghost, undeterred by the lack of reaction from Alex. "Wooo-"

Before it could finish its ghostly wail, Alex's hand shot out with surprising speed, clamping firmly over its glowing mouth.

"You are so noisy," Alex muttered, his voice muffled through his hand.

The ghost, eyes wide with surprise, let out a muffled "Ack!" struggling against Alex's grip.

Frey's initial shock gave way to a mixture of disbelief and amusement. Clearly, Alex could interact with the ghost in some way. But his method of silencing it was... unconventional, to say the least.

"Hear me, you spectral prankster!" Alex boomed, his voice echoing in the vast hall. Despite the ghost being intangible, Alex's hand held it firm, effectively muffling its ghostly wails. "I, Alex, and my loyal friend and maid, Frey," he continued, gesturing towards a wide-eyed Frey, "have spent the entire day battling dust bunnies and cobweb demons. We are weary and in desperate need of some peace and quiet!"

The ghost, its translucent form shimmering with a mix of fear and surprise, struggled against Alex's surprisingly strong grip. "S-Sorry!" it squeaked out, its ghostly voice muffled by Alex's hand. Its eyes had lost the jovial glint and now bore a look of genuine terror.

Frey, still grappling with the surreal situation, couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. This wasn't quite the "playful resident" interaction Alex had described. In fact, the ghost seemed downright scared of the red-cloaked boy.

"See?" Alex addressed the ghost with a hint of satisfaction. "A simple apology is all it takes. "Why do not you dash off to wherever the ghosts go so that we, the exhausted travelers, can rest for a while?" With that, Alex slowly released his hold.

The ghost, as if freed from a terrifying ordeal, zipped across the room in a blur of translucent light. A faint, "Thank you!" echoed, and then the ghost go away. "That person so… I hope he die," before it went through a wall.

But then, with surprising speed, Alex's hand shot out once more, grabbing the ghost's spectral form just before it disappeared. "Where are you going?" he demanded.

"E-Ekk!?" the ghost shrieked, its voice returning to its original childish pitch. "I'm going to my room!"

"No," Alex declared simply.

"What do you mean, no!?" the ghost sputtered, its translucent form flickering in agitation.

"Stay here," Alex commanded, his voice leaving no room for argument.

The ghost, clearly intimidated, stammered, "...o-okay..."

Frey, still trying to process the bizarre turn of events, watched with a mixture of amusement and concern. Alex, seemingly unfazed by the situation, held the ghost's spectral hand as if restraining a runaway child. The ghost, for its part, appeared to be shrinking back in fear, its playful demeanor completely gone.

"But… but why?" the ghost whimpered, its voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to bother you anymore!"

Alex, however, remained firm. "We just spent a whole day cleaning this place," he explained, gesturing towards the now gleaming floorboards and dust-free furniture. "The least you can do is help us keep it that way."

The ghost's translucent form shimmered with confusion. "Help you… clean?" it echoed, its voice filled with disbelief. "But… but I'm a ghost! We don't… we don't clean things!"

A mischievous glint sparked in Alex's eyes. "Well, maybe you should start," he countered playfully. "Think of it as… paying rent for living here."

The ghost's spectral form flickered with indignation. "This is so embarrassing…" it mumbled, its voice laced with a hint of grumbling. "Getting bossed around by a human…"

Suddenly, the ghost's translucent form shimmered brightly, and a gasp escaped its spectral lips. With a jolt, it shot upwards, hovering a few feet off the ground.

Frey and Alex exchanged bewildered glances. What was happening?

Wuuusssh!

Then, the answer became clear. Everything in the vast hall seemed to vibrate for a moment before defying gravity. Chairs and tables lifted off the floor, books soared from shelves, and dust motes swirled in a miniature tornado. An invisible force was manipulating the objects, gathering them around the bewildered ghost.

The ghost, its form glowing brighter with each passing moment, stretched out its spectral hand. Dust particles, like tiny brown stars, converged on its fingertips, forming a swirling, shimmering cloud.

"Now throw it outside, Wisp!" Alex yelled, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of levitating furniture and swirling dust.

Wisp, the ghost, flinched at the sudden command. "W-Wisp? How did you know my name!?" she shrieked, momentarily losing control of the swirling vortex of dust particles in her hand.

A mischievous grin spread across Alex's face. "Just a little trick I picked up," he said vaguely, not revealing the source of his knowledge.

Seeing the chaos her telekinesis was causing, Wisp, despite her initial shock, understood the situation's urgency. With a determined glint in her translucent eyes, she focused her spectral energy. The dust cloud in her hand condensed, morphing into a tightly compacted sphere. With a flick of her wrist, she launched the dust ball towards a nearby window.

The window, miraculously unharmed, creaked open just enough for the dust missile to shoot through. A muffled "poof" sounded from outside, followed by a satisfied sigh from Wisp. The furniture slowly lowered back to the ground, and the dust motes settled back into a lazy dance.

Silence, albeit a slightly dusty silence, descended upon the hall.

Frey, who had been cautiously observing the scene, let out a low whistle. "Well, that was certainly… unexpected," she remarked, a hint of amusement in her voice. "It looks like we have a ghost with a knack for telekinesis on our hands."

Wisp, now hovering sheepishly near the ceiling, cleared her spectral throat. "S-Sorry about the mess," she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. "I… I've never really tried doing that before."

Alex, chuckling at the sight of the flustered ghost, waved a dismissive hand. "Hey, no worries! It actually worked out pretty well. Consider it a trial run for your new cleaning duties."

Wisp's translucent form flickered in protest. "Cleaning duties? But… but I'm a ghost!"

Frey stepped forward, a small smile playing on her lips. "We can work something out, Wisp," she assured the ghost. "After all, it seems we're all stuck in this mansion together. You might as well make the best of it, right?"

Alex, walked closer to Wisp. "Here's the thing, Wisp," he explained. "Frey's is a maid who can clean this mansion alone with a broom, but this place is huge. Together, you two could clean it ten times faster. Think of it as a team effort!"

Wisp, her spectral form shimmering with uncertainty, considered the offer. "H-Huh… well, I don't see anything wrong with helping out a bit… but promise me one thing!" she pleaded, her voice gaining a touch of firmness. "Don't even think about exorcising me!"

A look of mock horror crossed Alex's face. "Exorcise you? Never! We need your… unique talents around here." He winked at Frey, who stifled a chuckle.

Wisp seemed mollified by this, a hint of relief washing over her translucent form. "Alright, alright," she conceded. "Let's give this 'cleaning duty' a try. But don't expect me to be dusting shelves anytime soon!"

Frey offered a reassuring nod. "We can work with your strengths, Wisp. We'll figure it out together."

And so, an unlikely partnership was formed. The once-dusty halls of the Whispering Willows mansion now gleamed, thanks to the combined efforts of a red-cloaked boy with strange abilities, a stoic maid with a keen eye, and a mischievous ghost with a newfound talent for telekinetic dust removal.

***

"W-What now…" Wisp stammered, her voice barely a whisper. She hovered nervously, waiting for their next instruction, a flicker of suspicion crossing her translucent form. Her ghostly mind raced with anxieties. I hope they didn't want to take my family treasure. she thought with a pang of worry.

Alex, oblivious to Wisp's internal turmoil, grinned. "Hey Wisp," he called out, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Y-Yeah?" she responded hesitantly.

"Lead me to the biggest bedroom," Alex requested, his voice filled with an air of curiosity.

Wisp blinked, surprised by his request. "The biggest bedroom? O-Okay, come here." With a hesitant nod, she propelled herself upwards, her translucent form shimmering faintly. Glancing back at Alex and Frey, she beckoned them to follow as she drifted towards the grand staircase.

As they ascended the stairs, Frey leaned in towards Alex, her voice barely a murmur. "Biggest bedroom, huh? Any particular reason?"

Alex's grin widened. "Just making myself at home," he declared, his voice laced with a hint of mischief. "After all, someone's gotta sleep in style, right?"

Frey chuckled softly. "Well, do what you like, master," she replied, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Though, I wouldn't recommend getting too comfortable. This place has a way of… surprising you."

Wisp paused at the top of the stairs, hovering before a set of imposing double doors. She pushed them open with a soft creak, revealing a large bedroom beyond. "Here," Wisp announced, gesturing into the room.

"This is the biggest bedroom. We haven't cleaned it yet, but thanks to you, Wisp, there's no dust to deal with." Alex scanned the spacious room, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Well this is impressive," he remarked, stepping inside and taking a look around.

Wisp, relieved they weren't after her treasure, let out a small sigh. "Y-Your welcome…?" she mumbled, unsure of their next move.

Alex walked over to the wardrobe, his eyes widening in surprise. A faint blue shimmer, visible only to him, outlined the wooden frame:

[Rusty Wardrobe, You wish to take this into your inventory?] (Yes)/(No)

A mischievous grin spread across Alex's face. This ability of his, his "inventory" as he called it, seemed to work within the mansion! He glanced at Frey and Wisp to gauge their reactions before making a move.

Seeing their curious expressions, Alex decided to have a little fun. He tapped the glowing "Yes" option with his finger, and the wardrobe shimmered once more. Then, with a soft whooshing sound, it vanished completely.

Wisp's translucent form flickered in shock. "W-Wait! Why you do that?" she shrieked, her voice laced with panic. "How did you make it disappear?"

He sauntered over to the grand bed, its ornately carved headboard beckoning. The same blue shimmer flickered into existence around it, accompanied by the familiar prompt in his vision. A devious plan hatched in his mind.

[Rusty Bed king size, You wish to take this into your inventory?] (Yes)/(No)

Before Wisp could fully register the wardrobe's disappearance, Alex tapped "Yes" again. The bed, like its predecessor, shimmered and vanished into thin air.

Wisp shrieked, her ghostly form trembling with outrage. "W-Waittt! Don't make them gone!" she cried, her voice echoing through the vast chamber.

Ignoring Wisp's pleas for now, Alex sauntered towards the window, his eyes fixated on the dusty curtains. Sure enough, the telltale blue shimmer materialized around the fabric. A mischievous glint shone in his eyes as he considered the next item for his inventory.

[Rusty Curtains, You wish to take this into your inventory?] (Yes)/(No)

He hovered his finger over the glowing "Yes" option

"W-Why!? That's my old family bed…"

"Don'tworry, it just saved on my 'inventory'" alex answer wisp

"Inventory…?"

"You woulndt know it, don'tworry, I respect you ill put the interior at the basement."

And then alex open inventory of "Building mode" as then he put some new bed, curtain, wardrobe.

"W-Why!?" Wisp shrieked, her voice laced with despair. "That's my old family bed…" Tears welled up in her spectral eyes, a sight that would have surprised anyone who thought ghosts couldn't cry.

Alex, seeing the genuine distress on Wisp's form, faltered slightly. He hadn't meant to cause her such pain. "Don't worry," he reassured her, his voice softer than before. "It's not gone forever. I just… well, I have this ability," he tapped his temple with a finger, "where I can store things in a kind of magical pocket space. I call it my 'inventory.'"

Wisp's translucent form shimmered with confusion. "Inventory…? Sounds complicated."

"It is a bit," Alex admitted with a sheepish grin. "But the point is, your bed is safe. I can take things out whenever I want. In fact…" He tapped a glowing icon that had appeared in his vision, a replica of the vanished bed. "See? It's right here."

Relief washed over Wisp's form, the tears in her eyes fading. "Oh…" she breathed, a hint of wonder replacing the panic. "That's… that's amazing! I've never seen anything like it."

"Pretty cool, huh?" Alex puffed out his chest a little, enjoying the newfound respect in Wisp's voice.

Frey, who had been watching the exchange with a smile, decided to intervene. "Alright, that's enough playing around for now, Alex," she said gently. "Its already night, we should fast."

Alex glanced around the now-empty room, a playful glint still lingering in his eyes. "True enough," he conceded. "But hey, at least now we have a head start on decorating my place, right?"

With a thought, he accessed his "Building Mode" again, the familiar menu appearing in his vision. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he started selecting items.

"New bed, check," he muttered, conjuring a plush four-poster bed that materialized in the center of the room. Rich drapes materialized on the windows, replacing the dusty curtains Alex had vanished. A sturdy wardrobe, far from rusty, materialized against the wall, offering ample storage space.

Wisp watched in awe as the room transformed before her eyes. "You can just… make things appear?" she gasped.

Alex chuckled. "Within limits, little ghost?"

Wisp's spectral form shimmered with a newfound hope. Perhaps, just perhaps, this unlikely partnership wouldn't be so bad after all.

***

The next day dawned, sunlight streaming through the newly installed windows of Alex's room. Gone were the dusty panes and cobwebs; in their place, sparkling glass offered a clear view of the overgrown gardens beyond. Alex, no longer sporting his red cloak, was nestled comfortably in a plush four-poster bed, a far cry from the dusty floor he'd initially envisioned sleeping on. He was fast asleep, clad in a pair of comfortable pajamas, the faint blue glow of his "inventory" icon barely visible on his temple.

Across the hall, Frey stirred in her own room. Similar to Alex's, it had undergone a magical makeover. Fresh paint adorned the walls, dispelling the gloom, and a comfortable bed, conjured by Alex's mysterious power, awaited her. She also wore pajamas, her usual stoic expression softened by a hint of contentment.

Down in the shadowed depths of the basement, however, a different scene played out. Wisp, the resident ghost, hovered near a pile of dusty furniture. Unlike the renovated upper floors, the basement remained untouched, a dark and unwelcoming space. Here, amidst the cobwebs and gloom, Wisp had chosen to make her bed. Nestled amongst the items Alex had removed

from her former room, including the old family bed, she shimmered faintly, a flicker of sadness in her spectral form.

Despite the comfort of the familiar furniture, the basement offered little solace. The silence was heavy, punctuated only by the occasional drip of water or creak of settling floorboards. Wisp missed the warmth and light that filled the upper floors, a testament to the unexpected changes Alex had brought about.

< Chapter 24 > Fin.