Let’s play together at the haunted mansion

GUESTS!

Episode 4

Yes, miss.

What’s the remaining magical energy?

About 800… or so.

Is that enough? I calculate based on the amount of remaining energy, usage, and expected reserves, considering savings for emergencies…

– Philip.
Yes, miss.
Can you bring back about 3 to 4 reasonably healthy humans?
If I can borrow your doll, that should be possible.
– Good.

With my permission, Philip enters the wooden puppet. At the same time, the puppet grows larger, and Philip takes on a physical form. Taking a deep breath, Philip lightly checks his body and smiles.

“I’ll be back, miss.”
The time limit is tonight. If not, at least by tomorrow night.
“That’s a bit tight… but I’ll do my best.”

Philip tipped his hat and left the mansion. After waving him off, I turned to Sebastian and Miria.

We should prepare too.
Yes, miss.
What’s on the menu?
Miria bowed politely, while Sebastian asked.

I recalled the atmosphere of the people I saw when entering this city, their vigilance, and the location conditions. Considering all that, the optimal choice is…

The third attraction.
– Understood.

With a swish, Sebastian and Miria vanished like ghosts. Well, they are ghosts.

Anyway, I have to prepare too, right?
– Alright. Shall we get ready for the guests?
My hands began to gather magical energy.

* * *

“Hmm… I made a lot of noise, but…”

Philip scratched the back of his head as he exited the alley. Unlike the filthy backstreets of the slums, the main road was relatively clean. Numerous people were bustling about.

Unlike rural towns that quickly fall asleep after dark, this place was lit up like a festival.

“Free trade city, Filenia. It’s been a while.”

This city is a neutral zone between the Garen Empire and the Middle Kingdom, recognized for its unique geographical conditions as a massive delta between the great river Flamber and the Black Sea.

Due to its delta characteristics, crops grow well here, but Filenia’s advantage lies more in being an economic hub connecting the empire, the kingdom, and the island kingdoms of the Black Sea.

“Still, it wasn’t burning money like this before I died, 50 years ago.”

A city of wealth and gold where the lights never go out throughout the year. That’s Filenia.

After glancing around, Philip slowly began to walk down the main road.

“I thought things would have changed a bit in 50 years… but only the people have changed; the structure remains almost the same.”

Is that a relief?

Having come this far after making a big deal of it for the miss, it would be embarrassing if he couldn’t fulfill his role.

As he walked down the main road, memories of the past began to resurface.

“There used to be a stall run by Sandy over here. By now, she must be a grandmother. And over there was Brian’s weapon shop… it’s gone. Did they never find a successor?”

Nostalgic memories flooded back.

“Bianca… I should have married her back then. In the end, she died on the next expedition. Damn.”

For a moment, he thought about running away.

He had gained a physical form, albeit a puppet. Even if it wasn’t a proper life, he could at least live among people.

A dark voice whispered in his heart.

“Let’s leave! No one can stop you if you go now! Live a new life!”

To that, Philip replied, “It’s tempting, but I can’t do that.”

The miss, who hired him when he was a ghost unable to return to the afterlife, had shown him kindness. He couldn’t betray her like that.

Moreover, even without that kindness, working under the miss was more beneficial.

“After all, the pay is good.”

Yes, in this world, everything revolves around’money,’ doesn’t it? Of course, as a ghost, he didn’t need ‘money.’

Anyway, both’repaying kindness’ and ‘pay’ could be resolved by simply working under the miss.

Additionally, from what he felt while working under her, she was surprisingly a great employer.

Having experienced many employers as an explorer in his previous life, none cared for their employees’ pay, welfare, and work-life balance as much as she did.

“Though her temper can be a bit irritable…”

Ghosts generally have some issues with their personalities. It’s understandable since they all experienced death, right?

Even he felt his diligence had decreased compared to when he was alive. Whether it was because he lived too diligently or realized the futility of life, he wasn’t sure, but he could feel his diligence had lessened.

If he felt that way, it wasn’t strange for the miss, who experienced death at such a young age, to develop an irritable personality. It was fortunate it didn’t end worse.

Besides, compared to other employers he had in life, the miss’s hysteria was nothing.

“If possible, I’d like to settle down here.”

Of course, he had no bones to bury. After all, he was a ghost.

Anyway, as he followed the memories that occasionally surfaced, he soon found a familiar Tavern.

“The Pigsty Tavern. Wow… is it still operating?”

After 50 years, it looked older than he remembered, with some parts newly renovated, but it was undoubtedly the tavern from his memories.

Especially the wooden sign with a pig painted on it. As he looked at the knife marks drawn on it, a smile spread across Philip’s face.

He remembered making those knife marks while playing around, which led to his connection with the tavern owner.

After reminiscing for a moment, Philip quietly stepped inside the tavern.

“Hahaha! Yesterday, I…!”

“Bring more drinks here!”

“Hey! Does that make sense?!”

The tavern was bustling with people.

Merchants were drinking and boasting, mercenaries were competing to see who could drink more, and some were quietly talking while wearing robes, perhaps hiding something.

Amidst that, Philip quietly entered and sat in a corner.

“Owner! More drinks!”

“Shut up, you guys! Pay your overdue tab first!”

“Hahaha! I’ll pay you soon!”

As the drunken mercenaries placed their orders, a bearded middle-aged man, likely the tavern owner, burst out.

Philip’s face showed surprise as he observed the middle-aged man, who looked like a bandit.

“Adolf? That kid is running this place now.”

Though he looked older than he remembered, the overall shape of his face was similar enough for Philip to recognize him immediately.

Just as he was looking at the tavern owner in astonishment, the owner approached him after placing a drink on the mercenaries’ table.

“New customer? I don’t recognize your face.”

“Ah? Ah… right.”

Snapping back to reality at the owner’s words, Philip lowered his hat slightly and forced a bitter smile.

“Well, it has been 50 years. That kid was just a snot-nosed brat back then.”

It wasn’t surprising he didn’t recognize him. It was better if he didn’t. The things he was about to do wouldn’t be good for them.

After gathering his thoughts, Philip spoke nonchalantly.

“I’ll have good beer. Is there anything to eat?”

“Just got some good meat in. Want me to grill it for you?”

“Sure. If you can grill it well, that’d be great.”

“Hahaha! Alright.”

The owner, having grabbed a silver coin from Philip, disappeared back into the kitchen.

A moment later, Philip gulped down the beer in one go and exclaimed.

“Wow~! How long has it been since I had a beer like this?”

It was a pity he hadn’t known that having a physical body was such a great blessing before he died. If he had realized, he would have taken better care of his life to live longer.

The act of ‘eating’ which he hadn’t done in almost 50 years, filled Philip’s face with happiness.

“When the miss made the doll, I experienced eating once, but back then, it was just some wooden fruit.”

The sweetness he tasted back then was dangerously addictive, but this alcohol was the most dangerous.

Even though it wasn’t that great of a drink, just cheap beer, it tasted so good. Was hunger truly the best seasoning?

“Damn it! Hey, you! Did you get scammed?!”

“My thoughts exactly!”

“Huh?”

At that moment, loud voices began to rise from the next table.

Well, in this shabby tavern, there were hardly any tables that didn’t have loud conversations, but the noise coming from right next to him was different, prompting Philip to glance over.

Four young men were gulping down beer while grumbling.

“Is it some common scam gambling?”

From what he heard, one young man lost big in gambling, and his friends seemed to be venting their anger on his behalf.

“And the one who lost money… oh no. Did he dip into his parents’ business funds?”

Thanks to that, he seemed to be in quite a predicament.

Reporting it would be pointless without evidence, and such scams were common in big cities, so the guards wouldn’t help much.

Trying to win it back didn’t seem feasible either. Those young men were no match for the ‘players’ who worked in gambling houses.

Resolving it by force? The ones running those gambling houses were typically big players from the back alleys—assassins, mafia, black market types. There was no way they could handle that.

“Let’s see…”

Munching on grilled meat, Philip glanced at the four young men.

They didn’t look particularly strong, but they had decent builds. Moreover, their faces looked rough, and their actions seemed bold.

Each had a club at their waist, and one appeared to be hiding a blade in his clothing.

Considering they had just come from a gambling house, they looked like some thugs who would rob passersby.

“They look healthy… and their numbers are just right… It seems like there won’t be any repercussions if I mess with them.”

As Philip matched the conditions, a smile formed on his lips.

Having come into the tavern for nostalgia, investigation, and a little relaxation, he had found a suitable target in one fell swoop.

“Ah, that was good. Owner! Here’s the bill!”