Ability Test II

"ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ɪᴛ," she exclaimed, "ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴀɢᴇ, ᴀʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ʏᴏᴜ?"

"No, sorry to disappoint," I then added, "at least I don't think I am."

To be honest, for a second I had thought that too, because no matter how I viewed it, this whole ordeal was akin to magic.

Agnes, the real one, turned towards me, her hair hanging like curtains down her face, "ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ sᴜʀᴇ?"

"No."

I mean, in the first place, how would I be able to tell whether I was using magic or not. Of course, when it was something simple as spewing fire or bending water, then I could more or less guess, but when it came to more abstract ones, I would be lost.

"ɪғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴍᴀɢᴇ." She chimed in.

"Oh, you know about magic," I brushed her hair aside.

She nodded her head, her chin thus inadvertently hit my chest evertime she moved, "ᴏɴʟʏ ʀᴜᴅɪᴍᴇɴᴛᴀʀɪʟʏ," she moved her body closer, as if shielding from the cold winds, "ᴀɴʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ʙʟᴇssᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ᴜsᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴀ ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴ ᴘᴀɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴍɪɴᴅ, ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜᴏᴛ ɪʀᴏɴ ʙʀᴀɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʀᴀɪɴ," she poked my head with her pointy finger, "ʀɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ."

Her upper body was resting on mine, especially her face lay on top of my chest, folded onto me. She entangled her legs with my own. Every time she moved around, I could feel her warmth shifting, and when our skin touched, a slight suction would adhere us together.

"I see, good to know."

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴡ? ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪᴛ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ?"

"Yes you got it."

",ᴜɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ" her smooth cheeks rested on my chest, "ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ᴀ ᴘᴇᴀsᴀɴᴛ?"

"Hmm, a peasant? Well from the place where I am from, we don't really distinguish between peasants and nobility," I tilted my head, "but I guess I was closer to the first one."

"ɪ'ᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴏғ sᴜᴄʜ sᴜᴘᴇʀsᴛɪᴛɪᴏɴ, ɪɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʜᴇʟʟ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛᴇᴅ sᴏ ᴅɪsᴏʀᴅᴇʀʟʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ɪᴛ ɪs ᴀ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ sɪɴɴᴇʀs ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ. ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴀʀɪsᴛᴏᴄʀᴀᴄʏ, ɪ sɪᴍᴘʟʏ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ғᴀᴛʜᴏᴍ ɪᴛ," she then laughed, "ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ɪɴ ɪᴛ ᴍᴀʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ғɪᴛᴛɪɴɢ ʜᴏᴡ ᴀ ᴍɪxᴇᴅ sᴛᴀᴛᴜs ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ sᴛᴜᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅ ʙʏ ɴᴏɴᴇ."

"As I said, I'm not from hell," I yelled and pinched her butt, "don't let your imaginations run wild."

"ᴏᴡ," she shouted and retaliated by biting my breast, a rather impulsive act, as she regretted doing that immediately after, "ɪᴛ ɪs ᴜɴғᴀɪʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ sɪᴍᴘʟʏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ʜᴏsᴛᴀɢᴇ. ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇxᴛᴏʀᴛɪᴏɴ?"

"It doesn't seem to stop you," I uttered grumpily and soothed the pain with my hands. She left a bite mark even though I was wearing clothes, "but doesn't it feel like you have turned more docile?"

"ɪ sɪᴍᴘʟʏ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪsᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀ," she then gently placed her hands on my neck and wrapped her cold fingers around it, "ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ɪ ᴘᴜʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴇ, ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴏᴏᴅ," she asked with an enchanting smile.

"To be honest," I pressed her hands further down my neck, "I expected a person with your background to have such low self-esteem, that you wouldn't say a single word. I thought you'd keep your head lowered trying to stay as unnoticed as possible. Your presence has really broken my expectations."

She stared at me with a baffled look, "ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴍɪɴᴄᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅs, ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ?"

"What's the point when you can read my thoughts?"

"ғᴀɪʀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ," she then added, "ᴛʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴀsᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴀᴄᴋ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏғ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ?"

"Huh," for the first time since I came to this world, I was berated, "I don't get what you are implying."

"ɪғ ɪ ʙᴇʜᴀᴠᴇᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sᴀɪᴅ, ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ? ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴘᴇʀsᴇᴄᴜᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ, ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴄᴀʟʟɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ? ɴᴀʏ, ᴏғ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ɴᴏᴛ." She spat a mouthful of air, her expression was dark, "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ɪᴛ ᴅᴏ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ɪɢɴɪᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴛɪɴᴅᴇʀ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛs. ᴛʜᴇɴ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɪ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴛᴀʟɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀʀᴋ ʟᴏᴜᴅᴇʀ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ɪᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴜᴅɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴘᴀssᴇᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇɴᴅ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʜɪɢʜᴇʀ" she talked slower, her voice tasted bitter on my throat, "ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍʏ ᴘʀɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜᴄʜ ɪs ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ᴊᴜsᴛɪᴄᴇ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ɪᴛ ɪs ʙᴜᴛ ᴀ ᴘᴀssɪɴɢ ᴠᴀɪɴɢʟᴏʀʏ."

Her eyes when she talked, burned brightly and melted my mouth shut.

I saw that she fully understood the meaning behind her sentences. A person who couldn't keep their arguing when being reprimanded, would only get chewed more thoroughly. It wasn't fair, and one would feel even more indignant when it was not their fault, but that's just how the world was designed.

I couldn't imagine what kind of creative punishments she had faced, living her life that way. But I saw it, she was a girl with dignity. Impulsive of course, but also strong.

"ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍɪɴᴅ ɪs ʀɪɢʜᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴍʏ sɪɴɢʟᴇ, ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴍᴀɴ, ɪs ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴀᴠᴀɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ sɪɴs ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴍᴇ."

"You've been through a lot," I touched her back which felt like clay, "but I am here now, so you don't have to carry these burdens alone."

She scoffed and turned her head away, "ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀʟғ-ʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴘɪᴛʏ," she gritted her teeth.

"I meant it, though. If there was one thing I could emphasize with, it's rebels who didn't fit societies rules," I squeezed her face and pulled it towards me, I wanted her to look at my eyes which were filled with innocence, "truth be told, I had prepared a show, a small play, but nevertheless fun, because I thought you might pass on if I cleared your lingering regrets. However since you are still alive, you get to witness it firsthand. Aren't you lucky?" I told her, with an excited voice that couldn't stay on pitch and a reassuring smile.

The girl stared at me with her mouth and eyes wide, "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ?"

"What self respecting entertainer spoils his own act?" I shook my finger, "Instead, we should clear another obstacle first, which is our current situation."

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ, ʜᴇʏ, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴇɴᴅ ɪᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ," ɪ sᴀɪᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ.

ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴀʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀ sᴜᴄʜ ᴡᴏʀᴅs— ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғɪɴᴅ ᴅᴇʟɪɢʜᴛ ɪɴ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ; ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ sᴜᴄʜ ᴠɪʟᴇ ɪᴅᴇᴀs ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ᴏᴜɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ɢᴜɪʟᴛ. ᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴅᴇᴛᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ғʀᴏᴍ ɢᴏᴅ. ɪ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ғɪɴᴅ sᴀʟᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴘʀɪᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴍᴏᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴜɴʜᴏʟʏ ʜᴇᴀᴛʜᴇɴ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ, ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏɴɢᴇʀ ɪ ᴡᴀɪᴛᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ʜᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴅᴇʀ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ.

ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴡʜʏ ᴅɪᴅ ɪ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ?

ᴀʟᴀs, ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ, ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴍᴀɴɪᴘᴜʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ʜɪs ʙɪᴅᴅɪɴɢ. ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟ sɪɴ, ʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇ, ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴏғ ɴᴏ ᴜsᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ sᴡᴀʟʟᴏᴡ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ. ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ɪᴛ ᴀɴʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀʏ, ᴡʜʏ ʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀᴘᴘᴇᴀʀ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡɪsᴇ.

ᴍʏ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴɪɴɢ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ— ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴡʜʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʜɪs ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀs sᴏ sᴡᴇᴇᴛ?

"It is funny how you kept repeating that name, it reminds me of my old days. I guess if I was the devil, and you the demon, does that make you my child?"ʜᴇ sᴀɪᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴅ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀɴᴋᴇᴛs.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ," ɪ sᴀɪᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪʟʟғᴜʟʟʏ ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ.

ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ʜᴇ sʜᴏᴜᴛᴇᴅ,"Vera!"

ᴍʏ ᴍɪɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ sǫᴜᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ɴᴏ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴛᴏ ғɪʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs. ᴇɴᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴍᴀɪᴅ ᴄᴀʀᴇʟᴇssʟʏ ᴘʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ ᴏᴘᴇɴ, ᴀs ɪғ ᴇɴᴛᴇʀɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴏᴡɴ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ. ɪғ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀs sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴜᴛᴇ ᴛʀᴀɴsᴘᴀʀᴇɴᴄʏ ᴅɪsᴏʀᴅᴇʀ, ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʙᴇʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʀᴀsʜ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴs.

"Try talking to her," ʜᴇ ɪɴsɪsᴛᴇᴅ, "and don't mind her, she is just like that."

ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ. sᴛɪʟʟ, ɪ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʙʀᴏᴏᴅᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ʜɪs ᴍɪɴᴅ, sᴏ ɪ ᴘʟᴀʏᴇᴅ ᴀʟᴏɴɢ, "ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇʀᴇ," ɪ sʜᴏᴜᴛᴇᴅ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪᴅ (ᴄᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴠᴇʀᴀ ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴛᴏʟᴅ,) ʀᴏᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴏʀᴛʜ ᴄᴏɴғᴜsᴇᴅʟʏ, "ᴀɢɴᴇs, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ," sʜᴇ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ. ʜᴀᴅ sʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ᴍᴇ, ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ sᴜʀᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ sᴇᴇ ᴍᴇ.

ɪ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴘʀᴇᴄɪsɪᴏɴ, "ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅʀᴇss ʜᴀs ғᴀʟʟᴇɴ ʟᴏᴏsᴇ," ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴs ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ.

"Looks to me like she couldn't hear you,"ʜᴇ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ɢʀᴀsᴘᴇᴅ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅ, ʜɪs ғɪɴɢᴇʀ ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ, "what about now, can she see you?"

ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ.

ɪ sʜᴏᴜᴛᴇᴅ, "ɪ ᴀᴍ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟᴀɴᴋᴇᴛ," ʙᴜᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪᴅ ᴅɪᴅ, ᴡᴀs ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ, ʀᴇᴀᴄʜɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ, ᴜɴsᴜʀᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ ɪɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴍɪɴᴅ. ᴀ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ sʏᴍᴘᴀᴛʜɪᴢᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ, ɪғ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.

"She can't hear you and can't see you, how weird." ʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴜɴᴄᴏᴠᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ sᴘᴏᴛ ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴏᴜᴛᴇᴅ, "Vera, I am here."

Really, how weird.

So she was able to touch, but wasn't able to speak. And Vera couldn't hear her either. I thought for sure that her voice was resounding through the room, but it appeared that I was wrong.

I had several theories in my head for why that could be, but I wasn't sure which one was correct, if any of them was at all.

"For now, try touching her when she gets over here," I whispered.

"Geez Agnes, why are you hiding around, I almost couldn't find you," she walked towards me while sulking.

"I'm sorry," I said.

"It's alright," Vera moved closer, "as long as you are fine," she then pounced at me, panting.

I stood there silently while she rubbed her head on my body, as if marking her scent. At that point, I was already used to her actions and let her caress my body.

However, the real Agnes floated still in the air, frozen in time, by the unbelievable sight she was witnessing.

I broke her out of her stupor by glaring at her, indicating that she should move.

Reminded of why I called Vera in the first place, she contained her astonishment, and tried grabbing her head, at first without the both of us touching. And as expected, her hand went right through.

"Hey," Vera suddenly shuddered, "don't you feel like it has gotten really cold."

"Oh, not at all, I replied.

"Really, I feel a shiver run down my spine," she let go of me and looked around to see if there was anything unusual, "maybe it's just me."

Again, Agnes tried touching her, but unlike last time, she did it while her arms were embracing me.

I saw her touch Veras forehead, causing the maid to tremble, "so-something just touched me," she screamed loudly, her face instantly turning white. She stumbled and fell on her butt, her teeth clattering. But mustering all the courage she had, Vera still managed to grab me and hugged me tightly, "something strange is going on."

I looked at her with my glowing eyes, "you asked why I was hiding, right," I said, "it's because I think the house is haunted by a ghost."

"A, ah ghost," she repeated, "Agnes, don't scare me like that."

"It's the truth. In the night I would hear wailing sounds and every time I wake up, I would see that my stuff had been moved around. One night, I was awakened by scratching noises and when I looked for the source, I saw a woman with long, disorderly hair staring at me through the window."

"Hiih," she sucked in a mouthful of air, "Agnes, come with me, let me get some salt, and prepare a flask of holy water, we shall drive that demon away."

"But I'm scared to walk out, why don't you do it, and I will wait here."

"It's too dangerous," she reprimanded, but seeing my sullen expression, she caved in, "alright, I understood, don't move anywhere until I come back though," she said with a determined voice and then ran out through the door.

I waited for a few seconds, until I couldn't see her anymore and said, "okay, let's see what we have gathered so far."

Agnes stared at me silently, with her mouth hanging low.

"Hello, are you still with us," I asked.

Afterwards she sighed, "ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴍᴇᴀɴ, ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ?"