"Don't worry, we don't have any bad intention," Marina said. Well, indeed I could not feel any evil aura from them. There was no speck of miasma in their astral body. It was weirdly amazing.

The other ghosts showed a smile when I was looking at them. Well, I guess it was a smile on their face... The refreshing young man ghost was easy to identify, but the others were a bit... hard to read. The bearded man's expression looks severe, mainly because of his beard. And the other two, this was the first time I saw their race, so I was not really confident in reading their expression.

"I don't mind talking here, but is it not better to talk somewhere more comfortable? Another undead might come here as well after all." Marina cut my train of thought.

She was right. My mana almost depleted after the fight, I won't be able to face any undead at my current state. Alright, I guess I should hear them out for now.

I brought them to my base.

"To think there is still a gazebo left after that war. It is kind of a miracle, don't you think so?"

Only Marina who keep talking with me. The others were silent. As if observing me. It is kind of unsettling to have many eyes observing me. Though somehow I did not feel uncomfortable at all.

When I about to place the staff in my usual place, I noticed that what in my hand was the green stick I picked up, not my staff.

It is really comfortable in my grip, I did not notice. Only now I have the time to carefully looked at it. The length was about 1,2 meters. The bottom part was soft, but the upper part a bit uneven. I guess it was some kind of spear before and the tip was broken.

It was made of metal, but the color is dark green. I didn't know much about metallurgy, but I know it should be made from unusual metal. From the fact that it could fend off the attack of orc zombie, I know it was pretty sturdy. And yet, it was also very light.

Not as light as the feather of course. But light enough to doubt it was made from metal. It was only slightly heavier than my wooden staff. Ah, I forgot to recover the broken staff.

The little wisps quickly flew out of my robe when I sat down.

The ghosts look a bit surprised by that. The wisps floated around me. I gave them some mana I have left and they quickly ate that.

The wisps did not seem warry toward the ghosts. 

"Let's introduce ourselves first. As I said before, my name is Marina."

"Gon." The giant voice sounded heavy and deep.

"I am called Daag, young lass." It was the dwarf.

"I am Gerdan." The bearded man is the next.

"And I am Rex, young lady. Lovely to make you acquaintance," The refreshing young man smiled brightly. Or maybe that was just the light pass through him. Well, who cares.

So according to their story, they were adventurers of the town of Libell. One of many towns that have been destroyed in the tragedy fifty years ago.

This place. This forest was where that town was.

"This gazebo was one of many gazeboes that exist in the plaza. I remembered having lunch in them on my day off. Though usually we just eat in the bar."

Libell was a big town by the standard of that era. It was a trading town that dealing with the dwarf in the west, the elves in the east, and the giant in the south."

And yet it was razed to the ground in seven days.

The waves of monsters never slowed down in those seven days and nights, the adventures, knights, paladin, priestess keep falling one by one. Until none left in the end.

"We were among those adventurers."

They did not quite remember what happened after they died and how they became a ghost. But they still knew that ghosts appear because they have some kind of unfulfilled desire.

And after they talked with each other they finally remembered that during the night before the battle against the force of chaos, they complained at each other that they don't have anyone to inherit their skills and knowledge. It was kind of a waste to die without passing their experience to the next-generation, but since the battle is nigh it could not be helped.

"That was the only desire that we could think of," Marina concluded.

"So, that's why a successor is it?"

"Yes, my lady. We would be happy if you could become the bridge between us and the next generation. Although our capabilities as adventures not that high, we are confident in our craft." Rex interjects from the side.

It is not like I doubt their strength, it is the opposite, if they were pretty skilled, if ALL of them were pretty skilled, that would make it hard to fulfill their desire.

"So what was your specialty again?"

"I am a master of space magic." Marina declared proudly.

"Hammer," said Gon shortly.

"Battleax," said Daag.

"Greatsword." Gerdan also looks proud when said it.

"And I am one of the best magic swordsmen in the town, my lady," Rex added.

I hold my head.

"Let's say I agree with your request, do you think I could master all of them?"

"""""Ah!"""""

Mastering one technique may not be impossible as long as I took some time. But four combat techniques and one magic? Unlikely. Especially the magic. My blessing was light affinity 1, not space attribute.

I would not be able to become their successor without mastering their crafts.

"I don't mind helping you guys because I don't see any demerit on it. But that would apply only if I could do it. I can not promise to do something beyond me."

I said those sentences slowly. I have decided to help them, learning something new also not a bad thing in itself considering how weak I am now, but it would still if it is within my power. I can't do what I can't after all.

They showed a surprised expression then started to contemplating and then discuss among themselves.

Alright, take all the time you needed.

I took my lunch that I hide with a stone block and started to eat. Matron's food was always delicious.

Their discussion started to become loud.

Halfway through my lunch, Marina floated toward me with a triumphant expression. I put down my lunch.

"May I check your body, Lumie?" She smiled.

"Check?"

"Yup, whether you are suitable to learn space magic or not. 'As a girl, it is better if you learn magic than combat techniques. It is men's job to stand in the frontline!' was the conclusion we reached. So if you are suitable to learn space magic, that would take priorities."

Actually Marina was the one who pushed the idea. She coerced the others until they agree. The others could only smile wryly.

Well, it is true that they believed a girl should learn magic instead of physical combat.

"I don't have the blessing of space affinity though."

Let's be honest in the front so she won't be disappointed. Kind of late though.

"It is fine. You might not have that blessing, but you should have a natural affinity for space magic. I could feel it when I met you for the first time. I just need to check how good is it."

Marina looks triumphant when said that. So she was confident I would inherit her space magic all along?

That said, natural affinity is it? Why I never know.

Marina explained to me that although the wisdom orb could read the blessing from Goddess, it could not read the natural talents of people. Well, reading natural talent was no easy feat either. It needs a lot of practice and experience. And even then it might not 100% accurate.

"Give me your hands."

I put my hands in front of me, with the palm facing her.

She overlaps my hands with hers.

Suddenly I found some kind of energy flowed toward me. What is this? mana?

It flowed inside my body and then returned to my hand and disappear.

Marina expression turned weird.

"This-This!"

She seemed to contemplate something. Floating back and fro while muttering inaudible words.

In the end, she sighed, I didn't know ghost could sigh too, and face me.

"So?"

She pursed her lips.

"You have a great affinity with space magic. Roughly affinity 3 if converted to blessing."

It should be a good thing right? Then why she did not looks happy at all.

"But, you only have one magic vein, and it was almost completely tuned to light element."

Hmm? Another knowledge that I did not know.

"That means?" I tilted my head.

The explanation turned a bit long.

The magic vein was basically where the mana flow. The line connecting magic sources inside ourselves with the world.

Every living being has them, but the quality and the number of the vein differ for each person.

The quality of my vein was pretty good, but apparently I only have one magic vein.

In itself, it should not be a problem, but the magic vein have another trait: every time magic used through the vein, the magic vein would start to adapt to the magic, this phenomenon was called "tuning".

Tuning would make the flow inside the magic vein become smoother and has less residue, making the user could use magic faster and more efficiently. However, the magic vein would become more specialized. In other words, casting different elements of magic through the same vein would become more difficult. And when completely tuned, it is practically impossible to cast magic different elements with the one the magic vein tuned into.

And my magic vein has almost completely tuned into a light element magic vein.

It was because I only learned light element magic. In the future, I might be able to cast light element magic better, but at the same time, it would be hopeless for me to become a space magician.

Marina offered to forcefully revert my magic vein into space element since it is not completely tuned yet, however considering it would mean throwing away my light element magics, I refused. I still need the light element magic to defeat the undead.

Hearing my reason, Marina could only sigh dejectedly and returned to her comrades.

"That's too bad for you, Marina." And yet they did not seem sorry at all.

"Then that would mean you need to choose one of the weapons we use..." Gerdan trailing off because Rex suddenly floated toward me.

"You should become a paladin, my lady." Rex suddenly said that to me.

"Although I am a magic swordsman with fire and wind element, I could still teach you light element self-boost spells."

"The essence of magic swordsman and paladin are similar after all." A complacent smile appears in his face. 

I see, if it is a light element spell then it would not affect my magic vein.

The problem is whether I could use a sword or not. I never hold one after all.

But,

"Say, no matter who I choose, in the end, I could only resolve one regret, right?"

I have been thinking about it when I was eating.

"Then what would the others do? Wait for another person to reach this place?"

That's impossible. No one would have any reason to come here after all. I might be able to bring other children from the orphanage if they were still here, but there were only me left. And bringing children from nearby villages also seemed impossible. First the distance, second, I doubt any parent would allow their child to travel inside the dangerous death forest to learn from ghosts. Yeah, not happening.

Their expression changed. As if they just noticed that. Or did they really did not notice it?

"That's true..." Gerdan whispered.

Now that I think about it...

"Is it possible for you guys to leave this place?" I need to think from a different angle.

"I have never tried, but I don't think so. I couldn't feel the desire to leave this place." Said Gerdan.

"I feel the same. The desire to wait in this forest is stronger, and I do not think could go against it." Added Marina.

Dead end huh.

A way to make them fulfill all of their desire, but within my ability huh.

To be honest I wanted to learn. They were adventurers. I don't know how strong they are, but they should be more experienced than me.

But it would be impossible to become the successor of all of them. And yet choosing one would hurt my conscience.

"Must the lass chose one of us?" Daag suddenly said. "Actually I have been thinking. Do we really need a successor? Screw successor, I just want to teach someone my skills."

He floated near me.

"Say, do you want to learn how to handle battleax?"

I was dumbfounded. Is it alright?

"It would be a lie if I said I'm not interested."

"Then learn it from me. You could become successor from other than me, but I will teach you all you wanted to know about how to handle battleax, how is that?"

"I don't have to become your successor?"

"Nope."

"What if I am not good at it?"

"Then I could teach you something else. Hand on hand combat? Throwing? I could even teach you some blacksmithing if you are interested."

"Really!?" I guess that picked my interest.

"Same. Goes with. Me." Suddenly Gon floated near me. "Successor. Not. Necessary."

"Hammer. Is Great. Will. Show. You." He looked very proud of it.

"Yes please!"

Gerdan, Marina, and Rex looked at each other dumbfounded. But it seemed they realized something too.

"Then me! I might not be able to teach you magic, but I could teach you how to face magic if you ever fought against magician!" Marina yelled.

"I will teach you about how amazing a greatsword is!" Gerdan jump to the boat.

"You guys don't leave me behind! I could teach you many things too, Lumie! Sword, body strengthening, spear throwing, archery, you name it!" Somehow Rex forgets to speak annoyingly.

"""""How about it?"""""

Is it really alright? I am not sure whether this would be able to appease their desire. Worst case scenario I might forced to purify all of them.

I looked at their expectant gazes.

I guess just need to work hard.

I took a deep breath, and smiled.

"If you are fine with me, please let me learn. All of it."

I guess it worked out for now.

Ah, I need to finish my lunch.