Chapter 9: Interlude— Waiting

It was an another day. And an another normal day for Noah. During the previous years, Noah didn't bother on keeping track of the time as a ghost. He felt that there was no sense of it while he was wallowing on his grief towards the villagers and his parents, but now that the Merchant who cursed and killed the villagers was gone, he soon better to keep track of time as a way to alleviate his boredom.

It's been one week since the two eccentric humans have visited the village. Noah chuckled at the thought of him calling them humans. He was a person but he guess that he can't probably properly designated as a human now. It was now more proper to call himself as a ghost. The two humans were kind enough that they haven't attacked him. If it were other people, there was a chance that he would be mistaken as a monster and try to purify him instantly.

Noah was certain that those two are different. They are different in a way that he can't explain. Maybe it was because that they called themselves as Blessed Ones. They were something special and great. They were also weird. While talking to them, Noah felt a bit disturbed by their behaviors. And how the lady have casually told him their adventures of killing monsters and the Merchant. She was happy when she told her story.

It was really really disturbing. But Noah guess that as an adventurer, it was natural for people in this world to got used around the thought of killing someone that they can talk about it casually. This world is more complicated and dangerous than he originally thought while he was still indulging in his rose tinted view and fantasy dreams.

Guess what, having your parents and villagers in front of you can break the curse of your delusional fantasy dreams and twisted self ego. It can also make you feel old, tired and have your dreams broken. Plus, there was also the downside of mood swings, mental trauma and pessimistic thoughts.

Now that he thought of it, Noah suddenly feel like a certain someone in one of his favorite anime shows. It's just a pity that the killer of his parents and the villagers are a stranger instead of a brother. He doesn't also need to go to avenger route anymore since someone have taken care of the villain.

Noah smiled as he thought of the two humans while he was currently trying hard to clean up the mess on the village. Living as a ghost wasn't easy since he needed to control how his new body...uhh, spirit? (Is that what he was to call his body now) works. For the five years, Noah learned to try to keep his emotions control with his mood swings at bay. He also needed control when he would unconsciously phase through the objects, walls and even the grounds which have resulted him to be stuck many times. The Floating ability of him also need some control since the lack of ability to harness it have resulted him floating so very very high. Being a ghost has also given him the ability to disappear and appear whenever he wanted, making things float around him, touch objects or make them ghostly like him and other mental ESP psychic powers that you would only see in those supernatural TV shows. For the five years, Noah was training himself and now, he was still controlling his abilities as he was certain that he hasn't barely scratched the surface. He was just a beginner and he wasn't a very talented learner. He also discovered that he wasn't a genius.

After learning the defeat of the Merchant, Noah knows that he can't wallow in his grief anymore and five years was enough and it was time for him to move forward. So, he need to do a bit of housecleaning first which was basically cleaning the whole village of It's sad and haunted feeling. The whole village looks like a ghost town– eh, village.. No pun intended.

Items floated towards the pile of items. Noah sighed in relief when he seen the item along with the other cursed items gathered together forming a heap of 'trash' as Noah aptly dubbed them. There was even a signage labelling it as [Caution: Trash – Do not touch or you will risk gaining a cursed resulting to death and corruption ]. For now, Noah decided that they would be staying in the center of the village where it was only a wide vacant land until Noah found a better place where he can hide and store them. Even through they are the caused of death of his parents and the villagers, Noah can't bear to get rid of them. He really hated the cursed items but he currently doesn't have the ability to destroy them. He wasn't even certain if he would ever manage to get rid of them. Noah hated the cursed items but he can't bear to throw them away. The items reminded him of everyone, and Noah knows that getting sentimental with the cursed items is very wrong and twisted.

Maybe he wasn't right in the head anymore as a ghost. Noah was certain that even as Noel, he was a closet little bit of mental. And before he become a ghost, being given a chance of reincarnation have heightened his delusions and self ego.

After the death of everyone in the village, he contemplated for a bit while wallowing in grief and guilt plus trying to live as a ghost. He realize how delusional and self egoistical he is. It was horrible and Noah felt a self disgust growing inside him when he realize his thoughts before.

Noah would made to become a very very horrible Protagonist of a story. He wasn't fitted to the role. If there was a role that fitted him in any story, it was fitting for him to become a small time villain. A cannon fodder for the protagonist to show his greatness and a cannon fodder like him would be destined to be face slapped and become a stepping stone.

Now that the Merchant is dead, Noah thought that he wasn't suited to become someone who was great. He would never dare to become someone who was different and special again. He would ignore the feeling of loss in his subconscious. Noah would just want to live simply now and remain as a background character.

There was a sense of dejection everytime he thought of his Fantasy Dreams. Learning Magic. Becoming a Hero. Someone who was famous and popular. To become the chosen one of this world to defeat the evil. Destined to be great and special. Have a reliable companions. Becoming powerful and learning unique type of magic that only belongs to him. Those are just one of the things that was included in his Fantasy Dreams.

Those things started with feeling of emptiness. Just because he found someone lacking in him that the others have. Then it become an envy for those special people as Noel in his first life. Next was greed that has started from the afterlife and continued in this world. Now, there was only the sense of melancholia.

It was sad. Dreams are a part of his life.Noah can't be selfish. Look what his greed have resulted? Noah can't be selfish. So that's why even if the Merchant is dead, Noah can't leave the village. Forever, he would remain here. Until he dissolve to particles. A strange death phenomenon that all happens to the being of this world.

He would remain as a simple person. Even it was a bit impossible in his current state. He was a ghost and he would try to live normally as possible.

Determined in his simple dre– goal, Noah's first goal was making the village to have a new start again. For the first week after meeting the two humans, Noah had manage to moved the cursed items and gather them to a pile of trash. He hoped that when the two humans visited again, they wouldn't dare to touch the items. It was cursed and it would be dangerous for them. He wouldn't also allow them to touch those things since they belong to the villagers and his parents (mine). He hoped that other than those two humans, he would gain another acquaintances. Maybe, the next time that they would return, they would have another humans with them when they entered the village. He have been socially starved for the past five years and he have been longing for some conversation partners.

Talking towards the dead villagers and his parents aren't healthy for him.  It would just made him more mental. Talking to things and animals who would occasionally pass by to the village is also a no. And monsters are in the last of his list as meeting them have resulted on them being hostile and attacking him instantly. He didn't know that as a ghost, he would have an instant passive aggro skills.

The two humans– more like the lady has said that they would visit the village again. Noah was looking forward on meeting them again. And he hoped that if they brought back some humans with them, they would be kind as them. He truly wonder why they didn't mistaken him as some kind of monster, a wraith or an undead. He doesn't seen any hostility when he have revealed himself. They didn't have attack him which Noah was secretly thankful for his luck and blessed those two humans for their 'kindness'. Noah grimace at the thought of their eccentric behavior and how those two siblings treated each other.

Noah would wait and welcome them. He was certain that they wouldn't bring other humans to him so that they can purify and exorcise him.

For the one month, Noah's goal was making the village turned into a new life. He have clean and renovated the village using his 'psychic abilities' as Noah have dubbed them since they are really very similar like those supernatural TV shows. Every nook and cranny of the village isn't spared. For one month, Noah have done a non stop cleaning spree. He didn't rest or stop as he doesn't need to rest or feel the feeling of tiredness. He was a ghost, he doesn't feel tired or sleepy. He would just a remain as a ghost and having the ability to don't feel week with the continuous use of his abilities. It was just that there are certain certain times when he would slip out of his control. Noah doesn't like those moments and he made more mess in the village because of it.

When the cleaning spree in one month finally ended, Noah was satisfied with his work. The village didn't give off the feeling of being haunted anymore. Broken windows, doors and things are repaired with the use of his abilities by hard work and DETERMINATION.

Thankfully, there is no LOVE and EXP added on it. And there is no human arriving on the village on the form of a little child who wouldn't speak.

Hmmmm...Now that he thought of it, aren't those two humans are considered the 'human' in that game and him as the monster. Noah hoped that those two would continue in their pacifist route and there would never be a genocidal route. Noah was amused by his silly and nonsense thoughts and think that it wouldn't be possible for him to die since he was a ghost. But maybe he would be weak to light magic attacks and Noah wouldn't wanted to try that possibility and bath himself in holy light.

No. Just no. Noah wouldn't wanted to be completely wiped out from the existence. He was already dead...Undead? He doesn't want to completely die. He still wanted to live even as a ghost whose life was basically compose of boredom and practicing.

When the second month came, Noah have become interested in fortifying the village walls and gates lately. Noah thought that the two humans were taking their time. They were probably busy in their adventure since they said that they are blessed ones. He was looking forward towards the tales of their adventure that they would regale him.

The fifth month, Noah was busy in cultivating and tending his garden. Noah was still waiting for the two humans.

The eight month, Noah was browsing through the books and all of the possible knowledge that he can acquire within the village.

One year has passed.. Noah look at the distance and the forever vast sky. Unconsciously his fist clenched.

He was still waiting...

One year and two months..

One year, half months..

Two years..

Two and a half..

Three year...

The lady never promised anything.

She just said soon..

When is that soon?