CHAPTER 34: ROMCOM

"Heurgh!"

Stab!

"Hrggh!"

Stab!

Marsha stabbed the Gloomy Wraith over and over again with the rusty pitchfork, but it barely harmed it—the weapon held no mana whatsoever, so it was not effective. Frustration burned through her veins as she dropped the pitchfork, gathered mana into her fist, and slammed it into the Gloomy Wraith.

Initially, Deklan thought that Marsha was an innocent cutie pie.

But the way she put her entire weight into the punch suggested otherwise.

Deklan couldn’t help but wonder... Where did she learn how to punch like that?

For a good moment, Marsha kept punching it to the point that Deklan even started to feel sorry for it.

She was clearly angry, but Deklan didn’t know why.

Did she become violent because of me?

Deklan recalled what the system said and felt a heavy weight pressing against his chest.

He didn’t want to be the one responsible for shifting Marsha to the dark side.

Eventually, the Gloomy Wraith was banished.

"G-Good work, Marsha," Deklan stuttered, somehow feeling nervous—as he didn’t know what exactly made Marsha angry like this. He scratched the back of his head, laughing awkwardly, "I would’ve been in trouble if not for you saving me."

"Then..." Marsha glanced over her shoulder; her gaze was sharp. "Why didn’t you ask me to come?"

Ah... So that’s the reason.

Marsha was angry that Deklan didn’t ask her to come with him to venture deeper into the forest.

Earlier, Deklan had a feeling that she would be angry, but he thought nothing of it.

But that was the wrong move.

Deklan immediately rushed towards her, flailing his arm as she threw her face away—pouting.

"I waited for you for a minute, but you didn’t show up!"

"Hmph! You could’ve come to my house and wake me up."

"How can I disturb your beauty sleep? I wouldn’t dare! It’s bad for the skin if I disturbed you!"

"Just say it if you already want to abandon me."

"What?! Where did that even come from?"

"I saw you running back to your other place without telling me," Marsha pressed her lower lip outward, and folded her arms under her chest as a tear drizzle down her face. "What else would that mean other than you being bored with me and the hamlet already? You must’ve wanted to grow stronger silently so that you can leave quickly, right?"

Seeing her crying, Deklan placed both hands on his waist and sighed.

Instead of answering, he draped his arm over Marsha’s shoulders and pulled her toward the tree.

"W-What’s the meaning of this, young master?"

"Sstt... Stop resisting and follow me."

Deklan dragged Marsha toward the tree and took out the handphone that he bought from the shop.

It wasn’t the handphone he was hoping for; only an old model.

But it was more than enough.

"Look up," Deklan urged.

He raised the phone and pointed it toward them and the tree behind them.

"What is that, young master? And where did you take it from?"

"It doesn’t matter. Say cheese, for me. Cheese..."

"Cheese...?"

Click!

Deklan clicked the button multiple times and then pulled away from Marsha to see how it looked.

A chuckle slipped out of his lips as he showed the photos to Marsha.

"Why are you smiling so stiffly? It’s too obvious that I forced you to take a photo with me."

"W-Wha...? Young master, is that me?"

"Of course! Pretty neat, huh?"

Marsha took the phone and leaned closer, marveling at how vivid the photo was.

It captured her with Deklan’s arm draped over her shoulder, almost looking like a couple, and behind them, the Cursed Wraith Tree loomed—its sizzling mana rising like ghostly smoke, framing them in an eerie yet breathtaking scene.

Even Deklan was quite satisfied with the photos.

Other than Marsha’s stiff face, everything about them was good.

As someone from the 21st century, I have to keep proof that I’m actually here. Who knows—maybe I’ll even post it on social media someday. I’ve always wondered why the main characters in the stories I’ve read never even tried taking a photo when they supposedly came from modern times.

Who doesn’t take photos these days? Even kids at elementary schools already have phones.

Being in this new world alone, Deklan knew that it would get him mentally someday.

But if he treated this life as a vacation, it wouldn’t be that depressing.

And considering that he has the ability to collect Ghosts, having an album with the photos of all the Ghosts he has captured is a must. It was a shame that he hadn’t gotten the phone to take a photo of the Pale Night Lady.

It’s regrettable, but it’s fine.

Deklan smiled a little as he watched Marsha learning how to zoom in on the photo.

She was infatuated with it.

"Don’t think like that ever again," Deklan rested his hand on her head and messed her hair a little. "If I decided to leave the hamlet, I’m going to bring you with me. No chance that I’m going to leave such a cutie like you behind."

"Y-Young master, don’t speak like that... I’m shy," Marsha’s face turned red like a tomato again.

Deklan pinched her cheek.

And Marsha wailed like always.

I guess it’s good that she didn’t change too much after what she went through.

Deklan approached the Cursed Wraith Tree as it was time for him to reap the haul he worked hard for.

He rubbed his hands together in excitement.

"Right, time to rest first and cut this thing down!"

Deklan wanted to do it right away, but he forgot that he was suffering from Mana Deprivation and could not use his Conqueror Skill. In the next half an hour, he rested while Marsha tended to his wound with an innate ability that she has.

It was called Healing Touch.

Even though it’s good that she has that ability, Deklan couldn’t help but sneer at her.

A privilege for having an S-grade Spirit, while he was stuck with a pumpkin head.

Once he rested enough, Deklan stretched his arms and created an axe with the Ghost Conqueror skill.

"Young master, I can also help..." Marsha offered.

But Deklan raised an arm to stop her and casually took off his shirt, revealing a body a little more toned than before—a testament to his training and newfound strength. With a confident grin, he declared, "Let this fine specimen of a man cut down this fine specimen of a tree."

"Okay, young master," Marsha smiled acutely. "I’m cheering for you."

Deklan nodded squarely and began cutting down the tree.

Each time he swung, the thudding sound of wood reverberated through the air.

[Harvesting Cursed Object: 1% / 100%]

[...1,5% / 100%]

[...3% / 100%]

As expected, the Cursed Wraith Tree is hard to cut down, but dedication can cut down anything.

Halfway through, Deklan bent down and panted heavily.

"Young master, are you sure you don’t need any help?"

"No! Stay back! I’m raised right by Paul! I’m not going to let a lady dirty herself with a man’s work!"

Marsha chuckled at what he said.

How could he even refer to her as a lady when she’s nothing more than a peasant? But even so, it’s nice to hear.

"Oh, wait, I think you can help me with something..."

"What is it, young master?"

Deklan raised his index finger and tapped on his cheek teasingly, "What about a good luck kiss?"

"Young master... Please, restrain yourself," Marsha bashfully answered.

"What are you even acting embarrassed about? It’s not like you hadn’t done that before."

"It’s different! Please, continue your work. I’ll... I’ll give you one when you finish."

"Oh? A motivation? I didn’t know my cute Marsha is that sly!"

[Eugh... Kill me, please. Take me out of this romcom!]

Crack!

Deklan struck the tree trunk one last time as blood squirted onto his face.

Just like when capturing a Ghost, he could also harvest the Cursed Wraith Tree using his unique ability, the Ghost Conqueror skill. And with one final strike aimed perfectly at its core, the tree groaned loudly, its branches trembled as a haunting creak echoed through the air.

Leaves cascaded down like withered souls as the massive trunk began to fall.

"Timber!!"

Boom!

[Harvest complete!]

[200 Spooky Dollars have been rewarded.]

Deklan looked at the notice and wiped the sweat on his forehead, "Phew... That took a while."

Even though the 200 Spooky Dollars were what he wanted, he remembered that there should also be a Special Gloomy Wraith. He didn’t know what that meant, but he reckoned he could obtain a Ghost that was unique to this Cursed Wraith Tree.

Just then, something emerged from within the core of the Cursed Wraith Tree.

It was a bright pale light that shone like a small star.

Deklan glanced over to Marsha and realized that she couldn’t see it; she was still collecting the scattered Dusk Fragments that were left behind by the Gloomy Wraiths. Silently, he approached the bright light and stretched his hand towards it.

As soon as his hand touched it, the light shone brighter to the point of blinding him.

For a few seconds, he shielded his eyes from the light, and when it settled, he lowered his arm.

Deklan took a step back instinctively when two panels appeared before him.

[Special Ghost]

[Devour Special Ghost]

He was given two options, and since he needed a skill, he opted for the second option.

And the moment he picked the second option, two more panels appeared.

Did the Ward eat the Cursed Wraith Tree and produce this? It’s the only explanation.

...

[Pick one of the two Dimensional Fruits:]

[Fruit of Banshee Scream]

Rank: D

Description: Eat it, and the host will instantly learn the Banshee Scream skill. It allowed the host’s scream to create a soundwave that struck the enemies in a fan-shaped area like a physical blow, and impaired their balance for a few seconds.

[Fruit of Astral Strike]

Rack: C

Description: Eat it, and the host will instantly learn the Astral Strike skill. It allowed the host’s attack to directly impact the mana, not the physical body. It caused a critical hit to Ghosts and inflicted paralysis on Exorcists.

...

Deklan scanned the two skill options he was given.

He can only choose one of them based on the instructions above these options.

Besides the obvious choice that the Fruit of Astral Strike is of a higher rank than the Fruit of Banshee Scream, Deklan was also inclined to choose the second option, as it was more of an offensive skill than the first one.

It was his intention to find an offensive skill, and this one is not that bad.

"Critical hit or paralysis? Sign me the fuck up!" Deklan exclaimed as he picked the second option.

Almost instantly, the light materialized into a single pale green grape in his hand.

Deklan looked at it with a smile and flicked it into his mouth.

And as soon as the juice inside the grape splashed onto his tongue and slid down his throat, both of his eyes widened as information was drilled into his brain. Such a process should be painful as the mind is being overloaded with information.

But for a man who dwelled in the art of laziness, it doesn’t hurt at all.