Chương 23: Chapter 22: The Mystery of the Von Austig Manor

Micheal resisted the urge to whistle as he stepped into their abode. It was larger than he thought, furnished with a velvety sofa in the corner paired with a quaint pine table, and a crackling stone fireplace on the opposite side, giving off a homely warmth to the pale white walls. A small silver chandelier dangled from the ceiling, and vibrant portraits of the von Austigs hung beside the open windows. Every inch spoke of such unfettered luxury that it made his stomach churn in envy.

"I need to inspect your son's room," Micheal said.

"Right this way." Austig led them up the stairs to the second floor. His wife silently followed behind them. They walked down a wide hallway, passing by numerous pine and oak doors, until they reached the last one. Austig plucked a silver key from a tray on the wall and quickly unlocked the chamber door. He stepped aside with a nervous smile, as though telling Micheal to go first. They locked it? They're still afraid of that thing. I don't blame them. Micheal furrowed his brows and entered the room.

The first thing he saw was his reflection in a tall standing mirror directly opposite him. That's bad luck. He looked about, spotting a large white canopy on the right side, half veiled with long swirling red curtains. A large cabinet lay flush against the wall; a table and a few chairs were arranged on the other side. Micheal approached the only window and peered at the front garden outside; the ghouls were still clearing the snow.

"Could you recount the events of that day?" Micheal said.

"We… we've already told the other exorcists," Austig said.

"It is protocol. The supernatural is unpredictable, and at times things change and shift without our notice. You understand, do you not?" Micheal's lips curled into a frown. Austig quickly nodded.

"I understand, I understand." Micheal reached into his pockets, bringing out a tiny notebook and a pen.

"Maron. Write down what he says."

"Yes sir." Marco grabbed the notebook and the pen, and eagerly waited for Austig. Austig cleared his throat and began speaking.

"My son woke us up early morning; the sun had yet to rise. He told me he was seeing ghosts in his room. I'd thought he was drunk, but my wife here said he was telling the truth. We… we then went to the Church and had our place purified, and our son checked." Oh, so the wife is the Ghost Demihuman. Micheal glanced at the silent Erika. She makes herself pale with makeup; she must be a caitiff. She can't see ghosts, but she can sense their presence.

"Did your son describe the ghosts he saw?"

"He… he did." Austig glanced at Erika. Erika spoke out.

"They were tall, wretched things. Their mouths were split open, and they looked like beasts, he told me."

"And how many were there?" Micheal said, his expression unchanging.

"There were five," Erika said.

"I see, I see." Micheal rubbed his chin. Five's a lot for a house not even a century old. And the way she described it… it sounds like these ghosts died horrid deaths. Something's not right. Does this place have a history? Though… ghosts do tend to wander into places for no particular reason. Could be they were just unlucky.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" Erika gulped.

"No. I need to take a look at something. Give me a moment of silence, please." Micheal turned his back against them and began observing the rest of the room. As the others watched in silence, Micheal raised both his hands and planted them together. This is how they do it, right? Well, they're not saying nothing, so I can't be wrong. In reality, he quickly poured spirituality into his eyes and activated his Witnessing. Ah, I told myself I wouldn't use my Witnessing again. But I just have to be careful.

Not too far now; I just want to see the exorcists. His vision rewound a few days into the past, figures and shadows blurring past him like forgotten dreams. An instinct lay within him, telling him the exorcists were near. And then he spotted them. He stopped the reversal and saw four blurry shadows clad in the same black robes as his, standing in the same chamber.

One of them was reading a passage from the bible, another was spraying holy water on the bed, the third pointed at the empty wall, and the fourth looked outside the window. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Good old holy water purification. I can do that just fine. Micheal approached the wall that one of the exorcists was pointing at. This must be where it came from. Micheal pulled his palms apart and deactivated his Witnessing.

That's enough, lest something else shows up. He turned back around, seeing Austig and Erika with worried looks plastered all over their faces. Marco, on the other hand, was biting his lower lip, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. That brat. My act is damn perfect. What is he laughing at?

"Did your son act strangely at all, before his awakening?"

"No. He was just acting as usual," Austig said.

"Another purification is required. I must inspect all your chambers," Micheal said.

"Very well. We will not disturb you," Austig said. Micheal placed his suitcase on the table, blocking the couple's view with his back. He quickly grabbed a bible, a bottle of holy water, and a thin silver handle with a perforated bulb at the end; an aspergillum.

"Maron. Cleanse the room while I pray." Micheal handed over the bottle and the aspergillum to Marco. Marco opened the bottle and dipped the aspergillum inside. He looked at Micheal, clearly waiting for something. Micheal flipped open the bible to a random page, and with a clear of his throat he uttered in a voice so low and holy it was not of his own, "Anastasia, guardian of the eternal cycle, I call upon thee to bless this threshold."

Marco began whisking the aspergillum, spraying holy water on the walls and furniture.

"Cleanse the evil and the diseased from this chamber; protect its inhabitants from the ills of the damned," Micheal said. Marco sprayed holy water on Austig and Erika. Micheal's eyes nearly widened. Brat! Stop that! Austig and Erika lowered their heads, allowing themselves to be sprayed. Their robes and dresses were soaked with the holy water. Micheal opened the chamber door and went into the corridor.

"Anastasia, cleanse this hall from all evils. Protect thee, those who rightfully walk within." Marco followed after him, splattering holy water all over the walls and floors. Micheal then entered the couple's bedroom chamber. Just like before, a large standing mirror stood opposite the door. This again… bad luck, I tell you. It was larger than their son's bedroom but hardly looked different. He uttered another set of prayers and let Marco cleanse every inch of the place.

All the while, the couple waited, watching their every move and step with wary gazes. I don't sense any relief from them. Hm… are they suspecting me? Micheal departed from the bedroom and continued to the rest of the house. His throat croaked with every passage uttered. The couple led him room to room, and there he blessed lavatories, studies, lounges, and even balconies. There were three other empty bedrooms, which they said belonged to the late von Austig and his other perished sons. Hm…

I don't see anything else strange here. Only it's rather empty. There's not a single ghoul up here. When he reached the first floor, his throat was dead dry, begging for some of that soothing mead. He blessed the dining and living room, and when he came to the kitchen, he saw a few ghouls preparing a hearty dinner for the couple. At last, he walked down the final hallway, spotting an open window at the end. He entered the last room: von Austig's office. The room was tiny for a manor this size.

A massive bookshelf took up more than a quarter of the room, carrying an assortment of novels, holy books, and other strange parchments and papers. Huh… I thought it would be bigger. Micheal looked around, spotting a dusty table and chair in the corner, as well as an old tall lamp. With the final blessing uttered and the last holy water spattered, he lowered the holy book and smiled at the couple. Something's off here.

"It is done," Micheal said.

"Thank you, sir." Austig lowered his head, and so did Erika.

"It is my duty." Micheal stepped out of the room and approached the window at the end of the corridor.

"Is there anything else that must be done, sir?" Erika raised her brows.

"Hm… perhaps." Micheal opened the window and looked outside. He turned to the left and saw the wall was directly flush with the window; it was perfectly straight, hardly a curve. That office should be larger than it is.

"Is there another room here, von Austig?" Micheal said. Austig shook his head.

"That's the last room."

"Are you sure? Your office ends right around here." Micheal took a few steps back, pointing at a part of the wall not far from the office door.

"But your house ends over here." He pointed at the window. Erika chuckled nervously.

"It is an old home. I think it's just some insulation."

"Then you wouldn't mind me checking the office again, would you?" Micheal said.

"Would that really be necessary, sir? It is getting quite late, and you have already blessed this place," Austig said. They're hiding something. They've been off since I entered this place.

"And who are you to question the will of God?" Micheal frowned. Austig's eyes widened.

"I… I…" He opened the office door.

"Go right ahead, sir."

"Watch over the nobles while I do my work." Micheal patted Marco's shoulder as he stepped inside. Should they do anything… Marco can handle it. Marco lowered the aspergillum, his eyes drifting towards the couple. Micheal gazed right at the massive bookshelf, a faint smirk crawling up his lips. Is this what I think it is? He clicked his tongue and activated his Witnessing.

He went back in time until he saw a familiar shadowy figure clad in a black dress standing right beside him and reaching for a book at the very top of the shelf. When the figure pulled the book, the shelf creaked and slid wide open. Micheal took in a cold breath of air as he saw what lay inside. It was a large copper statue of a naked man sitting cross-legged, with four black arms sprouting out of his back and four beady eyes upon the ridge of his brows. What the fuck is that?

With another click of his tongue, he deactivated his Witnessing. Then he turned to Erika.

"Open this shelf, Madame Austig." Erika's eyes widened.

"O… open? I don't know what you speak of, sir."

"If you insist. Then I will open it myself." Micheal reached for the same book and pulled on it. The shelf swung outward with a groaning creak, revealing the very same statue inside.

"Could you explain, von Austig?"