Aria clutched the amethyst pendant in her hand, trying to gather her thoughts.What was Mindy's role in all this? Dorothy's confident demeanor didn't seem to fit a maid's. And Owen's behavior was suspicious too.Aria never considered the possibility that Mindy might be Owen's illegitimate daughter. After all, if Mindy were Owen's biological child, the Carvers wouldn't have simply sponsored her. They would have taken her in as their daughter, replacing Aria in the family.Everything felt off.Aria recalled Warren mentioning their past support for Mindy because she was different from the other sponsored children—Mindy bore an uncanny resemblance to Aria when she was young. Aria narrowed her eyes in contemplation. Just as she was about to ask questions, wind chime-like sounds filled the room despite having none. Turning to the window, Aria noticed a shift in the hotel's atmosphere. It was an earthbound spirit. Aria tried to open the window, but it wouldn't budge. Meanwhile, Sam se
Landon coughed several times, a dry rasp that betrayed his sickly appearance. Despite his illness, he still carried himself with an air of aloof composure. The colorful bracelet on his wrist accentuated his demeanor. Despite his tall stature, his legs seemed longer in the hotel corridor, and his entire physique appeared almost out of place. "How did you even know where I was? My phone doesn't even have a signal!" Aria exclaimed, grabbing his wrist and pulling him inside. Their closeness startled Landon. The tip of his nose brushed against her hair, and a faint scent filled his nostrils if he leaned closer. Aria was surely like no other. Ever sharp, she moved with practiced precision, effectively stopping whatever was trying to enter the room.Soon, the lights flickered ominously, revealing an endless black mist behind Landon, invisible to him but clear as day to Aria. It defied logic. As far as Aria knew, Earthbound Manifestation should be an impenetrable barrier. With his u
Philip was bewildered. Did Landon just address him as Mr. Wagner?Philip felt out of place standing there. "I…""I heard you admire my fiancée and that I can't hold a candle to you." Landon coughed lightly before smiling. "I thought it was just a gossip among the commoners."Philip's expression contorted, struck by Landon's words like an arrow.Suddenly, Philip remembered his teasing remarks about Aria on Panne Street, particularly about her sharing everything with her boyfriend.He wished he could rewind time, clamp his mouth shut, and stop his own blabbering. "Mr. York, it's a misunderstanding, truly," Philip clarified. Philip figured everyone in their social circle feared Landon and that no matter what Kenny might say behind Landon's back, he'd still cower under a single glance from the man.It was an unspoken rule—everyone was fair game for comparison except Landon, who was untouchable.Landon stared at Philip, a smile playing on his lips. "It's nighttime already. Is you
Across the suite, Sam, tasked with guarding Fiona, bolted upright, his eyes gleaming with excitement.Fiona's brow furrowed. "What's gotten you so riled up?"Sam licked his lips, his gestures animated. "I'm hungry! There's a whole buffet out there, just begging to be eaten. But the boss told me to stay put and guard you."Fiona also heard the commotion coming from the living room. A hotel suite is typically spacious and should theoretically have good soundproofing. However, she could hear numerous sounds right now. It started with the tinkling of wind chimes, and now there was the sound of people running around.Thinking back, she often heard people speaking when she was asleep. When she told Owen about this, he always dismissed it as her condition worsening.Fiona also doubted herself, wondering why she could hear things others couldn't.When she saw Sam's reaction, she felt a connection. "You can hear the voices too?"Sam nodded and gestured, "A lot of them, and they're coming
Aria subconsciously checked her phone. It was exactly 9:00 pm. Earthbound spirits shouldn't appear at this hour.Narrowing her eyes, Aria looked out the window. Then, she spoke calmly. "You should get used to it and evolve your mindset to adapt."Philip was rendered speechless. Why was she telling him to evolve his mindset?Landon took a sip of his coffee and raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to get him to evolve to?""His constitution makes him a good fit to become a psychopomp." Aria explained to a confused Philip, "They're what movies call grim reapers. You guide people to their rightful place in the afterlife, and you get paid by the underworld. Understand?" Philip's face turned pale. "I understand, but I don't think I'm cut out for that career. I don't have the guts, and it sounds dangerous.""True. I heard it's easy to get your soul sucked out if you're not careful," Aria replied seriously. "Though, I haven't actually seen a grim reaper."Philip was stunned. How cou
The delivery man froze, taken aback by the unexpected response. Momentarily forgetting his following words, he clutched the plastic bag and glared at Aria, attempting to appear intimidating.Aria studied his face. His high, sharp cheekbones gave him a harsh appearance. Despite his forced professional smile, his spiteful demeanor shone through."Alright, I'll be more careful next time," the delivery man mumbled, then raised his hand. "This coffee is for Mr. Sweeney.""There's no Mr. Sweeney here. Why don't you come in and see for yourself?" Aria said, her voice lacking conviction. The delivery man appeared to have been waiting for her invitation. He entered the room with his wet shoes.His gaze fell, and his expression darkened. "Why do you keep complaining about my deliveries? Do you know how much those complaints cost me? Rich people like you don't care about how your actions affect our livelihood! You're trying to hide the fact that you live alone by using the name 'Mr. Sweeney
The delivery man wanted to escape, but Aria cornered him by the hotel room window. Upon seeing that, he stammered, affecting a pathetic tone, "Please, miss, I'm just here for a delivery. I wouldn't hurt a fly."Aria narrowed her eyes and took a step closer. "Really?" she said, her voice cool. "The first thing a supernatural phenomenon disrupts is communication."She pulled out her phone and opened a web page. "This app isn't one I use often," she explained, "but the moment I clicked on it, the homepage refreshed automatically to a news article from seven years ago.""It tells the story of a young woman who often complained about a delivery man, eventually causing him to break down and push her. This accident turned into an irreversible tragedy. When the incident was exposed, the delivery man's background ignited pity from others."He had some mental health issues. Moreover, the young woman lived in a luxurious residential area and often fought with others. Her neighbors noted tha
The delivery man's hair stood on end, his eyes darting fearfully around the room.Earthbound spirits within an Earthbound Manifestation became unkillable echoes, their existence an endless loop. Even potent talismans, imbued with cleansing energy, couldn't break the cycle. But the tide turned when Chaos itself seeped into the manifestation.However, an ancient beast like Chaos could consume an entire Earthbound Manifestation in a single, devastating act.Why was Chaos here?It shouldn't be here!Ancient texts documented how Chaos and Peril perished during the great avalanche on the snowy mountain. They were buried beneath 3,000 feet of ice. The heavens wouldn't tolerate such ferocious beasts, denying them reincarnation. Yet, there stood Sam. The delivery man's hands trembled. He might have missed the child as Chaos if not for his current form. After all, Sam appeared ordinary, a bit pale, but otherwise unremarkable. He even wore a Charm Coin and a magical copper bell, signifying