Bound by the king of destruction

I suddenly remembered.

Oh no. I was supposed to show up at the academy two weeks ago... Now I'm busted. That's an obvious penalty.

I rose from my seat, brushing the dust from my pants.

"Hey, old man, listen. I'm grateful for the food and the shirt... really. Thank you. But we have to go."

I turned to Nellie. "Come on. Let's move."

The man didn't argue. He just lowered his gaze, saying nothing.

---

We left without another word. I led the way, though something felt off. The ground was soft and uneven, littered with fallen branches. It didn't take long before I realized I'd taken the wrong path, right into the woods.

Great. My mind wandered, and now I'm lost.

Nellie followed me in silence, her bare footsteps whispering through the leaves. She didn't say a word. The woods grew thicker and darker, branches twisting above us like a canopy shutting out the evening light.

I glanced over my shoulder at her. She was staring at my back, like a shadow glued to me, but offered no words.

She's back to the quiet Nellie I know.

My thoughts drifted.

I wonder how Van's doing... I hope he's okay.

A strange breeze slid through the trees, rattling the leaves and unsettling the silence.

Is it just me... or is this place creeping me out? Maybe it's her silence. Or maybe these woods...

Nellie suddenly stopped, her bare feet brushing against dried leaves.

"Ash," she said, her voice cutting through the quiet, "are you sure you want to keep going this way?"

Her tone told me enough. She'd noticed them, the faint, ghostly glimmers of eyes lurking in the shadows. My chest tightened. Drawing attention to them would only make things worse.

I decided to shift the mood.

"Nellie, which way did you come from?" I asked with a grin that didn't feel as confident as I hoped.

"Oh… yeah, I came by the highway," she said, like she'd only just remembered.

Now she decides to talk? She'd followed me like a silent guard dog the whole time. Van's no different, they both just trail me without a word, like I'm never wrong.

"So... can you show me the way back?"

"Sure." She pivoted smoothly, gesturing behind her. "Follow me."

---

We walked through the woods again, this time in silence, the crunch of leaves underfoot our only companion. Soon the trees thinned, and we emerged into open fields. Eventually, we reached a narrow, cracked road with not a single car in sight. A lone truck rattled past, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Only trucks use this route, huh?" I muttered.

I sighed. "Nellie, let's wait for a taxi, though I doubt one will show up here. It's just farmers and their fields."

If we did find one, Grandma would have to pay. Walking to the city would take five hours at least.

Without warning, Nellie walked straight into the middle of the road, standing there like a statue.

"What are you doing? You'll freak out the driver and maybe cause an accident!"

"It's getting hotter. The next one coming, we're getting on," she said, her voice sharp and final.

Well, that's not how it works... Especially not with that scary serious face.

Moments later, the rumble of an engine echoed down the road. A truck approached, its headlights cutting through the dust. Nellie didn't even blink, and I swear the driver nearly had a heart attack when he spotted her standing dead center.

The brakes screeched, the truck lurching to a stop.

The man leaned his head out of the window, bewildered.

"Hey, miss, are you okay?"

Nellie stepped closer. "I need a ride to the city… with my brother." She pointed at me, who was standing awkwardly by the roadside.

Brother? Did she just call me her brother!?

"Sure thing," the man said, still stunned. "Hop on."

Wow… She's the real deal.

---

We reached the city by 5 p.m. It was a five-hour drive. The streets glowed amber in the sunset, long shadows stretching from the tall buildings. The driver talked the entire way, his voice droning like a mosquito. Nellie, of course, ignored him, throwing all the questions at me. By the time we arrived, I felt mentally drained.

When the truck finally stopped, Nellie spoke up in that smug tone of hers.

"You tired my brother with questions now he can't pay."

The man laughed. "Don't worry, I wasn't gonna ask for payment anyway. I enjoyed the company. See you around."

Yeah… 'enjoyed the company.' If talking my ears off counts.

---

I walked with Nellie toward Grandma's house. Just as I reached the door, a memory struck me like a frying pan literally, the one that had greeted me last time.

"Nellie, do you mind knocking?" I asked, rubbing the back of my neck as we stood by the door.

She tilted her head, her expression as flat as ever. "Why? I can just phase in."

I threw my hands up. "We're not here to rob the place!" The words came out sharper than I intended.

Nellie raised an eyebrow, unbothered, her ghostly form flickering faintly as if she might do it anyway.

"Well, I can't," I muttered, jabbing a finger at the door. "Some of us still have to use the knob like normal people."

She hesitated but phased through the door anyway, knocking from the inside.

She doesn't get it, does she? You knock from the outside, not the inside.

One day, Grandma's gonna kill me for this. Last time Van sent her flying into the furniture. Now Nellie? I can't imagine how this will turn out.

Inside, Clara sat on the couch, one knee tucked under her, flipping through channels on the TV. She turned her head sharply when she noticed Nellie standing stiffly by the door, silent and still as a statue.

"Huh? When did you get in?" Clara's brows drew together, her voice edged with confusion. She'd heard knocking a moment ago, but she hadn't sensed anyone entering.

Nellie didn't answer, she just stared back, her expression cold and unreadable, as though deciding whether to speak at all.

It was strange that Clara couldn't sense Nellie was a ghost.

I slipped in quietly, my footsteps barely making a sound on the polished floor.

The moment Clara's eyes landed on me, her entire expression lit up like a sunrise. Her brows lifted, her lips parted in surprise, and in the next instant, she darted forwardand leapt at me.

"Young Master!" she exclaimed, her voice breaking with relief, her arms locked around my neck, her legs wrapping tightly around my waist, clinging to me as if afraid I'd vanish if she let go. The impact almost knocked me back a step.

Her warmth pressed against me, trembling slightly. Her hold wasn't just a hug, it was desperate, almost overwhelming, like a mix of relief and pent-up emotions all pouring out at once.