Is Digging Up a Dead Body Fine In a Virtual World?

“Velda.”

“Hm? Oh, Matthias. I didn’t expect you to call me by my name. Is something wrong?”

Matthias narrowed his eyes and sighed.

“No. Is it true you met with the queen?”

“Yeah, it… didn’t go so well.”

“Hm. Look,” Matthias walked around to lean against the tent beside me, “I don’t want you to think that I trust you now… but thank you. I’m not sure how things would’ve gone if you hadn’t been there.”

Matthias looked down at me with a neutral expression. Unlike before, there was no hint of malice in his eyes.

“You can count on me.”

I nodded, and Matthias walked away. He joined Finley, who was checking weapons from a crate. I spotted Vivian sitting alone between tents, her stuffed bear held in her hands. I approached her and she looked up with a smile.

“Miss Velda, I am glad you are alright. I watched from behind a wall when they took you. I was worried about the Knight, but his eyes never turned my way when he attacked you. How did you make it back?”

I sat down next to Vivian, making sure to leave ample space between us. I didn’t want any accidents.

“They were too slow to stop me. Do you… think the knight could hurt me? It seemed like Eris did.”

“Mmm… It is possible. Master Burkhardt believed that Eris was an otherworldly being, such as yourself. Maybe the Knight is, too?”

“No, I doubt it. The Knight seemed confused when we talked about our home.”

“So you two are related!”

“No, no! We just come from the same, um, world.” I rapidly waved my hands to dispel Vivian’s theories.

Without my memories, though, it is entirely possible. I really hope not.

“The same world… So there is something beyond the skies, beside Matriluna and Patrisol. What is your world like?”

“Unfortunately, I have trouble remembering. Sorry. By the way, who are those two? Eris mentioned Matriluna when we talked.”

“Oh my, you really are from another world. Matriluna is the moon goddess whose power Eris is adept in. Patrisol is her brother, the god that King Helionidas once worshiped.”

“Ah. Eris likes to act as if she’s Matriluna’s kid or something. Is that a normal thing here?”

Vivian’s eyes widened. She tilted her head and made a tense expression. Her thumbs fiddled with Ursa’s plush arms.

“I remember that rumor. Master said it was an ‘impossible and conceited declaration.’ Now I know he was right, thanks to you.”

“I didn’t do a thing. Your teacher was a very wise man.”

Vivian smiled brightly and pulled Ursa into her chest. I turned to watch Finley instructing her soldiers. With a wave of her arm, they marched toward the left tunnel. She noticed me watching and saluted.

Ha, she's really starting to look like a leader now. Her grandfather was right to trust in her.

~ ~ ~ ~

I hovered over the trees and watched the trainees learning how to fight. Finley was splitting her time between sharing her grandfather’s knowledge and practicing with a wooden sword.

“Miss Velda!”

I looked at the cave entrance to see Vivian waving rapidly. I floated down and motioned for her to come under the shade.

“Miss Velda, I have an idea. You have the ability to possess others. Have you tried a corpse?”

“Uh, no. I'm not really eager to try." The girl's excited expression faded, and I decided to change my tone. "... But if you think it’s worth a shot…”

“Let’s try now, I found a gravesite nearby!”

The girl rushed off into the forest before I could stop her. I sped after her, not bothering to move around the trees.

A decent distance away from the training site was a dimly lit graveyard. The tombstones looked well-kept, as if someone had been by recently to maintain them. Vivian stood by a polished gravestone.

“Vivian, how did you find this?”

“I know you might not have noticed, but the others are not keen on giving shelter to a dark mage. I decided to give them space and explore the forest instead.”

She says that like it’s normal. Now I get why she stayed so far away from everyone else… Dark magic is pretty creepy, from what I can remember— although that’s not an excuse to alienate her.

“Give them time. I’m sure they’ll realize that you’re one of us soon.”

“I am not a hero, like you. Even among mages, no one ever respected me. But thank you… for trying to help.”

The young girl’s face showed no pain or sadness. I couldn’t think of anything more to say and stared at the tombstone.

“This corpse is newer. I can sense traces of life energy. Someone buried them during this moon.”

“Okay, so what now? I’m not sure if digging up bodies is a good idea. I just got on people’s good sides. This could ruin things for both of us.”

“We can tell them I did it. That is, even if they find out.”

Vivian smiled cheekily up at me, and I pursed my lips. I turned toward the training site, and Vivian took that as a sign to exhume the corpse. I heard a few strange and mystical sounds before the sound of something being ripped out of the ground.

I turned back to see a wrapped body covered in a green magical vapor hovering just above the now open grave. Vivian lowered the body to the ground and the vapor disappeared. I stared at the body, bewildered.

“Um, I shall check underneath the wrappings. One moment.”

Vivian lifted parts of the cloth in various places, quickly reapplying them each time. She stood up and wiped her hands on her cloak.

“I don’t think it’s sanitary to do that. You should wash your hands— and that cloak, whenever you can.”

“Unsanitary? I think you worry too much, Miss.”

No, I think I worry just enough. But I have bigger problems right now.

“So… is it, um, y-you know…?”

“I believe you might have some trouble. The body looks undamaged and dressed in simple clothing. However, she is rather young for an unwounded corpse. It is entirely possible that she died from an internal affliction.”

“I see… You don’t think someone here buried her, do you? I’d hate to give them a heart attack.”

“No one announced a death since we arrived, so she must have been buried by a traveler.”

Oh boy, a mystery corpse.

“Sigh, you do what you can with what you’re given. Someone said that to me before, but I can’t remember who… Anyway, are you ready? Cause if this turns bad, I’m gonna need you to kill me.”

I pointed fixedly at Vivian, and she smiled. Her smile was tilted, which made me feel completely not reassured. I took a deep breath, remembered I had no lungs, and dived into the corpse’s head.