Self-cultivation of an upstanding citizen

Hundreds of wind chimes swayed gaily, producing a carol that only wandering souls could hear. Even though there was no wind, the metal, glass, and wood pieces moved in sequence as though manipulated by an invisible orchestra.

Visitors from every realm flooded the gloomy streets of Phasmopia. While the undead, the predominant residents here, had good night vision, the same couldn’t be said for everyone so the street lamps were especially turned three notches brighter than regular.

A boyish shout stood out even amongst the hustle and bustle outside the customs. “SIR!! You lied! No one took off their shoes!” Ernest’s face was flushed as he hit the escaping Amon with their baggage.

“Heh, country bumpkin… Ouch! Easy there!”

Auretta fiddled with her braid, secretly glad that her turn was after Ernest so she was saved from embarrassing herself.

“Stop running!” Ernest wondered if he was dropped on the head as a baby. Why did he ever think that becoming Amon’s disciple was a good idea?

“Put that down first! Murder!!! Murder in broad dusklight!!!”

“Here, pad your stomach,” Hale gave his sister a stick of cocoon candy. It had the same fluffiness as cotton candy but was made from edible spider silk.

“Hale…!” Auretta wiped her nonexistent tears, “I’ve decided, I only have one brother.”

“When did you have another?”

The two siblings, along with the three remaining knights from the Tenebris Earldom, explored the booths harmoniously, pretending they had nothing to do with the monkeys.

“Don’t leave without us!” To the group’s chagrin, they didn’t get too far before the unknightly man caught up with Ernest as his tail.

Auretta looked at him like looking at a stranger. “I think you’ve got the wrong people.”

“Not even you, little lady! You guys have changed!”

A knight with a low ponytail deadpanned, “Sir Galithurn, the problem is that you don’t change.”

Hale sighed; they were getting nowhere with this. “Sir, I heard that you were from the capital?”

“Yeah, but it’s been years since I’m back so I don’t know the roads well,” the muscular man scratched his head sheepishly.

Liar. Hale thought he couldn’t be disappointed anymore but his upper limits were put to test again and again. He couldn’t bring himself to make up a response.

Thankfully, no one noticed his lapse because Ernest stuffed his bag into Amon’s arms. “Don’t worry, we have no expectations of you. We only brought you to carry the luggage.”

Auretta added her pack on top, giggling. “So earn your keep, swordmaster.”

ↂ

When the veil between dimensions thinned, what was usually hidden came up to the surface and became visible. Spirits were attracted by the dense death energy gathered through arrays. Of them, malevolent spirits such as vengeful souls would be cleansed of their negativity by the chimes sweeping through the city. The worst that could happen to festival goers, dead and living alike, was some poltergeist pulling their chair away just as they sit or seeing their own (harmless) doppelgänger.

So the group cycled through stations like the Haunted House, White Lady’s Wishing Well, Magma Pinball, Bogeyman Hide ‘N’ Seek, Mirror Maze and Feed the Ghost with a relative peace of mind. Since the conception of this Homecoming Festival, positive interactions with the living had helped many a dead move on. The sight of them trailing after the ferryman was known to be a sight to behold and definitely something the siblings and some of the knights were looking forward to, this being their first Festival.

The giant bonfire cast an eerie blue glow as Hale sat on one of the empty benches that were placed in a diamond formation around the fire. If you looked closely at the fire, you would see that it didn’t contain a single flickering flame but numerous ignis fatui bouncing and floating about, enjoying the attention.

“This is what happens when you stay indoors all day, every day,” Ernest gloated with an infuriating ‘I told you so’ expression.

Hale was so spent that he ignored the snark. How did they have so much energy? Was it really the cakes? The boy groaned, “Just go while I make this bench my new bed.”

One of the knights volunteered to stay despite Hale’s rejection and grabbed the packs from the rest, sorting them so that they would fit on the carpet for their trip back. Their luggage more than tripled since they came.

The moment of silence was broken by Hale, “Thanks, Mildrith. You really didn’t have to.” It stung to think that someone couldn’t enjoy the festivities because of him.

“I’m sorry to be presumptuous but you shouldn’t put too much concern on dregs, young master.”

“How can you call—!”

“When the lord ceases to be above, the ones below think they can replace him at the top.”

For a moment, Hale wondered if she was referring to herself or Amon.

“And for the record, I’m tired too,” Mildrith winked. “I had my fill of socializing today.”

“... You and me both,” Hale’s lips cracked a thin smile. He jumped up from his supine position, pointing at the nearest stand, “I’m going to get some brain juice there.”

“Wait, let me!” the knight fumbled with the items scattered around her.

“No, just continue sorting. Look, the stall’s super close. Iced or hot?”

“... Warm.”

“Right, I’ll be back real quick. And as for what you said… I still want to be on equal grounds. Because it hurts to look down all the time.” True equality wasn’t achieved in his previous world, much less this world with even more conflicting factors. But if no one worked towards it, nothing would be achieved.

“Watch the stuff, those are two years’ worth of our allowance!” Hale shouted as he jogged to the stands

“Big brother! Would you buy some flowers?” A small child wearing an ill-fitting robe carried a basket almost larger than her whole body. Her nose was red from the cold and her short arms shook from exertion as she tried to lift the basket higher.

One look at the creepy corpse flowers and Hale thought, “Nope!” but the child’s bony fingers entered his sight and what came out of his mouth was “Give me 6.”

“Thank you, brother, thank you! May the chimes of purification be with you!”

Hale watched the child scamper off with a smile… until he realized that he didn’t keep his wallet but his hands were empty except for the flowers.

“...” His pockets were empty too.

“THIEF!! GET BACK HERE!”