Kissing a female ghost felt incredibly strange - icy cold, somewhat like eating a popsicle, with a faint fragrance.
By the time I reacted, it was too late. My first kiss had been stolen by this female ghost, one who appeared quite innocent-looking.
My mind was in complete chaos, unsure how to respond. When I finally regained my senses, it was already over.
"Luís, shall we consummate our marriage?" Aria wiped her red lips, apparently satisfied with my "performance" - though I hadn't done anything!
Damn, consummation already? Why was this female ghost so impatient?
Why not talk first? Why rush straight to that?
This was my final boundary I had to maintain. I couldn't lose my virginity to a female ghost, worthless as it might be. Why hadn't Luna come yet? I didn't know how much longer I could stall.
Aria lowered her head, then shyly swung her legs. "Alright, what would you like to talk about?"
After thinking, I suggested we talk about what happened after my death.
Meaning - what had Aria experienced after Luís died? Though Orwell had told me once, I wanted to hear it from Aria herself.
Aria's face immediately darkened. Her already pale, powder-white complexion grew even ghostlier, as if recalling some horrific past. I feared she might suddenly rage - then I'd be doomed.
I wanted to slap myself for my careless words.
But Aria seemed restrained. Her eyes turned scarlet as she locked gazes with me. Suddenly, I saw scenes from her past flash before my eyes...
It turned out after Luís' death, far more happened than Orwell had described.
That very night, the village chief's eldest son came to the well with a gang of local ruffians - seeking revenge!
That night, Aria suffered unspeakable torment at the well's bottom. The chief's son proved worse than an animal, with the others taking turns until dawn.
Soon after, the village chief returned with another group.
Having shamed the chief's family, Aria was no longer seen as human by those vicious people - only brutal vengeance satisfied them.
The only one showing any humanity was the chief's foolish son, who brought Aria food and water while calling her his wife. But Aria would snarl at him like a mad beast, frightening the simpleton away.
My body trembled violently upon seeing this fool's appearance, my mind overwhelmed...
Is this Aria's memory? Is this the village chief's foolish son?
Impossible... this... this is clearly Orwell. What the hell is going on? Isn't Orwell supposed to be Luís' nephew?
Then I suddenly remembered - when we left the village, the ghosts had shouted that "the stupid son had returned," and Orwell had claimed he saw his own soul.
There must be something here I don't understand. Had Orwell lied to me again?
The memory showed Aria sitting paralyzed at the well's bottom. Before long, she went completely mad.
The subsequent images turned extremely graphic - Aria's most visceral memories, her mind now filled only with carnage, resentment, and those dark, horrific experiences in the well.
Yet one scene remained vague. I could just make out that when slaughtering the village chief's family, Aria seemed to spare that foolish son. Meaning the chief's family wasn't completely wiped out - the simpleton survived.
Wait... that 7 or 8-year-old boy who called out to Aria earlier - wasn't that Orwell? Because he mentioned his "second uncle" being dead - that should refer to Luís.
But that child looked nothing like the Orwell who came to find me, instead bearing an exact resemblance to the village chief's foolish son. Could it be...?
A shocking possibility dawned on me. But why? Why would Orwell become the chief's foolish son? The stories and experiences he shared were clearly Orwell's own.
Just then, the memories vanished and I snapped back to reality.
"Now do you understand why I'm so full of resentment? That village had no good people. They all knew the village chief was torturing me, yet none intervened - some even participated! They all deserve to die! Die! Die!" Aria's scarlet eyes burned blood-red, her face turned ghastly pale, hair floating upward as overwhelming ghostly resentment threatened to consume me.
Such terrifying resentment! How horrifying would Aria become if she broke the seal? I now doubted even Luna could handle her. This vengeful spirit chilled me to the bone - yet her suffering was heartbreaking.
The entire village deserved death. While the chief's eldest son committed the worst crimes, he framed Luís, costing him his life, while Aria endured endless torment trapped in the well.
Had it been me, I'd have become a ghost and slaughtered them all too.
Just then, Luna's voice suddenly returned.
"Hug her. Hold her tight - don't let go."
Though confused, I obeyed, pulling Aria tightly against me.
"Luís... it really is you..."
Aria nestled into my embrace, her expression blissful. The previous fury had vanished, replaced again by that sweet smile.
"Break all evil with the power of myriad sects... Borrow the laws of heaven and earth."
An incantation rang out as a small sword wrapped in paper talismans suddenly shot toward Aria's back, glowing with golden light.
At that moment, Aria frowned as if sensing danger. "Who?" she roared.
"Luís, you must go!" Aria tried pushing me away, but I held on tight. Instead of resisting, she simply nestled deeper into my embrace.
A sharp tearing sound followed as the golden light pierced through both our bodies from behind Aria.
"Ah...!"
I remained unharmed, but Aria let out a piercing shriek, blood trickling from her lips, her face contorted in agony.
Suddenly, all illusions in the well vanished. The grand wedding chamber disappeared, returning us to the dark well bottom. Stein was gone, but another figure had appeared - Luna.
"You're not Luís! Who are you?" Aria shoved me away violently. Now fully transformed into her ghostly form, her face was terrifying - the red wedding dress as vivid as fresh blood, the well bottom thick with malignant energy that made breathing difficult.
Shit! Luna's spell must have worn off - Aria had seen through me.
"You wretched girl! Damned brat! How dare you deceive me! Ah...!"
Aria's arms flailed wildly as furious ghostly resentment erupted from her body. Her hair stood completely on end, her hideous face now bleeding from all seven orifices - a far cry from her earlier innocent appearance.
Then suddenly, her tongue shot out like stretched rubber, wrapping tightly around Luna's neck.