Soul

"But what basis do you have for knowing this is Stigmata Space?" Theresa looked at Han Jiang seriously.

Han Jiang nodded. "Come with me."

With that, Han Jiang stepped out of the room and happened to run into Yae Sakura, who was returning.

"Didn't you go to the council meeting?" A blush appeared on Theresa's fair cheeks.

Yae Sakura replied openly, "The Shrine Master is discussing Yae Village's livelihood and development. My duty is to protect the villagers, so it makes no difference whether I attend that kind of meeting or not."

"Besides, it's time for my sister to take her medicine. I wouldn't feel at ease leaving that to someone else."

"Sister?" Theresa stared at Yae Sakura.

"Yes. My younger sister has been frail and sickly since childhood. She's bedridden all year round and can only get out of bed on rare occasions."

"I'll take Theresa around the village. We won't disturb you for now," Han Jiang said to Yae Sakura.

Han Jiang led Theresa along the same route he had taken yesterday. The people were warm and hospitable, their faces filled with happy smiles. Whenever they saw Theresa and Han Jiang, they greeted them enthusiastically.

"The people here really are simple and honest. It's like a paradise hidden away from the world," Theresa said to Han Jiang.

Holding a skewer of candied hawthorn, Han Jiang bent down and whispered into Theresa's ear, "Look carefully. Haven't you noticed that no matter where we go, their eyes are always on the two of us?"

Theresa shuddered, and her pupils abruptly narrowed.

Though the people here continued doing their own work, chatting and laughing with those around them, or tilting their heads as they worked—

Their expressions and mannerisms looked perfectly normal as they interacted with others, yet their gazes were uniformly fixed on Han Jiang and Theresa.

"Not just here." Han Jiang pulled Theresa toward another area.

No matter where they went, the people here would all stare at Han Jiang and Theresa without prior agreement, only stopping once the two had left their sight.

"Is this really Stigmata Space?" Theresa's little face scrunched up as she failed to understand what was happening.

Han Jiang shrugged. "If I'm not mistaken, it is."

"Then what... what should we do?"

Theresa was no different from an ordinary little girl now. In such an unfamiliar place, she felt terribly insecure.

The two once again walked down the bustling streets of Yae Village. The crowds were lively and dense, yet every pair of eyes remained tightly fixed on them.

"I'm a little scared..." Theresa's delicate voice began to tremble faintly.

Perhaps having her strength so severely restricted all at once had brought Theresa's mindset back to when she herself had been weak.

"It's okay. I'm here. Things are still normal at Yae Estate. Let's head back."

Theresa grabbed the corner of Han Jiang's clothes and followed behind him as they returned to the courtyard where Yae Sakura lived.

When they passed Yae Rin's grave, Han Jiang had originally intended to let Theresa give it a try.

But Theresa had clearly been frightened today. They could try the experiment of summoning Yae Rin's soul after she had calmed down.

"Please help me."

A gentle breeze swept past, sending petals dancing in the wind. A soft, frail voice, trembling with the distinct quaver of a young girl, spoke quietly.

Han Jiang turned around and saw a girl who bore an eighty percent resemblance to Yae Sakura appear before the gravestone.

The girl's figure was weak, her entire body somewhat transparent. Her slender shoulders sagged as she pleaded again, "Please help me. Help my sister."

"W-what is that?"

Already frightened by the strange crowd earlier, Theresa wrapped both arms around Han Jiang's waist and buried her face in his back.

Han Jiang turned around and patted Theresa's head. "It's okay. I'm here."

Then he looked at the transparent Yae Rin. "Go on."

Han Jiang felt that the key to breaking this Stigmata Space lay here. With only himself and Theresa, they had no clue where to begin.

"This is the memory of my sister being cursed for five hundred years. Only outsiders like you, who do not originally belong here, can break it. Please help me."

Yae Rin bowed again and begged Han Jiang and Theresa.

"The evil god here is too powerful. In a few more days, I may completely dissipate. This is our last chance." Hope shone in Yae Rin's eyes as she placed all her hopes on Han Jiang and Theresa.

"Even if you hadn't said so, we would have helped you." Han Jiang accepted Yae Rin's request.

As soon as his words fell, Yae Rin's transparent figure vanished, as though she had never appeared at all.

Petals continued to drift down from the cherry tree. Only after confirming that the girl had disappeared did Theresa dare to raise her head and look toward the gravestone ahead.

"Who was that girl? Was she a ghost?" Theresa asked timidly.

Han Jiang shook his head. "I don't know what form she exists in, but the key to the two of us leaving this place is most likely here."

"When I first saw the grave, I thought it was just a local custom. I didn't expect there to really be something strange here." With the girl gone, Theresa gradually became braver.

"According to the Schicksal Database, only the Death Herrscher can comprehend the mysteries of the soul. Not even Schicksal can touch that field."

"Could that girl just have been a recording without consciousness?"

Han Jiang pinched his chin and kept thinking. What had appeared just now was undoubtedly a soul, but why had it remained here? It was probably directly related to Hiyori, the Erosion Herrscher.

"We can put that aside. First, we don't know who cursed Yae Sakura's memories and created this Stigmata Space. Second, neither of us has any strength right now. How are we supposed to help her?"

Theresa tightly clutched Han Jiang's clothes and nodded. "That's true. She disappeared before she could finish, so we don't know much about this place."

"But don't worry. As the headmaster, I'll definitely protect my students!" Theresa forced herself to look calm.

"Ah!"

Han Jiang suddenly shouted and quickly turned around, stomping his foot!

"What is it? What is it?!" Theresa completely buried her head against Han Jiang's body this time, as though she hadn't been the one making that promise just now.

After quite a while, Theresa saw that Han Jiang had not moved. She cautiously raised her head to see what was happening, only to find Han Jiang grinning from ear to ear.

"Hmph! You actually dared to scare me!"

Theresa grabbed Han Jiang with one hand and raised her soft pink little fist with the other in warning.

"Let's go. We'll stay for a couple of days first and see what's going on with this Stigmata Space, and whether our strength will recover." Han Jiang pulled Theresa toward the house.

The system needed seventy-two hours to update. About thirty-six hours had passed so far, and Han Jiang wanted to see whether his strength would recover once the update was complete.

Though he was only C-rank, just short of B-rank in combat power, even if he could not win, he could at least run.

Besides, this was Yae Sakura's memory. The most important thing was figuring out how to guide Yae Sakura correctly.

Han Jiang did not dare tell Theresa everything, fearing she would march straight up to Yae Sakura and blurt out every question she had.

For now, Hiyori did not seem to take the two of them seriously. But if Theresa blatantly demanded that Yae Sakura do something, then if Hiyori was pushed too far, anything could happen!