I am the ghost here, am I not?
That thought lingered in my mind longer than it should have, circling back again and again as I watched the goblin continue his stubborn attempts at pulling the skull free. There was something fundamentally wrong about this situation.
Usually, in stories—no, in logic—it should be the other way around.
I should be the one doing the ignoring, the unseen presence that doesn't care for the non-existent attention around.
The mysterious entity lingering in the background while the living carried on, oblivious.
So why…
"Hey," I called out, my tone sharpening slightly. "Didn't you say it yourself how rude it was to ignore someone when they're speaking to you?"
No response. Not even a glance.
"…Seriously?"
Being ignored by a goblin of all things was starting to irritate me more than I cared to admit. It wasn't just the act itself, but the absurdity of it.
Like, how dare you?
A lowly, nameless goblin—an F- rank, no less—daring to ignore me?
"Me?" I frowned. …The great…The great what again?"
That part, admittedly, was still under construction.
But that wasn't the point.
"The point is, don't ignore me," I expressed, folding my arms as I hovered nearby. "You're an F- rank nameless goblin, and I'm a D- Wandering Ghost. There's a clear hierarchy here, and I'm at the top of it."
At least, that's how I chose to see it.
"So show damn respect, would you."
Finally, he spoke.
"I am sorry for not answering you," the goblin said, his voice carrying a strange mix of urgency and sincerity. "But I urgently need the skull to present it to her. It is the only way she can accept my sincerity and consider me as a potential mating partner."
That last part was completely unnecessary.
I did not need that level of detail. Not even remotely.
Still, I remained quiet for a moment, letting his words settle.
Fifty years. That was how long I had lived as a virgin.
Fifty years of avoiding anything even remotely related to relationships, intimacy, or emotional attachment, all in pursuit of a better next life.
So no, going as far as hurting himself for the sake of making a proposal, I couldn't relate.
Not even a little tiny bit. And yet. Desperation. That, I understood.
The need to grasp at something. To chase after something you believed would make everything worthwhile.
In that sense, we weren't entirely different.
I let out a quiet breath. "Well… I guess I can help out in a way."
Even if I didn't understand him entirely, I knew well the intent that guided his actions. And that alone was enough to move me into action.
"Alright," I said, moving closer. "Stand still."
Without waiting for his response, I acted.
I drifted forward and slipped into his body once again, possession taking hold as naturally as before.
There was no warning or a build up from me to him. I didn't think he needed it.
The transition into his body was immediate. And once I was inside, I acted just as quickly.
I reached out. Grabbed the skull and pulled at my hardest.
It worked effortlessly as if the resistance from before had never existed.
"…Yeah," I thought. "Just as I figured."
Possessing the goblin amplified his physical capabilities significantly. Based on how it felt, I would estimate at least five times stronger than his normal state.
Maybe more. But five times was a safe assumption.
With that, I yanked the skull free from the tree bark in one clean motion. No later did I slip out of his body just as quickly as I had entered.
The goblin staggered slightly, his body reacting to the sudden change.
The first thing he did when he got back control of his body was to stare at his hand. At the skull now resting within it.
"…How did I—?"
"You didn't," I interrupted, floating nearby with a small, satisfied smile. "I did."
There was a certain pride in saying that. I wouldn't deny it.
"Why?" he asked.
That's it? I helped him achieve what he had been struggling to do and that's the reaction he gives?
Not even a sense of gratitude or a dramatic fall to his knees in appreciation?
"…Wow." I shook my head. "This is where you're supposed to thank me, you know."
Of course, I was being sarcastic. Mostly.
Still, I answered him anyway.
"You said you needed it for her to accept you," I explained. "So I possessed your body, gave you enough strength to pull it out, and there you have it. One snake skull, ready for delivery."
As I spoke, my chest puffed out slightly.
Not intentionally. Definitely not intentionally.
Okay maybe I did have a little bit of intentionality involved. Who's to say, long as I don't tell.
"Possessed?" he repeated, his eyes widening slightly. "Are you a spiritual being?"
I raised a finger immediately. "No, no, no."
I wagged it from side to side, clicking my tongue as I corrected him.
"Not a spirit," I said firmly. "I am a ghost."
There was a difference. A very important one.
Sure, from a broad perspective, they might seem similar. Both intangible. Both existing beyond normal physical boundaries.
But they were not the same. Not even close.
"My template clearly states it," I continued. "Origin Race: Ghost. Pathway Race: Wandering Ghost."
"I am a ghost. Not a spiritual being. Whatever that is." That wasn't up for debate.
It was like comparing completely different things just because they shared a vague similarity.
"Calling me a spirit is like saying a Toyota and a Lexus are the same thing," I added. Then I paused. "…Actually, that's not the best example."
Still, I went with it.
"Sure, they might share some connections, but they're fundamentally different. One is a budget automobile, the other is a luxury brand."
I nodded to myself. "See? Big difference." Same concept applied here. "So don't mix them up."
The goblin blinked, clearly trying to process that explanation. The part about my mention of lexus and toyota seemed to have dealt a heavy damage to his mental state.
Then he asked the obvious question.
"If you are a ghost… how can I see you?"
"…Good question, a very good question. One I've been asking myself as well."
I folded my arms, studying him carefully.
"You're not a ghost too, are you?"
He shook his head. Firmly.
"…Yeah, I figured."
That would have been too simple. Which meant there has to be another reason why this living sack of flesh can see and commune with me.
I thought back to my skills. To everything I had learned so far. Short as it might seem.
"…Ghost Sight." The realization clicked. "That's it."
I looked at him again, more intently this time.
"Do you have a skill called Ghost Sight?" I asked. "Or any skill related ability that lets you see ghosts?"
That would explain everything.
If he had a similar ability, then this interaction made sense.
Contrary to my expectations, he shook his head in negative response.
"Only great beings like the chief can awaken to skills," he explained. "It is impossible for someone like me to have one."
So that was a no. Which meant my theory fell apart just as quickly as it formed.
"…Well, that's inconvenient."
Still, something in what he said caught my attention.
"Only great beings can have skills?"
That sounded… important. Potentially very important.
"…Not my problem."
I waved it off. That was a topic for another time. Right now, I had a more pressing matter.
"You don't have Ghost Sight," I said slowly, a smirk forming on my face. "And yet, you can see me."
I leaned in slightly, my grin widening.
"…That makes this interesting." A soft chuckle escaped me. "This might be one of those moments."
The goblin looked uneasy. My fiendish expression probably wasn't helping.
But I didn't stop. Instead, I moved closer, raising my hand and placing it over his shoulder.
Or rather, I mimicked the action. In reality, my hand had slipped right through him.
Still, the gesture remained sybolic and deliberate enough to deliver my intention.
"I am The Ghost," I said, my voice carrying a hint of amusement.
Then I tilted my head slightly.
"So tell me, Goblin…" My disturbing smile widened, "Do you want to be friends with The Ghost?"