“The exchange of rings will be omitted. From this point forward, the bride and groom have become one from two, making such formalities unnecessary. Therefore, they must keep in mind that they must forever remain together and pray that they walk through life as invaluable presences for each other.”
The wedding ceremony was nearing its end.
“Now, next, the bride and groom will make a pledge of eternal love and devotion, sealing their commitment with a kiss as an act of prayer and affirmation!”
This strange wedding ceremony, flipping and twisting the usual wedding process, was nearing its conclusion. By this point, William’s expression was one of resignation.
No, perhaps it wasn’t resignation.
Perhaps William was truly accepting this wedding.
‘Maybe he thinks this conclusion isn’t so bad.’
Jinseong murmured such thoughts upon seeing William’s expression of resignation.
“Now, Mr. William, please seal your vow of eternal love with your bride Beatrice Mary Marriott with a kiss!”
With Thomas’ words, William began to move slowly.
The bodysuit underneath his clothes forced him to move slowly, gradually approaching Beatrice, and Beatrice, too, moved slowly towards William while smiling at him as he drew near.
She floated through the air gradually.
In the middle, they met, and their faces tilted until their lips eventually met.
Beatrice, semi-transparent and hovering in the air, kissed William, who had a muzzle on his mouth. She succeeded in kissing him without his physical body passing through hers as though she possessed real substance.
‘So, contact was made easier only for them, anchoring the deceased within the body of the living like a weight, preventing her from drifting away and creating a gravitational pull ensuring that she doesn’t leave the established distance… Hmm. Measures were also taken to ensure no adverse effects, so there will be no possession either.’
Jinseong observed William’s situation, deducing that William and the girl had now become one.
Not a metaphor but in reality, one being.
William had become a necromancer, harboring the soul of the girl within his body, which had turned into her home. With this temporary dwelling, the decay that spirits typically undergo had slowed dramatically, enabling easier physical contact with living beings.
Now, they could even feel each other’s touch.
Of course, this wasn’t genuine sensation.
The sensation Beatrice and William felt during contact was merely an “illusion,” making them believe it was real.
But even if it was an illusion, feeling it through the five senses made it become truth.
Didn’t people using VR games experience it as reality even with various devices attached?
This ghost was a far more vivid existence than VR.
Now William could feel the sensation of the ghost girl’s touch, the unique coldness of her embrace, the smell from her nose, and the taste of her via “illusion.” Thus, she wouldn’t remain a mere phantom but truly live their married life.
Moreover, tethered to William’s body, he couldn’t escape her, and she, bound by the anchor, wouldn’t leave him.
Unless William’s body fell apart after death, that is.
‘Even if he rots, perhaps she won’t leave.’
Even if William’s body perished and only his soul remained, maybe she would still stay with him.
If that happened, as Thomas said, their “eternal” love would indeed continue.
“Haha! This marks the first and final marriage of the bride and groom. With that, the ceremony concludes. Please turn around and take the first step of your life as one.”
Thomas turned William toward the door, and Beatrice, by his side, was smiling contentedly.
Clack.
As William began to shift his step, Beatrice floated beside him, following him slowly.
Clap clap clap clap!
Wheeeek! Wheeeek!
Jinseong clapped his hands with gusto as they moved, and the disembodied heads of ghosts whistled enthusiastically.
It was a celebration of their hopeful future.
Thomas beamed proudly. He blessed the pair for supporting one another and the family they would build together. He believed love would bring happiness to their lives and that the Archangel Barachiel’s blessings would surely be upon them.
With that, the ceremony ended.
It was a happy wedding.
Even though the wedding ceremony was over, William didn’t leave.
He stood motionless like a broken robot in front of the door, just standing there.
And beside the still-standing William was Beatrice.
Beatrice, in obvious good spirits, had linked her arm with William’s and rested her head on his shoulder.
They looked like a perfect couple, the only exception being Beatrice’s semi-transparent body.
‘What an interesting smile, indeed.’
Jinseong glanced at the happy Beatrice and his eyes shimmered.
Humans maintain existence in three forms:
Body, mind, and soul.
A tripod-like stand upholds its existence on these three pillars.
So, what happens when one of the legs runs into trouble?
The tripod inevitably tips over. Everything inside it will spill out. A flame, which would once burn brightly, will weaken and gradually dwindle until it finally extinguishes.
The same is true for ghosts.
Ghosts, unlike humans, lack a physical form.
So as time goes by, they erode away, only their strongest emotions remaining. This usually manifests in some form of intense attachment, which then maintains the ghost’s identity. As time passes, memories fade, habits blur, and the ghost forgets who they even were.
This is how it becomes a wandering spirit.
And what’s left as it turns into a wandering spirit is the strongest emotion, similar to how humans discard the less important things when clearing out belongings. Ghosts hold onto the most crucial feelings and memories as they gradually degrade.
And this attachment inevitably transforms the soul into something entirely different from the person they were in life, eventually becoming malevolent spirits and ghosts that harm people.
There’s nothing extraordinary about them harming people.
For example, a friend who has remained obsessed with owning a house will create a ghost by luring others to death. Or the desire to play together can lead to a kid being seized, their limbs torn as if they were a toy — both examples of murder.
Malevolent spirits harm people, no matter the reason. They wouldn’t even be called malevolent spirits or evil ghost without the destructive power of obsession.
But conversely, if they lacked that obsessive attachment, ghosts wouldn’t easily degrade into malevolent spirits or evil ghosts.
People are constantly dying.
Somewhere on Earth, people continue to die. This is a reality even as you read this: several people die every second.
Yet there aren’t that many ghosts, let alone malevolent spirits and evil ghosts.
Malevolent spirits and evil ghosts naturally appear only in rare cases, like when an entire country becomes a den of them, such as North Korea, or when a mass killing in a confined area gives rise to concentrated malevolent energies.
Most people simply die without becoming ghosts.
But Beatrice, who had died young…
‘Hmm, indeed peculiar. Despite dying young and becoming a ghost, she hasn’t gone mad. She even experiences happiness from being connected to her beloved, keeps her emotions intact, doesn’t show signs of attachment, and does no harm nor holds enmity towards humans…’
Such occurrences are not unheard of, though not exceedingly common.
Spirits like those commonly known as ‘guardian spirits’ have this disposition.
But when it involves a story of a person from childhood, and William enters the picture, the tale takes a different turn.
A boy and girl who pledged love in front of an angelic statue overseeing marital unions and family life.
Then, the girl met a tragic accident and lost her life, and the boy began to turn bitter as a result.
The bride, who had known the boy’s past, pitied him deeply.
Then, one day, the ghost of the innocent girl was discovered….
‘Sounds like something out of a romance novel or film.’
Such a story might have seemed like divine providence to Father Thomas.
It was an opportunity to fulfill an unkept promise, a chance to steady William, who was beginning to falter, and to fulfill the deep love that kept the girl tied to the mortal realm.
Thus, he brought them together purely for their welfare.
“Hmm.”
Jinseong understood Father Thomas’s heart. With this many coincidences, it might have felt like fate.
So the priest might have gone to great lengths, using dark magic to orchestrate such a grand event.
‘Not bad. Good deeds were done with pure intentions, yielding fine results. His magical prowess is impressive, and his generosity with it is commendable. It’s worth deepening our friendship.’
Jinseong stood up and approached Thomas.
Then he smiled and said,
“Traditionally, wedding gifts are necessary.”
“Haha, that’s unnecessary. Simply attending and bestowing your blessings and wishes upon their future is more than sufficient. How could I ask for more?”
“No, I would feel uneasy leaving like this. Therefore, I wish to bestow a small gift upon them as they enter a new phase of life.”
“A gift…? Your very presence is appreciation enough. Offering a gift on top of that is… Haha! If it was for me, I would have refused outright. But for Mr. William, how can I object? Very well.”
Jinseong, with Thomas’ consent, moved slowly toward William.
He drew yin and yang energies from the taijitu within his body and guided them, making them swirl in a cyclical motion. He meticulously directed this complex flow, ensuring it followed a set path, creating unbroken, eternal circulation. As the flow gained momentum, he concentrated the amplified yang energy at the tip of his right index finger.
He then manipulated the meager energy, using it as a guide to move it while shaping it with yin energy to form a vessel, allowing the yang energy to simmer and boil. This way, the heat generated by yang energy began to pulsate from the tip of his finger.
Before the heat dissipated, he plunged his index finger into William’s abdomen.
Pfft!
The yang-filled finger slid into William’s abdomen as easily as through tofu. Upon leaving his body, the yang energy coursed down and settled in his perineum.
“Mr. Jinseong Park, what sort of gift is this? Is it related to the five elements of yin and yang?”
“Indeed. With the yang energy residing in the perineum, Mr. William’s vitality will increase. Given that his bride embodies yin, their married life will naturally stimulate and mutually enhance his yang, leading to a harmonious relationship.”
“Haha! You’ve bestowed a most essential blessing upon newlyweds. I’ve never seen a ritual like this.”
“It’s less of a ritual and more a shortcut used by warriors to enhance vitality. Normally, it’s just a trick, but for a groom whose bride is a source of yin, it can be quite beneficial.”
“A shortcut… Are there any precautions?”
“Yes. If he were to be intimate with a living woman, the yang energy will be consumed and will not increase. Unless he has mastered the art of ‘cai yin bu yang’ or specialized bedroom techniques, this will occur.”
“Not a significant issue. With his bride by his side almost all the time, it’s unlikely he’d seek intimacy elsewhere.”
“Indeed. That’s why I thought this blessing was fitting.”
“Haha! This is indeed a wonderful gift. Thank you very much, Mr. William will truly appreciate this.”
Thomas greatly appreciated Jinseong’s gift. He thanked Jinseong on behalf of William, who couldn’t speak due to the muzzle, and mentioned he’d visit soon before leaving the church with William.
“Then, let’s go as well.”
There was no reason for them to linger in the now-empty venue.
Jinseong left the church, clutching the disembodied heads of the evil spirits.
