"Yes, I'm the shaman," the veiled woman said, her voice calm but commanding. "What is it that you need help with?"

Ace didn't respond right away. Instead, he gestured toward his modest hut. "Perhaps we should discuss this inside. More… privacy."

Her posture stiffened, and her tone turned sharp. "Benefactor, rid yourself of any ulterior motives. I am a Silver Major. If you try to force yourself on me, you'll regret it."

Ace blinked, startled. "Whoa, whoa! What kind of image do you have of me? I just thought talking about my situation out here might be… you know, a bit inappropriate. Nothing else!"

"Whatever it is," she said firmly, "say it here."

Ace hesitated, looking troubled. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, he dropped to the ground and sat cross-legged on the dirt. He glanced up at her expectantly. "Won't you sit?"

The woman didn't respond, her veiled face betraying no hint of emotion. When it became clear she wasn't planning to move, Ace shrugged and let it go.

"Fine," he said, leaning back on his hands. "Here's the deal. I need you to exorcise a spirit. It's been haunting me for days, and—well, to be honest, I think it's giving me a split personality."

Her head tilted slightly, her veil shifting as if she were raising an eyebrow. "A split personality?"

"Yeah. The guy whose body I… inherited? Let's just say he's not ready to leave. He keeps popping up at the worst times, like an uninvited guest at a party. It's making things… complicated."

"Complicated how?"

Ace rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, for starters, I keep getting blamed for things he did. And trust me, his track record isn't great. He's kind of the reason I'm out here building walls in the middle of nowhere instead of living comfortably in town."

The shaman crossed her arms, still standing. "So, you want me to exorcise this lingering spirit of yours?"

"Exactly," Ace said, nodding earnestly. "Get rid of him, and I can finally have some peace of mind. Maybe even start a new life without his mess trailing behind me."

She was silent for a long moment, her gaze—or what Ace assumed was her gaze—piercing through him.

Finally, she spoke. "This isn't a simple matter. Exorcising a soul tied so deeply to a body is dangerous. For both of you."

"Dangerous? Pfft." Ace waved her concern away. "I live dangerously. I mean, I'm already living on a mountain and talking to a shaman. How much worse can it get?"

"You could die," she said bluntly.

Ace froze, his confidence wavering. "Oh."

"Yes," she continued. "Oh. So, are you still sure you want me to do this?"

Ace hesitated, then gave her a crooked smile. "Well, if it means finally getting rid of this guy and all his bad decisions, then yeah. Let's do it. But, uh… maybe you should sit down for this. It sounds like it's gonna be a long conversation."

The shaman sighed, clearly unimpressed, but after a moment, she finally lowered herself to the ground. "Fine. Explain everything in detail."

Ace grinned. "Now we're talking."

"Yes, I'm the shaman," the veiled woman said, her voice calm but commanding. "What is it that you need help with?"

Ace didn't respond right away. Instead, he gestured toward his modest hut. "Perhaps we should discuss this inside. More… privacy."

Her posture stiffened, and her tone turned sharp. "Benefactor, rid yourself of any ulterior motives. I am a Silver Major. If you try to force yourself on me, you'll regret it."

Ace blinked, startled. "Whoa, whoa! What kind of image do you have of me? I just thought talking about my situation out here might be… you know, a bit inappropriate. Nothing else!"

"Whatever it is," she said firmly, "say it here."

Ace hesitated, looking troubled. Finally, with a sigh of resignation, he dropped to the ground and sat cross-legged on the dirt. He glanced up at her expectantly. "Won't you sit?"

The woman didn't respond, her veiled face betraying no hint of emotion. When it became clear she wasn't planning to move, Ace shrugged and let it go.

"Fine," he

Chapter 17 - ax afbacb af