In the darkest times, no one can refuse the light.
Light gives people vision, energy, clarity, and truth; naturally, it can also give Janet courage.
She stared at the flower blooming in the palm of his hand, rotating slowly. She couldn't help but look up at the priest, only to see a warm smile.
Janet blinked; there was something more in her eyes.
"Want to see?"
Seeing Janet's expression finally show the emotional fluctuations a human should have, York smiled and asked again.
Janet blinked again, then nodded seriously.
"Okay."
York smiled calmly, then stared at the flower in his palm. The mana in his body surged violently as he whispered.
"Repello (Expel)"
He had long been annoyed by the dark haze filling the entire room.
[Twenty points of mana used]
As the mechanical voice faded, twenty points of surging mana flowed through the flower. Guided by York's will and control, a burst of light exploded from the flower's center, expanding outward like a rapidly growing circle.
Janet didn't even blink, staring at the scene that was both incredible and fantastical to her.
The light was dazzling yet not blinding; instead, it felt warm. With an unstoppable momentum, it rapidly dispelled the dark haze she could see, spreading further outward.
Meanwhile.
Downstairs, the busy Ed, Drew, and the helping Maurice, as well as Peggy, who was waiting outside and pacing anxiously, all stopped what they were doing.
"Mr. Warren, did you feel something?" Drew, who was installing an infrared camera, looked at Ed, who had also stopped, and asked in confusion.
Ed also tilted his head in confusion, then shook it and continued taking out detection equipment from his backpack.
"Drew, we don't have much time. Hurry up and install them. These devices need to be set up before dark."
Seeing this, Drew could only continue tightening the screws, but he eventually couldn't help but look at Maurice nearby and whisper.
"Mr. Maurice, did you feel anything just now?"
Maurice, who bore a striking resemblance to Chaplin, frowned and thought seriously.
"Well, it seems it's not as cold as before? It's even a bit warm?"
"Exactly!" Drew, having finally found someone who agreed, couldn't help but exclaim.
"I knew something happened!"
However, his excitement was dampened by Ed, who walked over with more equipment.
"And then? What do you plan to do? Stop and research why there was such a change?"
"Alright, Mr. Warren," Drew said helplessly as he looked at the equipment Ed handed him.
"I'll get back to work."
Ed gave a capitalist smile.
"Good. Thank you very much, Drew. Help me install this one too."
What they didn't know was that an invisible ripple had expanded until it enveloped the entire house. Upon reaching its limit, it collapsed like a ring, and the scattered mana lingered around the house like tiny specks of starlight.
"Uh..."
The eight-seater SUV parked in the yard also showed signs of movement.
Lorraine, who had been sleeping for a while, suddenly opened her eyes as her eyelids fluttered. She turned to stare at the house, seemingly sensing something.
At this very moment.
Inside the room.
"Child, isn't it incredible?"
After forcibly dispelling the dark haze in the entire house, York heard two screams. He silently noted their locations and looked down at Janet, who was still dazed by the previous scene, and smiled.
"So, do you want to tell me about what's been happening lately?"
Hearing his voice, Janet snapped out of it. She sensed her surroundings and found that, for once, she felt relaxed.
"I'm a little scared."
After speaking, Janet looked down at her shoes on the floor again.
"Scared?"
"Yes."
Hearing her still-hesitant voice, York's eyes shone as if he had found a treasure. He understood what she meant. Setting aside her talent, this young girl possessed rare and excellent qualities.
"Child, I'm here."
York's firm tone made Janet look up again.
"It can't beat me."
York smiled confidently.
"I have an invincible cheat."
Janet didn't understand the latter part, but she understood the former. Recalling the scene she had just witnessed, she took a deep breath.
"Really?"
Thinking of that Holy Bomb, York nodded seriously.
"Really."
Janet took another deep breath, finally summoning her courage.
"..."
Downstairs was busy.
In the dim but now somewhat warm room, the adult and the child were talking.
"You're saying that Grandpa Bill is actually protecting you?"
York was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected this.
Although spirits are inherently different from malevolent ghosts that harm people, protecting a stranger certainly didn't fit the typical behavior of a spirit.
Unless the stranger was a relative or someone connected to the spirit, but Janet clearly didn't fall into that category.
"Yes, he told me he only came back because he wanted to see his family," Janet whispered.
"It's just that his family is gone, and Mom bought his house."
"I see."
York thought for a moment. This was likely true, but there were still things that didn't quite add up.
"Child, tell me everything you know."
Janet nodded silently.
Then, only Janet's crisp voice filled the room as York listened expressionlessly.
"..."
"Grandpa Bill said he wants to leave, but something won't let him. It forces him to cause trouble every night, scaring us to wear down my will. He told me he's been very restrained..."
"He also said that Its target is me! As long as I'm not afraid and stay strong-willed, I won't be devoured by It..."
York habitually narrowed his eyes, but looking at Janet as she obediently spoke, a flash of pity crossed his eyes.
To have endured until now at only twelve years old, ensuring her family suffered no substantial harm—one could imagine how difficult that was. Yet, she had done it.
Unaware of the priest's thoughts, Janet continued to pour out everything she knew, as if she had finally found someone she could confide in.
"Besides Grandpa Bill, there are actually other monsters."
York tapped his hand on his knee, thinking of the two screams that rang out when he dispelled the dark haze.
One was likely the spirit Grandpa Bill, so the other was probably this monster.
"But as long as Grandpa Bill is here, it can only wander around outside."
As Janet spoke, she finally mentioned the one called It.
"Grandpa Bill also has times when he isn't around because It comes.
But It only stands in the darkness. I can't see It; I can only feel that It's there..."