Who was keeping it clean? Val was forced to wonder by the unexpected condition of the house.
“The house was refurbished five years ago. All the furniture you see is brand new. The best part about this house is that it cleans itself once every week as it’s enchanted,” the property dealer explained to them as they toured the rooms. “So would you like to buy it?”
Instead of answering his question, Val asked, “Was there a former tenant? And if so why did she leave this place?”
“The former tenant was a widow who lived here for almost three years before she moved out, claiming it was too eerie for her liking,” the property dealer replied.
“I see,” Val said. Internally, he thought that things might not be as simple as he was making them out to be.
Eliana pursed her lips, thinking about the dealer’s words. After a moment, she turned towards her boyfriend, who seemed to be in deep thought, and asked, “Do you think we should take it?”
Val took another look around before finally nodding. “Yes. I believe this will suit our needs for now.”
Seeing the determination in Val’s eyes, Eliana knew that they would be taking the property dealer up on his offer. She swallowed her fear, nodding in agreement. “Alright, we’ll take it.”
The property dealer seemed pleased with their decision. “You definitely won’t regret it,” he promised, but there was something about his tone that suggested otherwise.
The property dealer took them to his office where he also called in the owner of the house to finalize the deal. The owner was a middle-aged man named Jasper who had a scruffy beard, blonde hair, kind blue eyes, and dressed so ordinarily that no one would be able to tell that he owned a property in a costly place like the frontier. It seemed like he had a humble lifestyle.
Upon his arrival, the property dealer said, “Master Val, Miss Eliana, this is Jasper, the owner of the house you wish to rent. Sir Jasper, these two are interested in that property of yours.”
Jasper gave a nod of acknowledgment, a twinkle of understanding in his eyes. “Ah, the infamous haunted house. You’re brave to take it on,” he said to Val and Eliana jokingly. However, his thoughts were in complete contrast to his outward appearance. He knew that the couple was getting into more trouble than they might’ve anticipated, but that wasn’t his problem. He needed the contribution points, and they were willing to pay. His conscience was clear, or so he told himself.
“To make your stay more comfortable, remember to hang the talisman on the door inside the house at night. It helps keep the eerie occurrences at bay,” Jasper added, lying smoothly. The rumors of strange happenings were indeed true, but they didn’t occur only at night. He had, however, conveniently left out that detail.
Val glanced at Eliana, noting the slight trepidation in her eyes. Despite his emotional impairment, he was well-trained in reading people, and he could tell that the thought of living in a supposedly haunted house was unsettling her. But he also knew they had limited options.
“We appreciate your advice,” Val responded, “We’ll be sure to do that.”
Val made the payment to rent the house in full at the scene, his intentions masked by his calm demeanor. Beneath his exterior, he held a carefully calculated plan. He aimed to make Eliana feel loved and cherished, and what better way to do so than to cover her expenses? He firmly believed that by doing so, he would further strengthen their relationship. However, this wasn’t born out of love. Val had his own reasons, his own ambitions that drove him to act this way. Providing for Eliana was a strategic move that he hoped would inch him closer to his goals. The more he did for her, the more she would be willing to open up to him and share her deepest secrets, and the closer he would get to his goals.
On the other side, Eliana felt a bit uneasy watching Val pay for the house. It felt like she was taking advantage of him. Even though he was the son of a ruler and they were together now, she didn’t want to rely on him for everything. But given the situation and the presence of others, she chose to remain silent. It would be disrespectful to argue about such matters here. So, she swallowed her reservations and nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips.
Jasper and the property dealer seemed pleased with the transaction. The full payment upfront, without any attempts at haggling, had been more than they could ask for.
Watching Val hand over the contribution points, Eliana felt a small pinch in her heart as she saw his hard-earned points disappear. It was a steep price, but at least they had a roof over their heads now. She comforted herself with that thought, hoping that everything would turn out fine in their new home.
With the payment made, the paperwork sorted and keys to their new house in their hands, Val and Eliana left the property dealer’s office and made their way to their new home.
Unlocking the door, they stepped inside. Immediately, Val closed the door, locked it, and quickly took his talisman out of his pocket, hanging it on a nail protruding from the door.
As soon as he did, a system notification popped up in his vision:
[The host has erected a spiritual barrier. Devils cannot cross this barrier unless permission is granted by the host. Any non-living entity inside the barrier will be significantly weakened.] 𝒩𝞸𝐕𝔩xt.𝔠𝒪𝔪
‘It really works. These talismans… are really impressive. How are they made?”
Suddenly, Val was pulled out of his thoughts as he felt Eliana tugging at his sleeve. Turning to look at her, he raised an eyebrow questioningly.
“I want to pay for half the rent,” she said.
“Why?” Val questioned, slightly taken aback by her sudden request.
Eliana looked at him, a determined look in her eyes. “Val, you’ve been such a great help to me ever since we met. It’s always been you helping me, and I’ve always been on the receiving end. I feel guilty, like I’m taking advantage of you. I want to contribute in this relationship too.”
Val paused for a moment, looking at her earnest expression. “If it makes you feel better, then go ahead,” he finally said, not wanting to deny her request for obvious reasons. It was benefitting her and he wasn’t a fool that deny free food.
Eliana immediately pulled out her contribution points card. Val did the same.
