"I messed up..." - not for the first or the last time, I sigh, feeling the cold rain pouring down like from a bucket. An astonishing phenomenon for the end of February, but no matter how surprised I am, it shows no signs of stopping. The gray sky above me is shrouded in leaden clouds, and the raindrops drum against the ground, mingling with the mud to form small puddles.
The crone didn't lie: there really are few corpses. For the first two days, I sat at my post, silent and watchful, while no one attempted to dig up or bury the dead. On the third day, two hulking brutes arrived with three black bags. Judging by the stains seeping through the fabric, my imagination had no chance to run wild. Now I'm clad in a cloak and a black top hat, found at my post, with a shovel slung over my shoulder, under the watchful gaze of two middle-aged men armed with guns, their bodies covered in tattoos that seemed to tell their own stories.
"Get a move on!" one of them barks, his voice deep and threatening. I make a mental note: "I need to ask the crone who I'm actually working for." After digging the first grave, I waste no time starting on the second. My nerves are frayed, fear gripping my limbs, but I stubbornly continue to dig. The rain seems to mock my efforts, pouring down harder, while the wind blasts my face, nearly blowing the hat off my head. I mechanically dig, dig, and dig, as if it were the only thing I knew how to do.
After half an hour, I have two perfectly even graves before me. Catching my breath, I dare not slow down under the scrutinizing gazes of the two yakuza (or whatever gang they belong to). To my surprise, the earth begins to yield more easily, and my body instinctively adjusts, allowing me to excavate more with less effort.
[Inhumation skill acquired]
[Progress in studying T-01-68: +2%]
[First stage of learning the Funeral of Dead Butterflies achieved]
Gained: Butterfly Control skill, Prudence +3
Mentally dismissing all notifications without checking the changes in my stats, I continue to dig. Even in that brief moment of pause, I feel an impatient gaze upon me. Changing my grip on the shovel and ignoring the rain, I finish the last grave in just 20 minutes. Turning to my two grim-looking employers, I can tell from their expressions what is expected of me. Fixing my gaze on the three black bags leaking suspicious fluid, I, despite all my disgust for these slightly decomposed corpses, hoist one bag onto my shoulder and drag it to the first grave. I repeat the process two more times with the other bags before beginning to cover them up.
As I turn away to fill in the last grave, the two gangsters exchange glances. In their looks towards me, I notice a hint of approval.
[Understanding of T-01-68: +1%]
"Ha, not bad, kid!" the tattooed brute with a snake inked on his left arm laughs heartily, giving me an approving pat on the shoulder. "Relax, kid, next time we won't be breathing down your neck; you'll manage on your own." Not the warmest words, but they ease my mind when I realize I'm still useful to them, which means I'll be alive in the near future.
After standing for a few seconds, watching their backs fade away, I return to my post with a single thought: I need to get out of these wet clothes as soon as possible, not noticing that my footsteps leave no trace behind.
[Silent Step skill leveled up]
Slamming the door behind me, I quickly shed this makeshift "Mortis" outfit and hang it up to dry. "Time to check the notifications~" - I say, settling into the shabby chair as the raindrops continue to drum against the window. A flurry of messages pops up from the system before me. Resolutely dismissing them all, I open the interface.
[Name: Morpho Umbra
Age: 11
Attributes:
Fortitude - 18 I
Prudence - 26 I (squib) -> 29 I (squib)
Temperance - 22 I
Justice - 22 I
Enkephalin: 0
Inventory:
Self-writing pen with infinite ink
21 galleons
28 pounds sterling
Skills:
Silent Step I -> II
Inhumation I
Butterfly Control I
Magic:
None
Abnormalities:
Funeral of Dead Butterflies (T-01-68-H): 7%]
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Let me know if you have any problems with this chapter, I haven't slept in two days and I'm starting to get a little confused.