Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

"Fortunately, when I was fed up with the status quo, the leaders of various chaotic forces came to me. They were also tired of the endless fighting, so we drafted laws to make New Hamlet a safe zone. You can do anything here as long as you don't hurt anyone, and I became their recognized lord, managing the town and having a certain degree of command over the various forces, whenever they have time."

"Bandits and fugitives seek the treasure of Hamlet's monster's lair, while demons and monsters crave human flesh. Some weary wanderers settle in small towns, their thick hearts allowing them to quickly adapt to the strange guests, and my territory flourishes."

Kevin waved his hands excitedly as he spoke, then drank another glass.

"I haven't seen any normal people lately, and I feel a bit lonely. I warned the villains not to attack travelers, but I find it hard to believe they will listen. Besides, Hamlet is quite remote, full of death row inmates and deserters, murderers and bandits. Hamlet is full of these weirdos and lunatics!"

"Homage to the mad Hamlet!!!"

"Homage to madness! Homage to despair! Homage to death!"

"Respect the treasure!" "Respect human flesh!"

Kevin's complaints elicited cheers from the thugs, and waves of drinks surged to a climax amidst the laughter.

Kevin chuckled and whispered in Lyle's ear.

"Just watch, half of these people will be unable to pay their drinks later. Baroque will bring in thugs to force them to pay with their bodies—I mean, a beating. Oh, and I forgot to mention, the innkeeper in Hamlet has the right to collect tips, without the use of force."

Leaving a small stack of gold coins on the bar, a half-drunk Kevin led Lyle away from the Fallen Horse Bar. Those few glasses of cheap liquor weren't worth that much; Baroque was a ruthless merchant, and if anyone actually bought them, those adventurers who risked their lives would probably never save a single coin in their entire lives. But Kevin didn't care; he was the lord of this place, and he had more money than he could ever spend.

"Casinos, brothels, bars, hospitals, and churches—these are all money pits. The townspeople of Hamlet need to release their stress, and their unplanned lives always lead to a waste of money. Now I finally understand why my father forbade me to get involved in these businesses; he used to say that I would become obsessed with them."

"What's the reality?"

“Actually, this is too profitable! The expansion of the Borei family's businesses will arouse hostility from other rules, and a lucky, law-abiding baron won't attract jealousy. But now, I am the only nobleman in Hamlet, the real head! I can do whatever I want!”

As dusk fell, a loud chime echoed from the cliff, likely emanating from the castle, though Lyle didn't see any prominent pendulum structure. This doubt transformed into a keen insight; Lyle realized that the resounding sound wasn't a single, unified sound, but rather a collection of eerie noises disguised as chimes.

"Curfew is approaching, we have to go back to the castle." The Earl Kevin, who had just been acting arrogantly, ended his sightseeing plans and led Lyle up the stone path on the cliff.

“Hey Hamlet’s boss, you don’t care about curfews at Cassandra. If you had half the rules at Borough Manor, Ralph’s opinion of you would be much better.”

Lyle's teasing made Kevin, who had just boasted, a little embarrassed. He scratched his blond hair but did not make any show of bravado.

"This is for Hamlet, and as the leader, I must set an example."

"Come on, you were just banned from the casino," Lyle said, turning around to see the residents of Hamlet New Town packing up their shops and the monstrous guests who had gathered leaving. The gloomy tolling of the bells seemed to be a warning to everyone in Hamlet. "Kevin, what was that sound? Tell me the truth, why are the madmen of Hamlet obeying the curfew? And why are you obeying it? I thought the rules set by the nobles were only for managing the commoners."

“Well said! The problem is, I didn’t set the curfew; the purpose of setting the curfew was to manage me. Actually, it’s nothing; it’s just that my servants are calling me home,” Kevin said, turning his head. “That wretched Lyle, you never told me that Naslan’s maids weren’t normal vengeful spirits! Vengeful spirits don’t look like that!”

"What?"

“Look for yourself.” Kevin pointed to his back, and the two vengeful spirits that followed Kevin turned their terrifying gazes to Lyle. Their faces were horrifying; one had dislocated features, and festering wounds covered his entire face like freckles, while the other had half of his head missing, revealing a broken skull and skin like a dried corpse.

Lyle understood what Kevin meant.

Wraiths are tormented souls filled with resentment and unwillingness to die; their deaths are often gruesome. Their forms remain unchanged from the moment of their death, almost always appearing terrifying. Only extreme suffering can fill a soul with such hatred. In Naslan, Helena became a Soul Reaper to protect her servants. She and all the souls of Naslan became one, sharing their pain and madness. Therefore, the ghostly maids died without pain. They maintained their dignified appearance in life, yet as vengeful spirits, they possessed reason.

It now seems that young master Kevin, who had long harbored thoughts about the vengeful maid, has attracted some wandering ghosts for himself, and these servants don't seem to be very suitable for taking care of people.

"Unfortunate news, Mr. Kevin. I'm afraid you'll have to make do with this. How many vengeful spirits have you hired as servants?"

"More than a thousand..."

"...Where did you find this? Is the obsession with the ghost maid so deep for you...?" More than a thousand wandering ghosts. Keep in mind that the total population of Naslan is less than half of this number. Heaven knows how many eerie ghost realms it would take to gather so many vengeful spirits.

“I didn’t capture them, Mr. Bold, a member of the Advanced Demon Research Society’s Memetics Department, do you know that? I told Nameless about my beautiful fantasies about resentment, and Nameless brought Mr. Bold, and Mr. Bold brought a whole bunch of vengeful spirits…”

[My goodness, I never imagined there would be a third person in this world interested in the study of vengeful spirits. This is wonderful! These "friends" have been clinging to me, getting a little in the way. How about this, Mr. Kevin, I'll leave half of these "friends" to you as servants. Don't worry, I've adjusted them; they'll be the best servants.]

"Now, in Hamlet's Castle, every lamp is adorned with a vengeful spirit, and just a few days ago, I could no longer bear the sight of a dozen festering faces crowding my vision every morning, so I made a pact with my new servant."

"As good servants, they would disguise themselves and provide the best service. And I also have to be a good lord. I seriously doubt whether Mr. Bold has confused the difference between 'servant' and 'family.' These vengeful servants always try their best to keep me in the castle and I'm going crazy. So Hamlet's New Town is like paradise to me, a wonderful place of freedom."

"But good times are always short-lived. When curfew comes, I have to go back to the castle to rest and ensure my sleep quality and mental state."

"What will those vengeful spirits do if you exceed the curfew? Will they harm you?"

Kevin shook his head.

"Then they will leave the castle and come to my side, wherever they may be. And then they will create a peaceful and comfortable sleeping environment for me."

“They will kill all the living things around me that can make a sound.”

Chapter 619 The Countess

"So that's why those villains fled Hamlet's New Town—because they were afraid of becoming expendable servants of evil spirits to punish bad babies?" Indeed, anything associated with Andre becomes quite bizarre.

Kevin wore a disheartened expression. He had been extremely resistant to his father's arrangements in Cassandra, but now that he was a lord, he was still bound by the responsibilities of a servant.

"Half the lives in Hamlet's grave were lost because of my mistakes, and that's no joke, Lord, trying to be humble. Though they were filthy villains or cannibals in life, I still feel a little guilty towards them." Kevin's eyebrows drooped at a subtle angle, expressing a tiny bit of guilt, before he straightened up again like a lark climbing a branch.

“Apart from the unnamed gentleman who helped with the maintenance, Lyle, you will be the first guest I formally host at Hamlet’s Castle. Come, stay one night in my new home, and let me repay the warm hospitality I received in Naslan.”

“I’ll gladly accept your offer, Mr. Kevin.” Lyle pressed back the small, festering finger that was sticking out from the crack in the stone slab. “Let me confirm first, you certainly had a comfortable night in Naslan, didn’t you? There wasn’t some kind of scare party or near-death prank you planned in that gloomy castle…”

Kevin chuckled. It seemed Lyle had become somewhat wary of what happened at the Fallen Horse Bar, but he genuinely intended to treat his close friend well. "I truly intend to entertain you. Although the castle is my residence, many guest rooms have been used as laboratories by Mr. Nameless and members of the Advanced Magic Research Society. I've never been to those places, only frequenting a small area. Don't tell me about the evil spirits trying to scare you; those guys don't listen to me at all except for daily affairs, but they're quite dutiful as butlers and servants."

He had already walked halfway down the stone path leading to the cliff. This was the first time in months that Lyle had walked such a long distance on foot.

"Tired?" Kevin turned around and looked at Lyle, who was staring at his feet.

"No, I'm just a little curious. Isn't it a bit strange to make an earl walk?"

"Tsk." Kevin bit his thumb, looking a bit annoyed, as if someone had touched a sore spot. "Actually, walking more is good for your health!"

"...Tell me, what modes of transportation does your Hamlet family have that you find difficult to talk about?"

"As you know, the evil spirits in our house were originally wandering ghosts. Let alone asking them to find a ghost carriage, their first reaction upon approaching a horse is to tear it to pieces. So, if they want to use evil spirits for transportation, they prefer to carry things."

"Or rather, possession."

At Kevin's signal, the vengeful spirit with a festering face entered Kevin's body.

"Crack, clack, snap snap snap... rip—" Kevin's body floated up, his limbs twisting strangely in the air. His eyes were lifeless, his mouth open, emitting inexplicable sounds. "Kevin" began to move rapidly, paddling in the air with his twisted joints. He was incredibly fast, reaching the edge of the castle in the blink of an eye, then quickly flying back. His body slowly descended, returning to normal; the twisted marks and wrinkles on his clothes were gone. Kevin had woken up.

"As you can see, the evil spirits in my house prefer efficiency to elegance. When they control my body, I feel nothing, but I can still tell what they're doing with it. This method of movement is creepy, so I rarely use it. If you want..."

"I think walking is fine."

As the two approached the castle, the sun had completely set. A faint smell of blood still lingered in the once-dilapidated rose garden, and broken grapevines had crawled into the bricks and tiles. Ironically, this decaying and desolate forecourt had gained a touch of poetry, like that of a lament for the dead.

The windows on the balcony were all open, and the cold wind made the curtains dance in the darkness, like a lost soul sealed on a windowsill yearning to escape. Oil lamps, lit and suspended, floated along the road leading to the city gate, each with a blurry shadow behind it. The silence expanded, all the lights gathering around the two of them, and behind those shadows lay pitch-black darkness.

"Punctuality is a virtue, my master." The voice was like a chilling wind blowing from the coldest icy cave; just hearing it sent a shiver down one's spine. The dark figure drifted in front of Kevin. He carried no lantern, so Lyle only saw the cold, stern face when he got close.

"This is my most distinguished guest, butler. Please make sure that Mr. Lyle receives the best possible hospitality at Hamlet Castle."

“It would be my honor.” Though no sense of honor could be gleaned from the butler’s tone. Kevin returned to his room to change into his formal attire, while Lyle, guided by the butler, headed for the dining room. The butler remained silent throughout, as taciturn as Naslan’s ghostly maid, only colder. The candlelight on the walls flickered with Lyle’s steps, but the dim glow only provided a blurry view; Lyle felt as if he were being led by a ghost towards the underworld.

“The lamp should be... turned on…” A vague feeling arose in Lyle’s mind. The ominous shadow looked at this weak malice and revealed a strange smile. The shadow climbed up the wall and crouched behind the candlestick.

Lyle slowly approached the candlestick, where the small oil bottle was placed. Adding just a little oil would make the nearly empty candlestick shine a little brighter.

“Guest, that’s the servants’ job.” The butler’s voice sounded behind Lyle, the cold tone bringing him back to his senses. “Just give the servants instructions.” At the butler’s signal, a change occurred around the candlestick. A grotesque spirit crouching on the candlestick slowly materialized, its deformed body filling the space, its twisted little finger holding the oil jug. The spirit added oil, completing its task, and continued to stare at Lyle with its bleak gaze.

[Wraiths harbor intense hatred for the living, and what they love most is to lure the living into committing suicide.]

“Guest, if you take the servant’s job, the servant will be angry. Please be careful.” The butler glanced silently at the evil spirit crouching on the candlestick and continued to lead the way.

"Kevin said they are safe."

Kevin never encountered any danger.

Lyle cautiously made his way to the dining room. The butler had thwarted every trap the evil spirits had set along the way, forcing the ominous presence to conceal itself, which Lyle kept muttering about how boring it was. The experience in Hamlet was completely different from Naslan's. Naslan's spying was omnipresent, but those gazes held only curiosity and suppressed excitement. Hamlet's castle, however, was filled with empty, malicious stares, which led the ominous to rate this haunted castle highly.

Kevin, now dressed in his formal attire, had taken his seat at the head of the table. The table was laden with a sumptuous spread of food, clearly exceeding the combined appetite of the two of them.

“These normal foods are luxuries in Hamlet, and I can only purchase them from abroad through Mr. Nameless. The chef I brought from Cassandra taught the evil spirits the cooking techniques, but unfortunately, they didn’t remember my appetite. Eat, Lyle, it’s quite delicious.”

Lyle ate the food with trepidation. Surprisingly, the food cooked by these evil spirits tasted quite good, even better than the food of Nathlan. Lyle believed that this was due to Cassandale's cooking methods. The Nathlan's eating habits were similar to those of Nalania, and they had a preference for sweets.

Speaking of which, does Uncle Ralf have a sweet tooth? I wonder if Ms. Violet could twist his stomach.

The two ate quickly in the chilly restaurant, and Kevin said goodnight to Lyle before leaving.

"Get some rest, Lyle. I need your company tomorrow."

"what's up?"

"To visit my nominal sister, a countess of the Hamlet family."

Chapter 620 Please use your followers to slap someone in the face

"What happened to your sister?" Lyle hadn't slept well last night. Neither the message Kevin left nor the eerie gaze from Hamlet's castle had given him a proper rest. Excessive tension had focused all his attention on this question, turning it into an urgent desire to know the answer. So, early the next morning, after meeting Kevin, Lyle brought up the question.

"She was of Hamlet blood, the illegitimate daughter of the previous Duke, and was ostracized by the other children because of her bloodline, leaving Hamletshire at a young age. However, this also turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as she escaped Sherius's destruction of the Hamlet family. This place seemed to become her nightmare until we killed the Duke. She probably learned that Hamlet had a new heir, so she wanted to come and gain some benefits."

Lyle noticed Kevin's ambiguous expression. This was the first time he had seen the young master Kevin so calm and composed; this was probably part of his growth since becoming a lord.

“Meglou Hamlet, that’s the Countess’s name. We’ve actually already met and had some discussions about the succession and the distribution of Hamlet, but a minor dispute arose at the end. I intend to settle this dispute completely in this meeting.”

"Negotiations? Compromise?" Mr. Kevin Borry was a generous young nobleman, and Lyle had never seen him fight over anything...

"Of course not! Hamlet is now a city of villains and a lawless place. As its lord, I intend to reason with them. I'll go to town now and find some capable fighters to go with. As for Lyle, you can come along if you want."

As soon as he stepped out the door, Kevin immediately slung his cane over his shoulder. The formal attire that the evil butler had prepared to display his noble status now looked somewhat out of place under the influence of his roguish charm. Kevin now resembled a refined scoundrel.

Baron Borrell, your carefully nurtured offspring has become so approachable that he gets along well with everyone. I imagine you must be very pleased.

Uncle Ralph, you have a good eye for people.

"If you need my help, just let me know. I'm much stronger than before," Lyle said, expressing his support.

Kevin was pleased, but still waved his hand.

"The current Hamlet forces are certainly strong enough in terms of combat power, and Lyle, you are my guest now, so how could I let you take action? You can just stay by my side and watch."

Lyle didn't refute Kevin's idea, only thinking that he could help if something went wrong later.

The two followed the stone path back to the town. Dawn hadn't yet broken, and several bloodied villains lay scattered throughout the town. While Lord Kevin rested, it was a time of frenzied infighting among the various factions of Hamlet, slaughtering each other outside the town, exchanging blood and death for wealth and power. Some lucky ones escaped back into the town, covered in wounds, unable to even lift a hand. Even so, their pursuers could only watch helplessly as their enemies bled to death, cursing these fools. The hospital wouldn't open for another thirty minutes; if they could just hold on a little longer, their lives would be saved, and they could begin a new day of enjoyment.

Kevin wandered around town with practiced ease, sometimes even waving hello to acquaintances who were on the verge of death. It wasn't that Kevin was heartless, but these people were already as fragile as candles in the wind; a single careless movement could be fatal, and Kevin had experienced it many times before.

He first arrived at the cemetery. There was no position of gravedigger here. The strange old man who patrolled at night would occasionally pass by. Because there were too many demons and monsters in the town, the cemetery was actually quiet. Here, there were truly those who lay down and could not get up again, but there were exceptions...

"collector!"

Kevin's call summoned a tall, grotesque evil spirit. Its bizarre appearance was masked by an iron cage over its ethereal head. It wore a bloodstained leather coat, its arms hanging limply at its sides. Through the gaps in the coat, Lyle seemed to notice something. Its body was crammed with souls—the souls of others—growing like tumors on the collector's body. This was the first thug Kevin had summoned.