Helena continued with her monotone voice, but this time she was a bit more talkative than usual. We exchanged a few words, nothing really interesting, just casual conversation. Time passed like that until I decided it was time to start the dinner.
"What do you think if we begin dinner? I've prepared something especially for you," I said, smiling.
"I remind you that I am incapable of consuming food. But feel free to eat without worrying about my presence," she replied, indifferent.
It had been far too long since she last tasted anything, but even though Helena couldn't share that fundamental part of the date, she was enjoying it. It had been a long time since the world treated her as more than just a ghost, and although she was shown respect on some occasions, no one had treated her as they did when she was alive. Tonight felt pleasant in that sense; even her bad experience with Tom didn't compare to the effort I had put into this occasion. Now she felt foolish for trusting someone who hadn't even shown a fraction of the dedication she was experiencing tonight. It only took someone taking the time to chat with her to make her feel special and deceive her. Even in death, she could still disappoint her mother.
"Oh... hahaha... I won't be dining alone. When I said I prepared something especially for you, I meant it. Let me show you my hard work," I said, despite having only prepared the initial ritual and leaving it abandoned for months.
I pulled out a bottle of spiritual wine from my [inventory] and saw how her eyes lingered on it for a moment, though without much expectation. That would soon change.
"You know I have the ability to allow ghosts to temporarily hold objects, right?" I asked as I pulled out two martini glasses and filled them with the wine, revealing a spectral vapor emanating from the liquid.
"Yes, many ghosts know that. Myrtle can be discreet, but for a ghost, catching another by surprise isn't difficult. She mentioned something about it, but I, along with other ghosts, decided not to bother you with it. It's tempting, but limited enough to ignore."
"Well, I should've expected that. I hope you'll accept drinking this glass with me," I said, raising my glass along with hers, which vanished from my hands as it was sent as a gift.
Helena received the notification, similar to when I used [Message] to inform her about the location of this place. Although she had an idea of what was happening, I explained again how it worked. She accepted the gift, and in an instant, the glass of wine appeared in her hand.
She spent several seconds looking at the glass and her own hand. Even though she had said it wasn't that tempting, just being able to touch something after so long stirred strong emotions. She gently swayed the glass, watching the liquid inside slosh around.
After toying with the glass for a while, she looked at me and realized I was waiting for her, holding up my glass for a toast. She knew that although she could hold the glass thanks to my skill, she wouldn't be able to do much else. Myrtle had already explained the limits: if she tried to drink the liquid, it would simply pass through her spectral body. Even so, she decided to play along. Although she couldn't enjoy the contents, at least she could pretend that, for a moment, she wasn't just a ghost.
We both brought our glasses together and made a soft toast, the sound barely resonating. Then we simply looked at each other, not rushing to drink.
"Go ahead, tell me how it is," I encouraged her, insisting with a smile.
"I don't..." (Helena)
"Trust me." (Red)
Helena looked at her glass and then at my face, noticing the expectation reflected in my eyes. Although she didn't see much sense in it, in the end, she wouldn't be the one cleaning the wine off the floor if she failed, so she decided to play along.
She brought the glass to her lips, savoring the feeling of contact for a moment. However, before she could continue enjoying it, something more powerful overwhelmed her. Not believing she could really drink, she took a long sip, almost emptying the glass in one gulp. But things didn't happen as she expected.
The wine didn't pass through her spectral body as she had imagined. Instead, it dissolved into her being, spreading like a current that completely engulfed her, provoking sensations she hadn't experienced in a long time.
"What?!" she exclaimed, incredulous, looking at her own body. Although only for a few seconds, it seemed that her glow and color had intensified, becoming more vibrant.
"It seems you liked it."
"What is this? How is it possible that I...?" she said, still astonished, finishing what was left in the glass, eager to confirm whether that sensation had been real or just an illusion.
"It's spiritual wine, a wine that nourishes the spirit. It's very beneficial for the undead and similar beings. It was my first attempt, so it's not the best quality. It would have required much more time and many sacrifices to perfect it," I explained with a smile while also drinking from my glass, focusing on the effects I felt in my body. After a while, I shook my head.
"You are... a genius," she said, her glass trembling with excitement. "I mean it, you are the most impressive wizard of this era. You've done many remarkable things, but this..." She seemed completely overwhelmed by the experience.
"How does it feel? For me, it's like a liquid lighter than water, almost like air going in, followed by a slight chill," I asked, curious to know if there were differences in her perception.
"It's... hard to describe. It feels like it's filling me completely with energy, like it's revitalizing me, even if just for a moment. I could even say I feel more... consistent? I don't know how to explain it," she replied, still in awe.
"It's supposed to strengthen the spirit, so saying you feel more consistent might not be far from the truth. Although I'm not sure how to measure a ghost's strength. As I mentioned, this wine is of low quality due to the difficulty of producing it, but maybe if you drink it regularly or we manage to make a better quality one, we could see more noticeable changes," I reflected, bringing my hand to my chin before setting the idea aside. I took the bottle and smiled, "Shall I pour you a little more, my lovely lady?"
"Of course," she replied, this time with a slight smile. The night was quickly turning into the best of her life as a ghost. Not only was she being treated as someone important again, but she had experienced pleasures she never thought she would feel again.
With the wine in our glasses, the conversation became much more interesting. Although the wine couldn't intoxicate us, the excitement Helena felt at being able to drink again helped create a more intimate atmosphere. We discussed a variety of topics: her life, her death, Hogwarts, my abilities, my projects... even my love life.
"Am I also one of your goals?" she asked, looking at the little wine left in the bottle. Perhaps because it was the first time she had tried it, she began to feel stronger, just as I had told her.
"Maybe..." (Red)
"Is it because of my mother? Because I'm beautiful? Because of the fame I would bring you? Because I'm a ghost?" she asked, less inhibited, with what could be described as a slight ghostly blush. After drinking the wine, that flush seemed more visible. "You mentioned you are like a collector of women... is it because I would add value to your collection?"
"Maybe I'm getting a little tipsy, I talk too much," I said, looking at my glass, aware that in the intensity of the conversation I had said more than I should have. "The truth is, I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe all those reasons... or more. I just knew that I wanted you with me, for me, just for me. Sometimes I don't understand why I'm so greedy and selfish; I need a psychologist for that."
"But you know that, besides bragging, I don't think you'll gain much more. Maybe just being called 'the weird ghost guy,'" she replied with a half-smile.
"After trying the wine, do you think I wouldn't find a way to do even more things with you?" I asked, sporting a mischievous smile.
"Uh..." Helena's eyes widened in surprise. She looked at her glass, remembering the sensation she had experienced after so long. "You're right, nothing can stop you. Not even death stands in the way of what you desire. Good for you." She raised her glass in a gesture of acknowledgment.
"I don't hear any discontent, considering that you would be the target of all this." (Red)
"Mmmhhh... I'm thinking about it. I was raised not to give my body to just anyone. My mother was very strict; she didn't restrict me, but she taught me to value myself. However... after being dead for so long... I died a virgin and never experienced the sex everyone talks about. I've accidentally spied on some students, but since it was something I would never have, I wasn't interested. Now it seems like a possibility. I suppose so much waiting lowers a girl's standards. If sex is as pleasurable as they say, and if you can make me feel it like you did with this wine... I don't think I could refuse for too long before giving in," she said sincerely, her tone still monotone but now without the indifference of before.
"Is that a 'yes'?" (Red)
"Maybe... I'm not very clear yet. I think I want to, but I'm also worried. Despite being dead, the thought makes me feel embarrassed, which is funny because I thought I had lost all shame a long time ago." (Helena)
"Thank you. Even though you want me just as a possession, you make me feel better than I've ever felt before," Helena said with a hint of resignation, but accompanied by a sad smile. She seemed to recall her ghostly existence and how quickly she accepted her fate as little more than a memory of her past self.
"Helena, you're right. Maybe part of me sees you as a trophy, but that doesn't mean I won't give you the love you deserve. I want you to be mine, and even though I have many women, that doesn't change my desire for you."
"Any other man in your position, in the past, would have been called a pig for even suggesting I become just another lover," she replied, reflecting. "But you have proven to be above the circumstances. Despite your selfish desire, I don't think there are many others who have the right to fulfill it like you." She thought of my abilities, knowledge, achievements... like the wine she had just tasted. "Maybe it's the wine speaking for me, but given my current circumstances, it doesn't seem like a bad fate. At least I'd have something to enjoy, more than just wandering this castle until the end of time."
"So, would you be willing to embark on this path with me? I don't want to pressure you, but I'll tell you that I won't give up on you. Are you interested in hearing what we can do together... what I can offer you?" (Red)
"What do you offer?" she asked curiously, feeling that what was being negotiated could change her fate forever. The intrigue about what was possible kept her excited.
"What would you think of accepting to be my women, but not in a casual relationship that could easily break? I'm talking about something more permanent. It's not that I doubt you, but since it's a relationship between a human and a ghost, I'd like to ensure you won't disappear someday. I'm thinking of a magical contract that binds us forever. Although, of course, I don't plan to let go of my other women, nor those I wish to conquer. It's something you should keep in mind." (Red)
"And what do I gain from it?" she replied in a negotiating tone, although the wine had already softened her resistance a bit, and maybe time would do the rest.
"I have methods to get you out of your ghostly condition," I said, watching as a look of surprise crossed her face, more intense than any she had shown so far. "I can't promise you that you'll return to life soon, at least not for a long time. But I could offer you more than what you have now: the ability to interact with objects without my intervention, like you're doing now with the glass; to nourish yourself with energy, although not in the same way the living do; to experience more vivid emotions, stronger than in your current state. And, of course, to do that which you couldn't achieve in life..." I said, raising my eyebrows with a clear implication.
Helena remained silent for a moment, not expressing her thoughts as directly as before. However, each promise seemed to provoke small reactions, little gestures that hinted at how all of this affected her. When I stopped speaking, she lifted her head, closing her eyes as if she were lost in deep reflection, trapped in her mind. At least a whole minute passed before she opened her eyes again, looking at me with an intensity that made me think she might leap at me like a venomous snake.
"I accept," she said, with a firmness and certainty in her voice that left me almost speechless.
...
I, ever theatrical, pushed the table and chairs aside, leaving us both in the center of the room. I knelt while she floated in the air in front of me. She extended her hand, and I passed mine through it, initiating our [Blood Pact].
I began to speak with a firm voice, but I tried to make it as loving and dignified as possible.
"I promise to love you from now and forever, with no possibility of ceasing to do so. And if one day my love for you wanes, may it never fall below what I feel today with this oath..." (Red)
I started with my part of the deal, offering her the love she had always desired, one of her great regrets, especially after being murdered by the one who claimed to love her and betrayed by another man who never did. My words aimed to fill that void in her existence.
I made several more promises about my commitment before continuing with the conditions for her.
"And may you never stop loving me. May you be unable to love anyone but me, and if feelings beyond friendship or familial affection for someone else arise, may they disappear instantly, preventing you from feeling romantic love for anyone else..." (Red)
Helena didn't say a word while I spoke, neither agreeing nor disagreeing; she just watched me with a penetrating gaze. As my words and conditions progressed, I felt my reserves of blood magic rapidly depleting. I had to replenish them, undoing almost all of my clones and using the remaining ones to absorb energy from other beings or consume food.
"And may you never betray me. Let me have your heart and your loyalty forever." (Red)
By this point, Helena's silver body had been completely invaded by the blood magic, tinged with a deep red. No trace of her could be distinguished beyond that intense color that seemed to consume her.
"Do you accept?" I asked, feeling a knot in my stomach. I didn't know if she would accept. The pact favored me quite a bit and wasn't very fair to her. Sweat ran down my forehead as I thought about what was at stake, fearing I had come so far only to lose everything.
"I accept," she pronounced calmly, causing the intense red within her to vanish in an instant, merging with her being. And there was Helena again, looking at me, although this time with a slightly more affectionate and tranquil gaze than before.
---///---
2nd Additional chapter
I want to express my gratitude to Kamikaze for their generous donation. From this moment on, I think I will stop mentioning donations, not because I am ungrateful, but because I fear I might forget someone in the future. I prefer to avoid that and focus on the story.