"Hmm, so Aldrich, who are the others? Wait, never mind," Melina said dismissively, waving a hand as if brushing away her own curiosity.
"Huh?" Aldrich tilted his head, puzzled.
"Let me check my scrolls," Melina replied, tapping her space ring. A soft hum echoed as several golden scrolls spilled out, clattering onto the floor in a neatly arranged pile. She knelt and began rifling through them quickly.
Aldrich crossed his arms, watching her with a mix of confusion and unease. "I wonder what she's up to..." he muttered under his breath, his gaze darting nervously to the shimmering scrolls.
"This is it!" Melina suddenly exclaimed, holding up a particular scroll adorned with beautiful, glowing sigils. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "There's a way to make you all ascend immediately!"
"Eh? You're not planning to use us?" Aldrich asked, his tone tinged with what could only be described as disappointment.
"Use you? Hell no!" Melina snapped, her brow furrowing. "That sounds like way too much work. Besides, I'm planning to open a shop here. Can you imagine what people would think if they saw ghosts hanging around? I'd lose all my customers!"
"Yeah... that makes sense," Aldrich conceded, scratching his head.
"I'm going to try a different purification process. Are you all ready?" Melina asked, her tone serious.
"Yes," the ghosts answered in unison, their bodies flickering slightly as if steeling themselves.
Melina clasped her hand. The air grew heavy as the black aura from her enveloped the ghosts, only to shift and glow golden moments later. The light brightened, covering the ghosts, and when it finally dissipated, the ghosts were gone.
A small whimper broke the silence. Melina turned to see the beast dog sitting calmly, its ears drooping.
"Feeling sad, doggy?" Melina asked, her voice softening as she stood beside it. "From now on, I'll call you Xiao. Don't worry—I'll keep you company, okay?" She gave the dog a warm grin and ruffled its fur.
Reaching into her space ring, she produced a small pill and held it out. "Here, have this."
Xiao sniffed it cautiously before gobbling it up with an enthusiastic wag of his tail. A moment later, he yawned and curled up on the floor, drifting into a peaceful sleep.
Melina stood, brushing off her hands. "I'm going to be busy with some renovations, so rest well, Xiao," she said to the dog before her gaze shifted to the worn-down building around them.
"Now," she muttered, pulling out an assortment of tools from her space ring, "let's get started."
As midnight rolled in, Melina finally stepped back to admire her handiwork. The once dilapidated house now gleamed with a fresh coat of paint, sturdy walls of bricks and wood, and polished windows. It looked brand new.
Melina wiped her brow and smiled with satisfaction. "Not bad, if I do say so myself."
She made her way inside and headed straight for the bathroom. Turning on the water with a flick of her fingers, she sighed contentedly.
"I'm so glad I have water magic. What would I ever do without you, water magic?" she mused aloud as she scrubbed herself clean with soap and a sponge, savoring the simple luxury.
Once refreshed, she sprawled out on a plush couch she had pulled from her space ring, sat on and and begun staring blankly at the ceiling with her pyjamas.