The smile on Adriel's face faltered. "How do you know that?"
Ein glanced at the man that appeared in the video, shook his head, and went to bring over the file. "They're gathering 'donations' from desperate families. They haven't published any papers, so their research could be anything from non-existent to fraudulent."
"But if you want proof it's a cult," Ein held the file in front of Adriel, "here it is."
The ghost did a double take, then grabbed the papers to see them closer. "That's your target?!" he exclaimed, his eyes darting between the cult leader on the screen and the image on Ein's file. "The leader of Lazarus Blessing?!"
"Cult leader," Ein corrected him.
Adriel's shoulders slumped as he absorbed the revelation. "So they're not trying to bring back the dead?"
Ein shook his head. "No. Their main purpose is to bring in more people to cash in on their donations. It's a common tactic. They use the hope of resurrection to target families who have lost someone."
"Damn it." The ghost flopped back on the couch with a long sigh, practically merging with it. "The only lead I find turns out to be a cult..." He thought for a while, then asked, "Would you have fallen for it if you stumbled across this after losing your friend?"
Ein crossed his arms, denying, "I'm not an idiot. Once someone dies, there's no way to reverse it. The living have to deal with the consequences, that's all."
Adriel didn't like that wording. "Am I an idiot then? For trying to reverse my death?" he stood up with a sharp move. "No, even better—no living seem to be impacted by my death. What consequences? Life just moves on for everyone while I'm stuck here!"
"I'd say I'm pretty damn affected by your death," Ein muttered, closing the file. He tucked it back into the envelope, then went to put on his shoes.
"Hey! Where are you going? You can't just offend me and leave!" Adriel fumed.
Ein glanced back. "Never meant to offend you. Come on. Let's go."
"What?" Adriel's frustration turned into surprise. "Where?"
"To see a different type of a scammer," Ein said, striding towards the front door.
The ghost hurriedly caught up with him, trying to keep up with his brisk pace. They left the apartment with Adriel complaining about the lack of clarity.
"What scammer? Who are we seeing? Can't you just explain it? Why are you not telling me?"
"A shaman," Ein responded, irritated by the loud questions. "Happy?"
Bewildered, the ghost quieted down, following with simmering curiosity.
They drove to a modest but well-kept traditional house away from the city. The outside resembled a tea house for spiritual practices, and with the trees surrounding it, the atmosphere was secluded and protected.
"Is this the shaman's place? It doesn't look like a scam. The energy here is..." Adriel's words trailed off as Ein stepped over the doorstep, parting the beaded curtain. "Strangely familiar."
Inside the room was dimly lit, with an overpowering scent of burning incense. An elderly woman wearing a red robe was sitting behind a lacquered table, eyes narrowed into slits with age. She regarded Ein with suspicion as he approached.
"What do you want?" she croaked.
Adriel tilted his head in slight surprise at the unwelcome greeting.
"I have a situation," Ein said, taking a seat on the floor cushion, opposite from the shaman.
"Of course you do," she grumbled, picking a piece of candy from the bowl in the middle of the table. "Can't expect my only grandson to visit unless he needs something."
The ghost slapped his thigh. "Do you do have family! With the way you act, I'd have assumed everyone you care about is dead."
Ein ignored Adriel's comment, answering the old woman, "I don't recall you ever calling me unless you need something either."
The shaman gave a short scoff. "What use is it to make small talk if all I get are one-worded answers?" she said pointedly, the candy clacking against her teeth as she spoke.
Just then, the beaded curtain lifted, and a orange-robed man carrying a tray of tea entered the room. When he caught sight of Ein, his steps stalled for a moment, but he quickly masked his surprise with a welcoming smile.
"Ein, what brings you here? It has been a while," he greeted, setting the tray on the table.
The shaman leaned forward, her eyes scanning Ein like a hawk as she took a teacup from the tray. "Yeah, what grand situation do you have that made you come all the way here?"
Ein picked up his cup of tea with a nod of thanks. "You're the shaman, you tell me. I brought the situation with me." He gestured behind him to where a perplexed Adriel was standing.
The ghost made an offended sound at being referred to as 'the situation.'
"A spirit?" the orange-robed man guessed, lingering nearby after handing out the tea.
"Can they see me?" Adriel asked Ein, moving around to see if anyone's eyes would follow.
The shaman's gaze did not change, but she huffed. "A restless spirit with a strong presence. Quit moving around, you're making me dizzy."
She leaned back into her seat, shooting a look for her assistant to leave before getting back to scrutinizing Ein. "Tell me, how did you manage to get this spirit attached to you? I imagine she didn't pick you by choice. You're not exactly a lady's type."
"It's a man," Ein corrected, unimpressed with her deduction skills.
She smirked slightly, rubbing her chin. "Ah, it's a he? I was wondering why the energy felt so... tangled."
Adriel's eyes widened, and he quickly looked away, going to examine the incense sticks as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ein asked, distracted by the ghost leaning into the shelves with sudden interest.
The shaman chuckled knowingly before answering. "Ghosts that linger are often bound by strong emotions. Love, hate, unresolved issues – you name it. The spirit's energy around you is particularly dense. There's all of it mixed in."
Sensing something moving out of place, she abruptly turned towards Adriel, who had picked up an ornament from one of the shelves. "Hey! Put that down immediately! It's not a toy."
Adriel jumped at the sharp tone, hastily placing the ornament back before rushing to Ein's side. "My bad," he murmured, forcing out an awkward chuckle.
The old woman chuckled at the ghost's antics, her eyes gleaming. "Restless spirits like these are often troublesome. Do you want him to stick around, or do you want to get rid of him?"
Adriel looked at Ein with fearful eyes. He must have thought Ein would take the easy way out if he was presented one. But having gone this far, the thought of getting rid of him didn't even cross Ein's mind.
"I want to know if he can be brought back to life," Ein said, taking a sip from his cup.