Digging a Pit to Bury the Corpse
He hadn't laid a finger on anyone, so how were all these people dead?
Was he seeing ghosts?
He stared, terrified, at the bodies scattered across the ground. As far as he could tell, he was the only one left standing. This was bad. Really bad. Should he just lie down and play dead, too?
Just as Prince Ashworth was seriously debating whether to drop to the ground and fake it, a strange, eerie laugh echoed from behind him. *"Heh heh heh."*
"Aaaahhh!"
*A ghost! It's a ghost!*
Prince Ashworth wailed, shouting, "Brother! Get over here, quick! Help me! It's terrifying!"
He swung his sword wildly through the air a few times before practically flying into the carriage.
Cassidy, who had just finished off two guys and let out a standard-issue villain laugh to celebrate, just stood there, completely baffled.
Wait, what was her dad doing?
Inside her head, the System, which had also been cackling along, *"Heh heh heh"*, fell silent.
The girl and her System just stared, utterly confused, as Prince Ashworth dove into the carriage like a madman.
**[Is your father crazy?]** the System asked.
"I don't know," Cassidy replied. "I didn't see him get hurt or anything."
**[You think he got spooked by those men in black? Is your dad really that much of a coward?]**
Cassidy mumbled, "Pro... probably."
Seeing the carriage shaking like a leaf, Cassidy rushed over. She was worried that if she spoke too loudly, she'd only scare her timid father even more.
She lowered her voice and called out gently, "They're all dead. You can come out now."
From inside, the trembling Prince Ashworth heard the ghost's voice, now right outside the carriage, threatening him to come out.
He immediately started wailing. "What kind of wandering soul are you? I am a Prince, protected by my brother's Imperial Aegis! If... if you dare to touch a single hair on my head, my brother will hunt you down, grind your bones to dust, and make sure you never find peace!"
He couldn't count on his daughter anymore; she was probably passed out cold from fear. His only hope was to invoke his brother's name.
Cassidy yanked open the carriage curtain and found her father shaking like a blender on its highest setting. She gave him a look you'd see on an old lady on the subway staring at a particularly confusing smartphone.
"Dad, what are you doing?"
Hearing his daughter's voice, Prince Ashworth peeked one eye open. When he saw it was really her, and not some horrifying specter, he let out a huge sigh of relief.
He quickly pulled her into the carriage, his face still a mask of terror. "Daughter, you have no idea. It's terrifying out there. I just saw a ghost."
Cassidy was speechless.
No wonder her uncle, the Emperor, used to complain that her dad had the guts of a mouse. He'd said that even as a grown man, if Ashworth went to a play and heard a ghost story, he'd be too scared to sleep alone and would come crying to the palace to crawl into the Emperor's bed.
For someone so cowardly, it was amazing how he usually managed to act so high and mighty, putting on all the airs of a Prince. Honestly, it was hilarious.
Cassidy fought back a smile and patted her father's back. "Dad, don't be scared. There are no ghosts. Your daughter has friends in high places; I'm not afraid of any demons or monsters."
Prince Ashworth was immediately sidetracked. "Friends in high places?" he repeated. "Where did you get these friends?"
Had he failed that badly as a father? Since when did his daughter have so many friends?
Cassidy cleared her throat and looked at him expectantly. "Dad, do you believe in truth and justice?"
The prince was confused. Should he? He really wanted to shake his head, but seeing the hopeful look in his daughter's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to be a buzzkill. He nodded, as if in a trance.
"Dad believes!"
Cassidy excitedly grabbed her father's hand. "Dad, just now, when I called for help, my good friend Superman showed up and took care of those two guys who were trying to hurt you."
Prince Ashworth thought, *This is completely ridiculous, but I have no idea how to argue with it.*
He swallowed hard and asked nervously, "Daughter, where is your good friend now?"
"My friend left right after he took care of them," Cassidy said seriously.
The prince's eyes filled with terror again. Remembering that creepy *"Heh heh heh"* from before, he suspected his daughter's "good friend" was the ghost after all.
"So that... terrifying laugh from earlier... was that your good friend, too?"
Cassidy felt a little awkward. She finally understood why her father had been so scared out of his mind. This was her fault. She rubbed her nose guiltily.
"Ye... yes."
To stop her dad from asking any more questions about the laugh, she quickly changed the subject.
"Dad, are all those people outside dead?"
That snapped Prince Ashworth out of it. He scrambled out of the carriage and hurried over to the Duke of Crestfall, who was lying motionless on the ground.
Looking down at the Duke, who could be dead or just unconscious, both father and daughter felt a flicker of worry.
"Dad, do you think he's dead?" Cassidy asked.
"Probably," the prince replied. "I mean, he's just lying there."
"So, what should we do?" she continued. "We're in the middle of nowhere. Should we just leave him here?"
"That wouldn't be right," Prince Ashworth said. "After all, his grandfather helped my grandfather conquer the empire."
"Then how about we just bury him right here?" Cassidy suggested.
"And put up a tombstone," her father added.
"Makes sense!" Cassidy agreed.
For once, father and daughter were on the same page, their consciences perfectly aligned on letting the Duke of Crestfall rest in peace. Cassidy strolled over to the carriage and, from who knows where, pulled out two shovels.
They each took one and started digging furiously next to the motionless Duke, huffing and puffing as they worked. As they dug, they muttered to themselves.
"Don't you worry," Cassidy said to the body. "Even though we've only known each other for a few days, I take my duties seriously. I'm kind-hearted. I definitely won't let you die for nothing."
"We may not get along," Prince Ashworth added, "but I'm a kind-hearted man. On holidays, I'll be sure to come to your grave and burn offerings of good food and wine. You'll have it better on the other side."
When Reid and Jed arrived, they were greeted by the sight of bodies strewn everywhere, with soil flying as their two masters held shovels, one digging a pit, the other piling up the dirt.
Reid was stunned.
Had his masters finally gotten so tired of arguing with the Crestfall family that they just went ahead and killed the Duke and all his guards?
Unlike the shocked Reid, Jed didn't even hesitate. He found a sturdy stick and jumped right in, joining the digging with gusto.
Seeing them, Cassidy ran to the carriage, rummaged around, and pulled out two more shovels.
"It's almost dawn! Hurry up and dig!" she ordered, handing them over.
With a shovel shoved into his hands, Reid's brain hadn't even processed what was happening before his body was already lifting and digging. Thanks to his years of training, his movements were far more efficient than the other three.
The Duke of Crestfall, who had held his breath in time and avoided inhaling much of the sleeping powder, was starting to regain consciousness. Just as he was about to open his eyes, he felt dirt flying past him, with some of it landing on his face.
He slowly pried his eyes open and stiffly turned his neck, only to see the four members of the Ashworth household furiously swinging shovels and digging a pit right next to him.
Seeing the hole, which was already large enough to hold a person, the Duke's scalp tingled.
"What are you doing?" he croaked.
The four diggers paused and said in perfect unison, "Why are you awake?"
The Duke was baffled. Was he not supposed to wake up? Why did they sound so disappointed?
His eyes darted back to the large pit beside him.
Could that be for... him?
He pointed a shaky finger at the hole, his expression darkening. "What are you all doing?"