Compensation θ ~ I might be late for reincarnation, but since I was born as the talented eldest son of a prestigious noble, I might be on the winning side.

A subsequent investigation revealed the extent of the damage to the Hanging Gardens and a report was submitted.

The water tank and the pedestal in the center of the water basin were intact, but the snowflake stone edges of the water basin, the surrounding flooring, and the sculptures on the pedestal were damaged.

In other words, there was no damage to the original structural parts, and only the parts modified by Flor Blanca were broken.

The flower sculpture was completely destroyed, and the sculptures of the unicorn and the girl were partially damaged. The golden plate on which the vows were engraved was shattered into pieces.

“The metal plate shattered?” I was surprised, and then I was told that the the plate which I thought was made from metal was actually made from a special crystal.

“That is called ‘gold crystal,’ a special processed crystal from labyrinth crystal, not metal.”

Surprisingly, it’s made from labyrinth material.

“Although it has the luster of metal, it does not rust, is relatively light, and has sufficient durability, making it a popular product.The silver plate found in the mausoleum is a similar product, and it is called silver crystal.”

“The ones in the carriage windows were also processed labyrinth crystals, right? So, are gold crystals and silver crystals our region special products too?”

“Yes. Processing labyrinth material requires special techniques. The acquisition of the material is also rather hard, so these products cannot be made anywhere.”

In the Glass Region, they strengthen the purchase of labyrinth crystals for industrial protection. The engineers are also monopolized by the Kilyam family.

“The repair work on the water basin is scheduled to start soon. It won’t take much time, but access to that place will be prohibited for the time being.”

“What kind of work will you do?”

“We will remove debris and replace the damaged edges and flooring.”

The statues and carvings on the pedestal will be removed, leaving an empty space. The materials used for repairs will be changed to something more suitable for flooring than snowflake stone.

The water inlet at the bottom of the water basin, according to the report, did not show any damages.

However, I had always felt that there was something there.

A faint phosphorescence, rising bubbles, and wind spirits that had gathered as if watching.

I feel like I already have the answer.

Once, there was Lord Hugo’s grave in the Sky Garden. In the scene during the renovation, a man who seemed like a relative said it was a “token of gratitude and admiration for the spirits who devoted themselves to the city’s defense.”

The mournful scream echoed in that place.

‘I Promised…’

Immediately after hearing that voice, I felt a strong aura, and the floor and statues froze. Water elemental magic was cast, and the area around the water basin suddenly froze.

If that’s the case, isn’t the voice I heard back then the voice of the spirit I see in my vision?

So, when I thought about what the promise the spirit made was, suddenly, I remembered the daydream I saw in the carriage.

Why had I forgotten it until now?

The Eastbridge in the dream was the old name for Glassbridge. The young man who was the protagonist in that dream, judging from the content of the conversation, could only be the 5th generation Lord Hugo.

So, if he was called “you” in the dream, could it be that he had formed a deep bond with the spirit?

Lord Hugo, after the siege of Glassbridge, was known in the streets as “Spirit Mad.” The reason was that he had openly declared that he would devote his life to his spirit, both publicly and privately.

“Spirit Mad” is not a bad reputation, and it includes awe and reverence for Lord Hugo, who was able to communicate so deeply with an invisible existence.

The place Lord Hugo had designated as his own grave.

Water constantly flowed into the water basin. At that time, the spirits were weakening, and their existence seemed to be fading away. What if the water basin was prepared for the revival of that spirit…

Originally, only relatives of the Kilyam family would visit the extremely quiet bottom of the water basin, where the spirits’ power would gradually return. Alongside Lord Hugo, and even after his death.

However, there is one thing that bothers me. I can’t tell without looking at the timeline, but more than a century has passed since the invasion war on Glassbridge. Would it really take such a long time for the spirit’s revival?

The spirit might still be sleeping there.

Flor Blanca’s jealousy may have influenced the spirits, but her power did not wreak havoc for such a long period. So, could there be another reason why they can’t revive?

The water inlet was considered a purification device. The water after purification was used as domestic water and filled the surrounding moat.

The whereabouts of a large amount of water. Hmm. I really have no idea.

But, there might be something I can do about the spirits. If I can restore the water basin, it might help them. I want to try that at least.

Can I see that daydream again? If I could, I would get a confirmation of my theory.

While thinking about such things in bed late at night, it appeared. The snake with the lustrous sheen of pearls. It appeared suddenly.

Once again, the snake swallowed me whole without explaining anything. It would be nice if you guided me like you did in the beginning. Huh, you say it’s much faster this way? Well, I guess there’s no helping it. Strangely enough, we seem to be able to communicate somehow.

The crucial lines should have been spoken towards the end of that dream. Could you show me from that point?

―― Be happy together.

Yeah, that’s right around here. I really need to listen carefully this time.

“Please, don’t disappear… I love you. Don’t leave me alone!!”

――Just sleeping here.

――So, don’t go.

“Just sleeping? Really?”

――Long sleep is needed.

“If that’s the case, then I’ll spend my whole life… No, that’s not enough. Even after death, I won’t leave your side. I’ll talk to you every day until you’re annoyed, make your favorite white flowers bloom all around, and pledge my love to you morning and night. Because you get lonely easily. If I’m always with you, you won’t be lonely, right?”

Just as I thought. The keywords are probably flowers, vows of love, and Lord Hugo himself. Assuming these have become binding promises, or in other words, spoken words that bind the spirits.

How can I release or awaken the spirits from that place?

Flowers shouldn’t be too difficult. I can create a flower bed in the water basin and plant Star Flowers.

As for the vows of love, could the silver plates embedded in the gravestones be used? Since the messages engraved on the silver plates correspond to the beliefs and way of life of each head of the family, it would be natural to assume that they were not discarded but reused during the relocation.

If we move the silver plates or gravestones from the lower graveyard, along with Lord Hugo’s remains, it doesn’t seem like it would take much effort. Would that solve all the problems?

“Is it possible to move Lord Hugo’s remains and gravestones to the Sky Garden again? Ideally, I’d like to restore the water basin to its original state.”

“There should be no one opposing the proposal to attempt the restoration of the grave along with the renovation of the water basin. Beneath the shattered gold crystal, there is a separate chamber believed to be the original tomb, and it has already been cleaned. So, we can move it anytime.”

Yes. Taking immediate action, we returned to the mausoleum.

When I asked about the procedures for opening the grave, I was told there was nothing special.

This is because the funerals of family heads, who live with spirits and die while being watched over by spirits, are held in free, non-religious funerals that are attended only by close relatives, close friends and acquaintances of the deceased.

Therefore I asked Nathan, the head of the Morris family, and also the steward of the main residence, attended, and I also had Moriss-ji, my steward, come along.

“As for Lord Hugo’s gravestone, there are no clear records about it at that time, but I think there is a high possibility that the silver crystal with the engraved name is from that time.”

I confirmed the wording below Lord Hugo’s name once again.

『I promise my love to you every morning and night, my beloved. 』

This should be spot on.

As soon as I called in a stonemason from the workshop, the work began immediately.

“We will remove the gravestone, so please bear witness.”

Using a dedicated tool to lift the gravestone that served as the lid of the grave and carefully placing it on the cloth laid next to it.

To retrieve the urn containing the remains, Nathan, wearing white gloves, peered into the chamber and showed an astonished expression.

“W-What in the world!”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s empty. Completely empty. There’s no urn that should be inside.”

Surprised, I also checked inside the chamber, and indeed, there was nothing. As if it had evaporated, there was not a trace left.

“Huh!? What does this mean?”

“I don’t know. It was certainly recorded that it was placed here.”

The restoration of the water basin, which I thought wouldn’t be too difficult, had hit a reef from the very beginning. The crucial remains were missing. This is troublesome. A very troublesome situation.