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Eggchan always gazes into the void at random moments. To a stranger, he simply looks like he’s spacing out, to those familiar with him, like Wemmbu or Minutetech, these antics are actually quite hilarious.
But the truth is far from funny: Eggchan can see ghosts.
Many people call them ghosts, so Eggchan calls them ghosts too.
Yes, Eggchan can see ghosts.
A ghost might be a player who died, or perhaps a creature or an old companion belonging to someone else. They can be anywhere, following whoever they please.
They exist in every corner, hovering behind others like shadows that never fade. Initially, witnessing so many spirits caused Eggchan great anxiety, but over time, he chose to ignore them. He established a silent rule for himself:
No communication, no touching, no interference.
Among those ghosts, Rejoice is the one he sees most often because he always lingers around Wemmbu. Whenever Eggchan accidentally stares for too long, Rejoice avoids his gaze in embarrassment. Between them, there is only a slight nod or an awkward smile in place of a greeting. Eggchan has no intention of breaking that silence.
Eggchan doesn't mind much; he has no desire to interact with them anyway. Thus, he ignores the spirits seeking help people can call him heartless if they want. But honestly, there isn't much Eggchan could do for them anyway.
The lines in the book Eggchan carries contain stories of both the living and the dead. Voices constantly echo in his ears, which is why he sometimes struggles to get a good night's sleep.
Around Parrot, there are many ghosts, most of whom Eggchan doesn't recognize. To be more precise, the only one he recognizes is Wifies.
Wifies' spirit is tethered to Parrot like an inseparable "tail." Unlike Rejoice’s silence, Wifies often meets Eggchan’s gaze with a subtle, knowing smile.
Eggchan has overheard bits and pieces of Parrot and Wifies' story from other ghosts, but he hasn't heard the full version. Consequently, there are many blank spaces in his book yet to be filled.
Eggchan wants to know more, but unfortunately, Parrot looks like he might fly away the moment Eggchan asks about Wifies, so he chooses silence. As for those unfamiliar ghosts, Eggchan has no desire to approach them either.
So... that only leaves Wifies.
They haven't interacted much before. Even though they exchanged a few words while Wifies was still alive, Eggchan knows they aren't close enough to discuss such private matters.
Besides... Eggchan truly doesn't want to break his rule of "no contact with ghosts."
...
"You can see me, right?"
Eggchan froze. His heart skipped a beat, and he blinked. In front of him was no longer a void, but the eyes of someone who shouldn't exist here.
He was no longer a faint shadow standing behind Parrot. Wifies stood there, manifested so clearly that Eggchan could see strands of translucent brown hair fluttering in the wind, a wind only the dead can feel.
Eggchan took more time than usual to react, he averted his eyes, trying to cling to the last remnants of silence.
"Man, you've been looking at me for over five seconds." Wifies chuckled, catching him in the act. Usually, Eggchan only stole curious glances for a second or two, but this time, his shock had betrayed him.
Eggchan gripped the leather cover of his book, the texture of the paper under his fingers helping him regain some composure. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his face as expressionless as possible that trademark "blank" look Wemmbu always teased him about.
Wemmbu was still talking to Parrot on the other side, while Eggchan stood near the riverbank, seriously wondering if he should jump into the water just to pretend he had hallucinated from the wrong potion.
Eventually, he tried to walk around the spectral figure, but Wifies, with the agility of a soul unbound by matter, lightly glided to the side to block his path.
Wifies crossed his arms, his feet hovering a few inches off the ground. Despite his ghostly appearance, the mischievous glint in his eyes hadn't changed since he was alive.
"Stop acting," Wifies tilted his head, his smile widening. "You just dodged me. A normal person would walk right through me and just feel a slight chill, but you... you actively stepped to the left to avoid touching me."
Eggchan remained determined not to look up. Rules were rules. Once he answered, the boundary between the living and the dead would officially vanish.
"Listen," Wifies’ voice lost its teasing edge, becoming strangely sincere. "I’ve been watching you for a long time. You’re not afraid, and you don’t try to tell anyone about me. You just... document."
Wifies glanced at the book in Eggchan’s hand.
"Is my name in there?"
Eggchan hesitated. That question struck the core of a person who respected truth and stories. In that book, Wifies’ name didn't just appear it sat on an unfinished page, filled with cross-outs and lingering questions about the bond between him and Parrot.
He slowly looked up. This time, it wasn't a fleeting glance, but a direct confrontation.
"You..." Eggchan cut himself off, glancing at Wemmbu and Parrot in the distance. He frowned slightly before deciding to speak in a lower whisper.
"You seem... clearer than the others."
Normally, ghosts appear blurry with indistinct facial features.
Eggchan finally spoke, his voice so low only the two of them could hear. "Why did you choose to approach me?"
Wifies laughed softly, a sound like rustling dry leaves. "I’m just bored."
"I like the way you document what happens in this server in that book."
Wifies leaned in, trying to peek at the pages even though Eggchan had deftly snapped it shut. "But you know, those ghosts out there love to embellish things. They only give you half the truth."
Eggchan narrowed his eyes, feeling as though he had just stepped into a swamp he had spent so long trying to avoid. "Are you asking for my help?"
"No," Wifies replied instantly, the curve of his eyes too soft to hide an ulterior motive. "I just want someone to chat with."
"The other ghosts don't really like me much." Wifies snorted, seemingly knowing exactly why he was unpopular. Eggchan was curious but chose not to ask. "Besides, I have many stories that you would definitely be interested in."
"So, Eggball," Wifies finally made his offer: "Want to hear something interesting?"
Eggchan stared at Wifies, his mouth opening and then closing again. His wings fluttered and retracted, finally drooping with a small sigh.
His movements were somber yet decisive. He sat down on a boulder by the river, opened his book to a fresh page entirely separate from his unfinished notes on others and picked up his quill.
Wifies blinked, then beamed a bright smile.
From then on, a strange pact was formed. Wifies would tell Eggchan the hidden secrets of the server, and Eggchan would write them down. He still maintained his rule of not speaking too much; sometimes, he only wrote his questions on small scraps of paper for Wifies to read.
In the days that followed, people still saw Eggchan standing in a daze, but now, his hands occasionally moved swiftly across the paper. Wemmbu sometimes saw his friend writing more feverishly than usual but never suspected a thing. After all, everyone knew about his hobby.
Parrot, on the other hand, found it odd. Eggchan would occasionally squint at him, nod, and then look down to write something. Parrot was glad they didn't see each other often, as he wasn't particularly fond of those behaviors.
Wifies and Eggchan didn't meet frequently, mostly only talking when Eggchan was near Parrot’s location.
Regardless, they developed a strange friendship between the living and the dead.
"Does Wemmbu know about this?" Wifies asked, glancing at Wemmbu and Parrot standing not far away. Realizing he might be unclear, Wifies added: "I mean, about the ghost friend who's occasionally by Wemmbu's side."
Eggchan was silent for a few seconds. He didn't look up, responding only in a very soft voice. "No, he doesn't know."
Wifies chuckled, looking as if he had already guessed. Eggchan always wondered why Wifies knew so much about this server. In a way, it felt like a taboo topic Wifies didn't want to answer, and Eggchan didn't want to hear.
"Aren't you going to try talking to him?" Wifies asked.
"No." Eggchan replied quickly. He truly had nothing to say to Rejoice. Perhaps Eggchan was curious about certain things Wemmbu kept hidden, but he knew he didn't need to ask.
Because one day, when they watched the moon together, Wemmbu would surely open up and tell him. They were friends, and friends must always trust each other.
"Hmm." Wifies nodded, glancing toward Rejoice in the distance, who was hovering and communicating with the ghosts near Parrot, then clicked his tongue: "That guy doesn't seem to like me very much."
Rejoice usually doesn't show up when Wifies is around.
Eggchan didn't look up. "Is there any ghost that does like you?"
"Dude, that one hurt."
"It's just the truth, man..."