Heena stood alone in the center of the inner courtyard. The wind howled softly, rattling the wooden window frames. The lanterns had long since burned out, leaving the space bathed in deep, oppressive shadows. The temperature had plummeted, and the scent of burning funeral paper still hung thickly in the air.
It was the perfect setting for a ghost story. Any normal person—especially a newlywed bride residing in a house where her father-in-law had just died under mysterious circumstances, and an uncle had been "cursed" by spirits—would be absolutely terrified to stand alone in the pitch-black courtyard.
But Heena just casually stretched her neck, enjoying the cool night air.
*[Host,]* the System chimed in, its voice small and wary. *[Are you not... even a little bit spooked? It's really dark. And technically, there is a dead body in the main hall just fifty feet away.]*
Heena let out a soft, amused breath. *Why on earth would I be scared?*
