Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 105

Part 14. The Visit

Julia looked far more haggard than when they had said their goodbyes back in the territory.

What kind of news was so important that she endured such a grueling journey in her frail body to deliver it herself? With both tension and anticipation, Lily greeted Julia.

Julia, with a face of relief, said:

“I’m so glad the rumor turned out to be false. I can’t tell you how much I regretted not coming sooner.”

“What is it you absolutely had to tell us?”

“Assuming that the contents of the forbidden book and the myths truly describe their sorcery as it is, I have found a way to bring the cult leader to his death.”

Lily’s eyes widened.

“You were still studying the forbidden book?”

“Yes. His Excellency commissioned me to continue the research when he left for the capital. And he asked me to report if anything useful came up.”

Whatever method Julia had discovered, there was a very high chance it was true. After all, hadn’t even the childish-sounding spells in those tales proven to work?

Julia then turned to Aiden.

“Because of security concerns, I came in person even though it delayed me. We must find the cult leader’s original body. If we cut off that body’s breath, his soul will no longer be able to remain in this world.”

Her tone brimmed with conviction, but there was a critical flaw in this method.

“The cult leader was executed!”

“No. The one executed was a prisoner of similar build.”

It wasn’t only Lily who was surprised at Wolfram’s words—Julia, though hearing it for the first time, nodded as if she had already suspected as much.

“Your proof?”

“In Solmonism, they believe a human can remain in this world only when both the vessel—the body—and the contents—the soul—are intact. If the soul disappears, or if the heart of the body stops beating, then death occurs.”

Julia continued her explanation.

“His Majesty and His Excellency both fell victim to the spell that tears away the soul. But by the grace of the Lord, their souls were bound to protective vessels, delaying death.”

Lily quietly crossed herself.

“As for the cult leader, he prepared an empty vessel with a warm, living heart, then tore away his own soul and placed it inside. I don’t know how any human could achieve such a feat, but in theory, that is what happened.”

Lily struggled to understand.

“Then isn’t it useless to destroy his original body? His soul already settled in the new vessel.”

“According to Solmonist principles, the essence never changes. Just as a soul entering a new body doesn’t turn into that of Emperor Julius but remains itself, so too with him. The condition of his life still depends on his own body.”

Julia stressed this point to Aiden.

“His original body must exist somewhere. We cannot touch his soul, but we can shatter the vessel.”

She bowed her head slightly.

“The related records were left at the ducal castle. I dared not bring them for fear of discovery. I beg your understanding.”

Despite the new method, the mood in the room was heavy.

The method itself was simpler than Lily expected.

She had imagined offerings at the temple, becoming a heretic herself to turn their sorcery against them, or even altering the emperor’s soul to pit him against the cult leader.

Compared to those, suffocating the cult leader’s body was almost too simple, even lawful. No one would stop them. Surely, this was the method they should use.

But there was a practical difficulty.

So where do we even find his body? It’s bound to be hidden away.

They did not have much time.

Rumors had already spread that Aiden was on the verge of death. If the deception were uncovered, the cult leader would grow more wary and matters would become even more complicated.

They needed to end it quickly. But how were they to locate that body?

The difficulty was so overwhelming that Aiden’s original plan almost seemed more realistic.

If you weigh the risks and chances, bringing the emperor to kill him is the simplest. But wait—maybe not anymore? If Grandmother is right about the vessel and the soul…

Lily recalled Julia’s explanation of contents and vessel.

If it were true, then stabbing the emperor’s body here would only kill Julius Shayworth.

The best case would be the cult leader’s soul, severed from the vessel, ascending immediately. But if instead it returned to his unharmed original body—?

Then it would mean round two, against a fully restored cult leader.

At that moment, Aiden spoke.

“There’s intelligence on a certain location. But to reach it, we’ll need an insider’s help.”

“Couldn’t Sir Fain do it?”

“Unfortunately not. It’s a place whose knowledge has been passed down only to the crown prince and the chamberlain.”

If it was only passed down to them, how did Aiden know about it? Lily gave him a questioning look, and he explained.

“When the late emperor still lived, he mentioned the place and said that if the worst should come, I should go there with the chamberlain’s guidance.”

No wonder Julius Shayworth was driven mad with jealousy.

“So we need to win over Saul Oates. He also holds the key to that place.”

Saul Oates—again.

The one who would help if Aiden’s first plan failed. The one who had warned her at the imperial audience, sending a message to stay away from Aiden.

Following Aiden’s gaze, Lily looked at Julia. It was the first time she had seen her grandmother so unsettled.

“Did you say… Saul Oates?”

“Yes. Let me be direct. Can you persuade him?”

Julia averted her eyes as she answered.

“I won’t be of much help. He and I have a bitter history… I’d likely only fuel his resentment. I’m sorry.”

“Well, the count seems to think otherwise. Ever since learning Lily is your granddaughter, he’s been keeping an eye on her.”

“Saul… has been watching Lily?”

Julia looked at her granddaughter in shock, and Lily was equally taken aback. Her grandmother pronounced the chamberlain’s name with unsettling familiarity.

“I see. Then let’s test the waters. We’ll announce your arrival and see how he reacts. If there’s a chance, you must help us.”

Aiden spoke firmly.

“The cult leader’s target is the lady’s granddaughter. If you don’t want Lily handed over to the heretics, we must eliminate him at once.”

Julia gazed long into Lily’s face.

“…Very well.”

With the discussion concluded, Lily prepared to leave with Julia. But before she could, Aiden stopped her.

“Lily, there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

He’s finally going to talk about that woman!

Holding her breath, Lily waited for Aiden’s confession.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Even if Lady Dienta’s method succeeds, I will still not revive Julius. Wolfram and I discussed various possibilities, but considering what he has done, I cannot allow him to remain emperor of the empire. Tell me… do you think I should give him one more chance?

Her answer was simple: “No.”

Perhaps deciding another man’s death was arrogance that encroached upon the authority of God.
And yet, Lily had not the slightest intention of answering otherwise.

As Aiden had said, Julius Shayworth’s heretical acts could not be tolerated.

But what truly swayed Lily’s heart was more personal.

From the ducal castle until now, every event had unfolded because Julius tried to kill Aiden.

Even if Aiden saved him, would that hostility disappear? Would he repent of his sins, be grateful for mercy, and seek to make amends?

Lily thought not.

She had seen the emperor’s soul—something no one else had. The innermost essence of a man: its color, its raw humiliation, fear, and pettiness.

Julius would only harbor deeper resentment. His inferiority complex would fester. He would forget his own crimes but vividly remember the humiliation inflicted by Aiden.

And that would surely lead to another attempt.

Thus, even if one day the Lord cast away her soul when she reached the heavens, she chose to protect Aiden.

Lily walked the corridor in a haze. Her body was exhausted, her mind shaken, yet along with the tension came a sense of relief, as though some great knot had finally been loosened.

The mansion was still as silent as a tomb. Now that she knew Aiden’s death was a ruse, the utter absence of human presence felt far more natural.

To prevent the risk of information leaking, the servants must have been confined to a single place—or sent away from the mansion entirely.

But just as Lily reached the hallway outside the guest room, she found Marie waiting for her, her face tear-stained and distressed.