Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 108

“Also, if you can give Her Majesty definite proof of His Majesty’s presence, it will help her regain her will. His Grace has already informed her, but perhaps because there was no evidence, she was not quick to believe.”

Only then did Lily understand. This matter truly required her.

The Emperor and Empress were well known even among commoners for their deep affection. If she confirmed the soul’s existence through a topic only the two of them could know, then explained what had happened to the Emperor, the Empress would surely agree to help.

“All right. I’ll go change clothes.”

 

 

 

*****

 

 

 

Lily put on a physician’s robe and went to the east entrance of the main building, as Wolfram had instructed.

Wolfram appeared a little later. He was carrying a basket filled with simple food.

The moment Lily saw him, she narrowed her eyes—because Julius Scheiwertz had come along.

But since it had been announced beforehand, Lily wasn’t flustered. She simply bowed.

“I greet His Imperial Majesty.”

Julius ignored Lily and looked only at the door. When Wolfram opened it, he immediately strode ahead of them and went outside.

Straightening her back little by little, Lily whispered to Wolfram,

“His soul is clean.”

There truly wasn’t a single blemish on Julius.

To think that he had completely recovered from being like dripping mud… She had never imagined a man she thought so pitiful could love his wife so much.

Perhaps they, too, could use a spell that restored souls. But she would never hint at that possibility to the Empress.

The thought of hurting someone else’s beloved for the sake of her own made Lily suddenly feel strange.

Wolfram’s voice cut through her wandering thoughts.

“Since carrying the ring with him doesn’t cause any issues, I suspected as much. It seems to be thanks to His Grace taking the ring with him whenever he visited the villa.”

But why had he done that? The Empress had refused to even meet Aiden. There was no reason to lug around a burden she couldn’t even recognize.

While Lily was debating whether to ask, Wolfram explained on his own.

“It was to show that the Duke’s house was protecting the Empress. Since the future is uncertain, if His Majesty were ever to regain his body, the intention was to present it as a debt owed.”

“I see.”

Her curiosity vanished, leaving her relieved.

Thinking back, Wolfram had been like this ever since visiting her in the guest room. He explained everything clearly, like a guidebook. Had Aiden instructed him to answer any questions she asked?

It felt like there was no longer any information barred from her.

Gathering her courage, she asked more directly,

“So exactly what do I need to secure? If I convince her to believe in the soul, will you continue the discussion afterward? Or am I supposed to get some kind of pledge of support?”

“Please ask her to enter the Imperial Castle tomorrow alongside His Grace. With a sufficiently authoritative presence, you just need to have the chamberlain ‘open the gate.’”

Lily pictured the situation in her head and cautiously replied.

“That method would only work if Count Oetz sides with us. That passage is passed down only to the Emperor and the chamberlain, so if the Count refuses to cooperate using that as an excuse, there’s no way around it.”

Then, uncertain whether Wolfram knew Julia’s circumstances or not, Lily added,

“My grandmother said that would be difficult. From what I heard, um… it really seems hopeless.”

Wolfram gazed at her for a moment before speaking.

“Did you know Count Oetz is still unmarried?”

“Gasp, really?”

“There’s other information as well, so you needn’t worry too much.”

By then, a small two-story building had come into view. The Emperor stood before it, looking at them with eyes urging them to hurry.

Wolfram whispered,

“Even if the worst happens, it’s better if Her Majesty does not reject His Grace. I truly hope for a good outcome.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Her stomach twisted under the heavy sense of responsibility. To hand her such a task the very moment she was let in on the situation….

She couldn’t imagine how they had planned to persuade the Empress before asking her.

Once again, the Emperor went inside the moment Wolfram opened the door. Julius climbed the stairs and called upward,

[“Themis, I’ve come. My Empress….”]

But despite the clean color of his soul, his condition didn’t look very good.

Wolfram followed in the same direction. Knocking on one of the doors on the second floor, he was met by a young woman. Handing her the basket, he said,

“Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon, Baron. Thank you, as always. And this is…?”

“This is Lady Lily Dienta, personal counselor to His Grace the Duke of Kashimir. His Grace has sent her to aid in Her Majesty’s recovery. Miss, this is Anna Levin, the Empress’s lady-in-waiting.”

Lily bowed politely.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Lily Dienta.”

“Nice to meet you.”

The lady-in-waiting, however, didn’t seem pleased with the situation.

She disappeared inside, saying she would deliver the message to the Empress. But from the atmosphere, it was obvious what the answer would be.

As expected, when she returned, it was with a refusal.

“Her Majesty thanks you, but she has no need of a counselor. Rather, she wishes to know when she might be moved to her family home. Has it not been a very long time since the request was made?”

“You’ll have an answer soon.”

“You said the same thing last time. Could she at least receive a letter?”

Lily ignored the nuance that they seemed to be detaining the Empress and wondered how to handle this obstacle.

To reject a physician outright without even meeting them—things weren’t easy from the start.

‘I need to meet the Empress before I can pull any trick. Should I just barge in, spouting nonsense?’

Just as Lily was plotting some reckless move, a baby’s cry suddenly rang out from inside.

The lady-in-waiting grew flustered, glancing at the door, then excused herself: “Please pardon me a moment,” and went back in, closing the door.

Lily pointed from her eyes to the doorknob and back again, signaling to Wolfram. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded with a decisive look.

Carefully, Lily turned the handle, opening it just slightly so no sound was made.

The first thing to greet her was a stench. So this was the source of the faint smell she had noticed ever since coming to the villa.

A musty, filthy odor that came from someone who hadn’t washed in a long time, trapped in an unventilated room.

She peered into the dim interior. A woman sat in an armchair by the window—that must be the Empress, Themis Scheiwertz.

The Empress showed no reaction to her son’s wailing cries. She only stared blankly out the window through the curtains.

Her once-beautiful golden hair hung in a filthy, tangled mess.

Her face, unwashed and bare of makeup, held no expression, her cheeks hollowed so that her cheekbones jutted out.

It had been quite some time since Aiden had rescued her, yet she still hadn’t recovered. Could she even stand up from her chair like that?

As Lily watched, she noticed something about the Empress that felt suffocating. Soon she realized why.

The Empress compulsively covered her body with gloves, scarf, blanket—everything. Only her face was exposed, and even that was half hidden by her hair.

It was plain at a glance that both her body and mind were unwell.

‘She looks like she could collapse any moment. Forget the plan, she needs a real doctor right now.’

The Empress needed a genuine physician, not a fake counselor.

Meanwhile, the Emperor was stroking his wife’s shoulder, murmuring something to her.

From a distance, with the baby’s cries drowning it out, Lily couldn’t make out the words. But judging by his lips, he kept speaking and then waiting for a reply.

‘Tch. I don’t like this feeling.’

She watched the Emperor more carefully.

His once gentle, affectionate face gradually contorted like someone barely holding back his temper. In the end, it looked like a crumpled ball of paper.

Lily couldn’t understand his anger.

It wasn’t the first time he had met his wife like this, and he already knew that ordinary people couldn’t perceive him.

Yet he kept asking questions and then growing furious when he got no reply.

‘The Emperor was never in great condition to begin with… But if his soul is this clean and he’s still like this, maybe it’s just his nature?’

Clicking her tongue at his unusually weak mind, she suddenly felt a strange vibration. It began near the Empress and grew steadily stronger.

The baby screamed louder, the lady-in-waiting flustered, the Empress clutching her shawl and cowering, muttering again and again….

It was chaos already, and then Lily heard the Emperor’s harsh voice on top of it all.

[“Themis, answer me! Did you meet Aiden? Did you see him while I wasn’t looking? So close by! Why won’t you answer? Answer me!”]