Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 114

His voice trembled without mercy. His face must have been horribly contorted too.

Julia still didn’t take her eyes off the ring as she answered.

“When my husband died… if it had been then, I probably would have met you. When my father died, when I gave birth to my son, no—at any of those times…”

Then her gaze turned to Saul. She smiled, almost playfully, and continued.

“Oh, you finally said it. Now I have no regrets.”

She ended the conversation unilaterally. Saul couldn’t understand it.

“Then why didn’t you say anything? If you had sent even one letter—or at least told me then—if you had, I would have… even borrowing the family’s influence, I would have—”

“When I was young I couldn’t hope for any way out, and later, how could I, shamelessly? Even if I’d known you still had the ring, my actions wouldn’t have changed.”

Her smile dimmed little by little.

“But still—yes—if I die like this, you won’t be able to make me atone.”

She muttered as if to herself. She spoke as though death were a foregone conclusion.

Saul seemed to know how she had behaved when she received Johann Midrof’s marriage notice.

Julia’s next move was to accept fate first, and act afterward.

“Saul, honestly, I thought you’d simply ignore my existence. I never expected you to go to such lengths to save me. As repayment, I’ll tell you one thing.”

She leaned toward Saul.

“When you go back, do whatever it takes to remove your hand from the Emperor. Erase as much evidence tying you to this as you can, and if you can’t, fabricate proof that you were forced to obey.”

She whispered with heartfelt earnestness.

“Just as you want my life to continue, I want you to be safe. So if you can’t help us, don’t interfere—look after your own life.”

With those words, Julia stood and moved toward the door.

The negotiation was over. Once again, she ended it on her own terms.

He would lose Julia as before, unable to do anything. The thought filled him with unbearable rage and defiance.

Saul quickened his stride and caught up with her.

“You really haven’t changed a bit from the past.”

He gripped Julia’s shoulder and spat out the words.

“You vanish as if that’s the end, acting as if you don’t care about those left behind!”

Saul ground his teeth. It was a repetition from forty years ago: his inability to help and Julia Midrof, knowing that, closing the relationship.

But… had nothing changed since then?

His power was solid in a realm different from great nobles like Duke Kashimir. All the servants of the palace, the private lives of the royal family—even the Emperor’s eyes and ears—were in his hands.

There was nowhere in the palace he didn’t know. If an event or conversation happened within the palace, he could learn of it all.

Those in power think they command their subordinates, but subordination isn’t purely one-sided.

If the Emperor rules the empire, the steward quietly controls the palace.

He had sold his soul to grasp that power. He had persisted in playing the Emperor’s pet, enduring even his parents’ scorn—why else?

All of it happened because of the scar this woman left on him. Determined never to be powerless again, he endured humiliation and submission.

Of course, there were limits. His rebellion was like the sting of a wasp. Whether he failed or succeeded, the result was only loss for him.

A dog that betrays its former master holds the possibility of betrayal, so a new emperor naturally wants a new steward.

Therefore Saul sought only Julia’s safety within the limits permitted to him. He had no intention of risking more.

Even so, he considered such mercy toward the woman who abandoned him to be excessive.

‘I was sure of it…’

Saul bit his lip.

If she hadn’t taken the ring, if the ring had fit her hand perfectly, if she hadn’t shown that pure smile, if he hadn’t known she’d waited for him all her life—

Then Saul might have let go and returned to the Emperor’s side.

But knowing it made him unable to give up.

“Take me to Aiden Kashimir.”

“The duke is—right now—”

“You’re not going to deny everything you confessed, are you?”

Julia shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not going to report the duke’s safety to the cult leader, so lead the way without worry.”

He opened the door himself.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Saul was handed over to Wolfram and led into a room deep within the mansion.

He walked toward the faint light that trickled in. A single candle lit the space around the desk, and Duke Kashimir sat there waiting for him.

“You’ve made a difficult journey.”

To the duke’s short greeting, Saul also replied.

“You’ve kept good company, I see.”

Following the duke’s gesture, he sat down in the chair across the desk and observed him.

From the duke’s natural movements, there was no trace of injury at all. Gray Payne’s report—that a sword had been driven into his chest—was a complete lie. The blade hadn’t even grazed him.

Though the situation was urgent, Saul clicked his tongue and remarked.

“To win over that stubborn knight—impressive.”

“What’s impressive is Sir Payne’s loyalty. Just as impressive as your own loyalty to the Count.”

Though it sounded like praise of his decision, Saul had no loyalty to the Emperor. The only thing moving him was Julia Midrof’s safety.

Still, Saul didn’t bother to deny the duke’s words. There was no reason to refuse when they painted him in a favorable light.

“Yes. The cult leader’s tyranny grows worse by the day. At this moment, only you can set the Empire right.”

Saul steadied his breath.

This was the critical moment. One more word and he would cross a river from which there was no return.

Boarding the same ship as the duke was extremely dangerous. He would be dragged into the process of overthrowing the Emperor.

There were countless pretexts—collaborating with the cult leader, abusing imperial power. The nobles who resented his rise would seize the opportunity at once.

Even if things ended well, he would never again enjoy the same authority as before.

But he could not hold back. He had resolved to save Julia.

The duke must succeed, and to that end, Saul was prepared to stake everything.

“What must I do?”

“Where is the cult leader’s body?”

It was still in the secret passage. Even after he began to suspect Saul a little, the cult leader had not moved it.

That place was the most secret and secure in the Empire, and the cult leader knew of Saul’s obsession with power.

That was why the cult leader chose to strengthen the guards at his chamber rather than risk moving the body.

As a result, now no one but the Emperor himself could remain alone in that chamber. Even cleaning had to be done by Saul directly, under the Emperor’s watch.

“I know where it is. But not even I, let alone Your Grace, can enter that place.”

The duke suddenly asked:

“It’s in the secret passage connected to the Emperor’s chamber, isn’t it?”

“How did you…!”

“There’s no better place to hide from prying eyes.”

But merely knowing the location didn’t solve anything.

“I’ll say it again—nothing can slip inside, not even a mouse. Unless Your Grace seizes control of every soldier in the palace. Surely you don’t mean to stage a rebellion?”

The duke replied with another question.

“You have the key, don’t you? I’ve heard only the Emperor and the steward possess it.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Then that’s enough.”

Saul couldn’t guess what the duke was thinking. Had he even heard what Saul had just said?

Even knowing the location, even with Saul holding the key, nothing would change. Simply approaching that place was impossible.

Yet the duke moved on, as though every problem had already been solved.

“When we go to the palace tomorrow, I expect you to fulfill your duty.”

His duty was to help those of noble blood live comfortably and in luxury.

But how could attending the royals bring any benefit to the duke? And above all, we?

“I’ll write a letter. Take it and deliver it to the Emperor.”

“What kind of letter?”

“A letter saying that Lillie Dienta gladly accepts the Emperor’s summons and will go to him.”

“You’re betting big, I see.”

From what Saul had heard, the duke and Lillie Dienta were very close. They had been seen together across the capital.

Rumor had it that Aiden Kashimir’s panic attacks were so severe he was undergoing exposure therapy, but those who knew the duke would surely have thought it suspicious.

And he was sending such a woman to the Emperor?

At Saul’s words, the duke gave a short laugh and continued.

“Prepare a suitable place in a corner of the palace to receive a distinguished guest, and keep the Emperor there. At noon tomorrow, I’ll enter the palace with the Empress. At that time, you need only slip away and follow her command. Simple enough, isn’t it?”

Saul let out a short sigh. This man seemed as though he had been waiting for this very day.