Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 18

Part 3. Visitors

Originally, Lily also believed that Aiden and the Emperor had been close friends since childhood.

Not just her, but everyone in the Empire thought so. The deep friendship between the highest authorities had spread across the Empire as a heartwarming story.

However, according to Aiden, their relationship was merely “surface-level.”

She recalled the day when Wolfram had reported the results of his meeting with an informant.

At that time, the informant had clearly advised them to be wary of the Emperor while pulling back. Lily pieced that together with the few facts she knew.

An occultist must be involved in what happened to Aiden.

The cult leader, one of the few capable of such powerful magic, had been imprisoned in the underground prison of the Imperial Palace and executed shortly after the celebration banquet.

The Ducal House must be wary of the Emperor.

Naturally, Lily reached one conclusion.

‘Did the Emperor have the cult leader curse the Duke? And once he was no longer needed, just killed him off?’

But why on earth would the Emperor do such a thing?

Even if they weren’t truly friends, Aiden Kashimir was too valuable to kill.

He had been a loyal servant of the Emperor. For the sake of the Imperial power and at the Emperor’s request, he had never hesitated.

‘Fine. The motive isn’t the priority right now. What’s more important is the purpose of the Emperor’s visit.’

If their relationship wasn’t genuine friendship, then the visit wouldn’t be out of pure concern either.

Maybe the Emperor was coming to check why Aiden wasn’t dead yet? Or… to finish the job himself?

Lily’s mind was filled with ominous suspicions.

After finishing her work in the main building, she gathered the cleaning tools and headed to the storage room. Then she locked the door from inside.

Even though it was just the two of them now, Aiden didn’t say a word to her.

He had been silent for quite some time. More precisely, he had been dazed ever since they left the kitchen. Yet he had still managed to follow her around, which was impressive.

Even after Lily finished tidying up the tools, Aiden remained silent. She dusted off her hands and called him.

“Your Grace.”

[……]

Lily stepped closer and called out louder.

“Duke Aiden Kashimir!”

[Huh? Ah! Lily.]

Aiden finally came to his senses and stumbled a few steps back.

[You called?]

Lily got straight to the point.

“You’ve heard the news that His Majesty is coming tomorrow, right? I have a really bad feeling about this. I don’t have proof, but I think he’s the culprit.”

[Hmm.]

His lukewarm response, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, made Lily anxious.

“This visit is suspicious, too. It’s been weeks since you collapsed, and only now he’s coming to visit? Isn’t that weird? I think you should hide somewhere, even now. Any excuse will do—oh! What if we say that meeting outsiders worsens your condition?”

Aiden gave a gentle smile.

[First, thank you for worrying about me.]

It was an unsettling way to start.

[But I wish you would stop harboring such suspicions.]

Aiden’s tone was extremely cautious, clearly trying not to hurt her feelings.

Still, Lily felt very flustered. She hadn’t expected to be rejected like this not by Wolfram, but by Aiden himself.

[Even just harboring suspicions that the Emperor is colluding with the cultists is dangerous. Suspicion always leads to action. If tomorrow, you unknowingly show that suspicion before His Majesty, it would be disastrous.]

Lily had a rough idea of what kind of disaster he meant.

Her entire family could be executed and their heads displayed on the city walls or worse, suffer through agonizing torment where death would seem a mercy. Or there might be other hells she couldn’t even imagine.

Everything depended on the Emperor’s mood.

[Wolfram also knows about my relationship with the Emperor. Naturally, he would have had the same concerns you did. We can’t just turn the Emperor away after he came all the way here, but rest assured, he’s made thorough preparations.]

Everything he said made perfect sense. There was no point in arguing. Still, Lily couldn’t help but feel disappointed…

[You’re already doing the most important job, something no one else can do. So don’t bring unnecessary danger upon yourself. You promised you wouldn’t leave me alone.]

Lily pressed her lips together without answering. Aiden gently coaxed her.

[Promise me you’ll act like an ordinary maid who knows nothing. Promise you won’t try to dig for information, spy on him, or interfere—for your own safety, not because of rank or status.]

She stared up at Aiden quietly.

Why was she just a maid?

If she were a divine messenger blessed by the gods, or had the strength to knock down knights and grab the Emperor by the collar, wouldn’t she be able to help more?

She wanted to help more, but there was nothing she could do.

Perhaps noticing her silent agreement, Aiden’s smile became a little lighter. He joked softly.

[Are you really that worried about me?]

Of course she was, how could she not be? Even a stray cat fed for half a month would grow attached.

Let alone a person, who wagged his tongue like a cat’s tail.

Pouting slightly, Lily replied,

“Of course. It’s a maid’s duty to care about her master’s well-being.”

Then, feeling that she might have sounded a bit rude, she quickly added with a model maid’s smile:

“But since Your Grace insisted, and since I do value my life, I will act like an ordinary maid who knows nothing. I promise.”

[Thank you.]

His voice was filled with relief.

Lily looked up at him anew. If he had wanted to, he could have used her. Since she pitied him, she would have agreed without hesitation.

He could have pleaded with her in a sorrowful voice to spy on the Emperor, saying she could get close easily because she was just a maid.

But he had kicked away that opportunity himself because he truly cared about her safety.

Even though she was forbidden even from thinking about it, her heart was both bitter and touched.

As they exited the storage room and approached the side door, Aiden, who had been quiet for a while, finally spoke.

[By the way, Lily.]

“Yes, Your Grace.”

[It’s not something you necessarily have to answer, but…]

If it wasn’t necessary, why even ask? Still, since her heart had softened toward him, Lily waited patiently.

[It’s nothing, really. I just got curious, so…]

Aiden hesitated more than ever before. She glanced around and encouraged him.

“Please, go ahead.”

[Was it really just because you’re a maid?]

He used strange wording. The context was unclear. When Lily didn’t understand, he cleared his throat and spoke more specifically.

[What I mean is, did you worry about me purely out of a maid’s duty?]

Before she could answer, Aiden hurriedly added,

[I know it sounds strange. I think it’s strange too. If you don’t want to answer, that’s fine. It’s just been weighing on my mind.]

It was certainly a strange question. But Lily answered sincerely.

“Of course I worried about you because you’re my master. I’m not the kind of shameless person who would ignore my master’s illness or danger and only care about my salary.”

[What I meant was… never mind.]

Aiden shook his head.

[You’ve done well today. Please get some good rest. I hope to see you again tomorrow.]

“Yes, I’ll take my leave now.”

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

The maid, who was both slow to catch on and cold-hearted, firmly closed the side door without a backward glance and disappeared.

Frozen in place by a sudden wave of shame, he stood stiffly.

He genuinely regretted asking that final question. The maid’s reluctant, uncomfortable gaze was still vivid in his mind.

Yet at that moment, he had been desperate to know the answer.

In truth, the signs had been there for hours already.

[It’s not that being ignored by everyone is hard… it’s that being ignored by you is…]

It was only thanks to the grace of the Lord that he managed to stop himself from saying the rest.

If he had let slip what was in his heart, that it was hard because it was Lily Dienta who was ignoring him, what would have happened?

The moment Aiden realized his own disgraceful behavior, he would have fled somewhere immediately. It would have made a mockery of how he had begged her to stay by his side with his own mouth.

‘This isn’t normal.’

He thought seriously.

‘I must have lost my mind because Lily Dienta is the only one I can talk to. I’ve gotten too caught up in pretending to be weak, to be sad, in making up convincing words.’

Otherwise, why would being ignored by her be so painful? He should have been angry at her rudeness, not hurt by it.

And otherwise, why would he feel disappointed by her saying she worried about him only because it was her duty as a maid?

Aiden could not accept that he had felt such dependent emotions, even for a moment. Those feelings should have remained nothing more than an act.