Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 19

Because in the end, Lily Dienta was nothing more than a tool to convey his words.

As the owner of the tool, he had to control it, he must not be influenced by it in return.

Clearly, he had gotten too immersed in his own performance. Unnecessary emotions had piled up inside him. At the very least, when he was alone, he needed to think about other matters.

Aiden moved to a different place to change his mood. He tried to focus on the Emperor’s upcoming visit or why he had been confined to the main building for so long.

He walked along the open windows. And unintentionally, he recalled a maid who would tuck her hair behind her ear, and the casual words that had come from her lips.

—Of course, I worried because it was about the person I serve. I’m not the kind of shameless person who only cares about her salary while ignoring her illness master or danger.

That wasn’t the answer Aiden had wanted to hear. He had wished that Lily Dienta’s concern held something more than just a maid’s sense of duty.

Because… because even though their relationship was bound by obligation, contract, and reward, it wasn’t simply a matter of being no more than a master and maid.

Objectively speaking, that was true. But where else in the Empire could one find a master-servant relationship like theirs? They were far closer than that.

Even if Aiden himself thought of her as a tool, Lily Dienta shouldn’t have spoken that way. She was a different kind of person—someone who understood affection, someone with a warm heart…

‘Enough. I really need to stop thinking about this now.’

Aiden clicked his tongue in frustration and walked roughly.

‘I must have gone mad.’

The chaotic thoughts swirling in his head, the rising and falling emotions, resembled the inner monologue of a cheap stage actor.

The audience would laugh, hearing the protagonist deny his obvious feelings, while everyone else could see them plainly.

Aiden could hardly believe he was having such thoughts about Lily Dienta.

If she had been a young lady from a powerful family, perhaps he could have accepted his feelings logically and positively.

After all, he couldn’t stay single forever. If he had to marry eventually, it would be best to tie himself to someone suitable for his status.

Yet here he was, agonizing over an ordinary maid he hadn’t even known existed before he became a ghost.

All the while, she had behaved impeccably, treating him strictly within the boundaries of her duty as a maid.

In truth, Aiden had no right to feel disappointed with Lily Dienta. At least she was sincere, whereas he was a deceiver, treating her like a tool and thinking only of how to manipulate her.

‘But not everything was a lie. At first it was, but little by little, I… I started to mean it… ha…’

He realized once again that he was entertaining crazy thoughts and let out a long sigh.

That entire night went on like that.

It was inevitable. She was the only one scattering warmth in this grey world, the only one who could smile brightly like the sun.

Her lovely features, her way of scurrying around like a little bird, her pure heart that brought peace just by being near—all of it lingered faintly in his mind, whether he wanted it to or not.

He wandered around, tormented by his own thoughts, until the first light of dawn began to appear.

Like a well-trained dog, he found himself heading to the side door.

Lily Dienta did not come for longer than usual. He had heard the Emperor was visiting, but couldn’t she have spared even a moment?

His mood sank lower and lower, and he went over every memory carefully, wondering if there had been any signs that she might flee.

Just then, the door burst open, and Lily Dienta rushed in.

“Your Grace! Hide!”

Those big, warm brown eyes he had waited for all night were there, looking right at him

 

 

****

 

 

 

Because of the Emperor’s unexpected visit, the Duke’s castle was in a state of emergency. Lily had to help out in the kitchen instead of heading to the main building. Tonight, a consolation banquet gathering local figures was being held.

As she peeled potatoes, Lily grumbled inwardly.

‘The master can’t even open his eyes, so what’s the point of a consolation banquet? Just because he’s the Emperor, he thinks he owns the place? And the fools who accepted the invitation are just as bad. No common sense at all.’

In any case, the castle was in complete chaos, rushing to prepare a banquet hall in the East Wing and set up bedrooms for the Emperor and his entourage.

Finally, around 3 PM, the Emperor’s procession arrived.

In Lily’s limited vocabulary, it was simply overwhelming.

Even the Imperial Guard, clad in their gleaming armor, were an impressive sight. And there were attendants, maids, officials, and wagons loaded like they had brought an entire palace…

It was far too extravagant for what was supposed to be a friendly visit to a sick friend. It felt like a desperate attempt to show off wealth.

Everyone at the castle lined up in front of the East Wing to greet the ruler of the Empire.

As the carriage stopped and the coachman opened the door, they all fell to one knee and bowed their heads. The sound of the Emperor stepping out of the carriage could be heard.

“We greet the Sun of the Empire.”

Wolfram spoke first in place of the head of the house, and the others followed.

There was no reply from the Emperor. Instead, someone else spoke on his behalf, saying, “His Majesty is pleased by your welcome and bestows upon you a reward of ten gold coins.”

Lily was shocked at the Emperor’s behavior, speaking not even a single word directly to commoners. Thinking back, her relationship with Duke Kashimir really was extraordinary.

Following Wolfram’s lead, the Emperor passed between the people. Since there had been no instructions otherwise, Lily kept her forehead pressed firmly to the floor like the others.

It looked like they would have to stay like that until the entire procession had entered.

It was when the Emperor passed right in front of her that she heard it. A chilling voice murmured.

[Give me back my body…]

Lily’s eyes widened, even as they stared downward.

[Give me back my body…]

Each time the voice spoke, a strange, ticklish sensation pricked her mind. It was both unfamiliar and oddly familiar at once.

[My body…]

As the Emperor moved farther away, the voice grew fainter. Knowing she would be scolded if caught, Lily still risked it and glanced sideways.

In the distance, she saw the Emperor’s back. And behind him, she saw something else—faint and transparent—following him.

She saw it clearly. It was unmistakably the shape of a ghost.

‘No way. There’s a ghost stuck to the Emperor. No wonder it didn’t sound like it was coming through my ears!’

What on earth was wrong with this place that ghosts kept appearing?

She wanted to run straight back to her quarters. This fear was on a completely different level than when she had seen the Duke. At least Aiden had a known identity and was in his right mind.

But this ghost had no clear identity, and it only repeated the same phrase like a broken parrot. It didn’t seem sane at all.

That chilling, grief-filled voice—just remembering it made her shudder.

“Lily.”

Someone whispered her name from behind. Lily finally snapped back to herself and bowed her head again.

She scowled deeply, going over the fourth ghost encounter of her life.

‘Tch. Seriously, this place must be cursed… But what did it say again? “Give me back my body”? My body?’

She whipped her head around again, her upper body lifting slightly in the process.

The Emperor was already gone. The ghost, too, had vanished.

“Lily!”

At the nearly panicked, hushed scolding, Lily reluctantly lowered her head once more.

‘What is this, a festival? Why are there so many people crowding in? How long do we have to stay like this?’

A simple bit of reasoning: There is the Emperor. Following him is a ghost. The ghost says, “Give me back my body.”

Thus, the Emperor’s body originally belonged to the ghost. So what does that make the ghost? The true Emperor!

She hadn’t seen his face clearly, but based on the words he spoke and the ornate clothes he wore, it was a reasonable conclusion.

Come to think of it, their backs even looked the same.

‘All these powerful figures getting kicked out of their own bodies… The Empire must be doomed. Maybe I should emigrate. I heard there are still some small kingdoms on the outskirts of the continent that haven’t been conquered yet. Sorry, Your Grace…’

Lily briefly imagined herself fleeing to a foreign land, then gave up on the idea.

‘No way. I couldn’t even make it to the neighboring town, how would I ever cross a national border? But anyway, if the ghost is the real Emperor, then who—or what—is inside the Emperor’s body right now? Why did it come to the Duke’s castle? And how is the ghost wandering around outside?’

Her questions were endless.

After a long while, the procession finally ended, and the servants returned to their duties. However, Lily had to go to the head maid instead of the kitchen. Someone had snitched on her earlier act of disrespect.

“Lily Dienta, I am deeply disappointed in you. Even if you’re not well-versed in etiquette, could you not endure those few minutes? Was it really so hard to keep your head down? Hm? Hard enough to risk the honor of the family?”

“I’m sorry, head maid.”

Her voice was sullen, as if she bore the guilt of the whole world, but inside, Lily was not the least bit repentant.

She was still thinking about the Emperor and the Emperor’s ghost.

‘Why did he really come? No—more importantly, who’s inside the Emperor’s body now? Who could drive out the rightful owner and take over the body?’

Then, like a bolt of lightning, realization struck Lily.

‘Who else? It must be the cult leader!’

Whatever dark magic that villain had used, he must have seized the Emperor’s body and now had come to finish off Aiden, whose spirit hadn’t been fully broken by his spell.

She had to find Wolfram immediately!