Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 55

“Your Excellency!”

The royal physician cried out in surprise. The guard ran out to call a servant, while the physician bustled about checking Aiden’s condition. Everyone looked flustered. So did Lily.

“Your Excellency, can you hear my voice?”

Even at the physician’s question, Aiden kept staring at Lily. His true eyes were a deep and rich navy blue.

As she stared like she was under a spell, a faint whistling sound was heard. It came from his parched lips moving slightly.

Aiden frowned and swallowed. Even that simple action seemed incredibly difficult. Then finally, he spoke.

“That sounds good.”

It was his answer to Lily’s last proposal. With that, Aiden let out a long breath and closed his eyes.

While the physician hurriedly examined him, Lily watched everything with wide eyes, not blinking once.

“He’s simply asleep.”

She wanted to collapse onto Aiden right then and there. But she bit her lip and barely held herself back.

Lily still hadn’t been able to pull her hand away from his. Even though he had fallen asleep as if fainting, he was holding her hand very tightly. So tightly that even the physician couldn’t pry it off.

With no other choice, she had to remain seated, giving up one hand to him.

With her free hand, she took off the small pouch hanging around her neck. When she looked inside, the rosary had lost its mysterious glow and become ordinary.

She lifted the corner of her mouth in a faint smile. In the end… no, finally, his body and soul had become one.

The physician approached and spoke.

“The prayer was real. I’m ashamed for doubting it.”

“No. Anyone would have thought the same.”

She wanted a quiet moment alone, but the physician wouldn’t stop talking. He seemed to have a lot to say about this miraculous event.

“I thought he’d never wake up again, yet he opened his eyes from just a simple prayer. Truly, this is a miracle granted by the Lord.”

No one here would know what Lily had truly felt while reciting that simple prayer.

Not even Aiden could fully understand what was in her heart. Lily gripped Aiden’s hand more firmly.

She let the physician’s words about blessings and miracles go in one ear and out the other, focusing only on Aiden.

His chest rose and fell steadily, and his head was slightly tilted toward her. She felt like she could watch him forever without getting tired. Because she really liked this man.

But the physician kept on talking persistently.

“By the way, what do you think His Excellency’s last words meant? Do you have any idea?”

“His last words?”

“Yes. I’m sure he said, ‘That sounds good.’ It was the first thing he said upon waking, so it must have had some important meaning…”

“Maybe it just meant he liked the idea of me giving him a kiss?”

Lily spoke as if she were joking. The physician looked down at her with a baffled expression.

She returned his gaze as if asking, Is there a problem?, and the physician sighed. Then he looked at her with pity.

“I heard Miss Dienta has always admired the Duke. And that you struggled greatly when he fell ill. Some even said you were so shocked you started seeing visions of him… No, never mind.”

His eyes fell on their clasped hands.

“Anyway, what I mean is, now that His Excellency is awake, everything is fine. It’s time to come back to your senses. This kind of thinking and behavior—no one would disapprove of it more than the Duke himself. In the end, it’ll only harm you, Miss Dienta. You’ve worked in the castle long enough to know what kind of man he was, haven’t you?”

Was what she said so absurd that it called for a lecture? Lily felt like laughing out loud into the air.

There were no witnesses to their feelings. Not a single one. Even Julia Dienta would likely support keeping this matter buried.

“This is for the best.”

Lily thought calmly, still looking at Aiden.

“It’s what I wanted. No rumors at all. Truly, this is good. It’ll all end cleanly.”

Word that Duke Kashimir had regained consciousness spread through the castle, and all the retainers and servants gathered in his room. They came to witness the moment their lord opened his eyes.

It was embarrassing to be holding his hand in front of others, but there was no helping it. Fortunately, the physician explained things in a way that protected her reputation.

He told them that when Miss Dienta offered a sincere prayer, the Duke woke up and then fell back asleep, still clutching his savior’s hand.

Even after the explanation, Aiden didn’t wake again for some time.

The longer Aiden kept his eyes closed, the more afraid Lily became.

His soul had definitely returned to his body. But what if this time, he didn’t wake due to a medical reason?

Just as the people in the room were starting to think about leaving, Aiden let out a groan and opened his eyes.

“Ugh…”

“Your Excellency!”

“Your Excellency, are you awake?”

Both Wolfram and the physician asked at once. The others, standing at a distance, leaned toward the bed to see what was happening.

“My body feels heavy…”

Aiden spoke slowly, word by word, then looked up at Lily.

“Lily.”

He smiled, full of joy. Instantly, the room fell into stunned silence.

Though Lily Dienta had recently risen in status, that had only happened after the Duke fell into a coma.

There was no reason the Duke should know the name of a lowly maid like Lily Dienta. And even if he did know her, that expression was far too affectionate to be directed at a maid. What on earth was going on?

Lily felt every suspicious gaze fall on her. The moment had come.

She gently stroked the back of Aiden’s hand with her thumb. It was such a small motion that even Aiden wouldn’t notice.

 

Then she let go of his hand, stood up from the chair, and knelt down on the floor.

“Thank you sincerely for waking up.”

Everyone followed Lily’s lead, kneeling down and echoing, “Thank you.”

There was a rustling sound and a stifled groan. The physician quickly helped Aiden sit up and moistened his lips with a damp cloth. Even then, everyone remained kneeling with their heads bowed.

“Everyone, rise.”

He gave the command in a voice that was still a bit hoarse.

“I caused you worry. Thank you for protecting the castle.”

“We only did what was right.”

Wolfram answered, eyes red-rimmed. Then he glanced at Lily. Gratitude poured from his gaze. Lily gave him a faint smile.

With a wave of Aiden’s hand, people offered their farewells and began to leave the bedroom. Lily followed at the end of the line.

“Lily.”

She froze, then turned around, carefully managing her expression.

“Yes, Your Excellency?”

“Where are you going?”

With his tired face and wide, blinking eyes, he looked both pitiful and endearing.

Beside him, the physician tilted his head in confusion at Aiden’s question. Hmm, he was not even a little bit endearing.

If she kept looking into Aiden’s eyes, she felt she would inevitably end up walking back to his side. Lily tried to keep her gaze calm as she replied.

“You should be examined a bit more to see how you’re doing. I’d only get in the way. Once the check-up is over, please call for me then.”

Without waiting for Aiden’s response, she walked out of the room. She knew that if he reached for her even once more, she might never be able to leave.

The moment the door closed behind her, her legs wobbled. She bit her lip hard and forced her eyes to stay focused.

“Go. Go pack your things.”

She would leave immediately. That had always been the plan.

Before her name could start rolling around in filthy mouths, before she tumbled down the all-too-predictable slope and broke her own heart, she would end it herself.

With a face pale as a ghost, Lily left the Duke’s bedroom.

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

His body felt heavy.

Aiden let out a long sigh. Breathing through his nose was still difficult. Just staying conscious felt like it was wearing him out.

His arms and legs drooped as if weighed down by stones. The weight of his internal organs, the pounding of his heart, the flow and temperature of the air on his skin—all of it felt overly intense.

The physician carefully examined Aiden’s entire body and explained that, for now, he needed to focus on recovery. After that, several months of rehabilitation awaited.

“You absolutely must not overexert yourself. Your condition is far weaker than before you collapsed, and trying to move like you used to could lead to serious injuries.”

The physician warned him again and again.

Aiden nodded, but he had no intention of taking it easy. He needed to recover as quickly as possible—to confront the cult leader.