Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 70

Lily couldn’t keep her mouth closed. It was far too disrespectful to the royal family to say something like that so casually. She’d thought his training sounded excessive—and now she found out it had been like training a dog?

Her questions continued.

“He actually listened to you? What exactly did you do to get him to obey…?”

“You’ve been talking about Julius this whole time.”

Aiden sounded slightly sulky. Even though his expression was as elegant as a rose kissed with morning dew, his words were so absurd that Lily couldn’t help feeling put off.

“We’re going to be talking about him nonstop from now on anyway.”

Wasn’t that the whole point of this meeting? If not for the Emperor’s recovery, there’d be no reason for them to sit here face to face. But apparently, Aiden had a different idea.

“More importantly, tell me about you. Have you been doing well?”

Lily frowned. She had no interest in making small talk with him. She cut straight to the point.

“Your Grace, the reason I came here is…”

But Aiden wasn’t one to let things go so easily. He finished the sentence for her.

“I know. You came to help me. You generously agreed to assist me—just this once.”

“That’s right. You remember it perfectly.”

The precise way he defined their relationship made Lily glance away, pretending to sip her tea.

“Helping means we’re partners in this.”

Aiden waited, clearly expecting her agreement.

There was nothing logically wrong with his words. ‘Helping’ or ‘collaborating’—either way, it meant the same thing. She couldn’t argue even if she wanted to.

“True.”

“Partners are at least closer than strangers or enemies.”

Once again, Aiden looked directly at her. She nodded reluctantly, a vague sense of discomfort tugging at her.

“Well… that’s true…”

“In that case, I think I’m allowed to ask how you’ve been. Even rival noble houses exchange pleasantries. So, how have you been?”

Lily blinked. Somehow, the conversation had come full circle, and now it felt only natural for her to respond.

“Yes, I’ve been well, thank you.”

With eyes full of confusion, Lily recited the standard lines of polite conversation.

“And… have you been well, Your Grace?”

“I couldn’t say I’ve been well, even as a formality.”

Aiden gave a soft smile. His expression remained calm and bright, but to Lily, this moment was growing more and more difficult to bear.

Maybe it was her own guilty conscience—but she had reason to feel that way. She had walked away like it meant nothing, cruelly ending things as if she were toying with him.

Aiden looked at her subdued expression and continued.

“Between rehabilitation, managing the estate, and keeping up with a friend’s situation—I haven’t had a moment to breathe.”

He shook his head, as if overwhelmed by it all.

Contrary to what Lily had imagined, there was not a trace of resentment in his demeanor. In fact, it was clear he was trying to make her feel as comfortable as possible—and that made it even harder to endure.

“More than that, tell me about you. We’ve never been apart this long before.”

That was true. Other than the rare vacation, they had never spent more than a day apart.

Lily had been by his side for most of her working hours as his attendant, and even when she wasn’t, he would chase after her with almost obsessive persistence—as though he couldn’t stand not seeing her for even a moment.

At the time, it had often felt annoying. But looking back now, those were just… happy days.

When she didn’t answer right away, Aiden brought up a new topic.

“Did Mark Idiris treat you well?”

Lily could lie when she had to, but she was no match for him! The Imperial theater world had clearly missed out on a rare talent named Aiden Kashimir.

He kept up his shameless performance.

“There couldn’t have been a problem, right? I’m sure I found you a perfect job—one with absolutely nothing lacking.”

Lily had no choice but to respond.

“You made it a perfect job.”

Their eyes met—and Aiden’s smile disappeared. With a serious expression, he offered an apology.

“I’m sorry for deceiving you. You must have felt betrayed. I wouldn’t blame you if you’re still angry.”

At the time, realizing Mark Idiris’s true identity had left her stunned and incredulous. But oddly enough, she hadn’t felt the kind of anger he described.

She had chosen not to step down from the stage. She had chosen to play along.

Still, she didn’t voice any of that. She didn’t want to say something that would make Aiden feel better. Her resolve not to rekindle their closeness hadn’t changed.

Aiden continued apologizing.

“It was a choice I had no other option but to make—but it must not have sat well with you. I’m sorry. Please, give me a chance to make it right.”

His low voice rang softly in her ears, and the way his lips drooped at just the right angle seemed to pierce straight into her vision.
Her reason felt like it was half-dissolving.

But the moment she caught the flicker of tenacity in his glistening eyes, she realized—

Aiden didn’t want redemption. What he truly wanted was an excuse to stay connected.

That desperate desire snapped her back to her senses. This was all part of his plan.

Lily swallowed a sigh.

“You don’t need to make it right. It’s fine.”

“Please. If I don’t, the guilt will keep me up at night.”

His expression looked like he might start crying any moment. It made her want to comfort him—made her want to give in.

A little more, and she really would have.

But Lily clenched her fists and forced the coldest face she could manage.

“Let’s not talk about that anymore. What I want to discuss is what we didn’t finish yesterday. If we can’t wrap that up… I’m sorry, but I might have to reconsider helping you.”

“…Your memory is as sharp as ever.”

Aiden answered in a wistful tone.

“Please take this seriously. It’s very important to me.”

“It’s important to me too.”

Perhaps he had decided to stop fishing for sympathy—his expression returned to that of a composed nobleman. He interlaced his fingers.

“You’re right. Unless we settle that issue, we can’t move on.”

His deep-colored eyes dropped momentarily, then suddenly locked onto her.

“Lily Dienta, I love you. I want to be bound to you by affection until the day I die.”

He spoke as lightly as a feather—but with no attempt to hide the longing in his voice.

“And you still love me too. Denying it won’t help.”

Lily stopped breathing.

Caught. She knew this moment would come, but she hadn’t expected him to say it so bluntly. It was the kind of inappropriate confession only a scoundrel would make.

“Don’t be scared. I’m only stating it plainly so we can properly frame our discussion. To find the best solution, we have to be clear.”

He soothed her gently.

“Our feelings for each other aren’t the problem. The problem is the difference in status. Right?”

“Well…”

Lily had meant to say he was mistaken— That the real issue wasn’t something superficial like status, but something much deeper.

But Aiden seemed to sense her hesitation first. He made himself very clear.

“Lily, are you going to treat me like you treat Julius? I’ve respected your terms. Now you take this seriously too.”

“I… I…”

Lily shut her eyes tight.

“You’re right, Your Grace. You’re absolutely right. I know my place. I—we… we’ve always lived in completely different worlds!”

“Then I’ll fix that.”

She opened her eyes at the sound of a chair scraping backward. Aiden had risen and was heading toward a console table by the wall.

From the drawer, he pulled out a slim leather binder and returned to stand behind her. Then, leaning forward slightly, he placed it in front of her.

“I’d like to introduce you to Baron and Baroness Anjo.”

His long fingers tapped the first document.

“They’re minor provincial nobles. After losing their children and their children’s spouses, they’ve lived quietly in retirement, away from the social scene. They’re uncontroversial and well-mannered, so they have a solid reputation.”

The page listed their residence, assets, and family history.

“You’ll be their long-lost granddaughter. And at a debut in the capital—sponsored by your ‘grandparents’—you and I will fall in love at first sight.”

Aiden’s right arm slid around her shoulder from behind.

“At this level, the role shouldn’t be too much pressure for you, right?”

“W-Wait, Your Grace. Hold on. What are you saying right now…?”

“But the Anjos are a bit too low-ranking. You might still feel like there’s a gap between us. That’s why I’ve prepared other options too.”

He pointed to the next document.