Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 72

The ghost, perhaps remembering the earlier command, didn’t immediately cling to them. But once it became clear they had exited the drawing room, it started repeating its line about a misunderstanding again.

Unlike the first time, when she had been so shocked she nearly fainted, Lily now found the word “misunderstanding” utterly tiresome.
None of it mattered in the slightest.

In the bleak atmosphere, they walked all the way to the front entrance. When the door opened and closed once more, letting in the outdoor air, Lily opened her eyes. Aiden’s hand released her.

He was staring down the steps. Lily didn’t dare speak and simply looked in the same direction.

After a moment, the carriage was ready. Aiden walked her all the way to it.

Of course he would observe proper etiquette to the very end. If it had been Lily, the front door would’ve been her limit for courtesy.

Once she stepped into the carriage the coachman opened, the day’s outing would be over. But just as she placed her foot on the step, she turned around to face Aiden.

It seemed even a scrap of a smile was too much for him now. His eyes held no warmth, and her fingers tensed from the chill of it. But she had to say something she forgot yesterday.

“I attend an embroidery circle…”

He stood still, without a single change in expression.

“We meet twice a week at the Scarlet Needle Embroidery Shop. One of the women there is Dona Alosha, the chief maid under Countess Contania. I saw her working on embroidery with a very unusual pattern.”

Lily stressed the word “unusual,” and worried it still might not be enough, she added,

“Patterns like the ones you’d only find in really old foreign books.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. Lily was now confident he was picking up on what she meant and continued.

“She said there are six pieces total, commissioned by the Countess. They’re supposed to be handed out at this weekend’s meeting.”

She left out the part about how she’d originally thought to send an anonymous tip— that kind of thing didn’t suit the mood.

“I hope that helps. And if you already knew—then that’s good, too.”

Lily stepped into the carriage.

On the ride home, her thoughts turned belatedly to the flowers in the drawing room. They’d been bright and beautiful, like a painting.

She wished she’d taken a bouquet, even if they were destined to wilt anyway.

That was about the only thing she could think of without sounding regretful.

 

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

Under a sky the color of ruin, the carriage disappeared from view.

Aiden remained in place for a while longer, but the horse didn’t suddenly collapse, and the woman didn’t come running back to take back her words.

“Your Grace, has the guest departed?”

Aiden turned at the butler’s voice, standing still until then. The setting sun pouring in from behind concealed his expression.

“Yes. Cancel dinner. I’ll have something simple in the study.”

A small yet exquisite dinner, prepared with rare ingredients and arranged beautifully for just the two of them, had been waiting. The dining room had been decorated just as carefully as the drawing room.

Realizing now that it had all been for nothing left him with a crushing sense of emptiness.

The name list meant to help her troubles, the garden freshly groomed for a night walk, his skin prepped with rosewater, the flower-scented drawing room that felt suffocating—none of it had mattered.

But who could he blame? It was Aiden himself who had played the fool, inflated with hope, failing to predict her stubborn nature.
No one had told him to do all that…

Aiden stepped inside. Wolfram was waiting by the entrance.

“How did it go?”

“She agreed to cooperate.”

“I expected as much from her.”

She was the kind of woman desperate to dive into anything she could help with. Her agreeing was only natural.

Aiden barely held back a scoff.

Wolfram studied Aiden’s face carefully. Recently, the duke often maintained a strange intensity, a mix of tension and excitement. But he was usually calm and composed.

Now, however, a harsh, volatile energy surrounded him—like someone on the verge of lashing out. Wolfram realized things had gone well… but not really.

Lily Dienta might have agreed to cooperate, but something in their relationship had clearly gone wrong.

He found himself regretting how he had once lectured Lily to “know her place.” She, more than anyone, truly did.

‘Not sure whether that’s fortunate or unfortunate.’

For once, his mind—usually tuned to the Kashimir family’s best interests—offered no clear answer.

In the long run, it was probably fortunate. The two of them not being together would avoid hardship.

Wolfram could already envision the chaos if Aiden Kashimir and Lily Dienta were to become a couple.

The proud Kazimir house would be buried in scandal.
It wouldn’t matter how pure or deep their love was; it would be seen as inevitable disgrace.

Avoiding such fallout and preserving the family’s marriage prospects— from a house perspective, it was a win.

But in the short term, it was an undeniable loss.

Aiden’s anger now was comparable to when he once wrecked the main house. No one could predict what he might do in this state or how it might cloud his judgment.

It made him extremely difficult to approach. Even breathing nearby felt dangerous.

‘He never even had a real romance. Why is he clinging like this?’

Wolfram sighed, completely forgetting the love letters he himself wrote in his youth.

Those two had never shared anything like a childish, playful romance. They had simply exchanged inappropriate closeness and brief, flustered encounters.

Wolfram had pieced together everything from Lily’s expressions and words, but that softened, flushed look couldn’t have been only hers.

Had the cold-hearted duke really clung to the warmth of a fleeting breeze? Even if, to others, she was nothing but a discarded safe haven…

Wolfram buried his thoughts and asked in a calm tone,

“I heard she left right after the drawing room. What about the books?”

“Deliver them tomorrow. Bring a tailor as well.”

“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll take the package we prepared.”

This was an errand added because Lily had gone home early.

Originally, she was supposed to stay the night— the darkened roads after dinner would’ve been a perfect excuse. Books and her clothing fitting would’ve taken place the next morning.

Even knowing what people might say about a young unmarried woman spending the night at a noble bachelor’s home, Aiden had ordered the guest room prepared.

Maybe he had wanted those rumors to spread.

It was pointless now, though.

After saying this last instruction and taking a few steps, Aiden suddenly said,

“I’m changing the books. Follow me.”

Wolfram followed him into the study.

They had selected books to help Lily Dienta, likely unfamiliar with psychology, build some knowledge. The books had already been wrapped in yellow paper and tied neatly.

Aiden tore open the bundle, pulled all the books out, and began replacing them with dense, difficult classics from the shelves.

Wolfram could only watch in silence. It was nothing short of an act of revenge.

As Aiden moved with harsh motions, he suddenly stopped.

He stared at the discarded books for a long time, then slowly picked one up and put it back into the stack to be sent to Lily.

Once he finished choosing, he stepped aside. Wolfram re-tied the bundle and left the study.

The door closed behind him, leaving Aiden alone.

He sat down and picked up one of the books scattered across the desk. Inside, interleaved between pages, were notes he had handwritten—sacrificing sleep to help her understand. Another one of his pointless efforts.

Aiden removed the small slips one by one.

Just as he finished, a tray with a simple meal arrived. He ordered that no one enter the study tonight, then fetched a bottle from the cabinet.

Before his “departure” from the world, he had occasionally used alcohol to loosen tension and rest.

But for the past month, he had strictly avoided drinking—it did nothing to aid his recovery.

His body was now healed enough for daily life, but he still didn’t feel whole. He couldn’t bring himself to accept this fragile state.

Still, Aiden couldn’t resist. He filled a glass, driven by frustration, bitterness, and a hint of self-destructive impulse.

He downed the amber liquor on an empty stomach. After pouring and drinking repeatedly, he’d emptied half the bottle before he finally exhaled a heavy sigh.

Leaning back, he gazed out the window, eyes dark with gloom.

He no longer knew what kind of sincerity he needed to show. The more he tried, the harder the backlash seemed.

Who would’ve thought he’d use the childish phrase “my heart is hurt”? The despair etched into his soul felt like it would never fade.

He looked out the window again. From where he sat, he could see the estate’s front gate.

Night had fallen, but he remembered clearly how the path had once glowed red, like it was burning. The carriage had rolled over it without issue, unbothered by the ominous hue.

Aiden recalled the woman’s final words—news of a heretic symbol spreading among the empire’s elite.

They had already received intel about the countess holding a secret gathering. They were investigating the true power behind her.

Lily Dienta hadn’t needed to get involved. He refilled his glass once more.

‘Why can’t she ever just sit still? Even in a safe place, she goes digging up clues about heresy. Is she only satisfied when she’s in danger?’