Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 77

“Lily?”

Aiden sensed something off and called her name. But instead of explaining, Lily spoke in a firm, commanding tone.

“Patient.”

The sharpness in her voice was enough to make not only Julius but also Aiden and Wolfram flinch.

“You haven’t been following my instructions.”

Forcing down the wave of revulsion inside her, Lily took a step closer to Julius.

“You’ve been doubting, worrying, and thinking only negative thoughts. Didn’t I say those are the worst emotions for your condition?”

She raised one finger.

“Have you been meditating whenever you had time?”

[M-Meditating…?]

Got him.
Sensing her advantage, Lily’s eyes sparkled.

“Answer honestly.”

[N-No…]

“Haah.”

She sighed loudly on purpose and raised a second finger.

“Have you been praying diligently to the Divine?”

[P-Praying… I don’t remember you saying—]

“How can you say that when it’s the Divine protecting your soul right now? Be careful! They’re listening!”

[O-Okay…]

“Good. Then have you been repeatedly visualizing a state of complete recovery?”

When she extended a third finger, the ghostly mass visibly shrank. It looked like he was even trying to hunch his shoulders.

“I’ve told you again and again—success in treatment depends entirely on the patient’s will. But you must feel it yourself. You’re in a far worse state than before. How could your condition deteriorate this badly while I was away…?”

She ended her sentence with a tone of open disappointment.

“We’re all working so hard for your full recovery, and this is just… troubling.”

[All… of you…?]

What seemed to be Julius’s “eyes” turned toward Aiden. It was likely he didn’t view Aiden’s training methods as anything intended for healing. And honestly, he wouldn’t be wrong.

Before he could dwell on that, Lily cut in with some intimidation.

“Are you doubting me? So, what you’re saying is you don’t trust me? You don’t need someone like me?”

[No, no! Then what should I—]

“From now on, you need to follow everything I say. Think about who helped you recover as much as you did before. Trust me completely, and I guarantee things will improve.”

She didn’t claim a 100% recovery—only scammers made that promise. So Lily was boldly, perfectly confident.

In the end, Julius dropped his suspicion and returned to playing the obedient patient. He nodded, kept his mouth shut, and quietly stood beside her.

He would no longer try to startle or threaten her.

I did it! I did it again!

Overwhelmed with pride, Lily instinctively turned toward Aiden.

Then she noticed it: the expressions on the two men—part astonishment, part admiration… and a hint of amusement.

She blinked, confused as to why they were looking at her like that. Shouldn’t they be impressed? I just handled Julius like a pro!

And then she realized—
they couldn’t see what she saw.

To them, she had just launched into a full-on lecture… to thin air.

Slowly, Lily turned her head back. Her whole body burned with embarrassment.

She had only done what needed to be done— and it had worked! It had worked perfectly!

But it was the kind of embarrassment that made her wish she’d just fainted on the spot.

Hearing them tease her might’ve been less painful.

But when she glanced at Wolfram, she saw him biting his lip, clearly trying not to laugh. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at Aiden.

And then things got worse.

Just seconds later, two men stepped out from behind a tree. One wore the uniform of the Imperial Knights, the other was the guard who’d been stationed at the garden entrance earlier.

I’m going to lose it, Lily thought.

How could I be this unlucky? More witnesses?

If she’d known someone was watching, she would’ve done it properly. According to the books Aiden gave her, this was not how a counselor was supposed to behave.

A counselor should gently ease a patient’s guard and create a relaxed atmosphere with honest, kind communication. Not—well, not scold them like she just did.

She had completely succeeded in suppressing Julius’s energy, but aside from that… she’d gained absolutely nothing.

Lily eyed the imperial knight with wary tension. Given the situation, this man had to be the captain of the First Knight Order. How would he react to this embarrassing scene?

The captain bowed his head toward them.

“I apologize. I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop on a medical consultation. But rest assured, once I realized it was private, I stepped back immediately and only heard a brief part.”

The guard mirrored the captain’s respectful stance— a sharp contrast to a certain someone who’d been struggling to hold in laughter earlier.

Lily widened her eyes in surprise. She wasn’t sure exactly which part they’d overheard, but it seemed they believed her lecture was a legitimate part of Aiden’s treatment.

Nothing’s more convenient than someone choosing to fool themselves. Much better than introducing herself as a counselor outright.

Given how things had played out, it was best to lean into the image of a strict, responsible counselor.

Decision made, Lily answered clearly,

“I accept your apology.”

The captain slowly raised his head. As their eyes met, his gaze narrowed slightly. He began to closely observe Lily’s features.

He was studying her intently—enough that she quickly realized it.

‘Why’s he looking at me like that if he’s sorry?’

Lily didn’t back down. She returned the gaze, firm and unflinching. Like the quote: “If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.”

And then—it happened. Lily found her expression mirroring the knight’s.

She knew this face.

They’d definitely met before. It had to be back at the duke’s estate.

‘When could it have been? It’s way too familiar to be a passing glance. If we were close, he might be useful to Aiden…’

But back then, she’d been a lowly maid who wasn’t even allowed near the East Wing where the emperor stayed. There was no way she could’ve formally met the captain of the knights.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to be thinking something similar.

Still—she was sure they had met. She studied his face closely.

His dark green hair, looking even deeper in the growing evening light, was neatly trimmed. A scar ran along his chin, and his tall, lean frame was clad in navy uniform.

Her eyes returned to his jaw.

‘That scar… that scar…’

The image nagged at her mind, but she couldn’t quite place him.
They stared at each other like a pair locked in a silent standoff.

Seconds passed.
Eventually, the surrounding stares began to register.

Lily gave up trying to remember on her own—she’d just ask him directly.

“Have w—”

She was about to ask Have we met before?, when Aiden gently moved her behind him and spoke.

“I accept your apology as well. But more than that, Sir Fain, I’m curious—what brings you here? Was it urgent enough to warrant barging in on us?”

“I received word that you had ordered soldiers to clear the garden.”

Aiden nodded.

“That’s true. But it hardly seems like reason enough to warrant a visit from Sir Fain himself.”

“No matter how high your rank, you can’t freely use palace facilities and personnel without permission.”

Lily’s eyes went wide. She looked between the back of Aiden’s head and the captain, whose body was half-blocked by his shoulders.

Weren’t they here for a secret meeting? Then why is this turning into a standoff? They’re acting like they can’t stand each other.

“I still don’t see a reason to meet with you. I merely skipped the hassle of formal procedure.”

We would’ve reached the same result anyway, he was saying.
Why make such a fuss?

An entitled dismissal of valid objections. So casual it didn’t even come across as arrogant—it just sounded… normal.

Had Lily met such a high-handed noble during her maid days, she would’ve sweated buckets trying to follow orders—only to deal with all the fallout herself.

But surprisingly, the knight captain didn’t back down.

“It seems I’ll have to explain palace protocol.”

He turned to the guard and instructed,

“You may return to your post.”