Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 78

With that, only those directly involved remained in the garden. Just like that, the sharp tension vanished, replaced by calm expressions—as if they had never clashed.

Only then did Lily realize… this, too, had been part of the plan.

She had been on edge, afraid they might end up fighting someone they were meant to persuade— even though she’d been told in advance they would meet in the garden.

A world of power, full of deception and performance. There was no way someone as honest and straightforward as her could survive here.

Aiden shifted from arrogant noble to composed negotiator.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation.”

“You said you’d show me undeniable proof today.”

Aiden nodded, then turned to Lily.

“If you would.”

“Ah, yes—what should I do?”

Lily answered instantly, stepping forward. Aiden came to stand beside her and explained to the knight:

“Sir Fain, ask something that only Julius would know. Then my counselor here will relay his answer to you. Once you hear it, you’ll understand that I really am protecting his soul.”

The captain’s eyes moved to her. He frowned and stood in silence for a few seconds before finally speaking.

“You’re the maid I saw at the duke’s estate.”

That had nothing to do with Aiden’s suggestion—but Lily brightened and responded anyway.

“Oh, I knew it! I’m sorry, though—it’s been a while, so I didn’t recognize you right away.”

“I stopped you when you tried to enter the main building early one morning. You showed me His Majesty’s ring, so I let you through. Later, we both saw a candlestick move on the stairs.”

“Oh! Now I remember! That was you! It’s been a while.”

No wonder she hadn’t recognized him. Back then, she had been too focused on securing Aiden’s soul vessel to notice anything else.

She hadn’t even paid attention to his facial features or insignia— just assumed he was an ordinary palace knight. Who would’ve guessed he was the commander of the First Order?

“You were a maid at the time, weren’t you?”

Aiden’s sharp gaze stabbed into her profile. Even without looking, she could feel how displeased he was with this little social reunion.

Still, such a conversation might smooth things over in an unexpected way.

Julius’s Q&A alone would be enough to earn the captain’s trust— but there was no reason to refuse the added benefit of familiarity.

So Lily responded like someone talking to an old acquaintance.

“A lot has happened since then.”

And truly, it was enough to fill an entire book.

“I remember how much you wanted information about His Majesty. At the time, even aside from the restrictions, I genuinely didn’t know anything I could tell you. But now it’s different. I can answer anything you want. Because I—we…”

Because we solved the problem.

That’s what Lily meant to say. To show confidence. To earn trust. To stir curiosity, maybe even admiration, from someone who hadn’t yet solved it.

But she couldn’t bring herself to finish.

Because what she and Aiden had been through couldn’t be summarized as a “solved issue.” It was her most cherished and painful memory.

So Lily chose a softer, more modest way to end her sentence.

“Because I’m a living witness.”

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Using an over-the-top phrase like “living witness,” Lily Dienta was talking far more than anyone had asked her to.

Aiden was thoroughly displeased with the situation. The irritation had started the moment she began carefully observing another man.

Right after the commander showed up, she’d been stiff with embarrassment. But the moment she recognized their past connection, her eyes had sparkled— bright enough to seem like a galaxy was about to spill from them.

That unwavering, dazzling light—he had once wished it would always be his.

Yet now, in a cruel twist, some fool was basking in it without even trying. And right in front of him, the two exchanged warm, knowing glances.

Then, to top it off, the commander began acting like some smitten scoundrel, uttering that “You’re the maid I met at the duke’s estate,” in a low, meaningful tone.

Why speak that way? What did Lily’s identity have to do with any of this?

And why did she go along with it so willingly? So kindly…

That shared recognition. That look of understanding. The unspoken, mutual message: “You can trust me.”

Everything Aiden had struggled so hard to reclaim— that man received it without a hint of effort.

The jealousy and pain roiled inside him like a boiling storm.

A dark, reckless urge—so unlike his usual rational self—pressed against his chest.

Like the sudden impulse to grab Lily by the wrist and pull her away. To say That’s enough. You’ve helped enough. You’re done. To exclude her completely.

Aiden was a man who never wasted a good card— but this small woman was the exception. She always had been.

Lily Dienta, meanwhile, was entirely unaware of her former lover’s inner storm. Like a bull charging ahead, she kept going with full force.

“If there’s anything you’re curious about, I can answer.”

“Anything at all?”

“Well—no, not anything, really. But if it’s about the cause, symptoms, or solution, I can tell you everything.”

She dropped the bravado and spoke with a calm, measured tone. And Aiden hated that, too—the honest sincerity that wasn’t directed at him.

In typical fashion, he stepped forward for dramatic effect— Of course. One step would’ve been enough, but no, he had to come right next to her.

Even with his face twisted into a scowl, Lily didn’t notice.

Since the moment she realized he had faked his illness, she’d poured all her energy into ignoring him.

And as her increasingly savage employer was left to grind his teeth, she whispered:

“And if it’s something only His Majesty would know, I can relay that too. His sincere soul is here with us right now.”

No one could say what expression the commander made upon hearing that. The light was too dim to clearly see someone standing at a distance.

Aiden interjected.

“Enough stalling. Let’s get to the question. My counselor is growing tired of waiting.”

He stressed the word my, glaring in Lily’s direction— a contradiction to his supposed intent of keeping his distance.

But it was pointless. Lily didn’t even register the possessive emphasis, nodding mechanically like always.

Once she focused on something, everything else disappeared. Only he was left to gnash his teeth in frustration.

“I’d prefer a question that’s impossible to research. Something only the two of them would know.”

“Oh, and—His Majesty’s condition isn’t very stable, so don’t ask about anything trivial. Make it impactful. Something confusing but unforgettable.”

After a brief pause, the commander asked:

“On the day of the late emperor’s funeral… His Majesty secretly left something by the coffin. What was it?”

Lily turned to the empty air and asked softly,

“Did you hear that? What was it?”

There was no immediate answer.

“Come on. We can’t help if you don’t tell us.  Don’t be scared—we’ll keep it secret. Ugh, this isn’t working, is it?”

She sighed deeply, then switched to a healer’s voice.

“Close your eyes. Let your mind sink… Deeper… Deeper… We’re rewinding time. The victory parade… The wedding… The coronation… Now, the emperor’s funeral. You’re with the knight commander, quietly standing before your father’s casket… What are you doing? Yes… Yes… It’s alright. He’s already gone…”

To an outsider, she looked like a child talking to an imaginary friend. Someone might laugh… or think she’d lost her mind and back away.

But Aiden knew the truth. Julius’s ghost was really there.

A vengeful spirit, desperate to return to his body, visible only to Lily Dienta.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the garden. Maybe it was just coincidence—but it chilled the air enough to make everything feel… off.

Her strange display no longer looked silly. Instead, a heavy unease hung in the air like fog.

“…Ahh…”

Lily looked at the commander and said solemnly,

“You… spat in the coffin.”