Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 85

Since this was still a secret relationship, it was fine—for now. Lily could claim she’d been officially invited and get away with it… for a while.

But the problem was the future. At some point, the truth would come out. She’d have to say that yes, she really was dating the Duke… and that, well, marriage looked pretty likely, too.

“I won’t lose all my friends because of this… right?”

She was deeply worried. What if they started to feel distant, and the gap between them kept growing until she ended up all alone?

Of course, her friends were Aiden’s maids, not hers. It wasn’t like she intended to boss them around now—she didn’t have even the slightest desire to do something so arrogant.

Still… there was no way things could stay exactly the same.

These swirling thoughts left Lily unable to read a single page of the book Aiden had given her.

She was still stewing in her worries when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in!”

She called out loudly, and to her surprise, in walked—Mari.

Lily jumped to her feet. She’d just been thinking about her.

“Mari!”

“Shh!”

Mari urgently gestured for her to quiet down. She peeked out into the hallway, closed the door carefully, and then stood there with her ear pressed to the door for several moments.

It was suspicious behavior—but Lily was simply happy to see her. All those heavy thoughts vanished the moment she saw her best friend’s face.

Yes. Even if everyone else changed, Mari wouldn’t. They hadn’t spoken since Lily left the castle, but Mari had always held the closest place in her heart.

And if she’d gone so far as to sneak all the way here, then clearly… she felt the same way!

…Or maybe not…

That hopeful thought shifted the moment their eyes met. Mari looked like she’d seen a ghost. She rushed toward Lily and whispered urgently:

“Was it really you?”

“I’m glad to see you too, Mari. But what do you mean?”

“You’re the one His Grace was going on about? The woman he was so desperate to bring here—that was you?!”

So much for a “secret” relationship. Clearly, there wasn’t a single person in this mansion who didn’t know about her and Aiden—not the steward, not even the lowest-ranking maid.

At this point, they might as well just walk through the halls holding hands.

Lily had that silly thought, but deep down, the bluntness of Mari’s reaction stung. Was this really something to chase her down and interrogate her about?

Lily lowered her gaze and tried to explain.

“Well, what happened was…”

“Oh, gods, Lumiôn preserve us!”

Mari’s voice shot up in alarm. Lily looked up again to see her wearing an expression of sheer panic.

Mari’s eyes went wide, and she practically cornered Lily.

“No way, right? This is all just some stupid rumor, right? You’re just here for counseling, aren’t you? You’ve always been good at comforting people, remember?”

That one really hurt.

Lily hadn’t expected to be showered with praise or anything, but being outright denied like that…? It cut deep.

Just as she’d feared— Hardship was real. The rosy future had been nothing more than a fantasy.

Not that it surprised her. She’d known from the start that choosing Aiden meant choosing his burdens too. This was just… sooner than expected.

So there was no reason to be upset.

Lily steeled herself and answered with more coldness than she felt—just to show she wasn’t hurt.

“I know it sounds ridiculous. But still, I don’t think I deserve this kind of reaction from a friend I haven’t seen in so long.”

“Shhh! Keep your voice down!”

“I wasn’t even talking that loudly! Mari, why do you keep—?”

Mari had had enough. She slapped her hand over Lily’s mouth and whispered, voice low and urgent:

“I’m not even supposed to be here. If anyone finds out, I’m finished. I mean it—I’m risking my life just to talk to you!”

Lily’s eyes widened. The trembling voice and frantic expression weren’t an act—this was real.

But… why would someone risk their life just to talk to a friend? Since when had the Casimir household become so strict?

“…You’ll keep quiet, right?”

Lily nodded.

Mari finally let go of her mouth and discreetly wiped her hand on Lily’s sleeve.

“Mari!”

Mari grinned. That grin was so familiar—it was still her Mari Green.

The same Mari who used to tell her ghost stories to make her squirm. Who’d race her to wring out rags. Who’d bet cleaning chores on the outcome of silly games.

But that nostalgic feeling vanished as Mari’s face tensed up again.

“Why aren’t you allowed to be here?”

Lily whispered, keeping her voice low just like Mari had asked.

“His Grace gave a direct order to the staff from the castle. They’re not allowed to show themselves to guests. And that’s just one of the rules. You wouldn’t believe what kind of situation we’re in right now…”

She flinched suddenly and stopped talking. Mari waited in silence until she was sure everything outside remained quiet, then finally turned back to Lily.

“…So it really is you, huh. Phew.”

At this point, Lily couldn’t begin to guess what Mari’s visit was about.

She couldn’t have risked all this just to confirm a rumor, right? Defying the master of the house wasn’t something just anyone could do—it took serious guts.

But if that wasn’t the reason… then why come at all? Just to see her after a long time?

“Mari,” Lily asked carefully, “are we still friends? Even if I really am… you know… his lady? I’m still your best friend, right?”

“Of course.”

Lily answered gently. She was honestly thankful Mari had asked what she had been wanting to ask all along.

“Then do you remember who I am? Mari Green—who lives and dies by loyalty?”

“Of course I do! But why are you suddenly—”

“Good.”

Mari took a deep breath, then said:

“Break up with him.”

“…What?”

Lily thought she must’ve misheard.

“That guy is total garbage.”

“Wait… by ‘that guy,’ you mean… the Duke?”

“Yes!”

Mari leaned in close and whispered in Lily’s ear.

“He’s hiding a woman. A woman with a child.”

“Mari, I get that you don’t like that I’m dating him, but how can you say something so—”

“Lily Diena!”

Mari shouted her full name, her face deadly serious.

“I swear to the gods, that man is a complete lunatic. He’s got her locked up somewhere in this mansion, and he visits her regularly. Even when he was buying you flowers and perfume to ‘win you over’—he was still seeing her. And now that you’re here, today? He’s just going to send you away and go straight to her!”

As if words weren’t enough, Mari grabbed Lily’s arms and shook her.

“Whatever he says to you—don’t believe it. Better yet, don’t trust anyone. Even his aide is in on it. They’re all scumbags!”

Mari practically spat the last word, then suddenly froze. The hallway was still silent, but she seemed panicked.

“…I’ve stayed too long. This is bad,” she muttered under her breath.

Before rushing out, she gave Lily one last warning:

“Remember what I said. You’re way too good for trash like him.”

And just like that—she vanished, as abruptly as she’d come.

Lily scrambled after her, but Mari was already gone. She couldn’t just go poking around a noble’s mansion looking for the servants’ passageways, so she returned to her room.

She felt dazed.

The sofa creaked softly as she dropped onto it, the sinking cushions mirroring her deflated mood. She didn’t even glance at the book Aiden had given her. Who cared about psychoanalysis right now?

A woman? A child? What was all that?!

She clenched her hands together so tightly that her shoulders stiffened. Her jaw ached from how hard she was clenching her teeth. But Lily didn’t even notice. She was too deep in shock.

Every word from Mari’s mouth had been a bombshell. She remembered every syllable—each one more outrageous than the last.

Aiden Kashimir was a “crazy man” who had “locked up” a “woman with a child” and was still “attending to her” while courting Lily?
He’d been visiting that woman even while wooing her?

And Lily didn’t think Mari would’ve come all this way just to tell her some baseless rumor. When servants whispered about something, there was usually a kernel of truth at its core.

Besides, Mari had risked everything to warn her. She could’ve been fired—or worse—but she’d done it anyway. Out of loyalty. Out of friendship.

So even if the whole thing wasn’t true, Lily was almost certain of one thing: Some woman was secretly staying at the mansion.

And for a reason they couldn’t—wouldn’t—tell her. And when it came to secretive relationships between men and women…

There was only one likely explanation.