Working at a Haunted Mansion Chapter 88

Aiden’s lips pressed silently against the knuckle of Lily’s finger, then lifted away.

“If the sender were someone trustworthy and powerful, would you listen to what they say?”

His surface smile was flawless. His tone was that of someone lightly joking.

But Lily felt again the coldness he used to carry when he was a ghost. The chill of his touch, the piercing gaze that clung to her just to confirm he existed…

She had stepped on this man’s forbidden line again.

It seemed there was a fear of loss within Aiden—so deep that she couldn’t even begin to grasp it.

Was it because she had tried to run away when he was still a spirit? Or was it when she abruptly ended things and left the castle?

Still, she had been doing her best. She hadn’t done anything worth worrying about and had buried all her questions deep inside.

So if she still hadn’t earned his trust, what else was she supposed to do?

Lily sighed, feeling overwhelmed.

“I’m here even though I went against my grandmother’s advice. Who could possibly be more trustworthy and authoritative to me than she is?”

She left out Mari’s accusation—that had been a close friend’s warning, but she didn’t mention it.

Lily slipped her hand free from his.

“I was just curious who sent me the warning, that’s all. If even knowing the name is too dangerous, I’ll drop it. Just don’t suspect me like that.
Unless you really thought it was all empty talk when I said I’d staked my life on you.”

She tried to speak bravely. But she couldn’t completely hide the glum note that crept into her voice. Seeing her unusually downcast expression, Aiden seemed to snap back to his senses.

“No, Lily. That’s not it. I just…”

He moved his lips, then finally gave a weak smile.

“I overreacted.”

Lily silently stared at that half-broken smile.

“You’re right. Just telling you a name won’t make me lose you. I won’t doubt you. I’ve never had anyone as precious to me as you, so I end up acting irrationally without realizing it. I’ve never had to protect someone before…”

That word—someone—wasn’t just meant to refer to an ally or a political partner.

Lily heard the unspoken adjective precious not with her ears, but with her heart.

His honest confession, as always, softened her.

It felt like there would never come a day when this kind of honesty stopped working on her.

Aiden took a slow breath and confessed.

“That letter… it was probably from Count Oetz.”

“Count Oetz? Why would the Emperor’s chief chamberlain send a letter like that?”

“It’s definitely him. The handwriting matches.”

Said the man who had claimed he didn’t memorize every noble’s penmanship—now sounding completely sure.

Setting aside the question of the chamberlain’s influence, what puzzled her was why he would send such a letter to her.

She had no connection to Count Oetz. They had only exchanged glances twice, and now he was suddenly telling her to stay away from the Duke?

The commander had said the sender was worried about her. But Count Oetz? He wasn’t the type to worry about someone like her. He was the Emperor’s right hand. It reeked of conspiracy.

“His motive seems suspicious. Why would he want to separate me from Your Grace?”

Lily frowned in thought.

“I’m nobody. A little digging and they’d find out I used to be a maid, and that I have no skill or qualification in counseling. …Oh!”

Lily suddenly lifted her head.

“What if… they haven’t figured out my fake qualifications yet? Maybe they want to get rid of me to throw you into mental chaos. They’ve been spreading rumors that you rely on counseling. Maybe it worked!”

Aiden nodded at her half-ridiculous theory.

“Reasonable.”

“They must think I’m some incredible counselor.”

“You truly are.”

He gave a soft smile.

“If their plan succeeds, I’ll be out of my mind.”

…Wow. Saying something like that out loud with no hesitation—honestly, he didn’t seem quite in his right mind now, either.

Lily loved Aiden, but she had never imagined things to such an extreme, and she definitely wouldn’t have said something like that to him.

Still, hearing it spoken aloud—despite how over-the-top it sounded—filled her heart.

‘Yeah. He just has an overprotective streak… But deep down, he’s a good person.’

In the end, Aiden stuck to his principle of protecting her without flaw. All he gave her was a tiny crumb of the truth.

There had clearly been some dealings involving the Emperor, and their effects had reached her. Yet aside from Saul Oetz’s name, he told her nothing.

But Lily chose not to press further. If he was trying that hard to keep things hidden, she would respect it—this time, too. She would do what she could, in her own way…

Lily buried her face in his chest and murmured,

“I’m tired of complicated stories. I want to go out with you tomorrow. Even though we’re finally together, it feels like we’re further apart than before.”

“Alright. As much as you like.”

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her tightly into his embrace. Lily hugged him back. Their bodies pressed together, and she could feel his every breath.

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

“Anywhere is fine. As long as I’m with you, Aiden…”

The moment she said his name on purpose, his arm tightened around her. It seemed like he even held his breath. Then, in a slightly trembling voice, he said:

“Alright. I’ll plan something. Somewhere you’ll enjoy.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

Aiden kissed her forehead, then slowly stepped back.

Just as he reached out to the front door, he suddenly stopped. He stared at Lily for a moment, hesitated, then asked:

“Can I ask… what you wrote in your reply?”

“See? You were curious too, Your Grace!”

Lily burst into laughter with a triumphant smile and answered,

“I wrote, ‘Message received. —Lily Dienta.’”

Aiden’s expression turned strange.

“That might be the most insincere reply he’s ever gotten.”

“Exactly. Who would dare reply like that to the chamberlain?  That’s why one of you should’ve told me in advance. I would’ve been more polite.”

She pouted, and Aiden, his expression much lighter, said, “I’ll remember that.”

They parted with a promise for tomorrow. Lily walked him to the street and waved after the carriage until it disappeared from view.

Once it was completely gone, she turned around. As she headed back into the townhouse, she recalled Aiden’s face from just before he left.

‘He has no idea why I really asked to go out, does he?’

Aiden seemed to believe it was purely a date between lovers. But that was just a smokescreen—Lily’s true motive was different.

She didn’t know the exact reason behind the chamberlain’s—or the Emperor’s—warning.

“Destabilizing Aiden Kashimir through the absence of his counselor” was only a guess. It could be for a completely different reason.

Whatever it was, she planned to use this outing to prove their plan had failed.

At the same time, she wanted to see with her own eyes what Aiden’s surroundings looked like from the outside.

Of course, it didn’t feel right to deceive her lover. If she could, she would have been honest and told him her reasons for wanting to go out.

But she knew exactly what would happen if she did.

Aiden would post guards at the townhouse door instead of going out with her. Another suffocating standoff would unfold.

This was the only way to achieve her goal without unnecessary conflict.

‘Honestly, this is just a normal outing. I’m not leaving Aiden’s side, and I’m letting him choose the destination—so he’ll take the proper precautions. And it’s true that I want a day out with just the two of us.’

Lily justified her choice.

She did understand Aiden’s desire to protect her at all costs. That’s why she had to rely on such a passive, indirect method.

If she didn’t care about Aiden’s efforts, she would’ve already stormed off to the sewing circle, used her contacts to reach the chief maid of Count Contania’s estate, and infiltrated some secret meeting.

She could only hope Aiden realized how hard she was trying to be patient.

Lily went up to the third floor and opened her wardrobe. She pulled out the outfit that signified her role as a medical professional and hung it on the wall.  She also checked that the brooch bearing the crest of House Kashimir was still secure.

It was the first time she’d accompanied Aiden somewhere since the imperial ball.

But thinking back, that didn’t really count as a proper outing. The mood had been terrible, and they weren’t even alone.

Still, that night had been a turning point in her life. The thrill and joy of it were still vivid—something she’d never forget, even on her deathbed.  And she hoped that memory would never fade.

In the end, she was just like Aiden. She moved forward for a future shared with him, and him alone.

Whatever sabotage came their way, she would prove that nothing could tear them apart.

And as a bonus, she’d make sure the citizens of the capital got used to seeing the Duke of Kashimir accompanied by her—not some other woman.