I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living Through Exorcism! Prologue

“Lady Siena, may I ask you something?”

“Yes, of course. Your Grace!”

“Since when have you been able to see ghosts?”

“Ah…”

Siena’s eyes widened as she had been stuffing steak into her mouth.

She quickly wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth and trailed off. Her pale green eyes shook anxiously from side to side.

It was exactly the reaction he had expected.

‘This is the first time I’ve asked so directly.’

Harman slowly picked up his fork, thinking he wouldn’t be shaken no matter what answer he heard.

‘Hm?’

But Siena’s reflection in the fork seemed somehow restless. In just a moment, she had even craned her neck to look around.

As if she was worried someone might overhear their conversation.

“I’m only telling this to Your Grace…”

After confirming there were no listening ears, she covered her mouth with her hand and whispered softly.

‘…’

This wasn’t a situation where she should be afraid of human ears.

Even though the situation had deviated from his expectations, Harman stared across without the slightest waver.

More precisely, beside Siena.

At that thing that had been clinging to her since she came running while waving her hands wildly.

The clear laughter of young ladies echoed from outside the terrace. But it never reached Harman’s ears.

When all sounds began to buzz and sound like noise, Harman put down the clean fork he had been holding.

Today he would definitely find out.

After clearing out all the ghost-infested manors,

The true intentions of that woman who pretended not to see them.

“I’ll tell Your Grace secretly. Actually, there’s no such thing as ghosts. Those things only exist in novels, right?”

If word gets out, we’ll lose customers, so only Your Grace should know!

As the gentle voice reached his ears and faded away, Harman’s lips twisted.

In the end, she’s telling lies again today.

Siena seemed to have no intention of telling the truth.

It was always like this.

Whenever ghosts were mentioned, she would somehow give a wistful look and force an awkward smile.

She had openly performed exorcism in front of him more than once or twice, yet she kept telling lies.

‘Every day has been a nightmare for me since that day.’

Though his insides were twisted, Harman quickly composed his expression. As always, he drew a light smile.

Today he would definitely find out this woman’s true feelings.

Why she acted like she couldn’t see while carrying around such a thing so nonchalantly.

Why… she remained fine even next to that thing.

Harman pressed down on his suddenly heavy eyelids and pointed beside Siena.

“Then, what is that?”

The place his fingertip touched.

Something with long black hair hanging down twisted its head grotesquely. Where there should have been a chin, there was the crown of its head.

Black pupils that completely filled the white sclera made a creaking sound as they reached toward Harman—

“Oh, it’s just a leaf!”

Thwack—!

Siena struck its cheek.

No, she brushed off her clothes.

A single leaf that fell from her clothes fluttered down onto the table.

The thing, clutching its stinging cheek in shock, stared at Siena.

But Siena picked up the leaf that had fallen from her clothes and smiled brightly.

As if she couldn’t see the thing beside her at all.

“Just how long has it been there… surely it wasn’t stuck there from the beginning?”

It was a cheerful face that didn’t match the situation, without a speck of dust on it.

Harman slowly lowered the index finger he had been pointing at the thing.

Did she just hit that thing?

And then act like nothing happened?

“Oh, Your Grace! Did you know that if you dry leaves, they make pretty bookmarks?”

Now the thing returned its grotesquely twisted head to its original position. Its sheepishly hunched posture was unmistakably human in form.

A somewhat shabby human with disheveled hair.

Soon the thing’s form became faint. Harman could easily guess what would happen next.

As he had witnessed several times before, it would disappear without a trace before long.

“It’s a red maple leaf, so it would be perfect for making a bookmark.”

Siena said shyly, turning the leaf in her hand this way and that.

With her cheeks flushed red, she looked like the protagonist of a romantic date.

At this point, maybe she really couldn’t sense the ghost’s presence.

The moment that thought occurred to him, something caught his eye.

“I see. It would make a pret… ty bookmark.”

Harman, who had been smiling gently, deliberately pulled up the corners of his mouth even more. However, his lips were trembling slightly.

The ghost that had been beside Siena had vanished without a trace.

That can’t be right.

I Don’t Believe in Ghosts But Make a Living Through Exorcism! Episode 001

Tension filled the reception room. Father’s sighs mixed with the heavy atmosphere.

When my gaze reached them, the servants deliberately put on gloomy expressions.

An unnatural silence lingered.

‘….’

Not wanting to meet Father’s eyes, I quietly looked down.

Two teacups neatly placed on the table.

The fact I could tell without even gripping the handle was.

‘It was poured quite a while ago.’

Just by looking at it, I could smell the cold, stale aroma. Father’s teacup was already about half empty.

As expected, I knew it would be like this.

‘Even in this situation, he didn’t show me any consideration at all.’

Since I hadn’t expected anything anyway, I didn’t frown.

I politely clasped my hands together, pretending to wait for Father’s words. Then I secretly rummaged through my pocket under the table.

Even if I got caught, well. He wouldn’t care at all about what I was doing.

It had always been that way.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere grew increasingly ominous.

Enough that even the most oblivious person would sense something was about to happen.

“Siena.”

My hand in my pocket paused for a moment.

Because what I heard from across the table was a gentle voice I was hearing for the first time in five whole years.

‘Right, so today is the day after all.’

I don’t even feel a glimmer of hope. I stopped what I was doing and clenched my fist tightly.

Even though I had expected this when I came down, thinking that the reality was right before me made me feel a bit wronged.

As for the memories that flashed by like a revolving lantern,

They were nothing but the days of hardship over the past five years, starting from when I suddenly possessed Siena Alderton’s body.

It was laughably insignificant.

Come to think of it, Father had always called me over but never looked at me.

All he did was read through work documents while giving instructions that bordered on threats.

Of course, right now…

He was staring directly into my eyes.

Father nervously tapped the armrest. Finally, his parched lips opened.

“About the trade goods we imported recently.”

“Yes, Father.”

“It turns out they were all counterfeit! The business is about to collapse completely!”

“Oh my, then what should we do?”

I covered my mouth and pretended to be flustered. I even made a show of jumping up from the sofa while clutching my dress.

In truth, I already knew that Father’s newly started business had failed spectacularly around this time.

Because I had read it in the original story.

Of course, the rumors I had picked up while helping Father with his work also played a part.

I had told him to give up on this trade deal, but he ended up investing anyway.

Thanks to that, I had already finished preparing myself mentally.

Perhaps because my reaction was more intense than expected. Father, seemingly gaining confidence, immediately got to the point.

“For the sake of our House Alderton, you’ll need to marry Count Baldmon!”

“…”

My act as a good daughter ended as soon as it began. My brow furrowed deeply.

‘I already know you’re selling me off to that crazy womanizer.’

You’re speaking as if you’re doing something grand.

After speaking, Father seemed much more at ease and took on his usual confident posture.

Straightening his back, looking down at me with a condescending gaze.

I anticipated what would come next.

“If you refuse, I’ll throw you out of my estate, so you better understand that!”

He even lowered his voice threateningly, as if certain I would never refuse.

He didn’t even notice that I was openly showing my displeasure.

“….”

I lowered my eyes to look as pitiful as possible. My eyelids covering half my eyes trembled slightly.

Even while doing this, my hands never stopped counting the money in my pocket.

I had rushed here and hastily grabbed the money I’d hidden in my secret box.

I was anxious about whether I’d brought it all.

Since I’d completely lost any remaining affection for Father, I felt like I’d regret it if I left behind even a single penny.

“Everything has already been arranged with Count Baldmon. The wedding is scheduled for two months from now.”

Eight, nine, ten.

…100 million francs.

Perfect match.

Confirmation complete.

I smiled with satisfaction and shot up from my seat.

“Yes, I have no choice. I’ll leave the estate. Father.”

“That’s right, behave yourself while taking bridal lessons and… what?”

Having naturally assumed I would obey, Father’s eyes widened in shock.

Bridal lessons, my foot. This is exactly what I’ve been waiting to hear!

“The sooner the better, right? I’ll leave right now!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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