I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 133

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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! Episode 133

“Your Majesty, I have brought the honored guest.”

The Imperial Guard captain bowed his head toward the large golden door.

Just facing the door was enough to make me dazed, and I secretly swallowed my saliva.

‘I really came.’

I came to have an audience with the Emperor.

This time, neither Harman nor Count Reymon is by my side. I’m truly having an audience alone.

‘This is kind of unfair.’

What am I even supposed to be?

To say he called me because I’m an ‘exorcist’ – recently work has completely dried up, so I’m practically unemployed.

If it’s not that, but he called me because of Harman, shouldn’t Harman be called too?

I don’t understand why he keeps trying to call only me since the banquet.

I was so nervous that I tapped on my pocket. It was to check if the item Harman gave me was still there.

“Come in.”

Finally, the Emperor’s voice came from beyond the door. Then the attendants opened the door as if they had been waiting.

‘Wait, I’m not mentally prepared yet.’

But while I hesitated, someone gently pushed my back, and in the blink of an eye, I ended up going inside.

Behind me, I heard the heavy sound of the door closing.

When the situation ended, I was standing in an awkward position in front of the Emperor.

Yes, in front of the Emperor.

“I-I greet Your Majesty the Emperor.”

I hurriedly showed proper etiquette.

If the Emperor’s eyes hadn’t flashed, I might still be standing there dazed… Thinking that made me feel a bit dizzy.

“You’ve come, Exorcist Siena. Raise your head.”

I slightly raised my head. Just a little, very slightly.

Just because he said to raise my head didn’t really mean I should look directly at the Emperor.

But seeing the scene before my eyes made me slightly puzzled.

‘This isn’t the reception room?’

Beyond the Emperor sitting on a long sofa, I could see a large bed.

It was the Emperor’s chamber.

‘Are there cases where audiences are held in the Emperor’s chamber?’

There probably are. It would likely be the safest place to have secret conversations with high-ranking nobles who are pro-Emperor faction.

But why me, a commoner?

“You must be curious why I called you to this place.”

Does he have mind reading abilities? How did he know just by looking at the top of my head?

“…That is correct, Your Majesty.”

When I answered, the Emperor chuckled and got up, walking to the back of the sofa. I glanced and watched his actions.

The Emperor touched one side of the wall.

The wall he pointed to was completely empty without any other furniture.

Well, since it’s the Emperor’s chamber, it would be spacious, but that’s too unnatural.

…I thought that only briefly.

There was a loud noise and the wall instantly crumpled like folding paper.

“…!”

In the dark space where the wall had disappeared, stairs leading down appeared beyond.

“Welcome to my research lab.”

Looking at the Emperor smiling leisurely, I froze stiff.

Honestly, it was too ominous.

Right, how could it not be ominous?

Stairs connecting from the Emperor’s chamber to underground had suddenly appeared!

‘Why is there a secret space in a place like this?’

A research lab, no less.

In movies, they usually reveal everything like this and then kill you…

Surely not, right?

But I had no choice but to follow behind the Emperor who gestured for me to follow.

How could I refuse the Emperor’s command in the first place?

The underground stairs were dark and damp with moisture, without a single lantern the entire way down.

When I fidgeted with my pocket, I felt a round object.

‘…’

Even though I was afraid when I received it from Harman, ironically now this was the only thing I could rely on.

Before long, down below, a faint flame began to show through a slightly open door crack.

The Emperor, who entered there first, opened the door wide.

“Come in.”

But I stopped without being able to cross the door immediately. Somehow it felt like I shouldn’t cross that door.

“Hurry.”

“…”

At his urging, I finally entered the research lab while tense.

The interior was truly a research lab itself, just as the Emperor had said.

‘But I didn’t know it would be a magic research lab.’

Those books that densely filled the bookshelves on all the walls are probably magic books.

I don’t know anything about magic, but I was certain.

After all, what I could see right in front of me was a magic circle.

Not that sloppy thing drawn with stag’s blood that I saw at the previous Count and Countess Helkene’s mansion, but a real magic circle!

A large desk that seemed to occupy half the research lab.

On top of it, papers with magic circles drawn on them were scattered messily.

‘The Empire enjoyed tremendous power through the Emperor’s magic… I think there was some description like that in the original work.’

I didn’t know he was someone who researched magic this seriously.

Watching me quietly look around, the Emperor chuckled.

“Don’t be too nervous. Are you worried I brought you to a place like this to kill you?”

“Haha, no…”

Yes, honestly I do think you might…

I forced a smile.

‘If the Emperor wanted to, he could kill me right now and cover up this matter without any problem.’

Just like how I followed him here without being able to resist once, it would be the same when I die.

“Be at ease. If I really intended to kill you, I wouldn’t have brought you this far.”

Is it just my imagination that I became more afraid?

After saying such words, the Emperor was looking fondly at the magic circle papers on the desk.

His wrinkled hands slowly swept over the papers.

“Do you know how the Empire became strong?”

“With a wise ruler like Your Majesty, how could the Empire not become strong?”

I quickly came up with what seemed like a flattering answer.

Actually, I knew he brought up this topic because he wanted to show off his magic.

‘But I can’t just bluntly say “It’s thanks to Your Majesty’s magic!”‘

Whether it was the answer he wanted, the faint smile on the Emperor’s lips deepened.

“That’s also pleasant to hear. But in fact, the Empire was able to become this strong thanks to the magic I possess.”

…Yes, I knew you would say that!

He picked up a piece of paper and stroked the drawn magic circle as if it were his own child.

“I will continue to hone my magic for the Empire’s sake, but as you know, I’m too old.”

“…”

“So I’m trying to entrust the Empire to the person I cherish and trust most.”

The eyes that had been looking fondly at the magic circle suddenly pierced into me.

“I’m talking about Harman.”

…To call him by his name instead of Duke Monteville.

‘It’s like he’s forcibly emphasizing how close they are.’

Maybe I feel this way because I already know that the two of them are suspicious of each other.

“Do you know why I’m telling you this? It’s because you’re the closest to our Harman.”

“…Your Majesty seems to care greatly for Duke Monteville.”

“Of course, naturally. You have no idea how preciously I’ve raised him all this time.”

The Emperor put down the paper he was holding. At the same time, his expression instantly became gloomy.

“But lately, our Harman doesn’t seem like his old self. He was definitely a child who promised to live for the Empire with me, but he’s becoming neglectful.”

He slowly rubbed his face.

“I don’t know how much longer I can hold on. At this rate, not only the imperial authority but Harman’s position will be in danger too.”

“…What?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t know. There are still those who disapprove of Harman inheriting the ducal title when he was young.”

From the moment I arrived, no. From the moment I heard he had summoned me, I had suspected and been wary of the Emperor’s every action.

But this time, wariness aside, it was too shocking to have time for that.

I stared at the Emperor without hiding my emotions at all.

“Their dissatisfaction has grown worse since Harman brought you, a commoner, as his partner to this Imperial Court Ball. Of course, don’t misunderstand. I quite like you.”

There are people who disapprove of Harman inheriting the ducal title.

I had never heard such talk before.

I thought I could just be confident and steadfast as usual at the banquet.

I don’t care if I get pointed at and ridiculed by others. Harman said he would handle that himself.

But for him, who lost his parents, the only thing left was his ducal title.

‘If even that becomes endangered because of me….’

This kind of fear was new to me.

I lowered my eyes and rolled them around anxiously. From across came a gentle voice.

“So the reason I called you here is this. There’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

The Emperor fumbled around the messy desk again and picked up a magic circle paper with formulas that looked complex at first glance.

After roughly scanning the floor with his eyes, he threw the paper in front of where I was standing.

The paper fluttered down.

The moment it touched the floor, it became a magic circle. With the paper completely disappeared.

“Exorcist Siena. Please step onto this magic circle.”

“…What?”

“This is for our Harman.”

Step onto the magic circle?

Really?

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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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