I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 22

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

I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living Through Exorcism! Episode 022

 

Seeing my eyes widen in shock, Harman quietly approached me.

 

He seemed quite composed, as if he had expected this reaction.

 

“…Duke.”

 

“Yes, Lady.”

 

“Where in the manor do ghost-related sightings and rumors circulate the most?”

 

“This room.”

 

“I thought so.”

 

“There are several here. I suppose you can see them too.”

 

Of course.

 

This is real horror. What else could be more terrifying?

 

‘Calm down. Stay calm and examine everything one by one.’

 

I took a deep breath and started examining the walls.

 

First thing first.

 

The unnecessarily numerous clocks hanging on the wall.

 

‘Why are there twelve clocks hanging in one room?’

 

Moreover, X marks were roughly drawn across the clock faces in what looked like someone’s hasty scribbles.

 

The biggest problem was…

 

‘Why do they all show different times?’

 

They made ticking sounds, but the minute and second hands were completely frozen at specific times.

 

3:52, 5:13… but that’s not the important part.

 

‘That sound is the source of the eeriness.’

 

There must definitely be rumors circulating in the manor about mysterious clock sounds heard every night.

 

Why would they hang broken clocks like that instead of throwing them away?

 

Even if everything in the manor is property and a symbol of an old family house, there’s no need to keep broken clocks.

 

I timidly pointed at the clocks with my arm only half-extended.

 

“Duke, about those clocks. Are they all broken by any chance?”

 

Harman’s eyes widened slightly as if wondering how I knew.

 

“That’s correct. The three on the far right broke all at once. It wasn’t too long ago.”

 

Right, no wonder those three had X marks drawn in the same dark red color.

 

They were all marked in red, but those were particularly vivid red.

 

Maybe they were marked together because they broke on the same day.

 

But still, why?

 

‘Don’t tell me he thinks they broke because ghosts possessed them?’

 

Did he collect them thinking he’d face consequences if he threw them away carelessly?

 

‘Please, I hope you’ll throw away old things on time and accept new ones.’

 

Unable to manage my expression, I turned my head away.

 

But I still failed to manage my expression.

 

Faded portraits hung on the wall, but the paint around the eye areas had all mysteriously peeled off.

 

Seeing that all their hair was golden, these must be portraits of the Duke Monteville family.

 

Why weren’t they maintained at all?

 

Moreover, heavy velvet blackout curtains completely covered the windows. Even with the electric lights on, it was gloomy.

 

It was literally a complete disaster.

 

Anyway, in this room that was as large as three guest rooms combined.

 

If I had to pick the strangest thing about this unnecessarily spacious room…

 

‘Why are the chairs arranged like that?’

 

Antique chairs were arranged in a circle, all facing the center.

 

One was even knocked backward and left abandoned.

 

It was a completely bizarre sight.

 

‘It looks like a demon summoning circle I saw in a book when I was young.’

 

Something about placing six chairs and conducting some ritual in the middle?

 

I don’t remember exactly, but it was something like that.

 

‘Don’t tell me someone actually performed demon summoning here?’

 

The thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I quickly dismissed it.

 

This estate already had eerie rumors circulating – what kind of person would do such a thing?

 

Anyway, the chairs being old was one thing.

 

But the fact that dust had piled up thick on the chairs meant no one had cleaned for at least several months.

 

Thanks to that, the room’s atmosphere was even more suspicious and desolate.

 

…That was all from the perspective of thinking ‘ghosts appear here.’

 

By my standards, this was just a neglected, dirty room.

 

‘Still, this is a Duke’s estate.’

 

Only after scanning the entire room could I finally close my jaw that had dropped.

 

I couldn’t hide my shocked expression at how dirty it could possibly be.

 

I glanced at Harman.

 

‘But Harman, you knew there was a problem yet left this room alone?’

 

Like Rudian, it must be ‘ghosts are too scary but it’s embarrassing to show it.’

 

Though it was a bit different when you think about it. Rudian was the type to act like nothing was wrong after being scared of everything.

 

Harman showed no signs of being scared at all unless you looked closely.

 

‘It would be difficult to show it outwardly, I suppose.’

 

The Duke, the only one in the Empire, being afraid of ghosts?

 

That would make the front page headlines.

 

I resolved to take their secret to my grave.

 

Though I wasn’t sure if the two would be moved by my loyalty.

 

Anyway, since I’d reached a conclusion, there was nothing more to think about.

 

I confidently pointed to the center.

 

“There. That’s the biggest problem.”

 

Harman nodded as if he’d expected as much.

 

Behind him, the butler who had been writing the report flinched and his hand trembled.

 

Come on, it obviously looks the most problematic. Why are you surprised?

 

I had simply pointed to the chairs in the center, but the immediate reactions from Harman and the butler, as well as the growing murmurs from behind, were telling.

 

Despite my bewildered inner thoughts, I lowered my voice to sound solemn.

 

“Duke, I think I can resolve this. But I need to be alone in the room.”

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

I knew he would ask that.

 

I’ll go with the exorcist concept again this time.

 

“Exorcism is… well, it’s quite complicated. The ghost might harm anyone who’s watching.”

 

I turned my gaze beyond the wide-open door.

 

The servants standing at a distance with pale faces trembled slightly as if on cue.

 

‘I need to make scary threats for them to listen to me.’

 

That’s why I deliberately set this atmosphere.

 

In truth, the exorcism I mentioned was nothing special.

 

Just like in the other rooms, I would throw open the blackout curtains and organize the chairs.

 

I planned to dust off the chairs that were covered in dust and move them somewhere else.

 

That was all.

 

‘Who on earth arranged the chairs in such a formation, really.’

 

Anyone would think the ghosts were sitting around having a meeting.

 

Anyway, I needed to clear those away, but it would be embarrassing to struggle moving chairs in front of everyone.

 

Since everyone thinks ghosts are attached to the chairs, they wouldn’t help either.

 

“…Will you be alright?”

 

“Yes, of course.”

 

‘I already handled it alone at Count Helkene’s Estate.’

 

There are already rumors that I’m a strong Young Lady… no, an exorcist.

 

Harman paused for a moment, looking at the chairs.

 

“If something happens while you’re alone, Lady, we won’t be able to rescue you immediately.”

 

After saying that, he made an expression that said ‘what am I even saying.’

 

He seemed surprised at himself for worrying about another person.

 

A handsome man’s concern.

 

It feels better than I expected.

 

Thanks to our several meetings, it meant our relationship had grown that much closer. I struggled to suppress a scheming smile.

 

“It’ll be over quickly. Don’t worry!”

 

“Then… I’ll wait outside.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Harman kept looking back even though he only needed to walk a few steps to leave.

 

Each time he turned his head, two emotions coexisted on his face.

 

Worry and bewilderment.

 

The former was nice, but the latter felt somehow strange the more I saw it.

 

Finally, the door closed.

 

I recalled Harman’s face that I had seen just before.

 

The faintly raised corners of his mouth and his somewhat cool expression.

 

The conclusion I’d reached about my feelings was quite different from the worry I’d felt just moments ago, which left me a bit puzzled.

 

But there’s no time to think about it further.

 

I approached the chairs that were gathered in a circle.

 

Then I took out a pair of white gloves from my pocket and put them on carefully, all the way to my fingertips.

 

‘Good thing I brought gloves knowing this would happen.’

 

I had prepared them thinking I might need to clean dust and such.

 

My prediction was spot on.

 

I bent my back and diligently brushed off all the dust that had accumulated on the chairs.

 

Since the chairs were arranged in a circle, cleaning the dust was quite easy. That was one good thing about this.

 

‘Done!’

 

Now all I had to do was move the chairs and I’d be finished.

 

I firmly gripped the chair right next to me with both hands.

 

I even positioned myself properly so I wouldn’t fall over.

 

And so I tried to move the chair.

 

‘Hngh.’

 

I tried to move it…

 

‘Hnnnngh!’

 

Damn. It’s too heavy.

 

Is this solid wood?

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