I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 23

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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 023

 

Even if it’s a wooden chair, could it really be this heavy?

 

It’s not like I’m trying to lift it up high.

 

I just want to drag it and move it to the side!

 

Unless someone is sitting on it, there’s no way it could be this heavy…

 

‘Wait a minute.’

 

Someone is sitting on it?

 

I was sweating profusely and straining with all my might when I suddenly stopped. I slowly raised my head.

 

Of course, the chair was completely empty.

 

‘But this weight, no matter how I look at it…’

 

While I was completely bent over, my hand slipped.

 

Sweat trickled down my back.

 

The eerie atmosphere I’d been ignoring combined with a chill that sent goosebumps all the way to the tips of my hair.

 

I let go of the chair with both hands and felt deflated. Instinctively, I took about two steps back from the chair.

 

If someone really wasn’t sitting there, then there’s absolutely no way…

 

‘No, let me think calmly.’

 

There are no ghosts in this world to begin with.

 

I can say that with certainty.

 

‘If there were such things as ghosts, there definitely would have been an episode where the Female Lead encountered a ghost.’

 

The title is 【I Just Wanted to Become a Building Owner】.

 

There’s no way a ghost wouldn’t have harmed the Female Lead who completely demolished entire estates.

 

And most importantly.

 

‘If there really were ghosts, there’s no way I could be walking around this fine.’

 

My estate was also a ghost-haunted estate, but nothing happened.

 

Of course, at first there were a few incidents that could have seemed like supernatural phenomena.

 

Bella would shriek that it was the work of ghosts.

 

But after thoroughly cleaning and repairing the worn parts, there were no problems at all, right?

 

At the Monteville Ducal Estate, that is, here too, I touched the picture frame that was supposedly haunted.

 

Even though I’m alone in this room that everyone is afraid of, nothing has happened.

 

This is all just fear created by human anxiety.

 

‘…’

 

After organizing my complicated thoughts, surprisingly, my mind became clear.

 

Meanwhile, my body had unknowingly moved near the door.

 

I walked with big strides back toward where the chair was.

 

Six old leather chairs with armrests and backrests worn and peeling in various places from heavy use.

 

Yet heavy enough to feel like someone was sitting on one.

 

‘Let me check one last time.’

 

I slowly reached my hand toward the chair.

 

Just in case, if by any chance.

 

If a ghost exists, it would never leave my hand moving over the chair alone.

 

Swoosh swoosh.

 

For such a firm resolution, my timid gestures merely grazed over the innocent armrest.

 

I stretched my right foot back so I could run away immediately if something happened.

 

However, no matter how many times I waved around, nothing happened.

 

“Ah, as expected, there’s nothing…”

 

It was when I relaxed, thinking ‘I knew it,’ that it happened.

 

My body suddenly swayed and I collapsed straight onto the chair before I could even finish speaking!

 

‘No way, how can my center of gravity be disrupted like someone pushed me?’

 

Does this make sense?

 

Thud! As soon as the loud noise rang out, the door burst open as if it had been waiting.

 

“Lady! What happened…!”

 

Harman, who had burst through the door, looked at me unable to continue his words.

 

“What on earth are you doing right now.”

 

“…I’m fine. I’m really fine!”

 

I wasn’t fine at all.

 

Because not only did I fall over, but my hand got stuck in a hole in the chair.

 

I lay fallen on the floor while my other hand flailed in the air.

 

Anyone could see I looked like someone who had caused an accident.

 

Harman gave me a look as if asking why I was in such a state.

 

‘I want to get up too, you know.’

 

But what can I do when my hand won’t come out?

 

I struggled and moved my hand this way and that. However it had gotten in, my hand kept getting caught somewhere and wouldn’t come out.

 

I glanced sideways at Harman.

 

Fortunately, Harman seemed to have confirmed there was no major problem and was closing the door with a sigh.

 

‘Thank you…’

 

I hate myself for being grateful that he didn’t say much.

 

‘I keep showing strange behavior every time I come here.’

 

At this point, I’m definitely incompatible with this manor.

 

In the end, I gave up on pulling my hand out.

 

I spoke gently, trying not to show my dejected mood.

 

“Well, this ghost resisted more severely than I expected. So I was working hard on the exorcism and ended up falling over.”

 

Look how smoothly the lies come out now that I’ve tried telling a few.

 

I was half giving up. It would be nice if he believed me, and if not, so be it.

 

Harman surprisingly seemed to believe it. His pupils visibly shook as soon as I finished speaking.

 

Does he fear ghosts like Rudian does?

 

He doesn’t look like he would, but it’s unexpected.

 

Bella too, and actually, do all the people in this world fear ghosts?

 

“First, it would be better if you got up.”

 

After a brief silence, Harman extended his hand to me.

 

I briefly looked at the curved hand wearing black gloves, then grasped it.

 

“Ah, thank y-”

 

But Harman was much stronger than he looked.

 

‘Wait a minute, I didn’t expect it to come out this easily.’

 

My hand that had been stuck deep in the chair came out ridiculously easily!

 

‘Why did it come out so easily when it wouldn’t budge no matter how hard I tried!’

 

My body practically bounced out. I flailed around once again.

 

This is at least going to be a hard fall on my bottom, I thought, swallowing back tears when gentle hands wrapped around my waist.

 

When I opened my eyes wide, what caught in my tilted vision wasn’t the ceiling but Harman’s face.

 

“Be careful. You’ll get hurt.”

 

“….”

 

He’s really pretty. How can his face be so white and beautiful….

 

I forgot about the situation and carefully examined Harman’s face, then met his half-lowered blue eyes directly.

 

Ah.

 

“Th, thank you.”

 

I stood up abruptly. Because I could see myself grinning foolishly reflected in Harman’s eyes.

 

If I had stayed a little longer, I probably would have drooled too.

 

I tried to pretend nothing happened and smooth down my disheveled hair.

 

‘Huh?’

 

But there was something clutched in my tightly closed hand.

 

‘What is this?’

 

I slowly opened my hand.

 

What lay on my palm was.

 

‘A magic stone!’

 

It was the round and smooth, white magic stone I had seen at Count Helkene’s Estate!

 

I turned the round magic stone this way and that as I looked at it.

 

‘This shape of magic stone must have been popular in the old days.’

 

It was similar to the one that had been inside the grandfather clock at Count Helkene’s Estate.

 

I didn’t know what ability it contained, but it must be a magic stone that nobles from long ago favored.

 

This time was the same. Even though the chair was old and dirty, the magic stone alone was shining bright white without even a small scratch.

 

‘Come to think of it, the Rundane Magic Stone I gave to Harman didn’t have a single scratch either.’

 

Is that some kind of enchantment?

 

Or are all old magic stones originally this sturdy?

 

“Duke, this-”

 

But before I could finish speaking.

 

Harman snatched the magic stone from my hand.

 

He quickly composed his expression, but couldn’t hide his momentarily flustered face.

 

“Are you doing this on purpose?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“…Never mind.”

 

He put the magic stone into his pocket.

 

He was so hasty that it seemed like he was trying to hide the magic stone from me.

 

‘As if I would steal a magic stone.’

 

…Though I did steal an identical magic stone from Count Helkene’s Estate.

 

I felt awkward for no reason and scratched the back of my head. Then I realized I hadn’t solved anything.

 

Despite claiming I would perform an exorcism.

 

Despite boldly declaring ‘I want to be alone, so please everyone leave’ at the Monteville Ducal Estate no less.

 

I couldn’t move a single chair.

 

‘Good grief.’

 

This isn’t the time to be scratching my head.

 

I watched Harman carefully.

 

Fortunately, he wasn’t looking at me, seemingly focused entirely on the magic stone.

 

I subtly moved my left foot closer to the chair. I grabbed the armrests with both hands.

 

I don’t know if the chair that wouldn’t budge earlier will move now that I’m grabbing it…

 

Clunk.

 

‘It moved!’

 

It moved!

 

I had only lightly pulled on the armrests with both hands, but the chair moved according to my touch.

 

I glanced at the magic stone protruding from the pocket that Harman was still staring at intently.

 

‘Could that be a magic stone that fixes objects in place?’

 

That must be it!

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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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