I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 29

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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 029

It was a foolishly blank expression.

“You’ve been away from the family house for over a month now, and you’re telling me to come back? Those documents you brought are probably all ridiculous nonsense too. Get out of my house before I report you!”

“What did you just say?”

“I said I’ll report you!”

“No, before that—”

“Oh, should I say it again? Hey, old man, hands off!”

I glared at the baron while fuming.

Behind him, the shocked butler and guard knight gaped with their mouths wide open.

Baron Alderton’s face, which had grown wide-eyed in bewilderment, soon turned red as wrinkles formed in rows across his forehead.

That’s right, he really is an old man.

Otherwise, there’s no way he could have so many wrinkles.

“You, you…!”

Baron Alderton raised his hand.

He’s going to hit me.

I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut.

Did he think I would obediently follow along if he hit me—

“Excuse me, is anyone there? It’s Grace, I promised to come today.”

I see… huh?

Instead of the expected pain, I heard a sweet voice.

‘Grace!’

That’s right, she was supposed to come today, wasn’t she?

I had opened the door thinking it was Grace in the first place!

I opened my eyes wide.

I saw a woman entering the manor with a puzzled expression.

“Why is the door open… Oh my!”

And following behind her was.

Wait a minute.

“Duke Monteville?”

I blankly recited what I saw without thinking.

Why…

Why is Harman coming out here?

I staggered backward in confusion.

‘Could I be seeing an illusion?’

I was so desperate that I conjured up the only person I knew who could break through this situation.

Harman was a mysterious duke who rarely showed himself even at banquets.

It wasn’t like he had made a separate appointment with me either.

‘There’s no way he would come to my estate on the very day Grace and Baron Alderton showed up.’

But Harman, who frowned with one eye as if puzzled, was all too vivid.

He walked inside.

“Lady Siena, is something wrong?”

Only after hearing his voice did I realize it was really Harman, not a hallucination.

“D-Duke Monteville?”

This time it wasn’t me who answered.

Before I could even open my mouth, someone beat me to it.

Baron Alderton, who had suddenly become meek, had his mouth hanging open as if his jaw would drop.

‘Wasn’t he just about to slap my cheek?’

When did he even lower his hand?

Even his posture had become meek. However, the accessories dangling all over his body made a loud noise with even the slightest movement.

It was quite a contrast to Harman, who was simply dressed in a black uniform.

Of course, that meant Harman’s level was much higher.

Comparing the two side by side, my eyes felt embarrassed for having looked over Baron Alderton’s appearance.

“I-I greet Duke Monteville!”

“….”

Though Baron Alderton bowed deeply in greeting, Harman completely ignored him and approached me.

His black-gloved hand came close to my chin before moving away again.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly and carefully examined my right cheek.

“Were you hit?”

“Ah, well-”

“I-I haven’t hit her yet, no. I had no intention of hitting her at all! I was just trying to discipline my disobedient daughter a little!”

Before I could speak, Baron Alderton frantically waved his hands in denial.

Of course, Harman only frowned slightly and didn’t even look at Baron Alderton.

“I wasn’t hit. Not yet.”

“Wh-what kind of talk is that in front of the Duke!”

Baron Alderton waited anxiously for my answer, then immediately pointed at me accusingly.

But again, Harman only looked at me.

“Then that’s fortunate, Lady.”

As if only the two of us existed in this space.

“….”

Perhaps finally sensing the atmosphere, Baron Alderton’s hand that had been pointing at me wildly slowly dropped down.

Right, by now he should realize that Harman and I know each other.

Even someone completely oblivious would notice.

‘To think I’d experience the strong preying on the weak here.’

It’s satisfying, yet strangely unpleasant.

It was the sight of an old noble who had failed after acting violently without any room for resistance.

“Ahem! I’ll come back another time.”

Baron Alderton gestured to his subordinates as if telling them to leave quickly and hurriedly headed for the door.

Then, as if remembering something, he briefly turned his head.

His eyes, which had instantly died, were somehow revived. Ominously, his gaze sparkled.

“Ah, Duke Monteville. Please take good care of my daughter. Even if the child speaks a bit carelessly at times, she’s quite a good girl!”

…You’re thinking of selling me off even in this situation?

To Harman, of all people?

“Ah.”

But then Harman let out a sigh as if he had remembered something. Then he walked briskly toward Baron Alderton.

The Baron, who had boldly spoken up, now panicked and stepped backward.

“….”

“….”

The two men seemed to be having a conversation.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Duke!”

Before long, Baron Alderton bowed to Harman with a flushed face.

He even looked me over with arrogant eyes before turning away sharply.

The Baron and his subordinates disappeared toward the carriage with slow steps.

Glaring at the rear of the leisurely departing carriage left me with nothing.

‘What on earth did they talk about.’

Well, Harman is a very polite person, so he might have treated Baron Alderton the same way.

More likely, the Baron had just exchanged ordinary greetings but got excited from his own overinterpretation.

‘I really need to hire some knights.’

This time Harman was here, but next time there won’t be anyone to protect me with force.

Living expenses, manor maintenance costs, servant wages, knight wages… and so on.

There were too many places where money would be needed.

Even the compensation Harman gives wouldn’t be enough, but if I could earn money by performing exorcisms at other noble residences, that would be a different story.

‘I really need to persuade Grace well…’

When I turned my head slightly, my eyes met directly with Grace, who was clinging to the main gate and peeking inside.

White hair that looked as fluffy as cotton candy.

In her rapidly blinking pink eyes, curiosity and fear were mixed together.

Haha.

I think I’m already doomed.

I spoke while hiding my dejected feelings as much as possible.

“Duke, thank you. If it weren’t for you, I would have been forcibly dragged away and sitting in that carriage by now.”

Grace is Grace.

If Harman hadn’t been here, I would have been forcibly taken and confined to Baron Alderton’s Estate.

“I didn’t do anything. Lady handled the situation well.”

“No, it’s thanks to you, Duke. I’m truly grateful.”

“….”

Unexpected.

He’s being shy.

That Harman was now covering his mouth, unable to speak from embarrassment.

I became embarrassed too.

I wasn’t ashamed of having shown my pathetic family affairs in detail. It wasn’t my fault, so what was there for me to be ashamed of.

I just… felt my face turning red at Harman’s reaction and wanted to turn my head away.

Still, I had to say what needed to be said.

“But you know.”

“Yes, Lady.”

“I’m sorry, but why did you suddenly come here?”

Oh, was that too sudden a question?

Harman pressed his lips tightly shut.

And suddenly, a cheerful voice interrupted between us.

“Um… did I perhaps come to the wrong place?”

When did she come all the way in here?

Grace, who had been stuck right at the main gate just moments ago, was now standing only a few steps away from me.

“Miss Grace?”

“Yes, that’s right. You’re Miss Siena, correct?”

When I nodded, Grace placed her hand on her chest and let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, I saw other people here and was startled, thinking I’d come to the wrong place. What a relief!”

I’m sorry about this.

“I’m sorry for bringing the Duke here without notice like this. But it’s such a relief that you two know each other!”

“…What?”

What does that mean?

My head, which had been lowered in embarrassment while recalling what Baron Alderton had done, shot up.

Grace, who met my eyes, smiled sheepishly and averted her gaze.

Did I understand this correctly?

Grace brought Harman here?

“You see, yesterday someone suddenly said they wanted to buy the necklace. The deal isn’t even confirmed yet, but it was hard to refuse…”

Grace, who had been avoiding my gaze, looked at Harman as if asking for help.

Though she wrapped her words prettily, if I interpreted it well.

It meant someone had offered an amount that was hard to refuse.

And that person who wanted to buy the necklace was Harman.

“I brought him here so you could discuss it. The Duke readily agreed as well.”

She seemed to have forgotten that she’d been avoiding my gaze just moments ago. Grace smiled brightly and spread both arms wide.

Now, go ahead and raise the price! Her eyes clearly conveyed that underlying message.

For a moment, I was so flustered that my mind went completely blank.

So much so that I completely forgot even Baron Alderton, who had left after ruining my mood.

‘I knew to some extent, but…’

You really are quite shrewd.

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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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