I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 40
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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 040
‘I had a feeling, but I didn’t think he’d actually come.’
Without Harman, I would have returned with no results at all.
It was good that I sent a letter asking if he could come to the government office right now.
I bowed my head toward Harman.
“Thanks to the Duke, things went extremely well. I’m truly grateful.”
“Not at all, I just exchanged greetings with the Lady.”
…Well, technically that’s true.
Harman showed a troubled expression as he adjusted his hat.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen him wearing a hat.’
This is the second time since I first met him.
I take back thinking it was a bit disappointing that his bright face was hidden by the hat.
Perhaps because of the shadow, the contours of his features became even more distinct.
He’s beautiful today as well.
Harman, who had been hesitating for a moment, asked.
“Why didn’t you use my testimony?”
“Then I would have had to reveal the Duke’s identity. About a month of imprisonment should be enough.”
“…It wouldn’t have mattered if you revealed it.”
Wouldn’t have mattered? I saw you hesitating just now.
And with the hat and robe, you came here determined to hide your identity.
“Honestly, I did think about asking for the Duke’s help if the magic stone and documents weren’t enough to prove it.”
“…”
“I was that desperate.”
I couldn’t play dumb, so I told him the truth.
If I hadn’t intended that from the beginning, I wouldn’t have sent Harman a letter.
Even though I didn’t have high expectations, when I actually saw Harman’s face, I was so moved I almost cried.
That’s how much I wanted to put Baron Alderton in prison.
It’s the only revenge I can take right now.
“But I didn’t expect them to refuse to even accept the evidence I brought.”
I smiled bitterly.
I had collected footprints of Baron Alderton and his party remaining at the estate using a magic stone.
I even calculated the Baron’s carriage route to support evidence that he visited my estate.
Just in case, I also brought documents showing I had given up the ‘Alderton’ name due to domestic abuse.
‘I didn’t expect them to refuse to accept anything just because I’m a commoner.’
“So, you’re saying that Baron Alderton, who was supposedly unconscious from a carriage accident and barely regained consciousness, broke into your estate?”
“Yes, he had an accident on his way back after breaking into my estate.”
“Well, let’s say that’s true. Baron Alderton had an accident, but instead of going to comfort him, you’re thinking of filing a report like this. It doesn’t look very good.”
“…”
When we stripped Alderton of his title, the paperwork processing was incredibly fast, so I never thought this could happen.
‘Was I just lucky back then?’
They said I invaded the estate.
The fact that I had to convince someone who sided with Baron Alderton even after hearing that made me dizzy.
Honestly, if some random passerby had said such things, I might have gotten into a fight.
But as soon as Harman came to my side, all the documents were accepted.
What was absurd was that Harman had entered with his hat pulled down low and his head deeply bowed.
They just saw the uniform he was wearing and assumed he was high nobility before processing everything.
‘If I had known this would happen, I would have dressed up fancy too.’
Well, it’s not like I have such clothes anyway.
Even though it was all over, I grumbled inwardly with lingering regret.
Probably because the fact that I couldn’t solve it myself kept bothering me.
“Baron Alderton will be transferred to prison as soon as his treatment is finished.”
“Well, that’s good news.”
I hope he pays properly for his crimes. As I cursed inwardly, an ominous thought suddenly occurred to me.
“…What if they were just pretending to accept the report?”
“According to what that man said earlier, the baron apparently confessed with his own mouth that he caused a disturbance at the Lady’s estate.”
“What?”
Wait, the baron even confessed but they still ignored what I said? They wouldn’t even open their mouth to me!
Harman slightly turned his head as if lost in thought and lowered his eyes.
Meanwhile, strength entered my fist that I had been clenching since a moment ago.
‘Whoever you are, you picked the wrong person to mess with.’
A capital noble making an enemy of me won’t do them any good.
‘I’ve memorized your face well.’
Even if you come asking for help saying your estate is haunted by ghosts, I’ll absolutely never help you. Got it?
I glared at the innocent empty air.
Just now that bastard’s face was floating around, so I was about to just punch-
“Honestly, I thought you would report it right away the day the baron returned, but you didn’t, so I was puzzled.”
Harman suddenly turned his head sharply.
I quickly hid my fist behind my back.
I worked hard to calm my anger and smiled brightly.
“Ah, I needed some time to think about it.”
No need to mention that I was busy dealing with forgotten schedules.
“…Did you hesitate because the baron had a carriage accident?”
“What?”
Harman’s voice became forceful.
Not only that. He stared directly into my eyes.
It was a gaze as if he was reproaching me.
I had never shown such mercy, and if the baron received appropriate punishment, I would welcome it with both hands raised.
Unable to continue speaking due to my bewilderment, a thought I had pushed to the corner of my mind suddenly floated up.
Was it really a coincidence that Harman told me to check the newspaper?
I glanced at him and carefully opened my mouth.
“Duke, you told me to check the morning newspaper before.”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps the reason was…”
“It was a coincidence. I told you to check the morning newspaper because the second branch of the capital’s most famous dessert shop had opened.”
He cut off my words and smiled lightly. It was smooth, as if he had prepared those words in advance.
I fidgeted with my fingers.
…Ah, I vaguely remembered. There had been an article in a corner of the newspaper about the second dessert shop opening.
It was such a famous dessert shop that I had wanted to visit, but had I ever mentioned it to Harman?
But there’s no way he would call news of the Baron’s carriage accident good news.
After all, he’s supposedly my father on the surface.
“I’m sorry, I asked a strange question.”
Right, there’s no way that could be it.
Even though I averted my gaze, I could still feel his eyes watching me. After staying like that for a while, Harman let out a sigh.
“Lady Siena, you are too kind. I think you need to become a little less kind.”
“The Baron came to report as soon as he regained consciousness.”
After being momentarily flustered, I regained my composure. Because Bella had already made the same misunderstanding.
“Duke. Baron Alderton must live for a very long time.”
“…Live for a long time, you say?”
“Yes, sick and suffering even in old age.”
Harman’s mouth fell slightly open.
Ah, that was too honest just now.
It seems I’ve become too accustomed to Bella’s curses in such a short time.
“I’m sorry, please pretend you didn’t hear that.”
“No, I understand.”
Harman smiled broadly.
What, what do you understand?
It was futile for him to try to smooth things over with laughter.
A brief silence followed between us.
Usually in such silences, the person who can’t bear the awkwardness first is the one to speak.
This time it was Harman.
“By the way, Lady.”
“Yes, Duke.”
“Do you like the dress?”
“…”
Ah.
Only then did I remember.
That I hadn’t mentioned the dress at all since we met.
Originally, it was just a letter thanking him for the dress, with one line added asking if he could come by if it was alright.
“….”
“….”
During the brief silence, Harman’s face, already shadowed by his hat, grew even darker.
“If Dreur Dress Shop is not to Lady’s taste, I will send a madam from another dress shop.”
“No! The dress was so beautiful though?”
I hurriedly waved my hands.
If I left it alone, he really seemed ready to send someone else.
“Every time Madam explained them, they were all so pretty that you wouldn’t believe how hard it was to choose. I’m truly grateful.”
“They were all pretty?”
“Yes? Oh, yes.”
“Then all the latest outfits at Dreur Dress Shop-”
“No, it’s fine!”
Harman closed his mouth.
What the… Is it okay to have this much unlimited trust just because I did some exorcism?
Why is he so obsessed with the manor…
Well, doing this much wouldn’t bankrupt him, let alone make a dent in the ducal house’s budget.
If he thinks I went crazy because of the manor in the future, he’d probably want to keep doing things for me.
But that’s just Harman’s standard.
By my standards, it’s burdensome to just accept everything.
Honestly, if there hadn’t been any mention of the necklace, it might not have been this burdensome.
“But I’m still hesitant about whether I should receive such an expensive, no. Such a precious and valuable dress.”
“It’s fine. It’s a gift I sent while thinking… of Lady, so I’d really like you to accept it.”
It was his usual calm voice.
So I thought he’d be looking at me with his usual gentle smile as always.
I raised my head.
My expectation was completely off.
I saw his face turned slightly to the other side and a large hand covering his mouth.
‘Ah, he’s not wearing gloves today.’
Snow-white hands.
But the back of his hand seems a bit reddened.
While having such trivial thoughts, for some reason, my gaze traveled along his jaw to his ear.
And I ended up seeing it.
His earlobe had turned bright red.
‘….’
Heat rose to my face as well.
Silence followed once again.
To the point where I wondered if Harman could hear the pounding of my heart.
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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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