I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 7

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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 007

“Lady Siena. Thanks to you, the manor seems like it will become a bit quieter.”

“Haha, then I feel a bit relieved.”

It’s over. It’s finished, right?

I had been wondering when it would ever end, but Harman timely announced a polite dismissal.

I needed peace of mind. I wanted to throw myself onto a soft bed right away.

My heart was pounding wildly with excitement at the thought of finally going home, but I forced myself to calm down.

‘Stay composed.’

I’m almost there now.

6 million francs are right in front of me!

I pretended to be courteous and gently pressed my chest area.

It was when I turned toward the main gate with a bright smile.

Harman leaned his body slightly toward me and asked.

“When would be convenient for your next visit?”

I doubted my ears.

“Pardon?”

“The Monteville Ducal Estate has up to five floors. You’ve only checked the first floor so far, haven’t you?”

Harman pointed upward. Perhaps because he wore black gloves, the curved shape of his hand was delicately revealed.

Don’t tell me, he wants me to come here again?

‘…When he visited my estate, wasn’t the nuance that he was earnestly requesting a favor?’

Now that he’s brought me to the estate, he acts like it’s natural for me to check up to the fifth floor.

Yes, I understand he said he’d pay 6 million francs per visit.

Honestly, I do covet that money!

But I didn’t want to come to this place anymore.

That Harman went mad from loving the estate too much was just my speculation.

Going mad, touching forbidden books, destroying the Empire…

In conclusion, there was absolutely no guarantee that his attempt to destroy the Empire wouldn’t happen.

He’s already a Duke who rarely comes out in public, so what if I get involved and problems arise?

Later, when he goes mad, I might be dragged away by my hair as someone who had dealings with Harman.

It would be better for my well-being to receive the 6 million francs as compensation for today’s work and completely cut ties.

‘Let me refuse as politely as possible.’

I clasped my hands together demurely and cleared my throat.

“Um, Duke?”

The moment I opened my mouth, a loud crash- rang out beside me.

…It was a somehow familiar sound.

“Oh, oh my. I’m, I’m sorry. Duke!”

When I anxiously turned my head slightly to check, a maid was bowing in horror. She must have dropped something while carrying it, as something had fallen at the maid’s feet.

But if there was a problem.

That was… the picture frame I had smashed earlier, wasn’t it?

The maid kept bowing to Harman while quickly gathering up a piece of the picture frame.

It was completely shattered beyond recognition as even being a picture frame.

The half-torn painting that fell with it fluttered as it slowly touched the ground.

I tried to look away, but my gaze kept turning to the painting fallen on the floor.

The painting I had torn, with no idea how much it might be worth.

Would I have felt less guilty if he had raged and demanded I pay for it?

It’s harder on my heart that he’s letting it slide so casually. If I just pretend not to know and leave like this, I’ll be writhing in guilt for days.

And that’s not all.

When he goes crazy, he might come seeking revenge saying ‘You didn’t cherish my picture frame.’

A madman isn’t a madman for nothing.

‘….’

I had intended never to come back.

I was definitely going to do that….

Hah, I swallowed a sigh.

“I’m fine anytime, Duke. How about next week?”

“Yes. I’ll be waiting, Lady Siena.”

Harman’s lips curved up completely. The cool aura he had been giving off was nowhere to be found, and suddenly it felt like I had dropped into a flower garden.

‘Right, it was something I had to do anyway.’

Having come this far.

How dare a commoner like me refuse the Duke’s words?

Let me resolve this quickly and never come back again.

Despite rationalizing it to myself, my eyes grew moist.

* * *

As soon as I got on the carriage heading back, I made a plan.

‘To check quickly, I need to understand the structure first.’

I folded my fingers while recalling the structure of Baron Alderton’s Estate and my current manor.

Harman’s office and room naturally, the reception room, guest rooms….

Come to think of it, all the doors on the first floor were closed and I couldn’t even open them to look.

I hadn’t even properly checked the first floor.

After breaking the picture frame, my head was full of distracting thoughts, so I couldn’t think of anything else.

Then, I’ll check the first floor rooms first. I folded another finger. Then I hesitated.

‘He’s not asking me to check the servants’ quarters too, is he?’

There must have been servants who couldn’t stand the strange phenomena happening in the quarters at night—probably because the quarters are old.

‘No way, surely not.’

I waved my hand dismissing it as nonsense, but one corner of my raised lips twitched slightly.

“….”

‘Let me stop thinking about this.’

At this rate, my head might explode.

I leaned back fully against the backrest. Closing my eyes helped organize my dizzy thoughts a little.

Should I ask if they could give me the interior layout next week-

Bang-!

“Miss, did you have a good trip?”

Ah, what a surprise!

Bella suddenly threw open the carriage door without warning and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

I had no idea when we’d arrived, but we were already in front of the estate.

“I knocked… I didn’t think you’d be startled, I’m sorry.”

When I looked at her with a surprised expression, Bella panicked and covered her mouth. However, the curiosity in her rapidly blinking eyes remained unchanged.

I carefully stepped down from the carriage while holding my dress.

Then Bella grabbed my arm to escort me and leaned her face close to mine.

“Is the Duke coming again? Does he want to invite Miss to the estate again?”

Her face was somehow flushed.

Questions poured out endlessly. I opened and closed my mouth before giving up on speaking.

“Let’s go inside and talk first.”

“Yes!”

Even while following me closely, Bella diligently swept the path to the estate with the broom she was holding.

But despite her earnest response, she couldn’t contain her curiosity and grabbed my arm again.

“Miss, just tell me this one thing. Nothing happened at the Monteville Ducal Estate, right? Like a ghost appearing and Miss beating it up again, and the Duke being moved by that…”

Why are you putting it so crudely?

And why do you keep trying to pair me with Harman?

“Nothing special happened. I agreed to go again next week.”

“Something did happen.”

“…”

Really, there’s no fooling her.

I hid my expression well and my voice didn’t tremble either. Yet she somehow noticed that my mood was different.

I ended up confessing everything as soon as I entered my room and sat down, while sipping the warm tea Bella had prepared.

“I broke a picture frame while examining the estate’s condition.”

“…Wouldn’t the Duke generously overlook something like that? It’s not like you tore the painting!”

“I tore the painting too. Right in half.”

“…”

“He said it was fine so we just moved on, but, well, it should be okay.”

Bella, who had said she wouldn’t be surprised by any disaster, immediately covered her gaping mouth.

An awkward silence lingered between us for a moment.

The tea was sweet, but my stomach felt bitter.

While I looked down at the innocent teacup, Bella rolled her eyes around, trying to break the awkward silence.

Finally, Bella clapped her hands lightly.

“Ah, that’s right! Miss, you had a visitor today.”

“A visitor?”

I set down my teacup with a clatter.

All the way to this hill?

Who on earth?

I don’t know anyone in the capital, and there’s no one I’d be involved with.

If it had been someone from the Alderton Family, Bella wouldn’t have spoken so calmly.

Of course, Harman did come suddenly too…

Was there anyone who would come looking for me?

“At first I thought it was a neighbor, but the carriage coming from afar seemed unusual.”

I listened to Bella’s words while crossing my arms and thinking deeply.

Someone who would come looking for me… Ah!

I snapped my fingers and straightened my posture.

‘What was bound to come has come.’

Actually, this manor was among the first to go up for auction when haunted manors started sprouting up like bamboo shoots after rain.

It was the very first manor to be auctioned.

In other words, it’s one of the manors the Female Lead would initially purchase.

‘The Female Lead might be curious about me.’

Why I bought a manor no one else would buy, whether I’m someone who doesn’t believe in ghosts like her.

Things like that.

“Was the person who came a woman?”

“Yes, how did you know?”

There’s such a thing.

Bella, who had widened her eyes, rummaged through the pocket at her waist and pulled out a business card to hand to me.

‘The Female Lead’s name was Grace, right.’

I casually flipped over the business card.

‘Huh?’

[Rudian Helkene]

What was written on the business card wasn’t the Female Lead’s name.

But somehow it seemed familiar.

Rudian Helkene…

I mulled over that name again and again.

Rudian Helkene.

Rudian…

“Count Helkene?!”

I bolted upright. The business card I had been holding fluttered as it slowly fell to the floor.

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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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