I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 8

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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 008

My empty hand trembled in the air.

“Yes, the Count came in person and left in a terrible rage.”

I froze stiff.

“She said to be here at this time tomorrow and absolutely don’t go anywhere!”

Bella even went so far as to imitate Rudian’s voice, making me even more flustered.

‘I already know she’s prickly without you doing all that.’

Count Rudian Helkene.

She was the one who, when the Female Lead became a building owner and was riding high on success,

went to find the Female Lead and interrogated her thoroughly.

Why she bought the haunted manor, why she demolished it, and what she did with the ghosts.

It wasn’t just questioning for a day or two. The Female Lead even complained about suffering from Rudian’s barrage of questions.

She was mentally tormenting—in other words… a suspicious antagonist.

And I’m currently living in a house that’s haunted—or rumored to be haunted.

I had an ominous feeling.

* * *

It’s already morning.

I rubbed my heavy eyelids, as if stones had been placed on them, at the faint light coming through the window.

My body was crying out for sleep, but my mind was surprisingly clear.

‘Why on earth is Rudian coming to see me?’

Rudian was someone who absolutely hated wasting time, as much as she ran big businesses.

They said if you brought up pointless topics in front of her, you’d get mercilessly cold words in return.

Among the noble ladies, there was even talk about never inviting her to tea time.

‘Why would such a person want to see me?’

Honestly, it’s a bit scary.

She’s not going to torment me like she tormented the original Female Lead, is she?

‘No way, surely not.’

…It was sad that I couldn’t say no with complete certainty.

Even when I saw that scene, I wondered why she was tormenting the Female Lead like that.

Why would someone who values time management so highly go to such lengths!

I let out a deep sigh.

‘I’ll have to meet her to find out.’

I should have at least gotten a good night’s sleep. My whole body felt heavy from staying up all night for nothing.

As I was about to get up, the sound of running footsteps outside grew louder and louder.

Bang—!

“Miss, are you awake?”

Bella appeared.

Having apparently run here in a hurry, Bella was breathing heavily, and both her cheeks were flushed red.

In her clasped hands was a thick envelope, too bulky to be called a simple letter envelope.

“Duke Monteville’s servant brought something!”

Bella’s voice was filled with excitement.

Anyone watching would think it was the middle of an active day rather than dawn, she was so energetic.

But… a servant?

“Not a messenger bird, but a servant came?”

“Yes, look at this!”

Bella, who had rushed over, held out the envelope. She crouched down beside me with sparkling eyes, as if telling me to open it immediately.

Only then did I sit up and lean against the bed frame.

‘What could he have sent through a servant?’

More than that, was there anything between us to send other than letters?

The envelope was definitely heavy. It was a bit different from when letters arrived.

Tilting my head curiously, I untied the ribbon-shaped string and carefully tore open the envelope.

“…Good heavens.”

I dropped the torn envelope from my hand and covered my mouth. Thud. The contents spilled out onto the bed.

“How much is all this?”

“Exactly!”

Bella giggled and plopped down beside me. The money fluttered on the bed from the impact.

Yes, money.

Dozens of neatly bundled money bundles!

I picked up a few money bundles with trembling hands, then put them back down.

I simply couldn’t calm my trembling with this money in front of me.

Harman…

You really are a good person!

I quickly wiped away the tears that were precariously hanging at the corners of my eyes.

“Bella.”

“Yes, Miss!”

I hugged Bella tightly. My shoulders shook with laughter.

The money bundles fell onto the bed once more with dull sounds, but I didn’t care at all.

My hand stroking Bella’s back gradually slowed.

Just from receiving payment once.

All sorts of memories flashed by.

Not memories from after my possession, but memories from my previous life.

Dad, who said he’d return after sleeping just one night, never came back.

I entered a small company right after graduating high school, but worked while enduring all kinds of abuse from a team leader who hated me for no reason.

But thinking about it now, it wasn’t particularly hard or sad.

I hadn’t achieved anything, but it seemed like there was no meaning to living either.

Perhaps that’s why. Even when I opened my eyes in Siena Alderton’s body, I felt no emotion.

I simply searched for work with a sense of duty and steadily accumulated funds, persevering through Baron Alderton’s indifference and neglect.

After leaving the family house, my only thought was to purchase a cheaply available estate.

I glanced at the money bundles on the bed.

Yes, what I needed was…

A comfortable manor to rest in and enough money.

I had finally found the meaning of life. My nose bridge tingled.

Even while hugging Bella, I read the letter I had been clutching tightly once more.

[Upon investigation, the Rundane Magic Stone used when building the manor is no longer imported into the Empire.

It seems it would be difficult to renovate the walls anew.]

But Rundane Magic Stone, huh.

I’ve never heard of it before.

I had seen various magic stones while helping Father’s business, but I had never even heard of Rundane Magic Stone.

Even Harman, the Empire’s only duke, couldn’t obtain this magic stone.

‘Is it a magic stone that’s no longer produced?’

No matter how rare something is, there’s no way he couldn’t obtain it.

By the way, trying to use the exact same materials as the existing ones. He must really cherish this manor.

‘But the wall near the entrance was the biggest problem.’

Forget about checking other floors – if we left that wall as is, the manor would never be able to shake off the stigma of being haunted.

‘Then there’s absolutely no way to prevent Harman’s future of going insane.’

The idea that he went insane because of the manor is just my speculation, but just in case.

How to get Rundane Magic Stone-

Bang bang!

Suddenly, the sound of someone irritably pounding on the main gate pierced through the closed window.

Bella and I, who were still patting each other’s backs, widened our eyes and separated.

“Are you there, Young Lady Siena Alderton?”

First came a monotone male voice.

“She left the family, so what’s with the Alderton. She’s just a commoner now.”

Next came a clear, mocking voice that stung with sarcasm about my status.

Even without seeing the face, I could tell who the owner of that voice was.

Rudian Helkene.

“Bella, my clothes!”

“Here, Miss!”

Bella immediately brought out a neat solid-colored dress. I changed clothes in the blink of an eye and rushed down to the first floor.

Bang bang bang!

“Yes, I’m coming!”

Click. When I opened the door, my eyes met with the woman standing close to the entrance.

Black hair tied up tightly without a single strand out of place, and bright red eyes.

The way she fluttered her fan looked seductive rather than sharp, but.

“I clearly had my maid tell you to wait today. Does your maid not have a mouth, or do you not have ears?”

What came from her pretty lips was rather rough speech. It was so direct that I wondered if it really came from that face.

“Oh, I apologize. Are you Count Helkene?”

“That’s right.”

“Would you like to come inside?”

Snap! Rudian closed her fan with a sharp sound. Her deeply furrowed brow relaxed slightly.

Seeing her cross her arms and look around the entire interior, I quickly moved my steps, thinking that if I left her alone, she’d start critiquing the manor.

Fortunately, Rudian obediently followed behind me. After the guard knight beside her whispered something to her, she became noticeably quieter.

However, I resolved not to look back at all while heading to the reception room.

‘She’s really scary…’

Even when I first met Harman, I wasn’t this frightened.

Perhaps it was because Harman didn’t show any hostility toward me and even used polite speech.

But with Rudian, it felt like the moment I made even the slightest mistake, something terrible would happen.

When we arrived at the reception room, Bella was already placing warm teacups on the table, apparently having finished organizing the money bundles.

I was about to guide Rudian to a seat, but she walked right past me and plopped down on the longest sofa.

The way she settled in and crossed her legs as if it were natural looked like she was in her own bedroom.

Her red eyes swept across the reception room. Sure enough, a lukewarm comment followed.

“I wonder if there was really a need to buy such a large manor. You only have one maid at most anyway.”

Since her gaze reached me, she definitely wasn’t muttering to herself. She was being sarcastic.

“I heard you left Baron Alderton House.”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Then since you’re a commoner now, I’ll speak more casually.”

Wasn’t she already speaking casually?

Could she speak even more casually than this?

Rudian placed her arms on both armrests and leaned back loosely against the backrest.

Since she was still crossing her legs, the way she slightly lifted her chin to look down at me was close to condescending.

“Siena, there’s something I want you to do for me.”

“What might… you be referring to?”

“I want you to check the manor.”

What is this déjà vu?

I rolled my eyes to look at Bella.

Bella, who was only childish in front of me but had a sharp personality, was uncharacteristically rattling the teapot.

…Just how did the rumors spread?

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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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