I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 86

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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 086

Just a moment ago, I thought my surroundings were tinted with pink.

It was an illusion, yeah.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. The sparkle in my eyes also dimmed along with it, but Harman didn’t seem to notice.

“The more you believe in ghosts, the worse things get. So it’s better to think they don’t exist.”

“….”

He continued giving serious advice.

“Of course, as Lady said, there’s absolutely no way ghosts could exist.”

Ah, yes. I understand why he’s saying this.

I quickly thought calmly.

‘If I go to the Imperial Court Ball, the nobles’ attention will definitely be focused on me.’

Just like the young ladies at the tea party, the nobles at the banquet hall will want me to exorcise the ghosts from their estates.

Even the Emperor called for me, so it was naturally worrying.

When Harman first came to see me, didn’t he worry tremendously because he thought there was a ghost in the estate?

When he believed in the existence of ghosts, he must have mistaken something for a ghost’s doing at least once.

Just like the clients from the places I went to exorcise.

The more I thought about it, the more I understood Harman’s words.

‘But… isn’t this too similar to what I said to Sir Zeros?’

How strange.

Strange enough to be puzzling.

* * *

If he happened to ask me to stay for dinner, I had no choice, really no choice!

I was going to postpone the servant interviews to tomorrow or give Bella the authority to conduct them.

‘How could I refuse when the Duke Monteville himself said it?’

But that didn’t happen.

Harman immediately escorted me to the carriage.

While handing me a packaged box of the same tea leaves we used for today’s tea time.

“Lady Siena, please return safely. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like it will rain today.”

“Haha, thank you. Duke, then I’ll see you next time….”

Ah, so disappointing. Really, really disappointing!

It would have been perfect to stay for dinner too….

I deliberately trailed off my words and showed plenty of regret.

But as if he didn’t understand my feelings at all, he just waved his hand through the window.

Of course, it was still quite an awkward time to invite someone for dinner.

‘No, why can’t someone so perceptive notice this?’

I want to stay for dinner!

When he’s acting like that, it would be strange for me to ask if I could stay for a meal.

How could I ask when the estate owner didn’t even suggest it?

I was completely pressed against the window, watching the Monteville Ducal Estate and Harman growing distant.

Even though regret was clearly dripping from my eyes, Harman didn’t notice until the end.

‘Sigh.’

I gave up and leaned back against the backrest.

As Harman said, the way back was bright with sunlight.

So much so that I thought if it had rained, I would have had to stay at the Duke’s estate ‘unavoidably’ longer.

After several hours of travel, I returned to the estate and opened the door with my shoulders completely drooped.

I immediately made eye contact with Rudian, who was playing by throwing a ball with Bokdeungi. A puzzled look crossed her eyes.

“What? I thought you’d eat dinner there and come back, but you’re early.”

That’s right. I thought so too.

“There are servant interviews today. How could I stay for dinner when I have a prior appointment?”

Of course, that’s a lie.

I lied because it felt awkward to say ‘Actually, I wanted to do that’ in front of her.

“Unexpected. If you had contacted us saying you might not make it, Bella and I were going to check the servants first.”

Harman didn’t invite me for a meal in the first place!

I wanted to grumble, but I barely held back by just pouting my lips.

‘The interviewees were supposed to come at 7 o’clock, right?’

It would be perfect timing after dinner.

Since it was almost dinner time, it was awkward to change into comfortable clothes, so I just plopped down on the sofa.

Then Rudian sat next to me, holding the ball that Bokdeungi had just brought back.

Whine, Bokdeungi’s eyes were full of disappointment.

“What’s that?”

Rudian gestured with her chin toward the box I was holding.

Perfect timing. I was going to ask about it anyway.

I said while untying the ribbon around the box.

“These are tea leaves that Duke Monteville gave me as a gift. But I don’t know where they’re from. Could you take a look?”

“Have you lost your eye for these things already just because you haven’t done trading for a while?”

Rudian snorted and waited for the ribbon to be completely untied.

I took out one pouch of tea leaves from the box and handed it to Rudian.

Like a trading expert, she first checked the appearance of the tea leaves with sharp eyes, then smelled them.

She even did the delicate work of carefully touching them with her hands to check the texture.

“How is it? Do you know what kind of tea leaves they are?”

I waited with a pounding heart.

But something unexpected happened.

“…Sweet.”

After waiting for a long time, that was the only answer I got.

“Excuse me?”

“Very sweet. Extremely so.”

“…?”

Rudian repackaged the box and placed it on the sofa armrest.

Then she completely changed the subject as if nothing had happened.

She was even holding Bokdeungi’s ball just like when she first sat on the sofa.

“What about the Imperial Court Ball? Did you decide to go?”

“….”

Don’t tell me you don’t know?

“Lady Siena.”

“Ah, yes. I’m going as the Duke’s partner.”

I suppressed my desire to ask and answered.

But as soon as I finished speaking, Rudian was so angry that her shoulders shook.

Her anger was suddenly directed at Sir Zeros.

“Sir Zeros. That bastard, no. Did Duke Monteville force Lady Siena to be his partner? Yes, that must be it. Right?”

After a long time, I felt like I was seeing a tiger baring its teeth and growling from Rudian.

Sir Zeros, suddenly summoned into the conversation, was flustered and trailed off.

“Count, I’m sorry but…. The two of you had your conversation in the greenhouse, so I couldn’t hear anything.”

“What? Just the two of you?”

Thud, roll roll roll….

The ball in Rudian’s hand fell helplessly and rolled around on the floor.

“Woof, woof!”

Bokdeungi, who had been waiting with drooped ears wondering when the ball would be thrown, excitedly went to catch the ball.

Now it was my turn to explain.

“The Duke didn’t force me. He suggested that he’d like to go with me and asked how I felt about it, and I said yes.”

“….”

Rudian, who had been staring blankly with her mouth agape as if greatly shocked, slowly turned her head toward me.

She openly frowned with a disgusted expression.

She seemed upset that I couldn’t go as her partner—

“What’s with that expression? Why are you being so shy? And why is your face turning red?”

…No, she just didn’t like the look on my face right now.

I had no intention of explaining further and remained silent.

Then Rudian’s expression grew increasingly serious, and eventually her face turned pale as a sheet.

“Don’t tell me… you like that bastard?!”

Bastard?! Bastard?! Bastard?!

Rudian’s voice echoed through the empty manor.

Sir Zeros covered his mouth. Bella nodded contentedly as if she had expected this.

Yes, that’s how it turned out.

* * *

“The Imperial Court Ball will be held in about a month. Usually when rumors start spreading like this, it’s always held around that time.”

“Hmm, I see.”

I picked at the salad placed right in front of me while gauging Rudian’s mood.

Though she looked calm now, Rudian had been ranting like crazy by herself just moments ago.

“…There’s no way! Why did you suddenly develop such feelings? Why on earth?!”

“A man should be out living in the world! Why would you like someone who’s cooped up in a manor all day!”

“…We only talked once, but I was surprised by how incredibly knowledgeable he was. Yes, he was indeed intelligent.”

“But what if he has some ulterior motive? Why would he specifically choose you of all people….”

“Miss Siena. I’m sure you know what you’re doing. Well, a face like that is hard to find anywhere. I’ll give him that.”

No one could stop Rudian.

Not until Bella had completely finished preparing the meal.

After going through the five stages of grief by herself, she had finally calmed down like this.

‘She’s accepted it… right?’

Rudian, who had been stabbing at her food, suddenly looked at me. I flinched.

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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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