Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Part 9: The Waiting Time

Lady Bandark’s form began to dissolve into smoke from the top of her head. Just as her face had blurred to the tip of her nose, her lips moved in a whisper toward me.

“When you go, tell Helena I’m sorry.”

And in that moment, Shion’s hand brushed past her arm—but couldn’t grab hold. The woman had already risen into the air, fully turned to smoke.

“Sister, that sister is flying away!”

Shion pointed at the hazy smoke and cried out. The Lady was spreading wide, growing transparent from the edges. If this kept up, she’d just scatter away. I frantically reached a hand toward her. But of course, the smoke slipped through my palm.

“Laura!”

Then, a familiar voice rang in my ears. Turning my head, I saw the Duke approaching me.

“Why are you here?”

He yanked my wrist. Pulled me along.

“Ah, well…”

I glanced up, stealing a look at the Duke. And then I noticed it—behind him, the smoke ghost was rippling like a wave. It detached from the Duke and began gliding toward Lady Bandark.

‘Huh? Why’s that ghost acting like that?’

The guardian spirit was leaving the one it was meant to protect. Surprised, I naturally followed the smoke ghost with my eyes.

“Let’s get out first, Laura.”

In that time, the Duke led me out of the room. I followed him, my gaze locked on the smoke ghost. Through the gap of the closing door, I saw the two smoke ghosts touching.

‘Could it be… Helena?’

Suddenly, I remembered that Madame Vondark had asked me to convey her apologies to the Madam. If that was the case, did it mean the Madam hadn’t ascended yet? That she was close enough for me to deliver the message?

‘Then maybe that ghost could be the Madam…?’

Click. The door shut completely. I turned to face the Duke, about to speak of the Madam. If my guess was right, she had been watching over her son all this time since her death.

“Um, Your Grace…”

“Laura, why were you out there?”

But before I could even get another word out, the Duke spoke first.

“Ah, I was worried about Madame Vondark…”

“That’s not what I mean. You don’t even have the Eye of the Sun right now. I’m asking why you went near the ghosts so recklessly.”

“…”

For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I knew he’d worry. I’d just walked out here, hoping not to get caught. There was no excuse for that part.

“Were you worried…? I’m sorry…”

“…Of course I was. And what happened to the way you look?”

The Duke immediately took off his outer coat and draped it over my shoulders. Only then did I realize I was soaked through.

“This… it’s really nothing. I just got splashed with some water…”

“…Anyone can see something happened.”

His voice dropped, heavy. Then, with a short sigh, he pulled something from inside his coat. It was a small box of red velvet.

“I went back after securing this, and you weren’t in your room… you’re not even well, and I was terrified you’d run into a spirit somewhere… terrified you’d get possessed again.”

The Duke opened the box and took out a bracelet. It was a rather rough-looking thing, strung with yellow gemstones. Even without him telling me, I knew it was the Eye of the Sun.

“Did you… get this for me…?”

“Yes. It was a bit of trouble.”

He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him, fastening the bracelet around my wrist. I just watched, blinking.

“Thank… you…”

I felt a bit embarrassed. I tried to pull my arm, still in his grip, away. But the Duke didn’t let go. He only held my wrist tighter.

“Do the dead keep catching your eye?”

He fixed me with that blue gaze and continued.

“What?”

“So you can’t help but help them, can you. Just like my mother used to.”

“Ah… I suppose it’s because I’ve been around them… I keep encountering the ghosts here, and somehow I’ve come to learn their stories…”

In truth, with ordinary ghosts I’d have pretended not to see them and left it at that. But the ghosts of Cuvershaiden—my heart kept worrying over them. Perhaps it was inevitable, having been possessed by them and endured their emotions. I felt sorry for Theo. The Red-Haired Maid looked pitiful. And of course, Frau Vandarc was the same.

“But this time I really didn’t get possessed. I didn’t even intend to. I just came because I was worried about you, my lady. Really! “

Still, it was true that I’d neglected the duke’s concerns while fussing over ghosts. I hurriedly flailed both hands and began making excuses.

“…….”

But the duke gave no answer. He only silently fiddled with my wrist.

“Um… Your Grace…”

I ventured to call out to him. Then he slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine. I saw his expression had sunk heavily.

“Laura, perhaps you’ve been here too long. There’s no good in building close ties with the dead… Besides, you have a constitution that makes possession easy. I knew that, but out of greed, I grew complacent.”

“Ah. No! I was the one who grew complacent. But now we have the Eye of the Sun, don’t we? And I won’t purposely get possessed ever again! “

“As you know, dead souls sometimes play tricks on the living. And sometimes that leads to dangerous accidents. If you stay here, dangerous things will happen regardless of your intentions. It might not end with just getting drenched in water.”

Then I felt the strength in his grip loosen. In that moment, I was terrified he might let me go for good. So this time, I grabbed hold of him tightly.

“Your Grace, do you know? Giving a bracelet is said to carry the secret meaning, ‘I want to bind you to me.’ You already gave me a bracelet—surely you’re not going to send me away? “

“……Laura.”

I cried out in a desperate voice. But the duke only remained calm. Then I realized he had already made up his mind.

He pulled his arm free from my grip. Then he smoothed the outer coat draped over my shoulders. Under his touch, the buttons fastened one by one from the collar down.

“If I could bind you completely to me… Actually, that would be fine too. But I won’t do that. I cannot be your everything. That’s why I never stopped you from wanting to help them ascend.”

“Your Grace…”

“But now I worry about keeping you here…”

He trailed off slowly. Then he gently let his hands fall from the outer coat.

“So, Laura….”

* * *

The grain of the table seemed to ripple under my gaze. I let my eyes drift with it, then let out a hollow sigh.

“Ha…”

God. I’d been kicked out… So I ended up leaving Cuvershaiden.

It wasn’t a real dismissal, was it? He wasn’t planning to never see me again, right? Right?! Your Grace?!

“Noona. Looks like you got fired.”

Deep in that spiral, Ren just had to throw fuel on the fire. I stayed slumped over the table, only flicking a finger to call him over.

“Ren. Come here.”

“Why?”

He’d been sketching me as a model but padded over clutching a brush and paper in both hands. I balled my fist and cracked him right on the skull. He clutched his head and snapped, irritation pouring off him.

“Ow, why do you always hit me? With that temper, no wonder you got fired. And honestly, why would a duke ever hire you? It was way too good a gig to begin with. It was suspicious as hell! Be grateful you didn’t get scammed.”

Oh? This little…

“Hey. Whose side are you on? Whose brother are you?”

Annoyed for no real reason, I flailed an arm to hit him again. But Ren dodged my reach, ducking and weaving like it was nothing.

“Fine, fine. On second thought, the duke’s a jerk. Firing someone that easily. That’s not how it’s done.”

He scurried backward, answering fast. It was probably his way of trying to soothe me. But somehow, it only made me angrier.

“Hey. Don’t badmouth His Grace.”

“Seriously. What do you want from me?”

“And I’m not fired either!”

“Then why are you moping like this?”

“…….”

At that, I pressed my lips tight. I couldn’t exactly tell my brother the real reason I’d left the ducal manor—that it might’ve been dangerous for me there. Not something you say out loud.

And I couldn’t deny the duke had reason to worry. Hadn’t I recklessly tried possession and shattered the Eye of the Sun? Not to mention the times the possession went wrong and caused an accident.

Did I? Was it really my fault…?

I’d promised both the duke and Ren I’d never possess anything ever again. But I’d ignored that promise completely, sneaking into a ghost’s memories. Sure, there were moments of involuntary possession, but just as many were deliberate.

“Yeah. I broke my promise…”

A sudden pang of self-pity crashed over me. I thumped my forehead onto the table with a dull bang.

“What’s wrong? Why are you like this?”

Ren flinched at my sudden stunt and grabbed my shoulder in a panic. Even in that moment, I couldn’t contain the hurt swelling inside me.

“What if he hates me now?!”

When I really thought about it, I couldn’t just blame the duke. Even if I were in his shoes, it’d be hard to handle someone as reckless as me, someone who kept running off without a plan.

But still—doing this to me? Didn’t you say we needed to clarify our relationship? Wasn’t that supposed to be a confession?!

I hadn’t gotten to hear what I wanted, hadn’t even been able to see his face. This wasn’t the ending I’d wanted at all.