Chapter 14

Chapter 14

“By the way, when we were young, she and I used to talk about becoming in-laws. But we both only had sons, so it came to nothing.”

The marchioness went on.

“Well. There’d be quite an age gap with the duke, so we couldn’t marry him off to a daughter—but that’s no obstacle to me. I meant getting a pretty little girl who looks like you.”

The marquis shot back immediately.

“Oh, honestly, you.”

The marchioness covered her mouth with her hand and laughed, looking embarrassed. I nearly snorted out the food I was chewing. Were they just a loving couple—or were they a bit too much for the table…? I shot a glance at the young marquis. He had his eyes squeezed shut, clearly struggling to witness his parents’ display of affection.

No, well. A good relationship is a good thing… Right…?

* * *

After that warm meal had ended, Laura washed up in the bathroom the maid had led her to. She meant to head straight back to her room, but sleep wouldn’t come—there was too much to sort through in her head. So she stepped out into the corridor.

She began to walk the Marquis’s hallways like taking a stroll. Windows lined the walls in a neat row, and beyond them the dusk-dimmed sky came into view. It was already late enough for ghosts to show themselves. Even so, not a single soul drifted through this place.

‘So quiet. If only the spirits at the Duke’s manor could all ascend, I’d get to enjoy a night this still too.’

Thinking that, she turned back and headed for her room. But someone was standing right by her door.

‘A ghost?’

Damn it. She tried to slip inside, pretending not to notice.

“Lady Highen.”

But it called out to her. She flinched, startled, and turned her head.

“Young Marquis?”

Thankfully, the one who’d called her was alive. She let her startled heart settle and faced him.

“I’d like to talk with you, if you have a moment.”

“Ah. Ah. Yes, of course. Will you come in?”

She led him into her room. He found the table at once, sat down, and paused as if catching his breath, then slowly spoke.

“You can see the dead too, can’t you, Young Lady?”

“…I know it’s hard to believe. But, yes. That’s right.”

“I believe you. Actually.”

He gave a short laugh.

“When Illiaje was little, he used to tell me all kinds of stories—said he’d heard them from the dead. About a plague that swept some country hundreds of years ago, or a ship that never returned, sunk in the sea off some region, or how our kingdom’s founding myth was actually a lie. All things a boy his age couldn’t possibly have known. And later I found out most of what he said was true. So… I couldn’t not believe.”

“Then why…”

“I’d like to meet my little brother if I could. But I’m not sure it’s the right thing. You saw her earlier, didn’t you? Our mother—she really is an affectionate person. She and our father get along so well the whole household calls them a lovey-dovey couple.”

“…”

“But it wasn’t like that when Father took a maid as his mistress and fathered Theo. I was just glad to have a brother, but Mother was always depressed around that time.”

Sorrow seemed to seep into the Young Marquis’s voice. Laura studied his face, which was slightly scrunched. His pale cheeks were flushed a little, and a faint trace of alcohol drifted from him.

This man… he’s a bit drunk.

“The current Marchioness simply can’t let go of the position that is her everything. She still hasn’t found peace of mind… and so acknowledging Theo — even if he’s dead — makes me feel guilty.”

He dropped his head low. I had no words for him. Yet I couldn’t just ignore poor Theo’s fate either.

“I understand what you mean.”

“…….”

“Still, Young Marquis. Forgive my impertinence, but please — meet Theo. That child is still the same age you remember him being. He’s just a boy who wants to see his older brother.”

“Does he… want to see me?”

“Yes. I’m not asking you to acknowledge Theo, Young Marquis. That judgment is yours to make. But please, just once — meet him, and help him fulfill his wish. So he can ascend instead of lingering as an evil spirit, and be reborn. That’s all I ask.”

“…Do you believe in reincarnation, Young Lady?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Illiaje once told me he doesn’t believe in such things…”

“…Do you believe in it, Young Marquis?”

“…….”

He fell silent again. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought — or perhaps he had drifted into a quiet sleep without realizing it. But soon enough, he stirred and rose to his feet. Then he strode to the door in long, decisive steps.

“It’s late — please get some rest. I’m sorry for barging in on you at this hour, Young Lady. I wish you a peaceful night.”

With those words, he stepped out into the hall.

Had my persuasion failed? But I couldn’t very well browbeat him into not abandoning his brother. Then again, I couldn’t let Theo become an evil spirit and get exorcised either…

Thick with worry, I found no rest that night, just as the Young Marquis had bid me. I lay awake, staring at the ceiling until dawn. The next morning, I climbed into the carriage that would take the Duke and me back home. The Marquis and Marchioness saw us off at the front gate. And a little ways off to their side stood the Young Marquis.

“Lady Highen. Until we meet again.”

He spoke to me, his sad expression from last night wiped clean, replaced by a relaxed smile. But I knew it wasn’t genuine.

“Yes, Young Marquis. Until we meet again.”

I answered with a light bow of my head.

“Elize, as well. Until we meet again.”

“Mm.”

The Young Marquis turned his head and spoke to the Duke this time. The Duke gave a short reply to his playful words. Soon the carriage set off, and I watched the perfect-looking family of House Karsen through the window. The Marquis and the Young Marquis — on both their heads, the light brown hair of the Karsen bloodline gleamed in the sunlight.

‘Would Theo’s hair have shimmered like that in the sun too?’

* * *

“The Young Marquis is here. Look over there.”

“Ah. That’s House Karsen’s carriage. The young marquis, back again, huh?”

After finishing the meal, she was walking down the corridor with the ladies-in-waiting. When one of them pointed out the window, the others rushed to the glass in a swarm.

The young marquis? The young marquis is here?!

Laura pressed herself flat against the windowpane among them. She could see the white carriage emblazoned with House Karsen’s eagle crest stationed in front of the manor. And from it stepped the young marquis with his bright brown hair.

He was heading straight for the main entrance when something made him pause. He glanced up, as if sensing the weight of their stares, and locked eyes with the window. Then he stopped mid-stride and waved.

“Young marquis!”

“Hello! Long time no see!”

The ladies-in-waiting leaned halfway out the window, one after another, greeting him with cheers. Laura got shoved back, pushed aside by the eager crowd.

With no other choice, she squeezed over to a tiny window at the end of the corridor and craned her neck. By then, the young marquis was already stepping inside the manor. The moment he vanished from sight, the women peeled away from the window and drifted back into the hallway.

“What a face.”

“Gets me every time.”

“Handsome is the best, plain and simple.”

They tossed comments around like that. Such a bunch of die-hard pretty-boy enthusiasts…

“Oh, come to think of it, Laura. This is your first time seeing the young marquis, isn’t it?”

“No, don’t you remember? Laura went with the Duke to House Karsen’s estate just a little while ago?”

All their gazes swung to her at once.

“Mm. I did meet him once back then.”

“So? Handsome, right?”

“Of course. Objectively speaking, he really is good-looking.”

Laura gave an exaggerated nod. After all, she was just as serious about handsome men herself. At her answer, the ladies-in-waiting burst into giggles and walked shoulder to shoulder down the corridor.

“But why is he here today? The young marquis, I mean.”

One of the ladies muttered it almost to herself. The others immediately chimed in with guesses — the usual sort of chatter: “He’s come to calm down the Duke, who’s been drowning in work,” or “He just dropped by for fun after a while.”

But this time, none of those conjectures could be the reason. It had to be one thing. He was here to see Theo.

At the corridor’s fork, the ladies exchanged a few parting words and scattered to their posts. Laura headed straight for the Duke’s study.

‘The young marquis really did come to see Theo, didn’t he? Then that means he might be able to make Theo ascend?!’

The day after she’d visited the marquis’s estate and come back, the Duke had told her he would call a priest again. He meant to exorcise Theo by force, even if it had to be compulsory. It was an unavoidable choice — if the child turned into an evil spirit, it could bring trouble to too many people.

But he didn’t summon a priest right away. Instead, he kept himself busy with this and that, dragging his feet. I felt a private relief, but I knew it couldn’t go on like this forever. Theo was still curled up inside the wardrobe, his skin turning that blister-red again, like he’d been burned anew. So in the end, it was only a matter of time.

Still, it’s not too late yet. Besides—the Young Marquis is here now, isn’t he?

I threw open the study door and stepped inside, searching for the Duke.

“Your Excellency!”

He looked up from his desk. The little blond boy sprawled on the floor playing by himself also scrambled upright and stared at me. I forced myself to ignore the child ghost and kept my eyes fixed on the Duke alone.

“The Young Marquis is outside! He must have decided to see Theo, right?!”

“…….”

The Duke gave no answer. That was not the reaction I’d expected.

“Your Excellency. I said the Young Marquis is here.”

I called out to him again. He seemed to be tidying the papers scattered across his desk, then finally spoke.

“Yes. He’s standing right behind you now.”

Huh?

“Lady Highen. It’s good to see you again.”

A familiar voice came from behind me. I turned to find the Young Marquis standing there with a small smile.