Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Part 3: The Red-Haired Maid

The name “Shion” alone was barely enough information. When I’d looked through the late madam’s notebook before, there’d been nothing substantial about this child either. And the fact that she’d been dead so long she’d even forgotten the wish she’d held onto in the land of the living — it was plain as day that getting her to ascend would be no easy task.

Still, just in case, I’d better comb through the notebook again. There might be something I missed. I’ll ask the duke about the notebook once he returns from the Imperial Castle.

“Sister! Read it quick! The dragon!”

“Ah. Alright.”

The child whined and fussed. I turned my head back toward the book I’d reopened, then traced the words with my finger as I read aloud.

“A very long time ago, the son of the sky god, the Dragon, descended to earth and founded a nation. It is said he ruled his people with great wisdom. This story is based on that legend.”

It seemed to be a novel based on the nation’s founding myths. I kept reading, sinking deeper into the page. The story was compelling enough, but the blond kid had already grown bored—he was tuning me out, darting around the room instead of listening.

“You asked me to read…” I murmured.

I glanced at the child tearing around the room, then ducked my head back down and kept reading in my mind. For a long while, I was lost in those words. When I finally closed the book’s last page and lifted my face, the child was gone. He must have slipped out to the corridor to play. I turned toward the window—twilight had settled in, the hour later than I’d thought. It was time to call it a day.

I stretched my arms wide, stepped out of the study, and followed the corridor. That’s when I spotted a maid cleaning. It was well past quitting time, so I shot her a puzzled glance.

She was a small woman with fiery red hair. Now that I thought about it, I remembered hearing that the day after I arrived at this mansion, someone with the same hair color as mine had gone on leave. That person must have finally returned from her time off.

The maid seemed to sense my gaze and suddenly lifted her head, meeting my eyes. I felt a little embarrassed at being caught staring at her, so I gave a small nod and offered a greeting.

“Hello.”

She nodded back at me. I passed by her and headed straight for my room.

‘Wait. Was that red-haired woman actually a maid? Or a lady-in-waiting? A maid? Hmm… I’m confused.’

“Laura!”

While I was racking my memory, I heard someone call my name. I turned toward the sound and saw a cluster of ladies-in-waiting gathered at the end of the corridor. I answered with a “Yeah,” and walked over to them. And there, among them, I spotted the woman with fiery red hair.

“Laura, remember I told you? The friend with the red hair just like yours, who went on leave? Well, something came up at the manor, and her leave got unexpectedly extended. She came back today.”

“Ah. Right. I heard!”

So the maid I saw earlier must have been someone else entirely.

“Isn’t it strange that in this country, where hair that color is so rare, there are two of you in this mansion?”

“Huh? But I just saw a red-haired maid on my way here.”

Counting that one I’d glimpsed earlier, it’d be three, not two. I repeated myself with a flustered edge.

“What are you talking about? I know every maid in this house — none of them have hair that red. Are you sure you didn’t mistake a blonde in the lamplight?”

“……I hope…… that’s all it was…….”

Hope all I want — but the only things in this house with faint presences are obviously ghosts! Damn it! I just talked to it and made it aware of my existence!

I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears threatening to spill.

‘No. That ghost wasn’t one I’d seen before. It doesn’t seem like the type that wanders freely like the kids — so if I steer clear of it, I’ll never have to see it again…….’

I needed to believe that. I might have managed — if I hadn’t seen the maid ghost at the far end of the corridor, staring at me with blood-red eyes.

“Guys…… I, uh…… my stomach hurts so much I’ve got to go first. Sorry. I’ll say hello to your new friend some other time. Sorry!”

“Huh? Oh, okay…….”

Self-comfort failed. I didn’t even wait for the ladies-in-waiting’s replies before turning on my heel. Then I sprinted down the corridor at full speed.

Scaryscaryscary!

My destination was the Duke’s office. I’d handed the Madam’s notebook to the Duke there once. So that notebook was likely still in that room. I knew it was rude to search an ownerless room, but I couldn’t afford to hesitate any longer.

I’d either gather enough info on that ghost to send it ascending — or just live like this!

As soon as I reached the office, I threw the door open. But something flickered in my peripheral vision. I couldn’t ignore it — I turned my head. A wooden button on an old dress was right in front of my eyes. The scene felt strangely familiar. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to confirm the owner of the old clothes.

“Aaaah!”

A headless ghost stood beside me. I let out a piercing scream. Startled by my voice, the ghost raised both hands to where its face — or where its face should have been.

Why does this person (?) keep standing here…….

“No. Hey. Don’t act surprised! You have no head, so there’s no way you can hear me! You couldn’t have heard my voice! Right! And no eyes, so you couldn’t have seen me either!”

Something gave me the nerve to shout at the ghost. At my outburst, the ghost folded his arms and gave one shoulder a casual shrug. Then he raised his right index finger and made a gesture pointing to the sky. His left hand he placed in front of his chest, palm facing up.

And then a man’s head appeared above his left hand. It was a young face, mid-to-late twenties. The skin was bloodless, tinged gray, and the pupils were faded. The sight was so eerie my body locked up. I blinked at it, then lifted my gaze to look above the ghost’s neck.

“You have a head?”

At my question, he gave a thumbs-up with his right hand. It was like he was telling me I’d caught on properly.

“Who cares!”

I yelled and stepped into the study, slamming the door shut. The pale ghost’s head wouldn’t leave my mind.

“I’ll make them ascend!”

I sprinted to the duke’s desk and grabbed the handles of every drawer. But most were locked, and the few that opened held nothing but pens and ink.

“You look cold-hearted and still lock everything away! Just look at how orderly and spotless everything is! Perfectly thorough and meticulous person!”

“An insult or a compliment?”

“Kyaaaaah!”

The voice behind me nearly sent me toppling backward, but I barely managed to steady myself. Then I turned around properly.

“Your Grace… You’re off work… Since when were you…?”

“From the ‘look cold-hearted’ part?”

“…….”

“What are you doing here?”

“Ah, right, Your Grace. Show me the late Lady’s notebook! Just today alone, I’ve made two ghosts living here recognize my existence. I want to find information that can help me make them ascend!”

“Here.”

No sooner had my words ended than the duke picked up the notebook neatly placed on the desk and handed it over.

“Ah… Thank… you…”

The darkest place is under the candlestick, as they say…

I accepted the notebook sheepishly and opened it right there. Then the duke bent one knee and sat down beside me. His body heat brushed against me.

“Things have been complicated with Theo, that boy, but if you can find a way to make them ascend here, that would be ideal.”

“Ah. That. That! Right?!”

I quickly nodded at him and flipped through the notebook. And I found a page at the very top labeled “The Red-Haired Maid.” I immediately dropped my gaze to scan its contents. But it was disappointing to the extreme.

〈It seems she drank poison — her tongue is burned away. She couldn’t speak, so I couldn’t converse. There’s no way to get information.〉

What? That’s it? That’s all?!

I rifled through the book again and this time found a page labeled “The Headless Man.”

〈When her head was severed in life, her throat was damaged and she can’t speak. No way to get information.〉

“Madam! This isn’t helpful at all!”

The Duke sitting beside me looked at his mother’s notebook too, and seemed lost for words.

“……”.

“……”.

“……Most of the beings still lingering in the manor have been here since I was very young. They’re the ones who couldn’t leave even while Mother brought in and sent out countless others. I think ascending…… them was too difficult.”

So that meant the ascension quest’s difficulty was so high even Madam couldn’t handle it.

“This complicates things……”

I answered, my voice drained of energy. The Duke slid the notebook from my hand and rose. After placing it back on the desk, he looked down at me.

“……It’s late. Go rest now. We’ll continue this another time.”

“Yes……”

I stood up too. But I couldn’t walk straight out of the study. I grabbed the doorknob but didn’t open the door, turning back to the Duke instead.

“Your Grace, on your way here, did you happen to see the headless man?”

“……I didn’t see him.”

So he wasn’t outside right now. A relief, but I couldn’t quite relax.

*Ugh……* What if I run into him in the corridor again?