Chapter 24

Chapter 24

On the day we left for Krentis, I happened to run into Shion in the hallway on my way to the front door with my luggage.

“Shion. I’m heading to the neighboring country starting today, and I’ll be gone for a while. It’ll probably take over a month.”

“You’re going with that unnie, right?”

By ‘unnie,’ she must have meant the maid ghost. It wasn’t exactly that she was coming along—more like she was sticking to me like a bonus add-on—but either way, we were going together.

“Yeah.”

“Is it because of the ascension?”

“That’s right. So, during that time, you have to behave yourself even without me around.”

“Okay.”

“And no waking other people up in the middle of the night, got it?”

“Hmm…”

“Shion. That’s not okay.”

Her lukewarm response made me press her firmly, as if scolding my own younger sibling.

“Okay. I’ll do that. But when you come back, you have to play with me a lot.”

“Alright.”

I was a little suspicious, but since I got a positive answer from Shion, I hurried my steps again.

“Laura!”

Just then, the ladies-in-waiting gathered by the front door spotted me and swarmed over.

“Laura, is your luggage all packed?”

“Yeah. There wasn’t much to pack, so it was quick.”

“You get to go to Krentis while assisting His Grace the Duke. Must be nice!”

They made a fuss and shot me sparkling looks.

“Me! Me! I’ve got a favor. Buy me some Krentis cosmetics. I heard Krentis-made cosmetics are the best!”

Sonia raised her hand and shouted.

“Me too. I want that flower tea set from there. My hometown friend loves tea, and her birthday’s coming up soon.”

Red-haired Lena cut in as well.

“Me too! The cosmetics.”

“Me too!”

Every single lady-in-waiting started making requests to me.

‘So this is the real reason you’re seeing me off, not just to say goodbye.’

I thought to myself as I mentally organized the list of all the items they’d asked for. It seemed like my schedule in Krentis was going to get even busier.

“Don’t forget. It’s important that you buy our stuff! And if you buy some extra gifts, even better~”

They kept waving excitedly at me until the very moment I stepped out the front door.

“Aren’t you going to tell me to have a safe trip?”

“Have a safe trip~”

“Oh, honestly. Yeah. I’ll be going~”

And so, I received a bow of farewell and stepped outside. Immediately, I saw the carriages lined up in a row. And beside them stood the Duke, waiting for me to come out.

“Your Grace! Have you been waiting? I’m sorry.”

I quickly approached him. He quietly looked down at me.

“……No.”

He covered his mouth with his right fist and cleared his throat a couple of times.

“The rest of the envoy party is set to meet us on the way. Shall we get going?”

Then he personally opened the carriage door for me.

“Yes!”

I scrambled into the carriage. The truth was, we weren’t going on a trip—there were things we needed to settle in Krentis. But my heart had already lightened, and I couldn’t help feeling like we were setting off on a journey.

‘The Duke will be busy with this and that, so he’s probably not as excited as I am.’

Then, out of nowhere, a flicker of petty spite stirred in me. Still, I didn’t let it show, and I settled onto the carriage seat, pushing myself into place. Soon the door closed, and the carriage started moving.

Krentis shares a border with our country. But the nation itself was such a vast and sprawling empire that even just reaching the capital took several days and nights. So our party would take lodgings when night fell, rest, and set out again at sunrise, repeating this schedule as we made our way toward the Imperial Castle of Krentis.

Riding in a carriage for so long was utterly exhausting. So the moment we arrived at the Imperial Castle, I was shown to my room and collapsed. But the Duke couldn’t seem to rest at all. It seemed he couldn’t just sit still—after all, he was here as a representative of our country. He was busy running around, meeting and talking with various members of the imperial family.

I, on the other hand, couldn’t speak a word of the Krentis language, so I had nothing else to do. Even after resting for a long while, I just holed up in my room. I wanted to go sightseeing, but apparently, it was considered rude for a guest invited to the imperial court to wander outside.

With no other choice, I idled on the bed, bored, until I dozed off. Then, suddenly sensing a gaze, I snapped my eyes open. A woman stood stock-still in my vision, looking down at me. It was the maid ghost who had clung to me and followed me all the way to Krentis.

“Aaaah!”

Startled, I hurled a pillow at her. It passed right through her stomach and fell to the floor.

“…….”

She quietly looked down at her own stomach. Then she lifted her head again to stare at me.

“I’m… I’m sorry!”

I blurted out.

Why are you staring at me, anyway? It’s terrifying! Ugh… I feel like I’m about to get sleep-paralyzed…

“Have you been watching me the whole time? Why do you keep doing that whenever I sleep?”

“…….”

Unsurprisingly, she said nothing. I shifted to the edge of the bed and cleared the space beside me.

“Instead of that, just lie down. Here. And no pinning me down in my sleep.”

At that, the maid ghost lay down beside me and turned her head to look at me.

“Don’t look.”

She immediately turned her gaze to the ceiling. She listens pretty well at times like this, I thought, as I spoke again.

“Tomorrow at daybreak, there’s the Emperor’s birthday banquet. They say most of the imperial family will be there, so you might find the person you’re looking for. After you meet them, make sure you ascend.”

She said it, then shot a sidelong glance at the maid ghost. But then the ghost suddenly snapped her head around and met my eyes.

Oh. Eye contact! That’s terrifying! I told you not to look at me!

I nearly screamed again.

“Why… Why, why… Why?”

I pressed a hand to my startled chest and asked her in a trembling voice. She tilted her head slightly, as if puzzled.

She probably hadn’t understood everything I’d said. Come to think of it, didn’t this ghost only understand a little Luision?

I pushed myself up from the bed and turned on the room’s light. Then I pulled a book from my luggage.

*Basic Krentis Conversation*

I’d bought it with some excitement, a souvenir from my first trip abroad. It would’ve been useful, if only that sad imperial custom didn’t keep palace guests from going outside.

Better late than never, I guess.

“So… {At the banquet. Tomorrow. We’ll meet.”

I flipped through the book, searching for the right Krentis words and phrases, and read aloud.

{The one you want to see. The one you loved.

After stumbling through the pronunciation, I lifted my head to check if the maid ghost had understood. She stared back at me with a dazed expression.

“……”

She held her breath for a long moment, then slowly nodded.

Good. She understood.

“So. Ascend. There’s nothing good about becoming an evil spirit.”

I crawled back into bed as I spoke. She probably didn’t catch that last part, but it didn’t matter. I just wanted tomorrow to come quickly, so she could fulfill her wish and ascend.

When I woke up late the next day, the maid ghost was gone. Instead, the ladies-in-waiting assigned by the Imperial Castle flooded into my room. Then they helped me put on my dress.

I knew the banquet started in the late afternoon, but still, this early prep work…

I stood in front of the mirror, letting them work on me, watching myself being dolled up. The ladies-in-waiting finished decorating my hair, then bowed and stepped back.

‘Wooow! The dress is so pretty!’

The dress I’d brought from home was a pale blue, with ornate ribbons and floral decorations. And it actually looked pretty good on me. I’d never worn a dress like this in my life, so I felt a real thrill. I grabbed the hem with both hands and twisted this way and that, checking myself in the mirror.

*Knock—*

A knock came at the door. Probably the Duke, here to fetch me. I scurried over and stood in front of it.

“Yes. Come in.”

As expected, the Duke opened the door. He started to step inside, then froze when he saw me standing right there.

“Your Grace! How do I look? Right now?”

I stretched out both arms, showing myself off.

“…….”

“Well?”

“Very…….”

“Very?”

“……Very…….”

“……Very?”

Very what? It suits me? It’s okay? Pretty?

“It’s late. Let’s go.”

“It’s not late yet, is it?”

The Duke turned and walked out into the corridor. I hurried after him.

Could this man really not manage a single white lie? Or maybe not.

“Do you not like it?”

“……No.”

He answered in a low voice.

If not, then. That’s a relief.

“Yes. Thank you, Your Grace. You look very handsome tonight.”

“…….”

That wasn’t just a polite thing to say. He was dressed in a suit of the same color as mine, and with a face that good, even his uniform couldn’t have suited him better. If not for the fresh dark circles under his eyes, he’d have been a perfect creation.

“And thank you for the dress. I’ll wear it well.”

“……No need for that. You’re the one sending off the lingering souls that haunt House Cuvershaiden. Attending this banquet is because of that too.”

“Still, though. I really, truly like it.”

“I’m glad.”

The Duke turned to look at me and replied. He seemed to be wearing a faint smile.

“Let’s go now. Laura.”

He held out his hand to me.

“Yes.”

I placed my hand over his palm and answered.