Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Shoooosh—

Then the sound of rain came. I turned toward the window and saw thin raindrops tapping against the glass. A sudden downpour. Naturally, I couldn’t help but think of my house—the one with its roof torn off.

‘It’ll be a flood again. I’m going to have to clean like crazy…’

“What I asked you a moment ago. That’s the reason. I’m the only one in this manor who can see those things.”

“That—what is that?! Don’t tell me you’re jealous that I can see ghosts on my own?!”

I asked, my voice choked with tears. This wasn’t just a matter of catching a glimpse of a ghost at work a few times. The encounter a moment ago was so horrifying that even I, who had been seeing ghosts for a long time, felt my entire body stiffen and my skin crawl.

“…Truth is, seeing them alone scares me.”

The Duke lowered his hand from his face and gave an unexpected answer. His voice was remarkably calm. So calm it sounded like he wasn’t scared at all. If he hadn’t been trembling so finely, I would have judged it a mere mean-spirited prank.

I was a bit dumbfounded. And seeing a man with such a fierce face and a rather large build trembling was also a little amusing. Like he could probably just fight that ghost off? No. Ghosts can’t be caught physically, can they? Anyway.

Thinking back, he hadn’t once looked at the child sitting beside him. Even when the child asked for a cookie, he had only stared straight ahead. I had dismissed it as a cold-hearted older brother toward his sibling, but it seemed he was just scared after all. Still, that’s that and this is this.

“No. I’m scared too. I’ll be going back now.”

No wonder my feet had been dragging about this five-hundred-florin job. In times this lean, you didn’t just stumble onto another gig this good.

‘No. But still—how could I work in a Ghost House? And not just any ghost—the energy coming off that thing was vicious… Still, for that kind of pay, maybe it’s fine. It’s just a downpour, right.’

The rain hammered down harder—a sudden, furious sheet. The drops themselves were fatter now, heavier. At this rate, every piece of furniture inside that place would be soaked through. Mold would bloom, wood would rot—they’d have to throw it all out.

“The rain’s fierce, isn’t it? I could offer you a room—stay until it passes. The roads will be dangerous if you leave now.”

He stepped toward the window, peering out at the worsening weather as he spoke.

“…I’ll give you a room where no souls come out.”

Then, without pause, he added.

‘Like I’d want to stay here a second longer.’

I thought sourly. Whatever it took, I wanted out of this place. But the gnawing worry over survival had its hooks in my ankles, dragging me down.

‘No. It’s fine. As long as lightning doesn’t strike, our roof won’t tear open any more. So—quick, with the money, patch the roof, clean up… toss the wooden furniture… yeah. That’ll work.’

Crack—Thoom—Thoom—

“Ha…”

No sooner had I thought it than a bolt slammed down with a deafening roar. Through the window, a blinding white flash seared my eyes, then vanished. I just… lost all words.

Why was everything I thought coming true… and all in the worst direction?

Ah… Mom always said don’t even step into a place haunted by ghosts…

Helpless, I sank back into my seat. I set my elbows on the table, clasped my hands together, and pressed my forehead against them. The duke looked down at me, puzzled.

“…Your Grace. Could you maybe double the offer? This place has ghosts, you know.”

Under his gaze, I forced the words out. With our roof likely tearing open any moment, this wasn’t the time to turn down a high-paying job. And I couldn’t keep my siblings in an inn forever. I’d just tough out the ghosts, and if it really got impossible, I’d quit then.

“I’ll give you five times that.”

The duke let out a short laugh and sat down. Wait—five times? My eyes went wide at his words. My brain instantly ran the math. Five times meant 2,500 florins. Even cleaning corpses by the graveyard couldn’t touch that.

“Five times?!”

“Yes. So let’s get the contract written before I change my mind.”

I gasped, and he tapped the papers he’d set on the table. His tone was utterly flat. I stared up at him with just my eyes. His expressionless face stared back.

“Two thousand five hundred florins each month. The work’s as I described.”

“Yes! Y-yes!” I blurted.

He kept his eyes on me as he spoke. I hurried out a big, emphatic answer—then clamped my mouth shut, realizing I’d reacted too loudly. I felt a flush of embarrassment: I’d just cemented the image of someone bought by money.

I cleared my throat and tried again. It was probably too late, but I put on my most demure tone and replied.

“Yes. Let’s do it that way.”

Wait—really two thousand five hundred florins? Was that even a real monthly salary?! I could send my siblings to the Academy now, just like the children of other noble houses!

The duke filled in my salary on the contract form without hesitation. A clear two thousand five hundred florins. Then he slid the contract and pen across the desk toward me. I took it, admiring the numerals with a soft gasp. His handwriting was lovely. And I signed my name at the bottom of the page as if in a trance.

<Laura Highen>

And that was how I became a lady-in-waiting of House Cuvershaiden. Ghosts and all—in the end, it was a surrender to money. I had no idea then that it would become my biggest regret.

* * *

“This will be your room. Please let me know if you need anything else.”

The butler showed me to my quarters. I took a slow look around. The bed, wardrobe, and cabinet were arranged neatly, all good-quality wood—it smelled like a forest after rain. I set my bag on the floor, thinking this little room was already nicer than my family’s home.

“The dining hall is on the first floor. You can request a meal anytime you wish, but it’s best to join the others at regular mealtimes.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

“Then please rest.”

The butler bowed and began to withdraw.

“Butler. Does the duke usually work until this late without sleeping?” I asked.

I caught him before he could leave.

I was thinking of the duke turning back to his desk as the butler and I left his study. He’d been rifling through papers at a feverish pace.

A man working hard was a good sight, of course. I genuinely think people absorbed in their work look impressive. But working until his dark circles sank past his cheekbones wasn’t exactly healthy, was it? And it was far too late at night.

“He always works late. Please help him as much as you can.”

The butler gave a faint, knowing smile. So that was it—spending nights like this wasn’t a one-time thing for him. Working himself to death at this rate… What was I supposed to do then? Must be the duke’s influence—he seemed buried in an overwhelming load of work.

“I’ll do my best to help during my working hours.”

I nodded in reply to the butler.

“Yes. I’d appreciate that.”

After he left, I laid back down on the bed. The journey here had been rough, and my body was utterly drained. Bone-weary. When the freshly laundered sheets touched my skin, soft and inviting, sleep came crashing down. I let my eyelids close without resistance, sinking into darkness.

Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud—

But the clatter of footsteps outside the door snapped my eyes right back open.

Ah. Right. The ghost. I’d completely forgotten about it for 2,500 florins…

The little girl ghost was tearing up and down the corridor, letting out the occasional shriek. It wasn’t loud enough to be truly disruptive, but far too noisy to ignore completely.

I’m scared…

I yanked the blanket up over my head. Ghosts were familiar—I’d been seeing them since I was a child. But that didn’t mean they weren’t terrifying.

“Kyaaaah!”

The child let out an eerie wail.

What’s her deal? Seriously?

If she were just an ordinary kid, I’d have thrown open the door and yelled, ‘Some people are trying to sleep here—shut it!’ But she’s a ghost. Follow horror-movie logic, and the second I open that door, she’s going to charge right in. Damn it.

I lay there, wrapped tight in the blanket, squeezing my eyes shut. My body was dead tired, but my mind was too wired to let sleep take hold. Instead, every sense I had was trained on that door—making the whole situation feel ten times worse.

Right. I should imagine something even scarier to distract myself.

Like, what if our house collapsed and we had nowhere to go? Add getting scammed on top of that. Picture it: wandering the streets with no choice, and Ryan falls sick on top of everything. No jobs anywhere in sight.

…Hngh.

Tears suddenly flooded out.

No. Now I definitely can’t sleep anymore.

Thank goodness I was starting work after noon. I’d sniffled through the whole early morning before finally drifting off, and only managed to drag myself out of bed late. After washing up, I checked the mirror to fix my hair. A haggard face stared back—dark circles as deep as the duke’s.

I looked like a wreck.

I brushed my hair, changed clothes, and headed for the dining room to fill my aching stomach. A few women—servants, by the look of them—were already seated at the table, eating lunch.

“Oh! You’re the new one.”

“Come sit with us and eat.”

The women were all bright and lively. Unlike me, they hadn’t been tormented by ghostly noises all night—their faces were fresh and cheerful.

“Thank you.”

I took my seat at the table too. The cook portioned out the food and handed it to them. They received the plates and passed them all the way down to where I was sitting.

“I heard the Duke hired an aide? Is that her?”

The woman seated to my left set a plate in front of me as she spoke. From the way she knew about me, it seemed gossip about the newly arrived lady-in-waiting had spread while I was asleep.

“Yes. That’s right.”

I answered, crushing the potato salad with my spoon.

“I see. He used to work entirely alone, you know. He must be pretty busy these days.”

“The Duke?”

“Right. He’s such a perfectionist he wouldn’t even let anyone else touch his own work. So when he suddenly hired a secretary, we were all stunned. Originally, it was supposed to be a kitchen assistant.”

The woman across from me chimed in.

“If the Duke himself picked you, are you from the Central Academy, maybe? Top of your class, something like that?”

“Huh? No……”

Or did you work for the imperial family? Or maybe you just have very long experience? Do you speak the Krentis language too?

“Huh?”

Huh? I can just see ghosts, actually.