Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Hereis said she had to go find her missing younger brother and left. And I was left alone in the banquet hall, sitting on a bench. In front of me, all kinds of delicious food were laid out. But somehow, I didn’t feel like eating. So I just rested my chin on my hand, staring blankly at the crowd of people who all seemed so cheerful.

“Laura. There you are.”

Someone stepped briskly into my space. I looked up to find the young marquis smiling down at me.

“Why are you alone? Where’s Illiaje?”

“The Duke is probably with His Majesty, meeting the foreign envoy.”

“Is that so? The sun’s about to set—I wonder if they’ll finish soon.”

He shrugged, as if to say he was a bit worried. Then he settled into the seat beside me.

“Did you finish your talk with the prince?”

I turned to face him as I asked.

“You mean Prince Jeyshion? Ah. It’s really true what they say about kids that age—they’ve got boundless energy. I’ve been entertaining him nonstop.”

The young marquis shook his head, his expression thoroughly worn out. I found it amusing and let out a small laugh.

“My younger siblings are the same. Anyone except the second one—their stamina is no joke.”

“Then it must have been hard keeping them entertained. And you’ve got so many siblings too, Laura.”

“Hmm… Actually, having so many made it easier. They entertain each other well enough on their own.”

“Ah. That makes sense.”

He nodded, seeming convinced. Then he turned to look at me again.

“Anyway, we’ve decided to tour the Imperial Castle tomorrow with Prince Jeyshion. As long as we’re with the prince, we can go anywhere in the castle—so we’ll investigate as far as we can.”

“Good. I hope we can find a way to help Shion ascend.”

“Yes. I can’t be sure of the outcome, but I’ll do my best to look into it… But Laura, did something happen? You look troubled.”

Ah. It seemed the heavy mood clinging to me had shown on my face. I’d thought I was smiling, at least.

“No. Nothing happened, really…”

I answered, embarrassed. I didn’t want to broadcast a feeling I couldn’t even make proper sense of myself.

“What? Did someone pick a fight again?”

“No.”

“Did you at least have some dessert?”

“Plenty, of course.”

“Hmm…”

The young marquis looked at me with a slightly puzzled expression. I met his gaze briefly, then stood up from my seat. I opened my mouth aimlessly.

“It’s gotten a bit late. It’s starting to feel chilly—like ghosts might appear. I hope the Duke comes back soon… where do you think he is right now?”

I felt, somehow, a little tired. And since the night was deepening, I wanted to hurry back to Cuvershaiden.

“Shall we go look for him together, then?”

The young marquis rose immediately and asked me.

“Do you know where the Duke might be?”

“If he’s meeting the envoy, he’ll be in the drawing room. Let’s wait for him along that corridor. Come on, let’s go.”

He gave a faint smile and tipped his chin, urging me forward. I fell into step beside him. That was how we slipped out of the banquet hall and started down the quiet corridor. Our low footsteps echoed back, settling in my ears like a soft refrain.

“But if the dead are about to appear, can you actually feel it coming?”

The young marquis’s voice cut through the stillness between us.

“You mean, whether you can tell in advance that a ghost is about to show up?”

“Yes. Earlier you said the eerie chill meant a ghost was coming. So I was wondering if there’s some kind of signal before they appear.”

“Hmm… roughly, yes. Maybe I’m just sensitive, but sometimes I get this goosebump feeling. And if it hits me around sunset, I’m guaranteed to see a ghost that night.”

“That’s fascinating… I can’t see souls, and I’ve never felt anything like that either, so I always get curious hearing about it. I kind of want to see one for myself.”

The young marquis nodded, arms crossed, and continued. But that was the sort of thing only someone who didn’t know better would say.

“No, no. There’s nothing good about seeing ghosts. Just pure fright.”

I waved both hands in front of me, making a face of distaste.

“Well, it’s more like…”

He drew out the end of his sentence deliberately. He seemed to have something more to say. But his words never made it past that point. Because the Duke was approaching from the end of the corridor, calling out to us.

“Laura.”

The Duke strode right up to me and said my name.

“Your Grace, are you done with your work?”

“No. I slipped out a bit early. Looks like I’ll need to meet the envoys again tomorrow. But how did you get here?”

“I came with the young marquis! To meet you, Your Grace!”

“Oh, is that so?”

A small smile crept onto the corners of his mouth as he replied briefly. The blue gaze aimed at me was so tender it felt almost ticklish. So I could do nothing but look up at him and mirror his smile.

“Out of sight, out of mind, am I?”

Just then, the young marquis sidled up behind the Duke and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Right, Ben. Long time no see.”

“……Huh? What are you talking about. I saw you this morning.”

At the Duke’s flat response, the young marquis clicked his tongue, looking rather nonplussed.

“Let’s head back, Laura. The souls are coming out.”

The Duke brushed him off and started walking back the way we’d come. I trotted after him, quickening my steps to catch up.

But just then, I spotted a figure standing like a shadow against the corridor wall. On closer look, it was the very same ghost I’d seen at the banquet last night. She had her long hair loose and flowing, staring blankly into space. The duke and I, as if choreographed, naturally pretended we couldn’t see her. We meant to slip right past her in silence.

“……”

“……”

“What’s the deal? Why’s it so quiet in here? Did a ghost show up or something?”

If the young marquis hadn’t interfered, our plan would’ve gone off without a hitch. The ghost, who’d been idly scanning the ceiling, snapped her neck around the moment she heard his voice to look at us. A dizzying chill ran through me.

“Why’d you have to open your mouth and draw her attention?”

The duke muttered under his breath while keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead.

“Wait—are there really ghosts here?”

Yes. There really are. And with her neck still twisted at that angle, she came barreling toward us in a mad rush.

“Agh!”

“Gah.”

It was absolutely terrifying. Without thinking, I grabbed the duke and ducked behind the young marquis to hide. The three of us ended up lined up behind his shoulders—one behind each, and one in between. Then, as if on cue, we both burst out with agitated words.

“Benat, act natural.”

“Your Lordship, just play it cool. Just look ahead and walk. Smile.”

But it was already too late to pretend we didn’t see her. The ghost was standing right in front of the young marquis, peering past his shoulder at the two of us.

“You can see me.”

She flashed a bright grin at us. Her voice, grating like nails on a wall, rang loudly in our ears.

“Is she right here in front of me?”

The young marquis flapped one hand frantically through the air. For someone who couldn’t see her, it was a decent effort. But his hand placement wasn’t exactly ideal.

“Young marquis! That’s right in her face! Don’t slap her cheek!”

Of course, he hadn’t actually slapped her—his hand just kept phasing right through the ghost’s face. But she looked furious all the same, as if she’d just been slapped.

She turned back to glare at the duke and me, eyes blazing like sparks. Then she stopped, planting her gaze squarely on the duke.

“Oh? It’s you, that little boy. You’ve grown so much!”

And then she burst into a cackling laugh, as if delighted beyond reason.

“Your—Your Grace? Do you know this ghost?”

I forced back the tears threatening to spill and asked the duke.

“I told you before, didn’t I? That soul who said the Luision founding myth was a lie… That’s her.”

“Ah. Ah…”

Now that she looked closer, this ghost was also wearing old-fashioned attire—just as the Duke had said. And seeing her up close, she finally understood his assessment that she seemed quite mad(?). The spirit was craning her neck wildly, laughing in a voice that sounded like it was cracking.

“Aha ha ha. I remember now! It’s you! It’s you! Living children grow up so fast!”

Wow, this is genuinely terrifying.

She was a ghost, and utterly unpredictable besides—that made her all the more frightening. On top of everything, she seemed fixated on the Duke. It was enough to make Laura worry that the spirit might suddenly lash out and harm him without warning.

“Little one. Don’t you have any more questions? You used to ask me so many things. Didn’t you? Little one, little one.”

She paced around them, calling out to the Duke incessantly.

“Why does that ghost keep looking for Your Grace?”

“She can see me, so I suppose I draw her interest…”

“Ugh.”

“Don’t you dare talk to our Duke like that…! That man—he’s a coward!”

I wanted to step in front of the Duke and shout at the ghost. But I was too much of a scaredy-cat for that. So I froze, caught between doing something and doing nothing, and could only grip the Duke’s arm with both hands, holding tight.