~Chapter 24~
After dinner, Rose returned to the dorm right on time after finishing her day’s work.
Floria and Rose lay side-by-side on the bed, opening a book together.
It was a letter-learning book that Floria had specially ordered to teach Rose to read.
“Here, hold the pen like this.”
She placed a children’s pen in Rose’s hand—a pen with a round little deer ornament at the end.
She had ordered it in a rush without checking the design, but it turned out to be exactly to Rose’s liking.
Floria gently opened Rose’s small fist, which was gripping the pen like a club, and showed her how to hold it properly.
Then she rolled onto her side to watch Rose press the pen hard into the paper, writing slowly.
So cute.
The furrowed brows in concentration, the tightly pressed lips, and even the way her legs fidgeted—everything was cute.
She already knew Rose had the habit of tucking her lips inward when focusing, but she hadn’t realized she also kicked her legs up and down while doing it.
Watching those small legs for a while, Floria’s mind drifted back to what Caspar had told her that morning.
“That’s the annex’s ghost.”
“It’s real, and it’s a troublesome one.”
“It likes beautiful things.”
“So be careful.”
And at the end, he had looked straight into her eyes while warning her.
It almost sounded like he was talking about me.
She shook her head. Even if it was true, he was always saying silly things—it wasn’t worth taking seriously.
But then she remembered.
The day Rose had gone missing—
Rose had been staring blankly at something in the prayer room, hadn’t she?
Back then, she’d only been focused on getting Rose out and back to the dorm as fast as possible.
Now, thanks to Caspar bringing up the prayer room and ghost, she started feeling uneasy.
“Rose, why did you go into the prayer room that time?”
“Huh?”
Rose, who had been forming letters like she was drawing pictures—but crooked enough to go outside the lines—looked up with wide eyes.
Her gaze rolled upward, as if remembering the day.
“Ah, because a really handsome ‘oppa’ waved me in.”
What she said so casually sent chills down Floria’s spine.
“…Oppa?”
“Yes! He was in the prayer room.”
“…What?”
“Oh, right. When you came in, he hid inside the wall.”
What was she talking about? Floria hadn’t seen anyone there.
Lying in bed, Floria froze.
Rose didn’t notice and even sat up, smiling excitedly.
“He said my holy power was really beautiful. The most beautiful he’s ever seen!”
In that moment, Caspar’s voice echoed in Floria’s mind—
“It likes beautiful things.”
“So be careful.”
Could that be what he meant?
Floria’s mouth hung slightly open.
“No one’s ever said that about my holy power before. Oh, except you—you said I’d be a saint one day, but no one’s ever complimented it like that…”
Rose’s happy chatter gradually faded. She had noticed Floria staying silent for too long.
Thinking she’d done something wrong, Rose lowered her head.
Only then did Floria quickly sit up beside her, gently taking her fidgeting hands.
When Rose cautiously lifted her head, Floria smiled warmly.
“Rose, what did that man look like?”
“Oh, he was all white. His eyes were purple, and his hair was this long—”
Rose gestured to her waist.
“And the color was like mine! Silver!”
Floria’s throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. Silver hair down to the waist… That was the annex’s ghost.
***
1:00 a.m.
Floria now stood in the pitch-dark annex hallway, with not a single light on.
She wore only her nightgown and the coat Caspar had given her.
In her hand was a flashlight, but her face was full of disbelief.
Only a few hours earlier—
A note had arrived, shoved carelessly through her door:
Floria. Come to the hallway outside your room at midnight. In exchange, I’ll give you a week’s vacation.
It was from Caspar.
For a moment, she had been tempted by the idea of a week off… But then she thought it could be someone’s trick.
After all, everyone—including Caspar himself—had warned her to be careful. And now he was telling her to come out exactly at midnight, when the ghost was said to appear? Suspicious.
And ominous.
When she saw the note at 11:30 p.m., she realized that in just 30 minutes, whoever wrote it might come knocking.
If they had a spare key, they could just enter the room.
She’d decided to install the extra lock she had ordered—
but when she opened the door—
“Ah!”
A hand suddenly reached in and grabbed her wrist.
She started to scream, but remembered Rose was sleeping, so she clamped her mouth shut.
The hand was familiar.
“Shh.”
She looked up slowly to see a black-gloved finger pressed to her lips.
“…Your Grace?”
“Yes.”
“Haa…”
Her heart pounded. Her knees nearly gave out, but Caspar caught her by the waist and held her steady.
“I figured if I sent that note, you’d come out to check the door ahead of time.”
“Ah… Yes. Impressive.”
“You scare easily, don’t you?”
His low chuckle brushed past her ear before he released her.
Floria shot him a glare.
“So why did you tell me to come out at midnight? Isn’t that when the annex’s ghost appears?”
“Exactly. That’s why.”
“…What?”
“I’m going to lure it out and take care of it.”
He draped his coat over her shoulders and handed her the flashlight, like he’d been planning this for a while.
Then he disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, saying—
“Be my bait.”
Floria stared at the flashlight in her hand in disbelief.
Why was she the bait? And why didn’t he explain anything before running off?
She lifted her head and regretted it.
The hallway was pitch-black and silent. Even with the flashlight, it only lit the space right in front of her, making it even creepier.
Scary.
Fine, she had to admit it—ghosts scared her.
Even if death and money were scarier, ghosts were still terrifying.
“Your Grace… I’m scared.”
She muttered into the darkness where Caspar had vanished.
“You lunatic, I’m scared!”
Still, he didn’t come back.
She rubbed her face, trying to calm down.
She had been standing here for an hour now, and nothing had happened.
Thinking about it, the ghost was only ever talked about—no one had really seen it.
Unfounded rumors can’t be trusted.
Sure, she’d seen the statue disappear before, but she could convince herself that it was just her imagination.
That thought eased her nerves.
Caspar had said they’d catch the ghost, but he had disappeared for an hour.
Maybe she could just go back to her room and lock the door.
…Though knocking on the door at this hour might be even scarier.
Still, hiding inside felt safer than standing in the dark hallway.
Yes, I’ll just go back.
She decided.
She shone the flashlight ahead and hurried toward her room. To shake off the fear, she called out—
“Hey, ghost! Come out!”
It was like when people shout, “I know you’re there!” just in case someone’s hiding at home.
But suddenly—her flashlight went out.
“I’m here.”
“Aaaahhh!”
Floria screamed. Something had leaned in close to her face.
White… completely white, right in front of me…
She bolted without even thinking to turn the flashlight back on, running past her room entirely.
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
Wait, that didn’t feel like a ghost…
But she didn’t have time to think about it.
“Didn’t you tell me to come out?”
“Ack! Don’t come near me!”
A puzzled voice followed right behind her.
Floria didn’t dare look back—she just kept running.
Then—
Thud!
It sounded like someone had hit the ground hard.
“Got him.”
It was Caspar’s voice.
When Floria slowly turned, she saw him standing calmly—and at his feet lay a man dressed completely in white.
