I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living as an Exorcist! – Chapter : 4
After entering the mansion, Harman only looked around. He didn’t do anything suspicious at all.
However, he carefully examined the mansion and asked me questions.
“You’ve turned off all the lights.”
“They’re so old that they seem to be broken. I’m planning to replace them before evening.”
That was about why the lights were off.
“Excuse me, but… are you living here with your husband?”
“What? No. It’s just me and my maid.”
“Those footprints on the carpet look like a man’s.”
“Ah, maybe the previous owner was a man. Even when I try to clean them, they won’t come off.”
Things like the strange footprints left on the carpet.
Harman slowly stroked his chin with his finger, tilting his head slightly.
Meanwhile, I fidgeted awkwardly.
‘Even if I order a new carpet, it’ll take time to arrive.’
Showing him the mansion in this messy state made me feel embarrassed, so I could only smile awkwardly.
And as time passed, the reality that I was dealing with a duke made me more and more nervous.
Did I make any mistakes?
I secretly wiped the sweat on my hands against my skirt. After doing it several times, the hem was already damp.
Harman, who had been looking around, suddenly stopped in the hallway.
It was the same hallway where, on the first day, I had thrown punches to “beat” Bella’s imaginary ghost.
And also the place where I broke my precious… no, the vase.
Harman’s hand touched the empty display stand.
As he gently brushed over it, I clearly remembered the broken pieces of the vase I had shattered, and my mood darkened.
“It seems something that was here got broken.”
“Ah, yes. I accidentally… broke it.”
Sigh, my precious money.
I let out a small sigh without realizing it.
Then suddenly, Harman turned to look at me.
“Did the ghost disappear here?”
His eyes sharpened as he asked an unexpected question.
For a moment, I closed my mouth.
…Did I hear that wrong?
Yes, I must have.
Why would someone who was calmly looking around suddenly talk about ghosts?
I was about to laugh it off, but then I remembered what he had said earlier.
“I only wish to check whether traces of ghosts remain here.”
Right. He clearly said he came to check for traces of ghosts.
I slowly raised my stiff head and looked at him.
“Lady Sienna, I asked whether a ghost disappeared here.”
So I didn’t hear it wrong.
Harman really came here to check if ghosts existed!
No wonder he kept asking about everything Bella called “ghost-related.”
He slowly stepped closer to me, as if he would definitely get an answer.
His voice was still gentle, but I could tell he had clenched his teeth for a moment.
And now—
If I completely denied the existence of ghosts…
…what would happen?
“Lady Sienna?”
He called my name like a final warning.
What should I say—
“Yes, that’s right, Your Grace! Miss beat the ghost and got rid of it!”
Huh?
A bright voice suddenly interrupted.
That definitely didn’t come from me.
Bella, who had been quietly following behind, stepped forward and said it.
Bella, that was your hallucination!
I was so shocked I couldn’t even speak.
Of course, she still believed it was real, but why say that to the Duke?!
“So you were able to see ghosts after all.”
And as soon as he heard it, Harman immediately came to a conclusion, as if he had expected it.
I stared at him in disbelief.
Honestly, I thought no one would believe something like a person beating up a ghost, but while I wasn’t sure about anything else, he clearly believed in ghosts.
His stiff expression made it obvious.
Your Grace, that’s not—
I lightly shook Bella’s shoulder, telling her with my eyes to explain properly.
“Miss, this is a chance to get closer to the Duke!”
…There’s no hope.
Instead, Bella whispered to me and even winked.
It sounded like she was telling me to bond with him over ghost stories.
What kind of opportunity is that?
More like an opportunity to get my head cut off for disrespect!
“Lady Sienna.”
Suddenly, a black-gloved hand was extended toward me.
The expression that had briefly hardened was now replaced with a gentle smile again.
“Then, would you be able to check whether there are ghosts in my mansion as well?”
“Pardon?”
“My mansion needs your help, Lady Sienna.”
The corners of his lips were still raised, but they looked slightly stiff.
Rather than fear, he seemed… tired somehow.
In other words, he was asking me to get rid of ghosts in his mansion.
I carefully shook my head.
“I’m very sorry, but there’s not much I can do to help.”
Ghosts don’t even exist, so how could I get rid of something that isn’t there?
Even if I went, the best I could do would be to tell him to repair and replace old parts.
Well… if you think about it that way, it might solve the problem.
“Even if I help, it won’t be related to ghosts.”
But Harman ignored what I said.
“I will compensate you properly. How about five million francs for each visit?”
Instead, he offered an amount that made my mouth close instantly.
“Even if the ghosts are not removed, you will still be paid.”
“……”
Five million francs… per visit?
Without realizing it, I swallowed.
Harman simply looked at me, as if waiting for my decision.
My mind started spinning.
If I visited twenty times, that would be equal to the price of this large, worn-down mansion I bought.
Even if it was cheap, a mansion was still a mansion.
I had spent all my money to buy it, so of course I was short on money now.
And the thought of cleaning this huge place with just Bella made me feel a bit overwhelmed.
‘Should I just accept?’
I could just go there and say it looks haunted and suggest replacing everything with new materials.
He would be satisfied thinking the ghosts were gone, and I would get paid.
It’s a win-win, right?
But something still bothered me.
Harman would go mad in the future.
If I got involved with his mansion and something happened to me, it would be a disaster.
Reality and future fear clashed, making it hard to speak.
Then Harman, who had been quietly watching me, handed me a square card.
The texture felt smooth and expensive in my hand.
“Think about it carefully and send me a letter here.”
“…Thank you for your consideration, Your Grace.”
I held the card tightly.
Harman smiled and left the mansion.
I stood there blankly, watching until the roof of his carriage completely disappeared from view.
As the cool breeze brushed through my hair, Bella came closer.
“Oh my, our Miss has been invited to a Duke’s residence!”
Bella… didn’t you hear that he asked about ghosts?
Her cheeks were red as she looked at me.
Well… it’s not her fault.
She’s doing all this for me.
“Bella.”
“Yes, Miss!”
“There are no ghosts in this world.”
I said the cold truth with a tired voice.
There are none. No such thing as ghosts.
Bella rolled her eyes as if thinking, then smiled mischievously.
“Hmm, yes. I understand, Miss!”
She definitely doesn’t believe me.
“Anyway, Miss, about the garden in front of the mansion. I tried cleaning it a bit…”
I half-listened to Bella’s chatter and lifted the card.
[Harman Monteville]
On the dark navy card, elegant golden letters were engraved neatly.
It was a refined card that naturally reminded me of Harman’s golden hair and blue eyes.
“My mansion needs your help, Lady Sienna.”
Was it really not a lie when he said something similar was happening in his mansion?
It didn’t seem like something he could point out so accurately unless he had experienced it himself.
And instead of sending someone, the Duke—who rarely went out—came personally.
Just how much did he value his mansion?
‘Wait a moment.’
Something crossed my mind.
If he loved his mansion this much…
Then even if something strange happened, he would never sell it.
In fact, in the original story, there were people who stubbornly refused to sell haunted houses.
So…
Harman must have stayed alone in his mansion despite the strange events…
And then—
Did he lose his mind because of it?
