CHAPTER 31
The bridge of Luna’s freckled nose turned red.
She cautiously began to speak.
“I have something to ask you.”
“Go on.”
“…Do you remember telling me I could ask for something, if I wanted anything?”
“Hm?”
“For bringing you back from the palace after you fainted.”
“Oh, right. I remember.”
“Then… may I ask you now?”
“Sure. What is it you want?”
“…”
“Do I need to wait longer?”
As if steeling herself, Luna clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly.
“C-Could you please forgive Cecil just once? I beg you!”
“…”
I blinked. The request was so unexpected it took me a moment to react.
‘Forgive Cecil?’
Who the heck is that?
I waited for Luna to explain, but she said nothing.
Clearly, she assumed I already knew who Cecil was.
[Stage 2: (Disinterested) I don’t see why I should.]
I had no idea what this was about, but I followed the instruction.
“I don’t see why I should.”
“Master, Cecil has truly repented. She cries every night because she can’t apologize to you. She’s been cleaning the lab diligently, too.”
The lab?
“Oh…”
So the maid assigned to clean the lab was named Cecil.
I think the directive had been to have her clean the lab for half a month, right?
“Has the half-month passed?”
“No… The full moon is tomorrow, Master. Including today, there are still two days left.”
So that’s why she was asking.
“Alright. Tell Cecil she may return to her duties.”
“U-Um, but Master…”
“What is it?”
“T-The truth is, Cecil didn’t return to her quarters last night. That’s why I’m telling you this…”
“She didn’t return? Are you saying she stayed in the lab overnight?”
“…Sh-She couldn’t come out.”
It sounded like Luna believed Cecil was trapped in the lab.
‘I gave her the key—why wouldn’t she be able to leave?’
“Bring the butler.”
“Yes, Master!”
The butler entered promptly. He looked tense—he’d probably heard bits of this from Luna.
“Why didn’t you report that an employee hadn’t returned to her quarters?”
“You told me not to bother you with trivial matters…”
“A person went missing inside the estate. You call that trivial?”
“I apologize.”
“Is there a chance Cecil left the estate without permission?”
Before the butler could reply, Luna dropped to her knees with a thud.
“No, Master! Cecil would never do something so irresponsible! She’s so diligent and meticulous—that’s why she was even entrusted with your grooming! Something must have happened in the lab!”
“I gave her a key. She couldn’t have been trapped.”
“N-No, that’s not it, Master…”
Luna began visibly trembling. Her pupils widened with fear.
“C-Cecil wasn’t trapped… sh-she was eaten by the lab!”
“What?”
At that moment, the chapter changed.
[Chapter 2: The Duchess’s Secret Double Life]
[Stage 3: Adrian made her way to the lab for the first time in a while.]
I assumed we’d be traveling far if we were taking a carriage.
‘But it’s closer than I thought.’
The carriage stopped in a dense forest within the estate grounds.
Before me stood a three-story red-brick building.
‘Must’ve cost a fortune.’
Each brick was intricately carved with vines.
The double-door entrance was wide, and the arched windows were large.
Fresh vines climbed the outer walls, creating a classic, elegant atmosphere.
Even the window frames were decorated with white-painted cast-iron roses.
What kind of research needed an entire building like this? If it were me, I’d use it as a library.
‘Still… there’s something eerie about it.’
It looked fine from the outside, yet gave off an unsettling vibe.
Buildings are supposed to feel alive when in use.
They said the lab had been sealed for years—maybe that’s why it felt abandoned.
“How far is it from here to the staff quarters?”
The butler hesitated before answering.
“The first to third floors of this building are the staff quarters, Master.”
This really wasn’t my fault. Who puts a personal lab inside the staff building?
Besides, the place felt damp and gloomy like a haunted house—of course I assumed it was abandoned.
I lifted my chin shamelessly.
“Is that so? It must’ve been too trivial to remember.”
The butler nodded solemnly, the image of loyal obedience.
[Stage 2: (Suspiciously) Butler, you’ve kept the lab sealed for the past five years, right?]
“Butler. Has anyone entered the lab in the past five years?”
“Of course not. Once you sealed the area, no one has been allowed in.”
[Stage 3: (Warningly, narrowing your eyes) Wait here. Do not enter until I call you.]
‘This is getting weirder…’
Why did it feel like the lab was being hidden on purpose? Even without thinking about it, I started getting suspicious.
‘What if Adrian committed serial murders in there or something?’
I bit back a laugh and said,
“Wait here. Do not enter until I call you.”
“Understood, Master.”
The moment I stepped inside the building, a chill wrapped around me.
Shiver—
It was the middle of summer outside, but it was freezing in here. Goosebumps rose on my arms.
‘There are so many windows—why is it so dark? The windows don’t even face north, and they’re not covered by trees…’
No matter how well built, no one could live in a place like this.
Ventilation and sunlight are basic necessities.
The lab was underground.
As I descended the stairs, I saw a pitch-black iron door at the end of a long hallway.
It didn’t match the rest of the building at all, with its bright white-trimmed windows.
Did Adrian specially order it?
‘…Why does it feel like there’s dark energy here?’
The closer I got, the clearer it became.
Though faint, there was a definite trace of dark magic.
‘No wonder Cecil and Luna were scared.’
Even if they couldn’t recognize dark energy, their instincts must have sensed danger.
I unlocked the pitch-black iron door and gave it a push.
Creeeaak—
As the heavy door slowly opened, the lab interior was finally revealed.
“Huh. Looks perfectly normal.”
So why had Adrian tried so hard to keep it hidden?
Valuable books and rolled-up documents were neatly arranged on ornate furniture.
Except for the dark magic, it looked like the elegant study of an archaeologist.
‘Is the dark energy the problem?’
Tilting my head, I looked for the source.
But no matter how much I searched, nothing stood out.
Could one of the objects be possessed by a dark spirit?
‘If that’s the case, this could be a pain…’
Banishing a dark spirit takes time—it requires finding exactly which object it’s hiding in.
‘I’ll get Cecil out first, then deal with the spirits.’
I walked over to the sofa, where Cecil was asleep.
She looked even thinner than two weeks ago.
Her pale cheeks were hollow, and dark circles shadowed her eyes.
‘Tch. Poor girl’s been through a lot.’
I gently patted her cheek to wake her.
“Cecil, Cecil?”
“…Mm…”
“Cecil, wake up.”
“M-Master?!”
Cecil’s eyes flew wide open and she sat up suddenly—then swayed, grabbing her head as dizziness struck.
I caught her thin arm lightly.
“Why were you sleeping here?”
“Ah… I was cleaning last night and suddenly felt dizzy… I meant to just sit for a moment…”
She trailed off—seemed like she’d fallen asleep without realizing it.
[Stage 1: (With a cryptic smile) You’re lucky.]
What?
The girl looks half-dead and you say she’s lucky?
I pretended I didn’t see that directive.
“Master… how long was I here?”
“A day.”
“Oh! I’m so sorry, Master! I didn’t realize so much time had passed!”
“Stand up. You don’t need to clean the lab anymore.”
Cecil covered her mouth in disbelief.
“B-But it hasn’t been two weeks yet…”
[Stage 2: You think I don’t know that? That’s why I said you’re lucky.]
So that’s what the directive meant—she was lucky to be released early.
“You think I don’t know that?”
“Th-Thank you, Master! Thank you so, so much!”
[Stage 1: (Irritated) Leave. Wait at the carriage until I’m done.]
Do you really want me to say that to her after seeing her like this? Author, try being human before being a writer.
“Go. The butler should be outside. Return to the manor with him. Have the carriage sent back before dinner.”
“Yes, Master!”
Just then, another instruction appeared.
[Stage 3: (Narrowing your eyes, as if noticing something) Wait.]
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
[Stage 2: (Tapping the carpeted floor with your foot) Did you lay this down?]
