IARMDH Chapter 18

 

 

 

Sob, sob—

 

The thing that was crying wandered around the room before approaching Judith again, just as it had the previous night. The damp entity leaned in close to Judith’s ear.

 

Its gaze, heavy as though it had substance, trailed across Judith’s face, sending goosebumps rippling wherever it passed.

 

Was it a ghost? Or was it the true essence of the Rainland estate? Whatever it was, having it disrupt her every night like this was unacceptable.

 

She already had limited sleep as it was, and now, she wasn’t getting any proper rest at all.

 

This would lower her work efficiency, meaning she’d produce fewer candles, and ultimately, earn less money. Between a ghost and a moneylender, which was scarier?

 

Of course, the latter. The fear of sleep deprivation and declining sales overcame her terror. Judith grabbed a pot from her bed and cautiously stepped into the hallway.

 

Sob, sob—

 

Where is it? Holding the pot tightly, Judith darted her head back and forth. The unlit corridor seemed darker than usual. As she slowly retreated, a presence loomed behind her, making her hair stand on end.

 

In that moment, Judith swung the pot with all her might. It cut through the air and hit the wall, causing her to stagger under the force of her own swing.

 

“Ugh.”

 

Just as she was about to fall, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, steadying her.

 

“It was you?”

 

“Sir Erne?”

 

It was too dark to see clearly, so Judith reached out to touch him, wanting to confirm if it was really Erne.

 

“Where are you groping?”

 

When Judith’s hand wandered over his shoulder and chest, Erne promptly let go of her waist. With her support gone, Judith stumbled and hit her head against the wall.

 

“Ow!”

 

“Taking advantage of the darkness to make a move? How crude.”

 

“And what was that about suddenly letting me go?”

 

Judith rubbed her forehead. Would it have killed him to let her hold on for a second longer?

 

“Did you come out because of the crying, too, Sir Erne?”

 

“Yes. I’ve been hearing it since last night.”

 

Having been unnerved by the sobbing sounds the previous night, Erne had been prepared. The moment he faintly heard the crying again, he immediately followed the sound.

 

That’s how he ended up running into Judith, who had also been tracking the sobbing.

 

“Why are you carrying a pot? Were you planning to hit the crying source with it?”

 

“Could you call it ‘subduing’ instead?”

 

“That’s harsh. Instead of comforting the crying person, you were going to beat them with a pot?”

 

“Says the person who came out wielding a sword.”

 

“I’m a knight. A knight is one with his sword.”

 

“Oh, sure. Whatever you say.”

 

Judith gave an unenthusiastic reply to Erne’s ridiculous justification as she felt her way along the wall, heading back to her room.

 

She reignited the embers in the fireplace and slumped in front of it, massaging her neck, which had stiffened from tension.

 

Erne naturally followed her inside, removed the sword from his belt, and sat down across from her.

 

“So, Sir Erne Rainland, the capable knight who is one with his sword—what do you think that thing is?”

 

“Well, I’d guess it’s a money ghost summoned by someone’s greed.”

 

Sparks flew between their gazes.

 

“If it were a money ghost, it would be wandering around, crying about money. Seeing it cry makes me think it’s a ghost with a tragic story.”

 

“At least it doesn’t seem to have any intention of harming us.”

 

Although it had only been two nights, the entity merely wandered around aimlessly, sobbing.

 

“That’s a relief, but…”

 

“We can’t keep dealing with this every night. Let’s call an expert.”

 

He had a point. No matter how much she and Erne tried, it would be difficult to uncover what it really was. They needed a professional.

 

“Do you know any experts?”

 

“Henry. He’s an expert at finding skilled mediums.”

 

Oh, that expert.

 

Judith nodded while tossing more firewood into the fireplace. She thought she might as well make another candle while she was up.

 

But as she watched the flickering flames, her eyelids began to droop. Her head dipped forward, almost falling.

 

“Sigh.”

 

Startled awake, Judith wiped her mouth, blinking, only to almost tip backward this time.

 

“Just go to sleep.”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Yeah, right. Erne sighed and caught Judith just as she started to sway sideways, nearly collapsing.

 

For heaven’s sake, just lie down and sleep. Clicking his tongue briefly, Erne scooped Judith up into his arms.

 

She was surprisingly light, requiring almost no effort to lift her. Why was she so thin? Her delicate wrists seemed like they might snap if he squeezed too hard.

 

Working all day and eating like a bird—it was no wonder.

 

Why do you go to such lengths?

 

Erne gently poked Judith’s cheek as he laid her on the bed, whispering as though asking her directly. She would probably say it was because of her debts, but not everyone in debt lived like Judith.

 

Most people would despair or give up if they had to pay back money they hadn’t even borrowed.

 

But why was she so driven?

 

Leaning against the bedpost, Erne pressed his temples.

 

She’s a mystery. At first, she caught my eye out of suspicion, then curiosity. Now, I find myself looking at her without even realizing it. Maybe it’s because I’ve never met anyone like her before.

 

As Judith’s soft, steady breathing filled the room, Erne’s own eyelids grew heavy. His head drooped to the side.

 

 

Sob, sob—

 

“…Oh, for crying out loud, seriously, this is so annoying.”

 

“Damn it! Call the medium right now!”

 

The crying that woke both Judith and Erne persisted throughout the night, never stopping.

 

***

 

“Damn it all.”

 

Two days passed without any progress. On the scheduled day, the medium arrived and began scattering salt as soon as they entered the estate.

 

“This place is overflowing with malicious energy.”

 

Maybe because Judith looked young, or perhaps because the medium was used to speaking informally, they didn’t bother with formalities.

 

Oddly enough, that only made them seem more credible. If they were so rude yet still fully booked, how talented must they be?

 

“There’s a thick layer of death energy here. And it’s not even from long ago.”

 

To think they could even identify the deaths of assassins who had died here. With their experienced appearance and sharp gaze, this medium was clearly different from the charlatans Henry had brought before.

 

“When you live in a place like this, you’re bound to hear all sorts of things. Just move out.”

 

Move out? Absolutely not. She had to endure and stay if she wanted the house’s value to rise! Shaking her head furiously, Judith hurriedly grabbed the medium as they were about to leave.

 

“No, no, the sobbing wasn’t there before. It only started a few days ago.”

 

“Suddenly?”

 

The medium’s eyes narrowed slightly.

 

“Have you taken in anything that someone else used? Or maybe picked up something someone discarded?”

 

The medium pressed Judith to think carefully, particularly about items like furniture or clothing, but the furniture belonged to the Rainland family, and she hadn’t taken in any discarded items.

 

“Usually, phenomena like this are tied to objects, but that’s odd.”

 

The medium tilted their head in confusion.

 

Suddenly, Judith remembered that unusual order—the one to embed a ring into a candle. At first glance, it had seemed like a very romantic request.

 

“What about the ring? Could something malicious attach itself to a ring?”

 

Now that she thought about it, the sobbing had started the day she accepted Zark’s special order.

 

Judith hurried to her room and brought back the candle with the ring embedded inside. She immediately cut the candle in half to retrieve the ring.

 

“This is bad.”

 

The medium frowned the moment they saw the ring.

 

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem with the ring?”

 

“Technically, the problem lies with the gemstone on the ring.”

 

The ring featured a simple amber gemstone. While not suitable for a proposal ring, the gemstone didn’t look particularly strange either.

 

Pointing at the gemstone with their finger, the medium explained.

 

“It’s a cursed gemstone. It’s made from the blood tears of a grieving mother who lost her child in the womb. But no matter how tragic it is to lose a child, blood tears don’t come easily.”

 

The mother must have lost her child under circumstances so unjust and heartbreaking that she cried tears of blood.

 

“Usually, to create this kind of gemstone, the child is deliberately killed in the womb, the mother’s blood tears are collected, and then the mother is killed as well. That’s how this gemstone is made.”

 

The medium added that such a process would inevitably leave the gemstone steeped in deep resentment and sorrow.

 

“It’s the kind of crying that sounds like one’s insides are being torn apart. You can’t just ignore a sob like that—it sticks in your head whether you like it or not.”

 

Hearing this explanation, Erne and Judith nodded vigorously in agreement.

 

“It’s noisy, sure, but it doesn’t seem harmful—unless you’re pregnant, of course.”

 

As the medium said this, their gaze subtly drifted toward Judith’s abdomen. When their eyes met Judith’s, the medium gestured with their chin toward Erne.

 

Though Erne’s face was partially obscured, it was obvious he was a young man around Judith’s age.

 

In short, the medium’s look seemed to ask, ‘Are you carrying his child?’

 

“No, absolutely not!”

 

Judith jumped in alarm. Erne, catching on to the medium’s implication, furrowed his brows in annoyance.

 

“Do we look like that kind of couple to you?”

 

“When a man and a woman live under the same roof, things can happen, you know. One thing leads to another.”

 

“I said no!”

 

Despite Judith and Erne’s strong protests, the medium simply snorted dismissively.

 

“In any case, the curse tied to this gemstone is looking for a baby. When it finds one, it mistakes it for its own and takes it away.”

 

“But how can it take a baby that’s still in the womb?”

 

“It steals the soul.”

 

“You’re saying…”

 

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Yes, the curse on that ring kills unborn children.”