I Got A Job At A Haunted Mansion

 

 

  “Hello, Your Grace and Young Marquis.”

 

  “Hello, Laura.”

 

  The Young Marquis responded to my greetings. Soon, he rose from his seat and gestured toward the chair where he had been sitting. I followed his gesture and took a seat.

 

  “By the way, your desk and chair are really nice.”

 

  It was clear he was commenting on my overly lavish workspace.

 

  “They are too nice.”

 

  I responded to the Young Marquis’s remark and turned slightly in my seat to look at him. He was examining the bookshelf behind the desk.

 

  “These are books that suit Elias’s taste. I’m not particularly fond of this type.”

  

  As he muttered to himself, the Duke interjected abruptly.

 

  “Aren’t you going home?”

 

  Ignoring the Duke’s comment, the Young Marquis asked me.

 

  “How about you, Laura? Do you like these kinds of books?”

 

  “I’m not a big fan, to be honest.”

 

  “Is that so? His tastes can be quite tiresome. So, what kind of books do you like?”

 

  “I prefer novels. I don’t discriminate by genre.”

 

  As I answered, I discreetly observed the Duke’s reaction. He seemed unfazed by the Young Marquis’s behavior, quietly organizing documents before getting up from his chair. Then, he turned to me.

 

  “I’ll be at the Imperial Palace all day today. Take it easy, consider it a day off.”

 

  “…Alright.”

 

  Another day off? I’ve already been taking it easy because there hasn’t been much work so far. Although making money while having fun is every employee’s dream, it does weigh on my conscience a bit. Even though I can see ghosts, I don’t want to become a salary thief…

 

  “Lady Laura, would you like to go out with me during your day off?”

 

  At that moment, the Young Marquis spoke to me. Lost in my thoughts, I responded with a dumbfounded tone.

 

  “What? Why?”

 

  “Since you helped me with Theo, I wanted to do something for you in return.”

 

  “It’s okay. I did it because I wanted to.”

 

  “Don’t refuse like that. Let me ease my conscience.”

 

  His affectionate tone made me pause for a moment. I understood what the Young Marquis meant, but going out with him like this might cause greater misunderstandings among the maids. And what about the butler?

 

  “Laura, there’s a popular dessert place nowadays called ‘Ecre.’ Their strawberry desserts are famous. How about going there together?”

 

  …Come to think of it, everyone is probably busy with work at this hour. So, we might not be noticed by the maids. Maybe it’s okay if we go and return quickly?

 

  As I hesitated for a moment, the Young Marquis turned to the Duke and asked.

 

  “Elias, would it be okay if I briefly left with your aide?”

 

  “…”

 

  “It’s her day off, after all.”

 

  “That’s my aide’s choice. You don’t need my permission.”

 

  In response to his words, the Young Marquis smiled faintly and gestured towards me. I nodded my head without hesitation.

 

  “Okay.”

 

  Strawberries in this season! Strawberries! Precious strawberries!

 

  The Duke briefly glanced at me and said.

 

  “…Lady, don’t come back too late.”

 

  Of course, Your Grace. I won’t let you see ghosts alone at such a late hour. I would never do that; would I have a conscience left if I did?

 

  “Yes!”

 

  I answered cheerfully and then followed the Young Marquis. However, instead of taking us to a dessert shop, the carriage brought us to a grand boutique fit for high-ranking individuals.

 

  “Laura, how about this? What about this one?”

 

  The Young Marquis pointed at the glamorous dresses.

 

  “Young Marquis… why are we here?”

 

  “Wow, this one’s pretty.”

 

  “Young Marquis…”

 

  “I heard that your dress was burnt yesterday. It seemed to have happened while you were searching for my little brother, isn’t that right?”

 

  I thought it was too dark for him to notice that night, but he seemed to have better eyesight than I expected. In any case, I couldn’t think how to respond to his words, so I just stared at him in silence.

 

  “When Elias was young, he told me stories. He said that the deceased could sometimes influence the mortal world through the reason for their death… And Theo died in the fire at the mansion.”

 

  “…”

 

  “How about this one? I think it would suit you, Laura. Oh, this one too. It’s pretty.”

 

  He went through the displayed dresses, picking out various colorful garments. Wait, how many is he choosing…? I watched him move away then hurried to follow him.

 

  “Since one dress got burnt, I’ll only take one.”

 

  When I said that, the Young Marquis turned to me, his eyes twinkling.

 

  “Alright, then.”

 

  I chose a modest dress suitable for work. Then, wearing that dress, I went to the dessert shop with the Young Marquis.

 

  Inside the shop, noble young ladies adorned with expensive jewelry filled the place. They looked at us when we entered and quickly began to whisper among themselves.

 

  Darn it. It seems like they are curious about me being with the Young Marquis. I hadn’t thought about this…?

 

  But I couldn’t just leave. I tried to ignore their gazes and selected a dessert. Shortly after, the waitstaff brought us the strawberry cake we had ordered.

 

  Finally, strawberry cake!

 

  I tuned out everything around me and eagerly nibbled on the cake.

 

  “Is it good?”

 

  “It’s delicious!”

 

  I nodded vigorously in response to the Young Marquis’s question.

 

  “I find it delicious too. I quite like sweet things.”

 

  He replied with a smile.

 

  After finishing our dessert, we headed back to where we arranged to meet the carriage to return to the mansion. The Young Marquis had me board the carriage first, however, he stood at the door without getting in.

 

  “Take this carriage back. I’ll take the public carriage. I have to go to the Imperial Palace tomorrow, so I have to return early.”

 

  “Can’t I take the public carriage too?”

 

  “That won’t do.”

 

  He smiled wryly and handed me a beautifully wrapped box.

 

  “Have this when you get back.”

 

  It was another strawberry dessert from the shop. I graciously accepted it with both hands. Then he handed me another box, placing it on top of the one I had already received.

 

  “This one is for Elias. He secretly likes sweet things, too.”

 

  “Thank you.”

 

  “It’s a pity, I also wanted to treat you to a meal. Come visit our mansion again.”

 

  “Sure.”

 

  When I arrived at the Duke’s mansion, it was already quite late and dusk had arrived. The butler opened the door for me as if he had been waiting. 

 

  The Duke walked down the central staircase and stopped in front of me. Stopping to examine the clothes I was wearing, his actions somehow looked awkward.

 

  “You’re back?”

 

  “Yes, Your Grace. The box on top is for you. The Young Marquis asked me to give it to you.”

 

  When I mentioned it, the Duke gestured for the butler to step forward and accept the box on top.

 

  “I have something for you too. I’ll send it to your room. Rest for now.”

 

  “Yes.”

 

  I returned to my room and sprawled on the bed. It didn’t take long for the butler to come to my room. He handed me a large box with a beautiful red ribbon.

 

  Huh? Is this a gift? Did the Duke have something to give me as a gift? What’s this?

 

  I opened the box in puzzlement. Inside, I found an elegant dress that looked expensive.

 

 • • • • • • •

 

  The Duke had been commuting back and forth to the Imperial Palace over the past few days and returned today in the late afternoon. He had gone there to discuss the proposal he had been working on recently at his desk. 

 

  I had heard vaguely that it was related to poverty relief, but since I had never helped him with his work, I didn’t know the exact details.

 

  I had even less to do now so I was passing the time in the Duke’s office. If there was one good thing about this, it was that the books on the shelves had all been replaced with novels. I didn’t know why the books suddenly changed, but since I liked novels, it was a good thing, right?

 

  “Sister, read this book to me.”

 

  The blonde little ghost pointed to a book with a flower on the cover. I picked it up.

 

 《 Dragon’s Knight 》

 

  It seemed like a fairy tale appropriate for reading to a child.

 

  I opened to the first page as the blonde child eagerly approached and stood next to me.

 

  Wait, why am I getting closer to a ghost like this?

 

  I turned my head slowly and looked at the child. My mother had always sternly advised me not to get too close to ghosts, but here I was in this mansion, doing exactly the opposite of what my mother had told me.

 

  The child seemed very pleased and was eagerly waiting for me to read the book.

 

  “Don’t you have a wish like Theo did?”

 

  I looked at the child and then spoke. I would have to help her to ascend sooner or later. Since she had enough strength to manifest during the day, there was a chance she could become a malevolent spirit, causing a major problem.

 

  “I don’t know. I forgot,” she replied.

 

  “You forgot?”

 

  “Yeah. I’ve been dead for a long time, so I can’t remember.”

 

  “…”

 

  “Hurry up and read it to me, Sister.”

 

  “What’s your name? I can’t keep calling you ‘you’ all the time.”

 

  “I don’t know.”

 

  “You forgot?”

 

  “No. I never had a name.”

 

  She never had a name? That’s unusual.

 

  “What should I call you then?”

 

  “Um… Shawn.”

 

  “Shawn?”

 

  “I can’t remember exactly, but I was called Shawn when I was alive.”

 

  “But that’s not your real name?”

 

  “No, it’s not a name. I was just called that.”

 

  Shawn. In the ancient language it meant ‘sun’ and the only people who had names with the title ‘Shawn’ were from the Imperial family. Could it be that she was a princess when she was alive?

 

  I stared at her for a moment, dumbfounded.

 
 

 

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