🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 32
After that incident, everything progressed rapidly. Kiera, now hysterical, would have a fit just seeing fluttering curtains and could barely eat properly.
Watching Kiera act more and more like a madwoman, the family doctor eventually advised that it would be best if she left the ducal estate for a while.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it! That damn btch is trying to destroy me. She’s trying to kill me.”*
Kiera swallowed down the words she couldn’t say aloud. To deal with Amy, she borrowed the power of the Marquis of Aites.
Her father wasn’t the kind of man to do things sloppily—there was no chance of it being discovered. Unless Amy herself revealed it.
Kiera bit her nails in frustration. That day, David had said Amy’s spirit was too powerful to remove.
‘That spirit seems to hold a deep grudge against this estate. It might be better to leave temporarily. There could be danger for the young master.’
Kiera clutched her tangled hair. She remembered how Tybern trembled just seeing her, and how not long ago, he had wet the bed at night.
‘When is Grandpa leaving?! Mom, I really hate this! Can’t we just leave instead? Please?’
Thinking all of it was the spirit’s doing made her chest tighten.
“You damned b*tch. To the bitter end…”
The problem was that there was nothing more Kiera could do to Amy now. Amy was beyond her reach.
Kiera exhaled sharply and stamped her foot.
‘Duchess, I believe the living should go on living.’
David’s words echoed repeatedly in her mind.
‘If the spirit is clinging to the Duchess, then if you leave, it may attach itself to someone else. I can offer some talismans to help ward it off. Though it’s dangerous…’
Was money important? A person’s life was at stake. Kiera’s eyes lit up.
“So, what you’re saying is—you need a substitute. You don’t want to go alone. Fine, then take your son and Tybern with you.”
Kiera had made up her mind. She would leave the estate with Herden and the children. It wouldn’t be easy to convince Herden, though.
‘I have to try something.’
Surprisingly, Herden agreed at once.
“Let’s do that.”
He looked indifferent. Had something changed in Herden recently? Kiera asked, her face uneasy.
“…Are you okay?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You haven’t said anything about what happened that day. I called the high priest on my own.”
Herden spoke flatly.
“Is that a problem? I’m letting you do what you want.”
Kiera bit her lip. Right now, Herden wasn’t seeing Kiera—he was seeing Amy through her.
‘Amy… are you here right now?’
If he could see her even once—Amy, whom he lost without even saying goodbye—it wouldn’t matter if she was a spirit. He wouldn’t care if he died by her hand.
If Amy was somewhere, anywhere—he would follow her.
The passion that had disappeared after losing Amy seemed to flare up again.
“…That day… the spirit attacked me…”
“She probably thought you took her place.”
Kiera sighed in relief at Herden’s reply.
“It’s comforting to hear you say that. But it’s so strange. Why would she go after me instead of Father? Isn’t all this his fault? David said that Carte’s temperament is sensitive, and there must be a reason he freaks out just seeing Father. For Carte’s sake, I think it’s right that we leave.”
Herden nodded with a dispassionate face. He was gazing over Kiera’s shoulder.
‘Maybe she’s over there. Or there.’
If only he had the ability to see spirits…
Kiera didn’t notice his odd behavior and kept talking.
“Thankfully, Father’s letting us use the villa. Let’s get plenty of rest. I’m sure everything will be okay afterward.”
“Sure.”
Kiera smiled. Everything seemed to be going her way, and it felt good.
Of course, leaving Tybern behind unresolved still bothered her, but with Herden by her side…
She was sure the spirit would take care of those left behind.
Meanwhile, the source of that spirit—the so-called “evil spirit,” Lani—was having a wonderful day.
“Really? Really? The Duchess is leaving?”
“Yup, that’s what they say. You know the rumor, right? That the Duchess was possessed. They say the ghost Amy was haunting both her and young master Carte.”
“Oh my, really?”
That ghost… is me.
Ghosts? Please. Anyone believing that is either too timid or feeling guilty for what they’ve done.
Since that day, Hider had become oddly quiet. He seemed preoccupied with something.
Probably because of Kiera. Lani couldn’t wait to tell him the news. He’d be happy, wouldn’t he?
Soon, this place would be a garden in full bloom. Once Kiera and those little devils were all gone, there’d be no one left to see that she disliked.
“This is the best!”
“Right? Apparently it’s chaos right now with packing. Lady Sornya is insisting they take all the dolls and dresses, so everyone’s sweating buckets.”
She’d probably spend the next few days eagerly counting down the moments until Kiera left.
Her desperate act that day had clearly worked like a charm.
Hider stared at his sword. He couldn’t forget the moment Lani vanished before his eyes.
It was like seeing the possibility that Lani could disappear at any moment—like a bubble popping.
That fear gripped him and wouldn’t let go. From Lani’s reaction, it didn’t seem intentional.
Which meant some intangible power had intervened.
Until now, he’d never deeply questioned Lani’s strange abilities. He just believed those powers protected her.
He’d even been grateful she wasn’t a normal human.
But what if those powers could also take her away?
His heart clenched.
Lani could return to her own world at any time—be it the realm of fae or spirits.
She could vanish to a place Hider could never reach. Just the thought made him feel sick.
“…You seem troubled today,” said Sir Hilden, sheathing his sword.
“It’s dangerous to wield a sword on such days. Even if you clear your mind, a sword is always a risk.”
“…I’m sorry, Master,”
Hider straightened his posture and apologized politely. It was true—he’d been distracted the whole session.
“Did something happen?”
Hider hesitated before speaking.
“My grandfather once said… if you want to grow stronger, you must have someone you want to protect.”
“That’s certainly a strong motivator.”
“…But what if that person starts to scare you?”
“Are they stronger than you?”
Hider froze. He thought of Lani lifting him effortlessly, smiling with a basket of potatoes piled like a mountain, wielding a sword with ease.
“…Yes, I think they are.”
His voice lacked energy. No matter how hard he tried, Lani felt too far out of reach.
“Then do you want to defeat them? Are you afraid you can’t?”
Sir Hilden misunderstood. He assumed the person was Tybern.
Hider shook his head.
“That’s not it. I’m afraid they’ll disappear, Master. That they’ll leave me behind.”
“…Oh dear.”
Lately, rumors said even Duke Herden was leaving the ducal estate. Though the duke wasn’t much involved in anything, to Hider, he was still a father.
And with Tybern nearly dying recently…
It was only natural for a young boy to feel scared.
The misunderstandings were only deepening.
