IWIAHC Chapter 8

Lily spoke promptly.

"About the translator—can we trust them?"

[Didn't you say you wouldn't concern yourself with it?]

The duke laughed briefly.

Lily spoke in whispers to avoid disturbing Wolfram.

"I apologize. But I'm so worried my thoughts won't stop. What if they report to the temple? Then it's truly finished. Your Grace's revival and all our promises will come to nothing."

[Revival, Lily...]

"I'd learn Solmon myself starting now and interpret it directly if I could. But since that's impossible, there needs to be some definite security measure. I know it's presumptuous concern."

As she spoke, one person kept surfacing in Lily's mind.

One person deeply versed in Solmon language, more trustworthy than anyone—her grandmother.

Interpreting forbidden texts was more dangerous work than she'd anticipated, so she couldn't bring herself to mention it readily, but if the duke ultimately failed to find a suitable person, perhaps her grandmother could help...

The duke reassured Lily.

[I'll make sufficient preparations, so don't worry.]

"As I said, it's presumptuous concern."

She'd wondered why he wasn't interjecting. Wolfram was staring intently at her.

"Let me be clear. You're here solely to convey His Grace's words. You need not concern yourself with anything beyond that."

"I only wish for His Grace's recovery, so—"

"Lily Dienta."

Wolfram addressed her with irritating formality. Lily struggled to keep her eyes from narrowing dismissively.

'Oh, what about it, Wolfram Burnet.'

Sneering inwardly, she rose from the auxiliary chair and folded her hands politely over her stomach.

Whom could she blame? This was entirely karma she'd invited with her own mouth. Wolfram had repeatedly warned her not to overstep. She was the one who'd meddled with excessive officiousness.

'Ugh, I just want to go back to when I was sweeping and scrubbing floors.'

The grand position in the ducal household didn't seem to suit her temperament.

"Did you inquire about the translator's trustworthiness?"

"Yes, Lord Wolfram."

"Then I'll inform you. They'll reside in the ducal castle under surveillance even while sleeping. If observation reveals even slightly suspicious behavior, they'll suffer an unfortunate accident on the day they finish work and depart."

Lily was aghast. The countermeasures she'd envisioned were things like background checks, strong gag orders, or thorough investigations.

Yet she'd never imagined they were contemplating murder.

She knew such positions possessed that capability. She knew these were people who wouldn't be arrested for secretly killing one or two individuals, and that they'd killed many people during the recent heretic elimination.

But to kill based merely on suspicion? Wasn't that the same as saying they wouldn't establish countermeasures at all? In that case, why even verify whether someone was suspicious? Just have them work and then kill them!

Lily's complexion paled. She'd been about to recommend her grandmother for such a vile position...

[No, Lily.]

The duke called urgently upon seeing her face.

[We don't handle matters that way. Wolfram is only trying to intimidate you now. The forbidden text interpretation will proceed in a sufficiently peaceful manner with proper compensation.]

Even with his explanation, the distrust that had taken root didn't disappear easily.

When subordinates devise plans, they instinctively subject them to internal censorship regarding whether their superior will approve.

The very fact that Wolfram had conceived such an idea demonstrated these people's usual method of handling business.

Perhaps the duke also agreed with Wolfram's opinion while speaking hypocritically to prevent her from fleeing in terror.

Lily looked down at the duke with confused eyes.

'Then what happens to me? If they'd kill over merely interpreting forbidden texts, what about me, who knows far more?'

The answer came from Wolfram.

"And that's not something that can only happen to the translator."

Lily's face froze completely.

He wanted to thoroughly threaten her with this opportunity, it seemed. If death worried her, she should work quietly without foolish thoughts—wasn't that it?

'These aristocrats.'

Fearing her disillusionment would show plainly, she lowered her eyes. She felt the duke's gaze persistently fixed on her cheek but didn't turn in that direction either.

"So if you continue questioning or meddling in unnecessary matters beyond this, you also—ugh!"

With a tremendous crash, documents on Wolfram's desk erupted in all directions as if exploding. Wolfram hastily covered his face with his arm.

Black ink dripped beneath the desk, and papers fluttered down to land scattered across the floor. The desktop had cracked in two.

When Wolfram lowered his hand, a single scratch marked his face.

[I don't understand. Why speak so foolishly?]

The ghost had risen beside her. His eyes fixed on Wolfram had pupils more dilated than usual.

He seemed possessed by something, oblivious to his surroundings. In keeping with his disturbing appearance, the windows began rattling finely. The situation felt familiar.

Wolfram looked around in confusion.

"What—what is this right now? Is His Grace doing this?"

"What's happening!"

In the midst of this, the soldier guarding the entrance opened the door, then froze in shock. Truly, not a single mind present was functioning properly.

The ghost, still insufficiently mollified, approached the bookshelf behind Wolfram and placed his hand on it.

[Even if I told him to shut up, he couldn't hear anyway, so then...]

A cracking sound came from the bookshelf. The middle shelf support visibly bent inward with a hollow indentation.

"Eek!"

The soldier blanched at the supernatural phenomenon.

Lily also turned ashen. She trembled with fear while simultaneously realizing: I'll be the one cleaning this up...!

To avoid the worst outcome, she had to intervene immediately. She clenched both fists and shouted.

"S-shut up!"

All three turned their attention to Lily. Yes. Three.

Lily felt dizzy. Preoccupied with stopping the rampage, she'd momentarily forgotten the soldier's presence.

One mountain beyond another—she had to escape this situation without the duke's identity being exposed while also avoiding suspicion of insanity.

Her head felt ready to burst as she thought, then finally spoke without specifying the listener.

"...is what I should say?"

For a moment, no one spoke.

The soldier, reading the atmosphere, slipped away with "That seems to have worked. I-I'll summon the head butler," and departed.

Only then did the office contain solely the involved parties. Suppressing her desire to leave with him, Lily explained.

"His Grace wished to convey that to Lord Wolfram, but since it wasn't being communicated, he became momentarily agitated. Please understand that disrespectful remark was absolutely not something I wished to say."

[And tell him this.]

"And he says to tell you this."

[She is my invaluable collaborator, and her opinions must be treated with weight.]

Lily repeated it slowly. Wolfram still seemed bewildered by all of this.

The duke added:

[So immediately abandon that wretched attitude and show her the respect she deserves.]

She gaped.

Even accounting for merely conveying his words, this was excessively aggressive language to deliver to a baron. It was harsh language even for someone of ducal rank to employ.

'Telling him to shut up—that was force majeure...'

To the hesitating Lily, the duke asked:

[Shall I repeat it if you don't remember?]

"So immediately abandon that wretched... wretched attitude and show respect."

Lily felt her liver might tremble to death. She wanted to emphasize once more that she was merely conveying the duke's words.

However, fearing that adding anything would create an even more awkward situation, she merely swallowed.

In the silence, Wolfram bent one arm and bowed at the waist.

"I apologize for my discourteous words and actions."

[Are you satisfied? Was that sufficient apology?]

The ghost asked carefully.

[If you want him on his knees, I'll make him do it. So please, please calm down.]

He spoke soothingly, pleadingly.

"Well..."

Despite the rather pitiful request, Lily equivocated. She couldn't bring herself to agree to that.

Having learned the household's method of handling business, she could no longer act good-naturedly.

How could she trust they wouldn't slit her throat after everything was resolved, saying, "You knew too much"?

Of course, there existed that fine-sounding promise he'd sworn on his honor. However, people tended to spout any promise when circumstances were unfavorable.

If the duke, no longer desperate, decided that money was wasteful and his pride wounded, so using the method Wolfram mentioned would simply be more efficient—that would be the end.

She'd die in a carriage accident or tumble down stairs or something.

So instead... wouldn't it be better to respond as if nothing was wrong while secretly fleeing the castle?

She couldn't hope for a recommendation letter or good job transfer, but it beat dying.

Grandmother would have to leave too. The thought of these people coincidentally discovering her grandmother's abilities made everything go dark before her eyes.

The ghost, sensing something amiss, grasped her wrist.

[Lily, no. Whatever you're thinking, no. Absolutely not.]

Escape. Yes, escape was the answer.

As her eyes left the ghost's hand that had passed weakly through her wrist, she reached her conclusion.