Chapter 40. Affection and Deceit

“Haaaam. That was refreshing.”

Bella let out a long yawn and stretched wide. Maybe because it had been a while since she took a nap, but her body felt noticeably refreshed.

She could no longer feel Chei’s presence within her. With a hint of worry, Bella looked around.

“What are you looking for the moment you wake up?”

“Chei.”

“I’m honored.”

Chei lowered the newspaper he had been reading and smiled. Maybe it was because he had been absorbing Bella’s energy, but lifting something as light as paper was manageable now.

Unlike Bella, whose complexion had turned slightly pale—though she didn’t seem to notice—Chei was steadily becoming more corporeal.

“I think I met you in a dream… and I really didn’t want to part ways.”

“Really? And how do you feel about it in reality?”

“You shouldn’t say things like that with that face. It’s a crime, seriously.”

Bella grumbled and got out of bed.

Now that she had some energy back, it was time to dive into the busy task of transforming the annex into a factory. It turned out to be a far larger undertaking than she’d expected, and Bella’s opinion was essential. Thankfully, since it was a perfume workshop and soap factory, construction could proceed without ruining the exterior.

“But Bella.”

“Yes?”

Bella grabbed a hair tie and pulled her messy hair up into a high ponytail. It looked like she was ready to get to work right away.

“Why did you ask to bring Count Treshi here? He’s already been handed over to trial, so hasn’t your revenge been fulfilled?”

“Officially, I still have a few personal questions to ask Count Treshi.”

“Questions?”

Chei looked at her curiously, but Bella waved it off as nothing special.

“Yeah. And, well, truthfully… I just want to punch the guy who made you feel anxious.”

“Hmm?”

Chei let out a surprised sound.

To confess, Chei had always been the one to protect others—not someone who needed protection. That was exactly why his current powerless state was so unbearable.

But whenever Bella said things like that, he began to think… maybe being protected wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

“It’s just irritating. That man never even apologized to us, but he’ll probably grovel and beg in front of His Highness.”

“Impressive.”

“Well, I’m off! If you need anything, um… feel free to break a vase.”

Bella smiled brightly, waved, and left the room.

Once she was completely gone, Chei’s gaze dropped back to the newspaper he had been reading.

“Count Treshi Missing! Is it an Escape or a Sinister Plot?”

The recent events could very well be interpreted within the current political climate. As the class system wavered, the nobles became more cunning in preventing commoners from climbing up the social ladder, while the royal family walked a tightrope, trying to strengthen its own power.

There was one group that had yet to join the fray.

The Temple.

Strangely, the temple remained silent.

“…Must be my imagination.”

The atmosphere was strange. High-ranking nobles weren’t the kind of people commoners usually met. Yet Bella—a commoner—had already encountered and spoken with Count Treshi and Count Karl.

All because she was now the new owner of this mansion.

More suspiciously, every time a new owner entered this hundred-year-old house, assassins would show up and brutally murder them.

He couldn’t think of any faction with a clear reason for doing such a thing.

The death of Duke Prellod a hundred years ago.

The repeated murders of the mansion’s new owners for a century since.

Count Treshi’s suspicious movements.

The identities of those trying to search the mansion under threat.

“…Interesting.”

Chei’s blue eyes gleamed sharply.

His shadowed gaze beneath his brilliant golden hair made it difficult to read his emotions. It was both beautiful and dangerous.

His long, elegant fingers gracefully folded the newspaper.

He faintly heard voices in the distance. As he glanced out the window, he saw Bella stepping outside with a radiant smile. Opposite her stood Riddel.

Chei’s expression turned cold. Their last encounter hadn’t been a pleasant one, and Chei couldn’t leave this place anyway.

He wanted to warn Bella—tell her to be cautious, that Riddel was suspicious.

While watching them uneasily, Bella suddenly reached out her hand with a bright smile. Riddel, wearing a friendly face, extended his hand as well.

“…?”

And then, Bella smacked Riddel on the head.

A loud, clear clunk echoed through the air.

“Miss Bella…?”

Count Riddel, who had never in his life been struck on the head, stood frozen with wide eyes, clearly in shock from the crisp impact.

Despite the force of the slap, Bella’s expression remained calm.

“Do you know I almost became a ghost guarding another ghost?”

Her voice was calm—eerily so—which made it all the more frightening.

Even the workers stopped what they were doing and stared between the two. No one had ever seen anyone treat the president of Fog & Mist like that. Plus, Bella’s words were odd.

Guarding a ghost? Usually people tried to exorcise ghosts, not protect them.

“I—I can explain—”

“Explain? That’s something you should’ve done before going to the South.”

Bella burst into laughter and dragged Riddel into the mansion.

Despite being flustered, Riddel allowed himself to be pulled in, his eyes locked on the scars—large and small—on Bella’s hand gripping his wrist.

“Chei! I brought him!”

Bella shouted triumphantly as she entered the room, as if she were carrying the head of an enemy general.

Chei, standing by the window, turned with a faint smile.

“I saw.”

“I’m really not a violent person, you know. Really.”

Bella hurriedly tried to explain, misreading his smile.

“I know, Bella. I trust you.”

“That’s a relief. Then please understand that I’m not feeling particularly charitable toward this guy.”

“Of course.”

Still dazed, Riddel hastily cut in.

“Is he… here right now?”

“Who? Chei?”

“No—the ghost.”

“He’s right there by the window.”

Following Bella’s finger, Riddel quickly lowered his head toward the window.

He still couldn’t see, hear, or touch Chei.

It was truly fortunate that Bella existed. Without her, communicating with a ghost would’ve been impossible.

“Now, Lord Riddel. Let’s hear your excuse.”

Bella, who had just been speaking sweetly to Chei, narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms as she stared at Riddel.

Riddel blinked innocently and tilted his head.

“Excuse for what?”

“You said it’d be expelled from my body within a day.”

“That was because your energy was already so weak that it became an accident.”

“An accideeent?”

Bella tilted her head mockingly and repeated his words, fury thick in her voice.

Riddel, trying to avoid her wrath, quickly sat down on the sofa.

Chei, watching from the side, lightly tapped the flower vase on the end table. A chill spread through the air, and the vase tilted—spilling water right onto Riddel’s pants.

“Ah!”

Riddel shot up in surprise, but it was too late—his pants were soaked. Over his shocked head, Bella’s voice rang out in petty satisfaction.

“He says, ‘For someone trying to abolish the class system, you sure sat down before the homeowner even took a seat. Rude much.’”

“…?”

Both Bella and Riddel’s expressions changed at the unexpected comment.

Bella stomped over to the window and tried to grab Chei’s shoulder.

“Wait, abolish the class system?”

But her hand passed right through him.

Bella was stunned. Chei’s calm face clearly said he had already known Riddel’s true motive.

“Bella.”

“Don’t speak gently to me. Just answer my questions. Just answer, nothing more.”

“When I arrived at this mansion in your body, that man was already here.”