Chapter 3.1 – The White Ghost

A few days later, Carlson stood in front of the Delphinium estate, leaning his head against the wall as he let out a deep sigh. The stiff formal uniform of the Imperial Knight Order he wore felt awkward and uncomfortable. 

‘When he says there’s no one else he trusts but me, how could I refuse…?’ 

He had asked Azrael multiple times to reconsider this assignment, but Azrael’s resolve was unwavering. While it was gratifying to have Azrael’s trust, it was another matter entirely for Carlson, as a deputy, to be away from his position for an extended period. 

With a wistful expression, Carlson watched the departing carriage before approaching the estate’s entrance. He knocked on the door neatly, and Adam appeared as if he had been waiting for him. 

“Are you Sir Turner, dispatched as a guard? I’ve heard about you from the Duke.” 

“Yes, I’m Carlson Turner. But honestly, I’m just a commoner, so feel free to call me casually.” 

Carlson cracked a joke as he extended his hand to Adam. When their hands clasped for a handshake, Carlson immediately realized something—Adam Mason was no ordinary servant. 

He had the hands of someone rigorously trained, the kind of hands that betrayed his supposed role as merely a guard. 

‘I might lose if I fought him…?’ 

Carlson swallowed nervously but maintained a cheerful facade, smiling as if nothing was amiss. Soon after, Adam began guiding him around the estate. Although the estate was spacious, the lack of servants made it feel hollow. 

“Wow, the estate is so large, but there are surprisingly few servants.” 

“Since this is a villa, the number of staff is kept to a minimum. There are far more servants at the main residence in the capital.” 

“Can such a small number of people manage to clean, maintain, and organize this entire place? Oh, they must be working very hard.” 

“Even with a minimal staff, the upkeep is sufficient. You don’t need to worry about that.” 

This implied that not all estates were managed in this manner. Carlson nodded as if he didn’t suspect anything, though he was certain there was a specific reason for the villa receiving special treatment. 

Along the way, Adam introduced the servants they encountered. There were gardeners, stable hands, maids, and footmen, but no one in a significant managerial position was present. If such individuals existed, they would have been introduced first. 

“Oh, now that I think about it, isn’t there a butler or someone similar? I feel like I should greet them too.” 

“The butler is busy managing the main residence. As I mentioned, only the minimum number of staff reside here.” 

Only formulaic answers came back. It seemed unlikely Carlson would get anything more out of Adam. He had hoped to glean some information from the one servant who constantly stayed by Beatrice’s side, but Adam was proving to be more guarded than expected. 

Azrael had dispatched Carlson as a temporary guard and asked him to investigate Beatrice. If the villa had more servants, Carlson might have been able to pick up some gossip circulating among them, but the environment made that difficult. 

He hadn’t yet had proper conversations with the other servants, but if they were all like Adam, it would be quite troublesome. They might even band together to ostracize Carlson or feed him false information. 

With a light shake of his head, Carlson followed Adam further into the estate. Despite the small number of servants, the interior appeared to be impeccably maintained. Walking down the long hallway, Adam gave brief explanations of each room. Carlson nodded with a smile, but he suddenly realized Adam had passed by the stairs leading to the upper floors. 

“Hey, Adam? I think you skipped something. Aren’t you going to show me the third floor?” 

“That area is off-limits.” 

“Huh? Why?” 

“Do I really need to explain the reason to you?” 

“Oh, come on, just tell me. If I know the reason, I’ll make sure not to go there. People are naturally more curious about things that are hidden from them.” 

“…The Earl and Countess’s rooms are there.” 

“Ah, I see. The Earl is in the capital, right? Then what about the Countess?” 

When no answer came, Carlson looked at Adam with a puzzled expression. Adam scanned the surroundings briefly to ensure no one was nearby before leaning closer to Carlson. 

“The Countess passed away shortly after giving birth. It happened here, at this villa.” 

“…I see.” 

“So, don’t even think about going upstairs, and never mention this to the young lady.” 

Adam’s warning gaze was sharp and unwavering. Carlson chuckled innocently and nodded. 

“Oh, of course. I won’t say a word! My mission is just to guard her, after all. You can rest easy.” 

At that, Adam resumed walking as if nothing had happened, continuing the tour of the estate. 

The second floor housed Beatrice’s room, and most of the rooms surrounding hers were empty. A little farther away was Adam’s room, and much farther still were the servants’ quarters. Carlson’s room was also assigned in that area. 

For a mere guard, the room was surprisingly luxurious. The bed was soft, and the blankets were white and cozy. Honestly, he didn’t feel like returning to the temporary investigation headquarters anymore. 

“Wow, this room is amazing! But with this layout, wouldn’t it be hard for the young lady to call for the servants?”

“You certainly ask a lot of questions. The young lady rarely calls for the servants, so it’s not an issue.” 

“Unbelievable. The best employer ever is right here! Of course, since she doesn’t call for you often, there must be plenty of work to do around the estate.” 

“You’ll find yourself in a similar position for the time being, Sir.” 

Adam spoke as he entered the room and opened a wardrobe. Inside were neatly arranged, plain clothes that seemed suitable for regular servants. 

“For now, the Imperial Knight uniform stands out too much, so please change into these. While inside the estate, you don’t need to stay with the young lady unless she specifically calls for you.” 

“That makes sense. You said she doesn’t call for the servants much, right? So, what about when she’s outside the estate?” 

“When going out, either I or you must accompany her, Sir Turner. If a carriage is needed, you can call for the stable hand.” 

“Does the young lady go out often?” 

“She goes out irregularly, depending on her mood. Sometimes she takes walks, and other times she visits the shopping district.” 

Surprisingly, in this regard, she seemed like an ordinary noble young lady. However, considering the supposed purpose of her stay was recuperation, she didn’t appear to be confined to the estate. Ultimately, it seemed Carlson would have to learn more by observing her directly.

After lying on the bed for a moment, Carlson gathered his strength and got up. He unbuttoned his uniform and quickly changed into the clothes from the wardrobe. 

“Alright! All changed. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything urgent to do right now, so would it be okay if I wandered around and helped the other servants with their work?” 

“As you’re here as a guard, there’s no need for you to do more than that.” 

“Oh, but standing around doing nothing makes me feel awkward. And besides, if I don’t move around, my body will feel stiff.” 

“…Very well. The young lady is currently asleep, so you don’t need to greet her. I’ll also be attending to my tasks, so please don’t overdo it.” 

Adam stepped into the hallway and headed toward Beatrice’s room. Carlson casually waved at his retreating back before sighing and placing his hands on his hips. 

“Let’s see… Going up to the third floor is out of the question for now.” 

He didn’t want to be caught wandering around in broad daylight. If that happened, he might find himself thrown out of the estate with all sorts of accusations, guard duty or not. 

At least until nightfall, he needed to gather information elsewhere. Judging by the fact that Adam hadn’t outright refused his offer to help, it seemed the estate was indeed short-staffed. 

Looking out the window, Carlson saw several servants outside, chatting as they carried heavy items. 

Carlson quickly descended to the first floor and stepped outside. He greeted the laboring servants politely, bowing slightly. 

“Hello there! That looks awfully heavy—would it be alright if I helped you with it?” 

“Well, I don’t think I’ve seen you before… Who might you be?” 

“Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Carlson Turner. I’ll be staying at the estate for a while as the young lady’s guard.” 

With a good-natured smile, Carlson extended his hand to the servants. They hesitantly accepted his greeting, looking somewhat bewildered. Thankfully, not everyone seemed to be as guarded as Adam. 

Carlson picked up one of the boxes the servants were carrying. There were quite a few stacked up, making it difficult for the small group to move them efficiently. 

“Wow… That does look heavy…” 

“Come on, what kind of knight would I be if I couldn’t carry something like this? I just wanted to help since I’m bored standing around.” 

“Well, if you don’t mind, could you help us out a bit? It’s been slow going with just us.” 

“Of course! Where should I take this?” 

“The ones over there go to the kitchen, and the one you’re holding goes to the doctor’s room.” 

“A doctor’s room? There’s a doctor at the estate?” 

The servant leading the way paused briefly, and a moment of silence passed. Carlson suddenly recalled that a doctor had been present at the estate immediately after the kidnapping incident. 

“Well, yes. Just in case the young lady falls ill suddenly, it would be a big problem.” 

“Oh, absolutely! That would be a serious issue. Has the doctor always been here?” 

“No, he’s been here since about five months ago. He arrived then.” 

If Beatrice’s stay was truly for recuperation, there was a one-month gap before the doctor’s arrival. If her stay was merely a pretext, it wouldn’t make sense to bring the doctor in a month later.