<…The latest word was that she had been seen in the east annex. But more importantly, what’s with that tone?>

Rick, seemingly resigned, responded calmly.

Alright, good attitude. I steeled myself with determination and headed toward the east annex.

The Everdeen mansion was structured with the main building at the center and the east and west annexes branching off slightly.

My usual activities were around the west annex, so this was my first time visiting the east annex.

I cautiously entered the east annex, wary of encountering any servants who might still be awake. Like the main building, this place was also a haunt for ghosts.

I started searching the east annex, carefully avoiding the ghosts drifting around.

There was nothing on the first floor, nothing on the second. I was halfway through the third floor when Rick kept shaking his head, indicating she wasn’t there.

‘Where on earth is she hiding?’

A place where a ghost that torments and tries to harm people might hide… Deep in thought, I turned the corner of the third-floor hallway.

Because I was so focused, I didn’t notice the shadow that suddenly appeared from around the corner.

Thud!

“Ouch.”

<Oh no.>

I fell heavily on my backside. Rick, who had slipped from my grasp, also rolled across the floor with a small groan.

Ouch! I instinctively rubbed my aching nose, then froze as if struck by lightning.

‘Wait a minute, who did I just…’

Who did I bump into…?

I swallowed hard and slowly lifted my head like a rusty door.

“What?”

The silhouette in my view made me involuntarily let out a bewildered sound.

Oops.

I was a beat too late in covering my mouth with the hand that had been rubbing my nose.

The ghost, an old beggar, stared at me blankly for a moment before clutching the bottle he was holding and screaming.

<Aaaaaah!>

“Ahhh… Mmph!”

<Be quiet! Do you want the people in the mansion to find out?>

Rick’s hand—a bundle of cotton—covered my mouth, stopping my scream.

Only after hearing his urgent voice did I snap back to reality.

…Wait a minute, didn’t you just move?

<Th-this doll…>

As expected, the beggar ghost, stammering while pointing at Rick, fainted, his eyes rolling back as he clutched the bottle.

* * *

Rick and I, flustered by the fainted beggar ghost, grabbed his ankle and dragged him into a nearby empty room, locking the door behind us.

<Ghosts can come in anyway, can’t they?>

“Well, it didn’t seem like there were any other ghosts nearby right now, but just in case, we should at least block people.”

I replied while circling the room to check for any hidden ghosts.

Meanwhile, Rick shuffled over to the unconscious beggar ghost and poked his nose, asking,

<What are we going to do? If we leave him like this, all the ghosts in the mansion will know you can see them.>

Hearing that, I felt a bit indignant and glared at him.

“…If we’re being honest, it’s more your fault. That guy was surprised to see me, but he fainted at the sight of you.”

<…What kind of nonsense logic is that?>

“What are we going to do! It’s your fault! Why did you keep quiet in front of the other ghosts when you’re one of them?”

<I know that being a ghost who can move objects like they’re part of my body isn’t common. I didn’t want to be bothered. So, what are we really going to do?>

“I don’t know, so don’t ask me…”

<Fine, whatever.>

I crouched beside the beggar ghost, holding my head in my hands, thinking hard.

‘What should I do about this?’

Just as Rick often ignored my threats, ordinary threats didn’t work on ghosts. Since they were already dead, they didn’t feel pain.

There were two ways to threaten or persuade them.

One. Threaten to desecrate the ghost’s original body, the corpse.

…But this was ethically unsettling, and it could easily earn their grudge, so it was better not to try it at all.

And the second…

Trading with the ‘regrets’ that ghosts held.

“Ugh.”

I really hadn’t wanted to use this method unless it was absolutely necessary.

Ghosts that couldn’t move on to the afterlife and wandered this world all carried lingering regrets about their lives.

After my mother passed away, there were often ghosts at the Oblene estate who insisted I resolve their regrets, knowing I could see them.

Back then, thanks to Tommy and a few other strong ghosts who protected me, nothing major happened. But here, I was alone.

‘But since there’s no other way, I guess I have no choice.’

After much deliberation, I sighed deeply and reached out to shake the beggar ghost’s shoulder vigorously.

“Hey, mister. Wake up. At this rate, the sun will rise.”

<Ugh, ugh…>

As expected. Slapping his cheeks might not work, but this method sure did.

I released him just as his eyelids began to twitch.

<What in the… Aaaah!>

The ghost, trembling and trying to sit up, screamed again and fell backward as soon as he saw Rick and me.

Before he could collapse onto the floor again, I quickly reached out and grabbed his sleeve.

<H-how…!>

When he saw me holding his sleeve, he looked like he was about to faint, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief.

I let go of his sleeve and spoke in a resigned tone.

“Yes, that’s right. I can see, hear, and even touch you.”

<That can’t be…>

“It is. Anyway.”

I quickly cut off his incredulous muttering and took a deep breath. Then I spoke directly.

“What is your regret?”

<What?>

“Just to let you know, asking me to kill someone or hurt someone is a no-go. But aside from that, I’ll do my best to help you.”

<No, wait…>

The beggar ghost tried to say something, but I deliberately didn’t give him a chance and spoke rapidly.

“In return, you must never tell anyone that I can see ghosts. The same goes for this teddy bear. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter once I leave here.”

<Are you done talking?>

Rick immediately snapped, but I defiantly lifted my chin and met the beggar ghost’s gaze.

However, his gaze wasn’t directed at me.

<…Huh? I thought I saw something wrong earlier. Look at this.>

The beggar ghost suddenly spoke in a sharp voice and thrust his face toward Rick.

Rick flinched and tried to back away, but perhaps overwhelmed by the ghost’s strange aura, he stood frozen in place.

The beggar ghost rolled his eyes, staring intently at Rick, and then let out a cold sneer.

<Daring to misuse… it’s obvious you’ll self-destruct. Only an innocent soul will be pitied.>

He muttered something to himself in a low voice. The sound was so faint that parts were hard to hear.

Meanwhile, I blinked as I noticed something flickering in his eyes, which seemed to hold a strange light.

‘…A boy’s shadow?’

What was in front of me was definitely…

‘Rick?’

As I pondered in confusion, the beggar ghost shook his head and got up.

He grabbed the bottle in a familiar manner—almost as if it were part of him—and tilted his head as he asked.

<Leaving here? What do you mean by that? Aren’t you here as the heir of this household?>

“Uh-huh.”

Well, since I’ll inevitably find out while staying with him to resolve his regret anyway.

“That’s true, but I’ll be leaving soon.”

<Why?>

“Because this isn’t where I belong.”

Even though I hadn’t intended it, the words came out calmly.

Those words suddenly brought me back to my senses. I mentally reinforced my slightly lax resolve from the past few days and reminded myself.

Yes, this isn’t my home.

Where I belong is the Oblene estate, where Tommy, the ghosts, and my mother’s traces and memories remain, not here.

‘Let’s stay strong.’

I promised myself that no matter what unsettling events occurred in the future, I wouldn’t falter, and my eyes shone with determination.

<But you know.>

It was then that the beggar ghost, who had been watching me with an unreadable expression, spoke up.

<But I don’t have any regrets?>

“…What?”

What on earth does that mean?