“If you know, confess quickly. Who are you? Are you a ghost? Why are you inside there? Why have you been following me? If you lie, I’ll rip your eyes out.”

I bombarded it with questions without giving it a chance to respond, making sure to add a brief but frightening threat.

This approach strictly followed the advice from a strategy book that recommended overwhelming an unknown enemy with endless chatter to confuse them.

Unfortunately, it seemed the tactics in that book were meant for dealing with humans.

Contrary to my expectations, the teddy bear calmly adjusted the red ribbon around its neck and, surprisingly, began to speak.

<First of all, my name is ‘Rick.’ And I suppose… I am indeed a ghost.>

Suppose? Does that mean you’re some kind of teddy bear spirit?

As I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, the teddy bear seemed to catch on and added more information.

<I have no memories from before I came into the teddy bear.>

“……What?”

<It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. I only remember that my name was ‘Rick,’ and I have no recollection of how I died or why I’m trapped inside this teddy bear.>

“Trapped? So you didn’t hide there of your own will?”

<Yes. I’ve tried to leave, like other ghosts, but it was no use. The reason is… still unknown.>

Rick, the teddy bear, sighed deeply, genuinely frustrated.

Seeing that, it felt awkward to make further threats.

I examined Rick with a lingering sense of unease, deciding to resolve my unanswered questions first.

“By the way, you haven’t answered my other question yet. Why did you follow me in the first place?”

At my question, Rick sighed and glanced around before whispering softly.

<Recently, a ghost close to being a malevolent spirit entered the mansion.>

A malevolent spirit?

<But then, an innocent child was trying to wander outside at night. How could I, in good conscience, just watch that happen? I thought I’d scare you a bit to make you go back to your room.>

I was momentarily distracted by the mention of a malevolent spirit, but then I noticed something odd in his words and frowned.

What? A child?

“How old are you?”

A rather old-fashioned question slipped out of my mouth.

Rick, looking even more incredulous than me, replied.

<What do you mean by asking my age right after I said I have no memory?>

Oh, right.

“……Then how long have you been here?”

<Well… I’m not exactly sure, but it seems to be a little over four years.>

“What? Then I’m older than you!”

<That’s why, unsure of my age before I lost my memory, I haven’t been speaking informally. What’s your problem?>

“…….”

I quietly glared at Rick, who was calmly saying everything he wanted.

Sure, as he said, he’s speaking formally to me. But manner and attitude don’t always align, do they? How is that attitude respectful to someone older?

I stared at Rick with eyes full of ‘I have a lot to say,’ then eventually sighed and looked away.

This isn’t what’s important right now. I’m more mature than him, so I won’t waste my emotions on something so trivial. Yes, that’s right.

“More importantly, tell me more about this. There’s a malevolent spirit here?”

Malevolent spirit.

Just as the world isn’t filled with only good people, in the realm of the dead, there are beings commonly referred to as ‘malevolent spirits.’

Malevolent spirits are dangerous to both the living and the dead.

They consume weaker ghosts to gain strength and size, and with that power, they attempt to take the lives or bodies of the living.

Generally, there are two ways a ghost becomes a malevolent spirit.

One, if they can’t let go of the anger and grudges from when they were alive and repeatedly harm the living over a long period.

And two.

‘This is actually the most dangerous.’

When a ghost takes the life of a living person.

‘Hopefully, it’s not the second one.’

I waited anxiously for Rick’s response.

In the next moment, he spoke kindly, like a gentleman.

<I never said it was a malevolent spirit. I said it’s a ghost close to one. More importantly, it’s not good for a child to be awake at this hour. You should get some sleep first.>

…Was he really trying to mess with me?

* * *

No matter how much I pestered him, Rick remained stubborn. Even when I threatened to tie his neck ribbon tightly, he didn’t budge, leaving me with no choice.

In the end, I pouted and tried to sleep. Despite my disgruntled mood, I ended up sleeping deeply without any dreams this time.

“Yawn.”

The first day of pretending to be a naughty child had dawned. Teresia Oblene, please rise from your bed.

I woke up early and stretched my body.

I always had to wake up at this time to sneak food without the servants noticing or to steal snacks from Lawrence, so my mind was clear.

As I sat on the bed, stretching my arms up, sideways, and forward while yawning, Mina entered the room.

She widened her eyes in surprise and then smiled kindly, picking up a pen.

“Oh my, you’re up early, miss! Shall we wash up and head to the dining room now?”

Alright, it’s time to start.

I lay back down without meeting Mina’s gaze.

“No!”

“…What?”

As expected, I heard Mina’s confused voice, forgetting to write on the paper.

Good, everything’s going according to plan. I smiled mischievously, out of Mina’s sight, and kicked my feet.

“The bed is so comfy, I don’t want to get up. Can’t I just eat here without washing up? Please?”

<Wow, amazing.>

Was he serious?

I rolled my eyes to glare at Rick sitting on the nightstand. His smug look as he quickly shut his mouth was infuriating.

Yeah, what would you know about my deep struggles? Watch and learn from this composure that sets aside pride and dignity.

I conveyed my silent lament to Rick and then sneakily glanced at Mina.

By now, she should be looking at me with the same exasperated expression the maids at the Oblene mansion used to have! Good, I was ready!

…But something seemed off.

“Miss…”

It was the moment I sensed something was wrong. A voice, trembling noticeably, pierced my ears.

Mina’s eyes, which had been oddly distorted, shimmered with something unusual.

It was definitely tears.

I jumped up in shock. What the heck, why are you crying!

‘Did I go too far?’

Oh, no. I cursed myself internally with guilt and hurried over to Mina. I anxiously circled around her.

“Mina, Mina? I’m sorry! It was just a joke! I’ll wash up and brush my teeth! I’ll eat in the dining room! I was wrong…”

So please, do something about those tears…

I fidgeted with my fingers, apologizing in a small voice.

I swallowed the words ‘don’t cry’ with the last bit of rationality. I couldn’t see Mina’s face in this state.

But then, Mina, whose eyes were shimmering with moisture, suddenly smiled brightly. She quickly scribbled something and held up the paper for me to see.

“It’s alright, miss! In that case, I’ll go ask the master if he wants to dine in your room too!”

“What?”

“Please, take your time to rest!”

“No, wait, Mina!”

I reached out desperately to grab Mina a beat too late.

But her clothes slipped through my fingers and disappeared out the door, as if mocking me. It happened in an instant.

Wow, how was she so fast?

Stunned, I froze in place, and then I heard a snicker from behind me.

<Terry really, really doesn’t want to get up.>

“Cut it out.”

<Alright, I’ll give up.>

I glared at Rick, hiding my bright red ears under my hair.

Then, he, who had been teasing me, turned to face the wall, avoiding my gaze.

Only then did I have the luxury to think.

I sighed deeply, thinking about Mina, who had left the room after saying something I couldn’t understand.

‘Yeah, the Duke will intervene.’

There was no way they’d let the heir, on the first day of being officially recognized, insist on eating in the room without regard for manners or formality. I could bet my fingers on getting scolded immediately.