The Ghost Lady Of The Duke's Family (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 4

In a situation that could only bring tears, Aeli let out a hollow laugh.

“No way—when the kid was just one year old, I died almost immediately after…!”

Though a few months might have passed in between, it was still undeniably a short span of time.

At most, it had merely given those around enough time to gather their composure.

It would have lasted only a fleeting moment—just long enough for gossip-loving people to chatter busily before gradually quieting down.

…Perhaps even shorter than that.

-…….

Just as she stood there, her face cold and her fists trembling uncontrollably,

Hic!

Aeli turned toward the soft, delicate sound that filled the quiet room.

The startled child, eyes wide with embarrassment, quickly covered their mouth with both hands.

“Ah… th-that—hic! Th-that’s—”

-…….

“Appa’s really mean, hic! Not a bad person, huh—hic!”

Not true. Aeli easily inferred the cut-off words and gave a bitter nod with a wry smile.

In any case, there was no need to indulge her anger if it meant ignoring the child’s obvious distress.

‘…I’ll deal with this later.’

Whether she chose punishment or curses, it wasn’t something she could resolve right now.

She’d settle it properly when Lutis crawled back into the house.

Having quickly made this pact with herself, Aeli nodded toward the tray, still half-filled with food.

-I’m sorry for speaking carelessly. Shall we finish eating?

“…….”

-…Sweetheart?

“My tum….”

-Does your tummy hurt?

The child shook their head vigorously, pushing their lips inward in denial.

Then, glancing up cautiously with darting eyes, they gently placed the knife they’d been holding onto the tray.

Seeing Aeli silently watching them as they alternated their gaze between their own stomach and the tray, the child slumped in defeat, fiddling with their fingers and bowing their head deeply.

“I’m full….”

-After eating just that little…?

Aeli’s eyes widened as she repeated the child’s words in disbelief.

All they’d eaten so far was half a child-sized portion of soup, two bites of salad, and half a small roll.

If anything else counted, it was just one tiny piece of steak—barely touched, as though merely sampled.

Though there were many dishes, altogether it amounted to little more than tasting.

‘…No wonder you seem a bit small for four.’

If they’d always eaten like this, it made sense they’d be smaller than other children their age.

Lowering herself to the child’s eye level, Aeli coaxed gently.

-How about just three more bites each?

“…….”

-No? Hmm… then how about two?

After a moment of chewing their lips in thought while meeting Aeli’s gaze from a not-too-distant distance, the child finally reached for the tray.

Soon, their cheek—visible from the side—plumped up slightly as they chewed.

Watching the scene unfold, Aeli smiled faintly, feeling as if her tangled emotions were gently melting away.

Several minutes must have passed like this.

“I’m all done….”

Aeli blinked slowly at the child’s fixed, expectant stare.

So entranced had she been by their soft, moving cheeks that she’d only just noticed her own hands had stopped moving between the plates.

Aeli gazed blankly at the child’s short legs swinging below the bed and finally spoke.

-Then shall we wash up and go to sleep?

“…….”

-A-are we sleeping here too? …First, maybe I should call a maid or a servant,

“I promised Mari I’d let you know when we finished eating.”

…Are you really not my mom? the hesitant child finally asked.

Aeli—now no longer among the living—hesitated.

‘Should I… tell them the truth?’

Humans were creatures who rarely tolerated anything straying beyond the boundaries they themselves had set.

Having witnessed enough malice and hostility in her lifetime toward those who broke that rule, Aeli couldn’t say she welcomed the fact that only this child seemed aware of her presence.

At first, she’d felt relief—not being utterly alone—but now that she grasped the situation more clearly…

‘…It might’ve been better if no one could see me at all.’

Exactly.

The child was already receiving treatment that was far from normal; if people also believed they saw ghosts, what then?

‘Look—they’re talking to empty air…’

‘They say they can see the late Madam.’

‘What nonsense is that?’

‘Well, the Duke hasn’t returned to the estate in years—that alone tells you there’s trouble.’

She didn’t even need to try to imagine the whispers; a sigh escaped her naturally.

She couldn’t possibly silence every rumor—especially from behind their backs—and without a body, how could she do anything about it?

Should she let the child be seen talking to thin air, or muttering about seeing their dead mother?

Weighing the options, Aeli made her decision—it wasn’t even a real choice.

-…Unfortunately, I’m not your mother.

The former might be excused as an imaginary friend, given the child’s young age, but the latter would not.

‘They’d surely accuse them of madness.’

The child had been separated from their parents almost from birth and had never even left the estate’s annex, let alone stepped outside.

Regardless of the truth, their circumstances would make others see things exactly that way.

…And with no adult to protect them, such rumors would bring nothing but trouble.

Aeli didn’t want to be the kind of parent who sacrificed her child’s future for her own selfish desires. Just as she forced an awkward smile—

“Then… why do you look like me?”

-…….

“Mari said she doesn’t like black hair, but you do….”

-That’s… that’s because…

As the child said, black hair was uncommon in the Empire.

Not entirely absent, but as rare as beans sprouting in a drought.

Even among the far more numerous commoners, it was scarce; among nobles, the Mason family—Aeli’s own bloodline—was practically the only one with black hair.

But it was doubtful a four-year-old would know that.

Aeli glanced down at her own clothes.

‘…….’

Even after rolling around earlier, these weren’t the kind of clothes a commoner would wear.

Better to play it safe than take a gamble. Searching hastily for a plausible excuse, Aeli blurted out:

-I-I’m actually a guardian ghost—no, spirit—sent by your mother!

“…….”

-I was once part of House Mason in life, so maybe that’s why we look alike! Also, your mother’s parents—your grandparents—also all had black hair.

“…….”

-It’s not just you and me who look alike, you see.

“…Oh, reeeally…?”

The child nodded reluctantly at Aeli’s exaggerated, dramatic performance with outstretched arms.

Disaster.

Even at a glance, the child clearly doubted her story.

If even a four-year-old didn’t believe it, Aeli rolled her eyes and forced a laugh.

‘What am I supposed to do now! I never had a talent for creative writing—even back at the academy!’

It was bad enough that while Lutis passed his courses on the first try, she’d failed exams and assignments so badly she had to retake them twice.

She’d nearly been held back because of it.

If that was the best she could do with time to study and think, what hope was there for a spur-of-the-moment lie?

‘Ugh, my smile muscles ache.’

Just as her face—frozen in a grin—began to stiffen, the child asked another question.

“Then… will you stay with me now?”

-…Huh?

“Since you said Mom sent you….”

-…….

“…You won’t?”

Oh no! Without thinking, Aeli nodded at the child’s crestfallen question—and immediately screamed inwardly.

What was she supposed to do if she said yes, when she didn’t even know how long she’d remain here?

She’d even planned to slip away secretly once the child fell asleep!

Her nonexistent heart pounded as if it might burst—a clear sign of her panic.

“What’s your name?”

-Uh…?

“If you’re gonna stay with me, I need to know your name. Otherwise, I’ll have to keep saying ‘hey you’….”

-Oh….

She couldn’t risk revealing her usual nickname.

But inventing one on the spot was also hopeless—Aeli had no talent for naming.

[Hyung, I’m going to raise this one.] […Aeli. How many times must I say it? You can’t raise a mole in the estate.] [No! I will! Is Hyung ignoring our Halapinio now?] [What on earth—sigh…]

Eventually, the mole Halapinio had disappeared into the Mason-owned forest while Aeli was away getting snacks—the culprit, as expected, being the heir himself.

Recalling that incident from over ten years ago, Aeli gave up. Creativity was clearly beyond her.

-Lia. Call me Lia.

“Lia?”

-Yes. And you, sweetheart—

“…I don’t have a name.”

And you’re not a baby either. The dejected child hung their head lower at Aeli’s words.

Seeing their utterly defeated, downcast expression made Aeli’s fists clench with helpless frustration.

‘I really need to punch Lutis right in the solar plexus—five solid hits ought to soothe my soul.’

But then again, she had no body with which to deliver those punches.

What troubled her more than the name, though she didn’t realize it, was the child’s sadness at being treated like a baby.

Lowering herself to eye level once more, Aeli asked gently,

-Then… shall we pick a temporary name for now?

“…Temporary?”

-Yes, just until your father gives you a proper one. That’s what “temporary” means.

“He’s… really going to give me one?”

Unable to hide their excitement, the child’s eyes sparkled as they snapped their head up. Aeli smiled softly.

Seeing such obvious joy stirred complicated feelings within her.

Whatever name they’d originally been given, it should have been abundant beyond compare—nothing like this bleak present.

‘Technically, I didn’t just come up with it now.’

Nodding, Aeli spoke slowly.

[I already chose a prenatal name.] [Wait—you did it alone? …What about me?] [Ah, just listen! I worked really hard on it, so it’s not weird. Really!] […So what is it?]

-Adi.

Call yourself Adi.

Hearing the name—chosen so they’d grow with utmost nobility—the child beamed brightly.

Beneath the moonlight filtering through the small, old attic window,

Aeli noticed the child’s pale skin glowing faintly under thin fabric and said gently,

-It’s getting late. Shall we get ready for bed?

“Yees….”

Hehe. The child, cheeks now flushed pink, nodded and headed off—to a room along the second-floor corridor.

Following them inside, Aeli glanced around and realized:

This was their usual room.

The child, clutching what looked like sleepwear, opened a door presumably leading to the bath and called out,

“I’ll be right back—don’t go anywhere!”

-What if I come in?

“……! N-no! Don’t do that either!”

After teasing them into shrieking in protest, Aeli watched the closed door with a fading smile.

She’d already suspected it from the shabby clothes, poor meals, and neglected living conditions—

-…Could they really not even have proper attendants?

A four-year-old young master dressing and washing themselves? Was that even conceivable?

Aeli ground her teeth. Unsurprisingly, her mood hadn’t improved by the time the child returned to the attic, changed and tucked beneath the covers.

-Sleep well.

“Tomorrow too… you’ll stay with me, right?”

-…….

“My eyes… are open… don’t go….”

The child, struggling to keep their drowsy eyes open, trailed off mid-sentence and instantly fell asleep.

It was true—children often drifted off right in the middle of speaking. That was something Aeli hadn’t known.

Crouching beside the bed, she stared at the sleeping child’s face for a long while before murmuring,

-…Can’t I stay just a little longer?

There was still so much they didn’t know. Couldn’t she stay at least until Lutis returned?

She knew full well that the dead had no place beside the living. And yet…

Yet what parent could easily walk away, leaving their clearly lonely child behind?

With a body that needed neither food nor sleep, Aeli lingered near the child’s bed until the sky began to lighten with dawn.

Then, shaking her head, she turned away.

‘I have to go. My presence won’t bring anything good… What if strange rumors start because of me?’

She truly never wanted to see her child suffer unhappiness because of her.

Wherever it was, she resolved firmly not to set foot near the estate again. Aeli took a step forward.

[This is the timeline separator]

And exactly one hour later, she broke that resolve.

Why?

“H-hic…! L-Lia, where’d you g-go…! …Waaah!”

Somehow, the child had woken up, climbed out of the attic, and was now crawling across the annex roof, sobbing loudly.

…Good heavens.