The Kingmaker System-Chapter 53 - 52. A Good Ghost Story (1)

Charlotte kept screaming while I leaned back and fell from the balcony instantly activating the invisibility spell and my wings before I flew back to my room and put on my earstud.

I rushed out of my room through the door this time and watched as the servants were confused hearing Charlotte’s screams. The guards who were on duty ran up to her room too trying to open the doors.

I ran up to that place and found Lyall there as well.

"What’s wrong?"

"The door is locked from inside." He told me.

I was about to suggest breaking the doors open when the doors opened and Charlotte flew out throwing herself into my arms as she cried and continued shouting.

I felt a bit guilty for scaring her that much.

"What’s wrong?!"

Roderick and Davian arrived on the scene and watched me holding Charlotte.

"You! What did you do?" Roderick stomped over to me and gripped the front of my shirt.

"What did you do to my daughter?"

Roderick was ready to throw hands but Davian stopped him and a few guards along with Lyall held him back.

"What happened here?" Davian asked and I shook my head.

"I don’t know myself, I heard the Lady screaming and came to see if she was in trouble."

"Liar! You must have done something, you sly mongrel!" Roderick shouted.

"Mind your words, Lord Thompson." I warned and Davian looked at Charlotte who was trembling as she clutched onto my clothes.

"Besides, if I had done something to your daughter then she wouldn’t be clinging to me like this." I said gesturing towards her.

"You wretch!"

Lyall seemed like he was ready to bash Roderick’s teeth in but I shook my head at him gesturing him to stay calm.

"I didn’t do anything, Lord Thompson." I said.

"That’s right, Sir Ocean arrived here just now and Lady Charlotte was already screaming." The guards who were holding him said defending me.

"Wait, let’s find out what happened here first." Davian intercepted before Roderick could start shouting again.

"Lady Charlotte?" Davian called to her and I patted her back gently.

"Let’s go inside and talk." I said as I took one step inside.

"No, not in this room!" Charlotte shouted making me stop.

"But this is the room you’re staying in." I spoke making her shake her head.

"No, no! She-She is here! She-She-She will take me!"

"She? Who?" I asked.

"What are you talking about, Lady Charlotte?" Davian asked.

Charlotte peeked up from my shirt and sniffed.

"The-There was a ghost in my room."

The servants and guards who heard gasped and looked at each other while Davian frowned.

"Ghost?"

"Yes..." Charlotte whimpered.

"Maybe your eyes played a trick on you since there’s a snowstorm outside." I suggested and she shook her head and looked up at me with wide, pleading eyes.

"She was there! I saw her, a-a small gi-girl sh-she was wearing this wh-white dress an-and she-she had wh-white hair and-"

"White hair?" Davian frowned as he leaned closer.

"Yes, and she di-didn’t have eyes, she-she was calling me... She-She even knew my name! She-She told me to go-go wi-wi-with her!" Charlotte was barely able to make coherent sentences.

"Where did you see it?" I asked and without turning she stretched her hand and pointed at the balcony.

The doors were open and the wild winds were rushing inside along with the snow that had drenched the carpet and the curtains.

"Are you sure?" Davian asked and she nodded as she clutched onto my shirt again.

"Nonsense, this brat must have done something to scare my daughter!" Roderick shouted.

"I came from my room just a minute ago, how would I scare your daughter? And do I look like a small girl to you?" I asked making him grit his teeth.

"You-"

"Wait!" Davian snapped and then looked at me.

"We need to find out about what happened before we reach to any conclusion."

I nodded and patted Charlotte’s back as I spoke gently, "My Lady, you don’t need to be scared any more, I, His Grace and even your father is here so, please tell us where you saw that ghost?"

[Goddess of Wisdom wonders whether you are a hero or a villain here.]

"I fit the manipulative roles well." I answered her.

[Goddess of Wisdom rectifies that it’s psychopathic and not manipulative.]

"No comments."

I turned my attention back on Charlotte.

"Shall I go inside, My Lady? If anything happens I’ll protect you." I told her.

[Goddess of Wisdom feels bad for the poor child.]

Charlotte was trembling but she nodded and I stepped in followed by Davian, Roderick, Lyall and a few guards.

"Can you tell us exactly what happened, My Lady?" I asked and she slowly lifted her head from my shirt and gulped before pointing at the bed.

"I-I was sleeping wh-when I heard someone kn-knocking on the door," she pointed at the balcony doors.

"I-I thought it was because of the storm tha-that some branches wo-would be kn-knocking on the the door so-so I we-went back to bed bu-but then I-I heard a-a voice calling m-my name."

She gulped and continued, "I-I pi-picked up the-the vase an-and went to the door to-to see wh-who it was an-and the-there was no one. I th-thought that maybe I-I heard it wrong b-but it called me again. So-So, I stepped out an-and there wa-was still no-no one... I-I checked everywhere bu-but there was no-nothing. I-I thought that may-maybe I-I was d-dreaming or something... b-but then I tu-turned and..."

Her face grew ashy as she pointed at the balcony, "I-I heard her voice again, I-I turned around an-and she was there!"

Davian and the others looked at the balcony as Charlotte pointed.

"She-She was standing on tha-that railing and ca-calling me. Wh-When I shouted sh-she fell back an-and disappeared."

"Fell back and disappeared?" Davian mumbled.

I walked up to the balcony and covered Charlotte with my coat before looking down at the empty yard which was being covered by the snow.

Davian and Roderick walked out as well and looked down but there was nothing to see.

We went back in and the balcony doors were closed.

"Maybe... Lady had a bad dream." A guard suggested.

"No! She was here, I saw her! I really saw her!" Charlotte shouted and looked at me and then at her father and Davian.

"Please trust me!"

I patted her back trying to calm her as she was quite worked up.

"It’s fine, it’s all right now. You’re safe."

"Stop that and give me my daughter!" Roderick grimaced and gripped Charlotte’s arm tugging at her but she kept clinging to me.

"Wait, don’t be so harsh." I snapped.

"Shut up!"

Charlotte whimpered and I sighed as he finally got her off me.

It took time for everything to quieten and Charlotte was shifted to another room, a maid was told to stay with her in the room while the guards were stationed outside.

Roderick warily went back to his room. I asked Lyall to return to his room and the guards and servants also returned to their spots leaving me and Davian.

We walked in silence until I heard Davian mumble.

"A ghost of a small girl with white hair."

"Does it sound familiar?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I haven’t ever come across any ghost for all these years. There are various folklores but... the one of a girl with white hair and no eyes... It’s bizarre."

"Bizarre, huh..."

"I will have the guards check around the castle to see if there is some burglar or assassin matching the description."

"I wonder why this particular ghost decided to only scare Lady Charlotte." I wondered making Davian look at me.

"You believe in ghosts?"

"Of course, I do. They are the remnants of energy of a person after death and hold the desires and wishes just like the living."

"You seem to know a lot..." He spoke and I shrugged my shoulders.

"I’m a Mage, after all. I study about Mana and the sort."

"... It’s unsettling to have the thing about ghosts spread around."

"Everyone loves a good ghost story, Your Grace. It will be difficult to keep it a secret."

Davian sighed.

"Besides, if you feel scared then I can stay over till you fall asleep."

Davian looked up at me and rolled his eyes, "I’ll be fine, think of yourself."

"I’ll be fine too, I’ll just seduce that ghost with my handsome face."

Davian gave me a look which made me laugh, "What? You don’t think I can charm a ghost?"

He simply shook his head at my words.

"Still, isn’t it better that Lady Charlotte or no one else would want to interfere with your mother’s room from now?"

He stared at me for a moment, "Did you..."

"Hm?"

Davian pursed his lips and then asked, "Did you have to do something with this ghost incident?"

I chuckled, "What are you saying, Your Grace? I am a Mage, not a necromancer to summon dead and scare people like that."

I was surprised that he thought I might have something to do with it but I couldn’t just come clean and tell him that it was indeed me.

Besides, I may have given a child a trauma tonight.

[Defender of Divine Glory condemns your sinister tactic.]

[Goddess of Wisdom disagrees.]

My two patrons started debating over what happened before I and Davian returned to our rooms where I was yet to move to the next part of my plan. It was a damn long night.