Chapter 17
Several hours earlier.
After playing in the garden with Gayul all day long, on the way back to her room holding hands with Yeon-jeong and San-ho.
Soya was racking her brains over how to protect Baekho Palace’s benefactors from the ghost.
Actually, she had one method in mind.
[What’s the ghost even doing? It doesn’t drag away that wicked girl who tormented our Lady Riri.]
[The ghost must find that girl too filthy to take.]
People from the Zhuque Clan had often said things like that about her.
They had even burned the things she touched, claiming that even ghosts would shun them in disgust.
Back then, it had hurt her heart so much to watch her possessions turn to ashes one by one, but after hearing that a ghost had appeared in Baekho Palace, her thinking had changed a little.
‘They said ghosts shun the things I’ve touched in disgust, so if I put my things next to them, the ghosts will run away.’
Soya decided to place her own belongings next to the benefactors.
But Soya didn’t possess anything.
Even the pouch she’d brought when leaving Zhuque Mansion had been lost while fleeing from the assassins.
Recalling the lost pouch made her feel a little downcast. Because that pouch was….
‘Oh dear, this isn’t the time to think about that.’
Soya shook her head vigorously to shake off the thought.
As she agonized over having nothing, a brilliant idea suddenly struck her.
“Wait a moment, Lady Yeon-jeong, Lady San-ho! Please wait just a bit for me!”
Soya let go of their hands and ran back to the garden.
Glancing around, she soon spotted what she was looking for.
With her face lighting up brightly, Soya picked up three of the smoothest, prettiest stones.
Yeon-jeong and San-ho, who had followed her, wore puzzled expressions, but Soya beamed at them and urged them to hurry back to the room.
Once back in the room, Soya blew the dirt off the stones whoosh whoosh, washed them clean in water, and dried them.
Then she stared at the stones for a moment before gripping them tightly in her hand and making a wish in her heart.
‘These are stones touched by Soya’s hands, so please make the ghosts shun them.’
Naturally, the stones showed no visible change, but a proud smile bloomed across Soya’s face.
‘All done!’
Soya’s preparations were complete.
‘Now I just need to place these next to Sa-eon and the young masters!’
But when it came time to actually venture out of the room alone at this late hour, she felt a little scared.
Soya stole a glance at Yeon-jeong.
“Miss, do you have something to say?”
Though she must have been tired from playing all day, Yeon-jeong hadn’t gone to sleep yet. She tilted her head curiously as Soya peeked at her.
“Um, Lady Yeon-jeong….”
Soya sidled up to Yeon-jeong and whispered furtively in her ear.
“You said there’s a ghost in Baekho Palace. But these stones here—if you keep them nearby, the ghost won’t take you. So I want to go deliver them to Sa-eon and the young masters.”
“Ah, so they’re like talismans!”
Yeon-jeong clapped her hands and nodded.
“Talismans?”
“Things that drive away ghosts.”
“Ah…! Yes, just like that! They’re talismans!”
They didn’t exactly drive ghosts away so much as make them flee, but they seemed similar enough to talismans.
“Um, so I need to take these talismans to Sa-eon and the young masters….”
“Oh my, our sweet little miss. You were scared to go out into the hall by yourself, weren’t you?”
“Y-Yes…!”
Soya nodded vigorously.
Yeon-jeong chuckled and extended her hand to Soya.
“In that case, shall this Yeon-jeong accompany you to the lord and the young masters?”
“Yes!”
Soya smiled radiantly and took Yeon-jeong’s hand.
Holding Yeon-jeong’s hand, the first place Soya headed to was Gayul’s room, the closest one.
They carefully, quietly opened the door and peeked inside to see Gayul sleeping soundly, blanket kicked off, snoring with little puffs.
Soya placed one stone next to Gayul and swiftly retreated to the hall.
Next, they headed to Gahyeon’s room—the one who had given her a tour of Baekho Palace on her first day.
Gahyeon’s room was utterly silent, without even the sound of breathing.
Soya set a stone down next to Gahyeon, who lay perfectly straight and slumbering peacefully, then slipped back out.
And finally, Soya headed to Sa-eon’s office.
“It’s so dark—does he really stay in his office at a time like this?”
“The lord often works late into the night.”
When they arrived at Sa-eon’s office, Jeokyeong spotted Soya and greeted her.
“Cotton Ball Miss? Here to offer thanks to the lord again today?”
“No. Well, today….”
Soya whispered the reason for her visit to Jeokyeong, who asked with his usual affable smile.
“Wow, a ghost-repelling talisman made by Cotton Ball Miss herself! The lord must be so, so jealous?”
Jeokyeong responded with exaggerated envy, and Soya quickly replied upon realizing her mistake.
“Th-Then I’ll make one for you too, Jeokyeong!”
At those words, Jeokyeong broke into a delighted grin.
“Really? That’s a promise, Miss?”
“Yes.”
It was just then, as Soya reached out her pinky finger toward Jeokyeong’s.
Yeon-jeong, who had been standing quietly, shot Jeokyeong a fierce glare and spoke up.
“That’s not fair, Miss! You’re giving a gift to that old fox before me, even though you see me every day?”
“Old… old fox?”
Unaware that the two were siblings, Soya was taken aback by Yeon-jeong’s blunt words.
“Make one for me too, Miss! Mine before his!”
“Ah, got it, Lady Yeon-jeong!”
Soya hooked pinkies with Yeon-jeong as well to seal the promise.
They pressed their thumbs together to stamp it, but for some reason, it felt a little strange.
No one had ever asked anything of Soya before or waited expectantly for her to deliver.
She had always lived with bated breath, but this made her feel like….
‘I’m being useful to someone.’
It was an unfamiliar, awkward sensation that tickled pleasantly inside.
“Now then, Miss. Hurry inside and deliver the talisman to the lord.”
Jeokyeong smiled as he opened the door for her.
“This time, try going in by yourself, Miss!”
Buoyed by the encouragement from Yeon-jeong and Jeokyeong, Soya stepped boldly into the office.
“Hell… oh!”
Soya was about to greet him right away when she spotted Sa-eon slumped over his desk. She hurriedly clapped both hands over her mouth.
‘He’s asleep.’
Sa-eon must have been tired too.
‘Can’t wake Sa-eon.’
Soya crept forward as quietly as she could, minimizing her footsteps.
It was at that moment.
“Ugh….”
Startled by the faint groan of pain, Soya tripped and tumbled down with a clatter.
“Owie….”
Holding back the sting of tears, Soya pushed herself up.
“I’m sorry, Sa-eon. I didn’t mean to wake you…. Uh…?”
Even amid the commotion, Sa-eon didn’t stir. Soya blinked in surprise, then jolted in alarm.
Sa-eon was sweating coldly and groaning just like someone who was ill.
‘Wh-What do I do…! I came too late—he’s already been gotten to by the ghost.’
Soya clasped her hands together and stamped her feet anxiously.
‘No. Please… Mr. and Mrs. Ghosts, don’t torment Sa-eon.’
It was while Soya was murmuring that to herself inwardly.
Flash—!
A brilliant light flashed from the stone clutched in her hand.
Soya’s eyes went wide.
“Wha…?”
The light vanished in an instant.
What was that just now? Had she seen wrong?
Soya rubbed her eyes, then noticed Sa-eon’s complexion gradually calming.
“…!”
Soya’s own face lit up just as brightly in response.
‘The talisman really worked. What a relief.’
Soya set the stone down next to Sa-eon, then sneaked back out.
Seeing Soya’s beaming face, Yeon-jeong asked as they waited in the hall.
“Success, Miss?”
“Yes!”
Soya answered with a huge smile.
“Hey, Lady Yeon-jeong. The talisman really works! The ghost was tormenting Sa-eon, but it saw the talisman and ran away!”
Soya whispered in an excited rush.
“Oh my.”
It was the first time their miss had spoken so quickly. Yeon-jeong chuckled at Soya’s flushed cheeks.
“That’s a relief.”
“I’ll make yours tomorrow too!”
“Wonderful, Miss. Then tomorrow, you can sleep in late, get up refreshed, and go pick the prettiest stone…. Oh, Miss—you fell?”
“Huh?”
“There’s blood here.”
Only then did Soya notice that her palm was slightly scraped.
She must have gotten hurt when she startled at Sa-eon’s groan and fell.
“Oh dear, what do we do—our miss’s delicate hand is bleeding.”
“Uh… It’s not that bad….”
Embarrassed, Soya tried to hide her hand behind her back, but Yeon-jeong grabbed her wrist even faster.
“This won’t do, our miss. Let’s hurry back to the room and put some medicine on it.”
“Yess.”
Soya nodded obediently and returned to her room. She washed her hand clean, applied ointment to the wound, and drifted off to sleep with a peaceful heart.
