|| Chapter 6 ||

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of a knife chopping echoed through the kitchen, accompanied by the delicious smell of food.

Someone was definitely cooking.

“I have to find out who it is.”

After someone had visited the mansion earlier that day, Lucian made up his mind.

Should he continue living in fear, too scared to uncover the truth?

Or should he face it, even if the answer turned out to be completely different from what he expected?

Honestly…

No matter who it was…

He wanted to thank them.

After all, they had saved him from starving to death.

And in this place where no one came looking for him…

They were the only one who cared about him.

Gathering his courage, Lucian slowly walked toward the kitchen.

The kitchen door was wide open, almost inviting him inside.

Even though he had prepared himself mentally…

He still felt scared.

Instead of boldly walking in, he cautiously poked only his head through the doorway.

“Hngh!”

Lucian quickly covered his mouth before a gasp could escape.

Just like the other day…

Cooking utensils and ingredients floated through the air while the meal prepared itself.

A ghost?

Magic?

Whatever it was…

It definitely wasn’t something an ordinary person could do.

His legs trembled on their own.

Still…

Lucian swallowed hard and took a brave step forward.

Tap!

Sensing someone’s presence, I stopped cooking and turned around.

Lucian was standing at the kitchen entrance, trembling with a pale face.

For a moment, I thought he was going to run away again.

I even considered moving aside for him.

But—

[Hmph! Fine! I don’t care anymore! Run away or faint if you want!]

Ignoring Lucian, I turned back to my cooking.

Now that fresh ingredients had arrived, I could make a lot more dishes.

But…

He still had to pay for his crime.

So today I’d only make an omelet and goulash.

[You don’t like vegetables, right? Then today’s a vegetable party!]

I deliberately chopped only the vegetables he hated.

Bell peppers.

Onions.

Everything.

By then, Lucian had already taken five steps into the kitchen.

“I… I like meat better…”

he whispered quietly while glancing around.

Since he couldn’t see me, he was talking into empty air.

[Oh? So you’re not fainting this time?]

He looked like he was only seconds away from wetting himself.

Still…

He had guts.

A mischievous idea suddenly came to me.

I lifted the knife and deliberately waved it from side to side.

[Nope. No meat today.]

Then, just for show…

I sliced an onion cleanly in half.

“Eek!”

Lucian immediately took a step backward.

Chuckling to myself, I expected him to run.

Instead…

He walked all the way to the kitchen island.

“When will the food be ready?”

“I’m hungry.”

[…Well, look at that. Now you’re talking to me?]

I couldn’t help laughing.

Still…

This was much better than him running away every time.

Feeling a little deflated, I picked up the spatula and pointed it at the clock.

Specifically…

At the number six.

[I’ve always served dinner at six. Wait.]

“So…”

“You’re telling me to wait?”

“Okay.”

For a brief moment…

It almost felt like we were having a conversation.

If I stayed like this any longer, I felt like I’d get swept up in his pace.

So I ignored him and focused on cooking.

Lucian had completely settled in.

He quietly watched me cook.

Even though it should have been impossible…

I could almost feel his gaze on the back of my head.

The kitchen, which had always been silent…

Was now filled with the quiet humming of a child.

The unfamiliar feeling made me finish cooking earlier than planned.

I quickly placed the omelet and goulash onto plates and set them in front of Lucian.

“Wow…”

“I’ve never seen food like this before.”

[It’s full of vegetables, so you’d better eat every bite.]

“Everything my benefactor makes is delicious!”

“I’m sure this will be too!”

Before I knew how to react…

Lucian had already started eating.

“Mmm!”

“It’s delicious!”

Thankfully…

He liked it.

He eagerly stuffed food into his mouth.

[Slow down. No one’s going to steal it.]

“It’s so fluffy.”

“It feels like I’m eating a cloud.”

That was Lucian’s review of the omelet.

Such a childish comparison made me smile without realizing it.

He was eating so fast that some goulash nearly dripped from his mouth onto his clothes.

I picked up a napkin and held it in front of him.

Lucian froze.

After swallowing the food in his mouth…

He watched as the napkin floated by itself and gently wiped his lips.

“…You’re wiping my mouth?”

[Yeah, you little brat. You’re such a mess.]

“H-Hehe…”

His innocent smile made me strangely uncomfortable.

So I deliberately wiped his face much harder with the napkin.

“Mmph! Mmph!”

Lucian struggled as the napkin rubbed his face.

After the small commotion…

The plates gradually became empty.

“Whew…”

“I’m full now.”

Lucian leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach.

Looking at the messy table…

And his messy face…

I couldn’t help sighing.

[Good grief… You really are a handful.]

I cleaned up the table.

Then I carried the empty dishes to the sink.

The whole time…

Lucian’s eyes followed me.

[You can’t even see me. What are you staring at? Hurry upstairs, wash up, and go to bed.]

“Benefactor…”

“You’re here, aren’t you?”

[If I’m really the benefactor you’re talking about.]

“Why won’t you show yourself?”

[When have I ever hidden? You’re the one who couldn’t see me.]

“Are you… a magician?”

[No. I’m not a magician. I’m not even alive.]

Lucian probably thought he was talking to himself.

But…

I answered every single question.

Even though my words would never reach him.

“……I want to meet you, Benefactor.”

[You’d probably faint if you saw me. You’re scared of ghosts.]

Silence filled the kitchen.

Only the quiet clatter of dishes could be heard as I washed them.

Yet…

For some reason…

At this moment…

It felt like Lucian and I truly understood each other.

[…I want to talk to you too.]

Since I knew he couldn’t hear me…

I let my true feelings slip out.

The moment I said it…

I regretted it.

[Ugh… This really doesn’t suit me.]

Embarrassed, I shivered before suddenly shouting.

[Hey! Say something! You were talking nonstop a second ago! Why’d you suddenly go quiet?!]

At that moment…

Our eyes met.

…No.

Was he looking toward where my eyes were?

Lucian’s golden eyes suddenly widened.

He looked completely shocked.

“A… A ghost!”

Lucian yelped and fell backward out of his chair.

“……I want to meet you, Benefactor.”

His benefactor wouldn’t answer.

They simply continued washing the dishes.

Lucian felt disappointed.

He thought he was the only one desperately wanting to meet them.

Just as he closed his eyes and prepared to leave—

[…I want to talk to you too.]

A beautiful voice reached his ears.

It sounded strangely familiar.

Lucian immediately turned toward the voice.

A figure…

One that hadn’t been there just moments ago…

Now stood in front of the sink.

It was so transparent that he could clearly see the sink through her body.

A woman wearing a simple dress.

Long wavy hair flowed down her back.

[Ugh… This really doesn’t suit me.]

The woman shivered as though she had said something unbearably embarrassing.

[Hey! Say something! You were talking nonstop a second ago! Why’d you suddenly go quiet?!]

She suddenly turned around angrily.

Lucian had expected a terrifying face.

Instead…

She was unbelievably beautiful.

Without question…

The most beautiful person he had ever seen.

He found himself staring blankly at her.

But at the same time…

His heart dropped.

Because she wasn’t human.

“A… A ghost!”

Losing his balance…

Lucian fell from his chair.

Ignoring the pain, he hurried back to his feet.

The woman’s transparent figure was still there.

For several seconds…

They simply stared at each other.

Then the woman slowly floated around the table until she stood directly across from him.

[…You can see me?]

Though frightened…

Lucian slowly nodded.

The woman’s eyes grew even wider.

“…”

[……]

“…Um?”

[Aaaahhh!!]

The woman suddenly screamed.

Then she began flying wildly around the kitchen.

Her floating body reminded him once again…

She really wasn’t human.

Even so…

She’s… not that scary?

The ghost looked even more panicked than he was.

Lucian quietly watched her fly around.

After a while…

She hid behind the sink and peeked out with only her face showing.

[Y-You…! How can you see me?!]

“…I just can.”

[S-Since when?! No! You couldn’t see me just a moment ago!]

“…”

[That’s impossible…!]

“Aaaahhh!!”

The woman screamed again, completely losing her composure.

Watching her panic so much…

Lucian’s face became expressionless.

“Quiet.”

At his single word…

The woman froze.

She simply blinked and stared at him.

“Please calm down.”

“So…”

“Benefactor?”

[Benefactor? Forget that… Do you even know who I am?]

“Um…”

“My benefactor?”

[That’s not it!]

“But…”

“You cooked for me.”

“You cleaned my room.”

“You washed my clothes.”

“Didn’t you?”

[Ugh… That’s true, but that’s not who I am!]

“Then who are you?”

[I’m… well…]

She opened and closed her mouth several times.

Then finally shouted,

[I’m your bride!]

“…Huh?”

Bride?

The Ghost Bride?

The same Ghost Bride from the spirit marriage?

Lucian suddenly remembered that terrible wedding day.

Back then…

Many strange things had happened.

The coffin had moved by itself.

A violent wind had suddenly blown.

And most of all—

“T-That ghostly pair of legs…”

[Hm? You saw my legs?]

Seeing Lucian’s face turn completely pale…

The woman immediately closed her mouth.

[…I wasn’t trying to scare you.]

Her voice became much quieter.

Lucian slowly looked up.

She looked completely discouraged.

[Those sons of…! N-No, I can’t swear in front of a child. Those worthless idiots were talking nonsense. How could I just stand there and listen?!]

“…So…”

“You weren’t trying to eat me?”

[Why would I eat you?]

“Because…”

“I’m a sacrifice.”

The woman’s face clearly looked like she wanted to ask,

What kind of nonsense is that?

Lucian quietly closed his mouth.

[Just so you don’t misunderstand—I never wanted you as my groom.]

“What?”

“Then why am I here…?”

[How should I know? I was just minding my own business when you people suddenly barged in.]

Lucian slowly collapsed onto the floor.

All the strength left his body.

Then…

Why had he been brought here?

Everyone had told him…

He had become the Ghost Bride’s groom to comfort her restless spirit.

Then… who am I supposed to blame?

When he first arrived…

He hated the Ghost Bride for bringing him here.

After that…

He hated his family, who never once appeared even as he was taken away as a sacrifice.

Then…

He hated the people who only saw him as an obstacle that needed to disappear.

Now…

The very person he had hated and blamed…

Had never tried to harm him.

Instead…

She had only been kind to him.

The realization overwhelmed him.

Tears slowly rolled down his cheeks.

Seeing Lucian cry…

The Ghost Bride hurriedly floated around him in panic.

[Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?]

“N-No…”

Lucian shook his head.

He wasn’t crying because of her.

He was crying because…

Other than the Ghost Bride…

No one in the world had ever cared about him.

Lucian quietly cried for a long time.

Unable to think of what to do…

The Ghost Bride simply crouched beside him, just as helplessly.