It’s that ghost.
The one who would flicker in and out of sight—gone in a flash whenever he tried to approach, like a phantom. Something about her had always itched at the back of his mind like a hangnail, and now that she’d reappeared, his body moved on instinct.
“Ries?”
“Justyn, give me a minute!”
The tension that had once coiled around his heart like a vice had long since vanished. In its place surged an unexplainably powerful sense of certainty.
I need to meet that ghost.
He moved without hesitation, following the trailing hem of her dress and the bell-shaped lily-of-the-valley embroidery woven into it. Somehow, Ries felt that if he could just speak with her, the tangled threads knotted beneath the surface would begin to unravel.
But that hunch offered no proof.
He made it all the way to the fountain—only to find her completely gone. Despite taking a moment to catch his breath and scouring the area thoroughly, there was no sign of her.
The only thing that lingered was the soft murmur of water, gently tickling his ears. And yet… he could almost swear there was a faint floral scent hanging in the air.
“Ries!”
By the time Justyn caught up, even that faint trace had vanished. Looking around the fountain with concern, he spoke with a note of worry.
“Why did you suddenly…? No, are you alright?”
He didn’t ask what happened. He didn’t demand an explanation. His only concern was Ries’s wellbeing. That one line, spoken in a voice steeped in worry, instantly extinguished the edge of irritation Ries hadn’t realized had risen.
Slowly, he nodded.
“Sorry… I scared you, didn’t I? I thought I saw a ghost I knew, but there’s no one here.”
“A ghost?”
Justyn’s expression immediately darkened. Even a glance was enough to guess what he must be thinking.
Is he thinking of Edler?
But the ghost in the dress was a completely different kind of being than that malicious wraith. Just a guess, but it might’ve even been the owner of that white glowing orb that had helped Justyn arrive in time back then… After some hesitation, Ries finally spoke.
“She didn’t seem like a bad ghost, so don’t worry.”
He never imagined the day would come when he’d defend a ghost—something he normally found bone-chilling whether it was good or evil. Scratching his cheek awkwardly, he turned to Sefiut, who had fluttered up beside him.
“Sefi, did you see it?”
— What, the ghost you mentioned? I sensed a strange energy, sure, but didn’t see anything. More importantly, you…
The doll’s stitched features scrunched up dramatically. He looked like he had a lot to say.
— You’re the one who’s terrified of ghosts. So what were you thinking, running after one like that?
“Uh…”
Now that he pointed it out, yeah—what had he been thinking? Ries blinked, finally realizing what he’d just done. His expression flickered with momentary confusion, but it quickly settled down.
“…She just didn’t feel like a bad ghost?”
It was the same answer as before.
A deep sigh echoed from somewhere. Ries looked away like he hadn’t heard it and whistled nonchalantly. Regardless, he’d achieved what he wanted.
The ghost’s appearance had served as a perfect distraction. That buzzing, tingling sensation that had crawled along his skin had faded, the stubborn thirst he couldn’t seem to shake had lessened, and even the loud pounding of his heart had finally calmed to a normal rhythm.
So it was fine. The unease still lingered, sure—but he’d get another chance eventually. He reached out to Justyn, who still looked visibly concerned.
“Let’s go finish looking around.”
“…Yeah. Let’s do that.”
Justyn willingly took his hand.
***
One afternoon, while Justyn was briefly away, Ries sat at his desk, staring at the forged documents Ketir had provided.
Should I not have done it?
He knew there was no point in regretting it now—it wouldn’t change anything. And yet, the thought crept in unbidden.
His fingers tapped irritably on the desk. If he were still in cat form, his tail would’ve puffed up and smacked the floor in rapid, angry thumps.
It had been a week since he’d started living under the fake name Rienstine Elton. Ries had blended into the household quickly, but he’d run into an unexpected obstacle.
Six times.
That’s how many times, in just the past week, he’d encountered “the dress hem.”
Sometimes as a human. Other times as a cat. Her behavior seemed to suggest she knew both forms were him—but that was secondary.
At this point, not being convinced would’ve been stranger. That ghost in the dress was definitely following him.
Why?
He had no clue. Chin propped on one hand, Ries turned to Sefiut beside him.
“What do you think?”
— What do you mean, what do I think?
The doll munched grumpily on a green grape.
— She seems very committed to tailing you.
“Should I go try talking to her first?”
— Maybe when you’re fully recovered. Right now? No chance. You’d just end up chasing her around like an idiot.
That was the second problem.
After the clash with Edler, Sefiut had entered a recovery phase. He’d pushed his power to the absolute brink, even drawing in the embers of lingering curses within his body, which meant his recovery was progressing at half its usual speed.
Because of that, Sefiut couldn’t take the lead in approaching the ghost in the dress. Which left only one option.
“Guess I’ll have to lie in ambush…”
Ambush—it was the most straightforward and obvious method.
The strange instinct that he needed to talk to that ghost hadn’t subsided at all. Sefiut let out a contemplative hum.
— You’re right. For now, that seems like the best plan. If you time it right when that brat isn’t around, it might be easier to make contact.
“Justyn?”
— Yeah. You’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you? That curse inside him—it’s poison to spirits like us. The sheer malice it holds tries to devour even the lingering attachments that keep souls tethered to this world.
Memories flickered in Ries’s mind—ghosts who’d reacted nervously to Justyn’s presence. The ghost knight who’d openly feared him. Edler, who’d raged like a beast, only to freeze up the moment Justyn got close.
So it really is because of Justyn?
Now that he thought about it, it made sense. Ries had rarely been apart from Justyn over the past few days. Every time he’d spotted that trailing dress hem, it had been while Justyn was nearby.
Which meant—now, while Justyn was away, was the perfect opportunity. His eyes drifted down to the papers spread before him.
They looked legitimate, but the contents were hollow. Leaving them for a short errand wouldn’t be a problem.
“Let’s go now.”
— Now? Seriously?
He jumped to his feet. Just in case Justyn worried, he even brought along the collar he never wore in human form. Though, to be fair, he just stuffed it into a pocket.
With Sefiut in both hands, Ries left the office. He had a good feeling about this—like he’d find her quickly.
And a few minutes later…
His hasty, impulsive plan—if it could even be called a plan—ended up succeeding far more spectacularly than expected.
“Gotcha!”
The moment he spotted that familiar dress, he darted forward and grabbed the hem. Hiding in a hallway he often walked with Justyn had paid off.
— Kyaa!!!
A shrill scream followed. The reaction was more intense than he’d expected, and he hadn’t even raised his head yet when Sefiut warned him.
— Someone’s coming.
“!”
He could feel it too now—someone approaching, their presence drawing steadily closer.
“Did you hear something just now?”
“Yeah, I heard it too. Felsy, was that you?”
Servants. And judging by their raised voices, they’d clearly heard what he’d said. Ries’s face twitched.
Their footsteps were growing louder. In a few more seconds, they’d round the hallway and spot him.
This was bad.
Really bad.
All for a ghost? And now he’d failed to keep watch properly? If they saw this, he could already imagine the wave of rumors and misunderstandings that would follow.
His awkward posture. The way he was grabbing the hem of nothing from their perspective. They’d see someone clutching at empty air like a lunatic.
Ries wavered for a moment longer, then finally let go. The freed fabric slipped from his hand like water.
And with it, all his strength drained away. He knew they’d ask what he was doing here, but he didn’t even have the energy to make up an excuse—so he just changed forms entirely.
One second, an adult man. The next, a small cat.
“Oh my gosh, it’s the Spirit Beast! The little fae is here too!”
“Are they out on a walk together?”
“But he’s not wearing a collar…”
Just as he feared, the two maids appeared. Their concerned looks made him worry they’d drag him straight to Justyn.
“Mrr…”
He weakly nudged the fallen collar on the floor toward them with a tired paw.
Whether they were impressed by how well he understood speech or simply enchanted by his cuteness, their reactions were loud.
“C-Cute—no, wait! That’s not the point! We’ve been so worried since you disappeared!”
“Ahem. Yes. Actually, lately people say seeing the Spirit Beast brings good luck for the day…”
Chatter, chatter. Their cheerful babbling gave no room to interject. In the end, Sefiut had to put a stop to the unwanted encounter.
He slipped around behind them and tipped over the laundry basket they’d set down.
— Oh no! The basket fell! Are you alright?
“Eek!”
“W-Why did it fall?! Damn it, now there’s dust all over everything…”
His innocent act was almost too smooth. The two flustered maids were instantly distracted and bustled around in panic.
Just like that, they left again—just as suddenly and windily as they’d arrived. Their stressed-out voices echoed down the hallway, sure they’d be scolded by their seniors.
Sefiut stared after their retreating forms with a blank expression, then turned his gaze to the floor.
More precisely, to the faint trail of energy stretching from Ries’s feet down the hall.
— Looks like she didn’t run this time.
It was the trace the ghost had left behind.
