Chapter 3

Translator: Shuli

Proofreader: 알레아

QC: Time

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The ghost slowly circled around the pale girl. It seemed as though he was trying to calm her down, but the words he spoke were more effective than it’s actions.

-I can help you, Rosentine.

“What kind of bullshit is that?”

-They’re ghosts of madness. Your sister has a unique constitution. The child can attract shapeless evil.

Rosentine came to a halt. In front of her, a man in luxurious clothing was looking down at her.

TL/N: me simping for this ghost.

A scarlet sunset peered through the windows of the hallway and poured over the man. It was full of light, but it was not blinding.

Rosentine looked at him without an inch of doubt in her mind. Her heart was adamant.

A fire burned in Rosentine’s blue eyes. Ranon smiled with delight at the sight.

“Can you save Corte?”

-Without anyone knowing.

“Will you help me?”

– Of course, Rosentine. This is the commitment we hold toward each other. I will continue to help you.

He spoke sweet words. He wasn’t like any other ghost she’d ever met.

Though he seemed calculative, secretive, and insidious, he was full of wisdom. Nevertheless, she had no other options.

‘Without anyone knowing.’ Rosentine repeated in her mind. Everything had a price. She was aware of that.

So while clenching her fists, the sixteen-year-old girl looked straight at the ghost, her eyes filled with determination.

“What do you want from me?”

-Someday, when the time is right, I’ll tell you what I want.

The man looked out of the window for a moment. Rosentine felt that his eyes somehow looked dim. After proposing an undisclosed deal, the ghost stared into space with longing in his eyes. 

When he looked back at Rosentine, he had a kind, friendly smile. It was a transparent smile.

When he looked back at Rosentine, he had a kind, warm smile. But it was an empty smile.

-Please grant me one request.

As she nodded, Rosentine ran over to Corte. The sixteen-year-old girl just had her first meeting with that ghost.

* * * * * 

Corte was shaking, half of her body blackened. It felt as though the hostile being was looking straight at her through her sister’s body.

Without thinking, Rosentine rushed towards her. With the intent to reassure Corte.

Her hands were cold, so Rosentine hugged the little girl tightly. She glared fiercely at the ghost. The floundering Corte’s arm was gripping Rosentine and wounding her thin forearm.

Feeling that her hands were cold, Rosentine hugged the little girl tightly. She glared fiercely at the ghost. The floundering Corte’s arm was gripping Rosentine, as a result wounding her thin forearm.

The ghost floated behind her and sat on one side of the room. His lightly nostalgic eyes turned to Corte.

“What am I supposed to do here?”

At this point, half of Corte’s hair had already turned black.

At this rate, her whole body might turn black if she was left like this. She wasn’t sure, but the girl seemed to feel pain from the blackened part. 

Rosentine bit her lip. She felt impatient as if cold water had been poured on her head.

-There are ghosts in the Imperial Palace. That is the fact that you also know.

“Answer me properly.”

-But you should know one more thing if you want to save your sister. There are rules here.

“Rules?”

-Call my name, Rosentine. That’s all you have to do. And you’re the only one who can do it since you’re the only one who can see us.

The ghost went round and round over Rosentine’s head, like the vanishing sun. His platinum hair gleamed in the air. The man grinned softly with his arms wide open.

-I’m Ranon. You’re Rosentine. And…this child’s name, now forgotten, was once Hasten.

Rosentine quickly darted her eyes to Corte. Name. How absurd. Though as ridiculous as it was, she needed to use that ghost’s name, no, that evil being.

When the name ‘Hasten’ was spoken, Corte seemed to flunch for a moment. Rosentine’s face didn’t show any skepticism.

However, she was still young. With her burning blue eyes, she was awaiting Ranon’s following words.

Ranon approached Rosentine with a satisfied look. He leaned over and whispered in her ear. The ghost’s words made her eardrums vibrate, taking her breath away.

-Names are very important. Call him by his name, Rosentine. And give him orders.

“Hasten Kartazen,” Ranon said the full name. It was a name that stuck in Rosentine’s ear. Kartazen, the name of the imperial family.

She didn’t know the meaning at the time. Ranon slowly closed his eyes and opened them, capturing Rosentine in his eyes. There was no point in calling them by their names. 

It was only effective if the living called them as if carrying a legend or mourning. That’s why he chose Rosentine.

The only one who can see them without bending over them. He put a blue wick in her young body. 

‘What you wish for.’

Rosentine held Corte by her cheeks. Even her fingertips were black, and she felt a prickly pain.

“Open your eyes, Corte.”

Rosentine spoke clearly and found the eyes of a girl who had turned black but still had blue. It was Corte’s eyes.

As if someone had told her, Rosentine clearly knew what she had to do. What she didn’t want. There was only one thing. Rosentine shouted.

“Get out of her, Hasten Kartazen!”

Corte hovered in the air and let out a long breath. Rosentine was holding onto Corte’s cheek, who floated above her head.

She never stopped looking in Corte’s eyes, even for a second. She looked at her as if she would lose her at any moment.

Soon after, something came out of Corte’s head. It was the ghost who went into her. Only then did Rosentine see the ghost’s face for the first time. It had a human-like face. He was a young man with brown hair.

-Goodbye, Hasten.

The ghost, named Hasten, turned around a few times to look at Ranon, then bowed and left.

Rosentine was still holding Corte in the air. Ranon thought that her hair was fluttering.

The sunset was lengthening behind her. The dust floated around her like a halo.

Seeing this, the ghost who had remained in the Imperial Palace for a very long time closed his eyes and smiled. She was the girl he had longed for.

“Corte!”

Flop.

Rosentine embraced Corte as she descended from the air. Her blackened body was becoming clean, and her hair was shining blonde again. 

Rosentine felt so overwhelmed that her eyes were brimmed with tears. She lit the fire while holding Corte. It was then that her little sister opened her twinkling eyes.

“Sister…?”

“Yes, Corte. It’s me, Rosen.”

“Sister…it hurts…”

“I know, but it’s okay now. Everything will be okay.”

“Sister said to open my eyes…And then I couldn’t breathe, but suddenly I felt comfortable. Did sister help me?”

The babbling voice was a little hoarse. Rosentine hugged Corte tightly.

“Yes, yes.” She said that a few times, and Corte fell asleep in her arms.

Since Rosentine couldn’t carry her alone, she just put her on her knees and waited for someone to show up. 

Meanwhile, Ranon told her some things. It wasn’t an accident that Corte was possessed in the Imperial Palace. The danger was always lurking around.

Rosentine felt a foreboding. 

In the future, she would have to cover up the truth to protect herself and protect Corte. While using her ability as well.

Rosentine stroked Corte’s sweaty blonde hair. Even in this situation, her panting profile was lovely. 

-You’re determined to do something difficult.

“You know there’s no other way. You’re a ghost, so you know how I feel.”

-Of course, Rosentine.

Ranon, as if he were young forever, smiled softly at her.

With his luxurious robes and immeasurable eyes, he seemed to be the type of character who would appear only in legends.

Like a wise snake in the story, wisdom and cunning were, in a way, something similar.

-I’m so glad I gained a comrade.

“I am not your comrade.”

-I’ll always be your friend, Rosentine. Feel free to be vigilant.

He was right. Anyway, Rosentine had no choice but to get his help.

If the solution to dealing with ghosts is to use their name, Ranon is the only one who could know such a thing.

“How did you know his name?”

-You’ll find out soon.

“Is that what you mean when you said you can help me?”

-Yes, I know the names of everyone who’s asleep here.

That was the point. Rosentine looked at Rannon sullenly. 

As if willing to receive that look forever, Rannon smiled calmly and kissed the back of Rosentine’s hand, which she had placed on Corte’s head.

It was a kiss with no sense of touch or meaning.

-Remember me, Rosentine.

That was the last thing he said.

And when she was infinitely exhausted, her escort finally came to find Rosentine.

She had fallen asleep with Corte on her lap.

Heimt quietly placed his index finger on his lips, signaling that they shouldn’t wake them up. The escort knight, who faithfully followed the order, carefully held Corte while Rosentine was lifted by her father.

By the time she opened her eyes, they were already in the carriage.

Outside the window, there was a large meadow. The swaying of the rattling wagon was absorbed by the high-quality cushions of the familiar Argen carriage.

Heimt grinned at her, and Rosentine also smiled back. However, a dreamlike memory came to mind.

“Are you okay?”

It was a voice that belonged to either a young man or a boy. Something seemed to touch her hair, and Rosentine tossed and turned for a moment. 

The touch hesitated and then stopped moving. She heard a soft laugh.

‘Are you okay?’ such a strange question. But strangely, when she heard that, everything seemed to be well.

Feeling a little comfortable, Rosentine relaxed her body. She was still dreaming. 

A field spread out in front of her. Rosentine smiled happily with her eyes closed. 

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

She answered in her sleep.

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