I Am Living In Two Houses - Chapter 3

Newlyweds in a Haunted House

Translated by Wook

Edited by Wook

“Hmm.”

‘It had to be.’ Windows had to open and the wind blew to collect the dust and set fire to the fireplace. That should’ve happened, but so far, nothing has happened.

Veldemer had long since reached a point where he could implement magic without chanting spells. However, at the moment,  even if he uttered the spell aloud, he could not use the magic.

“Is this also the effect of the curse?”

He could feel the bubbling mana in his lower abdomen, but it was frustrating as he couldn’t send that power out.

At that moment, a weak wind from somewhere brushed Veldemer’s hair and headed towards the door.

“Huu, huuuu…”

A very small but clear sob could be heard outside the door. As if possessed by something, Veldemer opened the door and walked out to the place where the sound led him.

***

Renier led her exhausted body back to the top.

“If I can sleep even for ten minutes, I will have no other wishes.”

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she entered the room.

“Young Madame!”

“Gee! You surprised me!”

As soon as Renier’s door closed, the door opened again and Any entered the room.

“Where the hell did you go last night…”

Any was at a loss for words when she saw her master’s appearance. It was just simply terrible.

The dress had only the stomach part left, and the underskirt was visible below it. At the end of the skirt, there were fallen leaves and a lot of dust, and her hair was messy from where she had been doing what she was doing.

Any asked, looking at the tired face of her master,

“Did you fight with someone out there?”

There was no wound on her face, but she looked like one who had a hidden large wound somewhere. Looking at the condition of her clothes, it was at least a 3 to 1 fight. Of course, Renier was 1 and the opponents were 3.

“No. I didn’t fight. How old do you think I am?”

Renier took off the dress that had only a stomach part left and threw it away.

“There were some circumstances. Were you waiting for me? Does my father know I didn’t return yesterday?”

Any said as she helped Renier change into another outfit,

”He knows. You were out for quite some time.”

As Any remembered yesterday, she breathed out a sigh,

“At the same time, Priya suddenly disappeared and went missing, and the young Master, who knew about it, suspected you, young Madame, but you were not at home at that time!”

A lot had happened during Renier’s brief absence, so Any spilled everything out.

“So where did you say I was?”

“I said you went to that place because it would be your mother’s anniversary soon.”

The arboretum where Renier’s mother’s remains were buried was nearby. Renier used to stay at the inn nearby whenever she went to see her mother.

“Fortunately, the misunderstanding was cleared up because someone saw Priya going out alone,” she said.

Any led Renier to the front of the dressing table and unraveled her messy hair.

“Where did you go exactly? It has nothing to do with Priya, isn’t it?”

Any asked worriedly. Renier knew well what she was worried about. She was worried that if she touched Priya, her relationship with Edwin would deteriorate further.

But now Any will soon find out that it is no longer a concern, because Renier brought even bigger problems than that.

Renier was not confident enough to manage the two houses on her own without being discovered. Someone had to come up with excuses when Renier wasn’t there, and had to convey emergency situations to her.

Any was perfect for the job. They were the maid and the maiden, but they grew up like sisters and became friends. If she didn’t trust Any, she had no one to trust.

“It has to do with Priya, but not exactly.”

“What do you mean? Are you drunk?”

“Any, don’t be surprised and listen. Actually, I stole one thing from Priya.”

It already happened a month ago for Renier, but in reality, it happened just yesterday because Renier turned back time.

“Was there anything you could steal from Priya?”

“I didn’t go in there with the purpose to steal anything in the beginning…”

Priya was a thorn in her eyes. The child who suddenly appeared three months ago and captured Edwin’s heart in an instant.

She obtained at once what Renier couldn’t have even after three years of hard work. She was jealous, filled with hatred, and couldn’t stand Priya.

Even after making Priya do all sorts of difficult things, accusing her, and spit out insults, she was not reconciled.

It seems that if Priya disappeared, everything would be fine. However, if she had been kicked out openly, Edwin would have made a fuss.

Thus, Renier tried to make Priya leave on her own. It’s a mean method, as she was the one who stole her own jewelry…

“But there’s something like this under the bed.”

Renier took out the leather pocket she had in his bag. At first Any thought it was money she had secretly stolen, but there was something unexpected in it.

“A statue that grants wishes? It’s just an old story.”

Any said as she scanned the notebook in her leather pocket.

“I thought so too at first. But there’s a map, and I’ve got the key to awaken the statue.”

The bright red jewel in the shape of a drop of water was the key. It was not even a ruby, it gave off a mysterious red light, and if you inserted it on the lip of the statue, the statue would wake up and grant your wish.

“To put it simply, it won’t hurt to try, isn’t it? So, I went to make a wish.”

“Then is the old story true?”

“Umm. It was real. So I made a wish. I wished…”

At first, she made a wrong wish and was killed by Edwin, but when she opened his eyes, she returned to the moment she wished again.

“You wished…?”

“I accidentally made a wrong wish.”

Can one just accidentally make a wrong wish?

Any tilted her head, not understanding what Renier had to say.

“I asked the statue to be my husband.”

“Then it’s not a wish, it’s a proposal, isn’t it?”

“… Is that so?”

She also thought so. But the important thing was that Veldemer accepted it as a wish.

“So the statue turned into a human and became a husband.”

Countless question marks appeared on Any’s face. So, when she asked if it was a wish or a proposal, what does it mean that the statue became a human and became a husband?

Did the young Madame drink too much?

“Yes. Now I have another husband.”

Renier looked at Any with a look of understanding.

“But, but…”

Annie, who was stuttering, came to her senses and frowned.

“Then it’s bigamy, but under the kingdom law, bigamy is illegal.”

[bigamy: the act of going through a marriage ceremony while already married to another person. Putting this note here because this is my first time hearing the words, I only know polygamy and polyandry before this. :v]

“I know.”

“If caught, you will be jailed for 10 years.”

Renier felt like weeping. She had made a mistake and may have ended up serving 10 years in prison. No, she’d be happy enough if she could go to jail quietly.

If Veldemer knew that Renier was already in a marriage, he probably wouldn’t let her go.

Would she suffer from torn limbs?

“There is no other way. I can divorce Edwin.”

If she had to say goodbye to either of them, she’d rather break up with Edwin. Renier was sure that as soon as she brings up the word divorce, Edwin will welcome the idea with open arms.

“I just have to stay out of the way during the divorce.”

If Renier asks for a divorce first, Edwin will pretend to think about it for a day or two, and he will accept it.

After the divorce, even if Veldemer’s identity is discovered, there is no problem as she will not be punished as a bigot.

“So where is the new husband now?”

“I took him to that haunted house. I’m just here to pick up some Edwin’s clothes.”

“Why are you picking up young Master’s clothes?”

“My new husband is naked at the moment.”

***

Renier hastily packed up some clothes and returned for Beldemer, who was waiting for her in a funny outfit in the haunted house.

Creak-

Rusty hinges made a creepy sound. It was daytime outside, but inside the house with the windows closed, it was as dark as night. Renier took one step cautiously. She didn’t realize it when she came with Veldemer earlier, but the inside of her house was more eerie than she thought.

Floors that had not been greased creaked, and curtains that had not been washed in a few years had a musty smell from moth.

Queeeek- Qeeek.

“…?”

Renier looked up at the sound above her head. The chandelier was shaking, but not a single wind blew.

“What is it?”

Renier stared blankly at the chandelier. She felt like something was passing behind her while she wasn’t looking.

Renier turned her head. But there was nothing there. She felt like the hairs on the back of her neck were standing.

“What the hell?”

Renier continued to mutter to herself as she rubbed the nape of her neck.

“There is no such thing as a real ghost.”

Renier ignored the swaying chandelier and grabbed the stair railing to go up to the room where Veldemer was. It was then. Something swung by her.

Renier’s chestnut brown hair fluttered. Yes, something definitely passed this time. Renier turned and headed towards the door leading to the cellar.

She wondered if there were real ghosts, but then thought that if there are statues that grant wishes, perhaps ghosts are real too?

Renier had to check with her own eyes if there was a ghost here. Then she would have to move Veldemer to another house. Renier forcefully opened the door, and at that moment, something whitish appeared before Renier.

“…!”

The muscles in her body stiffened, her pupils dilated, and her face turned pale. Renier screamed.

“Kyaaaaahhhhh!”

Renier smashed the door closed.

“Tch.”

Then someone clicked their tongue from behind Renier.

“What are you?”

Renier raised her chin and asked,

“Are you a ghost?”

The shape is too perfect to be called a ghost. The man who clicked his tongue had shiny blonde hair tucked behind his ears, and was wearing clothes made of luxurious fabrics.

Is it a prejudice that a ghost cannot dress up?

Renier clenched her fists at once and prepared a fighting stance.

“What are you? Are you a human or a ghost?”

There was a sense of pity in the man’s blue eyes. Contrary to his expression of pity though, the man’s attitude was polite and he properly bent his knee.

“Neither a human nor a ghost. I am Shapiro, the faithful servant of the great Veldemer.”

Shapiro looked at Renee, who was staring at him in disbelief, once again.

“Master is waiting, Lady Renier.”

***

“Veldemer, I brought you clothes.”

The pack of clothes Renier had brought was already in Shapiro’s hands. While Shapiro unpacked the clothes, Renier glanced around the room.

The room is already cleaned.

Was it Shapiro or Veldemer’s doing?

“I didn’t know your exact size, so I brought everything I saw, but I don’t know if I got it right.”

She picked the latest one of Edwin’s clothes. Shapiro familiarly began to assist him in changing.

Shapiro’s voice was heard behind Renier, who was turning her head as a courtesy.

“Your eyes are accurate.”

Why does his words feel like everything else except for my eyes is bad?

“Did she take my measurements from staring at my body before?”

“Is that possible, Master? She must have just glanced.”

It’s true that she merely glanced at it, but she couldn’t admit that. Renier knitted her brow.

“I didn’t look so intently.”

Renier crossed her arms and looked sternly at Veldemer and Shapiro, almost all dressed.

“By the way, Veldemer, didn’t you say you hate people’s touch?”

He had said to not touch him.

Renier asked as she watched Shapiro’s fingertips brushing Veldemer’s flesh while he was dressing him. Shapiro then looked at Renier with a face wondering what to do with that idiot.

“I am not a person.”