“……You said if I fulfilled that request, you would help me escape. How specifically do you intend to do that?”
The ghost smiled meaningfully and answered.
[Beneath this castle lies a magic circle that can transport one directly to the imperial border. If you help me, I shall tell you how to activate it.]
“……!”
[I will also reveal the location of a secret vault known to me alone. Surely around ten thousand gold coins would be more than sufficient as an escape fund?]
My eyes widened. It was quite a tempting offer, and I swallowed hard despite myself.
“You’ll truly tell me all of that?”
[Yes.]
“For real? You won’t go back on your word later, will you?”
[That will absolute never happen. If you wish, I shall stake the dissolution of my very soul on this contract.]
He spoke with absolute certainty.
I nodded my head.
“Very well. Let us make the contract with your soul on the line. Then I accept your offer.”
[Is that so?]
“Yes. Why? Don’t tell me you’re suddenly scared to stake the destruction of your own soul?”
[How could that possibly be.]
The ghost of Ash Winterton let out a brief smile and extended his hazy hand toward me. I cautiously placed my hand atop his.
At that, the ghost gently closed his eyes and began chanting an incantation. A faint purple radiance welled up from our touching hands. The light then transformed into something akin to climbing vines, wrapping around my wrist and Ash Winterton’s before slowly fading away.
Looking down at my wrist where the light had vanished, I asked him.
“Is it all finished?”
[Yes.]
He replied succinctly.
With that, the contract was officially established.
After safely concluding the contract with the spirit, I awkwardly let go of his hand. Glancing at the wall clock, I saw that it was well past midnight.
As I sat back on the edge of the bed with a long yawn, the ghost turned to me and asked.
[Are you exhausted?]
“Mm, yes. I’m sleepy. I should get some rest soon. Is it fine if I sleep here?”
I gestured with a look toward the bed where Ash Winterton’s physical body lay neatly stretched out.
There was only this single bed in the room, and fortunately, it was immensely spacious. It seemed large enough to get a good night’s sleep without coming into contact with his body at all.
Yet the spirit looked at me with a peculiar gaze, trailing off slightly.
[Of course it is fine, but……]
“Why?”
[It is nothing. Then, sweet dreams.]
“Yes, thank you. You too, Marquis…… Ah, I suppose ghosts don’t need to sleep. ……Gasp, I’m sorry. Did I make a slip of the tongue?”
Catching his words, I stole a cautious glance at him and bit my lip.
The ghost of Ash Winterton burst into a brief laugh, thoroughly amused.
[It is quite fine. You are not wrong, after all.]
“Then do you plan to stay awake all night here?”
Watching me sleep while lying beside your own body? As I asked out of an uncomfortable feeling, the ghost shook his head.
[No. I shall be in the adjoining bedchamber.]
“I see. Alright then. See you tomorrow.”
Relieved, I lay down on the bed. The ghost of Ash Winterton offered a polite bow before smoothly floating through the closed door and out of the room.
Yet, not even a few seconds had passed before he re-entered the bedchamber.
‘Huh?’
Having just settled in to sleep peacefully, I slowly opened my eyes at his bizarre behavior.
In the meantime, the ghost repeatedly glided through the door only to be pulled right back inside. Unable to contain my confusion any longer, I finally asked him.
“……Excuse me, what are you doing? Do you intend to do that all night long?”
The ghost of Ash Winterton turned back to me, replying with a slight edge of irritation in his voice.
[I am not! Damn it, I cannot pass through the door. It is as though I am trapped inside a barrier.]
“Could it be that because your body is still in here, you simply can’t leave the bedchamber?”
[That cannot be it. Up until a few hours ago, I was moving freely throughout every corner of this mansion.]
“Then why on earth……?”
At my lingering question, the ghost shook his head. He stroked his chin with one hand and knitted his brows, seemingly searching for the cause of this strange phenomenon.
As I watched him, another long yawn escaped my lips. Regardless, I just wished he would hurry up and leave so I could get some sleep.
Right as I was thinking that, the ghost let out a sharp gasp and suddenly glided straight up to me.
“……!”
Startled out of my wits, I couldn’t even manage a scream and simply stared at him with wide, round eyes.
Looking down at me, the ghost slowly reached out both of his hands. Shocked, I bolted upright, backing away as I yelled.
“W-What are you doing, right now……!”
[Hold on. Stay still right where you are.]
The ghost shot back nonchalantly, proceeding to cup my cheeks with his translucent hands.
Immediately, a faint purple light—much like the one from when we formed the contract—flowed out. The light swiftly swept through my entire body before dissipating just as quickly.
With a stunned face, I spoke toward the spirit of Ash Winterton.
“What did you just do?”
[My apologies if I startled you. I had to determine why I became unable to step outside this room.]
“……And did you find out why?”
[Yes. It appears that during our contract earlier, a portion of my soul became intertwined with yours.]
“Intertwined souls? What on earth does that mean? Please explain it in terms I can understand.”
When I pressed him again, he let out a troubled sigh.
[During the contracting process, a piece of my spirit attached itself to you. To put it simply, I have possessed you.]
“……Pardon?”
[In other words, I can no longer leave the space where you are present. Until this contract comes to an end. Or until my physical body passes away permanently.]
“……Ha. You’ve got to be kidding me.”
A helpless, hollow laugh burst from my lips.
I died and regressed, only to suddenly start seeing the ghost of my soon-to-be-dead husband. And if that wasn’t enough, now a piece of that ghost was possessing me.
Truly, as one absurd situation unfolded after another, I was left utterly speechless and dazed, when the ghost delivered the final blow.
[……And one more thing. I discovered this while examining your body just now. Your spiritual vision has been fully opened.]
“And what is that supposed to mean now……”
[It means you are now able to see spirits other than myself. Whether you wish it or not, once they realize you can see them, they will attempt to exert their influence upon you. Just as I did.]
“……Haha. Well, isn’t that just wonderful.”
This was why one had to be careful when making contracts.
Because of a single momentary choice, I was set to be tormented by ghosts for the rest of my life. On top of that, I had to live bound to this ghost like a single entity until this contract was fulfilled.
I let out a groan and clutched at my hair in frustration.
A short while after. I barely managed to recover from the shock and pull myself together.
‘Right, it’s not like I can overturn the contract now anyway.’
Since things had turned out like this, the only way forward was to fulfill the contract safely. I took a deep breath on purpose to shake off the lingering gloom.
Seeing that, the ghost of Ash Winterton, who had been cautiously watching my reaction the whole time, spoke up carefully.
[Are you alright?]
“Yes, well…… I have no choice, do I? Whatever the case, I chose this path, so I must take responsibility.”
I deliberately answered with a cheerful tone. Then I went back to the bed and flopped right down. Having gone through so much today, a wave of intense fatigue washed over me.
Looking up with half-closed eyes at the ghost floating beside the bed, I spoke.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to sleep now. What are you going to do?”
[I shall sit beside my body and stay up through the night.]
“Alright. Suit yourself.”
With those final words, I closed my eyes and invited sleep.
[To think it would be…… this. Could this also be because……]
From the other side of the room came the quiet, solitary murmur of the sleepless spirit.
Without even having the energy to ponder his meaningful words or the gaze I felt lingering upon me, I yielded to my sheer exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep.
And so, with my husband’s physical body lying between us, I spent a bizarre first night in the same bed with my husband’s ghost.
The next morning.
[Wake up, Princess.]
I awoke from my sleep at the ghost’s voice calling to wake me.
When I casually turned my head, my eyes met the ghost’s directly, causing me to jump out of my skin with a scream.
“Eek! Y-You scared me!”
[Is it not about time you got used to it?]
“Are you joking? It’s only been a single day!”
I patted my startled chest as I snapped back at the ghost. The spirit chuckled softly and shrugged his shoulders.
At that exact moment, a short knock sounded from beyond the door, followed by a woman’s voice.
“My Lady. Are you awake? May I enter?”
It was Charlotte, who had been my personal maid and was now a maid of the Winterton Marquisate. Upon receiving my permission, Charlotte entered the bedchamber alongside several other maids and offered a polite bow.
“We have prepared bathwater and a fresh dress for you to change into. Come, please get up.”
“Mm-hmm.”
At Charlotte’s urging, I pulled my body up from the bed.
