The ghost who’d been gawking in shock and getting emotional nonstop soon started spilling everything—who she was, and why she kept following Juella around.

Honestly, the moment I heard “Juella’s biological mother,” I was going to cut ties.

I’d already heard that Juella had been abandoned on the street, found by the Count and Countess of House Bakes, and raised by them.

Someone who abandoned their child. No matter the reason, I didn’t want to deal with her.

[ I didn’t abandon that child. Please—please listen to me. ]

But her desperate plea got to me, so I decided to at least hear her out.

What she told me through tears was sad, but it wasn’t some extraordinary story.

She said she’d been a woman in her early twenties who lost her husband in an accident first—and then died herself while giving birth.

And when the baby was left all alone, the mother she’d been living with threw the baby away immediately.

[ She probably hated her granddaughter for “killing” her daughter... and we weren’t well-off, either. At first I resented my mother a lot, but now I understand. ]

So you followed Juella from then on?

[ Yes....... I wanted to see the child living well. ]

Then you saw everything.

[ Yes...... ]

At first, I felt relieved watching my daughter get raised in a noble house like their own blood.

I even thought it might be better than being raised by poor birth parents.

They could give my daughter things so easily—things I’d never have been able to give her, even if I worked my whole life.

[ I cried my eyes out, thinking how lucky she was. ]

Right up until the day that house’s second daughter was born.

[ Everything changed in an instant. ]

Were they afraid Juella might hurt the baby? The Count and Countess of House Bakes wouldn’t even let Juella get close to her infant sister.

At first, that was all it was. But as time passed, Juella got more and more isolated inside that home.

And because I was already dead, there was nothing I could do except cry.

Every day, I watched my daughter with a face soaked in tears. I was sorry. I felt nothing but guilt.

[ That bastard... that house’s son started raising his hand to Juella more and more often. ]

At the same time, my anger piled up fast.

[ Spirits who’ve wandered the world longer than me told me. If you keep chasing one person for a long time with resentment, their body starts to go cold—and something goes wrong. ]

I kept following him with a heart full of bitterness, and naturally, I ended up seeing what that bastard did, too.

[ I want to repay you. ]

“It’s fine.”

A ghost’s “repayment” was obvious. Put it away. Save it.

“I did it because I was pissed off, so you don’t need to wor—”

[ I know a place people think is an abandoned mine, but inside, there’s a huge amount of gold that was never discovered. ]

“...In that case, I can’t just ignore my friend’s mother’s sincerity.”

Camilla nodded crisply with a bright smile.

I could feel the spirits from our house and the spirits from someone else’s house staring at me like I was unbelievable, but I ignored them.

What? Why?

She’s my friend’s mother, isn’t she?

[ Th-thank you! Thank you so, so much! ]

Watching the ghost rejoice, Camilla answered with an equally radiant smile.

*****

“What is this?”

“An abandoned-mine purchase contract.”

“An abandoned mine?”

Juella wore a dazed expression. A contract for an abandoned mine? Why was she handing her a dumped mine?

She couldn’t understand it at all.

“It’s an abandoned mine, but there’s gold buried inside.”

“What?”

“I’m giving it to you.”

“...What?”

Realizing she kept blurting “What?” over and over, Juella frowned hard. What was she even talking about?

“You said it was an abandoned mine. So what do you mean, gold?”

“Your biological mother gave it to you. Don’t ask me.”

“What?”

Watching Juella shout “What?” again, Camilla finally let out a small laugh.

After hearing the location, I sent another spirit to check—and there really was gold inside. A lot of it.

And because it was considered an abandoned mine, buying it hadn’t cost much.

“What are you even saying?”

“I’m telling you it’s yours.”

“I’m asking what that even means.......”

“A gift for you, since you don’t have a home.”

A mother’s gift to her daughter.

“.......”

Juella stared back and forth between the gold-mine documents and Camilla with an utterly dumbfounded look, then let out a short sigh.

“I don’t need your pity.”

“Why would I pity you? You’re the most in-demand, talented designer right now.”

“...You really think that?”

“Do you think I’d keep someone with no talent around?” 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

“Then why are you giving me this.......”

Juella’s gaze dropped back to the mine purchase contract.

“Do you know the biggest truth about the world I’ve learned living my life?”

“If someone heard you, they’d think you were some ancient human. You’re seventeen.”

I’m a little older than you’d think. I can’t remember it, but if you include all the repeated lives....... Well. What’s the point of even saying it?

“No matter how filthy it is, money is better the more you have.”

“...That’s the great truth you learned?”

“Yeah.”

“.......”

“So take what you can while you can. If you work hard and make money while you’re young, your later years are comfortable.”

“...You seriously sound like an old man.”

Juella finally broke into a small laugh and took the contract in her hands.

“Thank you.”

“I’m not the one giving it to you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ugh, forget it. It’s a thing.”

[ Thank you! Really—really, thank you! ]

Leaving behind Juella’s biological mother still getting emotional nonstop, and Juella grumbling about why I kept stopping mid-sentence, Camilla slowly rose to her feet.

“Where are you going?”

“Yeah. I have someone to meet.”

“Who?”

Juella couldn’t hide her puzzled look. It was a question with no deeper meaning, but Camilla’s expression was strange.

With her brow furrowed, Camilla kept letting out long sighs.

Who is she going to meet?

And the answer she finally gave only made Juella more confused.

“Dorman.”

Because it was the name of the attendant she kept around.

*****

“Mel! Careful!”

“I’m fine. It’s not like I’ve only climbed up this high once or twice.”

Climbing a ladder to pick apples hanging thick on the branches, Mel waved a hand as if to say not to worry at her coworker’s shout.

Starting next year, they wouldn’t see apples hanging heavy like this again.

By order of the master of the house and the eldest young master, they were in the middle of removing the apple trees from the estate. They planned to plant different fruit trees in the empty spots.

Why all of a sudden?

Everyone was confused, but no one dared talk back to the master’s orders.

It was just surprising, that was all—because those two normally had zero interest in something so trivial.

They’d even told the head chef not to serve anything with apples in it, apparently.

Did they suddenly get sick of apples?

Of course, thanks to that, all the apples grown here this year were theirs.

“Uh... uh, uh!”

“Eek! Mel!”

Focused on picking apples, Mel reached up for a plump fruit a little higher—then lost her balance and wobbled.

“Huh? Huh? Aaaah!”

THUNK!

“...Huh?”

Mel had squeezed her eyes shut, but instead of hard ground, she felt something wrap around her. She opened her eyes slowly.

“Are you alright?”

“...Dorman.”

“That was really dangerous.”

“Th-thank you!”

After setting Mel down carefully, Dorman smiled faintly and looked at the apple tree she’d just fallen from.

“Lady Camilla doesn’t really like apples....... Could I ask you to be careful when you’re putting desserts up?”

“Y-yeah! Don’t worry! These aren’t for the kitchen.”

“That’s a relief. Do you want me to help you pick fruit?”

“No, no! We can do it! We’ll really be careful now.”

“Yes. Then please take care, ladies.”

“You too, Dorman!”

“Stop by the kitchen later. I’ll set some snacks aside for you!”

Mel and the other maid kept waving at Dorman, their eyes sparkling brighter than ever.

Unlike the other attendants, Dorman was polite and always kind—so he was more popular than anyone among the staff.

“Huh? Lady?”

After flashing a bright smile and turning around, Dorman’s gaze caught someone.

The moment he spotted Camilla staring at him, he hurried over to her.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Watching you.”

“Me? Why?”

“Because I thought... So that’s how he’s living because of me...”

“...Pardon?”

Dorman tilted his head, not understanding. Camilla stared at him in silence for a moment—then slowly turned away.

“Come with me. We need to talk.”

And with that, she walked ahead, and Dorman hurried after her.

A little later.

“Um, Lady Camilla?”

“Sit.”

“Shouldn’t I at least bring some te—”

“Just sit.”

“Yes.”

Sensing that Camilla’s mood was different from usual, Dorman sat down carefully, his eyes tense.

Did I mess up badly again recently?

Maybe I should go hide the pointy heels right now—

“It’s me, right? Mirror of Truth.”

“...Excuse me?”

“It’s me.”

All of a sudden, the question came at him like a punch. Dorman couldn’t say anything for a moment. He just sat there with his mouth slightly open, staring at Camilla for a long time.

Camilla didn’t avoid his gaze even a little.

“Mirror of Truth. It’s me, right?”

She asked the exact same question again.

I’d thought about it and thought about it, but there was only one conclusion.

“And....”

The instant I recognized it, I realized one more thing.

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you? It wasn’t a mistake.”

Dorman’s action—switching Sia Lee and Camilla Sorpel, swapping two souls.

The truth inside it finally looked clear.

Yeah. No matter how I think about it, it was weird.

How the hell do you swap souls unless you’ve lost your mind?

“There’s no way someone who manages the Spirit Realm’s system is that stupid, right?”

Reaper Habel had said Dorman was the top administrator. The idea that someone like that made a beginner mistake—one even a novice wouldn’t make—was ridiculous.

And when I learned that Mirror of Truth was a person—me—I became sure.

“You did it so Mirror of Truth would be born safely.”

That he’d swapped the souls on purpose.