I Inherited It, and It Turned Out to Be a Ghost Story - Chapter 4

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Ordelphia shook her head.

There was nothing she could do right now anyway.

Though the hotel belonged to the Marquess’s territory, it was located so far on the outskirts that even if she reported it, the guards would have a hard time getting there.

Besides, if the man wasn’t a criminal but someone who, like her, had simply been concerned for the child with pure intentions, reporting him might stir up unnecessary trouble.

Thanks to his excessively good looks, she’d remembered his face all too clearly without meaning to, so she could just make a sketch and discreetly inform the hotel staff.

Ordelphia decided not to dwell on it any longer.

From experience, she knew that once she became consumed by her thoughts, her consciousness would be overtaken by emotions, leading to nothing but self-reproach and guilt.

Besides, having gone through the fire alarm incident—which had been the most shocking event since arriving at the hotel—it felt easier to dismiss something like an imaginary uncle.

Thus, Ordelphia managed to shove down the fear, unease, and dread left behind by the incomprehensible experience and bury them deep in her heart.

Nothing could stop her from entering the hotel.

As long as there was hope that a clue to her father’s whereabouts might be here, she wouldn’t leave—no matter how many ‘strange things’ she encountered—until she found something.

“Kyaaah!”

“M-Mother?”

“Wh-what is this! What is this! What was that just now!”

The moment her stepmother—who had entered the family through an arranged marriage—hugged her for the first time, after her father’s disappearance had left her lonely.

Her mother had pushed the young Ordelphia away with a shriek.

“You! Were you happy just now?”

It was true. Her mother, who had barely spoken to her and always remained indifferent while her father was alive, had embraced her for the first time.

“Yes? Yes. I’m happy. Because you hugged me, Mother.”

Staring at the child’s innocent eyes, seemingly unaware of anything, her mother grabbed her shoulders with trembling hands, only to scream again and shove her away.

“I-I’m shocked. What is this? You—when you touch me, I can feel everything you’re feeling! I’m not happy. Not even a little! I hate you! If only you hadn’t been born! Then the head of the family wouldn’t have disappeared like that! And now… ugh, ughh. I’m being swept away. All my emotions are being drowned out!”

Tossed to the floor as if thrown, Ordelphia looked up at her mother with a blank expression before bursting into tears.

But her mother never laid a hand on her again.

That was the day Ordelphia discovered her ability for the first time.

***

Ding!

As the bell on the reception desk rang, a staff member nearby quickly approached.

“Welcome to Hillgrace Hotel.”

The voice that greeted her at the desk was clear and pleasant to hear.

The staff member who greeted her exuded a calm and neat atmosphere.

His soft chestnut-brown hair was well-groomed, his eyes of the same color met hers directly, and the faint smile on his lips was as reassuring as his voice.

The receptionist—often considered the hotel’s face—left a strong first impression, which slightly softened Ordelphia’s stern expression.

Though the hotel’s size, facilities, and location left much to be desired for a luxury hotel, that only made the first point of contact with customers all the more important.

Meeting her gaze in a way that wasn’t intrusive, the staff asked, “Do you have a reservation?”

“No. Um, Sebastian?”

Ordelphia read the name tag on his chest and asked.

“Yes, miss. How can I help you?”

“Could I speak with the manager?”

Even at the sudden request, the receptionist didn’t lose his smile.

However, it was his next question that made Ordelphia hesitate.

“Has something been troubling you?”

In an instant, the good first impression he made dropped a notch.

To answer a guest’s request with a question—while not terribly inappropriate—wasn’t commendable either.

If Ordelphia had been someone else, a customer furious after a terrible experience, she might have snapped.

And if it were a particularly sensitive guest, even such a small moment could affect their impression of the hotel.

Once one thing seemed off, other flaws became more noticeable.

His slightly downturned eyes and gentle face, which initially seemed endearing and put people at ease, now looked too youthful—making him seem inexperienced at handling guests.

“No. But I have some business. Could you please call him?”

At her firm response, the man looked at her for a moment before bowing his head.

“I apologize if I offended you.”

“Hmm. No, well, it’s fine.”

Having received a polite apology, Ordelphia let out a faint sigh.

No need to retrain the entire staff from scratch.

A swift, concise, and courteous apology can calm even the angriest lion.

While she organized her brief impression in her head, Sebastian disappeared into the staff room behind the desk.

Not long after, a middle-aged man with graying hair appeared.

“I was told someone was looking for me. I’m Sebastian, the manager of Hillgrace Hotel.”

Ordelphia threw a doubtful glance with her expression still blank.

He looked so much like the young desk clerk she’d just met—who couldn’t have been older than mid-twenties—that it seemed this is what that young man would look like once he aged.

Even mass production wouldn’t create such a resemblance.

And they even had the same name…

Had he taken his father’s name like Arthur Junior earlier?

“Were you by any chance with the staff member Sebastian just now…? No, never mind.”

She swallowed the words that had almost come out reflexively.

No matter if she was the hotel owner, asking about a staff member’s private family matter upon first meeting was inappropriate.

The manager, having caught the subtle nuance in her shifting gaze and hesitant voice as it moved toward the staff room, simply gave a good-natured smile.

At any rate, since he introduced himself as the manager, Ordelphia handed over a few documents and introduced herself.

“I’m Ordelphia Grewga, now the owner of this hotel.”

“Ah!”

The manager let out a short exclamation, and his eyes sparkled as he looked at her.

“Miss Adel Grewga, the former owner—”

“Was my grandmother.”

“I see. Please, come this way. We have a space where the former owner used to stay.”

“No. Let’s go to the study first.”

***

Ordelphia and the manager moved to a cozy study filled with the scent of books and ink and sat across from each other.

The thick documents she pulled out contained proof of inheritance and her identity, but the manager didn’t even open them.

After skillfully bringing out tea, he gazed at Ordelphia and opened his mouth.

“You resemble her greatly.”

“Do I?”

His eyes, filled with emotion as he looked at her, made her uncomfortable.

In truth, she had only met her grandmother a few times. As a granddaughter, she had few memories to speak of, which made it all the more awkward.

“Would you like to check the documents first?”

“Indeed. Please enjoy some tea. Oh, my. I forgot to bring refreshments. Please wait a moment.”

“No, it’s alr—”

Before she could stop him, Sebastian had already hurried out—and returned even faster.

“Here you are. It’s the kitchen’s signature pie. It pairs wonderfully with tea like this that has a faintly astringent finish.”

Acting completely naturally as he served her, the manager only returned to his seat after Ordelphia emptied her cup.

“Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. It’s my duty. I’m the manager of this hotel. Attending to the owner is one of my responsibilities.”

With his gentle smile, the manager took the documents she slid over.

“Please begin by confirming whether I’m the rightful heir.”

The manager took a monocle from his breast pocket and fitted it to his eye socket.

Though the documents were quite a stack, he skimmed through them with practiced ease and put them back in order.

“All confirmed. Miss Ordelphia Grewga—no, Madam. Welcome to Hillgrace Hotel.”

Removing his monocle, the manager smiled, and Ordelphia replied, “I’d like to meet the staff starting tomorrow. Understanding how the hotel is run comes first, and hearing from the people who work here will be the most accurate.”

“Of course. As you wish, Madam.”

“I heard the position had remained vacant since my grandmother passed away.”

“Yes. During that time, we’ve continued operations following the rules established by the former owner.”

“Ah, those rules…”