It was mid-Glaciem, just after a snowstorm. While the kingdom of Adeluna was powdered in white, two figures bundled up in cloaks approached the door to one of the wealthier districts' high-class hotels. Here the floors were rose marble, the carpets were cashmere, and the embroidery was gold silk. There was a hint of floral perfume in the air as the concierge escorted them up a spiral staircase to Suite #5. With a light knock on the door, he addressed the occupants as 'Milady' and 'Your Lordship', before standing aside as the two strangers were let in. Once the two were inside, a woman in an expensive layered gown waved her hand and the concierge was dismissed. Among the two guests, the one wearing a mask chose to sit and helped themselves to the silk lounge across from her. There was another man in expensive clothes by the window who had been scrutinizing the two as soon as they came in. By their behavior, one could guess they knew each other.

The woman was Vivienne Lavigne Berlanger, the widow of Marcellus Berlanger, a nobleman who was a wealthy landowner. The Berlangers had many acres of fertile vineyards and wineries to their name, while the rest of the land was rented to farmers who paid them a share of their earnings. The income generated from these assets were more than enough to support the estate along with other trading ventures, but recent years had caused the house to take a significant financial blow following the aftermath of a few divine disasters. For a kingdom such as Adeluna to be hit by not one, but at least three god-related calamities within the span of a century wasn't something you could pass off as bad luck. Naturally the Berlanger family had chosen to stay away from the kingdom until things blew over, but now they were facing a new crisis.

Up until now the nobles had been living in summer estates and vacation homes abroad, however with the marriage of the late Marcellus' son tradition stated the head of the Berlanger family would reside in the house's ancestral home. The only problem was that a series of unfortunate events fell upon a few distant members of the family over the years, the most recent being a few deaths and a severe illness that was afflicting young Lord Berlanger's wife, Helena. 

In short, they believed the main house was cursed. But since they were a noble family, they couldn't just ask for anyone to help deal with the problem. Determined to keep things under wraps, they had their servants use more discreet channels to solicit potential exorcists and clerics to solve the issue. With how choosy they were, it wasn't a surprise they hadn't hired anyone yet. That was when Shiloh caught wind of it. Suspecting the possibility of a cursed object, she intercepted the offer before a real exorcist took the job to have a look herself. Since the client was nobility, she brought Siris along too to act as backup in case she ended up stepping on their toes. They were given two invitations to a fancy hotel where they would start gathering information before accepting the job proper.

Based on the posture of how Vivienne was sitting, Shiloh deduced that she was the one whom they'd be talking to. Having done a little research beforehand, she knew some details on the Berlanger family and their financial position. The family tree was what you expected out of a bad romance novel: unfaithful husbands, half-siblings, and a lot of children born out of wedlock. One of them was the young Lord Berlanger himself–being the only child of the late Marcellus. As the legal wife of Marcellus, Vivienne was the stepmother. You could tell where this was going… Oh and Helena was nobility too, which was why she was able to marry the young lord. She wasn't present but Shiloh was sure she was part of the reason why they wanted to ask for outside help instead of dealing with it themselves. Misdirected hatred and emotional projection aside, Vivienne and Lord Berlanger wanted to continue the family line, and that meant a temporary alliance so the main house was freed from whatever had caused Helena to fall comatose. 

Considering his past interactions with her, this was the first time Siris had seen how she behaved outside of her territory. Shiloh requested for him to come with her for an important task and refused to have anyone else. He had watched her with great interest as she disguised herself, opened a portal to the continent of Canelux, and traveled the short distance to Adeluna City. In his time within that sealed realm, things had changed considerably–from language to common names. Any questions he had were answered by her according the depth of her knowledge, and if that was not enough she would refer him to where he could obtain a more complete response. Siris had considered asking her why she was intent on accepting an exorcism incognito, however he never found the opportunity as they arrived at where they would meet with whoever had posted the request. From his observations he learned that though she was few in words, Shiloh was quite methodical. She never acted hastily, and even actions that appeared to be on impulse were driven by deeper thoughts.

The hotel they had been directed to was an example of opulence and personal luxury. Instead of inspiring awe, it was meant to communicate privilege and prestige. Such vanity and selfish pleasures were apparent from the first glance. A servant dressed in clothing far more expensive than that of the common man acted as a guide, leading them to the wing where they were left to speak with the people within. Without any care for ceremony or decorum, Shiloh took a seat before she was told to. Such a gesture appeared careless, however in his eyes it was a declaration of position. She was not being hired, rather they were asking her for a favor by requesting her services. For a woman indifferent to social standing and birth, she would not be treated as a lesser being.

There was flicker of contempt in the noblewoman's eyes at her action, but she said nothing. Perhaps such a reaction had already been within Shiloh's calculations, thus she knew she could get away with her breach in etiquette. As for himself, he chose to remain standing. He was told the woman sitting across from them was the late widow of the former head of the Berlanger family, and she fit the mold of one born and raised in nobility. It was clear that she was doubting their capability as her gaze held scrutiny, yet that did not deter Shiloh.

"So you two are the 'specialists' who will be resolving the problem in the main estate?"  With a mask obscuring the entirety of her face, Shiloh gave a nod. "That is correct, Lady Berlanger. I know your time is precious and I don't intend on wasting it on useless matters, however I must ask a few questions before we can begin. First–the initial consultation fee will be 5000 silver crescents." There was an unpleasant look in Vivienne's eyes at that. "Do you expect to be paid before you have even done anything?" She scoffed. Shiloh quickly refuted her assumptions, giving an explanation.

"Oh no, this is simply an estimated quote for consulting our services. It would impossible for to request payment before the job is even started. Think of this as an initial deposit. Should our assessment of the problem at the main estate reveal that the matter exceeds our professional capability, we will fully refund the amount paid for the consultation fee. You may not be aware, but magical reagents and tools required for performing an exorcism are quite precious and difficult to obtain–especially at a short notice. This fee will cover any unexpected expenses that may incur should the initial assessment deem them necessary." 

In the presence of a client, Shiloh transformed into an entirely different person. Using a calm tone and select words, she would weave them together like a spell to ultimately persuade them to accept her terms. Even when the person knew what she was intending to do, her glib speech would eventually win them over, convincing them they had won. Right now Shiloh had just convinced the widow that paying the consultation fee would be of no loss to her. Should their attempts to exorcise the curse plaguing the manor fail, 5000 silver would be the most that she would lose. But this was merely the consultation fee, and they had yet to talk of the payment should the attempt be a success. Siris had gathered that Shiloh was confident that their client wouldn't be asking for a refund once they were finished.

She was prepared to handle any questions the Berlangers threw her way. If they didn't believe her about the reagents, she could give them proof of the average market price if need be. Siris was showing doubts on why she insisted on there being a consultation fee, but it was a necessary procedure. Judging by Vivienne and her stepson's reactions, they were probably afraid they would take the money and bail. "I can write up a legal document detailing the rate of the consultation fee, what it covers, and the conditions for the refund. Then, we can both sign to make it official. If you have any other concerns, I'm more than happy to address them as well." Folding her hands, she crossed her legs and leaned back against the lounge she was sitting in. She was in no rush–the Berlangers were the ones who were in a hurry, not her. Unlike them, she had all the time in the world. 

Vivienne's expression wasn't good, but she agreed to have the document written up. As the late widow of Marcellus, she was the one who had the most authority in the Berlanger household at this moment. The young Lord married not to long ago, but he had yet to fully settle into his new position. Shiloh was sure neither the stepmother nor the stepson were willing to give an inch. As per the line of succession, the stepson would ultimately win due to being Marcellus' only biological child, but a woman like Vivienne wouldn't step aside without a fight. Shiloh didn't care about any of this. That was their problem, not hers. What she did care about was how soon they would give her and Siris official access to the manor. Once both parties signed, Shiloh was given a pouch of silver crescents–to which she proceeded to count down to the last coin. Just because she didn't need the money didn't mean she was going to let them cheat her. 

Ignoring the disgust the two nobles had towards her rudeness, she spoke again while tucking the consultation fee away. "Oh right, Lady Berlanger could I trouble you to inform those currently working and residing on the premises of our arrival? We don't want to get in the way of their work by showing up unannounced at the gate." This was an additional precaution to ensure they wouldn't be blatantly mistreated. With the staff informed of their incoming arrival, there wouldn't be any excuse for them to refuse them entry. Even if they did have the master's approval, sometimes servants were petty and would take out their bottled up grievances against their employers on random people. She and Siris had no time for that. 

"I will send a message to the butler managing the main estate at once." Lady Vivienne replied, pausing at the end as if to ask if there were any more 'requests' that needed handling. Shiloh smiled (despite having a mask that obscured everything but her eyes) and put a hand to her chest. "You have my utmost thanks, milady. Rest assured, we will do everything in our power to resolve the issue in the Berlanger estate."

With a nod and a bow, she and Siris left the suite after informing the young Lord and his stepmother that they would begin their assessment the next day. Once they were outside of the hotel, she made a beeline for an alleyway before lifting her mask to dry heave into a snowdrift. After recovering, she wiped her mouth before putting her mask back on. "Ugh, finally–I thought that client meeting would never end. Any longer and that stench of theirs would've been unbearable." Among her wide range of clients, nobles were probably one of the worst. Often they carried a specific type arrogance and pride that made her want to empty the contents of her stomach and bash their faces in.  

After a rather tense discussion, they left the hotel to make preparations for the following day. But before they had walked five paces from the hotel's door, Shiloh made a sudden turn into a small alley and began to retch. Alarmed, Siris was about to ask if she was unwell before she answered him. At first he thought he had overlooked something during the negotiations. Did their 'clients' attempt to use an incense-based hex to diminish their faculties? He didn't detect any odors when they spoke with the noblewoman, so why was she having such an adverse reaction? Reading the questions in his eyes, Shiloh decided to explain. "I meant their arrogance–you know, their attitude–which by the way was awful. Anyway, we have some time before we need to check in at the Berlanger main estate so let me get you up to speed on our client's background."

Shiloh had conducted an extensive amount of research into matters surrounding the noble house of Berlanger. While their ancestral land holdings in the fertile southern kingdom should have equated to an easy life, the Berlanger house's finances had seen better days. The house's main source of income came from the rent collected from leased land and the export of their wineries. Their vintage was of good quality, well affordable for the affluent but a bit pricey for the common folk. As wine took time to age, the longer the cask remained in the cellar the more valuable it became. It was much less perishable than fresh produce and dry grain. Their trading ventures with Mamlak, Endapano, Yovaesh, Mo'Mey, and Arri generated enough to live comfortably. Occasionally the previous heads of the household would dabble in other businesses in the short-term, but the current young Lord Berlanger was the exception.

As a son born out of wedlock to a noble father and common mother, he had to prove his worth outside of the house's support. As his father passed when he was young, the man at an early age learned to only rely on himself. When the sudden arrival of Glaciem during Ignius gripped Adeluna years ago, a large portion of the summer crop was damaged. The farmlands and vineyards were severely hit, dealing a serious blow to the Berlangers' income. The disaster caused by the previous goddess of death's blood made Adeluna City too dangerous to live in, and as a result the Berlangers had to relocate to other properties until the madness died down. A few years after that, calamity struck again–this time in the form of the current goddess of death's accursed wine that made men lose their senses. As the demand for that maddening tonic rose, the need for wines and other strong drink plummeted. Having barely recovered from the errant change in seasons, this was another heavy blow to the Berlangers. If it weren't for the young Lord, the Berlanger house wouldn't have been able to stay afloat financially.

The normally laconic and taciturn woman with the mask moved on to outline what she had managed to gather on the interpersonal relationships between the main family members. Marcellus Berlanger was the previous head of the house and married Vivienne Lavigne through an arrangement between the two families. Vivienne was a qualified wife in all aspects, however Marcellus was a womanizer. He abused his power as a noble to have his way with servants and maids, who were either fired or disposed of by his wife. Vivienne, being the smarter of the two, never had any affairs–or at least they never were made public. Marcellus sired a multitude of children, but his lack of support for them combined with Vivienne's vigilance prevented them from ever setting foot in the Berlanger house. Oh and they were all daughters. That was probably why he didn't bother to pay attention to them.

The one he did show some attention to was his one and only son–the current young Lord. The mother was a maid who was fired from the household, but Marcellus would still visit her from time to time. He was more interested in his potential heir than his mistress. When she died, the child was taken to the Berlanger house and Marcellus' womanizing ways acted up again. This time it ended with an unwilling maid who fatally stabbed him one night after too many previous attempts from him. Marcellus died on the spot and the maid was executed for murder, as Vivienne made sure to sweep the truth of the matter under the rug. Ever since then, the seat of the head of the household was hotly contested between close and distant relatives. Years later, the young Lord emerged as the victor and shortly after he became engaged to a young noblewoman named Helena. They married half a year ago and by Berlanger tradition, moved into the family's ancestral house.

But problems had always plagued the main estate ever since Marcellus' death. During the struggle for succession, a few distant relatives either had accidents or met their untimely end in the manor. The incidents were spaced out enough to be considered coincidence, so the kingdom's law officers didn't investigate further. The most recent of these now included Helena, who mysteriously began to fall ill after moving in with her husband into the estate. With a few weeks, she was comatose. Shiloh told him there was nothing interesting from Helena's side of the family, so whatever was going on was all on the Berlangers. Judging by the account of events, it would seem that Helena became involved by association. 

After a somewhat decent night's sleep, Shiloh reluctantly rolled out of her nest of bed sheets to face a pleasant surprise. The room was warm! Siris must've started a fire in the fireplace early. Already mostly dressed, she put on her cloak and adjusted her mask before checking to see if she had enough coins on hand to pay for the night's stay. After rummaging in her storage box, she gave a fistful of silver crescents to the receptionist and they trudged on to the Berlanger main estate. There was fresh snow on the ground, so it must have snowed a few hours ago. Adeluna City was still bustling despite the cold, as weather was no excuse to not do business. Not really feeling up to walking, took out her wayfinder's widget and a map for reference. A few minutes of comparison later, she had the coordinates she needed to open a portal within sight of the manor's gate. 

Rubbing her gloved hands together, she created a portal big enough for them both to pass through. There was the sight of ornate ironwork and masonry in decorative patterns, and a worn path where the estate's personal carriages would use. A great building loomed overhead–the manor Shiloh assumed. The surrounding acres of land likely belonged to the estate too. Fortunately their portal was a short distance away from the actual entry gate, so she chose to act like they had taken the long way to come. Casually approaching the locked gate, she cleared her throat loudly a few times and looked around to see if anybody was nearby.

She and Siris stood around in the cold for a while until the crunch of boots on snow signaled someone was coming. A man dressed in uniform with a stern look and saber by his side eyed them from the other side. "Who are you? State your business and identity, or leave at once." It was time to see if Vivienne kept her agreement from yesterday. "We're here to handle the issues troubling the main estate on behalf of Lady Vivienne. I believe she has informed you of our arrival?" The guard looked at the two strangers, particularly the one in the strange mask. From the looks of the one with their face exposed, this wasn't a joke. This was the first time he had heard of this, so he assumed the head butler would know if they were lying or not. "We'll see what Sir Garrus has to say. Don't try anything and stay put." They were left waiting again as the guard went inside the manor's door. He then came back out with a man with graying hair and spectacles. "You must be the two that milady hired. Do come inside–Neville didn't let you two wait long, did he?" The gate was unlocked, and they were escorted in.

Shiloh gave a nod, eyeing the guard still squinting at her in suspicion. It was the mask, wasn't it? Well, she had her reasons for wearing it, and it didn't matter what he thought. 

Sir Garrus was the perfect picture of hospitality, introducing them to the estate staff as guests their lady called upon to help handle some business. From the tone and choice of words, not everyone working here was aware of the little 'problem' the Berlangers had. Older staff members didn't say anything but the newer hires were curious. They hurried off to do their work quickly once they were shooed away. When they were in a more private area, Shiloh went straight to the point. "Sir Garrus, I hear the estate's had a few accidents recently. What do you know about them? We're interested in who, what, when, and how they happened." As head butler, Garrus should know if something strange was going on. 

The head butler did his best to recount them to the best of his ability. The first accident happened not long after Marcellus' death, during the family's mourning period. A close cousin of the late family head tried to pressure a maid into giving him access to the lord's private quarters. As funerals are a time where many relatives come and go, the servants of the main estate did their best to prevent theft of their master's property. "Shellie told me that Sir Hadrian cornered her in the stairwell, and demanded that she give him the keys to the master suite and study. She tried to run, but he kept blocking her way, until he leaned on a banister that suddenly came loose. Fortunately the fall wasn't serious, and Shellie wasn't caught in a compromising position. It seemed strange at the time, since there were no signs of damage or weakness in the railings before." 

Siris had to admit, that didn't sound like a curse. This estate was more than a century old, so this sort of thing wasn't unexpected. However his opinions changed as Garrus continued, with each 'accident' more suspicious than the last. A second cousin being thrown from his horse when trying to inspect the stables, a garden planter nearly crushing Hadrian's second wife while she stood beneath the patio, Marcellus' eldest niece injuring her ankle while swearing someone tripped her while descending the stairs, and last but not least–young lord Berlanger's wife Helena falling ill with a high fever the night the newlyweds entered the master suite. And if he wasn't mistaken, the master suite was where Marcellus died when he was fatally stabbed by the executed maid. 

"Have any accidents happened to the servants who work here?" He asked. The middle-aged man shook his head. "No, not that I know of. We've never had any problems here outside of the incidents I've told you." It would appear that these events only affected members of the Belanger family, with varying degrees of severity.  Shiloh, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up. "Did Lord Marcellus do a lot of traveling, or by any chance did he collect any antique items?" The butler shook his head again, stating the late head of the Belanger family rarely traveled outside of Adeluna; but it might be possible that he made a few purchases that he wasn't aware of. "Mind if we have a look around his personal quarters? You can accompany us–it's just part of the standard procedure. We won't touch anything without your permission." Shiloh said. Her professional attitude seemed to put Garrus at ease, and he led them to Marcellus' study. Turning a key in the lock, he opened the door to a spacious private office. 

"Ever since his passing, we've kept the study locked. Once a month the servants dust the place, but everything should be as it was then." The old butler stood off to the side as they entered, and Siris quickly looked over the titles of the books on the shelves. Shiloh on the other hand, was slowly walking around the office.  Every so often she would stop and pause, then move on to the next thing that would draw her interest. Siris and the butler watched her for a while before throwing glances at each other. Unfortunately for him, Siris had no clue on what she was doing.

Since she wasn't a highly trained magus or arcane prodigy like Siris, Shiloh had to do things the old fashioned way. It was possible that the butler wasn't completely aware of every action his master had taken, so she needed to be thorough. Focusing her senses, she meticulously checked the study for any traces of magic. When her search turned up empty, that cleared away one possibility from the checklist. Looks like the cause wasn't a cursed item after all–much to her relief. But that meant they were probably dealing with something more 'active', like lingering resentment. "I don't think there's anything wrong with this area, so we can rule this place out." She turned to Siris and the butler. "Mr. Garrus, could I ask for one small favor? Could you let us enter the master suite so we can have a look?" Reassured with how she kept her word, the butler was willing to cooperate and led them to the big fancy door she had eyed ever since they came to the second floor.

It took him a few minutes to find the right key and it turned in the lock with a click. When the door was opened, she took a breath and removed the limitations on her aura sight. To her surprise, the room looked…normal. Then again the maids probably cleaned things up years ago, despite this being the place of a murder. She was half expecting ominous signs of paranormal activity or a tingling sensation on her skin. Stepping inside the later Marcellus' chambers that he would've shared with Vivienne, she noted the positioning of all the furniture present. "Mr. Garrus, where was Marcellus' body on the night he died? Do you remember the position he was in when you found him?" She motioned for him to show her where it was in the room. The butler's face paled slightly at her question, but he came forward.

"Sir Marcellus was found lying on his side two paces from the door. There was a terrible amount of blood, and at the time it had soaked into an embroidered Abedian rug that used to be in this room. It was thrown out before his funeral was held, so you won't be able to look at it, I'm afraid." Shiloh was impressed by the old butler–here he thought she wanted to inspect the scene of the crime. But she wasn't a law officer, so looking over a bloody rug wasn't going to help. Judging by what she had observed so far, Lord Marcellus Berlanger at least had reliable staff under him before he died. Pity their employer had less moral character than they did. 

"Oh no, that won't be necessary. Thank you for the offer though. Well, looking at the dimensions of this room I'd say that sheds some light on how things happened before he died." Marcellus most likely struggled with the maid for a while before she grabbed something in the room and stabbed him. He probably didn't die right away, and tried to grab at her before collapsing from blood loss. The murder weapon likely was pulled out after the stabbing, since if it had been kept in the wound he could have lasted long enough to step outside of the master suite. But because he was bleeding out, he never made it to the door. "Sir Marcellus was stabbed in the stomach or lower abdomen, right?" She asked, causing the butler's eyes to go wide. "Yes, how did you know?" The details of the late master's death had been strictly guarded to protect the family's reputation.

Shiloh looked to the side and muttered aloud: "A lucky guess…" Unless it was the puncture of an artery, a large abdominal wound was the next likely choice to cause fatal blood loss. After standing around in silence for a while, she looked over to ask the butler again. "So what can you tell me about the woman who killed him? I heard she was a servant working here before she was punished by execution." It was a possibility that a certain someone still had unfinished business despite having died already.

The butler told them about Loretta, a maid who had been working at the estate for a year before the day of Marcellus Berlanger's death. Sir Garrus recalled her punishment with great remorse, as she had never caused any problems in her time under his supervision. Unfortunately, his late master had a serious philandering habit that persisted even after his marriage to his wife, though it appeared the union was more out of convenience to solidify social standing. There wasn't much love between the two, that Siris was sure of. Loretta wasn't the only maid to suffer Marcellus' persistent advances,  but she had managed to avoid him up until that fateful night where she was cornered. As for the details on what happened before she stabbed him, one could only guess. 

Shiloh gave the old butler a few moments to collect himself before interrupting the solemnity with her next request. "Thank you for your help, Mister Garrus. I'm sorry to hear what happened to Miss Loretta, but I'm afraid I'll need one last favor from you, if you mind. I know this might sound strange, but we would like to have access to this room for a few hours. It's just standard procedure, really. I believe that this room might be the key to the series of unfortun–er, unusual 'accidents' that've been plaguing the estate." After deftly convincing him to allow them unsupervised access to the master suite, she immediately began to plaster talismans along the room's walls. "Alright Siris, it's time for you to do a ritual. If this works we're going to have a little chat with a very important witness." She started creating the base array of a spirit summoning circle, and looked up at the lack of immediate response. 

"Wait, what do you think you're doing?! Don't tell me that you're planning to summon a spirit here!" The woman continued to place red cords in a systematic fashion without hesitation. "Of course I am. If there's one place that's the most likely spot to find an earthbound spirit bound by regrets, it's here. While I was checking our surroundings, I thought I sensed a faint energy signature lingering in this room. Makes sense since it was the scene of a murder." It was at this point that he realized why she was acting so polite to the butler earlier, but he didn't understand why she didn't outright state her intentions on what she planned to do. "Why didn't you just ask him if we could perform a spirit conjuration ceremony then?" He asked. She replied: "Because then we'd sound like lunatics. Also I'm not completely sure if this will work, since it's been more than a few years since she was executed."

"She? You mean we're summoning Loretta?" With the last piece in place, Shiloh stood up and adjusted the mask on her face. "Who else are we going to summon? I don't think a man like Marcellus would be the type to have lingering regrets upon his death, if you ask me." Siris sighed before recalling the spirit-conjuration incantation. They were only granted a few hours alone in the master suite under Sir Garrus' permission, so they had to work fast. Completing the ritual down to the last detail, he activated the array and channelled arcane energy to draw any earthbound spirits in. Within a few moments, a transparent figure began to manifest in the summoning circle. Its features solidified into the form of a young woman dressed in the same clothes as the maids they saw downstairs. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and there was a large bloodstain on the sleeve of her right arm starting from the cuff. 

"It really worked…" He murmured to himself. Siris was sure they would find something, but he didn't expect to call forth the spirit they were looking for on the first try. She was much more ordinary than he had anticipated, bloodstains aside. For someone who was wrongly executed, she looked less vengeful than expected.  

She wasn't well-versed in the arts of necromancy, or whatever school of the arcane calling the spirits of the deceased fell under, so she was relying on Siris' knowledge to fill in the gaps. What she did know was that ghosts had a tendency to hang around places they died if it was gruesome end or if strong negative emotions were involved. Even if Loretta didn't die in this room, thise room was a major cause of why she died. If the spirit that was summoned wasn't Loretta, then things might get awkward. Shiloh was relieved when the former of a woman appeared in the array, and went straight into questioning. Their allotted time was a few hours, so they had to wrap this up before the butler came back. 

"…What? Who–how?!" The ghost of the young maid was at a loss for words as to how she suddenly was pulled here, only to be greeted by two strangers. Taking off her mask, Shiloh put on her most convincingly natural smile and waved to her. "Hi, are you Loretta? We'd like to ask you a few questions if you don't mind." If she did mind, then she'd have to turn up the pressure. Overt coercion wasn't her kind of thing, but the situation was a little urgent this time. The maid was still flustered, but Shiloh's 100% Profesional Smile™ was effective enough to temporarily disarm any immediate suspicions. Shiloh made sure to get the first word in once Loretta appeared to distract her attention from realizing they were exorcists. True to habit, in the face of Shiloh's 'salesperson aura' she went with the flow. 

"Yes, that's me. Is there something wrong?" Occupational habits die hard, and Shiloh intended to take full advantage of them. "I know this might be a very sensitive topic for you, but could you tell us what happened between you and Sir Berlanger?" Loretta's eyes widened and her spectral form shook. "I-it's not true! I didn't mean to kill him! He–he cornered me, and I tried to get away–but he grabbed me by the arm and wouldn't let me go!" Loretta started sobbing, covering her mouth with her hands while her shoulders were hunched. "I told him to stop but he wouldn't, and I grabbed the nearest thing before–"  Her ghostly form started to flicker as she underwent extreme emotional distress. Even after being sentenced, that incident still plagued her and likely was the reason why she never passed on.

Siris threw her a look and Shiloh didn't press her any further. If she destabilized, they might not be able to finish this conversation. "It's alright, we're not here to accuse you–in fact, we're here to act as your representatives." Loretta calmed down and looked confused. Shiloh continued, choosing her words carefully. "You see, we heard about what happened to you several years ago. I'm sure it must have been terrible, being trapped here all by yourself. Instead of being bound here, we would like to help you cross over and enter the Soulstream. Think of yourself as our client." In other words, they were most certainly not exorcists.  

He watched as Shiloh swiftly took control over the situation, leading the earthbound spirit along with an unsettling level of proficiency and finesse. If he hadn't known how she usually behaved beforehand, Siris would've thought that smile of hers was real. For someone who claimed to prefer dealing with things in a straightforward manner, she was exceedingly skilled in the art of manipulation. In the course of a few minutes she had settled accounts with Loretta, and offered to give her justice. The maidservant had never been a petty vengeful person, so she was satisfied with Shiloh's proposal for a proper burial on the estate, complete with a carved headstone bearing her name. Although Shiloh had made it clear she intended to right the wrongs committed against Loretta, he noted she never mentioned specifically how she would hold the Berlangers accountable. Siris had a growing suspicion that she had taken this request with an ulterior motive other than genuine goodwill towards an accused woman.

That suspicion was confirmed when Loretta's spirit was able to pass on having been relieved of her last remaining earthly attachments and cold light shone in Shiloh's eyes once she was gone. It vanished in an instant once the butler came to see if they were done with their 'investigation' and she thanked him for his cooperation, but Siris could feel her smiling beneath the plain formless features of her clay mask. Rather than reporting the completed exorcism of the maid from the Berlanger estate, Shiloh only mentioned that the estate was indeed haunted by the spirit of the maid who had been executed for killing the late Lord Marcellus. The expressions of his widow and son were grave while Shiloh left the rest to their imagination. 

"Spirits like her can be exorcised, however there are a few things you will need to do. First, she must be given a proper burial. As she died a disgraceful death, you must prepare a grave and headstone bearing her name on the estate. Next, you must make a formal corrective statement with the Adelunian authorities rectifying the circumstances surrounding the late Lord Berlanger's death. Only then will this matter be put to rest."