Nicola von Weber is not an ordinary aristocrat. She is the reincarnation of a Shinto exorcist from modern-day Japan who met an untimely death, and she has carried all her spiritual powers and memories into her new life in a European-style fantasy world. Now a first-year student at the Royal Academy, Nicola’s greatest wish is to live a quiet, normal life, but this proves impossible due to her childhood friend, Sieghart von Edelstein. A strikingly handsome marquess, Sieghart has been plagued by malevolent spirits since he was a small boy, a condition only worsened by his beauty, which attracts envious glances and otherworldly admirers. Nicola once saved him from these apparitions, and he has been devoted to her ever since, swearing he will marry no one else. As they enter the academy together, Nicola finds herself constantly using her exorcism skills to banish the ghosts, doppelgangers, and cursed beings that Sieghart attracts, all while desperately trying to deflect his romantic advances and manage the complications of noble society.

The story unfolds at the Royal Academy, a prestigious institution where the vivid imaginations and gossip of students give rise to spooky apparitions, making it a particular hotspot for supernatural activity. The conflict centers on Nicola’s dual life as a schoolgirl and a hidden exorcist. Her powers, which include the ability to see and purify spirits, are the only thing keeping Sieghart safe, yet his constant proximity and open adoration are a source of immense annoyance as she struggles to focus on her studies and maintain a low profile. As she ventures beyond the academy, Nicola learns that spirits and grudges can appear anywhere, leading to encounters that are as chilling as they are disruptive.

The narrative develops through several distinct arcs. In the first volume, Nicola is established as a grumpy and reluctant heroine, forced to deal with Sieghart’s supernatural magnetism as well as other ill-fated romances. The volume also introduces Prince Alois, who also becomes a target for spirits, and his bodyguard Ernst, expanding Nicola’s circle of duty beyond just her childhood friend. A significant twist concerns the fate of a character named Olivia, which upends romantic expectations and sets the stage for larger political complications. The second volume deepens the horror elements and follows Nicola as she is thrust into a formal selection to become the new fiancée of Prince Alois. This arc sends the group on a journey to meet other noble candidates, including the mysterious Charlotte and the sickly Elfriede, uncovering dark secrets and tragedies that demonstrate the brutal potential of the world’s supernatural forces. here, Nicola also begins begrudgingly confronting her own confused feelings for Sieghart by questioning others about the nature of love. The concluding arc takes place during a crucial school ball, where Sieghart is framed for the murder of a foreign prince in a locked-room mystery. With Sieghart facing imminent execution, Nicola must race to prove his innocence, navigating a complex investigation where the true culprit is so consumed by curses that they appear as a literal cloud of darkness, ultimately forcing her to acknowledge the depth of her own feelings to save him.