My Body Has Been Possessed By Someone - Chapter 94
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 94
* * *
“Miss! It’s raining—where are you going?”
“Jerome.”
Rachel flashed a bright smile at the approaching knight.
“This is Jerome, my escort knight. Jerome, introduce yourself. This gentleman is a Physician sent by His Imperial Majesty.”
But Jerome was openly sarcastic.
“What brings you here? What use is a Physician for catching ghosts? You won’t be of any help.”
“Mind your tongue, Jerome. This is a noblewoman—the wife of Duke Adis.”
“Ah, the wife of Duke Adis, I see. I’ve heard much about you. You’re quite famous, after all.”
…
“What was that nickname again—filth? Something like that….”
Jerome fell silent. A sharp blade suddenly gleamed beneath his chin.
“Shall I slit your throat?”
Claude asked with a smile, glancing at Kanna Adis.
“Or perhaps cut out your tongue?”
“Wh-what is this….”
Jerome’s face flushed with panic. Rachel, who had been watching anxiously, made a request.
“Sir Knight, please lower your sword.”
But Claude responded graciously.
“I take orders only from the Duchess Adis, Miss.”
I was genuinely surprised. I hadn’t expected Claude to act this way.
‘Having an escort is really quite convenient, isn’t it?’
So practical. Kalen hadn’t assigned him to me for nothing.
“Lower your sword, Claude.”
“Yes.”
Claude obeyed my command without hesitation.
With a soft scrape, he sheathed his blade, and Rachel released a relieved sigh. But Jerome’s face remained flushed crimson.
He protested.
“Drawing a sword without warning—that’s conduct unbecoming a knight!”
“Well, you have a point there.”
“…What?”
“I said you have a point.”
“Y-you’re admitting that your conduct was unbecoming a knight?”
“Yes.”
…
Claude scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“But isn’t the same true of you, Jerome?”
“Wh-what?”
“Did you not speak disrespectfully to a noblewoman? I’m sorely tempted to cut that tongue of yours clean in half.”
Claude spoke those ominous words without the slightest hesitation.
“The Duchess is far too kind-hearted to issue such commands. A pity, truly.”
“….”
“So consider yourself fortunate that the Duchess possesses such a silken heart.”
I felt a flush of embarrassment creep across my cheeks, yet I held my head high with resolve. How could I show shame when my own escort knight spoke so boldly on my behalf?
“I shall apologize in her stead.”
Rachel quickly interjected with an apology.
“I am truly sorry, Duchess Adis.”
“Yes, as it should be.”
I smiled gently.
“Even when a master’s dog misbehaves, the master offers apologies. How much more so when a direct escort knight conducts himself so carelessly—Rachel must naturally apologize.”
“…!”
Jerome clenched his teeth. His fists trembled as he gripped them tightly, yet he could say nothing more.
‘Perhaps I should have trained my escort knights more thoroughly from the start.’
I felt sorry for the kind-hearted Rachel, but this was a burden she would have to bear.
“Well then, shall we go?”
* * *
I toured the town with Rachel. However, we soon sought refuge in a small tea house nearby.
“The rain is coming down quite heavily.”
Boom! Thunder rumbled in the distance.
“I think it best we wait until the rain subsides.”
“Yes, let’s have some tea.”
My stomach was growling at just the right moment.
I satisfied my hunger with a cup of tea and the rye bread that accompanied it.
‘This has a wholesome taste to it.’
It was pure organic rye bread—no added sugar, no butter.
‘Ah, I wish I had a brownie. It would taste absolutely divine with coffee.’
I glanced back at Claude, who stood behind me.
“Claude Azel. Would you like some bread?”
My affection for Claude had increased considerably, so I offered him some food.
Yet Claude politely declined with a smile.
“That’s quite all right. An empty stomach suits me better during duty.”
“An empty stomach suits you… better?”
“Yes. It keeps the body light.”
“….”
An empty stomach being preferable.
I found this logic utterly incomprehensible. Rachel, who had been watching from beside me, asked a question.
“How is the rye bread? It doesn’t taste very good, does it?”
“No, it’s not that it tastes bad, exactly….”
Rather than tasting bad, it simply had no discernible taste at all….
So that was why it tasted so bland.
“Yes, it’s quite tasteless.”
Rachel let out a melancholy laugh.
“Though the flavor may be dreadful, rye is the staple crop of us islanders. There are precious few grains that can be cultivated on such barren soil as this.”
“I see.”
“Yes, so I do hope you’ll forgive us.”
Yet even as she spoke these words, Rachel didn’t so much as touch a fingertip to the bread. She had already enjoyed fresh oysters and trout steak for lunch, after all.
In truth, rye was the staple only for the islanders—the poor inhabitants of this island.
“By the way, I’ve never seen a woman from beyond the island before. Are all inland women as beautiful as the Duchess?”
“No. I’m simply exceptional.”
It was a statement utterly devoid of modesty, yet Rachel accepted it without hesitation.
“I see.”
“Yes.”
“I had a feeling that might be the case. You truly are beautiful, Duchess.”
“Thank you.”
Rachel hesitated for a moment before asking.
“Then what about Orsini?”
“Orsini?”
“Yes. Are there many people like Orsini in the inland?”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s so magnificent.”
What?!
I nearly spat out my tea. As I broke into a fit of coughing, Rachel graciously offered me her handkerchief.
“I’ve never seen anyone as magnificent as Orsini. He’s in a completely different league from the men of the island.”
Is she serious?
I began to question her mental state.
“Rachel, surely it’s not just his appearance? It’s his appearance, isn’t it? It must be his appearance?”
“W-well, his appearance is certainly excellent, but….”
“No! Don’t be fooled by mere looks!”
That scoundrel is nothing but a pretty-faced ruffian!
Of course, everyone has their preferences.
If a woman favored a fierce expression and intensely masculine features, she would find it impossible to tear her eyes from Orsini.
“Appearance matters in a man, but there are far more important things than appearance. Orsini has a tendency to be quite—no, very violent….”
“That’s his valor.”
“Val….”
I couldn’t bring myself to continue.
Valor? Valor, she says?
Could this woman possibly not understand the meaning of the word?
Rachel murmured as though lost in a dream.
“He truly is strong and courageous. He’s like the king of beasts—a lion.”
“….”
I could only empathize with the latter part of what she said, though for entirely different reasons.
Orsini did have a bestial quality to him, after all.
His piercing gaze and violent temperament were closer to that of a wild beast than a human, and his hair resembled a lion’s mane.
“But despite his appearance, his heart is quite tender.”
It was an absurdly one-sided opinion. I could no longer hold back and objected vehemently.
“That’s absolutely not true.”
“No, I know him.”
“It’s not. I’m telling you it’s not!”
Rachel’s eyes narrowed. She seemed deeply displeased with my disparaging view of Orsini.
“When the Knight Guards were lost, Orsini was deeply grieved.”
“….”
“He didn’t show it outwardly, but he must be suffering from tremendous guilt. I know. His heart is as transparent and beautiful as a glass marble.”
I decided to disregard that last part. I mentally censored the flood of her words.
Suddenly, a phrase from the letter Orsini had sent came to mind.
【The Knight Guards have been completely annihilated.】
【Do not send the Knight Guards.】
I asked carefully.
“I heard the Knight Order was completely wiped out. Was it because of monsters?”
“Ah— no. You haven’t learned the details yet, it seems. The Knight Guards weren’t harmed by monsters.”
Rachel laughed sadly.
“It was Orsini.”
…What?
I stared at Rachel in bewilderment.
Rachel’s cheeks flushed as her eyes sparkled brilliantly. She spoke in an entranced voice.
“Orsini annihilated the entire Knight Order.”
Rachel told me the story of that day.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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