My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 130

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The meeting with the Duke is scheduled for after lunch. Has time already passed that much? Checking the time, it was past 2 o’clock. If anything, this feels later than usual. I must have overslept after getting a good night’s rest for the first time in a while.

After saying I would prepare immediately, I changed clothes. Rico helped me with dressing.

“Will you skip meals again today?”

“Yes. I have no appetite.”

That’s a lie. I’m so hungry that if food were in front of me, I could devour it all in one bite. Rico probably knows well by now that what I’m saying is just an excuse.

“…I’m worried you might collapse if you continue to avoid eating like this.”

“I won’t collapse, so don’t worry.”

I added a word to ease Rico’s concerns. Since Pudding works as a delivery cat, bringing food from the Rohanson Estate, I definitely won’t collapse. Rico doesn’t know that I’m getting food delivered separately, and since I keep refusing meals every time, she must be worried. But I don’t want to eat food prepared in a kitchen full of rats!

“If you say so, my lady…”

Rico seemed doubtful but couldn’t argue against my insistence and acquiesced.

“However, my lady. You must not forget that ordinary people eat meals every day at every mealtime.”

“You’re saying others will find me strange.”

I wondered why Rico was suddenly harping on about meals, and it seems the people working at the estate have been gossiping that I’m being unusually fastidious. While everyone worries about the rat infestation, there probably isn’t anyone else fasting while being as fastidious as me.

To others, I must look like I have severe mysophobia. I’m only being careful because holy water doesn’t work on them. I can’t reveal this truth.

“I don’t need to carefully mind their every glance.”

“…Lady Evangeline is right.”

Rico seems to be the type who, once she becomes close to someone, doesn’t doubt their words and wholeheartedly agrees with them. I really did well to save Mabuka. Oh, speaking of which, how is Mabuka doing?

“How is Mabuka? The ‘rats’ aren’t approaching her, are they?”

“No. Thanks to your cat.”

Since holy water is currently scarce and Pudding has reduced her hunting, I asked her to protect Mabuka in her spare time. It seems Pudding is doing her job well.

After putting on the dress, I sat at the vanity as Rico led me. Rico began combing through my disheveled hair from sleep. Her touch was very careful. The gentle brushing suddenly stopped.

Looking through the mirror, I saw Rico lost in thought. Only after our eyes met in the mirror did Rico snap back to attention.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just curious about something for a moment.”

“Can you tell me what it is?”

At my encouragement, Rico hesitated.

“It’s not something you would consider important, my lady.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

“…”

“Rico.”

Only after I called her name firmly did Rico give in. Actually, when someone is this embarrassed, it’s often not as big a deal as expected. Real worries are usually pondered more persistently and alone.

Rico hesitated before opening her mouth.

“It’s just that I’m curious why the rats were targeting Mabuka.”

“Mabuka?”

…That’s right? I never thought about that.

It was an unexpected question. However, it was worth considering.

As Rico said, I’ve caught and dealt with many rats so far, but the only person they sought was Agera, the summoner at most. For some reason, the rats called Agera ‘Mother.’ But they showed tremendous obsession toward Mabuka.

“She is my daughter, but… isn’t Mabuka only six years old? There shouldn’t be any particular reason to be obsessed with Mabuka…”

With those words, Rico trailed off. I was the one who pressed for answers, and Rico didn’t seem to have brought it up expecting a definitive answer either, so our conversation didn’t continue further.

Throughout Rico’s hair styling, I reflected on information about Mabuka. What makes Mabuka different from others… What makes her more special than others… No matter how much I thought about it, Mabuka was just an innocent child with nothing particularly unusual.

At most, I could point out that she was a rare child in the estate and that she was Rico’s daughter as distinguishing features. But there must be a clear reason why the ‘rats’ specifically sought out Mabuka.

“Lady Evangeline, the styling is finished.”

“Is it? Thank you.”

At Rico’s words, I cleared my thoughts and stood up. No matter how much I thought about it now, no answer came. I’ll be able to find the reason after learning more about the ‘rats.’

“Let’s go then. I’ve kept Grandfather waiting too long.”

Though I said that, I didn’t think the Duke was actually waiting for me. He probably wouldn’t even care if I didn’t come for a day.

I headed to the office with Rico. Upon arriving at the door, Rico knocked twice.

“Your Grace, this is Rico. I’ve brought Lady Evangeline.”

“Come in.”

The Duke was devoted to paperwork today as well. Being a duke of a nation, he must be incredibly busy without a moment’s rest. Rohanson Viscount was always doing paperwork too and never properly met with me.

Instead of spending time on paperwork, he should pay some attention to household matters. After grumbling about my complaints, generous me decided to graciously let it slide.

“Good afternoon.”

I sat on the sofa before the Duke could even tell me to sit.

From what I’ve observed while staying at the Duke’s mansion, Duke Hosaquin disliked passive people who sought his permission for everything from one to ten. That’s why Rico also handled matters autonomously within her authority. The same applied to his attitude toward me, so he surprisingly didn’t scold me even if I was somewhat impudent.

‘Has he become a bit more lenient?’

It seemed like a lie that he had thrown a wine glass when I first irritated him. Well, I’m playing the role of an exorcist and struggling with estate pest control, so it would be disappointing if there were no compensation.

“Don’t you have anything to ask today? Then don’t waste my time and leave.”

The Duke sneered. Lenient my foot, I was mistaken.

I have plenty I want to ask. It’s just not the right timing to ask now. There were many things I could only ask after the Duke opened up about his inner thoughts.

All this time, I hadn’t asked the Duke about Amaranth. Whenever I mentioned Amaranth, he would show disgust and anger, making it impossible to bring up the topic easily. So during the conversation time I barely managed to secure, I only had constructive discussions about how to drive out the ‘rats’ from the ducal house.

When I heard before that Nigella had eaten rats, the Duke’s expression was really funny. It’s still amusing to think about.

“I have so many things I want to ask. I was just choosing my words carefully so as not to cause you unnecessary worry, Grandfather.”

The Duke snorted at my smooth answer.

After pondering question topics, I decided to push a little harder. If the Duke maintains this lukewarm attitude, nothing will be accomplished. Right now Bishop Marik is lying low, but I don’t know when he might extend his claws.

“When do you think Bishop Marik will try to shake the weakness he’s holding?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Can you guess when he’ll come to condemn the Hosaquin Ducal House?”

“Didn’t you say with your own mouth that you would prevent that? What, are you giving up now saying you can’t do it?”

“I would if there’s no progress. This isn’t my home, so I could just abandon it and return to the Rohanson Estate.”

The Duke thought I was making empty threats and paid no attention. I needed to be a bit more aggressive.

“Bishop Marik will declare Lady Agera a heretic. Under the pretense of purification, he’ll massacre the entire ducal house along with Lady Agera and burn it all down. The name ‘Amaranth,’ which was Mother’s name, will forever remain as belonging to the demon Lady Agera summoned.”

This wasn’t an exaggeration – if we fail to exterminate the rats and Bishop Marik strikes first, this could actually happen.

“But fortunately, at least it wouldn’t be false accusations, would it?”

Scratch scratch. The pen that had been swimming elegantly across the paper stopped abruptly.

“Why do you think Lady Agera dabbled in sorcery, Grandfather?”

For the first time since I’d been coming and going from the Duke’s office, the Duke looked at me without frowning.

“And why do you keep such a Lady Agera by your side?”

What’s really strange is that he doesn’t treat me as family, severed ties with Amaranth for bearing a child out of wedlock, yet absolutely refuses to let go of his wife even though she suffers from dementia and madness, practicing sorcery that puts the ducal house in danger.

“While you abandoned Mother.”

If there had been blades in his gaze, my head would have just fallen off. In the past, he would have thrown the pen in his hand like a dart. But he can’t do that now. The Duke needs me.

“You insolent thing…!”

The Duke shot up from his seat and shouted as if he wanted to cut out my tongue. I must have lost all the favorability I’d built up. So this is how the dream of family reconciliation grows distant…

“Agera dabbled in sorcery because of you! That I cast out Amaranth too, all…!”

“All?”

The Duke pointed at me and shouted at the top of his lungs. Then, perhaps because his breathing became labored, he gasped for air. The knights guarding outside urgently knocked on the door.

“Your Grace? Is something wrong? Shall we come in?”

“Quiet! It’s nothing, so get lost!”

After shouting loudly to quiet the outside, the Duke took deep breaths and sat back down. In that brief moment, he seemed to have aged ten years. The Duke buried his face in his wrinkled hands. Though his tears had long dried up, he was clearly crying.

“Yes. It’s because of you…”

His tone was full of regret. His pronunciation was slurred, making the word ‘you’ sound almost like ‘me.’ The Duke was definitely feeling guilt.

Though it wasn’t appropriate to say while watching my grandfather burrow into the ground before my eyes, I wanted to cheer. Wasn’t the Duke, who had been bristling like a hedgehog all this time, shedding a layer of his shell and revealing his inner thoughts? Bristling at others was the Duke’s defense mechanism.

“Isn’t it because of you, Grandfather?”

“If you continue to run your mouth so freely, I’ll cut out that impudent tongue.”

“Mother resented you, not me. Who was it that obsessively severed ties with Mother and abandoned her? Who made Lady Agera long for Mother so much?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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