My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 149
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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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Saraka furrowed her brow. Fortunately, her veil prevented her menacing expression from showing.
Whether they had been watching the Rohanson Estate or following Saraka’s trail, it was truly an early appearance. Though they called themselves the Plauros Knights, their number was only about ten, including Gabriel.
“Those bastards… They must have been tailing us, right?”
“What a disgrace to the Temple!”
The knights beside Saraka spat curses at the Plauros Knights. As if the piercing glares meant nothing to him, Gabriel dismounted and calmly entered the Rohanson Estate. Perhaps because Gabriel had visited the Rohanson Estate several times before, the servants who recognized him visibly relaxed with relief.
“First, check if there are any survivors inside the estate and help with evacuation.”
“Yes, Captain.”
At Gabriel’s command, the knights except for him began moving swiftly. A few people with stamina like Uriel doused themselves with water and entered the burning estate without hesitation, while the remaining ones ignored the other knights’ interference and began examining the wounds of the estate’s people. Rafaela headed toward Daisy.
Saraka watched this shameless display and sneered at Gabriel.
“Does the Captain of the Knights not see me?”
“My apologies, Bishop. The fire was so fierce and the damage so great that I failed to notice you.”
Gabriel bowed his head politely as if it hadn’t been intentional. With a burning estate right before his eyes, how could he notice anything else? This was tantamount to criticizing Saraka, who had been doing nothing but watching while the estate burned before her eyes.
“Didn’t Bishop Marik also have his attention captured? That’s why you were just standing there watching the fire.”
What an arrogant attitude, not knowing his place.
To Saraka, Gabriel was a useful pawn. A tool used by Bishop Javanya, the tragic bastard who could be used to manipulate the Emperor. This was precisely the role Gabriel was meant to play.
Gabriel had been cursed to be used by Saraka. For that purpose, hadn’t he appeared at just the right time on the stage Saraka was setting?
When he was under Bishop Javanya, he was said to be extremely obedient, never uttering a word. However, Gabriel had become entangled with Evangeline more than necessary and was now rebelling against Saraka.
“May I assist you in rescuing the survivors, Bishop?”
“First you give that order, then ask for my permission – the sequence is backwards.”
“I made a mistake because I knew Bishop Marik would naturally grant permission. Don’t you also prioritize saving lives, Bishop?”
Even though just revealing that holy water doesn’t work on him would get him burned alive immediately, this vermin acted fearlessly, standing up to block Saraka. His attitude suggested that even his life wasn’t precious when it came to Evangeline.
The fact that such faith was directed toward Evangeline as an individual rather than the Sun felt deeply impure. Who would have thought it possible to seduce a devout holy knight and corrupt him to this extent? Just like how she had won over Azazel, Evangeline’s capabilities were truly admirable.
“You wouldn’t have just happened to pass by at this late hour, so what brings you here?”
“I was patrolling in case a demon appeared and caused a fire, and I simply came because the flames were fierce.”
“Is that so? What a coincidence…”
Gabriel didn’t even hide the fact that he had been watching Saraka.
“I came because I was worried, since the Bishop previously burned an entire family to death, showing no mercy in your methods.”
“Wouldn’t that be better than taking such complacent measures like the Captain of the Knights?”
Gabriel cursed Saraka for burning dozens of people alive, while Saraka mocked Gabriel for interfering with her work at every turn and only catching one heretic by acting first.
“I mistakenly thought the Captain of the Knights might have plans for a secret meeting with someone he admires in the middle of the night.”
Saraka erased all the hostility she had shown so far and spoke as pleasantly as if greeting someone she had met by chance while walking.
“Unfortunately, you’re too late. If you had come just a little earlier, you could have met her…”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, the one who set this fire wasn’t the ‘demon’ you were worried about, but your beloved.”
“…That can’t be.”
Both Saraka and Gabriel knew well that Evangeline was staying at the Viscount’s estate. Though Gabriel responded, Saraka ignored this and brought Hena forward.
“Evangeline’s maid testified.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened in surprise.
“…Miss Hena.”
Gabriel called Hena’s name with a devastated heart, having learned the identity of the traitor he had been searching for so desperately.
“Haha. Since she’s close to the one you admire, it’s not surprising that the Captain recognizes her.”
Saraka seemed very pleased. Even so, her tone and attitude didn’t stray from Bishop Marik’s benevolent image. It was thanks to learning through being burned by fire for a long period.
“…Miss Hena. Why on earth are you giving false testimony?”
Hena avoided Gabriel’s gaze. Of course, considering Daisy’s history, Gabriel had been suspicious of everyone except Evangeline and the two demons, so he wasn’t greatly shocked.
He was only worried about Evangeline, who would hear this news. Hena was one of the few people who received treatment similar to what Evangeline cherished.
Even Kanna, who acted coquettishly wanting to monopolize Evangeline’s affection, would be greatly shocked to learn that her sister had betrayed the young lady she so worshipped.
“False testimony? The Captain is so blinded by affection that he turns away even when shown the truth.”
When Gabriel glared at Saraka as if she had some grand scheme, she felt very wronged. Though the results were satisfactory, strictly speaking, this wasn’t something Saraka had planned and carried out under her direction.
“Miss Hena. Could you explain again what you just told me?”
“I… I saw with my own two eyes who set fire to the estate. Lady Evangeline set fire to the estate.”
Hena took a deep breath and continued.
“There must be several other people besides me who witnessed it.”
Her voice was particularly clear.
“That’s right… I saw the young lady setting the fire…!”
It started with one frightened utterance. Then others joined in agreement.
“Me too! I saw it too!”
“R-right. I saw it too. I tried to stop her, but the young lady was so scary that I just stayed quiet…”
People nodding and joining in appeared from here and there. They had all seen the ‘rats’ moving around and mistook them for Evangeline. Some people, following the flow, chimed in saying they had witnessed it too, even though they had never seen Evangeline.
“Lady Evangeline…”
Saraka murmured as if shocked.
“I once sensed an evil aura from Lady Evangeline. If I had definitely captured her then, this damage wouldn’t have occurred…”
At Saraka’s words, fierce glares turned toward Gabriel. Everyone here remembered how earnestly Gabriel had worked to prove Evangeline’s innocence at that time.
“As Count Gabriel also said, I am one who extremely abhors heretics. How could I, as a priest, turn a blind eye to beings who rebel against God? Therefore, I went so far as to purify even the nest where the demon had dwelled.”
Saraka spoke very calmly about how she had personally burned the family to death. Someone could be heard swallowing dry saliva.
Those who had overlooked Evangeline Rohanson’s existence, their eyes caught by the gold coins the butler distributed, trembled in fear of what their fate might be.
“Should we kill all of these people?”
Muzeta drew his sword. The sharp blade made a piercing sound as it left its sheath. But the voice asking about death without emotion was even sharper than that sound.
Following him, the other knights also drew their swords. Gabriel frowned. With only ten men, it would be impossible to stop Bishop Marik’s knights.
“Hic…!”
One maid couldn’t overcome her fear and burst into tears.
She had only now realized the meaning of why Saraka had just watched without rescuing them from the fire.
When their eyes met with Saraka’s, she seemed about to have a seizure. For a maid of Evangeline Rohanson, she was quite cowardly. That young lady must have treated her household quite gently.
“Well…”
Saraka deliberated.
By principle, they should be killed without mercy. In fact, Saraka was contemplating not whether to kill them, but whether to behead them or burn them to death.
“Of course, all heretics bewitched by demons should rightfully be executed…”
Saraka pondered while examining the faces of the people. The gazes looking up at her from kneeling on the dirty ground now saw Saraka not as a priest but as a slaughterer.
Saraka calculated the usefulness of the people. Would it be more profitable to keep them alive? Would their lives be useful in capturing Evangeline Rohanson? Saraka sought advice from Hena.
“Do you think the people of the Rohanson Estate have value as hostages, Miss Hena?”
Again, it was a very small whisper that only Hena could hear. Saraka left the life and death of the estate’s people to Hena.
Hena also realized this fact. Other people’s lives depended on her answer. The weight of death, which came much more directly than when she had set the fire, made Hena slightly afraid.
“I, I think it would be good to keep them alive.”
“Really? Wouldn’t it be a bit more dramatic to kill them all and spread word that Lady Evangeline massacred her household? Since they’re all heretics bewitched by demons anyway, you don’t need to feel any guilt.”
Hena shook her head because Saraka really seemed like she would kill everyone.
“Lady Evangeline tries not to stray from her assigned role. The people of the estate will become shackles that bind her.”
Hena wasn’t lying. For some unknown reason, Evangeline made efforts to imitate ‘Evangeline Rohanson’ as if she were truly bound by chains. She followed the real Evangeline’s tastes, and her behavior and speech patterns were the same.
While Evangeline didn’t particularly cherish the servants other than Kanna, she wouldn’t dismiss them in a way unbefitting of the ‘Lady Rohanson’ either.
Saraka stared intently at Hena as if measuring her, then nodded. If they had value as hostages, it would be better to surround the estate rather than kill them.
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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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