My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 165
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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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Jeremiah had been mulling over Bishop Marik’s attitude for a while before reaching a conclusion. If Hena was a witness and Jelly was a hostage, then Azazel was manpower.
‘No, since he’s a demon… demon power…?’
Working under Bishop Marik, Jeremiah could understand what Azazel’s purpose was. Azazel took care of all the dirty work that would be done in the name of the Temple and Bishop Marik. To Bishop Marik, Azazel was nothing more than a tool, no different from a sword. Having a tool with eyes and a mouth would make it even more convenient to give orders.
He became Bishop Marik’s limbs, killing people and doing all the dirty work that could be done behind the scenes. Jeremiah comforted himself by saying this was all for Evangeline.
Before Bishop Marik could drag in another person, Jeremiah teleported to the Rohanson Estate. And he ate a ton of cherry blossoms.
He didn’t know how cherry blossoms could fill a demon’s stomach, but considering who owned the cherry tree, he figured Evangeline must have done something and let it pass.
Seeing Azazel’s glossy appearance after gorging on cherry blossoms, Bishop Marik was satisfied. Come to think of it, his face was covered with a veil, so how did ‘Azazel’ notice Bishop Marik’s smile?
Bishop Marik’s quarters were located in a corner of the Temple. It was a narrow and old room for a bishop to use. The furniture showed signs of age, and when he secretly asked other priests, he learned that Bishop Marik had been using the same room since the moment he first set foot in the Temple.
“The Bishop is truly frugal. He’s someone we should emulate. I’m jealous of Count Astaroth who can always stay by the Bishop’s side and assist him. Hehe.”
The priest who said this seemed unable to see the massacres Bishop Marik had committed.
There was one more peculiar thing about the room. Bishop Marik would often use a secret passage in the room to go down to the basement. As if there was something underground he didn’t want discovered, he never brought Jeremiah along.
Taking advantage of Bishop Marik’s sleep, he secretly entered the basement and found a patient lying there who wouldn’t be strange to die at any moment.
Festering skin with burn scars, completely missing teeth and loose fingernails. Even the phlegm-filled breathing that seemed like it would stop at any moment. It was amazing that they were still alive.
Were that person and Azazel acquainted?
“Kill, kill me… Azazel… kill me.”
He couldn’t hear exactly what they were asking to be killed, but Jeremiah thought they were probably asking him to kill Bishop Marik. Unfortunately, he couldn’t kill Bishop Marik right now.
“I’ll kill him someday.”
When Jeremiah made that promise, the person closed their eyes in satisfaction. Wondering if they had died, he held his hand under their nose and felt a faint breath. Fortunately, they had just fallen asleep from exhaustion.
Jeremiah immediately left the basement. Whether that corpse-like person told Bishop Marik about seeing him, Bishop Marik never asked if he had gone to the basement.
On the third day of staying at the Temple, news spread like wildfire that the Hosaquin Duke’s wife was critically ill. It was loud enough for even Jeremiah, who couldn’t leave the Temple, to hear.
One of only three ducal families in the Empire, Evangeline’s maternal family. Bishop Marik, who had special interest in the Hosaquin Duchy, also received this news.
“It seems Evangeline is planning to do something interesting.”
Jeremiah hoped Bishop Marik would lose interest in Evangeline. Why did Evangeline have to get caught by someone like Bishop Marik and suffer?
It was true that Evangeline Rohanson commanded demons, and it was true that she was a wicked being, but naturally Jeremiah was on Evangeline’s side.
“I can’t just sit still either.”
Jeremiah wished Bishop Marik would just stay put.
“Lord Azazel. There’s a place we need to go together.”
His whereabouts were decided without even asking Jeremiah’s opinion. As someone who outwardly represented himself as Count Astaroth, Bishop Marik’s loyal escort, Jeremiah had no choice but to follow the Bishop out of the Temple. It was the outside world he was seeing for the first time in a while, enduring burning pain.
Bishop Marik didn’t board the Temple’s carriage, but rather a carriage that seemed rented from outside. It was a common carriage often seen on the roads.
Only after sitting down did Jeremiah realize that the carriage was made of very luxurious materials, contrary to its outward appearance. It was comparable to the carriage the Princess rode in.
Why would they need a carriage that only looked shabby on the outside?
Jeremiah sensed something suspicious and looked out the window. If they took him somewhere strange, he planned to open the door and jump out beforehand. Azazel’s body would be fine even jumping from a moving carriage.
After looking outside for a while, Jeremiah noticed the carriage was taking an increasingly familiar route. Turn right here, then left next. If they continued straight from there, they would reach Jeremiah’s hometown, the Imperial Capital, which he had seen all his life since birth.
He wanted to ask why they were going to the Imperial Capital, but thinking the real Azazel wouldn’t bother asking questions, he swallowed his curiosity.
Before getting off the carriage, Bishop Marik began grooming himself.
Bishop Marik removed his veil and took off his cape. Under the cape emerged the neat clothing worn by Imperial Palace maids. It was surprising that the Bishop was disguising himself as a maid, but what shocked Jeremiah even more was Bishop Marik’s face.
Setting aside his youthful appearance that didn’t match his age.
‘Why, why does Bishop Marik have the same face as Tenebrae’s maid?’
Even the burn scar at the corner of his mouth was exactly as he remembered. He felt as if his heart was pounding. That was the person. This maid had lied to Jeremiah and driven her into the forest. Jeremiah once again painfully realized that he had been played in Bishop Marik’s palm, that Bishop Marik was deeply involved in his death.
‘Revenge comes later.’
Jeremiah tried not to show his anger. Evangeline would take revenge for Jeremiah. Jeremiah decided to calm his emotions by focusing only on the fact that he could tell Evangeline an incredible secret about Bishop Marik.
Bishop Marik and Jeremiah got off the carriage.
“Count Astaroth remembers Tenebrae too, right?”
“Ah, that Princess.”
At Jeremiah’s reaction of acting like he vaguely remembered, Bishop Marik chuckled. This was really laughter unbecoming of ‘Bishop Marik.’
“Please remember now. She’s going to be our Emperor.”
For her to become Emperor, Jeremiah’s younger brother remained. Even when Jeremiah was a Princess, he was the one who received all their grandmother’s affection. Did he plan to kill Oratorio too? Were they going to kill Oratorio now?
Contrary to Jeremiah’s concerns, Bishop Marik was heading in a different direction. This was… the path to Jeremiah’s Castle.
Bishop Marik, dressed as a maid, entered Jeremiah’s Castle without any restrictions.
“Marquis Wujeta is in charge of the Princess’s escort.”
He was talking about Marquis Wujeta, who had been Father’s escort knight. Was that knight escorting Tenebrae even knowing that Tenebrae had killed Father?
No, that’s not right. Tenebrae was impersonating Jeremiah, and Tenebrae, who killed Father, was already known to be dead. Marquis Wujeta couldn’t know.
“I need Marquis Wujeta for a moment. While I borrow him, would Count Astaroth escort the Princess?”
Though Bishop Marik asked as if suggesting, it was essentially an order.
Jeremiah, impersonating Azazel, squeezed his eyes shut at the horrible fact that he would soon meet the sister who had betrayed him. It was fortunate that Bishop Marik was walking ahead and couldn’t see Jeremiah.
“Fine. I’ll keep her safe without a single wound.”
Jeremiah said nonchalantly.
Now there was no need to act like royalty, and he felt like grabbing Tenebrae by the collar right away. Suppressing his murderous intent and saying so, Bishop Marik replied gracefully.
“Though I asked you to escort her, you don’t need to worry about protecting the Princess from injuries in a way that doesn’t suit Count Astaroth’s temperament. After all, they can be healed with holy water.”
The meaning contained in those words was well conveyed to Jeremiah. Though he called it escorting, it was closer to nominal surveillance. Therefore, there was no need to overprotect Tenebrae. She could be treated with holy water, so as long as she didn’t die, it was fine.
However, wounds inflicted by demons couldn’t be healed with holy water, so he shouldn’t lay hands on Tenebrae directly.
Since they had joined hands to kill Jeremiah, he thought they had a very close relationship, but to Bishop Marik, his sister seemed to be nothing more than a puppet to ascend the throne. Jeremiah found Tenebrae’s situation both satisfying and slightly, just slightly pitiful.
Well, to be fair, people who weren’t seen as tools by Bishop Marik were rarer. Wasn’t he someone who tried to use even Azazel the demon and even Evangeline who commanded demons as chess pieces?
In the aspect of not seeing people as people, it was similar to Evangeline.
‘How dare I think of comparing someone to her.’
Jeremiah blamed himself for comparing his target of revenge to his benefactor and turned his eyes away from the maid’s back.
When Bishop Marik and he entered the castle together, attention was immediately drawn. It would definitely be a situation to be wary of, since a Holy Knight unsuited for the Princess’s castle, and moreover Bishop Marik’s escort, had visited.
“Count Astaroth?”
As if to prove his point, the head maid who noticed the outsider’s visit hurriedly approached. It was a familiar face he hadn’t seen in a long time. Before he could unconsciously show his happiness, forgetting his situation, the head maid bowed her head in stiff etiquette and greeted him.
“I heard from Marquis Wujeta that Count Astaroth would be visiting.”
Heard from whom? Jeremiah doubted his ears.
Why had Wujeta heard in advance about something Jeremiah had just learned? He glanced at Bishop Marik, but the noble Bishop maintained a peaceful expression as if wearing a mask even without the face-covering cloth.
Jeremiah ground his teeth inwardly. His head was complicated thinking about why he ranked lower than Wujeta in terms of trust.
He couldn’t tell if it was because Astaroth was just a demon who moved as ordered, or because Bishop Marik suspected Jeremiah.
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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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