My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 166

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

Jeremiah decided to be wary of the latter first. Bishop Marik might have noticed that his escort knight was not acting as usual and deliberately brought Jeremiah to his castle.

Perhaps placing Tenebray beside him to monitor her was actually intended to make them monitor each other? If the bishop had something to hide, he would naturally have such ulterior motives.

“As your loyal servant, I am grateful. These days the world has become quite turbulent, so I was worried when Marquis Muzeta inevitably had to leave his post… But having such a distinguished bishop’s escort and holy knight fill the vacancy is more reassuring than anyone else.”

The gratitude was excessive, making it look like nothing but flattery. The head maid expressed her thanks to Jeremiah and then praised Bishop Marik.

“Saraka, you also worked hard bringing Count Astaroth here.”

Saraka seemed to be an alias that Bishop Marik was using. Bishop Marik lowered his eyes as if he were really a maid, and watching this made Jeremiah want to grab him by the scruff of the neck out of absurdity.

Was this how Pudding and Jelly felt watching him act pitiful in Azazel’s body? Jeremiah resolved not to forget to apologize when they met again.

“Then since Lord Jeremiah must be waiting, it would be best if you went to see him.”

Jeremiah followed the head maid toward the room where he originally stayed.

Since there wasn’t much to say, it was a very quiet procession. Jeremiah took the opportunity to freely observe Bishop Marik pretending to be a maid. Originally, proper posture was required of the imperial palace servants.

Having disabilities or physical flaws was grounds for disqualification. That’s why Tenebray’s maid with scars on her mouth remained so vividly in his memory.

At the time, he didn’t pay much attention and praised Tenebray for keeping people by her side without discrimination. In reality, the maid was Bishop Marik himself, so she had the strongest backing of all.

Did his twin sister know that Bishop Marik and Saraka were the same person? It was a fact that Jeremiah himself couldn’t even dare to guess.

Having burn scars on the lower face wasn’t common, yet he blamed himself for not even suspecting it.

Though it would have been difficult to suspect based on burn scars alone, those burn marks held symbolic meaning for Bishop Marik. Stories frequently circulated about how Bishop Marik nearly died in a fire but survived by God’s providence.

From what he heard, Bishop Marik suffered severe burns 20 years ago, before he had his current status, even before he committed the heretic massacre. Though he saved his life through the Sun God’s providence, the scars on his hands and entire face never disappeared.

Come to think of it, the person in the basement also had burn scars. Could it be someone who was caught in the fire together with Bishop Marik? A family member perhaps…

Yet Bishop Marik didn’t hesitate to burn heretics to death – what remarkable faith. Even if the person in the basement wasn’t Bishop Marik’s family, he himself had burns covering his entire face yet felt no reluctance about burning heretics to death.

‘Wait… entire face?’

The Bishop Marik he saw earlier only had burn marks on his lower face, didn’t he?

It also bothered him that Bishop Marik’s bare face looked exactly like someone in their twenties. He knew it was an absurd imagination, but it seemed like he was a completely different person.

It wasn’t as if Bishop Marik had been replaced by someone else one day, and the burn marks on his hands remained the same.

Jeremiah thought the rumors might have been distorted, or the Temple Authority might have deliberately exaggerated and spread them. There was a high possibility they exaggerated the scars to cover his entire face, claiming he suffered greater hardships to praise Bishop Marik’s faith.

His youthful appearance that didn’t look his age was most suspicious, but this also had some basis.

According to ancient texts he had encountered, in the past, people blessed by God didn’t age and lived long lives. Though it was from the era when demons were killed only by sunlight, this might be why Bishop Marik was called God’s favorite.

Meanwhile, the head maid leading the way stopped.

Though Jeremiah’s mind was complicated, he decided to focus only on what he needed to convey to Evangeline for now.

“Lord Jeremiah. I’ve brought the guest.”

Right now, he barely had enough energy to face the sister who had killed him.

“Be quiet!”

When the head maid knocked on the door, a sharp response came. Jeremiah was startled by the cutting reaction, then even more startled when the head maid opened the door without receiving permission. Opening the door without the master’s permission was clearly overstepping authority.

The head maid wasn’t originally someone who acted so presumptuously. But as soon as the door opened and Jeremiah could see inside, he immediately understood why the head maid had overstepped her authority.

It was his sister he was seeing after such a long time. He thought his desire for revenge would boil up immediately upon seeing her, but now Jeremiah’s attention was drawn more to another presence than to Tenebray. It would be stranger not to be concerned when his father’s escort knight was being whipped in his own room.

His lips, clenched tight to endure the pain, were crusted with blood, and the shirt he wore was torn along the whip marks and stained red, becoming rags. It was a miserable sight that made him seem like a slave rather than a knight.

Jeremiah could recognize Muzeta because they had met quite often while traveling to and from the Imperial Capital.

“How dare you open the door without manners… Saraka?”

Tenebray, holding a whip in her hand, was about to get angry when she saw Bishop Marik and was startled, hiding the whip behind her back. It wasn’t a situation where she could pretend not to know even if she hid it now.

“Saraka! Why are you so late?”

Tenebray clung to Bishop Marik. A necklace of a familiar color hung around her neck, making Jeremiah clench his fists.

The head maid quickly left, fearing she might get caught in the crossfire. Jeremiah understood why the head maid had welcomed him with such flattery.

She must have been afraid that while Marquis Muzeta, who was being beaten, was away, that whip might turn toward her. She was originally someone who was terribly concerned about her own safety.

“I was disciplining Marquis Muzeta for a moment. Don’t mind it and come in quickly.”

Tenebray made that excuse and then gestured.

“The bishop should have contacted you about borrowing Marquis Muzeta.”

“I didn’t know it would be today…”

Tenebray glared at Muzeta and mumbled an excuse.

Through the conversation, Jeremiah realized that Tenebray didn’t know Bishop Marik’s true identity. He didn’t know why she followed Saraka so well without knowing they were the same person, but he could confirm that the two were not in an equal relationship.

“Is he too damaged in that state? Will the bishop be disappointed in me for making such a mess of Marquis Muzeta?”

Tenebray shrugged and pointed at Muzeta. Muzeta was still groaning in pain, unable to escape his suffering. Even the person who had reduced Muzeta to this state seemed to know his condition was serious.

“Don’t worry. How much does Bishop Marik cherish you, Tenebray?”

Jeremiah watched in amazement as Bishop Marik soothed Tenebray. Looking closely, Jeremiah wasn’t the only one acting.

Tenebray bearing Jeremiah’s name, Jeremiah pretending to be Azazel. Now a bishop pretending to be a maid. It was like playing house. It didn’t feel like returning to Jeremiah’s room, but rather like stepping onto a similarly constructed stage.

“Marquis Muzeta. Are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

At Bishop Marik’s question, Muzeta staggered to his feet. He looked like he couldn’t walk five steps, yet he managed to stand up.

“It must be difficult to move with that body.”

“If it’s something that helps Tenebray, I’ll do anything.”

“Good resolve.”

Though his words were full of laughter, Bishop Marik’s face wasn’t smiling. Since he wore a veil every day, there was no reason to compose his face, creating a disconnect with his voice.

“You’re leaving already? It’s been so long since we met.”

“It’s a task Bishop Marik requested. Count Astaroth will stay by your side in the meantime.”

“…Then it can’t be helped.”

Tenebray seemed disappointed and tried to stop them, but when Bishop Marik was mentioned, she quickly backed down. She had never been so obedient even to the Crown Prince, her biological father. Jeremiah admired Bishop Marik’s skill.

“Marquis Muzeta. You can’t handle the task the bishop gave you carelessly just because you’re hurt. You understand, right?”

“Yes. Tenebray.”

Jeremiah was momentarily surprised by the natural hierarchy, but then sharply inhaled when he realized that Muzeta had called Tenebray by her name directly.

Tenebray had killed the Crown Prince, and Muzeta was a knight who served the Crown Prince. Knowing the truth, why was he following Tenebray who had murdered the Crown Prince he served, even while being abused? Jeremiah couldn’t understand the reason.

Before Jeremiah’s questions could fade, Muzeta put on his uniform over the shirt torn from the whip. Wasn’t he going to treat his wounds? Judging from Tenebray’s warning to do the work properly even if it hurt, she didn’t seem to have any intention of treating him.

“Then, Count Astaroth. I’ll leave the princess in your care.”

“Alright.”

Bishop Marik entrusted Tenebray to Jeremiah and left the room with Muzeta. The faint footsteps heard outside the door also grew distant.

Now only the two people who had once been sisters remained in the room. There was no time more cruel for Jeremiah than this.

Jeremiah glanced at the whip still in Tenebray’s hand. Fortunately, Tenebray threw the whip away and lay down on the bed.

She probably didn’t know Azazel’s true identity, and since he was Bishop Marik’s knight whom she followed so devotedly, she seemed to have no intention of taking out her anger on him.

It was only speculation, but since she didn’t even know that Bishop Marik was Saraka, there was a high possibility she also didn’t know that Azazel was a demon. In the first place, there would be no benefit if it became known that Bishop Marik commanded demons, so he probably didn’t bother to tell her.

“Did Marquis Muzeta commit some wrongdoing?”

So Jeremiah decided to speak respectfully. He remembered that before Azazel stabbed Jeremiah, he had served quite faithfully as a knight.

“Are you asking why I beat Marquis Muzeta?”

“Since the bishop has given him orders but you’re not treating him, I was asking.”

When Tenebray glared at him, he quickly corrected his words. He showed that he had no interest in private matters and was only questioning because it was connected to Bishop Marik.

Tenebray, who had been lying down, raised only her upper body and adjusted her posture to sit properly. Her back, which had always been bent, was straight, and her head, which she used to keep lowered, looked directly at Jeremiah.

Her eyes sparkled with venom, unlike the gloomy past. Had his sister always been like this? Jeremiah found Tenebray very unfamiliar. In fact, she hadn’t been familiar since the day she betrayed him, but it felt particularly real now.

“That’s a sentimental question that doesn’t suit the Count Astaroth I knew.”

Tenebray twisted her head and asked at Jeremiah’s silence.

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