My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 172

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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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“Imperial family…!”

At Gabriel’s words, a shocked gasp could be heard from a distance. It seemed Rico, bound in chains, couldn’t help but cry out in astonishment. In other words, Rico was the only one surprised.

“You already knew.”

Gabriel seemed to deduce this from my calm attitude even after hearing about the imperial family.

With such similar appearances and the same age, it would be stranger if people couldn’t recognize him as royalty. I wanted to ask why they couldn’t figure it out instead. What was this, some magical girl trope where everyone politely waits for the transformation?

Throughout our conversation, Gabriel kept fidgeting with his hands over his shirt. It seemed he was trying to unbutton it to show me the mark.

With hands that hadn’t long recovered from injury, delicate movements wouldn’t be possible. It would be faster if I did it myself, so I asked about the mark’s location.

“Where is the mark?”

Usually it would be on the back of the neck where it could be hidden by collars or hair, right? I asked casually, but

Gabriel lowered his eyes and answered shyly.

“It’s near the heart.”

“…Near the heart.”

I almost said something foolish. I maintained my composure and repeated Gabriel’s words.

As my finger wandered aimlessly in the air, Gabriel took it and pressed it directly over his heart, pinpointing the exact location. His arm movement wasn’t restricted, unlike his hands.

Warmth touched my fingertip. Gabriel had always run warmer than me. But perhaps due to his illness, the heat felt even more intense. I thought my finger had pierced through Gabriel’s chest to touch the heart beneath his skin.

I hastily pulled my hand away, then realized I’d have to touch Gabriel again to unbutton his shirt. I wanted to cry for various reasons, but maintained my composure for the sake of my dignity.

I am the notorious Evangeline Rohanson who could make even flying crows fall from the sky. I didn’t shed tears even when I saw Gabriel injured, so why would I cry over something like this?

“Then please.”

Gabriel tilted his head back, perhaps to make it easier for me to unbutton his shirt. I wished he wouldn’t show such consideration.

If there had been a beast in front of him instead of me, his throat would have been torn apart. Somehow, it seemed like the current Gabriel would allow his throat to be bitten, saying he had no means to resist.

Since Gabriel was pressed close to me, I could feel the heat from his body where we touched. As his posture changed, Gabriel’s weight leaned into me.

I tried my best not to touch Gabriel’s skin as I unbuttoned his shirt. My touch was careful. Starting from the neck, my hand moved downward.

I unbuttoned four buttons and pulled my hand away. The eternally long moment was over. Thank goodness I didn’t have to unbutton them all. Thank goodness the mark wasn’t on his solar plexus or lower abdomen.

Having finished my task, I looked toward Rico. I hoped he would quickly copy and paste the scar or mark and free me from this predicament.

But Rico wasn’t actually looking this way. More precisely, he couldn’t see. Pudding was covering Rico’s eyes with one hand while glaring fiercely at Gabriel. I only briefly met Pudding’s venomous expression.

As soon as Pudding’s eyes met mine, he smoothed away his scowl and transformed into an angelic face as if nothing had happened. If this had been the Pudding I’d always known, he would probably be internally stamping his feet, thinking ‘How dare he make Evangeline serve him!’

On Gabriel’s chest was indeed a mark as he’d said. Though it bore a pattern, it was ultimately just a scar. I understood why Gabriel had called it a wound.

“Imperial family members are branded with the pattern of a dragon coiled in a circle at birth. It was carved into my body, but even I only realized its meaning recently.”

A tail-eating dragon? The Ouroboros from mythology? No matter how I looked at it, it seemed more like a snake than a dragon. I probably wouldn’t have recognized it as a dragon if Gabriel hadn’t told me. The Ouroboros symbolizing eternity for the imperial family… It probably meant something like infinite glory.

Gabriel continued his explanation.

“I don’t remember, but I probably couldn’t hold holy water from birth. His Majesty the Emperor must have been the first to notice my impurity while the mark was being carved. That was likely the beginning of my misfortune. Upon discovering my abnormality, His Majesty announced that I, a newborn, had died from a difficult birth and erased my existence.”

Even after learning of their blood relation, Gabriel’s form of address hadn’t changed. From the distant honorific, I realized Gabriel hadn’t accepted his own status.

Though they shared blood, having been abandoned, he couldn’t fully invest his heart. Gabriel went even further, finding the mark left on him repulsive.

“Isn’t it hideous, branded like a stigma? I’ve never seen it myself, but from what I’ve heard, if it were normal, it wouldn’t remain as a scar like mine but would appear as differently colored skin.”

He’d probably heard this from Jeremiah.

“I didn’t want to show it to you.”

Gabriel murmured like a petulant child.

“Since meeting you, holy water and such… God’s love means nothing to me… I hated that there remained evidence that I had craved God’s blessing from the moment of birth, yet was still rejected by God…”

Listening to Gabriel’s words, I thought I understood why Gabriel had diverted holy water to support Mrs. Toten. In this world where God existed and the temple’s power was immense, being unable to hold holy water was sinful.

Moreover, the place Gabriel belonged to was the temple, where God’s favor was starkly apparent. Wasn’t Rider Toten, whom he met there, perhaps the first of Gabriel’s kind that he’d encountered?

Then what about me, who appeared after that? Did he feel kinship? Was that why Gabriel said he wanted to help me when he first saw me?

Having returned from death, enabling those unaffected by holy water to sustain life through other means… what did I mean to Gabriel?

Gabriel didn’t worship God. In a world where everyone naturally revered the sun and relied on God, what did Gabriel, abandoned even by family, depend on instead? Did he seek comfort from people rather than God?

Gabriel burrowed deeper into my embrace as if seeking solace, leaning against my shoulder. I felt Gabriel’s hot breath on my nape. Gabriel confessed in a whisper.

“I didn’t want to show you such an ugly thing from before I met you.”

Gabriel didn’t want to show his face either. Though no tears fell on my nape, I wondered if Gabriel was crying and covered his eyes with my hand.

His long eyelashes tickled my palm as he blinked. Gabriel seemed to find my hand cool, freely enjoying the touch to ease his fever. Then he slowly closed his eyes. I could tell from the sensation on my palm that Gabriel had closed his eyes.

Gabriel’s breathing became faint as if dying, then changed to small and steady breaths. Perhaps because his vision was blocked, he seemed to fall into sleep like fainting. It was a miracle that he’d managed to converse and endure until now in such condition.

“Count Gabriel?”

There was no response, confirming he’d fallen into deep sleep. His body, which had been sustained by willpower alone in prison, seemed to collapse all at once upon reaching a safe space where it could rest.

I placed my hand on Gabriel’s back and patted him soothingly. I briefly regretted not doing what I’d intended before Gabriel fell asleep, then abandoned the sentiment. I could do it when he woke up.

Oh right. Now that Gabriel was asleep, I suddenly remembered we weren’t the only ones here. It was fortunate I hadn’t done anything embarrassing. But Pudding would surely be angry, thinking ‘How dare he lean on someone and fall asleep!’

‘Huh? That’s not it.’

Pudding, whom I’d expected to still be glaring fiercely at Gabriel, had a strange expression contrary to my expectations.

“How impudent, leaning on someone to sleep.”

Though it matched my prediction exactly, his tone was much gentler. Pudding deliberately grumbled and scolded Gabriel, but I could sense his treatment had subtly changed. If I had to compare, it was similar to how he treated Kanna.

Had he just developed sympathy for Gabriel? Our Pudding, whose empathy had hit rock bottom during adolescence…? Unfortunately, not knowing how to read adolescent psychology, I decided to let it pass.

But Pudding, could you please remove the hand covering Rico’s eyes…? I sent telepathic messages. Fortunately, the reception seemed good as Pudding removed his hand.

When I asked why he’d been covering Rico’s eyes, Pudding answered as if he didn’t understand himself.

“That guy said he didn’t want to show his scars to others, so I just…”

So because Gabriel found his scars repulsive and didn’t want to show them, Pudding had unconsciously covered Rico’s eyes. It was Pudding’s way of showing consideration for Gabriel.

I almost teared up from how touching it was. When did our child grow up to become such a considerate kid who thinks of others? Children really do grow up fast. It was quite moving.

Freed from Pudding’s hand, Rico easily copied Gabriel’s mark.

Pudding was right. It was fortunate Gabriel was asleep now. Gabriel found the scar from his forgotten childhood more unpleasant than the wounds on his hands and feet. If he’d been awake, he would have seen the unwanted brand being carved again onto a body like his own.

“Then Rico, I’m counting on you.”

Bishop Marik might notice with his keen senses that the person in prison wasn’t Gabriel. A demon dwelled in Rico, so if Bishop Marik caught him, Rico wouldn’t die by simple means.

“…Thank you.”

I hesitated briefly before expressing my gratitude to Rico. Rico seemed not to understand why I was thanking him.

“Since it was a life destined to die anyway, I’m glad I can be helpful like this.”

It was an excuse similar to what I’d used when making Rico Gabriel’s substitute. Having Rico wear Gabriel’s broken appearance made my guilt multiply.

But staying in prison any longer would only delay Gabriel’s treatment and worsen my conscience. I should head to the Rohanson Mansion now.

“Lady Rohanson, wait a moment.”

Rico called out as I was about to leave. Rico fumbled with his hands before handing something to Pudding. When I wondered what he was giving, it was quite shocking. What Rico gave was a finger.

“…Ugh.”

Pudding grabbed the severed finger like picking up trash, looking nauseous. Why give a finger…? After a moment of puzzlement, the finger began to wriggle, gradually growing in size, sprouting fur, and soon transforming into a rat. It was the same rat I’d seen endlessly at the ducal house.

Remembering how Pudding had extracted the snake body from Azazel, I briefly wondered if this rat was also a demon’s true form, but it wasn’t. Rico immediately explained the finger-rat’s purpose.

“Take it with you. If something happens, I can communicate through it.”

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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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