My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 175

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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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“Count Gabriel?”

I bolted up from my seat and placed my hand on Hisop’s shoulder. Hisop flinched momentarily.

“Thank you, Hisop.”

As promised, I tried to pat his shoulder along with my thanks, but Hisop, completely unprepared for this, froze solid.

Whether Hisop was frozen or not, I immediately headed to the adjacent room. When I opened the door, I could see Gabriel lying on the bed.

“Count Gabriel, are you conscious?”

“…Lady Evangeline.”

His long eyelashes fluttered, and beneath them appeared the blue light that had been hidden.

“This place, this must be Duke Hosaquin’s manor.”

Gabriel surveyed his surroundings and quickly assessed the situation, then said he wanted to thank the Duke for providing a place to rest, only to be thoroughly scolded by the doctor for overexerting himself when he had barely survived death.

My position was the same. The Duke had simply made a deal, so there was no need for gratitude.

Moreover, even though he had regained consciousness, Gabriel’s condition was still a mess. He couldn’t walk properly, and while his arms could move somewhat, precise control of his fingers was impossible.

When I asked if complete recovery was possible, instead of an affirmative answer, I received a promise that they would do their best.

Now that Gabriel was awake, we discussed predictions about how Bishop Marik would proceed and countermeasures.

Though he was a patient who could just lie down, Gabriel insisted on sitting up. Pudding, who had grown less distant from Gabriel, helped him sit up despite his reluctance.

After dismissing the doctors, Pudding, Kanna, and I took our seats. Rico was with us too.

“That rat is…”

“Rico.”

“I’m glad you’ve awakened, Sir Knight.”

“…Thank you for your concern.”

Gabriel bowed his head to the rat with a puzzled expression, thanking him. Rico bowed his head in return, not to be outdone.

Gabriel exchanging greetings with a rat was so cute that I almost burst into laughter despite having a patient present.

Gabriel and I shared the conversations we hadn’t been able to have in the prison.

When I told him I would evacuate the Rohanson Estate staff to the village the Duke had indicated, Gabriel asked apologetically if his knights could also be evacuated together.

“My unit members should be at the Toten Viscount’s estate.”

“The Toten Viscount’s estate?”

When I mentioned that the whereabouts of the Pararos Knights were unclear, it turned out Gabriel had made the first move, not Bishop Marik.

He also explained why Gabriel was alone in the Imperial underground prison when he was supposed to have returned with his knights. Gabriel had a constitution that holy water didn’t work on, and this fact was unknown even to his subordinate knights.

“Originally, only Rafaela knew about my body.”

It was clear that Rafaela had made a tremendous contribution to disguising someone called cursed and making him a knight captain. Wasn’t Rafaela afraid of future consequences, being both a Duke’s son and a Holy Knight?

To be the Male Lead’s aide, one must have that level of courage… Indeed, being the Male Lead’s aide is the most extreme job in a romance novel. I sent applause thinking of Rafaela, who should still be remaining at the Rohanson Estate.

Gabriel had noticed that Bishop Marik’s eager recommendation for treatment was because he knew about Gabriel’s constitution.

If Gabriel had returned to the temple with his knights for treatment as Bishop Marik suggested, but the knight captain they trusted and relied on turned out to be unaffected by holy water, Gabriel’s prestige would surely plummet.

Even his remaining support base would be shattered. So Gabriel had diverted his knights under the pretext of protecting the Toten Viscount’s estate, especially the young viscount.

When his subordinates tried to stay with Gabriel, who couldn’t even move his body freely, he threatened them with orders and duty.

“Until recently, wasn’t the young viscount rumored to be cursed? I told them Bishop Marik was targeting that child.”

He was talking about Melek. The righteous knights who resembled their captain couldn’t ignore a child’s danger. He sent away even those who wanted to stay.

From the outside, it looked like the Pararos Knights had fled, abandoning their captain. They probably thought the thorns in their side had turned against each other. Moreover, since Gabriel remained, the Holy Knights didn’t bother pursuing the Pararos Knights.

Toten Madam had no reason to refuse either. Melek wasn’t just cursed but was actually a demon borrowing a corpse’s body, so if he were captured by Bishop Marik, the entire viscount’s house would be burned down. In such a situation, the protection of the Pararos Knights would have been welcome.

Though there had been no contact from Toten Madam, given that my handwriting had been copied through letters they had exchanged, she was certainly being cautious and careful. There was no way for Melek to contact us first either. There was no need to take unnecessary risks just in case.

I promised Gabriel that I would evacuate the Pararos Knights as well.

“Then why didn’t you go to the temple but were in prison instead?”

Bishop Marik’s original purpose was to reveal to the world that Gabriel had a cursed body. Even without the Pararos Knights, couldn’t he just show other knights or priests that Gabriel was unaffected by holy water?

Gabriel rolled his eyes sheepishly and answered.

“…I couldn’t remain in the temple in poor health and be used by Bishop Marik, so I revealed my identity.”

“That you’re a prince?”

“Yes.”

You didn’t want to be used, so you revealed an even more valuable secret… No wait, Bishop Marik might already know about it.

“I accused Bishop Marik of secretly taking me, a cursed child, and raising me without the Emperor’s knowledge. It turned out that Priest Jabaniya, who brought me, was already Bishop Marik’s subordinate. If my words were wrong, I would be a grave criminal impersonating royalty and deserved prison, and even if correct, as royalty, my fate belongs to the Imperial family.”

Most importantly, if Gabriel’s birth were revealed, Bishop Marik would lose his reputation for faithfulness and be seen as a noble bishop who ultimately succumbed to power.

Bishop Marik’s choice was obvious. Rather than becoming the person who secretly took and raised a prince, he judged it more beneficial to make Gabriel a royal impersonator.

Thus Gabriel had been in prison for impersonating royalty. Of course, he was actually a prince, but it was remarkable that the royal impersonation hadn’t spread widely. Bishop Marik must have done an excellent job silencing people.

After Gabriel’s story ended, I continued with my explanation. It was mainly sharing the information Jeremiah had risked his life to extract.

At the part about not knowing Jelly’s whereabouts, Gabriel comforted me sadly. Really, who’s comforting whom here.

When I told him that Bishop Marik was the same person as a maid named Saraka and described the appearance, Gabriel said he remembered a maid with burn scars.

“Come to think of it, I showed my upper body to that maid.”

What? Without realizing it, my gaze moved toward Gabriel’s chest. Gabriel added in panic.

“My lady, I absolutely did nothing improper.”

I know that. I was just surprised for a moment.

Gabriel explained that on the Crown Prince’s birthday, the maid who helped him change his wine-stained clothes seemed to be Bishop Marik.

“She might have recognized me by seeing my scars then. Bishop Marik would have participated in the process of marking me.”

Actually, even without the scars, anyone could tell Gabriel was of royal blood just by looking at him. He looked so similar, so why couldn’t anyone recognize him? Did only I notice because I’m a possessor?

Right. Let’s say there was a good reason why Bishop Marik recognized Gabriel as a prince 26 years ago by leaving a royal mark on him.

The new question was the young appearance that looked only in the twenties. Bishop Marik should have been at least a middle-aged man in his fifties, but ‘Saraka’s’ appearance definitely looked young.

There’s Azazel too, did Bishop Marik summon a demon and wish for immortality? If he played the role of a salvation saint after that, it would be a complete national fraud.

Gabriel found a more plausible answer than I did. He said he had read in ancient texts kept in the temple that in the past when the Sun God’s influence was great, those who received the god’s favor enjoyed long lives close to immortality.

Bishop Marik’s catchphrase was exactly “God’s beloved.” As he said, he might not age by receiving the god’s blessing.

The reason Bishop Marik covered his face might also be to hide his lack of aging. Of course, this was all just hypothesis.

“Why would someone receiving such favor commit massacres…”

Kanna, who had been listening nearby, couldn’t hide her devastated feelings and let out a lament. There was subtle jealousy in her words.

Considering Kanna’s past of being bedridden and sick her entire life, Bishop Marik’s actions must seem quite deceptive.

“It might be because of that very reason.”

“Why?”

“Rather, he kills people to prove his favor. Heretics are not God’s children, so killing them is not a sin. If there’s no change despite committing slaughter, what clearer proof of favor could there be?”

“What a faithful person.”

Kanna sarcastically admired Bishop Marik. Gabriel nodded in agreement.

“Bishop Marik appears devoted to the temple in many ways. Massacring heretics and laying hands on royalty are ultimately to elevate the temple’s reputation.”

Gabriel’s words seemed like interpretations built up over a very long period.

As an example, the amount of holy water the temple possessed had dramatically increased. When heretics are killed, those who don’t want to die send greater faith. When faith increases, holy water increases.

Those healed through that holy water show even greater faith. This cycle continues, and the temple has recently experienced its greatest revival in 20 years.

“Bishop Marik’s actions are more frightening because they appear to lack personal greed.”

Gabriel was right. That’s why great causes are frightening. Because Bishop Marik’s murders and actions seem justified.

What’s more ridiculous is that the people who should be disposed of from Bishop Marik and the temple’s perspective are gathered around me.

The witch Bishop Marik speaks of, Evangeline Rohanson.

Gabriel, who became a Holy Knight by deceiving the temple despite being abandoned for being unaffected by holy water.

A monster cat that’s a demon’s host.

Kanna is a witch’s maid, and due to the scar on her neck, there were even rumors that her head was cut off and reattached. She’s not even a dullahan…

Even if we formed a party, I don’t know how it ended up so dramatically opposed to Bishop Marik. It wasn’t even something I intended from the beginning.

“…Bishop Marik likes symbolic things. And he’s an excellent scriptwriter. Just as he set the Crown Prince’s assassination on his birthday, there’s a high probability he’ll act on commemorative days.”

Gabriel asked what today’s date was. When I answered, he counted and bit his lips tightly.

“Coincidentally, in ten days. There’s a very meaningful event.”

“What kind?”

Ten days was much closer and more urgent than I thought. It was also strange that I had never heard of such an event. Gabriel answered in a subdued voice.

“A sacrifice ritual.”

Just hearing the name, it seemed like an ominous event.

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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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