My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 178

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

“Grandmother?”

I asked back in surprise the moment I heard it. I had thought Agera would surely summon a demon by sacrificing others like Donau, but when I actually heard it, it was because Agera had made a self-destructive choice.

“That’s why what you called the ‘rat’ was born incomplete. An innocent person was needed, but I had too much sin to be used as a sacrifice.”

Agera continued her explanation.

“Originally, it should have been born after completely devouring me, but the child you and Julian called the ‘rat’ couldn’t do that. That child loved me. So it couldn’t regard me as a sacrifice and stopped consuming me.”

The term ‘child’ was extremely endearing for something that summoned a demon. Moreover, it was even more unsuitable considering that demon had burned down my estate and used Rico as a host. But I wasn’t unable to understand Agera’s compassion.

The rat was devoted to Agera above all else. The reason it couldn’t completely devour Agera as a sacrifice and became a half-wit demon was probably because it loved Agera.

And all of this was because of the wish Agera had made.

Agera must feel guilty about summoning the rat and making it incomplete because of herself.

“Instead, that child took my memories. The reason my memory is intact now is because Rico suppressed the child. And as long as I continue to remember, Rico will be able to keep suppressing that child.”

Rico was able to seize control from the rat because Agera recognized him, and Agera also regained her memories because Rico gained control.

I should be grateful to Mabuka. If Mabuka hadn’t provoked Rico, Agera would still be out of her mind, and Rico would have died by my hand.

Good. I mustn’t forget to definitely mention to the Duke that Mabuka’s contribution was great.

The Duke would treat Mabuka well out of his own guilt toward Rico, but if he knew she was the benefactor who helped Agera regain her memories, he would have no choice but to show even more care.

“I’m sorry… My emotions got the better of me and I complained for a moment. You said you came because you had something you were curious about? If it’s something I know, I’ll answer anything.”

Agera, having finished her recollection of summoning the demon, acted as if trying to change the atmosphere. If bank accounts existed in this world, she seemed ready to give me the account password, buy me a jade go board, and if there were house deeds, hand those over too.

Then I should ask about what I’m most curious about first. Of course, it’s about Lea’s red eyes that the Duke had avoided talking about earlier.

“Grandfather said… that Grandmother would be able to explain about my red eyes.”

“Eyes? Ah… I see.”

Agera looked at my eyes as if she had just realized.

“The story will be long, is that alright?”

I nodded. I thought this from the perspective of how long could Agera’s story possibly be.

Agera rummaged through the room and pulled out a notebook. It was a familiar notebook. It looked very similar to Amaranth’s diary we had found at the Rohanson Duke’s mansion.

Agera held out the notebook. She pushed the notebook closer as if telling me to take it, so I accepted it.

Come to think of it, everything that happened from when I, who had been quietly staying at the Rohanson estate, went to the birthday celebration was all because of Amaranth’s diary.

Originally, Rohanson Viscount aimed for the Hosaquin ducal family’s inheritance, while I made a deal aiming for Amaranth’s diary.

Though I didn’t know things would get this twisted. I carefully held the diary and looked at Agera. Agera gazed at me intently and opened her mouth.

Somehow I felt compassion at the end of her gaze. It was exactly like the look she had when looking at the rat she called ‘child.’

“The story I have to tell you is about the sins of Amaranth… who looked exactly like me.”

Agera said this and squeezed her eyes shut.

***

Agera’s entire story was finished. I maintained silence throughout Agera’s telling. I couldn’t properly understand what story I had heard.

Just as Gabriel had secrets about his birth, there was a similar secret hidden in my birth too. Though I had suspected many times, I wasn’t something like an illegitimate child. Actually, if I had been an illegitimate child, I would have felt much more at ease.

The sin of Amaranth that Agera told me about was precisely me. The circumstances surrounding my birth were exactly Amaranth’s sin.

Having finished her explanation, Agera shed pearl-like tears profusely.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

If Viscount Ricona had seen this, it would have been such a heartbreaking sight that he would immediately embrace and comfort Agera. But I couldn’t even think of comforting Agera. I didn’t have enough composure left to console others.

Strength entered my clenched fist. I felt the urge to immediately throw the notebook in my hand to the floor.

However, there was no way I could commit the unfilial act of throwing a daughter’s notebook in front of a crying person, especially an elderly person whose memory had just returned.

But I could no longer stay in front of Agera, so I stood up from my seat. I didn’t want to diminish the favor Agera had built up for me until now.

“I’ll be going now.”

I left the crying Agera behind and rushed out of the room. Kanna and Pudding were waiting in front of Agera’s room door. Kanna welcomed me, but I didn’t stop walking.

“Miss? What’s wrong? Miss?”

Kanna hurriedly chased after me, asking worriedly, but I didn’t want to answer that question honestly. Pudding looked at me with worried eyes.

Ah, come to think of it, Pudding with his good hearing must have heard all the conversation I had with Agera inside the room.

“Lady Evangeline…”

“Pudding, Kanna. Could you stay in different rooms tonight?”

Rico was, ah. Since Rico wasn’t here, I told them to get another room from the Duke and moved away from them without even hearing their answer. Since coming to the Duke’s mansion, Pudding and Kanna never left my side out of concern for me.

But now that the rat incident had been resolved, wasn’t there nothing in the mansion to threaten me? So it should be fine for me to be alone tonight.

They didn’t chase after me, perhaps wanting to grant my request. When I glanced back, Kanna had a worried expression. Pudding’s hands also twitched, but he ultimately didn’t grab me.

Somehow I wanted to cry. Even if I didn’t shed tears, I needed time to get under the covers and be alone. Honestly, I didn’t even properly understand why I was so shaken.

Was the sin that Agera spoke of, the secret of my birth, that shocking?

No, Evangeline was originally just a body I had possessed. So whatever Amaranth had done, whatever effect it had on Evangeline, it should have had no impact on me.

But I couldn’t understand why I was so hurt.

This world was nothing but a novel. The countless letters I had seen and the people who were flatly standardized and followed clichés proved that.

‘Evangeline Rohanson’ was the same. Evangeline was also just a character, but after that body died and I possessed it later, it gained life. Therefore, I thought only I was alive in this world.

However, I had been very strange lately. I had taken great interest in Gabriel, who was just a character, and began treating Kanna and Pudding like people.

Not only that, I had been treating Evangeline Rohanson, who was just the body I possessed, as if she were myself. This was all because I had become too immersed in Evangeline.

Or… it might be because I had adapted to this world better than I thought. Kanna and Pudding, who had looked at me with worry, suddenly came to mind. Ah, why did this place have so many things worth loving?

I seemed particularly emotional now that the sun was setting. Yes, it was dawn sentimentality, and once the night passed, I would return to normal.

So let me hurry to my room and rest. Yes, let’s sleep. I’ll sleep and wake up with a clear head to think again. I opened the door and entered the room. The moment I was about to lie down, I made eye contact with someone who was on the bed.

“…My lady?”

A cracked and sunken voice, as if just awakened from sleep, called me. The moonlight seeping through the gap in the curtains seemed to caress Gabriel’s face.

“Count Gabriel?”

As I quietly took in Gabriel bathed in fading light, I realized. Since Gabriel was staying in the room next to mine, I had come to the wrong room.

I must have completely lost my mind. To be such a mess that I couldn’t even find my own room properly.

I tried to return to my room immediately, but my steps wouldn’t move. Gabriel’s worried gaze seemed to be holding onto my hem.

“My lady. Did something… happen?”

Did I look like I was crying? Gabriel reached out as if to comfort me, then slightly furrowed his brow in displeasure at his hand not moving as intended. Then he smoothed his expression again and showed a gentle face.

“My lady, what has disturbed your peace of mind?”

Gabriel asked pleadingly.

“If I tell you, will Count Gabriel take care of it for me?”

“Of course.”

At his resolute expression, I suddenly realized. If I chose and named a person, Gabriel would ruthlessly trample his own beliefs and stain his hands thick with blood for my sake.

However, Gabriel couldn’t move even a single step of his own will, and even if I told him, he wouldn’t be able to harm the person who had disturbed my peace of mind.

What disturbed my peace of mind was the very existence of ‘me.’

“If you don’t trust me because my body is unwell, you don’t have to tell me. Even Mr. Pudding would be fine. Please don’t let it fester alone and speak comfortably. So please don’t make such an expression.”

Gabriel acted as if it was fine for me to treat him like an emotional trash can. What kind of expression was I making to prompt such a response?

“What expression am I making?”

“…An expression that makes me want to comfort you.”

Gabriel worried about me as if I were someone who had been greatly hurt. He seemed to feel sorry for me, and also seemed to pity me.

And also… various emotions were mixed together, and they were so deep that Gabriel’s eyes almost looked black at a glance.

“Then you can comfort me.”

As Gabriel wished, I took Gabriel’s hand and brought it to my face. I buried my face in Gabriel’s hand. His thumb brushed my eyes, but nothing came away. There was no way tears would come.

I mocked myself for making such a fuss with a patient, but I had no intention of removing Gabriel’s hand.

Even though I had sent away Kanna and Pudding saying I wanted to be alone, it seemed I actually needed someone’s comfort.

“Count Gabriel…”

“Yes. Please speak.”

“Would you be alright if I…”

Gabriel responded immediately even to my meaningless call, as if he was listening intently to my words. He didn’t rush me even when I hesitated.

“Would you be alright if I weren’t human?”

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