My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 199

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

The flowers are pulled out the moment they wither and replanted with fresh new flowers. The butterflies are just beautiful species that were fed holy water, kept in captivity, and released on important days.

During the process of selecting butterflies, those with damaged wings were disposed of, and even if they survived, they were sensitive to temperature and would die within a few days. If you were to examine the waste from the temple before an auspicious day, you would find piles of withered grass and butterflies spilling out.

This was one of the methods frequently used by the temple. Of course, most people wouldn’t believe that the temple would use such cruel methods even if you told them. As long as they didn’t accuse you of insulting the temple, that was enough.

While Rafaela and Duke Baal were admiring the garden, the priest who was guiding them quickly added an explanation.

“Ah, come to think of it, Duke Baal, since you didn’t attend the Emperor’s coronation, this is your first time visiting the temple, isn’t it?”

As he said, most nobles would have visited the temple during the Emperor’s coronation, but Duke Baal wasn’t the heir to the duchy at that time, so he couldn’t even set foot there. The person who was invited then was Duke Baal’s older brother.

The fact that a mere priest, not even a bishop, knew about that past was displeasing. Of course, since Priest Jabaniya had assigned him, his position wouldn’t be that low, but…

Duke Baal frowned. The priest, not noticing, looked at the garden visible beyond the corridor with an ecstatic expression.

“Our atrium is renowned among believers for its beauty. They say the view glimpsed between the cloisters looks like a scene depicting a part of heaven. It would have been even better if Your Grace had come to see it earlier…”

Though his words were full of pride, they didn’t sound pleasant to Duke Baal’s ears.

While elevating the temple’s prestige, wasn’t he subtly criticizing why the Duke had never personally visited the temple even once after ascending to his position? This seemed like a reproach asking why he hadn’t bowed to the temple sooner.

Rafaela glanced at her mother. There was no way the Duke wouldn’t notice the priest’s subtle tone.

As expected, Duke Baal became very displeased. Since the bishop had the Emperor in his grasp, this nameless priest dared to try to humiliate a duke by invoking the Sun God’s authority.

To teach this presumptuous fool a lesson, Duke Baal decided to sell out his useless son.

“Even if I haven’t come personally, I’ve heard many stories.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. My son talked about it so much his mouth must have hurt from all the talking…”

“Your son?”

“Yes. Don’t you know? My son may not look like much, but he’s a Holy Knight.”

Even after Duke Baal brought it up, the priest didn’t immediately recognize Rafaela. When the priest looked embarrassed, Duke Baal waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s because my son isn’t such an important person. This is the son I mentioned.”

“Oh my, he was your son. I lack discernment and failed to recognize him.”

The priest, still not realizing who Rafaela was, offered a greeting to save face for the moment.

Rafaela clicked her tongue inwardly. If she hadn’t just been reprimanded by Duke Baal, sarcastic words might have slipped out.

‘Even if I’m not wearing my uniform, you don’t recognize me?’

Though Rafaela was annoyed, she decided to be understanding. How much contact would an ordinary priest have with Holy Knights? Besides, since she was always next to Gabriel, her presence was overshadowed. In fact, there were few who didn’t fade beside Gabriel.

In this regard, the Captain had something in common with Evangeline. Thinking about it that way, they made quite a well-matched pair.

Actually, the reason the priest didn’t recognize Rafaela was because he was under Bishop Marik and had no connection or acquaintance with her.

Duke Baal accepted the priest’s apology.

“Even though he abandoned his family name to devote himself to God’s embrace, the fact that I’m his mother doesn’t change, so there should be no problem with him talking about the family… But seeing that you don’t know, it seems this fellow has been trying not to rely on the family’s power after all.”

“Your son is truly remarkable.”

Rafaela wanted to interrupt and refute Duke Baal’s words at every turn. Rafaela had never hidden being the Duke’s son, had plenty of history of using it to her advantage, and was even using the family’s power right now.

“Which knight order does your son belong to, if I may ask…?”

The priest trailed off while looking at Rafaela. Does he want to make connections since she’s the Duke’s son? If he wants, she’d be happy to help. Rafaela smiled and answered.

“I belong to the Pararos Knight Order, adjutant to Count Gabriel. I’m Rafaela.”

“Ah…”

The priest made a groaning sound. What he thought was a golden lifeline turned out to be a rotten spider web about to snap.

Lately, the Pararos Knight Order was nowhere to be seen, with rumors they had fled, but being from a noble family, he shamelessly returned. The priest inwardly disparaged Rafaela while maintaining courtesy on the surface.

“So you’re Sir Rafaela. I had no acquaintance with you and failed to recognize you, so my greeting is late. I heard Duke Baal was coming with his heir…”

At his excuse-like addition, Duke Baal’s face twisted sharply.

“My heir is my daughter. Today, my son wanted to guide me through the temple, so I indulged his whim. You heard I didn’t attend the coronation, but you didn’t hear about my heir?”

At Duke Baal’s sharp words, the priest shut his mouth tight. Not only had he failed to recognize the heir, but he had also given the impression of having investigated them.

Instead of making connections by impressing the ducal family, he had thoroughly earned Duke Baal’s displeasure. The power struggle to be assigned Duke Baal’s guidance had been meaningless.

“So you don’t need to painfully explain everything.”

It meant Rafaela would handle the guidance, so he should keep his mouth shut like now.

Thus the priest fell silent, and Duke Baal, having sold out his son, could continue receiving guidance with comfortable ears.

The mother and son walked along the corridor surrounding the garden. As soon as they arrived at the main hall, the priest bowed in greeting and disappeared, saying he had business to attend to.

“He ran away.”

“Yes. He ran away.”

“Mother. Didn’t you tell me to behave myself?”

Rafaela pointed out that while telling her to behave, the Duke herself had threatened the priest.

“Is there any need to worry about such a mere priest?”

It was truly befitting an imperial duke. But even Duke Baal was intimidated several times by the temple’s majesty.

“How magnificent.”

Duke Baal admired it. The Grand Temple’s interior was as splendid as its exterior walls. The Grand Temple seen from outside was sculpted from marble in pure white, looking sacred. In contrast, the interior was brilliantly colorful with diverse light from stained glass windows.

It was as spacious as the Imperial Palace’s banquet hall, with an arched ceiling that was extremely high. A carpet was laid down the center path leading to the altar, with benches for guests arranged on both sides.

Though the ceremony would be held at noon, quite many seats were already filled. All attendees were dressed in black clothing, making it seem like they were attending a funeral rather than a ceremony.

Duke Baal’s assigned seat was at the very front. The closer to the altar, the higher the status… Presumably, when Duke Baal couldn’t attend the coronation, his deceased older brother would have sat in the front row too.

As Duke Baal headed to his seat, greetings could be heard from here and there. Duke Baal smiled his public smile and casually returned the greetings.

Then Rafaela, who was greeting people with the same smile as her mother beside Duke Baal, spotted a familiar face.

‘Toten Madam?’

The other person also saw Rafaela and nodded in greeting. Since there were many eyes watching, they deliberately didn’t make any conspicuous greeting.

Next to Toten Madam was a small doll-like figure tucked in so inconspicuously it was hard to notice. Rafaela looked at the young boy with curious eyes.

Rafaela had only known that Gabriel secretly supplied holy water to Baroness Toten, but this was the first time seeing the cause.

Was his name Rider? The Young Viscount looked much healthier than the stories she’d heard. She’d definitely heard he was recently recovering, but his condition was much better.

Since Toten Madam had quite good connections, there was considerable interest in the child. Those directly speaking to Toten Madam were nothing compared to the murmuring about the child that Rafaela could hear.

“Didn’t they say Toten Youngshik was cursed and holy water was useless?”

“But he looks fine. He doesn’t even look sick…”

“Since Toten Madam is devout, the Sun God must have finally looked down upon her.”

Rafaela pieced together the situation from what she heard. It seemed the Young Viscount was showing improvement thanks to the holy water Gabriel had diverted.

‘The Captain’s efforts weren’t in vain.’

Rafaela felt somehow emotional and wanted to pat the boy’s head enthusiastically. Her heart went out to him more, perhaps due to her connection with the Captain and the debt the Pararos Knight Order owed.

Was it because she felt sorry for him? Though he had definitely looked healthy earlier, looking more carefully, his skin was pale as a corpse and he looked gaunt.

Had Rafaela’s gaze been intense? It seemed like she made eye contact with the Young Viscount. Was it her imagination? Those doll-like eyes seemed to rest on Rafaela for a moment.

Thinking it would be rude to keep staring, Rafaela withdrew her attention just as Duke Baal finished his pleasantries.

The mother and son headed to the front seats and sat in the places given to the Baal ducal family. It was right in front of the altar. Probably, excluding royalty, the three ducal families would be at the very front. In order: Hosaquin, Baal, Meyfield.

“The precious one doesn’t even show his nose today when the Empire’s fate is to be divined. After over a hundred years, he still thinks he’s a kingdom’s envoy.”

Duke Baal clicked his tongue looking at a man already seated. The other person was Meyfield Viscount’s representative. Meyfield Viscount was someone whose status had been downgraded from prince to duke when incorporated into the Empire in the previous generation.

Though it was over a century ago, Meyfield still ruled like a king in his territory. Perhaps due to that pride, Meyfield always sent representatives to events requiring attendance.

Duke Baal didn’t even exchange greetings with Meyfield’s representative. Soon after, Hosaquin Duke arrived.

“Tsk. Is that Meyfield fellow more sluggish than this old man? Or is he about to die?”

Even before sitting down, Hosaquin Duke clicked his tongue and made sharp remarks while looking at Meyfield’s representative. Rafaela thought there must be something dukes had in common, since he said exactly the same thing as her mother.

“Your joke goes too far, Duke Hosaquin.”

When Meyfield’s representative was insulted about his master, he warned in a very fierce tone, but his opponent was an eccentric old man who would throw wine glasses even at his own granddaughter. Threats wouldn’t work.

“I’m sorry.”

What? Hosaquin Duke apologizing? Had his foul temper mellowed from spending time with Evangeline? However, Rafaela hastily looked away at the following words.

“It would be rude to bring up the deceased. I was careless.”

At those words, Duke Baal struck Rafaela’s shoulder hard and burst into laughter, while Rafaela wanted to completely turn her back on the petty power struggle between the two dukes and the ducal representatives.

‘But why didn’t Evangeline come with him?’

Hosaquin Duke attended alone. Rafaela tilted her head, having naturally expected Evangeline to appear together with Hosaquin.

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