My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 205

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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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Gabriel carefully took my hand. His hand was large enough to completely cover mine. Despite wanting to hold onto me, there was no strength in his grip at all, making it seem like I could easily break free if I wanted to.

“Rico will be fine.”

Though there was no magic in those words, my mind suddenly cleared. Right, how long am I going to stay dazed like this? I wanted to slap both my cheeks to snap myself out of it, but I couldn’t bring myself to shake off Gabriel’s hand, so I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek. With the sharp pain came resolve.

Seeing that my anxiety had subsided, Pudding, who had been quietly watching, swatted away Gabriel’s hand. Then he rubbed his head against me and acted adorably as if asking to be petted, making me laugh despite myself as I stroked Pudding. Right, I have Pudding and Gabriel with me, so what’s there to worry about?

Fortunately, we were able to reconnect with Rico soon.

“I’m sorry, once I entered the temple, it somehow became hard to breathe.”

Rico said he had simply entered the temple and the reception had weakened. Was it because there was a demon inside his body? Only Pudding nodded in understanding.

When I asked if anything terrible had happened while we were out of contact, Rico shook his head saying nothing had occurred. The news that Rico was unharmed made my tension completely dissipate.

“A little while ago, they thoroughly washed my body and changed me into new clothes. They said I needed to be presented cleanly for the sacrifice ritual.”

Rico paused for a moment before continuing.

“And… I think they plan to use me as the sacrifice.”

Rico? No wait, they’re going to use Gabriel as the sacrifice? Not me? I couldn’t understand what was happening at all. But Bishop Marik had even disguised himself as Saraka to meet me directly and ask me to become the sacrifice.

Yet somehow I had an ominous feeling.

As I recalled that situation, I remembered the contents of the invitation the Viscount had delivered. Certainly the invitation I received had the exact same format as the Duke’s. Nowhere in it was there any mention of becoming a sacrifice.

But if they planned to offer Gabriel as the sacrifice, why did they go to the trouble of deceiving me into thinking I would be the sacrifice, revealing the identity of ‘Saraka’ and even coming to find me directly?

Gabriel, who had been quietly listening to the story, asked a question.

“Rico. Was the water used to cleanse your body holy water by any chance?”

“No. If it had been holy water, my body would have melted.”

After hearing the answer, Gabriel fell into deep thought before carefully speaking.

“If Bishop Marik really intends to offer me as the sacrifice, then Bishop Marik must be convinced that Rico and I have switched places.”

“He knows?”

“All water used in the temple before important ceremonies is holy water. There are no exceptions for sacrifice ritual offerings either. Since sacrifice rituals are rare, ordinary priests might not know, but…”

Gabriel trailed off. I could guess what words would follow. An ordinary priest might not know, but Bishop Marik, who was obsessed with sacrifice rituals, couldn’t possibly be unaware.

After the rats completely consumed Rico, Rico’s body became one that reacted to holy water like a demon. If Rico had touched holy water, there would have been trouble already.

So Bishop Marik knew Gabriel had switched with Rico and prepared regular water instead of holy water. Furthermore, he must know that Rico is a demon.

Since when exactly? What seemed suspicious was something I had thought of earlier too – when I met Saraka.

Even then, it was strange how he used Jelly as bait but never brought up Gabriel’s story. If it were me, I would have definitely put Gabriel on the negotiating table to gain the upper hand.

But Bishop Marik didn’t do that. As if he knew well that Gabriel in his possession, or that information, had no value.

Moreover, when he came to meet me, he appeared as Saraka rather than Bishop Marik. Of course, it could have been a disguise to avoid others’ eyes, but what if it was a trick to see if I would recognize Saraka?

Bishop Marik had deliberately shown his disguised identity to Jeremiah. Seeing me being wary of Saraka, he must have been convinced that ‘Azazel’ had leaked information to me.

Then it would make sense that he thought I already knew Gabriel’s information. Everything from beginning to end must have been deliberately shown by Bishop Marik.

The reason Gabriel was imprisoned in the Imperial Palace Prison rather than the temple was essentially the same as pushing me to easily steal Gabriel from the relatively easier-to-infiltrate palace, since it would be difficult to set foot in the temple.

I let out a hollow laugh. No wonder I wondered why Gabriel was in the Imperial Palace Prison instead of the temple. It was my fault for not thinking it strange since Gabriel was a prince. Was Tenebray introducing Gabriel as her uncle also meant to cloud my judgment?

Right, I understand well enough that I was played by Bishop Marik. But why did Bishop Marik need a demon in Gabriel’s form badly enough to use such complicated methods?

Gabriel also had what Bishop Marik called a cursed body, and from his red eyes onward, I was clearly closer to ‘Lea’ than Gabriel in every way. Of course, unlike Gabriel and me, Rico on the altar had a body that would melt when touched by holy water.

Suddenly I felt like I had hit upon the right answer.

Could it really be for that reason? Gabriel and I simply weren’t affected by holy water, but our bodies didn’t melt from it, so we were only said to be cursed but weren’t degraded as demons. To people who knew nothing, the one who reacted to holy water would look much more horrifying.

When I shared my speculation, Gabriel spoke in a somewhat somber tone.

“…Rico might be in danger.”

I became serious as well, but fortunately didn’t lose my composure like before. Finding a plan to rescue Rico was more efficient than losing my mind. Then Gabriel called to me as if he had thought of a plan.

“Evangeline. I will switch places with Rico again.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I will ascend the altar as the sacrifice.”

I almost cursed out loud. What nonsense is he spouting now? I ignored his appeals about his guilty conscience and rescued him, only for him to walk back into danger with his own feet?

“Unlike Rico, I’m simply unaffected by holy water, am I not?”

I understood why Gabriel was saying such things. If what Bishop Marik was aiming for was to make Gabriel appear like an evil being, the real one who didn’t react to holy water would catch Bishop Marik off guard.

But conversely, everything except holy water was dangerous for Gabriel. Secretly searching for Jelly in the temple and presenting himself before Bishop Marik’s eyes – no matter how you compared them, the level of danger was different. I was about to firmly refuse, saying absolutely not, when Gabriel beat me to it.

“Do you remember the promise I made to you? If you do not permit it, I will absolutely not get hurt.”

I remember the touch of his hand clinging to me, asking me to rely on him. Gabriel blushes so much at hearing embarrassing words over trivial matters, yet he calmly speaks words that make me feel ticklish just hearing them. It’s because all those words are his complete, unadorned sincerity that he’s not embarrassed.

“So please entrust it to me.”

Gabriel’s complete sincerity.

As if enchanted by that heart, I nodded.

***

The temple was gradually beginning to come into view.

“Then I’ll go ahead first.”

“Count, please be careful.”

The woman he revered looked at Gabriel with a worried expression. Her emotionless eyes now sparkled with all sorts of mixed emotions when looking at Gabriel. Life overflowed from them.

In the past, the only way to find warmth from Evangeline was to hold her hand. He would feel her heart beating slowly with pulsing rhythm and remind himself that Evangeline was alive.

But now it was different. The star he had pulled down became more alive and breathing as their time together increased.

Gabriel liked whatever emotion was mixed into those red hues, but there was one that was particularly sweet.

For example… yes. Like the eyes looking at Gabriel with worry right now. He felt the reality that he was a valuable existence to Evangeline. It was an addictive sensation.

As if truly addicted, Gabriel always kept Evangeline in his sight. On moonlit nights, he would count the stars in the sky as substitutes for Evangeline.

Sometimes he became anxious. He was afraid that if he made a mistake, Evangeline might return to being the heartless existence she once was.

He still wanted to be confirmed dozens of times whether he was special. Perhaps this was the psychology of a child who deliberately gets hurt and comes home. It was an emotion too low in quality for a knight to have.

But when he actually saw Evangeline’s emotions being hurt from worrying about him, his heart ached. Therefore, Gabriel promised Evangeline a safe return.

Of course, Gabriel would unhesitatingly give his life for Evangeline, so it was a promise he was fully prepared to break.

It was rude to put lies in his mouth, but Gabriel didn’t care much. Above all, having a god in his heart would be the most impious thing.

Gabriel quietly slipped out before the carriage reached the temple. Then with Pudding’s help, he quietly snuck into the temple.

The rat that Pudding brought in his mouth stepped forward, saying it would guide the way. The path guidance was left to the rat, and Pudding decided to alternate with the rat and return to Evangeline.

When he said to take good care of Evangeline, the cat narrowed its eyes and replied that he should take care of himself. There was also a harsh threat along the lines of reviving him if he died just to kill him again.

“Count Gabriel! This way!”

The rat twitched its whiskers and led the way. Though he was familiar with the temple’s geography, he couldn’t avoid all lines of sight. Fortunately, the rat guided him to places without people, so he didn’t get caught by priests or knights along the way.

“Right over there!”

But a problem arose just before arrival. When they reached right in front of the room where Rico was, there were quite a few people guarding the front. Should he subdue them all?

Just knocking them unconscious might cause them to wake up quickly and create chaos. In that case… Gabriel had prepared himself, but as he grabbed the hilt of his sword at his waist and hesitated over the distasteful task.

“Count Gabriel, someone’s coming from behind.”

At the rat’s words, Gabriel hurriedly looked for a place nearby to hide. Fortunately, a nearby room door was open, so he entered without hesitation.

It seemed to be a storage room where the temple kept equipment, as it was full of musty dust. As the rat was about to sneeze, Gabriel gently held the rat’s small mouth to block it.

Gabriel held his breath and pressed his ear close to the door, concentrating on the sounds outside. There was only one set of footsteps. Somewhat heavy and slow steps passed by and soon stopped.

Roughly guessing, it was toward the room where Rico was imprisoned. The knights guarding the front of the door seemed to have spotted the owner of the footsteps too.

“Bishop Jabaniya.”

Bishop Jabaniya? The moment he heard the name, Gabriel’s eyes widened.

Gabriel slightly opened the door and peered outside through the small gap. The rat, also curious, scurried over and stuck its face into the door crack together. Jabaniya came into Gabriel’s view. Jabaniya was wearing simple black priest robes, different from usual.

A knight blocking Jabaniya’s path tilted his head and asked.

“Wasn’t Bishop Jabaniya supposed to be greeting the parishioners at the front? What brings you here…?”

“It’s nothing serious. I simply wanted to have a brief conversation with Gabriel.”

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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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