My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 235
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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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“Why aren’t you all stopping Evangeline instead of just standing there?”
Even at Bishop Marik’s question, the knights hesitated and looked away, feigning ignorance. Bishop Marik’s authority ultimately rested on the Sun God. So with the label of ‘curse’ attached, he couldn’t exert his proper influence.
When I boldly reached out my hand, Bishop Marik recoiled in disgust and tried to push me away, so I grabbed his hand firmly. If I had avoided his holy water-soaked hand, he would have accused me of being a demon again, so I couldn’t even dodge. Of course, I also grabbed his hand on purpose to annoy the Bishop.
As Bishop Marik tried to pull away, I gripped his hand with enough force to break it. Then I moved closer and whispered quietly in his ear, lowering my voice so only Bishop Marik could hear.
“Be careful, Bishop. Who knows whether what you’ll be doused with next time will be holy water or deadly poison. If you pour holy water and your skin melts, then you’ll truly be branded with the infamy of being a demon, won’t you?”
Even if my voice leaked out and someone heard it, I hoped Gabriel at least didn’t hear… but he probably did, didn’t he?
It was a cruel threat, but I decided not to feel guilty about it either. Bishop Marik responded in a menacing voice.
“You would frame me as a demon? Evangeline, do you not fear God?”
Not particularly. I found it scarier when I saw Jelly and Gabriel get hurt.
“Didn’t you set the example for me, Bishop? You arbitrarily interpret God’s will and command demons, yet you’re still called God’s beloved. What would I have to fear? I had a good teacher nearby to observe and learn from. Thank you, Bishop.”
It wasn’t entirely false. Bishop Marik’s gaslighting and eloquence were indeed exceptional. When I released his hand, Bishop Marik immediately backed away from me. Treating me like some kind of bug makes Evangeline sad, hmph.
“Do you still need holy water? Shall I bring you some?”
“…”
After thoroughly threatening him, I smiled sweetly and asked if I should bring holy water. Bishop Marik’s eyes blazed fiercely as if they would burn me to death.
Indeed, now that his face was revealed, it was much easier to read his thoughts. Despite his perfect composure, Bishop Marik wasn’t particularly skilled at hiding his expressions. Was it because he had lived with his face covered by a veil? Beyond just his expressions being visible, it seemed like he had become a completely different person after throwing off the veil. What kind of veil was that, Cinderella’s glass slipper?
“How unfortunate. It would have been an opportunity to reveal to the world that you are an evil being.”
When I clicked my tongue as if disappointed, Bishop Marik’s face contorted viciously. The benevolent bishop-like appearance had long since disappeared. Bishop Marik replied in a low voice. Though his expression was fierce, his voice alone was melodious and seductive like a song.
“Did you say opportunity? The opportunity was what I gave to Evangeline. Don’t you know how specially I treated you, unlike other heretics? You were someone special that I chose.”
Wasn’t that just saying he’d kill me in a special way? He even said he’d give Gabriel a front-row seat to watch my execution, and now he’s claiming he gave me precious treatment.
“Even if I become cursed as you wish and am stripped of my position as bishop, do you think you’ll be able to preserve your life? You seem to have forgotten that Viscount Rohanson has already confessed all of his child’s transgressions.”
I should have just slit Viscount Rohanson’s throat before coming to the temple. It seems he sold out his daughter quite persistently to save only himself.
“Without me, Evangeline will meet an even more terrible end. The only way for heretics to pay for their sins is to become fertilizer for the Sun. So why won’t you fulfill your duty? The path I’ve presented is the only way for you to pay for your sins.”
I thought he was threatening me, but Bishop Marik also looked quite desperate. Seeing him trying to persuade me, it seems Bishop Marik has no way out either.
“Evangeline. Please, meet a noble death by my hand.”
Bishop Marik pleaded as if cursing me with desperation.
I suddenly realized. My death was his solution. Did he really think I would listen to those words and obediently die? Displeasure crept over me.
He likes noble deaths. Using other people’s lives for his own purposes while attaching modifiers like ‘noble’ – why? And telling me to pay for my sins? According to Bishop Marik’s words, those she called heretics, those who didn’t receive blessings like Gabriel, had to spend their lives crawling on the ground in atonement. How utterly unfair.
Even if I hadn’t done anything, being treated like a sinner was so unfair that I decided I should commit some spectacular act. Might as well reach the pinnacle of blasphemy.
“Thank you for the advice, Bishop Marik.”
Since Bishop Marik hated seeing me smile, I smiled even more brightly. Bishop Marik had probably seen me smile more than Gabriel had.
“Then I’ll work hard to defend myself so I can preserve my life even without you, Bishop.”
Rico tapped me lightly with his small paws as if ready.
Good, then let’s begin. I cleared my throat softly and opened my mouth.
“Moved by the knights who revealed the truth without yielding to Bishop Marik’s tyranny, I too wish to confess. I, Evangeline Rohanson, have committed the transgression of taking my own life once.”
Even without raising my voice, my words echoed throughout. The holy water that had been falling like rain had stopped, so Rico was helping with amplification again.
“…Wait, that’s exactly what I heard when Evangeline Rohanson was on the bell tower? It wasn’t a hallucination?”
“Then was Bishop Marik lying?”
“Bishop? What bishop – someone who’s about to be stripped of their position! Wasn’t he cursed!”
“No, more importantly, did you hear that? Did Evangeline Rohanson just reveal she committed suicide?”
“Then what is that person speaking right now?”
People were shocked by the sudden confession of resurrection.
“Yes. It is undoubtedly a sin. However, I was granted an opportunity. At the end of death, I met the Sun and heard a revelation.”
Bishop Marik called himself God’s beloved? Then I’ll go with the concept of a saint who converses with God.
“That a cunning bishop deceives the faithful and commits transgressions under the Sun. Massacring the innocent, distorting God’s will, and with the body of a believer, committing evil acts like a demon…”
I let my words trail off slightly, building suspense. I heard the sound of someone nervously swallowing. Timing it right, I opened my mouth.
“Even daring to encroach upon God’s domain.”
I stared at Bishop Marik. I could hear Bishop Marik’s insides boiling with rage from here. Playing the saint role is quite fun too.
Scratching at Bishop Marik felt so satisfying that I wanted to enjoy it a bit more, but it was time to reap what I had sown. I had planted seeds of suspicion about Bishop Marik in people’s minds and nurtured them well, so now I had to harvest.
“God commanded me to judge Bishop Marik.”
As I finished speaking, only an eerie silence remained. Even the people who had been chattering and adding their own comments to my words fell silent as if their lips were glued shut.
I lightly tapped the pocket containing Rico, signaling that was enough. Rico also tapped me in response. Oddly enough, it felt like conversing in Morse code.
“I learned by watching you, Bishop. How do you like it? Are you pleased?”
I asked Bishop Marik. Bishop Marik, who had been frozen for a moment, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, God’s revelation? Haha, a revelation? God’s will?”
Bishop Marik laughed madly. He opened his mouth wide and laughed until he seemed to choke. Tears even formed in the corners of his eyes. Yet despite laughing so hard, he didn’t look joyful at all.
This behavior, which Bishop Marik would never have done if he were clinging to his reputation, clearly showed how cornered he was.
“Very similar indeed. I almost thought I was looking at the real Bishop Marik. If you learned by watching me, that’s proof that I acted like Bishop Marik.”
Bishop Marik answered as if muttering. Toward the end, it was no different from the sound of wind.
It was such a small response, barely more than a soliloquy, that I wouldn’t have heard it if I didn’t have good hearing. And again, he spoke of himself in third person, didn’t he? Moreover, he seemed to refer to ‘Bishop Marik’ as if speaking of someone else.
Before I could resolve my doubts, Bishop Marik suddenly acted impulsively. He arbitrarily snatched a sword from a nearby knight.
“My lady!”
Gabriel was startled and moved to protect me, but Bishop Marik’s blade wasn’t aimed at me. Bishop Marik pointed the sword at himself. Bishop Marik had taken himself hostage.
“Right. Didn’t you offer to bring holy water earlier? There’s no need. I’m already thoroughly soaked.”
Bishop Marik smiled with a strange expression while adjusting the sword. Bishop Marik brought the sword’s point to himself without even closing his eyes.
Was he planning to cut his own face? Since he mentioned holy water, it seemed he intended to wound himself and show it healing. So he would self-harm? Crazy, no matter how much I had provoked him, he was truly a vicious person. Could anyone stop someone who had snapped and gone berserk like that?
“Count Gabriel, Bishop Marik…”
However, there was someone who subdued Bishop Marik even faster than Gabriel and I could.
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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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