My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 243

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

It wasn’t my imagination. The thick smell of blood stung my nose. Unless someone was seriously injured, the scent couldn’t be this strong.

But… no, right? The smell of blood must be from the blood that splattered when I cut down Jerak. That must be it. Gabriel couldn’t be hurt. He promised me he wouldn’t get injured.

He definitely promised that…

“…Ugh…”

The moment I heard the groan, my mind went blank. The blood flowing through my entire body turned cold, and it felt like my heart plummeted into an abyss.

“Wait, wait a moment. Count Gabriel.”

I wanted to visually confirm whether Gabriel was injured anywhere. That what I was thinking right now was wrong. That Gabriel wasn’t hurt, and he was just hugging me out of joy. I wanted to feel relieved. I wanted to confirm that Gabriel was safe.

So please.

“…Please let me go. Okay?”

Contrary to my pleading, Gabriel only held me tighter as if he wouldn’t allow even an inch of space between us. But instead of feeling relieved, I became even more anxious. He even used his large hand to block me from turning my head.

I couldn’t bring myself to hug Gabriel back. My hands trembled violently. It felt like the moment I touched him, Gabriel would crack and shatter into pieces.

“Please… please.”

I couldn’t even think of pushing Gabriel away and just pleaded. My throat choked up. My voice wavered pathetically, affected by the emotions churning inside me.

“…Haha.”

What was so funny? Gabriel, who had been laughing emptily, confessed to me.

“I’m… sorry… Evangeline… I broke… your… order.”

“Stop. Stop talking.”

“I was… careless… and got… stabbed in the heart.”

“I told you to stop.”

“Right now… thanks to Pudding… I can barely… move but…”

Every time Gabriel spoke, his gentle voice seemed to mercilessly tear me apart and hack me to pieces.

Heart. He got stabbed in the heart? That must be a lie. Really, Gabriel, what kind of terrible joke is this?

“I will soon…”

“Shut. Your mouth.”

“…”

Without realizing it, my voice came out harshly. I felt nauseous.

Soon what?

What exactly was he trying to say? That he was going to die soon? Leaving me behind?

I wanted to yell at Gabriel and demand answers. Why did he break his promise with me? Was he really sorry? If he was truly sorry to me, he shouldn’t say such things so easily.

“I didn’t give you permission.”

So he shouldn’t acknowledge his own death so easily like that. This wasn’t how it should be.

“Evangeline…”

Gabriel’s body leaned against me, putting more weight on me.

“…Count?”

No answer came back.

“Count Gabriel?”

Was it because I told him to shut his mouth? So he’s not answering? I wish that was the case.

Only labored breathing and occasional pained groans proved that Gabriel was still alive. I bit my lips to keep from sobbing.

Why?

We safely defeated Bishop Marik, so there shouldn’t be anything blocking my path anymore, right? The ending should always be ‘and they lived happily ever after.’

I reached out my hesitating hand. I felt warm warmth. Let this warmth leave my hands? I absolutely won’t allow it. I gritted my teeth and hugged Gabriel tighter. I, I… what should I do…

***

“Miss is running late.”

Hena turned her head at Kanna’s voice. How long had she been sitting by the window looking outside? The sun was already slowly setting, dyeing everything in a red light the same color as Kanna’s hair.

“What are you doing? Not comforting your sister?”

Jelly tapped Hena’s leg with her tail. Whether Evangeline’s blood had been effective, Jelly was in much better condition than when she was trapped in the bell tower.

When they first arrived at the Duke’s mansion, there was a brief commotion as the ducal servants tried to use holy water upon seeing the blood-covered wolf. When Kanna insisted it was Evangeline’s pet, they almost poured holy water again, saying they needed to treat it even more.

Thanks to Kanna’s intervention, Jelly was barely safe. Moreover, she had just received treatment from the healers who were staying at the ducal house to treat Gabriel.

When Hena hesitated, Jelly gestured with her chin for her to go quickly.

“…Would it be okay for me to?”

“Hah… You hugged and cried making a fuss as soon as you met, but now that you’ve calmed down, you’re worried about what you did again?”

“…”

Jelly let out a scoff at Hena’s question, as if she found it ridiculous.

As soon as she got off the carriage and saw Kanna, even though she had no right to, she almost burst into tears. She had wanted to see her so much, but when she actually faced Kanna, she couldn’t open her mouth. Hena couldn’t even say sorry to her sister and just kept her head down.

“Lift your head! Lift your head and look at me properly!”

She got slapped by her sister. Her cheek stung, but her heart ached even more. She cried so sadly that it seemed like Kanna was the one who got slapped.

“What exactly do you see me as?”

Only then did Hena say she was sorry. She hugged Kanna and cried loudly. Even the ducal servants who didn’t know the situation well dabbed their tears with handkerchiefs at the sight of the two crying so sadly.

Once the crying subsided, embarrassment and awkwardness filled the space between them. That lingering feeling continued until now.

When Hena hesitated, the wolf sighed and pushed Hena. Being weakened to the extreme, Hena couldn’t resist much and was pushed along.

“…Sister?”

Kanna’s head turned.

“…Kanna.”

What should she say? Evangeline was suffering now because of Hena… Did she have the right to comfort her sister? Hena, who was hesitating, casually looked out the window.

“…A carriage?”

“What?”

Outside the window, a carriage could be seen coming through the main gate. It was a fancy-looking carriage with the ducal family’s emblem engraved on it.

Kanna, who had been gloomily downcast, immediately brightened up. A blush bloomed on her cheeks, making them flush.

“Miss must be returning!”

Kanna hurriedly grabbed a coat to put around Evangeline and ran out of the room.

“Sister, hurry! We need to go greet Miss! Let’s go quickly!”

“Y-yes.”

Hena, who was about to follow Kanna out of the room, paused for a moment and looked back.

“Aren’t you coming, Jelly?”

“No.”

The wolf answered casually and jumped onto Evangeline’s bed. She arranged the blanket and curled up in a ball with her tail wrapped around her. Hena thought Jelly would rush out like Kanna… Hena found it strange but decided to follow her sister for now.

Servants were already lined up in front of the Duke’s mansion.

In place of Ricoradka who was briefly away, Rico’s former butler was holding the position. He was an elderly man with graying hair, probably retired due to age. Hena awkwardly bowed her head following Kanna. The old man made room beside him.

“Please stand beside me.”

Although Kanna and Hena were mere maids, they could stand at the front because they were Evangeline’s close attendants. Soon after, the carriage stopped right in front. Servants set up a footstep in front of the carriage and opened the door.

The first to get out was Duke Hosaquin, looking very tired.

“Welcome back.”

Following the old man’s lead, all the servants bowed their heads in unison.

Then Gabriel got out, and with Gabriel’s escort, Evangeline stepped onto the ground. Both of them, especially Evangeline, looked safe, so Hena inwardly sighed with relief.

Kanna, who looked like she would rush into Evangeline’s arms immediately, stood firmly, perhaps mindful of other people’s eyes.

Seeing the unexpected guest, the old man asked the Duke.

“That knight is…”

“Ah. I suggested that since the temple would be busy today, why don’t you stay at the Duke’s mansion for a while.”

Since Gabriel had been staying unofficially until now, this was the first time the topic of him staying officially came up.

Then we should prepare a different room, not the one next to Evangeline’s room. The old man, who had already heard about Gabriel from the Duke, nodded and hurriedly ordered preparations to host Gabriel.

“Evangeline.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

The Duke’s tone when calling his granddaughter was much more affectionate than before. The servants, who hadn’t had many opportunities to see the Duke and Evangeline together, were bewildered by the Duke’s sudden change.

But it was understandable. Since living with Evangeline, not only had the Viscountess’s health improved, but all the rats that had been causing chaos in the manor had completely disappeared. Even the ducal family servants who had initially been wary after hearing her bad reputation rolled up their sleeves for anything involving Evangeline after each receiving a bottle of holy water.

The servants nodded with satisfaction, saying that the Viscount had finally recognized the true worth of Lady Evangeline of Rohanson.

“While we prepare a guest room for Count Gabriel to stay in, you shall guide His Lordship around the manor.”

“I’ll do that.”

Evangeline entered the manor first, escorted by Gabriel. Kanna, who was Evangeline’s close aide, and Hena, who was said to be Kanna’s sister, followed behind them.

“Your mouth is hanging open.”

“…Ahem.”

At the old woman’s pointed remark, the Viscount composed his expression.

“You said she wasn’t your granddaughter?”

“…”

“From what I can see, she’s the spitting image of Lady Amaranth.”

Sensing that the nagging would continue at this rate, the Viscount changed the subject.

“How is my wife?”

“Lady Agera has been waiting, saying she would like to enjoy dinner together after Your Grace and the young lady returned home.”

“Good thing we’re not late. Let me go see my wife first.”

Agera had dozed off, apparently tired from waiting for the Viscount. As the Viscount stood there blankly staring at Agera, the old woman smiled and stepped aside. The Viscount remained standing there for quite some time.

Then, perhaps sensing someone’s presence, Agera blinked awake. Relieved that the person she’d been waiting for had returned safely, Agera expressed her puzzlement.

“Darling, are you crying?”

“No. That can’t be.”

The Viscount was not crying. The Viscount had thrown away his tears along with Amaranth on the day he cut her off. As Agera reached out her hand, the Viscount naturally bent down.

“Liar.”

Agera traced the area around the Viscount’s eyes.

“You’re covered in tears.”

Even though nothing came away, Agera called it so. The Viscount agreed that it was indeed true.

“Do you know what happened at the temple today?”

Sitting by Agera’s bedside, the Viscount told his wife about how long this day had been.

The granddaughter he had so dreaded was called a saint. Bishop Marik had fallen from grace. The temple decided to stop hunting heretics and treat them instead. It was a upheaval that had occurred overnight.

The temple would not treat heretics as cruelly as before, at least for a while. There would be no more driving people as if they were cursed just because holy water didn’t work on them.

“Agera. Do you understand? You have not been abandoned by the Divine.”

And there would be no more calling her own body, which no longer responded to holy water as the price for making a wish to a demon, horrible.

The Viscount finally spoke the words he had failed to say to his wife in the past.

“You did nothing wrong.”

The Viscount embraced his wife. He should have summoned that red mass and said this to his wife, who had been going mad with guilt, long ago.

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