My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 267

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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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Lea observed the jewel with persistent attention. Rather than appraising it, she seemed to be admiring something extremely precious. The sight of such a terrifyingly massive being, indescribable in human words, cherishing a small stone that would seem insignificant to her, evoked a strange sentiment.

Lea lightly crushed the jewel. The smoke that bloomed from the jewel was absorbed into Lea. Lea closed her eyes as if recalling memories. Though Lea’s expression remained unchanged, there was a moment when it seemed like she was smiling.

“That child is still lovely.”

It was a voice strangely filled with affection.

“Amaranth was beautiful. The appearance I wear now, and you too, are the same. But it’s strange. When that child moved, it was even more so. I wanted to see that child move once more.”

“So I asked Lea. If you should happen to follow me in death, please erase all memories of me from you.”

From Lea’s words, I could understand where my now-vanished memories had gone. Perhaps Lea came to long for Amaranth because she received memories from Amaranth?

The memories of how I loved and missed Amaranth. Lea, who had been savoring those memories, opened her mouth.

“Good. Since I’ve received payment, it’s time to grant your wish.”

I carefully handed the dark blue orb to Lea.

“Creating a human will be the second time for me. I didn’t expect to do such a rare thing again. You really do resemble that child.”

Lea spoke as if pleased.

“I fixed the body while you were sleeping.”

Gabriel was laid in a coffin decorated with lilies. It was Lea’s bad taste. The lily fragrance I had smelled at the Imperial Palace might have been this.

Whether Lea had healed it, there was no scar on the heart either. Gabriel’s half-piece mark as well. Now I would settle Gabriel’s soul into this body.

Lea firmly pushed the orb into Gabriel’s heart. The orb that pierced straight through the skin disappeared as if sinking into a swamp.

I anxiously examined Gabriel.

“…!”

Beautiful eyelashes fluttered faintly.

Soon, the eyelids twitched and opened.

A clear blue sky without a single cloud. A calm lake reflecting the sky. Gabriel’s eyes were like that. The calm and quiet lake began to ripple only after it contained me.

“Count Gabriel.”

I welcomed Gabriel as he awakened from sleep.

I hoped he hadn’t had nightmares.

***

Gabriel had a dream.

The familiar nightmare he always had. That day, repeated tediously, unfolded once again.

Hooves struck the ground as they charged forward. Through the hazy dust, he saw tender limbs being drawn under the wheels. Soon came the dull sound of bones breaking, a short and thin scream cut off.

The coachman spat curses while roughly wielding his whip, and the horses reared and struggled in fright. Where the coachman had urged the horses and departed, only a child remained, clutching a severed leg and crying out in pain.

Gabriel hurriedly carried the child on his back. Then he grabbed at the clothes of passing people. When his hands, stained with wet earth and blood, touched the fabric, they startled and hastily pulled their arms away, stepping backward. It was an attitude as if avoiding filthy refuse.

Gabriel looked around. Countless gazes clung to Gabriel. When Gabriel actually looked at them, they frowned in displeasure and averted their eyes.

It was all because of him. That the child was hit by the carriage in his place. That the child couldn’t even receive proper treatment. It was all because of his impure self.

Gabriel knew. In the end, no one would help them, and the child would die. Being able to hold a funeral, even belatedly, would be the greatest kindness granted to him.

That’s what he thought.

“Do you need help?”

Suddenly, a white and delicate hand was extended before him.

And the moment he raised his head and saw the person in his sight, Gabriel drew in his breath. He had never seen anything so dazzling.

Instead of the familiar smell of earth or rotten food, a faint flower fragrance wafted, as if from a garden that noble people might tend. White hair that caught the light sparkled like sugar powder. Even the jewels that the wealthy so proudly showed off wouldn’t be more beautiful than those eyes.

His savior introduced herself as a demon. She warned that if he took her hand, Gabriel’s life would become a quagmire. Gabriel knew well how frightening demons were. The priests who visited the slum had told him how terrible demons could be.

But Gabriel was no longer afraid of demons. If they had known that the demons in stories would sparkle like this, the priests would have been more careful with their words.

Seeing her shed tears without even knowing she was crying made him want to comfort her somehow, so Gabriel took out his cleanest handkerchief and pressed it into the woman’s hand. He wanted to wipe her tears himself, but his hands were terribly dirty.

Fortunately, the woman didn’t find Gabriel unpleasant. Rather, she seemed worried that Gabriel might refuse. As if he ever would.

Gabriel gathered his courage and clasped her hand. Thinking that later he would definitely wipe her tears himself, and preferably, he hoped she would cry for his sake.

A droplet fell onto Gabriel’s face.

Gabriel opened his eyes. And just like in his dream, he saw a woman shedding tears because of him.

“Please don’t cry.”

Even though he had grown so much, Gabriel still didn’t know what to do when he saw Evangeline’s tears.

From the first moment he saw her, he couldn’t take his eyes away. Seeing the woman like a withered tree stirred curiosity that was unlike him. He deliberately scratched at her heart, trying to draw out a special reaction from Evangeline.

Gabriel wanted to see Evangeline with a human face. He wanted to become something unique and special to the star who looked down on everything. Perhaps he had wanted to see again that expression he might have seen in the near future, or in the past.

“Did you sleep well, Count Gabriel?”

Seeing that expression again was truly beautiful.

“You’re so, so late in waking up.”

“I overslept.”

“Yes. Did you have a scary dream?”

“No. It was a very good dream.”

His nightmare had come to an end.

This time, Gabriel reached out without hesitation and wiped away Evangeline’s tears. Evangeline didn’t reject his touch. It was the moment he had so longed for.

***

Lea turned the bow of her boat and brought Gabriel and me back to the Rohanson Estate, then left the coffin Gabriel had been lying in as a commemorative gift.

Calling such a thing a gift. Just looking at it makes me unpleasant. I should burn that thing right away.

“This is the Rohanson Estate.”

“I couldn’t show you at the Temple.”

Gabriel didn’t ask how his wounds had been healed. Even though the new body must have felt strange, he didn’t even care that the mark on his heart had disappeared.

Since my feet were getting numb, I confessed the whole story to Gabriel first. Despite my worry that he might be displeased to learn it was a body created by Lea, Gabriel didn’t care at all, which left me feeling deflated.

Instead, he frowned when I mentioned giving payment in my deal with Lea, and asked what the payment was. My heart tickled.

“Mother’s memories.”

“You mean the Countess Rohanson…?”

All the titles referring to Amaranth felt unfamiliar.

In that desperate moment, I told Lea I would give her love as payment. Because it was the most valuable thing to me. Lea readily accepted the condition. However, contrary to my expectation, the love Lea took wasn’t Gabriel, but Amaranth.

Perhaps for Lea, the only ‘love’ was Amaranth.

“Are you alright, Evangeline?”

Gabriel asked carefully. Here he was, worrying about me when his own life had been in danger.

“I’m fine. Because I have Count Gabriel.”

And other people too.

“Let’s go back to the Duke’s Mansion together. Everyone will be waiting. Count Rafaela is there too.”

***

Sure enough, as we left the manor, Pudding came running and threw himself into my arms. Pudding’s eyes immediately reddened as he called my name as if he couldn’t believe it.

“…Evangeline.”

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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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