My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 53

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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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The sunlight must be making you hot. Well, unlike me who’s dressed lightly, you’re wearing several layers, so it must be warm. Grandfather is having a hard time too. I’ll generously overlook that slip of the tongue from earlier. Someone of my caliber should be understanding.

“I’ll be sure to tell the madam of your loyalty.”

As someone who was once a worker myself, I can’t just stand by while the butler grandfather works so hard at customer service. I should quickly praise him to Madam Toten. When you tell the employer, they usually give a bonus or at least a word of praise.

“Are you mocking me right now?”

The butler grandfather, who had been sweating, was now trembling and glaring at me. What? I only gave compliments, but suddenly it’s mocking? Don’t tell me he thinks I was teasing him because I only said overly flattering things?

I thought that, then nearly fainted when I saw my arm resting on the butler grandfather’s shoulder. Why are you there…?

I must have unconsciously patted his shoulder. The habit I had with our house’s butler just…! But how could I help it when the clothes looked similar and it came out unconsciously!

I understand why the butler grandfather got angry. Even in a class-based society, he’d dislike a young child patting his shoulder, right?

Ah. Our eyes met.

As expected! The butler grandfather was trembling with humiliation.

But since he couldn’t say anything to a noble young lady, he swallowed his anger and continued guiding the way. I praised him earnestly, but one touch of my hand erased all the favorability. I hate my hand.

“We seem to have arrived.”

After quietly following behind the butler, I finally reached the marchioness. Finally, escape! The path to the drawing room felt like a year. I thought I’d die of thirst.

Knock knock.

“Madam, I’ve brought Miss Rohanson.”

“Come in.”

A thoroughly exhausted and weary voice came from inside.

The impression when I actually met her face-to-face wasn’t much different. Although Madam Toten was on the plump side, she looked so haggard that for a moment I had the illusion she was skeletal.

But that was brief – when Madam Toten smiled, the gaunt look instantly disappeared.

“Welcome. I hope the journey here wasn’t too difficult?”

Her manner of speaking also became very elegant. This is the experience of a noblewoman who’s been in high society for a long time. Admiring this, I sat across from Madam Toten as the marquis household’s maids quickly set up desserts and tea.

She must have been doing embroidery before I arrived. No matter how hard I try, I only stab my own hands and create alien language, but Madam Toten’s skill was exceptional even at a glance.

“Were you in the middle of embroidery? I must have kept you waiting for a long time.”

“No. Embroidery is just a hobby… Oh my. Looking at it like this, it resembles you.”

The madam said the embroidery she was working on was similar to me. Were you embroidering an angel? Well, Evangeline is pretty, at least in terms of looks. Even now I get startled when I look in the mirror.

Even on the way here, there were many sculptures and paintings of the Sun God, so Madam Toten must have truly remarkable faith. Well, that’s probably why she’s even acting as my chaperone at Gabriel’s request.

“It resembles you more than me, madam.”

“Haha, what lovely words you speak. As you must have heard from Count Gabriel, I’ll be serving as your chaperone. I’m Kinder Toten.”

“I’m Evangeline Rohanson. It must have been a difficult request, but thank you for accepting so readily.”

“Not at all. Miss Rohanson’s circumstances are pitiful… If there’s anything I can do to help, it’s right to do so. And I’m helping because I owe Count Gabriel a separate debt, so don’t feel burdened.”

“What kind of help?”

Madam Toten just smiled without answering and drank her tea. Ah. This is what I learned from Dolline. Eating something is a non-verbal expression meaning you don’t want to answer. Teacher, I noticed this! I’m using a lot of what Dolline taught me today. I should report back to her later.

I also picked up my fork.

Madam Toten silently watched me eat for quite a while.

This must be checking how proper my dining etiquette is, right? Although Gabriel made the request, she probably wanted to see and judge for herself. I deliberately ate with care.

I was so nervous I couldn’t tell if I was putting the fork to my mouth or poking my nose. Am I going to get indigestion at this rate? I couldn’t eat any more so I put down my fork. I thought I’d eaten a lot, but looking at the amount I’d consumed, it seemed to have decreased by only a fingernail’s worth.

Just then, Madam Toten put down her tea and asked.

“Why does Miss Rohanson want to enter high society? With Count Gabriel there, it’s not like you’re entering the marriage market. Due to your late debut, various rumors might become even more exaggerated.”

That’s not my request but Gabriel’s, you know?

And honestly, without much meaning, I just decided to do it because a society debut is a natural flow in romance novels. Even if I don’t pursue romance, since I’ve possessed a romance novel character, shouldn’t I attend a ball at least once?

But I can’t say that, right?

Just like no one speaks completely honestly during interviews, I need to embellish my words plausibly. What should I say? While pondering, a good excuse came to mind.

“Do you know about my maternal family?”

“…It was the Hosaqueen Ducal House.”

“Yes. Then you must have heard that my maternal grandfather and mother were estranged.”

The beloved youngest daughter of a ducal house had eloped and married a count despite her family’s opposition, so there must have been quite a bit of talk in high society at the time.

“When mother passed away, and when I was sick and bedridden, there was no contact from the ducal house.”

When I asked our house’s butler, he said Evangeline’s mother had written and sent several letters, but not one reply came back. Of course, they didn’t come to the funeral either.

“Mother always wanted to speak with grandfather again. It wasn’t quite a dying wish, but I want to fulfill that desire for her.”

Actually, Evangeline’s mother frequently mentioned in her diary that she had done wrong and wanted to return. Of course, the overwhelming majority was cursing her husband, the count.

Ah, that diary has gotten much thinner since I’ve been tearing out pages to send to the count whenever I ask him for something. The count probably treats them as unpleasant notes, but that’s my small revenge. So who told him not to be faithful in married life? It’s a disaster he brought upon himself. It would be nice if there was another diary.

“Mother was treated that way, but they’ll probably treat me even more coldly since I carry the Rohanson name. If I visit directly, I’ll obviously be turned away at the door. So I’m hoping to meet them from afar since they’ll attend the banquet.”

For something I just thought of, it’s a very plausible answer. It would be perfect if I could shed some touching tears here, but I’m not an actress so I can’t immerse myself that much.

“Is that a sufficient answer?”

“Is it…?”

Hm? This isn’t the reaction I expected? Since she was someone who felt sympathy for Evangeline, I thought she’d hold my hand and empathize saying ‘Oh, I see.’

Wait. Since Gabriel requested the chaperone, she must have already heard the whole story?

I feel like I chose the wrong answer. I should have just been honest!

“Did you hear the story from Count Gabriel beforehand?”

While I was fumbling about how to fix this, Madam Toten covered her mouth and laughed.

“I didn’t hear the details, but I understand that Count Gabriel made the request to Miss Rohanson first.”

Then why did you ask what my purpose for debuting in society was! I thought my head would explode trying to come up with excuses.

“So you’re just helping Count Gabriel and have no other reasons?”

“Doesn’t what I just told you count as an answer?”

“However, you spoke too matter-of-factly for someone who wants to fulfill a beloved mother’s dying wish. In truth, you don’t miss her at all, nor do you have any reason to meet with the Hosaqueen Ducal House, right?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

She hit the nail on the head. Even from a romance novel perspective, it was a bit late for the ducal house to enter a regret route about the maternal family, and from my perspective, the one I miss is my own mother, not Evangeline’s mother.

I thought I had spoken with good emotional investment, but the problem must have been my acting skills. Don’t tell me Daisy figured out my possession because my acting ability was terrible too? I thought it was because I was too kind that it showed! So acting skills were the problem!

“But… when I asked earlier, why did you say that?”

“Because saying that sounds more plausible. Is that a problem?”

Please say it doesn’t matter. It would be awkward to go to Gabriel and explain that the Madam Toten he saved won’t be my chaperone. If he asks for the reason, I’d have to answer that it’s because I got caught lying. I’m afraid the favorability would drop tremendously.

“No. How could it be a problem? I was just asking to satisfy my curiosity. I was wondering if you had other purposes. Of course, regardless of the answer, I had no intention of refusing Count Gabriel’s request.”

So she’s saying she absolutely wouldn’t have been my chaperone if it weren’t for Gabriel’s request.

But is that really all? The butler grandfather and Gabriel said she accepted out of sympathy, projecting her son onto the sickly Evangeline? And I was warned that the madam might ask about secrets of recovery or something.

“I thought you accepted being my chaperone because you had something to hear from me.”

“Something for me to hear from Miss Rohanson?”

“Yes. For example, a story about ‘How did Evangeline Rohanson rise from her sickbed?'”

“That…”

When I said this with a grin, cracks appeared on Madam Toten’s face.

Wasn’t this what you were curious about?

Following the butler grandfather’s words from earlier, I was about to firmly say there was nothing I could help with, when suddenly there was a knocking sound at the door.

Before she could say to come in, the door slowly opened. Madam Toten frowned at the rude behavior of the uninvited guest, but only briefly – seeing who opened the door, she jumped up in shock and rushed over in one step.

“Cough, cough. Mother…”

“Rider! Why did you come out instead of lying down?”

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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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