My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 59

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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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“She looks like an angel!”

“Yes! Mary did such a wonderful job!”

“She looks like a fairy!”

“Exactly!”

Artemisia and the child praised in harmony. Evangeline watched their chattering appearance with an unusually softened expression, as if observing birds singing.

Though it was her usual arrogantly indifferent demeanor, Gabriel sensed a small warmth from Evangeline. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

Seeing her fitting a dress like an ordinary noble lady and indulging a small child’s noisy chatter made it seem like he was truly seeing the genuine Evangeline Rohanson.

The Rohanson young lady seemed to be growing more accustomed to wearing human skin. More precisely, she was becoming closer to ‘Evangeline Rohanson.’ Or perhaps Gabriel was gradually being influenced and felt that way.

Noticing Gabriel had fallen into contemplation, Schmittiana demanded a retest.

“Now, Count! You must know what to say by now, don’t you?”

His impression? What the two had been giving as examples were all the beautiful nouns in the world. Fairy, angel? Gabriel tried to think of something that didn’t overlap, and recalled a familiar phrase. It was words that came to mind because of the angel Mary had mentioned.

Among the words written on the white paper that emerged from Donau’s ashes, the most memorable was “angel of light.” There could be no better words to describe Evangeline Rohanson. Since angel had already been mentioned, only one remained.

“Lady Rohanson is like the brightest star.”

Literally luminous. He had said the brightest star, but in truth, more modifiers should have been added.

Evangeline Rohanson was a star that shone strangely bright. Among things that rise avoiding the sun, could there be anything brighter than her?

“We’ll be going now! Have a good time.”

Meanwhile, Schmittiana, who had been smiling wickedly wondering what foolish thoughts he was having, left the room taking the other two with her.

The briefly opened door closed again, cut off from the outside, leaving only Gabriel and Evangeline in the world.

“Would you dance one song with me?”

This time Gabriel extended his hand first. He didn’t know why Evangeline had asked for a dance, but being able to continue holding Evangeline’s hand was fortunate for Gabriel. Gabriel’s body temperature was quite high, so if he held it long enough, perhaps the coldness would fade.

“One song won’t be enough.”

She had asked him to be her practice partner because she was afraid of making mistakes, having never danced before. But Evangeline couldn’t possibly have failed to memorize the dance. Evangeline was very good at remembering things that interested her or that she needed to memorize.

Of course, no one knew how difficult it was to enter that circle. Last time Michel had cried into his pillow because Lady Rohanson didn’t recognize him.

“I’ll gladly accompany you for as long as you wish.”

So Evangeline’s request for a dance must have been to immerse herself in the role of ‘Evangeline Rohanson.’

Why was the angel of light wearing the appearance of Evangeline Rohanson? He couldn’t even imagine how much patience it required for a being who looked down on humans to pretend to be human.

Gabriel placed his hand on Evangeline’s waist and took position. He was deeply pleased that Evangeline was leaning against him.

There was no accompaniment. But if there were music playing now, it would surely be a funeral march for Gabriel.

While Evangeline was fitting her dress, the sun had set and darkness rippled beyond the drawn curtains. As the sun set and Daisy checked the time, she had drawn the window curtains.

With the curtains drawn as well, the interior was even dimmer. In the dark world, only Evangeline sparkled purely. Having monopolized even the surrounding light, the surroundings sank deeper while the star stood out more prominently.

Gabriel thought of himself as the dark ring around the star. Having had all his light stolen, his gaze went to Evangeline and he couldn’t break away, circling nearby.

“That seems to be what happens when I take you into my sight.”

It wasn’t just Gabriel. Even those who had trembled in fear, been terrified and frightened, had no thought of leaving after entering the garden Evangeline tended. The maids Evangeline cherished, the children and Michel she had saved, even Schmittiana. They would all be looking at the same light, turning their backs on the sun they had originally faced.

“My beliefs too.”

My philosophy too.

“My ideals too.”

Everything I’ve built up since birth feels futile.

“It’s as if you’re rebuilding the world from scratch according to your whims.”

That was the influence Evangeline possessed. It felt like new signposts had been erected.

If not for Evangeline, Gabriel wouldn’t have taken interest in beings beyond reason. If not for Evangeline, Daisy wouldn’t have returned to the Rohanson Estate either. Schmittiana wouldn’t have abandoned her long-held beliefs to make clothes for maids that went against her tastes.

“That sounds like some kind of confession.”

Evangeline spoke with a very displeased expression.

A confession… It wasn’t such a warm feeling that would bring gentle breezes. Even Gabriel himself couldn’t name it. Was this fear, or perhaps terror? Being with Evangeline made him shiver as if seeing something alien. His heart trembled as if witnessing something eerie.

When Evangeline shed the mask of an ordinary noble lady and revealed her arrogant and languid inner nature, he was frightened yet couldn’t look away. If he had to name it, right now it would be closest to curiosity. It was no different from peeking through a slightly open door crack. Gabriel’s protection of Evangeline even while deceiving the Temple was probably for that reason too.

“You like me?”

So Gabriel watched Evangeline’s reaction instead of correcting his words. He judged that saying he had favorable feelings would sound better than saying he felt curiosity.

But Gabriel’s choice seemed wrong. Gabriel had touched a sore spot.

The face that had been smiling slightly froze as it was and the expression disappeared. It felt like returning to the moment he first saw Evangeline. The small budding emotion vanished, leaving only cold fragments.

Evangeline Rohanson was a star floating in the sky. If it fell and touched the earth, the world would be destroyed, unable to bear that light.

But Gabriel only now realized that fallen stars also become misshapen. It was devastation created by the base desire to pull down a star.

“Without even knowing who I am?”

Evangeline looked at Gabriel. Eyes that seemed to be bleeding.

At that moment, something strange happened.

The candles flickered. As if two eyeballs had disappeared, his vision was trapped in curtains and darkened, then suddenly lit up and opened wide. Had the interior always been this spacious? Something seemed twisted. Candle wax dripped from the ceiling.

The brightened world was completely different from what he had seen before.

The walls and furniture were covered with fibrous tissue. The flesh pulsed as if proving it was alive. Eyeballs hung in clusters from the ceiling and sprouted from every crevice. They blinked at different speeds from each other.

With each spin, something squishy burst underfoot. Nausea rising, Gabriel bit his lower lip.

In the world stained with red filth, only Evangeline Rohanson was purely white. There was nowhere to look but Evangeline, yet because even her pupils were red, he couldn’t actually meet her eyes. Evangeline’s eyes felt exactly like the heart of this place. The heart whispered right by his ear.

“Count Gabriel just needs to keep me company appropriately.”

A sweetly gentle voice, unlike a rebuke. The soft resonance seemed like the temptation of a forked-tongued demon, yet also like a voice guiding Gabriel to the right path.

Was she punishing him for overstepping? Evangeline seemed to notice Gabriel was particularly tense and lightly brushed his shoulder.

The past repeated. Just like when he had conversed with Evangeline at the Rohanson Estate, when she had warned Gabriel for crossing the line.

Was she wearing the same heartless expression now as then? Afraid to face it directly, Gabriel looked at the mirror as an alternative.

The world reflected in the mirror had no filth. He felt relieved by the clean room scenery. That was probably real. Gabriel continued looking at the mirror, believing so. And the moment he saw himself dancing reflected, he bit his lips hard. The metallic taste of blood spread.

Evangeline Rohanson was not in the mirror. If what was in that mirror was real, then likewise, she too did not exist in the world.

His vision flickered again. The room that had returned to its original colors, as if that was all it wanted to show, was terribly quiet.

“Shall we stop here?”

It was the expression of someone feeling very sorry for an ant drowning in sugar water.

As if that was a signal, his blocked breathing suddenly cleared. Gabriel drew in breath. From Evangeline came the withered sweet scent of flowers. As Evangeline pulled away, the fragrance faded from his nose.

After creating distance, Evangeline held her dress hem in a picture-perfect pose and bowed slightly in greeting. When she straightened up again, she looked very peaceful.

“I quite like you, Count.”

Evangeline smiled softly with curved eyes. It was a smile that Jim Nopedy, if he were alive, would have wanted to paint even if it meant selling his soul.

Evangeline looked at the mirror as if checking whether she had properly put on her mask. Gabriel also turned his gaze in the same direction. The mirror reflected an expressionless Evangeline Rohanson.

***

Evangeline gently suggested Gabriel return home, saying she was tired from dancing. Having no reason to stay longer at the Rohanson Estate, they exchanged farewells with unpleasant residue remaining. In this farewell, Evangeline did not offer her hand.

Somehow it felt like walking on a swamp. His steps were particularly heavy. He repeatedly walked a few steps then looked back at the Rohanson Estate. But the curtains were tightly drawn so the interior wasn’t visible.

“Are you leaving?”

Having delayed unusually long, he encountered Kanna who was strolling in the garden. In her arms was the cat he had seen at the orphanage before.

The cat that had played charmingly in Gabriel’s arms was nowhere to be found, and now it didn’t even acknowledge him. Since cats were naturally fickle creatures, Gabriel soon lost interest.

“Miss Kanna, it’s been a while.”

Gabriel greeted her with dignity, maintaining proper courtesy.

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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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