My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 65
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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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As long as she could stand beside Evangeline Rohanson, it didn’t matter whether she was dressed lavishly or looked like a beggar.
Having finished preparing quickly, Kinder hurried down the stairs. In the entrance hall, the butler was having a carriage prepared.
“Madam.”
Kinder gazed quietly at the butler who had served faithfully at the Toten Estate his entire life. Even after her husband’s death, the butler had always treated Kinder with proper courtesy. She had been grateful for this and trusted him deeply.
It was regrettable that she had only belatedly discovered that the butler’s loyalty did not extend to Kinder’s child. If Evangeline hadn’t pointed it out and her son hadn’t warned her, Kinder might never have noticed for the rest of her life.
Evangeline’s words kept circling in Kinder’s mind. The words about being revived by a demon. They seemed like a ray of hope. The hope that even if Rider truly died, he could come back to life.
“When did you say Diess would arrive?”
“I was told tonight. Though he might come earlier.
The butler speaking seemed somehow pleased.
Yes. How delightful that must be. Kinder gritted her teeth. Wasn’t the timing of this visit from someone who never used to drop by quite exquisite? The butler must have secretly given him a hint. Did he think Rider would die since he had fallen seriously ill this time? He was much quicker to grasp the situation than Kinder. Or perhaps he just had good instincts.
If Rider’s death became known, the next marquis title would be inherited by Diess, her husband’s blood relative. Kinder, who bore the Toten name but was not blood-related, had no justification to inherit the marquis position. If that happened, she wouldn’t even be able to keep Rider’s will. Absolutely, absolutely not.
“You’ll be going straight to the Imperial Palace, won’t you, Madam? I’ll inform the coachman.”
Kinder, who had been quietly looking at the carriage, asked for a horse to be brought instead.
“I’ll be going to the Rohanson Estate, so just prepare one horse.”
“Madam, with the rain coming down like this, you won’t take a carriage?”
“Butler. Since when have you interfered with me like this? I’ll stop by the Rohanson Estate and borrow a carriage to ride, so it’s fine.”
Perhaps because she had learned the full truth, her words didn’t come out gently. Instead of apologizing for unconsciously being sharp, Kinder mounted the horse that a servant had hurriedly brought.
She needed an opportunity to have a conversation with Evangeline. Since there would be many listening ears at the Imperial Palace, the Rohanson Viscount’s carriage would be most suitable. Of course, they might have already departed for the Imperial Palace, or they might refuse to let Kinder ride in their carriage.
“Oh my.”
The butler sighed. There wasn’t even time to stop her. Kinder pulled up her robe’s hood, mounted the horse, and spurred it on.
“Can you abandon the Rahel you love so much and rely on a demon? Even if they demand not the Viscount’s mansion but a human life as payment?”
Evangeline’s voice was still vivid. A demon. A demon… Now Kinder could finally give Evangeline an answer.
She regretted the days she had spent agonizing. Kinder urged her horse faster. The horse nearly slipped on the raindrops and caused a major accident, but she didn’t care. Her cheeks getting damp was from the rain, not tears. Kinder increased her speed even more. Hurry, hurry to where the demon is.
After Kinder left on horseback, the remaining servants whispered among themselves about the Viscountess’s unusual and strange behavior.
“Why did Madam leave in such a hurry?”
“I heard she agreed to chaperone Evangeline.”
“So she went to chaperone when Rider is sick? Even riding a horse that our Madam rarely ever rode?”
“Is Evangeline such a frightening person?”
Instead of warning his subordinates, the butler decided to choose his words for the distinguished person who would arrive soon. That would be more profitable.
Shortly after, another carriage arrived at the Viscount’s mansion.
“Ah, our dear home that I missed. It’s been so long! So wonderful!”
The man who got out of the carriage stretched his chest and breathed in the scent. It was Diess, the dead marquis’s younger brother. Was it because of the rain? Even the damp, rotten fishy smells from the Toten Estate seemed particularly refreshing.
“What? Were you all waiting outside for me? Oh my, why did you prepare all this?”
They had actually come out to see off the Viscountess, but the butler corrected himself without revealing the truth. The butler bowed deeply in greeting.
“Welcome, young master. You’ve arrived early.”
“Yeah, well. I wanted to see my sister-in-law’s face early. Is she riding in that carriage over there? Then why doesn’t she come out to greet me?”
Diess tilted his head while looking at the carriage in front of the mansion.
“No. She left on horseback.”
“What! How confusing, really!”
When Diess kicked at the carriage, the loosely fitted wheel rattled.
“What’s this? Why is it so worn out?”
“I’m not sure.”
Diess coughed awkwardly and changed the subject.
“Sister-in-law should have a good time. This might be her last ball, you know? When I become the Toten Marquis, she won’t have any justification to attend such places. She’s not thinking of remarrying me for the sake of justification, is she? Ugh.”
Watching Diess already acting like the master of the marquis household, Rack reconsidered his choice. But the dice had already been cast. For now, he could only pray for a high number to come up.
“Since it’s raining, let’s go inside. Sion should have prepared a room for you to stay in.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen the nanny too.”
Rack led Diess into the house. Diess, who had been triumphant as if returning to his own home, suddenly stopped.
“Right. What about him? Did sister-in-law take him along too?”
The person Diess was referring to was Rider.
“No. Rider is lying in his room because he’s sick. Seeing that Madam attended the ball, it seems his condition has improved quite a bit after being ill for a few days.”
The butler, unaware of the child’s death, offered his speculation. Since the condition had improved considerably, the Viscountess, full of maternal love, would have left the child behind. For the butler, who didn’t know that the Viscountess had pretended the dead child was sleeping, this was a very reasonable deduction.
“Tsk, if he’s going to die, he should die quickly. His lifeline is really tenacious.”
Diess clicked his tongue mockingly. Rack agreed as well. Rider was supposed to not live past five, but he had far exceeded five years and survived until now. The lifeline that barely continued like a thin thread showed no signs of breaking.
There was even a precedent of someone suddenly breaking free from a curse. Originally, they would have waited leisurely until the child died, but the situation had changed. Rack was acting impatiently because of Evangeline, who had suddenly appeared. Rack feared that Evangeline might really improve Rider’s condition. That couldn’t happen. A cursed child couldn’t be placed on the marquis’s seat.
What helped the agonizing Rack was a stranger. Of course, that person wasn’t the foolish Diess.
“Really? His uncle came to visit but he won’t even greet me. Well, since he’s sick, I should be understanding. Should I go see his face after so long?”
Diess went up the stairs with a crooked smile. He looked very pleased. To the butler, he looked exactly like a child about to throw stones at frogs.
***
“….”
“….”
Wow… How can there be such an amazing silence between father and daughter while eating? The only sound is the clinking of silverware.
Right now we’re eating together because the Viscount said he had something important to discuss before going to the ball. So I took time out from preparing for my debutante debut to come here, and this is what I get? I might choke.
The Viscount had excellent dining manners, even from my perspective as someone who had just started learning etiquette. No wonder Evangeline’s mother fell head over heels for him. Ugh. You can’t judge a person by appearances alone.
Without realizing it, my mood soured, and I threw away all the etiquette Dolline had taught me and stabbed at my steak. Since it was cooked rare, blood oozed out and spread across the white plate. Ugh, my appetite is gone. I’m a well-done person. My taste completely disappeared, so I just minced the meat without eating it.
Since I was clearly showing my bad mood, the Viscount finally put down his utensils. What? Are you uncomfortable because your daughter has terrible table manners? Well, do you think I’m not uncomfortable?
Of course, the ones who were most shocked were the kitchen staff who had been in a panic when they suddenly heard we’d be dining in the dining room. The person serving the courses was trembling, and when they made eye contact with me, they almost spilled the wine. Today I was also watching to see what accidents the frightened servants might cause, so I nimbly caught the falling glass and set it upright. Phew, not a drop spilled.
“You need to be careful.”
“Yes, yes. Sorry, so sorry.”
After that, all my dishes were served by Yulma, who had been pushed forward. Yulma had been in charge of cooking at Daisy’s Orphanage, and she was working in the kitchen here too. I wondered why they were making someone who assists in the kitchen do serving too, but they were saying from behind that Yulma was the only one who might be safe.
“Yulma, you’re the only one who won’t tremble in front of Evangeline.”
“The hope of the kitchen! Go!”
“I’m so glad you came to the kitchen.”
“It’s not like Evangeline kills people for making mistakes, so why is everyone so scared?”
“What is your heart made of, really?”
If you’re going to gossip, do it quietly. The sound was so loud I had a hard time pretending not to hear. I glanced over and saw the Viscount was also calmly eating, pretending not to hear. Well, seeing but pretending not to see, hearing but pretending not to know – that is a noble virtue.
Yulma finished serving and bowed her head. It felt like I hadn’t seen her in a while. Actually, it really had been a while since I had no reason to come to the dining room. Still, since she was a child I had rescued, I wanted to ask how she was doing.
“You seem to be doing well.”
“Yes. Thanks to you, 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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