My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 72

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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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Toten Madam spoke in a choked voice, trailing off before clearing her throat, then lifted her head with an elegant attitude as if nothing had happened.

“You practically saved my son’s life. And all you want is to escape from being a laundry maid?”

“Yes…”

“Then I’ll give you the position of head maid.”

“Me as head maid?”

It was a truly shocking personnel decision. Toten Madam only dismissed the servants who had gathered like a crowd after giving out both rewards and punishments. Then she headed to the dressing room, accompanied only by the still bewildered maid named Weder.

Toten Madam collapsed to the floor only after closing the door. Before I could step forward, Weder caught Toten Madam.

“Madam!”

“Weder… You saw Rider die and come back to life, yet you don’t ask anything.”

Melek, who had entered Rider’s body, hid behind me looking ashamed. Melek, I ordered this, so you don’t need to feel guilty.

“Aren’t you disgusted by me for telling you to care for a dead child?”

“Not at all. Madam, in the village where I was born, there was a grandmother who carried around a doll. Her son went to war decades ago with no news. The grandmother has dementia but only remembers her son’s name, so she raises the doll like a child. And… that person is my grandmother. Even though all the villagers call her a crazy old woman, I can understand my grandmother. So I don’t find you strange at all, Madam.”

“…Thank you.”

Weder comforted Toten Madam while revealing her own past. What kind of romance novel has all the kids with such dark backgrounds? Daisy’s trusted orphanage director was a slave trader, Kanna was almost killed after being kidnapped by some weirdo, and now the newly appeared Weder shows up with a tear-jerking melodrama backstory.

Come to think of it, not just the maids, but looking at Toten Madam and Gabriel, their stories are all gloomy, dark, and depressing. This is all because the worldview is a devastated romance novel.

Toten Madam, now seeming somewhat relieved, turned to look at me.

“Thank you, Evangeline.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

“And, what should I call you? …Melek?”

The next person Toten Madam thanked was Melek. Melek, who had been hiding behind me, poked his head out and spoke.

“That was the name of the previous body. The name Evangeline gave me is Mer…!”

Since Melek was about to say something strange, I covered his mouth. Don’t say Meringue! It would seem weird to give such a cute name to a ghost! Could I explain it like the principle of giving childish names to typhoons? No, I don’t think she’d understand!

Melek, meeting my eyes, seemed to catch on and nodded, so I let go of my hand.

“Please call me Melek.”

“Alright. Melek, thank you for helping.”

“No, I’m… sor-sorry. For taking your son’s body…”

“That was my choice. You’re a better person than I thought.”

Perhaps because the body Melek was using belonged to Rider, Toten Madam’s gaze was very warm, as if looking at her son. Melek also seemed relieved by Toten Madam’s reaction.

I felt a faint sense of camaraderie from overcoming the same ordeal together. I wanted to wipe my nose at the heartwarming moment, but Hena checked the time and called me.

“Miss, I think you need to leave now.”

Really? I looked at the clock too. Wow, only an hour left? We should leave now to not be late, right? But we couldn’t leave immediately since we couldn’t take Toten Madam as she was. For now, Hena and Weder decided to help with Toten Madam’s grooming. Fortunately, Hena’s makeup skills were professional level, even recognized by Misha.

“Then excuse me.”

Under Hena’s touch, Toten Madam gradually regained her original appearance. Her wet, flattened hair was neatly pinned up.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes… Thank you.”

Adding color to her lips finally brought life to her face. Since Toten Madam wanted to keep wearing the same shoes, we only chose a different dress. The deep green dress suited Toten Madam’s unusually calm atmosphere today.

“Your maid has good skills.”

“Right?”

My shoulders rose proudly at the praise for Hena. And it’s not just Hena who’s skilled – the kids at home are all professional level too. My lips curled up seeing our kids get recognition outside.

“Shall we go if you’re ready?”

I was about to get up thinking ‘Yeah, let’s go!’ when suddenly Melek, who had possessed Rider, caught my eye.

“What about Melek?”

“That’s right. We locked up the butler and Diess so there shouldn’t be any big problems… but we can’t take him to the banquet either.”

Then Weder carefully spoke up.

“Madam, I’ll stay by the young master’s side.”

“You? Weder, you watched closely from right beside us, so you know well that this child is… no longer Rider. Will you still be okay with that?”

“I’m fine with it.”

Toten Madam seemed rather flustered by Weder’s unhesitating answer and asked back.

“Why…?”

“If my father had returned like young master Rider, my grandmother would have been very happy. Isn’t that better than a doll?”

Toten Madam smiled faintly.

“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”

It was decided that Weder would care for Melek while we attended the banquet. Toten Madam was relieved, but my problem wasn’t solved.

If Melek stays at the viscount’s mansion, who’s going to be my coachman?

I’d gotten used to Melek driving, so I’d probably get motion sick in other carriages. From now on, do I have no choice but to sit in a motion sickness-inducing box that rattles and shakes, enduring my aching bottom? I don’t want that!

And what about my carriage? Should I go to the Imperial Palace in Toten Madam’s carriage? What do I do when going home? I came outside worrying about all this, only to find an unexpected person there.

Oh! That person is the beastman coachman who built memories together with Jelly and Daisy!

“Use him as you please.”

I wondered where Jelly had disappeared to after bringing Melek, but it seems he sensibly brought a coachman. You cute thing! Today you’re as cute as Pudding! Don’t tell Pudding!

On the other hand, Melek was very upset about his position being taken. Even though the inside was Melek, the appearance was Rider’s, so when his eyes welled up with tears, I wanted to comfort and soothe him.

“Being a coachman is my role…”

“Right. It’s just filling the empty spot until you return.”

“Right? Please take good care of Gamigeen… Miss, you must take good care of Gamigeen until I return.”

Melek had a tearful farewell with the horse. Since he’d have to stay possessed in Rider’s body at least until the viscount’s household stabilized, it seemed sad that there was no set date for his return.

“When can I return?”

“When Toten Madam’s position becomes solid. Please stay until the madam can be independent even without Rider’s existence.”

“Yes, I will… Oh right, Miss. Then what about my meals?”

Ah. Right. There was also the meal problem. But why is the horse the top priority and then he thinks of meals… Isn’t it usually the other way around?

Does being a ghost make priorities backwards too? There are stories about ghosts clapping with the back of their hands and eating lettuce wraps with meat as the main ingredient. Meat-centered wraps sound tempting, but Melek can’t eat them anyway.

But doesn’t Melek, originally possessing a cow beastman’s body, need flowers? Does dietary preference not change even when possessing different bodies… Anyway, while Melek stays at the viscount’s mansion, I’ll need to pick flower petals and send them to Toten Madam. Geez, there’s more than one or two things to solve.

Since we needed to discuss how to wrap up today’s events on the way, Toten Madam decided to ride in my carriage together. Jelly ran away saying he was tired. I’d brought Jelly in case something happened at the viscount’s household anyway, and since he’d found a coachman too, Jelly had faithfully fulfilled his role. Good, you can go back.

“Then I’ll go home first.”

Jelly disappeared through teleportation. I’m really envious. I probably can’t learn magic either. With rock-bottom spirit affinity, what magic power – my talent is obviously rock-bottom too.

Toten Madam stood there dazed, seemingly surprised by Jelly’s instant disappearance. Oops. I forgot. I wondered if I should have hidden it, but with Melek already inside Rider’s body and Jelly suddenly disappearing… I gestured toward Toten Madam as if nothing happened, indicating we should go.

***

Andras returned to Rohanson Estate with a big yawn. He was begging Daisy for snacks and rolling around on Evangeline’s bed when Plauros disapprovingly extended his claws and scratched Andras. Andras screamed and writhed from the stinging pain.

“Don’t get dog hair on Evangeline’s bed.”

“Ow! Pudding, this is animal abuse, you cat bastard. No discrimination! You always act like a house cat meowing on master’s lap, but I can’t even lie on the bed?”

Plauros didn’t even listen to what Andras was saying and sat on the bed. Perhaps because Evangeline was away, Plauros was taking human form for the first time in a long while. Light scattered and spread so blindingly that Andras instinctively frowned.

Andras, who had rolled onto the floor, had no choice but to transform back into human form. If he said not to get hair on it, he had to become human. But isn’t having a person lying on the bed more inappropriate? The moment he tried to jump on the bed, Plauros stopped Andras and pointed to the sofa.

“Your spot is over there.”

“You should have said so earlier. So you just meant I shouldn’t lie on the bed.”

Having no choice, Andras slumped onto the sofa that was practically his designated seat and leaned back. I’m being nice by letting it slide. As if to cheer up Andras, Daisy brought sherbet just then. Taking a spoonful, it felt like all the world’s stress melted away.

“Where is Evangeline?”

“She left directly for the Imperial Palace.”

Plauros began sharing vision through the eyes he had placed around Evangeline.

“Ugh. Stalker bastard.”

Jelly clicked his tongue.

“Oh, speaking of stalkers, there were strangely many people lurking near the viscount’s mansion. But most of them were priests.”

“Priests?”

The scenery that had been rapidly changing from the carriage finally stopped after arriving at the Imperial Palace. Plauros felt a subtle displeasure from the Imperial Palace visible beyond his shared vision. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong, but it was a really subtle sense of foreignness.

“Andras. Why does it smell rotten?”

“From me?”

Andras lifted his arm to smell himself, but only caught the scent characteristic of a well-maintained upper-class indoor dog.

“From the Imperial Palace. Something feels uneasy… I should probably go directly to Evangeline.”

Plauros perfectly recreated the clothes worn by the Imperial Palace servants he saw through his shared vision. The outfit really didn’t suit his curly blonde hair and pale, slender fingers without a single callus, but he didn’t care.

“Master would prefer you in cat form. No wait. Won’t she not recognize you?”

Andras giggled and teased, then got hit one more time for no reason. Andras proudly protected his sherbet through it all.

***

“Where shall I take you?”

“To the Imperial Palace.”

I stated the destination and got into the carriage. No matter how skilled the coachman was, he couldn’t compare to Melek. The carriage began rolling along with rattling vibrations. I was getting motion sick, so I just stared out the window, and before I knew it, I could see the rain had stopped. The clouds cleared and the moon revealed its gentle radiance. Toten Madam stared blankly at the sky.

“The rain has stopped.”

The rainy season that had been pouring for days had finally passed. The moon was annoyingly beautiful.

“Toten Madam. Do you know today’s date?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Toten Madam looked puzzled as if I was bringing up something out of the blue. Actually, I had been debating whether to say this or not, but I decided to just go ahead.

“Please never forget today. We stole death from Rider, didn’t we? We robbed Rider of the chance to be mourned and stole his eternal rest too. So let’s at least remember his death anniversary.”

I took out a flower made of gemstones from my pocket and handed it to Toten Madam. This was a crystal flower that Misha had given me as a bonus, saying it was practice when she was crafting my ruby flower. It didn’t suit my debutante dress well, so I had brought it thinking I might give it to Gabriel.

I never thought it would be used for this purpose. This was my flower offering to Rider.

Toten Madam accepted the crystal flower. Then she clutched the gemstone as if it were precious and burst into tears. Toten Madam cried like a child.

She wept sorrowfully and poured out everything that had happened. How Rider had been very sick for five days, and how he finally departed for heaven today. Everything from the last words Rider left behind to how she came looking for me with the desperation of grasping at straws.

“I will never forget today. Since it’s the Crown Prince’s birthday, I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to.”

Toten Madam made a promise to me with her reddened eyes. By the time Toten Madam finished her story, we had almost reached the Imperial Palace.

“We’ve almost arrived.”

Toten Madam, having unburdened herself, looked much more at ease than before.

Since the rain had stopped, I opened the window and looked outside. Whoa, the Imperial Palace is across the river. After crossing a massive suspension bridge, I could see the main gate with tremendous grandeur. That’s supposed to be a gate? My mouth wouldn’t close from amazement.

Guards were stationed in front of the gate, and it seemed they were inspecting each carriage.

“They’re checking the entry list to see if you’re qualified to enter the Imperial Palace.”

Toten Madam, who had returned to being a perfect noblewoman except for her eyes that were red from crying, explained why the carriage had stopped in front of the castle gate. The inspection was incredibly strict even though we weren’t crossing a border. Well, since it’s the Imperial Palace, they have to be careful because assassins could sneak in. After going through the inspection team by team, it was finally our turn.

“Please show me your invitation… Hic! This person’s neck is twisted…!”

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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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