My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 89

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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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Antenor came out of the underground prison listening to the kind farewell promising to meet again. When he came outside, Polus, whose neck had been twisted, was acting as usual as if nothing had happened. What had just occurred in the underground prison felt like a dream.

Had it really been a dream? When Polus approached, he cowered in fear. Polus put his arm around Antenor’s shoulders and pressed down on him as he usually did. However, unlike his usual tight grip that left bruises, today his grasp was remarkably light.

“Hey. Ante, you’re late.”

Hearing the words that followed, Antenor relaxed his body and felt relieved. It hadn’t been a dream. The usual Polus never called Antenor by such an affectionate nickname. ‘Sir Ante.’ ‘Ante.’ That was how Evangeline Rohanson addressed Antenor.

Just as the other knights had cursed Antenor, he had truly become someone in league with Evangeline.

Then a servant came running, drenched in sweat and carrying a message. The superior’s face grew gravely serious as he read it.

“Knight Order, fall in!”

At the superior’s shout, the other knights who had been snickering, and Polus too, straightened their postures.

“His Majesty has commanded us to capture the criminal who assassinated His Highness the Crown Prince.”

At those words, several knights looked down toward the underground prison. However, the person mentioned in the following words was an entirely different individual.

“Tenebray Leveardi, the assassin of His Highness the Crown Prince, is on the run. Prepare yourselves, as all but the minimum personnel needed to guard the prison will be deployed to search for Princess Tenebray.”

Antenor straightened his sword with his limping leg. A fellow knight who looked disapprovingly at this sight raised an objection.

“Captain. That Antenor fellow’s leg is injured, so he’ll only hinder the pursuit.”

“Right. Antenor, you’d better stay and guard the prison.”

In fact, this was tantamount to depriving Antenor of a chance to distinguish himself, but instead of following the chain of command, Antenor quietly accepted the order.

Antenor also preferred to remain at the prison as it would be easier to relay messages to Lady Rohanson. As soon as his colleagues disappeared, he would need to go down to the basement immediately to deliver the message.

***

Going back in time, around when the Emperor decided to frame Tenebray as the culprit based on Bishop Marik’s options. Conversely, rumors spread among the people that Jeremiah had killed his father. The source of the rumors was unknown, but there was only speculation that it began with Gabriel’s suspicion of Jeremiah.

The story that began spreading through word of mouth eventually reached the ears of the person involved. Jeremiah was so shocked by the strange rumor that he had murdered his own father that he fell ill and took to his bed. His twin sister Tenebray nursed him.

“Tenebray. Have you heard the rumors? That I killed Father… How, how could they say such cruel things?”

Jeremiah gripped his twin sister’s hand tightly, his face crumpled with grief and covered in tears. Then he turned his eyes toward Tenebray. His vision was blurred by tears, making it difficult to see Tenebray’s face clearly.

“It’s because Count Gabriel finds you suspicious.”

She said the rumors that Jeremiah had killed the Crown Prince began because of Gabriel. Jeremiah felt intense hatred for the knight he had once admired.

“That knight just wants Lady Rohanson to be innocent, so he’s trying to pin the crime on you. No one else believes it, so don’t worry too much, Jeremiah.”

“Really? But the rumors have grown so big.”

Tenebray looked with disgust at the innocent Jeremiah, who usually told her not to worry about rumors, yet was being excessively swayed by rumors about herself. Jeremiah, unable to see Tenebray’s sinister expression through her tears, continued talking.

“Tenebray, you were right next to Father. Didn’t you notice Lady Rohanson doing something suspicious? If you testified, everyone would know that Lady Rohanson is the culprit.”

“But the fact that we switched necklaces that day is a secret. Jeremiah.”

“That’s right…”

Jeremiah nodded in agreement.

Just before the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet, Tenebray had come to Jeremiah asking to switch necklaces for a while.

That day, Tenebray pleaded with Jeremiah with a face much more lively and sparkling than usual. She said she wanted to dance the first dance with Father too, but since the Crown Prince only asked Jeremiah to dance, she wanted to dance even if it meant pretending to be Jeremiah.

The Crown Prince’s discrimination between his two daughters was an open fact that could hardly be called a secret. Only the oblivious Jeremiah was unaware of this fact. Jeremiah naively trusted the Crown Prince’s excuse that Tenebray’s dancing skills were poor, so they couldn’t dance together.

“He probably thinks your dancing skills are still lacking. Let’s have you pretend to be me and dance first, then secretly tell Father afterward that it was you. Then he’ll know your skills have improved and will invite you to dance next time.”

Ignoring the Emperor’s words that they must never remove their necklaces, Jeremiah readily switched necklaces, saying it would be fine if they kept it secret.

“My beloved daughter, may I request a song to commemorate your father’s birthday?”

Just by switching necklaces, how terribly different the treatment became. Love? When he couldn’t even distinguish between Jeremiah and Tenebray without the necklaces, what love!

Tenebray patiently endured her desire to strangle the innocent Jeremiah right then and there. There was no need to be jealous. Those golden moments she had briefly experienced would belong solely to Tenebray from now on.

“After a good night’s sleep, everyone will realize it’s just a false rumor and things will quiet down. Jeremiah, you’re the princess everyone loves, aren’t you?”

Jeremiah nodded and closed her eyes while listening to Tenebray’s comfort. Exhausted from crying, Jeremiah quickly fell asleep. Tenebray confirmed that Jeremiah was deeply asleep and secretly removed the necklace. Then she put the black necklace that Tenebray always wore around Jeremiah’s neck.

Was being foolish and naive, unable to suspect others, her nature? Or was it just arrogance from being loved and raised to believe that no one would harm her?

Tenebray left the room, leaving the sleeping Jeremiah behind. A maid with her face covered followed Tenebray. After walking toward increasingly secluded areas, Tenebray arrived at a room that was shabby beyond belief for a place used by imperial grandchildren. Having just come from Jeremiah’s room surrounded by all manner of luxuries, the contrast felt even greater.

Jeremiah had looked at Tenebray’s room and dismissed it with, ‘You really like simple things.’ Simple? This room was what the Crown Prince had provided. The furniture couldn’t be properly furnished because sufficient funds weren’t given.

Tenebray recalled that innocent voice and, unable to contain her anger, began throwing and breaking the furniture in the room. The maid with the covered face watched without trying to stop her.

Only after the room became a complete mess and she was exhausted did Tenebray stop her rampage and receive help with her clothes. While the maid was undressing Tenebray, she noticed the green necklace that had changed owners and asked.

“Lady Tenebray. Your necklace has changed?”

Instead of scolding the maid and silencing her, Tenebray gently nodded.

“Yes. Saraka said you could heal all the remaining wounds today.”

“How admirable. You did well.”

Saraka examined Tenebray’s remaining wounds. The only wounds left on Tenebray’s body were whip marks on her back. They had been postponed until last because the area was large.

Saraka picked up the holy water and knife she had prepared in Tenebray’s room beforehand. Then she carved into the scars on Tenebray’s back with the knife.

“Ugh…!”

Holy water was immediately poured on the carved marks. Many members of the imperial family, being blessed ones, had constitutions that responded particularly well to holy water, and Tenebray was no exception. As soon as the holy water touched her, new flesh began to grow.

While Tenebray didn’t look much different from Jeremiah on the surface, the parts covered by clothes had been full of wounds accumulated over years. Knife cuts, scrapes from falls, bones that had been broken and healed incorrectly, as well as whip marks and bruises filled her body. She had received such harsh treatment from the Crown Prince, and the timing for proper treatment had been missed, leaving scars.

However, the scars didn’t disappear with holy water alone. The only option was to make the wounds larger and newer, then pour holy water to heal them. Each time they probed and carved through the wounds, Tenebray was filled with murderous intent. Even though she had killed her father, she wanted to kill him again. Perhaps stabbing just one knife into his heart had been too merciful?

Saraka seemed to notice Tenebray’s anger and soothed her by stroking her back.

“Don’t suffer through the pain, please enjoy it. Isn’t becoming like someone else a truly enjoyable preparation process?”

Just as Saraka had created burn marks on her face and hands to stand in for Bishop Marik, Tenebray had to heal all her old wounds to create a clean body in order to live as Jeremiah from now on. Only then could she replace the twin sister who had grown up receiving only love.

“I think I can understand.”

Saraka’s words were truly comforting. Thanks to Saraka, she had been able to take complete revenge on the father who had abused her for so long. Tomorrow, Jeremiah would die as Tenebray, and she would take that place.

Thinking this way, even the pain of having her back carved with a knife felt sweet. Since she had confirmed at the banquet hall that no one could distinguish between them if they just switched necklaces, there would be no problem.

“Meeting Bishop Marik was truly a once-in-a-lifetime blessing.”

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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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