My Possession Became a Ghost Story - Chapter 91

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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 servants?”

“Yes. They were servants serving wine, and there was a maid wearing a scarf and a man who didn’t look like a servant with delicate hands. But the male servant seemed to know Evangeline Rohanson.”

Around the time dusk fell, they said a young girl’s voice was heard from the person who got blood on Evangeline’s body. So the male servant could be passed over since he was acquainted with Evangeline and was of a different gender.

And as for the maid wearing a scarf… Gabriel also remembered seeing her.

When he came out for treatment after getting injured on the head from taking the wine glass in Evangeline’s place, the maid who handed him clothes to change into and something to wipe with was also wearing a scarf. Since she couldn’t speak, he was thinking whether to exclude her from the list of suspects when Toten Madam suddenly brought up the wine as if she had just remembered something.

“The wine that maid gave me tasted subtly different.”

“The taste?”

“Yes. Since there’s nothing wrong with my health, it wasn’t poison or anything, but it was like… how should I put it, the taste was light as if water had been mixed in.”

Something colorless and odorless like diluted water but not poison… What Gabriel immediately thought of was holy water. Toten Madam seemed to have made a similar guess as she gave the same answer.

“I think it was… holy water.”

Toten Madam’s brow was deeply furrowed, perhaps showing traces of anguish.

“When Rider was sick, no matter how much holy water he drank, it had no effect, so he wouldn’t drink it at all. Still, I mixed holy water into Rider’s drinks with a desperate heart, grasping at straws. Now that I think about it, the wine I drank also had a clear taste… it seemed similar to drinks mixed with holy water.”

She made someone drink wine mixed with holy water? If so, it was clear who the target was. They suspected Evangeline and fed her holy water.

“Didn’t that maid not speak?”

“How does Count Gabriel know that?”

Toten Madam was surprised and asked back when Gabriel knew something she hadn’t mentioned.

“Don’t tell me… that maid is the culprit?”

“She’s probably not the culprit, but she’s definitely someone involved.”

Since that maid was outside with him when Gabriel was changing clothes, she wouldn’t have directly murdered the Crown Prince.

“Then she must be Bishop Marik’s person.”

Gabriel remained silent at Toten Madam’s confident words.

“Count Gabriel is also close to Evangeline, so you naturally know… Evangeline is special, isn’t she? It was strange from the moment Bishop Marik, who hadn’t appeared publicly for over 10 years, suddenly came forward to be the young lady’s chaperone. Moreover, if there’s someone with the power to use holy water privately like this… it’s only Bishop Marik. Am I right in my guess?”

“There are probably… more reasons.”

“More reasons?”

Gabriel spoke aloud for the first time what he had been suspecting since the moment he encountered Bishop Marik in the basement. It was a thought he hadn’t shared even with his subordinates, knowing what kind of huge impact it would cause once spoken.

“Bishop Marik seemed to want to recreate the past.”

“The past? Don’t tell me the heretics… you mean recreating the heretic massacre?”

Toten Madam gasped and covered her mouth in shock. The memories of that time were vivid for Toten Madam as well. While there were several people who reminisced about that time, having established their power base through the heretic massacre, Kinder Toten was not one of them. Of course, the one who received the greatest benefit was Emperor Mater.

“Bishop Marik is gathering holy knights. There are even those who have left my knight order to follow Bishop Marik.”

“Don’t tell me, will another heretic massacre happen? Considering how many died back then, to do that again… His Majesty would never allow it.”

Only now were the memories of the heretic massacre slowly beginning to fade. Though not as much as back then, the Emperor and Temple’s prestige were still strong, so there was no reason to deliberately stir up trouble.

“If that’s correct, it would be Bishop Marik’s independent action.”

“Could that be why His Highness the Crown Prince was murdered? Since he was the most vocal in rejecting the Temple. Then we must quickly inform His Majesty…!”

Gabriel stopped the highly agitated Toten Madam.

“As Toten Madam knows better, Bishop Marik appeared at the scene belatedly. Even if Bishop Marik is the culprit, since he didn’t act directly, he would have prepared a way to escape. Moreover, right now we only have circumstantial evidence.”

“That’s true… But still, a heretic massacre…”

Viscountess Toten looked toward the curtained window, thinking about something. Gabriel realized that Toten Madam was thinking about Rider who would be beyond that window.

***

After his conversation with Toten Madam, Gabriel returned not to the Temple but to the Imperial Palace. He had gone to visit Evangeline, but after the first meeting, he was repeatedly refused.

While searching for the whereabouts of the maid wearing a scarf, he received a report that the maid was by Tenebray’s side.

Though he watched near Tenebray, conversely, rumors spread that Gabriel was viewing Jeremiah with suspicion. For a rumor that appeared suddenly, it spread at an unusually fast pace, so someone had definitely deliberately started it. The rumor reached the person involved, and Jeremiah, greatly shocked, fell ill.

Some believed the rumor and cursed Jeremiah, while others said that Gabriel was bewitched by Evangeline and couldn’t think straight.

Regardless of which direction it took, the fact that the rumor had great impact couldn’t be ignored.

And the Emperor broke his silence and stepped forward. The Emperor gathered his loyal retainers and entered a meeting.

“Lately, vicious rumors have been circulating within the castle.”

“Isn’t it because of Count Gabriel?”

Since Bishop Marik was present at the meeting, no one was bold enough to curse the Temple along with Gabriel. The Emperor got a headache just hearing Gabriel’s name and continued while pressing his brow.

“This is not a matter to blame Count Gabriel for.”

“How can we not punish him when he dares to suspect the imperial grandchild?”

“A witness has come forward.”

“A witness?”

“An attendant saw Jeremiah taking the sword that Evangeline Rohanson had presented.”

“Your Majesty! Is that testimony credible? It’s just an attendant’s testimony.”

“Quiet.”

Though the opposition was strong, when the Emperor waved his hand saying it was noisy, everyone shut their mouths. The Emperor seemed to truly believe that testimony, and even if he didn’t, if the Emperor said so, they had no choice but to accept it and move on.

Those attending the meeting exchanged glances. So Jeremiah really becomes the culprit? That gentle Princess seemed like she couldn’t even step on and kill a single insect… Above all, Jeremiah was the Princess who had monopolized the deceased Crown Prince’s favor.

“And another testimony has emerged.”

Someone whispered “I thought so” at the Emperor’s words.

“There’s testimony that Jeremiah and Tenebray switched necklaces and attended the banquet. Since this is testimony from both their nannies, there’s no reason not to believe it.”

“They switched necklaces?”

“Yes.”

The Emperor seemed extremely tired and kept pressing his brow. Instead of the Emperor who had no more energy to speak, Bishop Marik continued the explanation.

“Princess Tenebray disguised herself as Jeremiah and devised a scheme. Even if the crime was discovered, innocent Jeremiah would take the blame instead.”

“What kind of…”

“Those seated here will know that I returned to the banquet hall belatedly. I felt a very ominous energy, so I returned to the banquet hall as Rahel led me. And I felt similarly sinister energy from Princess Tenebray.”

No one asked why he didn’t mention this at the time but was only revealing it now. Since the Emperor had stepped forward and the Temple supported it, there was no room to object.

“All citizens of the Empire must have heard of the ominous twins. I foolishly failed to trust the legend and kept the two pitiful children alive, but the price came back as my son’s death.”

Thus the Emperor proclaimed.

“Since Tenebray used sorcery to murder her father, even death would not be sufficient to pay for that sin. Since I spared her life, the right to kill also belongs to me. From this moment, Tenebray is not an imperial grandchild but a criminal who murdered the Crown Prince. Bring the criminal before me.”

***

“Tenebray. Look outside.”

At Azazel’s call, Tenebray looked down out the window. Countless knights were lined up on the ground, marching toward the castle where the twins stayed.

“The Emperor seems to have made up his mind faster than expected.”

Tenebray jumped up from her seat in ecstasy. She had pictured this moment dozens, hundreds of times.

And before the knights arrived, Tenebray hurriedly ran to Jeremiah’s room. Unlike usual, there were no knights guarding in front of Jeremiah’s door, making it very easy to enter the room.

“Jeremiah! Wake up! Something terrible has happened!”

Tenebray made a fuss while waking Jeremiah. Jeremiah, who had become noticeably gaunt, couldn’t resist her sister’s urging and rubbed her eyes while sitting up.

Tenebray pulled the still dazed Jeremiah’s body and forced her to look outside. When Jeremiah looked down, she saw countless knights.

“They’re coming to catch you.”

“Te, Tenebray, what, what are you talking about?”

Still half-asleep, Jeremiah didn’t notice the hint of laughter in Tenebray’s words and looked at her sister in horror. Tenebray erased the laughter as if it had never been there and continued speaking in an agitated manner.

“Evangeline and Count Gabriel conspired to trap you.”

“Count Gabriel?”

At that moment, what flashed through Jeremiah’s mind was the rumor that had plagued her heart until she fell asleep. Count Gabriel had framed Jeremiah as the culprit to save Evangeline Rohanson. How, how could a holy knight fall for a debauched witch and give false testimony?

“Even so, Grandmother wouldn’t suspect me.”

Jeremiah tried to deny it. The Emperor, though not as much as Oratorio, was quite fond of his affectionate granddaughter. He would surely take Jeremiah’s side instead of believing what the wicked Evangeline and Count Gabriel said. However, Tenebray immediately refuted.

“You fool! Then who do you think sent those knights outside?”

Jeremiah was so shocked that Tenebray, who had never said a harsh word to her, used crude language that she gaped. Thanks to that, Tenebray’s urgent feelings came across even more. As Tenebray said, only the Emperor and Crown Prince had military authority in the Imperial Palace. Since Father had passed away… Then Grandmother really sent knights to catch Jeremiah?

At that moment, one knight broke from formation and cut down a maid who was blocking the castle gate. Jeremiah was greatly shocked seeing how easily a person died. Tenebray drove the final nail toward such Jeremiah.

“They’re saying you murdered Father with sorcery, Jeremiah, so you must be executed.”

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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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