The Obsessive Maniac Is Trying To Confine Me - Chapter 143
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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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Episode 143
As the evening glow faded and pitch-black darkness gradually claimed the sky, a secret club quietly opened in the capital.
The club was operated by only a small number of members.
Those who had hidden their faces with masks sat around a circular table, exchanging words with serious expressions.
“Countess Millard has gone missing. Could this really be a coincidence?”
Today, the subject of their discussion was none other than Countess Millard, who had been a member of this place.
“It’s strange that a woman who was more passionate than anyone else would suddenly disappear.”
“That’s right. Was she the type of person to do such a thing?”
A woman who had gone mad after her son’s death.
She had been more passionate than anyone else because of that.
All the club members naturally harbored doubts about her disappearance.
“The last person to meet Countess Millard was the Head of the Holy Knights.”
The club members all agreed to keep watch on that man.
“But there’s a woman who met the Countess before he gave his testimony.”
“Ah, Count Evantes’ mistress?”
“Should we keep watch on her side too?”
“Hmm. That woman met her, and then the Head of the Holy Knights met Countess Millard—would there really be a need for that?”
“But isn’t something strange? Several people saw that woman meet the Countess, but no one saw the Head of the Holy Knights meet Countess Millard. Is what the Head of the Holy Knights said really true?”
“That part is suspicious, but there’s no particular need for the Head of the Holy Knights to lie. Rather, by saying that, he only drew suspicion from the public.”
The more they exchanged words, the deeper into a maze they fell.
Far from unraveling clues, things only became more tangled.
“What do you think, Chairwoman?”
At that moment, a man stared at the half-masked woman sitting at the head seat.
The woman with golden hair hanging down, who had been quietly watching them chatter—Emily smiled.
“Let’s just watch for now.”
The trap has been set, after all.
“Rather, let’s think about something more important. Preparing to welcome the Savior.”
* * *
“Please call the Grand Master.”
As soon as I received the letter from Michelle, I headed straight to the temple.
My fever hadn’t completely subsided, but there were many problems that needed to be resolved.
“The Grand Master?”
At my sudden request, the priest gave me a disapproving look, as if telling me to know my place.
“Please tell the Head of the Holy Knights that ‘Camilla’ has come. He said he had business with me, so he should know.”
“…The Grand Master doesn’t meet with just anyone.”
The priest examined me as if gauging the truth, but I maintained a shameless expression.
In fact, there was no such appointment.
However, I knew that Rihardt would pop out at any time.
“You’ll have to wait for a moment.”
“Then I’ll offer a prayer to God in the meantime. Where is the quietest prayer room?”
I asked the priest while slipping him some money. Only then did a smile bloom on the priest’s face.
How simple. Clicking my tongue at the priest’s transparent behavior, I entered the prayer room he guided me to.
Throughout my walk in the temple, I furrowed my brow.
Something seemed about to surface but didn’t quite.
Could there be memories connected to the temple?
Some memory seemed about to emerge faintly, but I couldn’t quite recall it.
I quietly observed the temple before kneeling in one corner of the prayer room.
Even though it was my first time doing this, I felt a sense of déjà vu as if I had done it many times before.
【Please, if there is a God, hear my prayer.】
A faint fragment of memory.
The figure of a girl with pink hair kneeling and praying desperately appeared dimly.
【If you pity me even a little, please hear my prayer just once.】
【Please… let me return home.】
The girl prayed desperately.
The figure of the praying girl gradually matured. Time had passed.
Even after many years had flowed by, the girl still sat and prayed.
Very desperately.
【If you’re not going to let me return anyway…】
【If you’re going to keep me trapped in this living hell…!】
【Then please make me forget everything instead. Make me like a blank sheet of paper!】
【Erase even the emotion of wanting to return, even the memories of my hometown. If you won’t grant my wish, please show at least that mercy!】
The girl, now grown into an adult, pulled her clasped hands tightly to her chest and wailed.
Rose had always wished for a miracle.
Just like how she had come to this other world.
This wasn’t a miracle but despair, yet it was a miracle in the sense that something impossible had happened.
So please.
Please, just once more.
I’m begging you, grant me a miracle.
The girl, the girl who had become an adult, was slowly dying while praying to a God who had closed His ears.
In a terribly barren desert.
“Roji?”
When the passing memory reached its end, a long shadow fell in front of the prayer room.
I dusted off my knees and stood up from my spot.
“Were you offering a prayer?”
“Rihardt.”
“I’m curious what prayer you might have offered.”
“I was just pretending. More importantly, I came because I have something to say.”
Rihardt smiled with his eyes curved. As if telling me to speak.
This was the main purpose of coming here.
“What exactly is the reason the temple cut off dealings with the Sablewin Trading Company?”
The places where the Sablewin Trading Company mainly conducted business were the Royal Court and the temple.
For them to suddenly cut off dealings with Seiblinn—something was moving.
“You know, don’t you?”
“Well, I don’t really know either. Hmm. If you want, I could arrange for the dealings to resume.”
At that moment, I barely suppressed the urge to grab Rihardt by the collar and shake him.
“Do I look like I came here to beg you? I want to know the reason.”
That expression showing he had no particular ill intent was infuriating.
“It was ordered by the Pope.”
“…The Pope? Why?”
“Well, I don’t really understand His intentions either, but if you want, I’ll look into it.”
“…I would appreciate that.”
I clutched my throbbing head. Why was the situation getting more and more tangled?
“Roji.”
At that moment, Rihardt smiled and wrapped his thick arms around my waist.
“I do everything you ask me to like this. But when are you actually going to come to my side?”
His tone became impatient, revealing his irritable temperament.
“…Going to you right now is impossible for the time being.”
Probably impossible for a lifetime.
Rihardt linked arms with me and tilted his head sideways.
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“You weren’t planning to give me time to sort things out?”
“If it’s about meeting the Benefactor….”
“Can you let me meet them right now?”
There was no answer from Rihardt.
“How long will it take?”
“If you just wait a little….”
“I don’t want to hear such incompetent words.”
When I thought about it calmly, Arzen seemed like the one who could help me meet the Benefactor quickly.
So let’s just buy time appropriately in my relationship with Rihardt.
Once I meet the Benefactor, ‘Camilla’ will disappear.
Because I’ll return to being Rose Herthas.
Even if ‘Camilla’ is falsely accused of killing someone, it has nothing to do with ‘Rose’.
“Rihardt.”
I looked at him with a faint smile. Rihardt stiffened with a start.
“Just wait a very little bit. Just a little.”
When I whispered to him soothingly, Rihardt’s expression softened.
However, he still seemed displeased somewhere in his heart as he kept his mouth shut.
Still, there seemed to be room for persuasion. If I coaxed him just a little more….
“What on earth is this behavior!”
At that moment, a voice filled with shock came from outside.
“Herthas Prince! Stop it! I cannot tolerate such rudeness any longer!”
Herthas Prince?
Surprised by the unexpected words, I closed my mouth, and Rihardt’s expression also hardened coldly.
Rihardt instinctively hid me behind him.
Was it Dillen or Yurta?
Why would one of them suddenly come here….
And at that moment.
“Herthas Prince! Stop! Stop…!”
Bang!
The prayer room door opened roughly.
Blazing red eyes turned directly toward me.
* * *
【You want to meet the Benefactor? How curious that a Count would make such a request of me.】
【It won’t be difficult. If you participate in the commemorative event held during the festival, I’ll consider it.】
Knowing Princess Evangeline’s nature, I had expected she would make an unreasonable demand.
However, the Princess mentioned a very simple condition.
That meant there was definitely something at the festival event.
‘It would be better if Roji doesn’t come if possible.’
Thinking he should persuade her well, Arzen headed toward Roji’s room.
Just then, Roji’s maid was passing by Arzen carrying a crumpled letter.
“How is Camilla?”
“Yes, yes?”
“I asked how Camilla’s condition is. But what are you holding in your hand right now?”
At Arzen’s question, the maid hurriedly tried to hide the letter by putting it in her pocket.
It was natural that Arzen’s eyebrows rose upon seeing that behavior.
“Give it here.”
“Yes?”
“Whatever you’re hiding, give it here.”
Why would a mere maid be carrying someone else’s letter?
The high-quality letter paper was the kind used by nobles.
The maid carefully handed over the letter while watching Arzen’s expression.
[Hello, Roji.
I heard you’re sick.
I’m worried that you’re ill. If it were up to my heart, I’d want to visit you right away, but I’m restraining myself since you would dislike it.
Instead, I’m sending flowers and a gift.
I chose them while thinking of you, and they’re quite fragrant.
I sincerely hope you recover quickly.
P.S. I want to be with you soon. I’m only looking forward to your promise to abandon the Count and come to me.
If you had come to me earlier, I would have nursed you.]
Roji promised to abandon me and go to that monster?
Arzen felt an ominous premonition and hurried toward her room.
Soon facing the empty room, the man let out a hollow laugh.
“Where is Camilla right now?”
“…She, she went to the temple.”
Ah, I see.
You were planning to run away from me from the beginning.
The eyes of one who had gained realization gleamed eerily.
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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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