I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 165

* * *

Whoosh! As Dana threw the documents, the flames in the fireplace flared up even more fiercely. Finally, the day of departure had arrived. She was disposing of her personal documents and materials.

 

“And?”

 

Dana was receiving a final report from Lethe. It was because she had intercepted it the previous night.

 

“And, I deciphered some of the sentences from the water-damaged letter from last time.”

 

“You mean the one the eagle brought?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Dana took the single sheet of paper that Lethe handed her.

 

[Raios’s mother]

 

Dana furrowed her brow. What’s this? “Is this all?”

 

“Yes. I’m sorry. I couldn’t make the rest at all.”

 

“It’s fine, I’m not blaming you.”

 

Honestly, it was impressive that Lethe even managed to get this much. The letter had been so water-damaged that it was almost impossible to read…

 

But Raios’s mother? What could that mean?

 

Raios’s birth mother had lived her whole life in a sanctuary and died there. She had heard that her mother was a foreign noblewoman whom the late Emperor Wilhelm had met while traveling abroad. It was said he had a secret wedding without permission.

 

Despite being shrouded in mystery, she had managed to marry without scandal, supposedly thanks to the enormous dowry she brought. The amount was said to be so great that even the nobles kept silent. That was all Dana knew about Raios’s mother.

 

She’s similar to Duchess Windsor… With that thought, a strange chill crept over her.

 

Yes, they were similar. No one had ever seen either of them. Both died while recuperating in the sanctuary. But such cases weren’t uncommon. There were plenty of nobles who recuperated at the sanctuary. Since it was a land full of mystical energy, there were many who would pay astronomical sums to be admitted. Still, only a few were actually granted entry.

 

The sanctuary belonged to the head of the Church of Daiana, and Duke Windsor, the leader of the Protestant —namely Viego—acted as the proxy. In other words, one could only enter with the permission of the church leader’s, obtained through Viego Windsor.

 

So, what was this letter trying to say? With a sigh, Dana tossed that document into the flames as well.

 

“Milady.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Shall I look into it further?”

 

Dana looked up at Lethe. If it were Lethe, he could definitely find out more. But it would take time.

 

“No.” Dana shook her head.

 

It would be a waste of time. Lethe’s time, specifically. By the time he found out, she’d already be gone.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

Lethe didn’t reply. But he didn’t ask for her reason either.

 

Dana opened a drawer and handed him some documents. “Take this.”

 

“…” Lethe didn’t take it. Instead, his dark eyes glanced down at the papers. Then he asked, “What is this?” The tone of his voice was low, very low.

 

“You’ve done such good work. Think of it as a bonus.” Dana had deposited a large sum of gold into Lethe’s account. Enough to live in wealth for the rest of his life.

 

“It’s all right.” But Lethe refused. I don’t need money, Milady.”

 

“Lethe.”

 

“I’m satisfied working by your side.”

 

“Lethe.” When she called him firmly again, Lethe fell silent. Dana extended the documents to him. “Take it.”

 

From a young age, Lethe had always been obedient. Now, as a young man, he was a loyal secretary. He had never once disobeyed her wishes. Ever since she had taken him, half-dead and collapsed on the street during a cold winter. Therefore—

 

“Yes.”

 

Of course, in the end, he had no choice but to accept it. Lethe checked the documents. Behind his silver-rimmed glasses, his deep eyes were calm and still.

 

Lethe was wise. So he must have realized that this was a farewell.

 

“Come here.”

 

Dana got up. And for the first time in ages, she pulled him into an embrace. Thinking back, she used to hug him often when he was younger and smaller than her… Should she wish him well? Tell him to stay healthy? Tell him to be happy?

 

In the end, Dana couldn’t say any of those things. She simply kissed Lethe’s forehead, as if leaving all her luck behind. And Lethe didn’t say anything.

 

* * *

Carl woke up early that morning and went into town. First, he bought a bouquet of pure white roses, which Dana liked. Then, just in case, he purchased emergency medicine, handcuffs, chains, and so on. He then stopped abruptly in front of a bookstore.

 

<50 Dessert Recipes to Make Women Happy>

 

Carl bought that too. He wanted to make desserts for Dana.

 

<50 Cooking Recipes to Make Women Happy>

 

He bought that as well.

 

We can’t eat out every time, after all.

 

The trip was expected to be quite long, probably more than a month. They might even end up somewhere remote with no one else around. Of course, Dana had no idea the journey would be this long. But that is something Carl can explain gradually.

 

Carl should have finished preparing sooner, but he’d been so focused on his divorce that he neglected to get ready for the trip. Tracking down Sandra’s forty-seven lovers, who had now vanished without a trace, had been exhausting.

 

I’ll have to make her lots of delicious things. He started humming. Cooking was one of Carl’s hobbies and talents.

 

“Planning to cook for your wife, are you?” Just then, the owner approached. “Those books are usually popular with devoted husbands. The author has other books too—would you like to see them?”

 

“Sure. But she’s not my wife.” Carl obediently followed the owner to a section full of the ‘To Make Women Happy’ series.

 

“How about this one?”

 

<50 Sex Positions to Make Women Happy>

 

Carl tilted his head and flipped through it. After a few pages, he closed the book and gently declined. “I don’t need it.”

 

“Ah, so you don’t need that.” The owner gave him a pleased smile, as if understanding something. “I also run the general store next door. We just got something good in. Want to have a look?”

 

“Something good?”

 

“Women love it. My wife just went wild for it, she was absolutely delighted.”

 

Wild with delight? What on earth could it be? Carl obediently followed the owner to the general store next door.

 

The owner took out a small golden box and opened it. “It’s the latest contraceptive device.”

 

“…”

 

“It’s very rare. As you can see, it’s very clean and made of an extremely thin material, so you can feel each other’s completely…”

 

“No, I don’t need anything like that.” Carl firmly declined and purchased only the two books about desserts and meals.

 

On the way back to the mansion, Carl pondered what dishes to make for Dana. Dana never liked things that were too sweet. How cute. Not liking sweets. She looked so sweet, yet didn’t like sweet things—he found that contrast absolutely adorable.

 

Grinning to himself, Carl suddenly frowned, remembering the book the owner had shown him and the so-called latest device. A sense of disgust washed over him. It reminded him of that night.

 

Ignis, that b*stard. Why on earth did Dana… No, no. Dana did nothing wrong. It was all Ignis’s fault. What did he know anyway? The man should’ve known better. Why did Dana choose someone like that?

 

Carl used to pity Ignis, Windsor’s test subject. But after that day, his sympathy toward Ignis disappeared completely. How could anyone defile such a girl as an outlet for sexual desire?

 

Getting out of the carriage, Carl walked down the mansion’s hallway. Just then, he ran into the man he’d been thinking about. Ignis. It had been a while. He hadn’t been seen lately, so Carl thought he’d finally left the mansion.

 

As Carl was about to walk past in silence—

 

“Older Brother,” Ignis called out in a low voice.

 

Carl turned around. What he saw was Ignis staring at him intently.

 

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Ignis asked with just a slight movement of his lips. “The one who told me to call you older brother. That was you.”

 

Did he remember something from childhood? Carl nodded. “That’s right.”

 

“And you stabbed me in the stomach not long ago.”

 

“I did.” Carl didn’t deny it.

 

At that, flames burned in Ignis’s red eyes. “Why did you do it?”

 

“Why else?” Carl sighed and patted Ignis on the shoulder. “Think hard about what you did wrong.”

 

Carl was about to walk away when Ignis suddenly grabbed his forearm with an iron grip, like a crocodile biting down.

 

“You.” Ignis’s eyes boiled like red-hot lava. “I’ll kill you.”

 

“Yeah. Give it your best shot.”

 

Annoying. He needed to finish packing and get on with the trip, but this was such a nuisance. Carl shrugged Ignis off.

 

“Uncle!”

 

A little later, as he went out with his travel bag, Carl spotted Dana loading her bag onto the carriage.

 

“You’re here.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Carl handed her the bouquet of white roses.

 

“Oh my, when did you get these?”

 

“I went out for a bit this morning.”

 

“Thank you. They’re beautiful.”

 

Dana liked them. She smiled brightly. She was so lovely that it almost hurt his heart sometimes. But Carl savored this sweet feeling.

 

“Shall we go now?”

 

“Yes.”

 

But just as you wouldn’t stuff yourself with food no matter how hungry you were, no matter how much Carl adored her, he didn’t forget his goal. He needed that treasure map.