I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 212

* * *

Danaena Rolland had been kidnapped.

 

“Sandra Rolland! Have you completely lost your mind?!”

 

“I have no excuse, Father. At the time, I had too much to drink and can barely remember—”

 

“How many times have I told you to stop going to that damned temple? And yet you still went and caused a disaster like this?!”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“That’s enough! Go back to your room and don’t take a single step outside it!”

 

Duke Anton Rolland was furious. After placing Sandra under house arrest, he immediately obtained the emperor’s approval and led troops out to search.

 

Meanwhile, Rumie…

 

“While I’m gone, take care of the family, Rumie.”

 

He was fulfilling his duty, not as a soldier, but as the heir of the duke. Right, I’m no longer a soldier. Because he had been dishonorably discharged for violating military law. Dishonorable discharge. The thought made him let out a hollow laugh. Just what had he done, the version of himself whose memories he had lost?

 

Rumie knew the value of honor because there had been a time when he had none. Rumie the b*stard. Rumie the illegitimate child. Rumie, the seed of unknown origin, who didn’t even know who his father was.

 

“Honestly, who knows? Maybe Rumie’s real father was some street commoner. Sandra doesn’t care about a man’s status. She only looks at the face and what’s below the waist.”

 

“Exactly. Just look at Rumie’s face. Isn’t it striking? Maybe he’s the son of some gigolo who lives off his looks.”

 

There had been a time when such gazes followed him everywhere. They all disappeared after he made a name for himself as a soldier. In other words, honor had been both his weapon and his armor. And yet he had thrown it away with his own hands. Even now, Rumie couldn’t believe it.

 

“Lord Rolland, an anonymous letter has arrived.” A servant handed him a letter.

 

As Rumie casually checked it, his brow sharply furrowed. This is… It was written in military cipher, one known only to a handful of high-ranking officers. There were very few people in the empire capable of using this code fluently.

 

Danaena was sold to the Red Ship? Rumie immediately rushed to the imperial palace and informed the emperor. However,

 

“Well now. How can we trust a letter with an unknown sender? It could be a trap set by barbarians.”

 

Raios Geranze was uncooperative.

 

“Still, we can’t ignore the report entirely, so I’ll personally send some subordinates to look into it. For now, Rumie, return home and wait.”

 

Rumie did not try to persuade him further. He realized it would be a waste of time. So he returned to the mansion at once. Just as he gathered the necessary weapons and was about to leave—

 

“Rumie?” His wife entered the room. She looked flustered. “Rumie? Where are you going, armed like that?”

 

“I’ll be back shortly.”

 

Perhaps sensing something ominous, Ingria blocked the doorway. “Don’t go!”

 

“Ingria.”

 

“I want to have a child!”

 

What?

 

Clinging to his arm, Ingria looked up at him desperately. “I-I was just on my way back from seeing the doctor.”

 

“…”

 

“The doctor said that if we lie together today, the chances of conceiving are very high. So, Rumie—”

 

Rumie was startled. His wife suddenly began to undress. In an instant, her slender shoulders and fair chest were revealed, swaying slightly, and Rumie froze completely. It was the first time his always-modest wife had acted so boldly.

 

“So don’t go. Please.” She even took his hand and pressed it against her chest. “I really like your hands. They’re big, firm from calluses… it feels nice. I want to make you feel good too.”

 

Good heavens. She was even using such vulgar words to seduce him.

 

Rumie clicked his tongue. To make such demands at a time like this. He had thought his wife was wise, but apparently not.

 

“I’m sorry. Let’s talk after I return.” Politely pulling his hand free, Rumie passed by Ingria. There was no time for that.

 

* * *

Dana was seized by a deep sense of doubt.

 

“Get ready. The auction will begin soon. You’ll go up on stage and act as merchandise. Understood?”

 

It wasn’t because barbarian women were dressing her up, nor because she was being treated as an object. This much, she could endure for the sake of her goal. Yes. This is within what I’d already prepared myself for.

 

Dana had woken up long ago while being dragged here, but pretended to be unconscious and listened in on the kidnappers’ conversation.

 

“They say that person will board the ship disguised as a barbarian, carrying the mirror. Since there’s no time, he’s planning to head straight there.”

 

That person. Allice’s biological father, most likely. And the mirror was the gate to Ice Lake. There had to mean the Ice Lake itself. In other words, everything was proceeding smoothly according to plan. She would finally be able to obtain the relic that led to the Ice Lake. But this—

 

“Sniff… hic… hngh…”

 

This was truly hard to endure…

 

Allice was crying beside her. Having been captured together, reduced to the same ‘merchandise’.

 

How on earth did this girl get dragged into this?! What was Raios doing? Did he even know that his own wife was here like this?

 

“His Majesty won’t forgive this. I-I-I’m the imperial consort of the empire…!”

 

Allice had been repeating that nonstop, shouting that she was the imperial consort, that they’d regret touching her.

 

Idiot. By announcing you’re the empress, you only made the barbarians more excited to dress you up.

 

It seemed Allice’s biological father and the barbarians were cooperating only loosely, not truly on the same side. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to drag Allice here.

 

“How did you even get captured?” Allice glared at Dana with tear-filled eyes. “You, you’re Sister Danae, aren’t you?”

 

“…”

 

“I-I hired workers and secretly dug up your grave right after I returned that day! But there was no body!”

 

“…”

 

“Of course there wasn’t! Because you’re Sister Danae!”

 

“…”

 

“So you didn’t die back then, right? You survived, and now you’ve come back to take Mom, Brother, and even Dad away!” Waaah—Allice burst into loud sobs.

 

Dana’s head throbbed. “Stop spouting nonsense and answer me. Why are you here?”

 

Sniffling, Allice replied, “I-I heard Mom was going to temple with you. S-She wasn’t taking me.”

 

The forbidden-zone temple. A secret club for powerful noblewomen. Allice had begged countless times to be taken along, but her mother had always refused. Once, she had even gone on her own. But she was turned away at the entrance every time. Even as an imperial consort, she couldn’t enter unless she was a member or accompanied by one. And yet she heard that her sister was being taken there! How furious she’d been!

 

“S-So, I se-secretly snuck into the temple… and then I ran into the people kidnapping you…”

 

“…”

 

“Sob, I promised I wouldn’t tell anyone, but they said they couldn’t trust me and brought me here too.”

 

Dana frowned. The more she listened, the stranger it sounded. “Who told you that Sandra and I were going to the temple? And how did you sneak inside?”

 

It was a secret club of high-ranking noblewomen, and a forbidden zone on top of that. Security was extremely tight. How could Allice possibly—

 

“D-Dad told me.”

 

Dana was left speechless. What had Allice just said?

 

Sniffling, Allice continued, “Dad said Sister and Mom were going to the temple. He even told me about a hidden entrance to sneak in through…”

 

“Who do you mean by ‘Dad’?”

 

“Who else! Carl Windsor, obviously!” Blushing, Allice glared at her. “Why? Is Mom not enough for you anymore that you’re trying to take Dad too?”

 

“…”

 

Ignoring her words, Dana let out a hollow laugh. Carl Windsor? So that’s where he disappeared to, but passing information to Allice? Why? He knew Allice’s personality. He should have known she’d follow secretly!

 

Wait. Did he know the temple was Sandra’s trap? And yet he hadn’t warned me at all? If that was the case, then there was only one conclusion. Carl had let it happen. Let her to be kidnapped. Let Dana be sold to the Red Ship.

 

That b*stard… A surge of hot anger rose within her, but Dana quickly realized. There was no need for that. Carl Windsor had always been that kind of man. Hadn’t she felt it just last night? Violent emotions welled up, but Dana cut them off instantly. Now was not the time for that.

 

Think. Just think. Then why did Carl allow me to be sold to the Red Ship? And why did he lead Allice onto this ship as well? What exactly is Carl Windsor’s objective?

 

After a brief contemplation, Dana found the answer. Ah, so that was it. At last, she understood. What Carl wanted.

 

* * *

It was at that very moment.

 

“Ugh.” Carl let out a low groan. The card in his hand trembled violently.

 

Seeing his honest reaction, the men around him burst into laughter.

 

“Hey, handsome. Another bad hand?”

 

“That’s ten losses in a row now. Ten in a row!”

 

“At this rate, won’t you lose all your money before you leave? Hahaha!”

 

“I heard there’ll be some really fine merchandise up for auction today. Looks like you won’t have the coin to buy any.”

 

Carl Windsor was playing cards. At the auction house of the Red Ship, with the barbarians.