I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 231

* * *

Inside ‘Danae Geranze,’ Dana thought. Her first life had been very different from the present one. Was that really me? First of all, she had truly been promiscuous.

 

At one point, Raios hurled all kinds of accusations at her, calling her loose and saying that one man could never satisfy her.

 

So that was actually true?

 

And in the first timeline, Viego Windsor never became the leader of the Diana Church. Instead, he destroyed it. Yustio also became pope immediately, without ever becoming emperor. In the first timeline, no oracle had declared that Yustio would become emperor.

 

The most shocking and absurd difference of all was Raios’s monk-like life. He had been a devout follower of the Ramun Church. While young nobles of high society enjoyed parties, horseback riding, and polo matches, he always spent his free time attending services at the church. Moreover, he followed rules and discipline so strictly that it was almost frightening. During fasting periods, when most people only pretended to abstain, he wouldn’t even drink a sip of water. Naturally, there had never been a single rumor involving him and a woman.

 

In the current timeline, he lived soaked in alcohol and cigarettes, even openly fooling around. And yet in the first lifetime, he lived like a model citizen.

 

Just what did Raios do in the first timeline to receive the Sung God’s curse?

 

There were countless demon worshipers in the world, but that was all. No human had ever been cursed directly by the Sun God. Right. Even the ancestors of the Windsor family founded the Daiana Church by using demonic power. They committed all kinds of inhuman acts and blasphemy, yet they were never cursed. Which meant Raios had done something far worse. Something beyond merely contracting with demons, summoning them, or using their power…

 

Raios. Just what on earth did you do?

 

For now, Dana decided to silently observe the moments of her first life, like a spectator, very quietly from within Danae Geranze’s body.

 

* * *

Danae Geranze hated Viego Windsor since he was Rodrigo’s enemy. Even discussing political marriage with such a traitor was humiliating. That was why she was willing to do anything to break off the engagement.

 

“Oh my, how rude of me.”

 

Even deliberately letting him see her meeting another man was something she would gladly do.

 

“I’m sorry you had to see something so shameful.”

 

In the dark garden, Viego briefly glanced at the back of the man fleeing in haste. The very man who, moments earlier, had been groping Danae and pressing his lips to hers.

 

Danae Geranze pulled her disheveled clothes back into place and smiled. “Are you disappointed in me?”

 

“Not particularly.” He tilted his head indifferently. The fact that it wasn’t bravado but genuine disinterest was even more irritating.

 

“As you can see, I’m not a good woman. I wouldn’t make a good wife either.”

 

“I never expected you to.”

 

“What?”

 

“Even if you were selling your body on the street, it wouldn’t be a sufficient reason to annul this engagement.”

 

“…”

 

“So don’t trouble yourself with pointless efforts.”

 

The way he spoke as if he saw through all her schemes filled Danae with a deep sense of humiliation. Rage bubbled up inside her.

 

“I hate you, Duke.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And you don’t like me either.”

 

“Of course not, however…” Viego looked down at her with tired eyes. “I do want you.”

 

“…”

 

What?

 

As she froze at the unexpected answer, Viego silently opened his pocket watch. Checking the time, he spoke in a flat tone. “If you wish to annul the engagement, speak directly to His Majesty. Don’t waste my time with meaningless theatrics.”

 

“…”

 

“Well then.” He bowed politely and walked past her.

 

Danae glared at his rigid back. She knew. He didn’t mean ‘want’ in a sexual sense. Viego meant her value, her status, symbolism, and what she represented. That was all.

 

It was just then.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

A voice came from behind. Raios stood there, looking over her disheveled hair and clothes before grasping the situation.

 

“Your fiancé has come to the imperial palace. What would you have done if he had witnessed this?”

 

“I already met him.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“We just crossed paths.”

 

“…Good heavens.” Raios covered his face with one hand and let out a deep sigh.

 

Danae tiptoed closer. “Sorry. Are you ashamed of me?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“…”

 

“I don’t wish to say this, but you repeatedly bring shame upon me.”

 

“Sorry.” Smiling brightly, Danae stroked his hair. “I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

 

Slowly, he lowered her hand, then brushed away the hand that was touching him. “Don’t treat me like a child. I dislike it.”

 

She knew. He truly hated it. And because she knew that, she did it on purpose. That childish behavior was the best harassment Danae was capable of.

 

Then Raios spoke, as if soothing her. “You are lonely, Sister. That is why you wander like this.”

 

“…Wander?”

 

“Yes. Once you marry and have a family, your loneliness will be filled. That is why I agreed to this engagement. For your sake.” Raios looked at her with sincere eyes. Eyes like the sky, honest to a fault. “I want you to be happy.”

 

“…But I don’t want to marry Viego Windsor. He doesn’t even like me.”

 

“I know. But he’s a sincere man. He will treat you with the respect you deserve as a wife.”

 

At that moment, Danae nearly burst out laughing. As expected, Raios Geranze was despicable. To decide another person’s happiness as he pleased.

 

“Thank you, Raios. You really are kind.” Hiding her hatred, Danae naturally looped her arm through his. “Raios, have you ever thought about marriage?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Of course. He could marry whoever he wanted, whenever he wanted. To him, it must feel natural. So natural, like air itself, that he didn’t even consider it a privilege.

 

“Then, is there any woman you like?”

 

“What?”

 

Oh. That startled him. Danae didn’t miss the opportunity. Anything was fine as long as it bothered Raios.

 

“Is there a woman you care about?”

 

“I… no. There isn’t.” He stammered.

 

At this point in his life, Raios was so honest that he couldn’t even lie well.

 

“So there is someone. Who is it?”

 

“No. There isn’t.”

 

“Liar. Just tell me. What kind of woman has made your heart so unsettled?”

 

“Stop it,” Raios replied sharply, his expression hardening. “There is no such woman.”

 

What the heck? Danae was a bit taken aback. To see him make such a scary expression…

 

“Sorry.” She quietly unliked her arm.

 

Raios seemed about to reach for her, but let his hand fall limply, unable to grasp anything.

 

“I’ll be going now. Have a good night.”

 

There was no reply.

 

Danae walked calmly for a bit, then suddenly turned around. Raios was still standing there, watching her.

 

“By the way, where are my shoes?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“When you carried me last time, you took my shoes.”

 

“…”

 

Raios slowly looked down at the ground, then muttered. “I lost them.”

 

“Really?”

 

“If you need them, I’ll get you another pair.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

Danae turned away again. As expected, Raios wasn’t good at lying.

 

* * *

Danae Geranze immediately went to see Emperor Wilhelm. She intended to once again propose annulling her engagement with Viego Windsor.

 

“Come in.”

 

The moment she opened the door, Danae flinched. Had he just bathed? Emperor Wilhelm was sitting on the edge of his bed, wearing only a bathrobe.

 

“What is it you wish to say?”

 

Did one normally enter the bedchamber dressed like that?

 

Though flustered, Danae didn’t hesitate. “Please reconsider my engagement with Duke Windsor, Your Majesty.”

 

Wilhelm smiled gently. “I knew you would say that.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You followed Rodrigo. To you, Viego must seem like an enemy.”

 

And yet he proceeded with the engagement anyway…

 

“Very well. I will annul the engagement.”

 

What? As she stared at him in disbelief, Wilhelm smiled slyly.

 

“Come here and sit first.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Come now.”

 

After hesitating, Danae went to his side. When she sat down, the bed creaked slightly under her weight. It made her uncomfortable.

 

“I will annul the engagement.” Wilhelm took her hand, slowly lifting it. “Instead, come with me to the sanctuary.” He pressed his lips to the back of her hand.

 

“I’ve heard stories about you from Rodrigo for years. For decades, I’ve heard of his desire for you to wake up.” His lips traced slowly along the back of her hand, as if savoring her skin, his expression indulgent. “Perhaps because of that, I feel as though I’ve been waiting for you my entire life.”

 

Kiss after kiss rained down the back of her hand. Danae’s back muscles stiffened. Her head buzzed. What is this? What is happening right now?

 

“That is why Viego Windsor desires you as well. You were the long-held wish of the Windsor family.”

 

The emperor extended his tongue and slowly licked the back of her hand. The wet, slick sensation sent a jolt down her spine. Goosebumps erupted.

 

“You are the origin of the Windsor family.”

 

She felt like vomiting.

 

“And I do not wish to give you to another man.”

 

She really felt like throwing up…

 

After indulging himself for a while, Wilhelm looked at her. His eyes were filled with desire. “Yes. I should annul the engagement. I cannot hand you over to Viego Windsor.” He no longer hid his lust. His body, clearly aroused beneath the robe, was boldly exposed as he spread his legs.

 

“Instead, you will come with me to the sanctuary and live with me.”

 

* * *

What just happened?

 

As Danae left the emperor’s chamber and walked down the hallway, her legs trembled. Her stomach, her head, her entire body churned. She staggered forward.

 

I don’t want this. But Wilhelm never asked for her consent. There was no need to. He was the emperor. When he commanded, no one could refuse.

 

Should I tell Raios? Would he even believe me?

 

Wilhelm was publicly regarded as a good emperor. The sole mistake of his life was sleeping with a married noblewoman, which resulted in the birth of Raios. But even that wasn’t considered a serious flaw in this world.

 

Aside from that, Wilhelm had ruled the empire for a long time without scandal. Moreover, Raios and Wilhelm had an excellent father–son relationship. Wilhelm cherished Raios like a treasure, and Raios respected him deeply.

 

He won’t believe me… And even if he did, he might not take her side. Thinking that, her vision went dark, as if she were standing at the edge of a cliff.

 

Danae suddenly wanted to cry, but now wasn’t the time. Instead, she became colder and more ruthless than ever before.

 

I need to find a way to survive.

 

Who could stop the emperor? There were only two people in this land. Yustio, the pope of Ramun Church. And… Raios, who would become emperor in one week.

 

Danae knew Raios’s weakness. That weakness could become her weapon. Yes. I need to grasp a weapon. A weapon that could protect her, even if it meant harming someone.

 

* * *

Danae Geranze immediately went to find Raios.

 

“His Highness is currently in the Grand Cathedral.”

 

At the secretary’s words, Danae smiled.

 

The Grand Cathedral. Raios did go there often, but for him to go this late at night… Something must have happened that he couldn’t handle without prayer.

 

“I see. Then, is it alright if I wait in his bedroom?”

 

“Pardon? But—”

 

“Is there any reason I can’t? I’m his sister.”

 

“…”

 

While the secretary hesitated, unable to find a reason to stop her, Danae entered the bedroom. Click. She closed the door.

 

Danae Geranze slowly surveyed his bedroom. Bathed in moonlight, it resembled Raios himself. Bookshelves full of books and scriptures. Even a statue of the Sun God on the bedside table. It was a truly tidy and neat room, but… It must be here.

 

After taking a deep breath, Danae began searching the room. It had to be somewhere. She had intuition, a premonition that had always scratched at her with an indescribable feeling for a very long time…

 

Danae searched his wardrobe, bookshelves, drawers, and bedside table. But she didn’t find what she was looking for anywhere. Only one place remained.

 

“…”

 

Danae stared at his bed and slowly bent down. Deep beneath the bed, there was a box. She pulled it out. It was locked with a combination lock. Strangely, she felt as if she knew what the numbers could be.

 

Click. The lock opened. Danae slowly opened the box.

 

“…”

 

Laughter trickled out of her, like a shiver running through her body. “Ah, haha, hahaha.” Letting out intermittent laughs, Danae rummaged through the box.

 

There were her shoes, the ones Raios had taken as an excuse to carry her some time ago. There was also a handkerchief, one he had politely borrowed last spring when she’d spilled her tea. A hair tie, one she had lost in the garden while trying to tie her hair, was blown away by the wind and thought to be gone forever. A ribbon, a button, a teacup, a spoon, a fork, and so on. Just everyday objects, but all things that had touched her.

 

How boring. He only collected trivial things like this. If he wanted, Raios could have stolen her nightgowns or even her underwear. He truly was still timid in some ways.

 

A little later, Danae found something finally indecent and smiled brightly. They were her silk stockings. Despite having collected it himself, he had hidden it deep in the corner, as if it were something terrifying and obscene.

 

At that moment—Creeeak. The door opened.

 

He’s here. Soaked in a thrill close to a chill, Danae smiled widely and turned around. Raios stood there, frozen like a scarecrow.

 

“You’re back.” Facing Raios frozen like a statue, Danae gently waved the stockings. “Did you pray well?”