I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 254

* * *

There is something called <Prophecy of Truth>. It was a sacred book said to have been written by the son of God, a treasure of the Ramun Church that had been stolen over two hundred years ago. Yustio had been tracking the <Prophecy of Truth> for a long time. And at last, he managed to discover fragments of its copied pages scattered throughout the continent. However…

 

[Dana]

 

The more he found, the harder it was to believe.

 

[The saintess and sacrifice of the Daiana Church.]

 

Because the prophecy book was filled entirely with stories about that woman.

 

[She is a woman from another world summoned by ‘Edam Windsor’, the first leader of the Daiana Church and founder of the religion.]

 

Moreover, it was such an absurd tale.

 

[That woman has lived under many names: Danawin Windsor, Danae Windsor, Danaena Rolland, and Danae Geranze in another timeline.]

 

Could this be real? Has someone fabricated lies to toy with him? Doubt began to arise about the authenticity of the prophecy book.

 

[That woman is used by Yustio I, the 19th pope of the Ramun Church.]

 

Even his own existence had already been foretold over two hundred years ago. Yustio began to distrust the prophecy book. Calling that book false. Someone in the present age must be manipulating this to confuse him.

 

According to countless theologians and holy magicians, the time this prophecy book had been written was indeed over two hundred years ago. Even so, Yustio could not believe it. That’s why he decided to test it once.

 

[That woman is sent back to the past by the hand of Yustio I, the 19th pope.]

 

If even a future that had not yet happened came true, then it would be genuine.

 

[She lost her way in the past.]

 

And so he carried it out.

 

[Having become a lost child of the timelines, she wanders through countless ages for a very, very long time.]

 

But inwardly, Yustio had already judged it to be fake. So he merely used the woman for what he considered truly necessary.

 

[When Dana returns again to the present time,]

 

Yet he obtained a result he had never expected.

 

[her mind will no longer be whole.]

 

It happened exactly as the prophecy book said.

 

[Her heart shattered into pieces.]

 

Truly, it came to pass.

 

Thus, Dana, after being used by the Daiana Church, is completely broken after being used even by the Ramun Church.]

 

The prophecy was real.

 

[A sacrifice for this world]

 

[Dana]

 

Yustio looked down at the sleeping woman. The tears crossing her pale cheeks looked like cracks in shattered glass. Countless hands must have struck her again and again until she broke this badly. Surely his own hands were among them that had ruined her.

 

* * *

Dana was submerged in darkness. The darkness was comforting, like night.

 

“I’ll make you forget.”

 

Like your voice, which resembled the night.

 

“Forget everything.”

 

Thank you.

 

“I’ll be the one who remembers.”

 

Thank you for understanding me. As expected, you are the only one who cares for me. You were always the only one.

 

“You just had a bad dream.”

 

I really, really like you after all.

 

Soon, a gentle and warm power came rushing in. Like his embrace, it held her and swallowed all those painful memories into him. So that she would not see and be startled, so that not even a single thread of memory would slip out. It thoroughly devoured them and buried them, leaving not even the slightest trace behind.

 

Dana forgot everything. She allowed him to do so. And yet, why…

 

“When I catch you, I’ll kill that one.”

 

Why was this scene alone so vivid?

 

“Isn’t it unpleasant? That thing lying beneath the lake for over two hundred years, manipulating us like this.”

 

Those were words Carl Windsor spat out as he killed Demian.

 

“As if it were a curse passed down through the family line.”

 

She hadn’t even witnessed it herself, so why did it feel so vivid? Did herself of that time watch it through the insight? Why?

 

“End it. Whether I destroy her completely, or kill her, in whatever way I must.”

 

Why is only this memory so clear?

 

The cold sensation of the gun barrel pressing against her forehead, and his gentle yet merciless eyes. It was far too vivid. Terrifyingly clear.

 

* * *

Several days passed after Dana returned to reality. She still had not regained her right mind. Yustio watched over her every day. Since she was in a soul state, he alone, as a spirit medium, could care for her.

 

Today, Dana seemed to be seeing illusions.

 

“Lethe, what do you mean you’re not going to the academy?”

 

Standing by the doorway, Yustio quietly watched Dana.

 

“You don’t want to enter the imperial academy? What are you even saying?” Dana wore a very serious expression. “You won’t enroll because you don’t want to enter the dormitory? Do you think that makes any sense?”

 

Lethe. Was she seeing the time when her secretary had been a boy?

 

“That academy uses a dormitory system. Of course you have to go in.”

 

Apparently intending to lecture him, she put on the sternest expression she could manage. But to Yustio, it was pitifully ineffective. It seemed because her features and overall atmosphere were simply too soft and gentle. Surely the boy who had actually received this lecture in the past had felt the same.

 

“Lethe, your tutor says you’re incredibly smart. He said you got almost everything right on the mock exam. Moreover, it hasn’t even been long since you started studying.”

 

What reply had she heard? Dana’s eyes widened in disbelief.

 

“What? If you’d known it was an academy mock exam, you wouldn’t have answered them all correctly? What are you even talking about?” Dana let out a sigh deeper than ever.

 

Yustio’s guess had been right. Right now, Dana was persuading the phantom Lethe. A small, fragile, skinny boy. A boy who had been dying, buried in snow.

 

“Why do you keep trying to send me away? You regret bringing me here, don’t you?”

 

“No. It’s not like that.”

 

“If that’s not it, then please don’t send me away.”

 

Lethe lowered his gaze to the floor as he spoke.

 

“Please let me work as a servant, Milady. In the stables or anywhere, it doesn’t matter.”

 

“Lethe.”

 

“I don’t want to go somewhere else.”

 

“Lethe…”

 

“Please, Milady.”

 

At Lethe’s stubborn words, Dana naturally realized it. I see. This child is lonely. He doesn’t want to be alone again.

 

At last, Dana reached out her hand toward Lethe. “Come here, Lethe.” She smiled brightly. “Hurry, okay?”

 

But he did not come. The man only quietly looked at her smile and at the hand she had stretched out.

 

Why isn’t he coming? Well, boys that age are difficult, after all.

 

Eventually, Dana stood up. She walked over, approached him, and gently embraced him. “Alright. I understand. I won’t send you anywhere else.”

 

This child must need human warmth. Well, he had been buried in the snow for so long. How cold must he have been?

 

“From now on, let’s live together. Depending on each other.”

 

Dana patted his back, then softly stroked it downward. So he could feel reassured. But then… Why is Lethe’s body so solid? And besides, right now it looks like she was the one being held in his arms.

 

That was strange. Lethe was smaller than her. There was no way that boy suddenly became this big. Moreover, the back beneath her fingertips was so strong it felt oppressive. Firm and solid, like touching a statue carved from marble. Far too developed to belong to that skinny boy…

 

Dana slowly raised her head.

 

“…”

 

There was an ocean there. A fierce blue like the waves of the North Sea…

 

“Ah.”

 

In an instant, it felt as though her mind snapped awake. Dana hurriedly released the arms with which she had embraced the man. This man was—

 

“Yustio…”

 

Right.

 

“Your Holiness.”

 

“…”

 

“Hello.”