I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 273

At the mention that she was cold, Rumie took off his coat and handed it to her.

 

“…”

 

What is he trying to do? But it really was quite cold, so Dana clutched it tightly and draped it over her shoulders. As she did, she could feel the warmth of Rumie’s body lingering in the fabric. Perhaps it was because of his gentle scent. Very slowly, she felt her reason clearing. Her clouded judgment began to return.

 

What am I… What am I doing right now? Dana squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them. Get a grip. This won’t do. She decided to distance herself from Rumie. What am I trying to accomplish by seducing him?

 

“I’m sorry. It was a joke.”

 

At that, she saw Rumie’s cheeks stiffen.

 

“A joke?”

 

“Yes. Was it amusing?”

 

“You joke like that?”

 

“Don’t scold me, Brother.” Dana curled the corners of her lips upward. “I was wrong.”

 

“…”

 

“I won’t do it again. Okay?”

 

Rumie said nothing more. He merely looked at her with eyes tinged with contempt before speaking with a sigh, as though he had given up. “Don’t ever play a joke like that on anyone again.”

 

“Yes. I’m truly sorry.”

 

Rumie looked utterly exhausted, as though he wanted to leave immediately. “Why on earth are you wearing something like that?”

 

“…”

 

“I saw Adma clinging to the carriage window. Don’t tell me Adma bought those clothes for you.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Answer me properly. If Adma gave my younger sister clothes like that, I’m going to challenge him to a duel.”

 

“…”

 

He was truly persistent. That was practically a declaration that he would kill Adma. After all, there were very few people capable of defeating Rumie in a duel.

 

I’m the one who’s going to kill Demian. I won’t let anyone take that role from me.

 

In the end, Dana answered first. “I asked Adma to buy them for me. As you know, my tastes are frivolous. I like clothes like this.”

 

“You really—”

 

“You were with a woman earlier, Brother. Is that an affair?”

 

The breath Rumie had been about to release as a sigh abruptly stopped.

 

“Do you know that Ingria is having an affair?” The moment she said it, her insides twisted painfully. Perhaps because of that, her mind suddenly cleared.

 

Right. No one should hurt Rumie. Whether that person was his wife or me.

 

After hesitating briefly, Dana spoke. “If… just if Ingria becomes pregnant, I strongly recommend asking holy magicians to conduct a paternity test.” That should be enough for him to understand what she had seen. However…

 

“You must have seen it wrong.” Rumie’s voice was calm. “Or you’re giving me distorted information.”

 

“…What?” Dana slowly raised her head. Is he really denying it? “Do you think I’m lying right now?”

 

“Well.”

 

“I really saw it! With another man!”

 

“Are you sure you’re not judging by your own standards?”

 

“What?”

 

“Danaena, you seem to have a hobby of trying to shake up any man you see.” Just like you did to me earlier. Rumie swallowed those words, but she understood them even without hearing them.

 

“Since your own conduct is like that, perhaps you’re looking at things through colored glasses,” Rumie spoke very calmly. The fact that there seemed to be no intention whatsoever to insult her made it all the more miserable.

 

“I…” Dana gripped Rumie’s coat tightly. “I’m only saying this because I want you to meet a good woman, brother. You absolutely have to meet a good woman.” Her determination seemed so unexpected that Rumie let out a small laugh.

 

“Why do you think that?”

 

Dana lowered her gaze to his feet. “Because you’re a good man…”

 

No answer came. Only the drunken shouts drifting from beyond the alley filled the empty silence. For some reason, the air felt heavy. Slowly, Dana looked up at Rumie. What had that sentence scratched across? His red eyes were looking down at her sideways, as though deeply offended by something.

 

Rumie asked quietly, “How could you possibly know what kind of man I am?”

 

Because I’ve experienced you as a man. But she had not lost enough reason to actually say that. “I just feel that way. I think Brother is a really good man…”

 

At that moment, it seemed as though a gust of wind swept through Rumie’s eyes. Like a faint candle flame being extinguished, they finally darkened. No, they became fierce. He grabbed Dana’s forearm.

 

“Whatever kind of man I am.”

 

A suppressed voice slipped through his clenched teeth. It was a voice she had never heard from him before.

 

“It’s none of your concern.”

 

“…”

 

“And stop interfering unnecessarily in matters between my wife and me.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you understand?”

 

Only then did Dana realize. I… really succeeded.

 

“I asked if you understand, Danaena.”

 

She wanted to make Rumie dislike her. To make him detest and scorn her, to make her seem repulsive to him.

 

“Yes.”

 

Dana had truly succeeded. Something she had never once managed to accomplish across all timelines…

 

After releasing her arm, Rumie turned his back and walked out of the narrow alley. Then, sounding annoyed, he said, “Adma Rolland. Stop spying and come take Danaena already.”

 

No matter how he had heard it, Demian, who had been waiting in the distant carriage, opened the door and stepped out. But Dana didn’t see him. She didn’t hear whatever he said as he approached. All she saw was Rumie’s retreating back.

 

Thank goodness. Thank goodness Rumie hates me. Because that was a truly tremendous stroke of luck for Rumie. Since in every timeline, without a single exception, he always…

 

Let’s go back. Dana composed herself, holding on to her reason with all her strength. This was enough. Now she should focus on her own business. Because she had a lot to do.

 

Right. First, I’ll hurry back and tell Duke Rolland that it’s settled. I’m going to become the maiden of the Spring Water Ritual.

 

As Rumie said, any further interference would be nothing more than needless meddling. So she would focus only on her own affairs. Obtain the holy relic on Spring Water Island, extend her lifespan first, and then regain her sanity.

 

Demian opened the carriage door and escorted her inside. The moment she sat down, Dana frowned deeply. What is this…?

 

“W-What’s wrong?”

 

There’s some kind of unpleasant smell.

 

Dana looked down at the carriage floor. It was clean, but… something… felt suspicious…

 

“What were you doing in here by yourself?”

 

“I was simply waiting for you.”

 

“Doing what while waiting?”

 

“That, I was meditating…”

 

“If you lie to me, I won’t forgive you.”

 

“…Sorry. I-I was just very lonely.”

 

Perverted b*stard.

 

As the carriage started moving, Dana silently leaned her head against the wall beside the window. I need to find the holy relic quickly and kill Demian. That would really make her feel better. She began to contemplate how best to kill Demian. She would never let him die easily. And she’d make him suffer as much as possible before he dies…

 

Thinking that, Dana eventually drifted off to sleep. Perhaps because her thoughts had been filled entirely with Rumie, she dreamed of him. It was a different timeline than now, a comfortably distant past. Rumie from the first timeline. When she was Princess Danae Geranze. A dream of the time when Rumie had been her guard.

 

“Disgusting. Stop following me around!”

 

It was a time when she disliked her guard, Rumie, for shadowing her everywhere.

 

“I apologize, but this is my duty.”

 

“Then what about my feelings? Don’t you care about my feelings that I have to drag you along everywhere?”

 

“I was never ordered to consider Your Highness’s feelings. Therefore, no. It would be correct to say they don’t concern me.”

 

The way he smiled gently while speaking so politely was infuriating.

 

Danae Geranze tormented him.

 

“My protection is your duty, right?”

 

Thud. There had even been a time when she threw a raw egg at her guard.

 

“Then let’s practice from now on. If you keep protecting me, the day will surely come when you’ll have to take a raw egg in my place.”

 

It was a dream of those days.