I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 278

* * *

At last, they arrived at Godom Island.

 

“Welcome.”

 

Dozens of Somora believers greeted them. Dana flinched in surprise. Every single believer who had come to receive them was wearing a mask shaped like a white mountain goat with enormous horns. What is that? Creepy.

 

Among them, the one wearing the mask with the largest horns stepped forward. “It has been a year since your last visit to Godom Island. Have you been well in the meantime, Duke Rolland?”

 

“High Priest Poltura, have you been well?”

 

Only a year since he last came? Not after a long absence?

 

As Dana was puzzled over that, the priest in the mountain goat mask turned his head toward her. It was genuinely chilling. The mountain goat mask was so exquisitely crafted that it looked as though it had been made from the head of an actual mountain goat.

 

“Is this mountain goat of this year?”

 

…Is he talking to me?

 

“Yes. This year’s mountain goat is a lady of my family.” Anton placed a hand on her shoulder. Then he gave her a benevolent smile when she looked at him in confusion. “There is nothing to be afraid of, Danaena. We call the woman who offers prayers during the Spring Water Ceremony the mountain goat.”

 

“Ah…”

 

What kind of nonsense explanation is that? Didn’t he call me this year’s mountain goat? That meant there had been a mountain goat last year too. But hadn’t they said there had been no Spring Water Ritual for well over ten years?

 

Dana was confused. She could not understand why they were having such suspicious conversations right in front of her and exchanging such obvious lies.

 

“Now then, Mountain Goat, please come this way. Before you ascend the altar, we shall guide you to the Chamber of Sacrifice.”

 

The altar. The Chamber of Sacrifice. Once again, the priest deliberately emphasized words that sounded suspicious to anyone listening.

 

“Already?”

 

The twins from the Lucile Kingdom immediately complained as if disappointed.

 

“Do we have to treat her as the mountain goat already?”

 

“I wanted to play around a little more first.”

 

At that, Ingria, standing beside them, smiled brightly and patted their shoulders. “Don’t be disappointed, Ron and Lisa. From now on, you’ll be able to have much more fun.”

 

“I guess that’s true.”

 

“Right, right!”

 

Since when had they been carrying them? The twins suddenly pulled mountain goat masks over their faces.

 

“We can have even more fun after Danaena becomes the mountain goat!”

 

As if that was the signal, everyone began putting on masks. The twins, Anton, Ingria, and everyone who had disembarked from the ship. Wearing mountain goat masks, they all turned to look at her at once. In an instant, Dana became the only person standing among them with her face uncovered.

 

“…”

 

She looked around at the people staring at her and shrank back. Then, in a trembling voice, she asked, “W-What are you all doing right now?”

 

A thrill of delight flashed through the eyes visible behind their masks.

 

“Aah, so you didn’t know. The mountain goat is the symbol of the god Somora.”

 

“On Godom Island, we wear mountain goat masks as a sign of respect for the god Somora.”

 

“Oh dear, unfortunately we’re one mask short. We would have liked to give one to Lady Rolland as well.”

 

“But since Lady Rolland herself will be playing the role of the mountain goat, doesn’t that make it unnecessary?”

 

Speaking in what sounded like secret code known only to themselves, making jokes only they understood, they began chuckling among themselves.

 

At that moment, Dana finally became completely certain. They’re playing around. Not figuratively, but literally. They were playing a game. They were deliberately trying to frighten her, creating an atmosphere of terror, hoping she would become afraid. Why are they playing such a bizarre game? Dana didn’t know the reason, but it would probably be best to act according to their expectations.

 

Dana let tears well up in her eyes. “Why are you all doing this? I’m scared. I-I came here with good intentions.”

 

“Oh dear, oh dear. You’ve become frightened.”

 

“Please don’t worry. Nothing will happen.”

 

Liars. The way they spoke so ominously was frightening her even now. When she showed fear, the excitement in their eyes only grew stronger. They were completely immersed in this moment.

 

What are they even doing?

 

It seemed she had been invited into a very bizarre ‘game’.

 

* * *

“Now then, Mountain Goat, please change into the ceremonial robes in this room.”

 

Thud. The door closed. Then came the loud, unmistakable sound of a lock being fastened. Click.

 

“…”

 

Dana slowly surveyed the room.

 

[Save me.]

 

The walls were covered with messages, as though they had been scratched into the stone with fingernails or rocks.

 

[What is this? They said they would take me to a party, but why have they brought me to a place like this?]

 

[Where even is this place?]

 

[I am not someone who should be treated like this. I am the second daughter of Marquis Esel!]

 

[I am Arzan Kraon, the third prince of Kremron Kingdom. This is my third day imprisoned here. I believe the kingdom will find me soon.]

 

[They’re all insane. They’re going to kill me.]

 

[Please let me out, please.]

 

[I’m going to tell my father everything!]

 

Umm… As Dana slowly read through the desperate messages left behind by those who had passed through this room, she calmly took off her clothes and changed into the ceremonial robes. So the rumors were true.

 

Every year, members of the upper class disappeared on Eldiva. Among them were high-ranking nobles and even royalty. Since Eldiva Island was famous for its entertainment and nightlife, people had usually assumed they had gotten drunk, fallen into the sea, and died.

 

[I was kidnapped.]

 

Who would have thought the rumors were actually true?

 

[Out of resentment and injustice, I leave behind this record of what I experienced here. I pray that someone will read this and reveal to the world what happened to me and what happened on this island.]

 

Dana stopped in front of the longest message written on the wall.

 

[My name is Jaden Tespin. I am the thirteenth head of the Count Tespin family. I came here with my wife for our honeymoon, to Eldiva Island, which is said to possess the most beautiful sea in the world. In Eldiva, we became acquainted with a high-ranking noble. That noble said he wished to invite us, as newlyweds, to a special party aboard a ship. My wife and I happily boarded. How could we have suspected anything? The one who invited us was none other than Anton Rolland, Duke of the Besman Empire. A distinguished admiral and a highly respected noble of the empire.]

 

Dana frowned. Anton Rolland had personally orchestrated the kidnapping?

 

[Including my wife and me, there were seven nobles kidnapped. Without being told why, we were taken to a dining hall. There, fanatics wearing mountain goat masks were waiting for us.

“Welcome, candidates for this year’s mountain goat.”

Seven plates had been arranged on the table. One of the masked figures spoke with a kindness so unsettling it made my skin crawl.

“One of these plates contains poison. Choose one and eat.”

At those words, a very large and robust young man protested furiously. “Do you know who I am to treat me like this?! If you do not stop immediately—!”

Before he could finish speaking, a fanatic carrying an axe rushed forward. And then… I will not describe it in detail. The young man’s corpse was no longer whole.

“Choose a plate and eat.” The repeated voice was absurdly gentle.

Terrified, none of us could speak. One by one, we picked up a plate.

“You must eat everything. Otherwise, next time, it will be your heads that are cut off.”

I gripped my wife’s trembling hand tightly. She ate while sobbing, and I too raised my fork with shaking hands.

One noble, perhaps terrified of the poison, forced himself to vomit up everything he had eaten. Then the man with the axe slowly approached. He was the same one who had beheaded the noble who protested earlier.

“Food is precious. You must finish all of it.”

Blood was still dripping from the edge of the axe blade.

“Eat every last bite. Quickly.”

The noble stared at the vomit, trembling. Then, reluctantly, he picked up what had fallen onto the floor with his hands and stuffed it into his mouth.

Ah, I can still remember it vividly. The crying, the retching, the vomiting, and then eating it again. That horrible time… It was terrible. Truly terrible.

After we finished eating, we sat trembling, staring at one another, wondering who would die. The mountain goat-masked figures watching our terror suddenly burst into laughter.

“There was actually no poison! It was a joke!”

That insane laughter…

“There, there. It was only a joke. A joke. Have some dessert. Once you finish it, we’ll send you back.”

Fruit, chocolate, wine. They kept reassuring us and urging us to eat. At first I was afraid, but as the tension continued to build endlessly, even fear itself seemed to become numb. However, the moment one noble drank the wine, he collapsed, coughing up blood. It was the same man who had been forced to eat his vomit earlier.

“Ah, I forgot. The wine really was poisoned!”

Their laughter erupted once more. They were treating our deaths, and our descent into madness through terror, as a game.

The games that followed were even worse. I had to watch everyone else, including my wife, die one after another… And we gradually lost our sanity…

To state the conclusion first, I was the only survivor. Tomorrow, they intend to offer me as a sacrifice upon Somora’s altar. I do not wish to end my life at their hands. Therefore, I choose to end it myself after leaving this record.

If anyone reads this, please take bloody vengeance upon these people. I shall list the names of the powerful individuals whose faces I clearly saw here, those who played this ‘game’ with us. Crown Prince Ash Aren of Lucile Kingdom, Princess Ingria Aren, Princess Lisa Aren, Prince Ron Aren, Duke Anton Rolland of the Besman Empire, Adma Rolland, and Rumie Rolland.]