I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 287

* * *

I…

 

“Swear your loyalty to me once again.”

 

How am I still alive?

 

“Apologize to me for your betrayal.”

 

Rumie coughed, vomiting blood.

 

Princess Danae Geranze had safely crossed the cloud bridge. By now, she had probably joined up with the pope. That was enough. Because that was as far as Rumie had wished to go. But then, why was he still alive? I should be dead by now.

 

There was no way someone in this condition could possibly be alive. Arrows were lodged densely from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. It was a gruesome state in which he should have naturally met his death. No, he was certain he had been in the process of dying.

 

“And swear that you will join me in my great undertaking.”

 

Then why had he suddenly come back to life?

 

Looking down at Rumie, the emperor spoke. “Swear your loyalty, apologize for your betrayal, and promise to help me with what I am doing.” In the emperor’s hand was a small glass vial. It contained clear water that held a strange glow.

 

Come to think of it, the emperor seemed to have poured it into his mouth. Was that holy water? The miraculous water of life that had existed only in rumors…

 

“Exactly three sentences.”

 

“…”

 

“If you say it, I will take you back.”

 

“…”

 

“I will spare your life.”

 

Rumie looked up at him through his blurred vision. Emperor Raios’s vivid blue eyes were looking down at him. At Rumie, whose entire body had become grotesque from the arrows.

 

The emperor commanded with an expressionless face. “Say it.”

 

Rumie clearly still had the strength to speak. Yet all he did was breathe raggedly, in low breaths. He answered with silence instead.

 

“You truly intend to die here?”

 

“…”

 

“You intend to betray me until the very end?”

 

The emperor eventually burst into loud laughter. Laughing uproariously as he held his forehead and let his shoulders shake, he shook his head slowly.

 

“You know better than anyone how much I love Danae Geranze. I assigned you as her bodyguard to protect her, and yet… you sneak her away from me.”

 

“…”

 

“You’re going to die after being used like an idiot. Do you really think my sister ever cared about you, even a little?” The emperor pulled a revolver from his waist, letting out a faint snicker. “You’re nothing more than a tool for her survival. Just like me…”

 

Just like me. As the emperor uttered those words, he twisted his lips as though displeased by what he himself had said. But soon, he smiled. “You were used just like I was.”

 

It was a bizarre expression. Anger and betrayal, self-loathing, amusement, ridicule, and pain. With all of those emotions swirling across his face, the emperor looked almost sad.

 

“Fine. Then die here.” Click. After loading the gun, the emperor pressed the muzzle hard against Rumie’s forehead. He spat the words out as though chewing and spitting them. “Choose me in your next life, you b*stard.”

 

Bang!

 

* * *

Bang! The sound of a gunshot rang out from inside the crystal orb.

 

Rumie looked at the orb with annoyance. He’d watched it, wondering if something different would appear for once after such a long time. But this time, too, it was another bizarre story. The scene showed him being struck by arrows after helping Princess Danae Geranze escape, then meeting his end after refusing the oath of loyalty forced upon him by the emperor. Once again, it was an utterly bizarre scene.

 

Well, at least this is better than the other stuff.

 

A moment later, the scene inside the crystal orb shimmered and changed. He saw himself and Dana lying entwined on a bed. It was not even new anymore. The crystal orb had been showing nothing but scenes like this the entire time. He was kissing every corner of Dana’s body.

 

[B-Brother. Wait.]

 

[We agreed to call each other by our names now.]

 

[But, Rumie, we’re not even married yet.]

 

Inside the crystal orb, Dana covered her bright-red, embarrassed face with her hands. And he was sweetly coaxing and soothing her, tempting her.

 

[We decided to get married in two months. Or have you changed your mind? You didn’t want to marry me anymore?]

 

[N-No. It’s not like that. I’ll do it, the marriage.]

 

[Right? Then we’re practically a married couple already. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together, so it’s okay… right?]

 

[Still, ah.]

 

Rumie sighed. Ever since the day he had met the pirate shaman, the crystal orb had shown nothing but scenes like this. That was why he had abandoned his plan to throw the crystal orb into the sea. What if he threw it into the ocean and someone fished it out? Or what if it washed ashore and someone found it? Of course, only he could see the video. But what if, by any chance, someone else was able to see these scenes? Then the two of them would suffer a tremendous blow… especially Danaena. Her life would be completely ruined.

 

With most scandals this filthy, the man would be easily forgotten, while the woman would be branded with a scarlet letter. Danaena’s life would be ruined. Who would look kindly upon a woman who had slept with her own brother? Her chances of marriage would certainly be ruined as well.

 

[Ah, it hurts.]

 

[Does it hurt a lot? It hasn’t even gotten halfway…]

 

[Re-Really?]

 

[Yeah… Should we stop?]

 

[No, I don’t want to. Don’t stop. Keep going, just slowly.]

 

[Alright. Don’t tense up, just relax…]

 

Listening to the process of making love, heat rose all the way to the tips of his ears. Rumie covered his face with one hand. The skin beneath his hand was hot.

 

[Mo-more slowly, Rumie.]

 

[Like this?]

 

Yes, no one should ever see this. A woman doing something like this with me, who would…

 

“Milord.”

 

At that instant, Rumie was startled out of his wits and clenched his fist tightly. A subordinate had approached from behind without him noticing. It was extremely rare for him to be so absentminded that he failed to sense someone’s presence like this. Nevertheless, he calmly rose from his chair and answered.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Madam Sandra Rolland has come to see you.”

 

“My mother?”

 

Why here?

 

Rumie was currently leading the military forces of Elvida Island toward the area of the revolt. They had stopped in a village to eat and were taking a brief rest…

 

“Let her in.”

 

A short while later, the door opened, and Sandra entered. Had she secretly followed him here? Sandra lowered the robe that had concealed her from head to toe.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I followed you because I had something urgent to tell you.”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

“Father took Danaena to Godom Island.”

 

“What?”

 

What was she talking about? Rumie frowned.

 

“Father took Danaena to Godom Island. And your wife, Ingria, went with them as well.”

 

“Ingria too?”

 

“Yes. Father used to go to Godom Island periodically. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but on Godom Island…” Sandra bit down on her lip before speaking. “There are rumors that they perform a very strange ritual. Rumors that they collude with the Somora religion and perform human sacrifices…” She seemed to hesitate for a moment, but soon continued, spilling the words out. “Do you remember Count Tespin and his wife, who disappeared from Eldiva Island several years ago?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“The day before that couple disappeared… I overheard Father personally inviting them to a party aboard his ship.”

 

“…”

 

“Father disappeared for several days… From that day onward, Count Tespin and his wife disappeared as well.”

 

“…”

 

“It is only a suspicion. But… you never know, do you? Perhaps…”

 

Rumie raised a hand, as if to say there was no need to say any more. “I understand perfectly well.”

 

“T-Then, what are you going to do now?”

 

“I’ll handle it myself, so go back, Mother.”

 

After sending Sandra away, Rumie fell into deep thought. His mother did not care for Danaena. Yet the fact that she had gone so far as to reveal her father’s secret to him just to deliver this information meant… Mother wants me to die now. She was luring him into going to Godom Island.

 

A ship that had not received an invitation from Somora’s Grand Temple would be caught in a sea storm. Rumie knew better than anyone how violent that sea storm was. During his days at military academy, he had seen with his own eyes countless classmates who were caught in that storm and buried beneath the sea. She wants me to die like that.

 

Rumie put on the jacket that had been draped over the chair and walked outside with steady footsteps. Then he approached the naval officer waiting in the corridor. “I have another urgent matter to attend to, so I must go. You will act in my place and suppress the revolt.” He did not mention Godom Island. It would be troublesome if the man offered to accompany him. Other people would only get in his way.

 

Mother must be expecting me to die in the sea storm. It was a reasonable assumption. When he had been young, he had ultimately turned back because he could not bear to see more of his classmates die, unable to break through the sea storm. But if he were alone, it would be possible.

 

And so, late that night, Rumie arrived at Godom Island.

 

* * *

Rumie is on Godom Island? And in Anton Rolland’s bedroom, of all places? Dana snorted at Ingria’s words. “Liar. Why would Rumie be on this island?”

 

“I-I’m telling the truth!”

 

That couldn’t be true. Dana didn’t believe it. There was no way Rumie could be on Godom Island.

 

Ingria then shouted with a pale face. “G-Go and check for yourself! Then you’ll know!”

 

“…Fine. Lead the way.”

 

Whether Rumie was there or not, Anton Rolland was a man whose name had already been written on her list of people to kill. She walked toward Anton Rolland’s bedroom with Ingria leading the way. A short while later, Ingria stopped in front of a certain room.

 

“H-Here.”

 

“You wait here.” Dana gestured for Ingria to stay back. Then she held up a finger and warned her. “You know running away won’t do you any good, right?”

 

“Eek…”

 

After frightening her like that, Dana opened the door. It was the next moment.

 

“…!”

 

Dana’s eyes met Rumie’s.