I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 79

“What are you doing? Scream.”

 

Dana furrowed her brow as she stared at Ignis. This man, what is he doing right now? Why is he trying to scam me? I already gave the real scripture to the emperor, though. So, where did Ignis manage to get such a convincing fake from?

 

“You know, the real scripture contains information that could wipe out the Windsor family.”

 

What?

 

“It says the Moon Goddess is an evil goddess, no different from the demon worshipped by the demon worshippers.” Ignis lifted Dana’s chin with his fingertips and grinned. “Do you know what that means?”

 

“…”

 

“The copy of the scripture your father, Demian, supposedly brought back from Treasure Island, the one that says the Moon Goddess is a benevolent goddess, is a fake.”

 

“…”

 

“It means the Windsor family deserves to be annihilated for blasphemy.”

 

Dana looked unimpressed. It was the kind of reaction only possible because she knew the original scripture in Ignis’s possession was fake. Does he seriously not know it’s fake? Or did he know and was acting like this anyway?

 

Dana stared directly into Ignis’s eyes. Probably… This was just a hunch, but Ignis probably knew that it was a fake. Yet, he was still putting on a show.

 

Why does he think that bluff will work? The answer came to her quickly.

 

Recently, heretics in the Kaltusa territory had performed human sacrifices. Since those lunatics who worship the Moon Goddess did something like that. If a scripture claiming the Moon Goddess was a demon were published, many people would believe it without much doubt. Even if it were a fake scripture, there would be plenty who accepted it as truth. After all, who would think favorably of a deity that accepted human sacrifices? Of course, even I’ve come to dislike those heretics because of that incident. But the ‘real scripture’ didn’t contain any statement saying ‘The Moon Goddess is an evil goddess.’

 

Hmm, it would be troublesome if people believed the fake scripture. If this fake scripture were to be mistaken for the real one, Dana would be in a serious problem. Why wouldn’t she be? It could ruin her deal with the emperor.

 

If the emperor mistakes that fake scripture for the real one, then he’ll think the scripture I gave him is fake. Then, calling off her engagement with Raios would be off the table. Hadn’t the emperor practically threatened to annihilate the Windsors if the scripture she gave him turned out to be fake?

 

Ah, that would be troublesome. What to do with this? After thinking for a moment, Dana decided to keep her trump card hidden for now. In other words…

 

“W-What is this?”

 

She pretended to know nothing, acted innocent and scared.

 

“Is it really true? Is this really the original scripture?”

 

“Yes. I’ve got my hands on the original scripture.” Perhaps he liked her reaction. A cruel smile spread across Ignis’s face. “It means that if I want to, I can destroy the Windsor family right now, Danae Windsor.”

 

Acting all high and mighty with a fake scripture. Swallowing those words, Dana spoke in a trembling voice. “Why are you doing this? Lord Ignis, you’re a Windsor too!”

 

“Me?” Ignis snickered before suddenly grabbing a fistful of her hair. Then he yanked her toward him. “Yeah, that’s right. Whatever the case, I used to be a Windsor. That’s why I’m giving you such a generous opportunity. Understand?”

 

“I-It hurts…”

 

As pain distorted her face, the smile on Ignis’s lips deepened.

 

“Listen carefully, Danae Windsor. Either marry me and hand over all your wealth.” His grip tightened around her hair. “Or watch this damned family of swindlers collapse. Choose one.”

 

At that, Dana’s eyes filled with tears. “What if I don’t want either?”

 

“…What?”

 

“What are you going to do if I say I hate both options?”

 

Ignis burst into loud laughter. “What would I do? I’d report it to the imperial family and the Holy See. I’d summon the imperial theologians, the Holy See theologians, and the inquisitors, then hand over this real scripture.” Then he brought his face closer to hers. Greed blazed in his eyes. “If you don’t want to see that happen, then just marry me obediently. Okay?”

 

“T-That’s…”

 

“You can’t spend all that wealth by yourself anyway. I heard the crown prince dumped you too. So let’s just grow old spending money extravagantly together.”

 

“Sob, sob…”

 

Her acting skills have improved lately. Maybe it was because she kept acting in front of Carl and Viego. Dana could now shed tears with ease.

 

“…” Ignis watched the trail of tears running down her cheeks. “Well, it’s not too bad.” Muttering to himself, he roughly let her go.

 

“Aack!” For dramatic effect, Dana deliberately fell to the floor.

 

“I’ll give you one week. Make your decision within a week.” Stepping on the hem of her dress with the heel of his shoe, he spoke cruelly. “Whether you’ll marry me or watch the Windsor family be wiped out. Choose carefully.”

 

You should too. After Ignis left, Dana lifted her now expressionless face. You’re the one who needs to think this through, Ignis.

 

If Ignis insisted that fake scripture was real, he would face an unimaginably severe punishment for blasphemy… He’ll be lucky if he keeps his life.

 

Dana knew a very easy and simple way to prove that the scripture Ignis had was fake.

 

…That aside. What is this smell that’s been lingering since earlier? Dana grabbed the bedsheet from the bed where Ignis had been lying. The next moment, she frowned. Crazy man.

 

* * *

Meanwhile, at the monastery. Allice buried her face in a pillow and sobbed. It’s too much. Everyone is too much.

 

Life at the monastery felt so suffocating that she thought she would go insane. Wake up at five every morning. Nothing but vegetables was served on the table. And on top of that, they forced her to pray for absurdly long hours!

 

My knees hurt so much I feel like I’m dying.

 

This was truly cruel treatment.

 

Did I really do something that terrible? Allice simply couldn’t understand it. But Viego had said she was at fault.

 

“How disgraceful, Allice Windsor.”

 

How could he say something so harsh?

 

Viego had criticized her. He said that by going to Windsor territory on her own, she had disrupted the discipline of the national border guards and encouraged the barbarians’ invasion. It was completely ridiculous. How could he blame everything on her like that?

 

Why is that my fault? Sure, it was unfortunate that barbarians had invaded Windsor territory, but why was that her fault? It’s all the border guards’ fault for carelessly attending that banquet. Why am I being blamed? Do they think I’m an easy target?

 

Ultimately, wasn’t it Dana’s fault for visiting Windsor territory for an inspection and still failing to properly recognize how lazy the border guards had become? Yet somehow, at some point, it had all been transformed into Allice’s fault.

 

I’m so angry… The more Allice thought about it, the more her insides boiled with rage.