I’m Trying to End This Possession Chapter 97

Carl was expressing intense anger. “Where! Where is such a thing being circulated!”

 

Dana was impressed. It seemed that when it came to acting, Carl was cut above her after all. Right now, he looked exactly like a guardian who was genuinely furious.

 

“The evidence has been preserved at the military academy. The inspector in charge asked us to bring the lady there.”

 

“Very well. Let’s go then!”

 

There was no need for him to put on such an energetic performance. His position as her guardian was still firmly established as it was… This man really put a lot of effort into his life. He never stopped acting, not even for a single moment.

 

* * *

The police escorted them to the military academy.

 

“I really appreciate you coming all this way, Lady Danae Windsor. I’m Inspector Bilod Lancaster.”

 

The police officer in charge of the case was a young man around Dana’s age, the second son of the Lancaster family.

 

“I’m Carl Windsor, Danae Windsor’s uncle.”

 

“It’s an honor. I’ve heard a great deal about your reputation, Lord Carl.” Bilod Lancaster shook Carl’s hand while making a remark that somehow sounded rather sarcastic. Then he turned his gaze toward Dana. “By any chance, have you ever commissioned an artist to paint a nude painting of yourself, Lady?”

 

“Of course not.” Once again, Carl answered on her behalf. “There’s no way Dana would do such a thing. Some scoundrel must have simply imagined it and painted it without her permission.”

 

Because of Carl, Dana was gradually becoming exhausted. Why is he butting in so much? He was completely depriving her of any opportunity to speak. She grabbed his arm and gave it a subtle squeeze before looking up at him. Stop butting in.

 

Fortunately, Carl seemed to understand her gaze. Looking slightly dejected, he stepped back.

 

“My uncle is right.” Having regained her right to speak, Dana spoke. “I have never requested such a nude painting, nor have I ever served as a model for one.”

 

“Well, the paintings seem rather excessively similar to you.”

 

A gaze carrying a somewhat ambiguous warmth then swept over her from head to toe. It was as if he compared her to the image in his own mind.

 

“Inspector, I suggest you be more careful about where you direct your gaze.”

 

As expected, Carl, who was extremely sensitive to people’s gaze, offered a subtle warning. Fortunately, Bilod quickly withdrew his disrespectful gaze from her.

 

“Would you like to inspect the paintings? We have kept the nude paintings that were found in the possession of the military cadets who were murdered this time.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Up until that moment, Dana hadn’t given it much thought. They were only paintings, after all. Not photographs, but paintings. She hadn’t felt danger particularly. However, a short while later… Dana quite literally almost threw up.

 

What is this?

 

The oil paintings were so exquisitely detailed that they were hardly any different from photographs. And in those paintings was herself, Danae Windsor. Completely naked from head to toe.

 

“Is this what they call a nude painting?” Carl muttered in a daze. “This isn’t a nude painting. This is…” Before him stood dozens of paintings, and he couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

 

Just as Carl had said, these were hardly just nude paintings. They were nothing more than pornographic material intended to humiliate the subjects depicted in them.

 

At that moment, Carl began walking straight toward the painting. He looked as though he was about to smash them, so the police hurriedly stepped in front of him.

 

“These paintings are important evidence. You must not damage them.”

 

“Important evidence?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then you should keep them safer. Several people have already seen paintings of Dana.”

 

More than a dozen police officers were present, and the paintings were displayed right in front of all of them.

 

“Please don’t worry. We’re taking strict measures to ensure that no one other than authorized personnel can see it.”

 

At the inspector’s words, even the hint of a fake smile disappeared from Carl’s eyes. He let out a hollow laugh. “Who else has seen those? Inspector Lancaster, those police officers over there, and who else?”

 

When Carl asked in a threatening tone, Bilod responded with an incredulous expression. “Why? Are you planning to gouge out their eyeballs or something?”

 

Eyeballs. At that word, Dana suddenly regained her composure. Right. This man really is capable of doing something like that. She once again grabbed Carl’s arm and pulled him toward her. “I’m fine, Uncle. Please calm down.”

 

“…”

 

This time too, Carl obediently closed his mouth.

 

What the? He’s surprisingly obedient.

 

In any case, thanks to that, Dana had managed to regain her composure. And because of that, she noticed something. There was something all the paintings before her had in common. Every painting depicts a moon and moonlight flower. Whether it was day or night, indoors or outdoors, the moon and moonlight flower were included in some form.

 

The moon and moonlight flower are symbols representing the Moon Goddess. Could this be a coincidence? No, it’s not a coincidence.

 

And these weren’t ordinary paintings. Sure, those who commissioned the paintings were nothing but degenerate perverts. But the artist who painted them was no ordinary person.

 

Dana was certain of it. This must be one of the Moon Goddess’s followers’ methods of spreading their faith. That crazy religion is trying to use me as a means to spread their teachings…

 

It was obvious why they would go to the trouble of painting something like this. To spread their doctrine. Their belief was that humans were beings meant to love one another, and that physical love was the ultimate expression of love. Therefore, they advocate pursuing a world in which everyone loves one another. To put it bluntly, their doctrine encourages frequent sexual intercourse.

 

In other words, these nude paintings were an excellent means of spreading their doctrine. Such paintings successfully stimulated people’s passions and encouraged them to release their sexual desires. Moreover, the Moon Goddess was originally an incarnation of lust. It was said that those blessed by the Moon Goddess were periodically overcome by intense lust and transformed into beasts. But in Dana’s opinion, that was a curse, not a blessing. What an unsettling cult.

 

That was why, at one point, rumors had circulated that the Moon Goddess was a being similar to a demon. After all, one of the seven great symbols of demons was lust.

 

Suppressing her churning stomach, Dana asked Bilod. “Where can these paintings be purchased?”

 

“It seems they’re being sold secretly at a particular clubhouse.”

 

“A clubhouse. You mean a place that only gentlemen are allowed to enter?”

 

“Yes. From what I’ve heard, they issue membership cards exclusively to those who purchase the paintings.” Bilod gazed steadily at Dana’s face as he spoke. “What is unusual is that they only accept commissions for paintings of Danae Windsor, Lady Windsor.”

 

“…”

 

“Perhaps because they have a sufficiently strong customer base for that.”

 

It was insulting, but she could roughly guess the reason as well. They were insulting ‘Danae Windsor,’ the fiancée of the crown prince, lady of the Windsor ducal family, no less. If the secret got out, everyone involved would be in danger. That meant they were even more careful about keeping things secret, and the bonds between members must be particularly strong. And the heretics would exploit that sense of belonging to spread their faith. The calculated malice behind it sent a chill down her spine.

 

“It seems you really know nothing about these paintings, Lady.”

 

“Yes. I had absolutely no idea.”

 

“I see.” Bilod’s gaze darkened. “Then, do you happen to know anything about the death of my younger brother, Justin Lancaster?”

 

“…” Dana stared directly at Bilod for a moment before shaking her head. “No. Nothing at all.”

 

* * *

It was after they finished inspecting the evidence. Dana briefly asked the police for their understanding before taking Carl by the arm and leading him out to the hallway terrace.

 

“Uncle, did you notice?”

 

“Hmm? Notice what?” Carl tilted his head.

 

“That the paintings were the work of heretics.”

 

“…”

 

So he had noticed after all.

 

“I absolutely can’t forgive those people.”

 

“Of course. Neither can I.”

 

“So, Uncle,” Dana whispered something into his ear.

 

Carl’s eyes widened, and he began stammering. “W-What did you just say, Dana? You want me to meet that artist and commission a painting of you?”

 

“Yes. Please obtain a membership card for that clubhouse.”

 

Carl immediately turned serious and refused. “I can’t do that. Just looking at those is agonizing enough. How could I possibly go there and commission one myself?”

 

“But that clubhouse only accepts high-ranking nobles, especially gentlemen.”

 

“Even so, I would have to personally ask them to paint you in such a way. I absolutely can’t do that. Besides, do you think they’d even accept me as a customer? They’ll obviously become suspicious and turn me away.”

 

Dana pretended to hesitate for a moment before casually suggesting. “Then you can just act.”

 

“What?”

 

“If you put your heart and soul into pretending to have unusual tastes… wouldn’t they believe you?”

 

“…”

 

“Um, I think Uncle will be quite good at it.”

 

Carl opened his mouth in shock. “I’m not good at acting, Dana.”

 

Liar. I’ve never seen an actor as talented as you.

 

“I can’t even imagine. How could I possibly perform such an indecent, horrible, and vulgar act… Oh gosh, why are you crying? Huh?”

 

When Dana pressed her lips together and her eyes began to glisten with tears, Carl hurriedly cupped her face, completely flustered.

 

“Okay, I get it. I get it, so don’t cry, alright?”

 

But you’re not the only one who’s good at acting. It’s unfortunate.