Chapter : 60
Gabriel sent an urgent message. Even if he’s the commander, does he really have a knight deliver letters? Incredible.
Raphaela looked extremely exhausted, as if she had rushed over as fast as possible. No, wait—her horse must have been the one that ran. By the way, the horse Raphaela rode was already taken to the stable by Melek, who had soothed it well. He’s a beastkin cow, so why is he more familiar with horses?
“Huff… huff….”
“Sir Raphaela, please have some water.”
“Th-thank you.”
Hena handed her water, and Raphaela drank it down in large gulps. Wow, she’s drinking water like it’s the most delicious thing in the world. She could probably do mukbang.
While Raphaela caught her breath, she read through the letter Gabriel had sent. I had been worried since we parted on bad terms last time, but if he’s taking the time to check on me like this, it seems Gabriel really does like me quite a bit. Sigh. That’s a relief.
After reading it, I handed the letter back to Raphaela. I didn’t want to keep something that scary, so she could deal with it herself.
“Is Bishop Marik a dangerous person?”
“He is very kind to the faithful, but to you, young lady, he is undoubtedly dangerous.”
An exorcist, perhaps? If my possession is discovered, will they try to exorcise me—something read as “exorcism” but experienced as torture? I really need to be careful. If they find out I’m possessed, I’m done for. Gabriel wasn’t overreacting for nothing. But judging from the contents of the letter… am I in serious trouble?
“So someone like that is going to be my chaperone?”
“It’s not confirmed yet. There is also the Marchioness of Toten….”
“The Crown Prince’s birthday is in two days. Do you think the Marchioness will contact you within that time?”
Raphaela doesn’t seem to have experience with people going completely off the grid. As a veteran of life, let me give you some advice, Raphaela. Whether it’s a relationship or teamwork, people who disappear like that usually never come back. That’s why it’s called ghosting.
“Or… my mother is also an option. If the other party is a duke, even Bishop Marik won’t be able to do anything about it.”
“Didn’t you say you were estranged?”
“No! That’s just in name. In reality, she worries about me a lot. I’ll grab her by the pant leg if I have to and beg her to act as your chaperone!”
Raphaela shouted urgently. Is she worried about me being in danger? She does seem to have some sense of loyalty after all. I felt a bit moved.
“And it seems we’re being watched.”
“What? That wasn’t in the letter.”
Could it be because of the rumors that someone is tailing me? But I never leave the house—how would they even monitor me?
At that, Jelly, who had been casually eating grapes behind us, replied nonchalantly.
“Oh, that guy who kept lurking around the house? I already dealt with him.”
“Dealt with him?”
Hey, Jelly. Were you secretly patrolling and acting like a dark hero behind my back? I thought you were just loafing around every day!
“What do you mean you dealt with him?! If the watcher around the estate disappears, it just makes things more suspicious!”
Apparently that wasn’t a good move. Maybe I had been scolding her for a valid reason. Raphaela, not even knowing who was speaking, snapped in anger, then belatedly looked at Jelly with a doubtful expression.
“Y-you… come to think of it, who are you?”
Do these two not know each other?
“Me? I’m Jelly.”
“I was asking the young lady.”
A subtle tension began to build. Wait, is she realizing Daisy is a rival in love? Since Daisy likes Raphaela, I should side with Raphaela too.
“Jelly is… my dog?”
Oops. I tried to describe my relationship with her in a way that had nothing to do with Daisy, and I instinctively just called her a “dog.” This might get me accused of beastkin discrimination again.
“Ah, I mean, she’s a subordinate I treat like a dog.”
I quickly added that clarification. But now that sounds like something a terrible employer would say. Raphaela slapped her ears as if she had heard nonsense. I’m sorry, I really am.
On the other hand, Jelly didn’t seem offended by being called a dog and calmly wagged her tail. Wait… was that just my imagination? She’s in human form right now, so maybe I was seeing things.
No. It wasn’t my imagination. A tail popped out from Jelly. And she even had ears. The ears on top of her head twitched, and my hand reflexively jolted. So I wasn’t mistaken earlier! Why does she normally hide them and suddenly let them out?
Fortunately, Raphaela was still busy slapping her own ears, so she hadn’t noticed yet. Hide that! Quickly! I signaled frantically with my eyes, and Jelly tucked her ears and tail back in.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, this? Don’t you like this sort of thing, Master?”
“When did I ever say I liked that?”
What nonsense is she talking about? Why would I like that?
“Because… you always dote on Pudding more than anyone, don’t you?”
Ah. So she wasn’t talking about preferences, just that I treat animals more favorably. I see. Jelly must have been calling me “master” because she was competing with Pudding. No, but you can’t compare like that. Pudding is still young—it needs more care, of course.
Just as I was about to lecture her to act more maturely, Raphaela looked at Jelly with a troubled expression, unsure of what to say. Did she notice the ears and tail? In a softer voice than before, Raphaela spoke to Jelly.
“Um… excuse me…”
“You calling me?”
“If you’re under any unfair pressure, please report it.”
“What?”
What is she saying?! Unfair pressure? Does she think I’m some kind of perverted beastkin slave collector? This is about to add another line to the endless rumors. How do I even explain this? “I don’t like beastkin”? No! That sounds even more suspicious! It’ll look like I’m hiding my preferences!
Jelly, seemingly bewildered as well, burst out laughing.
“Hey, that’s hilarious. Are you telling me to report my master?”
Don’t call me master! You’ve never called me that even once, so don’t suddenly make it sound suspicious!
“And if I report you, who’s going to arrest you?”
Jelly chuckled while continuing to eat grapes. Occasionally, as if wanting to show off, she even tossed grapes toward Pudding to catch. Of course, our dignified Pudding caught the grapes and hurled them right back at Jelly’s face.
Even after being hit by fruit, Jelly just kept laughing as if she enjoyed it. How does that look like someone suffering from unfair labor conditions? To me, she just looks like an unemployed person who found a good caretaker. Frustrated, I glared at her, but Raphaela avoided my gaze.
“Haha… of course, it was just a joke. You understand, right?”
No, I don’t. I just agreed to help protect your relationship with Daisy—why am I being treated like some kind of exploitative employer?
Under my glare, Raphaela hurriedly gathered her belongings.
“I’ll go speak with my mother just in case.”
Raphaela attempted to flee. Where do you think you’re going?
“Forget it.”
“Pardon?”
Realistically, would begging at the last minute even work?
If it were me, and my estranged son suddenly showed up years after cutting ties with the world, asking me to act as chaperone for his romantic interest, I’d probably kick him out. Let’s give up on the duke.
“Would Bishop Marik willingly act as chaperone for an unfamiliar young lady?”
“No. He is kind, but very firm. Even if you ask, he likely won’t agree.”
He would only step in because he considers me suspicious. Given the rumors about Evangelin, anyone would think something is off—some even suspect possession by a spirit.
“If the Marchioness of Toten doesn’t come, I’ll accept Bishop Marik’s offer.”
“Bishop Marik is dangerous…”
“If I desperately refuse, it will only make me seem more suspicious.”
In any genre, characters who are suspicious tend to chase after those who run. The more you hide and avoid them, the more suspicious you appear and the more they cling to you. They dig into everything, interfere at every turn, and investigate relentlessly to the point of becoming a nuisance. I’d bet my hair that Bishop Marik would do the same. So instead of running, it’s better to face it head-on.
Most importantly, I am not the same person I used to be! The days when my terrible acting exposed my possession everywhere are over. I didn’t just learn etiquette and dancing. Allow me to introduce the refined new “Evangelin,” perfected through Dolline’s delicate training and Daisy’s implanted memories of Evangelin!
Now I’m confident I could even fool Count Rohan-son. He suddenly suggested having lunch together on the day of the banquet for some reason—perfect opportunity to test myself.
By the way, isn’t it customary to fast on the day of a banquet? How inconsiderate. Then again, that probably explains why he left his daughter alone even if she became a villainess or got possessed.
“Please, let Marchioness Toten come….”
This guy… Raphaela definitely seems displeased with me. Or perhaps she’s just very afraid of Bishop Marik. Surely they wouldn’t actually beat people with branches from the World Tree during exorcisms… right? That’s kind of scary.
Though I had tried to stay composed, seeing Raphaela like this made me wish the Marchioness would come after all. But it felt shameless to urge someone to leave an ill person behind. Maybe I should have told Raphaela to reconcile with her estranged mother during this chance. Raphaela looked at me with teary eyes.
“Given that there’s been no contact yet… she probably won’t come, right?”
Seeing her so frightened suddenly sparked my mischievous side.
“Wanna make a bet?”
“Pardon?”
As expected, Raphaela frowned as if she didn’t understand what I was saying.
“I’ll bet on the Marchioness of Toten coming.”
Raphaela looked puzzled, likely because I had just been so certain she wouldn’t come and now I was betting the opposite.
“Would she really not come? She said her child is ill.”
“Well, circumstances can change.”
Tch. This is why amateurs are amusing. Don’t you know about reverse betting? That’s the fun of gambling.
Of course, my true thoughts were different.
I don’t want to get hit with something like a branch made from the World Tree! Please, come!
