(EP-223.2) #3

223 – Discovery #3

As I nodded, Mirna added a few more words of caution.

“Still, don’t let Lady Lioness know. You never know what demons will do if they know they’re exposed.”

“Okay.”

“For the demon to possess the Lioness Family’s Young lady… It must harbor tremendous hatred. Perhaps this was the same with what happened to Professor Balan, caused by one of the great magics….”

That was the end of my conversation with Mirna.

Only then did I notice the cold sweat pouring down my back and forehead. Despite the hot weather, this was far from ordinary.

I thought I’d been caught…

But if Mirna, skilled in dealing with souls, couldn’t discern it, then what exactly was my possession?

I hadn’t had time to think about it until now, so I couldn’t help but become a little curious.

* * *

The party was great, though cleaning up afterward felt tough.

Clearing out the cooled venue was up to me and the imps.

“Hihi, we’ll take all the leftover meat-! To waste such delicious meat, these golden-spooned nobles don’t know how to save-! We need a revolution-!”

“Tartar, we can probably use the charcoal and dishes here too-!”

Still, the imps seemed to enjoy the cleanup as if it were a treasure hunt. Working with people enjoying what they did certainly made it easier for me to stay motivated.

“Comrade, come visit the Fairy Paradise soon! I’ll show you something amazing. You’ll be so surprised, you won’t be able to speak. Hehehe-.”

As we finished up, Marmar grinned ominously. I was not sure what she was planning to show, but it must be something extraordinary if she got this excited.

Maybe she made a giant-sized Marumaru doll.

“We’ve cleared everything. Now, everyone go in and get some rest.”

“Comrade, see you next time!”

The hill soon became spotless.

Watching the dawn slowly rise in the distance, I couldn’t help but feel a bit reflective, thinking that the day had ended and a new one had begun.

No, now wasn’t the time for that.

When morning came…

I waited for the library doors to open and borrowed the book I wanted.

The book「Feast of Souls」by Parma Draco. I quickly flipped through it to see if there was anything that might help.

「How to identify possessors.」

Here it was.

「1. Targets exhibit behaviors they wouldn’t normally display. To the point where those around them easily notice the changes.」

「2. They react extremely badly to things with yang ki, such as garlic or crosses. In severe cases, the host may vomit blood.」

It was no different from the identification method Mirna told me.

「3. The longer the possession lasts, the less sleep they get and the sharper their personality becomes. This is because the demon or evil spirit is trying to wear down the host’s mind and take over their body. Getting enough sleep helps.」

Wasn’t this closer to Aira’s symptoms than mine? Aira’s personality had become much more docile since she started sleeping more soundly.

Anyway, it seemed that there was no connection between me and possession.

But… Then what was I?

* * *

I called Elga behind her dormitory and explained what happened yesterday in a very small voice.

“So, Miss Mirna is speculating that Miss Elga got possessed by a demon. It would be wise to be careful with your actions for the time being.”

“Aha, Mirna, that woman… No wonder she’s been annoying whenever she gets around me lately. She’s sharp.”

Seuk-.

Elga touched her belly.

Elga’s belly had not yet swelled, but the life within it was certain.

“Looks like Leonor has quite the presence. Holding such a big soul. It’s funny that she’s mistaken as an evil spirit.”

“Leonor?”

When I asked, Elga pointed to her stomach.

“It’s the little one’s name.”

“Isn’t Leonor a girl’s name?”

“I was going to name my son Leonidas. But I have a feeling that we’re having a daughter.”

‘I see.’

I nodded in understanding, then Elga furrowed her brow.

“Hey, what’s with the cross? Put it away. Do you want to die?”

Thanks to that, I had no choice but to put away the symbol of the Gwangyeong Church that I was holding. Elga was ferocious. It wasn’t possession, just her being the usual self.

“What, it’s already noon? Anyway, I need to meet the messenger my dad sent for a bit. That’s it for our meeting today.”

“Then I’ll see you later.”

After parting ways with Elga, I remembered I had something to do at noon. I needed to go wake Aira up, who slept late last night.

Seureuk-.

Slipping into her cold room, with the air conditioning on, I looked down at Aira, who was sound asleep.

She was sleeping so deeply that I worried she might have slipped into a coma like last time. Such a peaceful image.

Gently, I extended what I was holding towards her.

“Eugh-.”

“……!”

Aira deeply frowned. So, I hastily tucked the silver cross I was holding into my pocket.

… She reacted to the cross.

At that moment, I remembered the strange monstrous entity that lurked in Aira’s subconscious. If it was some kind of demon dwelling inside her, then this reaction made sense.

Something that would eat a person from the inside.

Hadn’t I already experienced something like that?

In retrospect, I didn’t know why I hadn’t suspected Aira before.

Solomon’s Great Magic.

Ars Nova.

If one of them was dwelling inside Aira, it could explain her abnormal magical abilities and such aggressive tendencies.

Edited by: faker