Chapter 68

Chapter 68

The duke only set her down when they reached the Cuvershaiden carriage. She sat in her seat, placed both hands on her knees, and fidgeted with her fingers in embarrassment.

“Still not feeling well? Your face is red.”

The duke looked at her and asked.

“Ah, no. I’m fine now.”

She rolled her now-fine legs along the floor, a subtle hint that she didn’t need to see a doctor.

“But—more than that—do you know what I saw in that ghost’s memories?”

She dodged his gaze and changed the subject.

“What did you see?”

“A dragon! Just for a moment, but I saw a dragon.”

“You saw a dragon?”

“Yes. Maybe that ghost was telling the truth. So… I think it’d be best to possess that ghost and see its memories in detail.”

“What?”

The Duke’s brow furrowed instantly. I knew exactly what he was worrying about. But I’d already seen a dragon in that memory. I didn’t want to just let this slip by.

“That woman couldn’t be reasoned with. She did seem a bit crazy, like you said… So isn’t seeing her memories the only other way?”

“Laura, we agreed. No possession.”

“Well… um… Could we make an exception just this once? That memory was incredible. I might even learn the truth behind Luision’s founding myth.”

“She wasn’t in her right mind. That memory itself might not be real. You don’t need to risk danger over a memory that might not even be true.”

“But…”

I didn’t give up, racking my brain for some argument to persuade him. But before I could land on an answer, the Duke spoke first.

“Remember what your sister told you. When you were young, a possessing soul suddenly turned into an evil spirit and put you in danger. And that woman was deranged from the start. There’s no telling what she’ll do. It’s dangerous. Don’t you dare.”

I could accept that possession was risky. But wasn’t she a ghost I couldn’t even communicate with? Possession seemed like the only way to get information from her. Besides, it’d been fine so far—maybe it’d be fine this time too.

“If it’s dangerous, don’t do it, Laura. I don’t know much about this, but Illiaje must have a good reason to worry.”

The Young Marquis backed the Duke’s words. I had no choice but to nod in agreement. Without his consent, I couldn’t perform the possession anyway—I needed someone to push the possessing soul out of my body.

No help for it. If it’s about safety, pushing harder would just be stubborn.

But in my mind, the dragon’s image was already replaying naturally. The thrill of seeing a dragon—something I’d only ever thought of as a mythical creature—even indirectly, was entirely new. Which made the regret bite deeper.

It wasn’t just curiosity about dragons. On another level, it was about Shion. I wanted to resolve that nagging question: did she have dragon’s blood, and was she really royalty?

“Don’t bring up possession again.”

The Duke hammered the point home, as if demanding a final answer. I pouted silently for a moment, then nodded again.

“…Okay.”

After that, we returned to Cuvershaiden along the dusk-shadowed road. On my way back to my room, I ran into Shion, who was darting around the mansion. The moment she saw me—just like yesterday—she scurried right up to me.

“Unnie!”

“And tag, too.”

“Alright. Let’s do it in the garden.”

“Okay!”

“Instantly, Shion’s eyes sparkled. She looked absolutely thrilled. I paused for a moment, just taking in her delicate features.”

Shion had told me she had no memories of her life. That meant even if she possessed someone, there’d be no memories to read. What’s more, our current investigation was at a standstill. I found myself worrying whether I could ever help her ascend.

“What’s wrong?”

“As if sensing my gaze, Shion met my eyes and asked. Her wide eyes blinked a couple of times, fixed on me.”

“Nothing. Don’t worry. Even if you can’t remember, I’ll do my best.”

“I shook my head as I answered. Though she was a ghost, in that time, I’d grown fond of her. I couldn’t give up easily.”

* * *

“Shion! I told you to behave. Running around like this at night keeps everyone else from sleeping. You’re so full of energy that people can actually hear you.”

The Duke and the Young Marquis had gone with Prince Jeyshion to the Imperial Castle to search for any trace of Shion that might remain there. Unfortunately, I couldn’t join them. The Prince had said he didn’t want to be accompanied by someone he didn’t know well. So, with no choice, I was left alone in the banquet hall, idly watching the crowd.

Then, at some point, the beautiful woman I’d seen yesterday entered my field of view. Surrounded by people, she was wearing a bright smile, enjoying the banquet. Even from a distance, she looked stunning. Naturally, my gaze was drawn to her.

‘Wow. People are flocking around that woman like a line.’

A crowd of people gathered around her as if pulled by a magnet. They all seemed desperate to exchange even a single word with her.

‘Come to think of it, a huge crowd had gathered around our Duke too…’

“But I’m so bored. You and Oppa keep going out together and coming back!”

“Mmm… I’m sorry about that. The banquet’s almost over now. I promise I’ll play with you after. For now, just be a little more quiet, okay?”

“Hmm. I’ll think about it.”

At that, Shion cocked her head with deliberate sass. Seeing the child’s pouty, sulky look, I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.

“Come on, Shion. After the banquet, what should we play?”

“Um… I want to play hide-and-seek.”

“Deal.”

Then it struck me—after the Duke and I had danced, people had swarmed around him. That was probably because he was the Duke. No harm in being on good terms with him, after all. By that logic, that woman must be high-born too.

My mood plummeted like a stone. I tore my gaze from her and slipped out of the banquet hall, then started walking aimlessly along a corridor with an open wall that gave onto the garden.

Lately, I kept looking back at myself. And then, for the first time in my life—a life I’d never thought lacking—I’d feel a sudden stab of doubt. Those feelings always felt corrosive. I hadn’t expected loving the Duke to be all sunshine, but I never thought it would gnaw at me from angles I couldn’t even anticipate.

‘It’s not like I did anything wrong…’

I swallowed a small sigh and stopped walking. The long light of a late-summer evening poured down at my feet. I squinted against the glare—and in the corner of my eye, at a diagonal, I caught a cluster of white-robed figures.

Looking closer, I saw each robe bore an X-shaped emblem. Priests, by the look of it. They were marching in orderly rows, led by an old man standing alone at the front. Then, at a corner, they turned and began heading my way.

I quickly stepped back beside a pillar and waited for them all to pass. But the moment the man at the very rear of the procession came into view, I couldn’t help but recognize him.

“Oh? Priest?”

It was a familiar face. He was the very priest who’d visited Cuvershaiden to help expel the Red-Haired Maid’s soul when she’d possessed me.

“Young Lady.”

He broke away from the group and came to stand before me.

“Did you come with the Duke?”

He looked around, clearly searching for where the Duke might be.

“The Duke stepped away for a moment on business.”

I waved my hands to show the Duke wasn’t here.

“I see. Still busy as ever, I take it.”

“Well… he’s always busy. But what brings you to the Imperial Castle, Priest?”

“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday, is it not? I came to the banquet to offer a blessing for His Highness.”

“A blessing… you say?”

“Yes. Every year on this anniversary, priests visit the Imperial court to give blessings. It’s how we foster goodwill between the Temple and the Imperial Family.”

“Ah, I see. I never knew that.”

Luision was a country where the temple and the imperial family each clung to their own power. But the crown always held a decisive edge over the clergy, so the Temple constantly bowed and scraped beneath the Imperial Castle. I didn’t know for sure, but their being here to offer blessings was probably part of that same dance.

“Well then, it was a pleasure to meet you. Regrettably, I should be getting back before my group leaves entirely. I’ll see you again.”

The priest tilted his chin toward the others’ receding backs, already far off. Then he made to hurry after them.

“Ah, one moment.”

But I snatched his collar on instinct. A sudden thought had hooked me.

“Priest. Might I ask — how late will you be staying at the Imperial Castle today?”

“……It seems I’ll be here all day. Why do you ask?”

“Oh. So at least until tonight, then……? In that case — please help me!”