CH 111

“Before I left home, I heard father talking to himself. He muttered in a loud voice that was ambiguous to say he was talking to himself.”

“What?”

“‘We need to find more people like us.’ At the same time, he was looking at the genealogy books of the nobles, saying that it was necessary to distinguish between allies and enemies.”

“People like us?”

Was he talking about the possessors? Did a possessor recognize other possessors? How? No, how many possessors exist in this Empire?

As I listened to their words, I got confused. I felt like an idiot to the point that it even felt pitiful to think I knew the original.

In the first place, I thought I knew everything because I had been considering that this place was inside a webtoon. Thinking that this was a dream, not reality, I didn’t pay attention to anything except Lucian.

It was really only today that this place started to feel like reality. So when I heard about things that I had never known, I wondered, “Is what I know really true?”

If uncle was a possessor, it was understandable that he suddenly did something crazy…

Then, who was the man wearing the mask as uncle doing now? Where was he hiding? The reason why the Duchy and the Imperial Family had not yet been able to find uncle at the time when the Erland Family was intertwined was because the possessed person had some kind of ability.

…What kind of ability was it?

“Then, how did you come to the Duchy? No, you should have sent a letter… Why did you come only now?”

Aunt answered instead of Samuel.

“Actually, I was trying to hold on until Samuel became an adult. When he becomes an adult, he can inherit the County.”

I quietly listened to her.

“Still, he came to the inn where we were staying. I don’t know how he knew… Still…”

Saying so, aunt squeezed her handkerchief, showing her trembling hands. I swallowed a gulp when I saw her looking full of fear.

“We hadn’t seen him in a long time, and he seemed like a completely different person. In addition, his eyes looking at Samuel…”

Aunt shook her head as if she didn’t want to talk anymore.

Seeing her, Samuel stood by her and spoke instead. Although he pretended to be calm, his speaking voice trembled slightly.

“He obviously gazed at me with covetous eyes. Even when I was young, I remember how kindly father looked at me. But, when we met him again this time, it was like… He looked at me with eyes as if evaluating a product.”

Wasn’t the eyes the window to the soul?

No matter how hard you tried to cover it up, your thoughts flowed through your eyes. I could also easily grasp a person’s intentions and mood by looking at their eyes or expressions. Of course, there were people who were easy to understand, and there were people who were not as easy.

However, the more explicit it was, the more it was revealed through the eyes.

When Lucian no longer hid it and openly coveted me, I felt that emotion intensely, like they were conveyed through my skin.

“A product…”

Was it possible to change bodies? What if uncle really became a possessor, and the ghost inside him was looking at Samuel as his next target?

What were the conditions to getting possessed?

I couldn’t open my mouth any longer. It was so confusing and complicated. So did the others get eaten by the ghost-like Cassandra when she tried to eat me?

As I thought so, a rush of fear crept in.

What if my body was stolen by Cassandra? Would Lucian notice that I have changed or what if he wouldn’t notice?

I felt the hairs all over my body stand up, and fear overcame me. I finally found my person. I was trying to find my seat and sit down though someone was going to take it away… just like my younger brother did.

No, no… I would have to lose my seat twice?

Absolutely not.

“Then, did you come all the way here to avoid uncle?”

“It is, but…”

Aunt law hesitated and could not answer. Instead, Samuel answered.

“Strangely, he disappeared right away, like someone who came to check that we were alive. Still, I was worried about something, so I had no choice but to come to Sister like this. In fact, I couldn’t stand it any longer.”

Even if Liam had provided an emergency fund, it would have been difficult to endure for a long period of time. That was why they couldn’t even have a separate employee. In addition, they must have tried to hear the news about the County somehow, so it may be where uncle came from.

Judging from the nuances of their speech, it was clear that these two knew about uncle’s situation, so they must have come to me, who was from the same family but with different surnames.

“You know, uncle’s situation isn’t good right now. From what I’ve found out separately, I heard that it’s connected to the Imperial Family.”

“…Has father done so much wrong?”

Samuel asked in a heartbroken tone.

I wasn’t sure if I should talk about the possessor or not. Would they believe in it easily? They thought uncle was suspicious and avoided him, but it was another matter to directly hear the root cause.

People walked away when they thought something was wrong, but I didn’t know if they would avoid the problem that caused it.

I’d always been like that, too, so it wasn’t that I didn’t understand. Because of that, it made me even more worried. Shall I say or not? What should I do? Was it a problem that I could come forward and talk about?

I hadn’t expressed my opinion in a long time as I’d always been in a position to accept, but I’ve never been in a position to lead people.

…What to do?

‘What should I do? What would Lucian do in a situation like this?’

In the original story, Lucian had a past similar to mine, but he chose a different path from mine. Even though he had a bad end because of his love, he decided for himself and walked the path silently.

I fell in love with that.

I fell hopelessly into a character that is only 2D and came to support him. Of course, I admitted that it was also another evasion on my part. Actually, I put my problems aside and only clung to webtoons.

I didn’t eat properly every day and didn’t live like a human being. I just lay down and breathed, and I picked up my phone and looked at the webtoon only when it was uploaded. I only cared for it as if my only mission was to read [ There is Another Doll Living in the Dollhouse ] webtoon.

Lucian, what would you do in this situation? Was it right to say I wished I could stand alone like you…

I still feel like an idiot who couldn’t do anything alone. As I glanced up at Samuel with shaky eyes, he also seemed to want to hear something from me though I couldn’t help myself.

Suddenly, a knock came.

“Miss, the Duke has come to visit.”

The butler’s words seemed to sound like thousands of troops. I replied with a bright face.

“Tell him to come in.”

There was no place in this mansion that Lucian couldn’t enter. Even so, it must have been considerate to inform me first.

…The kind Lucian.

He was a person who had nothing but to be loved.

The door opened, and Lucian entered. The gaze, which wandered in the air for a moment, went straight to me. I bent my toes as I watched his eyes, which had been cold as metal, quickly spread warmth like sunlight.

If this tickling and fuzzy feeling wasn’t love, what would it be?

I have felt this feeling for a long time. If so, wouldn’t it be that I’d been in love with him since the moment that I didn’t even know myself?

“It seems like time has passed so I came to pick you up, Ray.”

“Thank you, Luci.”

Lucian came to my side and held out his hand. Seeing that, I put my hand in his big, strong hand and wiggled my hand slightly.

“Thank you so much for accepting me like this, Duke.”

Meanwhile, aunt stood up and greeted him while Samuel also bowed down with him.

“Thank you as well, Duke.”

Lucian, who was watching the two of them silently, parted his lips again.

“Ray’s family is like family to me. So, please feel free to stay as long as you want.”

“How should I repay this favor…”

Aunt was in tears again. It seemed like that for a while. Well, she had been on the run for a long time. It must have been mentally exhausting, so would it be better to tell Lucian first that uncle was a possessor?

By the way, did Lucian know that there were possessors in the Empire? He didn’t seem to know much about Noah either… Was I the only one who knew? So, who should I tell this to?

I must have frowned in worry as Lucian said as he squeezed my forehead with his firm fingertips.

“What are you worried about?”

“…I’ll tell you later.”

First of all, I thought about getting away from this place. It seemed like it would be best to leave quickly for the sake of Samuel and Aunt, who were noticeably uncomfortable when Lucian came in.

“First of all, take care of your health, Aunt.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Samuel, you as well. Just rest for now, and let’s think about it together later.”

“…Thank you, sister Rachel.”

“…Then, I will go first.”

My heart fluttered listening to the word sister. I could even hear hallucinations.

— Sister Hyeyoung.

From the voices of my younger brother, to my voice, and the voices of the fully grown adults… they slowly passed through my head.