Killing the Possessor - Chapter 53

“…Sir Ren?”

Just seeing his shocked expression made it clear. At least this woman wasn’t the type to cause the kind of nuisance that Torea had feared.

Look at that face—she clearly wants to leave the orphanage right away. Yet, while he felt a sense of relief, there was a strangely rising discomfort he couldn’t shake off.

“I didn’t expect to see you here. This is the first time I’ve seen you in this place.”

“Oh, I thought I’d do some good here starting today.”

The fake answer made him laugh. Trying to do something good starting today? What could she possibly be up to by coming here?

Is it reputation management for marriage, perhaps? She seemed remarkably well-adjusted to the local culture for a possessor.

If she had help from Hongik Ingan, it wouldn’t be so surprising. But if she’s closely connected to them, it was even more reason to investigate further.

“The strawberry fairy wears a red cloak, and the orange fairy wears an orange cone hat.”

Since he had decided to investigate her as a possessor, he had observed her closely. As he listened to her soft voice reading the story while sitting in a chair, he couldn’t help but wonder.

What kind of life did this woman lead before becoming a possessor? Was she always the refined young lady of a respectable family, or was she known as a troublemaker in her neighborhood?

He had thought she’d just pretend to volunteer for a short while and leave, but she surprisingly spent a long time with the children. By the time she helped the kids with their artwork, the nervousness she showed when glancing in his direction had completely disappeared.

As he watched her focus on the children that she didn’t know he had left the room, he couldn’t help but smile. He then headed toward the main building after hearing that someone from the palace was looking for him.

“Crown Prince.”

Surprised to see such an unexpected figure in the director’s office, he quickly composed himself and greeted him. The Crown Prince smiled warmly and firmly grasped his shoulder.

“It’s fine. No need for formalities here. I was just passing by to make a donation, and I heard you were here, so I thought I’d stop by and greet you. I’ve heard Wyner’s been giving you a hard time lately?”

It seemed he had received information about Wyner’s interference in the investigation. Ren smiled, a habit he picked up during work, and replied,

“It’s nothing.”

“We’ve spoiled him as the youngest, and now you’re dealing with a lot of trouble because of that brat. I apologize on his behalf.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“But,”

His voice dropped, and a rich scent of wood suddenly wafted over. The coldness in his eyes, starkly contrasting with his smile, quietly pressured him.

“Why is the eldest daughter of the Mute family being summoned?”

“….”

Ren stared intently at the red eyes glinting sharply.

The relationship between Prince Wyner and Lady Mute was well-known throughout the kingdom. But had that woman also been close with the Crown Prince?

She had been in contact with the palace frequently and had dated the Prince for a long time, so it was certainly possible she had met the brother multiple times.

“When there was chaos at the palace, I witnessed Miss Camilli purifying the evil spirit.”

“Is that so?”

“Miss Camilli was not born with divine powers. There are no records of her developing them later, either. I thought it might be helpful for her to gain a better understanding of the evil spirits, which is why I wanted to ask for her cooperation.”

“I see.”

The sharp energy he had felt earlier suddenly dissipated as the atmosphere changed in an instant, and the Crown Prince smiled in a lighthearted manner.

“If there really is a way to combat evil spirits without divine power, the academic world would be in an uproar.”

“I suppose so.”

“But it’s probably a coincidence. Think about it. If it was really possible, there would have been reports on it long ago.”

“….”

His words were more than just an opinion; they had a tone of defense. Ren’s brow furrowed slightly. Crown Prince Daeon didn’t stop there and added a meaningful comment.

“She has already suffered a great deal because of my brother. Don’t push her too hard. Do you understand what I mean?”

“…Of course.”

“You’re quick to catch on, I like that.”

Crown Prince Daeon gave Ren a sly smile as he turned and walked past him.

“Well then, let’s meet again sometime.”

“….”

He watched the Crown Prince walk toward the door after the short conversation ended.

“Ah!”

As soon as the door opened, a child darted out. The boy, who had been standing right in front of Daeon, tripped and fell flat on his backside after narrowly avoiding Daeon.

“My goodness, Tommy!”

Torea, who had been standing behind him, rushed to help the boy up. Grabbing Torea’s hand, the boy awkwardly got to his feet and, upon seeing the much taller man, shrank back.

Daeon clicked his tongue lightly before bending down without hesitation, brushing off the boy’s clothes and asking,

“Oh no, I’m sorry. Are you alright?”

“….”

But the boy’s reaction was strange. His once sharp gaze started losing focus and soon became hazy. The boy, staring vacantly into the air, quietly ran out of the room without a word or any gesture of acknowledgment.

“Tommy!”

The bewildered nun got flustered and called out to the boy to stop, but he didn’t look back and kept running. His rude behavior toward royalty was hard to overlook, and she kept apologizing.

“I’m so sorry, Your Highness. He’s not usually like this; he must have been really hungry. It’s time for dinner…”