Killing the Possessor - Chapter 85

Chapter 6. The Temperature of Spectating

The party at Count Midas’s mansion, which I’d experienced in the game, was scheduled to take place exactly on the D-day I remembered.

In other words, once again, I was barely hanging on and needed to extend my residence permit.

“Are they doing this on purpose, timing it just right?”

I wanted to protest such an unfair situation, but it felt pointless, so I just sighed. I didn’t even know who had thrown me into this world in the first place, so my anger had nowhere to go.

Since I had to wait until I cleared the second chapter anyway, I thought I’d try to get closer to my future husband during that time. But our Priest Vice, who had been putting up a thick wall since before, had now built a whole border and completely shut me out.

“They say he’s gone to Baloo? When will he be back?”

“Well, it’ll probably take about two weeks to a month.”

My effort to request confession by arriving at the temple an hour before mass started was all for nothing.

Having suffered from insomnia ever since the assist mode was disabled, losing that precious morning sleep was infuriating.

Days passed in anxiety and frustration without results.

I practiced handling the magic artifacts as best I could with Hawk, but as the count’s birthday party approached, I started feeling quite nervous. The chapter title was “Witch Hunt”, after all, so I knew I had to be determined.

If my guess was right, at that party…

“I must avoid becoming the scapegoat.”

In a witch hunt, suspicion was the greatest danger. Fortunately, at least in the game, Ren Abyss hadn’t appeared in that chapter.

Since he was the only one suspicious of me right now, I hoped that avoiding him might let things go smoothly.

…But.

I ran into him. On my way to the count’s party. And of all people, I bumped into another possessor.

“We meet again, Miss Camilli.”

The man I’d hoped not to see today gave a fake smile and kissed the back of my hand. But my eyes were fixed behind him on the middle-aged man gagged and bound by his subordinates.

“Miss, please—please help me!”

The terrified man’s voice still rang in my ears. It was the first time I’d faced a possessed person who hadn’t transformed into an evil spirit. Before I could even contact Hongik Ingan, this had happened.

I turned my gaze back to the man before me, who smiled as if reading my thoughts.

“I apologize for having you meet a possessor. You must have been frightened.”

“…”

“I’ll make up for this mistake of letting him slip away.”

“I’m fine.”

Amends? Seeing his utterly unapologetic expression, it seemed likely he deliberately herded the possessor toward me to set a trap. Thankfully, he showed up before I helped the possessor, or I’d have been dragged back to the investigation room.

[‘1 chapter’ remain until your stay expires.]

“…”

If that had happened, I would have been dead before even reaching jail.

I chuckled at the message signaling my life was hanging by a thread. Apparently, everyone was competing to make me feel on edge.

I swallowed a sigh and looked him straight in the eyes.

“Sir, I’m a bit late.”

With a strained smile, I tried to free my still-held hand, but his fingers gripping mine didn’t budge. No matter how many times I tried, he shamelessly tightened his grip each time. His crooked smirk showed no signs of softening.

“Um…”

Startled by the unexpected teasing, I began to speak, and only then did he move.

Instead of releasing my hand, he shifted his fingers to hold my wrist loosely, then silently directed his gaze to that spot. His index and middle fingers pressed precisely where the artery lies.

Confused by the strange gesture, I suddenly realized what he was doing and opened my eyes wide.