Killing the Possessor - Chapter 96

“Wait!”

I stopped Count Midas as he generously volunteered to handle the troublesome task. Of course, it wasn’t some grand plan, just a reflexive choice driven more by emotion than reason.

“How can you trust that orb?”

A sharp gaze fell on me for defending Ailrose, who had suddenly become a suspect. I regretted speaking up but decided to stand my ground.

“What are you saying, Miss Camilli? You saw it all just now. The Count explained how it works. Are you seriously trying to protect a possessed person?”

“I’m just asking for a rational thought. If such an orb really existed, wouldn’t the Public Security Bureau have acted first? Even to recover the lost records from the fire?”

According to the novel, the orb was definitely a fake. But even putting that aside, the premise that an orb capable of detecting possession actually exists somewhere in this world is flawed.

If it were real, the Public Security Bureau would have already gone to great lengths to find it. Instead, a wealthy noble bought this precious item at auction? It’s hard to accept.

However, since the Count was known for frequenting illegal auctions and buying intriguing items, most assumed the orb was genuine.

Realizing that the atmosphere hadn’t changed at all, I spoke again.

“More importantly, do we even know if soul wavelengths really exist? It’s just a rumor. Are we really going to brand an innocent person a possessor based on such a fairy tale? Especially during a lighthearted event like this?”

“Lighthearted, Miss Camilli?”

Count Midas, who had been watching quietly, interrupted with a slightly hurt expression.

“How can catching a possessor be lighthearted? Since I went through the trouble of obtaining this, I wanted to show the guests how it works during the banquet. But it was never something I took lightly.”

Several voices chimed in agreement.

“Exactly. If she really is innocent, let the investigators find out. Why argue among ourselves?”

“Right. The investigators know best.”

Many of the guests had close ties with the Count, so such sentiments were inevitable.

I clenched my fists. Honestly, it was wiser to back down here. Arguing against handing the matter to the investigators would clearly look like defending the possessed.

Moreover, Wyner’s gaze had shifted since he finally seemed to realize Ailrose was the woman he’d shared an intimate moment with. Seeing his face reddened with what could have been betrayal or anger, I suddenly thought:

Ah, his affinity must have dropped. And if this continues, it’ll drop drastically.

After all, it would be ridiculous to be jealous of a woman who almost built a Great Wall around him but then to protect her like this even now, especially since they hadn’t even known each other long.

But then…

“Please help me!”

Maybe I remembered the desperate middle-aged man begging to stop the carriage dangerously before we arrived at the Count’s estate.

“I didn’t commit a crime; I just wanted to go home, but what is all this? Please, help me!”

A pitiful man who, like me, had fallen into a world he didn’t understand. At least I’d grasped this world through the novel and game; he probably didn’t even understand what ‘possession’ meant.

And for such a person’s safety, I—

“We should contact the police.”

I betrayed him. Though not doing so might have endangered me, the screams of the man dragged off by Ren Abyss still echoed in my ears. Maybe because I was a decent, conscience-driven commoner, my failure to save him weighed heavily on me.

That was why, unprepared as I was, I drew my weapon.