Chapter 43
Of course, I didn't entirely trust Daisy's words. Suddenly claiming Kanna isn't really my sister—I couldn't believe such a thing.
Yet the nagging suspicion had been circling in my head for days.
I recalled the times Kanna sometimes behaved in strange, inexplicable ways, and when I saw her rejoicing at Donau's death. The thought suddenly occurred to me—was she acting that way because she truly wasn't Kanna?
If someone truly cared for their sister, they should feel revulsion at the suggestion that the person had changed. Just as Daisy, who had detested Lady Evangelin, had felt.
It was the sister who had suffered her whole life, and now that she was completely cured, someone else had taken over that body? Anger would be the appropriate response.
"Even if Kanna has changed, even if she's someone else entirely, seeing her smile like that makes me want to do anything for her."
But Hena was still weak when it came to Kanna.
After chewing over Daisy's words dozens of times, waiting for Kanna who hadn't returned until late into the night, she finally admitted it.
Whatever form it took or whoever it was, she was content just having 'Kanna' by her side. Hena shed tears at how ugly her selfishness was.
"Daisy. I must be crazy, right?"
Hena smiled with tears still wet on her face.
"Hena…."
Daisy deeply regretted having a living example before her eyes of how her thoughtless words had destroyed someone. Just because she found a line on a neck, she shouldn't have said that wasn't your sister.
Her words, spoken out of misplaced generosity, petty sympathy, trying to lessen her own guilt, had shattered Hena's mind.
When they worked together at the mansion, she had heard that Hena was earning money for her only remaining family member's medical treatment. Her sister must have been Hena's entire world. To tell her that world was fake—how devastating that shock must have been.
"I think I understand what you mean too."
"You understand?"
"I thought Lady Evangelin was definitely a monster who had stolen our young miss's body. That's why I fled the mansion and even reported her to the temple. But when I was cornered, the only person I could turn to for help was her."
"What about you? Do you plan to pretend you don't know the help the young miss gave you?"
"The Evangelin Rohanson you knew is already dead."
This was a pointed remark Kanna had made. The story Kanna brought up was passed to Hena through Daisy. Hena quietly accepted those words.
"And Lady Evangelin helped me. Now, gratitude outweighs the eerie and repulsive feelings I had. Hena, will you curse me for being crazy?"
Hena shook her head. Thanks to Lady Evangelin's change, Kanna's body had recovered, and now the two of them could live without financial hardship. Hena too feared Lady Evangelin but was also grateful.
"And also… I need to apologize. What I said back then seems to have been my misunderstanding."
Actually, Daisy had intended to bring this up before Hena did.
"Misunderstanding?"
"You know the demon beside the young miss—Jelly, right? The corpses Jelly resurrects all have red marks remaining on their necks."
She didn't mention that it was because their throats had been severed and reattached.
The resurrected corpses usually only mimicked the behaviors of their past lives. But Kanna was far more human-like compared to the people Jelly had resurrected. Of course, with the precedent of Lady Evangelin, she couldn't assert it definitively.
She had intended to apologize, saying she had misjudged back then, that her sister was likely the same person… but it seemed too late.
"So it was a misunderstanding."
"Really?"
"Why, your sister used holy water, didn't she? Sir Gabriel said that those who died and were resurrected have their flesh burn when they touch holy water."
When Hena responded indifferently, Daisy hastily added evidence. This was something Gabriel had told her—information obtained while interrogating Priest Ver who had been resurrected by Jelly.
"Holy water…."
Contrary to Daisy's hopes, Hena became even more anxious upon hearing this. Kanna had only used holy water when treating her illness. After that, she had refused treatment for the wound on her neck. That was why the wound on her neck still remained.
Why did Kanna refuse treatment…?
Hena wanted to slap her own cheek at the thought that suddenly crossed her mind. Lady Evangelin had plenty of holy water. If Kanna were to be injured badly enough to require holy water, even more than before, wouldn't they discover the truth then? Such a thought flickered through her mind.
"Sister, did you wait long?"
Kanna, who had returned quickly as her errand was merely delivering flower petals to the young miss, clung to Hena. Hena stroked Kanna's head.
But Hena would never harm her sister. That meant Hena would have to live her entire life in anxiety.
***
Gabriel arrived at the knight order late after personally entrusting the children to the orphanage. Explaining the situation and going through procedures took more time than expected.
Raphaela, who was writing a report to present at the upcoming meeting, welcomed Gabriel's return.
"Good work, Commander. I could have gone instead."
"No. I told the young miss I would handle it myself."
Actually, Raphaela or other knights could have handled it just fine.
Gabriel had personally made the trip not out of a sense of responsibility to see things through for the children. In the first place, Gabriel was not as pious and righteous a person as the public believed.
It was entirely because of Evangelin—precisely speaking, because of Evangelin Rohanson's uneasy expression. Or perhaps it was closer to wariness than unease.
Perhaps because they were children connected to Daisy, Evangelin had shown an unusually keen interest in the children and treated them gently. Since these were children she cared about, Gabriel had no choice but to pay attention as well.
"Thank you."
Gabriel had witnessed the moment Evangelin cast off her guise as a noble young lady. He noticed that the bored mask she wore had cracked the instant she received a child's words of gratitude.
"I see."
Gabriel had to deliberately cross lines, abandon manners, and behave presumptuously to barely catch a glimpse of Evangelin's true nature. Yet a mere child's clumsy thank-you had revealed it.
How could such a pathetic expression of gratitude shake her?
'Does she like children?'
No. It probably wasn't such a benevolent feeling—perhaps she just became a bit more gentle? According to Daisy's explanation, Evangelin had ultimately saved the children.
A carriage that had swept past his eyes, red wheel marks momentarily came to mind.
If Gabriel himself had met Evangelin in his past as an orphan, would he have received help? Would that pale, cold hand have been extended to him?
Since it was already in the past and couldn't be undone, Gabriel soon shook off his thoughts.
"Still, it would be much more effective for you to make the request, Commander, than for me."
Raphaela grumbled. The priest in charge of the orphanage was an extremely upright person—too upright, to the point of disregarding nobles who were obsessed with money. Since Raphaela's noble background was well known, she wouldn't have been welcomed if she went herself.
On the other hand, the self-made knight commander from an orphanage background would undoubtedly have been warmly welcomed.
'I never lived extravagantly either.'
She had become someone unrelated to her family the moment she entered the temple, so this was really too much. Raphaela, who had already been treated like a disowned child, stewed in her grievances.
Her already severe hatred of nobles seemed likely to worsen after hearing that wealthy people had beaten children. One of the priests on that transaction list just had to be of noble birth, too.
"What about Merai?"
"For now, we've confined him underground."
Raphaela reported on the progress. Merai had been immediately imprisoned in the holding cell, and a report was filed upstairs right away. Since a priest was involved in human trafficking, the matter was considered serious, and a meeting was scheduled immediately.
Merai's fate would likely be decided at that meeting.
"Commander, and it seems Lady Rohanson's name will come up during the meeting."
In Priest Ver's case, there was no direct connection so Evangelin's name didn't come up, but this time was different. Bishop Javaniya had also seen Evangelin and shown interest, so her name would surely be mentioned.
"Will you tell them everything about the young miss's true identity?"
A person who might be the culprit behind the Donau incident, the master of the symbol, a reanimated corpse, a being without ego pretending to be a noble young lady.
If everything were revealed, Evangelin Rohanson would not escape death. Or perhaps the opposite.
"I wonder…."
Gabriel closed his eyes. From somewhere, he heard the sound of a heart beating very slowly.
***
"Did you sleep well, my lady?"
No. I couldn't sleep a wink.
The thought that I had to see Gabriel soon made me toss and turn all night.
While I was this disturbed, Kanna looked fresh-faced as if flowers were floating around her. She must have reconciled well with Hena last night.
"Where's Hena?"
"She said she'd stop by see the butler with Daisy."
Originally, Hena had been dejected not because of Kanna's fault but because of me. It must be unsettling when the young miss you served turns out to be possessed. Kanna said she'd try to explain things well, but…
"Did the talk go well?"
"Yes! Thanks to you."
After finishing my meal with Kanna, Hena and Daisy came looking for me.
What, didn't they reconcile? Hena still looked somewhat downcast.
"What's wrong with her?"
It wasn't just me thinking that—Jelly also tilted his head looking at Hena. Hena's condition didn't look good… her eyes were red, probably from crying yesterday. Must have cried while bonding over touching friendship.
Meanwhile, Daisy looked like she'd slept soundly. Here I am tearing my hair out in agony because of someone!
No. Strictly speaking, it is my fault. If I possessed a villainess, I should have acted wicked, but I was too kind and the discrepancy revealed that I was possessed. But if I don't reform, I'll die! If I had continued committing evil deeds, even if I didn't die, I would have met ruin.
But no matter how hard I try to reform from being a villainess, I keep ending up on the death route—the original work's plot force is truly terrifying. It's trying to paint me as a villainess somehow! Really. Now they'll probably say I'm possessed by a devil or a ghost instead of a witch.
I don't know. The only thing I can believe in is that Gabriel has fallen for me. So the moment Gabriel snaps out of his infatuation with me, it's death.