The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 96

Upon returning to the hunting grounds, I could see people who had finished their hunt unpacking their belongings.

In the distance, I spotted Gabby and the Duke. As soon as Gabby saw me, she gestured for me to come closer.

But I ignored Gabby’s gesture and headed to my destination.

I strode into the tent.

Inside the tent, I found Nigel resting in a chair, and Jessie organizing my luggage.

“Jessie, go outside.”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, I’d like you to stand guard at the entrance so no one comes in.”

Jessie looked like she had a lot of questions about my sudden order.

But like the loyal maid she was, she quietly stepped outside.

I raised a soundproof barrier and turned to Nigel.

“Nigel, I have something to ask you.”

“…Bella, your eyes are out of focus.”

Nigel looked at me with a displeased expression, trying to dissuade me.

I ignored him and continued, “I’m going to extract information from you. Up until now, I’ve held back even when I was curious.”

But I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

I don’t trust coincidences easily.

It felt like I was nothing more than a piece on a chessboard someone else had designed. Facts I hadn’t known kept popping up from all directions.

As if they had been waiting for me to discover them.

How dare they try to use me as a chess piece!

“Bella, I have a restriction on me—”

“Endure the pain for just a moment.”

I poured all my magic into my hand.

Soon, my hand turned pitch-black with magic. Without hesitation, I reached toward where Nigel’s heart was.

My hand pierced Nigel’s chest without resistance.

“-Ack!”

Nigel let out a groan of pain.

I hurriedly grasped his heart. Then I tried to release the restriction placed on him.

Even as I attempted it, I thought the chances of success were very low.

The restriction engraved on Nigel’s heart was stronger than I had expected.

“Bella—this really—it really hurts.”

Nigel’s face grew increasingly pale, unable to bear the pain.

Worried he might lose consciousness, I quickly pulled my hand out.

Nigel’s brows remained tightly knit, the pain not easily subsiding.

At the sight, I murmured quietly, “…Sorry. I didn’t think it would hurt that much.”

A demon isn’t the type to feel remorse…

But seeing Nigel in pain shook me.

How undemonlike of me.

“What did you say? Bella, did you just apologize to me?”

“……”

“You, apologizing? That’s surprising, but you think that fixes everything? Hey, Bella—”

“I was confused. Lately, everything I know feels like it’s crumbling.”

“…What’s going on?”

“I realized there are far more things I haven’t noticed than I thought. That’s why I feel… unsettled.”

The words slipped from me before I realized.

“…You saying such a weak thing is foul play. You’re always so confident.”

Nigel, having somewhat regained his breath, said so.

“When you act like this, I don’t even know what to say. Geez. I’ll let it slide for now.”

He took a few deep breaths, then asked me, “So what did you just do?”

“I tried to remove the restriction on you. Sometimes, a stronger force can break it.”

“And—?”

“I failed. Whoever placed the restriction on you is quite powerful.”

“…Right.”

Nigel answered while avoiding my gaze.

It seemed the one who placed the restriction couldn’t be revealed either.

Then how am I supposed to get information now?

I asked Nigel, “How far can I question you?”

“Just ask whatever you’re curious about. If I can’t answer, I’ll just stay quiet.”

“Then first—the Power of Prophecy. Where is its owner now?”

At my question, Nigel raised an eyebrow. “Why are you suddenly looking for them?”

“You—so you know them?”

The information about the owner of the power didn’t seem to be restricted, as Nigel answered my question without hesitation.

“Of course I know. That person is our Chief.”

“Chief?”

“As you know, after the Water God died, no more beastkin were born. The remaining beastkin who haven’t returned to nature live in a small village. The one who leads that village is our Chief.”

“You never told me there was a beastkin village.”

“You never asked. And our village is really small. I could count the remaining beastkin on one hand.”

That’s true. Since Nigel never mentioned beastkin, I vaguely assumed he was the last survivor.

But to think there’s a village of them.

“I need to go to that village. I have to meet this so-called Chief.”

“…Later. The Chief is often away. Just because you want to meet them doesn’t mean you can.”

Nigel evasively declined my request.

But a refusal is still a refusal.

I stuck out my lower lip and pressed Nigel again.

“I can’t even visit a friend’s house?”

“You only call me a friend at times like this, huh? Sigh. Fine, I’ll ask if the Chief is currently in the village or not.”

And don’t cause trouble when you get there. Got it? It’s a very small and peaceful village—

Just how much of a troublemaking demon does he think I am? Nigel kept warning me.

Well, now that I’d confirmed who holds the Authority of Prophecy, I could ask him about the mural.

Whether the images in that mural were truly prophetic or not.

***

The day after the hunting competition ended.

I was lounging comfortably in my room.

“Bella, are you a slug? Do you know what time it is and you’re still in bed?”

I completely ignored Nigel nagging beside me.

Laziness was one of the demon’s virtues. You should indulge in idleness whenever possible.

I rolled around, finding a more comfortable position, and spoke to Nigel.

“Nigel. Even demons need occasional days off.”

“Bella, you don’t rest occasionally—you rest almost every day. What work do you even do?”

Work, you ask.

Of course I have—actually, no, I don’t.

I always felt like I was busy with something, but thinking carefully, I wasn’t actually doing anything.

Even Gabby sometimes handled family affairs… but none of that was ever assigned to me.

And the saint’s duties… Now that I think about it, I once told the High Priest I was hunting down demon worshippers.

I glanced over at Nigel and said, “Nigel. I shouldn’t work. If I do, you’ll get hurt.”

I can’t very well drag Nigel off and offer him to the temple.

So, my laziness right now is a noble act to protect a friend.

When I said that to Nigel, he clicked his tongue and said, “Bella, are you spouting nonsense again?”

Ouch.

Nigel’s nagging stabbed me right in the chest.

“That hurt.”

I said that and burrowed back into the blanket.

Nigel tried to yank the blanket away from me.

“I know you’re not actually hurt. Get out of bed already!”

Just then, my ears picked up a sound.

I poked my face out of the blanket.

Squeak.

A tiny mouse was calling to me from outside the window.

I sensed a familiar magic from the mouse.

“…Bella.”

Sure enough, Nigel sensed the magic too and immediately went on alert.

“It’s fine. That one’s my underling.”

After calming Nigel, I got out of bed and walked over to the window.

“You’re here.”

When I opened the window, the mouse quickly darted into the room.

And the moment it leapt off the window ledge and touched the floor—

The mouse vanished, and Sher appeared in its place.

He had run so hard, his face was flushed red and drenched in sweat.

“You didn’t need to come this fast. Don’t you have other appointments?”

I had sent him the letter just last night. He’s quite diligent.

At my words, Sher looked dumbfounded. “Um, Lady Bella? Don’t you remember what you wrote in the letter?”

Come to House Dunkeld as quickly as possible. If you dawdle and get caught, I’ll come to your shop and go rat hunting.

Sher recited the contents of my letter.

“You sent me a letter like that and now you say I didn’t need to come so quickly?”

Did he think I wouldn’t remember a letter I wrote with my own hands just yesterday?

I scoffed and said, “Of course I remember the letter. I said that just to tease you.”

If he had arrived late, I definitely would’ve punished him.

“…Your devilishness never ceases to amaze me, Lady Bella.”

If only I didn’t owe her my life. No—if only I weren’t this weak.

Sher grumbled as he sat down in the chair I pointed to.

Still wary of Sher, Nigel approached me and asked cautiously, “Bella, who is that?”

“Ah. That one’s name is Sher. As you can see, he’s a demon. Sher, greet Nigel here.”

Nigel and Sher stared intensely at each other without saying a word.

At their strange reaction, something suddenly came to mind, and I opened my mouth.

“You two can’t take your eyes off each other—what is this, love at first sight?”

Before I even finished speaking, they both protested at once.

“As if! What the hell?!”

“Lady Bella, please.”

So it’s not. Then why are they both so sensitive about it?

I simply shrugged nonchalantly.