ICTV - Chapter 35

ICTV - Chapter 35

I Changed The Villain 

"What?"

“Isn’t a veil not something a man would want to own? If you have something like that, you might be considered suspicious.”

When I finished climbing the stairs, I saw Belial's room. I said, turning the dark blue doorknob.

“If I had thought every single thing like that was strange, I wouldn’t have been able to become a lover with you at all.”

"..."

“Before you met me, weren’t you the type of person who was completely ingrained in behavior that went beyond common sense?”

Belial wanted to make me suspicious or jealous, but couldn't get it right.

“Quickly get out the veil.”

"... Yes."

Belial, who could not even say a word because of a crime he had committed, took out a pearl-colored box from the dressing room. Rose and Belial sat across from each other on the bed and opened the box lid.

“Wow.”

An exclamation flowed from my mouth. It contained a veil that shined beautifully like the Milky Way. Rose carefully lifted the cotton sandpaper. It was so long and rich that it dragged on the floor.

“This is the veil that my mother, who passed away from illness, used at her wedding."

I swept the soft veil with my palm.

“It was something older than me. But it’s so pretty.”

I held the veil to my cheek.

“I’ve never seen anything this pretty, even in a store.”

“It can’t be. This is very old stuff.”

“It doesn’t seem old at all, does it?”

“There is a preservation spell on it.”

“Then there will be no problem if I use it right now.”

"...Right Now?"

Belial covered his mouth.

“Rose, could you wear that veil at our wedding…”

Before Belial had finished speaking, I had put a veil on him. A thin, milky film appeared before Belial’s eyes.

“My prediction was wrong.”

Several times more than expected. It is dozens of times more beautiful. I never thought a veil would look so good. I was truly impressed.

“...Wasn’t that what you wrote?”

"Hey, what do you think? If it suits you, it’s a good idea.”

I reached out and lifted the veil. And while making eye contact with Belial, I spoke in a humorous voice.

“I never thought white would look so good on you. On my wedding day, I'm going to have to wear colored clothes, right?"

“...I haven’t said it in a while, but I don’t like it when you wear black clothes.”

I came dressed in black today as well. I was embarrassed and then tilted my head.

“That’s strange. In the past, you only gave me a black dress as a gift, saying it definitely suited me.”

“That was then, and I don’t like it now.”

"Why?"

Belial did not answer. Instead, he looked at me without blinking. 

“You don’t want to talk about it,” 

I nodded.

“If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to talk.”

I withdrew her hand.

“You can take off that veil now."

This time Belial grabbed my wrist. Even though his fingers were not at all strong, as if he was holding a glass doll, I couldn't shake my hand. Belial asked.

“Is this the end?”

"Yes?"

“I heard that usually at weddings, people kiss after removing the veil.” 

Belial looked closely at me. I pushed in.

“You should do it for me too.”

I didn't expect this development. My heart, which had never wavered like stagnant water, was stained with confusion.

“Why aren’t you answering anything?"

Without even thinking about it, my head screamed at me to refuse right away, but my mouth didn't. Strangely enough, my mouth didn't move.

“You don’t want to kiss me like that?”

I raised my hand and touched my mouth. It stuck so tightly that I could have believed it was glued together.

"Rose. If you don't like it, please tell me honestly that you don't like it. I'm not hurt."

Belial was unusually anxious and eager for an answer. He seemed so frustrated that I didn't say anything. I understand. 

I would be so frustrated with myself, but how frustrated would Belial be? The moment I tried to move my mouth, Belial asked another question.

"… Are you saying you don’t hate it?”

It won't move this time either. The moment I thought that my mouth moved as if I had been waiting.

"Yes."

“Are you just saying you’re not ready yet?”

"Yes."

It moved again. The mouth that just a moment ago couldn't move no matter how hard I tried.

“You mean you really don’t hate it? You’re not answering like that because you’re considerate of me, are you?”

Well, now even my head is nodded. This is truly unknown. 

Who is controlling me? In my head, the ghost I met in the forest, occurred to me. I thought it was boring because he silently listened to me and then suddenly disappeared, but in fact, he was by my side. 

My heart, which had been somewhat uncertain, gradually hardened into certainty.

Yes, it must have been the ghost's doing.

Otherwise, this couldn't have happened. There's never been anything like this before. What kind of disgrace is this in front of Belial?

I got out of bed. If I had realized that there was a ghost when I was alone, I would have thought it would be fun, but in front of Belial, I would have left it alone. It would be difficult to embarrass someone with this.

"Rose."

What should I do now? 

The answer came right away. I thought of Damien and Mouchet, whom I met at the Temple of Harmonia. Since they are people who believe in God, they will do something. 

I stood in front of the door, pretending not to hear Belial calling me. I was just about to leave.

“I love you with all my heart."

"..."

“Now that I know you don’t hate me, my feelings will become more sincere.”

Belial's tone was gentle yet firm as if comforting a child who was having trouble. It was like that when I realized that Belial had no intention of killing me in the Pale family garden, and it is like this now. 

Does that person know my purpose?

That can't be possible. There was no way that I, who had always kept my feelings perfectly hidden, would have been discovered. I guess that's just what I'm saying.

I tried to console myself, but my heart was pounding and my breathing became increasingly difficult.

I eventually escaped from the Serenity family's mansion.

***

“A little faster!”

“Yes, lady...!”

I urged the driver to run at full speed to the Temple of Harmonia

“Miss, let me help you… Miss!!"

The coachman called from behind, but I didn't care. It didn't feel as difficult as it is now. I almost ran up the stairs.

“Take care, old man. Can I help you go down the stairs?”

"Hahaha. Thank you for always worrying about me. But it's okay. I'm not that old. I’m still very active.”

At that moment, at the top of the stairs, Damien was seeing off his grandfather, who was about to return after praying with a smile on his face. The grandfather, who was about to say goodbye to Damian with a smile on his face, was startled.

“Oh my, is it finally time for me to die...!”

"Yes?"

Damian followed his grandfather down the stairs and was startled. A noble lady with red hair waving was climbing the steep stairs as if she was advancing.

The hem of the black dress fluttered ominously like a flag on a battlefield. The face seen through the red hair was so expressionless that it was scary

It is not unreasonable to mistake him for a messenger of death. If Damien hadn't known that person, he would have misunderstood her as a reaper and immediately got down on his knees and prayed. 

Damian shouted hurriedly.

“Lady Pale. What on earth is going on...!"

“...Oh, was it a person?”

The grandfather, whose face grew pale as Rose got closer, adjusted his cane.

“I thought I was going to the other world without moving.”

“...Take a look, old man.”

Grandpa mumbled that he was still fine and went down the stairs one by one. Damian extended his hand to Rose, who was almost up.

“Are there any injuries? Or did a monster attack?”

I opened my eyes and shouted. 

"That is...!"

However, I was out of breath and could not speak. The sound of my lungs getting angry and asking why they are suddenly doing something they don't normally do.

I heard it all the way here. I'm sorry, my lungs. 

I was panting so hard that Damien patted me on the back.

“First, sit down on the chair over there and take a breather.”

I did as Damian told me and sat down to control her breathing. Damian brought me a glass of water.

“Now, talk about it. What’s going on?”

“I feel like a ghost has taken possession of me.”

“A ghost?!”

"Yes."

I nodded resolutely. I thought about it hundreds of times while coming to the temple, but it was clearly the work of a ghost. Something that had never happened before happened in front of Belial and no one else. 

If it wasn't the work of a ghost, how could it be explained?

I thought that guy just disappeared like that, but that wasn't the case. I never thought there would be a time lag attack. 

I was shocked, but Damian just tilted his head.

“I don’t feel any unclean energy at all."

“I think he’s strong enough to avoid the eyes of a priest. A long time ago, the imperial family designated places with such strong ghosts as off-limits areas.”

Damian's face was shocked.

“Young lady…! How dare you disobey the imperial family’s orders…!”

“No. It’s hard to believe that such a place exists. I got it."

I watched it for ten years. Damian explained with relief.

“Then you are just mistaken. I really don’t feel anything from you.”

“Then what happened earlier?”

“Have you experienced anything strange?”

I immediately shut my mouth. I think it's something that shouldn't be told to others. Damian nodded with an understanding expression.

“If strange things continue to happen, please come see us. Even if you bring the high priest, I  will check your symptoms.”

"...Thank you."

Damian pointed inside the temple.

“You’re here now, let’s rest a little longer and then go.”

"Yes."

“Would you like me to invite him too? If you let Mouchet know that you have arrived, he will be very happy.”

I nodded. Damian and I walked side by side.

“I think you came here because of something bad. However, we are happy to meet you one more time. Today is a day when many happy guests visited.”

“By welcome guest, do you mean the old man from earlier?”

"Yes. He is truly a devout believer. Elderly people of his age must have devoted their faith to Harmonia several times longer than I did. Even the other priests thought that the old man was the most devout believer until they met him.”

I couldn't help but ask.

“Him? Who are you talking about? Right?"

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