I'm Trying to End This Possession

Raios.

 

Only Raios.

 

“Dana?”

 

Raios pushed his chair back and stood up.

 

“What’s suddenly happened?”

 

At that moment, I was engulfed in a sense of self-derision and let out a hollow laugh. How foolish could this be! For a moment, I doubted Raios. I thought he might be up to something inappropriate in his office!

 

“No, Raios, actually…” Just as I was about to confess everything.

 

“…”

 

My words dispersed. A scent brushed past my nose. The fresh fragrance of freesias… The scent of a woman’s perfume.

 

“Since you’re here, let’s have a meal together,” Raios said casually, grabbing my shoulder. “It’s good timing since I was feeling hungry.”

 

I stared intently at Raios. Silently, quietly, still.

 

“Dana?”

 

Then I noticed… His black hair was disheveled. He was always so meticulous about his appearance. Why?

 

“Dana? Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

When Raios reached out to me, I jerked away instinctively, an animalistic rejection without any forethought.

 

“Dana? What’s wrong?”

 

My neck felt stiff. From the tips of my fingers, slowly, very slowly, it felt as if I was freezing.

 

The moment I swallowed my saliva, I had a premonition.  There’s someone here. Still in this room. The owner of that scent.

 

“Dana!”

 

Without any thought or rational consideration, I just frantically searched the room. The sofa, the side table, the bookshelf, and…

 

“Dana! What are you doing!”

 

 

And then, the desk.

 

“Stop it!”

 

As I approached the desk, Raios quickly came closer.

 

“Dana, what on earth are you doing! Have you lost your mind?”

 

“Let me go.”

 

“Calm down! Just relax and―!”

 

He tried to turn me around, but it was too late. Because I already spotted that woman.

 

Under the desk, the woman was crouched, trembling. When our eyes met, a sneer escaped me.

 

“What are you doing there, Allice?”

 

Allice Windsor. My cousin.

 

“Si-Sister Dana, t-that’s because…”

 

That was when.

 

“Move.”

 

Raios shoved my shoulder. I just slumped right there and was astounded by that fact.

 

He pushed me?

 

Raios really pushed me?

 

“Get up, Allice.”

 

“Yo-Your Highness. But…”

 

“Enough, get up. Now.”

 

At that moment, I thought. Ah, of course. This must be a dream. Otherwise, this wouldn’t be possible. There is no way Raios would push me and help Allice fix her tousled hair in front of me― daring to do this in front of me!

 

“Just go back, Allice.”

 

“But Sister Dana is…”

 

“I’ll handle it. Just go back and take care of yourself for now.”

 

Thud. The door closed as Allice left. At that moment, I snapped back to reality.

 

“Explain, Raios.” I stood up. My legs were shaky, but I managed to stand. “Explain this situation. Now―”

 

“Don’t pressure me.”

 

Suddenly, my words were cut off.

 

“I’ll explain without you having to press me.”

 

Right now… what did Raios say?

 

Raios sighed deeply, sweeping back his tousled black hair. “Why did you come without letting me know?”

 

A chill ran down my spine.

 

“I must have told you that I was busy.”

 

Those black eyes that met mine were incredibly fierce.

 

“I’m really sorry for not informing you in advance. I was planning to tell you soon.”

 

Is it because of his calm voice? I couldn’t find any sense of reality. Not making excuses. Not panicking. Just admitting it. Betraying me and acting as if it’s nothing, so casually―.

 

Ah.  Suddenly, a heart-wrenching pain surged. Breathing became difficult, and I gasped for air.

 

“How could you, with Allice, cheat.”

 

“It’s not cheating.” Raios cut off my words firmly. “This is love.”

 

At that moment, the accusations filling my mouth scattered.

 

“I sincerely love Allice.”

 

How pale must I have looked?

 

“…After holding me back from returning to my world with tears, now you’re saying you love my cousin? Raios, you are my fiancé!”

 

“I have no intention of breaking off our engagement,” Raios spoke slowly. “But I also intend to marry Allice.”

 

“What… did you say?”

 

“You and Allice, I plan to marry both of you. It’s common for cousin sisters to share a husband—”

 

Slap―! His face turned.

 

“Raios Geranze.”

 

My voice trembled. So did my hands.

 

“Get a grip. Do you realize what you’re saying is nonsense?”

 

Raios slowly looked at me with his head slightly turned. “…Dare you.”

 

The eyes that met mine were fiercely glaring.

 

“Dare you raise your hand against the crown prince?”

 

Suddenly, he grabbed my chin forcefully. Lifting it, and stared at me as if pressing me down.

 

“A possessor who took over someone else’s body dares to act so high and mighty.”

 

At that moment, my breath was cut short.

 

“Being treated nicely has made you arrogant, reaching all the way to your head.”

 

“…”

 

“Acting so brazenly, do you still hope my feelings for you won’t change?”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t blame me. Your arrogance brought about my change of heart.”

 

The next moment, I heard a loud noise. It was as if the whole world shattered and crumbled.

 

* * *

What happened next, I don’t quite remember. Ah, that’s right. We yelled and argued with each other.

 

“The gate of dimensions is closed. You know? You can’t go anywhere now!”

 

Recalling that again made my mind go hazy. The person who said that was too unfamiliar.

 

“You’re a person of this world, Dana, my citizen!”

 

It was as if a stranger had donned the skin of the man I love.

 

“So, behave according to the imperial law, Danae Windsor!”

 

I fled the room, boarded a carriage… When I came to my senses, I was walking in the garden of the Windsor mansion.

 

“Dana.”

 

Then, someone grabbed my shoulder.

 

“Be careful. There’s a pond ahead.”

 

It was my cousin brother, Rumie. He checked my face and gasped in surprise. “Dana, why are you crying? What happened?”

 

Before I could answer, Rumie hugged me. He patted my back gently, comforting me. “What happened? Huh? Why are you crying?”

 

Ah, finally, I’ve found someone on my side. Seeing him, a surge of sadness welled up.

 

“Brother Rumie. Raios…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Raios… has cheated with Allice.”

 

At that moment, his hand stiffened. But it was only for a moment. Rumie sighed. “Cheating, you say.”

 

He gripped my shoulder tightly.

 

“How can you talk such nonsense?”

 

And pushed me away.

 

“They’re just in love with each other.”

 

…What?

 

“But to defame love as cheating, isn’t that a bit vulgar?”

 

I blankly lifted my head. The delicate face is like a porcelain doll. The clear silver hair. Ruby-like eyes. It’s strange. This face is definitely Rumie, but…

 

“In this world, that’s not a problem at all. You’re also a person of this world, you should adapt.”

 

But why is he talking like someone else?

 

“How can you say that?” My voice cracked as it burst out. “Brother Rumie, you saw it too. When I was about to leave for my world, Raios swore to me while holding me back. But now—!”

 

“Oh, Dana. You should know your limits.” Rumie laughed as if troubled. “Your sense of entitlement is suffocating.”

 

“…”

 

“That’s one thing, and this is another. Did someone tie you up and prevent you from leaving?”

 

“…”

 

“Having multiple wives, that’s normal in this world.”

 

Rumie stroked my hair. His touch was very gentle, making it all the more bizarre.

 

“Now you can’t even return to your world.”

 

“…”

 

“What will you do? You have no choice but to adapt.”

 

He smiled softly, as usual, beautiful. Then briskly walked away.

 

I watched his back in a daze. Was that Rumie? The person who always stood by my side, the kind Rumie, speaking so sharply?

 

I murmured without realizing it. “It’s not like that.”

 

The gate of dimensions opens once every hundred years. But that’s just the natural cycle of its opening…

 

The gate of dimensions can be opened again.

 

There’s a way to open it with human effort. And I knew the way. 

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