Banished Villainess

51 : Suspicions

"Rather, that’s how I have ever felt since we started the observation. Although she is clearly Chloe by appearance, it felt as though her personality was entirely replaced with somebody else’s… Wait, don’t tell me…”

The mystery that the prince found so puzzling a moment ago suddenly made perfect sense to him. She’s a different person, that’s the thought that immediately comes to mind upon seeing Chloe. 

She became so straightforward, modest, and sincere. She also acknowledged her mistakes and her recent behaviors were worthy of the title of a saintess. 

That can’t possibly be her, thought the prince.

If that’s the case, who have they been observing up to now? What happened to the Chloe that they knew?

“I don’t want to believe it but…, Lady Chloe may have been possessed, and the one that currently has her body right now is—the same witch.”

“Impossible! How could something so ancient and sealed many years ago even possibly take over my younger sister’s body!?”

 Although she’s a sibling he had distanced himself from, Darck still couldn’t help but be disturbed by the thought of her body being taken over by something else.  But even so, he didn’t find the idea insane considering how Chloe had become so unbelievably reasonable in recently. He had convinced himself that she was just acting, and all of them also agreed that they were nothing but deceit.

“Strong feelings attract the witch, sir. Particularly the same kind of dark inner thoughts.”

And so concludes Momo, closing the book she held. The entire room fell silent. They were so surprised by what they just heard and couldn’t find the right words to react. Only Keith, who had been watching over them while leaning on the bookshelf was able to move as he stood up.

“If that were to be true, I cannot simply turn a blind eye on this matter as a royalty…. Brother, what do you plan on doing from now on?”

“It’s obvious. If Chloe were to be certainly a witch, I will defeat her. There’s no other choice than that, is there?”

“To confirm that, we have to examine the sacred powers that she emits… Miss Momo, are you going to Iris Mountain to help with that? The monsters within the circumference of that dungeon are considerably strong, you know? From what I heard of, Miss Momo had only conquered intermediate-level dungeons thus far, hasn’t she?

The prince thought that he could not possibly allow sending Momo to such a dangerous place. Still, the main role of the saintess is to purify the miasma within the kingdom. Momo couldn’t possibly do her duty in a safe place while confronting the witch who was a miasma personified.

“I will convince the head priest to resume the dungeon conquering. For now, we will focus on intermediate dungeons first…”

“Alright, I’ll help you convince him then.”

“Do your best~”

Sei and Darck followed suit but Keith only oversees them as they leave. He had mountains of things to do now that he had become the crown prince. Leddorio thought that although his younger brother seems so carefree, the feat of a prince having defeated the witch together with the saintess would earn the backing of the populace. Such a thing would inevitably give rise to another battle for succession of the throne.

He can play the disinterested spectator for as long as he wants, thought the Leddorio.