Salvation Through Delusion C99

Chapter 99

The buildings and gardens were immaculate yet almost bare of decoration. Looking upon Grand Duke Koon’s capital residence, only one thought crossed my mind: Dr. Kim would love this place.

Most structures in Tuvine were dripping with ornate embellishments and marble—Adeye’s estate included.

But the personal room of its owner, Dr. Kim, was the complete opposite: plain to the point of austerity.

The reason was simple. Dr. Kim despised flashy décor.

So why was the rest of the mansion so lavish? He had given me the answer himself:

“I just plastered the place with whatever was the most expensive.”

A practicality befitting a true tycoon.

As I stood for a moment, taking in the residence’s simple exterior, Rick—who was guiding me—asked with clear disapproval:

“What displeases you?”

“The opposite. With so little decoration, there’d be no falling debris even if monsters attacked. It’s good.”

I answered without thinking and immediately regretted it. It sounded way too much like Team Leader Kim.

And of course, Rick—Koon Tyroc’s aide—gave me a strange look.

Without Mo’s assistance, acting naturally became inconvenient at times. But since this man was someone I’d be seeing often, expending energy on a perfect persona seemed unnecessary. It wasn’t as though I’d be fawning over him.

I simply urged him forward as if nothing had happened.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and go inside.”

“Yes, quickly—no, that is…”

He started to say something, then shut his mouth.

What now? A Korean raised on zero patience cannot simply let that go.

“Why?”

“I heard everyone from Adeye says ‘quick, quick’ like it’s a reflex.”

His tone carried mild complaint. I gave him a slow grin.

“No way. My sister and I live such calm, mellow lives… so patient, so relaxed…”

“Solongo-ssi also uses ‘quick, quick’ all the time.”

Of course she does.

Anyone who works with Koreans long enough ends up infected.

Look at today—Solongo had dropped me off and immediately sprinted off to go greet the mistress, saying even a single second’s delay was unacceptable.

“To think she left you with us and ran off so fast… without even saying goodbye to me,” Rick muttered, the last line definitely being the real issue.

I stared at him. He flinched and turned away awkwardly.

“Well, anyway.”

“Sure.”

I hadn’t said anything, but he still flushed red like he’d been caught.

A one-sided crush, clearly. I turned away and pretended not to notice.

If he were one of my team members back on Earth, I would’ve scolded him for letting emotions distract him. Romance was one of the fastest ways to get someone killed in battle. You needed cold logic just to survive—any emotional sway on the battlefield could mean immediate death.

This wasn’t Earth, nor wartime, but I was still someone fighting a desperate war against monsters.

Until I achieved my objective, romance was off-limits. No exceptions.

With that quiet vow, I prodded dawdling Rick again.

“Oh, for—can you please walk faster?”

And just like that, I herded someone else’s aide like stray cattle into someone else’s house.

Pale face. Faint breathing.

High Priest Chegi lay upon the bed with eyes closed—and this was not the peaceful face of simple sleep.

“Master won’t wake,” Ariona said, voice wavering.

Hoiga stood beside him, lips tightly sealed as he stared down.

Guilt and rage swirled in his eyes like an oncoming storm.

It was Duke Killu who had put High Priest Chegi in this condition.

When the meeting adjourned, he had smiled shamelessly as he gave them her location.

And not only that—he’d even escorted them personally, courteously opening the door with his own hands.

“Take your time speaking with her. I’ll wait outside.”

Speaking, he said—fully aware of her state. His loathsome behavior stoked Hoiga’s fury, yet strangely, that fury was not directed where one might expect.

“If only Adeye Rue hadn’t interfered at that moment…”

Ariona muttered through clenched teeth.

He had assisted High Priest Chegi for a long time, helping Hoiga interpret ancient texts.

The two had grown close over time, and the cause was clear: Tyroc.

Both had admired him. Ariona, aware of his own status, kept that admiration at a respectful distance.

But Hoiga had been different. He had dared to hope—to expect—that he could become Tyroc’s consort, and Ariona had rooted for him wholeheartedly.

That was why Ariona’s anger felt both touching and embarrassing.

To be humiliated by Adeye Rue before Tyroc—

Of all people, him.

“Sigh…”

Hoiga exhaled and stiffened his jaw.

He had once believed Rue had changed, but apparently, it was simply because Rue regained his ability.

Rue’s ability was impressive, yes, but merely seeing an inhuman entity meant nothing.

Those beings thought and acted in ways incomprehensible to humans. Without true communication, approaching them was a shortcut to curses or death.

The Adeye family had never once communicated with an inhuman entity.

It was impossible—utterly impossible.

Hoiga shook his head internally. Adeye’s ability had been known to fail even at perceiving divine beasts.

Even if Rue had awakened his ability again, there was no way he could communicate with a divine beast, much less summon one.

But at the time, none of this had crossed his mind.

I was so foolish…

He clenched his teeth in self-reproach.

Watching Rue boldly step forward earlier, he had trembled—trembled at the thought: What if he really is the Savior?

Only once his rationality returned had he realized Rue had deceived everyone.

The reason was obvious.

So he’d been rolling around with men all this time, yet kept Tyroc in his heart?

Everyone who saw Tyroc fell for him, but Rue had always been terrified of him.

Not that Rue’s feelings mattered now.

Tyroc had never chosen anyone—until today.

“Hoiga-nim could have proposed to the Grand Duke first, if only…”

Ariona whispered.

Hoiga froze. Remembering that moment made his chest tighten again.

For some reason, dread had washed over him—an instinctual fear that Tyroc might reject him.

But what if he’d been wrong?

What if Tyroc had intended to accept him?

Hoiga crushed the thought. It was meaningless now.

Tyroc had already declared before everyone that he would take Adeye Rue as his consort.

Hoiga turned away silently.

“Ho–Hoiga-nim,” Ariona called, but Hoiga stepped out and closed the door—only to be greeted by Duke Killu.

“Had a good talk?” Killu asked pleasantly as he approached.

Hoiga looked him straight in the eye.

“She will not wake. Give me the antidote.”

“Antidote? Why? Is High Priest Chegi unwell? I can call for a healer.”

“Duke Killu.”

“Perhaps she is distressed. Her beloved nephew and disciple was meant to join with Montaine, and now that’s impossible. Once things go the way she wished, surely she will open her eyes.”

The warning was clear:

Choose me.

Duke Killu, beloved for his refined looks and gentlemanly demeanor, had never appeared uglier to Hoiga than in this moment.

Hoiga missed Tyroc with a painful intensity, even resented him—but above all, he despised someone else far more.

Adeye Rue.

Even thinking the name made bile rise in his throat.

“…How could I accept your proposal when I am no longer the sole Savior?”

He murmured, lowering his gaze.

He did not need to see Killu’s face to feel the sharp gleam in his eyes.

Killu was clever—clever enough to immediately grasp the solution.

“True, two Saviors cannot exist. No more than a nation can have two emperors.

If you wish to become the only Savior, Hoiga-nim… I can make you the only one.”

Hoiga did not lift his eyes, but Killu continued, voice dipping.

“Remove the other Savior, and the problem is solved.”

Hoiga remained silent, but to Killu, that silence was consent.

He watched Hoiga for a moment, smiled, and then added with fake courtesy:

“However, to do that, you must first demonstrate your ability clearly.”

“…You mean prophecy?”

“To think someone so perceptive has been acting so foolishly all this time. I am astonished.”

Hoiga’s jaw tensed. Yes—he had worn that pathetic mask of a persona for so long.

But now that his ability was known, there was no need for deception.

He had to embody the role of Savior.

“A grave incident will occur at the upcoming hunting festival.”

Killu’s face lit with satisfaction.

“A grave incident… yes, it would not be strange if someone died. Excellent.”