Salvation Through Delusion C72

Chapter 72

Haas startled and moved to grab her, but Ennya had already stepped right up to Black Bear, demanding sharply,

“Are you a swordsman?”

Before Black Bear could answer, Solongo cut in with a crisp warning,

“Mind your manners.”

“Black Bear, you’ve clearly held a sword before. What is your real name?”

“You don’t need to know, Zanba-ga Ennya.”

Ennya flinched violently, stumbling backward as she drew her sword.

“H-how do you know that name?!”

Rick and Haas stared blankly, hearing their companion’s real name for the first time. Of course they had—Ennya was a commoner with no surname. Then what was that name just now?

Black Bear had no intention of explaining. She merely replied, looking bored,

“You should be asking what else I know.”

Ennya glared as though she might kill her on the spot, then finally stepped back.

Rick and Haas froze, mouths agape. To subdue Ennya that easily—just what sort of name had that been?

And then Rick himself was struck dumb when Solongo asked him casually,

“Since your infiltrator in Borhumi Castle was exposed, how many of the new targets you attempted to recruit have agreed to cooperate?”

Rick’s jaw practically hit the floor.

“H-how do you even know that?! Who told—”

“If there are any suspicious individuals being investigated within Borhumi, inform me at once. We will handle the payment.”

“No one would betray Borhumi just for—”

“Money is all they care about. Give them twice the amount and use them this one time before discarding them.”

She knows who it is?! Rick was so shocked he could only stare. Solongo ignored him and shifted her gaze toward Haas. Haas braced himself, determined not to be shaken.

“…What?”

“Has Duke Koon’s location been reconfirmed?”

“Hah. And why, exactly, should I tell you that?”

“So it has not.”

“N-no, that’s not—”

“When it is confirmed, make sure to inform me first.”

Solongo instructed him with cool indifference, then turned away.

“W-why should I?!” Haas shouted belatedly, but his protest had no weight. Solongo’s mind was elsewhere entirely.

Outwardly calm, she was inwardly thrashing with worry.

If Rue truly was there, how confused and frightened must he be in such an unfamiliar place? And to make matters worse, the one with him was that infuriating Tyroc.

“Let us depart. We can use a teleportation gate up to Borhumi’s border, but once inside, their surveillance will attach itself to us, so we will need to switch to carriages.”

When neither man moved, Solongo snapped in Lamtua’s favorite tone,

“Move. Hurry, hurry. Hurry up. Quickly!”

One thing I’ve realized fighting deadly monsters: sometimes the person who matches your rhythm best is the same bastard who drives you insane.

No matter how much you dislike someone, work eventually forces you together. And right now, I had met the partner with the best battle synergy of my life.

Unfortunately, he was unbelievably annoying.

“Stop.”

Tyroc caught my arm from behind, voice low.

“Three to the right after the corner.”

I halted immediately. I was leading because I knew Borhumi Castle well; Tyroc’s sharp hearing covered what I couldn’t see.

All we had left was to cross the inner wall—an absurdly easy journey so far. As much as I hated to admit it, we worked disgustingly well together.

We even communicated smoothly:

‘Ah, didn’t expect another guard.’

‘And if you had? Going to knock him senseless with that stick?’

‘…I’d have knocked him a little less senseless. And you shouldn’t alert them during an ambush either.’

‘Can’t help being tall.’

‘Then crouch.’

‘Fine.’

‘I’ll swing lighter.’

‘Sure.’

We checked each other’s combat ranges, nodded once, and moved on.

Soon enough, we realized the other was good at improvisation.

‘What are you searching for in here?’

‘Thought they might check gate passes… Who are you?’

‘That’s my line. And what’s with your face?’

‘Smeared soot on it. And you somehow found clothes that fit… But how did you change your eye color?’

‘Artifact for disguises. A ring.’

‘And it changes only eye color?’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh… well. You did lower your bangs too. They’re long enough to cover your eyes?’

‘Remember it now that you’ve seen.’

‘Do I need to?’

‘Yes.’

‘…Okay.’

‘Second drawer. Gate passes.’

Disguised and with passes secured, we halted again at the final corner.

“Two of the three are guards.”

Having someone with absurdly sharp hearing is useful.

However, right now it was an affliction.

Why did he have to lean so close when he whispered?

“Must you whisper like that?” I hissed, scowling back.

His lips curled slowly.

“Shall I stop?”

“Yes.”

“All right.”

That smile… it was ominous. And sure enough—disaster arrived immediately.

As I leaned toward the wall to peek around the corner, suddenly—

Hoooo~

Hot breath hit my ear.

I nearly screamed, clapping a hand to my ear.

What the hell?!

He looked way too pleased.

“Good effect. I’ll signal like that from now on.”

“No. Absolutely not. That’s horrifying.”

My protest did nothing—his grin remained, his gaze deepening as he brushed his eyes over my ear.

“Where do you feel the chills?”

This man—if he weren’t a Duke, I would’ve grabbed him by the collar.

Thankfully, loud voices erupted around the corner, saving him from strangulation.

“How dare you try to smuggle water out!”

Water?

I peeked.

Two guards were berating a stout middle-aged woman pulling a cart almost the size of a wagon. She looked East-Asian like me, brows knotted as she produced a slip of paper.

“This is payment from working at the castle forge. And here—Lord Fuan-nu Yan’s written promise.”

The guards snorted at the document.

“This? This is permission to tend geese outside the castle. If you were a goose, it’d be valid. Hahaha!”

Her face went white. She couldn’t read. The administrator had tricked her.

“T-then I’ll fetch Lord Fuan-nu—”

“You dare summon such a busy man just to verify goose documents? Drop the water and leave!”

“But there is no drinking water outside. My family—”

“Smuggling water is one year of labor in prison. Be grateful we’re letting you walk. Now go!”

Drought in Borhumi? Strange. I had studied—Borhumi was supposedly the most fertile land. Why would water be scarce?

As I pondered, Tyroc suddenly strode forward.

What—no, why?! Strategy before action!

But his long legs took him across the space in seconds.

…Should I just abandon him?

Sighing, I rushed after him. By the time I reached them, he had already snatched the paper from the guard’s hand.

“‘Lord Fuan-nu Yan, chief administrator of Borhumi Castle, promises five jugs of water as payment for labor,’” he recited smoothly.

The guards sputtered.

“Who are you to suddenly barge in and spout nonsense?!”

The other thrust his spear forward.

I craned my neck to peek at the paper. It was absolutely the goose document. But Tyroc lied without blinking.

“My mistake. It clearly says ten jugs.”

He increased the number.

The guards’ expressions changed—not because they believed him, but because of the gold coin he held alongside the paper.

A gold coin stamped with Borhumi’s crest.

Wait.

Where did he—

Oh.

The relic room.

He had swiped treasure without me noticing.

I stared at him the same way the guards did—utter disbelief.