Salvation Through Delusion C137

Chapter 137

As Haas stepped through the portal, a thought crossed his mind: Am I a mage… or a courier? Still, at least this time he carried good news. Probably good news. Right?

The doubt lingered, but he shook it off. Whether Adeye Rue was truly a savior or not, Haas believed the sincerity of his concern for the Duke. Even if the claim about a method to defeat Baiyan turned out false, it would still be for the Duke’s sake. Haas himself had no desire to see the Duke injured in a real clash with Sarne Baiyan.

His timing was uncanny. Tyroc and the four knights around him radiated tension sharp as the blades in their hands — men on the brink of battle.

“Haas.”

Ennya greeted him first, brows knitting.

“You left this morning. Why are you back?”

Instead of answering her, Haas bowed to the man striding toward him.

“Your Grace. Rue asked me to deliver a message.”

At Tyroc’s glance, the other knights withdrew. Haas spoke quickly.

“Rue asks you to return immediately. He says there’s a way to deal with Sarne Baiyan — information he received from a divine beast.”

When Haas first heard that word, divine beast, he’d nearly fallen over in shock. Tyroc, however, showed no such reaction. Instead, he asked:

“How is Rue?”

“Sir? He’s fine.”

Tyroc nodded once.

“Go back. Guard him.”

“Just me? You’re not coming with me?”

“Tell Rue I’ll return by morning.”

Wait — that meant… Haas hurried to block his path.

“Your Grace, you may not trust Rue completely, but I know his concern for you is genuine. Just this once, please—”

“I trust him.”

The reply came flatly. Then Tyroc studied him.

“You say you understand Rue’s sincerity?”

Haas opened his mouth to explain—

“Your Grace!” a knight rushed in. “They’ve begun moving!”

Tyroc left without another word.

“Y-Your Grace! You don’t have to capture Baiyan—!”

“Haas.”

Ennya grabbed his arm.

“Don’t stop him.”

“But there’s another option—”

“Baiyan entered Koon territory. If he didn’t know, he might withdraw. But now? Never.”

Haas sighed.

“Rue says he has a plan.”

“A plan? Even if it’s real, who knows if it’ll work? And it’s Adeye Rue. What if it’s a trap?”

“No. His feelings toward the Duke are real.”

“And you know that how?”

Before Haas could answer, Ennya waved dismissively and vanished. He muttered to himself:

“Because I heard him at Crystal Lake… clutching the Duke and crying, ‘my hope.’”

—

“Master. We’re still being followed.”

One disciple spoke, but Baiyan merely tossed another branch onto the campfire.

They’d sensed pursuit since entering Koon lands, though she’d first dismissed it as coincidence. They’d been careful not to leave traces while chasing Black Bear.

So how had they been found?

“Could Black Bear have allies left?” someone guessed.

“Anyone tied to her is dead,” another countered. “And anyone surviving wouldn’t dare help her.”

“Then who—”

“This is Koon territory,” Baiyan said calmly.

The disciples stiffened.

“We’ve been here less than a day. How could Koon’s forces—”

“Idiots,” Baiyan snapped. “They’ve been tracking us long before we crossed the border. Once we entered their domain, they sprang out like rats flushed from a hole.”

Her gaze cut across them.

“That child would’ve seen it immediately. That’s why none of you are Swordmasters.”

She didn’t say his name, but every disciple thought of the fallen prodigy. Resentment flickered in some eyes.

Baiyan didn’t care. She would’ve traded them all to bring him back.

He had once shaped aura in a straight line — like Tyroc’s lightning. A glimpse of human power rivaling divine force.

And then he died chasing Black Bear alone.

A devastating loss.

“Surely he isn’t pursuing us himself?” one disciple murmured.

Rustle.

Movement in the trees.

Swords rose in unison as a lone figure stepped into the clearing, gaze sweeping over them.

“I don’t recall inviting cockroaches onto my land.”

—

“That’s… the situation,” Rick finished apologetically.

Tyroc wasn’t returning. He was confronting Baiyan.

“Rue, I understand your disappointment. Please consider the Duke’s duty to protect Koon.”

Disappointment? Of course not. Expecting blind trust would’ve been absurd.

And yet… the reassurance stuck in his throat. A weight settled in his chest. Perhaps it was the reminder of how little influence he truly held.

“Do you think it’s right?” Rue asked quietly. “What if he’s badly hurt?”

Rick hesitated.

“How can I oppose his decision?”

There was resignation in his voice.

“So this has happened before?”

“Not often,” Rick replied quickly. “Situations threatening his life are rare.”

“But they’ve happened.”

Rick flinched.

“He’s always come back alive.”

Alive wasn’t enough.

“He needs to return unhurt.”

Rick’s gaze warmed with admiration — misunderstanding entirely.

“With you here, Rue, we feel reassured even if he’s injured.”

“…Why?”

“…You’d heal him.”

Rue’s temper snapped.

“What, you want me climbing onto a blood-soaked man to fix him?”

Rick blinked.

“I meant you’d lead Koon if he couldn’t…”

“…Ah.”

Wrong assumption — his, this time.

“Still,” Rick added earnestly, “your devotion is inspiring.”

Rue sighed, defeated.