Salvation Through Delusion C16

Chapter 16

“Be more careful.”

It was over dinner that Dr. Kim scolded me.

She sat at the far end of a long, grand dining table—something one would expect to see in a royal palace—and I sat diagonally across from her.

The table could easily seat thirty people, yet we were tucked away in a lonely corner. Even worse, the butler and servants had stared at me in shock when I took my seat. Apparently, these siblings never dined together.

“What do you mean, careful?”

“There are rumors going around the estate that you’ve changed too much.”

I froze mid-motion, fork in hand. My eyes flicked toward the corner of the room, where someone still stood—Lantuya’s chief secretary.

“Don’t mind Solongo,” she said lightly. “He knows everything about my situation. I’ve told him about you too.”

The secretary nodded slightly, confirming her words.

I wanted to ask—was he really fine helping us, even knowing what we planned to do to his world? But before I could, he stepped back with a sharp movement, and Dr. Kim spoke again.

“Are you going to keep acting like this?”

“I’m already being rude enough,” I said dryly.

“What are you talking about? Everyone says you’ve been too kind.”

“What? Who’s spreading that slander? I haven’t even shown the ‘k’ in kindness!”

My protest earned only a snort.

“That’s not all. Apparently, you’ve been exercising. Constantly.”

Okay, that one I couldn’t deny. I had been working out.

“I need stamina. There’s a lot to do ahead. I can’t just sit around.”

“Even so, you’re overdoing it.”

“I only train when no one’s around!”

“They’ve seen you.”

“…They have great eyesight then.”

Whether this was Tuvine or Mongolia, people really needed hobbies. I fell silent, though I still felt unfairly accused.

“With this body, I’d die within a second if I ran into a monster,” I muttered. “I almost died last time too.”

Her expression shifted instantly.

“Right, I heard you actually encountered one. How did you survive?”

“Thanks to Mo. And I’m used to dealing with monsters.”

“Oh, right. You were a field agent. Still, that must’ve been rough.”

Rough? That was putting it mildly. I remembered crawling up that cursed slope, half-dead—

Bang.

Anger flared up at the memory, and before I knew it, my fist slammed onto the table.

“I was barely alive, trying to escape, when some bastard kicked me down!”

“Who was it?”

“I don’t know.” I shook my head, gritting my teeth. “He had black hair and dark skin.”

“Half this world has dark skin.”

Right. Then maybe glowing eyes were common too. Damn it, who the hell tries to murder someone they’ve just met?

“Is there anyone who’d want to kill Adeye Rue on sight?”

“Plenty. Rue molested half the people he met.”

…Damn it.

“What did he look like?”

People often said I had no sense of aesthetics, but this time, I was sure.

“I don’t remember clearly, but his smiling face looked like… crap.”

“Well, Rue rolled around just fine with people who looked like crap too.”

My expression soured even further.

So maybe this guy did have a grudge against the real Rue. Maybe he’d been badly burned between the legs. Either way, trying to kill someone? That bastard had issues.

“If I see him again, I won’t let him go.”

“Don’t bother. He was probably a knight hunting monsters. You wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like that.”

“We’ll see about that.”

I clenched my fist again, determination burning. Dr. Kim just sighed and shook her head. For someone who acted like a sixty-year-old woman, she looked far too youthful.

“The important thing isn’t your petty revenge.”

“Getting kicked down a cliff is petty?” I snapped. “Dr. Kim, you should be setting aside your petty emotions and focus on winning over the Koon family.”

Her glare could’ve sliced stone, but she didn’t argue—just clenched her fist tighter.

“My emotions are as vast as the ocean, but fine. Damn it.”

Her hand trembled. At this rate, she’d die of stress before she ever managed to “win them over.”

“Still,” I asked, “why would the betrayer side with Duke Koon when he’s such an arrogant bastard?”

“He’s handsome.”

“…You’re joking.”

“Devastatingly handsome.”

Her jaw tightened in disgust. “His personality’s trash, but everyone screams at the mention of his name. Like some celebrity. Add the tragic backstory—a ruined house, a family curse—and boom. Instant fan club.”

She scowled, clearly disgusted even to imagine it.

“Everyone wants to save him. If he weren’t so high-ranking, he’d have people lining up outside his door every day.”

“Then you should join the fandom too.”

Her eyes filled with murder. I quickly added, “For Earth’s salvation, of course.”

Bang. She slammed the table again and glared at me.

“You have a plan, don’t you?”

“I told you already.”

I took a sip of water, answering calmly.

“I’m going to find the betrayer—and kill them.”

“Well, you must know the future too, right? The betrayer’s timeline?”

“Not exactly. Their lab was destroyed. All the data’s gone.”

“What? How could they—! Those incompetent idiots! They should’ve backed everything up!”

She downed another vial before continuing, slightly calmer.

“Even if the betrayer’s files are gone, what about the scroll I sent you? Don’t tell me everything except the last one was destroyed.”

I nodded. “Yes. Only the final scroll remains.”

Her expression hardened instantly.

“So things are that bad.”

“……”

“Right. You already said they were.”

She sighed, then steered us back on track.

“So you don’t know who the betrayer is, or what future they know. How do you plan to find them?”

“The last scroll you sent mentions a few of their actions in the coming years. It also mentioned Rue.”

“That means the betrayer doesn’t know Rue is dead,” she realized. “That’s why they chose him.”

I hesitated, then added, “He’s also your family.”

“True. It would’ve made approaching me easier. Rue didn’t have much standing or talent, but… perhaps I once thought he was our last hope. His lost ability could’ve been our greatest weapon.”

Then she looked at me with genuine surprise.

“And now, it’s returned.”

“You didn’t expect that?”

“I did.”

She raised her glass, her tone almost proud.

“I suspected Rue lost his ability due to extreme fear. So if he stopped feeling fear, it could return. What I didn’t expect—”

She paused, eyes widening slightly.

“—was that you would accept Rue’s ability without fear.”

“I’m naturally fearless.”

“Clearly. That’s why you volunteered for a suicide mission.”

There were many reasons I’d taken this mission, but there was only one I could say aloud.

“I want to catch the betrayer. And just so you know—this is personal. That bastard is mine.”

The anger burned anew just thinking of them.

“The betrayer eventually discovers everything about you, Dr. Kim. Whatever happens, you must not face them. Focus solely on closing the Eye of Hell.”

My tone might’ve sounded arrogant, but thankfully, she nodded.

“Still, tell me what happens next. I can’t help if I don’t know.”

“First event—this summer. A party. The betrayer helps Duke Koon for the first time there. The record called it a ‘non-wine’ party.”

“A party without wine? That’s rare.”

She nodded thoughtfully, then told Solongo, “Look into that.”

“And after that?”

“During the Hunting Festival, Duke Koon saves the betrayer. Then, on the day of the Summer Gratitude Festival, he announces his marriage.”

Dr. Kim’s face twisted in disgust.

“They help each other once and go straight to marriage? What a circus.”

“The bigger the circus, the easier it is for me to find the betrayer,” I said with a shrug.

She gave me a sharp look.

“So you don’t plan to stay hidden until then?”

“I’d rather not interfere with the future they know. They’re already paranoid—probably hiding their identity too.”

“Still, you need to adapt. If you stand out at that non-wine party, the betrayer will notice you.”

“I agree. That’s why I’ll scout first—observe the social structure, learn the expected behavior.”

“You talk about parties like they’re battlefields… Fine.”

She waved me off, sighing. “I’ll recommend one you can attend early. Go.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I finally picked up my fork, ready to eat—

“Also,” she added, “stop working out so much. The staff is suspicious.”

“I already told them I nearly died, so they’ll think it’s recovery training. They’ll understand if I change a little.”

“There’s a limit! They said you were doing upside-down sit-ups.”

“…I couldn’t even do one properly.”

“Doesn’t matter! Rue hated exercise. The only thing he ever worked out was—well, between his legs.”

God, again with that.

I set my fork down, untouched.

“So tell me, Dr. Kim. Is this kind of perverted behavior normal here?”

“No. Rue’s just a pervert.”

…Damn it.