Salvation Through Delusion C28

Chapter 28

 

“Go.”

 

Dr. Kim ordered it as if it were nothing to her. Naturally, I answered just as casually.

 

“I refuse.”

 

As if expecting that response, she immediately pressed harder.

 

“You said you don’t want to draw the traitor’s attention, didn’t you? Then attend Lord Gumber’s summer villa party. If you don’t, everyone on the continent will start suspecting you.”

 

“I nearly died—”

 

“Rue would attend that party even if he died a hundred times.”

 

While I despaired, Dr. Kim sipped her cinnamon punch elegantly. Honestly, dying a hundred and one times sounded better.

 

“I just don’t want to move too recklessly and end up changing the future the traitor already knows.”

 

“Too late for that. That weasel Hoiga’s already made you the topic of gossip. That man is basically a walking newspaper.”

 

True, his outfit looked like a walking advertisement board. Even so, when I didn’t show any signs of agreement, Dr. Kim fixed me with a serious look.

 

“Rue, the moment you came to this world, the future that traitor knew already changed. It’s only a matter of time before they realize it—either they’ll hide, or they’ll come searching for you.”

 

“Then I’ll just find that bastard first. Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Sometimes, it feels like killing the traitor matters more to you than saving our people.”

 

“…”

 

“Do you… know the traitor?”

 

“No.” I shook my head immediately. That was true enough. The problem wasn’t that I knew too much—it was that I didn’t know anything.

 

“Then why do you hate them so much?”

 

“They’re a traitor.”

 

It was a perfectly good reason, but she frowned, clearly unsatisfied.

 

Sharp as ever. I pretended to sip my tea to avoid her gaze. I couldn’t tell her the real reason—not yet. So instead, I changed the subject.

 

“Do you still have no idea who the traitor might be?”

 

“There’s no one obvious. If the traitor’s supposed to marry Tyroc, then they’d have to be of high rank—someone noble enough to even speak to him. And probably of marrying age.”

 

She sighed, looking vexed.

 

“Would rank really matter if they can see the future?”

 

“Of course. If someone lowborn tried to use prophetic knowledge, their identity would’ve been exposed long ago. The temple would’ve made a spectacle of it—calling it the return of the ‘Savior.’”

 

“Savior?”

 

Mo projected an explanation.

 

[Savior – A legendary figure said to have summoned the first Divine Beast to the human realm during the age of chaos, saving the world from monsters.

 

They could communicate with all Divine Beasts and received oracles from them, allowing them to predict the future.

 

However, many scholars argue the temple fabricated the myth to curb the growing power of the Divine Beast families.]

 

“So the temple’s shown no reaction lately? No rumors about this supposed Savior?”

 

“On the contrary, too many. Every day, ten idiots pop up claiming they’re the Savior reborn.”

 

Cultists. Of course. Some things never change.

 

“If the real one exists, though—and if the temple’s hiding them—it’d be the doing of Grand Priest Ma Chegi. Investigating him will be… difficult.”

 

“Because he’s honest?”

 

“Because he’s rich.”

 

“Ah. The Ma family. So he’s related to Hoiga.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Then if the traitor’s someone powerful, it’s simple. Just find whoever made the most money last year. Who was it?”

 

“Me.”

 

“…”

 

I paused, then asked again.

 

“The year before that?”

 

“Me.”

 

“The year before that?”

 

“Still me.”

 

“…”

 

“And the year before that one was also me.”

 

“…You’re not suggesting you’re the traitor, right?”

 

Dr. Kim raised a brow. I immediately looked away and cleared my throat.

 

“Ahem. Of course not. I was just… thinking how hard you must’ve worked to earn all that.”

 

“It was easy.”

 

Was that bragging or fact? Hard to tell. She looked so casual about it—like a straight-A student unfazed by yet another perfect score. She was on my side, but damn if she wasn’t annoying sometimes.

 

“Anyway, I checked the old scrolls I wrote in the past—traced every person who profited unusually much during key years.”

 

“And?”

 

“No one stood out. The same old greedy bastards, as always.”

 

“What if they didn’t use their power to make money? What if they used it for influence instead?”

 

“Why wouldn’t they make money?!”

 

“I mean—if they used it to gain political power—”

 

“Then they’d need even more money.”

 

At this point, I was ready to rename her Dr. Money. But what she said next actually made sense.

 

“They’d need resources to help Tyroc, wouldn’t they?”

 

Right. I nodded, then an idea struck me.

 

“The traitor’s in love with Tyroc, right? Then they must’ve hated the Adeye family. If we narrow it down to Adeye’s enemies, that should help.”

 

“…”

 

“…Or does that actually make the list longer?”

 

She averted her eyes—answer enough.

 

Considering how many people wanted us dead, I was amazed I hadn’t been stabbed yet. I sighed and tried again.

 

“Then how about focusing on people who like that damned Koon Tyroc?”

 

“Then we’d have to investigate the entire continent.”

 

“Does everyone here have bad taste or what?”

 

“My point exactly. Damn it.”

 

We both downed the rest of our cinnamon punch in perfect sync.

 

Knock, knock.

 

A timid knock broke the silence, and a young servant entered cautiously. Normally, no one disturbed him at this hour, and the servant knew that well.

 

So, he assumed the message must be urgent.

 

The door creaked open. The boy didn’t dare lift his gaze, keeping his head bowed low as he held something out with trembling hands.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Y-you said, sir, that if this envelope arrived, I was to deliver it to you immediately…”

 

Indeed, in his hands was an ordinary brown envelope. But upon seeing it, the man’s eyes lit up like blooming flowers.

 

He almost reached for it right away but restrained himself. There was no seal, no crest—yet that alone was enough.

 

It’s from Tyroc!

 

Among high nobles, only Tyroc ever used such plain envelopes. The man had even started imitating him, favoring brown envelopes for his own letters.

 

But receiving a reply from Tyroc was a rare blessing. No matter how much valuable information he provided—no matter how many future fortunes he hinted at—Tyroc had always ignored him, preferring to hunt monsters instead.

 

For years, it had driven him half-mad. The information he possessed about the future now barely extended six months ahead.

 

That uncertainty had made him desperate—obsessed with ancient manuscripts, trying to make himself indispensable to Tyroc even without his prophetic edge.

 

He wanted to be someone Tyroc valued. Someone who could lift the Koon family curse, put Tyroc on the imperial throne, revive the Divine Beast itself.

 

His pulse quickened just looking at the brown envelope. Still, he couldn’t let the servant see his excitement.

 

“You may go.”

 

The boy bowed low and quickly left the room.

 

The man exhaled slowly, his hand trembling as he picked up the letter. Inside was a small black stone.

 

It was so dark it seemed to absorb light itself—a black mana stone.

 

‘A token of thanks for your help at the Fenouan estate,’ the note read.

 

That single, perfunctory line was all. The stone had just been tossed in, unpolished and unadorned.

 

But the man’s cheeks flushed red as if he’d received a love letter.

 

He was alone, yet he covered his face out of sheer embarrassment. After reading the short message again and again, he finally slipped it carefully into a drawer.

 

Even if Tyroc’s reply had been just a token gesture to brush him off—it was still attention.

 

And that alone was enough to make his heart race, because Tyroc wasn’t the kind of man to offer it to anyone.

 

 

—

 

“Duke Koon won’t be there,” Solongo said firmly as I prepared to board the carriage. “He’s not the type to attend such events.”

 

I wasn’t so sure. It was bad enough that I’d run into him right after arriving in Tuvine—what if it happened again?

 

“They say almost every noble’s going, since it’s reopening for the first time in years.”

 

“Even if it opened after a hundred years, it wouldn’t make a difference. Tyroc has zero interest in parties that don’t make him money. That money-hungry man would only show up if there were monsters involved.”

 

“…You’re not talking about you, right?”

 

“I didn’t say anything.”

 

“In any case, stop worrying about Duke Koon and just make sure you behave properly—no strange rumors, understood?”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

“I am worried. Just look at what you’re wearing.”

 

What about it? I looked down at my outfit—it was perfectly normal. But Solongo’s frown deepened.

 

“Too plain. Lord Rue stepping outside without a single accessory? No one in their right mind will believe it’s you.”

 

“I nearly died, remember?”

 

“You could die again, and you’d still wear jewelry. Adeye Rue is the richest man on the continent. Here, wear this brooch. And keep it on you from now on.”

 

I hesitated, wary of whatever expensive trinket he was about to hand me. Thankfully, it looked simple enough—a blue gem set in a modest frame.

 

“Let me guess. Costs as much as two mansions?”

 

“More.”

 

What?! Three mansions?!

 

My hand trembled as I accepted it.

 

Solongo gave me a disapproving look, clearly unimpressed by my lack of composure. I held the brooch like a sacred relic. No way was I ever losing this thing.

 

“Oh, and if you need this again…”

 

He handed me another transportation scroll. I snatched it up immediately and tucked it into my coat. It had saved my life before.

 

But then, an unwanted face flashed in my mind—and a curse slipped out under my breath.

 

“Damn it.”

 

That man. The lunatic with the eyes of the sun and that infuriating smile.