Salvation Through Delusion C37

Chapter 37

 

As if. I swallowed a sigh and gave the gem appraiser a sharp command.

 

“Put it down.”

 

“But… not yet—”

 

“You said it’s authentic, didn’t you?”

 

“Yes, but I should still inspect it with my professional tools.”

 

He kept kneading the gem in his palm like he couldn’t bear to part with it.

Beside him, the priest twitched his fingers, clearly itching to touch it too.

 

Were these people Gollums or something? Why were they all so obsessed with one rock?

 

Sure, it was a nice color—but to me, it was just another shiny diamond.

No, correction—a loud one. The gem’s screaming grew even shriller, so much so that my entire vision was nearly blocked by exclamation marks.

 

“I said put it down.”

 

“But still—”

 

“What, you don’t trust the Adeye family?”

 

Flinch. Thank the gods—the family name worked. The gem appraiser jolted, then hurriedly set the diamond back down onto the soft cloth.

 

“I would never dare to distrust Lady Lantua.”

 

He shook his head violently, pale as a ghost. Though his gaze lingered greedily on the gem, he stepped back, trembling.

 

Watching him cower made me uneasy.

 

Dr. Kim… just what kind of person have you become in this world?

 

At least the two Gollums finally backed off.

 

But peace never lasts long for me. The gem’s voice, once heard, wouldn’t stop echoing in my head.

 

[Uuuhhh… I want to go home. I can’t stand this filthy world of humans anymore. Uuuuuhhhh, when can I go home? Someone please take me back… uuuhh, I miss my home, uuuhuhuhuhhhh~]

 

Even though it was only text appearing before my eyes, I could feel the wailing in every word. I deliberately turned my head away, trying to ignore it.

 

Focus. You came to Tuvine to save Earth—not to grant the wishes of crying supernatural rocks.

 

But the sobbing went on and on, like a haunted record on loop.

 

[When I was caught by that wicked man, I was trapped in this useless lump of stone. Uuuhh, it’s been 124 years among these disgusting humans. Uuuhhhh, for 124 years I’ve cried, but no one could hear me, uuuhhhhhh~~~]

 

A deep sigh escaped my lips.

124 years of crying and no one listened…

Damn. That’s actually kind of sad.

Also, wow—she’s old.

 

“Where’s your home?”

 

[Home! I want to go home, uuuuhhhh~]

 

Oh, right. She can’t hear me unless I touch her.

 

Fine then. I’ll risk a curse. What’s the worst that could happen—trip once or twice?

 

Thinking boldly, I reached out and lightly brushed the gem with my fingertip.

 

The reaction I got was… not what I expected.

 

[How dare you touch m—huh? Oh? A pure human?]

 

“…I’m pure?”

 

[Yeah! You’re clean, no trace of lust… wait, what?! YOU CAN HEAR ME?!?!?]

 

“Yeah, I can hear you—so lower your voice.”

 

[A HUMAN WHO CAN HEAR ME!!! AND HE’S PURE!! NO LUST AT ALL!!! HE’S IMPOTENT!!!]

 

“I’m not! I’m not impotent!”

 

I yelled before I could stop myself, but the diamond ignored me completely, too busy screaming.

 

[Take me home! Impotent human, take me home!!]

 

“I said I’m not—”

 

[Uuuuuhhhh! I’ve been stuck among these awful humans for 124 years!!! Aaaahhh, I can finally go home! Thanks to the impotent human!!!]

 

Of course she didn’t listen. Maybe being a rock for over a century made her tone-deaf.

I gave up and asked the important question.

 

“Where’s your home?”

 

[Home!!!]

 

“Yes, but where is your home?”

 

[Home is home!!!]

 

“…”

 

[Impotent human, hurry and take me home!!!]

 

My forehead throbbed with the start of a headache. I’d thought this might be the first otherworldly being I could reason with—clearly, I was wrong.

 

Great. Watch me spend the next ten years looking for this damn gem’s home.

 

Thankfully, I didn’t have to.

Her “home” revealed itself within thirty minutes.

I was carrying the gem through the temple’s rear garden toward the main hall where the auction was being held when—

 

[Oh!!! I sense my home’s energy!!!]

 

The gem practically screamed beside a small pond.

…That easy, huh?

 

“So, you’re saying we should withdraw the gem we just donated? Right before the auction starts?”

 

Solongo had returned from greeting the high priests and looked at me incredulously.

 

“Can’t we?”

 

“No.”

 

I figured as much. But luckily, I had a Plan B.

 

“Then what if I just buy it back?”

 

Solongo’s eyebrow twitched. I shrank a little and asked in a quieter voice, “Would my allowance cover it?”

 

“Lord Ru, your allowance might be trivial, but repurchasing our own donation would look suspicious. Besides, have you forgotten the purpose of this auction?”

 

“I haven’t. But the donors are supposed to remain anonymous, right? As long as the temple staff keep quiet, it’s fine.”

 

Well… that was true. Solongo frowned but reluctantly nodded, though curiosity flickered in her eyes.

 

Unfortunately, the guests were already taking their seats, so there was no time to explain further.

Thankfully, she didn’t press for details—just slipped away to discreetly consult with the temple organizers.

 

“You’re permitted to bid,” she whispered when she returned.

 

I exhaled in relief. Because right there on the auction stage, the gem was still screaming to be taken home.

If I didn’t, it might actually drag me into misfortune just out of spite.

 

“This next item vanished for a long time before resurfacing. A truly rare treasure—the ‘Tear of the Demon King.’”

 

The announcer’s words drew every head toward the jewel, the room buzzing with murmurs.

As the noise swelled, the announcer raised his voice.

 

“Let’s begin the bidding. Starting price: 50,000 gold.”

 

Fifty thousand! A single house in the capital cost around 20,000—this was a lot.

The crowd murmured even louder.

 

I scanned the room, sitting at an angle near the corner to watch everyone clearly.

Alright, who’s the traitor…

 

“Fifty thousand gold!”

 

The first bidder to raise his hand was—of course—the gem appraiser.

I had to physically restrain myself from marching over and ripping off his wig.

 

Then another voice rose, hesitant.

 

“F-Fifty thousand one hundred gold!”

 

Gollum No. 1—the priest.

 

Unbelievable.

 

And he had the nerve to raise the bid by just a hundred gold. Even so, his shoulders hunched, embarrassed by the stares, but his eyes burned with greed.

 

The gem appraiser I could understand—but the priest? What money did he have? Was he planning to sell a kidney?

 

The gem, recognizing their filthy voices, began shrieking again, cursing them both.

 

As more bidders joined, the price skyrocketed to 100,000 gold in no time.

Eventually, the gem appraiser’s eyes filled with tears, and he dropped out. I’d half expected him to start pawning his soul.

 

But the priest didn’t stop. He kept raising his hand, trembling.

 

He’s just a mid-level cleric—where’s he getting that money?

 

Gollum No. 1’s obsession was getting disturbing, and yet, no one else stood out.

 

“There’s no one meeting the conditions,” Solongo murmured beside me—meaning the traitor’s conditions.

 

“What if they’re using a proxy?”

 

“All but one are clearly acting for themselves. The only possible proxy is… that priest.”

 

Ah. Gollum No. 1 again.

I turned to watch him, shaking and drenched in sweat.

 

“No, I’m pretty sure he’s just gone mad for jewels.”

 

Still, something was off. The priest next to him didn’t even try to stop him. Maybe he was secretly loaded?

 

“Current bid: 231,000 gold. Any higher?”

 

Gollum No. 1’s hand quivered as he looked around at the remaining competitors. Even the most gem-crazed bidders began to sigh or cross their arms in defeat.

 

So… no traitor tonight, huh?

 

“If there are no further bids, the Tear of the Demon King will be sold for 231,000 go—”

 

“Four hundred thousand gold.”

 

I raised my hand.

 

All at once, Gollum No. 1 shot to his feet, pointing at me in shock, as if about to shout that I was the donor.

 

But thanks to Solongo’s earlier preparations, another priest immediately clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him back into his seat.

 

Money really does make the world go round.