Salvation Through Delusion C96

Chapter 96

“Rue, are you saying you can communicate with a Divine Beast?”

“Yes. I possess an ability that lets me perceive non-human entities.”

Once again, all voices fell silent.

But this time the reaction was not disbelief—it was the stunned horror of someone doused in ice water.

It seemed everyone, just like Hoiga standing before me, had belatedly realized something:

the Adeye family had long been known to carry supernatural abilities.

“But you… you couldn’t use your ability before.”

“I almost died. Then it started working.”

The green eyes fixed on me trembled as though cracked.

“You… are you truly Adeye Rue?”

Hoiga forced the words out. It was the funniest reaction I’d seen all day, yet no laughter rose in me. I simply stared at him quietly.

“And you—are you truly Ma Hoiga?”

Hoiga inhaled sharply in surprise. For someone trying to hide being a traitor, he was certainly terrible at it.

I stepped toward him. He flinched and retreated.

I wanted to push him further, crush him into the corner—but not yet.

Instead, I put on Rue’s usual insufferably smug smile.

“You claiming to be the Savior out of nowhere—truly shocking. And look at you, even your appearance suddenly changed. It’s enough to make one wonder whether you’re the real Ma Hoiga at all.”

“I—I…”

“Stay away from the Savior at once.”

A cold warning sliced through the air as Duke Killu stepped between us.

He positioned Hoiga behind him protectively, then swept his gaze over me as if I were filth.

“Adeye Rue, to barge into this sacred assembly with your so-called recovered ability and a pack of lies… Your motive is obvious, but you must learn where the line is.”

“You know my motive, do you?”

Killu’s twisted smile deepened as he glanced behind me.

“Of course. It would be because of someone who bewitches half of Tuvine wherever he goes.”

I didn’t need to turn around to know who he meant. There was only one person people whispered endlessly about.

Right then, footsteps approached behind me.

“Yes. I do have that effect.”

Tyroc answered lazily as he came to stand beside me.

Killu’s gaze grew icy, but it didn’t matter—Tyroc clearly couldn’t care less. His disinterest in Killu was almost majestic.

His attention was fixed solely on me.

Only then did I turn to him.

The fury burning through me cooled abruptly. I realized I had been so consumed with Hoiga that I’d momentarily forgotten Tyroc entirely.

Ah, damn.

Now that I thought about it—

I hadn’t only disrupted Hoiga. I had disrupted him as well.

What if he, too, desired a Savior?

But it was too late.

Even if he killed me right here, I had no choice but to keep insisting I was the Savior.

“Your Grace, I—”

“Are you bewitched by me?”

I froze.

He asked this first?

My brain told me I needed to affirm immediately—that I was not only bewitched, I was completely undone by him.

But strangely, the shamelessness I’d freely used on Hoiga refused to come when I needed it most.

Perhaps because of the eyes watching me.

Those golden eyes held no mockery at all—only a seriousness almost overwhelming.

So it took me some time before I managed to answer.

“…Of course. Who wouldn’t fall for Your Grace?”

The moment I said it, clarity struck me.

Before he could reject me, I hurried on.

“The truth is—I am the Savior. I know it sounds unbelievable, but—”

“I believe you.”

“Yes, naturally You—wait. What?”

“You said you are the Savior.”

He accepted it just like that?

I almost blurted out the question aloud.

His gaze did not waver; it was solid, unwavering.

Good gods… he really believes I am the Savior.

It was so shocking I nearly asked him why.

But at the same time, relief welled within me.

He must believe because he personally experienced me communicating with the Divine Beast—and channeling its power to him.

There was no other reason for him to choose me.

Even so… that he genuinely believed…

“Hahaha—Savior, is it.”

Killu’s sudden laugh snapped me back.

He gestured toward me with a sneer.

“How perfect a Savior you are for House Koon.

Your Grace, what are you waiting for? Such a precious Savior should be claimed immediately.”

“Of course.”

Killu spoke in mockery, but Tyroc responded without even looking at him.

It seemed Tyroc had a natural-born talent for ignoring people.

But Killu’s wounded pride didn’t matter.

Because Tyroc’s next gesture shocked even me—he accepted Killu’s suggestion and took my hand.

“Come here.”

Under normal circumstances, I would have recoiled at how absurdly suggestive it sounded.

But now was no time to protest.

There was no teasing smile, no mischievous glint.

His voice was low and firm, and his eyes—

They were so serious that others murmured in confusion.

That intense gold drew me in until everything else fell away.

“Rue.”

He called me—and my rational mind snapped awake.

Then I remembered someone who would be watching this scene.

Killu was grinning as though the situation delighted him.

Beside him stood Hoiga—completely stunned, his eyes trembling like candle flames.

His reaction was so gratifying I could have wept with joy.

My forgotten goal rose up again like a beacon.

I gripped Tyroc’s hand tightly and nodded.

“Yes. If Your Grace is there, I will go anywhere.”

No sooner had I spoken than a strangled voice broke in.

“N-no. Rue is not the Savior.”

Hoiga.

I turned to him immediately, and our gazes locked.

His green eyes shook violently, yet still managed to glare at me with pure hatred.

Good. Hate me more.

As I didn’t back down, Hoiga faltered.

Someone else rushed to defend him.

“Correct. The Savior is Lord Hoiga. He bears the mark described in the records.”

Mark?

Everyone, myself included, turned to Ariona, who had stood up.

He was pale, shaken, but when his eyes met mine, he hardened them.

Right—he was one of Tyroc’s devoted followers. Of course he’d see me as an enemy.

But then—how could Hoiga, also a follower, be fine with marrying Tyroc?

The answer came instantly.

Ah—because Hoiga truly believed he was the Savior.

And to them, saving Tuvine mattered less than clinging to the same man.

Their loyalties were… laughable.

“Lord Hoiga bears the Savior’s mark as described in the ancient Temple texts. These documents have been strictly kept under Temple protection for generations.”

So that was Hoiga’s trump card.

No wonder he dared to claim the title of Savior.

And as expected, the moment “Temple documents” were mentioned, the crowd leaned his way again.

Any flicker of doubt I had stirred vanished.

Hoiga was revered; I was dismissed as a pathetic fraud.

But so what?

I smiled at Ariona.

“What does the mark look like?”

“Th-that cannot be revealed.”

“Tell me. I’ll carve the same one.”

My demand was shameless, but everyone knew what I meant:

What if Hoiga simply made up his mark?

Ariona glared at me with disgust.

“Lord Hoiga’s mark is genuine. How dare you—”

“Ariona.”

Hoiga cut him off and turned to me with forced calm.

“Rue, I am the Savior. This isn’t like you. Why are you doing this?”

“Why? For the same reason you are. Because I am the Savior.”

Hoiga sighed, ready to refute me—

“That is to say, Adeye Rue—you insist you are the Savior?”

Killu interrupted, stepping in front of Hoiga as if shielding him.

The smile on his face made his intentions perfectly clear.

And what excellent timing.

He even blocked Hoiga from stopping me.

“Yes. I do.”

I nodded—and turned toward the only person whose judgment mattered.

Tyroc might doubt me because of the mark, but I still had hope.

Because he was still holding my hand.

Fine. Let the world doubt me.

I only needed to deceive this one man.

I would never allow Tyroc to take the traitor as a partner.

With resolute determination, I knelt on one knee before him.

Gasps rippled through the room, but I ignored them.

“Your Grace, will you take me as your consort?

Then I shall become your one and only Savior.”

Derision and clicking tongues sounded everywhere.

But Tyroc’s answer silenced all of them.

“Gladly.”

He lifted me up, bowed his head, and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand—

his gaze blazing straight into mine.

“I accept you as my consort.”

 

TL NOte- GIGGLING, KICKING MY FEET FOAMING AT THE MOUT, SPINNING IN CIRCLES LIKE A BROKEN NPC SLAPPING THE WALLS, BITING THE AIR, LEVITATING OFF THE FLOOR, SHRIEKING LIKE A KETTLE ON MAX HEAT I AM LOSING CRITICAL BRAIN FUNCTION OVER THIS