My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 16

“Going out?”

Azel fell into thought after hearing Simoer’s report.

“What’s the reason?”

“She says she has a promise to keep, that she absolutely must go in person.”

He paused briefly at the word ‘promise’, then immediately nodded his head.

“Let her go.”

“Are you sure that’s alright?”

“Even if she runs away, we can just catch her and bring her back, so it doesn’t matter.”

At Azel’s words, Simoer hid the smile that was about to habitually emerge.

‘So she was being confined after all.’

For someone confined, hadn’t she been openly roaming around the manor?

In any case, Simoer had a different reason for worrying about his master.

Until now, Azel had not only received reports on Elpis’s every move but often watched her from afar.

If such a woman went outside, he would surely be concerned.

But at that moment, Azel came up with a solution he hadn’t even considered.

“Send Linoa Marigold with her, and you guard this place. I’ll follow behind personally.”

“You’re going to go with them?”

“Of course not. I’m just planning to monitor whether she’s trying to do something useless.”

Wasn’t that the same as going together?

While monitoring suspicious people was natural, there was no reason for Azel to do it personally.

However, Azel seemed to have forgotten this obvious fact.

“How about going together instead?”

At the sensible suggestion, Azel’s expression wrinkled deeply. It was blatant disgust.

“Understood. Then I’ll prepare as instructed.”

Remembering his master who had fled on the first day he gave her a name, complaining that the woman was being overly familiar, Simoer found this entire situation amusing.

*

“Aren’t you going to tell me what our destination is?”

As we were about to leave the manor, Linoa Marigold asked me in a stiff tone.

It was a tone that certainly didn’t suit the role of ‘ordinary maid’ she was currently playing.

“It’s not a place that requires an escort, so don’t worry, Linoa Marigold.”

“…”

At my words subtly pointing out her past habits as a knight, Linoa Marigold hurriedly closed her mouth.

I immediately felt searching eyes scanning me, but I was already busy with other thoughts.

‘Is Linoa Marigold the only one monitoring me?’

No matter how I thought about it, it didn’t seem like she would be the only one.

‘I’d prefer Simoer or Ron if possible.’

This was a more important issue than expected.

Considering what I was about to do, the impact would vary depending on who followed as my monitor.

‘Azel’s interest aside, I need to start preparing now.’

The reason I drew aggro by even mentioning a ‘promise’ was simple.

Since I had boasted that I would save him in a month, I needed proper preparation to avoid suspicion.

That’s right. I was currently on my way to farm an item that would play a crucial role in my future plans, while also attracting Azel’s interest.

‘I need something that doesn’t trigger Azel, looks decent enough, and that I can obtain myself.’

Fortunately, there was exactly one thing that satisfied these demanding conditions.

“Have you ever heard of the Red Forest, Linoa Marigold?”

“The Red Forest? Are you referring to that forest near the baron’s territory?”

“Yes, exactly. We’re going to that forest now.”

“Why there all of a sudden…?”

On the other hand, Linoa Marigold, who couldn’t know such purposes, seemed puzzled by the destination itself.

‘Well, of course she’d be puzzled. Despite its name ‘Red Forest,’ that place is just an ordinary forest.’

However, there was one secret hidden there that the people here didn’t know about.

“There’s something very special there.”

“Something special?”

Thanks to that, I smiled quite confidently.

“Yes, very special indeed.”

But at that time, I didn’t know.

…That there wasn’t just one special thing I didn’t know about in that forest.

*

A young boy was running frantically through the forest.

“Huff! Gasp! Gasp!”

The boy’s name was Dariya.

On Dariya’s back was his elderly father, and both were equally terrified.

“Dariya! Put me down, quickly!”

“Father, please!”

“You foolish boy! Leave me and run! That’s the only way you’ll survive!”

Despite his father’s pleas, Dariya didn’t stop. The two were currently fleeing from a wild beast.

If he left his father here and ran away now, the outcome was obvious.

‘I shouldn’t have been greedy!’

It was wrong to climb the mountain in the first place, trying to get medicine for his sick younger sibling.

Recently, rumors had spread about dangerous beasts appearing near the village, cutting off not only herb gatherers but even merchants’ footsteps.

His weak younger sibling was dying day by day, but there was no medicine to give.

He had no choice but to climb the mountain, only to encounter the very beast in question.

‘That damn beast! It’s toying with us!’

The beast wasn’t hungry right now.

Just when it seemed to get close, it would stop, growl a few times, and give them time to escape.

The creature was playing with them.

“Ahhh!”

“Ugh!”

His weakened legs caught on a stone, and he tumbled helplessly to the ground.

Though his body ached as if it would break from the loud crash, he was more worried about his father who had been on his back.

“Ugh! G-get up and run quickly! Hurry!”

His father, covered in dirt and dust, was severely injured as expected.

“Pull yourself together and run!”

As he forced his trembling body up and crawled toward his father, the wrinkled hands struck the dirt ground, trying to drive Dariya away.

“F-Father…!”

“Please just go, you fool!”

Just as he could only shed tears without knowing what to do, the beast’s howl finally echoed from close by.

-Grrrrrrrowl!

“Gasp!”

When he turned his frightened face, bright yellow eyes glinted mockingly at Dariya.

‘Ah, it’s already too late.’

Abi’s expression was no different from Dariya’s.

Finally, when the beast charged.

“Aaaaah!”

-Krheooooong!

Thwack!

With an unexpected bursting sound, the creature flew far away.

In an instant, Dariya’s eyes widened.

‘H-how did this happen?’

Before he knew it, someone was standing in front of Dariya.

“Wh-who…?”

However, the woman’s eyes were not looking at Dariya.

“Is that beast the special thing you mentioned, miss?”

She was interrogating someone.

‘Miss?’

Only then did Dariya notice the presence behind him.

“You said there was something special in this place.”

“…”

“Please answer me, miss. No, Elpis-nim.”

There stood a mysterious woman of unknown age, wearing an enigmatic smile with an unreadable expression.

“Did you know from the beginning that Aigres was here, and deliberately come to this Red Forest?”

*

At that moment, I thought.

‘…would I?’

Of course, I only thought it.

My body, frozen with confusion, wouldn’t obey me right away.

“You couldn’t have been unaware of Aigres’s danger.”

I don’t know. There’s no way I would know that.

However, I could tell how dangerous that thing called Aigres was.

‘Well, just looking at it, it’s obviously terrifying.’

But it’s a misunderstanding that I came here on purpose because of that thing.

‘How did it come to this?’

Even when I first left the manor with Linoa Marigold, I never imagined something like this would happen.

I was just walking normally along the forest path when suddenly Linoa Marigold stared at a certain spot and muttered quietly.

“Two humans are being chased by something.”

I only learned what it was after we arrived.

An Aigres the size of a house, looking like a half-tiger, half-bear mix, was hunting two people.

“I’m sorry, Linoa Marigold. I had no intention of putting you in danger.”

If I had known that such a monstrous creature existed in this forest from the beginning, I wouldn’t have come anywhere near this place.

I tried my best to show a harmless smile to convey my sincerity somehow, but Linoa Marigold clearly didn’t look like she believed my words.

“That’s not it,”

“Let’s talk about it later.”

When exactly is later? Do you even plan to listen?

But now wasn’t the time to feel wronged.

“I’m not enough alone. I’ll buy time, so run as far away as possible.”

The situation was more serious than I thought.

-Krrrrrrrng…!

The beast that had been attacked by Linoa Marigold was now glaring at us, looking perfectly fine again.

“Never come out from behind me.”

Judging by Linoa Marigold’s tense appearance, it seemed survival wouldn’t be easy.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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