My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 42
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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 42
‘No, is there really a need to explain?’
I was momentarily flustered by the Duke’s interrogation, but thinking about it, there was no need to explain.
‘Azel is right beside me, isn’t he?’
With just this one fact alone, we could confidently go anywhere, anytime.
“There’s a mage among our group, so we crossed over the cliff.”
“You’re saying you crossed through the sky?”
Was it because of my confident attitude?
The Duke’s eyes narrowed.
“I’ve never heard of levitation magic that could support four adults and a carriage.”
“We didn’t fly through the sky.”
“Then don’t you think that makes even less sense?”
“Why doesn’t it make sense? If there’s no path, you just create one.”
Even though it wasn’t my doing, I answered quite proudly, and the Duke’s expression became strange.
At that moment, Camela, who had been quietly reading the situation, interjected.
“It’s true! I saw it clearly with my own eyes, Your Grace!”
“You saw it?”
“When we were driven to the edge of the cliff and thought we were about to die, suddenly a path appeared in mid-air and a carriage came across from the other side!”
“Be quiet, Camela!”
The Young Master belatedly shouted to stop my friend, but the story had already been told.
“…A real ‘path’ appeared? That level of magic would only be possible for someone like that cunning old man from the Mage Tower.”
The Duke seemed almost certain of who we were.
For reference, the old man from the Mage Tower referred to Creta, the Tower Master and the greatest mage alive.
‘But a Duke with such good instincts wouldn’t suspect us of being connected to him.’
And sure enough,
“No matter how I look at it, you don’t seem like that old man. In that case,”
Clang-!
Shing- Clang!
As soon as he finished speaking, the knights of Eggmund surrounded us and drew their swords.
“There’s only one person I can think of.”
Only the Duke still hadn’t drawn his sword as he asked us.
“If you don’t mind, could you remove those robes?”
They were already certain of our identity.
At that moment, Azel, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke.
“What if we do mind?”
Of course, it wasn’t helpful.
“If I say I mind, what will you do?”
“We’ll have to remove them by force.”
“If you’re confident, go ahead and try. Though I doubt you’ll be able to.”
He only drew more aggro.
As the atmosphere became tense with both sides ready to attack each other, I finally clapped my hands and stepped forward.
Clap!
“Alright, that’s enough! There are children watching, so what’s the point of grown adults fighting? Let’s stop here.”
“Says who?”
“Well, says me?”
Of course, that didn’t mean I intended to solve the problem purely ‘peacefully’ either.
Since it had come to this, I planned to draw aggro in a different direction.
“I’m joking. But this isn’t the time for us to be doing this, is it?”
“Why not?”
“The Crown Prince is chasing after us with bloodshot eyes, and we’re having a meaningless fight like this?”
The Duke’s eyebrows immediately furrowed fiercely.
“It’s not meaningless. If your identities are who I think they are, there couldn’t be anything more meaningful than this.”
“That can’t be. The loser will just be buried silently – who could find meaning in that?”
Thanks to that, the atmosphere instantly froze.
“How dare that thing speak to-!”
Around that time, one of Eggmund’s knights couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth, but his words couldn’t even continue to the end.
“Urgh, gah!”
It was because of Azel’s killing intent.
“You’re the one who dares to spout nonsense – to whom?”
Azel’s gaze was cold as he glared at the knight who had collapsed to the ground with buckled knees.
On the other hand, because Azel had openly protected me, the gazes trying to gauge my identity became persistent.
“I think I know who that one is. But I have no idea about you. You don’t seem like an ordinary person – how about we exchange names?”
“Would it be difficult to treat me as a passing traveler?”
“Dream on.”
A polite way of saying ‘cut the crap.’
However, my aggro was just beginning.
“Respected Duke, we haven’t removed our robes yet.”
“…So?”
“If Your Grace would just ‘understand’ a little, we won’t remove our robes until the end. Then it would be as if nothing happened.”
“You want me to pretend not to know if I want to live? That’s quite a blatant threat.”
The Duke’s voice became sharp.
“That can’t be. It’s just a simple proposal. If I really intended to threaten you, I probably would have used a different method.”
“A different method?”
The frozen atmosphere stirred at my casually spoken words.
“For example, like this.”
Ignoring such reactions, I whispered quietly in the Duke’s ear.
“Is the reason your son’s face is covered with a white mask because he bears the mark of a king?”
“…!”
“Or is there something else that must be suppressed even with a blessed mask?”
I deliberately didn’t add honorifics to my quickly whispered words.
“The reason we came here isn’t to strangle you. So-”
“…You bastard!”
“That’s enough.”
Instead, I added:
“A real threat would be done like this. Do you understand the difference now?”
I said this while smiling.
The Duke, whose pale lips were trembling, finally placed his hand on the sword at his waist.
However.
Swoosh- Clang!
Growl, thud!
Linoa Marigold and Dekan, who had approached my sides, were already pointing their weapons at the Duke’s neck.
I gave those two a final warning.
“We didn’t come here to fight.”
Naturally, there was no one here who wouldn’t know who this warning was truly directed at.
“Both of you, you should fix that habit of trying to fight at the drop of a hat.”
“Sorry, Miss.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
This was the most ‘peaceful’ solution I could think of.
“Indeed, Your Excellency.”
Drawing maximum aggro was only natural.
Finally, the Duke’s hand fell away from her sword.
“We must attend to our guest.”
“Your Excellency.”
“…Since they are an honored guest, attend to them properly.”
I grinned cheerfully at the beautiful woman’s face filled with irritation.
*
“How did the infiltration go?”
“I regret to report that we’ve lost contact. It seems the Duke has caught on.”
“Useless as always.”
“My apologies.”
Under the blazing sun, the Crown Prince huddled inside a black tent that blocked the sunlight and vented his frustration.
Despite his title as Son of the Sun, the Crown Prince’s face was filled with hatred.
“How did this happen? You said it would succeed.”
“If you’re going to blame someone, blame your incompetent subordinates. Don’t take it out on the wrong person.”
Beside the Crown Prince was a Mysterious Woman, whose sharp tone was so cutting it was hard to believe she was the Crown Prince’s companion.
“More importantly, you don’t look well. Did you lose sleep again last night?”
“Those damn bell sounds keep floating around in my head – how could I sleep well?”
“I’ve told you several times before that you should keep the holy relic by your bedside. Have you been following that properly?”
“Is that damn hideous thing really a holy relic? Far from being effective, it only makes me angrier.”
“Watch your words. Even if you are Your Highness, you cannot desecrate the precious holy relic bestowed by God.”
The atmosphere between the two was at its worst.
“Anyway, once the Duke’s son dies, I won’t have to suffer from this nightmare anymore.”
Meanwhile, as the weary-faced Crown Prince spoke, the woman nodded.
“Once you complete the final trial bestowed by the Lord God, it will surely be so.”
“Right. I understand, so go away. My head hurts and I need to rest.”
Without further argument, the woman nodded and left the tent, and the Crown Prince’s expression changed completely.
“What about what I told you to investigate separately?”
Immediately, the Retainer standing nearby approached.
“Are you certain the Holy Maiden received a revelation?”
“Certain. Though we couldn’t learn the details, as I told Your Highness, the content about a noble person coming to the north seems correct.”
However, the Crown Prince’s expression remained poor.
“Anyway, keep a close watch since that crazy bitch might turn at any moment and ruin everything.”
“Don’t worry.”
With that, the Retainer withdrew.
After the Retainer left, the Crown Prince’s gaze fell on the holy relic the woman had mentioned earlier.
But that was all.
“How tiresome.”
He no longer believed in a god that provided no help whatsoever.
The bell sounds in his head rang endlessly as if mocking the Crown Prince.
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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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