My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 45

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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 45

 

Linoa Marigold was genuinely impressed by Elpis’s keen insight.

 

‘To think she could see through someone’s identity with just those details.’

 

Of course, Linoa Marigold had also already known that the maid before them was fake.

 

‘Her movements were far too controlled for a maid. But I didn’t notice that she was the knight we saw this afternoon.’

 

However, realizing that these two people were the same person was a different matter entirely.

 

This afternoon, the number of knights they had encountered was not just one or two.

 

‘She observed and remembered every single one of those many people.’

 

Suddenly, goosebumps spread across her skin.

 

It was a thrill born of respect, not fear.

 

Meanwhile, Elpis’s interrogation continued before them.

 

“How long should I wait for an answer? It seems like quite a simple question.”

 

“…It was something I chose to do myself.”

 

“So an Egmund knight surveilled his master’s guest without the master’s orders?”

 

Elpis scoffed at the absurd excuse.

 

“That’s quite a pathetic excuse.”

 

“…!”

 

“You should have at least lied and said the Duke ordered it. Then I might have pretended to believe you.”

 

At her casually spoken words, the air grew sharply tense.

 

“How did you know?”

 

“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I didn’t know? There are traces everywhere like this.”

 

“Traces?”

 

“Imperial formations are carved all over the place. As if they’re planning to trap us in a cage and kill us all at once.”

 

Even in this moment, Elpis smiled brightly as if it were nothing.

 

“With the Crown Prince’s rats running wild even within the manor, Egmund is truly finished.”

 

*

 

From the moment I first entered this room, I had already sensed that Egmund had fallen into the Crown Prince’s grasp.

 

“What have you been looking at?”

 

“The interior is unique. Did Your Grace decorate it personally?”

 

“Is that so? I didn’t really touch anything. It’s been like this from the beginning.”

 

I hadn’t brought up the manor’s interior with the Duke for no reason.

 

“The curtains, frames, ceiling – the same pattern is everywhere.”

 

In this world, there exists a concept called formations. Simply put, they’re barriers made of mana.

 

Formations create different types of barriers depending on the shape of their patterns, and Egmund’s ducal residence was filled with formations that blocked escape and restricted outside access.

 

What this meant was clear.

 

‘This manor was a gift from the deceased former emperor, so the former emperor was an emperor before being a father.’

 

He couldn’t bring himself to kill the princess born on Achrasia’s auspicious day, but he gifted her a manor designed so she could be disposed of at any time.

 

‘The Crown Prince must have known this fact and tried to exploit it.’

 

“Moreover, the room we were assigned happens to have particularly many formations carved into it. The Duke wouldn’t know about formations, so who else could it be?”

 

The little rat that snuck in here.

 

Even at my mocking addition, the maid could only glare murderously without saying a word.

 

Naturally, it was because of Azel’s presence behind me.

 

“What should we do, Azel?”

 

When I casually called Azel’s name, the maid’s eyes wavered.

 

“We went through the trouble of having you wear a robe and pretend to be docile, but you’re not very grateful.”

 

“As you wish.”

 

Just then, Azel removed the robe covering his face. As his jet-black hair and blazing red eyes were fully revealed, numerous knights immediately burst into the room as if they had been waiting.

 

They had definitely been watching us.

 

Then, a man walked out from among the knights.

 

“I never expected to meet Lord Azel Viotz in this place.”

 

The wrinkled-faced man was the retainer who had been closely attached to the Duke’s side this afternoon.

 

“Seeing you move so openly in the Duke’s presence, was today perhaps the day of the final battle?”

 

“You know even that?”

 

“As you can see, I’m quite quick to catch on.”

 

“I see. Then, would you consider leaving quietly as things stand?”

 

At his blatant request to pretend ignorance and leave, I burst into loud laughter.

 

“So this is why the North fell. With not only the trusted father but even the retainer being like this, even a Duke who was like a human weapon would be helpless.”

 

This was exactly why I had disliked the North episode.

 

The North and Eggmund Duke first appeared in the game just before the world’s destruction due to Azel.

 

Yulia, who had come seeking the North’s power to stand against Azel, witnessed the North’s devastatingly collapsed state there.

 

On the desolate snowy plains, the Duke who survived alone made an extreme choice after saying she had lost everything due to her retainer’s betrayal – that was the content of the North episode.

 

‘I never knew the Crown Prince was behind everything.’

 

Then I needed to redefine the differences between the original and the present.

 

‘In the original, Egmund was thoroughly destroyed too. Even then, the Crown Prince must have caused trouble trying to eliminate the prince born on Achrasia’s auspicious day.’

 

Then the problem returned to square one.

 

‘The Crown Prince is coming to the North for reasons other than the prince.’

 

I needed to confirm that from now on.

 

“Then for what reason has His Highness the Crown Prince personally traveled all the way here?”

 

“I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“It’s strange. Is there really a need to come all this way to confirm it personally?”

 

“How could a mere servant understand the sun’s profound intentions? I simply follow.”

 

As expected, there was no particular gain.

 

“So a mere traitor like you doesn’t know after all.”

 

Flinch. The retainer’s lips trembled, but he still maintained his smiling expression.

 

“Rather than that, I respectfully request once more. Would you consider leaving as things stand?”

 

“What if we refuse?”

 

I asked nonchalantly.

 

“Will you really try it?”

 

Even though I spoke as obnoxiously as possible, it was thrilling that no one dared to rush at me recklessly.

 

‘The taste of borrowing power is sweeter than I thought.’

 

As long as the mastermind friends behind me supported me solidly, there was nothing to fear.

 

‘Anyway, what now?’

 

I briefly turned toward where Azel was.

 

‘If we leave like this, the North will definitely collapse as in the original.’

 

But I too was reluctant to get involved with demonic energy. That was exactly what Azel was worried about too.

 

But just then.

 

“Kyaaaaaaah-!”

 

A sharp scream echoed from somewhere nearby.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

Since the retainer and knights also seemed unaware, confusion appeared on their faces too.

 

“I’m sure I told them to wait?”

 

“I’ll check immediately!”

 

One knight answered, and now explosive sounds began to be heard as well.

 

Bang! Boom-!

 

“Don’t tell me the Duke noticed?”

 

At that moment, Azel’s calm voice instantly silenced the chaotic atmosphere.

 

“It’s not the Duke’s doing.”

 

“Azel?”

 

He had approached behind me at some point and pulled my waist toward him with one arm.

 

“Why, why are you doing this?”

 

I was flustered without realizing it when one of the knights blocking the door happened to let out a scream.

 

“Wh-what is that thing?”

 

What’s happening?

 

When I unconsciously turned my head toward the direction the knight was pointing, I saw something strange at the end of the corridor.

 

‘A purple mass?’

 

Though it wasn’t clearly visible due to being obscured by people, it was something purple that looked like a person.

 

“Linoa Marigold, Dekan. We’re getting out of this place right now. Tear out the window frame before the formation activates.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yes sir!”

 

Then Azel quickly gave orders while covering my eyes.

 

But this wasn’t easy either.

 

“Why are you covering my eyes-”

 

“Master!”

 

Before the two could even swing their swords, light began pouring out from the patterns carved throughout the room.

 

“So the Holy Maiden was in on it too.”

 

The Holy Maiden?

 

If it were simply the Imperial Court’s formation activating, even if Linoa Marigold and Dekan couldn’t handle it, Azel would have been able to deal with it easily. But the light pouring from the patterns was mixed with divine power.

 

“They layered divine power over the formation to prevent demonic energy from escaping outside the manor.”

 

“Then what do we do? Can’t we get out?”

 

“Since mana and divine power are mixed together, it’ll explode if we touch it wrong.”

 

In this situation, it was impossible to break through by brute force.

 

“…Yulia…”

 

My head ached from the fact that the owner of that divine power happened to be Yulia.

 

‘What on earth is she thinking.’

 

At that moment, Azel’s low voice settled down from above my head.

 

“It’s coming.”

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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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