My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 84

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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 84

Azel had long since noticed the woman who had chased him all the way to this place.

‘Riana Winsor?’

She had gotten out of a duke’s carriage and was called ‘young lady,’ so it was certain. For some reason, Riana Winsor was chasing him.

‘That woman again.’

Not long ago, Azel had heard about Winsor’s suspicious movements through Simoer.

The story about the Winsor family’s daughter being ill was something he had never heard even once in all his regressions, so Azel suspected that Edward Winsor had gathered priests and physicians for some other reason.

However, while he might not know about the duke, he had never taken interest in his daughter.

‘Come to think of it, I don’t really know anything about Riana Winsor.’

Since she was someone who died early in accidents every time, it would be more accurate to say he had been indifferent to her all along. In Azel’s view, Riana Winsor was a woman who was all rumors but nothing impressive.

But now, that very woman was suddenly chasing after Azel.

Naturally, it was an incomprehensible situation.

‘What exactly has changed?’

Of course, the most likely possibility was that she had simply mistaken Azel for someone else. But strangely, her desperate figure running through the alleys kept bothering him.

‘I’d like to at least check her face. The robe is the problem.’

Unfortunately, her face was hidden by a silver-white robe, so he couldn’t see Riana Winsor’s face.

Soon after, Riana shouted in a desperate voice.

“Where did you go, damn it!”

A noble family’s daughter running around dirty back alleys with her shoes thrown off.

“…Quite an impressive woman in many ways.”

She was running around various parts of the alley with tremendous energy, not knowing any sense of propriety. It would have been a sight that would make the duke lament if he saw it.

‘Should I just catch her and check?’

Just as that thought suddenly occurred to him, the situation changed at the right moment.

“…What’s that?”

Someone familiar was approaching Riana Winsor.

*

“Where are you- where the hell are you, you idiot!”

“Who are you looking for?”

After muttering with a gloomy face for a moment.

I unconsciously turned my head at the voice speaking from behind me.

Could it be Azel?

Even knowing it couldn’t be, just as I was placing futile hope, I froze solid in shock at the figure that suddenly appeared before my eyes.

“…Mary?”

The short-cut green bob, the disciplined posture, even the consistently indifferent expression were all the same.

Only the look in her eyes when she saw me had changed.

Linoa Marigold. She was in front of me for some reason, wearing a Holy Knights uniform instead of a maid’s outfit.

“If you’re looking for someone, I’ll help. So please calm down.”

But that was only for a moment.

“There she is! The young lady is over there!”

Suddenly, a shout looking for me broke the silence.

“Young lady! Don’t go any further!”

“Stay right there, don’t move!”

The secluded alley was quickly filled with commotion, but I couldn’t give any response.

“It seems they’re your companions. These alleys are dangerous. Since your companions have arrived, don’t just stand there dazed and return quickly.”

Even the illusion that this might be a dream was a luxury. The cold voice dragged me back to reality.

“…Mary.”

“You seem to have mistaken me for someone else.”

“…!”

“My name is not Mary, but Linoa Marigold.”

Ah, so this was it. Only then did I painfully realize the true reality I was in.

“Are you alright, young lady?”

“…No.”

“Pardon?”

“I don’t think I’m alright. This is, well. It’s not… alright.”

This really,

wasn’t alright at all.

*

Meanwhile, Azel, who had been watching that scene from afar,

“Not alright?”

After imprinting the strange ‘Riana’s’ reaction in his eyes as the last thing he saw, he suddenly left the place.

*

“Young lady! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Young lady, your, your shoes?!”

“Why are you barefoot?! What happened?”

Surrounded by people pressing me with questions, I just thought of Azel.

‘How did he endure all this.’

No wonder Azel’s personality was strange. There was no way it would be okay when someone who always looked at me with warm eyes was now looking at me with the face of looking at a complete stranger.

“Thank you for helping, sir. I will definitely repay you.”

“I was just passing by. I didn’t really do anything, so no repayment is necessary.”

Mary’s appearance, stepping back and turning her head with an indifferent face, was exactly like that.

A perfect stranger.

In other words, indifference.

‘You must have experienced this countless times.’

At this point, Azel, who must have overcome this moment every time, was almost admirable.

“Young lady…”

Only when Bel called me with an anxious tone, sensing something strange about my quiet state, did Mary’s gaze turn toward me again. I finally opened my mouth.

“I will repay you.”

“I said it’s not necessary-“

“No. You readily approached to help a strange woman running barefoot through alleys, so of course I should repay you.”

Fortunately, my voice didn’t tremble.

Mary only slightly furrowed her brow because I cut her off so firmly.

“I’m sorry for saying strange things like ‘not alright’ earlier.”

“It’s fine.”

“More importantly, you said you were Sir Linoa Marigold, right? Once again, thank you for helping me. I am Riana Winsor.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, young lady.”

Suddenly, the reality that I couldn’t even reveal my own name felt terribly harsh.

“Did you hear, Mary? Azel gave me a name. Elpis! That’s my name!”

“I heard. Hope, it has a very good meaning.”

“The name Elpis means hope?”

It was Linoa Marigold who told me the meaning of the name ‘Elpis’ in the first place.

However, as I told her, I am now just ‘Riana’, not Elpis. So I shouldn’t give anything away unnecessarily in front of Linoa Marigold.

…At least, not yet.

“Um… Miss?”

Just then, one of the guards who had been quietly watching the situation from behind sneakily approached my side.

“What.”

“If it’s Lord Linoa Marigold, well. She’s a knight belonging to the Grand Temple of the Capital.”

The guard seemed to recognize who Linoa Marigold was upon hearing the name. The way he was openly poking my side while speaking seemed to mean she was an important person, so please don’t cause trouble.

“I know who the Lord is too.”

I know best of all. I had only spoken honestly, but suddenly people’s gazes focused on me.

“…What.”

“Oh, no!”

Being openly treated like a scoundrel isn’t even funny anymore.

Then Linoa Marigold spoke.

“I have business to attend to, so I’ll be going now. Please take care, Young Lady.”

Whether she was busy with work, or didn’t want to get troublesomely involved with a noble. Linoa Marigold was trying to hurriedly leave the scene, but there was no way I’d let her go.

Grab.

“What are you doing right now?”

When I grabbed her sleeve to prevent her from leaving, Linoa Marigold hesitated for the first time.

“Ah, Miss? Wh, why your hand?”

“Y, you need to let go for the Lord to leave.”

Of course, it’s not like I care.

‘Since I’m treated like a scoundrel anyway, I can do this much.’

This is one of the few moments I like Riana’s image.

“How did someone who should be in the capital end up coming all the way to the Southern Region?”

“….”

When I openly acted clingy, Linoa Marigold also stopped hiding and frowned.

“I came to the Southern Region on a mission.”

“How long will you stay?”

Since it was obvious she wouldn’t tell me what kind of mission it was, I didn’t bother asking.

“Nothing is decided. I plan to stay until the mission is completed.”

“I see.”

When I calmly nodded, Linoa Marigold’s gaze grew darker as she glared at my hand gripping her sleeve.

“If that answers your question, would you please let go now?”

“Please stop by Windsor soon. I’ll be waiting.”

“I understand, so please let go.”

“You’re just saying that and won’t come anyway.”

“…No.”

If I let her go like this, she definitely won’t come. But I had a last resort.

“Windsor has a lot of money.”

“…?”

“I’m saying that Windsor’s donations go not only to the Southern Temple, but also to the Grand Temple of the Capital. As a reliable patron of the Temple, I hope Lord Marigold will keep her promise.”

If that doesn’t work, I’ll just threaten her.

“I’ll be waiting, Lord.”

Immediately, shocked gazes turned toward me, but I wasn’t even tickled by such looks.

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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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