STM 170

We get stuck in the swamp of confirmation bias, planning and analyzing only in the direction we want to hear. That’s why in our world, we recommended periodically resetting the nanobots after a certain period of time.

But resetting nanobots already tailored to oneself isn’t easy. Was that the case for Hoiga too? Is that why he’s in this stupid state now?

The reason for this suspicion was that I suddenly received a letter this morning.

‘If you want the price of the wager, you only get one chance. Come to the Central Temple.’

There was no sender’s name, but judging by the content, it seemed written by Hoiga.

“The handwriting matches Hoiga’s. The seal is also identical to the one Hoiga usually uses. Though the person who delivered the letter concealed their identity and appearance, they were indeed someone from Duke Kilu’s residence.”

Because this letter was delivered to the Kun residence in the capital, Solongo verified its authenticity. Naturally, she agreed with my assessment.

“But a letter with this content at this time? It seems highly likely to be a forgery. However, the seal is imbued with magical power, making forgery difficult, so it is confusing.”

“Yes. He’s still hiding at Kilu’s manor, not showing his face. He wouldn’t have the presence of mind to write something like this. And Duke Kilu keeps leaving his post for some reason lately too.”

I tapped the letter with my finger.

“Not many people are desperate enough to send an invitation that’s a trap. Unless they desperately need the power of a divine beast.”

“Could it be Sarne?”

Probably. I nodded and let out a wry laugh.

“Sarne’s so desperate he’s lost his mind and resorted to such a crude trick, but I didn’t realize Hoiga was so out of it he wouldn’t even notice someone using his seal without permission.”

“He’s certainly not in his right mind right now.”

“However, this guy has someone in his head to keep him grounded.”

But if he was unaware of what was happening in his own room, there was only one explanation for his current state. The nanobot that had long assisted Hoiga wasn’t sending proper warnings.

“He must have lived pretty much as he pleased all this time.”

He was a researcher too, so he must have been smart. But that very intelligence might have been his poison. The more you know, the more you tend to blindly trust your own choices. In that sense, maybe I’m better off being less educated. Even when Mo scolds me, I don’t get angry and just follow along.

“He needed that stubbornness to endure.”

Solongo analyzed Hoiga with a cold voice.

“Living as Hoiga couldn’t have been easy. He probably endured that ridiculous Hoiga act just to win the one love he desired. So Hoiga must feel like he’s standing at the gates of hell right now. Because in the end, he hasn’t gained anything. Not love, nor a place of salvation.”

Hearing just the story, it was a life that might evoke sympathy, but neither Solongo nor I felt any room for such emotion. Where in this world is there a life without twists and turns, without hardship? But everyone struggles to live without crossing the line.

“If he’s only standing at the entrance, we should push him into hell.”

I flicked the letter with my finger.

“If we’re meeting, we have no choice but to go.”

“But that letter could be a trap set by Sarne.”

“Yes. I’m not going that way. But since the letter came, it gives me a reason to meet Hoiga, right?”

For me, it was actually an opportunity.

“The time has come.”

At my words, Solongo’s gaze hardened.

“Did you know? Tomorrow, a saint’s feast day ceremony will be held in the Grand Temple square. It’s one of the few days a year the Grand Temple is empty. There’s no better stage than this.”

“Make sure the people going on stage are properly prepared.”

“Of course. Trust me on this.”

She answered confidently, but I hesitated for a moment. Without me saying anything, she immediately understood why.

“I swear by Adeye’s name to minimize casualties. But I will show no mercy to our enemies.”

I rose from my seat and nodded. Right. I needed to let Hoiga know that his real hell hadn’t even begun yet.

‎

‎

Hoiga, who had stayed up all night since discovering Kilu’s secret, only came to his senses when the sun was high in the sky. But there was no time to flee back to the library. If Kilu was truly allied with the dark mages, he couldn’t handle him alone.

He wanted to ask someone for help, but the first person who came to mind was, absurdly, Tairok. He thought only hatred remained for him now, but gripped by fear, he desperately needed Tairok’s salvation.

But no. Hoiga shook his head, pushing him from his mind. If Tairok had been alone, he might have abandoned his pride and run barefoot to him immediately. But Adeye Lu was by his side.

His desire to avoid seeing Lu far outweighed his wish to see Tairok. Then who should he ask for help? The next person who came to mind was his master.

But he’d fallen out with her over the Ariona matter too. He couldn’t go to her asking for a favor when he hadn’t even kept his promise to look after Ariona. The next place he could turn to was his family.

The Ma family was still solidly backing him, so Hoiga pulled himself together and hurriedly wrote a letter asking them to come here immediately. And just as he was about to unlock the drawer with the key and take out the seal…

He paused.

The seal was safely in the drawer where it always rested, but something seemed different.

The spot it occupied was the same. Yet the name engraved on the handle faced upward. It was the exact direction Hoiga never placed it.

‘Mo, check the last memory I have of using this desk, the direction I placed the seal.’

[It was in the usual position. The name engraved on the handle was facing downward.]

A shiver ran down his spine. Someone had rummaged through his drawer and used the seal? He suddenly realized this place was not his domain. He had been too careless, letting his guard down. Hoiga steeled his resolve and stamped the seal on the letter he was sending to his brother.

He wanted to rush over to meet him in person, but he feared the stares of others. Even encountering the servants within this mansion was already dreadful enough.

So, all he could do was send a letter asking his brother for help and wait anxiously. However, the reply that came back through the portal was a bit disappointing.

‘I received an invitation to attend today’s festival for the adults. They asked me to oversee one of the festival events. It was sudden, but since the temple requested something honorable for our Ma family, I decided to attend.

I believe showing people that the temple still supports the Ma family will be a great help to you too. I will definitely come see you after the event ends. Never forget that family is always behind you.’

Though they couldn’t meet immediately, the warmth in the letter comforted Hoiga. Yes, I have family who will help me. It’s not over yet. After regaining his calm for the first time in a long while and waiting for his brother, the butler soon announced an unexpected visitor.

“…Who?”

“It is Adeye Lu.”

The butler, who usually concealed his emotions, sounded flustered. He seemed startled too. Hoiga, unable to believe it, asked again.

“Here? Adeye Lu is here, right now?”

“Yes. With two guards.”

“Is he stupid or just fearless? Did he think Montaine would just let him be? Are there really only two guards?”

“Yes, but he arrived in the grand Adeye carriage and disembarked at the main gate. Many saw the carriage, so people are gathering in front of the gate.”

Ha, he deliberately got out to be seen. Preparing for trouble. Then those two guards couldn’t be ordinary men. The butler revealed the identity of one of them.

“One of the guards is Haas, a mage counted among the finest in Tubain.”

At the mention of Haas, Hoya’s jaw stiffened. Haas was skilled, but also notorious as Tairok’s right-hand man. And yet, he’d followed Lu here too.

The fact that Tairok had assigned his closest confidant to Adeye Lu twisted his insides. Jealousy, thought long gone, boiled up, making him feel like he might vomit. Adeye Lu’s reason for coming to see him was obvious.

He’d come under the pretense of collecting the winnings from their bet, but it was just an excuse to mock him. He didn’t need to see it to know how gleeful Lu must be. After all, he’d come all the way here, practically enemy territory.

So he should have ignored that and not fallen for it, but the jealousy twisting inside his chest interfered. If he hid himself away, Adeye Lu might just laugh even harder.

The worse it got, the more he had to grit his teeth and act like nothing was wrong, facing him head-on. He resolved himself and ordered the butler.

“Tell him to wait. He’ll be dying to see my face, so he’ll wait for hours.”

Let’s see if he can wait while starving. He planned a small revenge, but the butler’s words stopped him.

“Well, Lord Adeye Lu requested a message be delivered. He said you would come out immediately after hearing it.”

“What message?”

“He said if you don’t come out within ten minutes, he will deal with that Ariona fellow himself.”