STM 162

Silence finally returned to Adeye’s house at dawn, though the place was a mess from the fire. However, guards strictly watched the clinic because the matriarch was there.

The sudden guest’s appearance made the guards tense, but they had to lower their swords once they identified him. They couldn’t dare to block Grand Duke Kun’s path.

He had no trouble reaching the room where Adeye Lantuya lay. He moved as silently as a cat despite his frame and entered the room.

Creak.

His footsteps were silent, but the wooden floor made a small noise under the guest’s weight. It didn’t matter. The only people inside were the unconscious patient and Lu, a family member who was sleeping with his head on the bed.

Tairok stood by the bed and placed his hand on Lu’s hair. He touched it gently, almost hesitantly, then moved closer to the face but pulled his hand back without going further.

Usually, Lu would immediately open his eyes if Tairok touched him, even in deep sleep, as if he had guards stationed inside his body. But now, even those guards seemed to have fallen asleep, and all that could be heard was her even breathing.

This was a rare sight. He could only see Lu’s sleeping face in a situation like this. Tairok stayed there for a long time, stroking Lu’s hair.

It was just a sleeping scene, but it filled the moment, made it perfect. So much so that he felt like he could just watch it forever.

He really wanted to.  He felt a surge of desire to hug him, lay him down on the comfortable bed, and lie down beside him, watching him.

But there was an obstacle. Even if he took Lu away, he would return here once he woke up. He’d leave because his precious family member was sick.

“You really love Lu.”

A feeble mumble broke the silence and reached Tairok. Lantuya had regained consciousness. He turned his gaze toward Lantuya on the bed.

The eyes that were full of warmth when he looked at Lu turned to ice in an instant. An ordinary person would tremble under such a gaze, but Adeye Lantuya didn’t even have the energy to feel afraid.

Her face was so pale that he wondered if she was still alive. In Tairok’s eyes, he could end her life with just a little bit of effort. It would be as easy as stepping on a bug.

“You must be dying to kill me.”

Lantuya smirked despite her lack of energy. Tairok smiled back.

“Of course not. You’re my partner’s family.”

“Don’t say that when you look at me like I’m a worm.”

Lantuya closed her eyes and mumbled as she struggled to breathe.

“Just wait a bit. I’ll die on my own.”

“What if I don’t want to wait?”

“Then treat Lu well. That time will shorten depending on how you behave.”

Taurok’s eyes sharpened. Lantuya continued speaking with difficulty, without looking at him.

“Just grant what Lu want as part of the contract with him. Then I’ll die as you wish.”

“…Was that something both of you siblings wanted?”

Lantuya stared at Tairok in silence for a moment and then shook her head.

“It’s my wish alone. Lu only stepped forward because I wanted it. So… later on…”

Lantuya mumbled and closed her eyes as her consciousness faded.

“Don’t give Lu a hard time about it.”

‎

‎

I fell asleep while watching Doctor Kim, and I woke up the next morning only when I heard people whispering.

“Master Lu, are you awake?”

I blinked at the healer’s question and looked around. Two healers were examining Doctor Kim. However, I didn’t see the respirator that should’ve been on her mouth. My heart skipped a beat . If she didn’t need the respirator, could it be…?

“The matriarch opened her eyes briefly a moment ago, took some medicine, and went back to sleep.”

I jumped up without realizing it.

“Did she regain consciousness?”

“Yes,” the healer nodded with a smile.

Phew, what a relief. I lowered my head and let out a long breath.

“The God of Death must’ve been moved by Master Lu’s sincere heart.”

“No way.”

I shook my head because I knew a lot about beings like gods. They were all selfish, so I couldn’t apply human standards of being “moved” to them.

“It’s because of Lantuya’s own will to live.”

I was relieved that she was conscious again. But I couldn’t believe I slept through Doctor Kim waking up. I learned to sleep anywhere during the long war with mosnters, but I didn’t expect to sleep this soundly on a bed. It was probably because I used Survival Mode yesterday and slept with my systems completely off.

“Good job. Please keep looking after her.”

I thanked the healer and turned around, but her words stopped me.

“Oh, did you know Grand Duke Kun visited last night?”

‎

‎

The fire forced the survivors of the Adeye family to scatter across small, separate buildings. This meant I had to run across the vast Adeye estate to find Solongo. I realized how terrible Lu’s stamina was for the first time in a long while, and I also realized how precious Haas was. Dammit, I’ll give him a huge bonus when I see him.

“The news of Adeye residence fire covered the papers. Of course, they also introduced the miracle Master Lu performed.”

Solongo showed me the newspaper. I didn’t care much, so I just glanced at it and replied half-heartedly.

“Most people won’t believe what I did.”

“But everyone is definitely confused. Soon, they’ll all know. They’ll see who the real Salvation is between the one who just guessed the weather once and the person who performed a miracle.”

Solongo’s trusting gaze felt burdening. I was already terrified because everyone I met at the Adeye estate prostrated themselves on the floor whenever they saw me.

“I’m not real either. I just look more convincing. But like Solongo said, everyone needs to know.”

I looked at the newspaper and remembered how Hoiga used this in the past.

“I should do exactly what Hoiga did. That’ll upset that bastard even more.”

“Hoiga’s method… Ah.”

The quick-witted Solongo nodded without me having to explain the details.

“I’ll prepare everything on my own.”

“Good. By the way, what about the arsonists?”

“Sidro has become very obedient. He’s cooperating and even exposed the Temple’s corruption without being asked. However, someone from the Temple came this morning and strongly demanded Sidro’s custody. It seemed their real goal was to take back the brazier.”

“If it was that important, they shouldn’t have managed it so poorly in the first place. They shouldn’t have sent someone like him, either.”

I laughed. I continued to speak with a smile as if I caught it from Tairok.

“We should still grant the Temple’s request. But only once Sidro is properly ready.”

“What do you mean by ready…?”

I briefly explained my plan, and Solongo nodded deeply in agreement.

“Yes, I’ll make sure everything is prepared perfectly.”

“How about Ariona?”

“Ariona still keeps his mouth shut, but based on his reaction, he didn’t seem to know what would happen either. That’s probably why he didn’t run and got caught.”

“Or maybe he expected everyone to die so there’d be no one to catch him.”

I spat out the words and gritted my teeth.

“Regardless, he’s still a stupid chess piece.”

“Do you think Hoiga manipulated him?”

“No, Hoiga didn’t seem to know either. It must be Kilu’s doing.”

I recalled Hoiga’s reaction at the party. That definitely wasn’t acting.

“Kilu must’ve brought Grand Duke Sarne into this too. I can’t believe he joined this mess just to lure me to a party. I can’t believe such a stupid man leads Sarne.”

“If the matriarch heard that, she would’ve been happy that he made such a stupid move instead.”

Solongo’s voice grew more resentful, perhaps because she thought of Doctor Kim under treatment.

“Since Montaine and Sarne overtly attacked Adeye, we don’t need to wear masks anymore. If they want war, we have no choice but to respond.”

“But won’t the Adeye Merchant Guild suffer a huge loss if we turn against the divine beast families?”

“Is there ever a fight without loss? In a fight over money, the winner isn’t the one who kills all the enemies. It’s the one who endures until the end. We can grow our wealth again after we win. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was wondering if you got a doctorate in Korea.”

I saw Doctor Kim in her. It made me feel relieved because I could trust her with anything.

“Where are you going to take Lantuya now?”

Solongo tilted her head as if my question was strange.

“What do you mean where?”

“The house burned down, so she needs a place to stay.”

“If you’re curious about how many mansions Adeye owns, I’d say it’s over a thousand times your estimate.”

I flinched as someone whose only inheritance was once a single house.

“Right, I’m glad there are a thousand mansions to stay in.”

“Was your estimate really just one? I thought you’d at least expect ten.”

I was shocked to see Solongo’s horrified expression.

This is insane. Did Doctor Kim want to become the emperor in Tubain?!

“Anyway, ahem, don’t move her yet, whether there are ten mansions or ten thousand.”

“Do you have a place in mind?”

“Yes,” I nodded. “Grand Duke Kun’s mansion in the capital.”

Solongo’s eyes widened in surprise, but she soon nodded.

“Since the war is starting, we can clearly show which side Adeye is on. Of course, Grand Duke Kun has to give permission.”

Right, that was the problem, but strangely, I felt like he’d grant my request. If I just gave the reason that it was “for me.”

But I really wanted to ask this time. Based on what those people were doing, I wanted to move Doctor Kim to the safest place possible.

Solongo smiled.

“If Kun and Adeye are together, Montaine and Sarne will be nervous.”

“It’s not just Kun and Adeye.”

I shook my head and pointed out what she forgot.

“There’s Borhumi too. Kun has completely taken over that place now.”