Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: The Fake Exposed
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Bervert let one hand hang down as she entrusted her nails to the attendant.
The task of applying oil to the nails and carefully filing the tips smooth and round.
It was usually left to the maids, but a noble's touch felt better than some lowly commoner's.
Bervert glanced down at her own impeccably groomed hair while blowing on the other set of nails.
Handing over the strand of Gadia's hair she'd gotten while brushing hers to the church had been a brilliant idea—it got her the doppelganger potion.
*Lately, things have been way too entertaining.*
The doppelganger potion's effects varied with the dosage.
A small amount just changed your appearance, but chug enough and your mind became that person's entirely.
*If only it weren't so vulnerable to torture.*
Bervert pouted, letting out a sigh of regret.
If not for that, snagging someone's hair or blood and brewing the potion could've yielded massive gains.
Want to know their secrets? Feed it to some disposable nobody, torture them, and you'd learn everything.
If they died?
*Just feed it to another and torture again.*
What a shame.
But the reason it didn't work that way.
Excessive pain nullified the potion's effects.
Try drugs to loosen their tongue?
They melted the brain. The potion messed with the mind too, after all.
*Worth begging and pleading with Father for permission.*
It was a potion the church rarely used—exposing it could cause chaos and harm them—but after careful deliberation, they'd approved it for a Kruger family target like Gadia.
The potential risk of the potion's existence leaking paled against the rewards of landing Gadia.
Fabricate her scandals, let the people revile her, and stay away awhile. That proud Gadia would grow anxious without reaching out first, isolating herself.
She'd make her feel like the whole world despised her.
Slip a low-dose fake Gadia—appearance only—into seedy spots to spread filthy rumors, plant eyewitness tales from places she hadn't gone to stoke the fear.
Then, no matter what Gadia said, in a world doubting her, shove a fully dosed fake who *believed* she was Gadia right in her face. What then?
Her pride would make her tough it out alone, shredding her mind.
That was when Bervert would swoop in as her savior.
*"Only I believe in you, sis."*
*"Only I'm on your side."*
Gadia's weak mentality would crumble if Bervert became her sole light. She'd drag her into the church effortlessly.
She was that fragile, Bervert was sure.
Eventually, she'd beg for a royal artifact to verify blood ties.
Then just make the fake vanish.
If people realized the real Gadia too late and tried currying favor? Even better.
By then, Gadia would distrust everyone but Bervert.
If not for the potion's insane difficulty to brew, rare ingredients, and recent total production halt for some reason, it'd be endlessly useful. Bervert was milking its effects for all they were worth lately.
"How's Gadia?"
The nail technician paused at Bervert's giggling question.
"The family's little sister showed up."
"Little sister?"
Bervert cocked her head, her fluffy brown curls bouncing thickly.
"Not like she could tell kin from stranger."
She pressed a finger to her lips, puzzled, and the attendant awkwardly smiled to match her mood.
"Of course. It's your plan, miss—it has to be perfect."
"Don't flatter me with obvious lies."
Irritated, Bervert yanked her hand away, inspecting it in the light. The technician bowed hastily.
Just then, a rhythmic knock echoed—unusual for regular visitors.
"Come in."
Bervert recognized her follower's knock by sound alone. The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man frantically dabbing his receding hairline with a handkerchief.
Bervert teased in a playful tone.
"Oh my, Professor Hartlan? You can't just come to the girls' dorm like this."
She toyed with her fluffy brown curls, as if promising a scolding for nothing important.
Hartlan, sweating profusely like a hunted man, panted heavily.
"Miss Bervert... the fake Gadia's been exposed."
Bervert's light smile froze.
"What did you say?"
"The... Gadia's sister from the Kruger family found the real one somehow, and whatever she did broke the potion's effect."
Bervert slammed the armrest in fury.
Her perfectly manicured nail cracked, blood slowly seeping out.
"What the hell? Impossible. Know how many vials we fed her? Did that idiot sister stab her own sibling or something?!"
Intimidation or beatings wouldn't break it.
She yelled about stabbing, but if it were that easy, she wouldn't have started.
Stabs or punches didn't cut it.
Only prolonged torture, near-death wounds, or equivalent terror dissolved the doppelganger effect.
And it had broken?
"Miss... your nail..."
"Is that the issue right now?"
The once-pristine tip split, blood beading and dripping. Bervert gnawed the jagged edge furiously, narrowing her eyes.
"The gall..."
Losses flashed through her mind—uncountable.
Wasted irreplaceable potion, exposure for nothing but tarnishing Gadia's image?
Before shoving her into the church's arms?
"That bitch is insane!"
Plenty of time left before it wore off naturally.
Meaning the sister inflicted near-death terror or pain on her own flesh and blood—without even knowing who was real?
Bervert spat out the chewed nail bit.
"Find out everything on that girl. She'll pay for ruining my plan."
"Y-yes, ma'am."
Hartlan nodded, wiping from forehead to crown nonstop.
* * *
"Gone."
"Nobody's here."
But this was definitely their inn.
A luxury place—the top floor was one big suite.
No mix-up possible. They must've gone out.
I spotted Rachel's robe tossed carelessly in the living room and shook my head.
"Out playing, looks like."
"Abandoning us?"
Zero looked wronged at my words. Siren could ping their location instantly.
*Need to?*
Luna would've left word, but since she didn't, probably didn't want us knowing.
"Leaf left a note."
Cain picked up the paper from the table and handed it over.
The girls bonding, ditching the guys.
*Totally something Rachel would say.*
In the original story, the women often ditched for bars, casinos, arenas...
I pondered, then shrugged. Those three? No danger.
"Guys' night out, then?"
Zero, now briefed, perked up expectantly.
I'd dragged him through the labyrinth with only adventurers' journals and novels—no real social life.
No folk games or LARPs here. What do three guys even do?
Booze? They had to get drunk to enjoy, but Zero and Cain didn't get tipsy.
Gambling? No way they'd let me.
"I'm out."
Cain tried bailing preemptively, same as me.
Oh, he'd crack if I pushed.
"What're you up to first?"
I grinned; he headed for his room, but I blocked like tripping him.
"Adelrian, sir—this is my first time in the capital. Cain senior's too, right?"
"I'm out."
Sensing something ominous, Cain dodged my foot, but Zero blocked him.
"Heard on the way: night market tonight. You heard too, right, senior?"
Wow—Rachel leads Luna and Leaf to booze and bets; we're stuck with Zero's night market stroll.
Street food, crafts—what else? Not our scene, me, Cain, and Zero.
Frankly, shower and bed sounded best.
"Can't miss that."
Cain would hate it more, so off we go.
"Grab gifts for Luna, Leaf, Rachel while out."
Time left? Hit the mage tower.
Zero beamed; Cain hooded up, looking drained for once.
"Let's hurry back."
Zero's grin split ear-to-ear. I felt little—buoyant maybe—but for dungeon-raised Zero and Cain the lab rat/slave? Different story.
Push strength too hard, people burn out. Gotta loosen the reins sometimes.
By dusk, when skies darkened properly, the capital's night market bustled impressively—crowded, decent scale.
"They sell everything. Amazing."
Zero stuck to street eats and homemade grub; Cain lurked behind like not-with-us, me too.
"Unique knife design."
Cain eyed odd weapons, soul-infused artisan blades; Zero and I hung back.
Not shop sweets or cakes—cheese, jerky held up in sub-space.
Homemade recipes, morphing weapons went in; Zero turned.
"That's wild."
Juggling eight balls; firebird spirit darting, feathering aerial targets.
Basic circus, but first-timer Zero ate it up.
Cain intrigued too, silently.
*Kids, huh.*
I chuckled, shaking my head—then Siren buzzed.
[Adelrian...]
Luna?
[Help!]
* * *