Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Taitria
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Taitria.
The greatest and most powerful empire among the nations on this continent.
A human realm standing at the forefront of rejecting the Ain races.
It considered only humans without Ain blood within three generations as purebloods, making it a prerequisite for nobility with such stubborn insistence.
Perhaps out of concern for raids, the gate was located not inside the capital but a bit further out.
After riding for who knows how long, I spotted more people—merchants with wagons loaded with goods or bundles on their backs, and others like us on horseback—as the crowds thickened. I turned my horse's head slightly.
Instead of the general checkpoint where they inspected each person one by one, verifying every identity, I dismounted in front of the nobles-only checkpoint and looked at Luna.
“Luna, sorry.”
“No, young master! Please don’t say that.”
Honestly, where were the humans in my party?
Not only Luna, but Zero, Leaf, and Rachel weren’t even human to begin with.
Cain and I were such outliers that calling our traits “human” meant something entirely different.
Still, since Luna was the only one visibly Ain, I had no choice but to drape a cape bearing our house crest over her shoulders.
At least it was better than the metal choker.
“Let’s go in.”
To avoid unwanted stares, I slipped on gloves to cover the Kruger house lord’s ring and started walking.
What had Alkaid said again?
[Young master. What do you mean you’re not returning to the main house and heading straight there? It’s extremely urgent.]
“Explain.”
The conversation I’d had with Reinhardt, relayed through the Siren afterward, had been quite bewildering.
As far as I knew, Gadia had never been attacked by the Evil God Cult like this in the original story.
‘Doppelganger issue.’
And there’d been no such episode in the original either. Similar incidents existed, but never two people with the same face popping up simultaneously at an official event.
‘Wonder what triggered the butterfly effect.’
After flashing the Kruger house seal to breeze through inspection, I pretended to reach into my pocket for money and handed some to Rachel.
“Huh? You can give it to me?”
“Cain and Zero need to stick with me, and no fancy inn would accept coin from Luna’s hands.”
Leaf’s voice couldn’t be heard without administrator registration anyway.
Cain was bait for fishing, and Zero was for any potential doppelganger detection.
That left… Rachel.
Rachel growled at my subtle glance.
“What’s with that cocky look?”
“Rachel.”
“…Yes?”
No, how the hell did Luna have Rachel under control?
“Don’t blow it all on booze and gambling.”
“Don’t worry, young master. Have a safe trip.”
I patted Luna’s beaming head, shoved extra gold into Rachel’s hands for drinks and gambling, then turned to Leaf.
“If I’m late, buy whatever you need personally while I’m gone.”
―I’m curious about the history after the airship crashed. I’ll head to a bookstore.
I borrowed the Siren I’d given to Cain, handed it to Luna, and set off with Cain and Zero toward the Imperial Academy where Gadia attended.
We’d originally planned to head to the Southern Sea Isles after slaying the Cyclops and taking a short rest.
‘Well, not a bad detour.’
I’d wanted to check on Gadia when she first met Cain anyway.
Luna was supposed to become Gadia’s maid and meet Cain that way, but things had gone off the rails from the start.
Leaf had been half-buried underground after breaking down and the airship’s decline, discovered by Cain and registered solely under him—but now we shared registration.
Rachel had followed an older, stronger, more stoic Cain out of intrigue as the most interesting human she’d met, but this time she’d called it second place.
In the end, all their first encounters were botched, so their feelings…
‘No, even in the original, there wasn’t much romance anyway.’
I felt a flicker of anger thinking of the rolling stone moss, then calmed myself recalling Leaf.
There must’ve been a reason for portraying her that way.
If it’d been a webtoon, at least the art would’ve carried it, but writing D… Better not dwell.
In that sense, Gadia had been a bit special.
‘Anyone could see she fell at first sight and obsessed over Cain.’
I glanced at Cain, silently following beside me. With that perfect pretty-boy face, it’d work out somehow.
No one stopped us as we entered through the main gate, flashing the Kruger seal.
Crossing the vast garden, we entered the largest building, where a central administrative office of white marble came into view.
“How may I assist you?”
A woman with neatly tied hair and glasses—staff, I presumed? I tilted my head crookedly and grinned slowly.
“Deliver this to Gadia von Kruger.”
Your little brother’s here.
* * *
What else could these knot-eyed fools—who couldn’t tell real from fake—do anyway?
Lock the fake and herself in separate rooms under watch.
Gadia sat on the sofa, fingers tracing the rim of her freshly brewed teacup.
She’d assumed it was magic or a special trait. She’d never heard of it, but new magic emerged yearly, and the continent was vast—special traits existed everywhere.
Yet how could summoning a priest for a trait check reveal the exact same traits as her own?
“Glacier and archery. Identical types. One’s grade is slightly higher, but that alone…”
“Traits listed on academy admission forms don’t include grades anyway, so it’s meaningless.”
A commoner might not know, but among nobles, asking directly about traits without being told first was near-rude, mere guesses aside.
Even so, Gadia had revealed hers to prove she was the real deal, but now even that was useless.
‘Should I kill her?’
Was this why legends of doppelgangers arose?
Loathing and hatred for another wearing your face.
The rage of having to prove what should be obvious: that you were you.
Her last resort was the royal family’s paternity verification magic.
But since only they used it, she had no guarantee they’d approve her request.
‘If Father finds out…’
No matter how much she insisted she was the real Gadia, once suspected, the house lord position might truly slip away.
Her mouth felt raw from grinding her teeth; she sipped her potion-laced tea when footsteps rushed from outside.
Someone caught their breath at the door, then knocked.
“Come in.”
“M-Miss.”
Gadia faced Rize, who’d dashed over so hurriedly sweat beaded on her forehead, gazing at her expectantly.
“They say the young master’s come from the main house.”
Gadia’s eyebrow twitched at her words.
“Adelrian?”
‘How the hell does that halfwit know?’
She furrowed her brow sharply.
“Did you tell him?”
“N-No! I swear, Miss.”
If not Rize, then Kruger eyes in the academy itself.
‘No way it’s reached Father’s ears already.’
As Gadia’s face hardened colder than usual, Rize glanced nervously and continued.
“Miss… Still, Adelrian is blood. He’ll know which is the real you.”
“You’ve been at my side nearly ten years and can’t be sure—how could that boy?”
Rize’s shoulders hunched smaller under Gadia’s icy voice as she bowed her head.
“I-I’ll step out now. Wear a blue ribbon to distinguish yourself.”
To think she had to rely on that halfwit—pitiful to the point of madness.
But better than killing the fake outright.
Gadia drained her potion tea and headed to the mirror.
She wouldn’t let this shake her or show any torment.
Wouldn’t be underestimated. She had to surpass that wastrel brother someday and become House Kruger’s lord.
She braided a lock of hair, tied it with a blue ribbon, and stepped out the opening door in her perfectly haughty poise.
* * *
“Why make me wear this perception-lowering badge?”
“There’s a reason. Just do it. And don’t freak if I yank it off suddenly.”
I glanced sideways at the badge pinned to Cain’s sleeve like a cufflink, then sipped the tea served for honored guests.
“How’s Zero doing?”
“No sensation yet.”
Probably not a doppelganger, but just in case.
We waited briefly; the parlor door opened.
“Hope you haven’t waited long. I’m Liana, magic professor at the Imperial Academy. Here to observe and prevent mishaps.”
Prim and proper vibe. I straightened unconsciously and smiled.
“I’m Adelrian.”
Liana’s eyes crinkled slightly at my amiable grin.
“Gadia will arrive soon. You really think you can tell them apart?”
“Ever heard blood’s thicker than water?”
I flashed a confident smirk.
Soon the parlor door opened again, and Gadia—no, Gadias—entered.
Same academy uniforms, same single braided lock.
Only the ribbon colors differed: blue and white. Otherwise, eerily identical.
Cold eyes, expressions. Even the concealed flicker of disgust.
“Sis, long time no see.”
I raised a hand in greeting; both ignored me, sitting apart.
“Up close, you two really look identical.”
“Disgusting.”
“Is that why you came? To say that?”
I tossed out lines; their responses were pure Gadia, almost funny.
Even reacting the same in this situation.
“Sis, remember when we were kids…?”
“No.”
“That never happened.”
“Ah, no dice.”
I drummed the desk, chuckling.
That clinched it. Whichever was fake, both believed themselves the real Gadia.
‘Distinguishing’s easy, though.’
One peek with User’s Eye would reveal it.
They might believe they were Gadia, but the eye showed truth.
‘But why spoil the fun that way?’
A better method existed.
“So, how do you plan to tell?”
“Who’re you calling—”
“If you’re not sure, why not leave now?”
“You didn’t tell Father about this, did you?”
Gadia—twins in speech, expression—glared murderously.
Time to wrap before it escalated.
“Tell Father over something this minor? I’m house lord now.”
Whispering so Liana the observer wouldn’t hear, their brows snapped tight at “lord.”
“Zero?”
“Still nothing.”
“No need to drag it out then.”
Casually, I ripped the badge from motionless Cain’s sleeve beside me and shoved him toward the two Gadias.
“Shake hands.”
“Refuse.”
“…….”
Only after a firm push did Cain step forward reluctantly.
The blue-ribbon Gadia narrowed her eyes in faint disgust; the white-ribbon one paled ashen.
“I know Sis hates men, but Cain’s special. Grip hands, and you’ll know who’s real. Just one second—hold it in.”
I felt Cain glaring but ignored it, grinning; blue-ribbon Gadia raised a hand like touching filth.
“You can really tell?”
“Yeah. Just once.”
“Then…”
As blue-ribbon Gadia slowly extended her reluctant hand toward Cain.
White-ribbon Gadia shot up, conjuring ice spikes midair.
“Die. Now.”
The spikes surged at Cain.
Liana seized the attacking Gadia’s shoulder.
“What is this?!”
Before Liana’s shield spell, Cain slapped them aside with his handblade and retreated; I curled my lip.
‘Found you. Gadia.’