Chapter 960
Chapter 960
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 960
Chapter Title: Rainbow Fruit
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I kneaded the baroness's ass as she lay sprawled on the bed, dead to the world in sleep, while glaring around at my surroundings. With Heavenly Eye activated, I could see right through everything nearby. The more I focused on the x-ray vision, the more mana it drained, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle.
'No butler in the castle. Where the hell did he go?'
Just to be safe, I scanned the inside of the castle once more.
It was the dead of night, when most people had already turned in. Hardly anyone was moving, which made it even easier to get a read on the place. Still no butler.
I checked the underground areas too. The storeroom and the basement prison. A few prisoners was all I saw. No butler. And no lord, either.
'The butler's snuck out of the castle. That bastard's definitely up to something.'
My goal was to find the rainbow fruit. And that fruit was tied to the butler and the lord. My gut was screaming it at me.
'Tomorrow, I need to keep a close eye on that butler.'
I got up from the bed and headed back to my room.
???
I met Kang Seok-su.
Unlike yesterday, he looked exhausted.
"Your face looks like death."
"I stayed up all night reading and analyzing the data you gave me."
"And you got something out of it?"
"It helped. But there were some awkward gaps in the documents. Did you miss any?"
"No. I photographed every single rainbow fruit document in the study."
"Then it all lines up. Someone removed parts of the rainbow fruit records."
Kang Seok-su stared straight at me.
"You have a suspect in mind."
"Yeah. The butler seems fishy. And yesterday, I snuck off to see the lord without the butler knowing... but he wasn't there."
I filled him in on the situation at the mansion.
"That butler is definitely suspicious. Sneaking out of the castle at night... I'll tail him myself."
"You will?"
"Sitting around here's making my skin crawl anyway."
"Tell me about your analysis. I'm curious too. Did you figure out where the rainbow fruit is?"
"If I had, I wouldn't be sitting here. These documents are more like a collection of rainbow fruit tales. They seem totally unrelated at first, but they share common threads."
"I know. Everyone who gets the rainbow fruit meets a bad end. Every story's a downer."
"Right. But there's more to it. They all eat the rainbow fruit."
"It's a fruit. Of course they'd eat it."
"If I got my hands on a mystical fruit like that, I wouldn't eat it. I'd study it first. Maybe plant the seeds and grow more."
"...What does that have to do with anything?"
"Nothing. The key is how they get it. In the stories, all kinds of people obtain the rainbow fruit—kings, nobles, commoners, even slaves."
"Was there something special about the process?"
"In every tale, someone brings it to them. As tribute, a bribe, a gift, a reward—you name it. It's always handed over by another person. Like a devil offering the fruit of ruin. And none of the stories specify where it comes from. They're all vague. Plenty don't even mention obtaining it at all."
"...Now that you mention it, yeah."
"This is a dungeon, and our goal is to get the rainbow fruit. It exists. We can't ignore these stories."
"So we need to find the person who brings the rainbow fruit?"
"Exactly. And I had a name pop into my head for who that might be. Not certain, but suspicious."
"The butler?"
Kang Seok-su nodded. No surprise there—he was shady as hell. I'd thought of him right away too.
"If the butler's the deliverer... then the lord's the one receiving it?"
"Probably. Now you see what's missing from the stories."
"......"
I stayed quiet. Better to shut up if you don't know—half the battle's won that way.
Luckily, Kang Seok-su was more talkative than I'd expected.
"The price. Not a single story mentions what they gave in exchange for the rainbow fruit."
"Maybe there wasn't one."
"Already checked that. Last night, I heard a legend about it from a merchant. Know the one about the noblewoman who gained wisdom from the rainbow fruit?"
"Yeah. Ends with the jealous queen turning her into a whore."
"The documents didn't mention her price, but the merchant knew. It was her legs."
"Her legs?"
"More precisely, her human legs turned into a monster's."
"Monster..."
"Just like you think. The monsters and the rainbow fruit are connected somehow."
???
"Sir Yujin, I have a favor to ask. Stay by my side this afternoon."
Baroness Revelidi said to me. I grinned lewdly and nodded.
"I'll escort you properly today. If you want, I'll take you all the way to the heavens."
Revelidi gave an awkward smile.
"...That's not what I meant, Sir Yujin. An inquisitor from the Sel Church is due to arrive soon."
"An important guest? Is it okay for a newbie like me to stick by the baroness?"
"You're the most trustworthy person in this castle."
We'd slept together, sure, but we hadn't known each other long. And yet she trusted me most? That was telling.
"I'm honored. But the inquisitor won't be here for a while, right?"
I kept shooting her suggestive looks, and she couldn't refuse.
About two hours later, we frantically wiped the sweat from our cheeks and headed outside the castle. A group on horseback was approaching.
At their center was a man in armor. Draped in a black cloak, he had a clean-shaven face. Not handsome, just average. A man in his thirties with bulging eyes. Up close, his nose was a bit crooked.
'The inquisitor the baroness mentioned.'
My gaze shifted to the man beside him. Among the attendants was a modern guy—a hunter who'd entered the dungeon with me. He spotted me and lit up with a glad expression.
'Name was Jo Woo-saeng, right? Never thought we'd cross paths like this.'
Jo Woo-saeng beamed at me. I didn't know the details, but his face showed unmistakable fatigue from whatever hardships he'd endured.
'I can guess his situation.'
Jo Woo-saeng looked like a total greenhorn. Probably been tossed around by whatever role the dungeon assigned him.
"I'm Coleman Direp from the Sel Church. I heard there's heresy in this city. Are you Baroness Revelidi?"
Coleman Direp dismounted. Clank. His armor clinked. The moment his boots hit the ground, he drew an iron mace from his belt. No manners. But the baroness, knights, and soldiers alike cowered without protest. The Sel Church's reputation was no joke.
"Yes. I'm the lady of the house of Revelidi."
"Where's the lord?"
"My husband is bedridden and unable to rise."
"Can't even make it from that close by... Must be in bad shape."
"I'll receive you in his stead, Sir Coleman."
"No need. I'm not here for hospitality. I'm here to work. I need to see the lord of this city. Take me to his chambers."
"B-but the lord needs rest right now!"
The baroness pleaded, her voice trembling. It was a fresh sight, seeing the woman who'd been so bold with me quake like this. Were inquisitors that terrifying?
"I have my duty. Lead the way. Madam, blocking me means protecting heretics. I believe you're not one."
He glanced at her. Should I step in? But jumping in now would complicate things.
'And the lord's not even in the castle. Let's see how this plays out.'
I spotted the other guy I was watching. The butler. He hadn't run. His face was calm, unflustered.
"I'll... guide you."
The baroness said.
We all crowded to the lord's chambers.
The inquisitor Coleman was no-nonsense. Bam! He flung the door open without knocking and strode in. He scanned the room and spat,
"He's gone."
"Th-that can't be...! Butler! Where is he!? Where's my husband!?"
The panicked baroness called for the butler. He was in charge of the lord.
"I... I don't know. He was here at lunch today..."
"Suspicious. I'll interrogate you. Seize the butler."
"Yes!"
At Coleman's command, the castle knights swiftly grabbed the butler's arms.
"L-let me go! I'm no heretic!"
"That's for me to decide."
Coleman said coldly. His voice was dry, devoid of mercy. He tore through the room, flipping the bed to check underneath, then smashing it with his mace. The weapon swung wildly. Crash! A vase shattered. Crunch! A drawer exploded. He pounded the walls, floor, and ceiling.
"Mr. Sung Yu-jin. This must be shocking."
Jo Woo-saeng approached and spoke quietly.
"It's sudden, yeah. You seem used to it."
"I've seen this scene plenty on the way here. They're hunting for traces of heresy. When I got assigned as a holy knight... I was terrified. Got beat by inquisitors more than once."
"You didn't seem surprised to see me."
"Yeah. I met Park Jo-hyuk yesterday. He was a hunter too, but said this dungeon was a waste of time and bailed."
Dungeon exit.
No blame for Park Jo-hyuk. He chose for himself.
"Mr. Sung Yu-jin, be careful with Coleman. Even if he pisses you off, bow your head for now."
"Pardon?"
"That guy's insanely strong. A-rank at least. ...Damn. Living with them these past days must've gotten to me."
Jo Woo-saeng scratched his head. I started to speak but shut my mouth. The man who'd trashed the room marched up to the butler.
"Calm in this situation. A mere butler with some spine."
"Sir Coleman, I'm no heretic. Inquisitors only kill heretics—I've no reason to panic."
"I decide who's a heretic."
Sssizzle!
Coleman ripped the butler's clothes off. I clicked my tongue. Last thing I wanted was an eyeful of some old guy's naked body. But I was curious what he'd do next.
Jo Woo-saeng whispered beside me.
"Many heretics bear marks on their bodies."
"You seen actual heretics?"
"Yes. Thirty-four on the way here. You know they turn into monsters? Like something out of a B-movie."
"Red skin with bone spikes jutting out?"
"Huh? How'd you know? You run into one?"
"...Yeah. Killed it myself."
"Must've been rough. They're no pushovers."
Jo Woo-saeng chattered on. Talky guy too.
"A mark of Bramassen! Heretic!"
Coleman shouted at the five rotating droplet tattoos on the butler's side. The holy knights drew swords. Jo Woo-saeng too. Stab! Their blades pierced the butler. Jo Woo-saeng's struck dead center through the heart.
The butler didn't even groan. His skin and eyes turned red. He licked his lips and said,
"Inquisitor, you're too late. One day earlier and you'd have been trouble. The fruit's already ripe."
"Fruit? What do you mean!"
"Heh. Find out yourself. My mission's complete."
"No point interrogating. Goddess! Grant me the strength to smite this seed of evil!"
His mace glowed white.
"Bramassen!"
The butler invoked the god's name and closed his eyes. The mace crushed the monster's skull.