#157

In the end, I had to prove that I could eat on my own by showing Adna that I had scraped every last bit from my bowl.

‘Proving I’m a sane person is freaking hard….’

First, I realized one thing.

‘I must never try to avoid the situation by pretending to be unwell.’

From Adna’s perspective, I was a goblin who could be tainted by madness at any moment by receiving strange radio waves from beyond the universe.

And then I suddenly start acting strange?

‘Even I would put someone under isolated observation until the cause was found.’

“Um, Lady Adna.”

“What is it?”

Adna stopped carving a spoon and looked up at me.

‘…She’s actually making that.’

Damn it.

My palms grew damp with cold sweat.

‘Is it okay to show that I want to go back to my room now?’

I felt like it would only increase the suspicion that I had something hidden in my room.

What if she decides to search it?

And even if I managed to persuade her to let me go back, there was no telling when she might just break down the door and enter….

“…Thank you very much for making time for me.”

After organizing my thoughts, I decided to change my plan.

‘First, I’ll accept Adna’s surveillance and act completely normal to put her at ease.’

Come to think of it, this wasn’t the time to worry about how the Council was operating.

Even if I found out what accidents the players were planning to cause, what could I even do after that?

Tell an apostle?

If I did that, the fact that I had contacted other players would be exposed.

‘Someone who plays spy without being asked is just a double-crossing rat.’

If I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life under surveillance, I had to behave myself now.

“Um, you said you would stay by my side until I got better, right? May I ask a few things?”

“Ask away.”

“Even when I am with my lover… will you be by my side?”

“Naturally.”

‘Naturally?!’

What about my privacy?

Does the concept of privacy not even exist in the Dark Realm?

“That’s a bit… embarrassing.”

“It is fine.”

“What exactly is fine about it?”

“Feeling embarrassed in such a situation is a normal reaction.”

‘No, I mean please leave us alone.’

Adna continued with an expressionless face.

“I cannot make exceptions just because you are lovers. Rather, if it is a close relationship like lovers, I must observe more carefully.”

“But, if I appear accompanied by an apostle, they will surely be greatly shocked.”

“And?”

“What do you mean ‘and’….”

If a lover who thought they were dating an ordinary Chanter found out that the person was actually someone who required close surveillance by an apostle, they’d be fucking shocked.

“If they are a human who cannot accept that there are secrets that must not be revealed to a lover, it is better to break up early.”

“…Isn’t the best way to hide a secret to make sure they don’t even know it exists? Above all, if Lady Adna is right there, my lover will be so nervous they’ll just freeze up.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Of course it is!”

“I see. Understood.”

‘Thank goodness.’

At least she’s someone who communicates with a minimum level of common sense….

“While you are meeting your lover, I shall make them forget that I am beside you.”

“What?”

“Then your lover will not be conscious of me.”

‘No, I’ll still be able to see her.’

You want me to pretend Adna isn’t there in front of Athanas?

Isn’t that asking for too high a level of acting?

‘More than that, these apostle bastards really use Oblivion like they’re breathing.’

Even when Adna came to call me, she casually messed with the perception of the people around her.

It was the same when the Saintess visited.

‘Maybe apostles are actually wandering around everywhere, but no one knows because they can’t remember them?’

Damn.

Just imagining it gives me the creeps.

If they are apostles of a religion that unified a whole continent, shouldn’t they travel proudly, revealing all their movements?

They should announce their itinerary in advance and move with incredibly lavish protocols.

Suddenly appearing and then erasing the memories of everyone who witnessed it is just a fucking ghost story.

‘If I didn’t have a mental defense artifact, I’d probably die without even noticing an apostle approaching.’

I think I understand why they provided the Tutorial Emergency Rescue Devices to the players.

Because a broken ability like ‘Oblivion’ never appeared in the game.

If there weren’t rescue devices that activated as soon as an apostle approached, most players would have suffered a futile Game Over without even knowing what was happening.

“…Even if Athanas is a bit surprised, it would be better if Lady Adna is visible.”

“Very well.”

Adna agreed without asking why.

The meeting with Athanas was set for tomorrow morning at Adna’s Training Hall.

Since it was the Training Hall, I could make up a story that the fifth apostle, who had taken notice of Athanas’s talent, was giving him personal instruction.

‘Right now, Fabio is receiving a lot of attention because of Pandemonium….’

If Athanas said he was going to meet his lover, it would become a topic of conversation more than necessary.

Of course, since Athanas doesn’t wear a reliquary, it’s more likely that the fact he has a lover isn’t widely known.

Still, just in case….

‘…But why am I so sleepy?’

Is it post-meal drowsiness?

Being excessively sleepy after eating is a symptom of diabetes.

I rubbed my eyes and thought.

‘It would be so unfair to get diabetes in an era without refined sugar.’

The only time I’ve eaten food that could be called refined carbohydrates was after coming to the Capital Church.

“Are you sleepy?”

“…Yes. It’s a bit early, but would it be alright if I slept first?”

“…….”

“Lady Adna?”

“No, it is nothing. I was just thinking of something else. I will guide you to the room where you will stay.”

The room in the Apostle’s Hall was about three times the size of a Chanter’s dormitory, but it looked empty because there was no furniture other than a bed.

‘Maybe it’s because it’s a room that was vacant.’

Adna said she would get some clothes for me to change into, but while waiting, I fell asleep as if I had fainted.

“…I didn’t hear that the person bringing my lover was Lord Ter.”

“Since I didn’t say it, it’s natural that you haven’t heard.”

‘Fuck.’

I cursed inwardly.

Why of all people did it have to be Tartarus?

The sixth apostle, Tertius, can read human emotions.

Since I know the limits of that ability, I can deceive him somehow, but….

‘Athanas won’t know.’

If he answers a simple question about what he likes about ‘Fabio’ without any suspicion, and then it’s judged as a lie?

‘Damn, I should have just said I’d write a letter.’

No, there was no need to write a letter.

Athanas is still wearing his reliquary.

If he had confirmed I was in the Apostle’s Hall, he would have thought there was a reason and stayed quiet on his own.

I shouldn’t have said I wanted to see my lover….

“Fabio.”

“Athanas!”

As soon as I saw Athanas, I ran and hugged him tightly.

‘Fuck, I should have decided on a code to convey in a situation like this!’

Even if I whispered very softly, it would be heard crystal clear by a top-tier Unit.

While I was worrying about how to deliver a warning, a low laugh echoed in my ear.

“I missed you very much as well.”

“…Did I say I missed you?”

“It’s practically the same as saying it with your whole body right now.”

“Athanas….”

‘Damn, this is so cheesy.’

If I act this much, maybe even Tertius won’t be fooled?

If Athanas is doing his best to think of a lovely being in his head right now, Tertius will judge that emotion as love.

Because what Ter can read are emotions, not thoughts.

‘Seeing as he’s not saying much, maybe we can get away with this!’

I quickly released the hug and spoke.

“I showed you an embarrassing side of me. Thinking that the time we can spend together is short, I unknowingly….”

Even if it was fake, the fact that I had engaged in public displays of affection made my face naturally flush.

“Were you not too surprised?”

“I was very surprised.”

“That’s a lie.”

Tertius suddenly cut in.

“He wasn’t surprised at all. He had a look like, ‘Ah, the inevitable has happened.’ Isn’t that strange?”

“It is not particularly strange. If he confirmed the lover’s location with Valentine’s Sacred Relic, he would have predicted that he might soon meet an apostle.”

“No, no matter how much he prepared himself mentally, it makes no sense to be completely unsurprised when actually facing one.”

“Why does it make no sense?”

“That’s because you….”

Tertius stopped mid-sentence and let out a deep sigh.

“Whatever, fine. I didn’t come here to interfere. Ignore me and keep talking.”

‘How am I supposed to ignore you?’

I looked up at Athanas awkwardly.

Athanas smiled softly.

“It is fine.”

“…I haven’t said anything yet.”

“I mean it is fine even if you don’t say anything.”

Athanas brushed back my hair.

‘He’s basically saying he’ll handle it on his own.’

Looking at Athanas’s face, my worries felt foolish.

He’ll surely manage it well.

Who am I to worry about Athanas….

“Fabio.”

“…Yes.”

“I love you.”

“What?”

I was momentarily startled and looked toward Tertius.

Tertius had turned his head toward Adna.

‘Did he miss it?’

No matter how well Athanas acts, perfectly deceiving Tertius’s eyes is….

“I didn’t say I would do it!”

Tertius shouted bluntly with his arms crossed.

‘Do what?’

“…I asked him. To judge that the emotion is true when I say I love you in front of him.”

‘Why would he do such a thing….’

“You once told me. That you were afraid the love I speak of might be a lie.”

Athanas continued, cupping my face with both hands.

“So I wanted to prove it this time. That I truly love you.”

‘So….’

Athanas already knew that the sixth apostle could read emotions?

And, of course, how to fake emotions in front of him?

‘I really worried for nothing.’

“I see.”

If he were born in the modern era, this acting skill would have won him two Academy Awards.

“…It seems you do not believe my words.”

“How could that be!”

“It is fine. I can wait until the day you truly accept it.”

I was a bit flustered.

‘I think the lines right now don’t match the lover setting we agreed upon.’

Of course, if I focused only on delivering lines according to the setting in front of Ter, who can see ‘emotions,’ I would be caught immediately.

But a new setting I don’t know about was suddenly added, and I have to just roll with it using my intuition?

Isn’t this too difficult?