episode_0032

Cornelia Briem.

As the daughter of a prestigious family that produced past heroes, she comes from a highly esteemed lineage.

Being a convert from a different religion, she was the perfect match for Lawrence Briem, who had converted to the new faith of the Sun God.

In order to succeed in the position of mayor of the capital city, one must at least show some semblance of belief in the gods.

Their marriage was a strategic alliance based on mutual understanding.

Despite that, their relationship was famously tumultuous.

That was the story and the setting, and I believed it too.

But the situation I see now is completely different.

“······The necklace. Can I touch it, see it?”

“No, young lady. It’s a precious item······.”

Cornelia smiles as she tucks the pearl necklace into her clothes.

Her smile seems strangely poignant.

It must be unbearable to watch.

‘Cornelia will die within 2 months from now.’

There are clear signs of illness.

But if you were to ask if this is the condition of someone who will die within 2 months, the answer is unclear.

It seems likely that her condition will deteriorate significantly soon.

But is it really an ‘unknown illness’ that is the cause?

These sudden doubts arise.

‘Why did that pearl necklace come out as a dungeon reward?’

In fact, it’s not entirely out of the blue.

Two months later, after Cornelia’s death.

When I came to Khoiren and cleared the dungeon, the reward was clearly that pearl necklace.

It’s not uncommon to dispose of the belongings of the deceased.

But throwing away a necklace that she cherished so much, hidden in her clothes, to a barbaric mercenary, is beyond my understanding.

It seems like a rash act of revenge.

Now it’s time to have doubts.

Did Lawrence really love Cornelia?

And did Cornelia really die from an incurable disease?

Is someone deliberately worsening Cornelia’s health?

It may sound absurd in the context of the game, but it’s worth considering in my opinion.

There should only be one or two additional settings created by the system to bring the game to reality.

This might be one of those cases.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“You seemed lost in thought for a moment. Shall we continue moving?”

“Sure.”

“Cornelia, go home and wait. I’ll finish guiding you through the dungeon and then head home.”

“Yes, dear······.”

Cornelia, meeting Lawrence’s eyes, flinches and trembles, shaking her head.

Some might say it’s a respectful gesture towards her husband, like a devoted wife.

But in my eyes, it seems like she’s afraid of Lawrence.

“The smell is strong, isn’t it?”

“Yes. More than I expected······.”

Inside the sewer.

As we enter the wide tunnel, my forehead involuntarily wrinkles.

It’s only now that I realize the source of the smell that lingered in the city.

The stench of sewage that has flowed back up from the drain has reached the surface.

Meanwhile, Mijeong looks at us nonchalantly, unaffected.

It seems like Mijeong has a weak sense of smell.

At this moment, I envy Mijeong’s nose.

“It wasn’t like this before. After I maintained it, Khoiren’s sewer system became the world’s best sewage treatment facility. However······.”

Thud.

Lawrence’s footsteps come to a halt.

I also had no choice but to stop.

A huge stone slab blocked the passage where the canal was supposed to continue.

“The flow has become a mess since the dungeon appeared. We can’t just let the water accumulate and flood, nor can we let it seep into the ground and corrode the groundwater, so we had no choice but to dig a temporary canal on the surface. However, the sewage smell from the 3 million König citizens is not your average strong smell. Hahaha.”

It may seem trivial, but it’s quite a serious problem.

If we continue like this, hygiene issues will start popping up one by one.

Even though it was designated as the Black Star Dungeon by the Mercenary Council, they’re offering additional rewards for completing the request.

Certainly, it would be better to quickly clear this dungeon, but…

“This is a dungeon of a new type. Let’s take our time to understand it.”

“You’re being cautious. I haven’t seen a mercenary like you before.”

Once we clear this dungeon, our justification for staying in König will disappear.

While the dungeon can be defeated at any time, dealing with Cornelia’s issue seems to take quite some time.

At least until we uncover the secret of her death, we can’t leave König.

“Cornelia will definitely be helpful if we spare her.”

Before she got married, she was known as an elite who walked the Elite Course.

No matter how much Lawrence tries to persuade her, she won’t become my ally, but Cornelia might be different.

Since it’s my first time challenging the final boss, I don’t know what variables will arise in the future.

It’s best to secure as many allies as possible.

“I’ve tilted the board, so we’ll start exploring the dungeon tomorrow morning.”

“Do as you please. There’s no need to rush. Although the stench is quite uncomfortable, isn’t safety more important than human lives? It’s the way to go.”

“Your words put my mind at ease.”

“If you’re okay with it, would you like to come to my house and have dinner? You’re welcome to come as you please.”

Since the guest is a commoner, it would be awkward to gather nobles for a banquet.

However, they can’t treat the guest poorly, so it seems like they want to personally host a meal at their home.

Considering that most nobles don’t even treat commoners as people, it’s a wise decision.

“She’s not someone to be underestimated.”

It means she’s not just a smart noble.

If this person becomes a villain, it will be the most difficult type to deal with.

It will be difficult to uncover whatever secrets this man is hiding in a short amount of time.

“Very well. And if you need to stay in König for a while, can you stay at my house? I couldn’t book a hotel room.”

“Oh, welcome. There are spare rooms in my house. The maids, who are usually busy playing every day, will be pleased to have some work.”

“Thank you.”

We need time to gather information.

The mayor who governs the huge city of König.

Viscount Brium’s mansion was smaller than expected.

It’s almost enough to make you doubt if this is the right place.

Of course, small is relative to the standards of nobles.

It’s a size that doesn’t pale in comparison to a grand mansion.

Rather, its relatively small size exudes a neat and beautiful charm without unnecessary corners.

As I wandered through the garden and approached the main gate, the door opened, and Lawrence came out to greet me.

“Welcome. Please come in first. Let’s have a meal right away…”

“Huh… I’m… sleepy.”

Mijung, raising her hand to her mouth and speaking in an emotionless tone as if reading a Korean book.

Lawrence’s expression stiffens in disbelief.

“It seems like the child is very sleepy. I’ll try to put her to bed, but can I show you to your room first?”

“What about dinner?”

“She ate a lot of snacks on the way here. I think she’ll be fine with just me for dinner.”

“Understood. Please follow me.”

As Lawrence looked puzzled and turned around.

Mijung gave me a thumbs up and flashed a V sign.

Well done.

Since Mijung can’t eat, I had to separate her from us.

“The meal is almost ready. Just wait a little longer.”

I followed Lawrence into the dining room.

Cornelia, sitting somewhat stiffly at the dining table, caught my eye first.

As soon as she noticed Lawrence and me, she stood up and quietly offered a greeting.

“You may have seen her earlier, but let me formally introduce my wife, Cornelia.”

“Pleased to meet you, Lady Viscountess.”

“Yes…”

As I exchanged greetings, I observed Cornelia’s expression.

A slightly clenched jaw.

Slightly twisted corners of her eyes.

And a smirk at the corner of her mouth.

Lawrence probably didn’t notice the fleeting expression, but I carefully scrutinized Cornelia’s facial muscles using magic control.

She seemed displeased with me.

Or perhaps she was unhappy with something I had said.

“Before the main course arrives, shall I bring some drinks first? Is there a particular drink you prefer?”

“Do you have Trium?”

“I have a 30-year-old Trium that I’ve been saving. I didn’t expect to bring it out today. But do you enjoy drinking? You know about Trium.”

“Haha…”

It must not be a very popular drink, I recalled.

My taste isn’t particularly expensive, but I’ve become quite accustomed to that drink.

All because of an elf who enjoys that particular drink…

“Cornelia is chatting away while waiting. It seems she’s trying to fetch the drinks herself.”

With a faint smile, Lawrence left, leaving Cornelia looking tense and stiff.

Soon, only Cornelia and I were left at the table, surrounded by an awkward silence.

Taking advantage of the lull, I observed Cornelia’s condition.

Her skin was flawless and clear.

Her features, more pronounced due to her thinness.

And her dark complexion added a touch of decadence.

‘This isn’t right.’

Who asked me to evaluate someone else’s wife’s appearance?

I was supposed to check her condition.

But even after scrutinizing Cornelia closely, there was nothing significant to note.

I couldn’t possibly identify an illness that even the so-called doctors couldn’t diagnose just by briefly looking at her face.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Sorry. You’re just so beautiful.”

“Thank you. I hear that often.”

“More like every day, I’d assume, Cornelia.”

“…”

Cornelia’s eyes widened.

She seemed slightly surprised, but there was no hint of discomfort in her expression.

‘So, it was the title of Lady Viscountess that was the issue.’

She couldn’t hide her discomfort with the title of Lady Viscountess, but when I called her by name, she was just a little surprised and nothing more.

She seemed to find the polite title of Lady Viscountess more unpleasant than the rude behavior of a commoner she had never met before.

It seemed like their marriage wasn’t as smooth as it appeared.

“Um…”

“I’m sorry. I accidentally called you by your name.”

“Oh, no. Feel free to call me whatever you like. Lawrence doesn’t even call me Lady Viscountess. It would be strange if only I were called that.”

“I see. Both of you have a modest appearance that suits you very well.”

“Ahaha…”

Cornelia awkwardly laughed and turned her head.

It was a brief moment, but she once again showed a hint of annoyance.

She seemed to dislike being compared to her husband.

It was confirmed.

Their relationship was not smooth sailing.

It was so tumultuous that they seemed to hate each other to the point of disgust.

‘Plenty of motive. Now, how do I secure the evidence?’

A tumultuous marital relationship.

A dying wife without a clear cause.

And a husband who sold off precious heirlooms right after his wife’s death.

The suspicion that Lawrence killed Cornelia was overwhelming.

But without evidence, it would all be just my imagination.

Use of curse through magic? Or cleverly concealed poison in the drink?

Lawrence, how did he kill Cornelia?

Various possibilities flash through my mind.

But among them, there is no easy way to secure evidence.

“Such a hassle to die.”

It will take a long time to get closer to Lawrence and find evidence.

Dragging it out is really annoying…

There are many dungeons to conquer, so I can’t just invest a long time without a plan.

Cornelia was called a prodigy when she was young, but I wonder if keeping her alive would be such a big advantage for me.

The feeling of wanting to give up and leave gradually grows.

“I’m glad to drink fine liquor with a fine person.”

“Oh.”

Lawrence quickly returns with a bottle of liquor.

In his other hand, he holds a glass.

The warm glass exudes a fragrant aroma.

‘Check.’

[30-year-old matured Trivium whiskey]

[A premium whiskey matured in oak barrels for 30 years.]

I checked just in case he switched the bottles.

It doesn’t seem like he’s that careless.

As I casually turn my head to look at the glass.

[Poison]

[A trace of poison has been added to the warm water. Drinking it may impair heart and respiratory function. Prolonged consumption may be fatal.]

Lawrence places the glass, or rather the poison cup, in front of Cornelia.

“Drink it. You’ve been coughing a lot.”

“Yes, dear…”

The mystery is solved.

There was no need to invest a lot of time.

Gotcha, you bastard.