Chapter 125
The Gong Clan’s manor.
I climbed onto the roof of one of the buildings and sat astride the ridgebeam.
The roof was not particularly high, but it was high enough to overlook the manor grounds without difficulty.
“I like this kind of scenery.”
If I were to buy land, a solid mountain region would be best.
Of course, the question was how long it would take before I grew tired of country living.
When I turned my gaze for a mont, I saw a plum tree beside the wall.
And pigeons pecking at unripe plums that had fallen before they could ripen.
“Who benefits when a plum tree nad Gong Minwu is sacrificed?”
A few dozen minutes earlier, on Gong Seungho’s orders, everyone who had been in contact with Cheok Gyeongjun was summoned to the manor, and entry and exit were restricted until the matter was resolved.
Even I, a probationary investigator of the Special Affairs Division, could not leave.
Fortunately, Cheok Gyeongjun received dical treatnt in ti, and his life was not in danger.
However, because he had suffered a particularly vicious poison technique, he had not regained consciousness, and Gong Seunga was nursing him in their lodging.
“First, there are no clues I can infer from the original story.”
aning this was an incident created entirely by the Avid Reader.
“Why would he do sothing like this?”
The previous incidents had plenty of incomprehensible parts as well, but…
Did he think I would not be able to defeat Gong Minwu and win?
No. If Gong Minwu were expelled from the martial tournant in this manner, he would have no choice but to beco a free rcenary and scrape by outside Seoul.
In this small awakened world, there would not be many guilds willing to take in a man who used poison techniques so despicably.
If that was the case…
I looked down at the younger talents gathered in one corner of the manor.
It was quite far, but when I routed mana into my hearing, I could catch even their breathing, densely layered.
“It is obvious. A man who even killed his own mother—what would he be incapable of?”
“Shh. Watch your mouth. Have you forgotten whose manor this is?”
“Hmph. Senior Brother, you are the one who is getting scared too easily. As you said, who in District 10 does not know he is a bastard? Everyone just keeps quiet because they fear the Gong Clan.”
“That is exactly why I am asking why you would say it inside the Gong Clan’s manor.”
As the Gong Clan’s bastard son and a target in an intense competition, Gong Minwu had more people who might aim at him than one could count.
With rumors that an heir would be chosen, it would not be strange for soone to use underhanded sches.
If Gong Minwu later beca the head of the family, how many clans in District 10 would be able to hold their heads high?
I listened more closely.
“But do not so people in the Gong Clan hate him as much as we do?”
“Not so. All of them, except Gong Seungryong. Well, it seems even his own son hates him.”
“Then you are saying Gong Minwu did not do it?”
“I am saying we cannot state anything with certainty. Even if the culprit is revealed later, it will not be surprising.”
“No matter how things unfold, if Gong Minwu cannot prove his innocence, he will have no choice but to shoulder it all. I bet more than half of District 10 secretly wants that.”
…If no evidence was found, Gong Minwu would take the fall.
It was not wrong.
Still, it felt faintly pitiful to see Gong Minwu—welcod at Hero Prep—being torn apart like that on his own turf.
“So in the end, he is a loner too.”
Until now, he had silenced everyone with skill.
A little later, Dispel returned after searching the tournant arena.
From the conversation between the investigators and officers, it seed they had found no clear clues.
As they entered the Gong Clan’s main residence, a familiar voice rose from below the roof.
“Are you really going to just sit still?”
Do Minyeong, now in everyday clothes instead of a hanbok.
She stood below with her arms crossed, looking up at .
When I climbed down, she continued.
“An investigator from the Special Affairs Division is being suspected as the culprit. You are doing a fine job.”
“You are a suspect too. Everyone staying in this manor is a suspect.”
“I am innocent.”
“Then will you say the sa for the other side and speak fairly?”
Do Minyeong’s hand moved to her hip.
Then she spoke as though venting frustration.
“What I am saying is that we should go eavesdrop on Dispel.”
“Why?”
“Because Gong Minwu is being suspected…”
Do Minyeong was worried about Gong Minwu.
As if she disliked her own words, she shook her head once or twice.
“Still, I thought you would be doing sothing. If you will not, then I will have to step in.”
“That ans you have gained so clue?”
“Only suspicion for now. I am going to eavesdrop on Dispel starting now.”
“Then have a safe trip.”
At my words, her brows knit.
She gifted a full asure of insults with her eyes, then spun and strode toward the main residence.
About five steps.
She turned back and asked,
“Let ask one thing. If it were not Gong Minwu but being suspected, would you still have done nothing?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Then I will ask you. Why do we have to eavesdrop on Dispel?”
“Because obviously—…Tch, because we are friends! You and , and him too.”
“……”
“The definition of ‘friend’ I know is that. I guess yours is different.”
Do Minyeong wore a look that was both aggrieved and sulky.
It was such a strange expression that I almost wanted to take a photograph.
Seeing it, a small, pleased feeling rose in my chest.
For soone as close to utterly alone as Do Minyeong, it was oddly admirable that she invoked friendship and tried to step forward.
“I think there is a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“The reason I am not eavesdropping is because there is no information to gain.”
“...What?”
It was not because I had already overheard Dispel’s conversation from the roof ridge.
It was because, no matter how thoroughly they searched the tournant arena, there would be no worthwhile clue.
As if I had not already checked every corner with my Demonic Eye.
“First, Cheok Gyeongjun collapsed because of a poison technique.”
“Yes.”
“That ans the culprit caused it without direct contact, to stay off the suspect list.”
There was only one reason assassins favored poison.
To conceal their identity.
“They probably will not find a proper clue at the arena. The culprit might even be a third party who is not on the suspect list.”
“Then the culprit could be walking around outside the manor as we speak.”
I shook my head.
“No. If they want to watch how things unfold, it is better to remain inside the manor. That way, they can steer the situation if needed.”
“Then by your logic, the culprit is likely inside the main residence.”
“Half right, half wrong. There could be an accomplice. That is why watching the suspects’ movents from a high vantage is far better. Besides, it is obvious who is inside the residence.”
“The Gong Clan’s three brothers…”
“And the incident has not truly developed yet. As you said, it is still only suspicion. If the target really is Gong Minwu, evidence that he is the culprit will surface soon. Of course, it will be fabricated evidence.”
“……”
Do Minyeong lowered her head, sorting through the logic.
Then her eyes lit up.
“Then it is highly likely the one who staged this is soone trying to find evidence to corner Gong Minwu.”
“Excellent.”
“Then, based on the situation so far, who do you think the culprit is?”
“At this point… Gong Seungho.”
“As expected.”
We would have to watch how the incident unfolded, but considering motive, the most likely was Gong Seungho, the second of the Gong Clan.
Still, one thing bothered .
The thod by which Gong Seungho intended to stop Gong Minwu from winning.
To Gong Seungho, Gong Minwu was a bastard who did not fit the bloodline.
Therefore, the best outco would be for one of Gong Minwu’s two older brothers to beco the head.
But their talent was unimpressive.
They had not even received tournant tokens this ti.
And Gong Seungho’s children had shown promise only when young; none had developed like Gong Minwu.
Thus, the only one who carried the direct line’s blood and possessed talent was Gong Seunga, but…
With Cheok Gyeongjun unconscious from a poison technique, would Gong Seunga truly remain in the tournant to the end?
No. That was unthinkable.
Even if she forced her way through the tournant, the fact would not change: Gong Minwu was the most likely heir.
It was part of the original setting, and Gong Seungryong had declared he would choose an heir by skill alone.
“Hm? They are already coming out.”
Following Do Minyeong’s gaze, I looked toward the main residence.
As she said, the Dispel personnel and the Gong Clan’s three brothers erged, then imdiately headed toward the contestants’ lodging.
They were likely going to search the suspects’ rooms.
“It looks like they are going to find a clue.”
“Hm?”
“Look, even the Gong Clan’s three brothers are moving together. The lodging location is not even hidden.”
“W-Wait. Then do we not have to follow them?”
“I was planning to.”
We ran to the lodging.
Others who sensed sothing gathered as well, but Dispel had already sealed off the entrance.
“We are conducting a search related to the incident. Please step back.”
With no choice, we waited for the results.
Then I noticed Gong Minwu approaching from the other side.
Normally, he would have remained indifferent and minded his own business.
It seed he was more shaken than he wanted to show.
Well, with the heir issue on the line, it was understandable.
I left Do Minyeong for a mont and approached Gong Minwu.
“I am asking just in case. You are not staying in the lodging, are you?”
His eyes narrowed slightly, as though weighing my intent, before he answered slowly.
“I am.”
What?
“This is your ho. Why are you using the lodging instead of your room?”
“There is soone in the main residence I do not wish to et. But what does that have to do with anything?”
It has everything to do with it.
Because the lodging was a place where many people, not only the Gong Clan, could co and go.
Which made it easy to hide fabricated evidence.
I was about to answer, then stopped.
Others were watching our conversation with keen interest.
Gong Minwu seed aware as well. With a glance, he indicated the back of a nearby building.
He seed to have sothing to say to .
But then, the search team began erging from the building one by one.
Soon, the Gong Clan’s three brothers appeared as well.
Had the search ended already? It had not even been five minutes.
The last to erge, Gong Seungryong, stared at Gong Minwu with a aningful look and was the first to leave.
In the strange tension, it was Gong Seungho, the second brother, who spoke.
“Everyone, pay attention.”
I activated my Demonic Eye.
Then I stared at the thumb-sized empty vial in his hand.
As expected, traces of mana clung to the inside.
Mana that matched the color of the poison technique used on Cheok Gyeongjun.
“We have just found the poison the culprit used.”
The crowd rippled with agitation.
“After identifying its contents, we confird it matches the poison of the Yellow-Sticker Thorn used on the victim. And the place where this vial was found is…”
In an instant, Gong Seungho’s gaze shifted to one spot.
The crowd’s eyes followed.
Then Gong Seungho finished.
“Minwu’s lodging. Minwu, son of Gong Seungryong of the Gong Clan.”
“……”
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