A Mastermind? No, I'm just the Live-In Son-in-Law-Chapter 81: The Truth Revealed

“You do know that goofy-looking bird is actually the loyal pet of the Second Saintess, right?”

“......”

“Not exactly someone we can mess with.”

Had it not once served the former Saintess as her contracted spirit, it would’ve been fired ages ago. Instead, it was given a week-long seed ration cut as a severe punishment.

“Well, honestly, I don’t think the current situation is all that bad.”

“Right? Who knows? Maybe this’ll finally knock some sense into the Guardian of Radiance.”

As the air grew a little more somber, Baek Yeon-hwa, head of the East Continent branch, gently steered the conversation in a new direction.

Astrid, head of the South Continent branch, immediately jumped in to back her up.

“Seriously, at my age, wearing this weird outfit isn’t exactly easy, you know?”

Her tone, now /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ tinged with a casual sigh, was noticeably more ordinary than before.

“Your concept really is a bit over-the-top.”

“Exactly... There’s no one who could rival me and Yeon-hwa, after all.”

“Hey now, I’m not acting. I’m actually the successor of the Kunlun Sect...”

It wasn’t just her. Aside from Baek Yeon-hwa and Northern Commander Alastor, all the elders seated around the table had visibly relaxed their postures and expressions.

“But wasn’t that concept your own choice? No one told you to pick it.”

“Well...”

“Lately I keep getting the feeling you’re genuinely enjoying it, which is honestly kind of terrifying.”

But as Salem suddenly pressed with a sharp glare, the atmosphere chilled in an instant.

“It’s been ages since all the white mages turned into eccentrics, but the Elder Council at least should keep its sanity intact.”

“......”

“No matter how polluted the lower waters become, if the upper waters remain pure, they can cleanse the rest.”

Just as Salem continued with a heavy expression, Astrid, who had been frowning slightly, muttered under her breath.

“Funny how the highest water happens to be the weirdest head elder in history...”

“...Sigh.”

Salem had nothing to say to that.

“Come to think of it, isn’t it about time you two picked a concept?”

“Eek.”

“W-We, uh...”

Just then, Astrid, now visibly pleased, turned with a sly grin to Aurora and Celeste, who had been quietly watching everything unfold.

“Don’t say you’re still too young. In Lumen Ordo’s Elder Council, it’s all about talent, not age.”

“Well, Whitney too was once a candidate to be the next Guardian of Radiance...”

At that, Baek Yeon-hwa, who had seemed slightly sulky at being dismissed because of her origins, found herself nodding in agreement before she even realized it.

“That’s enough. Let’s stop there.”

“...?”

“That topic... isn’t something we should speak of right now.”

With a suddenly solemn tone, Salem cut them off and turned his head slightly.

“Looks like they’re returning to the meeting room.”

And in the next moment—

Creeeak...

As expected, the door to the meeting room opened. Whitney, Meredia, and slightly behind them, Tiffany, stepped inside.

She got dumped.

She got dumped.

Yep... dumped.

That was the unanimous reaction of the Elder Council upon seeing Tiffany shuffle in behind Whitney and Meredia, who looked perfectly in sync.

How long is it going to last this time?

At least three months, probably.

...Could be years.

Anyone seeing the scene before them would’ve likely thought the same.

“...Hey. How long are you planning to stick next to my man?”

Suddenly, Tiffany, who had been silently standing, snapped and shouted.

“Did you already forget? I’m Whitney’s fiancée!”

“I’m his girlfriend!”

And then—silence fell over the meeting room.

“......!?”

Even the Elder Council, hardened by years of upholding their respective concepts, visibly flinched in shock.

“...Ahaha.”

In the midst of it all, Whitney alone wore his trademark shameless smile.

“...Well, that’s how it is.”

***

‘What the hell is even happening right now?’

I’d said it was true in front of everyone because I didn’t know what else to say, but honestly, the one most confused about this situation was me.

All I did was introduce my fiancée to my friend, so why did it suddenly turn into a scene straight out of Love and War?

“Your Grace, what is this...?”

“...Don’t look at me. Just follow the plan.”

I was so dumbfounded that, after returning to my seat, I leaned in to whisper the question to Her Grace beside me—but all I got in return was a chilling reply.

“...And once this is over, you’re dead.”

“......!?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

I was genuinely so wronged I wanted to scream and flip the table, but everyone was watching, so I couldn’t push it any further.

“C-Can I sit next to Whitney too...?”

“Guardian of Radiance, you must sit at the head seat.”

“...But he’s my boyfriend, and we haven’t seen each other in so long.”

Truthfully, the person I wanted answers from even more than Her Grace was Tiffany, who was over there bickering and suddenly declaring herself my girlfriend.

“As Guardian of Radiance, you must display dignity.”

“Ah, right. Such lamentable decorum...”

With everyone—especially Salem, the Chair—breaking into cold sweat and struggling to move past the situation, all I could do was shut my mouth.

“I-Is this how people from the West date? What a bizarre land this new Murim is...”

“...Well then, let us begin the meeting properly.”

After some time had passed and the mood finally started to settle, Salem cleared his throat and resumed the meeting.

“The first agenda is the inclusion of Sir Whitney as an official officer—”

“Fufu, let’s just pretend that never happened, yeah?”

“...Silence. That is not your decision to make.”

Astrid, who had been staring daggers at me with a cold smile for some time now, fired off a voice laced with killing intent, shaking the atmosphere once again.

“That’s actually something we’d like to ask you.”

And then—sitting unusually close to me—Her Grace Meredia turned to glare at the elders.

“A man with no aptitude for white magic suddenly shifts gears the moment he’s recognized as a Hero. Isn’t that a little too obvious?”

The room fell silent.

“Unless he suddenly mastered white magic the moment he became a Hero, I don’t see how any of this makes sense.”

“...Indeed, we should address that first.”

At Meredia’s half-amused remark that cut through the silence, Salem let out another sigh and began speaking.

“Whitney Ringaarden. Our Elder Council once rejected your membership into Lumen Ordo when you were young.”

“Yes, back then you told me my white magic was... off.”

“That was a lie.”

I nodded absentmindedly, only to freeze and smile faintly at the weight of Salem’s blunt words.

“To put it plainly, the power you possess is white magic.”

This was the moment Lumen Ordo finally acknowledged my strange white magic.

“To explain more precisely—at present, you are the only true white mage in existence.”

“...What? What do you mean...?”

As I listened to his words, I could only gape, unable to believe what I was hearing.

“All the so-called white mages in existence today, including those of Lumen Ordo, do not actually use true ‘white magic.’”

It was a confession I had never expected.

“White magic disappeared over a thousand years ago. Ever since the white mage who accompanied the First Hero, no one has truly awakened that power.”

“......!?”

“There are old records that say a disciple of the Second Hero once awakened white magic, but they’re so ancient, it’s hard to verify.”

Wait—what? So all the other white mages in the world aren’t actually white mages? Is this some kind of elaborate prank?

“Hold on. I’m not quite following. Then what exactly is it that you all use?”

“What we use is divine power. It’s distinctly different from white magic.”

“But then... the Holy Theocracy—?”

“They’re essentially a branch. We worship ‘Light’ itself, while the Theocracy worships the ‘Goddess.’”

At first, I couldn’t believe it. But Salem’s expression was far too serious to be faked.

“There’s a reason Lumen Ordo’s leaders have always inherited the surname of the Second Saintess.”

“......”

“People think the most gifted white mage takes the position of Head, but in truth, for the past several hundred years, every leader has carried the bloodline of the Saintess.”

Even the elders—and even Tiffany, sitting in the head seat—nodded quietly at that. So it was true.

This is... honestly a huge shock. I thought I’d explored every possible route in the original game, but I never knew this.

Just how many hidden truths are buried in this world?

“Just asking—am I even supposed to be hearing all this?”

“...It doesn’t matter.”

Even Her Grace, who had remained composed beside me, asked that question with a flicker of curiosity. But Salem only responded calmly.

“In fact, what I’m about to say next concerns you as well.”

At those meaningful words, Her Grace furrowed her brow—but quickly recomposed herself, then asked again.

“If that’s true, then shouldn’t Whitney Ringaarden have been chosen as the Guardian of Radiance instead of being rejected?”

“Hmm...”

Salem fell silent for a moment, then exhaled.

“...Because Sir Whitney has one fatal flaw.”

When he finally spoke again, I couldn’t help but raise my voice.

“Is it because my white magic isn’t pure white—but gray?”

It felt like I was finally about to find out what was wrong with my magic.

“Please, remain calm and listen.”

I took a breath, swallowed dryly, and silently vowed to accept whatever came next.

“To be blunt, the reason is—your body contains the power of the Demon King.”

“......!”

The bombshell dropped, all my resolve shattered. I instinctively gripped Her Grace’s hand tightly.

“The most wicked, most dangerous power of all.”

And for once, Her Grace didn’t scold me for it.