True Immortal Heart-Chapter 57: Speculations of the Three

Tharion had been in business his entire life. Even now, though age had taken its toll, his mind remained sharp. He knew exactly what should be done—and more importantly, what should never be done.

Throughout his career, he had sabotaged many enterprises, yet he never took it so far as to destroy them completely.

He understood a fundamental truth: never corner a person with nothing left to lose. Those with no way out would fight back with mad desperation.

To weaken an opponent just enough—to strip away their power while still leaving them with enough not to rebel blindly—that was an art form.

That was why he simply couldn’t understand why someone would want to attack his family. And not just an economic strike, but a real one—with blood and death.

Dusk could clearly see the confusion clouding the faces of the three.

That alone told him much about their way of life—measured, strategic, always thinking several steps ahead.

But they had no understanding of the new breed of madmen in this era. Not even a sliver.

"You have a lifetime of experience, but not a shred of preparation when it comes to facing those who are truly insane. In this era, you’ll meet people who kill without reason and others who kill with reasons so twisted they might as well be none. Soon, murder will be treated like a trivial matter. That’s why I’ve been working to strengthen myself and build the Great Love Guild—so humanity can live in a golden age instead of collapsing into madness."

The three furrowed their brows.

First, they realized the one targeting them was a lunatic—someone who could not be reasoned with.

The second point they inferred was even more unsettling: murder, in this new era, was about to become... normalized.

Not because people had lost their sense of humanity—no. But because killing someone was inherently difficult and dangerous.

Even if you had the power to kill your enemy, you’d likely be injured in the process—or worse, dragged to death alongside them.

Therefore, the only logical conclusion was that in this new era, some tremendous benefit existed. Something so valuable that people were willing to gamble their lives just to eliminate others.

They were all intelligent. It didn’t take long before they connected the dots from Dusk’s words into a coherent picture.

The three exchanged glances. When they realized that each of them shared the same thoughts, they nodded in silent agreement.

Dusk stood there, watching them put on serious expressions as if they were calculating something profoundly dangerous. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

’What is this? If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Do you not trust me that much?’

Despite the thought, he had to admit—these people from this family were insanely sharp.

Even without speaking, he could tell they’d already deduced something important.

"Have a theory, do you? Don’t be shy—speak freely. After all, we’re on good terms and heading toward becoming close allies, aren’t we?" Dusk said, deliberately trying to add a sense of closeness between them.

"To become a Heart Master... do you have to kill someone? Or perhaps the fastest or simplest path—or both—is through killing?" Caelan asked, eyes narrowing into slits that gleamed with danger.

He seemed to have figured out why Dusk had taken so many lives.

Dusk hadn’t expected their guess to be so precise. In fact, it seemed they’d even pieced together his motive.

He clapped slowly, a gesture of praise, then nodded as a silent confirmation.

"You’re right. Killing people can indeed help you become a Heart Master much faster. It allows you to live longer—and gain power that transcends human limits."

At that confirmation, all three felt something stir deep within them—anticipation.

Especially Tharion. For someone already weakened by age, the lure of youth and strength was an irresistible temptation.

But Dusk paid no mind to their hopeful dreams of a brighter future. What he needed now was to explain his actions—to protect his image as a ’good man’.

"I admit that I’ve killed many people, but it was never out of cruelty—it was out of necessity. They were all gravely injured, beyond saving. Even if they survived, they would’ve been crippled, and their chances slim. I gave them a swift release from a bleak fate... and took their strength to protect humanity—from demons and those who would see the world burn. Believe me or not, I’ll still follow the justice that burns in my heart."

As he spoke, Dusk’s gaze lowered, his hand resting gently over his heart—as if the words he spoke came from the very depths of his soul.

Lysandra chose to believe him. From the moment she’d saved him until now, everything she’d observed told her he wasn’t a bad person.

Caelan and Tharion, however, remained on the fence. Still, trust outweighed doubt at this moment—especially since it was highly likely they’d be walking a long road together in the future.

There was another reason as well. The people Dusk had killed—or tried to kill—did indeed show clear signs of severe injury, all except for Kael.

But even Kael had only provided drawings of Dusk—never a single word of slander.

The reason? It was... strange. Kael believed that badmouthing Dusk would taint his character.

Odd, isn’t it? If Dusk really had a terrible personality, why would that be a bad thing?

The answer was just as bizarre—Kael felt that if someone without honor became his recognized enemy, it would be an insult to himself.

And so, Kael simply told the authorities that he had been unconscious—only awakening at the moment he was nearly attacked.

Now, the three members of the Veilrose family stood at the edge of a moral precipice.

Should they become killers to reach the level of Heart Master?

Or accept falling behind the times, gradually fading into obscurity?

Naturally, the most hesitant of the three was Lysandra.

To her, killing innocents was in direct conflict with her ideals of beauty and grace.

"Can you tell us now," Tharion spoke at last, "what the methods are to become a Heart Master?"

They needed to understand fully—before making a final choice.