CH 98

“How did it happen?”

People’s eyes moved to Zecko when he was asked by the princess. Gulping in tension, Zecko closed his eyes reflexively. He was instantly engulfed in darkness, and it reminded him of the dark basement.

“I- I didn’t want to either.”

“Zecko, take your time and elaborate.”

Madeleine couldn’t hold back and stepped up to soothe him. Because she always took care of the children, she felt restless. It was a huge crime to be a spy against the imperial family.

“I lost consciousness after seeing a mage, and when I opened my eyes, I was inside a carriage.”

“Hmm…”

“There were a lot of children besides me, and we were all trapped in a dark basement.”

As he told the story, Zecko felt like he was back in that dark basement. It was an unpleasant dark place with a strange smell of iron. The children who were trapped there could only tremble. The people with black robes would occasionally take the children one by one. And once they were removed from the dark basement, no one returned.

“……”

“……”

Hearing the tale, Madeleine and Siervian couldn’t say anything with their mouths open. In particular, Siervian, saw the fear felt by Zecko at that time and was shocked.

“Did they tell you what group or kingdom they were from?” Sir Roid was watching him intently and asked Zecko.

This child had already been questioned, but he had to do his job as a knight himself.

“I didn’t hear. They just told me to go to a place at one time. A letter will be there, and if the envelope was stained with blood, the letter could be opened.”

Inside the opened envelope was a blank sheet of paper. When his blood was smeared again, only then he could see the writing.

Usually, they would ask basic questions like where their current location was, if there were any rumors, etc. They mostly asked about things Zecko thought were not very important. He answered everything he could, telling them the place and time when the next letter would be placed.

“Hmm. They use pretty tricky magic for a spy.”

Sir Roid sighed as if he knew what kind of magic was used. Siervian was nervous for no reason and continued to keep her eyes on Zecko. Fortunately, Zecko did not tell a single lie.

“Is that all?”

“Yes, sir… I should have stopped my spy activities, I’m sorry.”

Sir Roid raised his eyebrows slightly at Zecko’s words of contrition.

[Adante Roid]

Thoughts: That’s weird. Normally, I would place a ban restricting spies.

……Should I really keep interrogating the child?

Seeing the window, Siervian urgently asked Zecko.

“Didn’t you want to run away? Did they cast a spell on you?”

In fact, she could save Zecko if she confirmed the fact. His low level proved that Zecko didn’t want to be a spy.

“I don’t know…”

Zecko suddenly lowered his head in response to her question. His head hurt when he recalled memories that were nothing short of trauma. When being dragged out of the dark basement, Zecko thought he was marked for death.

When the children tried to rebel in fear, they knocked Zecko out. And when he opened his eyes again, he was forced to become a spy. He immediately accepted it because he didn’t want to die.

“…In fact, I was afraid they would follow me, so I couldn’t do anything. The letter was also placed inside the palace.”

Even if Zecko thought about it, he didn’t know what they believed in and why they would release him like that. However, unlike what he tried to believe, that they would never find him if he ran away, he was scared. The letter definitely existed, and someone had put it there. So he was probably under surveillance.

“That’s why I asked the princess to help me. ……I’m afraid I’m under surveillance.”

It was also a crime to ask the imperial family for help like this. Because of that, Zecko, having revealed all of his sins, felt afraid again. He was worried about his parents who were in urgent need of treatment right now, and since he committed this crime, he may be dragged to a scarier place than the basement.

“I’m sorry, Princess.”

However, he couldn’t help but be honest. It was too hard to deceive the princess who kept trying to help him.

“But why did you say they’re in the welfare foundation?”

Marco had listened to the conversation in silence, and finally questioned him.

Zecko could only answer the question in wonder as well, “I don’t know either. I only saw the note telling me to go here.”

‘Why did they ask him to come to the Welfare Foundation?’

The person who delivered the letter was planted in the palace at best, so it was strange. From Zecko’s status window, Siervian, who knew that they were from Navafal Kingdom, was even more confused. Why was a strong kingdom like Navafal watching her?

‘Did they misunderstand this foundation as my father’s business?’

This was the most plausible assumption for now. After pondering briefly, Siervian told Zecko who had his eyes closed tightly as if waiting for the ruling, “I want to ask my father to forgive Zecko. You must have been very scared.”

“Thank you….”

Zecko had thought he would be punished somehow and was surprised. And soon, his tears burst out as he was filled with many emotions.

“C-come to think of it, you helped me find my parents e-even though you knew I was a spy.”

She couldn’t bear to punish him after seeing his sad eyes.

“You must be sad,” Siervian couldn’t help it because he looked like a lost child. “Thank you for being honest.”

“Sniffle…!”

Zecko eventually hugged his knees and burst into tears. Madeleine ran and patted Zecko on the back. Sir Roid, who was watching the situation, said, “I will report this to His Majesty.”

“Yes, Sir Roid, please tell him that I feel sorry for Zecko.”

“Yes.”

Then, she asked Zecko the most important question, and he nodded with a frightened look.

“Well, when and where would the next order be?”

* * *

“It is time soon.”

“Yes.”

The next order was days away. The place was one of the alleys where markets in the commoner’s district were held. In the meantime, Siervian planned to find the spy with the help of the knights and Damian. The method was simple. She planned to place surveillance points around the market well in advance without anyone knowing.

Of course, her father gave her permission after he received the report. After finding and persuading him directly, she managed to obtain permission on the condition that twice as many knights escorted her.

“Will they show up?”

“They’ll probably think the movement is unusual. But Zecko has moved typically. There is a high possibility that they will arrive to confirm it.”

Sir Roid seemed to be still considering whether Zecko had lied or not. However, she pushed ahead with the plan, because she knew that Zecko did not lie.

At that time, they could see a person entering as they were looking inside the alley with magic from a distance.

“…Is that the person?”

There were many people passing by because there were buildings such as inns and bars at the end of the alley. But the stated time was approaching. Siervian watched the man nervously. The man walked slowly down the alley with leisurely steps. Then, a piece of paper fell from his sleeve to the floor.

“……!”

“Get him, knights!”

The knights disguised as commoners quickly emerged from the end of the alley and surrounded the man. In the meantime, Siervian and Damian quickly ran into the alley and secured the letter.

“Why, why are you doing this? Let me go!” said the man, looking genuinely bewildered.

[Thought: Did they realize it?]

But Siervian, reading his window, quickly said.

“You have to catch him!”

The man’s eyes changed in an instant even as he continued to act foolishly. And before Siervian could read the man’s next thoughts, a moan was heard.

“Oh my God!”

“He swallowed poison! Mages!”

The attending mage took action, but the man had already stopped breathing. He instantly died. Siervian opened her eyes wide in surprise because she hadn’t expected him to kill himself at once.

“Take him right away. Are you all right, Siervy?”

Damian quickly asked while covering her face. His eyes were full of worry.

“Uh, yes, yes.”

Siervian’s heart beat wildly and uneasily, but she nodded. She had experienced death, but she couldn’t help but tremble at the sight of it. She desperately controlled the trembling of her young body, because there was still something important left to do.

“There’s the letter.”

“Don’t touch it, wait a minute.”

Damian gathered mana in his hands and created a complicated spell for a long time. The spell surrounding the letter gave a subtle glow.

“I don’t think it’s dangerous…”

Even though Damian had checked it, he still wouldn’t let Siervian touch the letter. Then he took out a small bottle from his arms. It contained some of Zecko’s blood, which was obtained with his cooperation.

“Be careful, Brother.”

“Yes.”

He poured a drop of blood carefully on the envelope. Then, the letter sparkled in a murky color and began to move wildly.

“Get back!”

The letter began to burn with the envelope, as if something had gone wrong. It was a simple magic that did not affect the surroundings, but it disappeared without a trace, and they didn’t have any time to touch it.

“Oh no.”

“…How could this be?”

Siervian asked the question, but she understood that the operation had failed. Even though she was sure that Zecko did not lie.

“Maybe something more was needed. There may be a special device that we can use.”

“Should I ask the teacher?”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

Siervian felt some regret. She should have brought her teacher from the beginning. She only had a low level spying child as an informant. She didn’t think there was anything to be so careful about.

“…I’ll stay and look for more clues.”

“Yes, Brother. I’m going back to the foundation.”