After returning to the palace assigned as our lodgings, I erected a magical barrier against any potential eavesdropping and relayed all the information I’d uncovered to everyone.
Though my explanation involved piecing together various speculations, the gist was that the queen is actually the High Priest of Lust.
“Are you sure about this?”
“I personally believe it’s true, but I don’t have definitive proof. This is merely an inference based on my intuition.”
“Hmm…”
Theron let out a thoughtful hum. It wasn’t surprising he found it hard to trust the word of a mere subordinate on such a grave matter. Erias, who had been silently listening, then turned to me and asked,
“Is it true you sensed demon energy?”
“Yes. It was faint, but… didn’t you notice anything, Master Erias?”
“Hmph. I noticed nothing. Though I did get the impression she’s quite rude.”
Well, isn’t that what anyone would think? Still, if even Erias didn’t sense anything…
Could it be my imagination?
Yet, I was surprisingly certain—almost unnaturally so—about the fact that the woman named Sara is the High Priest of Lust, as if someone had directly told me.
“Perhaps it’s one of your abilities. There are still many phenomena in this world that remain unexplained despite centuries of study.”
“Sensitivity to demon energy, huh… I’m not sure whether that’s good or bad.”
“Think positively. Anything can be helpful. What shall we do, Crown Prince?”
At Erias’ question, Theron finally looked up, seemingly finished with his thoughts.
“We shouldn’t ignore Allen’s instincts given the circumstances. The way Queen Sara treated us, and King Arion IV’s unusual behavior too.”
“You mean how he just sat there like a puppet? That struck me as odd too.”
“Exactly. Therefore, we will classify Queen Sara as a heretic. We can’t act immediately, but when the situation arises, please respond accordingly.”
“Understood.”
“Aye.”
We briefly nodded in agreement. Theron then tapped his fingers on the table and continued,
“First, we need more information. I hear Sara is the second queen. Her background, how she entered the royal palace, her activities before that—all these details are crucial. Most importantly, none of this can be discovered openly.”
“I’ll contact the Royal Information Department. Even though it’s a foreign country, I should be able to uncover something.”
“Understood.”
Theron then turned to me,
“And within the Arion Kingdom, we need a method to gather intelligence. Any ideas, Sir Allen?”
I thought for a moment. Sending Black Wolf alone would be fastest, but even if his social skills have improved, he couldn’t handle everything by himself. Perhaps I should go along too.
“Exiting the palace won’t be difficult. Black Wolf and I can come and go unnoticed. However, we’ll need contingencies in case of emergencies… Master Erias, could you assist?”
“Illusion isn’t my specialty, but I’ll manage. Working with Helios’ second son should suffice.”
“The joint conference is tomorrow. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Hmm, don’t overexert yourself. While information is important, your safety comes first.”
“Noted.”
With that, I stood up. We needed to wrap things up today.
“I’ll move immediately. Please handle the rest.”
“Don’t worry, just go.”
With Erias’ curt farewell, I headed toward where the Special Task Force awaited.
***
“Eh? The queen is the high priest? That’s quite shocking.”
“… Your appearance shocks me more.”
I was speechless. A large bruise marred Earl’s face, who looked genuinely surprised.
What exactly happened in such a short time?
Glaring at Black Wolf, who blew a raspberry in response,
“Just establishing ranks.”
“Ahem…”
I got the gist of the situation seeing Earl awkwardly shifting his gaze.
Surely he started some pointless quarrel and got beaten down.
“But still, why beat him up like that?”
“You told me to hit him.”
“Still! Even if I did!”
I replied brazenly. As Black Wolf stared at me intently, I hastily changed the subject.
“So, while Black Wolf and I are out, we’ll need someone to cover for us. Can you handle it?”
“With Infantry Palace’s help, it should work out. The most important thing is mimicking the person’s usual behavior. And who knows that better than me?”
That was undeniably true. After all, the two of us were comrades-in-arms through thick and thin. Someday, we might reminisce about those days freely.
“What about Black Wolf? Have you gotten that close already?”
“Well, even after all this time…”
“He doesn’t talk much anyway. Just pretend he’s quietly following the commander.”
“… True.”
Black Wolf rarely conversed with anyone besides me due to his naturally cautious nature. Definitely easier than dealing with me. But apparently not, as Black Wolf suddenly moved behind Earl and whacked the back of his head.
BANG!
The sound rang out clearly.
“Ow! Why did you hit me!”
“I felt annoyed.”
“Such a crazy woman!”
“Wanna get hit again?”
Watching Black Wolf clench his fists and approach, I sighed and said,
“Stop tormenting him and let’s go. We don’t have time.”
“Understood.”
“You’re doing great. I trust you.”
“Only when you want something… Where are we going?”
The grumbling Earl received a sly smile from me in response.
“Where else? The one place you’ll find wherever people gather—a guild.”
Our destination was the Thieves Guild.
***
Using stealth magic, we slipped out of the royal palace and revealed ourselves in a deserted alleyway.
“Hmph. How can they have such lax security?”
“That’s not our concern.”
Confirming no one was around, I took the mask handed by Black Wolf.
“This level of disguise should suffice.”
“Yeah, it’s a bit itchy, but not bad.”
Scratching my cheek, I replied. This was akin to the “human skin mask” often seen in martial arts novels, a special magical device capable of altering facial features and contours.
Apparently developed by Blackwater, judging by how sturdy it felt even when scratched.
“… Whose face is this modeled after?”
Checking my reflection in a shard of glass on the ground, I saw the weary expression of a middle-aged man. Quite impressive craftsmanship.
“It’s based on someone who’s already deceased.”
“Tch. Kinda creepy.”
At least it’s from Blackwater, so there’s little risk of exposure. Now, I need to alter my voice to match this face.
“Aah, ah. How’s that?”
Using aura to deliberately injure my vocal cords, a technique frequently used to disorient enemies in battle. Come to think of it, this skill was taught by an old comrade.
“… Sounds terrible, but impressive.”
Black Wolf’s ears twitched, clearly finding the raspy voice unpleasant. Honestly, I wouldn’t want to listen to it either.
“How did you change yours?”
In the brief moment I was distracted, Black Wolf’s appearance had significantly changed. His ears and tail remained the same, but his hair and eye color were different.
How did he change his hair color?
“This powder does the trick.”
Taking some powder from his pocket and sprinkling it on my head, Black Wolf roughly tousled my hair. My dull black locks turned brown instantly. He then offered a pair of contacts.
“Doesn’t black eyes look common enough?”
“They say eyes are the windows to the soul. Sharp observers can identify people just by their eyes.”
“True words indeed.”
Reluctantly putting on the contacts, my eyes turned blue. With that, our disguises were complete, and we seamlessly blended into the crowd.
“First operation in the city. Exciting, isn’t it?”
Felt like being a secret agent from those movies.
“Me too. First since the noble assassination mission.”
“… Not a story I particularly want to hear. Anyway, how do we find the Thieves Guild? Just walk into any tavern?”
I only knew theoretically, never having sought one myself. But it’s fine. I’ve got the best operative, Black Wolf, by my side.
“There’s a special mark. Should be that one.”
Following Black Wolf’s pointed finger, I spotted a wooden signboard of a shop. Recalling the Eastern Common Tongue I had learned superficially, I stammered through the letters.
“Shark… kani… drag, dragonku?”
I understood sharkkani meant dragon, but what’s dragonku? The opaque window prevented peeking inside. Blinking, I asked Black Wolf,
“Doesn’t seem like a tavern. Is this really it?”
“Correct. Look closely at the right side of the signboard for the crow’s talon mark.”
“That’s…”
It was a tiny mark easy to mistake for a scratch unless examined carefully. Definitely impossible to recognize without prior knowledge.
“Didn’t we say we’re short on time?”
“Right. Let’s go in. I trust you.”
“Understood.”
Seemed pleased by my trust, Black Wolf’s tail subtly wagged. Keeping the minimal movement necessary to conceal his water-dwelling nature, I smiled and followed him into the shop.
Ding dong~
The first thing catching my eye was a long glass display counter reminiscent of a bar. Inside showcased dazzling jewels and gold ornaments, unmistakably identifying it as a jewelry store.
Surprisingly, this was the Thieves Guild’s hideout?
“Welcome. Is there anything you’re looking for?”
Fortunately, there were no other customers. Approaching the neatly dressed attendant, Black Wolf spoke quietly,
“We seek the White Crow’s eyes.”
Upon hearing this, the attendant’s eyes flickered briefly.
“Sorry sir, we don’t carry such items here.”
“The scales of a Gold Dragon await.”
At this statement, the attendant hesitated again before deeply bowing.
“Please wait inside. I’ll fetch the branch manager.”
Nodding, Black Wolf naturally moved toward the back of the shop. Having no choice, I silently followed. Behind a curtain, we found a small table with two chairs. Sitting down, I detected the sounds outside while quietly asking,
“Are you sure about this?”
“Positive.”
“Believe you, but… Do they usually treat customers like this?”
As if on cue, hidden figures emerged, daggers aimed at vital points exuding a pungent odor.
“Ah. Golden Tree Toad venom, quite rare. Genuine stuff?”
“Affirmative.”
“Hmm. Doesn’t seem like proper hospitality… Could we get some tea at least?”
“Don’t worry sir. We’ll serve you once the verification is complete.”
From the opposite side of our entrance, a plump-sounding voice approached. The slowly walking man narrowed his eyes and continued,
“Though whether it’ll be medicinal tea or poison tea remains to be seen.”
Well, both sound unappetizing…
Do they have coffee?
