CHAPTER 69……………………………………….
Infiltration (9)
Lowell and Rio were in the same situation. They carefully followed Temia so as not to be noticed, searching for the viscount or the dealer they had seen before—but neither of them could be found anywhere in the mansion.
“If only Lerry were here, she’d be such a big help right now…”
Feeling the absence of her little companion, Temia let out a long sigh. Lerry’s small and nimble body had made her perfect for sneaking around unnoticed. On top of that, she was an intelligent summoned creature—an invaluable asset for reconnaissance or infiltration.
“At the very least, she could’ve been a perfect decoy to distract them…”
The more Temia missed her, the more she longed for her presence.
“Hey, you there! Come here for a second.”
Someone had spotted her. The man waved her over briskly. Startled, Temia tried to calm her pounding heart and quickly approached him, bowing her head low. Fortunately, her behavior didn’t seem suspicious to him, and he hurriedly continued speaking.
“Phew, perfect timing. I’ve been so busy! You’re not occupied, right? Guests are crowding the garden right now. Just walk around with these, and hand one out whenever someone asks.”
He handed her a tray stacked with small, glittering glasses. The pale yellow cocktail shimmered under the magic lights. It wasn’t too heavy, so Temia managed to take it safely, but she almost yelped before catching herself and asked in a small voice,
“O–outside? There are guests outside too?!”
“Of course there are. The games are forbidden, but people still come out there for secret talks… or romantic trysts. Ahem. Anyway, just act like you didn’t see anything and move along.”
“Huh? What do you mean—?”
“Don’t play dumb! Ahem! The garden tables always have canopies and soundproofing spells, right? Those are there so guests can enjoy their private time. Sometimes they’re not even with their own spouses, so they prefer a little secrecy.”
“…?!”
“It’s all part of the service to keep them coming back! Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes down. If you accidentally see someone important, you’ll regret it.”
He made a cutting motion across his throat to emphasize his point. Knowing that any further questions would only draw suspicion, Temia merely bowed her head in apparent fear and left quietly.
“This is turning out completely differently than I expected… but maybe that’s not a bad thing.”
As she headed toward the garden, Temia tried to suppress her rising anxiety. If they couldn’t find their target inside, perhaps checking outside was the smarter move.
“Still… the garden’s much more open than the mansion. Lowell and Rio will have trouble following. And if I find something, how am I supposed to signal them?”
Her worries spiraled endlessly.
Maybe because of that, by the time she regained focus, she realized she’d wandered deep into the maze-like garden. She stopped in surprise.
“Huh? Wait, where am I? Wasn’t this the entrance when I first came in…?”
When she first entered, a servant had led the way, so she hadn’t gotten lost. But now, going in the opposite direction, everything looked unfamiliar. She could hardly remember which way she’d come from. Only the full moon overhead offered a bit of comfort by lighting her path.
“Well, standing still won’t solve anything.”
Muttering to herself, Temia decided to just move. Pretending to be a servant meant acting like she knew the place. She quickened her pace toward a fluttering canopy nearby—and through a gap in the lace, she saw a human silhouette.
“Eep—!”
Temia froze, then spun around instantly. Beneath the canopy, a man and woman were locked in a passionate embrace. Fortunately, they were too absorbed in each other to notice her. Still, her face flushed bright red with embarrassment.
“Wh–what in the world?! In a place like this…”
The image lingered stubbornly in her mind even as she squeezed her eyes shut and hurried away.
“Surely… not every table is like that, right…?”
Clutching the tray like a lifeline, Temia muttered nervously. Luckily—or unluckily—the next few tables weren’t quite so scandalous.
But they weren’t exactly decent either.
“More wine! I can still drink!”
“Ha! Luck’s with you this round. Let’s see how the next one goes—careful with your hands!”
“My lady, your exquisite hand is wet with champagne. May I have the honor of wiping it myself?”
Some guests downed champagne until it sloshed over the rim, others glared at each other over cards, their eyes wild, and still others caressed each other shamelessly. By the time Temia passed them all, she finally understood the servant’s warning not to get involved.
“This is bad. I haven’t even seen the viscount’s sleeve yet, and I’m already exhausted.”
As long as she was disguised as a servant, she couldn’t rest. And after all the sights she’d just witnessed, her head was beginning to ache. Looking around, Temia slipped quietly into a secluded corner.
“Maybe I can catch my breath here…”
Just then, a long shadow stretched across her feet.
Startled, Temia looked up. The moonlight and mansion lights cast the shadow’s outline clearly against the hedge wall.
“Hmm?”
The shadow was huge. Maybe it was just a trick of the light—but no, it seemed far too large.
“A bear? No… even bigger than that…”
Sensing something wrong, Temia crouched low and crept closer.
“Are you out of your mind? I told you not to talk to anyone in here!”
“I–I’m sorry! But… you heard it too, didn’t you? That strange man—he figured everything out!”
“There’s no way. No matter who he is, he couldn’t possibly recognize us at a glance.”
“W–wait. You know him? Was he part of Prometheus?! Then—we have to silence him!”
In a deserted part of the garden, two men whispered urgently. One, pale and trembling, was the Lycanthrope Viscount. The other was a stranger—but his clothes clearly marked him as a dealer from Kalis Land.
“Lowell was right! The viscount wasn’t working alone.”
Unlike the panicked viscount, the dealer’s face was expressionless—but his restless fingers betrayed his tension.
“Know him? Hardly. He’s the one our Master despises most—a magician the Master utterly loathes. You could even say he’s the Master’s greatest enemy.”
“B–but Prometheus is friendly to magicians, isn’t it? They’re treated well there!”
“Not every magician. Only those deemed worthy of the title ‘ally.’”
“Then that man…”
“The Master’s intentions are his alone to know. But one thing is certain—you are not a worthy one.”
“W–what?!”
The dealer’s expression turned cold. He looked down at the viscount and spoke in a tone like ice.
“Viscount Lycanthrope, you’ve drawn too much attention. If you’re exposed here, then you no longer deserve to enjoy Prometheus’s glory. The Master’s path must remain pure.”
“N–no! Please, at least give me the medicine! I can’t stay sane without it!”
The viscount dropped to his knees, grabbing the dealer’s leg, his voice cracking with desperation. But his pleas met no sympathy.
“If begging could solve anything, you wouldn’t have come this far. You’ve done your part. Let this be our final meeting.”
“Please! No! My medicine—give it to me! I’ll do anything! Anything!”
“You can’t even follow the simple order to stay hidden, and now you talk of obedience? Listen well—you’re no longer useful.”
The viscount’s cries turned into guttural growls. His hair thickened, fur sprouting across his hands and neck. He was transforming—into a beast. Temia, watching from behind the hedge, instinctively took a step back. Her trembling hands couldn’t hold the tray steady—
CRASH!
The sharp sound of shattering glass pierced the air. Both men’s heads snapped toward the noise.
“Who’s there?!”
A small, youthful figure stood at the source of the sound. Broken glass and spilled drinks littered the ground at his feet.
A servant of Kalis Land?
The viscount’s eyes widened at the sight of the terrified boy staring back at him.
“Damn it… of all times, why now?!”
Unable to move, frozen in fear, the boy could only stare. The viscount lunged toward him.
“I can’t leave a witness alive. Poor kid—but that’s fate.”
No one could be allowed to know what had transpired. Even if the discovery was by accident, the witness had to be silenced—for the sake of the “cause.”
“Die!!!”
With a snarl, the viscount extended his clawed hand and slashed through the air like a wolf.
