BE 58

BE

Chapter 58

I reflexively tried to look behind me — but this time, Khan didn’t cover my mouth. He covered my eyes with his palm.

Even when I grabbed his hand with both of mine to pull it away, it was as hard as a rock.

“Kids shouldn’t see this.”

Khan whispered in my ear.

Kids?

What? What is it?

For now, since it might be something dangerous, I decided to stay still.

After what felt like a long time, Khan finally said quietly,

“…It’s over. They’re gone.”

“What was that?”

“…A couple being affectionate.”

…Huh?

“Was it dangerous?”

“For a baby, yeah.”

He pressed his palm over my eyes one more time before letting go.

At first, I didn’t get it — and then I felt indignant.

The crown prince was just as young as me, and yet, just because he called me the “Prophecy’s Child,” he acted like he was all grown up.

Khan gave me a strange look, then turned his head.

“You really are a kid.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve definitely got that back-alley vibe. Anyway, let’s move.”

He changed the subject.

I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t forget why we were here. So I followed him quietly.

The back alleys were like a maze.

The ground was filthy — there were even traces of vomit, probably from drunks.

The smell…

Thankfully, Khan led the way, so I only had to focus on not stepping in anything gross.

All my clothes — even my shoes — were gifts from my dad. I definitely didn’t want vomit on them.

Then, suddenly, Khan stopped walking.

When I looked up, Madeleine was right there. I almost gasped out loud.

She was crouched low against a wall, hiding her body while peeking toward a brightly lit entrance.

“Madeleine…!”

I whispered as quietly as I could, letting go of Khan’s hand and running toward her.

“Adele!”

She looked relieved to see me. I knelt down beside her and crawled closer to hide myself too.

Khan followed and crouched beside us, scanning the area.

I asked, “What’s going on?”

“Those weird people. They disappeared earlier. See that light?”

“Yeah.”

“They kept letting people in through there — but only after checking some paper and matching it to their faces.”

Madeleine pointed toward the entrance. I peeked.

Khan listened in silence.

“…So those are the auction guests…” he murmured.

I turned to him.

“Oh right, Khan, you’re rich!”

“…”

“Then can’t we just pretend to be guests? You could just… buy all our friends!”

I said it innocently.

Madeleine nodded eagerly. “If we ambush a guest and take their invitation, we could sneak in, right… Your Highness?”

Wait.

Your Highness?

Khan looked between us both, then replied,

“The kidnapped orphans aren’t just one or two. Buying them all would cost a fortune.”

He continued,

“And that money would become part of their war funds. I can’t use it for that. Besides, they’re not that sloppy — they’re comparing the faces to the ones drawn on the invitations.”

The words were complicated, but I understood the gist — we couldn’t do it that way.

I pressed my temples, thinking hard.

Madeleine asked cautiously, “So we can’t use the guest entrance… Your Highness?”

Khan looked at me instead of her as he answered.

“Correct.”

“Then how… We still have to get inside somehow.”

“…‘They’ must have their own entrance.”

When he said they, something about the word felt off.

“Oh, right. The smell.”

“Smell?”

Khan immediately caught on.

I tried to recall.

[Adele, you left the house. It’s dangerous. I’ll hide your ‘scent’ for you.]

“The spirit said she’d erase my ‘scent.’ Like, if I let it leak, I’d be in danger.”

“…The spirit of wind?” Khan asked.

I nodded.

“Do you know what it means, Khan?”

“It’s how they tell friend from foe — by smell. Humans give off a human scent. I’ve read that in some reports.”

The pieces clicked together.

Spirits can erase “scent.”
“They” recognize humans by smell.

Then if we erase our scent… we could sneak in unnoticed!

“Khan.”

“Adele, then—”

We spoke at the same time. Our eyes met.

I said carefully, “Let’s call a spirit and ask for help — tell it to hide us.”

“…Exactly.”

He nodded.

Now, which spirit should I summon?

I couldn’t call two at once.

That light up ahead — that was underground.

If it’s underground… not wind, but…

“An earth spirit would be better.”

“Agreed.”

We were in perfect sync, though Madeleine looked completely lost.

I’ll explain later.

I glanced around, then gently gathered some dirt in the moonlight.

Madeleine watched in fascination.

It was my first time chanting a spell in front of someone besides Khan — and it was Madeleine, so I was extra nervous.

“ossa tegébat humus.”
(Bones buried in the soil.)

The earth stirred — and a spirit popped up.

<It’s been a while!>

“Hi!” I greeted.

The spirit hovered for a moment, then casually perched on Khan’s shoulder.

Since I’d told Khan before that spirits liked him, he gave it a complicated look.

“Hey, can you erase our ‘scent’?” I asked.

It nuzzled against Khan and replied,

Even if I didn’t understand what “scent” really meant, spirits seemed able to handle it.

Suddenly, a strange, purifying feeling washed over me. Madeleine and Khan both gasped quietly — they must’ve felt it too.

“Adele, what was that just now? That was amazing!”

“Actually, I can talk to spirits.”

“I knew you were the ‘Prophecy’s Child,’ but wow — seeing it is totally different!”

Thanks to the spirit, we could finally take the path they used.

Khan had found it.

Madeleine whispered to me like a kid gossiping during class, and I whispered back, just as excited.

“Shh.”

Khan pressed a finger to his lips.

We froze.

[They’re not true ones — half-human hybrids. Extremely tall, always wearing black cloaks to hide their hideous bodies. They’re called ‘Goschen.’]

That’s what Khan had explained earlier.

Now, actual Goschen were walking by.

I glanced up at them — just slightly — and felt crushed by their sheer presence.

Thankfully, they didn’t look down.

Khan motioned for us to move again.

We crept forward like rats in a sewer.

Thanks to the spirit hiding our scent, the Goschen didn’t notice us at all.

[If anything happens, you two run first.]

That’s what Khan said, but there was no way I’d run.

Never.

I’d escape with everyone.

If we’re caught, we die.

Even as I stayed tense, my eyes couldn’t help but wander.

Through the glass walls beside the tunnel, I saw what was below — and froze.

The black market stretched down at least fifty floors. It was massive. And dazzling.

I thought I’d gotten used to luxury after living as a noble, but this was on another level.

Gold, jewels, glowing chandeliers — it didn’t feel like an underground den of crime, but a festival of wealth.

And the most horrifying thing?

The number of spectators.

This many people…

I couldn’t understand it.

Humanity’s supposed to be dying out. Everyone’s supposed to be desperate.

Then why are so many still doing terrible things — knowing full well what they’re part of?

“The next item, Lot 14 — the national treasure of the fallen kingdom of Hieronymus! A crown the late king guarded with his life! Starting bid, five hundred million gold!”

They were auctioning stolen relics now.

So this is why Dad went to war.

Even without knowing all the details, I could tell — everything here was plundered.

I stopped and caught my breath. Maybe they’d enchanted the auctioneer’s voice, because I could hear it perfectly even from this far.

“Yes! A bid for one billion gold!”

“Adele.”

Khan’s voice snapped me back.

I looked up — my face must have gone pale.

I forced myself to focus and followed him deeper inside.

He was sweating too.

We can’t get caught.

I looked back. Madeleine was gasping for breath, her face red.