“But still!”
The aide, who had been so emotionally invested he started wiping away tears, sniffled and added with indignation,
“If there was a good reason for it!”
“Hm...”
“Well, I an, you never know. Though it would have to be one hell of a reason, obviously.”
“...What if it was because they were suspicious of you...? How’s that?”
“Oh my god...”
Eventually, the aide burst into fresh tears.
“So you didn’t trust ? How can you say you love soone and not trust them? How is that supposed to work? I can’t trust soone like that!”
“...I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’ve committed a grave sin.”
Kiaros rubbed his forehead.
“But the ti we spent together was real, and I truly did my best for you—”
“That just makes it worse! That ans I relied on you all the more!”
The aide clutched his chest with a choked sob.
While he wailed in despair, Kiaros opened the letter Namia had sent him with a dark expression.
Deliver this letter to His Highness on your way back.
If Namia realized she’d basically delivered it herself...
His mind was spinning. Tornted, Kiaros began to read the letter.
So. Kibon Altess really is one of His Highness’s people, right?
A sharp deduction from Namia’s point of view.
Kiaros himself had said, “Kibon can be trusted,” and even added, “he’s better than most Ravens.”
Kibon Altess was, in a sense, His Highness’s person. If you had to define his affiliation, she wasn’t wrong.
Well... technically it’s not a lie...
At the sa ti, the guilt he felt over his aide—who was still sobbing—deepened.
Namia was clearly misunderstanding everything.
Kiaros sighed once more and turned his focus back to Namia’s letter.
Here’s the trap I’ve set up for Victor and Anastasia.
With the aide’s weeping as background music, Kiaros began carefully reading through the detailed, professionally formatted plan.
***
For two days straight, I gave Kibon the sa task—march over to the Scroll Departnt and hound the team leaders.
“Kibon, did you go to the Scroll Departnt?”
“Yes. They still haven’t found ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the Research Report on Special Scrolls Made Using Blood Instead of Standard Ink...”
Of course they hadn’t. That report never existed to begin with.
But by now, both Victor and Anastasia must have that title etched into their brains.
“Sa ti tomorrow?”
“Ah, yeah. But tomorrow’s going to be a different act.”
Anastasia Kayen. Victor Arwin.
Neither of their nas appeared in the original novel. That made it even more confusing.
As far as I could tell, they weren’t key figures in the Reformist Faction.
Yet whichever one of them was the mole, they were still working at the departnt like nothing happened—even after the banquet at Saint Cairo had concluded successfully.
“What kind of act?”
“You’re going to act like you confessed to and got rejected. So your face needs to stay completely gloomy all day, obviously.”
“......”
Kibon imdiately made a crushed expression, like his world had collapsed. It was such a convincing performance I almost applauded.
“Don’t start too early. Anyway, Anastasia will probably ask why you look like that. Then you’ll say I finally opened my heart to His Highness.”
“......”
Maybe because I told him not to start yet, his expression imdiately brightened.
“You switch your face fast. That acting skill’s not bad. Just keep that up.”
I gave him a thumbs-up.
“Next line: ‘Yesterday, the Minister told His Highness that Dragonbloods without blood or tears are scary... and then His Highness gave her both blood and tears. It seems like the two of them have finally gotten together.’ Got it morized?”
“Umm... yes... Blood and tears...”
Kibon muttered the phrase with a sour look.
“So this is how you planned to use His Highness for your sches...”
I an, seriously—Dragonbloods probably hadn’t cried since the day they were born.
More than the bait aspect—receiving blood—the ntion of tears I threw in just to round out the story might be what shocks them the most.
Anyway, Kibon gave a subtle nod, indicating he understood. I continued, wearing my best conspiratorial face.
“Then if anyone asks about the report, say, ‘It probably doesn’t need to be found. She said she rembers most of it anyway... and starting tomorrow, she’ll be in the production room running experints,’ and then droop your shoulders.”
I was planning to use Kiaros’s blood as bait.
From the beginning, I’d suspected that the Reformist Faction needed so special kind of blood for their experints. That thought first ca from sothing the Tower Master had said:
“One night, they stabbed , took my blood, stole my wallet, and ran off into the night.”
Back then, I couldn’t be sure. But after hearing sothing else from Kiaros, I realized it could make perfect bait.
“I still rember that night in the south. His Majesty slaughtered them all, but he was injured in the leg and had to bandage it. They said he lost a lot of blood.”
If they needed rare blood for their experints, that would explain why no one in the original story was ever shown to be altered or enhanced.
Because that kind of blood isn’t sothing you can just keep in stock.
If I’m right, then Kiaros’s blood would be unimaginably tempting bait for them.
Not just anything—the key material. They’d stop at nothing to get it.
Especially since blood, once mixed with preservative, doesn’t spoil easily and is simple to swap out.
“You can do it, right, Kibon?”
And only team leaders could access the production room.
[Reserve the production room under my na during my vacation. Kibon, you probably won’t be able to. Only team leaders and above have access rights.]
That ant the mole would have to act directly.
When I t Kibon’s eyes and asked, he nodded.
“Yes.”
“Good. Also...”
For three days straight, I’d been giving Kibon other tasks too.
“Swing by the Imperial Temple on your way back.”
“Understood.”
The Imperial Temple housed the High Priest and several clerics.
So far, all they did was pray in the chapel. They hadn’t even moved locations.
On the surface, there was nothing suspicious at all.
Even so, I still hadn’t let my guard down.
Even if I base it on the original story, there’s definitely sothing going on—and more importantly...
The High Priest and I had the sa symptoms. A bit of nausea, vomiting blood, then a full recovery.
It left a bad taste in my mouth.
Maybe he was also a target of the Reformists, like ... but my instincts told otherwise.
As I was lost in thought, Kibon asked,
“Are you suspicious of the High Priest?”
“Huh? Uh...”
All I said was to go and observe, but his intuition was way too sharp. Since I wasn’t sure myself, I dodged.
“Also, deliver this letter to His Highness.”
The contents were short.
Kiaros probably still didn’t trust completely.
When Prince Jaden manifested his powers, I was acting weird. And I’ve definitely shown a lot of suspicious behavior. He might not even fully believe the list of spies I gave him.
That’s why I had to go with him—to show him the scene myself.
As I ntioned earlier, the trap is complete. I’m about to catch the spy. If possible, could you join ?
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