HIFH | Chapter 42

Episode 42

The wheelhouse, surrounded on all sides by large glass windows, looked perfectly normal except for being slightly messy.

At the center stood a large wooden steering wheel, and next to the speed control lever, a logbook and maps were spread out.

I slowly scanned the interior of the wheelhouse, walking across the wooden deck at a deliberate pace.

At first glance, there seemed to be nothing unusual.

But…

‘I can feel it.’

A gut feeling—this wasn’t just an ordinary wheelhouse.

If I were Henry—Henry, who had defied the orders of the leader of Catacle and now had his life threatened—I would have left a record in some form.

For the sake of those who might face the same situation after me, or perhaps to prove my own innocence.

‘It might not be this ship.’

There were still four other ships, so I would need to search them all.

However—

Creak, creak—

The steering wheel groaned.

I could sense a faint, hidden crack within it.

Holding my breath, I listened carefully.

More precisely, I perked my ears to pinpoint where the sound was coming from.

And then—

‘Here.’

A panel beneath the navigation drawer was slightly raised.

The sound was coming from inside.

I slipped my fingers into the gap and yanked the panel off.

Crash!

A metal drawer appeared.

Just as I expected.

“Now, how do I open this…?”

The metal drawer was slightly corroded, but its overall structure remained solid.

There was no visible handle.

Instead, there was a small, shallow circular indentation at the center.

The indentation was slightly recessed but without a keyhole like a typical lock.

In that case—

‘Good thing I brought this.’

The magnetic pin I had received from Pinky.

I yanked the pin from my hair, pulling it out roughly.

My hair tumbled down over my shoulders, but I didn’t care.

Instead, I pressed the pin against the indentation in the drawer.

Click.

A faint sound.

At first, nothing happened.

But the subtle vibration at my fingertips confirmed that my hunch was correct.

‘It’s designed to open only for agents from their own team.’

Clack.

I felt the internal mechanism release.

Moments later, the metal drawer slowly slid forward.

I quickly peered inside.

As expected, there was a notebook.

‘I was right about everything.’

Of course, I was.

I was an elite agent from both Guardian and Catacle.

Praising myself a few times, I swiftly flipped open the notebook.

‘Let’s see…’

—

[X Month X Day]

I’ve been feeling something off since yesterday.

Everywhere I go, I feel eyes watching me.

Ah. So this is how I am discarded.

—

That was the final entry.

My expression twisted involuntarily.

Reading the diary of someone who was likely no longer in this world wasn’t a pleasant experience.

But I couldn’t afford to dwell on emotions, so I quickly flipped back to earlier pages.

—

[X Month X Day]

In the past few months, contact with the Ivory Castle has decreased.

Are we still loyal shadows, or have we become parasites feeding on the Ivory?

I don’t know.

—

“Ivory Castle” was a code name for the Imperial Court.

If contact had decreased, it meant that orders from the Imperial Court had lessened.

—

[X Month X Day]

We survived because we were shadows. A shadow must never rebel against the light.

But he no longer seems willing to stay in the shadows.

—

[X Month X Day]

“He said, ‘We will begin our intervention.’”

So I wonder—am I included in that ‘we’?

No.

I am nothing but an obstacle to his plans.

—

I checked the date.

It aligned exactly with when I had returned to the Empire and when Baylor had started making serious moves.

Perhaps that was why I had sensed things so quickly.

I turned to the next page.

—

[X Month X Day]

Adrian came to see me.

—

My eyes widened.

Adrian?

—

[Adrian handed me Themis’ drug.

He said he would use it to bring noble heirs under his control.

When I asked why, Adrian replied as if it were obvious.

“For the next generation.”

Then he added—

Don’t tell “him” about this.

“He” seeks to claim the Ivory Castle, while “his son” aims to control those who will soon enter it.

This will become a battle between father and son…]

—

That was the end.

Or rather, after this entry, the final grim diary entry I had first seen was written.

In any case, there was nothing beyond this point.

But this much was enough to piece everything together.

‘Baylor was the one trying to eliminate the pro-Emperor nobles.’

And—

‘Adrian was the one distributing the drug to ensnare the noble heirs.’

In other words—

Baylor was orchestrating everything to usurp the throne.

And Adrian was ensuring that he would hold the upper hand in the ensuing power struggle.

‘Now that I think about it, the Captain seemed unaware of Aura.’

He had never mentioned it to me even once.

“So does that mean the Captain and Adrian could truly end up as enemies…?”

I couldn’t understand it.

What was it about power? About strength?

Why would they fight against their own family?

If Esmeralda were still alive, she would have stopped them.

With a bitter smile, I tucked Henry’s journal into my coat.

“I should check if there’s anything else—”

“There isn’t much outside.”

“Ah, I see.”

I responded absentmindedly before realizing something was off.

“…Huh?”

I lifted my head.

Lu was leaning against the doorway of the wheelhouse.

W-Wait.

I shot up in surprise.

“Y-You! Why are you here?!”

I pointed at him, shouting.

Lu tilted his head slightly.

“The real question is, what are you doing here, Charles?”

He stepped away from the door, slowly advancing toward me.

I instinctively took a step back.

But in this cramped wheelhouse, escape was limited.

“Is rummaging through the wheelhouse of a ship whose owner you don’t even know part of your job?”

“I, uh…”

My mind raced.

If I didn’t come up with a proper excuse now, I was dead.

Literally.

“I—I was just investigating Themis’ death!”

Wow.

Even I had to admit—that was a perfect excuse.

Feeling impressed with myself, I looked up at Lu.

“Why?”

“Because… Themis’ assassination was suspicious.”

“So you were tracking his death?”

“That’s right!”

Lu smirked.

“Our Charles is such a sentimental person. Caring even about the death of someone they only met once.”

Hmm.

Yeah, he definitely didn’t believe me.

But at least my excuse wasn’t flimsy enough for him to immediately call me out.

It seemed he was letting it slide—for now.

‘How many times has he let things slide already?’

Why was I always caught in front of Lu?

Sighing, I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

“Let’s go outside. I’ll ask how you even found me once we’re out.”

“O-Okay, let’s go.”

Just as we were about to leave—

Bang!

A loud noise rang out.

The entire ship shook violently.

At the same time—

Clang!

The wheelhouse door slammed shut, locking itself.

Huh?

And then—

I heard the sound of rushing water.

W-Wait, what?

The floor tilted beneath me.