Maxim was secretly running an intelligence guild. Of course, there were twists and turns.
“Maxim, you used my daughter. I can’t let you get away with it.”
“I will accept the punishment. But Her Highness is not at fault in any way. It’s all my doing.”
“I know that. My young and innocent daughter wouldn’t have acted on her own. It’s all your fault, no matter how you look at it.”
“Master…! Even so, your words are a bit…”
“That’s why punishment must be delivered. From now on, run the information guild in earnest. You seem to have a talent for out-of-the-scenes affairs, so I’ll assist you.”
And so began Maxim’s information guild.
Now it has become a place where news and information from all over the continent gather.
Thanks to it, he was a great help to Dad, who wanted to become an emperor. I was receiving help – To find Brantley.
I read the rest of the letter with trepidation.
But-
‘Tracking results: Nothing unusual.’
Again, it was the same as last time.
Nothing unusual.
Which meant they hadn’t found Brantley.
{ Sightings of a young man with the same name as the Young Master was seen in Bono turned out to be a scam. }
……
{ The Demon Cult in Mount Cran reported a young man with a similar appearance, but it turned out to be false. Furthermore, the group was not performing a demonic ritual, but a traditional wedding. }
I read the letter with difficulty, my eyes fixed on the last paragraph.
‘The Demonic Cult of Mount Cran….?’
Mount Cran is where the Barbetz Higher Academy is located.
“Is it here?”
Besides, when they got caught, they presented it as a wedding.
‘Wasn’t Katherine saying the same?’
Maxim’s informant had been fooled by them, too.
“Maybe they didn’t even identify the young man who looked like Brantley?”
Normally, I cross-checked Maxim’s information. Especially if it was within my reach. I hastily pulled out a blank sheet of paper.
That’s when the sparrows chirped.
– Why are you bothering?
– It would be quicker if you went and checked it yourself.
The sparrows patted their round, almond-filled bellies with their wings and said,
– We’ll help you and cover your back so you don’t get spotted.
“But…”
– On our way to deliver the letter, you came across a group of what appeared to be demonic cultists.
– They were circling around with men and women in the middle.
– I know where they are. Do you want to miss such an opportunity?
I eyed them suspiciously.
“Are you sure you’re not using me as an excuse to go out and play?”
– Haha, what are you..
– We just want to help Hanelope, that’s all…
Todd and Natu scoffed in disbelief.
Going back and forth was boring work for them, so they wanted to take a break.
“Of course!”
I’ve often gone in search of Brantley myself before. If I was close to where the sightings were reported, I’d always go and check it out. Todd and Natu would always know the exact spot and watch my back.
They were the reason I could get into trouble in this strict school ‘quietly and unnoticed’.
“Okay, let’s go now, but don’t you want to do something dangerous.”
“Beep, beep, beep!”
“Beep, beep, beep!”
At my permission, the sparrows flapped their tiny wings in delight.
I positioned myself to climb over the window sill, and that’s when I heard, “Where do you think you’re going again?”
Katherine burst into the room with a towel wrapped around her head,
“Are you going out… again!”
“Katherine, help me!”
I looked at her desperately with pleading eyes.
She gave me a look of distrust.
“Help? You mean covering up for you again?”
“Please, Do me a favor…..”
“So you want me to put a doll in your duvet instead of you, and if anyone asks where you’ve been, I have to lie and say you’re sleeping?”
“That’s exactly it.”
“And if they get suspicious, should I put them to sleep with magic?”
“You’ll do that for me, won’t you?”
“Ha… What the hell do you think I am?”
Katherine pulled a large doll out from under the bed and threw it on my bed.
Then she carefully pulled the duvet over the doll.
“I would’ve helped you without even asking. Go away.”
“Thank you, Katherine, you’re the best.”
I hugged her tightly.
She blushed and nervously pulled away from me, “What are you going to do without me? This is the third time you’ve said you’re going to find Brantley.”
“It’s only you Katherine. Thanks for helping me every time.”
“I’m the best, right?”
“Yes, it’s just you.”
“Haha…”
Katherine smiled with satisfaction.
With her approval, I jumped out the window.
Then I climbed a nearby tree to the ground below. I had done this many times before. Climbing over the Academy walls was easy for me.
The sparrows chirped to cheer me on as I leaped over the fence like a flying squirrel.
“Now take me to the place where you saw the cultists.”
– I saw them a little while ago, so they must still be there.
– It’s dark, so I’ll light up the road.
Light streamed from Todd and Natu’s eyes. I followed the light into the woods.
How far have they gone? I saw dozens of people circling in a circle as if in a ceremony. In the center of their circle stood a man and a woman, close together.
‘This is just like the stories!’
I exclaimed as I hid behind a tree and watched them. Todd and Natu also held their breath.
The kidnappers were talking incoherently, like madmen. It was hard to hear them because they were so far away, but they didn’t seem normal. Maybe they were drugged with hallucinogenic drugs.
‘Let’s see if we can find anyone who looks like Brantley.’
But it was dark, and I couldn’t make out any faces.
“I’ll have to get closer and take a look.”
I crept closer to them. Then I slipped in effortlessly through the circling crowd. It was dark and there were so many people that they didn’t seem to notice my presence.
I quickly scanned the faces of the circling people and heard the trembling voices of the hostages.
“Our parents don’t know it, but we promised each other our future a long time ago.”
“Even if they knew our hearts, they would still force us to marry someone of similar status.”
Huh?
I forgot about looking for Brantley and looked at the hostages. The man and woman were clutching each other dearly, they were blushing as they spoke.
“I can never give up on Master Andre!”
“Neither can I, Cecile. I don’t care what your status is.”
“Master…!”
“Cecile…!”
Suddenly, the man called Andre kissed the woman called Cecil passionately. Cecile returned the favor. The crowd around them erupted in cheers.
“!”
I was the only one who was surprised.
‘What is this happening? Is this some kind of class-defying love story?’
Suddenly, people started throwing flower petals at Andre and Cecile. The person next to me nudged me as I stood still and handed me a fistful of petals.
“Why aren’t you throwing them?”
“W-What?”
“Are you new? This is the most important ritual in the wedding ceremony.”
“A wedding… Oh, I see.”
Is this a real wedding?!
When Andre and Cecile were finally separated, someone called out.
“Now let us go back and tell God of this happy union, and proclaim that the marriage is consummated!”
Then the people stopped circling and moved off in unison. I followed them.
‘Where are they going through this spooky path?’
After a while, they entered a small cave. The passage was almost as cramped as the entrance.
But the cave was so bright because of the magical lanterns that were lit everywhere.
‘It must take a lot of mana stones to keep so many bright lanterns lit, but more importantly, it must take a talented mage.’
But would the Cult in the mountains have such a skilled mage?
That wasn’t the only surprise.
The center was unimaginably large behind the cramped entrance. There was even a temple in the middle of the square, intricately carved out of stone.
Thousands of people were bustling around the square and the temple. I scanned their faces again in the bright lights. But Brantley wasn’t here.
‘I must have been wrong again…’
That’s when the man at the front of the crowd spoke up.
“We’ll go to that temple and tell the gods of Andre and Cecil’s union, and…”
The man looked back with sharp eyes.
“If by any chance there’s a spy among us, you should be prepared. Do you understand?”
“Yes! Of course.”
“Surely there’s no such person, right?”
The people responded in unison. I chuckled nervously.
The man smiled at me with a smirk in his eyes.
“Very well. Let’s make sure. Everyone, roll up your sleeves and show your wrist marks!”
