Chapter 50: Poison Blooming in the Flower (5)
He seemed like a kid.
Three days after Carlyn had escaped the city, discreet conversations circulated within the Empires intelligence agency.
Standing by the desk, Amari lowered his head.
His gaze gave it away. He resembled the guy next to him, so I dont think there were more than about nineteen of them.
And this kid led you to go to the Margrave?
During their escape in opposite directions, the guy stopped and they had a conversation before changing direction.
A brief silence fell. Amaris mouth felt dry. His superior had potential, and he was equally composed.
Although he had come prepared as the person in charge of this incident, his determination was gradually fading before the cold gaze.
Hes clever. I understand why he escaped alone. If we leave him be, he could become a significant threat to the Empire.
I will request support. Ill expand the search area
Hepate, the leader of Empires Intelligence Special Team 3, stared at the subordinate before him.
He was a competent agent, but lacked a broad perspective.
Forget it. His movements were on par with a high-level agent.
Yes.
Maintain the current personnel. We wont be able to catch him anyway.
Yes?
Amari.
Hepates brow furrowed slightly.
Things are getting uncomfortable from above. Regardless of the situation, it means we missed Haisens movements. But do you think we should request support just to catch a kid?
.
Right. How far should we extend the request? Should we even close the border, thinking he might become a significant threat? Because of one kid?
Amari realized he misspoke. And he deeply engraved Hepates words.
He was a superior recognized within the intelligence agency. If there were no significant issues, he could easily ascend to the leader of a branch.
And if youre Haisens Chief of Intelligence, are you willing to let go of such talent? Hes probably moving by now.
I apologize.
Haisens Intelligence doesnt have the luxury to tangle with ours right now. Its already a headache because of the North
Hepate sighed briefly and continued speaking.
Always broaden your judgment. From above, they dont care about individual thoughts. And
Amari lifted his head, locking eyes with Hepate.
Deeming that kid a threat and reporting it is an utterly useless endeavor.
Now Amari understood what Hepate meant. There wasnt a single wrong word in his statement.
Even if they caught a future threat, would they give recognition?
On the other hand, the reprimand for missing it would be more substantial.
In any case, his mission had encountered a problem, and such words would only tarnish his reputation.
Of course, such a report would benefit the Empire. But no one will notice. Its not an immediate significant issue. Focus on what they want from you up there.
Hepate shrugged.
That way, youll be able to do what you want later. Look at me, I cant even move as I wish.
Amaris lips curved slightly at Hepates chuckle.
Track him vaguely and be done with it. Avoid any combat with Haisens people. Once its over, head north.
Following the orders, Amari withdrew from Hepates presence.
Afterward, Hepate retrieved a piece of parchment from the desk. His earlier words were half right and half wrong.
Strictly speaking, he could be caught. If he personally reported the threat, the higher-ups would likely intervene.
He possessed that level of influence.
But the gains from doing that werent substantial. Who wouldnt have foreseen that kid would become something significant?
There was a way to achieve even greater rewards.
Compared to the last debt, this one feels bigger
In retrospect, he was a poor trader, but Harvan Brusek was quite decent and a reliable trading partner.
How many deals had they made together?
Haisens Chief of Intelligence was one of the few partners who fell within his good books.
He didnt demand unreasonable things. They always made sure to benefit each other.
If Harvan knew him, he would gauge the gravity of the situation and offer an appropriate price.
If he was the talent that the reports claimed, then it wouldnt be a trivial matter at all.
Hepate felt a sense of anticipation as he wrote a letter to Harvan.
* * *
Carlyn awoke in an underground outpost near Altre.
The intense fatigue still lingered. It had been a nine-day escape. Both his body and mind were exhausted.
Adding to this Worst Condition, it was a struggle even to move a finger.
How long did I sleep?
His physical senses werent sharp. It felt as though he was floating somewhere in the deep sea.
Perhaps it was because he was in an underground base.
Carlyn squeezed his missing strength and turned his head. The clock pointed to 5:00 PM.
Still, he didnt seem to have slept for two days.
Twenty-six hours, maybe.
Rather than getting up, Carlyn recalled the events of yesterday.
He had thought there might be support. After all, he had mocked Haisen.
However, he judged the chances of encountering anyone as slim. Even if he predicted their route, there were too many possibilities.
Thats why he hadnt imagined meeting the Duke.
Carlyn was curious about how the Chief of Intelligence had pinpointed his location so accurately.
Timang and Denif couldnt have known his escape route.
Was I too obvious?
Excluding the path to Demerjan and Haisen, Altre was closer.
However, he could have gone north, west, or east. He had actually contemplated heading west.
He had asked gratefully but the Duke had only offered a subtle smile, refusing to reveal the answer.
After handing Carlyn a water container, the Duke had simply walked away.
After drinking the awful water, Carlyn followed the Dukes orders and entered the outpost, immediately collapsing into sleep.
No, it wasnt immediate; he had brushed his teeth and taken a shower.
Carlyn couldnt forget the Dukes gaze, as if he was looking at a lunatic.
Well, anyway. Its kind of touching.
It was genuine. When someone had looked at him like that, they had thought he was about to die.
At least he had been on the level of someone as strong as Phiri, and he hadnt expected any support.
In the past three years, no, in his entire life, he had never felt such tension and fear.
Seeing the Dukes face in that situation had caused all the tension in his body to dissipate.
Oddly, if it had been another Haisen agent, he would have maintained his composure.
At that moment, the Duke seemed to realize that Carlyn had woken up, so he smartly knocked on the door before entering the room.
Are you feeling alright?
Yes. Im a bit fatigued, but
Carlyn lifted his upper body. Since he hadnt sustained any injuries in the first place, only deep exhaustion remained.
The Duke gestured for him not to get up.
Thats a relief. Youre probably feeling similar to usual.
Carlyn laughed at the Dukes words. He was referring to Worst Condition.
Phiri was quite worried about you.
Is that so?
Carlyn couldnt quite picture Phiri being concerned.
Right. Denif and Timang are fine. Their treatment is complete, and they will return to Haisen on the Margraves carriage.
Thats a relief.
Carlyn nodded. The Chief of Intelligence was echoing his thoughts.
Indeed, Im relieved. Ive heard the rough details. Your idea, I mean, about heading to the Margrave.
Yes.
Good job. It was the best choice. If you had stayed in the city, you wouldve been dead.
Thank you.
The Duke pulled a chair from a distance and sat down beside Carlyn.
Ive felt it since last time, but its truly astonishing. Youre going above and beyond what I had imagined. Even when you were at the mansion, I had glimpses of it, but I didnt expect it to be at this level.
In truth, when Carlyn was at the Dukes mansion, there hadnt been much room for sudden situations or any opportunity to make use of something.
It was a place to practice basic missions.
Instead of being falsely modest, Carlyn smiled without saying a word.
He had used knowledge only he possessed at times, but this time, he felt proud of his own accomplishments as well.
But you broke the promise.
Yes?
The Duke looked at Carlyn with a serious gaze.
Didnt I tell you before, during the mission, that if any problems arise, you should prioritize your life?
Ah
Only then did Carlyn recall the past incident.
I apologize. However, I had confidence in my ability to survive.
No. It wasnt enough. Even though you didnt say it, Im sure you felt it during our conversation.
Yes.
The Duke gave Carlyns shoulder a light tap, accompanied by a faint smile.
Remember this well. Your life comes first. We cant afford situations like this again.
I will keep that in mind.
Anyway, my godchild, you saved another godchild. You also saved Timang, so an appropriate reward should be given.
Carlyn sensed a stern undertone in the Dukes words.
By any chance, will I be leaving the Empire?
Yes.
The Chief of Intelligence nodded.
Carlyn inwardly sighed. He had suspected this might happen, but he hadnt expected it to become a reality.
I still want to remain in the Empire. There is much for me to learn.
You can learn those things elsewhere.
Still
Its too dangerous.
The Chief of Intelligence cut off Carlyns words in an instant. Carlyn couldnt argue either.
His face might not have been recognized, but they had seen his eyes and body shape.
It was the situation at hand.
Although he had changed his appearance, a perceptive agent might recognize him just by his eyes.
It would take some time for that memory to fade.
Why do you want to stay in the Empire so much?
A moment of silence settled in response to the Dukes question. Even from Carlyns perspective, he didnt have much to say.
The Duke willingly waited for Carlyn to speak up.
Carlyn quickly made a decision. It would be strange if he hesitated any longer. He had no choice.
Although it seemed unlikely, he needed to give a reason. He had no option but to use what he had already written.
I havent seen the princess yet.
The Duke, who had been seriously waiting, burst into a dry chuckle.
Right. If thats your determination.
Will you permit it?
After one year.
The Duke stated firmly.
At least I will send you back after a year. Its too dangerous right now. Remember, I also have ears.
One year. Carlyn quickly calculated.
Even if he didnt want to, this much was acceptable. Normally, once transferred, you couldnt return for at least five years.
Yes.
Good thinking.
But where will I be for this year?
Haisen. Familiarize yourself with assessing the situation among the higher-ups and making decisions for the whole.
The Duke studied Carlyns face and then spoke.
Youre a more precious gem than I thought. You need to grow properly. Dont be too impatient.
Yes.
Carlyn thought it might actually be a good thing. There was still room before the main story. He was fine for now. It was within a safe range.
And if the Duke was saying it so explicitly, that meant he intended to push for it.
When he returned to the Empire, he would be able to do even more than he could now.
Dont worry. Ill occasionally have you do external missions as well.
The Duke added, interpreting Carlyns brief thoughts differently. Carlyn smiled.
Then Ill prepare. Shall we leave today?
Its fine. You can rest for another day.
Im alright. I know youre busy, so we can move. The Empires pursuit
No. The Empire wont pursue you anymore.
Really?
The Duke chuckled at Carlyns perplexed expression.
Dont you know that the intelligence agencies all have their separate games? They keep an eye on each other while also forming close-knit groups. You know that they share necessary information and sometimes leak false information, right?
Carlyn did indeed know, but he was surprised for a different reason.
It meant that someone had been involved in the Dukes conversation during the recent pursuit.
A chill ran down his spine.
It seemed like the Duke had made some sort of deal. If he hadnt, would Carlyn have been captured?
Setting that aside, why did you take the saddle?
It was a sudden question. Carlyn had tossed the bag carelessly and fallen asleep, and the Duke had checked it.
Carlyn scratched the back of his head as if trying to avoid the question. It wasnt really the right time to tell the truth.
Its something I received when I became an Inquisitor. Actually, it was from you, Father, but I was thinking of discarding it. I had some spare time.
Next time, discard it. Your life is far more important. Even if you have thousands, tens of thousands of those things, you cant exchange them.
The Dukes words were sincere.
Good tools were needed for proper management. There was no way to compare those things to such items.
Ill remember that.
The Dukes words werent wrong. In truth, according to protocol, he should have discarded it.
Rest more. Well depart tomorrow morning.
Yes.
Carlyn watched the Dukes back.
And so
A year and a half passed.
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