Chapter 92 — In which they meet (6)
Geod, left on the gifts guard duty together with a few other attendants, was observing a group opposite of them from the corner of his eye.
About ten minutes ago, the Flavun’s envoys entered the room to leave their own gifts.
There was a small commotion when the two leaders of the envoys seemed to have a quiet argument about which gifts were to be placed where and who was to stay to guard them.
As a result, the lord with a rough mouth ended leaving his subordinates to guard the gifts, as he had more of them, and his gifts seemed to be more extravagant.
The lady gracefully accepted this conclusion with the words:
— I hope your subordinates live up to their apparent skills. But even if something breaks, it’s no worry. As my gift is somewhere else, you don’t have to be too concerned about the gift’s safety.
Geod and other attendants observing had only one thought:
— Flavun really lives for the confrontations, huh!
But while others were experiencing cultural shock, Geod had to put his attention on something else.
‘I’m glad it worked.’
He recalled what His Excellency calmly explained, with the attitude of someone who was talking about what they had for breakfast.
— The security during the Lesser Lord Mage’s coming of age ceremony will be extremely high. Besides some small personal items or clothing, no mystical items can be brought in. If the stolen artifact was some kind of cosmetic item, it may pass, but as it’s just a simple meteor stone, it certainly can’t be brought in ‘on-person’. But if it is wrapped up as a gift… the story is different.
They couldn’t be certain if the artifact was in Flavun or Rubrun, only that it crossed the border.
They also couldn’t be certain if the artifact was really going to show up in this place.
But they all trusted Amara’s hunch and carried out appropriate counter-measures.
Geod’s mission was to track movements of the people managing gifts.
And to do that he covertly scattered sparkling powder on the floor around the place prepared for Flavun.
That powder wasn’t visible when laying on the floor, but when it stuck to the boots of servants and caught light from the windows and lamps, it sparkled just a little bit.
‘Thankfully long robes aren’t popular in Flavun.’
If the servants were wearing long robes like people from Purplus or Rubrun that plan wouldn’t work, but as shorter tunics were more in fashion for the working class in Flavun, Geod could observe their boots without a problem.
About fifteen minutes after the Flavun envoys left their gifts.
Geod noticed one of the servants in the back take out a small, plainly wrapped gift from the pile and then headed towards the corridor door.
Rather than staring, Geod turned his head away, maintaining his statue-like pose, and perked up his ears to listen.
As he expected, a few seconds later he heard a rattle of the door and the sound of footsteps slowly growing quiet.
He didn’t move to chase immediately.
That could alert their opponent and disrupt their plans.
He waited for about five minutes, before he whispered to the attendant beside him.
“Priest Phlox gave an order to be carried out. This humble one will be back in a moment.”
The attendant nodded and others also expressed understanding with their eyes.
The priests might have not noticed, but the attendants didn’t miss that Phlox called Geod before their departure and told him something.
Though it was just a play to cover up for Amara’s involvement, Phlox indeed gave Geod orders.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Without making a sound, he entered a side-corridor.
There was no trace of the servant from Flavun, but Geod wasn’t too worried.
‘That so-called ‘surveillance room’…’
Geod recalled the architecture plans of Rubrun’s traditional households and coupled with Amara’s guesses and his own experiences from childhood, he quickly pinpointed a few rooms where his goal could be.
With no time to waste, he moved swiftly.
*-*-*
“Hm…”
“My Lady?”
Three ladies in waiting looked at Saffra with concern.
Saffra, who suddenly stopped in her tracks and frowned, just shook her head and gave them a reassuring smile.
“It’s nothing. I just thought it feels strangely hot.”
“… That’s true. Flavun buildings are much cooler at this hour. Is it because of materials?”
“Our buildings use more sandstone and clay, so they tend to be colder.”
Listening to the girls’ conversation, Saffra observed the wooden and paper walls around her and thought:
‘The ventilation system here is very good, and the sun isn’t that scorching… It shouldn’t be that hot.’
It wouldn’t be noticeable for other people, but for her, who became very sensitive to heat after her death, something was very clearly not right.
She tried to sense mana around her, but all she could tell was that many powers were fiercely clashing.
It seemed that the Archmage and the guilds were engaging in a very fiery discussion behind everyone’s backs.
‘Most spells seems to be a fire and heat type… is it because of that?’
Before she could consider it any further, the subordinate Mimosa left her with, reported:
“Young Lady, the group ‘individuals’ we were following split.”
“Details.”
“Two people detached themselves from the group, we are unsure where are they heading. The main group still seems to be heading towards the main facilities.”
Saffra crossed her arms and tapped them with her fingers.
After some thought, she decided.
“You two” she pointed at Mimosa’s two subordinates “and Citrie, follow the two who left the main group.”
“But Young Lady…”
One of the subordinates was about to object, but Saffra firmly shook her head.
“The main group should be a distraction. We don’t know what those two are going to do alone, but I don’t think they are going alone to have a secret affair. They should be most dangerous. Whatever they’re doing, they have to be stopped immediately. I’ll contact Mimosa. You go after them.”
“Yes, Young Lady.”
The two and Citrie bowed and quickly departed.
“Let’s get moving.”
Saffra said as she picked up her communication stone to contact Mimosa.
*-*-*
“No, why are you splitting again?”
Cuprit looked at the Flavun’s Young Lady’s group splitting with desperation.
His head was already dizzy from trying to keep track of everyone’s movements.
Not a long time after his sisters left to deal with uninvited guests, everyone suddenly decided they had some place to be.
1. A group of priests from Purplus left the main hall and went to pray in a separate room. Right now they were painting some strange symbol on the floor and doing hell knows what.
2. The leader of the Purplus’ envoys left with two attendants.
3. The group of uninvited clones suddenly split into two.
4. A servant from Flavun, who was guarding gifts, suddenly left with one gift in hands.
5. An attendant from Purplus, who was guarding gifts, also suddenly left the room.
6. The members of the guilds decided that maybe if they try to attack the ceremonial tree from some other angle, it will work and started to run around the corridors of the main hall.
7. Just a moment ago the Flavun’s Young Lady’s group also split in two.
During all of that, his sisters, Young Master and numerous servants of the Archmage’s manor were also running around.
Cuprit put his head in one of his hands and started to take notes with the other.
Absentmindedly he mumbled:
“Where is that mage, who tried to set the building on fire with a cigarette..?”
“She got splashed with a bucket of water and is changing clothes in a private room.”
… Splashed with water… in a private room…
“Leader of the Purplus’ envoys and two attendants…?”
“Heading towards the prayer’s room.”
… The prayer’s room…?
“And that attendant from Purplus who left the gift room?”
“Here.”
“…”
Cuprit jumped, as he realized someone was standing beside him.
An emaciated man in a plain and simple gray robe gave Cuprit just a side-glance and quickly returned to carefully scrutinizing the screens before him.
“What are you doing here?”
“My apologies, Mister, but as this humble one doesn’t exist beyond his function, I’m afraid that neither ‘here’ or ‘doing’ can be applied right now, as according to this humble one’s function, he doesn’t currently exist. Therefore, this humble one cannot answer this question.”
‘… What bullshit is that?
Cuprit was momentarily speechless, unsure if he should call that response shameless or insane.
After a second of thought, he carefully asked:
“If you don’t exist, how can you even attempt to answer my question?”
The unknown man’s lips curled up just a little bit.
“You’re not stupid, Mister.”
Definitely shameless then.
“Are you searching for someone?”
Cuprit asked, seeing how the man’s gaze jumped between screens.
“For something to be more precise, but this one hopes that someone would lead me to it. Ah, the ‘someone’ is not you, Mister, please don’t worry. You can return to your work at peace.”
“How can I be at peace when there is an unknown man standing in front of me?”
“As stated before. This one doesn’t exist. So there is no ‘unknown man’ in front of you, Mister.”
“There very much is.”
Cuprit’s hand started to slowly creep towards the ‘self-defense vial’ Rambeta left him with.
“Hm… I see, well then we should do something for your peace of mind, Mister. What is your name?”
“Cuprit?”
Suddenly asked, Cuprit replied without thinking.
The man nodded gently, still searching the screens.
“Nice to meet you, Mister Cuprit. This humble one doesn’t have a name. Hopes it helps with the ‘unknown’ part.”
The hand creeping towards the vial halted.
Was he just swindled?!
From his own freaking name?!
“… … … Hey, will your own- superiors be angry if I punch you in the face?”
“That’s…”
The ‘unknown’ man was about to answer, but suddenly closed his mouth and intently stared at a particular screen. He seemed to be checking the boots of one of the Flavun’s servants.
He then hastily asked:
“Did you see where the box that guy was carrying went?”
‘Where did the ‘Mister’ go?’
Cuprit wanted to grumble, but sensing the urgency in the man’s voice, he answered simply:
“No.”
There were too many elements to keep track of.
‘Come to think of it, that guy with a box…’
His thoughts didn’t continue as he saw the ‘unknown’ man take out a communication stone and contact someone.
Under bewildered gaze of Cuprit, Geod sent a message to Phlox.
[Target is gone. Call?]
[Call. Stay where you are. May need to do an explanation.]
In one of the screens, Geod saw Phlox turn towards Alexandrit and Seven and say something.
And Seven’s face turn very very strange.
*~*~*