I deliberately ignored that pitiful expression and took a pointed metal pick out of my spatial bag.
Magic was bound to leave traces, so in situations like this, it was better to use the old-fashioned method.
‘This is nothing compared to the traps scattered throughout the labyrinth.’
With a tiny click, the door opened in an instant.
“……?!”
Elhardt’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘He’s kind of cute.’
No, why was I doing this again?
‘This is no time to get distracted.’
I needed to look around quickly and return to our room before the shift change.
“I’ll check the desk.”
I meant for him to search somewhere else.
“That sounds like a good idea.”
Elhardt followed right behind me.
“…….”
I couldn’t tell from his expression whether he was doing it deliberately or simply oblivious.
‘…Having him search with me will be helpful. I can’t determine the authenticity of these documents by myself.’
Starting with the desk, I quickly searched through the documents in the filing cabinets as well.
Some of them had been deeply concealed using various devices, but I wasn’t incapable of finding something like that.
Elhardt helped me sort and organize the documents we uncovered.
And then…
‘What the hell is this?’
Less than five minutes after we started, I was overcome with intense fury.
‘Internal documents from Bardia’s Treasury? A military budget that should be classified as top secret is lying around on the desk of an enemy nation?’
I was so dumbfounded that my hands trembled.
I didn’t know how many traitors there were, but it seemed they weren’t merely selling information—they were practically handing it over on a silver platter.
‘A royal asset investment plan? That should be nearly impossible for anyone outside the direct royal family to obtain.’
What shocked me even more was that Elhardt didn’t seem particularly surprised after seeing these documents.
Which meant he already knew about all of this.
“Why are they leaving those who sell classified information alone instead of tracking them down?”
“Right now, Bardia is under the control of those who support making it a vassal state of the Cradion Empire.”
“There’s not a single person trying to protect the country?”
I gritted my teeth as I asked, and a bitter expression settled around Elhardt’s mouth.
“Do you think that’s possible? They were simply driven out first.”
“…Like you?”
“Yes. Like me.”
A brief silence followed.
I quietly looked into Elhardt’s calm, subdued eyes.
‘You haven’t given up yet.’
There was neither resignation nor despair in them.
Only the firm resolve of someone who had something they needed to accomplish.
‘Let’s go back together, Elhardt.’
I repeated words to myself that it was still too soon to say to him.
‘I’ll stand by your side.’
I swear upon the founding king that the traitors of Bardia will have to answer with their heads the day I return.
And would I take only their miserable lives?
They would lose everything they had so dearly accumulated—their wealth, their power, their honor.
‘But first, I need to clean things up here.’
So that they would never dare invade us again.
‘These people know the situation inside Bardia as if they can see through the palm of their hand.’
Looking closely at the documents, I noticed one missing piece of the puzzle—something that could not have been completed by traitors alone.
I selected several documents where this was particularly evident and showed them to Elhardt.
“Do you know who wrote these?”
“Viscount Marcel and Count Cohen. Both are close aides of the Emperor.”
“Have they ever visited Bardia?”
“Not as far as I know.”
I made a mental note to remember both of their names, along with Raedrick Bellow, the head of the Foreign Affairs Department.
“We should start heading back… Wait.”
Elhardt must have sensed something similar, because his expression stiffened.
As far as I had determined, the Central Palace had a system in place that completely sealed it off from ten at night until four in the morning.
All personnel needed for internal patrols were reassigned to the exterior security, while protective magic was installed throughout the building itself. It seemed the system was designed to trigger an alarm if that magic was tampered with.
Step. Step.
So the footsteps we could hear right now could only mean one of two things.
‘Either it’s the person responsible for the Central Palace’s security magic, or another intruder like us.’
Neither possibility was welcome.
‘Where can we hide?’
As I anxiously scanned the room, Elhardt tugged at my sleeve.
He pointed toward a cabinet.
‘Can he even fit in there…?’
I had my doubts, but there was nowhere else to hide, so we had to try.
Fortunately, the space inside was deeper than I expected.
Even so, Elhardt had to practically fold himself up to fit, but at least there was enough room for both of us.
‘I noticed this last time too, but his body temperature is rather high.’
Because we were pressed so closely together that we were practically embracing, I could feel the heat radiating from his body through the thin fabric of our clothes.
‘Good thing he’s flexible.’
He seemed slightly tense.
‘In the worst case, I can knock them out before they see us.’
It wasn’t as though they would have any reason to open a cabinet filled with nothing but miscellaneous supplies in the office of the head of the Foreign Affairs Department.
I didn’t think our infiltration had been discovered.
‘I’m not that incompetent.’
I was simply curious who was walking around at this hour.
‘They aren’t even trying to walk quietly. So is it the security officer?’
More precisely, it seemed there was one other person besides whoever was responsible for security.
‘Someone accustomed to moving without making a sound.’
The fact that I only sensed their presence now that they had reached the hallway directly outside the Foreign Affairs Department meant they were skilled at concealing their mana…
‘Huh? This mana scent…?’
I recognized it immediately because it belonged to someone I had taken note of earlier that day.
‘It’s the Crown Prince. Why is he here at this hour?’
I tilted my head back and looked up at Elhardt.
Even in the pitch-black darkness, his golden eyes were clearly visible, and they had been fixed on me for some time.
Maintaining eye contact, I conveyed the information with nothing but the movement of my lips.
‘Au-ri-el.’
It was dark, but we were close enough that he should have understood.
“…….”
As Elhardt stared intently at my lips, his Adam’s apple bobbed heavily once.
I could feel his heart pounding violently through the place where our bodies touched.
Had I been better off not telling him?
He was so shaken that he might give us away when there was no reason for us to be discovered.
‘It’s okay. Nothing will happen.’
I silently mouthed the words before carefully moving my hand and patting him reassuringly.
Elhardt slightly parted his lips as though he were about to answer me.
But at that very moment, the outer door leading from the hallway into the Foreign Affairs office opened.
It seemed they had business here as well.
I instinctively held my breath.
Elhardt must have done the same, because his chest stopped rising and falling.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I was inexperienced and made such a mistake…”
“Anyone can make a mistake.”
Their conversation could be heard faintly through the door.
“But sometimes, you must remember that even a small mistake can cost someone their life.”
The cold, icy voice was completely different from the one I had heard during the day.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
Following the frightened response came a quiet laugh.
“There’s no need to tremble like that. Just do your job properly.”
“Y-Yes, of course.”
“Good. So make sure you don’t make a mistake tomorrow.”
Tomorrow?
What had he ordered the mage to do?
“You remember the person’s appearance, correct?”
“Of course.”
“If they refuse, don’t pressure them. Come to me and report immediately. Remember, under no circumstances must you arouse suspicion.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
It might have had nothing to do with us, but I couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
Especially since we had suddenly been invited to the Imperial Palace banquet.
I wondered if Elhardt had any idea what this was about.
“……!”
When I lifted my head after pulling my ear away from the cabinet wall, I was utterly flustered.
‘T-Too close….’
Perhaps Elhardt had leaned in as well to listen to their conversation.
His face was practically right in front of mine.
His slightly parted red lips, trembling ever so faintly, drew my gaze.
His white teeth, visible through the small gap between his lips, were neat and pleasing to look at.
And the breath brushing against me felt hot and sweet…
‘W-What, what, what am I…!’
I startled myself and quickly turned my head away.
‘I really must be losing my mind.’
This had to be the aftereffect of years of enforced celibacy.
Or perhaps a side effect of drawing upon the powers of those greedy demons.
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