The jumbled lines on the parchment were actually passwords.
[Don't try to find me anymore, Lord of Kensington. What is revealed is not me Because it will be you.]
It's also written in Katzen.
It was surprising how they knew their cryptography, but there was something else that surprised him even more.
- Lord of Kensington.
'They know my identity!'
It wasn't a coincidence that they called him the red fox.
'How on earth did you know? Where did I get caught?"
The last message written in code broke Umberto's will to find the other person.
At any cost, he has to prevent his Identity from being revealed. The reason they're still contacting him is that there's something they want from there too.
[What do you want?]
He wrote the answer in code and hung it on the window frame.
And when half a day had passed, the note he had written disappeared leaving behind a small pouch.
[ Leave this to your master.]
When he opened the box, a fresh scent faintly reached his nose.
"Scented candle?"
Umberto paused.
The captivating scent that lingered on the tip of his nose gave off a somewhat ominous vibe.
'Etienne's hobby is collecting scented candles. That dirty bastard only lights scented candles when he works at night.'
But recently, Etienne had been forced to live a celibate life, soothing his anger and desires with scented candles.
'Are you trying to use me to get rid of Etienne?'
He shook his head and wrote a note.
[Not possible. It's too dangerous.]
However, the reply to the message that came back was cold.
[Wouldn't that be easier than slitting the throats of your comrades at Ossoff?]
"Ossoff...! How did you get to that!"
Umberto's fingertips trembled.
The people sent by him are scattered all over the continent. They were also among the nomadic peoples currently at war with Valdina.
Ossoff was the capital of the Lasai people, who were famous for being the most vicious and cruel among them.
He knows everything about enemies abroad and the inner workings of domestic officials. As to the extent of their intelligence, he felt more fear than admiration.
'It's better to hand over one horny pig than to have all of Ossoff's comrades caught.'
Not long ago, an order to return to the home country was issued. It was also said that the superiors did not find more value in Etienne.
He agreed as if he were on a leash.
The next day, Etienne's bedroom. When one or two rays of strong sunlight pierced his eyes through the curtains. Etienne, who was buried in bed, frowned as if he could.
"I'm sorry, Master. The time to enter the palace is approaching."
"Shut up. What are you? You are like a bug..."
Etienne continued to spit out uncontrollable curses at the attendant. Last night, his head was pounding perhaps because of the chatter he had been having until late at night.
At that time, a fragrant scent passed his nose.
"...Hmm?"
Etienne half opened his eyes at the sophisticated and comfortable scent.
In his blurred vision, he saw a servant loitering near the candlestick.
"Is this a new scented candle?"
"Oh, no. It was included in the gift that Baron Girion sent last time to ask for the appointment."
Umberto smoothly brought out the answer he had prepared.
'If you bring in a new person, don't you think I'll be the first one to come to you when there's a problem? We can't leave it like that.'
If something really happens to Etienne because of that scented candle, selling Baron Girion will give him enough time to escape.
"... This thing is like a bug that will kill you if you step on it...!"
At that time, an ashtray suddenly flew down and hit Umberto in the chest.
Etienne spat, revealing his yellow teeth.
"Didn't I tell you to bring good and valuable things quickly? Don't hold back and turn it on hard!"
The irritation that had been soothed by the sweet scent seemed to be rising again.
"You foolish pig, think that you are prospering thanks to me. When will I ever smell a scent like this again, unless you're next to me?"
His white belly fluttered as if he was introducing himself, making the viewer even more disgusted. Umberto tightly held a scented candle carved in the shape of a snake.
"Yes, of course. The glory of a small person is all thanks to the master. With every step I take, I pray while remembering my master's majestic stature and sculptural smile."
The shiny, cold texture of the scented candle somehow felt pleasant. There was no longer any hesitation in the hand that lit the fire.
"I have eyes to see..."
A fascinating scent filled the room.
Etienne buried his face into the pillow again, satisfied. The fluttering, flesh disappeared between the white sheets.
Umberto returned to the room and placed a roughly scrawled note on the window frame.
[ Initiation completed.]
***
Early in the morning, an ox cart left Count Etienne's residence after delivering groceries.
A boy wearing a straw hat sat in front of a cart and drove cows. The wheels of the cart made a dull noise.
It was around the time when the cow entered downtown, District 3 where the vegetable store was located
"Tom. Did you deliver well?"
In response to a question from a stranger on a cart, the boy lifted his straw hat. His freckled face grinned.
"Say this. Have you seen this indomitable Tom messing around?"
He handed her a piece of parchment.
"But what did that guy called the valet do? It looks like he's moving or looking for traces, no matter how we look at him."
"You have nothing to know up to that point."
"Are you upset with Her Highness that you still don't trust me after treating me like this?"
Tom pursed his lips.
"It's not Her Highness who doesn't trust you, it's me."
"Master told me to become Her Highness's hands and feet. So, if you think about it, I am also your subordinate. Neril, are you afraid I'm going to stab you?"
"Her Highness told me to give it to you. I'm going."
Neril didn't care, just threw a bag at Tom and jumped out of the cart.
The pocket was full of gold coins. Tom smiled bitterly. No one pays for his men. This is the line drawn by the Princess.
"If I had known it would be like this, I would have sent someone else right then."
He guessed he looked hateful for no reason.
He was left with a deep regret that was not like him.
This may be because he personally saw the complexions of the people changing day by day in the military village built by the Princess.
***
The Princess's palace.
"Your Highness. Etienne's servant moved."
Neril handed over Umberto's note.
Medea nodded when she saw the phrase 'Initiation completed'.
"You worked hard. Neril, your concealment skills were of great help this time."
Neril smiled slightly at Medea's praise.
It was a shy smile that contrasted with her outstanding skills that went unnoticed by Ganja, who was said to be powerful.
"You're welcome. But, Your Majesty, how did you know that he was the imperial ganja?"
"Well, about that..."
The first time Medea saw Umberto was when he was being punished by the Queen Mother in the chapel.
"You must not approach."
"Uh-huh. It only takes a moment."
"Minister! What kind of rudeness is this?"
A noisy situation where the Queen Mother's maids and the Minister's servants clash.
One of the minister's servants, struggling with his maid, caught her eye.
As she was looking at a familiar face, the man's chest was torn in a violent struggle.
She was convinced when she saw the small fox-shaped badge that rolled over and fell in front of Medea.
'Why is the Count of Kensington's ganja in Valdina?'
It was the symbol of the 'Red Fox', a spy group run by the Count of Kensington, known only to a very small number of imperialists.
Louisa, Countess of Kensington was a public servant of the Katzen Empire.
She has helped the current Emperor of Katzen, Perdiccas II since he was just a Prince.
When the previous Emperor, Alcetas II, died suddenly from illness, his younger son, Perdiccas II, ascended the throne in his stead.
Kensington devoted his own money to establishing his own intelligence line throughout the empire and showed his loyalty.
It was thanks to the Count of Kensington that Perdiccas II was able to eliminate his prominent brothers and sit on the throne.
This is because the Count was able to know in advance and prepare for secret plans such as assassinations and rebellions through spies hidden in various places.
However, perhaps that loyalty was too much, and Perdiccas II, having achieved his goal, tried to kill him and take away Ganja.
In the end, Kensington starved to death while being chased by the Emperor's shadows. The 'Red Foxes' also disintegrated and disappeared without a word. It was thanks to Jason that Medea recognized Ganja's face at a glance.
"Medea, I must absorb the dead Count of Kensington's ganja. Before my uncle takes it all away. What should I do? Please help me."
"Don't worry, honey."
Using her former position as the Princess of Valdina, she searched through scattered connections and released people to find those who had gone missing.
She used their anger toward the current Emperor to make them join the expedition.
In the end, they became Jason's hidden hands and feet and the most powerful force in eliminating rivals for the throne.
It was all Medea's credit.
'That was foolish.'
But her words were not much different from those of the Count of Kensington.
'Jason. You will not get their help in this life.'
There will be no room for the Count or the Red Foxes to become Jason's hands and feet.
First, move Umberto to eliminate Minister Etienne.
Her ultimate goal was to later bring the Count of Kensington through this connection.
Medea raised the corners of her mouth.
'I created the Emperor, so I have to destroy him myself.'
Neril was taken aback by the arsenic that was so uncharacteristic of her.
"No, let's get ready to go first."
A trap was set to hunt Etienne. Now it was time to go meet the hunter who would catch him.
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