The second night of Duke Reinhardt's grand party arrived, blanketing Brunhild City in shimmering lantern light. The estate buzzed with noble laughter, clinking glasses, and soft harp music floating through the gardens.
Juichi leaned against a marble pillar inside the estate ballroom, swirling a glass of red wine without drinking a drop. He wore the same dashing merchant disguise from yesterday, but his eyes scanned the guests like a hawk.
"Another day of pretending to be rich and important," Juichi muttered under his breath. "Maybe I should've worn a bigger hat."
Sakura, standing beside him in a sleek navy dress, shot him a look. "Focus."
"I am focused," Juichi grinned. "Focused on how bored I am."
Their mission tonight was clear: get closer to Duke Reinhardt's private chambers, rumoured to hold evidence of his alliance with the Dark Army.
Edgar Lorren approached, flashing his usual warm, harmless smile. "The guards have rotated," he whispered. "The west wing's lightly guarded."
"Finally," Juichi said, pushing off the pillar. "Time for some real action."
They moved swiftly but casually, weaving through the party crowd. Juichi made small talk with a drunk noblewoman while Sakura pickpocketed a guard's key. Edgar guided them through a servant corridor hidden behind a tapestry.
The atmosphere shifted as they entered the dim hallways of the west wing. The bright noise of the ballroom faded behind thick stone walls, replaced by the soft echo of their footsteps.
"This way," Edgar whispered, leading them to a heavy oak door.
Juichi raised an eyebrow. "You sure about this? Last time you said 'this way,' we almost walked into a storage room full of dead fish."
Edgar chuckled. "Trust me. This is it."
Sakura inserted the stolen key. The door creaked open, revealing a grand study lined with shelves of old books and scrolls. In the centre of the room sat a large desk littered with papers and a strange black-ink map.
Bingo.
Juichi and Sakura quickly got to work, sorting through the documents. They found letters marked with the Duke's seal — orders for secret shipments, names of shadowy allies, and even a payment ledger for mercenaries wearing Dark Army colours.
"This is it," Sakura whispered excitedly. "This will expose him."
Juichi smirked. "Easy win."
But then—
CLANG!
The heavy door slammed shut behind them.
Juichi spun around. Edgar stood there, locking the door from the inside.
"Edgar?" Sakura said, confused.
Edgar's smile was gone. His eyes were cold.
"I'm sorry," Edgar said, voice low. "But I have my own family to protect."
From the shadows, armoured guards stepped forward, crossbows aimed directly at Juichi and Sakura.
Juichi groaned, tossing the papers into the air. "Well. That escalated fast."
Edgar turned away without meeting their eyes. "Forgive me."
Juichi cracked his knuckles, grinning at Sakura. "Looks like the real party's about to start."
Sakura drew a dagger from under her dress. "Guess we'll have to crash it."
---
[Scene Shift] — "Before the Betrayal: Edgar's Nightmare"
The dim glow of a single candle flickered against the cracked walls of a rundown tavern room in Brunhild. Edgar Lorran sat alone, his fingers nervously tracing the rim of a cold wine cup, eyes lost in a distant void. The muffled noise of the bustling city outside felt like a distant echo, meaningless compared to the weight pressing down on his chest.
His thoughts wandered back to that night—the night everything changed.
It was after Juichi and Sakura had left his home, the evening they planned their espionage mission. Edgar had thought he was alone when he felt a chilling presence behind him.
"You've been keeping interesting company lately, merchant."
The voice belonged to a man cloaked in dark robes, his face hidden beneath a hood. Before Edgar could respond, a parchment sealed with an unknown emblem was thrust into his hands. The hooded man's voice was sharp, laced with menace.
"Your wife. She's under our watch. One mistake, one wrong move, and she will vanish forever."
Edgar's breath had frozen in his throat as the man revealed a magical orb. In its glow, he saw her—his wife—bound in a dark chamber, fear reflecting in her eyes.
"Why... Why me?" Edgar had whispered, his voice cracking.
"You have access to them. That is all that matters. Pass on their plans. Delay their mission. And when it is done, we'll let her live."
The man disappeared into the shadows, leaving Edgar with the weight of an impossible choice.
---
The candle's flame trembled as Edgar returned to the present, sweat beading on his brow. His hands shook as he reached for the wine cup again, trying to drown the guilt clawing at his throat.
Juichi… Sakura… They trusted him.
But his wife...
A knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. Underneath the door, a folded letter slid across the wooden floor. Edgar's heart sank as he recognized the same dark seal.
Tearing it open, he read:
> "The Duke's party will proceed tonight. Your task remains. A signal will be given. Do not fail."
He clenched the parchment tightly, crushing it in his fist.
---
That evening, the festive lights of Brunhild illuminated the streets. Nobles in elegant attire, merchants adorned in jewels, and guards in polished armour flooded toward the grand hall where the Duke's party was underway.
Inside the bustling crowd, amidst the laughter and clinking of wine glasses, stood a noblewoman with dark red hair—Sakura Harasen in disguise. Beside her, dressed simply but alert, stood her supposed bodyguard, Juichi.
And in a corner, blending effortlessly among the merchants, was Edgar Lorran—a forced smile on his face, hiding the storm within.
The party continued. Their mission had begun.
But in the shadows of the city, a storm of betrayal quietly brewed.
To Be Continued...