The Forest Race Clonne

Chapter 104

“Do you think they’ve learned about the Clonne’s situation? If they were still in contact with their collaborator from back then, they might have lost touch and are now trying to find out what happened.”

“Ah…! That’s a plausible point. They might have sent out a distress signal.”

Although the ‘eyes’ stationed at the Crown Prince’s palace hadn’t reported anything unusual, the Crown Prince was thorough enough to have possibly sent a covert investigation team. If they found any traces of the abduction, they may have considered the possibility of kidnapping. They might be thoroughly investigating all large transports that occurred during that period. The Chief Manager, growing increasingly anxious, darted his eyes around.

“Would it be better to relocate?”

“Hmm, no. It seems they haven’t found anything significant yet, so let’s leave it be. Moving might cause more problems. It’s when people panic and make sudden changes that they create vulnerabilities.”

Recalling that Arthas had used his power on the black-haired agent, the Chief Manager quickly agreed. No human could resist once affected, so the agent would have only spoken the truth. Whatever the Crown Prince’s thoughts, those agents clearly knew nothing.

“It seems the Crown Prince is being very cautious himself, considering he’s not sharing details with his subordinates. We should maintain our usual routine even more diligently at times like this.”

“Indeed, your words are wise. It’s truly fortunate that Lord Arthas is here today.”

The Chief Manager clasped his hands together in admiration. Arthas, lost in his thoughts, asked absently,

“That Clonne who helped the Crown Prince—is he dead?”

“Pardon? Oh, yes, that’s right. I heard he was killed while trying to escape during the subjugation.”

“Are you sure he’s dead? Was the body confirmed?”

“Yes, even though it was heavily burned and severely damaged, I personally confirmed the remains.”

“…I see.”

Arthas had a peculiar expression before he shrugged.

“Is something bothering you?”

“Hmm, no. It’s just that I seem to recall that Clonne also had black hair.”

The Chief Manager finally understood Arthas’s train of thought and let out a short gasp. Now that he thought about it, not only the hair color but the estimated age range was similar too. Of course, the Clonne’s actual age would be much higher, and the hair probably dyed.

“Black hair isn’t that uncommon. Besides, if he were a Clonne, you would have recognized him, right?”

“True, I’m not an idiot like Taron.”

Arthas agreed easily, licking his lips and rubbing his neck.

“Moreover, they can’t hide their scent. Even if they try, there’s always a faint trace. But the black-haired one earlier had no scent at all.”

“Then he must not be one. No one can escape your sense of smell, Lord Arthas.”

“Right. Hmph, it’s just annoying when there’s overlapping details. This wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t killed that Clonne before we even saw him. He could have been useful as bait during times like this.”

The Chief Manager also found it regrettable. However, considering the unpredictable variables that the Crown Prince’s connection could bring, it might have been safer to dispose of him. After all, the news of his death had subdued the captives significantly.

‘Their eyes used to blaze with determination, but now they all look utterly defeated.’

Perhaps it was the prolonged peace that had dulled their spirits. They seemed more devastated by one person’s death than by the fact that their heir had become a hostage. It made things quieter, which was a relief.

‘After all, a beloved comrade who they’ve spent time with is naturally more precious than an unknown heir.’

Especially when that heir was ‘that’ kind of person.

The Chief Manager clicked his tongue inwardly as he thought of another black-haired youth. Dewey Lavant, supposedly the King’s son, was excessively ordinary. His character was mild, his physical abilities nothing extraordinary, and he had no standout skills or traits. He didn’t seem like someone who would suddenly transform into something remarkable upon Awakening.

‘That former agent seemed more fitting.’

At least he had caught Lord Arthas’s attention. The Chief Manager, unaware that he had inadvertently hit upon the truth, was inwardly sneering when Arthas suddenly spoke.

“Look into that black-haired guy.”

The Chief Manager was taken aback by the sudden order. Lord Arthas was known for his capricious and whimsical nature, rarely maintaining interest in anything for long. For him to specifically order a background check was unusual.

“Does he still bother you?”

“Yeah, you could say it’s a hunch. He didn’t seem like an ordinary guy. I feel like digging into him will reveal something interesting.”

Even from just holding a high rank at such a young age, it was clear he wasn’t ordinary. The Chief Manager, realizing that the man hadn’t even given his name, inwardly admired his thoroughness. It made sense why Arthas was intrigued.

Fortunately, tracking him wouldn’t be difficult, as they had already tagged them the moment they left. Preparing for all contingencies before even receiving orders was the mark of a true servant. The Chief Manager felt proud of his own preparedness.

However, that pride didn’t last long.

“Chief Manager Milon.”

The appearance of a servant with an uneasy expression immediately gave him a bad feeling. And as expected, the report that followed quickly hardened the Chief Manager’s face.

“Say that again. What exactly happened?”

“We confirmed that the carriage arrived at the Security Department headquarters. However, it seems only Camille Rouster got off.”

“…And the black-haired one?”

“I’m sorry. We don’t know when he disappeared.”

“….”

Swallowing hard, the Chief Manager couldn’t help but glance at Arthas. Leaning his chin on his hand, Arthas was notably intrigued.

“See? I told you he wasn’t ordinary.”

* * *

I realized we were being tailed shortly after leaving the guild. Initially, I hadn’t noticed since they kept a considerable distance, but Camille detected the sound of other hoofbeats, which allowed us to understand the situation. It seemed they still harbored suspicions about us.

No matter how we tried, we couldn’t shake them off, so we decided to split up. Camille would head back to the Royal Palace while I would take a different path.

Camille initially objected vehemently but ended up accepting the logic that it was better for us to scatter. He was also satisfied with playing the bait.

“I’ll report this to the Crown Prince as soon as I get back.”

“Be careful. Even the Royal Palace isn’t entirely safe. There are likely infiltrators near His Highness.”

“Is this really the time for you to worry about me? Just stick to the plan. Go to a safe place and we’ll meet at the Teahouse tomorrow afternoon. Got it?”

“You don’t have to repeat it; I understand.”

“If I could trust that, I wouldn’t have to keep repeating myself. Anyway, promise me.”

“Alright, I said something unnecessary.”

The plan we prepared was simple. The idea was for me to jump off the carriage as it rounded a corner in an alleyway, using the brief moment when the tailing watcher’s view was obscured.

“Now!”

At Camille’s signal, I opened the carriage door and jumped out. I landed and quickly slipped into the alley, feeling no immediate response.

Standing pressed against the wall, I soon saw a man on horseback leisurely pass by. His relaxed expression suggested he had no idea what had happened to the carriage he had been following.

After waiting until he was completely out of sight, I moved to a secluded place and changed my clothes. Bringing the backpack had been a wise decision.

I also bought barley ale from a nearby tavern to bleach my hair. Though it wasn’t perfect, it at least no longer appeared black. I considered shaving my head completely but abandoned the idea when Semeion, frowning, firmly opposed it.

“In this winter weather, a shaved head will draw more attention.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

As I agreed, Semeion sighed with relief.

“I should have prepared the dye in advance. I didn’t consider needing to change hair color during winter, so this is my fault.”

“No, I didn’t consider it either. But can you actually make those kinds of things?”

“In human society, there are times when such things are needed. I’ll teach you how to make it later, Prince Sei. We have all the materials; it’s just a matter of mixing them…”

But the next moment, as he was checking inside the backpack, Semeion let out a sigh. I clicked my tongue as well. The communication device for contacting Markatis had been broken. It must have gotten damaged during my jump from the carriage.

“Useless before we even got to use it.”

“It can’t be helped. It was just an emergency measure, and probably wouldn’t have been needed anyway. If things get really bad, we still have the magic sword.”

“……That’s absolutely not an option.”

Semeion’s face darkened, as if recalling a past incident. Though I felt responsible, I couldn’t promise it wouldn’t happen again, so I decided to let it slide. After all, life is unpredictable. Fortunately, Semeion wasn’t the type to press the issue as persistently as Camille.