The mine's exit carried the smell of the sea. Beneath the mingled scent of rock and mud, there was salt in the air. Baletta—the trading city that faced the Breeze Sea—was near. His nose sensed it before his mind could fully register the fact. Valdo crawled out, pressing his palms against the ground. The air before dawn touched his face. Cold. The stone of the outer wall ended, and grass replaced it beneath his fingers. Rigo followed. Soana came last. All three were caked in mud. How far had they walked since crawling free from Golda's mines? His feet no longer obeyed him. Rigo moved half-supported by Soana's shoulder. Valdo could barely stand alone. The aftereffects of the healing spell still lingered in both wrists. Around the imprint of Grave Chain—the searing brand that sealed ninety-five percent of Valdo's mana—a dull ache throbbed. Baletta's outer wall appeared through the thin darkness. A low stone wall. The scent of roads leading to the harbor. At this hour, before dawn, there were no people. Valdo searched his memory. On the eastern edge of the city, where warehouses clustered, there was an abandoned house no longer in use. A place he had passed through only once, three years ago, before he had settled in Golda. "[serious]We go east," The two followed. The abandoned house was where memory placed it. A wooden structure with rotting boards, cloth stretched across its windows. Inside, the smell of dust. The floor creaked beneath their weight. Sea wind seeped through gaps in the walls. The three sank to the floor. For a time, no one spoke. Soana placed her hand on Rigo's forehead. The fever had not completely broken. But since leaving the mines, color had gradually returned to Rigo's face. His breathing was steady. Valdo looked at the imprint on Rigo's wrist. Soana's gaze turned toward Valdo's wrist. She stared at the faintly reddened mark left by the brand. Valdo noticed her looking, but said nothing. Soana did not open her mouth either. He could see she wanted to ask. But not now—both of them understood that. Rigo's eyes opened quietly. "[whispers]...We've arrived," "[serious]Rest," "[gentle]Yes," Rigo obediently closed his eyes again. Valdo looked at Soana. "[serious]In Baletta, there is a minor member of Verna Trading Company—the largest merchant guild on the continent, ostensibly dealing in trade, though some of them help magical races escape. There is a man selling miscellaneous goods on the eastern side of the market. The passphrase is 'I come from the Ashen Wastes.' That alone will suffice," "[serious]Does he have Nulglass?" "[serious]He has connections to the black market. He may not have it in stock, but he can arrange it. Take six gold coins," The remainder of the emergency funds. Money Valdo had given to Soana when they fled Golda. "[serious]Can you move?" Soana stood. Her legs wavered slightly, but she steadied herself. "[serious]I'll go," The door of the abandoned house closed. Valdo leaned his back against the wall and closed his eyes. --- The morning market was alive. Merchants calling out their wares, the sound of carts, the smell of waves. Baletta was a port city, so crowds gathered from early morning. Soana covered her dark purple hair with cloth and walked with her head slightly lowered so the scar on her left cheek would not draw attention. The eastern side of the market. A miscellaneous goods shop sign. The man matching the description Valdo had given was arranging pottery on a wooden crate. Forty or so. Sharp eyes. He had a merchant's face, but his body moved like no ordinary merchant. Soana approached. "[serious]I come from the Ashen Wastes," The man's hands stopped. He glanced at Soana. "[cold]...What do you need?" "[serious]Nulglass. Two weeks' worth," The man checked his surroundings. He watched the flow of customers, confirmed no one nearby was listening, then spoke quietly while straightening the arrangement of pottery. "[cold]Four gold coins. I can't get it right now. Come back after midday," Soana did not hesitate. "[serious]Understood," When Soana returned after midday, the man had a small package ready. Eye drops made from processed dried Nulglass leaves—the kind that changed the amber or crimson eyes of magical races to human color for about twelve hours. Two weeks' worth. Four gold coins disappeared. Most of her remaining money. As the transaction ended, the man spoke quietly. "[cold]Lately, unfamiliar horses have been appearing on the roads. I've counted five in the last three days. Not merchant horses," Soana's expression did not change. "[serious]...I see," Walking back to the abandoned house after leaving the market, Soana thought. The merchant had not said more. He did not need to. She understood. The Orgrim Agency—the intelligence organization of the Ferzesta Kingdom—was beginning to move toward Baletta. Something cold settled in her chest. --- Granfors—the capital of the Ferzesta Kingdom—had a windowless room in its depths. A facility created by converting the old underground waterways of Elseide Castle. The headquarters of the Orgrim Agency. Moisture seeped from the stone walls, and candlelight flickered. During hours without light, this place became complete darkness. Kelvin sat at a desk in that room. A thin man with short-cropped black hair. Black leather gloves on both hands, he read documents on the desk. His expression was blank. The muscles of his face did not move. This man had long ago abandoned the habit of showing emotion. He had learned it during his years as an orphan—showing emotion became weakness. A subordinate opened the door. "[serious]A report from Golda has arrived," Kelvin extended his hand. He took the documents. He read. The content was brief. One adult male, one boy had broken through Golda's blockade and fled. On the wall of an inn, a description that appeared to be a map remained—the terrain of Dorgana, the routes of supply lines, the positions of settlements. Kelvin looked up from the documents. "[cold]Do you have a copy of the map?" "[serious]Yes," The subordinate spread it on the desk. A copy of the map of Dorgana—the magical nation destroyed three years ago by the Elios expeditionary force—as it had been drawn on the wall of the inn in Golda. The local subordinate had copied it. Kelvin's hand stopped. He looked at the map for five seconds. Tornia—the old capital of Dorgana—the underground waterways of the royal castle. The routes were drawn with precision. The positions of entrances and exits. The branching of hidden passages. Symbols indicating the depth of the waterways. This was information known only to those inside. Not something that could be discovered from outside investigation. Only someone who had actually lived in the royal castle, or someone who had managed the castle's structure, would know— "[cold]The one who drew this map is the Dark Lord Valdo," The subordinate froze. "[cold]He is alive. He was in Golda. Now he has fled," There was not a trace of emotion in his voice. No surprise. No exhilaration. Only the voice of someone confirming fact. "[cold]Deploy surveillance on all roads heading toward Baletta. East, west, south, north—every route, including back roads. If you find him, do not kill him—capture him alive. I will confirm it myself before reporting to Lord Elios," "[serious]...Yes," The subordinate left. Kelvin quietly turned the copy of the map face-down. Only the sound of candles remained in the room. --- Soana returned to the abandoned house in the early afternoon. When she handed over the Nulglass, Rigo accepted it quietly. He applied the eye drops to his eyes. After a time, the sharp red faded to ordinary brown. The mark of the magical race disappeared. Rigo's face relaxed slightly. "[gentle]...Thank you, Soana," Soana said nothing. She only nodded. She placed her hand on Rigo's shoulder, then withdrew it quickly. She was not skilled at putting emotion into words. But in that brief moment, something was conveyed. Valdo heard the merchant's words from Soana. The talk of unfamiliar horses increasing. For just a moment, his eyes narrowed. "[serious]Do not move yet," Soana began to say something. Valdo continued before she could. "[serious]If surveillance is beginning to move, there is meaning in moving tonight. After preparations are complete," Soana closed her mouth. Valdo leaned his back against the wall and continued thinking with his eyes open. There was something in Baletta that could serve as a replacement for the evidence lost in Golda. Drake—the mining office director of Golda and acting tax collector—had been embezzling the remittance money. He had used a merchant company in Baletta to disguise the illicit funds as legitimate trade. There should be multiple merchants in Baletta who possessed copies of the ledgers. The man from Verna Trading Company whom Soana had contacted during the day—that man knew about Drake. His eyes had revealed it. Morning passed. Afternoon passed. Confirming that Rigo was asleep, Valdo stood. His physical strength had recovered somewhat. Still not at full capacity, but he could move. "[serious]Do not follow me," Soana looked up. "[serious]Where are you going?" "[serious]The market. It is easier to talk alone," Soana seemed to want to say something, but remained silent. Valdo's eyes held a color that would not accept objection. --- Valdo entered the miscellaneous goods shop alone. The merchant's eyes widened the moment he saw Valdo's face. Naturally. A woman had come in the morning, and now a different person had come in the afternoon. Something was happening—it was obvious. Valdo did not have time for roundabout words. "[cold]You know the name Drake," The man's movements stopped. "[cold]The tax collector of Golda. He was funneling illicit funds through merchant companies in Baletta. There are merchants in this city who possess copies of those ledgers. I do not know if you are one of them, but you know who to contact," The man did not answer. Valdo continued. "[cold]When Drake diverted the mining revenues of Golda, some merchants in Baletta lost their share. If you present the ledgers, Drake is finished. It also becomes evidence that you were caught up in the fraud," Silence stretched. The man stopped arranging pottery. "[cold]...There are two men I can reach. Whether I can arrange a meeting, I cannot promise," "[cold]That is enough," By evening, copies of ledger pages arrived from two merchants, each providing a portion. Three sets of testimony and documents. Scattered, but when arranged together, the shape of a single fraud became visible. Evidence from a different angle to replace what had been lost in Golda. When Valdo returned to the abandoned house, Rigo was awake. His now-brown eyes watched Valdo's hands. "[gentle]Is it complete?" "[cold]It is coming together," --- Night fell. The three gathered on the floor of the abandoned house. Valdo spread the documents before them, facing both. "[serious]I will explain your roles," Soana crossed her arms. Rigo straightened his spine. "[serious]Soana—meet the three merchants you contacted during the day once more tonight. Obtain final copies of the documents and confirm their testimony verbally as well. If they hesitate, confront them with the fact that they too have been harmed by Drake's fraud. Do not use my words. Move them with your own," Soana nodded. She made a motion of gripping her short sword tighter. "[serious]Rigo—you appear as a child. Tonight, use that. Apply the Nulglass drops and move between the three merchants disguised as a street child. Carry the documents Soana secures to me. A child carrying documents will not draw the Agency's attention," Rigo answered quietly. "[gentle]Understood," "[serious]I will arrange the evidence in order. Which documents to pair with which merchant's testimony, and where to deliver