BVS 86

Chapter : 86

[They probably haven’t gone far.]

According to Oscar, after returning from the funeral,
someone had thoroughly cleaned the king’s bedchamber and then hurriedly slipped out just moments ago.

Oscar said the person was startled and rushed away the instant he appeared, so he suspected one of the caretakers.

He admitted that he thought it was strange how neatly everything had been cleared away, but he hadn’t even thought to call the person back and interrogate them.

How could he have, in that state of mind?

‘I can’t afford to delay.’

After thanking Oscar for finding the courage to tell me this,
I gathered up the king’s will—which might prove useful later—and left the audience chamber.

Clutching the letter the king had left behind, I ran. My breath burned in my chest.

If I hesitated, the caretaker could leave the royal palace entirely—and then we’d lose them.

Just as I was exiting the palace grounds, a suspicious figure glanced around before boarding a carriage.

They were holding a small wrapped bundle against their chest.

I knew instinctively. That person was the caretaker Oscar had mentioned.

[There was a small bundle in their arms.]

‘No!’

The suspicious figure’s carriage began to move slowly as they climbed aboard.

I waved frantically toward our carriage behind me and ran.

Erica and Aaron peeked out from behind the curtain, spotted me, and quickly threw the door open.

“Why are you so late? Did the conversation drag on longer than expected?”

Not knowing the situation, Erica looked like she wanted to hear everything.

But I didn’t have time for that.

“We need to chase that carriage right now.”

There was nothing in my head except the thought of pursuing the carriage ahead.

At my breathless words, even Erica—who had been about to complain—and Aaron—who had silently held his position—sharpened their expressions.

They must have sensed that someone important was riding in that carriage.

“How did you know that person was suspicious?” Aaron asked.

“I heard it from Prince Oscar.”

“…He must have been in no state of mind. He’s a good man.”

In Erica’s heart, guilt and gratitude toward Prince Oscar coexisted.

Even though Martin had been accused as the culprit, Oscar had still given us a valuable clue.

‘He hasn’t completely turned his back on us.’

What played a decisive role was the letter King Leonard had left behind.

He had known that, to protect his son, he needed Cloud’s power.

‘At the very least, Cloud didn’t lie.’

Aaron gently patted Erica’s shoulder.

Some time passed. It couldn’t have been more than an hour.

Not far from the royal palace, the suspicious carriage came to a stop.

The person who got down looked around and then entered a building.

‘Where is this place?’

As I tilted my head in confusion, Aaron peered through the curtain and spoke quietly.

“It’s a trading guild.”

“A guild…?”

At my question, he nodded.

“A place that sells all kinds of rare goods. It’s hard to call it an ordinary guild.”

“…?”

“Just look at the masks.”

Tapping the window lightly with his finger, Aaron pointed to the figure outside.

Just as he said, the suspicious person inside the guild was wearing a mask.

“Aaron, how did you know?” Erica and I stared at him.

He scratched his head and said he’d once been affiliated with a similar place.

That meant this could be a guild shrouded in secrecy.

‘We have to go in there.’

Since the suspicious person had entered while masked, we couldn’t just walk in openly.

The only option was to create a distraction and sneak in.

I quietly gathered Erica and Aaron close.

“Listen carefully.”

Both of them turned their eyes to me.

“We might be able to do something you like, my lady—disguises.”

“Really?”

“You see that guild over there?”

Erica nodded repeatedly.

“Could you go in as customers, together with Aaron?”

“I’m in.”

At Erica’s reply, Aaron answered calmly as well.

“I can’t let the young lady go alone.”

“So we just pretend to be normal customers?” Erica asked.

“Yes.”

The moment I finished speaking, Erica picked up a wig and glasses—then sighed.

“Hmm. I’ve changed my mind.”

Despite wanting to disguise herself so badly, she hesitated.

“I’ve felt this since last time… things like this actually make you look more fake.”

In other words, Erica intended to go in as herself.

She said that entering without hiding her jet-black hair and red eyes would draw less suspicion.

“Who knows? I might really find something I want to buy.”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. That curiosity felt dangerous.

I wanted to stop her—revealing her identity directly felt even more risky—but Erica was firm.

She said this was far more natural than clumsy lies.

With her brother being framed as the culprit, Erica had decided to confront things head-on.

I smiled quietly and, as if I couldn’t stop her, lifted her hand in agreement.

“I heard you have medicine that helps you grow taller. Could you show me?”

I never imagined that what the young lady wanted to buy would be height-increasing medicine.

Erica’s clear, ringing voice echoed through the guild.

She used to be terrible at acting—so bad it was obvious—but after a few experiences, she seemed to have improved.

If anything, Aaron was the one sweating nervously.

‘Just hold on a little longer.’

While Erica and Aaron faced someone who looked like the manager, I carefully slipped into the guild.

Fortunately, the sudden appearance of customers seemed to fluster the manager, leaving him no room to focus on security.

“…Put it away.”

He must have been in a hurry to hand the bundle he’d brought to an underling.

“Wait. If you drop it, you’ll get nothing. Understand?”

The manager warned the underling carefully, afraid they might drop it.

‘This is it.’

There was no doubt something useful was inside.

They must have cleaned out the king’s bedchamber and taken anything that could serve as evidence—then panicked and ran when they spotted Oscar.

Just as the underling entered the storeroom to put it away, Erica flared up.

“What kind of rudeness is this? I said I’m here to buy height medicine—do you have a problem with that?”

At her sharp voice, everyone’s attention shifted toward her.

“It’s not that, it’s just…”

Thanks to that, I was able to slip into the storeroom unnoticed.

As the manager sighed deeply at the troublesome customer, the underling—hesitating and reading the mood—left the storeroom.

Without ever noticing me hiding inside.

‘Whew. My lady, please hold on a bit longer.’

Holding my breath, I scanned the storeroom.

‘What kind of place is this?’

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, countless strange items came into view.

Among them, what caught my eye was the bundle the underling had left behind.

I untied the knot—and the long-awaited purple vial appeared.

It was a bottle of poison.

‘If only I could find out what this poison is made of.’

If I took even a small amount, Professor Clinton—being as skilled as he was—would have no trouble identifying it.

But where could I put it?

If I stole the entire vial, it would surely be discovered later.

‘That won’t do.’

I searched the storeroom quietly, making as little noise as possible.

From top shelves to bottom, I searched thoroughly—when Erica’s voice rang out again.

“What is this supposed to mean? Are you saying I should’ve made a reservation?”

“It’s not just us. Most guilds operate by reservation these days.”

Since they’d shown up unannounced without any reservation, the manager probably found them suspicious.

That was why he kept dodging the request instead of bringing out any goods.

Still, Erica was a count’s daughter, and they couldn’t easily tell her to leave.

She wasn’t alone either—she had a knight escort with her.

‘Even so, we don’t have much time.’

The script Erica had prepared wouldn’t last long.

I needed to find another empty vial to take the poison.

At the same time, I couldn’t help but wonder who owned this guild.

What kind of person commanded underlings and managers—and who they were connected to.

‘Are they closely linked to the king’s murderer?’

I couldn’t be sure. They might have simply supplied the item.

For enough money, people like this would procure anything.

‘Ah—except without a reservation.’

Judging by their insistence on reservations, it seemed they wouldn’t accept same-day orders no matter how much money you offered.

As I brushed dust off an old shelf, suppressing a cough, my hand closed around something.

An empty vial fit perfectly in my grasp.

Carefully, I transferred a small amount of poison into it.

‘Just a little—enough that it won’t be noticed.’

Through the slightly open storeroom door, Erica urgently signaled to me.

Seeing her face twisted as she conveyed that time was running out made cold sweat bead on my skin.

‘Just a little more. I’m almost done, my lady.’

After adding a bit more, I sealed the vial and was about to leave—

When, just as I thought everything was over, a voice made my heart plummet.

I clutched the vial, covered my mouth, and hurriedly hid deeper in the storeroom.

“Some unfamiliar customers, aren’t they?”

It was a voice I’d heard many times before.

Peering through the narrow gap of the door, I saw dazzling platinum-blond hair sway.

‘It was you…?’

It was Edward.

The very same man—Gemma’s longtime childhood friend.

“Well, well. If it isn’t Lady Cloud herself.”

At some point, he had crossed his arms and was circling Erica and Aaron.

Had he instinctively sensed that they hadn’t come here by chance?

“Welcome. But really, my lady, you seem fearless—coming all the way here with just one escort knight.”

With a sneering smile, he stood tall, staring down at Erica and Aaron.

“Ah, forgive me. Was that an inappropriate form of address?”

It felt like sparks were about to fly at any moment.