TGDM 10

Chapter 10

I deliberately looked away from that pitiful expression and pulled a sharp metal pick from my spatial bag.

Magic always tended to leave traces behind, so in situations like this, the old-fashioned method was better.

‘Compared to the traps scattered throughout labyrinths, this is nothing.’

With a small click, the door opened in an instant.

“…?!”

Elhart’s eyes widened in obvious surprise.

‘He’s kind of cute.’

No, why am I acting like this again?

‘This isn’t the time to get distracted.’

I needed to search the place quickly and return to the room before the shift change.

“I’ll check the desk side.”

Meaning: you search somewhere else.

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Elhart trailed right behind me.

“……”

I couldn’t tell from his expression whether he was doing it knowingly or if he was simply that oblivious.

‘…Well, it’ll probably help having him with me. I can’t verify the authenticity of the documents on my own.’

Starting from the top of the desk, I rapidly examined even the papers hidden inside the filing cabinets.

They had used various devices to conceal some of them deep within, but there was no way I’d fail to find something at that level.

Elhart helped organize and sort through the documents I uncovered.

And then…

‘What the hell is this?’

Less than five minutes after we began, I was overwhelmed with fury.

‘Internal documents from Bardia’s Treasury Bureau? A military budget proposal that should be classified is just lying around on an enemy’s desk?’

My hands trembled in disbelief.

I didn’t know how many traitors there were, but this went beyond selling information—they were practically delivering it directly into enemy hands.

‘Even a royal asset investment plan would be difficult for anyone except direct royal blood to obtain.’

What shocked me even more was that Elhart didn’t seem surprised at all upon seeing these.

Meaning he already knew everything.

“Why are the ones selling state secrets being left alone instead of rooted out?”

“Right now, the faction supporting Bardia becoming a vassal state of the Cradion Empire holds power.”

“There’s no one trying to protect the country?”

I clenched my teeth as I asked, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of Elhart’s lips.

“You think there wouldn’t be? They were simply purged first.”

“…Like you?”

“Yes. Like me.”

Silence settled between us.

I quietly stared into Elhart’s calm eyes.

‘You still haven’t given up.’

There was neither resignation nor despair in them.

Only the unwavering resolve of someone who still had something he must do.

‘Let’s go back together, Elhart.’

I repeated the words silently to myself, though it was still too early to say them aloud.

‘I’ll stand beside you.’

I swear upon the Founding King—when I return, the traitors of Bardia will pay with their heads.

And not just their pathetic lives.

Their precious wealth, power, and honor—they would lose everything.

‘Before that, I need to clean this place up first.’

So they would never dare invade again.

‘These bastards know Bardia’s internal affairs like the back of their hand.’

As I carefully reviewed the documents, I noticed a missing puzzle piece that traitors alone could never have completed.

I selected several documents where that issue was especially apparent and showed them to Elhart.

“Do you know who wrote these?”

“Baron Marcel and Count Cohen. Both are close aides to the Emperor.”

“Have they ever visited Bardia?”

“Not as far as I know.”

Alongside Raedric Vellow, head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I decided to remember those two names.

“We should start heading back—wait.”

Elhart’s expression stiffened, as though he had sensed the same thing I had.

From what I’d gathered, the Central Palace completely shut down between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

All personnel normally assigned to interior patrols were redirected to exterior security, while security magic was placed over the building itself. It seemed any damage to it would trigger an alarm.

Step. Step.

Which meant the footsteps we heard now implied one of two things.

‘Either it’s the owner of the Central Palace’s security magic… or another intruder like us.’

Neither option was welcome.

‘Where do we hide?’

As I anxiously scanned the room, Elhart tugged lightly at my sleeve.

The place he pointed to was a cabinet.

‘Can he even fit in there…?’

I doubted it, but we had nowhere else to hide.

Fortunately, the inside was deeper than expected.

Even so, Elhart practically had to fold himself in half, but at least it was large enough for both of us.

‘Like I noticed before, his body temperature runs pretty high.’

Since we were pressed together almost to the point of embracing, I could clearly feel the warmth radiating from his body through the thin layers of fabric.

‘Good thing he’s flexible.’

He seemed slightly tense.

‘In the worst case, I can knock them out before they see us.’

After all, it was unlikely anyone would enter the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ office only to open a cabinet filled with miscellaneous supplies.

I didn’t think our infiltration had been discovered.

‘I’m not that incompetent.’

I was simply curious who would be wandering around at this hour.

‘Judging by the lack of caution in those footsteps, it really is someone in charge of security.’

More precisely, there seemed to be one additional person accompanying them.

‘Someone accustomed to walking silently.’

Only now, as they reached the hallway outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, could I sense their presence.

Someone highly skilled at concealing their mana…

‘Huh? This mana signature is…?’

I recognized it immediately—it belonged to the person who had caught my attention earlier that day.

‘It’s the Crown Prince. Why is he here at this hour?’

I tilted my head back to look at Elhart.

Even in the pitch darkness, his golden eyes were already fixed on me.

Maintaining eye contact, I silently mouthed the words:

‘A-ri-el.’

Even in the dark, the distance between us was close enough that he should understand.

“……”

Elhart stared intently at my lips, and his throat bobbed visibly.

Through where our bodies touched, I could feel his heart pounding violently.

Maybe I shouldn’t have told him. He was completely shaken.

At this rate, something that shouldn’t be noticed might end up exposing us.

After mouthing, ‘It’s okay. Nothing will happen,’ I carefully moved my hand and patted him reassuringly.

Elhart parted his lips slightly, as though trying to respond.

But at that exact moment, the outer door connecting the hallway to the Ministry office opened.

Unfortunately, they seemed to have business here as well.

Unconsciously, I held my breath.

Elhart did the same; his chest stopped moving entirely.

“My apologies, Your Highness. I was inexperienced and made such a mistake…”

“Anyone can make mistakes.”

The voices of the two men drifted faintly through the door.

“However, never forget that sometimes even a small mistake can cost you your life.”

The cold, chilling voice sounded completely different from the one I had heard during the day.

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

A low chuckle followed the frightened reply.

“There’s no need to tremble so much. You simply need to carry out your assigned task properly, isn’t that right?”

“R-Right.”

“Good. So tomorrow, you absolutely must not fail.”

Tomorrow? What task had he assigned to the mage?

“Remember the person’s appearance?”

“Of course.”

“If they refuse, don’t force the matter. Come report to me immediately. Above all else, do not arouse suspicion.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

It might have had nothing to do with us, but I couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

Especially after being suddenly invited to the imperial palace banquet.

Maybe Elhart had some idea what this was about.

“……!”

When I pulled my ear away from the cabinet wall and lifted my head, I froze in shock.

‘T-too close…’

Perhaps because Elhart had also leaned in to overhear the conversation, his face was right in front of mine.

His trembling red lips drew my gaze immediately.

Through the slight gap between them, his white teeth looked perfectly neat.

And the breath brushing against me felt hot and strangely sweet…

‘W-what, what, WHAT am I…?!’

Startled by my own thoughts, I jerked my head away.

‘I’ve seriously lost my mind.’

This had to be…

…a side effect of years of forced abstinence.

Or perhaps the aftereffects of borrowing the power of greedy demons.