Infiltration (Part 1)

Ubel stood by the street.

She changed into a well-fitting dark evening gown, its precise tailoring making her long green hair appear slightly somber in the afternoon sunlight. A carriage came to a smooth stop in front of her.

Lanto opened the car door, revealing himself in a crisp black tuxedo.

His gaze behind his glasses was calm. He boarded the carriage first, and after he had settled down, he turned around naturally and reached out his hand to Ubel was still standing outside the carriage.

Ubel naturally reached out and grasped the hand, using it to climb into the carriage. The carriage door closed behind her, shutting out the hustle and bustle of the street.

Inside the carriage, Lanto sat down opposite her.

The carriage began to move, bringing a slight, rhythmic jolt.

"Is there a bad relationship between the Empire and the Continental Magic Association?" Ubel asked, his gaze fixed on Lanto's face.

"That's right," he replied.

The carriage began to move, and a slight jolt could be heard. The noise of the street was kept out and sounded muffled.

Ubel looked at him. "Why?"

"I don't know the specific reasons," Lanto said in a flat tone, "But it's always been like this. Only those involved truly know the real reason why the two sides can't reach an agreement."

"However, the reasons behind this can be deduced to some extent."

Ubel adjusted her posture, the hem of her skirt making a slight rubbing sound against the chair.

Lanto continued speaking, his voice steady.

"The Empire is the largest magical civilization on this continent. They possess highly advanced magical technology and actively apply it to military purposes. Many of their actions are clandestine, making it difficult for outsiders to see their full picture."

"In contrast, the Continental Magic Association gathers many top-tier mages, and the one who decides how the association acts is someone whose status is beyond ordinary comprehension— the Great Mage Serie. Similarly, no one can predict what extraordinary things they will do in the future."

He looked at Ubel.

In this situation, is it possible for the two sides to have a good relationship?

He gave his conclusion.

"Two tigers cannot share one mountain."

Upon hearing this, Ubel's lips curved into a slightly exaggerated smile.

"Really? Really?" she said, her tone tinged with feigned surprise. "Both sides are terrifying."

Lanto didn't respond to that.

Ubel turned his head and looked out the window. The carriage was driving along a bustling street, with neat buildings on both sides decorated with celebratory flags and curtains. There were many carriages coming and going, most of them ornate and exquisite in appearance.

"Speaking of which," she said, looking out the window, "This place is developing quite well, and there are many noble carriages here."

"National Day is a major social event," Lanto explained. "Local nobles usually use this time to visit people and expand their networks. The mansions of prominent families must be filled with guests at this time."

Ubel withdrew his gaze, looked down at his expensive tuxedo, and then looked up at Lanto's impeccable attire.

"So we should dress like that too," she said.

"Based on the intelligence provided by Linel," Lanto replied, "At this time, although the upper class will check the invitations of their guests, no one can remember the exact appearance of every local nobleman. This is the best time for disguise."

"Linel," Ubel repeated the name, tapping her chin lightly with her fingertip, "Isn't she the First-Class Mage Sense mentioned who works in espionage within the Empire?"

"Yes, that's right."

Lanto's gaze also turned to the window. In the distance, the outline of an imposing mansion gradually became clear.

"We can see the mansion now," he said.

Ubel followed his gaze.

"Our job is to infiltrate a banquet hosted by a high-ranking imperial official and retrieve the documents related to the assassination plan that Linel had hidden in the warehouse..." She repeated the mission, then turned to look at Lanto, "Why go through all this trouble? Couldn't Linel just hand them over? Or have those birds that regularly deliver messages to us deliver them?"

"As Sense said," Lanto's voice remained flat, "Linel has been engaged in espionage work in the Empire for over fifteen years. Her current position is very sensitive, allowing her direct access to this internal intelligence. But precisely because of this, she must be even more cautious in her every move. Direct transmission is too risky, and even the messenger bird channel cannot guarantee the absolute security of such classified documents. The National Day banquet provides a rare and reasonable period of chaos, which is conducive to our actions and makes it difficult to trace."

Ubel nodded knowingly.

"I see. So, it's precisely because it's National Day that she's restricted by her status and can't move freely, right?" She smiled. "To be able to lie low for so long, she's certainly a formidable character. You can't judge a book by its cover."

Lanto looked at her.

Have you seen her?

"I only saw her once at the Northern Branch," Ubel recalled, his purple eyes narrowing slightly as if recalling an amusing scene. "She seemed to be there to give her triennial performance review. After the review, I saw her go to the courtyard alone and gaze at the butterflies and ordinary flowers in the flowerbeds for an entire afternoon..."

A familiar, slightly playful smile returned to the corners of her lips.

"Moreover, he kept letting out satisfied chuckles while watching. To be honest, I think this person is quite strange."

Lanto was silent for two seconds.

"... You're pretty strange to be able to observe her all day long."

Ubel simply smiled and didn't refute it, as if he took it as a compliment.

The carriage gradually slowed down and finally stopped at a roadside some distance from the main house, hidden by trees. The carriage paused slightly due to inertia.

Lanto was the first to open the car door and step out gracefully. Then, he turned around, faced the passenger compartment, and once again elegantly extended his hand, his posture impeccable.

"In short," he said, his voice clearer through the open car door than inside the carriage, "Be sure to watch your words and actions."

Ubel took his hand and gracefully leaped down from the carriage. Once she was steady, she didn't let go immediately, but instead looked up at him, her smile deepening.

"I wanted to say this when I came," she said in a light, cheerful tone, "That gesture of helping me out of the car was really good, very cool."

Lanto withdrew his hand without making a sound, straightened his perfectly smooth cuffs, and his expression remained unchanged.

"That's just how nobles are," he said simply.

After speaking, he turned around and looked at the brightly lit, luxurious mansion not far away, where people were bustling about. The light shining through the windows was particularly striking in the deepening night, and it also clearly illuminated the endless stream of elegantly dressed guests in front of the door.

"They're gone."