Infiltration (Part Two)

In front of the main entrance of the banquet hall.

Two waiters stood on either side, their uniforms crisp and their expressions solemn.

Lanto stepped forward, casually raising his right hand, the beautifully printed invitation between his fingertips, and waved it in front of the waiter. The movement was fluid and natural, carrying a touch of the nonchalance common among noblemen.

The waiter at the door quickly glanced at the letter, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed slightly.

"Please come in, Your Excellency."

Lanto nodded and stepped inside. Ubel followed half a step beside him, her skirt swaying gently.

The door closed behind us, and a rush of noise and light flooded in. A huge crystal chandelier hung in the center of the high-ceilinged hall, its light cascading down. The long table was covered with a snow-white tablecloth, and the silverware and crystal glasses shimmered. The air was filled with the scents of perfume, food, and wine. Well-dressed men and women held wine glasses, whispering and laughing softly, the humming sound seeming to exist in another layer of air.

Ubel's gaze swept around, and his arm naturally slipped into Lanto's crook, gently hooking around his arm.

Lanto's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"... Hello."

"Look around," Ubel's voice whispered in his ear, tinged with laughter, her breath brushing against his earlobe. She gestured with her eyes to the couples, their postures intimate, "We need to be flexible. We're 'husband and wife' now, this will make things seem more natural, won't it?"

"Look around," Ubel's voice whispered in his ear, tinged with laughter, her breath brushing against his earlobe. She gestured with her eyes to the couples, their postures intimate, "We need to be flexible. We're 'husband and wife' now, this will make things seem more natural, won't it?"

"... Seriously, whatever."

He let her hold his arm, his gaze calmly sweeping across the hall, his steps unhurried, as if he were truly there to enjoy this grand feast.

As Lanto passed a young man who was talking to someone and was turned away from them, his arm seemed to be moved by Ubel, and it swayed naturally. His fingertips brushed across the front of the man's tuxedo jacket, and a small badge silently fell into his palm. The whole process was so fast that almost no one noticed.

The two walked through the bustling crowd and headed towards a relatively quiet corridor at the back of the banquet hall.

The corridor was carpeted thickly, completely absorbing the sound of footsteps. Oil paintings depicting the history of the empire hung on both sides, appearing solemn and somber under the light of the wall lamps.

At the end of the room was an unassuming oak door, which appeared much simpler compared to the ornate doors around it.

Lanto stopped in front of the door and glanced at the door number.

"This should be it."

Ubel let go of his hand and took a closer look.

"Oh? This is the Tibetan book storage room." She looked around the quiet corridor. "What a nice place. It seems even ghosts wouldn't come here normally."

"It's idle now, so the guards shouldn't be patrolling," Lanto said in a low voice. "Hurry up, find what you need and leave."

He reached out and grasped the doorknob; the metal felt cold to the touch. He turned it, and the hinges creaked slightly, opening a crack inward.

The moment he pushed open the door, Lanto's fingers loosened. The badge he'd taken from the banquet fell silently to the edge of the carpet, in the shadows near the doorframe.

Ubel caught a glimpse of this tiny movement.

What are you doing?

"Just in case," Lanto replied curtly, stepping aside to let her go first, "Better than having no way out."

He didn't explain further, slipped inside with Ubel, and then gently closed the door behind him.

The warehouse was more spacious than I had imagined, but it was filled with dusty furniture, old decorations, and bundled-up files.

The two exchanged a glance and then split up to search among the pile of items. They moved very quietly, trying to avoid touching anything that might make a sound. The only sounds were the rustling of fabric and the occasional soft turning of pages.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Ubel bent down to examine a dusty wooden crate, she suddenly straightened up and placed her hand on Lanto's shoulder.

"Glasses Guy."

Lanto stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her.

"Found it?"

"No." Ubel's voice was soft, even tinged with a strange interest. "Your magical detection isn't as good as mine; you didn't notice anything for so long. We've been found."

Lanto's heart tightened.

Ubel smiled. "It seems the guards at this mansion are better than I expected."

Lanto held his breath and listened intently. At first, there was only a stagnant silence, then extremely faint, rhythmic, almost deliberate footsteps approached from afar and finally stopped not far from the door. The footsteps were very steady, each step perfectly embedded in the texture of the carpet, and if one did not consciously perceive them, they would almost blend into the silence of the background.

How were they able to get so close without us noticing?

No... perhaps I was the only one completely unaware. Ubel had already discovered it long ago.

Ubel chuckled, "Looks like we'll have no choice but to take action."

Lanto raised his hand to stop her. "Stop! Let's abandon the mission and escape through the window. The enemy is quite strong."

Ubel had already turned around, facing the doorway, and raised her right hand; a short cane appeared out of thin air in her hand.

A familiar, excited smile appeared on her face.

"Hmph... 'Quite strong' indeed."

Lanto quickly stepped forward and blocked her way.

"The gap in strength is obvious; a head-on confrontation would be unwise."

Ubel tilted his head, ignoring his advice, and his eyes shone even brighter because of his words.

Lanto watched her eager expression, a cool dampness seeping from his forehead.

"... Why do you look so happy?" He almost wanted to turn away immediately, but reason prevailed over instinct. "I could also leave you here and run away..."

No.

The thought was extinguished as soon as it arose.

We can't leave her here alone. The enemy's strength is unknown, but someone who can approach so stealthily is no pushover. Even if Ubel is strong, facing an unknown, powerful foe alone, along with other guards who might come alerted, is far too risky...

In a flash, he made his decision.

He placed his left hand directly on Ubel's right shoulder, took a half step forward, and with his other hand, he slapped it against the wall next to Ubel's ear.

His body pressed closer, forming a position that partially encircled Ubel between himself and the wall. The distance between them suddenly shortened, so close that they could feel each other's breath.

Ubel was clearly taken aback by this turn of events. She looked up at Lanto, who was standing right in front of her. His eyes behind his glasses were calm and expressionless, but she could feel the tension in his muscles.

She blinked, a hint of amusement flickering in her purple eyes, her voice low and almost breathy.

"Oh my... what does this hand mean? Is this how it unfolds? How exciting!"

Lanto did not answer. All his attention was focused on the door behind him and the two figures outside that had paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant.

"Creak--"

The old wooden door was pushed open from the outside, making a clear sound.

The light from the doorway was blocked by a tall figure. The newcomer wore the iconic peaked cap of the Imperial Police Force, the brim casting a deep shadow on his face. He wore a crisp, dark military uniform, and his short, blond hair was neatly styled. His gaze swept into the warehouse and landed on... two people almost touching.

His movements stopped.

The blond guard quickly raised his hand, pulling his hat brim down to conceal most of his expression. His voice was steady, with a businesslike calm, but there seemed to be a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment.

"How rude of me! I'm so sorry. I've disturbed you."

After he finished speaking, he took half a step back, grasped the doorknob, and closed the door again.

Lanto stood with his back to the door, remaining motionless in that position. Only when the door hinges creaked slightly again and finally clicked shut did he slowly exhale, release his grip on the wall, and take a half-step back.

But the next second, his brows furrowed again.

That uniform... the cut, the insignia, and that aura of power that, even when restrained, was still subtly palpable...

Magical Special Forces.

This is the empire's elite force, used to suppress internal rebellions and handle the most intractable problems. Using this caliber of troops as guards for an ordinary banquet? Even at a VIP residence, this is simply outrageous...

But the crisis is not over.

The footsteps outside the door didn't immediately fade away.

The blond guard turned to the other man who had come with him. The man had a long black braid, was also dressed in military uniform, and had a more composed demeanor. He was leaning against the wall opposite the corridor with his arms crossed.

"Kanon," the blond guard whispered, his voice muffled by the heavy door, "What do we do?"

The black-haired guard, known as Kanon, remained expressionless.

"Boring. These petty nobles who hide away during banquets looking for thrills—you always run into a few couples at every event." He glanced at the tightly closed warehouse door, his tone indifferent. "Never mind. Anyway, this warehouse is empty now, and there's nothing important stored there."

The blond guard paused for a moment, then placed his hand on the pouch at his waist.

"Kanon," his voice deepened, tinged with certainty, "They are mages. And probably quite skilled." The instant he pushed open the door, he clearly caught a fleeting, unique magical fluctuation belonging to the spellcaster inside—brief yet remarkably solid.

Kanon stopped in his tracks as he was about to leave. He slowly straightened up, his eyes sharpening. His left hand dropped to his side, and with a flick of his wrist, a specially made, black, retractable metal magic baton slid into his palm, making a slight metallic scraping sound.

"... That's really troublesome."

Seeing this, the blond guard also drew his baton without hesitation. The two moved silently, one on the left and one on the right, facing the warehouse door again. The tips of their batons were subtly aimed at the door, and magic began to ripple across them, clearly preparing to cast some kind of spell.

Just as Kanon was about to signal his companions to take action, his gaze was suddenly drawn to a faint reflection on the edge of the carpet by the door.

"Etc."

He stepped forward, bent down, and picked up the exquisitely crafted badge with his gloved fingers.

The blond guard held the badge between his fingertips and brought it up to the wall lamp.

The metal has a matte finish in the light. The main body of the badge is shield-shaped, with vines and stars wrapped around the edges in relief, and a small, dark blue enamel spellbook pattern inlaid in the center.

"The emblem of the Continental United Academy," the blond guard said.

Kanon crossed his arms and leaned against the opposite wall.

"Yes, quite a few children of noble families are indeed studying there. After all, they are wealthy and always want to send their children to the best schools."

The blond guard ran his fingertips along the surface of the badge.

"If that's the case, it wouldn't be surprising if those two inside were mages." He looked at Kanon, "Although the magical reaction was strong, it's still reasonable."

Kanon didn't respond.

He looked at the badge in Noi's hand for a few seconds before speaking. His voice was low, carrying a hint of casual speculation.

"... However, dropping it here is almost like deliberately telling us 'we are from the academy'..."

The blond guard looked up.

Should we verify their identities?

Kanon twitched the corner of his mouth.

Do you think it's possible?

He straightened up and patted the hem of his uniform.

"Interrupting nobles' romantic conversations is easily considered impolite. One of my teammates from the same year embarrassed a viscount at a ceremony—purely out of his overly righteous sense of justice."

"He's now a city guard in Castay City, on the Northern Frontier. I heard he's been guarding the boundless snowfields for over ten years."

The blond guard paused for a moment.

"Complaints from the nobles?"

"Hmm. It's coming from above." Kanon's tone was flat. "No matter how strong you are, it's useless. What, do you want to come with me to see him, Noi?"

The blond guard, Noi, gripped the badge in his palm; the metallic edge felt hard against his leather gloves.

"It's too cold over there," he chuckled. "Not really suitable for a vacation. Besides, even if I were to go on vacation, I'd much rather be with Kalesa than with a man like you."

Kanon chuckled and didn't reply.

The two turned and walked back down the corridor. Their footsteps were absorbed by the thick carpet, leaving only the soft rustling of their clothes.

After walking a short distance, Kanon suddenly stopped.

Noi also stopped and turned to look at him.

Kanon turned around and looked towards the warehouse. The corridor was long, and the glow of the wall lamps on both sides blended into a blurry, dim yellow in the distance. The oak door was quietly closed, showing no signs of anything amiss.

Inside the door.

Another little bit of time has passed.

Ubel's gaze fell on Lanto's hand, which he hadn't yet fully retracted, and a smile curved his lips.

"Is that enough?" Her voice was low, husky, and clearly amused. "They're already far away. Or... do you want to take it a step further, make it real? I'd love to."

Lanto withdrew his hand and adjusted his glasses.

"Yeah, right." His voice returned to its flat tone. "Just improvise. Find the paperwork and get out of here. Ordinary police officers usually won't confront aristocratic children without solid evidence. No matter how suspicious, most people will choose to protect themselves first to avoid trouble if they fail... Hey, don't kick me!"

He didn't turn around, continuing, "But that doesn't apply to the Magical Special Forces. They not only have a keen sense of smell, but they're also... extremely warlike."

The corridor in the distance outside the door.

Kanon extended his hand.

"Let me see the badge again."

Noi handed it over.

Kanon took it and held it up to the wall lamp again. This time he examined it with extra care, his fingertips tracing every edge of the badge, every raised and recessed detail of the relief. Finally, his fingers pinched the pin on the back.

The safety pin is bent.

It wasn't a slight curve that naturally formed over time, but rather a noticeable, unnatural bend. It looked as if something had suddenly yanked it; the metal rod twisted to one side from the middle, and the needle tip even became somewhat blunt as a result.

Kanon stared at the bent pin for about two seconds.

Then, he looked up at Noi.

"It seems," Kanon began, "That we no longer need to worry about disturbing the nobles' enjoyment, or where to go on vacation."

Noi's gaze fell on the bent pin. He was silent for a moment, then understood.

"... This was forcibly torn from someone else."

Kanon didn't answer, but simply tossed the badge to the ground.

The badge slipped from his fingers and fell onto the thick carpet with a dull, short thud.

The next second.

The two turned around at the same time and rushed towards the warehouse door. There was no conversation, no gestures; their long-standing tacit understanding made their movements synchronized.

"Bang--!"

Almost as soon as the echo of the badge hitting the ground faded, the heavy oak door was blasted open from the outside with tremendous force! The door slammed against the inner wall with a loud bang, causing dust to fall from the door frame.

But there was no one inside.

"... Did they run away?"

"They can't escape."