"The Grand Duke's lover. Oh, I wasn't talking about you."
Seeing Shade suddenly look at him, Director Anlos immediately explained.
"I never said you were talking about me."
Shade said the same, and the two were both a little embarrassed, so they tacitly moved past the subject:
"Here's the situation: Virgil Cameron has also gone to Tobesk to take part in the Great City Player. But we suspect his real purpose in coming to Tobesk is to meet with people from Kasonlik."
Director Anlos continued.
"Sorry, please wait."
Shade raised a hand and asked hesitantly:
"You mean he specifically came all the way to Tobesk to meet them? Isn't this place more dangerous than a small southern duchy? Even if the duchy is already under suspicion from the royal family, wouldn't any random rural town in the kingdom be safer than Tobesk?"
"We're still investigating the exact reason, but it's probably because neither side trusts the other and neither was willing to set the meeting in some remote countryside. Besides, this meeting is a top-secret operation. Our people only learned of it by pure coincidence. In short—"
Mr. Anros placed a hand on Shade's shoulder and looked at him with bright eyes.
"Virgil Cameron will be closely monitored while he is in Tobesk, but the venues for the final three Great City Player matches do not allow casual entry. We have planted people there, but it is hardly reliable. So, if you and Mr. Cameron both reach the finals against all odds, I want you to do your best to monitor whether he meets with anyone suspicious."
The Great City Player Rhodes Cards Tournament lasted two weeks. The preliminaries began on Friday, the second round would be held next week, and eight players would be selected next weekend for the