In a room near Pritz Harbor.
Tiest, a masked Demigod of the Loen Military, pushed open the door and addressed his companions: Duchess Georgina, who wore an evening gown, and Qonas, MI9's deputy director and a major general.
"We haven't found any trace of the Mummy yet."
"That's to be expected. Those mysterious people wouldn't have tried to steal Tutanssess II's Mummy unless they were confident they could pull it off," Duchess Georgina said. "But we had an 'ally' there just now. He may know something."
She was certain the people who had stolen Tutanssess II's Mummy were not working with the Rose School's Demigods. If it had been their doing, they would never have waited until things got so dangerous to make their move. They had nearly failed to escape.
Tiest nodded.
"I know... But he reports directly to His Majesty. We've barely spoken."
He paused, then turned to Qonas.
"You used the Concerto of Light and Shadow to affect the Demigod at the lighthouse. Did you work out what Sequence she's in?"
Qonas thought back carefully before answering with some uncertainty.
"Her methods were similar to those of the Rose School's Demigods...
"She's probably a Marionette too!"
A Marionette? Duchess Georgina's heart stirred, and she blurted out:
"A member of the Temperance Faction who defected from the Rose School?"
"Very likely." Tiest, whose eyes had golden irises, gave a slight nod. "Mummification was influenced by the worship of the God of Death, sun worship, and other beliefs. But after the Rose School came to rule the highlands and river valleys, it never banned the burial custom. That suggests mummies are of some use to them. Perhaps a particular Sequence requires them for a ritual."
He let out a low, self-mocking laugh.
"There's another possibility: showing off and putting