"The Chief sent me to inform you that, given the severe allergies currently affecting some of the garden guards, you have been granted one day of sick leave. Other Royal Guards will arrive shortly to relieve you."
The Royal Guard standing at the garden's side gate wiped his nose, rubbed a finger beneath its tip, and cast a suspicious glance over the short, white-haired boy before him.
The guard remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly, his tone carrying a well-trained caution:
"Lord Rafada, I do not mean to question your orders, but according to procedure, the Chief Mage should first notify the Royal Captain. Once the captain has verified the matter, a sergeant carries out the orders. Each person has their assigned duties; changes in deployment are never conveyed directly, bypassing procedure."
As he spoke, the guard sneezed again, yet stubbornly continued to block the gate, his tone growing even more suspicious.
"Besides, since when do we Royal Guards get leave? My family has served the Nittel Royal Family since my father's time, and I've never heard of anyone getting sick leave because of pollen. The flowers in this garden have been blooming for decades. If everyone took time off just because their nose itched, wouldn't everything descend into chaos..."
On the surface, the guard offered an awkward explanation, but he had already slipped half a step backward, turning his body slightly sideways. His right elbow shifted back a few inches, bringing it close to a raised copper buzzer on the wall.
Hidden within Klauthsura's optical camouflage, Renato spotted the movement and instinctively tightened his grip on his sword hilt.
Suddenly, a soft pink light shone in Rafada's eyes. The guard at the gate immediately stopped moving, his entire body stiffening in place as though frozen.
Soon, the