Curtis wasted no time and hurriedly cooperated with the capital guards to complete the task Leonard assigned.
This could be considered his first real assignment from the crown prince, so he must show his worth. Otherwise, it wouldn't be surprising if someone else from the Crimson Guard would replace him.
The crown prince does not need incompetent people working for him.
As Curtis busied himself, inside the carriage, Leonard leaned on his back.
"Do you have any problems with my decision?" He glanced at Mirelle and asked.
Although she didn't express any dissatisfaction, her face didn't express any approval either.
To summarize, she was neutral, but Leonard was certain that a topic revolving around slaves could never be neutral.
The old Leonard rarely explored the world much nor did he need to witness the ugliness of this world. Hence, he was surprised by the existence of slaves.
'I should have known slaves exist in this kind of setting.' Leonard thought.
After all, slaves were long abolished in his old world and were more identified as employees—paid ones.
"Slaves are the lowest rank no matter where we are, so I can't input much on it. The same goes for the slave merchant who is treating slaves as business transactions. I'm only confused why you felt the need to transfer not just the slave merchant, but the slaves as well." Mirelle said once she compiled her thoughts.
She believed in equality, but she also understood slaves were a separate category. They weren't even qualified to be called commoners. And their lives were even more worthless than the dirt in the slums.
"The slave merchant is being used." Leonard calmly said. "Nobody will be foolish enough to make themselves vulnerable in the open just to mess with me."
"That still doesn't answer my question."
"And?"
"..."
Realization quickly dawned upon her. Leonard never planned on revealing much of his intention to her.
Although the implication was subtle, Mirelle understood what he meant.
'You won't reveal much to outsiders.' Mirelle concluded. She might have become his tutor, but that didn't mean she was his person. In other words, she was not privy to learn or know more about his actions.
Despite understanding it, Mirelle feigned ignorance and no longer conversed further. She only agreed to become his tutor during the journey. Once they return to the capital from Velastra, her role as the tutor also comes to an end.
Seeing her nonchalant expression, Leonard wasn't disheartened.
'A sixth circle mage shouldn't be wasting their talent in some academy.' He mused inwardly and glanced at the small window.
He spotted a few members of the Crimson Guards stationed around the carriage.
'Spence is really something else.' Having given him a lecture, it appeared that Spencer was slowly getting the hang of a political war.
Suddenly, Leonard's expression changed. He frowned. 'Wait, no, that can't be right. Spence already revealed how he contacted Mirelle behind my back. He wouldn't have pulled this stunt without informing me.'
"How long has Curtis been out and who assigned you here?" Leonard questioned one of them.
When the Crimson Guards heard Leonard's voice, the one with two Crimson Badges stepped forward and reported, "Cobra has been out for approximately 10 minutes. We were assigned by Inkveil to stay hidden unless signaled by Cobra."
"Inkveil?" Confused by another code name, he tried to rack his brain.
However, his memories from the orb that Spencer gave him didn't seem to have any record of a code name Inkveil.
There were only two possibilities: the code name was another fake and not the real code name or this person was equal in rank to Spencer and remained hidden.
'Could it be that librarian?' Leonard's thoughts trailed to the inconspicuous librarian who knew everything in the vast library.
While Leonard was pondering silently, outside the carriage, an intense chase was happening.
"Hmph, a mere beastkin really thinks it could outrun me?" Curtis snorted and infused some mana into his legs. In the next instance, Curtis vanished from his position and appeared in front of a beastkin that was of the werewolf race.
Towering and tense, the werewolf's frame rippled beneath silver-gray fur, its amber eyes blazing with primal hatred. His snout was elongated, tipped with a black nose that twitched at every scent, and sharp fangs gleamed beneath its curled lips.
Even the nearby guards hesitated to move as they remained cautious.
Meanwhile, Curtis' gazes sharpened. 'This is no ordinary salve.'
From the feature alone, Curtis could confirm the slave was a battle-hardened werewolf who had seen its fair share of blood and tragedy. Additionally, its condition was clearly in its top form.
How could an experienced slave merchant fumble so hard and not have their slave drugged, weakened, or bound within a magic contract?
"Damn, the Crown Prince is in danger." Curtis hissed and realized the severity of the matter. Without a doubt, someone must have used Gerald as a scapegoat to orchestrate this mess and divert his attention away.
—
Leonard's Palace's Library
"What's the matter, Seth?" Spencer demanded as he entered the library, his steps echoing with urgency.
"I've just received news that the Crown Prince is transferring a few prisoners over. I'll need to interrogate them heavily." He added. There was a hint of hostility contained in his eyes. Needless to say, he was going to ensure these prisoners understood the consequences of hindering the crown prince.
"Sigh, no wonder they call you the butcherer." Seth returned a thick book to a shelf and said calmly. "The Crown Prince is clearly getting better while you're regressing."
"Did you call me over here just to say those words?" Spencer was annoyed. He couldn't be bothered about his reputation. So what if it was stained or not?
"Look at you turning fiery whenever the topic revolves around the Crown Prince." Seth smiled bitterly. He shook his head and explained, "Those prisoners being sent over are going to be kept in a secure cage. There's no need to interrogate them. The Crown Prince has a plan for them."