Chapter 60

The masked man opened his mouth a few times, then stretched out his finger toward Latil.

"Why, why, why did you take off my pants...!"

This arrogant man couldn't understand at all what was happening. He had intended to show this arrogant woman a thing or two when she suddenly appeared and started a quarrel. Then he was hit on the head, hit again, and fainted. When he woke up... As he opened his mouth, Latil waved her hand.

"Calm down. I didn't take off your mask."

"You took off my pants!"

Well, he couldn't grope the outside of his pants. The masked man was wearing tight-fitting pants. So if he wanted to search his pockets, he would have to grope his legs. He didn't really want to do that.

"Just calm down and take a deep breath for five minutes."

"Are you crazy? Do I look calm to you? Give me back my pants!"

No matter how loudly he shouted, Latil ignored him and continued to search his pants. The masked man, with a lowered voice, barked at her.

"You. Do you know who I am and still do this? Do you think you can get away with this?"

Latil, while roughly searching his pants from the bottom up, asked casually.

"Who are you?"

"I am the closest confidant of His Majesty the Emperor."

"!"

But Latil, despite the man's confident declaration, involuntarily shuddered. She coughed and looked at him in disbelief.

"Closest confidant of who?"

"Of His Majesty—"

Latil reached out and took off the man's mask. Could it be a real confidant? If he were a confidant, there wouldn't be many... just the head of the servants and a few others.

'No, it's not him.'

He was a stranger. A face she had never seen before. He was handsome, but a complete stranger. There was no one like him among the confidants. So, this guy. What? Is he impersonating me? Latil, feeling ridiculous, hit the man's forehead with the mask she had taken off. Then, while continuing to search his pants, she taunted him.

"Your face is pretty. Are you not the Emperor's confidant but one of his concubines?"

"…Yes!"

What a ridiculous guy. When he not only didn't deny it but even agreed, Latil was speechless and pointed at the driver's seat with her chin.

"Where are you lying? If you're going to insist you're the Emperor's concubine, you should at least look like one!"

However, the man stuck to his lie.

"His Majesty doesn't like such a sinister face."

At this, Tahir, in the driver's seat, gripped the reins even tighter, but the man, unaware of this, continued to use the Emperor's name.

"Does His Majesty have such poor taste?"

This guy, does he know who I am and is trying to provoke me? Is he doing this on purpose? In an instant, Latil's mood soured, and she hit the man's head with the mask again.

"Why are you hitting me again!"

"One more hit!"

When Latil hit him again, the man, in anger, ground his teeth.

"If you touch me, His Majesty will be furious."

"Bring it on. Bring it on. Let's see how furious he gets!"

As this potential criminal kept using the Emperor's name, Latil finally exploded. This guy, who so easily used the Emperor's name, couldn't be doing it for the first time. She thought he must be a habitual liar. As Latil hit the man with the mask, the man, who had been grinding his teeth, curled up and shrank.

"Hey, we have to go!"

Only after Tahir called from the driver's seat did Latil stop hitting the man and quickly finished searching his pants. Just as she felt something crumpled in her hand, Latil smiled.

'There it is.'

Sure enough. The man had hidden a map in his pants. When Latil forcefully tore the lining of the pants, a stiff piece of paper, carefully folded and inserted between the layers, was revealed.

'Given the effort he put into hiding it, it must be very valuable, right?'

Usually, wouldn't you roll it up and put it in a box or something? Anyway, it was fortunate that she had gone through all this trouble.

"Hey!"

In the meantime, Tahir called out again from outside. Latil, who still had many questions, had no choice but to go out the window.

'It's okay. I remember your face. I can investigate later.'

As Latil came out, Tahir stomped his foot.

"We have to go quickly!"

Only then did Latil realize why Tahir had been calling her. A group of people on horseback was approaching at high speed from a distance.

"They must be the auction house manager's subordinates!"

"Let's go."

But just as they were about to run.

[Damn. I need that map to find the item.]

Latil flinched at the man's voice from inside the carriage.

'Item?'

He wouldn't be talking to himself in this situation, so it must be his inner thoughts. However, Tahir, unaware of this, shouted again as he watched the approaching subordinates.

"Hurry up!"

Even as Latil hesitated, Tahir grabbed her hand.

"Hurry up!"

But Latil couldn't easily leave and looked at the carriage while urgently calling out to Tahir.

"Just 30 seconds!"

In 30 seconds, the man would say something crucial.

"No way!"

[How can I face the Prince?]

Prince! Between running away and listening to the man for 30 seconds, Latil couldn't decide. But as soon as she heard the word "Prince," she turned around decisively. This. I have to hear this! Shocked, Latil pushed Tahir away and ran to the carriage. At that moment, something heavy hit her shoulder, and she rolled on the ground. A sharp pain and pressure on her shoulder and legs followed, making her feel very uncomfortable. After a few rolls, Latil saw Tahir in front of her. Her back was on the hard ground. Tahir had rolled on the ground with her, covering her. Almost simultaneously, a loud explosion sounded, and the carriage exploded.

"!"

Red flames burst out like a lush cloud and then subsided, followed by something whizzing through the air.

"Ugh."

Before Latil could recognize what it was, Tahir let out a short groan and collapsed on top of her. Latil's eyes widened. She still didn't understand what had happened.

"Tahir? Tahir?"

Latil called out to Tahir, moved him to the side, and stood up. The first thing she saw was Tahir's back. His back was covered in bright red blood. His clothes were torn to shreds, and parts of his back were even charred.

"Oh, Tahir. No, Tahir!"

He had suffered burns. Latil, holding Tahir's shoulder, opened her mouth to speak and then looked at the carriage. If Tahir, who had been far from the explosion, was in this state, the carriage was even worse. The sturdy carriage was now in pieces. The man, too. Seeing the man, who had been wearing a mask, rolling with the carriage debris, Latil's mouth opened. The sound of galloping horses was getting faster, and her head spun in confusion. What... What is happening? Who attacked the carriage? My enemy? The man's enemy? Or his ally? Latil, holding Tahir, looked around. Who? Who did this? Who?

* * *

"High Priest."

The High Priest, who was exercising alone in the deep night, opened his eyes at the whispering voice. Looking out the window, he saw Latil standing on the railing.

"Your Majesty? Why are you coming this way instead of using the door?"

"Let's take a night walk for a bit."

"Now?"

"Quickly."

The High Priest, confused, quickly wiped off his sweat, put on a light coat, and went out. However, Latil, who had intended to take a walk, put the High Priest in a carriage.

"Are we taking a walk in a carriage?"

The answer was chilling.

"Tahir was badly injured."

"Tahir, the druggist...?"

"Yeah, him."

The High Priest, adjusting his posture, asked.

"What happened?"

Latil, lifting the curtain on the carriage window to check outside, and confirming no one was around, explained.

"I found out that the culprits who desecrated Abama's tomb were looking for a certain map. I heard it was going to be auctioned, so Tahir and I went to find it."

The carriage continued to move, making creaking sounds. Latil sighed and grabbed his hair with one hand.

"Someone bought the map at the auction, and I took it from him. But... the carriage exploded. Tahir shielded me and suffered severe burns on his back. Moreover, pieces of the carriage were embedded in his back."

"Who did this? Could it be that the enemies, to get the map, killed the person who bought it at the auction?"

"No, it's not that. The person who bought the map at the auction was also suspicious."

"Suspicious?"

"When I took the map, I asked if he was from 'Zao.'"

"Zao?"

"We need to find out. The problem is something else."

"Is there more?"

Latil, about to explain further, stopped as the carriage stopped and patted the High Priest's shoulder.

"I'll tell you later with Tahir."

Latil, putting on his hat, got out of the carriage, and the High Priest quickly followed. The carriage had stopped at a seemingly ordinary inn. Latil led the High Priest to the farthest room on the second floor. As soon as they entered, Latil closed the door, drew the curtains, and took off his hat, while the High Priest approached Tahir, who was lying on the bed.

"Wow."

Although he had already heard, Tahir's injuries were clearly severe.

"Please treat him."

"Of course. Don't worry."

While the High Priest used his holy power to treat Tahir, Latil held her head. She had carried Tahir here, despite the danger, to save him. Latil was also quite shaken.

"It's done."

"Already?"

"I am a capable High Priest, after all."

When the High Priest said the treatment was complete, Latil quickly went to the bed. Tahir's back, which had been a mess, was now smooth and intact. Latil, seeing this, relaxed and leaned her head on the High Priest's shoulder, muttering.

"I was scared you might die. ...I'm glad you're alive."

Tahir, lying on the bed, responded.

"You should say such touching words while hugging me. Why are you suddenly saying this here?"

With his usual cheeky tone, Latil, instead of scolding him, quickly lifted her head.

"Tahir? Are you conscious?"

Tahir groaned and tried to sit up. However, even though he was treated, he didn't immediately recover, and his arms felt weak. Latil quickly supported him, and Tahir naturally kissed Latil's cheek and smiled.

"Isn't it better to have me by your side?"

"You really are fine now."

Latil, reflexively about to pat Tahir's leg, sighed and nodded. Tahir grinned and moved his buttocks to the side.

"Shall we sit side by side?"

"Never mind. Lie down."

Latil, pressing Tahir's chest to make him lie down comfortably, apologized.

"I'm sorry, Tahir. I should have run away quickly, but I went to the carriage because I heard something strange."

Tahir smiled, as if he had expected this.

"I thought you must have discovered something, given that you went there despite the danger."

"Even though you tried to stop me?"

"Whatever you discovered, the most important thing to me is Your Majesty's life."

"..."

"But what did you discover?"

The High Priest, who had been listening quietly, also leaned in, curious about this part. Latil, looking around and checking if anyone else was nearby, cautiously spoke.

"The culprit muttered to himself. He said he couldn't face the Prince."

When Latil finished, the High Priest, confused, asked.

"The Prince? Which Prince?"

Latil immediately thought of two Princes.

"Prince Heum. Or Prince Tlara. One of the two."

"Huh?"

To the even more surprised High Priest, Latil explained the story of Empress Aini and Prince Heum that Tahir had told her. There was a possibility that Prince Tlara was alive, and the same could be true for the other.

"Still, the possibility is higher for Tlara. The events related to Heum are happening on Aini's side."

The room fell silent for a moment, overwhelmed by the enormity of the story. Finally, Latil, taking out the map from her pocket and gripping it tightly, said.

"The map they tried to prevent from leaking, even by killing people. From what I saw briefly, it seemed to hide something. It must show something important to them. ...I need to find it."

The High Priest, surprised, stepped forward.

"It's dangerous for you to go yourself. Why not entrust it to the White Flower Sect?"

"No. I'm worried about leaving my position, but I need to go myself. I don't know who the enemy is within."

Latil, looking at the High Priest and Tahir, said in a low voice.

"The only ones I'm sure won't betray me are you, Tahir, and Klein."

However, the High Priest still looked worried.

"But if Your Majesty leaves, the state affairs...?"

"I won't be gone for long, and I'll naturally handle official diplomatic duties. I'll ask my brother to take care of important matters."

"Prince Leam? Your Majesty. Prince Leam is also a 'Prince.' What if...?"

The High Priest was still worried, but Latil was firm this time.

"No one else, but my brother will never betray me. My brother's closest confidants might dislike me and plot against me, but the possibility is low. My brother won't actively betray me."