Chapter 72

Can a mask only create one fake face? Latil repeatedly put on and took off the mask, trying hard to figure out its proper usage.

"It won't work."

But it wasn't easy. He didn't know if it had other functions, but he couldn't think of any other uses right away.

'It's okay. Even this much is useful enough.'

Although he was disappointed for a moment, Latil shook his head and quickly dispelled that thought. The mask's purpose was significant. It was worth the trouble the enemies went through to obtain it. It would be greedy to be disappointed just because it didn't have more value right now. That was when a loud and noisy commotion came from outside the window. People were shouting randomly, and the sounds of footsteps and voices were mixed together. Latil, just in case, put on the mask and approached the window. When he pulled back the curtain, he saw a group of soldiers rushing around, checking the faces of passersby. They would let those who cooperated go after just checking their faces, but they would roughly detain those who refused. They are looking for me and Sir Sorsan. Latil immediately understood why the soldiers were doing this. Leann must have issued orders after hearing that I had been there. He didn't even consider the possibility that the fake emperor had issued the orders, as the fake was likely one of Leann's people.

'Sir Sorsan must have gotten out safely, right?'

One of the soldiers, noticing Latil's gaze, looked up and stared at him. Their eyes met, but instead of avoiding the gaze, Latil deliberately stared back. The soldier, thinking Latil was just a spectator, soon lowered his head and continued to detain passersby as before. Latil closed the curtain and returned to the room, sitting on the bed.

'It won't be easy to meet Leann. Then, how should I infiltrate the palace?'

Sneak into the palace and meet Leann?

'Rejected. I'll definitely be caught.'

Sneaking in and out wouldn't be difficult. Latil knew the palace layout and the guard rotation times. However, it would be hard to meet Leann that way. Even as a simple prince, it would be difficult to meet him. Now, Leann has committed a secret and treasonous act that could turn the country upside down. As his only full brother, Latil knew that Leann was not a good person. So, he probably surrounded himself with guards.

'What if I disguise myself as a merchant?'

Merchants enter and leave the palace daily. The palace always needs a large amount of food and daily necessities, so disguising as a merchant might work...

'Big brother will know.'

Latil shook his head and abandoned that idea. Disguising as a merchant was too straightforward. As straightforward as possible. No one would pay attention. Just wandering around with this fake face, no one would care...

'Ah!'

Finally, an idea popped into Latil's head.

'I should enter as a maid.'

* * *

Latil knew exactly when the palace hired maids, what they were hired for, and what points were emphasized when hiring them. The palace was a desirable place to work due to the good pay and working conditions, so many people wanted to work there. However, many of those who were hired for their dream job quit for various reasons. Some were disliked by powerful people, found the work harder than expected, found it difficult to be careful around nobles and royals, saw things they shouldn't have, or stood in the wrong line...

Because of these reasons, the palace hired new people every three months, and Latil knew that the day was approaching. As soon as he made up his mind, Latil began preparing to enter and leave as a maid in a short period. First, he created a resume that the official in charge of hiring would love, and he wandered around busy places to create "acquaintances." He didn't need to forge an ID, as he already had several types of IDs for traveling incognito. He just needed to choose one. Naturally, Latil passed the document review and received a notice to come for an interview two days later. Finally, after all the preparations were complete, Latil dressed as neatly and unremarkably as possible and walked to the interview room attached to the palace's outer perimeter.

* * *

"The black mage?"

The emperor asked, and the knight replied in a stiff voice.

"We haven't found them yet."

The emperor raised an eyebrow and muttered.

"Is that so? They're better at running than I thought."

The knight responded matter-of-factly.

"Black mages have always lived in hiding."

The emperor smiled faintly in response.

That's right. Black mages have always lived in hiding, so they are good at running. But what they are looking for is not a black mage but the 'real' emperor. The emperor who was born as the queen's daughter and grew up pampered in the palace, like a flower in a greenhouse.

'But he won't be able to run for long.'

The palace was surrounded by soldiers, and Tarium was a powerful country. With so many people searching, they would eventually find him.

"Sir Sorsan?"

"He should be coming up soon, as I sent someone to fetch him."

"Yes. We need to find him before the fake meets him."

The 'fake emperor' Shait muttered to himself, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"Hmm?"

Then, Shait turned his head. A noisy sound came from outside. A loud, bright, and cheerful voice. The voices of a group of people rose and then faded away.

"What's that noise?"

When Shait approached the window and looked down, he saw maids gathered in groups, laughing and moving around.

"It must be because they're hiring new maids today. It's always noisy like this from the day they start hiring until about a week later."

Shait tilted her head.

"Maid?"

"Yes."

Shait turned her gaze back to the window and murmured, "Maid..."

Soon, a smile appeared on her lips.

"Right. She could come this way."

"Excuse me?"

Shait, instead of giving a long explanation, left the office and walked confidently to the interview room.

* * *

At that moment. The royal guard, who had been moving non-stop on Latil's orders, quickly arrived at the Melos territory. He immediately went to the lord's castle.

"My lord, where is Sir Sorsan? His Majesty has issued an urgent order."

Fortunately, the people or rumors sent by the 'fake emperor' had not yet reached here. The royal guard, feeling relieved, greeted the lord and immediately asked for Sorsan. However, the answer was unfortunate.

"Sorsan has already left. What's the matter? Is it urgent?"

The royal guard was surprised and opened his eyes wide. Sorsan had already left the territory? Had they missed each other? It seemed so.

"When did he leave?"

"Yesterday."

The lord of Melos, who answered, asked with a worried look.

"If it's very urgent, should I send someone? There are many ways to get from here to the palace, so I don't know which way he went."

Yesterday. If he had been riding hard for a day, he might already be quite far away. This can't be. The royal guard, feeling anxious, stomped his foot and quickly bowed.

"Thank you for letting me know, my lord. But it's fine. I need to find Sir Sorsan, so I'll be on my way. Goodbye."

If this continues, the people on the fake emperor's side are more likely to meet Sorsan first. It absolutely cannot happen.

* * *

When Latil entered the interview room, about twenty people were whispering to each other. They were all neatly dressed, with their hair tied back neatly. When Latil entered, the maid applicants turned their heads simultaneously but soon resumed their conversations without a word. Those who had made it this far had all passed the document review. Only a few of them would be hired, so they probably saw each other as rivals. That's why they only talked to people they knew. Latil sat in a corner without speaking, placed her hands on her thighs, and quietly waited for the interviewer to arrive. Soon, the official in charge, accompanied by two assistants, entered the waiting room. When they came in, the applicants fell silent. Latil, knowing that the official wouldn't recognize her, still felt anxious and wiggled her toes. Fortunately, the official, after glancing over the applicants, didn't even look at Latil and began speaking.

"Working in the palace is a great honor. However, to work in such a prestigious position, you need the necessary resolve and talent."

"..."

"One by one, you will enter the inner room for the interview. We may hire all of you or none of you, so don't think of the person next to you as a rival. Just show your own abilities."

The official went into the inner room, and the assistant followed. However, one assistant stayed at the door, kept an eye on the situation inside, and, when the official signaled, took out a notebook and called out a name.

"Miss Emma."

A woman with elaborate golden hair, who looked like a noble's daughter, stood up and entered the room confidently. However, she came out pale-faced in less than three minutes.

"What happened? What did they ask?"

The friend who had been talking to her asked, but Emma only opened her mouth and, with a pale face, replied.

"I'm not supposed to tell. Sorry. It's better if you go in and see for yourself."

It didn't seem like she was doing this just to get hired alone. What kind of questions were they asking inside? The other applicants nearby stiffened and started to tremble nervously. On the other hand, Latil, who had heard how the official screened the applicants, sat calmly without being nervous. Latil's name was called ninth.

"Miss Vanessa."

Latil stood up, neither too confident nor too nervous, and approached the door at a moderate pace. The assistant opened the door without suspicion, and Latil, to show a slightly nervous appearance, deliberately clasped her hands and entered. However, it was strange. As soon as Latil entered the interview room, she realized that the situation was completely different from what she had expected. The person sitting in the interviewer's seat was not the official but the fake emperor. The fake emperor, dressed like a noble's daughter, sat there. The official sat uncomfortably next to her, and the assistant was standing in the corner of the room. Latil used all her strength to control her facial muscles to avoid showing surprise. The fake Latil was sitting in the main seat but was deliberately dressed in plain noble attire. The official didn't inform the applicants that the person was the emperor and just sat quietly. In other words, the fake Latil was sitting there, hiding the fact that he was the emperor.

'So, you expected me to infiltrate as a maid.'

Latil realized that the fake not only had similar sword skills but also thought in a way similar to her. At this point, she wanted to grab her brother by the collar and seriously ask where he found such a woman.

'The face... it's not just a resemblance. Does he have a mask like mine that can change the face? There was a number 3 written on the old map. Yes, maybe he has several of those masks.'

In any case, if she showed any reaction to seeing the fake emperor, the fake emperor would realize that Latil was a fake applicant. Nobles were likely to know the emperor's face, but ordinary people were unlikely to have seen the emperor.

"Please sit here, Miss Vanessa."

The official, pointing to a small chair across the table, instructed. Latil, showing just enough nervousness for an interview, quickly sat down. As soon as she sat, she saw the fake emperor's face directly across from her. The fake Latil, who had been silent, fixed her gaze on Latil.