Saga of the Two-World Emperor
Volume 1: A Spark in the Ashes
Chapter 12 – The First Piece on the Board
Adrian remained perfectly still in his hard, wooden chair. The candlelight on his desk flickered slightly, causing his shadow to stretch and distort across the cold stone wall behind him. He showed no signs of panic, nor did he turn his head towards the door. The feeling of being watched, emanating from the dark gap beneath his door, was as palpable as an invisible hand stroking his back.
*Lady Isabella… she works faster than I anticipated,* he thought, his mind a pool of cold calm. *She must be suspicious about the money I gave Demian and has grown wary of me stepping out of my designated role… Sending a spy is the most logical first move.*
Instead of fear… he felt a slight thrill. This was a game he was familiar with… a game of information and wits.
He remained motionless for another long moment, pretending to be deep in thought over the open book before him. Then, he let out a deliberate, exaggerated yawn, feigning exhaustion. He slowly closed the heavy tome, the sound of the cover thudding softly in the quiet room. He stood up, stretched, and walked over to extinguish the candle, plunging the entire room into a darkness broken only by the pale moonlight.
The shadow under the door shifted slightly… before disappearing into the silence of the hallway.
Adrian stood still in the darkness, an unseen smile playing on his lips.
*A trap… I must set a trap.*
The next morning, Adrian went about his daily routine as usual. He tended to his "Silverleaf Sage" in the abandoned garden, which was now growing beautifully. Afterwards, he returned to his room to read. But today… he had a plan.
He waited until lunchtime, when Lilia would arrive. He deliberately chose a text on "Basic Alchemy" that Finn had procured for him and left it open on his desk. The page displayed strange symbols and complex-looking formulas for transmuting minerals. It was the perfect "bait."
When Lilia came in with his meal, he spoke in a weary tone.
"Lilia, I'm not feeling very well today… It must be the cooling weather. I think I'll go rest in the old library for a while. The fireplace there should be warmer."
The old library was another abandoned part of the west wing, a place no one ever visited.
"Shall I accompany you, Young Master?" Lilia asked with concern.
"That won't be necessary," Adrian shook his head. "I just want some quiet rest. Please look after my room for me. Don't let anyone disturb it."
He deliberately emphasized the last sentence to make it sound important.
"Yes, Young Master," Lilia replied dutifully.
Adrian walked slowly out of the room. But instead of heading straight for the old library, he doubled back and hid himself in a dark corner of the hallway… a spot from which he had a clear view of his bedroom door.
He waited… waiting with the patience of a spider for a fly to stumble into its web.
Nearly half an hour passed.
Finally… a figure appeared at the end of the corridor. It wasn't Lilia, but another servant girl named Emma. She moved with a nervous, furtive energy, constantly looking left and right. When she was certain no one was around, she quietly pushed Adrian's door open and slipped inside.
*The fly has entered the web.*
Adrian didn't rush in immediately. He waited for another five minutes… giving the spy enough time to search and find the "bait" he had laid out.
Then… he walked back to his own room as silently as possible.
Creeak…
He pushed the door open without a sound.
Emma, who was hunched over his desk, jumped as if she had been struck by lightning. She spun around, her face as pale as a ghost's. In her hand, she was still holding the alchemy textbook.
"Y-Young Master!" Her voice trembled violently. "Y-You're back! I… I was just cleaning…"
"Cleaning?" Adrian asked, his voice cold. He stepped into the room and slowly closed the door behind him. The soft "click" of the latch sounded like a death knell, making Emma's body tremble uncontrollably.
"You're a terrible liar… Emma."
Adrian walked until he was standing directly in front of her. His expression was still impassive, but his eyes were chillingly cold. He focused his mind, unleashing his "Emperor's Will," and projected an aura of pressure with its full force.
Emma felt as if a mountain had suddenly dropped on top of her. She found it hard to breathe, a cold sweat broke out on her forehead, and her legs shook so badly she could barely stand.
"I… I'm sorry, Young Master! Please… please don't hurt me!" She collapsed to her knees on the floor, tears of pure terror streaming down her face.
"Who sent you?" Adrian asked, his voice flat.
"The… the Lady… Lady Isabella sent me!" Emma confessed immediately. "She was suspicious about where you got the money… so she ordered me to watch you… and to find any 'evidence' of anything unusual… I'm so sorry, Young Master! I didn't want to do it, but my family…"
"Enough," Adrian interrupted, retracting his aura. The oppressive atmosphere in the room returned to normal.
He crouched down in front of the trembling girl.
"Get up," he said, his voice softening slightly.
Emma didn't dare to move.
"I said, get up," he repeated. This time, Emma slowly pushed herself to her feet, though she still didn't dare to meet his eyes.
"I'm not going to hurt you… and I won't tell anyone about this," Adrian said.
His words made Emma look up at him in disbelief.
"R-Really?"
"Yes," Adrian nodded. "But… you will work for me now."
He took out a small pouch of coins and handed it to her. Inside were several silver coins… enough to cover her family's expenses for a month.
"This is an advance payment… and you will get more… if you do as I say."
Emma looked at the pouch in her hand, then back at Adrian's face, utterly confused.
"Lady Isabella wants to know about me, doesn't she?" Adrian smiled faintly. "Good… then you will simply report everything that 'I want her to know'."
He slowly explained his plan… for her to report that he was obsessed with alchemy… for her to secretly bring a "strengthening potion formula" that he had deliberately written incorrectly to the Lady… and for her to report all of Lady Isabella's and Demian's movements back to him.
"You will become a double agent… but your loyalty will be to me, and me alone," Adrian stated. "If you do your job well… I promise your family will never have to struggle again. But if you think of betraying me…"
His eyes turned to ice once more.
"…I can guarantee that your fate will be far worse than any punishment the Lady could ever devise."
Emma swallowed hard, her throat dry. She knew this was an offer she couldn't refuse.
"…I… I will do everything you command… my lord."
"Good," Adrian nodded, satisfied. "Now go back… act as normal as possible… and bring me your first report tonight."
After Emma left, filled with a mixture of fear and relief, Adrian returned to his desk. He looked at the empty space on the table… as if it were an invisible chessboard.
He had just made his first move… placing a spy in the enemy's camp.
The game within the Walther manor… had truly begun.
(End of Chapter 12)