The western watchtower stood on a rocky slope just beyond the castle walls.
From a distance, it looked intact.
No smoke.
No visible damage.
No signs of battle.
Which was exactly the problem.
Lucien sat wrapped in a thick fur cloak, held securely in the arms of an older maid as knights escorted them forward. Snow crunched beneath iron boots. The wind howled sharply, biting at exposed skin.
A tower going silent without a single alarm…
That didn't happen by accident.
Someone turned it off.
The system window hovered quietly at the corner of his vision.
[Sub-Quest Active: Identify the Traitor]
Time Remaining: 29 Days
Threat Level: Rising
I don't have time to play detective like a grown man.
So I'll do this the only way I can.
By watching people lie.
The tower door was open.
That alone sent a ripple of unease through the knights.
"Stay alert," one muttered.
Inside, the smell hit first.
Metal.
Oil.
And blood—fresh, but wiped poorly.
Three soldiers lay inside.
Not dead.
Unconscious.
Bound.
Their armor had been removed neatly and stacked to the side.
Too neatly.
Lucien's gaze swept the room.
No broken furniture.
No signs of struggle.
No panic.
Professionals.
This wasn't a bandit raid.
This was internal.
A captain knelt beside one of the soldiers and checked his pulse.
"They're alive, my lord," he said to the Duke, who had arrived moments earlier. "Knocked out cleanly."
Duke Alaric's expression darkened.
"Who was assigned here?"
The captain hesitated.
"…Sir Roland's men."
Lucien felt it.
A subtle shift.
Not in the air.
In behavior.
Several knights stiffened.
Others avoided eye contact.
Sir Roland.
One of Valemont's most senior commanders.
Loyal.
Trusted.
Too trusted.
Lucien looked down.
The system flickered.
[Suspicion Target Identified: Roland of Westreach]
Certainty: 41%
Status: Inconclusive
Not enough.
Forty-one percent is nothing.
I need proof.
Or leverage.
As the Duke turned to issue orders, Lucien tugged gently at the maid's sleeve.
"Put me down," he said softly.
She froze.
"My—my lord? It's dangerous—"
"I want to walk," Lucien insisted.
His voice was calm.
Too calm for a child.
The Duke noticed.
"…Let him."
The maid hesitated, then complied.
Lucien's boots touched the stone floor.
Cold.
Solid.
Real.
He took a few careful steps forward—unsteady, but deliberate.
Everyone watched.
Children of nobles were symbols.
Every action mattered.
Lucien stopped near a fallen soldier.
He crouched—awkwardly, slowly—and reached out.
The knight tensed.
"My lord, please don't—"
Lucien's small fingers brushed the man's glove.
And paused.
Something was wrong.
The glove smelled faintly…
Not of iron.
Not of blood.
But oil.
Lamp oil.
Fresh.
Why would a watchtower soldier oil his gloves?
Unless—
He handled the signal mechanism.
Lucien looked up.
His eyes met the Duke's.
Then he did something unexpected.
He smiled.
A soft, innocent smile.
And spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear.
"They were very brave," Lucien said. "They didn't scream."
Silence.
A few knights frowned.
The Duke stiffened.
"…Explain."
Lucien tilted his head, pretending confusion.
"People scream when they're surprised," he continued gently. "But they didn't. That means they trusted the person who came."
A pause.
The captain swallowed.
Trust.
That word cut deep.
Lucien turned his gaze—slowly, carefully—toward one man.
Sir Roland.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
A veteran.
A man who had watched Lucien grow since infancy.
Roland's expression didn't change.
But his right hand twitched.
Just a little.
Got you.
The system pulsed.
[Suspicion Certainty Increased]
Target: Roland of Westreach
Certainty: 68%
Not enough to accuse.
Enough to pressure.
Lucien took a small step back and yawned.
"I'm sleepy," he said, suddenly sounding like a child again. "Can we go home?"
Confusion rippled through the knights.
The Duke stared at his son for a long moment.
Then—
"…Yes."
He turned sharply.
"Captain. Seal the tower. Quietly. No arrests."
Roland's eyes widened—just a fraction.
"Quietly?" he asked.
"Yes," the Duke replied coldly. "If there is a traitor… we let him think he is safe."
Lucien was lifted back into the maid's arms.
As they turned away, he met Roland's gaze one last time.
The knight smiled.
A warm.
Loyal.
Perfect smile.
And Lucien understood something important.
This man wasn't desperate.
He wasn't greedy.
He was confident.
Meaning—
He has backing.
And that means…
This betrayal is bigger than one man.
Back in his chamber that night, Lucien lay awake, staring at the canopy above his bed.
The system interface hovered silently.
[Warning]
Enemy Awareness Increased
Assassination Probability: Rising
He exhaled slowly.
So this is how it starts.
No magic.
No swords.
No heroics.
Just lies, trust, and timing.
If I make one wrong move—
I die.
But if I wait—
I also die.
Lucien clenched his small fist beneath the blanket.
Fine.
If adults want to play politics…
I'll play too.
And I won't lose.
Outside the castle walls, snow continued to fall.
And somewhere in the dark—
A message was sent.
"The child noticed."