Fire Erases the Traces
“Abandon the western warehouse! Save the second eastern warehouse and the central medicinal stores first!”
My shout tore through the acrid air.
The dry winter wind was driving the flames into a frenzy. Every time the red fire licked at the eaves, a wave of stinging smoke rolled over us. Servants staggered about with water buckets; soldiers dragged sacks only to lose their way in the haze. It was pure chaos.
Dein immediately took up my order and bellowed,
“You heard him! Forget the west! Just like the young master said—central warehouse and the medicinal stores first!”
The crowd’s movements split. A few still hesitated, staring at the western warehouse already half-consumed, but there was no time to linger. Even as they fretted over the goods, embers leapt to the next roof.
The Imperial Princess dismounted and grasped the situation at once.
“It’s chaos. Where should we cut it off?”
I stretched out a hand and pointed to two spots.
“Between the first western warehouse and the central one—those connecting eaves have to go. Otherwise the wind will carry the fire straight across.”
She wasted no words. Once she had my advice, her decision was absolute. Golden mana flashed, and three thin lines scored the empty air.
Crack—!
Two eave pillars feeding the blaze were sheared clean through. The half-burned roof collapsed in a pillar of flame, but the path to the central warehouse was severed for good.
Meanwhile the Lady moved to the opposite side. Pale blue-white mana raced along the medicinal store’s roof, freezing the edges just as they began to catch. With the sharp crack of ice, the raging fire died.
It was a flawless combination, beyond any argument.
“That side should hold for a while.”
“…So it seems. Have the two of you always been close?”
“You mean Her Highness and me?”
“Yes. You look as though you’ve coordinated for quite some time.”
The Lady shook her head, clearly surprised by the question. Fair enough—under ordinary circumstances the pairing would have been unthinkable.
I turned at once toward the soldiers near the main building.
“Get the spare barrier stones out of the storage first! Grain comes after!”
One ashen-faced servant wailed,
“Y-Young master, the western warehouse still has the winter fodder—”
“I know.”
I cut him off without mercy.
“Leave it anyway. Try to save everything and we’ll lose it all.”
Only then did the servant close his mouth and bow his head. There was no time to hesitate over what was precious.
I plunged into the smoke. With my bandaged right hand useless, I hooked a water-soaked sack with my left arm and hauled it free. Tears stung from the reek, yet through the overturned crates I could see the points of origin.
The fire had started in three places at once. One of them was deep inside the warehouse. Someone had deliberately planted the embers.
“Young master! The interior is too dangerous!”
Dein shouted as he followed.
“That’s exactly why I have to check.”
I kicked aside a charred shelf. Beneath it lay shards of a broken oil bottle, sticky residue still clinging to them—oil that, once lit, would burn slow and long.
“This was arson, planned and deliberate.”
I clenched my teeth. Dein’s face hardened.
Another crash sounded behind us. The western roof the Princess had severed collapsed completely, sucking the fierce flames inward. The wind had shifted.
“Dein—left, the warehouse keeper’s room!”
At my order he launched himself forward. The tiny room beyond the smoke was oddly intact, almost mocking the chaos outside. Clear drag marks scored the floor around the desk and ledger chest—something had been hauled out in a hurry.
“The drawers are empty.”
While Dein reported, I examined the desk. A supply ledger lay half-open, its final pages roughly torn away. As I scanned the columns my brow tightened.
The numbers did not match. Grain, fodder, barrier-reinforcement powder, even medicinal herbs—anywhere from one to three crates missing, skimmed just carefully enough to escape notice. The fire had been a smokescreen for embezzlement.
“That animal…”
Dein spat the curse through gritted teeth.
I pulled a small scrap of paper from beneath the ledger. Only the torn edge remained; someone had ripped it free in haste.
[Second]
[East Side]
The Imperial Princess, who had followed us into the office, asked,
“Did you find something?”
I held out the ledger.
“Someone has been siphoning supplies.”
The Lady scanned the pages swiftly.
“Not enough to starve hundreds. They took only the essentials—the cream of the crop.”
“Yes. Fodder, reinforcement powder, medicinal herbs—everything critical for maintaining the barrier and for travel.”
The Princess narrowed her eyes.
“Do you know the destination?”
I showed her the remaining scrap.
“Only the words ‘Second’ and ‘East Side’ are left.”
“The second storage depot? Or the eastern outpost?”
I shook my head at her guess.
“There’s only one place near the main keep where someone could hide supplies out of sight.”
The map in my mind snapped into place.
“The abandoned eastern pumping station.”
Kyle, just arriving at the doorway and still gasping for breath, went pale at the words.
“Young master, that place is far more remote than the waterway office!”
“Exactly why it’s perfect for hiding. Few people, and the old water channels and underground lines are still intact.”
The Princess nodded.
“So that’s where Bren Theo stashed what he stole.”
“And the base from which he’ll plan whatever comes next.”
The Lady snapped the ledger shut as she added the thought.
Outside, shouts erupted.
“The fire’s under control!”
“We saved the central warehouse!”
The taut atmosphere of the keep eased a fraction. We had passed the worst. By sacrificing the western warehouse we had preserved the central stores, the medicinal supplies, and the spare barrier stones.
Only then did I let out a long breath.
The Princess surveyed the grounds.
“For now the keep has weathered the crisis.”
“But it’s only bought us time.”
The Lady’s voice was cold.
“If we don’t destroy their base, tomorrow night this place will be true ashes.”
She was right. Bren had set the fire to divert attention, then fled with the stolen goods. The blaze was no mere act of destruction—it was the foundation for the next stage.
Just then Dein, still searching under the desk, lifted something.
“…Young master.”
It was a supply-warehouse key tag. A familiar scratch marked one side of the wooden plaque: three lines and a slanted diagonal.
My expression went cold.
“Bren’s mark.”
“He always left that when he bound the old ledgers.”
Kyle added in a dazed voice. Even in his frantic escape the man had not managed to hide an unconscious habit.
“He came here himself and moved the goods.”
The Princess’s mouth twisted.
“Good. Now we know exactly who we’re dealing with.”
I turned.
“Your Highness.”
“Speak.”
“The fire recovery can be left to the head of House Elverhart and Kyle. The immediate blaze is out.”
Grasping my intent, the Lady stepped forward.
“You mean to track him at once, Lord Elverhart.”
“Yes. With the destination certain, there’s no reason to delay. We move now if we want to catch his trail.”
Kyle opened his mouth to protest.
“But young master, leaving your post in this situation—”
At that moment my father appeared in the doorway. He glanced from the chaos outside to the ledger and wooden tag in my hands, then asked shortly,
“Where?”
“The abandoned eastern pumping station.”
He did not hesitate for a single breath.
“Go.”
“My lord!”
Kyle recoiled, but Father raised a hand to silence him.
“I will control the keep. If that place is more urgent, do not hesitate—pursue.”
I gave a short nod. The Princess brushed dust from her cloak; the Lady had already checked her weapon and turned away.
Outside the air was still thick with smoke, yet the people who had been milling in confusion now moved in crisp order under clear command. I turned my back on the warehouses where the firefighting continued. My work here was finished.
“Dein.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Pick two more who know the terrain well.”
Dein answered and sprinted off. The Princess spoke quietly.
“From here on we’re outside the keep, Lord Elverhart.”
“So we are.”
“Will you take the lead again this time?”
Instead of answering I stared into the dense darkness. Beyond it lay the thread of the whole affair.
“Your Highness—until now we’ve only been chasing. This time we go to cut their throat first.”
At my words the Lady gripped her sword hilt and smiled faintly.
“I like that resolve.”
We left the keep—smoke and shouts tangled behind us—and stepped into the night wind.
“I like that there’s no hesitation in your stride, Lord Elverhart.”
“I doubt the Lady has ever known hesitation herself.”
“Hardly.”
Our destination was the abandoned eastern pumping station, drowned in pitch-black night. We had to set our feet on the man’s trail before this night ended.