Theater of Traitors
“Well, don’t take it too personally. This is still all for the good of the Empire, after all. Honestly, trash like you is better off dead anyway?”
Robin drew a dagger from his bosom and gripped it tightly.
“I really, truly can’t stand the sight of you…”
Stab.
As if he couldn’t care less about Ricardo’s heartfelt words, Robin’s dagger pierced straight through his heart and emerged from the other side.
“Phew, how long has it been since I last tasted this freedom?”
No one watching him now.
Even though he was deep in enemy territory, Robin’s body felt lighter than ever.
That Lieutenant Palan bastard was definitely here earlier.
He hadn’t seen his face, but that repulsive voice had drilled right into his ears.
Thank goodness time had cooled his emotions; if this had been Robin from the early days of the punishment unit, he wouldn’t have held back from charging in.
Chasing after him now… too late anyway.
Even if he did pursue, he had no confidence in taking on all the monsters lurking near the guy.
“More importantly, Kremble Theater Academy. I figured they’d just set it up somewhere remote, but they actually put some real effort into this.”
The reason Robin had pinpointed the lab’s location.
On the surface, it looked like he was selling out the Lycan Empire to become a massive hero, but the truth was the exact opposite.
But no matter how good the disguise, if Major Vocard leaked the position, it’s over.
And Robin rated the odds of that pretty high.
If that guy did leak it…
His mind whirred like an abacus.
The conclusion was simple.
“Tch, no time to slack off.”
Robin didn’t rest for even a second as he raced toward the lab.
“Sir! Sergeant Jerrun, where are you off to at this late hour?”
The soldier on guard duty at the battalion gate spotted Sergeant Jerrun and snapped wide awake, his drooping eyes flashing open.
“My daughter back home is sick, so I’ve gotta rush over.”
“Aigoo, it’s so late—the roads down are dangerous. You going alone?”
“Troops had a rough day with all the incidents today; can’t drag anyone out for personal business. I’ll just be careful.”
It was the picture of an ideal officer, so naturally, the soldier was touched.
“If I weren’t on duty, I’d go with you. Take care out there, sir.”
“Yeah, you too. Keep up the good work.”
“Sir!”
Sergeant Jerrun mounted his horse, passed through the gate, and left the battalion behind.
A few minutes later, as the soldier started drifting back toward half-sleep, another officer approached on horseback.
“Uh… uh, sir!”
On night duty at this hour, spotting even one person was rare, let alone two already.
The soldier inwardly cursed his luck while checking the officer’s face.
“Lieutenant Aisa, right?”
“Yes. Tough shift in the wee hours.”
“No problem, ma’am. What brings you out so late?”
“Who was that who just left?”
“Just now? Sergeant Jerrun. Said his daughter was sick and rushed down to the village.”
“I see.”
Lieutenant Aisa glanced in the direction Sergeant Jerrun had gone and tightened her grip on the reins.
Sergeant Jerrun.
Ever since Palan left, Aisa had secretly investigated every company member, skimping on sleep to do it.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t turned up anything major.
But investigations like that always paid off eventually—and now was that time.
His daughter’s supposed to be at an academy in the south.
And it was right in the middle of term, so the odds of her being here were slim to none.
“Something wrong, ma’am?”
“No. He went alone?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s dark and late; I’m worried.”
“Mm. I’ll catch up and come back. If anyone asks, let ’em know.”
“Yes, ma’am. Take care. Sir!”
The soldier saluted her exactly as he had Sergeant Jerrun and let Lieutenant Aisa pass.
Once out of the battalion, she began tailing him from a safe distance where she wouldn’t be spotted.
Why this way?
To head to Sergeant Jerrun’s registered address, he should’ve taken a left at the fork—but he’d gone right.
So the sick daughter story’s a flat-out lie.
Where the hell was he heading, dragging his own daughter into the deception?
Normally, she wouldn’t care, but with Palan’s warning ringing in her ears, she couldn’t let it slide.
If the operation succeeds, someone’ll make a move.
It’d been nearly a week since Palan left.
If the op had worked, results should be showing now—and reactions starting.
But where the hell is he going?
Two hours out of the battalion now.
They’d already passed all the villages where officers’ families lived.
He hasn’t spotted me tailing him, has he?
Worried, she followed another hour, and Sergeant Jerrun entered an unfamiliar village.
Boat Village…?
Not near base, so she’d never heard of it. Aisa tied her horse nearby and proceeded on foot.
He moves like he knows the place cold.
Navigating the narrow alleys without hesitation—it sure wasn’t his first time.
Walking and walking, they’d passed the village center before she knew it.
What the hell’s out here?
The only thing in sight was a long stretch of communal graveyard.
The path might be a bit spooky at night, but Sergeant Jerrun didn’t bat an eye and kept going.
And at the end stood an unexpected large building.
A theater?
The last place anyone should visit at this hour.
But Sergeant Jerrun glanced around warily once, then slipped inside.
Should I go in? Too risky.
Once inside a building, the chance of getting spotted skyrocketed.
“Tch, should’ve jumped him before he went in.”
Regretting her dulled judgment from the long tail, Aisa pulled herself together.
What would the company commander do here?
In this pinch, ironically, the first person who came to mind was Palan Oclo.
And in Aisa’s mind, there was only one action Palan would take.
He’d charge in without a thought for his life to complete the mission.
Sure, he sometimes acted like he held back a bit, but Aisa knew.
He was a soldier with ironclad professional ethics who’d do anything for the mission.
I can’t disappoint the company commander.
This was the chance he’d specially made for her.
If she ran off scared now, how could she ever face him again?
“Hoo.”
Lieutenant Aisa steadied her trembling heart, circled the theater, and searched for an entry point.
There.
One open window at the back.
Spotting it, she crept up quietly and checked the surroundings.
No traps in sight.
Confirming it was safe, Aisa hoisted herself through and slipped inside.
Behind the stage.
Curtains blocking the front, prop boxes scattered everywhere.
Just a standard space for prepping a play—nothing special.
“You made it in good time.”
As she scanned warily, an unfamiliar man’s voice came from the stage direction.
“Ran here without a break. What’s the situation?”
The next voice was Sergeant Jerrun’s—easy to recognize since she heard it daily.
“Word is the op team got hit by the Lycans. Was wondering why contact went dark.”
“What? How the hell did that happen?”
“Survivor says they figured out how to locate the steles.”
“What do you mean? Is that even possible?”
Sergeant Jerrun’s voice dripped disbelief.
“Not impossible in theory. Analyze about seventy percent of the circuits, and you can craft a tracking magic tool.”
From eavesdropping so far, Aisa had gleaned two key pieces.
First: the unfamiliar man talking to Jerrun outranked him.
Second: the operation had been a smashing success, just as Palan predicted, and the enemy was squirming.
They even clashed directly with Aditz forces. He’s gotta be okay, right?
The worry came naturally, but she shoved it aside and focused back on the conversation.
“So we pull out?”
“That’s the plan for now. Head down and help pack. We leave before dawn.”
“Understood.”
Seemed like the most crucial info yet—Aisa clenched her fist tight.
Before dawn? Not much time left.
Even calling for backup right now would be cutting it close.
Go now.
No need to hear more; as Aisa moved to slip away—
A line stopped her cold.
“But what do we do about the little rat you brought along?”
Whoosh!
The man whipped a dagger from his belt and hurled it at the ceiling over the stage.
You might think he missed his aim, but the dagger flew true.
Slice!
“Huh…?”
The dagger severed one of the two ropes holding up the curtain dividing backstage from the seats.
The boundary vanished, bringing Sergeant Jerrun and Lieutenant Aisa face-to-face.
Sergeant Jerrun spoke first.
“The deputy commander… why are you here?”
His eyes and voice betrayed panic.
The man beside him clicked his tongue at the sight.
“Tch, told you to be careful, and you screw up like this. Disappointing.”
“That’s what I should be asking. Sergeant Jerrun, what the hell is going on here?”
Aisa had first thought to ignore everything and bolt, but realizing that was impossible took no time at all.
They’ve already surrounded the place.
Presences glaring at her from the shadows—at least three of them.
“Hah, why’d you tail me?”
Sergeant Jerrun looked genuinely distressed by the situation.
He’d always thought decently of this officer, but now she’d see him at his ugliest.
“Heading somewhere shady this late at night—how could I not follow? More importantly, Aditz dog, were you?”
Lieutenant Aisa hid her Intelligence Agency role and bared open hostility.
“Well, you’re here now—what’s the point hiding it? Yeah. Sorry about this.”
Sergeant Jerrun bowed his head with real sincerity in his voice.
The man watching from the side eyed Aisa up with a sinister gleam.
“Deputy commander—you’re from the Rinton Marquis family, right?”
“Yes.”
“Heh heh, talk about a windfall. Grab her as a hostage; we’ll take her with us.”
Noble heirs made prime leverage.
The value doubled for high nobles like the Rinton Marquis house, with their heavy sway in imperial politics.
“Fine… whatever.”
Sergeant Jerrun’s tone carried a hint of reluctance.
“What, gone soft after serving so long?”
“She’s like a niece to me—nothing like that. Just thought she was a decent person, is all.”
“Catching feelings for Lycans, and the op dragged on too long.”
“My apologies.”
“Forget it. It ends today anyway. Take her alive.”
At the man’s order, the troops hidden in the shadows stepped into view.