Chapter 72
* * *
“Have you heard? There’s a rumor going around that the lady of Baldomer leaked the mine information to Silverstel.”
At the knight’s hushed words, another knight glanced around before lowering his own voice.
“How could I not have heard? The rumor has spread everywhere among the vassal houses. It’s a shame, really. We’re probably the ones who know best who actually leaked that information.”
The man who had first spoken flinched in alarm and hurriedly shushed him.
“Hey! Watch what you’re saying! Don’t you know we’d lose our heads if we let something that confidential slip?”
“What does it matter? It’s just us here. Is there anyone in our unit who doesn’t already know?”
Jared, who had been sitting in a corner polishing the numerous daggers spread before him, stiffened at the men’s conversation.
His grip tightened around the handle of a dagger until the bones in his hand stood out.
This was the training grounds of the covert unit raised by House Schultz, one of Baldomer’s vassal houses.
Every vassal house had some organization or unit they secretly trained, but the head of House Schultz had been particularly devoted to cultivating a covert force.
A unit made up of knights and assassins who were renowned in both the shadows and the light.
That was House Schultz’s covert unit.
They carried out all manner of armed operations on behalf of House Schultz, along with secretive jobs that could never be brought into the open.
For example, stealing Baldomer’s information and passing it to Silverstel.
“I feel sorry for Madam Baldomer. She got blamed for everything just because she came from Heister.”
“What can you do? Small fry like us just do what we’re told.”
Jared, who had been silently listening to the men, finally lost his patience and shot to his feet.
One of the men looked at Jared’s somehow menacing demeanor and asked curiously.
“Jared, where are you going?”
Without even turning his head, Jared answered stiffly.
“Outside.”
It was the complete opposite of the cheerful, friendly impression he had given at the orphanage.
Here, he was cold and taciturn.
Apparently accustomed to that side of Jared, the man merely shrugged without suspicion and resumed his conversation with his companion.
Jared climbed onto the roof of the estate and sank into thought.
He had sworn to Juliana.
If the Madam ever found herself in difficulty, he would devote his life to helping her.
And now she had been falsely accused.
Worse, she was being blamed for something committed by House Schultz, the house he served.
Jared was loyal to House Schultz.
He was a man who had never hesitated to risk his life for a mission given by the house.
He knew very well that helping Juliana would be no different from betraying House Schultz.
Jared tightened his clenched fist.
He had sworn.
She was the benefactor of both him and the children.
Hadn’t he sworn that he would gladly devote this life to her?
He had to keep that oath.
If not for her, he wouldn’t be here today either.
It was already too late to contact her through the Vas Guild, as Juliana had instructed.
Besides, the person he needed to tell the truth wasn’t Juliana.
It was Kallion, who was probably suspecting her.
Having made up his mind, Jared kicked off the roof without hesitation and leapt down.
* * *
A dark figure stopped before the soldiers guarding the entrance to the Baldomer estate.
With the uproar surrounding the leaked mine information, the soldiers guarding the estate had become particularly sensitive.
“State your name.”
At the wary voice of the soldier, the man wrapped in a black robe answered quietly.
“I came to see the lord.”
At the deep male voice, the soldiers glanced at one another and frowned.
“You mean Lord Kallion? Do you have an appointment?”
It was already very late at night.
Even someone with an appointment normally wouldn’t be allowed to visit at this hour.
“What is your name?”
At the soldier’s suspicious question, Jared let out a deep sigh.
“There’s no time for that. Tell him I came from the Heloica Orphanage. He’ll understand.”
“An orphanage…?”
Even if he had said he came from a vassal house, there was no guarantee they would let him in.
The idea that someone from a mere orphanage wanted to meet Kallion in the middle of the night was ridiculous.
The soldiers frowned fiercely and shoved Jared by the shoulder.
“How dare some beggar from an orphanage demand to see anyone here? Get lost!”
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