Silvester's sharp eyes glow like and sparkled like the blue skies. Sir George information has arrived and they already have the list of the people that Evelyn said have been in the faction of the Crown Prince Edickart and Second Prince Adley.

The head of Edickart's faction, Marquise Dua is a noble family with a long history and roots from the Levingstone Kingdom and has always sided with the Crown Prince that the King picked. He has six noble families under his feet, which also supports the Crown Prince.

​​

While Adley has Marquise Sloane as his supporter, it is where his aide, Ishid, came from. The known house Sloane, a family of magic users and also famous for experiments that brought revolution to the Kingdom.

"Of course, both Princes have a strong faction…" Silvester said.

"You're right, your highness… but what I'm confused about is House Sloane has said to always side with a Prince that is sure to become the next king. I also learned that the house Sloane has made a deal with Prince Adley."

"Every house that sided with each faction would have made a deal if you consider the result of the battle for the throne. They will attack and try to gain everything from the Prince, be it power, wealth or whatever." Silvester shrugged.

He also knew about it, he's also a prince. The nobles have always been siding with the person who they think will bring them in a higher position and will take their house's name to fame.

"Did you find something odd? Did you learn about the contents of the deal?" Silvester asked as he questioned George who kept frowning.

"Why is your face like that?" He continued to ask.

"It's because... your highness, the things I've learned seem to be not aligning…"

"Then, tell me what it is." Silvester said frustratingly as he saw his knight pausing and making the revelation a suspense.

"Yes, your highness… Ahem!"

"Sloane house has been close to Marquise Dua and the other Marquise that has been obliterated when Duke Keene was on a rampage four years ago. And house Sloane that time is always on the magic tower doing experiments with magic. The spy that we have there said that the magic tower is said to have been occupied by slaves and children of the slums."

"What do you mean? This country still have slaves?"

"Your highness, the levingstone Kingdom, demolished the slave decades ago but the spy said that the magic tower, specifically house Sloane, had been paying slave traders to have some and get some slaves. And no one seems to get out after getting in."

"Ha! I'm sure that the bastard Crown Prince knew about this but didn't tell us anything. Well, it's their business, so I guess I shouldn't meddle with that."

Silvester again, shrugged the information that he got from George. He decided to let that information sink in his deepest consciousness. Then, he simply let the words that he wanted to say the most left in his mouth.

"How about Evelyn's father?" he asked. It was the second assignment that he assigned to George while he was out gaining information.

***

Chrisfold sat in the seat next to Evelyn. She saw the grim look on his face and eventually she asked what was wrong.

"Your... I don't know how to start" Chrisfold couldn't explain the situation to Evelyn.

Evelyn knit her brows and asked again her question.

"Just tell me what you learned… so, what is it?"

She felt the frustration rising up and she also felt the hesitation with his voice and eventually, a little more time and Chrisfold tells him what he found out in the duchy.

"First, there was a rumor that your father is in deathbed..."

"Yes, I know about that." she agreed rather quickly and beckon Chrisfold to continue.

"When I heard about it, I immediately investigated and sneaked in the mansion. Your father seems to have been poisoned."

Evelyn held her hand high, signaling to make Chrisfold stop as she organized her thoughts. Then, she started to ask.

"But you said he's alright?"

"Yes, he seems to be fine now."

"Then, that's fine."

Chrisfold looked at Evelyn's nonchalant response. It was because the topic is her family but the reactions seem to be a little weak.

Evelyn sighs when he tries to think about it again.

"How did he get poisoned?"

"No one knew, they said that one day they found the Duke in his study unconscious."

"That's suspicious…"

"And no one heard someone breaking in?" She continued.

"Yes… it's too suspicious if you think about it and the servants seem to be ignoring and not paying much attention to the incident."

Tap… Tap…!

Evelyn tapped the table in front of her and started to think.

"Did you learn what kind of poison he got?"

"It's black mana…"

Evelyn looked at Chrisfold in shock. "Father got poisoned because of Black mana? What do you mean?"

"Because your father also has the same situation as you are years ago…" Chrisfold calmly explained.

"That can't be… he knew that mother died because of black mana, so he's familiar with that affinity. I'm sure of it."

Now, different kinds of scenarios have been playing in her head.

"Is the Duke acting strange? Did you hear something from the other servants?"

Her question kept on increasing as she learned what was happening in the duchy.

"The Duke is said to have been emotionless these days… I mean, we spirits know that your father is cold but when I observed him, he seemed to be always in a daze. And..."

"What?"

"It looks like your Father's consciousness is sealed." Chrisfold said.

He knew about black mana and black magic a bit. He was a spirit that has been living like Gil, a thousand year old spirit. He has some share of weird experiences and boring days. And what he was witnessing in the duchy seems to be on the side of peculiarity.

"Ha-hahaha!" Evelyn laughs, now she was certain.

"Father must have been cursed too…"

Evelyn laughed merrily "Ha-hahaha!" and a few seconds later, her laugh stops and her eyes are bloodshot because of anger.

"So, now they are targeting him? They must have been doing this for a long time!" She grits her teeth.

She knew about the effects of curse, like her, the demeanor and the mind will be different. The dark side of the person will be the one to resurface and he won't realize what was happening until he breaks the curse or like her, waking up because of trauma from the head.

Chrisfold is giving his opinions when Evelyn turns her head to the window that can see the outside market.

Evelyn saw a familiar hair color dress in a cloak and seemed to be peeking if anyone saw her and stealthily went to the back alley. She immediately stands up and runs through the door.

Chrisfold was flustered and looked at where she was looking before following her contracted master.

'That's Elise! What is she doing here?!'

Evelyn decided to activate her mana and erase her presence just like what she did back then in the academy. She also went into the alley where Elise headed, Chridfol is following her too.

They stopped when they saw Elise knock in one of the doors in the slums. Chrisfold and Evelyn were silently observing the situation as they hid themselves in one of the narrow alleys.

What they saw was a typical soldier that dressed in dirty casual clothes but his demeanor still looked like a civilized soldier.

"There's something there…" Chrisfold whispers.

"Chrisfold uses your earth mana to see how many people are inside."

Chrisfold nodded after hearing his master give an order. He closed his eyes for a while and opened it again.

"There's a couple of people inside where that lady went, while the corridors are empty and the guard are only at the doors."

"So, they are loose in guarding their secret meeting place?" She smirked and continued.

"You know the layout, right?"

"Yes, master."

Chrisfold is now addressing her as what he used to do. Evelyn looked at him when she heard the formal and stiff address from him but decided to ignore it as they have important things that they needed to do.

"Let's go in…" she said and Chrisfold, her earth spirit, led the way.

Evelyn and Chrisfold entered through an open window on the second floor. Because the guards are not guarding properly they infiltrated the house without much trouble.

"I'll activate my magic… as long as no one speak, we can hide using my camouflage magic." Chrisfold snapped and Evelyn's feet started to vanish.

Evelyn's eyes shot up in amazement.

'Wow, so this is how he can infiltrate without people noticing him. I should always bring Chrisfold with me…' she decided to always be with her spirits from today on.

"Let's go…" she said before completely hiding with Chrisfolds magic.