[[A few days later]]


    (Leon''s POV)


    Leon entered the dimly lit chamber, the scent of parchment and burning candle wax thick in the air. He bowed slightly, the faint rustle of his coat breaking the silence. “Your Highness.”


    The prince, seated behind his grand mahogany desk, didn’t glance up. The soft scratch of his quill against parchment continued, steady and deliberate. He had expected Leon’s arrival the moment the historian’s boots crossed the threshold.


    “Report.” His voice, cool and commanding, cut through the stillness like a blade.


    Leon took a measured step forward. “As per your orders, I’ve observed every historian—their actions, their interactions—but nothing suspicious has surfaced among those present during the war.” He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “It’s possible we’re being misled about the true perpetrator.”


    The prince finally set his quill down, fingers steepling as his gaze lifted, sharp as a hawk’s. “And what do you think of Tuk?”


    A beat of silence. Leon’s throat felt dry. “Historian Tuk has been actively translating the scrolls and reporting his observations to me, as instructed, but...”


    The prince leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking softly. His piercing eyes gleamed with something between amusement and calculation. “If you’re suspicious of Tuk, why inform him about a spy within the historians?” His voice was light, almost playful, but the undertone was razor-sharp. “If he’s truly behind Pierce, wouldn’t it be easier for him to manipulate how we perceive his actions?”


    Leon’s shoulders tensed. He had no response. His silence stretched, thickening the air between them.


    The prince exhaled a slow, measured breath, his lips curling into a smirk. “Trust, Leon,” he mused, his fingers tapping idly against the armrest, “is a blade I lend freely—not to shield, but to strike when they least expect it.”


    Leon’s jaw tightened. There it was—that unpredictable, ruthless side of the prince, the one that made it impossible to tell whether he was toying with his prey or setting them free.


    “By the way,” the prince mused, flipping through a document, “do the people of Ellis have a habit of cross-dressing?”


    Leon blinked, caught off guard. “I... I’m not sure what you mean, Your Highness.”


    The prince’s gaze sharpened, a mischievous glint in his eye. “You weren’t exactly caught when you disguised yourself as one of the late concubine’s maids, were you?”


    Leon’s lips pressed into a thin line, the memory still fresh in his mind. Forcing a smile, he replied darkly, “Did I do something wrong, Your Highness?” It was a polite yet firm request for the prince to drop the subject.


    The prince studied him for a moment before lazily shifting the conversation again. “Aren’t you going to visit the princess’s tomb? Why are you still here?”


    Leon exhaled softly, his faint smile returning, this time genuine. “Yes, I will, Your Highness. I’ll leave before noon tomorrow. I wanted to finish a few tasks before returning to Elthor. Thank you for your concern.”


    The prince glanced at him. “Hmm… Why not take the Royal Scholar with you?”


    Leon tilted his head. “The Royal Scholar?”


    “I’ve decided to change Tuk’s title as an advisor,” the prince said, resting his chin on his hand. “Didn’t she say she’s from Ellis? This might be a good chance for her to return to her homeland.”


    Realization dawned on Leon, and he nodded. “Oh… Well, if you allow it, Your Highness, I’ll take him along with me. I’ll inform him right away. I’m sure he’ll be happy to visit.”


    The prince’s smirk deepened. “Will she?”


    Leon frowned at the prince’s word choice but chose not to comment. Yet his thoughts lingered.


    From what had been gathered, there were no records of an orphan named Tuk in Ellis. Leon, once a leader of the kingdom, her had no recollection of his existence. Was he an undocumented outsider who slipped into Ellis illegally? Yet, the prince clearly thought differently.


    The prince leaned back, his tone reflective. “It might be fun to visit Elthor again after all these years, but I have more important matters to handle. When you’re there, visit the twins for me. I want a report on their progress. By now, at least one or two should be capable of handling a position.”


    Leon’s chest tightened. He understood the prince’s ambitions all too well. While he admired his leadership, the idea of his ultimate goal left him disheartened. Still, it wasn’t his place to interfere.


    “I’ll check on them thoroughly, Your Highness,” Leon promised solemnly.


    “Good. You may go.” The prince waved a dismissive hand.


    Leon turned to leave, but before he reached the door, the prince called out once more.


    “Oh, and Leon.” His voice was laced with amusement. “When Tuk gives you a tour of her homeland, make sure I hear about it. I’m very interested in the place she grew up.”


    Leon caught the small object the prince tossed his way, bowing once more. “As you wish, Your Highness.”


    As he walked out of the office, an unsettling thought gnawed at him. What has Tuk done this time to make His Highness so curious?


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    [[ A few hours later ]]


    (Tuk''s POV)


    Tuk stood before the Arcanographica, her pulse quickening as her eyes traced the ancient symbols.


    "I never really tried to take this scroll out before," she murmured, her breath shallow. "But now that I know it contains real power… I should at least test if I can."


    She darted a glance around the dimly lit chamber—empty. Good.


    With careful hands, she pressed against the glass encasing the scroll. Nothing. Not even a shift. She tried again, pushing harder, gritting her teeth as she dug her fingers against the edge. It was like trying to move a mountain.


    “What kind of glass is this?” she muttered, rapping her knuckles against it. The surface barely gave a dull thud. It wasn’t ordinary glass. It felt—denser. No cracks, no weaknesses. “Don’t tell me this is diamond?”


    Her frustration mounting, she placed both hands on either side of the case and shoved, leveraging her weight against it.


    Nothing.


    Tuk let out a sharp breath, sweat beading at her temple.


    "This is impossible…"


    She stepped back, hands on her hips, eyes scanning the chamber. The prince had to be able to open it somehow. A hidden mechanism? A command only he could give? Whatever the case, she wasn’t getting inside today.


    Her heart pounded, a mix of determination and unease coiling within her. She needed another opportunity.


    Before she could think further, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Tuk spun just as the heavy door swung open, her pulse hammering against her ribs.


    “There you are.”


    Leon’s voice was casual, but Tuk’s body stiffened instinctively. His presence felt like an iron weight pressing against her spine.


    “I’ve been looking for you,” he continued, stepping inside. His gaze flickered from her to the glass case. The pause was brief, but it sent a shiver down her back. “What are you doing here?”


    Quickly wiping her damp palms against her clothes, she forced a casual chuckle. “Just… comparing the original scroll to the copies we have. Making sure nothing''s lost in translation.”


    Leon’s expression remained unreadable, his silence stretching just a second too long. “The contents are the same, I assure you.”


    His gaze lingered on her—assessing, questioning. Tuk could feel it like a blade against her skin. Then he moved on.


    “By the way, the prince ordered that I take you with me.”


    Tuk blinked. “Take me where?”


    Leon raised a brow, crossing his arms. “Ellis. His Highness has allowed you to travel with me. Isn’t that your homeland? You should be thrilled to visit it again.”


    Ellis. Homeland. The words sent a cold shock through her veins.


    The name had simply slipped out during a casual conversation—an impulsive lie, something she thought would make her sound like just another commoner, like Rowena and Lea.


    And now it was coming back to strangle her.


    Leon watched her reaction closely, but Tuk forced a bright smile onto her face. “That’s… wonderful news!” she said, clasping her hands together in mock excitement. “I’ve always wanted to go back.”


    Leon’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, his arms still crossed. “We leave by noon tomorrow. Be ready.”


    “Of course! I’ll be ready.” Her voice was too cheerful, the edges of her words fraying.


    Leon hesitated, then added, “The prince is very interested in Ellis. He’s asked me to take note of anything peculiar. I’ll be relying on you to guide me.”


    Tuk’s forced grin felt like it was going to snap off her face.


    “Naturally!” she chirped. “I’m an expert, after all.”


    Leon gave her one last lingering look before turning and leaving the room.


    The moment the door clicked shut, Tuk collapsed onto the cold floor.


    “Why, Tuk, why?” she groaned, pressing her hands over her face, her fingers trembling against her skin.


    Why couldn’t she have just picked a normal, boring place?


    Now she had to go to a kingdom she had never stepped foot in and act like she belonged there.


    She rolled onto her side, curling into herself, her heart slamming against her ribs. Ellis wasn’t just some ordinary kingdom. It was one of the most enigmatic places in the realm. Isolated, steeped in ancient traditions, its people were notoriously private. Outsiders were rarely welcomed.


    If she slipped even once, they’d know she was lying.


    For a fleeting second, she considered finding Lea and Rowena, but then she shook her head. They’re in the emperor’s palace now. Going there without reason would just raise suspicion.


    She clenched her jaw. It was too late to change her story.


    So what now?


    There was no way to back out.


    She sat up, inhaling deeply. The air in the chamber felt stifling now. “I’ll just… fake it,” she whispered, trying to convince herself. “How hard can it be?”


    She had been lying for so long. To nobles, to historians, to the prince himself.


    At this rate, she deserved a damn medal for deception.


    But as she rose to her feet, her knees felt weak. The weight of it all settled on her shoulders like an iron cloak.


    The thought didn’t fill her with confidence.


    It made her feel like a fraud walking a tightrope—one misstep away from plunging into the abyss.


    And this time, there’d be no safety net.