one sided truth

"That kid!

"Oh, brunette...they're like two peas in a pod!

"Similar?

"Yes, just a stunning similarity, if you hadn't told me about him, I would have thought that he dyed his hair.

"Then most likely they are twins...

...

"Sorry for disturbing you, have you seen my brother? Where? I haven't been able to find him for 2 days...

"First...what's your name?

"You can call me Fab and my brother's Ian.

"How did you get to the capital? Were you forcibly dragged here? Or did you come voluntarily?

"If I answer your questions...can you save my brother?

"Save? from what..? more precisely, from whom..?

Frowning and lowering his head, he began to tell them his story.

"When our parents died... our relatives sent us to an orphanage... we worked there and lived a free life, although the director used violence, we didn't complain as long as we could have a roof over our heads and didn't die from hunger.

When we turned 15, we had to leave the orphanage, but we were never able to adapt to street life.

One day a woman came to us and offered to help her, we helped her, for which we were generously rewarded.

But she turned out to be a runaway, which is why we were put behind bars.

There they fed us again, even though the nights were cold in the dungeon.

A month later we were released, and... we again found ourselves on the street, we lived like tramps, and wandered from one street to another.

One day, a gentleman came to us, he looked decent, it was immediately obvious that he was an aristocrat.

He asked us if we would like to become servants in his house, to which we furiously agreed.

He brought us to his home and ordered the butler to give us instructions.

Time passed, and Ian began to suspect something was wrong with the estate, but... I told him not to meddle in the affairs of the aristocrats and just do the work for which we are paid.

But nothing could stop his curiosity.

One night he followed the gentleman and saw something he shouldn't have.

He was able to escape suspicion, but the fear of being caught made was obvious.

He started having nightmares and hallucinating.

I didn't know what he saw there, but I couldn't look at his suffering anymore.

Even though it was risky, I somehow climbed through that damned fence and went into that dungeon. The smell was brutal, and from a distance one could see the peeling paint on the walls.

A dark corridor led to unknown cages in which people were sitting, from their appearance one could understand that they were being treated like cattle.

While I was walking, I heard the sound of a creaking door.

'Someone is coming, I need to hide.

One cage was open and I entered it.

The butler came, but he didn't seem to see me.

He went to another cell and took the little girl.

I don't know how long I sat there, but when it was all over, it was morning.

As soon as everyone left, I immediately ran out and vomited; what was happening there certainly could not be called humanity.

Seeing me, Ian immediately knew where I had been last night.

We had nowhere to go, and if we suddenly decided to go somewhere, the gentleman would have suspected that something was off.

Therefore, we decided to lie low and just do ordinary things.

Two weeks passed, no action was taken, we breathed a sigh of relief.

But,...

On the night of the full moon, a noise began at night, someone escaped from the estate and made his way into the city, but his life did not last long outside of this place.

As soon as he escaped, he was found dead the next day.

Since we saw and heard everything that happened, we couldn't escape the butler's gaze.

He offered us a deal: in exchange for our lives, we would have to spread rumors about those who were leaving this estate, and under no circumstances open our mouths about anything else.

That's what we did... after that servant was killed, an investigation began, and the Minister of Defense intervened in the matter.

By coincidence, he had to be removed, and for this purpose one of the master's captives was used.

She lured the Archduke into a trap where predators attacked him, the girl died with him, which is why no evidence was found and everything was written off as an accident.

Ian could no longer stand the way they treated people and decided to stage a coup.

His task was very simple: go to the tavern and spread various rumors so that people would be confused.

We were supposed to meet in the alley as soon as everyone had done their part, but the only thing he told me when we met was "I gave them the truth, so don't look for me for a while."

And he immediately ran away, the end"

"So you want to say that... there is some kind of gentleman behind everything? And apparently this is Lord Binor.

"Then it turns out... my father was killed...

"Your father?

The boy was surprised, opening his pupils.

"Are you the future Duke?!"

"Be quiet, we didn't come here to show off our personalities," Vienna answered sternly.

"I have a lot of questions, but there is one that just really interests me...

According to your story, before meeting in Lord, you met a woman... what does she look like? Does she have red curly hair?

"Well...I'm not sure, I think it was a middle-aged woman with black hair.

"Middle-aged? Phew, then definitely not her..

Then, do you know Izzola?

"Are you talking about the Master's mistress?

Yes, I know, we often crossed paths at the residence.

"Didn't she seem suspicious to you?

"it didn't seem so, she simply pleased the master and helped him in carnal pleasures, as befits a courtesan.

"Have you never seen that woman again?

"She often came to the Master late at night, and I noticed that she always left with some documents, but I didn't know what they were about.

"Documents? I think this is about those experiments you were talking about.

But what were they about?

"I...I'm not sure that you will be able to live long if you find out, they immediately eliminate their goals.

"If we catch them, I'll give them a mauling, especially I'll finish off this Demyan," Argen muttered under his breath

Grabbing him by the collar, Vienna pulled him back and bent him over, whispering:

"As you said, this case is worth the candle... but no one knows what price we will have to pay...

"Yes, it's unknown, but even if we suffer in the end, we can't abandon what we started, I will avenge the death of my father, all those involved will be executed.

Turning to Fab he replied:

"You said that the last time you saw Ian was near the alley? Did you see if the Lord gave him another assignment, separate from you?

"Unfortunately, I don't know this...

Frowning, Vienna replied:

"If that's the case, we just have to find him.

I don't think it will be difficult for your squad, right? Argen? Where are you looking?

Turning her head in the same direction as him, she saw a familiar silhouette.

"Izzola!

She almost broke free from the chain and wanted to run to her, but the young master grabbed her wrist, pulled her towards him and squeezed her in his arms.

"I know that you want to solve everything quickly, but..

You must not forget that your safety comes first.

And for this, you need to be able to hide your emotions and desires.

"But she can hide again.

"Don't run towards her, just walk in the same direction and accidentally bump into her, it will cause less suspicion.

"Fine.

Vienna quietly followed Izzola and saw her go somewhere.

"Huh? Is this the fortune teller's tent?

What will she ask the fortune teller...

Standing near the thin canvas, she pressed her ear to hear what was happening inside, but due to the street noise she was unable to find out anything.

Returning to her comrades, she said:

"Looks like Izzola had a fight with Demyan, haha

"What made you think so?" asked Argen

"She went to a fortune teller, probably asking about her luck in love.

"Fortune teller? Fab stuttered

"Well, yes..

"What did she look like?

"Well...I couldn't go into the room to look.

"I have some guesses...but for this you need to see that fortune teller.

"Then I'll go see her as soon as Izzola leaves.

Mmm...Fab, put on your cloak, I figured out how we could turn to a fortune teller for help.

If you cover half your face and dress neatly, I can imagine you as my sick little brother.

"I look okay...

"No offense, but you don't look like an aristocrat.

"I already know that... but where will you get the clothes from? It's night outside, all the shops are closed...

"Ummm...I didn't think about that.

"Argen! What do you want us to do? Only he can know the fortune teller by sight.

How do we get him inside?

"You don't have to take him inside with you.

"What do you mean?

"We can just go in and then describe to him what she looks like, and if this is who he's thinking about, then the job is done, isn't it?The young man said.

"Hmmm, you're right, we'll have to take a good look at her then.

You can understand from our description, right?

"I will try...

"But... who are we going to pretend to be? We are not alike... I'm definitely not going to be your wife... hmmmm

"I don't know, just figure it out yourself.

"Heh, I figured it out, so don't you dare curse me later.

Taking a handkerchief, she turned on actor mode and began to cry.

"Sob sob..

"What's wrong with you? he asked

And the boy looked at them with a questioning look.

"I...I can't do this anymore!" She shouted and ran away.

People around froze and began to whisper

'Did he cheat on her?

'It looks like it

'God, he's so handsome..

'darling, don't look at others

'and why did I like you, just try to cheat on me, I'll castrate you...

Sighing, Argen scratched the back of his head and said

"I think I know why she made this scene.

"Huh? And why?

"This is a so-called alibi, so that the fortuneteller has no doubts.

What if she has spies? in this large alley it's impossible to discern who is an enemy and who is an ally.

"Hmm, I see.

-----

_so, I think I made a stormy performance, now I need to make sure that witch believes me.

Choking in fake tears, she sat down near the tent and began to cry bitterly.

Her tears were heard by everyone, and not much time passed before the woman came out of her tent and looked at the crying unfortunate girl.

"Girl, don't cry so much over a guy, he's not worth it.

_gotcha_

"Excuse me, sniff... how did you know... sniff... that I'm crying because of a guy?

"Your tears are full of pain, I see the pain that lurks in your wounded heart.

_what a charlatan_ thought Vienna

"He...he promised to marry me, but...

"Hmm, come inside and I'll help you understand the essence of your heart, maybe I'll look at your betrothed.

"Fine...

And so they both entered that mysterious room.

_If he is smart enough, he will guess that I can't handle it alone and will come after a while...

I just have to rely on his intelligence._

Sitting down on a chair, the charlatan took out a crystal ball and began to tell fortunes.