Chapter 4 Under surveillance

𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲

" Mr Sebastian are you in there?"

A voice was heard outside the door.

Sebastian got up from his bed and was about to move towards the door.

𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲

An agitated knocking was heard.

Sebastian was perplexed by such actions.

Someone was in a hurry and it was not good news for Sebastian.

Sebastian already was aware that some bloody games taking place behind the scenes and he was in the centre of it.

𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲

The knocking on the door was getting louder.

"Mr Sebastian are you awake?"

The previous low voice of the soldier got loud.

"Mr Sebastian are you in there?" The soldier shouted again.

Sebastian took the bed sheets and wrapped them around his waist tightly. Then he took the letter in his hand. It was well hidden as the white clothes were large.

𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲 𝑲𝑵𝑶𝑪𝑲

" I'm coming in Mr Sebastian if don't respond within a minute"

" Shut the hell up bastard, not letting me sleep " Sebastian growled from inside.

"Sorry sir, But it is urgent "

" What's urgent?"

"Escorts from the Clauver family are waiting for you"

" Ok I'm coming"

Saying so, Sebastian opened the door.

The knight saw something ridiculous as a black-haired boy came into view.

He was wearing an oversized hospital white dress and bedsheets were wrapped around his waist.

Sebastian immediately recognised the symbol on the chest plate. It was the running horse insignia.

The knight was related to Marcus.

But Sebastian didn't let panic get over his face.

He moved towards the only door in the corridor from where the light was coming in.

He moved confidently and asked the knight

" Where are the escorts of the Clauver family?"

"They are in the waiting area in front of the training grounds "

" So are you the guard to safely escort me to the waiting area"

" Yes sir "

Sebastian kept moving and when he went outside the door.

The moment he did so his whole world changed.

The corridor turned into a shaded path with open sides.

Except for the occasional pillars, we can see the two large grounds present and a few soldiers practising on the dummies.

The other building was quite far away.

While he was walking he saw two men having a large weight attached to their bodies.

One was swinging his sword while the other was practising mace on a large stone.

" Are those soldiers given some punishment?"

Sebastian asked and was replied to by the knight

" No, these are knight apprentices who are training aura to become knights like me"

" What's an aura?"

" Ahh think of it as some kind of superpower "

"Oh, ok"

Sebastian didn't enquire for more as he felt that the man was reluctant to answer him much.

As they were close to the other building,

The knight said " Sir Sebastian do you have any letter with you "

Sebastian who heard the question hurried his footsteps while replying

" Yes "

The knight keeping with the pace asked,

" May I have a look at it?"

"No"

The knight moved faster than Sebastian expected and blocked his way.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked.

" Nothing sir I'm required to look at the letter to authorize your permit your entry into this building "

" Really?"

" Yes "

" Ok"

Saying so, Sebastian moved near him and

Suddenly started running to bypass the knight.

The knight blocked the way as if he already knew.

When Sebastian changed direction mid-run, the knight was already blocking the path.

" Haha sh*tty brat, do you think you could outrun a knight? I was already aware that the letter is in your left hand and not in the bed sheet-covered waist. Do you take me, a knight, as a fool?"

Sebastian was out of his breath but he knew if he failed now he would suffer a worse fate than hell.

Sebastian ran towards the knight straight as a last-ditch effort.

" Hahaha kid do you think you can take a knight head-on"

Sebastian while running unwrapped the bed sheet from his waist and threw it up.

As he did he felt a cold sensation.

He didn't think much of it and used the cover provided by the bed sheet to slide between the legs of the knight.

The knight who punched at a different place on the bedsheet was startled.

The boy was already running through the corridor of the second building.

He had to catch him or it will get problematic.

So he chased after the boy.

____________________________

Velor went out of his room and was moving towards Sebastian's room.

He was to hand over the boy to the Clauver family as they have adopted him.

This happened suddenly, he had intel that the family's butler visited Sebastian.

But only after two meetings he was adopted.

For whatever reason, the Clauver family adopted him, it was for the best.

The simple espionage and murder of a man were taking a strange turn upon further investigation.

He wanted to keep Sebastian as the witness against the knight apprentices in the murder case.

But the murdered man was also a strange one.

He came to the city a year ago and was able to create an extensive network of people who gave him news related to the businesses.

But the man didn't run a business and falsely claimed he worked in the administrative office and was keen to start a business and leave the job.

That man has no source of income but still was throwing moderately lavish parties and was quite popular among the residents of the eastern part.

And under mysterious circumstances, the man was found dead in an alleyway.

That night a suspected spy was caught at the southern gate.

Too many things were going on without his knowledge.

He just wanted to clean the army's name.

Punish them if they committed the murder or protect them if they were innocent.

But after some investigation, he quickly understood that the knight apprentices were not innocent.

But the man had no mark of harm in his body.

And there were no witnesses except a drunkard who saw the apprentices running out of the alley.

But that was not enough until Sebastian woke up and recounted the events where the apprentices were running.

Sebastian was vital to the case, but now he realised that two of the five jewels were involved in this case and being a commoner he was not safe.

That's why he kept Sebastian under surveillance so no harm came to him.

And the best-case scenario happened, a noble family nonetheless the third-richest noble family adopted Sebastian.

He doesn't know why the Clauver family got involved, the third jewel wanted to get involved as well.

Three of the five jewels quarrelling was not a good sign for the empire. As they are risking the stability of the empire.

While Velor was contemplating the future of the empire.

𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯!!!!!

A scream of a boy was heard.

____________________________

While he was running a punch came from his side.

𝑪𝑹𝑨𝑺𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑼𝑫

𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯𝑯!!!!!!!

Sebastian crashed into the wall and screamed with all his might.

Partly he was injured and partly he was because he wanted to attract as much attention as he could.

" Shut up you little rut"

The knight screamed and violently moved his fists to hit Sebastian.

But somehow he missed it by a few millimetres.

While dodging the punches miraculously Sebastian realised that his body was getting colder with time.

But his senses were getting sharper and he could even predict the movements of the knight's fist.

" Stop dodging you bastard"

" Ahhhhhh..... Please don't kill me, please"

Sebastian kept on shouting.

The knight became more fierce.

Sebastian suddenly felt his senses getting dull aaa his body was getting cold.

" Ugh..."

Sebastian groaned as he was caught by his throat.

The knight smiled gleefully and said

" This is where it ends brat"

Sebastian was losing consciousness.

" Team leader Johnson what are doing?"

A cold voice was heard.

The knight got out of his trance and looked back to see Lt.Steelroot.

He stammered, "L-Lieutenant?!"

"Team leader put the boy down"

" Y-Yes"

𝑻𝑯𝑼𝑫

Sebastian landed on the floor barely conscious.

Velor narrowed his eyes at the body.

And said " Team leader notify your Sergeant to visit my office in the afternoon "

Saying so he picked up Sebastian's body and realised a crumpled letter in his hand.

It had the seal of the Hermengio family.

His escort mission started a little earlier than usual.

____________________________

While the butler was waiting he looked around the room.

It was a fairly large room and had comfortable sofas, Military pictures showing the imperial might and a Face portrait of the first Imperial Lord.

His master was adopting the kid under the name of the Hermengio family as a normal process was lengthy and even more problematic for an unregistered slum kid.

The escorts requested to the Hermengios were waiting outside with a carriage.

As he was looking around, the door opened.

There was Lt.Velor and in his arms was an unconscious Sebastian.

He didn't care about Sebastian but it was a good opportunity to take a jab at the army.

" What happened?!" the butler shouted.

" He was ambushed by one of the knights"

" What?! Does the army have no protection system? Maybe he is a criminal but he can't be treated like that until proven guilty"

"Maybe one day the army will blame someone else for espionage and kill him without any judgement delivered"

" I'm extremely sorry for such incidents "

" Only a sorry for such a life-threatening situation may be the imperial family are getting retarded with time as morons are taking control over the army. Hmph"

Suddenly a cold atmosphere was created.

Velor opened his mouth

"Mr Trevor, are you questioning the capabilities of the high-rank officers and Imperial family? Can I take it as slander against the imperial powers?"

The butler's face paled and he stuttered,

"N-No, I might have misspoken something unintentionally"

" Good "

Saying so he handed Sebastian to the butler.

" And I'm letting you go because we were at fault first but if you dare to cross the line things will not end with just words "

"...."

The butler was silent daring not to open his mouth as he feared if any word got out he would be killed here.

"And once again, I apologize for the incident "

Velor went towards the door as he was about I get out he turned.

" And take this with you as well "

He threw a crumpled envelope on the stomach of still unconscious Sebastian.

The butler signed in relief when Velor went out of his sight but frowned again as he was frustrated and unable to do anything against Velor he thought to take it against Sebastian.

He went on the door towards the escort and ordered them to open the carriage door. He threw Sebastian like he was a potato sack and closed the door.

He looked at the envelope handed to him a saw a seal of the army reconnaissance division on it.

He got even more furious.

He didn't enter the carriage but sat alongside the driver. As he was afraid that he might kill Sebastian if he went inside and will incur his master's wrath.

" Start the carriage " he shouted.

The carriage started moving slowly and was followed by three horsemen.

Its destination was the northern district.

But before he could do that two horsemen from the army started following them.

" What now!!!" the butler shouted.

The Hermengio horsemen's immediately drew their blades but the army horsemen's said " We're here to keep the suspect under surveillance as he still has charges against him.

' Allowing soldiers inside the Clauver household amidst the power struggle of the city was detrimental for their reputation ' the butler thought.

' Damn it ' he started hating Sebastian even more.