Chapter 17

I know, I know!

Why am I doing this you ask?

The reason I'm sneaking after my team into the night is definitely not because I have nothing better to do.

No!

The reason is because these guys are seriously going to get in trouble for this!

Dammit! Why are they going into a suspicious place!?

Why are they talking to a masked guy!?

What the hell is going on!?

A foreshadowing of my biggest headache ever was threatening to pop up.

Oh, why am I even hiding in the shadows like a freaking assassin with my partner in crime vampire king Evan?

Lamenting didn't help so all I could do is watch in silence as my team involved itself in a conspiracy.

I'm not buying this bullshit!

“I know we have to take care of it now, but can't we delay it for a few more months?”

The usually joking Robin had a serious expression on and his dark eyes twinkled in anticipation.

“The mission is too rough to go through with it at this time!”

Megan discarded her cold look for an angry one as she pounded the table in a domineering manner.

“We already tested her once and it didn't exactly come out as you wanted it. We couldn't find anything even in slight resemblance with experiment 624. No traces of abnormality. We waited for a month now. I think we have the wrong person!”

Jade opened his mouth and I heard him talk for the first time.

“No, it is her we were looking for. We need the source of that mysterious magic. It is the gateway towards something you couldn't even comprehend of how important it is. We finally found a lead after 3 years of searching. I'm not letting this go! We move tonight!”

My eyes widened in disbelief.

What is actually going on here?

I looked toward Evan who didn't look in the least surprised.

We moved out and stopped in the forest.

Evan looked at me and finally decided to break the news.

“We already know who they are. Have you never thought about why we didn't stop that orc from injuring you and didn't insist on healing you?”

I also wondered why they didn't intervene at that time.

I just thought they didn't want to make themselves known.

“Why do you think we didn't want to be touched by them?”

Wasn't it because nobody wants to be held that way?

“You're not aware of anything are you? Why do you think you were monitored by that woman round the clock?”

Wasn't it because she cared?

By now my tears started falling.

“No, you're right. I guess I still don't want to believe it. I did notice something out of place when Robin asked so much about mere chess. Also, it seems nigh impossible to be oblivious to an incoming enemy that also has mana fluctuations and certainly can't conceal them like a trained magician. I just thought that they were newbies so I reasoned it as such.”

“Those people used their mana to check if we had unusual mana fluctuations like the first inanimate objects you gave life to. They are in possession of your paper planes and let you experience danger to see if you would reveal your magic in a desperate situation.

Don't you think it weird that Jack managed to be separated from the team right before that moment?

They couldn't find anything because we can perfectly conceal our mana and their desperate attempt to take care of you was to be sure you can't use magic. But it seems that their leader is head strong on kidnapping you and experimenting on you personally.

Your brother noticed something as well, and also the reason he killed the orc in time and checked on you.”

I guess they lied to me...

Have I been betrayed?

No, they weren't honest from the start.

How can they betray somebody they never thought as more than an experiment anyway?

I was just too blind to see through their facades.

“They're here!”

“You let them follow us?”

“I will take care of them!”

I quickly got agitated at that statement.