Hiding My Identity From My Husband — Chapter 23

THE HARBOR IS CROWDED NO MATTER WHEN YOU VISIT...

THE REASON I CAME TO THE HARBOR IN SEARCH OF VICE COMMANDER HENRY'S TRACES

...WAS BECAUSE HE HAD A PECULIAR HOBBY OF COLLECTING SHIPS.

BEFORE COMING HERE, I ALSO LEFT A LETTER TELLING PINKY TO MEET ME AT THE HARBOR.

EVER SINCE I LEARNED ABOUT THE COMMANDER'S PLAN, I'VE HAD MORE THAN A FEW QUESTIONS TO ASK, AFTER ALL.

STILL, RUBANTES GAVE ME SUCH A SUSPICIOUS LOOK AS I WAS LEAVING THE MANSION...

...YOU'RE GOING OUT ALONE ON BUSINESS?

LET'S CHECK QUICKLY AND HEAD BACK.

I KNOW THE CREST ON THE FLAG THAT HE FREQUENTLY USED.

THE VICE COMMANDER OWNED FIVE SHIPS IN TOTAL.

IF EVEN ONE OF THEM IS MISSING, IT MEANS HE ESCAPED THE EMPIRE.

CONVERSELY, IF EVERY SINGLE SHIP IS STILL HERE,

...THEN HENRY IS ALMOST CERTAINLY DEAD.

FOUR SHIPS ACCOUNTED FOR SO FAR. THE LAST ONE IS...

...IT'S STILL HERE.

HENRY...

WE WEREN'T PARTICULARLY CLOSE, YET THIS STILL LEAVES A BITTER ACHE.

MAY YOU REST IN PEACE...

TRACKING DOWN HENRY'S WHEREABOUTS MIGHT HAVE HIT A DEAD END,

BUT THERE'S STILL SOMETHING I CAN DO.

TIME FOR PLAN B.

I'LL SEARCH AND SEE IF HENRY LEFT ANYTHING BEHIND ON THE SHIP.

...IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN ABANDONED FOR VERY LONG.

TO HENRY, A SHIP MUST HAVE BEEN HIS MOST PRIVATE HAVEN AND TREASURED RETREAT.

SO IF HE LEFT SOMETHING BEHIND FOR WHOEVER CAME NEXT IN A MOMENT OF CRISIS,

THERE'S A HIGH PROBABILITY IT'S ABOARD ONE OF THESE SHIPS.

HUH? THIS PANEL IS STICKING OUT ODDLY, ISN'T IT?

THIS IS... A SAFE!

GOOD THING I BROUGHT ALONG THE MAGNETIC PIN PINKY GAVE ME.

IT'S DEFINITELY THE KEY MEANT TO CRACK OPEN THIS SAFE.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S OPEN!

A JOURNAL? LET'S HAVE A LOOK...

[month X, Day X] A Shadow Must Not Rebel Against The Light. Yet He Seems To Have No Intention Of Lingeringin The Shadows Any Longer.

[month X, Day X] Contact With The Ivory Castle Has Dwindled Over The Past Few Months. Are We Truly Still Loyal Shadows?

"THE IVORY CASTLE"...

THAT'S CODE FOR THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

DOES THAT MEAN FEWER ORDERS HAVE BEEN HANDED DOWN FROM THE IMPERIAL FAMILY? LET'S READ A BIT FURTHER.

[month X, Day X] Adrian Came To See Me And Handed Over Themis's Medicine.

ADRIAN?

HE SAID HE INTENDED TO BRING THE CHILDREN OF NOBLE FAMILIES OVER TO HIS SIDE WITH IT.

WHEN I ASKED HIM WHY, HE SAID...

"FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF KATAKL..."

THE COMMANDER DESIRES TO SEIZE THE IVORY CASTLE,

WHILE HIS SON SEEKS TO BRING THOSE WHO WILL ENTER THE CASTLE UNDER HIS THUMB.

THIS WILL TURN INTO A CLASH BETWEEN FATHER AND SON...

...THAT'S THE END OF IT.

STILL, THIS GIVES ME PLENTY OF INSIGHT INTO THE SITUATION.

THE COMMANDER IS MAKING MOVES TO USURP THE THRONE,

AND ADRIAN IS MANEUVERING TO COME OUT ON TOP IN THE POWER STRUGGLE THAT FOLLOWS.

COME TO THINK OF IT, THE COMMANDER DIDN'T SEEM TO KNOW ABOUT AURA.

SINCE HE DIDN'T UTTER A SINGLE WORD ABOUT AURA TO ME.

THEN... ARE THE COMMANDER AND ADRIAN REALLY AT ODDS WITH EACH OTHER...?

IF ASMERALDA WERE ALIVE, SHE WOULD HAVE STOPPED THEM.

WHAT IS POWER ANYWAY, THAT IT PITS FAMILY AGAINST FAMILY...?

I SHOULD SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE.

THERE ISN'T MUCH OUTSIDE, ACTUALLY.

IS THAT SO? THANKS FOR CHECKING, RU...

...WHAAAT?!

LOU VANDES!

LOU VANDES!

WH-WHY ON EARTH ARE YOU HERE?!

AND JUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE YOURSELF, CHARLES?

IS RANSACKING A VESSEL WHOSE OWNER YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW

REALLY SOMETHING YOU SHOULD TO BE DOING?

TH-THAT IS... I...!

IF I CAN'T GIVE A PROPER EXCUSE RIGHT NOW, I'M FINISHED...!!

I-I WAS MERELY INVESTIGATING THEMIS'S DEATH!!

WOW...

EVEN I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT SOUNDS LIKE A TERRIBLE EXCUSE.

WHY... ARE YOU LOOKING INTO THEMIS'S DEATH, OF ALL THINGS?

IN CASE WHOEVER KILLED HIM MIGHT BE SMUGGLING AURA...!

ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU CAME ALL THE WAY TO THE HARBOR TO CATCH THE CULPRIT?

THAT'S RIGHT!

WOULD YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN HOW THAT CONNECTS TO OUR MISSION?

JUST HOW LONG DOES CHARLES COURTNEY PLAN TO FRET OVER AN ALCHEMIST SHE ONLY KNOWS BY NAME...?

NATURALLY, I INTENDED TO INTERROGATE THE CULPRIT TO SEE IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE HOLY RELIC!

AFTER ALL, THEMIS MET THAT FATE BECAUSE HE WAS HOLDING INFORMATION ON THE HOLY RELIC, WASN'T IT?

THOUGH THE TRUTH IS ACTUALLY QUITE THE OPPOSITE...

HE REALLY DOESN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT IT.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHY IS THIS GUY EVEN HERE?

I SWEAR, I ALWAYS GET STRANGELY CLUMSY AROUND RUBANTES.

LET'S HEAD OUTSIDE FIRST. I'LL ASK YOU ABOUT THE PARTS THAT DON'T ADD UP LATER.

UH... SURE. LET'S GET OUT FIRST.

WAS THAT A GUNSHOT JUST NOW...?!

HOLD ON. I'LL GO CHECK, CHARLES.

COULD IT BE SOMEONE FROM KATAKL? RUNNING INTO THEM RIGHT NOW WOULD BE TERRIBLE...

WELL... CHARLES. WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

I BELIEVE WE'RE TRAPPED IN HERE.

WH-WHAT DID YOU SAY...?!?!