{ A FEW HOURS LATER… }

  “I see… Yes, now it all makes more sense!”

  Mirac set the quill pen bato the inkwell and observed the lines he had just written in his notebook.

  It had taken a while, but he had finally maanize his thoughts, piece together the events that had happened while he was unscious, and formute some hypotheses.

  During lunch, his parents had told him everything that had happened during the week he had been unscious.

  On the evening of Sunday, April 6th, the same day the entire i occurred, Mirac’s mother had immediately grown armed by her son’s absence, as he had failed to show up for dinner on time, something he had always dohout fail.

  Worried, she had ordered everyone in the castle to search for him.

  Not long after, a young gardener had found him lying beside the corpse of the old gardener Edward on the white gravel path.

  In that gruesome se, Mirac was clutg a bloodstained sword, and not far away, amidst the white roses, y the lifeless body of another man. Examining the wound oer’s chest, it was discovered that he had been pierced by the same bde Mirac was holding.

  For this reason, everyone was vihat Mirac had killed him.

  Shortly after he was found, the castle’s doctors rushed in to che him ao his injuries, followed shortly by some wizards skilled in healing.

  Despite their efforts, however, no one was able to save his arm.

  But that loss didn’t trouble him in the slightest. Even without a limb, Mirac was grateful and happy to be alive.

  The day after the i, it was discovered that the man among the white roses was her than Krk Mi, a notorious assassin wanted in most kingdoms for his many crimes.

  For years, however, Krk had seemed to vanish without a trace. Some believed he was dead, while others theorized that he had abandoned his life as a killer.

  No one, however, could have imagihat he had infiltrated the Strongold family’s royal court under a false identity.

  Indeed, he had infiltrated the castle and spent aire year pretending to be Professor Shirkenn, thanks to an Artifaown as the “Deceptive Gsses”.

  This Artifact, inating from the mysterious Kingdom of Noctara, was capable of altering the wearer’s appearance. With it, Krk had been able to copy and assume the likeness of the real Professor Shirkenn throughout his time in the castle.

  Additionally, engraved on the fake Professor’s tie were runes of Rock Magic, which had transformed the simple piece of fabrito a lethal on, capable of stiffening like steel when firmly gripped by its wielder. With this, Krk had been able to move ued through the castle for so long, carrying a cealed ht under everyone’s noses.

  Iigators found the shattered remains of the Deceiver’s Gsses in the forest, o a trail of felled trees—evidence of a violent battle. The fragments of the tie, oher hand, were found in two separate locations: one part y in the woods, while the other had been discovered o the assassin’s corpse.

  But that wasn’t all: even his clothes—shirt, pants, shoes—were found with invisibility runes embedded in the fabric! However, since Krk had not used this ability during the fight—as firmed by Mirac during the interrogation—the iigators cluded that he robably so fident in himself that he did not sider it necessary to use them, except to escape unnoticed after the crime.

  And throughout all of this, the real Professor Shirkenn had not been seen for at least a year.

  The iigators cluded that Krk had eliminated him before infiltrating the castle to avoid any plications, disposing of the body in some remote location.

  “I still ’t believe it…” Mirac murmured as he leaned bafortably in his chair, his exhausted gaze fixed on the ceiling. “All this… just to kill me?”

  His words hung in the air, apanied only by the soft breeze that fluttered the white curtains of the partially open windows.

  Amid the chaos of all these events, Mirac gued by a myriad of questions, only a few of which had found pusible answers.

  One in particur would not let him rest: why had he been found in the garden with a on in hand when he distinctly remembered passing out in the woods?

  Mirac, however, was not the only one searg for answers.

  After lunch, the iigators had arrived to question him about what had happehat evening.

  With a feigned expression of disorientation, Mirac had expihat his memories were fused and that he could not recall anything with absolute crity.

  The excuse, though improvised, turned out to be surprisingly effective. In fact, when they asked him where he had found the sword ”he had used to face Krk”, Mirac had replied with apparent uainty:

  “I think I found it he garden tool shed, but I’m not sure…”

  Mirac certainly couldn’t tell the truth, which was that the sword had appeared out of nowhere behind him, at the exaent he had the most.

  Even though his expnation was vague and not very ving, no one dared to test the young Prince’s words. Perhaps because of his social standing, perhaps because they were too relieved to see him alive and well, or perhaps simply because they saw him as just a child. In any case, no one seemed ied in digging deeper, just as had happened when he had miraculously “e back to life“ immediately after his cardiac arrest at birth.

  From that brief interrogation, however, Mirac had deduced that the iigators had only found the inal sword that “he had used”. In fao one seemed to know anything about the sed ohe one he had created himself using his “Multiplicative Touch” ability.

  And so, a new question arose in the young Prince’s mind: where had the sed swone?

  ‘Another mystery to solve…’ thought Mirac, rubbing his temples with a distracted gesture. ’Well, there’s only one person who give me the answers I’m looking for…’

  Suddenly, a soft kno the door broke the silence of the room, interrupting Mirac’s train of thought.

  The sound was measured, as though whoever was oher side had carefully chosen the moment to disturb the quiet.

  “e in,” Mirac said, his tone calm but firm.

  He straightened in his chair, shaking off the exhaustion that had built up from hours of overthinking.

  His eyes fixed on the door as it slowly creaked open.

  ‘Here she is!’ thought Mirac.

  Closing the door behind her, Carmeered with her usual grace.

  Her steps were silent, almost imperceptible, as though she inteo blend into the hushed atmosphere of the room.

  The air seemed to ripple slightly as she moved, and Mirac couldn’t help but notice the shadow of worry on her face.

  “I heard that you’ve recovered, young Prince,” Carmen said warmly, bowing as was ary.

  Her hands were csped respectfully in front of her, though her eyes sought his, eager to gauge the young Prince’s state of mind.

  “I’m truly gd to see you safe and soun-”

  Miraterrupted her with a sudden wave of his hand.

  The boy’s gaze, usually lively and cheerful in the servant’s presence, had turned abruptly serious.

  “I appreciate your for me, Carmen,” he said, l his hand. “However, I have many doubts about you and what happehat evening. Therefore, I have three questions to ask you…”

  Those words seemed to freeze time for a moment.

  Mirac was so determio find ahat he was willing to speak as an adult, even if it risked shattering his pretense of being an 8-year-old child!

  Carmen remaiill for a moment, watg him with a mix of resped caution. Then, she nodded and positioned herself before him. Her hands remained csped in front of her, her face sere with a faint shadow of awareness glimmering in her eyes.

  “Alright,” she said, her voice soft but with a note of seriousness. “As I promised, I will be happy to answer each of your questions, young Prince.”

  Miraodded slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on her. He wao catch every nuance, every hesitation, in her demeanor.

  “My first question is very simple: why did you do it?”

  Carmen tilted her head slightly, her expression serious yet puzzled.

  “Do you mean…”

  “Why did you cover up the i and make sure I received the credit for defeating Krk?” Mirac asked firmly. “Everyone in the castle looks at me with admiration, vihat I was the one who elimihe infiltrator. BUT THAT’S NOT TRUE! You were the one who saved me, but no one seems to know it. I assume you’re behind all of this. Am I nht?”

  The silehat followed was heavy and palpable.

  Carmen lowered her gaze for a moment, as if searg for the right words to say. Her face was impassive, but something in her posture suggested iension.

  After a few seds, she raised her eyes to meet his again.

  “Young Prince… I believe the time has e to reveal my true identity.”

  With a fluid, trolled movement, Carme before Mirac, her gaze directed at the floor. The wood creaked slightly beh her, only atuating the solemnity of the moment.

  Her hands rested ohighs as her long bck skirt spread softly across the floor.

  “My name is Carmeh, and I am your secret bodyguard.”

  Mirac flinched slightly, startled by the revetion.

  “My secret bodyguard?” he repeated, incredulous.

  “Yes, exactly,” Carmen replied, her tone carrying the weight of a long-held fession. “My mission, since I arrived here at the castle, has always been to protect the future son of King Arthur, and therefore, you! In fact, your safety is my only priority, young Prince.”

  With that being said, Carmen lifted her gaze to meet his and tinued:

  “Since I was a child, I have been trained is of bat and assassination. Because of this, I was chosen among many as the most suitable to protect you. But for now, I ot reveal more about myself.”

  Mirac remained silent. His face was motionless, but his gaze betrayed deep inner ption.

  “I see…” he finally said, his voice barely audible. “What you just told me ahe sed question I wao ask you. In fact, I inteo ask yht after who you truly were and where the strength you used against Krk came from. And finally, I would say I uand it…“

  The young Priudied Carmen ily, trying to decipher the mystery surrounding her.

  “But you still haven’t answered my first question, Carmen: why did you hide your as? You saved me, yet you made sure I received all the credit for killing Krk. Why?”

  Carmen didn’t answer immediately, and silence fell over the room once again. For a few seds, it seemed she was deep in thought.

  “You see, young Prince,” she began at st, her tone measured, “my presence here at the castle is a carefully guarded secret. Not even His Majesty the King or the Queen know my true identity. No o the castle does, in fact. I was sent here without anyone’s knowledge, under orders from someone I ot, unfortunately, speak to you about.”

  The red-haired aused briefly, as if gatherirength before tinuing:

  “I couldn’t simply cim that I was the one who had fronted Krk, because that would have revealed my true identity. That’s why I had to make sure you were credited with his death. That evening, after defeating him, I carried you to a spot close enough to his body and ensured you held the same sword I had used to take him down. Then, a gardener found you unscious, exactly where I had left you. The rest, as you imagine, unfolded on its own.”

  She lowered her gaze, a shadow of unease crossing her face.

  “I know all of this may seem strange and suspicious to you, but I assure you it’s the truth! Proteg you is the only thing that truly matters to me!”

  The tension in the room grew with each passing moment of silence.

  ‘Hmmm…’

  Mirac studied the woman’s fatently: there was certainly siy in her words, but there was also something that tio elude him…

  “I have o question for you, then, Carmen…”

  Carmen looked at him ily.

  “Ask away, young Prince.”

  Mirac took a moment to think. Every word had to be chosen carefully, every question precisely formuted.

  He slowly crossed his arms, and his expression grew even more serious and probing.

  “For all this time, did you already know who the ‘Professor Shirkenn’ really was?”

  The question echoed through the room, making it feel suddenly smaller.

  In that moment of silence, a subtle tension seemed to ripple through the air.

  Seeing that his “bodyguard” showed no sign of responding, Mirac pressed on, his voice growing more insistent but never losing its posure:

  “Actually, there’s no need for you to firm anything, because I’m quite vinced about it, and now I’ll expin why. When you arrived to save me, after throwing that roto his eye, you called him by his real name: ‘Krk’. That means you knew who he was from the very beginning. So, as I see it, the only pusible expnation is that you already khe true identity of the fake Professor Shirkenn.”

  The silehat followed was heavy with unspoken meanings.

  Carmen’s face was inscrutable, but the slight stiffening of her hands betrayed an inner flict.

  ‘I ’t back out now…’ she thought, exhaling deeply.

  Then, Carmen lifted her gaze to meet Mirac’s.

  “For someone ye, you’re remarkably perceptive, young Prince…”

  She allowed herself the fai hint of a smile, almost affeate, but her face quickly turned serious again.

  “Yes, you’re right. I already khat Professor Shirkenn was, in fact, an imposter. But once again, I ’t tell you how I k. It’s part of the secrets of my profession. And, of course, I couldn’t tell anyone for that very reason. So, I had to ha on my own. I hoped that stant threats would make him back dowually, that he would leave the castle without the need for a direct frontation. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way.”

  “stant threats?” Mirac repeated, surprised.

  “Exactly,” Carmen replied. “The first day Krk arrived, I threatened him by telling him I had his family hostage. Of course, it wasn’t true, but for a number of reasons, he believed it. In exge for the ‘safety’ of his loved ones, I imposed two rules on him: not to y a single finger on you and to provide me with some information.”

  Mirac, still seated at the desk before her, watched every subtle movement on the face of the red-haired woman.

  “And for over a year, this strategy of mine was w successfully!” excimed Carmen. “He showed no hostility towards you and simply adapted to the role of Professor. He seemed to have given up. But that sted only until that evening, when Krk decided to take advantage of my absend that of your father, Grand Knight Leonard, and the Infernal Knights—to try to kill you after disc that I didn’t actually have his family held hostage.”

  The memory of the frontation surfaced in Carmen’s mind, her expression growing heavier.

  “I’m grateful, at least, that I arrived in time to stop him,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “But…”

  Her words trailed off for a moment, and her gaze dropped to the floor.

  “It’s entirely my fault that you lost your arm! If I’d dealt with him the very first day, none of this would have happened!”

  Her voice faded into a whisper as she ched her trembling fists in frustration.

  “I humbly beg your fiveness, young Prince…”

  Mirac remained silent for a few moments.

  Theook a deep breath, and his fingers, which had been drumming idly on the edge of his chair, stilled.

  “Don’t worry,” he said, his tone soft, almost as if to fort her. “After all, it wasn’t you who y arm. And besides, without you, my family would probably be m over my grave right now. You undoubtedly did your best to help me, and I’m very grateful to you for saving my life.”

  Carmen raised her head, surprised. Her eyes, usually so imperable, widened slightly.

  Her lips parted faintly, as though she was at a loss for words.

  Finally, a smile, warm and affeate, graced her lips.

  “I’m gd to hear that, young Prince…”

  Mirac returned a faint smile and nodded, letting the sileretch briefly betweehen, with his gaze drifting to the horizon beyond the window, he seemed to gather his thoughts.

  When he looked back at her, the smile was gone, repced by an expression of renewed seriousness.

  “But, Carmen…” he began, his tone heavy with doubt, “are you sure you’re not hiding something else from me?”

  The “maid” widened her eyes, visibly caught off guard.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Nothing, really,” he replied, shrugging. “But the rea you just had makes me think you’re hiding something else… Something that, for no reason in the world, you wao find out…”

  Before Carmen could respond, Miratinued speaking, his tone growing more resolute:

  “For instahere might be another reason why you didn’t alert ao Krk’s presence. e to think of it, you could have warned about the infiltrator’s prese the castle without promising your identity. You could have, for example, simply sent an anonymous letter to the royal guards, or eveer, to the King. A, you didn’t.”

  The tension in the room escated sharply, and it was then that Carmen realized where this versation was heading.

  “Did you want to keep gathering the information that Krk was forced to provide you based on the sed rule you had imposed on him? That’s possible, but I doubt it’s the only expnation,” Mirac pressed on. “Maybe you wao learn something more from him… For example, find out who hired him to kill me…”

  With a decisive gesture, he rose from his chair and stepped closer to Carmen, who was still kneeling before him.

  His expression grew more intense, as did his voice.

  “Because perhaps, just like me, you suspect that it was someone residing here at the castle who hired Krk to kill me…”