Chapter 4 - Mr. Spy

BLAIRE

"What's your name, Mr. Spy?" I asked while applying treatment to the wound I've inflicted a while ago.

"Don't get me wrong. I don't have plans on becoming your friend." He replied abruptly with a snobbish tone. Annoyed by his reply, I picked up the alcohol on the kit and poured it on his open wound on the neck in annoyance.

"AAAAHHHH! WHAT THE---!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" He angrily screamed and jolted away in pain.

"You need to sanitize the wound before treating it, ya know?" I rolled my eyes as if stating the most obvious fact in the world.

"BUT YOU NEED TO CLEAN IT WITH COTTON! NOT DIRECT APPLICATION!" I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and continued rummaging through the kit as if I was just listening to the wind.

"Since you won't tell me your name, I'll just continue to call you Mr. Spy." I remarked while carefully patting the cotton ball with medicine on his forehead. Realizing that his protests are useless, he hissed a 'tsk' in defeat. I couldn't contain my sealed lips and chuckled. As I look at him up close, I began to wonder.

"How old are you, Mr. Spy?"

"...." When I glared at him, he immediately hid the alcohol behind him and averted his gaze.

"Come on! Why won't you answer? Can't you see that I'm being hospitable to you right now?"

"You inflicted this, you should be responsible."

"You spied on me, you should have anticipated it." He glared at me and I glared back once again. With that, I unexpectedly chuckled. We're really cat and mouse, aren't we?

"Hmmmm, I didn't thought that you would look younger up close."

"What does that mean?"

"You look old." I replied bluntly with a straight face. His eyes widened in fury as he began to spout his anger once again.

"OLD?!"

"I guess you're around late thirties, am I right?" I teased him with a huge grin on my face. It's a lie though, I just want to enjoy his annoyed expression.

"You--!! How is 23 old?!  You should get your eyes checked!"

"Oohhh~ so you're 23." I nodded my head and widened my smile in triumph. Too late did he realize that he fell right into my trap. He groaned in frustration which made me laugh even more.

"I can't believe the Empress planted such a weak rat on me"

"Hey!" He raised his voice in annoyance from my insult which made me smile. His face heated up in embarrassment and immediately spouted an excuse.

"She hired a spy, not an assassin. Spies hide, not fight!" I stared at him in disbelief because of his stupidity.  I am a child yet I know better what spies do than the spy himself, how is this possible?

"But I found you so you failed to hide as a spy"

"That's what bothers me! I've been watching you since you were 5 but this is the first time you've noticed me. It's as if someone possed the body of the princess with an impressive agility and aggressiveness!" My hands halted from patting his wounds and my body tensed upon hearing his words. Uh-oh! I think I'll have to be more careful or others might start to suspect my actions. I gently smiled at him like nothing happened and slowly wrapped a bandage on his treated neck after applying the medicine.

"Now, report to the empress my usual routine as what we've discussed earlier. Remember everything I've said!  Your life is on the line here as well." I warned him again for the nth time. He nodded hesitantly but when I narrowed my eyes and raised the scissors from the kit, he nodded his head right away and hurriedly left after waving goodbye.

"My lady, it's time for your bath." Joewella softly spoke behind me. I turned my head towards her and she flashed a genuine smile. I gazed back to the direction where the spy left and gave out a sigh.

'I just can't trust people easily in this world' I shook my head in defeat and faced Joewella once again. "I'll do it later. I have something important to do first." Not waiting for her reply, I swiftly ran towards the high walls that guarded my castle and climbed on a branch to reach the nearest tree. I leaped gracefully from one branch to another and it became easier for me to move now since I'm wearing pants which I insisted against Joewella who preferred the long dress with a very tight corset. I groaned absent-mindedly upon realizing that I have no choice but to wear those uncomfortable clothes sooner or later. I continued to run silently on the strong branches trying to catch up after Mr. Spy.

'so I'm spying my spy huh? funny.' I silently chuckled at the ironic thought and sharpened my vision along the way.

Silver hair, black cloak--- I spotted the person I was looking for. He was cautiously walking in the woods which I believed to be a hidden shortcut towards the empress' palace.

'I don't know if he bought my warnings but everything I've told him were just full of baffles! The empress will surely not let this slide when she knows what happened.'

I crossed my fingers and hoped for the god of luck to aid my side. After quite some time of following him from a distance, a huge and extravagant palace came into the view. Suddenly, he grabbed on the branch of the nearest tree and leaped over the cornermost side of the high walls. Suspicious. Why are there no knights guarding this area?

It's almost time for the rising sun to rest yet surprisingly, a middle-aged woman with dark bluish hair and sparkling blue eyes was still leisurely drinking a cup of tea in this desolated area. As Mr. Spy descended on the green grass, she gracefully placed the cup back on the table and raised her gaze as if expecting his presence

'Wait! Is she--'

"Greetings to the Moon of the Empire! Glory and Opulence be upon the Kristania Empire." He kneeled on his one foot and placed his right hand on his chest as a courtesy to the woman in front of him.

"Report." The woman's voice was full of authority yet faint uninterest was visible.

"So far there's nothing suspicious, Your Majesty. The lady is just doing her usual routine from the time she woke up until the time I left." The empress smirked with satisfaction but as she spotted the bandage on his neck, she narrowed her eyes and her smile vanished.

"Then why did you get an injury?" She asked while raising a brow. It didn't sound like she was worried about him but it's enough to ignite suspicion on his words a while ago. I unconsciously bit my lip to contain my surging nervousness. Goodness! I haven't thought about this!

"To think that the moon of the empire cares for her lowly subjects like me, Her Majesty truly possesses a benevolent heart. This humble servant slipped while climbing a tree and injured his neck. However, please be at ease for this will not disrupt my duties as a servant of the empress."

"Pffft! Benevolent heart my ass." I silently chuckled at his sloppy flattery. Mr. Spy brilliantly flaunted an excuse before her while keeping his head low. Obviously, he was trying to avoid the suspicious gaze of the royal but the empress took his action and words as signs of loyalty. I slowly breathe a sigh of relief. He truly kept his promise. Not wanting to listen more of their conversation, I carefully turned my back on them and started to climb away. However, after a few minutes of wandering in the forest.

'Uhhhhh I think I'm lost'

I pouted my lips and jumped off the grassy ground. I tried to pat the leaves and dirt from my hair and clothes before I raised my head. Upon seeing the blue sky turning orange, my anxiety began to rise as I continued walking.

'What if I can't go home and remained trapped in this endless forest?'

My face turned pale as I stopped in my tracks. No, I'm not scared of having no place to live or food to eat. I'm scared that I won't be able to go back to my own world if I can't fulfill my tasks. I gulped hard and shook the pessimism off my head. I started to walk again but this time, faster.

"What are you doing here?"

Upon hearing that deep voice, my whole body froze.