Chapter 53: A Spy and Giving False Information

"Danger... this is really dangerous! I didn’t expect Marquis Orlan to actually declare his support for Princess Elina!"

In a palace hallway, a man walked briskly, his steps frantic as he bit the tip of his right thumbnail.

He wasn’t particularly handsome and had an unremarkable appearance. Dressed in a servant’s uniform, his status within the palace seemed clear.

But if Nolan had seen him, he would have recognized him immediately—this was the servant who had brought tea to him and Marquis Orlan.

However, the man harbored a secret identity—he was a spy working for Adalen.

Ever since the battle for the throne began, all traces of brotherly affection between the princes had vanished.

Now, they saw each other as enemies—obstacles to be eliminated.

They had begun to use every means at their disposal, including planting spies in the palace to monitor each other’s movements.

"I must report this to Prince Adalen immediately," he muttered under his breath.

In the Great Velmora Empire, noble families bearing the title of Marquis stood at the top of the aristocracy.

Gaining their support could increase a prince’s chances of claiming the throne by five percent.

That number might sound small, but in a contest this fierce, even a single percent could be decisive.

That’s why a marquis’s support carried immense weight—enough to tip the balance of power entirely.

With hurried steps, he moved down the hallway until he reached a T-junction.

He turned right—only to be startled by the sight of a handsome man in servant’s clothing leaning casually against the wall to the left.

The man was tall, gray-haired, and strikingly attractive. His eyes were closed, as if he were waiting for someone.

Although confused and suspicious, the servant kept quiet and walked past him without a word.

But before he had taken ten steps, a cold voice called out from behind.

"Hey, wait a minute."

The words startled him. He froze for a moment, then turned around slowly, trying to stay composed.

"Can I help you?" he asked, feigning confusion.

Judging by the man’s attire, he assumed he was another servant.

However, one detail stood out—unlike the usual blue uniforms, the man’s clothes were black.

He guessed this was the head servant of a division he hadn’t encountered before.

The gray-haired man opened his eyes and gazed at him calmly.

"Where were you just now?"

The question sent a chill through him, but he kept his expression neutral.

"I was just delivering tea to Prince Nolan and Marquis Orlan, sir," he replied politely, doing his best to mask his unease.

"Heh..." The man gave a slight nod, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I see. You may go."

The servant felt there was something unsettling about that smile, but he said nothing. He quickly turned away and resumed his steps.

But suddenly—

Srckk!

He froze. A sharp, excruciating pain tore through his chest.

With stiff, trembling movements, he looked down—only to see a hand piercing clean through his torso.

Fresh blood gushed out like a fountain, painting a horrifying scene.

"What... how could—"

Before he could finish, the hand was yanked out, and his body crumpled to the ground.

Until his final breath, he never understood why he had to die... or who had killed him.

The gray-haired man let out a quiet chuckle as he gazed at the lifeless body before him.

With a simple wave of his right hand, the bloodstains on his clothes and skin vanished.

He then crouched beside the corpse, placing a hand on the servant’s head.

In an instant, a stream of memories surged into his mind—all the critical information connected to Adalen.

"Heh... So that’s how it is," he murmured with a faint smile. "Turns out he really was a spy, just as my lord suspected."

He pulled his hand away and slowly shook his head, his expression tinged with pity.

"Unfortunately, you crossed paths with my lord... and that was your greatest misfortune."

With those words, he stood and snapped his fingers.

In the blink of an eye, his appearance transformed—perfectly mimicking the servant he had just killed.

He pulled a small mirror from his pocket, examined his new face, and gave a satisfied nod.

"Well... now it’s time to find out what Prince Adalen is really after," he murmured, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

***

Knock!

"Prince Adalen, may I come in? I have important information for you."

The man knocked on the door of Adalen’s room, his expression relaxed and calm.

"Come in," came a lazy voice from inside.

He turned the doorknob and stepped inside. Adalen lay sprawled on the bed.

Although his body showed no bandages and appeared uninjured, his face was still pale—like someone who had just woken.

In fact, he was still recovering from the injuries caused by the Singularity of Chaos’s pressure three days prior.

The man stopped beside the bed and bowed respectfully.

"Sorry to disturb you, Prince Adalen. I have news regarding the request you gave me earlier."

Adalen forced himself to sit up, leaning against the bed’s headboard.

"Go ahead," he said shortly, his tone indifferent.

The man straightened and began his report. "You asked me to watch Prince Nolan and Marquis Orlan. Unfortunately, I found nothing."

Adalen’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"They didn’t discuss anything related to the battle for the throne," the man explained calmly.

Adalen’s expression turned doubtful and confused. "How is that possible? Didn’t Marquis Orlan come to the palace to declare his support for Elina?"

Orlan’s visit to the palace was known to him and the other princes, but the purpose remained unclear.

After some investigation, Adalen discovered that Orlan apparently wanted to meet with his incompetent brother, Nolan.

Given Nolan’s ineptitude, Adalen wondered—what was Orlan really after?

Had he come to declare his support for Elina?

But wasn’t Orlan the Marquis aligned with Duke Malvain? He should be backing Aldric, not Elina.

To confirm, Adalen sent one of his spies—the very servant now standing before him.

To his surprise, Orlan had made no move to support Elina.

"What a surprise," he muttered under his breath.

Still, the outcome was as expected. Marquis Orlan was supposed to be on Aldric’s side, not Elina’s.

"Well, I see," Adalen said casually. "Thank you for the information. You may go."

"You’re welcome, Prince." The man bowed, then turned and left the room.

Adalen watched him go and exhaled deeply.

Looking up at the ceiling, a faint smile played on his lips.

"Since Elina lacks the Caltheron family’s support... that’s good. At least for now, the heads of the noble families considering backing her won’t dare to act openly this month."