The Infiltration Plan

The guard's footstep echoed through the tunneling walls, entering the middle entrance as ordered by Lady Elise. The walls were quite wide and spacious, even able to fit four people in one line without problems.

Although the tunnel was wide, it was also long. It looked like a giant ant's tunnel but supported by wood every five meters or so.

"Doesn't this place give you the creeps?" One of the guards said. He shivered like someone cold just breathed behind his neck.

"Stop being such a wuss Julian. Duke Evron's night should be courageous!" A blonde girl strapped in ponytail scolded the scared guy who was named Julian.

"Cristy the Disciplined is doing it again..." Julian whispered to the other guards as Cristy got flustered.

"Why you—"

KYAAAAAAAHHH!!!

A scream echoed throughout the whole as the calm atmosphere Julian tried to make broke off in an instant. They sheathed out their swords as they hurriedly walk towards the tunnel.

They arrived at their destination as their shakened eyes explained everything that bestowed before them.

Hell!

...

Lady Elise was walking calmly, using her earpiece to listen to anything that may count as a trap or an ambush. Silently putting her foot like a cat, not a sound was produced by Lady Elise like she was never there in the first place.

She stopped.

She glanced at what looked like a giant cash safe. Doors made out of steel and what looks like a yellow crystal in the center, definitely an eye scanner. Looks like the information was true.

Lady Elise smiled as this was one of the three goals from the very beginning. Her hand entered the bloody bag she was carrying and picked up something squishy, only for a decapitated head to come out.

She grinned widely as she remembered the plan that she and Duke Evron discussed all the way from four days ago.

...

Four days ago, Lady Elise took out the bandage from her shoulder, only for her to notice that not only was the wound healed, the scarring also disappeared. She was surprised as Lady Elise noticed someone was coming.

"Lady Elise, I'm coming in." - It was Duke Evron.

"Sure, come in..."

Lady Elise said in a calm composure. Duke Evron came in as he noticed that Lady Elise was naked from top to bottom.

Duke Evron had his guard down as his calm and emotionless face turned reddish. His eyes widened as he covered his eyes, furiously but shyly shouting at Lady Elise's obscene behavior.

"W-what are you doing!?"

Lady Elise looked at him with a surprised face as she forgot she's a woman now.

"Oh..."

"Don't 'oh' me!"

Lady Elise looked like a child as Duke Evron left the room in a hurry, giving time for Lady Elise to wear something. She noticed that she was acting more like a woman than a man this couple weeks, sometimes forgetting she's a woman now.

Lady Elise wore a straight white gown, made to wear at home. She also noticed while looking in the mirror, unlike Lady Melany that had an exsecive amount of make up, she had none. Yet, she still looks so beautiful that it was so unnatural.

What would happen if she were to wear one? (Universe gonna end)

There were make-ups she wants to try but she doesn't know what's inside of it. Remember, this isn't modern times where it is scientifically improvised to be healthy. Make-ups was once poisonous on the face, even putting mercury to make the face whiter.

So, for now, she's not gonna try one. Maybe she's gonna create her own?

"You can come in, now."

Lady Elise brushed it off and called Duke Evron that was clearly still outside. He entered back to see the beauty in front of her. Although Lady Elise went straight to the point.

"What'd you come here for?"

"I'm here to discuss over something."

Lady Elise asked as Duke Evron answered. He closed the door gently as her cold demeanor came back as he sat on one of the chairs. Lady Elise sat on the edge of the bed, with her leg crossed.

"I'm talking about the stabbing incident. Did you do it on purpose?"

"Oh, why do you say?"

Duke Evron's demeanor turned cold, like a police interrogating a suspected criminal, he looked at her with an eye that could directly send her to jail. Yet, Lady Elise just smiled, not flinching a single emotion.

Duke Evron sighed and gave in...

"That's not the point here anyway, I was just curious... because a lady like you isn't afraid to harm herself."

Lady Elise twinkled as she was delighted that one of her puzzles got connected, but she did not say anything and changed the topic directly.

"So what are you here for?"

"Well, it's because of this..."

Duke Evron took something out from his pocket. A crumpled scroll that looked like it was in a hurry.

She rolled open the scroll as she found information about a base in the La Costre territory that hosted slavery.

The messenger said he was passing through the La Costre Territory when she was stopped by a crying old woman that said her daughter got kidnapped. Without even reporting back, he waited for the night when she said it usually happens, taking poor people to a placed called "Jolly Tunnel". He then said he heard the guards conversing about slavery and the odd safe room where the Earl keeps all his valuables.

"How did you get this?"

"Messages are sent through tamed birds, this came just last night. So I was curious if you had some conflict with the La Costre, to help me infiltrate and arrest the La Costre."

"I did say I was gonna help you for revenge for the Royal Family and since the La Costre is a supporter of them, then I'll help... but! Lady Melany and Earl Karlos is mine!"

"Why?"

"Simple because they're my target..."

Lady Elise said with a heartwarming smile that it made Duke Evron's spine tingled from how far the tone of her expression is from the words she conveyed that it was simply creepy.

Lady Elise and Duke Evron spent the three days discussing a plan. A plan originally made by Duke Evron and was significantly changed by Lady Elise.

Lady Elise suggested that she goes alone to find the hidden slave trade, since a group can hinder her ability. She also suggested that they need to complete three certain tasks.

(1) Capture the safe room. (2) Capture the La Costre. (3) Free the Slaves.

"I want you to set a base in the border of our territory."

Lady Elise said a daring plan, as this can involve in a war between the two territories. Also, whether the enemy dies, the first one to declare war will only be killed by the prince.

"But that's dangerous!"

"Not in our case."

Duke Evron exclaimed and tried to reject her plan, but she had a plan that not even the King can ignore.

"I want you to set up the base. Let the news spread to the royal family! Isn't it amazing when they see their faces when we took justice upon their supporters? As we show them that our cause was for the slave to be freed!?"

Lady Elise snapped, as her intentions was never the slaves, it was about the fall of La Costre and the embarrassment of the royal family! La Costre was found to be heavily supported by the royal family too, so seeing their faces will certainly be a show!

"... How does that benefit us?"

"What? Don't you see? This is a part of revenge, although it's only a grain of salt from the piles that I'm gonna put in their wound!"

"Well, if that is the case... but what are we gonna do with the safe?"

"I'll use that money for the restoration of our land and research for your mother's illness."

They went on and on until they finally concluded on their plan. Times went on only for the plan to change entirely in their favor... with the question Lady Elise has held up the most.

"How did you heal my wound so quickly?"

"What... you're kidding me, right?"

"No... I'm not."

"I was sure to remember that you were one of the Prodigals..."

"The what?"

Lady Elise was extremely confused, as she knew she read this somewhere but she thought it was only a story. Evron's sighs intensifies as he tried his best to explain what Lady Elise should normally know.

"Seriously? A person titled as a "Prodigal" is extremely well-known. You didn't think that I'd have the ability to get you when your family is that of a Count's rank, right? I was only able to let it slide because you have the title of a Prodigal."

"Then, what am I so good at?"

"You were the Prodigal Daughter of Knowledge."

"Then... those books in the bookshelf is true? The fairy tale books about the ability called Mantra?"