The Hidden Threat

The room felt heavy, as if shrouded in an invisible mist of tension.

Only the sound of our breathing echoed against the thick stone walls that kept the chamber isolated from the outside world.

Loki, leaning back in his chair, fixed me with a sharp gaze—like a dagger piercing straight through me. Linnie, with her innocent face, studied me with open curiosity. Her head tilted slightly, a gentle smile gracing her delicate features.

Beside me, Fenrir sat restlessly, fidgeting with her fingers beneath the table. Her lips pressed into a thin line, impatience flickering in her golden eyes as she awaited my next words.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my heartbeat, which pounded faster than usual. Their piercing stares bore into me, demanding that I reveal the identity of the spy.

Once I felt calm enough, I finally spoke in a deep voice. "I met the spy this morning."

My words made the atmosphere even heavier. All eyes turned to me. The air itself seemed to grow colder, pressing down on us like an invisible weight.

Loki raised an eyebrow, his expression sharpening further. "Who?" he asked, his voice flat yet undeniably commanding.

I didn't answer immediately, letting the silence stretch for a moment in the grand chamber. Then, with a faint smirk, I finally said, "Her name is Emma."

The moment that name left my lips, Fenrir reacted. Her shoulders trembled. I had no idea why she reacted that way—perhaps she knew something I didn't.

Meanwhile, Linnie stared at me in disbelief, her red eyes flashing with doubt. "There's only one Emma here."

"Really?" I asked, my gaze sharp as I looked at her.

Linnie nodded firmly. "Unlike Father, who doesn't really care about the names of the maids working here, I remember almost every single name on the palace's staff list."

All eyes immediately shifted to Loki, who now looked away with an almost guilty expression.

"Hey, come on. That's not the point of this conversation," he said, shrugging with an awkward smile.

Yeah… I had to admit, Linnie was far more attentive than I expected. I wouldn't have guessed that she knew nearly all the maids' names by heart. Honestly, her statement—that there was only one Emma in the palace—made everything click in my mind, like a blinding light piercing through the darkness of my thoughts.

A slow smirk spread across my lips.

But before I could explain, Fenrir suddenly slammed her hands on the table with a loud bang, the wood creaking under the force of her strike.

Linnie even jumped slightly in surprise, while Loki remained still, merely raising an eyebrow at us.

"No!" Fenrir shouted, her voice fierce with protest. "Emma isn't the culprit! I can guarantee it!"

I turned to her slowly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Fenrir," I murmured, my voice soothing. "Sit down for a moment, and I'll explain."

Fenrir hesitated, but after a moment, she obeyed, lowering herself back into her seat. However, her eyes remained locked onto mine, filled with restless urgency—pleading, almost—as if trying to tell me that Emma was innocent.

"Yata, Emma isn't guilty. I met her this morning, and I… I…" She paused, struggling to put her words together. "I could tell from her scent that she wasn't the culprit. It's just that… the spy's scent clung to her very strongly."

I watched her with quiet amusement as she fumbled to explain herself, clearly desperate to prove Emma's innocence.

"Relax, Fenrir. She's not the culprit," I said with a reassuring smile.

"Huh?" Fenrir blinked, confused.

Linnie frowned, and even Loki, usually unreadable, seemed slightly taken aback.

It seemed like everyone had assumed I brought up Emma's name because I suspected her. But in truth, Emma was the only one here who was not guilty.

A tense silence settled over us, the anticipation thick in the air as they all waited for my explanation.

I let out a slow breath before continuing, "I've been suspicious of Emma from the start. I even watched her for days while in my spider form."

I smirked slightly, trying to ease the heavy atmosphere in the room.

"But I didn't find anything suspicious about her. She's clean."

Upon hearing this, Fenrir's tense shoulders finally relaxed. Linnie nodded slightly, though confusion still lingered in her eyes. Loki, as always, remained unreadable.

"Then why did you mention Emma's name?" Linnie asked, her voice soft yet full of curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, like a child listening to a fairy tale that didn't quite make sense.

I grinned, savoring the moment before giving my answer. "Didn't I already say that I ran into the spy by accident this morning?"

I paused, my gaze sweeping across them to make sure they were paying attention.

"The culprit used the name 'Emma' merely as a cover when they met me."

Loki's stare turned sharp, but after a moment, his icy eyes softened with understanding. He nodded slowly, a thin smile forming on his lips.

"Ah," he murmured, his voice carrying the relief of someone who had finally quenched their thirst after wandering in a desert of uncertainty. "I see. Everything makes sense now."

Seeing Loki smile like that made my own lips curl in response. Our eyes met, and for a moment, it felt as if our thoughts were aligned.

"Hellooo…" Fenrir's voice suddenly cut through the silence, snapping us out of our unspoken connection. "Is it just me, or are you two hiding something from us?"

I sighed, turning to Fenrir with a teasing glint in my eyes. "Wait, don't tell me you still don't get it?" I asked, my tone playfully mocking.

Fenrir's expression stiffened, her ears twitching in irritation. "Don't make me look like an idiot in front of everyone, you damn bird!" she snapped.

"Hey, no need to get mad. I'm sure everyone understands what I meant." I turned to Linnie across the table, raising an eyebrow. "Right, Linnie?"

"Uhh… actually, I don't really get it either." She chuckled sheepishly, scratching the back of her head.

"See?" Fenrir smirked triumphantly. "Now you've made Linnie look clueless too, you shameless bird."

I pouted, not expecting my playful jab to backfire on me.

Fenrir narrowed her eyes at me, her gaze sharp and demanding. "In that case," she said slowly, her voice carrying a low growl, "who is the real culprit?"

I took a deep breath, letting the silence linger once more. Their eyes locked onto me, waiting for an answer that could change everything.

Finally, I smirked and shrugged casually. "That's what we're trying to figure out now."

"What do you mean?"

"To be honest… I don't know their name." I lifted my hands in a carefree gesture, even though I knew what was about to happen next.

"Huh?!" Fenrir's outraged cry filled the room as she grabbed me and shook me violently, her golden eyes glaring daggers into mine. "You idiot! How the hell are we supposed to find them if you don't even know their name?!"

Honestly, I felt like laughing at how impatient she was. For some reason, making her annoyed had become a hobby of mine.

I let out a long sigh and tried to calm her down. "Calm down, Fenrir," I said, gesturing for her to stop. "I may not know his name, but I remember his appearance very clearly."

"Really?" Fenrir asked, stopping her rough shaking.

I smirked. "Of course. Never underestimate a raven's memory."

Ravens have the best memory—not just among birds but among all animals. We can memorize everything at a glance, especially the face of someone we're wary of or despise.

Linnie, who had been sitting quietly all this time, spoke in her soft voice, "Then how can you be sure we'll find him, Yata?"

Before I could answer, Loki cut in with absolute confidence. "Actually, this isn't that difficult."

We all turned to look at him.

"Think carefully." Loki crossed his arms over his chest. "He used the name Emma when he met Yatagarasu, and his scent lingers on Emma. That means he interacts with her often. In other words, the culprit is someone close to that girl."

Linnie's eyes widened as if the puzzle pieces had finally clicked into place in her mind. "Ah, I see now," she murmured, nodding slowly.

On the other hand, Fenrir only looked even more confused. Her wolf ears drooped weakly. "I still don't get it," she muttered, her voice almost a whimper.

I sighed again, rolling my eyes at her. "Alright, Fenrir. I'll put it simply," I said, lowering my voice as if explaining something to a child. "If the culprit's scent is on Emma, it means he's often near her. So, he must be her close friend, or at least someone who talks to her frequently."

Fenrir clapped her hands loudly. "Ah, I get it now!" she exclaimed with a broad grin, her tail wagging excitedly.

"Good," I muttered, though I knew it had taken her a while to process it.

"Then how do we lure the culprit out?" Linnie asked, her tone suggesting she preferred a smart and cautious approach.

However, before anyone could answer, Fenrir and I spoke almost at the same time, "What for? Let's just beat him up tonight."

Linnie flinched at our words, looking at us both with a disappointed expression. "What a… simple answer," she muttered, shaking her head slightly.

She was probably hoping I would come up with a complicated plan to trap him. Initially, I had thought so too, but since we were on our own turf, what was the problem? He was obviously a spy—why not just take him down directly?

Yeah… if I had to admit it, my way of thinking had probably been influenced by Fenrir. Maybe we had been spending too much time together lately?

"Alright." Loki stood up from his seat. "If that's your plan, I won't stop you. But don't cause too much chaos in the palace. I'll let you have your fun hunting him down—as long as you don't make a mess inside the palace."

Fenrir jumped from her chair, her eyes sparkling like a child who had just gotten a new toy. "Don't worry, we'll find him before sunset. Right, Yata?" She glanced at me with a wide grin.

"Yep, that's right," I replied casually, shrugging. "But before that, get me some paper and a pen. I'll draw his face."

"You don't have to," Linnie interjected. She murmured a spell, and suddenly, a holographic display appeared before us, showing the faces of all the palace maids. "This is the list of palace maids. Describe his features, and I'll identify him."

I grinned, impressed by what she had done. "You're amazing, Linnie. This is incredible."

"Thank you."

I described the features of the spy I had encountered, and soon, the magical hologram before me shifted, revealing the face I had in mind.

"Is this him?"

"Yes, that's him."

Loki crossed his arms, a sly smirk forming on his lips. "Then, the game has begun."

Fenrir clenched her fists eagerly. "Let's catch him before nightfall!"

I nodded, staring sharply at the image of his face. "He won't be able to run anymore."

Outside, the sky over Jotunheim began to change colors—the sun was sinking lower, and in a few more hours, it would set.

This evening, we would make sure to catch the spy and put an end to everything.