Chapter 45: Information

Alia's heart trembled as she lowered her gaze to the frail young girl before her. A trace of pity flashed through her eyes. Gently patting Mina's head, she spoke softly, "I'm sorry for bringing up something painful."

"It's okay." Mina looked up, forcing a small smile. "I just wanted to tell you—my grandpa really did see it clearly." Her voice grew quieter toward the end.

Alia nodded slightly, though her thoughts were turbulent. The clue was vague, and the person who knew more was no longer alive, yet something felt as though it was beginning to surface. A cemetery, golden light, a female general… The elements pieced together seemed to hint at a deeply buried secret.

She pondered for a moment, then crouched down to look Mina in the eye. "If you remember any other details your grandfather mentioned, let me know anytime, okay?"

Mina nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with seriousness and hope.

Meanwhile, Alia's mind was quickly assembling the fragments of information into a larger picture.

The beautiful female general—it required no further thought. Alia already knew the answer: it was her mother, Celesta. As a celebrated commander with numerous victories, Celesta was renowned not just for her beauty but for her ironclad leadership and keen judgment, which struck fear into her enemies.

But why had her mother been at the cemetery? And with soldiers? What was hidden at the site of the golden light?

The answer seemed ready to reveal itself—the Holy Grail.

What had happened when Celesta found the Holy Grail all those years ago? Alia couldn't be certain. But she knew deep down that everything—Marcellus's actions, her father's behavior, even her own fate—seemed intricately tied to it.

"The Holy Grail…" Alia silently repeated, her gaze flickering with complex emotions.

She turned to Red. "The last time I asked where General Eryx lived, do you know if he's always stayed at that place?"

Red nodded. "Yes, he's been living there ever since. We're pretty familiar with the locations of general's residences—it's the kind of place you know not to approach, let alone try stealing from. But someone did tell me once, privately, that the General of the Second Army Group's home often seemed empty, like it might be worth checking out."

Red paused, then added in a low voice, "But no matter how tempting it sounded, I didn't dare try. It's a general's territory—one wrong move, and you'd be in deep trouble."

The others nodded in agreement, adding, "Yeah, someone told us that too. But it just didn't feel right, so we never took the risk. Still, because of it, we remember where the house is. We later found out that Eryx has been living there ever since he became The General of the Second Army Group."

Alia maintained a calm expression but was deeply shaken inside. This rumor, disguised as bait for common thieves, seemed far too calculated. A general's house perpetually empty? The story's plausibility begged questioning. It felt more like a deliberately spread trap. As for the true motive behind it, she couldn't yet discern.

Reflecting on her own experience—how she had rashly acted upon the information instead of discussing it with her companions—she thought she might have avoided everything that followed. But then, she wouldn't have met her master. Her youthful naivety at the time had cost her. Still, who had set this trap, and why? Was it Eryx targeting thieves, or was there another reason?

Suppressing her questions, Alia nodded lightly, feigning nonchalance. "It seems you were wise to stay cautious. Not taking risks was the right move. It could easily have been a trap." She gazed thoughtfully into the distance.

Alia then asked, "Do you know a woman with an ordinary appearance named Alia?" Her voice was intentionally low, but a faint urgency colored her tone.

The group exchanged glances. Finally, Red shook his head. "Never heard of her. The name's pretty common, but no one in our circle goes by that."

The others chimed in agreement, expressing the same.

Though she had anticipated this response, hearing their definitive denial still sent a chill through Alia. It was as if her very existence—her future, her past—was being erased piece by piece from this world. A cold sweat trickled down her back. Her chest felt as though a block of ice pressed heavily against it, and a deep sense of dread took hold. Biting her lip, she reminded herself to stay calm.

After regaining some composure, Alia smiled faintly to conceal her emotions. "No matter, I was just asking." Then, she pulled a small pouch of silver coins from her pocket and handed it to Red. "Here's a little payment for your efforts. Thank you for the information."

The group broke into grins, thanking her enthusiastically. Alia's gaze then fell on the Mina. She watched her silently for a moment before speaking. "This girl has a good spirit. If she's present every time, I will give you more. Consider it my way of looking out for her."

Mina blushed, visibly flustered but grateful. "Thank you! I'll do my best to help!" Her youthful yet determined face stirred a faint wave of emotion in Alia. She wanted to offer this girl more protection and opportunities but knew that her own identity and abilities fell short of guaranteeing such safety. She quietly buried those feelings deep in her heart.

Next, Alia pulled a photo from her bag and held it up for the group to see. "This man—you recognize him, don't you?"

The photo depicted a man with striking features, and an air of aloofness. He was none other than Elias.

Red immediately nodded. "Of course. Who wouldn't recognize him? He's the Marcellus family's young master. But this guy's elusive, always moving around. It's not easy to track him."

Alia curved her lips into a faint smile, her tone calm as she gave her next instruction. "Starting now, I want you to gather information on Elias's daily movements—especially the places he frequents. The more detailed, the better." Her voice dropped slightly, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes. The group nodded earnestly, sensing the seriousness of her request.

As they dispersed, Alia silently calculated her next steps. She needed to orchestrate an "accidental" meeting—a carefully planned encounter with Elias. And the information she had just requested was the crucial first step.