A Promise Before Departure

The morning mist still clung to the fields when I found Anzon repairing one of his hunting traps. The grass was damp beneath my shoes, and the cool morning air carried the familiar smell of wet soil and freshly cut wood. Anzon sat beside a wooden fence, carefully adjusting the metal parts of his trap. He seemed completely focused on his work until he noticed me approaching.

"Morning," he greeted me with a smile, setting down his tools.

"Good morning, Anzon."

I stood before him for a moment, unsure how to begin. I had spent most of the previous night thinking about what I wanted to say, yet now that I was standing in front of him, the words seemed harder to find.

I took a deep breath. "Anzon... I'm going to join the Resistance."

His hands stopped moving. The metal spring slipped from his fingers and struck the wooden fence with a sharp click. For several seconds, he simply stared at me, as though he had misunderstood what I had just said.

"...What?"

"The Resistance," I repeated. "I'm going to volunteer when I reach Wylfred."

Anzon slowly placed the trap on the ground and stood up. His expression had changed, but I couldn't tell whether he was surprised, angry, or simply worried.

"Who told you they were recruiting?"

"Some travelers mentioned it at the marketplace. They said the Resistance was looking for volunteers and that there might be paid work."

"Travelers?" he repeated.

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing." He paused before asking, "Are you serious about this, Chiye?"

I nodded.

Anzon rubbed his forehead and looked toward the village road. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought.

"What about Miss Matto?"

I turned my head toward the distant farmhouse. From where we stood, I could barely make out its roof beyond the fields. It had been my home for as long as I could remember, and the thought of leaving it behind made my chest feel heavy.

"That's exactly why I'm doing this."

Anzon remained silent, waiting for me to explain.

"She needs medicine, Anzon. Proper medicine, and a real doctor who can examine her." I lowered my voice. "Hunting and farming barely earn enough to buy food anymore. Every time we save a little money, something else becomes more expensive. I don't know how much longer we can keep living like this."

The war had made life increasingly difficult for ordinary families. Food prices continued to rise, supplies were unreliable, and even basic medical treatment had become a luxury. Every passing month seemed to bring another problem, and no matter how hard we worked, there was never enough money.

"Mom keeps telling me she's fine," I continued, "but I hear her coughing at night. Sometimes she can barely get out of bed in the morning."

I looked down at my hands.

"I can't just sit around and watch her get worse."

Anzon glanced toward the farmhouse. He knew Miss Matto's condition well enough, having visited us many times and helped whenever our work became too difficult.

"Have you considered finding ordinary work in Wylfred?" he asked. "The farms, workshops, or even the merchants might have something."

"I have, but the Resistance might pay more. Besides, I already know how to hunt, and I'm not afraid of hard work."

"Chiye, joining an armed group isn't the same as finding work at a farm."

"I know that."

"Do you?"

His question irritated me more than I wanted to admit.

I crossed my arms. "I'm not a little girl anymore, you know."

Anzon sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"Besides, my mom already taught me the maid's way of fighting."

For the first time since our conversation began, he laughed.

"The maid's way of fighting?" he repeated. "So what are you planning to do? Bow politely before knocking someone unconscious?"

I shoved his shoulder. "Of course not!"

He laughed again, although his smile didn't last very long.

"Good, because I doubt your enemies will appreciate excellent manners while trying to kill you."

Despite myself, I smiled.

Anzon picked up his hunting trap and examined the spring once more. He seemed to be considering something before finally setting it aside.

"Listen, Chiye. If you're determined to go, there's something you need to understand. Knowing how to fight doesn't mean you know how to survive. Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is run away. Sometimes you have to hide, wait, or decide that a fight isn't worth taking."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Since when did you become an expert on soldiers?"

"I'm a hunter," he answered. "You learn a few things when you're trying not to get yourself killed."

"By rabbits?"

"Some rabbits are surprisingly dangerous."

I laughed, and Anzon shook his head.

"We'll keep practicing until you leave," he continued. "Hunting, tracking, fighting, whatever I can teach you. If you're really going to Wylfred, I want you to arrive there knowing how to take care of yourself."

"Thanks, Anzon."

I meant it. He had always looked after me, and knowing that he supported my decision made leaving a little easier.

However, there was still something I needed to ask.

"Anzon... can you do me one favor?"

"Anything."

My smile faded as I looked toward the farmhouse once more.

"...Take care of Mom."

He didn't hesitate.

"I promise."

Those two words were enough. I knew Anzon well enough to understand that he would never make a promise he didn't intend to keep.

For the first time since making my decision, I felt a little less afraid.

The Gentlemen in Black

A few days later, I stood beside the village road, waiting for a wagon bound for Wylfred, the capital of the Kingdom of Sylverlon. My belongings were packed into a small traveling bag, which I had already checked several times to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything important.

I had decided to visit the Resistance's recruitment contacts once I reached the capital. If they refused to accept me, I would look for ordinary employment instead. Either way, I intended to return home with enough money to help Miss Matto.

Traveling during wartime was never easy. Public transportation had become unreliable, with many wagons being redirected to carry military supplies or essential goods. Some routes had been suspended entirely, while others operated only when enough passengers could be gathered. Missing a scheduled wagon could mean waiting another week for the next one.

Naturally, I had arrived early.

I was adjusting the strap of my bag when I noticed two familiar gentlemen approaching from the other side of the road. Both wore black suits and matching hats, looking rather out of place among the farmers and merchants going about their morning business.

I recognized them almost immediately.

The older gentleman noticed me first and smiled.

"Good morning, Miss Chiye."

He politely tipped his hat. "Agent Vell, at your service."

Then he gestured toward the gentleman beside him.

"And this is Agent Bagge of the Imperial..."

He suddenly stopped speaking.

"...Investigation Division."

Agent Bagge slowly turned his head toward his partner and let out a tired sigh.

"You almost blew our cover again."

Vell merely shrugged. "Old habits."

I raised an eyebrow. Their clothing was hardly discreet, and the fact that they seemed to introduce themselves to people so openly made me wonder how they managed to investigate anything.

Bagge noticed my expression and offered a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Miss Chiye. We're not here to arrest you or cause any trouble. We just have a few questions, if you don't mind."

I studied their faces for a moment.

"...I've seen you two before."

Both agents exchanged a brief glance.

"Really?" Vell asked.

"Yes. When I was little."

I pointed at Bagge.

"You had more hair back then."

Bagge immediately burst into laughter, placing a hand over his forehead.

"Years of experience, Miss Chiye. Years of experience."

Then I turned toward Vell.

"And you only had two wrinkles."

Vell closed his eyes and sighed dramatically, looking as though I had just delivered a terrible insult.

"I may be getting older," he declared, "but I assure you, I'm also getting wiser."

"I'll let history decide that," Bagge muttered.

I couldn't help laughing. Despite their strange behavior, there was something comforting about the two men. They had visited our village several times over the years, and although I never understood exactly what they wanted, they had always treated me kindly.

Once the laughter settled, Bagge's expression became more serious.

"How is Miss Matto doing these days?"

I lowered my gaze.

"She's getting weaker."

Both men listened quietly.

"She coughs almost every day now, and sometimes she gets so tired that she can't do much around the house. I try to help as much as I can, but..."

I paused, struggling to explain our situation without sounding desperate.

"Hunting doesn't earn much anymore. Neither does farming. The war made everything expensive, and we barely have enough money for food."

Vell's cheerful expression disappeared.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Chiye."

I tightened my grip on the strap of my traveling bag.

"So... I'm going to Wylfred to look for work."

"Work?" Bagge repeated. "Have you found an employer already?"

"Not yet. I'm hoping to find something once I get there."

I decided not to mention the Resistance. I doubted two men who introduced themselves as Imperial investigators would appreciate hearing that I intended to volunteer for an organization fighting against the authorities.

Bagge nodded slowly, though he seemed troubled by my answer. After a moment, he glanced at Vell, who gave him a small nod.

"If you don't mind me asking," Bagge began carefully, "could you tell us a little about your parents?"

It was a question I had answered many times before. People were naturally curious about my family, especially since I had been raised by Miss Matto rather than by my birth parents.

"My mother's name was Choo Taytu Karrie," I answered. "My father was Captain Kiru Karrie of the Imperial Army."

Bagge listened attentively.

"And what happened to your father?"

I swallowed.

"He took his own life."

The atmosphere changed almost immediately. Neither gentleman spoke for several seconds, and Bagge's expression softened.

"...I'm sorry," he said quietly.

"It's alright."

I had grown used to explaining my family's history, but that didn't make the subject any easier. There was little else I could tell them, and I wasn't particularly interested in discussing it beside a dusty road while waiting for my transportation.

After an uncomfortable silence, I looked between the two agents.

"Is that all?"

Vell seemed to consider something before answering.

"Actually, Miss Chiye, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Yes?"

"Do you know why we've been visiting you for the past several years?"

I thought about it for a moment, then shrugged.

"I figured you weren't getting paid enough."

Both men stared at me.

"Or perhaps you were trying to meet your yearly investigation quota."

Bagge nearly choked.

"That's not..."

Before he could finish, Vell began laughing so hard that he had to straighten his hat.

"I like her," he announced.

Bagge shook his head, apparently deciding that correcting either of us would be a waste of time.

Vell eventually regained his composure and folded his arms.

"The truth is, Miss Chiye, we're still searching for the missing Imperial Princess."

I blinked.

"The Princess?"

"That's right. Twelve years have passed since her disappearance, but the Investigation Division has never stopped looking for her."

His voice carried a seriousness I hadn't heard from him before. Behind his humorous attitude was a man who had devoted much of his life to an investigation that seemed to have no end.

Bagge continued where his partner left off.

"You see, Miss Chiye, the Investigation Division has served the Empire for generations. My father was an investigator, and so was his father before him. I grew up hearing their stories and spent my entire life learning this profession."

He paused, looking toward the distant road.

"If the Nyaan Empire disappears, so does our agency. Everything our families worked for, everything we dedicated ourselves to, could disappear with it."

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I had heard people argue about the Empire, the war, and the future of the kingdoms countless times. However, I had never considered what its disappearance might mean to the people who had spent their lives serving it.

Before I could respond, footsteps sounded behind the two gentlemen.

Vell's expression changed instantly. The cheerful older man I had been speaking with only seconds earlier suddenly became alert.

He leaned slightly toward Bagge.

"Espios," he whispered.

Bagge gave a small nod, apparently understanding the warning.

"We should get going."

Vell turned back toward me and tipped his hat once more.

"Thank you for your time, Miss Chiye. I hope your journey is a safe one."

"Thank you, gentlemen."

The two agents walked away, disappearing into the growing activity of the village road. Almost at the same moment, I heard the familiar rumbling of wooden wheels approaching.

My wagon had finally arrived.

I adjusted my bag, paid the driver, and climbed aboard. As the wagon began its journey toward Wylfred, I looked back at the village one last time.

I wondered whether I would see those two strange gentlemen again.

Little did I know that our brief conversation had given them more questions than answers.

An Unwelcome Encounter

Vell and Bagge had barely left the wagon station when another man approached them. Unlike the two investigators, who preferred civilian clothing, the stranger wore a dark military coat with a silver badge beneath his collar. His appearance was neat, his posture relaxed, and his expression carried the kind of confidence that immediately irritated Bagge.

"Good morning, gentlemen," the stranger greeted them.

Vell stopped walking.

"Agent Remo."

The man gave a slight smile.

"Imperial Intelligence Unit."

Vell frowned. "You're a long way from home."

"So are you."

Remo glanced toward the road where Chiye's wagon had departed before returning his attention to the investigators.

"I heard the Investigation Division is still chasing ghosts."

Bagge crossed his arms.

"We call it investigating."

Remo chuckled.

"Naturally. You investigators do love giving fancy names to activities that accomplish absolutely nothing."

Vell remained silent, watching him carefully.

Remo continued, clearly enjoying the opportunity to provoke them.

"The Princess is dead, gentlemen. You know it, I know it, the Intelligence Unit knows it, and even the International Police knows it. Twelve years have passed without a single confirmed sighting. How much longer do you intend to waste your time?"

Bagge's expression hardened, but Vell answered before his partner could say anything.

"Our motto is 'Loyalty and Determination.'"

Remo responded without hesitation.

"'Truth Reveals Every Face.'"

The two men stared at each other. Their organizations had different responsibilities, different methods, and, more importantly, very different ideas about what constituted the truth.

The Investigation Division believed in gathering evidence, questioning witnesses, and following every possible lead until a case could be resolved. The Intelligence Unit, by contrast, was accustomed to dealing with secrets, deception, and the unpleasant realities of political warfare.

Neither organization particularly enjoyed the other's company.

Finally, Vell smiled.

"We don't investigate simply because we're ordered to, Agent Remo. We investigate because that's who we are."

Remo adjusted his gloves.

"Then I hope you're prepared to be disappointed."

He stepped aside and continued down the road without another word.

Bagge watched him disappear among the pedestrians.

"...I really don't like spies."

"Neither do I," Vell replied.

The older investigator reached into his coat pocket and produced a small cigarette case. He opened it, took one cigarette for himself, and offered another to Bagge.

"Cigarette?"

Bagge's expression immediately brightened.

"Now you're speaking my language."

They continued walking, leaving the unpleasant encounter behind them. However, Remo's words lingered in Vell's thoughts.

The Princess was dead.

That was what everyone believed.

Yet belief was not evidence, and Vell had spent far too many years investigating the disappearance to accept a conclusion simply because other people had grown tired of looking.

The Karrie Investigation

Later that afternoon, the two investigators returned to their temporary office. The room was crowded with folders, documents, registries, and old reports collected during their years of searching for the missing Imperial Princess. Some files had been examined dozens of times, while others contained information that had never been properly connected.

Bagge sat behind his desk and opened a folder containing their latest observations.

"Person of interest," he began, reading aloud. "Fa Chiye Karrie. Currently residing in a rural village in the Kingdom of Sylverlon. Raised by former Imperial Grandmaid Matto To."

Vell stood beside the window, listening.

"Our observers also report that Prince Okato visits her regularly."

Bagge looked up from the folder.

"That's suspicious. There's no chance he doesn't know something."

Vell nodded slowly, but his attention had already shifted toward another document. He pulled Chiye's personal file closer and examined the physical description recorded by their observers.

"Eye color," he murmured.

"Green," Bagge answered.

"Hair?"

"Brown."

Vell remained quiet for several seconds.

Bagge noticed his expression and opened another folder.

"What's wrong?"

"The Karrie family," Vell replied. "What do we know about their appearance?"

Bagge searched through the documents until he found the relevant family registry.

"Green hair and green eyes," he read. "Those traits are common throughout their bloodline."

He stopped and looked back at Chiye's description.

"No brown hair."

Vell extended his hand.

"The passenger manifest."

Bagge searched the desk, found the appropriate folder, and passed it to his partner. The manifest contained the names of passengers registered aboard the airship associated with the family's history.

Vell carefully scanned the document. His finger moved slowly down the list of names until he reached the end.

Then he examined it again.

"...Just as I thought."

Bagge leaned forward.

"What is it?"

"No Choo Taytu Karrie."

Bagge blinked.

"So she wasn't on the airship?"

"No."

For a moment, the only sound in the room came from papers moving beneath Vell's fingers.

Bagge scratched his head.

"Perhaps she missed the flight."

Vell slowly looked up.

"Princess Hannie also missed her flight."

Bagge stopped moving.

The name immediately brought back memories of one of the darkest events surrounding the Imperial family's disappearance.

Vell continued.

"And she was murdered before boarding."

The two investigators exchanged a long, uneasy glance.

A missing passenger was not necessarily unusual. Names could be recorded incorrectly, tickets could be canceled, and travelers sometimes changed their plans at the last moment. However, the absence of Chiye's supposed mother from the manifest raised questions that could no longer be ignored.

Bagge turned toward another stack of documents.

"Let's examine the marriage registry."

He opened a large record book and began searching through the entries. The Karrie family was an established noble bloodline from Malnarr, while the Taytu family had an entirely different background. If Captain Kiru Karrie had married Choo Taytu, there should have been some evidence of their union.

Several minutes passed.

Bagge flipped another page.

Then another.

Finally, he closed the registry.

"No marriage."

Vell folded his arms.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. I've checked Karrie, Taytu, and every possible variation recorded in the registry. There's no marriage certificate."

Vell frowned.

"A Malnarr noble cannot secretly marry a commoner without facing serious consequences. Such a marriage would cost them their noble status. Even if they tried to conceal it, there should be some record of the family dispute or the loss of their privileges."

Bagge nodded.

"There's another problem. The Taytu family doesn't know the Karries, and the Karries don't know the Taytus."

He searched through his notes.

"And neither family seems to know Grandmaid Matto."

The room fell silent.

Vell returned to Chiye's personal file and placed it beside the passenger manifest. For years, the investigators had treated her family history as ordinary background information. There had seemed little reason to question the identity of a deceased military officer or the woman he supposedly married.

But now, the details were beginning to contradict one another.

Vell examined the documents once more.

"No military records," he said quietly.

Bagge looked up.

"No marriage."

Vell placed the passenger manifest on the desk.

"No passenger."

Then he gathered the remaining family registries into a neat pile.

"No connection."

Bagge stared at the documents, beginning to understand what his partner was suggesting.

"So..."

He hesitated.

"There was never a Captain Kiru Karrie?"

Vell did not answer immediately.

The name had appeared in Chiye's account of her family, yet the investigators could find no military service record confirming that such an officer had ever existed. There was no evidence of his marriage, no connection between the two supposed families, and no passenger record confirming the movements of Chiye's mother.

Any one of those missing details might have been explained away as an administrative mistake. Taken together, however, they suggested something far more troubling.

Someone had constructed a family history that could not be verified.

And that family history belonged to a young woman raised by a former Imperial Grandmaid, someone who continued to receive visits from a prince.

Vell leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. The room was quiet enough that Bagge could hear the faint ticking of the clock.

Nearly a minute passed before Vell finally stood.

"Bagge."

"Yes?"

"Get the carriage ready."

Bagge looked surprised.

"Where are we going?"

Vell picked up his coat and reached for his hat.

"We're paying Prince Okato a visit."

Bagge stood and followed him toward the door.

"If anyone knows who Chiye really is," Vell continued, "it's him."

He paused briefly before leaving the room, casting one final glance toward the open file on his desk.

Fa Chiye Karrie.

For twelve years, the Investigation Division had searched for a missing Imperial Princess.

Now, for the first time in years, Vell wondered whether they had been looking in the wrong place all along.

The Hunter's Secret

That evening, long after Chiye's wagon had departed, Anzon returned to the farmhouse. He had promised to check on Miss Matto, and he intended to keep his word.

He brought a small basket of food and fresh water, along with enough firewood to last several days. Matto thanked him, although she complained that he shouldn't trouble himself over an old woman who could still look after herself.

Anzon simply smiled.

"Chiye would never forgive me if I let you run out of firewood."

After making sure she was comfortable, he left the farmhouse and returned to his own home near the edge of the village.

The sun had already disappeared behind the fields. Anzon closed his door, secured the windows, and waited until he was certain nobody had followed him.

Only then did he move toward a wooden chest beneath his bed.

Inside were several ordinary belongings, including spare clothes, hunting tools, and a worn blanket. Beneath them lay a folded piece of cloth bearing an emblem that Chiye had never seen.

Anzon carefully unfolded it.

The emblem belonged to the Resistance.

He stared at it for a moment before taking out a small notebook containing several names, dates, and meeting locations. He had received instructions from his contacts days earlier, but Chiye's unexpected announcement had complicated matters.

Of all the people who could have decided to join the Resistance, he had never expected her.

He sat beside the table and opened the notebook. For years, he had managed to keep his activities separate from his ordinary life. To the villagers, he was simply a hunter who occasionally traveled to sell his goods. To Chiye, he was a friend who helped her family whenever they needed assistance.

Neither identity was entirely false.

Yet neither told the complete truth.

He thought about their conversation that morning, especially the moment when Chiye had explained why she wanted to volunteer.

She wasn't interested in politics, revenge, or the struggle for power between the Empire and the Resistance.

She simply wanted to save her mother.

Anzon closed the notebook.

"That stubborn girl," he muttered.

He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He knew that finding a Resistance contact in Wylfred would be far more difficult than Chiye imagined. More importantly, he knew how dangerous it could be for someone who didn't understand the organization's internal struggles.

For a brief moment, he considered warning his contacts about her arrival.

Then he remembered her expression when she spoke about Miss Matto.

He sighed and returned the notebook to the chest.

Whatever happened in Wylfred, he had already made a promise.

He would look after Matto.

And for now, Chiye would remain unaware that the hunter who had taught her how to survive was already fighting the very war she hoped to join.