The garden was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of late afternoon sunlight. Flowers bloomed in careful arrangements—reds, golds, purples—their fragrance mingling with the scent of freshly turned earth. A stone fountain burbled softly in the center, its water catching the light and throwing fractured rainbows across the grass.
Princess Reloua sat on a wooden bench beneath the shade of a sprawling acacia tree, her posture straight, her expression serious. Her dark eyes swept across the four figures standing before her—four people she trusted more than most in this palace of whispers and shadows.
To her left stood Teleu, arms crossed, leaning casually against the tree trunk. His face was unreadable, but his gaze was sharp, watching, listening, cataloging every word, every gesture.
The four servants stood in a loose semicircle, their attention fixed on the princess.
Carla stood on the far left—tall, lean, beautiful, with striking pink hair that fell in waves past her shoulders. Her eyes were bright and intelligent, her posture graceful. She had served Reloua for years, and her loyalty had been tested and proven time and again.
Beside her was Jade—short, barely 158 centimeters, but athletic and compact, her body built like a coiled spring. Her pink hair was cut shorter, practical, framing a face that was both youthful and hardened by experience. She was quick, observant, and fiercely protective of the princess.
Next to Jade stood Gilbert, the steward—a thin man of 179 centimeters with a neatly trimmed mustache and sharp, calculating eyes. He wore simple but well-maintained robes, and his hands were always busy—adjusting his sleeves, smoothing his collar, fidgeting in a way that betrayed a mind constantly working.
And finally, on the far right, stood Fofo, the guard—a towering figure at 190 centimeters, broad-shouldered and powerfully built. His face was scarred, his jaw set in a permanent grimace. His hands, large and calloused, rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist. His eyes burned with barely suppressed rage.
Fofo's family had died in the ambush in the forest of Botankeu—the same attack that had nearly claimed Reloua's life.
And he had not forgotten.
Reloua leaned forward slightly, her voice calm but carrying weight. "I asked you here because I need to know: during my absence from the palace, did any of you notice anything unusual?"
The four servants exchanged glances.
Carla spoke first, her voice soft but clear. "Your Highness, I have been watching the corridors, the servants' quarters, the kitchens. I have not seen any suspicious meetings between servants and ministers."
Jade nodded. "Same, Your Highness. I've been keeping my eyes open. Nothing out of the ordinary. No secret letters. No whispered conversations. Nothing that raised alarm."
Gilbert adjusted his mustache thoughtfully. "I have been monitoring the movements of the palace stewards and their staff. Supplies, finances, correspondence. Everything appears... normal. Too normal, perhaps."
Reloua's eyes narrowed slightly. "Too normal?"
Gilbert hesitated. "It is difficult to explain, Your Highness. But when something significant happens—an assassination attempt on a princess—one would expect ripples. Panic. Whispers. Fear. But the palace has been... quiet. Suspiciously quiet."
Reloua absorbed this, her expression darkening.
Then Fofo spoke.
His voice was low, rough, like gravel grinding against stone. "I've been digging, Your Highness."
His hands tightened into fists, the knuckles turning white. His jaw clenched, the muscles in his neck standing out like cords.
"I've been asking questions. Following leads. Talking to guards, to servants, to anyone who might have seen something. Anything."
His voice grew harder. "My brother died in that forest. My brother. And I need to know who ordered it. Who hired those mercenaries. Who wanted you dead."
His fists trembled, his entire body radiating barely contained fury.
"But I've found nothing."
The word came out like a curse.
"No trails. No names. No connections. Whoever organized that attack covered their tracks perfectly."
Fofo's eyes burned with rage and frustration. "It's like chasing ghosts."
Silence fell over the garden.
Reloua's expression softened slightly as she looked at Fofo. "I'm sorry, Fofo. I know this has been hard for you."
Fofo's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He simply nodded once, stiffly.
Reloua straightened, her voice becoming more formal. "Thank you. All of you. I know you've been doing your best."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across them.
"But now, I need to ask more of you."
The four servants stiffened, their attention sharpening.
Reloua closed her eyes for a moment, thinking, weighing her words carefully.
Then she opened them and spoke.
"The reason I called you here today," Reloua said slowly, "is because I need certain people to be tailed."
Carla's eyes widened slightly. Jade's posture shifted, her body tensing like a predator preparing to strike. Gilbert's fingers stilled. Fofo's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.
Reloua continued, her voice steady. "I need you to focus on Cynthia Sichom's closest entourage. Her personal stewards. Her maids. Her advisors. Anyone who has regular access to her."
She leaned forward slightly. "Watch them. Observe their movements. See where they go, who they speak to, what they carry. Do not confront them. Do not let them know they are being watched. Just observe."
Gilbert nodded slowly. "And if we notice something?"
"Report it to me immediately," Reloua said. "Anything unusual. Anything that doesn't fit. Even if it seems insignificant."
She paused, then added, "Once you've identified the people in Cynthia's inner circle, I want you to tail their servants. The people who serve them. The ones who carry messages, run errands, handle correspondence."
Her eyes hardened. "That's where mistakes are made. That's where trails are left."
Carla bowed her head. "Understood, Your Highness."
Jade grinned slightly, a dangerous glint in her eye. "I'll enjoy this."
Gilbert stroked his mustache thoughtfully. "A sound strategy, Your Highness. We will begin immediately."
Fofo's expression remained grim, but there was a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. "Finally. Something I can do."
Reloua nodded. "Good. Be careful. Be discreet. And trust no one outside this garden."
The four servants bowed deeply. "As you command, Your Highness."
As they straightened, Reloua waved a hand dismissively. "Go. Begin your work."
The four servants turned and left the garden, their footsteps fading into the distance.
And then, it was just Reloua and Teleu.
Reloua exhaled slowly, her shoulders sagging slightly now that the formality was over.
Teleu, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange, finally spoke.
"You're sharper than I thought."
Reloua glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"It is," Teleu said, his tone matter-of-fact. "I expected you to be reactive. Defensive. Waiting for your enemies to make the next move."
He pushed off the tree and walked toward her, his hands clasped behind his back. "But you're not. You're attacking. You're taking the initiative. Following the trail before it goes cold."
Reloua's lips curved into a faint smile. "You gave me good advice last time. I'd be a fool not to follow it."
Teleu's eyes gleamed with something like approval. "Most people would have ignored it. Or dismissed it as paranoia."
"I'm not most people," Reloua said simply.
Teleu studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable.
She's learning, he thought. Good. If she's going to survive what's coming, she needs to be more than just stubborn. She needs to be cunning.
He nodded slowly. "Keep this up, and you might actually reclaim control of your kingdom."
Reloua's smile faded, her expression growing serious. "That's the plan."
She stood, brushing off her robes. "But plans mean nothing if we can't execute them. And execution requires information."
Her eyes hardened. "And I intend to get it."
Teleu watched her walk toward the palace entrance, her steps confident, purposeful.
And for the first time since arriving in the Gold Land, he allowed himself to think:
Perhaps this alliance won't be a burden after all.