Inside the train headed north. Aziel had managed to secure a fairly high-class train, but it wasn’t the VIP line he’d used back in the capital.

“Empty, I see.”

“We intentionally excluded passengers. You never know who might be among them.”

“A sound decision.”

Instead, they had rented out an entire car. Not a single other soul aboard.

Given Aziel’s personality, he would have loathed sharing space with common folk. These cheaper trains were usually packed with the poor, the loud, and the suspicious. If the Eleventh Prince Aziel were forced to ride with them, he would have erupted with hostility, even the faint smirk curling at his lips made it clear.

• Incompetent, arrogant, and insatiably greedy.

• Resents his lack of support from his mother and unleashes his frustration on his family.

• Mistreats his servants, and has assaulted other noble children more than once, garnering much resentment.

• The worst of the imperial heirs.

• Zero succession potential.

That was the official internal assessment from the Imperial Intelligence Bureau.    

 So far, his actions had matched that profile well, but then, he began to change.

• Confirmed: Single-handedly slew a White-Faced Centipede in the forest region. Also hunted down dozens of White-Faced Ghosts.

• Spotted and intercepted an assassin in Ironclad Canyon.

• Suspected involvement in the recent sewer arson case; confirmed apprehension of a demon worshipper.

• Confirmed: Able to wield both fire and shadow.

The scale of these changes was so drastic, it raised doubts as to whether he was the same person.

Recently, those with ties to the Bureau had begun requesting confirmation of the prince’s true character. Among them, not just nobles … Even the Empress.

• “His Majesty has requested that we investigate the prince’s followers and examine the involvement of any external factions.”

Yes, even the Emperor himself.

How was such a transformation possible? Has Aziel truly changed?

Or was someone behind it, manipulating events from the shadows?

A reasonable suspicion.

And with his recent sudden change in travel plans, deviating from his expected route, several threats were confirmed. So, the Bureau decided to intervene directly.

“We will see you safely to the north, Your Highness.”

“You certainly have a talent for proudly stating the obvious.”

They didn’t yet fully grasp what had happened in the east, but the fallout was loud enough to suggest it had been… significant.

The agents would soon gather intelligence. For now, the group assigned to escort Aziel was to observe him closely and confirm who he truly was, once they reached the north.

“Commoner. Lamp post. Let’s go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Coming.”

Watching Aziel board the train, the intelligence agents exchanged subtle nods. The air of arrogance and privilege was still there. If it had been the First Prince, he would’ve summoned others and made them ride with him. 

The Sixth Prince would have anticipated the Bureau’s involvement and taken a different route entirely … The Seventh Prince would’ve concealed his identity in a robe and endured discomfort in silence.

“Messenger. Contact Royce and have them send a replacement train. Tell them to load the people who missed this one because I rented it out.”

“Ah, me? I’m a lamp post, a messenger, I do it all! Hehe. Hehehe.”

They revised their mental notes, he showed more consideration than expected.

“As for the ticket fare, this proud agent here in a black coat will cover it.”

“Oh! Of course!”

“Naturally, the credit goes under my name.”

“As expected! So clever, Your Highness!”

No , it wasn’t consideration, It was mischief.

The smirk on Aziel’s lips made the Bureau agents’ expressions grow increasingly difficult to read.

“BWOOOOO!” 

With a hiss of steam, the train carrying the prince and his shadowy escorts slowly pulled out of the station, and from the rear of the train, a few sticky, lingering gazes followed silently.

Aziel said nothing once he boarded, he deliberately kept the silence.                     The Intelligence Bureau might pose as a discreet, loyal agency of the Empire, but in truth, it was a tangled web of power, money, and personal networks. Their black masks only served to hide the filth beneath. They acted secretive, acted subtle,      but in reality, they were more attuned to the flow of wealth and influence than anyone.

Every time Aziel’s gaze swept over the agents, 

“No.”

“Your Highness, please don’t.”

Andre and Sol both shook their heads, 

Trying to calm him. Aziel hadn’t even done anything yet, so why were they like this? Which only made him want to do something.

“Hey. Black dogs.”

All at once, the agents turned their heads toward him.

“Black dogs”, a derogatory term used to mock the Intelligence Bureau. and yet not a single one of them flinched. That, more than anything, annoyed him, there was no pride in their eyes, their expressions said, we’re only here because someone asked us to be.

Most likely nobles, perhaps even the Northern Warden, the Duke of the Northeast, or the Royce family, had made discreet requests to watch Aziel. Maybe even the Empress had added her name to that list, their gall, appearing so openly with no shame, irritated him further, so he pressed deeper.

“Let’s see… The arrogant and violent prince has changed. Suspicious, isn’t it? Best keep an eye on him, see if someone’s pulling the strings behind him.”

His lazy voice drifted like dust in the sunlight, and though they weren’t yet in the north, the expressions of the agents turned as cold as if struck by an arctic wind.

Aziel couldn’t hold back a chuckle, Sol, confused by his laughter, joined in.

“Ahahahah! Hahaha, “cough!” What’s so funny?”

Andre jabbed her sharply in the side, that made Aziel laugh even harder.

“Give them a bone and they’ll lick the floor like dogs, how is ‘black dogs’ even an insult at this point? Sniffing all over their master’s body like loyal little mutts!”

How could he not be amused?

There was still so much left to cleanse. So many rotting parts to carve away.

His head ached, rage and madness bubbling to the surface, the fire in his chest flared, as if catching the wind. Those cold, unblinking faces irked him, he genuinely debated whether to draw blood. And then, 

“Information spares no one. Not even a prince, Your Highness.”

The words rang out, sudden and sharp, everyone turned to look. One of them, his face flushed, was glaring directly at Aziel … At a prince, and Aziel …

“So that’s how it is, huh?” 

He was pleased, better that than the dead-eyed lackeys who didn’t even seem to believe in their own purpose.

“Yes. But our mission is to gather information for the Empire’s future. That’s what the Intelligence Bureau does. Please trust us.”

His face was unremarkable. His eyes were dull, almost vacant. Aziel didn’t ask his name, but he did take note of the others who now scowled, offended by their comrade’s honesty.

“You, I’ll spare. So prove yourself.”

And with that, Aziel closed his eyes, a foul scent tickled his nose. He had no time to waste on dogs like these, he needed to prepare for battle.

“BWOOOOO!”

As dark smoke drifted past the window, the interior of the train dimmed. Inside the now dim train car, the stares aimed at the prince felt sharp and cold.

Sol gulped visibly.

“You’d best avert your disrespectful eyes. It’s getting harder to tolerate.”

Andre stepped forward slightly, shielding Aziel from the agents’ gaze. Their glassy stares lacked feeling, as though they were assessing merchandise, not protecting a person, that expression disgusted him.

Finally, the agents looked away, a few had smirks tugging at their lips. Andre, uninterested in how they looked at him, returned to silence. Only then did the train to the north fall quiet again, it rolled endlessly across the plains, from the Northeast to the far North. They had boarded in the early morning, but now the sun was beginning to set, it would still be some time before they reached their destination.

“How much longer, you think? Will we arrive by tomorrow morning?”

“Probably. Unless there’s bad weather.”

“Bad weather?”

“Yes.”

In the dining car, the agents shared a modest meal and reviewed their upcoming duties.

“First, we assist His Highness with the northern flame encampment. While doing so, we collect more intel on the region.”

“What kind of intel?”

“One part: confirming whether the Northern Warden and his men are doing their jobs. The rest: verifying reports of Yetis and monsters appearing near the northern borders. There are even rumors the Icefolk have started to show themselves.