Third Arc (Fallen Heart) - 385. If He Wanted Me Dead, I'd be Dead Already
Darius let out a slow breath, stepping away. He studied the spy, watching for even the smallest signs of deceit. But the man simply sat there, calm, confident—like he had already accounted for every possible reaction.
"And what does Prince Jake intend to do with this information?" Darius asked, his voice quieter now.
The spy's smirk returned, but his eyes remained sharp. "That… is up to him."
Darius didn't like that answer. Not one bit. His fingers twitched at his side, every instinct screaming at him that this wasn't just another routine interrogation. There was something unnervingly calm about the man in front of him—like he had already come to terms with whatever fate awaited him. That kind of confidence wasn't natural, not for someone who had been captured in a foreign kingdom.
The man narrowed his eyes. "Do you doubt me?"
Darius tilted his head slightly. "Yes. Isn't that obvious?"
The man chuckled, shaking his head. "It's up to you. But what's certain is that I've told you the truth. If I hadn't, I'd be panicking right now. Or, at the very least, I'd be trying to escape. Or maybe I'd have already found a way to kill myself."
Darius' jaw clenched. He had seen spies like that before—agents who would rather take their own lives than risk being interrogated. It was common. Expected, even. But this man? He didn't so much as flinch.
The spy leaned back in his chair, his wrists still bound, but his posture as relaxed as if they were simply having a casual conversation. "You know why? Because I have nothing to fear."
Darius scoffed. "You sound awfully sure of yourself for someone tied to a chair in enemy territory."
The man smirked. "Enemy? Now, that's where you're wrong. The only problem here is that I came uninvited. That's all."
Darius narrowed his eyes. "You make it sound like trespassing into a foreign kingdom is no big deal."
The man shrugged. "It's not. Not when the goal isn't to cause trouble. Prince Jake didn't send me to start a war. He sent me to find an ally."
Darius inhaled deeply, those words pressing against him. An ally. He watched the man closely, studying his every movement, every shift in his breathing. "You expect me to believe that Prince Jake's goal in sending a spy—without an invitation, without informing the king—was simply to… seek an ally?"
The spy tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "It's easier than you think. When you don't know who to trust, you don't ask for permission. You just take the risk."
Darius crossed his arms. "You do realize what you did is considered an act of aggression?"
The man chuckled. "Only if King Angelus sees it that way. And based on what I've observed, he's not the kind of man to overreact. He's calculated. Practical. If he wanted me dead, I'd be dead already."
Darius had no argument for that.
Angelus wasn't reckless. He didn't strike without reason. If the spy was still alive, it was because Angelus allowed it—which meant the king was already weighing his options.
Still, Darius wasn't convinced. "Let's assume you're telling the truth. That Prince Jake is looking for an alliance rather than war. Why go through all this trouble? Why not just approach King Angelus directly?"
The spy's smirk faded slightly. "Because alliances aren't built on words alone. They're built on proof. If Prince Jake walks into a negotiation blind, he's at a disadvantage. If he doesn't know whether Angelus can be trusted, or what kind of ruler he truly is, then he's putting Harmonia at risk."
Darius frowned. "So he sent you to gather that proof."
The man nodded. "Exactly."
Silence stretched between them. The distant sound of a bell chiming the hour rang faintly through the corridors. Darius exhaled, trying to make sense of it all.
If this was truly Prince Jake's way of securing Harmonia's future, then it meant he wasn't just preparing for the throne—he was preparing for what came after. He wasn't just watching Euphorion. He was watching everything.
Darius ran a hand down his face, forcing himself to stay calm. "Do you know how dangerous this game is?"
The spy chuckled again. "Of course. But when has politics ever been safe?"
Darius scowled. "You're playing with fire."
The man's smirk widened. "So is everyone else."
Darius exhaled sharply. This was not what he wanted to hear tonight.
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