Bab 42: Midnight Spy Mission Part II
Chapter 42: Midnight Spy Mission Part II
The Red Crescent members had arrived.
Sevi's breath caught in his throat as the figures slowly emerged from the shadows, moving with deliberate steps through the trees.
There were five of them. Three were immediately familiar.
The first to step forward was the same female voice Sevi had overheard earlier. She was dressed in dark, form-fitting clothes that blended well with the night, her face partially hidden by a hood.
She looked around cautiously, her sharp gaze scanning the area before she stepped deeper into the clearing.
Behind her followed a tall, broad-shouldered man with dark hair. This was the same man who had spoken earlier with the girl.
Then, Sevi's eyes locked onto the third figure.
'This person had to be her—Carla.' he thought
In class, Carla appeared approachable and unassuming, just another average student blending into the crowd. But here, she was transformed. Her presence exuded quiet confidence.
''So this is the real Carla,' Sevi mused, narrowing his eyes.
The last two figures, however, were unfamiliar to him. One was a jittery man, his eyes constantly scanning the shadows, as though he expected an ambush. The other was taller, their face concealed by a dark scarf, their demeanor calm yet unreadable.
It was this fifth figure who finally broke the silence. Their voice, low and commanding, cut through the tension of the group.
"This spot will do."
The others exchanged brief glances before settling down.
The tall, masked figure tilted their head slightly, their gaze sweeping over the group.
"First, the report. Carla?"
'Oh, guess he's the leader,' Sevi thought, his sharp mind piecing together the hierarchy.
He leaned in slightly, careful not to rustle a single leaf.
Carla stepped forward without hesitation, her voice steady and assured. "The patrols around the academy have increased. It's caused delays, but nothing we can't manage."
"And the girl?" the leader asked, their tone sharp.
Carla didn't falter.
"Noemi remains closely guarded. Approaching her without raising suspicion will take more time, but I'll handle it."
Sevi's heart raced as Carla's confident voice carried through the clearing.
He leaned in further, desperate not to miss a single detail—
Snap!
'Be careful my ass!' Sevi's blood turned cold.
A sharp rustle and the unmistakable crunch of a twig underfoot shattered the silence. The Red Crescent members stiffened, their heads snapping toward the noise.
"Who's there?" the leader demanded.
The sharp-eyed woman was already moving, her gaze narrowing as she stepped closer to the source of the sound.
"Spread out. Find whoever's here."
'Crap! Crap! Crap!'
He needed to retreat before the Red Crescent members reached his position. But just as he was about to move, a shadow flickered behind him—silent and swift.
Before he could react, a hand clamped firmly over his mouth, and an arm wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him back into the deeper shadows.
His immediate instinct to struggle faded as he caught a flicker of familiarity. A voice whispered urgently in his ear.
"Be quiet, Sevi."
His eyes widened as he recognized the voice--- Noemi.
Noemi's grip on his arm was firm as she guided him to a safer position, her movements precise and utterly silent. They crouched behind a thick cluster of bushes, her focus shifting momentarily toward the clearing.
Noemi kept her hand firmly over Sevi's mouth, her free hand signaling him to stay perfectly still.
The Red Crescent members had reached Sevi's original hiding spot. One of them—a burly figure with a deep voice—crouched down, scanning the ground.
"There was definitely something here," he muttered, his tone laced with suspicion.
The leader's masked face turned slightly, their voice calm. "Search thoroughly. We can't afford carelessness."
Carla, crossed her arms, "If it's nothing but a stray animal, we're wasting time."
The burly member growled in annoyance, kicking at a patch of leaves. A sudden rustling sound startled them, and all three turned sharply toward a nearby bush.
A raccoon scurried out, its small body darting into the underbrush.
"Just a raccoon," Carla remarked dryly.
The leader straightened, their tone dismissive. "Enough. Let's get back."
With that, the group retreated to their original position, leaving the disturbed ground behind.
Noemi exhaled quietly, releasing her tight grip on Sevi's arm but keeping her hand over his mouth. Her sharp gaze remained on the Red Crescent members as they resumed their discussion.
After a few tense moments, she finally turned her head slightly toward Sevi. Her expression was a mix of frustration and barely restrained anger.
"We'll talk later," she whispered harshly, her voice like a dagger's edge. "After this meeting is over."
[Noemi's favorability has decreased!]
[Noemi's favorability: 35 --> 30]
'I'm sorry, Noemi... I didn't mean to mess things up,' he thought, his throat tight with regret.
'I should've been more careful.'
He couldn't help but feel like he'd failed her. Noemi had saved him in an instant, keeping him from being discovered, but the guilt still gnawed at him.
Her favorability had dropped. He could see that in the system's update.
'Great, just what I needed,' he thought bitterly.
Since Noemi's hand is still on Sevi's mouth, he just nodded stiffly, guilt radiating off him.
Noemi then removed her hand from his mouth as she shifted her attention back to the Red Crescent. Despite her clear annoyance, her focus on the mission didn't waver for a second.
Sevi, swallowing hard, stayed crouched beside her, silent and still.
But then, another thought crept into his mind.
'How did she know that there was a meeting here tonight?'
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