Chapter 21 : The silent game

The cold wind whispered through the tall towers of the Agency's headquarters, brushing against the blackened stone like a warning. Shadows of soldiers moved quietly across the halls, disciplined and silent. Somewhere in that darkness, a storm was brewing—one that would forever change the course of the war.

Deep within the heart of the main building, Lord Kurogami stood near the window of his chamber, his silhouette carved against the pale glow of dawn. A knock interrupted the silence.

"Enter," his voice came out like ice.

A hooded man stepped forward, kneeling with respect. "My Lord," he began, his voice low and steady. "We have identified the traitor."

Kurogami didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he tilted his head ever so slightly, a thin, knowing smile forming at the edge of his lips. "Is that so?" he whispered.

"Yes, my Lord. He is among them."

Kurogami's eyes glittered with malicious delight. Without saying another word, he turned, grabbing the ornate staff resting beside his desk. With a single motion, he ordered, "Call all high-ranking officers. I want them in the central meeting hall immediately."

The summons echoed like a crack of thunder across the entire building. One by one, the highest-ranking soldiers made their way to the central hall.

Kaito walked silently through the corridor, his face composed, but inside, a hurricane raged. His thoughts were stormy, churning with anxiety and dread. Why has he called another meeting so soon? he thought. Could it be… did I slip?

When he entered the hall, his eyes swept across the familiar faces—Lady Hisoka, calm and unreadable; Hiroki, sharp-eyed as ever; Renzo, visibly irritated; Daigo and Takahiro, quietly observing. Everyone looked tense.

Renzo couldn’t contain his frustration any longer. He slammed his hand on the marble table. "What now?! How many meetings are we going to have in one week, Kurogami? Do you enjoy wasting our time?"

A long, oppressive silence followed. Kurogami didn’t flinch. He stood still at the head of the table, eyes closed, arms behind his back, as if absorbing the weight of the moment.

Kaito’s fingers twitched beneath the table. His heart pounded. Sweat started to collect at the back of his neck. He looked around, trying to read their expressions. This feels different.

Kurogami finally opened his eyes. "We found the traitor."

Gasps rippled through the room. Lady Hisoka’s brows twitched for the first time. Hiroki sat up straighter. Even Daigo’s eyes narrowed.

Kaito felt like the floor had just crumbled beneath him. A chill ran down his spine. It can’t be… how? I’ve been so careful. I made no mistakes.

Renzo's reaction was instant. He shot up from his chair. "Then say the name! Don’t keep us waiting, Kurogami. I’ll slice their throat myself!"

The tension in the hall became unbearable. Everyone leaned forward. Kaito’s mouth felt dry. His heartbeat was so loud, he could barely hear anything else.

But Kurogami didn’t answer. Instead, he turned his gaze to a corner of the hall.

A low-ranking guard stood near the door, his posture straight but his eyes betraying unease.

"You," Kurogami pointed.

The guard blinked. "M-me, my Lord?"

"Come forward."

The entire hall watched in silence as the young man approached. His boots echoed against the polished stone floor. Kaito’s mind raced. This can’t be real. Is this a test? Or... is it really not me?

Kurogami looked directly at the others. "This man… is the traitor."

The room fell into stunned silence.

Even Renzo was caught off guard. "Him? A low-ranking guard?"

"Yes," Kurogami said, voice like a blade. "He has been leaking information to the Rebellion for months."

The guard's eyes widened. "No! I swear—I was loyal! My Lord, there must be a mistake—"

Daigo stepped forward. "Do we need proof? Or is your word final?"

"My word is absolute," Kurogami responded coldly. "He’s confessed."

Renzo cracked his knuckles. "Then let me be the one to—"

"No," Lady Hisoka interrupted, her voice calm. "We should follow proper protocol."

But Takahiro shook his head. "He deserves nothing but death."

Kaito sat frozen. A weight lifted from his chest, but it was replaced by a new kind of pain. Guilt. He was relieved to be spared, but this man—whoever he was—was going to die for a crime he didn’t commit alone.

Or did he even commit it at all?

Kurogami turned away. "Dispose of him. Now."

The guards dragged the struggling man out of the hall. His screams echoed down the corridor, fading into silence.

The meeting continued, but Kaito heard nothing.

He was safe… for now. But his time was running out.

Far away from the grand hall, Mikuya and Sora sat beneath the ruined canopy of an abandoned shrine.

Sora leaned against a broken pillar, gazing at the rising sun. "Do you think he’s okay?"

Mikuya nodded slowly. "Kaito’s smart. He’ll find a way. But we need to contact him soon."

"And how exactly do we do that? We’re being hunted like dogs."

Mikuya clenched her fists. "We’ll find a way. We have to."

They didn’t know the Agency was already a step ahead.

That the noose was tightening.

And that somewhere, in the heart of the Agency, a traitor still remained... untouched.

Back in the headquarters, the grand meeting hall had fallen silent. The echo of the executed guard’s final scream had long faded. Outside, footsteps drifted away as the high-ranking soldiers returned to their duties—some in confusion, others with heavy suspicion.

Within the stillness, Kurogami stood alone. His hands calmly poured steaming tea into a porcelain cup. The faint clink of ceramic broke the silence.

A quiet knock.

Then the door creaked open, and a lone figure stepped inside—a cloaked man with sharp eyes, face shadowed beneath a hood. He walked forward and knelt on one knee, head bowed.

“My Lord,” the spy said with quiet reverence.

Kurogami didn’t look at him. He raised the cup to his lips, took a measured sip, and exhaled lightly.

Then the spy spoke again, voice lower, more curious this time.

“…Why did you not mention the second traitor, my Lord?”

Kurogami paused, the cup hovering near his mouth. Then, slowly, he lowered it and turned his head slightly toward the spy.

“You knew I wouldn’t,” Kurogami said softly.

The spy raised his head slightly, confusion flickering in his eyes. “But… we had proof. We could’ve exposed them both. The second one—he’s dangerous.”

Kurogami gave a faint smile—cold, calculated.

“Exactly,” he replied. “Too dangerous to waste on theatrics.”

He walked slowly past the spy, setting the teacup down on a polished table nearby.

“The guard was a message,” he continued. “Something loud. Obvious. A show for the others. But the real threat... the real game... that one is subtle.”

The spy rose, silent.

“You still believe he suspects nothing?” the spy asked.

Kurogami chuckled quietly. “He suspects everything. That’s what makes him interesting. But fear clouds judgment. And now... he believes he’s safe.”

He turned to the spy fully now, eyes gleaming like sharpened steel.

“Let him carry that relief a little longer. Let him relax. Misstep.”

The spy nodded. “As you wish, Lord Kurogami.”

Kurogami stepped closer to him.

“And you,” he said, voice calm but heavy, “will keep watching him. Not just his steps—but his thoughts. I want to know what he plans before he does.”

The spy bowed deeply. “Understood, my Lord. He won’t escape my sight.”

Kurogami turned back to the window, watching the clouds move slowly across the crimson-stained sky.

“The guard died believing he was the only traitor,” he murmured. “Let the others believe that too. For now.”

A long pause.

Then, with quiet certainty, he whispered:

“The real traitor’s time will come… and when it does, there won’t be another execution. Only a disappearance.”

Silence fell again, heavy and sharp.

The game wasn’t over.

It was just beginning.