Chapter 27 - Revelation (1)

Three days pass. It is 11:55 p.m. I am with Hazel, heading toward the building where the chief lives, a lit candle in my hand. In exactly five minutes, she will leave the building to begin her nightly rounds. The infiltration begins at that precise moment.

Thanks to the information obtained by Shailly, Kaya, and Maïko, we have a complete picture of the chef's journey, as well as its duration.

As the 10 p.m. curfew forces us to return to our respective cabins, we have agreed to meet at 11:30 p.m. on the training ground, in the silence of the night.

In fact, the training ground is the only place the chief does not visit during her rounds. With Jenna, the operation involves eight orphans.

Arriving not far from the building, we join Maïko, already in position to watch the boss leave. Her head returns to her body.

_ Ayden: “ So? ”

_ Maïko: “ She just left the building with her torch in her hand. It's now or never. ”

_ Ayden: “ Okay, let's not waste any time, Hazel. ”

_ Hazel: “ Yes. ”

Located a few meters from the building, we reach the main gate and walk along the wall. Once inside the enclosure, we gently close the gate behind us.

His office is located upstairs in a hallway that forms a rectangle. Looking down from above, the building's entrance is on the left, and his office is at the bottom. Once I find his door, I turn the handle and gently push the door open.

_ Ayden: “ As expected, his office isn't locked. Let's go in. ”

We enter the boss's office for the first time. Dimly lit by our candles, Hazel notices other candles placed in each corner of the room.

_ Hazel: “ Let's light these candles with our flame, so we can see better. ”

With all the candles lit, the room well lit and relatively clean, we watch attentively as the boss arranges her things.

A small room measuring approximately 10 square meters has a shelf overflowing with books and files on our right. On our left stands a huge frame of a tall, burly man with blue eyes. Finally, opposite us, a simple desk holds a few scattered papers.

The meticulous organization of business matters and furniture reflects the diligent nature of the manager.

_ Hazel: “ It doesn't have any windows. We did well to bring our candles with us. ” he said, taking some documents from the shelf in front of him.

_ Ayden: “ The person in the frame is probably the former Emperor Oku. ”

I walk over to the desk and examine each document.

_ Ayden: “ This one is about storing spare clothes. And this one is about food supplies. There's even some for the horses. ”

I carefully put the documents back so as not to arouse any suspicion when she returns. I see four drawers. I open the first three in turn. Unfortunately, nothing of interest. I open the last drawer without much conviction. To my surprise, I see a small painted frame. This time, it is Chief Moana as a child, accompanied by a very elderly man.

_ Ayden: “ A family photo. Maybe his father… ”

Just below the frame, there is a pile of letters.

_ Ayden: “ What are all these letters? It says ~To the Emperor~. ”

I open the first letter. As I read it, I break down. The letter in my possession is full of information that I would never have imagined for a second.

_ Ayden: “ Hazel... I just stumbled upon a chilling letter. We need to.. .”

When I turn my head toward him, he is holding a file tightly. However, the expression on his face, equally distraught, reflects an inner turmoil.

_ Ayden: “ Why do you look so upset, Hazel? ”

_ Hazel: “ The file... mentions... human sacrifices. ”

_ Ayden: “ What?! ”

_ Maïko: “ Ayden, Hazel! Come out now, the boss is starting to turn around. ” she whispered from the top of the stairs.