Suspicious Person

Holding the spear in his hand felt like gripping a furious, malevolent dragon.

The moment he struck, that dragon would tear apart anything that dared stand in its path.

Due to his current level,he hadn’t even unlocked one-tenth of the spear’s true power.

If one day he could awaken its full potential,the sheer might would be unimaginable.

After stowing the spear away,dawn had already broken outside.

Black wiped the sweat from his brow and flashed a bright, sunlit smile.

With the Knight class now unlocked,his confidence had grown significantly.

Bring on the sea dragons, the Draconic Parliament—he’d face them all head-on.

Even if he couldn’t win,he’d still tear chunks out of them before going down.

After breakfast, Black happened to run into Alice as she set out on her morning patrol.

She was dressed just as she had been the night before—sharp, gallant, and battle-ready.

“Come with me to inspect the vanguard ship.”

After their brief exchange last night,

Alice no longer seemed angry with him.

“As you command, Your Highness.”

Black readily complied.

He’d already decided to stay close to Alice these next two days, keeping constant watch for any assassination attempt by the Draconic Parliament.

Such an attack might never come—but if it did, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Under the escort of several high-ranking Dragon-Slaying Guards,the two of them made their way to one of the fleet’s outermost vanguard ships.

These outer vessels served two critical roles: scouting for threats and serving as the first line of defense against Dragon Tides.

Their combat readiness was formidable—bristling with every type of large-scale war machinery imaginable.

So despite their position on the fleet’s periphery,their strategic importance was immense.

In such critical times,both the Dragon-Slaying Guard command and the imperial family personally oversaw frontline operations—never neglecting even routine inspections to ensure no detail was overlooked.

“Your Highness, please follow me.”

The ship’s captain bowed deeply upon recognizing the Second Princess.

Alice’s eyes lingered briefly on the detailed structural schematics the captain offered,then she turned to Black and said softly,

“I’ll inspect some classified ship components. Wait here for me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Black nodded.

As a mere guard, he had no clearance to access such sensitive information.

In truth, someone of Alice’s status didn’t need to personally examine every bolt and beam.

Most royals would’ve just glanced at the blueprints for show—their mere presence was enough to demonstrate concern.

The actual work would be left to specialists.

But Alice was different.

Where other princes and princesses would skim over ship schematics with indifference,she’d study them intently for hours,ensuring she understood enough technical terms, to hold meaningful conversations with the crew.

This same meticulousness defined her swordsmanship—and it was part of what made her so compelling.

After watching her disappear down the corridor with the captain,

Black returned to the deck to stretch his legs.

The morning sea breeze swept across the vanguard ship’s deck, carrying a damp, salty tang.

Having stayed up most of the night, he leaned against the railing, arms crossed,half-dozing with one eye barely open.

As he idly strolled along the deck,his gaze drifted unconsciously over the passing sailors and guards.

The deck around him was lined with rows of cannons—their metal casings polished to a mirror shine,barrels gleaming with cold, lethal precision.

Clearly, even the maintenance crews took their duties seriously.

A few technicians passed by,noticing Black’s drowsy state,and one whispered to another as they inspected the artillery mechanisms.

Black was about to look away—when his eyes caught something odd near the stern.

A figure in black sailor’s garb was crouched by the anchor chains, fiddling with the mooring lines.

Something about him felt… off.

Black’s eyes narrowed slightly.

On the surface, the man’s actions seemed normal—but closer observation revealed inconsistencies.

His movements were stiff,fumbling with the anchor chain far longer than any seasoned sailor would.

Black’s suspicion deepened.

For this expedition against Jörmungandr,the imperial court had meticulously vetted every crew member.

Every sailor aboard was a veteran of the high seas—efficient, practiced, and swift in their duties.

No one would dawdle over something as basic as securing an anchor.

Even more alarming,the man kept glancing around nervously,clearly distracted.

Definitely suspicious.

Black’s brow furrowed.

He slowed his pace, feigning interest in the ocean view,while subtly closing the distance—his eyes locked onto the figure.

But the man was clearly alert.

Despite Black’s caution,

the stranger sensed something—and abruptly stood up,quickly striding toward the lower-deck corridor.

That sealed it.

Black’s suspicion flared into certainty.

He followed immediately,light on his feet, keeping a careful distance.

The corridor was dimly lit,cabin doors shut tight on both sides,only a few rooms leaking faint lamplight.

Fortunately, Dragon-Slaying Guards patrolled frequently—so Black wasn’t worried about being ambushed.

The black-clad man moved swiftly,taking sharp turns at junctions.

But Black’s sharp instincts kept him from being shaken off.

Then, without warning, the man suddenly accelerated—vanishing down a dead-end corridor.

Black’s heart leapt.

He sprinted after him—but when he rounded the corner,the hallway was empty.

Gone.

“Damn it—lost him!”

Black clenched his jaw, scanning the area.

How could someone disappear so completely in such a short corridor?

That speed alone confirmed his guilt.

After a tense moment,he noticed a square ventilation grate on the wall—its metal bars still swaying faintly.

Could he have escaped through there?

Black reached out to touch the grate,unsure, about to investigate further—when a deafening explosion erupted from a nearby cabin!

Metal screeched, followed by panicked shouts!

The blast came from the exact direction where Alice and the captain had gone—the classified inspection zone.

“No!”

Black’s heart clenched like a fist.

The suspicious figure, the explosion—the word “assassination” flashed through his mind.

He didn’t hesitate.

He bolted toward the sound,ignoring startled crew members who scattered in his wake.

Within minutes, he skidded to a halt outside the ruined cabin—and charged straight in, protocol be damned.

“Your Highness!”

Inside, chaos reigned.

The air reeked of gunpowder and scorched metal.

After frantic searching,

Black found the scene:several crewmen huddled around a strange, obsidian-black cannon,its barrel still steaming hot,surrounded by jagged shards of exploded machinery.