This Time, To The Believed Path
The Tricking The Grand Shadow

“This is the fourth time, my lord.”

Grand Duke Eclipse Volfelance sighed after hearing the report from his shadow.

“The mission you were supposed to do was completed before you even got there? Is there such an event?”

In the Solfilyan Empire, there was no one faster to obtain information compared to Grand Duke Volfelance.

Even the Emperor fully trusted the information provided by him.

But this time someone had already solved the problem they were supposed to deal with.

He didn't know if he should be happy or upset about it. He didn't even know if someone was a friend or an enemy.

All of these events began to happen not long after the return of the diplomatic representatives of the Rozen kingdom.

Upon hearing the news that Marquis Giovanne had disappeared in the middle of the feast, he immediately told the shadow to look for her.

Despite having been moving nonstop, his shadow had yet to find the Marquis until in the end the Marquis returned by himself to the castle. Without getting hurt in the least.

With the return of Marquis Giovanne, the relationship between Solfilyan and Rozen was not damaged.

But there is something strange for him. Witness given Marquis memgenai incident kidnapping too vague to make him suspicious but because there was no incident that became big, he let go of the thought.

But from there was an incident where the mission made based on information captured by his own shadow, was completed by someone other than the party of the Grand Duke Volfelance.

Not just once twice but up to four times.

Eclipse does not worry about every enemy he makes during his life, but when he has someone he does not know is a friend or opponent, he himself will feel anxiety.

In the midst of silence, William opened his voice.

“What to do, my lord?”

Eclipse rested himself on the sofa while thinking of the best way to deal with this problem. Whether he should use rough or smooth ways.

Knowing their identity was his top priority this time around.

“Find out who they are. Do the subtle way first and use the rough way if it is known they are enemies.”

“I understand my lord.” William disappeared into the shadows.

***

In a veil squeezed in the middle of the forest, the sound of someone laughing could be heard.

“HAHAHAHA!”

“Eson, noisy! Shrink your voice!” liam.

“No, did you see his face?! That's so funny!” eson said while pointing at the person in question.

“Haa... I don't want to get karmic because of your actions.” grumbled Xero limply while putting the recently defeated person to the ground.

It does not matter whether the person falls hard or forms the ground with his head first.

Seeing the behavior of Eson and Liam, Dean resigned to the attitude of his colleague. He did not believe he would work with those who looked careless. Even so they did indeed have talent as a shadow.

After the Marquis Giovanne rescue mission. Alphiella's shadow mission is further called ‘Operation Provides Shadow Organization Grand Duke Volfelance’.

To be honest when he heard the plan, Adde was eager to hit his employer's head. If asked 'who is the stupid shadow that tries to make its existence known' then the answer is definitely 'nothing'.

Of course by excluding the contractor.

Adde could only sigh heavily and accept the plan with a chest of air.

This operation required them to steal every job that the shadow Grand Duke would do and leave their mark. Make a trail as if someone has handled their business.

This mission had always been completed at least one day before the day the Grand Duke's shadow moved. With the end of the mission they are now doing, they have now captured five missions from the shadow of the Grand Duke.

Smuggling weapons from the Kingdom of Foldelier.

Illegal buying and selling that occurs in the Port of Solfilyan.

Serial killer arrested in Roan city.

Disclosure of the crime by Baron Schoppet.

Eradication of bandits in the Wezenry trade road.

Compared to the shadows, couldn't they be called the enforcers of justice?

According to Leana, the reason why he took this path was because the Grand Duke wanted more evidence than false promises.

To get the Grand Duke's attention, Leana must prove herself. Although that means he has to irritate his oenting business partner.

Looking back at the surrounding area, Ilya came from behind the warehouse and gathered with them.

Ilya also gave his report.

“Chairman, all taken care of. No eyewitnesses left.”

Dean nodded and looked at Veil who was on guard.

“How?”

“…”

Veil signaled that there were at least five people heading towards them. The distance is quite far but their speed above is not normal.

“Good. Eson! Liam! Keep your attitude! Our work is done. Come immediately—”

SRAP

Dean's words came to a halt as a dagger shot out from behind the trees and stuck it near his feet.

Behind his white mask, he smiled faintly imagining the arrival of their would-be comrades.

‘Faster than I imagined..’.

The Alphiella shadow immediately restrained themselves and left the place.

Not long after, the shadow of the Grand Duke came to the place and noticed the surrounding area.

As usual, their tasks in the tenoat have been completed. More so by shadows that are not part of them.

Illiam approached the members who took the dagger he threw earlier.

“How? Are they enemies?”

“They look harmless. All they do is do what should be our duty.”

“So they are likely friends?”

“I can't convince him. To a shadow, leaving a trail like this was the act of an amateur. But..”

The shadow stopped and thought of something.

“What's up?”

“I need a chance to make sure.” His word. Illiam raised his eyebrows.

“There's something you're aware of?”

The shadow nodded.

“Although they leave a trace, their workings are very clean like an expert.”

“You mean they did all this on purpose?”

“It was the one I suspected.”

Shadow organizations will never show themselves to others but this shadow tries to make its existence known.

Do they want to act like heroes or do they have other goals?

The shadow organizations each have at least one uniqueness though with an unattractive appearance. But the shadow organization by using that plain white mask, was enough to attract the attention of anyone who saw it.

What is their real purpose? It's all still grey.

It seems he should observe further.

“Alright.For now we will continue to observe them until we get further evidence." said Illiam.

Whoever their opponent is, be it a friend or an enemy, they must uncover their identity

He would not let someone who was playing around with the shadow of Grand Duke Volfelance escape their knowledge.

***

“You met them?”

Leana was surprised by the report Adde gave her. Adde nodded and put tea on his desk then continued.

“Not directly. Their members threw daggers at me and it seemed like they were aware of our existence.” Adde.

“So yes..”

Leana wrote a few words and then finished the rest of the documents she was working on.

Emptying his desk, he pulled a teacup nearby.

“Since they are already aware of us, it seems like it is time we move forward.”

Leana sips the tea slowly. Staring at his reflection in tea, he saw himself in his first life as a shadow.

Unlike his first life, this time he will be faced with a younger face compared to before.

Eventually, he would meet again with his teacher Illiam and Grand Duke Volfelance who became his savior.

She is not Rein but Leana Grandall. He is not a shadowy member of the Grand Duke of Volfelance but rather a contractor and leader of the shadow organization Alphiella.

What mask should he use to face them. Leana had decided it from the beginning.

He also put a confident smile on his face.

“The next time we meet them is the moment where we will face Grand Duke.”

***

On the fourth night after Adde's report, Alphiella's usual shadow steals back missions from the shadow of the Grand Duke.

After completing the mission, this time they did not immediately leave but waited for the arrival of the shadow Grand Duke to their place.

The moment they arrived, the shadow of Alphiella led them into the forest to have a conversation.

“I didn't expect to be dealing with you guys like this.” William.

This time Illiam could clearly see a figure from the shadow organization who had stolen their mission several times.

Just like them, the shadows wore all-black clothing that covered up their heads but their faces were covered by a plain white mask with no holes or carvings.

Illiam did not know how they could look around with a mask covering their entire face but as a shadow he suspected that they were using one of the techniques to detect the area around them.

“It looks like there's a member of yours who's new the first time we saw.”

Illiam looked at one of their members who was wearing a green dress under his cape. He also wore a plain white mask like the others and stood in front of them.

Is he their leader? Or even a contractor?

But compared to the contractor, Illiam felt the familiar aura of a shadow of him.

As he tapped twice on his mask, the white mask disappeared somewhere and showed the face of a beautiful woman with purple eyes who was staring at them firmly and calmly.

The woman pulled a little of her dress and put her right hand on her left chest. Greet them.

“Goodnight, nice to meet you all, Grand Duke Volfelance.”

Upon hearing his words, instantly the entire Volfelance shadow member gasped as if aware of the danger. But before them at this time was not an enemy but a figure they did not know his identity.

“My arrival facing you guys is to talk to Grand Duke Eclipse Volfelance.”

William raised his vigilance to the woman. His eyes became sharp as if he could split two interlocutors without anyone knowing.

“How can we allow a person we do not know his identity to meet him.” said Illiam coldly.

The shadowy members of the Grand Duke prepared by holding their weapons still in place but the shadow of Alphiella still looked calm and unmoved.

Their calmness made Illiam a little uneasy.

“Basically, a shadow should always keep their identity secret no matter what. But gaining your trust is also one of the things that is needed to achieve my goal.”

The woman looked at Illiam directly in her eyes. There was neither doubt nor fear, only a strong determination emanated from the purple crystal.

“Include, I am Leana Grandall. I hope Grand Duke Volfelance can be kind enough to share time with me.” Leana.

Contrary to the friendly smile put on by Leana, what Illiam felt was an awkwardness that he could not know basically.