"Masks? How convenient," Eliezer commented as he entered the room. He had overheard the conversation while he was making his way down the corridor, and was hardly surprised when he had heard Shadow's voice. "Your offer to be our guide is much appreciated, perhaps you could let us know when the appropriate time to engage Lady Omrea comes around. As for now, yes, we shall see you right behind this estate, for Lady Nemes shall soon be here."

Not long after he had said that, the footsteps of the aforementioned noblewoman were heard approaching the room. Eliezer nodded to the assassin, signalling for him to make his way out. Adelina peered into the chamber through the entrance, and when the knight and the prince looked at her, she gestured for them to follow her. She took them to a quiet corner of the estate where there was a rarely-used exit and unlocked it for them.

Glancing around cautiously, she then whispered to them. "I shall leave this unlocked for you to enter when you return. Pray do so before sunrise, as my guards shall be patrolling this area by then."

Eliezer nodded. "I cannot thank you enough, my lady. Have a good night."

After leaving the walls of the estate, Eliezer decided to mention Hildebrand's earlier exchange with Shadow to him as they made their way around to the back of it. "You appear to have gotten along well with Shadow in spite of all the teasing."

The knight nodded with a sad smile. "For some odd reason, he reminds me of Sir Aldebrand, Your Highness."

"I see, you must really miss him."

"I do, Your Highness, although I am not certain if he would have approved of what we are currently doing."

"He would if he had known how much Lunar has been falsely accused of within this kingdom," Eliezer assured him as they waited for Shadow to appear.
[hr]
Some time after her guests had left, Adelina stood at her balcony, enjoying the view of the night sky above and the Nemes Estate below. Suddenly, a hand clamped over her mouth and she was pulled back into the room. Inside the chamber stood several masked strangers, and a hooded woman wearing a red mask stepped out from behind one of them. Adelina's eyes widened as she recalled the description of the Red Robin, a notorious client at Gloomvale Tavern. She was now in her estate with her assassins, but what for?

"Let her speak, love, but if she screams, paint the floor with her blood," the Red Robin instructed.

The assassin holding on to Adelina removed his hand from her mouth, but still kept her restrained in a firm grip, and put a dagger to her throat. The noblewoman was shaking in fear, but did her best to keep for voice from trembling as she demanded an explanation. "What do you want from me?"

"Where is the crown prince currently?" The Red Robin inquired.

"He is somewhere within the Nemes Estate. I do not know of his exact location," she lied.

The masked woman turned to her assassins. "Search the estate. If the crown prince is nowhere to be found, kill every single resident in this place."

Adelina was horrified at what she had heard and started to panic, pleading with the Red Robin. "No, wait! Fine... h- he has left the estate for the night, b- but I do not know where he has gone. This is the truth. Do not hurt my family, please..."

The Red Robin nodded with a satisfied smirk. "So be it. However, if you know what is good for you and you family, you shall speak against the crown prince if questioned about his conduct. Do not defend him. Do you understand?"

The noblewoman was afraid, but she was also beginning to feel anger. "Is this a threat?"

The Red Robin stepped closer to her. "Take it as more of a warning. He has already left to go [i]somewhere[/i] wanting nobody else to find out. Is that not questionable? Would it not be the truth to say that there is reason to suspect him of doing something that he is not supposed to? I am aware of how esteemed the Nemes family is among the residents of Dainia, but cover for him, and your family shall fall with him when he is exposed. The choice is yours, my dear lady."

Once she was released, Adelina collapsed to the floor with tears running down her face from the trauma. The Red Robin left with her assassins from the balcony, and they soon vanished.