Unexpected Destiny: The Half Dragon and The Nine Masks

Chapter 7

"Good evening, Madam." Andres smiled, then sat across Belanca.

Belanca propped her chin, she stared lazily at the three men in her room, her mouth chewing on an apple. "Yeah, good evening."

Andres did not forget to wear a mask to hide his handsome face before entering the Belanca room. Because he met a spy who worked for him. Looking for the information he wants and needs. "What did you find?"

A shoulder-length black-haired man who also wore a mask to cover his face, there was only a hole in his nose for breathing. He was standing not far from Anthoni who was sitting next to Andres. "I saw them last night. They were all dressed in black and covered their mouths and hair with black cloth. Each of them carried a sharp weapon."

Andres nodded in understanding. These people don't want their identities to be revealed.

"How did you see them?" asked Anthoni. He doesn't have to bother wearing a mask, since he and Almeta recruited Quivermu. Those two are also members of Quivermu.

Quivermu is a spy group formed by Andres. Its members come from various clans, which of course are good at swordsmanship and martial arts. Andres formed the group to make it easier for him to get the information he wanted and needed. Every time he meets a member of Quivermu as a crown prince, Andres will wear a mask, just like when he was in the palace. But if he met a member and the member was the one he recruited, he would not wear a mask.

However, fellow Quivermu members don't know each other's real names and faces. Because when they meet, they will wear masks. Quivermu members know they work for the crown prince, but they don't know the name and have seen the crown prince's face, except for Almeta and Anthoni.

"Q-Six and I were watching from the top of the tree. The perpetrators saw the royal soldiers, then immediately ran away," said Q-Three, his voice sounding sneer. "The royal soldiers are too conspicuous. Moreover, news has spread about the palace dispatching soldiers to catch the troublemakers."

Andres stroked his chin, deep in thought. The news must have reached the perpetrators' ears, making them far more alert than the royal soldiers. On the one hand, the soldiers must arrest at least one perpetrator for questioning and after that, hope that all perpetrators can be arrested. But on the other hand, the palace had to inform the residents about those who sent soldiers to patrol the village so that the residents felt safe and could breathe peacefully.

Indeed the only thing, only he and your Quiver members can move freely to find and catch the perpetrators. Andres clenched his fists, annoyed. Curiosity mixed with anger gathered in his mind. He wanted to know what was the reason for the perpetrators who only damaged and ransacked people's homes, without stealing a single object. One thing is for sure, they just want to create a not conducive situation in Grassland, making the residents restless and frightened all night long. Looks like the perpetrators are a bunch of pranksters. Don't let this problem drag on.

"Did you and Q-Six follow them?" Andres' head looked up, it seemed from the outside, that the masks he and the Quivermu members were wearing only had holes in the nose, but the eyes were made of thin cloth made to resemble wood.

"No, Crown Prince." Q-Three shook his head, full of regret. "We were surprised to see them fleeing immediately when the royal soldiers came, we were about to give chase, but we lost track. They seem to be well-trained people." He conveys his conclusion.

"I agree with your opinion." Anthoni nodded his head. He glanced at Andreas who must have been thinking hard through the corner of his eye.

Andres put his hand on the table, then intertwined his ten fingers. "That's right. They must have a purpose. They're not just idle pranksters with no job. I'm sure they were ordered by someone. We have to catch them, at least one."

Anthoni nodded in agreement. "They move at night. Only you, Q-Six, and Q-Five can investigate this case."

"Sorry, your work is getting a little heavy." Andres turned to the man who was standing tall. "Don't get you guys caught and don't get hurt. If you catch them, take them to the usual place."

Q-Three nodded in understanding. "Fine, I'll pass it on to Q-Six and Q-Five." He held his chest. “Are there any other orders, Crown Prince?"

Andres was silent for a moment. He didn't want anything bad to happen to the three best and most dedicated members of him. Maybe he needed to deploy the shadow members.  "You guys do it separately. Alternate every day. I'll field a shadow member to help each one of you." Q-Three nodded in understanding. "It's too risky for the three of you to move together."

Q-Three felt moved mixed with joy. The Crown Prince is indeed very considerate of your Quiver members. Always remind them not to get hurt and take good care of themselves. The feeling of worry for the crown prince makes them always be careful in carrying out their missions so that the crown prince doesn't feel sad and blame themselves, even though sometimes they are careless and too eager to immediately catch the perpetrators.

Anthoni nodded with a big smile. Andres does have a kind and caring heart. He always imagined the future, when Andres became king of this country. Surely the citizens will be guaranteed safety and welfare. Not that King Dustin wasn't like that, but Andres seemed much more concerned about the lives of the citizens. Hopefully, Andres stays like this, unchanged when he becomes king.

"Thanks for the information, Q-Three. Get some rest," said Andres, sincerely.

Q-Three nodded. He bowed, respectfully, before leaving madam Belanca's house.

Andres slightly opened his mask, then his brown eyes looked at Belanca who was still chewing the apple deeply. "You can't find out at all?"

Belanca is a white witch, she came to Grassland to open a fortune-telling service, but why does she feel, that she is fortune-telling just to hide something that can even make her head detach from her body?

"Crown Prince, don't you dislike fortune-telling?" Belanca said in an annoyed tone.

Andres grinned, before standing he put two gold pieces on the table to pay rent. "Thank you, Belanca."

"Crown Prince." Belanca's voice stopped Andres and Anthoni from leaving the room, Andres turned his head, waiting for what the witch would say. "From today, please control yourself better. I know you are good at controlling your emotions. Otherwise, it would have been revealed long ago."

Andres trying to understand what Belanca said.

"My vision isn't very clear, but I'm afraid it will happen." Belanca looked at the two dashing men in turn. "Anthoni or Almeta, one of you must always accompany the Crown Prince to prevent unwanted things." Belanca's purple eyes were fixed on Anthoni whose body was tense. "Because you and Almeta understand what I mean. Tell Almeta."

"What's worrying you, I can't control myself?" Andres was confused.

Belanca sighed. "From something difficult to understand and digest by logic. Something that comes without us realizing it and sometimes makes us lulled."