"Sorry to summon you in the middle of the night"

Having told Lidi to go to bed first, I hurried to the office, and was apologetically greeted by Alex who had already been waiting.

He must've been working all this time until now. Alex looked tired, I could see slight dark circles under his eyes.

"No, it's no problem. More importantly, what demands such a rush? Something happened?"

"Yeah, a little"

I tilted my head as Alex spoke ambiguously.

It was just now that he urgently contacted me.

Today there was a dinner party with Father and the concert, I hadn't met Alex since evening.

So if something happened it would be since then, but at any rate Alex only told me to come through telepathic communication.

"And? What is the reason that you couldn't tell it through telepathic communication?"

"… Take a look at this. It's a report that just came from one of my subordinates"

When I sat down while asking, Alex presented a written report. I received the slightly thick report and flipped through it.

At first, I thought it was a report about Sahaja. It's because it wouldn't be strange if reports from spies started coming soon. But from the first few pages I realized it's different.

It's a report on Tarim. Moreover, the content is…

I fleetingly raised my eyes at Alex's face.

Alex who didn't try to sit at his desk said nothing. That means he's waiting for me to read it to the end. When I resignedly returned to reading, I caught sight of a sentence I couldn't ignore.

"… Absconded? Does it say the tactician absconded?"

When I unconsciously let out a voice to confirm, Alex finally spoke.

"… Seems like it. That's what's in the report. Just as you were afraid, there certainly was a tactician in Tarim. Moreover, he was quite an excellent guy. He looked different from Tarim citizens, but he seems to be a genius tactician who achieved a streak of victories. For those achievements he became an honorary citizen"

"That's… amazing"

I shook my head in disbelief.

The fact that despite touting purebred doctrine Tarim valued a foreigner so much is frightening.

In other words, the tactician was so excellent they had no choice.

I placed the report I'd read through at my desk, and folded my arms. Certainly, it wasn't a good subject for telepathic communication.

"What exactly does abscond here means?"

"Just what it says. I don't know the reason. Our agency couldn't find out. The tactician seems to have been active in Tarim from around two years ago, but he abruptly absconded from the country several months ago. Tarim seems to be looking for his whereabouts, but they appear unable to find his trace yet"

"… Hmph. Then when I fought Tarim. That was…"

I recalled the battle from several months ago.

The magnificent tactic at the end. That too would be this tactician.

"Yeah, that seems to have been the tactician's final campaign. But it seems the person himself wasn't quite enthusiastic? I think you can understand by reading those records, by he appears like a fairly clever guy, right? But he didn't give off that impression when fighting you. The conspicuous tactic was only used once to counterattack in an act of final desperation. No matter how you look at it, it was unusual for him. I can only think he eased up to cause a loss on purpose"

"Certainly… If what's written here was put into practice, it would be a considerably hard fight…"

I was shown the record of battles thought to be led by the tactician, the result of each and every one of them was unbelievable.

Sudden comeback from overwhelming numerical disadvantage was natural. Some were even bloodless victories.

I was astonished by the numerous tactics I wouldn't expect Tarim to implement.

"Such a person was in Tarim, huh. We're lucky he hadn't appeared to fight us until then, but we're also lucky he didn't make a serious effort"

I don't think we'd lose, but we'd be forced into a hard fight.

It would cost considerable sacrifices.

Still, it's a mystery why he hadn't partic.i.p.ated in the going south campaign until now.

"You're right. I too thought my heart would stop when I read the report. Anyway, that tactician isn't in Tarim anymore. That's all"

"… His name isn't written down. What's the tactician's name? Do you not know?"

Grand military results. And yet only his name isn't mentioned anywhere.

Asked, Alex shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course, I investigated that. As expected, it was an important secret so I couldn't learn his name. All that I ascertained is that he's a man"

"A man, huh. I wasn't expecting a woman in the first place"

As long as something doesn't happen, women don't appear at war.

Not only our country but Tarim and Sahaja too have a low proportion of women.

That's why taking the women that should be treasured to war doesn't happen.

So I thought it was a man from the beginning.

"I was told he absconded. So, I had the mansion he'd lived in investigated just in case. But nothing came out. On the contrary, there were no servants he should've employed left. It was perfectly empty. There was nothing to do"

"… Could he have left seeking asylum?"

"There was no need for that. He was sure to receive quite a good treatment from Tarim, you know? … Despite being a foreigner, he was treated comparably to royalty"

"Yeah…"

It's natural since the country highly benefited from that tactician's appearance. Tarim wouldn't want to spoil that man's humor.

He was also bestowed a splendid residence befitting a ducal house, and the tactician's status was the highest in the military.

"The tactician disappeared… huh"

"It feels exactly like that. Tarim is frantically searching for him as well. This time I could investigate this much only because their military was in considerable disarray over pursuing that tactician"

I nodded to those words.

Even if he couldn't learn his name, normally investigating so much would be impossible. It's a military secret.

"Where in the world did that tactician go… Perhaps he got married or is with his family?"

If he had a family the investigation could proceed from there, and after all there's a possibility he married Tarim's royalty or a princess of a powerful clan. Especially if they want to keep him.

"The information about the tactician didn't mention them. We don't know"

"It's fatal that there's no personal information at all. There's nothing to investigate"

When I gave my honest impression, Alex too muttered Well, yeah.

While scratching his head, he informed me as if he was making an excuse.

"Still, at least we know he's not there anymore, right?"

"I guess… Come to think of it, I met the singer today, but what did you think of him, Alex? You met him at the last evening party, right?"

"Yeah…"

There's also the matter of his name, but it was Alex who first advised me to be careful of him.

While listening to Alex's impression, I recalled the young man who described himself as the singer.

His well-ordered features and flawless behavior didn't seem like they belonged to a commoner at all. At a glance on his attire you could tell he's from another country.

Although I was vigilant about him introducing himself with Tarim surname "Éventail", ultimately he left the Royal Palace without doing anything.

I've already received the report about that. There's no doubt he left the Royal Palace.

"I wonder if he was thinking of setting something up"

With such a thought I'd made various preparations behind the scenes.

When I grumbled so, Alex agreed.

"There was his name too, but he expressly requested for you guys. Normally, you'd ask for items or money as a reward, right? Especially if you're singer on a journey. And he only wanted to meet you guys… No matter how I look at it, it's strange. I thought so, but"

"Yeah"

We increased the amount of security due to being on guard.

And yet.

As if to mock our tension he went home without doing anything.

"I was prepared for him to at least talk to us"

"After all he didn't do anything, right?"

"Yeah, he only sang and promptly went back. It was certainly an unusual song though. He wasn't a singer for nothing"

Rather than him, I'm more worried about Lidi's reaction. Since that singer appeared Lidi's been acting strange, she's seemed to be absentmindedly brooding over something.

While I was thinking back on her appearance, Alex said.

"Unexpectedly… He might be the tactician"

"… Don't joke with me"

I actually thought what Alex thrust at me was dubious, but for a moment I became lost for an answer.

A singer with unlikely Tarim name. The similarly missing tactician.

No matter how much I think it's too hasty, I can't ignore it. Everything fits.

"Supposing he is, why did he come to this country? He absconded from Tarim, right? There's already no meaning in investigating our country"

"I also think so. Ah, but, couldn't he be searching for reemployment… Nah. After all he didn't say anything"

That's right. Supposing he did have some objective, he had a good opportunity to talk directly with the royalty just now. And yet he went back without doing anything.

He really only sang.

Then I suddenly felt a presence. It's slight, but it's a presence I've felt several times. For an instant I looked up at the ceiling.

There's no hostility. Because I have some idea about that person, I've left it alone until now, but this――――.

Inferring the meaning behind that presence, I knit my brows just a little.

Really, various things keep happening one after another. There's no time to rest.

"Alex. Let's continue tomorrow. It's late already. You too go back and rest"

"Ah? Yeah. But what will you do?"

"If possible, there's something I want to investigate a little more. You can go back first"

"… Got it"

I finished the talk somewhat pus.h.i.+ly.

Alex had a puzzled face, still he eventually nodded.

Alex left, and I became alone in the office.

You can already call the time the dead of night.

Honestly, I want to quickly return to my room and sleep hugging Lidi.

But, it doesn't seem that will happen tonight.

I became completely alone, and after once again carefully confirming that all presences had disappeared, I spoke towards the ceiling.

"Come out. You want to talk with me, right?"