The chapter begins in the turbulent arena, where the sounds of howling winds carry the scent of dust and dirt. Flickers of sunlight break through the thick clouds, casting shifting shadows on the ground. The king stands, speaking to a guard in a calm yet firm voice, his breath visible in the cold air:  

**King:** "Did you bring what I asked for?"  

**Guard:** "Yes, here you go."  

The guard hands a small key to the king, who takes it and grasps Ren's hands, slowly unlocking the shackles. The metallic clang echoes in the air as Ren's wrists are freed. Ren watches the shackles being removed and says softly, "I told you it wasn’t necessary, Your Majesty. They didn’t bother me." But he adds to himself as he rubs his wrists freely (*They bothered me a lot*). After a brief moment of silence, he bows slightly and says, "Thank you."  

**King,** with a faint smile: "You're welcome."  

Meanwhile, the guards carry Zane and Karl away from the arena, but Zane raises his hand, gesturing to them:  

**Zane:** "Leave me, I’m fine. Take care of Karl."  

Lloyd and Kargalan exchange worried glances before approaching Zane and holding him by his sides, helping him stand as they ask anxiously:  

**Lloyd:** "Are you alright, sir?"  

**Zane,** breathing slowly: "No need to worry."  

At that moment, Selena approaches with steady steps, then bows to greet the king, Ren, and Zane. The faint scent of her perfume fills the air, and her eyes glimmer with concern and curiosity. Zane, Lloyd, and Kargalan return the gesture with similar bows, while Ren remains standing, indifferent. A moment of silence passes before he realizes everyone is staring at him in surprise. [Zane, Lloyd, and Kargalan] glare at him disapprovingly, as if expecting a specific action. Ren finally realizes his mistake and mutters softly, "Ah, sorry." He quickly bows, then raises his head again and follows them into the palace.  

---

Moments later, Selena walks beside Zane, her arms crossed in clear anger. The smell of dust still lingers in the air, and the sound of their footsteps echoes on the stone ground.  

**Selena,** in an irritated tone: "Why didn’t you wait for me?! You two took the opportunity and fought without me!"  

**Zane,** lowering his head slightly, replies apologetically: "I’m sorry, Karl insisted."  

But Selena ignores him, then turns to Ren, shouting with even greater emotion: "Ah! It’s the criminal! Why did you remove his shackles, Father? And why didn’t you tell me you had captured him?!"  

The king wipes a light sweat from his brow and responds hesitantly: "Well, a lot has happened. I’ll explain on our way to the palace."  

---

[Inside the Palace]  

Everyone enters through the massive gate, where the scent of aged wood and burning candles fills the air. After some time, Ren and Zane appear, dressed in elegant and luxurious attire.  

**Ren,** examining his clothes: "This is much better, isn’t it, Shin?"  

**Zane,** furrowing his brows in annoyance: "My name is Zane, you fool!" Then he calms down slightly and admits, "But yes, you’re right. It’s very comfortable."  

Moments later, they reach the king’s chamber and knock on the door before entering. The sound of knocking reverberates through the spacious halls, mingling with the aroma of fine perfumes emanating from the room.  

---

[Elsewhere, at the Battle Site]  

In the darkness, a mysterious figure clad in ornate armor appears, speaking softly to two guards. The smell of blood and dirt still hangs in the air, while the howling wind carries their whispers.  

**Mysterious Figure:** "So, they’ve captured that wretched troublemaker..."  

He turns his face away before continuing, "Proceed with caution."  

Then he turns his back and leaves, leaving the two guards exchanging worried glances. It’s the same person Ren saw speaking with Vice-Captain Garell Crown!  

---

[In the King’s Chamber]  

Everyone gathers inside the room, where the scent of burning candles and aged wood permeates the air. The king, Selena, Karl, Zane, and Ren are present. The king looks at everyone and begins speaking in a serious tone:  

**King:** "Ren Kagero has something to tell us, which is why I’ve gathered you all here."  

Karl, Selena, and Zane exchange looks of surprise as the king continues:  

**King:** "Everyone is listening, Ren."  

Ren takes a deep breath before speaking:  

**Ren:** "I hope you’ll listen without interrupting. First, I want to say that I am not the one who killed the vice-captain. The real killer is a man who served briefly in the military but left afterward. I don’t know his name, but on the day of the vice-captain’s murder, I was passing through a narrow western alley and saw the vice-captain shouting at this man... Then I heard the sound of gunfire, and when I turned around, I saw the man shoot him twice before leaving. When I approached to check, some guards saw me near the body and assumed I was the culprit."  

Karl crosses his arms sternly and interrupts: "And where’s the proof that you didn’t do it? How can we believe the vice-captain was talking to a suspicious person?"  

Ren replies confidently: "The king had placed a spy within the military to monitor any suspicious activities. The only person who knew about this was the vice-captain, but that spy was killed shortly after being appointed, and the one who killed him is the same man who killed the vice-captain. The spy himself told me this before he died. I can describe the killer to you."  

The king’s expression suddenly changes, showing shock as all eyes turn to him.  

**King,** in a low voice: "You’re right... I forgot about the spy after the vice-captain’s death. But there were reports of several soldiers dying mysteriously during mountain expeditions, with their causes of death unknown. This was about a month ago..."  

Karl, shocked: "Are you saying there are infiltrators in the military?!"  

**King,** tensely: "I’m afraid so."  

Selena bursts out angrily: "What are we going to do before it’s too late?!"  

Karl turns back to Ren, inquiring: "But how did you come to this conclusion so quickly?"  

Ren puts his hand in his pocket and replies nonchalantly: "It’s obvious. The killer admitted to killing the spy, then there’s the vice-captain’s confrontation with the mysterious man, and finally, if there are unexplained deaths among the soldiers, it’s certain that infiltrators are slowly moving toward the king. If we delay, the worst could happen."  

Everyone falls silent for a few seconds before the king speaks gravely: "We must find the real killer first."  

**Ren,** crossing his arms: "I’m ready to describe him."  

Zane is astonished by Ren’s quick thinking as the king summons a guard to sketch the killer’s features based on Ren’s description. After finishing the sketch, the king holds up the paper tensely: "Does this look like him?"  

Ren examines it closely, then replies: "Yes, it’s very close."  

Selena suggests enthusiastically: "Let’s alert all the units about him!"  

But Ren quickly responds: "I think that’s a bad idea. One of the infiltrators might see the sketch and warn him, or kill him before we do."  

Everyone falls silent for a moment before the king agrees: "Your point is valid. We’ll search for him using only trusted guards."  

**Zane,** firmly: "My companions and I will help you!"  

But Karl objects: "I refuse. You have another mission. This is a matter for my army, so there’s no need for you to get involved. Thank you, but you must hurry to your destination. The country you’re heading to isn’t far from here."  

Zane and Ren exchange enigmatic glances as everyone prepares for what lies ahead...