A week later the awaited letter finally arrived at the Vaspertine duchy. The place of exchange along with the time were written clearly to avoid any possible sort of confusion.

The meeting was supposed to be held in a pub located in district 3 - a place arranged by the guild leader.

At midnight, Valentina again left the house secretly and was the first to reach the destination. She was directed towards a private lounge which looked as if it wasn't a part of the shabby pub. A while later her guests showed up, their eyes held curiousness but they were extremely vigilant, not yet trusting the surroundings completely.

Valentina - ( *Swirling a glass of wine* ) There's no need to be so cautious of this place, required arrangements have been done.

Even though the place had been prepared by the leader, Valentina had done required inspections after coming early to ensure their plan won't be leaked and essential security was present.

Alexis - Why did the lady set the meeting in such a place?

Valentina - ( *Sigh* )Well we can't discuss about the ruin of a high-class noble in a place full of people now, can we?

Alexis - Is the lady really confident that it is definitely going to bring ruin to Duke Elois?

Valentina - If I didn't have the confidence then none of us would've been standing here talking like this today.

Artemisia - Is the information you are going to present today verified?

Valentina - With my own eyes. ( *Keeping the glass down* ) If the interrogation is over then how about sitting down? We can't stay here for the whole night afterall. As soon as the daybreaks, people will start flooding the streets and it will be impossible for us to move in secret and once that happens, there's no way we will be able to avoid the emperor's eyes as we are able to at this hour.

Alexis - You are right. Let's start the meeting. ( *Sitting down* )

Valentina - ( *Thinking* ) Duke Alexis looks quite serious today. It's justified anyway since he loves his sister so much. The concern and curiosity is just natural.

Artemisia - What information does her highness have for us?

Valentina - First let's drop the titles for now, we will be working together for a while so we must make it a habit to not refer to each other by our titles whenever we are out and working together.

Valentina - If it's fine with both of you, I've already created alias to help.
Duke Alexis will be called Alex
Lady Artemisia's alias will be Sia
And mine would be Ina.
The names are just a part of our real names so I believe they won't be hard to remember.

Alexis - I'm ok with this. What about you misi? ( *Looking at Artemisia* )

Artemisia - I don't have any objections either.

Valentina - Lovely, then it's settled. Now then let's come to point, shall we? ( *Smirk, shady look* )

Valentina - Have you ever heard about the haunted house located in district 7? I believe Alex had stopped by the place a while ago.

Alexis - Yes I had. I found the rumour fake but since I was in a hurry I couldn't investigate it.

Valentina - What if I tell you it's real?

Alexis - ( *Flinch* ) You mean the ghost?

Valentina - Well precisely the rumour - anyone who goes inside the house never comes back.

Alexis - Are you implying even though the story about the ghost isn't real, the rumour is?

Valentina - Yes. But because district 7 is a place accomodating lower-class commoners, the cases of the missing people were all closed without proper investigation.

Artemisia - Was it only because they are commoners? So even the police thought it didn't matter if they went missing? How outrageous!

Valentina - Well cases of people who went missing and had no connection to that house were still registered. So what you are saying is definitely their mentality but in this case it's not entirely true. ( *Handing them a file* ) A few years ago, a man was murdered and his dead body was found near the abandoned house and a case was even launched. The investigation was going smoothly but once the house started getting involved and investigators started getting suspicious of the house, the case was closed abruptly.

Alexis - If a murder case was closed so abruptly and was completely hidden away from the public eyes, well if every mouth was shut down then this definitely means that there was someone powerful behind all this. Else there's no way murders and kidnappings happening could be covered up so perfectly from the eyes of the empire.

Valentina - That's right. Then from all this don't you think there's something unsettling about the house? Every case that involved it was shut down, every person who went in never came back, people often see shadows near that area, shadows of kids being dragged around, many even claim to have heard voices of children coming from that place. Does this perhaps ring a bell? ( *Smirk* )

Alexis - ( *Horrified* ) Do you mean...?!

Valentina - Yes that's exactly what I mean... it's an illegal child trafficking ring. Children are captured and kept there before being sold as slaves across the border.

Artemisia - What?! That's terrible. We must save them! But who's doing this?!

Valentina - ( *Smirked* ) This is why I said I've the information that can bring ruin to Duke Kartena.

Artemisia - You-you mean he is the one responsible for all this?! ( *Gasp* ) I thought we was merely a little involved in this, but he's even more of a terrible person than I speculated.

Valentina - Indeed he is. He is the master of this business. The house has an underground prison that's where all the kids are kept for a month before they are transported. Duke Elois uses another name and comes to visit the place to ensure everything is running smoothly the day prior to the transportation date. 28 days more are remaining before the kids will be sent out. On the 27th day, Duke Elois will visit the place under the alias - Kanes.

Artemisia - Then we just have to ambush the place once he comes right?

Valentina - It won't be as easy. He always comes from a different route, a secret passage leading the prison so we won't be able to know if he has arrived or not from the outside. And in the worst case scenario if we attack before his arrival then we will miss the chance and who knows when we will be able to get another such opportunity.

Alexis - Then do you have any plan?

Valentina - ( *Tilting her face* ) Why would I give you all this information without having a proper plan to back it up? Wouldn't that be just...foolish of me?

Alexis - But how did you obtain all this information? Do you perhaps have such a source who can obtain such details?

Valentina - Don't worry you won't find anything if you succeed in getting a hand over my source. Because even if they provide me with the information, it is I who provides them with suspects and places for investigating where they will definitely find things that I need. So without me...it's all useless ( *Smirk* ). So it'll be futile to search for my source, but it'll be easier to pair up with me.

Alexis - ( *Smiled* ) Makes sense. Then what plan do you have for this?

Valentina - We can't attack directly from outside, but we can from inside.

Alexis - What do you mean?

Valentina - The mercenaries working there already know each other so it won't be possible to sneak in or replace someone. We'll get caught immediately. But amidst all this, the ones who will never arise any suspicion are - the kids.

Alexis - ( *Furrowed eyebrows* ) Are you saying we have to send more children into that hellhole?

Valentina - Ofcourse not. I am saying that I will be turning into a child and will mix up with the other kids and once Duke Kartena in other words - Kanes comes up I'll send a signal instantly.

Alexis - What?! No wait?! I apologise princess but are you perhaps out of your mind?!

Valentina - As far as I can remember I am very much sane. And maybe you don't remember this but the magic world has the capability of turning a human into their younger or older self.

Alexis - No that's not what I am talking about! How can you push yourself into such a risk?! What if you get harmed?

Valentina - Duke, no matter what rumours about me had spread in the past, I am not someone who would thoughtlessly do such a thing. You can trust me.

Alexis - Rumours are often just petty lies my lady. And I do not disregard my partners by solely trusting the rumours about them. Especially when I've seen you in person. My concern is that the lady shouldn't take such a risk by going into directly the enemy's lair without proper support.

Valentina - Then do you have a better option? ( *Sitting back* ) I think you should first listen to the whole plan before reacting in such a way.

Valentina - I'll will get mixed up with the children who are scheduled to be brought there on that day and I'll immediately send a signal once Elois gets distracted by something. And immediately after getting the signal, you will have to charge towards them. I will use my magic to restrain Elois so he won't be able to leave the place and you will have to then capture him to present him before his majesty. Just in case, I'll be carrying magic scrolls with me to protect myself so don't worry. We won't be able to get such a good opportunity again. It isn't the time to take a decision based on your emotions duke but rationally. The case is no longer only about the Vaspertine duchy but has turned into the empire's concern, the future of countless kids is in danger and as the future empress it is my duty to save my people.

Alexis - If that's what my lady wants so be it. Vaspertine duchy will be more than cautious to serve the lady. And we'll give our lives up as well if we need to, to save you. In the future, the duchy will forever be grateful towards you my lady.

Valentina - You won't have to go to such lengths but I appreciate the sincerity. ( *Smiled* )

Valentina - Kanes visits the place at nearly midnight, so we must set the trap before it. They are supposed to kidnap a few orphan kids from district 8, I'll be present over there, you will just have to track me. Keep it in mind not to let anyone get suspicious or we will be done for.

Artemisia - Understood. We'll do the preparations accordingly.

Valentina - Then it's already time we should be leaving this place. ( *Starts leaving* )

Artemisia - Wait up! Ina! Thank you for helping me!

Valentina - ( *Smiled without turning back* ) Don't mention it. Just remember your promise, I'll be requesting the help back when the right time comes.

Artemisia - I'll be more than happy to be any help for you.

Valentina walked out of the place and following her, the sibling duo left as well. Everyone's heart was filled with uncertainty yet there was a ray of hope that the plan would be successful.

•__________•.•.•.•.•.•.•__________•

The next few days went by in a moment. Valentina had taken complete control of managing the house affairs which had previously rested partially in her hands and partially in the butler's.
One fine morning, when she was visiting Vercil's office, he seemed quite stuck on some calculation which Valentina - being a major math enthusiast had solved in an instant, thus earning a spot in Vercil's office as well.
Hence, her days were filled with her magic and swordsmanship lessons, which followed her time managing the house, followed by helping Vercil in his work along with keeping a track of how the plan was going.

Days were quite eventful, and eventually the final day arrived...

•__________•.•.•.•.•.•.•__________•

Valentina - Lynn, can I trust her? If I remember correctly then she was the only maid who had served me sincerely. I am definitely going to need someone I can completely trust, so perhaps Lynn is the best choice. ( *Thinking* )

Valentina - Lynn.

Lynn - Yes my lady

Valentina - Are you loyal towards me?

Lynn - ( *Taken aback* ) I want to serve my lady till my last breath.

Valentina - Why? What reason do you have for you to want to serve me so diligently?

Lynn - It might not mean much to my lady, but you made me your lady-in-waiting, you trusted me and gave me this chance, as a result my salary increased as well, I have a sick brother, but with my previous salary I could barely afford his medicines and a meal to fill our stomach up. He used to even sleep with a half-filled stomach at times but never complained about it, but ever since you gave me this opportunity I've been able to afford his medicines, we can even eat as much as we want and now we are living in a better and warm place, and my brother is getting better slowly. I don't have anyone else except him in this world, so he means everything to me, this is why I am eternally grateful to my lady. And I want to serve you till my last breath.

Valentina - ( *Thinking* ) Oh? Seems like I had forgotten about this. There was a time in my past life when Lynn begged me desparately to give her some more money so she would be able to afford some urgently required medicines for a family member. I couldn't stand seeing her beg so helplessly that's why I gave some money, it was nice to hear that she could bring back his medicines in time because of which he survived. Later she came to me and pledged her loyalty. She won't betray me I believe.

Valentina - That makes me so happy to hear that I could help you. Then I want to trust you over something else as well.

Lynn - Please say it my lady.

Valentina - I have some work, so I must go out today I will be back by tomorrow morning but nobody should even guess that I am missing from the dukedom. It's your duty to pretend that I am still there.

Lynn - But my lady are you going to any dangerous place? ( *Worried* )

Valentina - ( *Keeping a hand on her shoulder* ) Don't worry Lynn this is something I must do. I hope you can help me.

Lynn - Ofcourse I will. I just hope my lady comes back safely.

Valentina - ( *Smiled* ) I will.

Lynn left the room leaving Valentina all alone feeling slightly guilty of something.

Valentina - I am sorry Lynn, even if you pledged your loyalty to me I can't trust you completely yet. ( *Looking down at her first* )

Valentina had kept her hand on Lynn's shoulder to cast a magic on her without her knowledge. She casted it just in case she comes out as a traitor. In such a case, her memory about the conversation with Valentina would be erased the moment she tries to reveal it to someone else.

Valentina - I can't let anyone ruin my plan. ( *Serious* )

•__________•.•.•.•.•.•.•__________•

Hey everyone, I really hope you liked this chapter and if you did then don't forget to leave a few words of encouragement or constructive critisism. Love you all<3

Then I'll be back with another chapter, till then byeee~.