The exiled prince was given a suite of rooms on the second floor. The rooms were spacious but sparsely furnished. The floors were made of polished wood, but they were scuffed and scratched in places. The walls were hung with faded tapestries, and the furniture was old and worn. The only luxurious thing in the room was the large four-poster bed, with its thick velvet curtains.
The rest of the manor was in disrepair. The once-beautiful gardens were overgrown and neglected, and the stables were in need of repair. The servants who tended to the manor were few in number and overworked, and the food was meager and plain.
Despite its faded grandeur, the manor still had an air of dignity and respectability, a reminder of the prince's former status.
The stark contrast between how noble criminals and common criminals were treated was a clear reason why commoners harbored so much disdain toward nobles.
While common criminals were often thrown into squalid conditions, those of noble birth, even in exile, were afforded luxury and comfort.
This inequality only served to widen the gap between the social classes, leaving the commoners to resent the nobility even more.
Yohana entered the mansion through the back door that connected to the servants' quarters. She followed two servants carrying baskets of water, chatting casually as they headed inside.
While the servants began to scrub the dingy windows and scuffed floors, Yohana slipped through the kitchen.
She took the path for servants, separate from the main hall to avoid bumping into guests, a common practice in noble houses. Soon enough, she had found the room.
The former prince was staring at the window from a nearby chair.
Unlike his criminal status, he had a pose of valor. Yohana stared at his backside, noticing his strikingly bright red hair dropping down to his shoulders.
She removed two fan spokes, one in each hand, and approached him quietly. She took a deep breath, dug one spoke coated with sedative into the former prince's neck, and after he fell asleep, she stabbed him with the other spoke coated with lockjaw.
He would start experiencing symptoms in a few days, and if he was lucky, he would die soon after.
But if he wasn't lucky, he would suffer for several weeks before meeting his end in a miserable way.
As Yohana turned away from the room, she felt a strange sensation wash over her.
She knew the former prince, or at least had seen him before. Though her memories were hazy, she distinctly remembered meeting him as a child.
"Wait, had the former prince always had red hair?"
She couldn't recall the circumstances of their meeting, but she knew that the frail prince had not always had bright red hair. Perhaps her memory was faulty, but something about the situation seemed off to her.
With the mission completed, Yohana needed to leave the mansion without raising any suspicions. She retraced her steps, taking the same path she had used to enter the building.
When she reached the back door, she saw that the servants were still preoccupied with their cleaning tasks. Yohana slipped out unnoticed and began walking toward the gate.
Just a few steps more, and she was out of the mansion, blending into the visitors and disappearing without a trace.
As she neared the gate, a warden appeared, likely out to buy more drinks for his colleagues. Yohana quickly sidestepped to conceal the unlocked gate and began scanning for the best escape route.
The warden, carrying a crate of ale bottles, approached Yohana. His face was flushed, likely due to the high alcohol content in his system, but he was alert enough to blush at Yohana's enticing gaze.
"Pardon me, Madam, but you cannot enter the premises without permission," he said.
Yohana took out the folded fan and hid her lower face with it to keep the warden's focus on her eyes.
"Please forgive me, dear good knight. I was just wondering where that one handsome man had gone to. It appears that he has returned with great hospitality for his fellow companions." She pointed at the ale with her eyes.
"But I am no knight, My Lady," the warden replied, unable to hide a shy smile as it had been a while since someone had expressed interest in him.
Meanwhile, Yohana used her other hand to return the padlock back to the gate, ensuring that it was exactly as it had been.
The warden moved around awkwardly, hinting that he would try to take their relationship further. "Very well, good Sir, I humbly take my leave, for my husband is expecting my return."
Yohana cut off the opportunity before it appeared. His face turned sour at the mention of her husband, so Yohana gave him a small gift as a consolation before parting. "Place your rook between your king and queen."
"Huh?" Bewildered, the warden turned around to look at the chessboard. "But he will take my rook."
Yohana lowered the fan, smiled, and said, "That's a necessary sacrifice. Your king can take his queen."
She bowed and left, disappearing into the crowd.
***
A few weeks later, news of the former prince's death shocked the nation.
Commoners were particularly joyful to hear that, while some nobles who secretly sided with the previous monarch were devastated.
Yohana had returned to Grossfeld and was now enjoying a peaceful life as a herbalist during the day. She made her monthly round around town, providing regular aid to people, including Sascha, the clerk of the coach inn.
Yohana handed Sascha a bag of yarrow leaves. "How are you feeling, Sascha?"
The young clerk rubbed her abdomen, she let out a long breath. "It is a relief that you have returned with haste. I have been suffering from discomfort during my monthly course this month. Thank you kindly, miss, for this. I am almost depleted of the herb."
Yohana took some coins for the herbs and left the inn. She headed to the square when she was done with her rounds.
The square was not as packed as it had been the last time Yohana was there. The scaffold was empty, with no sign that the royal couple had ever been hung there. Merchants of various goods were loud in attracting customers.
This was the capital city, so the market here had the most diverse goods at competitive prices, luring people from other towns to come.
While browsing goods and searching for what she might need at home, a man dressed as a commoner bumped into Yohana and secretly handed her something. He did not apologize and just moved along. She put the bag into her dress pocket and continued walking.
Upon exiting the square, she checked the bag and found a large sum of money along with a small piece of paper, indicating another job.
[Target: Count Yannik von Berger]
[Location: Harnisse Castle]
The target of Yohana's latest job was a well-known figure - Count Yannik, who had played a key role in the overthrow of the Schauenstein monarchy.
He had received intelligence regarding the former king and queen's alleged involvement in underhanded business with the enemy, Kievskaya, for their personal gain, and was determined to pursue the lead.
Despite holding the title of count, Yannik's influence extended across a wide area of Reichwein, and he was highly regarded by both commoners and nobles alike.
He was one of the few people who achieved his status through his own means. His past genius in various wars and trading strategies had helped the kingdom prosper, and the network he had woven proved useful in uncovering the former royal family's wrongdoing.
Many believed that his vast contribution would eventually elevate his status to that of a duke. However, rumors had begun to circulate that he had recently switched sides.
Yohana had no opinion on the matter; her job was to investigate her target, not question the motives behind the orders she received.
***
Yohana planned to stay in the small town of Harnisse for a few weeks to prepare for her upcoming mission.
Unlike her previous job involving the former prince, this task would require more direct involvement, disguise, and infiltration.
Before leaving, she gave spare herbs to her customers, including Sascha, the clerk of the coach inn.
Sascha wondered, "Will you not take the coach, Miss?"
"No, Sascha," Yohana replied.
Harnisse was too close for a coach ride, and it could pose a risk.
She walked away from the inn, taking a narrow path with an unpaved road that led to the woods. Paid coaches would typically take the main road, while some wagons preferred this shortcut to certain towns.
Yohana waited at the edge of the woods for any passing wagons. Once she saw one, she hailed it and negotiated the fare, which was expensive due to her unusual request for transportation to Harnisse. The driver speculated that she must have had something to hide, given the high cost and the availability of cheaper options.
The road was rough, and Yohana's skirt got splashed with mud as she sat at the back of the wagon.
"A runaway, eh?" the driver asked. Yohana remained quiet so the driver took it as an answer and continued, "Did ye rob yer lord to get that skirt?"
Normally, Yohana would not respond to that, but she sensed an opportunity.
She began to weep quietly and said, "If I must speak true, this gown is not mine, but that of the ladyship. Oh, I am most unfortunate. The Lordship would thrash me, and his lady would let me starve. But I did not pilfer from them, good Sir, I assure you. I only took what was mine. They withheld my wages for years, despite the blood and sweat I gave. Now I must flee from their sight if I am to keep my head."
The driver took a glance back, and Yohana saw a hint of sympathy. "Poor gal, ye are. Are ye in need of a job?"
"Yes, good Sir."
"Ha! No problem, lass. I'll speak highly of ye to that storekeeper and maybe she'll have some pity on ye."