For the next few weeks, the palace was quite busy with preparations for Victor's upcoming public speech to announce his effort in cooperation with the Harktu Empire
But as the preparations were happening Victor started to pick up on the unusual behavior of the people around him, from maids to knights, glaring at him whenever he would pass them in the halls
But the most suspicious of them was Agatha who wouldn't talk to him or even greet him, she looked even colder and more focused than ever. So much so that Victor started avoiding her fearing he would only make it worse, and patiently waiting for her to go back to her usual self
Everyone felt so on edge and like they were hiding something, this felt almost suspicious, but Victor wasn't the paranoid type to suspect the people around him so he decided to brush it off as just nervosity before the speech and turned a blind eye towards it
But as he continued his work, a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over him, thinking that all the weeks of exhausting work finally caught up to him he decided to retire for the night and finally returned to his bedroom
But then in the middle of the night, he is awoken by steps quietly echoing through the room, he slowly opens his eyes to see a cloaked figure illuminated by the light of the lamp next to his bed, still partially asleep he focuses on the figure and notices a dagger in their right hand as they slowly approach his bed
Then as he finally returns to his senses, with fear in his eyes he rolls off of his bed and falls to the ground, slowly crawling away but is then stopped by the windows
So in shock and full of fear he can't even bring himself to scream for help, heavily breathing and tears starting to roll off his face as the figure gets closer and closer, the only thing he manages to mumble at that moment with a trembling voice
"p.p.please don't hurt me"
Then the figure freezes for a moment, standing only a few feet in front of him
"Don't worry, that is not why I am here" says the figure in a cold but familiar voice as they pull off their left glove, then as they lean closer Victor can finally make out the face of the assailant as they ready their dagger
The blood starts pouring from the slash wound, that the assailant inflicted on their left hand when Victor brings himself to say in a trembling voice
"A. Agatha?"
"Yes it is me, so do not worry, I am not here to hurt you"
"Then what are you doing here?" Victor asks, still noticeably shaken from before
"I came to save your life, but I do not have the time for chit-chat so please listen carefully and heed my words, a plan seeking control was set in motion a long time ago and you are one of the obstacles that they need to get rid of, they are powerful, and they already took control or got rid of everyone in the palace, they have eyes and ears all over the empire so please, hide somewhere far away where they cannot reach and NEVER step foot into a territory of an elder and don't trust anyone who knows who you are"
"Huh. huh what do you mean, what is happening and who are they?"
"I do not have the time to explain so please just heed my warning and NEVER come back here or what awaits you is certain death, goodbye Victor, and please live"
As she finished speaking Agatha grabbed still shocked and confused Victor by his hand and helped him stand up, just to then push him into the windows behind him, as his body hit the window it swung back leaving Victor tumbling down from the second floor
Fortunately, the oak tree right under his window helped slow down his fall, and thus he only had a few minor injuries and a broken leg so he picked himself up, and filled with fear and adrenalin from the fall he decided to trust Agatha, and so he started limping into the dark and gloomy forest in front of him, not looking back at the life he was leaving behind.