In the morning, Raka met Ayra in the castle garden, where they could talk without worrying about being overheard. Ayra looked tired, and the lines on her face showed the burden she was carrying. Raka felt the urge to immediately reveal what he knew.
"Ayra, I found something important," Raka whispered softly as he looked at her seriously.
Ayra raised an eyebrow, her eyes showing curiosity and a little worry. "What did you find?"
Raka took a deep breath before answering, "I heard Sir Galen talking to someone… he's leaking information about our defenses. Ayra, he's a traitor."
Ayra stared at Raka in disbelief. "Sir Galen? He's been a protector of this kingdom for years. I've known him since I was little… it can't be…"
Raka nodded. "I was surprised too, but I'm sure of what I heard. He's working with the enemy."
Ayra turned her gaze to the garden, seemingly in deep thought. After a while, he nodded, though it still seemed hard to believe those words. "If that's true, we shouldn't move carelessly. I need stronger evidence."
"I can watch him more closely, find a way to get concrete evidence," Raka answered firmly. Even though he knew the risks were high, he felt this was the only way to protect Ayra and the kingdom.
Ayra looked at him with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Raka. I know this isn't easy, but I really rely on you."
Raka felt something warm in his chest hearing those words. However, he knew that he had to put his feelings aside for the time being. This task was dangerous, and he had to focus.
＊＊＊
That night, Raka again infiltrated the castle's corridors, searching for traces of Sir Galen. This time, he brought a small device he found in the castle's storage room: a recording crystal that could record sound within a certain radius. He planned to use it to record Sir Galen's conversations.
After waiting for some time, Raka heard Sir Galen's footsteps approaching. Quickly, he hid behind a large pillar, activated the recording crystal, and held his breath.
Sir Galen stopped in front of one of the empty rooms at the end of the hallway, seemingly talking to someone who could only be heard faintly. From where he was hiding, Raka could hear bits and pieces of sentences that surprised him.
"…all defense points have… gone according to plan. Ayra will not suspect anything… a major attack is scheduled for two nights…"
Raka felt goosebumps running down his spine. A major attack? If Sir Galen succeeded, the Ayurea kingdom would fall into enemy hands in the near future. Quickly, he put away the recording crystal, making sure that he had captured all the evidence he needed.
However, just as he was about to leave, Sir Galen turned around and noticed him. Their eyes met in a tense silence.
"Raka?" Sir Galen's voice was full of suspicion. "What are you doing here?"
Raka tried to find an excuse as quickly as possible. "I… just got lost. This castle is so big, and I was trying to find my way out…"
Sir Galen narrowed his eyes, not entirely believing it. "You are Princess Ayra's honored guest, yet you are wandering around the hallways late at night? You seem too curious."
Raka tried to stay calm, but Sir Galen stepped closer with a threatening attitude. "You know, Raka, sometimes people who are too curious don't end up well."
Feeling in danger, Raka slowly backed away, preparing himself to flee if necessary. However, before the situation could escalate, the sound of more footsteps was heard approaching. One of the guards came, apparently looking for Sir Galen.
"Sir Galen, there's a call for you in the main room," the guard said.
Sir Galen paused for a moment, glaring at Raka, before finally turning around. "We'll settle this later, Raka. Don't get too involved in matters that aren't yours."
After Sir Galen and the guard left, Raka breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he had just escaped great danger. However, he now had enough evidence. Quickly, he returned to Ayra's room and knocked on her door.
Ayra opened it with a worried expression. "Raka, did you find something?"
Raka took out a recording crystal and handed it to Ayra. "This is Sir Galen's voice recording. I managed to capture the evidence."
Ayra stared at the crystal, then lit it. Sir Galen's voice was clearly heard, speaking of a major attack that would occur in two nights. Hearing that, Ayra closed her eyes, looking hurt and disappointed.
"I never thought... someone so close to my family could do this," Ayra whispered, her voice shaking.
"I know this is hard, Ayra," Raka said, trying to comfort her. "But we must act quickly. We have two nights to prepare our defenses."
Ayra nodded firmly. "You are right. I will immediately order reinforcements at the most vulnerable points. And… Sir Galen must be brought before the royal court."
That night, Raka accompanied Ayra in the tactics room, helping her map out an effective defense strategy. They worked nonstop, sharing ideas and supporting each other. Despite the tension, there were small moments where they exchanged meaningful smiles and glances.
When morning finally came, Raka realized that he had spent the night with Ayra, not just as an ally, but as someone who was beginning to truly care for him. Ayra also seemed more open, showing a softer side that was rarely seen.
However, behind all these preparations, Raka knew that the coming major attack would not be easy. The future of the Ayurea kingdom, and his growing feelings for Ayra, were now hanging in the balance.