Meanwhile...
Yuri stood at the edge of the camp with his arms crossed, watching the four teams head toward their assigned bases. Standing next to him was Liam, his old friend and fellow instructor who had taken responsibility for him during the trade.
They stood in silence for a moment until Yuri finally spoke.
"That will be an interesting challenge," he said, smiling slightly. "I think we're going to see a lot of surprises."
Liam nodded while scanning the crowd of cadets moving in formation. "I've watched them closely. Many of them are truly talented."
Then he turned looking at Yuri. "So, who do you think will win?"
Yuri put his hand under his chin and thought for a moment. "It'll probably be a close match between Roy and Oliver. Both teams are full of top-ranking cadets. But if you ask me—" He paused, a small smile crossing his face. "Roy has come a long way. I think he'll win."
Liam raised his eyebrow. "Really? Oliver is very strong as well. I've seen how he fights and plans his battles." Then he crossed his arms. "What do you think? Should we make a bet? Personally, I'm betting on Oliver."
Yuri laughed. "Excellent. Let's make it interesting, then. Ten gold coins."
Liam's eyes widened. "Ten?! Are you serious?"
{One gold coin is worth about $500 in our day.}
Yuri casually raised his finger. "What? Not sure about your decision? You still have time to back out."
Liam stared, then smiled. "Okay, then get your wallet ready, old man."
The two shook hands, sealing the deal.
Liam turned to leave, still smiling. "I'll be watching this closely. Let's see what these two can really do."
Yuri waved as he headed in the other direction. "I'll finish up some reports first. Then I'll follow up, too. See you there."
Yuri walked calmly through the camp, his mind racing. 'That old man, Scott, was right. There really is a traitor among us. When he first told me in the cave, I had my doubts. But after investigating, I found that some things didn't make sense. Now... I'm sure. Instructor Lloyd was supposed to be here. I'll go look for him and see what he's doing.'
His eyes narrowed as he headed toward the academic building. Lloyd was responsible for monitoring the cadets' performance the next day, and he was also very quiet and always punctual.
Yuri moved like a shadow, his footsteps barely audible. It was impossible to notice him unless he wanted to be seen.
He approached the corridor where the instructor's office was located—Office 2F, at the back of the academic wing. Morning light leaked through the narrow windows and fell on the stone floor. The building was almost empty because there were no classes.
Yuri reached the office door. It was open and empty.
He frowned slightly. 'He was supposed to be here if he wasn't in the square...'
Yuri approached the wall and walked down the hallway, discreetly checking the adjacent rooms one by one. Nothing.
Then, he stopped.
He made his way to the far end of the hallway, where the cleaning room door was closed, but he heard a strange sound coming from within.
Yuri narrowed his eyes and crept forward silently. When he reached the corner near the cleaning room, he leaned against the wall and listened for any indication that someone was inside.
Suddenly, he heard the door open, so he quickly retreated to the next room.
There he was.
The instructor came out of the room wearing his usual uniform with his glasses on his nose. His beard was carefully brushed, his hair was short, and his body was in good shape. He held a small piece of paper in his hand.
Yuri didn't move. He didn't even breathe. Hiding in the shadows of the nearby room next to the door, his body blended into the wall like a ghost.
The instructor carefully folded the paper and put it in his uniform pocket.
Without looking around, he adjusted his coat and left, walking calmly as if he had nothing to hide.
But Yuri followed him.
Not too close. He kept a safe distance, thinking. 'Let's see where you're going, Mr. Lloyd.'
He followed him until the man reached the edge of the side garden. Lloyd went behind the old storage shed. Hiding there, Yuri watched the instructor kneel next to a wooden pole, look around once, and whistle softly.
A moment later, a white pigeon landed from the roof of the nearby main building.
Yuri narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what was happening.
The instructor took a small patch out of his pocket, rolled it up, and placed it in a metal tube tied to the bird's leg. Then, he patted the pigeon gently and released it into the sky.
Yuri didn't see a letter, but everything was clear now. The moment he realized this, the pigeon disappeared into the clouds.
'So, it's true,' he thought grimly. 'Someone is sending information from the inside. But who is on the other end of that message? I need to know that now.'
He moved quickly in the blink of an eye.
Before the instructor could react, Yuri was behind him. A powerful blow to the back of his knee knocked him to the ground, and a precise blow to his ribs left him gasping for air.
The instructor hit the ground hard.
Yuri calmly bent down beside him. He grabbed the man's wrists and twisted them behind his back, pinning him to the ground with a smooth movement. The man resisted, but it was impossible to escape Yuri's grip.
"Hello there, Mr. Lloyd how are you." Yuri said in a calm tone. His voice was almost gentle, and he had a slight smile on his lips. "You know, I already knew everything. So, if you want to keep your joints in their place, I suggest you answer to my questions quietly."
Mr. Lloyd froze, and panic flashed in his eyes. He realized he was surely dead.
He thought. 'Damn it... It's Yuri... I can't survive this.'
Then, Yuri noticed it too late. Lloyd clenched his jaw.
Crack.
The sound was faint, but Yuri's eyes widened. "No!" he shouted, trying to put his hand over his mouth, but it was too late.
Lloyd's body shook.
Foam gathered at the corners of his mouth. His eyes rolled back. Within seconds, he was dead.
Yuri stared, frozen, trying to catch his breath. Then, he grabbed Lloyd and shook him violently.
"You moron!" He muttered, checking his pulse. But there was nothing. The poison had been too fast. "I don't understand how anyone could end their life so cheaply like this."
He stood up slowly.
He felt a bitter taste in his mouth. 'He broke something in his mouth to kill himself...just like the one who shot the princess.'
He looked at the body, then at the cloudy sky.
"It's not about Drayton or any other empire. It's something completely different..."
His eyes narrowed, and worry spread across his face.
"They're moving, and I was too busy watching the camp to see them sooner."
He turned. "I have to tell Daniel. Now." Then, he hurried to his office.