Protagonist! Please Stay Away from Me!
Chapter 72: The Intel Department

Chapter 72: The Intel Department

Third POV—

Leon was pacing to and fro with anxiety etched on his face. He couldn’t believe his ears when the knights said that they had lost track of their emperor and she had vanished from their surveillance. Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult to imagine that their ’adventurous’ and ’idiotic’ emperor had wandered off on her own.

"Are you sure that you don’t where Her Majesty is? Can’t you recall anything at all?" asked Leon.

A knight bowed his head in submission. He said, "I don’t know where she has gone... and the same goes for other knights. She just shook us off and vanished. We searched everywhere but we didn’t find her. I am sorry."

Leon ran his hand over his face. He asked, "Do you know how careless you are? You are an imperial knight, whose sole purpose is to guard," he looked at the other guards, "the emperor. And yet, here you all are, standing in front of me and detailing your failure. She is missing for almost a day. No, after 10 hours, it will be two days. And... it’s past midnight! We don’t know where she is! I gave you one day and yet, you couldn’t find her. You all are dismissed. Just go."

The knights just bowed their head and glued to their face. Seeing them standing their like idiots, Leon yelled, "GO!!"

A knight with black hair and green eyes said, "Sir Leon, please give us another opportunity. I promise that this time, we will find Your Majesty and bring her back safely. Please..." There was a hint of desperation in it. He obviously wanted to rectify his mistake, and so did the other knights. They were both ashamed and angry at themselves that they let their ruler go off somewhere, without proper supervision.

Leon analysed each and every knight’s face and sighed. They were serious and their attitude was enough for him to allow them the permission to search for the emperor.

"Fine. You all go and search the whole capital. Do not let a single corner leave untouched. Search properly. Now go! But remember one thing... do not let anyone know that the emperor is missing. Everything should be done in secret."

The knights bowed and quickly left to search for their missing emperor.

Leon shook his head in exasperation. It was not enough. They needed more. Thinking that Leon started walking towards the ’Intel Department’ office.

Reaching their, Leon knocked on the door and entered into the office. Inside the office, there was a man with long green hair, and grey beard, sitting on a table as if he was waiting for someone to come.

"Her Majesty is missing. We don’t know where she is," said Leon, with a grave tone.

The man, Vederon nodded his head. He said, "I know. I have read your letter."

The door opened again, and a woman with pink hair and glasses entered. She had a mole under plump red lips and her face had an enchanting glow on it. "You are here, Diana," said Leon.

The woman, Diana walked towards Leon with a serious face and stood beside him. She asked, "Brother, what am I hearing? Her Majesty is missing!"

"Quiet down! Don’t say it out loud. Only a few people know about this!" Leon chastised his sister.

Diana nodded and lowered her voice. "Your letter... is that true?" she asked, her tone laced with wariness.

"It’s true."

Diana closed her eyes and sat on a chair. She asked, "So, what’s now? Are you going to inform everybody?"

"No!" Leon hissed at his sister.

Diana was confused by his denial. Why didn’t he want everyone to know that their emperor is missing?

"You are right, Leon," Vederon looked at Diana, "Her Majesty’s disappearance should be better kept in wraps until, we find her. It’s best for both her and the public interest."

Diana was angered by their words. She couldn’t believe that Vederon was backing her brother. But what confused her was her brother’s attitude baffled her.

"Why?" asked Diana, in an angered tone.

Her question was directed towards Leon but Vederon was the one who answered her. He said, "Because it will cause a chaotic situation in the whole empire. People will be terrified that their leader has disappeared. Rebels and the greedy people will see this an opportunity to attack the palace in every possible means, now that the emperor is missing."

"And we all know that the factions... will see this a chance to usurp Her Majesty from her throne. Even with our faction’s support... we can’t control them," said Leon.

"But... if we tell more people, we can search her more effectively. Our workspace would be a lot bigger," Diana argued back.

Leon shot down her idea. "You are clearly talking irrational. Don’t cloud your brain because you have crush on Her Majesty," said Leon, in an annoyed tone.

Diana’s face flushed. "Leon! You can’t just this loudly! It’s supposed to be a secret!" She never thought her brother would say this out loud, right in front of Vederon. Although, he was looking at them with a blank face as if he had already known that. She even blushed more.

"Yes? Of course, we shouldn’t talk this out loud. But don’t let this cloud your judgement. I am warning you. If you do this, then I will make you go back to your room," warned Leon.

Diana paled in fear. She nodded frantically in acceptance as she didn’t want to let this opportunity to go out of her hands. And who could know if she found Her Majesty first then, it could be a sign for performance. Maybe Her Majesty, Sharon would start liking her.

Leon snapped his finger in front of his sister’s face. "Don’t get lost in your fantasies. Even if Her Majesty liked you, I would never allow it. She deserves better." These words once again fuelled Diana’s anger. It was just about to die down but her brother fanned it again.

"Leon!!" Diana yelled in anger.

Vederon tapped on his table, garnering their attention. "Ok, it’s enough. We are here to discuss... not fight with each other and I am certainly not here to watch you two fight, right in my presence. So, please maintain decorum here. Understood?"

The siblings nodded their head and stopped fighting.

"What’s the plan? Leon, what you think?" asked Vederon.

Leon replied, "I don’t have any plan. The reason I am here is, to get guidance from you. You tell me, Baron Vederon. What should we do?"

Shaking his head, Vederon said, "I am no longer a noble, Leon. I have relinquished my title. Now, I am the head of this department. So, please just call me by name," Leon nodded, "I can’t do anything until I get some information. What do we know so far?"

"Her Majesty had gone to inspect the marketers’ condition. There, she entered into a dessert shop, and didn’t buy anything. After that, she went to some other stores, with her knights following her and then... she disappeared."

Leon’s words made Vederon think for a bit. It was as if something was missing here. But Diana had own set of suspicions. She asked, "That ’dessert’ shop, how long?"

"How long what?" asked Leon.

"She spent some time in that shop, right? I am asking the duration."

Vederon nodded, "I was about to ask that as well. Leon, tell the duration. Also, did she meet anyone there?"

Leon said, "She was there for a good amount of time. But she didn’t meet anyone there. At least that’s what the knights told me."

Diana snorted, "It’s not true. I am not telling the knights are lying. I am just telling you that they are missing something."

"Think about it. Why was she there? She didn’t eat there, did she? No, she didn’t eat. But... and there’s always a ’but.’ She stayed there for some time," said Vederon. It was baffling. Why did the emperor stay there for long time if she didn’t buy anything?

"There was something here. We are missing something," said Diana.

Leon nodded, "I can feel that as well."

Vederon said, "I think we should ask the shop’s owner. Maybe we can find something," he turned towards Diana, "I want you to take your team and bring the owner to the palace. It should be done as discreetly as possible."

Diana smirked in delight. She was the leader of the ID’s taskforce. And being the leader meant, that she was an expert in it. She would obviously capture the owner, ’discreetly’ as possible she could.

"I guess, that’s your cue... Diana. I hope you will bring some good news," said Leon.

Vederon said, "No one should know that the emperor is missing. You will not inform your taskforce’s members. I need it to be done perfectly. Remember, we don’t where Her Majesty is, and God knows if she is in some trouble... this news might threaten her safety. So, be careful."

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