With Victoria's direction, I went to the noble's house where this Veronica is supposed to be staying at. And knowing that she's a leader of a faction, I expected that place to be heavily guarded. But I hope that most of her people is looking for me instead so I have a way in.
It's just the two of us. I also wanted to have Sonia with me, but it's still bright and people will panic to see a ghost wandering in the street. So I'll let her stay behind at the hotel.
"I thought you already trust Veronica after what I told you, but why are we going there right away? You still don't trust her? Or is it that I'm unreliable to you?" Victoria seem sad when she asked me that.
"No. I still can't trust her so easily and you are reliable partner. But you haven't investigate her surrounding yet. What if another faction is spying on her? We don't know if within the cult there's a conflict arise. Maybe we can use it for our advantage."
I told Victoria what I thought. If she's been in the cult since she was young, and now she said she hates the cult, there might be a chance someone knows about it. It could be one of her followers who's actually a spy from other faction. That's why I have to go and see it for myself.
Then if Veronica is really thinking of betraying the cult, and there's really a spy within her surrounding, we might be able to trick that spy. But for me to decide what to do, I need to see it first. I don't have a lie detecting ability like Albert did, but what I have is a vision that makes me able to see-through things and far ahead that no one can see.
I still haven't learned to read lips movement so it might be difficult. But that just mean I have to see more of their actions.
Soon enough, we reached the noble's house where Veronica is staying. And as I expected, it was heavily guarded. Although it seems like there's no guards in this place, many people are watching whoever goes in and out of the house.
It would be difficult for me to sneak into the house without anyone noticing. Even on top of the buildings nearby, there are many people keeping watch. Although it's not as many as the time that Veronica tried to capture me, it's still a lot.
I hide myself on top of a building that wasn't being watched and take a look at the house where Veronica is staying at. She was there, in a room on the second floor just walking around. Is she worried about something?
But I also see something. It's that whenever Veronica is seen from the window. Each time she was seen from the outside, the watchers' eyes are focused on her. I guess it's good that most of her followers are joining because of her looks.
Whoever thought of having her in her position right now is formidable. That person can think of something like having a good looking woman to make sure they can gain more followers.
"Hmm? That's pretty normal in my previous world, you know?"
When I said what I thought about having a good looking woman gaining followers, Victoria said something about her world.
"Please tell me more."
"Well, it means that those beautiful women, and sometimes also handsome men, would gain more followers to become more and more popular. Even if they are not talented in anyway, as long as they put on a show of their own appearance, their followers might increase. And some of them can make a living easily just like that. It's pretty similar to Veronica's situation, but in my world, most of those beautiful men and women are doing it by their own will. Unlike Veronica." Victoria explained.
"There's no way that she could get so many followers just because she was forced to do it. This Veronica, she's actually enjoying her position, right?" I still can't trust her so I asked Victoria.
"Was. Back when she was being appointed, she was still a gullible girl who thought that everything that she learn was for the good of the world. So of course she would try her best to repay the favor. And when she realized what the cult is about, she has already gained too many followers."
I'm about to say something again, but I noticed something was wrong. If all the guards are Veronica's followers, then they should be watching her as she was seen from the window. But there are actually some of them who aren't interested in watching her even though she was seen from the window, but keeping their watch on her room even when she wasn't seen from the outside. Almost as if they don't want to have her escape from their sight, and not because they are trying to protect her.
"Victoria. Seems like my guess is right. She's being watched probably by spies from different faction of the cult."
"Are you sure?"
"Pretty much. There are some people who keep watch of her every movement."
"That doesn't make them spies, right? What if they are just very dedicated in protecting her?" Victoria asked.
"That mean I'm wrong. But it's not about right or wrong. It's about being careful."
"…you're being too careful. But I guess that's better than not at all." Victoria said.
I keep count of the numbers of people that keep watching Veronica's room even though she can't be seen. There are about five of them and there's no missing spot on the area they watched. That mean it will be impossible to sneak in.
I guess I'll leave it to Victoria again to talk with her.
"Victoria. It's impossible for me to sneak in. I want you to give this bracelet to her and let her call Sonia. Then we will exchange messages through Sonia. I'll return to the hotel."
"You don't want to talk to her directly anymore?" Victoria asked.
"It's not like I don't want to. It's that I can't. She is being guarded at all time and makes it impossible for me to enter the house. Maybe you can tell her to go on patrol again like before to entrap me and I can meet her then. Also tell her that she is being watched by spies probably from different factions. So she shouldn't say everything so easily." I told Victoria what to tell Veronica.
"Right. Then I'll be staying with her for a while and told her to only contact Sonia when it's night and have the curtain closed. Just in case. Then how can I get in if the security is this strict?"
"Easy. Just turn yourself into the earring that Veronica wore yesterday. I'll tell the guards that she dropped it along with the bracelet."
After telling her the plan to let Victoria sneak into the house, I approached the main entrance of that house and called out to the guards.
"Who are you?!" There are two guards protecting the gate, and one of them is extremely hostile.
"Just a hunter. Is this the place where Veronica lives? The one with large hip? I saw her yesterday. She dropped this earring and bracelet so I'm here to return them. Can you give them to her?" I explain the reason why I'm here.
"Really? You're not here because you want to see how she looks, right?" the hostile guard asked me.
"Well, I admit that she's beautiful. But I have girlfriend of my own and we're about to meet so I have to go right away. If she knew that I'm late because of a woman, I'll be dead."
Good. I could always count on my acting skill. All of the hidden guards are now keeping their watch on me. Well, of course they would. But I just walked here normally and I'll leave normally again. If someone is tailing me after I leave, I'll just pretend that I'm going out for a hunt. Once I'm out of the city, I can kill them easily while making it as if they are attacked by monsters.
"Oh, yeah! I think I saw her with that earring yesterday. Give it to me and I'll return it to her." The other guard who's not hostile to me took the earring and the bracelet from my hand.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" The other guard shouted at the guard who took the accessories from me.
"It's true. I saw her yesterday being more beautiful than usual. And she was wearing this earring. And hunter, you can leave now. I'll return them to her." He asked me to leave.
"Alright. I'll leave them to you then." I left them but my vision is still focused on them.
"Keep guarding the gate. I'll return these to Lady Veronica."
"Hah! You are just happy that you have reason to meet her, right? Since you have an ulterior motive, it will be right if I'm the one to give them to Lady Veronica!"
Now they are fighting over who will bring those accessories to Veronica. But thanks to those two, I'm sure Victoria will be delivered to Veronica.
Knowing that Victoria will be delivered safely, I focused on the surrounding to see anyone who's following me. There's one guy who keep tailing me, but once I'm a distance away from the house, he seem to think that I'm really just there to return missing items and returned watching the house.
After the guy who's following me leaves, I returned to the hotel and wait for some good news from Sonia who will be called by Veronica later in the night.