Chapter 126 - The French Spy

"Bon soir, I must thank you for your invaluable help at that time, mon ami," said Charlotte, while keeping her gaze fixed on the face hidden by a mask. "There is a story about a masked person who saved the life of a prince ... A 'Purple Mask', they said. But it was believed that it was a lady who had done this. Or was it you?" she asked, tilting her head charmingly.

"I think what matters is that the Prince's life was saved," Lex minimized, shrugging. "But I'm interested in what you have to say. What were you doing in Princess Cordelia's old room?"

"Why, maybe the same as you, Purple Mask… We shouldn't be ashamed, though. It's clear that we have more in common than might appear at first sight. We have found a terrible secret and we must think about how to deal with what we know."

This was what Lex thought would be the main tenor of the conversation, but this surprising fact about the French diplomat's wife raised doubts. Were they spy, or did Charlotte act without her husband's knowledge?

"And do you have a plan on what to do about it?"

"I didn't expect to find a demon in the Princess's room. My search had other reasons."

"I saw that you found an object. Was it related to your search? Did it have to do with witchcraft and demonism?"

"Look ..." she said with a slight smile, "I shouldn't just give away what I know." Lex sighed,

"Milady, we don't know if she already knows we were there. And what could be so important that it needed to have such a powerful guardian. We have to come together in this regard. I will start. I was there to investigate some suspicious activity. From the attempted assassination of Prince Magnus, to how, even as a bride rejected by the First Prince, Lady Cordelia managed to marry his father."

"Is there a personal reason for this?" the lady asked, casually.

"Perhaps. My contractor has a lot of interest in that."

Lex's improvised response had the desired effect, which was to question 'his' identity. It was not difficult to imagine that Charlotte had seen Prince Alexander a few times, but perhaps with that, the lady would have doubts about to whom she was talking to. And she saw Charlotte bite her bottom lip, thinking about it.

"Well, your contractor and mine may have common interests. The concern for the de Wits is no longer just a suspicion," she said. "But I really don't know if the ministers would accept something like that as evidence against Prince Gutard's new wife."

Charlotte took an object wrapped in a handkerchief from the sleeve of her cloak. Lex watched as the Frenchwoman unwrapped the content. In her hand, a small round box made of silver metal, possibly lead. Charlotte opened it and Lex saw a small, roughly shaped figurine inside.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know, because I can't read what is written here," Charlotte pointed to the lid of the object, where strange symbols were inscribed. Lex also could not identify the symbols with just a quick glance. He only had the vague knowledge that some witches used to make amulets, both for protection and to curse their enemies. But it must be vitally important since it was being guarded by a beast from the underworld.

"Yes, I imagine that without proper knowledge this is just useless," commented Lex with a sigh.

"But I will have the answer soon, mon ami," she said with a hint of superiority, and chuckled softly. Lex wondered if she was trying to be charming toward the mysterious masked person.

"Hm, what do you suggest we should do together, milady?"

"We are going to exchange information about what it relates to Lady Cordelia. She's a threat. And for all I know about Holstein, stranger than usual things are happening. Before the wedding of Lady Cordelia's arrival, it seemed that everything was just a way to make Holstein even richer. I mean, it's strategic for Holstein to be the city that controls the traffic of goods across the Baltic routes. But if it wasn't for that Greek, Lady Alexa, we might not have known what happened in that villa, when the bride was supposedly ambushed. But now, after what we saw in Cordelia's room, what could have been just an act to make the bride even more suitable for Prince Magnus ... Maybe it wasn't a farce, after all. My intention in investigating the room was not to find evidence of witchcraft, although my patr…" she bit her lip, realizing that she was talking too much, but Lex didn't give her a chance to disguise,

"Did your patron tell you that…?"

"It was possible to find something related to witchcraft in her objects. He told me what things I could find."

'Hm, she has someone who has a lot of knowledge,' Lex concluded. "Is your patron the person who is supposed to tell you what these inscriptions are about?"

"No. I must see a specialist," she nodded toward the Jewish quarter gate. "Although they are segregated, they can be used if we need such knowledge."

"May I join you?" Lex shamelessly asked knowing it was bold and crude, but he was prepared to be laughed at and hearing a plain no.

Charlotte assessed the masked figure in front of her, tough,

"I will do you this favor in return for what you did last night. I will introduce you to my master's contact. I only have his name myself. But if he's an expert as they say, we will have the answers on this object tonight. We can know who we are saving from damnation."

"So let's do this without delay. The guards are already watching our lengthy chatting next to their posts," Lex urged.

Moments later, after bribing the guards at the Jewish ghetto's gate, the couple walked cautiously through the dimly lit alleys. Charlotte said,

"Master Chakkim Cohen is the man I must look for. According to the information, he lives on the top floor of the barbershop…"

But when they turned the corner that would take them to the barbershop, they came across a group of men, actually young men, who were carrying lamps and clubs with them.

The couple had enough experience to know they were in trouble.

"Look," someone said, with a threatening shrug, then followed the conversation with his friends in Yiddish. Lex didn't understand that language. But he cleared his throat and explained,

"We're going to see someone, we don't want to cause any problems."

"Go back where you came from, we don't want your diseases!" another voice spoke, threatening. Lex didn't understand what they were talking about, but Charlotte took a step back. Looking beyond them, Lex saw the barbershop at the end of the corner.

"Throw out the p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e and her friend!" another prompted, in an angry voice. Another provocation followed, even more frightening, "Better than that, let's show that we obey the law of not meet Christians at night. We take care of our territory and any trespassers!"

"Hehehe, yes! Come here, Catholic bitch!"

It was easy to understand the grudge of this community and its oppressed youth. But they were there on a mission and Lex didn't know if, missing this opportunity, he could hear that sage man first-hand again.

Assessing the conditions, Lex exchanged a look with his partner on occasion. Charlotte was not just a lady of the court, it was already disclosed. But would she be able to run to the barbershop?

Seeing the agreement in Charlotte's eyes, Lex turned to the group and shouted,

"Dieter, Lars, we're in trouble here!" as expected, most of them immediately turned their attention to the shadows behind the couple, and Lex pulled Charlotte to get past the Jewish neighborhood militia. Lex almost missed a blow to the head, but he had the presence of mind to lower his head, and he heard the stick buzz close to his ear.

The couple ran as fast as they could, with their chasers in pursuit. The hope was that Master Cohen would give them shelter and endors.e.m.e.nt to be there. Upon arriving at the Barbershop, they saw a door next door. Charlotte knocked at it violently, calling,

"Master Cohen, open! Open up, please!"

Lex looked behind him, and saw the group quickly approaching them. They would be surrounded and cornered against the door, and if Master Cohen decided not to open, they would be lynched, and their bodies thrown into the sea. Blinking and thinking this could not happen to the body he inhabited, Lex saw in the building opposite a faint light in a half-open window in the overhanging. The ad in the small marquee advertised a paint merchant.

"Charlotte!" Lex pulled her out again, and ignoring the lady's puzzled expression, he pushed her across the street. Lex helped her up the eaves of the building, while being surrounded by militiamen. 

'Uh-oh!' Charlotte held out her hand and Lex wasted no time, he was quick enough to get up but one of the guys jumped up and pulled on his cloak, trying to catch him and make him fall. The fabric around Lex's neck gave a powerful tug, which tipped him off balance and nearly knocked him over, but Charlotte grabbed him with both hands to pull him up. Lex heard the cloak tear, but with Charlotte's help he managed to climb up, while the group threw stones and sticks at them. 

They entered the window quickly.

Lex still had a lot of pain in his neck, and took his hand to rub the sore spot, coughing slightly. But he realized that besides Charlotte, there was someone else there, near the window.

To his shock, the man by the window was an older version of Magnus.