Reincarnated as an Energy with a System

Chapter 1941: Investigation Results

Ning woke the following morning to the sound of someone knocking on his door, and although he had no real need for sleep, he had still spent several hours lying down after the previous night’s attack while allowing the palace guards to investigate what remained of Number 4 and the uniform she had used to enter the Conjoran wing.

He opened the door and found one of Prince Tarian’s attendants waiting outside, who informed him that the prince wished to speak with him before leaving the palace.

Ning followed the attendant through several corridors until he reached a smaller sitting room near the western entrance, where Prince Tarian stood beside a table covered with reports that had apparently been prepared during the night.

The prince looked considerably more tired than he had during the banquet.

"Did you sleep well?" the prince asked as he looked at Ning.

Ning nodded. "What about you, Prince Tarian? It doesn’t look like you got much sleep at all."

"It’s hard to get sleep knowing that one of our most esteemed guests was attacked under our watch," the man said as he pulled out one of the papers and turned it over to him.

It held Number 4’s picture.

"We found more information about the woman who attacked you."

Ning sat across from him.

"What did you find?"

"She did not infiltrate the palace yesterday, or even this week," the prince said. "According to our records, she joined the royal guard a little over two months ago."

Ning’s expression changed slightly.

Two months.

"Did she naturally transition into the role, or did she use some tricks?" Ning asked.

"We’re not entirely sure just yet, but there is evidence that her enrollment into the guard had been expedited for some reason. What should have taken 6 months had only taken 1. Before 2 months ago, it didn’t even look like she had any intention of becoming a guard, and yet suddenly, she was one."

Ning nodded slowly as he realized a few things.

This meant that Number 4 had not simply learned about the summit and rushed toward Cape Mistam after discovering that Ning would attend, because she had entered the royal guard long before the final delegations had even been publicly announced.

The position she had taken was not one that could be obtained quickly either, since anyone assigned to the royal palace had to undergo background checks, physical examinations, interviews, and several weeks of supervised duty before being allowed anywhere near visiting dignitaries.

So then, was this a chance meeting? Or was this premeditated?

Ning’s eyes widened slightly as the answer came to him.

"They knew," he said.

Prince Tarian looked at him.

"Who knew?"

"The Numbers."

Ning leaned back slightly as the pieces became clearer.

Tritus had people with many different abilities working beneath him, some of which Ning had already encountered, and there was no reason to believe that all of them were limited to combat.

Keira had mentioned that one of them was like her, a Clairvoyant. Someone who could see the future. It was because of that person that they had started attacking him in the first place, because they believed he was there to kill them instead and ruin something.

They could have known months ago that the summit would take place here.

They could have known that Ning would join the Conjoran delegation.

They could have known which section of the palace he would stay in.

Number 4 joining the guard two months earlier suddenly made perfect sense.

"They have someone who can see the future," Ning said. "At least well enough to know I would eventually be here, because otherwise, there would have been no reason for her to enter your guards that far in advance."

Prince Tarian did not immediately disagree, although the idea clearly made him uncomfortable.

If Ning was correct, then the security failure had begun months before anyone in Veronoth had known there was something to look for.

The prince gathered the reports from the table.

"We are continuing to investigate everyone she interacted with after joining the guard, including whoever approved her application and assignment, and how it was that she managed to get approved in such a short time."

Prince Tarian looked toward the door.

"I will keep you informed if we find anything else, but I have to leave for the airport now. The Bronverian delegation is expected shortly, and several other representatives are arriving after them."

Ning nodded.

"Alright."

There was little else the prince could tell him for the moment, and Ning did not need the palace investigation badly enough to interfere with the man’s responsibilities during one of the largest diplomatic gatherings Veronoth had hosted in years.

He returned to his room after leaving the prince, where he spent the next several minutes examining the information sent to him regarding the summit schedule.

President Morstell arrived not long afterward with Foreign Minister Kors, Farhand, and two members of her personal security detail, apparently having decided that the attack from the previous night required her to personally confirm that Ning was unharmed despite already seeing him afterward.

Ning assured them that Number 4 had accomplished nothing beyond destroying the suit he had worn to the banquet and trashing his previous room.

The president remained concerned, but with no immediate threat remaining and several meetings awaiting her, she eventually left with the others.

Ning was brought breakfast not long after, and then lunch some time later. He thought of leaving the room after lunch, but before he could leave, there was another knock on the door.

Ning hadn’t expected anyone to come this soon, and it couldn’t have been the prince again, since he should be with the Bronverian delegates. Perhaps it was one of his subordinates?

Ning would open it regardless of who it was, and when he did, he found Princess Elowen standing outside with Captain Maelis Thorn beside her.

The princess wore a simpler dress than the one from the banquet, although her golden-brown hair and composed expression made her no less recognizable.

"Sir Blackfang! Are you free? I wish to speak with you regarding some matter."