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<b> *the journal page is torn at the top but is mostly intact* Journal entry Hyul 161, Fall <b> -The Guards and Family Affairs- I never don a crown yet kings have unwittingly served my interests. Knowledge is more valuable than gold and fear surpasses even that. One quiet evening a duo of royal guards stumbled upon me lurking in the shadows behind a tavern. They were anxious.. whispering in low tones over too many drinks. They revealed they had witnessed the barbarian, Shivani stumbling inebriated from the king's chambers with royal documents. That night they chose to look the other way hoping their failure would remain undiscovered. They thought they were confiding in a friend. Instead.. they had gave a rogue an edge. I allowed the truth to settle for a few days before visiting each guard privately. I recounted every detail they had made, every drink they had consumed and every word they uttered. The color drained from their faces. If their negligence came to light.. they would lose far more than their positions. So, I extended an offer cloaked in mercy. They would convey to the kingdom precisely what I wanted them to say. Shivani would be held accountable for her taking of information but her sister, the Diviner Yoonji, would also be ensnared in the investigation. No evidence was necessary beyond suspicion. All I needed was for the guards to assert that the sisters were believed to be colluding. The take-down occurred before dawn. Chains ensnared both women, though only one was guilty. Shivani eventually walked free after the kingdom deemed her impaired stupidity sufficient punishment. Yoonji, however remained behind cold stone walls, imprisoned for crimes she did not commit. The guards safeguarded my secret because revealing it would also reveal their own failings. Their silence became my currency. That is the allure of intelligence. I never fabricated evidence. I never held the prison keys. I simply guided frightened men toward the narrative that shielded them best. The kingdom believed justice had been served, the guards retained their uniforms and an innocent Diviner vanished behind iron bars. The greatest victories are never achieved with weapons. They are achieved with secrets. <b> *unable to read signature* o$_'/ | |