From Trash to Villain Master of Card: With Harem of Evil women-Chapter 67: Shadows at Home

Neudämmerung — Aschenfall Fortress — Same Day, Dawn

Adelheid was on the main tower balcony, watching the kingdom wake.

The sun was just beginning to rise, painting the distant mountains orange and purple.

Three weeks since Kaito had left for Vestria.

Three weeks during which she had ruled in his absence.

And each day felt heavier than the last.

Not from incompetence—Adelheid knew how to lead. She had been Supreme Commander long before this moment.

But leading in Kaito’s name was different from leading with Kaito.

He had something she didn’t: the ability to make people believe everything would be alright, even when there were no guarantees.

Adelheid could only offer strategy. Efficiency. Discipline.

Sometimes, that wasn’t enough.

A knock at the tower door.

"Come in."

Gorman entered, his face more somber than usual.

"Commander Adelheid. We have a problem."

Of course they did.

"What kind of problem?"

Gorman unfurled a scroll with numbers and annotations.

"Inventory from the northern warehouses. Twenty barrels of grain are missing."

Adelheid frowned.

"Stolen?"

"I don’t know. The guards report they saw nothing unusual. But the barrels... they’re simply gone."

"When was it noticed?"

"This morning during routine inspection."

Adelheid took the scroll, studying it.

"Twenty barrels is a significant quantity. Not a counting error."

"No, Commander."

"And the entry and exit records?"

"All official movements are documented. But between the last inspection and this one... they disappeared."

Adelheid set down the scroll.

"Gather the guards who were on duty that night. I want to interrogate them personally."

"Yes, Commander."

Gorman hesitated at the door.

"Commander? There’s... something else."

"Tell me."

"A messenger who was supposed to arrive from the iron mines yesterday... never arrived."

Adelheid felt something cold in her stomach.

"Intercepted?"

"We don’t know. We sent a search patrol but they found no trace."

"The message?"

"Urgent, according to the captain who sent it. But he didn’t specify the content for security reasons."

Adelheid turned fully toward Gorman.

"Two incidents in two days. Grain disappearing. A messenger lost."

Gorman nodded.

"It could be coincidence..."

"I don’t believe in coincidences."

Adelheid moved to her desk, picking up a quill.

"Call an emergency meeting. Lilith, Valeria, Drake if he’s available. The main captains. One hour."

"Understood."

Gorman left.

Adelheid stood staring at the map of Neudämmerung spread across her desk.

Something is happening. Something I don’t see yet.

But I will find it.

---

War Room — One Hour Later

The room was tense.

Lilith sat elegantly but with a serious expression. Valeria stood like a statue in the corner. Five main captains around the table.

Adelheid presided where Kaito normally sat.

It felt... wrong. Like wearing someone else’s clothes.

But it was necessary.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. We have a situation requiring immediate attention."

She spread out the reports.

"Twenty barrels of grain missing. A messenger from the mines lost. Possibly other minor incidents we haven’t connected yet."

Captain Becker—a forty-year-old man with a scar on his cheek—spoke first.

"Do you think there’s a connection, Commander?"

"Yes. But I don’t know what it is yet."

Lilith leaned forward, her fingers touching her lips thoughtfully.

"Grain disappearing could be for feeding a hidden force. Bandits? Mercenaries?"

"Or spies," Valeria added in a flat voice. "An intercepted messenger suggests information being stolen, not just resources."

Adelheid nodded.

"Exactly. That’s why I called this meeting. We need a full investigation."

She looked at Lilith.

"You’re the best at uncovering secrets. Can you investigate?"

Lilith smiled—not her usual seductive smile, but something sharper.

"Of course. Give me access to personnel records and I’ll start looking for patterns."

"Granted."

Adelheid turned to Valeria.

"I want you to audit all guard positions. Verify who was where when the incidents occurred. Look for inconsistencies."

Valeria nodded once.

"Function assigned. I will begin immediately."

The captains received their own tasks—increase patrols, check warehouses, interrogate suspicious personnel.

The meeting dissolved.

When only Adelheid and Lilith remained, the latter spoke in a softer voice.

"Are you alright?"

Adelheid looked at her, surprised.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you’ve been ruling alone for three weeks. And I see lines on your face that weren’t there before."

Lilith approached.

"You miss Kaito."

It wasn’t a question.

Adelheid didn’t deny it.

"Every decision I make, I ask myself: what would he do? Am I doing this right? Am I failing?"

"You’re not failing."

"How do you know?"

Lilith smiled genuinely.

"Because the kingdom is still standing. Because the people still trust. Because Kaito chose you for this specifically."

She touched Adelheid’s shoulder.

"He trusts you. Now trust yourself."

Adelheid felt something warm and complex in her chest.

"Thank you, Lilith."

"You’re welcome. Now, I’m going to find whoever is playing games in our kingdom."

And she left with purpose.

---

Library — Afternoon

Lilith had been working for hours.

Surrounded by scrolls, records, guard reports.

Her golden eyes scanned every line, looking for patterns others would miss.

Guards who were on duty when the grain disappeared...

Messengers who had access to sensitive information...

Personnel who have changed behavior recently...

She found three names that appeared in multiple incidents.

Captain Werner—a veteran who had originally served under Vargun but swore loyalty to Kaito.

Sergeant Petra—a young woman, efficient, with no problematic history.

Lieutenant Klaus—a middle-aged man, family in Aschenfall, solid reputation.

Lilith studied the three names.

Werner was on guard when the grain disappeared. Petra processed the lost messenger. Klaus had access to multiple strategic meetings.

But which one is the spy? Or are all three?

She needed more information.

She decided on something risky.

She was going to use her power.

Just a little. Just to confirm.

---

Barracks — Night

Lilith found Werner alone, checking weapon inventory.

She approached silently.

"Captain Werner."

He turned, saluting.

"Grand Councilor."

"Working late."

"There’s always work to do."

Lilith approached, studying him.

A fifty-year-old man. Gray beard. Tired eyes.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

Werner hesitated.

"...I suppose."

"Why did you join Neudämmerung? After serving Vargun, you could have fled. Started over somewhere else."

Werner set down the inventory.

"Because Lord Kaito gave me a choice. Vargun never gave choices. Only orders."

"And that was enough? A choice?"

"It was everything."

Lilith activated her power subtly—just enough to read surface emotions.

She felt...

Fear. Deep. Paralyzing.

Not guilt. Not deception.

But terror of something specific.

Interesting.

"Werner. Is there something you want to tell me?"

He looked at her with eyes that suddenly glistened with held-back tears.

"I... I can’t..."

"Why not?"

"Because if I do... they..."

He stopped, shaking his head violently.

"No. I can’t. I’m sorry."

And he ran out of the barracks.

Lilith didn’t pursue him.

She already had her answer.

Werner was the spy.

But he was being forced.

---

Adelheid’s Room — Midnight

Lilith found Adelheid still awake, studying maps.

"It’s Werner."

Adelheid looked up sharply.

"Are you sure?"

"Completely. But there’s a complication. He’s being coerced."

She explained what she had sensed—the paralyzing fear, the reference to "them."

"Someone has something on him. Family, probably."

Adelheid stood.

"Then we arrest him and interrogate him properly."

"Wait."

Lilith touched her arm.

"If we arrest him now, whoever is controlling him will know we’ve discovered him. They might kill his family or activate a backup plan."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Surveillance. Let him continue thinking we don’t suspect. Follow him. See who he communicates with."

Adelheid considered that.

"Risky. Every day we wait is another day he can leak information."

"But it’s also another day to trace the entire network. Not just Werner—everyone involved."

Adelheid closed her eyes, processing.

What would Kaito do?

He would be cautious. Strategic. Not react emotionally.

She opened her eyes.

"Alright. Surveillance. But discreet. Valeria can do it—she’s stealthy enough when she wants to be."

Lilith nodded. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"I’ll inform Valeria."

---

Two Days Later

Valeria had been following Werner with the patience of a statue.

And finally, it paid off.

Werner left Aschenfall in the middle of the night, walking toward the forest to the east.

Valeria followed from a safe distance.

Ten minutes later, Werner reached a clearing where another figure waited.

A hooded man. Unidentifiable in the darkness.

Valeria hid behind a tree, close enough to hear.

"...I have information," Werner was saying with a trembling voice. "Troop movements. Updated inventories."

The hooded man took the scroll Werner offered.

"Good. Your family will remain safe... for now."

"When will you release them?"

"When Avernor decides. Not before."

Werner fell to his knees.

"Please... my wife, my children... they’ve been prisoners for months..."

"Then keep cooperating. Or you’ll never see them again."

The hooded man turned to leave.

Valeria moved.

Fast. Silent. Lethal.

In three seconds, she had the hooded man pinned against a tree, her axe at his throat.

"Don’t move."

Werner screamed.

"No! They’ll kill my family!"

Valeria ignored that, focusing on the man.

"Who are you? Who do you work for?"

The man laughed.

"It doesn’t matter. It’s already too late."

He bit something in his mouth.

Valeria recognized the gesture—a poison pill.

She tried to stop him but it was too late.

The man convulsed and died within seconds.

Valeria dropped the body, frustrated.

Werner was crying now, on his knees on the ground.

"My family... what have I done? What have I done?"

Valeria approached, looking at him without emotion.

"You betrayed your kingdom. That is the function you executed."

"I had no choice!"

"There is always a choice. Some are just harder than others."

She lifted Werner from the ground.

"Now you’re coming with me. And you will explain everything to Commander Adelheid."

---

Aschenfall Cells — One Hour Later

Werner was chained—not brutally, but secured.

Adelheid, Lilith, and Valeria stood before him.

Adelheid spoke first, her voice controlled but cold.

"Explain. Everything. From the beginning."

Werner didn’t look up.

"Six months ago... right after the battle against Eldric... I received a message."

"It said my family—my wife Elena and my two children—had been captured by Avernor agents."

His voice broke.

"If I didn’t cooperate, they would be killed. If I tried to contact authorities... they would be killed. If I fled... they would be killed."

"What information did you pass?" Lilith asked.

"Troop movements. Resource inventories. Defensive plans. Anything I could find."

He paused.

"The grain that disappeared... I took it out myself. To feed Avernor sleeper agents hidden in the forests."

"How many agents?" Valeria asked in a flat voice.

"I don’t know. They never told me. I only received orders about where to leave supplies."

Adelheid processed all the information.

"And the lost messenger?"

Werner closed his eyes.

"I... intercepted him. He was carrying information about Aurelia’s new defenses. I couldn’t let it get through."

"What did you do to him?"

"I knocked him unconscious and hid him in an abandoned barn. I didn’t kill him. Please, believe me, I didn’t kill him."

Adelheid felt something complex—fury at the betrayal, but also understanding of the impossible dilemma.

"Where is your family exactly?"

"I don’t know. The contact never told me. Only that they’re in Avernor-controlled territory."

Lilith intervened.

"Do you have evidence they’re alive?"

Werner pulled something from his pocket—a small locket.

"They send this every month. With a lock of my wife’s hair. To prove she’s still alive."

Adelheid took the locket, studying it.

Authenticity impossible to verify without more information.

But Werner’s desperation was real.

"Werner. You committed treason. That is normally immediate execution."

Werner nodded, tears falling.

"I know. I know. But please... my family... someone has to..."

Adelheid raised her hand, silencing him.

"But I also understand that you were forced. That there was no good option."

She knelt to be at eye level with him.

"So I offer you this: imprisonment, not execution. And we—Neudämmerung—will attempt to rescue your family."

Werner looked up, eyes wide.

"What... what?"

"If your family is being used as hostages, then they are victims too. Rescuing them is the right thing to do."

"But... why? After what I did..."

Adelheid stood.

"Because that’s what Neudämmerung represents. Second chances. Even for traitors who were forced."

She looked at Lilith and Valeria.

"Prepare a rescue mission. Discreet. Small team. Objectives: locate Werner’s family and extract them."

Valeria nodded.

Lilith smiled.

"It will be dangerous. But feasible."

Werner was openly crying now.

"Thank you... thank you... I don’t deserve..."

"No," Adelheid interrupted. "You don’t deserve it. But your family deserves to be saved."

She paused.

"And when this is over, you will work for the rest of your life to compensate for what you did. Understood?"

"Yes. Yes. Whatever it takes. I’ll do whatever it takes."

Adelheid turned to Lilith.

"We need to contact Kaito. Inform him of the situation."

Lilith nodded.

"I’ll use the communication device. But we can only send simple signals."

"Then send: spy crisis. Resolved. Neudämmerung safe."

Lilith pulled out her own communication stone—the pair to the one Kaito had.

She touched the appropriate sequence.

The stone pulsed, sending the message.

But there was no immediate response.

Lilith frowned.

"Strange. Kaito usually responds within minutes."

"Do you think something happened?"

"I don’t know. But... we’ll keep trying."

---

Far Away, on the Road Between Vestria and Neudämmerung

The messenger Lilith had sent days ago lay unconscious in a cart.

His bag with urgent correspondence for Kaito had been ransacked.

And the contents—including information about Werner and the spy network—were now in the hands of an Avernor agent.

Who was smiling.

Because this information would change everything at the Council.

If Avernor could prove that Neudämmerung had an internal spy...

It would prove that Kaito’s kingdom was unstable. Unsafe. Dangerous.

Exactly what they needed for the final verdict.