Everyone but Me Is a Spy - Chapter 69
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 69
After finishing her tasks, Guguㅣ flew to the Soltem Agency and delivered Joel’s note to the Soltem master.
Before the master could even unfold it, she slipped out through the window as though leaving the building, then quietly doubled back toward the detention block.
The special Lock Pick Joel had prepared made the infiltration effortless.
“Gugu, guguru-gugu.”
“…….”
Guguㅣ’s eyes met those of the captive May.
May, who had been emanating a grim aura throughout, blinked in confusion before her eyes slowly brightened, and she pointed to her wrists and mouth.
She was bound by a Restraint Device of Joel’s making, helpless to do anything.
Guguㅣ checked the corridor outside and immediately used the Lock Pick to undo May’s restraints.
Watching the bindings that had resisted all her efforts come undone in a single stroke with the Lock Pick, May let out a bitter laugh.
“I thought you were Soltem’s pigeon. But you’re hers? A pigeon working as a double spy, no less. Impressive.”
“Gu-uh.”
Guguㅣ fluttered her wings urgently, signaling that there was no time—they had to flee now.
But May shook her head and pressed a hand to her chest.
“They’ve embedded a Tracking Device in me. I can’t return to her, so you install this in Nina’s Balcony instead of me.”
May handed Guguㅣ a Surveillance Camera no larger than a button, along with a hastily scrawled note.
“Give this to her. And since you’ve freed me, you can’t avoid suspicion either, can you? It’s time you returned to her arms.”
“Gu-uh…….”
Guguㅣ nodded reluctantly and gathered what May had given her.
It was truly time to leave.
Even if she couldn’t return to Illite right now, both of them needed to escape this place.
“Gu!”
As Guguㅣ pointed toward the Ventilation Duct again, May picked up the sharp latch of the Restraint Device.
“No. I’m going to die here. Those vicious Soltem dogs were even preparing a new Magical Artifact to extract information from me.”
“Gu, gu-uh?”
“This life I’ve kept thanks to her ends here. Now go!”
Guguㅣ, startled and panicked, took flight at once.
Soon after, as commotion erupted from the detention block, it seemed May had accomplished her purpose.
“Gu-uh-gurururu…….”
Guguㅣ lingered anxiously near the Agency before fluttering her wings and departing.
By the time she reached Nina’s Balcony, she was still shaken, but Guguㅣ was an experienced spy nonetheless—one who had deftly managed her double spy duties without ever being discovered.
She did not forget the task at hand and surveyed the location to install the Surveillance Camera May had given her.
After selecting an appropriate spot, she was just beginning to position the camera cleverly between the railing ornaments.
“Oh my, Guguㅣ!”
“Gu……!”
Nina burst out from the silent room.
Startled, Guguㅣ spread her wings as innocently as possible, as if merely showing them off.
“Mm-hm. You really do have magnificent wings, don’t you? I’ve been waiting for you to come.”
“Gu?”
A guilty Guguㅣ glanced surreptitiously at the space between the railing ornaments.
Nina, beaming with warmth, pulled a gift for Guguㅣ from her pocket.
“I’ve been giving gifts to my family, and I kept thinking of you too. After all, my very first neighbor wasn’t only Joel—it was you as well.”
“Gu, gururu?”
“Look here, Guguㅣ. What do you think? Do you like it?”
“Gu……!”
In Nina’s palm lay a Cookie baked full of nuts and a sparkling Ribbon fashioned from fragments of a broken chandelier studded densely together.
“I baked this Cookie to suit your taste. I asked Joel what you liked. And I prepared this Ribbon because he said you’re fond of shiny things.”
Nina tied the Ribbon directly around Guguㅣ’s neck.
Guguㅣ hesitated, unsure of herself, but unable to resist Nina’s hopeful gaze, she gingerly began pecking at the Cookie.
“Gu, gu-oot…….”
The divine taste of the Cookie caused her wings to unfold of their own accord.
“Oh my, is it that delicious? Wait just a moment. I have a few more—let me bring them all for you.”
Beaming with pride, Nina went back into the room to fetch more Cookies.
In that moment, just as Guguㅣ was about to take her leave, she glanced back at the Balcony.
“…….”
Nina’s words—innocent and tender as an untrained bird’s, foolishly guileless and gentle—lingered in the air.
Since the days when Gugu was a hatchling, living as a spy all this time, he had never heard such words from anyone.
“Coo-coo. Gurr-gurr-gurr.”
Just then, Nina seemed to be heading back out to the balcony—he could hear her footsteps.
“Gugu! Wait just a moment! I’ve set aside some nuts for you too!”
……
Hesitating, Gugu kicked the surveillance camera he’d installed with his foot.
The small camera tumbled off the balcony and disappeared into the shrubbery below.
Then, before Nina could return, he hurried away from his perch.
“Hmm? Where did Gugu go? Gugu?”
Even as he heard Nina’s voice calling for him, Gugu didn’t look back at the balcony—he flew far away.
* * *
Recently, Nina had done her best to spend time with her family.
Chayson, Kathari, and Excy all matched well enough with her.
They went out together, had tea time, shared stories, and often enjoyed hobbies in common.
But Natalisha was different.
“Aunt, I’ve prepared that Holyche tea you enjoy.”
“Is that so? I have things to attend to upstairs, I’m afraid.”
“Oh, then perhaps in the evening……”
“I have somewhere to be in the evening as well. Go share tea time with the others.”
“……Yes, Aunt.”
Nina tried hard to grow closer to Natalisha, but there was no progress.
It was as if Natalisha were avoiding the family, unwilling to open the Projector Room—just as Nina had once done.
She seemed so distracted that it was unclear whether she even heard what Nina was saying.
‘Of all people, my aunt who was always so composed seems unsettled. Could I really displease her that much?’
Watching Natalisha’s receding figure with a dejected look, Nina knocked on Chayson’s door.
She thought that to genuinely grow close to Natalisha, she would need advice from Chayson, her uncle and Natalisha’s brother.
Yet today, Chayson’s response was strange as well.
“You don’t know how to grow closer to Natalisha? Haha. Well……”
“……Uncle?”
Chayson’s gaze wandered aimlessly, and though he laughed, his eyes held no warmth whatsoever.
He didn’t even notice Nina’s confusion—his mind was too preoccupied trying to untangle his thoughts.
It was because he had only recently learned the identity of the double spy.
Gugu had a habit of carrying shiny things like a hobby outside his missions, so everyone had written him off as an incorrigible bird despite their attempts at training.
Because of this, they had apparently said all sorts of important things in front of Gugu, who came and went from the town house, and Chayson couldn’t even remember how much he had revealed.
The other family members found themselves in the same predicament—when Nina approached, they tried to respond, but their minds were completely elsewhere.
Chayson, who had been running his hands through his hair in frustration, only belatedly realized that Nina was still standing at his door.
“Ah! Nina. I was just thinking about something for a moment……”
“Uncle, are you all right? Aunt looked unsettled too—surely you’re not ill again, are you? Should I call Jugger?”
“There’s no need for that.”
The mention of Jugger’s name cut sharply through Chayson’s ears, snapping him fully to attention.
“Natalisha simply isn’t the type who warms to people easily. It’s not because there’s anything wrong with you, so don’t worry yourself.”
“Is that so?”
“Indeed. I’ll suggest we all have tea time together tomorrow, so rest easy for now.”
Nina’s heart felt lighter at Chayson’s reassuring words and the comfort of his hand on her shoulder.
“Thank you so much. I was right to ask you, Uncle.”
“Whenever you have worries, come to me anytime.”
“Yes, Uncle!”
And the next day, after having tea time with the whole family as Chayson had promised, Nina made a very great resolution.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————