The next day, while the boys were busy scrubbing soot stains off the walls in manor's main suite a local investigator showed up and deputized one of the recently hired grounds keepers. The two men made a show of searching the boy's loft and were clearly disgruntled by the result.

When they walked down the alleyway and tried to peer into the stalls the team's horses laid back their ears and bared their teeth. It was as if Rufus had passed the message to discourage visitors along to the whole string. The groom who accompanied the investigator put the behavior down to the horses having their regular routines disrupted but he later reported to his fellows he had never seen anything like it.

The boys also noticed how much more protective the horses seemed. Whenever they took them out of the stalls their horses tried to stay between them anyone who was unfamiliar. They all got a good chuckle at the way Rufus danced around Junseo looking more like a foal in spring than a retired charger. Junseo soon got tired of these antics so jumped onto Rufus bareback and ran him through some patterns in the arena. Hae-sung felt a swell of pride watching how much more comfortable Junseo seemed but then Rufus dropped a shoulder on a tight turn and Junseo tumbled off. The horse stopped, put his head down and nickered an apology. Junseo shook himself off then led the horse over to the fence and clambered on again so they could try more circles.

"He is not really much of a rider, is he?" Lang Yoo-suk commented.

Hae-sung spun around to face his former instructor. The sharp retort he wanted to make was left unsaid. Instead he asked, "Are you still here? I thought most of the guest rooms had smoke damage."

"The investigator has ordered everyone to stay. He is particularly interested in any outsiders. Did he interview you yet?"

Hae-sung was not sure why this would be anyone else's business but supposed it was an easier topic of conversation than others so he just shook his head. "Scout Jia is our liaison with the authorities."

"You're in good hands then," he patted Hae-sung's lightly on the back and then went on his way.

"That was kind of weird," Chenhui said as he watched the man walk away.

"Yes, I am not sure what he wanted," Hae-sung sounded bewildered.

"Chasing shadows makes everything seem a bit off," Chenhui admitted before taking his own turn in the arena.

They were all on edge, but none more so than San Jin who had been hold up in the abandoned warehouse. The boys did what they could to try to make things easier for him but being kept under wraps while the others tried to find out as much as possible about the investigation was frustrating. Things nearly got out of control when San Jin spotted the man the investigator had deputized.

"He was at the wedding, you know, where Knight-Master Lie was poisoned. I am certain of it." San Jin announced from where he watched the comings and goings in far yard.

The sword-master was beside him in a flash, asking for more details, and what made San Jin so confident. "It is the way he moves. Like his left ankle is stiff. Not really a limp but not smooth either."

"Well spotted Student A," the man winked and then left.

Junseo had made a different discovery when he was tasked to bring the draperies back up from the laundry. Even though the burns had been cut out and cleverly replaced with embroidered paneling he could still smell smoke and the trace of something else. He called Song-hee over to help hang the heavier pieces and asked if he smelled anything unusual.

Song-hee crumpled up the drape and held it under his nose. "They mixed lavender in with the soap but it doesn't quiet hide the smoke, or" he paused and sniffed again, "tallow? Why tallow?"

"Unless you are trying to make something burn like a candle?" Junseo shared his theory.

"Or maybe just make the cloth a bit stiffer to help when mending it," Song-hee didn't want them to get ahead of themselves. He then took a section of cloth with an embroidered patch and bent it back and forth. He then picked away at a thin waxy looking layer then sniffed again.

"Lamp oil?" he handed the cloth to Junseo who confirmed their discovery.

"Did it not come out in the wash, or was it added since?" Junseo searched through the other pieces and found two more contaminated panels. "Let's hang these together nearer the brick wall," he suggested.

Song-hee helped move the dangerous pieces further from the bed but he really didn't like the idea of having them inside the manor at all. He also did not like the notion that one or more of the young women in the laundry might be knowing hands in attempted murder. Since San Jin was still hidden away, Song-hee also wondered exactly who the next fire was meant to target. He was going to ask some more questions but did not trust they wouldn't be overheard. Then he got distracted by the way Junseo was fiddling with the bed's headboard.

There was a distinct click Junseo belatedly tried to cover with a cough. Song-hee wanted to ask a question but Junseo held a finger to his lip as he extracted a manuscript from its hiding place. He quickly scanned through the document then carefully returned it to its secret home.

They quickly finished up the rest of the tasks the estate manager assigned and tried to act nonchalant as they went to meet up with the others. Before they could retreat to the stable block one of the irregular patrols turned up and they were directed to help with the prisoners.

Junseo had to look twice. The prisoner he was helping to escort had a deep cut that had bled down his face so it took a moment recognize the former leader of the veteran contingent. He wanted to help treat the man's injuries but was warned off by one of the men from the palace.

"This one is up for murder, maybe more. He killed the leader of the pack of mercenaries we were tracking before we could question him properly," a cadets seemed to relish sharing this news.

"And you were certain the prisoner poised no threat at the time?" Junseo was trying to remember the pieces of martial law he had picked up in their strategy discussions.

"None we couldn't handle," the cadet bragged.

"Well since you have things so well in hand, it will be safe enough to let a healer clean up those cuts." Junseo used a flattering tone.

Song hee almost wrecked the whole performance by giggling at the way Junseo shifted his demeanor but the healer was summoned.

The man nodded his thanks to Junseo and then whispered, "You boys best watch your backs."

Junseo's eye widened just enough to show he understood the warning.