Chapter 32

I walked out of the detention room.

The sun had already risen, and townspeople were beginning to appear on the streets.

There was no problem with walking back. I didn’t remember the way, but I knew the direction. I would manage somehow.

If I got lost, I could just fly in the sky.

I continued walking, passing by people.

No one suspected me.

Although I was somewhat dirty, I looked like an ordinary child. No one would think that I had just caused a ruckus at the guard post.

However, if the guards' miserable state was discovered, there might be a commotion.

I had to leave before that happened.

If I could return without any issues, then Gustav's plan could be considered a success.

I hoped this audacious plan would succeed.

“What do you mean by ‘surrendering willingly’?”

At first, I couldn’t accept this proposal.

Was I going to be sold to Gustav?

No, that was unlikely.

Indeed, if it were profitable, Gustav would sell me without hesitation. I thought he was that kind of person.

However, it seemed I was valued by Gustav, and he didn’t seem to expect my resistance. If he were to make an announcement, he would have restrained me first.

Then, what was his intention?

I looked at Gustav intently to gauge his reaction.

Ignoring my gaze, Gustav said as if giving advice.

“Just as I said. When the guards come, go with them quietly.”

“But that means...”

“I’ll let them put out the fire.”

Gustav smiled with a wicked expression.

“First, listen to what you have to do. I’ll explain the details later.”

“...I understand.”

I wasn’t sure if I would accept it, but I decided to listen.

“The guards will come early in the morning of a nearby day. I’ll let you know the exact date the day before.”

“Ah.”

“When the guards come, hide in the back. I’ll guide them there.”

“You mean... the pile of rubble?”

“Yes, just stay there.”

Gustav started testing the feather pen on the edge of the paper he had spread out. Dissatisfied with the thickness of the line, he took a knife from the shelf and began to sharpen the pen.

“After that, you’ll probably be taken to the detention room. It might not be a detention room, but anywhere the guards gather will do. Follow them without resistance until then.”

He swept the shavings off the desk. Then, he drew a spiral again, seemingly satisfied, and returned the ink bottle.

“What will happen there?”

If I were suddenly sentenced to a beating, it would be unbearable.

“Well, with the presence of good guards, you’ll probably be detained in a room first.”

His words implied that there were also bad guards.

“That’s where it gets important. I’ll draw a simple floor plan.”

Saying this, he began to draw a neat floor plan on the paper without a ruler or template, combining straight lines skillfully.

As he drew, he provided explanations.

“Large rooms and wide corridors where many people can gather are around here. Most of the guards gather here. The windows are in this direction, and their size is...”

It was as if he was describing something he had seen. He gave a detailed explanation, and I had to concentrate to remember it all.

“You’ll probably be detained in this room or this one... There’s also a possibility of this underground room.”

“Is the location of this room so important?”

“Yes, of course.”

He raised his face and relaxed his cheeks. No doubt, he was enjoying it.

“Once you’re detained, Haman and another guard named Bar will probably come to see you. Be polite to them.”

“I don’t want to.”

It was my honest feeling.

“Probably not. So, when those two are together, you can stop pretending to be a compliant child.”

“So, I can resist?”

“Yes, go wild. But don’t kill anyone.”

I understood. I nodded.

“Let one of them go, preferably Bar.”

“Let him go?”

“Yes. He will gather other guards.”

Another unclear part emerged.

“If he escapes and gathers armed guards, you’ll be surrounded inside the building, probably around the square.”

He pointed to the map and drew a circle with his finger.

“Knock them all down. Do it as dramatically as possible.”

“I can do it if you tell me to, but is it really okay to do that?”

This would make it seem like ‘the virtuous guards were attacked by a vicious slum dweller.’

“It’s fine. After all, some of them, including Bar, are not virtuous. We’ll use that.”

A chuckle echoed. The term ‘evil plot’ suited it well.

“Once you knock them down, just walk back normally. If you don’t arouse suspicion, your job is done.”

Let me summarize.

“So, if I surrender and enter the detention room, then destroy the guards, including Haman and Bar, and return, that’s it?”

“That’s right. It’s simple, isn’t it?”

“It’s not impossible, but it depends on whether there’s a strong person...”

“No need to worry about that.”

Gustav nodded confidently.

“They don’t have the strength to restrain Rashid. They can’t use combat skills or magic well. You, who are stronger than Rashid, can easily eliminate them.”

He capped the ink bottle and washed the feather pen in a water-filled bottle. The water turned black immediately.

“I understand what I have to do. But...”

There are still many things I don’t understand.

“Why are we doing this series of actions?”

At this, Gustav continued as if he had realized something.

“I told you, to make the guards put out the fire of these rumors.”

“Will the guards do it voluntarily?”

“Not the guards, but Bar and his cronies.”

“Rashid, after being defeated by you, erased his existence from the rumors.”

“To protect his reputation.”

Bad rumors would hinder his next job.

“We’ll make Bar do the same.”

Gustav wiped the tip of the feather pen with a worn-out cloth, leaving black stains.

“If you knock down the guards and do nothing, the details of the incident will spread. ‘The guards at this post are so weak that they were defeated by a child.’”

“It will be the truth.”

“Yes, but that’s inconvenient. So, we’ll erase the rumors. We’ll make it seem like the incident never happened. A corrupt and bribed Bar will find it easy to come up with this idea.”

“But that alone won’t...”

It won’t affect the previous two incidents.

“That alone won’t do anything. So, we’ll help a bit. We’ll spread the rumor that ‘the culprit of the recent attack was taken away by the guards.’ It’s the truth, and the guards will be seen. It will become a topic quickly.”

“I see.”

In other words, we’ll create a situation where ‘the culprit was taken away, but there’s no sign of punishment, and the culprit’s condition is unknown.’

And further, ‘the culprit was a small child, and the guards were easily defeated.’

“We’ll connect the series of incidents and turn them into an impossible story: ‘A small child caused multiple attacks and then defeated the guards and escaped.’”

“It’s almost the truth.”

“But even so, those who don’t want the truth to be known will cling to it. Since it’s impossible, it didn’t happen. They’ll conclude it that way.”

And I’ll do some work behind the scenes to make it happen.

We both took a deep drink of water and exhaled.

“Well, I’ve explained this much, but whether you do it or not is up to you. You can run away if you want. If you don’t want to fight, that’s fine too.”

He said this, but he probably already knew my answer.

This old man is cunning and smart. He can easily see through my shallow thoughts.

And this plan must benefit Gustav in some way. I don’t know what it is, but that’s why he revealed the plan to me.

So, it will surely succeed.

“But the search itself is initiated by Haman bribing Bar. They are close friends. Bribing to get favors is a common practice. So, even if you run away, it will continue. Probably many times.”

“You don’t have to say that much. It’s fine.”

I will let them, who altered the rumors, erase them with their own hands.

It will be satisfying. There’s no reason not to do it.

“I’ll do it, so I’ll take this floor plan.”

I will enjoy it too.

And the plan was put into action. All that’s left is to return and hear the outcome.

I pray for its success.