The three sat around the bedside, the flickering firelight in each of their eyes revealing a mix of unease and unwavering resolve.
"We need to go over the details one more time," Elise was the first to break the silence. She had always been the one who valued preparation above all else before taking action.
"Livia's safety is the top priority. After that—Jim must not discover the secret chamber, especially not realize that we've already found part of the Holy Grail's trail. If he even suspects the existence of anything hidden within the castle, it's all over."
"In other words," Livia added softly, "we need a location that can lure him in, but is far enough from the chamber—or any of the castle's secrets. Somewhere that, even if he tears apart every stone, he'll find nothing."
It was then that Marcellus, who had remained silent for a long while, suddenly spoke. His voice was lower than usual, as if he were dredging something up from memory.
"Actually… there's a place near the depths of the castle that might be exactly what we need."
Livia and Elise turned to him at once.
"Near the back of the mountain," Marcellus continued, his brow furrowed as though drawing a complex map in his mind,
"there's a small hunting cabin, built by my father years ago for his excursions. From the outside, it looks abandoned—worn-down, like no one's lived there in decades. Almost no one even notices it."
"But you wouldn't mention it if it were really just that ordinary, would you?" A glimmer of interest lit up in Livia's eyes.
Marcellus nodded, his gaze sharpening.
"It only seems ordinary. But that area is riddled with traps and hidden mechanisms my father set up for hunting—dozens of snares, tripwires, weighted drop plates, concealed crossbows, false floors… Only those in our family know how to navigate it safely. It's practically a natural maze."
Elise drew in a sharp breath.
"So if Jim follows you there unprepared—"
"He'll be delayed," Marcellus confirmed.
"No matter how skilled he is, he's not a god. He won't spot every trap. And we can even install some new distractions. If we plan it right, even ten minutes—just ten—would be enough to do what we need."
Livia's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him.
"Are you sure he won't scout it out in advance?"
"Absolutely," Marcellus replied with conviction.
"The cabin's too far from the main areas, and the terrain is difficult. Without someone to guide him, he wouldn't even consider it worth exploring. We can even make it look like a last-minute meeting point—something improvised during chaos. That should sell the illusion."
Livia nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful.
"I'll prepare a full map of the cabin and all the surrounding traps," Marcellus said seriously, his voice carrying a weighty protectiveness.
"And the trigger mechanisms, the safe paths—you'll need to memorize everything. Miss one step, and someone's going to get hurt. Either him—or you."
"I'll remember," Livia answered quietly, but her gaze held unshakable steel.
"Then how do we lure Jim to the cabin?" Elise asked quickly.
Livia paused, then gave a faint, ambiguous smile.
"We already planned the bait, didn't we? This will be the final thread to tie it together. He'll want more details. So we'll let him believe I've pinpointed the Grail's direction—somewhere in the sealed-off area behind the castle. And that area… is where the cabin lies."
Elise nodded slowly, the strategy taking shape in her mind.
"Let him think he's the hunter, when in fact, he's already stepped into our snare."
"But there's one condition," Marcellus added, turning to Livia with a deep, searching look.
"You can't trust him. Not for a single moment. No matter what he says or does—even if he seems like he wouldn't hurt you—you must not waver. Always treat him as the greatest threat."
Livia nodded without a word. She simply reached out and took Marcellus's cold hand in hers—a silent vow, firm and final.
They all understood—
The plan had reached a point of no return.
There would be no turning back.