The plan was fairly simple. Charles would head to The Muddy Pig to gamble, while Raymond would join the traveling theater troupe. Of course, that wasn't the whole story.
At the gambling table, Charles would casually mention that the soap workshop was being relocated. Raymond, meanwhile, would spread the same news among the merchants, only with different details. Charles would say the workshop was being moved to the warehouse behind the poultry farm in the southeast, while Raymond would claim it was now located in the blacksmith district to the west.
Wherever the thieves struck, we'd know exactly who tipped them off.
And what about me? I'd be spending time at The Fugger with Remy, for "security reasons."
"So everything's in place," Remy said.
I nodded as I sipped the warm milk he'd brought me. "Yup."
"When will the move be complete? There's barely any soap left in the depot. If production stalls a few more days, the customers in Godfrey's Cross might manage, but the rest of the kingdom will grow restless… especially over the tooth cleaning powder."
"Everything should be done by tomorrow evening. But we won't start production right away. The workers will be exhausted. We'll resume the next morning."
"Are you sure moving the workshop there is the right call?"
"Absolutely. It'll be much more efficient. I was already thinking about scaling up."
"New products on the way, then? What are you scheming this time, young lord?" he asked with a big grin.
"Something even flashier," I said, winking.
"You idiot! You really think it's smart to blurt out plans like that?" Mnex cut in, his voice sharp and shrill.
Stay out of it. Besides, no harm done. Letting rumors spread before the launch is great marketing.
"If you say so… I'm heading to Mnexland."
Stop calling it that.
"It's Mnexland now and forever, whether you like it or not. I don't care," he said, and vanished.
Pretty sure he actually went to Mnexland. Ugh. Damn you, Mnex...
Remy wasn't the kind of man who had time to chat just for fun. After a while, he quietly stood up and left without a word. I was alone again. As I sipped my milk, I turned toward the window. The Fugger building had the perfect vantage point, perched right on the edge of the town square. From here, I could see the city's pulse, raw and uninterrupted.
I sat there for a while, thinking about this place's future. At first, all I'd wanted was to survive. But now… now something different stirred inside me. For the first time, maybe, I felt something like ambition. Like responsibility. This place is going to change. Soon. Very soon...
Eventually, Charles and Raymond returned. Their tasks were done. We walked home together. Doyle didn't join us, he still had work to do. The night would be quiet, but in my gut, I could feel it, tomorrow evening would be chaos.
At dawn the next day, I headed to the training grounds to my target Theo.
"Good morning, Sir Theo," I said as I approached.
"Good morning, young lord. How may I assist you?" Sweat dripped from his red hair. Even as a Resolve Master, he always started training before anyone else and finished after everyone. His daily duties only began around noon.
"Well… I've run into a bit of a situation. Not serious enough to bother my father, but…" I hesitated. I wanted to gauge his reaction, but Theo didn't flinch. He just waited.
"…serious enough to need your help."
Theo nodded slightly. "Young lord, I may serve your father in an official capacity, but you should know, Count Godfrey and I were childhood friends."
What?
Mnex! Get your butt out of Mnexland! You glorified toaster! How could you not tell me something this important?
Silence.
I took a deep breath. "I didn't know," I said quietly.
"Most don't. You're not at fault for that. After all, he's a lord now… and I'm just one of his soldiers." He paused, as if weighing his next words. "You may not realize it yet, but your father does care about you. Even if he struggles to show it. Ahem, ahem." He cleared his throat, clearly trying to soften the mood. "So if you need something from me, speak freely. As long as it's not illegal and your father doesn't ask me directly, I'll keep it to myself."
So… not all muscle and no brain after all. Good. I like the smart ones.
"In that case…" I stepped a bit closer. "Let's keep this between us. I've started a small business venture..."
"You think that's a secret?" he interrupted.
I froze. Because yes, it was supposed to be.
"Everyone knows, young lord. The food you've handed out… the soap and toothbrushes you brought home… People notice. They just don't say anything. As long as you don't talk, no one will."
I had no comeback. If Mnex had been here, maybe he would've whipped up some witty response. But he was probably off somewhere picnicking inside his personal Matrix.
Theo's voice softened. "It's not a problem. No one's judging you. In fact, people can see how thoughtful you are. That's why they're giving you space. Especially your father. Now, what do you need me to do?"
Since there was no point in hiding it anymore, I laid it all out. I told him the full plan, what I wanted to do, how I wanted to do it. Theo listened silently, without looking away, without fiddling with anything. He just listened until the very end.
"I understand," he said at last. "Don't worry. I'll make sure your plan runs smoothly."
The plan really was straightforward. I'd marked two zones. During the day, soldiers would quietly slip into each area and remain on watch until the next day. Since we only expected two thieves, we didn't need a large force. Four guards per location would suffice. Theo's task was to place those eight soldiers and keep them on high alert until something happened.
Around noon, I told my grandfather I was heading out again to watch the show. But this time, Gareth and Isolde decided to tag along. I tried to shake them off, but it was useless. Judging by their stubbornness, I figured my mother had ordered them to follow. With no way to ditch them, we all set off together.
"What a dream team you've assembled for tonight's dangerous mission," Mnex muttered. "Two servants, a ground gnome, and a reckless soldier. All the ingredients for a perfect disaster. Now just tangle up your neurons and trip over your own feet. Congratulations, you've achieved peak idiocy."
You don't get to talk. You spend half your time hiding in there anyway.
"In where?"
You know where.
"Oh no no. Say it. I want to hear it from you. It's more dramatic that way."
"Not the time. You really think this plan's going to work?"
"Hmm…" Mnex pretended to think. "Slim chance, but still a chance. No harm in being prepared."
There was one part of the plan no one else knew about, not the servants, not the guards. And if Mnex's suspicions were right, that person might be the missing piece of this whole puzzle...
Even Theo didn't know about the third zone. That's why Doyle hadn't come with us yesterday. I figured the two of us would be enough. He could use Resolve. I was, modestly speaking, a Master Mage. But now, thanks to fate or family, Gareth and Isolde had joined the squad.
The third zone was a carpenter's shop near the soap workshop. It was a key part of my expansion plans. I intended to buy the place, but I didn't have enough solmars. That's where Doyle came in. He was good at making offers that were... hard to refuse. Lucky for me, the owner agreed, after a short chat.
After making sure we weren't followed, we arrived at the shop. But even then, we had to scout the perimeter thoroughly. Once we were confident it was secure, we slipped inside.
"Young lord, forgive me, but why exactly are we here?" Gareth asked.
"Dear Gareth," I replied, "for your own well being, it's best if you ask fewer questions. And don't repeat anything you witness today. For your own sake."
Then I pointed to Doyle. "Otherwise, you might lose more than just your job."
According to our calculations, there was about a 50% chance the thieves would go for the poultry farm, and roughly a 45% chance they'd target the blacksmith district. But this place… this one had only a 5% chance. If they showed up here, it wasn't a coincidence. We'd only shared this location with one group, on purpose. So if someone came sniffing around, it meant the bait had been taken.
We waited. As night fell, everyone took their spot and went quiet. I had no trouble with the silence. Mnex never shut up, unless he was in Mnexland. Doyle, as expected, was the most professional. Not a single word unless necessary. Gareth? Surprisingly tolerable. But Isolde... she was the real surprise. No complaints. No questions. Just silent patience.
By the time the sun had fully set, there was still no movement outside. I stood up. In the dark, I could feel every pair of eyes shifting toward me.
"Well then," I said. "Seems like it was all for nothing. Let's head back. We should hear from Theo soon."
"Wait… one second…" Mnex said, his voice suddenly tense. "I'm picking up a small sound. Just outside the door."
I snapped my head toward Doyle, pointed at the entrance, and mimed a punch toward it. He got the message instantly, launched himself like a bullet, and…
BAAAM!
The door exploded outward. Whoever had been standing behind it flew across the alley and slammed into the opposite wall. The others, hooded and masked, stood frozen in shock.
But there weren't just two of them.
There were three.
Which meant one had been posted outside as a lookout. I hadn't expected that level of coordination. These weren't amateurs.
The first one was probably dead on impact. Full body trauma.
"Doyle!" I shouted. "I want the other two alive!"