Cabrera Shaken

Thirty minutes had passed since I told Cabrera my identity.

As of now, he could move again, but he was sweating profusely and panting heavily as Ezra watched and waited for him to regain his cool.

After another ten minutes, he wiped his face as the anxiety in it was gone.

His facial expression was one of utter calmness, like still water or a calm lake, as he stared right at me for five minutes straight before…

"Hooo…so…should I address you as your highness from now on?" he asked and I…

"What nonsense are you spouting? If I wanted such a thing, I wouldn't have hidden my identity in the first place"

…gave a straight and direct answer.

Cabrera only nodded at my words before sitting himself upright as he asked…

"So, what now?"

Instead of answering, I called out.

"John, come in"

Fredrick came in and closed the door. Seeing me without my disguise in front of Cabrera, he said…

"What do you need me to do?"

'As expected, he's the one who understands me the most' I thought as I beckoned him to take a seat and began our discussion.

"I need you to train the gang members, and more importantly, I'll need you to work in tandem with Cabrera following my plans"

Fredrick merely nodded.

I looked over to Cabrera again as I asked…

"Are you in for it? It will be do or die" I asked as he closed his eyes and took deep breaths to calm the tension he was feeling.

Truthfully, I would have done the same too, after all, the entire plan depends on how well Cabrera can do his part.

If it fails, my plans would regress immensely…but if we succeed, I would ask father my wish while feeling at ease.

A few seconds passed as he looked at me with his gaze full of determination and conviction before giving a nod.

With that approval, I began to explain what they had to do.

"Cabrera, for our plan to be set in motion, your acting needs to be impeccable. You also need to step into the advanced stage in three weeks"

"Sir Fredrick will give you directives while you train in order to achieve such a task as you are already half-way there"

"Fredrick, I'll have to trouble you with teaching the gang members and get them sharpened in three weeks time. Are you up for such a task?"

Fredrick and Cabrera nodded as I noticed Fredrick cracking a smirk.

Somehow, I almost felt pity for the gang members.

I continued…

"What is the level of the highest official you have a connection to in this city's missionary?" I asked because it would also have an important effect based on what his answers would be, and I didn't have to wait long…

"The sentinel. I once saved his son years ago by accident and he owed me a favor ever since"

This time, it was my turn to be surprised.

The Sentinel! That meant the current missionary head of all Niton missionaries.

I clenched my fist as I felt like I won a lottery.

'This would make things a lot easier for me' I thought as I asked another question.

"Also, which alchemist do you know that'll need sponsorship? One who is not a genius but not far from it"

"I know quite a few in this city who are like that" he said and I asked…

"Their number?"

"Hmm, fif…no, thirteen"

"Hahaha, a perfect amount" I said, feeling good about myself that I picked this guy as a subordinate.

"How many of them would allow themselves into the guild?" I asked, a little expectant too.

"To allow themselves to be tied down?" he asked and I nodded.

"Hmm…ten. Yes, ten of them should…but you'll have to allow them enough research time if you want them to accept" he said.

"Okay, tell them they'll get to do independent research in four months from now and show them the place they'll be working at" Ezra said, to which Cabrera asked…

"The place they'll be working?" he didn't get it. They didn't have an alchemist room in the small bar.

"Don't worry, you'll understand once I've told you the plan" I said, leaving him in suspense.

"What about merchants? Who's the best merchant you know?"

"Hmm, he's a mid-level one, but close to high-level. Why?"

While it is true I had found the miser, he was still too green around the edges for what I had planned.

"Will he allow himself to be tied down?" I asked.

"Well, that depends on if you can give him something worth it" Cabrera said.

My already big grin grew even wider. Damn! this might actually pull through.

"Wait, is he in this city?" I asked.

"Well, no. He's in the closest city to this one" Cabrera said.

"Oh, Traxford? How many hours is that from here?" I asked.

I knew the name because I read some roughly drawn maps in the royal library.

"Depends, if it's a single man journey then…moving at top speed, two days should be enough, but if it's a merchant with goods, close to a week"

"Hmm, that works too. Send your friend a letter and tell him to come back immediately, that it's urgent" I said.

"Okay…but are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Of course, but the question is, are you ready to go all the way?" I said.

"Of course I am, I wouldn't let you talk me into this either way" he said.

"Then there's no need to worry, for now…"

I said as I picked the runic feather, along with paper and started writing.

It was one of the most vital parts of the plan I had drawn.

A potion made when I was in my forties of my past life. A time when dungeons and otherworld monsters that appeared were already becoming commonplace.

I wrote down all the ingredients, which, funny enough, weren't really anything special.

The most expensive ingredient in it wasn't more than ten silver, with a lot being just coppers.

At the time, a mage who didn't have any backing used the last of his money to buy thousands of mediocre herbs, as they called it at the time.

Yet, against all odds, ten potions were born from that research that allowed beast killing to become immensely easier.

Each had different effects and weaknesses, but if they were used properly, they boosted monster hunting efficiency to an unprecedented rate.

They were later dubbed as the ten bane of beasts.

It wasn't that they worked better than higher tier potions, but the momentary support they provided was always a game-changer.

The potions became widespread all over the continent as the price of the mediocre herbs became sky high in no time.

The one Ezra would give them was known as the boiling blood potion.

*Scribble* *Scribble*

Soon, he finished writing the ingredients, before writing the ingredients again in another paper, but left it incomplete and handed it to Cabrera saying…

"After showing them the place they'll be working, you'll give them this paper and tell them to sign the soul contract before they can see the complete thing"

"Oh right, do you know any blacksmith around here?" Ezra asked.

Unfortunately, he could only be disappointed when he heard…

"I'm afraid not. The blacksmith I was acquainted with moved out of this city years ago"

Although he was disappointed, It was something he could cope with very well.

After all, the blacksmith wasn't really needed for his plans to come to fruition.

"Hmm, okay"

"John, take this" Ezra said as he gave him the list of ingredients they would be needing and said…

"You'll be heading out to the wilds tomorrow with the slaves to gather as many of these herbs as you can" Ezra said as John nodded, before saying…

"Take this too" Ezra said as he removed a rusted ring from his pinky finger and gave it to Fredrick.

Fredrick looked at the ring. It was too small to fit him. What did Ezra want him to do with it?

"Put mana in it" Ezra said and Fredrick did as he was told. Then, the ring reacted and changed its size to match his finger.

Ezra looked at him in amusement as he said…

"Go on, pour mana into it" and Fredrick did as he was instructed, only for his eyes to turn white immediately after. An instant later, Fredrick's eyes went back to normal.

Since Ezra had known Fredrick, he saw visible shock on his face for the first time. Before his expression gradually went back to being blank.

"You should not let a soul get even an inkling of the existence of such a thing" I told as he nodded gravely.

"Leave the women. They'll be teaching the kids writing and reading"

"Okay"

"Cabrera, you'll buy fifteen slaves to help with the expedition that'll be happen in the third week from now" Ezra said, before turning back to Fredrick.

"John, I said you'll need to head out tomorrow, right?"

"Yes, you did"

"Hmm, you can't do that…because we'll have to continue our training" I said before asking…

"So…do you have anyone who'll take your place? Someone independent and of Expert rank or at least advanced rank?"

"You mean…hmm, I think there's one" he said.

"Will he allow himself to be tied down?" I asked.

"If it's for a good cause, then yes"

"Good, tell him you're Cabrera's boss in secret and that you'll need his help and assistance in teaching the gang members, as well as leading slaves to gather herbs in the wilds" Ezra said, before adding…

"The more knights you can tie down, the better. Of course, you'll have to be extremely discreet about it"

"They will say Cabrera paid them large sums of gold to do so, to avoid suspicion" I said.

"Hmm…I'll see what I can do" he said, not questioning any of my directives.

He understood well enough.

Now…

"Cabrera, what about all the items I found at the chance stores which I sent here?"

"They've been stored in a secure place" he answered.

"Which is…?" I asked

"The missionary" he answered.

"Awesome, now, here's what you'll do in a few days time"

I said as I explained the entire plan to them, with Cabrera's expression changing multiple times throughout my expansive explanation that lasted almost three hours.

"Hoo, that's it, that's what we'll do" I said, concluding my explanation.

Cabrera was shaking again with sweat on his forehead. But unlike before, he wasn't afraid, rather, he had a look of excitement that almost branched into madness as he looked at me, before…

"You weren't joking huh. It's really do or die" he said.

I nodded before saying…

"I'll distance myself from the city for a time. No one can know of my involvement…which means…"

I said while turning towards Fredrick.

"…It's time to continue training"

A grand scheme was set in place at this moment, as the pieces began to move in place.

At the end of it, we'll either be buried in the ground or flying in the sky.

So, which shall it be? We can only wait and see.