How to find tunnels

Alfron came to me with a very peculiar problem. A civil war involving the King's very own right hand. Lacquer is very well known even outside this country as said by many of the books contained in the library.

Some portray him as a war hero who despised war which led him to help Rexcarius in declaring their province' independence later on spreading influence to become the country of Cebunilla we know today. Others tell the tale of The Grim Strategist who saw no boundaries in morality and would resort to even sacrificing his men and making his daughter a diversion escape the grasp of the enemy.

Whether these books tell the truth, it tells the truth of the authors who wrote these books who were citizens of the old Cebunilla or his very own men. Everyone who ever knew him had a strong opinion of his character, either a compassionate leader or an emotionless tyrant but there is one thing they can all agree on, that Lacquer is strong beyond compare and he is the biggest hurdle in this plan.

The best way of handling this is having Rexcarius fight him one on one having Alfron and Crystal as support but not close enough that they come in the way but the problem is there is no predicting Rexcarius' actions.

Perhaps the safest way to go about this is to simply make it a 4 way battle with the Captian of the knights as the vanguard and the royal children as support the middle while I get a couple of long-ranged snipers as rearguards, although even with that casualties are guaranteed namely Siderene and the Captain.

It might be too early to plan for the endgame I guess. I'll first develop my men.

"Alright Alfron here's what you'll do, tell your sisters but make sure not to get caught and give me a list of all the shady dealers in this town, slave merchants, smugglers, everyone"

Alfron showed dissatisfaction but knowing he has no choice agreed. As for me, I'll do something only I can.

I enter the castle and in perfect timing, I approached the Captain of the Royal knights while he oversaw the training of the recruits.

"Sir Sabre Corpial, may I have a minute of your time?"

Sabre Corpial is the 3rd in command and the one who holds the best physical strength, although in a fair fight Lacquer will beat him a million times with the help of magic.

I know this man cannot be a traitor because of the rumours one of his concubines said. That Sabre utterly despises Lacquer and should Lacquer be slain he is the only person in the country who will benefit because he will hold the authority Lacquer has been the right hand of the king.

Sabre although is aged and is way past his prime is still the best ally I could ask for in this fight. Anyone else might be a traitor or is just simply too weak.

With his scarred eye he looked at me as he stroked his crimson beard, intrigued as to what I was going to say.

"Hoho, If it isn't the mysterious scholar. Alright I'll listen to what you have to say"

"I want your help in banishing Lacquer Tidelode out of this country, out of this world if you"

Sabre burst into laughter but with a straight face replied.

"Don't joke around boy, you have no idea what you're talking about"

"Oh but I do, I have a plan and if you cooperate you'll be the top of the hierarchy in no time"

"Your arrogance astounds me but tell me, what's in it for you?"

"I will take his place"

"Ha! You can't even do magic yet and you already want the position of top court magician?"

"Maybe I'll learn magic or maybe not but one thing is for sure, I can never be top dog with that hound guarding the mountain"

"You know what, if you can give me the opportunity that he is completely defenceless I'll help you, anything else and don't even expect a single finger to help"

"I just have one condition though, I want to be trained by you for a month"

"Join the recruits if you want boy, you're not as special as you think you are"

" I might not be, but I bet you can guess just how special I am. I'll be waiting in the afternoon outside the castle near the woods. Should you not come even just one day then the deal is off and you can just stay second fiddle till you die"

He pushed me into the wall and stared right into my eyes.

"That man is a monster! You might think you're some genius but he is way above your league and way above mine! But don't you dare act as if you know what is happening because I am the only one who knows that man's true abilities!"

Sabre then let me go and left. This man is a coward but I know he'll accept my conditions, it is because of this man's cowardice that he has come to known fear and when a man is afraid and he will see that I don't have it and because of the many times that he has runaway that he has come to despise it.

I have come in that face of fear that turns into aggression, that turns to isolation, and its final state of despair, Sabre doesn't disappoint me.

I come back to the garden and Alfron along with the rest of his siblings were waiting for me.

"Spade is this serious?"

Siderene was the first to ask.

"Well that depends, Alfron did you get what I have asked for?"

"I have asked around and this is as many people that I can get"

There were only 4 people and it was only petty thieves and small-time smugglers, this is enough I guess.

"Crystal I need you to take this pouch and have it get stolen in this location"

I ordered Crystal as I gave her a note and a pouch filled with money. The pouch itself was rather expensive but I needed to throw it away as bait.

"How exactly could I do that?"

"Just stand confused and wait for someone to steal it"

"Hey, Spade would you just wait?! Tell us what's happening and what your plan is"

"Rene looks at me, I'm don't have the time for it. Alfron should be well versed in the situation and as for my plan, you don't have to learn it yet"

I said as I took Crystal's hand and left with her. My plan is not that complicated, have my pouch stolen and pay some petty thief to get me back the pouch, the money contained isn't really important.

Once I get my pouch that's where Alfron's list comes in as I use those names to have access to the black market and its connections.

Illegal groups and mafias are like tunnels, they are underground, hidden, and hard to access but like every tunnel, rats will always know a way to get in.

Where else to find a rat than the sewers of this town and if I follow the right one it will bring me right into the rebel group.

"Alright Crystal, I need you to wait here and be patient. If someone threatens you just give the pouch without any resistance and then you can go home"

"That sounds scary"

For a girl who destroyed a meteor, you sure are easily scared.

"If you do this for me I'll give you the book containing the story I told you before and much more"

"Alright, tee hee"

Things didn't necessarily go as planned as we waited for 3 hours and no one even came close to Crystal.

Did they realize she's the princess? Damn, I'll have to adjust my plan. I decided to let Crystal go home as I just manually search for the people on the list.

Sadly all of them are dead, and it wasn't because Alfron's list got leaked because the four have died a few months ago as well as the rest of the rats I've eavesdropped to in the castle when I first arrived.

Lacquer is truly intelligent being able to predict a step ahead of me. Now then what shall I do? Originally I planned to simply infiltrate the rebel group and leak the information to the King but now things slightly became more complicated as the doors inside have seemed to have been completely closed as even the information broker wouldn't give me anything about the rebellion that almost everyone who was anyone knew was slowly coming.

This has happened in my past life a lot too, so much that I created plan A just to throw it away. It's usually the 8th or 9th plan that gets executed perfectly but I'm under time pressure now so my plan b and c must be airtight.

Now how do you find a rat if not in the sewers? I just need to find a single member of the rebel group who the information broker only said was named Vengeance.

I was buried in thought when a young man in ragged clothes approached me.

"Give me all your money"

Hahaha perfect! Even if your a rogue thief I could still use a spy.

"Here"

I say as I gave him the pouch I was using as bait.

He quickly took the pouch.

"Mirror World!"

I cast, but to my surprise, the thief was unaffected and came forward at me with a hidden dagger.

After dying once my reflex got boosted along with this improved magical body, I was able to dodge it with ease but the thief had another weapon.

"Shadow string"

He cast as my own shadow materialised and tripped me allowing him an opening to kill me off. I dodged once but to his second attack, there's no longer any way to defend.

A painful memory of mine did not affect him, this boy is broken beyond repair and his body is like a soulless killing machine as he unrelentingly attacks with intent to kill without even showing the least bit of hostility.

I tried to grab anything I could to protect myself but sadly all I had was a bagel that I planned on eating when I went home. I throw my bag out of irritation but the thief seemed to want what was inside because instead of finishing me off he went straight for the bagels.

This boy is like an animal. He will prove to be a valuable pawn if used properly. So do I tame him or use his ferocity as it is? I won't change this boy.

"Hey, do you want more food?"

He looked at me like a dog hearing his master call.

"Come on, I know a good place "

After munching down the remaining bagel he cautiously followed me as I go to a restaurant.

"You scat!"

The owner kicked the boy away.

"Sir I would appreciate it very much if you do not kick my friend away"

The owner looked at me with judgemental eyes.

"Alright, we could eat somewhere else"

I say as I took out another pouch filled with silver quil.

Upon seeing this the owner almost choked as he immediately gave me and the boy the best seats in the restaurant and hypocritically apologizes to the boy.

"So, what's your name?"

The boy looked at me with confusion.

"Do you not like your name? You can always change it you know, something like Shadow"

"Shadow…"

Hm, it seems that he liked that name.

"Alright from now on Shadow is your name"

I announced.

Shadow nodded as the food arrived and he scarfed one plate after another. In total, I spent around 2,000 quil on Shadow just today but it was worth it because he shall be the spy I plant on Vengeance.

So to answer the question of what will you do if you can't find a rat? You make one of your own and infiltrate the tunnel.

So by the arrival of Shadow, my plan B commences and I start preparing as the hard part is yet to come and in it's arrival things will be very complicated.