13 - Traitor

"Tonight, you should get some rest early. It'll take us several days to reach the Wizard's City by ferry, and we'll have plenty of time to study new magic," Jenny advised Lynn. Seeing that Lynn was not convinced, she offered this reminder before turning to leave.

"Wait... Jenny." Lynn tucked "Basic Magic Compendium" into his arms and suddenly thought of his earlier suspicion, so he spoke up.

"What's the matter? Is there something else?" The silver-haired witch stopped in her tracks.

"Are you sure no one else knows the location of our hideout beside us?" Lynn asked again.

"Are you suspecting that someone among us might have defected to the Church?" Jenny's expression grew serious, and she understood Lynn's concern. She had the same suspicions, but after hesitating for a moment, she shook her head and said,

"That's impossible."

"Before you arrived in Ur Town, we spent a whole week in this village. The dangerous tasks of gathering information and procuring supplies were assigned by drawing lots," she explained.

She had taken this opportunity to test every one of them, and so far, they hadn't encountered any pursuit from the Church. That was the best proof.

Lynn wasn't surprised by this; he was more direct in his response.

"Have you ever thought that maybe the Church's first target isn't us?"

Lynn knew that for an insider, silent compliance meant only one thing – working towards a bigger gain.

Jenny was momentarily stunned, wearing a puzzled expression on her face.

"Lame Laut. The route to Greenville, that's the true target of the Church." Lynn said, enunciating each word.

He didn't know what kind of relationship the Drunken Spirit's old Hawke and Kora had that made him willing to help apprentice wizards like them, but one thing was certain. A hidden passage directly leading outside the city was not specifically built for them.

In other words, Drunken Spirit's old Hawke was very likely a spy placed by the Wizards in the Nordland, and helping them sail to Wizard's City was undoubtedly more important.

Lynn could imagine how many wizards had entered the Sekas Empire through this route over the years, and how many cargo-laden ships had set sail from Nordland's ports to reach the Wizard's City.

In comparison, capturing a few apprentice wizards like them was inconsequential. It was probably just a way to appease the Duke of Nordland's emotions, handled as a side issue. This might explain why they were relentlessly pursued by the Church outside, yet they had been safe upon entering Ur Town.

With Lynn's prompt, Jenny immediately understood the situation, and her expression changed.

In this light, the Church probably already knew their movements but was biding its time, waiting for them to act, and then capturing everyone in one fell swoop.

Thinking about this, Jenny felt a chill down her spine. At this moment, they were like birds walking into a trap, just waiting for the hunter to raise his slaughter knife.

Jenny remained silent for a while but couldn't come up with a solution.

"So, what should we do?" She asked, but after posing the question, the young girl didn't expect Lynn to have any answers. In this hopeless situation, where even trust among themselves was nearly impossible, how could these apprentice wizards escape the intricately woven net of the Church?

However, Lynn spoke up.

"It's simple... We wait."

"Wait?" Jenny was surprised by Lynn's response.

"You just revealed the plan about the ferry and Laut to them. We're leaving tomorrow, and by then, everyone will be watching each other. So... tonight is the best time to send a message." Lynn stated firmly.

***

"Squeak, squeak."

When the moon's radiance passed the thirteenth star, Will awoke to the sounds of rats scurrying. The dry straw on his hard wooden bed felt like needles and blades against his back.

Struggling to sit up, Will noticed three or four rats gathered around a half-eaten piece of dark bread near his discarded robe. Their long tongues hung from their mouths, and their dark, clawed feet left imprints on the blue fabric.

"Damn you filthy creatures," Will fumed. He kicked the bread aside, cursing fiercely. It took several minutes for him to calm down, during which he reluctantly picked up his robe, and carefully pushed open the door.

The corridor leading to the hall was pitch-black, with no sign of anyone around. At this hour, except for Dove, who was on night watch duty, everyone should be resting.

Will didn't dare linger and swiftly crossed the hallway, entering a secluded storage room. He turned around and closed the door behind him.

The old wooden door creaked and groaned, a testament to the mercenaries who had violently broken in. All the locks in the manor had been damaged, and the storage room was a chaotic mess, with dusty wooden boards covering the floor, and a few chairs and cabinets strewn haphazardly.

Will knelt down, anxious, and started to clear away the clutter piled up in the corner, revealing a dusty floor with an enigmatic rhombus-shaped pattern etched on it.

Back when they were apprentices selecting their specialized fields, Jenny had chosen elemental magic, Dove had opted for psychomancy, and Will had mastered alchemy.

"By boat, the harbor, Laut..."

Will etch each character into the center of the magical circle, then place the magic stones on the four circular patterns within. Faint, radiant light gradually emanated, extending along the lines of the magic circle.

Just as the radiance was about to enshroud the entire magic circle, a piercing sound of something cutting through the air echoed in the silent room. A [Icy blade] was pinned firmly to the edge of the magic circle, and the brilliant magical light instantly dimmed.

"Who's there?" Will was startled, and he sat down on the floor, his eyes filled with fear as he looked toward the direction the sound had come from.

The partially open room had already been forcefully entered. In Jenny's eyes, there was a mix of disappointment and confusion.

"Why are you betraying us, Will?" The hot-tempered Buck strode forward and grabbed Will by his collar, landing a punch on his face. "Answer me."

"Why?" Will sneered, then suddenly pushed Buck away, wiping the blood from his mouth. He spoke with an agitated expression.

"You're asking me why?"

"I am Will Isk, the second son of an Imperial Count. If it weren't for that fool Kora, I would have been living in the Isk estate, attending lavish high-society gatherings, enjoying delicious meals, and being served by servants. In the future, I would have inherited a portion of my father's lands and become a Baron in the Sekas Empire."

"But now? Every day, we're stuck eating the same wretched bread as the peasants, sleeping in filthy ruins infested with rats." Will screamed hysterically. "I've had enough."

"Kora is a madman, a devil. He taught us demonic knowledge and turned us from high-born nobles into a bunch of insects cowering in the shadows..."