"It won't do, boys. Finish it quickly."

It seems he's not alone, as he directed his voice towards his subordinates.

Then.

Crack-crack!

With a chilling sound of air splitting, it felt like an earthquake was happening above.

Probably arrows.

Since he mentioned burning, maybe fire arrows.

They're well-prepared.

They couldn't do this unless they were certain I was here from the start.

I quickly scanned my surroundings.

Even though they don't know I'm not in the house but in the basement, it's only a matter of time before they find out once the hut collapses.

I need something to respond with before that happens.

Weaving!

I began to encase all the objects I could see around me into the workshop.

Each time, I was able to confirm the structure of the objects.

If it's a noble family's annex, it must definitely have it.

While searching desperately, I found a bookshelf.

A button installed under a few books on the shelf, and the magic stream that followed behind it.

This is.

I approached the bookshelf and pressed down the books towards where the mana flowed.

Then, the bookshelf slid aside, revealing a passage big enough for one person.

I found it, the escape route.

If only I could escape through here,

Young master! We didn't come here for nothing! We brought a present!

What is he talking about.

Just as I was about to ignore him and move towards the escape route.

We have a child with us!

That's when my feet stopped.

I twisted my eyes in unbearable displeasure.

This child, we will throw into that house from now on. He will burn well, wont he?

I thought it was a lie.

But faintly, I could hear crying. It was definitely a boy's voice.

If you run away, young master, you will be branded a murderer from tomorrow. And if it's for killing a child with arson, the crime wouldn't be so light, would it?

Damn them.

Now I know who these people are. No, I know who is controlling these scoundrels.

Not the enemy of the Roach family. They are not that simple.

The organization, Indus, that goes around wearing the guise of working for the common people.

Those greasy bastards have marked me.

Huff.

After letting out a deep sigh,

I climbed up the ladder.

* * *

"Hey, just burn it enough to break the door. That's all it needs."

Serf warned as he watched.

Just getting Frondier out would suffice. It would be troublesome if he died of suffocation.

Well, isnt this pretty much the same as having caught him?

They followed his orders, but they weren't members of Indus.

They were merely a mercenary group that Serf had paid a large sum for.

They had no idea who they were messing with, let alone that it was the Roach family. They were simply ordered to "burn down the cabin and drag the man inside out."

"That's right. He'll crawl out on his own. We even went as far as kidnapping a child to threaten him."

One of the Indus members, Grobel, was excitedly talking.

Beside him, a much younger boy was giggling.

"Bro, did I do well?"

"My, you did splendidly. Our little brother's acting is improving day by day."

Grobel laughed, patting his younger brother Rokbel on the head.

"Bro, but am I really going in there? Into that burning house?"

"Of course not, just saying. Do you think that'll make Frondier come out? But if he does come out, you have to act again, okay?"

"Okay!"

Grobel reassured Rokbel.

Serf thought to himself while listening to this.

'But he won't be able to resist coming out.'

By now, the house would be filled with smoke.

A normal human without divine power wouldn't be able to withstand it and would run out.

Even if there was a prepared escape route, could he ignore being branded a murderer of a child?

If a prestigious family like Roach committed child murder, a fate worse than death awaited.

Probably sent to 'Tavern's Rampart' to rot there until death.

Thud-

"Huh?"

That moment, the door opened.

Frondier appeared from within.

"He really came out?"

Grobel was surprised, but Serf had expected as much.

Frondier was lazy and incompetent, and on top of that, a noble. Such people's way of thinking is predictable.

Even in this situation, he would think himself safe.

Having followed orders, he would think himself free of responsibility for whatever happens to the child, and being a noble, he wouldn't die.

He came out with such complacent thoughts.

"Hey there, young master. Nice to meet you. I'm called Grobel."

Grobel had opened his mouth.

"If you simply follow what we say, you won't have to see anything unpleasant,"

"Serf Daniel."

Frondier cut off Grobel's words.

Grobel felt a bit annoyed but remained silent.

...But how does he know Serf Daniel?

"Serf Daniel. Answer me. Are you deaf?"

Huh, Serf let out a hollow laugh.

Still unaware of the situation and stance?

Serf, who had been silently standing behind, finally spoke up.

"I'm surprised you know me."

"Why are you keeping quiet in the back?"

"Your words are quite rough. I'm simply not overstepping my bounds."

Serf spoke calmly.

He met Frondier's eyes.

Languid eyes. Even in this situation, those eyes were languid and sleepy.

With that leisurely expression, Frondier said.

"You're the ringleader, Serf Daniel."

As if stating the obvious, correcting to the right answer.

"What do you mean by that? The man in front of you is Grobel, the leader,"

"Ah, I see. So that's the concept. Got it. Let's just move on."

Frondier waved his hand dismissively as if he was bothered.

What's with that negligent attitude? As if he knows everything.

For the first time in a while, Serf felt displeasure. But he did not show it on his face.

Always a smile.

That's how a member of Indus must always be.

"Before we listen to your request, let me make a suggestion."

But Frondier's insolence knew no end.

Veins bulged on Grobel's forehead.

"Young master, have you lost your mind? To think a suggestion is possible,"

"That kid there."

Frondier pointed at Grobel's younger brother, Rokbel, who was beside him.

Rokbel, impressively, had been pretending to cry ever since Frondier appeared.

Frondier said.

"Send him to me."