Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 101

Chediak’s complicated plan had been made astonishingly simple by the sudden appearance of Eden and Hegenti.

“Choco, you can do it, right?”

At Eden’s monotonous question, Hegenti nodded with an indifferent expression.

“Wait… you mean you can really do all of that?”

“Of course.”

“You mean—knock out all those overseers at once, move everyone inside the mine to safety, and even sneak out the woman imprisoned in the jail?”

“Well, normally speaking, it’s impossible, sure…”

At Chediak’s horrified question, Eden furrowed her brows and answered in a troubled tone—then suddenly turned to Hegenti and smiled.

“But our Choco can.”

Again, it was “our Choco.” Hegenti’s heart trembled faintly.

“Right?”

“Yeah.”

Hegenti replied at once. And so, the three of them returned to the mine and immediately put the plan into action.

The mine at dawn was quiet. Just as Chediak had said, it seemed the slaves were forced to sleep inside the mine so they couldn’t escape, and not a single one was to be seen outside.

“Truly vile bastards.”

When Eden ground her teeth, Chediak nodded firmly in agreement.

“They’ll be struck down by heaven’s punishment.”

There were a few soldiers in front of the mine and the cave entrance, but even they were nodding off, unable to withstand their fatigue. That would only make things easier.

Eden eyed one soldier pacing in front of the mine, still awake, and whispered quietly.

“Now, Choco.”

The moment the words left her lips, the soldier standing guard stiffened like a toy soldier, snapped into attention posture, and then fell backward.

Thud.

“Wh—what! Who’s there?”

The sound roused a few drowsy soldiers, who rushed out in alarm, but they too froze instantly and collapsed in the same state.

Thud!

“Ouch. That must hurt.”

When Chediak grimaced, Eden retorted coldly.

“Compared to what they’ve done, it’s not nearly enough. Come on, let’s go!”

The three hurried forward toward the mine.

“Can you sense how many there are?”

When Eden asked Hegenti, Chediak looked at him anxiously.

If it were daytime, they might estimate the number inside by sensing presence, but now everyone was asleep. Even for a great sorcerer, that would be difficult. And since they were ordinary people, he couldn’t track them by magic either.

But after a brief silence, Hegenti answered casually.

“Seventy-two. Thirty-six of them are children.”

Chediak gaped at him.

He himself could only faintly sense about half that number. Just what was this man…?

“Thirty-six children? Ha… filthy bastards.”

“Can you… move all seventy-two of them?”

Hegenti glanced at Chediak. He didn’t reply, but the look in his eyes clearly said: Why do you keep asking such bothersome things? Chediak’s spirit sagged hollowly.

He had known there were hidden masters in the world, but to see such a great sorcerer with his own eyes was rare indeed.

His modest pride crumbled in an instant, replaced with a sobering humility.

“Master Choco… you are truly… extraordinary.”

The last of his wariness shifted into respect for the young sorcerer before him. Such astounding power, and yet not rash or reckless.

Though, that was probably thanks to the woman by his side.

“But now isn’t the time to move them,” Eden suddenly declared, sounding as though reconsidering something. Chediak looked at her in shock.

“What? Surely you don’t mean to abandon them? They may not be directly tied to the Anagt Ritual, but they are clearly being exploited! Lady Edi, forgive my boldness, but please, I beg you, rescue them as well!”

“Quiet. You’ll wake everyone.”

Eden hushed him.

“Of course I’m not abandoning them. But timing is crucial in these things. Our top priority is to stop the ritual.”

Chediak still looked baffled.

“I intend to report this to His Majesty.”

“…What?”

Chediak’s jaw dropped.

The Emperor? But how?

“Then everyone involved will be punished.”

“…”

“And the owner of this mine won’t be able to escape responsibility either. That’s why we need evidence. Do you understand?”

Chediak’s mouth remained hanging open.

He understood perfectly well—what Eden was saying was an ideal, flawless plan.

But still… how?

“How could you possibly gain an audience with His Majesty…? And if things go awry…”

His face turned pale. If that happened, matters would spiral out of control.

No matter how meddlesome he was, Chediak had never been caught up in something this vast.

“Don’t worry. I know someone who can report directly to the Emperor.”

Who in the world…?

“Lady Edi… what exactly are you?”

Eden ignored the question lightly and pressed on.

“So for now, let’s put the mine on hold, and first rescue the would-be sacrifices.”

The three of them put the guards at the cave to sleep as before and opened the prison.

Eden approached the same woman who had lain motionless when they first saw her.

“Her condition is terrible.”

The pale woman’s lips were blue, her faint breathing threatening to cease at any moment.

Eden hesitated a moment, then raised her hand to the woman’s forehead.

If it’s illness, I won’t be able to cure it completely…

Chediak, watching curiously, nearly cried out in shock when radiant light streamed from Eden’s hand.

“Hhh—! L-Lady Edi… are you a priest…?”

Still focused, Eden replied flatly.

“Let’s just say I’m close enough.”

Sweat beaded on her brow as the woman’s breathing gradually steadied.

Eden glanced at her face. The deathly pallor had eased into a more natural color.

“Good. That should do it.”

Chediak could only stare, dumbstruck.

Hegenti wasn’t surprised—he already knew of Eden’s abilities—but even he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“No time to daze out. From here, we’re heading to the residence of the Third Prince.”

“Wha—The Th… Third Prince…?”

“That’s right. Choco, you can move us all, right?”

But this time, instead of nodding obediently like a loyal hound, Hegenti pressed his lips shut.

“…Choco. You won’t help?”

Eden asked softly. Hegenti’s face hardened with stubbornness.

What’s happening here…? Chediak sweated nervously between the two.

“…Fine. I’ll handle it myself, then. You go back.”

Eden’s voice turned cold. At that, Hegenti finally relented.

“…I can move us.”

And Eden smiled warmly again, as if the chill had never been there.

“That’s our Choco.”

But even those words didn’t soften Hegenti’s gaze. He already sensed their time alone was ending soon.

“Alright, let’s move right awa—”

He had just begun casting the teleportation spell when—

“W-wait a moment!”

Chediak stopped them. Eden looked at him, startled.

“What is it? Ah, the mention of the Prince made you nervous?”

“N-no, that’s not it!”

“Then?”

“The tablet! We forgot the tablet!”

“…Tablet?”

“Yes, the one inscribed with the Anagt spell! It should be inside the mine—we must take it!”

Eden’s head throbbed.

“Wouldn’t it be enough to simply take away the sacrifices?”

“You don’t understand! They’ll find new sacrifices eventually, but a magic tablet is rare and nearly impossible to replace. We must destroy it!”

Chediak was adamant. And since his words made sense, Eden made her decision.

“Fine. Then let’s retrieve the tablet first.”

The three stepped back out, past the fallen soldiers, and entered the mine.

The dark interior was oppressively quiet. Exhausted laborers lay collapsed in sleep.

Seeing them tossed aside, treated as less than human, left a bitter taste in their mouths.

“Will we really be able to find it in here?”

The mine was vast and complex. How could they possibly locate a tablet fragment inside? But this time Chediak looked confident.

“Of course. The magical power of a Mavelios tablet cannot be hidden. Isn’t that right, Master Choco?”

He tried to sound friendly, but again, Hegenti gave no reply. By now, Chediak was used to the silence and pressed on undeterred.

They followed him deeper inside until, indeed, a tablet sat there, left standing in plain sight.

“There it is.”

Chediak gazed at it with awe. Eden urged him on.

“We’d better hurry. We still have much to do.”

“Just a moment. I need to check for enchantments.”

Chediak placed his hand on the ground, carefully probing the magic.

“Strange. Aside from a simple protection spell, there’s nothing.”

“Maybe they never imagined anyone would find it. They got careless.”

“That may be so.”

“No more time—let’s move.”

Finally, Chediak nodded, dispelled the protection, and lifted the tablet.