Meanwhile, Freon was silently pondering over the Third Hand's threatening letter. The main family that Gunther hailed from, the Rellion Family, worked exceptionally secretive and fast. They cleared out Gunther's family and left no traces. By bribing the city guards and using the right connections, no one would discover a thing. Their own neighbours might not even notice a thing! How could Freon know that Gunther was already long dead and turned to ash? Captain Murvin and Vice-captain Uldat were not all brawn and no brain. If Freon did not know, then he would be inclined to do something, would he not? That was basic human psychology. With Gunther's life in their grasp, Freon could only agree to their demands!
As expected, Freon hesitated. Maybe Gunther betrayed him, but maybe Gunther was forced to. As long as that possibility existed, Freon could not cut off all ties. That was the type of person he was. However, by playing into their hands, that would be the epitome of foolish! He understood their plan with a glance. His mind turned rapidly as plans formed one after another. Although it seemed like he had many moves, there were few that he could take. After all, it was likely that countless eyes were watching him. Minutes flew by when Shirley walked up and tilted her head.
"Freon? What's going on?"
"Well… You know… How is Yuna?"
"Her condition is getting better. The physicians suspect she'll make a full recovery in one or two weeks," Shirley explained. "As for your uncle, he's a bit of a mystery that one. The physicians can't make heads or tails about his situation, but it seems to be good."
"Is that so?" Freon wondered. "He really is an unreliable person…" Turning to face the girl, his voice became solemn. "Shirley, I need your help here. Do you think you can handle it?"
"What's all this about?" she replied stunned. When she noticed his serious expression, she became the same. "I don't know if I can help you, but I'll try."
Freon gave a wry smile. "This… might be dangerous. You might die."
"Sure," she said nonchalantly.
"You don't… I'm sorry, what?" He frowned. "I must have heard wrong. Can you say that again?"
"I said sure!"
This time, questions filled Freon's head so fast that he drew a blank. "Perhaps, you didn't hear me properly the first time. You might die, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. I heard you," Shirley started poking his cheek. "So, what's going on?"
"You're serious? You should think this through…"
"How many times do I have to repeat myself? Seriously!" the girl pouted.
Without even hearing out his story, she decided. And he could tell that she was not putting on airs. She was serious! A strange warmth filled Freon's heart as he chuckled. That was right. That was who Shirley was. Freon thought she was emotional, rash, and possibly an idiot. While he would spend time mulling over the best option, she would jump straight into it, doing whatever she felt was right. That was why she was the polar opposite of him. He was logical and she was emotional. Normally, they were like oil and water. Freon could never understand a person like her. It was like the world's most complicated problem: unsolvable, unfathomable, and unpredictable!
Take Freon for example. Before he made any decision, he would carefully weigh the pros and cons. What did he have to gain? What did he have to lose? It was a cold-blooded and logical approach to everything. No matter who or what it was, he would never grant any blindsided favoritism. He had to consider all aspects and all sides! In a sense, this was a basic survival instant for self-preservation. Every living being followed the same principle. On the highest level, this was embodied the best in the political world. No one would lift a finger unless they benefited. Then, what about Shirley?
Shirley lacked that entirely! If her friends were in danger, she would not hesitate to throw herself in harm's way. It was the same story in the Xingyuu Empire. When they broke out of the Yunyun Stronghold, they had the option of turning their heads and leaving. When Freon was attacked earlier, she had the option of fleeing as well. No one would know a thing. Freon had seen so many selfish people that they could form their own civilization. Indeed, he was the same way. Good people were suckers, everyone thought that… So, Shirley was like a breath of fresh air. Her selflessness and kindness made Freon really appreciate her from the bottom of his heart. She would not hesitate to help him, despite the dangers. She was what you could call a true friend!
A genuine smile crept onto his face. "You really are… an idiot."
"Hmm? What did you say?" Shirley smirked.
"Nothing, nothing," he chuckled. "Let's get down to business then. Here's what happened…"
Ten minutes later, rain started drizzling in a light downpour, casting the night sky into greater darkness and melancholy. Since it was getting late, people rushed about and hurried home. They struggled to hail carriages as many became soaked. Large puddles accumulated quickly as small streams covered the streets. Freon stepped out of the Arkfell estate and stood in front of the iron gate. The guards watched this strange boy look up as rain showered him from head-to-toe. He felt the cold water calm his nerves before he pulled his hood over and began walking towards that alleyway. Three shadows tailed him closely, blending in with the shifting darkness.
At the same time, Shirley talked to every butler or maid she came across. She made many strange requests. Fresh fish from the Selenta Fish Market, vegetables from the southern fields, spices from the exotic trade market… The servants wondered if Shirley was trying to cook her own meals. Then, the requests became more bizarre. A custom-made dress, books related to the last war, some high-class pastries… Every request stretched in a new direction away from the Arkfell estate, spanning the entire city equally. The head butler's eyes were twitching uncontrollably under the dozens of requests. He felt like she was toying with them.
However, he kept calm. No matter what, if they were guests of the Arkfell Family, then he had to accommodate them. That was the duty of servants! So, he organized his subordinates and began assigning them tasks. Cloaked servants emerged one after another from the estate, rushing through the rain to their destinations. But if they were more sensitive, then they would realize that they were being followed. Everyone was being tailed by someone!
This was all a part of Freon's plan. Obviously, there would be people watching over the Arkfell estate to prevent any funny business. The Third Hand assigned around twenty members to monitor the movements of everyone in the manor. The two realized this because the Third Hand did not brazenly decide to attack the Arkfell Family. Instead, they opted for a subtler approach. This meant that even they did not want to antagonize the Zino Kingdom! After all, this was the capital city. As strong as the Whispering Shadow was, they would never throw their weight around under one of the three dominant powers of humanity! Most importantly, these were the actions of the Third Shadow, not the entire organization. As they say, never fight a tiger on its mountain!
Therefore, by involving many servants, the Third Hand would have no choice but to spread their forces thin to follow everyone. They had no idea if one of the servants would secretly notify the city guard or the military! Thankfully, Shirley and Freon were not cold-hearted. They never planned to notify the city guards through them, so the chance that the servants would be in danger was very low. Nevertheless, because they were ignorant assistants, Shirley felt bad. She planned to fully apologize afterward!