"Tonight, you should rest early. It will take us several days to reach the City of Mages by ferry, and there will be plenty of time to learn new spells," Jonie advised, realizing she could not dissuade Lynn, and turned to leave.
"Wait... Jonie!" Lynn stowed the *Basic Magic Compendium* into his cloak, suddenly recalling his earlier suspicions, and called out to stop her.
"What's wrong? Is there something else?" The silver-haired witch paused.
"Are you certain that no one else knows the location of our hideout?" Lynn inquired again.
"Are you suggesting that someone among us might have defected to the Church?" Jonie's expression grew grave. She understood Lynn's implication, sharing the same concern, but after hesitating for a moment, she shook her head. "That's impossible!"
"Before you arrived in Ur Town, we had already been hiding in this village for an entire week... The dangerous tasks of gathering intelligence and procuring supplies were all done by drawing lots."
She had taken the opportunity to test each person, and the fact that they hadn't yet been hunted down by the Church was the best proof of their loyalty.
Lynn wasn't surprised by this response and instead asked pointedly, "Have you ever considered that we might not be the Church's primary target?"
Lynn knew that for a mole, lying in wait meant only one thing—waiting for a more significant gain...
Jonie froze, her face full of confusion.
"Lame Laud... the route to Greenrial... that's what the Church truly seeks!" Lynn stated each word deliberately.
He didn't know what sort of relationship Old York of the *Drunkard's Tavern* had with Corl, but one thing was certain!
Such a secret passage, leading directly out of the city, couldn't possibly have been created just for them!
In other words, Old York was likely a spy for the Mages' domain, embedded within Nordland, and the one who could help them board the ship and escape, Laud, was undoubtedly the more crucial figure.
Lynn could imagine how many mages had used this route to enter the Sekas Empire over the years, and how many ships laden with supplies had departed from Nordland's ports bound for the City of Mages...
In comparison, capturing a few mage apprentices like them was insignificant—merely a gesture to appease the Duke of Nordland. This might explain why they had been relentlessly pursued by the Church outside, yet remained unscathed upon entering Ur Town!
With Lynn's hint, Jonie quickly grasped the situation, her face paling.
If so, the Church might already be aware of their movements, simply biding their time, waiting for them to act, and then capturing them all in one fell swoop.
The thought sent a shiver down Jonie's spine. At this moment, they were like birds that had flown into a trap, waiting for the hunter to raise his knife.
Jonie pressed her lips together, lost in silent contemplation, unable to devise a way to break free from this trap.
"What should we do?"
When she asked the question, she didn't expect Lynn to have any answers. They were already on the brink of despair, surrounded by enemies within and without.
How could a group of apprentices, unable even to trust each other, hope to escape the Church's meticulously woven net?
But Lynn spoke up.
"It's simple... wait!"
"Wait?" Jonie's eyes widened in surprise at Lynn's response.
"You've just informed them of our plan to sail and about Laud. We're leaving tomorrow, so everyone will be under watch. That means..." Lynn declared with firm resolve, "Tonight is the best time to pass on any messages!"
...
"Squeak—"
As the full moon's light crested the thirteenth star, Will was roused from sleep by the sound of mice. The dry straw of the hardwood bed dug into his back like needles and razors.
Will struggled to sit up, noticing a few rats gathered around his discarded robe, gnawing on a piece of black bread. Their thin tongues lolled from their mouths, and their blackened feet left marks on the blue fabric of his robe.
"Damned vermin, you filthy scum!" Will erupted in anger, kicking the soiled black bread away and cursing viciously. It took him several minutes to calm down. Disgusted, he picked up his robe and threw it over himself before cautiously pushing open the door.
The hall was shrouded in darkness, devoid of any figures. At this hour, everyone except the night watch, White Dove, should be asleep.
Will wasted no time, quickly crossing the corridor and slipping into a secluded storeroom, closing the door behind him.
The old wooden door creaked loudly, grating on his nerves. Thanks to the mercenaries who had invaded earlier, all the locks in the manor had been forcefully broken. The storeroom was in disarray, the wooden floor covered in dust, and several chairs and cabinets lay toppled on the ground.
Will, nervous and jittery, knelt down and began moving the clutter in the corner, revealing a diamond-shaped symbol etched into the dusty floorboards.
During their apprentice elective courses, Jonie had chosen Elemental magic, White Dove had selected Psionics, and he had mastered Alchemy!
*Boat, harbor, Laud...*
Will etched each word into the center of the magical array before placing four magic stones within the circles. A faint glow emerged, slowly tracing the array's lines...
Just as the glow was about to envelop the entire array, a sharp whistling sound shattered the silence, and an *Ice Blade* embedded itself into the edge of the magical array. The dazzling light instantly dimmed.
"Who's there?" Startled, Will fell back onto the floor, fearfully looking toward the source of the sound.
The door, which had been ajar, was now wide open. Jonie stood in the doorway, her eyes filled with disappointment and confusion.
"Why betray us, Will?" Buck, who had a fiery temper, charged forward, grabbing Will by the collar and punching him square in the face. "Answer me!"
"Why?" Will sneered, pushing Buck away with sudden force. He wiped the blood from his mouth, his expression wild and agitated. "You want to know why?"
"I am Will Isk, the second son of a Count of the Empire!"
"If not for that idiot Corl, I should have been living in the Isk Estate, attending lavish soirées, enjoying exquisite cuisine, and being served by countless servants. One day, I would inherit a portion of my father's lands and become a baron in the Sekas Empire!"
"But now? We're forced to gnaw on black bread fit for peasants, sleeping in filth and surrounded by rats," Will spat in fury. "I've had enough!"
"Corl is insane, a demon! He taught us the knowledge of the devil. He turned us from noble aristocrats into vermin hiding in the shadows..."