Emmett leaned back in his chair, a confused frown on his face as he looked at Mirabelle. "So… what's the plan?" he asked, still trying to wrap his head around what was going on.
Mirabelle grinned at him, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I've already sent Kyle to act as a 'native' informant for Perry's group. He's going to lead them into the city the same way we came in."
Emmett blinked, taken aback by the revelation. "Wait, what? Why would you do that? Wouldn't it be better to just tell the city guards that they're players? You know, let them handle it?"
Larissa, standing beside Mirabelle, gave him a look that screamed, Are you serious? She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Emmett, you do realize we need a distraction when we infiltrate the Hill Manor, right?"
Mirabelle smirked and continued, "Exactly. And it just so happens that Perry and his group have provided the perfect distraction."
Emmett still looked confused, his brows furrowed, until the pieces started clicking into place. He was silent for a moment, and then, slowly, his eyes lit up. A wide grin spread across his face, and before he could stop himself, he burst into laughter. "Oh, that's brilliant!" he exclaimed. "So we use Perry's group to cause chaos while we slip into the manor."
Mirabelle nodded, pleased with herself. "That's the idea. Perry and his crew won't even realize they're being used. By the time they figure out what's going on, we'll already be inside the Hill Manor, and they'll be left dealing with the mess."
Emmett shook his head, still chuckling. "I have to admit, I didn't see that coming."
Larissa smiled softly beside him, though she couldn't help but admire Mirabelle's cunning. She had always known her friend was smart, but this level of strategic planning was impressive. Still, she felt a little bad for Perry's group. Just a little.
Meanwhile, in another part of Mist City, Kyle was leading Perry and his crew of about eighty players through the narrow streets. The group, dressed in plain, NPC-like clothing, followed him without question, eager to get closer to their target—the Hill Manor. The large, looming building stood like a fortress in the north of the city, and even from this distance, Perry's eyes were fixed on it with determination.
As they approached a quiet inn right next to the Hill Manor, Perry pulled Kyle aside, a frown creasing his brow. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, his voice low. "This inn is way too close to the manor. We'll be spotted for sure. We should move to one farther away."
Kyle, who had been expecting this hesitation, gave Perry a knowing smile. "Trust me, the closer you are to your target, the less likely anyone is to suspect you. This inn is so close to the Hill Manor that no one would expect a group of outsiders to set up here. It's the safest place you can be."
Perry hesitated for a moment, eyeing the inn suspiciously. But after a few seconds, Kyle's logic seemed to sink in. Perry nodded slowly, a smirk forming on his lips. "The most dangerous place is the safest, huh? I like the sound of that."
He turned to his group and signaled them to settle into the inn. As the players filtered inside, Perry called for his scouts and sent them out to gather information on the manor. "Keep a low profile," he ordered. "I don't want any screw-ups. Report back as soon as you find out anything useful."
The scouts nodded and disappeared into the city.
Later that night, the scouts returned with a piece of information that made Perry's eyes gleam with excitement. "The Hill Manor's upper echelon will be traveling to Northwind City in three days," one of the scouts reported. "They'll be meeting with the prefecture governor there. The manor will be left with minimal defenses."
Perry grinned, rubbing his hands together. This was perfect. If they could time their infiltration right, they'd have almost free rein of the manor. "Good job," he said to the scout, already formulating his plan. "We'll wait for the next session. Log out tomorrow, and when we come back, we'll hit the manor in three days. We can't afford any mistakes."
He tossed a bag of coins at Kyle, who caught it easily and gave Perry a respectful nod. "Thank you for your service," Perry said, clearly pleased with himself. "You've earned this."
Kyle gave a slight bow, playing his role of the helpful NPC to perfection. "It was a pleasure serving you, sir," he said smoothly before turning and making his way out of the inn.
The moment Kyle was out of Perry's sight, his entire demeanor changed. With a smirk of his own, he slipped through the shadows of the city and made his way to a more secluded part of town, where Mirabelle was waiting.
He found her sitting at a quiet table in the corner of a small tavern, her eyes gleaming as she looked up at him. "Report," she said, her tone sharp but amused.
Kyle gave a mock salute. "Everything went according to plan. Perry and his merry band of idiots are holed up in an inn right next to the Hill Manor. They bought the whole 'safest place is the most dangerous' line."
Mirabelle's smile widened as she leaned back in her chair. "Perfect. Everything's falling into place."
Kyle took a seat across from her and grinned. "It gets better. They're planning to hit the manor in three days when the upper echelon leaves for a meeting.". They're walking right into the trap you set for them, Captain."
Mirabelle laughed softly, the sound filled with satisfaction. "Karma always catches up, doesn't it? Perry has no idea what's coming for him."
Kyle nodded, clearly enjoying this as much as she was. "And what's next? Do we sit back and watch the fireworks?"
Mirabelle's eyes sparkled with excitement. "For now, yes. Let them think they've got the upper hand. When they make their move, we'll be ready. But for now, keep an eye on them. I want to know every step they take."
Kyle gave her a thumbs-up. "Got it. Consider it done."
As Kyle left to continue his scouting mission, Mirabelle sat back in her chair, the satisfaction of a well-executed plan filling her with confidence. Everything was falling into place, and soon, the Thorn Mercenaries would be one step closer to completing the quest.
With a final smile, she muttered under her breath, "Karma doesn't wait for the next life. It strikes when you least expect it." She thought about the fire that almost killed Valerie.
As the night wore on, the city of Mist buzzed with activity, but beneath the surface, a game of strategy and deception was playing out. And Perry Connor was about to become the pawn in a much larger game than he realized.