Contrary to what I felt in my pocket, seeing it outside, Idris was moving much faster than I anticipated.

Although he paused briefly when many guards passed by, as soon as they were even slightly out of sight, he swiftly moved. Thanks to this, we were getting closer to the place where the laborers were at an incredible speed.

As we reached the central area, the number of Aegilah’s sentinels increased.

“Who’s there?”

Ah, caught again.

It seems Idris’s enormous build is the problem.

He’s too large to be considered a mole-person. Even from a distance, it was noticeable.

However, even if detected, Idris didn’t show any signs of hesitation. He quickly approached them and struck their necks before they could react, without even drawing his weapon.

They fell with a thud, and Idris casually tossed them into an empty alley or a warehouse without people.

Ah… is this acceptable?

“They won’t wake up for a few days. Maybe they won’t wake up forever.”

In this way, Idris eliminated 21 Aegilahs throughout our journey.

And when he threw the 22nd Aegilah into a warehouse and came out, finally, on the other side, there was a gathering of mole-people.

Elders and children gathered outdoors, melting their frozen hands together while continuously making something.

Some poured black powder into a barrel, firmly pressed the lid, and others ground wheat.

“That side seems to be gunpowder for weapons, and this side seems to be food. Dried powder is easy to store for a long time.”

Then, mixing poison into that powder would be enough.

But the problem was how to get there.

Around the square, soldiers surrounded the laborers, standing with regular intervals. It was impossible to sneak in without attracting their attention.

“What if we remove them all?”

In response to Idris’s unrealistic suggestion, I diligently wiggled my nose through a gap.

We have to secretly poison it. There’s no point in coming all the way here if we openly attack.

“It won’t work, right? But I can’t think of a way to approach them.”

I thought carefully. Idris can’t do this. I need to do it because I’m as small as a mole-person. Disguising myself as a mole-person and blending in, I could transmit the poison.

I entered a nearby empty house with Idris. Then, I took out mole-person clothes from the wardrobe and put them on. I applied grass to my face and thinly coated it with white chalk powder. After distorting my face into various shapes, wrinkles formed as desired.

“Do I look like an old man?”

Idris glared at me discontentedly with clenched fists.

He didn’t like the plan of me going in alone. But there’s no other way. We can’t go back now with no gain at all, right?
“If, by any chance, I get caught, don’t think of anything else and make sure to come and rescue me, okay? You understand? Idris can kill all those people.”

“Of course, I can definitely save you.”

“That’s right. Because I trust Idris, I can go alone like this. Actually, it’s not going alone; in my heart, I’m with Idris. By the way, doesn’t my face look too sinister? Suddenly, I feel less attractive.”

I deliberately spoke without a break, fearing that Idris might object and leave.

“You’re beautiful. Beautiful, and I’m worried.”

Idris replied seriously. Knowing his feelings, I kept quiet for a moment.

“I can really handle it. Idris will watch my back.”

“Yeah, no matter what happens, don’t risk your life. If it seems even a bit dangerous, step back. Then I’ll show up immediately. Please, Cecilia.”

“Okay. Promise. Don’t worry.”

I hooked my little finger.

On the contrary, Idris nodded more vigorously than me with a more ferocious expression.

After the sun set, Idris moved to a warehouse a little away, and I stayed at the corner of the alley and waited.

Soon, I heard an explosion that must have been made by Idris.

The soldiers around the square murmured.

“It seems there was one explosive left. It exploded and caused a fire, so we have to suppress it. Half of the soldiers will stay here to guard, and the other half will move towards the side where the explosion occurred.”

At the order of someone who seemed to be the captain, they moved in an orderly manner. And now was the optimal timing for me to sneak inside.

I crouched down and inconspicuously walked behind the moving soldiers. Okay. If I go a little further, I can hide…!

Then.

“Hey, you there!”

Damn!

I bent my waist more, pretending not to hear.

“Hey, can’t you hear me?”

The soldier forcefully grabbed my shoulder and turned me around.

“Oh my goodness!”

I intentionally fell to the ground weakly.

“Why are you here?”

“Oh, the old man urgently needed to use the bathroom. But it’s so dark, and night blindness… where is where……”

“I told you to go to the bathroom only at the designated time!”

The soldier shouted roughly.

“Oh, that’s true, but the old man couldn’t hold it because……”

“Go back inside immediately.”

“Okay, okay. Stop yelling. Even if the night is dark, my ears are still working……”