In the darkness, the man crossed his legs as he fiddled with a knife, the blade flickering with light. “We currently have several of the slums’ demi-humans locked up in the dungeon. Use your power to get them under your control.”

“You’ve captured demi-humans? I thought you were waiting for me to make the leader my thrall—”

“Insurance, in case you failed,” he interjected. “I’m always ready for anything. That’s how I climbed up the ranks and became a Black Guild executive in only a few years.”

Liz remained silent, keeping her head bowed. After a few moments, she spoke up. “What do I do once I have them under my control?”

“That useless lackey of yours is currently being held by the demi-human leaders, correct?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Propose an exchange of hostages.”

“You’re helping Gaion?”

“Don’t be foolish,” he snapped. “I have no use for blundering trash.”

Liz pursed her lips for a moment, then asked, “So what’s the purpose of the exchange?”

“It’s just a pretext to lure out the demi-human leaders. Before the exchange, you’ll make the demi-human hostages swallow Bomb manastones. Then you have them charge at their leaders.” It would take them all out in one fell swoop, he explained.

“That’s—” Liz struggled to get the words out. “B-But won’t that effectively prevent us from taking over the slums?”

“There’s no ruler to control, so our plan to take over by enthralling him is out the window either way. I considered causing mayhem by making the demi-humans attack one another, but that’d just be reverting to the status quo. However, if all three of the top dogs in the slums fall at the same time, it’ll bring about unprecedented chaos. We’ll take advantage of that.”

“But... The Black Guild has always maintained a nonaggression pact with the slums. Why change that now?”

“That’s not something you need to know,” the man replied dismissively as he stood up in the darkness. “But if this goes to plan, all the pieces will be in place. And I’ll consider the matter of your sister. Make sure this works.”

His face came into view in the torchlight, and Liz respectfully bowed her head. “Understood, Director Dalitz.”

The man, once the director of the orphanage and now a mysterious executive of the Black Guild, smirked.

***

Near the lizardmen’s headquarters stood a sturdy building made of stone.

Originally a training ground, it had thick walls that could withstand significant impact without cracking. In one of the rooms within was a large man, bound, with his hands chained behind his back.

At Zophia’s beckoning, Zenos stepped inside the room.

“You...!” the man said, raising his head and glaring at the healer.

“Your name’s Gaion, right?” Zenos asked. “We last saw each other during the attack on the night festival.”

“Why are you here?” Gaion spat.

“Well, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Zenos said, approaching the man fearlessly. “We’ve received a proposal from the Black Guild for a hostage exchange.”

“A hostage exchange?” Gaion echoed, puzzled.

Zophia, standing next to Zenos, spoke up. “Looks like your guild faction took some of our guys hostage. We’ve decided to let you go once they’re safely back.”

“Hah! Ain’t that generous?”

“You don’t seem happy,” Zophia said.

“You’re underestimating the guild. If I go back there after getting myself captured, they’ll just get rid of me.”

“I see. Well, that sounds like a you problem.” Zophia’s gaze briefly shifted to Zenos.

The healer sat down in front of Gaion and began, “Besides that, though, I wanted to talk to you about Liz.”

“You think I’m gonna spill?”

“Is that a no?”

Gaion scoffed. “I ain’t giving any info to our enemies’ boss, whether or not the guild gets rid of me.”

Zenos scratched his cheek. “I’m neither a boss nor your enemy.”

“Huh?”

“Look, you guys have, like, all sorts of things going on. Enemies, masterminds, thralls, schemes, whatever. None of that matters one lick to me.”

“Then what the hells are you?!” Gaion demanded with a frown.

Zenos looked him straight in the eye. “Listen. I’m just a guy who knew Liz as a kid.”

***

Meanwhile, in a dungeon somewhere in the underground sewers, several demi-humans sat with vacant expressions, their fingertips marred with scratches.

“Now swallow these,” Liz said, handing the men items resembling small stones.

The demi-humans, already under her thrall, did as instructed and swallowed them.

“Once you’re set free, you’re going straight to your bosses, and in your joy, you’ll hug them.”

Glassy-eyed, the demi-humans nodded in agreement.

“The impact of the embraces will detonate the Bomb manastones, killing all the leaders at once,” said a man behind Liz. “In the ensuing chaos, my men will strike, decimating the strength of the three major demi-human forces in one go.”

The man was the former orphanage director and current executive of the Black Guild, Dalitz. He was dressed in a black suit, making him look almost like a shadow.

He chuckled quietly. “And with these results, I’ll rise to an even higher position in the guild. Once that’s done, I can grant you your wish,” he told Liz. “And I can help with your sister too.”

“Yes, sir,” Liz murmured, facing the darkness before her.