By the time I returned to my headquarters, Lucille was waiting for me.
"Report," I said, collapsing into a chair. Everything hurt, even places I did not expect to ache.
"Damian made contact with Adrian in the library northeast corner of third floor."
I sat up straighter despite the pain. "And?"
"Adrian took the bait and tried to played sympathetic. 'Your master treats you poorly.' 'You deserve better.' All the manipulation classics." Lucille's voice was dry and tired. "Damian performed perfectly. Hesitant but conflicted. Exactly what Adrian wanted to see."
"Adrian believed it?"
"Completely. He's already planning the next meeting. Wants to 'help Damian see the truth.'"
I smiled grimly. Although I also expected him to take the bait to some extent, because that's exactly how it was written in the book. Just because I'm rewriting things doesn't mean I won't take advantage of the natural timeline. "Good. Let him think he's winning. How long until Adrian makes his move?"
"Not long, he's eager." Lucille handed me a report. "Damian's playing the long game by pretending to be slowly convinced but Adrian's getting impatient."
"He would be. He sees Damian as the perfect way to eliminate me." I scanned the report. "Any sign he suspects the double-cross?"
"None. You've hidden Damian's loyalty well. Adrian still thinks all servants can be bought or manipulated, and to be honest, we all thought you treated your subordinates as trash."
I grimaced slightly. You would be right some few weeks ago.
I took a deep breath and try not to groan. "His mistake."
Lucille leaned against the wall. "For what it's worth, this is risky. If Damian slips even once....."
"He won't. His loyalty is genuine. That's what makes him perfect for this." I looked up at her. "But I appreciate the concern."
"Don't read into it. I just don't want to lose a tool that's opposing Adrian."
I smirked. "Sure. That's definitely the only reason."
She gave me a flat look but didn't argue. Progress.
☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆
That evening, I met with Damian privately in my room. Magical silence wards courtesy of Marcus ensured we wouldn't be overheard no matter the way of spying.
"Adrian gave me this today," Damian said, producing a small vial.
I took it carefully. The liquid inside was clear, almost invisible. But the way it caught the light...
"Shadowbane," I breathed. It was just like in the book!
"He said it's painless. Like falling asleep." Damian's voice was perfectly neutral, but his hand shook slightly. "I'm supposed to slip it into your wine during the Spring Festival celebration."
"Three days from now."
"Yes, Young Master."
I examined the vial. Shadowbane poison, it's a very rare and expensive poison.
And very lethal to shadow mages specifically.
And worth at minimum ten thousand gold.
"This isn't student money," I said slowly. "Adrian couldn't afford this even with his allowance and sponsorships."
"You think someone else is involved?"
"I know someone else is involved." I held the vial up to the light. "This is professional assassination equipment. Which means Adrian has a benefactor. Someone powerful enough to waste ten thousand gold on poison."
"Do you know who might be, Young Master?"
"I have my suspicious, but..." I handed the vial back. "Take this to Marcus. Tell him to analyze it, we might have a need for it."
I met his eyes. "You're going to 'poison' me at the festival. I'll 'die.' And we'll catch whoever tries to finish the job."
Damian was quiet for a moment. "You're gambling your life on my loyalty."
"No." I smiled slightly. "I'm certain of your loyalty. I'm gambling on the assassin's timing."
"What if something goes wrong? What if the real poison gets used instead? What if no assassin comes out and it's just the poison?"
"That's why we have three layers of protection." I counted them off. "One, Marcus's wards detect any poison within ten meters of me together with the amulets. Two, Ravenna's death-faking spell, just in case I need to pretend longer. Three, your switched vials. Between the three, we should catch any attempt."
"Should."
"Nothing's guaranteed in life, Damian. But these are the best odds I've ever had." In the book, 'I' was poisoned and died but this time, I need to expose the one directly behind it. Not just Adrian. I need to know all the strings puller in the Academy.
Because even in the book, the author was always careful to write them in mysterious ways. That damned author sure is making my work difficult!
He looked at the poison vial. Then back at me. "I won't fail you, Young Master."
"I know you won't. That's why this plan works."
After Damian left to take the poison to Marcus, I sat alone in the silence.
Three days until the Spring Festival.
Three days until someone tried to kill me.
Three days to prepare for my first scheduled death.
[QUEST TIMER: 3 DAYS UNTIL SPRING FESTIVAL]
[DEATH FLAG #4: APPROACHING CRITICAL POINT]
[PREPARATION: 75% COMPLETE]
[REMAINING TASKS:]
- Marcus: Create fake poison
- Ravenna: Perfect death-faking spell
- Lucille: Position people for possible interference
- Damian: Continue double agent role
[WARNING: Unexpected variables possible]
[RECOMMENDATION: Trust your preparation]
[CONFIDENCE: 73% survival chance]
Seventy-three percent. Not great odds.
But better than the zero percent I'd have without preparation.
I pulled out my notebook and began reviewing the plan one more time, because every detail mattered and every contingency needed to be considered.
Because in three days, Hadeon Ravana was supposed to die.
And I had every intention of disappointing fate.