The Tunnel and the Test of Ideals

Before the Redwater Tavern’s entrance, Saranya waved goodbye to the last convoy. These carriages carried a portion of the Redwater Gang’s elite personnel and equipment, destined for Hillburg Manor outside Vero City.

With the demonic plague approaching and a storm brewing, they needed to transfer a portion of their forces out of the city, effectively putting their eggs in two baskets to guard against unforeseen changes in Vero.

Vero had been under lockdown for some time. It was only thanks to Saranya’s victory in their game of wits, which allowed the observing Upper City residents to exert public pressure on the City Council, that Lucius was compelled to permit her people to leave the city.

While they could indeed leave the city, Lucius himself, or rather, the City Council, terrified by the looming demonic plague, swiftly dug a new pitfall for them.

Citing the need for ‘special measures during a time of crisis’ due to the demonic plague, the Vero City government enacted a series of policies. Their primary aim was to obstruct the exodus of people and prohibit the large-scale transfer of goods outside the city walls.

Now, even those holding special permits to leave were subjected to ‘diligent’ inspections by the city guards stationed at the gates. The guards would make several marks in a large registry, ensuring that everyone’s frequency of entry and exit remained within ‘normal’ limits. Any goods carried out of the city also had to be ‘reasonable’ in both type and quantity.

As for the specific standards applied, that remained a highly subjective matter, leaving considerable room for arbitrary interpretation depending on the individual being inspected.

For instance, one of Saranya’s Redwater Gang squad leaders, attempting to scout ahead with seven subordinates, encountered trouble with the gate guards. These guards confiscated a sack of rations and seven crates of leather from their carriage, declaring them ‘suspicious goods’ to be held for further inspection.

What was particularly infuriating was that, even as the Redwater Gang members were being bullied, several ladies from the Weinshield family happened to pass by. These noblewomen, each carrying bags of jewelry and luxury items the size of a human head, strolled out of the city gates chatting and laughing, while the guards, as if blind, kept their heads bowed, preoccupied with staring at their own toes throughout.

Fortunately, the confiscated leather was merchandise Saranya had previously seized from the Bloodsail Alliance, so she wasn’t particularly bothered by its loss.

So, was there any way to circumvent the City Council’s brazen highway robbery?

Indeed, there was.

They had previously commissioned the Iron Crown Guild to excavate an extraordinarily long tunnel beneath the dungeons, a passage that led directly to the outside world.

“Master, if Grondel’s people push the pace, the tunnel could be completed within the next few days.”

“And then we’ll use the tunnel to transport supplies to the manor?”

“No, there’s no need for that. Most of the goods we’re transferring out are production tools, daily necessities, and grain. Losing some of those to Lucius won’t hurt us much; it might even make him smug, believing he’s gotten the better of us.”

“Then you mean…?”

Kaelan tilted her head, a hint of confusion in her expression.

Seeing her Master adopt such an inquiring posture, Saranya offered a faint smile.

Truth be told, Kaelan was quite reliant on her for gang operations. Over time, this had resulted in Saranya wielding considerable power. Had her Master not possessed such formidable strength, capable of posing a direct personal threat, it would be genuinely difficult to say who truly held the reins now.

“Near Vero, there are several former Imperial Legion garrisons, particularly my old units. I want to try and contact them, to rally some external allies to support us in eventually seizing Vero. That secret tunnel would be the perfect place for these clandestine activities.”

Saranya referred to them as “former Imperial Legions” rather than “Imperial Legions” because the current Imperial Regency Council was feeble and powerless, long unable to maintain the army system of old. Local lords and legion commanders had become more independent than ever, with some even declaring themselves petty kings and powerful warlords.

It was much like when she played Crusader Kings: some disobedient vassals under her command could refuse her orders, and all she could do, aside from losing some prestige and issuing impotent rages like ‘How dare these scoundrels disrespect me so!’, was nothing at all.

Kaelan cupped her slightly flushed cheeks, her eyebrows twitching up and down, clearly intrigued by Saranya’s proposition.

“Is that possible? I’ve always been a little curious how you, a legion commander, managed to make so many people willingly risk their lives for you…?”

“It’s not risking their lives, Master… it’s not them risking their lives for me, but rather the mutual support between colleagues. If you help others, they will help you when you face difficulties.”

“…”

The witch’s face hardened, her previously eager expression quickly morphing into disappointment. She conveyed her impatience with a soft huff.

“I detest your moralizing! Only foolish children believe such words. Without personal gain, you cannot compel others to act for you. Without strength, you cannot achieve your goals. Unless you become the villain in the eyes of the weak, unless you devour the weak, you will never triumph!”

“So Master believes that only the strong have followers and achieve victory, and for that, if doing evil leads to strength, Master would choose evil, becoming a villain who lords over countless others?”

“Of course!”

Saranya fell silent.

‘So, when Vireta bled for them, all Master thought was ‘survival of the fittest,’ wasn’t it?’

‘She… she was different from her Master.’

Saranya’s brows furrowed slightly. She bit her lower lip, then slowly released it.

“Bad people often reap benefits, and good people don’t always win every time, unlike in fairy tales. Of course, I know all this, but none of it matters…”

Here, Saranya paused, then suddenly her icy blue eyes widened, and she continued, enunciating each word distinctly:

“None of it matters, Kaelan. What if I lose? I simply do what I believe is worth doing. I help Vireta because I want to be surrounded by gentle and kind people like her! The legion commander named Saranya Kerfen doesn’t just pursue slaying villains and being good; she also wants to befriend other good people, to have them as companions through life and death!”

“You—!”

“Is being utterly alone your ambition? Or do you wish to have a pack of jackals and tigers as your followers? Do you want to be companions with a scoundrel like Lucius?! Kaelan… birds of a feather flock together; it’s a simple truth…”

Kaelan’s face flushed crimson, and she gasped heavily, roaring at Saranya, her eyes slowly filling with tears.

“But I have you, Xiao Ya… I have you… I’m not alone now… I’m not… I have you…”

“Ma-Master… I didn’t say you were necessarily a bad person… that’s not what I meant…”

Saranya froze, astonished. She had never imagined her usually cold-blooded and indifferent Master would actually cry over a mere argument with her.

“Xiao Ya… someone like me can still have you, can’t they…? I won… my way is the correct way…”

“Xiao Ya is yours, Master. Xiao Ya will always be yours…”

At the tavern entrance, the crowds silently parted around them, flowing past the two women.

In the center of the circle they created, Saranya stepped forward and gently embraced the trembling, weeping Kaelan, her nose softly brushing against Kaelan’s ear.

“But Master… don’t jump to conclusions so quickly. While you have Xiao Ya, the contest between you and Xiao Ya hasn’t been decided yet…”