Chapter 106

Chapter 106: Chapter 106

Maya, who had been standing near the other side of the bed, slowly straightened. She had been quiet throughout their conversation, but Freya’s suggestion reminded her of something they had yet to consider. She looked at Hunter G, then at Ingrid, her expression growing worried.

"Freya is right about one thing. We haven’t even discussed what we’re supposed to do now that Hunter G has woken up. When Berthanon finds out he isn’t dead, there’ll be trouble. He’ll want to know how he survived, and if he discovers Ingrid was involved, I doubt he’ll let her walk away so easily. Both of you could be in serious danger. We need to think about how to handle this before someone comes looking for him."

Ingrid nodded. "I’ve already thought about that, and I have a plan. However, I’ll need your help, Freya. You’ll have to take a few hits from other people, and Hunter G will have to suffer a little too. I know neither of you will particularly enjoy that, but it’s necessary if we want to leave."

Freya stared at her. "Take hits? What exactly are you planning to do?"

Ingrid didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she leaned closer and gestured for Freya to bring her ear near her mouth. Freya looked slightly confused but moved closer, allowing Ingrid to whisper the details of her plan. The longer Ingrid spoke, the wider Freya’s eyes became. She glanced at Hunter G, then back at Ingrid, as if she wanted to make sure she had heard everything correctly.

When Ingrid finally pulled away, Freya remained silent for a moment.

"Are you sure this will work?" she asked. "I understand what you’re trying to do, but there are so many things that could go wrong. What if someone notices something unusual? And what if Berthanon decides to check for himself instead of believing what we want him to believe?"

"Then we’ll deal with it when it happens," Ingrid replied. "But I need you to trust me. We don’t have much time, and I wouldn’t suggest this if I didn’t think it was our best chance. You’ll have to play your part properly, and Hunter G will have to do the same. If either of you gives anything away, the entire plan could fall apart."

Freya looked at Hunter G. He was already watching her, and after a brief exchange of glances, he gave a small nod. Freya sighed, then turned back to Ingrid.

"Fine. I’ll do it. I trust you, so I hope you know what you’re doing."

"I do," Ingrid assured her.

Hunter G shifted slightly against the pillows. Although he still looked weak, there was a determination in his eyes that hadn’t been there earlier. He reached for Freya’s hand and held it firmly, drawing her attention towards him.

"If we manage to get out of here, I’ll leave the Guild with you. I’m done postponing it. I’ve spent months convincing myself that I could still make a difference here, that if I stayed long enough, I might be able to change something. But after everything that’s happened, I finally understand that they don’t regard me as a person. I’m only useful to them when I’m doing what they want, and the moment I become inconvenient, they’ll gladly throw me away. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life serving people who wouldn’t hesitate to kill me."

Freya’s expression softened. She squeezed his hand and leaned closer to him. "Then don’t. We’ll leave together, and this time, I won’t let you find another excuse to postpone it."

Hunter G gave a tired laugh. "I suppose I don’t have much of a choice now."

"You never did when it came to me," Freya replied, earning another small smile from him.

Ingrid watched them for a moment before getting up from her chair. "Good. Then we should start preparing. We’ll have to make our move in a few hours, so don’t do anything that might interfere with the plan. Freya, stay with him until it’s time. I’ll come back when everything is ready."

She turned towards the door, but after taking a few steps, she stopped. A small frown appeared on her face as she remembered something she hadn’t considered earlier. Slowly, she turned around and looked at Maya.

"Maya, be careful for the next few days. Don’t eat or drink anything given to you by other people, no matter who they are. Also, try not to be alone with anyone unless you absolutely have to. If someone asks you to go somewhere with them, find a reason to bring another person along. I don’t want you wandering around the Guild by yourself."

Maya stared at her in confusion. "What? Why? Did something happen?"

"You might be in danger too," she finally said. "I can’t explain everything right now, but please take my warning seriously. Don’t assume that someone is harmless simply because they’ve treated you kindly in the past. For now, just be careful and don’t trust anything that seems unusual."

Maya’s expression changed. She looked as if she wanted to ask more questions, but after seeing Ingrid’s serious face, she decided against it. She nodded slowly, accepting that Ingrid wouldn’t tell her more at that moment.

Lanxiang, who had been standing beside Maya, immediately reached out and held her arm. "Don’t worry. I’ll stay with you. We can do everything together, I won’t leave you alone."

Maya looked down at Lanxiang’s hand before giving her a small smile. "You don’t have to follow me everywhere. I can take care of myself."

"I know, but I still want to stay with you," Lanxiang replied. "There’s no reason for us to separate now."

Ingrid watched the two women for a moment, then nodded in approval. At least Maya wouldn’t be alone while they prepared to leave.

"Then stay together," she said. "And remember what I told you."

With that, Ingrid finally left the office, Lysander following closely behind her. The door closed behind them, leaving the others to prepare for the next few hours. Ingrid knew their plan wasn’t without risks, but staying in the Guild was becoming more dangerous with every passing moment. Berthanon was already making moves behind everyone’s backs, and she had no intention of waiting until he decided to make his next move against them.

They had to leave before that happened.