Sister Rescue Operation (2)
I was actually itching to test out my own abilities. The only reason I’d briefly considered pestering my mentor Marcus was because the mansion was ridiculously huge. I had never once thought about abandoning the mission to save the kids.
Let’s just dash in, film a sequel to Mission: Impossible, and get out. After all, I had a golden ball on my side.
When the preparations were finally complete, Marcus gave my back a light pat.
Marcus. You missed a line, old man. You were supposed to add, ‘If you make it back alive.’
I circled the tall outer wall and aimed for the rear of the mansion, where foot traffic seemed lightest. I spun the grappling hook a few times before flinging it upward. It made a small sound as it caught perfectly on the upper edge of the wall’s far side. After tugging the rope taut to check its security, I climbed the wall like a special forces operative, gripping the rope tightly.
Once I reached the top, I didn’t immediately drop over. Instead, I hung from the wall and quietly observed the situation inside. The first thing I spotted was a gardener leisurely working in the backyard. Farther away, a maid was dumping water from a bucket onto the lawn. On the other side, two men armed with swords at their waists were patrolling.
I recalled Marcus’s teachings in my head.
Infiltrating during broad daylight is extremely difficult. Unlike nighttime, the entire world is bright and clear. In such cases, the most helpful tool is disguise.
I vaulted over the wall and hid myself among the bushes. After stowing the grappling hook, I carefully watched my surroundings and stealthily approached the nearest gardener. While he hummed a tune and worked, I pulled a handkerchief and a small glass vial of anesthetic from the pocket of my vest.
I soaked the handkerchief with an appropriate amount, moved swiftly behind him, and pressed it over his nose.
The gardener lost consciousness in an instant, his shoulders slumping. I slipped my arms under his armpits, dragged him back into the bushes, and hid him again. I quickly changed into his clothes, gagged him, and tied his arms and legs tightly behind his back. Then I put on the gardener’s flat cap, picked up the pruning shears that had fallen to the ground, and casually walked across the center of the garden.
“New face, huh? Where’s Mr. Bread? Why are you doing the gardening?”
Halfway across, I ran into a middle-aged woman planting flowers in a bed. I remembered another of Marcus’s lessons.
Even if you get caught, stay shameless. What you need here is bold acting ability.
“I’m working as Mr. Bread’s assistant to learn gardening.”
“Really? I didn’t hear anything about anyone new coming today.”
When the questions get difficult to answer, change the subject and leave.
“Would you like me to help you plant some flowers?”
“Oh, that would be wonderful. Perfect timing.”
“Mr. Bread gave me an errand to run. I’ll deliver it first and come back to help.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
“Yes.”
After taking a few steps, I turned back around.
“Ah, excuse me. This is my first time here—where’s the kitchen? Mr. Bread told me to borrow some empty cups.”
“The kitchen is in that annex building you can see over there.”
She pointed toward a two-story wooden structure.
“Is that the only kitchen?”
In response to my question, she pointed at the three-story main mansion.
“That one is for the masters. You’re not allowed inside. Use the one I just told you about.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
I headed toward the wooden building she had indicated. I had no real desire to go there, but I needed to gather information to locate the prison.
When I opened the door and stepped inside, I found several rooms lining a shabby hallway on both sides. The smell of food and the clatter of dishes came from nearby, so I quietly approached and opened the door. It was a kitchen filled with every kind of household tool imaginable. Two plump maids were busy cooking. The unappetizing smell of the food and the plain dishes made it clear this kitchen was meant for the servants.
I crept down the hallway, carefully opening each door and peering inside. Then, by sheer luck, I found a maid taking a nap alone in a room with three single beds. A young maid lay sprawled across a messy bed wearing only panties, her breasts exposed, fast asleep. Sleeping at this hour probably meant she had pulled an all-nighter. Her figure wasn’t exactly stunning, but it was still a decent sight.
I slipped quietly into the room and locked the door behind me. Then I sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped an arm around her neck, and woke her up. At first she was groggy, but when she saw the dagger I was holding, her eyes widened in shock. I quickly covered her mouth before she could scream.
The maid nodded frantically. I removed my hand from her mouth and asked in a low voice.
“I-it’s behind the management building on the east side.”
“Any distinctive features that make it easy to recognize? The color of the building, for example.”
“The prison building has no windows. It’s completely sealed on all sides, so you’ll know it the moment you see it.”
I nodded and released the arm I had wrapped around her neck. As I stood up to knock her unconscious, Marcus’s teaching suddenly came to mind.
One way to increase infiltration success is to turn the enemy into an ally. It requires a high level of skill, so it won’t be easy. But if you succeed, the benefits are enormous. Factors that raise the chance of successful bribery are eloquent speech, natural good looks, and finally, compensation the other party will find satisfactory.
I gazed at the frightened maid for a moment, then turned away. As I walked toward the door, I heard her let out a sigh of relief. I stopped mid-step as if I had changed my mind and suddenly looked back at her. She flinched and quickly pulled the blanket over her breasts.
“I have one younger brother.”
“A younger brother, huh… Where does he live?”
“He works in the next village over.”
“Do you meet often?”
“S-sometimes.”
“How enviable, being able to meet your family from time to time. As for me…”
I trailed off as if my throat had closed up, merely moving my lips. Then, with a sorrowful expression, I barely managed to squeeze out the words.
I let out a heavy sigh and wiped my face with my hand. Haha. The acting was so cringeworthy it made my face burn red.
“Yes. I came here to find them. I just want to meet my sisters and live happily again like we used to. That’s my only wish.”
I looked into her eyes with a lonely gaze.
After delivering that embarrassingly emotional performance, I studied the maid’s expression. It seemed my terrible acting had worked—she wore a look of genuine pity.
“What… kind of favor?”
“Huh?!”
She covered her mouth in shock. I immediately moved to the next stage and pulled out a pouch of money from my pocket.
The maid’s eyes widened as she swallowed hard. She seemed far more interested in the money than in my tragic story. Since I had already proven I wasn’t a complete villain, she would feel slightly relieved, and the sight of the money would tempt her, right? Life in this poor refugee village was predictable enough.
Still sitting, she rolled her eyes in visible confusion without moving or making a sound. Finally, as if she had made up her mind, she nodded.
The maid loaded a large tub meant for the children along with cleaning tools onto a cart and headed for the prison.
“What are you doing here?”
One of the two men guarding the prison entrance approached her with a sleazy smile.
“Weren’t you supposed to be sleeping at this hour?”
The maid replied curtly.
“I’m here to clean.”
“Why you? Where’s the girl who usually does it? Aren’t you on night meal duty?”
“She said she was busy and asked me to cover for her.”
“Ah, so that’s why you’re up early?”
The man casually reached out and groped her backside, giving her a sticky gaze.
“We should meet again soon.”
“I’ll make time when I can.”
“When’s your day off?”
“I’ll let you know when I have one. Like I said before, it won’t be free.”
“I’ll pay you well, so don’t worry.”
The man grinned, removed his hand from her rear, and sniffed his palm.
“Mmm, I miss this smell already.”
“I’m going in now.”
“Go ahead. Don’t forget our promise.”
At his words, the maid pushed the cart forward with a calm expression and entered the prison.