Escape Plan: Step by Step (2)
Eurydice. Master of the information guild. Almost nothing was known about her. Even the fact that she was the leader was a secret shared by only a tiny few.
She appeared before me like an ordinary guild member. Even as the master, she sometimes worked like any other member. This was just unlucky timing.
I just had to treat her like a regular operative.
“How on earth did you find out about this place?”
She twirled a strand of her long white hair around her finger as she asked. Anyone who knew the code could access it. But not just anyone knew the code.
People who had built trusted relationships through the guild's official, surface-level business. Nobles renowned for their honor and reputation. Major sponsors with deep pockets. Or those recommended by existing clients.
I already had my cover story ready.
“And who might you be? Some noble's young master?”
Her purple eyes pressed for an answer. The guild was secretive, but they always verified their clients' identities. It was a principle: you had to know who you were dealing with to exchange reliable information.
So each client stuck with the first operative they consulted. In my case, that was Eurydice. Secrecy was guaranteed. The organization was so strict and flat that even she, the guild master, couldn't easily access another operative's client files.
“I was recommended by someone I know.”
“Ah, a recommender? Who might that be?”
Every client received a codename for contacting the guild. And I knew one I could use here—one that would earn her trust.
“The Sun that Rises at Night.”
“...Ah. The Sun that Rises at Night... Sun that, rises at night...”
She repeated the words, flipping through her ledger. She was pretending to think it over, but she already knew the name. Her fingertips trembled faintly, belying her calm expression.
I pretended not to notice and waited quietly.
“There it is. Looks like you're legit.”
She flashed a bright smile. To stay so composed after hearing that name...
She can't be someone it's easy for...
“I'm 'Blind Star,' the one who'll handle all your consultations from now on. Nice to meet you.”
“Judas, guard knight candidate of the Bebel family.”
Eurydice's eyes widened in surprise.
“So, a squire?”
“No. I'm from slave stock—just lucky enough to be training as one of the candidates.”
“Mm, slave origins... Got it. So, what do you want to talk about? Or do you have some info to sell?”
The Bebel family was shrouded in secrecy, but I knew quite a bit about this world. Including what was to come. Or even the whereabouts of her 'Sun that Rises at Night.'
“I'd like you to find someone for me.”
“Yes. I'm listening.”
Eurydice pulled out paper and a quill. I'd thought carefully about what to say here. I'm no good at lying, so it had taken obsessive planning.
To escape the Bebel family, I needed a solid trust relationship with the information guild. They could help me in all sorts of ways.
First up: giving the guild master, Eurydice, the one piece of information she craved most. And rewriting her broken future from the game timeline.
To do that, I had to get her together with her runaway husband, the Sun that Rises at Night—Orpheus. Naturally.
“I'm looking for someone named Eurydice.”
This was my approach. The first step to getting Eurydice and Orpheus together organically.
Eurydice didn't so much as twitch at hearing her real name.
“Eurydice... Anything else besides the name?”
“Around twenty-six years old. I hear she's married. And separated from her husband against her wishes.”
“......”
“Last name Crokus. Probably lived in the city-state of Elysium back in the day. I don't know her personally, so no physical description. Actually, the Sun that Rises at Night wants to meet her.”
“...Got it.”
Her face stayed blank, but her hand trembled on the quill, making her handwriting waver oddly.
She let out an awkward laugh and cracked a joke. “Haha... Must be the hangover from last night. Embarrassing how shaky my hand is.”
Probably not a lie. Ever since Orpheus left—more precisely, ever since she drove him away over a misunderstanding—she'd been relying on booze.
I waited while she finished writing.
“And one more thing. If you find her, tell this Eurydice that he 'waits in the desert.'”
Orpheus wanted to return to Eurydice. But piled-up misunderstandings and bad blood made him think she hated him, so he vanished, living like a dead man.
Eurydice wanted to find him too, but he was too good at hiding. In this world—unlike my modern one—tracking someone took massive effort and time. And even then, the odds sucked.
Even in the modern world, in a big place like America, you could launder your identity by moving and changing names. Here, without electronics? Finding a hider was like grabbing stars from the sky.
So my solution was simple: tell her where Orpheus was. Let them meet.
The bad blood between them was pure misunderstanding. They both knew that now. They just lacked the courage to face each other. A little talk would clear it right up.
My connection to Orpheus? I can bullshit that away. Excuse is ready.
The desert was where Orpheus was holed up around this time. Eurydice could narrow it down.
Once she'd written it all, she summarized the request. “All that correct?”
“Yes. Spot on.”
“Got it.”
She burned the paper with a candle.
“Payment after we confirm the info. How do you want to handle it?”
Building trust with the guild and ensuring Eurydice stayed whole? Secondary goals.
My real aim was elsewhere.
“I'd like to open an exclusive account.”
This world had banks. I just couldn't use them with my status. Escaping Bebel Duchy meant needing money—and a safe place for it.
The guild handled slush funds, laundered dirty cash. Naturally, they offered client accounts.
This was my main reason for coming.
“Easy enough. How much are we talking?”
I handed over all my remaining coin. Total, minus the 1 florin entry fee.
“For now, uh, 89 florins...”
My voice shrank without me realizing. The scale was different here, but 89 florins? Not even 90. One short, making it extra pathetic...
“...Pfft.”
Eurydice couldn't hold back her laugh.
“Pfft! Ah, you really are a kid, huh?”
“......”
“Cute. Whatever your situation, I don't need to know. We'll hold it for you.”
“Yes...”
“Oh, right. You said Bebel guard squire?”
“Not a squire.”
“Anyway. Could you dig up some news for us?”
The guild sometimes asked clients for info. Up to them whether to bite.
“Heard there's this fox of a guard candidate who's caught Lady Elijah's eye lately. No dossier yet.”
...What? Fox? Me?
“Possible?”
“......”
Fox? I hadn't exactly swayed Elijah...
“...That's me.”
“Pardon?”
“I should've specified. I'm Judas, Lady Elijah's guard knight candidate.”
“......”
Click.
In the room Judas had left, Eurydice alone stared blankly at the table. The burned paper's afterimage lingered in her vision.
“Haa...”
She let out a deep sigh she couldn't hold back.
Finally... found him.
Desert. Eurydice narrowed down a few likely spots where Orpheus might be. She prepared to leave at once, leaving word only with those who knew her true identity.
An order to dig into Judas—along with it.
Trusting clients and not prying was standard. But as guild master, checking their backgrounds was her duty.
Was he really looking for me too...? For real...?
Clutching vague hope, Eurydice set off to find the husband she'd chased away.
Eurydice grilled me with questions. First, verifying I was really Elijah's guard candidate Judas. After a few probes, she bought it. A woman who could spot lies—easy for her.
She asked all sorts besides. How I became a candidate, what went down with Elijah. I answered what I could, vaguely, and got out.
I'd also requested a contact method. Couldn't keep ditching Anna like today.
I unfolded the small paper I'd gotten before leaving. Written in code—this was my passbook. Managed by the guild, my personal account.
Top line: my codename. 'Rampaging Hedgehog.'
Codenames were random words, unrelated to the client. Below: Eurydice's. 'Blind Star,' as I remembered.
Balance: 100 florins. 49 mine, 51 for my info—me being Judas.
Left in my pocket: 40 florins. Orpheus intel payment via contact later.
...Oh. Right, I said I was buying Elijah a gift to get out.
Heading to meet Anna, it hit me late.
“The best cookie set you've got, please.”
I ordered from the cafe girl who'd shown me in earlier. Unlike her curious stare before, now that I'd emerged safe, she treated me like a real customer—polite.
“30 florins.”
I paused mid-reach for coin. Cookie set for 30? 120,000 won?
Pricey...
Couldn't back out. Paid up. I'd make more through the guild anyway. Plus, I'd earned today revealing my name.
Back to where I'd ditched Anna. She waited, holding two red flowers wrapped in white paper.
“Next time.”
She spotted me and spoke in a cold, stern voice.
“I will not tolerate anything like today.”
I had been pushy. I apologized honestly.
“...Sorry.”
Had to connect with the guild today—no choice.
“Business done?”
“Yes. Let's head back.”
Into the carriage waiting at the market entrance. On the way to Elijah's mansion, I asked Anna,
“What kind of flowers are those?”
“Anemones.”
“I see. Could you deliver them for me?”
“Gifts should be given personally to mean anything.”
“But... what if Lady Elijah misunderstands like you did? I don't fancy execution for insulting nobility.”
Sound logic—she nodded.
“Understood. I'll say it's a gift from you, Sir Judas.”
“Perfect.”
But the flowers weren't delivered right away. Elijah was busy with someone else when Anna went.
“While we were out, the Duchess visited.”
Narcissus di Bebel. Probably Elijah's mother. The bruise on Elijah's wrist flashed back.
No way... right?
Too little known about Bebel. Should've asked Eurydice—or commissioned it. Who Narcissus was. What Bebel was like.
I'm leaving anyway. What's it matter?
Still, curiosity gnawed.
Elijah didn't come see Yuel that evening. After a hearty dinner, I headed to the stables alone. Bradley was cleaning.
“Hey, Judas!”
He greeted me warmly. Yuel bounded over even more eagerly, nuzzling my head.
I stroked Yuel while greeting him.
“Hello. Come to think, I don't know your name. May I have it?”
“Eh? Haha, you talk like a cultured old fogey. Bradley.”
“Got it, Mr. Bradley.”
Then Bradley rambled pointlessly. How docile Yuel was, smart beast with no picky eating. How the knight dispatched from main house grumbled. How chaotic it got when Mrs. Narcissus visited.
I nodded along, tending Yuel. One image kept surfacing, sinking, resurfacing.
The blue-black bruise on Elijah's wrist. Like mold in walls—wouldn't fade.
What the hell was that?
Poke, poke.
Yuel nudged me.
“What?”
Now I saw: Yuel was tapping me lightly with its antler. Like it wanted me to touch.
Moon deer antlers were special, sensitive—no rough handling. This meant Yuel fully accepted me as one of its own.
While Bradley fetched hay, I cautiously touched the antler. Hard, cool, smooth. Yuel stayed calm as I stroked slowly.
A cool energy flowed from hand to body.
What is this...?
'First Moon Deer Breeder'
[Reward details forthcoming—implied to be extraordinary]
Wasn't in the game. Not 'first' back then?
What're they giving?
Seeing the reward, I cursed aloud.
“Fucking insane...”
They were giving me this?
A vast room where a golden chandelier sparkled. Beneath lights like cascading crystals, the girl's shadow staggered.
A larger shadow seized her black hair roughly.
Smack! A solid impact rang out with the swing.
The girl crashed down roughly.
“Get up!”
The woman's voice stabbed sharply.
“You think this is a place to flop on the floor and flash your ankles? Planning to brag about that lowborn bitch's blood?”
Despite the blatant insult, the girl's face didn't twist.
Tousled black hair. Red eyes beneath stared straight up at the woman.
The girl—Elijah—stood calmly. Never breaking eye contact with Duchess Narcissus.