Hector looks at me with a hopeful and distraught gaze, observing his believing face, I feel a tinge of guilt pass through me, but I quickly squash it down. Though my actions are horrible, it is what I have decided to do, and if I falter then it may be noticed by Hector and all will go to waste, leaving me with nothing but a pathetic dream of escape.

"Unfortunately, the plan will not go fatefully for you, but with your sacrifice, the man will face justice and you will surely be avenged."

Hector looked at me with a confused expression and asked, "What do you mean sacrifice, what have I left to sacrifice but my currently fleeting life and my soul?"

I fake a deep sigh and start explaining the plan; it doesn't take long for me to do so. The plan is quite simple at its core; the fact that after death academy wizards will come to investigate your demise is a fact known by most students.

After hearing my plan through, Hector's gaze fell, his face gained a sad expression, and he seemingly started pondering my proposal.

As I feared that I should have put more thought into my delivery, he looked up at me with a determined and slightly sad face. He stated, "This decision is hard for me to make. Though I know my life has not long left, I still want to live however long I have left of it. I know the thought is greedy, yet I've never been a selfless person."

A slight wetness starts appearing in Hector's eyes; he continues speaking, "But... even a selfish person such as me can understand that this is not the time for greed and fear. Just looking at you, your cracked and disheveled skin, and the bandages around your neck and shoulders, I know you have gone through much worse than I ever will."

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He shook his head, "And still, you fight and scheme against him, not only for yourself but for all others that may be hurt by him. I know asking this of me is as painful for you as it is for me."

He looks at me with a determined expression. "So if nothing is done, my fate is to die a dog's death, by the hands of a miserable, immoral stain on the human race. Then, I will not stay a content pawn, waiting to be used and thrown away for his whims. I will aid in your escape. Just... after you get free, please promise to remember my sacrifice because…" he smiled wryly, "I doubt anyone else I know would."

I smile too and utter "I'm glad you understand" quietly.

As we both sit in peaceful silence, Hector suddenly speaks up, "So, um, how will I die?"

I look at Hector blankly. While the act of killing Hector had gone through my mind, the method in which had not been considered.

I say, "Well, I doubt I can choke you or stab you in any way considering my bound hands, so I imagine you should be the one doing… it."

"Oh, don't crawl around it." Hector sighed in a frustrated tone, "I have accepted my fate, I know what must happen. The fact that you are hesitant to acknowledge it makes me less confident in you remembering me in the future."

I shake my head, "No, of course, I will remember you. If, no, when I get out I will spread your bravery through every person I meet." I say confidently.

Hector smiles and nods. And afterward, he inquires, "So what other ways of self-ending are there?"

"I heard some assassins bite their tongues and choke on their blood, could that work?" I ponder. Hector shook his head, "No, I heard that, that trick barely works, and requires great practise."

We continued listing ways of suicide, but considering that both of us are practically glued onto furniture, especially with Hector being on a bed, there weren't many things that came to mind, except one.

Unfortunately, this was the worst one. It would take the longest and likely be the most painful for Hector.

The plan is based upon the wound the man inflicted on Hector on his rear. If the wound could be left alone to do its thing, it would likely grow infected and slowly start to kill Hector.

Unfortunately, the man, apparently expecting such an occurrence to happen, told his goons to clean and rewrap the wound every day.

So, it seems we will need to trick the commoner in charge of nursing Hector's wound into somehow abandoning the chore entirely.

While I may consider myself smart, I don't fancy myself a charismatic person, especially not while tied down to a chair. So I doubt my whimsical charms could work against a normal person. Although, when I think of a normal person, I am thinking of a fellow noble, and while they could be stubborn at times, nobles are much smarter than commoners.

So while the chances might not be that high, I will try my best and hope that all will succeed, for what else is there to do when faced with an unknown fate?