“This is not ideal…” Elen commented as we peeked at the corridor leading to the temple's main hall and the guards in front of it. “We rush them now? I would prefer to start the fight after seeing any target, but I don’t think we can pass those. At least, I can’t.”

We were at a proper storeroom now. One bordering our goal, and a very big one too, but not exactly where we needed to be. It was also a place with a good number of crates, both empty and full, and some barrels in the same state. It seemed like the place where some of the party's food was stored, but I felt there was too little to be the main one. It was a good place to hide in, for now.

We took down another two pairs of guards in the path here, but we were in the clear still. Some minutes until someone got wind of our approach and rushed here, I would say. Enough time for Eve to appear and do the baiting while we snatched a saint.

The problem was that, without a way past these guards, we risked wasting Eve and Cal's part when they arrived. Picking a fight right at the door could draw everyone to us and waiting too much would put the diversion team at risk. Very complicated to say the least...

“Hmmm… Head-on won’t work, but I don’t want more variables too.” I mumbled while trying to get a plan going. I didn't have much to use right away, but an idea came up in due time. One that used the small trinket I got from the older princess. “I can try it... Follow me, Elen. It’ll be fun.”

“Fun, is it? Nothing good ever came from you saying so.”

“You got it.” I smiled and then hurried to the farthest wall, the one that should be shared with this room and the one we wanted to break into. “And if I got it right, then…”

I held the mini-waystone and started to burn my mana on it, creating a very small spell circle at the wall. A somewhat complicated spell in it, but the original effect was very simple. Almost ‘everything in a limited half sphere gets teleported to the linked waystone’ if I were to explain it. All I had to do here was change the size and origin of the spell, and... Voila! There was now a sulk on the wall.

Casting it made me feel some resistance as if the rock was fighting back against the spell, though. A little bit only, but something still. Similar to how a body would fight back against spells cast on it... Probably meant this trick wouldn’t work well on living beings, but that was a test for later. For now, I knew I could teleport things and I also knew this spell wasn’t very tiring. It’d take some ten casts of the small version to get me to use another potion (or that was my guess, at least).

So, I skipped to the next step: using the same thing from before, but changing the format too this time.

Like before, I focused on the trinket and on the wall, creating the modified spell circle and calling for a cylinder instead of a half-sphere. So again, after pushing through the resistance, I looked at the stone wall and it now had a finger-large hole in the middle of the tennis ball-sized one.

This was shaping up to work well, eh? I even got a shining peephole already. Now it was a matter of spying and then using the same spell to get a path when the other two arrived.

“What the hells are you doing there?” Elen finally asked while swapping her focus between the door and me. "I'm still waiting for the 'something fun' here..."

“I'm spying a little first…” I whispered back, focusing my attention on the other side of the wall for now. “Give me a moment… I can see them already.”

In all honesty, I couldn’t see much, but what I could see was interesting enough.

First, the weird guards around the room.

There were some of the normal ones like the few we saw around the temple, but this place also had a bunch of dark-robed figures that seemed eerily immobile. If it wasn’t so bright inside, it would be possible to take them as some sort of ghost or monster.

Matched well with the shadow creatures Mr. Hero’s team mentioned.

They were guarding a group of important-looking people who, as lucky as it was, were at the table right across this wall. They were in the middle of the well-decorated room, some ten meters away from me, and just slightly misaligned with my peephole. Their group wore clothes similar to my current disguise, as expected, but most of these didn't seem to be much. Only the four outliers seemed like a threat.

First, a princely-looking blonde guy in the same priest clothes, but outfitted with many more decorations and some armor. Also, he was sitting by the side of a bow that was way too big. It was the size of a greatbow, at least.

Then, by his side, there were two other people in equally exaggerated robes but lacking the armor. One of them wasn’t exactly a human too (she had animal ears and tails, in the plural, but that was beyond me). It was somewhat very weird. They didn’t feel that dangerous, though, and were unarmed.

But then, there was the dwarf in heavy armor by the corner of the table.

Yes, a dwarf.

Small, burly, heavily armored, and with a huge-ass gun (one with a huge scope too) on his back as he downed a lot of beer in the few moments I was watching. A very trope-fit guy, if it wasn't for the unusual weapon, but it was still weird that he was here.

From what I read, dwarves are as rare as elves (and called 'mountain folk' instead of 'dwarf'), and they live on the other side of the continent. The side with mountains instead of chasms and the side that I beat at the one-night fort thing.

The easiest conclusion to get? He wasn’t from here. And if he wasn’t from here, and more than that, he was at the same table as what I could only consider to be Blanchelle’s champion and two other saints, this guy should be something big on Lazzos.

Something dangerous too.

The worst case could even be having two champions here… Probably time to call everything off. Not what I wanted, but there were too many variables already.

Dealing with two champions at the same time was too much. Their weapons made me get a fun idea and the original surprise attack could work, but I’d need to make them split up for it. And since I had no good way to do so, the remaining option was trying some terrorism and giving up on the kidnapping.

But before I could decide on it, a guard in unusual armor, a very sleek black set that covered his whole body, came closer to the dwarf and said something. One that moved somewhat similar to someone I knew.

Stolen novel; please report.

The answer for it was a hearty smile as the short gunner then rose from his chair and headed to the exit. I couldn’t get what exactly was said since the soldier was turned to me, but I could guess it. And more so, their movement made me notice the crooked black blade at the dark knight's hip.

Having this guy around would also explain the trap. This sort of trick was right on my alley, and if I got his fighting style right, it was the same for him. The problem was the fact that, in the most likely, we wouldn’t be able to make a clear exit now that they knew we were around unless I left Eve and Cal behind.

Not good at all.

The others in that room weren't moving too much, but it was a ruse, I was sure of that. The blonde guy for one, was suspiciously close to his bow and somewhat on edge. The other two saints weren't as merry as before too, with the fox-eared one leaving the table and my line-of-sight even. And every single one of them was keeping an eye on the doors.

I couldn’t get what the idea was, but it couldn’t be good. The most I could guess was that there was either some trap waiting for us or that they knew I was looking and wanted to trick me.

It was dangerous either way, but it was also the chance I had been looking for before.

“How do you feel about betting, Elen? I think I can manage to take down a champion here.” I whispered after taking my face away from the wall. “The chance is big, but we may end up having to fight everyone here.”

“Taking one of them is too much to not take the risk,” Elen answered after thinking for a moment, even if her expression seemed to say she didn’t like the idea. “Eve will survive and the young Vanrook is a grown boy. If the only, and I repeat, the ONLY risk is having them flee by themselves, do it. Even if you had to leave me behind, do it...”

That wasn't an option in my book, but I had no reason to mention it. Leaving my team behind would make me look bad, you see?

“Then, take these…” I pulled on three hair strands and gave the diminutive hint to the princess. “Leave them beneath the door and hide. After that, trust me and don’t show yourself until I reach to escape. I’ll need a big hit by then…”

“This…” She stared at me for a moment, taking on the seriousness of my expression in the dark of the room for a moment before nodding. “Got it. Don’t betray my expectations, Illia, or you’ll never leave that palace again.”

“Is this supposed to be a threat?” I smirked, getting a ‘hmpft’ in answer as the princess turned to the door and started to do her part of the plan, hiding away in the middle of the crates soon after.

In the meanwhile, I sat on a certain part of the floor and took most of the flasks out of my pouch and pockets, chaining the mana potions I had right after. It got me instantly feeling sick and it couldn't be healthy, but I would need it.

Next, I split the one regeneration potion and the little green flask I had for emergencies from the more 'volatile' ones and went on drawing on the floor for a moment. A small copy of the huge communication spell was soon done there and then I started to work on strapping my dangerous items together with my belt.

The signal should've gone fine by the time my head started to wobble due to the overextension, so I shut it down and went to the next step.

I soon had a fusion of an impact grenade (makeshift and homemade), bottles of alchemic fire, and some poisons. A messed-up item that looked more threatening than the very localized damage it could actually cause. Especially with the added glow of a magical circle beneath it.

Looking dangerous was what it needed to do, though, so I left the contraception there and moved on. And since my next bit was only moving things around, this one also ended very fast, so now I had a covered path ready.

It was a rushed job, but I only had a few minutes before it all started. Even less if I wanted to match it with Eve’s predicted arrival. A rushed job was the best I could do.

So, right as I was wondering if I could try anything more, a very faint noise caught my attention and I rushed to position. And as expected, the dwarf with the sniper gun skulked into the room soon after.

He was very much the archetypical dwarf in clothing and looks, just like what I saw before, but there was a little more now that he was close by. I could see the many runes from his armor, the complex braiding of his beard, and the weird glow of his gun. A glow that seemed like magic, but that I couldn't identify any spell circles.

Another kind of magic I didn't understand... Makes me think that every non-human has something like this.

“G’day, little rat. What’s your bizzos fossicking here?” He asked while aiming his big gun at my chest, something I took as a chance to check the weapon. “And be fast, I’m still far from flatting out, and that’s a shame.”

“If I said I got lost, would you let me go?”

“To the afterlife? Sure, mate. Outside? Not much.”

“What a bummer. But well, there’s not much to explain… I got a bomb, there’s a bunch of important people over there, so I wanted to blow them up.” I explained while moving as I should in the meantime, keeping an eye on the dwarf. “Didn’t expect someone would find me like this… Do you have some special skill for it?”

“Skill? Nah. It’s only about being an ace hunter, mate. A good ‘ol hunter knows a thing or two about tracking. Enough training to get me to the top, but that was all.” He boosted a little, nodding his head along while his gun stood perfectly aimed all the time. “But I see you’re a tricky beaut too, eh? How does this funny copy of yours work? And for how long you’ll be hiding around?”

My ventriloquism is very decent from what I know, so it was a little surprising that he managed to catch on it. I mean, using the illusion trick is my bread and butter by now, so losing it wasn’t very fun… That is if it wasn’t for the fact I expected this much to happen.

The guy is a sniper. I can see this much, and it's easy to guess he's good with his eyes. I couldn’t expect to beat him with an observation trick this easily...

A surface-level skill I could do well and some simple magic wouldn’t be enough. It was only enough to make it seem like my big trick was seen through and that I was actually out of options right now.

Extra points as I crawled from behind my box while undoing the illusion spell and staying at its place still with my knees on the ground and my feet behind my body. A very meek and surrendering look, if you ask me.

Not that it even made the rifle wander off my chest. A perfect straight line to my heart even.

“Looks like I got a bad opponent this time… Can I have your name?” I kept the conversation going as I still needed a minute or two before setting things up. “It’s interesting to know people with impressive skills.”

“Name’s Lothuth Lavahide from the mountain folk of Bluetops.” He answered almost right away and then continued by confirming my little theory from before. “Can call me Steel Gunner too if you like absurd titles, but I'm not that fond of it. Makes me sound like more than the hunter I am.”

“Oh! I like titles too… Mine is Duchess Illia of Supria, or the Hero of Frercross, of the Trickster Bauty, though I’m the only one who uses this one.” I answered in my most pompous tone. “But well, I guess that’s irrelevant now. What now? Arresting me or something?”

“Eh? No fighting? C’mon, beaut, give it a burl at least. I know you’re a good brawler too, the young dill with the crook sword got beaten by you, right? Or you’re some other weirdo?”

“No, no, I’m the same one, but I don't like fighting like this... Did that guy survive, by the way?”

“He didn’t cark it for sure, but almost. The bloke got marks, lots of them, but he’s alive, and by the gods, he’s cranky about it. Hells, the loss made the guy almost lose it, but I say that was reasonable. You almost got him kicked away from both kingdoms, you see?” Lot continued, going on for a little while, and giving me more information than I expected. “Still, he got lucky, mate. Few survive a bath in alchemic fire.”

“Well then, what about this then…” I decided to change subjects. “Show me these dumb hunter skills of yours, shortkin? I’m kinda bored enough for it.”

He twitched. Now that’s fun… He’s even using some weird spells on his gun. A big one too. Looks similar to what Lhori used with her bow, but wasn’t the same at all. Very interesting.

“If you wanted to rumble, you could’ve asked nicely, mate. Now I’m cranky too…”

“Then try me.” I suddenly opened the biggest magical circle I was yet to use on the wall at my back, and then a second one below me, prompting the dwarf to fire his gun. Three events that happened concurrently, but none of which as the dwarf would expect.

In the perfect succession of the scene for those who couldn't see it: the sniper’s hand moved, my boots got way too light, the wall on my back vanished, the bullet was fired, my lower half went up and my upper went to the floor, the bullet passed way too close, and then I heard an explosion in my back.

It was a very impressive chain of events if you ask me.

Looks overcomplicated for a dodge? Fair too, but well, it was needed. And I like the flair, okay?! Also, it worked, so now I only had one thing crossing my head as I ignored the pain of hitting the floor...

Do saints have bulletproof blessings?