The sky at sunset looked like a carnivore flower. The light had disappeared, engulfing the environment in darkness. Starry stars twinkled as the torches were lighted and flashlights wiggled like a shower. Yet, within the tunnel remained the same, no lights spared and only the light from the torch he held, enlightening their path. The young Don and the blond-haired maid were walking together, alongside with the other people who were gradually saved by them from prison. The young Don appeared desperate to find his servant, whereas the maid was hoping to reunite with her siblings.

Hermes had no plan to save the people behind him but the young maid requested him to do so. Why should he bother to free them? There’s no need for him to unlock their chain and freed from their damn. But he had no choice because he didn't want to make the girl hated him. For some reason, the people followed them, making the young Don return to their specific checkpoint - the secret chamber. It was his last resort to find them shelter before the guards found out that the prisoners escape.

After a few minutes, they reached the place, as the door unlocked, the little girl jumped towards his stomach. The girl hit it so hard, begging and pushing her away. The blond-haired maid, Zairena, giggled as quiet as possible yet she couldn’t. The people they’ve saved did the same and boisterously laughed as they witnessed his embarrassing face.

“Let me go,” begged Hermes, slightly pushing her away once more. “C’ mon.”

“Thank goodness, you’re alright, sir. I thought you guys are dead.” cried Wendy, rubbing her head in his stomach.

The young Don smiled when he feels her worrisome but his spinal cord was going to crack. Yet, he couldn’t step back. She was embracing him so tight. He asked for Zairena for her help, but she turned her eyes from her right.

“Little Wendy, let the master be released.” asked Kurosaki, walking by leaning his side from the wall.

“Yes, little Wendy. Mr. Aljen seems going to die from your hug. Let the man be spared before he became a thug.” said Zairena, covering her mouth by her right hand. Laughing.

She followed his request and lowered her head in apology in which the young Don deeply appreciated.

“Kurosaki, how’s your body?” nonchalantly asked Hermes, folded his arms.

“Master,” he lowered his head and replied, “I am truly not yet recover but I can barely walk by two feet. Thanks for the little lady, she helps me when you're not around for a while.”

“Hoo, that’s good then.” said Hermes, walking inside the chamber, “Oi, if you guys just want to stay there, I won’t let you get in. If you want to live then get in here.”

All of the prisoners ran towards the place, making the young Don and his comrades to be shocked. He realized his mistake of saying those words in regret.

As the door closed, Hermes made a meeting, gathering the attention of the fifty-three people in one corner, cornering him like a conference.

The young Don leaned his back and folded his arms in closed eyes. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes straightforwardly at the people like cold ice. The situation inside the tunnel was getting worse than he expected. The more they moved closer to their path, a lot of insignificant events starting to flow his wrath. If they stayed here with them, they might be get caught in an unexpected threat such as lack of food to serve, medical supplies to use and find their objectives before they left.

Regretful. Shameful.

He couldn’t let this kind of scenario to continue. He must think for a new strategy to renew.

“It appears we won’t be able to survive if we stick together. Anyone who has an idea, please raise your hand.”

Everyone was reluctant to say something. The young Don knew they’re afraid to do anything. He sighed and covered his face by his palm. Should a young man like him lead this group to escape, it would only trigger and advance his death like his body got smashed into pieces and lost its shape.

“Anyone, please. I cannot do anything without your opinions. Do you want to stay here and do nothing?

Zairena raised her hand.

“Go ahead. Please speak,” said Hermes, nod upward.

“Um, Mr. Aljen, I think we should —”

“— Denied.”

“Eeeh? Wait, I haven’t finished yet.”

“I don’t want to hear it anymore. Do you want us to die together with them? I know that you’re going to ask me to let them stay here for much longer because they’re all exhausted and need medical attention. Listen well, you cannot let them stay here since we don’t have anything of that. We can let them rest but we must attest. Do you want the enemies to find out this place? We have no time to show pity and hesitation.” calmly explained Hermes. His answer made the blond-haired maid to close her mouth.

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Another one raised his hand, it was Kurosaki in the middle of the crowd.

“Alright, speak.”

“Sir,” he lowered his hand, “As a prisoner of this tunnel, I know what they’ve felt. How they’ve struggle and the pain they’ve suffered. I am fully convinced to your answer, we should take a rest for a while and make a plan to save ourselves. But looking at their faces and the other’s condition, it appears we won’t stand a chance to go beyond this tunnel. If you have by-chance an answer to this question, please give as a piece of certain convincing advice. Escaping this place is just like escaping a place full of cats. We’re just the dirty rats that will die in sorrow and despair, eaten alive and killed by their fangs, for those who have spare.”

“Huh? You’re saying so much.”

“Umm, sir… that’s not what I mean.”

“What I want to hear his opinion. I suggest for you guys to listen. Now you’re giving me a headache and hard reason.”

Everyone couldn’t grasp what he was meant to.

“I give up,” he raised his hand and said, “Alright, all of you are going to escape this place. I’ll make a plan and I want you all to comply.”

“What?”

“Eh? Escaping this place is impossible!”

“We’re doomed!”

“Just shut the fuck up!” The young Don made a yell, wherein everyone was starting to despair. But his voice made them stop from their nightmare.

“Everyone, listen very carefully. There’s a chance for you morons to survive and escape this place.”

The eyes of the crowd opened wide, as Zairena as an exception.

“Don’t you guys realized that we won’t be here to save your asses without getting inside their passage? There’s a secret way but it was dirty and lame. But it was the only way.” said Hermes. “C’ mon, you guys are stupid enough to think that we’ll use the front door. Hello~, there’s a backdoor, as well.”

Everyone cried as they heard his words. The words of joy were burst from their mouth, starting to make the young Don to be irritated. He began to conclude that they’d thought they would use force to escape the place in which he didn’t mean to be.

Seriously, get a clue…. Do you want me to paste your brains with a glue?

Hermes explained the situation and opened the classified information. The secret passage, he and Ms. Zairena used to get in was revealed. The only thing they had to do was to make a move and planned it well. But there’s a major problem needed to be solved before they’d proceed.

“There’s the Quoe monsters residing to the second lowered ground floor. You guys need to avoid taking the left side which those creatures taking shelter. But there’s a possibility that those bastards will smell your scents.”

“I can see your point, sir. What’s your plan?” asked Kurosaki, waiting for his answer.

“My first aim is to let this people escape. Taking them to the route of freedom in which those monsters won’t see and smell their dirty and odorly bodies. Although those monsters are blinded creatures, they have a keen sense of touch, better auditory nerves than humans and their responses have unique abilities that even I cannot explain either. Listen well, any signs of noise will make them response quickly so we need to be cautious. The only way to prevent them to fail this objectives is to find someone suitable to be the right person to become —”

“—sacrifice?” answered Zairena, trembling in fear. “You’re suggesting someone must become a sacrifice?”

Hermes kept his mouth shut as the people began to panic.

“Sacrifice, huh? It is better to lose one life to save others. But who will be the one?” asked Kurosaki.

“Please..., Mr. Aljen, do something. We can’t afford to lost someone’s life,” begged Zairena, wiping her tears coming out from her eyes. “Please, there must be another way.”

“... Aaay…,” the young Don scratched his hair, and said, “It is not what I want to say. A sacrifice? You’ve got to be kidding me. It is more like a decoy if you analyze it. Listen, those creatures follow the sound of their victims, even your heart can be seen by their powerful sensor. Your life will be in trouble indeed but you’ll be able to survive from that terror.”

“What do you mean? If I have a strength and a weapon, I wish I can overcome the fear in my heart, but I can’t fully grasp your idea, sir,” said Kurosaki.

“Sneaking in the place like a rat inside the tunnel with full of cats sniffling the floor is impossible. If the monsters can even sense your heartbeat and can smell your scents even though you’re in the other side of the wall, there’s no chance to escape being their prey as an appetizer,” explained Zairena.

“Sis Zairena has a point. We barely survived thanks to our luck.” Little Wendy responded, supporting the opinion of the young maid.

“Then… do you guys want to these people to die by unable to reunite with their family? You’re being pessimistic. I’m very disappointed in all of you. Especially you, Kurosaki,” he pointed his index at him. “I have a high expectation from you. But you’re just like the others with no guts at all. It is a mistake to save you from that cell and place you under my name.”

Kurosaki was surprised by his master’s point of view. He bites his lips, lowered his head and apologized. He made a mistake to make a statement of disagreement, he failed to become a supportive servant.

“My apologies, sir. Forgive this man. My heart, mind, and body have been weakened. Please give me a chance to reconcile.” begged Kurosaki, kneeling in one knee.

“Apology accepted. Now as per your punishment. I want you to lead this group of prisoners to escape. Little Wendy gave him the map that I asked for you to draw.”

“Yes, sir.” she gave him a piece of paper.

“What’s this?” asked Kurosaki, unfolding the paper. His eyes opened wide and muttered, “this is.”

“Yes, that’s the secret path to your escape. I have no time to explain but keep in mind that the lives of these people lie on your palm. Prove to me that you’re worthy of my grace.”

Kurosaki almost cried in joy and lowered his head in honor.

“With pleasure. I’ll do what I can.”

“But, Mr. Aljen. Who will lead as the decoy?” asked Zairena,

“I’ll be the bait.”

“What?” everyone was shocked.

“Don’t what me? Don’t worry about it. I have a plan. Just stick with it. I can’t give you guys the sunset, but I can give a night.” said Hermes, smirking.