Hwi-han decided to show a bit of consideration for Derku.
"Well, this is a matter of honor and justice, so calling you a spy doesn't quite fit. Derku, you're a whistleblower."
"Uh... huh?" Derku was flustered by the unfamiliar term.
But it sounded somewhat noble and more dignified than being called a spy, so he didn't feel too bad about it.
"Seems alright...?"
"Right. From now on, as a whistleblower, I hope you'll inform me about the schemes of the White Tiger Tower students."
"Uh, sure, I'll do that."
Yonelle, who had been sitting nearby with her face resting on her palms, was intrigued.
How did he manage to persuade that orc from the White Tiger Tower to cooperate like this?
"Derku. The reason I brought you here this weekend morning is... to figure out a way to escape the school."
"... What?!" Derku was startled.
Hwi-han remained calm, as this was the reaction he had expected.
But what Derku said next caught him off guard.
"Hwi-han, were you planning to escape too?"
"...?!!"
Like all the other tower students, the White Tiger Tower students were also struggling with hunger.
One might ask if those from knight families weren't strong against hunger, but knight families were also proper noble families of the empire.
They rarely went hungry.
In fact, since their lives revolved around eating well and staying active, enduring hunger was even harder for them.
"We should go hunting! I heard the Blue Dragon Tower's Wodanaz caught a wild boar. We can do it too!"
"Let's form teams and go hunting this weekend. There's no one here who hasn't hunted before. We have the advantage!"
"Let's crush the arrogance of those other tower students who flaunt their magic!"
"Alright, alright. Everyone, quiet."
It was Jizel who quickly brought order to the chaotic atmosphere.
With her natural leadership, she swiftly calmed the hungry students.
"Hunting? Sounds good. But think carefully. Is hunting really that easy?"
"The Wodanaz family caught one..."
"That was a boar prepared by the alchemy professor. Think about it. How deep would we have to go to catch a boar like that? We're not even familiar with the surrounding terrain."
"......"
"......"
The students unconsciously nodded at Jizel's words.
Hunting was indeed no easy task, especially in unfamiliar territory.
The small mountains and forests behind the school were one thing, but going deeper was frankly terrifying.
Who knew what monsters lurked in those unknown areas?
"Then, Moradi. Do you have another plan?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"A way to escape the school and head to the village outside."
"...!!!"
"If we succeed, we won't have to worry about catching a single beast. We can bring back everything we need for the entire semester."
"R-really?!"
"But... isn't that too reckless?"
"The necessary methods are already sorted out in my mind. If you want to follow, you can. I don't plan to keep it to myself. But... if you follow, you must obey my orders. I won't tolerate any foolish rebellion that ruins the plan."
"Of course, Moradi!"
"Who would dare defy you?!"
"Wait, can I join too if I just follow orders?"
"... Hey, Hwi-han."
"Guess not, huh?"
Derku looked at Hwi-han incredulously.
He didn't know if Jizel would accept Hwi-han or not, but...
As a member of the Wodanaz family, how could he possibly join?
Just thinking about what Jizel had planned for Hwi-han made Derku angrier than he should have been.
"Think about what Jizel did to you."
"Guess they won't let me join."
"No, that's not the point."
While Derku was baffled, Hwi-han fell deep into thought.
Jizel's words had complicated things.
Originally, Hwi-han had planned to gather friends like Derku and Nylia to slowly find an escape route.
He didn't expect to find it all at once.
Professor Thunderstep's words had made it clear that escaping wouldn't be easy.
But surprisingly, Jizel from the White Tiger Tower was confidently claiming she had a method prepared.
Was it just bravado?
'No. She's not the type to bluff.
She's not like Gainando.'
Hwi-han hadn't had many conversations with Jizel of the Moradi family, but he could guess what kind of person she was.
Cold, calculating, and with a strong desire for control.
When someone like her made such a declaration, there had to be some truth to it.
"I see. So they won't let me join..."
"No... you can't be serious, right?"
"Then there's no other choice."
"Right. Glad you understand."
"We'll just have to follow and find out."
"......"
Derku didn't know where to begin pointing out the flaws in that plan.
"Are you serious?"
"Is there a better way than following them?"
"Doesn't it feel a bit... dishonorable?"
Derku hesitated.
A knight should always pursue honor, even in the smallest of battles.
And as a member of the Wodanaz family, one of the empire's great houses, honor was paramount.
Derku couldn't help but feel conflicted.
"Derku. Think about it. This is strategy."
"Huh?"
"Know your enemy and know yourself. That's strategy."
"... Is that so?"
"It's strategy."
Hwi-han looked Derku straight in the eye and spoke with unwavering confidence.
'The more nonsense you spout, the more confidently you should say it.'
There was a reason why the loudest voice often won in the world.
No matter how absurd the words, if you said them with enough seriousness and conviction, they gained a strange persuasiveness.
As Hwi-han of the Wodanaz family spoke with his cold, sculpted face, Derku found himself unconsciously thinking, 'Huh? Is that so?'
When he thought about it, it did seem like strategy...
"It... might be strategy."
"Right. It's strategy. We need to know what the enemy is planning so we can prepare."
It wasn't like Jizel's escape plan was specifically targeting Hwi-han, but...
Hwi-han subtly framed it as if uncovering Jizel's evil schemes required understanding her escape plan.
"Derku. Your role is crucial. You need to inform me about that Moradi family girl's escape plan."
"Got it. I'll do my best."
"Great! You're an honorable whistleblower. Others might not understand, but I know how honorable you are!"
"Thanks, Hwi-han."
"Sure, sure."
Hwi-han patted Derku on the shoulder, encouraging him before sending him off.
"Phew. I was originally planning to think about an escape plan, but things have changed. ... Why is everyone looking at me like that?"
Yonelle and Gainando were staring at Hwi-han with strange looks.
Gainando asked seriously,
"Did you learn brainwashing magic before coming to school?"
"......"
Saturday evening, just before sunset.
It was the time Jizel of the Moradi family had decided to lead the White Tiger Tower students in their escape attempt.
Having heard the time from Derku, Hwi-han also began to move.
'I need to confirm the escape route this time if possible.'
Jizel wouldn't reveal her escape method to others.
And once they succeeded, they would be on high alert for anyone following them.
Because Hwi-han would do the same!
The best chance to confirm the escape route without being caught was during the first attempt—tonight.
The White Tiger Tower students would be too tense during their first attempt to notice anyone following them.
"Derku. Gainando. Yonelle. Nylia."
Hwi-han looked at the friends gathered before him.
These friends would be his companions in the pursuit tonight.
"Thank you all for joining this meeting to find a way to escape the school."
"...????"
Nylia, the dark elf, was so surprised her ears twitched.
This was the first she was hearing of it.
She had come thinking, 'Oh, are we going hunting?' with a light heart...
"W-what?! We're going outside the school?!"
"Yes."
"... Are you crazy?!"
At Nylia's outburst, Gainando couldn't help but feel relieved.
At least there was one other sane person in this meeting besides himself.
'That's right! This is crazy!'
Gainando also wanted to visit the village if possible.
But it couldn't be that easy, could it?
Since Wodanaz was speaking so confidently, he must have some plan, but it was still scary.
"No, Nylia. We're not just blindly trying to escape. There's a plan."
"!"
At Hwi-han's serious words, Nylia's eyes widened in surprise.
A plan?
They'd only been at the school for a week, and he already had one?
From his expression, it didn't seem like a lie.
'The Wodanaz family is truly... amazing!'
Nylia swallowed her admiration.
She had heard many rumors about the Wodanaz family, but seeing Hwi-han now, she understood why those rumors spread.
He carried an aura completely different from the other freshmen.
Nylia asked in a slightly hopeful voice,
"What's the plan?"
"There's a student in the White Tiger Tower who knows the escape route. We'll follow them and copy their method."
"......"
The method Hwi-han proposed was definitely beyond Nylia's expectations.
So far beyond that it was a problem.
Following another dorm student to copy their method wasn't the romantic school life Nylia had imagined.
A short but deep contemplation.
Then a sigh.
But in the end, Nylia decided to join.
"Hwi-han. Nylia doesn't seem to want to join."
"But Yonelle, we need Nylia's help. She's the most skilled at tracking here."
"But forcing her to join..."
"Is that so? If she really doesn't want to, then there's nothing we can do..."
"... Fine! If I'm the only one who can do it, then I'll help!"
"Nylia!!"
Hearing Hwi-han and Yonelle's conversation, Nylia couldn't refuse.
Abandoning friends out of fear wasn't the rule of the <Shadow Patrol>.
And... to be honest, she was pleased that her skills as a hunter were being highly valued.
Ironically, it wasn't her fellow tower students but Wodanaz from another tower who valued her skills the most.
Derku muttered quietly, not understanding,
"That dark elf... I thought she'd refuse. Why did she join?"
"I think I know."
Gainando said confidently.
At his words, Derku also let out a small "Ah."
"I see."
Everyone had things they didn't want to do.
The reasons were many.
Fear.
Anxiety.
Selfishness.
The virtues that allowed people to overcome these reasons and take action were called honor and friendship.
The reason that dark elf joined despite not wanting to was simple.
It was because of the friendship among her friends.
'Good to see.'
Derku secretly smiled.
Since he himself had joined for honor, seeing friends build friendships regardless of their families made him feel oddly happy.
"What's up, Choi? Did you notice too?"
"Yeah."
"She must really want to go to the village too. I really want to go to the village as well. Once we get there, I'll sleep on a soft bed or... no, wait. First, food. I'll eat all the sweet things in the village. Candy, chocolate, pancakes, syrup..."
"......"
Derku looked at Gainando with a baffled expression.
'Why is this guy even here?'