Our chosen negotiator comes back.

His face grim.

"There are a lot of guys out there. For some reason, it seems as if the entirety of the guild was out on a stroll. Now they are all congregating over here. They will contact someone that can take the decision to allow you guys through."

Okay, we just need to wait patiently.

Also, yes. They were on a stroll actually.

All looking for me.

This is my first huge scale manhunt.

The only experience I have in that would be videogames.

I used to always get out of these situations with cheat codes.

So, no experience really.

I need a plan.

Wait a minute.

[Someone read that letter he was bringing me! Perhaps there will be clues about their exact intentions.]

"Will that really change anything?"

"Won't it simply be a matter of bad or worse?"

[I mean I'm just grasping at straws right now. Plus I can't think of anything better to do.]

We make our way over the unconscious guy.

Turn him over to reach for the letter and ….

It is all splattered in ink.

Who carries an ink bottle everywhere he goes?!

What kind of psycho does that?!

Right, they don't have pens here.

[Well, that was pointless.]

Now what?!

My talkative wannabe hostage intervenes.

"How about we make a list of demands in the meantime?"

[Don't we simply want for them to let me leave without fighting?]

"Nope, you see you need to think smart. If you ask only for that it is questionable if they will comply. Now, if you add a bunch of random demands."

[They will accept the easiest one, is that it?]

"Exactly!"

By the way, why is she so happy to get fake kidnapped?

How bored is she?

Now since earlier the others are barely placing a line.

She's so assertive and engaged in the process.

Go figure.

Teenagers or something.

How old is she anyway?

I will not try to guess.

I'm really bad at that.

I do have a trick however for ladies.

You know if you are ever asked to guess their age.

In doubt always say 20.

Now believe me this works.

If she is younger, she will be pleased to appear mature.

If she is middle-aged, she will take it as a compliment.

If she is old, you just got yourself a sugar mommy.

But that is beside the point.

She elegantly puts our demands into words.

"How is it?"

I cannot read, but it should be fine.

Now, obviously, I am expecting some over-the-top stuff.

All that doesn't matter.

All smoke to hide our true purpose haha.

Is this becoming a mind game?

I like that stuff.

[All good!]

She says heroically:

"Bring this to whoever is in charge!"

Poor guard.

He is worked like a dog.

Now we wait, I guess.

I like how the other students somehow all grabbed a book at some point.

Now they are casually reading.

There is probably invisibility magic in the world.

What would happen if a member of some special force used that to infiltrate us?

How surprised would he be?

A rescue mission where no one is panicking at all.

Where the victim turns out to be the mastermind.

It wouldn't surprise me if he would lose his concentration from it.

Could you picture an invisible mage suddenly appearing?

It would be an ultimate failure.

As I'm thinking that I'm just petting Wolfie.

From time to time she glares at that hostage girl.

Is she jealous?

This is kind of funny.

She has been wandering around so much lately.

Now just as she comes back this happens.

Talk about bad timing.

The strong unicorn left, the weak one remained.

I mean I'm happy that Wolfie is here.

I'd just prefer if she wasn't in danger.

Maybe I am just unlucky.

[Hey, Wolfie how about you fake being one of these guys' creatures? We could send you to safety.]

*Snort*

She wants to stay with me.

This is what loyalty is all about.

Risking your life for your friend.

Who's the dumbass that said a soul-link is mandatory?

[Alright but do be careful.]

*Slam*

"I'm back! I have conveyed your message."

[And?]

He seems to be fidgeting.

"They keep saying they don't have the authority to make a decision."

[Well, I guess this is normal. Guess we just need to…]

"Wait! They didn't say anything about what I wrote at all?!"

"No…"

"They are buying time. They have no intention of truly cooperating!"

[What?!]

"I mean…you saw all the ridiculous stuff I wrote. While they may not have the authority to accept it, they definitively have the authority to reject most of the stuff on it."

[Now what would they be stalling for?]

"A rescue mission. Are there any other entrances to this place?"

[Hey librarian friend! That one is a question for you!]

Wait … he is reading too?!

His library is under attack at the moment, and he doesn't care?

I'm not sure whether to be worried for him or simply praise his balls of steel.

I mean come on!

"Oh? I was reading. Indeed there is only that one entrance."

Then he goes back to his book.

If I ever become an author, I want my work to become that addictive.

No matter the situation, have the reader hooked.

But seriously we can't simply wait here forever.

Even with one entrance, they could try to drill a hole in a wall of something.

You know the famous, planting c4 scene.

The wall bursting into pieces.

Then they would throw smoke grenades to confuse us.

Finally, storm the place and….

Is there a magical version of all of the above?

Usually, it would end up causing potential victims.

I can't risk that since these guys are friends.

It's in moments like these that I wish I could use magic.

Surrounded by tons of guards?

Teleportation magic time!

Cya later suckers!

Oh well, I'll just hope for the best.

It's not like I have a better option right now.

Actually I should probably use that scouting ability of mine haha.

This feels like the calm before the storm.

Hopefully, we'll get through this.