A knock came from my hotel room door around midnight. When I opened it, a young lady wearing a hood stared back at me. Blue eyes, dark blue hair, and she wore a black robe with strange designs around the sleeves and edges.

"William Shipudan?" She asked in a quiet voice having studied me.

"Yeah, can I ask who you are? Why you’re here in the middle of the night?"

"Let me inside."

I would shut the door, not giving an answer and demanding entrance, but I could guess who send her. Before I could even give her an answer she pushed herself in. She proceeded to the windows, parting the curtains, scanning the streets below. I closed the door and watched her as she moved about, from one side of the room to another, she looked everywhere. Opening up the closet and bathroom.

At Random corners of the room, she cast incantations. Illumines magic circles that appeared in the air and the words she spoke resembled the spells for obstructing spies.

After a good 5 minutes went by she was finally done.

"I'm the 3rd and most talented apprentice of the Core Sorcerer Danial Eustace." She quite seriously said, as if, it was a matter of fact. "I'm here to escort you."

"Escort me..."

I thought he might contact me more since I told him where I’m staying, and I was glad when he didn't. But it seems that has come to an end.

"Yes, Master Danial would like to meet you before the Golem reaches the country."

"Alright, then escort away."

She nodded her head, and took out a red chalk… or maybe a crayon. Then proceeded to draw a circle on the floor.

While drawing patterns inside the circle she explained.

"I'm not able to teleport without drawing the circle like Master Danial, so excuse me for a moment."

As I realized she was going to take some time drawing the minute details of for this spell, I took a seat.

This is the self-proclaimed best apprentice?

▼▼▼

When we eventually transported to the hidden hallway of the Sorcerer’s estate there was the old adventurer looking man, Zejimal, and the Sorcerer himself standing in front of us. As if they waited there the entire time for us to pop up.

Soon as the Sorcerer saw me he started talking.

"William, I'm so glad you can make it. We have an emergency on our hands. That king sent a few guards over to investigate."

"We've been found out!"

The little lady shouted it seems they hadn't told her anything either.

"No. Um... I can't be sure but I don't think we have been completely exposed. All they were able to find was that some of the adventures were training, but we passed it off as just wanting some tutelage from the great adventurer Zejimal here."

"So. So what does this mean for us, for the rebellion?"

The young woman sounded quite concerned. If it's exposed then I better abandon you all as well, there will be other opportunities to kill the player; can't expose my involvements here. If he realizes a player is helping then it could turn out bad.

"Hmm... The Red King has requested an audience with Danial."

"What should we do master?"

She’s more panicked than the Sorcerer. She's more of a teacher's pet than the best disciple, teacher’s number one pet.

"Stop being so worried Ilmey. This Red King is a coward, he won't act. I'll go talk to him and be back in no time."

The Sorcerer wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer.

"Now tell me which route they'll be coming in, your subordinates? They'll be arriving here tomorrow, correct?"

The urge to kill him intensified. I made sure not to look him in the eye, because if I did, he'd know I'm disgusted by his existence.

"Yes. They'll reach the northern part of the country sometime tomorrow morning. Then they'll travel east along the border to reach here. As I had instructed them."

"Hmm..."

Zejimal seemed a bit worried, but Danial spoke up for him.

"Zejimal will meet them beyond the border if he leaves now then he should be able to intersect them before they reach the border. If the guard watchtowers spot something suspicious heading to my estate right now it might get reported to the king."

"William… can you… Hmm… send a message telling them to stop near the crossroads between Tengai and Nadnol?" Zejimal asked looking down on me.

"No, I can't."

I could but I'm not a mage in this disguise, and I didn't feel like making up another fake item just for their convenience.

"Hmm..."

"Then you'll have to go with Zejimal. And Zejimal, if the guards spot the carriage take it back into the forest."

He just turned and started talking to Zejimal, ignoring whatever else I could say.

Why do I feel like these bastards are using me when I'm the one using them.

"Hmm... Will the carriage be able to?"

"I don't care, I don't want all the guards knowing it’s headed to my estate."

"Hmm..."

"Master, I'll go along as well. I'm sure I can assist."

The old Sorcerer's eyes lit up when he turned to the girl, and he slowly caressed her shoulder.

"Alright Ilmey, if everyone's going makes me want to come along as well. That wretched king, I'll have to leave for the capital soon to meet him in the morning. Haa~. You guys have fun."

The entire meeting happened in the hall, we only moved a few meters down the hall as we conversed.

The young girl and the sorcerer were walking in front of us; they seemed a bit close and I could guess their relationship.

Zejimal came up to me and was now asking me questions, about horse riding and whether I can fight. Which irritated me, my anger only subsided with the thoughts of murdering these bastards one day.

Waking me in the middle of the night, and this feeling of being used, this horrible itch.

♦♦♦

The NPCs made a large crate to transport the Golem.

The Golem is 2 and a half meters tall, it looks like it's wearing a large smooth breastplate. It has Popeye arms, those large forearms. Its legs are similar, with a bell shape below its thighs, and its head is a perfectly spherical ball with glowing blue circles for eyes. There is also a blue design going throughout its body, carved into it like flames twirling, till it reaches the chest where all the flames seem to merge.

One of my best creations after reaching level 10 in Craftsman of Taboo, this golem is a higher level than me with a level of 600. The level is based on the materials used and the amount of time and effort you put into making it.

"Get in."

The golem got in the crate as I commanded, and the NPCs started nailing the crate shut.

"Just like how I first went to the city of Tengai, we'll teleport it to the forest near the city, and then it can go down to the northern road and head to Tengai."

I instructed Stella who's been following the whole process with me.

"Yes, Master Verra. The carriage is already ready."

"Good."

"Who should I use as the coachman…?"

I pulled out a summon figure from the Human collection and poured in some of my mana, and tossed it to the ground. There grew a human adventurer, fully clothed and ready to fight.

"Have him dressed to look like a coachman."

"Yes, Master Verra."

"You should have a few of these, it'll come in handy."

I took out more of my summon figures from my pocket and handed it to Stella. They were a mixture of my Human, Slime, and Angel collections.

"Thank you very much for gifting me with your collection, Master Verra."

She genuflected on the floor and lowered her head.

"Sure, sure."

It's all a bit much, but I've gotten used to it in the past year, and I'm too lazy to care anymore. I tried stopping them before, but if they stop for one thing they start doing it for something else; it's a never ending cycle.

▼▼▼

"Everything is prepared for teleportation Master Verra."

I opened up my map to confirm that the tracker incantation I put on the Golem is working. Just like the base, Data-House, the Golem showed as a red dot on the map.

This golem might be the strongest defense mechanism in Data-House, I have four of them but even one is enough to destroy something like my Cave. So a tracker to track where this thing is, is an absolute necessity, there is the risk of someone hacking the spell to find my location but it's worth the risk.

The goods carrying carriage without the top. The crate was laid down, and its end stuck out the back since the carriage wasn't long enough to fit it all.

"Okay then if everything is set, I'll teleport the carriage. [Mage: Spatial Move]"

When the carriage disappeared I checked the map again to confirm its location that it was where I intended it to be. With everything taken care of here, I decided to head back to the Cave.

"Alright, since everything here is done, let's head back to the Cave."

Most of the NPCs around me were my guards, with the exception of Stella and Cybel. I don't get to see her a lot these days.

"Cybel you have been doing a great job managing the house in my absence, good work."

"I am your humble slave master Verra."

She is one of the few people among my NPCs who won't change despite me telling them to a hundred times. She genuflected to the floor ruining her white dress, and I had to tell her to rise 3 times before she did.

♦♦♦

Should I send a message? No... It's not needed, if I know me - my original - he'll send the Golem far from the city, and deep into the forest that no one would see the teleportation.

"Hey don't get left behind!"

Another idiot on his horse came beside me.

"William, you have to do this. Do this. Do this." I had to do what he did to make him shut the fuck up. "Yeah like that!"

He shouted; as what he made me do, made the horse run faster, it was a simple flick of the rein. They've been annoying me the entire time since I got on this horse. How to touch the horse, how to hold on to the horse, how to keep your head, how to lean forward, how to DO! FUCKING! BREATH! They won't fucking shut up!

"He's getting better."

"Yeah, he's still got some ways to go, but he’s getting better."

The two warriors talked among themselves, loud enough for me to hear.

Think of the larger picture Verra, I mean William, you'll get to kill them in time.

We've been avoiding the watchtowers while heading west from the Sorcerer’s estate, so most of the journey's been through the forest.

I don't know how the horse was running through this place, I would've refused.

Suddenly the 'leader', Zejimal, pulled his horse to a halt, and showed us his palm, telling us to stop.

I could finally see the road heading north through the trees. Zejimal gave us hand signals to move north following the road. Like one follows the river, we followed the road through the forest.

I was worried we might go too far north since the original will be using teleportation if we went too far we might miss the carriage that's coming with the Golem. But my worries were for nothing after we were far enough from the watch towers, Zejimal stopped us and got everyone to wait here.

"Hmm... Going any further would be a waste of energy."

So I took a seat on a rock and started drawing on the ground with a stick to pass time, while the others stayed on high alert to spot the carriage that would come with the Golem.

♦♦♦

I should have gotten some sleep after they left. Yawn*. It's going to be bad if I look tired. Even that stupid king might catch on.

"[Sorcery: Unsleep]"

Now that feels great. It's going to be hell when it wears off.

They should have made it by now.

William, William, William. I didn't go through 500 years without meeting a few people like you. Probably been living off of mommy and daddy's wealth all your life. Got taken to auctions or something where you developed a taste for the rare, then you been spending every coin to obtain rarer and rarer things.

I’ve seen many nobles like you William, and I've had drinks with them, good times with them, and I would like the same with you. I can tell from just how lazy you are. Your eyes William they lack energy. Bestmans walking in the streets, but you don't care; I really do wonder what favor you want to ask me, William.

At least you aren't like that king whose betrayed his own brethren to help those animals, but not caring is what lead to this. But there is still a chance for you, William, you’re helping us so I expect good things from you.

I'm not like you William, I had to work very hard to get where I am today, and I'm not going to give it up. You've given me the opportunity to take back what was rightfully mine, for that I'm grateful.

"Master Danial the guards come from the castle. They are ready to take you to the Red King."

One of the maid’s voice came from the other side of the door.

"Thank you. I'll be right there, please tell them that."

"Yes. Master Danial"

I listened to her footsteps receding away, down the hall.

All the people working for me are human commoners, ever since the slaves got equality it's hard to tell which of them are with us and against us.

I should get ready, if worst comes to worst I'll just have to teleport out of there. Then I'll really have to leave this city, maybe I'll meet up with the princess. I really wonder in worry what's happened to her.

♦♦♦

"Is that the one?"

The girl, Ilmey, asked quite annoyed that I was drawing a fish instead of joining them in looking at the road. I take a moment to look up and say:

"No."

But it was starting to concern me, the sun was coming up and I still haven't spotted the carriage. The original should be able to track all the clones with his map, so if he sees me here he should be able to guess the situation. That's if he checks his map.

Doubt was starting to propagate within the ex-adventurers, the warriors, and the girl, Ilmey, wasn't helping. She started asking me questions about this and that; how the carriage looked, if I knew for sure it'll be taking this route, and if it was late.

"How would I know if it's late?" I answered returning the feeling of annoyance. "All I know is that it'll reach the estate today, and for that, I assume they would have to come through here around this time."

They were all starting to become irritated with me, I could feel it.

Their ignorance is the only thing keeping them alive.

"Be patient, it'll come."

With that, they grumbly shuffled back to looking at the road.

"What about that one?"

The girl asked flicking my ear from the side. It hasn't been 10 seconds. I reluctantly look to the far side of the road, and coming from the turn in the road up ahead was a large carriage, driven by a dark-skinned man, dreadlock hair down to his shoulders, wearing clean but simple clothes.

"Yeah, that might be it."

Zejimal's two adventurer subordinates made sounds of surprise and one of them turned to Zejimal to ask: "Should we go intercept."

"Hmm... William and I will go; no need to frighten the coachman."

Zejimal looked to the girl and got a nod out of her. Then she forced me to get up.

The moment the driver of the carriage noticed me he shouted:

"Master Ve-William. W-why're you here?"

The summons are able to recognize something like my mana or something about the aura around its creator.

The only two main differences between us clones and the original are; we can't create clones and our HP is our own. The mana pool is connected and so is the limited skills.

From the fact that he knows my name, though, it seems he's been briefed about the situation. Zejimal beside me answered before I could.

"We're taking a different route to the estate." For which, the coachman gave me a weird look, which asked 'who's this fucker?' Trying not to grin I said:

"This is Zejimal, one of the Core Sorcerer’s friends. We're working with them."

I don't know how much he knows, but I assumed he knew enough.

"I see. I'll do as Master William commands."

"Hahaha."

No, you're giving off the wrong impression. I know I'm your Master, but that face is too adhering. It's not an expression you see on a hired coachman, but a good dog.

"Hmm... Whatever, listen to me for now." Zejimal spoke dismissing the summoned human's words. "If you go that way the watchtowers will spot you," Zejimal explained pointing in the direction of the watchtowers ahead. "Hmm... But.. you won't b able to ta-e tha th-ugh te forest..." He mumbled to himself something before coming to a decision. "We'll have to go back and take the other route."

So we turned the carriage around and went back to take a different route through the forest. It isn't a safe route like the main road which merchants usually travel through and is maintained by the guards.

It took much longer to get to the estate, and we had to fight off a Squblins; by we, I mean they, since I'm just a collector right now. Squblins are a kind of goblins with large fluffy squirrel like tails. We have quite a few of them near the entrance to the Cave, they aren't as smart as goblins so they behave more like animals than tribes.

When we reached the estate it was close to evening, the sun was still very much up, but the afternoon had passed. The Sorcerer still hadn't returned, so we couldn't teleport the crate into the hidden grounds and had to leave it with the carriage in the back areas right outside the estate.

It’s not possible to get the carriage through the back, so someone will have to carry the crate in.

Zejimal suspected there might still be some guards loitering around, so he decided not to use the front gates to get the carriage in.

♦♦♦

If I see her I'll give it to her. I put the square piece of folded paper back in my sleeve. A secret pocket where I usually keep magic scrolls.

"We're here Danial." From the way, he addressed me I knew the coachman was a slave. No one referred to me as just 'Danial' in this city before this king. I was a Master, powerful, one of the strongest magic casters in this continent, and the strongest in this city. "Come on Sorcerer, let's go."

The man who opened the door to my coach said, calling with his hands. Does he not realize a single word, a spell, can kill him; there is no redemption for these fools. A human yet a slave.

"I heard you the first time."

I said, jumped out the door; my healthy vigor seems to have surprised this moron. The moron guided me to a room I visited many times to have tea with the previous king.

You fat fool, you let your daughter run around with some maverick and look what happened.

I know it wasn't his fault, but whenever I thought of the previous king, I could not help but blame him in my mind.

It was a splendid room, white marble floors, and at the edge of the castle with two sides of the room being windows. At the center of the room, there are two elegant couches which bend around the tea table. The tea table itself was made of pure glass, and just beyond the only set of furniture in the room was a beautiful balcony overlooking the side of the castle.

I thought the king would make me bow down in the throne room or take me to his office, but it seems at least he has some taste.

The guard that guided me here told me to wait and left.

I took a seat and relaxed, as I had done many times before in this same room.

The last year has been a terrible one, and sitting here made me realize that all the more.

The curtains by the balcony fluttered with the wind, it was a bright and sunny day. The cool air was a welcome gift from mother earth.

I didn't eat anything for breakfast, hope I can at least get some lunch before I head back. In a week or so all this will be a terrible memory, terrible memories we can never laugh about.

"M-master Da-anial..." I looked up to see the stuttering female demi-human from the Alpacaman tribes. A familiar face. She stumbled coming to me, teary eyed. "I-I'm so glad t-to see you..."

I had to jump out of my seat to stop her from prostrating before me. Her tears of joy were moving. Only if all slaves could be like her. Loyal to the end, Lami.

"Not here, stand straight. And wipe away those tears. Now, what are you doing here?"

She wiped away her tears and did as I told.

"I heard he called you here master, so I had to come see my Master. I tried to talk to you at the party…"

It was just us alone in the room, but I kept one eye on the door.

"I see. This isn't a good time, and if someone were to see you behaving like this... But I'm glad I got to see you, take this."

I passed her the folded piece of paper from my sleeve.

"I'm delighted to see you as well Master Danial. How much longer... How much longer will I have to serve this fake king?"

Since she started working here she's been asking this question every time we met, and every time my answer has been: 'a little bit longer', but not today.

"Not much longer, read what I gave you in private and destroy it after you're done. It will tell you everything."

I could see the joy in her eyes.

"Yes! Master Danial."

"Not so loud. Now go."

This time she just nodded her head and left, only to look back once more when she reached the door. A truly exceptional beastman.

After a few minutes, the king came in. Those red eyes that make me wonder if he's even human, and that strange hair. He took off his usual fur coat, that it seems he wears even in the summer and took a seat across from me. He laid the coat beside him, and underneath it was chainmail armor; clearly unfit for a king. I still wonder as I did a year ago as to where he came out of, I had never heard of him from the surrounding countries. He must be from another continent, but even some of my pirate contacts had never heard of him.

It is normal for a subject of a king to genuflect at the appearance of the king, but I did not do so and that seemed to have made his butler who followed him quite upset. But the king like always, as I remembered him, took no notice. He was clearly no king before this, that alone I was sure from his bearings.

"Danial, do you know why you're here?"

"I'm afraid I am completely in the dark. Your majesty's guards questioned Zejimal's pupils, and I'm not entirely sure what it might have been about. Does your Majesty have a problem if Zejimal, who is known as a great adventurer in this city, takes in a few pupils? I believe it is about time he retires so a teaching position would suit him the best."

That's the story we decided to stick with. It shouldn't have any problems, they haven't found any other evidence all they have are suspicions; and this king isn’t the kind to act.

"Is that so? If you don't know then I'd like to think this was a mistake, and I really hope it was."

He gave me a look with the last line, but if he was trying to threaten me he's 100 years too early. The king didn't stop there, it looked like he had more to say.

"I'll just leave that report as some guard’s wild imagination. Now I'd like to address another matter, I think Zejimal might be able to help in this matter as well." What's with that smirk, irritating. If that's all I'd like to go home, but annoyingly enough he had more to say. "I am sure you already know; this coming winter we'll be going to war with the Kingdom of Nolybab, and I would like you to take action as a general-"

"What!? If you just give back the slave-"

"Let me finish, I would also like Zejimal and his pupils to take part as well. Our army is monster-ably understaffed right now."

Ha ha ha, don’t I know it. You don’t have to worry after we take over our country we won’t be going to war.

"Were you not just asking for volunteers? Will you be starting conscription?"

"That is not the case. I know you have worked with the previous king with similar issues such as this, so I am asking for your help."

"And if I refuse?"

What's with that disappointed look, am I supposed to be ashamed. Ashamed for what, this country's a farce.

"This country is divided, I thought leaving it alone would heal. This divide between beastman and human is nothing but outer appearance, I was hoping people would see that after spending some time with them. People like you who created this world of slavery and maintained it with great effort, but you lock yourself away in your estate away from the people, doing god knows what. I'm asking, no giving you a chance to redeem yourself, become this country's hero again, that's what you were weren't you? Well, you weren't for half the population that was treated in inhuman ways for the rich’s pleasure and convenience. And don't even mention giving back the slaves, they gave it their all to make it here, and I'm not going to abandon them. If you care about this country and its people you'll help me. I don't want to conscript, but if I have to I'll make an exception for certain people, but I don't want you to join because you're forced but because it's the right thing to do. If you just get out of that estate a bit and talked to these people, heard the stories of the refugees that come over every day then you'll understand. Then what do you say? Will you help this country once again, as you have done in the past?"

Does he believe all this nonsense, beastmans, and humans have nothing in common.

No, I think he might just be stupid enough to believe his own nonsense. From what he said he'll conscript if I refuse, so there is no way out.

He was just saying all that to insult me or worse push his twisted philosophy down my throat, does he think I'll just believe him and happily accept. Either way, I can't refuse is what he's saying, then all I can do is gain time.

"Can I think about it? We have till winter no?"

"That's true... I'd like your answer sooner rather than later... For various reasons as you could imagine... How long do you need?"

Well in a week we plan on attacking so how about "8 days should be enough if that's fine."

"8 days... Sure, that should be fine."

He gave me a quizzical expression and turned to look at his butler, maybe with the thought '8 days, is that something special?' Ha ha ha...