In the divine realm, the administrator watched as Kael unveiled his gift, feeling the same elation he did upon checking his new powers.
She nodded, pleased to see him so happy.
"Mortal, you should be extremely grateful," she mused.
It happened the moment the words left her.
"Thank you for sending this exceptional gift to me. Even if it was a little late, I don't mind; you must have been busy with something important. Truly, thank you, oh mighty one."
She was happy when she heard the first half of the sentence, but her expression grew weirder the more he spoke.
"I feel somehow insulted. Maybe it's just my imagination. Let's see how you will escape now that you have all the cards in your hands. Do not disappoint me."
She couldn't wait to see how Kael would escape and what kind of life he would live.
°°°
Kael couldn't test his spells while chained. The special spatial magic might work to break the chains, but how would he explain how a sturdy chain suddenly broke?
He took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "I must stay calm. My jailbreak is around the corner; I must not get too excited and mess things up. I can't let them know I've become a mage. Fortunately, because I was a normal person, they gave me a normal slave crest, thinking I could never become a mage or a knight. Now that I have magic, the normal crest can't affect me. I must escape quickly before anybody notices the change."
He had a rough plan in his mind. If tomorrow his master were to take him to the special room again and use the other table, there was a hundred percent chance he'd escape. He prayed for good fortune.
Later in the evening, the little maid brought his meal—another bland soup and hard bread. Upon seeing it, he smiled.
Good. This obviously means he will be taking me to the special room again tomorrow; otherwise, he wouldn't be so generous.
Perhaps frightened by his smile, or for some other reason, she scurried away like a startled rabbit, making him chuckle. He devoured the meal and immediately lay on his side to sleep. Tomorrow would be a busy day.
The following morning, Kael woke. He wasn't in the best state, but he was filled with energy. He couldn't wait for his master to come.
Fortunately, he wasn't disappointed. His master appeared around evening with the two guards, just like yesterday. They unchained him and dragged him toward the special room, strapping him to the inclined table. They tilted it to a 160° angle. One of the guards left, as usual, leaving only his master and one guard.
"My sweet boy~ Let's begin!" Abass said with a smile as he took the vicious black whip and began to approach.
This inclined table was filled with various holes. Upon activating the mechanism, metal spikes would emerge and pierce the body, avoiding vital organs. He would then whip him. The scars on Kael's thighs, palms, and abdomen came from this device; it was his second time on this table. The guard standing behind would activate the device, and Abass motioned for him to get ready.
"Understood, master." The guard immediately picked up a round object and was about to push the button.
Kael waited patiently until the man's finger was about to press it, and then he made his move.
"Spatial Transfer!" he murmured under his breath.
Immediately, he felt a yanking force. His vision blurred, and his body moved. Right before him, countless spiky metal heads poked through the holes, followed by an anguished cry.
He had used Spatial Transfer to switch places with his master. Abass was now on the table, and those tiny spikes pierced through his body, making him cry out like a stuck pig.
"Gyah!"
Everything happened too fast. Facing an unexpected situation, one tends to act irrationally, on impulse.
"How dare you, you vile slave! Ugh! Kill him!" Abass ordered.
The guard unsheathed his sword, took a thrusting stance, and charged at Kael. He wasn't far from him. The second part of Kael's plan began. He waited until the guard was close, then teleported away. Having lost his target, the guard couldn't stop in time, and Abass happened to be in the trajectory of the thrust. Before the guard could cancel his attack, the sword pierced through Abass's mouth. It was an instant death. His eyes widened in disbelief, probably unable to comprehend how he had died.
As for Kael, his plan wasn't over. Using the guard's shock at inadvertently killing his master, Kael picked up a sharp metal spike and teleported behind him. Without hesitation, he plunged it into the guard's back, aiming for his heart.
Puchi!
"Cough! You! You won't be able to esc—" The guard couldn't finish his sentence before slumping over his dead master.
"We'll see," Kael mumbled in response before feeling drained. It dawned on him that he had just killed someone—two people, if he counted one indirectly and the second directly. His hands were shaking, his vision blurred, and he was unsteady on his feet. But not yet.
"I can't fall unconscious yet. I must leave as soon as possible."
Slapping his cheeks to regain focus, he moved toward the two dead men. He rummaged through their pockets, finding three silver and five copper coins in the guard's pocket. Then he moved to his master, where he found four gold coins. He didn't bother taking anything else; he had no time.
He removed the guard's clothes and put them on. They were obviously too big for him, but it was better than nothing. He picked up a knife and a pair of scissors from the table.
He didn't forget to take the keys. Cautiously, he walked toward the door, pressing his head against it to listen for any footsteps. Fortunately, there were none. He opened the door and peered through, finding no one. After a moment, he left the special room, sealed it behind him, and began walking down the dark corridor until he reached another door. He repeated the process, listening for footsteps before using one of the keys to open it. Peering through, he saw a staircase leading up.
Bad ump! Bad ump!
His heartbeat accelerated, pounding against his ribcage like a drum. He cautiously climbed the stairs until he reached another door. Listening, he heard the voice of the other guard.
"Tch! That damned master of mine with his twisted hobby—he's at it again today. His father is dying, and instead of focusing on improving the citizens' lives, he's here frolicking. Disgusting."
Using the scissor handles, Kael knocked on the door to draw his attention.
Knock!
"Huh? Already done?"
Kael leaned against the wall just behind the door. The guard opened it, poking his head through.
"Have you—"
Kael didn't let him finish. He plunged the knife into the man's neck, severing a carotid artery. Blood gushed out like a geyser. He saw shock, incomprehension, unwillingness, and despair in the guard's eyes before life faded from them. The man slumped against the half-opened door. Using his meager strength, Kael fully opened it, letting the body roll down the stairs. Fresh air washed over his face. He didn't bother looting the corpse. Cautiously, he stepped out and saw two pale moons in the sky, a giant estate sprawling before his eyes.
He didn't take time to enjoy the gentle night breeze before he began running, crouching low. This place seemed to be the back of the estate. He hid behind one pillar after another as he moved stealthily forward. Wearing oversized clothes made it extremely difficult, but he persevered.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps. His heart almost jumped out of his chest. He hid in the darkness, crouching low and not daring to make a sound. Two maids passed by, chatting as they headed somewhere.
"I wonder how long our master will stay bedridden for?"
"Who knows? Maybe he'll die. The young master is the one governing the barony in his stead."
"Tch! That pig!"
"Shh! You'd better not let any guards hear you, or you'll die—and your family, too."
Kael stayed hidden, listening until they disappeared. Then he resumed his escape. He entered another corridor; in the distance, he could see many lit rooms. He knew he mustn't go there. He went the opposite way, hiding whenever he noticed people coming. He continued like this until he saw a tall wall with a sentry on it. He moved stealthily until he was close enough to use Spatial Transfer, switching places with the guard. Once on the wall, he saw a small town not far away. He immediately used Teleportation to escape.
While disappearing into the darkness below, he heard the guard shouting.
"Intruder!"
A flare shot into the sky behind him. The baron's estate was soon thrown into turmoil.