Chapter 459
Setting a trap takes prep work, obviously.
If you want maximum效果 without tipping off the mark, you can't cut corners.
'So what's the play here?'
'Can you even pin something on someone that easy?'
The second sister and Nell wanted to know what I had in mind once I'd finished laughing.
"Easy. Real easy. All we gotta do is... something real simple."
See, in your usual rescue story, the hero goes in the front door, all noble-like, saves the day. That's the classic move. But classics come with baggage.
Sometimes you just want a shortcut. Can't blame a guy for that.
I'm no saint. Never claimed to be.
Not some tyrant who thinks anything goes, either.
But I know pretty words don't fix everything. And I know getting your hands dirty doesn't solve all your problems.
So first, we pull back from the mansion.
"We're hitting the temple in this town."
"What for?"
"Just got a favor to ask."
Catching the Heretic Church in a trap takes some finesse.
They're cunning and brutal, but they're also cowards at heart.
In FBO, they looked like idiots half the time, sure. But they had their reasons for doing what they did.
What they're most scared of is getting caught. Walking into a trap. Slipping up on information.
They've lasted this long because they play the information game careful.
One good trap could cripple them for good.
So even if it's the chance of a lifetime, they'll test it a dozen ways before committing. Even if they miss their shot, they'd rather be sure.
That's how they work.
So no, this isn't going to be as easy as I made it sound.
"This is a temple?"
"Looks tiny."
"That's 'cause all you've seen is Freihait's temple, the big one at the capital, and the main temple at the divine mountain. You're comparing it to the wrong things. For a normal town, this is normal."
But if you know how to push their buttons, you can still make them dance.
"Second Sister, when we go in, introduce me. Let me do the talking."
'Got it.'
All about the right pressure.
'Hello there.'
"A merchant? What brings you here?"
We stepped inside, the second sister leading. A sister who'd been cleaning put her broom aside to greet us.
Tired face. Something was definitely eating at her. Dark circles, smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
A temple without a proper shrine—always short on hands.
Same as in FBO, same here.
Place was clean, but you could see the wear and tear in places.
'We were going around town when this one said she saw something strange. Thought we should tell the temple.'
'Strange? What did you see, little one?'
She leaned down to meet my eyes. Earnest, at least.
"When I was washing my hands at the well, I saw a man. Had a weird beast tattoo on his hand. Like someone stuck different animals together."
'Are you sure about that?!'
'I didn't see it myself. But I saw him with some shady-looking man. Creepy smile.'
I pitched my voice like a little kid. Made myself small. Nell and Amina were staring holes in my back, but whatever.
Second Sister played along, playing the worried guardian. Backed me up.
"The merchants are talking about it too. Thought the temple should know."
"Thank you. We'll look into it right away."
'The two of them were headed toward the lord's mansion. Got me worried.'
"The lord's place, you say."
Bits and pieces. Just enough. A kid's word carries weight, funny enough.
Right on the line between believable and not. That's the sweet spot.
'That's all. Thanks for your time.'
"No, thank you. Must be the gods' work."
I tugged Second Sister's sleeve. We were done here.
This temple can't do much. Call in reinforcements from the nearest big temple, best they can do.
Those Church bastards coming to see the lord in broad daylight means they've got eyes on this place too.
They don't usually hit temples. Not unless they've already turned the priest or the sister running it.
That sister's tired look? She's not turned yet.
'That all it takes?'
"That's all it takes."
We'd talked for maybe five minutes. Second Sister gave me a look like "what's that supposed to do?" I just nodded. Let my eyes flick toward a building across the street. Second floor window. Good spot to watch the temple.
"Keep walking. Act normal."
'Someone's watching.'
"That window?"
"Eyes like nails on a chalkboard."
Nell and Amina felt it too. That ugly feeling. Amina's face almost twisted, but she held it together. We walked. The eyes moved off us.
'Definitely watchers.'
"Which means they've got a decent presence here. This is gonna be fun."
"You're the only one who gets excited about bad guys showing up."
"Pretty much."
"Heh, 'm not exci'd. Just like cleanin' up."
"You're not fooling anyone."
'Gotta admit, she's got a point about the cleaning part.'
We ducked into an alley once the eyes were gone. Dropped the act.
I was grinning ear to ear. Felt like Christmas.
Second Sister glanced back, saw my face. She added something about cleaning. Got a sigh out of Nell and Amina behind me.
"Temple gets the word out, the Church hears about it. They've got the lord in their pocket, so either he tries to sweep it under the rug for them, or they pull out."
I was buzzing. Plans spinning out in my head. Nell and Amina could hear every word, so I kept it low enough for them.
"Which one? Nine times out of ten, they stay. They don't want to lose the ground they've already taken. But they'll set up an escape route. And with temple knights busy elsewhere, they've got time before anyone shows."
"That even do anything?"
"Sure. Puts them on edge. They know time's running out, but they don't know when. Makes them twitchy. More than usual. Especially after what happened at the divine mountain. Temple's out for blood. They're not sitting this one out."
I turned back to Nell and Amina. Grin getting sharper.
"So they try to keep cool. They can't. Some'll want to stay, ride it out, get their payoff. Some'll want to run. Some'll want to get their cut and then run. Splits 'em right down the middle. They start arguing about where to draw the line, who gets what. Meanwhile the ones who just want out start cutting their losses and running for it. Whole thing falls apart."
You don't try to catch them all. You can't.
They're bad at working together to begin with. Too many egos, too many lone wolves.
You're not going to round them up in one net.
"That's the play. Let them tear each other apart. Panic sets in, they start making mistakes."
Use what they are against them. You won't get all of them, but you'll do some real damage.
"That's why they're so careful. Push them just a little and they either fall apart or go berserk trying to save face. And in a town this small? They're not stupid enough to go berserk."
I was aiming for the ones who want to play it safe. The ones trying to grab what they can and get out clean.
"Right when they're all second-guessing each other, Barze's mother disappears. Like someone took her. What happens then?"
'...They blame each other?'
"Bingo."
Give them just enough rope.
'Wouldn't the lord do something? It's his daughter.'
"Normally, sure. But this time it looks like the Church took her. He can't exactly go to the authorities, can he? Not with what he's tied up in."
'Ah.'
The lord's got his own problems. He's in too deep with them now.
"What's he supposed to do? Hire sellswords? Send his own men? Go to the guild and say 'my daughter got taken by the Church'? How do you think that plays out with the Church contacts he's been meeting at his front door?"
He can't move. He knows it.
That thought made their faces go tight.
"Yeah. They'll hit back. They don't forgive. So he sits on his hands, scared of what they'll do to him if he squeals. Best he can do is write a letter nobody will read."
Get them to that point, and even if we take her, nobody points our way. No extra taxes for the town. And the temple cleans up the rest. I barely lift a finger.
"Stoke that paranoia. Get them watching each other. Waiting. Let it fester."
The lord starts wondering if the Church is really as solid as they look. The Church starts seeing the lord as dead weight.
"By the time they're both frozen up, too scared to move, we're out. Temple knights roll in, mop up. That's the shape of it."
'You really think that's going to work?'
"That's the plan, anyway."
Make them trip over each other. Can't beat it for a frame job.
Nell and Amina looked at me like they weren't sure.
"Plenty of prep work left to do. Don't worry."
I'll show them.
Get ready, Heretic Church. You're not sleeping easy for a while.