They decided to pass through the same route they used in coming here. While the group got to the second turn, they were forced to use another route when they saw two guards discussing on the path. Void even tried distracting them, but only one left to check it out, so they couldn’t pass through it.

The route they were currently using wasn’t much different from the other one, they would occasionally hide for extended time periods before moving. They continued walking for almost five minutes before noticing a decrease in the number of guards.

Although the number of guards decreased, the stages of the guards that were patrolling the halls and hallways saw an increase. Even a fool would know that there was something important going on in this part of the villa.

With the absence of the mayor in his room, and the so-called important guests Smith talked about, the group was able to connect the dots. Unknown to the group, the part they were currently passing through would take them past the mayor’s personal office in the villa. This office was different from the one the occupants of the city knows about.

The group soon got close to the mayor’s office, and two guards could be seen standing in front of the huge double door that led to the office. Of all the guards that the group had seen, they were the strongest, being in the Eighth stage of the Arcane Plane.

Grey and his friends were currently looking at them from where they were hiding.

Reynolds couldn’t help but look at the door curiously, “What do you think is going on there?”

“Nothing that we should concern ourselves with, we should take another route and leave this place.” Grey didn’t want them to involve themselves in what wouldn’t bring them any good.

Since he had collected the coins, all he wanted was to leave this place. Had they been outside the building, he would have already charged out of the villa. But running out now is a little complicated since they would have to face more guards.

“Crap! Why didn’t think of this earlier?” Klaus smacked the back of Reynolds’ head as he exclaimed softly.

“Why did you smack my head?” Reynolds asked with a long face.

“Cause I was just hit with an idea and if I don’t smack my head, it wouldn’t be dramatic. Unfortunately, I can’t smack mine, and since you were standing right in front of me, I thought why not?” Klaus shrugged with a smirk, annoying Reynolds.

Reynolds glared at him but Klaus acted as nothing happened, he even threw him a challenging look, like he couldn’t do anything to him.

“Stop this the two of you. Klaus, what brilliant idea do you have now?” Alice stopped the two before they started bickering.

“It’s quite simple actually, instead of passing through so many twists and turns, why don’t we just go through a window or something. There’s an empty room right there, and passing through a window would take us directly outside.” Klaus explained.

“Oh! That’s simple and very fast.” Grey nodded.

Unlike the first time where they needed to stay in the building to locate the mayor’s room, now they didn’t need to be inside, after all, they were trying to go outside. It doesn’t matter how they went outside, be it the door or the window, it all gave them the same result.

“Of course, I’m brilliant, what else do you expect from me?” Klaus smiled while looking at Reynolds demeaningly. It was like he was asking him if he was smart enough to think of something like this.

Reynolds almost went crazy when he saw this, but he was reigned in by Grey who was standing close to him.

“Let’s get out of this place.” Alice said as the group silently went into the room that was close to them.

After going into the room, they went over the window, landing in the bushes behind the window. They stayed close to the walls and continued walking.

“Huh! Do you guys hear that?” Klaus looked at the others who were behind him

The group was currently standing close to a window, and they could hear voices from inside. If they guessed correctly, this was the mayor’s office.

Grey and the others nodded with serious expressions, this was something they didn’t think they would hear.

Klaus peeked through the window, and he saw ten men and three women sitting inside, having a heated discussion. The man on the mayor’s seat had a complicated look on his face.

____

Inside the office.

“I’ve already kept over five thousand of your soldiers in the mountains, if more were to join them, it will certainly give us away.” The middle-aged man in the mayor’s seat said with a serious expression.

“This is a small city, your empire doesn’t care about it. There’s no way they would find out about this since they missed the first ones.” One of the ladies who was sitting at the right side said.

“You’re not understanding me, I’m taking a great risk doing this for you people. If I’m caught, my entire family risk annihilation. Hiding five thousand soldiers is my limit, any more and the increased activity might alert the empire.” The mayor said.

“We offered you a price, and you accepted. Now, you’ll do as we say.” A younger-looking man said calmly.

“But…”

“There are no buts. The soldiers would be coming in a week’s time, we do not want any mishaps.” The young man interrupted the mayor.

“Fine, but you will have to increase the offer.” The mayor said through gritted teeth.

He had already joined them, there is no going back now. Why not try to milk more benefits then?

“That’s fine with us, but make sure to keep this tight. The war would begin soon, and these soldiers are who would take this empire down.” An elderly man said.

Just as they were about to continue, the mayor’s door was knocked quickly.

“My lord, there are intruders in the villa!” A yell came from outside.