Raoul clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Escape is a big word, young man. You'd need to explain exactly what you mean."
'Hah… This old fox.'
It did not take long for Noah to understand the intention behind those words. Raoul was not the type to waste breath on pointless arguments. If he was asking for clarification, it meant he was trying to measure Noah. Trying to figure out whether he had simply blurted out something reckless or whether he had truly seen through their situation.
But there was something Raoul had misunderstood.
Noah was not guessing.
From the moment he was thrown into this cell, pieces had already started falling into place. The following days had only confirmed what he suspected. Every small detail, every overheard conversation, every movement outside the cell had slowly formed a picture in his mind.
Noah lowered his voice instinctively.
"Do I really need to spell it out for you?"
His tone was not mocking. It was quiet, almost tired. He had spent days thinking in circles. Speaking it aloud felt strange, as if he were finally giving shape to something that had been floating in his head for too long.
When no one replied, he let out a slow breath.
"Fine. I'll start from the beginning."
He shifted slightly, the chains around his wrists scraping softly against each other.
"Tell me something," Noah continued, glancing at each of them in turn. "Do you realize how unlikely it is for all three of you to get caught on the same day?"
Raoul's eyes narrowed, but he did not interrupt.
"Think about it," Noah said. "If your organization is even half competent, they would have pulled back the moment one of you was arrested. No group would risk losing three members in a single sweep unless they had no choice."
He paused deliberately, letting the implication sink in.
"So either your leader is unbelievably careless…" Noah continued quietly, "…or getting arrested was part of the plan."
Raoul's expression did not change much, but Noah noticed the subtle tension in his jaw. Krepin's fingers twitched slightly. Even Bale's shoulders, though facing away, had gone still for a brief second.
Encouraged, Noah continued.
"That alone was enough to make me suspicious," he said, turning toward Krepin. "But there was something else that didn't make sense."
Over the past week, the three had talked more than they realized. At first, they had tried to avoid sharing information, but confinement had a way of loosening tongues. Small complaints, half-finished stories, casual remarks about the city, the Bureau, the Front. Individually, none of it meant much. Together, it painted a very clear picture.
Noah had simply listened.
"You said you were arrested on false charges," Noah said. "Which means the Bureau cannot hold you forever. At most, you would be released within two weeks."
Raoul did not deny it.
"Then why would your people risk sending two more men in just to break one of you out? That would only make sense if something important is going to happen before those two weeks are up. Something that requires Bale… and the attention of the Revolutionary Front."
Before he could say more, Krepin cut in sharply.
"That's enough, Noah. Don't say another word."
The sudden interruption startled Raoul, but Noah did not react immediately. He simply looked at Krepin long enough to make him uncomfortable.
Finally, Noah exhaled quietly.
"This kind of isolation is enough to drive anyone insane. At least let me finish what I started."
He turned toward Bale's back, knowing the man had been listening the entire time despite pretending otherwise.
"There's more," Noah continued.
"Every day, more officers leave the building. At first, I thought it was routine. But they never came back. Unless there is a major riot or something worse happening in the city, there is no reason to thin their defenses this much. This entire floor is practically empty," he said quietly. "Just two guards outside… and a handful of inmates besides us."
What truly convinced him, however, was the warden's absence. The woman who had arrested him had not returned once. Someone like her would not abandon her post without reason. It was too big a coincidence when Noah pieced it all together.
There were several other clues and hints he had that led him to this conclusion, but he understood that this was enough.
'This should be enough. I already have an Ascendant somewhere out there. Making enemies of the Front too would be the worst possible move.'
Silence settled over the cell again.
Raoul looked tense now, no longer pretending indifference. Krepin's breathing had become shallow. Bale remained motionless, but the faint clicking sound from his hands had stopped.
When Bale finally spoke, his voice was calm.
"Credit where it's due, Noah," he said slowly. "I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to understand our situation this quickly."
Then his tone hardened.
"But what makes you think we're taking you with us?"
It was true. To them, Noah was nothing more than an outsider whose reasons for coming to Venis were unclear and suspicious. Taking him along would not only slow them down, it would also increase the risk of their entire plan falling apart.
But Noah understood something they did not.
"I'm not an idiot, Bale. You kept dropping clues as if you thought I wouldn't notice. You said it yourself. You need someone of my caliber."
It had not even been a full day since Bale revealed that he was part of the Revolutionary Front. Not just a member, but one of its higher-ups. That alone was information people would pay good money for.
Even after that, Bale continued to describe the situation in the lower districts day by day, piece by piece. Anyone else would have been overwhelmed by the stories alone, by the injustice people faced even after surviving a war.
Most of the lower districts were filled with war refugees who had traveled hundreds of kilometers to escape the frontlines, only to end up living on the streets or inside collapsing buildings.
The Count only made things worse. Instead of improving the city, his greed hollowed it out further. Human trafficking, illegal drugs, embezzlement. His crimes stacked up one after another with no sign of stopping.
The people who were already struggling were now filled with rage, like a storm waiting to break. As much as Noah pitied them, he knew he would be nothing more than a pawn no matter which side he chose.
As he watched Bale, Noah relaxed slightly. After a long pause, Bale finally turned around, the shackles still hanging from his wrists. For the first time since they met, he looked a little uncertain.
"Bravo. I knew you were interesting the moment we shook hands. But now I can say it with confidence. Your mind is sharper than I expected."
As he spoke, several broken metal pins slipped from his palm and clattered onto the floor.
"Though… we still have a problem. These shackles aren't coming off easily. I don't suppose you know how to deal with them?"
Raoul winced at the ruined metal pieces.
"I'm the fool for trusting you. You had an entire week…"
Noah stared at them in disbelief. Then, before he could stop himself, he burst into laughter. The three men turned toward him, shocked. It was the first time they had seen him laugh.
Wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, he shook his head.
'What was I even worried about…'
He slid two fingers from his left hand under the lock of the shackle on his right wrist and pressed outward. A sharp click echoed through the cell. The shackle dropped open as if it had never been locked.
The three men could only stare at him in stunned silence.
"I opened them on the first day," Noah said calmly. "I thought you were waiting for the right moment. Turns out I was the only one waiting."