Over the next few days, Shane didn't take any action. He silently kept growing stronger while discreetly observing, etching every detail of his surroundings into his mind.
At noon that day, the sun was scorching, heating the stone materials until they were scalding to the touch.
Millianna held a rough brick almost as wide as her chest, trudging step by step through the dirt.
The increasingly heavy workload over the past few days had long exhausted her usually active energy. Now, with every step she took, her thin ankles trembled slightly.
Seeing the base of the stone tower just ahead, she gritted her teeth, wanting to make one last push, but her foot suddenly slipped, and she stumbled backward.
The brick slipped from her grasp, its heavy shadow pressing down toward her.
After a moment of weightlessness, the expected impact didn't come. A slender but powerful arm reached out from the side, steadily catching the falling stone brick.
"You okay?" Shane's voice rang out.
Millianna froze for a moment before hurriedly shaking her head. "I-I'm fine."
Shane gently placed the brick on the cart beside him.
"Don't push yourself too hard," he looked at her, his tone calm. "If you can't move the big ones, pick the small ones. If you can't finish, call me for help."
"Th-thank you..." Millianna stammered, wanting to thank him, but her gaze unconsciously stopped on his cart. It was piled high with rocks the same size as the one she had just been holding, looking like a small mountain.
"Shane, did you get stronger?" Even someone as scatterbrained as Sho noticed the change in Shane.
A few days ago, Shane was so tired he couldn't stand steadily even with help. Now, he was doing more work than anyone else... How many days had it been?
Not far away, Simon watched in awe, too. Shane was much thinner and smaller than him, but the strength he displayed was even more exaggerated than his own.
"My body just recovered, that's all," Shane replied casually, his gaze still cautiously scanning the surroundings.
He had been observing the overseers in the field for several days straight. They changed shifts every thirty minutes, and their patrol routes covered almost every corner.
But "almost" meant not all.
Shane found a blind spot. It was a small path piled with waste material. Whether intentional or not, the guard there was exceptionally lax.
It seemed to be deliberately ignored. When work ended in the evening, no one even went there to check.
It was like this every day.
Just then, Shane felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see Sho leaning in mysteriously, whispering:
"Come over tonight. I have something to say."
Although they were in the same cell, this "come over" implied there was something he wanted to discuss without letting others know.
Shane raised an eyebrow. These days, apart from himself, everyone else was tired as a dog.
What could Sho possibly want with him at a time like this? It couldn't be that he had fallen for Millianna or Erza and wanted advice on his love life, could it?
However, the time in the cell at night was indeed free, so he had no reason to refuse.
Besides, meddling in other people's romance was a nice diversion. Shane was interested.
"Sure, I'll come find you tonight."
However, the truth was, Shane overthought it.
That night, Sho called everyone he was close with to the corner. Clearly, he had something important to announce.
"Sho, what is it? Spit it out, don't stall," Wally was the first to lose patience and urged him.
"Don't rush me." Sho held his head high, looking profound.
His smug look made Wally act like he was going to leave again. "If you don't say it, I'm really leaving!"
Seeing that he was serious, Sho quickly called out to stop him. "What's the hurry? Don't be scared when I tell you—"
He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "I found a way to escape!"
He widened his eyes, expecting everyone's shocked expressions, but saw everyone stunned for a moment with no reaction, so he hurriedly continued:
"I discovered a secret path that no one guards! As long as we get ready, we can sneak out from there tomorrow night!"
"S-so we have a chance to leave?" Millianna asked in pleasant surprise. Her lack of reaction earlier was purely because she was stunned.
"Then my sister..." Simon murmured in a low voice.
Erza remained silent, turning her gaze to Shane, who had remained calm throughout.
"Shane, what do you think?" Jellal also sensed something and asked.
Seeing everyone's eyes focused on him, Shane pondered for a moment. Although he had planned to wait a few more days, this opportunity was suitable right now.
So he spoke directly: "Give up on that plan, Sho."
"Why?!" Sho stepped forward excitedly. "I've been watching for days. There's absolutely no one guarding it! While the tower isn't finished yet, this is definitely the best chance!"
Confusion appeared in the others' eyes as well. Shane didn't rush to explain. Instead, he crouched down and picked up a crushed piece of shell from the ground.
He spread it in his palm and held it up to everyone. The rough edges of the fragment gleamed pale in the dim light.
"You should know that we are on an island, right?"
"Yes," Simon took over. He had a better constitution, so when he was brought to this island, he could vaguely feel the rocking of the waves.
"We are trapped on an isolated island in the sea. Even if there really is a way to escape from this tower, then what?" Shane's voice was soft, but every word was clear. "Without a boat, do you plan to swim back to the mainland?"
This overly obvious question, ignored by everyone, was like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads. The flame of excitement in everyone's eyes instantly dimmed.
"Then are we supposed to do nothing? I'm not willing to accept that," Sho clenched his fists.
"Me neither..." Simon and Wally spoke up almost simultaneously.
"Do you know when the supply ship docks? When do the guards change shifts? Where are the Magic Troops usually stationed?" Shane's tone gradually became cold. "No, you don't know. Acting on impulse alone will only get everyone killed."
Shane's words were resounding and irrefutable.
"The plan does have loopholes, but..." Jellal tried to speak, but was calmly interrupted by Shane.
"So, Sho, give up on your plan." He looked up, smiling faintly. "Listen to my plan."
"Those questions I just asked? Coincidentally, I know all the answers."
As his voice fell, the corner fell into silence.
After a long while, Simon asked in disbelief, "R-really?"
"Do I look like a liar?" Shane shrugged.
"You bastard! You were teasing me again just now, weren't you?!" Sho pounced on him, but facing the current Shane, he had no power to fight back and was easily suppressed with one hand.
"Shane, what's your plan? Do you have a way to get a boat? Then wouldn't we be able to leave through Sho's secret path!" Wally asked excitedly.
Shane held down the struggling Sho. "I noticed the path Sho mentioned a long time ago. However, it's very likely a trap set by the cult to catch fish."
"You mean, they're fishing for that Mage from a while ago?" Jellal frowned. "Didn't they already investigate thoroughly? They're still worried? Their vigilance is actually that high?"