Night fell, and with it, Manoban came. They didn't speak much, their quiet understanding passing between them in glances and touches.

They spent the entire night together, and in the morning, Manoban left. The whole day went by as if nothing had happened. Ray, Manoban, Belar, and her parents all went about their business, but beneath the surface, they were all simply waiting for one thing: the feudal lord's visit.

Meanwhile, inside the city lord's extravagant mansion, a very different kind of meeting was taking place. The city lord wasn't alone. He was surrounded by a few of his most trusted subordinates.

The city lord leaned forward, his hands steepled on the table. "Is everything ready?" he asked, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

One of the men, a gaunt-faced individual, stepped forward. "The family's grain fields are completely destroyed, my lord. We lured in wild beasts to do the job. The damage is extensive and will be impossible to recover from this season. They have no choice now."

A second man, who had a shifty look in his eyes, spoke next. "The poison is ready, my lord. It's an undetectable substance that will weaken the horses over a day or two. By the time they're ready to leave, their mounts will be too weak to travel.

We've already convinced Belar to take care of the horses, so when the feudal lord's horses arrive tomorrow, they'll all be under his care. When they fall ill, we will blame him and that stable boy, Astban. The feudal lord will have no choice but to let us execute them for their treachery."

The city lord laughed, a sound that grated like stone on stone. "Excellent. We will look like the heroes who discovered the traitors, and the feudal lord will owe me a great debt."

A third man, a villager who spied for the city lord, then confirmed the final piece of the plan. "My lord, the rumors are true. I've seen Astban and Manoban together multiple times. Their feelings for each other are clear. The boy is infatuated. This will be an easy distraction for us to exploit."

The city lord's smile widened. "Perfect. The boy will either try to escape with the girl, which will give us another reason to hunt them down, or he will be so consumed by her that he will make a mistake. Either way, Astban will not survive. And Manoban… well, she will be mine."

He raised a glass of wine, his subordinates following suit. "Tomorrow, we win."

The city lord's conspiracy was set. He had orchestrated every piece of his plan with meticulous detail, from ruining a family's livelihood to manipulating a trusted worker and his assistant.

He believed he had every possible variable accounted for, leaving no room for failure.

What he didn't know was that Ray, a simple boy with a terrifying power, was already one step ahead, ready to turn the city lord's master plan into his own perfect downfall.

Ray knew that his plan, no matter how solid, wasn't foolproof. If even a single detail went wrong, if something didn't go as he had speculated, his entire world could crumble.

This would be a battle of wits, a war of manipulation. The last night before the feudal lord's arrival was restless.

Before dawn, Ray worked silently, storing the remaining modified grains and feeding a dose of the healing draught to Belar's horses. He then sent a message to Manoban, telling her not to visit him that day. He couldn't risk her being seen with him or involved in any way once the real game began.

…

For some, the morning held a deep, foreboding meaning. For others, it was just another day. The feudal lord's arrival brought a wave of excitement to the city, with the citizens lining the streets to see his retinue.

Just as Ray had predicted, a servant from the city lord's mansion arrived at the stable, bringing the feudal lord's horses with him. The man who had been at the city lord's meeting was with him; a friendly smile plastered on his face.

"Belar, good to see you again," the man said, handing him a few more silver coins. "The lord is pleased with your services. We'll be back to check on the horses in a bit."

Belar, his face a mask of practiced calm, nodded. He was already wearing the Hybrid-Armor Ray had given him. He felt the weight of it, a quiet promise of protection. He knew he had to play his part perfectly.

Later that afternoon, another man from the city lord's circle visited Manoban's house. He spoke to her father, his tone one of feigned sympathy.

"The feudal lord will visit the city tomorrow to collect the grain tribute. If you still agree to send your daughter to the city lord, he will help you. He will save your family from a difficult time."

Manoban's father, however, stood firm. "Thank you for the offer, but we have made our own arrangements."

The man was surprised. He had expected the old man to be desperate, to jump at the chance for help. He thought it must be a bluff, a last-ditch effort to save face. "I'll let the city lord know," he said, a hint of a sneer in his voice, before turning and leaving. He immediately went to report the news to the city lord, who simply chuckled.

"The old fool is trying to bluff," the city lord said, a confident glint in his eyes. "Let him. It won't be long until he comes crawling back to me, begging for my help. And when he does, he will have to pay a much higher price."

The city lord was so consumed by his own arrogance that he couldn't see the trap being laid for him.

A few hours later, the same man from the city lord's mansion returned under the pretext of checking on the horses.

When he saw Belar sitting by the stalls like a guard, he hesitated, but then he steeled his resolve. He had to get the poison administered today, or the horses wouldn't weaken or die in time for the feudal lord's departure.

"Oh, Belar, how come you're still here?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Belar, feigning normalcy, stretched lazily. "Just came to check on them, then decided to rest for a moment. I'm about to leave, as Astban will be back any minute. How about you?"

The man's smile tightened. "Just came to see them, nothing much." With that, they both parted ways.

Belar left the stable and headed toward Ray's room, while the man returned a few minutes later, watching from the shadows. He didn't administer the poison himself; that was the servant's job, but he was there to make sure there were no mistakes.

The servant approached the stalls with a bucket of water and a bag of oats. As the horses eagerly ate and drank, the servant discreetly dropped a small, clear vial of liquid into each bucket.

The poison was odourless and tasteless. The horses drank it down without a second thought. The man watched, a triumphant glint in his eye, and then left, satisfied that his part of the plan was complete.

What he didn't know was that Belar and Ray were watching from a hidden spot, their faces grim. As soon as the two men were gone, Ray rushed out, a handful of vials in his hand. "They've done it," he said.

He and Belar went from stall to stall, administering the healing draught to each horse. Ray watched as the horses, which had just ingested the poison, seemed to become even more energetic and alert. His plan was working perfectly.

Ray grinned, a predatory smile spreading across his face. "Let's see what you can do now."

Just like that, the night ended, and the city lord's master plan was already in tatters before it had even begun.

Ray and Belar headed to Manoban's house, where they waited for the feudal lord's visit. Soon, a loud voice called out, "Come out, the feudal lord is here!"

A few moments later, the feudal lord, his guards, and some men from the city lord's side arrived with a large cart to collect the tribute.

The city lord's men, arrogant and confident, were surprised to see Belar, Ray, Manoban, and her parents all together. They didn't think much of it and simply said, "Pay your tribute!"

Manoban's father sadly replied, "Unfortunately, our fields were destroyed by wild animals, so we couldn't collect much." The feudal lord remained silent, but his guards were not so patient. "Do you not know you'll be punished if you don't pay the tribute?" a guard shouted.

Ray stepped forward. "We can't pay what we promised, but we have prepared something else. It's just... we can't show it in front of others," he said, glancing at the city lord's men.

One of the city lord's men sneered, "Liar, what could you possibly have when everything was destroyed?"

Ray's reply was sharp. "This isn't your place to speak." He then looked directly at the city lord. "Can I have a private meeting with the lord? I promise, this tribute will be better than anything you have ever seen."

The words piqued the feudal lord's interest, but a guard was about to object. "Private is not poss..."

The feudal lord stopped him with a raised hand. "What's your name?" he asked.

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