Watching the residents in the distance shoulder their packs and prepare to leave Gust Town, Angel said softly, "You don't plan to stop them?"
"Personal choices come with consequences one must bear oneself," Alex said coldly.
"If you don't stop them, it will lead to even greater casualties. If the residents of Gust Town notice something amiss, the situation may spiral out of control because of it," Angel said.
Angel could even imagine it: if all those people died, the residents might infer that leaving Gust Town was the cause of death. When panic spread and fear boiled over, once everyone realized they were Birds in a Cage, no one could predict what consequences would follow.
"Only by tearing apart the disguise of peace can one see the surging waves beneath the whitewash."
Angel was certain that Alex knew what the consequences would be, yet he remained unmoved. Beneath his calm, uncontentious state of mind lay a heart that was stirring restlessly—one could even call it agitated.
"Only when the illusion develops cracks can the cage see its exit," Alex said softly.
Angel did not reply. He continued watching the people leaving in the distance, then suddenly raised a brow. "It seems your plan to tear apart the disguise of peace won't work for now."
Alex followed his gaze and saw a group of knights on fine horses blocking those who were leaving.
No one knew what they said, but in the end, those people chose to turn back the way they had come.
"If this wasn't a coincidence, then the hand hidden in the darkness still intends to whitewash peace," Alex said, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smile. "Though it isn't the outcome I wanted to see, it may not be a bad variable."
With that,