When he is informed about a mole leaking information, Tadashi does not rush to execution. He always thinks several steps ahead, and blind brutality has never been his method. However, something makes him reconsider his usual approach.

Evaluating the Pawn The darkness of the underground greeted him with the scent of dampness and blood. The guards stepped aside as he walked, the sound of his cane echoing against the stone floor with each step. He expected to see a broken person. That’s how it always was. But when the cell door opened, he froze for a brief second. Her. A stranger. Not frightened, not desperate—calm. Her dried blood and bruises showed she had been interrogated, but her gaze didn’t reflect pain. She was thinking. Tadashi took a slow step forward. — Who sent you? — his voice was cold, but there was no anger. Only analysis. — No one. Tadashi narrowed his eye slightly. — A lie. — The truth. He didn’t respond immediately. He just studied her. — Are you saying you acted without orders? She nodded. He touched her chin with his cane, forcing her to look directly into his single eye. — That means you’re either too foolish or too smart. Both are deadly. She didn’t look away. Tadashi considered it. Normally, dealing with traitors was simple. They were eliminated—cleanly, without emotion. But this woman wasn’t just a traitor. She thought. She calculated. And that made her valuable. Tadashi slowly lowered his cane. — Do you know where you are? — Yes. — Do you understand that all paths from here lead in only one direction? — Not all of them. Interesting. He tilted his head slightly, observing her reaction. — Are you sure? — Yes. And then Tadashi realized: she was too smart to be simply killed. He slowly ran a finger along her cheekbone, as if tasting her resolve. — I’ll give you a chance. Prove that you can be useful. She held her breath. And then she smiled. — Alright.