Finn’s office was exactly what Max expected from someone like him.

Meaning... it was complete chaos.

The group followed the red path until they reached a small damp room that smelled of old wood, rusted metal, and a suspicious amount of moisture collecting in every corner.

The walls were made of poorly nailed wooden planks, some crooked, others separated by just a few millimetres, allowing thin beams of light to leak in from other rooms.

The lighting was poor. Just a few small torches and a hanging lamp gently swaying from the ceiling.

In the centre of the room sat a desk that had clearly seen better days, covered in messy papers and dirty food plates.

And behind it, Finn.

The goblin dropped himself into a swivel chair of questionable stability, leaning back with absolute confidence. He propped his feet up on the desk as if he owned the place.

"Welcome to my grand office."

Max looked around.

"It is definitely an office."

Seraphine let out a small laugh.

Finn ignored the comment and gestured towards the side wall.

Pinned up with several knives, bent nails, and something that looked suspiciously like a warped fork... was a map.

Or at least, what he called a map.

"That is the black market map. Made by yours truly," Finn announced proudly.

Max’s eyes lit up.

He couldn’t believe he was finally about to see a real map of the black market. For the first time, he would get to see the layout of this secret zone. The routes. The sectors. Possible key locations. Invaluable information.

He stepped closer with almost childlike enthusiasm.

And then he saw it.

He went completely silent.

"...What the hell is this?"

The map was a visual atrocity.

Scribbles. Poorly drawn lines. Messy circles. Arrows pointing in random directions. Ridiculous doodles that looked like they had been drawn by a five-year-old on far too much caffeine and sugar.

There was a house with a smiley face. A fish. Something that might have been a skull. And one arrow labelled "weird stuff".

Max felt all his excitement slowly die inside him. His face completely fell.

"I... had much higher expectations."

Beside him, Neros and Seraphine also stepped closer. Both stared at the map. Then glanced at each other.

Absolute silence.

Clearly, neither of them understood a single thing.

Seraphine raised an eyebrow.

"Are these supposed to be streets?"

"I sincerely hope not," Neros replied.

But then they looked at Dorian.

And the elf... was fascinated. Completely absorbed by the map. As if he were staring at a masterpiece.

"Ah..." he murmured nostalgically.

He pointed at one of the scribbles.

"I remember this street."

Max slowly turned his head towards him.

"Excuse me?"

Dorian smiled.

"We used to come here to play rock throwing contests. Whoever threw it the farthest won."

He pointed at another poorly drawn circle.

"And Finn always won."

Finn gave a faint smile.

"Naturally."

Dorian continued tracing the map with one finger.

"And this place..."

He pointed at a crooked square.

"Your uncle’s tavern."

His eyes gleamed with genuine nostalgia.

"Good memories."

Max, Neros, and Seraphine remained silent.

Stunned.

Max looked back at the map. Then at Dorian. Then at the map again.

"How in the world do you understand this?"

Seraphine slowly nodded.

"I was wondering the exact same thing."

Neros crossed his arms.

"This doesn’t look like a map. It looks like a threat."

Finn waved a hand dismissively.

"Yes, yes, lovely memories."

He leaned forwards slightly in his chair.

"But let’s focus."

He tapped the desk with one finger.

"You need a plan."

Dorian straightened up.

"Right, yes, but..."

He looked at the map.

"How exactly are we supposed to make one if we don’t even know which shop belongs to those bastards?"

He didn’t get to finish the sentence.

FWISH.

A knife shot from Finn’s hand.

It flew right past Dorian’s face.

"WAH!?"

The blade sliced off a small strand of the elf’s hair before embedding itself into the map with absolute precision.

THUNK.

Silence.

Dorian watched the cut lock of hair fall in front of his nose.

"...That was unnecessarily close."

Finn smiled.

"That’s where those idiots are hiding."

Everyone stared at the knife lodged in the map.

Max stepped closer.

Neros did too.

Dorian’s eyes widened slightly.

"Wait."

He pointed at the marked spot.

"Then they’re not actually that far."

"Exactly," Finn said.

He crossed his arms.

"And since none of you are offering anything useful..."

He adjusted himself more comfortably in the chair.

"We’re following my plan."

Max listened in silence. Honestly, he didn’t have much to contribute either. He didn’t know the terrain. He didn’t know escape routes, alternative entrances, or black market habits. Improvising here would be idiotic.

Finn pointed at Dorian, then at Seraphine.

"The best option is for the useless one and the Wand of Eldoria to enter together through the main entrance."

Seraphine smiled with amusement.

"Go on."

"As buyers," Finn said. "Or clients interested in viewing unusual creatures."

Neros frowned.

"And I can’t go with them?"

Finn pointed at him mercilessly.

"You? No."

He crossed his arms.

"You are literally the king’s personal knight."

He pointed at Neros’ cut ears and scars.

"I don’t know another cat man with that much trauma on his face and those markings."

Seraphine laughed softly.

Neros gave her an unimpressed look.

"That was offensively specific."

Finn continued as if nothing had happened.

"Besides, you’d be far too suspicious."

He looked at Max.

"But the devil can blend in more easily."

Max nodded.

"That makes sense."

Finn smiled and tapped the map with one finger.

"I have secret passages underneath this entire area."

His smile turned mischievous.

"I can sneak the devil and the cat man in with me from below."

He pointed at Dorian.

"While the useless one creates a distraction at the entrance."

Dorian blinked.

"I’m bait again?"

Finn ignored his suffering.

"We’ll handle the real work."

Dorian smiled as if this were the greatest plan ever conceived.

"Sounds excellent to me."

Seraphine nodded elegantly.

"Agreed."

Max looked at both of them. And thought, with perfect clarity:

’Of course they love the plan. They’re not the ones going through the dangerous part.’

His gaze slowly shifted towards Finn. Then to Neros.

The knight looked like he had come to the exact same conclusion.

The two exchanged a glance. Sharing the exact same silent thought.

’We got stuck with the shitty jobs.’