CHAPTER 102: TARGET SELECTION AND SURVEILLANCE

For three days, Renard maintained the facade of diligent preparation while conducting the most detailed surveillance operation of his second life. To any observer, he appeared to be following the ceremony instructions perfectly - meditating with his crystal, practicing breathing exercises, and maintaining the focused demeanor expected of students preparing for their First Circle formation.

In reality, every moment of apparent meditation was actually Thread Walking sessions with Boa, systematically mapping Elder Thomas’s daily routine with military precision.

The elder proved to be a creature of rigid habit, which was both advantageous and concerning. Predictable schedules made planning easier, but someone so methodical might also be more likely to notice disruptions or changes in their environment.

Thomas rose every morning exactly thirty minutes before dawn, beginning his day with personal ablutions in the private bathroom attached to his instructor quarters on the upper level. The bathroom was small, isolated, and crucially - unmonitored by the magical surveillance systems that protected more sensitive areas of the monastery.

After his morning routine, Thomas would dress and make his way to the instructor dining hall for breakfast. He ate alone, reading administrative reports while consuming a simple meal of bread, cheese, and weak tea. His movements were efficient but unhurried, suggesting someone comfortable with solitude but not particularly social.

The breakfast period lasted exactly twenty-five minutes. Then Thomas would return to his quarters to collect teaching materials before beginning his daily rounds through the student areas. He checked on dormitory conditions, reviewed supply inventories, and handled routine administrative tasks that kept the Outer Hall functioning smoothly.

Lunch followed the same pattern as breakfast - solitary, punctual, and focused on work rather than social interaction. Thomas appeared to have few close relationships among the monastery staff, which meant his temporary absence would be less likely to trigger immediate concern.

The afternoon brought more administrative duties, including supervising maintenance work and coordinating with other instructors about student progress. Thomas was thorough and methodical, but his responsibilities were largely routine rather than critical. The monastery could function normally for several days without his direct involvement.

Evenings found Thomas in his quarters, reviewing reports and preparing materials for the following day. He worked alone by candlelight, occasionally making notes in a leather-bound journal that he kept locked in his desk. The isolation continued until he retired for the night around 10:00 PM.

But it was the morning bathroom routine that offered the perfect opportunity for assassination.

The bathroom was accessed through Thomas’s private quarters, which required passing through two doors and a short hallway. The space itself was cramped, containing only the essential facilities and a small washbasin. Most importantly, it had no windows, no alternate exits, and no magical surveillance beyond the basic protective wards that covered all instructor quarters.

During those fifteen minutes each morning, Thomas was completely isolated, physically vulnerable, and psychologically relaxed. He would be focused on routine personal tasks rather than watching for threats. The confined space would prevent escape or calling for help, while the early hour meant minimal chance of interruption.

The assassination would need to be swift and silent. Thomas was a trained mage with unknown combat capabilities, but catching him during his morning routine would negate most of his advantages. A surprise attack from behind while he was occupied with washing would provide maximum tactical advantage.

Although it was a bit cowardly, it was the best solution Renard could come up with.

Renard spent hours analyzing the approach routes and timing requirements. Boa’s reconnaissance had mapped the upper level thoroughly, identifying guard patrol patterns and surveillance blind spots that could be exploited during the approach.

But the more challenging was the question of disposal. Thomas’s body couldn’t remain in his quarters - the morning routine was too predictable, and his absence from breakfast would trigger investigation within hours. The corpse needed to disappear completely, leaving no trace that could be linked back to Renard.

The monastery’s waste disposal system offered the most practical solution. Thomas’s bathroom connected to a waste removal network that channeled sewage and refuse through pipes leading directly to the cliff faces below the monastery. The pipes were large enough to accommodate human remains if properly prepared, and anything deposited into them would fall thousands of feet onto the rocky slopes where recovery would be impossible.

But using the disposal system would require reducing Thomas’s body to manageable pieces - a grisly task that would take time and create additional risks of discovery. Renard would need to work quickly and efficiently while ensuring no blood or tissue remained behind to indicate what had happened.

Boa’s consumption abilities could assist with disposal, but the serpent was still small and her appetite limited. She could eliminate smaller remains and help clean up evidence, but handling an entire human body would require more conventional methods.

The timeline was equally critical. The assassination needed to occur early enough to allow complete disposal before Thomas’s absence became noticeable, but late enough to ensure no early morning interruptions. The fifteen-minute window of his bathroom routine provided the perfect opportunity, but everything afterward would need to proceed with clockwork precision.

Renard spent an entire day planning the approach route from his quarters to Thomas’s bathroom. The path required navigating three levels of the monastery, avoiding patrol routes, and bypassing several magical security checkpoints. Boa’s reconnaissance had identified a maintenance corridor that connected the upper levels with minimal surveillance, but reaching it would require precise timing and careful movement.

The return journey would be even more dangerous, as he’d be carrying evidence of the crime and potentially struggling with the effects of using Devour on a human target. The absorption process might leave him disoriented or temporarily weakened, making stealth more difficult during the critical disposal phase.

On the fourth night of surveillance, Renard finalized his plan. The assassination would take place in six days, during Thomas’s regular morning routine. That would provide enough time for detailed preparation while ensuring he could still participate in the First Circle ceremony with his stolen abilities.

The plan was simple in concept but complex in execution: infiltrate Thomas’s quarters during his bathroom routine, eliminate him swiftly and silently, use Devour to absorb his magical abilities, dispose of the body through the waste system, clean all evidence, and return to his own quarters before his absence could be noticed.

The entire operation needed to be completed within ninety minutes to maintain his alibi of morning meditation. Any longer, and other students might notice his absence or question his whereabouts.

As Renard lay in his narrow bed, reviewing every detail of the assassination plan, he felt the familiar cold calm that had carried him through dangerous operations in his previous life. The moral weight of what he was about to do registered intellectually, but it didn’t affect his emotional state or determination to proceed.

Elder Thomas was an obstacle to overcome, nothing more.

His death would serve a greater purpose by advancing the rescue mission that could save not only Hobbren’s daughter but potentially many other children being exploited by the Silent Monastery.

The surveillance phase was complete. The plan was finalized.

Boa coiled against his ribs, sensing his determination through their bond. The serpent had played her part perfectly, gathering intelligence with the patience and precision of a trained spy. Soon, she would need to assist with far more violent work.

But for now, they would continue the pretense of ceremony preparation while making final arrangements for the most dangerous gamble of their infiltration mission.

The target was selected. The surveillance was complete. Now came the much harder task of perfect execution.

---***---