They did not rush it.

Instead, they circled the palace over the following days, entering only as far as their disguise and timing allowed, then withdrawing again before suspicion could form. It became a pattern of its own, one built on patience rather than force.

Each entry was different, each exit calculated.

Sometimes they moved with patrol groups, blending into routine rotations as if they belonged there. Other times they entered as passing officers on errands, using Patrick's familiarity with command structure to justify their presence in restricted corridors. Every step inward was measured, never repeated in the same way twice.

Lucas kept the focus on observation.

Not confrontation.

Not action.

Observation.

They mapped movement without maps, memorized shifts without documents, and learned the castle's breathing rhythm through repetition. When guards changed at certain gates, when internal patrols overlapped, when supply movements created temporary blind spots, all of it slowly formed into a mental structure only they could see.

Patrick became central to the process without needing to announce it. He recognized names, ranks, and subtle behavioral patterns among the soldiers stationed within the palace perimeter. More importantly, he understood what was normal and what was not.

"That rotation is unusual," he murmured once as they passed a secondary corridor. "They do not normally double-check that sector unless something is being moved."

Lucas glanced in the direction he indicated. "Movement of what."

Patrick shook his head slightly. "I do not know yet."

Wesley observed quietly from behind them. "Then it is either important, or sensitive."

Bartho added, "Or both."

Darmian exhaled slowly. "We are getting closer to where they hide things."

Lucas did not respond immediately. His eyes were already tracking the timing of guards passing through intersecting hallways, noting how long gaps appeared between certain shifts.

The castle was structured, but not flawless.

No system built on people ever was.

Each day, they went a little further, learning how deep they could go without triggering attention. Some corridors were open enough to pass through freely, others required careful timing or subtle redirection to avoid questions. A few times, they had to adjust their presence mid-route, splitting briefly and regrouping later as if by coincidence.

By the third day, the pattern of the castle was clearer than it had been before.

By the fifth, it was predictable in sections.

But the dungeons remained unseen.

Always below.

Always out of reach for casual observation.

Still, Lucas did not move prematurely.

He only observed.

And waited.

Because the signal had not come yet.

And until it did, they were not moving for action, only for understanding.

On the seventh day, Patrick did not return with the group immediately after their usual pass through the castle perimeter.

He broke away earlier than expected, taking a route that looked routine on the surface, as if he were simply fulfilling officer duties within the palace grounds. No one questioned him. His armor, his rank insignia, and the way he carried himself gave him enough authority to move without scrutiny.

But this time, he went lower.

Far lower.

Through a series of controlled access corridors and guarded transitions, Patrick eventually reached the threshold of the dungeon levels. Each checkpoint required presence, not force. A glance here, a nod there, brief confirmations that never lingered long enough to raise concern. He spoke only when necessary, used titles when required, and kept his expression unchanged throughout.

The structure itself felt older than the castle above it, as though it had been expanded over time rather than built intentionally. Stone corridors stretched in both directions, punctuated by sealed gates and guarded chambers. The further he went, the more controlled the environment became, until movement was restricted to predefined paths.

Patrick did not linger longer than necessary.

He observed.

Noted everything.

Guard rotations, entry locks, holding cell distribution, and the subtle separation between high-security and standard containment areas. He memorized intersections, distances, and the timing between patrol passes.

Then he left.

Cleanly.

Without drawing attention.

When he returned to the house, the rest of the group was already there, waiting.

Lucas looked up immediately. "You went in."

Patrick nodded once.

No explanation was needed beyond that.

Without wasting time, Patrick moved to the center of the room and pulled out a piece of parchment he had prepared. Using charcoal, he began to sketch directly onto it, his hand steady and precise. Lines formed quickly, not artistic but functional, mapping corridors, junctions, guard posts, and sealed doors.

The others gathered around him in silence.

Wesley leaned slightly forward. "This is deeper than expected."

Patrick did not stop drawing. "It is layered. Three main access routes from the castle interior, but only one is used regularly."

Darmian frowned. "The others."

"Restricted movement paths," Patrick replied. "Used only during transfers."

Bartho studied the layout closely. "So timing becomes critical."

"Yes," Patrick said simply.

Lucas watched without interrupting, his eyes tracking every line as it formed. The structure was complex, but not chaotic. It was controlled in a way that suggested intention, not randomness.

Patrick added another section to the map. "This is the holding area."

The room went slightly quieter.

Cells were arranged in clusters, separated by reinforced corridors and observation points. Some sections were isolated further than others, indicating different levels of importance or risk.

Wesley's voice lowered. "Which means they are not all held together."

Patrick nodded. "No. They are separated based on value."

Lucas's gaze remained fixed on the drawing.

"And the deepest section," he said. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Patrick hesitated only briefly before marking it.

"This is where movement becomes limited," he said. "Access is controlled by rotating clearance. Even officers cannot enter without verification."

Darmian exhaled slowly. "That is where they are likely keeping the most important prisoners."

Patrick gave a small nod.

Lucas finally spoke. "We now have structure."

He looked around at all of them.

"And structure means we can plan entry."

No one disagreed.

Because now, the dungeons were no longer unknown.

They were mapped.

And that changed everything.