"True," Wenzel said to Harvey with a shrug. "But the real reason is that I can't keep him there. After my return, at least ten calls were asking and pleading for Silvan's release. If I keep refusing, a lot of things will become unnecessarily difficult. By taking this opportunity to free him, I'm giving everyone involved a chance to step away gracefully.

"But tell me. By doing this, do I seem a bit cowardly in your eyes as the mayor of Grand City?"

Harvey smiled faintly. "There's no shame in coming from humble origins and being flexible when the situation demands. That's something only a real man can do. While I don't know your full strategy, if letting Silvan go is part of your plans, then temporary losses don't mean much."

Wenzel looked at Harvey with admiration. It was obvious that he placed a lot of importance on the young man who could easily see through his intentions.

Unfortunately, after interacting with him in the past few days, Wenzel knew that making Harvey stay would be