After washing the cat, I came back to the restaurant and found Maria already hard at work preparing for business. She cooked, she baked, and, as of yesterday, she also kept the books and tried to reduce costs wherever she could. Thanks to her, the Harbor Restaurant had almost turned its huge losses into a profit. However, she was so busy that, just like on the previous day, she probably wouldn\u2019t be free to go outside at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I had worried about her working too hard, but as she clutched the accounting books, she insisted that she enjoyed contributing to the restaurant and increasing sales. Now I just felt happy that she\u2019d found a new hobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But what if she enjoys this so much that she never comes back to the Ministry?<\/em> I thought to myself, slightly scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regina was actually hoping for something like that to happen, but there were a lot of people who were waiting for Maria to come back home. Dewey, the child prodigy (and love interest from the game), would probably cry, and Cyrus, the superior who was scared of most women except for Maria (and was another love interest from the game), would also be sad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But if Maria isn\u2019t working at the Ministry, then the events of the game can\u2019t take place, right? Which means that I can\u2019t run into any bad ends, right?! Maybe this isn\u2019t so bad after all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, I really didn\u2019t want to live so far away from Maria. Maybe I should just stay here and be a waitress. That probably fits me better than being a noble lady anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I helped with the restaurant\u2019s preparations while thinking of the future, and soon it was time to open for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Up until a few days ago, the only people coming to have lunch at the Harbor Restaurant were a few middle-aged men on break from work, but now the place looked like a fancy cafe swarming with young women. There wasn\u2019t a single middle-aged man to be seen. Not a single man at all, in fact. At first there were only girls, but as the restaurant became more popular, some older women had started joining them too. All the customers were enjoying Maria\u2019s sweets as they happily chatted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I found one of them whose face looked familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, welcome! I\u2019m glad to see you coming here today too,\u201d I greeted her. It was the daughter of the fruit shop\u2019s owner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wanted to eat more of the desserts, so I asked my dad to let me help at the shop in exchange for some pocket money…\u201d she confessed, sounding a bit embarrassed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHehe, thank you! It\u2019s nice to know you like our sweets that much. And thank you about the kitten too. Both for helping me to find him an owner and for letting me use your garden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot at all! We never use the garden anyway. And as for the owner, it was just a coincidence. An older relative of mine recently lost his cat and he was very sad about it, so I just talked to him about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHis cat passed away?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. He\u2019d been keeping it for years, and it passed away a few weeks ago. It was old and weak, but he loved it so much… It must have been such a shock. He looked so distraught. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll shower the kitten with love. You have nothing to worry about!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m so glad to hear that. Thank you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This girl was very pleasant, and you could feel how kind she was just by looking at her face. If she said that her relative would be a good owner, then that was probably true, and hearing it was a relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be done with work around the time that the restaurant closes after lunch, so he said he\u2019ll stop by then,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also said that she would have liked to be there too, but she had to go back to work to earn that pocket money she had asked for. I told her not to worry about it, took her order, and brought her the dessert she\u2019d been waiting for. Once again, she looked absolutely delighted as she ate. When I gave her some more small samples to bring back home, she gave me a huge smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Actually, we closed the restaurant slightly earlier than the scheduled time, because we sold out of all the sweets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho\u2019d have thought we\u2019d sell them so fast? Maybe tomorrow we should make more,\u201d Regina chattered excitedly, and Maria, who\u2019d been making them in the first place, looked very pleased as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I finished cleaning up the place and waited for Arneau to show up with the kitten. Maria was busy writing down the sales figures, but when I told her that we\u2019d have the kitten brought in, she told me that she wanted to see it. I made a note to call her when Arneau arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And arrive he did, right at the promised time. I just described to him where the restaurant was, without giving him a map or anything, so I was glad that he managed to make it. He was giving off mixed signals: his expression was as frigid as usual, but he was holding the kitten in his arms with all the love and care in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you for bringing him here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSure,\u201d he replied, looking aloof but also a bit nervous. He was probably worried about what kind of person the owner was going to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe new owner isn\u2019t here yet but he\u2019ll arrive soon. Can you wait a little longer?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay,\u201d he agreed, proving once more that he really cared about that cat and wanted to make sure he\u2019d find a good home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, right, one of my friends who works here also wanted to see the kitten. Can I show her?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like I\u2019m his owner or anything. You don\u2019t need to ask me permission,\u201d he answered, squinting slightly. After all he\u2019d done for that kitten, and with all the love he was giving him, I thought he was as close to an owner as could be… He just was too shy with his feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay, I\u2019ll go call her then. Maria! The kitten\u2019s here!\u201d I shouted into the kitchen, and Maria immediately came running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHello, my name is Maria,\u201d she introduced herself to Arneau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He stared at her, clearly taken aback, probably because of how beautiful she was. He he he, my friend\u2019s just the prettiest, isn\u2019t she? But she isn\u2019t just cute! She\u2019s also kind! And a good cook!<\/em> I felt somewhat proud of being Maria\u2019s friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I\u2019m Arneau. Here,\u201d he stated, moving his arms to get the kitten closer to Maria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAww! He\u2019s so cute!\u201d she exclaimed, looking at the small animal who, instead of hissing like he did with me, was just calmly looking back at her. \u201cHe\u2019s such a good boy. May I pet him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s up to him,\u201d Arneau answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria, this time addressing the kitten, asked, \u201cWould you mind if I pet you?\u201d while slowly moving her hands toward him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The cat just twitched a bit at first and then let Maria stroke his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat a good boy!\u201d She smiled at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This morning he was so upset when I tried to wash him… Maybe he\u2019s calmed down now<\/em>, I thought, getting closer to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCan I pet you too?\u201d I asked, and he immediately started hissing. \u201cB-But why?! I thought he was used to people by now!\u201d I was heartbroken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Guess it depends on the person,\u201d Arneau spoke with brutal honesty, making me even sadder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So in this world not only dogs, but cats hate me too…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am sure that was just a coincidence,\u201d Maria attempted to comfort me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moved by her kindness, I tried approaching the kitten again, but with the same result. I\u2019m so sad.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually it was time, and the fruit shop owner\u2019s relative, an old man, walked into the restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh! He\u2019s so cute!\u201d Noticing the kitten between Arneau\u2019s arms, the man\u2019s face broke into a huge smile. \u201cMy wife and I don\u2019t have any children,\u201d the man explained, just as that girl had told me before, \u201cbut we loved our cat as if he was one. Now that he\u2019s gone, the house is so silent… We were so sad about it. And then I heard that you were looking for an owner for this kitten. Hey, kitty,\u201d the man said, looking at the cat, \u201cdo you want to come live with me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMeow!\u201d the kitten cried, as if in reply, and the man\u2019s eyes started welling up with tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arneau moved closer and handed over the kitten, who happily balled up inside his new owner\u2019s arms, making the man smile happily once again. The man thanked us again and again before walking out of the restaurant, lovingly holding his new pet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat man looks like he will take good care of him,\u201d Maria observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. I\u2019m so glad we found him a good owner,\u201d I agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah…\u201d Arneau chimed in. As he looked at the departing man, his face showed relief, but with a hint of sadness. \u201cI\u2019ll be going then,\u201d he declared abruptly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? You came all the way here to bring the kitten! Let us treat you to a cup of tea at least!\u201d I insisted. I\u2019d even asked Regina for permission to do so beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…No, thanks.\u201d He started to walk away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut I want to thank you somehow\u2014\u201d I called, running after him, when I heard a voice behind me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d It was Sora, who was coming back from his work at the harbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWelcome back, Sora!\u201d I greeted him, then noticed that Arneau had also turned around to look at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSora?\u201d he murmured, seemingly confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you…Arneau?\u201d Sora blurted out, taking a good look at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Silent and unmoving, the two of them stared at each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s happening here?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo the two of you know each other?\u201d I interjected, and they both looked at me as if they\u2019d just snapped out of a trance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, from when we were kids,\u201d Sora answered, \u201cbut I didn\u2019t expect to see him again, and here of all places. How are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll right, I guess. I\u2019m glad to see you\u2019re still kicking too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHahaha, thanks. Who\u2019d have thought we\u2019d meet again in another country? Do you live here now?\u201d Sora asked him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m just here for work. What about you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m only in this town for a few days, for work. But I do live in Sorci\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…You have a home?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. My workplace gave me a place to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWorkplace? So you even have a proper job?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFinally, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I\u2019m glad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t know any details, but if they had known each other since childhood, they probably had a lot to talk about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can come inside to talk, if you want,\u201d I offered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, thank you. I have to go back to work,\u201d Arneau declined, then left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Arneau, you\u2014\u201d Sora started saying something in his direction, but he was already gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He continued staring in the direction that Arneau had gone for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSora…\u201d I called out to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s go back inside,\u201d he said, and quickly walked through the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria and I looked at each other, surprised by seeing Sora act in this unusual way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he quickly went back to normal and started reporting on what he\u2019d learned at the harbor. During the evening, since we were both busy working, I didn\u2019t get the chance to ask him more about Arneau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then another day at the now-popular Harbor Restaurant was over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I finally managed to approach Sora while we were cleaning up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere did you and Arneau meet?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe lived together back in the slums. I was surprised to see him here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sora was born and raised abroad, in a poor country, and then moved from one place to the next for a while before ending up in Sorci\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnyway, where did you meet Arneau?\u201d Sora inquired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe was there when I found the kitten.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, the one you were trying to find a home for?\u201d I\u2019d already told Sora about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. When I found the kitten, Arneau was already looking after him. That\u2019s why we know each other,\u201d I explained, and Sora first looked surprised, then started laughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe was looking after a cat? I guess he always was the caring type, despite his looks,\u201d he smiled as he remembered his childhood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWere you two close?\u201d I queried him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Yes,\u201d he confirmed. \u201cBack then we had our hands full just trying to live another day…but I guess we got along well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wasn\u2019t so sure what he meant by that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you know where he\u2019s working now, by the way?\u201d Sora asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe mostly just talked about the kitten, so I never thought to ask him about that. But he came by to feed him during breaks, so his workplace must be close to here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I suddenly noticed that I knew almost nothing about Arneau, other than his name and the fact that he had a cold demeanor and a warm heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you want help looking around?\u201d I proposed, thinking that Sora wanted to meet his childhood friend again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, never mind. Just focus on your own work,\u201d he immediately refused. \u201cThe more you move around, the more likely you are to run into trouble. You don\u2019t need to do anything unless you\u2019re told to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I thought about how much trouble I\u2019d caused all my friends as of late. I could do nothing but nod in agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood night. You go get some sleep too,\u201d he said, going back to his room as soon as we were finished cleaning up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sora mostly sounded like his usual self, but something was off. I just couldn\u2019t place my finger on what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n\n\n\n I, Sora Smith, told Katarina goodnight and went back to my room. I laid on my bed but I felt too stirred up to sleep. Of course, I knew the reason. I\u2019d just met with Arneau, my childhood friend, for the first time in over a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back when we lived in the slums, we couldn\u2019t protect ourselves from adults on our own, so we had to form groups. I was part of one too, along with Arneau. Being close in age helped, but I really liked him to begin with and spent a lot of time with him. Unlike the other stupid show-offs, he didn\u2019t bully those younger or weaker than him. He tried to act uncaring, but he was actually a kind boy who would look after smaller children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And even when I met that guy and started learning about reading and doing maths from him, Arneau was the only one who didn\u2019t make fun of me. He wouldn\u2019t go as far as studying alongside me, but when I told him about what I\u2019d learned that day, he\u2019d quietly listen to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then I had that dream. I don\u2019t believe in any higher power, but still… That must have been a sign from above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I was beaten by those thugs, it was Arneau who came to save me. The only people who ever tried to help me back there were Arneau and that guy. I could forget about all the others\u2014but not those two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then I was caught while stealing the medicine that that guy needed, and the people who caught me sold me off to a foreign country. And I\u2019ve never been back to those slums since. Actually, I\u2019ve never even been back to that country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I used to think that it was a coincidence, that all of my many jobs just so happened to bring me farther and farther away from there, but now I know that I was probably trying to avoid going back. After all, a lawless country like that one had plenty of opportunities to make a quick buck. I just didn\u2019t want to remember that guy, how I lost him, and how being caught kept me from being by his side as he died. That\u2019s also why I tried my best not to think about what happened to the other kids I grew up with. I told myself that I didn\u2019t need to know about it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But now I had a proper job and could walk around in broad daylight. I was surrounded by trustworthy, caring people, and all the darkness pent up inside my heart was disappearing little by little. Right now, I could even bear visiting that country again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This reunion was really a surprise though. My closest childhood friend, Arneau. Here, of all places. And to top it off, he even remembered me. But as soon as I told him about my job, he walked, no, ran<\/em> away. I\u2019d seen him do that before. He\u2019d do that when he didn\u2019t want to bother \u201cproper\u201d people just by being around. Even now, he was probably still doing the same kind of fishy jobs as back in the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone else in his shoes would have tried to use me, but Arneau was different. The story that Katarina told me about how he looked after a kitten just reinforced that impression. It\u2019s just like when we lived in the slums and he\u2019d care for the younger kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I realized he hadn\u2019t changed, and I felt like I had to do something for him. Not so long ago, I was still getting by with questionable jobs too. I definitely couldn\u2019t worry about other people then, but so much changed in just a short time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And I didn\u2019t need to think that hard to understand who caused these changes: Katarina Claes, the young lady who\u2019s always jumping at the chance to help others despite having very little power to do so. After spending so much time with her, this side of her character had rubbed off on me. Before meeting Katarina, I would have thought very differently of Arneau and his situation. So what if he\u2019s still working shady jobs? So what if he doesn\u2019t like it? His choice, his problem. But now, I couldn\u2019t just brush it off like that anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arneau had helped me, and I needed to repay that debt. I decided that tomorrow, before my work at the harbor, I\u2019d look for him around the area where Katarina met him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I closed my eyes and thought that I\u2019d really become someone else. But as I fell asleep, I realized another thing: I liked this new me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Morning came, and I left the restaurant earlier than usual. Most of the shops were still closed, but several people were already walking along the streets, probably preparing to open those very shops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I went to the alley where Katarina mentioned she first saw him, but Arneau wasn\u2019t there. The kitten had a home now, so this didn\u2019t surprise me. I started searching around the surrounding area, focusing on the least safe spots frequented by a lot of foreigners. Arneau was here for work, so it had to be a place like that. I walked around for a while but I had no luck. I eventually went back to the alley, and there he was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was standing alone in a corner, looking at a trash can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Arneau,\u201d I called out to him, and he glanced up at me, surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSora? Why are you here?\u201d He furrowed his brow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was looking for you after you ran off so suddenly yesterday,\u201d I explained, and he raised his eyebrows even higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve found a good, proper job, right? Then you\u2019d better stay away from me. I\u2019d be nothing but trouble for you,\u201d he declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as I thought. He\u2019d run away because he didn\u2019t want to bother me. He still was the same old Arneau, always looking out for those around him. This also explained why Katarina got along well with him. As dense as she was, she could tell good people apart from bad ones, by instinct or something. When Arneau claimed he\u2019d be nothing but trouble for me, the me from some time ago would have just replied \u201cOkay then, I\u2019ll be on my way.\u201d But now that I had the Katarina-disease, I couldn\u2019t just leave him be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI get you, I really do. But I thought I\u2019d try to help you if I can,\u201d I explained, awkwardly scratching the back of my head, and he looked stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh? What got into you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m not sure myself. I kinda want to repay you, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRepay me for what?\u201d he wondered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat time, as kids, when I came this close to getting beaten to death. You saved me, but I never repaid that debt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was so long ago, man. Forget about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo can do. I don\u2019t like being in debt, and Katarina was worried about you too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKatarina? You mean that weird girl? You two know each other?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah. We\u2019re coworkers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, your coworker sure has a thing for helping people who didn\u2019t ask for it, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe sure does, and I guess that I\u2019ve become a bit like her recently. So now I want to help my childhood friend who never asked for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me repay you, Arneau. Okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I\u2019m so happy that you\u2019re alive. I was worried when I heard that you\u2019d been bought by someone in another country. Now you\u2019ve finally managed to leave our world and step into the lawful one of normal people. Don\u2019t let that go to waste. Stay away from me,\u201d he begged, before turning around and running out of the alley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in the slums, the dump that we called home, there was someone, someone other than that guy, who was worried about me. And he even said that he was happy to know I was alive. Hearing that shocked me so much that I just stood still, staring at him as he fled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As soon as I snapped out of it, I chased after him. It was too late, though. I\u2019d already lost him. I remembered that he\u2019d always been a fast runner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDammit, when he says something like that, then I feel like I have to help him even more…\u201d I grumbled to myself, deciding that I\u2019d take a day off from my job loading cargo at the harbor. It was day labor anyway, and I wasn\u2019t getting any valuable information out of it. I\u2019d much rather spend the day looking for Arneau. I\u2019d repay my debt, whether he wanted it or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I started searching the area. Working at the restaurant, I\u2019d become acquainted with some of the people living around here, and when I ran into one, I\u2019d ask them if they\u2019d seen Arneau. He didn\u2019t have any other features that made it stand out much, but his tan skin made it obvious that he wasn\u2019t a local. And sure enough, when I asked about a tan young man, some people said they\u2019d seen one. I was an expert at this kind of thing and I eventually managed to find a place which he apparently often walked in and out of. I hid myself in front of that building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n After a while, I saw a few men leave the building, Arneau among them. I thought that it was the perfect chance, so I jumped out in front of them and addressed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Arneau.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSora? What are you doing here?\u201d he sputtered, shocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe weren\u2019t done talking,\u201d I said, and he furrowed his brow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I told you you\u2019d better stay away from me,\u201d he reiterated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, but I don\u2019t remember ever agreeing to that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He clicked his tongue, annoyed. \u201cHere\u2019s no good. Let\u2019s go some\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The door of the building he\u2019d walked out of slammed open, interrupting him. A kid ran out through it, followed and quickly caught by another man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me go! Let me go home! You kidnappers!\u201d the kid shouted, flailing around wildly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou ain\u2019t going back home any time soon. Somebody\u2019s already paid for you, so just shut up until we deliver you to your buyer,\u201d the man grunted as he covered the kid\u2019s mouth with one hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I was watching this scene, shocked, the man\u2019s eyes met mine. That wasn\u2019t good. I knew that Arneau was working a shady job, but this was much worse than I expected. And, even if it was just a coincidence, I\u2019d become a witness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho\u2019s this guy?\u201d the man asked, glaring at me suspiciously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn old friend of mine. He\u2019s not from Sorci\u00e9 and he\u2019ll be leaving the country soon. Just go back inside,\u201d Arneau responded, positioning himself between the man and me. He was trying to get me out of trouble, but his colleague wasn\u2019t pleased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou want me to just leave and tell him \u2018oh sure have a nice day\u2019 after he saw what I just did?\u201d Unfortunately, he had a point. I\u2019d have said the exact same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll take care of it. Don\u2019t you worry,\u201d Arneau pleaded, but that didn\u2019t prove to be convincing enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be honest, if it came down to it, I\u2019d have no problem overpowering this thug. He probably thought that I\u2019d be easy to deal with because I didn\u2019t look as big and burly as him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He isn\u2019t even on guard. I could take him down in a second, I thought, and then I swiftly moved behind him and punched him in the neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He let out a scream and then fell down unconscious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I quickly took the kid from the man\u2019s shoulder and into my arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arneau looked surprised. Did he think I was weak too? After all we\u2019d done together in the slums? Rude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not that wimpy, you know?\u201d I told him, letting down the kid. I heard someone moving behind me and turned around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, handsome. Well done there, knocking our pal out,\u201d a man chuckled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, we ought to give you a nice prize for that,\u201d another added, laughing crudely. As rough as they looked, I could still take them on. There weren\u2019t that many…<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019d better listen to us, if you care about this girl,\u201d another one of them warned, and I noticed the girl that they were surrounding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Sora. I saw you and I tried running after you…and then they caught me.\u201d Looking genuinely sorry about what she did, Katarina briefly explained what had happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If they had her, I couldn\u2019t fight back. I silently put my hands up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n\n\n\n I went out for groceries, then brought some sweets to the girl who helped us find an owner for the kitty to thank her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was heading back to the restaurant when I saw Sora, who was supposed to be working at the harbor at this time of day. Curious, I followed him through a series of dark alleys and saw him run toward Arneau. The two were arguing about something. I wanted to go and ask what was going on, but then I saw a kid run out of a building close by, only to be chased and caught by a man. The man covered the kid\u2019s mouth with his hand and slung the kid over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Something bad is going on here! I have to save that kid!<\/em> I thought, but before I could do anything, Sora had already taken that man out. You\u2019re so cool, Sora! I was applauding him from afar, when I noticed a few bearish men standing behind me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo you\u2019re friends with that violent little punk, huh?\u201d one of them sneered, and seconds later I was being held hostage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If Sora were on his own, he probably wouldn\u2019t have had any problem escaping, but since I was there, he chose to give himself up. I felt terrible. Way to become independent, Katarina. There you go again, making trouble for your friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The men then dragged me into the building and threw me and the kid who had briefly escaped earlier into the same room. Sora, however, was taken somewhere else. I hoped he\u2019d be fine. I was staring at the door, thinking of what I\u2019d done, when I heard sobbing. Huh? I turned around and saw several children, including the one from earlier, sitting on the floor. Many of them were crying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEr, are you all right? What\u2019s the matter?\u201d I crouched down and asked one of the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIsn\u2019t it obvious? We\u2019ve been kidnapped and we\u2019re going to be sold off! We\u2019re not all right!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reply didn\u2019t come from the kid I\u2019d addressed, but from the kid who\u2019d been thrown inside this room together with me. I looked at the kid\u2019s displeased expression and noticed that she was a girl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSold off?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I could tell that whatever was going on there wasn\u2019t even remotely okay, but that took me by surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah. Sold off abroad. They said that Sorci\u00e9 children sell well because they\u2019re well-developed and educated,\u201d she fumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Could this be…human trafficking<\/em>?! Just as the rumors said, it really was happening near the port! And we stumbled right into it by mistake! But then, could she…?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExcuse me… Is there a noble girl in here?\u201d I asked. As soon as she heard me, a girl with black hair sitting in the farthest corner of the room twitched. So she\u2019s here too! I walked closer to her and asked, \u201cAre you the baron\u2019s daughter? The magic user?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She looked at me with her eyes wide open and she slowly nodded. We\u2019d finally found her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd…who are you?\u201d she wondered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m with the Magical Ministry. We were looking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you\u2019re here to save us?\u201d she gasped, her eyes glistening with expectation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hm, I think maybe \u201cwe were looking for you\u201d sounded a bit too cool, like I was here on purpose. I probably should have phrased that a little differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I\u2019m sorry, I was just caught too,\u201d I confessed, lowering my head apologetically. Her face darkened at once, and I felt as if I had let her down. Sorry…<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other children were also listening to our conversation, hoping to be saved, so the whole room was now full of disappointment, and the atmosphere became even worse. Some children started crying again too. I felt as if it were my fault and that I really had to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cS-So, recently I\u2019ve read this book, you see…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wanted to change the mood, so I started talking about The Book of Hilarious Facts<\/em>, a book popular in the capital which I had recently read. It was full of funny stories, which made the content easy to remember, and the children immediately started paying attention. Because it was mainly popular among the lower classes, I never had a chance to discuss this book with other nobles, and I\u2019d been bothered by that. Since the kids were such eager listeners, I kept talking and talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I played the characters in the book, doing voices and gestures as I told the hilariously stupid stories, and the children who started out silent or crying slowly became giggly. When I went wild and people indulged me, I always started going even wilder. That was my personality. So, after a while, I was basically putting on a proper one-woman play for the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd then, his nose turned all red! The end!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laughs and giggles. After my long performance, all the children were rolling their heads back with laughter. After that, they must have felt tired, because, one after the other, they started falling asleep. I felt accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The door slowly opened, and a man wearing a hat pulled very low over his face walked in. He was so quiet that the sleeping children didn\u2019t even stir. I was sure that he was one of the kidnappers, so I instinctively walked between him and them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was wondering who could ever manage to make the kids laugh and fall asleep in a situation like this, but now I understand. It was you,\u201d the man spoke, keeping his voice down, as he removed his hat and revealed his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?!\u201d I blurted out, surprised by what I saw.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting to see you again so soon, Katarina.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, we\u2019d seen each other for the last time just a few days ago, at the International Assembly. He came from Ethenell, a country across the sea, where he was a prince. Cezar Dahl\u2019s expression morphed into his usual, toothy smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lady Katarina had left to purchase more groceries so that we would be ready for lunch, but she still had not returned. Regina informed me of this fact just before we had to open. She then told me that maybe Lady Katarina was just lost and that she would ask some of her people to look for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was scared, but I started cooking anyway, as we had to serve our customers. As I worked, I waited for Regina to come to tell me \u201cMaria, we\u2019ve found Katarina!\u201d but I heard no such news, and lunch time eventually finished. We did not know where she had gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And not only that, but Sora, who would normally come back as soon as the restaurant\u2019s lunch time was over, had not returned either. Regina, too, had become worried that something might have happened to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We decided that the restaurant would be closed for the night, so that we could search for Lady Katarina and Sora. Regina\u2019s usual slow, uninterested attitude was nowhere to be seen as she called for reinforcements from the Magical Ministry and started giving them orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I begged her to let me help too, but she replied, \u201cI know how you feel. But you still don\u2019t know this town, its streets, or its people well enough. I\u2019m sorry but I can\u2019t let you wander around in circumstances like these.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her response was true and reasonable, and I could do nothing but agree. But though Regina was right, I could not stand the idea of doing nothing either. I thought hard about whether there was anything I could do. I could use Light Magic, but that would not be helpful in looking for people. Why am I so useless? Last time Lady Katarina had saved me, and now that she was the one in need of help, I could do nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If only I could contribute somehow… The Light Covenant? I still have not read much of it. What I have read is not that useful, but maybe, if I read more…<\/p>\n\n\n\n I went back to my room and took the covenant out of my bag. I activated my magic and letters started appearing onto the pages. With an ancient script lexicon in one hand, I started reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCezar?! Why are you here?!\u201d I asked, surprised, but he raised his index finger and put it in front of his closed lips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShh. The kids are sleeping, and we don\u2019t want the guys outside to hear us either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, right. The children were still sleeping after laughing so much they became exhausted. I nodded without saying a word and Cezar lowered his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese kids were so tense they couldn\u2019t even get a rest. You somehow managed to make them fall asleep, so let them enjoy that for a while,\u201d he continued, looking kindly at them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…I see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was surprised to see the kidnapped kids napping like that after hearing my stories, but now I knew why that was. Cezar was still the gentle\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wait, wait, wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCezar…what are you doing here?\u201d I was positive he wasn\u2019t involved in human trafficking, but I still didn\u2019t know why he was in this room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSome…circumstances, you know. I wanted to investigate some stuff, so I let this organization hire me as one of their thugs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh! Is it an undercover mission?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKind of like that, yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was just like what Maria and Sora were doing at the castle during the Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cezar looked dirty and his hair was all ruffled too, probably because he was supposed to come off as a thug. His ruggedly handsome face was unwashed, and you\u2019d need to take a very good look to tell that he wasn\u2019t just another of those mobsters. I remembered seeing him looking more or less like this back in the castle\u2019s garden, but people who only knew him in his royal attire wouldn\u2019t have a clue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat about you? Why are you here? An undercover mission for the Magical Ministry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUh?! Why do you know that I\u2019m in the Magical Ministry?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnce I found out who you really were, I immediately learned that you worked for the Ministry. Everybody knows it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019d almost forgotten he knew that I actually was a noble lady. And of course, the fact that I worked for the Ministry wasn\u2019t a secret, and most people in high society had heard of it. But apart from those closest to me, everyone assumed that I was only a Ministry employee on paper and didn\u2019t do any actual work, so I asked Cezar about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, I heard rumors that you were only hired because you wanted the title of Ministry employee, seeing that you\u2019re engaged to the Prince. But knowing you, I couldn\u2019t believe that for a second.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is this a compliment? Am I supposed to be pleased about what he just said? As I mulled this over, Cezar spoke again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, are you on an undercover mission too?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Surely an employee from the famous Magical Ministry, renowned even abroad, wouldn\u2019t just randomly get caught. Nobody would think that. Telling the truth suddenly felt awkward, but I couldn\u2019t lie to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell… I was here investigating a kidnapping, but… I was just caught and locked up in here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cezar\u2019s face froze. \u201cYou were…caught? What?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI saw one of my teammates running around and I followed him here. And then I witnessed a child being kidnapped. My teammate beat up the kidnapper, but I was so absorbed in watching him that I didn\u2019t notice more thugs coming up behind me. So I got caught,\u201d I explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cezar just stared for a moment. \u201cI see,\u201d he sighed. \u201cThat must have been tough. You really have no sense of danger though…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou are right. I\u2019m sorry,\u201d I said after another moment of silence. His shoulders dropped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was aware of how my carelessness had led to me being kidnapped and I was really sorry for not paying more attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSay, Cezar, what is going to happen to these children?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re going to be sold abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo it really is<\/em> human trafficking!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLower your voice. They\u2019re sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cS-Sorry.\u201d I had accidentally raised my voice again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd why do you think I\u2019m here, anyway? I won\u2019t let these children be sold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to save them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t right now, but wait. I\u2019ll save all of you. Just don\u2019t do anything dangerous until then. I don\u2019t think they\u2019d hurt their precious merchandise, but you never know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s so reliable! Now I have nothing to worry about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you, Cezar.\u201d I gratefully bowed my head, but for some reason he squinted at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re always so, how do I put it…naive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHm?\u201d I had no idea what he meant, but he smiled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNever change, please,\u201d he said, ruffling my hair. \u201cSee you later then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I stopped him as he was leaving. \u201cActually, I\u2019m also worried about my friend. I don\u2019t know where they took him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGot it. I\u2019ll look into that,\u201d he promised, waving one hand without even turning back. Looking at him made me feel much safer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you,\u201d I repeated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was so scared there for a moment. But if Cezar is here, it\u2019s going to be all right. Now that I\u2019m not that worried anymore, looking at these children is making me feel sleepy too. Maybe I should rest for a while. I sat down, leaning against a wall, and fell asleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSame old Katarina.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I left the room with the kidnapped children and noticed my lips had curled into a smile. It hadn\u2019t been that long since I, Cezar Dahl, last saw Katarina Claes. I had a feeling that I\u2019d see her again eventually, but not this soon. And certainly not under these circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After leaving Sorci\u00e9 just a few weeks ago, I was back there again and had spent the last few days there. This was because of some information I stumbled upon shortly after returning to my own country. \u201cIt seems that Lousabre is using one of our ports to smuggle kidnapped children,\u201d reported Janne, my childhood friend, former fellow mercenary, and now my personal aide, bringing me a bundle of documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuman trafficking is not legal in our country anymore. As soon as you have proof, free those kids and bring them back to their home country,\u201d I answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEasier said than done. Read the documents. They aren\u2019t selling the kids here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh? What do you mean?\u201d I then started leafing through the documents. They had a lot of unpleasant surprises for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It said that Lousabre, known for being a dangerous country, kidnapped children from Sorci\u00e9 and then secretly sold them off. Sorci\u00e9 was the richest country in the area, and its citizens were mostly well educated and wealthy. Most of them could even read and write, skills that in Lousabre were usually found exclusively among nobles. This meant that even a commoner kid from Sorci\u00e9 could prove very useful over there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, they tried encouraging immigration from Sorci\u00e9, but predictably, nobody wanted to leave their kingdom for a poorer, less safe one. As horrible as it was, I could somewhat understand why they were so desperate to get people from Sorci\u00e9 that they\u2019d even go so far as to kidnap them. Not that Sorci\u00e9 was pleased, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our country, Ethenell, wasn\u2019t involved in this issue, or so I thought… Damn those Lousabrians for dragging us into this mess. According to the documents that Janne had brought me, ships from Lousabre would stop at one of Ethenell\u2019s harbors on their home from Sorci\u00e9, carrying the kidnapped children with them. This was because Sorci\u00e9 knew about Lousabre\u2019s activities and carefully checked all ships traveling directly between the two countries, making it difficult for them to smuggle children without any intermediate stop. They covered their tracks by using Ethenell, which had been on friendly terms with Sorci\u00e9 ever since the new king had taken the throne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This also meant that someone inside our country was collaborating with Lousabre. Ethenell was starting to become a better place thanks to the new king, but it still had its fair share of ne\u2019er-do-wells. Too many to drive them out all at once. After all the trouble we\u2019d been through to build a decent relationship with Sorci\u00e9, some of these idiots were ruining it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDoes the king know about this?\u201d I asked Janne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI told him about it, but right now he\u2019s busy dealing with the rebellion in the east.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh, that rebellion, right,\u201d I groaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the reign of the previous king, there were a lot of people who made a sweet living out of illicit business. Much to their annoyance, his successor was now trying to help the weak and fix the kingdom\u2019s problems. In response, those criminals gathered up followers and gave rise to rebellions throughout the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese people…are they trying to destroy Ethenell for good? And to think we were on the right path…\u201d I raged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ethenell, under the previous king, was barely even worthy of being called a country. It was so close to total collapse that, had things continued that way, it soon would have been absorbed by one of its neighboring countries. It was the current king who, even at the cost of his own health, had finally rebuilt Ethenell back into a half-decent place. Looking at these rebels, fighting tooth and nail just to protect their own ill-gotten gains, filled me with disgust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll investigate this myself then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…Investigate it?\u201d Janne responded, perplexed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t just sit here and wait for new information to come in. We already have enough problems on our hands, and I can\u2019t let this one grow too big. It\u2019ll be faster if I go and fix things myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I started preparing myself to leave. Janne knew me well enough not to be surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s dangerous to go alone. Take them,\u201d he said after calling some capable people to come with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Accompanied by them, I disguised myself as a thug and sneaked into the shipping company that was facilitating the human trafficking going on at Ethenell\u2019s harbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In order to catch all the culprits, including their boss, we went all the way to Sorci\u00e9. Unfortunately, since we were at the bottom of the organization\u2019s ladder, we couldn\u2019t get much useful information no matter how much we snooped around, and we still had no leads regarding the person leading the operation. Someone really powerful was probably involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually, I saw some of the thugs working with me receive orders to kidnap more people from Sorci\u00e9. Most of the victims were children, and seeing them cry for their parents made me sad too. Back when I was a mercenary in Ethenell I saw a lot of kidnapped children being trafficked, but those were usually either orphans or they\u2019d been sold directly by their parents. They had no reason to cry for their moms. They\u2019d just silently accept their fate, knowing that they could do nothing about it. Of course, that was sad in its own right…<\/p>\n\n\n\n It hurt having to keep these kids prisoner, but I couldn\u2019t do anything that might blow my cover until I had more information. Though as long as I and the people helping me were here, we\u2019d never let these children be sold off to Lousabre. They were so scared they couldn\u2019t even sleep, and I still had no clue about who was leading these thugs. I was a newcomer after all. But maybe some of my \u201ccolleagues\u201d knew something more. For example, the guy who was a sort of supervisor for all the low-tier thugs, that Arneau fellow. Unfortunately, he looked too smart to let his tongue slip and he wasn\u2019t exactly the chatty type to begin with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I decided I\u2019d go check on the children again. No one around here seemed to care about how they were doing, so long as they were alive. No one except maybe Arneau, but he wasn\u2019t here right now. These kids were getting weaker and weaker, and I wanted to bring them something to eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I reached the door, I heard laughter coming from the inside of the room. They were crying their hearts out earlier today! I anxiously looked through the glass panel in the door and saw a girl moving around and speaking as if she was the actress in a one-woman play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was already surprised that someone could find the energy to do something like that while being kept prisoner, but what shocked me even more was that, now that I took a better look, I knew that young woman. Why is she here? Did she get caught? That can\u2019t be. No way these thugs can kidnap a noble lady, and the daughter of a duke no less. But she works for the Magical Ministry, so maybe she\u2019s on an undercover mission.<\/em> In any case, right now she was trying to make the kids have fun and looked like she was having fun too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I waited in front of the door until she was finished, and the children, after laughing so much, had all fallen asleep. Once I silently opened the door and walked inside, she put herself between me and the children, as if to protect them. A noble lady shielding commoner children. I was moved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was wondering who could ever manage to make the kids laugh and fall asleep in a situation like this, but I understand. It was you,\u201d I greeted her, taking off my hat so that she could see my face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?!\u201d she shouted at me, so startled that she couldn\u2019t move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She then asked me what I was doing here, and I gestured to her to keep her voice down so as not to wake up the children. She nodded silently. When I told her about how little those kids had been sleeping, she looked surprised. She probably didn\u2019t know about it\u2014and yet she did so much for them. Incredible. I gave her a simple explanation as to why I was there and then asked her to confirm my theory that she was on an undercover mission for the Ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUh?! Why do you know that I\u2019m in the Magical Ministry?\u201d she asked me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I told her that everybody knew about where she worked, and then she said that most people thought she was hired by the Ministry without actually doing any real work there. When I heard about Katarina Claes, before meeting her, I thought the same. But after actually seeing what kind of girl she was… No way. What she said after that was so surprising that I couldn\u2019t believe my ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou were…caught? What?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her explanation made the whole thing sound even more stupid, and a sigh escaped my throat. I scolded her for being so careless, and she seemed to agree. This was the same Katarina who ran straight into trouble during the Assembly, no doubt about that. When she asked me about what was going to happen to the children, I replied a bit harshly on purpose, hoping to make her understand the gravity of the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re going to be sold abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She looked terrified and she\u2019d probably finally understood the danger that she was in, so I went ahead and added, \u201cAnd why do you think I\u2019m here anyway? I won\u2019t let these children be sold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her face immediately lit up. She could flip through emotions at the speed of light. I told her that she\u2019d have to wait a bit longer, and she thanked me, lowering her head in a way which looked really heartfelt. Despite having been raised in that nest of betrayal and treachery that is noble society, Katarina could trust people so easily. I was worried that this could lead her into trouble, but at the same time, it was very pleasant to have someone who never doubted you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re always so, how do I put it…naive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHm?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She obviously had no idea what I meant. I ruffled her hair, asked her to never change, and then started walking toward the door. Now that Katarina was part of the traffickers\u2019 merchandise, I had all the more reason to hurry up and save them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cActually, I\u2019m also worried about my friend. I don\u2019t know where they took him,\u201d she informed me just as I placed my hand on the doorknob.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that I thought about it, I hadn\u2019t seen her teammate in the room. I assured her that I\u2019d look into it. It was one more thing to worry about, but I was the one who declared I\u2019d take care of this situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First of all, I had to find Katarina\u2019s friend. I left and went to the room where all us low-ranking thugs killed time by gambling, drinking, or whatever, but this time the atmosphere was different. Everyone was bustling around. What\u2019s going on here? I approached one of the chattiest ones and asked him for an explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt seems that someone\u2019s on our trail. Box up this, carry that… The higher ups want us to move our whole base somewhere else in the middle of the night, so that nobody sees us. They really work us like slaves,\u201d he complained garrulously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Could it be the Ministry that was on their tracks? Had they found this den of thieves? Anyway, if these guys already knew that and were ready to move, it meant that they had a very good information network too. I was even more convinced that their boss must be a powerful figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I helped the others out with the packing as I thought about what to do. I even tried to ask about Katarina\u2019s teammate, but nobody in the room knew anything about where he was. All of these guys didn\u2019t really care about other people, so this didn\u2019t surprise me that much. And where was Arneau? Had he been caught? I\u2019d have to use the ruckus of the moving preparations as cover to snoop around as much as I could.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After washing the cat, I came back to the restaurant and found Maria already hard at work preparing for business. She cooked, she baked, and, as of yesterday, she also kept the books and tried to reduce costs wherever she could. Thanks to her, the Harbor Restaurant had almost turned its huge losses into a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tak-berkategori"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3594"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3595,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3594\/revisions\/3595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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