Free Web NovelChapter 10: Finding Beastkin (1)
A gentle breeze ruffled through my hair. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, the sky was a soft shade of blue. Not like those days where the skies are so bright the blue looks almost transparent, but rather a very light, baby blue day.
It was quite pretty.
The perfect weather for kidnapping some beastkin.
Jake and John walked in tow with me as we strutted through the grassy paths. This entire walk was enchanted with dark magic and ents all across so that anyone coming near the Grim Palace gets lost.
A trick that never worked on me. This was how I had become the first thief to ever infiltrate the Grim Palace as well. Hahah! Glorious days! They would come back soon...
They’ll come back soon, right...?
The three of us were off to the outskirts of the city of Serenia. Though the city was enormous and was thriving, as was the case with any such city, there were a bunch of settlements around and near it that hadn’t yet been swallowed up by the expanding city.
It’s distance from Weiss’ territory was enormous, but no one would ever come into the Forbidden Fairy Forest in the first place where the Grim Palace sat. It was a dangerous location. City expansion also stopped before such problems. The very thing it was trying to make walls against were things like the forest and its inhabitants (us).
The area around us had thinned from a forest and turned into a small township almost. Full of tacky wooden houses all trudged together. freewebnσvel.cøm
"..."
John tapped my shoulder as we took turns into the small settlement. This place was named Kroma Village, as I remembered.
The village which should have been a quiet and silent place was a little different from what we had expected.
"Excuse me, can we get some sugar..."
"Hey, you. Have people from your shop send over food for fifteen people please."
A hustle and bustle had filled the outskirts. People in black overalls were walking around alongside the poor villagers and residents of the outskirts. On each of their arms was a silver band, a band that I recognized well.
"Why are these bastards here...?" I muttered under my breath. Jake also seemed to be thinking the same thing as he nodded on my side.
The people here were a special group who were given a bit too broad of a power by the Empire and the Church. The Corduil Elimination Force.
These guys were neither knights nor priests or templars, yet had the power of both the groups.
Them being here was a little messy, my two seven foot tall friends would be attracting a lot of attention. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
I had put on a mask and hat and scarf on them before leaving so they were covered, and their clothes were also baggy so they wouldn’t look intimidating in their armor, but there was little I could do for their heights.
"Just stay hidden. I’ll take a look at this later."
I licked my lips.
I didn’t really have much to do with such a group, but if people of such a powerful executive force of the Empire were here, then they would definitely have come with some riches.
Target spotted.
***
We avoided getting any major attention outside of some people gawking and Jake and John as we entered some of the more densely crowded and poorly maintained parts of the village.
After crossing an especially barren patch of land where only dead trees, moss, and giant rocks littered the path, we came across a squared off premises. The outer walls of this place were broken down, and showed straight into the dilapidated garden inside.
A few little children were playing around.
I made my way to the wooden door and knocked. A courtesy for no reason, it was barely good enough to hold anyone outside.
"Is anyone there!"
The door inside opened after a few minutes from my shout. Out came a brunette lady. She was wearing a long white skirt and a maroon top, on her back was a strap and sitting in it was a tiny little baby.
"Yes... how can I help you...?"
The lady asked, her eyes narrowing as she saw us.
"If you’re from the CEF then I must tell you again, sir, we really have no means to give you any assistance."
"No, no," I shook my head and waved my hands. "Not from the CEF, my name is Arlon, and I am Cypher Steel Enterprise’s manager for Serenia City."
"Ah!" The lady wiped soot from her forehead. "And what... can I help you with?"
"I came to make a small donation," I said, pulling out a slip of paper from my pockets. "Is it okay if I come in?"
The lady’s eyes widened once again at the mention of donation. I felt two more eyes looking at me just as wide, from behind me, as if John and Jake couldn’t swallow how easily I was lying about everything, but they weren’t alive and didn’t have eyes so it must have been my imagination (teehee).
"Of course... please, come right in."
"Thank you, I didn’t catch your name."
"It’s Elita. Um... your companions, might not be able to pass through the door or stand straight inside."
"...!"
"That’s okay, they’ll stand outside."
"...!?"
"Is that really..."
"Of course, of course..."
I stepped into the orphanage with Elita and started making my way inside. The inside was just as bad as the outside would make one imagine. Everything was weathered away, chipping by age and weakness, the structure must have been weak from the very beginning.
"You know, when enterprises like ours are doing well, we see it as an important element to give back to people. How can we be thriving when our children are sitting here alone."
"I... I thank you... really. I wish I had more to offer."
Elita had already asked me to sit on a dusty destroyed sofa and was going to fetch tea. Many of the children here had stepped out and were playing with the living armors, while some stayed inside.
I noticed quite a few eyes trained on me. Beastkin... beastkin... any of them beastkin...
Didn’t seem it. Damn it. I knew this wouldn’t be an easy hunt. I would have to go around looking for a while.
No beastkin were treated kindly in general, especially not outside their land far in the East, and perhaps in the Republic in the South. Finding Beastkin around was possible, but it would be lengthy.
’Waste of time...’
I pulled out a chequebook from my bag, a false chequebook naturally, it was stamped with the CEF. This was a background I used frequently to con people, after all.
Elita returned with some tea and saw me writing a figure on the promissory note. She covered her mouth.
It was just 10,000 Ders, but that also seemed to be quite helpful for her.
"A-are you leaving already, Sir Arlon?"
"I am afraid I have to rush."
I didn’t have time for this. It wasn’t for any particular reason, but I turned to her and asked a question.
"By any chance... are there any beastkin children in this place?"
Elita froze.
I could sense it.
My thieves instincts were running wild.
There was something. Something in her reaction.
"Why... do you ask? There’s no one like that."
"It’s because we operate even in the Republic, right?" I said. "Beastkin or Dwarves or Elves, if there are any of those I think you’ll also need more help."
"I..." Elita looked at me again. "Actually..."
Her eyes ran here and there over and over, and eventually she sighed and placed the tray down. Tears started streaming down her eyes.
"There was... there were two boys... Such bright children..."
"What happened?"
"They had to run. People here blamed them of stealing and petty things all the time, and eventually..."
Elita broke down crying.
"My..." I said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You should have told me if that was the case. I’ll ask the knights of Serenia for help. Before anything, two children are missing in a very dangerous place."
Jackpot.
"I’ll find them, the children," I said.
I’ll find them. And you’ll never see them.
