《The Girl Who Fell from the Polar Star》 CH 1 Author: Æß›g¤Þ¤¿¤ê Translator: Just a Dream ¡°ouch!¡± She raised her voice in spite of the pain that pierced her forehead. After that, something fell further into her head. The sound of ¡°something¡± rolling on the floor reverberated. When she raised her mood to open her heavy eyelids, a strange sight came into view. ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­?¡± Rope hanging from above, scattered chair, and two bodies with arms and legs hanging in the air without strength. That scene was so tragic that it was hard to describe, and excretions were scattered under it. [Ukekeke! It is so smelly! For me to came to this hell and helped you, I am a role model of the Sacred Beast, right? ] A damn bird that spreaded bright red feathers in a good mood while dancing crazily. Moving the thin legs bit by bit and jumped around the girl as if to provoke her. ¡°Hey, you¡± [Ukeke! My name is not ¡®Hey¡¯! Well, Master, you should call my name! ] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± [It¡¯s cruel! Your memory should have returned! ] ¡°Hey¡± [My name is Clevar! Master, don¡¯t tell me that your body became like that, your brain also degenerated! Oh, maybe it was incomplete? Ukeke, It is troubling ] ¡°Hey, listen to my¨C¡± [Ukeke, oioi Master, you are truly¨C guee] She grabbed the noisy bird¡¯s neck and pulled it forcibly. Clevar¡¯s eyes turned white and its beak moved left and right. She intended to use the strength to the point until a step before it was sent to afterlife, but she could not get much more strength than she thought. (¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t understand the situation well for the moment. For now, I guess it is surely not likeable) After lightly sighing , the strength in her hand loosen. She finally remembered who the bird was. ¡°Hey, Clevar. I haven¡¯t seen you for a while and you became quite arrogant. Oh yeah, how about I look inside your head to celebrate our reunion? ¡± [No, I will die! Even if you¡¯re joking, that¡¯s too much! I thought it was super troublesome, but I still came all the way here! ] ¡°So noisy. That aside, please explain this situation briefly.¡± [You act so highly despite becoming a little girl! Because it is Master that it is super irritating! ] ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay, once I pluck off those feathers and beak, this world will become quiet a little. It will hurt a little, but endure it.¡± She grabbed the feathers with the left hand, Clevar cried and struggled with tears. [U, ukeke! It¡¯s a just little joke! I will explain it right now! ] ¡°Clearly and concisely, I hate long stories.¡± She released Clevar and picked up ¡°something¡± that rolling near her feet. It was an eerie sphere that emitted a purple light. The more she saw it, the more she got the ominous impression that she would be dragged deeper into it. But the girl felt nostalgic about it. She thought that it¡¯s existence was only natural. Something important came into her body. her power raised. She felt as such. [Um, from where i should explain?] ¡°In the meantime, explain my present situation as far as you can tell¡± [Ukeke, an idiotic little girl who survived alone even though involved in a family suicide. It was good to have made it in time! ] ¡°I see. That was fortunate¡± She understood. There was a trace of tightened rope on her neck. It was fortunate that because she lost consciousness, they didn¡¯t end her live, they assumed she had been dead. Did her parents took their live as soon as they ascertain the death of their daughter? Unfortunately there was no way to make sure of it. She didn¡¯t want to know though. [Even if you survived, it is hell! The debt has been piled up that it is terrible! You have done it, Master! It is a worthwhile work. It is confirmed that you will only work for your entire lifetime!] Clevar was applauding skillfully using its feathers. The red feathers danced around and fell down. She threw the purple sphere to the good mood Clevar, it cried out and was clinging to the wall. She picked up the rolling sphere. Because it was sturdy it would never break. The remaining memories came from the sphere. It was violently rushing into her consciousness. The memory of the present and the past were mixed perfectly and became one. (¡­, I see, the current situation is really like hell) Her name is Stella Nordus. Daughter of sundry shop Glen. Age 10 years. Skimmed type, unhealthy, poor complexion, bad at social disposition. A plain girl with only silver hair as her special trait. But, She did not care about such a thing. Stella was stunned. ¡°- I, I have lived in vain for ten years, has a sixth of my lifetime already been disgested?¡± [You should have other impression in front of the dead bodies of your parents. Even though your long awaited wish to become a human has come true, there is no meaning if you are like this!] Clevar¡¯s amazed voice could be heard. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the man who tried to take me along to death because he jumped to obviously suspicious profit talks and failed. it is just stupid to feel any sympathy.¡± For a moment, a headache like lightning came but she ignored it. [Ukeke! Cruel as usual! This devil! Witch! ] ¡°Cruel? We have been watching the world from the shadows all this time. Without any collateral, a long days that so boring, enough to make me crazy.¡± [But it really was only to watch over.] She ignored Clevar¡¯s voice. ¡°There is no way that I am a devil or a witch. yeah, I¡¯d like you to even call me a goddess.¡± [Poo! There is no goddess with such a bad personality! Ukeke, As expected of Master! Your sense doesn¡¯t change at all! ] The brainless bird spouting without reserve. ¡°Are you still needed to be disciplined? I will try to twist a bit more next time.¡± [I don¡¯t need it! ] ¡°¡­ ¡­ By the way, was your body always so small? Seems like it was bigger before.¡± Even though her memory was mixed, it was foggy in some place. It was in an important part that shouldn¡¯t be forgotten. Now that she thought about it, was this bird so small? She thought it was certain that it was red and noisy. She still could not remember. [It¡¯s, It¡¯s only your imagination! That aside, Master! What will you do with these corpses? Don¡¯t tell me, you will spend time together whit it from now on. Even if it is Master, I cannot accept that. You must be crazy. ] Crevar was taken aback while twisting its body. No matter what, that could not be. ¡°It is smelly and if I leave it as it is, it will gather maggots and become terrible. We have to contact someone and make them clean it up.¡± [Because it¡¯s your family, you should clean it up yourself] ¡°It is just corpses now. Moreover with this body, it¡¯s impossible. This body is too weak. Even though it is my body, It is truly miserable.¡± [Certainly, it feels like you can die any time.] ¡°I have to make sure that won¡¯t happen. I¡¯ll reflect on it for ten minutes later.¡± [It is not like you! By the way, what are you reflecting on? Oh, Is it about you didn¡¯t say any gratitute words even once to me? ] ¡°It is not like that at all. The human life is only 60 years if it is is going well. My life has already been wasted for ten years, moreover this body has been raised to such a poor condition. It makes me want to die. Therefore, here I think I will firmly reflect on it and get my spirit back¡± [So it¡¯s like that] ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± [Master, you are really a devil. You spit out such words in front of your parent¡¯s corpse. Such a girl, I have never heard of it. As expected even i was shocked] ¡°I have not asked for your impression, I wonder if you will let me to take a break for a little while. I am tired from talking too much.¡± [Although it has been a long time, you are so cold! ] Stella ignored it, she breathed out and fell down on the spot. When she took a deep breath, an offensive smell thrust into her nose. It was a smell of the dead. It was a smell that she was familiar with, but not with this body. Gastric juice welled up naturally. Somehow tears-like things also came out. Perhaps she felt a bit sad. If she was also dead together, what would happen to her. The soul was the same, but different memories had mixed up. She wondered if it could be called her. In the first place which was the real her? (So to speak, it is the field of philosophy. Well, let¡¯s leave it for now.) She didn¡¯t know very well so she put the answer on hold. It would be fine if the answer come out before she die. 10 minutes later. Stella stood up after having made a large strecth. First of all she must clean up the corpses. If this continue, the insects would spring up and the smell would become even more severe. ¡°Anyway, I must do something¡± She grasped the purple sphere- the magic crystal strongly. With this, most things ought to be managed. She could live even by herself. The one that she should be careful was death due to illness, and the other was surprise attack. Resistance would also be difficult with this poor flesh. With the noisy voice that came from the entrance of the store, there was a sound of the door being opened roughly. ¡°oioi oioi! Even though you carry a debt to the point until you are rotten, you have guts to close your store !! Today is not a sabbath! Hey Glenn, you are there, right?! Today I will make sure to make you pay along with the interests!! ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hide! Or we will beat you to death !!¡± Sound of the commodity shelf being kicked and sound of unsold items scattered could be heard. Stella breathed out, she then stood up annoyingly. ¡°The debt is it, how much do I have?¡± [Ukeke! It¡¯s an amount that you can never pay even if it takes your entire lifetime! planning to make a big challenge once in a lifetime, but actually being deceived by the moneylender and the best friend who brought the talking! It was all on their palm! Ukeke, the world is not that sweet! ] ¡°So, how are those idiots going to collect the debt?¡± [If Master is already alright, but it still seems impossible, you are going to be sold to human trader for now. They are connected behind the scenes, they will exploit you until die, after that they will just throw you away. Ukeke! ] ¡°Really, what a terrible story, it¡¯s scary!¡± [I cannot see you are looking scared at all] ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that. Becoming a slave is so scary that my tears were about to come out¡± [The weak one is thoroughly being exploited. In this damn town, that is natural! humans really are funny! ukekeke! ] Clevar was in a good mood. In this Pebury Town, something like that was a natural story. The person who was deceived was in the wrong. The weak ones were exploited, the strong ones sipped the sweet juice. The weak ones would somehow struggle to go up, the strong ones would pin down their head. Every time gold and blood would flow, the life disappeared. Even then more people would still flow here. In the west there was a coalition of the Star Church, while in the the east there was Horseed Empire army that came for expedition. The boundary between the two forces was this Pebury Town. The former feudal lord was turned into turmoil by the empire expedition and was murdered by his trusted retainer called Greggs. Greggs then seized the authority and completely put the town under his control, ruled the town to one¡¯s own convenience. This town was a place that gathers mercenaries and merchants trying to compete for profit, and the damn insects that trying to sip a sweet juice. ¡°In the meantime, there is no place to go even if I run away, it seems I have to deal with it.¡± [Let me tell you, it is impossible for you to use magic! That poor body will be blown away and become a wonderful thing! Ukeke! It may be impossible for your condition to become like before! ] ¡°I know that, it¡¯s the price. I hate it, but I can not be depressed. Since this has happened, I have to live with all my might, it is the road that I chose by myself¡± Stella lightly stretched her neck, then she headed to the store front while carrying the purple sphere ¨C the magic crystal. This was a weapon and at the same time it was also her other self. No one can take it away from her. ¡°Hello, older brothers¡± ¡°Oh, Glenn and this damn brat. You still look like a dead person as usual. That aside, where is that miserable damn father of yours? Tell him to quickly come out and bring the money!¡± ¡°About that, It seems I can not do it.¡± ¡°You bastard, are you looking down on Stock Company?! Do you want this dirty shop to be burned by fire!? There is no guest that come anyway!¡± ¡°Calm down older brother. I am not looking down or anything like that. Oh yeah, it will be faster for you to see directly, older brothers also busy, right?¡± Stella began to guide them, the two men followed while clicking their tongue. Knife in the hand, appearance rough, they were not different with any of the robbers. It was this pebury town that became a place for these people to swagger. Some who had a place to go were escaped, others were accepting live tearfully while being exploited. ¡°What happened? If it¡¯s a complaint like the other day i don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Because he has a resolution in his face. Okay, this room. Well then, please!¡± Stella took one step back to give the front. Then she grasped the magic crystal stealthily and concentrate. ¡°What a trouble! Hey, Glenn! we came to pick up the money as promised!¡± ¡°Hey, wait a minute, Beck ¨C this smell. Glenn that bastard, don¡¯t tell me!¡± When the man fully opened the door in a panic, the dead bodies of the hanging parents appeared. It was only for a moment but there was a gap in their heart. ¡°- Magic Release¡± A purple fog entered the men ¡®s body from their back. They were not aware of it. Spitting abusive words as if to whip the dead. ¡°Oioi oi, they are in that condition, what should we do? We will be scolded by Mr. Mace again¡± ¡°Even if you say such thing there is no helping it, it¡¯s not our fault.¡± ¡°Brather Gard is pressing too much. That person, he doesn¡¯t know the limit¡± ¡°Really, Glenn is also Glen, He is truly miserable for escaping to death. He should just die after pay back the money¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, things that borrowed should be returned, even children understand it. But really, what should we do, Beck? we can not go home empty handed, we also have reputation¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, in the meantime, how about we sell this damn brat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s decided then. Such a kid similar to a corpse, we can only get a small amount of money though. Really, if she has more meat, she can be sold to a pervert!¡± ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s not wrong. Well then, damn brat, we will take you to a good place from now ¨C wh, what, my body is, strange¡± The man that trying to approach was struggling with only the upper body. It was very funny, Stella reflexively leaked a smile. Even though it was human, it was behaving like a doll. Really amusing. ¡°What is this, what¡¯s going on, my legs, cannot move! No, my arms also heavy!¡± ¡°Damn it! What happened !!¡± The men had expression of agony. Stella looked at them enjoyably. ¡°Good job with a long and boring story. You two, your head seems to be bad, but I will endure it this time. because I need a labor force anyway. In addition, that appereance alone was amusing¡± ¡°You bastard, have you done something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel the need to tell you¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around! Who do you think I am! I am the Stock Company¡¯s -¡± ¡°Oh well. Anyway, I wonder if you will work for me from now on. If you become a good child I will give you a reward.¡± Stella spoke highly with folded arms. ¡°Who are you speaking to, you damn brat!¡± He twisted only the upper body, desperately yelled at Stella behind. After Stella lightly laughed, she took away the knife the man had in his hand. After swinging it several times, she nodded. It was unshapely, but there was no problem for cutting off the vital points. If it was only like this she could handle it. ¡°With this body, I can not use much strength. it seems okay if i aim it properly, but it will be troublesome to have four corpses to deal with, so why don¡¯t you obey me obediently?¡± ¡°Shut up! Damn, why is my body not moving?!¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not only the head that bad, the attitude is bad as well¡± After Stella Intentionally shakes her head, she then turned to the front to look at the two men. The rebellious eyes did not change. As she thought, her power had fell down. If she tried to blow them away in this situation, she would die as well. It was called rampaging. Even though she had power and knowledge, there was no meaning unless she could master it. It must be regained from now on. In that case, let¡¯s try to handle these guys in a human-like method. She aimed the knife to the shoulder of the man on the right side, then thrust it as if scooping it from below. Grinding and twisting it, giving pain to the maximum. ¡°U, uaaaaaaaaaargh!¡± ¡°I took your freedom with my power. You acted so highly, but the moment you saw the corpse, you were shaking a little, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You bastard, it¡¯s hurt!¡± ¡°It depends on me whether I will let you live or kill you. Let me ask you once again, are you willing to work for my shake? If you say ¡®no¡¯, I will cut your throat¡± ¡°Who wants to-¡± ¡°Then I don¡¯t need you, I hate wasting time.¡± She brandished the knife to the man¡¯s throat without hesitation. Blood squirted and dyed the room red, Stella¡¯s white clothe too, also the corpses of her parents. The man on the left was looking at it with his eyes rounded. The man who had his throat cut off, blew away the blood bubbles, his life ended while standing still. She release the curse, and the body collapsed. ¡°Hi, Hiiiiii !!¡± ¡°So what will you do? If i am not wrong, you are called Beck, right? I hope you are a little smarter than him¡± When Stella laughed while wiping the blood attached to the knife, the man called Beck nodded his head while falling into tears. ¡°Oh, thank you. You seem a bit smart. fu fu, as i thought humans are good, unlike us, they can think flexibly, it is really worthwhile to take hardship to become a human¡± [Ukekeke! You sure are saying something good with that bloody appereance! But it matches you perfectly! ] ¡°Fu fu, thank you for the praise. Well then, what am i going to do and how can I live from now on. My life begins here today. There is only 50 years left, but I must enjoy my life, boredom is unrelated¡± Stella sat down while stroking Beck¡¯s hair, smilling happily with bloodstained face. Author¡¯s note: I was rehabilitated, I was writing. Thank you very much. Human being 50 years, Stella is greedy so 60 years. Translator¡¯s Note: Hello, it is my first time translating, sorry if it is bad. Let me know if there is any mistake. CH 2 Author: Æß›g¤Þ¤¿¤ê Translator: Just a Dream ¡°Haa¡± In the sundry shop that became quiet, Stella was sighing alone. Although it was still early morning, her mood sank. She carelessly killed a man. He may also had something interesting. Once killed, there was no way to ascertain that. As she was going to grow up as a human, she had to study many things. They are also the same human beings. The trashes may had their own thinking or had their own way of living, she should hear about it. [Master, what are you getting depressed for, come on, Cheer up! I feel lonely. ] ¡°I don¡¯t care about that¡± [That¡¯s not good] ¡°It¡¯s hard to live like a human. Even so, i can not have much composure with this body. It¡¯s difficult.¡± Humans are fragile. Now that She had the Magic Crystal in her hand, as long as she was vigilant, she would not be easily killed. However, if she was suddenly gotten shot in the heart, or her brain got destroyed, she would die in a single blow. Even without that, any blow to this body would lead to fatal injuries. She must be careful. [But there is still me.] ¡°Fufu, How reliable. But I can not just always depend on you.¡± [That aside, Is it really okay to leave the disposal of the corpses to him? He seems stupid, you wouldn¡¯t know where he would throw the corpses to. ] ¡°If human dies, it becomes just a lump of meat. My father and mother will continue to live in my heart. ¡ª fufu, I feel like becoming a poet, I want to make a nice poetry someday. Doesn¡¯t it seems like i can take out the uncertainty feeling of a human right now? ¡± Perhaps, there was a sad feeling, but nothing more. They dead, she was alive. She left the cleaning up of the corpses and the room to that hoodlum Beck. It would be reported to the Stock Company that they all committed suicide. It seemed not necessary to report to the guards. They were the private soldiers of the feudal lord, they did not move based on laws and order. It was the organization of territory management that collected the taxpayers¡¯ fees and taxes. From there it would go into the feudal lord. So, as long as you didn¡¯t go against the organization of territory management, there was nothing to be afraid of. Punishment would naturally be given if someone disobeyed. Stella¡¯s father Glenn chose to die because their way to escape had been sealed. [Ukeke, What a good thing to say! I hated the most something that doesn¡¯t have a meaning like that.] ¡°I want to understand, I wonder if bird doesn¡¯t understand such a feeling.¡± [I don¡¯t want to understand. currently, i want to stay normal] ¡°Oh, well. That aside, what will I do from now on? I don¡¯t have money, there is not much food, there is no place to go to escape. If I leave it as it is, the debt collector will come again and again. The hoodlum meat wall seems not very useful. The weird bird is noisy.¡± [That¡¯s cruel! ] Clevar flew around noisily. ¡°I¡¯m not cruel, it¡¯s a fact.¡± After saying that, Stella brought the cold coffee to her mouth. She took the unsold item without permission. The current owner of this shop was herself anyway, so there was no particular problem. By the way, the clothes naturally had been changed. She also had washed her body. ¡°It tastes bad¡± She had a bitter face and put down the cup. Its taste was really bad. She got annoyed. The tongue seemed not yet familiar. It must be improved with top priority. Since long ago, Stella was noisy if it was about coffee. [It can not be helped because it is already cold] ¡°Well¡± [Really, what will you do from now on, Master? If you want to escape I will lead you.] Clevar proposed with a serious look. It was surprisingly difficult to see the expression of bird. But somehow Stella understood. ¡°For now, I don¡¯t have physical strength to be able to walk around. ¡­.. It is best to do something about the debt and keep the shop managed somehow, but I don¡¯t have any credit or anything to sell. Hmm, I must think about it.¡± Even if she looked over the store, there was nothing special. There seemed to be no customer really. There were only the daily miscellaneous goods and groceries covered with dust. There was no money in stock. Even if she wanted to borrow money, there were no people who would believe in such a small girl. (Then, should i sell a new product? Something that only i can make. Something that fits for the people in this town ¨C) When thinking about such a thing, the hoodlum with a pale face ¨CBeck came back. ¡°Welcome back¡± ¡°I, I am back¡± ¡°Fu fu, you don¡¯t have to be so tense, I am just a 10 years old little girl, you are 20 years old adult man. It is trouble if you don¡¯t behave more firmly. I will rely on you¡± Beck was grinning and smiling while strightening his back. He had been given so much fear, so the rebellious mind seemed to be completely withered. It should be fine to leave the chores to this man for the time being. She didn¡¯t know if he could do it satisfactorily though. [Oh, how pitiful. Sexy guy, you have no luck! involved with Master means that it is the end of your luck. ] ¡°The bird spoke !?¡± It was talking all the time, but he seemed didn¡¯t aware of it. Beck opened his eyes wide and was doubting the reality. [There are things like this in this world! Come on, you should enjoy your life! Your life may have already over though! Ukeke! ] ¡°¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t know anything anymore, damn it!¡± Beck sat down helplessly. His proud brown hair was also somewhat withered. ¡°Hey, Beck¡± ¡°¡­ What, what is it?¡± ¡°Can you tell me more about your former owner?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m just an underling, I don¡¯t know the detailed things¡± Beck waved his hands. Seemed like he didn¡¯t understand the instruction. ¡°You only have to speak everything you know, I don¡¯t order you to talk back, Even if you are Beck, you understand, right?¡± When Stella poked his forehead with her finger, Beck stood up in panic and started talking. The Stock Company that trapped Stella¡¯s father, led by Leroy Stock. It is an organization that fought for supremacy with Pulped Union in the Peabury West District. As the same with the other forces, They held army corps, had a wide range of activities ranging from moneylending, human trading, drugs trafficking, bars, gambling, venues management, selling weapons and dispatching mercenaries. A large number of bribes were handed over to the Georgia family, the head of the Peabury five districts, asking for convenience. In other words, they were worthless people. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I won¡¯t say anything bad, quickly run away from here. Besides, even if you kill me the debt won¡¯t disappear. Even if you can use magic, you can not win against the power of the Stock Company.¡± ¡°There is no need to win. It¡¯s good if the negotiation is settled. Well then, let¡¯s go to sell the new product. Beck, please guide me there.¡± ¡°Hey, are you listening? If we go, we will be killed!¡± The organization didn¡¯t allow betrayal, and someone who looked down on them. Beck and Stella would get punished. [Partner, its useless to oppose Master. Basically she won¡¯t listen to people¡¯s words! Ukeke!] ¡°It is like that. Well then, let ¡®s go quickly. Human life is short, we should not waste it.¡± She let the reluctant Beck to lead the way, they headed to an area with even worse public order. The hoodlums that depended on Stock Company gathered, they sent a suspicious gaze to them. If Beck was not there, she would definitely get abducted or assaulted. As she thought, sparing him was a correct choice. Finally, they reached the headquarter. It was a luxurious bulding that made you think a nobleman was living in there. There were 10 guards at the gate, there were about 10 people that were hiding. It was a considerable security system. She guessed there were even more armed mercenaries inside. It meant they had that much power. ¡°Ah, what are you guys?¡± The gatekeeper called out suspiciously, ready to draw out the sword any time. He didn¡¯t attack immediately because the other side was only Beck and a little girl. ¡°Um, I am Beck from the collection team. that, about the debt, this one, I mean, this person wants to talk with Leroy-sama by all means¡± ¡°Huh? what are you talking about? are you crazy? President Leroy is busy. He doesn¡¯t have time to talk to an underling and a brat like you. Quickly go home or I will kill both of you! ¡± The gatekeeper threatened. It could not be helped, Stella stepped forward. ¡°Hey, oniisan. I will give you this, can you just listen to my story for a moment? It will quickly end.¡± ¡°Oh, what is this? Is it a good thing? Hehe, if you have such a gift, you should take it out quickly. If its just to pass a message¨C¡± She handed the Magic Crystal to the gatekeeper and stepped backward. And then. ¡°¨CWhat, what is this !?¡± The Magic Crystal started to emit a black light and sucked something like a steam from the gatekeeper. The surprised gatekeeper tried to let it go, but it had firmly stuck to his palm. He frantically tried to tear it off but it was futile. ¡°It is terrible, oniisan. it¡¯s absorbing your life force. If you don¡¯t quickly release it, your lifespan will shorten more and more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me! Oi you guys, do something!! And kill that brat!¡± He called his fellow guards in the surrounding. The guards unsheathed their weapon and came forward. ¡°If you come close, you will meet with the same fate as this person. By the way, if you kill me, it will running wildly and suck up all the life in this whole area, so be careful with how you treat me, okay? If you think it¡¯s a lie, you can try it yourself¡± Stella laughed heartily. The gatekeepers were completely in disturbance, They quickly took a distance from the man who held the Magic Crystal. It was as Stella said, they felt their whole body exhausted the moment they approached. They knew instinctively that there was something bad about it. Their instinct told them that they should not come close. Human seemed to have the ability to feel such things. ¡°O, oi !! Please do something about it !!¡± ¡°After about one minute, you will die. If you just say ¡®yeah¡¯, I will even return the life force that had been sucked in. So, I would like to hear your answer¡± ¡°I understand, I understand, Please release it quickly! I beg you please forgive me already !!¡± He kneeled as he was about to cry, so Stella took the Magic Crystal. The black light settled down and something like white steam returned to the man¡¯s body. ¡°Fufu, I am glad you are an understanding person. Well, I am also busy, so please show me the way quickly.¡± ¡°¡­, what, what the heck is going on?¡± ¡°Do I need to do it again?¡± ¡°No, no, I understand. I will guide you as promised. But at least let me know your business first.¡± ¡°I absolutely don¡¯t want to talk twice because it¡¯s troublesome, it will be a waste of time.¡± Stella smiled and refused, urged him to go ahead. Clevar stroked the head of the man with its wing as if to comfort him. Led by the pitiful gatekeeper, Stella and Beck were guided to the President¡¯s Office. They seemed to have heard the fuss outside already, as armed mercenaries crowded around in the surrounding. There was a man served by a young woman sitting in a luxurious chair in the center. He is probably Leroy Stock. He had a flourishing muscle, his head slightly lose the hair. He was exactly just like the leader of a bandit. It seems that he not only had power but also business talent. Otherwise He would not be able to enlarge the company this far. While thinking such a thing, Stella walked to the front of Leroy. Leroy dismissed the woman and while smoking a cigar, he looked down on her. In his rough hand there was a ring with huge jewelry shone glitteringly. Stella thought it was a bad taste. ¡°Oh, if I¡¯m not mistaken, aren¡¯t you the daughter of the sundry shop Glenn? You don¡¯t need to persoally come here, our men will come to visit you. Is it about the matter of debt repayment today? It seems to be delayed.¡± ¡°Yes, they certainly came, but I can not return something that i don¡¯t have, so I come here to negotiate. Because early in the morning today, my parents died in an unfortunate accident.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. In fact, our man seemed to have been killed as well this morning. There was a report just now. Did something happen?¡± Although it was a polite word, Leroy looked at her with a murderous intent. He seemed to feel a bad sign as he directed his gaze at the Magic Crystal that Stella brought. He seemed to have heard her threat that said if she died, it would rampage and make the surrounding involved. Even so, he accepted the meeting because he still had an honor. This business would not work if he was looked down by a child. ¡°Yes, It¡¯s a little unfortunate accident.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s like that. Well, it is a common occurrence in this town.¡± Leroy signaled the servant to bring a chair behind Stella. She sat down without reserve and brought the glass that was presented to her mouth. There seemed to be no poison. ¡°Oh, this is a delicious juice¡± ¡°I am glad you like it, it is also popular among the noble ladies. ¡­ By the way, It is not about repaying the money today but you have a talk with me, right? we are both mutually busy so shall we get into the main subject immediately?¡± ¡°Okay, as I mentioned earlier, my parents died and I have no property other than that store. Even if i want to return the money I¡¯m not in the condition to be able to return it. So i want to exchange it with a certain thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Oh, That¡¯s a considerably convenient story¡­. what on earth can you show me?¡± Leroy urged with his chin. ¡°You are selling a dangerous thing that makes human to become disabled, right? It¡¯s something forbidden by the church. Um, I heard it from Beck.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­., You bastard, you told it to a brat like this!¡± The surrounding mercenaries clicked their tongue, they placed their hand on the sword. Although it was an open secret, they could not admit it from the front. It was prohibited by the bishop of this continent, the Star Church. To admit it meant that they challenged a fight with the church, the Heretical Inquisition Officer would come to intrude in. ¡°Hii, hiii, please forgive me! President, I am being threatened.¡± Beck came closer to Stella while crying. He was a man that could not get used to become a meat wall. As expected of Beck. Clevar became alert. ¡°Stop it, such a garbage, you can always kill him any time. ¡­. little girl, please continue.¡± ¡°I can make a medicine that can cure a human that have became disabled. You have an abundant business ability, surely you understand the meaning of this, right?¡± Stella drank the juice, then she hit the glass with a finger, requesting for a second. The servant woman hesitated but began to fill the glass with purple liquid. Stella held the Magic Crystal to display it. Purple light was emitted suspiciously. ¡°With this crystal, I can turn a water into a medicine. That is a truth or not will be proven immediately. Fufu, I will sell this only to your company. In return, I want the debt to be cancelled, and stop harassing my store. That¡¯s the condition. ¡± ¡°¡­¡­ Hmm, I can not believe it, you have to demonstrate it right now. I will be troubled if you look down on me¡± ¡°Of course I will show you, are there any materials?¡± ¡°¡­ Hey, bring here the appropriate trash, who was supposed to be dealt with¡± Leroy gave the order, then a person whose consciousness was hazy was brought in. It was a result for continuing to use the dangerous drug regularly. He got a bliss until reached this condition so he wouldn¡¯t complain . There was no need to help but it was for Stella¡¯s life. Let him got back to hell. Stella transformed the water in the glass. She gave it to Leroy, then made the subordinate took it immediately. The disabled man was groaning, but soon regaining his consciousness. It would be like a hell now. He would get improved by continuing taking the medicine, and the desire for the drug would also continue. ¡°¡­¡­ I see. Certainly, there seems to be an effect. This one is a trash that should already be disposed, but can it really be healed?¡± ¡°If he takes the medicine in the long term, he can completely healed, please continue taking it for about a week . The price you sell to someone will be decided by yourself. The delivery of goods will be handled by this Beck.¡± Naturally the drugs here would flow to the upper class as well. Not only in this town, but in the whole continent as well. They would eventually suffered from the after-effect. There, if he offered this medicine at a high price, they would jump at it. Then if they recovered, the fools would dyed their hand with the drugs again. There were always people that could not escape from pleasure. Leroy could gain huge profits by manipulating that loop. Leroy also seemed to notice this profit. His face changed. ¡°In order to monopolize this skill, there is also a way to confine you¡± ¡°I wonder, can you do it?¡± ¡°There is no reason I can not ¨C¡± Obstructing Leroy¡¯s words, Stella raised the Magic Crystal. Leroy¡¯s complexion changed and cold sweat started to pour down. He seemed to smell something sinister. It seemed that his survival instinct was high. Of course, if she used this to exercise magic to kill everyone, Stella would die from the backslash. That¡¯s why she made a concession like this. ¡°In that case, I will just make this to rampage, I want to live a human life. If I can not do that, there is no meaning to live. I will take you along with me to hell.¡± Stella declared. Actually, she didn¡¯t intend to do so. This was just a threat. Actually she just had to make the situation into chaos, then she would escape with Clevar¡¯s help. Naturally Beck had to serve as a meat wall. Leroy thought for a while and then nodded deeply. ¡°Okay, you will sell it only to my company. I will withdraw your debt and never harass you again. I promise with my name as a guarantee.¡± ¡°Fufu, humans really are nice since they are so understanding.¡± ¡°However, that shop is in my territory. You don¡¯t need to pay the tax, but it¡¯s belong to Stock Company, don¡¯t forget it. Betrayal will be compensated with death.¡± ¡°Fufu, what a wonderful face. Of course it¡¯s okay. For something like this, humans usually sign a contract, right? I want to try it too.¡± Stella demanded. Her eyes shone like a child. If that mouth was not distorted, it might had been suitable for her age. ¡°Understood ¡­ ¡­ Oi¡± Leroy brought a contract, then they mutually signed on it. The contract was successfully tied. ¡°It¡¯s done with this. We carried one for each other, right? It¡¯s really a wonderful method, because It¡¯s end with just talk and don¡¯t have to shed blood.¡± Stella laughed while shaking her small body, Leroy showed a slight fright. Then, he muttered in a low voice. ¡°¡­ ¡­. You, are you really 10 years old? Don¡¯t tell me you are actually a witch in disguise or something?¡± ¡°Please stop the joke. I am Glenn¡¯s daughter Stella, the only one who ended up survived, the helpless and pitiable 10 years old little girl. So don¡¯t be too rough to me, because I am very vulnerable. It would be terrible if I am broken, right?¡± While smiling bewitchingly like a witch, Stella stood up slowly. There was no business here any more. Translator¡¯s Note: The second chapter of Stella, hope you enjoy it. Feel free to notice me if there is any mistake. CH 3 Author: Æß›g¤Þ¤¿¤ê Translator: Just a Dream Proofreader: Frozen Ink Stella, who left the Stock Company, made a big stretch with heavy and cloudy eyes. She entrusted the contract and the arrangement of gold to Beck. He wished for liberation, but Stella naturally rejected it. He also didn¡¯t have the reason to oppose it as it was necessary for Leroy to put an observer. ¡°With this the biggest problem has been resolved; I guess it¡¯s nothing much in the end.¡± [Ukeke! That way of saying is cruel! Your father is too pitiful! ] ¡°It was that man¡¯s fault that I fell into misfortune, I cannot bring myself to feel sympathy. That aside, Let¡¯s buy food in town and go back. There is nothing decent at home. And then¡­¡± [Ukeke, You still want to buy?!] ¡°Just Beck alone is lonely, so let¡¯s look for interesting people. Let¡¯s collect various people and let them tell wonderful and pleasant life stories. Oh, it seems I made quite a wonderful goal. The first splendid person is you, Beck.¡± When Stella gently stroked Beck¡¯s back, cold sweat flowed down his cheeks. ¡°¡­¡­e¡± ¡°When we return, Let me hear thoroughly about you, I expect an enjoyable story.¡± [Ukeke, I think it¡¯s a worthless story anyway! He¡¯s just a hoodlum after all! ] ¡°That¡¯s okay. No matter what kind of trash he is, He is still human. right? Beck.¡± Stella and Clevar laughed like a child, Beck staggered unsteadily. Peabury Town, Central Area. Here, relatively better people gathered. It was only relatively, so naturally caution was necessary. If someone looked at the back alley, people like pickpockets, hoodlums, even fallen mercenaries were lurking and waiting for a chance. If they sensed the smell of battle, they took their sword and went out to the battlefield. Or went to collect the equipments from the corpses. Mercenaries bought equipment, corpse fishers collected it, blacksmiths repaired it, and merchants sold it, and as such a cycle of death was formed. Since aristocrats and merchants from other places come in and out, the number of guards were many. However, even if Stella was attacked, they would not interfere. There was no human rights for people who didn¡¯t have money. By the way, there were two limelights/highlight here, the slave market and the competition arena. Where most of the rich people from different places, except for those who have business as their goal, come here for these two places. ¡°It is really a wonderful town. The true nature of Human seems to be boiling and glittering. Oh yeah, how about I buy several slaves?¡± [Master, You already have two slaves!] ¡°You count yourself as a slave, what an admiring bird. On the contrary that mouth is bad though. I wonder what is that head packed with?¡± [Ukeke, it¡¯s packed with dream and hope!] ¡°Fufu, you said a good thing, I am impressed.¡± Stella gently stroked the bird¡¯s head, then it flew away in a good mood. It came back immediately, rested on Beck¡¯s head. It seemed light so it was fine. ¡°¡­. Um, in the end, what will become of me?¡± ¡°As a result of talking with Leroy, you have became my property. I will properly give you allowance. I think you can live happier than just becoming a hoodlum. It was really fortunate, right?¡± While playing with her silver hair, Stella smiled. Beck nodded helplessly with complicated expression. He realized that it was useless even if he wanted to resist. Besides, he got money. In exchange for something important. [Ooi Master! Let¡¯s try gambling for once and increase the gold coins! That or maybe we can watch the fighting in the arena and have a big laugh. It seems fun to watch trash die!] ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s show our face a little. Beck, please properly guard me. It will be terrible if I die¡± ¡°Ye, yes¡± ¡°There is no spirit, do you want me to hit your buttock?¡± ¡°I am fine! U, understood!¡± ¡°What a wonderful reply, but I hate if you are so noisy.¡± [Too selfish] After thinking about it, Stella decided to go to the arena first. She could bet money, If she paid the fee she could also watch the fighting. What a wonderful place. They had the pleasure of watching the same race shedding blood and suffering until they die, on top of that, they bet money and make it a business. Humans really had a various ideas. Stella¡¯s mood was elevated. ¡ª They arrived at Peabury Competition Arena. Under the permission of the Feudal Lord Gregs Georgia, it was a place where fighting was performed Spectacularly. Those who participated are those who applied, those who were obliged and strong people who had been sent from each organization to wager their honor. If there were people who got rich quickly, there were also people who became meaningless corpses after one battle. The audience paid money to watch it from high seats, or they bet on the match¡¯s result. The receptionist saw them with awfully dubious eyes, but when Beck handed the money they were able to go in smoothly. She looked poor in one glance, but he seemed to judge that she was a noble daughter that was travelling incognito. Nevertheless, even though she was a resident of this town, there was no one who saw Stella and called her. Even when she bought food supply on the way, nobody reacted. It was truly lonely. (From now on, I must thrust my neck in various things and understand human, I have to broaden my view about human widely and deeply. For the next 50 years, I must live and die with my full power) It was completely different from just looking from the outside and deepening exchanges with actual involvement. She was tired from just watching. At any rate she wanted to be directly involved. Human emotions, various emotions would entertain Stella. It was different from that place where only boredom and fatigue were whirled. Everything was fresh and interesting. The problem was that Stella¡¯s physical strength couldn¡¯t catch up with her curiosity. She must improve it as soon as possible. [Oh, they¡¯re doing it. They are having a good match.] In the middle of the fighting arena, two men with swords were having life or death battle. ¡°Is this going to continue till one of them die?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s until one of them give up or can¡¯t fight anymore. Of course there is no problem even if one of them is killed. Skillfully lose is also one of the techniques here. People who don¡¯t give up until the end have no future.¡± Even though it seemed to be a good match, the one with the bigger physique had a bad complexion. It seemed that the consumption of his physical strength was intense. When judging so, the fight reached its conclusion. The bigger man had his abdomen torn and his head was decapitated when he crouched down. Loud cheers and shout of joy reverberated. ¡°I see.¡± When Stella who saw the death looked convinced, the man next to her came to pick a quarrel. He was a hoodlum that scattered here and there more than pebbles in this town. As expected she got tired of it. ¡°Hehe, you sure have a good hobby, little Miss. If you want, I can show you various things. if you will play a little bit, I will give you a service!¡± ¡°O, oi. I won¡¯t say anything bad so stop it! This person is !¡± ¡°You shut up, I¡¯m talking directly with this little miss -¡± ¡°Okay, I will give you this, so be quiet.¡± Stella handed over the Magic Crystal without hesitation, she activated the absorption and it made him faint. She forcibly kicked him away because it was bothersome. He did not move much though because she did not have much power. ¡°Beck, it was an eyesore so throw him away¡± ¡°Ye, yes¡± It was irritating for the face of the fainted man to enter into sight. Beck hurriedly threw the body away. [Oioi Master. You don¡¯t want this guy? You said you want to gather humans? ] ¡°I do not need him because he does not suit my taste. I feel disgusted physiologically somehow. Such a crude feeling is human-like so I must value it.¡± [Ukeke, you are really selfish!] ¡°Because I am human, Humans are like that, right?¡± Stella once again threw a kick, for now it was until here for today, she quickly walked away. Beck hurriedly rushed up from behind. ¡°U, um. Is it really okay? Even though we have just gone in, once we go out, the entry fee won¡¯t come back even for a single copper coin.¡± ¡°I wanted to briefly go around before running out of strength. Lets come to watch again slowly next time.¡± She could feel the lack of her physical strength now. It was obviously because of kicking twice. If she thought about it, she doesn¡¯t remember ever properly taking a stroll outside until this age. She was severely restricted by her parents. Although there was a matter about her weak body, it probably to hide her from debt collectors, so it could not be helped. In any case, She must get used to walking. ¡°Here is?¡± ¡°Yes, this is where the people gathered in this area are put out for sale¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s known as garbage box. Fufu, what a good name.¡± [It¡¯s a sensible name. Humans are unexpectedly good at it.] Peabury slave market. If there were some that were put in a wooden cage, there were also some who got relatively good treatment. Those who are excellent in military force, skill, or knowledge were sold at high price so their treatment was also good. The opposites were obviously treated just like garbage. They were put in a wooden cage in a large amount, their state were more terrible than stray dogs. War is now occurring frequently, children who lost their parents, wives who lost their husbands, or former nobility who had ruined were gathered in this way. Whether they could get a decent master, it was exactly ¡°only God who knows.¡± There are two transaction systems. Compete over for people who were put on auction, or buy it by trading directly with the merchant. Those who were likely to become popular would be put on the auction so the price would naturally jump. Beautiful girls were naturally brought there. Stella looked at them with great interest. Naturally she was seen suspiciously by the slave market¡¯s guards, but they were convinced after seeing that she was obeyed by Beck. There were quite a lot of stupid nobles who travelling incognito with guard. Stella¡¯s appearance did not look like a noble, but they were convinced that it was possibly done on purpose. ¡°Humans who are of the same race are sold as goods. They really think about various things. I wonder who the first to think about it?¡± [Dunno. Perhaps it was God?] ¡°That is possible, but unfortunately God didn¡¯t exist. No, perhaps they exist? In the first place, what is God?¡± [God is God] What a stupid answer. Stella suddenly felt uncomfortable. Was Clevar¡¯s brain this poor? In the first place, did it end its speech with such word1? Was such a noisy thing actually there by her side? If that was the case, would she still feel bored? She felt doubt, but there was no mistake that clevar is clevar. She knew at least that much. ¡°You, is your brain that poor?¡± [Suddenly so cruel] ¡°I wonder if you became like that because you have lived for a long time? Is it called, heresy?¡± [Ukeke! If Master is the one that said that, it has Persuasiveness! Ukekeke!] ¡°You also laugh a lot¡± [I can only laugh] ¡°By the way, if I did not regain my memory, I wonder if I will be sold here? There is nothing else that a little girl could do beside that.¡± She asked Beck. ¡°U, um, that¡¯s, that¡¯s right. Until now, it is always like that. squeeze until the end, after that just get rid or sell away. It is the usual way of doing things.¡± Beck had a bad complexion. He was scared of being scolded again. ¡°How much is would I be?¡± ¡°Um, a brat ¨C I mean a child, if the flesh is bad, it¡¯s about 10 silver coins. Because it also requires food expense to raise them.¡± She looked around the cage in the market. Certainly, those with a young age were mostly around 10 silver coins. There was an extra if the appearance was fairly good. Naturally women were more expensive. ¡°Am I only worth 10 silver coins? It¡¯s cheap¡± ¡°¡­ It is probably cheaper. People who seem to have illness can¡¯t be sold. Um, Stella-sama¡¯s complexion is too much. As I said earlier, because it needs money to raise them, It will be a total loss if a person suddenly dies.¡± ¡°Fufu, you are so frank, Beck. Well, it may not be a bad experience to enter into a cage for once, maybe I can see a new world.¡± [That is just pervert, right?] ¡°I wonder. You can feel the grief of human, right? It is so sorrowful that it might make me tremble.¡± [Ukeke, I always felt sorrowful when I was in the birdcage! Even though I am a Sacred Beast It was terrible! ] There was no such memory. Its size should not had fit in a birdcage. No, she agreed if that place could be called a birdcage. Stella recognized that place as a tombstone. She thought it was a very accurate expression. What is the grave keeper who should still be there doing now? Since they would never meet again, she was not particularly interested. ¡°I wonder, Is it still there?¡± [Dunno. I do not care about the place that I have finished with.] ¡°I really envious of that easy-going manner, I wonder if it¡¯s the secret of living longer.¡± When Stella praised, it chimed its beak seemed not quite happy. She looked at the goods appropriately. Men and women of all ages, every slave had eyes that looked like they were dead. They were the same as dead. They even didn¡¯t have the energy to die. She could see it that they felt it was okay if they live while following the flow. She did not think she want much. Even if a similar experience was told, it was not very interesting. Therefore, one person like Beck was enough. She could not expect it, but she wanted to confirm it just in case. ¡°Beck, what can you do?¡± ¡°Eh, what does that mean?¡± ¡°Oh, I am sorry. The question is too vague, I want to hear what you are good at.¡± ¡°Um, I am fairly good at collecting debt, and I also often do things like territorial patrols.¡± ¡°What about your skill?¡± ¡°¡­. I¡¯m fairly confident in it, but I¡¯m still an underling in the company.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Although he seemed to be confident in collecting debt, he had failed when facing Stella. Even if Stella did not exist, He failed at the time when her parents died. He could not collect the money which was the purpose. For the territorial patrol, there was the company¡¯s signboard. ¡°Can you do the housework? Serving customer? Are you good at accounting?¡± ¡°¡­. I eat at the bar. The laundry is done by the slaves in the company. I have never done something like serving customer or accounting.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She could grasp his general ability. He was a typical hoodlum. Threatened the weak by borrowing the power of the organization, and humbled oneself if a stronger person appeared. It would be better not to entrust the housework to him. If that was the case, he was suitable for odd jobs and pseudo-guard for the shop. Although she felt he was unnecessary, it was a waste to throw him away because he was her first property. She wanted to value a human-like thing like commemoration. Still doing it while knowing it was pointless, really like a human. ¡°U, um¡­¡± ¡°Well, how much is necessary?¡± ¡°Wh, what is it? Is it about the price?¡± ¡°The shop manager and my chat companion, and the number of people in charge of general housework. Since I want to keep a healthy condition, I want 5 hours sleep time. The truth is, sleep time is also precious, but I must compromise. Oh yeah, I have to take a nap for my health. For that, I don¡¯t want to do unnecessary work as much as possible.¡± [You are really selfish! You should make your own meal by yourself!] ¡°You are noisy. To use the next 50 years meaningfully, not just the body, I also have to use my head properly. Since life is short, I will save time spent on housework by paying money. Buy time with money, what a beautiful word.¡± Stella waved her hands happily. From now on she would train her body, observe humans, listen to the story, she had to look around. If she got tired of this town, she would move to another place and do the same things again. Then on the way, she would obtain seed and give birth to children. The wonderful thing about human is its high succession ability. Leaving a living proof is really human. ¡°Um, You should buy about four or five people. Ma, maybe ¡­.¡± Since Beck was obviously just randomly answered, Stella knitted her eyebrows. ¡°What is the consideration for that answer?¡± ¡°Um, no, I just think it should be around that.¡± ¡°Stop answering randomly. It¡¯s a waste of time just to wait for answer¡­ though I think that, it cannot be helped because it is proof that you are you. Yeah, indeed it is like you, Beck. You are indeed Beck.¡± [You said Beck is Beck about another person; you are truly a cruel Master! Partner, do your best in life, okay?] ¡°Oh, oh, thanks.¡± Beck didn¡¯t understand well. Stella depended on intuition and headed to a nearby cage, she evaluated the goods. ¡°The first person is, let¡¯s go with this aunt. I do not have any particular reason, but she seems to have many experiences in housework.¡± She pointed at a middle-aged woman that had a tired look and an unkempt hair. Her black hair was mixed with gray hair and she looked older than she actually was. The word ¡®Marie¡¯ was written on the wooden tag that hung from her neck. The price was also cheap. ¡°¡­.Eh?¡± ¡°You, Marie. I will buy you as Stella Sundry Shop¡¯s manager and as a person in charge of housework. Fufu, for such a little girl to buy a human. Such feeling, what is it called?¡± [Ukeke, isn¡¯t it joy?] ¡°There is also a little of such feeling, but maybe there is also sadness. Such things like that are mixed and gives me a complicated face, right?¡± Stella stared at Clevar. [Is that so? Your face does not say so. You make an exciting face.] ¡°It should be like that because I say so. Well, Let¡¯s choose about two people first. Which one is it, I want to put important in intuition.¡± Next is a man who could do manual labour. She looked for a person whose wavelength is likely to match. There was no man in his prime life who seemed to be useful. Mostly, such people had already been bought for manual labour. There were only boys left. The ones with good looks had already been bought by people with different purpose. The remaining were only the ones that had dirty appearance. So to speak, they were child version of Beck. Their abilities were also obvious. It was okay to give training, but now she wanted something that eye catching and interesting. ¡°¡­. Unfortunately lets put the man on hold this time, there really is no one who seems useful. They all just like Beck.¡± [Such people are not needed anymore. Even if we do not buy them, they scattered here and there. Money is important.] ¡°It is as you say.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cruel.¡± Beck dropped his shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s look for people who are at least able to be entrusted with the store.¡± Suddenly there was saliva that spitted on her from a boy who wear a shabby tattered clothes. When she turned over there, there was a boy who smiled triumphantly. ¡°What a great status you have to evaluate people at that age, you damn! Serve you right!¡± ¡°This, this brat, what did you do to a customer! I will kill you!¡± ¡°Hmph, you all need to go to hell! You scoundrels!¡± Unkempt blond hair, body and face covered with dust. The name written on the wooden tag is Leia. 10 silver coins. At first glance there was not much difference from the other slaves. But Stella thought that the rebellious eyes were interesting. It was likely that she could hear a really interesting story. She wiped the spit with the sleeve, and then pointed at Leia¡¯s cage. ¡°I decided on this. Hey, you there.¡± ¡°Ye, yes. please forgive me this time. I will pay for the rudeness. In addition I will immediately kill this brat. First, I will break both his arms and legs, and then throw him into the river.¡± ¡°It is better to die, you pig!¡± ¡°You shall do no such things. Since I will buy it after this. The middle-aged woman called Marie in the cage over there, and this Leia, I will buy the two of them. Fufu, as I thought it is immoral. I wonder why a shiver comes to me?¡± [Isn¡¯t it because you are a pervert?] ¡°Uh, what voice is that?¡± The slave merchant looked around suspiciously when he heard a dummy voice from above. ¡°It¡¯s just your imagination. That aside, Let¡¯s quickly finish the transaction.¡± ¡°Is it really okay with these people? There are many others that are better, these people are leftovers, even if it is a flattery¡± ¡°I said that I have decided, so there is no problem.¡± ¡°O, oh. Then, let me give you a service, and for the matter just a moment ago please use the water. Well then, how about this much?¡± The life of the middle-aged woman and the dirty boy was really cheap. It was not even worth a jewel. Stella lightly nodded, she chimed her finger and let Beck carry out the payment. A perfect master and servant relationship. Despite being only associated for half a day, Beck¡¯s rebellious heart has almost disappeared. The training seemed to be going well. ¡°Hehe, thank you very much. If you need something again you can call me any time. I will prepare new goods. I can also introduce to you a younger and more lively men. It may be early but it is also good to train in them various things while young. ¡± ¡°When that time comes, I¡¯ll ask you. Well then, everyone, let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s talk about things from now on once we back to the store. I need coffee, my head hurt a little. This pain, it didn¡¯t change even when I have became a human.¡± [It¡¯s only Master that drink coffee in that place] ¡°Coffee can relieve the feeling of boredom, it was the only useful heritage.¡± Stella held her temple, while sighing, she started to go back. She took along the flustered Marie, the rebellious Leia, and the blank-eyed Beck. Author¡¯s Note: I have corrected all misspellings and read all impressions. I¡¯d like to reply but I don¡¯t have time. I am sorry. But I will do my best in my free time. Translator¡¯s Note: [1] Clevar usually end his words with ¤¸¤ã¤ó (jan) The third chapter of Stella. Sorry for the long wait. I made a page that show my translation progress if you want to know, Just click on the Translation Progress Menu or click here. Proofreader¡¯s Note: The laugh creeps me out ~ CH 4 ¨D¨DEvening, Glen¡¯s General Store. As soon as she entered the store, Stella fell into a chair while dripping with cold sweat. The drops trickling down her back were very unpleasant. Taking a towel from the merchandise, she immediately wiped her body down. ¡¸I¡¯m not as strong as I expected. At this rate, I¡¯ll probably die before I reach 30.¡¹ ¡ºUkeke, that¡¯s sad but good news! Then I¡¯d be free! Long Live Freedom!1¡» ¡¸When that happens, I¡¯ll take you to the void with me¡¹ ¡ºSince you became a human, why don¡¯t you learn a little better way of speaking¡» ¡¸Let¡¯s enter the grave together¡¹ ¡ºOf course!¡» Even though she only had a small conversation and walked around town, she was fatigued. Stella decided to begin building her strength right away from tomorrow on. Meanwhile, Mary who was still gawking at the prospect of a talking bird, turned to face Liar. Behind them, Stella quenched her thirst with a jug of water. The water that came out was warm and tasted bad. ¡¸Fuu. I finally calmed down. You all are free to relax if you want¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­¡¹ Liar and Mary stood in stunned silence. ¡¸Here is the Glenn General Store, which will be your home from today on. It¡¯s sudden, but Marie will handle general housework & shopkeeping, Liar will do some shopkeeping & be my conversation partner and Beck will handle all of the manual labor, miscellaneous chores & be my meat shield. That¡¯s it for work assignments. Please make a list of things you need for living by the end of the day. I¡¯ll hand you money tomorrow, so each of you prepare on your own. For today, eat and then go to bed when you want. Well, transmission over¡¹ She clapped her hands right as she finished saying what she wanted to say. Stella sluggishly stood up and tried to go get a water jug to bathe. Nevertheless, drawing out water one jug at a time was really troublesome. Although she may have said it is troublesome, Stella had almost never done this before. If she made a round trip with this body, she would collapse and become incapable of going home. Past experience seems to have already confirmed this. Having done that, Liar stood up and raised a yell that echoed inside the store. ¡¸Wa, wait! I don¡¯t understand this situation all of a sudden! First and foremost, who said I was going to become your slave!¡¹ ¡¸You were sold in the slave market weren¡¯t you. I bought you because you looked interesting. Therefore, you are mine. You will obey me even if you don¡¯t like it¡¹ ¡¸You, are you fucking kidding me!¡¹ Liar was furious and tried to grab at her, so she swiftly tried to raise the magic crystal. But before that, Clever pounced and suppressed Liar. With a physique one size larger than a parrot, claws & a beak that could easily tear things like a human and wings that could produce blades capable of cutting steel, being called a holy beast was not just for show. ¨D¨DThat¡¯s how she remembered it. That might have been how it was, but she wasn¡¯t so confident. ¡ºIf you lay a hand on Master, I¡¯ll tear you to pieces. She only has 50 years left. I want her to live her life to the fullest like she hopes she will¡» ¡¸O, ow, it hurts! S, stop¡¹ ¡ºWhat happened to all that energy from before? Alright, should we cut out an eyeball? There are 2 so it should be fine right?¡» Clever, whose tone had changed, threatened while cawing. Stella clapped her hands and signaled that was enough. ¡¸I went through the trouble of buying him, so please stop wounding him without warning. It would be a waste of money. Also, that choice of words was scary no?¡¹ ¡º¡­¡­Ukeke, I understand. I¡¯ll only harass him a little bit. I¡¯m sorry Liar! Ukeke!!¡» With a way of speaking that seemed to show Clever did not understand, he released Liar. While out of breath, Liar crawled away. ¡¸Wh, what the hell! This bird, is crazy!¡¹ ¡ºSo cold, Liar¡» ¡¸I said stop, do, don¡¯t come closer! I said don¡¯t!¡¹ Clever circled around Liar to harass him. Stella spoke up because the conversation wasn¡¯t going to advance. ¡¸It¡¯s dirty here, but I think it¡¯s better than that other place. You can also eat proper meals, and I¡¯ll give you breaks. Besides, I¡¯ll even give you a wage. That should be more than satisfactory¡¹ She would pay for their labor. There should be no problems if she could motivate her possessions. The important thing was that they work for themselves. ¡¸¡­¡­¡­¡­Wage¡¹ ¡¸Please work hard and save your money. If you do this, then in about 10 years I will release you. At that time, if you don¡¯t have any money, you¡¯ll immediately be returned to a cage. You¡¯re fortunate to be blessed with such a magnanimous Master¡¹ Liar probably understood his situation. He could stay or leave. Stella was well acquainted with the suffering of being bound for eternity. She intended to give her possessions that level of mercy. ¡¸Really, someday, I, no, I2 will be released? You¡¯ll even pay me?¡¹ ¡¸I see, were you pretending to be a man despite being a woman Liar? I¡¯m really glad you didn¡¯t get caught there¡¹ ¡¸Wha!!¡¹ ¡¸You can¡¯t fool my eyes. Fufuu, you¡¯re really interesting¡¹ ¡¸Sh, shut up!¡¹ ¡¸I wonder what kind of past you have. I¡¯m looking forward to it you know?¡¹ As a result of Stella¡¯s teasing, Liar¡¯s face turned red. Although it was hard to imagine because of her beggar-like appearance, Stella figured out her real identity. That¡¯s why she bought her. Because she seemed kind of interesting. That¡¯s it. Liar was not exposed at that place because she did not show any feminine characteristics and her clothes were terribly dirty. She was lucky too. The merchants spend money to prepare merchandise that seem likely to sell, but things that seem unlikely to sell are simply stuffed in a cage and given some fodder to eat. If they still aren¡¯t sold, they are taken to an even harsher place or disposed of. ¡¸Ehm, Ms. Stella. Maybe I can also be released? That, if I work with all my might¡¹ Beck gently raised his hand. He was a special case. Stella snickered and declared. ¡¸Fufuu, there¡¯s no reason to. You are special, Beck. Use your head and think about what you did¡¹ ¡¸Th, that is¡¹ He tried to threaten Stella and sell her to the slave market. If her memories hadn¡¯t returned, it would have been over before anything began. She had no desire to show mercy. If he didn¡¯t like it, he would just have to deal with it. ¡¸But, if that¡¯s what you really want, it¡¯s not impossible for me to release you. Hey, do you want that?¡¹ ¡¸You say that¡­¡­¡¹ ¡¸Is that what you want?¡¹ Stella took out the magic crystal. Beck¡¯s face paled. ¡¸N, no, don¡¯t be silly! It¡¯s nothing!¡¹ At Stella¡¯s reminder, Beck shook his head in a hurry. She did not lie. It would certainly release him from Stella. And incidentally, from his physical body too. She was free to handle possessions however she wanted. All the more because this man had already tried to hurt himself once. (But, it doesn¡¯t feel like he actually hates it. ¡­¡­though I have heard that such people exist) But somehow, Beck seemed to be getting some satisfaction from the terrible treatment he received. Otherwise, running away would not have been unusual. It was also a possibility that acting high and mighty as a thug was actually the opposite of his true nature. The type that takes pleasure in being oppressed. It was a difficult type of person. ¡¸By the way, Mary, I wonder if you¡¯re okay. You haven¡¯t made a peep for some time now¡¹ ¡¸Y, yes. But, how could a child like you be a slave¡­¡­ And, with all due respect, this store does not look so wealthy either. Can you afford to place us here?¡¹ Mary looked over the inside of the store. The display shelves were mostly empty and the remaining items were gathering dust. It was embarrassing to insist it was a general store. Instead of trying to recover from the store¡¯s sales, her father took on a high risk trade deal at the invitation of his best friend and utterly failed at it. That meant this store was her absolute last remaining asset. It sounds good to say you followed your dreams, but there is a penalty for doing something beyond your means. The pitiable one was her mother, who was only obeying her father. Stella¡¯s weak body was inherited from her mother. Being submissive in nature, the result of her mother holding anxieties, was at long last placing the rope around Stella¡¯s neck. Stella survived thanks to her mother¡¯s strength being that much weaker. It was truly serendipitous. ¡¸Fufuu. Indeed, I was in debt hell until this morning. You¡¯re quite sharp¡¹ Mary looked even more dubious as Stella praised her. ¡¸What you¡¯re saying is, you are also?¡¹ ¡¸It really is like that. You thought I was some noble idiot in in disguise£®It¡¯s funny how a mere town girl can buy slaves¡¹ ¡¸Until this age, I was far from being a noble. Because I was 100 gold coins in debt. A fantastic amount you know¡¹ ¡¸O, one hundred gold coins!? How could a little girl, from a family in debt hell like yours, have the money to buy us! First of all, this man is a grunt for the Stock Trading Firm. I¡¯ve seen him before. They¡¯re not a group that would obediently listen to you. They¡¯re just a bunch of scum that like to bully the weak!¡¹ ¡ºLiar is sharp. Beck is exactly as you say¡» ¡¸¡­¡­Do whatever you want: I¡¯m already used to it¡¹ Clever got on top of Beck¡¯s head. For Clever it would be a kindness if he did not poop. ¡¸I¡¯ll answer one by one. The debt was canceled with a transaction. Beck was indeed a minion of the Stock Trading Firm. But, now Beck is mine. This morning, he came to my house to collect a debt where he hit a fork in the road of destiny. Now he¡¯s my possession. Of course, you all are too¡¹ ¡¸I, I haven¡¯t admitted that yet!¡¹ ¡¸Whether you admit it or not, you are my property. I gave them money and took you out of that place. If you don¡¯t like it, should I return you to the cage? I think you should properly consider how things would have ended if I hadn¡¯t bought you. You are at a fork in the road of destiny¡¹ It didn¡¯t seem that bad, but that was from Stella¡¯s point of view. There was also a way to choose the road to death and resist everything until the bitter end . If they could persist through the suffering, then that might have been commendable. Stella, who still had countless things she wanted to do, could not comprehend the reason behind choosing that road. ¡¸Shit¡¹ ¡¸I think you are lucky enough, but¡­ ¡­¡­ah, hold on, sorry¡¹ Stella drank water because she was talking too much. She was a bit feverish. Insufficient physical strength is serious. She had to get nourishment. She took out some black bread from a paper bag and began chewing. It was too chewy. Her jaw ached. ¡¸Well, if we are going to eat a meal then I will start preparations. Just, I¡¯m not used to being here yet, so please give me a moment¡¹ When Mary began to move she was restrained by a hand. Today must have been rough on her, so there was no need to push herself. ¡¸My bad, but for today I¡¯m good. Since I bought bread. I look forward to working with you from tomorrow on¡¹ ¡¸Y, yes. I understand¡¹ ¡¸By the way, breakfast will be light. Brew some coffee as well. I¡¯ll prepare the money for it later¡¹ ¡¸Ms. Stella, is this really okay? These guys might run away without a second thought¡¹ Beck said something uncalled for, blind to his own shortcoming. This man is the one most likely to run away. But she had threats hanging over him, furthermore Clever was keeping an eye on him. Even if he returned to the Stock Trading Firm, he would once again be dispatched here. Leroy himself had said as much There was no other place but here for this man to return to. ¡¸I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ve got quite a bit of money from the company. I will hand it out as I see fit. Afterwards, I¡¯ll put the rest in the store safe. I¡¯ll keep an account of the expenditures in the store¡¯s ledger so I can check it regularly¡¹ ¡¸Y, Yes¡¹ ¡¸Beck, squandering money is bad. You look like the number one risk¡¹ ¡¸I, I won¡¯t! I said I won¡¯t!¡¹ ¡¸Why¡¯re you in a rush? Were you thinking something like ¡®just a little would be okay¡¯? Since I¡¯m a naive little girl, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d find out about your embezzlement¡¹ ¡¸Hie, I would never think that!¡¹ It seems he had considered it a bit. It¡¯s Beck so it couldn¡¯t be helped. Beck ferries the remedy and receives money in return. As long as she checked on him occasionally there wouldn¡¯t be problems. In the case he takes the store money and runs, she only had to give him a punishment. She didn¡¯t think the company would let him escape, and before then, she didn¡¯t think he could escape Clever¡¯s eyes. ¡¸So, wait a minute. Why is a grunt for the Stock Trading Firm obediently listening to a little girl like you? It doesn¡¯t make sense¡¹ Liar glared at Beck. Beck trembled with fear and did not respond. His dignity as a thug had been completely broken. He was nothing more than a docile dog now. ¡¸Because I ended up making a deal with Leroy & the Stock Trading Firm. I told you this earlier didn¡¯t I¡¹ ¡¸With the Stock Trading Firm? H, how!¡¹ ¡¸I wonder if I need to tell you that. It¡¯s very troublesome. You¡¯ll see before long¡¹ She chewed the bread she bought. The outside was hard, but the inside was dry and clung to the mouth. Being cheap was its only redeeming quality. ¡¸Hey, tell me. That way, I might be able to help somehow. If you make a lot of money, I¡¯ll be released faster¡¹ ¡¸Fufuu, it¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re motivated but. Unfortunately, it¡¯s impossible because no one but me can do it. From tomorrow on, it¡¯s fine for you to tend the store and be my conversation partner. I get bored when on break. I want to have a conversation and learn more about your lives. Knowing your experiences and ways of thinking will broaden my perspective¡¹ She forced down the bread with warm water, enduring the overflowing sense of nausea. Her stomach seemed weak too. She had done well living like this. No, that¡¯s precisely why both parents chose a double suicide. Even if one of them survived it wouldn¡¯t have mattered. ¡¸¡­¡­Pardon me¡¹ ¡¸What is it I wonder. Ah, you all are free to eat as you please, even though I said it late. If it¡¯s not enough, please take what you need from the store. Although it probably won¡¯t be good stuff¡¹ ¡¸Thank you very much¡¹ After Mary expressed her gratitude, she brought out the questions. ¡¸¡­¡­Pardon me, where might your parents be? If it pleases you, I can give them a proper greeting¡¹ ¡¸No where¡¹ ¡¸That is, they are currently traveling somewhere? Or are in a separate locale?¡¹ ¡¸¡¯A separate locale¡¯ is quite a profound expression¡¹ ¡¸Ah, well, I have to give a greeting too. Hehe, greetings are the basis of social interaction¡¹ Liar stood up and straightened her clothes. That said, it was still dirty so not much had changed. ¡¸That way of thinking is admirable, but it¡¯s best if you stopped now¡¹ ¡¸What does that mean? Are they sleeping or something?¡¹ ¡¸They died this morning. They both were hanging by their necks¡¹ ¡¸¨D¨Deh?¡¹ Mary and Liar stiffen with their mouths gaping wide open. ¡¸The back bedroom. They¡¯re dead, with tongues hanging loosely and feces & urine scattered all about. It¡¯s a comical scene. Beck fully cleaned it up, but it still stinks so we sealed it off. It stinks, and above all, the remnants are terrible¡¹ ¡¸Umm¡­¡­¡¹ Mary¡¯s voice was diffident. ¡¸I was almost taken along as well, but luckily I survived. ¡­¡­Ah, it was a really eventful day. It was a big drain on my stamina¡¹ She had ordered Beck to completely seal off the room where her parents¡¯ corpses were. Dozens of wooden planks were nailed in place so that it would never be opened again. Aside from the bloodstains, the inside of the room was clean and tidy the last time it was seen. However, she felt like the smell faintly lingered on. She felt like she could see the visage of a rope hanging from a beam. She felt like she could see the scene of her mother winding the rope around herself in vivid detail. What was that face like? The scenery was so distorted that she couldn¡¯t remember if she was laughing or crying. She didn¡¯t think much of it because she wasn¡¯t actually hurt, but when she would go to that place she felt terribly depressed. Her feet would suddenly get heavy and her head would start to hurt. It was an extreme eyesore, so she sealed it off. It made perfect sense. Her living space shrank, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. She just had to think about expanding outwards. Fortunately, she had the funds. It wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡¸¡­¡­That is heart-breaking, I¡¯m really sorry¡¹ ¡¸¡­¡­A, ah. I¡¯m sorry too. I don¡¯t understand the details, but, all that¡¯s been said, that, I¡¯m sorry¡¹ Mary & Liar apologized after staring at her for a while. That even Liar apologized was surprising. They¡¯d only been acquainted for a few hours, but this girl was strong-willed. She was the embodiment of a rebellious spirit. It was truly astonishing that she would come and meekly apologize. Humans were truly a mystery. ¡ºMaster¡» ¡¸What¡¯s up?¡¹ ¡ºDo you want to use this?¡» Clever handed her a colorful handkerchief. The blotchy hues were jumbled together, becoming a chaotic blur of colors. ¡¸Ah, so that¡¯s how it is¡¹ That¡¯s right, she understood. She wiped her eyes with the provided handkerchief. She wiped over and over again. She also understood why the meal from earlier tasted bad. That¡¯s because her sense of taste and sense of smell were disturbed. By these so-called ¡®tears¡¯. Things that seem to come flooding out whenever emotions are out of control. Even though her own emotions weren¡¯t running particularly high, there was no indication they would be settling down. She couldn¡¯t understand it at all, but this was human. ¡¸¨D¨DHumans are mysterious. I¡¯m not sad at all, and yet tears keep coming out. Ah, why won¡¯t they stop?¡¹ ¡ºThat¡¯s human¡» ¡¸Yes. If so, I¡¯m glad¡¹ Stella smiled while she cried. CH 5 October 06, 2022 Stella was so exhausted that she didn¡¯t remember falling asleep at all, and she woke up the next day feeling positively terrible. Marie prepared her a breakfast of soup and bread. She stuffed it down her throat and dragged herself outside for a walk, taking Clever with her. He rode the morning updraft, soaring in circles high above, watching for danger. Rye wanted to tag along as well, so Stella gave her some money and commanded her to buy proper clothes. It¡¯s about time she changed out of those dirty rags. ¡°Are you sure? This is a lot of money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If I want you to work for me, I¡¯ll need you to look presentable. Go get yourself some nice clothes,¡± Stella said. ¡°But why are you here? Do you have something to say?¡± She can¡¯t be trying to escape. I made sure to emphasize how foolish that is. If Rye decided to disregard her warning and escape anyway, Stella was ready to give up on her. No point in persisting with someone who refuses to think. There were Marie and Beck to consider as well, but Stella wasn¡¯t worried about them escaping. Marie because she was older and more levelheaded, and Beck because, in fact, she almost wanted to see him try. Hunting him down would be fun. As Stella stood bent over like a crone, struggling to breathe and grinning like an imp, Rye answered her question. ¡°I was just wondering . . . Why are you going outside? Like, c¡¯mon, you look like you died and forgot to stop walking.¡± She toyed with a pebble. ¡°Because I need to get in shape.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there other ways? You¡¯re driving yourself too hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got no choice. I can¡¯t make up for all the time I¡¯ve lost without being a little reckless. It¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take.¡± Starting was the hardest part. Stella¡¯s body was begging her to stop, yet the only way to make progress was to ignore the pleas and press on. ¡°Why are you so desperate about it, though?¡± ¡°So many questions.¡± Stella hesitated for a moment. ¡°I want to live until I¡¯m sixty. That¡¯s how much a healthy human can live, though it may vary. You only live once, after all, so I¡¯m going to make it count.¡± Rye stared back, puzzled. She crossed her arms. ¡°You¡¯re younger than me, but you act like you¡¯ve got it all figured out. That¡¯s not normal, you know.¡± ¡° ¡®Normal¡¯? I don¡¯t care about ¡®normal.¡¯ And what about you? Is that how a ¡®normal¡¯ slave talks to her master?¡± Not that I mind. Stella had no reason to fix Rye¡¯s personality; it was part of what made her so interesting. Beck was different, though. If he ever talks to me like that, I¡¯ll make him regret it. Stella huffed. I¡¯m so tired . . . Rye watched her without saying a word. Stella puffed. Is this the fatigue from yesterday? ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding, huh,¡± Rye finally said. ¡°You¡¯re so out of shape it¡¯s actually kind of worrying.¡± ¡°One¡±¡ªStella gasped for air¡ª¡°One step after the other . . . Can¡¯t stop. Then there¡¯s my diet to consider, and my workout routine . . . I need strong bones, strong muscles . . . Ahh, I think I¡¯m gonna throw up . . .¡± ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± Rye rubbed her back. Her touch felt cool and pleasant. So this is human warmth, Stella realized. I had no idea a simple touch could be so soothing. ¡°Thank you. Well, I¡¯ll be heading back now. You go buy those clothes.¡± ¡°What, already?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve walked enough. Half an hour, plus half an hour for the return trip. My muscles are already trying to kill me.¡± Maybe I should get myself a walking cane. Taking a deep breath and straightening her back, Stella started on her way home, alone. The streets of the Central District were unusually crowded for this hour of the morning. This was the district she had visited before with Beck, where they had seen the arena and the slave market. The Stock Company was in the West District, and so was Glenn¡¯s General Store, in a desolate part of it on Rolbury Street. ¡®Master, what yer doing is commendable, but what¡¯s up with yer face, eh? I¡¯ve seen corpses more alive than you!¡¯ ¡°Can you get off my ear? I¡¯m struggling enough without having to listen to your beautiful voice.¡± ¡®Keke! Struggling, eh? Then lemme give you a push!¡¯ He did, and Stella fell face first into the ground. She rolled until her face and clothes were full of dirt and her hair was a filthy mess. At least it wasn¡¯t a hard fall, and none of her bones were broken; but it was still hard enough that her twiggy arms were unable to break it. As she lay on the ground, the passersby threw her looks of pity bordering on scorn. None offered a hand¡ªthere was no such thing as altruism in this town. But that didn¡¯t matter. She could get up on her own. He¡¯s definitely going to pay, though. ¡°. . . Now you¡¯ve done it.¡± ¡®I, uh . . .¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve had your fun. Now stand still and take your punishment.¡± Without so much as blinking, Stella produced her Magic Crystal. ¡®Yeek!¡¯ Clever flew away from her into the sky. Looking up, she saw him dutifully resume his rounds. He didn¡¯t seem keen on coming back any time soon. He can¡¯t stay there forever. I¡¯ll be waiting. ¡°. . . You¡¯re a real handful.¡± She looked forward. There was still a long way to go. When Stella finally got back to the store, it was with dirt and sweat all over her tunic and white undergarments. Rye had arrived before her and already changed into her new clothes, simple and unadorned yet easy to move in. She looked like some insolent young boy; that was likely her intention. ¡°What took you so long¡ªWait, what happened?! Did you get mugged or something?¡± she said when she saw Stella. ¡°It¡¯s that damn bird¡¯s fault. Good thing I¡¯m still in one piece, at least. One very dirty, uncomfortable piece.¡± ¡°Oh my! I¡¯ll prepare you a bath at once!¡± Marie exclaimed. ¡°Thank you. Say, where is that jolly winged vermin? He should have arrived before me.¡± ¡°You mean Clever? He mentioned some urgent business and left in a hurry.¡± ¡°Urgent business, huh. When he comes back, I need to show how much I missed him.¡± A meal was waiting for Stella on the table. She stripped to her underwear and sat down to eat. There were only women around at the moment, as Beck was busy drawing water and delivering the first batch of Stella¡¯s elixir to the Stock Company. Easy money. All I need to do is expend some of my energy. ¡°Here, you can clean yourself with this.¡± Marie handed her a warm towel. ¡°Thank you.¡± Marie was doing great for her second day. I¡¯ve made a good purchase. Instructing slaves from scratch was a lot of time and effort. It could bear fruit, and make her feel accomplished¡ªbut it could just as well not, and fill her with despair. It was a scary possibility to consider. She imagined wasting all that effort on someone like Beck. I¡¯d probably want to smash his head like a melon, she thought. No, I¡¯m not some unruly child. I need to control myself. Stella took her time wiping her face and body. Reaching for her back was tough; her arm creaked with the effort. After a while, Rye sighed and said, ¡°Sit down. I¡¯ll do it.¡± She came over behind Stella. Taking the towel and producing a comb of her own, she started working with deft and experienced hands. Maybe I¡¯ve misjudged her, Stella thought, glad that she¡¯d found a competent slave. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you.¡± ¡°If you¡¯d seen yourself, you¡¯d have wanted to help too.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Marie and Rye were two excellent finds, even if I picked them on a whim. This is a good feeling. ¡°You¡¯re very good at this, you know that?¡± she added as a sincere compliment. Rye didn¡¯t answer but only muttered to herself in annoyance. Stella caught the words ¡°elitist snob¡± and felt mildly disappointed. Rye should know better than to say these things within earshot of her master. ¡°. . . You¡¯re the one who¡¯s bad at it. Tch. You¡¯re a girl, dammit. At least keep yourself presentable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rich, coming from you. Did you not have access to any mirrors in that cage?¡± ¡°That was on purpose. I needed some way to keep the perverts at bay.¡± She paused before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re better than them, though!¡± ¡°So rude.¡± Stella reached for the salad. She had no appetite, yet she must eat to build her strength. Fried eggs, bread, grilled fish¡ªit was a veritable feast, and just the sight of it made her stomach roil. But Marie had worked hard for this. As her master, Stella couldn¡¯t let her effort go to waste. With a deep breath, she started working her fork. It was torture. But eat she must. This is pain. She ate faster. ¡°If you eat so fast¡ª¡± said Marie. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m chewing properly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone eat breakfast like they¡¯re afraid it¡¯s gonna eat them instead,¡± said Rye. ¡°Less staring, more eating. I¡¯m not some rare animal. I have an idea for a new product, and you two are going to help me.¡± ¡°A new product? Uh . . . Look, not to sound rude, but there¡¯s nothing worth buying in here. Maybe you should take your money and stock up.¡± Rye looked at her with sympathy. Stella was fully aware. That was why she¡¯d come up with a new product in the first place¡ªsomething highly profitable, yet requiring minimal effort. The basics of running a business. I¡¯ve done my homework. After breakfast, she slipped into some fresh clothes. Her belly wasn¡¯t full, yet it felt nigh on bursting. One more bite and I might actually blow up. Stella lifted her blunt bangs. When she let them go, they fell right back into place. She liked her hair short; it was easy to maintain. Fiddling with it served no purpose, but these subconscious human tics, as they were called, were fascinating to her. ¡°Where is Beck, by the way? Why is he taking so long to make a simple delivery?¡± She picked up her Magic Crystal from where she¡¯d left it. ¡°We were running out of milk and oil, so I asked him to get more on the way. He should be back soon,¡± Marie said. ¡°I see. Well, you¡¯re free to use him as you see fit. That¡¯s what he¡¯s for anyway. I¡¯ve told him to watch the store whenever he¡¯s not doing anything else.¡± Oil was a precious commodity, both for cooking and as lantern fuel to keep the darkness at bay. Stella would like to keep the place lit all night long; it would help discourage any prospective burglars. Stock Company territory or not, it meant little to lowly thieves. ¡°. . . Hey,¡± called Rye. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have a lot of questions. And I think Marie wants to know the answers too.¡± Stella sighed. It would happen eventually. Let¡¯s get this over with. ¡°Sure, but keep them simple. I¡¯m not in the mood to tell you my whole life. It¡¯s a worthless use of my precious time. I only have fifty years left to¡ª¡± ¡°I know, I know! So, uh, my biggest question is, why can that bird talk? And why is it so strong? It¡¯s not a common bird, is it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the last Sacred Beasts. He¡¯s decided to stick with me, so I¡¯m trying to make good use of him. I don¡¯t remember the silly accent, though. He may have started talking like that recently.¡± ¡°Sacred Beast? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°They¡¯re creatures born to protect.¡± ¡°Protect who? You?¡± ¡°In Clever¡¯s case, at least. He¡¯s a talking bird. What of it? It¡¯s nothing worth thinking about. He listens to most of my orders, he protects me, and sometimes he¡¯s a bit of a goon. I¡¯m not going to be too harsh on him this time either. Just throttle him a little and call us even.¡± ¡°Really? Uh, I don¡¯t get it, but if you say so. Let¡¯s see, what else¡ª¡± ¡°More questions?¡± Stella made no effort to hide her annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re ten years old, right?¡± ¡°I am. Ten whole years, wasted. It¡¯s depressing to think about.¡± ¡°Ah, sure. I¡¯m twelve, by the way.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Stella already knew that. The slaver had told her, and she¡¯d memorized it just in case. She also knew Marie¡¯s and Beck¡¯s ages¡ªforty and twenty, respectively. ¡°Yeah. So, what I¡¯m saying is, ten-year-olds aren¡¯t supposed to be that, uhm . . .¡± She trailed off and didn¡¯t finish. ¡°Are you done?¡± Stella started to rise from her seat when Rye stopped her by pressing down on her shoulders. ¡°No, no! I¡¯m not done at all!¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy, you know.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s still so much I want to know! Like, what¡¯s that crystal you always carry with you?¡± ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll tell you some other time. Now, like I said, I¡¯m going to need your help. Yours too, Marie.¡± Marie stopped clearing the table and said, ¡°O-Of course. What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°What the heck do you want us to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you what. You¡¯re going to help me make my new product.¡± Fighting back sleep, Stella poked Rye in the forehead and got up, ready to work. CH 6 October 09, 2022 Holding her Magic Crystal, Stella stood and waited with her eyes closed as Marie placed the glasses in a line on the table and Rye, grumbling, filled them with ordinary water, winter cold in the early spring. Clever, freshly strangled, watched them eagerly from atop Beck¡¯s head. He really likes that spot. It looks like a soft, sturdy cushion. Beck took it without a word; he seemed to be past caring. Pleased with the attitude, Stella rewarded him with ten copper coins. He could get himself a whole loaf of bread. He¡¯s smelling of alcohol, she noticed. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. He did as he was asked. ¡°Miss Stella, it¡¯s ready,¡± said Marie. Stella opened her eyes. ¡°Are we gonna have a tasting competition?¡± said Rye. ¡°But why? It¡¯s all the same water, from the same well.¡± ¡°No. Unlike you, I don¡¯t have time for silly games.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, you don¡¯t have to be so rude all the time. Your words are so sharp they cut.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to start,¡± Stella said, ignoring her. She raised the Magic Crystal with her right hand. It emitted a sinister purple light which poured into the glasses. ¡°W-What is that light?¡± ¡°Is this¡ªmagic?!¡± said Rye. ¡°You¡¯re a sorceress?! I¡¯ve never seen magic before!¡± She was so excited she forgot her annoyance in an instant. ¡®Keke! Master¡¯s a sorceress?! Amazing! I can ¡¯ardly believe it meself!¡¯ ¡°C¡¯mon, you definitely knew that.¡± ¡®You got me now, eh! Yer so smart, lil¡¯ Rye!¡¯ ¡°. . . Hey, is this thing really supposed to be some sort of sacred animal?¡± ¡®Keke! Flattery won¡¯t get ya nowhere with me!¡¯ ¡°How was that flattery?¡± Stella shut out the banter and focused. I need to stop at the right time, or else there might be . . . complications. She halted the process when the water started to bubble. ¡°This should do. I think.¡± ¡°Ah, the light is gone. But you can use magic! You should¡¯ve told me earlier!¡± ¡°Did I forget to mention?¡± ¡°I had no idea! Oh, so that¡¯s how you got Leroy to forgive your debt. It all makes sense now . . .¡± Rye nodded to herself as she jumped to her own conclusions. Meanwhile, Marie was frozen in shock, covering her mouth with her hands. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done it without some trick up my sleeve. I¡¯m weaker than I look.¡± ¡°I find that hard to believe. You already look pretty damn weak.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re imagining, but I can¡¯t summon the flames of purgatory, shoot light arrows, magically seal wounds, resurrect the dead, fly, or anything fancy like that. My magic is limited to some light manipulation of the properties of matter, conjuring, and draining.¡± Light transmutation of matter, conjuring miasma, and draining life force¡ªthat was all the magic Stella could currently use. I have to be careful not to take it too far. ¡°Wait, wait, healing and resurrection magic are two very different things! The secrets of resurrection have been lost for ages!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, really! Sorcerers are not gods, you know!¡± Rye shook her arms to emphasize the point. Why does she have to be so loud? This was taking longer than she¡¯d thought. She decided to move on. ¡°Marie, would you mind squeezing some fruit juice into those glasses?¡± ¡°Uh? Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the amount. Add as much as you want.¡± With uncertain hands, Marie cut a lemon in half and squeezed a few drops into one of the glasses. And as soon as she did¡ª ¡°W-Wha¡ª?!¡± ¡®Whoa! Incredible, eh!¡¯ ¡ªthere was an explosion of bubbles, and the transparent liquid changed into a bright yellow. A fragrant smell spread over the room. ¡°Beck, you¡¯re dying to try it, I know. I saw the look on your face.¡± ¡°W-Who, me?¡± ¡°Yes, you. Go on, drink first. I¡¯ll allow you the honor. What are you waiting for?¡± She pressed a glass into his hand. He took it, not unwillingly, and flinched. ¡°This is freezing!¡± ¡°I thought it would be best served cold. It¡¯s a pleasure drink, after all.¡± ¡°I see! You¡¯re so smart!¡± Spare me your empty flattery. ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± said Rye. ¡°Why does he get to drink first? I want to drink first!¡± ¡®Life ain¡¯t fair, lil¡¯ Rye!¡¯ Beck was grinning like an idiot. ¡°Well, if Ma¡¯am says so . . . Sorry, Rye. But as they say, respect your elders!¡± Rye clicked her tongue. Stella could allow her to go first, but there was a minor chance it wasn¡¯t safe to drink. This was Beck¡¯s time to shine. ¡°Go on, drink,¡± Stella said again. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t mind? Haha, don¡¯t look at me like that, guys. I¡¯m getting embarrassed.¡± Stop being overdramatic and drink, you annoying fool. ¡°How many times will you make me say it?¡± She glared at him. If he keeps stalling, I¡¯ll push him down and pour the damn thing down his throat. ¡°S-Sorry, I¡¯ll just¡ªI¡¯ll drink it!¡± He drained his glass in one go. After a small groan, a look of satisfaction took over his face. He enjoyed the sensation in silence for a few moments. ¡°How does it taste? C¡¯mon, Beck, tell me!¡± ¡°This is great! It¡¯s unbelievably good! It¡¯s refreshing, like ale, but different. The sweetness of the fruit, the fragrance, the icy cold bubbles bursting in your mouth¡ªit¡¯s the perfect combination! Trust me, this is going to sell!¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°This is too good for this godforsaken hovel, but I¡¯m glad I¡¯m here now! It¡¯s the perfect drink to kick back with after a rough day!¡± Godforsaken hovel? That¡¯s rude. But she let it slide; he had done as she asked, after all. ¡°It¡¯s that good? Excellent. Marie, can you make more?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± She set to the task with a smile on her face, squeezing strawberries, grapes, oranges, apples, a different fruit for each glass. The colors soon took over the table¡ªred, orange, purple, amber¡ªeach livelier than the last. ¡°W-Whoa!¡± Overtaken by a desire to provoke the girl, Stella said, ¡°What seems to be the matter, Rye, sweetie? Oh, child, you¡¯re drooling. How unseemly of you.¡± ¡°Stop making fun of me and let me and Marie have some too! That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. You can have one glass each.¡± ¡°All right!¡± Rye laughed as she picked up a glass. ¡°I¡¯ll have this one, then! Let¡¯s drink, Marie!¡± ¡°Thank you. And you as well, Miss Stella.¡± They sipped their drinks. A moment later, they looked surprised¡ªanother moment and they were smiling. Stella had no intention of drinking it herself. She was quite fond of her coffee, and this new product, like most pleasure drinks, was not without its problems¡ªproblems she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about as long as she didn¡¯t drink it. ¡°How did you like it?¡± ¡°This is the best thing I¡¯ve ever drunk!¡± said Marie. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really good! I could drink a barrel of this stuff. We can have another glass, right?¡± Rye asked with an innocent smile. Stella felt that she should warn her. Not out of pity or guilt¡ªshe just didn¡¯t want to be blamed for whatever happened afterward. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drink too much. But I won¡¯t stop you if that¡¯s what you really want to do. It¡¯s your life, after all, to enjoy and throw away as you please. Who knows, maybe your idea of a good life is to have fun now and live with the consequences later.¡± She threw Rye a look of pity. The girl¡¯s smile froze and vanished in an instant. ¡°W-What¡¯s with the ominous riddles? And why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Well, there shouldn¡¯t be any short-term negative effects, at least. You¡¯ll feel unusually excited for a while, but that¡¯s about it. As for the long-term effects . . . just wait and see. Here are some wise words for you¡ªeverything in excess is bad.¡± Stella picked up a glass and turned it in her hand to examine the colorful fluid inside. It was bright like a jewel, and looked positively enticing. Not for her, though. I won¡¯t drink it. ¡°C¡¯mon, stop dancing around it! Is it bad or not?¡± ¡°It should be safe, in moderation. Just like alcohol. Probably. If you eat too much meat you¡¯ll get fat, and if you drink too much water you¡¯ll feel sick. This is the same.¡± Rye didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s not my problem. I¡¯m not going to drink it. It¡¯s probably fine, though.¡± She giggled and added, ¡°I love vague words like ¡®probably.¡¯ ¡± Stella avoided committing to an answer; she couldn¡¯t know with certainty what would happen, as she had never tested it. But considering that it was made by infusing miasma with a liquid, it was unlikely to be healthy. Nevertheless, it¡¯s probably not much worse than alcohol. ¡°So this is just poison?! And you¡¯re making us drink it? What the heck!¡± Rye bent over and tried to force it out of her system. Stella laughed. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. Really. Your human body can process the amount you drank just fine. Probably.¡± She couldn¡¯t help saying ¡°probably¡± again. She¡¯d rather not be held responsible for anything. ¡°. . . Really?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t lie. Most of the time. The . . . Astral God, was it? They say He helps the faithful, right? So have faith in me, and you¡¯ll have God on your side!¡± She still didn¡¯t seem convinced. Stella decided to elaborate. ¡°Drinking too much alcohol causes all sorts of problems. You can pass out, or die from intoxication, or just become a nuisance to everyone around you. That¡¯s why they tell you to drink responsibly. If some idiot decides to ignore that warning, how is that my problem? They can all die as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± Clever landed on her shoulder. ¡®Keke! You should learn to ¡¯old yer tongue, Master. That kinda language won¡¯t cut it when dealin¡¯ with ¡¯em customers. ¡¯Umans even ¡¯ave a saying: ¡°The customer is king¡±!¡¯ ¡°King of what? Suckers?¡± ¡®Uh . . .¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re being dense on purpose, aren¡¯t you?¡± said Rye. ¡°Uhm . . . Miss Stella?¡± said Marie. ¡°Business is founded on trust and confidence. I think you should bear that in mind.¡± Stella was speechless; she almost clapped. I wish she would tell that to all the fraudsters and scammers out there. ¡°T-That¡¯s a scary smile . . .¡± ¡®Shh! I¡¯d not provoke Master if I was you, eh? She¡¯s more touchy than she looks.¡¯ Stella giggled and said, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Marie. Trust and confidence, indeed. Then we¡¯d best do everything we can for the sake of our lovely customers.¡± ¡°T-Thank you, Miss Stella.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s another saying that goes like this: ¡®We are responsible for our own actions.¡¯ So if our customers insist, who are we to stop them?¡± She had her pretext now. This product was my idea. I want it to sell. ¡°A-As you say.¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not so sure this is a good idea . . .¡± said Rye. ¡°Though I get what you¡¯re saying about alcohol. It makes people violent sometimes, even when they¡¯re normally calm and collected.¡± Stella didn¡¯t listen to Rye¡¯s misgivings. Far from changing her mind, she wanted to double, maybe triple, the potency of the product before she started to sell it. Let the fools succumb to addiction and throw all their money at me. Her main clientele would probably be the thugs of the West District. All these years they had taken everything they could from this store; now it was her turn to reclaim what was rightfully hers. ¡°You¡¯re worrying too much. Like I said, I¡¯m not drinking it, so it¡¯s nothing to me. All the scum could die off the face of this town and I¡¯d still sleep like a baby. Sorry, but their lives don¡¯t interest me, which makes them less than worthless.¡± ¡®Master! Yer tongue is actin¡¯ up again!¡¯ ¡°Sorry. All the less-than-respectable citizens of this town could meet their demises and I would not be bothered in the slightest. Please don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± ¡°. . . You just said the same thing, but more politely,¡± said Rye. Ignoring her, Stella picked up one of the glasses and took a sip, sloshing the drink in her mouth without swallowing. The taste was adequate; the negative effects on the human body should be acceptable as well. Content, she went over to the kitchen and spit it out. ¡°Well, in any case, this is what we¡¯re going to sell. The making process is entertaining, so we can make it in front of our customers¡ªthey¡¯ll love it¡ªand then they can enjoy their drinks. The ingredients are simply water, fruit, and my own energy.¡± ¡°So me and Marie, we just have to sell it, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll make it as part of my magic training, and you¡¯ll sell it to our customers. They can drink it here or take it to go, of course. It¡¯s going to be a lot more profitable than trying to be an actual general store.¡± Tired, Stella stretched and checked the old wall clock. Noon. ¡°Make us lunch, Marie. After eating I¡¯ll take a half-hour nap.¡± ¡°Living the good life, huh?¡± ¡°They say you need sleep to grow, right? I¡¯m still ten years old. By the time I¡¯m twenty, I¡¯ll have grown into a strong healthy woman. You¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, you¡¯re just a child. You don¡¯t need to have your whole life figured out. Maybe you should just take it easy, you know? It¡¯d be more fun.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die than ¡®take it easy.¡¯ ¡± Stella sank back into her chair as Marie set the table, trying to preserve her energy. What she did barely counted as magic, yet she was still tired from it. Draining is all right, but I should avoid being too drastic with my transmutation. And also avoid stronger spells in general. Without proper conditioning, it could leave aftereffects. I don¡¯t want to become a cripple. Rye was drinking another glass. ¡°Man, this is pretty good. I just wish it¡¯d be healthy too.¡± ¡°You were trying to retch it out earlier, and now you¡¯re drinking again?¡± ¡°I mean, if we don¡¯t drink it we¡¯ll have to throw it away, right? I¡¯ve drunk some alcohol before. It wasn¡¯t so bad. And if you say they¡¯re the same . . .¡± ¡°As your master, I¡¯m very sad to see that you have no self-control.¡± ¡°Oh, shut up! What do you care?¡± Rye drained her glass and closed one eye as she savored the sensation. Meanwhile Beck, who actually had no self-control whatsoever, was on his fourth glass. Even Clever was drinking, sticking his beak into the liquid. Pathetic, all of them. ¡°I want coffee. Marie, make me some. Hot and strong, please.¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡®Maybe ya should go easy on it, eh, Master? When you drink too much you get the ¡¯eadaches later . . .¡¯ ¡°No. I can¡¯t live without coffee. I¡¯ll remind you that it¡¯s thanks to me that this world even has it.¡± ¡®The lengths you go for it, eh? It¡¯s actually impressive, eh!¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯m flattered.¡± Stella spared no effort for the sake of her goals. A few years before their reserves would run out, she had written letters with instructions on how to plant and make quality coffee and spread them all over the world, together with the seeds. ¡°Do NOT tamper with the process,¡± she had added and underlined. It didn¡¯t grow very popular, but it was still being produced to this day. She used to send Clever to snatch her some every now and then. Call it a lesson fee. ¡°Look at the pot calling the kettle black,¡± said Rye. ¡°What was that about me having no self-control?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your master. I can do whatever I want. Don¡¯t question me.¡± Marie brought the coffee she had asked for. Stella turned away from Rye and grumpily sipped at it. She brought milk and sugar as well. How thoughtful of her. Stella left them untouched. She liked her coffee black¡ªthough she broke that rule from time to time, whenever she felt like it. That had always been her style. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re enjoying it a lot,¡± said Rye. ¡°I¡¯m just not used to it yet. Stop staring at me. That¡¯s rude.¡± ¡®Keke! She¡¯s right, lil¡¯ Rye! You¡¯ll make for a poor stalker if ya get caught that easy, eh!¡¯ ¡°Looks like you haven¡¯t had enough strangling, Clever. To make up for it, I¡¯ll take my sweet time studying your brain. Come.¡± She patted her lap. Clever flew away, grunting like a pig. Stella sat back. It¡¯s been less than half a day, but I¡¯m exhausted. She couldn¡¯t wait for that nap. CH 7 ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Yeah, good morning¡ªWait, you¡¯re already up? Did you actually only sleep for half an hour?¡± ¡°If I slept through the whole afternoon I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep at night. I¡¯m not stupid. This was just a nap to rest my brain.¡± ¡°Why you gotta be so rational all the time? If you¡¯re tired, just sleep.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s time for my magic training. I¡¯ll be in the back transmuting some water. The rest of you, get the store ready for tomorrow. Well, clean up, I suppose.¡± ¡°What about our inventory?¡± asked Marie. ¡°We¡¯re almost out of consumable goods.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. We¡¯ll remain a general store in name, but I¡¯m not going to waste my time mass-selling products with low profit margins. That might work for other people, but not for me.¡± ¡°So are we going to open to the public like this? If you want to do proper business, you should resupply¡ª¡± ¡°The previous owner tried to do ¡®proper business.¡¯ It didn¡¯t work. This town has its own rules.¡± And when he tried his luck with some shady business, it only made things worse. He took his own life with a rope. Stella turned to Beck. ¡°Go to the Stock Company and tell Leroy I¡¯ll need some of his men tomorrow. Say that we¡¯re going to debut a new product and give free samples on the first day.¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t be serious! I can¡¯t tell him what to do! He¡¯ll kill me!¡± ¡°He won¡¯t. I¡¯m his new money tree. Even now, he¡¯s probably dreaming of all the money he¡¯ll make selling that elixir. He doesn¡¯t want anyone else getting their hands on it, of course, and he¡¯ll plan accordingly. In other words, you¡¯re completely safe. There¡¯s nothing to fear.¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s that simple . . .¡± A product was never more valuable than when it was exclusive. With full control over the offer, the prices were only limited by customer demand. And considering it was the only thing in this world capable of reversing the destructive effects of drugs on the brain, Stella¡¯s elixir would undoubtedly be in high demand. Healing magic could not accomplish that. ¡°What¡¯s that elixir you¡¯re talking about?¡± asked Rye. ¡°A miracle cure that can beat an addict¡¯s broken brain back into shape. It¡¯s what paid off my debt.¡± ¡°Is there anything you can¡¯t do?!¡± Her face was a mix of surprise and disbelief. On the one hand, she probably wanted to say it was a lie; on the other hand, she knew Leroy wouldn¡¯t fall for something so obvious. Stella had enough money to buy slaves¡ªthat was proof enough on its own that she was telling the truth. ¡°What the heck are you? How come the daughter of some common trader like you knows magic and so many other things? It doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t! C¡¯mon, what¡¯re you hiding?¡± she asked eagerly. Does she think I¡¯m just going to say it? ¡°If you can tell me with all the details exactly how and why you were born into this world as a human, then I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± ¡°. . . The nerve! Because God wanted it to happen, why else? It¡¯s all part of God¡¯s plan!¡± Stella snorted. There are no gods. As far as she could tell, they were mere figments of human imagination. ¡°Wrong answer. Come back when you¡¯ve figured it out.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Beck, why are you still here? Do you have a death wish?¡± ¡°. . . Huh?¡± He gaped at her with his dumb Beck expression. Beck never changes. ¡°I recall giving you an order. I know I can¡¯t expect much from a Beck, but you¡¯re testing the limits of my human patience.¡± She picked up a pair of scissors from a nearby shelf. Rusty, but they¡¯ll do the job. ¡°If you want to keep your testicles, go. Now.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am! I¡¯m going!¡± He gave a stiff salute and dashed out the door. Stella replaced the scissors on the shelf. ¡°Damn . . . You¡¯re too rough on him. Well, whatever. I¡¯m not about to feel sorry for a company thug.¡± ¡°It might look that way, but deep down he¡¯s enjoying being used by a ten-year-old child like me. Next time, pay attention to his face. You¡¯ll see pleasure and satisfaction there, each time stronger than the last. He has masochistic tendencies.¡± ¡°. . . Wait, you¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°No, although he would deny it himself. You¡¯ve noticed it too, haven¡¯t you, Marie?¡± Marie gave a small nervous nod. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s seriously opposed to it. It¡¯s just . . . just a feeling, though.¡± ¡°No way. Seriously?¡± Rye looked disgusted. She sat down on the floor and, under her breath, added, ¡°That¡¯s creepy.¡± Stella wholeheartedly agreed. Still, warped fetishes like this were part of human nature. She should learn to accept them¡ªor, at the very least, to observe them without averting her eyes. ¡°Miss Stella, are you sure you¡¯re ready to open for business?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve got what I need to start earning a living. I¡¯m not interested in building a thriving business. In due time I might leave you two in charge, though. Then you can do whatever you like.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re being openhanded or just not thinking,¡± said Rye. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re dumb, at least.¡± Stella giggled. ¡°I¡¯ll let you come to your own conclusion.¡± Stella focused. She was in the back room, with her left hand on top of the Magic Crystal and her right hand raised, creating a ball of light. This was meant to increase her mana pool by conditioning her body for magic use¡ªthe longer she could keep it up, the better. She aimed the light at a nearby water bottle, adding a transmutation spell and holding both steady. A bout of vertigo; the ball of light shattered. Stella groaned. This was far from adequate. I¡¯ve managed to transmute the water, but it shouldn¡¯t be this hard. I can¡¯t even keep it up for more than ten seconds. How long will it be before I can do it without the crystal? As glad as she was to have been born into this world, this body of hers was an utter disappointment. No energy, no mana, highly prone to sickness; walking for an hour was enough to tire her out; no friends and family; no wealth to speak of but this sorry store. I can have all those things eventually, she told herself. It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no rush. But it didn¡¯t help her heart stop pounding. Could she really get all these things in just fifty years? Her powers had gotten her out of debt, and now she was on her way to start making some money. That, however, wasn¡¯t her final goal. She wanted to do things, to learn all there was to learn, to enjoy her fifty years to their fullest without taking a break. All this training wasn¡¯t what she¡¯d had in mind. Stella clicked her tongue and smacked the ledger off the table. It smashed into the wall. There was a storm in her chest, rising to her throat. She wanted nothing more than to throw a tantrum. This is probably some human thing. I must embrace it, then. ¡®Master, it¡¯s only yer second day, eh? Calm down, or you might ¡¯ave an accident. Then you¡¯d end up losin¡¯ even more time, eh?¡¯ ¡°I know. I¡¯m trying, but I can¡¯t calm down. Why can¡¯t I calm down?¡± ¡®Those are the ¡¯uman emotions you sought after so badly. I bet yer feelings are still in turmoil over the death of yer parents, eh?¡¯ ¡°. . . I see.¡± For a while, Stella didn¡¯t say anything. Then she nodded and, with a deep breath, created another ball of light and resumed her training, trying as best she could to settle her pounding heart and focus. It only made her more impatient; she was too unstable. Is Clever right after all? she asked the void inside her head. It didn¡¯t answer, but anyone would have said, ¡°Only you would know.¡± She didn¡¯t know, though, and now she was at a dead end. What would Rye do in her place? Ask her god? Stella couldn¡¯t do that; she knew there was no such thing. Either way, I have to keep working. We¡¯ll have a lot of customers tomorrow. If I can only exert myself for a few seconds at a time, I¡¯ll just have to do it again and again, as many times as I need. ¡°Miss Stella, you¡¯re so pale . . . !¡± As soon as Stella returned, Marie stopped what she was doing and ran to her side looking worried. She had seemed uncomfortable addressing her as ¡°Master Stella,¡± so Stella had allowed her to go with ¡°Miss Stella¡± instead. That was still much better than Rye, who just used her name without any titles. In truth, though, Stella didn¡¯t mind it either way. They were her property; there was no reason to nitpick. Well, unless it¡¯s Beck. If he ever gets cheeky with me, I will rediscipline him, no matter how long it takes. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she told Marie. ¡°I just trained a little too hard. It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°But your face . . .¡± ¡°You were pale before,¡± said Rye, ¡°but now you¡¯re so pale your face looks kind of dark. If you close your eyes¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll look like a corpse, right?¡± Stella giggled. ¡°That¡¯s pretty funny.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. There¡¯s no color on your face.¡± Stella ignored her and walked toward the line of wooden barrels. These barrels had been lying around in the storehouse before she¡¯d had them brought here (by Beck, of course). There were six total, and they were filled with the water she had transmuted during this training session. Naturally, Beck had done all the carrying back and forth as well. This was hard work. It should last me a while. ¡°This barrel on the left will be fifty coppers per glass. A hundred for the one on the middle, and five hundred for the one on the right.¡± ¡°Hm? I thought they were all the same. And five hundred? Is anyone gonna pay that much for a drink?¡± asked Rye. A loaf of bread was around thirty coppers; five hundred was about the cost of eating for a day. ¡°Not at first. The leftmost barrel is for the general public; the middle one is for those looking for something stronger; and the rightmost one is for those who have lost their minds. If they get this far, they won¡¯t care about the price.¡± ¡°. . . So each one has different effects, huh.¡± Rye hesitantly touched the rightmost barrel. She didn¡¯t seem very keen on trying it out. Even Beck was inching away from it, probably thinking she might test that one on him as well. She had to disappoint him, though; that would just be a waste of good merchandise. ¡°The one you drank earlier is what we¡¯ll sell to the general public. This one is two times stronger, and this one is over three times stronger,¡± she said, pointing at each barrel in turn. At the last one, she added, ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, this one will go beyond refreshing into the territory of pure pain. It¡¯ll be like drinking lava¡ªyour tongue, throat, even your stomach will feel like it¡¯s on fire. The first few times will be tough to endure.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re meaning to sell it?!¡± ¡°Of course I am. Some people should be able to brave that pain and find pleasure on the other side, where the burning gives way to the sweetest, most refreshing feeling in the world, like a blizzard after a firestorm. I¡¯m just helping them get there. Once they get a taste for it, there¡¯s no turning back. I can¡¯t wait to see it happen firsthand.¡± Stella laughed, then sat down. She was too tired to stand. ¡°Are you all right?¡± asked Marie. ¡°Never been better. But I think I¡¯ll turn in early tonight, after dinner. I meant to go shopping for some reading material, but I suppose that¡¯ll have to wait.¡± ¡°Reading material?¡± ¡°Yes. Mostly books. I want to absorb all the knowledge and history that I can. Some other time, I suppose.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got quite the busy life, huh,¡± said Rye. ¡°Exercising, training, studying, developing new products . . .¡± ¡°What did you expect? I only have¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªfifty years, I know. I¡¯ve heard that a lot in the two days I¡¯ve been here.¡± ¡°If you know, then stop making me say it. It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªa waste of time, right? Thought so. But for someone who hates wasting time, you sure like talking.¡± ¡°I just hate repeating myself. I don¡¯t think getting to know you humans is a waste of time at all. I want to do it, in fact. Well, unless it¡¯s humans like Beck or worse. That¡¯s actually next to meaningless.¡± ¡®Poor Beck¡¯s included?! Sheesh!¡¯ ¡°Of course. There¡¯s an absolute limit for how low I¡¯m willing to stoop, and he¡¯s just below it. I can¡¯t do anything about that, I¡¯m afraid. If I tried to set the bar any lower, I¡¯d probably want to kill myself out of self-hatred.¡± The ¡°Beck bar,¡± she should call it. As she had learned by interacting with Beck, there was probably no point in having a conversation with any humans below it. All thugs were much the same, with the same past and experiences, with little to no variety. Her time would be lost on them. ¡® ¡¯Orrible, eh! Just ¡¯orrible!¡¯ ¡°W-Why am I even alive . . . ?¡± ¡°Oh, Beck. You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°I was here all along . . .¡± Now that he mentions it, maybe he was. He¡¯d sent her message to Leroy as she¡¯d asked, so she decided to comfort him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said. ¡°True, you were as insignificant as a dung beetle before, but now your life finally has meaning. You¡¯ll be so delighted working for me that you¡¯ll soon forget all about those days.¡± ¡°. . . Uh, all right. As you say.¡± He let out a defeated sigh. He was lucky to even be alive, though he didn¡¯t seem to realize it. Stella had killed his partner, but if the coin had fallen on the other side, it could well have been him instead. Was it really their fault, though? It was Glenn who went into debt. Beck and his partner just got caught up in the whole affair. Who was to blame, the scammer or the scammed? A difficult question, but Stella didn¡¯t care either way; she had acted to protect herself, not to exact justice. ¡°Forget about Beck,¡± said Rye. ¡°What¡¯s this thing gonna be called? You¡¯re not just going with ¡®tasty water,¡¯ are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought up a name. Very poetic. It¡¯s got that human flavor. ¡®Tears of falling stars.¡¯ What do you think? Doesn¡¯t it sound like the name of some rare gem from a foreign land?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a great name.¡± ¡°Too great. It¡¯s not like you at all. Why¡¯d you choose that name?¡± ¡°The light used to make it is bright and makes me think of the stars, and the bubbles burst in your mouth like the most delicate tears.¡± ¡®Keke! You ain¡¯t foolin¡¯ me! What¡¯s the actual reason, eh, Master?¡¯ ¡°They say the stars are uncountable, right? Well, so are the scum of this town, and they¡¯ll be falling for this soon enough. Can¡¯t you imagine them, drinking glass after glass while bawling with joy?¡± ¡°. . . I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± Rye sighed and got up to help with the meal. Marie had already cut the ingredients; it should be ready within the half hour. Stella relaxed on her chair and tried to recover some of her energy while Beck wiped the floor with a cloth. It was his bed, after all¡ªright here with the merchandise. According to him, he¡¯d been used to sleeping huddled together with other people at the company. This should be much the same. For Marie and Rye she had reserved two staff bedrooms, whose very existence implied that, once upon a time, the owners of this store had been wealthy enough to hire live-in staff. I don¡¯t know when that was, she thought, but it was certainly before I was born. ¡°Well, then. Let¡¯s see what the morrow has in store for us.¡± ¡®Master, you should probably take it easy tomorrow, eh? Yer body can¡¯t take another whippin¡¯ so soon.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve been having the time of my life. I had no idea there was such joy in watching the changes of daily life. The world responds to my touch, and if I say something, I get an answer. I couldn¡¯t have asked for more.¡± A smile framed her pallid face. She laughed, and had a coughing fit. CH 8 October 15, 2022 It was the morning of the debut of the tears of falling stars. Stock Company men had already gathered inside and outside the store¡ªdodgy-looking characters, each and every one of them. An infestation of Becks was the best way to describe it. Becks are like cockroaches. There¡¯s never only one. ¡°Ugh, this is such a pain in the ass!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t got all day! Whatever it is, get on with it!¡± ¡°We¡¯re here on Mr. Leroy¡¯s orders, y¡¯hear me?¡± They were still grumbling as they were handed glasses with the tears of falling stars, but that changed the moment Marie and Rye added in the fruit juice. ¡°W-What the¡ª?!¡± ¡°Did you see that?! The color changed! Is it magic? Damn, this brat can do magic!¡± ¡°Smells real nice. Cold as a motherfucker too! Haha, it¡¯s gonna freeze my hand off!¡± They were making a lot of noise. Stella wanted to urge them on, but before she could, they started drinking on their own. These were the regular tears of falling stars, meant for the general public. ¡°This is good!¡± ¡°Ahhh! Just the kick I needed!¡± ¡°We¡¯re drinking better than nobles, I bet! Mr. Leroy¡¯s got an eye for quality. Haha, one more!¡± Some of the idiots started asking for more, and the rest soon followed. The first glass was free, just to get them hooked. They would have to pay for the rest¡ªwhich they did, albeit through gritted teeth. They were here under direct orders from Leroy, which meant they couldn¡¯t put it on their tabs or shirk the bill altogether, as they usually did. ¡°This is great¡ªbut it¡¯d be even better with some booze, am I right?¡± ¡°Yeah! Let¡¯s mix ¡¯em!¡± ¡°Here goes nothing. Oh, shit! This hits like a punch . . . !¡± ¡°Seriously? Gimme that bottle!¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my booze!¡± The idiots started mixing alcohol in their drinks and gulping them down like water. I can¡¯t believe this. ¡®Master, it seems they like it, eh?¡¯ ¡°Yes, because they¡¯re idiots. Soon enough they¡¯ll try the stronger tears, then the ultimate tears. Then we¡¯ll have a horde of slaves coming every day to give us all their hard-earned money. Sounds great, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡®Perfect, eh?¡¯ The regular tears of falling stars were fifty coppers per glass. That put it at the same price as a cup of ale, making for a very low barrier of entry. The stronger tears were a hundred per glass; the ultimate tears, five hundred per glass. ¡°Do they even have that kind of money, though?¡± asked Rye. ¡°If not, they¡¯ll just scrounge it up somewhere. But it¡¯s not such a bad deal for them, really. The tears are much healthier than real drugs. You can grow dependent on them, but they won¡¯t mess with your head and drive you insane.¡± Stella giggled. ¡°This town is going to improve a lot.¡± ¡°Is it really? I wonder.¡± ¡®It¡¯s fine. They¡¯re ¡¯aving a good time, and Master¡¯s earning a profit. Everybody¡¯s ¡¯appy, eh?¡¯ ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting them to start mixing it with alcohol, though. That should double the addictive power.¡± She giggled. ¡°Wonderful.¡± ¡°Double it? Really?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll get drunk much faster. Which will make them a lot more generous with their wallets.¡± Though she hadn¡¯t tested it, Stella was sure that the tears would go well with alcohol. However, it came with the caveat that the side effects would be intensified as well, making ¡°tearism¡±¡ªlike alcoholism, but with the tears¡ªmuch more likely to occur. Unlike drugs, at least, they couldn¡¯t cause hallucinations or withdrawal symptoms. They could cause other things, like intoxication and liver damage, but she could blame all that on the alcohol. I don¡¯t care about their health anyway. ¡°Bring the booze! Hurry up!¡± ¡°More tears of falling stars! We¡¯re waitin¡¯ here! Bring a whole barrel and be done with it!¡± A small run-down store with a noisy crowd outside¡ªit was a sight hard to ignore. Most bystanders had enough sense to keep their distance, but the more curious ones shouldered their way through the mass of thugs into the store to buy a glass. Soon after, they exclaimed in surprise as the first sip showed them a world they had never known existed. Stella sat on her chair inside the store and watched the scene, content, with a cup of coffee in her hand. She was still drinking from the store¡¯s supply, as she couldn¡¯t bring herself to dispose of it. It¡¯s too weak, though, she thought. I¡¯ll add more ground coffee next time. ¡°Gosh, I can¡¯t catch a break! These people don¡¯t know when to stop!¡± ¡°Thank you, please come again!¡± Rye was in charge of serving the drinks; Marie, of taking the customers¡¯ money; and Beck had the busiest job, which was to collect and wash the empty glasses. As containers for takeout orders, they were selling wooden canisters. There was a huge pile of them in the storehouse, and this was a good opportunity to get rid of them. ¡°HYAAAAGHHH!¡± One of the idiots had decided to guzzle a glass of ultimate tears, and now he was squirming on the ground as the crowd watched him. When they started wondering whether that barrel was poisoned, the man forced a smile and grunted through his tears that it kicked like an angry mule. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen on the first day. ¡°These idiots are starting to bore me,¡± said Stella. ¡°I think I¡¯ll resume my magic training.¡± ¡®Keke! Already bored on the first day?! You never change, eh, Master?¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t help it, you know. Marie can take care of the rest, I¡¯m sure. She looks like she knows what she¡¯s doing. Me, I need a break from all these Beck look-alikes.¡± Marie was handling the customers with incredible efficiency. Most people would probably feel uncomfortable with this kind of clientele, but not her. Slavery had thickened her skin, it seemed. The way she seamlessly worked through the orders with a smile on her face was almost like an art; maybe she had previous experience with this. Rye, on the other hand, was struggling to maintain a forced smile and address everyone politely. It made for good entertainment, but that soon bored Stella as well. She was rising from her seat to head to the back room when a new customer came in who was clearly different from the rest. ¡°I see business is going well,¡± he said with a kind voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find anyone other than our own men.¡± He was a kind-looking man with a black vest over a dress shirt and round spectacles on his eyes. A mercenary stood to either side of him¡ªrough men, and properly equipped, which set them apart from common thugs. A well-crafted smile rested on the man¡¯s lips; it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°And you would be . . . ?¡± she said. ¡°Apologies for the late introduction. I am Mace, son of Leroy Stock and vice president of the Stock Company. It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Stella.¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine. I¡¯m Stella Nordus, the owner of Glenn¡¯s General Store. Well, since two days ago, as fate would have it.¡± Mace laughed. ¡°Oh yes, your reputation precedes you. Convincing my father to forgive your debt was an outstanding feat for a girl your age. You show great potential.¡± ¡°I appreciate the compliment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe you¡¯re only ten years old,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°If you were truly a defenseless child, threatening the elixir¡¯s recipe out of you would be trivial. But oh well; it seems that won¡¯t be possible.¡± He raised his hands in defeat. ¡°Get too greedy and you might end up on the wrong end of a rope, like my father. I almost met the same end, in fact. Scary, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed. That warning sounds extra convincing coming from you.¡± Stella giggled. ¡°I know, right?¡± Now this is an interesting man. Mace was a completely different breed from Beck. Even as they exchanged smiles, he studied her carefully for any signs of weakness. Marie and Rye watched nervously from a distance. Stella lifted a hand to calm them. ¡°This new product of yours . . . the ¡®tears of falling stars,¡¯ correct? Splendid, truly. I could easily make arrangements for it to be sold in our affiliated taverns. If you¡ª¡± ¡°I appreciate the offer, but it¡¯s a new product. I¡¯d like to give it some time first to see how well it does. Besides, this is a terrible location to run a general store¡ªthe tears are all we can hope to sell. I¡¯m even using them to get rid of our wooden canisters. We have so many of them.¡± There was an obscene amount of them in the storehouse for no apparent reason. What was Glenn going to do with them? Did he intend to sell them as military supplies in the coming war? Whatever his plans might have been, they had died with him. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. In any case, I believe the younger men of our company will make up most of your regulars. They seemed to be very fond of your product¡ªas was I, in fact, and these two as well.¡± Mace grinned at his bodyguards, an artificial grin that betrayed his insincerity, but they returned it candidly. Superior brawn aside, their brains seemed to be on the same level as Beck¡¯s. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°It was very kind of you to come just to say that. As vice president, you must be a very busy man.¡± ¡°It was the least I could do for our new business associate.¡± ¡°So, why are you actually here?¡± He grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s speak frankly, then. As it happens, I came to remind you of something¡ªbut it seems that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± His fake smile vanished. ¡°Is this about the elixir?¡± ¡°Indeed. I wouldn¡¯t dream of you breaking our contract, but Father insisted that I personally come to check on you.¡± Stella giggled. ¡°You have my sympathies. It¡¯s tough work, keeping children in check.¡± She threw him a look of pity. A flash of anger ran over Mace¡¯s face. The next second, it was gone. ¡°Oh, no need to concern yourself. It is one of my obligations.¡± He paused before continuing. ¡°Needless to say, it is imperative that you do not allow anyone else to get their hands on the elixir. No¡ªyou must not allow them to even learn of its existence. We can¡¯t hide it forever, but we need more time before we can start selling it to the upper class.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m free from debt thanks to that elixir. You can do whatever you want with it, and I won¡¯t sell it to anyone else as long as you keep on my good side. That includes keeping me safe from harm, as I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± She knocked on the table. Stella wasn¡¯t going to let herself be killed, but with this body anything could happen. She didn¡¯t want to take any unnecessary risks, and one meat shield wasn¡¯t enough. Mace gave her a wry smile. ¡°Naturally. We can¡¯t allow our golden goose to come to harm. I¡¯ll place men around your store. They¡¯ll keep a vigil every night.¡± ¡°I appreciate being treated with care, but I¡¯d rather not be called a bird. Well, just this once I¡¯ll take it as a compliment.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡± Sighing, Mace took out a cigar. Stella shook her head. He bowed lightly and put it away. ¡°Oh my, how tactless of me.¡± ¡°If you want to smoke, please do it outside, where the fumes can¡¯t reach me. My health is very important to me.¡± ¡°As it should be. In any case, I¡¯m glad we understand each other so well. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for expecting you to harbor ill feelings against us.¡± Stella giggled. ¡°I won¡¯t deny that I do, but it was really my father¡¯s fault for being naive. And considering he tried to take me with him, I don¡¯t think he deserves my sympathy.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s very very reasonable of you. In this town, it¡¯s deceive or be deceived. Fools are nothing but cows waiting to be milked dry. You seem to understand that very well indeed.¡± Mace gave a crude laugh. ¡°But make no mistake¡ªI am not my father. If you try to trick me, there will be consequences. Tell that to Leroy as well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Leroy, brat!¡± said one of the mercenaries. Mace quieted him with a hand and nodded back to Stella. ¡°I will.¡± Then he chuckled and said, ¡°I believe there¡¯s no harm in telling you. I intend to take over the West District. Father seems to think it best to hold back and keep things as they are, but I see it differently.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Indeed. The prime obstacle to our company¡¯s growth is the Palpud Union, the most powerful organization in the West District. They¡¯re an unpleasant bunch, always poking their unwanted noses on our turf. My plan is to gather all the power we can command, as well as the money we¡¯ll make with that elixir, and mount a full-blown assault to crush them to the ground.¡± ¡°Sounds wonderful.¡± This was the most interesting thing Stella had heard so far. Two power-hungry organizations going at each other¡¯s throats¡ªit was bound to get bloody. I hope I can see it from up close. ¡°So, no matter what happens, don¡¯t get tempted to turn on us. You¡¯re not the only one who doesn¡¯t take well to betrayal. In this town, all traitors pay in blood.¡± ¡°Duly noted. I quite like that style.¡± She smiled. ¡°As do I,¡± he said, returning the smile. ¡°Incidentally, I would consider finding a less inauspicious name for this place if I were you. How about ¡®Stella the Alchemist¡¯s Store¡¯? I think it¡¯s much better myself.¡± For a moment, a strong wave of emotion washed over Stella, but she was able to keep it under control. Without breaking her smile, she asked, ¡°Me, an alchemist? It¡¯s a wonderful nickname.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Father called you. In his precise words, ¡®She can work a miracle that turns water into gold.¡¯ So, will you consider it?¡± Stella giggled. ¡°As much as I love the title, I¡¯ll keep the store¡¯s name as it is. I value my time far too much to waste it on something as insignificant as a name change.¡± ¡°I can respect that. Well, I think this is where I¡¯ll take my leave. Until we meet again, Stella the Alchemist.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Vice President Mace.¡± A quick handshake and Mace and his minions were off. A few of the thugs followed them out, but the fools who had mixed their tears with alcohol lay unmoving on the floor, dead drunk. ¡®Keke! That was interesting, eh?¡¯ ¡°I see why he¡¯s vice president. He¡¯s smart, and he can hide his feelings well¡ªhe might be a better negotiator than Leroy. But I wonder about his position in the company.¡± ¡®What¡¯s there to wonder about, eh?¡¯ ¡°Why would someone in such a high position come to deal with me directly? That¡¯s a job for the likes of Beck, don¡¯t you think?¡± Mace had seemed a capable man. Why would they send him to threaten a child? That was a job for a grunt, not a high-ranking official. It¡¯s almost like he¡¯s Leroy¡¯s personal servant. She hadn¡¯t failed to notice a slight hostility in Mace¡¯s demeanor toward Leroy. He must be very unsatisfied with how the company is being run. ¡®Master, ya sure it¡¯s wise, gettin¡¯ involved with ¡¯im? ¡¯E didn¡¯t look the decent type, eh?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all right. More than all right, it¡¯s great¡ªgetting to know all sorts of people is exactly what I wanted. And there¡¯s money in it.¡± ¡®Keke! Spoken like a true alchemist, eh! Just wave yer hands and start magickin¡¯ up some gold, easy as that!¡¯ It was not as easy as that, but that was fine. She was doing it for her magic training. ¡° ¡®Stella the Alchemist,¡¯ huh. I like that. Maybe I should get myself a pointy hat tomorrow.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯d look great on ya. I¡¯ll look forward to it, eh?¡¯ ¡°Please do,¡± Stella said under her breath before bringing her cup of coffee to her lips. It wasn¡¯t as hot anymore, but she drank it all the same. Hot or no, it tasted just as bad. CH 9 October 21, 2022 ¡°Ahh, so tired. I¡¯m so, so tired!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all over now, sweetie,¡± said Marie. ¡°You must be tired too, Miss Stella.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Marie. Why treat me like a child but not her?¡± Rye pouted, making herself look even more childish. ¡°Should I not have called you ¡®sweetie¡¯?¡± asked Marie. ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me, it¡¯s just . . . you don¡¯t do that to Stella, and she¡¯s younger than me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Miss Stella behaves like a proper adult. And she¡¯s also our master.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I¡¯m just a child acting like a child. Don¡¯t say it. I¡¯m so tired, though! But also glad we had so many customers.¡± Laughing, Rye wiped the sweat off her face. She looked tired but satisfied; maybe ¡°fulfilled¡± was the word. Beck was leaning against a wall, looking more exhausted than anything else. Marie brought each of them a glass of water and then started the preparations for dinner, with such quick and graceful movements that nobody could have guessed she¡¯d been hard at work until just moments before. Stella, on the other hand, was more exhausted than anyone else in the room despite not having done any physical labor. She¡¯d gone too hard on her magic training. This body never fails to disappoint me. ¡°Good work, everyone. I know it was a hard day, but most of it was because of our guests from the Stock Company. It should get less busy starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± said Rye. ¡°There were quite a few common townsfolk too. They¡¯ll probably tell everyone about this place.¡± ¡°You say that like it¡¯s a bad thing. If you need motivation, how about I give each of you a bonus based on how much we sell?¡± ¡°Really?! Now you¡¯re talking. Man, guess I really lucked out, huh. Never mind the rocky start.¡± ¡°Lucked out? What are you talking about?¡± Stella cocked her head. Did she get in trouble while I wasn¡¯t looking? ¡°About you, uh . . . buying me, I guess,¡± she managed to say despite her embarrassment. ¡°This feels weird to say.¡± ¡°I only bought you because I thought you¡¯d be interesting,¡± said Stella. It was her honest thoughts. ¡°Yeah, but still, I was sure I¡¯d be treated much worse. Back in that cage, it was like I wasn¡¯t even human. Now I have good clothes, a bed to sleep in, a roof over my head. I¡¯m not even working for free, and you promised me freedom down the line. What I¡¯m trying to say is, uhm . . .¡± ¡°Butter me up all you want, but you¡¯ll get nothing from me today. Besides, it goes both ways. I also got pretty lucky with you and Marie. You two haven¡¯t disappointed me at all.¡± ¡°Uh, y-you mean it?¡± Rye looked up at Stella like a happy puppy. I can almost see a tail wagging behind her. ¡°I mean it. You¡¯re especially fun to mess with, since you¡¯re so quick to react to everything. And if I¡¯m not wrong, you have some very interesting baggage as well.¡± ¡°. . . What? I d-don¡¯t know where you got that from. Nope.¡± She blatantly averted her eyes. Rye had been wearing boy¡¯s clothes for a good reason, but there was more to it. Stella could tell. All humans have secrets. But as much as Stella wanted to learn them, she mustn¡¯t pry¡ªit was bound to backfire. I¡¯ll take it slow, with both her and Marie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to pry. You¡¯re already mine anyway. There¡¯s no need to hurry.¡± ¡°H-Huh.¡± Rye was visibly relieved. She¡¯s easy to read. It¡¯s one of her qualities. ¡°Dinner is almost ready,¡± said Marie. ¡°Would you prefer to have it now or later?¡± ¡°. . . I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll just have some soup today,¡± said Stella. ¡°Are you feeling sick? I can make something easier to eat.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll have some soup and go train some more. I don¡¯t have an appetite right now.¡± Stella felt that she could push herself a little further today. She was feeling sick yet just as focused, as if her senses were sharper. She could not let this state of mind go to waste. I must train as hard as I can. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about magic, but please, you can¡¯t train any more today,¡± insisted Marie. ¡°And you should really eat some more, or your body . . .¡± Stella knew that Marie was right. Without proper nourishment, she would never have a strong body. Right now, though, she couldn¡¯t keep any food down if her life depended on it. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± she snapped. ¡°I hate repeating myself.¡± Rye stepped in with a serious look on her face. ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be so stubborn! Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You look seriously messed up!¡± ¡°Keep your concern to yourself,¡± Stella blurted out. ¡°You can look at yourself in the mirror all you like.¡± She was in a bad mood, and the words had been sharper than she had intended. ¡®There¡¯s no need for that, eh, Master? Take a deep breath, cool yer ¡¯ead off. Yer gonna live till yer sixty, remember?¡¯ Clever¡¯s admonition almost made her burst a blood vessel, but she closed her eyes and did as she was told. She¡¯d lost her temper again; it was a bad habit of hers. In her efforts to calm down, she chanted in her head, Don¡¯t get anxious, there¡¯s no need to get anxious, getting anxious will get me nowhere. It helped. It didn¡¯t, in fact, but she pretended that it did. ¡°All right,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going to stuff dinner down my throat and turn in. You¡¯re right, overworking is bad. You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± ¡°W-Wow, you changed your mind fast. You sound kind of pissed, though.¡± ¡°It seems I have a short fuse. Which is ironic, considering my body is the way it is. In a way, I suppose that¡¯s very human of me.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just called being childish. I mean, you¡¯re ten years old. There¡¯s nothing ironic about it.¡± ¡°To think I¡¯d hear that from you.¡± ¡°What?! That¡¯s just mean!¡± With her hands crossed on her chest, Marie gave a sigh of genuine relief, as if she¡¯d heard the greatest news of her life. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve changed your mind,¡± she said. The look she gave Stella then was overflowing with kindness. It was the look a mother would give her child, she knew; her own mother had loved her dearly. The conversation died down after that, and time went peacefully by for Stella and the others. After dinner, Beck appeared in front of Stella with a troubled look on his face. He was supposed to be locking the store for the night. ¡°Uhm, Stella, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°What? Be quick about it.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s at the door. I mean, a visitor. Says he¡¯s a friend of Glenn¡¯s. Looks pretty desperate to see you. Uhm . . .¡± ¡°And his name is . . . ?¡± she asked impatiently. ¡°His name? Uh . . . Uhm . . .¡± The most important thing, and he forgot to ask. ¡°You never change, do you?¡± ¡°Uh . . .¡± He gave an embarrassed chuckle. ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°And that just now was even more like you. Go take a good look at him. If you¡¯re convinced he¡¯s not here to kill me, let him in. If he¡¯s armed, tell him to leave.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± He went back to the store¡¯s entrance. Stella couldn¡¯t see the entrance from the living room. If Beck got stabbed, she would have only a few moments to get ready to fight. ¡°Y-You think whoever¡¯s there would want to kill you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not unthinkable, at least. What was it called again? The Palpud Union? They¡¯re at war with the Stock Company here in the West District. We can never be too careful.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with us?¡± ¡°Everything. We¡¯re clearly on the Stock Company¡¯s side here.¡± Stella had taken the side of her father¡¯s enemy¡ªan unthinkable decision, perhaps, but she didn¡¯t care. It had been her easiest and most lucrative option short of abusing her powers to knock the company to the ground, which was very likely to kill her. I¡¯ll make good use of them to further my own purposes. Deep inside, there was a voice coaxing her to slaughter them to a man, but she ignored it. She was yet too young to do anything at the expense of her own life. That was something to consider after turning sixty. Beck reentered the living room accompanied by a plump middle-aged man whom Stella recognized as her father¡¯s friend. She searched her memories for a name¡ªDominique. Their families had been close; even Stella knew him, unsocial as she was. Dominique came from a family of blacksmiths who took up shop in the West District. His customers were thugs, mercenaries, gladiators¡ªnaturally, he had deep ties with that kind of people. ¡°. . . H-Hey, Stella,¡± he said. ¡°Long time no see, huh. You¡¯re as pale as I remember, but you seem to be doing well. That¡¯s great.¡± Stella silently glared at him. Dominique got visibly uneasy. ¡°No, wait, it¡¯s not what you think. I, uh . . .¡± ¡°Good evening, Uncle Dominique. How long has it been, a year?¡± ¡°. . . Yeah. I heard Glenn and Luana died, so I¡¯m here to¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, really. And how exactly have you heard that?¡± ¡°One of the sisters at the church. And I couldn¡¯t stand around doing nothing, so I¡ª¡± ¡°The Astral Church? How would they know?¡± she asked, turning to Beck. ¡°Uhm, I . . . I buried my partner and your parents there. It just didn¡¯t feel right to dump them in the sewage canal like the rest.¡± ¡°It was completely unimportant one way or the other, but that was quite thoughtful of you. Well done.¡± ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Stella had been sure Beck had simply taken them to his company¡¯s favorite body-dumping spot. She wouldn¡¯t have minded that. And though the church must have demanded a donation, Beck never mentioned anything of the sort. Should she take that as his idea of consideration? He might have just forgotten about it. Still, maybe he wasn¡¯t as tactless as she¡¯d thought. Stella added one point in his favor on her mental notes. Now he was finally at zero. ¡°. . . I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on,¡± continued Dominique, ¡°but why¡¯s the Stock Company helping you? I heard you¡¯re not in debt anymore . . .¡± Stella giggled. ¡°Fate works in mysterious ways. My debt is settled, and let me tell you¡ªtoday was so busy, what with me starting a new chapter in life. A shame you didn¡¯t visit earlier, or I could have given you a sample of our new product.¡± Dominique hesitated, then said, ¡°Good, good. I thought you¡¯d be Leroy¡¯s slave by now. So . . .¡± ¡°Please. Who would want a kid with one foot in the grave?¡± ¡°Hey, d-don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll grow up to be as pretty as Luana was.¡± He put on an ingratiating smile. Stella giggled again. ¡°By the way, Uncle Dominique . . . are you sure that¡¯s what you should be asking? Wouldn¡¯t a good family friend like you want to know how Glenn and Luana died first?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ªI, uh . . .¡± Stella¡¯s urge to harm this man grew stronger with each passing moment. Despite appearances, Dominique was the lowest of the low¡ªand so was Glenn, for that matter, but it was Dominique who had deceived him into making the choice that would be the greatest mistake of his life. He¡¯d visited the store every day to coax Glenn into this new plan of his¡ªit was great, it was flawless, it would make the both of them rich. He vowed that Glenn wouldn¡¯t be alone, as he would throw all of his money into it as well. In truth, Dominique had been in debt with Leroy, and he¡¯d accepted to sell his own friend in exchange for having it reduced. Stella had seen it all happen firsthand. So that¡¯s why. Sickly, untrusting, and unable to leave home without being chased by debt collectors. This was my only safe haven. It was also where she¡¯d almost been killed by the person she¡¯d trusted the most. Had she not gotten her memories back, that would have been the end. ¡°I know everything,¡± she said. ¡°Did you have your debt reduced after all? Congratulations. I¡¯ve had mine reduced all the way to zero, so I know exactly how it feels. Like a weight¡¯s been lifted off your shoulders, right?¡± ¡°No, wait! Let me explain!¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t bother. My parents may be gone, but I¡¯m doing perfectly fine without them. Here with me I have three new humans to call my own. I couldn¡¯t be happier.¡± ¡°S-Stella, please . . . I¡¯m so sorry. I never meant for it to end like this! I was tricked, just like your father! That bastard Leroy said he¡¯d reduce my debt, but he was toying with us all along!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m sure he was. And I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t mean for him to die, Uncle Dominique. You¡¯re too kind for that. I know, I know. You needed to believe those excuses yourself, or else you could never betray your best friend.¡± ¡°S-Stella . . .¡± He looked like he was about to cry. Stella returned the look with a full smile. ¡°It¡¯s all right. You enjoy your life, and never mind the people who are already dead. Tell the wife I said hi.¡± ¡°I . . . Oh, that¡¯s right! Stella, is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all? I¡¯ll do whatever I can to¡ª¡± ¡°Whatever you can? Do you mean it?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. I can look after you if you want. Or do you want more able hands? I can have my son help you out.¡± He didn¡¯t mean a single word of it. He surely knew about the success of today¡¯s new product, and the mere fact that she had the support of the Stock Company meant that she was running a profitable business. He just wants the crumbs. Little drops of emotion gradually leaked from Stella¡¯s core despite her best efforts. Was this what humans called hatred? She had never felt it before. Every ounce of her being was screaming to rip this man apart piece by piece. She did her best to repress it. ¡°Then, kind Uncle Dominique, I do have one thing in mind,¡± she said. ¡°I want you gone, as fast as possible. I¡¯m trying to forgive you for everything, but it¡¯s proving very hard to keep my head clear. I can hear a sweet voice whispering over and over, ¡®Kill this worthless man. Kill him.¡¯ But you see, this place, it¡¯s been tainted enough, and I don¡¯t need your blood, the smell of it, permeating these walls. So . . .¡± ¡°W-What are you talking¡ª¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, get out of my sight now. You¡¯re still here? Should I gut you alive? You¡¯ll scream nicely for me, won¡¯t you?¡± With a warped smile, she took out her Magic Crystal. Upon seeing the eerie light of the crystal, Dominique immediately fell on his behind screaming, then staggered to his feet and bolted out the door, almost tripping on the way. That was a look of primal fear in his eyes. The reaction was no less than she had expected from a cautious man like him. He was bound to live a long life, yet Stella didn¡¯t like the idea of using him as a role model. ¡°Do you think I went too easy on him?¡± she asked Clever. ¡®Killin¡¯ ¡¯im ¡¯ere woulda caused an uproar. I know it musta been ¡¯ard to ¡¯old back, but don¡¯t worry, eh? I¡¯ll finish the job later.¡¯ ¡°No. Leave him be for now. He¡¯s quite the interesting specimen, and I want to see what kind of life he¡¯ll lead from here on out. Besides, I have other ways to get back at him.¡± Judging from his behavior, he still owed a considerable sum to the Stock Company. He said he¡¯d been tricked by Leroy; Stella could use Mace to pressure him even further. She¡¯d found herself a great toy to play with. Let¡¯s see how much rough handling he can take. This is far from over. ¡°That was a great scream, though, I¡¯ll give him that. Even if I can¡¯t stand a single thing about the man.¡± ¡°. . . Uhm, Stella?¡± said Rye. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s the right thing to say here, but . . .¡± ¡°Hmm? Might as well hear it. What is it, Big Sis Rye?¡± ¡°Uh, you know. Cheer up, and all that.¡± She rubbed Stella¡¯s shoulder. Shaking her off felt like too much work, so Stella let the hand stay. Giggling, she said, ¡°Nice words, if a little overused. I¡¯ll accept the sentiment.¡± After Rye¡¯s clumsy display of concern, Marie hugged Stella close without saying a word. Quite considerate of them, thought Stella. There¡¯s really nothing like people who can act spontaneously. CH 10 The next day came, and it was just as busy as the one before. A new wave of customers barged in after hearing word on the streets. Stella should have seen it coming; the people of this town didn¡¯t care about anything other than having fun in the here and now. What she had no way of knowing, however, was that so many of today¡¯s customers would order the ultimate tears and mix them with alcohol. Idiots, all of them. But they¡¯re paying idiots. Every time one of her customers became too much of a nuisance, Stella would use Mace¡¯s men to drive him into one of the nearby empty houses. ¡°More booze! Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re all out of booze to mix?¡± ¡°Need another glass over here! Hurry up, brat! I don¡¯t like waiting!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my food, granny? I ain¡¯t got all day!¡± Looking at the brutes, Stella couldn¡¯t help feeling slightly regretful over how her new product had turned out. It was a little too effective. One of these people might lash out and start breaking everything at any moment. What would she do then? Why are they treating this place as a restaurant anyway? The food they had was mostly canned and meant for long storage, and though Marie was doing her best to cook them simple meals, she had no hopes of keeping up with the demand. The idiots had occupied every bit of floor inside and outside the store, all the way to the street, and now they were having a party. At least no one was bold enough to steal anything or leave without paying¡ªnot with the Stock Company¡¯s eyes and ears so close by¡ªbut that also meant more work for Rye, the cashier. ¡°Stella! I can¡¯t keep up!¡± she shouted. ¡°Do something!¡± ¡°Absolutely not. It¡¯s my nap time.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just sleep and leave us like this! C¡¯mon, Marie, tell her she can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± said Marie. ¡°I can handle this. Rest as much as you need, Miss Stella.¡± ¡°Marie . . .¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said Stella. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you in charge of Beck and the Stock Company men. Use them as you see fit. And while I don¡¯t want to hire more people right now, I¡¯ll think of something else to make things easier for you in the future. Well then, see you after my nap.¡± ¡®Yer really gonna do it, eh?¡¯ ¡°Afternoon naps are a good stimulus for the brain. Though all this noise is like to give me nightmares.¡± Stella retreated into the house, leaving the poor lost lambs to their own devices. She remembered the offer Mace had made yesterday¡ªwhich she had refused¡ªto sell the tears of falling stars in her place. After her nap, she intended to contact him and say yes this time. If she could nap through this storm at all. She had no qualms about taking the offer. It didn''t matter to Stella if the store had good business or not; what she wanted was to earn a living. If she ever severed connections with the Stock Company for one reason or another, Stella would be left without an income. It didn¡¯t seem likely to happen, but in this chaos of a town, anything was possible. I need backup plans, she thought. Maybe join their enemy, the Palpud Union. Or a different organization in another district. As today¡¯s noisy guests had served to prove, however, plans weren¡¯t guaranteed to work. Well, sometimes you just have to live in the moment. I¡¯m fine with that. It¡¯s what humans would do. With that excuse in mind, Stella slipped into bed. Today she would nap for a whole hour. It¡¯s not my fault that I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯m just human. Upon waking up, Stella decided to take action immediately. The noise was too much for her to concentrate on her training. ¡°Finally, I think it¡¯s calmed down a little,¡± said Rye. ¡°Stella, you¡¯re my savior.¡± ¡°To think there were so many sub-Becks in this world,¡± said Stella. ¡°My eyes have been opened.¡± ¡°You know, I think letting them sell it in their taverns was the right choice. It¡¯s gonna sell like bananas, I bet.¡± The deal was for Stella to keep producing the tears of falling stars and sell it to the Stock Company by the barrel. Then they¡¯d be free to do with it as they pleased. ¡°We¡¯ll still sell it as well, but no more eating or drinking inside. This isn¡¯t a dining hall, or a tavern, for that matter. And I don¡¯t have the patience of a saint to deal with these sub-Becks every day all day long.¡± ¡°. . . Beck would probably cry if he heard that, you know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, the man would be overwhelmed with joy.¡± ¡°Actually, yeah, I can¡¯t deny that. That¡¯s kinda sad.¡± Laughing, Rye drank a glass of tears. The regular kind, which shouldn¡¯t give her any issues as long as she kept it to three glasses or so a day. It was an icy cold, delicious drink, so she must have decided it was worth drinking after all. ¡°Ah, that hit the spot.¡± Chuckling, she added, ¡°Imagine if it became a local specialty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s never happening. Making enough to supply the whole town would take a lot of energy and motivation that I don¡¯t have. I¡¯m not about to stand in front of those barrels all day long, not even for the sake of my training.¡± ¡°So there is a price, huh. I was wondering. I don¡¯t know much about these things.¡± ¡°It uses some of my mana. Nothing much, though.¡± It was a simple transmutation spell. Nothing she couldn¡¯t handle, but still an annoyance. And with her deal with Mace settled, there was no reason to produce any more than necessary. If I don¡¯t want to do something, I won¡¯t. My time is far too precious to waste with that. ¡°An elixir to cure junkies, and a juice that¡¯s out of this world . . . I don¡¯t know, this magic business sounds pretty convenient. I wish I knew some magic too.¡± ¡°Sorry to put a damper on your dreams, but no common sorcerer can do these things. Only I can.¡± ¡°Really? And what makes you so special?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± ¡°Tch. The Almighty Alchemist doth not part with her secrets.¡± ¡°Exactly. So give up.¡± Stella gave her a wry smile, which she returned with a sulky one of her own. Rye seemed to be feeling completely at ease around Stella now. Maybe their closeness in age had helped with that. She¡¯s lucky I¡¯m not planning to betray her trust. ¡°Oh, right,¡± said Stella. ¡°I¡¯m going out later to buy some clothes. Would you come along? No¡ªyou are coming along. That¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°An order? What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I¡¯m your master, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well, you are, but . . .¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°Hmm, it doesn¡¯t really feel that way. I guess because you¡¯re just a child.¡± Stella had no experience leading people; she was simply giving orders whenever something needed to be done. To work with people, though, she must be intimidating enough that they¡¯d respect her, but not so much that they¡¯d humble themselves around her. That wouldn¡¯t be fun. Balance was key. ¡°It¡¯ll feel that way soon enough. Mark my words.¡± ¡°Guess I touched a nerve, huh. What kind of clothes are you gonna buy anyway? Something sporty for your morning walks?¡± ¡°This outfit I¡¯m wearing is good enough for that. Apparently I¡¯m an alchemist, remember? No alchemist dresses like this, though. And as a human, shouldn¡¯t I start by looking the part?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a point, I guess. Only a kid would wear those clothes.¡± ¡°Maybe you should put them on, then.¡± Thin, white children¡¯s clothes, on top of her paleness, skinny build, and silver bob cut. Were she to lie down on the side of a road, people might actually mistake her for a corpse. Getting new clothes would be a good start to fix that. White was currently the main color of her wardrobe, thanks to her mother¡¯s tastes, which Stella didn¡¯t particularly share. Accompanied by Rye and an escort of Beck and three other thugs, Stella went out to visit a clothing store in the West District. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, it might have looked like she and Rye were on their way to be sold at the slave market¡ªor rather, it couldn¡¯t have looked like anything else. Every bystander glanced at the group, realized what was probably going on, and looked the other way. This was nothing new. Better people, with a strong sense of justice, might have stepped in to save her; but not these people. Beck would discover his faith in God and go on to become a priest before that ever happened. ¡°Uh, ma¡¯am?¡± asked Beck when he caught her looking at him. ¡°Did I do something I shouldn¡¯t have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just thinking how you never change. Good luck with the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Uh . . . Thank you!¡± It wasn¡¯t a compliment, but Beck seemed to think it was. He smiled, an innocent smile that distorted his rough features in such a way that made Stella¡¯s skin crawl. From the looks of it, the other thugs from her escort were feeling the same way, but just like her, they didn¡¯t voice their thoughts. These were elite thugs, who could follow orders. The next step in their evolution tree was to become bandits and mercenaries. For the sake of society, Stella should probably put them down before that happened, but right now they were still being useful to her. ¡°Is this the place?¡± It was a small shop. Inside, a couple was working at the needles with a diligence the likes of which had rarely been seen in this town. They¡¯re probably being exploited by someone else. The shop didn¡¯t look very lively. ¡°Yeah,¡± Rye replied. ¡°This is the place Marie and me visited yesterday. They¡¯ve got children¡¯s clothes and work clothes and stuff. It¡¯s all pretty cheap.¡± ¡°What I want is to dress like an alchemist. I doubt they¡¯ll be able to help me.¡± ¡°What does that even mean, though? I¡¯ve never seen an alchemist before. I don¡¯t know what kind of clothes they wear.¡± It would be stranger if she had seen one before. There was no such thing in this world as a spell to create gold out of thin air. Not real gold, at least. ¡°I imagine it¡¯d be the same kind that sorcerers wear. Don¡¯t ask me. As long as it makes people stop seeing me as a little girl, anything¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s possible. I mean, no clothes can hide who you really are¡ªa brat full of yourself.¡± ¡°Watch how you talk to your master, child.¡± ¡°I sincerely apologize, Master. Ugh, almost bit my tongue saying that.¡± Having wasted some time bantering with Rye, Stella asked the elite thugs if they knew any fancier stores, and they mentioned the place where Mace bought his own clothes. When Stella ordered them to take her there, their eyes flashed with anger, yet they begrudgingly agreed. She was their golden goose, after all, and care must be taken lest she be offended. They may not be the smartest, but at least they know to follow their orders. The elite thugs took her to what humans would call a dangerous neighborhood, where taverns and gambling dens and brothels operated unapologetically in broad daylight. As soon as they arrived, a man approached them from one of the brothels. ¡°How¡¯s it going, chiefs? We¡¯ve got some new girls, ripe for the taking. How ¡¯bout you sell off those skinny urchins and come back to spend a night in heaven, huh?¡± ¡°You shut up. The skinny urchins¡ªI mean, the ladies¡ªthey¡¯re not what you think. If you don¡¯t want the Stock Company on your ass, get lost!¡± ¡°Wha¡ª? I-I¡¯m so sorry! Please forget I said anything!¡± Ignoring the man on his hands and knees, Stella urged the group on. This was not worth her time. Shortly after, they arrived at a luxury store. Beyond the glass front were fancy dresses on display, some embroidered, others adorned with jewels, but all done lavishly to the point of bad taste. Still, they¡¯re a symbol of status and wealth. This store was under the banner of the Stock Company, and it showed. ¡°So this is the place. It looks like they might just have what I¡¯m looking for.¡± ¡°I . . . I¡¯ve never been to a place like this before. Don¡¯t you think, uh¡ªare you sure it¡¯s safe?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t try to hide behind me. We have Beck and the elite thugs on our side, remember? Useless as they are, they can at least take a few hits for us.¡± ¡°Elite thugs?!¡± They glared at Stella. She glared back. ¡°Any problems, hmm?¡± ¡°. . . No.¡± They looked aside. Their faces said otherwise, but they didn¡¯t press the matter. They¡¯re elite for a reason, and this is it. Once they were past the sturdy front door and into the store, a woman in heavy makeup, who looked to be well on the way to her forties, slowly emerged to greet them. ¡°Welcome to Limon¡¯s Boutique. Are you here on behalf of Mr. Mace?¡± ¡°Not today,¡± said one of the elite thugs. ¡°We need you to make an outfit for the brat¡ªI mean, for Lady Stella here.¡± ¡°As you wish. Follow me, if you please.¡± With a smile plastered on her face, the owner¡ªwhose name seemed to be Limon¡ªsummoned an employee, who immediately started taking Stella¡¯s measurements. ¡°What kind of outfit are you looking for?¡± asked Limon. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t help you with.¡± ¡°I want you to dress me up like a sorcerer, complete with the pointiest hat you have.¡± ¡°. . . Excuse me?¡± ¡°Turn me into your image of a sorcerer,¡± she repeated. ¡°If it¡¯s money you¡¯re worried about, I have plenty.¡± At Stella¡¯s request, Beck opened the coin pouch and showed its contents to Limon. That shocked her a little, but not enough to break her smile. Very professional of her. ¡°As you wish,¡± Limon said after a few moments. ¡°But . . . are you absolutely certain you want to leave everything to me?¡± ¡°I am. It¡¯s no small feat, running a store at a place like this. You must be a first-rate fashionista. I¡¯m looking forward to what you¡¯ll come up with.¡± The smile finally twitched at the insolence. But after a quick recovery, Limon set to work. ¡°Is it to your liking?¡± ¡°Well,¡± said Stella, ¡°this is a sorcerer¡¯s outfit, if I¡¯ve ever seen one. Don¡¯t you agree, Rye?¡± A cloak with a purple motif, and a purple pointy hat with white lines, both dotted with decorations and studded with jewels. Underneath the cloak, as chance would have it, she wore white garments; yet like the rest, these were high quality and beautifully adorned. The white was oddly accentuated by the purple of the cloak. Stella was satisfied. She looked in the mirror; the girl on the other side exhaled an air of intelligence. This looks pretty good on me, if I do say so myself. ¡°I mean, it is,¡± said Rye. ¡°It does look good on you. It¡¯s just . . . That¡¯s, uh . . .¡± ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Rye mumbled, then said, ¡°No, not really.¡± ¡°Do I look so smart that you¡¯re at a loss for words?¡± ¡°Uh, more cute than smart, I¡¯d say. You look like one of those cute small witches you see in picture books. It¡¯s like you¡¯re trying to look all grown-up, which is kind of adorable, really.¡± Now it was Stella who was at a loss for words. A cute small witch. Her mood dropped in an instant. ¡°Oh my, you look wonderful!¡± exclaimed Limon, intruding into their conversation. But what her face plainly said was, ¡°Please don¡¯t leave without buying anything after all this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so. There¡¯s something I want to ask, though.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How did you get this so quickly in my size? These are no children¡¯s clothes, not by a long stretch.¡± ¡°I get similar requests to yours from time to time, so I always have a few in stock.¡± ¡°What kind of requests?¡± Limon hesitated. ¡°Requests for . . . costumes. Meant for little young ladies of high birth. They wear it in festivals, I hear. Sometimes they get little toy staffs to go with it.¡± Rye burst into laughter. So did the elite thugs. Beck was trying his best to keep a straight face, so Stella planted a foot on his shin. He fell to the ground and stopped moving. This is your punishment. You were asking for it. ¡°I¡¯m going home,¡± she said. ¡°No, wait, I¡¯m sorry!¡± said Rye. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad! It looks great on you, I swear!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so petty that I¡¯d get mad over this. I¡¯m just upset.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing, eh?!¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re talking like Clever.¡± ¡°Ugh. That¡¯s just the worst, eh¡ª¡± She realized and covered her mouth. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Limon, I want a second set just like this one. Beck will come get it once it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°As you wish. Thank you for your patronage.¡± Outside, Stella looked at her new clothes once more. Is this why humans like to dress up? It feels good. I like these clothes, no matter what anyone says. She touched her pointy hat, adjusted it, looked at it again. Yes, she thought. Not bad at all. CH 11 November 03, 2022 ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello, and welcome¡ªOh, it¡¯s the company man.¡± Rye made a face. She was an upright character who didn¡¯t like bad people, and not even slavery had been able to change that. ¡°Rye, was it? Please, child, don¡¯t give me that look. Where is Miss Stella?¡± ¡°She¡¯s sleeping.¡± ¡°Sleeping? This early in the day? How odd.¡± ¡°She always naps after lunch, says it¡¯s good for the mind and body or whatever. Honestly, I think she¡¯s just tired and making excuses.¡± ¡°That¡¯s truly wise of her. Our health is our most important resource, after all.¡± ¡°Good morning. It¡¯s a good day outside.¡± Stella stepped inside the store, freshly awake from her short nap, to find Mace holding a flower bouquet. As she watched, he handed it to Marie and told her to put it in a jar. Is he trying to win my favor? she wondered. He has too much time on his hands if he¡¯s coming here at this time of day. I wish he¡¯d share some of it with me. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± he asked. ¡°Your stare is quite intense.¡± ¡°Just to make sure . . . You are vice president of the Stock Company, right?¡± ¡°Indeed I am. And I intend to succeed Leroy as president, in due time.¡± ¡°Hmm. Well, good luck with that.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m still laying the groundwork for the next steps. It¡¯s important work, of course, yet my brother Gard seems unable to understand that. To him, violence is always the answer. He¡¯s such a headache.¡± ¡°Sounds like you have it rough.¡± Mace laughed bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to feel hearing that from you. But forget about that. You look wonderful in those new clothes.¡± He was clearly saying it to be polite, but Stella gladly accepted the compliment. ¡°I¡¯m flattered. So, do I look like an alchemist now?¡± ¡°Indeed. Although ¡®small witch¡¯ would be a more fitting descriptor.¡± He laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll go on to do great things, I¡¯m sure.¡± Bastard. She kept her face straight. ¡°I hope I can live up to your expectations.¡± ¡°That makes both of us. Let¡¯s hope we can work together for a long time to come still. You¡¯re a very profitable business partner for our company. Needless to say, that won¡¯t go unrewarded.¡± After the pleasantries, Mace sat down and made himself comfortable. It was clear that he had something else to say. Stella decided to listen. She owed him that much, at least. ¡°So, why are you here? There¡¯s more to your visit than those flowers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked. In fact, I¡¯m here to ask if you would accompany me to the tavern inside the arena in the Central District. Your ¡®tears of falling stars¡¯¡ªHis Excellency Mr. Greggs, head of the Georgia Family, has acquired a taste for them. He insists he must meet you in person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too far away. If he wants so much to meet me, he can come here.¡± Though the man does interest me. She could skip today¡¯s training and go. ¡°It would be wiser to do as he says. At present, the Georgia Family has the better part of Peasbury under its grasp, and Mr. Greggs himself is the town¡¯s mayor. You cannot disregard his request. Besides, this is a good opportunity for you to make connections.¡± Between the North District, home to the wealthier population and farmland owners, and the Central District, bustling with business, over half the town was controlled by the Georgia Family. No one, no matter how stupid they might be, dared defy them openly. ¡°Do you want me to make connections?¡± she asked. Mace laughed. ¡°I trust you¡¯ll come back to us in the end. And I¡¯ve told them you¡¯re under our care, so they won¡¯t try anything rash.¡± Gangs were sensitive things, bound by respect and custom. In the same way that Stella could not disregard a request from the Georgia Family, Greggs could not take Stella from the Stock Company by force without ruining Leroy¡¯s reputation. Such methods would be effective to show off superior power and authority, but still, that was not something Greggs would do. His family¡¯s policy revolved around maintaining the status quo with cooperation between the gangs. According to Mace, as long as they didn¡¯t let their guard down, there was nothing to worry about. ¡°I must also ask again that you keep the elixir a secret. As yet, only a select few know about its existence. Should it come to his knowledge that you can make such a thing, he¡¯ll likely forget his caution and try to take you from us. It¡¯s still too early for word to spread.¡± In other words, this was a reminder for her to stay hidden until his business preparations were complete. He¡¯s an able treasurer, no doubt about that. ¡°You know, perhaps the Georgia Family would treat me better than you do,¡± she said. ¡°What do you say to that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sad that you think so. The Georgia Family does not lack for power, and their recent way of doing things suggests that they¡¯re more interested in self-preservation than in bringing any sort of development to this town. Their goal is stagnation. If you want progress, you should stay on our side. Don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°You may be right. Stagnation is the enemy of progress, after all.¡± Stella gave him a half-smile, which he returned with one of his own. Rye, who had been watching them all along, looked utterly disappointed. She didn¡¯t appreciate this kind of conversation. Maybe some traumatic past experience. Stella, on the other hand, didn¡¯t really mind it. It was just like wordplay. For the second time, Stella went on her way to the arena in the Central District. She had left Rye and Beck at the store; to make up for their absence, Clever¡ªher strongest bodyguard¡ªwas riding on her shoulder. She didn¡¯t want to have to explain anything to anyone, so she¡¯d insisted that he keep his mouth shut. ¡°May I ask about the bird?¡± said Mace. ¡°Just my little pet. He¡¯s a rare breed.¡± ¡°You never cease to amaze me. I¡¯ve seen similar birds before, but never of this size. Quite colorful¡ªjust the kind of bird for you.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m very fond of him myself. If only he were a little less annoying sometimes.¡± Led by Mace and surrounded by his mercenaries, Stella entered the arena¡¯s tavern. At two floors, it was quite large. The first was for the masses, loud and crowded, a secondary entertainment to the bloodbath in the pit, while the second was restricted to the most esteemed patrons. After climbing the stairs, getting past the armored guards at the door, and walking all the way to the end, Stella came across a single gentleman in rich clothes with a lush beard on his chin and a glass in his hand. Contrary to what this might imply, he was by no means alone¡ªaround him were a dozen bodyguards keeping a sharp eye out for danger. One entrance. It¡¯s easy to thwart any assassination attempts. If I were to do it, it would be with poison, after earning his trust. With less-than-positive thoughts, Stella gracefully bowed to the man, bending one knee while holding the edge of her skirt. A noble¡¯s greeting¡ªjust something she had learned. Start by looking the part. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± said Mace. ¡°I am deeply sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for pleasantries, Mace,¡± said Greggs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you with such a selfish request.¡± He turned to Stella. ¡°And you must be . . . Stella, correct? It pleases me to see that you know your manners.¡± ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance, Your Excellency. My name is Stella Nordus, and I¡¯m the owner of Glenn¡¯s General Store.¡± He laughed. ¡°So young, yet so courteous. I see why the Stock Company values you so highly. Is it true that you also have a gift for the magic arts?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems I was born under a lucky star. God has judged one such as me worthy to reveal the secrets of the nectar of the divines.¡± Stella was making it up as she went. This is an interesting experience. ¡°I see. Well, I must say¡ªyour ¡®tears of falling stars¡¯ are simply to die for. Upon mixing them with some aged wine, my tongue was blessed with a sublime flavor. The sweet fragrance of grapes, the refreshing bubbles which seem to burst inside your body . . .¡± He chuckled. ¡°It has been a most pleasant experience.¡± Stella was disappointed that this supreme ruler¡¯s idea of a ¡°sublime flavor¡± was no different from Beck¡¯s. Ugh, he won¡¯t stop talking. Just get it over with. ¡°I drank one, two, three glasses, and each one brought new surprises and discoveries. It was as if with every glass my soul grew more vigorous, and my body stronger. I¡¯m certain it has extended my lifetime by at least thirty years. It is truly a gift from the heavens.¡± Fighting hard to keep her mouth from twitching, Stella courteously thanked him through gritted teeth. ¡°Incidentally,¡± he said, ¡°would you tell me how you came upon the name ¡®tears of falling stars¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course. First, the enveloping fruity fragrance, which wafts from it from the moment the water is transformed. Then, the refreshing, pungent flavor. And finally, the ephemerally pleasant aftertaste. Just like the stars, it has so many secrets, yet shines so bright. So I named it after them.¡± It was a complete lie, of course. She delivered it with the straightest face she could muster, holding her laugh as best she could. Clever flew down from her shoulder and landed in a corner. He was trembling wildly. The traitor has abandoned me to laugh all by himself. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a very fitting name,¡± said Greggs. ¡°You describe it exactly as I¡¯ve experienced it. . . . Mace, tell your father that I don¡¯t harbor any ill will toward his company. It would please me to see father and son working together to take the West District to new heights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear,¡± said Mace. ¡°I¡¯m sure Father will be overjoyed.¡± ¡°As for you, young sorcerer¡ªremember that, with enough power and wit, no doors will be closed for you in this town. You do have power, and with it comes the right to climb the social ladder. Don¡¯t hesitate to use your gifts. The Georgia Family wishes you the best of luck.¡± ¡°Thank you for the kind words.¡± ¡°As a small token of my thanks for your coming here today, I have reserved front-row seats for you in the arena. Enjoy the show before you go. Now, I¡¯m afraid I must ask you to take your leave. I have other guests to attend to.¡± What he meant was, ¡°I¡¯ve satisfied my curiosity. Now get lost.¡± Noblemen were busy people. Stella and Mace bowed politely before taking their leave. The instant they stepped outside, Greggs¡¯s bodyguards blocked the entrance. Maybe he¡¯s more craven than he looks. As the ruler of this town, he must have not a few enemies planning to overthrow him; needless to say, Mace would be one of them. For a man with no military power, he gave the impression of being quite ambitious. ¡°Are we done here, then?¡± she asked Mace. ¡°Yes. His Excellency is a busy man, you see. Meetings with him usually don¡¯t last this long. He must have been truly taken with your product.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m honored.¡± Mace pushed up his round spectacles; Stella smirked. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯re not a centenary witch lying about her age?¡± he asked. ¡°That sounds more plausible than who you say you are.¡± ¡°How dare you.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I must say, you¡¯ve piqued my curiosity.¡± Stella¡¯s hairs stood on end. She took a step back from him. ¡°If you¡¯ll agree to be mine, I can tell you what you want to know.¡± ¡°A tempting offer, but I¡¯m afraid I cannot take it just yet. The company needs me. No one there takes money as seriously as I do.¡± Stella watched the fight from her front-row seat, making no bets this time. Light refreshments were served, and she politely refused everything with alcohol in it. This body can¡¯t take it. I don¡¯t need the kind of pleasure I¡¯d get from intoxication anyway. ¡°By proving their worth in the pit, fighters can get recruited by noblemen or into an organization like ours,¡± said Mace. ¡°This is a sort of employment agency, so to speak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s some dangerous job hunting. Is it really worth it?¡± ¡°Some people have no other choice. Fighting is all they can do with their lives.¡± At that moment, the next fighters entered the ring. ¡°That man over there, we¡¯ve been trying to recruit him. His skill is outstanding¡ªwe¡¯d be loath to lose him to someone else. But the man is stubborn as a mule and refuses to take our offer.¡± Stella followed Mace¡¯s eyes to a youth bearing a crimson greatsword on his back. He wore a red headband over his short golden hair, steel pauldrons on his shoulders, a cloak around his body, and a look of sheer confidence on his face. He was of medium build, but a more careful look revealed that he had a well-muscled and toned body. There was something special about him. No doubt he¡¯d make short work of the elite thugs, and Beck¡ªwell, that one would run screaming before the fight even started. He could run all he wanted. She would paralyze him and use him as a shield if she must. ¡°He looks pretty competent,¡± she said. ¡°My, do I envy him that strong body.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something I would expect to hear from a girl, although I do share the sentiment. Strength is a valuable commodity in this town.¡± As Stella and Mace talked, a trampling noise came from behind. They turned to look. ¡°. . . I finally found you, you damned thief! I¡¯ve waited a lifetime for this¡ªactually, it was just three years, I think . . . But in any case! I¡¯m here to settle this!¡± What they heard was the howl of a bloodthirsty beast. The beast was a young woman with her blonde hair done in pigtails and a longsword in each hand. Her body was slender, yet it housed a tremendous spirit. Grinding her teeth, she displayed her hostility for all the world to see. When the woman caught Stella¡¯s gaze, she glared back. ¡°Is something the matter?!¡± she barked. ¡°No.¡± Stella hunched her shoulders and turned to face forward again. She was not in the mood for getting bitten by a rabid dog. If she decides to charge at me, I¡¯m done for, she thought. My whole life¡¯s plans would go down the drain in the blink of an eye. But still . . . ¡°How come there are so many odd characters in this town?¡± she asked Mace. ¡°Is there some power here that draws them and all the scum in?¡± ¡°I often wonder the same thing myself. Although to me, you¡¯re one of the odd ones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a shame. You lose points with me for saying that.¡± ¡°How harsh of you. Well, I must watch my tongue, then. ¡®Think twice before you speak,¡¯ as they say.¡± ¡°Well said. That gets you a few points back.¡± ¡°Thank you. If you liked that, I could lend you my book of sayings. I treat it as a reference book for my life.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to reading it, then.¡± As for the fight, it was over in one swing of that crimson greatsword. While the blow did not seem to have killed the man on the receiving end, it must have left him with multiple open fractures all over his body. He would never fight again. ¡°And the winner is . . . Varrell Art! This marks his tenth victory in a row! Will anyone be able to end this crimson greatswordsman?! Ladies and gentlemen, hurry up and claim your winnings, because today¡¯s fights are just getting started!¡± Amidst the roaring cheers, the greatswordsman¡ªVarrell Art¡ªraised his huge weapon to the crowd as easily as he would a feather. I do not want to get punched by those hulking arms. ¡°That sword is mine by rights! And there he is, holding it like it¡¯s some damned prize¡ª! I can¡¯t believe this! He¡¯s just¡±¡ªshe shook her fists at him¡ª¡°waving it around¡±¡ªshe stamped her foot¡ª¡°like he owns the damned thing! It¡¯s infuriating!¡± At some point, the howls had turned into bitter insults. ¡°Should we take our leave?¡± she said to Mace. ¡°For some reason, I¡¯m feeling really tired.¡± ¡°As am I. Allow me to escort you home.¡± After exchanging looks with Mace, Stella sprang up from her seat and prepared to leave. The woman was stamping furiously, and looked as if she would charge at the first person who talked to her. As curious as Stella was, she decided it would be best to leave her to her rage for today. CH 12 November 05, 2022 ¡°This isn¡¯t normal,¡± said Rye. ¡°This coffee? You¡¯re right, it¡¯s pretty bland,¡± said Stella. ¡°I tried increasing the quantity of ground coffee for each cup, but I¡¯m afraid these beans were roasted far too long ago.¡± ¡°Miss Stella, should I go buy some new beans?¡± said Marie. ¡°I saw a shop in the Central District.¡± ¡°No, not yet. I might as well drink what we have first. These beans are among my prized possessions, after all.¡± Stella swirled her cup and poured the brown liquid into her mouth. Coffee¡ªit could wake one up and improve their mood, but at the cost of being slightly addictive. Drinking multiple cups a day, like Stella, would cause headaches after the effects wore off. It¡¯s nothing like the tears of falling stars, though, she told herself. And I¡¯m not just making excuses. Coffee wasn¡¯t so poisonous that a few cups would shorten her lifespan, but she didn¡¯t know if the same could be said about the tears of falling stars. It¡¯s probably fine. Probably. ¡°No, not the coffee. I¡¯m talking about you, Stella.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t point at me. It¡¯s annoying, and above all rude. You¡¯re a girl, so behave like one.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry¡ªNo, hang on, me being a girl has nothing to do with this. Why is it that you¡¯re three years younger than me but so levelheaded and knowledgeable and able to deal with goons like Mace like he¡¯s your best friend? It doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± ¡°Calm down, Rye, sweetie,¡± said Marie. ¡°Some people are just different. It happens.¡± ¡°No, no, no! It doesn¡¯t happen, there¡¯s no way! I¡¯ve been thinking¡ªin what world can a ten-year-old girl deal with all those scary thugs without feeling the least bit intimidated? I¡¯m telling you, it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± ¡°Uhm, it happens. It¡¯s a big world out there, right? Just remember how this continent recently got invaded by an army from a different continent. That was also unthinkable, before it happened.¡± Marie stroked Rye¡¯s head to try and calm her down. The army she was talking about was the very one responsible for the current raging war. The Khorshid Empire, a distant empire that worshipped a sun god, had one day sent a hundred thousand men into this continent of Mundo Novo for no apparent reason. After trampling the disorganized remnants of the Dolebucks Confederation to the ground, they declared the establishment of a new state. That set the Astral Church to fuming, so they tried a few times¡ªwithout success¡ªto put the ¡°vile heretics¡± to the sword. Now they had calmed down and were watching carefully, waiting their chance to regroup and strike at the heart of the enemy. These were all rumors Stella had heard in the streets. The information was unreliable at best. One thing is certain, though¡ªthis town is in the heart of the conflict. If only it were farther away from everything. Peasbury stood right in the middle of the two armies. It boasted of being on the Church¡¯s side, but in practice it was neutral, as the Church had not seen any value in stationing troops here¡ªwhat with it being an utterly indefensible position with impious citizens and unsafe streets. Initially, they were content with taking this town¡¯s money and leaving it alone, a decision that they now seemed to regret. Greggs, the current mayor, was strongly in favor of independence from the Church, and thus didn¡¯t take well to any meddling from their part. If they made a wrong move now, he might turn on them, as other landowners had. Greggs¡¯s plan was to rule this town while treading the thin line between the Church and the Empire. Greggs Georgia was himself a nobleman from the former Dolebucks Confederation, and before its downfall he used to be a supporter of the previous mayor. Then he murdered him and took his place. He¡¯s a shrewd man, but he can¡¯t stay on the fence forever. How long before he¡¯s forced to take a side? I want to see that. Stella had no idea whether the Empire¡¯s invasion would be able to keep momentum, or whether the Church would be able to crush them. The Church¡¯s army was an assortment of different people brought together by their faith, and it didn¡¯t seem very tightly knit. Things changed every day, and nothing was certain¡ªexcept that Greggs would soon be forced to make a difficult decision. ¡°If they hadn¡¯t come, I¡¯d never have become a slave, and nobody would have died!¡± said Rye. ¡°No, wait, I mean . . .¡± ¡°Will you keep it down? Yes, I know some things. I can use magic, and I enjoy myself a nice cup of coffee. So what? Do you have something against that? What exactly have I done to earn your distaste?¡± Stella squinted. This cup of coffee isn¡¯t particularly nice, though. ¡°Nothing, really, but . . .¡± ¡°Well, there you have it. You¡¯re in a fairly privileged position yourself. And so is Marie. Heck, even Beck, in a way, though he¡¯s useless and a pervert. What more do you want?¡± Beck was holding his head with both hands while whispering under his breath that he was not a pervert. He didn¡¯t deny being useless, though. It was good that he knew the extent of his own abilities, but if that was the case, Stella wished he would strive to improve. Well, it wouldn¡¯t be Beck if he did. ¡°Hmm, I hate to admit it, but I guess you¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯m supposed to be a slave, yet I¡¯m acting more like a . . . freeloader? or something. I talk back to you all the time and you never get mad.¡± ¡°I could make you kneel and teach you to speak like you have honey stuffed in your throat, but that would only bore me. So I didn¡¯t. Even this conversation we¡¯re having right now, it¡¯s sort of a waste of time, but it¡¯s probably helping me understand humans better. That¡¯s why I¡¯m still talking to you, even if it¡¯s annoying.¡± ¡°. . . You didn¡¯t have to spell everything out like that. Why don¡¯t you¡ªyou know¡ªtry acting more your age?¡± ¡°A child, telling me to ¡®act more my age.¡¯ This is an interesting experience, to say the least,¡± she complimented the girl, smiling. ¡°. . . Yeah, no. This is beyond me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how it is, sweetie.¡± ¡°Marie, why do you keep saying that, eh? . . . Oh, I¡¯m speaking like Clever again.¡± ¡®Keke! Nice, eh? Not ¡¯alf bad, eh, lil¡¯ Rye!¡¯ ¡°Cut it out!¡± Rye darted off, with Clever following joyfully at her heels. They make a good duo. Content, Stella asked Marie for a cup of coffee. Her coffee is the best. Business was much slower in the afternoon. Apparently, ever since Stella forbade consumption of alcohol and tobacco inside her store, all the tear addicts had taken their drunken ramblings to the company-operated taverns. That would hurt her profits, but she¡¯d gladly accept it in exchange for some peace and quiet. The customers who still did show up were all idiots who thought the tears of falling stars sold here were somehow more ¡°real¡± than those sold in the taverns¡ªthey could swear it packed a mightier punch. All nonsense, of course; the product was exactly the same. ¡°It¡¯s calmed down a lot now, hasn¡¯t it?¡± said Stella. ¡°This is a good change of pace.¡± ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know,¡± said Rye. ¡°Now it feels like something¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°Is complaining all you can do?¡± ¡°Right back at you.¡± Marie smiled at them. ¡°You two get along so well.¡± She had come a long way after leaving that cage. Her once lifeless eyes were gone; more often than not these days, they were full of energy. She likes to serve others. Marie worked every day without a single word of complaint, doing chores, dealing with customers, and watching conversations with a smile on her face. ¡°No, I think she¡¯s just making fun of me,¡± said Rye. ¡°She looks oddly lively when she¡¯s teasing me or Beck.¡± ¡°Your job is to take care of the store and be my conversation partner, remember? I said that right at the start. You¡¯ve been doing great, by the way.¡± ¡°. . . Oh, yeah. I guess you did say that.¡± Rye sighed in acceptance. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Tomorrow is Rest Day,¡± said Stella. ¡°You¡¯re all free to spend it as you please. I¡¯m not going to take that away from you.¡± It was important that they get proper rest for the mind and body. Without it, sooner or later they would revolt against her. Like I did before. ¡°Well,¡± said Marie, ¡°I¡¯ll use it to clean the store and the storehouse, then. There are a lot of nooks and crannies that I usually have to ignore.¡± ¡°Is that what you want to do?¡± ¡°Yes. This is my home and workplace. It¡¯s very important to me, and I¡¯d like to keep it clean.¡± ¡°. . . Well, if you insist, I¡¯ll allow it. Clean to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Stella.¡± If that was Marie¡¯s wish, Stella had no reason to stop her. As for Stella, she was planning to go out for a walk, produce some tears of falling stars, do some magic training, rest, and do some reading. The same as always, for the most part, with conversations and human-watching interspersed between. ¡°I don¡¯t have nearly enough time for everything I want to do. Maybe if I started sleeping one hour less each day¡ªNo, but if I do that . . .¡± Right now, she was sleeping six hours a day. That was already the bare minimum, a number she¡¯d reached after much compromising. ¡°W-What¡¯s with the scary face?¡± ¡°If I shave off any more hours of sleep, I might lose a few years of my life down the line . . . I can¡¯t decide. Ahh, if only I had more time!¡± Stella crossed her arms and let out a deep sigh. ¡°You¡¯re so weird.¡± ¡°I can hear you, Rye. Should I tell Marie to stop smuggling you snacks?¡± ¡°Why?! I¡¯m paying for them with my money!¡± ¡°I¡¯m your master, remember? My word is law. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not a monster. Have fun stuffing your face with snacks, child.¡± ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re unbelievable!¡± No, this is me being generous. Rye puffed her cheeks in anger, stamped her foot a few times, and disappeared into the back. ¡°She¡¯s so childish.¡± Stella giggled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s too mature, Miss Stella. But about Rye . . . I think she¡¯s been through terrible things, so . . .¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to pity her, but as long as she¡¯s here, she¡¯s free to live as she wants. You too, Marie. As long as you¡¯re not getting in my way, you can do what you want. You¡¯re my things. If anyone tries to hurt you, I¡¯ll show them no mercy.¡± ¡°Thank you sincerely. But take care of yourself too, all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing that this whole time. Your concern is unnecessary, and a waste of time, honestly.¡± A hint of sadness crossed Marie¡¯s face before she bowed and returned to her work. What was that about? Thirty minutes later, Rye reemerged with an awkward expression, accompanied by Clever. She lowered her head and most commendably apologized for calling Stella weird. Stella said that she didn¡¯t mind it, and Rye¡¯s face opened up a little. She went to help Marie. Clever flapped his wings knowingly. ¡°Clever,¡± said Stella. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her anything you shouldn¡¯t have, right?¡± ¡®What you talkin¡¯ about, eh? I don¡¯t know nothing! I¡¯m just a bird, eh!¡¯ ¡°Just a bird, huh. Then what did the little meddling bird tell her? Spit it out.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t tell ¡¯er that yer just a teensy bit twisted, or that you weren¡¯t bein¡¯ mean on purpose, or that yer just lonely despite appearances! I didn¡¯t tell ¡¯er none of that, oh no! Birds can¡¯t even talk!¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s all wrong, by the way. Maybe I should remove your head and sew a chicken¡¯s head in its place, would you like that? It¡¯ll be an improvement. Hey, I have some time. Come, it¡¯ll take just a minute.¡± ¡®N-No, thanks! I gotta go for a walk, eh? See ya!¡¯ ¡°You fly away pretty fast when you want to, huh.¡± What kind of Sacred Beast has a personality like his? This wasn¡¯t the way Stella remembered him; she was sure he¡¯d been more solemn and imposing in the past. Which one was the real Clever? She didn¡¯t know. What she did know, however, was that it was thanks to him that she¡¯d gotten her memories back¡ªand also that, even after she¡¯d come to this world, he¡¯d never left her side. Speaking of which, how are things going in that place? Is it still stopped in time, frozen in eternal tedium? Or maybe . . . They had gone their separate ways. Stella had chosen to leave and paid the price, giving up her own life and memories in exchange for a mortal life. The price had been steep, but she couldn¡¯t stand that place anymore. And now she was here. That was all there was to it. Whatever was happening there now, it was beyond the reach of her knowledge. I¡¯ve never felt more fulfilled. Even if I died now, I could fade away with a smile on my face. My life is going to end one day¡ªand that¡¯s a beautiful thing. A few moments later, Stella reconsidered. It was yet too early for her to die. And thus, she decided to exercise harder. CH 13 November 11, 2022 Stella woke up earlier than she had intended, with a loud noise coming from the store. She looked at the clock and saw that it was before sunrise. . . . Ugh. Someone has a lot of nerve, to disturb my sleep like this. It couldn¡¯t have been Rye or Marie. By elimination, that left two idiots¡ªa man and a bird. Which one is it? Still in her sleepwear, Stella headed toward the store on sluggish feet, where she found Rye and Clever, the former angrily stepping on someone and the latter with a triumphant smirk on his face. The someone was a man with multiple feathers sticking out of his back. A thug, like any other. Stella was unsure what was happening. She saw Marie nearby and asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± ¡°Uhm, it seems he¡¯s broken in to steal our profits.¡± ¡°. . . Interesting. Very interesting. But he really shouldn¡¯t have come this late at night. He¡¯s robbed me of my precious sleep time.¡± Stella approached the man, who was groaning in pain. His wounds were far from fatal; they¡¯d been intended to stop him from escaping, not to kill. If Clever had meant to kill him, she would have come across not a man but a pile of minced meat. What a lucky man. But that¡¯s about to change. ¡°The heck¡¯s up with this bird?! Dammit, it hurts! Get away!¡± ¡®Keke! Figured you¡¯d want to see ¡¯im, Master, so I caught the man alive! What ya gonna do, eh? Execution time?¡¯ ¡°A talking bird?!¡± ¡®Yer just dreamin¡¯, pal! A final dream before ya die! I ¡¯ope you don¡¯t mind being dismembered, eh? Keke!¡¯ The man¡¯s eyes widened as he started thrashing and yelling. ¡°Quiet, thief!¡± said Rye, knocking him over the head. ¡°Trying to make off with the fruit of our hard work, huh? Unbelievable! This town is hopeless, absolutely hopeless!¡± ¡°So, what now?¡± Stella crossed her arms and pondered. ¡°I¡¯d take a look inside his head, but I don¡¯t want his wonderful brains all over the store. Cleaning that up later would be a nightmare.¡± That seemed to take Rye off guard. ¡°Uh, wait, you¡¯re joking, right? . . . Right?¡± ¡°I was wondering if he was different from us on a biological level, but oh well. What do you think we should do?¡± Stella was quickly losing interest. She wanted to go back to sleep, not to discuss some scoundrel¡¯s future. Rye thought for a moment and said, ¡°No point in taking this to the city guard. That lot¡¯s just like him.¡± She sighed. No one in this town cared about helping the weak. Handing this man over to the authorities would accomplish nothing; he could easily buy his freedom. ¡°Well, then. Beck, tie him up and give him over to Mace¡¯s men. He¡¯ll figure it out for us.¡± Killing or no, it would be up to Mace to decide. Stella just wanted the man gone. ¡°Whoa! You think you can just kill me like that? I¡¯m the Palpud Union¡¯s locksmith! They¡¯ll get you back for this!¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s how you got inside,¡± said Stella. ¡°Getting past the lock must have been a breeze for you. But well, look at you know.¡± She stretched and yawned. ¡°You¡¯ve ruined my sleep. Take him away, Beck.¡± ¡°Beck, you know I¡¯m right! The Company and the Union, we¡¯re not supposed to fight, tell her! Don¡¯t leave a friend hanging, man!¡± ¡°K-Knock it off! I¡¯ve never seen your ugly mug before! Shut it!¡± Beck kicked the man in the face, and again when he screamed. ¡°. . . Beck, who is this man?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Who? I¡ªGee, I don¡¯t know! Haha . . . Anyway, uh, where¡¯s the rope? Let¡¯s get this over with!¡± He was definitely lying, but Stella was too tired to drag the truth out of him just now. I¡¯ll do that in the morning, though. Stella looked around and saw a coil of rope on a nearby shelf. It was technically one of the articles for sale, but it was probably never going to find a buyer anyway. She made to grab it. ¡°Here, use this¡ª¡± The moment she was about to close her fingers around it, Stella¡¯s vision went dark. Her heart started pounding in her chest, so hard it could burst. There was a terrible ringing in her ears. She had never experienced anything like this before. Something was being torn away from her body. She tried to catch it, to hang on to it, but it slipped through her fingers like smoke. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Miss Stella?¡± ¡°Stella?!¡± She heard a scream, but couldn¡¯t see the screamer. Her vision was gone. A flap of wings approached, and Stella let go of her consciousness. She heard voices. ¡°. . . She¡¯s in a very weakened state, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t say what¡¯s caused it. For now, you should let her rest and recover.¡± ¡°You sure she¡¯s not sick with anything? She just fainted out of the blue, that can¡¯t be normal!¡± ¡°The symptoms don¡¯t match any of the most widely spread contagious diseases. She must have collapsed from physical and mental exhaustion. That is the only diagnosis I can give.¡± ¡°. . . All right. Thank you for coming this early in the morning. How much do we owe you?¡± ¡°No need to bother yourselves with the bill. I shall take it to the Stock Company. Take care.¡± The moment the doctor went out the door, Stella sluggishly sat up on her bed. ¡°What time is it?¡± Rye yelled, looking at Stella as if she were a corpse rising from her grave. It was simultaneously amusing and irritating. ¡°Would you please not yell at me like I¡¯m some monster?¡± ¡°Miss Stella! Are you feeling all right?¡± said Marie, unusually agitated. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I even have a good idea of what caused this.¡± ¡°Y-You do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just psychological trauma. The death of my parents seems to have left quite the mark on me. No, actually, I think the real culprit is the memory of my mother trying to kill me. That rope reminded me of it, so trying to touch it caused my psyche to crumble, dragging my body down with it. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± ¡°. . . Uh, how come you¡¯re so calm? You scared the heck out of me! I was worried you were dead!¡± Stella giggled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you were worried. Now tell me, what time is it?¡± ¡°S-Six o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Hmm. Thank you.¡± ¡°. . . You sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to be completely sure. I feel pretty weak. I might just take today off to sleep, it¡¯s probably for the best.¡± ¡°I mean, it is . . .¡± Rye still looked worried as Marie started wiping Stella¡¯s sweat with a towel. ¡°What about that cat burglar?¡± asked Stella. ¡°We left him with the Stock Company when we asked for a doctor. Mace said he¡¯s gonna come check up on you, by the way.¡± After a curt nod of acknowledgment, Stella closed her eyes. A will to live, and a longing for death¡ªboth feelings coexisted inside of her, swirling like a vortex. That inner conflict might be damaging her soul, whatever that was supposed to mean. It was still too early for Stella to die, but some part of her subconscious seemed to think otherwise. This pain was a new experience¡ªa valuable one, in a way. Rather than resist it, Stella decided to embrace it. It wasn¡¯t certain whether time would heal this wound, but in any case, she¡¯d best avoid entering that sealed room again. Something told her that doing so would be suicide. Well, then why even stay here? She played with the thought in her mind, but didn¡¯t feel the least inclined to actually do it. This place was important to her¡ªthat was why she was still drinking that awful coffee instead of throwing it away. This sort of irrational behavior must be evidence that she was, in fact, human. Stella remembered a certain stubborn woman. Would she laugh at me if she saw me now? she wondered in self-mockery. Or just be disappointed, as usual? With that in mind, she silently drifted into sleep. Today she would rest and recover. Tomorrow would be a new day, and she needed her strength. After a full day and night¡¯s sleep, Stella woke up feeling refreshed. She had never felt this good in the morning. The time spent had been well worth it. ¡°Good morning,¡± said Stella. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful morning, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Good morning,¡± said Rye. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± asked Marie. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m feeling perfect. Like I said, the reason was mental, not physical. I¡¯m still weak, but just the regular amount.¡± ¡°You sure? You never really looked healthy, so it¡¯s hard to tell.¡± Rye seemed to be finding it hard to accept, but it was the whole truth. As yet, Stella was still free from disease. I should work on raising my immunity. ¡°I know myself better than anyone,¡± she said. ¡°But it seems I¡¯m more mentally vulnerable than I thought. I have to work on it, train myself to stay in control of my mental state at all times.¡± ¡°Seriously, how can you be this calm? You look far from mentally vulnerable to me. You know, when you fainted, my heart almost stopped. How do I put it . . . you were like a puppet with its strings cut.¡± So that scream was hers. It would seem that Rye¡¯s true personality¡ªin other words, her feminine side¡ªshowed through in times of panic. Considering her age, there was nothing strange about that. ¡°Self-awareness is an important skill to have,¡± said Stella. ¡°Without it, our short human lives would feel even shorter.¡± ¡®Keke! Master never changes! Yer tongue and moves are as sharp as ever, eh?¡¯ Clever jumped at her, elated. Too clingy. His feathers were getting on her nerves, so Stella brushed him off. ¡°Give me some space.¡± ¡®Gah! Not nice, Master! I don¡¯t deserve this sort of treatment, eh! Only slept four hours today, what with bein¡¯ worried to death!¡¯ ¡°And how much do you usually sleep?¡± ¡®Five hours, no more, no less! I¡¯m an earlier bird than Master, eh. Nothing like stretchin¡¯ my wings at the break o¡¯ dawn, eh!¡¯ ¡°Hmm.¡± It went in one ear and out the other. Stella regretted asking. What do I care how many hours a bird sleeps every day? She seriously doubted that useless piece of information would ever come in handy. ¡°By the way,¡± said Stella, ¡°there¡¯s something important I forgot to ask. What were all those guards doing when the cat burglar got in? Not their job, surely, or he¡¯d never have made it to the front entrance.¡± Maybe he could have slipped through the back entrance without opposition, but he had used the front door. If not for Clever, she would have been robbed; the bird was more aware of his surroundings than he let on. And he could take care of most anything that came in, short of bird-eating monsters or actual armies. ¡°. . . Oh, them? Drank themselves into dreamland,¡± said Rye. ¡°Beck was with them too, for some reason. I kicked him awake after we caught the thief.¡± ¡°R-Rye, why¡ª! C¡¯mon, I told you so many times not to tell her! You know what she¡¯s gonna do to me!¡± ¡°What, you think I wouldn¡¯t tell on you? Go get the scolding of your life, see if I care. You deserve it for offering alcohol to the guards, that was dumb.¡± Stella turned to look at Beck. He tried to play it off with a smile, and ultimately averted his eyes. That¡¯s Beck, all right. ¡®Keke! I saw everything, I did! Beck was drinkin¡¯ like ¡¯e was king of the night. And I saw ¡¯im draggin¡¯ the guards into it too. ¡°I¡¯ll get my revenge on ¡¯er one of these days,¡± ¡¯e said, but not with me around, ¡¯e won¡¯t! Master is forever safe with me, eh!¡¯ Beck had nothing to say to that. Stella couldn¡¯t help but look at the ceiling in utter defeat. The man was useless, which was fine¡ªshe knew not to expect much from him. Now, however, he was going out of his way to cause problems for her. How does his brain even work? She was sorely tempted to open his head and take a look. He would hardly survive it, though. ¡®And tha¡¯s not all, eh! Why, the thief was Beck¡¯s acquaintance! I know all the details, eh. My eyes and ears never miss a thing!¡¯ ¡°Would you care to elaborate?¡± ¡®Beck told the man everything ¡¯e knew, then fell for ¡¯is smooth talk and went drinkin¡¯ with the guards! Dumb move, eh?¡¯ ¡°You stupid little chicken! No, wait, ma¡¯am, you don¡¯t understand!¡± ¡°. . . Quiet.¡± The words came out with difficulty. Not because she was tired, but because she was trying her best not to explode. Throwing a tantrum now would only be a waste of time. ¡°Please, I beg you! Anything but c-castration!¡± ¡°I want you gone until sunrise tomorrow. Go clean the sewage canal for all I care. Just get your ugly face out of my sight.¡± Bodies were thrown in the canal all the time, where they were stripped of their belongings by vagrants and had their flesh eaten by crows and stray dogs. Sometimes the Church would hire beggars to clean it up. Word had it that for each body brought to shore they demanded a donation from Greggs. As a citizen of this town, Stella felt that she should help them out a little. ¡°Ma¡¯am, please, forgive me! This time it wasn¡¯t my fault, I swear! It was all him, he¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªShut up. Every second spent trading words with you is wasted. I¡¯ll say it again¡ªGet out.¡± She waved him off like she would a bug. Just as I start thinking that maybe he deserves some credit, he does this. His incompetence was unprecedented. But this was Beck; she shouldn¡¯t be surprised. ¡°P-Please!¡± ¡®Aren¡¯t ya lucky, Beck? But don¡¯t get any ideas, eh? You try to run, I¡¯ll take yer precious balls! With my beak, eh! Kekeke!¡¯ Clever jumped at Beck, who dashed out the door. ¡°Now it¡¯s much quieter in here,¡± said Stella. ¡°I swear, Beck¡¯s a lost cause. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s really a bad guy, though.¡± Rye thought for a moment. ¡°Wait, no, he used to be a debt collector, right? Yeah, forget what I said. He¡¯s a pretty bad guy.¡± She stuck out her tongue. ¡®Master, are ya not gonna punish ¡¯im?¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be worth my time.¡± Stella was tired. She pressed her fingers to her eyes. ¡°Uh, you sure you¡¯re feeling better now?¡± asked Rye. ¡°You¡¯re not just pretending?¡± ¡°What would be the point of lying about it to faint again five minutes later? I didn¡¯t expect to faint from trying to pick up some rope, though. That much is true.¡± Rye was suspiciously quiet, so she added, ¡°Look, whatever you¡¯re planning against me, give up. It won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°What? I would never!¡± She seems to be telling the truth. Whoever had brought her up had done a thorough job, because Rye was disciplined¡ªstubbornly so. Despite being frequently rude toward Stella, she never forgot her table manners and always kept herself presentable. ¡°. . . Uh, why¡¯re you staring at me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m human-watching.¡± Rye¡¯s face froze. ¡°I think you should keep that to yourself. Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best next time.¡± Stella was good at watching people¡¯s facial expressions; she had always been. People often found that unsettling, shunning her for it. Stella couldn¡¯t blame them. Being stared at by a sickly child like her was hardly something that would make anyone happy. Her father had been no exception. ¡°In case you¡¯re wondering, I¡¯m not actually afraid of ropes. Look, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Stella nonchalantly picked up the rope on the nearby shelf and started swinging it around. As long as she steeled herself for it, she wouldn¡¯t faint. ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. Now you can¡¯t tie me up while I¡¯m sleeping.¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯d never do something like that. ¡®You should never do unto others what you don¡¯t want done unto you.¡¯ Father used to say that all the time.¡± ¡°What a good little daughter you are. Well, in any case, if anything happens to me, my Magic Crystal will just blow up and take this whole town with it. I¡¯m the only one keeping it under control, you see.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can try it if you don¡¯t believe me. But I¡¯d advise against it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to, but . . . you¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°Am I? Care to find out?¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not gonna do it!¡± Stella laughed at Rye¡¯s angry reaction. Teasing her never gets old. Her reactions are always worth it. Mace appeared shortly after, with a bouquet of flowers and a sack of fruit, to check up on Stella. While she knew that he just wanted to get on her good side, it was still quite nice of him. She gratefully accepted his gifts, but not without complaining that his men had been absolutely useless. Mace humbly apologized and promised to find more reliable replacements. According to him, the cat burglar had been properly dealt with. Mace had acted before Leroy could interfere. ¡°Trying to avoid a full-scale dispute by avoiding conflict altogether is a terrible idea. The Union will make doormats of us. Father has grown too soft with age,¡± he¡¯d complained. ¡°As long as we¡¯re collecting protection money in our territory, we must protect those who pay from harm. It¡¯s the entire basis of our existence. If we start making exceptions for who gets punished and who doesn¡¯t, we won¡¯t be taken seriously ever again.¡± Stella admired his conviction, but she knew he never did the dirty work himself. Would he be able to, if put on the spot? she wondered. Now there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to see. In any case, this went to show that she needed to find her own guards. Mace¡¯s ¡°more reliable replacements¡± might well be just as bad as the people they were going to replace. She should count herself lucky this time; none of her things had been killed or even hurt. That would have been infuriating. I need to improve security as fast as possible. But what¡¯s the best way? If possible, Stella would like a fighter with a combat power of ten Becks¡ªbut the gangs were always on the lookout for strong fighters, and they were unlikely to be available for the taking. The slave market, then. They might not have what she wanted¡ªlike last time¡ªbut she decided to go on the morrow and see for herself. Stella asked Marie for a cup of coffee. For now, she would take her time and think. Her exercising and magic training weren¡¯t getting anywhere, but it was just as important to solve the problem at hand. CH 14 November 15, 2022 After breakfast, Stella prepared for her second trip to the slave market in the Central District. She was planning to leave Marie in charge of the store and take Rye with her, but . . . ¡°The slave market? Why would you go there? I¡¯m not going. I hate that place.¡± . . . she refused to go. ¡°I want to buy someone to guard the store,¡± said Stella. ¡°And I¡¯d like you to come with. Without a second opinion, I¡¯d just buy another interesting-looking human on impulse.¡± ¡°. . . Stop talking about buying people like it¡¯s nothing. People are not cattle. You do understand that, right?¡± Rye didn¡¯t attempt to hide her grimace. Stella considered what Rye said. I suppose that¡¯s one way to look at it. ¡°Let me correct myself, then. I want to buy some furniture that understands human language. And I want a second opinion, so¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s even worse! It¡¯s the notion of buying people that I can¡¯t accept. Ugh, just thinking about it is making my skin crawl!¡± Rye punched the table. She had a very strong sense of justice by this town¡¯s¡ªno, this world¡¯s standards. Still, her indignation never went beyond indignation, and the slaves remained slaves. If she can¡¯t accept it, she should do something about it, thought Stella. Though her attempts probably wouldn¡¯t lead anywhere. ¡°Oh, really. Is that because of your own experience being sold as a slave?¡± ¡°Well, that too, but . . . Anyway, I¡¯m not going. I¡¯m not setting foot in that rotten place ever again!¡± Before Stella could answer, Rye dashed out into the store. This behavior of hers was unreasonable, but children are unreasonable creatures. Stella dare not try to fix her, though, for fear of destroying the very liveliness which made her so interesting. And as Mace¡¯s book of sayings had taught her, ¡°sometimes you just have to give up.¡± It was more a book of overgeneralized statements, but Stella liked some of them, like ¡°two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t think too badly of her, Miss Stella. She doesn¡¯t mean you ill.¡± Marie hesitated for a few moments, then lowered her head. ¡°It¡¯s just that . . . that place was truly horrible.¡± ¡°No need to apologize for her, I didn¡¯t take offense. Rye is fine the way she is.¡± Clever started flying around Stella as if to tease her, sending red feathers flying everywhere. It was a massive nuisance. ¡®Keke! ¡¯Aving a fight with yer friend, eh, Master?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s so amusing about it?¡± ¡®Does it make ya sad, eh? Are ya sad?¡¯ Clever leaned closer, his face inches from Stella¡¯s. She grabbed his neck and flung him at the closest wall, making him shriek like a strangled chicken. ¡°Anyway, I have to visit that place again. And if Rye isn¡¯t coming, I suppose I¡¯ll make do with Bonehead and Cheekyfeathers here.¡± ¡®It¡¯¡ªClever coughed, trying to catch his breath¡ª¡®It¡¯s Clever, eh! ¡¯Ow could you forget my name, Master?!¡¯ ¡°Bonehead? Who, me?!¡± Beck¡¯s voice cracked in disbelief as he looked up at her from his plate. Apparently, he had come back from cleaning the canal with an appetite. ¡°You don¡¯t even pull your own weight, yet you eat the most out of all of us. But I expected nothing less from you.¡± In response, Beck started choking on his food. Clever chirped cheerfully. At least he was good as a shield (one use only), though that was clearly not worth the cost of keeping him around. The mere thought irritated her, and the irritation grew stronger the longer she turned it in her mind. Why do I even bother keeping him? For all of three seconds, she considered disposing of the man. No. Give it some more time. He may be useless, but he was her prized first possession. I should care about that, she thought. Like a human would. ¡°Get ready,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am! Just a moment!¡± Beck started wolfing down the rest of his meal. There was rice flying everywhere. What a mess. ¡°Oh my,¡± said Marie as she set to cleaning the floor around him. And thus, here, on this fateful moment, a miniature model of society manifested itself before Stella, with the working class once again bearing the dead weight of freeloaders. Looking at them, Stella realized something shocking. ¡°Why am I waiting for you? This is nonsense. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve just wasted three minutes and three seconds of my life standing here.¡± Stella donned her pointy hat and rushed out of the store. A stupid voice called her to wait; she paid it no mind. After joining up with Beck, who¡¯d come running after her in a panic, Stella headed toward the slave market. Her legs were short, and Beck had to walk slowly to keep at her pace. For some reason, he had a creepy grin on his face, suggesting that he¡¯d already forgotten his mess-up. Praying that his answer would be worth her time, Stella asked, ¡°Why are you in such a good mood? Was it the punishment I gave you yesterday?¡± ¡°What? No! I was really out of line yesterday, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough of your apologies. I want to know why you¡¯re so cheery.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Well, at first I didn¡¯t take well to being treated like trash, but I¡¯ve come to realize that that¡¯s not all bad. I mean, now the company men actually greet me when they see me. Makes me want to serve you twice as hard, ma¡¯am!¡± One day. It had been a quick recovery. Maybe he¡¯s just thick-skinned. That might be simply his personality, but Stella¡¯s bile kept rising all the same. ¡°Good for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, ma¡¯am. I mean, Mr. Mace¡¯s our third-in-command, no less, and there¡¯s word on the street about the little witch under his personal protection. If they¡¯re talking about you, then naturally they¡¯ll be talking about me, your first minion. How lucky is that, huh?¡± You may be my first minion, thought Stella, but you¡¯ve also proved to be the most incompetent. ¡°Hmm.¡± Stella stopped, looked up at Beck, and beckoned him closer with a hand. ¡°Beck, show me your face. Come on, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± He was initially startled, but his face soon broke into a grin. ¡°W-What, you gonna reward me with a kiss? I don¡¯t know, there¡¯s so many people here . . .¡± Stooping, Beck brought his stupid slack grin into Stella¡¯s range. No sooner had he done that than she reached into an inner pocket, produced her Magic Crystal, and bashed it against his defenseless cheek with all the force of her scrawny arms. She was not worried it would break; this crystal could not be destroyed by physical means. The hit connected with a satisfying crack. Screaming and with his nose bleeding, Beck lost his balance and fell to hands and knees. Stella didn¡¯t miss the chance to plant a foot in his rear. The kick was not powerful by any means, but it had enough momentum to send the man face first into the ground. He groaned. ¡®Nicely done, eh, Master!¡¯ ¡°That¡±¡ªStella stopped to gasp for air¡ª¡°That was reckless of me. I should have saved my strength.¡± ¡®But ya blew off some steam, eh? It¡¯s the law of equal exchange!¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure about that, but decided to take his word for it. ¡°Why is it so irritating when useless slobs like him get full of themselves? I didn¡¯t mean to resort to violence, but my emotions got the better of me.¡± ¡®Keke! Methinks tha¡¯s perfectly normal for a ¡¯uman, eh? If ya ask me, you weren¡¯t violent enough!¡¯ ¡°You think so? Then I suppose it¡¯s finally time to crush his precious treasures. There¡¯s no point in him leaving any offspring.¡± Just for practice, Stella raised her foot and drove it into the ground. It didn¡¯t make as much noise as she¡¯d expected. I¡¯m too light, but this should be enough to turn them into mush. ¡°P-Please, I beg you!¡± said Beck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! This won¡¯t be repeated! I won¡¯t get carried away again, I swear! Please, anything but that!¡± ¡°Quiet. Clever told me everything. It wasn¡¯t just that night. You were out some other night, blowing your allowance, having some fun. You even had a harem, and you were telling them all about how ¡®that store owes everything to you.¡¯ I have to give it to you¡ªyou¡¯re bolder than I thought.¡± Stella was tempted to ask what exactly the store owed to him, but she knew she would regret the answer. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, I-I swear!¡± ¡°How many times have you apologized to me so far? Tell me.¡± ¡°. . . What?¡± ¡°How many times have you apologized to me so far? If all those apologies were sincere, you should remember.¡± ¡°Uh . . . Uhm . . .¡± Beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He didn¡¯t remember; of course he didn¡¯t. Every time he¡¯d apologized, it had been to avoid punishment and nothing more. Stella couldn¡¯t help laughing. ¡°You apologize, then immediately forget what you apologized for and repeat the same mistake.¡± ¡°N-Not this time! I¡¯ll remember this time!¡± he said, prostrating himself before her. I thought I¡¯d weeded the fight out of him, but it looks like he¡¯s still prone to getting carried away. Humans didn¡¯t change so easily, then; it was a good lesson to learn. For the first time, Stella was grateful for having Beck. She had a feeling that he had many more things to teach her from here on out. Unfortunately, each lesson would cost a bout of headaches. People started staring. It was the natural response to seeing such an obvious criminal type on hands and knees begging forgiveness from a child. Stella sighed. ¡°On your feet,¡± she commanded. ¡°I see you need a good whack on the head from time to time, so you don¡¯t forget yourself. It¡¯s not something I¡¯d like to waste time on, but I won¡¯t shirk my responsibilities as your master.¡± ¡®Keke! ¡¯E¡¯s the nail and yer the ¡¯ammer, eh! Except nails are actually useful!¡¯ ¡°Still, he¡¯s my property and my responsibility. I¡¯ll do my best to suffer his presence just a while longer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry! It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s the drink, it¡¯s always been like that when I drink, I . . .¡± It was not just the drink. He had tasted recognition, and it had felt good; so he¡¯d pushed his luck for more. And when Stella had chided him for it, he immediately started blaming outside factors. In his head, he must be just another victim of this cruel, unforgiving world. And why did she know that? Because her father had been the same. Glenn was no thug, but he¡¯d raised his hand to Stella many, many times. And to her mother, whenever she¡¯d tried to stop him. She could remember it clear as day. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve wasted enough time here.¡± She resumed walking, Beck scurrying at her heels. After a few paces he decided that it was a good idea to talk. ¡°I¡¯m quick to forget myself. Always been. All my life I just did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, without thinking or looking back. And since I was confident in my strength, I decided to make it a living. Didn¡¯t get very far, though.¡± ¡°Fascinating. Do tell me more.¡± ¡°So in between all the drinking and gambling, I suddenly found myself with nothing to eat, nowhere to sleep . . .¡± ¡°So you and others like you gathered together to pick on the weak, blackmail them, and steal from them. I wonder, did you also kill for money?¡± He hesitated. ¡°This place¡ªno, not just this place¡ªthis is just how it is in this world. The strong exploit the weak, and they leave nothing, not even the marrow in the bones. We who joined the Company, we wanted to be on the winning side. We never thought long-term. Having fun today, that was all that mattered.¡± ¡°I see. Nature¡¯s law of survival of the fittest¡ªit¡¯s a wonderful thing. Now I think I have an idea of what goes on in your heads and why you do what you do. I¡¯m glad.¡± Beck wiped the blood off his nose. It seemed that the story was over. Stella had nothing to say to him, no words of sympathy nor criticism. Their current relationship was a straightforward one¡ªshe was his master, and he her property. Her role was to whip him back into shape whenever he served her poorly. And that she would do, every time, without fail. He was the only Beck she needed, though. These people had a knack for getting full of themselves when in large groups, as the recent drinking party incident had served to prove. Stella couldn¡¯t risk having her other things damaged, so she decided that no more sub-Becks would be tolerated in her company¡ªthus marking the institution of a wholly new Beck bar. ¡®C¡¯mon, Master, turn that frown upside down, eh? A smile would suit ya better!¡¯ ¡°You think so? Then how about this?¡± She raised the corner of her mouth an inch. Clever covered his face with his wings. Beck shrieked. ¡®That face does not go well with yer paleness and yer witch outfit, eh, I¡¯ll tell ya that much! Thought you were cursing me dead, I did!¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s not very nice of you to say.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Was it that bad . . . ?¡± ¡®If I ¡¯ad to give an example, you were like one o¡¯ them cursed dolls, consumed by a burning ¡¯atred for everything living. The air around ya practically turned dark, eh! Gave me goosebumps, it did, even though I¡¯m no goose!¡¯ He spread his wings and looked at her smugly, almost as if he was expecting a compliment. ¡°I don¡¯t know why,¡± said Stella, ¡°but I feel like punching something.¡± ¡®Why not that useless nail right there, eh? You¡¯ll feel all better, you will. I¡¯ll bring the ¡¯ammer and the scissors so you can cut ¡¯is balls off while yer at it, eh!¡¯ ¡°No, please!¡± Beck protested. ¡°Not the balls!¡± ¡®It¡¯s just Beck, eh, there¡¯s a million of ¡¯im out there! C¡¯mon, it¡¯ll be easy, eh! One little snip, is all it takes!¡¯ It didn¡¯t look like Clever would rethink his opinion of Beck any time soon. Still, Stella shook her head. ¡°Not yet. If he¡¯s mine, to do with as I see fit, then I¡¯ll let him live and see how much he grows as a person until the day he dies. His life will be a touchstone for comparing the relative value of other people like him.¡± If truth be told, it felt like watering a desert and expecting something to grow. As long as she kept him fed, though, Stella need not concern herself with him, which meant that she had no reason to dispose of him just now. And while he might do something stupid and cause her even more problems, she was ready to take that risk. ¡® ¡¯Ow lenient can ya get, eh?¡¯ ¡°Thank you! Thank you so much! I¡¯ll do my best, I swear! You¡¯ll see!¡± ¡°Words are wind. I want actions. The way you¡¯re saying it, it sounds like you haven¡¯t been doing your best before. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying, Beck?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± The next time he fails me so miserably, thought Stella, I¡¯ll deny his very existence. This was how she was going to discipline him from now on. Give him the whip every time, and he might actually enjoy it. The man¡¯s fetishes were nothing if not annoying. Looking at him now, his previous excitement had given place to unconditional obedience; he was like a puppy. ¡°You have sad, sad tastes,¡± said Stella. ¡®And whose fault is that, eh? By the way, you mentioned ¡°growth¡±¡ªyou really think ¡¯e can grow, eh?¡¯ ¡°Who knows. Either way, he¡¯s a valuable specimen to keep around. I can learn from him.¡± ¡®You¡¯ve relaxed a little lately, eh?¡¯ ¡°You think so?¡± she asked, feigning ignorance. I¡¯m keeping him around to understand how churls like him think, nothing more. Since his sort comprised such a huge chunk of the population of this town, she had to understand him better. Besides, in case she needed it, he was the best meat shield around. Where his potential for growth was concerned, however . . . it was about as promising as the prospect of world peace. CH 15 November 20, 2022 ¡°This neighborhood is truly hopeless,¡± said Stella. ¡°No, actually, this whole town.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Beck. ¡°If only I looked scarier, nobody would¡¯ve bothered you . . .¡± Ten of you might have looked scary enough, though Stella, but that¡¯s not something I could endure. ¡°Is everywhere in this town this dangerous?¡± ¡°Not everywhere, no. There¡¯s the North District, where the rich people live, but the gate leading there is kept tightly shut. And well, there¡¯s the Company¡¯s territory. It¡¯s safe enough for us.¡± The gangs milked every establishment and individual in their territories out of their hard-earned money in exchange for protection, and those who didn¡¯t pay had to fend for themselves. They hadn¡¯t come up with the system; it was the mayor¡¯s political model. The weak and vulnerable of this town would find no protection in the law. ¡°So here it doesn¡¯t matter that we¡¯re citizens,¡± said Stella. ¡°Nonpaying citizens are as good as outsiders.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it works. And a good thing too, or else we¡¯d be out of business.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all well and good, but I wish they wouldn¡¯t see me as such an easy target.¡± She had been stopped three times on her way to the slave market, by a young man, a middle-aged man, and finally an old man in beggarly rags. Looking at her, they must have seen nothing more than a gullible child. Unlike last time she¡¯d been here, Stella was well and richly dressed. At a glance, anyone might mistake her for some girl of noble birth, driven out of her mansion by a naive curiosity to see the world. In other words, the perfect target for thieves. They were further encouraged by Beck being the only escort in evidence. Should their threats be unsuccessful, they could simply kidnap her and demand a ransom from her ¡°guardian.¡± ¡®But yer still alive and kickin¡¯, eh, all thanks to me!¡¯ ¡°Yes, you did save me some unnecessary effort. Well done.¡± Clever had descended upon her attackers from above, pecking at their heads until they would give up. Stella could have used her Magic Crystal, but the prospect of doing that every time someone looked at her wrong was far too vexing. As of now, her only means of combat was to paralyze her enemies¡ªfollowing up with a lethal blow¡ªor to drain their life force. The more destructive spells were, unfortunately, not safe to cast for her yet. Her Magic Crystal was controlled by her soul, and it served as her source of mana, but she needed to tap into her own strength and mana to use it. This body was severely lacking in both respects. It would break under the strain, the same way a shallow, narrow waterway would overflow during heavy rains. ¡®So long as you ¡¯ave me, Master, you¡¯ve nothing to fear!¡¯ ¡°Then I hope you¡¯ll stick around for the next fifty years.¡± ¡®Of course, eh! I¡¯ll even dig yer grave and arrange yer funeral!¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens after I die,¡± she said, ¡°but I appreciate the sentiment.¡± Clever flew around and around, happily. He and Stella went way back; out of the many Sacred Beasts, Clever had been the only one she¡¯d gotten along with. Without him, Stella could not have endured the fetters of eternal stagnation which had shackled her and the others in that place¡ªthat place where death, and its sweet release, were unattainable. As her ashen memories came back to life, a queasy feeling settled in her stomach. Tedium is the death of the soul. It was the same for Sacred Beasts, and one by one they had abandoned that place. But not Clever. He had stayed for her sake. The only ones left now would be two very stubborn creatures: a woman and a beast. Are they going to stay there until the end? Or will they change their minds one day? There was no knowing the answer. A fragment of her memories emerged from the depths of her mind. ¡ªThere¡¯s nothing left. I can tell. I know you won¡¯t change your mind, no matter what I say . . . but we should put an end to this. ¡ªNo. Our purpose is to maintain and protect this place until the time of awakening. There is nothing else to do. ¡ªMaintain? Maintain what? You know it¡¯s pointless. Go on, open it, see for yourself. Why do you refuse to look inside? ¡ªWe are not allowed to break the seal without orders. That goes against our purpose. Anyone who attempts to do so, without exception, will be punished. ¡ªHey. Do you know what happens when you give a plant too much water? No? If you insist on being so dense, I¡¯ll show you. They¡¯d refused to acknowledge it, the truth that she¡¯d told them hundreds, thousands, millions of times: there was nothing there. She was a support unit, and she knew everything. The Slumbering Tower was a lofty structure, built for a lofty goal; yet in the end it was but a mass grave, its occupants never again to waken. It was fate¡¯s retribution. They had gone into slumber to escape a disaster of their own doing, a disaster whose magnitude they¡¯d underestimated in their pride. Ironically, however, the tower had been responsible for the purification of the greater part of the world¡ªwhich was nothing if not amusing. Clever was looking at her. The next moment, a powerful wave of static interrupted her thoughts. I¡¯m a human now, a frail little human, she thought. These memories are meaningless. I should forget them. ¡°Uh, aren¡¯t we going in, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°I just got distracted thinking. Let¡¯s go.¡± Stella walked around the market square, taking in the sights. The slaves all looked like corpses, same as last time she¡¯d been here. Like cattle waiting for slaughter. Granted, it was the slavers¡¯ job to do this to them¡ªbut she didn¡¯t have to like it. After a while, Stella espied the slaver from whom she¡¯d purchased Rye and Marie. She approached him. ¡°Welcome! A first-time customer? Would you care for a tour of the merchandise?¡± ¡°No need. We¡¯ve done business before. Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Stella pushed up the brim of her hat, revealing her face. This hat was new, and so was her sorcerer¡¯s outfit (technically a costume for children). Last time, she¡¯d been much more poorly dressed. No wonder he hadn¡¯t recognized her. ¡°Oh, of course! You look a different person, miss. First a beggar, now a sorcerer. So you like dressing up, huh? It¡¯s a wonderful hobby!¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m glad you think so.¡± She couldn¡¯t bother explaining it. ¡°Have you come looking for more slaves?¡± ¡°Yes. This time I¡¯m looking for able fighters. To be more specific, I want someone who can fight like ten Becks.¡± She pointed at Beck. The slaver glanced at him, then gave a wry smile. ¡°Strong lads like him, they sell as soon as I acquire them. They¡¯re perfect as laborers and pit fighters, and my special customers get first pick. As you can see, the only men left are the pretty ones and the kids, young and exploitable. You won¡¯t find what you want easily, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Not easily¡ªbut there is a way, right?¡± ¡°Indeed, there is. For one, you could participate in one of the Rest Day auctions¡ªbut it¡¯s mostly women that I sell there, former members of the nobility. The elite seem fond of humiliating them and stepping all over their pride. Well, who am I to judge? It¡¯s great business.¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve wasted a trip, then. Unfortunately.¡± Those women would hardly be worth their price, which wouldn¡¯t be cheap to start with. I¡¯d get a few tales of former glory, and how they came to lose it, but that¡¯s about it. Well, this was a waste of time. Her profits for this trip stood at a meager three sub-Beck encounters. Speaking of which, all three of them had been left gravely wounded and would be unable to move for a good while, so unless they were members of a gang, they¡¯d lose their status of exploiters to become the exploited. Even here, the basic laws of nature had their place. How grand. The slaver put his hand to his chin. ¡°Hmm . . . You could also scout someone out at the arena. If truth be told, I¡¯d rather you buy from me¡ªbut I trust you¡¯ll remember me next time you want slaves, yes? Send my regards to your old man.¡± He rubbed his hands together and gave Stella a neighborly smile which made her skin crawl. At least he¡¯s harmless, she thought, nodding back. He cared not so much for Stella as for the money¡ªand perhaps influence¡ªof some figure that he could glimpse behind her. He¡¯d taken her for some rich family¡¯s daughter. ¡°I will,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks for telling me all this. See you next time, then.¡± ¡°I hope to see you again soon. I¡¯ll tell you all about how to raise the perfect slave for you from a very young age. It¡¯s a new trend, you see.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Thank you, and come back again!¡± The way he moved his hands and smiled made her feel sick. He¡¯s passionate about his work, at least. That¡¯s a good thing. Stella left the market square, the murmur of the crowd dying away behind her. This place was fascinating; all those people were out and about looking to buy human beings. ¡°That was a lot of shameless self-promotion,¡± said Stella. ¡°Does that mean the slavers are not all under the same gang?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± said Beck. ¡°The top gangs of each district, North, South, East, and West, they send their own people to trade here. For the West District, that¡¯s the Palpud Union. Mr. Mace has it in his head to cast them down and claim that right one day, but apparently it¡¯s not that simple. This is all I know, though. Sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Maybe I should ask Mace himself later for the details. Sounds like an educational topic¡ªnot to mention interesting.¡± ¡°I can learn stuff too, ma¡¯am! I¡¯ll work hard!¡± ¡°Try not to work too hard. You don¡¯t want to trip on your own feet,¡± she said without changing her expression. I can abide you being useless, but not less than useless. As a matter of fact, Stella had enough basic background knowledge of her own. What she really wanted to learn was how things worked below the surface, away from the public eye¡ªand in so learning, she knew she¡¯d grow as a person. She was here now, to pry to her heart¡¯s content, and that¡¯s what she would do. It was her goal, after all. Speaking of basic background knowledge, perhaps the most well-known fact was the mayor¡¯s name: Greggs Georgia. More than a mayor, however, he was this town¡¯s king and emperor¡ªat least for the time being. There was no going against his word; when the Georgia Family marked you as an enemy, you were as good as dead. The bulk of Peasbury¡¯s income was his: the wealthy denizens of the North District, the downtown area in the Central District, the arena, the slave market, even the drug trade, to some extent, though he couldn¡¯t boast of that openly. His power extended over the military, and he had a say in both internal and external affairs. Rather than raise his own army, he took great pains to stay perpetually on the fence by paying all the right people. He always had one hand over the table and one under it, the one offering the Church generous donations to preserve his image as their faithful ally, the other bribing the Empire to stay well away from his town. To fund all his bribing, he collected money from the gangs through taxation, which the gangs in turn collected from the weak through exploitation, thus funneling most of the wealth generated at the bottom of society to the top. But even Greggs was just another node in the pipeline. The seat at the very top of the chain, and the right to claim it as supreme ruler¡ªthat was what this war between the Church and the Empire was all about. Meanwhile, lives were lost, resources were drained into the war effort, and the people at the bottom suffered. Throughout the ages, the names of the people in power may change, but their actions remained the same. And amidst their plots and schemes people lived intense, short lives, like flames burning bright before dwindling and fading. This world was dynamic and ever-changing, nothing like that dull, stagnated place where her soul had not been allowed to breathe. The difference was striking. Human nature truly is something else. ¡°This world is so captivating, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡®Oh, yer doing the scary face again!¡¯ ¡°I thought I already knew that, but seeing it with my own eyes, hearing it with my own ears, it makes all the difference. Humans . . . they¡¯re simply wonderful.¡± ¡®Hmm, I dunno, eh. But so long as Master¡¯s ¡¯aving fun, I¡¯m ¡¯appy!¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re wonderful too, Clever. Except the way you speak.¡± ¡®What can I do, eh? I picked it up somewhere, eh, it¡¯s not my fault!¡¯ Stella giggled. ¡°So, let¡¯s get going. I hope we can meet someone interesting.¡± She sauntered toward the arena. CH 16 November 25, 2022 ¡°Welcome to the Peasbury arena!¡± said an employee, smiling, as soon as she entered. ¡°Today¡¯s fights shall begin shortly. Visit our tavern, make yourselves comfortable¡ªthere¡¯s no better place to enjoy the show!¡± So the fights are on a schedule, thought Stella. They don¡¯t just go at murder from dawn to dusk. It was only natural, she supposed, considering that there were bets involved. ¡°I¡¯m not here for the fights,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a capable bodyguard, and a certain slaver told me that I might find one here.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! This way then, miss. I¡¯ll help inform your decision in any way I can. Is it just you and the gentleman?¡± ¡°Yes. And don¡¯t worry, I have the coin. I own a store under the protection of the Stock Company. You can run all the background checks you want.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all right; I¡¯ll take your word for it. But I must say, you¡¯re quite the independent young lady. Your parents must be proud. Through this door, miss.¡± They were ushered into a clean, well-maintained drawing room decorated with fancy works of art. Soft chairs surrounded a plush round table, upon which a young woman was laying out snacks and glasses of juice. Stella took a seat, signaling Beck to stand behind her, while Clever started eagerly pecking at the snacks. ¡°Well,¡± said the employee, ¡°if it¡¯s a bodyguard you want, you¡¯ve come to the right place. I¡¯ll give you a rundown of our best combatants. Though do bear in mind that we¡¯ll charge you a commission fee as well as a fee for the cancellation of their current contract. As I hope you¡¯ll understand, these fees are not in any way related to the terms of the new contract.¡± Arena combatants were bound to the arena by a contract, which would have to be canceled¡ªat a fee, naturally¡ªfor Stella to take them into her service. I have no qualms with that, but if he tries to sell me a Beck wannabe, I¡¯m going to throw a tantrum. Children had that right, or so she¡¯d heard. ¡°I understand,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you. This is our roster. It lists each combatant¡¯s profile in detail¡ªage, gender, place of origin, match record, fighting style, weapon of choice, current wages, among other things. If you¡¯d like to know something that¡¯s not in here, just ask; I¡¯ll tell you all that I know. Once you¡¯ve decided on someone, I¡¯ll introduce you to them, and provided that both parties have no objections, the new contract can be effective immediately.¡± ¡°Both parties?¡± ¡°Yes. Some of our combatants have signed up with us looking for a guarantor for their debt, and those would have no say in the matter, but many others have done so of their own volition, for their own personal gain. They may not be interested in your offer, choosing instead to remain here. I hope you¡¯ll understand.¡± For some people, fighting and living were the same thing. But while she knew that, she couldn¡¯t relate; her scrawny body lacked the endurance to fight in multiple matches back-to-back. Maybe a single match? That sounds like it would be fun¡ªbut not without its own slew of problems. She gave up. ¡°There¡¯s a huge disparity in their cancellation fees,¡± Stella pointed out. ¡°Is it the difference in skill?¡± ¡°You may think of it that way. Strength, looks, fighting style, those all factor into how well a combatant is received, and we won¡¯t part with our best ones so easily.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s understandable.¡± Stella flipped through the pages. There was an obvious tendency for combatants with a lot of wins under their belt to have high cancellation fees. Losers had generally low fees, as well as people with missing limbs. There were a few women, and they were worth a king¡¯s ransom. ¡°Women, huh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re not slaves, though, so I¡¯d advise against hiring them for their . . . womanly charms.¡± He paused. ¡°Oh, what am I saying. You wouldn¡¯t be interested in that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I wouldn¡¯t. I want a strong human who can understand orders, not a sex doll.¡± Stella sneered. She wasn¡¯t actually offended. The man chuckled out an apology and said, ¡°You must be the most sensible young lady I¡¯ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, miss. That look of cutting disdain is exactly what you need in this town. You have a bright future ahead of you.¡± It didn¡¯t sound like a compliment at all, but he seemed oddly happy about it. Stella ignored him and focused on the roster. ¡°Is the number of wins indicative of anything?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s proof of experience, at least in most cases. And it should come as no surprise that veterans tend to be better fighters.¡± ¡°Hmm. So, this is Beck.¡± She waved at Beck. ¡°I want someone who¡¯s worth ten of him in a fight. Can you pick me a few candidates?¡± Beck looked like he wanted to argue. He was welcome to, but she would pit him against every combatant in this place just to prove her point. He knew that, of course, which was why he was staying quiet. A smart decision. I wish he would be this smart more often. ¡°Let¡¯s see . . . What about Rostam? He hails from the continent of Liberica, and is a deserter of the Imperial Army. An excellent fighter, if I might add. Then there¡¯s Cyrus, who wields a scimitar and fights like the wind. He always puts up a great show. Oh, and also Dhanush, who¡¯s a mute. If it¡¯s brute force you want, he¡¯s your man¡ªquite the destructive type, but severely lacking in intelligence, I¡¯m afraid.¡± I¡¯ll pass on that last one, unless he¡¯s just that good, thought Stella. I have Beck; I don¡¯t need any more idiots. ¡°Sounds good. Let me see them first. I¡¯ll decide later.¡± ¡°Then I shall take you to the fighters¡¯ lounge. Be warned, though¡ªit¡¯s not the cleanest of places.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind it one bit. Lead the way.¡± The fighters¡¯ lounge was a spacious room strewn with grimy round tables. Some people were lounging, others honing their skills in the adjoining training area, getting ready for the day¡¯s matches. A guard stood nearby, armed and armored to the teeth; whether he was supposed to thwart escape attempts or stop fights, Stella couldn¡¯t tell. Her arrival didn¡¯t go unnoticed, but what attention she gathered was brief and lukewarm. Touring guests were a common occurrence, it would seem. Some of these people look quite capable, she thought. Nothing like Mace¡¯s thugs. ¡°Where are those knuckleheads?¡± asked the employee. He turned to the guard. ¡°You¡ªwhere are Cyrus, Rostam, and Dhanush? It¡¯s not their mealtime, they should be here.¡± ¡°Said they were going to the smithy to get the swords they put up for repair,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Should be back soon.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The employee turned back to Stella. ¡°I am deeply sorry for this, miss, but you¡¯ll have to wait a while longer. Shall I lead you back to the drawing¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s up,¡± said a different man, approaching them. ¡°Who¡¯s the cute little guest? Some noble¡¯s get?¡± ¡°Varrell. She¡¯s an important guest, so guard your tongue.¡± The man who appeared to be called Varrell wore his blond hair in a close-cropped cut behind a red headband. With a tall, powerful body and a crimson greatsword on his back, he looked quite impressive in his thick plate armor. One smack from that sword and Stella would turn into a pile of meat. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that,¡± said Varrell. ¡°I¡¯m just marketing myself. I¡¯m allowed to do that.¡± He turned to Stella. ¡°Lady. Forget Rostam and Cyrus¡ªwhy not hire me instead? I¡¯m new here, but my short record has been so far unstained by defeat. I¡¯m confident in my abilities, of course¡ªand I think you should be too.¡± ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed the employee. ¡°Why are you so willing now, after rejecting not one but two offers?! Do you think it¡¯s easy to turn down the Orsons and the Stock Company?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not shackled by debt, nor am I a slave. I¡¯m free to decide what to do with myself. Or did I misunderstand the terms of our contract?¡± ¡°Well, sure, but what about me? If they find out you shunned their offers to work for this lady . . .¡± Varrell laughed heartily. ¡°What¡¯s it to me? She¡¯s the one I want to work for, and nothing will change that.¡± He looked down at Stella. ¡°So, what do you say?¡± He seemed capable enough, to be sure; Stella had no doubt he could send Beck to the afterlife with one flick of his hand. But could she trust him? His sudden interest in her raised too many red flags. She looked up at Varrell. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to hear your reasons first. Why do you want to work for me? Answer honestly and I may consider it.¡± ¡°Why, you¡¯ve impressed me with your mettle, that¡¯s all. You stand here completely unfazed, when by all rights you should be terrified. I¡¯ve never seen a girl your age act like that. And you know, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be bound for life¡ªwhy not give me a chance, see how it goes?¡± ¡°Hmm. Then tell me¡ªwhy have you refused the other offers?¡± ¡°The way those people band together doesn¡¯t sit well with me.¡± ¡°As good a reason as any, I suppose.¡± Stella studied Varrell with crossed arms. His face spelled insolence, and she was certain that he was hiding something. There was no hostility in his eyes, but they seemed to be carefully probing her, looking for something. What does he want? I can¡¯t have wronged him in any way. It was almost impossible that they¡¯d ever met before; she¡¯d been a recluse her whole life, after all. Maybe it was some gang quarrel, and he was after her by proxy? No. If that were the case, he would have skipped the pleasantries and attacked her head-on, to parade his superior strength. Stella shot Clever an inquisitive look. He raised his feathers a little, leaving the choice to her. It would be easy to refuse him, but then she would never know his motives. I¡¯ll regret it. Marie, Rye, Beck, Varrell¡ªthrough Leroy, Stella had more than enough income to support all of her chattels. And if Leroy ever decided to go back on his word, she would simply find someone else to do business with. ¡°I¡¯ll hire you,¡± she finally said, ¡°on one condition. You must be mine.¡± Varrell chuckled. ¡°I must profess my love for you? Aren¡¯t you a bold one.¡± ¡°Love has nothing to do with it. I¡¯m well aware that I¡¯m too young for that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call yourself young, it sounds like a bad joke. You¡¯re more arrogant than most adults.¡± ¡°I appreciate the compliment. But what I want is simple¡ªfor the duration of our contract, you must recognize me as your owner. If you can accept that, I¡¯ll hire you.¡± ¡°Will that restrict me in any way?¡± He probably wanted to know how he would be treated. Stella had no intention of keeping a tight leash on him as long as he did his job, same as she¡¯d been doing for Marie and Rye. She only asked that they recognize her as their owner, for that fed her materialistic desires. It was great to have things. Not just any things, though¡ªit had to be things she liked. Humans were supposed to be picky. ¡°I won¡¯t take away your freedom,¡± she said. ¡°All of my things live quite unrestricted lives. If you¡¯re too incompetent, though, I¡¯ll have to put you back in line.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be a problem, then. That¡¯s true for any contract. Do you have the coin, though? I don¡¯t mind paying the fee for you if you don¡¯t. I¡¯ve made a small fortune in this place.¡± Stella recalled the announcer from the other day. Ten victories in a row. It proved that he was as good as he claimed to be. She allowed her expectations to rise. Stella giggled. ¡°You¡¯re joking, surely. I can¡¯t accept financial aid from my future servant. Are you trying to shame me?¡± Pride¡ªpointless though it was, humans seemed to hold it in the highest regard. If Stella was serious about living a fulfilling human life, she must also attach some value to it. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± said Varrell. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Friends forgive each other, after all.¡± She laughed; he returned it loudly. The combatants stared at them. ¡°You two have everything figured out, don¡¯t you,¡± said the employee. ¡°You know what, I don¡¯t care. Is he your man, miss?¡± ¡°Yes, he is. Let¡¯s discuss the specifics, then.¡± ¡°Yes, but in the drawing room. This place is disgusting, not to mention noisy. You¡¯re coming too, Varrell. Tch. I can¡¯t believe you, man. Every bit as stubborn as the day you showed up on our doorstep.¡± Varrell laughed. ¡°Get off my back, old man. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve made you a lot of money¡ªjust call us even.¡± The employee clicked his tongue and cursed. Varrell patted him on the back and took the lead, shooting Stella a sideways glance as he walked by. No, he wasn¡¯t looking at me. He was looking at my breast pocket. Inside of which, pressed against her skin, was her Magic Crystal. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to understand what he¡¯s after,¡± she told Clever. ¡®Keke! It¡¯s not too late to go back on yer word, eh? ¡¯E¡¯s no joke, that one!¡¯ ¡°You think he¡¯s that strong? I can¡¯t tell at a glance. I¡¯m not that experienced.¡± ¡®Enough that ¡¯e could take on a whole army of thugs on ¡¯is lonesome, methinks. Give ¡¯im a ¡¯undred Becks, ¡¯e¡¯ll cook you a ¡¯undred meat pies, eh! I¡¯d ¡¯ave to take ¡¯im seriously in a fight, eh, and tha¡¯s saying something!¡¯ ¡°Wow. That¡¯s a lot of praise coming from you.¡± ¡®That goes to show ¡¯ow dangerous ¡¯e looks to me. But don¡¯t worry, eh, Master! I¡¯ll keep my eyes open, so you just do yer thing!¡¯ Stella¡¯s position commanded a good view of Varrell¡¯s crimson greatsword. It was a fine¡ªno, a grand piece of craftsmanship indeed. Could it have been made by human hands? ¡°That sword included, he¡¯s quite the specimen. Hoarding humans like him is a surefire way to never feel bored again. Right now, I feel more alive than ever.¡± Stella unconsciously licked her lips. Clever chirped happily. ¡®You do so ¡¯ate boredom with a dying passion, eh!¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right. Boredom, stagnation, eternity¡ªthese are all words I despise. They make me sick to the stomach. I¡¯d rather die than endure any of it for one second.¡± Stella patted her own left shoulder, and Clever hopped onto it. She caressed his neck, eliciting an expression of pure bliss. ¡®Ah, this is the life, eh! There¡¯s no other place for lil¡¯ ol¡¯ me!¡¯ Stella giggled. ¡°I swear, you¡¯re such a handful.¡± CH 17 January 03, 2023 ¡°Are we done?¡± asked Stella. ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll be all,¡± said the arena¡¯s employee. ¡°As of now, Varrell Art¡¯s contract with the arena is no longer effective.¡± Varrell whistled. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding¡ªyou definitely don¡¯t need my money.¡± ¡°No, but I can¡¯t afford to splurge either. The more assets I have, the more expensive it gets to keep them. As always, balance is key.¡± Stella¡¯s income was fixed for the foreseeable future. She had to keep her wallet in check. Still, a bodyguard was indispensable. Better one Varrell than ten Becks. I¡¯ve made a good purchase. This man would keep scum out of her store. Her safety was well worth the price. The employee rubbed his hands together. ¡°Why not stay a while and watch the fights before you go? On the house, of course. Today¡¯s matches start in an hour.¡± After thinking for a few moments, Stella politely accepted the offer. She¡¯d left early last time and could think of no reason to refuse free entry. ¡°Beck?¡± she called, and the man trotted over to her side grinning like an idiot. He¡¯s like an annoying puppy. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°You¡¯re dismissed. You¡¯ve done well. Finish your pending errands and return to the store.¡± ¡°B-But ma¡¯am, don¡¯t you need a bodyguard . . . ?¡± ¡°Why, I have Varrell. But I suppose you can have the job back¡ªas long as you can beat him. Well?¡± Beck did not take it well. Stella could understand that; he liked to call himself her first minion, and his place as bodyguard was a point of pride. He wears his leash like a medal. I¡¯ve trained him well. But she couldn¡¯t let him keep the job. Stella needed someone capable, someone who could deal with troublemakers swiftly and confidently. If she relied too much on Clever for protection, people might take to treating her as an outcast. She didn¡¯t want to deal with that. It was one of the reasons why she¡¯d hired Varrell. ¡°Beck, is it?¡± said Varrell. ¡°The training area is right there if you want to dance. What¡¯ll it be?¡± He cracked his knuckles menacingly. Beck groaned. ¡°Y-You think you can scare me, huh?¡± He took a step back. Then another one. If he¡¯s not scaring you, thought Stella, then what is he doing? Varrell was completely out of Beck¡¯s league. Not only was he stronger and better equipped, but¡ªmost importantly¡ªhe also had much more experience. Were they to fight, Stella could stake her life and everything she had on Varrell. She still wished that, against all odds, Beck would take up the challenge. But if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be Beck in the first place. ¡°Can you answer my damn question? Where¡¯re your balls? Huh?¡± Beck fell on his behind. He averted his eyes, defeated, and dropped the matter with a mumbled ¡°I¡¯ll let you off the hook this time.¡± ¡°Pathetic,¡± said Stella. ¡°Are you going to just let him walk all over you?¡± ¡°B-But ma¡¯am . . .¡± ¡°Just leave. Go plow the store¡¯s backyard or something, it¡¯ll help you put on some muscle. I haven¡¯t given up hope, you know¡ªyou¡¯ll grow into a proper shield yet.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am . . . y-you¡¯re so good to me, I don¡¯t deserve¡ªI-I¡¯ll do my best!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± she said with a kind smile. With a hearty farewell, Beck dashed out of the room. Stella had no doubt he would do exactly as she¡¯d suggested and pour his heart and soul into plowing that mess of a backyard. I could make him plant some vegetables next. It would be nice to produce some of our own food. Whether he would ¡°put on some muscle¡± or not was immaterial. ¡°You certainly know how to manipulate men,¡± said Varrell. Stella twirled her hair. ¡°I treat him with four parts whip and one part candy. Who knows, it might pay off down the line. In any case, though, I suppose he¡¯s already passable as a meat shield.¡± She twisted her mouth into a smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t smile like that. That¡¯s not how children smile.¡± ¡°Your opinion is duly noted and disregarded. Come, let¡¯s head to the stands. Keep an eye out for danger.¡± ¡°As you wish, milady.¡± He offered his hand with a knightly bow. Stella took it in hers and allowed him to escort her to the stands. After the day¡¯s matches were over, Stella and Varrell exited into the arena¡¯s lobby. Patrons gossiped all around them, still excited from the show. Stella had had fun; she was glad she¡¯d stayed. And if his extreme agitation was anything to go by, so had Clever. The bloodshed must have awakened the fighter in him. Stella had tried her hand at some betting. Following Varrell¡¯s advice, she¡¯d won four times and lost only once, and that on a match that had probably been rigged. It was a common practice here, she was told, and knowing when to lose was as important as raw skill to succeed. All sorts of people fought in the arena: independent combatants, gang champions, gang members trying to build enough reputation to secure leadership positions. It wasn¡¯t always a simple contest of strength¡ªthere was a lot of politics involved as well. But that wasn¡¯t to say that strength was optional. In fact, those who lacked it rarely made it very far. What the audience wanted¡ªand paid for¡ªwas blood and screams. That much was evident from what Stella had seen today. The crowd¡¯s excitement had peaked during the decapitation of a defeated combatant, and the day¡¯s matches had ended at that very moment, as the victor raised the man¡¯s disembodied head to the frenzied crowd. ¡°It was fascinating, wasn¡¯t it?¡± said Stella. ¡°Especially that last match. Not a single person was sitting down. They were more entertaining than the actual show¡ªI feasted on the greed on their faces.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a messed up young lady. But well¡ªthe arena works as a business precisely because it makes people go nuts. They relish the bloodshed, the thrill of betting. Meanwhile, we combatants cross swords, make money, and hone our craft while we¡¯re at it. For those of us who trust our stuff, it¡¯s paradise on earth.¡± Only if you can keep winning. And that was a big ¡°if,¡± for even a victory could be a dead end¡ªif it had, for example, cost a few limbs. In the subworld of pit fighting, death was never far from glory. It might be the ideal environment to become a strong fighter, but calling it ¡°paradise¡± felt like a stretch. As curious as she was about everything, Stella would rather stay away from that kind of life. With this body, she could only hope to win by catching her enemy off guard. Or¡ªif she was willing to forfeit her own life¡ªby using her powers. ¡°And you¡¯ve given up your precious paradise to come work for me? I had no idea I had such effect on people.¡± Tell me something about your motives. Varrell laughed off her question. ¡°Oh, but you do, Lady Stella. Truly, I am honored to serve under one of your immense prestige. You¡¯re a goddess among scum. Or should I say . . . a witch?¡± Stella giggled. ¡°Ser Varrell the knight, please¡ªcall me Stella. I can¡¯t help but hear a tinge of mockery in your tone.¡± ¡°Stella it is, then. Let¡¯s just say you have something that dazzled me. Is that not enough of an answer?¡± All traces of playfulness vanished from his features. Twenty-eight, was he? So young, yet so unreadable. ¡°Let¡¯s go with that, for now. I do think you were worth the price.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Like I said, I trust my skill as a swordsman. It¡¯s brought me this far. I won¡¯t disappoint you in that regard.¡± Stella gave a tiny nod. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, then. Once it gets dark, the rats come out of their dens. I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with any more of the insufferable things today.¡± Varrell nodded in agreement. ¡°The nightlife in this town is not half bad, but for you it¡¯s just too dangerous. Even more idiots skulking about than during the day. Well, kids should sleep early anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re scaring me. Look, I¡¯m shivering.¡± Stella laughed as she started walking toward the exit, fully intent on leaving¡ªbut a group blocked her way. Stella clicked her tongue. She tried to circle around them, but more men appeared, closing her off. I suppose they really want my attention. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m trying to leave.¡± I¡¯m really not in the mood. ¡°What¡¯re you doing here, kid? This ain¡¯t no nursery. But then, you¡¯re no ordinary kid. Is it true what they say, that you¡¯re with the Stock Company?¡± ¡°Maybe, maybe not. Who are you people and why are you in my way?¡± ¡°Mind your manners, brat. I never introduce myself first.¡± The man gave her a crude sneer. His hair was dyed half red, half black, he wore multiple earrings, and his eccentric red shirt left over half his torso bare, offering little in terms of protection. Looking more carefully, Stella saw that it was embroidered with the image of a dragon. Probably because he thought it looked menacing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve offended you. My name is Stella Nordus. May I have the pleasure of your name?¡± Stella said with feigned politeness. This will go faster if I just play along. How did this man compare to Beck? She didn¡¯t know yet. Judging from his large entourage, however, he must be a man of some status. ¡°Well, since you asked so nicely. I¡¯m the one and only Apollo Orson, heir to the Orsons, the chief family of the East District. . . . Nothing? Can¡¯t say I blame you for being speechless¡ªthat¡¯s the proper reaction.¡± All right. So he¡¯s dumber than Beck. Stella smiled from ear to ear. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly speechless¡ªin fact, I could sing for you right now. It¡¯s just that certain types of people are starting to really get on my nerves.¡± Stella studied Apollo. He looked to be stronger than Beck but more or less on par with the elite thugs. His only weapon was a puny dagger. She couldn¡¯t sense any magic coming from him. His family name is probably the only thing he has going for him. ¡°Don¡¯t glare at me. Who the hell do you think you are?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I find observing you in your natural state fascinating. Please continue. Whatever else you have to say, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s wonderful.¡± Stella stared straight into Apollo¡¯s eyes and gave him an earnest, friendly smile. He looked away. A bit of a wimp, are you? Interesting. ¡°A-All right, here¡¯s the deal. The Orsons recruited Varrell first. You took him from us. You realize what that means, don¡¯t you? Huh?!¡± ¡°Not really. Would you enlighten me?¡± ¡°It means you¡¯ve dirtied the name of the chief family of the East District. You got a death wish, girl?¡± Apollo spit and snapped his fingers. His men immediately reacted by taking out knives and flashing them at Stella. Arena security didn¡¯t interfere; this must be way above their pay grade. Varrell simply watched with his arms folded, but Stella had no doubt he would jump in to help when needed. Clever watched their rear, laughing his raucous laugh and readying his talons to rip apart the throat of the first enemy foolish enough to venture closer. ¡°It was Varrell who approached me seeking employment. I only gave him what he asked for. You have no reason to blame me.¡± ¡°Shut up! It doesn¡¯t matter how it happened! You humiliated us, you hear me? How you gonna make up for that, huh?!¡± ¡°Look, I am truly sorry. Would you accept this as a token of my apology?¡± Stella meekly reached into her cloak¡¯s inner pocket and took out her Magic Crystal. She tossed it to Apollo. My best weapon against idiots. They always reached for the shiny trinket without thinking twice. Like moths drawn to a flame. What a sad existence indeed. Apollo looked somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, that¡¯ll be enough. See? Wasn¡¯t so hard.¡± He stretched out his hand. ¡°I¡¯m not a monster. I¡¯d rather not hurt children if I can help¡ª¡± He touched the crystal. At that exact instant, Stella simultaneously activated the life force drain and paralyzed him. Apollo dropped to his knees as the strength rushed out of his limbs. Before anyone else could react, Stella drew out a bloodstained knife, closed the distance between her and Apollo, and pressed it against his throat. It was the same knife she¡¯d used to kill Beck¡¯s former partner¡ªher first murder weapon. She¡¯d been carrying it around for protection ever since. It wasn¡¯t of much use, but it had sentimental value. ¡°M-Master Apollo!¡± ¡°What are you doing to Master Apollo?!¡± Smiling, Stella turned to Apollo¡¯s thugs and said, ¡°If you take another step, I¡¯ll slash his throat. This knife is quite dull, so it¡¯ll hurt¡ªa lot. And his suffering will be pointless. He¡¯ll die all the same.¡± ¡°D-Do you have any idea what you¡¯re doing?!¡± said Apollo. ¡°Of course I do. You looked weaker than the average thug, so I thought maybe I could take you on my own. And I was right. You have the reflexes of a sloth.¡± Varrell would never have allowed her to get this close. He¡¯d have quickly pounded her into the ground with his sword, or simply swatted her aside as easily as if she were a fly. Not Apollo, though; he was too weak and wimpy for that. Careful observation could reveal much of a person¡¯s personality traits. ¡°Y-Y-You don¡¯t mess with the Orsons! You¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who messed with me. Besides, this is between you and me. Your family can¡¯t exactly stop this knife from slitting your throat, can it?¡± Stella pressed her face almost against Apollo¡¯s and bared a toothy grin. Terror flashed in his eyes. He was shaking. ¡°D-D-Don¡¯t just stand there, you imbeciles! Save me! K-Kill her!¡± ¡°But Master Apollo, if we get any closer¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªYou¡¯ll have to deal with me.¡± Varrell unsheathed his crimson greatsword. ¡°I promise, whoever takes a step toward Stella will be cut down before he can take another one.¡± His eyes were fully alert. He meant it. ¡®Keke! Let¡¯s kill ¡¯em, eh! Tear off their ¡¯eads and mount ¡¯em on spikes! Kekeke!¡¯ ¡°A talking bird?!¡± ¡®Just ¡¯cause I¡¯m a bird doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t talk, boy! Anyway, you got nothing to worry about, eh, ¡¯cause I¡¯ll make sure yer old man gets yer ¡¯ead! Fast and fresh¡ªit¡¯s Clever¡¯s Delivery Service!¡¯ Is he serious? Stella honestly couldn¡¯t tell. Apollo shrieked. A wet stain appeared on the front of his trousers. He couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, and his terror seemed to have reached its limit. The man truly is pathetic. ¡°Please, Master Apollo, control yourself. If you move so much, my hand might slip. I¡¯m not very skilled with a knife. You don¡¯t want me to commit a blunder, do you?¡± ¡°S-Stop . . .¡± ¡°So, where were we? Oh, yes. I¡¯ve hired this man Varrell. House Orson tried to recruit him first, but you¡ªthe venerable heir¡ªdecided oh so generously to allow me to keep him. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a slow one.¡± Stella sighed. ¡°Look, all I¡¯m saying is I¡¯m willing to forget our little misunderstanding. You can walk out with everything intact but your pride. I could kill you, but you¡¯ve properly entertained me with your face and actions.¡± Especially the way you cried like a baby and made a fool of yourself. ¡°Lucky you.¡± Stella was curious to see how today¡¯s humiliating experience would change this man. If he came seeking revenge, squashing him would be a trivial matter. But Apollo was a coward; he likely wouldn¡¯t. ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°Yes, really. Why, do you have a problem with that?¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t! Please, help . . .¡± he choked through his tears. ¡°Only after you call off your men. They¡¯re annoying me.¡± Stella pressed harder against his throat. Apollo desperately obliged, ordering his men to leave. Stella waited for them to go, then kicked Apollo¡¯s back away from her, sending him sprawling to the ground. All eyes were upon them; the crowd¡¯s buzzing grew louder. ¡°Apollo, dear. This is enough for our little show, don¡¯t you think?¡± said Stella. ¡°Our little show?¡± ¡°This was all staged, remember? A little act to show everyone how great you are. I¡¯m sure they were really impressed by your generosity. On your feet now, the audience is waiting.¡± Stella winked at him. Apollo seemed to understand. ¡°Oh. Yes, that is indeed what we were doing! All right, everyone! This was all a show, nothing more! Got it? Now get lost!¡± People were quick to lower their gazes and return to their business. Nobody dared argue against Apollo¡¯s glare; it wasn¡¯t worth the risk. The people in power were always right. Therefore, whatever had just happened must have been some dream or hallucination. That was the way of things in this town. What these people thought of what they¡¯d seen was their own concern, but they couldn¡¯t spread any rumors without becoming targets for the Orsons¡¯ ire. Apollo looked livid. ¡°Why¡¯d you do that? You think I owe you a favor now?¡± ¡°If I killed you, House Orson would start sending assassins my way. That would get old and annoying pretty fast, and I¡¯d never see the end of it. But if we get off each other¡¯s throats, we both win. Can¡¯t you see?¡± ¡°You little daughter of a¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªBut of course, we can also pick up where we left off. If you don¡¯t mind fighting without your men.¡± ¡°What?¡± You dismissed them not five minutes ago, you idiot. Clever cackled and started clicking his beak at Apollo. ¡°Be warned. If you dare send any assassins,¡± Stella said, ¡°I¡¯ll release this lovely bird into the sky. He knows what you look like. And you¡¯ll spend every waking moment in fear of what will happen when he finds you. Won¡¯t that be a fun little social experiment.¡± ¡®Kekekeke! Why wait, eh? Let¡¯s start tonight! Cut off ¡¯is balls, just to give ¡¯im a taste!¡¯ ¡°Oh, that sounds wonderful.¡± Stella turned to Apollo again. ¡°Well, I¡¯m leaving. Make room in your schedule. You¡¯re getting a visitor tonight.¡± Apollo yelped. ¡°J-Just knock it off, all right? Jeez, okay, girl, I¡¯ll let you off the hook!¡± ¡°Sorry, Clever. You heard him.¡± ¡®That¡¯s a shame, eh? But I¡¯ll be ¡¯ere if you change yer mind¡ªjust gimme a ¡¯eads-up and I¡¯ll fly beak-first into yer balls, eh! Won¡¯t take a minute!¡¯ Apollo covered his crotch, trembling. Stella couldn¡¯t stand to watch this anymore. She was starting to get a headache. ¡°Anyway, come visit any time you want. I¡¯d love to talk with you again.¡± Stella snapped her fingers. Clever hopped onto her shoulder and she walked out of the arena, leaving a dumbfounded Apollo behind. ¡°Why hire me if you don¡¯t even need me?¡± asked Varrell. ¡°You handled yourself unbelievably well back there.¡± ¡°I was waiting for you to jump in, but you never did. I had no choice but to deal with them myself.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t attack them there. House Orson would become your mortal enemy, and I bet you don¡¯t want that. So I was watching, waiting for things to turn sour. Then I would jump in.¡± Good, he can use his head. I won¡¯t have to worry about him going off and doing something stupid. ¡°That was very considerate of you, thank you. There¡¯s something you need to know, by the way¡ªyou must not allow anyone to catch me off guard. It¡¯s my weakness. That¡¯s what you and Clever are here for. I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯d ever give them the chance anyway. If you¡¯re like that now, imagine after you¡¯ve grown up.¡± He looked down at her in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s more. I get tired easily. In fact, I just used the last of my strength there, and now I can barely stand. It was a fun experience, but I wish it could have been avoided.¡± Sighing, Stella crouched down. It was like she was knee-deep in sludge. I wish I could have just gone home unimpeded. In all likelihood, Stella and House Orson were now enemies. Well, that¡¯s going to be annoying. But she didn¡¯t think Apollo would come after her, at least. Not after all the threats she¡¯d made. ¡°Well, time to earn my pay, then.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Varrell grabbed Stella by the armpits and hoisted her onto his shoulder. It was so sudden that Stella couldn¡¯t suppress a yelp of surprise. He started walking, and she felt as if she was literally on the shoulder of a giant. This isn¡¯t half bad. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to point me the way,¡± Varrell said. Stella nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t help but notice you seem quite at home with children.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve helped out at an orphanage before. I don¡¯t dislike childcare.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The man wasn¡¯t just a sword, then. Stella was pleasantly surprised. You can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. Especially if the ¡°book¡± is a human. ¡°The view is great from up here. Everything takes a whole new ¡®scenic¡¯ feel to it. I didn¡¯t know a simple change in perspective could do so much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying it. You¡¯re way too light, though. And pale. You should put on some weight, get more blood to your face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something I can change overnight. As it is, I can¡¯t even keep too much food in my stomach.¡± ¡°Well, I can help. As it turns out, I¡¯m quite nitpicky when it comes to nutrition and exercise. I can come up with a suitable diet for you.¡± Nitpicky, you say? Stella hoped he wouldn¡¯t be too nitpicky¡ªbut she had no better alternative. She might as well take his advice. Clever was looking at her and Varrell. ¡®I dunno, eh. This is makin¡¯ me sorta jealous.¡¯ ¡°What are you waiting for, then?¡± said Stella. ¡°Come onto my shoulder.¡± ¡®Yay!¡¯ And thus Varrell, Stella, and Clever made their leisurely way home through the dusky Central District of Peasbury, each riding on the other¡¯s shoulder, like a comically large three-step staircase. Today was tiring, but most gratifying. CH 18 January 13, 2023 By the time Varrell arrived at Glenn¡¯s General Store with Stella on his shoulder, dusk had given way to night, and the town was dark but for the moon and the light of lanterns. For most, the day was over; for some¡ªtaverns, brothels, gambling dens¡ªit was just beginning. ¡°Here we are,¡± said Stella. ¡°So this is Glenn¡¯s General Store,¡± said Varrell. ¡°It¡¯s a charming little place.¡± ¡°No need to put it that way. I know what you¡¯re thinking¡ªit¡¯s a dump.¡± ¡°I feel more at home in places like this. By the way, who are these people?¡± Stella followed Varrell¡¯s gaze to a lethargic group of young men sitting by the road. They ate rice crackers as they drank¡ªnot alcohol (there were no bottles in sight) but tears of falling stars. Their duty seemed all but forgotten, but looking more closely, Stella saw that they at least kept their swords and daggers close at hand. The best men Mace could give me. He may be cunning and good with numbers, but his street skills leave much to be desired. The man was mockingly called ¡°bookkeeper,¡± and she could see why. More than money, people respected power, and looked down upon those who lacked it. Money was important too, of course¡ªespecially if it could buy you power. But if Mace thought these people were worth their wages, he was a very poor judge of character. Unless he could fix that, he¡¯d never be elected as next president of the Stock Company. ¡°They¡¯re here to keep trouble out of my store. Because, apparently, it¡¯s under the protection of the Stock Company.¡± ¡°Why do you need a bodyguard, then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe someone out there wants me dead. Would you rely on them to save your life if you were me?¡± ¡°. . . Very good point. Anyway, may I go in?¡± ¡°After you put me down. Thanks for carrying me all the way here.¡± Stella climbed down from Varrell¡¯s shoulder and looked up at him. He seemed taken aback. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He laughed nervously. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to be thanked.¡± ¡°Well, you did as I asked. Thanks is the least you deserve.¡± Stella walked inside. She walked in on Rye and Marie having a conversation. They stopped and turned to look at her. ¡°Welcome back, Miss Stella,¡± said Marie. ¡°W-Welcome back,¡± said Rye. Stella nodded. ¡°Any problems while I was gone?¡± ¡°Not at all. Good business as always,¡± said Marie, checking her notes. ¡°But customers have voiced a desire for more variety.¡± Marie was the best employee Stella could hope to have. More than good enough to leave in charge of the store. The truth was, Stella didn¡¯t want to do it herself. Her hard-earned life was too precious to waste its entirety as the forgettable owner of a minor general store. The store was important to her, of course, but meeting people and becoming part of their lives was much more important. ¡°Variety in which sense? As a general store or as a ¡®tavern¡¯?¡± ¡°Both. They¡¯ve asked for medicinal herbs, bandages, flint, water-purifying stones, food preservatives. We¡¯d need to buy all of those in bulk. On the tavern side of things, they want us to start doing takeout, and also to provide more seats.¡± ¡°Hmm. Ignore the seats for now. The general goods you can get from the Company¡¯s suppliers¡ªI¡¯ll leave you to figure out the details, Marie. Do as you think best.¡± ¡°But Miss Stella, I can¡¯t make important monetary decisions without even consulting with you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving you in charge because I trust you. I¡¯ll give you a bonus for all the extra work you¡¯ll have to do. And rest assured that I¡¯ll keep up the production of tears of falling stars as well.¡± For a moment, Marie didn¡¯t know what to say, but she soon recomposed herself and gave Stella a serious nod. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do the best I can.¡± ¡°No need to be like that. I¡¯m not going to blame you if things go wrong.¡± Then Stella suddenly turned to Rye, who had been staring at her the whole time. ¡°Do you have something to say or am I just that attractive?¡± Rye yelped and almost fell backward. Funny. ¡°U-Uhm, no, it¡¯s nothing,¡± she sputtered. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡ªMarie, as stand-in owner? Where did that come from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best choice for the store. I¡¯m confident she¡¯ll run it better than I could ever hope to. Really, I¡¯m just an innocent child¡ªmight as well have been born yesterday. How can I build the store¡¯s reputation if no one¡¯s going to take me seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah, right. I don¡¯t know who you think you¡¯re fooling with that.¡± Rye puffed her cheeks. But she seemed to have something else to say; her mouth opened and closed repeatedly. ¡°What is it?¡± Hesitantly, Rye said, ¡°I was out of line this morning. You give me so much freedom here. I should thank you, not act like I did. Me and my potty mouth . . . I¡¯m really sorry.¡± An earnest apology, if not very eloquent. This was clearly important to her. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to apologize,¡± said Stella. ¡°In fact, I should thank you. I like watching your reactions¡ªthey¡¯re an excellent mirror into humanity¡¯s most interesting traits, in all their depth and shallowness. Have a little more confidence in yourself. I¡¯ll be watching, as always.¡± Rye laughed awkwardly. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if I should be flattered or offended.¡± ¡°Why would I say anything to put you down? I¡¯m your master.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you do to Beck all the time?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s different.¡± ¡°Different how?¡± Rye laughed. She was finally back to her usual self. That matter settled, Rye turned toward the new stranger¡ªVarrell¡ªstanding by the entrance. She¡¯d been throwing him curious glances during their conversation. ¡°Is that your new, uh . . . bodyguard?¡± ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± Rye refrained from calling him a slave. The girl still struggled with the concept of treating humans as merchandise. Not Stella, though. She saw the slave market as a necessary evil. It was a place for people with no money, nowhere to go, and no one to rely on¡ªpeople whose only alternative would be to wander off and starve. If Rye truly wanted to end slavery, she should start by buying all the slaves and giving them jobs and homes. But even that would not be a permanent solution, as new slaves would soon come to replace the old. It was not possible to save everyone; just a select few. Which raised the question¡ªhow would she choose those worthy of salvation? Based on what criteria? That was a job for a god. A job for those at the Tower, those who had turned to dust. They¡¯d thought themselves superior to everyone else; they¡¯d thought that would justify everything. And so they went into a deep slumber, thus setting out on a journey across time. However, they simply turned into dust. It was a laughable end to a pathetic tale. ¡°Hello? Are you listening? Just introduce us already!¡± ¡®Master, yer zonin¡¯ out again!¡¯ Stella blinked. ¡°I was just thinking. As I should, every now and then. But unfortunately, I don¡¯t have so much time left that I can waste it brooding like this. Life is too short.¡± She sighed from the bottom of her heart. Life was short, but at least hers had been worthwhile so far. Boredom and stagnation¡ªthose were things of the past now. Still, life was too short. But that was what made it worthwhile. A sad truth, thought Stella. Her eyes stung a little bit. ¡®Don¡¯t cry, Master! Laugh instead, eh?¡¯ ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not crying.¡± One would think he can read my thoughts. They had, after all, been together for a long time. ¡°There you go again with that nonsense,¡± said Rye. ¡°You¡¯re only ten, for goodness¡¯ sake. Take it easy. If you¡¯re out of time, where does that put me, huh? Should I start digging my grave?¡± ¡°We¡¯re different people, Rye. I have things I want to do which I value above all else. And all I have is¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªFifty years, yeah, I know. That¡¯s plenty of time to do whatever you want to do, so chill out, okay?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t sit around while my time wastes away. I won¡¯t spend my last moments wallowing in regret. I need to give it my all. That¡¯s the life I want to live.¡± Stella dreaded the possibility of dying with anything left undone. She wanted to die knowing that she¡¯d made good use of what little time was given her. ¡°All right, forget about that,¡± said Rye. ¡°Just introduce us. He¡¯s waiting for it.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± said Varrell, still standing in the same spot. ¡°Honestly, it was starting to get awkward.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t mention it,¡± said Rye, laughing. ¡°But enough about that. Your armor is so cool! And your sword is even cooler! I¡¯ve never seen one so big before!¡± ¡°This is Varrell Art, former arena combatant,¡± said Stella. ¡°He works for me now.¡± Rye¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°A combatant? That explains the sword! My name is Rye, by the way. I work here, doing some stuff here and there. Nice to meet you!¡± ¡°My name is Marie. I also work here at Miss Stella¡¯s store. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Nice to meet the both of you. I¡¯m Varrell. Let¡¯s get along, shall we?¡± ¡°A combatant . . .¡± Rye said dreamily. ¡°So you actually know how to use that sword, eh? That¡¯s so cool! I wish I could see you in action!¡± Rye approached Varrell unprompted and started studying and touching his sword. She had the curious, innocent eyes of a young boy aspiring to be a knight. She¡¯s a girl, though. Varrell tried to brush her off, saying it was dangerous, but he did so gently. It didn¡¯t really seem to bother him. ¡°Of course I know how to use it,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Stella¡¯s bodyguard, and I intend to take this job seriously. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t help you two as well. If you need someone to do the heavy lifting, whatever the purpose, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I¡¯ve helped out at an orphanage before, so I should be able to do most household chores.¡± ¡°Really?¡± said Rye. Varrell nodded. ¡°One more thing,¡± he added. ¡°You¡¯ll find that I¡¯m very serious about nutrition. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have a thing or two to say about Stella¡¯s diet as well.¡± I don¡¯t much like the sound of that, thought Stella, but I suppose I won¡¯t get anywhere without taking a few risks. Whatever he came up with, she could manage. As long as it was normal food. Made with normal ingredients. ¡°Oh, wonderful,¡± said Marie. ¡°That¡¯s been in the back of my head for quite some time. We should talk about it later.¡± They didn¡¯t even wait for Stella¡¯s input. Not that it would make a difference. Her only part in it was eating. I can¡¯t believe this mountain of muscles is so domestic. You really can¡¯t judge humans before talking to them. Stella imagined Varrell serving customers side by side with Marie. A big man in a flower apron. The contrast was comical. Maybe she¡¯d make it happen one day. Varrell caught her look and frowned. His sharp combatant¡¯s instincts must have alerted him to her thoughts. ¡°I like him, Stella! He looks like a good person. Beck and the others could seriously take a page out of his book, eh?¡± You¡¯re talking like Clever again, Stella mentally quipped. But what Rye said reminded her of something. She didn¡¯t know where Beck was. ¡°Where did that fool Beck run off to?¡± Stella asked. ¡°He should be getting ready for his night shift.¡± ¡°Last I saw him, he was tilling the backyard like a maniac,¡± said Rye. ¡°He said he¡¯d be back in time for his shift. I gave him some vegetable seeds, by the way. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Right. I forgot I told him to do that. It seemed her brain had written it off as an unimportant detail and resigned it to oblivion. But that wouldn¡¯t do. Beck was her property; she had to show him some measure of consideration. Consideration was, after all, the lubricant oil of human interaction¡ªat least according to Mace¡¯s book of sayings. In other words, she should keep his existence in mind. I¡¯ll try my best. If I neglect him for too long he¡¯ll evolve into a lower lifeform. Like a thug initiate, a piece of crap, or a dung beetle. ¡°Thank you, I was going to do that anyway,¡± said Stella. ¡°Let him take care of the crops, then. I can¡¯t wait to see how they¡¯ll turn out.¡± ¡°What did you do to him? He¡¯s never been that intense before. I doubt it¡¯ll be long before he gives in to fatigue.¡± That¡¯s the way to go if he wants to become stronger and more resilient. It was no different from what Stella was doing with her morning walks. Now we can compete to see who gives up first. It won¡¯t be me. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. Just praised him a little bit.¡± Stella plopped down in a chair and looked up at Varrell. ¡°Anyway, what about your personal belongings? I can send someone from the Company to get them for you.¡± ¡°All I have is in here,¡± said Varrell, raising a leather bag. ¡°I make a point of carrying as little as I can.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because money is usually sufficient to satisfy my needs. And besides, in a fight, any extra weight can put me at a disadvantage. I¡¯m always prepared for the worst¡ªit¡¯s my philosophy. My heart never leaves the battlefield.¡± Stella nodded. She could understand what he meant, in broad terms. For Varrell, bettering the self through constant training was the ultimate pursuit that gave his life meaning. But where did working for Stella fit in with that philosophy? I can¡¯t wait to find out, she thought, touching her hair and smiling. She¡¯d been playing with her hair a lot lately. Maybe it¡¯s a new habit. Interesting. Stella wondered¡ªdid she have any habits such as this in the past? She searched her memories, but drew a blank. It was as if her memories were moth-eaten, or obscured by a thick fog. She could ask Clever about it, but the bird tended to be oddly reticent in the matter of her past. He would always say it was nothing she needed to know, and suggest she focus on enjoying life instead. Stella shook her head. I¡¯m getting lost in my thoughts again. ¡°So, Varrell,¡± she said. ¡°We should decide where you¡¯re going to sleep.¡± ¡°I can sleep anywhere you want. Even outside. Compared to what I¡¯m used to, having any protection from the elements whatsoever is a great luxury.¡± ¡°Use the storehouse, then. Also, feel free to lounge here in the store while you work. Use the men outside if you need them.¡± ¡°Thank you. You really took care of everything.¡± Varrell finally unstrapped the sword from his back and sat down. ¡°It¡¯s time I gave you details about your job. You¡¯ll be both the store¡¯s night security guard and my personal bodyguard. You can sleep between sunrise and noon. Your afternoons are free unless I¡¯ve given you specific orders. If you want a day off, or anything else, just tell me and I¡¯ll do my best to respect your wishes.¡± ¡°Understood. Would you mind if I did some training while guarding the store? It won¡¯t get in the way of work.¡± ¡°Of course. You can do whatever you want if it won¡¯t get in the way of work. Why, even take a nap.¡± He would probably sense the enemy and cut him in half with that sword before he even woke up. ¡°No more worrying about burglars, then!¡± said Rye. ¡°Now that that¡¯s settled, let¡¯s send the others home. We don¡¯t need them anymore, and they make for really loud customers.¡± ¡°No. They¡¯re still useful, after a fashion. They can yell if anyone comes close. Anyway, we¡¯re not paying them, so they can stay.¡± Yes, she thought, it¡¯s best that way. This store was her fortress, and a very poor one at that. With those thugs outside, she could at least know of any attacks in advance. It would probably never come to that, but there was no harm in being prepared. Either way, I should consider some renovations. I can get Mace to fund them if I tell him they¡¯ll make the place more defensible. ¡°There¡¯s something else you need to know,¡± Varrell said with a serious expression. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There might be¡ªNo, there will be trouble coming our way in the future. When it does, come see me immediately. It¡¯ll need to be dealt with quickly, before the damage has a chance to spread.¡± Stella smirked. ¡°Trouble, you say? What is it? Some stray dragon from legend?¡± For a few moments, Varrell didn¡¯t answer. Then he grimaced and said, ¡°I suppose you could say a ¡®storm¡¯ is coming.¡± ¡°A storm?¡± ¡°Maybe an animal would make for a better metaphor. Think of the wild boar. They¡¯re not unlike storms, with the way they charge in and make a general mess of the place. Wild boars don¡¯t listen to people.¡± Stella met his eyes with a serious look. ¡°I won¡¯t pry, but do what needs to be done. Whoever¡ªor whatever¡ªis coming, don¡¯t let them have their way.¡± Stella was starting to get a headache. I need more coffee. She wasted no time asking Marie for a cup. Marie knew how to prepare some excellent coffee¡ªneither too bitter nor too acidic. CH 19 Ten days passed since Varrell had started working for Stella, and still no signs of his storm¡ªthough, according to him, it was close. Stella had also half expected Apollo to round up his entire house to get revenge on her, but no signs of that either. The Palpud Union, however, had attacked. It was supposed to be payback for the burglar incident, but Varrell made short work of the attackers. Unsurprisingly, Mace¡¯s men and Beck had been completely useless. ¡°By the way, what happened to them after they were taken away?¡± asked Varrell. ¡°I hear the Company returned them to sender,¡± said Stella. ¡°But not before making sure they¡¯d never be able to fight again.¡± ¡°Well, they were asking for it. They should count themselves lucky for having escaped execution.¡± Should they really? To Stella, their fate seemed worse than death. Still, it was the second time the Union had crossed her. One day, she would make them pay. ¡°I was very clear that I wanted them dead,¡± she said. ¡°Mace must have given in to Leroy¡¯s pressure. Who¡¯s the coward now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s so much cowardice as a simple matter of hierarchy. If he wants to become next president, he can¡¯t make a habit of ignoring orders from his superiors.¡± Stella snorted. ¡°Next president? He¡¯d need a miracle. Mace is good with words, but he lacks the nerve to follow through with his plans. At this rate, his brother Gard will be the one to take over the Company. They say he¡¯s the kind of man who speaks with his fists.¡± Gard Stock. Mace¡¯s older half-brother and Leroy¡¯s second-in-command. He and Mace were said to get along like cats and dogs. Leroy apparently placed a lot of trust in Gard¡ªwhich wasn¡¯t to say he never relied on Mace, but it was clear that he didn¡¯t have a very high opinion of his younger son¡¯s abilities. Everyone¡ªLeroy included¡ªknew that Mace was more comfortable with a pen than a sword. Which, in Leroy¡¯s eyes, must have meant that he wasn¡¯t the right person to lead a pack of brutes. Stella only partially agreed; the Stock Company was no city or country, but a relatively small organization¡ªsmall enough, she judged, for Mace¡¯s leading skills. Stella explained her thoughts to Varrell. Varrell whistled softly, then laughed. ¡°So you profile people now? Man, I don¡¯t envy whoever crosses you when you grow up.¡± ¡°By the way, you passed my scrutiny with flying colors. I know I¡¯ve made a good purchase.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so.¡± ¡°Also, is it true that you¡¯ve accepted to be Beck¡¯s mentor?¡± ¡°Yes. In my spare time. If I can train him to become more useful in the future, it¡¯ll make my own work easier as well. Call it an investment.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop you, but it¡¯s an odd thing to do, if you ask me.¡± ¡°You keep him around despite his uselessness. Isn¡¯t that odder?¡± Stella smirked. ¡°I chose to do that on a whim. I make a point of following my whims.¡± Amidst the constant pandemonium of violence and corruption that was the town of Peasbury, Stella¡¯s days went by peacefully. Sometimes it was easy to forget that the continent of Mundo Novo was at war. On one side, the Astral Church preached daily against the infidel foreign invaders. Rumors from nearby Church-controlled territories had it that the Church was recruiting people from all over the continent to form a special force, presumably laying out the groundwork for a major counteroffensive to drive out the Empire once and for all. On the other side, one could hear all sorts of stories about the plans of the Khorshid Empire. Some said they were bringing local lords to their side, others that a new army was about to land on the north of the continent, and others still that the Georgia Family was finally going to switch to their side. One thing was clear, though¡ªboth sides had spies spreading misinformation in the city. Stella couldn¡¯t tell the truths from the falsehoods; like everyone else, she¡¯d only heard the rumors. This town was where all the trash in the continent wound up. Every day these days the streets were a chaotic burble of people of all origins and backgrounds. Foreigners could hide in plain sight. I don¡¯t think this place will get caught up in the war, at least. If I¡¯ve judged Greggs correctly, he¡¯d sooner bow to a stronger enemy than challenge him. But well . . . he can only stay on the fence for so long. In any case, if the war ever did approach Peasbury, Stella could simply leave. She didn¡¯t want to get involved. She wasn¡¯t powerful enough to get involved. And she was too young to die. Stella finally reached the living room, putting an end to her contemplations. She rubbed her eyes; slowly, the room came into focus. Her body was always extremely sluggish in the morning. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t do anything about that. ¡°Good morning,¡± she said. ¡°Good morning, Miss Stella,¡± said Marie. ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± ¡°You were late, so I already started,¡± said Rye. ¡°I can see that.¡± Rye sat at the table with Beck and Varrell¡ªjust out of their night shifts¡ªand Clever, who was already eating. It was a rich breakfast: bread, vegetables, fish soup, sliced apples, and a glass of milk each for Stella and Rye. Marie and Varrell were responsible for most of the dishes. Lately, they¡¯d started planning meals to be healthy and balanced, even going as far as cooking together, much to Stella¡¯s amusement. Varrell looked every bit as comical in an apron as she¡¯d imagined him. But, healthy or not, Stella couldn¡¯t stand some of the things they were feeding her. The fermented beans smelled acrid and had a terrible gluey consistency, and the fish always left a terrible aftertaste in her mouth. But the worst of it all was by far the beef seasoned with grated garlic. Stella had never liked meat, and the garlic somehow managed to make it even less appetizing. A good whiff was enough to make her gag. And speak of the devil, she thought as her doom approached. She tried to escape it, failed, and had to sit through a lecture on the importance of eating healthy. I never asked for this . . . ¡°Here you go, Miss Stella.¡± Marie pushed the bowl of soup, which she had just reheated, toward Stella. If only everyone could be considerate like her. ¡°Thanks, Marie. . . . Milk again, I see.¡± ¡°Is it not to your liking?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t hate it¡ªbut, well, I wouldn¡¯t go out of my way to drink it either. I¡¯m not feeling like it today, so can you make me a cup of cof¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Rye interrupted. ¡°C¡¯mon, I told you just the other day about how good milk is for your health! Coffee won¡¯t do you any good, you know that!¡± ¡°Milk is too sweet for me. And either way, you didn¡¯t give me any conclusive evidence that it¡¯s healthy. Tell you what¡ªif it works on you, I¡¯ll start drinking it too.¡± Stella pushed her glass aside with a snort. Rye pushed it back in front of Stella. ¡°If not me, believe my late father. He used to say that drinking milk every day makes your bones big and strong. He wasn¡¯t a liar! But anyway, it¡¯s already worked on me¡ªcan¡¯t you see how healthy I am? It was so hard to go all those days without milk when I was a slave!¡± Rye grabbed her own glass, gulped it down, and grinned. This was probably not the right time to ask about Rye¡¯s father, as interested as Stella was in learning more about him. She decided instead to look around for a kind soul who would drink her milk for her. Varrell returned her look with a knowing grin, and Clever blatantly looked the other way. The damn bird is never useful when it counts. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll drink it,¡± she said. ¡°At least it¡¯s not poison, I suppose. They sell it at the market, so that¡¯s a fair enough assumption. In which case, it shouldn¡¯t kill me instantly. And well, you¡¯re still alive.¡± ¡°Why would it kill you?!¡± Stella sighed. Then, she pinched her nose and downed her milk in one go. She didn¡¯t hate milk exactly, but rather having to drink sweet liquids so early in the morning. So she got it over with as fast as possible. It was Rye who had convinced Marie and Varrell to add a glass of milk to Stella¡¯s breakfast, but it was hard to resent the girl for that. She¡¯d done it out of an honest concern for Stella¡¯s health. Stella wiped her mouth. ¡°There, I drank it. Every last drop. Happy?¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you so mad? It¡¯s just milk . . .¡± Varrell guffawed. ¡°Glad I finally got to see you properly acting your age. I guess you¡¯re no witch after all.¡± Knowing Varrell, he was probably not joking about thinking she was a witch. Stella had caught him glancing at her Magic Crystal more than once before, sometimes during her magic training sessions. But while the man clearly had ulterior motives, Stella sensed no hostility from him. Good, she thought, because few things are more pointless than a hostile bodyguard. In any case, Clever was keeping a close eye on him. There was nothing to worry about. ¡°You two should learn some manners,¡± said Stella. ¡°Need I remind you? I¡¯m your master, not your toy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not toying with you,¡± said Rye. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want to eat healthy? I¡¯m just trying to help.¡± You look awfully amused for someone who¡¯s just trying to help. It was probably her way of getting back at Stella for all the teasing. ¡°I did say that, but I never said I wanted to drink healthy,¡± said Stella. ¡°Come on, now you¡¯re just playing with words!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, though. I never said it.¡± ¡°Being picky is bad for you,¡± said Varrell. ¡°Cow milk and goat milk both have many important nutrients. Some people find it easier to drink with a dash of sugar, while others prefer to drink it warm. I recommend adding a bit of mashed fruit. It¡¯s quite delicious that way.¡± I don¡¯t care what you recommend. I couldn¡¯t care less about milk. ¡°See? He knows what I¡¯m talking about,¡± said Rye. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a warm glass tomorrow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. It¡¯ll kill my appetite.¡± Stella doubted she¡¯d be able to swallow it. She could barely think about it without feeling sick. ¡°Here you go, Miss Stella.¡± Marie had been kind enough to prepare the coffee Stella had asked for. A paragon of consideration if there ever was one. Stella immediately took a sip to wash the taste of milk out of her mouth. This is the stuff, she thought as the bitter liquid caressed her tongue. She¡¯d been drinking at least five cups a day, and the old stock of beans was finally running out. It was time to purchase more. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you drink that stuff,¡± said Rye. ¡°It¡¯s so bitter, and it looks like mud.¡± Stella shook her head in disapproval. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. There¡¯s a right way to drink it¡ªfirst you savor the aroma, then you sip it and let it sit on your tongue. It¡¯s great, and it also helps you stay awake and alert. Can your precious milk do that?¡± Rye gaped at her for a moment. Then¡ª ¡°Oh, I just had a great idea! Marie, make me a cup too! Actually, half a cup, please.¡± ¡°Coffee? What¡¯s gotten into you, sweetie? . . . Just a moment.¡± Marie went into the kitchen and returned shortly after with a half-filled cup of coffee. ¡°So you¡¯ve finally come to appreciate the refined flavor of coffee,¡± said Stella. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come over eventually, Rye.¡± ¡°No I haven¡¯t! This is something else.¡± And then Rye started drowning her coffee in milk. It was a painful enough sight to bear, but when the girl reached for the sugar, Stella¡¯s face froze in a frown of disbelief. She wouldn¡¯t. ¡°Come on, now,¡± said Stella, ¡°those are valuable ingredients you¡¯re wasting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wasting anything. Now I just mix it, and . . . done! Behold my new creation¡ªRye coffee!¡± She proceeded to take the foul beverage into her mouth. A few moments later, she smiled. ¡°It¡¯s delicious! Beck, you have to try it!¡± Beck snorted. ¡°Yeah, right. I bet it tastes like crap.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t know until you try it!¡± ¡°All right, all right. Jeez.¡± He drank. A few moments later, his face opened up. ¡°What the¡ªIt¡¯s actually good! The bitterness and the sweetness balance each other out perfectly! Ma¡¯am, this tastes great!¡± Stella frowned. ¡°As if I¡¯d trust your taste in anything. I doubt you can even tell the difference between salt and sugar.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not that stupid . . .¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re definitely stupid enough to hurt yourself swinging a hoe.¡± Beck deflated immediately. Not my fault you¡¯re stupid. ¡°Is it that good?¡± asked Varrell. ¡°Give it here, then. I need to try it for myself.¡± ¡°This is great!¡± said Marie, who had just taken a sip. Stella tsked and looked away. ¡°Come on, Stella,¡± said Rye, ¡°you need to give it a try. Aren¡¯t you curious what it tastes like? You¡¯re always curious about everything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I can imagine pretty well what it tastes like.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna taste way better this way. Just trust me!¡± Rye became stubborn at times like this; she wouldn¡¯t let up until Stella gave in. Sighing, Stella grabbed the cup and took a sip. It did taste better than milk¡ªsweet, but not cloying. The characteristic bitterness and aroma of the coffee were completely lost, but if her life were on the line and she had to choose between milk or this, she would choose this. Reluctantly. ¡°S-So?¡± ¡°It¡¯s . . . drinkable. Just barely.¡± ¡°What about the taste?¡± ¡°Better than milk, I¡¯ll grant you that much.¡± Stella turned to Marie. ¡°Add a cup of this to my breakfast every morning starting tomorrow, but without sugar.¡± She turned back to Rye. ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± ¡®Good job, eh, lil¡¯ Rye!¡¯ ¡°Thanks, Clever!¡± Rye high-fived the bird. Aren¡¯t they a happy duo. Stella took another sip of her Rye coffee and started on her breakfast. After breakfast was over, Stella changed into less restrictive clothes. Until recently, she¡¯d been taking a walk first thing in the morning and another one after breakfast. Now, she felt strong enough that she¡¯d changed her schedule to a single jogging session after breakfast. Of course, Stella made sure to stay within the West District, where she was under the protection of the Stock Company. She ran until she got tired, then slowed to a walk to gather her breath, then ran again. It was tough going, but slacking was out of the question. Without conditioning her body, she¡¯d never live to sixty. In the afternoon, Stella had her magic training sessions. The Magic Crystal being her only means of self-defense, she needed to unlock more of its potential¡ªthough, according to Clever, the use of battle magic had seen a decline over the last few decades. Nowadays, the nobility valued healing and convenient daily-life spells over offensive spells, essentially demoting magic to nothing more than a convenient tool. Few sorcerers nowadays could cast strong offensive spells, and even fewer were sent to the battlefield. With the advent of the ¡°magekillers,¡± tools and weapons designed to make a sorcerer unable to gather his mana, it became much harder to make good use of sorcerers in battle. In any case, those magekillers would probably have no effect on Stella. Her spells were fueled not by her own power but by the power stored in the crystal. That didn¡¯t mean she should get careless. Stella snapped her fingers. Clever soared to her side, and together they left the store. Five minutes of jogging later, her whole body was slick with sweat and she could barely breathe, yet she pressed on. Varrell had said that she¡¯d gain the most benefits by pushing through fatigue. His expertise in these matters could be trusted. ¡®Master, yer face looks like a ripe tomato, eh!¡¯ The usual remark would be ¡°pale as a corpse.¡± The change was a good sign; maybe her face had finally gained some color. Stella gasped for air. ¡°Should I really be doing this? Honestly, it feels like every step is shortening my lifespan . . .¡± ¡®Take it easy, eh Master? At this rate, yer gonna trip on yer own feet.¡¯ ¡°Just a little further.¡± Stella pressed on for an additional half hour before her wobbly legs finally betrayed her. As her face hit the ground, she yelped like a cat who¡¯d just had someone step on its tail. ¡®There¡¯s a squashed tomato on the ground! Kekeke! Kekekeke! My belly ¡¯urts! Somebody ¡¯elp, I can¡¯t stop laughing! Kekekekeke¡ª¡¯ Moving with inhuman speed, Stella sprang to her feet and grabbed Clever by the throat. Now he was the cat, and his yelps echoed for miles. CH 20 February 01, 2023 On the verge of death after her morning exercise routine, Stella walked back home through the West District. She stopped by a popular general store on the way. Its wide selection put her own store to shame: farming and work tools, preserved food, vegetable sprouts and seeds, technical books on various topics, and more¡ªincluding livestock, bred in its own farms and factories and sold on an order basis. The only problem was that the selection included drugs. Junkies loitered outside, stumbling over from time to time to slip a few coins into the hands of an employee in exchange for a bag of dry leaves. No one was trying to hide it, so they likely had the Stock Company¡¯s seal of approval. I¡¯m sure most of the profits go to the Georgia Family, though, she thought. But it was none of her business, and too dangerous to investigate. Stella was about to leave when she saw something that gave her pause. A book, larger than the others around it, conspicuously sticking out of a bookcase. Curious, she retrieved it from the shelf. The cover illustration depicted a distinctive woman who was probably a knight. She¡¯d been beautified in every way, and her eyes glowed with a mysterious light. Stella would love to see the model in person. The book was by no means cheaply made, but its title had faded and was unreadable. Stella scanned the bookcase for other similar books and found none. Maybe it was secondhand. She flipped through the pages. It seemed to be a war diary or biography of sorts. It told the completely factual story (allegedly) of a powerful hero¡¯s rampaging campaign and ultimate victory. The stuff of fiction, to be sure, but some parts caught her attention. For instance, the picture of a flag bearing the device of a white crow. ¡®You gonna buy that, eh, Master?¡¯ ¡°Hmm. I don¡¯t really need it. Do you want it?¡± ¡®I wanna be on a flag too, eh! I wanna be the symbol of yer army, Master! Let¡¯s take it ¡¯ome for reference, eh!¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t have an army¡ªand I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever have one¡ªbut I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± A red parrot would make for a poor war banner. Too friendly. Maybe it would be good for business if she painted him on the store¡¯s sign instead. Or maybe not, she reconsidered. His stupid mug might scare people away. I¡¯ll ask Rye what she thinks. In any case, Stella bought the book. She was charged one silver coin¡ªobviously more than the battered old thing was worth¡ªbut seeing as it was a gift for Clever, her most faithful servant, she could live with being robbed. And her time was too precious to waste on haggling. ¡°Here you go, Clever,¡± Stella said, giving him the book. ¡°It¡¯s yours. Consider it a reward for all your hard work.¡± Stella hadn¡¯t forgotten what he¡¯d done earlier, but all things considered, Clever had been useful more often than annoying. It was her duty as master to reward him appropriately. ¡®Really?! Thank you, Master! I¡¯m so ¡¯appy, eh! I¡¯ll treasure it forever, eh!¡¯ Elated, Clever grabbed the book with his claws. Stella had no idea how he planned to read it¡ªit would probably involve the help of Rye or Beck¡ªbut at least he was happy. Stella wondered what was so appealing about words on a page. History books were nothing more than assortments of colored truths. Depending on the historian¡¯s perspective, any number of interpretations could be derived from the same historical event. Clever¡¯s excitement was starting to bore Stella. She decided to return to the store. Midday had come and gone, and the usually crowded store was empty of customers. Some of Mace¡¯s elite thugs were present. With his permission, Stella had started giving them work to do around the store; it was better than having them stand around being useless all the time. Currently, Beck and Varrell were the only ones working as night guards. That proved to be enough; all they had to do was look menacing and scare away the thugs. Nights had been quiet lately. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Rye said as Stella entered. ¡°What kept you so long?¡± ¡°I may have overapplied myself today. I should hurry up, or I¡¯ll be late to my afternoon routine. I need to change, have lunch, then start on my magic training.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t sweat it,¡± said Rye, smiling. ¡°I asked Marie to prepare us some lunch boxes while you were gone. Today we¡¯re gonna have lunch by the river in the West District!¡± ¡°A riverside picnic? Why?¡± ¡°I dunno. The weather¡¯s really nice today.¡± ¡°Yes, which is annoying. All that niceness makes me lightheaded. On days like this, I¡¯d much rather stay inside.¡± Stella smiled wryly as she played with her hair. ¡°C¡¯mon, Varrell said we could go! I was thinking we could fish our own dinner. I had a look at the river earlier and it was loaded!¡± ¡°Loaded? With what?¡± ¡°With fish, what else? And we had some old fishing rods lying around, so I figured why not use them? I talked it over with Clever and he agreed it was a good idea!¡± ¡®Keke! Thought it¡¯d do ya good to get some sun, eh, Master!¡¯ Stella inwardly sighed. Clever often did unnecessary things without asking her, and it was happening more frequently now that he¡¯d started hanging out with Rye. ¡°I¡¯m really glad you two care so much about me,¡± she said, ¡°but unfortunately, I can¡¯t neglect my training.¡± The trip wasn¡¯t worth the trouble, but she didn¡¯t say that out loud. Stella wasn¡¯t so heartless that she¡¯d pour cold water on Rye¡¯s enthusiasm for no reason. She liked the girl the way she was¡ªat least when she wasn¡¯t messing around with Clever, which, for some reason, always made Stella feel like dying. It¡¯s not like anything bad comes out of it. Unlike whenever Beck is involved. ¡°You can train tomorrow. It¡¯s probably gonna rain anyway. Okay. Lunch box, water bottle . . . all right, let¡¯s go! Varrell, don¡¯t forget the fishing rods and the fish bucket!¡± ¡°Gotcha,¡± said Varrell. ¡°Beck will return from his break soon. He can watch the store while we¡¯re gone. I¡¯ll tell Marie to let us know if there¡¯s any trouble.¡± Stella raised an eyebrow. ¡°Beck? Watch the store?¡± ¡°I gave him a pep talk earlier. Now he¡¯s all pumped up and ready to work. And his back is practically healed.¡± ¡°Trust me¡ªif there¡¯s one thing Becks are good at, it¡¯s messing up when all odds are in their favor.¡± After quickly changing clothes in her room, Stella got her lunch box and water bottle from Marie. She¡¯d never gone fishing before. Her father had never taught her how, and her mother had had more pressing concerns. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to see what it was like, she supposed. Stella wolfed down her lunch and cast her line into the river beside Rye¡¯s. Ten minutes of nothing later, she started to wonder what she was doing with her life. But before she could delve deeper into questions of philosophy¡ª ¡°Oh, I caught one! A promising start, eh?¡± ¡ªRye caught her first fish. ¡®Nice, lil¡¯ Rye! Tonight we¡¯re gonna feast, eh!¡¯ ¡°Marie¡¯s gonna love to see this!¡± said Rye. ¡°Fish dinner, huh. Ever since Varrell arrived, we¡¯ve been eating some pretty rare dishes.¡± ¡®Great cooks, those two, eh? My stomach is an ¡¯appy stomach, eh!¡¯ ¡°Ah, got another one!¡± And another one, and another one. Rye¡¯s pile of fish grew larger by the minute. Clever, moved by boredom, occasionally plunged into the water only to emerge moments later with a fish in his beak. Meanwhile, Stella had yet to catch her first one. Why was it taking so long? An unexplainable frustration built up inside her. Was she a sore loser? Stella glared at the fish swimming in the little brook with eyes that spelled death. She¡¯d done this in hopes that they¡¯d be paralyzed with fear, but they startled and scattered away. Upon reflection, however, she realized that paralyzing them wouldn¡¯t have achieved anything. Behind Stella, something repeatedly cut the air at regular intervals. Varrell was practicing, for lack of anything better to do. ¡°I could eradicate the fish in this river if I wanted to,¡± he boasted, ¡°with my bare hands.¡± What are you, a bear? she mentally quipped. ¡°I love the feeling of the sun on my face and the cool water on my feet,¡± said Rye. ¡°When it gets a little warmer, maybe we can go for a swim.¡± She smiled innocently. ¡°Did you use to play in the river often?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Not in the river, but in the sea. We used to go all the time¡ªme and my parents and everyone else in the manor¡ªswimming and fishing on a small rowboat. Father used to get competitive, and would always try to catch the biggest fish. I miss the feeling of the salty air on my skin . . .¡± Rye¡¯s family must have been wealthy; peasants generally couldn¡¯t afford manors. Maybe she was¡ªor rather, used to be¡ªnobility. If her former home was near the coast, it was possible that the Empire¡¯s army had burned it down in the first days of the invasion. But this was not the time to ask. Stella had bigger concerns. ¡°Why is it that I haven¡¯t been able to catch a single fish so far?¡± she asked. ¡°I can¡¯t abide boredom. Tell me this instant what I¡¯m doing wrong and how to fix it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a pro or anything,¡± Rye said, laughing. ¡°But I think you¡¯re too fidgety. If you shake the line so much, it¡¯s gonna scare all the fish away. Try relaxing a little.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Stella¡¯s nature was to always seek constant change through action. Good change or bad change, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªanything was better than no change at all. Though Rye¡¯s suggestion went against that nature, it was clear that Stella¡¯s approach wasn¡¯t working, and she was starting to get bored. Just one fish, she thought; that¡¯s all I ask. She needed at least that much to, as Apollo would say, ¡°protect her pride¡± as Rye¡¯s master. In truth, she just didn¡¯t want to give Clever or Beck any grounds for mocking her. Rye cleared her throat. ¡°Uhm, maybe it¡¯s not my place to say this, but life isn¡¯t a race, you know.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rye¡¯s smile vanished and her face became serious. ¡°I mean, like . . . you¡¯re always rushing everything. Even the way you walk, it¡¯s closer to a run. Maybe you could take it easy just a little bit?¡± ¡°All right, I see now. That fishing advice was more than just fishing advice. Let me tell you one thing, then. You¡¯re sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡± Rye awkwardly scratched her nose. ¡°I know, but I had to say it. I mean, even when things are working out for you, you always aim higher.¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a seeker of enlightenment. I¡¯m not so easily satisfied.¡± ¡°Enlightenment?! You can¡¯t even drink your milk!¡± ¡°I can. I just choose not to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡± A long silence ensued. The sun was blinding her. Maybe it could do her a favor and give her a tan. It would make her look less like a corpse. She hadn¡¯t gotten a tan yet, though. So she probably shouldn¡¯t count on it. Maybe she just couldn¡¯t get tanned. Stella was about to start playing with her hair when¡ª ¡°Oh, looks like you caught one,¡± said Rye. ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna pull it in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost pulling me in. What should I do?¡± ¡°Uhm, you keep pulling and letting go until the fish tires out. Then you yank it out of the water!¡± ¡°You sure¡ªhuff¡ªmake it sound easy!¡± For a fish that lived in such a small river, it put up a mighty resistance. Stella clicked her tongue and looked at Clever, who was enjoying a river bath. He caught her look and offered a lazy word of encouragement. Useless bird. Stella refused to lose. It was time to apply Rye¡¯s advice. ¡°This is one¡ªpuff¡ªstrong fish!¡± ¡°You two are sure going at it,¡± said Rye. ¡°This fight is gonna go down in history.¡± ¡°You stay quiet and watch. . . . Now!¡± In a flash of resolve, Stella pulled hard on the rod, sending a lightning bolt into the sky (in her head). She looked beside her and saw a fish writhing helplessly on the gravel. Not an impressive fish¡ªonly about as large as one of Stella¡¯s flimsy arms¡ªbut a fish nonetheless. She had won. Holding it by the line, Stella snickered at Rye. ¡°Well done!¡± Rye said. ¡°A bit small, but it¡¯ll taste as good as any. So, how was your first time catching a fish?¡± ¡°It was a good fight. I¡¯m sure this experience will serve me well in the future.¡± Rye face-palmed. ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense again. Can¡¯t you just be happy about it like a normal person?¡± Stella ignored the comment. ¡°We still have some time, and I have a lot of catching up to do. Enjoy your lead while it lasts.¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re so eager all of a sudden?¡± ¡®Master either goes all out or does things in the laziest way possible, depending on whether something catches ¡¯er interest or not! She¡¯s always been like that, eh!¡¯ Stella ignored the bird and focused on her fishing line. Rye was right. This wasn¡¯t an activity that should be done violently, but one that rewarded patience. ¡°Her level of focus is uncanny,¡± Varrell whispered to himself. ¡°Is she actually a witch . . . ?¡± ¡°Quiet, Varrell. I can hear you.¡± ¡°Sorry, uh, I mean . . . It sure is hot today, huh!¡± He shook his head and wiped his brow with an exaggerated motion. At that moment, Stella caught another fish. This time, she immediately pulled it in with a snap of her wrists. ¡°That . . . was awesome,¡± said Rye, gaping. ¡°You¡¯re like a professional fisherman!¡± I don¡¯t really care to be one, she thought. Nevertheless, it felt good to be praised. Stella puffed out her chest and tossed her catch in the bucket. ¡°So I don¡¯t have to be strong. I can make up for it by learning proper timing and force.¡± Stella turned again to Rye. ¡°Fishing is fun¡ªnot to mention a great way to procure dinner. It¡¯s a game of waiting and, sometimes, action. I find that contrast oddly appealing.¡± It also seemed like a good way to sharpen her reflexes and improve her focus, complementing her other training rather well. ¡°Oh . . . yeah,¡± said Rye. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re crazy if you think I¡¯m gonna let you win! I¡¯m not losing to a complete beginner!¡± ¡®Tha¡¯s the spirit, you two! Go, go, go! The more you catch, the more I can eat, eh!¡¯ The final tally was ten fish to Rye and seven to Stella. Stella didn¡¯t mind losing; she¡¯d gained something more important. Fishing is not nearly as boring as it looks, she thought. I shouldn¡¯t draw conclusions before trying things out for myself. In the end, Stella replied to Rye¡¯s life advice with a ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± It was the best answer she could give. Everything had a price; to live the life she wanted, certain risks had to be taken. Still, she was thankful for Rye¡¯s considerate words, and so she put on a smile¡ªthe same one she often used on Beck when disciplining him¡ªand said what the girl wanted to hear. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is exactly, but your smiles give me the creeps,¡± said Rye. ¡°Especially the fake ones, like the one you have right now. Those are even worse than your sadistic smiles.¡± ¡°Do you realize you¡¯re being exceedingly rude?¡± Stella grimaced. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s much better. Still a little screwed up, but at least now your face matches your feelings.¡± ¡°Rude.¡± Stella shrugged, and screwed up her face a little further. When they returned to the store, Beck was having fun mixing tears of falling stars with coffee¡ªor, according to him, ¡°developing a new product.¡± Of course, Stella hadn¡¯t asked him to do anything of the sort. Beck offered a taste to Stella and the others. She tried to refuse (even after everyone had given in to his insistence) but Beck clung to her feet and wouldn¡¯t let go until she finally said yes. Well, it was possible that his creation would be worth her time. It was also possible to have snow in summer. Stella took the glass of effervescent amber liquid and sipped. The bitterness of the coffee and the acidity of the tears of falling stars created a cacophony of taste that pulsed inside her mouth with the burst of every bubble. Stella looked at the others. Beck was smiling. He was the only one smiling. Everyone else was thinking the same thing, but no one said it out loud. Even Marie struggled to hide her frown. Stella spit the drink back out, as she always did. ¡°What did you think, ma¡¯am? I call it ¡®tears of falling stars, Beck edition.¡¯ I bet you it¡¯ll sell like hotcakes!¡± ¡°Beck edition . . . ?¡± Rye eyed her glass distastefully. If you don¡¯t want to drink the rest, just say it. Her good nature was probably keeping her from letting Beck down. ¡°Your Rye coffee¡¯s got nothing on this,¡± said Beck, grinning. ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t we try adding tears to Rye coffee too? We can call it ¡®tears of falling stars, Beck edition: White¡¯!¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s gonna work . . .¡± At Marie¡¯s suggestion, they¡¯d added Rye coffee to the menu the other day. It wasn¡¯t exactly a popular product¡ªbut then again, neither was plain coffee. It had gathered a dedicated customer base, so there was no need to go back on the decision, but it was incredibly annoying to see the dimwits recommend it to others while acting like connoisseurs. ¡°Ah¡ªMa¡¯am, how about I add some sugar? Trust me, it¡¯ll get even better!¡± He reached for her glass before she could answer. Stella blocked his hand with her own. The idiot wasn¡¯t speaking sense. ¡°Beck, come here a bit.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Beck brought his face closer to Stella¡¯s. He was smiling with self-satisfaction, clearly expecting a reward of some sort. Stella grabbed the front of his shirt, yanked him closer, and slapped him across the cheeks three times in quick succession. Once for wasting her coffee, once for acting without permission, and once for making Stella drink his accursed creation. She didn¡¯t hold back. Beck cowered, holding his cheeks and screaming. Stella looked at him coldly. He¡¯d deserved it. If he was going to waste her resources and everyone¡¯s time, he¡¯d better at least accomplish something with it. ¡®Those were some nice slaps, eh! Nice wrist technique, Master!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s the fishing trick I learned today. I really have grown stronger, haven¡¯t I?¡± Stella blew on her hands, then ordered Varrell to dump the wailing idiot outside. CH 21 February 07, 2023 A guest from the Stock Company visited Glenn¡¯s General Store. Mace Stock, the bookkeeper. He drew out an envelope. ¡°A letter for me?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± said Mace. ¡°A certain messenger stopped by our office insisting that we deliver it to you. His employers being who they are, I had my reservations on the matter, but they went through all the necessary steps. So here I am.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± By ¡°necessary steps,¡± Mace meant sending the letter through the Stock Company. Stella was technically a member of the Company; attempting to contact her directly would have been an affront to its authority. ¡°I was explicitly told not to open it, so I haven¡¯t. I am, however, dreadfully curious.¡± Mace knitted his brow. ¡°And I¡¯m the only one who can open it. So you came to me.¡± ¡°Correct enough, I suppose. Father is a fretful man; he needed me to see what this is about. You¡¯re quick-witted as always, I see. We could use that in the Company. Would you be interested in joining our ranks? I believe we¡¯ll be needing a new adviser soon.¡± The current adviser was Mace¡¯s brother, Gard, whom he¡¯d no doubt love to see deposed. The bookkeeper was fond of his malicious jokes. ¡°Sorry,¡± Stella said, ¡°but I¡¯m not interested in getting killed in some stupid gang war.¡± Mace laughed. ¡°Well, think on the offer, at least. I believe we could do great things together.¡± He looked again at the letter. ¡°Let¡¯s get this out of the way, then, shall we?¡± ¡°If we must. Marie, would you kindly pour us some coffee?¡± Marie had apparently anticipated the request. She came at once carrying two cups, which she placed in front of Stella and Mace, who was sitting across from her. Mace sipped silently, like a man familiar with coffee. Then he frowned. ¡°Tastes rather bland.¡± ¡°It¡¯s made with old beans. I¡¯m disposing of some old inventory.¡± ¡°I could put you in contact with our suppliers, if you wish.¡± ¡°That would be wonderful. I¡¯ll be needing them soon enough.¡± Stella put down her cup. ¡°Well, enough about coffee. Let¡¯s open the letter.¡± For some reason, Mace had delivered the letter personally. And that reason was the name on the envelope. Apollo Orson, heir to the Orson Family, chief family of the East District. The young man who had crossed her path¡ªand whom she¡¯d subsequently humiliated¡ªthe other day. Is it blackmail, perhaps? Should I set Clever on him as promised? If that was the case, his stupidity truly knew no bounds. Stella wouldn¡¯t even feel bad. Lazily, Stella opened the envelope, took out the letter, and skimmed its contents. ¡°The anticipation is killing me,¡± said Mace. ¡°Would you mind reading it out loud?¡± His tone was calm; his eyes, serious. ¡°. . . Read it for yourself.¡± He did. Here is what it said. Thank you for the other day at the arena. I wish to repay this debt personally, so I¡¯m inviting you to visit the Orson Manor in the East District. There, you¡¯ll witness the full extent of my power. My servants will come pick you up on the next Rest Day, three days from now, after noon. Make sure to be home at that time. And rest assured that I mean you no harm. Mace finished the letter and frowned. ¡°What kind of joke is this?¡± Stella frowned at his frown. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯m as much in the dark as you are.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mace raised an eyebrow. ¡°Because I happen to have heard of this ¡®debt¡¯ of his. Something happened at the arena. What was it?¡± ¡°We just had ourselves a little show. Nothing to feel indebted about.¡± Even if Stella had kept the details to herself, there were probably rumors going around. And those would have reached the ears of the Stock Company. ¡°You made the boy wet his trousers,¡± said Mace. ¡°If you already know, don¡¯t ask. You¡¯re wasting my time.¡± Mace laughed. ¡°Come, now, there¡¯s no need to be harsh. I heard it from our friend Beck, but immediately dismissed it as too preposterous to be true.¡± ¡°Beck, huh.¡± That big-mouthed idiot. He¡¯d been to the Company¡¯s headquarters after the incident, to deliver a batch of the elixir. Stella could almost see him running his mouth about the whole thing with a stupid self-satisfied smile on his face. He might think he was doing her a favor, but it did Stella more harm than good. Unfortunately, she must set him straight again. ¡°So it is true,¡± said Mace. ¡°Color me impressed. Incidentally, the Orson Family didn¡¯t spare any efforts to cover up the whole affair. If not for Beck, it would have never come to my knowledge.¡± Mace looked very pleased with himself. After all, he¡¯d just learned¡ªor rather, inferred from incomplete information¡ªthat the heir of one of the rival factions was an utter fool. Which was ironic, because Stella had a feeling that, under the same conditions, Mace would also have pissed his own pants. Like Apollo, the man was no brawler. Apollo, however, was willing to let Stella in his house after the events of that day. That showed a level of flexibility that Mace could likely never hope to achieve. Though it was probably not so much flexibility as plain idiocy. ¡°So, what should I do?¡± said Stella. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll take it well if I refuse.¡± Apollo¡¯s servants would have orders to take her no matter what. That was apparent. If Stella refused, things would get violent, and the store could get damaged. She¡¯d avoid that if she could. ¡°Indeed, he won¡¯t. However, I¡¯ve made it clear to him that you¡¯re associated with us. We may not be allies, but neither are we enemies. I doubt he would contest us so openly. And we must not forget that you¡¯ve met with His Excellency Mr. Greggs in person.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means you can put your worries to rest. Mr. Greggs has acknowledged your worth¡ªtherefore, unless they have a good reason, they cannot harm you without incurring his displeasure. Either way, I¡¯ll have our best bodyguard accompany you just to be safe. I recommend that you enjoy your visit.¡± He was right, Stella supposed. They wouldn¡¯t kidnap her or hurt her or anything in between; Apollo was not so subtle. If he wanted to do that, he would simply attack the store. But who was this ¡°best bodyguard¡± Mace was talking about? ¡°Pray tell,¡± said Stella, smirking, ¡°who is this dependable strong man who¡¯ll be charged with keeping me safe?¡± ¡°None less than our adviser and my half-brother, Gard Stock. He¡¯s in charge of all matters of violence in the Company. Whatever happens, he can handle it.¡± ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s overqualified for a babysitting job. How does he feel about that? I suppose it¡¯s not hard for you to imagine, since you feel the same way yourself.¡± Mace had orders to put up with Stella¡ªorders which must be, for him, shameful. By forcing Gard to act as her bodyguard, he could shame his brother back. If Leroy ordered Gard to do it, he would have no choice. Stella¡¯s safety was a matter of prime importance to the Company. ¡°Me? I enjoy my visits here,¡± said Mace. ¡°You¡¯re a bright, valuable young lady, and you deserve nothing but the best we can offer. Which is him. The only issue is . . . he¡¯s not very intelligent.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Mace nodded. ¡°To borrow your words, he¡¯s a Beck in his own right. However, he does not want for raw physical strength. He has Father¡¯s trust as well as that of our young members.¡± He paused, and his face contorted in displeasure. ¡°Idiots love to band together, I suppose.¡± He must really hate his brother. He could be planning to depose Gard on his way home from here and Stella wouldn¡¯t even be surprised. Of course, neither would she care. ¡°By the way,¡± said Stella, ¡°which is more powerful? The vice president or the adviser?¡± ¡°To be quite honest, I¡¯m not sure myself. But we¡¯ll find out sooner or later. And when that time comes, whether they like it or not, they¡¯ll see what money can really do. It is money, not any single man¡¯s power, which makes the world go round. There is nothing in this world that money can¡¯t buy.¡± And with that, Mace smiled. Stella did too. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it,¡± she added for good measure. This contest of power between Mace and his brutish brother mattered little to Stella. She wouldn¡¯t get involved. Unless, of course, they left her with no choice. ¡°A-An invitation from the Orsons? Seriously?!¡± Stella scowled, her ears ringing. ¡°Not so loud, Rye.¡± If it were Beck screaming at her like that, she wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to knock him to the ground and pelt him with kicks. ¡°Those people are trouble!¡± Rye said apprehensively. ¡°This is not even their territory. Did you anger them somehow?¡± Yes. Stella smirked. ¡°Me? How could I possibly have done that?¡± ¡°You could have picked a fight.¡± A fight had indeed been picked. Not by her, though. Stella had tried to keep things under control. She could have killed Apollo then and there, but then she¡¯d have to deal with assassins. So, by way of threat, she¡¯d offered a peaceful solution instead. All very tolerant and reasonable, really. He had no reason to resent her. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not too far off,¡± said Stella. ¡°They¡¯ll come pick me up on the next Rest Day. Varrell, I want you to come with me. Mace promised me the best bodyguard in the world, but somehow I¡¯m skeptical.¡± Stella¡¯s opinion of Mace was getting worse by the day. She¡¯d come to realize who he really was¡ªa man who could do what he was told, but not more. He couldn¡¯t lead people; he couldn¡¯t think and act independently. Mace was playing the succession game with Gard now, but he would yield eventually. Leroy was right about him; he should remain a bookkeeper. Varrell, on the other hand, was shrewd and skilled with a sword. Leagues above Mace. The man was everything Stella could want in a bodyguard. ¡°Leave it to me,¡± said Varrell. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone lay a finger on you.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s reassuring. You too, Clever. You¡¯re coming with us.¡± ¡®Keke! If ¡¯e so much as looks at ya wrong, I¡¯ll eat ¡¯is balls with a side o¡¯ throat meat, eh!¡¯ Clever¡¯s eyes glinted maliciously. That¡¯s the spirit, at least. He was like Varrell, minus the wits and the ability for self-restraint. ¡°Are you sure you should go?¡± said Rye. ¡°Those people don¡¯t forget grudges. They¡¯ll definitely try something.¡± ¡°Let them,¡± said Stella. ¡°One bug or ten bugs, what¡¯s the difference? I¡¯ll squash them all and destroy their nest. And, well, he didn¡¯t give me enough room to refuse his offer. If you don¡¯t like them, Rye, you can hide in the store.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me. I¡¯m worried about you, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m excited to get a look at this manor of his. It¡¯s not exactly every day I get to visit one.¡± Stella laughed through warped lips. And thus, three days later, came the day. Stella waited for her escort clad in her usual purple cloak. A group of thirty or so men loitered in front of the store. They were led by Gard Stock. The man was apparently a war veteran, and he¡¯d handpicked his unit and given each man military training. In the Company, they were known as ¡°Gard¡¯s Regiment.¡± They seemed to be well equipped and reasonably cohesive. ¡°Shit . . . Why do I gotta play babysitter to this brat?¡± ¡°Gard. Boss. She can hear you.¡± ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m saying it, dumbass? Tch. What¡¯s the old man thinking? Can¡¯t believe that damn bookkeeper managed to convince him. I¡¯m the fucking adviser here . . .¡± Gard waved his sword around, then angrily shoved it back into its sheath. His build was much like Varrell¡¯s. And, despite his young age, he had a receding hairline. Like his father. Mace had gotten lucky in that regard. Gard squinted. ¡°Wait¡ªVarrell? What the fuck are you doing here after refusing my offer?¡± ¡°I work for Stella now,¡± said Varrell. ¡°And I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d treat her with some respect.¡± ¡°I¡¯d understand if you¡¯d ran to the Orsons, but the brat? You stupid or something?¡± ¡°Please refrain from insulting my master. You¡¯re here to keep her safe, same as me. We shouldn¡¯t be at each other¡¯s throats.¡± For a split second, Gard¡¯s face flared up with anger. Then he forced a laugh and turned to one of his men. ¡°Tch. Golden goose, my ass. That¡¯s Glenn¡¯s daughter. Remember him? That stupid spineless buffoon?¡± ¡°Hah. How could I forget?¡± ¡°When we used Dominique to scam him, that was fun. And the look on his face when he figured it out! A shame his daughter¡¯s so damn skinny, else we could¡¯ve given him a real show. Nobody wanted to take his hag of a wife either!¡± Gard sneered. ¡°Sorry, Boss. We have standards.¡± ¡°Standards? You were fucking a sow the other day!¡± ¡°You¡¯re just too picky, Boss. She wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± ¡°Speaking of that oaf Glenn, how did he die anyway? Haven¡¯t heard the details.¡± ¡°Dangling from a rope beside his wife, I hear. Serves them right! I dunno how the kid survived, though, or what kinda deal she struck with Mace.¡± ¡°Who knows, maybe he¡¯s just a pedo. They make for a good pair.¡± Gard laughed. ¡°Jeez. We should¡¯ve burned this ugly shack down, Glenn¡¯s corpse and everything.¡± ¡°I know how you feel, Boss, but our orders from the Prez¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, dumbass. Hah, I know what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯ll finish what we started. Dismantle this hovel board by board, then burn the boards!¡± Suddenly, Gard drew his sword again and struck at a wall. It left a deep gash. The store shook. Shelves crashed to the floor. He drove his foot forward. An aged window shattered. Stella had liked that window. Stella had noticed something about herself recently. There were times when she was in perfect control of her thoughts but not of her feelings. Times like right now. Stella had contempt for her father, but it made her angry when people insulted him. It made her doubly angry when people disrespected her mother. And it made her boil in rage to see her store damaged. ¡°Varrell, step back. I won¡¯t need the services of these inferior life forms. I¡¯ll leave them to marinate and rot, then throw them in the canal once they¡¯re ripe. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Adviser. If there¡¯s life after death, send my regards to my stupid father.¡± Stella smiled. A broad smile, to hide her anger. Then she raised her Magic Crystal and activated it. A purple light radiated toward Gard and his men. Thanks to her training, Stella was confident she could now kill these vermin without jeopardizing her life. ¡°A-A sorcerer?!¡± Gard heaved, painfully clutching his chest. ¡°So that¡¯s why my dumb brother keeps you close!¡± Stella clicked her tongue. The spell was too weak. Their organs were supposed to have instantly gone to rot. Her training was still not sufficient. This would take a while. ¡°B-Boss, it, it hurts . . . I can¡¯t . . . I feel weak . . . My stomach¡ª¡± ¡°Aghhhhh! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!¡± ¡°Stupid brat! Take this!¡± Gard reached into his belt and drew out a dagger of uncommon design. He flung it toward Stella. The next moment, Varrell was swinging his sword to knock it off the air¡ªbut before the swing could connect, Clever swooped in and caught the dagger in his beak. He bent it and cast it aside. ¡®Keke! You bone¡¯eads are too slow, eh!¡¯ That dagger was probably one of those ¡°magekillers¡± Stella had heard about. A mere scratch from it would make a sorcerer unable to use magic. Which was as good as a death sentence. Hence the name. Gard had come prepared for the worst. ¡°Well done, Clever,¡± said Stella. ¡°Well, it was a pointless endeavor anyway. I doubt this thing would have worked on me.¡± ¡®If you wanna ¡¯urt Master you¡¯ll ¡¯ave to get me first, eh!¡¯ ¡°Is the bird another one of her spells?! Dammit!¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to start rotting from the inside out,¡± said Stella. ¡°How does that feel? Come on, grovel and squirm for me some more. Then die like the worthless worm that you are.¡± Stella leered, her white teeth on full display. Gard writhed in agony. His face was completely pale. ¡®Keke! When¡¯s the last time you were this mad, eh, Master? That smile is terrifying, eh!¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t control my emotions right now, but I don¡¯t have to. No one¡¯s going to miss a few dung beetles. It¡¯s okay to kill them, right?¡± Stella reached into her cloak¡¯s inner pocket, took out her knife. ¡®Go a¡¯ead! Kill the bastards, eh! Wipe the floor with their brains!¡¯ ¡°Wait, Stella! Don¡¯t do it! And Clever, stop instigating her!¡± Varrell looked her in the eyes. ¡°I understand that you¡¯re angry, but this is Leroy¡¯s own son. Killing him would cause all sorts of trouble. That¡¯s not what you want, right? You let Apollo go for the same reason. So calm down!¡± He put his greatsword between Stella and Gard. Stella made the rotting spell weaker. Varrell was hers; she didn¡¯t want to kill him. He was saying these things not to save Gard, but to protect Stella¡¯s best interests. That much she could understand. ¡°I did let him go. And look where that got me. This idiot was supposed to protect me. What did he do instead? He ruined my store. My home. You can¡¯t get much more stupid than that. I don¡¯t want any more sub-Becks in my life. Too much effort to keep them in line. I¡¯ll just kill this one instead.¡± ¡°Stella, you¡¯re not thinking clearly,¡± said Varrell. ¡°Take a deep breath, get it out of your system. That crystal is trying to seduce you. Don¡¯t give in to your bloodlust! You¡¯re stronger than that!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Stella laughed. ¡°The crystal is not trying to seduce me. It is me. The source of my own power. But if you insist, I suppose I¡¯ll follow your advice.¡± Stella took a deep breath. Anger was like a fire inside her. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to kill Gard. Why? Did she want vengeance for what the Company had done to her father? A big part of Stella thought her father was to blame for his own undoing. Still, her anger didn¡¯t subside. Both feelings coexisted inside Stella, contradictory though they were, and neither was right or wrong. Feelings were simply felt. ¡°Here¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive the idiot if he apologizes from the bottom of his heart. Go on. Get on the floor and beg for your life.¡± ¡°You wish!¡± said Gard, spittle flying from his mouth. ¡°I¡¯d rather fucking die!¡± ¡°Then die and get it over with. I wonder how long you and your stupid minions will last as your organs rot inside you.¡± Stella smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s put it to the test, shall we?¡± She was about to do it when one of Gard¡¯s men spoke up. ¡°Gard! Please, just do as she says! You don¡¯t want to die, do you?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t back out now!¡± said Guard. ¡°I-I¡¯m not a coward . . . I¡¯m the bravest man in the Company . . . I . . .¡± The blood ebbed from his face with every word he said. He was shivering. Once Stella gave that final push, once she increased the force of the spell, there would be no going back. This was his last chance. Stella got ready to snap her fingers. The gentle sound was to be his death sentence. The swing of the Reaper¡¯s scythe. ¡°B-Boss, she ain¡¯t joking! She¡¯s gonna kill us!¡± ¡°You shut the hell up! I-I can¡¯t have cowards in my regiment!¡± Gard¡¯s words were betrayed by the cold sweat on his brow. He could see his own death, inching closer with every breath he took. He raked at the dirt, trying to divert his mind from the pain. And then¡ª ¡°I . . . I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°For what I said. And for what I did to your store. P-Please, don¡¯t kill me!¡± ¡°Can someone translate for me?¡± said Stella. ¡°Do my ears deceive me or is the great adviser of the Stock Company apologizing to a little girl? Not just any little girl, either¡ªGlenn¡¯s little girl. This can¡¯t be right. That Gard would sooner die than do something so demeaning, right?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry I spoke ill of the dead. I mean it. I¡¯ll fix your store! You can do whatever you want with me, just p-please let me live! I beg you!¡± His men followed his lead, and soon all of them were on hands and knees, begging for their lives. Stella felt inclined to kill them anyway, but Varrell stopped her with a look. He was right, of course. Killing Gard would damage her relations with the Company. If they became enemies, Stella¡¯s store and possessions would be in danger. For a few moments, Stella considered. She really didn¡¯t want to do this. But it was her best option. I suppose they won¡¯t be completely useless. As disposable pawns, at least. She crouched in front of Gard. With one hand she grabbed him by the hair; with the other, she held the crystal up to his eyes. ¡°Look straight into my Magic Crystal¡ªdon¡¯t look away¡ªand swear that you¡¯ll be mine. I don¡¯t usually take sub-Becks as pets, but you¡¯ve entertained me with your pathetic apologies. I¡¯ll make an exception for you. You¡¯d be wise not to betray me. It¡¯s not difficult to imagine what I do with traitors.¡± ¡°A-All right. I got it, so hurry up and¡ª¡± ¡°Watch how you talk to me, worm.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am! I understand! From this moment forth, my life is yours! I-I¡¯ll never betray you, I swear! Now, w-would you kindly let me go?¡± ¡°Please forgive us, ma¡¯am!¡± Under Stella¡¯s merciful smile, Gard and his men gave in to their fear. Tears streamed from their eyes as they promised to serve her. After the words were said, a black mist oozed from the crystal and into their bodies. The contract was established. Breaking it would result in a terrible death. ¡°W-What just happened? Am I still alive?¡± ¡°The pain, it¡¯s gone . . .¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I stopped it before the rotting started,¡± said Stella. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to that mist you just saw that your bodies are still functioning.¡± ¡°R-Really?¡± Gard looked relieved. Stella glared at him with loathing. ¡°I can¡¯t stand you useless vermin. Forget the task you were here to do. Get out of my sight. Go back to your headquarters and think about what you¡¯ve done. And tell Mace to send someone over later.¡± ¡°Y-Yes ma¡¯am!¡± They scrambled away as fast as their feet would take them. These new pawns of hers were everything Stella had never wanted. She sighed, wishing they¡¯d drown themselves in the canal while she wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°Mace, you idiot,¡± she grumbled. ¡°Was this really the best you could do? It¡¯ll take more than an apology for me to forget this.¡± ¡°What did you do to Gard and his men?¡± asked Varrell in a tone of reproach. ¡°Nothing much. I just made a promise that I won¡¯t tolerate betrayal. But it¡¯s thanks to me that they¡¯re still alive. I¡¯d say it¡¯s a fair deal.¡± Stella glanced at the girl quietly watching from the store¡¯s entrance. ¡°So, Rye. Is this what you wanted me to do?¡± Rye had been watching the whole time, her eyes pleading Stella not to kill Gard and his worthless men. In the end, Stella had opted to let them live, giving them the same treatment as Beck. But she hadn¡¯t done it for Rye. Why had she done it, then? For no particular reason. There had been no logic involved; humans weren''t always logical creatures. She¡¯d attacked out of anger and forgiven out of some other emotion. Maybe she just didn¡¯t want to be seen killing. Why would I care about that? she asked herself. Those people wronged me; they had it coming. Besides, I still haven¡¯t forgiven them. There were things worse than death, though. As Gard would soon learn. He¡¯d sworn to serve her for the rest of his life, and he would. Though, of course, Stella would strive to keep his ugly face at a distance. ¡°Y-Yeah, I guess,¡± said Rye. ¡°But more importantly, how¡¯s your body holding up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thanks to my daily training. This is what it¡¯s for, after all.¡± ¡°Just because you¡¯re training doesn¡¯t mean you can go crazy with your magic! Look, you¡¯re shaking . . .¡± Rye walked over to Stella and rubbed her back. Do I look that bad? Stella didn¡¯t have a mirror on her, but it felt as if her body temperature had slightly dropped. Now I¡¯m even more like a corpse, she thought. That¡¯s not even funny. ¡°What about the store?¡± said Stella. ¡°It must be a mess.¡± ¡°Marie is taking care of it,¡± said Rye. ¡°The wall is gonna be easy to fix, and he didn¡¯t damage any of the goods. It¡¯s all right. You should worry about yourself.¡± Bless you, Marie. Stella would make sure Gard himself fixed the damage he¡¯d caused. All was going to be back as it should be. Still, looking at the tragic state of the wall, Stella couldn¡¯t help feeling depressed. She shouldn¡¯t feel that way. She had enough money to build a new store from the ground if she wanted to. But this place was special to her. It was why she didn¡¯t leave. Fighting a sudden urge to go into a coma, Stella whispered to Rye, ¡°I have to go meet with another sub-Beck today. Would you make me a nice cup of coffee when I come back?¡± ¡°All right. But be careful, okay? Varrell, keep her safe.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Varrell said with a confident smile. Then, cursing Gard¡¯s foolishness, he returned the greatsword to his back. Stella wiped the cold sweat from her body. Her hand had gone white from clutching the crystal too hard. She opened and closed it a few times. Acting on emotion, without thinking. Is it proof that I¡¯ve become human? And is that a good thing or a bad thing? Ten minutes later, Apollo¡¯s servants arrived. Stella greeted them with a listless nod and accompanied them to the East District. CH 22 February 11, 2023 Stella, Varrell, and Clever entered the East District led by the Orson servants. There was no repeat of what had happened with Gard; they probably had orders not to act disrespectfully toward her. That said, they looked none too pleased. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± said Stella. ¡°I was just half expecting this to be a kidnapping.¡± ¡°It would¡¯ve been, if you hadn¡¯t agreed to come along. Master Apollo was very clear that he wanted you alive, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Wow, thanks. That¡¯s so reassuring I think I¡¯m going to cry.¡± The man snorted. ¡°I see now why the young master is so interested in you.¡± He turned to his subordinates. ¡°Don¡¯t let the girl¡¯s looks fool you. They say she¡¯s the Stock Company¡¯s witch.¡± The men replied at the top of their lungs. Stella let out an annoyed sigh. This was Stella¡¯s first time in the East District. It was not so different from the West District, except for the large number of stores and houses displaying the Orson sigil, the symbol of the family¡¯s authority. It was also a symbol of their indifference toward outsiders. The people of this district paid dearly just to live their lives in peace. But then, everyone in this town did. Extortion in exchange for protection, thought Stella. And whoever refuses to pay gets turned into an example. An impressive system, to be sure. Stella herself lived within that system, using the Stock Company as an umbrella to keep unwanted raindrops at bay. It would suffice, for now. In view of some recent disappointments, however, it was almost time to find a new umbrella. ¡°We¡¯re here. I¡¯ll tell them to open the door. Once we¡¯re inside, don¡¯t do anything unless you¡¯re told, or we might have to kill you.¡± ¡°Sure, I suppose,¡± said Stella. The man snorted. The Orson Manor was the largest, most conspicuous building in the East District. More fortress than manor, it was surrounded by a moat and solidly built, with high walls to keep out intruders and manned watchtowers that covered the grounds leaving no blind spots. The chief family of the East District indeed. It¡¯s a shame Apollo, of all people, is the heir to all this. The current patriarch of the family was clearly a capable man. Stella wondered what kind of education he¡¯d given his son. If only he¡¯d done the exact opposite, Apollo could have grown up to become an exemplary human being. The man approached the massive front gate and knocked twice. A small slit opened and a pair of eyes showed through. A few words were exchanged, and the gate slowly swung open. The man gestured with his chin for her to follow, then strode in without waiting. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly an escort if he leaves me behind like that,¡± said Stella, throwing her hands up in disbelief. ¡°Maybe I should turn around and leave.¡± Varrell bowed respectfully and said, ¡°Or¡ªif you would allow me to be so bold¡ªmay I escort you in his place, mistress?¡± ¡°You may. We shouldn¡¯t have any problems, but keep an eye open.¡± ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry about a thing.¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°Come on. You started it. At least try to stay in character.¡± As Stella entered the manor, Clever hopped onto her shoulder. The less explaining she¡¯d have to do, the better, so she told him to stay quiet during their stay. In the case of a fight, though, Stella had ordered him to go all out. The manor might not withstand it, but there was no reason to hold back. ¡°This is some impressive interior design,¡± said Stella. ¡°Very thorough.¡± ¡°Banias Orson, the current patriarch, single-handedly made the Orson Family what it is today,¡± said Varrell. ¡°He¡¯s a determined man, one who¡¯s overcome numerous trials in his life. He never forgives betrayal, and he never abandons a family member. This code of honor, I¡¯ve heard, has led to a strong cohesion in his family.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good to know.¡± Where the outside was a fortress, the inside was a maze of doors and rooms and protective fences. The place had been intruder-proofed with such zeal that Stella found herself shocked with wonder. A direct assault would be difficult, if not impossible. The attackers would have to search through countless rooms, and in the meantime their quarry would have ample opportunity to escape unnoticed, probably through some secret passageway or trapdoor. If it were Stella attacking, though, she would simply burn the place down. A faster, more practical approach. Though the fire would certainly spread to adjacent areas of the East District. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful house,¡± said Stella. ¡°I might take a lesson or two to apply to the store. Not the maze, though. I don¡¯t like it.¡± Mazes were terribly inconvenient things to have in a home, even if they could slow down intruders. The outer defenses, on the other hand, held plenty of useful lessons. They were strong enough to make even the boldest idiots think twice before attacking. ¡°This place must have cost a fortune,¡± said Varrell. ¡°But what¡¯s a fortune to you anyway? You could probably make one in a day if you set your mind to it. You¡¯re bolder and more talented than you have any right to be. I wish I knew your secret.¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliment, but I won¡¯t tell you. Women have many secrets.¡± ¡°Dang it. If you¡¯re like that at ten years old, by the time you¡¯re thirty you¡¯ll have taken over the world.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be nice? You can be commander of my imperial guard.¡± ¡°Your immeasurable kindness brings a tear to my eye.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Stella chuckled. That interaction earned them a reproachful look. Sure, I¡¯ll shut up. They reached a dead end. Two men stood there with their hands clasped behind their backs, grinning as if they knew something she didn¡¯t. Then the wall swung open. A secret door. ¡°Master Apollo¡¯s room is through this passageway.¡± Stella nodded, then studied the door with a hand to her chin. ¡°It¡¯s an interesting contraption, if completely useless.¡± ¡°Useless? Why?¡± asked Varrell. ¡°Suppose the manor was being attacked. Only a Beck would choose to hide here instead of running away. It¡¯s an utter waste of money.¡± ¡°The heir of such an important family can¡¯t simply run away. What would that do to his reputation?¡± ¡°Hiding, running away, what¡¯s the difference? Neither is anything to be proud of. Might as well join the fight outside.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s Apollo we¡¯re talking about . . .¡± ¡°True. He wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference. In fact, I believe he would tip the scales in the enemy¡¯s favor.¡± Stella snickered. ¡°Watch your mouth, girl! Just ¡¯cause you¡¯re Master Apollo¡¯s guest doesn¡¯t mean you can say whatever you want.¡± ¡°Oh. How careless of me. I didn¡¯t mean to speak the truth. My humblest apologies from the bottom of my heart. Verily, I do mean it.¡± The man glared at her, and was halfway through an insult when one of the others, shaking his head, grabbed him by the arm. They resumed walking in silence. What¡¯s wrong? Did he not like my sincere apology? Then they finally arrived at their destination. The dark passageway opened into a large hall decorated with golden sculptures and golden weapons and armor. Atop an opulent table were arranged various alcohol bottles, confections, and fruits. And, for some reason, there were piles upon piles of golden ingots everywhere. Apollo sat across from Stella, looking smug. This time, he was in formal dress. Perhaps it was an attempt at playing host, but the effort was undermined by the sorry state of his face. His eyes were bruised and swollen, his lips cut, his nose bandaged. ¡°We brought the girl, Master Apollo.¡± ¡°Well done. Leave us now. I¡¯ll talk to her in private.¡± ¡°Is that wise, Master? These people don¡¯t know their place. I could barely hold back from punching the girl earlier.¡± ¡°Who the heck told you to do that! Anyway, leave us. That¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°As you wish. I¡¯ll be right outside; call out if anything happens. Can¡¯t have you dying on me, Master.¡± He bowed and left. Stella waited. Apollo didn¡¯t say anything, so she started the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m honored to have been invited into your stately abode, Mr. Apollo Orson.¡± ¡°Come on, I know you don¡¯t mean it! You¡¯re itching to ask, aren¡¯t you? About what happened to my face. It¡¯s an unsightly mess, I know. How low the great Apollo has fallen!¡± Stella grinned. ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s an improvement.¡± ¡°You little¡ª¡± Apollo sprang to his feet, throwing spittle everywhere, only to contort his face in pain and sit down again immediately after. His body, it would seem, was in a similar condition to his face. ¡°It was after we met in the arena,¡± he said. ¡°My old man got word of my failure, and did this to me as a ¡®lesson.¡¯ And whose fault is that? Huh?!¡± ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s all your fault.¡± A short silence. Apollo sighed and ruffled up his hair. ¡°Dammit. You¡¯re this close to pissing me off, but we¡¯ve got stuff to talk about. Sit down, you two.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to ask.¡± Stella sat down. ¡°Tch. You got some nerve, girl.¡± ¡°So, what do you want? Is it revenge? Is that why you got me to come all the way here, where I¡¯m completely at your mercy?¡± Apollo ignored her provocation. He briefly looked away. ¡°No. Not revenge.¡± Clever hopped down onto the table and started pecking at the confections. Apollo looked at him with heartfelt displeasure. He turned back to Stella. ¡°I want you to understand one thing. You only got the better of me that day because I got careless. I left you with the wrong impression of me, which needs to be fixed, so I thought I¡¯d give you a glimpse of the full extent of my power. You should be thankful, girl, for the great Apollo rarely wastes his time on the likes of you.¡± ¡°. . . Uh-huh.¡± Apollo threw his arms wide and snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve witnessed the fortress I call home. There¡¯s no enemy it can¡¯t repel, even if they manage to get in. I have the unwavering loyalty of my family¡¯s subordinates, not to mention more money than I know what to do with. This is the man you messed with, girl!¡± Silence. ¡°I see you¡¯re terrified speechless. Did you even understand what I said? Well, if you get on your knees and apologize, I¡¯m willing to forget the whole ordeal. Even I, the great Apollo, can be a merciful man.¡± He snorted again. Clever voraciously attacked the confections. Varrell said nothing. A grim realization dawned on Stella. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me . . . Is that all you have to say?¡± she said. Apollo nodded cheerfully. ¡°Are you sure? That¡¯s the only reason you called me here? You¡¯re not joking?¡± ¡°On my word as a man!¡± A strong bout of vertigo. For a moment, Stella thought she was going to faint. This was even worse than the earlier episode with Gard. Never before in her life had Stella experienced a greater sense of futility. Thankfully, on the way here, she¡¯d come up with her own business to discuss with Apollo. If not for that, the sheer self-loathing might have caused her demise. ¡°Where¡¯s my answer, girl? Spit it out! Patience is not one of my many virtues.¡± ¡°Yes. Your manor, your wealth, your subordinates, they¡¯re all great. It¡¯s impressive what your father was able to do in one generation.¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Everything about your family is great. Everything except you, Apollo.¡± ¡°Scorning me again? That¡¯s it, you¡¯ve crossed the line!¡± ¡°Silence. You see, that¡¯s your problem. You wear your family name like some expensive trinket you got as a gift, but when you¡¯re in a real pinch, all you can do is pee your pants. Or am I wrong?¡± ¡°S-Shut up, goddammit!¡± Apollo slammed a fist on the table. He was flushing violently, but made no more excuses. It was simply true. As much as he¡¯d like to forget the events of that day, they had scarred him for life. That was nothing less than he deserved. He couldn¡¯t vent out his frustration, either. Not here, with Clever watching. ¡°One day, your father is going to decide he¡¯s had enough of your incompetence,¡± said Stella. ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯ll inherit the family name only to get killed by one of your subordinates. Betrayal is a common theme in this town, as I¡¯m sure you know.¡± ¡°N-Not among the Orsons! We have our code of honor!¡± ¡°Your ¡®code of honor¡¯ would never work if your father were not the man that he is. Once you take over, anything can happen. Have you seen yourself in the mirror? Would you follow that man unconditionally?¡± ¡°Y-You . . . You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Doubt. It was there, on his face. Apollo had been punished severely for his failure, and even he realized what that meant: if he failed enough times, one day he¡¯d be cast aside. He saw the problem; he was simply ignoring it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Apollo. Cheer up. It¡¯s all right to fail; you just need to succeed next time. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°N-Now you¡¯re getting kind on me, huh? I won¡¯t fall for your tricks, witch! I¡¯m not afraid of you!¡± Why does everyone call me that? I¡¯m not that bad. Stella smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid. I see. Does saying it out loud make it easier to believe?¡± ¡°T-There¡¯s a magekiller incense burning in this room. Try all you want, your magic won¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Sure, I can try. If you¡¯re willing to bet your life on it. I¡¯ll give you a few moments to write your will.¡± Slowly, Stella took out her Magic Crystal and set it down on the table with a deliberate thump. Then she called upon it to emit a threatening purple light. It didn¡¯t matter if Stella couldn¡¯t gather her mana; the crystal was not a conduit but a source. A source of power only she could control. ¡°Wait, wait¡ªwhy¡¯s the incense not working?!¡± said Apollo. ¡°This makes no sense!¡± ¡°So, as you were saying. You¡¯re not afraid, right?¡± ¡°I¡ªuh¡ªuhm . . .¡± He laughed awkwardly. ¡°I-It¡¯s not what you think. This, uh . . . Right! I was just kidding¡ª!¡± ¡°How¡¯s that will coming along, by the way?¡± Stella hit Apollo with a kind smile. He shrieked. Rye was right. My forced smiles are scary. It had been rude of her to say it, but in times like this, it was a great intimidation tool. ¡°Wait! It¡¯s really not what you think! I don¡¯t want us to fight. I want to clear up our misunderstandings, f-forget our differences . . .¡± Apollo stammered out, white as a sheet. This was fun to watch, but Stella was getting impatient. Talking to Becks like him for too long always made her head hurt. And without coffee, it was too hard to bear. ¡°Are you done? Yes, let¡¯s forget our differences. I happen to have the perfect gift to repair our relationship.¡± She took out a small vial and flung it at him. Apollo flinched. ¡°No! I¡¯m not gonna die! Not by my own hand! I¡¯m too young to die!¡± It¡¯s not poison, you idiot. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to kill yourself. That¡¯s a special elixir that¡¯ll help restore your reputation.¡± ¡°A-An elixir?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just a sample, but I¡¯ll give you more if you agree to help me. Show it to your father. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be overjoyed.¡± Stella explained how the elixir worked and how to best make use of its immense economic value. All in simple terms that even an idiot like him could understand. Apollo was skeptical at first, but as he listened, his eyes started glinting with ambition. He was a simple man, and easy to manipulate. ¡°I¡¯ll have to make sure you¡¯re not duping me, of course,¡± he said. ¡°For now, though . . . I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll regret asking, but what do you require of the great Apollo?¡± You can¡¯t regret anything more than I regret coming here, Stella thought indignantly. She hurled some fruit at Apollo. He was caught off guard, and it hit him in the face. As the idiot held his nose and wailed, Clever pelted him with a barrage of small, pebble-like nuts using his feet. It was not unlike waltzing. I¡¯m glad he¡¯s having fun. ¡°Stop! It hurts, goddammit! Stupid bird!¡± ¡®Yer a fun guy, eh? This is better than picking on Beck!¡¯ ¡°Knock it off! What the heck do you want from me?!¡± Apollo flapped his hands in front of his face. Stella smiled. ¡°I want your help with two things. The first is a matter of personal revenge. The second is a great purging of the West District. In exchange, I¡¯ll give you power and status. This is, by far, the best opportunity of your life.¡± ¡°. . . Huh?¡± ¡°Convince your father to get on board with my plan. And don¡¯t fail. Your life depends on it.¡± He agreed to think on the matter. Stella left the manor feeling tired. Varrell walked beside her carrying the many gifts Apollo had given her. It was nothing more than an ostentatious display of wealth, of course, but Stella accepted them regardless. Marie would appreciate the rare foods and liquors. ¡°I will sleep on your offer,¡± Apollo had said, ¡°and make my decision tomorrow, when my mind is clear.¡± That was a lot of words to say yes. He wouldn¡¯t refuse; Stella had seen the ambition in his eyes. He could probably use that ambition to persuade his father Banias to bring the family to her side. As patriarch of his family, the man would see the benefits of working with her. Other than that, all traces of Apollo¡¯s former pathetic behavior had vanished. There was some of his father in him after all. Apollo might be the kind of idiot that could work toward a goal and get things done. When life brought him down, he was quick to recover. With a little more competence, he could become a worthy patriarch to his family. Well, if he lived that long. He could get stabbed tomorrow. Or Stella could poison him. Or Clever could take his testicles. The future was unknown. That was why life was so fun. Varrell looked worried. ¡°What¡¯s your game, Stella? Wasn¡¯t that elixir supposed to be an exclusive deal with the Stock Company? They won¡¯t stand around and let you give it to their rivals.¡± Stella knew that, of course. ¡°Do you not like conflict?¡± ¡°Unnecessary conflict should be avoided.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not unnecessary. This is one half of a larger scheme. I¡¯ll set up the second half next, and then I¡¯ll wait. Rye taught me fishing, right? This is not so different.¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°I wonder what I¡¯ll catch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me . . . Do you mean to change the power structure of this town?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m just a child.¡± Varrell was taken aback. ¡°You should work on your excuses, you know!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any grand ambitions. I just want to live in a peaceful neighborhood. The West District is too noisy, don¡¯t you think? But, well, there¡¯s something else too. I want certain people to suffer what I¡¯ve suffered.¡± Stella clenched her teeth. ¡°There¡¯s going to be quite a lot of bloodshed involved. Do you really want to go through with it?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with bloodshed? People will die, but they won¡¯t be the good, virtuous kind of people you¡¯re worried about. So it¡¯s fine, right? In fact, I¡¯m positive that the sooner we clean up this mess, the fewer victims will be made.¡± Varrell was worried about the commonfolk, people like Marie and Rye. No harm would come to them; of that, Stella was certain. Even if she failed, all she¡¯d have to do was find a scapegoat to take the blame. The Company wouldn¡¯t dare lay a finger on her. Not while Gard¡¯s life was in her hands. ¡°. . . I see,¡± said Varrell. A noncommittal reply. ¡°Do you have a problem with my methods?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a much better fighter than I am a thinker. I may give you my opinion, but I won¡¯t oppose your decisions. My job right now is to protect you and the others.¡± ¡°Thank you, my precious Varrell. I believe you won¡¯t let me down.¡± Stella laughed like a child. CH 23 ¡°I dunno what¡¯s going on,¡± Rye said, ¡°but you did something, didn¡¯t you, Stella?¡± ¡°Me? What did I do?¡± Stella feigned ignorance as she sipped her coffee, which had been brewed with fresh beans from Mace¡¯s supplier. The flavor and fragrance were sublime compared to what she was used to. She could easily down three cups in a row. ¡°You should drink some milk too, you know!¡± ¡°I just drank that special coffee of yours. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°You barely poured any milk! You¡¯re supposed to pour loads of it!¡± ¡°I find your recipe too cloying. And you want me to drink three cups of that? I¡¯d be bedridden for three days.¡± ¡°No way you would! Wait, back on topic. How come the Palpud Union just ceased to exist overnight?! Even their leader is dead! Something happened in the West District last night, and it¡¯s still not over!¡± ¡°Well, I have no idea.¡± Hearing her answer, Varrell looked the other way. He was in on most of the events of last night, and he didn¡¯t want to be asked any questions. Beck was outside, tilling the yard. Recently, he¡¯d been bragging about how the first sprouts had begun to emerge¡ªlike a true Beck, completely oblivious to the fact that the former president of his company was dead. Stella had considered employing him in last night¡¯s operation so he could get some experience, but changed her mind once she realized he¡¯d probably have been the first to die. Despite his uselessness, he was still one of Stella¡¯s belongings. It didn¡¯t sit well with her to lose him to a stray thug. ¡°I heard Leroy died in some trap laid out by the Union. Then Mace avenged him and became next president. Isn¡¯t that a little too convenient, though? Mace isn¡¯t the kind of man to pull off something like that.¡± She was completely right. Very perceptive of her. ¡°Well, he did what he had to do, I suppose,¡± Stella said. ¡°He can¡¯t fight, but he can use other people to fight in his place.¡± ¡°Hmm. I¡¯m not sure he¡¯s got the guts for that.¡± Right again. Stella had had to pretty much kick him into action. ¡°Conquering the West District was his dream,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe that was enough to get him to do stuff.¡± ¡°Stuff?¡± Stella nodded. ¡°Stuff.¡± ¡°And you have something to do with that ¡®stuff,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Me? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re implying.¡± ¡°Yeah right! Then why is he coming to report to you so often? Not just him, either¡ªApollo too, and he was all smug-like! There¡¯s got to be something going on!¡± This morning, Mace had reported the success of the operation and the establishment of the pact with the Orson Family. He¡¯d also offered Stella the seat of vice president, but she¡¯d refused it. The position could potentially make her a target for revenge by the Union¡¯s remaining members. It would be an unnecessary risk. Mace had then begged her on the verge of tears to at least become a consultant, which she¡¯d accepted. Even though Mace was one of Stella¡¯s belongings, she would, for the most part, leave him to his own devices. As for Gard, she didn¡¯t even want to see his face. Stella had no desire to manage the affairs of the Company. She¡¯d rather keep working on improving her body and magic abilities. By the way, Apollo¡¯s ¡°report¡± had been nothing more than a long boasting session, where he¡¯d talked at length about his achievements and how he¡¯d managed to redeem himself. Stella had kicked him out immediately; the sad look he¡¯d given her then was very memorable. Apollo was an entertaining man, with his colorful hair and myriad expressions. Perhaps there was some value to him after all. ¡®I know, right? It¡¯s really weird, eh? Well, not to me, ¡¯cause I¡¯m in on the whole thing! Keke!¡¯ ¡°C¡¯mon, Clever, tell me! Aren¡¯t we buddies?¡± ¡®Should I tell you or should I not tell you, eh? Maybe if you can catch me, eh! See ya, lil¡¯ Rye!¡¯ Clever swooped out of the store, with Rye following close behind. Their friendship was entertaining to watch, but Stella didn¡¯t recommend doing that. It was too easy to lose track of time. Stella noticed a gaze. ¡°Marie, are you also curious?¡± Marie hesitated. ¡°Well, I am, but . . . if you say it¡¯s nothing, then I believe you.¡± ¡°Why, thank you.¡± Stella smirked. ¡°Anyway, whatever happened, this is a much more agreeable neighborhood now. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have to deal with any more break-ins. The citizens will keep being exploited, of course, but we¡¯ll be much safer than we were before.¡± Varrell frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you riled up the Orsons and did all that just to protect this place?¡± Yes, Stella thought, though I¡¯m not sure why I went through the trouble at all. But whether it had been for revenge, to kill time, or for the sake of the store, she was satisfied with the outcome. That was enough. ¡°I¡¯ll let you decide,¡± she said. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going on a walk. Since Clever is not here, would you accompany me?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Varrell said. Stella and Varrell walked through the West District, toward what used to be the Palpud Union¡¯s territory. The Union¡¯s sigil had been torn down from every storefront and residence, and the streets were littered with the bodies of those fallen in battle. They would soon attract maggots, and then someone would finally bother to dump them in the canal running nearby. Some might be lucky enough to get a burial in the church, though. Stella didn¡¯t understand the difference; one way or the other, they were still dead. Maybe it was a matter of preference. ¡°Varrell. When you die, which would you prefer? Having your body dumped in a canal or getting a proper burial?¡± ¡°Either is fine. I don¡¯t care what happens after I¡¯m dead; all that matters is how high I can climb in life. That¡¯s my purpose¡ªto always seek new heights.¡± ¡°Admirable, really. I wish you the best of luck with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you really mean that, but thanks.¡± ¡°Of course I mean it. I only occasionally lie.¡± Stella would love to see Varrell become the best swordsman in the world. As his owner, it would make her proud. That went for her other belongings as well. Rye was full of initiative. Stella had high expectations for her future. Marie was a great manager, and the perfect person to run the store. Mace had potential, but Stella didn¡¯t know if he would ever realize it. As for Apollo, she just thought his face was funny. She¡¯d like to add him to her collection one day, which would also mean having the Orson Family at her disposal. He was stupid, but everyone had their flaws. Well, there¡¯s no rush. For now, I should tell Mace to establish a strong footing before this victory goes to his head and he tries to undermine the whole thing. ¡°What about you, Stella?¡± Varrell asked. ¡°Only fifty years remain of the sixty you have planned. You love to complain about it. How would you like to die?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really know until the time comes. Though I have a feeling I¡¯ll die lamenting all the things I didn¡¯t get to do.¡± Human lifespans were short. Like the blink of an eye. Still, every day was fun, fulfilling, full of discoveries. Boredom and stagnation were nowhere to be seen in her new life. Stella wished it would last forever, but that would defeat the point. Once there was nothing new to do, all the things she¡¯d once enjoyed would start causing her pain. That was why she hated anything eternal. She thought back to those fools who¡¯d sought immortality. Who would willingly seek to turn their flesh into a prison for their soul? It was good that no human had ever achieved it. Stella remembered the woman who was probably still bound to that place, and wondered when she would be released. Never, if it were up to her. She was just too obstinate. ¡°You look pensive,¡± said Varrell. ¡°A pensive child, huh. That¡¯s a first. One of these days, you have to tell me what kind of upbringing you had.¡± ¡°If you want to know, investigate it yourself. Where¡¯s the fun in having the answer handed to you?¡± Varrell groaned. He was probably frustrated at being bested by a child. The conversation went on. Before long, the gallows¡ªand the hanged body of the former chairman of the Palpud Union¡ªentered Stella¡¯s field of view. Passersby looked at it but didn¡¯t take it down. They were too afraid of what might happen to them if they did. A signboard nearby portrayed the man as a scheming coward. As per tradition, history was written by the victors. The rope bit deep into the man¡¯s skin. His eyes were open wide, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. The contents of his bowels littered the ground below, and flies buzzed everywhere. It was hard to watch. Dead bodies didn¡¯t affect Stella; hanged dead bodies, however, did. ¡°You look sick,¡± said Varrell. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s keep moving. This is not for the eyes of children.¡± ¡°Sorry for making you worry. I¡¯ve dealt with my fear of ropes, but I haven¡¯t had a lot of practice with hanged bodies.¡± Stella walked away from the gallows and gave a bitter smile. What could she do to overcome her trauma? For a moment, she considered choking some random thug to death, but killing people that way was not as simple as it looked¡ªas Stella¡¯s own survival served to prove. ¡°Last time I saw my parents, they looked just like that man. You saw the room, right? The one that I¡¯ve sealed away. I want to let go of those memories, but I can¡¯t. Being human is so inconvenient sometimes.¡± ¡°They almost killed you, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Almost, but not quite. Maybe things would have been easier if I¡¯d died with them, but I couldn¡¯t accept that, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I have fifty years ahead of me. If I died now, all my time and effort would go to waste.¡± ¡°You have a really strange way of putting things sometimes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it intriguing? I hope it¡¯ll make me popular with men in the future.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to put on some weight and gain some color first. I can help you on both counts; just don¡¯t leave any food on your plate.¡± ¡°Sounds promising. I¡¯m planning to have children in the future, you know. Little humans sharing my own blood. I¡¯m excited about it. How could I not be? I believe blood connections are humanity¡¯s greatest strength.¡± The father could be anyone¡ªshe didn¡¯t care¡ªbut she¡¯d rather it were someone reasonably well-accomplished. Stella doubted she could ever experience love, but that wasn¡¯t a requirement for procreating. Varrell snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, kid. You¡¯re ten years too early.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll consider it in ten years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put words in my mouth!¡± Varrell knocked her on the head. Gently, barely a touch. They continued their lighthearted conversation, still within view of the hanged chairman. The residents of this neighborhood had been afraid at first; now, they were just annoyed. No one felt sorry for the man. He only crossed their minds when they wondered when he would start to smell. Death had relegated him to the same status as a pebble or a pile of cat droppings. Just yesterday, he was one of the most powerful people in this district, Stella thought. No one is safe from death and obscurity. Stella was often told she looked like a corpse. Which meant that she could disappear from this world, turn into a pebble, at any moment, without warning. It was a terrifying thought. She¡¯d drink all the milk in the world if it would help her avoid that fate. ¡°Death is really scary,¡± she said. ¡°I wonder where people go when they die.¡± Did they simply disappear into nothingness, or did they become part of something greater? What was the human soul anyway? Stella couldn¡¯t find an answer, even after thinking long and hard about it. Whatever a soul was, though, she evidently had one. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Varrell said. ¡°But death comes for all in due time. And when it does, those who embrace it with a smile have probably lived a happy life.¡± ¡°Seems to me more like they¡¯re being dishonest with themselves.¡± ¡°Maybe. But maybe not. Only they would know for sure, and we can¡¯t ask them. No one has ever come back from the dead.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right, Varrell. Human life has a definite end called death. And that¡¯s what makes it so enjoyable.¡± Tired of looking at the hanged man, Stella decided to search for Rye and Clever. I should just go where my feet take me sometimes, she thought. If nothing else, it would help me get into shape. It was a hot day, perfect for playing in the river. They might be in their previous fishing spot, doing just that. ¡°Walking doesn¡¯t seem to tire you as much anymore,¡± Varrell said. ¡°Your leg muscles have become stronger.¡± ¡°I¡¯m even jogging now. In any case, considering how healthy I¡¯ve been eating, if I hadn¡¯t become stronger, I¡¯d have to conclude that I¡¯m actually a walking corpse.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re a lot more talkative than any corpses I know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s reassuring. Well, anyway. You mentioned before that a storm is coming. What did you mean by that?¡± The sky was clear, the store perfectly safe. The Palpud Union had attacked once, but that had been child¡¯s play. It could hardly compare to a storm. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Varrell said. ¡°I can feel her presence not very far from us. Her name is Typica¡ªTypica the Gale. She¡¯s agile, stubborn, and a massive pain to deal with. And she has a knack for surprise attacks.¡± ¡°One of your acquaintances?¡± Varrell hesitated. ¡°She¡¯s my younger sister,¡± he finally said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but she¡¯s obsessed with this crimson greatsword I carry on my back. I¡¯m at a complete loss what to do about her. She shows up, assaults me, and then I¡¯m forced to drive her back. Which I do, every time.¡± ¡°Sounds dangerous. Next time, why don¡¯t you try getting rid of her for good?¡± Stella whispered. Varrell smiled awkwardly. ¡°I care about my sister, and I believe she¡¯ll see reason eventually. This sword is too great a burden for her to bear. I should carry it to my grave.¡± Stella smirked. ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve got it tough.¡± ¡°Wipe that smirk off your face,¡± Varrell said, flinching. ¡°It reminds me of my sister when she was younger.¡± He looked legitimately displeased. At that moment, they heard excited voices coming from the river. Clever and Rye were running around each other, kicking up water and laughing. Varrell watched them play with a fond smile. ¡°This is a time of war, but there is peace here. The world should be a place where children can play and laugh.¡± Stella crossed her arms, a thin smile on her lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t you change it, then? This world is always in desperate need of a hero.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be a hero. All I can do is swing a sword. It takes more than that to lead people into a better future.¡± Varrell¡¯s eyes dropped. He looked frustrated. The memory of some past failure, perhaps? Stella made a mental note to pry into it one day. ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± she said. ¡°But if you won¡¯t do it, maybe I will. How about that?¡± ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Change the world. Well, maybe that¡¯s too ambitious. But this town, at least, should be small enough for me to make a difference. Now that I¡¯m done with the West District, maybe it¡¯s time to take a larger step.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°Pay no mind to the ramblings of a little witch. Or read into them as much as you like, my knight of justice, if that¡¯s what you¡¯d rather do. Isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re working for me anyway? To keep an eye on me?¡± She smiled. Varrell didn¡¯t answer. Stella decided against pressing him on the matter. He was a useful pawn, and she¡¯d rather not lose him. She had precious few fighting pieces¡ªonly Clever and Varrell. Beck was useless, Mace had only just taken over the Company, and Gard had lost something very important to him. None would be of any use to her in a fight any time soon. What shall I do next? So many things to consider . . . Time was scarce, but there was no rush. She would approach this with patience, like fishing. Watch, lay the right bait at the right time, and slowly but surely shape the environment to meet her needs. Her needs, not the greater needs of the world. Stella was not like Varrell. ¡°Anyway,¡± Varrell said, ¡°how about we take a break, relax by the river?¡± ¡°The water looks pleasantly cool.¡± Stella considered for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I have new experiences to make.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not saying what I think you¡¯re saying, right? You? Playing in the river?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Varrell gawked. ¡°Uh¡ªI mean, there¡¯s no problem. It¡¯s just . . . are you serious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to change things up sometimes,¡± Stella said with a wink. ¡°Take me there, Varrell. Through the shortest route.¡± He hesitated. ¡°You want me to charge into the river?¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s give them a scare.¡± Stella snapped her fingers, giving Varrell the sign to go. Left with no choice, he lifted her, leapt over the curb, and dashed down the slope toward the river. He didn¡¯t stop but splashed his way right into the water. Rye gasped in surprise; Clever joyfully spun in the air. As a sheet of spray drenched her body, Stella curled her lips in satisfaction. CH 24 March 08, 2023 One month passed since the obliteration of the Palpud Union. Summer finally came in full force. Each day was hotter than the last, and as the temperature increased, so did the sales of the tears of falling stars. Money rolled in at a steady rate, but was it worth all the noisy customers? The tears were supposed to fund Stella¡¯s living expenses; she¡¯d never intended for them to grow as a business. In fact, she was considering discontinuing the product. The Stock Company was under Mace¡¯s leadership now, and he was her pawn. Marie, however, had practically begged Stella to increase production. Unable to turn down the request, she continued to produce the tears as part of her daily magic training. Mace had also asked her to increase production of the elixir, but that she¡¯d promptly refused. Pressed for the reason, he¡¯d revealed he was raising funds to curry favor with both the Astral Church and the Khorshid Empire. Stella had never asked him to do such a thing; he¡¯d come up with the plan all on his own. He seemed to have thought it was too early to report anything to her, but if word of his plans were to reach Greggs¡¯s ears, he would be in deep water. In his new position of leadership, he couldn¡¯t afford to be so naive. Mace¡¯s plans were part of his preparations to take over the city, a goal which, to Stella, seemed hopelessly premature. Right now, he should keep his ambition in check and solidify his position. ¡°I trust you know what awaits you if you act on impulse and fail,¡± Stella had said with a forceful tone. Mace had turned pale, suddenly aware of the immense danger he was putting himself in. Her first successful job as consultant. Stella had let him off with a kick on the back and a request that he bring her a bag of rare coffee beans. She was much fitter nowadays; her healthy diet was starting to bear fruit. Stella sighed. ¡°This coffee is excellent. I swear, freshly ground beans are where it¡¯s at. They even smell better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so good, isn¡¯t it!¡± Rye said. ¡°I figured drinking it cold would be good, since it¡¯s summer, and I was totally right! The customers love it!¡± The girl quaffed a cup of her special-made coffee. Stella was surprised she could drink such a sweet beverage so quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound as if we¡¯re drinking the same thing,¡± Stella said. ¡°You have the taste buds of a child.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a child too! Younger than me, even!¡± ¡°Quiet, please. It¡¯s stuffy enough in here without you screaming into my ear.¡± ¡°Then what are you doing drinking hot coffee?¡± Rye pouted. Stella ignored the girl and focused on her coffee, enjoying its fragrance. Few things were better than a cup of coffee after breakfast. Especially if it was Marie¡¯s coffee. Speaking of Marie, she seemed to have something on her mind. Why wasn¡¯t she getting ready to open the store? ¡°Uhm, Miss Stella. Would you spare me a moment?¡± ¡°Marie? What is it? If you want something¡ªanything¡ªdon¡¯t be afraid to ask. As long as it¡¯s within reason, of course. You work as hard as at least thirty Becks, and you deserve a reward.¡± ¡®Keke! And she cooks as well as at least a ¡¯undred of ¡¯im, eh!¡¯ ¡°Or perhaps a thousand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going too hard on him, don¡¯t you think?¡± Rye said. ¡°He¡¯d definitely cry if he was here now.¡± It¡¯s no use pitying that one, Stella thought. It always goes to his head. He needs to be kept on a tight leash. ¡°I appreciate your kind words, Miss Stella,¡± Marie said. ¡°So, the house to the right of the store has been empty for quite some time. Did you know that?¡± ¡°No. I never cared about that house.¡± ¡°Did you never notice?!¡± Rye said. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s right there!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any friends or acquaintances to rely on. With my poor constitution, I rarely ever left the house. And when I did, I was accosted by thugs and debt collectors. Lovely, isn¡¯t it? Anyway, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand why I don¡¯t know my neighbors.¡± Some of the neighbors had gone as far as throwing trash and mud at her. She hadn¡¯t even owed them money. Weak people were always looking for someone weaker to pick on. No one did that to Stella anymore, though. Not since she¡¯d gained the support of the Stock Company. Now they were all waves and smiles. Typical human behavior. Scum, all of them. I¡¯m tempted to eradicate the whole lot, but I don¡¯t suppose that would be good for the store¡¯s reputation. Remembering her childhood got Stella worked up. For a moment, she considered crushing them all, including Dominique, whom she¡¯d been intentionally ignoring. But only for a moment. The Company needed people to exploit. Getting rid of them would damage its profits. Besides, Dominique didn¡¯t deserve an easy death. Living in torment was a much better punishment. Stella should tell Mace to increase the interest rate on his debt. What would it feel like, working hard every day and being unable to pay it off? Stella took a deep breath. That¡¯s all in the past now, she thought. I got my revenge against those who wronged me. There¡¯s no point in taking it further. They¡¯ll suffer enough without my help. ¡°So, the house. What about it?¡± she said, back in control of her feelings. ¡°You see, it¡¯s actually registered under the name of the Stock Company. So I¡¯ve been thinking maybe we could renovate it and open a restaurant. Since the store is doing quite well, and many of our customers like to eat and drink right outside, it would be, uhm . . .¡± ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at. They¡¯re annoying, aren¡¯t they? Always sitting around like they own the place.¡± The tear addicts. They were allowed to stay, since they were paying, but they were still an insufferable bunch. ¡°Our customers complain about them. Some have come from afar specifically to buy from us. They say the entrance is too crowded.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t they visit a tavern instead? The whole point of letting the Company sell the tears in its taverns was to have fewer customers here.¡± ¡°Yes, but many prefer to buy from the source. They say it¡¯s the original. Also, Rye¡¯s been carving decorations into the wooden canteens. It¡¯s so well done; the customers love it!¡± Marie smiled. ¡°M-Marie! I told you not to tell her!¡± Rye said, blushing. ¡°Oh, dear, but I think you¡¯re very good at it.¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not! I¡¯m just doing it to pass the time!¡± Huh. That¡¯s new. ¡°Rye. Where did you learn that?¡± ¡°U-Uhm . . . I learned the pattern from my mother. She said it used to be popular in some kingdom from long ago. I thought it was pretty, so I practiced carving it. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re going to show me that later,¡± Stella said, prodding Rye in the forehead. ¡°I must know all the secrets of this world.¡± ¡°A-All right, all right. No need to get mad.¡± Rye took a nervous step back, sweating coldly. Why are you scared? ¡°I¡¯m not mad, I¡¯m just glad I got to see a new side of you. Look, I¡¯m smiling from the bottom of my heart.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m gonna fall for that? You always smile when you¡¯re angry. The bigger your smile, the more pissed you are! That¡¯s what Clever said!¡± ¡°Did he, now?¡± ¡®Gah! Look, I told ya! Tha¡¯s the full smile, eh, the smile of the demon witch!¡¯ Clever hurled himself out the window. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll show you later.¡± Rye paused and scratched her head. ¡°I mean, we¡¯re . . . friends, kind of. So you can stop saying you have no friends now. Because that¡¯s just sad!¡± Rye¡¯s ability to speak from the heart was certainly one of her greatest qualities. Stella remembered the things they did. Fishing and playing in the river, eating together at table, talking about inane topics. Her relationship with Rye was not one between master and servant. Maybe it was, in fact, better described as a friendship. ¡°That¡¯s right, Rye,¡± Stella said. ¡°You¡¯re my property and dear friend¡ªand friends don¡¯t keep secrets from each other. Tell me all your secrets this instant!¡± ¡°W-What? No!¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m joking, of course. No need to get defensive. I wouldn¡¯t want you to lie to me.¡± She sipped her coffee, then realized. ¡°Oh, Rye, you¡¯ve derailed the conversation with your funny antics. You silly child.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re blaming me?!¡± ¡°Marie, you have my approval for the restaurant. You¡¯re free to approach it as you see fit.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Stella. I¡¯ve discussed it with Mr. Mace, and he said he¡¯d help staff us as soon as it was approved.¡± Stella was skeptical. She didn¡¯t trust Mace to find the right people for any job unless it was something simple and thoughtless like heavy lifting. His men were liable to destroy a restaurant trying to clean it. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t put too much stock in his words,¡± Stella said. ¡°Besides, thugs don¡¯t make for very good servers. Which means we¡¯ll have to take care of the recruiting ourselves.¡± ¡°Should we send out a recruitment notice, then?¡± Stella imagined what sorts of applicants this town would offer. It made her head hurt. She was tired of Beck wannabees, yet they seemed to be everywhere, like sugar ants. If they saw a job offer, at least a hundred would show up. A chill went down Stella¡¯s spine. ¡°Not if we want people who can do a proper job,¡± she said. ¡°I could buy some more slaves, if you don¡¯t mind. What do you think, Rye?¡± Rye¡¯s expression shifted. It seemed she wouldn¡¯t get over her aversion to slavery so easily. ¡°Do what you want,¡± the girl said. ¡°This isn¡¯t the worst place they could end up in.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled, then. Marie, continue the preparations to open the restaurant. Use the store¡¯s funds as you need them. I can approve whatever needs to be approved later. Rye, you¡¯re going to assist her.¡± ¡°Got it. I was gonna do that anyway!¡± ¡°Varrell. You¡¯re coming with me to¡ª¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Varrell interrupted, ¡°but I¡¯ve got a stomachache. Can I sit this one out?¡± Varrell doubled over, trying to lend credibility to his excuse, but Stella knew he¡¯d eaten enough breakfast for two people. Stella had sent him on a shopping trip two days ago, and he¡¯d raced back into the store panting. He¡¯d been acting strange ever since. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Stella said. ¡°Tell me the real reason you don¡¯t want to leave.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something out there that I really don¡¯t want to deal with.¡± ¡°Is it that storm you mentioned?¡± ¡°Yeah. Unfortunately, this place has been found. She won¡¯t break in, but I¡¯m certain she¡¯s carefully watching the perimeter. If I step outside, she¡¯s going to attack. I can¡¯t drag you into my problems.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to go outside eventually. And how do you know she won¡¯t break in?¡± ¡°Because, apparently, she¡¯s a more civilized boar than I¡¯d thought. She¡¯s a good person at heart, really. Not one to inconvenience others for no reason. The store should be fine for now.¡± ¡°And when she runs out of patience?¡± Varrell froze. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with her then.¡± Stella rolled her eyes. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s just go. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still worried about myself . . .¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my problem. Besides, this sister of yours sounds like a real piece of work. I simply must meet her.¡± Stella dragged Varrell out of the store and toward the Central District. He wore his customary armor and red headband, and his battle senses were visibly tingling. Every few paces, his hand twitched toward the hilt of the crimson greatsword on his back. The last thing he wanted, he said, was to be caught by surprise. Stella left him to his paranoia, trying not to get too annoyed. It was too hot to think today. Better conserve her energy. There was no storm in the end, fortunately, though walking in the heat took a heavy toll on Stella. She wiped the sweat off her brow with the sleeve of her cloak. This is unbearable, she thought. I should get a summer outfit made. Stella arrived at the slave market to find it emptier than usual. There were considerably fewer wares for sale. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Miss Stella! Welcome, welcome. The streets have been teeming with rumors about you these days.¡± ¡°What kinds of rumors?¡± ¡°All kinds. Everyone talks about your tears of falling stars, and for good reason. I can attest to their quality myself.¡± The slaver grinned. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. By the way, what happened to your wares?¡± ¡°I see nothing escapes your attention,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°The Empire recently bought the whole lot of them. Men, women, children, of all ages and origins. They were sent off to the province of Verdant. The ones that you see here are my new acquisitions. If the Empire is willing to buy my dead inventory, I¡¯ll certainly do business again in the future.¡± The province of Verdant was the region occupied by the Khorshid Empire during its expedition. Using it as a foothold, the Empire was expanding toward the southeastern portion of the continent while repelling the Astral Church¡¯s attempts to retake territory. This war was not going to end any time soon. ¡°Why do they want so many slaves?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t they use the people of Verdant?¡± According to Varrell, the Empire had many noble landowners on its side. The Church¡¯s influence was weaker in the southeast, and the local nobility were seeking independence from its increasingly strict rule. ¡°I hear they¡¯re being taken to the Empire¡¯s mainland,¡± the slaver said. ¡°They probably need the workers. Doesn¡¯t sound like it¡¯s worth the trouble, but they¡¯re buying, so what do I care? Hah!¡± ¡°Indeed. So, what do you have for me today?¡± ¡°A modest selection of young women and children. I intend to send all men of working age to Verdant. The Empire is paying double for them. Easy money!¡± He displayed a toothy grin. I suppose children are not their priority. Maybe the Empire was in desperate need of bolstering its labor force. Still, double the asking price? It was too generous. But whatever lay behind this mystery, it was nothing that concerned Stella. ¡°I¡¯ll take three,¡± she said. ¡°Which three is up to you.¡± The slaver scratched his head. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. I have one requirement, though. They must be capable of understanding human language. I don¡¯t have time to train animals. Anyway, get on with it. I¡¯d pick them myself, but it¡¯s too hot out here.¡± Stella had glanced at the slaves when she¡¯d walked into the square, but all she saw were the same dead eyes on different faces. Such a boring bunch. This time that didn¡¯t matter, though. All she wanted were laborers. Marie would be responsible for their training. Stella didn¡¯t have time to micromanage every little thing. If one or two of them turned out to be interesting people, that would be a welcome bonus. ¡°Sorry for the wait,¡± the slaver said as he returned. ¡°How about these three?¡± A regular town girl, not too comely, and two meek-looking boys, as ordinary as they could be. All three despondently stared at the ground, as if lamenting their fates. ¡°My name is Stella, and I¡¯d like to become your new owner. You¡¯ll be employed in my future restaurant. You¡¯ll have proper wages, and I promise to let you go free in ten years if that¡¯s what you want. I¡¯m not going to force you to come with me, though. If you agree to my conditions, nod. If not, shake your heads.¡± At first, the three simply gawked at her haughty tone. After short consideration, however, they nodded. It wasn¡¯t hard to deduce their thought process. Even if Stella¡¯s promise of wages and eventual freedom were nothing but a lie, her offer was still much better than being sent off to a distant continent. ¡°It¡¯s settled. Varrell, pay the man.¡± Stella turned again to look at the three. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me, then. To your new home.¡± Varrell walked in front, leading Stella and the three slaves back to the West District. Then he suddenly stopped. His hand went to the hilt of his sword. ¡°Has the storm arrived? It certainly took its sweet time.¡± Stella was brimming with curiosity. What was Varrell¡¯s sister really like? ¡°Yeah,¡± Varrell said. ¡°She leaves me no choice, then. Stella, stay here with the others, where it¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°All right. But if you¡¯re in a pinch, just say it. As your owner, I¡¯ll gladly jump in to help.¡± He smiled awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯ll do my best to avoid troubling you, though. Anyway, off I go.¡± Stella followed Varrell¡¯s gaze to the young woman who was blocking their path. She had blond hair, done in twin tails, and looked like an enraged boar ready to charge. The dual swords strapped to her belt must be her weapons of choice. Her armor was of light silver. Anyone would agree that she was a swordsman of striking beauty. . . . Wait. Haven¡¯t I seen her before in the arena? ¡°We finally meet again,¡± the woman said. ¡°We saw each other just two days ago.¡± ¡°D-Details! Cut the nonsense and give me that sword! This instant, I tell you!¡± ¡°You never learn. I¡¯ve told you a million times¡ªI can¡¯t give it to you. Besides, you have no claim on it. Our mother has officially passed it down to me.¡± ¡°Cease your excuses! I know you coaxed her into it! Mother is a great person, but she can be too soft and naive!¡± ¡°Good thing she can¡¯t hear you right now. She¡¯d be shocked.¡± ¡°Besides, that crimson greatsword is the honor of the Art Family. As such, I should be the one to inherit it!¡± She paused, noticing Stella and the others. ¡°Who are those people behind you?!¡± ¡°Oh, them? We bought them at the¡ª¡± ¡°B-B-Bought, you say?! You, an Art, buying young women and children to fulfill your deranged fantasies?! Have you no shame? How low can you get? Animal! Monster! Demon! No¡ªyou¡¯re the Devil King himself!¡± ¡°Typica, wait. You¡¯re getting it all wrong. Take a deep breath, calm down, and let me explain. Our mentor used to always tell you to listen to people when they¡¯re talking to you, remember?¡± ¡°Silence! I¡¯m not listening to any more of your pathetic excuses! Your head shall roll!¡± ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± ¡°You have tarnished the Art name! Prepare yourself!¡± Typica¡¯s dual swords flashed to her hands as she charged at Varrell. She reached him in a few heartbeats, then transferred the momentum of her charge into an endless flurry of strikes. For a woman, Typica was an extremely skilled fighter. Varrell parried and parried, but parrying was all he could do. If truth be told, with that giant sword of his, it was surprising that he could keep up with her at all. Stella watched as the swords met repeatedly with sharp metallic sounds. ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake, listen to me!¡± Varrell begged. ¡°Your voice makes my ears rot! How dare you take advantage of innocent children like them? You¡¯re a sexual deviant! Disgusting!¡± ¡°And you¡¯re a stubborn boar!¡± Varrell parried a few more blows, then finally managed to get an attack in. He kicked Typica on the side, eliciting a grunt and pushing her away. Typica hesitated for a moment, but her rage got the better of her. She laughed, her teeth on full display, as if to suggest she hadn¡¯t even felt the blow. ¡°I told you not to laugh like that,¡± Varrell said. ¡°If Mother were here right now, she¡¯d be crying.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hear that from you! If Mother were here, she¡¯d find your sick actions far more saddening! But enough playing around. This final strike shall be swift and painless. Meet your maker!¡± Switching to an inverted grip, Typica charged at Varrell a second time. ¡°How stubborn can you get, woman!¡± Varrell said, placing his sword between them and bracing for the impact. They came together with a crash. A split second later, Typica thrust her dual blades forward in a blur. The lightning-fast strikes broke through Varrell¡¯s defenses, chipping away at his thick armor. Then, bellowing out a war cry, Typica crossed her weapons to deliver the final blow. ¡°You¡¯re still making all of the same mistakes,¡± Varrell said. ¡°That¡¯s why I keep telling you¡ªhow can you learn if you never listen to people?¡± ¡°N-No, this can¡¯t be. Me, losing? Again? Impossible . . .¡± The pommel of Varrell¡¯s sword was pressed against Typica¡¯s stomach. A nonlethal strike. Typica¡¯s blades hung in the air, inches from their target. ¡°Are you done?¡± he asked. Instead of answering, Typica grabbed Varrell¡¯s arm. Her eyes glinted dully as she snapped her jaw at his throat. ¡°I guess not!¡± Varrell said. Typica laughed uncontrollably. ¡°I¡¯ve got you in my snare, pervert! Your throat shall be my dinner!¡± ¡°G-Get off me! Typica, stop this madness!¡± ¡°Die! Die! Die!¡± Varrell tried desperately to push her away, but she saw an opening and plunged her teeth deep into his neck. Blood, bright and red, dripped from the wound. Unless Stella did something, Typica would end up biting into a major artery and killing him. It would be too stupid to lose Varrell like this, Stella thought. It was a nice show, but I need to help now. Stella was about to step forward to interfere when Typica stopped moving and released Varrell¡¯s neck. Looking down, Stella saw Varrell¡¯s fist buried in the pit of Typica¡¯s stomach¡ªthe same spot he¡¯d hit with the pommel of his sword moments before. The blow should be quite effective. Typica wailed and writhed in pain like a dying beast, spraying vomit as she rolled on the floor. Shortly, she came to a rest, unconscious. It¡¯s hard to call her beautiful when she¡¯s like this. ¡°You deserve a round of applause, Varrell,¡± Stella said. ¡°That was quite the show.¡± Stella handed Varrell a handkerchief. He accepted it with a thankful nod and wiped the blood on his neck. The wound wasn¡¯t very deep; his muscles had protected him. Varrell sighed. ¡°It¡¯s usually not this bad, you know.¡± ¡°You were in actual danger, weren¡¯t you?¡± Stella said, smirking. ¡°You hardly ever lose your composure like that.¡± ¡°When my sister snaps, she becomes incredibly dangerous. Like a boar mixed with a wolf, or perhaps a tiger. Occasionally a fool gets it in his head to hit on her, on account of her pretty face. She usually leaves them crippled. She¡¯s wiped out countless bands of brigands all on her own. Just think about it¡ªwhat would happen if I were to let her have this sword? Victims would pile up behind her.¡± The world would certainly become a livelier place. Stella playfully considered letting Typica run amok in town. Not in her neighborhood, though. She could have her fun in the North District, Greggs¡¯s home turf. ¡°That sounds really fun, though,¡± she said. ¡°Can¡¯t we try it just once?¡± ¡°God, please no. You¡¯d be the only one laughing.¡± Varrell rubbed his temples. ¡°I only wish this could be our last encounter . . .¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How many times do you think she¡¯s attacked me like this? Thirty times. Thirty. It¡¯s exhausting, and I always have to nurse her back to health afterward. Talk about wasted effort.¡± He sighed wearily. ¡°You could cripple her now and be rid of her forever. But you refuse to do that.¡± ¡°As foolish as she may be, she¡¯s still family, and I love her. It doesn¡¯t matter if we can¡¯t get along. The bond of family is unbreakable.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to be boasted to. Anyway, grab her and let¡¯s get out of here. I hate being the center of attention.¡± They had started to gather an audience. In this town, where people killed each other on the streets every day, suffering and death were the highest form of entertainment. ¡°Kill her!¡± some cried out; ¡°Let me have her!¡± others demanded. Varrell¡¯s glare sent them scrambling away. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± Varrell said, ¡°can I take her back to the store?¡± ¡°Sure. She looks entertaining enough. But I won¡¯t have her going on a rampage in my store. Keep her in check, like a responsible owner.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Varrell sighed one last time, then effortlessly hoisted up his sister. Typica was something else. Her unusual manner of speaking, the way she transformed when she snapped¡ªeverything about her was fascinating. Unfortunately, though, her mental faculties seemed to be beyond subpar. The decisive factor would be whether she could hold a conversation. Stella was tired of stupid people, regardless of how interesting or strong they might be. Am I stuck with only meeting stupid people for the rest of my life? People whose life purpose seems to be causing me trouble? Stella shook off the thought. No, she wasn¡¯t cursed. That was silly. She had the means to make her own path in life, like everyone else. Stella suppressed her bad feelings and hurried off along the street. CH 25 March 12, 2023 ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Welcome back, Stella,¡± Rye said. ¡°Wait, who¡¯s that? Is she okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°That sounds even more concerning. She¡¯s got puke all over her clothes! What did you do, Stella?!¡± ¡°I was just watching some boar tricks. Anyway, Marie, I bought these three for you. It¡¯s up to you to get them ready to work at the restaurant. I won¡¯t help with their training.¡± ¡°Of course, Miss Stella. If I might ask, what are their names?¡± ¡°Their names? Who knows.¡± Rye, who¡¯d been inspecting the unconscious Typica, turned to gawk at Stella. ¡°How do you not know? Didn¡¯t you handpick them?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, actually. And I didn¡¯t hear their names.¡± Nor would she have remembered them if she had. These slaves were extra labor, nothing more. She¡¯d have purchased grown men instead, but unfortunately, there had been none for sale. ¡°Man, you¡¯re so cold,¡± Rye said. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something about that?¡± ¡°I let the merchant pick them for me. Anyway, they¡¯re mine now.¡± Stella paused, curling her lips. ¡°Is that a blessing or a curse, I wonder?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me! I mean, Marie¡¯s gonna look after them, so they¡¯ll be all right. I think.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Marie wouldn¡¯t mistreat them. And neither would Stella, so long as they behaved. They were slaves, however; their lives were a far cry from what anyone would call a ¡°blessing.¡± Stella, their current master, didn¡¯t even know their names. How could they be happy in these conditions? ¡°So,¡± Marie said, ¡°Mr. Mace says the paperwork has been dealt with, and the house next door is ours to use. Is it okay with you if they make their quarters there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s up to you, Marie.¡± Stella turned to the three slaves. ¡°Now, I should warn you. You can try to escape if you want, but that¡¯ll lead to one of two things. You¡¯ll either starve to death or end up in a cage again. It would be a waste of time and human life, so I don¡¯t recommend it.¡± ¡°Come on, Stella, don¡¯t talk to them like that,¡± Rye said. ¡°Look, you¡¯re scaring the kids!¡± ¡°This town won¡¯t wait for them to grow up, so why should I?¡± Stella turned to Marie. ¡°All right, they¡¯re yours.¡± Marie nodded. ¡°Everyone, follow me. Let¡¯s talk in more detail about your new lives here.¡± She grabbed a few spare changes of clothes and led the girl and the two boys to the house next door. Stella glanced at the contract. The renovations were scheduled to start tomorrow. This store was too small to accommodate everyone, but with two buildings available, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. And if that¡¯s still not enough, I can buy the house on the left side as well. As long as my needs are met, I don¡¯t really care. Stella didn¡¯t intend to move out of this house. She liked her room; it was relaxing, familiar. Still, the place¡¯s defenses were extremely lacking. With the renovation of the house next door, this was the perfect time to bring up the matter with Mace. And maybe Apollo too. His manor was pretty much a fortress. A few well-put compliments might, at the very least, coax him into installing metal plates around the house. Rye was mumbling to herself. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I was just wondering. Those three are probably lucky to have you as their master, but still, I don¡¯t like the fact that they¡¯re slaves. I hate that word.¡± Rye grimaced, resting her chin in her hands. ¡°I doubt many people do,¡± Stella said. ¡°Save for a select few degenerates.¡± ¡°Why does God allow slavery to exist? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s simple. Because there is no god. God is an idol, a convenient tool created by man to tyrannize over his own kind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna anger the sisters, you know.¡± ¡°So? If they¡¯re going to denounce me as a heretic, they might as well use the power of their god to end all suffering in the world. I¡¯d be kissing their feet and begging forgiveness in no time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they can do that.¡± Apparently, the Church didn¡¯t offer miracles, only salvation, which came in the form of prayers that you had to pay money for. ¡°Of course they can¡¯t,¡± Stella snapped. ¡°The whole thing is stupid.¡± Rye looked bummed out. Perhaps I said too much, Stella thought, patting her on the head. When she asked what the girl had in mind, Rye said she¡¯d ¡°come face to face with the unfairness of this world.¡± A fascinating impression. It was time for the main event of the day. Stella went with Rye to see the boar lady, Typica, who was in Rye and Marie¡¯s room. Varrell had wiped her face with a wet cloth and laid her down in bed, though, understandably, he¡¯d refrained from undressing her. When Stella said she¡¯d take care of that part, Varrell left the room with a sigh of relief. ¡°Let¡¯s sanitize her, then, shall we?¡± Stella said. ¡°That¡¯s really rude, you know. She¡¯s Varrell¡¯s sister, not some dirty bathroom.¡± ¡°Well, she definitely smells like one. Her reek is seeping into the walls.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be smelling too if you¡¯d just thrown up like she did. Come on, let¡¯s get her off this armor and into a fresh change of clothes.¡± Rye took a whiff. ¡°Man, this is gonna take a lot of work.¡± Rye removed Typica¡¯s armor, piece by piece, with incredible efficiency. Almost like she¡¯d done it before. ¡°You look like you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Stella said. ¡°R-Really? I think you¡¯re looking too much into it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little weird that you know how to remove armor.¡± ¡°N-No it¡¯s not. Anyone can do it, I bet. Not weird at all!¡± ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go with that. For now.¡± Stella raised the corner of her mouth. She would find more dirt on Rye. Then she¡¯d confront the girl, present her findings one at a time, revel in her torment until she finally gave up and revealed the truth. It would be so much fun. Rye was very responsive to teasing. ¡°What¡¯s with that creepy self-satisfied expression?!¡± Rye said. ¡°You look like a snake ready to jump me!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want me to smile, you don¡¯t want me to look satisfied . . . There¡¯s no right answer with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kinda cute when you try, you know. If only your personality wasn¡¯t so messed up!¡± ¡°Why, thank you.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a compliment!¡± Marie¡¯s size was similar to Typica¡¯s, so they decided to use her clothes. They were a little too plain for Typica, but she¡¯d have to make do. Typica¡¯s body was pretty and had few scars. Her hands were firm and her legs lean. It was a warrior¡¯s body, but one earned through consistent training rather than on the battlefield. Typica¡¯s muscles weren¡¯t as strong as Varrell¡¯s but were more supple. From what Stella had seen, her fighting style favored speed over raw strength, and it was geared toward fighting a single enemy at a time. Typica¡¯s style was simply too intense for a real battlefield, where she¡¯d have to fight for hours at a time. Once her stamina ran out, she¡¯d be dead. From up above, Stella had seen countless aspiring heroes meet that exact fate. Typica slowly opened her eyes. ¡°W-Where am I?¡± she mumbled. ¡°What is this place?¡± ¡°This is Glenn¡¯s General Store,¡± Stella said. ¡°After you lost your fight against Varrell, you were carried here, and now we¡¯re taking care of you. Did you get all that?¡± Typica blinked, confused. ¡°Me, lose? That¡¯s impossible! Do not lie to me, young lady!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying. After Varrell hit you in the gut, the blood rushed to your head and you tried to chew his neck off. Then you took another hit, spewed vomit all over the place, and passed out. Here, I have proof. Your dirty clothes and underwear. Go on, sniff them. Makes you want to retch, doesn¡¯t it? Breathe it in. It¡¯ll help you shake off the grogginess.¡± Stella brought the bundle closer and closer to Typica¡¯s face, holding it with her fingertips. Typica shrieked, terrified of these pieces of fabric she¡¯d been wearing until not long ago. ¡°S-Stop! Get it away from me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to help. You need to open your eyes to the truth. Come on, don¡¯t be shy. See? You¡¯re not dreaming.¡± ¡°All right! I¡¯ll say whatever you want, just get it away from me!¡± ¡°Is that all you have to say? We changed you out of your soiled clothes, you know. I think some appreciation is in order. Don¡¯t you agree, Rye?¡± ¡°Uhm . . . yeah, I guess. That¡¯s too much to ask from someone who just woke up, though. And she looks like she has an annoying¡ªI mean, difficult personality.¡± Rye corrected herself in a hurry. The girl was right: Typica¡¯s personality was both difficult and annoying. Rye was ever so insightful. ¡°But how else can we know if she¡¯s capable of understanding human speech?¡± Stella said. ¡°I¡¯m doing this to see if she needs to be domesticated. Humans who can¡¯t show gratitude are no better than beasts.¡± She coldly whispered those last words, causing Typica to meekly lower her head. She seemed relatively composed now. Their first contact was off to a good start. ¡°I-I thank you for your help,¡± Typica said. Good, she speaks my language. ¡°Your brother was kind enough to hold back, but you still took two hits in the stomach. You should get some rest. Meanwhile . . .¡± Stella edged closer to Typica, her mouth twisted in a creepy smile. Typica let out a muffled shriek and huddled into a corner. ¡°Why are you so scared?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I-I taste terrible! You¡¯ll get indigestion!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you. Where did you get that idea?¡± ¡°S-So you¡¯re going to sacrifice me?! Perish the thought. I won¡¯t stand for it, witch!¡± ¡°What? I never said I¡¯d¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll play no part in your foul necromantic experiments! I¡¯m not throwing away my humanity!¡± And then, all of a sudden, Typica started bawling her eyes out. Stella was shocked despite herself. ¡°Can she even hear me? Poor Varrell. I think I understand his struggles now.¡± Rye looked at Stella, who was still scratching her head, and finally succumbed to laughter. I know it¡¯s amusing to see other people suffer, Stella thought, but that still pisses me off. ¡°You have no respect, you know that?¡± ¡°Wonder who I got it from.¡± ¡°Clever, surely.¡± ¡°Wha¡ªit was from you!¡± Varrell busted into the room. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on? Is everything all right?¡± He must have thought Typica had gone on another rampage. Still crying, Typica grabbed a nearby vase and flung it toward Varrell. He managed to catch it in the air. Stella gave him a meaningful look. Varrell scratched his head and went back outside, taking the vase with him. It took five minutes for Typica to calm down. And when she finally did, she seemed quite embarrassed by her tantrum. ¡°I apologize for jumping to conclusions,¡± she said, ¡°and mistaking you for a cursed witch.¡± ¡°Is my abnormally pale face that terrifying?¡± Stella smiled, drawing her face closer to Typica¡¯s. ¡°Does it make me look like a witch?¡± And closer. ¡°Do you find my corpselike pallor off-putting?¡± Typica backed away a step. ¡°N-No, not at all. I got used to it now. I¡¯m quite all right, thank you.¡± ¡°All right, then. In that case, I¡¯m going to need you to answer a few questions. It¡¯s only fair, considering all I¡¯ve done for you at my own expense.¡± ¡°Sounds reasonable. Ask away! I¡¯m ready for any questions you throw at me!¡± Does she have to be so energetic all the time? Ignoring the warning signs of a headache, Stella asked her questions. She was most curious about who Typica was, why she was after Varrell, and whether his crimson greatsword was valuable enough to be worth the trouble. ¡°I¡¯ll answer in order, then. My name is Typica Art, and I¡¯m the eldest daughter of the honorable Art Family!¡± ¡°The Art Family?¡± Typica smirked. ¡°All who know it agree that it¡¯s a reputable house. Right now, I¡¯m on a journey of personal growth to become its long-awaited next heir!¡± Who¡¯s waiting, exactly? Stella cocked her head. ¡°Oh, that Art Family!¡± Rye exclaimed. Apparently, it was a prominent noble house in the northern part of the continent, known in particular for its barrier magic. The Art Family. Barrier magic. That rings a bell. An ancient, rusty bell. Stella vaguely remembered being involved in something of the sort. Clever might know more, but he didn¡¯t like to talk about the past. In his view, it wasn¡¯t necessary for their current life. Even choking him hadn¡¯t been enough to get him to talk. That bird could be extremely stubborn when he wanted to. ¡°Varrell¡ªmy wretch of a brother¡ªtook the greatsword and left to wander the world. Which makes getting it back one of the goals of my journey. It was supposed to have been mine!¡± ¡°Was it? And who decided that?¡± ¡°I did, of course! Therefore, it¡¯s mine!¡± Stella gave her a flat stare. You know what? I¡¯m too tired to argue. I¡¯ll just go with it. Typica was not very bright, but not in the same way as Beck. They were different breeds of stupid. Typicas were prone to jump to conclusions and double down on their mistakes. Other defining traits included their inability to listen to people and their aggressive charge attacks which usually ended in a shower of puke. It was a rare breed; further investigation would be necessary to determine its value. ¡°That¡¯s why I followed my brother,¡± Typica said. ¡°To challenge him and take back what¡¯s rightfully mine¡ªsince he refuses to return it willingly.¡± ¡°Mind explaining why you¡¯re so obsessed with that sword? What¡¯s it worth?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t the faintest idea. In fact, I¡¯ve never held it in my own hands.¡± Stella frowned. ¡°And you still want it?¡± I have a feeling I¡¯m going to regret this question. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°. . . Your weapon of choice is the dual blades, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Their graceful stances and flowing fighting style synergize perfectly with my natural agility.¡± ¡°Can you swing a greatsword?¡± ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s an inferior weapon in every way. It lacks grace, is far too heavy and unwieldy, and is designed around absorbing blows with your body, which is a terribly unrefined fighting style. My style is to overwhelm the opponent with speed, striking through their defenses with deadly precision.¡± If you didn¡¯t know, when you strike with your teeth, that¡¯s called biting. At that moment, the doubts which had been simmering in Stella¡¯s mind turned to certainty. She glanced at Rye. The girl looked bemused. ¡°You want it for yourself,¡± Stella said, ¡°but not to use it. What for, then?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Typica said. ¡°Because that greatsword¡ªthat sanguine blade¡ªis the coolest thing I¡¯ve ever laid eyes upon! Even the most expensive jewels can¡¯t achieve that sublime crimson gleam. It would be perfect as a trophy, don¡¯t you think? In any case, it¡¯s not for the hands of my brother. That brute can¡¯t appreciate it the way it deserves!¡± In response, Stella simply sighed and let herself fall face-first into bed. Rye moved to gently stroke her hair, and she allowed it by inaction. This conversation had drained the last of her mental and physical energy, a too-steep price to pay for the discovery of the new Typica breed, as fascinating as it was. Stella scrounged up the willpower to sit up in bed. ¡°Is Varrell aware of this?¡± ¡°Of course not. I can¡¯t talk to the man. We¡¯re too fundamentally different.¡± Stella sighed. ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± ¡°Am I imagining things or do I sense a mocking tone in your voice?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just in your head.¡± Varrell thought Typica wanted the sword so she could use it. As it turned out, all Typica wanted was to hang it up on a wall. To her, it was more akin to a family heirloom than to a real weapon. Such a silly misunderstanding. Stella smirked as she imagined Varrell¡¯s reaction to learning Typica¡¯s real motives. He was always so solemn regarding his responsibility to the sword. I can¡¯t deny they¡¯d make for an interesting duo. They¡¯re so dissimilar it¡¯s absurd. If Stella were to pair them up, all kinds of interesting things could happen. Their interactions were bound to be lively and fun¡ªor rather, they¡¯d better be, or her efforts would all have been for nothing. ¡°So you like that tone of red?¡± Stella said. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, then. Behold.¡± Stella grabbed a blunt steel knife from the nearest shelf and held it up to her Magic Crystal. The next moment, she activated it. The knife took on a faint reddish glow. As they watched, it grew more and more intense until it became indistinguishable from the bloodred gleam of Varrell¡¯s sword. Typica gasped. ¡°It¡¯s that same crimson gleam! What did you just do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer of sorts. I can replicate that color. Search as you might, though, you won¡¯t find anyone else in the world able to do so. Do you know what that means?¡± Stella waved the crimson knife before Typica¡¯s nose. It was the bait, and she was the fish. Typica followed the movement with her boar¡¯s eyes, head rocking sideways. ¡°I want it!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you do.¡± ¡°This is amazing! You¡¯re quite talented for an albino imp! How much do you want for it?!¡± ¡°Albino imp¡±? Seriously? Well, at least I got her attention. ¡°Calm down, Typica. This was just to convince you that I can do it. I can give the same treatment to your own dual swords, though that¡¯ll take a fair bit longer.¡± ¡°Really?! Do it, now! I¡¯ll pay as much as you want! Go on! What are you waiting for?¡± Typica grabbed her weapons from where they¡¯d been lying against a wall and shoved them toward Stella. Her face is too close. If she gets on top of me, I¡¯m dead. Stella was not built to hold back a boar. Rye desperately tried to hold Typica from behind, but her efforts were in vain. ¡°T-There¡¯s no rush,¡± Stella said, pushing the swords away. ¡°Fixating this alluring tone of red into steel is no simple feat, you know. For weapons as large as yours, the process is going to take years, not to mention a great deal of effort from my part. You¡¯re going to have to pay me back somehow.¡± That was only half a lie. Stella could simply leave Typica¡¯s swords next to her Magic Crystal at night and the process would happen automatically during her sleep. She¡¯d only offered to do it at all because it wouldn¡¯t require any effort. ¡°But how can I pay you if you won¡¯t take my money?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need more money than I already have, but I may need something else.¡± Stella thoughtfully put a finger to her chin. Then an evil grin crept onto her face. ¡°Oh, I know. Would you be willing to become my property for the duration of the process?¡± Rye shot Stella a disapproving look. Typica paled. ¡°I-I¡¯m not into that sort of thing! Same-sex relationships are strictly forbidden by the Church! Besides, I refuse to be toyed with by an albino imp!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong; I¡¯m not into that either. All I¡¯m asking is that you acknowledge me as your master. I won¡¯t take your money, but I will need you to work for me. Mainly as security guard and bodyguard, same as Varrell.¡± ¡°Security guard . . . and bodyguard?¡± Stella nodded. ¡°This town¡¯s arena is a good place to hone your skills, but you¡¯d improve much faster with your brother as a sparring partner, don¡¯t you think? And he¡¯s currently working for me.¡± ¡°You have a point. W-Wait, do you? Well, I have other things to worry about. And I can hardly be convinced to train with him, of all people.¡± ¡°Hmm. All right, then. Forget I said anything.¡± ¡°W-Wait! I didn¡¯t say no! Just give me some time. As I was often told in the past, difficult decisions such as this require careful consideration.¡± Typica crossed her arms and screwed up her face. She seemed to be thinking¡ªor at least going through the motions. It was hard to believe she was familiar with the concept. One last push. ¡°What¡¯s there to consider? You fought Varrell and lost. A real warrior would jump at any opportunity to have a rematch. But well, if you¡¯d rather stay a loser, suit yourself. Losers have no place working for me, though. Goodbye, Typica. Why don¡¯t you go back home, to your mother¡¯s milk? You must miss it terribly.¡± Stella delivered her rapid-fire insults and waited for Typica¡¯s reaction. As expected, her face shortly went red as she started to get angry. So much for careful consideration. I like her simplicity, though. Typica sprang to her feet. ¡°L-L-Loser?! Did you just call me a loser?!¡± she said, putting her hands on her hips. ¡°Fine! If that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be, then I pledge my swords to you! You shall witness my swordsmanship and sear its gracefulness into your mind¡¯s eye!¡± That was easy. ¡°Good. From now on, you¡¯ll give me your swords every night before bedtime. Don¡¯t forget to get them back in the morning.¡± ¡°Uh, yes. Understood.¡± Typica nodded politely. Typica had been properly trained; whenever Stella spoke with authority, she was quick to oblige. Stella gave a satisfied nod and left the room. Varrell was standing outside, holding the vase. ¡°It sounded pretty intense in there,¡± he said. ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve worked things out. She¡¯s not going to come after your sword again. You can thank me for that.¡± She still wants a rematch, though, Stella thought. But I¡¯m not lying. ¡°R-Really?¡± ¡°However,¡± Stella said, raising a finger, ¡°Typica is going to stay with us for a while. She¡¯s mine now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Stella gently tapped the dumbfounded Varrell on the arm. ¡°Now I have two more hands to help around the store and one more human to play with. This one is a rare breed, too.¡± She smirked. ¡°Yes, this was very much worth the trouble.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re joking, right? You must be. I mean, why do you think I left home in the first place? I was running away from my chaotic sister!¡± ¡°Who are you calling chaotic?!¡± Typica screamed from inside the room. ¡°All I¡¯m doing is being true to myself! Your criticism is unwarranted!¡± ¡°Oh god, this is giving me an ulcer . . .¡± ¡°Typica,¡± Stella said. ¡°You¡¯ll keep it down at night if you know what¡¯s good for you. Otherwise, I¡¯ll punish both you and your brother.¡± ¡°Me too? Why?! If she messes up, that¡¯s her own fault!¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Varrell. As they say, blood is thicker than water. It¡¯s your responsibility to keep your sister in check. Typica, if you¡¯re going to make a scene, do it outside, while the sun is out. I couldn¡¯t care less about the townspeople, so go nuts.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I would never inconvenience you in your own home. I was raised better than that.¡± ¡°Good. Now, it¡¯s time for dinner. I can smell Marie¡¯s delicious cooking from here. Go on, you two; don¡¯t just stand there. Typica, take me to the living room.¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± Typica curtsied, then politely extended her hand. Stella took it and, like a princess being escorted to the dance floor, allowed herself to be led to the living room. CH 26 March 23, 2023 Today, the Stock Company officers in charge of each street of the West District were assembled at headquarters for a meeting. A few ex-members of the now defunct Palpud Union were also present. They were clearly not happy, but had long since lost the willpower to resist. The Union¡¯s chairman and all his lieutenants were dead, and those who remained loyal to them were paying for it dearly. At its core, the Union had been a ragtag band of thugs; without a centralizing force, everything fell apart. Incidentally, the stores and establishments formerly controlled by the Union were already being taken over by the Company. Mace, the so-called useless bookkeeper, used his experience and connections to swiftly annex the former Union territory. Meanwhile, Gard, who used to be the strongest candidate for next president, was now little more than a despondent, submissive shell. ¡°. . . Further details shall be communicated by written report at a later date,¡± Mace said. ¡°Furthermore, should any issues arise with the Orson Family, report to me immediately. Direct conflict would be best avoided, as the Orsons would present a far more powerful threat than the Palpud Union. It might come to that regardless, but let it not be due to negligence on our part.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid, Mr. President?¡± Mace glared at the man. ¡°Funny that you would say that. Not once do I recall you calling the previous president a coward, despite his decisions. I¡¯ll remember your face.¡± The man was one of Gard¡¯s supporters, and he wasn¡¯t pleased with Mace¡¯s rise to presidency. ¡°What¡¯s that, a threat?¡± he said with a snort. ¡°You think I¡¯m afraid of a damn bookkeeper?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a murderer too,¡± said another. ¡°Did Mr. Leroy in, then took his place. Says he left a will, but nobody¡¯s seen it. I ain¡¯t buying that crap.¡± ¡°Now that the dust settled, we should choose our own leader!¡± This meeting suddenly became a lot less boring, Stella thought with a smile on her lips. She was sitting in a chair, quietly, at the corner of the room. She hadn¡¯t revealed herself as the Company¡¯s consultant yet¡ªnor did she intend to¡ªbut she¡¯d been interested enough in this meeting to attend it under the pretense of being the Company¡¯s ¡°in-house sorcerer.¡± They¡¯re waiting for your pronouncement, Gard,¡± Mace said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it to them? I believe you know what to say.¡± Gard didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Are you sure you want to disobey me, Gard? Won¡¯t that go against her orders?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Gard said, reluctantly. ¡°My old man appointed Mace to the office before he died. I swear on it.¡± ¡°But Boss, he ain¡¯t the right man for the job. The Company just got a lot larger¡ªtoo large for the likes of him to handle. You¡¯re the one who should be leading us!¡± Gard glanced wearily at Stella. She gave him a look that said, ¡°You know what to do.¡± He turned back to his supporters. ¡°Can it, you. We¡¯ve got to secure our new position, not fight among ourselves. That goes for all of you. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a veteran or just a rookie¡ªyou do something funny, I¡¯ll see to your punishment myself. Got it?¡± ¡°B-Boss . . .¡± No doubt the reprimand came as a shock. The man sat back down with slumped shoulders. ¡°Thank you, adviser,¡± Mace said. ¡°That was most helpful.¡± Gard clicked his tongue. ¡°Gard is right,¡± Mace continued. ¡°This is not the time for internal strife. With that in mind, I shall disregard any inappropriate statements which have been made thus far. Remember¡ªthe Stock Company has been reborn!¡± ¡°. . . Yes, Mr. Prez.¡± ¡°Our current goal is to strengthen our position in the West District. Gather more men. Work toward larger profits whenever you can. You need to understand that while strength might serve you well against a single enemy, it¡¯s not going to keep you alive in this godforsaken world. Wits, however, will. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± ¡°Dismissed!¡± All who were present bowed at Mace¡¯s command. Stella clapped her hands softly in approval. Mace was starting to look the part, perhaps thanks to the difficult experiences he¡¯d been through recently. It made Stella proud to see her minions grow up. Stella, Mace, and Gard stood in the empty meeting room. ¡°You did pretty well back there, Mace,¡± Stella said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mace hesitated, then said, ¡°Would you like me to address you more politely in the future? I could change that right now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You can talk to me as you always have. As president, you have an image to maintain. If you start showing deference to a child, no one will take you seriously. For now, you should focus on getting your bearings in your new position.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Stella said, then turned to Gard. ¡°If you have something to say, say it. Go ahead.¡± ¡°I got nothing to say. I died that day. I don¡¯t care what happens anymore. Just leave me be.¡± ¡°You make an interesting case, but playing with corpses is simply not one of my hobbies. Look at me, Gard. Look at me.¡± Stella grabbed Gard by the chin and wrenched his head to face her. Fear was in his eyes. He was trembling. This grown man was terrified of a child. It was quite amusing, considering his former reputation for violence. ¡°W-What do you want?¡± he stammered. ¡°I-I never disobeyed any of your orders!¡± ¡°I know. But I want more than that. I have no use for someone who¡¯s only capable of doing what they¡¯re told. If you don¡¯t quit moping around, I¡¯m going to castrate you and throw you in a ditch. So keep that in mind.¡± Stella raised the corner of her mouth. The threat was quite effective. Gard shrieked, covering his crotch with his hands. ¡°What¡¯s your next move going to be, Stella?¡± Mace asked. ¡°Establishing the new status quo? I could make the necessary arrangements.¡± ¡°Have the Company¡¯s men ready for battle. Those people in the South District can¡¯t be controlled; they¡¯ll only get in our way. Maybe we can plan a joint assault with the Orson Family.¡± The South District was a cesspool of drug addicts. Getting rid of them would be essential for Stella¡¯s plan to clean up the city. She had a few options¡ªshe could bide her time for an assault, or maybe support one of the local factions. Or heck, even burn the whole place down to ashes and rebuild it anew. ¡°Greggs won¡¯t allow us to create such a disturbance,¡± Mace said. ¡°If we become too threatening to ignore, he¡¯ll crush us.¡± ¡°Then convince him to get on board with the plan. It shouldn¡¯t be too hard; the South District is a liability. Do act carefully, though. Step by step, no rush.¡± Mace pushed up his glasses, then nodded. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. In any case, Greggs will soon find himself in a difficult position. And when he does, Mace, you¡¯ll have a choice to make.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t hold the middle ground forever. He¡¯ll pick a side eventually, and that¡¯s when he¡¯ll be at his most vulnerable. You can take over this town, Mace. Doesn¡¯t it sound exciting?¡± According to Varrell and Typica, the war between the Astral Church and the Khorshid Empire was nearing its boiling point. Very soon, Greggs would be forced to pick a side. And when he did, Mace could pick the other one and use its support to overthrow the Georgia Family, ultimately seizing power for himself. Just like Greggs had done to his predecessor. ¡°M-Me, taking over Peasbury?¡± Mace said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very realistic.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s more realistic than you think. Though whether it¡¯ll happen or not is entirely up to you. If you¡¯re satisfied with being the ruler of the West District, then you can keep licking Greggs¡¯s boots. But remember, there¡¯s a risk there too. If you stay too loyal to him and he happens to bet on the wrong side, you two will go down together. I recommend you take your own advice here and use your head.¡± Stella smiled faintly. Power. It meant standing above others, which made you easier to see¡ªbut also easier to target. Maintaining a position of power was no easy task. For these reasons, Stella had turned down Mace¡¯s offer of vice presidency. Things could go south at any moment, and she wanted to have an easy way out when they did. ¡°C-Can I really make such an important decision? Me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting pale, Mace. Don¡¯t worry¡ªyou can always ask me, your consultant, for advice. I¡¯m also your master. I won¡¯t deny you help if you ask for it.¡± Stella gently tapped Mace on the shoulder. Hesitantly, he nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, of course. I¡¯m counting on you, Stella. It¡¯s thanks to you that I am who I am today.¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°That goes both ways. It¡¯s thanks to you that I¡¯m able to earn a living. And if there¡¯s one thing I hate more than stagnation, it¡¯s meaningless turmoil.¡± Stella parted with Mace and made her lonely way out of the Company¡¯s headquarters. She didn¡¯t draw much attention; as far as these people were concerned, she was the Company¡¯s sorcerer. It wasn¡¯t unheard of for sorcerers to be as young as she was. Still, a few eyebrows were raised at the way she carried herself with such superiority. Once outside, Stella was greeted by Beck and a group of men she¡¯d never seen before. He smugly snapped his fingers, and they formed a human corridor for Stella to walk through. ¡°I hope you had a good meeting, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Thanks, Beck. By the way, who are all these people?¡± Their stupid little eyes were watching her. It was quite unpleasant. ¡°Extra guards, ma¡¯am. As per Mr. Mace¡¯s orders. And I¡¯m their leader! I guess you can call them ¡®Beck¡¯s Regiment¡¯ or something.¡± Beck grinned, scratching his head. ¡°B-Beck¡¯s Regiment, you say?¡± ¡°Yeah. You know, like Gard¡¯s Regiment, but Beck¡¯s. Look at them, so well-equipped and well-armed. Don¡¯t they inspire confidence? I¡¯m making them work on the crops while we train. They¡¯re turning out all right, if I do say so myself!¡± Beck¡¯s subordinates. Twenty Beck clones. Beck was Stella¡¯s property. By extension, so were they. Twenty-one Becks. Stella¡¯s head swam. Beck, Beck Two, and Beck Three ran up to help her with worried expressions. ¡°A-Are you all right?!¡± ¡°Someone call a doctor!¡± ¡°She needs medicine, you idiot! Someone go get medicine!¡± ¡°Medicine, gotcha! But what medicine?¡± ¡°Heck if I know, dumbass! Just get all of them! One of them¡¯s gotta work!¡± If I listen to these idiots for one more second, I¡¯ll die. Massaging her temples, Stella regained her feet. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she forced herself to say. ¡°I just glimpsed into my own future, and what I saw was shocking. But I¡¯m fine. Totally fine.¡± Stella tried her best to keep Beck and his regiment outside her field of view. He doesn¡¯t mean to recruit more, does he? Dread consumed her. A thousand Becks, hunkering down every day in front of the store. Merely imagining it was physically painful. She needed to have a serious conversation with Mace about this. ¡°Are you sure? I can give you a piggyback ride home!¡± ¡°I would very much appreciate it if you would not do that,¡± Stella said. ¡°Anyway, Beck, if these men are under your command, make sure you educate them properly. As their leader, you¡¯re responsible for their mistakes. Never forget that.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am! Of course!¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get going, then. But don¡¯t walk too close to me. I can¡¯t stand the sight of¡ª I mean, the heat. I can¡¯t stand the heat.¡± Beck nodded eagerly, then turned to his men and yelled, ¡°You heard her, boys! Our mistress is heading home! Spread out and form a safety circle!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± ¡°Is that the best you got? I can¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± Maybe this squad of his wasn¡¯t so bad. Each man was an extra meat shield or errand boy she could use, and they¡¯d get their wages from the Company. But Beck was acting quite cocky for someone who had never been in command. Depending on how things went, Stella might have to put him in his place again. Otherwise he might get carried away and do something stupid at the most inopportune time, as he tended to do. Beck approached Stella. ¡°Uhm, ma¡¯am. May I ask you something?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What¡¯re you gonna do next?¡± ¡°Your question is too vague. And I hate talking about myself. Didn¡¯t I mention it?¡± ¡°P-Pardon, ma¡¯am! I was just wondering about, uh . . . what you¡¯re gonna do now.¡± ¡°You just said the exact same thing with different words. You never change, do you, Beck?¡± ¡°T-Thanks, ma¡¯am,¡± Beck said, grinning like an idiot. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a compliment.¡± Stella sighed, but this had been an amusing exchange, so she decided to entertain his question. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll keep working on training my body and magic abilities. I¡¯ll keep collecting any humans I find interesting. I¡¯ll renovate the store, including the living quarters, and improve its defenses. I also want to visit nearby villages and watch the people there as they go about their daily lives. Other than that, if Marie¡¯s restaurant turns out to be a success, I¡¯ll consider opening branch stores in nearby towns. Oh, and I want my own crop field. A real one, not something small like the one we have in the backyard.¡± Stella wanted to be self-sufficient. With a reliable food source at hand, she¡¯d be able to overcome most problems life could throw at her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, is that really necessary? You have money, so can¡¯t you just buy food?¡± ¡°Well, but what if there¡¯s no food to buy? You should really use your head sometimes.¡± ¡°Ohhh! That makes a lot of sense, actually!¡± Did he really get it or is he just agreeing loudly for effect? ¡°As for my longer-term goals, I want to maintain stability in the West District and put an end to the chaos of the South District before it becomes a problem. If Mace rises to power, it¡¯ll facilitate my plans. I wonder if he can actually do it.¡± ¡°Mr. Mace, rising to power? But how?¡± ¡°Figure it out yourself.¡± Taking Stella¡¯s dismissive reply to heart, Beck crossed his arms, creased his brow, and started to think. His men followed suit. Stella kept her distance. Their stupid might be contagious. The problem is, will Mace dare to depose Greggs and take his place? I have a feeling he won¡¯t. Mace lacked a leader¡¯s charisma, but he was a good negotiator and knew how to turn a profit. If he wouldn¡¯t take Greggs¡¯s place, maybe Stella could put him there. He might fail, in which case the Company would be in shambles, but then Stella could put someone else in his place and let the Orson Family deal with restoring it. She could even fake Mace¡¯s death and hide him for a while. Stella wanted to keep to the shadows as much as possible. Becoming vice president of the Company would allow her to act more freely, but it would also be dangerous. She would not die with a knife to her back if she could help it. That was why she wanted capable bodyguards like Varrell and Typica. Apollo would eventually replace his father as head of the Orson Family. He was an idiot, and judging from his constant advances, he probably had a thing for Stella. She would never pick him as the father of her future child, but it might be worth keeping him as a friend. His face was funny. Apollo had been acting much more confident since recent events. He really was an idiot, but unlike Mace, his personality was oddly magnetic. That was probably why his father hadn¡¯t disowned him yet. Apollo peed himself in public and only got a few bruises for it. Does his father believe in his potential, or is he just overly fond of his son? ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll be busier than ever now, so value your time accordingly,¡± Stella said. ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll do the best I can.¡± ¡°Know that the world doesn¡¯t stop and wait while you¡¯re wasting time. Pay close attention to what¡¯s happening in this continent. If we don¡¯t have any knowledge of which places will become dangerous when, we¡¯re not going to survive this war. That¡¯s why it¡¯s important to trade information with other merchants. Should worst come to worst, we need to be ready to leave town at a moment¡¯s notice. That means we need supplies hidden in secure locations, an escape route, and a place to lay low and hide¡ªand we need to make these arrangements as soon as possible. If you learn anything important, report to me immediately.¡± There were many, many things to do. Besides, Stella had herself and her minions to worry about. She wouldn¡¯t settle for collecting them and letting them gather dust. Life never stopped still. They would grow for as long as they lived, and Stella would accompany that process until the day she was dead. As for what would happen after, she didn¡¯t care. That was a problem for the next generation. Action, action, nonstop action. Then death. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! You¡¯re so smart, though. Me, I¡¯m too dumb to think that far ahead.¡± Stella glared at him. ¡°You give up too easily. That¡¯s why you¡¯re such a Beck. If you can¡¯t think that far ahead, figure out how to do so. If you need knowledge, find someone who can give it to you. If you realize that you¡¯re dumb, work every day to change that. I have better things to do than listen to the idle complaints of lazy scum.¡± Beck groaned sheepishly. ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying, but . . .¡± ¡°If you get it, then do something. You¡¯re now in charge of a sorry group of twenty men. Twenty lives, riding on your every decision. One misjudgment is all it takes. You can¡¯t afford to be an idiot anymore, Beck. Being in charge means being responsible for those under your charge. If you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing, you better ask someone for pointers as soon as possible. Now, did you get what I just said or do I need to nail it into your head?¡± Stella grabbed the flustered Beck by the front of his shirt. With her low physical strength, it was mostly a symbolic gesture, but paired with a death stare, it had the desired effect. Beck nodded desperately with tears in his eyes. ¡°I-I understand! Ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Do you know why I care about the affairs of this town and this continent?¡± Stella continued without releasing him. ¡°Because while disaster may strike at any moment, I can try to predict it and take precautions. I won¡¯t always be right¡ªbut doing something is better than doing nothing at all.¡± ¡°But, ma¡¯am, are things really that bad . . . ?¡± ¡°This town is currently under an illusion of stability. It¡¯s a house of cards just waiting to collapse. Look outside and you¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°A-An illusion?¡± ¡°I want to die old, and to always have someplace safe to call home. And since I want these things, I¡¯ll make them happen. When I die, I don¡¯t want to regret a thing. Do you?¡± ¡°N-No, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Then grow up. You¡¯re a human, just like me, so I¡¯m sure it¡¯s possible. I work hard every day. Can you blame me for expecting at least some of the same from you?¡± Stella released Beck¡¯s shirt, her throat parched from talking more than she was used to. She didn¡¯t wait for an answer, but immediately turned around and resumed walking. If my words make a difference, it¡¯ll have been worth it, Stella thought, but she doubted they would. People rarely changed. Rarely, but not never. Maybe she could count on the unlikely for a change. Humans were supposed to have hopes and dreams¡ªor so she¡¯d heard. Beck pumped his fists into the air. ¡°All right, men! Starting tomorrow, we¡¯re gonna work our asses raw! Let¡¯s show our mistress what we¡¯re made of!¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± It was just like Beck to start tomorrow instead of today. Well, if humans could change that easily, life would be a lot simpler. CH 27 April 18, 2023 Lately, to make things easier for Marie, Stella had been having breakfast in the restaurant before opening hours. Rye and Typica were sitting across from Stella. Marie was right next to her. Varrell and Beck talked over their food at the next table over. The twenty men of Beck¡¯s squad were also here; they attacked their food eagerly. They were thugs, but disciplined thugs. Beck was clearly trying his best to be a good leader. The new employees, Sally and the two boys, sat at a distant table. Judging from the way they threw furtive glances at Stella, they were still not comfortable in this new environment. ¡°The way they¡¯re looking at me,¡± Stella said, ¡°you¡¯d think I¡¯m some wild animal.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just scared,¡± Rye said. ¡°Scared of what? I didn¡¯t do anything scary.¡± ¡°Really? Then it must have been your face.¡± ¡°Rude. That¡¯s not something I can fix, you know. Not that I¡¯d want to if I could.¡± Stella stabbed a piece of beef with her fork and brought it to her mouth. Today¡¯s breakfast consisted of beef cut into strips, vegetable soup, roasted corn, steamed potatoes, and bread. This is too much to start the day with, Stella thought bitterly. ¡°Oh, Rye, your plate is almost empty. Poor thing.¡± ¡°What? No it¡¯s not,¡± Rye said, confused. Then she grinned. ¡°I was the one who asked if we could have meat for breakfast, you know. Lots of meat in the morning, to grow big and strong!¡± Stella sighed. So this is your fault. ¡°Clever, what about you?¡± ¡®Keke! I¡¯m full to burstin¡¯, eh! Can barely fit anything in my bird¡¯s stomach!¡¯ ¡°Typica, then? You train with your swords every day. Your body needs extra nourishment, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Oh, Stella, you shouldn¡¯t be picky,¡± Typica said. ¡°Come, now, eat your food. If you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll regret it in the afterlife!¡± Talk about blowing it out of proportion. Stella shouldn¡¯t be surprised, she supposed. This was Typica, after all. ¡°I¡¯m not being picky,¡± Stella said. ¡°This is just too much to eat for breakfast.¡± Eating meat was necessary for gaining weight. But it was so painful. If Stella could, she would eat only vegetables. I¡¯ll have them prepare a separate breakfast for me starting tomorrow. Meat once a day was enough. ¡°Forgive me, Miss Stella. It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t eat everything.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it. It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll kill me.¡± With one eye closed, Stella attacked her plate, digging her teeth into the meat. Its juices mixed with the bile coming up her throat. She chewed her food diligently before washing it down with water. Next were the vegetables. Soup. Meat. More meat. Even more meat. ¡°A-Are you crying?¡± Rye said. ¡°I¡¯m fine. This is for the sake of longevity. I can¡¯t afford to shun foods I don¡¯t like to eat. Well, not that I don¡¯t like them¡ªI¡¯d just rather not eat them if I could.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same thing?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s completely different.¡± As Stella pushed through her ordeal, the two boys silently approached with forks in hand and extracted some of the meat from her plate. ¡°What¡ª¡± Typica frowned. ¡°Have you no manners?!¡± ¡°S-Sorry . . .¡± ¡°I just wanted to help . . .¡± ¡°I like people who are capable of critical thinking and making their own decisions,¡± Stella said, suddenly in a better mood. ¡°What are your names?¡± Had it been Beck in their place, he would have shared the meat on his plate with Stella (and earned a beating for it). These boys had done the opposite. They had potential. Rye and Typica stared at Stella in disbelief. ¡°Wha¡ª You don¡¯t know their names?!¡± ¡°Unbelievable . . .¡± ¡°I wanted to ask them directly,¡± Stella said. ¡°It¡¯s way more fun that way.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think fun has anything to do with it,¡± Rye said. ¡°Hello. My name is Tony.¡± ¡°Uhm, hello. My name is Bram. I¡¯m ten.¡± ¡°Ah! And I¡¯m nine.¡± The boys¡ªTony and Bram¡ªstill looked nervous. Despite being former slaves, they knew how to sound polite. They would probably help Marie more than hinder her. ¡°My name is Stella. I¡¯m your master. As I believe you already know, your work here will not go unpaid. That means I expect you to do a good job. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Good. You two have a bright future ahead of you. As a reward, you can have all the meat left on my plate.¡± ¡°Thank you, Stella, ma¡¯am!¡± They took Stella¡¯s plate gratefully and returned to their seats. Grinning with satisfaction, Stella reached for her glass of water. She was finally done. ¡°Why¡¯re you so pleased with yourself?! All you did was get some kids to eat your leftovers!¡± Rye said. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Rye. This is the satisfaction of having properly nourished myself and also learned that I can use these children. Their kind is so nicely pliable.¡± ¡°Their kind? You¡¯re a child too!¡± ¡°I have no words for this,¡± Typica said, sighing. ¡°You can say anything you want, as far as I¡¯m concerned. Marie, the food was excellent, as always.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Stella. Uhm, may I have a minute of your time? I want to introduce you to Sally.¡± Marie beckoned the girl over. The black-haired, freckled girl stepped up with some hesitation. Stella waited for Sally to say something. Precious seconds went by. Stella¡¯s frown became more and more impatient. ¡°U-Uhm . . . I, uh . . .¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Sally. Miss Stella is not going to hurt you. The boys said hello, didn¡¯t they? Just do the same.¡± ¡°A-All right. H-Hello. M-My name is S-Sally. I-I am at your service.¡± ¡°My name is Stella. I have high expectations for your work here.¡± Sally smiled. ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± Stella kept her calm despite the girl¡¯s annoying stammering. Not all people were the same. This girl seemed to have been through some difficult things in life that made it harder for her to trust others. Better to let her speak in her own time. ¡°Oh, I just had the best idea!¡± Typica exclaimed. ¡°Loud.¡± Stella grimaced. ¡°This is a large household now. We should celebrate with a party on the next Rest Day!¡± ¡°A party?¡± ¡°Yes, a party! I¡¯d like to get to know all of you better. Also, I¡¯d like all of you to get to know me better. And the best way to do both is by having fun together!¡± ¡®Nice idea, eh? You got some brains under that weird ¡¯air, eh! Color me impressed!¡¯ Typica snorted triumphantly as she fiddled with one of her twin tails. ¡°You have quite the discerning eye, bird. Go on, praise me more!¡± A party? Why not. ¡°What do the rest of you think?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a great idea,¡± Marie said. ¡°Sally and the kids will have an easier time working here if they get to know everyone first.¡± ¡°All right, then,¡± Stella said. ¡°But if we¡¯re doing it, I want a feast for the occasion. I¡¯ll cover all costs. It doesn¡¯t hurt to have some fun every now and then.¡± ¡°Oh, I wanna help!¡± Rye said, raising her hand. ¡°As do I, of course,¡± Typica said, raising hers. ¡°It was my idea, after all!¡± ¡°Everyone is so excited,¡± Marie said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll have to put my skills to the test!¡± As the girls giggled with excitement, Beck hesitantly approached Stella. ¡°Uhm, ma¡¯am,¡± he whispered into her ear. ¡°My men want to come to the party. You think you could allow them to?¡± ¡°All right, but make sure they can control themselves. Anyone who goes too wild will be punished¡ªyou included, of course.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am! Thank you!¡± Beck grinned. Then he turned to his men, pumped his fist in the air, and yelled, ¡°We¡¯re coming to the party, boys!¡± They received him with cries of joy. Morale was high in Beck¡¯s squad, even if they lacked the skills to back it up. Maybe I should ask Varrell to beat them into shape. Typica was right, though; this had become a large household. Stella, Clever, Rye, Marie, Typica and Sally and the two boys, Varrell, Beck, and the twenty men under his command. Glenn¡¯s General Store wasn¡¯t large enough for so many. Beck¡¯s men were living in the houses across the street. One day, I could own every house on Rolbury Street, Stella mused. It was a desolate little street¡ªperhaps, as far as she could tell, even completely abandoned. Stella returned from her post-breakfast exercise routine to find the restaurant bustling and the store silent as a grave. Well, that was to be expected; the tears of falling stars were being sold at the restaurant now. Rye, who¡¯d been watching the store, stared at Stella with an awkward expression as she came in. With no customers to attend to, the girl had been working on her decorations. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Rye said. ¡°Good morning,¡± someone else said. Stella glanced at the someone, then turned back to Rye. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You look like you just ate something terrible.¡± ¡°Come on, she¡¯s right there! You can¡¯t just look the other way and pretend she doesn¡¯t exist!¡± Reluctantly, Stella turned to face the mysterious guest. The woman looked to be in her early thirties, and she wore a robe embroidered with an extravagant cross shaped like a star. The outfit marked her as a member of the Astral Church; her heavy makeup, however, seemed to say otherwise. She was smiling. ¡°Good morning, Miss Stella. I am Mellow, one of God¡¯s humble servants in this town. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡± ¡°Likewise, Sister Mellow. This is a surprise. What brings a sister to my poor abode?¡± Stella tried to sound polite. Provoking the Church would not be wise, for various reasons. ¡°You see, I have two matters to discuss with you. The first one concerns your parents.¡± ¡°My parents?¡± ¡°The Church has conducted their funeral and burial, as requested by the vermin¡ªapologies, I believe his name was Beck¡ªon your behalf. However, he seems to have forgotten something important.¡± The offering, of course. Stella had been too busy to worry about that. In fact, she didn¡¯t even know where her parents were buried, and she wouldn¡¯t visit the grave if she did. Those lifeless husks weren¡¯t her parents anymore. ¡°Of course. I beg your pardon for my negligence, Sister Mellow. Rye, go get the payment.¡± ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need to rush,¡± Mellow said, chuckling softly. Ugh. I don¡¯t want to deal with her. Stella smothered her complaints with a business smile. Smile fought smile in the quiet room. Stella tried to imagine what this wonderful scene would look like from the outside. ¡°I hear business has been going well,¡± Mellow said. ¡°You¡¯re a talented young lady. Your parents would have been proud.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°That said, there is one issue. Your flavored water . . . what was it called again?¡± ¡°The tears of falling stars?¡± ¡°Oh yes, that was the name,¡± Mellow said with a wince. ¡°Utterly blasphemous. How dare you use the name of the holy stars in this manner? Oh God almighty!¡± Mellow fell to her knees, head held in her hands. Stella felt tempted to kick her, but managed to restrain herself thanks to a pointed look from Rye. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± ¡°Where to even start? By naming it so, you¡¯ve all but declared war against the Astral Church. I could denounce you as a heretic on the spot.¡± Dramatically, with a stern expression, Mellow stood up and pointed a finger at Stella. ¡°As head of the Peasbury branch of the Astral Church, I, Sister Mellow, demand that you either change the name of your product or stop selling it altogether.¡± Stella could change the name, but that would harm the product¡¯s popularity. It would be a major annoyance to do the marketing all over again. Stella fell to her knees, covered her face with her hands, and started wailing like a child. It was an act, of course¡ªa pointedly dramatic one. ¡°Please, Miss Stella, don¡¯t cry. What¡¯s happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worthless. I don¡¯t deserve the Astral God¡¯s mercy, but I wanted to at least know what it feels like, so I chose that name. I meant no disrespect!¡± ¡°Is that so? Well, I¡¯m sure He will understand that your intentions were pure. To keep the name unchanged, however, certain people will have to be persuaded. I would love to help, but . . .¡± ¡°Sister Mellow, I beg you. Rye, what are you waiting for? We need to prove our faith in God. Hurry up.¡± Stella showed a number to Rye with her fingers. After some hesitation, the girl opened the safe and withdrew the specified amount. It wasn¡¯t cheap, but getting the Astral Church¡¯s approval would be well worth the investment. This was a win-win situation: Mellow would get a bribe, and Stella would be allowed to sell her product unimpeded. ¡°Please, Sister Mellow, take this. I hope you can offer me assistance.¡± ¡°Ah, how generous of you! When I saw your tears of distress, my eyes nearly welled up as well. You¡¯re a faithful servant of the Astral God, and He knows it. I¡¯ll notify headquarters. You needn¡¯t worry yourself with this matter anymore.¡± Mellow took Stella¡¯s hand in hers, and their smiles crossed. Stella¡¯s eyes and cheeks were unmarked by tears. There had been none to begin with. ¡°Come visit the church whenever you like,¡± Mellow said. ¡°I have a feeling we¡¯re going to get along splendidly.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Mellow. I¡¯ll take you up on that offer someday.¡± Mellow chuckled and left. Stella waved at her and smiled until she disappeared through the door. Well, time for my magic training, Stella thought, stretching. She was about to leave for the back room when¡ª ¡°Nuh-uh, you¡¯re not leaving yet! I have questions! Can I ask some questions?!¡± ¡ªa desperate Rye blocked her way. That was funny, so Stella agreed to listen. ¡°What the heck just happened? Why did you start crying out of nowhere? What was that about? And who¡¯s that sister anyway? None of it makes any sense!¡± ¡°Long story short, she came to extort me, but she couldn¡¯t be too obvious about it. So I gave her a hand. I didn¡¯t expect her to play along so nicely. That was fun.¡± Stella was in a great mood. When she first saw Mellow, she¡¯d wanted the woman gone, but overall, it had been a good experience. This was how grown-ups interacted in the real world. ¡°A sister, going around extorting people? Aren¡¯t they supposed to act in the name of faith?¡± ¡°Faith won¡¯t fill anyone¡¯s stomach. You see, the more money she earns for the Church in the form of offerings and donations, the easier it¡¯ll be for her to move up in the clergy. Generally speaking, I mean. I don¡¯t know the specifics.¡± ¡°But the faith . . .¡± Rye held her head in her hands. ¡°What is faith, if not the use of God¡¯s name and teachings to selfish ends? Well, if it gives anyone purpose in life, I suppose that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°By the way, did you actually cry or were you faking it?¡± ¡°I was faking it, obviously. It was hard to keep myself from laughing. If I¡¯d looked at you, I¡¯d have probably failed.¡± Stella chuckled. It had been really difficult to keep it in. More than she¡¯d expected. ¡®Well done, Master! Yer quite the actress, eh!¡¯ ¡°Oh, were you watching?¡± ¡®Not cool, eh! It¡¯s for yer sake I kept my mouth shut! Thought the Church wouldn¡¯t appreciate a talkin¡¯ bird, eh!¡¯ ¡°That was very considerate of you.¡± ¡®Keke! I¡¯ll ¡¯ave you know I¡¯m a paragon of consideration, eh!¡¯ ¡°If you say so.¡± ¡°What the heck . . .¡± Rye said, tearing at her short blond hair. ¡°This isn¡¯t how things are supposed to be! It isn¡¯t!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so bothered by it, why don¡¯t you start a religion? You¡¯ll get to create your own god.¡± Rye could pick her divinity of choice, be it a god, a goddess, or a demon, and create her own teachings to match. Then all she¡¯d need was to build an impressive church, put a few religious murals and sculptures here and there, and act the part. For the rest of her life, of course. It sounded like hard work, but those who did it probably enjoyed it. Stella had done that before, a long, long time ago. The whole thing had been ridiculous, but her companion, seeing it as a duty, had been dead serious about it. At least until a certain girl went and resolved the issue, removing the need for intervention. ¡°. . . I¡¯ll pass,¡± Rye said. ¡°That¡¯d probably cause all sorts of problems.¡± Stella nodded deeply. ¡°Wise choice.¡± CH 28 April 18, 2023 ¡°Miss Stella,¡± Marie said, ¡°There¡¯s a letter from Mr. Mace.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see to it. Thank you.¡± Stella took the letter from the Company¡¯s messenger. Before opening it, a sip of coffee. Then a sigh. ¡®Stop sighing and open it already, eh!¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s the rush? It¡¯s still going to be the same letter whether I read it now or in a few seconds.¡± Still, Stella opened the envelope and took out the letter. It was a status report of the Company¡¯s activities. ¡°Mace is actually thinking things through. That¡¯s what I like to see.¡± ¡®What about me, eh? I¡¯m getting jealous!¡¯ ¡°Oh, I like to see you too, Clever,¡± Stella said, chuckling. ¡®Yipee!¡¯ Stella softly stroked Clever¡¯s plumes, eliciting an expression of pure bliss. She skimmed the letter again. ¡°With the continent in turmoil and everything in a constant state of uncertainty, taking over the town would be a reckless move,¡± Mace had written. His current plan was to wait for Greggs to pick a side and capitalize on that. It would happen soon. ¡°Not bad,¡± Stella said. She looked up at the messenger. ¡°Tell your president that the consultant approves, and that I wish him good luck.¡± The messenger nodded curtly and hurried on his way without a word. He was probably aware that Stella was, to all intents and purposes, Mace¡¯s boss. You¡¯ve done a good job training your underlings, Mace. ¡°Clever, tell me,¡± Stella said. ¡°Is this a time of peace? Or is it the calm before the storm?¡± ¡®Keke! ¡¯Ow would I know, eh? All I know is there¡¯s nothing better than peace!¡¯ Clever started chirping. The world would never truly know peace, and Clever probably knew that. Humans were unable to live without conflict. It was a catalyst for the development of technologies to make life easier and better. Those technologies created wealth, which in turn sparked new conflict. It was a beautifully crafted cycle. ¡°You¡¯re right on that count,¡± Stella said, smiling at Clever. He smiled back. As they sat there, Typica suddenly burst into the living room. ¡°Stop plotting with the evil bird and listen!¡± ¡®Evil?! That¡¯s not very nice, eh! I¡¯m technically a Sacred Beast!¡¯ Typica snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to believe that nonsense just because you can speak. If you¡¯re so sacred, then why don¡¯t you do something for the good of society? . . . Wait, no, I¡¯m getting sidetracked. Stella, why have you not gone jogging today?¡± ¡°It was raining too hard this morning. Getting soaked would be a pretty stupid use of my time.¡± ¡°It was, but not anymore.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late to go now. I¡¯d have less time to dedicate to my magic training. Which is my priority, really.¡± ¡°Never mind all that. Let¡¯s go outside. I want to jog with you.¡± ¡°Were you listening? I said¡ª¡± ¡°Go on, get ready! I¡¯ll be waiting outside, in the fresh air!¡± Why had she bothered to frame it as an invitation if she would drag Stella out either way? That was funny¡ªbut what a willful girl. Stella considered saying no, and images of Typica stamping her feet flashed in her brain. Sighing, she nodded instead. She suspected the girl wasn¡¯t going to let up until she got her way. And that, though a funny prospect, would have gotten in the way of Stella¡¯s training. ¡°I¡¯ll go change, then,¡± Stella said. ¡°Wait for me. I won¡¯t be long.¡± ¡°Thank you. To tell you the truth, I just want us to have some time to talk.¡± ¡°Sure, but can¡¯t we do that here? Why do we need to go jogging?¡± ¡°I love the musky smell of fresh rain, and I like to watch as the dark clouds dissolve into the sky. We need to talk outside!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pretty simple girl, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I hear that often! Just please don¡¯t call me a boar, because I hate that!¡± Well, Typica was just like a boar. A charging demon with golden tails. Poor Varrell, Stella thought. I can¡¯t imagine what it must have been like to be hunted by this relentless beast. It was a miracle he¡¯d made it to this town. Or was it? He was quite skilled with that sword of his. Maybe trouble had thought twice before standing in his way. Stella had long since started jogging as well as walking in the mornings. It had added an extra layer of difficulty to her daily exercise, increasing the demand on her body and allowing her to become stronger more effectively. She¡¯d lightly jog to the little river where she¡¯d gone fishing with Rye, rest on its bank, then jog back for as much of the way as she could manage. The round trip was about an hour. This might not be impressive, but for Stella it was a huge progress. When she¡¯d started out, she could barely walk for a few minutes without losing her breath. Today, Stella jogged side by side with Typica. As Typica was technically on bodyguard duty, she had her light armor on and her swords at her sides. The gear didn¡¯t seem to weigh her down at all¡ªfar from it. Casually humming a melody, she drew her swords from time to time to do practice swings on the move. She also told stories of her travels, but Stella was having trouble focusing on those. Not because they weren¡¯t interesting¡ªthey were¡ªbut because there seemed to be no end to them. I¡¯m getting fatigued faster than usual. They¡¯d picked up the pace without her realizing it. The return trip would be difficult. Stella tried to slacken the pace, but Typica moved behind her back, essentially pushing her forward. ¡°I can¡¯t . . . go . . . this fast!¡± Stella said in between gasps for air. ¡°Nonsense,¡± Typica said. ¡°When you think you¡¯re at your limit, you push it one step further! That¡¯s what I was taught!¡± ¡°Well . . . I . . . wasn¡¯t!¡± ¡°It¡¯s never too late to learn! Come on! We¡¯re almost there!¡± Stella could ignore Typica and slow down to a walk, but she didn¡¯t. Why? There was no logical reason. It would have simply been frustrating. Clenching her teeth, Stella exerted every muscle in her body. She was going to regret this. The return trip would be a nightmare, and the extreme fatigue would make it hard to concentrate on her magic training. Well, all things considered, at least this was a nice change of pace. ¡°You did splendidly,¡± Typica said. ¡°You¡¯re much tougher than you look. I was sure you¡¯d be crying halfway through, but you¡¯ve impressed me!¡± ¡°Thanks . . . a lot.¡± Stella lay on her back beside the river, breathing with her whole body. Typica wiped the sweat off her brow and took a swig of water from the wooden canteen on her belt. She offered it to Stella, who quaffed it greedily. The water was tepid and stale, but she desperately needed it. ¡°You surprise me every day, Stella,¡± Typica said. ¡°You¡¯re so mature for your age.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only ten, yet you somehow manage to keep everyone together. That¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m their master. It¡¯s my duty.¡± ¡°Duty or not, it¡¯s not something just anyone can do. I¡¯m saying it, therefore it¡¯s true! You¡¯re doing a great job!¡± What¡¯s gotten into her? In any case, one thing was certain: Stella was being praised. ¡°I appreciate the compliment,¡± she said. ¡°Anyway, didn¡¯t you have something you wanted to talk about?¡± ¡°Yes. I was wondering why my brother, whose only concern is training in swordsmanship, is working for a child. It must be one of the seven wonders of the world, because I wonder about it so much that I can¡¯t sleep at night.¡± What did that even mean? First of all, Typica¡¯s claim that she couldn¡¯t sleep at night was an outright lie. She slept like a log every night, snoring so loudly that Stella was planning to eventually exile her to the restaurant. For the moment, however, she stayed as a guard. Something else also nagged at Stella. What were these seven wonders of the world, and what were the other six supposed to be? This seemed like a topic that would take hours to fully unravel, though, so she decided not to ask. ¡°Do you want to know it that badly?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I do! This knowledge may allow me to strike that odious man where it hurts the most.¡± So Typica wanted revenge. Well, she would be disappointed. Stella snapped her fingers, summoning Clever. He always watched over Stella from high above while they were outside, even when she was with Varrell. He was her ally, and he would never betray her, no matter what. Clever soared down, and Stella snatched her Magic Crystal from his claws. She showed it to Typica. ¡°This is probably the reason.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my Magic Crystal. Oh my, what¡¯s wrong with your face? You¡¯re scaring me.¡± ¡°That . . . it¡¯s an amalgamation of evil¡ª No, it¡¯s blight itself in crystal form!¡± ¡°I take it you don¡¯t like it very much.¡± ¡°Could it be the Starsphere Dima was talking about? But why does it still exist?! It was supposed to have been destroyed . . .¡± Typica took a step backward. Good instincts. I suppose she¡¯s more than just a wild boar. ¡°Your brother is really interested in this thing,¡± Stella said. ¡°And working for me was the perfect excuse to keep a close eye on it.¡± ¡°. . . I see.¡± Stella grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what his goals are, but I can¡¯t wait to find out.¡± What would Varrell decide to do, in the end? Stella¡¯s grin turned into a soft chuckle. The Magic Crystal is unbreakable. If he wants to destroy it, well, I might let him try. ¡°So you¡¯re not willing to part with it?¡± Typica asked. ¡°I¡¯m not. Who would part with their own memories? This is as much me as I am.¡± ¡°Even so, it¡¯s something that no human should possess. No¡ªit shouldn¡¯t even exist. Do you understand that?¡± ¡°No matter what you or anyone else says, this is mine. It took a long time, and many sacrifices, for us to create these fragments. Rest assured, though¡ªI promise to destroy it when I die. I believe that¡¯s my responsibility. As a human.¡± Typica didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Well, suit yourself,¡± Stella said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to believe me.¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± Typica said. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll do the same as my brother and remain with you. I¡¯ll watch over that crystal until your death!¡± Stella was baffled. What makes her think she¡¯ll outlive me? ¡°Not to rain on your parade, but that¡¯s going to be fifty years from now. I doubt you¡¯ll live that long.¡± In response, Typica puffed out her chest. ¡°Never worry, for I shall live to be a hundred!¡± Wow. This girl¡¯s brain really is something else. Stella¡¯s many questions aside, it would seem Typica was willing to stay with her for a while longer. Witless though she may be, she could at least work as a guard. And with her so close by, Varrell should refrain from making any risky moves. ¡°By the way, have you ever seen something that looks like my crystal?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it, but I¡¯ve heard about it from my younger brother.¡± ¡°You have a younger brother?¡± ¡°His name is Dima. He¡¯s a member of the Astral Church who¡¯s married into a noble family, and he and his wife are currently ruling over their lands like a happy couple. A runt with a glib tongue, that¡¯s what he is. It¡¯s infuriating. How dare that cheeky midget get married before I do!¡± By the end of her last sentence, Typica was shrieking. Just like that, her misgivings were completely forgotten. Stella couldn¡¯t tell if that meant she was stupid or merely quick to move on. Probably stupid. Typica had a brother in the Astral Church, then. Good to know. Talking to people is great, Stella thought. You learn all kinds of new things. Typica probably had more useful information. Getting it out of her, however, would entail no small amount of dealing with her difficult personality. Stella sighed. ¡°I wonder why I¡¯m so tired.¡± ¡°Incidentally, Stella,¡± Typica said. ¡°My swords aren¡¯t any redder now than they were before. Would you care to explain? This is not what you promised!¡± Typica was already talking about something else. And she¡¯d forgotten an important detail. ¡°I can turn them red right now if you really want me to,¡± Stella said. ¡°As I think I¡¯ve told you, though, it takes a while for the color to become permanent. Unless you let your swords sit there for a while, it¡¯ll come off easily.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I do remember something of the sort. I¡¯ll be patient, then.¡± After a pause, Typica added, ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but won¡¯t exposing my swords to your crystal imbue them with some sort of malign curse?¡± Had it taken her this long to notice? ¡°Well, obviously,¡± Stella said. ¡°If you haven¡¯t noticed, Varrell¡¯s sword is also cursed. To the point, in fact, that it would probably drive lesser men insane.¡± ¡°What . . . ?¡± ¡°You had no idea what you were asking for? You never cease to amaze, do you?¡± Stella curled her lips into a smirk as Typica screamed out an indignant retort. Then, lying back down, she looked up at the sky. The weather had finally cleared up, rain clouds having been dispersed by the wind and given way to the sun with its sweltering light. Stella went outside practically every day these days, but her pale skin stalwartly refused to sport a tan. The day she would stop being called a corpse was still a long way to come. CH 29 May 11, 2023 When Stella returned to the store from her morning exercise, Rye was waiting for her with the same troubled expression as the day before. I¡¯m too spent for this, Stella thought. She pretended to be a customer in an attempt to slip past the new guest unnoticed, but unfortunately, he caught her in the act. ¡°Good morning, Lady Stella,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re the owner of this establishment, I believe?¡± ¡°Owner? Who, me? Sorry, you have the wrong person.¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t,¡± Varrell said, grabbing Stella by the shoulder before she could leave. ¡°Come on, Stella. Rye did all she could to stall him until you came back. Now it¡¯s up to you.¡± ¡°And why didn¡¯t you help her?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m an adult, and my interference here would have made things worse. I¡¯m supposed to stand and watch, like a good bodyguard.¡± He folded his arms indifferently. His sword was the only part of him that was useful, apparently. ¡°Where¡¯s Typica?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I sent her out to do some shopping. This is a tight enough knot as it is.¡± ¡°You gain some points for that, at least.¡± If Typica were here, she could have easily doubled the amount of effort necessary to resolve this issue. ¡°All right. Good luck.¡± ¡°Good morning,¡± Stella said to the mysterious guest, who stood in the same spot as before and with the same placid smile. ¡°How may I help you?¡± He was wearing a brown cloak and hood. Stella could see nothing but his smile¡ªhis friendly, yet unapproachable, smile. Stella would have taken him for an assassin from one of the other gangs, but Varrell¡¯s silence implied he was not an immediate threat, and Stella couldn¡¯t see any indication that he was armed. He looked to be in his thirties, but it was hard to tell. ¡°I just came into town, you see,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡¯d be remiss if I didn¡¯t introduce myself to the locals.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t have an important conversation covered in sweat. You wouldn¡¯t mind if I changed first, would you?¡± ¡°Not at all. I stopped by your restaurant before I came here and bought a glass of tears of falling stars. It¡¯ll keep me company while I wait.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± In her room, Stella wiped herself down and put on her usual purple cloak. The hat she left behind. On her way back to the store, she splashed her face with water. ¡°I apologize for making you wait. I¡¯m Stella Nordus, the owner of Glenn¡¯s General Store and of the restaurant next door.¡± ¡°You run two businesses? Impressive. This continent is full of hard-working people like you. I wish the same could be said about my own country.¡± Yes, I get it. You¡¯re not from around here. He must be a Liberican. They were currently present in great numbers in the southeastern region of Mundo Novo. ¡°So, did you come all the way across the ocean to talk to a child?¡± Stella smirked. ¡°You must have been really bored.¡± ¡°I have a greater purpose, of course. I come bearing the light of the Sun to shine upon this land of blood and gore. I wish to disseminate the teachings of my god.¡± He reached into his cloak and fetched a shiny sun necklace. ¡°A noble goal, to be sure.¡± Was he a missionary of sorts? ¡°I¡¯m glad you see it that way. It¡¯s a dangerous job that I take very seriously. To tell you the truth, I shouldn¡¯t be dallying, but . . .¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided that meeting you would be a worthwhile use of my time. You¡¯re the one pulling the strings behind the Stock Company. I cannot fathom how, but that¡¯s no small feat.¡± Varrell immediately grabbed the hilt of his sword. Stella raised a hand to stop him. This was the good part; the fun was just getting started. ¡°Me? Please. This must be a misunderstanding, Mr. Missionary-From-Across-the-Sea. Or is it Mr. Spy-From-Across-the-Sea?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m no spy,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°You were correct the first time. My duty is to promote a deeper understanding between our peoples. Ah¡ªbut I haven¡¯t introduced myself, have I?¡± He ungloved a hand and offered it to Stella. ¡°I¡¯m Sebor, a missionary of the Sun God. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡± Stella took it. ¡°The Astral Church would have us believe that the Sun God is a demon worshipped by inhuman heathens. If that is the case, you¡¯re quite the mannerly inhuman heathen.¡± Sebor sniffed. ¡°The Church labels us as heretics, yet it is guilty of the very things which it condemns. The wretched fools.¡± ¡°Now, would you mind telling me where you got that idea about me and the Company? I think you¡¯ll agree that I¡¯m not impressive enough to be a criminal mastermind.¡± Sebor laughed. ¡°Please, Lady Stella. I¡¯m not making guesses; I know it for a fact. I¡¯m here to meet with the leaders of this town, to prepare the ground for the harvest to come. I¡¯ve already met with His Excellency Mr. Greggs, Mr. Banias in the East District, and Mr. Rocco in the South District.¡± When he said that, Sebor¡¯s face twitched almost imperceptibly. His negotiations probably weren¡¯t going as planned. That didn¡¯t necessarily mean he was incompetent; the people of this town¡ªleaders included¡ªwere tough nuts to crack. ¡°That must have been rough,¡± Stella said. ¡°Please, no need to pity me. In any case, where were we? I went to meet Mr. Mace next, but he was very . . . indecisive.¡± ¡°Indecisive?¡± ¡°He acted strangely for the duration of the meeting, as though he were being watched. I could not reconcile him with the man who had supposedly killed his own father and destroyed an enemy faction all in the same night. Intrigued by this, I decided to investigate the matter¡ªit¡¯s a habit of mine. You can imagine how perplexed I was to learn that a minor general store owned by an infant girl was regularly visited by Company messengers. I became immediately suspicious, of course.¡± ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I understand.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s what I think,¡± Sebor said, leaning in. ¡°You have some kind of leverage on Mr. Mace¡ªa secret he doesn¡¯t want out, or perhaps some other way to make him bow to your will. He¡¯s just a puppet on a string; you¡¯re the reason the Stock Company has been making rapid progress lately. Am I wrong?¡± Stella put her left hand behind her back as naturally as she could and gave Clever a sign to stand by. All she needed to do was make a fist, and Sebor would die. ¡°What happens if I say you¡¯re right?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Nothing, really. I¡¯m just preparing the ground, remember? Still, puppets are not worth my time. I must talk with the leaders, make them see the value of my gospel. If only that weren¡¯t so difficult.¡± With a friendly smile, Sebor drew back his hood, revealing a strange tattoo on the back of his shaved head. A mark of his faith, perhaps? Stella didn¡¯t know much about the religion of the Sun God, but she¡¯d heard of a certain related relic that had once been used to conquer an entire continent. ¡°For the sake of argument, let¡¯s say I believe you,¡± Stella said. ¡°Would I be of any use to you?¡± ¡°Of course you would,¡± Sebor said. ¡°Once we¡¯ve inevitably conquered this land, it must fall under Imperial law, and its people must accept the teachings of the Sun God. This could be achieved much more effectively if you and the others were to assist. I understand that this city is in a somewhat special position, which is why I¡¯m taking all the necessary precautions.¡± Rumors claimed that the Khorshid Empire was mobilizing its forces to invade the rest of the continent. If spies and operatives like Sebor were already on the move, those rumors would suddenly become a lot more believable. Sebor might be lying. This might all be just a veiled threat. It was an effective one regardless. The lands formerly controlled by the Dollbucks Confederation lay outside the Astral Church¡¯s sphere of influence, meaning that few of the locals would have shunned the Empire for purely religious reasons. With faith out of the way, all that mattered were personal interests¡ªand, as it turned out, many were eager to surrender. The principal reason the Imperial Expedition had been so successful in establishing a base of operations in Verdant was because the local landowners had rushed to take its side. That was clear to Stella after hearing what Varrell and Mace had to say on the matter. ¡°I understand,¡± Stella said, ¡°but I¡¯ll need some time to consider. Keep in mind that I wouldn¡¯t be able to support you openly, since this town is ostensibly controlled by the Astral Church. You know it has a branch here, right?¡± ¡°I do. My request stands.¡± Sebor looked straight into Stella¡¯s eyes in what looked like an attempt at intimidation. Stella simply smiled and said, ¡°Hey, there¡¯s no rush. I¡¯ll let you in on something: I currently believe in no gods. How¡¯s that for an answer?¡± ¡°Yes. Yes, that is quite enough for now.¡± Sebor paused, stroking his chin. ¡°I¡¯ve talked with every one of your leaders, but you, Lady Stella, are by far the most intriguing. A resolute young girl such as yourself? You show a lot of promise.¡± He offered his hand again. The left one. Seen right through me, have you? Stella showed him a toothy grin as she took it with her own left hand. ¡°Now, at the risk of sounding overbearing, I have a friendly word of advice for you before we part.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Next time the Empire attacks, it¡¯ll deploy elite troops¡ªtroops that have proven their mettle against fiends. Whatever you do, do not resist. They cannot be reasoned with; fighting is everything they know.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Once the negotiations are finished, it may come to bloodshed,¡± Sebor said. Then, in a kind tone, he added, ¡°Should that happen, please leave town immediately. You¡¯re too young to die.¡± I suppose that¡¯s his way of showing concern where none is due. Humans liked to do that sometimes. It was fascinating. ¡°Thank you for the advice,¡± Stella said. ¡°You¡¯re a good man, Sebor.¡± ¡°What kind of missionary would I be,¡± Sebor said, ¡°if I didn¡¯t practice the mercy that I preach?¡± Then he bowed and took his leave. After Sebor had left, Varrell walked up to Stella and said, ¡°I could sense at least ten people hiding outside. And trust me, that ¡®missionary¡¯ is a trained soldier. I know the type.¡± ¡°I thought as much,¡± Stella said. ¡°His hand had the calluses of a swordsman. That was probably why he wanted me to shake his hand in the first place. One of the reasons, anyway.¡± ¡°Why did he come, though? You think he was telling the truth?¡± ¡°It makes sense that he would want to meet me. The Empire must have heard about my elixir. If they¡¯re planning to take over the drug trade in this town, they¡¯ll probably want it too.¡± Stella doubted the Empire would legalize drugs¡ªat least openly¡ªbut Sebor¡¯s visit suggested it wouldn¡¯t ignore the potential of the trade either. There were indirect ways to profit from it, like designating specific merchants and landowners to conduct the business in secret. Human politics was a white veil covering a dark truth. Rulers obtained power through corruption and used it to force their views upon others, ultimately creating their own perfect world. This wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad system¡ªquite the opposite, in fact, if the ruler in question knew what he was doing. Religion was an excellent tool to brainwash the masses, creating a paradise where everyone had the same opinion on everything. (Or most people, at least, but the exceptions were labeled ¡°heretics¡± and executed.) Would that be a happy world? It didn¡¯t matter, because it was not a world Stella would ever want to live in. The Astral Church wasn¡¯t that extreme in its views, fortunately, but things could change. ¡°War and politics, huh,¡± Stella said. ¡°The kind of things I¡¯d enjoy watching from a distance, but up close and personal? Not so much. I can smell death coming our way.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too. So, what are you going to do? Sorry, but Typica and I¡ª¡± Stella interrupted him with a chuckle. ¡°You two have a brother in the Astral Church, right? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to get you involved. I want nothing to do with this mess. I mean, do I look like I can fight? No. Just keep me safe, as always.¡± Just because Stella could cast a few spells didn¡¯t mean she could hold her own on a battlefield. She¡¯d be killed in a matter of minutes. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Varrell said. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t help imagining you standing at the head of an army, laying waste across the land.¡± He looked at Stella as if she were the devil king. ¡°Your jokes keep getting better. You think I could survive the march with this body? With these noodle legs?¡± ¡°. . . Yeah, good point. Sorry, forget I said anything.¡± ¡°Anyway, they know who I am now, but that makes me valuable, which is a good thing. It means I probably won¡¯t get stabbed in my sleep by an Imperial assassin. Let¡¯s enjoy this while it lasts.¡± Varrell frowned. ¡°Things are not looking up, are they?¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re not,¡± Stella said. ¡°We need to stay out of this. I was too focused on my immediate surroundings, and lost sight of the big picture. Now we don¡¯t have much time. Bother.¡± Well, better that than having no time at all. She would just have to use it wisely. Rye was just standing with her mouth open, so Stella asked her for a cup of coffee. ¡°If you need help on how to make it, ask Marie,¡± she added. ¡°Do you think another war is brewing?¡± Varrell asked. ¡°Definitely,¡± Stella said. ¡°But this town could be spared if Greggs makes the right move. This time he¡¯ll need to rely on something other than his infinite charisma and disposable income. And if he doesn¡¯t actually do something, this town is doomed. I¡¯d love to see him negotiate his way out of this one.¡± Greggs¡¯s choices were limited. He could declare his full support for the Astral Church, request reinforcements, and hold back against the Empire. The problem with that option was that the Astral Church¡¯s army was spread too thin across too many fronts, and Peasbury¡ªas far as Stella could tell¡ªwas a minor town with little strategic value. His pleas might be ignored. Then it would be a matter of time until those elite troops Sebor mentioned arrived and razed the town to the ground. Alternatively, Greggs could turn his back on the Church and declare for the Khorshid Empire. The Imperial Army would probably leave this town alone and march further east. By handing Peasbury over to the Empire, however, Greggs would be branded a heretic, which would make him a target for the inquisitors and their many assassins. He would never sleep soundly again¡ªand his fate would be tied to the success of the Imperial campaign. And then there was the third choice. To stay on the fence, begging the Church for reinforcements while keeping the friendly act with the Empire, and to submit to the firstcomer. He could probably come up with a million excuses when pressed for an explanation, which might be enough to keep his head on his shoulders, but any officer with half a brain would see the truth and strip him of his land and titles. Stella believed that Greggs was already cornered. What would he do about it? Well, she would see soon enough. ¡°And that about sums it up,¡± Stella said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it exciting? His choice is going to affect so many lives. That¡¯s one of the greatest privileges of being a ruler, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have listened,¡± Typica said. ¡°How can you see this crisis as entertainment?!¡± ¡°Back already? Weren¡¯t you out shopping?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go once you answer my question!¡± It would appear Typica had only pretended to leave and listened in on the whole thing, disrespecting her master¡¯s privacy for her own selfish ends. Suddenly, Stella liked her a lot more. ¡°I suppose I enjoy seeing people as they really are,¡± Stella said. ¡°When you corner them, they reveal their truth. And whatever it might be, pretty or ugly, pristine white or smudged with dark spots, it is the truth, and it is precious. I¡¯m really curious what Greggs¡¯s truth is.¡± After a laugh of heartfelt joy, Stella took a sip from the cup of coffee Rye had made for her, and immediately choked on it. ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± Rye asked. Stella clutched her own throat, trying to keep herself from wheezing. ¡°W-What is this, poison? Are you trying to kill me?¡± It was unbelievably powdery¡ªit felt as if there was actually sand or something in it. Stella¡¯s throat was raspy. A new sensation she could have done without. Rye looked at her, confusion plain on her face. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s just coffee.¡± ¡°How much powder did you use?¡± ¡°You said you like it strong, so I just used all of it.¡± ¡°Have you ever made coffee before?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯ve seen other people do it. I added my own personal flair. I was gonna bother Marie, but then I thought better. It¡¯s the midday rush hour right now.¡± ¡°I see. Yes, I absolutely understand.¡± Stella turned to Varrell, her facial muscles twitching. ¡°Varrell, go tell Marie to make me a cup of coffee immediately. This is urgent.¡± ¡°S-Sure. Got it.¡± Rye looked at Stella in disbelief. ¡°What about the one I made you?!¡± ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, Rye,¡± Stella said. ¡°So much so that I think you deserve a taste of your own creation. Come on, don¡¯t be shy.¡± Stella forcefully poured the liquid down the girl¡¯s throat. Rye¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she started gagging. ¡°Agh! Stop¡ª You¡¯re getting it all over my face! There¡¯s . . . powder in my mouth!¡± ¡°We¡¯re bonding. Marvelous. You¡¯re such a good friend, Rye. We¡¯re one and the same, you and I; our friendship will last the test of ages.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you back for this!¡± No, Stella thought, this is me getting back at you. No need to say this out loud, though. Not when Rye had given her such an amusing show. ¡°This is serious, you two!¡± Typica said. ¡°Behave yourselves!¡± ¡°You¡¯re one to talk,¡± Varrell said under his breath. No one paid him any mind. Stella shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s up to Greggs to decide. If he makes the right choice, good. If he doesn¡¯t, we have the perfect scapegoat.¡± ¡°So this is what they mean by the burden of power . . .¡± Typica said pensively. Stella snorted. ¡°It¡¯s called responsibility. One should only rule over others if one is willing to pay the price. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± Then she grabbed the new cup of coffee Varrell had brought her and sipped. Rich flavor. Sharp bitterness. Strong¡ªbut not too strong. Perfect. CH 30 May 26, 2023 Stella headed home with Varrell and Typica after her dinner with Greggs. ¡°That was terrifying,¡± Varrell said. ¡°That¡¯s not how you treat someone of his rank.¡± ¡°I was being honest with him, which was exactly what he wanted. I had a good time, anyway.¡± ¡°You spoiled the meal for everyone,¡± Typica said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice the hateful stares of Mr. Greggs¡¯s men?¡± ¡°That did put me in quite a good mood. I knew they wouldn¡¯t actually do anything. Their real job is to make their master look important.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Varrell said. ¡°Enough with the disguises, witch. Reveal yourself!¡± Stella laughed. He sounded so serious. ¡°This is me. I really am just a skinny little girl. Anyway, Varrell, would you carry me the rest of the way? I¡¯m tired.¡± Varrell frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Right back at you. Are you embarrassed of picking me up in front of your sister?¡± ¡°As you wish, Master,¡± Varrell said, sighing. Then he knelt and¡ªcareful not to wrinkle her dress¡ªhoisted her onto his shoulder. ¡°Happy?¡± ¡°Quite.¡± Typica stared at the two of them, blushing furiously. Naturally, Stella immediately decided to pick on her. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°W-What¡ª No! B-Brother, you should be ashamed of yourself! It is not proper to force yourself onto a young lady like this!¡± Varrell sighed. ¡°What makes you think that¡¯s what¡¯s happening here? Were you even listening to the conversation?¡± ¡°Silence! I¡¯ll have no more of your excuses!¡± Typica kicked Varrell in the butt repeatedly. She wasn¡¯t actually trying to hurt him, but the shock waves were powerful enough to reach Stella on her perch. ¡°I love watching your sibling bickering. It¡¯s endlessly entertaining.¡± ¡°More like endlessly tiring,¡± Varrell said. ¡°For you, maybe. But your feelings are irrelevant.¡± ¡°Spoken like a real witch.¡± ¡°You think so?¡± Stella grinned innocently. After arriving at the store, Stella summoned Beck, who¡ªannoyingly¡ªbounded to her feet like an abandoned puppy. ¡°Did you need something, ma¡¯am?!¡± he yelled at the top of his lungs. ¡°This is not a battlefield, and we¡¯re not enemies. Why are you shouting me down?¡± ¡°S-Sorry. I was trying to show enthusiasm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, but there are better ways to go about it. Think on that.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± he yelled again. Stella inwardly sighed as her shoulders slumped with the weight of her own wasted words. Though she would have liked to give Beck a more practical lesson, she unfortunately lacked the proper tools. Stella added ¡°buy a whip¡± to her mental to-do list. ¡°Anyway, I need to ask you something, and I want the most complete answer you can give me.¡± ¡°Of course! Anything, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Are there any information brokers in this town? Or if not, something similar?¡± Beck hesitated. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I wouldn¡¯t rely on them if I were you, though. Those people have no idea what they¡¯re doing.¡± For Beck to be saying that, they might not even know which way the sun rises. But Stella had no alternative. She didn¡¯t know any spies that she could trust. ¡°Go and tell them I¡¯m paying for information on Greggs¡¯s movements. I¡¯ll decide if whatever they uncover is worth buying. I need to know which side he¡¯s going to pick.¡± Greggs was doomed no matter what he did, but Stella would need to know his choice in order to act accordingly. When Greggs had asked Stella¡¯s opinion, she¡¯d refused to endorse either side for fear that the restaurant was being watched. She didn¡¯t want the opposing side to find out and mark her as an enemy. Better that they focus on Greggs for the time being. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Is that all you want to know?¡± ¡°Tell Mace to keep me updated on the situation in Verdant. A trading company like his must have plenty of contacts among the local merchants that he can use.¡± Beck scratched his head. ¡°Verdant? Why?¡± Answering felt like a waste of time, but maybe Beck would learn something from it. Praying that his mind would prove more fertile than the average desert, Stella invoked the patience of a saint and said, ¡°Have you heard the rumors? They say the Empire has bolstered its numbers and is getting ready to move.¡± ¡°Yeah. Everyone¡¯s talking about it.¡± ¡°And where is the main body of the Imperial army currently stationed? Reinforcements arrive from the mainland by ship, right?¡± ¡°Well, that would be¡ª¡± He froze with realization. ¡°The province of Verdant!¡± ¡°Exactly. Was that so hard? From now on, think about your questions before asking them. If you don¡¯t use your head, you¡¯re no better than a beast acting on instinct.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am. You¡¯re completely right.¡± Beck looked dejected. Knowing him, though, he¡¯d be fine the next day. ¡°Don¡¯t make the same mistake again. There will be consequences.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± he said, straightening his back and saluting. Inspired by Gard, Beck had recently taken to playing squad leader. His men, however, were little more than greenhorns trying to act tough. Varrell was trying to fix that, but according to him, no significant progress had yet been made. Well, that was only natural. No man could become a soldier overnight. Stella decided to change the subject. ¡°You¡¯ve been working on our backyard and on that plot of land we got from the Company, right? How are the crops coming along?¡± ¡°They¡¯re growing well, ma¡¯am! We should have our first harvest by autumn.¡± Beck grinned. He looked more confident than usual. ¡°You look like you actually know what you¡¯re talking about for once,¡± Stella said. ¡°I used to help my old man around the fields. You can say I know a thing or two about farming.¡± Embarrassed, he scratched the bridge of his nose. ¡°Do you, now?¡± ¡°A lot of my men come from a similar background, so things are going pretty smoothly. It¡¯s kind of strange, you know. I ran away from home because I used to hate this kind of work.¡± ¡°What about now?¡± ¡°It stopped feeling as bad once I realized I was growing my own food. But more than anything, I aim to please you, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Of course you do. Well, that¡¯s nice.¡± This was an important step in Beck¡¯s journey of personal growth. He¡¯d finally internalized the old adage that ¡°he who does not work shall not eat,¡± essentially earning his right to food. Stella was so excited that she almost started clapping. But no, she mustn¡¯t. He¡¯d only get cocky and ruin the moment. ¡°Stella,¡± Varrell said. ¡°What do you intend to do with that information?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? If I can¡¯t rely on my body, I must rely on my head. And to make the right decisions, I need to be well informed.¡± Stella sighed. ¡°I sure wish I had a capable spy on my side.¡± ¡®What about lil¡¯ old me, eh?¡¯ ¡°You can watch people from the sky, which is great, but I¡¯d need more than that to pry into people¡¯s affairs. Don¡¯t worry, though. You¡¯ll have your moment to shine.¡± ¡®I¡¯m useless . . .¡¯ ¡°Do you think this war is inevitable?¡± Varrell asked. ¡°Probably,¡± Stella said. ¡°There is one thing, though. The Empire has made its plans to attack this town painfully clear. I wonder if there¡¯s some deeper reason behind that.¡± ¡°You think it might be a bluff?¡± ¡°Maybe. It could be a ploy to draw our attention from the real objective. Anyway, not my problem. That¡¯s for the generals and officers of the Church¡¯s army to figure out.¡± Maybe the Empire intended to attack somewhere else instead. Or maybe the intention was to make people think that way. Either way, the Astral Church had too many locations to defend, and too few soldiers to properly man the expansive front lines. The fact that it hadn¡¯t managed to isolate and obliterate the enemy despite having the advantage of the terrain meant that it was suffering a lack of troops. Stella predicted that the Empire would maintain the upper hand¡ªat least until both sides had become equally strained. ¡°You could probably become a strategist in one of those armies,¡± Varrell said after Stella had finished explaining her thoughts to him. ¡°I could tell my brother to find you a place, if you want.¡± Varrell¡¯s expression made it hard to tell if he was joking. Stella had a terrible feeling that he was not. ¡°Sounds like more trouble than it¡¯s worth,¡± Stella said. ¡°And anyway, they wouldn¡¯t take someone who doesn¡¯t believe in their god. I would like to see the Pope, though.¡± Stella longed to see the face of the man relaying the words of this so-called ¡°Astral God.¡± Given the chance, she would ask him about the Starspire and the Starsphere, those two prohibitively expensive undertakings which had ultimately come crashing to the ground. She didn¡¯t have any memories from that time, and the accounts given by history books could hardly be trusted. The Pope, though . . . he would know everything. ¡°You, meeting with the Pope?¡± Varrell said incredulously. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t last five minutes before being labeled a heretic. And I¡¯d probably get executed just for being with you.¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right, though I¡¯m not too keen on serving the Empire either. I hate being ordered around.¡± Stella hated being controlled to the same extent that she hated boredom and stagnation. She didn¡¯t revel in violence, but neither did she shy away from it when her freedom was at stake. All she wanted was a happy, eventful life on her own terms. ¡°Trust me, I can definitely tell,¡± Varrell said, nodding earnestly. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be the most unrestrained person I¡¯ve ever met.¡± ¡°Thanks, but that sounds an awful lot like you¡¯re calling me selfish.¡± ¡°U-Uhm, I, I didn¡¯t mean it like¡ª¡± ¡®No, yer right! Totally right! Master is as selfish as they come, eh!¡¯ ¡°I agree with the bird!¡± Typica said. ¡°She¡¯s the most unruly, domineering person I¡¯ve ever met!¡± Typica, you too? Stella was about to say something in her own defense when she realized that she didn¡¯t have to. ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± she asked instead. ¡°I¡¯m entitled to live my life as I see fit.¡± ¡°I mean, you are, but¡ª¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°In your case, Stella,¡± Typica said with a solemn expression, ¡°I can¡¯t help thinking that ¡®living life as you see fit¡¯ is synonymous with ¡®becoming empress of the known world within twenty years.¡¯ ¡± Stella burst into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re not serious, are you?¡± ¡°I am. You could easily coax your way into some wealthy landowner¡¯s household and slowly work your schemes from there. Eventually, you would be at the very top.¡± ¡°Things are never that simple. If that does happen, though, I promise to name you head of my honor guard. Varrell can be a minister or something. Beck, you¡¯ll be my butler.¡± ¡°R-Really?!¡± Beck exclaimed. ¡°Make me proud, oh dear Beck.¡± ¡°Y-Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± He was beaming, the poor simpleton. Stella grinned creepily at her toy. ¡°You should really stop playing with men like that,¡± Varrell said. ¡°I mean it.¡± ¡°Is that something you should say to a ten-year-old girl?¡± Stella asked. ¡°I need to say it while you¡¯re still young,¡± Varrell said with a knowing expression. ¡°Who knows how many victims you¡¯ll make if you¡¯re allowed to grow up like this.¡± Clever silently nodded in agreement. Stella smirked. ¡°What? Am I not allowed to experience love?¡± ¡®Master, experiencing love? Fat chance of that, eh, unless yer partner is the King of the Underworld. Bet you¡¯d ¡¯oneymoon in the apocalypse¡ª Gah!¡¯ Clever suddenly passed out frothing at the mouth. Maybe he¡¯d been dabbling in drugs while Stella wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°If I ever saw you talking about love, I¡¯d assume you were sick,¡± Varrell said. ¡°I can picture you boasting about all the men you¡¯ve led to ruin, though. Which is terrifying.¡± He shivered. ¡°Are you always this rude?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve only just noticed?¡± Typica said. ¡°Brother has been rude for as long as I can remember.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to be the two people least qualified to call me rude,¡± Varrell said, then poured himself a glass of drink and downed it in one go. Tomorrow was finally Rest Day. This one would be not only a much-needed respite from the havoc of daily life but also the date of the first party to be thrown at Glenn¡¯s General Store. An opportunity to get to know people more intimately? Count me in. I¡¯ve never been so excited about an event before. Stella¡¯s heart fluttered in anticipation as she talked to Typica about tomorrow¡¯s party. Shortly after, Rye, Marie, and Sally entered, and Varrell and Beck were driven out. Apparently, a ¡°girls¡¯ meeting¡± was taking place. Stella didn¡¯t quite get it, but she gave her approval anyway. CH 31 ¡°Why do I have to show up at the party dressed like this?¡± Stella asked. ¡°Because everyone wants to see it!¡± Rye said. ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t just buy a new outfit and only wear it once.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Stella was at the restaurant, surrounded by everyone. She was in the same white chemise dress she¡¯d worn for her dinner with Greggs. Prettily embroidered and with weird frilly things on the skirt, it had been purchased and retailored at Typica¡¯s suggestion. Only Typica and Varrell had seen her in it, which was why Rye was being so insistent¡ªbut if Stella was being honest, she didn¡¯t appreciate being treated as a dress-up doll. ¡°It looks really pretty on you, Miss Stella,¡± Marie said. ¡°Of course it does,¡± Typica said with a smug grin. ¡°I picked it for her, after all. If only she¡¯d also wear the cute hat and accessories we bought. Why must you be so stubborn, Stella?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need those,¡± Stella said. Typica shoved a finger at her. ¡°See? Stubborn. Girls like you should care more about dressing up and looking pretty.¡± Typica wasn¡¯t fond of listening to people. Ignoring her was far more effective than trying to reason with her. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can work on that,¡± Stella said dismissively. ¡°Man, I remember wearing those,¡± Rye said. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty, isn¡¯t it? Hard to move in, though.¡± Typica started. ¡°You¡¯ve worn dresses before? Are you nobility?¡± ¡°What? I, uhm¡ª No, of course not! Haha. I misspoke. I¡¯ve never seen a dress in my life!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! Stella, I need your authority to drag the truth out of her!¡± ¡°Maybe another time.¡± Stella already knew that Rye was probably of high birth, but pressing her in her current state would hardly yield any straight answers. It would be a waste of time. And Stella hated wasting time. She plopped into a chair. The restaurant¡¯s tables were arranged in a circle at the center of the room, laden with the best dishes Marie could prepare: ribs, stew, fish meuni¨¨re, meat buns. There were many options, and they included each guest¡¯s favorite dishes. Stella requested some fruit salad. Nutritious and easy to eat. ¡°I¡¯m not anyone¡¯s master today,¡± Stella announced to the gathered guests. ¡°You may act freely, as long as your actions don¡¯t harm the store or my own person.¡± ¡°Ha! Ain¡¯t no one gonna do that! Right, Beck?¡± ¡°Of course! Me and the boys will keep an eye out for troublemakers!¡± And who¡¯s going to keep an eye out for you? Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to let them have a little fun, Stella supposed. ¡°Drink on, men,¡± Varrell said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay sober to keep you lot in line.¡± ¡°Varrell, my man! You¡¯d do that for us?¡± ¡°I strive to be battle-ready at all times, so I wasn¡¯t going to drink anyway. I will have one glass, though.¡± Beck grinned as he poured Varrell a drink. ¡°Here you go. Enjoy!¡± It would appear that, contrary to Stella¡¯s expectations, Beck and Varrell had grown quite tight during their time training together. And a good thing, too. ¡°All right, Stella, you¡¯re the boss. It only makes sense for you to give the toast. Hit us with your best speech!¡± Stella remained seated as she snatched a glass of juice off the table, murmured a barely audible ¡°Cheers,¡± and emptied it in one go. ¡°That was fast!¡± Rye said. ¡®Too fast, eh!¡¯ ¡°Oh, but I am not surprised,¡± Typica said with a stifled chuckle. Varrell frowned. ¡°Better that than a long speech, but come on. You didn¡¯t even try.¡± Stella heard more indiscreet comments as each guest cheered and drank, then filled his or her plate and started eating. Apparently, this was what was called a ¡°buffet-style meal.¡± ¡°Look, look,¡± Rye said, grinning, ¡°I got you some ribs! Love me some ribs. Something about eating meat right off the bone just feels different, you know?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for that,¡± Stella said. ¡°Ah, ma¡¯am! Here, try these smoked lamb sausages. Isn¡¯t the scent wonderful? They¡¯re pretty good!¡± ¡°I helped prepare them!¡± ¡°Did you, now? Nice work, but I don¡¯t want¡ª¡± Before Stella could finish her sentence, three portions of ribs and five sausages avalanched onto her plate, burying the leafy greens she¡¯d just put there. Marie passed by carrying two large plates. ¡°Ah, Miss Stella, I almost forgot! I made some apple pie¡ªsince you wanted to eat it¡ªand some potato pie too. I hope it¡¯s to your liking.¡± She cut a big slice of each and put it on Stella¡¯s plate. Stella was speechless. She hadn¡¯t asked for any of this, and yet the food pile on her plate grew taller by the second. Humans were spontaneous creatures, and Stella loved them for it, but sometimes their actions defied all logic. ¡°. . . These look good,¡± Stella said. ¡°Of course they do,¡± Rye said. ¡°We made it all together! Right, guys?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± the two boys exclaimed. Sally giggled as she watched them. Stella felt she was being treated like a child. For once, though, she didn¡¯t mind. She was not anyone¡¯s master today. Varrell chuckled. ¡°Look at you, the center of attention.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just making fun of me. Like I¡¯m their cute little doll.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say that. The kids don¡¯t know how to approach you. You¡¯re similar ages, but you¡¯re always acting the adult.¡± ¡°Is that a compliment?¡± ¡°Of course. But would it kill you to pretend you¡¯re a kid like them for a day?¡± ¡°You want me to act like that?¡± Stella pointed over her shoulder to where Typica and Rye were fighting over some ribs, each biting into one end of the meat. There was enough for everyone, but apparently that was the best cut. Just look at them, getting sauce all over their mouths like toddlers. Idiots. ¡°Well, my sister is embarrassing me again,¡± Varrell said. ¡°Can you believe she¡¯s over twenty years old? Terrifying, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Absolutely terrifying.¡± ¡®Scary stuff, eh?¡¯ ¡°And no one wants to marry her. Sad, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Very sad.¡± ¡®Pretty sad, eh?¡¯ Stella stuffed a sausage into her mouth and another one into Clever¡¯s. A pungent aroma immediately stung her nostrils. It permeated the gravy, bringing out the richness of the meat. Not bad. Stella broke a piece of bread, dipped it in soup, and tossed it in her mouth. Quite good. ¡°I see you¡¯ve found your appetite,¡± Varrell said. ¡°Some of it, at least. Not as much as they did, though.¡± Stella pointed at the men of Beck¡¯s Regiment, drunk on alcohol mixed with tears of falling stars and gobbling up their food. Though this sort of behavior would be unacceptable during opening hours, none of the guests seemed to mind, so Stella decided to allow it. ¡®Beck sure ¡¯as gotten cheeky, eh? Becks like ¡¯im should know their place!¡¯ Clever glided over to taunt him in person. Beck¡¯s cocky attitude had probably gotten on his nerves. That bird could be really touchy sometimes. Unlike Stella. Suddenly, the restaurant¡¯s door was flung open and an idiot with flashy hair entered. Apollo, heir of the Orson Family. He was accompanied by two attendants, each carrying multiple paper bags and bottles of drink. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen of Glenn¡¯s General Store! I, the great Apollo, grace your party with my presence¡ªand I bring foods and drinks!¡± ¡°Apollo, sir!¡± Beck exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you could make it!¡± Of course it was you who invited him. Beck was incapable of keeping his mouth shut. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t miss this for the world,¡± Apollo said. ¡°Now that the Stock Company and my family are officially allies, this city¡¯s stability relies on our friendship.¡± He waved toward the door. ¡°What¡¯re you fools waiting for? Come on in!¡± As it turned out, Apollo had brought more than two attendants. In the blink of an eye, eighteen more people had tramped in and were settling among Beck¡¯s men to partake in their revelry. At least they¡¯d brought their own drinks. Wondering if she should kick them out anyway, Stella shot Marie an inquisitive glance. The older woman simply nodded with a calm smile. This restaurant was Marie¡¯s jurisdiction; if she was fine with this, then so was Stella. Stella decided to forget about the new arrivals and focus on her meal. It wasn¡¯t long before she was interrupted. ¡°Hey there,¡± Apollo said. ¡°Good evening, Apollo,¡± Stella said. ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re wearing? Nobody told me about a dress code.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no dress code. They¡¯re just having fun at my expense.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Apollo scratched his head. ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve worn something flashier.¡± ¡°Are you saying this looks bad on me?¡± ¡°What? No. The color almost blends with your skin tone. Terrifying, really.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing wrong with it. I really don¡¯t care if you¡¯re afraid, after all.¡± Chuckling softly, Stella poured Apollo a drink. She would be a good host today. Apollo looked at her with a funny startled expression, then said, ¡°Sorry, I should¡¯ve told you I was coming. But I figured you¡¯d have turned me down.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s . . . sincere. Anyway, I¡¯m here to say thank you. For giving me a chance to prove my worth.¡± Stella closed one eye as she tried to remember what he was talking about. The extermination of the Palpud Union? That had indeed boosted Apollo¡¯s reputation, but Stella had used him like a pawn. He didn¡¯t owe her anything. ¡°No need to thank me,¡± Stella said. ¡°All I did was set the stage. You and the other actors did all the work.¡± ¡°Still, that¡¯s more than anyone¡¯s ever done for me. My old man hoards all the work and all the merit. After that day, though, he was forced to recognize my abilities. Ha! You should¡¯ve seen the look on his face.¡± Apollo took a long swig from his cup, then swiped some ribs off Stella¡¯s plate and started wolfing them down. ¡°This might be the wrong time,¡± Stella said, ¡°but have you heard the news from outside? Things are finally coming to a head.¡± ¡°Yeah. My old man is on edge. Keeps yelling that he¡¯ll leave town if Greggs doesn¡¯t make up his mind soon.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a free word of advice. Don¡¯t do anything yet. Let things play out, gather as much information as you can. Wait before you make a move.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell him. I mean, with that dress and that cold piercing look, I¡¯d do anything you ask, really.¡± ¡°The future looks promising for us, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Promising?¡± Apollo chuckled. ¡°Maybe for you. I shudder to think what¡¯ll become of me after spending a few decades around you.¡± Though Apollo and Stella were friends, the friends of today could be the enemies of tomorrow. Well, no point thinking about that now. There was a more pressing matter at hand. ¡°Go easy on me, all right?¡± Stella said. ¡°That¡¯s my line. You don¡¯t drink, right? Here, have some juice. It¡¯s boring, but better than nothing.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Stella accepted the offer without giving it much thought. Sometimes humans just ¡°went with the flow,¡± apparently. Varrell had lectured her at length about it. And just as Stella thought of him, Varrell approached with Typica in tow. ¡°Who¡¯s this, with the garish hair?¡± Typica asked. ¡°Stella, you must choose your acquaintances more wisely.¡± Apollo¡¯s hair was dyed red and black, colors which represented his desire to stand out from the crowd. Stella found it annoying, and struggled constantly to keep it out of her line of sight. If Apollo became one of her minions, she¡¯d shave him bald immediately. ¡°W-Who do you think I am?!¡± Apollo snapped. ¡°You stand before the heir of the¡ª¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to yell at each other, do it outside,¡± Stella said. ¡°I expect you to be in your best behavior here.¡± ¡°Uh¡ª Yeah.¡± ¡°All that anger isn¡¯t good for your health. If you want to live a longer life, try being a little more stoic. Self-control is a sign of maturity. Only petty men are ruled by their emotions. They always speak the loudest.¡± ¡°H-Huh. All right. I¡¯ll remember that.¡± Stella curled her lip. ¡°You¡¯re awfully docile today. Did something happen to the real Apollo?¡± Apollo looked away. ¡°Oh, shut up. I¡¯ve made a fool of myself in front of you so many times at this point that it hardly affects me anymore. If I can at least learn something from it, I¡¯ll take it.¡± I see. Apollo had a lot of potential, which would be an issue if they were to become enemies later down the line. People looked up to him as a leader; that sort of charisma was something you were simply born with. ¡°You have a bright future ahead of you, Apollo,¡± Stella said. ¡°I like that in a man.¡± ¡°How old were you again?¡± ¡°Ten. Did you forget already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m seventeen. . . . Man, this is unfair.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come to an interesting realization, haven¡¯t you? Care to enlighten me?¡± Apollo grimaced and, ignoring the question, started chewing on his ribs again. Typica and Varrell laughed. At the height of the party, some of the guests lay red-faced on the ground while others slumped over their tables, fast asleep. Clever was blacked out with his beak inside a glass. Apollo snored beside him; Varrell had been pouring him way too many drinks. Typica, on the other hand, looked completely fine. She even asked for another drink. The restaurant was still a lively place. The children, who weren¡¯t allowed to drink, played gleefully under the doting eyes of Beck and his men. A rare scene, unthinkable under normal circumstances. Rye approached Stella, who raised her hand wardingly. Having eaten at least three times her usual amount, she was well and truly full. ¡°You¡¯re full already? Crud. I¡¯ll save this for you, so make sure to eat it later!¡± ¡°I will. I¡¯d hate to let any resources go to waste.¡± Worst case scenario, she could always force Clever to eat it. Rye chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re so stingy, Stella. Though you did spend a lot on this party.¡± ¡°I just hate waste. And also having more things than I need.¡± ¡°Spoken like a true businesswoman.¡± Stella didn¡¯t mind paying people generously to make them more motivated. Except for Varrell and Typica, everyone in her household was technically her property. She didn¡¯t have to pay them, but they wouldn¡¯t apply themselves fully if they were working for free. Besides, it only made sense for them to get something in return for their hard work when she was profiting off of it. Why hoard all the money for herself anyway? Stella had nothing to buy, and the store¡ªfor all its shortcomings¡ªwas not about to go bankrupt. Marie could do what she wanted with the restaurant and everything else. Stella wasn¡¯t going to interfere. ¡°Speaking of businesses,¡± Stella said, ¡°ever considered opening your own? You could have a workshop in one of the houses on this street.¡± ¡°W-What? Really?¡± ¡°Sure, but you¡¯d have to convince me that you¡¯re skilled enough to make a profit. Like Marie did.¡± ¡°All right, you just wait! I¡¯m gonna show you a masterpiece!¡± Rye exclaimed. Then, meekly, she added, ¡°Uhm, you know, I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Beck, his squad, Apollo, they¡¯re all thugs, right? And thugs are the bad guys.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°But despite that, the party was pretty fun. I talked to them, and they didn¡¯t seem like bad people. Well, except for their language. I was wondering why.¡± ¡°Before I can answer that, we need to define ¡®good¡¯ and ¡®bad¡¯ people. Which will take a while. Got some free time?¡± Rye gave an awkward smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that complicated. It¡¯s just that these are the same people that pick on the weak and helpless on a daily basis. The Stock Company and the Orson Family, they extort people, right? Sometimes even kill them.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°But looking at them now, it almost feels like we could work together to make this town a better place for everyone.¡± ¡°Well, humans aren¡¯t that simple. They¡¯re multifaceted. Sometimes, those who contribute to society the most are monsters to their own families.¡± ¡°Hmm. I guess.¡± ¡°Even a paragon of virtue like me will be named a villain by those whose lives I¡¯ve ruined. It¡¯s all relative.¡± Rye raised an eyebrow. ¡°You? A paragon of virtue?¡± Stella cleared her throat. ¡°To give you a straight answer, they were friendly toward you in order to please me. I¡¯m powerful, and you¡¯re a member of my household. All friendship comes at a price.¡± ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Also, they treat the weak as they do because they don¡¯t want to end up in their place.¡± There was no middle ground in this town; either you were the perpetrator or you were the victim. ¡°. . . So it¡¯s a ¡®kill or be killed¡¯ kind of deal?¡± ¡°They know perfectly well what it¡¯s like at the bottom of society, and they don¡¯t want to be there. They have to act tough as a means of self-preservation.¡± ¡°Self-preservation, huh.¡± Stella nodded. ¡°You know what it¡¯s like too. You¡¯ve been there.¡± Rye didn¡¯t respond. She looked thoughtful. ¡°Thanks to me, though, you¡¯ve managed to crawl your way out. Don¡¯t waste that opportunity, Rye. I hit rock bottom too, once, and look at me now. There¡¯s nothing stopping you from achieving your goals.¡± Rye thought for a moment, then gave a resolute nod. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Determination. I like it. You make your master proud, Rye.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still the most determined of us all, though. Maybe that¡¯s why everyone follows your lead.¡± ¡°Thanks, but flattery will get you nowhere.¡± Rye chuckled. ¡°So stingy.¡± Stella smiled. ¡°So, like . . . do you think it¡¯s possible to make everyone happy if we all work together?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®making everyone happy¡¯? That¡¯s really vague.¡± ¡°I dunno. I guess it¡¯d be nice if people could be equal no matter how rich, poor, strong, or weak they are. I feel like there¡¯s a way, I just don¡¯t know how. I mean, just because you¡¯re rich or strong doesn¡¯t mean you can do whatever you want, right?¡± Stella didn¡¯t respond. ¡°W-What? Why¡¯d you clam up all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to have such an admirable opinion. Are you sick?¡± ¡°Rude!¡± Stella chuckled. ¡°You know, if everyone were like you, the world would be a much more peaceful place.¡± Rye pouted. ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯m naive, then?¡± ¡°It was a compliment,¡± Stella said truthfully. ¡°True equality is probably unachievable, but your ideals are commendable. But if you want to try anyway, the first step is to get a position of leadership. You¡¯ll need to secure it and silence the opposition through force of arms. It won¡¯t be easy.¡± Even if Rye were successful, that would lead to a contradiction, namely, herself¡ªthe despot who enforced her own system by systematically destroying every alternative, casting off anything that threatened the utopia and creating the greatest echo chamber in history. A world of happiness and equality, built on inequality. Was it truly a paradise? Regardless, an attempt had been made to create a false, eternal paradise like this. They dug their own graves, assigned gravekeepers to guard them, all the while longing for the promised day of awakening. It never came. They perished. The truth, which the other one refused to the bitter end to see, was that there was nothing left in those graves but dust. It was also ironic that the castaways ultimately managed to live and thrive in this world. Suddenly, some sort of interference affected Stella, making it difficult to think. Red feathers covered the places where her memories should have been. Surprised, she looked at Clever and found the bird staring at her intently. That probably meant these memories should stay buried. Stella raised her hand, and Clever went back to sleep. ¡°Unachievable, huh . . .¡± Rye said. ¡°Man, being human is kinda sad.¡± ¡°It is what it is,¡± Stella said. ¡°Anyway, stop brooding and eat some more.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯m gonna eat like there¡¯s no tomorrow! You too, Stella!¡± ¡°I¡¯m full. How many times do I need to tell you?¡± ¡°Come on, just eat!¡± Some people were egotistical, slaves to their own greed and emotions. Others were like Rye. Humans were varied; that was why they were so interesting.