"It's been a whole day. The Stocksons aren't home yet?"

"The child's father promised him to call."

"Well, I think we found the first suspect, Portman."

"It's not news. His mother had already told us to go to him. ”

"Why didn't you mention him to the Director?"

"I don't want to preemptively ruin his life, if it turns out that he has nothing to do with it. The director is very concerned about this matter. In any case, we should not be idle. I'm going to school. You should go back to his mother and ask to see Blake's computer for more clues. ”

"What am I looking for?"

Recent online chats, searches from the past few days. As long as it fills our schedule. ”

Not having your own phone is a real problem.

I heard one thing from a friend about Jen being in the hallway between the second and third periods, but that's all he knows. Since I couldn't get in touch with her, I had no way of knowing what was going on. Stress grows in my head all day. I barely heard half of what my economics teacher said. My fear grew by the day, but there was nothing I could do. I was able to see Jane very late that night. We didn't have lunch together today, and she left when I got home. I didn't see her until I came back from work.

Job. An ordinary job where someone else pays me to do something. Part-time job at a convenience store. I took this course to gain experience, plus extra pocket money. Mom entrusted me with the money she brought, but I never spent a penny on myself. Most of the money is purely for the needs of the family, and the rest is put into a savings account for emergencies. I only spend my own money on myself.

It's a painfully boring job. Endless restocking, sorting, and cleaning. No matter how many times I look at an area, it always gets messed up again a few minutes after I leave. Somehow, even though there was no one in the store. It felt like a ghost was playing tricks on me.

I don't have to deal with ghosts anymore.

The shop doesn't have a lot of traffic, so I have a lot of free time. In the past, this often meant hanging out with colleagues in the afternoon. Fool around, hang around, make up games we can play that won't break the aisles. Whatever. Of course, whenever my colleagues take a break, I fall into boredom again. I used to hate doing nothing very much. I had to do something. Even if it's not productive, even if it's not pleasant, as long as I'm engaged, I feel at ease.

Moments of calm and quiet are now precious gifts, each one of them. This gives me time to think. It's time to reflect. It's time to plan. I quickly realized that if I didn't slow down, think about everything, and find the best way to do it, I would end up with more failures and regrets.

This is a hard lesson to learn. This is what I learned in blood and sweat, in the heat of battle, in the halls of quiet, lethal diplomacy and subterfuge. I found a new way. Careful, prudent and patient. Take control whenever you can.

I don't want control. That's not me. I want someone else to take care of things. I prefer that. I hate stress. I hated what I was forced to do. The decision I had to make, my life was on the line, but no one would do it. Perhaps by chance, perhaps by fate, or by sheer tenacity, I ended up at the head of the entire rebellion.

I still have a lot on my head. The task is not completed and the problem is not resolved. There are more than a dozen advisers, policymakers, and court members waiting for my decision. Kings, princes, vassals, dukes, lords, and countless other titles that I barely understood, all wanted to meet and compete for favor. They decided that since I was such a great leader, I was clearly the best person to get the keys to the entire kingdom.

But that's not me anymore. I'll leave this life behind. It was wrapped in a thick blanket, stuffed into a box, and tucked under the nearest bed. I'm not going to worry about it anymore – until this cruel and unforgiving world raises its ugly head and decides that I'm not completely out of the woods.

Luckily, I didn't realize it for most of my shift. Yes, I heard about what Jane did, but I convinced myself it was just a small thing. She may have just stammered a few words of Ettolien, or she might have cast some spell without even thinking about it. It was so instinctive for her that I could tell it had accidentally slipped out. It's just a simple misunderstanding that I can cover up and we can work together.

So my colleague and I were talking about something completely normal, as if another crisis was not imminent.

"Hey, Kyle."

"Really?" Kyle looks up from the soda vending machine, where he's pouring ice into a cup. He returned, took a few ice cubes, and leaned against the counter. "What's wrong?"

"How are you and Kelsey?"

Kyle looked surprised. I can't blame him. I don't usually care much about relationships and stuff like that. I used to be completely indifferent to the whole concept. It's not worth the effort to keep up. Serravel completely changed my perspective. It's crucial to maintain a network and understand how they are intertwined. By now, this has become a habit.

"I guess it's pretty good, right?" He shrugged. "We hang out a lot. Everything went smoothly. Why?"

"Honestly," I said, "you're the only friend I've ever had with dating experience." Any suggestions?"

"Wait." Kyle looked genuinely shocked. "Have you never dated a girl?"

I laughed. "Until yesterday." It's not entirely true, but I've drawn a line between dating a girl and pursuing a princess. Especially when the latter is all about diplomatic tension, maintaining alliances, preventing wars, and keeping order in the respective armies. There were so many rows of dominoes waiting to be toppled that I had to be careful to avoid every word, both in public and in private.

Very different.

"Oh my gosh," Kyle grinned. "Who's that lucky girl?"

"You're not going to spread it, are you?" I asked. Not that Sarah is embarrassing, but for Jane's sake, I think it would only be good to avoid any attention now.

"Hey, man, you never told anyone about me and Kelsey. I wouldn't do that to you. ”

"It's a little different though, because of your parents."

"I guess." Kyle shrugged again. He's a guy who shrugs his shoulders a lot. I pay more attention to body language and subtle cues. Reading others is a valuable skill and much more common than one might think.

I want to brush it off. I'm not trying to take advantage of Kyle. I just wanted to hear his advice. I need some dating ideas of the century.

"Anyway, what do you want to ask?"

"Just need some ideas. Either yourself or the internet. ”

"The internet is better than you think," Kyle said. I raised my eyebrows, and his cheeks turned an interesting tomato color. "At least that's what I heard." He grunted.

"I trust you more than the Internet."

"You're crazy, but it doesn't matter. So, who is this girl?"

"Do you know Sarah Monaghan?"

Kyle frowned. "Beginner?"

"Yes."

"No, no. She works for my company, but that's about it. Didn't say much. A bit out of place. ”

It doesn't quite match what I know about her, but maybe she's completely different from Jane when she's together. Or just this class. I'm not sure.

"You asked her out?" Kyle continued.

"Yes. We're going out tomorrow. ”

Kyle patted me on the back. "Alright. Good for you. You look like you really need a break, man. ”

"What?"

"I don't know. You've been quiet, man. Sca

i

"Me. Are you alright?"

Our conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the front door. A customer walked in, and I immediately realized something was wrong. The way he moved. His body language. I looked at him carefully through a mirror mounted in the corner of the ceiling. He walked to the back and couldn't see the cash register, and he was visibly relaxed when he seemed to disappear from our sight.

The refrigerator door opened, and his hand flashed out. I saw a brown bottle flash. His hand tucked into his heavy coat again.

A second later, the door rang again, and before we could react, he was gone. He rushed headlong through the door and nearly hit the door because the auto slider couldn't keep up with how fast he could move. I don't know what scared him away. Maybe he just thinks he's already won.

Luckily, surveillance cameras most likely captured his face. I pulled out an asset loss sheet and dutifully recorded the time and date, a rough description, and what we lost.

"Are you really filling it out?"

“…… Really?"

Kyle shrugged again, and I resisted the urge to back down. "You know they never buy something that cheap. Especially for a homeless person. ”

"We've got to fill it out." The pen is dry halfway through writing. I shook it, but not a drop of ink remained. "Do you have a pen?"

Kyle smiled and shook his head and threw me a new one. "Man, even the universe is telling you not to bother."

"Anyway, the universe can't get along with me." I complained loudly.

I had just finished filling out the form when the door rang again. Jacob, another of Kyle's friends and a member of his Dungeons & Dragons group, paced in and glanced back. "Oh my God, that guy is booking tickets. What did you two do to him?"

"Worthless. He just stole some beer," Kyle said, jumping up and sitting down on the counter.

Jacob began pouring himself soda from the fountain. "Serious? What a bastard. ”

"No, he probably needs it more than we do."

"Of course, wait. Anyway, I have something else to tell you. ”

Kyle and I both looked up. "You're here to tell me something real?" Kyle said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, don't say it, Grandma. Did you hear what happened during APUSH?"

My heart paused for a moment. I DON'T QUITE REMEMBER WHAT APUSH MEANT, BUT JACOB WAS DEFINITELY TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL. Horrific images of anything Jen might have done flashed through my mind, accompanied by visions of white beds and padded cells.

I'm now paying very close attention to every word Jacob says. Every muscle on his face twitched, every change in his intonation. I won't miss anything.

"Uh-huh......," Kyle said, obviously, I wish I had lost my way. He sounded nowhere near as worried as I was. This irritated me. It's completely irrational, but the idea that Kyle doesn't understand the weight of what Jacob might say next bothers me, though I hate to admit it.

"It's crazy. Karl went crazy in class and gave some crazy lectures about war to Mr. Edwards. ”

When I heard Carl's name, I guess I really couldn't express that emotion of mine. The images of panic, fear, and Jane faded away, but at the same time, frustration and a faint fear crept in and clung to me.

"What the hell did he do?" I asked, trying to be casual. After all, Carl and I barely knew each other.

"Oh, he's been talking about how bad the war is. It's dark. In fact, he refuted Edwards' words with something very good. It's super chaotic, it's crazy, but it's still smart, you know?"

My breathing became lighter. Carl was just venting his emotions. Dangerous steam, but not yet boiling. This is controllable. Jacob kept on and on about the painfully familiar details that Carl had said, but I had already thought far ahead. I'll have to think about what I'm going to say to Carl the next time I see him. He's getting worse and worse, that's clear, but I can handle it.

Of course, the next bomb is about to fall.

"That's why he skipped class?" Kyle asked.

It's like he's throwing a dagger into the growing relief in my brain and nailing it to the wall.

"Yes, it's possible. He just got up and walked away in class. Without saying a word, I went straight out. ”

I shook my head in despair. Karl will be our end.

＊＊＊

After that, they started talking about some video games, and soon something would come out. If I really remembered the game, I might be interested, but video games have long since been erased from my memory. I filled all the space with so much information, about a world I'd never see again—if I had anything to say.

I don't mind if this conversation leaves me behind, though. This brings me back to what needs to be done. My mind was full of fear, worrying about what Carl would do next, what had happened to Jen that morning, and what I was going to do next. There's always a next step to be made, and a new plan to be made. I have prayed countless times that I will never have to decide the fate of others again, but fate always falls on me in one way or another.

My rest of my shift passed quickly, Jacob came home, and we were replaced by the overnight pair. I drove home and turned the radio up to full volume. That tiny, faint speaker is now actually a comfort, a familiar and steady taste. It has never changed, as scary as it sounds. I'm grateful.

The golden road I saw two days ago now seems so far away. I desperately hoped that nothing would change, that my world would return to its original state, but fate seemed determined not to give me any respite. Just when I thought we could settle down and go back to our old lives, Jane seemed preoccupied and silent. She hadn't gotten used to it yet, and it scared me.

On the surface, she's completely fine. She makes mistakes from time to time, but we all do. This is normal. This is to be expected. But I know her better, and I know what a good actor she can become. Jane was able to keep her problems to herself whenever she needed to, and she was much quieter than before. She now seems reluctant to engage with the world, always hiding something.

She just needs time. She spent the better part of six years in an almost unfamiliar culture, speaking different languages and accepting their customs. She has become accustomed to using magic, a concept that is completely out of step with reality. The magic of the elves has saved them from many of life's common troubles. How could she possibly adapt to the monotony of the real world from that lifestyle in such a short period of time?

Her old life will reappear. I'm confident in that – I have to be – and I'll do everything I can to help her adapt. I'm really worried about another member of our group.

Not only is Carl clearly as drastically changed as Jane, but he is in a position that I can't support either. As much as I racked my brains to find a solution, I found nothing. Carl and I have had too much hatred in the past, even with some explosive news. We were once on opposite sides of a vicious war, and we were both in surprisingly influential positions for two young men in their 20s from suburban Oregon.

Our troops surrounded each other for some time. Judging by modern tactics and a complete disregard for feudal honor and duty, I knew that it was up to him to command the other side. I've been using the same all the time, I'm organizing a rebellion anyway. We are trying to overthrow the whole government; To whom shall we bow and pledge our allegiance? It's ridiculous. I'm not a lord. My generals are rubbish, and I'm a nobody—yet we easily defeated Selman's army until Karl took power.

To be honest, I feel like if it weren't for my sister, we might both be dead. Carl's men were loyal to him. Even if we outnumber them, they will fight to the death. Coupled with Carl's personal abilities, and his penchant for assassinating officers, my neck felt particularly soft and fragile for weeks on end.

If Carl doesn't find Jane in the dungeon. If he hadn't betrayed Reinier.

If, if, if.

I shuddered. I really believe Carl will send someone to pick me up. My head might be hung on the wall outside Kandil with everyone else, a terrible warning that would strike fear into the hearts of the next group of people who wanted revolution.

I'm afraid of him.

But at the same time, I have a lot of respect for him. Faced with a situation where someone else might die, he started a new life of his own. He was strong and kind to his subjects. It sounds strange to say that Karl had "subjects", but he did. There's a reason he commands such a determined, unwavering army.

Most importantly, Carl is smart. Definitely smarter than me. I frankly admit it. Carl seemed to know everything, even the minutiae more than I wanted to learn. Not only that, but he was able to apply that knowledge – and he did, and it was amazingly efficient. As a recipient of his military strategy, I can personally attest to this.

So, with all this in mind, what are Carl's plans now? I thought about it over and over in my head, like roasting meat over a fire that wouldn't finish it. By now, I think he must have been to Black's house. He's now sure that Blake is dead, and I've accepted that. What's next for a man who has lost almost everything he holds dear and is forced to return to what he thought was long dead?

His whole world was taken from him.

I don't have an answer. I can't understand Carl. I am eternally grateful to that elf witch who gave me a way out. I hate Serravel and what it has done to me. Its effect on Jane.

Blake.

I killed a friend of mine. At my command, he deliberately, deliberately went into the grave. He always seemed to have a strange smile that stuck in my mind forever. When I laid out the plan, he looked confident, confident, and he understood exactly what that meant. After all, it could only be him. A foreigner, an outsider like us. Jane and I are too famous, but Blake can get in unhindered thanks to Carl's betrayal.

Carl was never to be allowed to know that it was his own actions that inadvertently led to Blake's death. He could never recover. When I drove the car into the garage, the thought became firm and clear in my mind. In any case, I won't let Carl know the truth.

My mom was already home, which meant I was definitely going to be late. I hurried inside. I was going to help prepare dinner, because I hadn't been able to stay with her since the night we returned, and last night I was all worried about Jane and what was going to happen next. I don't want to waste any more precious time.

"Mom, I'm back." I shouted in the hallway as I kicked my shoes into the closet. I sniffed the air. Garlic. "What are you doing?"

"Tortellini soup," she said to me, waving her spoon. "You're late, man."

"Cruel?" I was joking and washing my hands.

"Show me my age?" She asked sarcastically, then handed me a towel to dry. Chopin "begins".

＊＊＊

"So, the school is good?"

"Yes."

"Good". She smiled and pushed the bowl aside, bracing her hands on her body. "Since Jen is gone, I think it's a good time to talk about it."

Jane went to Sarah's house, and it was a Thursday routine. I wonder what she was doing there. I still don't know what she said to Sarah. I trust Jane, but if I want to come up with a plan, I need all the details. Without it, I feel a bit claustrophobic.

Like my mom said to me out of the blue. "Well, what conversation?"

"About your future."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Mom refers to me always hating talking about my life in front of others. I'm grateful that she never brought it up again, even in front of Jane, because I did.

"What's wrong?" I asked, taking a sip of tomato soup.

"So, do you have any plans after graduation?"

I racked my brains. Do I have any plans? That was a long time ago. I do not know. "No, no." It's the most honest answer I can think of.

"Well, you need to get started. I know it's bad, but now is the time. College will come faster than you think. ”

University. I forgot about it all. I mean, not that it really exists – actually, I briefly attended a similar college in Degginport. But not for education. I'm not here for lectures, I'm here to find gold and magical weapons hidden in the hard rock dozens of feet thick on several floors and under the tables.

Just as I was hesitating, my mother began to detail the various options, applications, admissions, and funding. "I think public school might be your best bet," she added as she ate.

I suddenly realized this, interrupting my unconsciously recalling the desperate chase and wrestling with the Degemport City guards. There is no state university near my home. Anyway, it's not close enough to commute. "Are you sure you can do without me?"

"You're going to have to leave home someday, Matt." I was taken aback by how casually she spoke. I knew I was going to leave eventually, but I thought that would be later. I helped with all the housework, took care of Jane, and other things my mom asked me to do. It's my job – at least that's what I think.

"That ......" I was just about to speak, but my mother interrupted me.

"You see, I've saved some money over the years, and I know you've been saving too. If you apply for financial aid, you'll have enough money to pay for four years of college, and you won't even get any loans. After this year, I'm going to quit my job at the mall, thank goodness. With my savings and the raise I just got, the atmosphere here is much more relaxed. She smiled. Your sister and I won't be fine. You still have a long way to go. There's no need to hang around here. ”

"I don't mind."

Mom smiled. "You're a good man, Matt." She stood up and began to clean up the table. She's going to have to go to the mall in a little while, so she's already in a hurry. I should have stood up to help, but I sat still, given what she said.

As she spoke, my life plan came back to my mind – how I saw myself taking care of her and this home for decades to come. I was full of anticipation that Jane would leave and go her own way, but I just thought I would be there forever. Now, my mother didn't just allow me to leave, she actually kicked me out the door – not in a bad way, but that's what I was impressed.

She thought she would let me go. She may have thought that I was pressured to become the man in the family. But that's not the case. I just wanted to help. I want to be part of the team and be productive, useful people.

Is it time to look forward?

It didn't take long for me to reject the idea. It's a ridiculous cynicism. My mother was right two days ago, but in the meantime, seven years have passed.

If she knew what I did, would she still call me a good person? I've killed people, Mom. I killed someone with my bare hands, and the scary thing is that this is the hand that helped her make dinner tonight. I hate what I've done and I wish I could find another way, but in the same situation, I might do it again. I've fought, I've bled and I've killed many times. My hands are stained with the blood of thousands of people. Maybe not for me personally, but they are always in my mind, and at my command, their lives were snuffed out before their time came.

Now I don't even think about leaving. Carl is a potential ticking time bomb and I have a sister in the long run and I'm still not entirely sure how to help her, but it's clear she needs help.

I still don't know what's wrong with Jane. I wanted to ask her, but at the same time I didn't dare to ask. Details are scarce, but I know that most, if not all, of those involved have died. I can't confirm it, but I have reason to believe that Karl killed them with his own hands. Of course, this discovery was enough to change his loyalty, at a huge personal cost. All I know is that he found Jane in the dungeon of the brutal Venanpotter Center.

For what purpose, I never know. In fact, I know very little about her experience. Even after Carl saved her, I could only spend a week with her, and then we had to send her away. We need the support of the elves, or we will be crushed by the Selman forces using Karl's strategy, and Jane is the only one they trust. As soon as we lost her, they broke up right away. They never stab us in the back, but without Jane to translate and negotiate, cooperation is almost impossible.

During that week, I saw how paranoid and violent she was, even with mild convulsions. I was the only person she trusted by her side for more than half a week. I slept outside her room, with a few trusted guards patrolling outside. She nearly killed a poor hapless servant who slipped into the house to fix the lamp while I was accidentally asleep. The boy never entered the building again.

But she's my little sister. I promised my mom that I would take care of her and protect her, and that I would keep that promise no matter what universe we ended up in.

The front door opened quietly, dissipating my thoughts. My mom was reading a book on the couch. We all looked up expectantly, but Jen didn't come out of the hallway. Anyway, I thought it was Jane.

"Jane?" I called, and suddenly I became worried.

"Yes," she replied, which relieved me. Her voice was strangely muffled.

"How's Sarah's?"

"Good."

Something seems wrong. I thought someone was going to make fun of us both again. I glanced at my mom, but she didn't seem to care and continued reading. I walked to the front door, but Jane was nowhere to be seen. I looked around and saw her disappear around the corner upstairs. She went up the stairs without a sound.

I followed (though I tried to make it louder) and walked to her door before she could close it. I put my foot in and blocked it. Jane's gaze met mine in the gap between the door frames.

Her eyes were swollen and red.

"Jane?" I whispered. Fear and worry threatened me.

"Nothing happened," she muttered. “Vei to

l。 Her foot pushed mine away, and the door clicked shut.

I stood there for a long time, staring at the wooden door, on which hung the happy "Je."

ife

"Banner, I put Je

Casual posting of photos with her friends. My little sister, a cheerful and lively girl, her biggest regret in her life is to get the wrong phone and lose all her photos. They like to go to the mall, or take a day trip to the beach, or just sit outside in the sun, read a good book, or make phone calls for hours.

It's not the first time, and I wonder if the girl died in a dungeon in another world, in a cold stone cell.

It wasn't the last time, and I wondered if she would be better off in that world.