— Colth. Colth. Hey man, wake up.
— What happened? — The boy opened his eyes and saw Aldren standing in front of the bedroom door, hurrying him.
— It's already morning. I've been trying to wake you up for five minutes — he said, looking disapprovingly at his roommate.
— What can I do, Aldren? I'm a heavy sleeper... — Colth replied without opening his eyes.
— Wake up soon, we're going to be late.
— Oh, oh. Okay. I'm getting up.
— What a sha... — Aldren made sure to show his corrective tone.
— Ugh...
After Colth's efforts and Aldren's patient waiting, they both got ready and left the apartnt with the aim of getting to the restaurant. Colth still looked like a living dead man with a sleepy walk in the middle of the square with remnants of the previous day's festivities. The residential streets around there were taken over by several pedestrians walking in one direction.
“Is this place always busy, like this?” Aldren began as he noticed the line of residents heading to the North passenger train station, heading to work.
—I guess that's what people call rush hour. Not that surprising, — Colth replied bitterly as he yawned.
— What did you want? They're all going to work.
— You speak as if you understand the subject. I didn't know you had lived in the capital before. — Colth used sarcasm to keep the conversation going as they passed under the tent that had housed the artists last night.
— No. I never lived there, but my old house in Rasuey was close to a train station where workers from the large mines in Sathsai used to get to work — Aldren replied as he rembered the view from his window, he always observed this type of movent in the mornings of his old life.
— I see. — he concluded, stretching his arms. — Anyway, I think Rasuey is bigger than Toesane. I would never see so much movent there every day.
— Then it must be true, Toesane is the smallest city in all of Albores. — Aldren exposed his knowledge.
—The smallest? Seriously? — Colth found himself frowning ruefully.
“You seed discouraged,” he noticed his colleague’s shoulders slumping toward the ground without reluctance. “Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe that’s why Toesane was the last city to be annexed by the Capital.”
— Where is that “good”? — Colth had no other answer than a very grumpy one. — My city was so irrelevant that it was left for last.
— I don't know. I was just trying to cheer you up.
— It didn't help. — He took a deep breath, ending the conversation when he realized they were already at the entrance of the restaurant.
As soon as the duo entered through the double doors of the Relentless Cat, they found two people who seed to be waiting for them: Cat and a small, cheerful boy, in the middle of the empty restaurant hall.
— Good morning. — Aldren greeted everyone with his usual smile.
— Good morning — Garta replied. — Are you ready for your first day in the North?
— Of course. I'm sure it'll be better than that world of yours, or Rasuey. — Aldren replied without asuring his complaints about his hotown, he even wondered about the aning of having said that so suddenly.
“Are you from Rasuey?” The little boy asked. The mont he heard those words, his eyes lit up. “Have you ever been to Caiwa Mountain?”
—Have I ever been there? I lived there — he replied pleasantly.
— Wow!!! — The boy expressed his enthusiasm with the innocent smile that only a ten-year-old child has. — Have you ever seen a dark creature?
—Ha-have I ever seen a dark creature? — Aldren knew the reason for that question, but not the reason for the boy's enthusiasm.
— What are you talking about, Jorge? — The cross question ca from Garta to the child.
— In the mountains of Caiwa there are many dark creatures. — Jorge tried to explain imdiately. — Duens, Capelobus, Sirveres, and even Farates. That's what Mr. Papinhas said.
— Sir, who? — Aldren was surprised once again, Colth had the sa reaction.
— Forget it. — Garta downplayed the situation. — He’s just a host of a silly children’s radio show.
— You're not stupid! — The boy got angry like any other child when confronted with an opinion he didn't like.
— Jorge, listen. — Garta said calmly in front of the boy. Her tone of voice, sweet and kind, left Colth and Aldren slightly surprised. — What they say on the radio is all a lie. The dark creatures appear in many places, not just in Rasuey.
— In several places, Garta? — The boy thought for a second before becoming more excited. — So... They might show up here in the Capital?
— In the capital? — Not even Garta could have predicted that question. — Yeah... Yes.
— Seriously, dark creatures can appear around here? — Aldren whispered only to Colth.
“Of course not,” he replied. “It’s just to stop the boy talking nonsense about other cities.”
- OK I understand.
— So, if I'm lucky, I might see a Sirveres soday? — The boy wondered almost as if he was talking to an imaginary friend. — How cool!!!
— No. They are dangerous... — Garta tried to get the boy's attention back, but it was too late.
Jorge jumped for joy and started running around the room without paying the slightest attention to the woman's words. Dark creatures were dangerous and killed people without any distinction or remorse. They were truly bloodthirsty and wild beasts that were little known and understood, but for that particular child, none of that mattered.
— Ah... Forget it. — Garta gave up on the boy and turned his attention to the other two. — I have so work to do, so let's...
— Wait. Before that. Where's Celina? — Aldren wasn't proud to insist, but he wasn't ashad either.
— You really don't let her go, do you? — Garta replied, imrsed in sarcasm, her half-closed eyes showing all her mockery. — Relax, she's fine.
— I want to see her.
— Oh? She’s in hiding, you know that — the guardian replied. Forcing herself to be surprised, she began to speak what she had already rehearsed in her mind for such a situation. — I can’t just go around revealing the location to you like that. What if one of the followers of the Goddess of Lux captures you and forces you to talk? You’d be putting yourself at risk. Do you really want that?
— Yes. — Aldren didn't think twice. His answer was imdiate, assertive and accurate.
— What? — Now, Garta's response was legitimately surprised. It was the sa feeling Colth had when he heard the word coming from Aldren, but he contained himself enough to remain absolutely silent.
— Yes. You heard . Now, take to her. — Aldren repeated his answer seriously, his tone of voice not changing at all. — I know she's here in the building.
— Wait. Did you hear what I said? — Garta didn't expect that answer, she imagined that the boy would abandon the idea after hearing her argunts, but she was ignored. Worse, the boy denied that it was relevant. She hadn't anticipated such a bold response. — You're going to put Celina at risk if you get caught by...
— I won't reveal anything. I'm willing to take my own life if sothing happens — he replied in an absurdly sober tone.
“Calm down, Aldren,” Colth interrupted as he stepped forward. “Don’t be so…”
— Colth, you don't understand. I owe her this. That's all that's left.
— It was the sa thing she told ... — Garta whispered in a reassuring tone as she was hit by mories of the previous day.
“Did you say sothing?” Aldren asked as he noticed the woman’s emotional gaze shift across the restaurant floor.
Garta hesitated, taking a mont to raise her eyes back to the boys waiting for her answer, and when she did, she tried to hide any apparent feelings on her face.
— Okay, fine. I'll ask Bertha to let you help with the chores. — The guardian nodded at Aldren's request in part, then took two steps towards the boy and looked at him closely. — Don't make regret this.
— Of-of course. — he stamred as he tried out the most threatening look.
— Bertha's job will be very simple, so you just have to stay alert. — Garta walked away, but continued with his slightly terrifying tone. — And don't talk about Celina's situation or the guardians with anyone else. Do you understand?
— Yes. — he replied, accepting the woman's demands.
— Colth, wait with Jorge outside — the guardian ordered like a leader. — Aldren, follow , I'll take you to Celina.
As soon as Colth, without any refusal, left the restaurant with the boy, he was approached by him:
— Hey, uncle. Are you from Rasuey too?
— What? I'm not your uncle. My na is Colth... — he answered, raising his nose. — And no. I'm from Toesane.
— I've never heard of it. Are there dark creatures there?
—To tell you the truth, there aren't many — Colth replied thoughtfully.
— I see. — The boy remained serious. — Is there a chocolate plantation there?
— Plantation?
— Yes. Just like the ones in Tekai.
— There is a chocolate plantation in Tekai? And who told you that? — Colth frowned doubtfully at the boy.
— My cupcake friend. — she replied smiling.
— Oh, I see. It's that imaginary friend thing. Aren't you a little old for that?
— It's not imaginary. It really exists. — Jorge crossed his arms and filled his cheeks with air.
— Okay, sure it is.
— Yes, it is. She even brought a cake once.
—Of course... — Colth hid his smile, but continued with a sarcastic tone. —She lives on a chocolate plantation and delivers cakes around. What an impressive person.
— Isn't it? — The boy smiled innocently again.
The restaurant door opened again and Garta walked out.
— Co on, Colth. You and I have other work to do. — she ordered once more. — And Jorge, don't forget to co ho by lunchti.
— Okay... — the boy replied, not very enthusiastic, and started running around the square in yet another one of his gas. He didn't even say goodbye.
— Who is that?
— He's just a boy who lives around here. — Garta started walking.
— I'm glad you clarified it, I had no idea about that. — he teased. — And where are we going? — Colth followed in the woman's footsteps.
— I told you. It's just a little job.
— Don't you think you're being a little too harsh? — the boy started a conversation as he reached her.
— What are you talking about?
— From Aldren. You didn't want to let him see Celina.
— I am protecting an entire world, nothing is more important than that goal.
— Seriously? Then why don't you just make Aldren disappear, or even ? — he continued next to Garta. — You only need Celina, really.
— When you say “disappearance”, do you an murder? — she asked in a serious tone.
Garta's question was sincere, but it was such an unconventional question that it took Colth a brief mont to realize it wasn't another one of his misplaced sarcasms.
— Well, I wouldn't go that far, but...
— If I did that... — The guardian stopped in the middle of the empty square and showed her eyes with uncertainty, behind the lenses of her glasses, to the boy. — I would be destroying a little, even a small piece, of this world that I want to protect, wouldn't I? I would be no different from the Goddess of Lux.
— I don't know how to answer. I didn't expect that... — Colth was so legitimately surprised that he ended up speaking his thoughts out loud.
— Didn't you expect it? What do you think I am? — Garta asked lightly, for a second he seed to have let down his guard of his truculent temperant, he thought about waiting a while to hear the boy's answer, but he gave up, imagining what might co. He continued walking again: — But in fact, that didn't co from . It was my brother Hikki who said it.
“That makes a lot more sense,” Colth whispered to himself.
— “Do not hurt or kill, even if necessary.”
— “Do not kill”? That’s pretty specific. Wait. So, have you...? — The boy stopped, whispering his words in front of a familiar building.
— Huh? — Garta stopped a few steps ahead after hearing the boy's voice whisper and, as soon as she turned around, she looked embarrassed. — You're wondering if I've ever killed anyone, aren't you?
— ... — Colth's silence made the woman even more moderate.
— Tell ... — he looked away to the empty street and gathered the courage to continue with his words. — What do you think?
— What do I think? — Colth found that question out of nowhere strange. It wasn't the kind of thing one would expect when the subject was murder, it was strange even for Garta. The boy didn't know how to answer, he didn't want to answer. — I-I don't know...
He would never have thought that woman looked like she could kill soone, even if he really did think so. Besides, could this be so kind of threatening approach from Garta? No, Colth dismissed that possibility as soon as it popped into his head. Garta didn’t seem threatening at all when she asked the question. She looked more like a girl asking for advice than a threatening woman at that mont. Which, in itself, seed like sothing rarer than the appearance of a shadowy creature in the Capital.
Garta continued to stare at the empty street for a few monts without any reaction, then turned to Colth and transford his blank look into a smug one.
— I should have known you weren't capable of answering a simple question like that, you fool. — he returned to his dry and direct tone before turning around.
—Was that really necessary? — the boy whispered once again, frustrated by her tone.
— We're here — said Garta, stopping his walk in front of a small building in the square with two large trees in the North region.
“You’re quite the hottie, aren’t you?” Colth asked smugly. He stopped next to the woman and, with his arms crossed, stood in front of the building he had spent the night before. “If you wanted to go on a date with , you could have just told .”
—You shouldn't keep getting on my nerves. — Garta's annoyed response was expected.
— Why? Can you stop from going back to Toesane? Oh yeah, you already did that — he continued ironically.
— No. I can... what did you say? “Make you disappear.” — Now, the tone was that of a threatening woman.
— You learned the aning quickly. Now tell , why are we going back to my temporary apartnt? — Colth stopped mocking her curiosity.
— We didn’t co to your apartnt. We ca for this. — Garta replied and pointed to the wooden sign that said “Runa’s Tailor Shop”.
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