Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 65: Aswad 12 of 15 “Glaub mir” (Part 02)
A cold wind blew, cloudy clouds filled it and stained it with gray. At the end of dawn in the coastal city, the dark still dominates with the cool air in the morning. Between the sidelines of the clouds, visible sunlight that began to rise and some of the light reached the surface.
A slightly overcast day does not affect the routine of the townspeople. Out of the building and ready to make a living, they eagerly start a new day in a crucial time in the city's progressive. The manual laborers went to the market, the officials headed to the office and the soldiers began to stand guard at several corners of the city.
For people who work at night, they just come home to sleep ⸻ Most of them are fishermen as well as ******* who live around the business district. When the morning had come, the brothel district looked quiet and there were only a few tramps walking around. Not three hundred meters from the place, the port was even seen crowded by sea collectors who had prepared to buy fish from fishermen who had just docked.
Among the besiegers were Aprilo Nimpio and his men, who had been preparing to make transactions after making purchase contracts with several fishermen since yesterday the day after. On the other hand, the merchants of the empire were seen bargaining with each other and trying to obtain sea produce at a low price.
This morning was a busy time in the city. On some corners of the town hall, people from the government pushed small carts filled with wooden boxes. They began to install some ornaments such as flower skeletons, poles and flags, as well as some craft carvings along the road to the Main Church.
Now is the day of baptism, a moment for 7-year-olds to be recognized as residents of the kingdom of Felixia and 12-year-olds to perform a ceremony of maturity to be recognized as whole individuals. In Felixia's royal beliefs, it was an event of penance as well as the granting of obligations to the children.
When they are 7 years old those who perform baptism will be required to start choosing a job and doing basic training, of course with supervision and connection from parents. Upon reaching the age of 12, they will begin their job training in the field and will then perform tests to get a work license officially.
Not many children can choose what they want to do when they grow up. Baptism is not free, nor is it the training of the work in a place that will receive them. Most children will only stop at the Maturity Ceremony at the age of 12, because at that stage they can already work for a standard wage.
On the hill on which the Main Church stood, the puritans had begun preparations and brought out the items necessary for baptism. The initial event will be conducted at the Main Church and led by the City Priest, the, after that the children will then go to a special pier in the noble complex that borders directly with the bay while accompanied by a traditional musical instrument parade.
The nuns prepare silver cups, flower petals and fragrances. Some of them discussed and examined the data on children being baptized, and some carried out final executions before the event began at eight. Among all of them, Siska who was one of the First Church's pastors was visibly anxious standing at the top end of the main staircase leading to the church.
At this baptism one of his foster children will follow. But thinking about the nature of Nanra who likes to blur at important moments, the woman wrapped in Vestimentum clothes momentarily took a heavy breath and muttered, “May Nanra not be late. Yesterday he said Mr. Odo was also absent, I'm afraid the boy has nothing to remind.”
“Excuse me, Great Priestess. You are called Imam Andreass inside.”
Hearing one of the nuns call her, the blonde woman immediately turned around and replied, “Alright, I'll be there soon...” At first glance Siska again looked down at the crossroads in front of the business district, feeling anxious at one of her foster children. Sighing lightly, he immediately turned around and walked towards the Main Church to fulfill his obligation as a baptismal committee.
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At the same time, employees of Ordoxi Nigrum stores have started their activities and prepared all the groceries to start operations. The store will open at 07.45, this time has become their official time to receive consumers.
The Demi-human family had tidied up and had prepared in their uniforms, as had Matthew Mitus and his wife. Elulu, who slept the last night, had just finished preparing and got down from the top floor to give directions to everyone on the first floor.
Shortly after the employees who stayed at the store made preparations, Canna Miteres just arrived at the store. He did not come with Nanra because the child had to take part in the services and holidays, but this time the witch came with a new employee, Mirin Kirsi, who accidentally crossed paths on the street. At half-seven, Arca and her two personal butlers arrived with some extra food.
Totto and Matthew immediately went out to unload the load of carts carried by the ranchers where the Arca bought the groceries. All the boxes contained raw materials most of which were transported to the kitchen, while the boxes containing other orders were transported to the third floor to be stored in the attic.
After handing over the purchase note to Canna who was in charge of the filing section, for a moment Arca sat on one of the benches in the shop room and asked, “Did she not come back as well?”
Canna who was sitting at the same table gave a quick sigh, not knowing what to answer and just shook her head. The two men turned towards Elulu who was giving directions to the servants, especially the snow leopard-type Demi-human child who was seen still stuttering with his job as a servant.
Sensing the sharp gazes of the two people, Elulu immediately turned her head and put on a look of astonishment. The woman with a brown-brown braid wrapped in a dark blue dress sighed heavily, then with a faint tone said, “Have I said yesterday, ‘kan? Mr. Odo is fine, his own person told me so ...”
Elulu leaves Kirsi and delays explaining the work, then walks towards the two of them and glances at the flat with a face that looks unsure of her own words. The statue just stared back flat and felt the woman did not know anything about the events of yesterday the day after.
The man in the dark red shirt suit put his right elbow on the table, propped his head up and in a pressing tone asked, “Sound this well, Elulu. I can't believe what you're saying. Most Native Overhouls were traitors, they could easily lie ...”
“I'm not lying!” elulu said loudly.
His voice made the people who were preparing the store turn their heads towards the three people, even Isla who was in the kitchen looked up to see what was happening. The atmosphere at a glance turned tense, the employees stopped work and were also anxious about the condition of the Owner where they worked.
Canna got up from her seat, stared at the Sculpture and reprimanded, “Tuan Rein, please do not offend such a sensitive matter.”
Moving gazing towards Elulu, the witch also reminded her, “You too, Elulu. No need for such emotions.”
“I just want to make sure.” The statue did not at all lower his intention to suspect. Staring sharply at the former merchant's son, the son of the Rein family again asked, “Are you sure Odo is okay? He was taken directly by that Immortal Emperor, you think I can believe what you say?”
“Mr Arca, please do not make the atmosphere more turbid⸻!”
Amidst the conversation, the main door of the shop opened and a silvery-white-haired girl stood there. The girl was Nanra, she was wearing a pure white Alba with a Single belt on her waist. The girl's hair was tied to a single braid to the back, on both feet she wore wooden shoes and on her right hand was a black metal bracelet that looked very loose.
Simultaneously everyone looked towards him, staring in wonder and in the mind wondering why the child had even come to the store. Arca immediately got up from the seat, stared flatly and reprimanded, “Why are you even here? Yesterday was ordered off to participate in baptism, ‘kan? Odo has ordered me to comfort you!”
“Eh?!” Nanra flinched, herself confused as to why she had even walked to the shop instead of the Main Church. While turning his face away he dodged, “I think it's okay to stop by here first. After all, the show will start at eight..”.
“If you are secretary, come early!” he said firmly while sitting back.
Nanra turned her eyes back to the other direction, as if she was reluctant to look directly into the eyes of Arca because she realized her mistake. Trying not to pay much attention to the face of the blonde young man, he walked to the same table with the two of them and sat down. Nanra took the grocery purchase report, then checked it out and instead did the work instead of leaving immediately.
Canna glanced at the girl flatly, astonished by her behavior that seemed to have sunk into work. Sighing lightly and not thinking too much about it, he also reminded, “Nanra, you should prepare first. Freezing only happens twice in a lifetime, do your best so that there are no regrets.”
“Refurr?” Nanra stared flatly, then she lightly asked, “What is there to regret? It was just the Ceremony of Maturity ..”
Amidst the increasingly tense atmosphere, the people carrying the teak leaf container came and knocked on the open door. One of them stepped inside and said, “This container for today, Totto‼ Put it where? What is it like normally in kitchen⸻?” Instantly the person who stepped in came to a halt, walked back and out as it got a sharp glare from the few people inside.
Totto came down from the second floor with Matthew, then the Demi-human man immediately replied, “Just put that in the kitchen!”
The people who came carrying the teak leaf container looked at him in a confused expression, then one of them said, “But inside ...”
“Hmm?”
“Eng?”
After Totto came down and Matthew looked into the shop room, they were astonished at Nanra to be there. Seeing the expression of Arca and Canna who looked unhappy, immediately the two men understood that they were discussing important things. Not wanting to disturb them, Totto invited the people he worked with.
“We go to the second floor only. The number is complete, ‘kan?”
“Sure!”
“Then, let's go upstairs ...”
Totto and the men went to the second floor to make equivalent transactions related to teak leaf containers, of course they did not go inside and just stood on the stairs next to the building. Not coming with them, Matthew continued to carry boxes and sacks of food to put in the kitchen.
Once disturbed due to the arrival of the fringe people, Arca momentarily sighed and looked back at Nanra. “Go to the shelter! You have to go there right now,” said Arca firmly.
With a dislike expression Nanra replied, “You kicked me out? I'll only be here half an hour.”
Matthew who walked past the table where they were sitting at a glance felt a very clear aura of hostility. He felt that without Odo these people were difficult to work with. When you get to the kitchen and put the wooden box in the corner, suddenly the basement door mechanism is activated by itself.
The wooden board opened, then a young man stepped his foot out of the basement. His black hair was disheveled, walking while bowing his head and looking busy with parchment paper held.
Matthew and Isla were really surprised that their owner was in the basement. Before the couple could say something, without looking at them Odo put his index finger in front of his mouth and asked the two people to be quiet.
Tidying his hair with his left hand, the young man stepped on the floor with an underground door closing mechanism. Sighing lightly he rolled up the parchment he was holding, then inserted it into the storage dimension.
“A-you from earlier in there? From yesterday?” ask Matthew in a soft voice.
While staring lethargic Odo replied, “Of course not, I just came back this morning-blind.” Finished tidying his hair with his hands, the young man opened the kitchen door and walked out.
The people who were in the store immediately looked at the young man, looking astonished and wondering where he had come from. Arca immediately got up from the seat and loudly asked, “You're from anywhere, Odo?!”
“Tch …. ” Odo rang his tongue and frowned at the loud voice of the Eldest Son of the Rein Family. Not answering him, he walked towards Mirin Kirsi who was standing confused in front of the cashier table.
The shoulder-length gray hair girl was wearing a dark blue dress that was a shop uniform, still looking stiff and awkward with her new surroundings. Seeing him so nervous, Odo felt that the child was not able to adapt well.
The young man in black hair knelt in front of Kirsi, stroked the boy's head and asked, “What's the matter of working here? You could have stayed in an orphanage first and looked for something else to do, loh ..”
“Ti-It's okay! Said my late mother, who does not work will not be able to eat. I have to work!”
Hearing the stiff-sounding answer, Odo briefly smiled faintly and again stroked the child's head. At first glance, the face of the young man looked so sad after remembering the incident when he first met him. After closing his eyes for a moment, Odo raised his hand from Kirsi and stood up again.
He took a deep breath, put on a faint smile and said, “Alright, I accept you here …. Work diligently, yes.”
“Te-Sure, Sir!”
The thick tail of the girl moved to the right and left happily, revealing the contents of her heart that were not visible on the facial expression. His eyes were beaming with awe, only to realize that the one who had helped him was a very noble person.
Not paying much heed to Kirsi's gaze, Odo immediately turned his head towards Arca and the look in his eyes quickly turned flat. “Why do you look angry like that?” ask her with a lazy tone.