Chapter 27
Being Merci’s younger sister, she might be able to help somehow…
“I don’t know their name or anything, but…”
“Then do you think you’d recognize them if you saw them?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright. Then let’s head over there first.”
It wasn’t clear what she meant by “head over,” but Nina nodded firmly anyway.
Merci then turned to Katya and gave her a sly smile.
“Mind showing us the shortcut through the sewers?”
* * *
“Whatever you do, don’t let go of my hand.”
Katya said it with a deadly serious tone.
With her hands held tightly between Merci and Katya, Nina nodded gravely in the middle.
She had Rabian’s jacket tied over her head like a hood.
Merci, holding Nina’s left hand, was also wearing her coat like a hood.
They had disguised themselves in this makeshift way after Katya pointed out that they stood out too much.
“Got it? Even if someone talks to you or follows you, don’t look back. Just follow me.”
Who on earth would talk to them or follow them?
But it didn’t take long for Nina to understand what Katya meant.
“Woo-hoo! Where ya headed?!”
“Hey, hey!”
“What’d ya steal?!”
As they ran through a foggy, narrow alley, whistles and crude shouts rang out from all directions.
It was like they were being randomly harassed just for fun by people who didn’t even know who they were.
So this is where Katya lives.
Running through the narrow slum alley, barely able to see even a meter ahead because of the smog, Nina felt a strange sense of solemnity.
Katya’s hand, held tightly in hers, had grown sweaty.
On the other hand, Merci’s grip was dry and composed.
But why am I not tired at all?
This was Nina’s first time running like this in her life.
And yet, she wasn’t out of breath or overwhelmed by the smog—her body felt fine.
She wondered if this was normal, but Katya’s heavy panting next to her made it clear it wasn’t.
“…We’re almost there!”
Finally, they burst out of the cramped alley into a broad road that led into a massive plaza.
Compared to before, it was like stepping into another world.
Around a grand fountain were various street stalls, and crowds of extravagantly dressed people filled the area.
To one side, the shimmering lights of the night sea could be seen, while across the plaza, majestic casinos and shopping centers glowed in dazzling colors, showing off the grandeur of a city that never slept.
The spectacle was so overwhelming that Nina stood in a daze for a moment.
It felt like she’d stepped into another world.
“You okay?”
Merci asked, pulling down her hood. She wasn’t even sweating.
“You don’t look tired at all.”
“I don’t sweat much. You’re holding up well too.”
“This is probably my first time doing anything like this…”
Nina glanced at Katya.
Still catching her breath, Katya gave them both a dumbfounded look.
“What the heck are you two? You both look all weak and puny… what do you eat to end up like that?”
“Protein.”
Merci answered, deadpan. Whether it was a joke or serious, it was hard to tell.
After a short silence, Nina looked around and spoke.
“So… where do we go now?”
“Probably the party room near the docks. That’s where the deal was supposed to happen.”
Merci added the explanation, even though no one had asked.
Katya narrowed her eyes at her.
“How do you even know all this?”
“I’m from a family of gang officials.”
“…No wonder. So you’ve been here a lot?”
“Probably not as much as you.”
Merci said it casually.
Katya flushed red.
“That was… hey, that was in the past, alright?! I don’t do that stuff anymore!”
“Guys, let’s just go already.”
Nina didn’t understand what they were talking about, but there was no time to ask. She quickly urged the two forward.
Since the area was full of tourists and people of all kinds, no one really paid attention to three kids walking around without an adult.
Kids begging or adults leaving their children outside while they gambled—these were common sights here.
Still, approaching the casino—where kids weren’t allowed—was dangerous.
Merci had a solution for that: the boat rental station.
“Three kids, please.”
“No unaccompanied kids under twelve allowed.”
The rental clerk gave a tired reply, glancing under the counter.
Merci pulled something from her inner pocket and placed it on the counter.
“Then charge the guardian too.”
It was a gleaming gold coin—one thousand Darc.
The sight of that shining coin made the clerk gulp and quickly hand over the tickets, not even bothering with time limit warnings.
“Is it okay to blow your allowance like that?”
As they reached the boat, Katya asked, clearly unimpressed.
While skillfully untying the mooring rope, Merci said something completely unrelated.
“But seriously, is that guy even allowed to do that?”
“You bribed him, and now you’re complaining? Everyone here’s out to scam you—it’s not news to anyone.”
“Yeah, I know, it just started to bug me.”
Merci mumbled something unintelligible and handed an oar to Katya.
“Alright, let’s go. You row one side.”
For some reason, Katya accepted it without complaint.
The boat began to move.
“Careful not to rock it.”
“I know, okay?”
Nina looked at the two bickering rowers with admiration.
Only the strong seemed to survive in this city.
“You’re amazing. I didn’t know you could do that.”
Merci smiled modestly while Katya scoffed.
“What’s so amazing about that? Anyone can do it.”
“I can’t.”
“Try it once, it’s easy. And if you can get someone else to do it, why suffer yourself?”
Reasonable, but still, it seemed like a good skill to learn just in case.
With that thought, Nina sat up straight, fixed her jacket properly, and started peering around from the end of the boat.
“Nina, don’t lean out—it’s dangerous.”
“Ah, sorry. But… are we close?”
“Almost. See that building over there?”
Merci pointed toward a large balcony jutting out from the dockside.
Light spilling from a tightly closed glass door shimmered over the statues on the balcony.
Katya clicked her tongue.
“Whose taste is it to put horse heads there?”
The two massive horse-head statues flanking the balcony looked less majestic and more creepy.
Most kids would’ve cried or run away at the sight.
Nina muttered gloomily.
“I think we should hide behind there.”
Silence fell.
They docked the boat nearby and carefully crept toward the balcony—none of them said a word.
Faint music drifted from behind the glass door.
Luckily, there was no one nearby.
They all hid behind one of the horse-head statues and peeked into the party room.
“Do you think that’s a real jewel?”
Katya whispered, pointing to the red gem embedded in the horse’s eye.
As Merci raised a finger to her lips, Nina scanned the room frantically.
It was packed with people.
Among them, Rabian stood out the most.
He was near the bar, holding a cue stick and smoking by a pool table.
But… something felt off.
“…Rabian looks upset.”
Nina whispered instinctively, torn between relief and unease.
Merci and Katya glanced at each other.
Then said, simultaneously:
“He always looks pissed.”
“His face is always like that.”
It was fair, but Nina still protested.
“It’s a party, but no one looks happy. Everyone looks… sad.”
At that moment, Mira appeared in the room.
