"We've found information on Dan, the bandit leader."

  Joe dropped the letter onto his bed, feeling a weight settle over him. His thoughts spinning, he headed to the bathroom, filled a bowl with water, and splashed it over himself without hesitation. The cold hit jolted him, sending a shiver down his spine, but it was enough to clear the lingering fog of drunkenness. Dripping and breathless, he returned to his bed, leaving a trail of water drops behind.

  He picked up the letter again, his fingers trembling slightly as he reread the words. Sitting on the edge of the bed, memories of Beatrice, his gentle mother, flooded back to him, her kind eyes, her warm smile. For a moment, he could almost see her standing before him, bringing a bittersweet smile to his lips.

  To his right, Joe noticed Kaelen engrossed in a book on potions, quietly focused in his chair. Something about Kaelen's calm concentration was oddly comforting amid Joe's chaotic thoughts. With a brief nod of gratitude toward him, Joe took a deep breath and stood.

  He glanced again at the letter, noting the 900 gold coins he'd been tasked to deliver, a sum far greater than he'd ever held at once.

  As he paced, his mind turned to the difficulty of securing such a large debt from any merchant. No merchant, no matter their connections, could produce that kind of money on short notice.

  Then he remembered the gold rings and necklaces Evangeline had received when she married Jeffrey, and the yearly gifts Jeffrey lavished upon her. He thought, *If I tell him, he'll just send some knight after Dan, and Dan will vanish again. I can't let that happen. I have to do this myself. I...*

  Joe looked out the window, recalling a memory of Evangeline smiling as she greeted him, "Hello, my name is Evangeline. It's nice to meet you!"

  He bowed his head and replied, "Nice to meet you too, Mother Evangeline. I hope we can be happy together."

  She patted his head warmly. "No need for formality. Call me Evangeline, or anything else that feels right, okay, son?"

  He smiled and nodded, and then she asked, "Want to go shopping with me? Agatha, my maid, is away, and the guards are boring to walk with. Will you be my date?"

  Joe took her hand, walking with her, an innocent memory that had grown painful over time as darker thoughts crept in.

  "If I steal from them," Joe muttered, "there's no going back. I'll be a criminal, an outcast."

  He thought of the nobles' scorn and the foreign elf, Toran, who had belittled him on his first day at noble school. Joe hadn't realized how deeply that petty bullying had wounded him, yet it always seemed to return.

  Then there was the prisoner who had remarked on Joe's luck in escaping prison. Unlike the other nobles, Joe had worked for his money and strove to make Gostave's name reputable. But the prisoner's words lingered: had Joe ever truly belonged to either world?

  Joe sat on his bed, looking over the empty wine bottles scattered around, the mess of his room, and his own dishevelled state. He murmured to himself, "How did I end up like this? Mother... she would be so disappointed to see me like this. I've let her down. I've let everyone down, him, Evangeline, Agatha, Urien, even poor Ebe. And Brother Jogo... it hurt him to see me like this. I... I..."

  He fell silent, overcome by waves of drunkenness, sadness, regret, and anger as he searched for answers. Was it worth it? Is any of this worth it? He thought bitterly. In the end, no matter what you choose, you lose... Just pick your poison.

  Lifting his gaze to the picture of his mother, Beatrice, smiling softly, he felt a tear slip down his cheek. In a low, pained voice, he whispered, "I'm sorry, Mother... I can't let go... Please watch over your son... he still loves you."

  Joe rose to his feet, beginning to prepare for his journey. He gathered his clothes, picked up a few scattered coins, and grabbed some leftover food from the kitchen before heading out of the mansion toward the carriages.

  When he arrived, two guards spotted him. One of them said, "Joe? Your father ordered us not to let you use a carriage. You know why, after that last accident."

  Joe nodded. "Yes, I know. But I'm taking one anyway. If you've got a problem with it, take it up with my father in the morning."

  The guards glanced at each other before stepping aside, seemingly deciding it wasn't worth interfering. They'd just report it to Jeffrey in the morning and avoid a confrontation tonight.

  Joe hitched up a carriage with two horses, loaded his belongings, and settled into the driver's seat, drawing a steadying breath as he braced himself.

  He drove the carriage to the mansion's entrance, pulling up outside the gate. The guards stationed there exchanged puzzled looks, noticing the carriage had only one horse. One guard muttered, "Didn't Lord Jeffrey forbid Joe from using a carriage after the accident?"

  The other nodded, motioning to the lone horse. "Yeah, and he lost a horse on top of that. But let's keep out of it. We'll just report it in the morning and say we tried to stop him, alright?"

  The first guard scratched his head. "I'm new here, so I'll leave it to you, sir."

  Joe reentered the mansion grounds, scanning the area, counting guards, and planning his escape in case something went wrong.

  As he entered the mansion again, he noticed Ebe, who was rubbing her eyes as she made her way to the kitchen. Seeing him, she paused and asked, "Up at this hour, and not drunk? Something wrong, Joe?"

  He forced a smile. "No, Ebe, I'm fine. Go on, get some rest. You work so hard."

  Ebe looked at him thoughtfully. "And you're always troubled, but you never let anyone help."

  Joe lowered his head. "I wanted to handle this on my own, but I've only dug myself deeper. I'm sorry for worrying you, Ebe. You're like a sister to me."

  Ebe smiled, taking a sip of water, then said, "Want me to make you a quick meal? I'm not that tired."

  But Joe could see the fatigue in her drooping eyes and messy hair. Shaking his head, he replied, "Go get some rest. You've earned every bit of it."

  Ebe smiled, gave his shoulder a gentle tap, and headed to her room. As soon as she closed the door, she collapsed onto her bed, drifting off almost immediately.

  Joe sighed and made his way up to the second floor. He paused when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs and looked up to see Urien.

  Urien stopped briefly, avoiding Joe's eyes. Joe, noting this, looked away, choosing to pass in silence.

  "You're not drunk, huh? That's good," Urien muttered as he continued down the stairs.

  Joe nodded silently and headed to his father's office. He knew that at this hour, Jeffrey was likely still working, with Evangeline assisting him as always. Peering through the keyhole, Joe felt a smile tug at his lips. They were a good family, one he had never truly appreciated. Everyone was wonderful, except for one problem: Joe himself.

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  He then moved quietly to Jeffrey and Evangeline's room, opening the door just enough to slip inside and head for the closet where Evangeline stored her jewellery.

  Joe opened several boxes, surprised to find some of them empty. Then he remembered how Evangeline often gifted jewellery to Agatha, Ebe, and the other maids in the mansion. Generosity was her trademark.

  He began pocketing diamonds and gold rings until he noticed a long box. Inside, he found a golden necklace, encrusted with diamonds. Examining it closely, he murmured, "Where have I seen this before? I remember..."

  His thoughts were interrupted by Ilana's soft cries. Startled, Joe quickly picked her up, cradling her gently. "Ilana, my little sister. Did you have a bad dream?"

  Ilana clung to him, tearful, and murmured, "Jo! Jo!"

  He held her close, rubbing her back to calm her. "You're safe with me, always."

  After a few minutes, Ilana drifted back to sleep. Joe gently tucked her in, then carefully closed the large box around the necklace before taking it with him, holding it securely in one hand.

  As he turned to leave, the door opened, and Evangeline entered. Joe froze, caught off guard, and could only stare at her, speechless.

  Evangeline met his frightened gaze, and he whispered, "I'm sorry, I..."

  Without a word, she gave him a brief nod and closed the door behind her. Outside, Agatha approached. "Evangeline? Is everything alright?"

  Evangeline shook her head lightly. "It's nothing. Let's just go grab a bite."

  But Agatha wasn't convinced. She narrowed her eyes, then snapped, "LIKE HELL IT'S NOTHING!"

  She shoved past Evangeline, threw open the door, and caught sight of Joe in the midst of escaping. "YOU DAMN FOOL!" she shouted. "STEALING FROM US!"

  Joe leapt onto a nearby tree by the window and quickly climbed down to the ground. Agatha's voice echoed through the mansion as she yelled, "GUARDS! CATCH JOE!"

  Ilana jolted awake, crying, as Agatha dashed down the stairs. Evangeline hurried to soothe Ilana, holding her close.

  Downstairs, Urien heard the commotion, and Jeffrey stormed out of his office. The shouts roused every maid, except for Ebe, who slept like a bear.

  Joe sprinted toward the entrance, muttering, "Why is this mansion so huge?"

  A guard spotted him, swinging his weapon. "Joe! By Agat-"

  Before he could finish, Joe rammed his head into the guard's face, knocking him down, then pushed forward, ignoring the throbbing in his head.

  Meanwhile, Urien and Jeffrey reached the carriage area, both tense. Jeffrey's voice was laced with anger. "Stealing from us? What am I going to do with that boy!"

  Urien stayed quiet, his eyes scanning the grounds. *If Joe had stolen from the family, he'd need a carriage to escape the city, yet he hadn't arrived. Urien thought, Did the guards already catch him?*

  At the entrance, guards had seized the carriage Joe had left, and more guards blocked every possible exit, closing in on any escape routes.

  After a few tense minutes, Urien's expression shifted as he realized something. He turned to Jeffrey, urgency in his tone. "He's already gone."

  Jeffrey looked at him, puzzled, as Urien commanded, "Search the walls! Every inch of them."

  After a thorough search, they found a tree with broken branches and scattered papers along the western edge of the mansion grounds, near the wall.

  Examining the tree, Urien noted, "He used this to jump over the wall."

  The guards, Jeffrey, Evangeline, and Agatha, looked at the tree in disbelief. Agatha gasped, "He's not a monster or an animal! How could he jump all the way from there?"

  Just then, a guard came running up. Stopping to catch his breath, he reported, "Sir! Some magic scrolls have gone missing from the mansion."

  Jeffrey turned to him. "Which scrolls?"

  "Two wind scrolls, three fire scrolls, and one earth scroll," the guard replied.

  Jeffrey sighed and then walked over to where Urien and Evangeline stood near the wall, examining the scene. "What did you find?" he asked.

  Evangeline, her face clouded with worry, replied, "Blood, Jeffrey... and some of my gold rings and diamonds."

  Jeffrey paused, deep in thought. "The jump didn't go perfectly, then."

  Urien nodded. "Joe must've cut himself- nothing serious, but enough to slow him down."

  Turning, he shouted, "GUARDS! CHECK THE OTHER SIDE!"

  After a few minutes, two guards returned with more rings and diamonds. "Sir, there wasn't much blood, but we found these. How much did he take?"

  Agatha, fuming, responded, "We'll ask him once we find him! Search everywhere! He couldn't have left the city on foot; check every alley and corner!"

  Urien looked at her and said, "He didn't go on foot."

  Agatha frowned. "But the guards found the carriage he abandoned outside."

  "It was a diversion," Urien replied, cutting her off. "He also took a horse. The carriage at the gate only had one horse, which the guards planned to report as missing in the morning. Joe likely hid the second horse near the wall."

  "How on earth did the horse get past the walls?" Agatha asked.

  Urien glanced quickly at the walls and around, then replied, "That, I don’t know."

  Jeffrey's expression hardened. "He knew it wouldn't be easy to get away. Clever kid."

  Evangeline took Jeffrey's arm and whispered urgently, "Don't send the knights. Just let him go. He's not coming back."

  Jeffrey looked at her, bewildered. "That necklace was your mother’s; a family heirloom she left you. He’ll just squander it on women, drinking, and… worse. I’d rather die than see that happen."

  "Jeffrey, please!" Evangeline's voice rose, catching everyone's attention. "It's just a necklace, just an object. Things aren't people. Let him keep it... and let him go. Please."

  Jeffrey dropped his gaze, but then he looked up, searching her face. "Why?" he asked softly. "Why would you give up anything for a kid who isn't even yours? For a boy who stands out as the failure in a family of hard workers?"

  Evangeline fell silent, a faint smile surfacing as she recalled an old memory of a child in ragged clothes, shivering in the cold, his head bowed as he looked up at her.

  She had offered him food and smiled. "Wait here," she had said gently. "I'll bring more children and come back for you. Let's head to the inn where it's warm."

  She paid for the child's room and dashed back into the winter streets. That night, six children had died in the cold, two despite the healer's efforts. Many more had fallen ill. Exhausted from searching all night with her maid, Agatha, young Evangeline had finally returned to the inn.

  When Evangeline arrived, she froze, stunned by the sight before her. A crowd had gathered near the inn's entrance, and with her heart pounding, she pushed her way through, though everything felt distant and muffled. There, lying on the ground, was the child she had helped earlier; his small body was rigid, lifeless, frozen to death. The sight stole her breath away, leaving her feeling hollow and numb.

  She didn't scream, didn't get angry, didn't even flinch. She simply stared at his lifeless form.

  Just then, the innkeeper appeared, yelling, "Get out of my inn! Pay up or leave! You-"

  When he noticed Evangeline, his tone shifted. He smiled and said, "Miss Evangeline? Good to see you. That little shit tried to steal dinner, but I stopped him. Then he tried to grab a bit of potato, so I kicked him out. You're kind-hearted, but you wasted your kindness on worthless trash."

  Emotionless, Evangeline looked at him and said, "I... paid for him."

  The innkeeper shrugged, grinning. "But you didn't pay for dinner. What else could I-"

  Before he could finish, she grabbed his coat and yanked him close, her voice trembling with rage. "You DAMN-"

  Evangeline's eyes snapped back to the present, meeting Jeffrey's questioning gaze. She laughed bitterly. "I help children so they might have a chance at a better future, where no kind soul dies of hunger or cold, where kids can just... live."

  Gently, she touched Jeffrey's cheek, smiling faintly. "To keep my heart at peace, for my sanity, I need to help people. Let Joe have it. If times were hard and I had nothing left, I'd sell that necklace to feed a child."

  Jeffrey took her hand and nodded. "If it gives you peace, so be it."

  Evangeline's face softened as Jeffrey instructed the guards, "Let the kid go. End the search, but if he ever returns... bring him to me. I'll break his legs myself!"

  After a month of cautious travel, Joe finally reached Cerulea City. Even in the dead of night, he headed straight for the merchants' guild.

  Elsewhere, in the small town of Brunnenheim, a large bearded man was helping two kids enter an orphanage. He waved goodbye before heading to the tavern.

  Sitting down, he ordered food and drink, stretching after the long journey of finding orphaned children and bringing them to the orphanage run by Rod; a white-haired, humble man known for his kindness to all.

  "Kollam!" he heard a voice and turned to see a young ghoul calling out. "Share another story with us! We're young adventurers, we need an epic tale!"

  Kollam smiled, stood up, and launched into a story from his many journeys, captivating his audience with vivid descriptions and a lively tone.

  Afterwards, he returned to his seat, enjoying the lively atmosphere as people danced and drank.

  When he'd finished his meal, he approached the owner to settle his bill, but his attention shifted to the sight of a fire spreading from a nearby house.

  People stopped singing and rushed to douse the flames, shouting as they worked to save the home. A dozen onlookers poured water on the blaze, while two others entered the house to rescue anyone inside.

  The female ghoul noticed the expression on Kollam's face; his wide, haunted eyes fixed on the fire. Memories from Goven village surged back, that dark day searing through his mind once more.

  And the voice that had once plagued only his dreams now echoed through his waking hours, fierce and unyielding.

  "DAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"