Chapter 28
Mira walked with her loosely tied mint-colored hair swaying and whispered something into Lavian’s ear.
Meanwhile, Lavian bent over and hit a billiard ball.
As the ball shot out with force, the expressions of those nearby grew even gloomier.
From the hiding spot where Nina and her group were crouched, they couldn’t see the other side of the pool table, making it difficult to tell what was happening.
“Was that a foul?”
“Did someone get hit?”
While Messi and Katya speculated, Nina, who was intently observing, let out a small gasp.
“That’s the one!”
“Who?”
“There, the guy with the glasses.”
Nina pointed at a man lingering near the bar.
He had been sitting in the dimly lit corner earlier, making it easy to miss him.
Now that Mira had approached the bar and said something to him, the man with the glasses rolled up his sleeves and pulled out an ice bucket.
Even from a distance, the thick, fluorescent pink watch strap around his wrist stood out clearly.
“Where on earth do you even get something like that?”
Katya looked stunned.
Nina glanced nervously at Messi.
“What should we do?”
“Leave it to me. I’ll go in… talk to my brother and explain. He should be inside.”
Speaking boldly, Messi gave Nina a reassuring smile.
He seemed incredibly dependable.
For a moment, Nina felt truly grateful that Messi was with them.
No matter how kind Merce (Messi’s brother) seemed, if Nina or Katya stormed in and started accusing the bartender, he’d probably be bewildered.
“But do we have to stay out here while he’s gone? What if someone suddenly comes out?”
Katya now looked frightened.
Even from here, it was clear the atmosphere inside was getting more and more hostile.
“Well, yeah, this place isn’t ideal. Okay, let’s do this.”
Messi rummaged in his inner pocket and handed Nina a silver coin.
She blinked in confusion.
“What’s this for…?”
“There’s a temporary kids’ zone right next door, but there’s a fee. You two can hang out there for now.”
Katya looked completely incredulous.
Avoiding her expression, Nina waved at Messi.
“Thanks. Be careful, just in case.”
“See you soon.”
After Messi left, silence fell between the two girls.
Then, Katya’s stomach grumbled loudly.
Almost immediately, Nina’s stomach growled too.
They turned to each other with equally red faces.
Katya spoke first.
“Think we can spend this on something else?”
* * *
“…Damn it, making a living is rough.”
Mira grumbled as she stepped out of the restroom.
The fact that she couldn’t drink alcohol was a top-secret, only known to her boss, Lavian.
So, smacking the guys who kept pushing drinks on her at this crucial meeting wasn’t that big of a deal.
At least, that’s what Mira believed.
“He’s always nagging at me, even though he’s worse himself…”
She kept muttering as she rubbed her swollen hand with a cold, damp towel full of ice.
Sure, the one who gets hit hurts, but so does the one doing the hitting.
That obvious fact never seemed to register with that damned boss.
“What’s going on in there?”
“Ahh! Shit!”
Just as she was approaching the party room door, Mira nearly jumped out of her skin.
Across the hallway, Merce stood with his arms crossed, smiling gracefully.
“Why so startled?”
“Jeez, do you even make noise when you walk? I thought something was falling!”
“Sorry.”
“But seriously, what are you doing here? I didn’t hear anything about you coming. Does the boss know?”
“No.”
Merce shook his head.
Mira frowned in confusion.
“Then what are you doing here? FYI, the boss is in a really bad mood right now. Those damn punks keep messing around with the goods…”
“I heard pool balls clacking in there.”
“Their mouths are the pockets. Looks like they plan to talk all night.”
“Ah, typical. Anyway, I’ve come across some important information, and I think I’ll give you an opportunity.”
“What opportunity? Why are you dumping it on me?”
Mira asked, annoyed.
Merce raised his eyebrows.
“A chance to lift the ban on approaching the little princess.”
“…Talk.”
* * *
Attached to the paid kids’ zone was a 24-hour snack bar and cafe.
Through the glass walls, the brightly lit kids’ zone could be seen, even at this late hour.
Several children were playing on indoor playground equipment.
In a place like that, you probably wouldn’t even notice how time passes…
Sitting in a toast shop across from the zone, Nina stared blankly as she waited.
I wonder if Messi explained everything well. How would he even put it…
It was surprising how readily Messi had believed her, but she couldn’t be sure how Merce or the other adults would react.
“Here we go.”
Just then, Katya returned, holding a plate of toast.
As the warm, savory smell hit her, Nina suddenly felt her mouth water.
She had thought she wasn’t hungry despite the emptiness in her stomach, but apparently, she was wrong.
“Thanks.”
“It’s not like I paid for it with my own money. Not sure if it’ll suit your taste.”
“It looks good. Why wouldn’t it?”
Without a word, Katya bit into the toast with gusto.
In just a few seconds, she finished one and reached for another.
“You’re not some kind of noble’s illegitimate child or something, are you? You totally look the part.”
“I… don’t really know.”
Nina gave a vague reply and bit into her toast.
The bread, baked with egg and sugar and stuffed with ham, cheese, and onions, was delicious.
Katya observed Nina with a thoughtful look before shrugging.
“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. Most people around here have rough pasts. But it is kinda strange. How’d you get tangled up with Lavian? I thought Anubis doesn’t do child trafficking anymore.”
“…What are you talking about?”
Nina’s blue eyes widened at the unfamiliar term.
Katya’s deep navy eyes also grew wide.
“You don’t know? Oh, well, I guess you wouldn’t. Anubis used to have a different boss before Lavian took over.”
That part Nina did know.
Katya sipped her juice and continued.
“Lavian suddenly showed up, killed the former boss, and took over. But the old guy was such a monster that everyone was actually relieved. Anyway, ever since then, Lavian stopped doing the child trade.”
“What exactly do you mean by ‘child trade’?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. The good-looking kids—ones nobles would like—were sold at high prices. The rest were used for begging and other shady stuff.”
It was horrifying, but Katya’s tone remained calm.
As if such things were completely normal.
Everyday, mundane.
“Where did they get the kids? They didn’t really kidnap them all, did they?”
“No, they didn’t bother with something so troublesome. Most of them were handed over by their parents in exchange for paying off debt. Or just sold off for petty cash… Not that it matters anymore.”
It really was a relief that it didn’t matter anymore.
Nina stared down at her toast in a daze.
So that’s why it was so easy to pin everything on him…
In the prophetic dream, the royal family had blamed Lavian for even the crimes of Hameln.
Because the organization Anubis had that kind of dark history, it was easy to make it stick.
Even if Lavian had nothing to do with any of it.
The thought made her resent her parents even more.
Letting the world think Lavian had done all those horrible things, putting him in a coma wasn’t enough…
I won’t let that happen again.
Nina’s blue eyes burned with resolve.
