— Mei! Mei, please don't go! I beg of you!
Her voice splintered into raw, jagged cries, each word strangled by grief. She folded forward, forehead nearly brushing the ground, shoulders convulsing with every breath.
"Mei…"
The sound tore itself from deep within her chest, unrestrained, echoing through the room. Her fingers clenched the fabric of her robe as if it were the only thing keeping her upright
⪻────────𖤓────────⪼
[ present day, Victoria City, 2pm ]
Cody and I descended into the harbor of Victoria City.
We had been at sea for quite a while. I glanced over just in time to see Cody clamp a hand over his mouth, his face drained of color— green and purple blooming across his skin.
I walked over and pulled a bottle of water from my bag.
"Here. Are you alright?"
"Yeah…I—I'm fine.. just not used to it."
Cody took the bottle and staggered towards a bench at the far end of the harbor, I watched him go, barely keeping his balance, his legs swaying side to side as if the ground were still rocking beneath him.
Before I could follow, a group of harbor guards approached me. They spoke quickly, instructing me to move the boat to the opposite side of the anchor.
I tried to ask why, but all they told me was that important guests were arriving and the harbor had to be cleared.
I didn't look for trouble, I rerouted the boat to the west side, taking the long way around.
When I returned, I looked for Cody.
The bench was empty.
Only the bottle of water remained, standing upright where he had been.
-⪻────────𖤓────────⪼
Sunlight spilled across the stone ground as I walked along the river harbor. The bottle swung loosely in my hand with each step.
[ It's a shame we couldn't say a proper goodbye— how sudden we were parted.]
[ I don't think I ever thanked him enough. If it weren't for him… I would probably still be there… ]
My gaze stayed fixed on the cobblestones as seagulls cried overhead.
It was time to leave the harbor.
- - -
At the main gate, officers stopped me to inspect my papers.
Thanks to the crew, I carried forged documents: a passcard and legal ownership of the boat, along with permission to enter the Victoria Kingdom. Officially, I was listed as the manager of the crew.
The reason was simple. The ongoing civil war in
"The manager of the
"Wait—did you say
They peered down through the small gatehouse window. I stepped back, my head barely visible beneath the frame.
A moment later, one of them came outside.
"Wow… I didn't expect
I laughed nervously. "So…can I enter?"
"Of course." He tipped his hat and gestured to his coworker. The gate creaked open.
"Welcome to Victoria City, ma'am."
⪻────────𖤓────────⪼
The city was immense.
I didn't know where to look. Everything shimmeed— the rooftops, the flags, even the people themselves.
It was like stepping into a painting: red rooftops bleeding into the vast blue sky, towers carved with radiant light. The central square pulsed with sound and color, overwhelming in its brilliance.
I felt like a smudge on silk
I kept my head down as I moved forward. Back home, the streets were crooked and quiet. Here, even the shadows seemed to speak.
Eventually the crowd thinned as I turned into a narrow lane. It was quiet enough to hear my own footsteps. The walls pressed in close, yet the path was wide enough for two carts to pass side by side.
I finally breathe.
That's when I saw the sign.
[ The Saint Golden Loaf ]
A bakery.
It was tucked neatly into the land, the name painted carefully above the door. I stopped.
My hand slipped into my bag. A few pennies rested in my palm. I glanced at the menu beside the entrance, prices written in bold strokes.
I read once.
Then I turned away.
- - -
I sat at a worn picnic table on the outskirts of town and unwrapped the sandwich I'd prepared on the ship—rough bread, thin slices of meat.
I ate slowly.
The bench creaked beneath my weight. Moments later, boots scuffed the ground behind me. Two officers dropped onto the table at my back, food wrappers clinkling in their hands. The sweet scent of roasted meat filled the air.
"My legs are killing me."
"Tell me about it. Is the palace throwing a party or something? We had double the ships today."
"Most of them were from the Rosette Kingdom—or other parts of Victoria. Never seen this many people in the city."
"Did the chief not tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
"The execution's today. They caught the queen a few days ago. She's probably in south of
"Caught the queen? Wasn't that in the newspapers? I thought she surrendered herself to the High Lord."
"That's what they printed. But some journalists say she only surrendered after being captured by a foreigner."
"You know how the media is. Never tells the full truth."
"Still…how did I miss that?"
"To be frank with you Marc, I didn't know either. The sergeant only told me after I complained. He said it was confidential."
He lowered his voice. "Apparently, the queen was captured by a little girl."
Marc rubbed his mustache. "Ereck mentioned that. Said the girl even won the prize money. His voice was filled with jealousy. I didn't believe it until you bought it up."
"You think it's true?"
The officer pushed his sandwich aside. "Ereck must've been there when the
"Hired? By who—the
"Idiot. Don't you see what this means?"
"Look around. The ships. The crowds. The newspapers changing their story every day."
He leaned in.
"The leader of the