Zoe said,
"What do you mean by 'the system'?"
I looked at her, clearly flustered, and said:
"Uh, some system I don't know anything about. I mean, the building system."
Then I thought to myself:
I don't know what's going to happen. If she finds out about the system—maybe it has something to do with her—I have to keep everything about myself hidden so I don't make a mistake I'll regret.
She replied in a calm, low voice:
"Okay."
In the city…
I whispered to myself as I walked: What's wrong with these people… The crowd here is unnatural.
The smells were heavy—a mixture of indistinguishable things, like cheap wine mixed with rotten eggs. The food was displayed in strange shapes and unnatural colors.
There were also necklaces made of twisted, strange animal teeth on display.
Then a loud voice rang out from one of the merchants: "I've brought you the best goods today!"
Women from the City of the Transformed.
People gathered around him.
I froze in my tracks, staring at the scene. Women bound in chains—some minors, some adults—wore tattered gray clothes, their hair hanging down their backs. Their gaunt faces stood out clearly as the crowd gathered around them.
They were being displayed like merchandise, at cheap prices, as if they were the cost of a lunch.
I didn't speak.
Beside me, Zoe grabbed the hem of my clothes. She was trembling silently.
I looked at her for a moment… then looked up again.
The scene hadn't changed, but I was no longer steady inside.
Then I forced myself to take a single step forward, as if fleeing from standing in the same spot for too long.
Suddenly, I bumped into an old man. A small object fell from his hand onto the ground. I bent down to pick it up; it was spherical and made of glass. I held it between my fingers, examining it carefully. Inside, there seemed to be a deep, endless void.
In an instant, that void split open, revealing a dark red eye moving slowly from side to side.
The man snatched the object away quickly, his body trembling. He hid it under a piece of cloth, as if afraid of being seen.
I looked up at him. His face was lined with wrinkles, his teeth a dark shade between yellow and black, and the smell of cheap tobacco seeped from him with every breath. He said in a tense voice, "Don't worry…"
Then he hurried away, glancing back every now and then.
I stood there, staring at the place. I muttered to myself: What is this thing… Where am I? Everything here is strange and scary. I have to find a way back, no matter what it takes. I won't be able to stay here long.
My thoughts were interrupted only by Zoe, who gently shook my shoulder.
I looked up at her. She was looking at me with innocent calm. Her eyes were clear blue, framed by a faint shadow of dark circles, yet there was a strange warmth in her gaze that softened this cold place.
I heard a faint gurgling sound coming from Zoe's stomach.
I turned to her and found her staring at the floor with obvious shyness. She couldn't control herself; her face gradually flushed until her features were completely hidden by embarrassment.
I said to her in a low voice, "Don't worry… I'm hungry, too."
I hesitated for a moment, then added, "Do you have any money?"
She replied nervously, "I don't have any."
Then I quickly remembered the truth… neither she nor I had anything.
I raised my hand to my head, rubbing it nervously, and repeated in a low voice: Think… think…
My gaze fell on the watch on my wrist.
I paused for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on my face.
I looked at Zoe and said, "Let's go."
A few minutes later…
I was counting some bills in my hands. We'd finally found someone to buy the watch.
It wasn't a large sum, but it was enough for at least two meals.
I looked around for the nearest restaurant. Zoe was looking at me shyly, as if she still felt guilty or hesitant.
I walked over to her and said calmly, "It's okay… I told you I was hungry, too. Besides, the watch was just something I didn't really need."
"All right… let's go get something to eat."
Zoe smiled shyly, looking down at the ground.
A few minutes later…
We stopped in front of an old building. A weathered wooden sign hung above the door, reading:
"Restaurant," with some other smudged, illegible writing next to it.
I pushed the door open gently and we went inside.
The place looked strangely old. The tables were wooden and worn, and the walls were covered with scratches. I whispered to myself:
"This place… looks like it's from the Stone Age."
Then I muttered:
"Never mind… don't judge a place by its appearance. Maybe they have something delicious."
A man dressed as a waiter—with blond hair, reddish eyes, and pale skin—
approached us and asked, "How can I help you?"
I whispered to myself, "What is this handsome young man doing here? He's so handsome it makes me want to cry."
Then
I looked at Zoe:
"Order whatever you want."
She shook her head slightly.
It wasn't long before the food arrived. A plate full of well-cooked pieces of meat was placed in front of us, topped with a strange red sauce that looked like ketchup but tasted different.
I took a bite. It tasted surprisingly delicious—so much so that the meat seemed to melt in my mouth.
I turned to Zoe and said:
"It's really delicious."
Zoe was eating with obvious gusto, her face almost completely covered in food.
I looked at her and said:
"You've gotten yourself dirty."
I handed her a piece of cloth lying on the table
I paused for a moment, then went back to watching her in silence, thinking to myself:
"It seems she's been through a lot…"
Then I asked her:
"Do you know where your family lives?"
She shook her head:
"I don't know."
I sighed and furrowed my brow:
"Don't you remember anything?"
She replied nervously:
"I don't know anything… I don't remember anything… I just know that I'm Zoe… just Zoe."
I was silent for a moment, then looked at her again.
Her short white hair swayed slightly, and her blue eyes and fair skin were unlike anyone I'd ever seen in this world.
I muttered to myself:
"She doesn't seem to be from around here… Maybe she's from a noble family."
That's when Zoe noticed I was watching her. She turned directly toward me. I felt a slight flush of embarrassment, so I quickly turned my face away and said:
"Eat your food."
On the other side of the restaurant, a girl was sitting in silence. She was wearing a white robe striped with red, and over it a gray cloak that hid most of her features.
She hadn't taken her eyes off me since I sat down.
Whenever I turned around, her gaze was fixed on me.
After a while, Zoe and I got up and left the restaurant. As I walked, I muttered:
"He took most of our money… we only have enough left for half a meal."
But the girl moved immediately.
She got up from her seat and followed us out, trailing us from one street to the next in complete silence, maintaining a steady distance without making a sound.
We entered a dark alley.
The girl paused for a moment at the entrance to the alley… then followed us inside.
And in a single second—
Her body froze.
A cold piece of metal pressed against the back of her neck.
Her eyes widened in shock.
I was standing right behind her. My features were sharp, and my voice was low but menacing:
"Did you think I hadn't noticed you?"
I pressed the piece of metal closer to her neck.
"Who are you…"
"And what do you want from us?"