Chapter 14: “I’ll Take Everything Here”

R&e;α​d& ;ô&n; Ｋ​аt‍&R;​eａｄînǵCa&f;​e

The errand wasn’t anything complicated.

It was a simple task: deliver a letter to an acquaintance of the orphanage director and come back.

In the slums, if you entrusted children with tasks involving money, like grocery shopping, there was a high chance things would go wrong. So, they were usually given simple tasks like this.

After successfully delivering the letter, they were on their way back.

“…”

Tommy kept looking back, his face scrunched up in a frown. He often frowned when he was with Sugar, but this time, it wasn’t because of her.

The sound of a cane tapping the ground—tap, tap—echoed from behind.

The blind woman, her skin covered entirely except for her face, was following them. She was clearly the same woman they had ignored earlier, and her presence was unsettling.

Her face was lit up with a bright smile. It sent shivers down their spines. Even though her eyes were closed, it felt like she was staring right at them.

“Hey… do you know her? She’s been following us.”

“No…”

It was creepy for Sugar too. An adult chasing after young kids in broad daylight—normally, that would be a reason to call the police, but sadly, there were no cell phones here.

How could she follow them so well if she was blind?

The rhythmic tapping of the cane was starting to grate on her nerves. Sugar gave Tommy a look.

“Ahem, ahem. Ah! I think I left my wallet back at that house!”

“Oh no. That’s bad.”

“We should go back and get it. Let’s go!”

It sounded like they were reading from a script, but they were surprisingly in sync.

The two turned around and stomped loudly, pretending to run, but after passing the woman, they quietly changed direction and walked softly. Their plan was to sneak back to the orphanage using a different route. Since the blind woman relied on her hearing, this was their clever trick.

“Phew… that should do it, right?”

“…”

“Tommy? What’s wrong?”

“…She’s still behind us.”

Sugar almost cursed out loud.

Angry, she hid Tommy behind her and confidently approached the woman.

“Hey, miss. Why are you following us around?”

It wasn’t a good idea to lead someone like her to the orphanage. The orphanage was like their home, and they couldn’t reveal its location. If they were going to shake her off, it had to be here. However, the response she got was just a light, cheerful laugh.

Sugar’s eyes narrowed.

Perhaps sensing her reaction, the woman quickly spoke up.

“Ah, sorry. I just… didn’t expect to be called ‘miss’ by a little girl.”

“Answer the question. Why are you following us?”

“It’s a bit awkward to talk here. Do you know a good place? I’m not very familiar with this area yet.”

This is only my second time visiting- Her smile was unsettling. Despite her clean, youthful face with no makeup, there was something eerie about her.

“Fine. I don’t want to talk anymore. Just leave us alone.”

“I can’t do that. I came all this way to meet you.”

“…What?”

“Ah. I should introduce myself first.”

Tap, tap. The sound of her cane grew heavier. Each step she took was deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey.

“…That person. She’s a mage.”

A foreboding feeling shot through Sugar’s body. Tommy whispered it from behind.

A bad thought suddenly crossed her mind. The image of those she never wanted to see, not even in her dreams, flooded her thoughts uncontrollably.

And her feeling wasn’t wrong.

“I am Louveci, a loyal apostle of the one who resides in the shadows. Sugar, I’ve come to guide you.”

Her graceful curtsy and whispered greeting made Sugar feel like the ground had disappeared beneath her feet.

The sensation of falling. Everything about this place, which had been comforting despite its poverty, now felt distant, like a fading illusion.

Why. Why now. So suddenly—

‘-Stay calm… stay calm…’

She tried desperately to calm her racing heart. She took a deep breath in, then out.

Her head spun, but she dug her nails into her palm to steady her wavering mind.

‘If they wanted to kidnap me, they could’ve done it earlier… There’s still room for negotiation.’

Sugar was currently 11 years old. The kidnapping was supposed to happen when she was 14.

The cult’s appearance, three years early and without warning, had her on edge, but she couldn’t just stand still.

Hadn’t she vowed to change the future? To escape the horrifying fate of becoming the cult’s saintess?

If she focused, she could feel the magic flowing through her body. This was one of the fruits of her labor.

She had endured the pain of her body being torn apart to achieve this, but it wasn’t complete yet. She couldn’t be captured before it was finished.

She imagined living a peaceful life in a quiet village or attending a magic school and making friends.

In that future, she and Tommy were both grown up. Why Tommy? Well, she hadn’t asked, but she had a feeling he’d go to magic school. His thirst for knowledge and determination made it seem like a perfect fit.

Hehe. I’ll have to ask him later.

Imagining a happy future, Sugar took a deep breath and raised her head.

“Why have you come looking for me?”

Her voice came out calmer than she expected.

“As I said, I’ve come to guide you.”

“I’m asking why you’ve come to guide me. I’ve never asked for such a thing.”

“Shall we move somewhere else? It’s a bit embarrassing to say this out loud, but I’m quite shy…”

Looking around, people passing by occasionally glanced at them.

A blind woman in all black and two kids made for a strange combination.

But how does she know people are looking at her if she’s blind? It’s ridiculous.

“Fine. Let’s go to the town center.”

It was a proper area outside the slums. There were more people and guards stationed there. Leading the way, Sugar whispered to Tommy.

“‘When we get there, sneak away and call the guards.’”

She used their secret code. Hearing this, Tommy felt a tightness in his chest.

It was the first time he’d seen such a sharp look in Sugar’s eyes. Her expression was serious, almost fearful.

He didn’t know who this woman was, but judging by her demeanor, she was a heretic. Why she knew Sugar’s name and why she had come to take her, he didn’t know, but it couldn’t be anything good.

-I just… wanted to escape a hopeless future. That’s all. I’m not asking for anything grand. Even a little bit of strength would be enough.

A memory from some time ago resurfaced. The words she had spoken when she asked to be taught magic.

She had wanted strength, as if she were being chased by something. She had even considered ways that could ruin her body, all in an effort to learn magic.

Did you know it would come to this?

When he looked at her with that question in his eyes, Sugar gave him a faint smile. Don’t be scared. She smiled like an adult comforting a child but Tommy’s chest only tightened further.

‘If things go south…’

He pretended to adjust his pants while making a hand gesture. It was the shape of holding a book.

If something went wrong before the guards arrived.

His heart pounded. He would have to direct this, this malice, toward a person. All thoughts of the first sacrifice or the need to protect the secrets of the magic book vanished from his mind. All that remained was the determination to eliminate anyone who threatened them.

That resolve was abruptly cut off by Louveci’s light remark.

“Why? It’s nice to go together.”

The two children turned around simultaneously.

‘She understood that…!’

“Did I get the code right? Just in case, I should clarify that I didn’t actually understand it. It just sounded like you were trying to send your friend ahead. My ears are quite sharp, you see, since my eyes are like this. But… isn’t it better to have more people in a nice place like this?”

“…”

“…The air feels sharp. Hey, Sugar. And your friend over there. I don’t know why you’re so wary of me, but I have no intention of hurting you or forcing you to do anything. If I wanted to, I would’ve done it already.”

“Then prove your sincerity.”

“What kind of proof are you asking for?”

“Give us a reason to believe that you truly mean us no harm.”

Kidnapping children to offer them to their god. Ruining a girl’s senses, her voice, her life.

Yet, there was no denying her statement, ‘If I wanted to, I would’ve done it already.’ So, Sugar made her proposal quietly.

After a moment of thought, Louveci readily spoke.

“I promise. From this moment onward, I will not harm Sugar or her friend. I swear this in the name of Louveci, the apostle.”

With her hands clasped over her chest, she spoke with reverence. If one only looked at her appearance, she seemed like a devout believer.

“…This is a vow to the one I believe in. Breaking it would be no different from betraying them. I would be destroying my own reason for existence with my own hands. This is my sincerity. Will you believe me now?”

“The possibility of breaking the oath still exists—”

“Sugar.”

She felt a gaze.

From behind her closed eyelids, she felt a gaze. It was nauseating and oppressive.

“Please, do not make remarks that disregard my faith.”

Sugar quietly nodded.

In response, a smile spread across Louveci’s face.

The place the three arrived at was a café in the town center.

It was a place Sugar had seen a few times when she went out with the orphanage director.

Sugar and Tommy sat side by side, with Louveci sitting across from them. Though they were at the same table, the atmosphere between them was starkly different.

One side was all smiles, while the other was dark and tense.

The strange combination and awkward atmosphere made the approaching waiter feel out of place as he handed them the menu.

“Sugar, is there anything you’d like to eat? You too, friend. Feel free to order whatever you want.”

“Yes. Excuse me, we’ll take one of everything on the menu.”

“…Pardon?”

Louveci, who had been full of confidence, instantly deflated.

“Uh… well… that’s a bit… I’d love to be generous, but our circumstances aren’t exactly ideal…”

“You said we could order whatever we wanted. You don’t have the money? Then there’s no need to talk.”

“How petty.”

“Exactly. We’ll be going now. Let’s go, Tommy.”

As the two coldly got up, Louveci floundered and stopped them.

“Ah! No, no! We’ll… we’ll order it all! One of everything on the menu, please!”

The waiter, though bewildered, bowed and left. After he was gone, Louveci muttered to herself, “Ah… I’m going to get in trouble… ah…”

“…So, what’s the purpose of coming all this way?”

“Let’s eat first… then we’ll talk. Don’t be so tense. I’m just here to explain the cult and propose that you join us, that’s all.”

“That’s it? You came all this way just to preach while buying us some food?”

Her tone grew sharper as Louveci kept avoiding the main point.

Yet, the other party showed no sign of anger and simply nodded.

“Yes… is that a problem?”

“…”

“Um, is there something else you want? A toy, maybe, or some jewelry… If you agree to join us, I’ll get it for you.”

Her hands were clasped politely, and her tone was almost like coaxing a child.

It felt like she was being treated as a child.

Even though she technically was a child, the condescension in her tone was hard to ignore.

This was about her future. The fact that Louveci was trying to lure her with toys and trinkets made her blood boil.

“You think you can ruin someone’s life with that kind of bait?”

“How is approaching the truth ruining someone’s life?”

“You’re going to cripple me to the point where I can’t even move on my own. Lock me underground for the rest of my—”

“W-wait, Sugar.”

Louveci pressed a finger to her lips, her voice pleading.

“Please clear up this misunderstanding. I truly came here with good intentions. As I swore earlier, I have no intention of hurting you or anything like that…”

Her audacity was almost impressive.

Sugar took a moment to calm her anger. She sipped the cold water that had been brought out, cooling her head.

The chill helped her mood improve slightly.

“Alright… fine.”

“Have you calmed down now?”

But instead of answering, Sugar raised her hand and said something shocking.

“Owner. We’ll take one of everything on the menu. On top of what we already ordered, make it two of each.”

“…Pardon? Uh… Sugar…?”

“The first set is for me. The second is for him. That’s fine, right?”

Sugar, with a shameless expression, pointed at Tommy with her thumb. Tommy, in response, nodded and glared at Louveci.

Louveci’s face turned pale with shock.