On July 22nd, dawn broke over the Kelong district at 6 a.m., signaling the approach of high summer. Elyon, weary, roused himself from slumber.
After taking a bracing cold shower in his washroom, he carefully descended the stairs, hoping not to wake his two younger sisters who were likely still ensconced in their dreams.
As he quietly opened the door to sneak out, a voice tinged with plaintive curiosity floated down from the second floor.
"Big brother, have you been bitten by the love bug? Why the early departures and late returns?"
Elyon glanced back to see his two sisters on the staircase; Nyara stood in readiness, fully dressed, while Seraphina appeared bleary-eyed, swathed in her robe.
"Sigh, without the hard work for my two adorable sisters, how could I afford a girlfriend? Since you're both up, why not join me for breakfast? What would you like?"
"Hmph, I don't believe it. We're not so easily bought by small favors," Nyara said.
On the other hand, Seraphina happily chipped in, "Wait for me, brother. I'll go change."
Seeing her sister switch sides so easily, Nyara also coyly made her way down.
"I've been so busy lately that I haven't paid enough attention to my dear sisters. How about seafood rice for breakfast?"
"Is it really that busy?"
"What else would I be doing going to the police station so early? Surely, you've heard about yesterday's bank robbery nearby?"
"Were you at the scene?"
"No, just ended up working overtime and got pulled in to take notes," Elyon fibbed.
After a shared breakfast and dropping his sisters off at their cram school, Elyon proceeded to the police station. Captain Kappa, already donned in a bank uniform, was waiting for him.
"It's rare for you to be late, what happened? Encounter some emergency?"
"Our home's two matriarch-like sisters are quite a handful; they delayed me. Are we visiting that manager's widow today?"
"Let's not rush. We're meeting an underground worker first. Sometimes, the right tactics trump sheer effort. Go get changed into your uniform."
After handing over a set of black bank attire that looked like something out of an earthbound hotel bellboy's wardrobe—plain and unsightly—Captain Kappa watched as Elyon got dressed. They exchanged glances once Elyon returned to the lobby.
"Do we pass for bank employees?"
"To be honest, not quite. Your attire is a size too big and rather wrinkled."
"Let's head out. Our contact is just a teacher anyway, and David won't be showing his face anytime soon."
"Where to?"
"To our little informant."
Captain Kappa led Elyon to a street near the port, a place rented by dockworkers and sailors.
The early morning was filled with workers hastening to their duties—some with temporary jobs or long-term contracts exuded a lively spirit, whereas those without work for the day seemed indifferent.
"Watch out for pickpockets. We're not in uniform tonight, and even children barely over ten here won't hesitate to lift your wallet," Kappa cautioned.
"I think I have nothing to steal." Elyon had stored most of his cash the day before and left his daily expenses at home, carrying only a few shillings with him.
"See these kids, thin as cigarettes. By twelve, they'll be sent off to apprentice, one less mouth to feed," Kappa pointed out.
The Burg Kingdom officially outlawed child labor, but once a child reached twelve, they could apprentice with a tradesman, a loophole in the system.
The main difference was merely a restriction on children performing heavy physical labor, not that their frail bodies could endure it anyway.
Captain Kappa and Elyon approached a three-story row house, climbing up to a single room on the top floor. Kappa knocked in a particular pattern: one knock, a pause of ten seconds, two knocks, another pause, and then three.
With a creak, the door swung open to reveal a young girl around seven or eight with golden hair, wearing a gray and white skirt.
"Uncle Kappa, why are you dressed up like that?"
"Good morning, little Cora."
"He's inside, gluing matchboxes. Come in. Who is this?"
"Good morning, I'm brother Elyon. Here, buy yourself some candy."
Elyon, trying to appear youthful, called himself 'brother' and handed over a penny coin to the cute little girl.
"Brother said not to take money from strangers. But since you're with Uncle Kappa, I guess it's okay. Thank you, sir."
Elyon wiped his brow, predicting that this little one would be no less formidable than his own sisters when she grew up.
The siblings lived in a room scarcely fifteen square meters, with a bunk bed at the far end, a stove with firewood to the left, and a wardrobe that reached nearly to the ceiling. A double-decker cupboard hung on the wall, a few cups and plates displayed atop. Near the floor rested a cast-iron pot and kettle.
To the right stood a wooden table and a small curtained section, likely a wash space.
A boy worked at the table, attentively gluing matchboxes and piling them into a large winnowing basket.
"Good morning, little Cor. Why have you taken to gluing matchboxes?" Kappa greeted him.
"Good morning, Uncle Kappa. I want to earn my own keep, not always rely on you. The Eggburg Daily is hiring paperboys. They pay a shilling a day, but you need to know how to read and do basic math. I want to save up for a general education school."
Cor didn't look up but focused on his task.
"Why not attend a church school?" Elyon asked, recalling that his own siblings received their early education there.
"Mr. Elyon, there are too many children and not enough places. Even though church schools offer free compulsory education, the closest one run by the Church of Winter only has about a hundred and ten spots. How many children are there in the port area? Families with guardians who donate more to the church usually get priority."
It seemed Elyon's grandfather had been quite generous to the church, ensuring his siblings had places in the church school.
Elyon silently thanked Providence for granting him at least a stable reincarnation.
"Do you have time for a couple of tasks I have for you? There's a reward for their completion."
"Uncle Kappa, are you sure these are actual tasks and not just another way to give us money under the guise of finding a lost cat?"
"This time they're real tasks, and one might be a bit dangerous. Listen to all the details first, then decide if you want to take one or both."
"Go ahead, Uncle Kappa."
"First, can you look into whether any fishermen in their thirties have gone missing at the port lately? Not from the small personal boats but the larger deep-sea fishing vessels. An average-sized man, probably a gambler, may even owe a large debt. It's safe, and you're more familiar with the port crowd than anyone."
"No problem. I head to the port market every afternoon for discounted vegetables anyway. I don't deal with the fishermen directly, but I know their employers."
Kappa nodded and passed Cor a slip of paper.
"This is a house on Fourth Street, home to a female teacher. Starting tomorrow, pretend to be a paperboy selling old newspapers. Keep an eye out for any man with a shoulder injury or a menacing face looking for her. If you spot someone, don't alert them; come straight back to the station to find us."
"But where will I get old newspapers?"
"Stop by our station before you go to Fourth Street. We've got plenty of old ones. Sell them for a farthing each; people use them for wallpaper, wrapping, or kindling. Consider it compensation for the matchboxes you won't finish."
"Alright, thank you, Uncle Kappa."
"Bang, bang, bang. I know you're in there, brats, you haven't paid this week's protection money yet." The door shook under a fierce knocking, accompanied by a gruff adult male voice.
"Protection money? Who dares to come here and demand that?" Elyon inquired.
"A thug in his thirties from around here, seems he's fallen in with a minor leader of the Blood Eagle gang and often harasses orphans like us. Don't worry about him; he'll leave on his own."
Cor continued to stroke his sister's hair to comfort her as he replied.
The pounding and cursing from outside the door grew more intense.
"You little devils. If it weren't for me, Larkins, looking out for you, you'd have been sold off to the northern continent by now. I'm just here for some drinking money today, and you're hiding from me, you damned vermin."
"Elyon, take out your gun. It's time to teach Mr. Larkins a lesson."
Captain Kappa drew an exaggeratedly large revolver, nearly the length of a forearm, its steel casing emanating a dangerous aura. Elyon thought it more a hand cannon than a gun.
"Yeesh, Captain, that's bigger than a .45, isn't it?"
".50 caliber. Sometimes even this doesn't feel powerful enough for some of the less conventional targets," Kappa blinked.
"Of course, we don't usually run into those; specialized squads handle those situations."
"Stand to the left of the door. When that Larkins scoundrel comes in, put your gun to his head. Cor, go open the door."
The door opened, and a drunken middle-aged man staggered in.
"Thought you could hide? Hand over the money. And your little sister, she'll fetch a nice price in a few years, heh heh."
Larkins pushed past Cor, and as he began to rummage for valuables, he suddenly felt the cold touch of metal against both sides of his head, sobering up instantly.
Glancing left and right, he saw Captain Kappa smirking at him while Elyon looked on expressionlessly.
Run! Larkins' instinct was to flee the danger, turning his head to bolt out the door.