Two weeks passed quickly, and today was the Moonless Day, the annual Thanksgiving Day for humans. Etzikri Street had already been filled with the festive spirit of Thanksgiving. Mrs. Lily hung a scarf she had sewn by hand on the white house's gate, and it was customary for both shops and households to display handmade items during this time in the Southern Continent. Looking at the time, it was already almost 6 p.m., and the children who had gone to the school's Thanksgiving event should be coming back soon. Little Lizzy was reaching the age when she would soon be enrolling in school, and Mrs. Lily planned to apply for additional funding from the Enforcers after Thanksgiving.
Loud voices of children playing reached the end of the street. Mrs. Lily could clearly see Katerina, who was tall, and Arthur teaming up to chase after George. However, George, while running away, managed to fight back, and despite being outnumbered, he held his ground. All three of them were wearing cotton clothes and knitted hats made by Mrs. Lily, and they looked like siblings.
"If you keep chasing me, I'll fight back!" George, who was growing taller and more muscular than a month ago, said, his voice full of confidence. Katerina often joked in front of Mrs. Lily that George already looked like he was 16. Arthur, who had matured over the past month, no longer appeared stiff; after Livlan's guidance, he had learned to recognize when someone was impatient with him and no longer asked questions.
"Try me, you little squirt," Katerina teased, and with a grin, she shoved George towards Arthur, who, in turn, pushed George back, like they were playing a game of handball. "George, give Katerina her bag back, or she'll keep pushing you towards me!"
The three of them continued to play as they made their way back to the Charity House, where Mrs. Lily was waiting at the door. She gave each of them a hug before they entered the house.
"Go wash your hands, we're having starflower stew tonight," Mrs. Lily called as she ushered the children inside, while she closed the door and hugged Lizzy, who had come to greet her siblings. The temperature outside had dropped considerably since two weeks ago, but Mrs. Lily had already prepared the stove to keep the house warm, something only the noble families could afford, with their oil heaters.
After helping the children sit at the table, Mrs. Lily brought out the beef soup, and amidst the cheers of the children, the Charity House celebrated their Thanksgiving together.
Or perhaps, there would be one more guest.
A loud knock at the door interrupted the festive atmosphere. It was customary not to disturb a family meal during the holidays, but the person outside clearly had other ideas. The knocking grew louder, forcing Mrs. Lily to hurry to the door. "You should know the custom of Thanksgiving in Brighton City... knocking like this isn't very polite..." Mrs. Lily grumbled as she opened the door, but her face quickly turned to one of surprise upon seeing who was standing there.
It was Captain Dodge, which didn't surprise Mrs. Lily, but the Enforcer uniform he wore was stained with blood and scorch marks, and there was a knife wound on his left side. Dodge was panting heavily, leaning against the door frame, and gave a weak but apologetic smile. "Sorry to interrupt, Mrs. Lily, and the children, but I couldn't think of anywhere else to hide him."
Mrs. Lily, frowning, quickly stepped aside, understanding the urgency. She knew the Enforcers' tasks could often be dangerous and confidential, having been an Enforcer herself, albeit a clerical one. She helped Dodge inside, gesturing to Arthur and George. "There's someone else. Help me carry him in."
Dodge pointed to a dark figure near the wall outside the door, and Arthur and George exchanged a quick glance before rushing to lift the figure and bring it inside.
Once inside the house, the figure slowly revealed itself under the light of the oil lamps. It was not a normal-sized human. Arthur and George quickly realized the person they were carrying was unusually small—about a meter tall and weighing no more than 30 kilograms. Even with their combined strength, lifting him was no trouble at all, especially for the strong George.
"A dwarf..." George muttered under his breath, recognizing the creature. He knew Arthur had never seen a dwarf before.
Arthur nodded, his eyes studying the dwarf. The dwarf had a head of short, golden hair and a broad, flat face with no visible neck. His limbs were short and thick, and his body was almost oval-shaped. Arthur compared the dwarf's appearance to Livlan's violet-skinned elves in his mind. The dwarf's body was covered in numerous injuries, the most severe being bite marks on his back.
Dodge, with Mrs. Lily's help, sat down on the living room sofa. Katerina quickly ran to the washroom, soaked a towel, and pressed it to Dodge's wounds. "It's okay, I'll have to leave soon. This mission isn't finished yet."
Arthur gently placed the dwarf on the opposite side of the sofa, and Katerina placed a second wet towel on the dwarf's back. "What mission, Uncle Dodge? Why didn't you take the dwarf back to the Enforcer Hall?"
"Because of some... special circumstances. By the way, happy Thanksgiving, kids. Your gifts will arrive in a few days."
"It's not important," George said, helping Mrs. Lily carry the medical kit from her room. He then asked, "Uncle Dodge, you mentioned that the mission isn't over. You're hurt so badly—what happened to Uncle Josh and the rest of your team?"
"Don't worry, we weren't together," Dodge reassured them. "But kids, remember, you can't tell anyone else who comes to visit you about this. Understand? Today, only this dwarf came, not me. I believe you can keep the secret, right?"
"Of course," all the children, except for little Lizzy, nodded seriously.
Dodge smiled in satisfaction at their response. He leaned toward Mrs. Lily and whispered, "Mrs. Lily, besides the kids, this dwarf is going to stay here for a while. His identity is... special. I won't come back until my mission is finished, so you must look after him."
Mrs. Lily nodded, then began wrapping bandages around Dodge's wounds. Dodge closed his eyes, his face twitching slightly from the pain. The White House fell silent as everyone continued tending to the dwarf and Dodge, or like Arthur and George, sat in quiet contemplation.
About ten minutes later, Dodge opened his eyes, stood up, and moved his injured arm to check his condition. Seeing that he was much improved, he thanked Mrs. Lily, "I have to leave now. Thank you for your help, Mrs. Lily. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving."
Mrs. Lily, still worried about his condition, asked, "Why don't you stay a bit longer and rest until you're more recovered?"
"I can't stay too long. If I do, those damn hyenas will track my scent. I have to leave now. Just remember, I didn't come back to Brighton City today." Dodge tightened his coat and staggered towards the door, turning back to look at the children and the dwarf. "One more thing—remember his name. He doesn't know it himself, but when he wakes up, tell him his name is Hobick. Hobick Hughes." With that, he opened the door and disappeared into the night.
"One more thing—remember his name. He doesn't even know it himself, but when he wakes up, tell him his name is Hobick. Hobick Houston."