"Good morning, Madam Mayor."

"Likewise, Doctor Ruslan. Ah, good! You arrived here at the same time." Mayor Olga stood up from her seat and motioned for Ruslan to seat with us. She then assisted the other man who came with Ruslan to the bench across us.

"Good morning, Minister Talanov." Captain Mirza nodded to the man.

"Ah, the good Captain Glenn. May the merciful light radiate within us."

"Erdem", Mayor Olga called out, a hand toward the old man, "this is Minister Vasili Talanov. He is the resident priest here in Svolsk."

The priest is in his middle ages. Judging by his appearance alone, one can guess he is in his mid-40's. He is of average height, standing half a head lower than Captain Mirza. Because of his age, his white hair is probably natural, not due to age. His white habit hides any information on his build, but one could say he is on the lean side. A black waistband adorns over his habit, and over it is a green scapular with intricate paterns. He also hangs a gold medallion over his neck. The symbol on the medallion is familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

"Minister, this is Erdem, the boy I was talking about." Mayor Olga introduced me. I stood up and bowed my head like how mother taught me how to greet my elders.

"Good morning Sir." I mumbled.

I saw a glint in Minister Vasili's grayish-blue eyes. I saw a smile form on his face, then he laughed out heartily.

"Ah! It's been so long since I met a well-mannered child! I swear, kids can be so rude these days!"

Cough Cough

"Good to know that, Minister." Mayor Olga interjected. "To his right, I'm sure you already know Captain Mirza Glenn of the Svolsk guards."

"Ah yes, of course." he nodded to Captain Mirza, who returned the gesture.

"And over to Erdem's left," Mayor Olga continued, "is Mr. Ruslan Arkady, an alchemist. He owns the Arkady Apothecary. He provided Erdem a safe harbor when was found."

"Ah, so it was you! I thought you were on a different business going here!" the priest exclaimed, looking at Ruslan. "I thank you for providing the boy here, Erdem, a warm refuge. May The Maker reward your good heart."

"I only did the right thing to do, Minister." Ruslan replied with a soft smile.

"Now then..." Mayor Olga said as she spun around and walked towards her seat at the table.

She sat without any sound whatsoever, took a deep breath, put her elbows on the table, and crossed her hands just before her face. "...on to agenda."

"First of all," Mayor Olga began, "I'm sorry to hear your loss, Erdem. Captain Glenn already informed me of it."

"My condolonces, young man." Minister Vasili added.

Mayor Olga nodded to that. "As for your question earlier, we are gathered here today to discuss about your custody."

Understanding dawned on me. I don't know whether I am to feel relief or to feel anger. I could accept the fact that they must discuss this, but I cannot accept the fact that they are discussing this at this time.

"I have been informed of this," Ruslan interrupted, "but is it not too early for this? Give the boy time to grieve."

"That is exactly why we are discussing this, doctor. Where would he go to grieve? Who would be in charge of him for that? Leaving him to his own devices is too cruel. Sooner or later, we ought to tackle this matter, and the sooner we can, the better it is for all parties concerned, primarily Erdem."

Ruslan just kept quiet.

"Now then," Mayor Olga continued, "Captain Glenn, you just informed me of the important facts, but I am still to receive the detailed report of this incident. And since this may concern an orphanage, I'm sure Minister Talanov here would like the details as well."

The next hour was spent with Captain Mirza recalling what he saw. From finding me, to discovering my home. He submitted several papers detailing the report to the mayor. Among those were evidences, the cartographers' parchment to be exact.

I saw Mayor Olga's eyebrows furrow as she looked at the parchment. Her expression changed from neutral, to a very disturbed one. She then passed the parchment and other evidences to Minister Vasili, who looked at it with absolute sorrow.

"Minister?" Mayor Olga asked. It was just one word, but that was enough to convey her message.

The priest didn't respond. He just passed the parchment back to Mayor Olga while shaking his head. "This is just... I cannot even find words to describe this."

He then looked at me. His eyes filled with pensive sadness.

Silence blanketed the room. No one knows what to say, even me. One thing was certain, however. All were looking at the parchment.

After some time, Mayor Olga spoke up. "Captain," she said as she looked at Captain Mirza with sharp eyes, "what do you believe is the cause?"

That took Captain Mirza by surprise. I saw his throat visibly gulped. "I believe it's a..." He then looked at me quite apologetically. "I believe it's a night beast attack, Mayor."

I see. Now the look makes sense.

With the energy I didn't know I still have, I shot up from my seat and run to the center of the room.

"It wasn't night beasts! We were attacked by armed men!" I screamed at Captain Mirza. "We were attacked! I can still remember everything! What they have done! Why won't you believe me?!"

Ruslan got up from his seat. He didn't said anything. He just hugged me and pulled me towards his seat.

Captain Mirza just paid me a pained look before continuing with the mayor. "I believe it was night beasts, Ma'am. Specifically, the fire-breathing kind endemic to our province. Several of those are able to burn a house down, just like what the orphanage suffered there."

"Erdem." Mayor Olga called to me. "Can you tell me what happened that night?"

So I did.

Every memory still dealt me a pang of pain.

Of longing.

Of guilt.

After I recalled my tale, another silence filled the room.

"Captain," Mayor Olga said, "what made you think that these are night beasts' work?"

"Apart from the fire, Ma'am, the wounds on the chest and both upper and lower extremities of the larger cadaver are rough and gnarly. If it were caused by an axe or any human weapon, the wounds would be cut cleanly."

Captain Mirza sighed. "I'm sorry, Erdem, but this is where the evidence leads us. Plus," he then turned to Mayor Olga, "just from the sheer fact that an attack to an orphanage would mean a direct attack to the church, I don't think any one sane person would do this unless they got a death wish."

"That is if it really is an orphanage." Minister Vasili said.

"What do you mean, Minister?" Mayor Olga asked.

"I've been a priest here in the Northeast Province for a long time. Unlike in other provinces, the climate here in the northeast is just unforgiving, especially the brutal winter. For the church, it's not adviseable to have an oprhanage here. The only orphanage in the whole province is in the port city of Nikoye, at the southeast of the province, where it is relatively warmer. Even then, it is still snowy there."

"So you don't know this orphanage? The... 'Fairsborough Shelter'?"

"No, I do not. I have to research on this, or ask other priests I know that have experience on orphanages."

"That would be for the best, Minister. Thank you."

I still sobbed quietly on Ruslan's arms while all of this were happening. I may have to apologize to him later. His shirt is now wet with my tears and covered with snot.

"One more question remains." Mayor Olga said. "Erdem."

I removed myself from Ruslan and sat back on the bench. I also made sure to wipe my face clean with the edge of my sleeve. "Yes, Ma'am?"

I saw Mayor Olga's eyes warm up as she exchanged looks with me. It was a direct contrast to when she was talking with Captain Mirza earlier. "Where do you want to go?"

I looked at all of the people present at the room. First to Ruslan, to Captain Mirza, Minister Vasili, and then to Mayor Olga.

It took a little while. I stared at my foot, but my mind was far away. I imagined mother and my siblings. Our time spent with each other when we were still together. I focused on those emotions, those feelings.

I took a deep breath, and gave them my answer.

***

Dear Mr. Ruslan

It has been a month since Minister Vasili and I left Svolsk. Right now, we are in a village called Riverdale. We are staying at Captain Mirza's older brother. I was shocked when we found out that Captain Mirza's brother was the village chief here! He never told us about it!

Chief Mercer Glenn has been good to us. From when we arrived here to our first meal. Oh! The food here is also delicious! It is nothing like a feast, but there are always more than enough food for everyone. They said because it was harvest time. There are variety of meat with different spices, freshly baked bread, fish that just got caught in the nearby river and many fruits (and gross leafy vegetables)! Oh! But that doesn't mean your potato dishes is not good! It is good, but the variety here was a welcome change.

Actually, I've been meaning to ask you about that before we left, but I forgot it, so I asked the adults around here, and the just laughed at that question. They said that potatoes were indeed the staple food there in the Northeast Province, because those are the only crops that can survive the climate there, so it is avalable all-year round. They said that that's the reason why every food there involves potato. Is that true?

Oh! Chief Mercer also has a son named Marziner. He is my best friend! Yesterday, we climbed a large Acasia tree here in the village. It was a race! I climbed the tree faster than him, so he demannded a rematch. When he climbed the tree again, he fell and had a large bruise on his rear end! So we went to the nearby river so that I can try healing him with my magicka.

Oh, and speaking of magicka, me and Minister Vasili went to Swordbreak the other day. We went to the church's Central Temple, so that he can process some documents for me, and to see if I can take the church's aptitude test. I PASSED!! The examiner, Pastor Meneo Muzzi, said that I have natural attunement to Mana with lumina signature! And that it was really rare for someone to have that! Minister Vasili then suggested that maybe that's why my body healed so fast I didn't have to go to a doctor in Korosovo. Ooh! I also have a minor attunement to aqua signature Mana! Next week, I'll be starting at the Sacristan classes, then after that, the Seminary!

I'm really sorry if I have to leave Svolsk. I still stand with what I saw that night. And I don't wish that to happen to anyone. I don't know why those men attacked us, but there has to be a way to stop it happening again. I considered revenge at some point, but what good would it do? If I got my revenge, it will just result to another attack. And those dear to those men will seek revenge on me, and those dear to me will seek revenge on them. It's gonna be a never-ending cycle. So I want to solve it at the root. My siblings were all younger than me. And I don't want any child to grow up like those men. So I felt it's my responsibility to ensure that no more child will grow up and have to resort to violence. I felt it's my responsibility to educate them. So I wanted to become a teacher, and to become a teacher, I need to become a priest. And to become a priest, I need to be at the capital. Riverdale isn't exactly near to the capital, but at least I have somewhere to return to when I'm on vacation.

I'll try to write as often as possible. I'll write another letter and ask Minister Vasili to carry it with him when he returns to Svolsk next week.

I... I'll return one day to our home, a priest, a teacher.

Thank you for everything.

I love you, Dad.

Your Son,

Erdem Fairsborough

***

"Oi! Why are you staring at the blank space smiling like that?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you smiling there, staring at nothing? Is it a woman?"

Huh? So even you have your ceiling for alcohol. Marziner was already red as a rum, his speech a tiny bit slurred and his motions a wee bit wavy.

"A woman? Don't be ridiculous. I was just reminiscing some memories. You made me remember it. It's your fault."

"Shut up. William!" he yelled as he raised his empty mug.

My mug of milk with honey has lost it's cold. I drank it anyway and raised my mug as well for a refill. William, the jolly barman that he is, smiled delightfully as he filled again our mugs and smiled even wider when several copper coins came down on his side of the bar.

This may be my last night in Riverdale for a long time, so I'll spend it enjoying the company here in the pub, and the night is still young.

---