Chapter 8

“…I don’t know, but isn’t it fortunate? Since getting rid of the machines is impossible anyway.”

“I think the same way, but you’d better be especially careful with your words. Either way, all the people in Arancel hate that factory. It doesn’t provide a single job and only takes up space. Some people think it’s the tyranny of invaders. This place has been a colony for a long time, you know.”

“I heard that colonies practically disappeared after Queen Teze was executed.”

“Tyrants get executed, but their lackeys survive. Evil henchmen remained, and among them, the wizards who built that factory were particularly vicious. The Padwin family, they’re famous in Lamarian. They don’t see people as people and just tear them apart!”

“Padwin… If it’s Padwin, aren’t they weapon dealers? That’s all I knew about them.”

“They’re not just weapon dealers. There’s nowhere they haven’t stuck their foot in. Be especially careful not to run into the three-legged steam cars that go in and out of the factory. There are stories that they roam around the factory at night kidnapping people.”

Her new colleagues became incredibly talkative during break times. Priscilla was busy nodding like someone learning about the world for the first time. Running a huge factory without people, kidnapping people—it all seemed too absurd, but… it would look like she was defending them if she said such things, so it seemed better not to bring it up.

After that, she could hear various stories about Aran, most of them scary tales like the urban legends.

Whether they were ghost stories or facts, how else could they endure without at least chatting?

At any other factory, even that wouldn’t be allowed.

Most places wouldn’t let you yawn during break time, let alone look around.

Priscilla resolved that she had to send a word of thanks to Captain Ross for introducing her to such a decent job.

Sabed wasn’t that far away, so she’d send a letter rather than an expensive telegram. She should also ask him to tell Alex she was doing well. She’d have to postpone writing directly to Alex. He might feel guilty again for no reason.

Then she’d deposit some money at the bank. If she had time left, she should look for an ironworks.

She made countless plans, but there weren’t many she could execute right away.

Once work ended and darkness fell, Aran transformed into a dangerously unsafe city.

Among the cities ruled by Lamarian, Arancel had the most severe population density. There were plenty of jobs and commercial activity flourished, bringing prosperity, but at the same time, criminal gangs swarmed everywhere.

There were police, but public safety was so poor they couldn’t solve everything.

When Priscilla tried to go outside the factory alone, she was caught by Miriam before she could even cross the courtyard and got a tremendous scolding. What terrible thing was she trying to have happen to her, going out alone as a woman at such a dangerous hour?

Only after reading a stack of old newspapers with new missing person articles printed every single day did Priscilla fully understand why people at the dark train station hadn’t departed but endured the wait.

The wanted criminal list was tremendously long. No matter how strong she was, she probably couldn’t beat all of them.

Priscilla could only go out to the city center with Miriam and Antonio after a full week had passed and the factory had a day off.

It was no laughing matter that she caught pickpockets three times while passing through the largest square, but Miriam cackled with laughter asking how she moved so quickly. Then she made Priscilla release the children she’d caught.

She said there was no point in catching them anyway. If you turned them over to the police, their wrists would be cut off, and then other children would appear.

Even after hearing that story, there probably weren’t many people who could resolutely seek out the police.

If public safety was this bad, was there any guarantee that banks wouldn’t be robbed either? Such concerns arose.

Still, they said Lamarian thoroughly protected at least the banks, so she had to believe it.

Much time had passed since Lamarian’s dynasty was overthrown. The era of tyrants had become hard to feel. Arancel had many exchanges with the empire due to geographical advantages, shared languages, reduced taxes to encourage corporate relocation, and large numbers of workers from other regions were pouring in.

Identity cards were unified under Lamarian’s system, and Priscilla could use the bank on equal terms with the ID she’d used in Sabed.

“You’re from Sabed.”

But somehow Priscilla found herself wanting to hide the fact that she came from Sabed from the factory people.

“Are you a mercenary? I saw an article about the great victory at Bezuli. Congratulations.” The bank employee easily distinguished origins by the color and stamps on identity cards. Priscilla had to ask the talkative bank clerk to keep information about her a secret.

Evil Lamarian lackeys… Someone might think of mercenaries who joined Lamarian that way, so there was no need to make unnecessary enemies.

Did Captain Ross know? That Lamarian was the largest and strongest country that everyone looked up to, but at the same time received much criticism for being too warlike?

How long had it been since she left Sabed? Her eyes were opening to things she hadn’t known.

This was no longer an era when conquering other countries to expand territory was considered a virtue of monarchs.

Throughout Arancel’s newspapers were criticisms that the war with Bezuli lacked justification.

It was different from the distant western world where Priscilla had lived. If she wasn’t going to be dragged back to large plantations where slavery still existed, she had to adapt.

For hundreds of years, mercenaries had participated in wars, receiving compensation from employers and gaining recognition for their strength, but…

If times were changing, she thought the day would come when being a former mercenary who lived by war would be seen as shameful. That too was a problem she’d have to adapt to someday.

Former slave, former mercenary. What’s next? What place is permitted to me? Textile worker? Well, at a glance, it’s not a position that will last long. The very existence of old-fashioned factories is uncertain.

Throughout her visit to the nearby post office to buy stamps and send letters, Priscilla thought about her next destination.

“Priscilla! What’s wrong?!”

While she was lost in thought, someone slapped her back hard. Smack! A palm struck against her thin shirt.

Oh no, she shouldn’t lose focus like this on the street.

Priscilla hurriedly checked that everything that should be on her body was properly attached. Her arm was fine, the money left over after depositing at the bank was in her bag. Her hair clip was fine, and her clothes and shoes were fine too.

Miriam, who had been walking beside her, threatened that if she spaced out like that, she wouldn’t let her see the sights. Antonio, who was holding Miriam’s hand, reached out his hand to Priscilla too. “I’ll protect you, sister, so let’s go together!” Then he grabbed hold of Priscilla’s useless right hand all by himself.

The scene of walking through the lively streets while each holding one of the small child’s hands.

The sunlight was hard to see because of the fog and there were many pickpockets, but it was peaceful enough that such things didn’t matter.

It was a sight she’d never imagined in the mercenary company.

For instance, she’d never imagined Miriam bursting into tears of emotion when Priscilla bought loads of candy and toys to give Antonio as gifts.

She felt burdened, saying why was Priscilla doing this when finding a way to move her arm would cost a lot of money, but she couldn’t bring herself to refuse Priscilla’s gifts.

Nothing was more important than her son’s happiness.

“Ross sent a blessing,” Priscilla liked such praise so much that she bought an overflowing amount of gifts for the other people at the factory too. Friends and colleagues were good things. They were people you could share bonds with to your heart’s content even without blood ties, or even without marriage and children.

On the other hand, Priscilla thought lightly that the cost of a few pieces of candy was money she could earn quickly.

She didn’t know at the time that many companies had delayed or reduced wages.

In any case, at that moment, the rainbow of her new life was satisfying her.

It was in the midst of such harmonious sightseeing in Arancel, laughing heartily together.

Priscilla’s gaze stopped at a transparent shop window.

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

When her walking companion suddenly stopped, Antonio, who had been mindlessly licking a lollipop, also scurried over to stick to the glass window.