A Sentimental Age

That day, Ethan discovered a fourth way to enter town: being arrested as a pimp and escorted into the town jail. The only downside was that his movements were severely restricted; he could barely leave the cramped interrogation room.

He wasn't alone, though. The old butler who had questioned him earlier was being interrogated in the room next door.

Though Fireplace Bay was rife with darkness and illicit dealings, most of the town guards had once served in the Kingdom Army and still followed certain rules. For instance, no one was allowed to commit crimes in front of minors. Ethan, a beacon of positive energy, wholeheartedly approved.

"Look, I really am an Elemental Shaper."

Ethan snapped his fingers at the guard questioning him. As the flame ignited in his palm, the guard finally seemed to believe him and took another careful look at the advertising card.

Though its illustration left plenty to the imagination, all the information printed on it was legitimate.

The guard rubbed his forehead and said, "Next time, don't use a card that could be so easily misinterpreted."

"Brother, business is tough these days. You've got to come up with a gimmick, right?"

At that, the guard could only nod helplessly.

They were all ordinary people trying to earn a living in this place. Why make things difficult for one another?

He waved a hand. "All right, you're free to go."

"Thanks, man."

Ethan bowed to him. The old butler who'd been brought in with him wasn't so lucky, though. As Ethan stepped outside, the butler was recounting his twelfth visit to the Pink Ladies that month. The young lady, who clearly came from an influential family, was waiting by the barracks entrance. Seeing her, Ethan walked straight over. "See? The guards let me go. Now do you believe I'm not some weird bad guy?"

It was a blessing in disguise. After what had happened, Fireplace Bay's authorities had officially certified him as a thoroughly good person. Ethan suggested that everyone else start treating him with a little more respect.

The girl lowered her head and dropped her gaze, her golden bangs covering half her face. She looked as though she were suffering a sorrow no one her age should have to bear.

"If something's troubling you, why not tell me about it? My prices are fair, and I treat everyone equally."

"Ah, you wouldn't understand even if I told you."

The girl finally looked back at him and spoke with an air of world-weary wisdom. "You'll understand when you're my age."

?

Ethan regarded her with solemn respect. Could she be some kind of long-lived race, like an elf? She looked barely over ten, but had actually lived for hundreds of years?

He asked, "Miss, how old are you?"

"I'll be eleven this year."

That explained it.

Ethan understood. Eleven was a sentimental age. It reminded him of his own youth, when he'd often felt down. He'd once spent an entire night upset because he hadn't gotten to play the father in a game of house.

"It's because I don't understand that I need you to explain it to me. Maybe I can help. Here, look at this."

Ethan conjured a flame in his palm right in front of the girl. As expected, she was captivated by the flickering firelight, her eyes lighting up. But then, as if sad memories had surged back to her, she said flatly, "You don't look like you've ever been in love, so I'll explain it out of pity."

?

I've never wronged you. Why are you insulting me?

At the same time, Ethan couldn't help falling into deep self-doubt. He had to read the information on the advertising card again. He was the mighty Heisenberg—just the name sounded like a ruthless figure who lived by the blade and smuggled dangerous goods. So why were all his jobs about love?

Did he really look like the sort of person who was good at romance?

"The person I like is about to go to the front lines. I want to see him one last time, but an evil magician broke into my house and won't let me go."

Ethan had to admit that from the moment the girl started talking, every sentence made him pause for a long time as he tried to make sense of the startling amount of information. Put together, her words had an almost unbelievable impact.

"How old is the person you like?"

"Fourteen." At the mention of him, a blush spread across the girl's fair, soft cheeks. "He's already a Knight in the Kingdom Army, capable of handling things on his own."

As she spoke, Ethan began piecing together what must have happened.

His client was probably the daughter of some great noble house. She'd fallen for a poor young man who'd made his way up through the ranks of the Kingdom Army. When her family found out, they'd piled on accusations of underage romance and neglecting her duties, then hired a magician to keep an eye on her and stop her from visiting her sweetheart at the barracks.

"So you came to Fireplace Bay to find a way to defeat the evil magician?"

"The magicians here all call themselves experts and masters, but the moment they hear that evil magician's name, they run away. They're all liars!"

"What name is so terrifying?"

"The servants at the manor all call him Mr. Silver Fox."

"Hmm. That does sound like a difficult case."

Ethan had never heard of Silver Fox, but if that was a title bestowed on him by the Empire or the Astrology Society, it meant he had either made some outstanding contribution or enjoyed tremendous standing among the Grand Magi. It was understandable that Fireplace Bay's experts didn't want to cross a renowned Grand Magus.

The girl immediately gave him a disdainful look. "See? You're scared of his name too."

"I only said this was a difficult job, so I can't do it for the original price."

"Miss, he's a swindler. Don't waste your time on him."

The old butler had just come out of the interrogation room and happened upon the scene. He straightened his slightly rumpled tailcoat and spoke up.

It was true that the boy had been wrongly accused of being a pimp. But asking for more money after hearing the name Silver Fox proved he was a con artist looking to grab some cash and run.

Making a flame appear in your palm was nothing special. Any novice Elemental Shaper could do that trick.

"I can make you nine magic scrolls. If you don't trust me, you can pay me after the job is done. And the reward for this commission isn't money."

The butler was clearly taken aback by Ethan's words. He gave him a look that said, "Let's talk outside." Ethan understood and stepped out of the barracks first.

Before the old butler could say a word, Ethan asked, "Before that, you need to answer one question. If I understand correctly, the 'evil magician' was hired by her parents to discipline her. Are you going against their wishes by bringing her here?"

Something about the whole affair seemed off. He couldn't understand what kind of butler would dare defy the head of the family.

If the girl really had escaped the magician, the butler would surely be held accountable when the family found out. After all, an eleven-year-old young lady raised in seclusion couldn't possibly have used Teleportation Magic to reach a place like Fireplace Bay.

"That's because the master didn't tell the young lady the truth."

The old butler's face was a jumble of emotions. After a long while, he finally sighed. "They've been given a mission with no return. That child is never coming back."