"Wasn't Tarkinson halfway on our side? Why hasn't he stopped causing trouble for them?"
Olmedo asked Annan.
"Taking a beating without hitting back isn't my style. Besides, we're going after the Hall of Arts. What does that have to do with Tarkinson?
"And another thing: if Tarkinson can still make a living in the City of Art, how are we supposed to lure him to Free City?
"If nothing else, having Knight Tarkinson run Free City's competitions from now on would save Annan a lot of trouble."
Annan looked forward to the City of Art's response—and whatever revenge it tried to take.
When a faction was weak enough, even its threats sounded like playful complaints...
As he thought this, Luoxi hurried in.
Annan asked out of reflex, "All right, what's the emergency this time?"
"Your cousin is missing!"
"Martin? He's probably gone into the forest to pick mushrooms again."
"No. Lilith said a group of people took him away!"
Earlier.
His wife had taken their son along to do the laundry, so Martin sat at home.
Aunt Susan came out of the house with an apron tied around her waist. The sight of Martin set her off. "Stop standing there like a block of wood. You're in the way. Go daydream somewhere else!"
"Oh..."
Martin moved from the courtyard to a bench outside it.
Aunt Susan went back to work, but before long she was sighing again. "I have to do everything around here. You could at least offer to help."
Martin stood up. "I'll help you..."
"I don't need your help!"
He sat back down and listened to Aunt Susan grumble on.
"I have to worry about everything in this house. I raised a son, and he's no use at all. I'm exhausted enough as it is..."
Outside,