The Pier

Hesta listened with a mix of belief and doubt, until the other person mentioned "the Songxueyuan Daily from the day before yesterday," and that longing-tinged skepticism quickly extinguished in the churning waves of a stormy sea.

"...You, you," Hesta ground her teeth, her voice nearly trembling, "it was you few all along..."

"Oh, it seems you've already read the day before yesterday's newspaper?" The tone at the other end of the phone grew slightly more surprised. "How is it that you sound less than pleased?"

"You tarnished the reputation of the Hesta people in the Habitable Zone, and you still expect me to--"

"How could this be tarnishing? Jane, we diluted the scarcity of the Hesta Tribe's red hair in the Habitable Zone," Madam Kaja's calm and collected voice came from the other end of the line. "When it is no longer rare, not so many young Hesta girls will be sent into the hands of someone like Mikhailo—mass-produced goods at the top of the pyramid rarely command a price, is that really so hard to understand?"

Hesta listened, burning with rage; that feeling of confronting Anna and being in the weaker position returned once more.

"You even know Mikhailo?"

"I know plenty of people."

"...What a fine, gift." Hesta forced down her fury, doing her utmost to make herself sound breezy. "Sending me such a grand gift, how do you expect me to repay you?"

Madam Kaja laughed. "Then come play a game of chess with me; it sounds like your chess skills should have improved by now."

"When?"

"When I return, I'll make an appointment with you. By then, I have very important matters to discuss with you."

"Give me a hint first."

"You won't want to stay in District 14 for the rest of your life, right."