Chapter 18: Punishment

The two quickly arrived at a nearby faculty lounge. Liz, newly appointed as a freshman assistant officer, now had access to the room. She brought some spare clothes for Hester and noticed the girl trembling. Concerned, Liz also brought over a cup of hot cocoa, but Hester merely held the cup in her hands without taking a sip.

“Don’t you like hot cocoa?” Liz asked.

“…I’m not used to the taste,” Hester replied, her gaze lowered.

The fire alarm in the entire building had just stopped blaring. Hester looked out the window and heard the noisy crowd gathering downstairs—likely everyone rushing out after hearing the alarm.

“Did I cause you trouble?” Hester asked.

“No, you did the right thing,” Liz reassured her, pulling back the curtain of the meeting room. “When you’re in danger, don’t be bound by formalities—find any way to seek help. It’s great you knew that right from the start.”

Under Liz’s comforting words, Hester gradually calmed down.

Standing by the window, Liz glanced at the gloomy sky outside. “The weather has been odd these days. It suddenly got so cold today—quite unusual.”

Hester didn’t respond. Her mind lingered on the earlier scene, especially the moment she saw the man Sean called “Karl.” The intense pressure she felt then left her shaken. That unease made her feel as if she had returned to the night at the monastery when she confronted the chelate substance.

Liz returned to Hester’s side and sat down.

“It’s my fault,” Liz said.

Hester looked puzzled. “What?”

“I should have come out with you today. You’re still unfamiliar with this place, and there are many strange people at Mercury Needle… I should have considered that,” Liz said sincerely. “I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“I’m not blaming you,” Hester shook her head. “I hadn’t thought about it that way… but I have another question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Besides Sean, I also saw someone named ‘Karl’ today—”

“Oh, that’s his brother, Galvin,” Liz said in surprise. “You met his brother today as well?”

“Yes…”

Liz explained, “Galvin is a big guy but quieter and more steady… It’s not surprising you met him today. The two brothers are always together.”

“You mean in fights?”

“In life too,” Liz replied. “Because Galvin is more level-headed, he can stop Sean from doing foolish things, so the base prefers they stay together.”

“I see…” Hester murmured.

“They came from the Hekla Wasteland, a volcanic zone in the western Third District. Have you heard of it?”

Hester shook her head.

“I thought you’d be familiar. Hekla is known as the ‘Gate of Hell’ outside, much like Short Chirp Alley, filled with killings. It’s infamous in the Third District because many gray market industries hire assassins there through intermediaries.”

“…You really know a lot about this place.”

Liz smiled. “If you’d been here three years, you’d know too. The brothers and Turan all arrived the same year; they’re second-year students. I haven’t interacted much with them—they’re relatively strangers to me.”

“Do they often approach others like today?”

“I don’t know. Since Galvin’s second awakening, I’ve kept my distance.”

“Why?”

“Being near Galvin is uncomfortable,” Liz said. “He doesn’t control his power well, and I’m sensitive to other Mercury Needle existences. Whenever I’m near him, I feel a bit suffocated—others don’t seem to feel this way, maybe they’re used to it.”

Hester’s eyes sharply lifted.

“Hmm, you probably don’t sense it yet,” Liz smiled. “Once you experience your second awakening, you’ll understand what I mean.”

“But today—”

Suddenly, Liz’s phone rang. She gestured for silence to Hester and switched to speakerphone.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this Miss Fletcher?” a cold female voice came from the phone.

“Yes, this is she,” Liz recognized the voice. “Ms. Morley?”

“That’s right. Is Miss Hester with you?”

“Yes.”

“How is she doing?”

“Very well,” Liz glanced at Hester. “She has recovered. Do you need to speak to her alone?”

“No need. I’m calling to inform you of the follow-up measures regarding this matter.”

Liz was momentarily taken aback—she hadn’t expected the resolution to come so swiftly.

“Alright, please go ahead. Both of us are listening.” Liz turned the phone toward Hester so she could hear Ms. Morley’s voice clearly.

“First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Sophie Morley, the base’s Order Affairs Officer, Miss Hester. Although you experienced such an incident today, please rest assured these occurrences are rare here. Most Mercury Needle reserves, like Miss Fletcher, know how to protect their juniors.”

She spoke rapidly, almost as fast as Chiba, but her voice was cold and emotionless. Hester could almost picture her lips turning down, like the ever-stern Sister Gerdin.

“We discovered that Mr. Granguva had been stealing your information over the past few days. Today’s surveillance confirms he was secretly tailing you. Regardless of his motives, this premeditated act is extremely malicious.”

“After thorough discussion, we have decided the following regarding Sean Granguva’s behavior today: First, his credit rating will be downgraded from C+ to D, and he must retake the ‘Third District Social Etiquette and Safety Protocol’ course.”

“Second, the base will withhold 70% of his living allowance for the twelve months from May this year to April next year. Half of that sum will be compensated to you as mental damages and deposited directly into your account at the beginning of next month.”

“Third, we will impose certain restrictions on Sean Granguva. Within and outside the base, he is forbidden to approach, speak to, or interfere with your daily life for any reason. Otherwise, we will impose a total ban on his activities.”

“Considering you are still a minor, the duration of this restriction will be discussed with your guardian, Masaki Chiba. At present, it will last at least until you undergo your second awakening.”

“Do you have any objections or additions to these measures?” the voice on the phone asked swiftly.

Hester was silent for a moment. “None for now.”

“Very well, Miss Hester.” Ms. Morley’s tone softened slightly after a pause. “Please believe we have both the will and the capability to protect your personal safety.”

—

Known Information:

Short Chirp Alley: A slum in the Third District Wasteland, located south of Tanyi City. It is the birthplace of Jane Hester and a lawless shantytown.

Askia: A wasteland in the northern-central area of the Third District. The hometown of Liz Fletcher, once a place abundant with water and greenery.

Hekla: A wasteland in the western Third District, bordering the Fourth District, also known as the ‘Gate of Hell.’ Like Short Chirp Alley, it is rife with crime and illicit trades. Its central area has a relatively peaceful ‘oasis,’ the hometown of the Granguva brothers.