༺ Box of Conscience ༻
It didn’t even take a few minutes for the food to be served.
“Here you go! Enjoy your meal!”
Was what Anna exclaimed as she served the dish, which was a kind of stir-fried lump that didn’t look much different from what others were having.
Its appearance was unlike any food in the world. It only quietly indicated that it had been fried by the slightly shiny oil on its surface.
The Captain stared daggers into the bowl without a word.
Anna, familiar with such a reaction, laughed heartily and struck up a conversation.
“It looks a bit odd, yeah? But that’s the kind of restaurant this is. The only thing we have to fill our stomachs with here is canned beans, but sometimes people feel like cutting off their tongues from eating that dreadful food. That’s when they come here. They bring a can of beans and one other ingredient to add to our food.”
Anna also served us some soup. As expected, the indiscernible, unnamed liquid emitted a complex aroma. It must have contained at least a dozen ingredients.
The reason why this cryptic scent stimulated the appetite must have been solely thanks to Anna’s ability.
“Then, I take what they bring and roughly stir-fry or boil it to create a new dish. I guess you could call it a communal exchange? People help each other out, creating new flavors different from just canned beans. Even though this mixed stir-fry looks like this, it tastes okay, so don’t worry and….”
“Slurp. Heut!”
However, the Captain was probably one of the people who had eaten the most canned beans in the entire world. It wasn’t that she couldn’t eat because of the appearance of the food. Her attention was already completely focused on the bowl in front of her. Drool dripped from her slightly open mouth.
“Was it not that you weren’t going to eat it? But then why are you just watching i…. Ah.”
Anna finally realized that the Captain had no utensils. She rummaged through the cupboard looking for spare ones.
“Normally, the rule is that you bring your own utensils. You can make do with a bowl by flattening a can, but it’s hard to make a spoon or fork that way.”
“A rule… you say?”
The Captain reacted vehemently to the word ‘rule’.
“If that is indeed the rule, I will go out and get some myself.”
“But, sometimes people come without knowing the rules, so I keep one or two spares. Here, take this.”
“But rules are rules, aren’t they?”
“For newcomers, my rule is to provide utensils. My arms are sore from cooking, so hurry up and take it.”
The Captain startled and quickly took it. Seeing her at a loss for what to do, Anna looked at her with a warm smile
“You’re a good kid.”
Hearing the unexpected praise, the Captain clutched the spoon and fell into thought.
｢That is not true. I am delaying my mission. I am hesitating, unable to make a decision, and gradually breaking more and more rules. Moreover… if I am faithful to my mission, I should….｣
Even such complex thoughts vanished in the face of primal hunger. The Captain let go of her lingering thoughts with a single word.
“…Negative.”
The spoon approached the stir-fry with great difficulty. After hesitating a few times, in the end, the Captain could not resist and scooped up some stir-fry before putting it in her mouth.
As soon as the food touched her tongue, the Captain’s expression stretched out as if it was being pulled.
｢…It is incredibly delicious! This is a taste I havent found in any of the 99 State Signature Series Recipes!｣
It was said that even shoes taste good when fried. Then how much better would it be to fry already edible canned beans?
Moreover, Anna, despite her appearance, was someone who had experienced all sorts of cooking in her time. It was easy for her to finely adjust the flavors.
No, rather, it would be impossible for anyone but her.
By the way…
“Anna. Where is my spoon?”
“You’ve been here before, yet you’re looking for utensils? If you don’t have one, eat with your hands.”
“Tsk. Everyone is so harsh on me.”
I guess I have no choice but to use my spoon. I didn’t want to use it because it’s such a hassle to wash it, though. I took out my personal spoon from my bag and started to eat the stir-fry.
As I alone had my own personal spoon in hand, Anna looked at me with eyes that burned coldly.
“I see you’re taking care of your own stuff well. What has this kid been using to eat until now?”
“She slightly crumpled the lid of the can.”
“You let that kid eat like that while you alone had…? You’re quite the nasty child.”
“Aw. Pff. You don’t have to praise me.”
“Your cheekiness is truly unmatched….”
Anna sighed deeply and calmly watched the Captain who was wolfing the food down in a rush. She must have been very hungry, as her bowl was already empty.
Anna scooped up another serving of the mixed stir-fry on the griddle.
“What a pitiful looking child. But I’m glad she trusts and follows you. You must have treated her quite well.”
“Cough! Cough!”
Ah, oops. Wait. I choked on something.
While I was coughing, Anna looked at me with an even colder gaze.
“You didn’t perhaps bully or make fun of such a child, did you? I trust you have at least that much discernment.”
“Ahem, ahem. Of course. I have helped in various ways to maintain her health.
It wasn’t exactly a lie. Though it was more due to willful negligence, the Captain was even able to stretch due to my actions in Tantalus, so perhaps her maintained health was all thanks to me?
“Are you sure you actually helped? And it’s not that you played around with her?”
“Ahaha.”
But this was because the signallers, no, the Military State was bad. When you say ‘Captain’, people think of someone who drank beer with floating ice while living a luxurious life; who would possibly think that she would just be locked up in a small box, only being able to transmit communications?
Anna’s suspicious gaze was heightened to another level. To divert her attention, I took out something I had hidden in my bag.
“Ah, Anna. This. I should have given it to you earlier but I forgot.”
“What is it?”
“What do you mean, ‘what is it’? Obviously, it’s an ingredient. You know? For the rule about how one ingredient should be brought for mixed stir-fry or stew when coming here.”
“How unexpected….”
What I subtly presented was something I had snatched from the Regressor’s spices. Anna furrowed her brows as she examined the spice, then, startled, quickly hid it.
She seemed to have recognized the value of the spice, as she asked in a low voice.
“…Gold dust used to sprinkle… How did you…?”
“A noble from afar gave it to me.”
“What in the world have you been up to while I haven’t seen you….”
Anna hesitated for a very brief moment before shaking her head.
“No. It’s too expensive. Especially for the people here.”
“Who said to eat the gold dust? Sell it and give me the remaining amount after taking a reasonable amount of commission.”
Once upon a time, Anna was a renowned maid in the kingdom. The aristocratic knights, who were the very definition of power and authority, always gathered trustworthy vassals, as capable and loyal retainers were precious talents that could not be bought even with a fortune.
Anna, who served under a powerful knight, took care of everything from cleaning to cooking. Though she had now lowered herself to cook for everyone, she was still one of the few people who knew the value of this spice.
In these times, when the State tightly controlled luxury goods and priced them high, only someone like Anna could sell it at a fair price in the right place.
After much contemplation, Anna spoke.
“I’ll take only 10%. Is that okay?”
“10%? Come on. You’re so stingy. How am I supposed to feed the kids with just that?”
“…You really have a natural talent for infuriating people. Fine, I’ll take less. Think of it as payment for taking care of that kid.
Just then, another order came from the back. Anna turned around and presented a bowl full of mixed stir-fry to the Captain.
“But still, since you’ve been picking up pitiful kids from somewhere… I trust you. So please take good care of that kid.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she gets a proper tour of the back alleys of the Military State.”
Just like that, we finished filling our stomachs. After leaving, I walked down the street, exchanging greetings with a few people who recognized me.
I was quite familiar with everyone in the back alley and those who had a connection with me also treated me without reserve.
Initially skeptical, the Captain became increasingly puzzled as the number of people greeting us grew.
｢This doesn’t make any sense. How can such a person have this kind of reputation and popularity?｣
Before doubting my reputation, how about questioning your own preconceptions? Why are you so sure I don’t have any popularity?
It was 7 o’clock already. Although it was a bit early, we needed a rest after our long journey. As such, I led the Captain to my nest.
Now then, it was the time of reckoning that I had been postponing. What had become of my house while I was away?
“You know, I’m incredibly nervous right now. My heart is beating so fast. Even a child about to open a gift box would be less nervous than me.”
“Didn’t you say you were taking me to your house? Why are you so nervous?”
“Ahhhhh. You must not know. It’s a common story in the back alleys, you see.”
A familiar two-story house in District 15-5. It was an old building that was not very tall, as floors could not be added due to a design flaw. Thanks to this, the quality of life in this building had overwhelmingly improved. This was where my house was located.
I continued explaining as I climbed up the stairs.
“Even if they are apostates who don’t believe in God, people who were mistakenly… Ahem. People who were wrongly caught and sent to labor camps far away are said to pray with their hands clenched tightly together before entering their homes, just hoping that no one has broken into their houses while they were away.”
The third room in the right corridor on the second floor. It was my nest, as well as a place that had been empty for several months.
“In this paradise for petty criminals, an empty house is nothing more than a treasure chest to raid for valuables when bored. Thus, whatever is left in an empty house is like the conscience of the Military State. A house is, in essence, a box of conscience.”
And as for this box of conscience in the back alleys of the Military State…
There was no need to even check. After all, the door was wide open.
“It seems like the conscience of the Military State has all been robbed. Well, it’s no surprise given it’s been empty for months.”
The Military State did not retrieve nor searched for any lost property or assets.
Of course, it wasn’t that they neglected law enforcement. If a thief was caught red-handed, they were usually blamed for other thefts too. As such, stealing wasn’t something one did lightly. They would be risking their life for every penny stolen.
But no such rules applied to a house left vacant because the owner was dragged off to a labor camp.
There was no one to report such thefts, after all.
“My, oh my. Wow. It’s like a new house. In the sense that it’s completely empty.”
My house was a complete mess, but at the same time, it was clean. Except for a few pieces of furniture that were too large, everything small enough to be carried away was gone.
These fuckers. They cleaned out every little speck.
“Unfortunately, it looks like it’ll be hard to stay here tonight.”
As I muttered looking at the room’s pitiful state, the Captain asked with her head tilted.
“…? Did I hear incorrectly? What are you saying is difficult?”
“Huh?”
“I think we can manage just fine with a blanket. I shall go buy one.”
Here? You wanna stay here? It’s no different from being homeless, though? How can we possibly stay here?
｢It is a lot more spacious than the Windowless Room I previously stayed in. It’s inevitable due to my job, but at least this place… has windows. That alone is enough for me.｣
Please, stop with these sudden tragic dramas. It’s hard to say anything because it’s so sad and pitiful. At this point, if she wasn’t a Captain of the State, she’d be just another unfortunate neighbor.
I thought I was a merciless scammer, as well as a cold-hearted magician who toyed with people’s psychology. But apparently, I was wrong.
To think that being able to move hearts was more remarkable than just reading them….
While sighing, I headed towards one wall of the messy room.
“There’s no need to buy anything.”
I fiddled with the alarm clock on the wall. Once to the left, six times to the right, then twice to the left. When I did so, a sound of gears was heard with a Click and a lock was released.
When I pushed the wall, a fake wall that seemed to be concrete slowly flipped. It revealed a hidden space, as well as my real home.
“Here’s my actual home.”
“?! Two residences allocated to one person? That’s not just illegal! It’s administratively impossible!”
“But there are rooms that aren’t registered as residences. This building has one extra room due to a design flaw.”
Luckily, this place was the land of petty criminals. They might steal from an empty room, but they dare not demolish a house. The Military State might ignore petty theft, but they did fiercely pursue those who damaged buildings and committed acts of vandalism.
And well, remodeling however you liked wasn’t a crime as long as you didn’t get caught.
As we entered the room, an armchair and lamp stood out. The air was cool, having been uninhabited for a long time, but as soon as I turned on the lamp, bright light and warm heat enveloped the room.
Though not spacious, it was a room luxurious enough for a single person. There was a low bookshelf holding several books and the lamp in the middle of the room was a rare luxury item. In addition, carpets and blankets were laid out, welcoming the owner back after a long absence.
In short, it was a room of luxury rarely seen in the Military State.
｢This is much better than my Windowless Room…! Perhaps that can’t be helped. But even after taking that into account, this still seems better than even the accommodations at headquarters! Even though I’m a Level 3 Captain! T-This is unfair! This is extravagant!｣
And the Captain seemed to have the same though.
“This is extravagant! I question the wealth you have amassed!”
“Jealous?”
“Jealous…! Is not the case! After all, I am a soldier of the Military State! But! I do question the seemingly ill-gotten items you possess!”
“Where’s the evidence?”
“I-I haven’t found any yet, but…! There must be some kind of issue!”
I knew it. I saw this coming.
But historically, civil servants had always been tempted by recognition and wealth. For now, I decided to soft-soap the Captain. Literally speaking.
“Excuse me, uh, sorry, but you smell so bad it’s hard to even face you. Will you please wash up first?”
“Smell? I don’t smell anything, though….”
“Obviously, since you can’t smell your own scent. Hurry up and go wash.”
I nudged the Captain towards the bathroom with a towel and soap; meanwhile, she was sniffing her own body, half in doubt.
Not long after the Captain entered the bathroom, she screamed.
“Emergency! Emergency!”
“What now?”
“The water is hot! I suspect a fire has occurred!”
Did this Captain not know what a hot bath was? I sighed and shouted towards the bathroom.
“You won’t die. Think of it as an ordeal. Fill the bathtub with water and soak yourself to bathe.”
“Hot water in the bathtub?! Are you trying to boil me?”
“I planned to soft-soap you, but seeing how you are now, it was a needless thought. I also bathe in hot water, so give it a try.”
It seemed my words gave her courage since the sound of water splashing inside the bathroom could be heard. Following that…
“Haaaaah.”
The Captain’s exclamation of experiencing a hot water bath for the first time rang out.
“I-It’s h-hot. But….”
“It’s bearable, right?”
“….Affirmativeeee….”
Her drawn-out voice resounded.
This might not be a typical lifestyle for a citizen of the Military State, but it was probably alright for the Captain, who lived worse than the average citizen, to experience this opportunity.
The sound of the tap stopped. The Captain had immersed herself in the bathtub filled with warm water.
｢…I should be faithful to my duties, but now I’m unsure.｣
Today’s experiences were everyday life for the citizens of District 15, but for the Captain, it was far too intense of a stimulus.
After all, it was all too novel for a signaller, who had been confined for a long time, to receive such an outpour of attention and favor.
｢He seems to have high popularity. Surely, many will mourn if he dies. In contrast, I…only have a few signallers of the same cardinal. Perhaps it would be better if I disappeared. After all, if I’m gone, another signaller can just fill my place….｣
Just you wait, Military State. I don’t know how you turned a signaller into such an existence, but…
I will send her back after dirtying and corrupting her thoroughly.
｢…But this is a strange feeling. My body is relaxing even though it is like my flesh is cooking….｣
Eh? Wait. Wait a minute. No. Surely not?
｢…I want to sleep…just like this…and never wake up….｣
“Uh, hello? Captain Bbey?”
｢zzz….｣
She’s sleeping! This batshit crazy Captain is actually sleeping!
“Bbey! Wake up!”
“….”
“Come on! Was your first hot bath that stimulating?! Quickly wake up!”
“….”
“UrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRR!”
“….”
“What the-. Why won’t you wake up even though you yourself woke me up like this?!”
Damn, this is bad. I can’t hear any thoughts. She must actually be asleep. She’s not dead, is she?
I had no choice. I kicked open the bathroom door. Through the steam filling the room, the Captain lay submerged and asleep in the bathtub. Bubbles were abundant around her face.
“Agh, this little. You moron!”
I pulled the limp body of the Captain out of the tub, propped her on the edge, and then kneeled in front of her before lifting her over my shoulder. I could feel her soft skin against my back. With the moist humidity as a medium, the scent of fresh leaves enveloped me from behind.
Ah, damn it. It’s dangerous if I can’t hear thoughts. Think good thoughts, good thoughts.
“…Hehhh. Piggy…backkk….”
Thank you. That cleared up my miscellaneous thoughts.
I quickly laid her on the bed before fumbling with her wrist and inserting a prepared pajama packet. Alchemic threads took shape over her milky skin that had not seen sunlight, soon wrapping her body in snug sleepwear. The Captain slept on, her innocent face ignorant of any danger.
I sighed deeply and pulled the blanket up to her chest.
“Agh, seriously. She’s a handful. It’s like raising a little sister.”
Phew. Anyway since she’s finally asleep…
Shall I go and take care of my own business now?
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