Chapter 31

“At Anakonda... I waited tables, washed dishes, cleaned, and listened to customers gripe.”

“...Come again?”

“Boss, why’d you join the Imperial Army...?”

“We all have our reasons.”

I kept my mouth shut.

“How many did you bring?”

I asked instead.

“White Hair, how many?”

“How many did you bring? Your people.”

“Thirty.”

“Thirty mouths to feed... and all of them work in the shop across from Anakonda?”

“Not exactly, but they’re all on Madam Anne’s payroll.”

The capital’s thieves had no power here.

Surviving by borrowing Madam Anne’s strength was the best they could do.

“I’m not worried about feeding them. White Hair, I...”

“...can’t tell when the knife will stab you in the back.”

“Yes, Boss...”

My right-hand man answered for me.

“The Boss went under another store owner—Madam Anne—so how could the gang still have any clout? And now you’re afraid of betrayal the moment you turn your back. So very thief-like.”

“Shut it. Don’t yap like you know everything... You think this is fun?”

“Not really. I’m just thinking how to negotiate.”

“Negotiate, Boss?”

“You two—know anything about Anakonda?”

“Nope.”

“Only that it’s the biggest tavern in the red-light district... beyond that, we’re clueless.”

Though they’d come south before me, they knew nothing of vampires.

“Playing at being boss like before won’t work. Better to... become Madam Anne’s favorite dog. Her most cherished mutt.”

“...What?”

The Boss looked flabbergasted.

“Don’t get mad. I’m in the same boat. You all work for her anyway. If you’re going to switch sides, sooner is better.”

“Boss, what are you...”

“Simple. Establish yourself fast under Madam Anne—before the others climb over you.”

“I get the idea... but how did you end up talking like this...”

My right-hand man exhaled a long sigh.

“Let’s do a job.”

“Huh? What kind?”

“Something Madam Anne will love.”

“White Hair, where’s the temper I remember? Never figured you for the type to bow your head.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Nothing’s worse than the army.”

“True... So that’s why you quit?”

I let the question hang.

To scope out Anakonda properly, I needed access to the third and fourth floors.

Madam Anne was the biggest wall—bigger than anyone else.

Ignore the rest if I had to; winning her trust would smooth everything.

Her power was colossal, so my target narrowed to one.

“Boss, have you thought of a specific job?”

“Daytime work. Something doable while the sun’s up.”

Vampires, Madam Anne included, couldn’t step outside by daylight.

One foot in sunlight and they melted.

I needed a task vampires couldn’t do—something that proved I was useful.

“Why daytime?”

“The red-light district’s closed by day. Working while it’s shut shows diligence.”

I didn’t give the thieves the real reason.

“Second, it has to tie into the new shop Madam Anne’s opening.”

“New shop?”

“Word is she’s busy prepping another place. Lend a hand there and you’re golden.”

“White Hair, so what’s the job?”

“I’ve narrowed it down; you find the rest.”

* * *

“So it’s this again.”

Sturdy horses—eight in all.

A carriage.

Four horses per rig.

“‘Again’? Madam Anne loves a good coachman; they’re valuable.”

The Boss sounded confident.

“Map, White Hair.”

He handed over a folded chart.

I studied the route.

“Nothing but mountain trails. Two days round-trip, plus caring for the horses.”

“Two whole days?”

“No other jobs?”

“Nope. She was thrilled we can drive a carriage—told you.”

This run was the only way to bond with Madam Anne.

Whatever it took, I’d accept—so long as I didn’t waste a second.

“Madam Anne say anything else?”

“Ah, yeah—steer clear of Imperial checkpoints.”

“So the empty cart’s hauling something fishy. That sketched line on the map the detour?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“So that’s how it is...”

I stared holes through the checkpoint marked on the map.

Then I patted the inside pocket of my coat.

Something thick met my fingers.

The package Captain Shimena had pressed on me before we left was still there.

“Flash this evidence and I’ll sail straight through.”

I’d decided not to dodge the Imperial checkpoint at all.

With the captain’s token in hand, a measly Imperial roadblock was nothing.

I could shave the trip in half if I took the shortest route.

Two carriages.

From here I’d split off from the thieves.

If my rig reached the destination first, I already knew how Madam Anne would react.

“I’m going on ahead.”

I swung up onto the driver’s box.

“White Hair! Ride with me!”

“Boss...!”

I cracked the reins.

The grass–grazing horses jerked their heads up, startled, and the carriage lurched forward.

* * *

Ten hours later, when we rolled up to the place Madam Anne had named, I sank into the ground.

“Hup—!”

The ridiculous sound popped out of me.

The floor had given way without warning.

Luckily I hadn’t fallen clean through; I was dangling halfway into the cellar, arms draped over a still-solid plank, legs kicking in empty air.

“What the hell...”

I must have looked as dumbfounded as I felt.

The brewery owner thrust out his right arm—thick as a log, black hair carpeting the forearm—and hauled me up.

I scrambled to my feet and peered at the hole: just big enough for a body to drop through.

“S-sorry about that. The building’s...well, it’s old.”

“Old? It’s already dead. You just aged it ten years in a second.”

“Aw, come on, she’ll hold another decade easy.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying—you shaved ten off just now.”

“Did you just insult me?”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

We stood there blinking at each other.

“Forget it. Just give me the goods.”

“Ah, right. Madam Anne’s order. The wine’s downstairs. I marked the right barrel with an X—grab it and you’re done. You can climb down through the hole you just made. Hahaha.”

“Don’t joke.”

I hunted for the cellar stairs instead.

Down below, the barrels stood in plain sight, the Xs painted bold and clear.

I slung two of them over my shoulders and climbed back up.

“Not too heavy?”

“Manageable. Are you sure it’s only wine?”

“Only wine? Calling it ‘only’ wine is an insult—it’s worth more than cheap swill, I’ll tell you.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m asking if it’s really just wine inside.”

“Yes, of course. Red wine. What else would it be?”

“Hmm...”

Then why had we been told to avoid the Imperial checkpoint?

* * *

Two soldiers in navy uniforms stepped into the road.

“Routine inspection.”

The taller one spoke first.

“Understood.”

I met their eyes and kept my tone meek.

They split up, circling to the back of the carriage.

The luggage hatch creaked open; muffled whispers drifted forward, too low to catch.

After a moment they returned, boots clipping the stones.

“Step down.”

“Is there a problem?”

“Step down.”

Same words, flat and final.

I climbed from the driver’s box.

“Arms. Over your head.”

One soldier flicked his fingers.

“What’s this about?”

“Over your head.”

“Slowly.”

The orders snapped out in rapid fire.

Again, no choice.

I lifted my arms, slow and deliberate.

“Interlock your fingers behind your head.”

“All this for—”

“Do it.”

“Fine.”

I pressed my palms to the back of my skull.

“I’m going to search you.”

Two pairs of hands began patting me down, corner to corner. Their eyes never left my hands, vigilance iron-clad.

Fingers kept brushing, lower, lower—then something solid.

“That’s—”

“Hold still.”

A soldier dug into my coat and drew out a scroll.

A black scroll wound tight with red thread.

“Hm...?”

“This is...”

Both soldiers reacted at once.

They unrolled it together; as their gaze traveled downward, their expressions shifted.

When they reached the end, the soldier rerolled it with care, tied the red thread, and slipped it back as gently as if it were glass.

Silence.

“Special Task Force,” I said first.

“Y-yes, ma’am...”

“The seal of Captain Shimena Extein... I thought my eyes were playing tricks.”

Both men dipped into a small, crisp bow.

“Is there some incident here?”

“What brings the Task Force to this post?”

The questions tumbled out together.

“I can’t disclose the mission. May I lower my arms now?”

“Yes, yes...! Apologies, I—I lost my head.”

I dropped my arms and asked at once, “Before I go, could I ask two favors? One for now, one for later.”

“Anything within reach, we’ll oblige.”

“First, I need a raincoat—army issue, hooded.”

“Ah, yes. We’ve one inside the checkpoint. I’ll fetch it.”

One of them jogged off, reading the cue.

The other stayed. “And the later favor?”

“A letter, to Captain Shimena Extein.”

“Easy. Next time you come through, we’ll know you at a glance.”

He answered with force.

A moment later the first soldier returned, a neatly folded navy raincoat in his arms.

“Thank you. See you next time.”

With that I left the checkpoint behind.

* * *

“How did you get here so fast? It’s a two-day ride—yet you arrive in one?”

Madam Anne poked her head from the luggage hatch.

“I simply took the fastest route.”

“The fastest route? You ignored the marked roads?”

“Yes.”

“What? Why?”

“I came through an Imperial checkpoint, but they didn’t stop me.”

“That’s odd. Tell it straight.”

“A cousin works the post—enlisted last year. A word in the right ear and they wave me through. As you see, smooth arrival.”

“Doing things I never ordered...”

Madam Anne’s voice dropped.

“...but well done.”

A grudging praise.

“Can your cousin help us again?”

“Whenever you need. Blood’s blood; no awkwardness.”

“Ah, and the newcomer—I’ve been scatter-brained... what did you say your name was?”