The next day, Ruby got ready after taking a long, refreshing bath. She even washed her hair, feeling rejuvenated as the warm water relaxed her. Humming a soft tune, she walked toward the dining table and was pleased to see breakfast already prepared.
She sat down, and everyone ate in silence, the quiet comfort of the morning settling around them. After finishing her meal, Ruby stood up, feeling content. She walked to her room, grabbed her purse and big bag, and headed toward the living room.
"Wife, are you going somewhere?" Julian asked, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity as he watched her.
"I need to buy something and take care of some work at the government office," Ruby replied.
Milo’s face fell slightly at the thought of her leaving, his expression turning a little sad.
"Goodbye, wife. Come back soon," he said, his voice soft with longing.
Ruby smiled warmly at them, giving a gentle wave. "I will. Take care."
With that, Ruby stepped out, leaving the house behind as she quickly walked toward the market. Her destination was the big market, so she headed to Uncle Otis’s shop, where she hoped to get a ride.
When he spotted her walking toward his shop, Uncle Otis looked up, surprised to see her. "Ruby..." Uncle Otis said, his voice filled with mild surprise as he recognized her.
Ruby smiled brightly and nodded in greeting. "Hello, Uncle Otis," she said cheerfully. "I need to go to the market. Can you drop me off? I’ll pay for the ride."
Uncle Otis’s face lit up with a grin. "Of course, Ruby. Why not? Let me grab my wagon," he said as he turned to fetch the wagon that was parked nearby.
Ruby followed him as he quickly made his way to the wagon. She climbed into the back, settling herself comfortably as they began their journey. The gentle movement of the wagon made her feel at ease as they headed toward the market.
When they arrived, Ruby reached for her bag to get the payment. "How much, Uncle Otis?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Five coins," Uncle Otis replied with a friendly smile, his voice warm and welcoming.
Ruby nodded, counting out the coins and handing them to him. "Thank you," she said, her smile sincere as she climbed down from the wagon.
Uncle Otis waved goodbye, watching her walk toward the market. Ruby gave him one last wave before she disappeared into the crowd, her thoughts already on the errands she needed to take care of.
Ruby decided she was going to the government office first because it was more important. She had to get the necessary paperwork to start her business, and without it, everything else would be impossible. However, she wasn’t sure where the office was located.
As she walked down the street, she spotted a witch passing by and quickly stopped her. "Do you know where the government office for the public is?" she asked.
The witch, with an honest expression, nodded her head. "It’s near the shoe shop, by the old tree," she said, pointing in the direction Ruby needed to go. After giving her the directions, the witch went on her way.
Ruby thanked her and followed the path, looking for the familiar landmarks—the shoes shop and the old tree. Soon enough, she spotted them and knew the government office was just around the corner.
Ruby saw everyone walking inside the building, so she followed them and stepped in as well. Inside, there were several boards with different work areas listed, each serving a specific purpose. She walked around, scanning the signs to find the one she needed.
After about five minutes of searching, she finally spotted the board that indicated the PIC (Permanent Identity Card) area. However, when she saw the long line of people waiting, her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected it to be so crowded.
Ruby sighed and stepped into the line, mentally preparing herself for a wait.
Ruby looked around, seeing how slow the line was moving. Each person seemed to take at least ten minutes, and she was already feeling tired.
"Hahaha... Young witch, are you already tired?" Ruby heard a voice from ahead. She looked up to see an old witch standing in front of her. The woman had only two teeth and deep wrinkles on her face, yet she was smiling brightly.
"The line will go slowly. You have to prepare to stand for two or three hours. Today, the line is shorter. When I came two days ago, I didn’t even get a chance until the evening," the old witch grumbled, clearly frustrated with the process.
Ruby’s eyes widened in shock. "Oh, how slow they are..." she muttered, surprised at the wait time.
"Of course, but what can we do? We can’t offend them, otherwise they won’t do our work," the old witch complained, shaking her head. Ruby nodded, resigned to the long wait ahead.
The line moved slowly, and two hours passed by as Ruby stood, feeling the weight of the wait. She had no choice but to stay patient. Finally, when it was the old witch’s turn, the woman looked incredibly relieved, a big smile on her face.
She spoke her name clearly, and the worker witch began to search the records. However, after a moment of scrolling through the computer, the worker’s expression shifted. Her face grew tense and she sighed.
"Sorry, our computer isn’t working. Please come back tomorrow," the worker said, her voice apologetic but firm.
The old witch’s eyes widened in shock. Her face froze for a moment, and then tears began to well up in her eyes, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to hold herself together.
"Please, try again. This is the fifth time I’ve come this week," the old witch pleaded, her voice hoarse and shaky. "I have a mistake in my name after the last update. Please, fix it... I’m having so many problems because of this."
Her hands clutched the counter as she fought back tears, the frustration clear on her face. The worker, though sympathetic, just shook her head.
Ruby couldn’t bear to watch any longer. She stepped forward, her voice firm as she addressed the worker. "Let me see what’s wrong with the computer. I’m sure I can help."
—To be continued...🪄