Adrian’s eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, he was too stunned to speak. He hadn’t expected anything to come of this, let alone so quickly. "Really? I’ll take it," he said, his voice steady, though his heart was racing with excitement.
The supervisor chuckled. "Alright, then. You can start tomorrow if you’re ready."
Adrian nodded, unable to hide the small smile tugging at his usually expressionless face. "Thank you. I won’t let you down."
As they left the building, Adrian was quiet for a moment before he finally turned to Kenji. "Thank you," he said simply, his voice filled with sincerity.
Kenji laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "You did it yourself, Adrian. I just pointed you in the right direction. I’m glad it worked out."
Although the pay was small, Adrian felt a deep sense of joy and relief.
Adrian couldn’t stop himself. "Thank you so much, Brother Kenji," he said again, his voice filled with quiet emotion.
Kenji chuckled, shaking his head as he reached out to ruffle Adrian’s hair. "Please, Adrian, you’re like a little brother to me. Stop embarrassing me," he said, his tone light and teasing.
Adrian froze for a moment under the gesture, but then he felt a strange warmth spread in his chest. It wasn’t something he was used to—this kind of kindness—but it felt... good. He nodded, a small, rare smile appearing on his face.
"And don’t forget," Kenji added with a grin, stepping back. "We’re going to Pillu’s house tonight to watch Soulstream, alright? Don’t be late."
Adrian nodded again. "I’ll be there."
Kenji waved him goodbye, walking off with his usual easy expression, and Adrian waved back before turning toward home.
It was his first real job.
For as long as he could remember, all he had ever done was steal—out of necessity, survival, and desperation. But now, he had earned something honestly, even if it was small.
It felt different. It felt better.
As Adrian rang the doorbell, it opened almost immediately, and he was greeted by Milo, who stood there looking oddly quiet.
"What’s wrong?" Adrian asked, his tone flat but curious as he noticed Milo’s hesitant expression.
"You’re back, Brother Adrian," Milo said softly, his eyes darting behind him toward the house. He hesitated, fidgeting slightly, and looked over his shoulder as though unsure of what to say.
"What’s wrong?" Adrian repeated, stepping past Milo and into the house. His sharp eyes immediately caught sight of Karl sitting in the living room, holding something in his hands and staring at it intently.
Julian wasn’t anywhere to be seen, which was strange in itself. Adrian’s gaze flicked to Milo again, waiting for an answer, but before either could speak, a loud, angry scream echoed from Ruby’s room.
Adrian froze for a moment, his expressionless face betraying a flicker of surprise. He glanced at Milo, whose face paled as if he were afraid.
"What was that?" Adrian asked, his voice calm despite the chaos.
Before Milo could answer, another loud, angry shout erupted from Ruby’s room, even more furious than the first.
Adrian’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Has she gone crazy?" he muttered under his breath, though his tone remained steady.
He walked further into the house, his curiosity piqued, and stopped in the middle of the living room. "What’s going on?" he asked Karl, whose hands were still gripping whatever he was holding tightly.
Karl looked up briefly, his baby-blue eyes wide and nervous. "I... I don’t know. But she’s mad. Really mad," he said quietly, almost whispering.
Adrian tilted his head slightly, his expression unchanging. "Why?" he asked, his tone as calm as ever.
Milo bit his lips nervously, his honey-brown eyes darting toward Ruby’s room. "Wife went to help the witches from the government. They gave her snacks and a gift for helping them. She was really excited about the gift... she kept muttering to herself, saying it might be money."
Adrian raised a brow but didn’t interrupt, waiting for Milo to continue.
Milo sighed and gestured toward Karl. "But all she got was..."
Karl, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly stood up and walked over to the wall. There, a nail was already embedded, waiting for something to be hung. With his baby-blue eyes wide, he glanced back at them briefly before carefully hanging the "gift" on the nail.
It was a simple certificate with plain text that read, "Thank you for helping the government."
Adrian stepped closer, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the certificate. Although he couldn’t read most of it, he recognized enough words to piece it together. He blinked slowly, processing the situation.
"Is it bad?" he asked, his voice neutral, as he turned to the others.
Karl crossed his arms, biting his lip nervously. Milo fidgeted behind him, wringing his hands. "Well... Wife was expecting money or something more... useful," Milo said cautiously, glancing at the certificate. "Not just... this."
Another angry shout erupted from Ruby’s room, followed by what sounded like something hitting the floor.
Adrian stared at the certificate again, his expression unreadable. "She’s mad about this?" he asked, his tone flat.
Karl looked down, muttering, "It’s not just... It’s about expectations."
Adrian tilted his head again, as if still trying to understand. "People get this upset about things like that?"
Milo nodded quickly. "Especially wife!" he whispered, looking toward Ruby’s room nervously. "She was so excited, brother Adrian. You don’t understand!"
Adrian glanced toward the room where Ruby’s furious mutterings could still be heard. "I see," he said simply, though his tone suggested he didn’t quite get it. Still, he stayed quiet, deciding it was safer not to poke the fire any further.
"However, isn’t it considered an honor from the government?" Adrian couldn’t help but ask, his tone calm but genuinely curious.
Milo, still fidgeting, shook his head. "Brother Julian said it’s not useful because there’s no signature from any authority. So, it’s basically just a piece of paper frame," he explained, his voice tinged with frustration.
Adrian stared at the certificate again, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "So, they gave her empty gratitude in exchange for real work," he stated bluntly.
Milo nodded furiously. "Exactly!"
—To be continued...🪄