With the sharp blast of the train’s whistle, I returned to Level 1. The train slowed, brakes screeching softly, until it came to a full stop. The doors slid open, and I stepped out together with the other passengers. Outside, snow was falling.

Compared to Level 3, the flakes here were heavier, thicker like a constant curtain of white. Of course, Level 1 was the closest to the sky. It had already been twenty minutes since I parted ways with Mr. Mancher.  I still had no idea what he planned to do next about that child. I stepped out of the train station and decided to head home. The streets were crowded with people busier than they had been in the morning. I slipped my cold hands into my pockets and kept walking. The gentle wind brushed against my face, while the decorated lights along the street shimmered with color. The savory aromas drifting out from the shops reached my nose, making my stomach growl with hunger.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, I finally arrived home. Our house sells newspapers. This isn’t too big, and it isn’t too small either. It stood along a narrow street, one where hardly anyone ever passed by. As I approached, my eyes fell on the nearly broken lamppost standing beside it. When are they ever going to fix that thing,  I sighed, pulling the door open.As soon as I opened the door, the bell let out a sharp 

“Ring!”

“Zerun, is that you?”

Crap..

Along with the sound of footsteps coming to me, someone appeared, it was Aunt Kalforn, the one who took care of me. In this neighborhood, she is young and beautiful, so most people come here not just to buy newspapers, but to talk to her.

I looked at Aunt Kalforn. She seemed annoyed. The reason was that I had come home late.

“What time is it now?” she asked.

I hesitated for a moment. I had stayed out with Mr. Mancher to help rescue that little slime kid.

“It was only forty minutes late,” I replied.

“Only forty minutes?? I told you to be back by 6!”

Aunt Kalforn always insisted that I come home early. I don’t know why, but still…

“I know… I’m sorry. I’ll make you a delicious dinner tonight, so please don’t be mad?”

“Hmph! Just because you make me dinner, you think I’d be fine with that? That’s too childish for someone who’s 34 years old like me!”

“So… you don’t want it?” I asked.

She glanced away, crossing her arms,

“..It’s not like I care if you make dinner or anything… I just haven’t bothered to make it myself, okay?”

“Alright..”

After a while, I was busy cooking dinner by the stove, and Aunt Kalforn was tidying up around the house. About 30 minutes later, the dining table was filled with plates of food. She came over, smiling brightly,

“Wow, this looks delicious!” We both sat down at the table, getting ready to eat. Before taking a bite, we said a quick prayer.

“So? How was today’s delivery?” she asked while eating.

“Mm, pretty normal. Though today I finished quite early, around noon.”

“If you finished at noon, then why did you come home so late?”

“There were… a few things I had to deal with.”

“You weren’t out wandering around, were you?”

“Haha… why would I do that? I was just delivering letters up to Level 3.”

“Level 3? Hm, don’t the people there usually get their mail through the pipes?”

“Yeah, but this time they didn’t.”

“I see… Must’ve been tiring. That area’s always so crowded.”

“Yeah.”

We kept eating for a while, then she suddenly said, “Guess what.”

“Hm?”

“Today so many people came to buy newspapers. It was exhausting, but hey I made a lot of money, so I guess it was worth it.”

“Yeah… must’ve been really tiring,” I replied while chewing.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Anyway, when your birthday comes, is there anything you want?”

“I don’t know…” Should I ask for that expensive hat? …No way. That thing costs way too much.

“Well, if you want something, just say it, okay? This big boss lady will buy you anything.”

Boss lady? That was kind of funny.

She glanced at the clock, let out a sigh, and muttered,

“Looks like that idiot’s drinking again tonight…”

Then, lowering her voice, she said,

“Hey Zerun, once you’re done eating, go bring that drunk back home.”

“What? Again?”

“Come on, please..??”

Ugh… I really don’t want to go to that place. Man! I thought she didn't want me to go outside this late. Still, I pulled on my warm coat, pushed open the front door, and stepped outside.The snow was still falling, dusting the streets in white as I made my way toward one of the neighborhood’s busiest places, a bar. People bustled around me, arms full of shopping bags, their faces glowing with anticipation for the upcoming Christmas. I kept walking for a few minutes until the sign came into view.

“Clockwork Alehouse.”

One of the most well-known bars in this district. I froze in front of it, staring at the glowing lights that spilled from its windows. My stomach twisted. God… this is the last place I wanted to be. Inside, that place was nothing short of a hell.

I let out a heavy sigh, pushing aside all thoughts, and pulled open the eastern door. Stepping into the bar, I was met with the same sight as always, crowds of people filling the room. Humans and Lumens mingled together, drinking and laughing as though they had no cares in the world. Some danced freely to the music, while others sang as if the night itself belonged to them. And then there were those who indulged in the forbidden, gambling, the one thing the capital strictly outlawed.

Most who came here sought escape, trying to forget the weariness of their long days. In this place, they forced joy upon themselves, burying the shadows of the capital under the noise and the drink. I walked further inside, weaving my way through the lantern-lit hall. This bar wasn’t just any bar, it was the largest, and many said the finest, in the whole city. The council despised places like this, claiming they corrupted the spirit of the people. And yet, even so, some of the city’s officials and soldiers were known to slip through these very doors, visiting more often than they would ever admit.

“Where could that guy have gone?” I muttered to myself as I pushed deeper into the crowd. By the time I reached the very center of the bar, I finally spotted him.

There he is.. slumped over the counter, clearly far gone from too many drinks, fast asleep as if the world no longer mattered. With a weary sigh, I made my way toward him, disappointment weighing on me. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I gave him a shake, trying to rouse him.

“Hey, Pun… wake up. Hey!”

His real name was Jackypun, but I’d always called him Pun for short. He wasn’t only a friend, he looked after me the same way Aunt Kalforn did. In fact, the two of them were about the same age.

“Pun—hey!” I shook his shoulder again, a little harder this time. But it was no use. The man was completely drunk out of his mind.

“There’s no use, kid. He’s just drunk, haha.”

The voice came from a Lumen sitting nearby. He was no ordinary figure, his body resembled that of a large cat, with thick, golden fur and claws that extended just slightly beyond his fingertips. A scar ran across his left eye, giving him a hardened look. Like most who haunted this place, he was clearly a drinker himself. He lifted the cup in his hand, took a long swig, and chuckled before continuing.

“About half an hour ago, he started calling people over and challenged himself to down ten cups of the strongest drink this bar serves, one after another. He made it to seven before passing out hahaha!”

The catlike Lumen burst into laughter at his own tale. I, on the other hand, could only sigh, staring down at Jackypun’s unconscious form slumped against the counter.

I settled onto an empty seat near Jackypun. The catlike Lumen glanced at me and asked,

“Want a drink? I am sure they got something even kids like you can handle.”

I looked at him and shaked my head. “No thanks.”

“Haha, Alright. You’re a quiet one, huh?” He took a sip from his cup, then added, “This place… who knows when it’ll ever get shut down? Man, I just wish they wouldn’t. It’s better than the other two levels’ bars, that’s for sure.”

I listened as he spoke. According to the usual ratings, Level 1, the section I am in is fresh and clean. Unlike the other two levels, this place is different, well-maintained, and orderly, this bar wasn’t exactly something the city council would have approved of. Yet somehow, it had never been shut down. The secret? Occasionally, even city officials would come here to unwind. The thought made me smirk.

The catlike Lumen kept talking, while I stayed silent. Talking casually with a stranger wasn’t really my style.

“This year, that man’s going to win the election, mark my words… But isn’t it strange? A man who wants to be king of the capital has never shown out to the people. That alone is worth thinking about, don’t you think, kid? And… who are you rooting for?”

I looked at him and replied, “…I’m not really interested in that stuff.”

A brief silence fell between us. After a while, the Lumen set down his cup and got ready to leave.

“Alright, I should be heading back. Even though I could stay here all night, I need to start preparing for Christmas. You should get home safely, there are some missing children’s things.”

“Huh? How did you know about that?” I asked him. He just smiled and said,

“It’s my job to keep track of things like that, kid. Oh one more thing… not everything you see is as bad as it seems.”

He left the place soon after, and for a moment I just sat there, staring at the still-sleeping Jackypun. That’s when an idea came to me. Grabbing hold of his arm and began leading him toward the exit. Together, we stepped out into the night beyond the bar’s doors. I dragged his heavy body along as we continued down the street.

“Pun, how long are you planning to sleep like this?”

I muttered, but it didn’t seem like he heard me. His weakened legs stumbled with every step, forcing me to steady him as we moved.

“I hate this job,” I whispered under my breath.

The two of us trudged slowly through the snowy night, our footsteps the only sound on the quiet, lantern-lit street.

“Cough… cough…” 

He suddenly broke into a rough fit of coughing, that was the first sign he was waking.

“You’re awake?” I asked.

He gave a faint nod, though his unsteady steps showed he wasn’t fully recovered.

“Where… where am I?” His voice was drowsy, heavy with sleep.

“On the road home,” I answered.

“Kalforn…?” he mumbled.

“It’s Zerun” I replied.

“Oh…”

“What was that disappointed tone?”

“She doesn’t care about me, does she?” he muttered.

“That’s not true—” I started, but he cut me off.

“If she really cared, she would’ve come to get me herself!” Jackypun’s body stirred restlessly, making it harder for me to keep him steady as I dragged him along.

He was always like this when he drank too much, chasing after problems that weren’t even there, clinging to thoughts that only brought him trouble.

“And then… those people who come to buy her papers, they’re not really there for the news. They just want to see her. Do you know how that feels for me, Zerun? It’s unbearable…” His voice was low, heavy with frustration. Is he angry… or just feeling down.

Aunt Kalforn and Jackypun had been friends since childhood. Neither of them had parents, so they leaned on each other, helping one another survive until they could finally build a life of their own. According to Jackypun, there had even been a time when he and Aunt Kalforn were close to becoming something more. But when the moment came, fear held him back, and he never confessed.

And now… it seemed to be nothing but regret for him. At that moment, I couldn’t think of a single word to comfort him. All I could do was keep holding him up and walk in silence. The two of us moved slowly through the cold, quiet streets.

After a while, we finally reached home. Standing at the front door, wrapped in warm clothes against the night air, was Aunt Kalforn. The worry on her face was clear the moment she saw us.

“You two are so late… what happened?” she asked, her voice tight with concern.

“The bar was crowded, so it took us longer to get out,” I replied.

Jackypun, still drunk, could barely stand. Aunt Kalforn looked at him for a moment, then gently took his arm and led him inside. Once I no longer had to support the weight of his heavy body, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

I stepped inside the house and went straight to my room. It was small and narrow, but it suited me just fine. The walls were decorated with things I liked, keepsakes I’d collected from past Christmases. Since my birthday fell on the same day as Christmas, I usually ended up with even more gifts than most. Even now, I didn’t really have friends, but that had never mattered much to me.

I took off my hat and carefully hung it on the rack. That hat was my favorite possession, something I’d been lucky enough to receive five years ago from one of the most renowned magicians in T.K City. He had passed away since then… but the memory of him still lingered every time I touched it. I gazed out the window. The snow was falling heavier than before, layering the streets in silence. I was just about to settle into bed when a sudden tapping came from the glass. Startled, I slid the window open and before I could react, something darted into the room and landed on my bed.

It was an owl. A white owl, its wings brushed with faint streaks of brown.

“A–An owl? What is it doing here…?”

Then I noticed something fastened around its neck, a small roll of parchment. Carefully, I untied it and unfolded the letter inside.

“Dear Zerun,
Thank you for saving me from the fence today and for lending me your help with the work. I feel I haven’t properly expressed my gratitude yet, so I’ve prepared a gift for you. Please go to the city’s supply depot to collect it. Once again, I am deeply grateful. And remember—whenever you need my help, you are always welcome to find me.
Until we meet again,
Mr. Ruiqulin Mancher”

“Mr. Mancher…” I whispered. “A gift, huh…”

My eyes drifted back to the owl, now calmly perched on the edge of my bed, its feathers puffed against the cold. With a faint smile, I decided to let it stay the night.