Seren found the last house on their list. They felt sick, but they still had to finish their workday whether they liked it or not. They knocked on the door and waited; the door lock flipped. Seren quickly changed their face to a smile. The door opened, and a man opened the door.

“Hi! I’m here on behalf of Mr. Asche in concern for your overdue bill. May I take a payment?” They said cheerfully.

“Oh, I’ve heard about you.” The man narrowed his eyes at them. “Yeah fine, what do you want?”

“Uhm,” Seren pulled out their folder and looked at the numbers. They did some quick math. “The lowest amount I can accept is fifty ingts.”

“Fifty?!” The man scoffed. “What are you trying to do? I got kids to feed!”

“Okay?” Seren shrugged. “I still have to do my job. I can’t really afford to lose it.”

“Ugh. Fine!” The man snapped. “Wait right there.” He vanished into the house, slamming the door in their face. Seren let the mask slip off for a minute. Taking a few unsteady breaths before resettling the mask as the man opened the door.

“Here, take it.” The man thrust a few ingts into their hands, dropping quite a few onto the ground. “And I hope you're proud of yourself!”

“I mean kinda,” Seren shrugged. The man opened the door, turning red in rage. Seren didn’t seem to notice as they picked up the ingts. “I don’t think you think of a hot meal as a luxury but it is for me. So, it might not be the most glorious, or even good, job… but at least it’s a job that allows me luxuries like warm clothes and regular meals.” Seren looked up with an entirely innocent smile. The man’s rage had vanished a little and left him awkward.

“Yeah well… fuck off!” He yelled and slammed the door. Seren crouched to avoid injury from the snow falling off the roof. Popping up out of a small snow pile. Seren climbed out of it and counted the ingts. Fifty exactly. Slightly annoying but Seren shrugged it off, at least they weren’t shortchanged. They marked it down and put the ingts in their coin purse.

Seren stared at their marks, the second house still blank. They debated just writing no answer and calling it a day but that didn’t seem right. With a heavy sigh, they turned to try the second house again. They weren’t sure what they were going to do if there was no answer again. Maybe just kick about and wait out the clock so they could say they did due diligence.

They got to the second house and again they knocked. Again no answer. Seren knocked again and rocked back and forth on their heels. They knocked one last time and finally the door was thrown open.

“WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” The person yelled at Seren’s face.

“I… I’m here on behalf of Mr. Asche-”

“Oh, piss off!” The person slammed the door. Leaving Seren with their mouth open in shock on the doorstep. They shook themself out of the shock and knocked again.

“If you don’t get off my doorstep, I’m going to call the authorities!” The person yelled through the door. Seren froze at the threat. Flashes of them being arrested and left to die in a cold cell the size of a closet.

“Please don’t…. I’m just trying to do my job.” Seren called, knocking on the door again. “Please cooperate with me.”

“I’m calling!” The person yelled. Seren stepped back, they considered running. But they couldn’t. They shook too much to move. Shakily pulling out the folder, they held it up to the door. Trying to explain what they had to do, but words weren’t coming.

“Problem?” The city guard asked as a pair of them approached.

“I’m sorry,” Seren trembled. “I’m just trying to do my job. I promise I’m not doing anything wrong.” Seren felt tears welling up. They tried to stand a little taller and act their supposed age, but they couldn’t help the shaking or the tears.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Let’s see your paperwork then.” The guard said, taking the folder from Seren. Sniffling, Seren quickly wiped their face to hide their fear.

“This is all in order.” The guard nodded to his partner. “How old are you, kid?”

“Sixteen.” Seren said. “But I am still really new at this.”

“Uh-huh…” The guard said. He batted his partner and pointed something out on the paper. “This guy’s pretty notorious with underage enforcers.”

“Hey kid,” The guard knelt down, so he was eye level with Seren. “Look, you and I both know you aren’t sixteen. How old are you?” Seren felt like they were going to die.

“I’m sixteen.” Seren said quietly. “Am I in trouble?”

“You aren’t in trouble, just tell me what your actual age is.” The guard said again. Seren felt their lip tremble.

“But I’m sixteen,” they said. A few tears spilled down their cheeks. “I am.” The guard stared into Seren’s eyes and they stared back. Feeling as if any minute he’d stare right through their head and know everything they knew. After the longest minute of Seren’s life, the guard shuddered and stood up. Muttering under his breath about the damned fae.

“All right, have it your way.” The guard said. “But you know that when you die the coroner will find out you’re underage and your boss will throw you under the carriage to save himself. It’s better if you tell us now.”

“Tell you what?” Seren asked.

“Your age.”

“Sixteen.”

“Give it up,” the partner murmured. “You can’t win ‘em all.” The guard sighed and covered his eyes. Moving up his helmet.

“All right,” the guard sighed. “Whatever. Why have laws and regulations if no one pays attention to them?”

“Am I in trouble?” Seren asked again.

“No, at least not at the moment. But lying to the authorities is a punishable offense.” The guard warned. Seren felt squeezed in tighter as they had to stop breathing altogether to stop from dry heaving.

“I just have to complete this task and then I’m done for the day.” Seren said, trying to pretend they were confident. “Can I please have my instructions back?”

“Sure here,” the partner handed back the folder and Seren slipped it into their bag. “We’ll talk to him.” The partner knocked on the door with authority. Seren let the sound replay in their head over and over. The way the guard knocked was much more solid, distinct. Knocking not with his knuckles but with his fist.

The door opened instantly, and the homeowner looked expectantly at the guards.

“Yes?” He asked.

“Are you refusing to comply with the enforcer?” The partner asked. The homeowner scoffed.

“Are you serious? Look at them! They clearly aren’t old enough to be an enforcer!” They said pointing accusingly at Seren.

“But I am.” Seren said, trying to stand up straight. “I am old enough and I am an enforcer!”

“All their paperwork is in order, and unless you have evidence they are operating illegally, then you do have to cooperate with them.” The guard said, then he leaned over. “Do you?”

“No.”

“Then pay the child.” The guard leaned back and tucked his thumbs in his belt.

“That’s outrageous! I am not complying with this flagrant disrespect for the law!” The homeowner screamed.

“Myr, I am going to ask you to calm yourself.” The guard said sternly. “It isn’t disrespect for the law unless you have hard proof the law has been broken.”

“That isn’t proof enough?” The homeowner stormed out of their house to point their finger at Seren. “Look at them!”

“Hey, that’s enough!” The partner came to Seren’s defense and placed himself between Seren and the owner. “Now you cooperate or we will be forced to restrain you and this enforcer will take what they need and you will just have to accept it.”

“That is unacceptable! Do your goddamned job and arrest that kid!” the owner’s frantic screaming was drawing attention from the streets. People crowded and Seren felt their face get hot. They could just melt into the sidewalk.

“All right, we can’t stand around here all day.” The guard said, he took the owner and grabbed their arm and twisted it around their back and shoved them up against the wall. “Ight kid, go in and get what you need. Be quick.”

Seren didn’t hesitate. They knew good and well they had to act as grown up as they could. They also weren’t going to avoid an opportunity to get away from the public view. The homeowner shrieked about Seren being a thief, making Seren’s ears ring from the noise.

Once inside, the ringing didn’t quite stop. Seren pushed at their ears to stop the unwanted pain. The house they were in was nice enough. With lots of things that held value but nothing that was easily slipped into their bag. Seren continued hunting through the living room and then the kitchen and then the upstairs bedrooms.