“You’re saying “Wishes” only work on people with affinities? What do you mean with affinities? Mis... Merik?”

“Just call me, Merik. No need to force yourself.”

“Right.”

“Think of it this way. Whenever you wished upon things that you desire so dearly, take it for a coffee, if you were to wish to have the best coffee in the world, right in front of you, right now, that wish won’t come true.”

We just had coffee and I hate coffee. Cora shrugged.

“However, if you were to come into contact with something related to unknown existences, divine beings or entities, whatever. Be it just a necklace or a random stone, your wish might be granted. “

“But?”

Merik smiled.

“But your wish will be distorted as you will never acquire what you desire but instead you will be granted something incomprehensible. If you were to wish for a coffee, you might just get a coffee-colored steak, something like that. Your wish becomes distorted beyond imagination.”

“But I like steak.”

“That’s not the point, but you get the gist. I’m just using examples that I can think of at the moment. There can be cases where one has abnormal affinity to the existences, because of their generations or their relentless pursue of the knowledge of such existences. We call it “Pursue” but it was more like worshipping. These kinds of people can be exposed to “Wishes” quite dangerously as well. Since they are attempting blasphemy, we had to stop them in the name of Light.”

Seeing Cora was getting dizzy, Merik chuckled, stopping with the flood of information.

“You just got here so this information can be too much. You can further read it in the reports in the office, but let me tell you, Cora.”

A sudden change in tone made Cora flinched and force her to stare at the serious crimson eyes of her young senior.

“Never, I mean by never, ever use the “Wishes” to get what you desire. Forget about it being blasphemous, you wouldn’t even understand what just happened to you. It will only bring immense misfortune and tragedy to your life and your beloveds’. Never.”

This was the first time she had seen Merik getting this serious. Sure, they just met today but it was scary, so she had no choice but to nod.

“Su... sure. I wouldn’t use it even if you asked me to. We’re the ones who are supposed to take care of people and prevent them from doing those! We’re the Coaxed! Umm, no. Cloaked!”

Merik just shook his head and went into the garrison.

_______________________________________________________________________

There was a familiar face the moment they got into the office.

“Hey, how did it go with the little miss, Merik?”

“Ah, Mister Allen, already back from the stroll?”

“Not much to check since people are content with the weather, the neighborhood, no one stole their clothes because everyone had one, everyone was full in their stomachs, well almost everyone anyway.”

Allen seemed to dive into his thoughts for a while.

“Though I must say some people feel a little anxious all these rumors going on about the war and these... Soulesses without faces but who could blame them. But I have to say, it was okay! So, I guess, yeah. We have to seriously thank the God herself and his Majesty for our proper living! Praise the Light!”

“Praise the Light!”

The response was from the energetic yet shy girl behind Merik. Allen Smith, a senior Cloaked, properly smiled at Cora.

Allen gave off the charm of a calm and rational yet kind middle-aged man so Cora was instantly at peace in his presence. Albert and him were good friends having to go through a lot together in their youth. They still argued who was younger and older but due to their appearances, one would say Allen was slightly older than Albert.

He had a bit slanted eyes so when he smiled, his eyes just disappeared. He was a tall, slender man with some greyish hairs on the sideburn and he was always smiling slightly.

His calm demeanor matched his appearance perfectly, as well.

He was reliable, responsible and righteous. No wonder Merik held great respect for him. And he knew that the feeling was mutual.

“Enjoy the mundane peace while it lasts, Merik. Seems that the Songstress will be here by next week so this leisure strolling would last a little bit more before it gets rowdy and busy.

After putting down the books onto his book and wiped a few drops of sweats from his slightly wrinkled forehead, Allen came to Merik and got hold of his shoulder.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

“You aren’t alone, Merik. You still got me. Forget that guy. I’m a lot better.”

“Yes, I know.”

Before leaving the room, he half-laughing turn towards them.

“Little miss, Merik might be handy sometimes, but try to get along with him, okay?”

Merik chuckled slightly and Cora was nodding vigorously.

After staring at the leaving kind man, Merik glanced at Cora. The young brown-haired girl was getting anxious, with her eyes darting left and right. What was she getting anxious for, anyway?

“I think your desk would be here. Living room, here. Head Captain’s office, there. These people as you already met are all kinds of workers, clerks, foot soldiers and so on. Ask them if you need anything cause you’re their superior. The cases will be put onto that big black board. My desk is here, you can call me if the case was serious. Other than that, ask others. Any question?”

“Merik?”

“Yes.”

She turned into a red tomato again.

“What about the toilet?”

________________________________________________________________________

After the strolls, Merik usually went through the case files again. The case files for him were equivalent to novels for ordinary people but he never thought this was weird or anything. One could learn about all kinds of things from these various reports on supernatural and paranormal events occurring around the world. Another reason was to learn more about the incident of his past. Aside from this self-proclaimed “hobby” of his, he loved going to theatres.

Speaking of which, “Damsel in Distress” was now showing on “Curtain Call”, the biggest theatre this era had yet to see, which was located in his town and of course, his favorite. The price was a bit heavy but then again, what kind of illiterates wouldn't use their budget for such entertainments?

Wondering out of focus could be his habit as well. He thought to himself self-deprecatingly.

Bang!

With a loud thud on his desk, was a slender hand of a man which resembled a female’s rather than male. It was smooth and pale, without any scars unlike Merik’s. The emerald veins on the forearms were protruding softly, enough to make the beauty much more profound.

Sigh, only if the hand matched the personality of the owner.

“Oh, my, look who’s back. It’s our own most popular hero of the Browmourn garrison, no, Browmourn city, Master Merik as himself, ladies and gentlemen. Come close, come close, don’t be shy. You can stare at him all you like. He doesn’t bite. After all, he’s just a man who loves to talk through with his ways rather than actions!”

The nerve he gave Merik whenever he came in contact with the guy in question was just unbearable.

He was a slender guy wearing a white shirt, with a few buttons loose on the top. Nothing is out of ordinary for the guy except his eyes which were the color of emerald green python. One that could ensnare you in its tracks. Not out of ordinary, but the mischievous smile on his face made Merik just want to wipe it away with his punches.

Why does no one remind him of the dress code, but me!?

“Sure, nice to see you too, Cooper.”

“It’s Davies. Merik. Davies. How many times do I have to tell you to call me just Davies. We’re close friends, aren’t we not? Hmm, don’t tell me. You’re just going to leave me once you got your new buddy, wuddy?”

“Heh, I heard that you dealt with the “Dream” guy all by yourself, huh? As expected of a hero, huh. No way I could ever do that in my entire life time!”

Davies Cooper glanced at Cora, who was now standing near the desk of Merik after hearing the loud commotions happening. The rest in the office were just minding their own business like it was the most natural thing of the day.

“I’m...I’m sorry. Sir. Who might you be?”

“Sir, huh? I like this one already!”

Seeing Cora intimidated, Merik smacked away the hand of Davies before standing up. He really didn’t care about stuffs like this, but he wasn’t going to let his new junior get devoured by this “snake”.

“He’s Davies Cooper. Fellow Cloaked, like us. Most of the times, you needn’t not pay any attention to this guy.”

“Oh, no. It can’t be like that. Why are you making me such a bad guy? What did I even do? Merik, here is, heh, despite his status and abilities, he’s such an insecure guy, isn’t he? Just talking to you for a bit and he’s already getting scared that I’m going to snatch you away. Hmm, are you really scared that I might snatch your little bird Cap’n prepared for you, huh?”

Davies put his forearms on Cora’s shoulder. He was a pretty tall guy.

“No one would love seeing their bird snatched away by a snake, would they? Now let go of the little bird.”

“Right, right, of course. Since the snake is so scary, the wolf has to protect the little bird, of course. The thing is, if the big bad wolf wants the poor and lonely snake to let go of the little bird, he might have to come take her, himself.”

Davies, then, wrapped his both hands around Cora and put her into his chest.

Crimson eyes and Emerald eyes met intensely. Seeing the reactions of the bystanders, the situation was now not so ordinary. Everyone was getting on edge.

The girl? She just accepted her fate, closing her eyes.

Right as Merik took a slight step, a voice containing a hint of power and anger yelled out.

“Stop with the nonsense! Immediately. Davies, let go of the girl, RIGHT NOW!”

It was a dark-red haired young man from before. He was the new Head Captain of the Browmourn garrison, Micheal Turner.

The serious guy was frowning intensely, glaring at both Merik and Davies. The eyes kept looking and Davies let go of the girl shortly after that, following with raising his both hands and a shrug.

Davies just snorted at Merik and walked past the Head Captain.

He was abruptly stopped in his tracks by a hand of Micheal on his chest.

“You cannot be doing whatever you want. More so in the garrison. What would the public think if they were to see this? Show some restraint and responsibility.”

“Scary Head Captain, yes, roger that. Cap’n. I shall do whatever you order me to my upmost ability. Hup hup.”

He was doing a salute while replying seriously but no one in the room thought that it was a genuine gesture.

“If you’ll excuse me then.”

His body pushed through the hand on his chest but was stopped again, to see Micheal was still glaring at him.

Davies smilingly slap the hand and put his hands into the trouser pockets and just left whistling without looking back.

Merik was already minding his own business before he even noticed and the only one left was the poor little rookie girl, smiling awkwardly at him.

Micheal pinched his temples and let out a long sigh. He muttered to himself softly.

“Captain, why must you leave me with these two?”