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“You. We’re going to apply for the visa,” D’Émori spoke to me while we walked down the stairs to the inn’s lobby. First morning in Koroné. I yawned after sleeping with all of that fatigue from traveling. I didn’t want to leave the carpet caressing my cramp-ridden feet. Now that I got a good look at the interior I relaxed more. Nicely lit chandeliers hung from the ceiling, green and blue plastered on the walls, and foreign décor laid on the reception desk and furniture.
I rubbed my eyes open. “Okay, I’ll get the others—”
“I only need one person to register any number of people. So you’re coming with me.” She folded her arms and looked at me.
My hand stopped before it fell slowly to my side. Sorah should’ve been the one to do this, but I guessed I had no choice. The others came down from the stairs, and I faced them. Only Sorah, Ruri, and Yuanyuan remained after Tursun went home to Kucha. “Apparently I’ll be going with Miss D’Émori to obtain our visas.”
“Oh, oh! That means we can go sightseeing?” Yuanyuan’s energy immediately recharged after that long journey, bouncing around with her arms and legs. “Those people we met said to meet at that place in two days, and since we spent one night here already…”
I scratched the back of my head. “...Fine. But don’t get into trouble, or else the Royal Marshal might notice something.”
“Don’t worry, Kawari. I’ll keep them company.” Sorah wore his white hachimaki headband, and put a hand on my shoulder with a reassuring smile. “Go get that visa. In the meantime we’ll search.”
The mandarin arbitrator and I departed from the inn, and I finally got to see this city in daylight. Buildings were large and held with massive columns. The taller ones had twin pointed arches with flying buttresses decorating the windows. Only when I looked closer did I realize the pointed arches resembled cat ears on the rounded roofs. Foot traffic increased as we turned onto a busier street.
The citizens of Mogumogu all bore animal ears of some kind. While I could solely recognize the dog and cat, there were others I had no clue. A vast difference compared to the demographics out in the Koronese countryside. I concluded that the twin cities had a more pure-blooded population.
“You know, there is no presence of the Royal Marshal in Mogumogu,” D’Émori continued from what I said last time as I followed her from behind. “No Adventurers’ Guild, or any Aquitani office branch.”
“Really?” If what she said were true then we wouldn’t have to worry at all. I sighed, but I couldn’t let my guard down. No matter what, I shouldn’t arouse any suspicion of us. “Even so, I’ll make sure my friends don't do anything troublesome…”
As we made our way through the road, people began to turn their heads at her and I. Sweat trickled down my neck while I felt a lump of anxiety in my throat. All these people could potentially have seen our bounty from any Guild outside of Koroné. I cursed myself since I could’ve put on the gray hood D’Émori handed to us. The crowds whispered and muttered over their breath to each other.
“Yuso Horigane nakisoso…”
“Ese so neyumishi-imié?...”
“...Chi. Kinébié Horigane oshi Okayu.”
I remembered from when I looked at a Koronese-printed map last night. ‘Horigane’ was the word for ‘D’Orient’, and by ear I could catch the name ‘Okayu’. Koroné’s government was Okayu Court. By the time I put things together I noticed D’Émori sped up her walk, while she kept her hood on and eyes glued to the floor.
They weren’t talking about me at all—but her. I had to catch up to her pace trudging through the sea of gossip surrounding us.
The place we arrived at was Okayu Court. I would call it similar to a small castle with multiple sentry towers and tall walls of stone. The dog gate at the entrance scared me for a quick second. Animal architecture prevailed in every aspect of Mogumogu.
Empty space took up the interior of the lobby. The vaulted ceiling exuded an overbearing presence as if walking under a church. A large row of lonely kiosks lined the area. Dimly lit by a couple hanging torches, only a few employees appeared to be working on paperwork.
“What’s the plan?” I asked D’Émori as she wrote in a book at the entrance counter.
She set it down and gestured for me to follow. “It’s simple. I’ll be your translator, and all you have to do is answer the Prevoyant Proctor’s questions truthly. They have the ability to sense your intentions, be careful.”
“They can read my mind?”
“...Not exactly, but they can get a feel for why you’re here.”
Flashbacks of Guiral’s interrogation swamped my mind. If I saw any white uniform I would run. This couldn’t be another one of those, right? I fidgeted with my fingers as we walked over to the nearest receptionist, who read a book calmly. D’Émori stood at attention while my Prevoyant Proctor dropped his tome.
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The demihuman jumped from his chair shocked. “B… Bi miné chioki, D’Émori?”
“Biese na rosoese yu bisu,” she responded without a reaction. Then he simply scoffed at her and mumbled. I wished I knew Koronese for this moment, but she would bridge the language barrier for me. They conversed before D’Émori told me to sit in the booth seat across from him. “He asks for your name.”
If he could tell if I was lying, then I had no choice. “My name is Kaizenji Kawari.”
His dog ears twitched just a second before nodding his head. I guessed I was safe. The Prevoyant Proctor continued as D’Émori gave me the next question. “‘Why do you seek to cross our borders, and what is the nature of this ‘emergency’ in Koroné?’”
“...That’s…” I flinched at the accuracy of his question which regurgitated my thoughts exactly. My mind tried to form possible answers before he iterated my vocabulary. I couldn’t lie no matter what. There was no going back after how far we’d traveled, and how much time we spent. “We four… are searching for two people. Someone very important to one of us. Their family.”
D’Émori’s mouth widened for a second. She told the receptionist my response. The Prevoyant Proctor took a hard stare at me and turned to the mandarin arbitrator. He slouched back into his chair and waved with a few words. The demihuman didn’t bother to look at D’Émori the entire time.
“He says you’re good to go.”
“What? Why?”
“You seem very ambitious, and that ambition harbors no ill intent to Koroné,” she explained, “I’ll fetch four visas for your group. Sit and wait here.”
That fast? He inquired twice and said I passed? When I looked at him, he sure didn’t give a great evaluation. As if to just… wanting to end the process as soon as possible. Even now, the demihuman went back to reading and planted his feet over the kiosk table. I couldn’t grasp what went on due to the language barrier.
“Chi—Yuso nakisoso.”
I found myself holding four gray armbands as we exited Okayu Court. The gatekeeper tipped his hat to me. My eyes adjusted to the afternoon sun after spending an hour in that dark annex. As long as we acquired the visas then we had no need to return there. For now, I wanted to learn more.
“Should we eat somewhere?” I scratched my cheek, knowing I had a few things to discuss with her. She stopped and raised her hands.
“There’s really no need for me to accompany you. If you insist I will pay a reservation for one—”
I took out the sack of money I earned in Xanton. “I’ll pay. I want to try out the food here anyway.”
“…Very well. Though I find it strange you invite a mandarin out for lunch…”
“Well, mandarins are people at the end of the day, right?” I shrugged my shoulders and went ahead.
“Huh…”
And thus, we searched for a restaurant in the adjacent streets. I found one not too far and pointed my way there. It had gothic embellishments with a two-story dining area. But when I peeked inside lots of people packed together onto the table.
Their eyes immediately panned to us.
I shut the double doors. We decided to sit at a table below the verandas, feeling the cool wind sweep through the outside area.
“I’m going to pay for myself.” D’Émori slammed her hand down and put one leg over the other. “Since this is past my duties of hospitality.”
Shielding my face with a menu I couldn’t really argue my case anymore. “Suit yourself. I just wanted to treat you for bringing us from the border to Mogumogu—and for helping with the visa.”
“Was this the compensation?”
“...Technically not. You can ask for that anytime now while we’re here in Koroné.”
Sorah, Ruri, and Yuanyuan should be out exploring with the intent of searching… so I should be okay doing this. The negotiated deal had to be tackled. Part of me felt the need to soften the compensation I promised by already giving her something, but she resisted it anyway.
I still couldn’t speak the local tongue and had to rely on D’Émori to place our orders.
“You said your group’s emergency was to find two people… Mind asking what they look like?”
“It’s okay. We won’t burden you anymore with our troubles.” I relaxed in my seat. If I let her do any more favors we would be obligated to help. The tips for the food we paid back at that town took a toll already.
“It’s within the realm of my job as an arbitrator.”
“Huh, it is? What’s the difference between mandarin and arbitrator?”
She planted her arm on the table and rested her head on her hand. “A mandarin… is an employee of the Court. The Prevoyant Proctor is a mandarin. An arbitrator… is similar to a high law enforcer.”
Yuanyuan did say something about the arbitrator. Why was D’Émori doing border patrol? I expected an arbitrator to take on large-scale cases and make decisions akin to a judge of law. Someone this high on the ‘Court’ ladder. Yet I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. That would make an assumption.
If I mentioned the meeting at Gariyuchi Terrace tomorrow to her, how would she react?
The waiter interrupted my thoughts. Our food came as a platter of nuts and fruits. The menu had game meats, vegetable crisps, and the one we ordered. I didn’t bother to even identify the others on the list.
“I shouldn’t have to rely on someone we’ve had help from. Thank you for your offer, but we can do this on our own.” I tightened my lip and made my decision. Tursun was one thing, but letting another law enforcement with a possible tie to the Royal Marshal… I didn’t want a repeat of Guiral and the Guild.
“If you say so,” she replied with a breathy sigh, “The Kucharen has left?”
Picking up a roasted nut, I had to watch myself for slip-ups. “He guided us from Wakh’an Pass to this country’s borders, so he returned to Kucha—”
An older man passed us by. At first I took him as nothing but a tall pedestrian carrying a weapon. But in the glare of the sun black hair poked from beneath his black suit. Reminded of someone I used to know, I dropped the nut. It bounced to the floor as I stood up. I bolted from the restaurant and ran after him. Step after step until I could place a hand on his back.
“Hey!”
He turned and slipped into a narrow alley, disappearing without a trace. I wiped my sweat from the sun rays stinging my skin. D’Émori left her seat and followed me to my uneventful chase.
“Was that the guy you’re looking for?”
“Not exactly…” I wheezed, “We gotta get back to our table—”
“About that…'' she eyed the table with the food platter we just ordered. Someone strolled by and spat into the tray before mumbling something. My head turned to D’Émori who had a face drained of color, standing like a statue. Then I finally figured out why everyone in Mogumogu acted this way.
Discrimination.