Sarah left the prison after Sabrina escorted her outside. The tter had told her in a slightly strict tone:

  "Don’t cause any trouble. Gdys may have saved your skin, but if you commit the slightest crime, you’ll end up in the mines."

  Sarah swallowed hard and nodded quickly. She absolutely did not want to spend her days in the mines—that was out of the question. She had heard that this was the fate of various demi-humans who had been captured during the war between the Republic and the Confederation, as well as during the first years after the anti-demi-human w was enacted. Those who had been captured ended up as sves for the Republic, and any resistance or rebellion was punished by death.

  She still hoped that, by some miracle, her parents and sister had managed to escape, even though she doubted her own theories. However, she had found a new family at the Saint Bathory asylum, whom she cherished.

  Lost in thought, Sarah stood absentmindedly on the pathway leading away from the prison. A passing police officer gnced at her with a scrutinizing look. Suddenly, she was brought back to reality when she felt a pinch on her cheek.

  Snapping out of her thoughts, she saw the cyan-haired cat-woman she had met earlier standing in front of her, the one who had just pinched her cheek.

  "Hello? Anyone in there?"

  Sarah blinked a few times.

  "Yes! Sorry, I was lost in thought."

  "I imagine there’s a lot for you to process. You haven’t introduced yourself yet. What’s your name?"

  Sarah answered, blushing slightly in embarrassment as she realized she hadn’t even introduced herself.

  "Sarah Hearts, I’m from Neko City."

  "Do you have a job outside the isnd?"

  Sarah shook her head. She had just finished her studies and, after that, had set off on an adventure to the Kingdom of Okarie—only to ter be taken to Felicity.

  "No, I just finished my studies, and I don’t know what career path to take yet. I’d like to be a police officer..."

  Gdys smiled and gestured toward the prison.

  "You could very well have become a police officer in Felicity."

  "But… the immigration policy here seems… unusual."

  Gdys nodded but raised a finger, shaking it as if to show Sarah that she was wrong.

  "Actually, we are very open to foreigners, but most of them have visas and have already applied. The problem is with those who enter illegally."

  Sarah nodded quickly, and Gdys then asked her—

  "What number did you receive?"

  "Number 10."

  Gdys was quite surprised but kept a kind smile.

  "Lucky you. You must have an ancestor from Felicity. The previous Number 10 died a year after I was born, unfortunately, so I never really knew them."

  Sarah thought for a moment. She had never really met her extended family—she only knew her parents and older sister. They had told her they had cut ties with the rest of the family.

  "It's possible. I should look into it."

  Gdys then took Sarah’s hand and gently pulled her forward. Sarah naturally followed.

  "Alright, I’ll show you around the isnd. It would be a shame to explore it at night, and honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it—the police tend to be on edge."

  The tour began. Gdys led Sarah toward the pace, then they crossed a bridge, arriving at a rge residential district made up mostly of simple houses where several families lived.

  "This is the residential district. The wealthiest inhabitants live here, and it extends across the entire isnd."

  Sarah nodded, walking along the paved path while observing the various houses. She then stopped in front of one of the st houses—the one closest to the bridge leading back to the city center. Gdys stopped as well, noticing that Sarah seemed to be deep in thought.

  The house Sarah was looking at seemed oddly familiar, though she didn’t know why. It also appeared abandoned.

  "Funny... I used to live in a house that looked a lot like this one… Who does it belong to?"

  "It’s abandoned. The family who lived there was mysteriously killed, and ever since, there have been rumors that ghosts haunt it… No one has ever bought it, and it's falling into ruin."

  Sarah stared at the house for a few more seconds. It looked just like the one she had lived in back in the vilge of Shania before it was destroyed. But more than that, she was sure she had seen this exact house in her parents' photo album.

  Since arriving on the isnd, Sarah had felt a strange sensation, as if everything seemed familiar, as if she had been here before—but there was no trace of such a memory in her mind.

  Gdys eventually tugged at Sarah’s hand again, leading her along. They passed through the city center, where she pointed out a few interesting pces: the old bank, a few general stores, a small pharmacy, and finally, the "Kinku Club," one of the most modern-looking buildings in the area.

  "You can go there ter—it’s the isnd’s hotel."

  Sarah nodded and continued walking with Gdys. Eventually, they arrived at the spot Sarah had seen earlier—a breathtaking view of the rest of the isnd. The architecture there was completely different: the houses resembled those from Okamoto Isnd, and the lush nature stood in stark contrast to the dull atmosphere of the city center.

  Gdys and Sarah walked deeper into nature, with Gdys showing her the most beautiful spots.

  "Tell me… Gdys, who is the Denka? Is there a queen ruling over the isnd? Is there another leader?"

  Gdys shook her head and answered as briefly as possible.

  "The queen rules over the city of Felicity. The Denka rules over the isnd of Oshu."

  "Oshu?"

  "Yes, Oshu. That’s the name of the isnd… And the Denka is actually the isnd itself."

  "Wait, we’re walking on the Denka?"

  Gdys seemed hesitant to accept that comparison.

  "No… Actually, a Denka is… Okay, history lesson. There are demi-human gods and human gods. But before that, many years ago, there were the Denkas. There was one for every piece of nd and every isnd. However, as humanity evolved, the Denkas began to disappear."

  Sarah nodded, still a little confused. Gdys continued her expnation.

  "It’s like a spirit of nature, except it’s the spirit of the isnd. But as I said, the Denkas started disappearing when they fought against the Deadhorses alongside the heroes of the old times."

  Sarah leaned over a bridge crossing a small ke.

  "How many of them are still alive?"

  "Only one, and that’s the Denka of Oshu. She told us she managed to survive the battle against the Deadhorses."

  The duo continued walking until they reached an area covered in tall grass, where animals roamed peacefully.

  "So, the Denka is the one who holds the isnd’s power?"

  Gdys nodded.

  "Yes, that’s right. For someone to take power, they must first be tested by the Denka."

  After sharing a few small anecdotes, the two of them left the scenic area and sat down together on a bench.

  "I’m happy to hang out with someone my age who doesn’t judge me."

  Sarah tilted her head, wondering what Gdys meant by that.

  "But I’ve seen plenty of young people on the isnd."

  Gdys rested her hands on her knees and let out a slight sigh.

  "Being an Observer isn’t an easy role. I’m the Denka’s ears—I have to report what I see and pass on various information to the royalty. It’s a job passed down from generation to generation, so… I’m not very well liked by the isnd’s inhabitants."

  Seeing Gdys looking sad, Sarah pced a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.

  "At least I’m here, and… I think you can count on me to help you. We can be friends if you’d like."

  Gdys beamed with joy and quickly kissed Sarah on the cheek upon hearing that.

  "Thank you! That really warms my heart!"

  Sarah chuckled softly.

  "You’re welcome."

  The girls continued talking for about an hour, sharing stories about their childhoods and passions. As night began to fall, Gdys walked Sarah back to the club before heading toward her home in the wilderness.

  Sarah looked at the entrance of the club. The building was tall, made of brick, with pink neon letters above the door dispying its name.

  She pushed open the doors and stepped inside. The pce was bustling with people. There was a bar with a cook and a bartender preparing drinks. Comfortable red seats were scattered throughout the room. In the adjacent hall, there was a stage where people could perform, whether it be dancing or singing.

  As Sarah gnced into the room, she saw dancers in revealing outfits performing in front of a wild audience.

  She explored the upper floor and discovered a game room where people were pying various games like poker and roulette.

  Sarah felt a bit uncomfortable in this club, as if she were an intruder and had no pce inside. As she went back downstairs, she accidentally bumped into a woman carrying a tray of beer. Both women fell, spilling beer all over their clothes. The people around them watched, some ughing like idiots.

  Sarah straightened up a little to see the person she had knocked over, but the other woman was much quicker. She was a raccoon-woman with gray hair tinged with pink and bck paint around her eyes, making her look like a thief. Her clothes, however, were quite traditional—a red shirt and loose bck fabric pants. But now, they were stained with alcohol. Sarah quickly apologized.

  "Sorry, it was an accident!"

  In this unfamiliar environment, Sarah had to be extra careful, especially with the city's strict rules. However, instead of reprimanding Sarah, the raccoon-woman extended a hand to help her up.

  Sarah took her hand and stood up, facing the raccoon-woman, who looked at her seriously.

  "Are you okay? Nothing broken?"

  Sarah shook her head and then looked at her alcohol-stained clothes. The raccoon-woman took Sarah's hand.

  "Follow me, I don't want to smell like alcohol for the rest of the evening."

  She led Sarah to a corner of the club and toward a door, which she opened. The door led to a storage celr where drinks were kept, along with various useful machines like a tiny kitchen and a washing machine. She tossed a towel to Sarah.

  "Undress and give me your clothes."

  Her voice wasn't strict, but Sarah felt she should listen. Before she could undress, the raccoon-woman had already unbuttoned her red shirt and taken off her pants. Sarah did the same, removing her military uniform and then covering her body with the towel.

  "By the way, my name is Baky, and you?"

  Sarah answered quickly.

  "Sarah, Sarah Hearts... I'm really sorry again."

  Baky quickly shook her head, not liking people who felt guilty.

  "It's nothing, accidents happen. Let me wash your clothes."

  She pced the clothes in the machine, which started spinning, then sat on a wooden crate and looked at Sarah.

  "You're new, aren't you?"

  "Yes, I arrived this morning."

  Baky nodded, connecting the dots with the morning's events.

  "Oh yeah, you came with the queen's escort group, her new property."

  Sarah blushed quickly and shook her head.

  "No... I'm not, I didn't consent!"

  Baky ughed slightly.

  "Nobody has ever consented. Once the queen sets her eyes on someone she finds beautiful, she tends to do everything to keep them close… I heard she likes blondes like you, and besides, semi-humans are pretty rare on the isnd."

  Sarah blushed at the mention that the queen might find her attractive, but a question lingered in her mind.

  "Why?"

  "Well, the first settlers were from the Empire, and the majority of the Empire's popution was human… It was only years ter that semi-human migrants started appearing, but very few of them… Like the Liddel family, for example."

  Sarah nodded and thought about Gdys.

  "Like Gdys?"

  Baky confirmed Sarah's words.

  "And what about you?"

  Baky smiled and proudly showed her ID card.

  "My case is different. I'm 00005."

  Sarah blinked in confusion, noticing a contradiction in Baky’s story.

  "But you said they only appeared much ter."

  "My family is indigenous to the isnd," she said with a small smile.

  "The semi-humans of my race have always thrived on Oshu Isnd for generations… Since colonization, we have been very open to the settlers, teaching them the art of sword fighting and trading with them. Now, semi-humans like me have left the isnd in search of treasure, and the rest live in small, remote vilges… The only exception was my ancestor, who served as the ambassador between Oshu and the settlers."

  Baky said this with a certain pride.

  "And now… what are you, a waitress at the bar?"

  Sarah asked curiously. Baky quickly shook her head.

  "No, I'm the club's manager. I take care of things when the boss isn't around. I'm basically her right hand."

  "And you practice sword fighting."

  Baky nodded firmly, then stepped toward a corner, opened a cabinet, and pulled out a simple iron sword.

  "I'm the st person in Felicity who practices and teaches the art of sword fighting. My mother or father could do it, but tradition dictates that the apprentice who becomes a master repces the mentor… Not everyone wants to learn sword combat; only the Sparks family has been coming consistently for generations."

  She smiled and took out a picture of her sister from her pocket before Baky pced her clothes in the undry.

  "I think you’d get along well with my sister. She loves fighting too."

  Baky observed the photo.

  "Oh… I can recognize the body of someone used to combat. She has nice muscles."

  Sarah smiled, feeling proud to be Mikki’s sister. She saw her as such a badass, someone who would always be there to protect her. But right now, she wasn’t with her—she was far away, resting.

  Sarah then put the photo away and watched the washing machine spin. Baky moved closer to her.

  "Since you're new, I need to tell you a few things."

  "Like what?"

  "This isnd has been corrupt for centuries… And the queen isn’t exactly innocent."

  Sarah raised an eyebrow. She remembered the queen—she seemed a little selfish, but from the short time she had spent with her in the kingdom of Okarie, she had always kept a good memory of her.

  "But she seems… like a good queen. I’ve heard people say they’re pretty pro-queen…"

  Baky sighed.

  "The people are royalist. There are democrats, but they disappeared years ago… The Sparks and the Lockes were two families that always wanted a democracy, but in recent years, they’ve lost power. To understand why this isnd is corrupt, you have to go back to the time of colonization."

  "I remember hearing that it was… special?"

  Baky nodded.

  "Yes. At first, during colonization, two judges ruled the isnd. Then, a group of mercenaries arrived and overthrew the government. The leader of that group was… the ancestor of Queen Mia."

  Sarah’s eyes widened. So the power on this isnd came from what was basically a coup carried out by an outside group. Baky continued her story.

  "When the group took control of the isnd, they became independent from the Empire… The two judges who were in power back then—their descendants are still judges today."

  Sarah, still trying to process the story, spoke up.

  "Judge Skullbones and Judge Odeita?"

  Baky nodded and crified.

  "0003 and 0006… The highest-ranking positions are always inherited. That’s where the corruption comes in. The Skullbones and the Odeitas will always be judges, the Sparks and the Oswolds will always be captains, and it’s the same for most of the isnd’s influential roles."

  Sarah was impressed by what she was hearing. It seemed like the entire isnd was controlled by a group of elites.

  "Thanks for telling me this… Listen, I never wanted to be the queen’s property. How can I free myself? Has anyone ever been released from their obligations by the queen before?"

  Baky shook her head.

  "No, I’ve never seen anyone be freed by the queen. Maybe if you serve her… Or ask Kety. She’s known the queen for a long time now."

  Sarah smiled, and Baky got up as she heard the washing machine finish. She took out the clothes and hung them up to dry.

  "You look tired, Sarah. I’ll walk you back to your hotel room."

  Baky grabbed some clothes that had been "forgotten" by customers and picked out something that fit. Then, she and Sarah went back up to the club, and Sarah reached her room. Kety had taken Sarah’s bag earlier, brought it up to her room, and even paid for her stay.

  Sarah entered the room and pced her things down. She looked out the window, from where she could see the entire isnd, with a view of the docks. It had been a long day, and she colpsed onto the bed. Tomorrow, she will learn the pn of action concerning the queen.

  Then, Sarah thought about Kety. She closed her eyes, remembering the moments they had spent together on the ship. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.