Another Day

Carol was in her usual position behind the desk when a familiar face walked into the bookstore. “Good morning, Regis. Erm... Are you all right?”

“Are you inquiring about my sanity or my future? I’ve already given up on both.”

“I’m inquiring about your health! You should take a look at yourself. Those are some terrible bags under your eyes.”

“Ah, yes... The book I purchased the other day was so interesting that I was completely absorbed, neglecting to eat or sleep. And here I am, hoping to see whether the author has written anything else.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it, but I really don’t want to be responsible for your death.”

“Ahaha... How could selling someone a book possibly k—ack!”

He was stopped mid-sentence by a sudden coughing fit.

“Regis?!”

It was in the midst of all this that another familiar man raced over. “B-Big news!” he exclaimed.

“Oh, Trepner!”

The peddler’s face was pale. Just the other day, he had been so happy and openly thankful for Regis’s assistance in capturing a thief at the northern fort.

“Hack, hack... Did something happen?” Regis asked as Carol gently rubbed his back. He was preparing himself for the worst.

Trepner’s next words came out much gruffer than usual. “The northern forces are invading!”

“I don’t like the sound of that...” Carol murmured, a shadow falling over her face. “Is it another war?”

“You guessed it! Gah, what am I doing?! I can’t just stand about at a time like this! Oil is seriously hot right now! I need to head north and sell as much as I can!”

Trepner’s merchant soul was ablaze, but Carol grew anxious at his remark. “Isn’t that dangerous?” she asked.

The remote frontmost lines were always engaged in some war or another, and as a result, many of those stationed there never returned. Regis recalled all the conflict in the distant north, then muttered to himself.

“That’s sure to be the sort of place I’ll be sent to die...”

Unbeknownst to him, it was around two months later, on his way to the Empire’s frontmost lines, that he would come to meet Altina.