"I recall Medici chose the border between Intis and Loen as the starting point for the revolution. Wonder how it's going…" Alaric mused, holding the note, sparing a rare moment to consider the progress of the uprising.
From what he knew, Medici's plan was to stir unrest across various regions, discreetly supplying the poor with resources while spreading revolutionary ideas and recruiting suitable talent to build an organization. Once the time was ripe, Medici would ignite a full-scale rebellion, starting with the border counties, letting the sparks of resistance spread across Loen. After securing Loen, he'd turn to liberating other nations.
Of course, the details were far more complex, but those weren't Alaric's concern... he wasn't in charge of operations.
"Should I go check it out? I did promise a speech…" After a few seconds of thought, Alaric decided cheerfully to inspect Medici's progress in person.
Turning to Azik, he smiled. "Mr. Azik, I've got to step out for a bit. I'll be back tomorrow, probably."
Azik blinked, then gave a gentle smile. "Alright, I understand."
He watched as Alaric grabbed a coat and rushed out of the villa, looking genuinely pressed for time.
Suddenly, the once-lively villa felt empty, with only Azik left behind.
"I've become the only idle one here…" Azik said with a wry smile, tinged with loneliness. He'd grown used to the bustling atmosphere of the villa, and the quiet now felt strange.
After a moment, he set down his newspaper and headed to the upstairs study to find a book on mysticism. Despite his experience as the Death Consul, the world kept changing. Having spent the last thousand years in a cycle of reincarnation, Azik had gaps in his knowledge. Continuous learning was essential to avoid mistakes at critical moments.
A Border Town in Loen
Lent was an ordinary worker.
He had a grueling but relatively stable job. The only problem was the meager pay, barely enough to support his family. Lent worked tirelessly, spending nearly 18 of every 24 hours at his station.
Even so, his wages only just kept his family fed, with no savings to speak of. Still, Lent considered himself fortunate. His family didn't starve, they didn't all cram into a single room, and his youngest daughter could attend a church school. After graduation, she might find a better job and become someone respectable.
But just when Lent thought life would continue this way, devastating news struck... he'd been fired. The factory, citing poor performance, had cut staff, and Lent, a replaceable assembly-line worker, was among those let go.
Even as he left the factory gates, Lent was dazed, hoping it was a nightmare. The cold drizzle on his face told him otherwise.
He'd really lost his job.
Panic gripped him, making it hard to breathe. In this era, losing a job was catastrophic. Without a new one soon, his family would be forced from their apartment into a cramped, damp basement, sleeping on bunk beds. His daughter would have to drop out of school, unable to afford tuition. In a matter of days, they might not even afford food.
Lent wasn't young anymore. Finding another job would be tough.
Trembling, he reached into his pocket for his half-pack of cigarettes, his most precious possession, saved for moments when life felt unbearable. But his shaking hands fumbled, unable to pull them out.
Then someone tapped his shoulder.
"Hey, Lent, why're you standing in the rain? Trying to catch a cold?"
Lent turned, dazed, to see a familiar face... Dixie, a young former colleague fired a few days earlier. Lent remembered how defeated Dixie had looked then, but now he seemed surprisingly spirited.
Had he found a new job?
As Lent wondered, Dixie pulled him under a nearby awning to escape the rain. After sizing him up, Dixie guessed, "You got sacked too?"
"Yeah." Lent said, nodding bitterly.
"I knew it. Those blasted bosses don't care if we live or die…" Dixie's face darkened, recalling his own dismissal. He launched into a heated rant, cursing everyone from their supervisor to the unseen factory owner, thoroughly insulting their lineage in three minutes.
Lent, caught up in Dixie's fervor, echoed a few curses before hesitantly asking, "Dixie, did you find a new job?"
He hoped to ask if Dixie's workplace was hiring.
Dixie stopped his tirade, glanced around, and lowered his voice. "I'll let you in on something. I found a great place…"
Dixie explained that, after being fired, a friend had referred him to a new job. The work was simple, included meals and lodging, and paid well.
"We're still hiring. Want to come?" Dixie asked, looking at Lent.
Lent was tempted but wary. He wasn't educated, but he knew good things didn't just fall from the sky. Dixie's job sounded too good to be true.
Was it a scam?
Lent hesitated.
Dixie, sensing his doubt, patted his chest. "I swear, it's no scam. I'll be honest... there's a bonus for bringing in new people…"
"..."
That made it sound more like a scam.
But despite his doubts, Lent followed Dixie to check it out. He had no choice... without a job, his family would starve. Even if it might be a scam, he gritted his teeth and went.
***
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