"So, how is your business plan going, Oliver?" Zack asked casually while eating.
"Hmm, it is going well. The mothers and everyone else are working hard. We have decided to launch with some early designs first. Taking advantage of tomorrow's event, we plan to advertise it and open it soon enough. Since both businesses are connected, I would want to start the animal meeting soon since it doesn't really need much preparation, and slowly make the shop opening more and more prominent" Oliver explained while looking at everyone.
"Hmm, the little ones will help advertise tomorrow, so feel free to take care of them." Miss Emmy bowed to everyone as she gently ate small pieces of food while talking.
"Big sister Emmy, why are you eating so slowly and in such small pieces? Here, have this!" Alfie gave her a big piece.
"GUAA!!! You little brat, don't ruin my perfect-looking plate! Grree!" Miss Emmy roared in her mind and as she was about to give it back.
"Here, aahhh!" Oliver cut a smaller piece from it and offered it to her while smiling handsomely.
Miss Emmy froze for a second, then said firmly, "Young master, please behave!" She rejected it.
"Hey, hey! This handsome man's hand is going to fall off if you—
UMMMM!
GULP!
"Huh! Hmm, it's tasty, brother Oliver!" Big Guy gulped it down in one bite.
"Guuaa!!! Don't eat Miss Emmy's portion, Big Guy!!" Oliver started a fight of spoons with Big Guy.
STAB! DEFEND! SLASH! DEFEND! TANK! TANK! TANK!
"Ah, Sio, let's go to the tool guy's shop. It's because of you today that I found out my power got better. I could save many people with this, and don't worry about me—I will be fine. Today, this big brother of yours will give a gift to you! And don't dare to refuse your big brother!" Zack said everything without giving her a chance to refuse.
Sio, listening to it, after some hesitation, just nodded. "Okay, big brother Zack, if you say so." She nodded obediently.
"Me, me!! I also want to go!!" Little Princess also raised her hand eagerly.
"Oh, sure, sure! Let's go. Then I guess Alfie would be tagging along too. Who else wants to come?" Zack asked by looking around.
"I will go." Big Guy nodded, smiling at Sio.
"Then I guess I will also go." Nat also stood up.
"Me three!" Sasha, of course, would go.
"Hmm, good. What about others?" Zack looked at the rest.
"Except Fia, others will go to the orphanage" Oliver casually ended the conversation. Everyone nodded and talked a little more as the girls went to freshen up after eating.
.
.
In a dimly lit room...
"So, did he come back to the shop, Brandon Wilson?" a calm voice asked.
"Yes, Representative. He came back yesterday night. It doesn't seem he will go back for a few days to the Queen's palace," Brandon replied with his usual deadpan expression.
Tsk! "So much waiting! Bring him here tonight, dead fish eye!" A voice said in irritation.
"Yes, Crown. I will," Brandon replied.
"And what about you, Kyra Mills? Did you find something valuable about the Heart Machine from the Queen?" The same irritating voice asked Kyra, who stood straight like a soldier in command.
"No, Crown. Not yet," Kyra replied in a loud voice.
"Hmm, so what did you do there the whole day?" The Crown person asked.
"Sir, everyone is busy with tomorrow's princess event. I helped around, trying to gain some information around the palace, but I'm still not successful," Kyra replied with slight discomfort.
"Oh, good, good! Gain her trust and all, then BANG—stab her in the back! Good lady, keep it up. I want some information soon, otherwise there is no use for you," the Crown replied.
"Yes, Crown!" Kyra said in a clear voice, but she continued as the Crown was turning around. "Umm, Mr. Kane, is there no other way to remove Malina from her position and let Natlia and others go somewhere? I mean, you guys are higher level than her. Can't you just order her or do something that doesn't give any chance to hurt so—"
SLAAPPPPP!
"Huh! What did you say? Malina? Natlia? Not hurting? What nonsense are you talking about!"
SLAPPPP!! SLAAPPP!
Kane slapped her face hard, then kicked her belly.
THUMPP! THUMPPP!!
"Agh!" Kyra got on her knees, breathing hard.
"HEY, BITCH! CAN'T YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU ARE TOLD? IN JUST ONE DAY, ARE YOU LICKING THEIR BOOTS OR WHAT, HAAN?" Kane grabbed her hair and lifted her head up. "OYE! DIDN'T YOU BEG FOR YOUR SON TO GET TREATED WHILE SAYING YOU WILL DO ANYTHING? YOUR BODY AND SOUL ARE MINE TO COMMAND! DID YOU FORGET IT? DO YOU WANT YOUR SON TO DIE? SHOULD I TAKE BACK THE MACHINE?"
SLLAPPPP! SLLAPPPP!!!
Kyra, getting slapped heard this, and got panicked as she shook her head vigorously, saying, "NO, NO! PLEASE, NO! I WILL DO IT PROPERLY! PLEASE, NO! NOT MY SON! PLEEASEE!!" Kyra said with tears in her eyes.
TSK! "EVERYONE'S GETTING COCKY JUST BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY COULD SOLVE ALL THEIR PROBLEMS!"
SLAPPP!
"DON'T TAKE THEIR NAMES WITH YOUR USELESS MOUTH! I WILL RAVAGE THEM PROPERLY SOON ENOUGH! JUST YOU WAIT, PRINCESS NATLIA!!" SLAAPPP!!! Kane slapped her one last time and left her on the ground. "GO, DEAD FISH EYE! DO YOUR THING! SINCE YOU DECIDED TO PULL IT OFF, THEN DON'T FAIILLL!! IF YOU DO, THEN FORGET LEAVING THIS ISLAND ALIVVEEE!!" Kane shouted with some glint in his eyes.
"YES, UNDERSTOOD!" Brandon nodded and turned around, looking at his wife, who didn't say anything—just kept looking down. He held her hands and said gently, "Just one job, okay? Just one. No one will get hurt, I promise! Just wait here."
Dead Fish Eye left without waiting for her answer.
"Husband, I am sorry..." she muttered slowly, not stopping him, just praying for his safety.
After he left, Kane came closer and said to her, "Hey, Miss Eva, are you enjoying the city?" Kane smiled evilly.
"Huh! Yes, Mr. Kane! Thank you for everything you are doing for us!" Miss Eva bowed.
"Hmm, good, good! Now, why don't you do a simple work for me since I have done so much for you?" Kane touched her shoulder, squeezing it.
"HUH! What? What? What do you want me to do? My husband is already doing so much!" Miss Eva tried to step back but couldn't under his hold.
"KEKKE! DO YOU THINK I WILL LET YOU GUYS OFF SO EASILY? WHEN YOU WASTED SO MUCH OF MY TIME! ARE YOU IN A GARDEN, WALKING IN AND OUT AS YOU DESIRE? I AM BEING GENEROUS ENOUGH TO NOT KILL YOU GUYS HERE RIGHT NOW! DO A WORK FOR ME, AND I WILL LET YOU GUYS GO! OF COURSE, YOU CAN HIDE IT FROM YOUR HUSBAND OR TELL HIM, BUTTT!! I THINK YOU WANT TO HIDE IT SINCE THIS IS QUITE A RISKY JOB FOR YOUR BODY, YOU KNOW! HEHEHE!" Kane said while touching her cheeks uncomfortably.
"Agh! Mr. Kane, I can't..." Miss Eva said with some tears in her eyes.
"Mr. Kane! Let me do it! I will do it!!" Kyra stood up and said, trying to defend Miss Eva.
"SHHUUTTT UUPPP, BOTH OF YOU! CAN'T EVEN TAKE CARE OF ONE JOB, TRYING TO DO ANOTHER! AND YOU, BITCH, WHY ARE YOU SO HESITANT? I TOLD YOU; THIS IS THE PRICE TO WALK OUT FROM HERE! DON'T BE A LITTLE GIRL AND GROW UP AND DO THE FUCKING JOB! HERE, EAT THIS ANTIDOTE, THEN KEEP THIS CAPSULE IN YOUR MOUTH! JUST BITE THAT BASTARD GRANKELL, AND HE WILL DIE LIKE A WITHERED BASTARD!!"
Kane opened her mouth and directly put the antidote in her mouth, forcing her to gulp it down.
"Agghh!! Ackkk!!!" Miss Eva coughed, getting away from Kane. Then she looked up and saw Kane giving her a very small capsule. In it—green, dark purple energy rotating slowly.
"UGHH!" after some hesitation Miss Eva just took it and grasped it tightly.
"SIGHH! WOMEN ARE SO TROUBLESOME! I HAVE TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING! TSK! I AM GOING, REPRESENTATIVE! I HAVE DONE MY JOB! HEY, YOU, EVA! WEAR SOMETHING SEXY AND GO TO GRANKELL'S MANSION AND TELL HIM I SENT YOU TO FIND SOME CURE FOR YOUR CHILDLESS BELLY! THEN, WHEN YOU GET SOME CHANCE, JUST BITE HIM TO DEATH! NOW GO DO THAT!" Kane just ordered and went away.
The Representative didn't say anything more and just told them to leave the room.
"UGHH..." Miss Eva helped Kyra stand up and brought her outside.
"Eva, don't do this. Let me do this. It will not matter if the result is good enough, so give me that. I will ask for one more antidote. You know, right? Grankell is famous for destroying women while having sex. You can't do this. What if something happens? Then how can you face your husband?" Kyra said to the pale-faced Miss Eva.
To which she shook her head and said, "No, I can't. If Mr. Kane doesn't like it, then my husband would be in trouble. I will go." Miss Eva said while clutching her belly. "I will do it before he could do anything to me. Don't worry," Miss Eva said with slight confidence.
"Sigghh!! What a troublesome world we live in. I just wanted to live a good life with my son and you just wanted to visit a higher ranker CROWN, Why does this keep happening to us?" Kyra walked slowly as Miss Eva supported her.
"I don't know..." Eva just muttered as their tired backs went away.
.
"Siggh... just tell me to obliterate this place from existence. What cat and mouse game are we doing?" A tired, mature man's voice sounded from outside the round window, as he was sticking to the wall like a spider.
"Mr. Bog, sure we could do that and let the whole world know that some High CROWN ordered to kill their own people in an island! then get ready to lose your whole life's hard work, and live a life of a beggar! " the Representative just kept looking outward and sighed.
"Sigghh, Fine! Fine! And what about that lady? Was it necessary to attack Grankell?" Mr. Bog asked, not knowing his expression below the mask.
"Hmm, that wasn't my decision. I think he is more important alive, but let him poke Grankell. If he is dead, then fine. If not, then it is also in our favour, so no problem with that," the Representative said without any expression and kept staring outside, looking at the City of Eirs as it got shrouded in the night darkness.
"Then what if those couple fail?" Mr. Bog asked.
"Hmm, well, they don't know much. Kill them if you can. We don't want any loose ends," the Representative said casually.
"Hmm, easy task. Sigh... sad couple, aren't they? If they had stuck around, did you really plan to make them come to the heart of the empire and let them be treated?" Mr. Bog asked curiously.
"Hmmm, do you think fixing a broken woman's womb is an easy task? It's true that this world has crazy powers that could break a person easily, but very few people can truly heal a broken person and fix something of this complication. I don't think many people can do it. Even if they can do it, people like us at the bottom can't even catch their shadows!" The Representative said while feeling so small in this huge world.
There was just a silence for a while, then Mr. Bog said suddenly, "What? Your tiny brain got overwhelmed? Kekke! Those powerful people still need poor people like us to do the dirty work—that's why we are here! Hehe, maybe I should ask for a raise. What do you think, Babkin?"
"Hmm, sure, sure. But what will you do with extra money? It's not like you have a family to take care of. You will just drink some alcohol while sitting on your lonely ship, so why need so much money?" Babkin smiled a little, taunting the masked man outside.
"Oohhh, my ship is my home! I will clean it with extra money, then decorate it with so much lighting that it would blind your eyes, little Babkin!" Mr. Bog came down, crouching on the window border as his white mask stared at the calm-faced Babkin, who just said, "Do whatever you want. Go observe that Dead Fish Eye guy. Kill him if he fails. Then, depending on the situation, I have to send you or plan to do something else." The Representative ordered while shooing him away.
"Why not just send me first?" said the masked man, turning around, ready to jump.
"Siighh... Mr. Bog, why do I have to send my strong chess piece so early? Just go and enjoy the night!"
"Hehe, sure, sure!" He jumped, gliding away in the darkness.
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
Lighting really does the trick. I honestly believe it can change everything. Sometimes I look at those cozy house images on Pinterest and think, wow, I wish my home felt like that. Soft lights, warm corners, gentle shadows—everything looks calm and welcoming. I'm not even sure how practical some of those setups are in real life, but the feeling they give is hard to ignore.
A cozy home doesn't have to be big or expensive. It's more about how it makes you feel when you walk in after a long day. Warm lighting, maybe a lamp in the corner instead of harsh ceiling lights, a place where your eyes and mind can finally rest. That kind of space feels like a quiet hug.
As for me, I imagine a home with warm yellow lights, soft shadows, maybe a reading lamp near a chair, and windows that let in natural light during the day. Nothing flashy—just peaceful. A place that feels lived in, not perfect.
What about you? How would you want your house to feel? Minimal and clean? Cozy and warm? Full of plants and soft lights? Everyone's idea of "home" is different, and that's what makes it special.