Chapter 4
(East Coast of Givnu Island, Samuh Kingdom)
In the restaurant, Vibho was sitting, chatting with Mira after finishing breakfast, and Hina was making lunch boxes.
"But Mira, I still don't understand why you go to the other side of the island by sea. Why not just take the road straight through?" Vibho asked.
"Well, there are many reasons, but three main ones," Mira replied.
"First, the Timini is faster, bigger, and stronger than any vehicle we have, so we can do our work fast.
"Second, there's a small forest we need to pass, and it has monsters. I can defeat one or two, but they always hunt in groups of four or five, so it's dangerous, and it takes around two hours to cross," Mira said with a helpless gesture.
"But didn't you say you pay the Kingdom tax for protection and security?" Vibho asked in a questioning tone.
"Yes, we pay, but they don't care about an island that only pays 200,000 Kaudi ( 0.2 million) a month. They'd rather help hunters make our island their base," Mira said with a helpless and slightly angry tone.
"And third, even if we are able to cross the forest, we need to pay a road tax and an entry tax for entering the South side. Ugh, it's like we need to pay tax for everything!"
"But isn't 200,000 Kaudi too much for a whole island?" Vibho asked, unaware that it might be a sensitive topic.
Mira was taken aback by Vibho's question and was silent for some time. "Yes, it is, and that's why we are so weak. We are barely able to pay the Kingdom tax. On top of that, we need hunters' protection from bandits," Mira's tone started getting louder, culminating in a furious loud rush. "And both of them are useless when we need them! Now we don't even have any hunters we can rely on!" She burst out like a volcanic eruption and smashed her hand on the table.
"Hey, now calm down," Hina said in a sweet voice. "Don't be angry in the morning. We can find another way to save ourselves. You don't need to be so angry, and we are still better than dead." She tapped on Mira's shoulder, calming her down.
"Anyway, did you see Karnol anywhere? He was missing last night and also at breakfast today," Hina asked.
"No, I haven't seen him. He must still be on the South side or returned late last night," Mira said.
"Who is Karnol?" Vibho asked.
"He is a Kingdom knight who collects tax and does guards duty ," Mira said with a little hesitation.
"But anyway, what are you going to do today?" Hina asked Mira, changing the subject hurriedly.
"I need to deliver food supplies to Madam D and then take Grandma and Valmo to the main market so they can buy extra boats. Nothing extra today," Mira said in a happy tone, then smiled brightly.
"Are you not going to the 'travel post' today?" Hina asked as she completed her work.
"No, we don't need extra money. After all, we don't need to pay tax to the Hunters anymore. What are you doing today?" Mira said with a smile, turning the question back to Hina.
"Let me think. I need to tell Grandpa and the villagers about the hunters, then buy some ingredients and prepare dinner. Overall, nothing extra. We will eat dinner together, so return home early, okay?" Hina said, then looked towards Vibho and asked, "What are you doing today? Wanna go and see the village?"
Vibho lit up for a second but then started thinking. "I will wait for Shunya here. If I go anywhere else from here, he will scold me. I don't want him to scold me," Vibho said.
"Okay, I am going to deliver the lunch boxes, so wait for me here." Hina left the restaurant with many lunch boxes packed in a big box.
Mira and Hina both left, and Vibho was left alone in the whole restaurant. He started to think about something, but he got bored pretty soon, stood up, and started looking at the whole restaurant. Then he got bored again, sat down, and fell asleep.
(At the Association Office)
Inside a big room, four men were speaking. One was the black-rose-eyed man, and four others were association members who had different headbands: ZE0567, 0986, 1023, and 0097.
"Sir, the Kingdom of Samuh wants Serbhij back from our custody," ZE0567 said.
"Why? Weren't they the ones who didn't want to meddle in island matters— of those who can't even pay their tax every month?" the black-rose-eyed man asked.
"Yes, sir, but they are saying Nuva is missing, and they need Serbhij to find him. They will give us 1,000,000 Kaudi (1 million) if we return him to them," ZE0567 said.
"Demand 1,500,000 Kaudi (1.5 million). If they agree, then give him to them. We don't have any use for him anyway," the black-rose-eyed man said and left the room.
"Yes, sir," ZE0567 said and also left the room.
"Is ZE1708 going to inform Vibho about the rewards?" ZE0097 asked.
"No, sir, he didn't want to go. He said he would go and fight the Golden Lion but won't go back to Vibho, so we sent ZE1526. I hope he can handle him," ZE0986 said.
"ZE1708 is the sixth member who refused to go and talk to Vibho. Why would they make him the leader? I don't get it. Well, they all are unpredictable, but they were all unreachable for three weeks. Give me the whole report, and do we have any new news from Shunya? How much time does he need to reach Givnu?" ZE0097 asked.
"Yes, sir, it will take Shunya three more days to reach Givnu Island," ZE1023 said and gave a document to ZE0986.
"Sir, it looks like all four of them got separated from each other in tornados three weeks ago. We were only able to contact Shunya because of his VAD, and Vibho because of the fight, but it looks like the other two of them lost theirs. We can still track them if they fight any certified hunters, but for now, they are not reachable," ZE0986 read from the document to ZE0097.
"Okay, if you find any other information, report to me," ZE0097 said and left the room.
And all of the remaining members started working.
Restaurant
Hina was returning from her delivery. It was almost time for lunch, but as she entered the restaurant, she saw a man in black clothes with a headband of ZE1526 trying to wake up Vibho by every means possible without touching him. Vibho was asleep as if the end of the world had come.
"Wake up! Hey, wake up! Can't you hear me?" he said in a loud voice.
Hina went close to the man and asked in a straight, polite voice, "Who are you?"
The man turned and saw Hina holding a big box. "I am an Association Messenger. I need to give him information, but he is not waking up," he said and looked toward Vibho.
"Oh, let me wake him. Until then, please sit over here," she said and smiled.
The man in black sat in a chair in front of Vibho's table and relaxed for a minute, looking toward Hina, who said something into the sleeping Vibho's ear in a low voice.
"Lunch is almost ready. Wake up and eat," she whispered into Vibho's ear and slowly went to the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.
"Food!" Vibho woke up and looked left and right, trying to find food, but didn't see any. Then he looked toward the man in front of him and asked, "Are you the one who's going to give me food?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? Why would I give you food?" the Messenger said in an irritated voice.
"I don't know, it's you who said food is ready," Vibho said in a dumbfounded voice.
"I didn't say it! It was the girl who went into the back who said it. I just need to tell you that Shunya needs three more days to reach here, and he told us to give you a new card and that all the rewards have been transferred to your account. And you just need to tell me how much tax the island villagers give to the Kingdom and who collects it," he said in a loud voice and stood up.
"Oh, okay. Wait, I remember Mira was telling me how much tax they pay every month to someone. I just can't remember who it was," Vibho said and started thinking.
"We pay 200,000 a month and 2,400,000 per year , and it's Karnol who collects it. But why are you asking?" an elderly woman said from behind the messenger.
He turned and saw an elderly woman, then he asked in a low and polite tone, "Nothing serious. We just need to write it in the report. Can you also tell me where I can find him?"
"Oh, is that so? You can find him in the South Gate from morning to noon. He sleeps at a house near the gate at night, and in the evening, he takes a round, so it will be hard to find him. He wears old knight armor and has a sword," she said and sat at one of the tables.
"Oh, he was here some time ago but ran off as soon as he saw me," he said in a doubtful tone.
"Oh, he must have remembered some work. He is very kind and helpful. He even protected us from a bandit attack 15 years ago alone. Since then, he has helped us in many ways," she said in a trusting tone.
"Okay," he said and turned towards Vibho and gave him a card. "Here is your card. If you lose this one again, please just double-tap your badge so we can make it in advance. I have work to do, so I am going."
He turned to leave, but Vibho grabbed his hand and said, "But you still didn't give me food, though."
"I never said I would give you food! Now get off me!" He shook and freed his hand, then ran off as fast as he could.