âYou donât need to laugh about it that much.â
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âAh, sorry. But, when I think that you were worried about that with Jin, I canât stop.â
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In short, Matheus was worried that Reinhart was homosexual.
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âBu-butâŠHaaâŠâ
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âI-itâs your fault to begin with! You confined yourself in the carriage so long with himâŠâ
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Matheusâ face turned red as he explained himself. But that also made Reinhart laugh even more.
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âTh-thatâs about enough! I am going to my room!â
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Matheus went out of the room, slamming the door close.
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âHaha, I wonder how I am going to explain this to JinâŠâ
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Jin and Reiko had reached the carriage stop.
Curtains were spread around Matheusâ carriage and some of his subordinates were staying the night there. Matheus, his butler, his lady attendant and four of his subordinates went to stay the night in the city and the remaining were here.
And there Jin met an unexpected person.
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âIf it isnât Jin-samaâ
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âAdburgh-san?â
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It was Elsaâs previous butler, Adburgh.
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âIt has been a while. Since lady Elsa had gone missing, if I am not wrong.â
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âYouâre right. Glad to see youâre doing well.â
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Jin remembered that Reinhart had found Adburgh and Herman and was bringing them along with him.
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âThat Mine⊠did quite a foolish thing. I wonder what Elssama might be doing now.â
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Although he was dismissed, since he had been taking care of Elsa since she was young, he did still care
about her.
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âWhat will you do from now on, Adburgh-san?â
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âI have grown quite old, you see. I have my son and my daughter in my country so when I return, I will retire.â
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Adburgh said while looking up at the night sky with a somewhat lonely expression.
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âAh, that reminds me, where is Herman-san?â
Â
âAh, Herman, he is over there.â
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Saying that, he pointed towards Herman.
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âHmm? What about that child?â
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Beside Herman, there was a girl of about 10 years who was wearing dirty clothing.
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ââŠA beggar, probably.â
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Adburgh said without any emotion.
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âHerman is kinda soft on children who reminds him of his daughter, after all.â
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Seems like Herman gave that girl something. The girl bowed over and over and then went away.
But the way she walked was weird. It was like she was dragging her right foot. Probably hurt her leg.
As it was a child, Jin couldnât overlook it either. And so, he went towards his own carriage. Jin went inside the carriage to get some of the recovery medicine he had prepared.
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âLaojun sure prepares well.â
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They could return to Hourai island but there will be people watching and they wouldnât be able to do it in an emergency situation either.
At times like those, the medicines Laojun prepared will come in handy.
Underneath the seat was a convenient ether stocker. Of course, it also has the refrigerator function in it so it
it can keep things fresh.
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âNow then, where did that girl go?â
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When he asked Reiko, who was waiting outside, she pointed towards the direction the girl went and they both followed her.
Â
âAh, there she isâŠ. Eh?â
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From her hair and the clothes she was wearing, there was no mistake that it was the girl from before. But the moment that girl turned around the corner of a shabby looking building, she started walking normallyâno, even energetically, as if dragging her feet before was just to pretend.
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ââŠâŠâŠ.â
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Deducing her intentions behind it, Jin let out a sigh.
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âItâs a tough worldâŠâ
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To get some money, they appeal for sympathy. And for a child to think like that â it made Jin depressed.
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âWhat can I possibly doâŠâ
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Still holding onto the medicine, Jin went back to his carriage. Reiko followed him in silence.
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âHaaâŠâ
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Returning back to the carriage, he leaned on the back of the seat and closed his eyes.
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âI have money but⊠itâs not like the situation will be solved if I just give her someâŠâ
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It would just be a stopgap measure and as soon as the money is used up, they will end up right where they started.
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âI guess it is a labour camp for driftersâŠâ
Â
âFather, what is a labour camp for drifters?â
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Hearing Jin talk to himself, Reiko inquired.
Â
âAh. Well, itâs a place⊠where they take light criminals and homeless
and homeless people and train them to return them to society⊠I guess.â
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A labour camp which was made in the Ishigawa island. Itâs a historically true event.
At the timeâno, even now, it is an unparalleled revolutionary system.
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âI would like the Nostalgia to take this initiative.â
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Thinking that, Jin ordered Steward to not let anyone in the carriage and stepped on to Hourai island with Reiko.
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[I see, labour camp for drifters and criminals. I guess it would be good to gather people who want to work but canât, and also orphans and educate them]
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Laojun also agreed with Jin, so he left the details and everything to Laojun.
Â
âWonât an organization which holds the balance of employment also be good?â
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An suggested. Public Employment Security Office, in short.
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âRight. Information would be indispensable in order to do that. We will have the Nostalgia do that as well.â
And like this, as Jinâs lower branch, Nostalgia steadily started penetrating into the society and increased its influence.
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All the while, Jin was soaked in Hourai islandâs bath, spending his time leisurely.
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The day before Jin reunited with Reinhart.
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At one of the cities of Kurain kingdom, Prense.
It was the base of count Walter, who had quite the bad reputation.
At the feudal lordâs house there, a secret talk was going on.
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âYou mean the guys working at Inado mine?â
Â
âYes. We will stealthily release them and tempt them to
tempt them to go to Kaina village.â
Â
âWill that be alright?â
Â
âI donât care. This is how it will play out. âThe criminals who escaped from Inado mine attacked Kaina village. My soldiers moved at high speed to save the village. But they were just a bit late and all the villagers were killed. My soldiers killed the criminals and took revenge for the villagersââ
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ââThe dead canât singâ, right?â
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âGlad you pick up well.â
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5-6 days in a carriage. 2-3 days on a horse. And in less than a day by a dove.
That was how far the Inado mine was.
It was one of the valuable mineral resource supply center of Kurain kingdom, located at the mountain southeast of Kaina village.
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âWill we really be released?â
Â
âYes. However, if youâre going somewhere, go to the village up north. Because there are soldiers south.â
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âIf we can be free, I donât care where I have to live!ââââââââââââââ
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At Kurain kingdom, which has a low working population, all the criminals except the ones who commit extremely heinous crimes are forced into labour.
They are put under the landâs lord to work at mines or land development. It was normal for them to do heavy labour.
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âFuhihi, I will do it!â
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âAh, yes, there will be women too, right?â
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âGood food, good bed, and women. Canât ask for more.â
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âThe dead canât singâ, that worldâs saying = âdead men tell no talesâ