54 Chapter 54: A Certain Someone (2/2)

The girl said, ”Oh, kind lady. Please, help me!”

”What ails you?”

”My brother has gone missing. I haven't seen him in almost two days!”

”What's his name?”

”Simon Withstone.”

”Hmmm...Simon Withstone?” That name sounded awfully familiar. I looked at the poster. Maybe it's a face I've stolen before?

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SALEM: There is a certain street where there hides a certain tavern. There is a certain person in that tavern. The kind of person I wanted to avoid, but wanted to see anyway.

Maybe it's because I'm weak. Indecisive. Unable to forget. But Elina had reminded me of her. And now that idea of seeing her was stuck in my head. For better or worse.

Made my way to the tavern. The sun was setting and people were finishing work for the day. Some people returned home, some sought refuge elsewhere. In a tavern, on a seat, at the bottom of a mug of ale.

And that was where I found her.

The Blue Spoon. A little tavern in some corner of Larose. An easily overlooked establishment. Small on the outside, intimate on the inside.

An unassuming sign with a carving of a spoon on it. An unassuming door made out of heavy wood. Like it wanted to keep the world outside. And it did that job well.

When I stepped in and the door closed behind me, I felt like as though I could forget about everything. Like time flowed differently here. Like this was where I could rest. Little round tables were spread across the floor. A bar counter with a bartender behind it. Rows of bottles behind the bartender.

I looked at bartender. He looked at me. Smiled and nodded. We vaguely knew each other. From a long time ago. From a different life.

Then: a voice behind me. A smile in each word.

”It's been a while, Salem.”