Blood Of Platinum
Chapter 28. Lost Pocket Clock bag. 2
“This is a more serious problem compared to the disappearance of ‘world malam’. We're in big trouble now”
Kaito spoke in a serious tone. The two brothers had just spent time at ‘world’ for less than two days and now they had lost their source of clues to return.
“I...I will be back to browse all the roads we passed!!”
Frantically Kino turned around and ran to browse the place before. His face looked pale and sweat came out of his forehead. However, before going any further Ryou holds the brother's hand to stop him.
“Wait a minute!! Where do you think you're going, Kino?”
“That clock might still be around here. I'll trace this path back. That pocket watch is the only way for us back home!”
“You said you wanted to follow this path, you remember every road we walked, huh?! How long do you think we've been around this place without a clear purpose?!” Ryou yelled towards Kaito behind him
“Kaito!! Let's see what time it is in your pocket?”
Kaito took his pocket watch and saw the time already showing at 10:15. It had been more than two hours since they left the fountain pool. Hearing Kaito's reply, Ryou immediately saw his brother's increasingly frantic and limp face.
“You heard that right, Kino?”
“Then what should I do now? It's my fault for being too careless. If not look for it now what if the clock has been taken by someone else. Me...me...” Kino became very panicked and started crying
Cock
Kaito who had walked over to them both patted Kino on the shoulder to calm her down.
“Tenace. Don't let this freak you out so much. I'm sorry for saying the no-no thing just now. This is indeed a serious problem that we just experienced but does not mean it cannot be passed. Don't worry, we'll find him. I'll also help”
“Kaito...-san” Kino started to calm down a bit even though her tears were still flowing
“It's better?” Ryou asked the older brother
Kino simply nodded and wiped away her tears on her cheeks. Lying if the three of them had calmed down with just that but now was not the time to panic or Kino would start blaming herself again.
“Then, we try to find it starting from the place we have been for two more hours. It would be better if we split up to be able to find it easier. If we have searched all these locations but still have not found them, we can look for them elsewhere while there is still time. How?” Kaito proposes an idea. The two brothers agreed.
“We will gather in the fountain pool in front of that altar again because that place is the most conspicuous. Don't worry, there's still time until six o'clock back” Kaito smiles at Kino to make him calm down
“Will the clock come back to me after six o'clock even if we haven't found it yet, Kaito-san?”
“I have no such guarantee but we can only hope it can happen. ‘The world of night’ that does not come at this time is quite confusing, therefore we must be prepared with the worst risks. But, that does not mean that the clock will be lost”
“If the clock has been found, you should just put the clock on your neck Kino. The chain is long enough to fit on the neck. In anticipation if something like this happens again, understand what I mean right?” Ryou spoke in a slightly firm tone to Kino
“.....” Kino just silently bowed and after that he nodded a sign of understanding
Eventually they decided to keep going through all the roads they traveled separately. They split up in the hope that they would be able to find him sooner. The reunion point is the fountain's pond again with a time limit until the visible sun will set.
Not wasting time, Kino of course immediately ran through all the roads he passed. By looking at the lower side of the road and occasionally paying attention to the passers-by, he continued to search for it with great care.
‘I hope I can find. I beg!’
******
In a quiet area in the city, it is close to a very dark and narrow population area. There are a lot of alleys at every turn. Unlike the main streets that were so crowded and densely populated, the place was like a forgotten area. It is located at the very end of the city. As if forgotten, only sunlight illuminated the place without any signs of other light sources there, including lights.
The high altar can still be seen clearly. Although it is said to be quiet and forgotten, when tracing the place a little deeper, part of the area has some simple trade stalls. Several transactions took place there and the items sold were also quite strange. All items that are not in the shopping area on the main road are available there. There were many voices of merchants offering their trade
although only a few people came.
In a place in the interior of the area, there is a very old bar called [Barre des Noirs]. The bar contained countless people tattooed with seductive women. Many drunks and workers***** are free there partying as if all the world was on their side. The minimal state of the room lighting makes their minds more easily absorb the effects of liquor there.
There was a door in the right corner of the bartender's desk that suddenly let out the sound of a broken item.
-CRAAASH
“Basic of useless rats!! Whatever you've been doing all day, huh!! Can only get a little result and the rest of the items are useless!. You think I'll feed you like this!! Basic trash!”
A burly, big-bodied bald man of about 30-35 years old with some seductive women beside him sat with a very angry look on his face. He smashed a drink bottle onto the ground and scolded some of the children there. They were all a group of children who were at the entrance of the altar. There is a girl who hit Kaito and a boy who hit Kino there.
“Ma–forgive us, Justin-sama. Ka–we will be looking for more. Therefore.please feed us” said one of the boys with black skin standing in the back row. He begged while holding back tears
“We have not eaten for three days. We promise to bring a lot of money to Justin-sama. Please give us a piece of bread to eat” the girl who hit Kaito started crying
“You think I'll feed you if you don't work properly like this? Heh, it's better for a rat like you to die if it doesn't work properly.
“……”
From behind, a boy in a brown hat came forward and threw a few things out of his pocket. With an annoyed face he threw some stuff down then shouted.
“I get it all alone. If you want all that, take it! I just want you to give us all bread. That should be enough!”
The thing that was thrown was gold coins, fancy jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, rings and countless diamonds and there was one more thing thrown there. An old thing like a pocket watch with scratches.
The women who were there looked very happy and took all the stuff even though it was all on the floor and they picked it up like an animal. Of course, as a thank you, Justin stood up and immediately gave the boy a fist.
“How dare a dirty rat like you make my women look like dogs!! You want to die, boy?!"
“I gave everything I got. Isn't that what you want, Justin-sama? You shouldn't have disavowed your words and fed us!. Now I ask for bread for all of us or I won't steal those things again!!”
What a little boy who has courage. After being given one fist on his face, he could still threaten the big man. Of course Justin became irritated and without a doubt strangled the little boy's neck. All the children who were there started crying in fear and screaming. But that doesn't lower his emotions. It makes him very emotional.
“How dare you, Theo!! I no longer need a fucking rat like you!!”
“….Ukh..”
The seductresses were so happy and did not care about all the cries and shouts of the children in the room until finally one of them smiled very happily and hugged Justin.
“My dear look, this gem is so good!. I want more like this!”
“I will give you everything you want after getting rid of this useless rat from my sight!”
Justin answered the woman while continuing to strangle Theo getting louder until his eyes bulged and a whimpering sound came from his mouth. The children's cries grew louder and some even wanted to try to help but were kicked by Justin loudly. The woman who hugs Justin doesn't seem to care about all those kids including Theo, but she starts seducing Justin with her sex style.
“Nee, my dear...Can't you just let the rats go and find more for all of us here? I want this jewel again. He's pretty good at being able to take all this”
“Try to think dear, all this time the rat who brought a lot of diamonds and gems for you. It's a pity if he dies. Among all the useless rats crying there, only that little mouse could be relied upon” said another woman
“Hmm…. So you guys want me to let go of him?”
“Sure. If he fails, I don't think it's okay to let them die of rot. As long as it can still be utilized, it is better to use it until they are damaged. My dear also thinks so, right?”
Justin throws Theo at his friends and they approach him with a cry. Of course Theo tried to catch his breath again, but he also stared at everything in front of him with a look of hatred. Justin shouted to one of his men from the bar and asked them to bring him some bread. After a few minutes, there was a cardboard box of bread in it and it was thrown at the children.
The bread that fell on the floor was taken by all the children. Stelani, the girl who had previously hit Kaito accidentally helps Theo to stand up. They came out of that room. Highlight Theo's eyes still showed hatred for Justin.
‘I will never forgive you!’
After all the kids were out, Justin started playing with the women. The women were so happy with all the gold, diamonds and jewels Theo had obtained.
“If it wasn't for you guys, I would have broken Theo's fucking neck! Basic useless child!”
Justin still looks emotional considering Theo's actions earlier. But he also really enjoyed all the children's loot. She uses it to order drinks, party and do all the things she likes. One of the women looked down and found a golden clock-shaped object with many scratches.
“My dear, that rat threw this too. Do you think it's worth it?”
“Let me see” Justin saw the details of the object then threw it into the corner of the room “just garbage, leave it there. Don't touch dirty items”
After ignoring the thing, they returned to partying and enjoying the pleasures of the world once again.
**
Outside, the group of children sat holding a loaf of bread in their hands. Some had sad faces, some were crying. Theo tried to calm the mood.
“Come, eat. We have got these breads. It is a little dirty but can still be eaten if cleaned a little. Look at this!” Theo spoke with a cheerful smile as if all the bad things had never happened to him
Stelani noticed a red mark on Theo's neck and asked with a sad face.
“Theo, does your neck hurt?”
“It's okay. Don't think of me. Instead of that, let's eat. After that we get more money from the people in the city. If you haven't got the money to give Justin, let me take care of the rest”
“But, stealing it is not good Theo. In addition, it will be very dangerous if it comes to the sight of residents in the city. You could have been beaten by a mob there” said the black boy earlier
“Do not worry, Fabil. I've never failed all this time, have I? In addition..” Theo's eyes become sharp and show deep hatred while saying “....in this world there is nothing I hate more than that big gorilla. I'm going to avenge Justin's treatment of us all this time. Therefore I will try every way to get money”
“……”
They all fell silent. Justin's treatment of them is inexcusable, of course all the children agree. But, there was nothing they could do. they were too afraid to fight him. Only Theo dared to go that far and as a result as it had been.
“Have no more thought. If you keep thinking, the bread will be cold. Replying to Justin is my wish but my ultimate dream is to make all of us able to live safely and eat well. Therefore, let's get excited! Haamph” Theo bit the bread he held with a smile and voraciously
Seeing that, Stelani and the others also followed him. Although the bread they ate was only one and dirty, they tried to clean and eat it with a smile. Such a heartwarming and sad sight at the same time. In Theo's heart, there was only one sentence he spoke.
‘I will never give up. I'll figure out a way to get back to Justin’
******
Kaito is on another bridge in the city. He stood up while taking his pocket watch from inside his robe, looking at the time the clock was showing. The time is 11:05. It had been almost an hour since they split up to look for him.
“There's absolutely nothing along this road. Now if I'm honest, I doubt they'll both find it.”
Kaito put the clock back in and walked back. The bridge is covered by many people. Unlike the bridge on the road to the food stall where Kaito used to go, this bridge is near the city center. Unwittingly by him, he had already walked towards the center of the city.
“I didn't expect that Kino could be that reckless until he dropped his pocket watch. But, it's too strange if he subconsciously drops it”
Kaito started thinking about their problem this time.
‘If referring to the previous incident, Kino should have lost my permission and her pocket watch at the same time when she was attacked by a satyr. But, the truth is, he didn't lose anything. That means his pants pocket has enough space deep and safe’
Kaito's expression became a little here and it seemed like he was starting to have a guess.
“Could there be anything else that caused that to happen? For example..intentionally seen missing or stolen?”
But considering how old the clock is, it seems impossible for anyone to steal the clock. The theft of the pocket watch became the last thought option for Kaito. He started to walk and look for her again.
‘I think it's just an exaggeration to make it possible that the pocket watch was stolen. I hope that pocket watch can be found as soon as’
******
Ryou was near a fruit shop starting to look to the right and left of the road. He had also searched in every area and place they had gone through before however, the results were the same. There's no clue about the clock.
“Wire. Don't tell me anyone took it or threw it away. It's been over three hours now. A miracle the pocket watch was not broken. I'm afraid that it's no longer in this city, even though I think it's impossible”
Ryou is now more worried about Kino than that pocket watch. He and his brother knew each other's habits and traits. Of course he knows the nature of Kino who likes to blame himself if experiencing things like this. He still remembered the face of the brother who was flushed and almost cried when he knew the clock was gone. Kino would probably run straight for him without a second thought if not stopped by him at that moment.
“I don't want to see it like that. I think it would be better if I looked for Kino instead of splitting up like this. I don't want him to get hurt”
Ryou has no idea where he should look for his brother now. But, since their gathering point was already determined, he was confident that in the end they would meet at one point. He decided to look for Kino while still paying attention to the possibility that the pocket watch was on the road he was on.
******
After a long search, Kino was now in the fountain pool where they should have gathered later. Their gathering time was still very long, but somehow Kino was eager to look for her from that point on. He went back into the altar building and started searching.
Inside the altar, there was an attendant who could help those who lost things. There is also an information room for missing items found by the altar officers. Kino ventured to ask the officer in the hope that he could find her.
“Old pocket watch with scratches huh? I'm sorry, sir. Today we do not receive reports of any such objects left here” the officer told Kino
“So yes. For example...for example, there is such an object here, can I ask the master to keep it? The pocket watch may look old but it is the most important thing for me”
“Of course. We will keep it and when you pray again, we will give it to you when we meet”
“Te–thank you so much”
Kino could not hide her feelings of disappointment back then. He placed great hopes on this altar because when he had just left the place before, the pocket watch was still on him.
“I think I should indeed look for it from the road we have been through before”
Kino walked towards the exit. He was quite surprised to hear the screams of women and some men scolding the altar attendant.
“You think I'll believe what you said!! This is the third time I have lost my gold and my gems!”
“I've lost my favorite diamond today. The other day I lost my wallet too!. What the fuck is this place!”
“My wife lost her jewel necklace today! We can't allow that anymore! Who is the manager of this place, tell me! What a holy place, a lot of people who lose their things every pray here!”
“……”
Kino watched from far away. He saw the faces of the officers so overwhelmed by the number of people shouting and angry. He did not think the altar that was said to be the place that became the center of attraction and attention of the residents would have such a dark side.
‘Did it often happen like that here? It turns out it wasn't just me’
But even so, Kino did not believe that his pocket watch would be lost due to being stolen while he was inside the altar. His pocket watch didn't look as fancy as the other missing things that belonged to those people. He could only walk back out the door in sadness.
******
