MEMELAND

The guards outside Alice's chamber barely looked at Kai.

One glanced at him.

Then immediately looked away.

As if seeing random people leave the Queen's office was perfectly normal.

Kai wasn't sure if that was reassuring or terrifying.

He walked down the long corridors until he finally reached the main entrance.

The same guards who had stopped him earlier were still stationed there.

One noticed him.

His eyes narrowed.

Kai quietly pulled out the metal plaque.

Alice's face.

Middle finger and all.

The guard immediately straightened.

"..."

"..."

Neither spoke.

Kai slowly put it away.

The guard slowly looked elsewhere.

Apparently it worked.

Kai wasn't going to question it.

He left before anyone changed their mind.

Outside, Asphyxia was as alive as ever.

Magic signs illuminated the streets.

Merchants shouted from storefronts.

People moved in every direction.

For the first time since arriving, Kai had no immediate objective.

Find Eric.

Find Andre.

Preferably both.

He started with Eric.

The food district seemed like a reasonable place to ask around.

Halfway there, his stomach growled.

Kai stopped.

Then remembered something.

He hadn't actually eaten.

The restaurant.

Alice's office.

The entire day.

Nothing.

A merchant nearby was handing out free food samples.

Kai immediately changed direction.

Five minutes later the merchant was staring at him.

Kai was holding another sample.

And another.

And another.

The merchant's eye twitched.

"Sir."

Kai froze.

"...Yes?"

"Those are samples."

"I know."

"You've had twelve."

Kai slowly lowered the food.

"Is that bad?"

The merchant pointed at a sign.

One Sample Per Customer.

Kai looked away.

The merchant sighed.

"Just buy something."

Fortunately, a small pouch of coins suddenly landed in Kai's hand.

He blinked.

Someone had bumped into him.

Several hooded figures were moving through the crowd.

One briefly looked back.

"Sorry."

Then continued walking.

Kai stared.

The coins felt real.

The interaction felt strange.

Still, free money was free money.

He used it to buy food.

The merchant looked satisfied.

Kai walked away while eating.

Then stopped.

The hooded figures.

Something about them felt familiar.

He replayed the moment in his head.

The hand.

For a brief second he had seen a tattoo.

A symbol.

A symbol similar to the one used by the cultists beneath Yggdrasil.

Kai's expression hardened.

He quietly slipped into an alley.

Then peeked around the corner.

The hooded group was still moving through the crowd.

He looked toward the city.

Find Eric.

Find Andre.

Or follow suspicious cult-looking people.

Kai sighed.

"Andre is probably fine."

Probably.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

He decided to investigate.

The hooded figures turned a corner.

Kai followed.

One street.

Two streets.

Three.

Then—

Bump.

"Ah."

A hooded man stumbled backward.

His hood slipped off.

Messy hair.

Glasses.

An ordinary-looking man.

The man immediately adjusted his hood.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

Kai nodded.

The man looked relieved.

Then suddenly asked,

"Have you seen a group of people dressed like me?"

Kai blinked.

"Why?"

The man sighed.

"They stole my blueprints."

"...What?"

"My blueprints."

The man pointed down the street.

"I've been chasing them for almost an hour."

Kai stared.

That was not the answer he expected.

The man extended a hand.

"My name's Eric."

Kai froze.

"Eric?"

The man looked confused.

"...Yes?"

"The architect?"

Eric looked embarrassed.

"Unfortunately."

"The engineer?"

"Also unfortunately."

"The infrastructure guy?"

Eric sighed.

"Please stop."

Kai's eyes widened.

Alice actually knew what she was talking about.

That was the real surprise.

"I've been looking for you."

Eric looked even more confused.

"Why?"

Kai pointed toward the street.

"Those guys."

"I bumped into them earlier."

"They have weird tattoos."

"They might be connected to some cult."

Eric immediately straightened.

"The blueprint thieves?"

"Maybe."

Kai thought for a moment.

Then extended a hand.

"I'll help you get your blueprints back."

Eric looked skeptical.

"And why would you do that?"

"In exchange, I need access to city maps."

"What kind of maps?"

"Sewers."

Eric stared.

"..."

Kai stared back.

"..."

Eric decided not to ask.

"Deal."

They shook hands.

Just like that.

Kai had found the architect.

And somehow ended up chasing cultists instead.