MEMELAND

Raj hated paperwork.

Unfortunately, paperwork loved Raj.

Which was why she found herself walking through Asphyxia carrying an entire stack of documents.

The stack was taller than her head.

Several pedestrians moved out of the way.

Not because they respected her.

But because they were afraid the papers would collapse and kill somebody.

A valid concern.

Raj adjusted the pile.

Then immediately regretted it.

A page slipped free.

She caught it.

Another escaped.

She caught that one too.

A third page attempted freedom.

Raj crushed its dreams.

Eventually she reached her destination.

A refugee registration center.

One of many.

The line stretched around the block.

Families.

Travelers.

Farmers.

Merchants.

People carrying everything they owned.

People carrying nothing at all.

Raj had seen it for months now.

But it never became easier.

The attacks outside the cities were getting worse.

More demons.

More disappearances.

More rumors.

Every week the numbers increased.

And every week Asphyxia became more crowded.

A worker noticed her arrival.

"Miss Raj."

Raj nodded.

"Status?"

The worker immediately handed over several reports.

"We're running low on temporary housing."

"Expected."

"Food supplies remain stable."

"Good."

"The western district is complaining again."

Raj sighed.

"About what this time?"

"The refugees."

Of course.

Always the refugees.

The worker looked uncomfortable.

"They say resources should go to citizens first."

Raj rubbed her forehead.

"They said that last month too."

"Yes."

"And the month before."

"Yes."

"And the month before that."

"...Yes."

Raj wasn't surprised.

People always wanted simple answers.

Unfortunately.

Reality wasn't simple.

A familiar voice suddenly called out.

"Raj!"

Raj immediately recognized it.

And immediately wished she hadn't.

Alice appeared from absolutely nowhere.

Wearing sunglasses.

A fake mustache.

And a suspiciously oversized coat.

Raj stared.

The refugees stared.

Even nearby guards stared.

Alice smiled proudly.

"Do not worry citizens."

"I am definitely not your Queen."

Raj covered her face.

A refugee child pointed.

"That's the Queen."

"THAT IS NOT THE QUEEN."

"That's absolutely the Queen."

Alice looked offended.

"My disguise is flawless."

A guard nearby whispered.

"Your Majesty, please stop."

Alice gasped.

"How did you know it was me?"

The guard looked exhausted.

"You have red hair."

Alice paused.

Then removed the fake mustache.

"Fair point."

Raj grabbed her by the collar.

"What are you doing here?"

Alice pointed dramatically toward the refugees.

"Inspecting the city."

"In disguise."

"Badly."

"Still counts."

Raj released her.

Mostly because arguing never worked.

Alice simply evolved around logic.

Like a particularly annoying species.

The Queen looked around.

The joking slowly faded.

Her expression softened.

Children playing beside tents.

Families eating simple meals.

Workers carrying supplies.

Citizens helping newcomers.

The good.

The bad.

Everything together.

For a brief moment—

Raj saw the Queen instead of Alice.

The person who genuinely cared.

The person who worried when nobody was looking.

Then Alice immediately ruined the moment.

"I'm hungry."

Raj sighed.

There she was.

A messenger suddenly ran toward them.

Breathing heavily.

"Miss Raj!"

Raj turned.

"What happened?"

The messenger handed her a folded report.

She opened it.

Read the first line.

Then read it again.

Her expression changed.

Alice immediately noticed.

"What?"

Raj continued reading.

The report was short.

Very short.

A recovery team.

A sewer maintenance route.

A section near the collapse zone.

And one sentence.

"Signs of recent human activity discovered."

Alice straightened.

The joking vanished completely.

"Recent?"

Raj nodded.

The report specifically mentioned it.

Not old.

Not before the collapse.

Recent.

Very recent.

The Queen slowly smiled.

Not a smug smile.

Not a playful smile.

A hopeful one.

"Well."

Alice folded her arms.

"I told you."

Raj looked at her.

"You don't actually know if he's alive."

"No."

Alice shrugged.

"But if somebody can survive an underground collapse."

The two women thought about Andre.

Then immediately reached the same conclusion.

"...Unfortunately."

The messenger looked confused.

Neither bothered explaining.

Far beneath the city.

Someone had been moving.

And for the first time in days—

There was finally a lead.