The following day, a message from Neverwinter stirred the entire construction team at the front.
King Roland had granted family visits to all the laborers who had been working for more than three months. They would have a day off to spend this special day with their families whom they had been longing to see. Their family members would travel from Neverwinter to the terminus station located at the Misty Forest to meet them.
Everyone was grateful for King Roland’s kindness and compassion. The workers chanted
Long live the king
after they heard the news and worked even harder during the remainder of the day.
Snaketooth was one of them.
In fact, when the foreman had told him the news, he had literally goggled at the list in disbelief for a few minutes.
He gazed at the bottom of the list where the name
Paper
lay, his head completely blank.
Hey, are you OK with the arrangement or not?
Snaketooth still clearly remembered that the foreman had pressed him for an answer impatiently. Indeed, he had stared at the list for quite a while before signing the paper. Snaketooth grinned every time he thought of that moment.
Just a heads up. If you disagree, you can put down another person’s name, and the Administrative Office would make an inquiry to him or her. However, if your application is rejected, you’ll lose your vacation.
The foreman obviously wanted him to approve the list right away to save his work, but Snaketooth knew he did not understand his feeling.
Why would he want to reject it. On the very contrary, he wanted to give the official at the Administrative Office drafting this list a big kiss.
I agree. I totally agree!
You should have said that earlier rather than gaping like an idiot,
the foreman grumbled scathingly while casting him a sideways glance. He went to look for the next person on the list after Snaketooth signed.
Snaketooth stood rooted there, staring at the hand with which he had put his signature in a daze.
He still felt that everything was like a dream, a dream he hoped that would last forever.
He did not have the courage to say hello to Paper in Neverwinter because he was afraid of being rejected. Paper was now a member of the Witch Union and had become much more beautiful than the frail girl he had known. If Paper did not want to associate herself with a former Rat like him anymore, his intrusion would only disturb her peaceful life.
When he saw Paper’s name appear on the list, he knew the Administrative Office had confirmed that she agreed to come and visit him.
Nothing could be more exciting than spending time alone with Paper. He was happy that Paper did not reject him.
Snaketooth waited for the family visiting day in great anxiety and excitement.
Since the train could only carry around 100 people at a time due to its limited transportation capacity, Snaketooth had to wait for a week for his turn, although Paper was on the list of the first round of the visitors.
Hey man, it’s your turn today?
Look at you! It’s a girl, isn’t it?
Don’t stay up too late!
Snaketooth went all red as his fellow workers jested. He dashed out of the room in embarrassment.
He heaved a deep sigh of relief after finally boarding the train. Anyway, he would be meeting Paper in two hours.
The train conductor reminded them of the rules pertaining to family visits every now and then. For example, visitors were not allowed to go beyond the guarding zone and had to leave before 8:00 PM. They also should follow the First Army’s instructions in the event of an emergency. Snaketooth had learned all the rules by heart, as some returned visitors had already told him.
With a long, shrill whistle, the train staggered to a stop at the terminus station at the Misty Forest.
Get off the train. Line up and don’t push!
The train staff hollered.
It isn’t grocery shopping. There’s no need to fear that the food would be sold out.
The crowd erupted into a laughter.
Snaketooth felt his heart thumping in his throat.
He could barely contain himself.
He had pictured his meeting with Paper numerous times in his head and had also rehearsed his speech over and over again. However, he was now groping for words like a dunce.
When that pretty girl appeared in front of him, Snaketooth forgot all about his prepared speech. No words came out of his mouth. He simply grinned at her, feeling very stupid.
You’re living at Neverwinter. That’s awesome!
The girl trotted to him and held his hands. She neither hesitated nor showed any reluctance to touch him. Everything was just like what it had been like two years ago. Her bright smile instantly eased his mind.
At that moment, Snaketooth believed that he had made the right choice to come to Neverwinter.
…
So, you came here after the Longsong District was merged?
The pair of the two walked abreast along a path leading to the depth of the forest far away from the boisterous encampment so that they could have some privacy. Paper appeared to have a lot to say as if she wanted to fill in the gap between them. Snaketooth, on the other hand, answered every question Paper asked. They were now more like friends than a superior and a subordinate.
The entire Rat organization has been uprooted. There were many job postings on the square, so I applied for one. If I continued to be a Rat, I would have got in trouble,
Snaketooth said while nodding.
Tigerclaw and I decided to work in Neverwinter, as the pay is higher here. Plus…
It’s closer to you,
he left the remaining words unsaid.
No wonder I didn’t find you guys. I didn’t know you already left there,
Paper remarked with a mixed feeling.
You went back to… the Longsong District later?
I asked someone to look for you,
the girl said slowly.
After I learned that the entire Dark Corner Alley was torn down, I thought you left the Western Region.
Oh… I see.
But why didn’t you come to see me after you came to Neverwinter?
Paper questioned.
Well… it’s a long story.
Snaketooth said on a cough.
Tigerclaw and I had nothing at that time. We didn’t have a permanent residence and we worked all day, so we kind of forgot.
It was such a poor excuse. Nobody could ever completely forget a person for two years. That simply meant he did not care about her. However, Snaketooth would never tell Paper that he was trying to dodge her.
Fortunately, Paper did not probe into the matter. She said,
Same here. I was so busy at the beginning after I moved to Neverwinter. I have to help the construction team to make cement settle faster. I have to assist Ms. Agatha, and I also have to help the chemical plant to manufacture various strange stuff,
Paper said as she counted things off on her fingers.
His Majesty says my ability can accelerate reaction processes and increase bond energies. I wonder how he knew it. According to the book, those particles are even smaller than sesame. Can you imagine that? If an atom is as big as the Longsong Theater, its nucleus is smaller than a walnut…
Snaketooth did not understand a single word Paper was saying but he kept nodding, pretending to be interested in the topic. For a split second, he noticed Paper’s change and the difference between them. He looked at her with utmost attentiveness, his eyes flitting from her glistening eyes and long eyelashes to the delicate tip of her nose and moving lips, fascinated by everything about her.
Snaketooth was almost about to confess to her.
By the way,
After talking about her own experience, Paper switched the subject,
after I learned that you were in Neverwinter, I asked Ms. Scroll to look up the files and found that Sunflower and the others also came here. That’s so nice. We can hang out together in the future…
Snaketooth was not paying attention to the latter half her sentence. He was too occupied by his own thought.
So he confessed his love.
I like you, Paper!
he blurted out.
Immediately, he realized what he had done.
His heart was beating suffocatingly in his chest. An indescribable nervousness prevailed him.
For a moment, Snaketooth regretted being so impulsive.
However, to his surprise, Paper replied to him at once.
She answered brightly with a smile,
I like you too, and also everybody.
