I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. Where did the man work? Asking people seemed like a reasonable idea, but…


    Just then, my stomach let out a loud growl.


    Great.


    My priorities might have been a little out of order, but I figured eating before starving to death was a good idea. I turned my path towards the noble districts. I was already too tired to bother with finding the factory. And I needed information. This time, I could start by asking people, just like Victor did with a sigh. I could ask people on the street.


    I scanned the people walking by. Most were minding their own business, some were haggling, others just aimlessly staring around. I needed to find someone willing to talk.


    Then, a homeless man sitting by the corner caught my attention. He was trying to light a cigarette he had found on the ground using one of the matchsticks he was selling. I approached before the wind could blow out the flame and lit his cigarette with my own match.


    The man took a deep drag from his cigarette and laughed joyfully, his mouth full.


    “Thank you!”


    That brought a smile to my face.


    “No problem.” I smiled lightly. “Can I ask you something?”


    “Of course, go ahead!” he said, still grinning. His deep wrinkles became more pronounced as he smiled.


    I took a small photograph from my pocket and showed it to him. It was a mugshot of a man with long, greasy hair, whose nose had been broken at least twice.


    “Have you ever heard of a man named Vesper Jones?”


    The old man thought for a while, squinting at the photo as he took another drag from his cigarette. After a long pause, he shook his head.


    “Sorry, miss, never heard of him…”


    “No worries, thank you for your time.” Just as I was about to turn away, another question popped into my mind.


    “Have you heard of any strange incidents lately?”


    The man took one last deep drag from his cigarette before scratching his balding, graying head.


    “Yes… There’s been a lot of cat deaths. But they’re… brutal…”


    For a moment, there was silence. His eyes drifted off, as though recalling something from the past.


    “One of those victims was Zeytin…” he said, his voice shaking.


    Tears welled up in his eyes.


    “Seeing its organs removed… its skin flayed…” His voice cracked, and he started sobbing.


    I felt a lump in my throat. I didn’t want to probe into his pain any further. In a soft voice, I said, “I’m very sorry for your loss, sir…” I nodded slightly and said my goodbyes.


    But an uneasy feeling lingered within me. I didn’t know why. Something seemed off. Still, I couldn’t stop and think. I had more important things to do.


    And conversations like these continued along the way. All of them unsuccessful. The man had kept his identity well hidden.


    Was I approaching this from the wrong angle? Should I have asked about his “hidden” identity instead of his real one?


    The man with the brown fedora… There were so many people in the upper world who dressed like that. Following this trail would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    I asked people on the street, but received no useful answers. Who was this man? How could no one know him? I asked at least 20 people… Then again, it would be odd for random people on the street to know anything. My stomach growled again… I had wasted enough time on the streets. I couldn’t keep asking questions without some food.


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    As I slowly walked, I remained immersed in silence for a while. My head was spinning. I was tired. Questions swirled in my mind, everything was getting jumbled together. Who was this man? What did he want? With every question, I felt like I was sinking further, like there was more to lose. Without realizing it, I must have reached Edelweiss Hill, for I noticed a large apple hanging over the high fence. It was plump, fresh, and gently swaying in the cool, fresh breeze. My stomach growled even more. I didn’t think I could last any longer without getting something to eat.


    There was no one around… Taking one wouldn’t be noticed, I thought. I began climbing the iron fence. The homeowners were sitting outside on their lounge chairs, chatting away. The cold metal bars felt strange against my fingers, and with each step, I felt like I was getting deeper into darkness. It felt as though crossing this fence wasn’t meant for someone like me.


    As I climbed over the fence, the rusty spots on the bars caught on my fingers, but I couldn’t think of anything but my hunger. The apple was right in front of me, as though everything would be set right once I took it. A voice inside me whispered, “Take it, everything will be fine.”


    Just then, I overheard a conversation that caught my attention:


    In the middle, there was a golden-finished table, surrounded by wine glasses, and dim light filtered through crystal chandeliers. Women in embroidered corsets and voluminous skirts, men in their fedora hats, and slim walking sticks, puffing on their cigarettes.


    — “Haven’t you heard? Those poor strikers are taking over the streets again! How shameless.”


    — “Oh, yes. Those lowly wretches, when they shut down work, our profits drop, they don’t even realize it! Mr. Gildroy said his factory might close soon. How ridiculous.”


    — “That’s why we shouldn’t give them too much money. The poor can’t hold onto money. What else could they spend it on? Cheap liquor and whores!”


    — “I absolutely agree. The working class has become so disrespectful. Just the other day, someone begged me for money. Covered in mud! Can you imagine?”


    — “The poor were always like this. They won’t learn to work without starving. Old methods are best. My father’s time wouldn’t have let them get away with this.”


    — “But, Lord Whitmore, their suffering is affecting us too. So many workers have died, and we can’t find enough people to work in the factories anymore. Don’t we have to at least give them some bread to work?”


    — “My God, Lady Aurelia, have you decided to show them compassion? Remember, a slave who’s overfed will bite their master.”


    — “Despite that, there’s someone behind these strikes. It’s not just a group of workers. Something is being organized.”


    — “Whoever they are, they’ll crumble soon. Hungry people don’t have luxury, my lady.”


    A laugh echoed. Silver spoons lightly clinked against porcelain plates.


    — “Also, the real issue is this: This new politician woman… what’s her name?”


    — “Ah yes, Lady Iris. She’s all over the news. A woman holding this much power… Honestly, I find it a bit too arrogant.”


    — “Absolutely. She should know her place. When women get involved in politics, things get ugly.”


    — “But she really is impressive, isn’t she? Her words are sharp, part of the public practically worships her.”


    — “The stupid public worshipping her doesn’t change the fact that she’s dangerous.”


    A brief silence passed. Wine glasses gently clinked together.


    — “If this woman gains more power…”


    — “She might try to change the system.”


    — “And we can’t allow that.”


    A politician woman?.. At that moment, a branch cracked, making a sound like breaking bones. Oh, damn! I quickly plucked the apple and started running. Usually, I would be hearing about disgusting things like that, but… Iris? Hearing her name for the first time, the fact that politicians were afraid of her… could there really be such revolutionary people? It was hard to believe. Iris, who was she?


    Slowly, I made my way back home, with the apple in hand. Under the pale light of the streetlamps, I was alone with the dark night. The moonlight flickered, illuminating everything. For a moment, I completely disconnected from the night. In front of me, in all this darkness, was a world I was alone in. Wherever it would lead me, I had to solve this mystery somehow. But what about Iris? What I had learned about her, what I had heard… Should I take a closer look?


    I glanced around; there was no one. Who was this woman? I didn’t ask anyone, but now I needed to figure out what was happening. It was as though everything was heading towards a dead end. Alone in the night, I kept walking, losing myself in my thoughts.


    Iris’s name had become one feared by politicians. They were afraid… Why? How powerful was she? Slowly, I took a bite of the apple, and the taste was just as expected. Bitter and sweet, but it didn’t ease the unease inside me. No matter which way I went, this tangled question was pulling me forward.


    I slowly walked towards “home.” Maybe by taking this internal journey, I’d find some peace. A lot of confusing information had piled up along the way, and there were so many questions… The unease inside me grew with each passing second. I had to know what would happen next.


    As I walked home, the yellowish glow from the street lamps caught my eye. A cat corpse. But… this one was different. Slowly, I approached and looked more closely. There was something very odd about this one. Its skin was flayed, its eyes wide open, and it was clear that something was missing. Its skin was flayed with unnatural precision, and it felt like its eyes were staring directly at me.


    I quickly turned my head. For a moment, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. I had seen so many dead cats, but this one sent chills down my spine. For a second, I thought about those horrifying images.


    A shiver ran through my whole body. Was all this a coincidence? When I heard a woman’s name, were these kinds of dark things lurking behind? Still, I had no answer. But I needed to find out the true identity of the people behind this massacre. This uncertainty gnawed at me, growing with every minute. I still didn’t know Iris’s involvement in all this. As these thoughts danced in my head, my eyes began to close from exhaustion. I blinked for a few seconds. When I opened them, it was morning. I had no memory of how I had made it home. Great, and I was lying in bed, wearing my own clothes. Perfect. For a while, I stared at the ceiling, struggling with my thoughts. Then, I put my feet on the cold parquet. The floor creaked under my feet. The walls around me were grimy and stained. Though I didn’t want to do anything, staying here only made me suffocate more. I stood up and splashed my face with water. I felt like a stranger in this world. As I put on my clothes, I thought about today’s plan. I needed to deliver the first outfit. Renting another one would cost too much, so today I would ask people normally. I’d go to the underworld for information and reward myself with a nice meal afterward. The thought alone brought a smile to my face. I shouldn’t go to the factory today; I’d have to find out exactly where it is, then rent another outfit.


    By then, it would have been better if I knew something tangible. I was also planning to ask for the budget I earned while heading to the underworld. And that female politician… she had certainly caught my interest.


    I threw myself out of the building. I couldn’t bear to look at those walls for another minute. Without making eye contact with anyone, I headed toward the main street. But involuntarily, I glanced back at the place where the cat’s corpse had been. What was that? The place where its blue eyes had been… was now replaced with a hollow void and blood. My stomach lurched. It wasn’t hunger anymore—it was fear. Someone was doing something seriously wrong to the cats. I paused for a moment, feeling the air around me grow colder. I took a deep breath and quickened my steps. Fear gnawed at me, but at the same time, my curiosity to learn something grew stronger.