Chapter 21: The Agonizing Wait

The blond youth slowly entered the tavern. He quietly took a seat at the bar, pulling down the small yellow lamp above his head. The dim light cast a soft glow on Fran’s fair complexion. He tucked in his legs and glanced around, seemingly searching for someone.

Who was he looking for?

Yuli knew the answer deep in her heart. Fran was waiting for her, wasn’t he?

For a moment, she wavered. She yearned to rush out, walk up to Fran, smile at him, and surprise him. Then, they could stroll hand-in-hand through the streets and alleys of Purburg, intimately linked.

But then…

Just as Yuli prepared to stand, Lyon and a colleague from the intelligence department immediately pulled her back down.

Lyon peered into the establishment, then turned his head and spoke.

“There aren’t many people inside…”

Yuli waved her hand frantically. “It’s not crowded, so let me go in! What’s there to be afraid of if there aren’t many people?”

Lyon sighed. “No… Yuli, don’t be so impatient, alright? Even if there aren’t many people, we still need to be cautious. What if our target thinks it’s harder to act with more people around? In any case… let’s observe first!”

And so, the group remained at a distance, observing the situation inside. Lyon dispatched a few more plainclothes intelligence officers to keep watch, while he and Yuli stayed put, waiting.

Inside the tavern, Fran searched for a long while, yet Yuli was nowhere to be found. He appeared somewhat disheartened, sighing as he slumped onto the bar table.

Their agreed time was six in the evening, precisely dinner time. Yuli had intended to have supper with Fran, but now…

‘He couldn’t have come on an empty stomach, could he?’ ‘He wouldn’t… be so foolish as to wait for me without even eating dinner, would he?’

Yuli sorrowfully averted her gaze, unable to watch Fran. She was all too aware of the emotions stirring within her, but she couldn’t afford to be soft-hearted.

Lyon was right; she couldn’t disregard her own safety.

But…

‘Fran, you idiot… don’t wait any longer. Hurry, eat something…’

At six o’clock, Fran lay sprawled on the bar, looking utterly bored. He occasionally glanced at the classical Western clock hanging on the tavern wall, listening to the rhythmic tick-tock of its pendulum.

He blinked, seemingly lost in thought. ‘Perhaps… he believes the clock hands are wrong? That my lateness is due to a broken timepiece, and it’s not truly six o’clock?’

Yuli chastised herself thus.

****

At seven o’clock, the youth stood up, bewildered, and walked another circuit around the establishment. Lyon’s eyes widened. He rose, carefully observing Fran, convinced that their target was about to reveal himself and contact an accomplice. But then…

After his scan, Fran hadn’t spoken to anyone, nor had he even opened his mouth or made a gesture. He simply continued to scan the crowd, bewildered, again and again.

He was still looking for Yuli.

Yuli sighed, then complained to Lyon beside her. “See? I told you so! What are you blindly suspecting?”

Lyon slumped back into his seat, vexed. ‘This guy… is he really not suspicious? It doesn’t make sense…’

Yet, he genuinely hadn’t observed any strange behavior from Fran.

“Let’s wait a little longer…”

He still trusted his own judgment, like a patient cheetah. He waited quietly in the distance, anticipating the moment his perceived ‘prey,’ Fran, would reveal a flaw.

****

At eight o’clock, Fran sat at the bar, his head bowed. He held an empty glass, his expression sorrowful.

‘Perhaps he’s realized I stood him up; he’s guessed I won’t come.’

Yuli couldn’t bear to watch any longer; her heart ached. That boy truly hadn’t eaten a single thing…

Wait… just a moment…

Yuli turned her head, witnessing an unbelievable sight. Fran hopped off his stool, went to the counter, found a bottle of high-proof liquor, and carried it back to the bar.

Fran poured a drink, and glass after glass of bitter liquor went down his throat. He offered a wry smile, raised his glass, then wistfully set it down heavily on the bar, producing a sharp “thud!”

The sound made even Lyon feel a bit embarrassed. He looked away, then turned to Yuli, who wore a wronged expression, and shook his head.

‘I… truly am in a difficult position.’

****

At nine o’clock, the night in Purburg had deepened considerably. In just another hour, the curfew recently imposed by the Empire in Purburg would take effect. Starting at ten PM, no Franciscans, except for special personnel, were permitted on the streets.

Yuli grew frantic; she had seen enough. She felt an agonizing torment, realizing this was an utterly senseless ordeal, subjecting an innocent person like Fran to unnecessary psychological torture. This was…

‘Fran, that guy…’

‘Just leave…’

With tears welling, Yuli couldn’t help but inwardly blame Fran. ‘That guy, how could he be so foolish? Why must he keep waiting for me like this…’

‘Idiot…’

Yuli stood up; she could wait no longer. She had to find Fran, even if it might be too late. She couldn’t let him foolishly wait until ten o’clock and then cause more trouble.

“Yuli—!”

Lyon tried to hold Yuli back and speak further, but this time, she returned his gaze with an expression that could only be described as ‘terrifying.’ Her eyes, usually as clear and sparkling as sapphires, suddenly clouded with a dark, inky mist.

Lyon was so startled he dared not speak another word. Yuli turned her head, leaving him with a single, gritted remark: “Enough already? It’s been three hours! Even a real assassin would be asleep by now! You… I’ll settle this with you later!”

She spun around, almost immediately rushing into the establishment. Standing at the doorway, Yuli finally realized that her Fran was sprawled unconscious on the bar, seemingly asleep.

She tiptoed over and leaned beside him, gazing at little Fran’s sleeping face.

His adorable sleeping face should have brought Yuli joy, easing much of her sorrow. However…

The moment Yuli noticed the tear stains at the corners of Fran’s eyes, her smile vanished instantly. A bitter expression involuntarily crossed her face as she gently stroked the youth’s forehead.

“Mmmph…”

The groggy youth pushed Yuli’s arm away, mumbling, “Don’t… don’t touch me. I… I’m waiting for someone.”

Ah…

Yuli offered a wry smile, then pulled Fran’s small head close into her embrace. The blond youth let out muffled protests: “Help! I can’t breathe! Someone’s kidnapping me! Someone’s kidnapping me… Yuli—”

“Pfft—”

The girl’s burdened mood finally eased slightly. She released him, cupped the youth’s face, and looked straight into his eyes, asking,

“Fran, were you waiting for me?”

“Yuli…” Fran’s face initially lit up with excitement and joy upon seeing her. However, a wave of grievance soon overwhelmed him. The youth sniffled, sobbing piteously,

“W-where did you go? Why are you only just arriving now…?”

“I…” Yuli found herself momentarily speechless. No, perhaps it was more that she was too embarrassed to answer. She could only stammer, trying to change the subject. “Um, Fran, why don’t we… go for a walk outside?”

The youth looked at Yuli, who offered no explanation, and gave a bitter smile. Then he shook his head, speaking somewhat coldly. “You should go back. I’ll see you out…”

“Fran…”