Jurie thought she was the first to wake, but Teerom’s empty bed said otherwise. Paley had been so worn out from hunting lately that nowadays he was waking as late as Adimia. She sat up, yawned, stretched, and looked around at her siblings. Adimia seemed to have tossed and turned all night like usual - his blanket was on the floor again. She picked it up gently and laid it back over him. Then she stood at the foot of Paley’s bed. Even though the bed was small, he hardly took up any space, tightly curled into a ball. She smiled.

  After washing up quietly, she went downstairs. Madella was humming by the fireplace, mending Paley’s torn tunic from his last hunt. Jurie’s eyes drifted to the savings jar. Eighteen gold for school fees felt like a mountain they couldn’t climb. No matter how much Paley hunted, the jar wouldn’t fill in time. Madella was always smiling, but Jurie could see the tiredness in her eyes.

  “Mother, I’ll be out for a bit,” Jurie said, hoping that would be enough.

  “Where are you going?” Of course it wasn’t.

  “Just… wanted to see what Teerom’s up to.”

  “He’s job-hunting in the city. He won’t be back for a while.”

  “Oh. Then I’ll just go for a walk.”

  “In the city?”

  “N–no, just along the path.”

  “Be safe, okay?”

  Jurie left the cottage, but not before putting on her neatest tunic, still worn out slightly, and headed straight for the city.

  As she walked, she tried to calm herself. Even if I don’t have any degrees or anything, I’m good with numbers. That should count for something, right?

  The walk felt longer than usual: maybe because she was alone. At the gate, the guards looked past her for Teerom, who usually came with her.

  “G–good morning. May I pass?” she asked.

  They glanced at each other. “After a check.”

  “A check? Sure, I don’t have anything on me.” She turned her pockets inside out, but they still stepped closer to pat her down. She instinctively backed away.

  “Don't give us any reasons to suspect you,” one said flatly. She forced herself to stand still as they 'checked' her, their hands lingering moments too long on her chest and legs.

  “I-is that enough?” she whispered weakly.

  They paused, stretching the silence until her nerves felt raw. “Clear. Go ahead.”

  She hurried into Gouon, fighting back tears.

  Shop after shop, she asked for work. Most just said, “Try again later,” in a tone that she knew meant never. Defeated, she sank onto a bench in the central plaza, burying her face in her hands.

  “Excuse me, young lady?” An older woman with a creaky voice stood nearby.

  “Y–yes?”

  “Are you alone?”

  “…Yeah.”

  “A girl like you shouldn’t be by herself. Especially not here. There are men who won’t listen to a ‘no.’”

  Jurie’s heart felt suddenly fragile. She was scared, out of her depth, and regret washed over her hard. Tears pooled in her eyes as she stared at her hands. People had been disappearing in this city and yet she still came on her lonesome. Young women didn’t walk alone - and if they did, they always avoided quiet streets. What if something happened to her?

  A hand reached for hers. Male. Her heart froze.

  But then she looked up - and tears fell from relief, not fear. Teerom had been calling her name, but she’d been too lost in worry to hear.

  “Jurie,” he said softly, giving her hand a nudge. “Why are you here?”

  “Teerom…” She sniffled and hugged him tight, all the fear melting away.

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  The hug caught him off guard. He stayed still, then returned it awkwardly, his face turning red. She’d never held on to him this long.

  The old woman smiled, relieved too, and slipped away.

  When Jurie finally let go, Teerom steadied himself. “Why are you here?” he asked again. “Are you alright?”

  She nodded, hiding her smile; she didn’t want him to see just how glad she was that he was there.

  Jurie explained her mission: the empty savings jar and Madella's tired eyes. "I just wanted to help," She finished with a small voice.

  Teerom listened, his expression gentle but also slightly smug. He placed a careful hand on her shoulder. "Jurie, you don't need to do this. Leave the earning to me.." He said, then quickly mumbled, "And Paley..." before continuing, "You wanna become an academic, don't you? Study how the world works?"

  "Yeah, but-"

  "Then do that. I'll- We'll support you every step of the way." He straightened, "Since you're here, wanna come with me? I have an appointment with a building company."

  She looked at him for a moment, then tried to casually say, "Sure." but she couldn't hold in her smile.

  He led her through the bustling streets to a district of newer, grander buildings. Their destination was a three-story structure of pale sandstone, its door framed by marble pillars - the headquarters of the Comatoria Building Company of Gouon. "I sent them a letter with my experience and a statue I carved of their guardian," He pointed to a statue of a bird with four sets of wings. His voice was steady, though Jurie noticed the slight, rhythmic flexing of his hand at his side. "They invited me to talk about a spot."

  Inside, the air was cool and smelled of ink and wood. A clerk directed them to a spacious office where the owner, a lady named Mistress Volaha, sat behind a wide desk. She was elegant, her hair swept into a silver-streaked coil, her dress finely made. She greeted Teerom with a professional smile.

  "Your carving was impressive for one so young," She began, reviewing a paper in her hands. "Self-taught drafting, hands-on experience from childhood. We have a junior surveyor and site assistant role. It involves long hours and travel to our quarries."

  Teerom nodded, his initial tension easing as the conversation turned to technical details - load-bearing calculations (a weakness of his), stone types, the management of labor crews. He spoke with a quiet authority that surprised Jurie; this was a side of him she seldom saw. The atmosphere felt promising, friendly even.

  Then came the offer. "Given your... background, we would start you at 2 Gold a month, with a review in a year," Mistress Volaha stated, as if presenting a great opportunity.

  Jurie's mind sparked, however. The family's meagre budget was something she knew by heart. Madella's five hundred silver (five gold) from her uncle vanished each month for maintenance and food. It was the bare minimum to keep seven orphans and a guardian in that tiny cottage as long as they lived frugally. For a single person in the city, just for rent and food, three gold would be a threadbare existence. Two Gold? The numbers were ridiculous.

  Before she could stop herself, the numbers spilled out. "Mistress, forgive me," Jurie interjected, her voice trembling but clear. "But the average monthly cost for a single person in Gouon for rent, lentils, grain, and lamp oil is at least three gold. For a family, it's more. Two gold is... nowhere near sustainable."

  The friendly warmth vanished from Mistress Vaelin's face. Her eyes turned cold. "Young lady, business economics are not the concern of children. This offer is based on market rates for entry-level positions."

  "But if the market rate doesn't meet the cost of living, the market is broken," Jurie insisted, boldness overriding her fear.

  "Enough," the woman said icily. She looked at Teerom. "I see you bring green advisors to your interviews. This discussion is over. Good day."

  They were ushered out, the heavy oak door firmly closing behind them. On the sun-drenched street, Jurie covered her face with her hands, mortified. "Teerom, I'm so sorry. I ruined it."

  He laughed. To her astonishment, he laughed - a genuine sound of relief. "Wow. You saved me, Jurie. Two gold? I thought it was a good deal for a second! Thank you." He nudged her gently with his elbow. "Since when have you been so fierce?"

  She blushed intensely, embarrassed but ultimately accepted his thanks. The ordeal had only lightened their walk. As they moved through the streets and into a market, Teerom bought a single honey-dipped oatcake with a few coppers and broke it in half, giving her the larger piece. Their fingers brushed. When a cart rattled by too close, he instincitvely pulled her to the safer side of the path, clearing his throat and stepping away when he realised he'd held her waist without permission.

  Their path took them past a tavern with an open-air patio. At a round table sat five short, broad figures with magnificent beards braided with beads and metal rings: dwarves. They were laughing uproariously, tankards raised. Teerom, who had only ever seen their kind in illustrated books, stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide with wonder.

  They noticed and their laughter died down. They leaned into one another, whispering, their eyes flicking between Teerom and Jurie. One mimed an exaggerated stare, another pretended to faint from shock, and they all snorted with suppressed discomfort.

  Teerom, embarrassed, quickly looked down at the cobblestones, and hurried Jurie along. "Come on," he muttered. "It's rude to stare."

  The journey home was quieter, the setting sun painting the sky in strokes of orange and purple. As they approached the city gates, Jurie's earlier dread returned tight in her stomach. The same guards were on duty.

  She moved closer to Teerom, letting his presence shield her. When they passed through, she kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, on the winding path home, refusing to grant the guards a glance. But she felt their eyes on her. It made her skin crawl.

  Sensing her stiffen, Teerom moved subtly between her and the guard post. He didn't ask what was wrong. He just stayed there until the gates were well behind them and the cottage chimney came into view, a thin wisp of smoke against the twilight sky. Perhaps Paley and Madella had begun cooking together. He finally gave her some more distance, but something tugged at her, a feeling of disappointment that he moved away.

  "Thank you, Teerom." She said.

  "F-For what?" He asked, trying to be casual.

  "Don't play dumb, dummy." She punched him lightly and they continued on their way home.