Chapter 17
The Visitors
Quite a bit of time had passed since Uncle Theo started working at the shop. Although his senior at work, Peggy could not help but treat him more as her superior due to his age. He was, after all, the uncle of her boss, not to mention a former Baron. What was more, he was quick to learn the ways of the coffee shop and was way more skilled at making coffee drinks than she was. Minus the fact he had a house for a head, he was an ideal barista.
But at this moment, Uncle Theo was out on errands, so that's enough about him.
Today, a lot of visitors from out of town came to the coffee shop. Although a modest town, Featherkeep had a lot of history to it and was famous as a calm, relaxing place, making it a go-to place for tourists and travelers. Peggy could sometimes pick out-of-towners out among the shop's patrons by the way they dressed and acted.
The first set of visitors was a trio from out of country. Peggy could tell by the uniform design of their silk white capes which had strange, elaborate shapes and symbols stitched in gold at the edges. She had never seen anyone around town wear those kinds of capes before.
The leader of the pack appeared to be a lady with long, blond hair and a very youthful face. She was made to sit first at a round table near the door. At her left and right, sat one man and one woman. The man had black hair with a big, crooked nose, and the woman had brown hair and freckles. None of them looked like they were related to each other.
Maybe they're friends on a trip, Peggy assumed.
After giving the trio a friendly greeting and taking their orders, Peggy returned to the bar to relay the customers' orders to Boss. That was when the door opened and in came a young goblin man. Friendly reminder, goblins mostly looked like humans, except for their green skin and ears shaped like bat wings. He wore a cape like the other visitors, except his was just plain and made of rough yarn. Underneath, he wore a brown suit and necktie.
Peggy also could not help but notice the sword strapped to his waist.
But despite the presence of a weapon, Peggy approached the newcomer and greeted him with a friendly smile as he sat by the window. She was, of course, still wary of it.
"Hi, welcome!" she said. "What brings you in today?"
"Oh, hello!" The goblin responded to the greeting with a smile of his own. "Actually, I was told this is a good place to rest by a werelion boy. He said there was good snacks here."
Suddenly, the leading lady of the other visitors spoke up.
"I'm sorry," she said. "But did you say something about a werelion boy? Because this morning, a werelion boy told us about this place and got us interested too."
"Wow! What a coincidence!" said the goblin.
"Oh!" went Peggy. "If you're talking about a werelion boy, that's probably George, the Owner's son."
"I see," said the goblin. "That would explain why he was so enthusiastic when he told me about this place."
"If you don't mind me asking, how'd you meet George?" Peggy asked, both out of curiosity and seizing on a chance to have a pleasant chat with customers.
"Well, I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I was a bit lost when I ran into him this morning," said the goblin. "The young werelion was kind enough to show me the way, even though he was probably supposed to head to school. It was at that time, he recommended I come here if I ever felt like taking a break."
"It was the same for us," said the lady.
From behind the bar counter, Boss listened as Peggy talked to the customers. He could hear every word they said, and felt that there was something strange about them.
"By the way, Miss," said the goblin. "Have we met somewhere before? For some reason, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."
"You know," said the lady, "I feel the same way. Are you from the Fairy Kingdom south of here?"
The goblin shook his head. "No, I'm a local, but from a city far from here."
"Oh? Which city?" asked the lady.
"The Royal Capital," answered the goblin.
"Hmm," went Boss. He turned his back to the customers to get cups ready for them while mulling over this new bit of information.
The Fairy Kingdom and the Royal Capital, and they were all brought here by George . . .
A thought crossed Boss's mind and he froze just before setting down a cup he pulled from the cupboard.
Those folks, he thought, it can't be . . .
He took a quick, more careful glance at the young goblin, and felt his breath get taken away. And then, while pretending to look for a certain kind of tea, he used the big mirror next to the shelf to observe the white-caped trio. His stomach twisted in knots.
Sensing something amiss, Peggy walked up to the bar counter and whispered, "Hey Boss, are you okay?"
"Just peachy," the vampire replied. But his shaky voice and trembling, crooked smile said otherwise.
The door flew open again, and this time, a man in a patched up gray suit walked in. He was a bit on the thin side and had a tired look on his face. His blond hair was all frizzled, and clutched in his long, bone-thin fingers was a brown, leather suitcase. Close at his heels was an Asian man wearing a white lab coat over his own suit. Both were human.
"Hi, welcome!" said Peggy. Making greetings like that had become second nature to her.
When Boss saw the man in the gray suit come in, under his breath, he went, "Uh oh."
"Hey there," the man in the gray suit said while taking his seat at the bar counter. The Asian man sat next to him.
"Welcome, Mr. Starling," Boss said to the gray-suit man. "It's been a while."
"Yes, it has," said the man in the gray suit. His name was Mr. Starling, and apparently, Peggy noted, he knew the Boss. Later, Boss would tell Peggy that Mr. Starling was George's school teacher. "We haven't spoken since that time George brought the Queen of the North Mountain Dragons to the school, thinking she was my new assistant."
Peggy's ears perked up. What was that about a dragon? She wondered as she listened in.
"Again, I am so sorry about that," said Boss.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Mr. Starling said. "It's not like George could have known what the dragon queen would look like as a human. Really, it's no big deal, even though I came close to throwing up from the fear as I stressed over treating one of the most terrifying creatures of the land as a possible lowly assistant-to-be."
"Okay . . ." Boss could feel some stress himself from the trouble his son caused.
"Anyway," the school teacher continued, "that's not what I'm here for."
"It's not?" went the Boss. "Then what are you here for? And who's this gentleman?"
"My name's Fong," said the Asian man. "I'm a doctor."
"Fong, here, has a daughter who was part of that pen pal program that was started a couple of years back by our two nations as a show of friendship," Mr. Starling explained. "His daughter's pen pal happened to be a student of our school. When the school learned from that pen pal about Fong's specialty in Zhaoese medicine, they invited him to hold a special class."
"Oh ho? But I don't remember that other nation in the pen pal program being the Zhao Empire," said Boss.
"It's not," said Fong. "I immigrated to this continent with my daughter some years back and settled in the port town of another kingdom."
"A port town?" Boss said with a raised eyebrow. "You're not talking about the one that was attacked by a sea monster a while back, are you?"
"The very same," said Fong.
"And to answer your other question, I've been showing Doctor Fong around town and figured this would be a good place to take a break," Mr. Starling said.
"Well, I'm flattered," said Boss.
"It really is a nice place," said Fong. "This whole town is. Featherkeep is such a peaceful place that I kind of wish I had moved here instead. It's hard to believe that this kingdom suffered from a civil war around the time I was a schoolboy."
"Well, yeah, of course," the young goblin suddenly spoke up. "Sure, powerful people in the kingdom were pulling the strings, but wasn't the Shadow Civil War just a bunch of disputes between criminals? I don't see how that would affect the normal people."
Everyone looked at the goblin.
"Ah! Sorry!" Realizing, he just intruded into the conversation, he apologized. "I couldn't help myself."
Mr. Starling and Boss exchanged looks, and then Mr. Starling replied, "It's fine, young man. We were talking rather loudly, after all. But I must say that you are quite wrong to think that the Shadow Civil War did not affect the normal people. Quite a lot of good, normal people were actually hurt because of it."
The goblin blinked. "Really?"
"Yes, really," said Mr. Starling. "You were right that the fighting in the Shadow Civil War was mainly criminal against criminal, but you're forgetting something very important."
"Oh? What?" asked the young goblin.
"You said so yourself that powerful people were pulling the strings," Mr. Starling pointed out. "What do you think for? What do you think they used the criminals for?"
The goblin took a moment to think, but could not come up with an answer. After time was up, Mr. Starling explained.
"The Shadow Civil War is not just disputes between criminals. It was a heated rivalry between different powerful people in this kingdom willing to do anything to claw more power for themselves, even sabotage each other. That's where the criminals really come into play."
"I still don't see how the normal people were affected by that," the goblin confessed.
Somehow, Mr. Starling was not surprised.
"Then let me tell you a story about a certain family of merchants who used to work for a noble," he said.
"Once upon a time, there lived a humble merchant who owned a humble business with his humble family. Even though their business was small, it was a thriving one, and the merchant even had a contract with the lord of the land he lived on and entrusted with a very important duty. All in all, the merchant and his family were living a good life.
"But then one day, vandals came and destroyed the merchant's caravan carriages. The next day, thieves stole goods from his stores. And the day after that, bandits showed up and attacked all the merchant's workers. Because of that, the merchant had to scramble to find more goods and new workers, even take out from his savings to get the job done. And get the job done, he did. But the damage was already done and he was forced to lose his business. He and his family also lost their home and life grew harder for them. If only that was all the damage that was suffered."
"If only? You mean there was more?" the goblin asked. "Even though things for that merchant and his family were bad enough? And what does this have to do with the Shadow Civil War?"
"Patience, young man," said Mr. Starling. "I'm getting to it. Just listen until the end."
The goblin settled down and said, "Okay."
And Mr. Starling continued his story.
"It wasn't just the merchant and his family who suffered from the attacks on his business. The customers also suffered. Although only a small business, the merchant's store was one many small, distant towns and villages depended on to get the things they couldn't get themselves. This included not just things like clothes and tools, but also things like medicine, which made the merchant's business very important to a lot of people. In fact, helping the people of these towns and places was the very important duty entrusted to the merchant by the lord of the land.
"Some people would find the delays troublesome and annoying. But to others, especially sick or injured people, it was a matter of life and death. Sadly, it was the latter for a certain little boy in a far, faraway village.
"The boy had a rare disease, you see, and he needed to take medicine that could only be found at another region. It was not a problem before, thanks to the merchant. But because the merchant could not get his shipments out on time thanks to those attacks on his business, he was late to give the boy the medicine he needed. Without that medicine, the boy suffered terribly and lost his life in the end.
"The boy was not the only one, of course. There were plenty of other people who got sick from a disease or hurt in an accident, who needed medicine right away. Some of them were lucky to live through their ordeals. But, because it took so long for them to get the help they needed, many of them would suffer long-time or even permanent damage.
"It was a domino effect of widespread suffering that started from one merchant's business. The merchant, of course, learned of the suffering of the people he had failed to help, and it only made his own suffering worse. They were his responsibility, after all. Those towns, those villages, those people. Getting them the things they needed to live was his job, what his contract with the lord of the land was for. And he failed, all because of dastardly scoundrels that plagued him day in and day out.
"But why him, of all people? One had to wonder. Sure there were troublemakers in the past, but not as many as that one time. There was just too much, and especially on the eve of an important mission from the lord of the land to help the remote towns and villages of the land.
"Later on, it was revealed that the lord he was contracted with had a rival, and a wicked, evil-hearted rival at that. That rival, the lord of another land, wanted to make the merchant's lord look bad, so he sent criminals to ruin any businesses connected to the merchant's lord. But the rival also had towns and villages that depended on the merchant and other businesses like his. And they too, suffered because of this rivalry between the two lords.
"And that is just one example of how the Shadow Civil War was devastating to the people," said Mr. Starling, signaling the end of his story.
No one said anything for a while, but then slowly, the goblin asked a question.
"Did that really happen?" he said.
"It did, most definitely," said Mr. Starling.
"How can you be so sure?" asked the goblin.
To which, Mr. Starling replied, "Because I was there. The merchant in the story was my father who served Lord Sylvester. Lord Ron whose land borders Lord Sylvester's, was the rival in the story. I'm sure many newspaper companies still have records about the case, among hundreds of other examples of how the normal people suffered because of the Shadow Civil War and the selfishness of the kingdom's leaders who're supposed to be taking care of them."
"Lord Ron, huh?" Boss muttered. "That certainly takes me back. It was definitely fun to watch him get his just desserts. A job well done, if I do say so myself."
"Huh? Did you say something, Boss?" asked Peggy.
Boss replied, "Nope. Not at all. Anyway, if there is one thing to take away from this story, it's that actions have consequences. Bad actions, especially have bad consequences. And the scale only gets bigger when those bad actions are taken by leaders. I can’t imagine what would happen if a king ever did anything that careless."
"So true," said Mr. Starling. "I am very sorry about that, Doctor Fong. I did here that Zhao had a few social troubles of its own. I must have dredged up some bad memoriesfor you, even though I was meant to show you a good time."
"Don't be," said the doctor. "We've all had our share of troubles."
"All in all," Boss said, "the Shadow Civil War was a time when the leaders of this kingdom shirked their responsibilities, let their greed and selfishness get out of control and ended up hurting a lot of people in the process. They were definitely not my idea of a good leader."
As he said that, the vampire cast his eyes on the young goblin, whose own eyes were lowered in deep thinking.
"And I'm sorry to you too, visitors," Mr. Starling said, leaning back so he could see the caped trio. "Didn't mean to spoil your vacation with such a downer story."
"Oh, that's alright," said the blond lady. "It was very . . . educational. I'm sure all of us youngsters stand to gain a lot by hearing firsthand accounts of the past."
"Please don't treat us like old fogeys," Mr. Starling implored. "I don't know about Fong, but the Owner here and I are still in our thirties."
Fong scowled in dismay and said, "Did you really have to add me like that? I'm in my thirties too. Well, upper-half anyway."
"And aren't you, yourself, a bit too old to be calling yourself a youngster?" Mr. Starling said.
"Yes, I suppose so," she said. She had a smile on her face, but the blond lady’s eyes were as cold as ice.
Not lost to the danger he had brought upon himself, the school teacher quickly turned to face the young goblin and said, "Anyway, that's enough of a history lesson from me. But is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
The goblin shook his head.
"You told me plenty enough," he said. "There is a lot I have to think about now, so I think I'll take my leave. Is it okay for me to leave my pay here?"
"Sure," said the Boss. "Oh, speaking of leaving, isn't it almost time for your shift to end, Peggy? You can go ahead and clock out now."
Concerned, Peggy said, "You think you'll be okay by yourself, Boss?"
The vampire, however, waved her concerns away and replied, "I'll be fine. Uncle Theo should be back soon."
Reluctantly, Peggy left the shop floor and headed to the backroom to collect her things for the day. And true to her boss's words, as soon as she closed the door behind her, the shop's front door opened and in came the man with a house for a head.
"Salutations!" said the house. "I have returned! Oh! Whoops! Excuse me!"
It was also at that moment that the young goblin had reached the door after leaving behind his payment.
"Oh, no, that's quite alright," said the goblin. "Fare thee well."
And the goblin left the store and disappeared into the crowd beyond.
The house watched him leave before walking over to the bar counter.
"Say, Nephew," he said. "Wasn't that young goblin just now, Prince Alphonse?"
Mr. Starling, who had just taken a sip of coffee, spat it all out when he overheard the house.
He had a brief coughing fit, and then shrilly shrieked out, "Prince Alphonse!? As in the future king of this country? That's who that boy was!?"
"Yes, although it's been a few years since I last laid eyes on him, there's no mistaking that was the Crown Prince," said the house who, need I remind you, is a former baron.
Mr. Starling's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Say, Owner," he said after a short pause. "Did you know the young man I lectured and treated like a little schoolboy was actually someone who could have my head chopped off at the snap of his fingers?"
"I am so, so sorry," Boss apologized.
"I suppose it goes without saying, but could he have been brought here by George?" asked the teacher.
"Well . . ." Boss trailed off, but that was all the teacher needed for confirmation.
"George didn't bring in any other people here, did he?"
"Not. That. I. Know. Of," Boss spoke hesitantly. It was a barefaced lie.
And in that instant, the door flew open again, and in came a pair of school kids wearing Paladia Academy uniforms. One was a human boy named Alan, and the other was a teen-tiny fairy girl with four wings of light attached her back named Aria.
After entering the shop, as soon as Aria spotted the trio of caped visitors, she gasped and cried out in shock.
"Lady High Songstress!?"
Startled, Alan jumped.
"Huh? What?" he went. "Aria, what's wrong?"
Aria excitedly tugged on her friend's sleeve and pointed at the caped visitors. "Look, Alan! Look! That blond lady! I know her! She's the High Songstress! One of - "
She was cut off by Mr. Starling who shrilly proclaimed, "Th-th-th-the High Songstress, as in the third-most powerful fairy on the continent!? Whose voice alone wiped out an entire flock of monsters?"
The blond lady smiled sheepishly and said, "Yep, that's me."
Behind her back, four strips of light appeared and fluttered a little like wings. Her cohorts tiredly rubbed their temples.
Mr. Starling dropped his jaw again, and a hoarse croaking noise came out of his throat.
And then, once more, the door flew open and in came a lady in one of the fanciest, most elaborately made dresses imaginable. Over her head, she wore a paper bag.
"Greetings all!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "'Tis I! The Queen of the North Mountain Dragons, come to visit this shop at the recommendation of a little lion cub!"
Behind her, an exasperated man in a butler outfit said, "Your Majesty, I thought you were trying be incognito. No disguise will work if you just shout your true name like that."
"Oh?" went the paper bag lady. "I suppose not. My bad, my bad! Wa ha ha ha!"
The butler sighed.
"Anyway," said the paper bag lady, "I see a man collapsed on the floor. Is he okay? He looks familiar."
Lying on the floor after fainting was Mr. Starling. Fong was crouched down over him, checking for a pulse on his wrist.
"He'll be fine with a bit of rest," said the doctor. And then to himself, he thought, I should probably keep to myself that I used to be the Crown Prince of the Zhao Empire, especially from him.
It was at that time that Peggy finally got her things together and returned to the shop floor.
"Okay, I'm heading out," she announced.
She froze when she saw Mr. Starling collapsed on the floor and a lady with a paper bag over her head standing at the front door. The dress the paper bag lady wore looked really elaborate and really expensive.
Turning to Boss, Peggy asked, "What'd I miss?"
