Mi-Yung was too proud and more generous to those who truly mattered to her. In fact, many Walkers completely disregarded general economics and points of credit, and didn't think twice about economics or people.

  This land was theirs, and they were in a minority that was borderline ruling and empowering on its own. Whether it was food or shelter, they had it great here, but it was worse when they were outside of this paradise.

  Thus, at least they should have it here, because outside things could get out of hand.

  “Let's go,” Mi-Yung ordered.

  Celeste paused, glancing at the books Ellie was holding, and how they might get in the way. Ellie shared a little secret that will be theirs. For now, Celeste took care of Hound alone and followed William and Mi-Yung without carrying any books and completely forgot what Dreadus said in the morning. Was she meant to follow her blindly, or would he come to pick her up? The promise was there, but it was no bond or oath.

  There were matters she hadn't forgotten, and points she had rather overlooked for the sake of these strange cave rooms. Nudging into her pocket with her hand, she found a key with a note that she pulled out. It was a shiny, silvery key, looking pretty and cute.

  “Hm? What is that?” Ellie asked as she stood beside her.

  “Dunno.”

  Ellie swore she should think about ways to make her talk further and better. She glanced at the paper and figured she didn't have it easy at all.

  Looking ahead, it had been a hectic and entertaining day for pretty much all of them. Especially for Mi-Yung, whose job was demanding, with a harsh pace and schedule, and rules that were less than breakable, but would a pause bother anyone? Not her.

  A break like this wasn't so bad, since who knew how messed up Assembly would feel in the incoming days? She didn’t give a shit about any of that.

  William felt his hunger had come out of nowhere, and it bothered him more than he thought. He could sleep through it just fine, like he did in the desperate past.

  Outside the library, the sun disappeared beyond the horizon of the Atlantic Ocean. The lamps around the street, let alone inside this library, created a rather cozy ambiance. Most of the natural sunlight came from huge, colorful windows above the entrance, and sometimes, even stars and the moon shone through them indoors.

  ***

  Back on the lowest floor, there were still plenty of people walking by. Ellie had a long day behind her, and her regular shifts had long moved out of her life.

  She noticed the night shift was forming. Young or middle-aged librarians or apprentices cared for rare night visitors or assignments according to Burton, who was second in command.

  Mi-Yung swore this walk was much heavier than she thought. She swore she would meet Kaufmans upon her departure from the upper floors. That didn't happen. Like... both Kaufmans. Heidi was nowhere to be seen, and the main Kaufman in question was hardly inconspicuous with his silly hat and presence.

  Good. They should be out of her sight and then out of her mind. Both of them were hard to pass as regular Walkers, let alone people.

  Walking through the entrance, this small team felt a fresh gust of wind washing their faces. This took Celeste by surprise, since this sort of scent and appeal was rare for her nose. Even Hound perked up in her grasp, wriggling his fur and limbs and howling at the moon. He hadn't seen it in a while.

  Since yesterday, Celeste had been busy thinking about people and things and had no time smelling things. Mi-Yung was accustomed to this place, just as Ellie was. William had yet to stop appreciating this comforting breeze.

  “What do you want to eat? It's on me,” Mi-Yung asked, turning to a multitude of hungry eyes. She was ready to satisfy just a few of them, but since she used her words, she had to resolve them until the end. She was also hungry in her own way.

  “Meat!” Ellie cheered softly.

  “Anything... else?” Mi-Yung said and tried to ignore her as much as possible.

  While not being polite or brash about it, she had more credits than she cared to give. Being in the Assembly had benefits, and her family and background were another thing altogether. She had several businesses under her name, and a long reign and growth of their cost and credits was extensive.

  Not for her, however. She simply supported what she could, and didn’t care about costs because she could afford it and secure jobs, as well as offer many of her closest allies much better prospects. Now, William will get the taste of it as well, since she deemed it so.

  Food was cheap, labor and business weren't, so where did this money come from? It was a rather unique aspect of an economy that wasn't really about freedom and the reign of humanity.

  Mi-Yung came from South Korea and moved away from the dreadful lands of Asia. The Federation was a new home, and not just for her. Many Koreans also came, and she supported them as a semi-official representative of South Korea. She came here young and grew up well enough to make her people proud, yet in truth, she had a lot of struggle and adaptability.

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  “I will eat whatever,” William said, feeling that he had no preferences.

  “Meat.” Celeste nodded, saying the same thing as Ellie.

  “I will take your word for it. Follow me,” Mi-Yung said and walked away, her hair flickering behind her back. She forgot her hat somewhere on the upper floor, but it wasn't like it was a big deal.

  Walking at a fast pace, the group wandered into the Central District. Celeste wondered where they were running to or why, but she had no trouble following Mi-Yung from behind. Ellie was taken aback and cursed in her mind that Mi-Yung did this to her. William huffed for breath and swore his stomach was killing him more than his lungs.

  Around the street at night, many food vendors and restaurants were open, spreading scents of prestige and value to innocent bystanders.

  Celeste started to moan in delight, and her steps and head shifted left and right. Hound in her hands wheezed a bark, tearing up in this torturous act.

  It was a lovely evening with cloudless moonlight illuminating the streets. Many people roamed around, either eating out or socializing, which was typical. Food was cheap, and although tougher working hours weren’t simple, they weren't too gruesome. Cooking at home was for those with such needs and time. The working class would rather eat here than worry about further logistics.

  William had seen this street plenty of times and had spent a couple of credits here already. It didn't seem to be their destination, however. He followed Mi-Yung at a steady pace, observing the occasional vendors and their food.

  Some were selling sandwiches in sets for a single credit. Others had plates of meat, sausages, fruits, fish, and there were even bars with alcohol and social gatherings. So far, no food was his favorite.

  He was still shocked that there was no shortage of meat in the Federation. Just how much value and work went into supplying a million people? In hindsight, caring for tens of thousands in camps sounded easier because of the available land, but this point had already been covered in Ellie’s lessons.

  In a way, camps were worse and less desirable with larger lands, while the Federation was a massive spark and a temple of this society. Maybe it was struggling in the shadows, but this street was not.

  As he wondered, Ellie rushed and held onto Celeste's hand. She was like an energized ball of vigorous energy when smelling food, and Ellie wouldn’t be able to do anything if Celeste didn’t heed Mi-Yung’s call. Weirdly, Dreadus was nowhere to be seen, so she went with the flow.

  “Calm down, Celeste. Hey! Don't go there. We're going somewhere else! It's better! Hey, don't steal their food! No! Don't...” Ellie urged her, trying her best to stop this beast. Celeste followed her nose like her manners and steps, and Ellie painfully ensured they wouldn't go too far away from Mi-Yung.

  There was a lot of food William had never heard of, so someone like Celeste should feel being in a different world. There were no hunts, nor was there a lack of water. It was a true paradise. Utopia. Dream!

  Maybe it sounded far too fake and unbelievable, but this smell wouldn't lie to her. She found fish most strange because of their presence and weird smells. She had seen none because Australia's inland zones had no such things. The fruits followed suit, looking colorful, often fragrant, and pretty. She didn't like sweets. It made her mind race like blood and cravings.

  William had never been to any restaurant before. There were fewer of them than vendors because they took more space and required steep funds to operate. They had cooler names, however, with symbols and fancier buildings.

  From the look of Mi-Yung's steps, they were heading into a restaurant, as this route had less crowded corners. The one she had in mind had multiple floors and a big sign of its name shone in the night.

  Called a Korean Barbecue Pit, it was a place that served as many people as long as they could afford it. It had a small entrance and huge seating areas, capable of accommodating hundreds of people. It was fancy, but it offered options at various price points, with overall prices being a bit high, which was to be expected from such a restaurant.

  Walkers could eat a ton, and regular people had less money, yet quality and service weren't comparable. The food was better, but more expensive, and the quality varied. It was better than what the vendors provided.

  “Korean Barbeque Pit? What is this? Is it related to you?” William asked Mi-Yung as he walked to the entrance after the others.

  Oddly enough, Ellie didn't have to push Celeste inside at all, but her arms hurt after forcefully calming her passion on those vendors. It wasn't surprising; Celeste had no sense of credits whatsoever, and none were in her hand. After all of that, Celeste straight up ran inside, detecting something wonderful, and Ellie feared the worst was about to begin.

  Vendors had easy and smaller needs. They provided fresh food on the go, whereas restaurants were cozier and private. This one was among the most luxurious ones in the Federation. A courtesy of Songs and Korea, according to the history of this establishment, as stated on a wall adorned with many photos from the last fifteen years.

  It had a stylish interior and wide openings for individual tables. Starting sections were dozens of tables for up to eight people, set with private shades and wooden walls between them. As for the meals, there was no doubt that it was an extraordinary experience from the smell alone.

  Every table had its own small grill, which was part of a sturdy table. High-quality ingredients accounted for half of the meals, followed by preparation and actual cooking. This place smelled divine to almost everyone, and numerous groups of people grilled and ate at different tables.

  William thought the same thing as Celeste, who was anxiously standing and taking this sight like the most wonderful catch. Detailed lamps shone like stars, and big sofas in further tables looked like the finest of beds.

  “Yep. I like this place a lot,” Mi-Yung glanced around and felt like it had been ages since she was here. That was false. She was here literally yesterday.

  “Oh, mistress!” a young waitress came over, bowing and greeting Mi-Yung with due respect.

  She waved her hands, regarding her with a smile. “Yeah, I have guests.”

  “Oh, of course. Greetings to you as well, dear customers. How can I help you?” While overly polite, this young Korean beauty wore a great uniform resembling red flames. She even had an apron as part of the uniform.

  “Room 1 will do. Oh, and summon head chef Rose.” Mi-Yung pointed, smiling at this girl.

  “I... I don't think the head chef has time for this service today, mistress.” She tried to make an excuse and failed. Before Mi-Yung, her mere gaze of silence left her apprehensive and quivered her back.

  “Then tell her Mi-Yung is hungry. Very hungry, by the way. Today is heavy. A couple of young, expectant people are hungry as well. Now, go,” she shooed her away and dragged William away. He remained silent while Ellie dragged Celeste after them. That wasn’t correct; she was too busy following and sniffing every person and table along the way.