When we arrived, the grocery cart came again. They delivered sacks of groceries and also quite a lot of sheep. "Poor sheep" I was saddened to see them slaughtered for our food supply during the winter. "They live to be killed."
"What else can we do? We will starve if we don't eat their meat," Shashin said lightly.
I looked at him flatly. "You are right!" I was so annoyed with this astral being.
We took the carts into the same food warehouse, it was just the drums were placed far enough apart from everything. The temperature in the room was as warm as spring, I could even take off my coat and sit on the hay. I really missed the hot temperature, imagining the warmth of the sun on Euron, and also being able to eat some sweet shaved ice.
Ane called me from outside the warehouse, I immediately ran to her. "Miss is calling you," She was half whispering.
…
I hastily entered the room to meet Azalea. Would there be other assignments for me? Honestly, I was starting to get excited about all these tasks and adventures.
Just before I got to her room, we actually met in the hallway. She looked at me with a sharp gaze. I didn't know what sin I had committed to make her this upset.
Azalea motioned for me to enter her room. The metal door slammed shut with a very loud sound. She pounded the table which caused several sheets of paper scattered on the floor. "You tricked me. You kept everything a secret in your mission yesterday. What did you have in mind that you dared to do?!" She was really angry.
I was a little intimidated by the aura she gave off, but my confusion outweighed it. "Cheating?"
Azalea threw a note at my feet. "I'm sure you already know everything! Now tell the truth, is that true?"
I read the paper that Azalea threw at me, and it was the report that Yoru wrote. I memorized it very well with his neat writing, not going up and down the mountain. The man wrote everything down, that Winter was Summer's twin sister and all of their body theft cases were done by their father.
"Yeah, I already knew" I confessed. "Winnter and Summer are twins. We helped Summer carry out several murders and organ thefts, also bought some at hospitals and online trading sites, on the black market. I also learned that they were the daughters of a great healing wizard. I already know everything."
Azalea's expression looked even more furious. "And, you kept it a secret?! What did you think about taking such a path? Betray me, or you want to discredit my name?!" She spoke in a high pitched voice, even inclined to yell at me.
"No, I don't want that," I said, trying to stay calm though honestly I was feeling a little uneasy. "The steps and orders you gave were wrong. I couldn't possibly criticize you in front of everyone, then give a fruitless denial and just a theory. Let me ask you now, did the steps I made were fruitless?" Azalea just kept quiet.
"You gave orders without knowing the actual conditions and with very little information. I understand it because you got too much to do. For that reason, I, as a team you trusted to carry on that task, would do my way as long as I could complete it well." I explained a fact that Azalea couldn't deny.
"With the information you provided and what I got, I made my own decisions. I couldn't depend on you. You lacked information, didn't know the truth and also made the wrong orders from the beginning. I didn't blame you, I was just trying to justify you without showing it off to your subordinates that your orders were not correct" I said everything, according to my point of view and mindset when carrying out the task yesterday.
"We can't simply make decisions without learning through all the matters first, the cause, then looking for the least risky solution to solve it. Although at first I thought it was a failure, but thank God Winnter's father finally understood and helped us to the end." I closed my explanation by taking a deep breath before exhaling slowly.
As long as I spoke Azalea was silent. She didn't say anything. I knew that we were both wrong, but the mistakes we made, I thought were understandable. That woman had so much work that that made her less focus on Aras's case, nor wouldn't I allow her to make decisions that might harm the twins. "Next time, tell me before making up your mind," She said firmly.
I nodded and said, "I am sorry." I handed the note to Azalea, and I was allowed to leave her room.
'Goshh! She was even scarier than from the first time we met' I thought in horror. My fingers felt so cold and shaky, even when I was outside that room. It felt like I just faced an exam from the most horrible lecturer in my faculty, but I finally passed it.
I didn't tell her everything I knew about the case last time because I knew that Azalea would be very upset if she knew that. I wanted what Winnter and Summer fought for was not in vain. They had worked very hard for that and I needed to help them out.
Azalea was very strict and firm, and knew all people in Alpha Camp were afraid of her. But I wondered if she could still stretch more patience and understanding with me. I hoped it was not due to my status. I hated it when I was still under my grandmother's shadows. I was not her. I wanted to stand on my own feet.
We used whale oil for the oil lamp that was in the hallway. Apart from using whale oil, we also used kerosene, while coal and wood charcoal were used for heating and cooking. The cold temperature outside strangely did not reach inside, even though the building looked like it was made of black iron plate which should be a good conductor. I touched the wall and it felt warm. I also noticed that there weren't any piles of ice near the walls outside. Yes, this really looked like hell in the middle of a sea of ice.