The whole chamber quieted to listen to me, and soon people started to come out of their tunnels. This was new, no one had ever done something like this before. Someone stole starsalt? It wasn’t surprising, but for the owner to be shouting about it? They wanted to see how this would end.
Curiously lit them up.
Tiber and Syla recognized my voice and came out as well. Syla raised her brows at me. "What’s going on?"
I waited until the murmuring stopped. I surveyed them, not all the workers were there, and I could still hear the sound of pickaxes hitting rock.
But I nodded. "I piled my starsalt of three carts at my entrance, but then I couldn’t find it when I went back to add another one."
The murmuring began again, and a short man with hair the color of dirt snorted. "Stupid lad! Why’d you do that? Of course it’ll get stolen! Do you think others haven’t thought of the same plan?"
The man was just like Tiber and Syla, he didn’t have the lifeless look like the others. I also noticed more "normal" people among them, but I didn’t have time to think about that right now.
I looked at Tiber, and the big man shrugged. "I doubt you’ll be able to catch the person. Or even if you know them, then what? Report them? This is the borderland, the labor camp. Nothing will happen, unless you catch them in the act."
Already, the workers were returning to their tunnels as if they couldn’t be bothered with anything I do.
I clenched my teeth as a wave of helplessness swelled within me. Just like that? Everything I’ve worked for since morning? Forget about lunch, at this rate, I’ll even work till midnight!
Syla’s gaze softened, and she said, "Maybe you can inform an overseer? I’ve never seen someone report this, but you can try."
I nodded, glad for something to do. I dropped my equipment and turned toward the main tunnel. I couldn’t believe I had been so stupid, why didn’t I think it would get stolen? My hand clenched, and my eyes narrowed.
There were already workers in line for the overseers, and I joined them. They gave me curious looks because I had no carts with me, but everyone was too tired to ask anything of anyone.
Each overseer was stationed beside a storage chamber.
When it got to my turn, the overseer gave me an impatient look without even raising his head from the book in front of him. He gestured for me to take the cart into the storage room beside him and asked, "Name?"
"Vale."
But when the man saw that I didn’t move, he looked up with a frown and a sneer already forming. "What is it?" he snapped.
The workers behind me were already mumbling, and those around me watched with curiosity. I took a deep breath and said calmly, "My starsalt was piled at the entrance of my tunnel because I wanted to do my first half all at once before bringing it here. But when I got back later, it had been stolen."
The overseer, a thin man wearing the red and black of the Steelclaw Alliance, blinked. He looked at me again and checked his book for my name. "Say that again?"
I calmly repeated what I said.
The man was so surprised that he laughed. "You’re reporting stolen starsalt to me? Ahaha! What a joke! Are you stupid? I know your type, you’ve been sleeping since morning and are now looking for an excuse to shirk your work!"
The man snorted and called to the other overseer beside him. "Did you hear that, Overseer Bram? His starsalt got stolen....and miraculously, it’s the first half of today!"
The other overseer snorted and glared at me from his place. "Whip him or something! At least he had the guts to fabricate something like this. He’s a bold one for sure."
’They’re not even taking this seriously’ I thought. I expected this, but still, my face burned with shame as everyone focused on me and gave me angry looks.
The workers looked at me with hostility. A lazy one who doesn’t want to work! Can’t you work like everyone else? Get out of here!
The overseer in front of me shook his head. "Get out of here and don’t come back with such foolish tricks. If you don’t meet your requirements for today, you’ll wish you had walked deeper into the tunnels! As if someone like you is smart enough to fool me!
"This is the borderland, even if it’s true your starsalt got stolen, then it’s only your fault for being weak. Everything that happens to you is your fault."
The words hit me like a physical blow. I stood there, stunned.
Everything that happens to me is my fault? It’s my fault....wait....it’s really my fault.
Because I let it happen to me.
I turned blindly and shoved my way out of the line. I ignored the hisses and glares sent my way. I nearly laughed on my way back to my wing, but I was feeling too many different emotions to do that.
But one thought was constant in my mind. I have almost forgotten that I am an Athrimir.
I entered the wing. The workers were back in their tunnels as if nothing had happened. But I wouldn’t just let it stay that way. I took a deep breath and picked up my tools and then I began to bang my pickaxe and shovel together again to draw them out.
Bang! Clang! Clang!
The sound revibrated through the tunnels and soon draw them out, their glares bouncing off me.
I didn’t let them speak before I shouted, "They said I should deal with it as I deem fit."
I let that sink in, and without giving them a chance, I pointed at my tunnel. "We can trace it. The reason I wanted to report it in the first place was because I wanted them to deal with it myself. Now, I’ll do that myself."
Tiber chuckled. "Oh, this should be interesting."
I walked toward my tunnel. "They made no effort to cover the tracks. You can see the way the starsalt started from my tunnel all the way over there!"