BLOODY LOVE'S
Chapter 36's

“You saved all this?” ask Jose.

“Not all of me, sometimes my sister, sometimes neighbors also help. This is not specifically mine,” Nolan explained honestly. His heart was a little pleased to see Jose's interest. “But I used to organize everything, and I brought more than others!” he was proud, suddenly wanted to show off. “See that neatly mountainous triangular shape? I'm the one who set it.”

Actually he also wanted to say that only he cared about the neatness of storage, that the dry had to be put at the bottom and the damp on top, as well as other small things. But Nolan held his tongue knowing that even if the topic was fun for him, Jose obviously would not be interested. Instead, the boy-looking girl simply asked in a not-so-difficult voice, “Search what's here? If you want to buy firewood, in the North Bjork market will sell a dry and good?”

“I'm not here to buy firewood, that's right.” Jose laughed amusedly, making Nolan realize that the one in front of him was a young master. How could the man go for a walk buying house necessities.

“Continue, what do you want?”

Jose did not answer immediately. When asked what he was visiting Nolan for, he did not really understand himself. Everything about the conspiracy of his two uncles makes Jose confused. He still can't read what really happened. Even the search for an intruder who sniffed last night now feels like a dream. The sunny day made him slightly forget the horror he had experienced last night at the Higgins cottage.

Jose turned to Nolan, then cleared his throat slowly before asking, “You have time, right? Want to go together?”

Nolan raised his eyebrows up high.

Nolan usually does not accept solicitation from foreigners—let alone the rich. But Jose is still an interesting person for him. He usually only talks to ugly and dirty street people, and knows nothing. Talking and joking with Jose stimulated Nolan's brain a little. He recalled the look of admiration his family had last night when Jose asked him to speak. The arrival of people from the North was not unusual at all, and Nolan was proud to be one of the people who received unusual guests. But that pride suddenly felt ridiculous. Nolan quickly brushed it off.

They crossed the path to the surface of the Bjork Protected Forest. The place was bright and the tree was not the kind that grew docked. Nolan used to look for mushrooms and herbs there, although he did not dare to go further than fifty meters. After that distance, the trees will get closer and the moss even grows on the ground, making the road slippery.

“Kutebak you came not because of your necklace,” Nolan break the atmosphere. They've been quiet for almost ten minutes.

Jose followed him jumping over a dead tree trunk that crossed the road. The tree was large and slippery because of the dew, its diameter was almost as deep as a meter, but Jose jumped at it easily, leaving Nolan a little amazed.

“Callung?” The man asked lightly, but then corrected himself while nodding his head. “Oh, you mean the necklace that was yesterday. No, it's not because of that. Uncle Marco has kept it in the study. Maybe he'll find the owner soon. Where are we going?”

“To the river, my job now is to find fish." Nolan shows him his fishing gear that he had brought before taking Jose into the forest.

“I've never been fishing. Can I try it later?”

Nolan found it funny to hear Jose's question. The Northmen he knew usually used a commanding tone whenever talking to his people. This was the first time he had heard a respectable person politely ask to be allowed to try fishing.

“Why?”

“The dream of such things. If you don't dare to hold it, it's free, I won't want to pair the bait for you.”

Nolan guessed that Jose would give a polite refusal and rethink fishing, but the man turned out to be even stranger than he originally thought. Jose ran a little by his side, smiled witfully and said, “Worms and insects? That's a small one! I eat animals like that every day for breakfast!”

Nolan laughed amusedly. “Alright, I now understand that you are indeed strange! But I'm sure, no matter how weird a person like you is, there's no way you'd come here to be taught how to fish! Just tell me what you want! I don't like the mess!”

Jose laughed, realizing that although Nolan was always talking bitterly and rudely, the girl remained full of curiosity and interest. He likes the way Nolan talks, the rough and reckless way he walks, and the girl's overtness.

“My friend is missing today,” he said as he followed Nolan's steps through wild shrubs. They reached the open plain. The short green grass is visible as far as the eye can see.

Two meters in front of them was a clear stream. The color is completely clear until the base is clearly visible. There are fat and flat fish running agilely from edge to edge, sometimes stopping briefly at the edge to wash water plants. The river looked shallow and soft, but Nolan immediately warned Jose not to throw himself. Although it looks shallow, actually the river is deep. The gurgling sound of water is the sound of birds squeaking. In the open air that was spilled by the sunlight, last night's events really felt like a mere dream for Jose. If only Dave hadn't disappeared.

“You mean ‘hilang’ it how?” Nolan doesn't actually talk while fishing. The fish can escape. The news from Jose is not interesting either. People are lost every day in his place, news of such a thing has long been uninteresting. Just because he wanted to chat with Jose, he responded accordingly.

Jose sat on the grass beside Nolan, not caring though his clothes would get dirty from the ground. He noticed the girl putting a fat worm on the hook, then fixed the buoy decorated with chicken feathers.

“Now, yesterday we were supposed to meet, but he didn't come. Therefore, I got lost to your house.” Jose nodded as if giving firmness about time. “This afternoon I just found out that he never came home. Not only did he not see me, but he disappeared from the city. As swallowed by the earth, no one knows where he is.”

Nolan glanced back, “So, your friend came south of Bjork?”

“No. I told you, we promised to meet, but he didn't come.”

“Does he have any interest in South Bjork?”

Jose frowned confusedly, then shook his head. “No, as far as I'm not. He was the type of young master who liked to spread charm, preferring to party rather than adventure. I don't think he'll have any needs here.”