Mag could spend more time on cooking now that Firis had taken over the duck-slicing job.

  A roasted duck could satiate 200 customers. As such, they could serve 500 customers during dinner time, and that was not including the ones that stood by the roadside eating food like beef kebabs and roujiamo.

  Mag had handled his workload with no problem, but Yabemiya and Sally looked like they could use some rest.

  Crap, I totally forgot to make the “we are hiring” flyer. Mag looked very worried. With Sally gone, we can’t hope to run such a large business.

  Mag looked at Sally who was clearing tables and realized he was still refusing to face the reality that she was leaving. He sighed. I’ll put up a recruitment poster tomorrow. I’ll cut the number of customers we can handle for now and raise it when I find someone suitable.

  Mag didn’t like the idea of having too many waitresses running about in the restaurant. He didn’t like the bustle and cramped feeling. This was roughly testament of his unconventional ways.

  When every customer had left and everything was spotlessly clean, Yabemiya and Babla joined arms and walked over to where Sally was standing. “Let’s go back, Aisha, it’s so cold.”


  Sally shook her head. “I have some business I need to tend to. You go on ahead.” She then put her arms around them and gave them a big hug. “I’m so fortunate, having you as my friends.”


  They didn’t know why she had suddenly gotten so emotional.

  “No, we’re the fortunate ones.” Yabemiya smiled. “Come home soon. Don’t stay out too late.”


  Babla gave Sally a long look before waving her hand, saying, “Bye.” Sally watched as they walked into the cold, dark night.

  “Why didn’t you tell them you’re leaving?” Mag asked.

  “I don’t want to make them sad.” Then she turned to face Mag with a smile. “Thank you, Mag, for letting me stay here and work for you.”


  “I should thank you. Miss Sally. The restaurant couldn’t have gotten where it is today without you.”


  Sally was taken by surprise. “How…… How did you find out?”


  “By accident.”


  Sally smiled. “I guess I should thank you again.”


  “No. I should thank you for not killing me.” Then Mag handed her a leather bag and a well-made music box. The bag was bound by a golden thread. The music box was covered by a glass dome, in which stood a half-elf girl in a purple dress.

  Sally took the music box in her hand. The half-elf girl closely resembled Amy.

  “A parting gift. You know how to use it, don’t you? She can do all the dances you learned here and some new dances. If she stops moving, just place the music box under the sun for half a day or so.”


  Sally looked on the verge of tears. “Thank you,” she said after staring at it for a while.

  “Come back whenever you want to. You can always eat here free of charge.” Mag gave her a warm smile, the same smile he had given her when she pushed the restaurant door open for the very first time.

  Sally nodded. “Thank you.” She put the music box and the money in her bag. She looked around the place where she had spent most of her days after she ran away from home. She had witnessed it grow from a small business to such a large one. It was a place she loved even more than her home.

  Sally turned to face Mag. “Say goodbye to Amy for me.” She smiled. “I will come back someday.”


  Mag smiled back. “You know where to find us.”


  “Bye, Mag.”


  “Bye, Sally.” Mag stood at the door and watched her fade into the night.

  “It’s so damn cold.” Mag wrapped his clothes tighter around himself. He walked inside and closed the door behind him. He then poured himself a glass of wine and downed it in one go.

  “Big Sister Aisha is not coming back, is she, Father?” Amy asked when she saw Mag coming up. She was sitting at the top of the stairs, holding Ugly Duckling in her arms.

  Mag walked up to her and stroked her head. “She will come back,” he said softly, “but not tomorrow.”


  Amy raised her eyes. “What about the day after tomorrow?”


  Mag shook his head. “But she loves you, so she’ll definitely come back to see you someday.”


  Amy’s face lit up but fell again. “I didn’t tell her I love her too.”


  “She knows. She is a grown-up, so she can tell that you love her.”


  “Really? I will tell her I love her when I see her again.”
……

  “Have you said your goodbyes to your friends?” Elliot asked Sally at the top of a mountain outside the city.

  “You know I’m not good at saying goodbye,” Sally said calmly.

  Elliot paused a moment. “Do you hate me, Sally?”


  Sally didn’t answer. She stared off into the distance, her face reflective. “Are we bandits, Father?”


  Elliot frowned. “Of course not. We’re elves, protected by the God of Life.”


  Sally looked him in the eye. “But what’s the difference between what we’re doing now and what the bandits do?”


  Elliot opened his mouth but made no reply.

  “I hate it, so I’m going to destroy it.” With that, she turned around and left.