I stood at the side of a anti-Varian protest as I watched them rally.
The crowd was mixed with both genders angry at the Great Dukes death.
Just how popular was this guy anyway.
"Hey Laura? Just how influential was this Great Duke?" I asked her beside me.
"Huh? Hmm...well ever since he was granted that title, our daily lives actually improved significantly.
Before you were born, the world was at a fast political and economic modernization but we were lacking behind. Still doing manual labor jobs and farming, our only reliable trade was flour to keep the economy stable but the daily life was much worse.
When he took power, he made lot of drastic modernization with building large factories and mines as well more trades.
Because of this, the economy improved but it didn't end just there.
After that, he tried improving our citizens lives with raised salaries for the average people.
He's also responsible for the funding of schools and free education even for the lower classes."
Huh...no wonder the people liked him so much.
I guess it makes sense for why they were angry.
But why did the Varians assassinate him?
Could it be that the Nathland government exploited them of their resources?
I mean that was the only logical explanation I could think of.
Which further explains why we were so advanced in the first place.
I looked at her to ask another question.
But saw her eyes filled with worry and intrigue.
"Is everything ok?" I asked.
"Huh? Oh! It's nothing, I was just...thinking of something..." She replied.
"Thinking about what exactly?"
"It's none of your business. Just personal stuffs really."
Personal huh.
Well I don't like that.
"Personal huh? Well I won't poke you further but can I get a newspaper?"
"A newspaper? What do you need that for?" She said.
"Personal stuffs really." I gave a smug smile at her.
She scoffed, knowing what I just did.
"Alright then, I won't poke you further." She said.
Ah! I know what you did there but that doesn't work for me though.
I held her hand as I followed her through the streets.
***
"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" A young boy yelled out as he waved a newspaper.
"Hey there kid, how much for one." Laura asked.
"One Centime please."
Laura pulled one silver coin from her pocket and gave it to the paperboy.
And soon he gives her the newspaper.
"Here, if you like it." She then gave me the newspaper.
I opened it up to read the latest news.
Only to see one large headline that read.
Funding pulled off.
What does that mean?
I looked closer to further acquire the news.
After the recent assassination of the Great Duke, the government has announced major defunding of many industries and is currently reverting all of it into the industrial industry and military funding.
Increasing their funds to 67% higher than the day before the assassination.
Fuck.
I immediately gave it to Laura to read this.
"What's wrong?" She said.
"Have you heard this?" I yelled.
"No? I usually don't read newspapers honestly."
"The government is defunding many industries. Which could mean that the educational industry would be defunded to fuel their war!
Don't you get it? They are about to declare war on them!" I yelled.
But Laura just watched with no change on her facial expression.
"Why aren't you scared right now?" I asked nervously.
Laura just stood there, almost frozen but not out of fear.
It was something deeper, more personal.
"I'm..." She paused.
I saw her stoic face before I exhaled.
"Nevermind. I'm sorry for being angry before but...
the only important thing right now is that we probably won't get free education anymore.
Which means that I probably can't get into university and get us out of this hellhole."
I gripped the newspaper tightly.
The only thing I could think of was the fear of my...
No.
Our future.
Me, Laura, Sabine and my friends.
Who knew what will happen next.
But I will help my family anyway.
"Laura." I said.
"Hmm?" She tilted her head sightly.
"Are kids allowed to work at factories?"
"What!? Your not thinking of working there right?"
"Tuitions are going to be expensive and you two will have to work your butt off just so that I can attend school and I don't wanna see you give your life away just so that I could.
Come on! I could get paid, I could help this family out!" I said.
Laura was baffled at my words but what could she say?
Yes, the tuitions would probably be more expensive especially for them.
"Let's just...ask mom."
I nodded.
But then I felt something wet touch my hands.
I raised it to look at it to see a single droplet of water.
And then another.
And another.
I looked up to see the clouds became darker and thick.
"It's gonna rain soon, we should make a run for it!" Said Laura.
I nodded slightly and used the newspaper as like an umbrella.
Before then, we started running.
The rain got heavier and heavier with each step.
Making my clothes wet.
We ran as fast as we could to head home.
***
I ran through the muddy road as I climbed up the hill to my home.
Before I tripped on a piece of rock.
slamming my face straight to the ground.
"Goddammit!" I yelled at myself looking at my ruined muddy clothes.
"Take my hand!"
I saw Laura extend her hands to me which I grabbed.
But the moment I did, she pulled me to her and then carried me.
Carrying me like a princess.
Woah!
She dashed up the hill with ease as if I didn't slow her down.
As we went closer I saw Sabine in the middle of the rain.
What was she doing there.
I looked closer to see her trying to help someone's horse carriage off from the mud.
But before I could do or say anything, Laura just ran past them.
"I just saw mom!" I yelled.
"Me too but we really should head home first."
I slightly nodded.