"White Pearl Street? Why are you asking about that?"
Sitting on the sofa, Grego, who had just taken a bite of bread, said with a frown. He had only heard rumors about that place just before getting off work.
"Oh, about that, Grego, you know, because we girls can't attend evening classes, our grades are always a bit behind the boys'." Dorothy said to Grego naturally. After listening, Grego also nodded in response.
"Hmm... I understand that. The current issue of unfair education between boys and girls is a very common phenomenon. Saint Amanda is already considered quite good, which is why I sent you here to study... But what does this have to do with White Pearl Street?"
"It's like this, I... I'm not very satisfied that the boys' grades are always ahead of mine, so recently I've been studying by myself in the school library to try and keep up."
"These past few days, I've been relying on the books in the library to study on my own, but after a while, I found that some book sets were incomplete, with missing volumes. This made it very difficult for me, and my self-study was affected. During the holidays, I went to bookstores in the city to look for those missing books, hoping to buy them to complete the sets, but unfortunately, most of the books in the school library are very old, and the bookstores only sell new books, so I couldn't find them for a while."
"After that, I asked the teachers at school if there was anywhere I could find those missing old books, and then a teacher suggested I could try looking on White Pearl Street. They said it's a second-hand market."
Dorothy explained seriously to Grego. The more Grego listened to Dorothy, the more solemn his expression became. After listening, he took another sip of milk before slowly speaking.
"Dorothy, your idea of wanting to improve your grades and catch up to the boys is very good. I'm very pleased that you have such ambition. However, I still need to remind you, it's best not to go to White Pearl Street."
"Don't go to White Pearl Street? Why? Isn't it a second-hand market?"
Hearing Grego's words, Dorothy tilted her head and spoke in a puzzled tone, while Grego replied in a serious voice.
"It's not just a simple second-hand market there. It's also a gathering place for countless good-for-nothings who dream of getting rich overnight, a street of loan sharks who devour people whole, and there are many gangs there... In short, the public order there is not very good. It's not safe for a young girl like you to go to a place like that. It's better not to go."
Grego said admonishingly, while Dorothy inwardly grumbled that she had already been there for four days.
"Oh, like that... Then I won't go..."
Listening to Grego, Dorothy continued, speaking with a disappointed expression and tone.
"It's a real shame. Without those books, I think it will probably be very difficult for me to study by myself and surpass those boys..."
Sitting on the sofa, Grego, who was drinking milk, saw his sister's disappointed expression beside him and suddenly felt a little soft-hearted. He put down his cup, thought for a moment, and then said decisively.
"Sigh... How about this? I should have half a day off this weekend. When that time comes, I'll take you to White Pearl Street. If I'm with you, then it will be fine."
"Ah, really? Then thank you so much, Grego!"
Hearing Grego's words, Dorothy's expression immediately brightened with joy, and Grego also said with a smile.
"You're welcome. After all, I'm your brother."
"Okay, then I'll go to school now. Goodbye."
"Take care."
After finishing the last piece of bread, Dorothy walked out of the living room. After she closed the door, a faint smile still lingered on her lips.
...
Igwinte during the day, on a certain street.
On the weekend, Dorothy and Grego, dressed in casual clothes, came out of a restaurant. Dorothy was wiping her mouth with a tissue, while Grego stood beside her and asked.
"How do you feel about the taste here?"
"It's okay. Well, now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, it's time to head to our destination, right?"
"Yes, of course..."
As he spoke, Grego walked to the roadside and hailed a carriage. Then, the two of them rode the carriage forward. After traveling through the city for a while, they finally arrived at White Pearl Street.
After getting off the carriage, Dorothy glanced at the familiar scene before her and spoke.
"Is this White Pearl Street? It feels like there are fewer people than on other streets, and the things displayed in the shops look so strange."
"Yes... this is it. Remember to stick close to me the whole time. Don't wander off, okay?" Grego said admonishingly, looking at the suspicious people loitering on the quiet street with wary eyes, while Dorothy nodded in reply.
"Okay! Got it!"
Next, Dorothy, who had completely changed her attire, followed Grego and walked around the familiar street. She saw Ke Li's pawn shop with its tightly shut door on the side of the street and a group of people gathered at its entrance. If you listened carefully to their argument, you would find that they were all people who originally supported Ke Li's gang, loudly arguing about how to divide the property Ke Li left behind. Looking at the situation, it seemed like a fight could break out at any moment, and there wasn't a single investigating police officer around.
'Heh... It seems no one cares where that missing guy actually went. They only care about how to divide the things he left behind. I'm afraid not even a single police report was filed. No wonder those guys could silence him without a second thought...'
Looking at the group of gang members at Ke Li's shop who were about to start a brawl, Dorothy thought this to herself, while Grego, seeing this scene, frowned and quickly urged Dorothy.
"Let's quickly go look elsewhere. Don't stay here..."
"Okay..."
Dorothy nodded, then quickened her pace with Grego. Soon, they reached the other end of White Pearl Street.
"Dorothy, the atmosphere on White Pearl Street isn't quite right lately. If we can't find the books, let's quickly go back."
Feeling the slightly subtle atmosphere around them, Grego said seriously. Dorothy, who was beside him, glanced around and then suddenly seemed to have found something, pointing forward and speaking.
"Ah, there's a second-hand bookstore over there. Let's go take a look!"
"A second-hand bookstore?"
Hearing Dorothy's words, Grego looked in the direction she was pointing, and then saw a shop sign.
"Barnard... Second-hand book collection? Hmm... There really is a place that specializes in selling old books. Let's go take a look."
Next, Dorothy walked to the bookstore with Grego. After opening the door, they entered a slightly dim space.
Rows of bookshelves made of old wooden planks were lined up, with old books placed on them one by one. The floor creaked under their feet. Near the door was the counter, and behind the counter, a young clerk looked at the siblings who entered with wary eyes.
"Excuse me, Mr., do you specialize in selling second-hand books here?"
Looking at the wary-looking clerk in front of her, Dorothy said.