This Beast-Tamer is a Little Strange

Kain set the white journal aside, his chest tightening as he picked up the black book. Its worn cover seemed heavier in his hands, as if the secrets written inside had a tangible weight.

Cherry had always been a naturally curious—and remarkably nosy—child, but the black journals were infamous within the orphanage.

Everyone knew they contained more than idle musings or playground drama—no that stuff was for the white journals.

The black journals were her treasure troves of secrets, carefully cataloged through her relentless eavesdropping and keen observation.

He flipped open the book, and the pages immediately revealed her meticulous nature. Each entry was written with precision, every line crisp and legible.

While the white journals more closely resembled a child's diary, the black journals more closely resemble the meticulous notes that a detective would be making on an ongoing case.

Kain's eyes skimmed over a few entries, his unease growing with every sentence.

[A Mrs. H that lives in a nearby red bricked house and runs a local bakery has been living with someone who isn't her husband whenever her husband leaves to travel for work. I innocently asked about it when I went to visit previously, and I haven't had to pay for cookies since!]

The very first entry of the book, which only includes her discoveries of the past year, made Kain slowly close his eyes in shame and resignation. Serena also turned to look at Kain with a deadpan expression—this was the cute and innocent younger sibling that he'd described to her?

'Seriously Cherry! Is this the kind of stuff a child should be investigating?! Not to mention blackmail! And if you were going to use code names to hide Mrs. Hayward's identity, don't include so much identifying information!'

Kain flipped the page that suddenly felt extremely heavy to look at the next entry.

[A certain Mr. JC is a crook! He parades himself around like he's a great handyman, but I saw him intentionally break the satellite on a certain family's roof in order to get their business! Not to mention that he will make up additional stuff being wrong so that he could charge his customers more!]

Kain's mind immediately brought up the image of James "Jiffy" Carpenter who had an an approachable, down-to-earth appearance. He always greeted people by name, remembered small details about their lives, and was always prompt in offering his services if someone needed a repair…

Even the orphanage had called him over a few times, but was this his true nature?

This was exactly why Kain and the others were reluctant to dig through these black journals.

One moment they were your most admired teacher who you looked up to greatly, and the next their pristine image in your heart was forever shattered after you found out they regularly partake in illicit orgies with up to a dozen participants at a time—yes, this was a recounting of Kain's personal experience…

Pretty much everyone in the orphanage goes through a phase where they initially are curious and relish in wanting to find out the secrets in the black journals, until they read something about someone that they wish they'd never learned. By now, not a single person in the orphanage wished to read these books.

Kain sighed heavily, closing his eyes briefly before daring to flip to the next entry. As much as he dreaded reading further, he needed to understand the trail Cherry might have followed to her disappearance.

The secrets she uncovered, scandalous as they were, could hold the key. After all, the hundreds of secrets in these black books, were hundreds of reasons that someone may want to get rid of her.

[A certain elementary school principal Mr. B, has been embezzling funds! The school's budget reports that I borrowed from the staffroom when nobody was around showed there's money allocated for repairs and new supplies every term, but the leaks in the gym roof are still there, and I overheard him talking about his new boat last week!]

"Seriously Cherry! Just use the full name if your going to half-ass concealing their identities!" Kain couldn't help yelling out loud in exasperation.

Meanwhile, Serena's lips twitched slightly in amusement. It's only because she has no chance of someone she knows and likes ending up in these books that she could be so relaxed!

He flipped another page, and this one made him audibly groan.

[The mayor's son, W, has been sneaking out at night to meet various female "workers"! One of these "workers" accosted him at the mayor's home in broad daylight with a small bundle wrapped in blankets in her arms, demanding financial support before she was escorted away by security. Unfortunately, she was unaware that there were probably close to 20 such illegitimate children that have unsuccessfully tried to get recognized by the mayor's family.]

Kain rubbed his temples, his frustration mounting. Why did Cherry feel the need to meddle in such things? Their ordinary neighbours were one thing, the mayor, who is one of the strongest beast-tamers in the city, was another!

[A certain tutor with the initials HC, and whose last name rhymes with 'Lost,' came to the school yesterday and she was talking to the headmaster, and I swear she slipped him a thick envelope—was it money?]

Kain assumed that this entry was about Heather. Her giving money to the top person at an elementary school raised his suspicions of her further.

[There is someone new in town and he gives me a bad feeling. I had never seen him before, and I should at least recognize everyone that's local. However, he probably isn't just passing through since I've been occasionally catching glimpses of him for weeks now. A glowing blue orb dropped from his pocket one time as we passed each other. It looks expensive! A new addition to add to my collection!]

Kain turned to look at the spiritual orb on Cherry's dresser that, based on the colour and spiritual power it was emitting, came from a blue-grade spiritual creature.

Suddenly Heather was thrown from his mind. Someone with the strength and/or finances to obtain a blue-grade spiritual orb would not typically choose to settle down in Brightstar City. Although it was his home and he was fond of it, Kain had to acknowledge that it was a barren wasteland for beast-tamers above 3-stars, without any valuable resources.

Probably the biggest advantage of Brightstar City is the trusting and welcoming nature of its citizens for one another, meaning that children aren't easily skeptical of a strange adult wanting to talk to them…

Whoever this unidentified man was, he had definitely moved toward the top of Kain's list.