Hi, Tanuki chan here
I'm really sorry I didn't post the chapter yesterday. I was feeling really down and honestly didn't have the energy to do anything. Something really frustrating happened: Patreon suddenly deleted the account I've been working so hard on. They said it was due to "suspicious activity" but I literally didn't do anything wrong.
I've been super upset about it because I've put so much effort into building it, and it just disappeared overnight T-T
I'm not sure what to do now. Should I try to contact Patreon and fight to get it back? Or should I just make a new one and start over from scratch? I'd really love your advice on this because I feel kind of lost right now.
Thank you for being patient with me, and again I'm sorry for the delay. I promise I'll make it up to you soon
....
The rector wouldn't see him. Nor would the dean. Not even the general coordinator, the one who used to call him "sweet Santi" with an almost motherly smile. Santiago had spent the past few hours roaming offices, sending emails, pulling the invisible strings that once opened doors. Now, he was met only with silence.
—We're not authorized to speak on that matter, Santiago —one of the secretaries told him in a clipped tone.
He smiled, nervously.
—I just want to talk, to clarify…
—Please leave.
The door shut in his face without another word.
Santiago gripped the folder under his arm. Inside were the fake documents—the ones he had circulated in his defense. He left the building through a side door. Around him, students filled the hallways and staircases. Organized protests, posters with his face crossed out, phrases written in blood-red ink: "PREDATOR," "LIAR," "JUSTICE."
He put on his sunglasses. Lowered his head. Walked aimlessly.
…
Semiel locked himself in the third-floor bathroom. He couldn't keep pretending. Couldn't act like everything was fine. He had handed over the information, done his part, crossed a line he once swore never to touch.
He leaned against the cold wall and let the tears fall silently. His body trembled without a sound. No one saw. No one knew how much it hurt. In the hallway, voices carried on. Someone laughed. Another argued about an exam. University life went on, as if nothing had happened.
Semiel wiped his face. Looked in the mirror. The mask was still in place.
He would walk out. Smile. Pretend.
For Saval.
…
That night, Saval didn't sleep. He tossed and turned, replaying Santiago's words over and over. He thought of Antonella—her recent coldness, her absence. He thought of Semiel, of the way he avoided things lately. Everything felt heavy, thick, like a swamp that pulled him deeper with every step.
He got up and walked out into the garden. The moon hung high above. The campus was nearly empty. He sat on a bench and stared at his hands.
—What if it was all a lie? —he whispered.
There was no answer.
Only the wind, the dry leaves, and the echo of broken loyalties hanging in the air.