"The darkest thing?" Anna muttered,

Jack gnawed on a giant lobster. "I think the darkest thing is when the boss whips me hard with a belt."

Eric's mouth twitched. Was this really the darkest experience this fellow had encountered?

Anna put down her lobster. "We haven't seen much of the world, but I think the darkest thing is those deceitful men. I know what they're thinking when they look at me."

She concluded, "Human hearts are the darkest things in this world."

One sage spoke up. "What is the darkest? It's doing unspeakable things for personal gain or the benefit of a group, like the virus incident in Haevon."

The group paused, the gravity of the conversation hanging in the air. They hadn't initially planned to discuss such matters, but Eric's extravagant midnight snack had loosened their tongues. The expense was astronomical, something even sages couldn't indulge in without financial ruin.

After they spoke, Jack turned to Eric. "What about you, Mr. Johnson? Who are these peop