Chapter 135 An Ordinary Oddity

MARIUS

I had to send Skylark away once I eventually realized that his body next to mine, as we sat together leaning against a tree, was emanating immense heat that made me feel dizzier as time went by. He was still concerned and needed a bit of convincing, but eventually left, saying that I could come find him at the exhibition hall again when I felt better.

Once he left, I began to cool down.

As I suspected. It was Skylark being too warm-bodied that initiated my heatstroke. Just something to note and keep in mind, I told myself.

I then headed back to the main building, regaining strength again with each step. And that’s when I saw Skylark, again, spot me from a hundred paces away and run towards me, again, waving his hand. I gestured for him to slow down, for I was worried that the clumsy boy could trip over his feet at any time—though he’d been getting better at not doing that recently—but he seemed to be in a hurry.

So I walked towards him a little faster too.

We met midway, and after he caught his breath, he said to me,

“Mario—Mathias is looking for you.”

My mind immediately registered it as something to be alarmed about. The Second Consort inviting Blanche to come and see her was something that Falken would have expected me to report.

And I didn’t.

But then I told myself—Blanche, a student like any other at the Royal Academy, leaving the campus during the daytime was a minor transgression. Perhaps something to be reprimanded for if caught by a teacher, but not something that must be reported to Imperial Welfare.

Besides, there was no good reason at the moment to think that what Falken wanted to see me for had anything to do with Blanche.

“I think it’s about Blanche,” Skylark said.

This wasn’t good.

“Where is he?” I asked him.

“I saw him walking towards the festival field, probably to look for Blanche.”

“Why is he looking for her?”

“I don’t know.”

“How did he find out Blanche was missing?”

“Well… he saw Liesel wearing Blanche’s dress… that’s when he suddenly went like—cold, maybe?—and asked where she was.”

Something tingled my senses. A heavy feeling in my stomach.

“You are not telling me about something, aren’t you, Skylark?”

“Eh? I keep no secrets from you, Mario.”

I studied his face.

“You know something about Falken and Blanche,” I said.

“Er… I… suppose?”

“What do you know?”

“Why are you asking… Mario?”

He seemed conflicted. I hated to make him feel uncomfortable, but dots started to connect in my mind.

Falken was interested in Blanche because of her ability to draw in the dark. I didn’t know how ‘useful’ that was, but it was something ‘extraordinary.’ And Falken was always interested in such things. For one reason or another.

But Skylark had no knowledge of Blanche’s particular ability—unless he saw her do it?

Where, though? And when?

“What do you know about Blanche?”

“Mario—I… I don’t want to lie to you and stuff. But you know, like, erm—I don’t want to talk behind Blanche’s back either…”

He was being honest about it. I could tell. Skylark couldn’t lie. It just wasn’t in his nature—and I greatly respected him for it. And for that, I normally would have left it at that. But after what I discussed with Isabelle and Thomas earlier…

“Does Falken know that you know something about Blanche?”

“We never talked about her…”

There was no way to read what Falken was thinking. But it was a risk. It was one thing for Falken to find out Blanche had sneaked out of the campus. It was another thing for him to find out that I helped her with it. But for him to find out, or worse, already know that Skylark was involved in any of it and not saying anything about it… that meant something. Something I could not even begin to understand. But it felt dangerous—an instinct I knew I had to trust now.

“Marius.”

I did my absolute best not to freeze when I heard Falken’s voice come from behind.

“Thank you for finding him, Leo. You may go back to the exhibition hall and help your friend,” Falken told Skylark.

Skylark looked at me like he didn’t want to leave, but Falken, who stepped forward and stood between us now, told him to go with his eyes.

So Skylark had to leave.

“How may I help you, Sir?”

“I learned that Blanche has gone missing.”

“I could look for her, Sir. If that is your wish.”

“It is my belief that she has already left the campus.”

“Why would she do that?”

“Did you see her leave while you were by the campus entrance?”

How—how did he know I was by the entrance for the past hour or so? Did he see me from a distance? What was he doing outside? I wasn’t in a spot that was easily visible from the festival field—only someone like Skylark, who went looking for me, could see me.

Either way—he knew.

There was no reason to tell him anything other than the truth that I was at the entrance.

But as to whether I saw Blanche leave…

I felt like I was choosing heads or tails in a coin flip where both choices would lead to failure.

I couldn’t spend too long before giving Falken an answer. Answering him any later than now would be practically confirming that I saw her.

“I didn’t see her, Sir.”

Falken studied me carefully.

Then he asked,

“Did you see anyone unusual?”

If he saw me by the gate, he would have noticed someone unusual himself.

“There were many outsiders who came to visit the festival, Sir.”

Falken’s eyes asked me: ‘but?’

“But I saw one woman who seemed particularly tall for a lady.”

“What’s your assessment on that?”

“She wasn’t just tall, but actually seemed well-built. That’s what caught my eye, Sir. So I thought maybe she was an alumna of the Royal Knights Academy, coming to visit the festival.”

“Did she enter the campus?”

There was no telling how much Falken saw—however he saw.

“No, Sir.”

“Wasn’t that odd? An alumna coming to visit the festival and leaving without entering?”

“It does sound odd when you put it that way.”

“But not worth reporting, of course.”

“I’m sorry, Sir. I wouldn’t have thought of it as something to report to you. Just an ordinary oddity.”

“An ordinary oddity. Interesting, Marius.”

I swallowed quietly.

“What made you just brush it off?” he asked again.

I had to think quickly and be fluent here.

“Because she left with someone who came out of the campus, Sir. I thought maybe she was just waiting for her friend.”

“What was her ‘friend’ wearing?”

“A green dress, Sir.”

“You have good eyes, Marius. And a good memory. That’s good.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Let’s go look for the green-dress-wearing lady, then.”

“Excuse me?”

“You saw her. You’d recognize her better than me.”

“I didn’t see her face, though, Sir.”

“That is unfortunate.”

“I’m sorry, Sir.”

“Because I suspect that was Blanche. But you didn’t know that. Because if you saw Blanche wearing a different dress and leaving the campus with strangers, you would have recognized it as an oddity.”

“Certainly, Sir.”

“I don’t blame you for being fooled. But you will help me find her.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Let’s go, then.”

“Yes, Sir.”

With that, Falken began to walk towards the campus entrance.

We were heading out to find Blanche.

Or, rather, Falken was heading out to find Blanche.

I was following him while knowing exactly why she had left, although I had no idea ‘where’ she might be.

A realization sat heavily in my chest.

I had crossed the line and lied to Falken.

I had looked him in the eyes and said I did not see Blanche.

That was a lie.

My father had always said that once a man found himself needing to lie about his actions, he should first consider whether the actions themselves were shameful.

Was I ashamed?

I searched myself for the answer.

No.

That frightened me more than the lie itself.

Falken walked several paces ahead of me, his hands calmly behind his back, looking no different from the man I had followed and trusted countless times before. But his strides were faster than I was familiar with seeing from him—except for that one time in Hoffberg when Code I was declared.

Above us, the five eagles I had noticed earlier circling in the sky started to head in different directions.

“Something interesting?” Falken asked without turning around.

I immediately lowered my eyes.

“No, Sir.”

“Good.”

He kept walking.

So did I.

I told myself there was still nothing to prove that Falken meant Blanche harm. There was nothing to prove he meant Skylark harm either. Suspicion without evidence was an insult.

But blindly dismissing a risk because I disliked its implication was a danger.

Whatever happened from here, there was one thing I could no longer deny.

If Falken asked me to choose between his trust and Skylark’s safety, I already knew which one I would choose.