Chapter 174 - Misgivings (4)

Luna carefully studied my face and asked, "Is it... someone you know?"

"Yes. A senior from the Art Club."

"...Are you close?"

"No. We've barely even talked."

Luna was being cautious as if thinking Fabella might go easy on her if we were friends. I added more to ease her concern.

"She's someone unrelated to me. Don't worry and prepare comfortably."

Luna nodded lightly.

"Have you heard anything about this Senior Ruscus? I can't gauge their strength level."

She shook her head.

"Sorry..."

"No, nothing to be sorry about. Let's disperse for now."

"Okay..."

"By the way, did you return that murder potion book?"

"..."

Luna was startled upon hearing my words. I'd just thrown that out to lighten the mood, but she seemed quite flustered. She stood frozen for a moment before taking a book from her bag and putting it back in its place. 

Is it just my imagination or did she seem reluctant to part with the book? 

She hung her head in embarrassment and left the archive.

***

I killed some time after Luna left before slipping out of the archive.

And there I encountered someone completely unexpected.

Cecil was standing with crossed arms in front of the archive door. As if waiting for someone.

I had no connection with Cecil when not wearing my mask. I smoothly pretended not to see her. As I was passing by, Cecil spoke, "The Third Archive usually doesn't get many visitors."

"...?"

"In the same space as Luna, who has no connection to alchemy... what were you doing?"

My heart sank. 

How did Cecil notice our secret meetings?

Is she suspicious of me because she knew about Luna's relationship with Candy? Did she catch on since the duchess escort mission? 

I racked my brain as quickly as possible.

"If you're curious, why didn't you come in?"

"Yeah, maybe I should have barged in to see what was happening. Does Trisha know about this?"

If she's bringing up Trisha... maybe she doesn't suspect I'm Candy yet. 

I answered as nonchalantly as possible, "Are you busy with my personal research?"

"Right. Research that involves following innocent-looking girls around."

"Why don't you mind your own business?"

"No, I need to know."

I shook my head as if disgusted. Cecil paused for a beat before continuing in a rather serious tone, "...You're very suspicious."

"..."

I broke eye contact and left as if there was no reason to continue the conversation.

Though I acted calm until leaving the library, inside I nearly screamed.

Because I felt that Cecil... might start suspecting my identity. Given that she knew about my contact with Luna, it was entirely possible.

Didn't Professor Candinella say she'd handled it well? Was it really done properly?

I headed straight to Professor Candinella's office as soon as I left the Central Library.

Professor Candinella brought out tea made with dried oranges and placed it before me.

"Drink. It's good for energy."

"Thank you."

She sat on the sofa opposite me and sipped her tea.

"You say Cecil seems suspicious?"

"Yes..."

"Did she specifically say she suspected your identity?"

"No, but..."

"Hmm... well, I think differently. With the measures we've taken, she won't know. Why don't you try meeting that girl while wearing your mask?"

"Wouldn't it be more suspicious to suddenly ask to meet in this situation?"

Candinella leisurely sipped her tea. This professor really didn't seem to think the situation was serious.

"Just try meeting her. If more problems arise, we'll devise other countermeasures."

"..."

"Besides, Cecil isn't stupid enough to do anything rash even if she knew your identity. While being careful isn't bad, there's no need to be overly afraid."

I left the professor's office without getting any particular solution.

What is Professor Candinella thinking to suggest meeting?

What exactly had she done regarding Cecil...

I returned to the Labyrinth, and gathered my mask and the Stitch connected to Cecil. Then I wrote a note asking if we could meet when convenient and sent it flying.

After waiting a while by the Guardian Tree, the reply came faster than expected.

[Come to the top of the clock tower in the evening.]

It was an unfamiliar place I'd never been to before. Perhaps due to being overly sensitive, I couldn't easily shake off my unease.

The clock tower was the tallest building in Eternia. Because of this, one could see it from anywhere on campus.

I didn't even know one could climb it.

On the top floor, huge steel gears moved regularly. Cecil was already waiting on a small balcony meant for maintenance.

"Candy, come here!" Cecil called out when she saw me.

She sat with her legs dangling over the railing with a clear view of the outside scenery and patted the space beside her.

"Sit."

I sat where she indicated and admired the view. Not only could I see Eternia's landscape, but I could also take in Rigved's geography at a glance.

"Is there a reason you wanted to meet here?"

"How is it? Nice, right? This is the highest place after Mount Grace."

"Nice. Except for those brutal stairs."

"...You climbed the stairs when there's a magic pulley?"

Why didn't she tell me about that beforehand? 

Cecil laughed at my speechless expression.

"Candy, you're cute when you're being stupid sometimes."

"..."

"Come on, sit. I want to make this our secret place. We talked about making one before, remember? No need to worry about others' eyes. The atmosphere is nice too."

"I didn't even know this place existed."

"I originally had my eye on the Central Library's Third Archive, but someone had already claimed it."

I quietly swallowed. 

Luna and I were the ones who had claimed that place. 

Is this why Cecil had discovered our secret spot? We shouldn’t use the Third Archive again now that we have been discovered once.

Though Cecil didn't seem to think Candy and I were the same person, I couldn't relax. She might be testing me.

"The clock tower seems better for secret conversations."

"Yes. I had something I wanted to talk to you about, and maybe today's the right time to say it."

"...What did you want to talk about?"

Cecil stared blankly at the scenery below as she spoke, "...No, never mind. Thinking about it, I'd better not say it."

"It's okay, tell me."

"..."

From her expression, it seemed something had been bothering her.

Cecil kept her mouth tightly shut for a moment, then suddenly turned to me and said, "Why did you pretend not to know me?"

What did she mean? Is she testing me about ignoring her in the library? How many times is this woman going to make my heart skip beats today?

"Did I do that?"

"You clearly saw me. I even waved, but you just walked past like you didn't see me."

What? Besides seeing her once before leaving for the duchess escort mission, I couldn't remember anything. Is she mistaken about something?

"When did you see me?"

"About two weeks ago near the Guardian Tree. You ignored me, and do you know how much I've been thinking about it?"

"...?"

Cecil, seemingly having built up resentment, poured out her words, "You take all my research results and tools. Then suddenly cut off contact. After that, you clearly see me but pretend not to. I had all sorts of thoughts. Did you use me and end our friendship? Am I just someone to carry bombs? Or just a helper? Was I the only one who thought we were friends? I couldn't even sleep because I felt so hurt."

Listening to it, it did sound like terrible behavior... but two weeks ago, I was staying in the Principality. There was almost no chance Cecil mistook someone else for me, but if she saw me in Eternia, did she see an illusion?

Maybe this was the "measure" Professor Candinella mentioned. Did they deceive Cecil with illusion magic or something similar?

"I must have been too busy to see you."

"No. You saw me and ignored me."

"The mask limits my vision."

"You adapt just fine during fights, but suddenly now?"

"Can't wipe sweat from my eyes either. And if I wanted to end our friendship, I wouldn't have called you like this."

"True, if you hadn't asked to meet, I would have been much angrier. Well, I'm still angry, but I would have been even more angry."

"You're one of my few friends, why would I abandon you?"

"Hmph, probably because I'm one of the few useful people. There are hardly any girls in the world who'd be friends with someone as ugly as you."

Cecil seemed quite hurt.

"Why do you think I'm ugly?"

"I just know. You look like you'd be super ugly."

Her attitude of unilaterally condemning me seemed heavily influenced by hurt feelings. Since I'd received help from her before, I should repay her and help calm her anger.

"...I called you here to repay you for your help. Your assistance was really valuable. The mission went well too."

"What did you do that you needed so many bombs? Did you complete some great mission?"

"...I'll tell you when we become closer. Getting involved carelessly could get people hurt."

"..."

Fortunately, she seemed to accept my vague explanation somewhat.

"I owe you a big debt. I'll gladly help if you need anything. Is there anything you need?"

Cecil thought carefully with a face that showed her anger hadn't fully subsided.

"...No."

"Really?"

"Well... not yet. When the time comes, I'll collect my due, so be prepared."

Relationships grew stronger through giving and receiving favors. Cecil was someone worth investing time and effort in.

I stood up. As Professor Candinella said, it wasn't something to be overly afraid of. With whatever illusion magic they'd used to create an alibi, it would be hard for her to be suspicious.

"I'll get going then. Call me if you need a drinking buddy."

***

Cecil remained sitting on the clock tower railing even after Candy left.

Clouds had gathered, and sharp winds cut through the gaps in the clock tower. Her long hair whipped about wildly, but she remained motionless, lost in thought.

She quietly watched his figure grow as small as a dot below.

Though nothing quite added up, suspicion was blooming in her heart.

"Suspicious. Too suspicious..."

***

I immediately moved to gather intelligence about my sparring opponent.

Getting information about Ruscus, my opponent, wasn't difficult.

This was because of my Art Cluc seniors. Though not as prominent as the main special clubs, the members were sufficient to help me.

Art Club President Haley took a bite of an apple that a first-year had brought for still life practice and said:

"That Ruscus?"

"Yes."

"You got a tricky opponent. Of course, our new student is strong and cute and proper... and I'm rooting for you, but first-years rarely beat seniors. Well, that Sion or Simon or whatever might be different, but let's consider them an exception. With average freshman skills, it won't be easy."

"How did they do in previous sparring evaluations?"

"Well. They probably haven't lost yet."

"Do you know their fighting style?"

"Since we're both in the Combat Department, sure. The thing is, they rarely fought at full strength in previous evaluations. And they can use magic despite being in the Combat Department. They handle both sword and magic. It gives you a headache just thinking about it, right? They're also really passionate, even taking private magic lessons during the last winter break. And... above all, they have this cunning quality. Honestly, that's why I never wanted to get close to them."

"..."

Haley suddenly turned her brush upside down and poked my thigh with the end.

"Still, I think our first-year who caused such a big incident in the Principality can win. Let's talk about that separately later. Everyone in the Art Club, including me, is dying with curiosity. What did you do? Is it true you're close enough with the Duchess to speak informally?"

"That... I'll tell you soon."

Suddenly, Art Club Vice-President  Zenia burst through the greenhouse door and shouted, "Hey! What are you doing alone with the first-year?"

Haley gestured welcomingly and said, "Come here. Our cute junior needs help."

Zenia shook her head.

"More importantly, something else came up. The first-year brought another vix—I mean, someone else."

Zenia pointed behind her with her thumb.

An unfamiliar woman stood at the greenhouse entrance.

Zenia looked over my expression and said, "First-year, do you know her?"

"...No."

"She says she absolutely must meet you? Says she's Ruscus's friend and asked me to tell you."