《Meg and Seron》 Volume 1 Prologue — Endings and Beginnings Volume 1 Prologue: Endings and Beginnings ----- The 13th day of the fourth month, the year 3306 of the World Calendar. In the middle of the school gymnasium, which had been converted into a ballroom¡ª A boy and a girl were dancing . A boy with black hair, And a girl with long, decorated brown hair . They boy, in a black tuxedo, And the girl, in a yellow dress . With the gazes of many other boys and girls on them, they danced . Elegantly, and maybe a little violently . ¡°You¡¯re even good at dancing, huh. I hate you just a little bit more now, Treize. ¡± ¡°Cut me some slack, Lillia. I¡¯m trying my best here. ¡± ¡°Tch. You know, I won¡¯t go easy on you even if you¡¯re a prince or whatever. ¡± ¡°I know. ¡± The words they exchanged as they danced¡ª ¡ªwere drowned out completely by the music around them . ¡°I am wondering what the two people are talking about¡­ But in any case, they are both very, very cool. ¡± A girl with long black hair done up¡ª A girl wearing a white dress¡ª Said to the boy standing at her right side . ¡°It sort of looks like they¡¯re fighting. ¡± A boy with grey eyes¡ª A boy wearing a black tuxedo¡ª Replied with a flustered look . The emcee on the dance floor called out, ¡°Everyone, are you just going to stand around all night?¡± . Boys and girls stepped onto the floor with their chosen partners beside them . The black-haired girl turned her gaze from Lillia and Treize, looking to her right . And she held out her white-gloved hand to the boy standing there . The grey-eyed boy turned elegantly, And gently took her hand in his . ¡°Shall we dance, Seron Maxwell?¡± The girl asked in Bezelese . The girl asked in Bezelese . ¡°It would be my pleasure, Meg. ¡± The boy replied in Roxchean . ¡°Atta boy, Seron¡­ you¡¯ve come so far¡­ I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re sounding like a regular mother figure. If memory serves, weren¡¯t you s¡¯pposed to be a guy?¡± ¡°That aside, are you two simply going to watch from the sidelines? We should enjoy the evening as well. ¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right. It¡¯s no fun just watching¡ªI¡¯m going to show off my moves. ¡± It all started in the summer of 3305¡ª ----- Volume 1 1 — Seron Volume 1 Chapter 1: Seron ----- There was a blue planet with a very large moon. 90 percent of the planet was covered in water, and the poles were covered in ice. There was an oval, potato-shaped continent in the northern hemisphere of that planet. The southern part of the continent was a brown desert. But as the latitude increased, the land exploded in a splash of green. There was a massive mountain range in the middle of the continent, beginning at the desert. The mountains, capped with snow even in the middle of summer, ended abruptly about halfway up the continent. The two rivers on either side of the mountain range converged there, creating the massive Lutoni River that flowed straight north and into the sea. There were two nations on the continent, one on either side. In the east was the Roxcheanuk Confederation, also known as Roxche. It was made up of 16 countries and territories. In the west were the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa, also known as Sou Be-Il. It was made up of the kingdoms of Bezel and Iltoa, along with a handful of small subordinate countries. For eons, the people of the East and West had warred against one another with the Lutoni River between them. In more contemporary times, each side of the continent forged alliances, and Roxche and Sou Be-Il were formed almost simultaneously. What followed was a cold war, one massive war, and many smaller conflicts. But about 20 years ago, the cold war was ended by a certain incident. The threat of another Great War was beginning to fade. The capital of Roxche was the Special Capital District, a region independent of any country within the confederation. It was on the northeastern end of Roxche, very far from the East-West border but also a fair distance from the sea. The Special Capital District was a circular area about 30 kilometers in diameter. It had been built when Roxche was first formed. The city center was home to the presidential residence, the Confederation Assembly Hall, civic centers, and courthouses. Outside the center was a business district crowded with department stores and hotels. Further outside was a residential district full of apartment buildings. And on the outskirts of the Capital District, in the 9:30 direction, was the 4th Capital Secondary School. There had been a village there for over 300 years¡ªsince before the founding of Roxche¡ªand when the Capital District began to expand, the village had become a part of it as well. The campus was surrounded by apartment buildings. The 3600-square-meter property was home to the school itself, the grounds, a gymnasium, the dormitories, and other buildings. * * * The 28th day of the sixth month, the year 3305 of the World Calendar. It was on the grounds of the 4th Capital Secondary School. Walking with one of the school buildings behind him¡ª ¡°¡­¡± ¡ªthe boy felt his breath catch in his throat. He wore green uniform pants and a white shirt embroidered with the school emblem, along with a purple tie. He was neither tall nor short, and had a slender build. His long, thin arms and legs made him look even skinnier. His hair was slightly long, and was a shimmery piano-black. His eyes were the same light grey as the clouds in the sky. And before his eyes was an ordinary summer day. To his right, the stone school building towered solemnly under the blue sky. To his left, members of athletic clubs were already sweating on the field. Between them was a long, straight path to the school gates, down which walked students between the ages of 12 and 18. Students dressed in white button-up shirts and green pants or checkered skirts. Because there was a considerable number of students at the school, the only path leading to the gates was completely packed in the morning and after classes. Among those students, just 3 meters from the boy, walked a girl with bouncing black pigtails. She walked alone in the crowd, carrying a leather school bag in her right hand. The moment he spotted her, the boy swallowed and stopped in his tracks. The male student walking behind him almost crashed into him. Once some of the students behind him had passed, the boy exhaled and began to walk again. A little faster than before, making sure the girl didn¡¯t pass out of his sight. By the time he had silently out-walked several people, he was almost side-by-side with her. Several steps later, the boy¡ªclearly nervous, clearly deep in thought¡ªtook a deep breath. ¡°Hey there, Meg! Were you on your way to the chorus club?¡± The cheerful voice did not belong to the boy. It had come from a female student behind them. The pigtailed girl named Meg turned with a smile. The two girls walked side-by-side as they chattered excitedly. Meg mentioned that, though she had been busy with chorus club duties since the end of finals, she was having very much fun. The other girl praised her diligence. ¡°¡­¡± The boy said nothing. His steps grew heavy. Eventually, the girls¡¯ voices disappeared into the distance. ¡°Bye, Lillia.¡± ¡°Bye. See you later.¡± By the time Meg and the girl named Lillia had said their goodbyes, the boy was sitting on a bench by the wide school field, very far away from them. ¡°¡­¡± He was staring blankly into the blindingly blue sky. ¡°I¡¯m hopeless¡­¡± He found himself mumbling. The brisk seasonal winds from the north shook his black hair. Girls who were not Meg or Lillia were watching the boy from a distance. They were among the younger students in the school, between the ages of 12 and 14. ¡°Look, it¡¯s SC Seron!(1) He¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°He¡¯s so attractive and popular. I wonder why he doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s doing by himself.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably thinking about something cool!¡± The girls chirped and trilled in praise of Seron. He did not hear them. * * * Seron averted his eyes as the voice on the speaker chastised him. The dormitory building at the 4th Capital Secondary School was across the field from the school building, at the very edge of the campus. Unlike the drab grey concrete of the apartments over the wall from the school, the majestic stone design of the dormitory was a perfect match for the rest of the campus. And on the first floor of that building, next to the lobby with arched ceilings, were rows upon rows of telephone booths. It was a common sight at train stations. Phone booths made of glass, with a chair and a telephone in each box. Nearly 30 of them were lined up on the wall by the lobby. Because many students at the secondary school were from well-off families, donations were poured into more and more telephone booths each year to prevent dormitory students¡ªespecially the first-years, who left home for the first time¡ªfrom getting too homesick. Eventually, the phone booths came to take up an entire wall. As dinnertime neared, the lobby began to fill with dormitory students finishing up their club activities. About half the booths were occupied by students contacting their family and friends. And in one of those booths sat the black-haired boy¡ªSeron Maxwell. Hanging his head slightly, Seron replied feebly into the receiver. ¡°Yeah¡­ I did.¡± The voice from the phone belonged to an energetic boy around Seron¡¯s age. ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Thanks, Larry. I feel a bit better. Friends really are the best.¡± Seron said lethargically. The friend named Larry was quick to continue. ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± ¡°That might not have been much help, though.¡± ¡°On the first day of art class, we had an assignment where we had to draw our partner¡¯s face. But the moment I first saw Megmica, I blanked out completely because she was so beautiful. I couldn¡¯t talk to her, I couldn¡¯t do anything. I couldn¡¯t even move.¡± ¡°And after that, Megmica got partnered up with the girl who talked to her today¡­ and they were speaking moontongue.¡± ¡°Megmica spent the entire term with that girl. She almost never talked to anyone else, and she didn¡¯t even need to.¡± ¡°It ended yesterday, yeah. We just have to go get our homework and our grades from the teacher.¡± ¡°Not yet. I don¡¯t think Megmica has many female friends. I asked around quietly, but¡­¡± ¡°No. And the girl I asked asked me to go out with her, so I turned her down.¡± <¡­I expected nothing less from you, Seron Maxwell. I almost want a cut of your popularity.> ¡°Larry.¡± ¡°You can have it all. Just help me.¡± ¡°You can have it all. Just help me.¡± <¡­I¡¯d love to help, but¡­ hmm¡­ If you could at least meet Megmica while I¡¯m around¡­ If I at least knew her face¡­ It¡¯s not like we can take photos of her in secret.> ¡°Then we just have to rely on luck¡­ Or is it hopeless after all? Do I give in?¡± ¡°Thanks, Larry. I wonder when my life will start looking up.¡± <¡­Look. Our military sciences training camp is gonna end soon and I¡¯ll be back for the end-of-classes ceremony. Let¡¯s meet up at the school gates that morning. After the ceremony, we¡¯ll find Megmica and you¡¯ll ask her out! Got it? Don¡¯t forget¡ªon the last day of classes, you and her will walk out the gates together!> * * * The 4th day of the seventh month. Seron Maxwell walked out the gates alone. At his feet was a large leather suitcase. He was not wearing his uniform, but brown pants with suspenders and a white shirt, along with a light black jacket. Though neither his clothes nor his luggage made a big impression, people of certain backgrounds might recognize how expensive they were. The weather was lovely. There wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky, and Roxche¡¯s characteristic seasonal winds swept cool, dry air into the city. It was just between afternoon and evening. The end-of-classes ceremony had finished in the morning. The students were quick to rush outside to finally enjoy their summer break. But eventually the intersection in front of the gates, packed with cars there to pick them up, had gone quiet. The other dormitory students had also grabbed their things as soon as they returned to their rooms, and immediately rushed off on school-hired buses or taxis to train stations. Only Seron, who was scheduled to take a night train, remained at the dormitories. It was practically tradition at this point, one he had observed at the beginning of every long school break. Some of the dormitory students even joked that the term did not officially end until Seron departed. All alone, silent, Seron dragged his suitcase out the gates. He passed the security office and crossed the empty parking lot¡ªcreated for parents dropping off and picking up the students¡ªand went out to the street. Seron flagged down a black taxi. ¡°Capital West Station.¡± He said tersely and quietly, and took the back seat. The driver stowed Seron¡¯s suitcase in the trunk and returned to his seat, then started the car. Seron¡¯s grey eyes reflected the deserted school. ¡°¡­¡± The image disappeared into the distance. Traffic was not particularly remarkable. Seron arrived at Capital West Station without incident. He paid and tipped the driver, then called a station porter. When the porter saw the generous tip Seron handed him, he bowed and led Seron into the crowded station. Capital West Station was the biggest train station in the Capital District. There were over ten platforms lined side-by-side under its glass dome. First, Seron went to the station shop and picked up a box of crisps that were only sold in the Capital District. He put the box in his suitcase, then boarded the long-distance sleeper train that was pulled by a steam locomotive. Seron was in a sleeper cabin in first class¡ªand was using a two-passenger cabin alone to boot, having paid double the fare. The sky was still bright when the train slowly departed the capital. Watching the world pass by outside the window, ¡°I¡¯m hopeless¡­¡± Seron mumbled blankly. Night soon came. The shining half-moon tinted the world a faint blue. Without even having dinner, Seron lay down in his empty cabin. Though he was on a bed, he lay awake¡ªon and on. * * * The next day. The 5th. Under the blinding sunlight, Seron disembarked at Weld, his hometown. Getting in the car that had been waiting for him in front of the station, Seron arrived home before it was time for breakfast. In the suburb of the rapidly-developing countryside city of Weld was a luxury residential district located on a plateau that overlooked the station and the old city center. The Maxwell family¡¯s mansion was situated on the highest and most magnificent part of that suburb. The extravagant three-story mansion was made of white marble, and stood head and shoulders above the other homes in the area. The car passed through the gates, which were opened by a guard, and traveled up the main slope before quietly coming to a stop at the front door. ¡°Welcome home, Young Master.¡± The butler and the maids greeted him, and Seron greeted them back. And he stepped in through the imposing doors. ¡°Where¡¯s my souvenir? Welcome back, Seron.¡± When he entered the mansion, a skinny 12-year-old girl held out her hand. She had slightly curly hair that went down to her back, and had large grey eyes just like Seron. She was wearing a light yellow dress. ¡°It¡¯s in the suitcase. Isn¡¯t it supposed to be the other way around? I¡¯m back, Leena. Where¡¯s Mother?¡± ¡°She says she¡¯ll be back in the afternoon. She missed you a lot. I¡¯m taking my souvenir, okay?¡± Leaving his sister to rummage through his suitcase at the door, Seron headed for his own room at the end of the third-floor hallway. The room was large, but only furnished with bare essentials like a bed and a dresser. It was a little lonely. Still dressed in the same clothes, Seron collapsed onto his neatly-made bed. And he fell asleep. The Maxwell family was rich. There were only three people in the family. Seron, his younger sister Leena, and their mother Karen. Karen Maxwell was born and raised in Weld, but she lost her parents as a teenager and had to drop out of school. She headed to the Capital District afterwards and began to work as a waitress at a large restaurant. The man who fell in love with her at first sight and married her¡ªSeron and Leena¡¯s father¡ªwas from a very rich family. For a time, Karen was the star of a Cinderella story. But that happiness did not last long. Just after Leena was born, Karen¡¯s husband began having an affair with a woman from another rich family, which ended in their elopement. Though the two rich families were outraged, they panicked and feared for their reputations. Disgusted, Karen took her two children and boldly filed for divorce. She switched back to her maiden name of Maxwell and returned to Weld. And she began a business in her hometown with the massive alimony she had mercilessly squeezed out of the divorce. She took note of how, at the restaurant she had waitressed at, they had stored ingredients and foodstuffs in a freezer. With that idea, she began to manufacture and distribute meal-sized packages of frozen food for domestic consumption. That happened to be around the time when refrigerators and freezers became popularized. Frozen food exploded in popularity as well, advertised as the food of the future. The frozen food business was a massive success¡ªas were the restaurant and fast food businesses built upon it. And so, in the span of several years Karen amassed an astounding fortune. ¡®Maxwell Frozen Foods¡¯ was a household name in Roxche now. Karen was 40 years old this year. She was a gorgeous woman with long, curly black hair and sharp features. Always in her bright red suit, she confidently issued orders to her subordinates¡ªthe very image of a competent female president. But¡ª ¡°Seron! Welcome home, sweetie-pie! Look who¡¯s still as handsome as ever. You¡¯re nothing like your father at all! I love you so much, baby. Are you doing all right? How was school?¡± As soon as she came home (slightly late), she hugged her son from behind mid-meal. For the moment, she was just another doting mother. ¡°I¡¯m home, Mother.¡± ¡°Welcome back. Welcome back, sweetheart! Give your mother a welcome-home kiss?¡± She cooed, sticking her face at her son. Seron gave her a light kiss on the cheek. Karen finally disentangled herself from Seron and went over to kiss Leena on the other side of the table. Then she took her seat at the head of the table. The family chatted as they ate the meals cooked by a chef and served by maids. It was not often that the three of them had the chance to eat together. Seron handed his report card to Karen. He had top marks in almost every subject. Karen beamed, the report card shaking in her hands. ¡°That¡¯s my boy! You¡¯re incredible, honey. Nothing like your father at all¡ª¡± Stopping his mother there, Seron got out of his chair and quietly bowed his head. ¡°Mother. Thanks to your support, I made it through the spring term of my third year of secondary school. I will do my best to achieve good grades in the fall term as well. Thank you.¡± ¡°Oh, sweetie! I told you, you don¡¯t have to say this stuff every time you come back! It¡¯s all right if your marks drop a little, as long as you can make it to university. You have to enjoy your youth! I¡¯ll make the money, so spend it on things you like!¡± Leena watched as Seron stood with his head bowed and Karen looked at him tearfully. ¡°You¡¯re so diligent, Seron.¡± She said, continuing her meal. Their first family conversation in months continued into topics like school, grades, friends, and the state of the Capital District. After the meal, they moved on to tea. As Seron answered his family¡¯s questions, Leena suddenly spoke up. ¡°Come to think of it¡­ don¡¯t you have a girlfriend yet, Seron? I thought you¡¯d be really popular.¡± At that point, ¡°Huh? Er¡­ well¡­¡± Seron hesitated. Leena continued, oblivious to her brother¡¯s plight. ¡°Lots of my friends think you¡¯re really cool, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± She stared into her dumbstruck brother¡¯s face and grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t like anyone right now, right?¡± ¡°No, no, Leena! That¡¯s not it. Seron¡¯s just the type to love only the one person he falls for. He would never go out with anyone unless he was serious about her.¡± ¡°Huh. You know what I think, Seron? You¡¯re not really the dependable type, so you¡¯ll be better off with an older girl. Do you want me to find someone pretty to introduce to you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s calm down and be patient, Leena. I¡¯m sure your brother will bring home a wonderful girl one of these days! There¡¯s just no one in Roxche who catches his eye yet.¡± Karen said. Seron fell into complete silence. Soon, Karen left to return to work and Leena left in a car with a bodyguard to play with her friends from primary school. Seron spent time alone in the central gardens, where summer flowers were in spectacular bloom. Sitting in a white wooden chair under a lacy parasol, he enjoyed the summer breeze and read. Of the students at the 4th Capital Secondary School, Seron lived the farthest from campus. His mother had suggested that he attend school in the Capital District, where there were more children like Seron¡ªchildren of rich and famous people¡ªand Seron had agreed. That left him with a total of zero friends to meet over the breaks. His friends from primary school either did not have the grades to continue studying, or had gone to four-year vocational schools for financial reasons. Summer break had not yet started at vocational schools, as they had shorter breaks to help students learn and find work as soon as possible. For the past two years, summer break had bored Seron. All he could do was read or study. And as a result, he was able to maintain good grades throughout his secondary school career. Quietly, Seron read. Quietly, Seron read. The books on the table were¡ª ¡®Murders on the Luxury Transcontinental Express¡¯ ¡®The Story of the Roxchean Navy: Tracing the History of the Canal¡¯ ¡®Crossing the Desert -34 Days in Hell-¡¯ He was so engrossed in his books that, each time the maid came to refill his tea, she found the cup still full. Eventually, the sun sank so low that the parasol could no longer shield him. ¡°Young Master. You have a phone call from your school friend, Mr. Larry Hepburn. Will you take the call?¡± One of the maids said, instead of bringing more tea. ¡°From Larry? I¡¯ll take it.¡± Seron put a bookmark on his page, put the book on the table, and hurried to the telephone in the mansion¡¯s living room. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Larry.¡± Seron said as he took the receiver from another maid. Larry apologized three times in a row. ¡°I heard from the teachers. Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Seron replied with a smile. Seron¡¯s expression quickly darkened. ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t do it. I wanted to give you good news, so I tried my best. I mean, it couldn¡¯t get worse, right? But¡­¡± ¡°Like every year. I was just reading.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What do you have to do?¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ sounds interesting.¡± ¡°When does it start?¡± ¡°All right. Sign me up. For the same room, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. We met today. Mother¡¯s a busy woman, and Leena¡­ I¡¯m not sure about Leena, but I got her a souvenir so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave tonight on the usual sleeper train. I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be seats left. I¡¯ll be at school tomorrow afternoon at the latest. And¡­ let¡¯s meet up at the dormitory cafeteria at lunchtime. What do you say?¡± ¡°Probably not¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Larry. I thought about this yesterday, but I think Megmica might have gone back to Sou Be-Il with her parents for the break. Summer¡¯s long enough. Anyway, thanks for calling. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. If the train gets delayed I¡¯ll call you from the nearest station.¡± After hanging up, Seron picked up the phone again. The call was for his mother, who was still at work. Luckily, she did not seem to have been in a meeting. She picked up quickly. Seron relayed to her what he had heard from Larry. Although he apologized for leaving as soon as he had returned, Karen happily gave him permission and ordered a subordinate to buy a ticket for the sleeper train bound for the Capital District. Seron had unpacked everything in his room earlier, but he now had to re-pack his suitcase. Making sure to bring one set of school-issue sweats with the name ¡®Maxwell¡¯ embroidered on it, along with a T-shirt and shorts, he packed some plain summer clothes and his half-read book. Around evening, he asked the butler to say goodbye to Leena on his behalf and returned to the station. He met Karen¡¯s subordinate and received the first class sleeper cabin ticket with a word of thanks. It was the very train that he had taken home from the Capital District that morning. Once again he boarded the train as it headed back after a break in Weld. The train traveled down the tracks to the Capital District. Seron had a full-course dinner in the dining car. Then he went to bed and fell into a deep sleep. ----- Volume 1 2 — Larry Volume 1 Chapter 2: Larry ----- The 6th day of the seventh month. Early morning. The sky was covered completely by a layer of grey clouds. In only a day and a half, Seron was back at Capital West Station. Though trains in Roxche were infamous for being late, Seron¡¯s train had made it on time. There was still quite a bit of time until noon. First, he decided to get breakfast at the station restaurant. The restaurant next to the lobby at the station entrance was crowded with people rushing on their way to work. Seron, the odd one out in the crowd of commuters, slowly nibbled on his toast. Meanwhile, ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Platform 4¡­¡± A brown-haired girl in a light pink blouse, a pair of beige culottes, and a light beige jacket passed by him with two tickets for Bren Station in hand. Neither Seron nor the girl noticed each other. After finishing breakfast, Seron drank tea and read to pass the time. When the department store opened afterwards, Seron went to the bookstore there and bought three or so more books, then sat in a coffee shop to read them. When the wall clock rang to signal the time, he left the coffee shop and took a taxi to the 4th Capital Secondary School. As students who attended secondary school in the Capital District tended to be from well-off families, entry to secondary school campuses was heavily restricted. Even during summer break, there were always security guards at the gates. They were all armed with shotguns loaded with non-fatal¡ªbut likely very painful¡ªrubber bullets. Seron flashed his student ID at the gates and entered the campus. The campus was just as deserted as it had been when he left the day before. He didn¡¯t see anyone. Sports clubs usually held practice over the summer, but they had not yet begun. Pulling his suitcase along, Seron walked along the tree-lined path to the dorms on the edge of the campus. There were two hallways leading from the dormitory entrance hall. The one on the right led to the boys¡¯ wing and the one on the left led to the girls¡¯ wing. The building also housed a separate wing that was reserved for family and friends visiting the campus. The dorms also included a separate cafeteria that remained open even when the main cafeteria was closed. The cafeteria was large enough to seat hundreds of students at once. Long tables were lined up in orderly rows in the rectangular space, which was large enough to serve as a banquet hall in a hotel. Seron stepped inside. ¡°That¡¯s the last one!¡± There, wiping the tables with the cafeteria ladies, was a boy with short-cropped blond hair. He was wearing an apron over his shorts and T-shirt. ¡°Nice timing, Seron! I was just finishing up!¡± * * * Later, the black-haired Seron and his blond friend¡ª ¡ªsat side-by-side wearing nothing but towels around their waists. They were sitting on a wooden bench. The bench was in a very big room covered in tiles. In the room was a large bath full of piping-hot water. They were sitting in the boys¡¯ communal bath in the dormitory building. The blond boy¡¯s build struck quite the contrast to Seron¡¯s slender frame. Though he was short, there wasn¡¯t an ounce of flab on him. He had a chiseled figure with well-defined muscles. Beneath his military-style buzzcut shone a pair of blue eyes, which were quite common in Roxche¡¯s Capital District area. And though he had fair skin, the boy¡¯s arms and face were sunburnt and visibly darker than the rest of his body. ¡°Nothing beats a good bath after a workout. Eh, Seron?¡± The blond boy¡¯s energetic voice echoed throughout the room. ¡°You can say that again, Larry. Although it¡¯s my first time coming to the bath at this time of day.¡± Larry Hepburn was an upstanding young man. The Hepburn family was famous in Roxche for its 400-year history in the military. They were practically nobility in the Capital District. In the past, they had served as knights to kings. And after the founding of Roxche, the family produced soldiers. Larry¡¯s grandfather and great-grandfather served as generals. And though many career soldiers in Roxche eventually entered the political stage, the Hepburn family was also known for steadfastly remaining with the military. Larry¡¯s father¡ªa 44-year-old soldier¡ªand his uncle two years below were already practically guaranteed positions as generals. And Larry¡¯s brother, who was six years his senior, was currently studying at a military academy. Larry was 15 years old, just like Seron. Larry had been a boy scout since childhood. He was very much accustomed to and skilled in outdoor activities¡ªhe could go into the mountains for a week with nothing but a knife on hand and have the time of his life. His motto was, ¡®a healthy spirit dwells in a healthy body¡¯. Accordingly, he trained almost every single day. He also swore by the phrase ¡®an officer and a gentleman¡¯, doing his best to greet everyone with a smile and an optimistic attitude. The school offered military science classes, and Larry naturally took the course every year. The week after finals, Larry had gone to a short-term training camp far from the Capital District as part of that class. The students had been scheduled to return on the morning of the end-of-classes ceremony, but their train was delayed and Larry did not make it in time. Seron and Larry had happened to sit next to each other in the very first class of the first day of school in their first year, and they had been friends ever since. Though from vastly different backgrounds and upbringings, they somehow hit it off and could now call each other best friends. ¡°Why were you working with the cafeteria ladies, Larry?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°To work up a sweat!¡± Larry replied without hesitation. ¡°I get jittery if I don¡¯t work out at least once a day. So I came in early and helped out.¡± ¡°Is that contagious?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Sure is! Now that we¡¯re roommates, I¡¯m gonna put you through the wringer, army-style! I guarantee that once you get home, Leena¡¯s going to wonder, ¡®Who are you and what have you done with my beanpole of a brother?¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have to pass on that. I don¡¯t feel like buying bigger uniforms.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Seron! We¡¯re buddies!¡± ¡°I made myself clear. Did I mess up my Roxchean, or are your ears going?¡± The communal bath was located in the basement of the dormitories. It was a whopping 30 meters wide, large enough to prevent dormitory students from having to wait too long to use the facility. The architecture incorporated sweeping curves and intricate designs, much like the communal baths of ancient times. In the bath was a white porcelain sculpture of a chiseled mythical hero, naked and holding a turtle atop his shoulders. Water poured out of the turtle and into the large bathtub. Supposedly the girls¡¯ bath was decorated with an equally naked statue¡ªbut theirs depicted the Goddess of Beauty. Some of the dormitory students joked about switching the two statues, but at the moment no one was seriously considering the swap. The dorms and its communal baths received a steady supply of hot, clean water from the boiler room at the edge of campus, which also had pipes running into the school pool, the greenhouse, and the the faculty apartments. There was no one else in the communal bath. Finally, Larry broke the silence. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get in.¡± He stood from the bench. So did Seron. Placing their towels at the edge of the tub, they slowly lowered themselves into the brimming bath. And they stretched their arms and legs. ¡°Phew¡­¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± In unison, they sighed. Larry looked up at the tall ceiling and slowly spoke. ¡°Baths are nice¡­ The Confederation Army base had everything you could ever need in a war, but it didn¡¯t have any baths. Just lukewarm showers. I guess you couldn¡¯t really warm up so much water in a state of war. You know what¡¯d be the best? Outdoor-use baths. No army in the world could pull it off, but a guy can dream.¡± ¡°How was the training camp?¡± ¡°It was good. Learned a lot, as usual. Fell in love with tanks this time. The armored unit might not be so bad. ¡ªThough the usual stuff came up.¡± ¡°Shucks. Must be tough dealing with them.¡± Seron said. Because the Hepburns were a well-respected military family, Larry was practically guaranteed a shining career in the military. This was why more than a few soldiers decided they wanted to get in his good graces while they could, which bothered Larry greatly. It was a normal experience for a Hepburn son, but being so upstanding and straightforward, Larry had a hard time dealing with such people. On the other hand, Larry had unwavering respect for the tough-as-nails drill instructor, a sergeant who showed him no preferential treatment. ¡°Camp was great, but this drama club stuff¡¯s gonna be a blast! More than anything, this whole backstage business sounds really interesting, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Me too. We¡¯ll have a lot of fun starting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah! So in that spirit¡ª¡± With a spirited cry, Larry loudly stood and stepped out of the bath. He stepped onto the tiled floor and put his towel around his waist. ¡°¡ªit¡¯s time for pushups!¡± ¡°Pushups?¡± ¡°You too, Seron! A man¡¯s nothing without his health! C¡¯mon!¡± Seron gave a wry grin as he stood from the bath. Slicking back his wet hair, he put his hands down next to Larry. ¡°Here goes! ¡ªOne! Two! Three! Army!¡± Two students doing push-ups in the communal bath with towels around their waists. It was a strange sight, but thankfully no one was there to see. ¡°Four! Five! Six! Army!¡± Larry¡¯s voice drilled them both as they continued. ¡°Seven! Eight! Nine! Army! ¡ªSeron! You too! Say something!¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Anything! Anything you want to yell!¡± ¡°Got it! ¡ªOne! Two! Three! Friendship!¡± ¡°Atta boy! Put some spirit into it!¡± ¡°Four! Five! Six! Forget about girls!¡± ¡°Yeah! Forget about girls!¡± In the end, Seron kept up with Larry for 50 counts. ¡°Sorry, Larry¡­ I¡¯m done¡­¡± Seron sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not finished yet! Here goes!¡± Larry did 50 more. They stayed in the bath until they started to feel dizzy, then went up to their assigned dorm room. A cool northerly breeze wafted into the comfortable room. Seron and Larry snored away. The rooms in the guest wing of the dorms were larger than those in the student wings. The room was furnished with two dressers, two desks and chairs, and two beds with wooden frames. There was also a sofa that could be converted into yet another bed. Seron and Larry woke up just in time for dinner. Wearing their school-issue T-shirts and shorts, they rushed to the cafeteria. The drama club members were already present. They were a group about 30 strong with students ranging from second-years to fifth-years. The girls made up an overwhelming majority¡ªthere were about eight girls for every two boys. Seron did not recognize any of them. Some of the girls, unable to hide their surprise, began whispering amongst themselves when they spotted Seron. One boy frowned visibly. Larry and Seron got their food at the counter. Students did not have a choice of menu today. Everyone was served beef stew with tender chunks of meat. Seron and Larry took their bowls and got bread, salad, and beverages for their trays. Seron grabbed a pot of tea, and Larry grabbed two bottles of milk. After that, they signed their names on a student record sheet to indicate that they had eaten at the cafeteria. ¡°Hey Larry. Thanks for coming to help us out. Come sit with us.¡± A boy with glasses, who seemed to be the oldest member of the drama club, waved Larry over. ¡°SC Arthur! Glad to be of service. Oh, this here¡¯s my buddy Seron.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. My name is Seron Maxwell.¡± After exchanging greetings, Larry and Seron sat down with the bespectacled student, who gave them a short briefing over dinner. Arthur also introduced himself. He was a fifth-year student at the school and the new president of the drama club, he said. ¡°And this here¡¯s Sophia.¡± He added, introducing the fifth-year girl who had been sitting next to him. Arthur then went on to introduce several of the crew members in charge of the set pieces. The play they were to perform this year was a classical piece that was famous all throughout Roxche. It chronicled the adventures of a certain king in his youth as he traveled incognito, rescuing oppressed peasants with the help of his friend. It was a classic tale of good versus evil. Finally, Arthur explained the basics of Larry and Seron¡¯s duties as helpers. ¡°¡ªand that¡¯s about it. This play we¡¯re doing has a lot of characters, so we¡¯re a little short on hands backstage. But the drama club will take care of the big jobs. You¡¯re just here for support, so we won¡¯t saddle you with anything too annoying. Also, we¡¯re going to have an afterparty on the last day of the camp¡ªwe¡¯d love to have you guys join us.¡± The drama club had finished eating by that point. They began leaving for the dormitory conference room for a meeting. The girls who were silently appealing to be introduced to Seron departed, crestfallen. Arthur told Larry and Seron to meet the club at breakfast time the next day, and stood from his seat. ¡°Whoops, almost forgot. We¡¯re getting more helpers tomorrow¡ªI¡¯ll introduce you when they arrive.¡± He said before leaving. After dinner. Seron and Larry returned to their room. ¡°What do you say to dusting off the old scoresheet, Seron?¡± ¡°Sure. Try not to bore me too much this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you, I¡¯m a changed man now.¡± They played multiple games of chess. In most cases, Seron won an overwhelming victory. And in some cases, Seron won a narrow victory. ¡°What kinda military tactic is that supposed to be? It doesn¡¯t make any sense, Seron!¡± ¡°And this is where bull-headed military types get stuck. You have to keep your cool, or you¡¯ll lose even battles you could win.¡± ¡°Heh. ¡­You¡¯ve made me mad, buddy. Time for me to get serious.¡± ¡°This is the second time you¡¯ve said that tonight.¡± ¡°Really? Anyway, this time I swear I¡¯ll¡ª Oh, shoot! It¡¯s getting late. We¡¯d better get to bed.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll remember the positions, so we¡¯ll finish this next time. I¡¯m not letting you get away.¡± ¡°Well, I say bring it on! ¡ªNight.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± The moon was shining high in the sky. Larry and Seron quickly climbed into their beds and fell asleep. * * * The 7th day of the seventh month. Seron, Larry, and the drama club had breakfast at the dormitory cafeteria. Everyone was in school-issue sweats. Some were simply wearing the T-shirts, others were wearing both the sweatshirt and the sweatpants, and yet others brought the sweats in their bags. More than a few of the girls seemed to be intent on sitting next to Seron. So Seron and Larry sat down at a pointedly isolated part of the cafeteria to eat. After breakfast, the entire group moved in a line from the dorms to gymnasium 1, where the rehearsals were to take place. The school had three gymnasiums, but this one was used most often and simply called ¡®the gym¡¯. It was all the way across the campus from the dorms. The group left the dorms, crossed the grassy grounds, entered a deserted school building, came out into a courtyard where tables from the school cafeteria had been put away, entered the building yet again, and finally reached the gymnasium. They had traveled over 500 meters from the dorms. There were several doors into the gymnasium; the group entered through the large sliding double doors students used most often. The gymnasium was usually reserved for indoor sports clubs such as the basketball team, the volleyball team, and the badminton team. It was large enough to hold four games of basketball at once. But instead of a sports club, three adults were gathered there waiting for the students. One was a woman in her thirties who wore her long black hair in a ponytail. She wore a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants, and was skinny but overflowing with energy. This was Leni Krantz, the advisor of the drama club. As Arthur had explained the night before, Ms. Krantz taught home economics. So she was a complete stranger to Seron and Larry. Another one of the adults was a portly man in his fifties, who wore a brown suit. This was Mark Murdoch, who taught Roxchean. He was a veteran who had been teaching at this school for over two decades now. His black hair was balding and going gray. Both Seron and Larry had taken his classes before. His lessons were known for being relaxed enough to sometimes invite sleep, and for Mr. Murdoch¡¯s ever-amicable personality. No one had ever seen him get angry. The last of the adults was not a teacher. He was relatively young¡ªonly a little older than the students, likely in his mid-to-late twenties. He had short black hair slicked upwards and was wearing light blue coveralls. He glared uncomfortably at the students. ¡°Who¡¯s that? You know him, Seron?¡± Larry whispered. ¡°No.¡± Seron replied, following at the very back of the group. The drama club spread out before the teachers. Arthur, the club president, led the others in a greeting. ¡°Good morning, Ms. Krantz! We look forward to learning from you today!¡± Everyone bowed at the teachers. ¡°It¡¯s just like a sports club.¡± Seron whispered as he and Larry followed suit. ¡°Good morning, everyone! Did you sleep well?¡± Ms. Krantz replied loudly and cheerfully. ¡°This is a bit sudden, but let me introduce you. Over here is Mr. Mark Murdoch from the Roxchean department. He¡¯s the teacher on duty this week, so he¡¯ll be on campus all week long. If anything happens while I¡¯m not around, go straight to the faculty office and look for Mr. Murdoch. And over here¡ª¡± Naturally, every eye in the gymnasium was on the man in blue coveralls. He cut off Ms. Krantz, his frown refusing to waver. ¡°Heinz Hartnett. I¡¯m from a construction company.¡± He said curtly. Though no one said a word, everyone seemed underwhelmed by the revelation. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing repair work on some of the buildings on campus over the summer. Keep away from the construction sites while you¡¯re on campus. We don¡¯t want anyone to get hurt. Anyone who decides they want to flaunt the rules will get a scolding.¡± It was a very blunt warning. Some of the girls made a point of grimacing. Hartnett chuckled at the reaction and finished. ¡°Ahem.¡± Mr. Murdoch cleared his throat. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, Ms. Krantz. I¡¯ll be in the faculty office if you need me. Good luck, everyone! I¡¯m looking forward to the performance.¡± With that, Mr. Murdoch and Hartnett left the gymnasium. And before the doors could even close¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s get started, everyone!¡± ¡ªMs. Krantz gave the signal. The drama club sprang into action. It seemed that the members had gotten their respective duties sorted out at the previous night¡¯s meeting. Everyone scattered immediately to do their own work. About half the club headed for the clubroom to grab equipment and materials, getting a key from Ms. Krantz. The rest began measuring the gymnasium floor with tape measures to mark out places for the performance, or went over to Arthur for another meeting. As Seron and Larry stood blankly, Ms. Krantz marched over. ¡°Thanks for coming out to help, you two.¡± Seron and Larry introduced themselves and asked if there was anything they should do. ¡°There¡¯s not much to do right now.¡± Said Ms. Krantz. ¡°But there¡¯ll be a bit of work for you in an hour or so.¡± ¡°Really? What kind of work, Ms. Krantz?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but we¡¯re getting help from some other clubs for this year¡¯s performance.¡± Said Ms. Krantz. ¡°They¡¯ll be gathering at the gates. I want you to bring them over when they arrive. Help them with anything that needs carrying. The others will bring the carts from the clubroom soon, so you can use the carts to bring their things.¡± * * * Just as Ms. Krantz had said, until that point Seron and Larry had nothing to do. They watched the drama club members enjoying themselves unloading things from the carts and sticking pieces of tape on the floor to mark positions. ¡°Everyone¡¯s really psyched, huh. Probably ¡®cause it¡¯s for their annual performance. And apparently this year¡¯s is the 50th annual performance to boot. Have you ever gone to one of their shows, Seron?¡± ¡°No. Actually, I didn¡¯t even know we had an annual drama club performance.¡± Seron and Larry were chatting, passing the time. And about one hour after practice began¡ª ¡°I think it¡¯s about time, you two!¡± Said Ms. Krantz. Seron and Larry stood. ¡°All right! Larry Hepburn and Seron Maxwell are off!¡± Larry saluted and Seron nodded, leaving the gymnasium with the metal carts. They pushed one cart each along paved pathways and headed for the gates. Rather than cutting across the building as they had earlier, they went around it and followed the concrete path. Seron and Larry passed the building and pushed their carts along the tree-lined path until they could finally see the wide school gates. ¡°There. I see them.¡± Over a dozen students were gathered there. Though it was summer break, everyone was in uniform. Most of the students were girls; Seron only counted three boys among them. At the students¡¯ feet were backpacks, messenger bags, and wooden cases. The smallest of the cases were at least 50 centimeters in length, and the larger ones were over a meter long. ¡°Wonder what those are?¡± Larry mused. Seron thought for a moment before answering. ¡°Instruments. They¡¯re probably going to provide live accompaniment for the performance. They¡¯re either from the orchestra or the concert band.¡± ¡°Instruments. They¡¯re probably going to provide live accompaniment for the performance. They¡¯re either from the orchestra or the concert band.¡± ¡°Makes sense. Fancy, huh.¡± They proceeded loudly along and finally reached the waiting students. ¡°Good morning! I¡¯m Larry Hepburn¡ªI¡¯m one of the drama club gofers here to take your luggage! This here¡¯s my fellow workaholic, Seron Maxwell. We have orders from Ms. Krantz to take you to the gymnasium!¡± Larry loudly introduced himself. Seron stopped at a slight bow. Some of the girls managed to notice him and put on very meaningful smiles. The girl who seemed to be the oldest of the group stepped forward. She was an elegant and ladylike student with long, curly blond hair. She was better suited to a party dress than a uniform, and more to a ballroom than a school. ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m Portman, fifth-year student and the president of the orchestra club. Thank you for coming all this way to help. We¡¯ll carry our instruments ourselves, so if you would please take our bags instead. We don¡¯t mind if you pile them up in the carts, but try not to drop them and get them dirty.¡± ¡°Of course, ma¡¯am! Understood!¡± Larry stood up straight on reflex. Then he began to load the bags onto his cart. Seron followed suit. The orchestra club members carried their own precious instruments. ¡°Gymnasium 1, right? We¡¯ll be going ahead.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the place! We¡¯ll bring your things over in a flash!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, everyone.¡± Larry and Seron carefully loaded the bags onto the carts as the orchestra¡¯s footsteps faded. They did not raise their heads until they were done. Then, just as they were about to head off¡ª ¡°Er¡­ gymnasium 1, right? Should the four of us go with you?¡± A female student spoke from behind them. Larry flinched, but he quickly put on a smile and turned. ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Seron also turned. He came face-to-face with several female students who, for some reason, had not gone with the rest of the orchestra. The first girl had referred to four people, but Seron only saw three nervous students. Two tall girls and one chubby girl. Then he spotted the fourth girl. She was standing behind the others as though hiding. ¡°The other orchestra members already left. Is that all right?¡± Larry asked. One of the tall girls replied. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re not from the orchestra.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°We¡¯re from the chorus club. We¡¯ll be singing at the performance. We¡¯re supposed to be working together with the orchestra, but we only just met and we¡¯re not very close yet.¡± The girl explained awkwardly. ¡°Ah. I see. SC Portman¡¯s kinda intimidating. I understand completely! You should come with us¡ªdon¡¯t worry, this is part of our job description.¡± Larry¡¯s friendly attitude quickly dissolved any reservations the girls had. Seron internally marveled at Larry¡¯s natural talent with people and decided to do what he could for the time being. ¡°Do you have any bags that need carrying? There¡¯s some room left on my cart.¡± He said to the four girls¡ªor specifically, to the three girls and the fourth hidden behind them. That was when the fourth girl¡ª ¡°Then may I ask for you to please take my bag?¡± She emerged from behind the others. Her intonation was notably stilted. ¡°¡­¡± Seron felt his breath catch in his throat. He forgot even to exhale. His entire body went rigid. Before his eyes was a girl with black hair tied into pigtails. Slowly, the girl held out her messenger bag to Seron. She had pale, skinny arms. ¡°¡­¡± Larry noticed Seron¡¯s bewildered state. ¡°What¡¯s up, Seron?¡± He asked. Then he understood. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The three girls waited for Seron to respond, confused. ¡°I am sorry. Is my Roxchean speaking difficult to understand? I am not a Roxchean person.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s all right.¡± Seron finally let out the breath he was holding and pulled himself together. He received the bag with both hands and gingerly placed it at the very top of his cart. Having recovered from his shock, Seron looked directly at the girl before him. ¡°You¡¯re from Sou Be-Il, correct? I¡¯m not sure if you remember me, but we were in art class together last term.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. I am very sorry. But I do not think that I remember your name. I am very sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Seron. Seron Maxwell. Please, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The girl smiled¡ª ¡°My name is Meg. Strauski Megmica.¡± ----- Volume 1 3 — Meg Volume 1 Chapter 3: Meg ----- The sun was shining high in the sky. Seron and Larry pushed their carts of luggage along. Meg and the chorus club were walking at a slight distance. Seron and Larry whispered under their breaths. ¡°This is great, Seron! I can¡¯t believe your luck!¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks¡­ But I¡­¡± ¡°But what? Let¡¯s talk to her over lunch!¡± ¡°Yeah, about that. ¡­You know what? Let¡¯s save this for later.¡± ¡°Hm. All right. It¡¯d be bad if she overheard.¡± Behind them, the chorus club girls were also whispering amongst themselves. The topic of their discussion was easy to figure out. The girls whispered about how handsome Seron was, how cool he was, and how they were jealous that Meg had taken the same class as him last term. ¡°But you see, this is the first time that I had the chance to speak with that person.¡± Meg said to the other girls without much thought. Finally, the six of them arrived at the gymnasium. Portman was introducing the members of the orchestra to Ms. Krantz and the senior members of the drama club. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be able to play at the annual performance with you. We will do our utmost to match your wonderful performance.¡± Then she added, as though in an afterthought, ¡°Ah yes, Ms. Krantz. Those four over there are members of the chorus club.¡± Every eye in the gymnasium was on the chorus club. The drama club and the orchestra watched as the girls feebly introduced themselves in turn. Meg was up last. ¡°Er¡­ My¡ªmy name is Strauski Megmica. I will do my best work. Please take good care of me.¡± Even from a simple greeting, it was clear as day that Meg¡¯s intonation and pronunciation were stilted. ¡°Oh? Are you hard of speaking?¡± Portman inquired loudly, as though announcing to the whole gymnasium. Meg flinched like she had been whipped. The other chorus club members hung their heads. ¡°Ugh.¡± Larry, who hated people who bullied the weak, bit his lip. ¡°¡­¡± Seron glared silently. ¡°Er¡­ erm¡­ I¡­ I am still not very skilled in my Roxchean speaking. I am a person from Sou Be-Il.¡± That was all Meg could say. Portman pounced the moment she saw her chance. ¡°I see. I have nothing against international students, of course. But I¡¯m not sure I want the drama club and the orchestra¡¯s wonderful performance to become a laughingstock on account of a badly-pronounced song.¡± ¡°Yes? But¡­ er¡­ I¡­¡± Meg could not go on. She went silent, her gaze falling to the newly-marked floor. ¡°I believe everyone else is also in agreement?¡± Portman said, looking over the other orchestra members. No one spoke up in agreement, but no one disagreed. Her long hair aflutter, Portman turned her wrath on the other chorus club members. ¡°I did ask for four vocalists. But I remember clearly asking for the four bestmembers. Was there a problem?¡± The other chorus club girls looked even more taken aback than Meg. They looked like three frogs being strangled by a serpent. Larry¡¯s bitten lip became more pronounced. Seron¡¯s glare was sharp enough to kill. Ms. Krantz stood beside Portman and Meg with her arms crossed, an interesting look on her face. She waited to see if the chorus club would argue back, and planned to step in at the end if the students could not work things out among themselves. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me a thing if you don¡¯t speak.¡± Portman was controlling the atmosphere now. ¡°The orchestra is made up of students who passed a rigorous audition. We can confidently and proudly call on each and every member to give a worthy performance. And what about your chorus club?¡± Portman looked over Meg and the chorus club members. Suddenly, one of the girls spoke. ¡°Megmica here is the best singer in the club!¡± It was a resounding voice worthy of the chorus club. The other two chorus club members loudly voiced their agreement. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t disprove that.¡± Said Portman. ¡°But if the rest of you aren¡¯t very good, wouldn¡¯t that imply something rather unflattering about her?¡± She shot. The chorus club girls frowned visibly. The one who had spoken up earlier retorted, ¡°How rude! Are you implying that the four of us are poor vocalists?!¡± ¡°I wonder. Well, I suppose I can¡¯t pass judgement until I¡¯ve heard with my own two ears. Let us hear your singing, right here and now. If you manage to surpass my expectations, I will apologize.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The chorus club went quiet again. They couldn¡¯t very well sing without warming up, and in their situation¡ªand without any accompaniment to boot¡ªit would be a difficult task. ¡°If someone could at least accompany us¡­¡± The tallest chorus club member said, but there was no way Portman would let them have an advantage. ¡°Has anyone in the orchestra finished prepping their instruments?¡± Naturally, no one responded. The drama club members paused their work as their attention was drawn to the commotion, and silence filled the gymnasium. Several seconds passed. Ms. Krantz took a deep breath, ready to step in. ¡°I see you¡¯re as passionate about music as ever, SC Portman.¡± A female voice resounded through the gymnasium. The voice was deep for a girl¡¯s, and words aside, scorn was clear in the tone of the voice. ¡°Oh?¡± Miss Krantz raised an eyebrow, turning. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Portman shot back almost on reflex as she turned. Seron, Meg, and everyone in the gymnasium looked at the source of the voice. She stood behind the chorus club, at the gymnasium doors 3 meters away. ¡°I meant exactly what I said, SC Portman.¡± The girl was in uniform. She stood with the bright outside air at her back. She was tall for a girl, and wore her long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. Her eyes were dark and a pair of thin-rimmed glasses sat on her face. She was pretty, but her expression was stern and cold. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late.¡± The girl said loudly as she stepped into the gymnasium. In her hand was a rectangular violin case. The girl passed Larry and Seron¡ªwho were still visibly outraged¡ªand stopped in front of the chorus club. In that instant, Larry glimpsed the girl¡¯s profiled face. ¡°Hm?¡± He furrowed his brow. Portman was glaring daggers, but the bespectacled girl acted as if she didn¡¯t even exist. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you. What do you want to sing?¡± She said to the chorus club. And before the three senior-classmen could answer, ¡°If it is possible to do so, may you accompany me with ¡®Memories of the Four Seasons¡¯? I will sing this song solo on my own.¡± Meg said. ¡®Memories of the Four Seasons¡¯, was a famous song in Roxche that¡ªas the title made clear¡ªdescribed the beauty of the seasons. ¡°Sure. I like that song.¡± The bespectacled girl said, finally smiling. She opened up her case on the floor and pulled out a dark brown violin. Then she attached the shoulder rest, placed the violin against her face, and brandished her bow. The girl played the second string on the right. A gentle tone filled the gymnasium. She then began playing two strings at once, creating a resounding chord. She gave Meg her cue. Meg clasped her hands before her chest and nodded. Without warning, the violin girl leapt into the song. The gymnasium was filled with a powerful sound. The smooth, gentle introduction began. She made the performance look easy. But the sound born from her violin was clearly backed up by incredible skill. The moment the introduction began, Med closed her eyes and moved her clasped hands with the rhythm. Then she took a deep breath¡ª And she sang. The air in the gymnasium changed. Meg¡¯s soprano voice became a great wave that surged and rushed over Portman and Ms. Krantz¡ªwho were right next to her¡ªalong with the entire orchestra and the drama club members further away. The bespectacled accompanist smiled and made minute adjustments in her playing to match Meg¡¯s volume. Meg¡¯s voice resounded through the room. ¡°¡­¡± Seron could say nothing. He simply stared, transfixed, with his eyes wide open. Seron could say nothing. He simply stared, transfixed, with his eyes wide open. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Larry managed a gasp as he listened. Like a magic spell, the song froze every movement in the gymnasium. Meg¡¯s Roxchean was perfect. It was beyond reproach. It was impossible to tell from the singing that she was a foreigner. Peacefully and gently, she finished the first verse and its imagery of spring. She opened her eyes with a smile and turned to her accompanist. The accompanist gave her a look asking, ¡®Verse 2 too?¡¯. When she saw Meg lightly shake her head, the accompanist dragged out one final note and put an end to her splendid performance. Silence returned to the gymnasium. Five seconds later. ¡°That was magnificent!¡± Ms. Krantz exclaimed, breaking into applause. ¡°Brilliant! That was a moving performance, you two. There¡¯s nothing more to say; I think the chorus club will make a splendid contribution to the drama club¡¯s performance. Don¡¯t you think so, Portman?¡± Portman, who had been listening in awe, snapped out of her daze and floundered. ¡°Huh? Er¡­ I¡ªthat is to say¡­ I have nothing to criticize. It seems that there are many talented people at this school.¡± ¡°As the supervisor of the drama club, I¡¯m happy too. Keep up the good work, chorus club. Portman, could you introduce our accompanist here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Portman replied promptly behind a thinly veiled look of discontentment, averting her gaze. ¡°This is Natalia Steinbeck. She¡¯s a third-year student and a member of the orchestra club. As you have all just heard, she¡¯s quite talented. I¡¯m sure most of you will understand if I tell you that she¡¯s the daughter of the Steinbeck couple.¡± Several people in the drama club, three of the chorus club girls, and Seron reacted to the name. The club members were very¡ªand Seron was slightly¡ªsurprised. ¡°¡­¡± Meg stood in confused silence. ¡°¡­Who¡¯s what now?¡± Larry wondered, tilting his head a full 45 degrees. With her violin in her left hand and her bow in her left, the accompanist put on a cool smile. ¡°Natalia. It¡¯s a pleasure. And sorry I¡¯m late¡ªsomeone must have made a mistake and forgotten to count me when the club met at the gates.¡± Observant people like Seron, Meg, and Arthur quickly realized that Natalia and Portman were not on good terms, and that most of the problems between the orchestra and the chorus club stemmed from the orchestra side. ¡°Dearie me, I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Portman said flippantly, as though she had simply stepped on Natalia¡¯s foot by mistake. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it bother you, SC Portman. It never bothered me, either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you, Natalia Steinbeck.¡± ¡°Enough of the fake apologies, SC Portman. I¡¯m used to them by now. And here I was, thinking you¡¯d matured a little.¡± ¡°Oh my. Were you planning on becoming a psychiatrist in the future, Natalia Steinbeck? I¡¯m sure you can do anything when you put your mind to it. I¡¯m cheering for you.¡± ¡°Not mentioning any names, but I¡¯m not sure I have what it takes to look after self-centered patients. I¡¯m going to have to turn down any offers from medical school if it means I have to suffer into adulthood, too.¡± ¡°Of course. With your skill, I suppose you¡¯re destined for a career in music. And a much more celebrated career than mine, considering your talent.¡± ¡°But I could never beat you for music criticism, SC Portman.¡± If Portman and Meg earlier were a serpent and a frog respectively, this time it was a pair of serpents were engaged in a fierce battle. The orchestra club, clearly not wanting to get involved, shrank back. ¡°Girls¡¯ fights are scarier than a war.¡± Larry whispered to Seron. Silently, Seron nodded. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know much about wars.¡± He added quietly. Arthur, who had been in the background of the conversation for quite some time, gently elbowed Ms. Krantz. ¡°Oh! Er¡­ Yes. That was great!¡± She said. ¡°No objections here! We have high hopes for both the orchestra and the chorus club. Let¡¯s all enjoy ourselves and play nice! All right, everyone? Yes?¡± * * * The club representatives had a schedule set for the morning. The drama club would do voice projection exercises and practice blocking, or make costumes and props in the clubroom. The orchestra would start off with a full practice in their usual haunt, music room 1. The chorus club would go to practice at their usual location¡ªmusic room 2, located in a separate building from music room 1. Ms. Krantz would supervise the combination of acting and music, but only starting the day after tomorrow. As for Seron and Larry, they would continue to work as gofers. As for Seron and Larry, they would continue to work as gofers. Just before they set off for music room 1 with the orchestra club¡¯s luggage, ¡°Here.¡± Seron said briefly, handing Meg her bag. ¡°Thank you very much.¡± Politely, Meg bowed her head. Then she left the gymnasium with the other chorus club members. ¡°¡­¡± Seron watched in silence until Meg¡¯s bouncing pigtails disappeared. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go.¡± Larry said, giving him a push. The orchestra club walked ahead of Seron and Larry as though in a funeral march. Including Natalia, the orchestra club numbered at over a dozen members. And they all walked in a straight line through the building in complete silence. Soon they arrived at music room 1, which was on the first floor or a nearby building. The orchestra members took out their instruments, and Seron and Larry gently placed their luggage on the desks. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re free to go.¡± Portman said. ¡°Feel free to call us if you need anything else!¡± Seron and Larry left the music room with the carts. Natalia glanced at Larry as he departed. ¡°Hmph.¡± She snorted. When they returned to the gymnasium, Arthur asked them to go on an errand. The drama club was using up marking tape faster than they had expected and needed more rolls. Seron and Larry received the money and left on foot for the shopping district about a kilometer away. Temperatures were rising in time with the season, but because of the low humidity it was not very uncomfortable. The northerly winds squeezing between the buildings were refreshing. Seron and Larry walked out the gates and into the residential district. Because it was still morning, the streets were practically deserted. Larry suddenly pointed at Seron. ¡°Seron! You¡¯re the luckiest guy in the world! This is great! So that was Strauski Megmica, eh? She¡¯s definitely a cute one, with those big eyes and all. And she¡¯s an incredible singer, too! She¡¯s perfect for you! Ask her out next time you get to talk to her! ¡ªI¡¯ve got it! You can ask at lunchtime! Here¡¯s hoping she didn¡¯t bring her own lunch!¡± Larry¡¯s hands and feet were trembling in awe. But Seron¡ª ¡°W-wait. That¡¯s a bit sudden¡­¡± He said sadly. Larry stopped. ¡°Er¡­ you can keep walking, Larry. ¡ªI, well¡­ I don¡¯t plan on asking her out right away. And please don¡¯t say a word about it to her. Please.¡± ¡°Wh-why?¡± Larry stammered, resuming his walk. ¡°The practice camp is going to last seven days, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So if I ask her out today¡ª¡± ¡°Aha! Then you could go on campus dates together every day for the next seven days! You can tell SC Arthur that you¡¯re helping out, but stick with the chorus club all week long. I can do both our shares of work, and¡ª¡± ¡°No, I mean¡ªthat makes sense, but that¡¯s only if I get a positive response.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°If she turns me down¡­ what am I supposed to do for the next seven days?¡± Seron¡¯s attitude had darkened so quickly it was almost scary. ¡°Whoa, whoa. Wait a sec here. You have a point, Seron. But¡ªbut you¡¯re a good-looking guy. I think you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean she¡¯s going to be interested in me. Remember what you told me before? ¡®Don¡¯t ever roll out a plan under the assumption that things will turn out for the best¡¯.¡± ¡°Well, yeah¡­¡± ¡°So please don¡¯t tell her anything, Larry. At least, not until the last day of the practice camp. ¡­Please.¡± ¡°Seron¡­ you really like Strauski Megmica, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I love her!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Larry¡¯s jaw dropped at the prompt response, but he soon nodded to himself. ¡°So you¡¯re happy just being around her. ¡­All right. I got it. I promise I won¡¯t say a word.¡± Larry said, then added, ¡°But until then, I¡¯m going to do everything I can to push you two together. If you think you see your chance, ask her out! Sound good to you?¡± * * * Seron and Larry came back with everything Arthur had asked for, but there was no work for them to do. ¡°I think we¡¯re good for now, so you¡¯re free to leave if you¡¯d like. See you in the afternoon.¡± Said Arthur. With the drama club¡¯s voice projection exercises behind them, Seron and Larry left the gymnasium. Larry suggested that they drop by the chorus club, but Seron vetoed the idea because it would be too unnatural. So they went straight back to the dorms. The usual hustle and bustle of the campus nowhere to be heard¡ªit was tranquil in the school that day. It was rare to see the campus so deserted, but this was one such moment. The old, towering buildings were silent, and the grassy field spread quietly across the grounds. Seron had seen such sights often, living in the dorms. But Larry, who commuted to school, was relishing the unusual atmosphere. ¡°Hey, wanna check out that old building?¡± At Larry¡¯s suggestion, they took the long way around and headed for the old building that was used as a storehouse. Among the buildings on campus, the storehouse was furthest away from the main buildings. Around it was a stone-paved path and a small flower bed. The storehouse¡¯s wall and foundation were made of grey stone, and its roof was covered with red tiles. It was shaped like a rectangle, longer from east to west than from north to south. The building was about 30 meters long and 10 meters wide. In terms of height it was about two stories tall, and the roof was very steep. Next to it was a steeple that could serve as a lookout tower. The building was a remnant from the campus¡¯s history as part of a small town. Signs of repair were clearly visible. Because the storehouse was old, foreboding, and far from the other buildings, not many people approached it¡ªespecially not students, who had nothing to do with the storehouse. There were more buildings of a similar design there when the school was first built. But the rest had been deemed unsafe demolished. ¡°They must have spared this one because they didn¡¯t want to get rid of all the historical buildings. This storehouse was built over 300 years ago. There are other old buildings around here, but this one tops them all.¡± ¡°I see. Thanks for the info. This is the first time I¡¯ve come so close since I took a peek back in first year.¡± Seron and Larry circled around the building toward the northern side. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± An angry male voice echoed from around the corner. ¡°Huh?¡± Larry stopped. So did Seron behind him. As their eyes adjusted to the shadow, they spotted three men in blue coveralls glaring at them. The men ranged in age from their twenties to their forties. And they all wore the same grim looks on their faces. Put nicely, they looked strong. Not so nicely, they looked positively menacing. The 4th Capital Secondary School took appearance and approachability into account when hiring even the security guards. People like these three were a rare sight on campus. Seron and Larry had already seen one of them earlier. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you guys. From the gymnasium earlier.¡± Said Hartnett. Seron and Larry nodded. ¡°As you can see, we¡¯re working. Leave.¡± ¡°Right, Mr. Hartnett. ¡ªDo you mind if we ask what you¡¯re doing?¡± Larry asked, genuinely curious. Although he didn¡¯t expect an answer. ¡°Oh, this? Orders from the ministry of education. We¡¯re blocking off the latticed windows. Can¡¯t have any little kids falling inside, right? Even if no one falls in, it¡¯d still be trouble if anyone got stuck.¡± Though Hartnett looked as menacing as ever, he answered Larry¡¯s question with little reservation. There were windows along the wall, low and close to the ground. The windows were about 40 centimeters high and 1 meter long. They were placed at regular 1-meter intervals in the wall and were dozens of centimeters deep. But instead of panes of glass, they were installed with bare-bones iron bars. The building basement was not used as a storehouse. High up on the wall were windows that let in light and fresh air. ¡°A basement, eh? Wish I could check it out.¡± Larry said curiously. Hartnett said no more to Seron and Larry. He turned back to his coworkers for a discussion. ¡°Let¡¯s not bother them. C¡¯mon.¡± Said Seron. ¡°¡®Scuse us.¡± Larry nodded, turning on his heels. Watching them leave, one man grimaced. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. A drama club practice camp? Now? After all the trouble we went through to get entry during summer break¡­¡± The man in his forties chimed in, ¡°¡®It¡¯ll be fine because the sports clubs aren¡¯t practicing yet¡¯, they said. This is ridiculous.¡± Hartnett finally spoke. ¡°No use complaining now. It¡¯ll be fine as long as none of them go into the basement. First, let¡¯s double-check the lock.¡± ----- Volume 1 4 — Natalia Volume 1 Chapter 4: Natalia ----- Seron and Larry stayed in their dorm room until lunchtime. For about two hours, Seron lost himself in reading. Larry sat next to him and borrowed the books he had finished¡ª ¡®The Frozen Waters -Life in the North Sea-¡¯ ¡®Impacts of the Advent of Electricity¡¯ ¡®Chronicles of the Kingdom of Iks -Light and Shadow in the Mountain Kingdom-¡¯ ¡®Secrets of the National Assembly Building¡¯ ¡®The Rose Manor Serial Murders¡¯ ¡®Roxche¡¯s Inclines¡¯ ¡°Hmm¡­ They all look like a pain to read.¡± Larry surrendered, resorting to sit-ups instead. ¡°Four! Five! Six! Army!¡± Then he went on to finish back exercises. Afterwards¡ª ¡°Here. Some sugar¡¯ll keep you energized.¡± He grabbed tea from the dormitory cafeteria and gave some to Seron. Then¡ª ¡°Maybe if I tried this¡­ No, that¡¯ll leave it open.¡± He pored over the chessboard alone and tried out all sorts of moves. Finally¡ª ¡°It¡¯s about time, Seron.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­Ah. Thanks, Larry. Let¡¯s get going.¡± It was lunchtime. They headed over to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was a little late to open. The drama club and the orchestra club members were already lined up. Some¡ªbut not all¡ªof the students had brought their own lunches. Empress Portman of the orchestra was nowhere to be seen, and nor was Natalia. Finally, at the very end of the line was one member of the chorus club. ¡°Huh? Are you by yourself?¡± Larry was first to speak to Meg. He had been waiting for Seron to make the first move, but he had spotted Seron frozen still at the sight of her and had no choice but to act. Meg turned nervously. But she nodded the moment she recognized them. ¡°Yes, I am. The other three members of our chorus club had brought their own lunch boxes with them today for lunch. I wanted to also bring my own lunch box today for lunch, but my mother was feeling very below the weather this morning and so I could not bring my own lunch. I am saved that there is a cafeteria in the dormitory.¡± Again, Larry waited for Seron. Again, Seron said absolutely nothing. ¡°Miss Strauski, right? Would you like to have lunch with us? We¡¯re not with the drama club or the orchestra, so it might be a good idea to stick together.¡± ¡°Thank you. I am saved. You see, today is my first day that I am eating food at the dormitory cafeteria. So I do not know how it is that I am supposed to buy the food here.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯d be happy to help you out. Right, Seron?¡± ¡°Huh? Er¡­ right.¡± Larry was internally desperate to hear Seron give a more enthusiastic answer, but he could not make a show of it. Meg, oblivious to their plight, lined up right behind Larry. Larry thought to switch places with Seron, but at that moment the line began to move. They followed the drama club and the orchestra towards the counter. Today, students had a choice between steamed chicken sandwiches with boiled vegetables and mayonnaise, and fish and chips with vinegar and tartar sauce. They could also get a side of salad. Students could choose to have both menus if they wished. Seron chose the sandwich, and Larry chose both. ¡°Hm¡­ Which menu shall I eat for lunch?¡± Meg thought long and hard before finally settling on the sandwich. The moment the sandwich was placed on Meg¡¯s tray, Seron¡¯s expressionless face lit up. Larry understood a second later. ¡°Aha¡­¡± Seron was happy to be eating the same menu as the girl he liked. Larry smiled. Then he wondered if Seron and Meg would ever be able to talk to one another on their own. After that, they filled their mugs with tea from a large pot and added sugar and honey. Then they finally reached the record sheet. ¡°Then you write your student number here and sign it. And you¡¯re good to go! They¡¯ll total up your bill for you later. It won¡¯t be that expensive¡ªabout the same as or a little cheaper than the main cafeteria.¡± Larry signed the sheet and handed the pen to Seron. Seron signed the sheet. ¡°Here you are.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He handed the pen to Meg. That was the extent of their interaction. The drama club was sitting close to the counters. The orchestra sat beside them. ¡°Let¡¯s get a bit of distance, eh?¡± Larry and the others sat apart from the others¡ªin fact, they were almost all the way at the end of the large cafeteria. Meg sat near the middle of the long table. Larry quickly sat diagonally from her and practically forced Seron to sit directly across from her. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s eat up and get some energy for the afternoon!¡± Larry said, and lifted up a silent prayer. It was Hepburn family tradition to pray for the war dead, regardless of affiliation. As usual, Seron took his time and waited for Larry to finish. Meg also clasped her hands before her chest. ¡°May peace be upon the royal family, the people, and the land of the setting sun.¡± She recited quietly in Bezelese. Their meal began. And about ten seconds later, ¡°Mind if I join you guys?¡± They heard a female voice from overhead. Unusually for a girl¡¯s, the voice was brusque and blunt. The student almost talked like a boy. Seron and Larry looked up. Meg turned. Standing there was the incredible violinist from earlier, Natalia Steinbeck. On her tray was both a sandwich and a plate of fish and chips. Natalia met Meg¡¯s gaze and smiled. ¡°Hey there, Vocal Star. ¡ªMay I?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course you may sit here.¡± Meg said, putting down her sandwich and wiping her hands on a napkin. Then she pulled out the chair next to hers for Natalia, whose hands were full. ¡°Please sit down right here.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Natalia took a seat and first turned to Meg on her left. ¡°Lemme introduce myself again. The name¡¯s Natalia Steinbeck. I¡¯m a third-year. FYI, you can just call me ¡®Nat¡¯.¡± ¡°My name is Strauski Megmica. I am a person from Sou Be-Il, and so my family name Strauski comes before my own name Megmica. I am also a third-year student like you. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Steinbeck.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Megmica. You don¡¯t need to sound so formal.¡± ¡°I do not have very much confidence in my casual Roxchean speaking.¡± ¡°I see. Sorry you gotta listen to my lazy-ass Roxchean. It¡¯s just how I roll. Anyway, let¡¯s dig in.¡± Natalia grabbed her sandwich and finally turned her attention to the boys across the table. ¡°Hey, what¡¯re you waiting for? You can feast your eyes after you feast on lunch.¡± ¡°Back there, you were really awesome.¡± Larry said with his usual smile. ¡°Really. Good going, Natalia.¡± ¡°You think so? I see you¡¯ve grown into quite the outgoing young man since the last time I saw you, Larry Hepburn.¡± Larry¡¯s jaw dropped. Seron stopped mid-bite and looked at Larry. Seron stopped mid-bite and looked at Larry. ¡°Huh? Wait¡­ er¡­ have we met before?¡± Natalia dipped several fries into her tartar sauce and stuffed them into her mouth. Then¡ª ¡°You got it.¡± ¡°Err¡­ were we in the same class last year?¡± ¡°So you did forget me, Mr. Crybaby Hepburn. You and I went to the same kindergarten, and we were in the same class in primary school until third year.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! You two people were childhood friends with each other?¡± Meg seemed to be enjoying the situation, but Larry¡¯s face had frozen. A tomato slice slowly slid from the sandwich in his hands and finally fell to his plate. Looking like a new recruit who had just been dropped in the middle of a minefield, Larry stammered. ¡°No way¡­ Lia¡­? You¡¯re Lia?¡± ¡°S¡¯right. It¡¯s been one heck of a long time since the last time anyone called me that. ¡ªSo you never knew my full name?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Seron finally turned his gaze from the frozen Larry to Natalia. ¡°I¡¯m Seron Maxwell. Yes, from the Maxwell family. I¡¯ve been friends with Larry since first year. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Natalia from the Steinbeck family.¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re almost a celeb too.¡± ¡°Er¡­ What does this mean?¡± Meg asked curiously. ¡°I do not know the meanings of the names of you two. If it is all right with you two, will you tell me the meanings?¡± Natalia grinned. ¡°Megmica. The ebony-haired gent across from you is the son of the woman who runs Maxwell Frozen Foods.¡± ¡°Maxwell¡­ Frozen Foods?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ever see those red frozen food packages in the foodstuffs corner at the department store?¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, I have seen them! My mother often buys those packages and warms them up in our oven for us to eat for meals. She says, ¡®everything is very convenient in Roxche¡¯. I understand it now!¡± Meg exclaimed excitedly and looked straight ahead. There sat Seron, looking completely indifferent but desperately trying to hide his elation. ¡°Just now I learned one more new thing about Roxche, Mr. Maxwell.¡± She addressed Seron by name for the first time, wearing a smile. ¡°Er¡­ I¡­ thanks.¡± Seron replied without so much as blinking. He exhaled and desperately calmed himself down. Then with his right hand he gestured at the girl sitting next to Meg. ¡°Natalia¡¯s parents are Roxche¡¯s most famous musician couple.¡± ¡°Oh? Er¡­ could it possibly be? Five years ago, in Sfrestus the capital of Sou Be-Il! The musician family¡¯s husband and wife who play many instruments for the king and royal family?¡± Meg¡¯s Roxchean began degenerating, but she managed to get her meaning across. Seron nodded. ¡°That¡¯s how it is. I guess you could say my folks¡¯re celebrities.¡± Natalia said. ¡°I¡¯m talking to you too, Larry. You listening?¡± She cast Larry a dirty look. Larry was still frozen. ¡°No, well¡­ Feels like I¡¯ve heard something like that before¡­¡± He muttered, falling into thought again. ¡°Blondie here and me,¡± Natalia explained, ¡°we were next-door-neighbors. Our manors were right next to each other¡¯s. We used to walk to kindergarten and school holding hands every day until second year of primary school.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. How lovely!¡± ¡°Larry used to be a tiny kid back then. Still is, compared to me. For a military brat who wanted to be a soldier, he was a pretty big crybaby. I was worried. Not for him¡ªfor Roxche.¡± ¡°Sh-shut up! That was years ago!¡± Larry finally burst out. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re still alive.¡± Natalia chuckled. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought we¡¯d meet again in secondary school? Anyway, I just wish you¡¯d at least remembered the name of the world-class musician who used to play for you for free. You still keeping up?¡± Larry was silent. His muscled shoulders shrank and he quietly began to finish the rest of his fries. ¡°Then I see that you play the violin in the orchestra music club. It is very wonderful.¡± Said Meg. ¡°You and the president didn¡¯t seem to be on very friendly terms.¡± Seron noted. He quickly frowned, wondering if he shouldn¡¯t have said anything, but Natalia did not seem offended in the least. ¡°Well, yeah. Actually, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Actually, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Said Meg. Seron was also surprised. His hand stopped with the mug of tea still in his grip. ¡°Hm? Ah, lemme explain.¡± Natalia said, quickly finishing off the rest of her sandwich. ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t like music, but I don¡¯t want to have a career in it. I¡¯d rather do my own thing than run around like my folks. I play violin, but I actually prefer piano and guitar¡ªI¡¯m only in the orchestra club to keep my folks happy. But SC Portman noticed the instant I joined the club that I wasn¡¯t doing my best. And that¡¯s how it¡¯s been ever since. SC Portman¡¯s not just a prissy lady¡ªshe¡¯s got an eye for talent. She practices every single day to stay sharp. It¡¯s people like her that should be pro musicians.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Natalia waited for Meg and Seron¡¯s reactions and added, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her, all right?¡±. Then she looked straight ahead. ¡°You too, Shortie. It¡¯s our little secret.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯d tell! And who¡¯re you calling ¡®Shortie¡¯?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the details. You¡¯re short, but you¡¯re still a man, right?¡± Natalia grinned, reaching over to Larry¡¯s plate and taking his untouched fish. She brought it straight to her own mouth. ¡°Hey! What the heck?!¡± ¡°Sorry. Go get some more if you¡¯re still hungry.¡± ¡°Dammit¡­ You¡¯ll get fat if you stuff yourself!¡± Larry threatened, taking to his feet with fists trembling. But Natalia was unfazed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. For some reason, I never gain weight no matter how much I eat. I¡¯m a tall girl, and playing the violin takes a lot of energy.¡± ¡°My goodness. That makes me feel very envious.¡± Meg chimed in. Natalia grinned. ¡°Anyway, good choice with the song back there.¡± Meg was surprised, but she quickly smiled. ¡°Thank you very much! And your accompaniment was splendid as well. I am not very skilled at musical instruments, so I was moved very much.¡± ¡°What do you mean when you say it was a good choice, Natalia Steinbeck?¡± Larry asked, taking a seat. Seron looked at her and waited for an answer. Natalia cast Larry a glance and answered his question. ¡°The lyrics to ¡®Memories of the Four Seasons¡¯ were written for pronunciation practice.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± ¡°The song¡¯s famous, but not a lot of people know this. When Roxchean was first developed over a hundred years ago, the linguists who created it got together to write these lyrics to help practice. The lyrics to ¡®Memories of the Four Seasons¡¯ were written for non-speakers in the first place.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± The boys nodded in understanding. Meg clasped her hands together. ¡°That is right! A senior-classman in the chorus club taught me this fact. She graduated last year from secondary school. She told me, ¡®This is a good song to start with¡¯, so I sang this song many, many times! It helped me learn Roxchean very much. If with other songs¡­ my Roxchean pronunciation is unskilled still. But when everyone in the chorus club sings together with me, I can hide my voice in their voices. On the stage I will have no problems, I think.¡± ¡°I see. That makes a lot of sense.¡± Larry nodded enthusiastically. ¡°SC Portman doesn¡¯t know a thing about vocals. You put her in her place good.¡± ¡°Do you think that perhaps I offended her?¡± ¡°Nope. Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± ¡°Then I will not sweat anything.¡± Meg smiled. ¡°I had no choice but to come to the cafeteria by myself, and I wondered what I should do at all. But I am very happy now because we can laugh very much and talk like this. Please take good care of me from now on, everyone.¡± She said with a bow. ¡°You got it. We¡¯re friends now.¡± ¡°Me too. And Seron too, right?¡± ¡°Er¡­ yeah. Me too.¡± Seron smiled awkwardly. ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Meg beamed. Seron gulped nervously. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some tea.¡± Larry said, getting out of his seat. ¡°I¡¯ll grab a pot for all of us. ¡ªLet¡¯s go, Natalia.¡± Natalia was still eating her fish. Larry was stretching the limits of plausibility by inviting her, but he decided to take the risk. ¡°Hm? ¡ªSure.¡± Natalia swallowed the rest of her fish, licked her fingertips, and elegantly stood from her seat. It was just two people at the table now. It was just two people at the table now. ¡°¡­¡± Seron silently focused on his sandwich¡ª ¡ªand finished it before he knew it. Seron found himself looking up. Meg noticed his gaze and returned it, waiting for him to say something. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­¡± For two whole seconds his mind went completely blank. But he quickly recovered¡ª ¡°Err¡­ how¡¯d you do in art class?¡± He sounded as monotonous as ever, but Seron managed to at least say something. ¡°Yes, well¡­ My grade was not very good, but it was not as bad as I had expected it would be. Lillia¡ªer, my friend¡ªhelped me very much.¡± In contrast, Meg had warmed up since the conversation with Natalia. She was opening up more than before. ¡°What about your grade, Mr. Maxwell?¡± ¡°Huh? Er¡­ I¡­ yeah. It wasn¡¯t bad. Top marks.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! That is marvelous!¡± ¡°I¡ªno, sorry. I wasn¡¯t trying to show off¡ª¡± ¡°That is not a problem, Mr. Maxwell! You are¡ª¡± ¡°Erm¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could you¡­ maybe not call me ¡®Mr. Maxwell¡¯? I mean, we¡¯re in the same year and all¡­¡± ¡°I understand! So¡­ er¡­¡± ¡°Just Seron is fine.¡± ¡°I¡­ I am not used to speaking to boys without honorifics yet¡­ But I will do my best, Seron!¡± ¡°Yeah. Please.¡± Seron replied. ¡°Then that is what I will do.¡± Meg nodded. ¡°And¡­ well, I was really born one year before you. When we came to Roxche, I did not come to school for some time. If I were in Sou Be-Il, I would be like a fourth-year student. But no, this is not very important! I only wanted to inform you.¡± Seron put his brain into full throttle to continue the conversation. ¡°¡­I have a little sister named Leena. She¡¯s a smart kid.¡± He finally said. ¡°Hm?¡± For a moment, Meg was confused. ¡°Ah!¡± Then she realized that Seron was looking for a common conversation topic. ¡°I have two little brothers! My brothers are both in primary school, and they are both very popular people!¡± ¡°Hm? Things are looking real nice over there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get in their way.¡± On their way back from getting the pot of tea, Larry and Natalia spotted Meg and Seron engage in a conversation about their respective siblings. ¡°Don¡¯t bother them, Lia. I¡¯ll never forgive you if you do.¡± Larry was dead serious. Natalia made an amused face. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s been a long time since you called me that.¡± ¡°Who cares? Just don¡¯t get in their way.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s not my style.¡± ----- Volume 1 5 — Nick, and Jenny Volume 1 Chapter 5: Nick, and Jenny ----- After lunch. ¡°Bye, you two. The orchestra club¡¯s probably gonna finish up and leave early, so I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Natalia said to Seron and Larry, who were putting away her and Meg¡¯s trays as well. Then she turned to Meg. ¡°Wanna walk home together, Megmica? I mean, a certain senior-classman might start giving you the evil eye, but it¡¯s not like she likes me enough to get envious anyway.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Meg smiled and stood. She looked at Seron and Larry, who were carrying four trays between them. ¡°It was a very fun lunchtime. Thank you very much. It is the first time I ate here, but the dormitory cafeteria is delicious as well. And I am sorry that you have to clean up our trays.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you, Megmica. Feel free to order us around.¡± Replied Seron and Larry respectively. ¡°The chorus club will go home before dinnertime also. I will see you two tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°All right. See you. Call us if you need anything. That¡¯s what we¡¯re here for.¡± Replied Seron and Larry respectively. Then Larry spoke up without waiting for Seron. ¡°If it¡¯s all right with you, Megmica, you should come eat lunch with us here tomorrow, too. We¡¯ll be eating cafeteria food the whole week long. You too, right Lia?¡± ¡°Sure am. I¡¯mma try everything on the menu here.¡± ¡°Oh! Then I will eat meals here as well! Thank you.¡± Meg said with a bow. Natalia said goodbye to the boys and left with Meg. Seron and Larry watched until they were both gone, and placed their trays on the return counter. Then they headed to the gymnasium. ¡°¡­¡± Seron was silent the whole time on the way out of the cafeteria. There was a serious look on his face. ¡°What¡¯s up, Seron? You got a stomachache?¡± Larry asked. Seron¡¯s head swiveled around. His handsome face looked directly at Larry. ¡°Larry¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s up?¡± Larry stammered, concerned. Seron¡¯s handsome face did not budge. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m so happy right now.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Good to hear, buddy. Good for you.¡± Larry nodded, then added to himself, ¡°I think I might be able to beat you at chess if we played now.¡± * * * The afternoon session began. The actors moved about on the marked-up stage with scripts in their hands, and the set crew drew designs on a sketchbook. Seron and Larry were asked to help build the set pieces. So they had their hands quite full as they helped the set crew and ran to send messages to the orchestra club. Time seemed to fly by after lunch. Dinnertime came in the blink of an eye. ¡°Ms. Krantz, our villain¡¯s here.¡± A member of the drama club said half-jokingly. ¡°Try it more like this!¡± Ms Krantz was saying, waving her arms, but she noticed the newcomer. ¡°Ah! Bring him in!¡± She said. The drama club members froze and all looked at the entrance. Seron and Larry were just opening up the windows to let the heat out of the gymnasium. So they happened to be standing near the doors. A male student walked past. He looked like a girl. His uniform was the only thing that identified him as a boy. In looks alone he was very feminine. His brown, back-length hair shimmered and shook softly in time with his gait. He had a slender build and fair skin, and narrow green eyes. ¡°Hm?¡± Larry frowned at the student¡¯s unmanly appearance. ¡°¡­¡± Seron showed no reaction. The moment the student entered, screams even louder than when Seron appeared filled the gymnasium. The boy put on a smile and walked through the gymnasium, finally reaching Ms. Krantz and the drama club. ¡°Apologies, Ms. Krantz. Everyone.¡± He had a clear, androgynous voice befitting his appearance. Larry¡¯s frown deepened at the boy¡¯s unmanly bearing. ¡°Welcome back. Did you enjoy your trip?¡± ¡°I did, Ms. Krantz. I¡¯d wanted to join you in the morning, but I was delayed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it! We¡¯re the ones who dragged you into this.¡± Ms Krantz said. She spoke with the boy briefly and clapped her hands twice. ¡°Attention, everyone! Put down whatever you¡¯re working on and gather round!¡± As if proving bodily that they had no reason not to gather around such a pretty boy, the girls crowded around Ms. Krantz. Seron and Larry opened the last of the windows and followed. Ms. Krantz stood by the boy and raised her voice. ¡°Let me introduce you. This is the last of our helpers, and a doozy of an assistant!¡± Just how many helpers was the drama club getting, Larry wondered under his breath. ¡°His name¡¯s¡ª ¡­would you like to take over?¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Krantz. ¡ªEveryone, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Nicholas Browning, third-year. Please call me Nick. It¡¯s an honor to work with you. I will do my very best to help. Thank you.¡± ¡°As we all know, Nick¡¯s filling in for the severe shortage of boys in our club by taking the role of the Black Knight. He has acting experience from primary school, so don¡¯t worry about his skills. I¡¯d love to have him join the club officially, but things happened¡­ the fact that he¡¯s here even as a helper is worth being grateful for.¡± Said Ms. Krantz. Then she began to introduce Nick to Arthur and the other drama club members. His eyes still on the introductions, Seron whispered to Larry. ¡°I took equestrian class with Nick in first term last year.¡± ¡°Huh. So who was more popular? You or him?¡± Larry asked. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. But¡ª¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°He turned down every girl who asked him out, just like me. And this strange rumor started going around with the girls.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Larry wondered, tilting his head. Seron¡¯s response was mechanical and unemotional. ¡°That I was actually dating him.¡± ¡°Pfft! HAHAHAHA!¡± Larry¡¯s snickers turned into howls of laughter. His voice resounded through the gymnasium. Naturally, everyone looked at him. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s so funny over there?¡± ¡°Ahahaha! Oh! Er¡­ excuse me, Ms. Krantz!¡± Larry quickly got a hold of himself, standing upright. Nick noticed Seron and Larry behind the female students. ¡°Hm? I see a familiar face. Is he part of the drama club too, Ms. Krantz?¡± ¡°The blond one, you mean?¡± ¡°No, the one next to him.¡± ¡°Ah. No, they¡¯re both helpers. I guess you could say they¡¯re like mercenaries.¡± ¡°I see. I should go greet them as well.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Said Ms. Krantz. Nick passed her by and went up to Seron and Larry. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Seron. Do you remember me? We took an equestrian class together last year.¡± He said, sounding a little excited. Seron replied as flatly as ever. ¡°Yes, I remember. Let me introduce you¡ªthis here¡¯s Larry, my best friend. We were just talking about how you and I knew each other.¡± ¡°Oh? And what about it did Larry find so funny?¡± Nick chuckled. Seron said nothing. ¡°Hah hah hah hah!¡± Larry burst into laughter again. ¡°Ahahaha! I see what they were talking about! Oh man, you really do look good together! Hahahaha!¡± In the midst of his side-splitting laugh, Larry noticed a sharp look cast his way and stopped himself. ¡°Well, well. It looks like we have a potential new cast member here.¡± Ms. Krantz said threateningly. ¡°How would you like to audition for the role of a man cursed to laugh forever?¡± ¡°No thank you, ma¡¯am!¡± Larry quickly replied, standing up straight again. Nick met Seron¡¯s eye and grinned. The girls who were watching them seemed to swoon. ¡°I wish they were the lead actors in the play¡­¡± One girl whispered. Someone was watching Seron and Nick through a lens. ¡°Those two aren¡¯t bad. Maybe I¡¯ll stick ¡®em together.¡± She was a petite girl in uniform with very short red hair. Her large, light brown eyes gave her the look of a small animal. She was standing outside the gymnasium. She was at one of the windows Seron had opened earlier. Through it the girl had a clear view of the doors, where Seron and Larry stood. The girl poked her head into the building through the window. Her eye was pressed against the viewfinder of the camera in her hands. The camera was a rangefinder that used standard 35mm film. A long, thin telephoto lens was fixed to it. Equipped on the top of the camera was a detachable turret finder, which resembled a revolver¡¯s magazine. It was not a very big camera, but it looked positively gigantic in her tiny hands. There was a click. She quickly turned the dial on the right side of the camera and wound the film, then pushed further into the gymnasium to re-focus and change angles. ¡°Ah!¡± At that moment, one of the girls noticed her. ¡°M-Ms. Krantz! Someone¡¯s spying on us!¡± ¡°Tch!¡± The redheaded camera girl managed to get another photo in before turning away. She placed her camera in the leather bag across her shoulder and shut the lid as she ran. The girl did not even bother to look back. She reached the end of the gymnasium. ¡°Hold it!¡± Larry emerged from behind the corner, having volunteered for the job to regain his honor. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you! Go away! Don¡¯t follow me!¡± The girl cried, running for her life. ¡°Not gonna happen!¡± She was captured in a matter of seconds. Larry grabbed her securely by the sleeves. ¡°Eek! Pervert! Someone save me! Help! What are you going to do to me, punk?! Police! Over here! A blond delinquent! He¡¯s so obviously a bad guy! He¡¯s trying to force himself on me!¡± The girl was yelling so loudly that Larry cringed, but there was no one behind the gymnasium during the summer. ¡°Aren¡¯t you even embarrassed to say all that crazy stuff?¡± Larry sighed. Two boys from the drama club soon came over. ¡°Hmph.¡± The tiny girl stopped screaming. She stood up straight. ¡°Whaddaya want?¡± ¡°Ms. Krantz wants to talk to you.¡± Said one of the drama club members. ¡°Come with us for now.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The arresting officers took the girl to the gymnasium. ¡°How long are you going to hold on to me like this? Pervert.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself. You¡¯re the one taking pictures of people in secret.¡± Larry said, letting go of her sleeves. ¡°I¡¯m covering a story here! I¡¯ll clear this up with the teacher!¡± The girl replied without a hint of guilt. Larry furrowed his brow. ¡°Covering a story?¡± Soon, they arrived at the doors. The moment they stepped inside¡ª ¡°Ah! The newspaper club!¡± The girls cried simultaneously. ¡°We had a newspaper club? You know about ¡®em, Seron?¡± Larry asked as he trailed in after the girl. ¡°No.¡± Seron shook his head. Nick, standing next to him, provided the answer. ¡°I know quite a bit about the newspaper club. This here is the pre-¡± ¡°Hey! Forget it. I¡¯ll introduce myself!¡± The camera girl cried. ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Said Ms. Krantz. ¡°I¡¯m Jenny Jones. I¡¯m a third-year and the president of the newspaper club!¡± Though every eye in the gymnasium was on her, Jenny was not cowed in the slightest. ¡°The president?¡± ¡°A third-year president?¡± ¡°Her?¡± ¡°Actually, did we even have a newspaper club?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them.¡± The drama club whispered amongst themselves. Nick explained without even being prompted. ¡°Our school has a so-called newspaper club. And it is a newspaper club, really. But because there is only one member, it¡¯s not technically a club. Jenny Jones is the sole member, which by necessity makes her the president, the vice-president, the treasurer¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up, pretty boy!¡± Jenny yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Nick. ¡°Ah, excuse me. I apologize for overstepping my bounds. You should be able to explain yourself.¡± ¡°So he¡¯s not denying the ¡®pretty boy¡¯ part¡­¡± Larry muttered. Jenny proudly held her head high in spite of her height. ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m the only member of the newspaper club. So what?¡± ¡°Why did your newspaper ¡®club¡¯ take photos of the drama club practice in secret?¡± Asked Arthur. ¡°I¡¯m not particularly curious about the drama club. It was summer, and no one was at school. So I decided to snoop around and look for some fun stories. I wanted snapshots of the deserted campus, too.¡± Jenny said without backing down. ¡°You weren¡¯t going to try and spoil our show before the performance, were you?¡± Asked Ms. Krantz. ¡°Nope. I don¡¯t know a thing about theater anyway.¡± Jenny shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t take her word for it, Ms. Krantz!¡± Warned Sophia. ¡°Arthur. Everyone. Do you know why the newspaper club only has one member?¡± ¡°No. What¡¯s the story, Sophia?¡± Arthur asked. Sophia cast an uncomfortable look at Arthur, who wasn¡¯t coming off as much of a reliable president, and answered. ¡°It¡¯s because she only ever publishes lies! She founded the newspaper club two years ago, and back then they had some members and had permission to post their publications around the school. But then this girl went out of control.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Arthur tilted his head. ¡°She started writing completely made-up articles! All her stories, real or fake¡ªmostly fake¡ªwere sensationalistic lies.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°In one article, she claimed that a male teacher was actually a woman. She wrote another article about a ghost showing up behind the buildings to attend class. ¡®Traces of Breast-Enlarging Chemicals in Cafeteria Food?¡¯, ¡®Ministry of Education Announces Shutdown of School?¡¯, ¡®Moving Anatomical Model Caught on Camera?¡¯, ¡®Portrait of First Headmaster Laughs at Jokes?¡¯, ¡®Confession Success Rates 100% Under Big Tree Behind the School?¡¯, ¡®Televisions on Campus 1 Hour Ahead of Domestic Broadcast Times?¡¯. Garbage like that.¡± ¡°¡­I see¡­¡± ¡°And she even went to the trouble of using carefully doctored photographs! Some of the first- and second-year students even believed that nonsense and went crying to their parents about it, which caused problems for the school. ¡ªDo you enjoypublishing these things?¡± Jenny was not apologetic in the least. ¡°They¡¯re not lies. There were question marks at the end of all those headlines. I was casting suspicion and guessing, not making statements. I can¡¯t believe they took them completely seriously. Guess that¡¯s the power of the press.¡± She said without missing a beat. Sophia frowned. ¡°Y-you think you can just get away with that?¡± ¡°Everyone said they enjoyed it in the end, though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not journalism! You should be writing novels instead.¡± ¡°¡­Hmph.¡± Jenny looked away without a reply. Sophia continued. ¡°That¡¯s why all the other members quit within the year; they were sick of these antics. And since you need at least five members for a school club, the newspaper club doesn¡¯t have official recognition. This girl is using their old clubroom alone, taking pictures and writing articles and posting the papers on the walls, guerrilla-style. The teachers take them down as soon as they see them.¡± ¡°If you wanted a copy, you could have just asked.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°If the newspaper club isn¡¯t officially recognized, how do you cover club expenses?¡± Asked Arthur. ¡°Photography and printing is bound to be expensive.¡± ¡°She uses personal funds. It¡¯s not too hard for someone like her.¡± Said Sophia. Arthur thought for a moment. His eyes widened. ¡°Wait, you mean the Jones family?¡± ¡°Yes. The Jones family.¡± Sophia nodded. Larry glanced at Seron. But Nick explained before Larry could even ask. ¡°¡®Jones¡¯, as in Jones Motors. Roxche¡¯s biggest automaker company.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t ask. But thanks, I guess.¡± Larry said, still with a look of disapproval. He had made the same face many times today. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Very kind of you.¡± Arthur spoke again after Nick¡¯s explanation. ¡°I see. There sure are a lot of rich¡ªreally rich¡ªpeople at our school.¡± ¡°This is no time to be impressed, Arthur. We have no idea what this newspaper club will make up about us now!¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that. I have no intention of writing about something that dull.¡± ¡°Then what were you trying to take a picture of? What would you have published?¡± ¡°Well¡ª¡± Jenny glanced at Nick, ignored Larry, and glanced at Seron. Then she continued. ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s a secret.¡± Sophia shook her head, giving up on the conversation. A tense silence fell over the gymnasium. Arthur said nothing, so Ms. Krantz had to step in. ¡°In any case, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to leave, Jenny. The drama club cannot officially aid the newspaper club. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, Ms. Krantz.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to confiscate your film for now. I won¡¯t throw it away¡ªI¡¯ll just give it back after the performance.¡± For a moment, Jenny looked angry. But she quickly found a solution. ¡°Ms. Krantz, film has an expiration date. Could you at least develop the photos? I¡¯ll pay for it. If you find any photos that might hurt the drama club, feel free to throw them out. How does that sound?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Ms. Krantz said, holding out her hand. Jenny opened her leather bag and pulled out a silver rangefinder. It was not equipped with the 50mm telephoto lens. There was no turret on the camera, either. As everyone watched, Jenny began to rewind the film. She finished the job with an expert hand and opened up the camera, taking out the silvery film cassette. ¡°Here you go.¡± Jenny put the camera back into her bad and handed the cassette to Ms. Krantz. ¡°All right. You may go.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Also, the orchestra club and the chorus club are helping out with the performance. Don¡¯t snoop on them either, okay?¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± ¡°Off you go.¡± Ms. Krantz pointed at the exit. ¡°Off I go.¡± Jenny said, walking away. She glanced at Nick as she passed him by¡ª She ignored Larry and passed by Seron¡ª And she glanced at him. After leaving the gymnasium. ¡°Heh.¡± Jenny chuckled, walking very quickly. She reached for the leather bag slung in front of her. Then, she took out the camera she had emptied earlier and put the strap around her neck. ¡°Too soft. No photographer worth her salt would hand over something that important so easily.¡± With a grin, Jenny took out yet another camera¡ªidentical in design to the one hanging from her neck, save for the telephoto lens and the turret finder equipped to it. This was the camera she had used earlier. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on that roll. I haven¡¯t used this camera yet.¡± She rewound the film that captured Nick and Seron. ¡°I¡¯ll have to pull out this baby once the commotion¡¯s died down. The title will be, ¡®Meaningful Smiles Between Pretty Boys Signals Something More than Friendship?¡¯. I¡¯ll put black bars over their eyes.¡± Jenny muttered. ¡°Now¡­ I wonder if there¡¯s any other newsworthy stories around here¡­¡± She walked around the corner. Before her eyes was the deserted grounds. And far in the distance stood¡ª ¡°¡­Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never gone there before.¡± ¡ªthe creepy 300-year-old building that was now being used as a storehouse. Jenny walked all the way across the grounds to the building. By the foundation outside were several veneers and a toolbox. And around the building¡ª ¡°All right. I¡¯ll cook up a ghost story for this one! It¡¯s time for photographs.¡± ¡ªwas no one. * * * ¡°Come to think of it, Sophia.¡± ¡°What is it, Arthur?¡± ¡°You really know a lot about the newspaper club, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­Y-yes. What about it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I mean, this doesn¡¯t really matter, and you helped us deal with the girl, but are you by any chance¡­¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Arthur. If you have something you want to say, spit it out.¡± ¡°Sophia. Were you by any chance a fan of the newspaper?¡± Arthur¡¯s guess was right on the mark. Sophia glared at the usually-dense president, who this time managed to be just the opposite. ¡°N-not at all! All right, back to practice, everyone! You too, Arthur! Focus!¡± Just as Sophia scolded Arthur¡ª Jenny was taking countless photographs of the old building. There was no one around. The door was locked and plywood has been installed in crisscrossing formations over the windows. It was impossible to get inside. So Jenny had no choice but to give up on interior shots. She snapped pictures from up close and from far away. She took wide shots and detailed close-ups. She adjusted the exposure for brighter and darker images. She took all kinds of pictures so she could fabricate something for the newspaper. Then, Jenny took out a small tripod from her bag to get the shadows just right. ¡°I wish I could get inside, too.¡± She mumbled, rewinding the film. After using up the entire roll, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll develop these today and print them early in the morning.¡± Jenny headed for the building that housed the ¡®newspaper club¡¯ and the darkroom. Someone was watching her leave. A pair of eyes were locked on her. A pair of bright eyes watched her from the dark¡ª ¡ªFrom inside the old building. * * * That evening. The days were long in summer, and the sun was still shining brightly. ¡°Hey. Going home, Meg?¡± Asked Natalia Steinbeck, spotting Strauski Megmica. They were at the intersection outside the school gates. Normally it was packed with cars waiting to pick up or drop off students, but now it was empty. In contrast, the thoroughfare ahead was jammed solid. Cars were stuck in snail-paced rush hour traffic. Meg was sitting alone on a bench in the waiting area. The waiting area looked like an elongated bus stop had a roof and and a long bench, and was completely visible from the security office by the gates. Students would wait for their rides here. Meg turned. She spotted Natalia, tall and bespectacled with her hair tied up. ¡°Yes, I am. You too, Natalia?¡± Meg asked with a smile. Natalia went over and sat on the bench next to her. ¡°Yeah. Oh, don¡¯t worry ¡®bout the orchestra¡ªwe finished practice, but they¡¯re still in a meeting. I just ditched.¡± ¡°Thank you for worrying for me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re waiting for your ride? The others went ahead?¡± ¡°Yes. The others are very kind. So they said they will wait so I will not walk into the orchestra. But I let them go. I would be sorry, since they all take the bus to their homes. I did not know when the practice would be over, so I now called my driver.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rush hour; it might take a while. I¡¯ve got nothing to do, so I¡¯ll keep you company for a while.¡± ¡°Thank you very much. I live on Rue Trente Street in the Western District. What do you ride to school, Natalia?¡± ¡°I walk it. It¡¯s ten minutes from here to my place.¡± Natalia said, pointing south. ¡°My goodness. That is very close.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not tough living in Roxche, Megmica? You¡¯re technically living in a foreign country and all.¡± ¡°I wonder. ¡­At first, the language and the culture were hard. But the hardest thing was that I had no people to talk easily with like this at school.¡± ¡°I see. What about now?¡± ¡°I have the chorus club, and I have a very good friend named Lillia, who is in the same year as you and I. She was in the same class as I this year. Lillia is very good at Bezelese, even better than me. I was very surprised. And Lillia is very energetic, so she can talk to many people. Right now she is on a trip to a place called Lartika. I asked her to buy my a souvenir, so I am waiting.¡± Natalia smiled as Meg chattered. She fixed her glasses. ¡°It¡¯s good to hear you¡¯ve made friends. What about on the romance front?¡± She asked. ¡°Hmm¡­ I do not yet have a boyfriend.¡± Meg said, a little sadly. Natalia quickly injected some cheer into her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Me neither. Although I do get a lot of love letters.¡± ¡°My goodness!¡± ¡°But they¡¯re all from junior-classman girls. What did I do to deserve this?¡± ¡°That is because you are cool and reliable!¡± Meg nodded. At that moment, a black car pulled into the intersection. It was a limousine. The most expensive of the many varieties of cars that came to pick up students from the 4th Capital Secondary School. ¡°Oh, he is here.¡± ¡°That your ride? Sweet.¡± The car quietly came to a stop before them. Soon, a middle-aged man stepped out of the driver¡¯s seat. He was a well-built man in a black suit, wearing a pair of white gloves. From his face he looked almost like a mobster. ¡°Apologies, Miss.¡± He said with practiced grace, instantly dissipating his own intimidating air. Like many other drivers, he also served as a bodyguard and had the physique to match. Meg thanked him and introduced Natalia as her friend. ¡°Would you like a ride to your home?¡± ¡°No thanks. I live in the opposite direction, and it¡¯s really close by anyway. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°I understand. Then I will see you tomorrow. Thank you for everything you did today.¡± The driver opened the back door for Meg. She walked over¡ª ¡°Say, what do you make of Seron and Larry?¡± Natalia asked suddenly. ¡°Oh? Well¡­¡± Meg stopped to think for a moment, and soon beamed. ¡°I think they are very nice people.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°See you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°See you.¡± She waved. Just as Meg stepped into the limousine¡ª ¡°All right. We¡¯ll do a complete runthrough tomorrow. That¡¯s all for today! Dismissed!¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Krantz!¡± The drama club finished on schedule and dispersed for the day. Nick, who (to Larry¡¯s disapproval) performed admirably on stage even during the rehearsal, wiped off his sweat and approached Seron and Larry. Seron and Larry had taken off their jackets and were in their T-shirts. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Seron. Larry.¡± ¡°Thanks. You were great up there.¡± Said Seron. ¡°Not at all. I still have a long way to go.¡± ¡°Larry said you were great, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear that.¡± Larry hid his look of disapproval from the drama club members as they gathered their belongings and hissed under his breath. ¡°I have to wonder why someone like you isn¡¯t in the drama club.¡± ¡°I have my reasons. ¡­I¡¯ll be going home now. What about you two?¡± ¡°We¡¯re staying in the dorms.¡± Seron replied. ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening.¡± Nick said, leaving the gymnasium with a wave. ¡°Huh?¡± As everyone finished preparing to go to the dorms, Larry realized that the drama club¡ªspecifically, the girls¡ªwere casting glances in his direction. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not me.¡± He realized, noting Seron¡¯s presence. He spoke up loudly, so the girls could hear very well. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the dorms, Seron. What do you say to a bath?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Race you back to the building!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡®Cause we gotta work up a sweat!¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve sweated enough today.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, enough excuses! Let¡¯s go!¡± Larry gave Seron a push on the back. He gave Arthur a brief wave and practically fled the gymnasium. For a moment, the girls watched in a daze. ¡°Damn you, blondie¡­¡± Soon, their gazes became hostile. * * * After their bath, Seron and Larry had dinner before the drama club got to the cafeteria. Then¡ª ¡°Hm¡­ I think this might be another defeat for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going easy on you.¡± They played chess in their room. Like the previous day, they were both dressed for bed. Seron in light blue pajamas, and Larry in shorts and a green T-shirt. ¡®ARMY¡¯ was printed over the chest. It was late at night by the time the sun set over the horizon and lights flickered on in the apartment buildings in the distance. ¡°So how was today?¡± Larry asked, making a move. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Seron replied, countering. ¡°One of the best days of your life, right?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t deny that.¡± Each time they spoke, they made one move. ¡°Have you thought of a follow-up plan? Whether you ask her out or not, you can¡¯t spend the next week just chatting over lunch with her.¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking¡­ but I just can¡¯t come up with anything.¡± Seron¡¯s move. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just join the chorus club? You could see each other every day, and maybe even get some time alone with her in the clubroom.¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t sing¡­¡± Seron¡¯s move. ¡°Right. One of your few weaknesses. ¡­Then let¡¯s ask her to hang out with us after the camp. What do you say?¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°But it¡¯s summer break. Won¡¯t she have better things to do?¡± Seron¡¯s move. ¡°You can¡¯t just decide that without asking her.¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°But still¡­¡± Seron¡¯s hesitant move. ¡°I hate to say this, buddy. But at this rate, there¡¯s a good chance you¡¯ll both finish school with her just thinking of you as a plain old nice guy.¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°¡­I¡­ I guess you¡¯re right. Wh-what do I do?¡± Seron¡¯s very hesitant move. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, man. If I had to say, you should talk to her as much as you can over the camp and somehow make it so that you can meet up even afterwards. Lia and I have your back.¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°Thanks, Larry. I really owe you.¡± Seron said, making his move and looking up. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s what friends are for. Also¡ª¡± Larry reached out. ¡°Yeah?¡± Larry¡¯s move. ¡°Isn¡¯t this checkmate?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seron looked down at the board. ¡°Ah!¡± Volume 1 6 — The Man Looking This Way Volume 1 Chapter 6: The Man Looking This Way ----- Morning. The 8th day of the seventh month of the year 3305. It was the second day of the practice camp. The sky was a clear blue, and there wasn¡¯t a cloud to be seen. Seron Maxwell and Larry Hepburn sat in the dormitory cafeteria. Like the previous day, they were in their school sweats. And like the previous day, they sat at a table far from the drama club. On Seron¡¯s tray was a plate of bacon, eggs, boiled vegetables, and toast. On Larry¡¯s tray was the other breakfast menu¡ªa plate of boiled vegetable salad with steamed chicken, along with a heaping helping of cereal and milk. As usual, Larry prayed for the war dead. ¡°Thanks for waiting. Let¡¯s eat.¡± He said. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s only proper to do justice to the moniker ¡®the most important meal of the day¡¯.¡± Came an answer. ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡± Larry said, looking at the long-haired boy sitting next to Seron. Nicholas Browning wore a shirt embroidered with his family name. His long hair was tied up in a ponytail, and like the previous day it was impossible to tell that he was a boy from appearances alone. Nick and Seron were sitting side-by-side with the same menu before them. Seron seemed to have no intention of joining the exchange. He took bites out of his toast with blueberry jam. The toast crunched loudly. Nick smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll also be staying at the dormitories from today on. In a single room, unfortunately.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean you have to eat breakfast at school today too.¡± ¡°I might as well get an early start to dormitory life, don¡¯t you agree? It¡¯s better to get started sooner than later.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean you have to eat with us. Go sit with the drama club.¡± ¡°I simply thought it seemed fatally lonely over in this corner of the cafeteria.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern. I suggest you get your eyes checked. Get well soon.¡± ¡°I was simply making a joke. To be honest, I¡¯m showered with so many questions when I sit with the drama club that I almost find it annoying. I do appreciate all the attention, still.¡± ¡°Just like Seron, huh.¡± ¡°I suppose so. But not a few of the girls seem to have their eyes on you as well, Larry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too early in the morning to be making fun of people, y¡¯know.¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m simply trying to say that you should be more aware of your own charms.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me you actually prefer guys to girls.¡± ¡°Not at all. And even if I did, you wouldn¡¯t be my type.¡± ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight?¡± ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m not really one for fistfights.¡± ¡°Even if I liked guys, I¡¯d still turn you down.¡± ¡°Ah, then we¡¯re in agreement. A good Roxchean phrase to use might be ¡®birds of a feather flock together¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a soldier, not a poet.¡± ¡°Yes, I know about that. Everyone¡¯s heard of the Hepburn family.¡± ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t know a thing about your family.¡± ¡°My parents are both professors at Confederation Capital University. My father is a professor of linguistics, and my mother a professor of economics. I also have two sisters¡ªtwins¡ªwho are four years older than me. They are currently attending a women¡¯s university.¡± ¡°By ¡®I don¡¯t know a thing about your family¡¯, I meant, ¡®I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t really care¡¯. Did I mess up my Roxchean? Ask your father for me sometime.¡± ¡°I will. Shall I give you an invitation to our house sometime?¡± ¡°How did you get to that conclusion?¡± ¡°Then perhaps just for Seron. I suppose I¡¯ll have to instruct the maid to prepare only one extra cup of tea.¡± ¡°What, so Seron¡¯s already going?¡± ¡°Considering the flow of the conversation, I assume so.¡± ¡°Please tell me what language you¡¯re speaking in, Nicholas.¡± ¡°¡®Nick¡¯ will do, Larry. We¡¯re friends, after all.¡± ¡°Friends, eh? That¡¯ll be 100 sit-ups and 200 push-ups every day, Nick. Think you¡¯re up for it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be perfectly content to sit back and watch.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Come over to my place sometime and I¡¯ll give you the training session of your life. For your information, my brother¡ªthe ultimate musclehead¡ªis set to come home pretty soon.¡± Larry and Nick¡¯s banter went on for some time. ¡°Larry. Nick. You¡¯d better finish eating if you don¡¯t want to be late for practice.¡± Seron said, having finished two pieces of toast. ¡°Oh, shoot! Ms. Krantz is pretty scary when she gets mad.¡± ¡°She certainly is. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± Larry and Nicholas quickly finished their food. The drama club and the three helpers had just put away their trays and were heading off to the gymnasium when they received the news. ¡°SC Arthur!¡± One of the girls cried, running into the cafeteria. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡± Arthur asked, going over to her. ¡°Ms. Krantz can¡¯t make it to practice today!¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± The drama club members were in shock. Seron, Larry, and Nick listened along as the girl explained the situation. ¡°Apparently her mother fell down the stairs early in the morning and hurt herself badly. She broke her leg. Ms. Krantz had to go straight over, and she just called Mr. Murdoch at the faculty office.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Ms. Krantz¡¯s hometown again?¡± ¡°I think it was Lajimdt City.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about 100 kilometers from the Capital District.¡± Arthur remarked. ¡°Yes. Ms. Krantz says she¡¯ll be gone until the evening, so she¡¯s going to cancel practice today. She says she¡¯s very sorry about this.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Well, there¡¯s not much we can do at this point. I heard Ms. Krantz¡¯s father passed away a long time ago, so there¡¯s probably no one else who can look after her mother.¡± ¡°What do we do, Arthur?¡± Sophia asked, concerned. ¡°We can¡¯t practice without Ms. Krantz. We¡¯ll have to take the day off today. We can go ahead and continue building set pieces in the clubroom. The orchestra and the chorus club are probably here already, so we should explain the situation and have them do independent practice or take a break.¡± Arthur instructed without missing a beat. ¡°I see. That sounds good.¡± Sophia nodded. Then she asked several drama club members to convey the message to the other clubs. The messengers quickly left the cafeteria. ¡°What about us?¡± Larry asked Arthur. ¡°You and Seron¡ªand Nick too¡ªcan take the day off. Sorry this happened on such short notice. Enjoy some free time. We¡¯ll assemble tomorrow morning at the gymnasium.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d have so much time on our hands.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Larry and Seron remained in the cafeteria. The drama club members had all gone. The cafeteria ladies were not there either, as they were taking a break before preparing lunch. The cafeteria was quiet and deserted, save for Larry and Seron¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s chat and pass the time together.¡± ¡ªand the smiling Nick. There was a teapot and cups of tea on the table between them. Larry picked up his cup and pointed at Nick, who sat beside Seron. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go with the drama club?¡± ¡°Because I am not a member.¡± Nick replied immediately. ¡°Hm.¡± Larry frowned and chugged his tea. ¡°I don¡¯t mind just sitting in my room to read.¡± Said Seron. ¡°But that might be pretty boring for you two, huh? Do you want to go watch a film together? We can eat out for lunch and go shopping. I¡¯d like to drop by the bookstore.¡± Larry and Nick grinned. ¡°Sure!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea.¡± ¡°You¡¯re coming too? Sure, whatever.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave once we finish tea.¡± Seron nodded. At that moment¡ª ¡°Ah! I knew it! You¡¯re here!¡± A powerful female voice resounded through the cafeteria. Seron looked up. So did Larry. But Nick spoke first. ¡°And who might this be? Could you introduce us?¡± Stepping into the cafeteria was Natalia Steinbeck. Unlike the previous day, she was in comfortable blue pants and a white long-sleeved shirt. Natalia walked between the aisles and came right up to the boys. ¡°Good morning, Nat.¡± ¡°Hey, Lia.¡± Seron and Larry greeted her. ¡°Hey, you two. ¡ªC¡¯mon, say hi.¡± Natalia said, stepping aside. ¡°Er¡­ Good morning.¡± There stood Strauski Megmica. ¡°Private Hepburn, some clean cups and a pot of warm tea, on the double! Don¡¯t make the ladies wait.¡± ¡°Private Hepburn, some clean cups and a pot of warm tea, on the double! Don¡¯t make the ladies wait.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ argh¡­¡± Larry stood, unable to put up resistance against Natalia¡¯s military-style commands. Natalia took Larry¡¯s seat and sat Meg down next to her. Meg was in sweats today, just like the boys. Her family name was embroidered over the breast. No one sat across from Meg. It was a strange formation to be sitting in, but Meg did not object. Seron took a deep breath. He looked at Meg and¡ª ¡°Good morning. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Nicholas Browning, a third-year student. Please call me ¡®Nick¡¯. I came in yesterday afternoon to help out with the drama club.¡± Nick said elegantly. Seron quietly exhaled. ¡°For a second there, I thought you were Larry¡¯s girlfriend. The name¡¯s Natalia Steinbeck. Third-year. Just call me ¡®Nat¡¯.¡± ¡°My name is Strauski Megmica. I am a person from Sou Be-Il. I am also a third-year student. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡± Meg said, a little tense. ¡°Oh right, I¡¯m from the orchestra club. We¡¯re supposed to provide music for the performance. Meg here¡¯s from the chorus club, also here to help.¡± ¡°I see. We¡¯ll be counting on your support, Nat. Megmica.¡± Seron looked up at Larry. But he did nothing more. ¡°Here, Lia. Sorry to keep you waiting, Megmica.¡± Larry said, bringing back a pot of tea and holding out cups for the girls, making a point of being nicer to Meg than Natalia. ¡°Talk about discrimination. Thanks.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Larry. I will enjoy this tea.¡± ¡°¡­My seat?¡± Asked Larry. Natalia did not miss a beat. ¡°Go across. This side belongs to the girls. Or were you one of us, Larry? Short hair¡¯s not bad on you.¡± ¡°Argh¡­¡± Larry walked all the way around the long table and to the other side. ¡°¡­¡± He considered switching seats with Seron to give him a seat across from Meg, but that would stand out too much. So he did not. ¡°Tch.¡± Larry sat next to Seron¡ªin other words, across from Meg. Natalia held out his cup to him. ¡°Thanks. You heard about Ms. Krantz, right?¡± Larry said, receiving the cup. Natalia nodded. ¡°Yeah. Right after I got to school. Someone suggested doing independent practice today, but we decided to take the day off. Everyone left their instruments and went off shopping. Must¡¯ve wanted a break.¡± ¡°The chorus club is resting today as well. My senior-classmen have gone home. I was just trying to phone call my driver, when I met Natalia on the campus.¡± ¡°So I brought her over. Thought you guys¡¯d be pretty bored too.¡± ¡®Good going, Lia!¡¯ Larry thought, but he did not say so. He smiled instead. Seron internally heaped Natalia with every word of praise he could possibly think of. But he did not let it show at all. ¡°We certainly were. Seron just suggested that we should watch a film, have lunch, and go shopping.¡± Said Nick. ¡°Sounds good. Haven¡¯t seen any films recently.¡± Natalia nodded, but Meg shrank. ¡°Er¡­ I did not bring very much money with me today. I am well with watching a film, but I think eating lunch is too expensive for me¡­¡± ¡°No biggie.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Natalia and Larry spoke up in unison. They turned their gazes to Seron simultaneously. ¡°Seron¡¯s buying.¡± ¡°Seron¡¯s buying.¡± This time, they even said the same thing. Seron¡¯s eyes widened. Then, ¡°Y-yeah! Yes. It¡¯s my treat today.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! But¡­ that would make me feel very sorry!¡± Meg said quickly. Natalia grabbed her by the shoulders. The cup in her hands shook. ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°No worries. It¡¯s Seron¡¯s treat. Seron¡¯s rich¡ªthis isn¡¯t gonna make a dent in his wallet.¡± ¡°But I¡­ erm¡­¡± Meg hesitated. ¡°Hey.¡± Larry quickly elbowed Seron, urging him to speak up. ¡°¡­Er¡­ I¡­¡± Seron began, working up his courage. ¡°IS ANYONE HERE?!¡± Someone suddenly cried. ¡°Hey! You guys are here! Good!¡± This time, the boys looked up and the girls turned. ¡°Guys! I¡¯m heading over there! Take a look at this!¡± ¡°Guys! I¡¯m heading over there! Take a look at this!¡± The loud newcomer was the tiny girl with red hair. Jenny Jones, the president and only member of the newspaper club. Today, she was in a pair of jeans and a green long-sleeved shirt. In her hands was a large envelope. ¡°Who¡¯re you?¡± ¡°Ah, you haven¡¯t met her yet, Lia.¡± ¡°Introductions, Nick.¡± ¡°Of course. This here is Jenny Jones, the president of the newspaper club.¡± ¡°Oh. The tabloid club.¡± ¡°Will you tell me why you call their club a tabloid club, Natalia?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of the school newspaper that publishes only lies?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard about the lying newspapers from a senior-classman. The newspaper club puts them on the wall in guerilla-style without receiving permissions. Did Jenny make them?¡± The conversation went on until Jenny finally reached their table. Eventually, Jenny slammed the envelope on the table hard enough for the cups to wobble. ¡°Look at this, you guys!¡± ¡°Hey! Careful!¡± Larry said, putting the cups away. ¡°Shut up and take a close look!¡± Jenny said gravely. ¡°At least give us some time for introductions. This here¡¯s Natalia from the orchestra club and Megmica from the chorus club. Megmica¡¯s from Sou Be-Il.¡± ¡°Hi. Natalia Steinbeck.¡± ¡°Hello. I am Strauski Megmica.¡± ¡°Jenny Jones. Pleasure.¡± Jenny nodded briefly. ¡°Now, look!¡± She opened the envelope. Inside were several black-and-white photographs printed on large photo paper. Jenny rotated the picture vertically. ¡°It¡¯s the old building.¡± Seron said, recognizing the subject of the picture. Larry nodded. ¡°Yeah. The one they use as a storehouse.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! The old building on the edge of campus!¡± Said Jenny. The photos included full views and closeups of the 300-year-old building. All the details were clear because the pictures were in perfect focus. ¡°What about these photos did you want us to see?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good. Good job, Jenny.¡± Natalia grinned. Meg silently stared at the photos, fascinated. ¡°Right here! Take a good look!¡± Jenny poked in between Seron and Nick, pointing at a closeup of the building¡¯s foundation. This particular photo showed the building wall and the dirt beneath it, and three latticed windows built at regular intervals along the wall. Jenny¡¯s slender finger was pointed at the center window. ¡°Huh? What do you¡ª¡± ¡°EEEEK!¡± Meg screamed before Larry could finish. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Seron and Natalia looked up, startled by Meg. Meg had her hands cupped over her mouth. She was trembling and pale. ¡°Something funny in the photo?¡± Larry squinted at the picture for a better look. Seron, Natalia, and Nick followed suit. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± They noticed simultaneously. In the photo, between the iron bars, was a face. The face was nearly one with the darkness. But the large eyes made it clear that the shape was indeed a human face. The whites of the eyes were clear, and the pupils were as dark as the depths of the sea. Upon closer examination the contours of the face were vaguely visible. It was impossible to tell what kind of expression the face was making. It seemed to be a man, but that was not completely clear. ¡°What the heck! There¡¯s somebody down there! D-don¡¯t look!¡± Larry cried. Seron nodded. ¡°This¡­ is creepy.¡± ¡°This¡­ is creepy.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Nick agreed. Natalia grabbed Meg¡¯s trembling shoulders. ¡°Man, that gave me a scare. Almost got the chills.¡± Then she added, as casually as ever, ¡°Not bad, Jenny.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh. I see.¡± Larry, Seron, and Nick quickly regained their senses. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s pretty good.¡± Said Seron. ¡°It certainly is. I was terrified for a moment there.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°You just pasted a picture of a face on the background and took a picture of it again, right?¡± Larry asked. Meg leaned forward nervously, blinking as she examined the photo again. ¡°So this photograph is a false photo? I was very surprised.¡± She met the eyes of the man behind the bars. ¡°Oh¡­ but he is still very scary.¡± She admitted. ¡°W-wait!¡± Jenny cried. Seron and Larry had to lean away from her because she yelled in their ears. ¡°Don¡¯t just come to conclusions like that! What the heck, guys?¡± ¡°Look. You gave us a scare. Isn¡¯t that good enough? Put that on your newspapers.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Jenny continued. ¡°This isn¡¯t a manipulation!¡± ¡°Now, now. It¡¯s a very skilled piece of work. That¡¯s enough¡ªyou gave me a fright as well.¡± Nick smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid! I took this picture yesterday afternoon, after I got kicked out of the gymnasium! I developed it in the evening and printed it early this morning! It¡¯s freshly printed! See? It¡¯s still moist! I didn''t have time to alter it!¡± Jenny appealed. ¡°What¡­?¡± Nick¡¯s smile faded. He scrutinized the photograph again. He examined it carefully. Then he looked at Jenny next to him. ¡°Are you certain¡­?¡± ¡°I am!¡± There was a moment of silence. Followed by five screams resounding through the cafeteria. ¡°W-wait a sec!¡± Larry cried, getting up. His chair fell loudly to the floor. Nick was casting hesitant glances at the photo, and Natalia¡¯s arms were wrapped around Meg, whose teeth were chattering. Seron gave them a concerned look before turning to Jenny. ¡°What?¡± Jenny demanded. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what¡¯? Who is this person?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°How am I supposed to know?! I only noticed him after I printed the photo this morning! I nearly had a heart attack!¡± ¡°Th-this is a person!¡± ¡°Obviously!¡± ¡°And this is the storehouse. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone here. The basement isn¡¯t even in use!¡± ¡°I know that!¡± ¡°What about the other pictures? Is he in any of them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just this one! I went over all the film from this session with a magnifying glass, but this is the only one!¡± Larry and Jenny¡¯s exchange went on loudly for some time. Suddenly, Seron¡¯s calm voice interrupted them. ¡°Can I ask you something, Jenny?¡± ¡°Yeah, pretty boy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Seron. Larry and I saw several men in blue work wear by that building yesterday morning. Maybe this was one of them?¡± Larry picked up his fallen chair and took a seat with a nod. ¡°Yeah! This has got to be Hartnett. Mr. Murdoch introduced us to this sharp-eyed guy. He¡¯s supposed to be blocking off the latticed windows.¡± ¡°Then do you suppose his team was inside?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°Who else could it be, right? The only people who have the keys are the teachers and the people working on the building. It makes sense for the crew to be in the basement for work. This mystery is solved! It was pretty scary, I¡¯ll give you that.¡± Larry declared. But¡ª ¡°Not possible.¡± Jenny said firmly. ¡°Why not?¡± Larry demanded. All eyes were on her. Jenny answered the question. ¡°I walked all the way around the building to take pictures, but there was no one around and the front and back doors were locked tight. So unless those people went inside to work and someone locked the doors on them from outside¡­¡± Larry became silent. ¡°Then who could this be?¡± Seron wondered. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to ask! Does anybody know who this is?¡± Jenny said, looking around. No one had an answer. ----- Volume 1 7 — Murdoch Volume 1 Chapter 7: Murdoch ----- ¡°Maybe we should tell a teacher?¡± Larry said, breaking the silence. ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°That sounds like a good idea.¡± Seron and Nick nodded. The boys were in agreement. Natalia also voiced her consent. Meg nodded again and again. ¡°Happy now, Jenny?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°What happens once we show a teacher?¡± Jenny asked suspiciously. ¡°I don¡¯t know. ¡°Seron replied. ¡°What did you expect would happen once you showed us?¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Waving her hands, Jenny finally relented and gathered up the pictures. She slipped them back into the envelope. ¡°We should all go together.¡± ¡°I agree with Seron.¡± Larry had to think for a moment before he understood, clapping his hands together. The teacher would not believe Jenny if she went alone. However, he did not voice his realization. Meg tilted her head, still oblivious. Natalia realized the implication and glanced at Jenny¡¯s profiled face. ¡°Great! First, let¡¯s clean up.¡± Larry said. The boys quickly took away the trays, teapot, and the cups. They then returned to the girls, who waited at the table. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the faculty office. Mr. Murdoch should be there.¡± Larry suggested. ¡°All right. You coming, Megmica?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°I-I will come. Please do not leave me alone here now.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to save the film for another time. Perhaps in the afternoon, if we can.¡± Nick said. The six students walked out in a line. Larry led the way, slowing down slightly to match the girls¡¯ pace. They emerged from the dormitory and into the light, towards the large building that housed the faculty office. Larry and Seron were in the lead, with Nick, Jenny, Natalia, and Meg following after. Larry silently gestured to Seron to offer to put him next to Meg in the formation. But Seron shook his head. Nick was the one who finally broke the silence. His long hair fluttered in the cool northerly winds as he looked up at the blinding blue sky. ¡°The weather is wonderful today.¡± ¡°Though I can¡¯t say it makes me feel any better. I hate ghost stories.¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m surprised, Larry. Are you afraid of ghosts?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t like things that can¡¯t be explained. Living people are way more terrifying than the dead.¡± ¡°There¡¯s quite a bit of meaning to be gleaned from that statement, I think.¡± They walked into the deserted building. And soon they arrived at the door to the faculty office near the center of the first floor. The 4th Capital Secondary School boasted a large student body and a faculty population to match. The faculty office was massive¡ªit took up a rectangular space about half the size of the first floor. The room was divided into cubicles segregated by subject, inside which were the teachers¡¯ personal desks. Books and documents were piled on most of them even now. The only student entrance was the door near the middle of the room. The moment they stepped inside, they arrived at the help desk. During the term, students had to speak to the secretary at the desk and wait at the entrance for the teacher to come out. But¡ª ¡°There¡¯s nobody here¡­¡± Larry was right. The two secretaries were gone for the summer. ¡°It looks like the staff are enjoying their break as well.¡± Nick remarked. The office and its rows of desks was still. Perhaps Mr. Murdoch was somewhere among the desks, but they could not see him. ¡°Let¡¯s give him a call, Larry.¡± Seron said, pointing at the white telephone on the help desk. ¡°Ah, good idea.¡± In front of the phone was a note. ¡®During summer break, contact Murdoch of the Roxchean department.¡¯ Underneath was written the number for the Roxchean department. Seron turned the dial and made the call. From somewhere in the distance, they heard a phone ring. ¡°He¡¯s not picking up¡­¡± Seron said about five rings later. He waited a little more. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s out patrolling.¡± Larry suggested. At that moment¡ª A sleepy voice escaped the speaker. ¡°Hello, Mr. Murdoch. This is Seron Maxwell, a third-year student. I wanted to speak to you, sir. I¡¯m at the faculty office. Would it be all right to see you?¡± Mr. Murdoch replied, and hung up. ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°I think he must have been sleeping.¡± Seron said honestly. Nick shrugged, grinning. ¡°Is this teacher really all right?¡± Natalia wondered. No one answered her question. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Seron. I must¡¯ve dozed off.¡± Mr. Murdoch admitted heartily as he stepped out. His hair was a mess, and he was dressed in comfortable brown pants and a blue polo shirt¡ªunthinkable for a teacher during the school term. He was startled to see so many students gathered by the help desk. ¡°Well, well. None of you are part of the drama club, are you? I¡¯m surprised to see so many helpers gathered in one place.¡± He said. ¡°But isn¡¯t practice canceled for the day?¡± ¡°It is, Mr. Murdoch. We¡¯re here because we wanted to show you something.¡± ¡°What might it be, Seron? You look rather serious.¡± Seron turned and held out his hand to Jenny. She quietly pulled out the photograph from her envelope and handed it to him. Seron placed the photo on the desk. ¡°Here, sir.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Mr. Murdoch frowned, leaning forward and scrutinizing the photograph. Several seconds passed. ¡°I see. It¡¯s a picture of the old storehouse on the edge of campus.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. And if you¡¯ll look between the bars here¡­¡± ¡°A face.¡± Mr. Murdoch said nonchalantly. The students were floored. ¡°Er¡­ so about¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s certainly frightening. Just like a ghost.¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡ª¡± ¡°This would be your work, Jenny Jones? I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°What? No, it¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°To be honest, I was a big fan of your newspapers, Jenny. The photographs especially. When I was a young man, I always so desperately wanted a camera of my own. Unfortunately, they were still too expensive at the time. It¡¯s not cheap now, but at the time it was even worse. About a month¡¯s worth of pay, I think. No one ever treated cameras like toys, the way people do now.¡± Mr. Murdoch explained with a warm smile. Seron could not continue. ¡°I think it would have been wonderful if you¡¯d outright written, ¡®this is a work of fiction¡¯ on your newspapers. Nothing like some originality to infuse energy into our lives.¡± Seron looked back at the others. Larry pointed at him, urging him to say it. Jenny seemed positively furious. Seron could clearly see her incisor biting into her lip. Nick put on an enigmatic smile the moment Seron met his eyes. Natalia spurred Seron, gesturing with her chin. Meg stood with her eyes wide like a puppy recently arrived at her new home. Seron looked back at Mr. Murdoch. ¡°No, sir. This isn¡¯t a doctored photograph.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Jenny is the photographer, yes. But she claims that this one is different from the ones she had altered before. She says that took this picture yesterday, developed it in the evening, and printed it this morning. And she discovered something she hadn¡¯t intended to photograph. She came to show us first to get our opinion, but we couldn¡¯t agree on anything and decided to consult with you.¡± Mr. Murdoch tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s simply what she claims, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Jenny is the one who claims that this isn¡¯t a doctored photograph, I mean.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s right, sir.¡± ¡°And do you all believe her?¡± Five of the six students were floored. The sixth¡ª ¡°Hold on! I¡¯ll¡ªmmph!¡± The sixth student tried to run over to the teacher, but was caught by Natalia and her mouth covered. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Mmph! Mm!¡± ¡°Mr. Murdoch.¡± Said Seron. ¡°You mean¡ª¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t beat the prankster, the best thing you can do is enjoy the pranks.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe her, sir?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Mr. Murdoch asked with a smile. ¡°Er¡­¡± Seron was lost for words. Mr. Murdoch continued nonchalantly. ¡°If it really bothers you, why not go looks at the building for yourself? If you don¡¯t have anything to do, that is. There¡¯s not much to see, but the storehouse holds great historical value. They¡¯re still doing construction on the building, so take care.¡± ¡°Excuse us.¡± Seron, Larry, Nick, and Natalia walked out in disappointment. ¡°I-I can¡¯t believe this! He treated me like I was some kind of liar!¡± Jenny finally exploded the moment she stepped out of the office. ¡°Can you blame him, though?¡± Natalia muttered. Meg was silent all the while. They walked away with no need for anyone¡¯s urging. They left the faculty office area. The group reached the building entrance and stood in a circle near the point where the hallway widened. Seron broke the silence. ¡°After hearing that, I¡¯m starting to think¡ª¡± ¡°Hey! You too?!¡± Jenny cried. ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say, either¡­¡± ¡°Not you too, blondie!¡± ¡°Jenny.¡± Said Nick. ¡°Seron and Larry intend to say that Mr. Murdoch does have a point.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you, princess!¡± ¡°But you know, he really does have a point if you think about it.¡± Natalia noted. ¡°Even you, four-eyes?! It¡¯s like you¡¯re all against me!¡± Finally, their gazes turned to the oldest of the group¡ªMeg. Meg silently gazed down the hall for some time. But she eventually opened her mouth. ¡°There is something very strange here.¡± Four quizzical looks. Seron alone narrowed his eyes. He was not smiling¡ªthere was a grim look on his face. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Natalia asked. No one noticed Seron¡¯s expression. Meg shook her head again and again. ¡°I do not know. I¡¯m very sorry. Something is very strange.¡± Meg repeated herself uncomfortably. ¡°Foreign girl! You believe me?¡± Jenny squealed. ¡°I do not know.¡± Meg simply said. ¡°Hm. Make up your mind!¡± Jenny demanded, turning her rage on Meg. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Seron cut in to halt Jenny¡¯s outburst. Everyone stared. ¡°Where?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Oh, the old building?¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s take a good look at the iron bars. Maybe there¡¯s something inside shaped like a face. Maybe it was a trick of the light.¡± ¡°I agree. Let me go as well. Sometimes you might mistake an old rag for a ghost, or something of the sort. In fact, the storehouse should have been our very first destination.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. But what¡¯re we gonna do on the off-chance somebody¡¯s really in there?¡± Asked Natalia. Larry responded promptly. ¡°I¡¯ll nab him!¡± ¡°Brave of you. What about you, Megmica? You okay with this?¡± ¡°Y-yes, I am¡­¡± ¡°Are you all right with this, Jenny?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go see what that ¡®old rag¡¯ really was.¡± Jenny said in surrender. Seron led the way, and the others followed. Larry ran up to the front and whispered to him. ¡°What if Hartnett¡¯s around?¡± ¡°All the better.¡± Seron whispered back. ¡°I want to show him the photo.¡± ¡°Makes sense. Anyway, are you gonna get involved here? Wouldn¡¯t you prefer to just go watch a film?¡± ¡°I suppose. But something bugs me.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like what Megmica said earlier. I can¡¯t really explain, but something¡¯s been bothering me.¡± ¡°Aha! You two really are meant for each other.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, but¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, man. Don¡¯t get down! So what¡¯s been bugging you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What? Seriously?¡± Larry gave up and ended the quiet conversation. When he turned, he spotted Natalia smirking at them. ¡°What¡¯re you two whispering about over there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lia. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Sure, whatever.¡± They left through the doors closest to the storehouse and stepped onto the back field. There was, like before, no one around. Crossing the stone-paved pathway, where students rarely trod, they arrived at the building. About 30 meters ahead of them was the old storehouse, standing in the sun. The light lent the building a surprisingly welcoming air. ¡°It looks very different from the photographs.¡± Nick commented. They were standing on the east side of the building. Seron told the others to wait before walking forward and checking the shaded area at the north side of the building. ¡°They¡¯re not here.¡± He saw nothing but the shadow of the building. Hartnett¡¯s crew was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Which window was it, Jenny?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°It¡¯s on the other side. You can tell from the lighting in the picture, since I took it in the afternoon. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± They followed Larry around the south side, maintaining a distance of about 20 meters from the building. Meg in particular stuck close to Natalia as she took hesitant steps forward. ¡°The door¡ªit¡¯s locked.¡± ¡°It certainly is. Very securely, too.¡± Seron and Nick noted the state of the entrance. In the middle of the building was a short staircase and the entrance, but a bundle of thick chains were wrapped around the large handle. There was a big lock on the chains. The first floor window was wide enough for people to climb through, but plywood had been installed in crisscrossing formations from the inside, which made it impossible to enter. Once the group was on the west side of the building, they stopped at a distance. ¡°Larry and I will check out the other entrance. You wait here, Nick.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Seron and Larry walked around to the north side of the building. Natalia spoke up. ¡°You think there¡¯s something in there?¡± She asked. Nick turned. ¡°Who can say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not much of an answer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy so long as I get the chance to enjoy myself. Whether someone is in the building or not, I am having fun exploring with everyone here.¡± Nick smiled. Natalia paused. Then she spoke. ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t have a lot of friends, do you.¡± ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t deny that.¡± ¡°¡®Cause of your looks?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m quite fond of my hair. Did you know? In the past, the nobler a man¡¯s status, the longer he grew out his hair.¡± ¡°Sounds about right. Some kings even wore their hair in braids.¡± ¡°And I do not mind being mistaken for a girl. My own sisters treated me like one, growing up. So it does not bother me when people say that I appear feminine.¡± Meg and Jenny listened quietly. ¡°Other boys tend to dislike me because of my rotten character. I always find myself keeping people at an arm¡¯s length. I suppose I¡¯m also at fault, as I prefer to keep things that way. It¡¯s not a trait worth bragging about.¡± Nick said with a lonely smile. Natalia narrowed her eyes. ¡°I see. I¡¯m kind of in the same boat here. I think I understand, Nicholas Browning.¡± ¡°Please, call me ¡®Nick¡¯. I look forward to chatting with you like this more often.¡± Nick beamed. Natalia chuckled. ¡°Sure. You and me oughta have a girls¡¯ night out sometime.¡± ¡°What was that now?¡± Nick replied playfully. Jenny shrugged, and Meg chuckled. A few seconds later, Seron and Larry returned. ¡°It¡¯s the same on that side, too. Sealed shut. And it looks like no one¡¯s been through in a while.¡± Larry reported in. Seron and Larry looked at the latticed windows on the west side of the building and slowly approached them. Nick and Jenny followed, and Natalia and Meg watched from a distance. Five windows were on the west side of the building, near the ground. ¡°Which one is it, Jenny?¡± Seron asked. ¡°The one in the middle.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jenny walked up to Seron and showed him the picture again. The walls looked the same all the way around the building, but the sections were subtly different in shape and color. The face was definitely in the center window. ¡°All right.¡± Seron nodded, kneeling. ¡°Is someone in there? Is anyone inside?¡± He asked loudly, his hands cupped around his mouth. Seron¡¯s voice echoed through the basement. Some of the sound came right back to everyone¡¯s ears, or escaped outside through the other windows. There was no answer. Seron called out again. Everyone listened carefully, but they heard nothing else. Afterwards, Seron leaned in against the latticed window and peered inside. Larry did the same from the opposite side. Afterwards, Seron leaned in against the latticed window and peered inside. Larry did the same from the opposite side. The iron bars on the window were fixed solidly in the frame, dozens of centimeters inside. Light was shining from the opposite side and made it hard to see the basement interior, but Seron and Larry had a good enough look. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Same on this side.¡± They saw nothing that might resemble a human face even if light was shining into the window. All they saw beyond the bars was inky black darkness. Wind sometimes bounced against the basement walls and wailed eerily. Seron and Larry rose. They checked the windows to either side of the one in the center, just in case, and stood again. ¡°Well?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± Seron replied again. ¡°So y¡¯think it might have been a mistake?¡± Natalia wondered. She was not denying the possibility of Jenny being a liar. ¡°No!¡± Jenny retorted. Seron stepped in calmly. ¡°I have two possibilities in mind.¡± All eyes were on him. ¡°Yeah?¡± Natalia said. Meg watched from beside her. ¡°The first possibility is that the photograph was doctored after all and Jenny is still lying to us.¡± ¡°Hey¡ª¡± ¡°But! After observing Jenny for the past little while, I concluded that the likelihood of this possibility¡ªwhile not zero¡ªis very low.¡± ¡°O-obviously! Though I¡¯d prefer if you¡¯d lower it all the way to zero.¡± ¡°I am in agreement with Seron. Jenny is no actress, after all.¡± Nick said with a smile. Larry shook his head. ¡°Are you the type who¡¯d die if he didn¡¯t say one clever thing at least once an hour?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Why not time me next time?¡± Nick replied, still smiling. ¡°So what¡¯s the other possibility?¡± Asked Natalia. Seron nodded and continued. ¡°That someone really is hiding in the basement.¡± ¡°Hiding?¡± Larry repeated. Seron nodded. ¡°We just eliminated the possibility that something that we could mistake for a face might be here. Then there¡¯s only one other option. This person might usually be hiding in the basement, only to have coincidentally been caught on camera thanks to the lighting.¡± Nick agreed. Larry spoke up. ¡°But why would anyone be hiding here? I mean, sure, nobody comes to this building and the basement¡¯s never in use, but the campus is off-limits to unrelated personnel.¡± ¡°At the moment, I have no clue.¡± Seron admitted. ¡°What the heck.¡± Natalia shrugged. ¡°But either way¡­¡± Larry said in a hushed voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t this bad?¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know who it is that¡¯s hiding in there, but things aren¡¯t looking good.¡± ¡°No kidding¡­¡± Larry and Seron exchanged grim looks. ¡°Hm? What might be the matter?¡± Asked Nick. Before Seron or Larry could respond, a crystal-clear voice answered from behind him. It was Meg. ¡°You are thinking about the employees who are hired to block the windows down here? Seron and Larry, you are worrying about those employees, yes?¡± Seron nodded. ¡°I get it. Good thinking, Megmica.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten about that.¡± Nick admitted. ¡°Yeah. They haven¡¯t started work yet, but once Hartnett¡¯s team finishes, the basement won¡¯t get any light or fresh air anymore.¡± ¡°And he¡¯ll die.¡± Seron and Larry speculated. Meg looked up in horror. ¡°Th-that will be terrible! We have to save him! We can not leave him to stay like that!¡± She cried in a surprising show of passion. ¡°Yes. But how?¡± Nick asked. Meg¡¯s shoulders drooped. ¡°I do not know how. I am very sorry.¡± ¡°Not at all. We mustn¡¯t despair, Megmica. We will all think of a way together.¡± Nick replied. ¡°But you know, if the guy¡¯s hiding, we can ask him to come out all we like¡ª¡± Larry said. Natalia continued where he left off. ¡°¡ªbut he¡¯s not gonna come out of here. He wouldn¡¯t be in hiding otherwise.¡± ¡°Then¡ª¡± Seron began, but he was quickly cut off. ¡°HEY! What¡¯re you doing over there?!¡± An angry voice assaulted their ears. The group turned. In the distance they spotted a man in blue work wear, stomping over menacingly. It was Hartnett. ----- Volume 1 8 — Hartnett Volume 1 Chapter 8: Hartnett ----- Hartnett quickly strode over, glaring at Seron and Larry. ¡°I thought I told you to stay away from this building. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an emergency.¡± Larry replied. Seron took the picture from Jenny and held it out to Hartnett. ¡°Could you take a look?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°A photograph of the barred windows, taken yesterday. There¡¯s something resembling a face in the basement.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Hartnett breathed, exasperated. He took the photograph. As the students watched in anticipation, Hartnett carefully scrutinized the photograph. Then¡ª ¡°¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°We thought that someone might be in the basement and came to see for ourselves. Would you please keep this in mind when you go ahead with the work to cover the windows?¡± Seron asked. Hartnett¡¯s answer was simple. ¡°What a joke.¡± He rolled up the photo and slipped it into his pocket. ¡°Huh?¡± Seron and the others watched in confusion. ¡°I thought secondary schools raised future elites, not bored pranksters. This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Hey! At least give back the the picture!¡± Larry cried, charging at Hartnett. He reached forward, ready to grab the photograph out of his pocket if necessary. ¡°Wait, Larry! Don¡¯t¡ª¡± Seron tried to stop his friend. But he found himself stopping. Just as Larry reached Hartnett, Hartnett grabbed his arm and bent it to the left as if trying to break his wrist. At the same time, Hartnett took a big step back with his left foot. Larry was forced to do a half-turn and landed back-first on the ground. ¡°Huh?¡± He intoned, finding himself looking at the sky. Before anyone knew it, Hartnett was twisting and pulling up Larry¡¯s right arm with both hands. Larry was rendered immobile. Natalia, Meg, Jenny, and Nick froze. ¡°¡­¡± Seron narrowed his eyes. His gaze was fixed on Larry, who had been so easily thrown to the ground. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, kid? You scared me back there.¡± Hartnett said condescendingly. ¡°Ugh!¡± Larry desperately tried to free himself, but he could not get up¡ªall he could do was struggle with his back raised above the ground. Hartnett bent his thumb and pressed down on Larry¡¯s twisted wrist. ¡°Ow ow ow ow ow!¡± ¡°Justified self-defense, kid!¡± Hartnett cried. He almost sounded like he was enjoying himself. ¡°Mr. Hartnett, we apologize. For Larry¡¯s actions as well as ours. Will you please let him go?¡± Seron asked. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Seron! I can¡ª ow ow ow ow!¡± Larry¡¯s efforts were in vain. Seron repeated himself, and bowed lightly with his hand over his chest. ¡°Hmph.¡± Hartnett let go of Larry almost as though throwing him aside. Larry landed on the stones that paved the ground. ¡°Ouch!¡± Larry turned to the side, moving away from Hartnett, and slowly stood. His sweats were covered with dirt and small pieces of litter. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that, Larry. Apologize.¡± Seron said. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡± Larry said. He met Hartnett¡¯s gaze as bowed his head. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll be confiscating the picture.¡± ¡°But sir! Isn¡¯t that a little much? Don¡¯t you think so, Seron? Jenny?¡± Larry argued. But¡ª ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do, Larry.¡± Seron said calmly. And to Larry¡¯s shock, even Jenny nodded. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Larry tilted his head. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll keep the picture. And I suggest you don¡¯t try this prank with any other adults, unless you want to humiliate yourselves again.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t. No one would fall for something like this.¡± ¡°Your name, kid?¡± ¡°Seron Maxwell, sir.¡± ¡°Seron. You¡¯re a smart kid. How many people have you tried to prank like this? They must¡¯ve all laughed at you.¡± Hartnett said, smiling for the first time. Seron also smiled and replied firmly, ¡°We haven¡¯t tried with anyone else, sir.¡± * * * ¡°Okay, Seron. I want an explanation.¡± Larry said. Confusion and bewilderment were clear in his expression. ¡°Make it so everyone can understand.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Seron nodded. The group was standing in a circle in the middle of the grounds, on the grass. ¡°I brought everyone here because¡ª¡± ¡°Because you don¡¯t want anyone to overhear us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Nick.¡± After leaving the old building, the group had gone straight to the middle of the empty field at Seron¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Right. And?¡± ¡°It was a mistake to show the photo to the adults individually. I¡¯m sorry. Once they played the ¡®unconvinced authority figure¡¯ card, it was over.¡± ¡°Huh? So that¡¯s why you lied and said you didn¡¯t show it to anyone else?¡± Asked Larry. Seron shook his head. ¡°Not quite. I can¡¯t say why just yet, so ask me later.¡± ¡°Seriously? Fine.¡± ¡°Wait, we¡¯re just glossing over this? I want answers, Seron.¡± Natalia demanded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lia.¡± Said Larry. ¡°Seron will explain later.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m almost jealous of how trusting you are.¡± ¡°I was quite surprised, Seron. Jenny.¡± Said Nick. ¡°Why did you not put up any resistance to the photograph being confiscated?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can just print it again.¡± Jenny said nonchalantly, her arms crossed. ¡°Ah, of course. You still have the film.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll print as many as we can and show them to the orchestra and the drama club this evening. In fact, we¡¯ll hand out the photos en masse.¡± Said Seron. ¡°Sounds like an interesting idea, but you think they¡¯ll believe us? The picture¡¯s from the tab-I mean, the newspaper club.¡± Natalia said. ¡°I can tell them that I took the picture this morning and had it developed over lunch.¡± Seron suggested. ¡°That works.¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯ll believe Seron.¡± ¡°Excellent idea. It¡¯s a wonderful plan.¡± Natalia, Larry, and Nick said in succession. ¡°Hmph.¡± Jenny pouted. But she did not argue. Seron continued. ¡°As we hand out the photos, we¡¯ll tell them, ¡®is the school really safe with someone hiding out in the basement like this?¡¯. The girls, if no one else, will get scared. They might even tell their parents. And tomorrow, we can all go to the security office and demand that the guards check out the place. They won¡¯t be able to refuse.¡± ¡°In that case, the poor man in the basement will be rescued? He will not die? Will the security guards become able to save him, Seron?¡± Meg fretted. ¡°We¡¯ll all make it happen.¡± Seron replied firmly. When Seron saw relief flooding Meg¡¯s face, many thoughts rose to his mind. But he did not let it show. He turned to Jenny. ¡°Could you let us into the newspaper club office, Jenny?¡± ¡°Yeah. Follow me.¡± The six students headed for the building that housed the newspaper club office. They crossed the vast grounds and entered a building separate from the one where the faculty office was located. Eventually, they arrived at a door on the first floor with a sign labeled, ¡®Newspaper Club¡¯. Jenny unlocked the door and entered. She was the only one who used this room. ¡°Crazy. You have this place all to yourself?¡± Larry gasped, stepping inside. The office was about half the size of a regular classroom. It was furnished with work desks, an area for hanging up photographs to dry, rows of large shelves, a kitchenette with a hot plate, and a parlor-esque area with matching sofas and a coffee table. There was also a door leading into another room. On it was a sign labeled, ¡®Darkroom. KNOCK before entering!¡±. The darkroom had originally been a large room that was later renovated into its current function. On the cabinet by the wall was, of all things, a personal telephone. Telephones were expensive in Roxche still, and most houses could only afford one. But here sat one such piece of machinery in all its exorbitant glory. ¡°Hey¡­ this is supposed to be a school.¡± ¡°And? Look, I brought in the telephone and renovated the place with my own funds. And my family¡¯s annual donations to the school include usage fees for this space. Or is donating what amounts to ten teachers¡¯ worth of annual salaries not enough?¡± Jenny said plainly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sorry, all right?¡± Larry and the others did not question the matter of the office any further. ¡°So now what?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s print as many copies of the photo as we can. Do you still have paper left?¡± ¡°Mountains. In grosses.¡± ¡°Great. Do you need our help?¡± ¡°You know how to print? If not, you¡¯re just gonna get in my way.¡± ¡°I know how it works in theory, but I¡¯ve never done it before. Let me watch the process, then.¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t need¡ª¡± At that moment, Jenny understood Seron¡¯s intention. She paused for a moment, then looked up at Seron. ¡°I see. You still don¡¯t trust me completely. You still think I could have forged that picture. You don¡¯t have a lot of friends, do you?¡± Seron did not let Jenny provoke him. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to eliminate that possibility for good. Where¡¯s the film?¡± ¡°I put it in storage in a file in the darkroom. Can¡¯t lose it now, can I? I¡¯ll show it to you if you¡¯re still suspicious.¡± ¡°All right. Maybe we should have it developed at a store, just in case?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like any of you could gonna figure anything out just by watching me, you know. The store¡¯s a waste of time and money.¡± Jenny said, throwing open the darkroom door. There was, naturally, no need to knock. The six students walked in a line into the darkroom. Jenny turned on the light. Everyone but her cringed at the acrid smell coming from the developing trays as they walked over to the printer. Jenny turned on the light. Everyone but her cringed at the acrid smell coming from the developing trays as they walked over to the printer. On the glass plate where the paper was supposed to be placed were a light and lenses, the heights of which could be adjusted. Photos were printed on the paper by projecting light on the film fixed between the light and the lenses. Beside the printer was a large file with pockets where film could be inserted. Jenny opened it. ¡°¡­¡± And she froze. Several seconds of acrid silence passed in the darkroom. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seron asked. ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Jenny had spoken so softly that Seron did not hear her. So this time, she raised her voice¡ªshe exploded so everyone could hear. ¡°The film¡¯s gone! That one picture is missing!¡± * * * Seron and the others sat in the dormitory cafeteria. They sat in the same place and in the same positions as they had earlier that morning. Boys sat across from girls with the table between them. There was still quite a bit of time before lunch. So no one else was in the cafeteria. They could vaguely hear the cafeteria ladies preparing lunch in the kitchen. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this¡­¡± Jenny was cradling her head in her hands. Her tiny head, covered in short red hair, lay atop the table. The others watched in silence. Earlier, in the darkroom. ¡°The film¡¯s gone! That one picture is missing!¡± The others stood in stunned silence, but Jenny looked hard enough for all six of them. ¡°Where is it? Where is it? Where is it?¡± She swept through the darkroom, rummaged through the desks, and searched inside the printer. ¡°It¡¯s gone¡­¡± She could not find it. ¡°¡­¡± Jenny fell into a chair, exhausted from her search. ¡°I see how it is. Once you showed us the film, we¡¯d know it was a fake. So now you pretend you¡¯ve lost the film. You had us going for a while there.¡± Seron said, suddenly sounding icy. Everyone stared, shocked. ¡°This is ridiculous. Let¡¯s go back to the cafeteria. You¡¯re coming too, Jenny. There¡¯s no point in looking for a film that doesn¡¯t exist to begin with.¡± Seron took Jenny¡¯s limp arm and forced her to her feet, and left the darkroom. He silently dragged her by the arm to the cafeteria and sat down at a table. ¡°Damn it¡­ I don¡¯t believe this¡­ I¡¯m gonna kill whoever stole that film¡­ I swear¡­ I¡¯ll make sure even his parents don¡¯t recognize him when I¡¯m through with him¡­¡± Jenny seethed, her hands clenched tightly enough to pull out her hair. She stared a hole through the cafeteria table. ¡°Can we get an explanation now?¡± Natalia demanded, pushing up her glasses and glaring at Seron across the table. ¡°Indeed, Why the sudden change in attitude? Why the sudden move here?¡± Nick asked, turning his gaze from Jenny in front of him to Seron on his left. ¡°I want to hear an explanation, too.¡± Larry said, turning to his right. Finally, Meg¡ªsitting across from Larry¡ªlooked at Seron with her large dark eyes. ¡°Seron¡­¡± Seron looked the girl he loved in the eye and replied, ¡°All right.¡± He said. Then he turned. ¡°Jenny?¡± ¡°Whaddaya want, ugly? Sorry for being a liar. Forget it. Just leave me alone and take a long walk off a short cliff.¡± Jenny spat, hanging her head. ¡°No, Jenny. I¡¯m the one who should be apologizing. I¡¯m sorry for saying such harsh things.¡± ¡°Oh, now you feel sorry for me? What changed your mind?¡± ¡°You were telling the truth all along, Jenny. The film was definitely stolen.¡± The others raised their eyebrows. Jenny looked up, her eyes wide. ¡°What¡¯d you say, pretty boy? Say that one more time¡ªI won¡¯t get angry at you.¡± ¡°The film was definitely stolen. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I acted that way back in the darkroom in case someone was listening in with a microphone or something. I¡¯m sorry. Maybe I¡¯ve read too many mystery novels.¡± ¡°Interesting. I forgive you, Seron.¡± Jenny said, smiling. ¡°I get it.¡± Larry nodded. Nick agreed. ¡°Seron, why not join me in assisting the drama club? We could always petition Ms. Krantz to add a new character.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have to decline.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Natalia said. Finally, Meg smiled. ¡°I was very surprised. But now I am happy. I am happy that you are not a horrible person, Seron.¡± Seron looked at her, his expression unchanging. Larry quickly cut in. ¡°So who do you think stole the film, Seron?¡± It was the question on everyone¡¯s minds. Five sets of eyes were on Seron. ¡°Who but the six of us knows about the photograph? Only two people.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°My goodness¡­¡± Natalia and Meg gasped simultaneously. ¡°Mr. Murdoch, and this man called Hartnett.¡± Nick said, smiling. Larry jumped to his feet. ¡°It must have been¡ª¡± Seron shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t know yet. We can¡¯t say which one of them stole the photo, or if they were in on it together. They both had the time to do it.¡± ¡°What? Seron, Mr. Murdoch¡¯s a teacher.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just discussing possibilities here. We can¡¯t exclude Mr. Murdoch. Take a seat.¡± ¡°Right¡­ all right.¡± Larry replied, sitting back down. Jenny leaned forward. ¡°So now what? Do we nab ¡®em and torture the answers out of them?¡± ¡°Feel free, but I¡¯m not getting involved. Dunno about Mr. Murdoch, but Hartnett¡¯s gonna give you one heck of a fight.¡± Larry said quickly. ¡°What¡¯s your plan, Seron? Any ideas?¡± Asked Natalia. Meg desperately looked at Seron. Seron slowly spoke. ¡°I still have no idea which one of them did it, or if they¡¯re both behind this. And I have no idea why an adult¡ªwho really should know better¡ªwould steal the film. It¡¯d be best to go and ask in person.¡± ¡°Oh? And who might we ask?¡± ¡°Good question, Nick. We ask the man we have to rescue.¡± Larry looked up. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°The man in the basement. We¡¯ve got no other options at this point. We¡¯ll go down there and look for him, and tell him in person that he¡¯s in trouble. And¡ª¡± ¡°We will rescue him, yes? We will, Seron?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Seron trailed off for a moment. Then¡ª ¡°¡­Even if he says he doesn¡¯t want to come out, and even if we can¡¯t convince him, we¡¯ll have to get him out of there. His life is in danger.¡± ¡°I agree! I agree no matter what!¡± Meg cried, clapping her hands. ¡°Great! I¡¯m gonna interview him! I¡¯ll print a special edition with his photo. ¡®Mystery Man Hiding in School Basement¡¯! If only this was during the school term!¡± Jenny said, for once sounding like an ordinary newspaper club member. ¡°Not like anyone¡¯s gonna believe you¡­¡± Larry muttered. ¡°What¡¯d you say, blondie?¡± Jenny glared. ¡°Nothing.¡± Larry replied, looking away. ¡°But how do we get in there?¡± ¡°Indeed. The doors were chained shut.¡± Natalia and Nick pointed out the obvious. Seron pointed with his thumb at his best friend. ¡°Larry will take care of it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Really?¡± An awkward expression rose to Larry¡¯s face. ¡°¡­All right. I got it. I¡¯ll take care of the lock. I can probably get us in there.¡± Natalia furrowed her brow. ¡°How? I¡¯m gonna get angry if you tell me you¡¯ll kick the lock open. Props if you actually manage it, though.¡± ¡°All right¡­ but you¡¯d better keep this a secret, okay?¡± Larry pleaded before he disclosed any more information. ¡°I can probably pick open the lock with a hairpin.¡± ¡°How do you know how to pick locks?¡± Natalia quickly asked. ¡°I learned it¡­¡± ¡°What? From who?¡± ¡°From a CO¡­ in the Confederation Army.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t tell anyone, okay? Until about 20 years ago, back when the war was still going on, the Confederation military used to teach soldiers how to break into buildings and hotwire vehicles in case of an emergency. Not all soldiers, though. Only people who were going to the front lines, like special forces, scouts, and pilots in the Air Force.¡± ¡°¡­Wow.¡± ¡°When the war ended, the military¡¯s budget was slashed and a lot of career soldiers lost their jobs. And some of them used the techniques they learned in the military to steal cars or break into houses. So the military officially stopped teaching skills like that. But you¡¯re always going to find at least one old soldier who wants to pass down his skills to the young¡¯uns¡­¡± ¡°Crazy¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea, Lia. I¡¯m not gonna do anything bad with these skills.¡± ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re counting on you.¡± Said Seron. ¡°I got it. Just leave it to me. I¡¯d like to check out this basement, too. Lend me a hairpin later, Lia?¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°We¡¯re counting on you.¡± Said Jenny. ¡°Now we have a way inside.¡± Said Nick. ¡°But what if Hartnett and his crew are working inside? They¡¯ll naturally try to chase us out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be working on the building anymore today.¡± ¡°And why do you suppose so, Seron?¡± ¡°Because they did nothing yesterday or earlier today, even after announcing their work yesterday morning. And they didn¡¯t bring any tools or equipment, either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s definitely strange. Was there a mistake, you think?¡± Larry wondered. Seron nodded. ¡°It¡¯s likely, since they¡¯re working for the ministry of education. We¡¯ll take a look at the building from a distance, and if we don¡¯t see anyone, we¡¯ll move in.¡± ¡°Right. So do we get ready now?¡± ¡°Right. So do we get ready now?¡± ¡°We can make preparations, but we should wait until after lunch. Let¡¯s wait until the food is served and make our move after we eat.¡± ¡°Good call. Don¡¯t want to get hungry while we¡¯re exploring the basement.¡± ¡°That too, but I had another reason in mind.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Larry wondered. Meg spoke up ecstatically. ¡°You wish to give delicious lunch to the man hiding in the basement!¡± Seron¡¯s eyes met Meg¡¯s, for a moment. But he quickly looked away and nodded. ¡°Excellent idea. He must be starved.¡± Nick agreed. ¡°I get it.¡± Larry clapped his hands together. At that moment¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t understand, sir!¡± Hartnett was in a faculty lounge somewhere in the school, shouting into a receiver. There was no one else in the room, and there were no other telephones there. Coming from the speaker was the voice of a calm, older man. Hartnett was livid. ¡°I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t move in today, sir!¡± <¡­Look. We¡¯ve received complaints from some of the parents saying that you were too intimidating.> ¡°Wh-what? But it¡¯s summer break, sir. There aren¡¯t any students around.¡± ¡°I¡ªyes. But do I really look so suspicious?¡± ¡°We can easily cut the chains with our tools.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t get anything done at this rate, sir. And¡ª¡± ¡°¡­I understand, sir.¡± When the man hung up, Hartnett slammed the receiver down. He clenched his teeth in rage. ¡°Damn this school!¡± He swore, storming out into the lobby. * * * The sun was shining from the center of the sky. It was noon. Seron, Larry, Nick, Meg, Natalia, and Jenny were behind the old building at the edge of the campus, beside the north door. ¡°All right. No one¡¯s around, and no one¡¯s watching. It¡¯s going well so far.¡± Larry grinned. There was a pack of gear on his back. Before lunch, after they had decided on their plan¡ª ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Larry. First, gather up any tools we might need.¡± Seron said. He asked Larry to collect things like work gloves and flashlights, along with some rope, a first-aid kit, and water bottles just in case. Larry went to their dorm room to gather the items. And he quickly returned. He fit them into his waterproof backpack, which he had until not long ago been using at the military sciences training camp, and slung the backpack on his back. The cafeteria ladies began preparing to serve lunch. The six students helped them out, going out of their way to clean tables and set out plates and silverware. ¡°Such hardworking children. Roxche¡¯s future is bright if students like them are going to become the movers and shakers of society.¡± The cafeteria ladies mused, moved by the students¡¯ actions. Unfortunately for them, the six were helping out for the sole purpose of getting lunch to start earlier. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re just doing our duty as upstanding students.¡± Larry said with a smile. No one said a word about their true intentions. The dormitory cafeteria finally opened. Students had a choice between meatballs with vegetable soup and bread, and roast beef sandwiches with a side of salad. The six students grabbed the menus of their choosing and ate to their hearts¡¯ content. Natalia and Larry, as usual, demonstrated their prodigious appetites by taking both options. Seron, however, did not touch his sandwich. Larry asked him if he was satiated with just the salad. ¡°Yeah. But you know¡­¡± Seron had ordered two servings of sandwiches. ¡°¡­I feel kind of bad. It¡¯s like I¡¯m trying to bait him with food.¡± Seron stuffed the two sandwiches into a wisteria lunchbox. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that, buddy. Just tell yourself you¡¯re treating him to a nice meal. In fact, let¡¯s make it a combo.¡± Larry said, bringing over a serving of soup. He poured the soup into his canteen and tied the lid down so it would not leak. He also filled a large water bottle with tea. Meg finished eating faster than usual. ¡°Let¡¯s go! We six people are the only people who can rescue the man from the basement underground.¡± She said, spurring on everyone but Seron, who had already finished eating. Once everyone was done, around the time the drama club entered the cafeteria, the six students left the building. A pair of eyes watched the six students walking across the deserted campus. The man realized that the students were headed for the old building. ¡°Argh! What are they planning to do over there¡­? Damn it!¡± The man swore, turning away from the window. A pair of eyes watched the man turning away from the window. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Volume 2 1 — The Basement Volume 2 Chapter 1: The Basement Seron Maxwell Born on the 3rd day of the third month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student at the 4th Capital Secondary School in the Capital District of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. His hometown is far from school, so he lives in the dorms. Not a part of any school clubs. Strauski Megmica Born on the 14th day of the second month of the year 3289. 16 years old. A third-year student. She is from the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. ¡®Strauski¡¯ is her family name. Because she started school a year after moving to Roxche, she is a year older than her classmates. A member of the chorus club. Larry Hepburn Born on the 12th day of the fifth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He is from military family with a very long history, and trains daily to become a soldier himself. Seron¡¯s best friend. Natalia Steinbeck Born on the 8th day of the sixth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. Her parents are famous musicians. Part of the orchestra club, and is skilled with musical instruments. Nicholas Browning Born on the 4th day of the fourth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He has an androgynous appearance and is not part of any clubs. He and Seron are acquainted. Jenny Jones Born on the 17th day of the first month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. She is the daughter of one of Roxche¡¯s richest people. President of the newspaper club. ----- ----- ¡°All right. No one¡¯s around, and no one¡¯s watching. It¡¯s going well so far.¡± Said Larry. ¡°Is anyone here? Please answer if you can hear me!¡± Seron yelled into the window, crouching down. ¡°We need to tell you something very important. Please, can you hear me?¡± Seron repeated himself multiple times, making sure to state that the windows were set to be blocked and that it would be best if the man were to come outside. He then waited, straining his ears. But there was no response. ¡°Should we try the west side? That¡¯s where he was in the picture.¡± Larry asked. ¡°No, let¡¯s not. It¡¯ll be the same no matter where we yell from.¡± Seron replied, getting up and turning to Larry. He met his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s all up to you now.¡± ¡°All right. Leave it to me.¡± Larry pulled off his backpack and went up the stone steps to the doors. ¡°You think he can do it?¡± Natalia wondered. ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work out, we¡¯re outta options.¡± ¡°We must simply believe in Larry. And if he should fail, we will think of something else. Perhaps going to watch a film is still a viable option?¡± Nicholas wondered. ¡°Please¡­ we are asking you, Larry. We want to help the man¡­¡± Meg pleaded. ¡°Good luck, blondie. I¡¯ll let this one slide without any incriminating photographs.¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°Tch¡­¡± Larry got down on one knee before the doors. He took out Natalia¡¯s hairpin from his pocket. It had been snapped in two and the ends filed into points. Seron stood beside him. ¡°All right. Time for the Confederation military¡¯s secret technique¡­¡± Larry joked, pushing the two pieces into the lock. He held one in place in the direction the lock turned, and pushed the other piece down along the grooves as he moved it back and forth. Several seconds later. There was a click. ¡°I got it.¡± The open lock was in Larry¡¯s hand. ¡°Not bad, Larry!¡± ¡°I suppose the film can wait for another time. The theater will wait for us.¡± ¡°Incredible, Larry! It is very incredible!¡± ¡°Hm. You¡¯re more useful than I gave you credit for.¡± The others commented, one after another. ¡°Great work, Larry.¡± Seron added. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this ¡®cause it¡¯s an emergency.¡± Slowly, Seron and Larry unwrapped the heavy, rusted chains from the doors. They heaved open the squeaky double doors. Afraid that someone might jump out from behind, Seron and Larry quickly took defensive stances. But all that escaped the storehouse was a damp, cold breeze. Seron and Larry went back down the stairs and returned to the group. ¡°That was great, Larry. Give me lessons sometime¡ªif all else fails, I¡¯ll just go into a life of crime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to refuse, Lia.¡± Larry said, shouldering his backpack again. ¡°All right. We¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Seron said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Natalia, Meg, Nick, and Jenny responded at once. ¡°Hold on a moment, Seron. Do you plan to leave us behind?¡± Asked Nick. Seron nodded. ¡°The two of us are more than enough. It¡¯s too dangerous for all of us to go when we have no idea what¡¯s really down there. This was how we planned the mission in the first place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s news to me, Seron. You¡¯re taking us with you.¡± Natalia said with a glare. ¡°Yeah! We didn¡¯t come all this way just to sit back and wait.¡± Jenny agreed, holding up the camera bag she had slung over her shoulder. ¡°If it is possible at all, I would like to go together as well. Is it not possible, Seron?¡± Meg pleaded. ¡°Huh? Er¡­ I¡­ I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d all want to come along.¡± Seron explained awkwardly. Natalia sighed. ¡°I thought it was pretty obvious we¡¯d all go together, considering how the conversation was going. For being smart and handsome, you¡¯re a pretty dense guy.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know who might be down there. It¡¯s too dangerous¡ª¡± ¡°Which is why you¡¯re not gonna go in there without us. The more eyes and ears, the better, right? Though my eyes aren¡¯t gonna be much help.¡± Natalia said, pushing up her glasses. Seron did not seem convinced. ¡°I was hoping you guys would keep an eye out in case someone approached the storehouse.¡± ¡°And what if someone does? Then we all get in trouble. Or did you want us to run off? If whoever comes here decides to go, ¡®Oh, somebody left the door open¡¯ and locks it right back up, we¡¯re done. Larry¡¯s the only one who can open it. So it makes no difference whether we stay or go with you. And if things go wrong, we can always muscle open one of the windows from the inside.¡± Natalia argued. Next to her stood Meg, looking at Seron like a puppy begging to go on a walk. Seron fell silent. ¡°We do have enough gloves and flashlights for everyone.¡± Larry commented. Seron thought for a moment. Then he reached a conclusion. ¡°¡­Stay right behind us and don¡¯t wander off.¡± ¡°Sweet.¡± ¡°Then we will go too!¡± ¡°I suppose we are.¡± ¡°Of course we¡¯re going along!¡± Larry whispered to Seron as the others celebrated. ¡°Going on an adventure with the girl of your dreams in a dark basement, eh? It¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!¡± Seron whispered back. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m trying to do anymore¡­¡± ¡°What? We¡¯re going in there to rescue someone.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. Let¡¯s go with that.¡± Natalia cut in. ¡°Hey, you two! Stop leaving us out of the conversation!¡± Everyone had a pair of gloves and a flashlight. ¡°We¡¯re good to go. Let¡¯s get started, Seron.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The group started towards the building with Larry and Seron in the lead. After a short climb up the steps, they entered the cool interior. The girls followed right behind Larry and Seron, and Nick brought up the rear. They left the door wide open as though daring a teacher to see. The storehouse interior was symmetrical in design. The large rectangular building was divided in four by two intersecting hallways with high ceilings. Next to the halls were rooms with wooden walls, but the ceilings were lower in the rooms. The rooms were not furnished. It was cool and humid inside. The air stank faintly of rusted iron. The group stood in the middle of the building, examining the interior with fascination. It was quite bright inside thanks to the windows on the roof and near the ceiling. No one had to turn on their flashlight. There was a thin layer of dust in the halls, but it was otherwise clean¡ªsomeone must have been regularly cleaning the storehouse. The stone floors were slightly sunken in the parts that were most trodden on, speaking for the three centuries¡¯ worth of history that the building represented. ¡°Hm¡­ I don¡¯t see anything that looks like a basement entrance.¡± Larry said. They could not find any stairs or steps leading down. None of the halls led to any other levels. ¡°Then maybe there¡¯s an entrance in one of the rooms.¡± Said Seron. ¡°Should we split up?¡± Asked Larry.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ll stick together.¡± Seron replied. ¡°We¡¯ll check the rooms in order, starting from the ones on the east.¡± He began walking cautiously down the long hallway. The moment Larry made to follow, Natalia whispered to him, ¡°Countin¡¯ on you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Natalia walked protectively next to Meg, as though escorting her. Jenny took out her camera and put the strap around her neck, looking around as she snapped the occasional photo. Nick followed behind her. Seron and Larry stopped at the nearest door. Larry grabbed the handle and cautiously opened it, slowly peering inside. The room was about 4 square meters in size. Like in the hallway, the floor was made of stone here as well. Heaped on the floor was a pile of old timber bent from humidity. There was nothing¡ªand no one¡ªelse. The room across the hall was full of roof tiles. The dark dust made clear their age. Some of the tiles were cracked around the edges. They finished checking all the rooms on the east. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± They could not find anything resembling any staircases. The only things in the rooms were construction materials from an unknown time. ¡°It looks like they¡¯re not going to be using those. They probably left the materials here because they¡¯re too lazy to move them out.¡± Said Seron. ¡°The teachers must¡¯ve personally done repair work back in the old days¡ªthe reallyold days. Now you can just call a company to do that work for you, and they even bring their own materials.¡± Larry added. ¡°Next?¡± Natalia urged them. Seron turned west. The group went back down the hall to examine the other rooms. The two in the lead braced themselves for anything to pop out at them at any point as they continued to search. They began with the doors near the middle, but all they found were rooms full of rusted metal scaffolds, coils of metal wire, and old materials that would never see use. ¡°Just two rooms left.¡± Larry said. They had yet to explore the two rooms on the western edge of the building. In terms of location, the window featured in the photograph was just underneath the last two rooms. Larry slowly opened the door to the room on the northwestern corner and peered inside. And, ¡°Hm¡­ is this the place, you think?¡± He asked, gesturing Seron over. Larry was crouching low by the door. Seron peered inside from just above his head and scanned the room. It was different from the others. There were no construction materials to be found there. Instead was a large brown rug, which covered most of the floor. Atop the carpet stood an old wooden desk. Seron instructed the others to wait and entered the room alongside Larry. Silently, they exchanged glances. They each picked up either end of the desk and slowly carried it out into the hallway. All that was left was the rug. Seron and Larry stepped back inside and began to slowly¡ªever so slowly¡ªroll it up. The others watched from the hallway. And¡ª ¡°This is it.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Under the rug, between the stone flooring, they found a wooden trapdoor. The trapdoor was about 1 square meter in size and was at nearly the same level as the floor. It emerged fully as Seron and Larry completely rolled up the rug. ¡°Can I open this, Seron?¡± ¡°Please.¡± Larry took hold of the handle. He pulled on it, and the trapdoor opened easily. From the gap they could hear the sound of wind passing through the barred windows. The gap widened as Larry heaved open the door, and eventually became a 1-meter-square hole. Seron and Larry pulled back the door, letting it down on the rolled-up rug. And they slightly adjusted its position so it would not close on its own. ¡°Is anyone in there?¡± Seron yelled into the opening. His voice was sucked into the darkness. All he heard was an echo of himself. There was no answer. Seron pointed his flashlight into the hole. A steel ladder was securely affixed to the stone foundation. It was about 2 and a half meters in length, and touched the bottom of the basement. There was nothing in his line of sight, save for the floor and the ladder. Seron called out into the basement once more, and turned. ¡°All right. Come over here, everyone.¡± He said to the others in the hallway. Meg, Natalia, Jenny, and Nick entered the room, curious. And soon, all six students were squatting around the trapdoor, staring inside. ¡°Hm. So now we know somebody¡¯s going in and out of this place. We¡¯re getting more and more clues as we go.¡± Natalia said. ¡°So this is the entrance to our secret labyrinth, I suppose.¡± Nick commented. ¡°Whoever¡¯s inside, come out here where it¡¯s bright. I¡¯ll snap a really nice photo of you.¡± Jenny grinned. And finally, ¡°We must save him as fast as possible! It will be very bad for his health if he stays always in a place like this!¡± Meg cried. ¡°So we¡¯re really going in together?¡± Seron asked one last time. ¡°Why¡¯d you have to be so stubborn? We¡¯re all ready to go.¡± Natalia sighed. All six of them were wearing green work gloves and were holding flashlights. They checked the flashlights several times over to make sure they worked. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go. Make sure to stick together¡ªit would be terrible if someone got lost.¡± Seron said. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± Larry said, putting down his backpack and climbing into the trapdoor first. He put his feet on the ladder and cautiously put his weight on his feet, making sure that the rungs were strong enough to support him. Then he slowly climbed down to the floor, which was lit by Seron and Natalia¡¯s lights. And even as Larry climbed down the ladder, ¡°Is anyone in there? We¡¯re coming inside!¡± Seron continued to call out into the basement. Eventually, as Seron and Natalia watched, Larry safely made it to the basement floor. He turned on his own flashlight. From above Seron and Natalia saw Larry look around with his flashlight. The light circled the area once and stopped. ¡°What¡¯s it like down there?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°It¡¯s empty. It¡¯s an empty room made of stone. And it¡¯s pretty big, too. About half the building upstairs, I¡¯d wager. But there¡¯s no one and nothing here.¡± Larry said curiously, his voice resonating slightly. ¡°Here.¡± Seron left his things to Natalia and climbed down the ladder. Cautiously following Larry down to the basement, Seron also turned on his flashlight and scanned his surroundings. The basement¡¯s walls, ceiling, and floor was all made of stone. The ceiling was a little lower than on the ground floor. It was cooler in the basement than aboveground, but thanks to the barred windows the air was not very humid. The windows also let enough light into the basement. By the time his eyes were adjusted to the darkness, Seron only had to use his flashlight to examine the minutest of details. Before his eyes were stone walls, the floor, and the ceiling. It was like he was standing in an empty box. And just as Larry had said, the room was large. It was square in shape, almost 10 square meters wide. It was about half the size of the building aboveground. There was a doorway leading into the next room on the eastern side. Seron turned to Larry. ¡°It really is completely empty in here. The walls around the doorway probably serve as supports.¡± ¡°Should we check out the other side, while we¡¯re at it?¡± ¡°Sure. Nat won¡¯t like it, but let¡¯s do this.¡± Seron and Larry walked through the basement with flashlights in hand. ¡°Hey! Guys!¡± Natalia cried from aboveground, but they ignored her. ¡°Is anybody here?¡± ¡°Anyone?¡± Seron and Larry called out loudly as they headed for the doorway leading into the next room. They stopped at the doorway and exchanged glances. Then¡ª ¡°Are you in there?¡± ¡°Excuse us!¡± They pointed their flashlights into the room in unison and stepped through. And they went quiet. There was nothing there. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Larry and Seron furrowed their brows as they headed back to the trapdoor. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t wander off without us!¡± Natalia yelled from upstairs, her bangs falling forward. Seron responded. ¡°Oh, feel free to climb down now, Nat.¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s down there?¡± ¡°Nothing. And no one.¡± ¡°All right. Thanks for the permission, your majesty.¡± Natalia climbed down first with Larry¡¯s backpack on one arm. The moment she stepped onto the floor, she held out the backpack towards Larry. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Oh. You didn¡¯t have to lug it all the way here.¡± ¡°Forget it. Take it already.¡± Meg carefully, cautiously descended the ladder next under Natalia¡¯s watchful gaze. She was followed by Jenny, who climbed down with ease. Nick was last. ¡°So now we¡¯re all down here.¡± Larry grumbled. ¡°Problem, Larry? Anyway, did you find anything?¡± Said Natalia. Her voice resounded slightly. With four people¡¯s gazes on him, Seron repeated himself. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of weird for me to say this, since I was against everyone coming along. But I think it¡¯ll be faster for you to take a look yourselves.¡± Led by Seron, the four latecomers began to look around the basement. And they were done in a matter of seconds. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a very tidy place.¡± Nick noted. It was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic. ¡°Much cleaner than my room.¡± Larry added. Seron narrowed his eyes at the exchange. Jenny went over to the window on the west side¡ªwhere she had captured the mysterious face on camera. ¡°Over here! He would have been standing right here! I just know it!¡± She cried, jumping up and down. ¡°There is nothing here, and there is no one here. What in the world happened? Why?¡± Meg wondered. But no one could answer her questions. Larry put down his backpack and looked at Seron. Larry put down his backpack and looked at Seron. ¡°Hey. I know this isn¡¯t the best time to say this, but¡­¡± Everyone turned to Larry when they heard his voice trail off. Larry seemed to feel even more self-conscious. ¡°Maybe¡­ maybe that picture was a trick of the light after all?¡± ¡°What the heck, blondie!¡± Jenny exploded. ¡°I¡¯m just suggesting a possibility.¡± Larry replied. ¡°Impossible.¡± Seron shook his head. ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°If it really was a trick of the light, our culprit wouldn¡¯t have stolen the film.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°And if there really isn¡¯t anyone in this basement, something¡¯s not right.¡± Larry furrowed his brow. ¡°What does this mean, Seron?¡± Meg wondered, also confused. ¡°It¡¯s too tidy in here.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Larry intoned. ¡°Hm. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Jenny and Nick said almost in unison. Natalia nodded again and again, ¡°Hm?¡± Meg still did not understand. Natalia explained. ¡°The basement¡¯s too clean for a place no one uses, don¡¯t you think? With these windows, you¡¯d expect to see some garbage, leaves, or dirt piled up around here.¡± ¡°Ah, now that you say it, I see. It is very strange.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be surprising to see the place infested with bugs.¡± Larry added. ¡°Thankfully not.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°In other words¡ª¡± ¡°Someone is cleaning this place regularly.¡± Nick finished. ¡°So a mystery person really is here?¡± Larry wondered, looking around with the flashlight again. ¡°Then where could he be?¡± ¡°Perhaps he does not reside here constantly? Suppose he simply comes in and out of this building sometimes, and happened to be caught on camera yesterday. Perhaps he placed the rug and the desk over the trapdoor to hide the entrance after he left.¡± ¡°Not likely.¡± Jenny said immediately. Natalia agreed. ¡°Yeah. Other places, sure. But this here¡¯s a school building.¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°I get it. Entry to a school campus is almost as strict as a military base. Someone would call the police on him in no time if he really kept going in and out of here. The security guards¡¯ll be on him in a flash with their shotguns and rubber bullets.¡± Said Larry. ¡°Then there¡¯s only one other possibility.¡± Seron said. All eyes were on him. ¡°There¡¯s more here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Wha?¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Five voices expressed their disbelief. Natalia quickly spoke for everyone. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about? You know Seron, sometimes you think so fast it¡¯s impossible to figure out what you¡¯re saying.¡± Seron lightly shook his head. ¡°¡­Sorry. I mean that there¡¯s more to this basement than we see here. There should be another passageway. I¡¯m assuming there must be at least one other door that leads somewhere else.¡± ¡°I see. That makes sense.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°I¡¯d love to say the same, but where would we find a passageway? You really think there¡¯s a door someplace in this basement, Seron?¡± Larry asked, casting light on the walls. Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah. This building was built 300 years ago, and the basement is still preserved. This area used to be the center of an old village, which means that there must have been other buildings around this one.¡± ¡°Speaking as a history-lover, I suppose that¡¯s quite reasonable. I seem to recall hearing that basements and underground passageways were a mainstay of medieval architecture in the East.¡± Nick commented. Larry turned to Seron for confirmation. Seron nodded. ¡°Settlements were usually built on exposed bedrock.¡± Nick decided to chime in, explaining further. ¡°Before the Middle Ages, settlements were mostly founded near suitable farmland. But architectural techniques grew more and more advanced, and by the Middle Ages it was possible to build structures larger than ever before. These large buildings, of course, needed a solid foundation to prevent them from sinking. That was how exposed bedrock became the norm for settlements. The availability of material and the extra space offered by basements meant that underground floors became quite common. Some built massive structures in a show of opulence, and others expanded and renovated existing buildings to connect them in complex networks. And supposedly, many such basements were equipped with secret passages often used for illicit purposes such as making secret deals or hiding a cache of valuables. You can often find secret basements as a plot device in period novels.¡± ¡°I get it. So it wouldn¡¯t be surprising to find a secret passageway in here.¡± Jenny concluded. ¡°Thanks for the info. Mind sharing some of that knowledge next time we have to take a test together?¡± Natalia joked. ¡°Then, you are saying that this basement has a door to a secret road, and it is not strange that this basement is connected to a next basement? You are saying that the man is hiding away from us there?¡± Meg asked Seron. Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah. So let¡¯s all take a closer look at the walls in this room. There must be a passage somewhere.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± Nick warned. ¡°If we wish to find the secret passage, we will likely have to physically push the door open. It will take a very long time for us to find that specific part of the wall.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I wish there was an easier way, but¡­¡± Seron trailed off. ¡°Then I guess it¡¯s my turn.¡± Natalia said, pushing up her glasses and stepping forward. Volume 2 2 — Sounds Volume 2 Chapter 2: Sounds ----- ¡°What¡¯re you going to do, Lia?¡± Larry asked as he watched Natalia confidently step forward . Meg tilted her head, and Nick and Seron watched in silence . ¡°Just leave this to me. It¡¯s my turn to take the spotlight. ¡± ¡°Hey¡­ don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re gonna play music to find the passage?¡± Larry squawked, dead serious. Natalia burst into laughter . ¡°Pffft! Hahah! Close, but no cigar. Does anyone have anything big and solid? Check your backpack, Larry. I need something like a club. ¡± ¡°Huh? I have a folding spade, if that works for you. ¡± ¡°Sure. Hand it over. ¡± ¡°Okay. ¡± Confused, Larry pulled out a military-use folding spade from one of the backpack pockets. It was mid-sized with a green wooden shaft, and a foldable black metallic head . Larry expertly unfolded and secured the spade open. Then he handed it to Natalia by the shaft . ¡°Here. ¡± ¡°Thanks. Now where do I start? I think Seron¡¯s on to what I¡¯m trying to do. ¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± Seron nodded . ¡°Oh! I think that I am on to what it is too!¡± Meg said brightly, raising her hand . Larry and Nick seemed to be in the dark still. Seron answered Natalia¡¯s question . ¡°You can leave the north side for the end. The campus wall¡¯s right there, and beyond that¡¯s an apartment building. And I think we can save the eastern and western sides for later, since there¡¯s not as much space in those directions. As long as there aren¡¯t any more basements around here, anyway. Please start with the south. ¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯m gonna need all of you to stay quiet for a bit. No footsteps, you hear?¡± ¡°What are you¡ª¡± ¡°Shaddap and let me do my thing. ¡± Natalia cut Larry off, and headed for the south wall with a spade in hand instead of a violin . Seron followed at a slight distance as though to guard her . The others thought for a moment before going after Natalia and Seron. Natalia stopped a little before the wall. The others stopped about 3 meters behind her and Seron . ¡°All righty. ¡± Holding the spade by the shaft, Natalia raised the blade to neck-level and pointed it at the wall . ¡°Percussion¡¯s fine by me. ¡± She struck the wall with the end of the spade . Clang. A dull, heavy sound resounded through the basement and faded . ¡°Hm. ¡± Natalia repeated the action with the wall above and under the first spot. The shovel made the same sound . ¡°Mhm. ¡± Then, Natalia took a big step to the left . Standing about 1 meter from her original place, she again struck the center of the wall, and then above and below the spot . Then she took another step to the left and repeated the process . Of the others, Jenny and Nick realized what Natalia was doing the moment she struck the wall . ¡°C¡¯mon, guys. Give me a hint¡ª¡± Larry began, but Jenny and Nick held up their fingers to silence him . Twelve heavy impacts later, Natalia took yet another step to the left. And she struck the wall again . ¡°¡­¡± She struck the same place for the second time. Then she struck the space below that. The impact sounded the same as the others . ¡°Something¡¯s fishy about this spot. ¡± She said, turning with a smile . ¡°You can figure that out with just the sound, Lia?¡± Larry gasped, having finally understood. Natalia responded as nonchalantly as though she were rattling off what she had eaten for breakfast . ¡°Yeah. This spot right here and the space under it sound totally different. ¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell. What about you, Seron?¡± Seron shook his head . ¡°It all sounded the same to me. ¡± ¡°I did not know the different sound. I did my best, but¡­¡± ¡°Nor did I. Hats off to you, Natalia. ¡± ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t hear a difference. ¡± Meg, Nick, and Jenny admitted in turn . ¡°I see. So I¡¯m not just dense, then. ¡± Larry mumbled . ¡°It was just a subtle reverberation. Anyway, I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s some empty space behind here, but no guarantees. It¡¯s your turn, musclehead. ¡± Natalia stepped away from the wall with the spade in hand. Seron approached the wall. Larry gave Natalia a curious look as he passed her by and joined Seron . Seron cast light on the wall. He and Larry carefully scrutinized every detail . They examined the wall for some time, but they could not find any difference in this section . ¡°You really think it¡¯s here, Seron?¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot. Let¡¯s give this spot a push. Don¡¯t go all-in from the start, though. Start off gentle so you don¡¯t accidentally jam your hands in the passage. ¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Seron put his hands on the middle level of the wall, where Natalia had pointed, and Larry crouched down to put his hands on the lower part of the wall . ¡°All right. One, two, three!¡± The moment they pushed, something squeaked . ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± The wall moved with surprising ease. The section they had been pushing against sunk several centimeters into the wall . Seron and Larry stepped back and cast light on the wall. Part of the wall was sunken, from the floor to about Seron¡¯s waist-level . Larry continued to push alone, and the hidden door sunk in further . Larry¡¯s eyes widened even as he pushed the door open . ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡­¡± ¡°I expected nothing less from you, Nat. Larry, let¡¯s keep this up. ¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± Seron and Larry resumed pushing together. The door finally came to a stop once it had moved about 40 centimeters . Once Seron was sure that the door was firmly open, he turned to Larry . ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to push the door sideways now. Can you give it a shot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it. ¡± Larry waited for Seron to move out of the way and stuck his fingers into the gap on the right side of the door. He pulled . The narrow slab of stone moved sideways with annoying ease like a smooth sliding door . ¡°Whoa. This is really well-made. ¡± Larry exclaimed as he pulled the door all the way open. It finally stopped completely once the doorway was wide enough for one person to pass through, and only a sliver of the door remained in the doorway . Seron pointed his flashlight at the stone hallway beyond . The hallway was about 2 meters in height¡ªmore than enough for the average person to pass through comfortably. It was about 1 meter wide, with alcoves for candles in the walls at regular intervals . The light from the flashlight hit a wall about 5 meters down the hall, which led to a left turn. There were no people or objects in sight . ¡°Wow!¡± Larry cried. ¡°So there really is a passage here! And judging from the size, it¡¯s gotta be connected to something! You¡¯re actually pretty good, Lia!¡± He said, turning around . ¡°Hey, I take offense to the ¡®actually¡¯. ¡± Natalia said, though she sounded at least 70 percent happy . ¡°I give you my congratulations, Natalia!¡± ¡°Megmica¡­ I¡¯m not sure you have the right expression there, but thanks. ¡± ¡°That was amazing. I¡¯m very impressed. It¡¯s certainly a good thing that we all decided to come to the basement together. ¡± ¡°Sure is. Teamwork¡¯s one of the most important things in life. Yep. ¡± ¡°Can I cover this story sometime? Let¡¯s see¡­ the title should be ¡®Master Listener Understands Animal Speech?¡¯!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not get too ahead of ourselves. ¡± While the others heaped praises on Natalia, Seron crouched down and examined the base of the stone door . Soon, he stepped away and asked Larry for something small and solid . ¡°Huh? ¡­Well, I¡¯ve got some canned food if that works. ¡± ¡°Yeah. Please. ¡± ¡°Right. Are you gonna tap on the walls with it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to use it as a doorjamb. And I need tape too, if you have any. ¡± Seron said, as terse as ever . ¡°Aha! Makes sense. ¡± Larry said, this time quick on the uptake. Seron nodded . Larry pulled out a large roll of tape from his backpack, and a rather small tin can . The tin was colored a murky green, and was simply labeled ¡®Corned beef. Serve warm for better flavor¡¯ . Seron took the things with a word of thanks and placed the tin can beside the door. Then he cut off a long length of tape and secured the tin so it wouldn¡¯t roll away . ¡°Now the door won¡¯t close behind us. What next?¡± Larry asked . ¡°We¡¯ll have to go further inside. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit. And what about you guys?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± Natalia replied. Seron turned . ¡°I guess I can¡¯t leave you guys behind at this point. Let¡¯s take our time and examine the passage carefully as we go. ¡± ¡°Let¡¯s. You can never be too careful. ¡± Seron led the way, turning on his flashlight and stepping into the doorway. Larry followed, pulling on his backpack . Seron led the way, turning on his flashlight and stepping into the doorway. Larry followed, pulling on his backpack . ¡°Watch your head, Lia. ¡± ¡°Thanks for the concern, shortie. ¡± Natalia touched her gloved hands to the floor as she passed through. Then she turned around and helped Meg through . Seron slowly walked forward. Jenny and Nick safely made it into the passage as well . Seron and Larry kept their lights on the floor ahead as they walked . ¡°It¡¯s nice and cool in here. Perfect for summertime. ¡± Natalia commented. Meg followed close behind her, tightly gripping Natalia¡¯s sleeve . ¡°This place might warrant an article or two, even without the case of the mysterious face. ¡± Nick noted from the very back of the entourage. Jenny agreed . ¡°You guys aren¡¯t scared at all, are you?¡± Larry mumbled . Slowly, they approached the first corner. Seron and Larry were ready for someone to pop out from behind it . ¡°Hello? Is anyone here?¡± Seron yelled into the passage. Larry followed . ¡°Is anybody down here? We¡¯re on our way!¡± They exchanged glances and nodded. Then¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± They lunged around the corner . ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± And they sighed in unison . ¡°Well?¡± Asked Natalia . ¡°The passage keeps going. For another 10 meters or so. ¡± Larry replied. Seron was already walking ahead . When Natalia and the others turned the corner, they saw that the passage continued unchanged. But this time, it was twice as long as the previous stretch. The end of the passage led to another corner, this one turning to the right . ¡°Well, Seron?¡± Larry asked . ¡°¡­¡± Seron had to think for a moment. The others waited for an answer . Natalia pointed her flashlight at Seron¡¯s chest. The name ¡®Maxwell¡¯ embroidered on his jacket shone in the darkness. His face was vaguely outlined in the light . ¡°¡­We can¡¯t just keep going without a plan. ¡± Seron finally said. ¡°We¡¯ll need more rope if we want to undertake a full-scale exploration. We¡¯ll need to make a map, and we¡¯ll need extra batteries for the flashlights and a lot more water. ¡± ¡°I agree. We¡¯ll each need backpacks and hard hats with flashlights attached. Gotta be prepared. ¡± Larry nodded, his watchful eyes on the passage ahead . ¡°I¡¯ve decided. ¡± ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s your plan, Seron?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll turn this corner here, and if the passage keeps going we¡¯ll give up and go back. ¡± ¡°Pardon? We will go back, you said? We will all together go back to the first building which we entered together?¡± Meg asked. Seron¡¯s response was mechanical, almost cold . ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t want to risk any accidents. What if the passage branches out to the point that we lose our way? And I don¡¯t really want to consider this, but what if there¡¯s a cave-in? No one knows we¡¯re in here¡ªwe¡¯ll be stranded completely. ¡± ¡°I¡ªI know those facts very well, Seron. But there may be someone just up front still, no? Someone whom no one knows, who does not know that he will be stuck inside here. ¡± ¡°¡­Probably. ¡± ¡°If that is the case, I after all want to save him. We must save him from here. This is what we are here to do. ¡± ¡°¡­Megmica. ¡± ¡°Yes?¡± With bated breath, everyone waited for Seron to continue. Several seconds passed in silence before they heard him inhale . ¡°If at all possible, I want to help him, too. But I can¡¯t put you in danger for that. ¡± ¡°Nice. ¡± Larry said under his breath, his eyes still on the passage ahead. Natalia grinned, knowing that Meg could not see her face from her position. Jenny shrugged with a smile . ¡°He certainly has a point. ¡± Nick said from the back of the group . Meg was silent. Natalia put a hand on her shoulder . ¡°I know it¡¯s tough to accept, Meg. But first, let¡¯s look around that last corner. Okay?¡± Seron looked into Meg¡¯s dejected face . ¡°Please, Megmica. I promise, even if we have to turn back, we¡¯re not going to leave him here. We¡¯ll get more people here today if we can, or at least by tomorrow. We¡¯ll explain the situation to them properly and have a thorough look inside this place. We can ask the drama club for help, too. ¡± ¡°¡­I understand. I understand, Seron. ¡± Meg replied, hanging her head . ¡°Well. Let¡¯s do this. ¡± Larry said, stepping forward . Seron could say no more. He turned and followed after Larry . Several steps later, Larry whispered to Seron . ¡°Hey, you think we¡¯ll find anything around the corner?¡± ¡°No. ¡± Seron whispered back. ¡°I¡¯m expecting more of the passage. ¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. ¡± ¡°People used to build the most interesting things, huh. ¡± ¡°People used to build the most interesting things, huh. ¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re impressed or annoyed. ¡± ¡°Both, actually. ¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Natalia cried. ¡°Enough whispering by yourselves!¡± Finally, Seron and Larry reached the corner . ¡°All right¡­ let¡¯s do this. ¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go. ¡± This time, they gave no warning as they turned the corner. And¡ª ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± They were both struck dumb . Around the corner was a room . * * * ¡°Sophia, could you pass me the basting needle?¡± ¡°Hm? Right. Here you are, Arthur. ¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take care of this costume, so you can take a break with the others. ¡± ¡°What? Er¡­ i-it¡¯s okay. I can wait here in case you need more help. ¡± ¡°Really? Thank you. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. ¡­I had no idea you were so good at sewing, Arthur. ¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been learning from my sister ever since I was little. She graduated last year, you know. Now she works as a fashion designer at Epstein. ¡± ¡°Wow. I had no idea. ¡± ¡°Really? We¡¯ve known each other for so long I thought I might have told you before. ¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­ er, yeah. But I barely know anything about your family. ¡± ¡°I suppose I haven¡¯t told you much about them. On that note, I don¡¯t know much about your family, either. ¡± ¡°¡­S-say! If you want, do you want to come over sometime?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Sophia! I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable. ¡± ¡°Huh? But I¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡­ it¡¯s nothing. Nothing at all. ¡± ¡°There. The coachman costume is done!¡± ¡°Good job, Arthur. ¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m feeling a little thirsty now. Want to have some tea at the cafeteria?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! That sounds great!¡± ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ll go get the others. ¡± ¡°Hm? Oh¡­ right¡­¡± * * * Several seconds of stunned silence followed Seron and Larry¡¯s discovery. But they quickly regained their senses . ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, what chance do I have?¡± They stood frozen past the corner . ¡°Hey, what¡¯d you find there?¡± Natalia asked, turning the corner with the others. They pushed Seron and Larry aside and saw for themselves . And they all fell silent . There was a room . Contrary to their assumption, the passage did not continue beyond the corner. The hallway ended suddenly about 2 meters ahead, and a wide-open space unfolded beside it . Seron and Larry¡¯s flashlights were still on, but they were unnecessary. Rows of lightbulbs on the wall gave off just enough light to see by . Though it was hard to tell exactly how large the room was, it was clearly bigger than the first basement room they had entered from. It was longer than it was wide, and the stone wall on the opposite side seemed very low . The furniture in the room was bathed in orange light . In the center of the room was a rocking chair, and a dresser stood against the wall. Further inside the room was a bed with metal framing, and neatly folded blankets . ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± Natalia gasped . ¡°Tell me if you ever figure it out, Lia. ¡± Larry said . ¡°This is certainly a scoop, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Nick asked Jenny . ¡°This is certainly a scoop, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Nick asked Jenny . ¡°Yeah. But what is it, exactly?¡± ¡°This¡­ this is a room. Yes. ¡®Room¡¯ in Roxchean, or maybe the better word is a ¡®chamber¡¯. ¡± Said Meg. No one else could explain any further . Seron slowly strode forward. Larry went after him . ¡°Excuse me!¡± Seron said in a very loud voice at the entrance. He cautiously looked around and stepped into the room proper. There was no one there . Larry followed after him and slowly scanned their surroundings . The room was about 15 meters wide and 20 meters long, with the walls made entirely of stone. Stone pillars about 50 centimeters thick stood at intervals in the room¡ªperhaps they supported the building above . Upon closer examination, he could see a small electric fan, two full bookshelves, a closet with large doors, and a desk and a chair¡ªthe same kind used at the school. There was a rug with intricate embroidery underneath the desk and the chair . About half of the lightbulbs installed in the alcoves in the wall were still lit . Electric wires from the lightbulbs were fixed against the walls. The wires split at points, and several of the branches led into to a socket in the wall . Three verdant landscape paintings hung on the walls. Perhaps they were there to offset the desolate look of the room . On the right side of the chamber were two doors. Both were ordinary wooden doors with doorknobs on them. The closer of the doors was red, and the other blue. They were both closed . ¡°It¡¯s okay, guys. There¡¯s no one here. ¡± Said Larry . The others followed after him . ¡°This is crazy¡­ there really is a room down here. And it¡¯s pretty nice¡ªit¡¯s even better than my room. ¡± ¡°Wh-what has happened here? Do schools in Roxche hide chambers under the ground normally? Do they?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s calm down, Megmica. As far as I know this is not the norm anywhere in Roxche. Today is simply full of surprises. ¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve got a scoop on my hands, but somebody explain what this scoop actually is! How am I supposed to write an article when I don¡¯t have any info to go on?!¡± Voices of shock and surprise resounded through the room . ¡°You could always make up an article to go with the photographs. Just imagine all the possibilities. ¡± Nick suggested with a smile. but all he got in response was¡ª ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Guys, I want you to stay near the entrance. ¡± Seron said, walking around the entrance and examining the furniture. Larry did the same . The furniture all seemed to be in regular use . Seron walked up to the bookshelf and scanned its offerings. He picked out what seemed to be the newest of the books . The book was titled, ¡®Bobby and the Lemon¡¯ . ¡°Light, please. ¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Larry nodded, casting light on the book. Seron flipped backwards through the book and found the copyright page . ¡°I knew it. This was published last month¡ªI saw an ad for it in the newspaper. ¡± ¡°What?¡± Seron gingerly stuck the book back in the shelf and dragged Larry over to the entrance, where the others waited . And without warning, he raised his voice . ¡°Wow! Who knew we¡¯d find such a cool place underground on campus!¡± It was not every day that Seron spoke so loudly. His voice bounced off of the stone walls and ceiling and echoed . ¡°¡­You all right, buddy?¡± Larry asked with a hint of concern, but Seron ignored the question. He spread his arms and took a deep breath, raising his voice again . ¡°We should use this room! As a clubhouse from now on! It¡¯ll be a secret base! What a find! Nobody¡¯s in here! We should take over the place!¡± The others were lost, but Nick alone understood and stepped forward . ¡°I see now. ¡­That¡¯s a wonderful idea! This room is large enough to host¡ªno, house¡ªsix people! What a discovery! We¡¯re now free to escape our parents!¡± ¡°Not you too, Nick. I mean, you were always a bit weird, but¡­¡± Larry trailed off. But Nick ignored him and continued . ¡°What do you say, Seron my friend! We should throw out all the furniture we don¡¯t need! And bring in our own things!¡± ¡°Great idea! We¡¯ll definitely do that! In fact, we should get started immediately! Let¡¯s all carry out some of this junk!¡± ¡°Perfect! We¡¯ll finish the job before the day is over!¡± At this point, Jenny and Natalia also noticed what Seron was doing . ¡°I see. I get your plan. ¡± Jenny nodded . ¡°Expected nothing less from the drama club. ¡± Said Natalia. Larry, who was still in the dark, offered a correction . ¡°Seron¡¯s not in the drama club. In fact, Nick isn¡¯t, either. ¡± ¡°Okay, okay. Just be quiet and listen, Larry. ¡± As Larry tilted his head and Meg shrank back at the sudden noise, Nick and Seron continued . ¡°What do you say, Seron! That desk is awfully familiar, don¡¯t you think? We don¡¯t need one of those!¡± ¡°Yeah! There are plenty of those back at the school! We¡¯ll dismantle it and throw it out! And bring in a better one!¡± Seron replied . Nick took a deep breath to continue¡ª ¡°W-wait! Don¡¯t do it!¡± The voice did not belong to any of the six students . The voice came from a man . Volume 2 3 — The Voice Volume 2 Chapter 3: The Voice ----- ¡°W-wait! Don¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°WHOA!¡± Larry was the most surprised of them all. With a yell, he leapt and turned in the direction of the voice. Meg flinched as well. Natalia protectively stepped before her. Seron and Nick pointed their flashlights at the source of the voice. Jenny did the same, a second later. ¡°Argh¡­ my eyes¡­¡± A man had leapt out of the red door. He was slender in build and wore dark green clothes that resembled sweats. He was also wearing sneakers. He was dressed like a homeless person one might find in the alleys of the Capital District, but he was not particularly unkempt and he did not smell. Because he was covering his eyes, it was impossible to tell what kind of an expression he was wearing. A beard spread over his face and he was slightly balding. His long hair was black, halfway to grey, and went down all the way to his shoulders. The man was probably in his fifties or sixties. ¡°My eyes¡­ please¡­¡± The man repeated himself. His voice was somewhat androgynous and sounded very soft-spoken. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need the lights, everyone.¡± Seron said, turning off his flashlight. Nick and Jenny did the same. ¡°Oh¡­ thank you¡­¡± The man sighed, lowering his hands. The man¡¯s face emerged in the dim light. Wrinkles dug trenches in his forehead and at the corners of his eyes, making him look very old indeed. He could almost pass for 80. ¡°It¡¯s on you now, Seron.¡± Larry said, calming down. He stepped aside. ¡°Yeah. Seron can speak for us. That all right with everyone?¡± Asked Natalia. No one objected. Seron stepped forward, coming to a stop about 5 meters from the man. ¡°Good afternoon. My name is Seron Maxwell. I¡¯m a third-year student at this secondary school.¡± He began with a greeting and an introduction. The man¡¯s brows twitched. ¡°Thank you for coming outside. First, I¡¯d like to apologize on everyone¡¯s behalf. My friend and I were not serious when we were raising our voices earlier. We were bluffing, as we believed it would be impossible to bring you out otherwise. I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡± Larry and Meg, who finally understood what Seron and Nick had been doing earlier, nodded in understanding. Several seconds of silence followed. Would the man say no more, the students wondered, when he finally opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve been listening to your voices all this time. Ever since you were outside. So I hid. I never thought you¡¯d make it all the way in here. I¡¯m impressed.¡± The students had not expected words of praise. They exchanged awkward glances. Seron continued. ¡°There are other rooms through those doors, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There are many ancient passageways here.¡± ¡°Do you live here?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Is there anyone else here?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just me.¡± The man answered Seron¡¯s questions with frank resignation. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± ¡°About two years, I suppose.¡± The man said awkwardly. Seron could hear the others gasp behind him. He continued mechanically. ¡°That¡¯s a very long time, sir. Wasn¡¯t it uncomfortable down here?¡± ¡°No.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°This may be a basement, but it must have been freezing cold during the winter. How did you survive?¡± ¡°There are hot water pipes here. I help myself to some when I need it.¡± ¡°I see. This place must receive hot water from the boiler room, just like the communal bath in the dormitories. So you can stay warm and even take baths in here. Is there a bathroom behind one of those doors?¡± The man nodded. ¡°What do you do about food?¡± ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t answer that.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­Let me get to the point. The barred windows in the basement are going to be sealed off soon.¡± ¡°I know. Some young men came to do some work yesterday and were talking very loudly about it. As if they were talking to me.¡± ¡°¡­We came all this way to tell you: wouldn¡¯t it be best to leave this place?¡± ¡°Where would you have me go?¡± Seron was silent. ¡°I have nowhere else to go. I came out here to tell you: won¡¯t you let me live in peace here?¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t presume to say I know what led you here, but this building is part of a school campus. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to receive the protection of the law and its benefits in a publicly-operated facility? They wouldn¡¯t turn you away.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Seron put the conversation on hold there. Then he turned to Larry without warning. ¡°All this searching¡¯s making me hungry. You brought the sandwiches, Larry?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right! Lemme dig them up.¡± Larry pulled off his backpack and took out the wisteria lunchbox. Seron received the lunchbox, took off his gloves, and removed the lid. ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯m the only one who skipped lunch today.¡± He said, and sat himself on the floor. Seron placed the lunchbox on the floor in front of him, took out one of the sandwiches, and took a very big bite. The man watched Seron through wrinkled eyes. ¡°Here, help yourself. Our dormitory cafeteria serves the best food around.¡± Seron said, holding out the lunchbox towards the man. From behind Larry, Nick whispered to Natalia, ¡°Now I¡¯m even more convinced that Seron should join the drama club.¡± For a time, the man stared at the sandwich in Seron¡¯s hand. ¡°Two¡¯s a little too much for me.¡± Seron added with a smile. ¡°Thank you. ¡­I¡¯ll help myself.¡± The man finally sat on the floor in front of Seron and took the sandwich with a wrinkled hand. He slowly brought it to his mouth with both hands, stared, and bit down. ¡°¡­¡± His eyes slowly grew wet. As did Meg¡¯s, as she watched him eat. For some time, the only sound in the basement was that of two people munching on their sandwiches. And¡ª ¡°You know, I¡¯m feeling kinda hungry right about now.¡± ¡°Tell me the truth, Lia. You¡¯re actually more than one person, right? You traded places with another Natalia after lunch, right?¡± As Natalia and Larry joked around, Meg burst into laughter. After the meal, the man met Seron¡¯s gaze and finally spoke. ¡°Why would you go so far for me?¡± ¡°We have many reasons, but our biggest reason is that someone here is very concerned about you.¡± Seron said, turning around. The man noticed Meg quietly looking at him. A shadow flitted past his expression. He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t leave this place.¡± ¡°B-but why is that the case? I do not want to see a person dying in this sort of place!¡± Meg pleaded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The man¡¯s eyes flew open. He froze. Without a word, he stared at Meg. Seron, Meg, and the others could not read his expression. ¡°Miss¡­ are you from Sou Be-Il?¡± He said suddenly. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Natalia, Nick, Larry, and Seron did not understand what he said. ¡°Yes! I am! My family moved to the Capital District two years ago, but I was born and raised in Sou Be-Il! I was born in Shelestaras, and I grew up in Parselturay after I turned three!¡± Meg cried ecstatically. But four of the others still did not understand a word. Meg and the man were conversing in Bezelese, the official language of Sou Be-Il. Jenny spoke up in Roxchean. ¡°They¡¯re both speaking Bezelese.¡± ¡°What?¡± Larry said, turning to Jenny. ¡°You know Bezelese?¡± Jenny was indignant at his disbelief. ¡°We have Bezelese classes at school, you know. I took it last term.¡± ¡°Give me a break. You can¡¯t learn a language in just half a year.¡± Larry said, still reeling from shock. ¡°Jenny has quite the intellect, you know. She¡¯s never fallen out of the top ten in our year. I believe she was 8th at the lowest.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know that, princess?¡± ¡°It¡¯s common knowledge. Although I don¡¯t believe you¡¯d read about it in any school newspaper.¡± Nick joked, winking with a smile. ¡°Hmph.¡± Jenny looked away grumpily. Larry¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°That¡¯s really impressive. They say the strongest hawk hides his talons, but this is on another level altogether. This is practically inspirational, Jenny!¡± ¡°I owe you a punch later, blondie.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯m just trying to say you¡¯re not all bad. It was a compliment.¡± ¡°Make that two punches.¡± ¡°Guys.¡± Natalia interrupted. ¡°Save the spat for later. I won¡¯t get in your way then.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re supposed to stop people who¡¯re arguing, Lia.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Anyway, what did they just say in Bezelese, Jenny?¡± ¡°The man asked pigtails where she was from, and she told him where.¡± Jenny replied. Meg turned to the man and switched to Roxchean so everyone could understand, calming down. ¡°Sir, are you a person from Sou Be-Il? Yes? You must be a person from Sou Be-Il, yes? I feel the air of the Kingdom of Iltoa in your speaking. Is there no place for you to be in Roxche, so you are living in this kind of place? Then that is very, very sad!¡± The man silently hung his head. He did not look up for some time, but eventually he squeezed out a feeble voice. ¡°I can¡¯t go back anymore¡­ not to Sou Be-Il, and not to Roxche¡­ I¡¯m happy here¡­¡± ¡°You cannot be happy to close your life here where no one knows!¡± Meg pleaded in anguish. Her voice echoed through the room, seemingly reverberating against their eardrums. Several seconds passed in silence. ¡°That¡¯s the chorus club for you¡­¡± Natalia finally whispered. ¡°If I tell my father about your situations, he will borrow us his power! My father said that he knows a man at the embassy of our homeland! He will certainly be able to help you!¡± Seron waited for Meg to finish before picking up where she left off. ¡°What do you say? We might be able to help you, if you¡¯ll tell us why you refuse to leave.¡± ¡°Please wait, Seron!¡± Meg cried, running to him. She squatted behind Seron (who was still seated) and reached out with her left hand. And she tightly grabbed his right shoulder. ¡°¡­¡± Seron turned. He came face-to-face with Meg, who was close enough for his breath to reach. Seron desperately held back his racing heart and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± He managed to say. ¡°May we ask the reasons from him later? This person must be helped! The embassy! We must telephone the embassy and ask for its help!¡± Meg¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears. Seron quietly replied, ¡°We can¡¯t just do that.¡± ¡°Why can we not?¡± Seron did not answer¡ªinstead, he raised his left hand. He gently took Meg¡¯s pale hand from his shoulder and slowly, very slowly, took it off his shoulder. Meg pulled her hand back and placed it over her stomach, looking away. Then she raised her head and looked Seron in the eye. ¡°Why?¡± Seron cast her a warm look. ¡°If this man is hiding in here because he committed a crime, we should be contacting the police, not the embassy. When I said ¡®publicly-funded facility¡¯ earlier, I was also including the possibility of prison. It doesn¡¯t matter where he¡¯s from, if he¡¯s broken the law.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± Meg trailed off. She could not finish her sentence. ¡°Man¡­ learn some tact, Seron¡­¡± Larry said to himself, cradling his head in his hands. ¡°He¡¯s being a goody-two-shoes, but he¡¯s right.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°We can¡¯t exactly help someone out if he¡¯s a criminal.¡± The man hung his head. Seron continued. ¡°I understand that you wish to remain down here. But we can¡¯t let you do that anymore.¡± He sounded almost cold. ¡°Now that we know you¡¯re living here, we can¡¯t just leave you.¡± ¡°¡­I¡­ I just wanted to stay here forever.¡± The man said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible.¡± Seron replied immediately. The man looked up at him with tears in his eyes. ¡°Then¡­ then what am I supposed to do?! What would you have me do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple! Just kill those children!¡± The answer came from behind the students. ¡°Kill them! They are your enemies! Now silence them! Then you can return to your peaceful life, and you won¡¯t have to harm anyone ever again! Erase them!¡± It was a man¡¯s voice. The voice came from down the passage the students had come through. It sounded strangely deep and muffled, like the owner of the voice was holding something in front of his mouth. ¡°Hm?¡± Nick turned, but there was no one in his line of sight. Larry did an about-face and headed for the passage¡ª ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!¡± The man screamed behind him. Larry turned right back, startled. ¡°Ugh!¡± The first thing he saw was the man, his hair wild and his stance unsteady as he charged towards Meg. Meg flinched at the sudden turn of events, and was rooted to the floor. The man reached forward¡ª ¡°Hah!¡± ¡°Urgh!¡± Seron stood with a cry, tackling the man. The man flew forward and landed on his shoulder. Seron was also knocked aside by the impact¡ª ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± He landed on the floor, holding Meg in his arms. He was on the verge of crushing her against the floor. ¡°Ah!¡± He flipped around, still holding Meg. His back hit the cold, hard floor. And a second later, Meg¡¯s forehead came crashing down near his mouth, knocking his head against the floor. There were two clear impacts. ¡°Ow!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Megmica!¡± Natalia ran over and slowly helped Meg to her feet. ¡°I am all right. I am¡ª¡± ¡°Good to hear.¡± Natalia nodded, and looked down. Seron was on the floor with a bleeding lip. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± He muttered, putting his hand to his mouth. ¡°Seron¡¯s still alive, so don¡¯t worry ¡®bout him. Make sure to thank him later.¡± Natalia said to Meg. ¡°Damn it!¡± Larry cried, lunging at the fallen man. He put his knee on the man¡¯s back and twisted back his right arm¡ª ¡°What are you doing? They¡¯re still alive! Kill them! Now! Kill them all!¡± The voice cried from the passage again. ¡°Who the heck?!¡± Larry looked up, distracted. The man flailed wildly and kicked him in the leg. ¡°Ow!¡± Larry fell to the floor. The man scrambled away on all fours like a spider. ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Larry gasped, slowly getting to his feet. ¡°Fine.¡± He slowly put his left foot forward and took a fighting stance. The man also stood. The red door was right behind him, but he did not try to run. He simply glared at Larry, taking a low stance. His wrinkled eyes were concealed by the darkness. ¡°Quickly! Kill them all! You can do this!¡± The voice called again. ¡°Hey! I dunno who you are, but shut up back there!¡± Natalia snapped. ¡°Yeah! Enough is enough!¡± Jenny added. She then looked up at Nick. ¡°Hey, princess! Go take care of that guy out there!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not one for hand-to-hand combat, Jenny.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! We¡¯ll tell your family that you died honorably in battle!¡± ¡°But I¡­¡± Nick trailed off, shrugging. That was when Seron spoke. ¡°No, it¡¯s all right.¡± He said, wiping his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go, Nick. Everyone, go over to one of the corners. We need to restrain this man first. ¡ªLarry?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Larry replied without looking back. ¡°How is he?¡± ¡°Definitely not easy. He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°I see. Then you¡¯ll need some help.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as strong as you are, but I¡¯ll try not to get in your way.¡± ¡°Yeah! Thanks, buddy!¡± Seron turned to face Meg, whom Natalia was supporting by the shoulders. ¡°I need your help, Megmica.¡± ¡°My help?¡± ¡°Yes. Larry and I are going to try and restrain him. But if things don¡¯t work out¡­ I want you to say something in Bezelese to distract him. Say it loudly.¡± ¡°B-but what type of words do I speak?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter, but try to say something that¡¯ll make him nostalgic. That seems to be his weakness.¡± ¡°What is the meaning of ¡®nostalgic¡¯?¡± ¡°Er¡­ well¡­ it¡¯s like the feeling you get when you miss your home.¡± ¡°I see. I understand that feeling.¡± ¡°I see. I understand that feeling.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you. Natalia, take care of Megmica. And Jenny, stay right where you are. As for Nick¡­¡± Seron trailed off. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t be sending me off unarmed to do single combat.¡± ¡°Right. Larry and I will do something about the man, so take care of the girls.¡± ¡°I suppose I could manage that.¡± Seron turned around. The man stood with his back to the wall, leaning forward as he glared at Seron and Larry. His skinny arms were slightly bent, like a feral monkey ready to attack. Seron took several steps forward and stood next to Larry. ¡°Let me borrow this.¡± He said, taking the flashlight from Larry¡¯s pocket. ¡°Kill them! I order you to kill them all! This is an order! An order!¡± The mysterious voice filled the basement once more. Larry groaned. ¡°Whoever that guy is, he¡¯s next.¡± ¡°I have a hunch about him.¡± ¡°Really? Looking forward to the summation, then. Now let¡¯s work up some sweat.¡± Larry grinned belligerently. At that moment¡ª ¡°URGH!¡± The man lunged. Seron dodged to the left, and Larry to the right. The man chose to charge at Larry. He swung his right arm and attacked, rushing forward. ¡°He¡¯s fast!¡± Larry cried, guarding with his left arm and taking a step back. The wall was only 3 meters behind him. Larry evaded the attack and dodged to the right. The man passed him by and lunged at the wall, landing on both feet and launching himself back at Larry. ¡°Duck!¡± Seron cried. Larry stopped mid-turn and did as Seron instructed. The man¡¯s arm cut the air above Larry, where his face would have been had he not ducked. ¡°Whoa!¡± Larry spun while crouching and stood. The man also took a lunging stance again. ¡°Over here!¡± Seron yelled, attacking the man¡¯s face. The attack had come from 3 meters away. The moment the man turned to him, two flashlights shone directly into his eyes. Seron was aiming them both into his face. ¡°Argh!¡± The man cried, shielding his eyes. ¡°Nice, Seron!¡± Larry tackled the man in the back. He tried to take the man down and press him against the floor, but the man managed to remain standing and help up his fists. Seron kept the lights on the man; but the man simply closed his eyes and swung blindly at Larry. ¡°Ugh! Damn it!¡± Larry spat, taking a direct hit to the spine. But he did not end his attack. The man punched him a second time. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Larry¡¯s knee hit the floor. ¡°Hey!¡± Seron cast the flashlights aside and charged at the man. He grabbed the man¡¯s arm before the third attack and desperately tried to restrain him. ¡°Meg! Now!¡± ¡°AAAARGH!¡± The man howled, swinging his arms. ¡°Ugh! Ow!¡± His elbow smashed against Seron¡¯s face several times. Seron¡¯s lip bled again, scattering red droplets against the floor. ¡°This is crazy¡­ Argh! That hurts!¡± Larry, who was also trying to restrain the man, grimaced as the man kicked him in the shin. ¡°This isn¡¯t good¡­¡± Nick whispered, tense. That was when a song began to echo throughout the basement. Seron, Larry, Nick, and Natalia did not understand the meaning of the lyrics. But the song resounded through the room, its beautiful and clear melody reverberating against the walls and floor and ceiling. Jenny realized that the song was a call of nostalgia. ¡°Not bad at all. It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t capture sounds on my camera.¡± Strauski Megmica was singing. With her eyes gently shut and her arms spread wide, she slowly swayed as she sang. Her soprano voice filled the room and froze everyone in their tracks. Even Larry and Seron¡ª And the man between them as well. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The man had his hands raised in an attempt to throw Seron off. But he stood stock-still and closed his eyes, nodding along to the rhythm. Larry slowly pulled himself away. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s working.¡± The man was smiling like a child, tears running down his face. Seron also let go of the man. He wiped the blood from his mouth and slowly took off his jacket. Then he silently signaled Larry, mimicking tying a knot with his jacket. Larry nodded and took off his own. The song continued. Layers of echoes wove themselves together into a haunting melody, finally crescendoing into one last high note. And Meg finally finished the song. ¡°Now!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Seron and Larry leapt at once as the man stood in a daze. Seron began by grabbing the man¡¯s arms from behind. At the same time, Larry leapt at the man¡¯s feet. Seron began by grabbing the man¡¯s arms from behind. At the same time, Larry leapt at the man¡¯s feet. ¡°Huh?¡± Unsurprisingly, in his teary-eyed state the man was taken by surprise. Larry quickly wrapped his jacket around the man¡¯s legs and tied it in a knot. Then he pulled the man¡¯s legs from under him. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± The man fell with ease. Seron cushioned the man¡¯s fall against his own legs, holding him by the hands. And¡ª ¡°Go, Larry!¡± Seron tossed his jacket to Larry, who caught it in midair and quickly tied it around the man¡¯s wrists. ¡°Done! Good job, Seron.¡± Once the man was fully restrained, Seron let the man down on the floor. ¡°Ugh¡­ Aaaaaaaaaaah¡­¡± The man screamed, sobbing. ¡°I want to go back¡­ back to Sou Be-Il¡­¡± He gasped in Bezelese. ¡°Sorry, sir. You didn¡¯t give us much of a choice.¡± Larry said. ¡°We¡¯re very sorry. We wanted to make sure no one was hurt.¡± Seron said, clearly injured himself. He looked at Meg. Meg was watching them with a sad look. ¡°¡­Thank you, Megmica. You saved us.¡± Seron said. But Meg hung her head in silence. Seron lowered his head. Then he looked up. ¡°Larry, check the passage and see if the man¡¯s still around.¡± ¡°Gotcha!¡± Larry leapt forward and grabbed his still-lit flashlight off the floor. He passed by Natalia, Nick and Jenny, who were standing back, and rushed into the passage. ¡°Hold it right there, you creep!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡± Jenny declared, turning on her flashlight and chasing after Larry. She turned the corner to her left and ran for about 10 meters, then turned the corner to her right. She did not see Larry yet. Jenny ran through the rest of the passageway and crawled out through the secret entrance. Along the way, she spotted the can of corned beef¡ªit was partly crushed, its contents dribbling out. When she emerged into the first of the basement rooms, ¡°Stop!¡± Larry was loudly clambering up the ladder. Jenny rushed after him and followed Larry upstairs. Once she was on the first floor filled with sunlight, she saw Larry pushing against the door. ¡°Damn it! Open!¡± Several times Larry tackled the door, his hands turning the knob. But the door only shook in its frame. Jenny realized that the owner of the mysterious voice must be holding the door shut. She leapt into action. ¡°Move, blondie!¡± She sprinted across the room with the energy of a tiny cannonball. ¡°Whoa!¡± As Larry scrambled away, she kicked down the door with her feet. The door slammed open, and they heard someone scrambling away. Jenny landed on her rear with her bag held protectively against her stomach. And she ordered Larry, ¡°Go get him!¡± ¡°Yeah! Thanks, Jenny!¡± Seron squatted behind the restrained man and looked at his face. ¡°Ugh¡­ ah¡­¡± The man was weeping. Seron slowly looked away. That was when a pale, slender hand reached out to the man. ¡°Huh?¡± When Seron looked up, he saw Meg kneeling on the floor before him. Meg gently placed her hands on the man¡¯s shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s all right now, sir. Don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t have to kill anyone anymore. Relax and get some rest. I¡¯ll do everything I can to help you, I promise. Even if everyone here decides to treat you as an enemy, I¡¯ll help you. So please¡­ calm down.¡± She spoke to him gently, kindly. Seron did not understand what she had said in the language of the West. But he nonetheless watched the girl from Sou Be-Il, who wore the face of a loving mother. ¡®Please.¡¯ Seron¡¯s bloodied lips said silently. He slowly rose to his feet and turned to Natalia and Nick. ¡°I think we¡¯ll be all right here now. We can leave the rest to Larry.¡± ¡°Right. You think he¡¯s gonna be okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What if the guy¡¯s stronger than Larry?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I only told Larry to go see if the man was still around¡ªas long as we can confirm who it was, it doesn¡¯t matter if he gets away. I¡¯ve got a pretty good idea about this mysterious voice, anyway.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Natalia and Nick were both surprised. Meg also looked up, and spoke in Roxchean. ¡°Who is that man? The man who did something like this? The man who trapped this man in a place like this and evilly ordered to hurt other people!¡± Seron slowly turned. He had never seen such an expression on Meg before. He had never even imagined such a thing. ¡°Who is that man?!¡± She demanded like a snarling hound. Seron replied, ¡°Mr. Murdoch.¡± ----- Volume 2 4 — The Letter Volume 2 Chapter 4: The Letter ----- ¡°Whoa! Mr. Murdoch?!¡± When Larry chased the mysterious man into the hallway, he spotted the teacher collapsed near the middle of the building. Mr. Murdoch was wearing brown pants and a blue polo shirt. Larry had seen him many times in Roxchean class, and once that very morning at the faculty office. ¡°Ugh!¡± Mr. Murdoch scrambled to his feet and turned. When he spotted Larry at the end of the hall, cold sweat began running down his face. ¡°S-stay away from me!¡± ¡°Afraid I can¡¯t do that, sir. We¡¯d like to have a nice, long talk with you.¡± Larry said, slowly making his way down the hall. ¡°V-violence against a teacher is grounds for expulsion! Do you understand?¡± Mr. Murdoch threatened. ¡°Probably not. Unlike me, Larry here¡¯s an idiot.¡± Jenny said, striding into the hallway. Larry stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing. ¡°We need to talk, Jenny.¡± ¡°Before that, I¡¯ll be helping you nab a bad guy. I think I deserve a word of thanks, Larry.¡± ¡°Right. Never thought you actually remembered my name.¡± ¡°I was just guessing. So you really were Larry, huh.¡± ¡°Nice name, huh? Don¡¯t you forget it. Now¡ª¡± Larry resumed his walk. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Mr. Murdoch quickly turned and fled out the wide-open door. ¡°Hold it!¡± Larry sprinted after him. Jenny followed. Larry ran all the way through the hall, out the door, and down the stairs. When he looked around, he spotted Mr. Murdoch disappear to the right. ¡°There!¡± He cried, charging ahead. ¡°When¡¯d you start suspecting him, Seron?¡± ¡°Indeed. We only really had two suspects to begin with, but I don¡¯t believe there was any concrete evidence that pointed to him.¡± Natalia and Nick asked in turn. ¡°It was when we spoke to him at the faculty office. I guess it¡¯s similar to what Megmica said she felt. I glossed over it when Larry asked because I didn¡¯t think it was time to mention it.¡± Seron said. ¡°I think¡­ if I were in Mr. Murdoch¡¯s shoes, I would have gotten angry at the students.¡± Natalia and Nick, and Meg¡ªwho was still sitting on the floor¡ªgave him quizzical looks. Seron continued. ¡°Suppose you were napping away in the faculty office when a group of students barged in with a ridiculous photograph and seriously told you that there was a mysterious man in the storehouse basement. How would you react?¡± ¡°Aha¡­ I get it.¡± Natalia nodded. Nick put a hand to his lips. ¡°I see now. Normally, a teacher would simply get angry at the students. Not only that, if we suppose that a teacher is behind this man¡¯s imprisonment, it all fits together. A teacher would naturally know about the basement, and could easily bring in a regular supply of food. He must have stolen the film when we came to the storehouse to take a look. In fact, Mr. Murdoch was the one who suggested that we look at the storehouse to begin with.¡± Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah. But that¡¯s only circumstantial evidence. That¡¯s exactly why Mr. Murdoch went out of his way to steal the film. I thought the man here might be our only source of information, but Mr. Murdoch ended up revealing himself through his own actions.¡± ¡°But why? Why would he do this thing?¡± Asked Meg. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± Seron said plainly to the girl he had barely been able to speak to the previous day. ¡°We won¡¯t know until we figure out who this man here is. All we can to is question Mr Murdoch until we get the answers. Will you come with us?¡± ¡°Yes, I will come with you. Please, you must let me question too.¡± Natalia narrowed her eyes, smiling. When she turned, she saw Nick smiling as well. He noticed her gaze. ¡°You jealous?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Not at all.¡± Nick replied. ¡°Hold it!¡± Larry was a fast runner; he easily caught up to Mr. Murdoch, who was desperately trying to cross the grounds. ¡°Sorry, sir!¡± Larry said, giving him a light shove in the back. ¡°Agh!¡± That was enough to throw Mr. Murdoch off-balance. He narrowly managed to dampen the impact and rolled across the ground, finally landing on his backside. ¡°Mr. Murdoch¡­ we¡¯ve got a lot of questions for you.¡± Larry said, punching his open palm with his fist. ¡°O-of course. Let¡¯s not resort to violence, now.¡± Mr. Murdoch replied, breathing heavily with sweat running down his dirt-covered face. Jenny caught up to them and stopped next to Larry. ¡°Mr. Murdoch, please give back the film.¡± ¡°Wh-what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb, sir. You know, it¡¯s all starting to add up. The thief only stole that one piece of film. The rest of the room was untouched. The thief knew exactly where to look, which means they have some knowledge about cameras and photography.¡± Mr. Murdoch could not argue. Larry glanced at him, then at Jenny. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good.¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. And the fact that I¡¯m knowledgeable about cameras doesn¡¯t prove that I¡¯m your thief. Why are you chasing me, anyway? I went into the storehouse because I saw the door was open. I only ran because Larry came charging at me.¡± Mr. Murdoch said, forcing a smile onto his face. ¡°Seriously¡­ man up, Mr. Murdoch.¡± Larry frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t arrest me without evidence. You know that, right? I don¡¯t know anything about any film.¡± ¡°Is that any way an adult should be acting, sir?¡± ¡°Who do you think people will believe? An adult, or a teenager?¡± Mr. Murdoch smiled as he slowly rose. He dusted himself off and held his head high. ¡°Unfounded accusations and violence against a teacher is grounds for punishment. Secondary school is a strict place, Larry Hepburn. You¡¯re as good as expelled. Just imagine how heartbroken your honorable family will be.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Larry trailed off. He had nothing to say. ¡°Never mind, Larry. Look, it¡¯s a waste of time trying to talk to Mr. Murdoch. Just grab him or whatever, even if you have to get rough.¡± Jenny said, taking out her camera and focusing on his face. ¡°Right¡­ but then what?¡± Larry asked. Jenny pressed the shutter and took a picture. Then she looked up, shrugging. ¡°Who knows? Either way¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°In the worst-case scenario, you¡¯re the only one getting expelled.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re gonna have to have a nice, long talk one of these days, Jenny.¡± ¡°Are you trying to hit on me?¡± ¡°In your dreams.¡± Larry returned his gaze to Mr. Murdoch. ¡°Look, sir. I don¡¯t know anything about evidence and stuff. I just want you to come with us and speak with Seron. You know he¡¯s at least a hundred times smarter than I am. Just try and talk your way out in front of him.¡± He said, stepping forward. ¡°Wh-what are you saying? I should be patrolling the campus. I don¡¯t have time for your games.¡± ¡°Do you have no shame, Mr. Murdoch?¡± ¡°Sh-shut up! Don¡¯t you look your nose down at a teacher!¡± ¡°Look, sir. I may be stupid, but I really enjoyed your classes.¡± Larry said, reaching out to grab Mr. Murdoch¡¯s arm. ¡°G-get away from me!¡± Mr. Murdoch cried, flailing. But Larry easily avoided the attack. ¡°You¡¯re only tiring yourself out, sir.¡± ¡°Sh-shut up! Get back! Argh!¡± Half-delirious, Mr. Murdoch swung his left arm at Larry. He was much slower than the man in the basement. ¡°Phew¡­¡± With a sigh, Larry made to lean back and avoid the blow¡ª ¡°Freeze!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡ªbut he reacted reflexively at a sudden command. And was decked hard in the face. ¡°Ugh!¡± Mr. Murdoch¡¯s fist made contact with Larry¡¯s right cheek and the tip of his nose. Larry staggered back several steps before losing his balance and falling on his backside. Jenny snapped up photographs. ¡°Damn it!¡± Larry swore. His nose was bleeding. Jenny pressed the shutter again. Mr. Murdoch froze mid-punch, as though he could not believe that his attack had connected. But he quickly recovered and grinned. ¡°S-serves you right! That¡¯s what happens when you try to assault a teacher!¡± Larry shot Mr. Murdoch a glare, ignoring the blood streaming down his chin. Then¡ª ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Asked a male voice. Mr. Murdoch flinched and turned. Larry slowly stood. Jenny also turned. And the moment she spotted the owner of the voice, she cried out. ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Outside the door to the nearest building stood a man in blue work wear. It was Hartnett. He strode over to the three people on the grounds. ¡°What happened here, Mr. Murdoch?¡± ¡°¡­Just a minor issue with student discipline. Nothing to see here.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The adults could not sound any more businesslike. ¡°Hey! This is not a minor issue!¡± Jenny cut in loudly. ¡°The man in the basement does exist, Mr. Hartnett. We saw him in person. And Mr. Murdoch tried to get the man to kill us. I¡¯d also like to accuse Mr. Murdoch of stealing my film.¡± Hartnett turned to Murdoch. ¡°Is this true, sir?¡± ¡°I-I have no idea what she¡¯s going on about! You know how teenagers are; they¡¯re just spouting nonsense. And this student is also infamous for her fabricated newspapers!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hartnett¡¯s gaze returned to Jenny. Then he looked at Larry, who stood 3 meters away with his nose bleeding. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have work to do!¡± Mr. Murdoch declared, turning on his heels¡ª ¡°Why is that student bleeding?¡± Asked Hartnett. ¡°Well¡­ er¡­¡± Mr. Murdoch trailed off. Larry spoke up in his stead, blood dribbling down his face. ¡°Because Mr. Murdoch just punched me.¡± Larry slowly approached Mr. Murdoch, ready to grab him if he tried to run. ¡°Is this true, Mr. Murdoch?¡± ¡°What? I¡ª¡± ¡°I suppose it must be. Someone had to have hit the boy, and the only people here are you and the camera girl here. And I¡¯m not sure arms this skinny could deck someone hard enough for an injury like this.¡± ¡°You never know until you try.¡± Jenny chimed in. ¡°Let¡¯s not do that.¡± Larry replied from behind Mr. Murdoch. Jenny held up her camera. ¡°I have evidence right here, Mr. Hartnett. I¡¯ll submit the photos once I finish developing them.¡± Mr. Murdoch paled visibly. Hartnett shot him a glare. ¡°This is unacceptable, sir. What kind of teacher hits one of his precious students?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not really a precious kind of guy, actually.¡± ¡°Could you be quiet for a bit, Jenny?¡± Larry complained. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you a few questions about this use of force against a student, Mr. Murdoch. Come with me. You¡¯ll have to postpone your business for later.¡± ¡°What has gotten into you, Hartnett? You¡¯re an outsider! This is school business!¡± ¡°Mr. Murdoch, you hit this student hard enough to bleed. This is a clear case of assault.¡± Hartnett reached into his shirt and pulled out an ID card he had been hiding on a lanyard under his top. He pulled open the folded case and flashed it to Mr. Murdoch with a practiced hand. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± ¡°Considering my job, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let this slide. You¡¯ll have to come with me, Mr. Murdoch. We¡¯ll listen to your side of the story in detail somewhere else.¡± Mr. Murdoch was frozen; several seconds passed before he finally managed something like a groan. ¡°Ah¡­ argh¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­¡± He fell to his knees, cradling his head in his hands. And Larry (nursing his bloody nose with a handkerchief) was finally given a clear view of the object in Hartnett¡¯s hand. In the ID was a photo of Hartnett in a black uniform. Over the photo were the words ¡®Confederation Police¡¯. ¡°Oh.¡± Larry stood in a daze. And as Hartnett put away his ID¡ª Larry tightened his grip on his bloody handkerchief, a thin stream of blood flowing down his face. ¡°You let me get hit on purpose, didn¡¯t you!¡± * * * ¡°Are you all still in there?¡± Asked a male voice. ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Seron replied. Seron, Natalia, and Nick were leaning against the wall in the basement room. In the center of the room, on the cold floor, was the man. He was sleeping like an exhausted child. And next to him sat Meg, hugging her knees. She seemed to be watching over the man. ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡± The voice said, emerging into the room. It was Hartnett. ¡°Huh?¡± Natalia gasped. Nick and Meg seemed surprised as well. ¡°Where are Larry and Jenny?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°We¡¯re coming.¡± ¡°Right here.¡± Larry and Jenny replied from further down the passage. They soon appeared next to Hartnett. Larry¡¯s T-shirt was stained with drops of blood. His nosebleed had stopped. ¡°You all right, Larry?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Got socked in the face by a fat guy, but I¡¯m fine. Call this a mark of honor. Sorry to keep you guys waiting down here.¡± ¡°So it really was Mr. Murdoch.¡± ¡°Sure was! That was a great guess, Seron. Did you suspect him from the start?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you earlier.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. All¡¯s well that ends well.¡± ¡°What happened up there?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°So much. ¡­I can¡¯t really explain, so ask Mr. Hartnett.¡± Larry said, avoiding responsibility. ¡°Hm.¡± Hartnett looked around the basement, his eyes fully adjusted to the darkness. He spotted the man lying on the floor with his wrists and legs bound by jackets. The girl sitting next to him glared at Hartnett. ¡°Where do I begin¡­?¡± Hartnett sighed, when Seron went up to him. ¡°Where did you take Mr. Murdoch?¡± ¡°He¡¯s with my team. Don¡¯t worry; they¡¯re keeping a close eye on him.¡± ¡°Wait, your team nabbed him? Who are you supposed to be?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°People who¡¯re used to this kind of work.¡± Seron said plainly. ¡°You¡¯re going to take him to the police station, right?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Natalia, Nick, and Meg reacted. Hartnett blinked, then spoke. ¡°You¡¯re a bright one. That¡¯s exactly what we¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Asked Natalia. Larry replied brusquely. ¡°Mr. Hartnett and his team are all from the police force. The Confederation Police, in fact.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Astounding.¡± Natalia and Nick were shocked. ¡°What are the Confederation Police?¡± Asked Meg. Seron replied, ¡°The Roxcheanuk Confederation has a very complex law enforcement system. Each member state has its own police force, and the Capital District does too. And the Confederation military has its own military police. The Confederation Police specializes in cases that span multiple member states. They¡¯re extremely powerful and usually deal with things like terrorism, organized crime, and kidnapping.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I understand. That is very incredible.¡± Meg nodded, although it wasn¡¯t clear how much of the explanation she had understood. ¡°How long have you suspected me, Seron?¡± Asked Hartnett. ¡°Well, at first I was completely fooled. But after I saw Jenny¡¯s photo and noticed Mr. Murdoch¡¯s strange behaviour, I thought that you might have something to do with the man in the basement. It was strange, for one, that the ministry of education would suddenly decide to cover up a window that had been open for three centuries.¡± ¡°I admit it was a bit of a far-fetched excuse.¡± ¡°I realized that you might be here to investigate the basement when you carefully rolled up Jenny¡¯s photograph instead of tearing or crumpling it, and when you easily overpowered Larry, who learned hand-to-hand combat in the Confederation Army. Although I wasn¡¯t completely convinced until I saw how Larry was behaving himself in your presence just now.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But I never expected to see the Confederation Police here.¡± Seron said, then pointed at the man on the floor. ¡°Are you here to arrest this man and Mr. Murdoch?¡± Meg¡¯s shoulders trembled when she heard the word ¡®arrest¡¯. ¡°Will you now arrest this man here? Is it true? Is it not allowed for us to help this man?¡± Hartnett shook his head. ¡°No, Seron. We¡¯re here to protect him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Seron looked up, his eyes widening. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s done nothing wrong. Does that make you feel better, Missy?¡± ¡°Oh? Y-yes. It makes me feel better.¡± Meg replied, her eyes narrowing peacefully. Several seconds of silence passed before Seron spoke again. ¡°You knew what Mr. Murdoch had been doing from the beginning.¡± Hartnett nodded firmly. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve been keeping tabs on Mark Murdoch and had his home under surveillance since before summer break. We waited for the holidays to enter the school premises and gather concrete evidence. Although I never imagined I¡¯d end up in a situation like this.¡± Hartnett said. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you working today?¡± ¡°We received complaints from the school, so we had to pull out. Mark Murdoch must have been the one sending the complaints. He was like this yesterday, too¡ªmade excuses and wouldn¡¯t hand over the key. So I was keeping tabs on him alone, and when I saw him enter the storehouse I called my team back. We were going to storm the place together. But who knew you kids would be here first? By the time I came back, Larry was chasing down Mark Murdoch on the grounds.¡± ¡°Then he waited for me to get punched in the face and arrested him on the spot.¡± Larry added, astonished. ¡°Anyway¡­¡± Hartnett trailed off, turning his gaze to the man on the floor. ¡°That¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Then who is this man here?¡± Meg asked desperately. ¡°Who is this poor man? If you know who he is, please tell me. Please do!¡± ¡°What if I told you it was classified? ¡­Well, I suppose I shouldn¡¯t put it that way. I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Six sets of eyes were on Hartnett. He began to explain. ¡°This man here is Burt Murdoch. The younger brother of Mark Murdoch, who¡¯s two years his senior.¡± ¡°I-is it true?¡± Meg asked. ¡°Yes. Do you kids know about the Lestki Island Conflict? Cross-river, they call it the Green Island Conflict. It took place about 30 years ago, from 3277 to 3278. It was the last armed conflict between East and West.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m afraid none of us were there in person to know, Mr. Hartnett.¡± Seron said sarcastically. ¡°But we learned about it in history class.¡± ¡°What did you learn?¡± Hartnett asked. ¡°It was the worst war in recent memory, as trench warfare and developments in weapons technology led to an unprecedented number of casualties on both sides.¡± Nick said casually. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Hartnett nodded. ¡°Both Murdoch brothers fought in that war. Mark Murdoch returned and became a teacher, but Burt Murdoch never came home. If that was the end, it would have been just another tragedy.¡± ¡°But this man is even now alive. Aha, I see! He lived all the time in Sou Be-Il after, yes? Yes?¡± ¡°Yes. Burt Murdoch had been injured and taken as a POW. And he refused to return to Roxche.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°I mean, the Great War was such a chaotic mess that it was hard to do a prisoner exchange, but there was definitely at least one after the Lestki Island Conflict.¡± Hartnett nodded. ¡°Officially, all POWs were sent back to their homelands. But Burt Murdoch never returned. Probably¡ªno, definitely¡ªbecause he wanted to yield to his brother.¡± The students looked at Hartnett quizzically. He continued to explain. ¡°The Murdoch brothers grew up without parents. Now, they happened to have a childhood friend in their home village¡ªa girl. The three of them grew up together, and the brothers both fell in love with her. Neither of them managed to confess to her, and she couldn¡¯t choose one of them. So when war broke out, the three of them made a promise. If both brothers came back alive, she would make her choice. And if one of them didn¡¯t make it¡ª¡± ¡°Then she¡¯d marry whichever one survived¡­¡± Jenny finished, sounding unusually downcast. ¡°That¡¯s right. Mark Murdoch came home alive. But his brother was declared MIA in the war, and he didn¡¯t come back during any of the prisoner exchanges. So everyone assumed that he must have died. And the two surviving childhood friends got married.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why he chose to stay behind, huh.¡± Larry mumbled. ¡°Maybe he thought he¡¯d just get in the way if he came back, since his brother and the childhood friend must have been married already.¡± Natalia speculated. Jenny frowned. ¡°That¡¯s stupid. If I were him, I¡¯d have rushed straight back and given my brother a piece of my mind!¡± ¡°No one knows exactly why. Maybe Burt Murdoch really liked Sou Be-Il.¡± Hartnett said. Meg looked at the man on the floor. ¡°But, but why is this man¡­ why is this man now here? He was crying tears. He said he wanted to go back, so why is he in this place? Please tell me!¡± Hartnett followed Meg¡¯s gaze to the sleeping man. ¡°Let me warn you: this isn¡¯t going to be a happy story.¡± ¡°It does not matter to me!¡± Seron looked at Meg¡¯s profiled face. She was brimming with determination. He said nothing. ¡°All right, then.¡± Hartnett said. ¡°Three years ago, Mark Murdoch heard unbelievable news from a friend who¡¯d traveled to Sou Be-Il. Apparently this friend had seen Burt Murdoch living cross-river. The friend was absolutely convinced that it was him, and insisted that they report to the authorities for a full investigation. But Mark Murdoch refused and personally headed to Sou Be-Il to get answers.¡± ¡°And he found him?¡± Seron asked. ¡°Yes. Burt Murdoch really was alive. I don¡¯t know what happened between them then, but Mark Murdoch made his brother¡ªwho by then was a citizen of Sou Be-Il¡ªcross the Lutoni back to Roxche. Immigration isn¡¯t much of an issue now, so that alone wasn¡¯t a problem.¡± Meg looked up. ¡°He took his younger brother here¡­ and trapped him in a place like this so he would not be seen by other people? An older brother to his younger brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. For some reason, Mark Murdoch didn¡¯t take his brother back home. The moment they returned to Roxche, he smuggled his brother onto this campus on a holiday and brought him here. But just to make things clear, this wasn¡¯t a prison. Doesn¡¯t this room look surprisingly cozy? Mark Murdoch had been teaching for years¡ªover time, he¡¯d furnished this place to suit his needs. It was a personal room for him right on campus. As you can see, Burt Murdoch is in good physical condition and he doesn¡¯t seem to be ill at all.¡± ¡°But¡­ even so¡­¡± Meg closed her eyes and shook her head, unable to say any more. ¡°Occupancy of public property isn¡¯t a heavy offense, but it¡¯s still illegal. This is the end for Mark Murdoch¡¯s secret hideout.¡± Hartnett said. ¡°Yeah. We need to set everything straight.¡± Jenny agreed. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to be saying that, you know.¡± Larry said snidely. ¡°I¡¯m surprised the police discovered this plot at all.¡± Said Nick. ¡°No one at the school noticed until Jenny captured Burt Murdoch on camera yesterday.¡± ¡°Yeah. It wasn¡¯t even on the school tabloids.¡± Natalia said. ¡°I did consider writing something like that. ¡®Mysterious Man in School Basement?¡¯. You have no idea how much I regret not writing it while I had the chance.¡± Jenny grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s because your parents¡¯ tax money is going to a good place. Put in a good word with them about the Confederation Police¡ªwe¡¯re always open to donations from the public.¡± Hartnett joked. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Seron said tersely. Everyone but Hartnett tilted their heads. Hartnett seemed troubled. ¡°Too smart for your own good, eh.¡± ¡°So something else tipped you off?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± Hartnett admitted. Natalia looked at Seron. ¡°Then what? How¡¯d the police find out?¡± Seron replied mechanically. ¡°Someone told the police and spurred them into action. I realized this because of Mr. Hartnett¡¯s clothes.¡± Hartnett shrugged in his work wear. ¡°The police waited for summer break and only recently managed to get on campus while masquerading as construction workers. It doesn¡¯t make sense for them to have so much background information already.¡± ¡°I get it.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Said Hartnett. ¡°Someone sent our headquarters a letter detailing the story I just told you. The informant said they felt terrible about reporting Mark Murdoch, but pleaded with us to stop him and rescue Burt Murdoch from the basement. They don¡¯t live in the Capital District, so the case was brought to us to avoid a jurisdictional conflict. But we had to investigate the claim before we could make a move.¡± ¡°Who was the informant?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°It could only have been one person.¡± Seron replied immediately. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meg immediately caught on. She raised her hands to her face in horror. ¡°No¡­ how could such a terrible thing¡­?¡± She shook her head, her pigtails swishing. ¡°Ah! I get it. I see now.¡± Jenny understood as well. ¡°Right. She wasn¡¯t some bystander in the story.¡± ¡°I understand now. Such a tragedy.¡± Nick added, finally realizing the truth. ¡°Hmm¡­ I give, Seron. Who the heck was it?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°The third Murdoch.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh! ¡­Man¡­¡± Larry hung his head. ¡°Yeah. Mrs. Murdoch.¡± ¡°Is that about everything?¡± Asked Hartnett. ¡°Wait.¡± Jenny stopped him. ¡°We still don¡¯t have a motive for Mr. Murdoch¡¯s actions.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t a word about the motive in Mrs. Murdoch¡¯s letter. We were just wondering about that ourselves.¡± Hartnett replied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. I simply don¡¯t understand. Mrs. Murdoch wouldn¡¯t leave him for his brother at this point¡ªit should by all rights have been a happy reunion.¡± Nick said. Natalia continued. ¡°And if he wasn¡¯t planning on bringing his brother home, why¡¯d he even bring him to Roxche? He could have just let his brother live cross-river. There¡¯s no reason to lock him up here and risk getting caught. Any ideas, Seron?¡± Seron shook his head. ¡°No. I¡¯ve been thinking all this time, but I just can¡¯t think of an explanation.¡± Seron said, surrendering. ¡°We¡¯ll know once we get a confession out of him.¡± Hartnett said, his expression easing. Then¡ª ¡°He wanted him to die.¡± The heavy, dejected voice came from none other than Larry. All eyes turned to him. All eyes turned to him. ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Natalia asked immediately. Larry narrowed his eyes sadly. ¡°Mr. Murdoch wanted his brother to die. Because if the government found out Burt Murdoch was alive, it would put Mr. Murdoch in a tough position. Damn it! This is too cruel.¡± ¡°Finish explaining before you start crying, kiddo. I¡¯ll lend you my handkerchief.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a crybaby anymore, Lia. Now, Mr. Murdoch is Burt Murdoch¡¯s only living relative, right Mr. Hartnett?¡± ¡°Yes, he is.¡± ¡°Then that means Mr. Murdoch received his military pension.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hartnett was the first to realize what Larry was trying to say. Meg, on the other hand, looked confused. Seron stepped up to explain. ¡°A military pension is money that the government pays to retired soldiers or the family of soldiers killed in action.¡± ¡°I see it now. Thank you for explaining this, Seron.¡± Larry continued. ¡°The Lestki Island Conflict was geographically limited to the island itself, so one year after the war ended, all MIA personnel were classified as KIA. So Mr. Murdoch must have received his brother¡¯s pension alongside his own for the past 30 years. Not many people know this, but even siblings can collect on Roxche¡¯s military pension. But if the ministry of defense finds out that Burt Murdoch was alive¡ªthat he deserted, like many other soldiers who defected to the West¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Murdoch has to give back the pension?¡± Seron finished. Larry nodded. ¡°Yeah. Every last Rox. Thirty years¡¯ worth is a lot of money.¡± ¡°You sure know a lot about pensions, blondie.¡± Jenny said. ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause of this story my grandfather always used to tell me. He had a good friend who was a captain during the Lestki Island Conflict, doing desk work in the Capital District. The friend happened to go to Lestki Island for an inspection, when he was caught up in a sudden offensive and went missing. The major who went with him from the Capital District was killed with shots to the head from a Roxchean gun. The military concluded that the captain killed his CO and deserted to save himself.¡± Larry paused, then. He continued a moment later. ¡°The captain had a wife. They were married in secret. But the wife never received the pension because her husband deserted. Grandfather knew her in person, and insisted that his friend would never have deserted when his wife was still alive and well in Roxche. But the military wasn¡¯t convinced.¡± Larry exhaled at length. He looked at the man lying before Meg and took a deep breath. ¡°Mr. Murdoch must have been flabbergasted when he heard about his brother. And when he went to Sou Be-Il in person, he realized that Burt Murdoch really was alive. Mr. Murdoch must have been scared that the ministry of defense might find out¡ªthat¡¯s why he forced his brother back across the border and hid him in here. Burt Murdoch must have known that he put his brother in a difficult position, so he agreed to the plan.¡± ¡°I see. It all makes sense.¡± Seron nodded. ¡°Great! That clears up everything. You¡¯ve made our investigation a lot easier, kids.¡± Hartnett said with a smile. ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s all you care about?¡± Natalia shot him a sidelong glare. Hartnett seemed undisturbed. ¡°I¡¯m happy as long as this case is solved.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Natalia shrugged. ¡°Mr. Murdoch¡¯s probably gonna be arrested for embezzlement. Burt Murdoch will be able to leave the basement, but he¡¯ll be known as a deserter for the rest of his life. That¡¯s probably why he said earlier that there was nowhere for him in Roxche. And Mrs. Murdoch won¡¯t end up happy either. This is¡­¡± Larry trailed off, but Nick picked up from there. ¡°This is a tragic end for all parties involved. There¡¯s nothing we can do at this point.¡± Natalia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Maybe we should have just not figured out the truth¡­ Then again, I guess the police would have found everything out within the week anyway.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jenny added sadly. ¡°It was just a matter of who did the deducing. This isn¡¯t our fault. And there¡¯s no use feeling guilty over it.¡± Larry gave Jenny a look like he wanted to object, but in the end he said nothing. Meg looked up at Hartnett. ¡°Oh¡­ but this is just too sad. Is there now nothing we can do more?¡± Hartnett met Meg¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. Leave the rest to the police.¡± Meg closed her eyes. ¡°Is there now nothing we can do more?¡± She repeated to herself. ¡°There is!¡± Seron cried. Seron¡¯s voice echoed through the basement. All eyes were on him. ¡°There¡¯s still a way!¡± It was a rare sight indeed¡ªemotion was showing on Seron¡¯s face. His eyes were narrowed and there was a smile on his lips. ¡°We can still do something, Megmica!¡± ¡°Y-yes! That¡¯s me! I am Megmica!¡± Meg raised her hand, her eyes wide. ¡°You said before that your father has a contact at the embassy, right?¡± ¡°Yes! He is a very high-up man. I heard that he is a Royal Army colonel. I met him some times at parties where people from Sou Be-Il gather.¡± ¡°I read in a book that there¡¯s a deep sense of camaraderie between people from Sou Be-Il who are living in Roxche. Especially in the Capital District.¡± ¡°Y-yes, there is. We people from Sou Be-Il are all very friendly together. Most in the Capital District.¡± ¡°Then ask your father to contact the colonel immediately. Tell him to say, ¡®we found someone from Sou Be-Il here who needs our help. A foolish Roxchean man mistook him for his long-lost brother and dragged him all the way to Roxche¡¯. Tell him to send your driver to pick up the man and take him to the embassy straightaway. We¡¯ll come along too, if necessary¡ªwe¡¯re the ones who found him, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Yes! I understand! I now know it very well, Seron!¡± Seron¡¯s grey eyes narrowed as Meg beamed radiantly. ¡°Good thinking, Seron! Haha! This is great!¡± Larry said between fits of laughter. Seron nodded. ¡°If this man had committed a crime and was hiding in here to escape, I would have handed him over to the police. But¡­ he hasn¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± ¡°S¡¯right. We gotta take this poor, innocent Westerner straight to the embassy for protection. The building¡¯s legally Sou Be-Il territory, right? Once he steps inside, it¡¯s finished.¡± Natalia added. ¡°Aw, I wanted to cover all the juicy details¡­ but I guess I¡¯ll let this story go.¡± Jenny said with a smile. ¡°I knew from the very beginning that this man and Mr. Murdoch were total strangers. See? There¡¯s no resemblance to be seen. How cruel of you, everyone, to play along with this joke for so long.¡± Nick finished in half-monotone. ¡°Yeah¡­ you¡¯re right, Nick. They really don¡¯t look a thing alike. If you¡¯ll excuse us, Mr. Hartnett.¡± Hartnett finally snapped out of his daze. ¡°H-hold it! You think anyone¡¯s going to buy that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make sure everyone does.¡± ¡°You want me to act like none of this ever happened? I told you, I¡¯m here to help protect Burt Murdoch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering for a while now, Mr. Hartnett. Who are you?¡± Seron asked, deadpan. Natalia snorted, holding back her laughter. Meg smiled. Hartnett put his hand on his side and responded gravely. ¡°Enough playing games, Seron. I¡¯m from the Confederation Police, and I can¡¯t just let this slide¡ªas a police officer and as a responsible adult.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see any police officers around here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡± Hartnett said, putting a hand on his own chest. But Seron shook his head. ¡°Please, Mr. Hartnett. You¡¯re from a construction company, here to make repairs to the storehouse. The school chairman and the ministry of education would never allow the Confederation Police to conduct an undercover operation on campus without permission. It¡¯s just not possible.¡± ¡°Grk! You¡¯re going to tell them¡­?¡± Hartnett said through gritted teeth. Seron replied, ¡°I can¡¯t tell anyone about something that never happened, Mr. Hartnett.¡± Volume 2 5 — The Newspaper Club Volume 2 Chapter 5: The Newspaper Club ----- The 9th day of the seventh month. The third day of the practice camp. ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± Arthur said as he entered the dormitory cafeteria. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. We¡¯ll dig in and put in some hard work at practice today.¡± Larry, whose right cheek was slightly swollen from Mr. Murdoch¡¯s punch, and Seron, mumbled in unison. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± ¡°Both of you did splendid work yesterday.¡± Nick said from behind them. The previous evening. Seron and Larry returned to the dorms past midnight. After the discovery, Meg had glanced at the fuming Hartnett as she gave her father a phone call. The limousine had arrived at once. The man was calm by then, so Meg guided him inside. The driver did not question her, as he had been notified by Meg¡¯s father. Seron and Larry boarded as well. With Natalia, Nick, and Jenny behind them, the limousine left the campus. The man was completely silent. His eyes widened when he heard that they were headed for the Sou Be-Il embassy, but afterwards he closed them. A rotund, middle-aged colonel in a brown Royal Army uniform greeted them at the embassy. There was a good-natured look on his face. Once Meg had explained the situation in Bezelese, ¡®the unfortunate Westerner who was mistaken for Burt Murdoch¡¯ was taken to the nurse¡¯s office under the care of an embassy employee. That was the last Seron and Larry had seen of Meg. They were taken to separate rooms afterwards and showered with questions. The questioner interrogated every last detail about the day¡¯s events out of Seron. Just when he thought it was over, the questioner started all over again from the first question. This was to make sure that he was not lying. In the end, Seron and Larry ended up giving the same answers four times each. They were provided dinner by the embassy and questioned until midnight before they were finally allowed to leave. Just before they stepped into the taxi that the embassy called for them, the colonel personally came up to say that Meg had gone back home with her father. Then, ¡°We¡¯re sending the man straight back to his homeland. It¡¯s all thanks to you kids. We¡¯re very grateful.¡± The colonel smiled, saluting. Larry stood up straight and saluted back on reflex. And as for Seron, ¡°Thank you.¡± He put a hand over his chest and bowed deeply. After breakfast, Seron and Larry went to the gymnasium with the drama club. ¡°Sorry, everyone! My mother¡¯s all right now¡ªone of my relatives came to look after her. Now, let¡¯s get back to practice and make up for all that lost time!¡± Ms. Krantz injected energy into the club as practice began. The orchestra and the chorus club also joined in. Meg stepped into the gymnasium behind her three upperclassmen. When she spotted Seron and Larry, she gave them a wink. And she put on a beautiful smile. Silently, expressionlessly, Seron trembled. Larry grinned and gave Seron a hearty slap on the back. Then came the orchestra and their instruments, led by Portman. ¡°See you after practice.¡± Natalia said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll do my very best as well. Although it¡¯s unfortunate that Seron can¡¯t join me.¡± Nick said, going up to the drama club. In the midst of all the movement, Ms. Krantz seemed to say, ¡°By the way, Mr. Murdoch is on sick leave. Mr. Jobs from the social studies department will take over for him at the faculty office.¡± But none of the students seemed to care. Nick¡¯s incredible performance, the orchestra¡¯s powerful music, and the chorus club¡¯s beautiful songs. Seron and Larry lost themselves in the splendid combination as they went about doing their work. And in the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime. ¡°You guys can go ahead.¡± Arthur said to the helpers. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at afternoon practice.¡± Seron and Larry left for the cafeteria before the drama club. They were drinking tea in a corner of the cafeteria when Nick approached with an empty cup in hand. ¡°Pardon me. Did you wait long?¡± In the distance they saw the drama club lining up to get their lunches. ¡°Look. I¡¯m sure you already know this, but Seron¡¯s not waiting here for you.¡± Larry said. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Tea, Nick?¡± Seron offered. ¡°Please.¡± Now it was Seron, Larry, and Nick drinking tea in silence. ¡°Hey! Not eating yet?¡± ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± Natalia and Meg showed up. ¡°We were waiting for you two, Lia. Got something to discuss.¡± ¡°Great. Let¡¯s take lunch someplace else.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The boys asked in unison. ¡°Shaddap and follow me. We¡¯re going someplace we can chat in peace.¡± They did as Natalia said and had their lunches packed up in brown paper bags. Students had a choice between grilled chicken sandwiches or clam chowder with a side of salad and bread. Three students chose the sandwich, and Larry got one of each as usual. As for Natalia, she got two of each. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to double that tomorrow, Lia.¡± ¡°Shaddap and get walking. We¡¯ll get tea when we get there.¡± And as for the rest of the students in the cafeteria, ¡°I¡­ kinda want to join in over there.¡± ¡°Give it a shot.¡± ¡°No way. The one with the glasses scares me.¡± ¡°Since when were they so friendly with one another?¡± ¡°I know, right? They don¡¯t even have much in common. Look at all the cute guys there.¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re including the blond one too?¡± ¡°Hm? He¡¯s not bad, right?¡± The drama club girls whispered as the five students left. Sophia, the freckled vice-president of the drama club, watched uneasily. The five students left the building and crossed the grassy grounds. It was clear overhead. ¡°How much longer do we have to go, Lia?¡± ¡°Man up and follow orders, blondie.¡± Natalia continued to lead them in a march. Seron walked just 2 meters behind Meg, just as silent as she was. Eventually, the group arrived¡ª ¡°I knew it.¡± ¡°You did, Seron?¡± ¡°This is the only place other than the cafeteria and the faculty office where you can get tea.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡ªat the door to the newspaper club. ¡°Please excuse us.¡± Meg said and knocked on the door. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Jenny replied from beyond, and the door opened. ¡°Hey there! Come on in, everyone. You have my permission to enter.¡± ¡°Here you are, Jenny! A little something from big sis Natalia.¡± Natalia said, handing over a paper bag containing two sandwiches. ¡°Thanks.¡± Jenny took the paper bag and spun on her heels. ¡°Here it is. The lunch you¡¯ve been waiting for!¡± ¡°I appreciate it. So this is the famous 4th Capital Secondary School cafeteria food.¡± Someone replied. The boys stepped inside and spotted the owner of the voice. Sitting in the sofa was Hartnett, holding a mug. His hair was slicked back and he looked as intimidating as ever, but his attitude was more upbeat. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ve met before, sir.¡± Nick joked. ¡°This is what I usually look like.¡± Hartnett laughed. He was in a button-up shirt with a tie. His navy suit jacket hung from a clothes hanger on the side. ¡°Sit wherever you feel like. I¡¯ll brew the tea. Just to warn you, it¡¯s gonna be really good. And don¡¯t complain about all the cups being mismatched¡ªI¡¯ll give the ugliest one to Larry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just don¡¯t mix developing solution into the tea.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a great idea.¡± ¡°Jenny.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I make it a personal policy to never waste a drop of developing solution.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± There was only room for six on the sofas. Hartnett got up and sat in a nearby chair, pulling out his sandwich on the desk and quickly digging in. ¡°This is great! I can¡¯t believe you get to eat this well every day.¡± Hartnett finished off an entire sandwich before Jenny had brewed tea. Jenny placed the teacups in front of everyone and took a seat herself. Three boys sat on one side, and three girls on the other. Seron and Meg were in the middle of their respective sofas. Nick was across from Jenny. The teacups were all different in size and shape. Larry¡¯s was compact and decorated with twee pink flowers. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Nick chimed in. ¡°That happens to be a Rous-Re?el teacup.¡± ¡°Is that supposed to be a place name?¡± ¡°Yes. Supposedly each and every white porcelain cup they produce costs about as much as a car.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Larry quickly withdrew his hand from the cup. Jenny waved him off. Larry quickly withdrew his hand from the cup. Jenny waved him off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I just brought in stuff no one was using at home. The rest of the set is broken anyway.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see.¡± ¡°Thanks for waiting, everyone. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Jenny said, taking the first bite. The rest prayed before their meals or waited for the others before starting on their lunches. ¡°There¡¯s a few things I need to tell you.¡± Said Hartnett, turning his chair around. ¡°You can keep eating.¡± ¡°This is great.¡± Jenny was savoring her sandwich. She nibbled at it from the corner like a small animal. ¡°The Confederation Police received word from the Sou Be-Il embassy early this morning.¡± Seron¡¯s hands stopped. ¡°You can keep eating, Seron. I¡¯m just giving you a report.¡± ¡°Right, sir.¡± Seron bit into his sandwich. A bit of sauce got onto his mouth, so he wiped it away with a thumb and licked it. ¡°According to the embassy, the Westerner you brought in yesterday was officially confirmed not to be Burt Murdoch, the former Roxchean soldier and brother to Mark Murdoch. I don¡¯t know how they did it, but that¡¯s what happened.¡± Meg beamed as she nibbled away on her own sandwich. ¡°You like the sandwich?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Yes, I love the sandwich!¡± Meg replied. Hartnett continued. ¡°There¡¯s nothing the police can do at this point about the embassy¡¯s stance. Mark Murdoch is still being questioned about his idiotic misunderstanding. He was adamant that he hadn¡¯t been wrong, but things are pretty much set in stone at this point.¡± ¡°Poor guy.¡± Larry bit into his sandwich with a slight smile. His swollen face was still quite visible. ¡°And as for me, the bigwigs were happy with how I solved the case so quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Nick said between bites. There was a resigned look in Hartnett¡¯s eyes. ¡°I suppose. That¡¯s all for the report.¡± Meg looked up at Seron opposite her and placed her half-eaten sandwich on its paper bag. ¡°Seron, and Larry¡­ were you both afterwards all right?¡± Seron had finished his sandwich. He replied gently, ¡°Yeah. The questioning just went on a little too long, that¡¯s all. The colonel saw us off personally and hired a taxi for us and everything.¡± ¡°Definitely. It was fun, getting to check out the Sou Be-Il embassy. Don¡¯t worry, Megmica.¡± Larry added. ¡°Is that so? I am happy. My father became angry to me. He said that I must not do dangerous things. But this morning the colonel phoned my home¡­¡± Meg began choking up. Tears welled in her eyes. ¡°You okay? You don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± Said Natalia. But Meg wiped away the tears and continued. ¡°No, I am not forcing myself. I am all right. I am all right. The colonel spoke to me, that the man gave his message to us.¡± ¡°What was the message?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Erm¡­ This was the message. ¡®There are still good people in Roxche, so I am happy. Thank you¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­¡®Still¡¯, huh¡­¡± Seron trailed off, closing his eyes. A moment¡¯s thought later, he spoke again. ¡°I¡¯d like to visit Sou Be-Il someday. And I hope I¡¯ll be able to meet him there.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Meg chirped. ¡°Then I will too come as interpreter!¡± Seron¡¯s eyes flew open. ¡°Huh? ¡­Er, yeah. ¡­Thank you. I¡­ I have faith in you.¡± Seron stammered. ¡°Please trust in me! We will have fun!¡± Meg smiled. Jenny nibbled on her sandwich and said under her breath, ¡°Talk about dense.¡± No one could hear her. Everyone was finished eating, and they were on their second cup of tea. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s another reason I came to see you today.¡± Said Hartnett. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll need to make us swear to silence. We have no real evidence, so no one would believe us even if we posted articles about the incident all over the school.¡± Nick said. Jenny shot him a glare. ¡°You making fun of me, princess? Or is that supposed to be a challenge?¡± ¡°Please, call me Nick.¡± ¡°I know your name, okay? I just didn¡¯t say it because I¡¯m good at keeping secrets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Hartnett finally cut in. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not casting suspicion on any of you, including the newspaper girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jenny.¡± ¡°Jenny, then. I¡¯m here to talk about something else.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Said Natalia. ¡°¡®A discussion with a police officer¡¯ doesn¡¯t have a nice ring to it.¡± ¡°I know this might sound foolish, but¡­¡± Hartnett began. All eyes but Jenny¡¯s were on him. Hartnett took a breath and said as casually as though asking someone to get him coffee¡ª Hartnett took a breath and said as casually as though asking someone to get him coffee¡ª ¡°If anything happens, I want your cooperation.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Seron, Nick, Larry, Natalia, and Meg looked at him quizzically. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. Hartnett?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just like you said the other day, Seron. A school campus¡ª¡± ¡°A school campus is a difficult place for police to investigate.¡± ¡°Exactly. Especially a secondary school campus, and especially places like the 4th Capital Secondary School, where a good chunk of the student body is from wealthy backgrounds.¡± Everyone was in silent agreement. ¡°Of course we can step in if someone files a report or if there¡¯s clearly a case to be investigated, but we have our limits. If all we have are small hints or the case is concealed from us, like with the Murdoch case, the police will have a very difficult time.¡± Seron was surprised. ¡°So you¡¯re asking us for help? That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not very responsible of you.¡± Natalia finished. Hartnett conceded the point. ¡°Yeah. I think so too.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Natalia tilted her head. ¡°But remember this. When we¡ªthis insignificant group called the police¡ªtake action, it¡¯s to help someone in need. Someone who¡¯s suffering or in despair. But if no one brings those people to our attention, they¡¯ll be left to agonize alone like Burt Murdoch was.¡± Hartnett said, his tone becoming grave. ¡°If you don¡¯t care that things like that might happen in your school, that¡¯s fine with me. Just forget this conversation happened. Don¡¯t spare a second thought for this poor bottom-rung civil servant who had to lie his way through the gates of learning with the claim that he came to apologize for the sudden cancellation of construction work!¡± ¡®Just join the drama club already.¡¯ Larry thought, but he did not say a word. There was a long moment of silence. Until a soprano voice broke the silence. ¡°I will help you!¡± Meg stood from her seat. All eyes were on her. ¡°Something like this¡­ it must not happen again anymore! If someone is crying nearby, a human being must hold out their hands to the someone!¡± Hartnett rose to his feet and burst into applause. ¡°Well said!¡± Everyone stared at Hartnett. ¡°What¡¯d he just say?¡± Asked Larry. Jenny, who understood Bezelese, answered. ¡°He¡¯s praising her.¡± Meg stared, wide-eyed. ¡°My gosh¡­ you spoke Bezelese, Mr. Hartnett?¡± She asked in Bezelese. ¡°Very, very little. I studied Bezelese at uni-university. A police officer must do work in the wide world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible! I¡¯m happy to cooperate. Please contact me if anything should happen. I will do my very best to assist you¡ªit¡¯s the duty of any upstanding citizen, no matter which side of the continent you happen to be on.¡± ¡°That is wonderful! You are a model citizen. Yes!¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m simply doing my civic duty.¡± Larry began to elbow Seron. ¡°Hey¡­ those two are getting pretty fired up. You just gonna sit back?¡± Nick also joined in on the ribbing. ¡°I think this might be an interesting venture, Seron.¡± Thud. Seron rose to his feet, slamming his hands on the table. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The two who were already standing turned. Seron took a deep breath¡ª ¡°All right.¡± He said in Roxchean. ¡°We¡¯ll help out if anything comes up. There are still good people in Roxche!¡± ¡°Good to hear, Seron!¡± ¡°Yes! Seron is a very good person. I love people like that.¡± Seron almost lost his balance in the flood of joy, but he managed to steady himself. And he said nothing. ¡°Man¡­¡± Larry sighed at the show of inaction. ¡°So it¡¯s decided. What about the rest of you?¡± Asked Jenny. ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t get in the way of school. And all the better if it gives me an excuse to cut orchestra practice.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°If Seron¡¯s in, so am I.¡± Larry chimed in. ¡°Then I will join you as well.¡± Nick finished. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself, Nick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hurt, Larry. I thought we were supposed to be friends.¡± Jenny clapped her hands together. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. All five of you are joining the newspaper club! Congrats!¡± Seron and Natalia frowned, and Larry voiced his disbelief. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯re you so surprised about? I was talking to Mr. Hartnett here before you showed up, and we decided we needed a place to compile and distribute information.¡± ¡°And that place is the newspaper club?¡± Larry asked. ¡°I also believe this is a suitable place.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°The clubroom offers us a place to gather, is isolated from prying eyes, is furnished with a telephone, and has a darkroom where we can develop incriminating photographs.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Larry agreed. ¡°So I¡¯ll accept you all as club members so I can give you all keys to the room! I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯re pulling double duty with another club. And now it¡¯s all sorted out. The newspaper club can finally go official!¡± Jenny cheered, her eyes sparkling. ¡°So you you admit it wasn¡¯t before, then.¡± Natalia chuckled. ¡°Yeah, yeah. Anyway, you can make all the noise you want in here, so feel free to bring in a few instruments to play, Nat.¡± ¡°Sweet. I¡¯ll haul in my guitar. I¡¯m gonna be vice-president.¡± ¡°Got it. Now we just need a treasurer. Anyone willing to volunteer?¡± Jenny asked, scanning the room. ¡°You do it, Seron. I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline as well.¡± Seron, still silent, met Meg¡¯s gaze. She was watching him expectantly, her eyes brimming with emotion. ¡°A-all right.¡± He was conquered in an instant. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. The newspaper club has been born anew today!¡± Jenny declared. ¡°From this day forward, we will investigate every last inch of this school to gather and report new information! The truth is in our hands!¡± Nick applauded with a smile. Jenny bashfully stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s nice to enjoy being young, but don¡¯t forget about the cooperation deal.¡± Hartnett said from the back. ¡°Of course. The boys and girls here are all good citizens, after all.¡± ¡°No adults allowed, eh? I suppose I don¡¯t really mind¡­¡± Hartnett pushed his chair back into place and pulled off his jacket from the hanger. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve agreed to help, my job here is done. I¡¯m going back to work. Thanks for the sandwich, and keep in touch. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll see you during the break or after, but take care of yourselves.¡± Hartnett walked out with a wave. When the door closed, Seron fell back into the sofa. Meg also took a seat. Their eyes met. ¡°We must use our best efforts!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°We must use our best efforts and help people! All of us together!¡± ¡°¡­Oh. Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Let us pile our hands!¡± Meg held out her slender, pale arm over the table. ¡°Now! Put your hands on my hand. We will have a ceremony to the new newspaper club. We must say, ¡®hip hip huzzah¡¯!¡± Larry grabbed Seron¡¯s hand¡ª ¡°You first.¡± ¡ªand placed it on top of Meg¡¯s. The moment his palm touched the back of her hand, Seron¡¯s face twitched. But no one noticed. ¡°I¡¯m next. Don¡¯t want any boys piling together again.¡± Natalia said, joining in. ¡°Am I next?¡± Larry¡¯s muscled arm reached in. ¡°My turn.¡± Jenny¡¯s tiny hand followed. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll top us off.¡± Nick finished elegantly. Once all six hands were together, Meg smiled. ¡°Heh heh¡­ this is slightly too heavy for my hand. I feel your weights. Then let us begin the cheers. For the newspaper club! Hip hip huzzah!¡± Their hands rose and fell, then scattered. ¡°¡­¡± Seron clenched his right hand into a fist. ¡°By the way.¡± Jenny said suddenly. ¡°Lunchtime¡¯s almost over. You sure you have time to be standing around here?¡± In disbelief, the others turned to the wall clock. ¡°Shoot, Ms. Krantz is gonna have our heads! Let¡¯s get going, Seron.¡± ¡°Not good.¡± ¡°I believe I must go back to the gymnasium also.¡± ¡°Run, Meg.¡± ¡°Oh¡ªyes! Please do not leave me back¡­¡± The new members of the newspaper club rushed outside, waving at Jenny on the way. ¡°Bye guys. See you later.¡± Jenny sat on the sofa with a teacup in hand and stared at the door that had again slammed shut. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be busy for quite a while.¡± She downed her tea in one go. ----- Volume 3 Prologue — Why? Volume 3 Prologue: Why? Seron Maxwell Born on the 3rd day of the third month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student at the 4th Capital Secondary School in the Capital District of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. His hometown is far from school, so he lives in the dorms. Strauski Megmica Born on the 14th day of the second month of the year 3289. 16 years old. A third-year student. She is from the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. ¡®Strauski¡¯ is her family name. Because she started school a year after moving to Roxche, she is a year older than her classmates. A member of the chorus club. Larry Hepburn Born on the 12th day of the fifth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He is from military family with a very long history, and trains daily to become a soldier himself. Seron¡¯s best friend. Natalia Steinbeck Born on the 8th day of the sixth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. Her parents are famous musicians. Part of the orchestra club, and is skilled with musical instruments. Nicholas Browning Born on the 4th day of the fourth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He has an androgynous appearance and is not part of any clubs. He and Seron are acquainted. Jenny Jones Born on the 17th day of the first month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. She is the daughter of one of Roxche¡¯s richest people. President of the newspaper club. ----- ----- Daytime, a certain location. The year 3305 of the World Calendar. Why? Why him? Why did it have to be him? Years ago, I met him. He looked so very unreliable. He looked so very kind. But¡ª How did it come to this? How did it come to this? How did it come to this? Still¡ª No matter how things are¡ª I can¡¯t deny the truth. I love him. ----- Volume 3 1 — Arthur Volume 3 Chapter 1: Arthur ----- The 9th day of the seventh month, the year 3305 of the World Calendar. The Roxcheanuk Confederation¡ªalso known as Roxche¡ªcomposed the eastern half of the only continent in the world. Roxche¡¯s capital was known simply as the Capital District. Near the northwestern edge of this area was the 4th Capital Secondary School. And on that campus was a building that housed the school¡¯s newspaper club. The newspaper club boasted the most luxurious room in the entire school. The clubroom was about half the size of a classroom, was furnished with sofas, tables, chairs, and desks, and had a kitchen with a hot plate. There was even an adjacent darkroom. A cool northerly breeze wafted in through the open window and shook the lace curtains that people with an eye for textiles would recognize as astronomically expensive. The sky was a clear blue that day. Sitting all alone on the sofa in the large room was a petite 15-year-old girl with red hair. Jenny Jones, the president of the newspaper club. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll be busy for quite a while.¡± She said, downing her tea in one go. Five empty teacups were on the coffee table between the two sofas. A sixth joined them. ¡°Let¡¯s get started!¡± Jenny sat up and leapt clear over the coffee table. Sitting at a desk, she pulled out a brand-new notebook from the shelf. With a fountain pen she wrote, ¡®3305 Newspaper Club Activities¡¯ on the cover. Then she opened it to a page with grids. In neat handwriting she began to make her plans. ¡®Summer camp: Highlight of club activities. Hold at vacation home and drill spirit of journalism into members. Teach members to use camera and darkroom. To do ASAP.¡¯ ¡®Camping: Separate event from summer camp. Maybe at a campsite near the Kurz Sea? Larry might make himself very useful. Take note.¡¯ ¡®Regular publication: Goal for fall term is 2 issues a month. Leave individual articles to members, but Strauski Megmica¡¯s Bezelese might work for a separate corner on Bezelese lessons.¡¯ ¡®Photography exhibit: Put members¡¯ photos on display. Will make photography club pay for insulting my photos. Willing to assimilate them into newspaper club.¡¯ ¡®School festival: Participate at all costs. Six members are enough, but the more the merrier. Maybe make the newspaper club the biggest club in school?¡¯ ¡®Police: Almost forgot. Agreed to cooperate with Theodore Hartnett, but it doesn¡¯t really matter when. Don¡¯t try too hard. The cop forgot to tell us his real name. Oh well.¡¯ Jenny¡¯s fountain pen stopped. She grinned. ¡°Heh.¡± She pushed back her chair and took to her feet. ¡°I¡¯m gonna do this! I¡¯ll get all this done!¡± Jenny strode over to the telephone, grabbed the receiver, and turned the dial. A moment later. ¡°Hi, it¡¯s me! It¡¯s been a while. Yeah, I¡¯m just fine. I was wondering if the vacation home in Ercho Village is vacant for the summer. I want to bring my friends. Really? I want a reservation! Six guests, including me.¡± Jenny chattered into the receiver. * * * Just as the president of the new-and-improved newspaper club took action¡ª ¡°It is I, the Black Knight! In darkness do I live; in darkness do I kill!¡± A boy in school-issue sweats swept forward inside a large gymnasium on the same campus. It was the third day of the drama club¡¯s practice camp, which also involved the orchestra club and the chorus club. The gymnasium at the edge of campus was enveloped in a cool breeze. There was a line of tape running down the center of the gym. It marked the boundary of the stage, upon which several drama club members were standing. One of them, however, was not a member of the drama club. He had long, light brown hair and handsome features. The boy was Nicholas Browning, who could easily pass for a girl in looks alone. ¡°I shall strike down all who stand in my way!¡± He cried, his slender arms stretched out theatrically. Each time he turned, his long hair cascaded across his back. In front of the stage were drama club members in sweats with scripts in hand. Behind them were members of the orchestra club, clad in uniform and seated on standby. And to their right were the four chorus club members, also in uniform and also seated. ¡°He¡¯s so cool!¡± Most of the students there were girls; and most were captivated by Nick¡¯s performance. When he moved to stage right, heads turned. When he moved to stage left, heads turned again. But in the orchestra was one of the few who weren¡¯t enraptured. She was a bespectacled girl with long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. ¡°So beautiful it¡¯s a curse.¡± She said under her breath as she recalled their conversation the previous day. Her violin rested on her lap. ¡°Did you say something, Nat?¡± Asked a classmate next to her. Natalia Steinbeck turned to her friend with a look so plain it was almost cold. ¡°I did. I was wondering who was prettier¡ªme or the knight?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± The girl burst into laughter. So did Natalia. In one of the chairs to the right of the orchestra was another girl who was watching, but not captivated by Nick¡¯s performance. She had a fair complexion and had long, sleek black hair tied into pigtails. ¡°Yes. He was again cool yesterday.¡± She said to her senior-classmen. She was responding to their endless praises for Nick by referring to the performance he had showcased in the basement the previous day. ¡°Hm? He sure is.¡± But the senior-classmen did not think too much about what she meant, as they assumed she had simply gotten ¡®today¡¯ and ¡®yesterday¡¯ mixed up. The pigtailed girl was from the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa¡ªalso known as Sou Be-Il¡ªwhich took up the western half of the continent. Her name was Strauski Megmica. In Sou Be-Il, the family name came before the given name. ¡°It is a very wonderful thing to know many people while doing my club activities.¡± Her senior-classmen nodded absently again. Megmica was referring in part to the newspaper club, which she had just joined, but the meaning did not carry across completely. ¡°It is a wonderful thing.¡± Meg repeated to herself. Two boys watched Meg from the other side of the gymnasium. Two boys who were not part of the drama, orchestra, or chorus clubs. One of them wore school-issue sweats with a green T-shirt underneath. He was short in stature but muscular and fit. His blonde hair was cropped short, and he had sky-blue eyes. In addition, his cheek was still swollen from the previous day. ¡°Someday, I¡¯ll make her your girlfriend. You¡¯ll be the happiest couple in the world. Prepare yourself, Seron.¡± He boasted to the other boy while no one else was in earshot. ¡°I¡­ well¡­ sure, but¡­¡± The other boy was also in school-issue sweats. He had black hair and grey eyes. The boy named Seron Maxwell replied nervously. ¡°Please, Larry. Just make sure you don¡¯t blurt out how I feel about her out of the blue.¡± Larry Hepburn grinned. ¡°I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry about it, buddy. That¡¯s your job, no two ways about it. And now that you¡¯re both in the newspaper club, you¡¯ll have more chances than ever!¡± Seron stood stiffly, deep in thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Seron met Larry¡¯s gaze, awestruck. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m the luckiest guy in the world. The God of Fortune is looking down on me, I know it. I must be the happiest person in this entire school.¡± It was Larry¡¯s turn to fall silent. He looked up at the ceiling, then at the floor. Then he looked back at Seron. ¡°¡­Seron Maxwell. Are you happy with that?¡± ¡°Yeah. Before the camp, I couldn¡¯t even talk to Megmica.¡± ¡°Right¡­ but if you let yourself be satisfied here, you¡¯re not gonna make any progress.¡± ¡°But I can relish this feeling for the time being. That¡¯s reason enough to be happy.¡± ¡°I¡­ I see¡­¡± Larry nodded dubiously, looking away. ¡°Man, I really want to step in.¡± He said to himself. ¡°Wish he¡¯d just tell her outright¡­¡± Next to the makeshift stage stood a boy who carefully scrutinized Nick¡¯s performance. ¡°He¡¯s making quite an impact¡­ I¡¯d better do my best too.¡± He was a bespectacled boy in school-issue sweats embroidered with the name ¡®Sears¡¯. He was a fifth-year student, which made him one of the oldest students in the gymnasium. Arthur Sears, the president of the drama club. He was tall and fit. His black hair was parted down the middle and almost went down to his eyebrows. Arthur¡¯s square-rimmed glasses distorted his face because they had very thick lenses. He looked like an honest young man who might be suited to working at a bank. But he also seemed a little soft-spoken. ¡°You¡¯re more than a match, Arthur. You can do it.¡± Encouraged the girl next to him. She was also in school-issue sweats. Hers were embroidered with the name ¡®Ulericks¡¯. Fellow fifth-year student Sophia Ulericks was the vice-president of the drama club. She had back-length light brown hair held back with a headband. She was freckled, and unlike Arthur seemed to be very outgoing. Both were holding scripts. The play they were to put on was a classic tale of good versus evil. It was a well-known story in Roxche. The story took place in the Middle Ages. In the tale, a young king disguised himself and left on a journey with several friends in order to broaden his horizons. Along the way, he encountered a corrupt and greedy lord and rescued the peasants who suffered under his rule. Nick¡¯s character, the Black Knight, was hired by the lord. He was a skilled mercenary who fought for the thrill of battle. The Black Knight gave the king and his friends no end of trouble, but eventually he fought a one-on-one gun duel with the king and was grievously injured. He realized the king¡¯s true identity then, but revealed it to no one and disappeared. The tale had been adapted into radio dramas and stage plays many times over, and had even become a series. The noble Black Knight was a particularly popular character because he ultimately became one of the king¡¯s allies. In this performance, Arthur played the lead as the young king, and Sophia played a major supporting character¡ªa brave village girl who appealed to the young king about the peasants¡¯ plight. Nick¡¯s performance continued under the gaze of the students. ¡°Only in battle does my soul breathe and my blood boil. Only in battle do I find life. I live for naught else. I am permitted naught but victory! You are brave to raise your blade at me; I acknowledge your valor. And with that same veneration, I shall send you to the depths of hell. You¡¯d best have an epitaph prepared, for I am the Black Knight!¡± Nick finished, his performance thick with belligerence. ¡°Excellent! Great show, Nick. That tone was perfect!¡± Cheered an equally resounding voice. The voice belonged to a woman in her thirties, dressed in a set of non-school-issue sweats. Her long black hair was tied back in a ponytail. She was Leni Krantz, the supervisor of the drama club. ¡°Just a few things before we move on, Nick. When you show up to cut down the villagers, try and move a little faster. Everything in the middle was good. And about the last part, when you strike your pose¡­ give yourself half a beat between ¡®for I¡¯ and ¡®am the Black Knight¡¯. What you did just now doesn¡¯t place enough emphasis on his identity. I want you to seriously try to rival the leading man. Good work.¡± Ms. Krantz said, waving around a rolled-up script. She was even more pumped up than usual, as if she were making up for the previous day¡¯s missed practice. Nick nodded earnestly. ¡°I understand, Ms. Krantz. Shall I try again?¡± ¡°Not right now. Just keep it in mind for next time. Let¡¯s move on, everyone! The king and the village girl in the sunset! King, village girl, you two are up. We¡¯ll go without music this time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sophia.¡± Arthur said, handing his script to a female student. Sophia did the same. They took center stage after Nick stepped off. With deep breaths they prepared themselves for the scene¡ªa gallant look rose to Arthur¡¯s eyes, and Sophia suddenly seemed more frail. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s begin!¡± Sophia was looking up at Arthur with her hands clasped over her chest, as though in prayer. He was the first to speak. ¡°I know that he is a dangerous foe, my lady.¡± Then it was Sophia¡¯s turn. ¡°But I can¡¯t let you get hurt on our account¡ª¡± She cut herself off. ¡°Sorry, that was the wrong line.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®the villagers and I are grateful¡¯.¡± Arthur said, returning to his usual soft-spoken self. ¡°I expect better from our vice-president. Our mercenary is giving us a run for our money! But you had some great chemistry going back there.¡± Ms. Krantz pointed out. Sophia bowed deeply. ¡°Right, ma¡¯am! I¡¯ll do better this time!¡± She looked up and met Arthur¡¯s kind, bespectacled gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Sophia. You¡¯re a much better actor than I am.¡± Sophia was silent. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°No, nothing¡­ I¡¯m okay now.¡± After that, Arthur and Sophia ran through the very long scene without making a single mistake. Ms. Krantz was beaming. ¡°Excellent! I knew you could do it!¡± * * * Practice went on, and they soon reached the climax of the story. The orchestra¡¯s performance seemed to shake the gymnasium as the drama club poured out their hearts. Nick continued to elegantly weave across the stage. They went through the scene where the king¡¯s companion fell to an injury. The scene where the Black Knight lost the duel and departed. And finally, the scene where the king said his goodbyes to the villagers. The chorus club¡¯s haunting voices danced with the music, casting a perfect tone for the finale. In the meantime, Seron and Larry were busy opening windows to ventilate the gymnasium or running over to the supply room to get large kettles of water for the thirsty students. ¡°Yep. I¡¯m definitely sleepy. What about you, Seron?¡± ¡°Me too. I think I¡¯ll sleep well tonight.¡± Having been questioned into the night at the Sou Be-Il embassy the previous day, Larry and Seron occasionally yawned loudly out of earshot. The sun began to tilt, and eventually beams of light flooded into the windows and bounced blinding sunlight against the floor. ¡°Great show, everyone! That¡¯s all for today.¡± Ms. Krantz announced the end of practice. ¡°Sorry I kept you so long. We¡¯ll be working hard tomorrow too, so make sure to sleep off all that fatigue!¡± The orchestra club took their instruments to their usual haunt, music room 1. The chorus club went to music room 2. Nick was busy cleaning up props, and Seron and Larry were mopping the floor. They did not have time to say goodbye to Natalia and Meg. ¡°Oh. They¡¯re leaving.¡± Larry groaned mid-mop when he spotted the chorus club leave. But Seron sounded surprisingly calm. ¡°It¡¯s all right. There¡¯s always tomorrow.¡± After mopping the sweat-stained floor and the windows, Seron and Larry stood behind Nick and the other drama club members. ¡°Thank you, Ms. Krantz!¡± Day 3 of the practice camp came to an end. The sky was clear that evening. The drama club was waking in a haphazard line to the dormitory building on the other side of campus. The campus was usually bustling with students during the term, but there was no one around now. Because practice had ended so late, the cafeteria was already open. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry I could eat a horse. Dinner¡¯s gonna taste better than usual, I can feel it.¡± Larry said, holding four empty kettles in his arms. ¡°Yeah. I wonder what they¡¯re serving now.¡± Seron nodded, pushing a cart full of mugs. ¡°I¡¯m quite excited for dinner. So far, the dormitory cafeteria has lived up to its reputation.¡± Nick added, holding his script. A pair of eyes were watching them. The eyes belonged to a freckled fifth-year student wearing a headband. ¡°I¡¯m happy with either meat or vegetables¡ª¡± Seron noticed the gaze just a few meters ahead, and looked at the fifth-year¡ªSophia. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s up, Seron?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± But all he saw was light brown, back-length hair. * * * Seron and the others went straight to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was large enough to seat hundreds of students at once. Long tables were lined up in orderly rows in the rectangular space, which was large enough to serve as a banquet hall in a hotel. There were two serving counters, but one was closed for the summer. For dinner, students had a choice between the meatloaf special and pot-au-feu with heaps of meat and vegetables. ¡°Yes! They¡¯re both meat!¡± Larry cheered, getting himself a thick slice of meatloaf and a veritable mountain of pot-au-feu. Seron elected for the pot-au-feu, and Nick the meatloaf. The boys each collected a cup of tea, bread, and fruit and took their seats. Many of the girls were brimming with anticipation, clearly hoping to sit near Seron and Nick. But¡ª ¡°Done! Let¡¯s eat!¡± Larry¡¯s loud voice reminded them of his presence and shattered their fantasies, and many angry forks stabbed into chunks of meat and potatoes. Seron was none the wiser. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Nick, though more perceptive, did not point it out. ¡°Yes. Dinner looks delicious.¡± After dinner, the drama club dispersed for the day. Some played pool or foosball in the dormitory common room. Some called their families from the phone booths in the lobby. Some returned to their rooms. Some delved into their scripts in preparation for the next day. And others went straight to the baths to wash off their sweat. Outside, it was a typical summer evening. The sky beyond the five-story apartments around the campus was turning orange. ¡°Bath, Larry?¡± ¡°Nah. Let¡¯s let the food digest a bit before we go.¡± Seron and Larry did not head straight for the baths, instead deciding to take a short break in their room. ¡°Then I¡¯ll join you at the baths later. I need some time to prepare.¡± They said goodbye to Nick, who was staying on another floor, and returned to their room. Seron and Larry¡¯s room was on the third floor. From the window they had a great view of the field. The sun was slowly setting over the many buildings of the Capital District. Because the room was built to house two, it was larger than the regular ones. It was furnished with two dressers, two desks and chairs, and two beds with wooden frames. There was also a sofa that could be converted into yet another bed. Seron¡¯s belongings included a large leather suitcase and a paper shopping bag from the department store, still containing the books he had bought. Larry had brought in a green Confederation Army duffel bag, which was large enough to fit a person, along with a backpack. Larry took a seat on the sofa. ¡°That was great. I¡¯m stuffed. I bet I¡¯ll fall right asleep if I lie down now.¡± Seron took off his sweatshirt and hung it up neatly. ¡°Me too. It was a really busy day. And who knew we¡¯d end up joining the newspaper club? I¡¯d have laughed if you told me this time yesterday that I would.¡± Stripped down to his T-shirt, Seron pulled out a chair and sat down. He remembered what had happened earlier that day and stared at his right hand. Larry looked at Seron, who was as expressionless as ever. ¡°It¡¯s incredible. Now you¡¯re in the same club as Megmica. You can see her anytime even after summer break. You should try and sound happier, buddy.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I know. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m even less motivated to ask her out. I was thinking about asking her before the practice camp ended. And if she turned me down, I would just give up. But now¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see. No need to finish that sentence. You¡¯re happy being around her. You don¡¯t want to risk that time you have. I understand. I won¡¯t say a word to her about this. Not even if they killed me or tortured me.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks, Larry.¡± Seron smiled. Larry fell deep into thought. Neither Seron nor Larry spoke for quite a while. Time passed in silence. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Suddenly, Seron stood and took out a white cloth bag from his suitcase. His name and student number were printed on the bag. The white bag was a laundry bag given to dormitory students. Students could put shirts, underwear, and other pieces of clothing into the bags and leave them with the matrons, who would send the clothes to a laundromat service. The clean clothing would be placed back into the bags and returned to the dorms the next day. ¡°Do you have anything that needs washing, Larry? I¡¯m going to drop off my laundry. They might close the window at night during the summer. We¡¯ll probably get them back tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, some shirts and underwear.¡± ¡°Do you mind putting them in my bag? We¡¯ll be able to tell them apart?¡± ¡°No worries. I¡¯ve got my name written on all my clothes, down to the last sock. Sometimes in training camp you get people who steal socks when they run out of their own.¡± Larry leapt off the sofa and stuck his hand inside his duffel bag. He drew a cloth bag similar to Seron¡¯s, but labeled ¡®ARMY¡¯ instead. ¡°Thanks, man.¡± Seron put the bag into his own laundry bag. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll be right back. Tell Nick to wait for us if he comes over.¡± He left the room, closing the door behind him. Seron¡¯s footsteps disappeared down the hall. Larry stood in the middle of the room, his arms crossed. ¡°I just hope he doesn¡¯t end up graduating without asking her out. In that case, I might be better off telling Megmica about him instead¡­ But if she¡¯s going to turn him down, it might be better for Seron to just spend time with her and have fun as friends. Cato always said a girl can throw away her boyfriend and act as if nothing had ever happened¡­ But if that happens, Seron¡¯s going to spend the next three years crying with that blank face of his. Hmm¡­¡± Larry paced back and forth as he ruminated on his dilemma. Eventually, ¡°Is that some new type of training?¡± ¡°It makes him look like a bear in a zoo.¡± Seron and Nick came back to the room together. The dormitory baths were massive. They were built to be bigger than even hotel baths in order to let as many students use the facilities as possible while making them wait as little as possible. Rows of faucets were installed against the walls, and several large tubs drew elegant arcs along their edges. A white porcelain sculpture of a chiseled hero was pouring water from the turtle atop its shoulders. Seron and Nick wrapped towels around their waists and stepped out of the change room. Larry followed after them a little later. Seron and Nick were both on the slender side, but neither were particularly skinny. Nick had his hair done up. It never showed when he was clothed, but he was all lean muscle, like a marathon runner. ¡°You work out, Nick? Looks like you¡¯ve been doing whatever it is for a while.¡± Larry remarked curiously. Though short, Larry was muscular. He had a great interest in bodybuilding. Nick smiled. ¡°Yes. I perform on stage.¡± ¡°You call that working out?¡± ¡°On the contrary, it takes quite a bit of energy. Care to give it a try?¡± ¡°No thanks. What¡¯s that you¡¯ve got with you?¡± Larry was pointing at a large wooden basket in Nick¡¯s right hand. Three metallic bottles were nestled inside. ¡°My usual hair-care products. My hair simply won¡¯t listen to me unless I go all the way.¡± ¡°If you were in the military, they¡¯d have shaved you bald. Tradition says any strand longer than a rifle bullet gets the razor.¡± ¡°I do plan to cut it short should I ever enlist.¡± ¡°Great! Why wait? I¡¯ll bring you the papers tomorrow. The Confederation Army wants you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline. I haven¡¯t yet decided on a career path. I think we should turn this around and have you grow out your hair, Larry. To be honest, I¡¯m quite envious of your beautiful blond hair.¡± ¡°The ancestors in our old portraits used to wear ¡®em really long. But I¡¯m not really a braids man.¡± ¡°What about you, Seron? Do you plan to grow out your hair?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to get it cut when it grows out a little longer. Although I¡¯m not too keen on going back to my old buzzcut.¡± They sat on wooden bath chairs in front of the empty faucets along the wall. There had been no other clothes in the change room, which meant the bath was empty. Seron, Larry, and Nick had the entire bath to themselves. They washed up at the faucets and then sat in one of the massive baths. ¡°Hah¡­¡± ¡°That hits the spot.¡± ¡°It certainly does.¡± Larry, Seron, and Nick sighed. For some time, they simply sat soaking in the water. On occasion they wiped the sweat from their faces with the towels they had on their heads. Time passed. ¡°I¡¯m quite jealous that you have constant access to these baths, Seron.¡± Nick said. ¡°Agreed.¡± Larry nodded. ¡°Not many people know this,¡± Seron said, ¡°but even non-dormitory students can use the baths during the school year.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s a pleasant surprise. I suppose I should try it out next term.¡± ¡°I had no idea.¡± ¡°Sometimes people from sports clubs come to use the baths after practice. But the problem is¡­ as big as this place is, it¡¯s still really crowded during the mornings and evenings. You can¡¯t really take your time because there¡¯s always a lineup.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll retract my statement, then. I need a very long time to wash my hair.¡± ¡°Me too. Although a bath beats a shower anytime.¡± ¡°Excuse me for a minute.¡± Said Nick. ¡°I think I should wash my hair.¡± He stood from the bath, took his basket, and headed for the rows of shower booths. He turned on the water and began to gingerly lather his long hair. ¡°What do you say to some training, Seron?¡± Larry asked, taking to his feet. Seron shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can today.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll never become a great soldier like that, buddy!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know you¡¯ll be great enough for the both of us. Roxche¡¯s future is in your hands, Larry.¡± ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve got no choice. ¡­One! Two! Three! Army!¡± One energetic boy began to loudly do push-ups on the tiled floor. One long-haired boy hummed to himself as he washed his hair in the distance. And one boy who loved to soak in the bath blankly gazed into the air. The porcelain sculpture said nothing as it poured water into the bath. ¡°Is anyone here?¡± A new voice joined them. The owner of the voice sat down at a nearby faucet the moment he entered, making it hard to tell who he was. ¡°Is that SC Arthur?¡± Seron wondered. ¡°Sounds like him. Hup! Hup! Hup!¡± Larry agreed, and lowered his voice so as not to be a nuisance. Eventually, the newcomer finished washing up and came over to Seron and Larry. He was tall, and his black hair was swept back. ¡°Hey there.¡± He was almost as well-built as Larry. ¡°Hello, SC Arthur. You look very different without your glasses.¡± Seron said. Arthur did not look as soft-spoken when his hair was slicked back and his glasses gone. ¡°That¡¯s what everyone tells me. But I¡¯m so nearsighted that I can¡¯t go without them. I recognized you by your voice, Seron, but I can¡¯t see your face at all.¡± Arthur said, as laid-back as ever, and sat where Nick had been earlier. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. Once Larry had done 100 push-ups, he returned to the bathtub massaging his arms. ¡°Hey there, SC Arthur.¡± ¡°Ah, so you were Larry. I wanted to ask you during the day, but why is your face swollen? Are you all right?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ er¡­ I got into a bit of a scuffle. But don¡¯t worry¡ªit was outside of school.¡± ¡°I see. If you two are here, I guess our Black Knight must be around too.¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s washing his hair at the showers.¡± Seron replied. ¡°He was very good today. I was impressed.¡± ¡°You and SC Sophia were awesome, too.¡± Larry said. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about theater, but you two looked like totally different people up there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I¡¯m sure Sophia will be too.¡± Arthur replied with a smile. That was when Nick returned. ¡°Oh? SC Arthur.¡± He had a towel wrapped around his waist, and also his head. His long hair was concealed completely. Nick also seemed completely different now. Now that his long hair was concealed, he looked very masculine. The towel on his head cast an odd silhouette. ¡°Er¡­ Nick, is that you?¡± Arthur squinted. ¡°What¡¯s with the hair? Is that how things work in your hometown?¡± Larry asked. Nick brought over a bath chair from the faucets and responded. ¡°What¡¯s with the hair? Is that how things work in your hometown?¡± Larry asked. Nick brought over a bath chair from the faucets and responded. ¡°The fibers of the wet towel stimulate your brain cells and make you smarter. Would you care to try, Larry?¡± ¡°Thanks for the info, but if I get smart Seron¡¯s ¡®teaching really well to idiots¡¯ skill¡¯s gonna get rusty. No, seriously though.¡± ¡°I do this to keep my head warm long enough that the treatment will permeate into my hair.¡± ¡°Heh. No need for me to try, then.¡± Larry lost interest completely and sat waist-deep in the bath. He looked at Arthur. So did Nick. ¡°Did you come alone, SC Arthur?¡± ¡°Yeah. The other guys are hanging out with the girls in the common room. They were playing a game where one person recites a long line, then another person tries to repeat it without making a mistake. It¡¯s one of the drama club¡¯s traditions.¡± ¡°It must be quite lively with all the girls in the club.¡± Nick remarked. Arthur chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to join, Nick. Join the guys as the girls beat us in majority votes all the time. If nothing else, I guarantee you that you¡¯ll start questioning the wisdom of democracy.¡± ¡°I can already imagine. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to decline, SC Arthur. It must be difficult for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. Sophia pulls her weight and then some.¡± Arthur sighed. ¡°Sometimes, I wonder how things would have been if Sophia had been president.¡± Seron stared in blank silence. Larry did the same, looking more worried. ¡°You¡¯re a great president, SC Arthur.¡± Larry said. Nick nodded. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Thanks, guys. I can¡¯t stop being the president now, so I want to do my best with the job I have. I practically stole away Sophia¡¯s position, so I have to work even harder for her sake.¡± ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± Larry asked. Seron and Nick quietly waited for the answer. ¡°The drama club presidency alternates between gender every year. If a boy is the president one year, a girl has to be president the next. It¡¯s the opposite with the vice-presidency.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Larry gasped. ¡°Was last year¡¯s president male?¡± Asked Nick. Arthur pushed back his bangs and nodded. ¡°Yeah. At least, until he dropped out of school around the end of the year.¡± Everyone was quiet. Low grades were the most common cause of dropouts in secondary school, whether because of difficulties in class or being held back two years in a row, which automatically resulted in expulsion. The second most common cause¡ªwhich was not very common at all¡ªwas misbehavior or delinquency. Either cause would disqualify a student from moving on to university, which would have presumably been the student¡¯s reason for coming to secondary school in the first place. So students had every reason to avoid such things. ¡°May we ask why?¡± Nick inquired cautiously. Arthur noticed the mood and waved his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t anything bad. SC Joshua left for a very good reason. The Confederation Theater Troupe recognized his skills and scouted him. He chose to take the stage as a young newcomer with a bright future instead of going on to university. SC Joshua¡¯s the eldest son of a family that runs a famous electronics company. The family was completely against their talented heir pursuing a different path in life, but he managed to convince them otherwise. I hear he¡¯s taking on more prominent roles now. Sophia and I went to watch him the other day, and he was practically a star.¡± ¡°That sounds incredible.¡± ¡°I had no idea we had a senior-classman like him.¡± Nick and Seron remarked in turn. ¡°Cool.¡± Larry said. Arthur nodded. ¡°Definitely. He was brave to make such an important decision. I love theatre too, but if someone asked me if I wanted to be an actor, I could say ¡®no¡¯ with confidence. I plan to go to university, then go to graduate school and major in business management so I can help out my family. That¡¯s the whole reason I came to this school.¡± ¡°Your family runs a traditional patisserie, right?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°My mother loves your family¡¯s cakes. She serves it all the time at parties. When I was little, my favorite part was eating the very edges.¡± ¡°Thanks. And I hope we¡¯ll have her continued patronage. Anyway, when SC Joshua left, the then-vice-president stepped up as president for the rest of the year. It was unprecedented, but since we had just gone through a female president, we had to pick a male president for this year. I was the only boy in fifth year this year, so I was chosen to take over.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Seron nodded. ¡°Then SC Sophia was meant to be this year¡¯s president?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°That¡¯s right. When I first met her not long after joining the drama club, I was really impressed. She was a great actress, she was good at memorizing¡ªand remembering¡ªher lines, and she was always motivated. By third year, we took it for granted that she¡¯d become president eventually. Even the more envious of the girls supported her. And Sophia did her best to learn by helping SC Joshua and our previous president.¡± Arthur said. He was growing more and more talkative, perhaps out of nostalgia. ¡°SC Joshua being scouted was an honor for him and the drama club, but because of that Sophia was forced to take the vice-presidency instead. She never complained about it, and I did my best with my job, but sometimes I wonder if this is really all right. I know I¡¯m never going to get a black-and-white answer, so all I can do is try my hardest with what I have. And I want to reflect as much of Sophia¡¯s opinions as possible when I make decisions as the president.¡± Seron, Larry, and Nick were silent. They became painfully aware of the sound of water gushing from the porcelain sculpture. ¡°S-sorry, guys.¡± Arthur said quickly, trying to raise their spirits. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get you all down like that. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t really talk about this stuff with the drama club. Don¡¯t worry about it. Thanks for helping out with practice. I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow.¡± Arthur stood and left as the others bid him good night. He walked away. ¡°Must be tough, huh.¡± Larry said pensively. Seron gravely nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have to make a lot of big decisions in fifth year, too.¡± ¡°Although in your case, you¡¯ve got a big decision coming before that.¡± Larry commented. ¡°Oh? And what might that be?¡± ¡°Nothing for you to worry about, Nick.¡± ¡°There you go again, Larry. Please, aren¡¯t we fellow members of the newspaper club?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, that was today. I¡¯m gonna forget I¡¯m in a club if I don¡¯t write it down somewhere.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should compose a club theme song to sing together every morning?¡± Nick chuckled. Larry pointed a finger at Nick¡¯s head. ¡°Nick. That towel treatment of yours is sucking the brainpower out of you.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯d almost forgotten about my hair. Thank you, Larry.¡± Nick stood and walked back to the showers. ¡°The army wants you!¡± Larry called after him. Nick waved lightly. ¡°We¡¯re only in third year.¡± Said Seron. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I have time.¡± ¡°You sure about that?¡± Seron gave Larry a very serious look. ¡°Yeah. Probably. I¡¯m sure. Definitely.¡± Larry thought for a moment. Then, ¡°Seron. Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you feeling faint ¡®cause you stayed in the bath for too long?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Just as Seron cooled off in a tepid shower¡ª ¡°I¡¯m running out of time¡­¡± A fifth-year girl was muttering to herself alone at the desk in her dormitory room. She had her elbows on the desk and was leaning her forehead against her clasped hands. The only light in the room came from a small nightstand. The moon was not yet out and it was still dark outside, the world lit only by lights from nearby apartment buildings. The girl wore a headband and had a freckled face. Sophia Ulericks, the vice-president of the drama club, closed her eyes and fell into thought. Then, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll do this! I¡¯m going to tell Arthur!¡± She jumped to her feet, renewing her determination. ¡°Tell him what?¡± Asked her roommate, walking in with a towel over her hair. Sophia screamed loud enough for her headband to go flying. ----- Volume 3 2 — Sophia Volume 3 Chapter 2: Sophia ----- The 10th day of the seventh month. Morning dawned on the fourth day of the practice camp. It was another clear day swept by a pleasant northerly breeze. Seron, Larry, and Nick had gone to bed early the previous night, and sat together at the cafeteria table for breakfast in school-issue sweats. Then they headed to the gymnasium with the rest of the drama club. A little later, Natalia and Meg showed up in uniform and greeted them offhand. Seron¡¯s face was blank with joy. Practice began. The drama club and Ms. Krantz were even more passionate than before. The orchestra club and the chorus club matched their drive, creating beautiful music and filling the gymnasium with energy. Meanwhile, ¡°Gotta do our job.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fun watching them, though.¡± Larry and Seron ran around doing odd jobs like opening windows, bringing in tea, and carrying heavy objects. Lunchtime neared. ¡°The orchestra and chorus club can go ahead for lunch.¡± Said Ms. Krantz. ¡°See you in the afternoon.¡± Because of the way practice was scheduled, the orchestra club and the chorus club got to leave early. The drama club got together to discuss the placement of set pieces. The orchestra members put away their instruments or left them in the gym and headed off to enjoy their lunch. Word had spread about the delicious cafeteria food; fewer students had brought their own lunches this time, and more joined the group headed for the dormitory building. ¡°We¡¯ll see you later, Megmica.¡± The three girls from the chorus club waved as they went to music room 2 to eat their lunches. ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead, then.¡± Behind Meg was Natalia, standing tall like a bodyguard. The chorus girls thought well of her after her actions on the first day of practice. ¡°Oh, one second.¡± Natalia said, pointing at the two helpers closing the gymnasium window¡ª specifically, at Larry. Larry soon noticed her and pointed at himself as if in confirmation. Natalia gestured back in acknowledgement. Larry jogged over to Natalia and Meg. ¡°Hey Megmica. What do you want, Lia?¡± He said, using Natalia¡¯s childhood nickname. ¡°We¡¯ll go ahead to the clubroom with everyone¡¯s lunches, so you and Seron and Nick can come straight over once you¡¯re done here.¡± ¡°Right. Is Jenny in today?¡± ¡°Yeah. She called me yesterday saying she¡¯s got something big to announce as president. Gotta do what the boss says, y¡¯know.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re vice president now, aren¡¯t you Lia?¡± ¡°Sure am. Feel free to add a ¡®Madame¡¯ in front of the name.¡± ¡°¡®Madame Lia¡¯? Sounds like a fortune teller.¡± ¡°True. Lunch menu¡¯s up to me. Don¡¯t care ¡®bout you, but does Seron not eat anything? Any allergies?¡± ¡°Probably not, but if you get me both lunches I can let Seron pick first. Oh, but don¡¯t trouble yourself with both if one of the meals have soup or broth. It¡¯d be a pain to carry over.¡± ¡°Right. See ya.¡± Natalia and Meg left the gymnasium, the former with a wave and the latter with a bow. Larry went over to Seron, who was still closing windows. ¡°¡­¡± And as for Sophia, who had been watching the entire exchange, ¡°Sophia! Hello? Are you still with us?¡± She was scolded by Ms. Krantz, who had been addressing the entire club. * * * That day, around noon. A brown-haired girl by the lengthy name of ¡®Lillianne Aikashia Coraz¨°n Whittington Schultz¡¯ returned home carrying a leather suitcase and many large paper bags full of souvenirs. ¡°I¡¯m home. ¡ªNot like anyone¡¯s in, but oh well. Gonna take my time and enjoy the rest of my summer.¡± She said to herself, setting down her luggage in the hallway. She brushed her teeth in the bathroom, washed her hands, and went to the kitchen. From the fridge she pulled out an unopened bottle of orange juice, twisted off the cap, and poured it into a cup. She drank it without even sitting down. ¡°Man¡­¡± Lillia looked up at the blackboard on the wall before her. The family¡¯s schedule was crammed tightly into every corner in white letters. ¡°Maybe I should call Meg¡­ But I¡¯m back so much earlier than I planned¡­¡± She thought for a moment. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll see her on the 14th anyway.¡± Just as Lillia unpacked at home, the drama club disbanded for lunch. The club members hurried over to the cafeteria in the dormitory building. ¡°Apparently Jenny¡¯s on campus again today. Looks like she has a lot of time on her hands.¡± ¡°Do you think she might be cross with us if we don¡¯t call her ¡®president¡¯?¡± ¡°Who knows? Either way, please don¡¯t let anyone call me ¡®treasurer¡¯.¡± Larry, Nick, and Seron headed for the newspaper club office. All three were in school-issue sweats. They stepped into the building, walked through the empty hallways, and arrived at the door. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Larry said, knocking. The heard Jenny¡¯s voice from inside. ¡°Password? The planet explodes if you get it wrong.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hm. ¡®I don¡¯t know¡¯¡­ I guess that works as the new password. All right, Megmica. You can let them in.¡± Meg unlocked the door from inside. ¡°Welcome in, everyone.¡± She beamed radiantly. ¡°Ah. Thanks, Megmica.¡± Larry grinned back. ¡°Thank you for the kind welcome.¡± Nick nodded with a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± Seron said tersely, his expression blank even as he internally told himself that he was the happiest man in all of Roxche. When they stepped into the luxurious room, they found Jenny standing before them. And in front of her¡ª ¡°¡®Cause we¡¯re the newspaper club¡ª always seeking truth and justice¡ª¡± Natalia sat on a chair, her long legs crossed. She strummed an off-kilter melody on a large guitar and sang stylishly along with a set of off-kilter lyrics. ¡°And so¡ª the chosen six are gathered¡ª¡± ¡°Wh-what is that supposed to be, Lia?¡± Larry was incredulous. Natalia stopped. ¡°Our club song, genius. Nothing like a good tune to get some good ol¡¯ team spirit going. As you can see, I¡¯m busy composing the melody and the lyrics.¡± Natalia chuckled, playing a riff. Larry narrowed his eyes and, without turning, addressed Nick behind him. ¡°Say, Nick.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a fellow patient here. And if she¡¯s actually performing the song in public, I think her symptoms are worse than yours.¡± ¡°My, my. This is troubling. Perhaps we¡¯ll feel better about this if all six of us were infected.¡± ¡°Nah. Who¡¯s gonna speak the truth if everyone loses their minds? This is supposed to be a newspaper club.¡± Natalia placed her guitar on the desk. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, boys. The sofa¡¯s free. Let¡¯s eat.¡± On the coffee table were lunches for everyone from the cafeteria. There were eight bags in total, one for each student and extras for Larry and Natalia, who were big eaters. ¡°Thanks for getting our food, too. Who should we pay?¡± Seron asked, taking the center seat like he had done the previous day. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. It¡¯s my treat. The menu was pea soup with bread or bacon and lettuce club sandwiches, but I settled for sandwiches for everyone. No complaints, hear? I¡¯ll be happy to take your sandwich if you don¡¯t want it.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°Lia¡­ you¡¯re gonna turn into a tree trunk at this rate.¡± Larry said snidely, knowing that Natalia never gained weight no matter how much she ate. ¡°That might be something worth writing about, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°If that happens, I¡¯ll give Larry a piggyback ride. Show him the view from up here, y¡¯know?¡± Nick and Natalia also took a seat. ¡°Do you want any help, Megmica?¡± Jenny asked, turning to the kitchenette. ¡°I am all right, Jenny. Thank you. I am just now finished.¡± Meg replied, walking over to the others with a platter laden with six different teacups. She carefully placed each cup of tea on the table before finally taking a seat herself. Once Jenny was seated, she and the others thanked Natalia for the sandwiches. They prayed before their meals and dug in. The bacon and lettuce were still crisp. The sandwiches were also packed with fresh tomato slices and cheese. ¡°This is great.¡± Jenny said, flattening her sandwich and taking big bites from the edges. ¡°Do you come out to school just for the cafeteria food?¡± Larry asked, picking up a flower-print teacup. ¡°Mm mmm.¡± Jenny denied the accusation with her mouth still shut. ¡°It is a wonderful thing to be able to eat together with everyone like this.¡± Meg said between bites. She was wrestling with her sandwich, but seemed to be enjoying it. Nick agreed. Seron said nothing, but thought very hard to himself, ¡®even centipedes would taste delicious as long as I¡¯m with Megmica!¡¯ Jenny was the first to finish her sandwich. She took sips of tea as she began her announcement. ¡°All right, let me explain a few things while you eat. You guys are gonna learn some new skills for the club. First comes photography. I¡¯ll give each of you a camera one of these days so you can practice. You¡¯ll have to develop and print the pictures yourselves. You¡¯re also going to learn how to write newspaper articles and how to cover stories. We won¡¯t have time during lunch, so I want you to meet back in here in the evening. This is an order from the president.¡± ¡°Sure, as long as practice doesn¡¯t run late like yesterday.¡± ¡°I understand. I will do so too as well. Everyone worried for my sake afterwards, so it is now not good to return home late.¡± Natalia and Meg spoke up. Seron, Larry, and Nick agreed. ¡°Hm¡­ so much for being president.¡± Jenny groaned. Once lunch break was over¡ª ¡°We¡¯ll come back if practice ends on time. We still have loads of photos to develop.¡± The newspaper club sans Jenny left for the gymnasium. Natalia placed her guitar in a wooden case and left it in the club office. ¡°I¡¯ll bring in a couple of flutes tomorrow. Both alto and soprano.¡± ¡°Awesome. Sing us a song while you play, Lia.¡± Larry joked. Meg burst out laughing. * * * Like morning, afternoon practice was heated. Time passed quickly. Seron and Larry went to buy more nails for the set pieces. When they returned, the Black Knight conceded defeat and disappeared. Meg and the chorus club sang a heartfelt melody to match the scene. ¡°Too bad we missed most of that.¡± Larry said. ¡°We always have tomorrow.¡± Seron replied. Evening drew near. ¡°We¡¯ll finish early today to make up for yesterday, everyone.¡± Said Ms. Krantz. ¡°Good work! Excellent job!¡± Practice ended earlier than usual. ¡°Man, now we have to go to the newspaper club.¡± Larry joked. ¡°The Goddess of Fortune is smiling upon us.¡± Seron said with a completely straight face. Most students practically skipped out of the the gymnasium, celebrating the early dismissal. On the other hand, Seron, Larry, Meg, and Natalia stood by the doors waiting for Nick. When they peered inside, they saw Arthur and Nick exchanging opinions on the performance, making all sorts of gestures. ¡°Looks like our Black Knight¡¯s really into his role.¡± Natalia remarked. ¡°The king played by SC Arthur was very cool also.¡± Meg said. Seron¡¯s eye twitched. That was when someone came up to them. ¡°Could I talk to you?¡± When they turned, they saw the freckled, headband-wearing vice-president Sophia. She had left with the rest of the drama club, but now she was back alone. The newspaper club was surprised to see her. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Seron spoke for everyone. Sophia replied plainly. ¡°I need to talk to you. Do you have time?¡± ¡°Yes. But are you asking me alone?¡± ¡°All of you. The four of you, who aren¡¯t in the drama club. It¡¯s a little complicated.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Seron nodded. When he glanced back, he saw Nick and Arthur walking over, having finished their conversation. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re headed somewhere together. Would you mind coming with us?¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Sophia replied, ¡°The newspaper club?¡± ¡°Huh? H-how did you know?¡± ¡°I saw Jenny on campus this morning. And I figured you¡¯d joined when all of you went somewhere else for lunch. It looks like you¡¯ve gotten close.¡± Sophia said with a smile. The newspaper club was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Apologies for keeping you waiting.¡± Nick said. He was surprised when he spotted Sophia among the group. ¡°Nick is a member as well.¡± Said Seron. ¡°Would you mind if he came along?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± The five students and the surprising guest headed to the club office without a word. Seron knocked on the door. ¡°Password?¡± Said Jenny¡¯s voice. Larry replied immediately, ¡°Do you have our keys yet?¡± ¡°Hold on a sec.¡± Jenny opened the door. She was startled to see Sophia with the others. ¡°Huh?¡± She shot Seron an unpleasant glare. ¡°A new member already? I expected no less from a pretty boy.¡± ¡°No, Jenny. SC Sophia says there¡¯s something she¡¯d like to discuss with us. Would you mind?¡± ¡°Does this have something to do with the newspaper club?¡± Jenny asked. ¡°Yes. I need your help. Remember how the newspaper club uncovered Ms. Julia Evans¡¯s shotgun wedding two years ago, even when the vice-principal tried to make sure word didn¡¯t get out? I was so glad you did¡ªotherwise we never would have been able to congratulate Ms. Evans. I need you to dig up information like you did back then.¡± Seron and the others were quite surprised to hear this. ¡°¡­All right. Come in.¡± Jenny grinned took a step back, gesturing for Sophia to come inside. Seven students sat in the club office. Jenny sat on a chair, and the others on sofas with the boys on one and the girls on the other. Sophia sat in the middle, across from Seron. Cups of steaming-hot tea sat on the coffee table. Sophia was taken aback to see such expensive cups. ¡°Is it¡­ really okay for me to use this?¡± Jenny took up her pen and notepad. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Now, what would you like to have us investigate?¡± Sophia took a deep breath. A serious look rose to her eyes. ¡°I want you to find something for me on campus.¡± ¡°Oh? Like what?¡± Jenny inquired, leaning forward. The others listened quietly. ¡°I know this might sound strange, but I don¡¯t actually know what it is I¡¯m looking for.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°If you know what this is, tell me straight out. Okay?¡± Sophia hesitated, then, and continued. ¡°Arthur used a term I¡¯ve never heard of.¡± She said, averting her gaze. Jenny took down every detail like a seasoned investigator. ¡°We won¡¯t laugh or anything, no matter how strange it might be. So what was this term he used?¡± Sophia must have made up her mind. She returned to her usual self and confessed, ¡°The ¡®50th bee¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The club members furrowed their brows. ¡°The ¡®50th bee¡¯. That¡¯s the term. It was about ten days ago¡­¡± Sophia began. ¡°It was still exam season, so we didn¡¯t have practice that day. I was on my way home, heading to the gates. It was as crowded as ever. And I spotted Arthur walking about two meters ahead. He was talking with a boy I¡¯ve never met.¡± ¡°I see. I see.¡± Jenny nodded along, furiously taking notes. ¡°They sounded like they were having fun, and it was so crowded I decided not to talk to him and kept walking. But that¡¯s when I overheard them. The friend said, ¡®come to think of it, what are you gonna do about the ¡°50th bee¡±?¡¯ Arthur didn¡¯t sound any different when he replied. ¡®Hm¡­ it¡¯s too early.¡¯ The friend suddenly got serious then. ¡®Get a hold of yourself. We¡¯re fifth-years now¡ªyou¡¯d want to sell your own parents for the ¡®50th bee¡¯, wouldn¡¯t you?¡¯ Then Arthur just said, ¡®¡­you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll try. Sorry to make you worry.¡¯ He sounded so faint then.¡± Seron and the others on the sofas could not respond. Jenny stopped taking notes. She looked like she had taken a bite out of a chocolate bar she had thought was a hamburger. ¡°That¡¯s it. They went in different directions at the gates, and I didn¡¯t talk to Arthur then.¡± Sophia concluded. ¡°SC Sophia¡­ just making sure, is there any chance that you heard wrong?¡± Jenny asked. ¡°No. I know what I heard.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jenny was unconvinced. ¡°I don¡¯t think SC Sophia is misremembering. She¡¯s good at memorizing dialogue.¡± Seron said, the eyes of six students¡ªincluding the girl he loved¡ªon him. ¡°Let¡¯s get the facts straight, SC Sophia. SC Arthur wants to get his hands on something called the 50th bee before he graduates. And judging from the context, the 50th bee is somewhere in this school.¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°And you want to find this 50th bee for SC Arthur, am I correct?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Sophia nodded. She picked up her tea and took a sip. Seron noticed that Sophia and the other girls seemed to be very interested in the subject. And he realized that his suspicions were correct. Looking around at each of the members, Seron asked, ¡°does anyone know what the 50th bee might be? I think ¡®bee¡¯ in this case means the insect.¡± No one answered. Unsurprised, he looked at Sophia. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what this term means either. I¡¯ve never heard of anything like it. SC Arthur must have used a term that only his close friends would understand.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I expected as much. I thought maybe it was a term all the boys might know.¡± ¡°Have you asked around the drama club?¡± ¡°This is the first I¡¯ve told anyone about the 50th bee.¡± Larry, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up. ¡°SC Sophia, why are you trying to get this 50th bee for SC Arthur anyway?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Sophia could not answer such a direct question. ¡°Ugh. Talk about dense.¡± Jenny rolled her eyes. No one else responded. ¡°No, well¡­ I¡­ I was just curious.¡± Larry stammered, looking to Nick for answers. Nick noticed his gaze, but looked away as though avoiding the question. Finally, Larry turned to Meg. She looked quite troubled. ¡°Ahem. Sorry, SC Sophia. We have an idiot in the group.¡± Natalia said with a straight face. ¡°Hold it. Look. I admit I¡¯m an idiot, so please tell me what¡¯s going on here.¡± Larry pleaded. For some reason, the rest of the newspaper club kept silent in thought. Several seconds passed. Sophia was the one to break the silence. ¡°It¡¯s because I love him.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, what?¡± Larry asked in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless. SC Sophia deserves a whole lotta gratitude right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Maybe you should train more than just your muscles sometimes.¡± Natalia and Jenny scolded Larry in turn. ¡°Right. Sorry. Er¡­ I¡¯m sorry, SC Sophia.¡± Larry said, shrinking back. ¡°It¡¯s all right. I was going to tell you guys anyway.¡± Sophia replied kindly. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be right to just ask you to do this for me without telling you why. But please don¡¯t tell anyone else. Please.¡± ¡°Of course. We will protect your secret and do our utmost to assist you. Isn¡¯t that right, president?¡± Nick said. ¡°Definitely. Like our club motto says, ¡®accept all requests, and research the rest¡¯.¡± Jenny replied. ¡°That¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard.¡± Natalia commented. Jenny did not lose a second in responding. ¡°¡®Mottos are meant to be made on the spot¡¯.¡± ¡°Is that one of our mottos too?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Sophia smiled. That was when Meg jumped in. ¡°SC Sophia!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Meg clasped her hands tightly over Sophia¡¯s, trembling with excitement. ¡°It is cool! It is amazing! I will cheer for your love! I will cheer, I promise! I will pray that your love will become¡ªer, come true!¡± ¡°Th-thank you, Megmica.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Meg let go of Sophia¡¯s hands and began gesticulating in a way very foreign to Roxche, and probably even Sou Be-Il. ¡°We will find them! We will find all the 50th¡¯s bee! I¡¯m sure there will be big caves in the ground! Perhaps it is the newest kind of bee only in our school no one knows yet! You will be resting easy, SC Sophia! We are very good at finding underground things!¡± Meg¡¯s Roxchean began degenerating. ¡°Huh? ¡­What?¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes widened in confusion. Nick quickly stepped in. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a possessive between ¡®50th¡¯ and ¡®bee¡¯, Megmica. And the word ¡®bee¡¯ refers to the buzzing insect that flies around collecting pollen.¡± Meg was shocked. ¡°Pardon? Do not bees in Roxche make large caves under the grounds? If there are 50 bees, I thought they would make big holes under the grounds and crawl in lines.¡± As Meg reeled in confusion, Natalia tilted her head. ¡°I think you¡¯re talking about ants, Megmica. They¡¯re totally different. Did you learn the terms wrong?¡± ¡°Huh? Er¡­ hm? This is¡­¡± ¡°Guys.¡± Jenny finally spoke up with a twirl of her pen, knowing they were getting nowhere. ¡°In Bezelese, they use the same word to refer to both bees and ants. They¡¯re both hymenopteras, and other than the wings, they have similar body structures. So in Bezelese, ¡®flying bees¡¯ are what we know as bees, and ¡®crawling bees¡¯ are ants. Usually people omit the first part, so you generally have to use context to figure out which insect they¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Yes! That is true!¡± Meg exclaimed. ¡°Thank you, Jenny. Now I know differences. ¡®Ant¡¯. My new Roxchean word for today.¡± ¡°Fascinating. Looks like I still have a lot to learn.¡± Said Seron. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get back to the point.¡± Jenny said. ¡°SC Sophia, you want to help SC Arthur because you¡¯re in love with him, right? You want him to acknowledge you. So you¡¯re trying to find this ¡®50th bee¡¯ that he so desperately wants.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s get back to the point.¡± Jenny said. ¡°SC Sophia, you want to help SC Arthur because you¡¯re in love with him, right? You want him to acknowledge you. So you¡¯re trying to find this ¡®50th bee¡¯ that he so desperately wants.¡± ¡°Yeah. I know this might be a little underhanded, but I think I might be able to tell him how I feel then. Or maybe not, but I have to try.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve come so far as to talk to us, you must be desperate.¡± ¡°Yeah. As long as I can tell him before the practice camp ends¡­ by the last day¡­¡± ¡°I see. Then we have no time to lose. When does the camp end?¡± Asked Jenny. Nick answered. ¡°The camp lasts seven days, and today is the fourth day. We have tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that¡ªthree full days in total.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Sophia nodded. ¡°But there won¡¯t be much of a practice on the last day. Just one full rehearsal, then cleanup and lunch and an afterparty at the dormitory cafeteria. We¡¯ll be dismissed before evening¡ªby this time that day, at the latest.¡± Larry scowled. ¡°So we really only have two days¡­¡± ¡°It might be tough to figure out this 50th bee.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°Me, Megmica, and Nick are tied up all day, and Seron and Larry probably can¡¯t spare too much time. Jenny¡¯s about our only free member.¡± ¡°Still.¡± Jenny slammed her notepad on her desk. ¡°I am going to complete this request. Like our motto says, ¡®assist all romantic endeavors¡¯.¡± Larry muttered something about getting yet another new motto. Jenny remained confident. ¡°This is going to be a challenge. But we¡¯re gonna solve this by the last day of the training camp, SC Sophia. You can count on us!¡± Meg rose to her feet and applauded. ¡°You said something very cool, Jenny! I will help also!¡± ¡°Thanks, Jenny. Megmica. Sorry this was so sudden.¡± Sophia said. Jenny grinned. ¡°The newspaper club will never let its fans down.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get started right away.¡± ¡°Thanks, everyone.¡± Sophia left the club office first and headed for the dormitories. It was just about time for practice to end on a normal day. ¡°Me and Megmica should be leaving about now. So what do we do?¡± Asked Natalia. Jenny turned from her place by the door with her head held high. ¡°What else? We act!¡± ¡°Like how?¡± ¡°Just go out there and do something. Nat, Megmica, Nick? I want you three here during lunch break. And Seron and Larry?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Jenny pointed at the two, who had replied at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m gonna need your full support from tomorrow on. The enemy will soon be upon us!¡± ¡°Sure, but who¡¯s the enemy?¡± Larry asked dubiously. Jenny did not miss a beat. ¡°Love is war.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Lemme spell it out for you. Love makes people suffer. Sometimes it kills them. People can die for love. Please tell me your skull¡¯s not thick enough for that to go over your head.¡± Larry could not respond. He simply looked at Meg across the coffee table. ¡°Megmica.¡± ¡°Yes? What is the matter?¡± ¡°Could you translate that into Roxchean for me? Please.¡± The newspaper club was dismissed. ¡°I want everyone to ask friends and family outside the school about this ¡®50th bee¡¯. Maybe it¡¯s a popular phrase on radio or TV, or a new product of some kind. Larry, Nick, and I will try to ask SC Arthur discreetly if we can. But make sure to keep SC Sophia¡¯s feelings a secret. Try not to discuss it outside the office. We¡¯ll report back tomorrow at lunchtime.¡± Seron explained in place of Jenny, who was bursting with enthusiasm but not much else. * * * ¡°Please excuse us first. ¡ªAnts crawl on the ground.¡± ¡°No need to see us off. Good luck with the investigation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring spare keys for everyone tomorrow.¡± The girls left through the gates, saying goodbye. Seron, Larry, and Nick returned to the dormitory cafeteria and sat down at a table far from the drama club. ¡°Come on, why do they have to sit so far away?¡± ¡°Are we not good enough for them or something? Ugh!¡± Some of the girls fumed, frustrated that they never had the chance to speak to them. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just shy. Don¡¯t be so angry at them.¡± Sophia tried to calm them down. ¡°Or maybe¡­ the three of them are dating?¡± One of the third-years speculated, to screams of both horror and excitement. As frenzied voices echoed through the cafeteria, Larry cut a piece of roast chicken¡ªthat day¡¯s dinner menu¡ªwith a knife. ¡°So how¡¯re we gonna make this plan of ours work?¡± He asked, deliberately being vague. Seron sat across from him, and Nick to Seron¡¯s right. Seron had also ordered chicken. He chewed on a piece as he replied. ¡°Our first priority is to protect our client¡¯s secret. We won¡¯t hunt for information in the dorms. If you need the phone, use the one in the club office. And we can¡¯t discuss the issue in our rooms¡ªthe baths go without saying¡ªin case one of them happens to hear. You can usually hear people talking in their rooms from the hallway. It¡¯s best to keep all this information to the office.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nick nodded, placing a piece of steamed bass on a mushroom. He had gotten the other menu. ¡°Should we not talk about it here, then?¡± Larry asked. Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah. This might sound stupid, but someone might have good enough eyesight to lip-read what we say. We have to be careful. We can¡¯t let anyone know.¡± Seron said gravely. Larry nodded, knowing how personal this had become to Seron. ¡°All right. But you know, I was pretty surprised when Jenny decided to help out.¡± Nick agreed. ¡°Indeed. Our issue here isn¡¯t particularly suitable for the papers, either.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Said Larry. ¡°Wonder if there¡¯s a story behind that. Maybe she had a bad experience with romance¡ª Actually, let¡¯s drop this.¡± Larry stopped himself, thinking of Seron. ¡°All I can say now is that we should do our best.¡± Seron said, unaffected. He popped a piece of steamed carrot into his mouth. ----- Volume 3 3 — Research Volume 3 Chapter 3: Research ----- The 11th day of the seventh month. The fifth day of the practice camp began. The clouds had grown thick overnight and formed a grey roof over the city. They flowed endlessly along the powerful northerly winds. The Capital District was already famed for its cool summers, but when it became overcast the temperature dropped even more with no sign of rising anytime soon. ¡°It¡¯s almost cold. Weather report says it¡¯ll start raining this afternoon.¡± Larry said, walking to the gymnasium in his sweats at the tail end of the line of umbrella-wielding drama club members. He was holding a black umbrella. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect weather to catch a cold.¡± Seron said. Larry tilted his head. ¡°It certainly is. I feel perfectly fine, but it looks to me like the two of you may be coming down with something.¡± Nick said without even blinking. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because you left the window open overnight? It tends to happen if you stay in the bath too long and cool down too rapidly.¡± ¡°Nah, we closed¡ª¡± Larry cut himself off, realizing what Nick was getting at. ¡°Aha! You¡¯re trying to get me and Seron to play hooky!¡± ¡°Yes. But please try to keep it down.¡± Nick smiled with a finger over his lips. ¡°Whoops. Sorry.¡± ¡°We could always try that excuse if it looks like we¡¯ll have too much on our plates today and tomorrow. It¡¯s not likely, since they¡¯re almost finished with the set pieces and there¡¯s not much to do with the props, but still.¡± Seron said. Larry nodded. When they arrived at the gymnasium, they were greeted by Ms. Krantz and her endless enthusiasm. After exchanging greetings, she told the students that her mother was doing better and would be able to come see the fall performance. Soon, the dozen-plus orchestra club members and the four chorus club members arrived. Both Natalia and Meg were wearing cardigans over their uniforms, like the other girls. And both shook their heads when they stepped inside. Neither had turned up anything, Larry and Seron realized. ¡°Nothing, huh.¡± ¡°This is going to be a challenge.¡± Practice began. Like the previous day, the orchestra members tuned their instruments before the rehearsal. Drama club members who were finished with their work brought over chairs to watch the performance. Because the less busy drama club members had brought in tea for everyone, all Seron and Larry had to do was open and close windows¡ªwhich they did not have to do very much, as it was cool and overcast. Break time finally arrived. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s see if we can get some time off.¡± Seron waited for Arthur to speak with Sophia alone before going over to him. He asked to take the rest of the morning off because he had other things to work on. Completely ignorant, Arthur nodded. ¡°Sure. No problem.¡± ¡°Go ahead. You deserve some time off.¡± Sophia said nonchalantly. Finally, Seron and Larry received permission from Ms. Krantz to take the rest of the morning off. As they left the gymnasium, they looked at Natalia. Seron mimicked biting down on a sandwich and Larry opening up a newspaper. * * * ¡°Are the spare keys ready yet?¡± Larry said the password. ¡°No one likes an impatient brat, Larry. And yes, they¡¯re ready.¡± Jenny opened the door and let Seron and Larry inside. ¡°You¡¯re early today. Are you skipping? Also, is it raining outside?¡± ¡°We got permission to take the morning off. And it¡¯s not raining yet, but it¡¯s a matter of time.¡± Seron replied. ¡°All right. Take a seat. Want some lukewarm tea?¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Seron and Larry sat down, when the latter noticed something. ¡°Hm?¡± He spotted two long, thin paper bags lying atop her guitar case. ¡°She really brought them in, huh. You all right with this, Jenny?¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°Sooner or later she¡¯s going to turn this into a music room. What¡¯re you gonna do when she carries in a grand piano?¡± ¡°Hm. Maybe I¡¯ll tear down the wall and expand the place?¡± ¡°Seriously.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Here you go.¡± Jenny placed two cups of tea before them, then sat on a chair. ¡°Any results?¡± ¡°Nothing on our end. We haven¡¯t talked to Nat and Megmica, but they were both shaking their heads.¡± ¡°Yeah. I asked my family and looked at newspapers and magazines, but no cigar. It¡¯s probably not a product name or some new show.¡± ¡°I guess SC Sophia would have figured it out by now if it were that easy.¡± Seron sighed, taking a sip from what had yesterday become his personal teacup. He complimented the taste. ¡°So maybe it¡¯s something on campus after all?¡± Larry speculated. ¡°Yeah.¡± Seron agreed. ¡°Wait, what if I ask my brother? He was here until a four years ago. He should be on summer break now too, so he¡¯s probably at the dorms.¡± Larry took to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m using the phone, Jenny.¡± ¡°Sure. That¡¯ll be 100 Roxes per¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, this is part of official club activities.¡± Larry went up to the telephone and picked up the receiver. ¡°Let¡¯s see here¡­¡± From his back pocket he pulled out his wallet and took out a scrap of paper, then began dialing. Someone picked up. Larry straightened up instantly. ¡°Hello? My name is Larry Hepburn, secondary school student! I¡¯d like to speak to my brother, Candidate Cato Hepburn! What? Oh¡­ I see.¡± Larry deflated quickly. And eventually¡ª ¡°I understand. Thank you. Please excuse me¡­¡± He trailed off, hanging up. ¡°Well? Find out anything?¡± Jenny said sarcastically. ¡°Yeah¡­ I found out my brother went out on an independent outdoor training camp with his classmates. They¡¯re coming back in four days.¡± ¡°Diligent, huh.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Larry sighed, falling into the sofa. ¡°Should we consult Mr. Hartnett?¡± Seron offered. ¡°¡®It doesn¡¯t ring a bell. I have no idea. I¡¯ll contact you if I find anything, but don¡¯t expect results.¡¯ I think he¡¯s busy with a really big case right now.¡± Jenny replied. Larry pouted. Then, ¡°Hey, what about Leena?¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± Seron stood. Jenny asked if Leena was his girlfriend. ¡°My sister. I¡¯m using the phone, okay?¡± Seron replied cooly, picking up the receiver. Because he was making a long-distance call, he had to go through an operator. One of the maids soon picked up, and Seron asked to speak to his sister. Leena finally picked up. ¡°It¡¯s me. Are you all right to talk? We¡¯re having a quiz competition at school right now, and we have to guess an object based on a mystery phrase. I was having a tough time, but I thought you might know.¡± Seron explained. He gave her the term ¡®50th bee¡¯ and asked her if she knew anything, or if it reminded her of anything. But¡ª ¡°All right¡­ Thanks. Yeah, I¡¯m doing well. It¡¯s a lot of fun here. I¡¯ll probably go back in three days, in the morning. Say hello to Mother for me, okay?¡± He hung up. ¡°Nothing.¡± Seron returned to the sofa, joining Larry. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to figure this out before camp ends, for my sake too.¡± ¡°We will. The easiest way, though¡­¡± Larry trailed off. ¡°Yeah.¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°It¡¯s to ask SC Arthur himself. We know that.¡± Larry thought for a while, then looked up. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just have SC Sophia confess after all?¡± ¡°That would be the easiest way.¡± Seron agreed with surprising promptness. ¡°But we can¡¯t do that. That¡¯s not what SC Sophia asked us to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­ what if we convince her to change her request?¡± This time, Jenny responded. ¡°That won¡¯t be easy. You can lead a horse to water, but you can¡¯t make it do butterfly strokes.¡± ¡°¡®You can¡¯t make it drink¡¯, Jenny. ¡®You can¡¯t make it drink¡¯.¡± ¡°Close enough.¡± ¡°In what language?¡± ¡°Anyway, here we have a client who finally decided to pick up the weapon called ¡®courage¡¯ to take a stand and fight. If someone asked you for a tank to fight against another tank with, Larry, would you tell them, ¡®I can¡¯t get you a tank, so here¡¯s a gun¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Larry shook his head. ¡°Although if that really were the case, I could provide one from the Jones Motors warehouses.¡± ¡°Hey! Those are supposed to go straight to the Army!¡± ¡°Sure are. You want one too?¡± ¡°As if. Tanks are a pain to maintain. Just thinking about taking care of one alone gives me migraines.¡± ¡°I could always hire a personal mechanic using club funds.¡± ¡°¡­Jenny. What are you planning to use the newspaper club as a front for?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll start by demolishing the photography club¡¯s snobby little office.¡± ¡°If you ever decide to run for president, I am going to become an assassin, Jenny.¡± Seron finished his tea and finally spoke. ¡°We¡¯ll look around campus before it starts raining. Who knows? We might find something. We¡¯ll also look for bees¡ªnot real ones, but things that resemble bees or remind us of them. We¡¯ll also have to check out the gargoyles on the older buildings.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go too. The more eyes, the better.¡± Larry volunteered. Seron nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll come back at lunchtime with everyone¡¯s food, Jenny. We can have another strategy meeting then.¡± ¡°Right. Take these¡ªI keep the door locked even when I¡¯m in. Feel free to use the office even if I¡¯m not here.¡± Jenny said, taking out two keys from her pocket and tossing them at Seron and Larry. They caught the keys. ¡°Now I feel like a real member. Thanks a bunch.¡± Larry said. Jenny pointed at them. ¡°Then here¡¯s my order as president. Bring back results! I¡¯m gonna kill you if you come back empty-handed.¡± Seron and Larry took a step outside the building. The clouds had grown thicker and the sky darker. ¡°Dark clouds on the horizon, huh.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be clear on the last day. Anyway, what¡¯s our strategy? Where do we start?¡± Larry asked. Seron stopped to think. ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. We still have time before lunch, so let¡¯s go around the campus and slowly head to the cafeteria.¡± ¡°Right.¡± They began to walk. On their way across the vast campus, they found several things. Three honeybees near a flower bed. A hundred and seventy-four ants, which was as far as Larry got before he gave up on counting. Countless tiny insects, and the birds circling low overhead seeking an easy meal. A bent tie pin someone must have dropped the previous term. And three pieces of laundry that had flown over the campus walls from a nearby apartment building. A men¡¯s shirt, a pair of children¡¯s pants, and women¡¯s underwear. * * * ¡°We¡¯re technically not empty-handed, though.¡± Larry said, lightly shaking the paper bags in his hands. There were eight of them containing lunches for six. They had given the clothing they found on the grounds to the security guards at the gates. For lunch, students had a choice between wild rice with chicken soup or fish burgers and chips. Seron and Larry elected to get burgers for everyone, as they would have needed separate containers for the soup. The burgers and chips alone did not seem like enough vegetables, however, so they filled Larry¡¯s lunchbox with boiled carrots, peas, and corn from the salad bar. ¡°Definitely a challenge.¡± Seron was carrying in one hand a bag containing the lunchbox, a small packet of salt, and six forks. In his other hand was a black umbrella held over both himself and Larry. They walked side-by-side to the newspaper club office. The wind sometimes strengthened, scattering rain on their legs. The sound of music was faintly drifting from the gymnasium. ¡°Well, at least Lia won¡¯t get mad about lunch being late.¡± Larry remarked. They entered the building. ¡°We¡¯re back.¡± Instead of giving a password, Larry opened the door with his own key. Jenny was sitting on the sofa with an intense expression. She looked up. ¡°Anything? If not, I¡¯ll eat you alive head-first.¡± Larry held out one of the paper bags. ¡°We didn¡¯t find a thing. But if you¡¯re that hungry, you¡¯ll probably prefer this to either one of us.¡± ¡°¡­Hm. I forgive you.¡± * * * It was almost noon. Seron was pouring boiling water from the kettle, and Larry was arranging paper bags, napkins, and forks on the coffee table. ¡°We¡¯re here. Open up.¡± Natalia called from the hallway with a knock. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Jenny and Seron furrowed their brows. Larry, who was closest to the door, grinned. ¡°Password? Make sure it¡¯s something nobody else knows, or it wouldn¡¯t be much of a password.¡± Natalia responded. ¡°In first year of primary school we had this beautiful blond teacher. And on the class picnic, Larry¡ª¡± ¡°NO!¡± Larry yelled, throwing the door open. ¡°Thanks.¡± Natalia smiled. Larry was drenched in cold sweat. ¡°Lia¡­ are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an executioner. Just a witness to history.¡± ¡°They should make it illegal for childhood friends to reveal embarrassing secrets.¡± ¡°Then make that your campaign promise, Larry. I was just answering a question.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not working on a password system anymore, Lia. Get your key from Jenny.¡± ¡°Good to hear. Too bad I already got mine this morning.¡± In Natalia¡¯s hand was a key with a red ribbon. ¡°Lia¡­ but you¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the flutes?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it¡­¡± Larry trailed off, turning. Seron gave him an apologetic look as he poured tea into the cups. ¡°I was going to remind you, Larry, but¡­¡± Larry hung his head. ¡°Tsk tsk. You¡¯re going to lose a lot of good men on the battlefield if you can¡¯t think fast enough.¡± Larry could not respond. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that a nice lesson?¡± Natalia said, walking past him without so much as blinking. Meg followed Natalia inside. ¡°Hello, everyone.¡± And Nick followed Meg. ¡°I¡¯d love to hear the details, but I suppose it¡¯s not right to unearth a secret so desperately hidden. May I have my key, Jenny?¡± Nick put three umbrellas into the stand by the entrance. Natalia took a seat. ¡°Thanks for the food. Any good news? Like, ¡®mystery solved! Job¡¯s done!¡¯?¡± Seron replied as he brought over a tray laden with six cups of tea. ¡°No. We¡¯re having fish burgers and boiled vegetables today.¡± ¡°I see. We didn¡¯t find anything either, so let¡¯s dig in. Who do we pay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my treat.¡± They all took their seats. As usual, the boys sat on one side and the girls on the other. Seron and Meg sat in the middle of their respective sofas, and Larry was across from Natalia. Their places were more or less set in stone by this point. The students all prayed and began to eat. Jenny took big bites out of her burger with her tiny mouth. ¡°It is very delicious.¡± Said Meg. ¡°I was cold today, but thank you for boiling tea.¡± ¡°That was Seron.¡± Said Larry. Meg nodded. ¡°Thank you for the tea, Seron. I will enjoy it.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Meg chuckled. Seron closed his eyes, moved nearly to tears. That was when Nick spoke up. ¡°Does anyone here know who this friend of SC Arthur¡¯s might be?¡± No one answered. Nick continued. ¡°I suppose it might be risky to ask that student after all. Then perhaps another person who might know him well? We may very well find a hint to solving this mystery.¡± Jenny, who was once again first to finish eating, replied. ¡°I looked into it. I¡¯ll explain while you eat.¡± Jenny went over to the chair and picked up her notepad from the desk. ¡°Arthur Sears, born on the 19th day of the second month of the year 3288. Age 17, president of the drama club. Fifth-year student, never held back. Narrowly gets excellent grades. Enjoys theatre, film, canoeing, skiing, cycling, and cricket. His favorite food is kidney pie. Favorite drink is ginger ale.¡± Jenny recited. ¡°How did you get all that information?¡± Larry exclaimed. ¡°I asked a senior-classman yesterday. I can¡¯t say who it was, but my informant is a big fan of our activities.¡± ¡°So you even have an intelligence network. I¡¯m impressed, Jenny.¡± ¡°Well we are the newspaper club.¡± ¡°Right. What else?¡± ¡°His family runs Sears Patisserie, which has a 189-year history. Have you ever heard of them, Megmica?¡± Meg responded with a carrot stuck on the end of her fork. ¡°Yes, I do know Sears Patisserie. Guests gifted Sears cakes to our home, and I have eaten them several times. They brought chocolate cakes, but the cakes were not too sweet and very delicious.¡± She then popped the carrot into her mouth and chewed. Jenny looked at Meg¡ªhappy as she could be¡ªand Seron¡ªblankly but happily watching her¡ªand continued. ¡°His home address is the same as Sears Patisserie¡ª3 Ninth Street. He has a grandmother aged 69, a father aged 41, and a mother aged 45. His father is a patissier who married into the family. SC Arthur has a sister two years his senior, who chose not to inherit and instead works as a newbie fashion designer at Epstein. His younger sister is 13 years old and currently attends a specialty school for patissiers. SC Sears attended Eliza Knox Memorial Primary School near his home, and received top marks all six years. In fifth year he took second place in the primary school division of the Capital District Cross-Country Ski Competition. And he graduated as valedictorian. At the graduation speech, he said his dream was to become a respectable adult who would take over the family business and pass it on to the next generation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of personal info. Your fan tell you all that?¡± Natalia asked, taking a bite out of her burger. ¡°No. I called the Sears marketing department and the primary school this morning.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised they told you all that.¡± ¡°I told them that the 4th Capital Secondary School¡¯s ¡®official¡¯ newspaper club was doing a story on the drama club. You know how their president last year was scouted by the Confederation Theatre Troupe? I just told them that people have been curious about the drama club since then.¡± ¡°What the heck¡¯s the Confederation Theater Troupe?¡± Jenny explained how former president Joshua Dennis had been scouted and Arthur was suddenly thrust into his position. ¡°Hm¡­ I see. So he wasn¡¯t actually supposed to be the president.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°It is a strange custom of Roxche.¡± Meg said gravely. Natalia quickly corrected her, saying this was an unusual case even in the East. ¡°Seron and I didn¡¯t know any of this until SC Arthur told us in person. You¡¯re pretty good, president!¡± Larry exclaimed. Jenny grinned. ¡°It¡¯s easy to write about people who¡¯ve left school.¡± She explained. ¡°I was actually planning to say he¡¯d left because the school was haunted, but there were so many ghost-related stories I decided not to run it.¡± ¡°I take back what I just said.¡± ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all for Arthur Sears. Next is Sophia Ulericks. I don¡¯t have as much info on her, since I didn¡¯t have much time and we can always ask her in person. Vice-president of the drama club, fifth-year. Her family runs Ulericks Real Estate, which has its head office on Sarcey Avenue. It wasn¡¯t hard to find, since her family name¡¯s pretty uncommon. I had my personal driver check out the place, pretending to look for a room, and apparently the father told him a bunch of things when he heard about me. Sophia¡¯s an only child, and her parents doted on her. Apparently she wants to become a lawyer, but her father hopes she¡¯ll get married straight out of school and doesn¡¯t mind if she doesn¡¯t join the workforce.¡± ¡°We can help her to be married!¡± Meg suddenly cried. ¡°You¡¯re quite the romantic, Megmica.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°It is cool! I hope that this will definitely succeed! We can do this! Do our best! Hyah!¡± Meg clenched her hands and held them up like a child. Her pigtails shook. ¡°And one last thing of note. This is important.¡± ¡°What might that be?¡± The other students had finished eating. All eyes were on Jenny. ¡°Sophia Ulericks was born on the 13th of the seventh month in the year 3288. In other words, her birthday¡¯s the day after tomorrow. The last day of the practice camp.¡± ¡°I see. Now I understand.¡± Seron said. ¡°Huh?¡± Larry intoned, still in the dark. ¡°So that¡¯s why she¡¯s so intent on confessing to him on the final day.¡± Nick spelled things out for Larry. ¡°It¡¯s a birthday gift to herself.¡± Natalia chimed in. ¡°And she¡¯s trying to work up the courage to say it. She must really like him.¡± Meg applauded. ¡°It is wonderful! Her love is great! Then on her birthday, we will gift her a boyfriend!¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s only if our investigation gets anywhere in the next two days.¡± Jenny said, closing her notepad. ¡°We will work more hard! Yes! It is a little¡ªno, a large amount different than Mr. Hartnett¡¯s words, but we can help someone who needs help!¡± ¡°Looks like you¡¯re all fired up.¡± Natalia grinned. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll all have to kick things up a notch.¡± Natalia referred to everyone, but looked directly at Larry. Larry nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right! Seron, it¡¯s all on us. I¡¯ll do all the heavy lifting, so you take care of anything that needs brainpower!¡± He slapped Seron on the shoulder. ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Seron replied, and looked forward again¡ª ¡°I will trust you alone, Seron! Work hard, Seron!¡± The girl before him beamed. He was instantly energized. ¡°¡­Right! I¡¯ll find the answer to this mystery!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be young.¡± Jenny muttered like an old woman. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s go over this again. What is the 50th bee? Just toss out some ideas.¡± Seron agreed. ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter how stupid you think it might sound. I want to examine this case from every angle. The meaning doesn¡¯t even have to match up with the meanings of the words ¡®50th bee¡¯.¡± Seron agreed. ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter how stupid you think it might sound. I want to examine this case from every angle. The meaning doesn¡¯t even have to match up with the meanings of the words ¡®50th bee¡¯.¡± ¡°May I begin? I had been struggling with an idea for some time now.¡± Nick said, raising a hand. Jenny nodded, opening her notepad and picking up a pen. ¡°I personally find this quite unlikely, but¡­¡± Unusually enough, Nick trailed off mid-sentence. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Nick. We want as many opinions as possible.¡± Said Seron. ¡°I suppose so. It occurred to me that SC Arthur may be involved in something of the unsavory sort.¡± Nick said without blinking. The others gaped. ¡°SC Arthur? No way, he wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± Larry began, but he cut himself off. ¡°Sorry, Nick. I¡¯ll let you finish.¡± The others looked at Nick as well. He continued. ¡°This has nothing to do with Mr. Hartnett¡¯s proposal the other day, but there are individuals in this very school who are involved in some shady business. Those who bully junior-classmen during club activities, extort others, or use their student status in order to hide illegal dealings. I doubt there are many in this school, but the number is above zero. They are simply hidden below the surface. After all, everyone is bound to have secrets. And in SC Arthur¡¯s case, perhaps his secret happens to be a somewhat¡ªno, a very dangerous one. One that is potentially illegal.¡± It was jarring to hear such words from such a beautiful face. ¡°Perhaps this was why he created a code word? This object he seeks might be something alcoholic. Stores would never sell to minors like us, but perhaps he has a friend whose parents run a liquor business and circulates products among them. Perhaps the 50th bee refers to a liquor that SC Arthur is desperate to get his hands on. Naturally, this is only an example. You could substitute ¡®liquor¡¯ with ¡®tobacco¡¯ or ¡®drugs¡¯ in this scenario.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s a possibility, yes. ¡®Want to sell your own parents for¡¯¡­ ¡®fifth-years now¡¯¡­¡± Seron recounted Sophia¡¯s testimony. ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Jenny and Natalia also nodded. But Larry was completely unconvinced. He pouted in silence. ¡°What can happen in this case?¡± Asked Meg. ¡°Perhaps something terrible, should we choose to uncover the mystery.¡± Nick replied. ¡°I¡­ I suppose that is right.¡± ¡°Confessing to SC Arthur would become the least of SC Sophia¡¯s problems by that point. I highly doubt she would procure something illegal to give as a gift, especially as she wishes to become a lawyer. And what will happen to the fall performance if the club president is punished? In the worst-case scenario, we may require Mr. Hartnett¡¯s assistance once more.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± Larry said. ¡°That is all for my speculation. But I would like to add that I doubt SC Arthur would do such a thing. He is an honest and upstanding student. The possibility is not zero, however, and we should be prepared for the worst as well.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Jenny said, looking up from her notes. ¡°That was an interesting suggestion. You, Seron?¡± ¡°To be honest, I never considered the possibility. I¡¯ll keep it in mind, just in case.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Having darkened the atmosphere in one fell swoop, Nick placed a hand over his chest and took a bow. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear another opinion.¡± Said Seron. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Larry replied. All eyes turned to him. ¡°Hate to say it, but I¡¯m not as clever as the rest of you. So decided to go simple and thought maybe the 50th bee was the name of a role.¡± Larry stopped there. Jenny urged him to continue with a twirl of her pen. ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°As far as I know, SC Arthur¡¯s a hardworking guy. In both school and drama. A senior-classman from my military sciences course introduced him to me over lunch, and he couldn¡¯t be any more honest and upstanding if he tried. So I don¡¯t think the 50th bee is anything bad. Seron and Nick already heard, but SC Arthur¡¯s not going to become an actor, even though he loves theater. He¡¯s going to attend university and graduate school to study management. That means he can only act while he¡¯s in secondary school. Did I get that right, Seron?¡± ¡°Yeah. He might join a drama club in university, but he says he wants to study management and take over the family business.¡± ¡°Then maybe what SC Arthur wants so badly is a role called the ¡®50th bee¡¯. I don¡¯t know much about plays, though. Has anyone ever heard of a role like that? It might be a really minor character, but we might turn up something if we looked into it. That¡¯s all for my suggestion.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Maybe that is right.¡± Meg chirped. Jenny, however, disagreed. ¡°Sorry, Larry. But I think that¡¯s even less likely than Nick¡¯s scenario.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Seron nodded reluctantly. ¡°It¡¯s cool, Seron. Tell me why.¡± Larry said. ¡°All right. It¡¯s not completely impossible, but if it has something to do with theater I think SC Sophia would have figured it out by now.¡± ¡°Ah! Makes sense. You¡¯re right. This is why I don¡¯t do mysteries.¡± Larry said brightly. ¡°Next?¡± ¡°Er¡­ may I speak?¡± Meg asked, raising her slender arm. ¡°Sure! So right ahead.¡± Jenny pointed her pen at Meg. ¡°Yes. I thought that I could find an answer among things I know. So I thought that the sound ¡®50th bee¡¯ might sound like Bezelese. There are not many people whose Bezelese speaking is possible, but I was very surprised to hear Jenny and Mr. Hartnett, you see. I think SC Arthur may have also took the class.¡± ¡°I see. So does it sound like anything?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Yes, it sounds like several things. It was embarrassed so I wanted to tell Jenny alone later, but this is a good chance so I will now.¡± ¡°All right. Tell us.¡± Said Jenny. ¡°Sorry to butt in.¡± Larry said suddenly. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t Jenny have noticed if it really were in Bezelese?¡± ¡°My Bezelese isn¡¯t that good. And besides¡ªtell ¡®em, Megmica.¡± Jenny deferred to Meg, who seemed to have something to say. All eyes were on Meg again. ¡°Yes. There is a reason. There are many different Bezelese.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Larry raised an eyebrow. Meg explained. ¡°Er¡­ you see, no matter in what country you go in Roxche, Roxchean sounds almost the same, yes?¡± Nick elbowed Seron. He jumped into the conversation. ¡°Yeah. Roxchean was created so it would be intelligible anywhere in Roxche, from Casna in the east to Iks in the west. We¡¯re strictly forbidden to change pronunciations and meanings without reason.¡± ¡°But Bezelese is completely different. Bezelese is Sou Be-Il¡¯s common language, but in different places Bezelese is different. What is the word? Er¡­ dialogue? Dialep? Dialek?¡± ¡°Hm? You mean ¡®dialect¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes! That is the right word! Thank you, Natalia. In Sou Be-Il, there are many Bezelese dialects. In Sfrestus the capital, the royals and nobles use ¡®proper Bezelese speaking¡¯. It is the most elegant and most beautiful Bezelese. My friend Lillia speaks proper Bezelese speaking, so I was very shocked. Because I have a dialect.¡± ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what you meant. I was wondering what you were saying earlier.¡± Natalia said, recalling their conversation from four days ago. ¡°Yes. That is right. And when you leave Sfrestus and the dialect changes, sometimes the word will hear the same sound but the meaning is completely different. In one sentence, there are many different Bezelese.¡± ¡°Which is why even I can¡¯t possibly know all the words it might sound like.¡± Said Jenny. ¡°The dictionary I use only records Sfrestus-style Bezelese.¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°Then you mean there are words in different dialects of Bezelese that sound similar to ¡®50th bee¡¯?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Yes. There are many words. Let me start¡­¡± Meg trailed off. She pulled out an envelope from her uniform pocket. It was folded neatly in half. When Meg unfolded it, her name and address, along with a stamp, came into view. ¡°You addressed it to yourself?¡± Natalia remarked. ¡°Yes. There is my letter inside, where I wrote the Roxchean meanings I found in the dictionary. Please wait a minute. I will open it.¡± Meg began to tear open the sealed envelope. ¡°Why did you bring it in an envelope?¡± Asked Nick. The answer came from Seron. ¡°The words you found must have been¡­ unusual. You wrote them down for reference, but you didn¡¯t want anyone to accidentally find it and look inside.¡± ¡°Yes, you are right.¡± Meg said mid-tear. ¡°In this way, this letter will come back to me even if I drop it on the floor.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Nick, Natalia, and Larry were impressed. Meg shyly pulled out the contents of the envelope. But she did not read it. ¡°I am sorry¡­ I hope someone will read this¡­¡± ¡°Then leave it to Larry.¡± Jenny said without missing a beat. ¡°Larry? From now on, you¡¯re the newspaper club¡¯s head of public relations.¡± ¡°What the heck? Fine. Give it here, Megmica.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ please read it.¡± Larry unfolded the sheet of paper and scanned the page. ¡°Okay. First, ¡®bomb explosion¡¯.¡± ¡°Okay. First, ¡®bomb explosion¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes. They are the most similar words. It is sometimes used to simply say ¡®bomb¡¯ shortly.¡± Meg explained. Seron nodded in understanding. ¡°But¡­ a bomb? I dunno.¡± Natalia said dubiously. ¡°Perhaps SC Arthur is a terrorist bent on the collapse of Roxche?¡± Nick suggested in jest. ¡°And perhaps his friend happens to be a comrade in his cause.¡± ¡°As if, man! Next¡­ ¡®for pregnant women¡¯. What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Er¡­ to example, ¡®this insurance is for pregnant women¡¯. This is what it sounds like in that sentence.¡± Meg explained, growing even more quiet. ¡°But I suppose this is wrong.¡± Natalia sighed. There was a moment of silence. Nick finally spoke up. ¡°Perhaps SC Arthur got someone¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not go there, Nick!¡± Larry said quickly. Nick nodded. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not likely. Please, continue.¡± ¡°Right. ¡®Stupid stupid!¡¯.¡± Rather than explain, Meg personally shot down the suggestion. ¡°I do not think it is right. They are words that children say in anger.¡± ¡°All right. Next. ¡­¡®Inebriated¡¯.¡± Silence again. Natalia spoke. ¡°So it¡¯s alcohol after all? Does SC Arthur secretly want to get completely and utterly hammered?¡± Five seconds of silence followed. Larry waited for more reactions before reading the next item. ¡°Next is ¡®sea cucumber¡¯. Used in regions where sea cucumbers are eaten.¡± Larry did not wait this time. ¡°Next is ¡®hairy caterpillar¡¯. Same idea as ¡®sea cucumber¡¯.¡± Again, there were no reactions. ¡°Last one, guys. ¡­Huh? Hm? Ah, I get it. Ahem. ¡®Open brackets. A derogatory word reserved for young women. Has a worse meaning than ¡®prostitute¡¯ or ¡®promiscuous woman¡¯. Used in the southwestern coastal areas of Sou Be-Il. Cannot be used on radio or TV. If used by a politician, public resignation is guaranteed. Rarely used to refer to men, in which case it becomes more insulting. End brackets¡¯.¡± ¡°I am sorry. I am sorry. It is a very, very awful word.¡± Meg shrank apologetically. ¡°What do you think, Seron?¡± Asked Jenny. ¡°I hate to say it, but I don¡¯t think any of these are likely.¡± ¡°I suppose that is right. I think so as well.¡± Meg shrank even more. ¡°I am sorry¡­ I have wasted everyone¡¯s times.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Seron said immediately. Meg looked up. Seron¡¯s grey eyes and Meg¡¯s black eyes met. ¡°You did a great job, Megmica. Now we at least know that the 50th bee doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Bezelese. Thank you.¡± ¡°Ah! Thank you, Seron!¡± Larry folded the sheet of paper with a smile, his eyes on the beaming Meg and the stunned Seron. ¡°All right, who¡¯s next? Natalia?¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°I think the 50th bee might not be code for something else.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Larry intoned. Seron furrowed his brow. ¡°That certainly is an original suggestion. So what do you propose?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°Maybe he just used an uncommon word like it was a common one. There¡¯s a lot of musical terms you¡¯d never get unless you studied. Anyone know what sul ponticello is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Not a clue, I¡¯m afraid.¡± The boys shook their heads. ¡°I do not know either.¡± Said Meg. ¡°Is this a Roxchean word?¡± ¡°The pronunciation doesn¡¯t sound Roxchean.¡± Jenny replied. ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a violin technique. When you play sul ponticello, it means you¡¯re playing with the bow close to the bridge. ¡ªThe bridge is the piece that supports the strings, FYI. If you play it like this, it sounds rough and metallic. Now sul ponticello is a really old term, but normally people just shorten it to sul-pon. ¡®He says I have to play sul-pon¡¯. ¡®She goes completely sul-pon when she¡¯s mad¡¯. In which case it means she sounds like nails on chalkboard.¡± The others were impressed. Natalia adjusted her glasses. ¡°So I thought SC Arthur might have used some sort of obscure jargon in a normal setting. I¡¯m even more sure now that I know SC Arthur has a lot of hobbies. He wasn¡¯t trying to hide anything in the conversation. Maybe ¡®50th bee¡¯ is some technical term, or something that sounded similar to SC Sophia, who doesn¡¯t know what it is. I¡¯d say the second option¡¯s more likely.¡± ¡°I see. Makes a lot of sense. There¡¯s a lot of military jargon we use all the time, but not a lot of people understand them.¡± Larry said. ¡°That is incredible. I did not think that way at all.¡± Meg greed. ¡°C¡¯mon. It¡¯s just a possibility.¡± Natalia said, embarrassed. Jenny stopped taking notes and pointed at Seron. ¡°Well? Any comments?¡± ¡°None.¡± seron said cooly. Jenny grinned. ¡°I heard you knew a lot about everything. Must be frustrating to hear there¡¯s a word even you haven¡¯t heard of.¡± Seron remained silent for a time. He was as good as acknowledging Jenny¡¯s jab. Soon, he looked up at the wall clock. ¡°Lunchtime¡¯s almost over. There¡¯s no guarantee we can come back here in the evening, which means we won¡¯t be able to meet until tomorrow at lunchtime.¡± Everyone but Jenny was shocked to see so much time had passed. ¡°I want the girls to keep researching at home. Jenny, I want you to look into newly-coined words.¡± Everyone nodded. Seron continued. ¡°Nick, report to SC Sophia. Be honest with her and say we haven¡¯t found out yet.¡± ¡°Of course. When would be the best time, do you think? Before or after afternoon practice? It might put her at ease to tell her earlier, but I suppose that also may make her worry even more.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Just be tactful and try to read the atmosphere. Also, make sure to tell her we¡¯re still on the case.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°What about us?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°I¡¯m going to look more into technical terms.¡± ¡°And how¡¯re you gonna do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sign out books from the library. I¡¯ll ask Mr. Jobs to open up the library after practice. I¡¯ll bring the encyclopedia set and books related to the history and rules of the sports SC Arthur enjoys back to our room.¡± ¡°Wait, you mean those huge encyclopedias? And all the sports-related books? That¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Which is why I need your help. We¡¯ll probably need a hand cart if we want to carry everything from the library to the dorms.¡± ¡°All right! That¡¯ll be my workout for the day. But what are you gonna look for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll read all the books and look for anything pronounced like ¡®50th bee¡¯, or something similar. Or anything that might be shortened to it. I¡¯ll have to look hard.¡± ¡°Man¡­ that¡¯s gonna be rough.¡± ¡°Yeah. But one all-nighter¡¯s not gonna kill me.¡± Seron said, smiling for once. ¡°It will be hard work, but do your best! We will gift SC Sophia her boyfriend!¡± Seron heard Meg¡¯s voice from across the table. His nodded, returning to his usual stoic look. ¡°Then let me help! I¡¯m real good at pulling all-nighters!¡± Larry cried. But Seron shook his head. ¡°No, Larry. We need at least one of us to be able to help out at the drama club tomorrow. And even I¡¯ll have a tough time reading through all these books, so this will be more efficient.¡± ¡°I see. I guess I might end up getting in your way. All right, I leave this to you.¡± ¡°And if you and Nick could try and talk to SC Arthur¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah! We¡¯ll keep an eye out¡ª¡± ¡°And we will try to ask him in person.¡± Larry and Nick replied. Seron nodded. ¡°Dismissed. Everyone, we¡¯ll meet back here tomorrow at lunchtime.¡± ----- Volume 3 4 — Seron’s Dream Volume 3 Chapter 4: Seron¡¯s Dream ----- The five students made their way through the worsening rain and returned to the gymnasium. Seron went in with Larry and Nick, and Natalia and Meg followed separately. Afternoon practice grew heated and even stricter. They stopped for a break halfway through and finally finished much later than the usual dismissal time. The orchestra and the chorus club left ahead. Natalia and Meg gestured to Seron and Larry to do their best as they disappeared into the evening rain. Once the drama club was dismissed, Seron and Larry hurried to the faculty office without Nick. And on the way, ¡°Say, Seron.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I wonder what happened to Mr. Murdoch.¡± ¡°Hm. I was so happy about Megmica that I¡¯d completely forgotten. I¡¯m curious too. Maybe Jenny heard something from Mr. Hartnett?¡± ¡°Makes sense. I should ask her sometime.¡± They entered the office. Mr. Jobs from the social studies department was on duty. He was a man in his late thirties, who mainly taught geography. Poor Mr. Jobs had been torn from his long summer vacation and back to work, left to read alone in the large office. He was tall with a slender build and wore round glasses. Ever indifferent, he showed no qualms about Seron¡¯s request. ¡°You want to use the library? Sure. But you won¡¯t have a lot of time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to be reading inside, sir. I¡¯d like to check out some of the books. There¡¯s something I simply have to look into. I¡¯d also like to borrow the encyclopedia set for one night. May I take them back to my dorm room?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ You need the librarian¡¯s permission to check out the encyclopedias, but there¡¯s no one there right now. ¡­Well, you¡¯re an honor student. I suppose I could give you permission.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jobs!¡± The library was a large building separate from the others, and was home to a massive number of books. Luckily for Seron and Larry, it was close to the dormitories and was connected to it by a roofed walkway. The library was practically Seron¡¯s second room. If he wasn¡¯t in the dorms, he was bound to be here. Seron and Larry stepped in through the door Mr. Jobs unlocked. ¡°Next.¡± Seron knew where almost everything was. He quickly picked up the books he needed and loaded them into the cart Larry was pushing. By the time he was done, two whole carts had been filled. ¡°That¡¯s quite the load you¡¯re taking along. Do be careful on the way back.¡± Mr. Jobs said as he locked up and left. The carts were so heavy that Seron and Larry had to push one cart together across the walkway, then come back for the other. And once they were at the dormitory building, they were faced with the task of carrying the books all the way up to the third floor. Seron reached for the encyclopedias. ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll take care of this.¡± Larry said. ¡°I¡¯ll carry the books upstairs, so you watch the carts.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a long night ahead of you, buddy. You¡¯ll need all your strength. I¡¯m just doing what I can to help.¡± ¡°¡­All right. Thanks, Larry.¡± ¡°Just leave it to me!¡± Larry hefted as many books as he could into his arms and slowly made his way up the stairs. Then he ran back to the cart and carried yet another armful of books upstairs. Several repetitions later, Larry¡¯s T-shirt was drenched. ¡°I¡¯m still good to go!¡± He said nevertheless, putting on his usual smile. Seron stood by the carts, watching Larry make the trip again and again. Once the books were in their room, Seron and Larry took a quick bath and went to the cafeteria for dinner. When they stepped inside, they spotted Nick eating next to Arthur¡ªseparate from the rest of the drama club. They were talking about something, gesturing often. Nick noticed Larry and Seron, but continued the conversation. ¡°Looks like he¡¯s on a roll.¡± ¡°We can leave SC Arthur to Nick.¡± Larry and Seron remarked, sitting down even further from the rest of the club. For dinner they had a choice between beefsteak patties with vegetables or spaghetti in white sauce. Seron and Larry elected for the latter. ¡°Seron, you¡¯re gonna pull an all-nighter?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably.¡± ¡°Got anything to chow down on overnight?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be nice if I did.¡± ¡°Hold on a sec.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Be right back.¡± Larry took off and grabbed two hot dog buns from the all-you-can-eat buns section. He also picked out two beefsteak patties and some vegetables, cheese, and seasonings from the salad bar. Then he cut the buns in half, spread butter on the inside, and toasted them quickly before inserting the patties in halves and the vegetables. ¡°There. Here¡¯s your Hepburn-style sandwiches!¡± Larry carefully wrapped up the sandwiches in the bags the hot dog buns came in, separately from the cheese. ¡°Snack on these if you get hungry. Just put the cheese inside and warm ¡®em up back here in the cafeteria.¡± ¡°Thanks, Larry. I really appreciate it.¡± Seron said, receiving the sandwiches. Larry grinned. ¡°That looks scrumptious. Have you got any for me?¡± Nick asked, approaching their table. Seron and Larry looked up to see that Arthur was leaving the cafeteria. The other drama club members were nowhere to be seen. ¡°Anything?¡± Larry asked as Nick sat next to him. Nick shook his head. ¡°We had a wonderful conversation about theater.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Larry was disappointed. Seron remained as stoic as ever. ¡°But something did seem strange to me. Permit me to discuss this here, as the drama club is gone and this may be urgent.¡± Nick said, lowering his voice. Seron and Larry gave him their full attention. ¡°Just now, the topic of my birthday happened to come up. So I took the chance to ask SC Arthur if he knew that SC Sophia¡¯s birthday was the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good going, Nick!¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It seems that he was aware of the fact. ¡®I want to do something for her, but I¡¯m a bit too busy right now,¡¯ he said to me. Not a particularly insightful answer. It seems the drama club is planning a celebration for her at the afterparty. In any case, I pursued the topic further and asked SC Arthur what he wanted for his own birthday¡ªif he had something he truly wanted.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Well, that was the curious part.¡± Nick said gravely. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°How would you two answer?¡± Nick asked. ¡°If I could ask for anything? A motorcycle or a car.¡± ¡°Books. Or a bookstore gift card.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s generally how people would answer that question.¡± ¡°Then you mean¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Seron. SC Arthur began to speak faster, his attitude changing. ¡®N-nothing,¡¯ he said to me. And that was the end of it. I¡¯d never seen him so flustered.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Larry groaned. Seron thought in silence. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be¡­¡± Nick began. Larry knew what he was thinking. ¡°You want to say that your guess back in the office might have been right.¡± ¡°Yes. What do you think, Seron?¡± ¡°It¡¯s looking more likely.¡± ¡°I see. Then what is our course of action?¡± ¡°Pray that I¡¯ll find the answer in the library books tonight.¡± ¡°I understand. That¡¯s all for my report.¡± * * * ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get started.¡± Seron was sitting at his desk in the dorm room. On the desk was a brand-new notebook and pens and pencils. Around the desk were piles upon piles of books. The encyclopedias had been spread all around the room because they were so heavy that they made the floor squeak underneath. There was also a T-shirt under each pile of books to keep them clean. ¡°Good luck!¡± Larry cheered, climbing into his bed and getting ready to sleep. It wasn¡¯t yet bedtime, but Larry pulled his sheets over himself. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep early and get up early. Wake me up at sunrise.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Seron replied. Larry closed his eyes and put a towel over his eyelids. And with surprising promptness, he began to snore softly. Seron turned back to his desk. ¡°All right.¡± He opened up ¡®Canoeing for Beginners¡¯. * * * The twelfth day of the 7th month. It was before dawn on the morning of the sixth day of the practice camp. The first thing Larry saw when he opened his eyes was the ceiling, lit dimly by the morning sun. The next thing he saw was the pile of books stacked near the foot of his bed. The next thing he saw was Seron, sitting at the desk in the same position as the one Larry had seen him in the night before. A thick book was spread on the desk before Seron. His hand quietly turned the page. ¡°Hey, Seron. I¡¯m awake now¡­¡± Larry said, half-asleep. ¡°Morning already¡­?¡± Seron replied, slowly turning around. ¡°Huh?¡± The face that greeted Larry had red eyes with dark circles underneath. It was almost ghostlike. ¡°Hey¡­ you all right, buddy?¡± Larry asked, completely awake. Seron lightly tilted his head and replied in a half-moan. ¡°I dunno. But that¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°Wh-what in¡ª? Is that you, Seron?¡± That was the first thing Nick asked when he approached the table and Seron turned to look at him. ¡°Yeah¡­ I think so. Morning.¡± Seron replied lethargically. Nick sat across from him. ¡°You certainly don¡¯t appear to be the same Seron as the one I met yesterday. I¡¯d heard you stayed up all through the night. Are you feeling all right?¡± ¡°My eyes hurt a bit¡­ my throat feels kind of dry. I have a slight headache¡­ but I¡¯ll be fine once I have some food. Larry¡¯s midnight snack was a big help too.¡± Seron replied, mechanically shoveling cereal into his mouth. ¡°Seron, you seem to my eyes more corpse than man. ¡ªLarry?¡± Nick turned, giving Larry a pointed look. Larry shook his head. ¡°Gimme a break, Nick. I tried to stop him. More than once, too. I woke up at dawn, but Seron wouldn¡¯t stop reading for hours after. He was glued to the books until just before we came down to the cafeteria.¡± ¡°¡­And did you find anything, Seron?¡± ¡°I made it through the encyclopedias and the rulebooks, but I didn¡¯t find anything. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I still have more books to go. Biographies of famous athletes, international competition records, stuff like that to look over until afternoon. Sorry Larry, but you go to practice without me. I¡¯ll join you in the afternoon¡­¡± Nick gave up on trying to convince Seron. He stood without even touching his breakfast. ¡°Larry, may I have a word?¡± ¡°Sure. Take you time, Seron. And make sure to have some fruit too!¡± Nick and Larry walked away from Seron, who continued to scoop food into his mouth. They stopped by the cafeteria wall and quietly whispered to one another. ¡°What a terrible state. He looks like a dead man walking. I wasn¡¯t aware that Seron had a doppelganger.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he took a single break overnight. He even had the sandwiches cold in our room.¡± ¡°This is too much. Staying up a single night should not tire anyone out to that extent. We must make him rest today.¡± ¡°You think I haven¡¯t tried? I said I¡¯d go to practice alone and he could get some sleep, but he won¡¯t listen. He wouldn¡¯t listen at all.¡± ¡°Then it seems that he is intent on continuing until the afternoon. Even if he finishes early, he may return to the library for more books. He could easily drive himself to unconsciousness.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ So this is what happens when a hardworking guy with a long attention span gets to work, huh.¡± ¡°This is no time to be impressed, Larry.¡± Nick sighed. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Nick¡¯s green eyes looked into Larry¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°After breakfast, we will take Seron to the newspaper club office, telling him we should report to Jenny before practice. We have no idea what he may do if we leave him in the dorm room with the books.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Larry nodded. ¡°But what¡¯re we supposed to do then? Seron¡¯s gonna insist on coming back. We can¡¯t exactly knock him out.¡± ¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures. There is a Dezer Pharmaceuticals first-aid kit in the office, yes? It should contain headache pills. We will have Seron take the medicine.¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah, that does put you right to sleep. But Seron would never take it in a million years.¡± Larry pointed out. ¡°That will not be a problem.¡± Nick said with an elegant smile. ¡°We can simply break it apart and put it in his tea.¡± * * * * * * ¡°It was an emergency. We didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± Larry sighed, looking up at the sky. He was sitting on a bench on the rooftop of the building that housed the club office. The concrete floor was still wet in places. Next to him was Nick, and three girls in uniform. The newspaper club members sans Seron were eating lunch on the rooftop. The sky was a clear blue, and there was a gentle breeze in the air. ¡°You spiked his tea?! That¡¯s pure evil, Nicholas Browning. I approve.¡± Natalia nodded. She had gobbled down her hot ham & cheese & truffle sandwich, and was opening up a second one. ¡°Thank you.¡± Nick replied. Larry sighed. ¡°What¡¯s up, shortie?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°I just¡­ I¡¯m such a loser. I¡¯m supposed to be his friend. I should have stopped him before he went to far.¡± ¡°Like we didn¡¯t know that.¡± Natalia agreed firmly. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± Larry looked up at the sky with a bitter smile. ¡°Look, Larry Hepburn. You¡¯re only 15. It¡¯s okay as long as you don¡¯t make the same mistake with your subordinates when you¡¯re 25.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah! You¡¯re right.¡± Larry grinned, and dug into his sandwich with gusto. ¡°If that is the case, is Seron now sleeping?¡± Meg asked. She had only taken a couple of bites of her food. Jenny, who had wolfed down her sandwich in the blink of an eye, answered. ¡°He crashed mid-sentence the second he had the tea. He¡¯s probably still snoozing on the sofa.¡± ¡°I understand¡­ it is a relief in any case.¡± Meg said weakly. ¡°I bet it¡¯s real comfortable on that pricy sofa. I should try sometime.¡± Natalia commented. Jenny thought for a moment. Then, ¡°I could bring in a bed for the office. But then I¡¯d have to expand the place.¡± ¡°Hey, we don¡¯t need an expansion!¡± Larry cut in. ¡°If we didn¡¯t promise to keep everything a secret, we would have taken Seron to the infirmary by now.¡± He rolled up the empty paper bag from his first sandwich and reached for his second. ¡°Erm! Is it the fault of mine? Because I said to Seron, ¡®do your best¡¯? I pushed Seron so much?¡± Larry froze. He could not bring himself to nod. Instead, he quietly tightened his grip on the paper bag. ¡°Not at all, Megmica. Seron is diligent to begin with; I¡¯m quite certain he would have taken this task upon himself regardless.¡± ¡°Yeah. No one ever tells someone, ¡®that¡¯s enough working hard¡¯, y¡¯know? Don¡¯t let it get to you, Megmica. You gotta save your energy for chorus club; eat up, or you¡¯ll end up like Seron!¡± Nick and Natalia tried to encourage Meg. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Downcast, she returned to her sandwich. ¡°Anything?¡± Jenny asked. And she answered her own question before anyone else could. ¡°I didn¡¯t find a thing. No news so far.¡± Everyone was silent. Jenny understood. ¡°I see. Looks like we might not be able to finish the mission in time. Nick, did you get any new info from the client?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t. We¡¯ve both been completely focused on practice over the past two days¡ªit¡¯s a very important performance, and SC Arthur and SC Sophia have many more lines and scenes than I do.¡± ¡°I see. Could you tell her to come to the office after practice today?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make sure she comes, even if she has to have dinner late.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m going to leave campus for a bit today.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Larry nodded. ¡°Leave the rest to us. Good luck.¡± Natalia asked where Jenny was going. Nick responded. ¡°The Grand Theatre, where the Confederation Theatre Troupe is. Jenny made an appointment last night to interview the former drama club president there.¡± ¡°I get it! So that¡¯s why you¡¯re in uniform. Good going, president.¡± Natalia said, impressed. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Seron.¡± Said Larry. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be up by dinnertime. I¡¯ll explain the situation to him and make sure he gets something to eat.¡± Quietly, Meg sat frozen with her gaze on her half-eaten sandwich. She looked up. ¡°Please excuse me! I will!¡± ¡°Huh? What is it, Megmica?¡± ¡°I will stay in the office, Larry. I will look over Seron. You are to help at the practice, Larry. You were so busy in the morning, you told me. So don¡¯t be hooky. Ms. Krantz will say, ¡®I can¡¯t believe all two helpers are resting!¡¯.¡± Larry¡¯s jaw hit the floor. Natalia, Nick, and Jenny maintained silence. Meg looked around at them all. ¡°Please leave it to me! I may look like this, but I have two younger brothers!¡± She declared. ¡°Er¡­ well then¡­¡± Larry stammered looking around tentatively. ¡°I guess¡­ it¡¯s up to you, Meg?¡± No one objected. After lunch break, Jenny set off with a large single-lens reflex camera. Natalia, who had made a good impression on the rest of the chorus club, volunteered to explain the situation to them. And Meg headed to the office. ¡°Take good care of him, Megmica. If the blanket slips off, pull it back over him.¡± ¡°Please take care of Seron. Perhaps wipe his forehead if he begins sweating.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far. Just make sure to clock him over the head if he decides to get back to work again.¡± Larry, Nick, and Natalia left for the gymnasium, each tossing her a piece of advice. * * * Meg opened the door. And she quietly stepped inside. Seron was asleep on the sofa. Light seeped in through the white lace curtains, filling the office with a faint glow. He was facing up, with a rolled-up blanket under his head and a pink blanket covering his body. It was slipping off. Meg closed the door, tiptoed her way over, and stared into Seron¡¯s face. The dark circles under his eyes had grown fainter, but were still visible. Meg sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Seron. I know everyone was just trying to be nice, but I could see it in Larry¡¯s eyes. It¡¯s my fault.¡± She said, slowly taking a seat and pulling the blanket up to Seron¡¯s chest. ¡°So I¡¯ll take care of you while you rest. Sleep well.¡± Meg smiled at Seron¡¯s sleeping face. Then, she walked around the coffee table and sat at her usual seat on the opposite sofa with a long sigh. When Meg stopped moving, the room was silent. The ticking clock grew louder and louder, overlapping with the sound of Seron¡¯s breathing. ¡°What a comfortable sound¡­¡± Meg lost herself in the ambience¡ª She closed her eyes, and did not open them for a long time. Meg was asleep. * * * * * * The gymnasium. ¡°Here¡¯s your tea, everyone! Grab a cup and get in line!¡± The orchestra club was on break. Larry handed out empty cups to the members with a smile on his face. Natalia reached out her hand. ¡°Here, Lia.¡± ¡°You call that customer service? Do I not deserve a smile just like the rest of the orchestra?¡± ¡°Never mind. Just take it already.¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡± That was when someone came up to them. Larry and Natalia noticed simultaneously and shot her cautious looks. ¡°Have I done something illegal, now?¡± Standing there was the golden-haired empress of the orchestra club, Lena Portman. ¡°N-not at all, SC Portman. Here¡¯s your cup.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Portman took the cup with an elegant hand. ¡°I wanted to ask you something.¡± To Larry and Natalia¡¯s surprise, Portman did not leave. In fact, she threw them a question. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s it to you, SC Portman?¡± SC Portman¡¯s response floored them both. ¡°Megmica Strauski from the chorus club was absent, was she not? I heard she felt unwell and went to the infirmary.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Natalia said curiously. Larry frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you and Megmica together after practice over the past few days, Natalia.¡± Portman said plainly, crossing her arms. ¡°You haven¡¯t been keeping her out too late? She¡¯s not ill, is she?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. She¡¯s just feeling a bit anemic.¡± Natalia replied with a ready-made lie. ¡°I see. Then I suppose it¡¯s all right.¡± Portman admitted. She shot Natalia a glare. ¡°Natalia.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Tell her to take care of herself.¡± ¡°Huh? R-right.¡± ¡°It would be a shame if such a lovely voice were to be harmed¡ªit would be a loss for the entire school! Make sure you tell her.¡± ¡°Sure, SC Portman. I¡¯ll tell her you¡¯re worried sick.¡± Natalia grinned. ¡°Wh-! Natalia! You could stand to be less offensive!¡± Larry gaped as Natalia continued her attack. ¡°There you go again, SC Portman. You could just admit that you like Megmica. Everyone knows your bowing gets prettier when we¡¯re playing with the chorus club.¡± ¡°Not at all. That would be my talent shining through.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s arguing your once-in-a-century genius, SC Portman¡ª¡± ¡°E-enough! Just make sure you tell her what I said! Please!¡± ¡°Sure. ¡ªOh right, since you¡¯re probably going to invite her to your house party next time, I¡¯ll tell her in advance for you. When do you suppose it¡¯s gonna be?¡± ¡°Wha¡ª? No! I will not!¡± Portman fumed, walking away in a huff. ¡°She¡¯s an open book.¡± Natalia snickered, watching her leave. ¡°Man¡­¡± Larry sighed, finally breaking his silence. ¡°Anyway, you think they¡¯re gonna be okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, shortie. I doubt either of them would get up to anything.¡± Natalia said with a wink. Larry met her gaze. ¡°I know that. That wasn¡¯t what I meant.¡± * * * The alarm went off. ¡°Oh!¡± Meg looked up, her pigtails swishing. Her eyes opened. And the first thing she saw was Seron, who was slowly getting up. ¡°Oh, have you waken, Seron?¡± But Seron did not answer. With his eyes still shut he slowly sat up and leaned against the back of the sofa. He stretched his legs forward, burying himself in the sofa and going still with his head on the sofa. When Meg realized that he was still asleep, she reached for the blanket that had fallen off him. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t reach. I¡¯m not as tall as Natalia.¡± Because the coffee table was in the way, Meg had to walk around it to pick up the blanket. She stepped away from Seron and lightly shook it off. Then she quietly pulled the blanket over Seron, who still slept. The seats to either side of him were empty. ¡°I will stay awake now. I will look over you well.¡± Meg whispered, taking a seat to his left. And she looked to her right, at Seron¡¯s profiled face. A strand of hair had fallen over his left eye. Meg slowly reached out toward him. And quietly, gingerly, she tucked the strand behind his ear. ¡°Thank goodness¡­¡± The dark circles under Seron¡¯s eye had lightened even more. They were almost gone. ¡°You¡¯re so handsome, Seron. But you won¡¯t be popular with the girls if you go around looking so exhausted.¡± Meg advised with a smile. Like before, she whispered in a language Seron wouldn¡¯t understand even if he were awake. Meg slowly looked around the office. And she let her gaze linger over every last detail. She stared at the sofa she had been sitting on earlier, and the one she was sitting on now¡ªthe exorbitantly expensive 3-seaters that Jenny had brought in. Then she looked at the guitar case on the floor and the two flute cases atop them. Then at the closet and the beautiful photos of the flower beds Jenny had taken, displayed next to it. At the desk and chair, absent of their occupant. The glowing lace curtains. And the slightly-open window and the clear blue sky beyond. ¡°What a strange feeling¡­¡± Meg whispered to herself. Meg whispered to herself. ¡°Right now I¡¯m sitting cross-river, thousands of kilometers from home. Looking up at the sky so far from the land where the princess lives. Even though the sky looks exactly the same here.¡± The sound of a foreign language filled the club office. ¡°Every day, I stumble my way through in broken Roxchean. Every day, I eat delicious Roxchean food. And every day, I have so much fun. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll miss it so much when I go back home someday. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll look back on Seron and the newspaper club like I¡¯ll look back on Lillia and the chorus club.¡± Meg turned her gaze, then, from the sky to the younger boy sleeping next to her. ¡°¡­And I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m alone in a room with such a good-looking boy. The old me would be scandalized if she could see me now.¡± She said, and smiled. The blanket slowly began to slip off of Seron again. ¡°Oh.¡± Meg leaned forward and caught the blanket before it touched the floor. She pulled it up to her chest and sat upright. Seron fell to his left. His hair touched Meg¡¯s slender shoulder. ¡°Hm? Oh¡­¡± Meg gasped, clutching the blanket in her hands. She felt something heavy on her right shoulder. Seron¡¯s head. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meg turned her head to her right and looked into Seron¡¯s face. She asked in Roxchean, ¡°Er¡­ Seron? Are you really awake now?¡± There was no answer. ¡°Er¡­ Do not make the older me angry?¡± There was no answer. ¡°Er¡­ I guess no one¡¯s watching. And the old me certainly isn¡¯t, either. I guess it¡¯s all right.¡± Meg¡¯s eyes narrowed as she pulled the blanket over Seron¡¯s chest with her left hand. She looked forward, letting Seron rest on her shoulder. The light spilling onto Natalia¡¯s flutes slowly shifted away. Time passed in silence. The minute hand began counting down to the next hour. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Seron trembled, exhaling. Meg slowly turned and looked down at Seron¡¯s face. The dark circles were gone and the usual Seron Maxwell was back. But there was an upset look on his face. He was grimacing. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± At times his face twitched and he sighed. ¡°Seron?¡± Meg called to him hesitantly. Seron¡¯s breathing grew harsh as though he were feverish, and his eyes were clearly moving rapidly under his eyelids. And suddenly, he twitched and sat upright. The blanket fell to the floor. ¡°¡­Are you all right, Seron? Is there a fever?¡± Meg reached out towards his forehead¡ª ¡°Ah.¡± Seron opened his eyes. His pupils shrank as light hit his grey eyes. Meg was quick to speak. ¡°Are you all right, Seron? It seemed like you were dreaming a nightmare.¡± Seron slowly turned his head. ¡°!¡± He was face-to-face with Meg, who was trying to look into his face. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He replied quickly. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± He declared. ¡°Are you sure that you are fine? Please do not work too hard.¡± Meg smiled when she heard Seron¡¯s cool voice. ¡°Anyways, it is a relief. Were you not too cold in your sleep? Does your neck itch or your head ache?¡± Seron raised a hand and wiped the sweat from his face. ¡°¡­Yeah. I¡¯m fine. Thank you. I must have dozed off just now¡­ what time is it?¡± ¡°It is almost the time for practice to end.¡± Meg replied. Seron stared, wide-eyed. When his gaze fell on the wall clock, a grave expression rose to his face. ¡°No¡­ I¡ªthis morning, I was supposed to¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Meg cried suddenly. Seron fell silent. Slowly, he turned his gaze from the clock to Meg. Right next to him was Meg¡¯s face, a hint of guilt in her eyes. She opened her mouth to speak. ¡°I am sorry, Seron!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I was like a child to you, Seron. I leaned on you too much. I am sorry if you worked too hard because of me.¡± ¡°¡­No, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± Meg suddenly grew solemn. ¡°But Seron, I wish to tell you one more thing. Please do not work so hard now. You worked too hard yesterday night. So no one woke you up because you fell asleep here.¡± Seron was silent. ¡°You made everyone worry for you. So tell everyone that you are sorry to them. Please do.¡± ¡°¡­All right. I made everyone worry, huh. I¡¯m sorry, Megmica.¡± Seron said, and hung his head. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize to the others too.¡± Seron looked up. Meg was beaming. ¡°Are you not hungry, Seron? Are you not thirsty? We left over some lunch. I will brew the tea now!¡± Seron washed his face at the sink. ¡°Here, please eat this.¡± And he did as Meg told him, eating the now-cold hot sandwich. ¡°And please drink this.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ thanks.¡± And he slowly sipped his tea. Once he had finished his sandwich, Meg poured more tea for him. ¡°As expected, people should not work too hard. Do not work too hard. Please, Seron Maxwell, do not work too hard. Okay?¡± After three repetitions of ¡®do not work too hard¡¯ and an affectionate call of his name¡ª ¡°Oh, right¡­ yes, of course.¡± Seron suddenly found himself acting more polite. ----- Volume 3 5 — A Role Volume 3 Chapter 5: A Role ----- ¡°Hey there, Seron. We finished early today. How¡¯re you feeling?¡± Larry asked, stepping into the office. Seron was deep in thought on the sofa. ¡°A lot better, thanks. I got plenty of rest. Sorry for worrying you.¡± He said, getting to his feet. Larry put on a smile and waved it off. ¡°Seron is all fine now!¡± Meg said, turning her head as she washed the teacups and teapot. ¡°¡­I see. Thanks, Megmica.¡± Larry said, falling into silence as he thought to himself, ¡®It almost looks like I¡¯m visiting a couple of newlyweds!¡¯ and thanked her. ¡°This is good timing, Larry. I will brew tea for everyone. Seven will be enough, yes?¡± Meg smiled, filling the teapot with water. ¡°Awake now, Seron?¡± ¡°Ah, back to the Seron we all know and love.¡± Natalia and Nick remarked as they entered the office. They were soon followed by Sophia. ¡°Hey there.¡± Sophia and Nick sat down and sighed loudly, almost in unison. They exchanged looks and smiled. ¡°That was exhausting. Don¡¯t you agree, SC Sophia?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ but we did such good work today.¡± ¡°I foresee no difficulty for the fall performance. Now we must focus on the other main issue that towers over us.¡± Sophia hung her head weakly, nodding. Eventually, all six of them quietly started on their cups of tea. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± The newspaper club¡¯s president announced her return. Jenny took out some film from her bag and placed it in a paper bag labeled ¡®UNDEVELOPED¡¯. Then she put her camera bag on the desk and pulled out the camera, which she put in the dresser. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Jenny. Here is your cup of tea.¡± Meg said, pouring a cup for Jenny and placing it in front of her on the desk. Then she returned to her seat on the sofa. ¡°Thanks, Megmica.¡± Jenny said, testing the temperature before gulping down her tea. ¡°Huh. This is lukewarm. Did you prepare a cool cup of tea just for me? Because you knew I¡¯d be thirsty?¡± ¡°Yes. That way seemed like the best way. For the second cup I will give you a little warmer tea.¡± ¡°Then a boiling-hot one for cup #3, right? That¡¯s so considerate of you. You¡¯ll make a great housewife someday, Megmica.¡± ¡°Hee hee. Thank you, Jenny. To get married young is one of my dreams for my future.¡± Seron was completely still. Jenny finally seemed to notice his presence. ¡°Ah, welcome back to the land of the living.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry for making you worry. I won¡¯t push myself so hard anymore.¡± Seron replied, knowing exactly what answer he owed the others. Then he let Larry begin their meeting in earnest. ¡°Did you find out anything, Jenny? What¡¯d SC Joshua say?¡± All eyes were on Jenny; a downcast look rose to her face. ¡°It was definitely an informative interview from a general perspective, but to be honest I didn¡¯t find out anything we needed. ¡­So I met Joshua Dennis and chatted with him about school. He knew who I was too, so it wasn¡¯t too awkward.¡± ¡°Oh? How¡¯d he know you?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°As the ¡®tiny newspaper girl who published some really funny school newspapers¡¯. It kinda stung, but that doesn¡¯t matter right now. Anyway, we talked a lot and he gave me a tour. I got to watch them rehearse, then I got to see backstage, and even the space under the stage. I took so many pictures I could probably publish a small photo book with them. But¡ª¡± ¡°Nothing about our case, huh.¡± Seron said feebly. ¡°I asked him about the 50th bee outright. I told him I heard from a certain drama club member that SC Arthur wanted it, and that this might be a good chance to ask. But he didn¡¯t know. He definitely remembers SC Arthur, but he has no idea what the 50th bee is.¡± Gloom filled the air of the newspaper club office. ¡°¡­Everyone. Thanks so much for everything. But you¡¯ve done enough now.¡± Sophia said sadly. ¡°Now that I think about it, this might have been impossible from the very beginning. There¡¯s no time left now, so I want to thank you properly and officially withdraw my request. Thank you so much, everyone. I mean it.¡± The newspaper club was silent. Seron tried to say something, but he remembered his conversation with Meg and stopped himself. Then, the silence was broken¡ª ¡°Why did you start to love him?¡± ¡ªby none other than Meg. ¡°Huh?¡± Sophia looked up, surprised. ¡°Why did you start to love him?¡± Meg asked again, calmly. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t really think of him badly or well.¡± Sophia replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? We were in the drama club together for a long time, but he always came off as unreliable and a little dense. Until the end of last year, he was just a fellow club member in my year.¡± ¡°Please keep going.¡± Meg said, gently spurring on Sophia. Seron and the others listened without cutting in. ¡°But after SC Joshua left last year, and a girl took over as president after him¡ª do you guys know about the drama club¡¯s tradition?¡± ¡°The tradition with switching boys and girls?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. For four years I worked so hard, thinking I would be president someday. But because of that little twist of fate, I ended up becoming the vice-president. I¡¯m all right now, but I was really upset at the time. I couldn¡¯t even blame SC Joshua. It was just bad luck on my part. So I took over as vice-president, and things changed.¡± ¡°Then you noticed that SC Arthur works very hard. Yes?¡± ¡°Yeah. After he became president, we ended up working together a lot, and I began to see a lot about him I¡¯d never noticed before. He¡¯s passionate about acting, he¡¯s nice to everyone, and maybe because of his personality, he¡¯s really good at managing little details.¡± ¡°Mhm. Mhm. So there are many good points!¡± ¡°And one day, I was alone with Ms. Krantz when I kind of blurted out, ¡®Arthur¡¯s really a good fit for president¡¯. I still remember how Ms. Krantz smiled and replied, ¡®Isn¡¯t he?¡¯¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ you are all very good people, SC Sophia.¡± ¡°Thank you, Megmica. But at the time, I was so ashamed of myself. I¡¯d been performing alongside him for four years, and I hadn¡¯t understood him at all. I wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and never come out. And that¡¯s when I thought to myself that I¡¯d do my very best as vice-president. I think that¡¯s when it all started. When we were together, I started thinking about him even outside of drama club stuff. I think¡­¡± Sophia finally finished, her freckled cheeks turning red. The newspaper club members were free to speak. They had smiles on their faces, all five of them ready to say something to the effect of, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, SC Sophia! We¡¯ll do our best to help¡¯. ¡°Then confess to him!¡± But the sixth member, Strauski Megmica, beat them to the punch. She leapt from her seat and raised her voice. ¡°Huh?¡± As Sophia stared, wide-eyed, Meg firmly repeated herself. ¡°Tomorrow, confess your love to SC Arthur!¡± ¡°But¡ªwe haven¡¯t found¡ª¡± ¡°But¡ªwe haven¡¯t found¡ª¡± ¡°Something like that is not needed!¡± Meg cut her off. ¡°If you love him like that, it is no use to gift him a nice gift and wait for him to see you with love! Confess to him, just the way you confessed to us just now! I thought now, oh, if only SC Arthur was here to hear your words! If you honestly confess your feelings to SC Arthur, he will reply to your feelings!¡± ¡°I see your point, Megmica. And I¡¯ve wanted to tell him outright so many times. Even now I just want to spill everything. But¡ª¡± ¡°But what is it?¡± ¡°But if he turns me down¡­ then what do I do? What if he doesn¡¯t like me? What if he thinks I¡¯m annoying? I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep going with the drama club. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to stay beside him as vice-president.¡± Sophia¡¯s expression darkened as she descended further into negativity. Seron listened carefully, nodding to himself all the while. Larry noticed Seron and gave him a sympathetic look, knowing that Seron was of the same mind when it came to Meg. Natalia and Nick listened quietly. Jenny had, at some point, begun taking notes. Sophia continued. ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t even like outgoing girls like me. Maybe he¡¯s into cute, cheerful girls that everyone likes.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t know it until you ask him!¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°But what is it? If you take the object SC Arthur wants and gift it to him, does his girls he is into change? It is no different to confess to him with or without the gift!¡± Sophia could not respond. Seron spoke up in her defense. ¡°May I say something, Megmica?¡± ¡°Yes! Please say it, Seron.¡± Meg said. She pointed at Seron, looking almost like a teacher because she was the only one standing. ¡°Thanks. I see what you¡¯re trying to say, Megmica. But as it stands, the newspaper club hasn¡¯t completed SC Sophia¡¯s request. So I think it might be best for us to think of a different way, a safer way. Something that will satisfy SC Sophia. She still has an entire year and a half left at this school, you know.¡± Seron said, internally breathing a sigh of relief as he defended his own way of thinking alongside Sophia¡¯s. But¡ª ¡°No!¡± Meg said mercilessly. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you are so scared, you cannot achieve your love! You will clearly fail!¡± ¡°Hm? Wait, I¡ª¡± Seron panicked. ¡°Calm down, buddy. We gotta think of SC Sophia.¡± Larry said, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°R-right. Yeah.¡± Seron nodded, getting a hold of himself. Meg switched targets from Seron to SC Sophia, who was sitting on the sofa with her mouth agape. ¡°You must not be scared! If you are scared when you have someone to love, it will not do! If you are scared to say ¡®I love you¡¯, that is not real love!¡± Meg did not pull any punches. Sophia took every blow. Seron also took every blow, and then some salt on his wounds for good measure. He agonized blankly. ¡®Hang in there, Seron! You can¡¯t start crying now!¡¯ Larry thought, but he kept the sentiment to himself. Meg¡¯s onslaught continued. ¡°I do not have someone I love yet. But! If I do get someone I love, I will probably first confess to him that I love him! It is unsightly when you trip and can¡¯t even confess! That is tricking your heart! That is not real love!¡± Larry could hear Seron¡¯s silent screams. ¡®Medic! We need a medic here, stat!¡¯ He thought desperately to himself. ¡°The newspaper club members worked very hard after you gave your request! Jenny went very far today!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that far away¡ª¡± ¡°Shush!¡± Natalia cut Jenny off. Nick backed up Meg. ¡°Yes. It was a difficult week for all of us.¡± ¡°It was very difficult. Everyone worked so hard. And look at Seron, please! Seron researched all night very much for you, SC Sophia!¡± ¡®Actually for you, Megmica.¡¯ Larry thought, but kept the correction to himself. Seron sat blankly, frozen. He did not know what to do. His brain was overloading. That was when Meg suddenly pointed a finger at him. ¡°Look! Seron has no energy! He is very tired!¡± ¡®Because of what you¡¯re saying now, Megmica.¡¯ Larry thought, but he kept that addition to himself. ¡°All this many people worked together to find the answer. All this many people worked very hard. But SC Sophia! You know the most easy way to know the answer!¡± ¡°What? You mean¡­¡± ¡°Yes! When you confess, SC Arthur will tell you. Then you can find it! Then you can gift it to him! That is the wise and only way!¡± ¡°B-but that¡¯s only if he says yes¡ª¡± ¡°Do not think of the failed option! You can think of it after you have failed!¡± Meg said, giving Sophia no time to argue. Sophia fell silent again. As if on cue¡ªand unnecessarily¡ªSeron finally showed signs of thought. He supposed that he could somehow resolve the situation. ¡°Er¡­ I don¡¯t think we should rush things, Megmica¡ª¡± ¡°No! It seems like you do not have someone you love, Seron! You never had someone you loved! But you will know, when you have someone like that!¡± Larry could hear Seron break. ¡®Don¡¯t hold back those tears, buddy. Just let it out.¡¯ Larry thought, but he kept the thought to himself. He knew that Seron couldn¡¯t hear a thing at this point anyway. Seron sat gaping on the sofa, leaning all the way back. His grey eyes were locked on some point on the ceiling above Sophia¡¯s head. ¡®Man¡­ once an engine dies, it takes time to get it back up and running again¡­¡¯ Larry sighed. Natalia scratched her head. Jenny fell into thought and took more notes. Nick steepled his hands before his mouth, watching in silence. Meg¡¯s barrage returned to Sophia again. ¡°Go to the dormitories right now, SC Sophia. And confess to him! You will find out definitely what the 50th ant is!¡± ¡°¡­Er¡­ it¡¯s the 50th bee.¡± Sophia managed to whimper a correction. ¡°Yes! The bee! But ants and bees are the same! They are insects that work very hard for their queens! I want to be like them someday and work hard! No, I will! That is my dream! I know it will be hard, but I will never give up!¡± Meg declared, clasping her hands as though in prayer and looking off into the west. If reality were a play, this would have been where the lights went off. ¡°Huh?¡± Sophia furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± Natalia wondered, also lost. ¡°What¡¯s that now?¡± Natalia wondered, also lost. ¡°You know how Princess Matilda¡¯s the heir to the throne over in Bezel?¡± Jenny explained. ¡°Aha.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°So they¡¯re going to have a queen next, just like the ants and bees. Makes sense.¡± ¡°So the queen¡¯s subjects would be the worker bees. It almost sounds like a riddle.¡± Nick finally spoke up. ¡°But it is not wrong!¡± Meg grinned confidently, placing a hand on her hip. That was when a spark of life returned to Seron¡¯s eyes. The spark kickstarted his thoughts. ¡°Everyone¡¯s really psyched, huh. Probably ¡®cause it¡¯s for their annual performance. And apparently¡ª¡± On the morning of the first day of practice, just before he saw Meg¡ª ¡°¡ªAnd apparently¡ª¡± ¡ªhe had been discussing something with Larry. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sophia and the others assumed that Seron had sighed, and did not react. Meg went wild as she began to throw out one crazy confession idea after another at Sophia, who had gone quiet as a mouse. But the suggestions were too impractical. They could not change the play¡¯s dialogue into a love confession, tell the drama club members to shout out the confession in unison, or use Sophia¡¯s vice-president privileges for a confession. But Meg¡¯s ideas were finally stopped¡ª ¡°AHHH!¡± ¡ªby Seron, who stood from his seat with a gasp. ¡°Ah! Please do not scare me, Seron!¡± Meg scolded him, puffing up her cheeks, but he did not react. Instead, Seron looked down at Sophia¡ªwho was just as surprised. ¡°I see now. I¡¯ve got it!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sophia tilted her head. Seron¡¯s gaze moved again, this time to the equally bewildered Larry. ¡°Larry! Larry Hepburn!¡± ¡°Huh? Me? Wh-what is it? Did you figure something out?¡± ¡°You were right.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Larry¡¯s eyes turned to dinner plates. Meg and the others listened on curiously. ¡°You were right, Larry.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°The 50th bee. You had the answer.¡± ¡°Seriously? Great! See? Even I can help out sometimes! ¡­So what was it that I got, Seron? What¡¯s the 50th bee?¡± Larry said, grinning in spite of his confusion. Seron simply replied, ¡°It¡¯s the name of a role.¡± Volume 3 6 — The Audience Volume 3 Chapter 6: The Audience ----- The 13th day of the seventh month. The final day of the practice camp. The sky was a blinding blue. It was as windy as ever, and the air was cool . The last full rehearsal of the camp began that morning in the gymnasium of the 4th Capital Secondary School . ¡°That was incredible. And we got an early audience preview, too. ¡± ¡°Yeah. It was moving. It¡¯s definitely something else when you listen to the live music and watch the performances right in front of your eyes. ¡± The rehearsal ended as Seron and Larry watched . As Ms. Krantz praised the students, and the rest of the club members¡ªincluding the orchestra and the chorus club¡ªapplauded, Seron narrowed his eyes . ¡°We still have one more play to go. ¡± Larry also narrowed his eyes . ¡°¡®Script by Seron Maxwell¡¯. I can¡¯t wait to watch it. ¡± ¡°Good work, everyone! We¡¯ll have to go through this again when the new term starts, but I know you¡¯ll manage. Let¡¯s have a toast! Everyone ready? To a good summer and a successful fall performance! Cheers!¡± The drama club, the orchestra club, the chorus club, and Seron and Larry raised their glasses of juice or tea . The dormitory cafeteria had never been so crowded. Normally students picked a menu and received their orders at the counter, but this time they were sitting at the long tables with large trays of food before them, which they could take buffet-style . On the table were meat dishes, vegetable dishes, fish, and even massive dormitory cafeteria-made cakes, crepes, and puddings. The girls were already taking pieces of cake . ¡°Natalia. I realize that someone of your height must need more food, but isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± Portman demanded . ¡°You think so? I¡¯ll try to ease up on the main course then. No guarantees, though. ¡­What?¡± Meanwhile, ¡°The pudding is really good!¡± ¡°Really? I¡¯m going to get some!¡± ¡°Oh I want to eat it too. Please let us go together. ¡± Meg and the chorus club were also enjoying the party . In the midst of the celebrations, Larry piled a massive piece of lasagna onto his plate . ¡°I can practically hear Jenny seething from here. ¡± He chuckled. Seron nodded . ¡°It would be difficult even for us to bring this food to her. ¡± Nick said, walking up to them with a plate in hand. Then he lowered his voice. ¡°Things are progressing smoothly. The king has accepted the queen¡¯s offer. ¡± Seron nodded discreetly and placed the lasagna he was about to take onto Nick¡¯s plate . ¡°Excellent work, Black Knight. Here is your reward. ¡± ¡°It is an honor, my lord. ¡± * * * The party went on from lunchtime to snack time. Eventually, the food on the tables disappeared . The orchestra club and the chorus club said goodbye to the drama club as they left the cafeteria . The drama club members remained for one last briefing from Ms. Krantz and Arthur before the practice camp finally ended. They also thanked Seron and Larry for their help . Then the drama club members headed up to the dormitories to pack up their things. Seron, Larry, and Nick, however, hurried to the newspaper club office . Natalia and Meg were already waiting for them there. And¡ª ¡°Hmph. So now the partygoers are all here. How was the food? Stuffed yourselves?¡± Jenny was pouting . ¡°Jenny. Aren¡¯t you rich enough to literally eat anything you could ever want?¡± Larry pointed out . ¡°There¡¯s food out there you just can¡¯t buy with money. ¡± Jenny snapped . ¡°Then just move into the dorms like Seron. ¡± ¡°I¡¯m considering it. ¡± ¡°But don¡¯t even think about renovating your dorm room. ¡± ¡°Tch. ¡± Seron cut the exchange short. ¡°It¡¯s almost time. ¡± ¡°Ah, right. ¡± Jenny stood and produced a large leather bag. ¡°I brought them. ¡± Inside the bag were six mid-sized binoculars . ¡°Whoa, these are some nice models. ¡± Larry remarked, handing them out . ¡°They¡¯re club assets. Don¡¯t use them to peep into girls¡¯ change rooms, Larry. ¡± ¡°As if. Has anyone never used binoculars before?¡± Natalia and Meg raised their hands. Larry gave them a brief lesson on binocular use. That they should keep the binoculars around their neck in case they dropped it, how they should adjust their line of sight, and how they could focus the binoculars . The newspaper club members rushed over to the window and stood in a row. The boys half-knelt right in front of the window, and the girls stood behind them . Huddled before the window, the six students raised their binoculars. Twelve lenses looked in one direction . It was a humorous sight to behold, but thankfully no one was around to point that out . ¡°You¡¯re not gonna get your camera, Jenny?¡± Larry asked the girl behind him . ¡°I can¡¯t exactly write an article about this. And it¡¯d be in bad taste to take a celebratory picture. ¡± ¡°You¡¯re actually pretty sensible, huh. ¡± ¡°Shut up. ¡± ¡°Ow. ¡± Jenny¡¯s binoculars rammed into a head of blond hair . ¡°Admit it, Jenny. You don¡¯t know how to use binoculars. ¡± ¡°Yes I do. I also happen to know how to use them as a weapon. ¡± ¡°What are you supposed to be, a spy?¡± Beside Larry was Nick, and beside Nick was Seron . Seron¡¯s grey eyes were glued to his binoculars . In his line of sight was a certain tree in the back of the school grounds . The handsome oak tree¡ªwhich was probably even older than Seron¡ªstood with its leaves rustling in the wind . ¡°She¡¯s here!¡± Meg cried from behind Seron. Everyone looked into their binoculars . ¡°Enter heroine, stage left. ¡± Natalia said. Her glasses were pushed up to her forehead . On the round stage through the binoculars stood Sophia Ulericks, wearing her school uniform . Naturally, they were too far to hear anything . Like a silent movie, Sophia moved quietly but smoothly . Her hair shook in the wind. On her freckled face was the serious, determined look she wore for performances . There Sophia waited . ¡°I hope your old fake article about the tree actually turns out to be true, Jenny. ¡± Larry remarked. Jenny prodded the back of his head with her binoculars again . ¡°SC Sophia will be just fine. I have faith in Seron¡¯s deduction. ¡± Nick said . ¡°Me too! It was moving yesterday! It was cool!¡± Meg said. Then¡ª ¡°Here he comes. ¡± Natalia said. Everyone went quiet . And they turned their binoculars to the direction Sophia was looking at . Arthur Sears appeared, also clad in school uniform . When he spotted Sophia, he gave her a light¡ªif awkward¡ªwave and walked over to her . In the silent distance, they stood under the branches of the massive tree . The newspaper club members looked on, scrutinizing each and every move . Sophia smiled nervously and met Arthur¡¯s gaze . Arthur opened his mouth to speak, looking particularly stiff . For a time, Sophia said nothing . Perhaps Arthur could not bear the tension; he made a joke and Sophia chuckled, but that ended quickly . They froze under the big tree, looking off in different directions . ¡°C¡¯mon! Just say it already!¡± Jenny fumed from inside the office, knowing they could not hear her . ¡°Do your best! Do your best!¡± Meg cheered . At that moment¡ª Sophia looked at them . She probably could not see them lined up with their binoculars in hand, but she clearly looked at the office window . Then she smiled with all the beauty and elegance of a queen . As the newspaper club watched, captivated by her poise, she turned her gaze to the one closest to her¡ª To Arthur Sears . She said something. Arthur seemed to speak at the same time . They looked at each other, both smiling¡ª And slowly embraced . ¡°Oh! It is great! It is very great!¡± Meg cried, almost loud enough to reach the tree . ¡°Whoa!¡± Seron cried, startled. Meg had grabbed his shoulder with her free hand . ¡°It is successfully done, Seron! We did this!¡± She cheered and shook him relentlessly . Seron saw the world through the binoculars rock up and down. The figures in his line of sight seemed to rise and fall . The previous evening¡ª ¡°It¡¯s the name of a role. ¡± Seron had declared, the eyes of the newspaper club and Sophia on him . ¡°It¡¯s the name of a role. ¡± He repeated himself . ¡°Er¡­ what do you mean?¡± Asked Sophia . ¡°What¡¯d I say right again?¡± Asked Larry, who had suddenly been proven correct . Seron first turned to Larry . ¡°Yesterday, when we were brainstorming about the 50th bee, you said that it might have been the name of a role. ¡± ¡°Ah, I remember. But didn¡¯t you shoot that idea down? SC Sophia would¡¯ve recognized it if it were a role. ¡± ¡°Yeah, but this ¡®role¡¯ has nothing to do with any plays. It¡¯s a code word of sorts, but it¡¯s not a very cleverly-hidden one. You just have to think of it like a riddle. ¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Larry frowned . ¡°Then what conclusion have you reached, Seron?¡± Nick asked . ¡°You must! You must please tell us!¡± Meg agreed, still standing . ¡°Yeah. President¡¯s orders. ¡± ¡°Vice-president¡¯s orders, too. ¡± Jenny and Natalia chimed in . ¡°All right. ¡± Seron nodded, and turned to Sophia. ¡°All we had to do was think of things associated with the word ¡®bee¡¯, like you would with a riddle. And just now, Megmica connected the words ¡®bee¡¯ and ¡®ant¡¯ with the word ¡®queen¡¯. ¡± ¡°Yes! I did my best!¡± ¡°Whoa there, Megmica. Sit down and take a deep breath. ¡± Natalia said, getting Meg to finally take a seat . ¡°I am sorry. It is Seron¡¯s turn to speak to us. ¡± ¡°So the word you¡¯re thinking of is ¡®queen¡¯? The 50th queen?¡± Asked Sophia. Seron nodded . ¡°Yes. And the ¡¯50¡¯ isn¡¯t that difficult to figure out, in hindsight. ¡± He paused, then started again. ¡°I¡¯d completely forgotten what Larry told me a few days ago. ¡®Everyone¡¯s really psyched, huh. Probably ¡®cause it¡¯s for their annual performance. And apparently this year¡¯s is the 50th annual performance to boot¡¯. That was the key. ¡± ¡°Aha!¡± Larry exclaimed. ¡°I remember saying that!¡± ¡°Yeah. This will be the 50th annual performance, since it¡¯s been exactly 50 years since the drama club was founded. But what does that have to do with a 50th queen?¡± ¡°Everything. ¡± Seron said. Meg piped up, still whipped up in a frenzy . ¡°Then! Then is SC Arthur wishing to be a queen instead of a king in this 50th performance? Is it too late to change? Will he wear a dress costume?¡± ¡°Deep breaths, Megmica. ¡± Natalia said, putting a hand on Meg¡¯s shoulder . ¡°No. The 50th bee is a role, but it¡¯s not a role he wants to play. What SC Arthur meant was is that he wanted the person in that role. ¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Sophia furrowed her brow . ¡°Hm?¡± Sophia furrowed her brow . ¡°I get it now. ¡± Jenny nodded perceptively . Seron continued . ¡°I began to think about what 50th queen there might be at this school whom SC Arthur might want. And I realized there was only one possible conclusion. Who do you think it is?¡± Sophia fell into thought. But she soon gave up . ¡°Who is it?¡± Seron¡¯s reply was simple . ¡°It¡¯s you, SC Sophia. ¡± ¡°What?¡± Sophia gasped . ¡°Hm? Aha. ¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Nick understood and Larry frowned . ¡°It¡¯s you, SC Sophia. If not for last year¡¯s unusual circumstances, you would have been the 50th president of the club¡ªin other words, the queen. SC Arthur is very aware of that fact. Sometimes, he even wonders if he was right to accept his role at all. Even as he carried out the duties of a president, a part of him seems to consider you the true president. That¡¯s the reasoning behind this moniker. To sum up, SC Arthur is in love with you and wants you to be his girlfriend. ¡± ¡°Wh-what are you saying, Seron?¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply giving you the answer to the question you brought us, SC Sophia. We haven¡¯t checked with SC Arthur in person, but I¡¯m convinced this is the right answer. Last night, when Nick asked him what he wanted for his birthday, SC Arthur was supposedly very taken aback. That¡¯s probably part of the reason as well. SC Arthur is desperate to have the 50th bee, in a figurative sense. ¡± Sophia was lost for words . ¡°There¡¯s only one thing left for you to do, SC Sophia. You can do this. We can help with the production of this play. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°SC Sophia? Are you listening?¡± * * * ¡°It is successfully done, Seron! We did this!¡± Meg cried, shaking Seron by the shoulder . Natalia lowered her binoculars. ¡°Mhm. I think we can let ¡®em be. ¡± She said, putting on her glasses. ¡°Now calm down, Megmica. ¡± ¡°I suppose it is not good to peep even more anymore. ¡± ¡°Yeah. Long as we know the plan worked out. Looks like we won¡¯t need Mr. Hartnett on this one. ¡± Nick and Larry also lowered their binoculars and hung them around their necks. The round frames around their lines of sight disappeared . ¡°It is great! I am moved!¡± Meg raved, lowering her binoculars with a smile . Once the boys were on their feet, Seron closed the window . In that instant, he spotted two figures standing closely side-by-side . ¡°Looks like this mission was a success. ¡± Once the others were seated on the sofas, Jenny personally poured them cups of tea and sat down on the sofa herself . ¡°What do you say to a toast?¡± Larry suggested . ¡°Yes!¡± Meg chirped. The six students raised their differently-shaped cups . ¡°Well, president?¡± Nick urged . ¡°Me? Fine. ¡­We had a rough week, everyone. But good job! Cheers!¡± Everyone but Jenny toasted for the second time that day, and Jenny for the first time . ¡°Wonder who said it first?¡± Natalia wondered . ¡°I think both people at the same time! Their hearts are synchronized!¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know such a hard word, Megmica. Let¡¯s just leave it at that, then. It¡¯s bad manners to actually ask in person. ¡± ¡°It is a very beautiful situation!¡± Seron silently sipped his tea as he watched the girl with the radiant smile. And he also put on a small smile of his own . ¡°It seems the tale of the tree with a perfect confession success rate has one more story to serve as evidence. ¡± Nick pointed out . ¡°Line 1 of article 1 on page 1. Not like I believe it, though. ¡± Jenny said . ¡°Seriously, Jenny?¡± Larry sighed. ¡°You know what? Who cares now? It was a success and that¡¯s what matters most. Are you gonna write about this, chief?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ nah. It¡¯s not something to report to the public. I¡¯d be hot on their heels with a camera in hand if they got married straight out of school, though. ¡± ¡°Heh heh. You do that, Jenny. ¡± Larry chuckled, bringing his cup to his mouth . ¡°It was very great¡­ the two people in love. It was great. ¡± Meg repeated herself, placing her cup on the table and looking up at the ceiling with a euphoric look. ¡°Someday, I want to meet someone good as well!¡± She looked back down. Her eyes met those of Seron, who had been looking at her . ¡°You were very great too, Seron!¡± Meg said suddenly . Seron twitched, like he had been jolted . ¡°Seron! If I am in the same shoes as SC Sophia, please help me find my answer! Please do!¡± Seron broke again . ¡®I feel for you, buddy¡­ you can cry later. Whether it¡¯s tears of happiness or pain¡¯s up to you, though. ¡¯ Larry thought, but he naturally kept it to himself . * * * Once all the cups were empty and Seron had powered back up, Jenny addressed everyone with a note and pen in hand . ¡°Do you have any plans for the summer? This month, in particular? Nick first. ¡± ¡°I plan to go back home and finish off my homework, first of all. I prefer to get it done ahead of time. Otherwise, I have no plans. ¡± ¡°Hm. No family vacations?¡± ¡°We just returned from one this week. ¡± ¡°Right. Nat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll chill at home. Sick of violin, and I¡¯m gonna pass on the homework for now. And my folks¡¯re always off touring, so we almost never go on vacation together. ¡± ¡°I see. Larry?¡± ¡°Once my brother Cato gets back, we might go to our villa for five days or so. We don¡¯t have a date yet, but I¡¯ll tell you once it¡¯s set in stone. ¡± ¡°Sure. Give me a call. Megmica?¡± ¡°Erm. Tomorrow, I will meet with Lillia who has come back from the vacation. Then I do not have plans. I rarely go back to my hometown. ¡± ¡°Mhm. Last up is Seron. You¡¯re leaving today?¡± ¡°Mhm. Last up is Seron. You¡¯re leaving today?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m taking the sleeper train tonight. I should start getting ready to leave soon. I don¡¯t have any plans for summer¡ªI¡¯ll probably do homework and read. It¡¯s just my sister and our mother at home, but our mother¡¯s so busy we probably won¡¯t get to go anywhere. ¡± ¡°I see. All right. I want everyone to give me an address and phone number I can contact them with over the summer, in case I decide to make a club announcement. I just might give you a call about our next club activity. ¡± Jenny turned over the page and handed her notepad to Meg, who was next to her . ¡°I will. ¡± Meg wrote down her contact information and handed the notepad to Natalia . ¡°Hope you can read chicken scratch. ¡± Natalia wrote down her contact information and handed the notepad to Nick. Nick wrote down his contact information and handed the notepad to Seron . Seron wrote down his contact information and stared at Meg¡¯s at the top of the page . And once he was done, he very calmly handed the notepad to Larry . ¡°All right. It¡¯s my turn¡ª¡± Larry paused. ¡°Seron, you wrote down the dormitory address. ¡± ¡°Huh?¡± As Seron corrected his contact information, Nick made a suggestion . ¡°Jenny, do you perchance have any extra pieces of paper? I¡¯d like to get the contact information of everyone in the club. ¡± ¡°Sure. One sec. ¡± Jenny opened the desk drawer and produced a bundle of small scraps of paper. Then she placed them and several pens on the coffee table . ¡°Write one for everyone and pass them out, or ask everyone to write on your sheet of paper. It¡¯s up to you. ¡± Natalia spoke up. ¡°Hands up if you don¡¯t know my contact info. ¡± Larry, Nick, and Seron raised their hands . ¡°Then that¡¯s three from me. ¡± Natalia said, grabbing three scraps of paper . ¡°Three for me as well. ¡± Meg, Seron, Larry, and Nick also began to write. Jenny realized that she should give out her information as well and picked up some scraps . For some time the office was filled with the sound of writing. Natalia, who finished first, passed out her information to the boys . ¡°Here. Here. And here. ¡± Meg carefully folded her notes in half and placed them where they wouldn¡¯t get in anyone¡¯s way . ¡°Here you are. Here you are. Here you are. ¡± Seron, Larry, and Nick eventually finished and handed out their information . ¡°Thanks, everyone. I¡¯ll copy these down on my address book later. ¡± Very stoically and with exceptional calm, Seron placed the papers from Nick, Natalia, Jenny, and Meg into his jacket pocket. He also made certain that the others¡ªespecially Meg¡ªdid not forget to take his contact information . ¡°I¡¯d better get going now. So much happened in the past week but it was a lot of fun. I might not see you guys until the new term because I live so far, but I hope we¡¯ll get along as a club together. ¡± ¡°Spoken like a true honor student. ¡± Nick chuckled. ¡°Feel free to visit the Capital District any time. My house is always open to guests. ¡± ¡°Same. ¡± Larry nodded. ¡°I¡¯m heading out too, guys. Congratulate SC Sophia for me if you see her. ¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°Sure. ¡± Seron and Larry stood . ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay back for some more tea. ¡± Nick said, electing to remain a little longer . ¡°See you guys. ¡± Larry grinned . ¡°Have a good summer, everyone. I¡¯ll see you later. ¡± Seron said . ¡°Take care. ¡± Said Nick . ¡°See you. I¡¯ll give you guys a call. ¡± Said Jenny . ¡°I¡¯ll call if I ever need any brainpower. Just Seron, though. ¡± Said Natalia . And finally¡ª ¡°I will see you two later. ¡± Meg said . Seron and Larry waved one last time before leaving the office and closing the door behind them . As they walked through the empty building, Seron suddenly stopped. Larry, who had been walking a little ahead, turned . ¡°What¡¯s up? ¡­Aha. ¡± Seron was staring at the gymnasium . The quiet gymnasium towered in the cool breeze . Seron resumed walking, and this time caught up to Larry with a smile . ¡°That was great. Thanks so much for getting me to come, Larry Hepburn. ¡± ¡°It sure was loads of fun, Seron Maxwell. ¡± Larry said, offering a handshake. Seron took it . They began to walk again . ¡°I¡¯m a changed man now. I¡¯m different from the Seron Maxwell who walked in here eight days ago. ¡± ¡°Hah hah. Sure thing. You couldn¡¯t even talk to her before, but now you have her address and her number. ¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make this an heirloom. ¡± ¡°Whoa, wait a sec! You have to call her! Call her as soon as you get home! If I remember, you have a telephone at home!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be rude to call out of the blue?¡± Seron wondered gravely. Larry stared¡ª ¡®Ah, so he¡¯s not a completely changed man. ¡¯ He thought, but did not voice the comment . ¡°Sure. Anyway, Jenny might be cooking up something for the break. Come visit sometime. ¡± He said instead. Seron smiled . ¡°Sure thing!¡± * * * Just like eight days ago, Seron Maxwell was wearing his jacket. Larry was in his uniform. They walked away from the dormitories where they had spent the past week . ¡°See you later, Seron!¡± ¡°Have a good summer, Larry. ¡± They parted ways at the gates, where Seron boarded a taxi . At Capital West Station, Seron boarded his usual long-distance sleeper train . At Capital West Station, Seron boarded his usual long-distance sleeper train . As usual, he had the entire first class cabin to himself. For a time he watched the Capital District pass by outside the window . After the conductor had checked his ticket and the city outside had given way to a sunset countryside¡ª Seron opened his suitcase and fished out a leather-bound notepad . Inside were the scraps of paper from earlier. Seron took out a pen and copied down the information onto his address book . He left the folded one for the very end. Once he was done with the rest, Seron froze for several seconds before opening up the final one . On the scrap of paper were more words than the others had left for him . First came Meg¡¯s name . Her address . Her phone number . And¡ª ¡®Dear Mr. Seron Maxwell, ¡®With the problem of the Sou Be-Il man in the basement, and the request from SC Sophia, I was moved very much by your cool actions . ¡®I am very happy to know you, Seron . ¡®Please take good care of me from now on. Please talk to me if you meet me at the school . ¡®From Strauski Megmica . ¡®PS: I am sorry if my Roxchean writing is difficult to understand. ¡¯ ¡°Heirloom. ¡± Seron nodded . * * * ¡°Oh. Welcome back, Seron. Where¡¯s my souvenir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m back, Leena. I got you the same thing this time, if you don¡¯t mind. ¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best, Seron. Thanks. ¡­You look happy today. ¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. You always look blank, but your expressions change by something like a fraction of a millimeter. Mom and I can tell. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did something good happen while you were helping out?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Did you get a girlfriend?¡± ¡°Huh? N-no. It¡¯s nothing like that. ¡± ¡°Oh. You look really gloomy, so I guess not. ¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, you can¡¯t just leave me hanging like that. ¡± ¡°But¡­ well, what can I say?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What can I say?¡± ¡°¡­So something good happened after all. ¡± ¡°I guess you could say that. ¡± ¡°Introduce me next time. ¡± ¡°To whom?¡± ¡°The girl you like. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh. You don¡¯t have one?¡± ¡°Huh? Couldn¡¯t you read my expressions, Leena?¡± ¡°Nope. You¡¯re like a mask, Seron. I was just making random guesses. Thanks for the souvenir! Mom¡¯s coming back later tonight. ¡± * * * Several days later . Seron was in the central gardens, where the summer flowers were in spectacular bloom . Sitting in a white wooden chair under a lacy parasol, he enjoyed the summer breeze and read . The book was titled¡ª ¡®Bezelese for Beginners¡¯ At times he exclaimed, ¡°What is this language¡­? This is inhuman¡­¡± Or, ¡°Jenny¡­ you are a monster. ¡± Or, ¡°Roxchean is so simple it¡¯s making us Easterners into idiots¡­¡± And agonized on occasion . He was so engrossed in the book that, each time the maid came to refill his tea, she found the cup still full . Eventually, the sun sank so low that the parasol could no longer shield him . ¡°Young Master. You have a phone call from your school friend, Ms. Jenny Jones. Will you take the call?¡± One of the maids said, instead of bringing more tea . ¡°From Jenny? I¡¯ll take it. ¡± Seron put a bookmark on his page, put the book on the table, and hurried to the telephone in the mansion¡¯s living room . Volume 4 Prologue — The Conversations That Led up to That Day Volume 4 Prologue: The Conversations That Led up to That Day Seron Maxwell Born on the 3rd day of the third month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student at the 4th Capital Secondary School in the Capital District of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. His hometown is far from school, so he lives in the dorms. Strauski Megmica Born on the 14th day of the second month of the year 3289. 16 years old. A third-year student. She is from the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. ¡®Strauski¡¯ is her family name. Because she started school a year after moving to Roxche, she is a year older than her classmates. A member of the chorus club. Larry Hepburn Born on the 12th day of the fifth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He is from military family with a very long history, and trains daily to become a soldier himself. Seron¡¯s best friend. Natalia Steinbeck Born on the 8th day of the sixth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. Her parents are famous musicians. Part of the orchestra club, and is skilled with musical instruments. Nicholas Browning Born on the 4th day of the fourth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He has an androgynous appearance and is not part of any clubs. He and Seron are acquainted. Jenny Jones Born on the 17th day of the first month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. She is the daughter of one of Roxche¡¯s richest people. President of the newspaper club. Meg -> Natalia: A new friend. Meg -> Jenny: A new friend. Seron -> Meg: Has a crush on, but can''t say anything. Is happy to just be around her. Meg -> Seron: Thinks of as a dependable friend. Seron -> Nick: Friends. Knows something about him? Nick -> Seron: Friends. Larry -> Seron: Friends. Is cheering on Seron''s love. Seron -> Larry: Friends. Asks him for love advice and finds him dependable. ----- Dearly beloved, I will be by your side soon. Let¡¯s meet again. ----- ----- ¡°Yeah. I think so.¡± ¡°I took notes, Jenny. We¡¯re holding the newspaper club¡¯s summer camp on the 1st day of the eighth month. Members must gather in front of the big clock at Capital West Station at 10 in the morning. The camp will take place at a villa owned by your relatives at Ercho Village in the Republic of Daurade to the north. The camp will last six days and five nights, with all living and food expenses covered. Members are free to wear what they please, but must bring their school gym uniforms. Good enough for you?¡± ¡°Jenny, what¡¯s this camp all about? I¡¯ve never heard of Ercho Village before. What kind of a place is it, and how do we get there? What will the villa be like? I need more information.¡± ¡°I see. What¡¯s the climate like?¡± ¡°And your driver is a licensed bodyguard?¡± ¡°What about our accommodations?¡± ¡°¡®898-13****¡¯. Got it.¡± ¡°We have four whole days, excluding the first and last days. What in the world are we going to do?¡± ¡°I see. Anything else?¡± <¡­Hmm¡­ That¡¯s about it. The rest of the trip you can think of as a fun vacation where we get to know one another. Just relax, I guess?> ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°I am happy.¡± ¡°I might have.¡± <¡­I want you to contact the others and check with them to see if the schedule works. I can adjust the date by a couple days if I have to, so call me back with everyone¡¯s answers. You still have all the contact information, right?> ¡°Yeah. But why are you making me contact them?¡± ¡°Did you just make that up, Jenny?¡± * * * ¡°So you joined the newspaper club? I¡¯m surprised, Meg. I thought the old one got shut down after the members left.¡± ¡°It is still up! That is why I, Strauski Megmica, am honorable to have two clubs attended at the same time! And I earned five Roxchean friends in one blink!¡± ¡°Nice! I¡¯m so proud of you for getting out there and making more friends, Meg. This calls for a round of applause!¡± ¡°Thank you very much, Lillia. Your commending gives me confidence.¡± ¡°And it sounds like the other club members are all great people, too. I¡¯m glad.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s use Bezelese now, Lillia. Do you remember Seron Maxwell from art class last term? He¡¯s really smart.¡± ¡°Mhm. I sort of remember his face. The black-haired pretty boy. His family runs the frozen food company, right? I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re talking to me about a boy, Meg. What¡¯s next? Fish raining from the sky?¡± ¡°You think so? Anyway, there¡¯s also Larry Hepburn and Nicholas Browning from our year, too. Larry is really strong and Nick¡¯s a talented actor.¡± ¡°Oh. Just friends, huh.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°What is it, Lillia?¡± * * * ¡°Larry¡­ my friend Larry Hepburn¡­¡± ¡°Please tell me¡­¡± ¡°Tell me how to call a girl¡¯s house¡ªMegmica¡¯s house specifically¡­ What do I do? Wouldn¡¯t it be rude to call out of the blue? Would she get in trouble if a boy were to call her at home? What time would be the best, do you think? What if her parents pick up? How do I explain myself? What if they don¡¯t approve of me? Should I first tell them that I¡¯m calling strictly on newspaper club business? Or do I talk about the weather first? It¡¯s summer, right? Not spring or winter? How do I start?¡± * * * ¡°Sure. Sounds interesting, and I¡¯m pretty much free. Is there a piano in that villa, by any chance?¡± ¡°What now? It¡¯s not like you to ever sound serious about anything, shortie.¡± ¡°Two or three times, yeah. I was surprised how good her brothers are at Roxchean. Kids really learn quick.¡± ¡°I can do that. But¡ª¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­Oh, I get it.¡± ¡°Jenny went to Seron with this info, right? And she told him to contact the others. But Seron couldn¡¯t bring himself to call Megmica¡¯s house, so he went crying to you. I would call Megmica and pass on her answer to you, you¡¯d pass it on to Seron, and he¡¯d report to Jenny. And in exchange, you get to copy Seron¡¯s homework over the summer camp. Am I right?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t believe you caught on, Larry.¡± * * * ¡°Elsa, have you seen Nick anywhere?¡± ¡°Hm? Baby brother was in the garden earlier, swinging around that staff of his. It¡¯s like he never gets tired of it. Why?¡± ¡°I forgot to tell him a call came in for him just earlier. I suppose it could wait. He¡¯s not going to come back until he¡¯s drenched in sweat.¡± ¡°Oh? Was it another girl?¡± ¡°Not this time, Elsa. A boy with a soft voice. I bet he¡¯s a cute one.¡± ¡°Could you tell just by his voice, Alicia? But you know, I doubt there¡¯s a boy in all of Roxche as pretty as our baby brother. What was his name?¡± ¡°His name? I think it was Seron Maxwell.¡± ¡°Maxwell¡­ as in the frozen food with the red packaging?¡± ¡°Oh! You might be right. It¡¯s not a common name at all. Then he must be a rich young heir. Let¡¯s invite him over sometime.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Preferably when Nick¡¯s not around.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Volume 4 1 — Departure Volume 4 Chapter 1: Departure ----- There was a blue planet with a very large moon. 90 percent of the planet was covered in water, and the poles were covered in ice. There was an oval, potato-shaped continent in the northern hemisphere of that planet. The southern part of the continent was a brown desert. But as the latitude increased, the land exploded in a splash of green. There was a massive mountain range in the middle of the continent, beginning at the desert. The mountains, capped with snow even in the middle of summer, ended abruptly about halfway up the continent. The two rivers on either side of the mountain range converged there, creating the massive Lutoni River that flowed straight north and into the sea. There were two nations on the continent, one on either side. In the east was the Roxcheanuk Confederation, also known as Roxche. It was made up of 16 countries and territories. In the west were the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa, also known as Sou Be-Il. It was made up of the kingdoms of Bezel and Iltoa, along with a handful of small subordinate countries. For eons, the people of the East and West had warred against one another with the Lutoni River between them. In more contemporary times, each side of the continent forged alliances, and Roxche and Sou Be-Il were formed almost simultaneously. What followed was a cold war, one massive war, and many smaller conflicts. But about 20 years ago, the cold war was ended by a certain incident. The threat of another Great War was beginning to fade. The capital of Roxche was the Special Capital District, a region independent of any country within the confederation. It was on the northeastern end of Roxche, very far from the East-West border but also a fair distance from the sea. The Special Capital District was a circular area about 30 kilometers in diameter. It had been built when Roxche was first formed. The city center was home to the presidential residence, the Confederation Assembly Hall, civic centers, and courthouses. Outside the center was a business district crowded with department stores and hotels. Further outside was a residential district full of apartment buildings. And on the outskirts of the Capital District, in the 9 o¡¯clock direction, was Capital West Station. It was one of the city¡¯s three train stations, and also the largest owing to the fact that more of the continent sprawled out to the west. The station boasted a massive parking lot next to the main intersection, and had a towering glass dome. The dome covered over ten platforms, and about 20 sets of tracks split off to the west. Just through the main doors was a sprawling lobby. The floor was tiled, and overhead was the great glass dome. Across from the doors was a line of ticket windows; to the left, a restaurant, and to the right a pendulum clock about 10 meters in height. Under the face swung the massive pendulum, which could probably kill a man if it fell. There was a small window cut into the face of the clock, which displayed the 8-day lunar cycle. The display showed a smiling moon indicating that the full moon had just passed. Benches were arranged under the pendulum clock. There was also a stone monument inscribed with the words ¡®Capital West Station Rendezvous Square¡¯. It was 9:45 in the morning. The rush hour crowds had cleared out, emptying the lobby. Sounds from announcements and moving trains floated over from the platforms. The bright summer sun shone through the glass dome, but the wind from the wide-open doors kept the station cool. Seron Maxwell sat alone on a five-seater bench, reading a book. Seron was 15 years old, and of average height. He was slender in build, and his long arms and legs made him seem even slimmer. His slightly long hair was a shiny black. His eyes were grey. Seron wore beige pants and a white button-down shirt, along with a light black summer jacket. On his left wrist was a simple but expensive watch. Next to him was his favorite leather suitcase. As Seron turned the page without a word, a boy with blond hair approached. He wore light brown cargo pants and a green T-shirt. The boy was short, but he had a muscular build. There was a thin metal chain around his neck¡ªit was not a necklace, but a military identification tag. Seron did not notice the boy. The boy¡ªLarry Hepburn¡ªwaited one minute, until it was 9:46. ¡°Hey Seron! How¡¯re you doing?¡± There were lines of people waiting for taxis, buses moving in and moving out, and several ordinary cars at the intersection in front of the station. Most of the cars were small sedans. But parked among them was a limousine. It clearly stood head-and-shoulders above the others. The limousine was as long as a truck and wide to boot. Its white exterior made it seem difficult to approach. Larry, and Seron¡ªcarrying his suitcase¡ªstepped out of the station and approached the car. ¡°We don¡¯t need to wait for the others, Larry?¡± ¡°Nah. We all met up out here. Lia and Megmica got here together, and I ran into Nick just now when we were both getting off our cars. Jenny was waving at us when we got here. You were the only one left, so I went to get you.¡± ¡°I see. Is that it over there? The big limousine?¡± ¡°Yeah. Megmica¡¯s family¡¯s pretty rich, but you gotta hand it to Jenny¡¯s folks. This baby¡¯s a top-grade Jones Motors limousine. It¡¯s worth about 10 years of a normal person¡¯s salary.¡± Larry raved. The back seats were configured so that six people could sit in rows of three, facing one another. The windows were smoked glass and could not be seen through from the outside. At the back of the car was a trunk large enough to fit everyone¡¯s luggage, as well as a spare tire. It was practically tradition in Roxche for cars to rub bumpers, but no one wanted to do such a thing with such an expensive car. The other cars at the intersection gave the limousine a wide berth. Next to the car stood a man who was clearly a bodyguard. He was in his forties and had short brown hair. The man wore a black suit, and was tall and well-built. With honed eyes he scanned his surroundings. When Larry and Seron approached, he bowed courteously. ¡°This here¡¯s Seron Maxwell.¡± Larry said to the bodyguard. ¡°He¡¯s the last newspaper club member. Seron, this here¡¯s Jenny¡¯s driver-slash-bodyguard. Mr. Edward Kurtz.¡± Seron greeted Kurtz. Kurtz replied with a bow and a hand over his chest. ¡°If you need anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± Kurtz first asked if Seron needed to take out anything from his suitcase for the trip, then received the suitcase. Then he opened the door for Seron and Larry and placed a hand at the top of the frame so they would not hit their heads on the way in. Seron thanked Kurtz and moved¡ª ¡°Wait, I¡¯m going first.¡± Larry cut in, forcing his way ahead. ¡°Huh?¡± Furrowing his brow, Seron followed Larry inside. Thanks to the smoked glass, it was dark inside the car. It took some time for Seron¡¯s eyes to adjust. He took a seat next to Larry, at the rightmost seat facing forward. The other club members greeted him in turn. ¡°Good morning Seron. You seem to be doing quite well.¡± The first voice came from someone on Larry¡¯s left side¡ªa boy with long hair sitting at the leftmost seat that faced forward. It was Nicholas Browning¡ªNick¡ªwho had fair skin and a slender build. He had silky back-length hair and cool green eyes. As usual, he was easy to mistake for a girl. Today, he was dressed in a simple white button-down shirt and beige pants. ¡°What took you? New rule: the last one to arrive has to work harder than the rest at the camp. President¡¯s orders.¡± The angry second voice came from the leftmost seat facing backwards, across from Nick. It was Jenny Jones, the petite girl with light brown eyes and short red hair. She was the president of the newspaper club and the daughter of the president of Jones Motors. Today she was dressed comfortably in a red long-sleeved shirt and a pair of shorts. ¡°Welcome back, Seron. Good thing your train got here on time.¡± Said the tall girl next to Jenny. It was Natalia Steinbeck, slender and tall with her hair neatly pinned up. She was Larry¡¯s childhood friend, and the daughter of the world-renowned Steinbeck musician couple. Larry called her ¡®Lia¡¯, and the other members called her ¡®Nat¡¯. Today she wore skinny jeans and a white summer sweater. And finally¡ª ¡°Good morning, Seron. It has been a while. How are you?¡± Next to Natalia, at the rightmost seat facing backwards¡ªin other words, right across from the seat Larry had forced Seron to take¡ªwas a certain pigtailed girl. Her black hair was tied into pigtails with ribbons. She had fair skin and dark eyes, and¡ªthough she did not look it¡ªwas a year older than the other club members. Strauski Megmica, the Westerner. She was wearing a yellow cotton dress. The first thing Seron saw when his vision finally adjusted to the dark was Meg¡¯s dark eyes, looking straight into his. The smile of the girl he loved most, which he saw for the first time in 17 days. Seron thanked Larry profusely in silence as he responded blankly and cooly, no different from any other day. ¡°Good morning, everyone. I¡¯m doing all right. Thanks for asking.¡± After placing Seron¡¯s suitcase in the trunk, Kurtz walked around to the driver¡¯s seat on the left side of the car. Though Seron could not see, behind Meg¡ªin the passenger seat beside the driver¡ªsat a second bodyguard. A woman in her late twenties with short black hair, dressed neatly in a pantsuit. There was a window cut into the pane of smoked glass that separated the back of the car from the front. Kurtz opened the window and advised everyone to put on their seat belts, as they would be departing. Seron and the others put on their 3-point seat belts and sat back in the comfortable leather seats. Kurtz asked Jenny if they were ready. Jenny allowed him to set off. The limousine rumbled as it began to move. They left the intersection and slowly made their way down a Capital District thoroughfare. Lining either side of the street were endless rows of department stores and hotels. The sepia world beyond the smoked glass passed by them. ¡°All right. The 3305 newspaper club summer camp is officially in session. This camp will run until we¡¯ve come back safe and sound to the Capital District. Prepare yourselves for some hardcore training.¡± Jenny announced. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna let any of you drop out, got it? Remember this¡ªcovering a news story is like fighting a battle. In fact, it is a battle. And there¡¯s no justice in battle, did you know that? It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re covering a total psycho for a story¡ªuntil he goes to jail, he¡¯s simply a subject for you to cover! If you have time to cry, put down your handkerchief and snap a photo instead!¡± ¡°Sure, chief. We all know.¡± Natalia said lazily and turned her gaze to Seron. She pointed at the two large paper bags under her feet. ¡°Want something to eat, Seron? We got snacks and fruit¡ªloads for the trip. There¡¯s juice and tea too if you want.¡± ¡°Not right now, thank you. ¡ªJenny, thank you for providing the car and the accommodations.¡± Seron said with utmost gravity. ¡°Well, well! You get fresh sheets and a crisp new mattress, Seron. The rest of you can have the pick of the gardens or the shed.¡± Jenny grinned. The others¡ªNatalia, Meg, Nick, and Larry¡ªquickly jumped in. ¡°Thanks for everything, chief! I¡¯m so moved, I can barely stand. Tomorrow I¡¯ll compose a song in your honor and give you a live performance.¡± ¡°Then I will sing this song Nat made. I am too thankful to thank more, Jenny. Thank you.¡± ¡°Truly, you are the epitome of a benevolent superior. My soul trembles at your generosity, Jenny. Has there ever been such an honorable leader in history?¡± ¡°Nope. None at all. I¡¯m happy to fight under such a great commander.¡± Seron¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked around at the others, who were clearly enjoying themselves too much. ¡°Too bad. Looks like everyone¡¯s gonna get a bed.¡± Jenny admitted. At that moment, the limousine made a left turn into a larger street, which had a tram lane down the middle. Seron spotted the street sign, then. And he looked around. Then his eyes fell on something to his left. ¡°Sarcey Avenue, huh¡­¡± He mumbled, awestruck. Larry nodded. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be invited to the wedding, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already thinking of what to wear on the big day.¡± Nick chimed in. ¡°The wedding?¡± Meg wondered, tilting her head. ¡°Over there, Megmica.¡± Natalia said, pointing out a large building on the left side of the limousine. Meg leaned forward and looked to her right. Not noticing the blank panic rising to Seron¡¯s face as she drew near, Meg scrutinized the building and scanned the sign next to it. ¡°Ah! Yes! Of course yes! We all will be invited to the wedding! We certainly are!¡± As Meg trilled excitedly, the limousine passed by a sign labeled ¡®Ulericks Real Estate¡¯. Afterwards, the club members talked about their summer break so far. Seron informed everyone that he spent the days reading, relaxing at his home in Weld. He also added that he was almost finished with his homework. Larry had gone to his family¡¯s villa as planned, where he enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, motorcycling, and horseback riding, and obviously did not touch his homework. Meg had met her friend Lillianne Schultz, and had attended a party with other Westerners where she met the fat colonel who quietly thanked her for her help with the Murdoch incident. Natalia had lazed around at home, playing her instruments¡ªthe piano and guitar, not the violin. Nick had relaxed at home, being teased by his sisters as usual. He had finished his homework. Finally, Jenny had been hard at work rebuilding the newspaper club. ¡°What were you working on?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Stuff.¡± Jenny replied. * * * The limousine left the perfectly planned roads of the Capital District and entered the Republic of Daurade, a member state of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. For some time they drove through a suburb inhabited mostly by people who commuted to the Capital District for work. There was more land available outside the Capital District, so the apartment buildings quickly gave way to detached houses. It was orderly to the point of being boring because the district had been planned meticulously from the bottom up. Soon, the street led to an interchange¡ªthey were approaching the autobahn, which was the highway that connected the cities of Roxche. The limousine drove up the interchange ramp and into the vast 6-lane highway that made excellent use of the flatlands of Roxche. Like an airstrip, the asphalt continued endlessly into the horizon in the distance. The limousine sped up as though gliding. Trees on the side of the road, which had been planted to protect against the wind, seemed to fly past. Soon the suburbs gave way to nothing but endless green plains. Farmlands that provided produce to the Capital District stretched on to the horizon. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re on the autobahn.¡± Natalia said suddenly. ¡°That means it¡¯s time to bust out the snacks.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the autobahn got to do with snacks? Explain in 100 words or less, Lia.¡± Larry demanded. ¡°¡®Don¡¯t sweat the details, shortie¡¯. I¡¯m gonna run out of words here.¡± Natalia replied. That was when Meg threw out a question. ¡°In Roxchean, the road for cars only is called an autobahn? Then¡­ what country¡¯s language is the autobahn?¡± The answer came, not from Larry the machine-lover, but from Nick the history buff. ¡°It comes from the Casnan language, once used in the nation of Casna at the easternmost tip of Roxche. The word ¡®autobahn¡¯ simply means ¡®car street¡¯. Casnan was used before the founding of Roxche, but the Confederation Minister of Transportation who planned the autobahn came up with the name ¡®autobahn¡¯¡ªperhaps because he was from Casna, or perhaps because he wanted to show off. Or perhaps both. There were other suggestions for the name, such as ¡®Transnational Freeway¡¯, ¡®Roxche Arterial Expressway¡¯, ¡®Confederation Defense Highway¡¯, and ¡®High-speed Freeway¡¯. But well, they simply didn¡¯t work quite as well. ¡®Autobahn¡¯ is quite elegant in its simplicity.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Meg gasped. Natalia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been a Roxchean all my life, but I never knew any of that.¡± ¡°Let me explain a little more about the autobahn, then.¡± Nick said. ¡°As Roxche is composed mostly of flatlands, canals have always been the primary method of transportation. From prehistory to now, Roxche has been crisscrossed by canals. This is where the saying, ¡®Roxche must be crossed by ship¡¯ comes from. But eventually, automobiles were invented and trucks and cars came into common use. With that came the development of highways for ease of long-distance travel. However, this caused some problems. Can anyone guess what they were?¡± A moment of silence followed the pop quiz. But Seron finally answered. ¡°The canals got in the way.¡± ¡°Indeed. I expected no less from you, Seron. The highways that were being built had to cross the canals at points along the construction, which meant the government would have to spend a fortune building bridges over them. Large canals are traversed by equally large ships, which means any bridges that goes over them must be tall enough that such ships¡¯ masts could pass through underneath. Ah, speak of the devil. Look over there¡ª¡± Nick pointed out the window on the right. Outside was a wide canal that intersected with the autobahn. It was lined on either side with concrete, which had been shaped into a park and a bicycle trail. A large freighter slowly made its way down the water, creating small ripples on the calm surface. The autobahn climbed just before it reached the water, crossing over at quite a height before descending to the ground again. The limousine¡¯s engine grew louder as they approached the climb. ¡°Technically, we¡¯re not crossing a canal but the Leine River. The Leine and Tar¨¨s Rivers are two of the most important rivers in the East, as they supply freshwater to the Capital District. The Leine flows directly into the North Sea, so if you were to set a small boat afloat it would eventually wind up at Port Watts.¡± Nick explained. Larry chimed in. ¡°True, but that would take days. And FYI, Port Watts is a military facility. You¡¯d get arrested if you wandered in.¡± ¡°As you can see, wider roads call for wider bridges. Should the architects avoid crossing canals whenever possible, or prioritize straight roads at the extra cost of the bridges¡ªthis was what made it so difficult to introduce the autobahn. A similar problem occurred when the railroads were built, but train tracks are narrow and can be raised whenever necessary. The autobahn unfortunately does not have that option. There¡¯s quite a few interesting stories about the land supply and the budget wars fought during the planning stages. Supposedly there was even a shipping war between trucks and ships.¡± ¡°There are no speed limitations on this road, no? When I first heard it, it was very surprising.¡± Meg asked. ¡°There are sections with speed limits, but generally there isn¡¯t.¡± Seron declared. ¡°There¡¯s a 130 kilometer per hour limit in sections like cities, since there are a lot of interchanges. And in places where they had to add a curve in the highway. But there weren¡¯t any limits at all about 20 years ago. You could go as fast as you wanted anywhere. But back when the autobahn was first built, the only cars that could go that fast were either sports cars or really expensive.¡± ¡°If I remember correctly, there was a terrible accident on the autobahn about 19 years ago. A heated debate followed, after which the speed limits were placed on certain sections.¡± Nick chimed in. Larry nodded. ¡°Some reckless young driver went so fast he ended up slamming into every car around him. An entire family in one of those cars died, and there was a huge uproar because they were the daughter, son-in-law, and grandson of a former cabinet minister.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen that article before.¡± Said Seron. ¡°In an old newspaper archive, I think. Although I don¡¯t remember the minister¡¯s name.¡± Larry continued. ¡°The debate went on for an entire year, and they finally put partial speed limits in place. Funny thing about Roxche¡ªthese days lots of cars can go over 200 and people do get into terrible accidents, but the people who demanded a speed limit over the entire autobahn just couldn¡¯t beat the no-limit lobbyists.¡± The moment Larry finished, Natalia spoke. ¡°That was a great history lesson. Now let¡¯s start on the snacks before we forget.¡± ¡°Just how does history connect to snacks again, Lia?¡± ¡°Correction. Let¡¯s start on the snacks in so we won¡¯t forget.¡± Their stash included the Capital District¡¯s infamously greasy deep-fried crisps, assorted chocolates, potato chips which had only recently hit the market, salami, scone and jam, raisins, gum, candy, and tea and juice in thermoses and small bottles respectively. The newspaper club chattered away as they opened up one snack after another. ¡°Is there anything else you wanted to know about Roxche, Megmica? Seron or Nick could probably answer anything for you. I could help out if you¡¯ve got any questions about the military.¡± Larry spoke up for Seron, who was having trouble talking to her. Natalia provided support fire. ¡°Great idea. Ask ¡®em while you can. ¡®Why, when and how did Larry grow out of being a crybaby?¡¯ That kinda stuff.¡± ¡°Never mind that, Lia.¡± Afterwards, the conversation turned into a question-and-answer session with Meg and the Roxcheans. The first topic of discussion was the Eastern educational system. They discussed the secondary school system and how it served simply as a stepping stone towards postsecondary education, and also discussed vocational schools. Education had always been a primary concern for Roxcheans, and in the East it was natural for children to receive extracurricular education. This was completely foreign to Meg. ¡°It is very surprising. And¡ª¡± Another system that Meg found strange was the option to skip a grade, which existed even for primary school students in Roxche. In Sou Be-Il, it was thought that students should not be separated by their academic performance from such a young age. But in Roxche, clever students were allowed to move on quickly through their education. Then came the question of why Jenny, who was one of the top 10 students in school, had not skipped a grade. ¡°Tell us if it¡¯s not too much trouble, chief.¡± Natalia urged. Jenny replied nonchalantly. ¡°Hmm¡­ I never really thought that hard about it. I only have six years in secondary school, so I might as well get the full experience, right? It¡¯s like reading a novel instead of just getting a summary.¡± ¡°Gotcha.¡± Outside the windows they could see a vast wetland. The conversation naturally moved on to the environment. ¡°The Razen wetlands. It¡¯s home to countless species of waterfowl, and thanks to its proximity to the Capital District it¡¯s known as a holy ground of birdwatching. Supposedly you¡¯ll find quite the crowd on holidays.¡± ¡°They passed a protection law.¡± Larry added. ¡°So hunting¡¯s completely illegal in this area. In the old days, locals used to hunt birds for their meat and feathers, but they all went out of business afterwards. They¡¯re the reason people in the Capital District call down jackets Razens.¡± The conversation drifted to the differences between laws in Roxche and Sou Be-Il. In Roxche, cars drove on the right side of the road and the driver¡¯s seat was on the left side of the car. In Sou Be-Il it was the opposite. As for minimum drinking age, every member state of Roxche had set it at 20. In Sou Be-Il, the minimum age had been lowered recently to 18, but depending on the region and type of drink, people could even drink starting at 14. Natalia was awestruck. ¡°Fourteen? That¡¯s ridiculous. I think I want to become a Westerner.¡± ¡°Fourteen? That¡¯s ridiculous. I think I want to become a Westerner.¡± ¡°We raise toasts for high school graduation with wines together.¡± Said Meg. ¡°Egad! Larry, I¡¯m going West!¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Then came the issue of gun control. In Roxche, citizens could possess weapons¡ªeven tanks or anti-aircraft weapons¡ªas long as they passed an admissions process and paid an expensive licensing fee. But in Sou Be-Il, only soldiers and law enforcement personnel could possess guns, with very few exceptions. They discussed several more differences, before Meg brought up an interesting topic. ¡°Now that I think to it, this is a very important fact¡ª¡± She explained that in the West, there was a lese-majeste law. That is, one could be prosecuted if they were caught insulting the royal family of Bezel or Iltoa in public. Then she added, ¡°But it is not a very heavy crime. This law is slowly losing powers.¡± ¡°I see. Looks like us Roxcheans had better be careful if we ever decide to visit.¡± ¡°It is all right. I told you before, I can follow you as interpreter for you.¡± Meg said with a smile. Seron¡¯s thought processes froze for a full three minutes. Afterwards, it came up that in Sou Be-Il, first-cousin marriage was strictly illegal. The Roxcheans could not hide their shock. ¡°Huh. It¡¯s not that uncommon in Roxche, you know. Rich people actually prefer to marry their kids to cousins, since they can guarantee a good background.¡± Natalia said. ¡°Hmph.¡± Jenny frowned, putting a potato chip in her mouth. But no one noticed. ¡°Speaking of laws,¡± Nick spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ve heard recently that the death penalty has been abolished completely in the West. Is it true, Megmica?¡± ¡°Abolished?¡± ¡°Ah. It means the penalty is no longer used.¡± ¡°Yes. It has. Some decades before, one person was murdered on schedule and afterwards no one was executed.¡± Meg said solemnly. Natalia finished off the cookies and spoke up. ¡°¡®Murdered¡¯, huh. That¡¯s a scary word to use, but guess it¡¯s not wrong.¡± ¡°Then what about really bad people?¡± Larry asked, a piece of chewing gum in his mouth. ¡°Like a serial killer, for example?¡± ¡°Well¡­ in that case, the crime adds one on top of one, and the¡­ prison term? Is this the correct word? The time he must be in prison goes up very very high. To 200 or 300 years.¡± Larry and the others, including Seron¡ªwho had just come back to his senses¡ªnodded. Meg continued. ¡°Several years before, a serial killer man who killed many many children was arrested by the policemen. It was a big talk of the country. Sou Be-Il was very loud. The man received more than 400 years, during the court. He can never leave the prison, and he can never kill other people now, but he is still alive.¡± The others were appalled. Nick seemed extremely curious. ¡°It boggles the mind to think that even such a terrible man was spared the death penalty. It does make me wonder¡ªthe death penalty has been around for all of human history. What led Sou Be-Il to deviate from the traditional norm?¡± ¡°Back then, my teacher at the school told us many things.¡± Meg said gravely. ¡°We did not know if he should be killed. The parents of the killed children sent many letters to the king and asked to kill the man but the laws did not change. ¡­But you see, when someone who killed someone dies, he will certainly go to hell. Everyone knows he will. Is there ¡®hell¡¯ in Roxche?¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°Yeah. Grandma used to tell me I¡¯d go to hell someday if I misbehaved.¡± Larry shared a similar experience. Then Seron spoke for the first time in a while. ¡°A lot of people in Roxche think so too. Most kids grow up being taught that bad people go to hell. That¡¯s why some people think the death penalty isn¡¯t necessary. I¡¯m sure there are people in Sou Be-Il who want to bring back the death penalty, just like the opposite is true in Roxche.¡± ¡°It is true. There are many people in this world.¡± Meg said, nodding again and again. The limousine went quiet. Nick spoke up. ¡°I suppose that may have been too serious of a topic. Perhaps we should move on to something more lighthearted? Seron.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious to know. How in the world does the Maxwell lamb saut¨¦ dinner with black pepper taste so good when all you have to do is simply heat it in the oven?¡± ¡°¡­The president¡ªmy mother¡ªonce told me, ¡®if anyone in the Capital District asks, tell them this¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Nick and the others listened with bated breath as Seron revealed the secret. ¡°It tastes so good because it¡¯s made with a mother¡¯s love.¡± ¡°That is wonderful! Seron¡¯s mother is a cool woman!¡± Meg exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯ve reached a rest stop, everyone. We¡¯ll refuel and take a short break.¡± Said the woman sitting in the front, opening up the window in the partition. The limousine left the autobahn and pulled up into a parking lot surrounded by trees. Jenny introduced the woman to Seron, and vice-versa. The woman was named Elsa Litner. She stepped off the car first and scanned the area. Then she escorted Jenny and the girls to the bathroom. ¡°We¡¯re fine. We¡¯re not as famous.¡± Larry turned down Kurtz¡¯s offer to escort the boys. He, Seron, and Nick dropped by the bathroom and headed to the store. ¡°Lia was really stuffing herself, eh? How¡¯s she gonna eat lunch?¡± Larry grumbled, personally paying to refill their stash of snacks. The moment they stepped out of the store, they ran into the girls. Larry handed the heavy paper bag to Natalia. ¡°Good thinking, Larry.¡± As they returned to the limousine together, Meg looked up at the blue sky. ¡°It is very fun. It is very fun that everyone has come to this far place, and that everyone must go farther. It is very good.¡± Three meters behind Meg, Seron silently but intensely agreed. ¡°No group photos?¡± Larry asked Jenny. ¡°Not if it¡¯s not newsworthy.¡± ¡°Oh! That is not good. Even if the photo is not newsworthy, the photo will be a cool memory. So take a photo please, Jenny.¡± ¡°Megmica¡¯s right. Club history¡¯s gotta be newsworthy, right?¡± Natalia added. Jenny shrugged. ¡°All right. Once we get to the villa.¡± Once the tank was full, the limousine left the rest stop and returned to the autobahn. There were fewer cars on the road now. And as if to match, there was one fewer lane. The landscape around them seemed to go on forever, like a strip of grey on a massive green carpet. The limousine signaled and changed lanes to overtake the car ahead. ¡°Look.¡± Larry exclaimed, ¡°a road train.¡± Meg and Natalia¡ªwho had been eating yet another cookie¡ªlooked to their right. A train of trailers seemed to flow by. Three trailers connected by metal bars were being pulled behind a single tractor unit. Three trailers connected by metal bars were being pulled behind a single tractor unit. Black smoke spewed from the tractor unit, which roared loudly enough to hear from inside the limousine. ¡°It¡¯s long.¡± Seron observed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Larry nodded, his eyes glued to the passing trailers. ¡°They¡¯re actually not allowed in the Capital District because they¡¯re so long. You don¡¯t get to see them much.¡± ¡°Were road trains not determined to be less efficient than trains about six months ago? Road trains can get in the way because of their length, so I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ll be seeing many more of them now.¡± Nick said. Larry turned. ¡°You know a lot of obscure things, huh. Yeah. In terms of fuel efficiency it¡¯s best to cover long distances by train and use regular-sized trucks the rest of the way. They¡¯ve partially implemented a standard on shipping container sizes, and once it¡¯s fully in effect the shipping industry¡¯s going to switch over completely.¡± ¡°This is a bore.¡± Natalia said. Meg also showed little interest, her eyes on the truck disappearing behind them. At that moment, Meg¡¯s eyes met Seron¡¯s. She smiled. ¡®All hail road trains!¡¯ ¡®Let road trains drive Roxche¡¯s autobahns forever!¡¯ In his heart, Seron heaped praises upon the endangered species. About an hour past noon, the limousine left the autobahn again. They drove down a road through a farmland before coming to a stop at a large drive-thru restaurant in town. The students and the bodyguards went into the room that Kurtz had reserved ahead of time. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry, so please take your time.¡± The adults left the room and the students sat at the table. Then came the food. For lunch, they would have the restaurant¡¯s specialty¡ªthe build-it-yourself burger. Diners were provided soft buns straight out of the oven, fresh vegetables, the local specialty cheese, meat patties dripping with juice served on a small grill, and other ingredients and garnishes with which to dress their lunch. ¡°I¡¯m going all-out!¡± Larry spread butter over his bun, then expertly added the patty, salt and pepper, tomato slices, cheese, lettuce, onion slices, mayonnaise, a drop of mustard, a bun slice, butter, another patty, salt, pepper, cheese, tomato slices, pickles, and ketchup. Then he covered the top and put a long skewer through the burger for ease of eating. ¡°It¡¯s on, Larry.¡± Natalia made the same hamburger, except without pickles and onion slices and with extra mayonnaise. ¡°No way I¡¯m going that far. ¡®Sides, I like raw onions.¡± Jenny piled a meat patty and onion slices onto her bun and finished without adding any other ingredients. ¡°You three are astounding. I¡¯m still quite full from all the snacks.¡± ¡°So am I. But I like hamburgers. Before, in Sou Be-Il, it was against politeness to eat your food with your hands.¡± Nick and Meg opted for plain burgers. Bun, butter, patty, assorted vegetables, pickles, and ketchup. Seron was last. ¡°What should I do?¡± He wondered, picking up a bun. Larry was already finished his first burger. He answered with mayonnaise on his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t think about it too hard, Seron. Just make it simple.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. Thanks, Larry.¡± Seron made the same plain hamburger Meg made. And he happily dug into the same hamburger the girl he loved was eating. Inwardly, Larry chuckled. He got to building his second burger. ¡°I¡¯mma add another patty this time!¡± ¡°Three for me!¡± After the burgers, the newspaper club members had chocolate ice cream for dessert followed by warm tea. And the limousine set off once more, carrying six utterly stuffed students. They sped down the empty autobahn again. It was neither cold nor hot inside the limousine, and the seats were comfortable and impact-absorbent. The engine hummed peacefully. As a result¡ª ¡°Figures.¡± Larry muttered. Nick, Jenny, Natalia, and Meg were all asleep. Nick and Jenny leaned against their respective windows, Natalia sat with her head tilted all the way back, and Meg with her head slightly bowed. ¡°Maybe I should get some shut-eye too.¡± Larry turned. To his right sat Seron, desperately trying to keep his eyes open. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t get much sleep on the train last night, Seron?¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah. But¡­¡± Larry looked at Seron, then at Meg. Seron sat nervously, and Meg slept peacefully. Seron¡¯s dilemma was clear. ¡°Look, buddy. I know how you feel, but this is only the first day. If you rush, you¡¯re gonna drive yourself into an early grave.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good¡­ I¡¯ll get some sleep.¡± ¡°Yeah. Relax, man. Take your time.¡± ¡°It looks like they¡¯re all asleep.¡± Litner said, glancing back from her seat. ¡°Right then.¡± Kurtz slowed the limousine slightly and steadied his driving. A short while later, he spoke again. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that even Miss Jenny¡¯s fallen asleep. She must really trust these friends of hers.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I couldn¡¯t believe she made five friends at once, personally.¡± ¡°And she¡¯s taking them to Ercho Village. You think she¡¯s gotten over her heartbreak?¡± ¡°I doubt it. I doubt she¡¯ll ever get over it completely.¡± ¡°Is that a woman¡¯s perspective, Elsa? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever understand.¡± The limousine continued due north. ----- Volume 4 2 — Ercho Village Volume 4 Chapter 2: Ercho Village ----- ¡°I slept so well.¡± Said Jenny. ¡°Yes. I slept very much as well.¡± Said Meg. ¡°I woke up sometimes and got so lonely that I ate more snacks. Alone.¡± Said Natalia. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna say anything, Lia.¡± Said Larry. ¡°I see that expensive seats are very good for the back.¡± Said Nick. ¡°It was comfortable.¡± Said Seron. The limousine finally arrived at Ercho Village. It was technically evening, but the days were long in the summer and the sun was still up. Ercho Village had a population of about 30,000. It was large for a village, but not large enough to be a city. About 90 percent of its vast lands were flat pastures and fields. There was a small cluster of stores at the center of the village, where the village hall was. Winding country roads lined with trees twisted across the village. Naturally, there were no street lamps. The villa district followed the country roads. Each property made good use of the vast lands, with hundreds of meters between any given building¡ªsometimes the houses were so far they could not see their next-door neighbors. Jenny¡¯s relatives¡¯ villa was a luxury mansion in that area. The building was 30 meters wide and three stories tall. With its white walls and orange roofs it exuded cheer. Next to the building was a wooden garage. The door was shut. Summer flowers were in full bloom in the well-kept garden, and birds were chirping in the distance. The limousine passed through the gates and soon stopped at the door. The newspaper club members spilled out of the limousine from both sides. It was not particularly warm, but not as windy as the Capital District. They were enveloped by a cool, refreshing air. ¡°Whoa, not bad.¡± Natalia said. That was when she noticed the middle-aged couple coming over and greeted them. The man and the woman were both in their fifties, and both dressed in checkered shirts of different colors and cargo pants. Both were plump and looked very kind. ¡°Welcome, welcome! It must have been a long trip.¡± The woman turned to Jenny. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, Miss Jenny. I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well. Your new hairstyle suits you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Jenny replied. ¡°Thanks for having us over.¡± With an uncharacteristically bright smile, Jenny introduced the couple to the newspaper club. ¡°This is Mr. and Mrs. Ruf. They¡¯ve been a big help to us for years. We¡¯re practically family.¡± Then she introduced the newspaper club and the bodyguards to the couple. The students gave courteous greetings, and the bodyguards flashed their IDs. ¡°Thank you for coming all this way, everyone. Welcome to Ercho Village. Would you care for some tea to start off the trip? We¡¯ll take you to your rooms afterwards.¡± Mrs. Ruf offered. Seron and the others were led into a large sitting room on the first floor. Kurtz and Litner carried their luggage up to their rooms first. Marveling at the beautiful flowers outside the window, the newspaper club members lazily drank tea with milk from Ercho village. Mrs. Ruf gave them a brief introduction to the villa. They were free to go anywhere within the blue fences, which marked the villa property. The villa kept two horses in the back which they could ride for long distances. There were a dozen bicycles on hand thanks to the recent cycling boom. There were two motorcycles on hand as well, for anyone with a license. ¡°Me! I¡¯ve got one! Up to 300cc, ma¡¯am!¡± Larry cried, raising his hand. In Roxche, new motorcycle riders had to comply with an engine displacement limit. After tea, the students were led to their rooms. Each room was almost too big for one person. There was a double bed with a canopy and lace curtains, luxurious sofas, a rose-colored vanity, a dresser, and a fluffy carpet. The walls were painted a calming white. Each room was adorned with different paintings by the same artist. ¡°Ah, I recognize this artist. It¡ª¡± ¡°Never mind, Nick. I¡¯m not sure I want to know how much it costs.¡± Each room had its own bathroom with a porcelain bathtub. Beyond the balcony they had a view of the flowers in the garden and the gentle plains in the distance. The boys¡¯ rooms were on the second floor, and the girls¡¯ rooms on the third. Kurtz and Litner had their own rooms on the first floor. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare sneak up here at night, Larry.¡± Natalia teased. ¡°Huh? Why would I do that?¡± Larry asked obliviously. * * * The sky was aglow with dusk, and everyone had gotten rested in their own rooms. ¡°Seron! Dinner!¡± ¡°Be right there.¡± Larry and the others were waiting outside. The newspaper club headed to the large dining room on the first floor. There was an unused fireplace in the dining room, and a long 20-seater table before it. The newspaper club sat at one end, with the boys on one side and the girls on the other just like in the club office. Bread, vegetables, juice, tea, and the appetizer were already set on the table. And¡ª ¡°Our main dish tonight will be chicken steamed in white wine served with anchovy sauce.¡± Mrs. Ruf rolled in the main course on a cart. On the plate were saut¨¦d drumsticks steamed in white wine. Then came the sauce¡ªa mixture of anchovy and herbs stir-fried in olive oil. The sauce was served in a small pot and placed atop a burner to keep it warm. ¡°It smells very delicious.¡± Said Meg. ¡°In truth, I love anchovy very much. Although my rest of the family members hate anchovy.¡± ¡°Looks good. Can we have seconds?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°You haven¡¯t even started, Lia. I want seconds too, though.¡± Larry added. ¡°The butter looks delicious as well. And very fresh.¡± Nick commented. ¡°It was probably made today. And with whipped cream too¡ªthe simplest and best.¡± Replied Seron. ¡°Good eye, Seron. I bet Uncle was working hard on this today.¡± They started eating. They finished eating. ¡°I¡¯m stuffed. I can barely move.¡± Said Jenny. ¡°Now how am I gonna put you through training?¡± Seron replied. ¡°Let¡¯s save it for tomorrow, Jenny. Training aside, the butter was incredible. Frozen food just can¡¯t compete.¡± ¡°It was all delicious.¡± Said Nick. ¡°I particularly enjoyed the asparagus.¡± ¡°That was some good food. I¡¯ll get some muscle training done once I digest this.¡± Said Larry. ¡°Looking forward to the rest of the camp. So what¡¯re we getting for midnight snacks?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Thank you for the meal.¡± Said Meg. * * * The sun set completely. It was nighttime. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll teach you to use a camera! All of you change into your gym uniforms and gather back here!¡± Jenny cried in the sitting room. ¡°Why the uniforms?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Because it¡¯s a club activity.¡± Jenny replied. Once the members gathered in identical clothes (save for the names embroidered onto them), Jenny laid out a cloth over the thick table. Then she took out a camera from her trunk and placed it on the cloth. ¡°We¡¯re starting with the camera! I expect everyone to have the instructions memorized tonight, ¡®cause tomorrow we¡¯re going on a photography outing!¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the collection you¡¯ve brought with you.¡± Just as Nick said, there were nearly ten cameras on the table. They were rangefinder cameras that used standard 35mm film. There was also an array of over 20 lenses, from wide-angle to telephoto. Then there were over a hundred rolls of unused black-and-white film, and six photometers for measuring light intensity. Although cameras had become more popularized, a middle-class family would be lucky to have one at home. And here lay ten of them on the table before their eyes. ¡°Man¡­ these probably add up to a small fortune.¡± Larry speculated. ¡°Listen up! News photography is not art! We don¡¯t need any long artist statements or droning explanations! Our priority is to take clear, focused pictures anyone can understand instantly!¡± Jenny Jones¡¯s Photography Class was in session. First, they learned to use the photometer. An experienced photographer could tell how much light there was on a sunny day or a cloudy day, but that was not possible for a newbie. It was annoying, but they had always to check the exposure with the photometers and refer to the measurements. Because the meters were small enough to fit in the palm of one¡¯s hand, they had to hang them around their necks in case they dropped it. And when they were not using the photometers, they had to keep them inside a leather case to prevent the solar batteries from overheating. ¡°It is elegant and cute.¡± Meg commented, examining the brown leather cases. Then Jenny taught them how to adjust the exposure¡ªin other words, how much light to let into the camera. They needed to know three things in order to accurately set the exposure. The sensitivity of the film, the lens setting, and the shutter speed. ¡°You¡¯re going too fast, chief. Wait up for us.¡± Natalia complained. Jenny nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go in order.¡± The sensitivity of the film was exactly what it sounded like. It was how sensitively the film reacted to light. The more sensitive the film, the faster the shutter speed had to be. But that had the downside of making the photograph look more grainy. It was the opposite with less sensitive film. Naturally, the sensitivity remained the same throughout the duration of the roll. In this case, Jenny had only brought film with a rating of 125. So there was no need to worry about the sensitivity this time. However, they had to remember to set the sensitivity rating on their photometers to 125. ¡°What about the cost of the film and the development?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Club expenses.¡± Jenny replied. Then she taught them about lens settings¡ªthat is, how to adjust the amount of light that came in through the lens. There was an aperture inside the camera, which could be widened or narrowed. The position of the aperture was measured by f-stops. The more the aperture was widened, the more light was let in. However, there was a certain point at which no more light could be allowed inside. Another variable to note was that the more the aperture was widened, the less they could focus on. Because this technique made the background blurry, it was a good choice for photographing people or flowers to put them in the spotlight. On the other hand, when the aperture was narrowed they could focus on a wider range¡ªfor example, they could take a photo of the villa with the landscape behind it all in full focus. ¡°Technically you can only focus on one distance, but when you narrow the aperture you can see it because everything widens. It¡¯s called depth of field.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that now? You lost me, chief.¡± Natalia furrowed her brow. Seron stepped in. ¡°Nat, take off your glasses.¡± ¡°Hm? Sure. ¡­All right. I can¡¯t see a thing now.¡± ¡°What happens when you squint? Or try holding your thumb and index finger in a circle in front of your eye.¡± ¡°Oh, I do that all the time. I can see a bit better that way.¡± ¡°And if you do that, sometimes you can read letters that are just borderline blurry, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you increase the depth of field.¡± ¡°Aha! Gotcha. I get it now.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°In other words, I was born to be a photographer.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even tell if that was a joke.¡± Larry remarked. Jenny continued. A deep depth of field could be convenient, but the more the aperture was narrowed, the less light hit the film. And that meant they needed a slower shutter speed to match. The shutter speed was the amount of time the shutter was open for¡ªthe amount of time light was allowed to hit the film. With a high shutter speed, even a moving subject could be photographed as though it was still. With a low shutter speed, they could take photos of dimmer subjects or with a narrower aperture, but they would have to set the camera on a tripod¡ªotherwise the photograph would turn out completely blurred. In terms of shutter speed, there was a certain threshold they could not cross as long as they were shooting without a tripod. So they had to keep the aperture wide enough with that in mind. ¡°This camera has six shutter speed options. 1/500 of a second, 1/250 of a second, 1/100 of a second, 1/50 of a second, and 1/25 of a second. And then there¡¯s the bulb setting.¡± ¡°And what might that be?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°It means the shutter is open for as long as your finger¡¯s on the shutter button.¡± ¡°I see. So it¡¯s only used in conjunction with a tripod.¡± ¡°Yeah. I gave you all handhelds, so just stick to 1/50 and you¡¯ll be fine. If you think you¡¯ll need a lower speed, widen the aperture. I¡¯ll teach you to use the strobe later.¡± Once they had a set exposure, it was time to adjust focus. All the measuring in the world couldn¡¯t help if the image was out of focus. ¡°Hey! I take offense to that, Larry Hepburn!¡± Natalia hissed, pushing up her glasses. ¡°I haven¡¯t said ¡®completely nearsighted¡¯ or ¡®blind without ¡®em¡¯ yet, Lia.¡± Larry replied. ¡°What¡¯s that, shortie? C¡¯mon out here. Let¡¯s settle this like gentlemen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass. Have fun stargazing alone, Lia. It¡¯s real romantic out there.¡± ¡°Save the duel to the death for later, you two. Let¡¯s get back to the lesson.¡± With a rangefinder camera, they had to turn the focus ring while looking through the viewfinder. If the object at the center of the viewfinder seemed to be doubling, the image was out of focus. They had to turn the ring until the image consolidated. Finally, Jenny explained about composition. For example, there was no point to photographing a person if his face was not in the shot. And there was no point to a landscape if the image was tilted. They had to adjust the angle or switch out lenses depending on what and how they wanted to photograph. Jenny then added that they had to be careful with the cameras, as they were very delicate pieces of equipment. That they had to hang the cameras on straps around their necks at all times, and that they should not get so engrossed that they end up walking backwards with an eye on the viewfinder. ¡°Speaking from experience, Jenny?¡± Asked Nick. Jenny acknowledged that she had done such a thing several times. Seron quickly and efficiently took down an outline of the lesson. Then he copied out his notes for the others. It was getting late. The world outside was pitch-black, as the moon had not yet risen. It had gotten cold, even though everyone was in their gym uniforms. ¡°I see. I barely understand to use it now. At the same time, I think I know why my father never gave me a camera for me. I will carry around Seron¡¯s memo with me always.¡± Everyone, including the technologically-challenged Meg, had grasped the basics of photography. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you the rest tomorrow. Nothing like a test run to really learn all this stuff. Let¡¯s shoot lots.¡± Jenny finished, sweat on her brow from her fervent lecture. ¡°You didn¡¯t teach us to load and unload the film.¡± Seron pointed out. ¡°¡­Tomorrow! Dismissed!¡± The first day of the camp came to an end. The newspaper club members slowly climbed the central staircase. Natalia was yawning. ¡°Long day, huh. Gonna get some good rest tonight, I bet.¡± ¡°It is good that I can sleep in a very princess-like bed tonight.¡± Said Meg. ¡°I get the distinct feeling that you might find such beds at Seron¡¯s home, no?¡± Nick wondered. Seron replied, ¡°Leena¡ªmy sister¡ªused to have one, but she tried to climb it and it broke. So not anymore.¡± ¡°What do you guys say to a 10-kilometer run at the crack of dawn?¡± Asked Jenny. ¡°What, are we the military now?¡± Larry chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you guys are up for it.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Me neither, please¡­¡± Natalia and Meg were quick to object. ¡°Too bad.¡± Jenny sighed. ¡°Well, just be up before breakfast tomorrow. I¡¯m not too keen on getting up too early, either.¡± The boys stepped back from the staircase. ¡°Well then, have a good night.¡± Meg waved as she went up to the third floor. Seron watched her, on and on until she was finally out of sight. Larry was distinctly reminded of a dramatic farewell scene straight out of a film, but he waited for Seron without a word. As did Nick. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Larry turned to the empty hallway. ¡°What might be the matter, Larry?¡± Nick asked, surprised. ¡°Hm. I thought I heard something break just now. Was it just my imagination? ¡­Gotta be, right?¡± Larry shrugged. Then he gave Seron a tap on the shoulder, snapping him out of his daze. ¡°Let¡¯s go, buddy. There¡¯s always tomorrow.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Just a single step before reaching the third floor, Natalia froze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Is everything all right?¡± Jenny and Meg asked from behind. ¡°I heard a toaster oven shatter just now. Wonder what that¡¯s all about.¡± Natalia said. ¡°Well, none of my business. Mr. Kurtz¡¯ll notice if anything happens.¡± She concluded, resuming her walk. * * * The 2nd day of the eighth month. It was morning on the second day of the camp. Seron opened his eyes unbidden early in the morning. He woke up at the same time as the previous day, an hour before the sleeper train reached the Capital District. The morning sun shone brightly, creeping between the curtains. It was a clear day. Seron was in a T-shirt and a pair of shorts. He climbed out of bed and scratched his messy hair as he headed to the bathroom. He had showered the previous night, so he simply washed his face and brushed his teeth before changing into long pants and a button-down shirt. There was still time before breakfast. Seron wondered what he should do. ¡°Right. The camera.¡± He thought to review Jenny¡¯s lesson, but he realized that the cameras were all down in the sitting room. With nothing else to do, Seron drew the curtains, opened the glass door, and stepped out onto the balcony. The sun was still low near the horizon, but shining brightly. The sky was still a dark blue. There was almost no wind. Cradled in the pleasantly cool air and the scent of grass, Seron walked forward. He placed his hands on the railing. ¡°Oh? Seron.¡± He heard someone¡¯s voice. Seron looked down. There, between the flower beds, stood Meg. However¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± Seron froze, failing to recognize the figure in the gardens. Meg was wearing a white dress, but she was wearing her hair down instead of her usual pigtails. ¡°I also woke up early this morning.¡± Five seconds of staring later, Seron finally recognized the girl he loved. ¡°H-hey there! Good morning.¡± ¡°Yes, it is a very good morning. I am down here to walk the gardens for a short moment. Would you like to walk too, Seron?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll be right there!¡± Seron tightened his grip, ready to leap over the railing. And just as he prepared to spring forward, he realized that something was wrong and stopped himself. Quietly but very quickly Seron descended the central staircase. He had never walked so fast in his entire life, he thought. As soon as he was outside, he ran to Meg¡¯s side. She was squatting in front of a bed of red flowers. But when she noticed his presence, Meg stood and smiled, her long hair aflutter. ¡°The weather is very good today as well.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. And you?¡± ¡°Hm? Is my Roxchean speaking wrong?¡± ¡°No, wait. Sorry. My bad. I must be half-asleep. I¡¯m sorry, Megmica. The weather certainly is great today.¡± ¡°Indeed it is very good! As we are awake early, let us walk this wonderful garden!¡± Stiffly, but desperately putting on a blank front, Seron went over to Meg¡¯s left side. They slowly began to stroll through the garden of flower beds, lawns, and trees. Seron kicked his sputtering thought processes into high gear. ¡°Y-you know, your hair. It surprised me a little.¡± Seron confessed, unable to think of anything else. ¡°Oh. I walked outside after I slept and woke up in the morning like this. I think it would be okay to untie my hair like this. I will tie them again later. It is very uncomfortable when I move.¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah. You¡¯re right. It could get in the way when you¡¯re using a camera¡­¡± Seron rationalized against his will. ¡°Yes! It could.¡± Meg agreed brightly and obliviously. With her finger Meg played with her hair. Seron could see her profiled face. Blinking, he kept his gaze on her. ¡°At the school in Sou Be-Il which I attended, it was the law to tie students¡¯ hair in pigtails.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°My school was a girls school. All the students were girls. And the hairstyle was not free, like the school now. I thought it was very not free, at the time.¡± ¡°Right. Roxche¡¯s pretty easygoing about things like that.¡± ¡°Yes. It was very surprising. But after coming to Roxche, pigtails were comfortable for some reason so I still tie the pigtails. My friend Lillia says for me to use different hairstyles, but still.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard to break out of your comfort zone.¡± Seron said plainly, although in his head he was determined to have a serious discussion about Meg¡¯s hairstyle with this friend named Lillia. ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard to break out of your comfort zone.¡± Seron said plainly, although in his head he was determined to have a serious discussion about Meg¡¯s hairstyle with this friend named Lillia. ¡°Yes. Thinking of which, I want to take Lillia to Sou Be-Il with me some day. Everyone will be surprised when I take a Roxchean whose Bezelese speaking is better than mine.¡± Seron inhaled, readied himself, and spoke in Bezelese. ¡°I studied, Bezelese, a little.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! It is very surprising. As expected, you are amazing, Seron.¡± ¡°It is a very difficult language. I was very surprised.¡± Seron managed in faltering but polite Bezelese, before switching back. ¡°Sorry. That¡¯s about as far as I can go. The conjugation is so difficult that all I can do is memorize entire sentences. The pronunciation is tough, and I had a hard time remembering genders for nouns.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Then I will speak a little.¡± Meg said, looking at Seron. ¡°You¡¯re always full of surprises, Seron. I feel like I could learn so much from you.¡± ¡°What does that mean? I caught my name, but everything else was a blur.¡± Meg took a moment to translate her thoughts into Roxchean, then simplified her sentiment. ¡°I said, ¡®you are very cool, Seron¡¯!¡± Seron¡¯s thought processes came grinding to a halt, restored only once he heard Meg¡¯s concerned voice several seconds later. Afterwards, they had uneventful conversations about the flowers in the gardens and the sights they saw on the autobahn the previous day. ¡°Shine on, Seron. I am so proud of you!¡± Larry whispered from his balcony, still in his T-shirt. Because Meg and Seron were walking side-by-side at the other end of the garden, he could not hear what they were talking about. ¡°Agreed. Now why can¡¯t you ever manage that?¡± Someone said from above him. ¡°Tch.¡± Larry scowled and looked up. Natalia leaned against the railing of her balcony. Her hair was even longer than Meg¡¯s. ¡°That¡¯s long.¡± ¡°Yeah. Wanna try climbing it?¡± ¡°No thanks. Isn¡¯t it annoying to wash and dry it all?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s such a bother.¡± ¡°Ever think about cutting it short like me?¡± ¡°If I feel like it.¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of romance to be found in the conversation. Natalia looked out at the gardens. ¡°Hm. Maybe I should get down there and have some fun.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare get in their way, Lia.¡± Larry said, his eyes glinting. ¡°Heh. Can¡¯t even joke around with you. I¡¯mma head in and wash my hair.¡± Natalia said, walking back inside. Larry sighed. Before he knew it, Nick was standing on the balcony next door. ¡°It is considered bad form to get in the way of a romance.¡± He said without even a greeting. Larry turned. Nick stood there wearing light green pajamas and a strangely adorable black nightcap with golden stars. ¡°Yeah. Morning.¡± ¡°Good morning. It seems like we¡¯ll have quite the exciting day ahead.¡± * * * ¡°Then I will see you at breakfast time.¡± ¡°Yeah. See you.¡± After a stroll through the gardens, Seron said goodbye to Meg at the stairs and headed back to his own room. But just as he passed Larry¡¯s door¡ª ¡°Good job.¡± ? ¡°Whoa!¡± Seron flinched. The door was ajar. ¡°¡­Can I come in?¡± ¡°Sure thing, buddy.¡± As soon as Larry shut the door behind them, Seron let his emotions tint his voice¡ªbut not his face. ¡°D-d-did you see, Larry? Nothing beats Megmica with her hair down!¡± ¡°I only saw her from afar, but yeah. That¡¯s one of the privileges of being in the same club.¡± Larry replied. His fists trembling, Seron looked up at the ceiling. ¡°I can die happy now.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not get too ahead of ourselves.¡± * * * It was time for breakfast. The newspaper club was gathered in the dining room. Larry was in his usual T-shirt and a grey parka. Nick was wearing pants similar to Seron¡¯s, along with a white button-down shirt. Jenny was in navy shorts and a long-sleeved shirt. Natalia wore long pants and a light green summer sweater. They had a traditional Roxchean breakfast that morning¡ªbacon and eggs with bread, vegetables, and fruits. It all tasted wonderful. The butter was as good as it had been the previous night. Everyone was more than satisfied with breakfast. Larry downed glass after glass of milk. ¡°The milk is great. One more glass!¡± ¡°Good to see you¡¯re taking in all that calcium. You¡¯ve still got hope, shortie.¡± ¡°Shut up, Lia.¡± ¡°I think this weather will last all day.¡± Said Mrs. Ruf, bringing in tea. ¡°How would you like to have a barbecue in the gardens for dinner?¡± The newspaper club agreed with gusto. Mrs. Ruf promised to prepare meat and vegetables for the barbecue. ¡°I can help! Outdoor cooking is my specialty.¡± Larry volunteered. Seron joined in as well, followed by Nick. In the end, everyone had signed up to help prepare dinner. Mrs. Ruf took down everyone¡¯s requests for the barbecue. And once she was gone¡ª ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± Kurtz and Litner entered the kitchen. Kurtz asked Jenny about her plans for the day. ¡°Today, we¡¯re going around town by bicycle for some photography practice. Lunch will be at the local specialty spaghetti place by the village hall. Could you make reservations for eight? We¡¯ve got a couple of big eaters. We¡¯ll drop off our film at a photography studio and come back here, and if we have time we¡¯ll learn to use typewriters or take a nap. We¡¯ll have a barbecue in the evening and another lesson at night, if we have time.¡± Kurtz nodded in understanding. Larry spoke up. ¡°We¡¯re not gonna develop the photos ourselves? I was looking forward to that.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a darkroom here. Believe me, I wish we could develop them too. But we¡¯ll focus just on photography this time. I¡¯ll give you a lesson on the darkroom once we get back.¡± ¡°Right. And about going into town¡­ are the six of us gonna go on six bikes together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the plan. Why?¡± Jenny asked. All eyes were on Larry. ¡°I have another idea. Can we split off into three pairs? We don¡¯t all have to crowd around together. I know I¡¯m being kinda selfish, but I want to race around town on a motorcycle today. I can give someone a ride behind me, so the rest of you can pair off and have free time until lunch. It¡¯s no fun if everyone takes photos of the same thing.¡± ¡°You gotta do what I say! ¡ªIs what I wanted to say, but that sounds fine as long as everyone does some photography. So who¡¯s going with you? Obviously, I¡¯m gonna decline.¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s gotta be me, then.¡± Natalia said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to bike. It¡¯d be nice to have a slave take me everywhere by motorcycle.¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a slave, Lia? Fine. It¡¯s the two of us, then.¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you calling a slave, Lia? Fine. It¡¯s the two of us, then.¡± Larry and Natalia were working in perfect sync. Nick joined in. ¡°Then could I perhaps work with you for the morning, Jenny? I¡¯m not quite clear on the specifics about photography, I¡¯m afraid. And I¡¯m sure Megmica will be fine with Seron, as he knows all the details about camera use.¡± Only then did Seron realize that Larry, Natalia, and Nick were doing their best to help him. Blankly and silently he heaped praises and thanks upon them. ¡°Hmm. All right.¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°Is that all right with you, Megmica?¡± ¡°Yes. It is very fine with me.¡± Completely oblivious to the implications, Meg agreed with a smile. ¡°Good. Then I¡¯ll hand out maps of the area to everyone. We meet at noon today in town. All the boys have wristwatches, right? The rendezvous point is the fountain in Huckanee Memorial Park in the center of the village. It¡¯s on the map, and you can ask people for directions. The park is about 3 kilometers away, and there are almost no slopes on the way there so it won¡¯t be tough to go by bike. And don¡¯t go snacking before we meet¡ªwe have reservations for lunch. That is all. Dismissed!¡± Everyone nodded and stood, but Seron spoke up. ¡°Jenny. Teach us to load and unload the cameras.¡± * * * To load the film, they had to turn a dial on the bottom of the camera and open the lid, then set the film cartridge on the left side. Then they had to wind the end of the film around the take-up spool on the right side. Then, they had to close the lid. After taking two or three throwaway shots, they had to set the film counter under the dial to zero. After taking 24 pictures, they had to press the button next to the shutter to unlock the camera. Then they had to turn the knob on the left until there was no more tension in the knob. Then they could take out the cartridge. If they made a mistake somewhere in this process, they could end up with no photos at all or an entire roll of ruined photos. It required careful work. After the explanation, the newspaper club set off. They only took their wallets, cameras, lenses, and photometers. Each person took about five canisters of film. They also packed maps and water bottles in cloth bags or leather purses. The bicycle teams placed their belongings in the baskets at the front of their bikes. As for the motorcycle team¡ª ¡°It¡¯s all on you, Lia.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Natalia had to put two people¡¯s worth of belongings into a backpack she would carry. Outside the villa were four bicycles and a motorcycle. The bicycles included cross-bikes and touring bicycles with straight handlebars and gears. There were different types of frames as well. Jenny and Meg elected for types with lower frames so they could climb on and off easily, while Seron and Nick chose bicycles with triangular frames. And as the bicycle team adjusted their seats and checked their brakes¡ª ¡°Whoa! This is the latest model!¡± Larry ran his hands over the black motorcycle in awe. The 250cc motorcycle had a four-stroke engine and a single engine cylinder, and had drum brakes for both the front and the back. Just as Larry raved, it was a very recent model. There wasn¡¯t a speck of dust on the glinting muffler, fenders, and rear suspension springs. The oval fuel tank was also silver in color. The top was painted black, and there were thick rubber cushions over the tank where the knees went. The motorcycle could seat two people. The second seat was on top of the rear fender behind the rider¡¯s seat. Mr. Ruf had prepared and even serviced the bicycles and motorcycle the pervious night. He turned to Larry. ¡°You know how to ride it, yes?¡± ¡°My brother taught me, sir! This isn¡¯t something to brag about, but I¡¯ve never incurred a traffic violation, either!¡± Larry replied. ¡°Take care, of yourselves. Motorcycles are great, but it¡¯s very easy to get in an accident.¡± Then he handed Larry two leather jackets, two silver helmets, two black-framed goggles, and two pairs of gloves. Larry put on his jacket, helmet, and gloves. ¡°Hm. This isn¡¯t working.¡± Natalia had pinned up her hair, which made it impossible for her to put on her helmet. She went all the way back to the bathroom to untie her hair and tie it in a ponytail. Then she tucked in her ponytail under her jacket and put on her helmet. When Natalia hid her long hair and dressed like a motorcycle rider, she looked almost like a handsome young man. ¡°It is cool, Natalia! You look like a cool rider!¡± Meg cheered. Larry had to agree, but he pouted. ¡°Thanks, Megmica. ¡ªWhy the long face, Larry? Want me to drive instead?¡± ¡°Pop quiz, Lia. Is the clutch on the left side or the right?¡± Larry asked, miming the act of clutching the handlebars. ¡°Hm. This?¡± Natalia stepped down with her right foot. ¡°¡­Yeah, no.¡± Before departure, a small argument broke out between Jenny and Kurtz. Kurtz and Litner told Jenny that they would follow her by car. Jenny refused, saying she had never needed such security detail at Ercho Village. But¡ª ¡°Miss. If anything were to happen to you here, Litner and I will certainly lose our jobs. I have a three-year-old daughter, Miss Jenny. And Litner finally overcame the odds that come with this line of work and recently found herself a boyfriend.¡± Kurtz argued solemnly, exposing personal details with a completely straight face. Litner stood by him in mechanical silence all the while. ¡°Man, Mr. Kurtz is good. Guess you¡¯d have to be, if you wanted to be Jenny¡¯s bodyguard.¡± ¡°It is not good to leave them, Jenny. It would be too sad to lose their jobs.¡± Meg said, taking Kurtz¡¯s side. ¡°Thank you, Miss Megmica.¡± Kurtz nodded. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse us, Miss Jenny. We will proceed to follow you like a pair of stalkers.¡± Jenny was forced to give up. ¡°Fine. But you have to keep your distance, okay? Fifty meters.¡± Everyone was finally ready to go. ¡°Let¡¯s all do our best until noon!¡± Larry cried. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Meg, Nick, and Natalia raised their fists into the air. ¡°Yeah.¡± Seron followed, half a beat behind. Jenny was already on her bicycle. ¡°Now get out there and shoot! Shoot like your life depends on it! Pretend you¡¯ve never heard of personality rights! And remember this. ¡®One second after you press the shutter, the photograph might feel like a waste of film. But in one year, it¡¯ll be a good memory. In ten, an irreplaceable treasure. And in a hundred, it¡¯ll be a snapshot of history¡¯.¡± ¡°Nice line, Jenny. ¡ªBy the way, I have a question.¡± Larry said, raising a hand. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are we allowed to take photographs of one another?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯ll be practice for taking photos of people. Don¡¯t forget to adjust the focus.¡± ¡°Right. Hear that, guys? We now have permission to photograph cute girls. Don¡¯t hold back.¡± ¡°Oh? Flattery will get you nowhere, Larry.¡± ¡°What¡¯re you talking about, Lia? I¡¯m taking photos of the motorcycle.¡± ¡°Honest, huh. I like that. As a reward, I will personally strangle you from behind while we¡¯re on the motorcycle.¡± ¡°With a cause of death that stupid, we¡¯d make headlines in all of Roxche.¡± ----- Volume 4 3 — Lawrence Volume 4 Chapter 3: Lawrence ----- ¡°All right, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°W-wait a moment, Jenny.¡± Jenny and Nick were the first out the gates. Jenny pedaled with surprising speed considering her size, blasting off as though launched by a rocket. Nick followed, his long hair aflutter. Kurtz and Litner followed by car. The car was originally a military-use vehicle, but had been converted for civilian use. They left the roof open so they could jump out at the first sign of trouble. ¡°I¡¯m off.¡± ¡°You mean we. Now take us someplace nice, driver.¡± Though Natalia was clinging to him from behind, Larry did not look happy in the least. Once the motorcycle was warmed up, he set off. He stopped at the gates and looked in both directions before turning. There were two people left. ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go!¡± Seron and Meg departed, seen off by the Ruf couple. ¡°Would you mind if we went to the right?¡± ¡°I will leave the road to you, Seron. It is not to brag about, but I learned the Roxchean phrase ¡®bad with directions¡¯ very early.¡± They turned right. Side-by-side they cycled down the empty road across the pastures. In the Capital District, bicycles could not be ridden side-by-side on the roads. But there was no one to get mad at them here. Seron decided that he would move out of the way if a car came by, and rode on Meg¡¯s left side on the right side of the road. ¡°It feels very good. It is the first time cycling since I came to Roxche. In elementary school I often went to play with my friends at their homes. It reminds me of that time.¡± Seron¡¯s pedaling grew stronger when he saw the smile on Meg¡¯s face. Only when he came close to overtaking her did he slow down. Some time passed. ¡°How should we do this?¡± Seron asked, still pedaling. ¡°Now that I think to it, you are right. We cannot be cycling for long. I would have taken photos of the villa from far, but I forgot to take photos.¡± The villa was far behind them already. ¡°We can shoot the villa anytime. Let¡¯s suggest things we want to take pictures of, then we¡¯ll stop.¡± ¡°I understand. I will take photos of you later, Seron. Please take photos of me as well.¡± ¡°Y-yeah. Definitely.¡± As Seron wondered how he would get his hands on photographs that were sure to become club property, the bicycles passed several manors. And finally¡ª ¡°Seron, that house is very beautiful. I want to take photographs of that house!¡± About 10 meters ahead, on the right side of the gently-sloping hill, stood a home much smaller and cozier than the opulent villas they had passed. ¡°This looks like a house in a children¡¯s novel. It is beautiful. Let¡¯s hurry and shoot it.¡± They stopped in front of the house. Meg quickly set up the kickstand and opened her bag, taking out her photometer and camera. She did as Jenny taught, adjusting the exposure and looking through the viewfinder with her right eye. She saw the gardens and their beautiful flowers, as well as the green gates. Click. Meg snapped a photo. As Seron waited, he glimpsed a figure moving in the garden. A man. He crossed the garden without so much as casting them a glance. ¡°I think there¡¯s someone here, Megmica. We should ask permission first¡ªthen maybe we could even get some close-ups.¡± ¡°Ah, that is true. Is this way called ¡®stalking¡¯? Anyway, it is not good.¡± Meg put away her camera without taking another photo. ¡°Good morning.¡± Seron called out. ¡°Yes? Who is it?¡± A calm woman¡¯s voice answered. The owner of the voice soon came over to the gate from beside the flower beds. The prim old woman had to have been over 80 years old. Her long white hair was tied neatly. Seron bowed his head. ¡°Excuse us, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re secondary school students staying at a friend¡¯s villa in the neighborhood. My name is Seron Maxwell, and this here is Strauski Megmica from Sou Be-Il. We¡¯re classmates.¡± The woman smiled kindly at Seron. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure. I¡¯m Hannah Lawrence. I¡¯ve been living in this village for a very long time.¡± Seron explained to Hannah that he and Meg were practicing with their cameras and asked if they could take photographs of her beautiful house and garden. ¡°By all means, do come in. I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± Seron and Meg parked their bicycles outside the gate. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± Hannah held the green gate open for them. They stepped inside. The garden was filled with more than enough flowers to match the garden at Jenny¡¯s villa. There were purple gentianas, white gardenias, blue lavenders, and many others blooming in colorful harmony. The garden exuded a tranquil beauty. ¡°Wow. It is very beautiful.¡± ¡°My, my. Thank you very much. Your Roxchean is very good, Megmica.¡± ¡°Ah! Thank you very much, Mrs. Lawrence.¡± Meg, Hannah, and Seron talked as they headed toward the center of the garden. There stood the man Seron had spotted earlier. The man seemed to be in his fifties. He was balding, wore blue work overalls and was skinny in build. Nicely put, he seemed to be a pleasant man. Less so, he seemed frail. ¡°This here is Mr. Hampleton, my gardener. He works magic with the flowers here.¡± Hannah introduced him to Meg and Seron. They greeted him. When Hannah explained that she invited Meg and Seron because they wanted to take photos of the garden, Hampleton grinned. ¡°I¡¯m flattered. I¡¯ll be inside polishing my tools.¡± He said, and gathered all his tools on a hand cart before wheeling it away. ¡°Were you in the middle of something? We¡¯re sorry to interrupt.¡± Seron apologized, but Hannah did not seem to mind. Thanking her again, Meg and Seron began taking photos of the garden. They adjusted the exposure, the shutter speed, and the angle just as Jenny had taught them. They photographed the flowers, the house, and both at the same time. Meg took to photography like fish to a water, taking many more photos than Seron did. Sometimes she shot Seron as well. But he did not take a single photograph of her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t bother her when she¡¯s so busy taking her own photos. Yeah.¡± Seron convinced himself. About when Meg had exhausted an entire roll of film, Hannah returned to the garden. ¡°Megmica? Seron? Would you care for some tea?¡± She asked, carrying out a white teapot and three cups. As Meg and Seron thanked her, Hannah led them to the garden table. They all took a seat. Hannah served them rose hip tea from her own garden. A fragrant aroma permeated the air. Thanking her again, Seron and Meg drank their tea. Hannah was happy to hear they liked it. ¡°Where are you coming from, then?¡± She asked. ¡°The capital, ma¡¯am.¡± Seron replied. In Roxchean, the word ¡®capital¡¯ referred to the Capital District, not the capital city of a member state. There was no need to add a descriptor. ¡°My goodness!¡± Hannah exclaimed. ¡°I lived in the capital about 20 years ago because of my late husband¡¯s work. Such nostalgic times. Have you heard of Sears Patisserie on Ninth Street in the east? It has a very long history, you know.¡± Seron and Meg exchanged glances. Seron gestured, yielding the explanation to Meg. Meg smiled. ¡°Yes! We have! The son is our senior-classman at our school!¡± ¡°How lovely. Sears Patisserie always made the most scrumptious sachertorte.¡± ¡°Yes! It is the best cake in all the world! It is true! It tastes most amazing on the side with whipped cream, with no sugar! It is the most delicious!¡± ¡°Absolutely. If a Westerner agrees with me, it must be true.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Meg and Hannah launched into a discussion about cakes, completely ignoring Seron for some time. Seron enjoyed his solitude, however, winding back his film and appreciating the voice of the girl he loved. At the same time¡ª ¡°Wonder what they¡¯re doing right about now.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡ªOh, Seron? Who knows.¡± ¡°Pessimistic of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s better off taking it slow with Megmica. If we rush him, he might die of shock.¡± ¡°I see. Anyway, can¡¯t you go any faster? Or is this a silent jab at my weight?¡± ¡°Motorbikes are better off taking it slow too.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± The motorcycle continued its leisurely ride down the country road. At the same time¡ª ¡°You¡¯ll get my shadow in the frame if you shoot from there! Did you set the focus? What about the exposure? Tuck in your arms! Don¡¯t let the camera hang from your hands!¡± ¡°Please, Jenny. Are you channeling Ms. Krantz now?¡± The last two members of the newspaper club were on the plains. Their subject: a lone sheep focused on its task of grazing. And about 50 meters away¡ª ¡°Just out of curiosity, how did you know about my boyfriend?¡± ¡°Logic and common sense. You¡¯ve been dressing up after work hours lately. So I was right, eh? Congratulations.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hope this one lasts longer.¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯ll sue you for harassment.¡± The car carrying Kurtz and Litner and their friendly banter hummed quietly. * * * As they moved on to their second cup of tea, Meg and Hannah began to discuss flowers. Hannah explained that, after losing her husband, she had begun to live a life of peaceful solitude among the flowers. ¡°It is a wonderful life! I, too, want to someday raise my garden like this. Now I live in an apartment building so I admire homes with gardens inside them. I want to try and live in a home like your house.¡± He had a house like this one, Seron thought to himself, but he did not say anything. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t have managed such a lovely garden on my own. Mr. Hampleton is such a talented man.¡± Hannah said. ¡°The flowerpots at the gate and the walls are beautiful as well. I can see many flowers from the road, so I think they will make the eyes of people who go back and forward very happy.¡± ¡°Thank you, Megmica. But something has been troubling me recently.¡± ¡°Thank you, Megmica. But something has been troubling me recently.¡± ¡°Oh? What has been?¡± ¡°My flowerpots keep falling whenever cars pass by. At first I thought it was the wind, but¡­¡± Hannah trailed off sadly. Seron finally broke his silence. ¡°Was someone tipping them over intentionally?¡± ¡°Yes. I think some of the village youths might be knocking them over with sticks for fun.¡± ¡°How mean! That is very bad! People who do not treat flowers as treasures are bad people!¡± Meg said indignantly, rising to her feet. Seron blanked out in surprise. Hannah smiled. ¡°Thank you, Megmica. Thank you for getting angry on my behalf.¡± ¡°Oh. I am sorry, Mrs. Lawrence. I was just very mad.¡± Meg took a seat again. She took her teacup in both hands and drained it in one go. ¡°But it makes me so happy to meet such kind young people like you, Megmica.¡± ¡°Yes! And people who do bad things will have bad things happen to them returned. In Roxchean, they say ¡®what goes around comes around¡¯.¡± Hannah chuckled. ¡°Absolutely. Everyone must pay their dues in time.¡± * * * Meg and Seron enjoyed their tea break, but they could not linger too long. They finally left Hannah Lawrence¡¯s home. ¡°Come back anytime.¡± Hannah said, seeing them off. Meg turned around several times as she pedaled away, waving back at Hannah. Once Hannah¡¯s house was out of sight¡ª ¡°I believe wonderful meetings are in many different places. Meetings which are coincidence but wonderful.¡± Meg said. Seron agreed, casting her a sidelong gaze. Afterwards, Meg and Seron biked slowly around the village and took mostly landscape photos. There was a holstein cow on the pasture. Meg looked at it through her viewfinder from across the road. ¡°Seron, please try to stand over there. I will take a photo together with the cow behind.¡± ¡°Right here?¡± ¡°Please more to the right side. Oh, I am sorry. To the right that I see. Yes! Please stop there. And will you hold up your left arm? Open your hand please.¡± ¡°Like this? Why?¡± ¡°Because it looks that you are holding back that cow with one hand! Please do not move from that.¡± Though he guessed that Jenny might consider this a waste of film, Seron did exactly as Meg instructed. Click. Volume 4 4 — Neil Volume 4 Chapter 4: Neil ----- A little before lunch, when Seron¡¯s wristwatch was pointing to 11:41, Seron and Meg arrived at the center of town. Several streets converged there, and large buildings stood around them. Huckanee Memorial Park was prominently visible in the center. The grass was bright green, and the trees were lush with leaves. The fountain spewed water rhythmically. Unusually enough, statues of sheep were arranged in a circle around the fountain. Children were clambering atop them. ¡°We shot many photographs, rode very much, and became very tired. And I am hungry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to lunch.¡± Meg and Seron pushed their bicycles into the park. A tiled pathway was paved into the grass, with benches lining the sides. The benches seated three and had intricately-carved armrests and backrests. On one of them lounged Larry. He was looking up at the sky with his helmet and jacket beside him. ¡°You¡¯re early, Larry.¡± Larry slowly turned. ¡°Hey guys. You made it, huh¡­¡± He groaned wearily. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m never gonna ride with Lia again.¡± Larry sighed. ¡°Oh my goodness. Has something happened to you?¡± ¡°We got to go pretty far thanks to the motorcycle, but every time we passed a store she¡¯d wrap her arms around my gut like a constrictor so I would stop. She just kept eating and eating¡ªcookies, ice cream, you name it. What in the world does her stomach look like? I almost felt sick watching her eat. Lia¡¯s an extraterrestrial, no two ways about it.¡± Seron and Meg exchanged glances. Meg burst out laughing. Seron froze, like he¡¯d been struck by lightning. Meg spoke in his place. ¡°And where now is the extraterrestrial?¡± ¡°Oh. Getting cr¨ºpes at the shop over there. I told her to save it for lunch, but looks like she doesn¡¯t understand Roxchean anymore.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. How incredible.¡± Larry sighed. ¡°I learned my lesson, so I guess it¡¯s okay. How¡¯d it go for you guys? Take lots of photos?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah. About three rolls.¡± ¡°Good to hear. By the way, did you see the police cars on your way here?¡± ¡°No.¡± Seron shook his head. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Yeah. I asked a policeman¡ª¡± ¡°A fatal car crash?¡± The restaurant they had reservations at was next to the village hall. It was the biggest restaurant in town, packed with locals on their lunch break. Seron and the others were seated at the table at the very end, which they had reserved in the morning. Kurtz and Litner sat with them this time, as cautious as ever. There was nothing on the white tablecloth yet save for some cups and a bottle of water with a lemon slice floating inside. ¡°We didn¡¯t pass by the scene, I¡¯m afraid. What happened?¡± Asked Nick. Larry gave him the same answer he had given Seron earlier. ¡°It¡¯s a bit far from the villa, but apparently a small truck drove off the road last night, then back onto the road and into a tree.¡± ¡°How awful.¡± ¡°And?¡± Jenny urged Larry on. ¡°Both people on the truck died.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you speed. Practice safe driving, everyone.¡± Natalia said nonchalantly. Larry ignored her, but she continued. ¡°That accident must have been what we heard last night before we went to bed. You can hear better over long distances at night.¡± The others recalled the previous night and nodded. ¡°Hm¡­¡± Jenny mumbled to herself and looked around the restaurant. The adults were enjoying their lunches, not particularly disturbed. ¡°Not a lot of distress around here considering two people died.¡± She commented. ¡°Apparently the people who died were local kids.¡± Larry said. ¡°They were teenagers. The policemen warned us about them just in case¡ªa bunch of no-good kids¡¯ve been lurking around for the past year and a half. You know how the Capital District has gangsters?¡± ¡°Yeah. But I¡¯m surprised there are gangsters in a small village like this.¡± ¡°Obviously, they¡¯re not on the same scale. They¡¯re really just a bunch of delinquents. They skip classes at vocational school or sneak around at night. There are four groups of them, and they¡¯re fighting each other just like the gangs in the Capital District.¡± ¡°Fighting? Surely not to the point of starting knife fights or shootouts, like the gangs in the capital?¡± Nick asked with a smile. Larry shook his head. ¡°Nah. They get into brawls in the park, show off about being the strongest, or start races on their trucks. Nothing that big. There¡¯s supposed to be about a dozen kids in each gang.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s been a problem for the village since a lot of rich folks come to vacation here.¡± Jenny looked bitter. ¡°Tch. I leave the place for a couple years and everything turns into a mess.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s got nothing to do with you, Jenny.¡± ¡°What was it like when you got there?¡± ¡°They were towing away the truck. It drove straight into this huge tree, and it looked like the driver¡¯s seat was rolled around it or something. You could barely recognize it. What was it, ¡®blunt force trauma¡¯?¡± It was awful, Natalia said. But neither she nor Larry looked particularly upset. ¡°Well, I learned that I¡¯d never want to run into a tree. But there was something weird about the accident.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Seron asked on everyone¡¯s behalf. ¡°Thing is, the truck drove off the road pretty far from where the crash happened. Like 400 meters away.¡± Larry said, drawing a diagram on the table. With his left hand he drew a winding road, and with his right the truck. The two hands veered apart for a time, then crossed. ¡°Then it went out of control and crashed into a tree, perpendicular to the road. But even if it¡¯s a moonless night, don¡¯t people usually notice something¡¯s wrong themoment they go off the road?¡± ¡°True.¡± Jenny agreed. Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But the truck just kept going down the field in a straight line. Then it swerved and crashed without even slowing down. I just don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Perhaps the driver was aware that he¡¯d gone off the road?¡± Nick suggested. ¡°Perhaps he attempted to return, as though he were operating an all-wheel drive vehicle. But he mis-operated the steering wheel and drove into the tree.¡± ¡°I thought about that too. But then why would he have crashed perpendicular to the road?¡± ¡°True.¡± Seron nodded. ¡°Even if he¡¯d missed the tree, he would have just ended up crossing the road, not going back onto it. No one would do that unless they were trying to kill themselves. Larry, did the policemen tell you the cause of the accident, by any chance? I¡¯m sure they must already know that the driver hadn¡¯t slowed down.¡± ¡°Yeah. Driving under the influence and drowsy driving.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°From what I could make out, the police were pretty set on it. Probably not planning on a serious investigation. They just wanted to clean up the place and end it quietly, I could read it on their faces.¡± Larry said. Then he crossed his arms and frowned. ¡°But it just bugs me. Even if you were dead tired, you¡¯d definitely wake up if you drove off the road. I¡¯d almost wager the driver was dead before the crash. Although we¡¯ll never know now.¡± He finished with a shrug. ¡°You took photos, right?¡± Asked Jenny. ¡°Oh. I forgot.¡± ¡°Sit down for a sec, Larry.¡± ¡°I am sitting.¡± Jenny took a deep breath to give Larry a scolding¡ª ¡°Thank you for waiting!¡± But she was cut off by the arrival of lunch. A plump, middle-aged woman served their food. ¡°It looks very delicious!¡± Meg exclaimed hungrily. The menu today was spaghetti served on a massive plate. ¡°It sure is! Eat up, kids!¡± There was a veritable mountain of spaghetti on the platter-sized plate. Flakes of onion and bell pepper were sprinkled around, while meatballs fried to a golden crisp dotted the plate conspicuously. Jenny grinned. ¡°What do you think? This is the local specialty meatball spaghetti. It¡¯s village tradition to fight over it while you eat. Forget you ever learned table manners.¡± When the others looked around, they saw the other patrons eating their spaghetti in groups. The waitress placed silverware on one table after another, followed by the local cheese in brick-sized blocks, along with massive cheese graters. ¡°Cheese is optional. But you¡¯re gonna have to shred it yourself¡ªwhich isn¡¯t gonna be easy, I promise.¡± Jenny explained. ¡°How much longer, chief?¡± Natalia asked, holding up her fork. There was a sniper¡¯s glint in her eye. ¡°All right. Say your prayers and let¡¯s eat. Go!¡± And so began the six-way battle. To no one¡¯s surprise, the first targets were the meatballs. Forks were driven into them one after another, until there were none left to be hunted down. ¡°Watch it, Lia! you almost stabbed my hand!¡± ¡°Outta my way, shortie. I just might end up chowing down on you instead!¡± ¡°Nat, you¡¯ll find yourself with the stomachache of a lifetime should you eat Larry raw. But don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be backing down so easily. ¡ªWhy not join the battle, Seron?¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m almost too scared to step in.¡± ¡°Natalia¡­ it is very scary.¡± ¡°Hey, save some for your president!¡± When the flames of war had died down, a clear winner emerged. ¡°Man, that was great!¡± Natalia Steinbeck, who had devoured more spaghetti and meatballs than anyone else. ¡°You¡¯re an extraterrestrial and a pig, Lia. Should¡¯ve snapped some photos as evidence¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re an extraterrestrial and a pig, Lia. Should¡¯ve snapped some photos as evidence¡­¡± * * * After lunch, Seron, Larry, Nick and Natalia lazed around on park benches. Their bicycles were parked along the pathway, and the motorcycle by the road about 10 meters away. A litter further away was the car where Kurtz and Litner were on standby. Seron, Larry, Nick, and Natalia lounged peacefully on the bench in the afternoon sun. Jenny and Meg had gone to a stationery store across the street. ¡°I¡¯m stuffed¡­¡± Natalia, the only girl who remained, brushed her ponytail over her shoulder and in front of her, looking up at the sky. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s a brand-new motorbike!¡± ¡°Cool!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± A group of children began chattering. They were boys whose voices hadn¡¯t yet changed. But¡ª ¡°I wish I had one of these babies! It looks so slick!¡± ¡°Then just take it!¡± ¡°Yeah! No one¡¯s watching!¡± ¡ªthe content of their discussion was decidedly un-childlike. In fact, they were discussing a crime. The newspaper club looked over at the source of the voices. Three boys between the ages of 10 and 12 were walking down the sidewalk. From their overalls, comfy pants and checkered shirts, and their short, messy hair and sunburned skin, it was clear they were local children. The boys did not realize that the newspaper club¡¯s eyes were on them. ¡°With a motorbike, you just gotta cut the wire inside and you¡¯re set to go.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯re so smart!¡± ¡°I bet it¡¯d be real nice to go racing on this.¡± Innocently and loudly the boys continued to plan their crime. ¡°Whatever shall we do, Larry? At the rate they¡¯re planning, they¡¯ll be riding down the street before you know it.¡± Nick joked. Larry cringed and waved his hand. Nick nodded. ¡°Well, I suppose we can leave them be until they decide to take action. And I¡¯m sure Mr. Kurtz and Ms. Litner will stop them if necessary.¡± For some time the little delinquents discussed hotwiring, but they eventually stopped and continued down the street¡ªthere were simply too many people outside. But a moment later¡ª Larry frowned. The boys spotted Jenny and Meg stepping out of the stationery store and surrounded them. ¡°Tch. So now they¡¯re going after older girls?¡± Natalia sighed. ¡°Boys, go get ¡®em.¡± She added haughtily. ¡°Man¡­ Let¡¯s go, Seron.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Larry and Seron stood, walking over to the nonplussed Jenny and the confused Meg. ¡°You, Nick?¡± Natalia asked, crossing her legs. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not one for hand-to-hand combat.¡± ¡°You said that before.¡± ¡°So I did.¡± ¡°That mean you turn badass when you¡¯ve got a weapon?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose so.¡± ¡°What kind of weapon?¡± ¡°A bomb, perhaps.¡± ¡°Scary.¡± Natalia ended the conversation and turned blankly. She expected to see Larry and Seron holding the boys by the collar, giving them the scolding of a lifetime¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± But what she saw was the opposite. Petite Jenny was the one holding a boy by the collar, shaking him hard enough to slam him against the pavement. ¡°Jenny! Enough!¡± And Larry was the one desperately trying to stop her. And Larry was the one desperately trying to stop her. ¡°Somebody who was there explain this to me.¡± Natalia ordered, still sitting on the bench. Before her stood five of her friends and one young boy. The boy was part of the group they had earlier labeled ¡®delinquents¡¯. He wore shorts with suspenders and a short-sleeved checkered shirt. He had freckles and short brown hair, and seemed to be about 12 years old. He was about the same height as Jenny. Jenny¡¯s hands were still gripping his collar. ¡°No way¡­ no¡­¡± He stood there like an apprehended criminal, looking about ready to burst into tears. ¡°What¡¯s there to explain?¡± Larry answered Natalia¡¯s question. ¡°By the time I got there, this kid became the victim, not Megmica and Jenny. The others ran off, but Jenny grabbed this one and wouldn¡¯t let go. She can tell you the rest.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ you¡¯re not Jenfie! Let go! Let me go!¡± The boy cried. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gonna run, chief.¡± Natalia said. ¡°Let go of him.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Jenny snorted, practically throwing the boy out of her grip. ¡°You idiot!¡± ¡°Ow! ¡­What happened to you, Jenfie?!¡± ¡°Who cares? That¡¯s got nothing to do with you, Neil. What happened to you?!¡± Meg, Seron, Nick, and Larry stared as Jenny and the boy snarled at each other. ¡°Hey, little man.¡± Natalia said kindly. ¡°Wh-whaddaya want?¡± The boy turned. ¡°Neil! We¡¯re older than you! Roxchean has polite language for a reason!¡± Jenny snapped. ¡°O-okay. Wh-what is it, glasses lady?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good boy. I¡¯d prefer it if you called me the ¡®pretty glasses lady¡¯, but I¡¯m a nice person. Do you want to try this again?¡± ¡°Get to the point, Lia.¡± ¡°All right. The name¡¯s Natalia Steinbeck. Fifteen years old. How about you, little guy?¡± Natalia asked with a smile on her face. ¡°N-Neil. Neil Locksmith. I¡¯m 11 this year¡­ I¡¯ll be 12 soon.¡± Neil replied. ¡°All right. I¡¯m a school friend of that scary redhead over there. Do you know her, Neil?¡± ¡°Yeah, but no!¡± Meg tilted her head. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Th-the Jenfie I know has long hair! And she¡¯s quiet and cute and nice, just like a princess! Jenfie¡¯s not s¡¯pposed to look like a boy and act all mean! This isn¡¯t Jenfie! It¡¯s an impostor! It¡¯s gotta be an extraterrestrial pretending to be her!¡± Neil raved, panicking. Larry put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Calm down, Neil. Look. My name¡¯s Larry Hepburn. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°H-hello¡­¡± ¡°By ¡®Jenfie¡¯, you mean Jenny, right? Jenny Jones?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Jenny hasn¡¯t been replaced by extraterrestrials. If anyone, it¡¯s probably our pretty glasses lady who¡¯s been abducted.¡± ¡°Shaddap.¡± Natalia said. Then she looked at Jenny. ¡°Nice nickname.¡± Jenfie¡ªJenny¡ªfrowned. ¡°It¡¯s from a long time ago.¡± ¡°How do you know Neil?¡± ¡°¡­His dad works as a gardener in town. His dad and all his relatives are really good, so a lot of villa owners hire them. The Rufs, too. Neil came over to our villa a lot with his dad. Although that was two years ago.¡± ¡°I see. And you had long hair back then, Jenny?¡± ¡°Back then, yeah.¡± Jenny admitted, and grabbed Neil¡¯s head again before twisting him around like a bottle cap. Neil stared, wide-eyed. Jenny glared. ¡°What¡¯s happened to you, Neil?! Last time I was here, you were such a bright kid! You said you were gonna be a great gardener like your dad! You were always helping him out when you didn¡¯t have school! Now you¡¯re just a delinquent-in-training! People are free to choose their careers, but delinquency isn¡¯t a career!¡± Neil could not make a comeback. ¡°It certainly doesn¡¯t lead to many job opportunities.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°But what is youth but a time to experience many things, Jenny? I¡¯m sure your meeting here today will guide him back in the right direction.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, then.¡± Natalia said. ¡°Let the poor kid go, chief. I think he¡¯s had enough.¡± Jenny did as she was told. ¡°Go on home, okay? Don¡¯t slack off just because it¡¯s summer! And stop acting like an idiot! It¡¯s not like you.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Neil replied, hanging his head. ¡°Hold on, Neil. I want to ask you something.¡± Seron broke his silence just as Neil began walking away. The others turned. All eyes were on Seron. ¡°Wh-what is it? Er¡­¡± ¡°Wh-what is it? Er¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Seron Maxwell. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡®Maxwell¡¯, like the frozen food?¡± ¡°My mother¡¯s the president. Do you like our products?¡± ¡°Y-yeah¡­ a whole lot. My favorite¡¯s the cream stew and the hamburg steak.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it. ¡ªI just wanted to ask you about the fatal car accident last night.¡± The newspaper club clearly saw Neil grimace. Seron cut to the chase. ¡°Did you know them?¡± Neil nodded. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry to hear that. If it¡¯s okay with you, could you tell us what kind of people they were?¡± ¡°What kind of¡ª well, they were just¡­ just older boys. Just some bad guys with some kids working for them¡­¡± Neil was obviously trying to hide something. Jenny frowned, but she did not interrupt Seron. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there are four gangs in this village. And these people were in one of them, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. ¡®Wolves¡¯, ¡®Jackals¡¯, ¡®Hunters¡¯, and ¡®Government¡¯. The guys who died were Hunters.¡± Larry furrowed his brow. ¡°The first three aside, why ¡®Government¡¯?¡± ¡°Perhaps they wanted a name which sounded powerful. ¡®We are the Government!¡¯, they could boast.¡± Nick whispered. Seron continued his line of questioning. ¡°So I suppose the other Hunters must be mourning their friends now.¡± ¡°I guess so¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not in any of the groups yet, right Neil?¡± ¡°No. Not yet. If you want in, you gotta do something¡ªanything¡ªthat¡¯s real bad. Then everyone¡¯s gonna accept you into the club. Like pickpocketing¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s theft! And it¡¯s a crime! Don¡¯t do it, Neil!¡± Jenny warned viciously. ¡°Since you¡¯re not in any of them, you must be able to talk with boys from all of the gangs, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Larry nodded in understanding. Seron continued. ¡°Just out of curiosity, was there anyone in one of the gangs who wanted to kill a rival gang member?¡± Seron sounded as nonchalant as if he were asking Neil for his blood type. Neil paused, mouth agape. Then¡ª ¡°N-n-n-n-no! None of ¡®em are that bad! They¡¯re bad guys, but they¡¯re not evil! You¡¯d get arrested for killing someone! You¡¯d get executed! You¡¯d go to hell!¡± Neil cried, waving his hands. Seron thought for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s right, Seron.¡± Natalia chimed in. ¡°Isn¡¯t murder too much for these guys?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Seron agreed. ¡°Thank you, Neil. That¡¯s all I wanted to ask.¡± ¡°Huh? Er¡­¡± Neil hesitated, wondering if he was free to go. ¡°Then I¡¯m going¡­¡± As he turned to leave, Jenny howled behind him, ¡°Don¡¯t join any of them, you hear me?!¡± Neil flinched and ran off. * * * The newspaper club followed Jenny¡¯s schedule and left their film to be developed and printed at a photography studio. The manager was happy to get so much business, and promised to deliver the printed photos the next afternoon. The newspaper club headed back to the villa. Larry and Natalia set out first on the motorcycle. The others followed on their bicycles. And about 50 meters behind them followed Kurtz and Litner on their car. Along the way, Nick asked Jenny a question. ¡°It was quite the surprise to hear you once had long hair, Jenny. Do you have any photos from the time?¡± ¡°Eh. Who cares what kind of hairstyle I used to have?¡± Meg chimed in. ¡°I am very sure that it would have looked good on you. Now is good as well, however.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Jenny said.¡± But I prefer my current hairstyle.¡± ¡°Sure. I mean, I used to have a buzzcut in primary school.¡± Seron added. ¡°You have any photos?¡± The four members took their time heading back to the villa. By the time they arrived, Larry was happily polishing the motorcycle. It was two in the afternoon. ¡°It¡¯s nap time, guys.¡± Jenny said. ¡°Meet back at five to help Mr. and Mrs. Ruf with the barbecue. Dismissed.¡± ----- Volume 4 5 — The Murder Volume 4 Chapter 5: The Murder ----- An entire morning of exercise, a delicious meal, and a breezy afternoon. All the pieces for a good afternoon nap were in place. Seron and four of the others returned to their own rooms and slept until just before five. ¡°Get up, guys! It¡¯s 10 to five! Up! Up! We don¡¯t have a bugle so I¡¯m shouting until you get up! Get up! Get up!¡± Larry¡¯s voice resounded from the gardens, waking Seron. Rubbing his eyes, Seron went to the balcony. He saw Larry in the garden in a T-shirt and a pair of shorts, wiping down the motorcycle with a pail of water beside him. ¡°Hey, buddy! Sleep well?¡± ¡°Yeah. Are you still cleaning the motorcycle? You¡¯ll start eroding it if you¡¯re not careful.¡± ¡°Nah, I took her for a spin while you guys were asleep. I just got back a little while ago. It was nice and smooth without that extra weight on my back.¡± ¡°Well, sorry for being so big and heavy.¡± Natalia said sarcastically from overhead. The barbecue preparations began on schedule, with the newspaper club helping out. Everyone changed into their gym uniforms because their clothes might get dirty and smelly. Natalia had done up her hair. Mr. and Mrs. Ruf had gotten all the meat and vegetables. All that was left to do was prepare the ingredients and start cooking. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re up, girls.¡± ¡°Yes, it does.¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s nice to help out sometimes.¡± Natalia, Meg, and Jenny helped out at the island counter in the large kitchen, washing, chopping, and skewering vegetables and grinding apples for the barbecue sauce. But¡ª ¡°Er¡­ how am I supposed to cut this thing?¡± Jenny wondered. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat the details, chief. If they don¡¯t like it, they won¡¯t eat it.¡± Natalia said. ¡°Hmm¡­ I will make my left hand into the cat¡¯s paw¡­¡± Meg struggled with the knife. The girls weren¡¯t particularly skilled in the kitchen. Mrs. Ruf had to guide them through every process, correct their mistakes, and fret over their misadventures. Meanwhile, ¡°Could you get the other end, Seron?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I shall bring the charcoal, then.¡± Larry, Seron, and Nick were moving the cylindrical barbecue grill onto the stone patio in the garden. The grill was large, sturdy, and heavy with metal legs. The boys placed it in a wide-open area, and also arranged the charcoal box, the chairs, and tables. Larry put some charcoal into the grill. Then he crumpled up some newspaper and put it under the tray, and pressed the ignition. The newspaper caught fire, and soon the charcoal was heated. The rest would not be difficult. Seron and Larry headed to the kitchen and let Nick take over. Preparations were still underway in the kitchen, but Mrs. Ruf was the only one who seemed to know what she was doing. ¡°This is why I hate onions.¡± Jenny sniffled. ¡°Although I like eating them.¡± ¡°Here, let me help.¡± Seron said. He washed his hands and put on an apron. ¡°Looks good on you. Natalia chuckled, skewering the beef. ¡°It very much suits you.¡± Meg cheered, skewering the vegetables. Seron let himself be heavily distracted by the sight of Meg in an apron, and glanced at a bowl filled with uncooked vegetables and ice water. ¡°These onions are for the salad, correct? Should I julienne them and place them in the water?¡± ¡°That would be perfect. Just three more, please.¡± Mrs. Ruf replied. Seron picked up a peeled onion. First, he cut off the top and the root and chopped the onion vertically in half. Then he placed one half flat against the cutting board and curled his left hand together like a cat¡¯s paw¡ª Chopchopchopchopchopchopchopchopchopchopchop Rhythmically and mechanically, almost fast enough to leave behind afterimages of the knife, Seron julienned the onion into equal-sized slices. About halfway through he turned the onion around and started from the other side. One onion, then two, then three later¡ª Completely oblivious to the bewildered stares of the newspaper club girls, Seron put the julienned onions into the bowl of ice water. ¡°I¡¯m finished. Is there anything else I could help with?¡± The moment he put down his knife¡ª ¡°What the heck are you?!¡± ¡°It is amazing, Seron!¡± ¡°Marry me right now!¡± Three sets of voices cried out in unison, making it difficult to tell what they were saying. ¡°Hey, one at a time! And FYI, Seron¡¯s a really good cook.¡± Larry said. Seron stood frozen, overwhelmed by Meg¡¯s compliment. * * * It was finally dinnertime. The sun was still above the horizon, tinting the sky a light orange. Everyone was gathered around the garden table. When Larry put on an apron over his gym uniform, Natalia was quick to comment, ¡°That looks heinous!¡± ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t say that about Seron!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself on his level.¡± ¡°Dammit, Lia¡­ you¡¯re getting all the burnt pieces.¡± Larry expertly grilled the beef skewers. He cooked them until they were heated through and through, then sprinkled salt and pepper on them. ¡°This is really good.¡± Seron said. ¡°It¡¯s really quite delightful.¡± ¡°It is very delicious.¡± Nick and Meg agreed. When Jenny took her first bite, she grimaced. Natalia noticed in the midst of downing skewer after skewer. ¡°What¡¯s up, chief? Something stink?¡± ¡°No¡­ the opposite. I don¡¯t believe it¡­ this is perfectly cooked and salted!¡± ¡°Tell him yourself.¡± ¡°Tch. Hey, Larry! Gimme another one!¡± ¡°Okay! And have some veggies, too! Seriously!¡± Meanwhile, Mr. Ruf, Kurtz, and Litner¡ª ¡°Would the two of you care for something to drink? We have some excellent wine in the cellar if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Not while we¡¯re on duty, thank you.¡± ¡°Not on the job, thank you.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s too bad.¡± ¡ªthey drank coffee instead of wine. The frenzy that was dinner was coming to a close. Everyone was starting on dessert¡ªMrs. Ruf¡¯s homemade vanilla ice cream¡ªwhen Natalia asked an unexpected question. ¡°Mrs. Ruf, did Jenny have long hair before?¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s ancient history!¡± Jenny snapped, but Natalia continued. ¡°Do you have any photographs from then? I¡¯m actually studying to be a hair stylist.¡± ¡°You liar!¡± ¡°Aw, be a sport, chief. Mrs. Ruf?¡± ¡°Of course. Just one moment.¡± Mrs. Ruf replied, getting to her feet. ¡°No! It¡¯s okay, Auntie! You don¡¯t have to show them!¡± ¡°But you were the most adorable little girl, Miss Jenny. That photo is my treasure. There¡¯s no harm in showing your friends.¡± Quickly, Mrs. Ruf disappeared inside. ¡°Tch.¡± Jenny pouted. ¡°I am a little in anticipation.¡± ¡°Indeed. I may as well use it as a reference for my own hair.¡± Soon, Mrs. Ruf returned¡ªto the excitement of Meg and Nick, and the disinterest of Seron and Larry. In her hand was a wooden picture frame. When she placed the frame on the table, the newspaper club¡ªsans Jenny¡ªhuddled around. In the frame was a color photograph featuring three subjects. The two adults on either side were Mr. and Mrs. Ruf, looking the same as they did now. From their thick sweaters it was apparent that the photo was not from the summer. And standing between them was a skinny girl¡ª ¡°Wait¡­ this is you, chief?¡± Natalia gaped, looking back and forth from the photo to Jenny, who was wolfing down her ice cream. ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Ruf nodded. ¡°This is from three years ago, when Miss Jenny was 12 years old. This is the only photo we have of her from then. I wouldn¡¯t exchange this photograph for the world.¡± Natalia stared again. ¡°No way¡­ you¡¯re adorable.¡± In the middle of the photo stood a small rich girl. A brown duffle coat was wrapped around her skinny frame, and her waist-length red hair was decorated with ribbons. A bright smile adorned her face. ¡°Y-you were cute! You were like a doll, Jenny!¡± ¡°My goodness¡­ what a shock.¡± Meg and Nick commented. ¡°Yeah. It definitely is.¡± Seron nodded. For a time, everyone was silent. Jenny, swallowing a heaping spoonful of ice cream, turned to Larry¡ªwho had not yet said a word. ¡°If you¡¯ve got something to say, spit it out.¡± Larry¡¯s blue eyes went back and forth from the present-day Jenny to the 12-year-old Jenny. ¡°Jenny¡­ this is¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°¡ªthis photo¡ª¡± ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°Now this is what I call news photography!¡± He laughed. Jenny shot him a scathing look. ¡°If I ever become president, I¡¯m going to have you executed!¡± * * * Everyone had finished their ice cream and the warm tea that was served right afterwards. The sky was still ablaze with the light of dusk, but it was already almost eight in the evening. The newspaper club and Mr. and Mrs. Ruf began to clean up, putting away the leftovers and used utensils. ¡°Can we skip the lecture tonight, chief? I¡¯m getting drowsy.¡± Natalia said. ¡°All right.¡± Jenny replied. ¡°You can go after we finish cleaning up. We¡¯ll start again tomorrow¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Kurtz hissed out of the blue, cutting her off. The newspaper club and the Ruf couple turned, surprised. Kurtz¡¯s gaze was fixed on the door as he stood with his back to the others. Several seconds passed in silence. Litner went up to him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I heard a suspicious voice outside. Something like a moan. Stay here.¡± ¡°I heard a suspicious voice outside. Something like a moan. Stay here.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Kurtz crossed the garden alone and headed for the gates. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Asked Jenny. Litner repeated what Kurtz had said and turned to the Ruf couple. ¡°Was anyone scheduled to visit today?¡± ¡°No. But I assume it must have been a local drunk, or an escaped animal. It happens sometimes around here.¡± Mr. Ruf said, staying calm out of consideration for the students. But then came Kurtz¡¯s voice¡ª ¡°Call an ambulance now! And the police!¡± Larry and Litner were the first to react. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Seron!¡± Larry cried. ¡°You stay with the others, Nick!¡± ¡°Miss Jenny!¡± Litner said, stepping forward. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s get inside!¡± Seron put down the plates he was stacking and quickly went after Larry. Litner gently pushed the girls towards the villa. Being a fast runner, Larry made it to the front gates first. ¡°Mr. Kurtz! What¡¯s going on?¡± Seron arrived several seconds later. Kurtz was squatting outside the slightly-ajar gate, right at the boundary between the road and the villa premises. ¡°This.¡± He replied tersely, looking at Larry and Seron. Before Kurtz, across the pavement and the dirt, lay a person. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Larry and Seron cried out in unison. The person was a young man, likely in his late teens. He was dressed similarly to the other locals¡ªa pair of jeans and a checkered shirt. He was covered in blood. Kurtz rose to his feet and cast a watchful look over the area. At the same time, he unbuttoned his suit so he could easily reach his belt, where he concealed a holstered gun. He finished scanning the area and made sure that no one was around. Then he looked back at the boy on the ground. ¡°Wh-what happened here? What¡¯s going on, Mr. Kurtz?¡± Larry asked again. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He was lying here when I arrived. I didn¡¯t see anyone else.¡± ¡°Is he still breathing?¡± Asked Seron. Kurtz squatted again and placed his index finger on the boy¡¯s neck, then over his mouth. ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± He trailed off gravely. The boy¡¯s breathing was so shallow it was hard to tell by sight if he was still alive. His eyes were closed, his face was deathly pale, and his head was completely unscathed¡ªbut his shirt and pants were soaked in blood. Blood was pooling on the pavement. The air reeked. ¡°Hey! Hey! Can you hear me?¡± Kurtz yelled into the boy¡¯s ear. The boy trembled slightly, looking almost like a corpse. ¡°¡ªs-stabbed¡­ it hurts¡­¡± ¡°Who did this to you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know¡­ behind¡­¡± The boy had barely enough strength to continue. ¡°Get a hold of yourself, young man! There¡¯s a doctor on the way!¡± Kurtz said, then looked at Larry and Seron. Then he shook his head. Larry and Seron quickly understood that the boy was beyond saving. That was when Seron suddenly spoke. ¡°Hey, which group are you in?! Wolves? Jackals? Hunters? Government?¡± Kurtz gave Seron a quizzical look. Larry understood what Seron was getting at. ¡°W-wolves¡­ help me¡­ don¡¯t wanna die¡­¡± Those were the boy¡¯s last words. Kurtz pulled open the boy¡¯s shirt as he went silent. There were multiple stab wounds all over his torso. His bleeding had almost stopped. Kurtz sighed. Instead of attempting CPR, he checked the boy¡¯s pulse and opened one of his eyes to check his pupils. ¡°Dead.¡± He finally said. ¡°Man¡­ I¡¯d heard about it, but it really does feel awful watching someone die right in front of you.¡± Larry said stiffly. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d never have to see someone die. I wish we could have saved him.¡± Seron admitted. He closed his eyes. ¡°Yeah. But it¡¯s too late now. The dead can¡¯t come back to life.¡± Larry said, observing a brief moment of silence. Then he looked up. ¡°Seron, look at the road.¡± ¡°Huh? ¡ªOh.¡± There was a trail of blood left on the pavement. It started at the front gates and went east, disappearing into the distance. ¡°Strange. Why didn¡¯t the killer finish him off on the spot, if he had time to inflict so many wounds?¡± Seron wondered. Kurtz turned. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to get inside. We¡¯ll have to shut the gates. Could you tell Litner and Mr. Ruf what happened here? We won¡¯t be needing a doctor. Please have them call the police immediately.¡± ¡°Right. We¡¯ll leave this to you, Mr. Kurtz.¡± Larry replied, taking Seron back through the front gates. After closing the gates behind them, they ran for the villa. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. What¡¯ll we tell the others?¡± Larry asked as they ran. Seron replied. ¡°Everything. But we shouldn¡¯t show them.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± When they returned to the villa, Seron and Larry found everyone gathered in the entrance hall. Natalia and Meg were sitting on the sofa. ¡°What happened out there? Explain!¡± Jenny demanded, but Seron went instead to Litner and Mr. Ruf to quietly explain the situation. Mr. Ruf ran towards the telephone again. Only then did Seron turn to the rest of the newspaper club. ¡°Someone died just outside the gates.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°He was probably a local teenager. I think he was stabbed multiple times someplace else before he managed to walk all the way here. Just before he died, he said he was one of the Wolves.¡± Jenny understood the situation the moment Seron mentioned the delinquent group. ¡°Ugh. I see. So it happened again.¡± ¡°Wh-wh-what does its happening mean, Jenny?¡± Meg asked, trembling. Seron was the one who replied. ¡°It means Larry was right again. Yesterday¡¯s car accident wasn¡¯t an accident¡ªthis is a serial murder case.¡± * * * The sun finally set, and the orange sky quickly turned a light shade of blue. The police arrived just as darkness began setting on the grounds. Three patrol cars with sirens and headlights ablaze, and one ambulance. Larry and Seron saw the sirens stop in front of the villa. ¡°Let¡¯s check it out.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming too. I have to cover this story.¡± Jenny said, but¡ª ¡°You should stay here, Jenny.¡± ¡°Stay here.¡± ¡°Please stay here, Miss Jenny.¡± Seron, Larry, and Litner made no exceptions. Natalia and Meg were still sitting side-by-side on the sofa. Natalia piped up. ¡°You wanna take pictures of a corpse, chief? Never took you for the type.¡± ¡°This is for journalism! There¡¯s never been a murder at Ercho Village before!¡± ¡°But wouldn¡¯t things blow up too much if you posted a piece about this on the campus walls? For get it. ¡®Sides, Mr. Kurtz and Ms. Litner would never let you.¡± ¡°¡­All right. Fine.¡± Extremely conscious of Litner¡¯s gaze on her back, Jenny waved her hands and gave in. Larry and Seron headed outside. Kurtz was still at the gates. The police stood around the body¡ªsix uniformed officers and one portly middle-aged man in a brown suit. The uniformed men were searching the vicinity of the corpse with powerful flashlights in hand. One of them was giving constant reports to someone over the radio. The middle-aged man, who was speaking to Kurtz, noticed Larry and Seron. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°They heard the boy¡¯s last words as well.¡± Kurtz explained. Larry and Seron went up to the man. Kurtz introduced them to him. ¡°This is Detective Hadley from the Ercho Village police station. Detective, this is Larry Hepburn and Seron Maxwell. They are classmates of my principal.¡± Hadley, Seron, and Larry exchanged brief greetings. Hadley was pudgy and balding. He had a round face and carried himself good-naturedly, repeatedly and constantly bowing his head apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry this had to happen on your vacation, young sirs. It¡¯s such a relief you weren¡¯t hurt. Such a relief. Please don¡¯t think too badly of our village for this.¡± He said without even being prompted. He was not even trying to conceal his obsequious attitude. Larry cringed. ¡°More importantly, detective. We have something to tell you.¡± ¡°Yes, young sir?¡± ¡°Just before he passed away, the boy said he was one of the Wolves.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not surprising. A delinquent group, eh? I suspected as much the moment I saw the body. Any information you could provide would be a great help, young sir.¡± Hadley said, glancing at the body. Larry looked at the body as well. A young police officer placed pieces of numbered paper on the body and took photos. Larry¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly each time the flash went off. Seron continued. ¡°Do you know about last night¡¯s car accident as well, Detective Hadley?¡± ¡°Hm? Ah, yes. Of course. Such an unusual accident. We don¡¯t get many of those around here.¡± ¡°I heard the two victims were from the Hunters.¡± ¡°Hm? Indeed they were. You¡¯re quite well informed, young sir.¡± ¡°That makes three delinquent deaths over the course of two days. Could it really be a coincidence?¡± ¡°Wh-what might you be suggesting?¡± Hadley asked, furrowing his brow. Seron got to the point. ¡°Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a possibility that last night¡¯s accident was actually a murder as well?¡± Hadley fell silent. The flash went off again, casting light on his troubled face. Finally, he scratched the back of his head. ¡°Hm¡­ I wonder. Then I suppose this would be a serial murder case. That would be most unfortunate. What to do¡­?¡± Clearly he had absolutely no confidence. ¡°I¡¯m not certain how, but last night¡¯s victims were murdered. And perhaps a member of the Hunters came to that same conclusion and attacked this person in retaliation.¡± Seron hypothesized. ¡°Hmm¡­ I suppose that is a possibility, but I wonder¡­¡± Hadley trailed off. ¡°I do suppose we¡¯ll take that into account, young sir. Thank you for your assistance, and I apologize again for this horrid inconvenience. If you would convey my apologies to those inside as well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seron replied. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll find the culprit soon.¡± ¡°We will do our utmost to bring him to justice. For this boy¡¯s sake, if nothing else.¡± Seron nodded and turned, gesturing to Larry. But Seron suddenly stopped and turned back. He addressed Hadley matter-of-factly. ¡°Are you the one in charge of the investigation, Detective Hadley? If anything happens, should we come to you?¡± Hadley nodded firmly. ¡°Yes. I am the one in charge of this case, so please contact me if anything happens.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Larry.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Once again, Seron and Larry stepped back inside where Litner and the others were waiting. Jenny immediately demanded an explanation. Once again, Seron and Larry stepped back inside where Litner and the others were waiting. Jenny immediately demanded an explanation. ¡°Talk.¡± Seron gave her a full and detailed explanation. ¡°Right. I think I get all that.¡± Jenny said. ¡°Did the detective have to be such a suck-up, though?¡± Natalia wondered. Nick replied. ¡°No one would be happy to have a murder take place in the town where their villa is, Nat. Especially the rich and powerful.¡± ¡°It must be unhappy.¡± Meg nodded. ¡°I understand their feelings.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sheesh.¡± Jenny agreed. ¡°I wonder if the detective¡¯s gonna get anything done.¡± Larry remarked, furrowing his brow. But Seron shook his head. ¡°He might not look it, but Detective Hadley¡¯s surprisingly clever.¡± ¡°Why d¡¯you think that?¡± Asked Larry. All eyes were on Seron. ¡°At the end, he said that he was the one in charge of this case, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That means that he must be from the homicide division.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± At that point, Jenny and Litner understood. ¡°I get it¡­¡± ¡°I see.¡± Seron continued. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be a homicide division at the local station of a town that¡¯s never had a murder case before.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± ¡°But Detective Hadley rushed over as soon as we reported this case. That must mean¡ª¡± ¡°I get it! He must have been called last night from the nearest police station that had a homicide division! He was lying through his teeth the whole time!¡± Larry exclaimed both angrily and excitedly. Natalia and the others finally nodded as well. ¡°Then they will question this case.¡± Meg said. Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah. The police don¡¯t see last night¡¯s crash as a simple accident, either.¡± ¡°Then what about the officer who talked to me today?¡± Larry wondered. ¡°He was either lying, or giving a subjective opinion. In any case, we know the police are on last night¡¯s case too. Officially they¡¯re pushing the accident angle, since it doesn¡¯t cause as much panic as a murder.¡± ¡°I see. So they¡¯re trying to save face for the village. If nothing else, it makes me feel better to know that they¡¯re investigating.¡± ¡°But what bothers me is the direction they might take the investigation in.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Who do you think the police will suspect first?¡± Nick was the one to respond. ¡°Clearly, the members of the rival gangs.¡± ¡°Exactly. But from what we heard from Neil, the gangs don¡¯t seem like they¡¯d go that far. Even now I¡¯m not convinced they¡¯re involved except as victims.¡± Nick agreed. ¡°The gangs in the Capital District could be capable, perhaps, but¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ and these guys aren¡¯t even real gangs.¡± Jenny agreed. ¡°The kids here are just plain old delinquents. It doesn¡¯t exclude them completely, but it¡¯s not likely.¡± ¡°Yeah. The possibility isn¡¯t zero, but it still bothers me what might happen. I hope the police don¡¯t take this in the wrong direction¡­¡± The conversation ended on a heavy note. No one had anything to say. That was when Mrs. Ruf returned. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s leave the rest to Mr. Kurtz and get some rest. I¡¯ll finish cleaning up. And don¡¯t worry; we¡¯ll keep this villa safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch overnight tonight.¡± Litner said. The adults¡¯ words were final; there was nothing left to say. The newspaper club prepared to return to their rooms. ¡°Er¡­ Natalia?¡± Meg said tentatively. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°May I sleep in your room for tonight?¡± ¡°Oh, sure.¡± ¡°Thank you. For some reason I am feeling scary.¡± ¡°No worries. If you¡¯re really freaked out, why don¡¯t we get one of our big strong men to sleep over too?¡± Natalia joked with a straight face. ¡°I¡¯m saving myself for marriage, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Nick replied first. ¡°No.¡± Larry declared, unamused. Natalia turned her sights on him. ¡°You too, Larry? Aww¡­ we used to sleep in the same bed all the time when we were little. Still remember how adorable you were when you said stuff like ¡®I¡¯m cold, Lia. Stop pulling on my blanket¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°Somebody punch that memory out of me right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re no fun, Larry. And you, Seron? What do you say?¡± Natalia turned to Seron. He was frozen. ¡°Huh? Wha? Hm? Wait? What? I¡ª¡± He was on the verge of a total breakdown. Larry came to the rescue. ¡°Whoa! Still focused on the case, buddy? Once you get your thoughts rolling, you can¡¯t hear anything people say, huh. That¡¯s enough. Let¡¯s all get to bed.¡± Meg and Natalia went to Natalia¡¯s room, and everyone else went to their own rooms and made sure to lock their doors and windows. Meanwhile in the Capital District, a woman was taking a phone call. ¡°Confederation Police. Yes? Oh¡­ yes? Er¡­ what do you mean by that? ¡­Yes. Yes. ¡­Yes. W-wait! How did you¡ª¡± The woman in black Confederation Police uniform looked down at the notes she had scrawled during the second half of the conversation. She was in disbelief. She picked up the receiver she had hung up, and made an internal call. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe the tip we just got.¡± ----- Volume 4 6 — The Investigation Volume 4 Chapter 6: The Investigation ----- The 3rd day of the eighth month. Seron opened his eyes at the same time as usual . The weather was just as great as it had been the previous day. It was a lovely morning . Seron immediately stepped out onto the balcony . There was no one in the garden . All he saw were the flowers in bloom . Seron got ready and went downstairs . ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up early. ¡± There he was greeted by Mr. Ruf . Mr. Ruf was sitting in a chair, his expression stiff. There was a blanket over his lap and a shotgun next to him . ¡°Good morning, Mr. Ruf. Thank you for everything. I slept very well last night. ¡± ¡°Thank you for being so kind, Seron. And you¡¯re very welcome. Mr. Kurtz is keeping an eye on the back garden, and Ms. Litner was ordered to get some rest earlier in the morning. ¡± ¡°What about the police?¡± ¡°They finished their on-site investigation, cleaned up the road, and took the body away. ¡± ¡°Did they find out anything else?¡± ¡°Apparently the boy was actually stabbed quite a ways away. The killer stabbed him, then hauled him over by car and dropped him by the road nearby. Who would do something so awful to someone so young? I don¡¯t know the family in person, but apparently the boy¡¯s father has a farm out west. They say the boy was always a delinquent, which is why he must have been walking around alone after dark. ¡± ¡°What about reporters?¡± ¡°The police ¡®misreported¡¯ the location of the discovery. Some local reporters went over about 200 meters east down the road to get some photographs. ¡± ¡°I see. I suppose ¡®misinformation¡¯ has its uses sometimes. ¡± Seron said sarcastically. Mr. Ruf agreed . ¡°Are you feeling all right, Seron? It must have been a rude shock for you, when you¡¯re supposed to be here on vacation. Perhaps we could speak to Miss Jenny and find you all different lodgings. ¡± Seron thought for a moment. ¡°Jenny is the president, so I¡¯ll leave it to her. ¡± ¡°Of course. But I wager she¡¯ll refuse to leave. ¡± ¡°I agree. ¡± ¡°Ahaha. So you knew. ¡± ¡°Mr. Ruf. I want to ask you something. I just need your opinion, without taking anything else into account. ¡± ¡°Of course. ¡± ¡°Do the local delinquents seem like the type to commit murder?¡± ¡°No. Not at all. ¡± * * * By breakfast time, the five remaining members emerged and sat down in the dining room to sate their hunger . They were all dressed similarly to the previous day save for Meg, who was wearing long pants and a jacket . Surprisingly, everyone said that they had gotten a good night¡¯s sleep . ¡°Looks like Mr. Kurtz and Ms. Litner will be happy. ¡± Larry remarked . They said their prayers and dug in . At first, the newspaper club ate in silence. But there was no avoiding the elephant in the room. Larry spoke first . ¡°I tuned in to the news in my room this morning. Confederation Radio didn¡¯t say a thing about the case. ¡± ¡°I highly doubt a small incident in a countryside town will make the national news. ¡± Nick said. ¡°And the case two days ago, naturally, is being kept under wraps. ¡± ¡°Jenny, I wanted to discuss something with you. ¡± Seron said. He asked Jenny about finding different lodgings as Mr. Ruf had suggested, but Jenny did not think twice about replying, ¡°No. ¡± Seron had expected that answer . ¡°Why do we have to move for some serial killer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s seriously a bother. ¡± Natalia nodded . ¡°But if one in ten thousand, a bad thing were really to happen¡­¡± Meg trailed off nervously . ¡°We can¡¯t set aside the possibility. ¡± Seron said . ¡°Pardon?¡± Meg replied in distress, but Seron continued . ¡°Let¡¯s suppose there really is a serial killer going after the local delinquents. Then he¡¯s bound to strike again soon. I¡¯m sure he will. ¡± Jenny agreed. ¡°And if the police keep suspecting the delinquents, they won¡¯t even look for the serial killer. ¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s the other delinquent teams. ¡± Natalia said. ¡°The group that lost a member might assume the other groups killed him and get revenge. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible. I don¡¯t think they¡¯d be that stupid, though. ¡± Larry remarked . ¡°I do wonder. People prove themselves capable of great atrocities when placed under pressure¡ª¡± ¡°Excuse me, everyone. ¡± Mrs. Ruf said, entering the dining room. All eyes were on her. ¡°Pardon me for interrupting. We have a guest here asking for you, Miss Jenny. He says he needs to speak to you right away. ¡± Jenny furrowed her brow. ¡°Who?¡± Before Mrs. Ruf could answer, Seron realized who it was . ¡°Let him in, Jenny. ¡± Jenny was quick to realize as well . ¡°Ah! I see. Please let him in, Auntie. ¡± ¡°Of course. ¡± Once Mrs. Ruf was gone, the others asked Jenny and Seron who it was . But before they could answer, a set of footsteps began running down the hall . ¡°This is bad, Jenfie! You gotta help us!¡± The boy cried, rushing into the dining room. The others had their answer . Jenny first offered tea to Neil, who was still gasping for breath . Neil downed the cool tea without even taking a seat and thought about what to say first. Then, ¡°The Wolves¡¯ second-in-command just got stabbed to death last night! And right in this area!¡± ¡°We know. And?¡± Jenny urged him . ¡°¡­You know? Okay. So everyone¡¯s out for blood. ¡± Neil said between half-sobs . ¡°Could you elaborate for us, Neil?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°How did you find out about the murder?¡± ¡°I went into town this morning to get the newspaper, and a bunch of guys talked to me one after another¡­ And they¡¯re all big shots, too. They never even used to look at me. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re not in any of the groups, Neil. The Wolves and Hunters lost their members to murder and a mysterious accident, so they would obviously want to know what the other groups are up to. And the Jackals and Government are desperate to tell them that they didn¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m guessing that the boys all said they¡¯d let you join if you helped them out?¡± Seron conjectured. Neil¡¯s jaw dropped . ¡°Y-y-you know everything! Are you a mind-reader or something?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. Anyway, you kept your promise with Jenny and came straight over here instead of joining any of the groups. I¡¯m proud of you. ¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°True, true. Good job, Neil. So Jackals and Government are saying they didn¡¯t do anything, right?¡± ¡°Yeah! They didn¡¯t kill anyone, I¡¯m sure of it! But the adults and the police are suspecting them because they did some pretty bad stuff before. What do we do now? What can we do?¡± Neil fretted, his small size all the more prominent now that he was panicking . Seron and Jenny fell into silence . Larry and the others waited, knowing that Seron and Jenny were in deep thought . ¡°Please! You gotta help us!¡± Neil cried, the only one moving in the dining room . Seron replied first. ¡°There¡¯s not much we can do. ¡± Neil looked like he was about to burst into tears . Then Seron added, ¡°But we¡¯ll do everything we can do. ¡± A smile rose to Neil¡¯s face. Jenny chimed in . ¡°Sure. We¡¯ll try what we can. ¡± ¡°So what exactly are we gonna do, Seron?¡± Asked Larry . ¡°First, we¡¯ll meet members from all the groups and tell them about the serial killer, and instruct them to halt all activities so they can avoid suspicion. What do you think, Jenny?¡± ¡°Dunno. We¡¯re not locals, so all we can do is hope they believe us. ¡± No sooner had Jenny finished did Meg raise her voice . ¡°And we must tell that, ¡®please do not go around the town at night at all¡¯!¡± Natalia agreed. ¡°Yeah. Tell ¡®em to stay home like good kids. ¡± ¡°That sounds like a feasible plan. What next?¡± Asked Nick . ¡°I¡¯m still wondering if we should talk to the police one more time. There¡¯s not much else we can do right now. ¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled¡ªwe¡¯re going into town. I¡¯ll have Mr. Kurtz get the car ready. ¡± Jenny said . Meg seemed worried. ¡°Did Mr. Kurtz not sleep last evening?¡± ¡°He can last two or three days without sleep. ¡± ¡°I understand. Then¡­¡± Meg trailed off . ¡°This is going to throw us completely off-schedule as far as the camp¡¯s concerned. Are you okay with that, Jenny?¡± ¡°I exercise my right as the president to give us a special exemption. ¡± * * * After breakfast, they got ready to leave . ¡°Wait, we¡¯re all going? The girls should stay behind¡ª¡± Larry began. But Natalia cut him off . ¡°Not like the chief¡¯s gonna stay even if you made her. And I¡¯m coming too. So you want us to leave Megmica all by herself here?¡± Jenny slung her camera bag over her shoulder . Once they were ready to go, Jenny summoned Kurtz and Litner and told them about their plans for the day . Neither Kurtz nor Litner seemed to be particularly thrilled. But¡ª ¡°Please¡­¡± Neil was on the verge of tears . ¡°This is an order. ¡± And Jenny was being as stubborn as a bull. They had no choice but to follow orders . ¡°Miss Jenny, we will agree only on the condition that you allow us to closely accompany you. ¡± Kurtz and Litner would each drive a convertible, as only the limousine could fit all eight of them at once . Neil insisted on taking his bicycle, but Seron convinced him to join the others on the convertible . ¡°Larry, you take the motorcycle. You¡¯ll be in charge of delivering messages if anything happens. ¡± ¡°Got it. ¡± Larry picked up his helmet and goggles as Seron instructed. He refused to take Natalia along this time, but grabbed a spare helmet just in case . Larry picked up his helmet and goggles as Seron instructed. He refused to take Natalia along this time, but grabbed a spare helmet just in case . ¡°Let¡¯s go. ¡± The two convertibles and the motorcycle left the villa and drove onto the street . Seron was riding shotgun. As the car passed the gate and made a left turn, he spotted Meg in the car ahead bowing her head at the now-clean spot where the boy had died . Seron also observed a moment of silence . On the way to town, Nick asked Seron a question from the back . ¡°Will we be assisting in solving this mystery and catching the culprit again?¡± Seron thought for a moment before responding. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. ¡± ¡°Oh? Why might that be?¡± ¡°Because if our guess is right, we¡¯re up against a serial killer. That¡¯s not someone we can take on. ¡± ¡°I suppose so, but we have Mr. Kurtz and Ms. Litner with us. ¡± Litner broke her silence . ¡°I¡¯m afraid we are firmly opposed to exposing Miss Jenny to danger. ¡± She said quickly . Neil, sitting beside Nick, shrank apologetically . ¡°I¡¯m not willing to take that risk either, Nick. ¡± Seron said, looking straight ahead. ¡°No offense, but sometimes you can get a little too hot-headed about things. ¡± ¡°I see. My apologies. ¡± Nick replied with a smile . Litner frowned, glancing at Nick through the rear-view mirror . * * * The two convertibles and the motorcycle stopped in front of the restaurant at the center of town, where the group had eaten the previous day . Kurtz and Litner parked on the roadside (which was not illegal) and scanned the area as the newspaper club and Neil walked through the town . Though there had been a murder the day before, the air was fresh and crisp. There were few people or cars on the road because it was still during work hours . Neil first led the group to a hardware store a short distance from the village center . The store was part of a small residential building. Frying pans and pots hung from the ceiling. Litner stood guard outside, and the others entered the store. The tiny store quickly became crowded . Because the hardware store did not sell products that people used every day, there were no other customers. Neil walked further into the store, to the person the group was there to see . A tall boy about 18 years of age sat at the counter, clearly annoyed. Perhaps he had been forced to watch the store while he was on summer break. The boy noticed Neil . ¡°Hey there, kid. Find out anything?¡± But he soon spotted the people coming up behind Neil¡ªsix teenagers who were clearly outsiders, and an imposing bodyguard . ¡°Wh-what the?¡± He squawked. ¡°Who are these people, Neil?!¡± ¡°Calm down, second-in-command of the Jackals. ¡± Jenny said. The boy¡¯s reaction to being calmed down and identified by a clearly younger, smaller girl was predictable . ¡°D-don¡¯t make me laugh!¡± ¡°We¡¯re just here to talk to you. ¡± Seron said calmly from behind Jenny . ¡°Get outta here! What¡ª¡± ¡°We were witnesses last night. ¡± ¡°Wh-what? What¡¯d you see?¡± Seron did his best to remain calm as he replied, ¡°We saw someone die of numerous stab wounds before our eyes, losing all hope and desperately begging for help as he breathed his last. ¡± The boy was silent . ¡°We just want to talk to you. ¡± ¡°A-about what?¡± Fortunately, no other customers showed up. Seron explained to the boy as much has he could about the things that had happened so far . He told the boy that the car crash might have been a murder. That if the same person were behind all three of the deaths, the killer would doubtless come after members of the other groups . And that the delinquent groups would be suspected by the police until the serial killer was caught . In other words, the delinquent groups would either be treated as murderers, be targeted by the killer, or both for the foreseeable future . ¡°Damn it¡­ why¡¯d this have to happen? We didn¡¯t do anything wrong. We just wanted to mess around and have fun. Nobody wants to murder anyone here. ¡± The boy agonized, his head in his hands . ¡°There¡¯s no way these guys are behind this. ¡± Larry whispered to Nick, Natalia, and Meg as he watched the older boy . ¡°Indeed. ¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± Nick and Natalia agreed . ¡°Yes. ¡± Meg also nodded . Seron then gave the boy several warnings . That he should spread these warnings to the others as quickly as possible; that the group should avoid gathering as much as possible in order to avert suspicion; that they should avoid going out at night, whether alone or with the others; and that they should ignore members of other groups as much as possible . ¡°Got that? Please don¡¯t do anything rash. ¡± Jenny said. ¡°You¡¯re the ones in most danger here. ¡± ¡°All right. I got it. Thanks a lot¡ªI¡¯ll make sure to tell the others, too. ¡± The boy nodded. Jenny smiled . ¡°You¡¯re welcome. ¡± They left the hardware store . ¡°Now we¡¯ll go to the butcher shop. That¡¯s where the leader of the Hunters works. It¡¯s a bit of a walk, but it¡¯s the closest place from here. ¡± Neil led everyone past the town hall and into an alley. Three-story buildings lined the alley, and stone tiles paved the ground underneath . ¡°The local police station¡¯s nearby. ¡± Jenny whispered to Seron. ¡°Are we going?¡± ¡°After we¡¯ve met all the groups. ¡± He replied . ¡°After we¡¯ve met all the groups. ¡± He replied . The group of nine passed the Ercho Village police station, where only one police officer stood on guard, and emerged from the alley¡ª ¡°H-hey! What are you kids doing here?¡± A man walked out of the police station and raised his voice . The newspaper club turned . ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hm?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°No way!¡± Almost in unison, the six students gasped . A man in his late twenties walked down the stairs in front of the station. His short brown hair was slicked back, and he wore a navy suit with a tie . ¡°Wh-what are you doing here?¡± Asked Jenny . ¡°That¡¯s my line. ¡± Replied Hartnett of the Confederation Police . * * * ¡°Ah, a newspaper club camp. Must be nice to be young. ¡± Seron and the others decided to put off the visit to the butcher shop and headed to Huckanee Memorial Park with Hartnett . They sat in a circle on the grass as though they were there on a picnic, to make sure passersby could not listen in . Jenny introduced Hartnett to the bodyguards, who could hardly believe the coincidence. Jenny told them that she would explain the details later, and sent Neil away with Kurtz and Litner . Once Kurtz and the others were sitting on a bench far enough that they would not be overheard, the discussion began in earnest . ¡°What are you doing in this little town, Mr. Hartnett?¡± Jenny asked . ¡°For work. ¡± Hartnett replied. ¡°Though I can¡¯t tell you all the details. I¡¯m surprised we ran into each other like this. Small world, huh?¡± Hartnett mused . ¡°Do you know about the serial murders taking place in this village?¡± Seron asked gravely . ¡°What? ¡­No. ¡± Seron gave Hartnett a quick explanation about the things that had happened recently. Hartnett listened carefully . ¡°That¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard. No, I mean it. I could tell the police here were investigating something, but I didn¡¯t want to poke my nose in. And I know what you¡¯re thinking; but I¡¯m not here to investigate the recent killings. ¡± Seron gave Hartnett a quizzical look. Nick spoke . ¡°If memory serves, Mr. Hartnett, members of the Confederation Police are mandated to work in pairs for all investigations. The rule was set in place 24 years ago after a lone investigator was murdered by drug dealers. ¡± ¡°Hmph. Of all the obscure trivia¡­ Yes, Nicholas. You¡¯re correct. ¡± ¡°Then would your partner happen to be invisible?¡± ¡°We could really use an invisible officer on the force. Even better if it¡¯s a woman. ¡± ¡°Then have you come all this way alone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ¡± ¡°Then I suppose you¡¯re not in a rush to solve this case of yours. What brings you to this village?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not quietly lead me into questions I might not want to answer. ¡± Hartnett chuckled wryly, but he quickly noticed the newspaper club¡¯s curious gazes . ¡°Heh¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll tell you. But let¡¯s be clear here. This has nothing to do with what you¡¯re investigating right now. I can¡¯t cooperate with you. And I hope I don¡¯t need to remind you that this is all top-secret. ¡± ¡°Of course. ¡± Seron replied on everyone¡¯s behalf . Hartnett looked around once more to check that no one was listening . ¡°I¡¯m after a wanted serial killer. ¡± The newspaper club was taken aback. Hartnett smiled . ¡°See? Totally different case. ¡± ¡°A serial killer? Could you give us more details?¡± Asked Seron . ¡°A pro. ¡± ¡°A pro?¡± ¡°Yeah. A freelance assassin. He was a professional killer who was hired by the Capital District mafia about 20 years ago. He¡¯s killed at least 14 people in Roxche alone¡ªhe used guns, knives, poison, bombs, you name it. And yet he was skilled enough to evade arrest. We didn¡¯t even know about him until the mafia boss was arrested 15 years ago and he made a deal with us. The Confederation Police put out a warrant for him and tried to track him down, but we never managed to. Since we don¡¯t have a statute of limitations, we¡¯ll be chasing him down forever. ¡± ¡°And you¡¯ve come alone to this village to find such a terrible criminal? I¡¯m not sure I see the reasoning. ¡± ¡°I agree. But once we get a tip, we¡¯re obligated to check the info to see if it¡¯s accurate. ¡± ¡°So you received some information about the killer?¡± ¡°Yeah. Mundane stuff¡ªsomeone saying they saw the guy in town. Someone tipped us off anonymously last night, saying the killer lives here. We don¡¯t usually pay a lot of attention to calls like that, but¡ª¡± ¡°The police had no choice, considering the infamy of this man?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was the lucky bastard who got the job. Why they didn¡¯t send a local I¡¯ll never understand. I drove all the way here last night and I am exhausted. I stopped at a rest area for a bit, but that wasn¡¯t much help. ¡± ¡°I see. What did the local police say?¡± ¡°I showed them the warrant and asked for cooperation, but they said they didn¡¯t have any info about the guy. Obviously, he must have gotten plastic surgery. ¡± ¡°Of course. ¡± Seron nodded . ¡°Th-that must be it, then!¡± Larry cut in. ¡°That wanted man! The killer! Maybe he¡¯s behind the deaths here? If he¡¯s really a pro, he could have killed them without even blinking!¡± He raved . ¡°Oh!¡± Meg exclaimed . But the others did not react . ¡°But for what?¡± Hartnett said plainly . ¡°Pardon me?¡± Larry froze. Hartnett repeated himself . ¡°Why would a wanted man kill three teenagers in a village like this?¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­You¡¯re right. I see. ¡± Realizing that he could not answer the question, Larry hung his head and shrank. Meg also nodded . Realizing that he could not answer the question, Larry hung his head and shrank. Meg also nodded . ¡°He¡¯s been on the run for 15 years, and he¡¯s guaranteed the death penalty if he¡¯s ever caught. And this man¡¯s a professional who¡¯s only killed for work. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d suddenly switch to something this trivial. ¡ªNot saying that the deaths themselves are trivial, of course. ¡± The newspaper club fell into thought . ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll have a look around town and see if I can get some eyewitness accounts. Then I can finally make the long, long drive back to the capital. I wonder if there¡¯s an inn around here I can get some sleep at. ¡± ¡°Pardon? You will not help with us after?¡± Meg pleaded, but Hartnett shook his head . ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Confederation Police doesn¡¯t have jurisdiction over this case. It¡¯s up to Daurade¡¯s own police force. It¡¯s just like how Roxchean police have no right to investigate cases in Sou Be-Il. ¡± ¡°I understand this. But¡­¡± Meg trailed off sadly. Seron glanced at her before looking back to Hartnett . ¡°Thank you for your time, Mr. Hartnett. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Don¡¯t worry about it. ¡± ¡°If it¡¯s all right with you, why not stay the night at Jenny¡¯s relatives¡¯ villa with us?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Seron then asked Jenny for permission . ¡°Well, sure. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re a stranger. We can give you free room and board. Consider it my exercising my civic duty. ¡± Jenny nodded . Hartnett thought for a moment. Then he looked up . ¡°I get it. You¡¯re going to use me for all I¡¯m worth, am I right? Since I won¡¯t have anything to do once I get information about my serial killer. ¡± ¡°Yes. ¡± Seron said bluntly. Hartnett chuckled . ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Give me the villa¡¯s contact info. ¡± Jenny wrote out the villa¡¯s phone number and address in her notepad and tore out the page for Hartnett . ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you guys around. I¡¯m not too worried about you since you have bodyguards, but don¡¯t go rushing into trouble. ¡± Hartnett said goodbye to the newspaper club, nodded at the bodyguards, and left the park . Natalia spoke up. ¡°Adults have it rough, eh?¡± ¡°I do understand them, but it is a bit cold. ¡± Meg still seemed a little angry . ¡°There¡¯s not much we can do about that, I¡¯m afraid. ¡± Nick said . Larry dusted himself off and rose to his feet. ¡°Well? What now, Seron?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the other groups. ¡± ¡°All right. ¡± Larry agreed easily . ¡°Actually, about your suggestion earlier¡ª¡± Seron said, looking up . ¡°Huh? Oh, about Mr. Hartnett¡¯s guy being our culprit? You¡¯re right. It was a pretty stupid idea. The guy doesn¡¯t have any reason to kill local delinquents. ¡± Larry chuckled. But Seron did not . ¡°¡ªIn other words, give this killer a motive and he just might be the man we¡¯re looking for. ¡± ¡°I guess so. ¡± Larry muttered blankly. But Seron said no more and rose to his feet . ¡°Let¡¯s go meet the Hunters. ¡± * * * When the entered the butcher shop, they were greeted by the middle-aged shopkeeper . ¡°Uncle and Auntie are regulars here. Last night¡¯s meat was from here, too. ¡± Jenny whispered, and then told the man that they were not there to shop . The shopkeeper gave them a quizzical look. Jenny asked if the boy they were looking for was there . ¡°He¡¯s in the back, yes. Has he done something to offend you?¡± The shopkeeper asked worriedly, but Nick smiled . ¡°Not at all, sir. Neil here simply made your son mad once because he broke a promise. Neil came to our villa and said that he wanted to apologize, but did not have the courage to do so alone. So we¡¯ve come to lend him our support. May we have a moment of your son¡¯s time?¡± The shopkeeper nodded and went into the back. Natalia seemed impressed . ¡°Lying right through your teeth. Not bad at all, Nicholas Browning. ¡± ¡°Deception can be a tool of sorts. And is this not precisely the type of emergency that demands such extreme measures?¡± ¡°Sure. Good going, Nick. ¡± Jenny said . That was when a large boy in his late teens emerged from the back. He did not even try to hide his surprise at seeing the group . The newspaper club brought the leader of the Hunters outside and once again explained the situation . They had Kurtz and Litner keep their distance for the time being to make sure the discussion did not involve adults in any way . At first the boy was furious with Neil for not carrying out his request and lying to bring him out, but when he heard that his friends might have actually been murdered, and that their group might be suspected for the previous night¡¯s murder, he went silent . And finally, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll keep the boys in line for now. I promise. Thanks for the warning. ¡± The boy responded almost exactly as the Jackals¡¯ second-in-command had done . ¡°Thank you for your time. ¡± Seron said, turning¡ª ¡°Wait!¡± The boy stopped him . ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡­ I thought the guys just got themselves into a stupid accident. That there was nothing we could do about it. But if you¡¯re right, and they got killed by somebody¡­ they¡¯re not gonna rest in peace. ¡± ¡°I understand. ¡± ¡°If the cops aren¡¯t looking, and if they¡¯re just suspecting us¡­ I¡¯m counting on you guys to find the killer. ¡± ¡°¡­We can¡¯t guarantee anything, but we will do our best. So¡ª¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll keep our gang outta trouble. ¡± ----- Volume 4 7 — The Leaders Volume 4 Chapter 7: The Leaders ----- ¡°All right, which one next? Government or Wolves?¡± Larry asked as they left the butcher shop and stepped onto the main road. ¡°Er¡­ Government has a hangout nearby, just down the street. Whaddaya wanna do?¡± Neil replied. Seron glanced at his watch. There was still a little more than an hour before noon. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Said Jenny. But Neil seemed even more reluctant this time. ¡°But Government¡¯s the scariest gang around. The leader¡¯s real bad and he picks fights all the time. And he always says, ¡®I only listen to people who¡¯re stronger than me. And since no one¡¯s stronger than me, I don¡¯t listen to nobody¡¯.¡± Seron thought before replying. ¡°That¡¯s not good. With an attitude like that he¡¯s only going to garner suspicion from the police.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t just ignore him.¡± Said Jenny. Seron nodded. ¡°What if we get Mr. Kurtz to lead?¡± Natalia suggested from behind. Seron shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do that. Mr. Kurtz could obviously beat him, but we can¡¯t get a conversation going if we hide behind an armed adult to negotiate. We¡¯re not going there to just give them a warning; we need to completely convince Government to lay low for a while.¡± ¡°True.¡± Natalia admitted. ¡°Going is the only road.¡± Meg declared. Seron cast Meg a glance and went silent. Nick walked up next to Seron and matched his pace. ¡°Seron, there seems to be a dilapidated fence ahead.¡± When Seron looked up, he spotted an empty lot by the road. He also saw the remains of a fence that had once kept the lot secure. Metal shafts had been driven into the ground, with rope strung between them. But most of the ropes were gone and the shafts were leaning or had already fallen. No one seemed to be maintaining the fence. ¡°That shaft just may make the perfect staff.¡± Without a word, Seron turned to Nick. The shafts were about 1.8 meters in length. Seron picked one up as he walked. It was clean with almost no hint of rust. The shaft was thin and hollow, which made it lighter than it seemed. Seron used the shaft¡ªwhich was taller than he was¡ªas he might a wizard¡¯s staff as he walked onward. ¡°Since when were you in the 60-plus club, Seron?¡± Natalia joked. ¡°It¡¯s just a change of pace.¡± Seron lied. About 300 meters on, they were out of the town center. There were no more stores by the roadside, only the remains of small car factories and abandoned construction materials. The only other things of note were empty lots and a few crumbling houses. Naturally, no one was walking around. Neil led the group into a ruined building in an abandoned lot. Supposedly it had once been a garage. There stood a rusted car, covered in grass and becoming one with the earth. The battered shutter was down, making it impossible to see inside. But from the two small motorcycles and several cars parked outside it was clear that people were inside. ¡°In here. But are you sure about this? It¡¯s not too late to back out.¡± Neil said hesitantly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to agree.¡± Kurtz said. Litner gave a silent nod from the back of the group. ¡°We¡¯re just going to have to try our best.¡± Seron said, still holding the makeshift staff. ¡°We¡¯ve come this far¡ªthere¡¯s no backing out now.¡± Jenny agreed. Kurtz sighed.¡°Then allow us to come with you and stand at the very back.¡± Seron turned to Meg and Natalia. ¡°We¡¯re coming too.¡± Natalia said before he could even open his mouth. ¡°Then stick close to Mr. Kurtz.¡± Seron said, and turned to Nick. ¡°Here. Hold on to this.¡± He handed Nick the shaft. ¡°Of course.¡± Nick accepted it with a beautiful smile. Seron lowered his voice. ¡°It¡¯s just a staff, Nicholas Browning.¡± ¡°I understand, Seron Maxwell.¡± ¡°And we¡¯re not criminals.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± * * * The garage interior was surprisingly tidy. All the abandoned materials and rubble had been pushed against the wall, exposing the concrete floor. The windows high up on the walls were mostly intact, and the cracked panes were sealed meticulously with tape. The garage was furnished with an old table and several chairs. When the group entered, they found eight boys discussing something. They ranged in age from their early teens to about 19. All of them were locals. The boys were shocked when they spotted Seron and the others entering the garage. The tallest boy¡ªwho seemed to be the oldest¡ªstood and bellowed at him. ¡°What the hell? We ain¡¯t done anything!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seron replied calmly. ¡°We ain¡¯t done anything! This here¡¯s our turf, who let you in?¡± The boy¡¯s deep voice resounded through the garage. The boy¡ªthe leader¡ªmaintained a belligerent attitude. The others kept their mouths shut, waiting to see what would happen. Kurtz, standing at the very back of Seron¡¯s group with Meg and Natalia, whispered. ¡°The boy¡¯s terrified.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Natalia replied, as relaxed as ever. ¡°Yes. He knows they¡¯re being suspected and that they may be attacked. He¡¯s raising his voice to try and stave off that terror.¡± ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why they¡¯re all gathered together here.¡± ¡°The leader¡¯s not doing a very good job of staying calm enough to lead.¡± ¡°Looks like some muscle and a big name are all he¡¯s got going for him. Don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve got any right to say this, but talk about one hell of a bluff.¡± ¡°If anything should happen, I¡¯ll fire a warning shot into the ceiling. Your ears may ring, so I¡¯d like to ask for your understanding ahead of time.¡± Seron, Jenny, and Neil (standing between them) did not hear Kurtz because they were slowly approaching the members of Government. Seron and Jenny were confident enough, but Neil was visibly frightened. ¡°I feel kinda sorry for the kid.¡± Larry said from behind them. The three came to a stop about 10 meters from the members of Government. ¡°We¡¯re here to give you some advice, but it looks like you¡¯re already on the case.¡± Jenny said loudly enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Shaddap! Leave!¡± The leader cried, refusing to cooperate. Jenny and Seron fell into thought, wondering how they should approach. Meanwhile, Neil trembled as though he were ready to bolt at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°What do you think?¡± Larry asked Nick, who was still holding the staff. Nick¡¯s answer was brutally honest. ¡°The other members aside, there is absolutely no merit in assisting the leader.¡± ¡°That¡¯s straightforward of you.¡± ¡°I believe Seron and Jenny could be forgiven for ignoring this group and moving on. Perhaps we should stop by somewhere afterwards for lunch.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I am getting kinda hungry.¡± Larry shrugged. The leader continued his tirade. ¡°Don¡¯t you look your nose down on me, punk! We know you rich folks all think us villagers¡¯re buffoons!¡± ¡®Rest of the village aside, he¡¯s certainly not giving us any reason not to think otherwise about him.¡¯ Larry thought, but did not say. ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to congregate here.¡± Said Seron. ¡°Shaddap! Don¡¯t tell me what to do!¡± ¡°The police will assume you¡¯re up to something, and at the same time you¡¯ll make yourselves a perfect target for the killer.¡± ¡°I told you to shut your hole! We can take care of ourselves just fine. Get out!¡± ¡°We¡¯re talking about a hardened serial killer.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter! Us buddies can take it!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say with complete certainty, but the victims of the car crash two days ago may have been shot while driving. How do you intend to fight back against someone who is armed with a gun?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s what we¡¯re all together for! We¡¯re all ready to pound this guy into the pavement!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t very apparent. You even let our group inside without resistance.¡± ¡°We just let our guard down¡¯s all!¡± ¡°Again, you are placing yourselves in grave danger by gathering here. No one will come to help even if you scream for help. It¡¯s safer to go back to your homes and stay with your families. The killer won¡¯t be able to easily strike in places where adult witnesses are present.¡± ¡°I said! We¡¯re taking care of ourselves!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too late. You can head to the village center together and disband there.¡± ¡°Shaddap! The only thing that matters here is power, and I only listen to the strongest! And that¡¯s me!¡± ¡°Someone stronger than you, who has no reservations about murder, will come to find you here.¡± ¡°Which is why we¡¯re all together here, dumbass!¡± A long and pointless conversation continued between Seron and the leader across the 10-meter distance. And eventually¡ª ¡°¡­Yeah, I see now!¡± The leader said suddenly. Seron and the others hoped the leader had finally seen the light, but their hopes were cruelly dashed. ¡°You guys are behind all this, aren¡¯t you?!¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯ve gotta be kidding¡­ ¡®Dense¡¯ doesn¡¯t even cut it with this guy. Talk about going above and beyond all expectations.¡± Larry groaned, his hands on his head. But Nicholas was completely nonchalant. ¡°Actually Larry, Seron did in fact foresee this.¡± He took out a hairband from his pocket. ¡°Hm?¡± As Larry watched, Nick propped up his staff against his chest and put his hairband in his mouth. He raised his hands behind his back and gathered his long hair, and with one hand around the ponytail and the hairband in the other he tied it up neatly. Then he raised his ponytail again and secured it once more with the hairband to hold it up. ¡°There.¡± Nick took the staff in one hand and walked over to Seron. ¡°Hey.¡± Larry tried to stop him. ¡°Not to worry, Larry. Wait there and take care of the girls should anything happen.¡± Nick replied, turning. Though a little skeptical, Larry did as he was asked. Seron and Jenny turned when they heard the staff. ¡°Not bad. It looks pretty good on you.¡± ¡°The hairstyle, Jenny? Or the staff?¡± ¡°The hair, obviously. What¡¯re you doing here?¡± ¡°I am here as Neil¡¯s substitute. Good work, Neil. Go back to the others.¡± Nick came over to Seron, Jenny, and Neil, and gestured for Neil to retreat. ¡°Can I really?¡± A moment¡¯s hesitation later, Neil ran to Larry. ¡°Aha! Cat got your tongue, eh? So I was right!¡± The leader of Government sneered, making yet another mistaken assumption. ¡°Perhaps the Roxchean word ¡®hopeless¡¯ was invented for him?¡± Nick joked. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°You might be on to something.¡± Nick added that he would ask his father later about the etymology of the word. ¡°I thought you were just a pack of rich idiots, but who knew you¡¯d actually becriminals? You¡¯re not fooling anyone! You were gonna make us drop our guard, am I right? The killings started after you lot got here. It makes perfect sense!¡± The leader¡¯s one-man show continued. But Seron and the others were barely listening. In fact, they were more concerned with the members of Government¡ªall clearly confused, almost to the point of being pitiful. They seemed to be acknowledging the absurdity of their leader¡¯s accusations. ¡°Don¡¯t know about that guy, but I wanna at least help the ones behind him.¡± Said Jenny. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Meanwhile, ¡°My goodness¡­ why do those words simply not work?¡± Meg wondered sadly from behind. ¡°Isn¡¯t it ¡®bout time for one of those warning shots, Mr. Kurtz?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Let¡¯s be a little more patient.¡± Kurtz replied. ¡°They say that guns should only be used as a last resort.¡± ¡°Do they? News to me.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m also a little curious to see how Miss Jenny and the others will deal with this situation.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, just admit that¡¯s the real reason.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, am I right or what?¡± The leader demanded. Seron finally spoke. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say your conjecture is incorrect. If we really were the ones behind the killings¡­¡± ¡°If?¡± ¡°¡­We would have killed you all already.¡± All of Government¡ªincluding the leader¡ªpaled. ¡°Not bad, Seron.¡± Natalia mumbled. ¡°Like hell! Get¡¯em, boys!¡± The leader bellowed. But no one moved. No one argued; the leader must have been a domineering influence over his gang. But the members could not carry out such a blatantly impossible order. Seven unfortunate boys trembled silently, at a complete loss. ¡°Seron, is it not about time for us to take our leave?¡± Nick whispered. Seron glanced at his profiled face. ¡°Let us depart for lunch.¡± Nick sounded so calm that Jenny threw him a quizzical look. ¡°You mean you¡¯re gonna take care of this?¡± ¡°With your permission, yes.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that mean?¡± That was when Seron broke his silence with an unusually loud sigh. Then, ¡°Do something about the leader, Nicholas.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°But please try to convince him verbally.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everyone. Mr. Kurtz.¡± Seron said. At the same time, Nick strode forward. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The leader stared blankly at Nick, standing stock-still at the table. Only when there were about four meters left between them did the leader finally regain his senses and point an accusing finger at Nick. ¡°What¡¯re you tryin¡¯ to pull?¡± An elegant smile rose to Nick¡¯s beautiful face. ¡°I simply wish to speak to you.¡± ¡°About what? We ain¡¯t listening to a buncha murderers!¡± The leader cried, and drew a weapon. A sock. A long sock layered into two and stuffed with sand. It was an easy weapon to make and considerably powerful to boot, dense enough to easily knock out someone with a blow to the head. The leader held the sock by the end and wrapped it around his hand. ¡°Now I¡¯ve got no choice but to fight. I gotta fight and protect myself.¡± He said firmly, still under a terribly mistaken impression. The members of Government oohed and aahed behind him. ¡°That¡¯s the boss for ya!¡± One of them cried. The leader lightly swung his arm and stepped forward. ¡°Beg for mercy now and maybe I¡¯ll let you off easy.¡± Nick¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°My apologies.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My sincerest apologies. It seems I now have a reason to strike you. I do not intend to gravely injure you, but this will hurt. I will not hesitate. I would like to apologize in advance.¡± ¡°I hope this will do the trick¡­¡± Seron mumbled. The leader, oblivious to Seron¡¯s hopes, was apoplectic. ¡°Asshole!¡± He charged forward, winding back his right arm. In an instant Nick tightened his grip on the staff. With his right hand he held the top, and with his left hand he held a slightly lower point with an inverse grip. ¡°TAKE THIS!¡± Nick took an evasive step to the right and swung the staff upwards. The tip of the staff nearly glanced the floor as it cut through the air, striking the base of the leader¡¯s right hand before it could reach Nick. ¡°Argh!¡± There was a scream as the leader¡¯s fist was knocked upwards. He dropped his weapon. Nick pulled the staff back towards himself as though gliding, and grabbed the end that had struck the leader with his left hand. Then he put his right hand closer to his left with an inverse grip. And, barely moving his arms, he swung the staff at the leader¡¯s left shin. Whoosh. ¡°Agh!¡± The two sounds melded into one. The leader was forced into an awkward stance, holding up his right hand and curling his left leg. Nick lightly prodded him in the chest with the staff. That was enough to push the leader to the floor, sending him straight onto his back. The members of Government were furious at the sight of their leader being so easily defeated. ¡°Damn you!¡± A fat boy to Nick¡¯s right leapt off his chair. Another boy, this one on Nick¡¯s left, stood a moment later. The fat boy used his figure to his advantage, charging forward at Nick using all his weight as momentum. Nick waited for his opponent to draw near, then bowed low like a cat and swung wide from right to left. It was the kind of mundane movement one used to sweep leaves in the yard, but the staff connected with the boy¡¯s heel. ¡°Whoa!¡± Tripping over his own legs, the boy fell forward and landed on his portly stomach, sliding. The boy rushing from Nick¡¯s left jumped over his falling friend. ¡°Got you!¡± And he swung his right arm at Nick as he rose. Nick held the staff upright and stopped the punch at the wrist. At the same time, he slid, swinging the right side of the staff towards the back of his opponent¡¯s neck and sidestepping as he swung down again. The boy fell forward and hit the ground shoulder-first. Nick let the staff slide down and took three steps back, then pointed the end at the boy. He took a quick breath, followed by a pause, followed by a long exhale. It had taken him all of 10 seconds to flatten the three boys. It had taken him all of 10 seconds to flatten the three boys. Nick looked over the fallen delinquents and the five remaining boys. ¡°Shall we continue? I could certainly do with a little more exercise.¡± He asked with a beautiful smile. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Nah.¡± ¡°That was awesome!¡± Larry cried incredulously at the sight of Nick¡¯s elegant flurry of attacks. Neil stood beside Larry with his jaw agape. ¡°Not bad, Nicholas Browning.¡± ¡°My goodness¡­¡± Natalia and Meg were also floored by the display. Kurtz alone seemed to be completely unfazed. ¡°Mhm. Impressive.¡± ¡°Hey. Seron Maxwell.¡± ¡°Yes, Jenny Jones?¡± ¡°How long have you know about this? How long did you know our pretty boy was actually a martial arts master?¡± ¡°For a while.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± ¡°Because it never came up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who brought the staff along.¡± ¡°Just in case.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t think Mr. Kurtz could take care of them?¡± ¡°I would have, if push came to shove. But sometimes it¡¯s better to solve things without getting an adult involved.¡± ¡°Tch. Fine. Now let¡¯s have a talk with Government.¡± Jenny went up to the boys. The three who had lost to Nick were just beginning to get back up. ¡°Listen up, guys. I¡¯m sick of trying to argue, so I¡¯m gonna make it simple.¡± Nick had dropped his stance and was standing casually. Jenny stood beside him and towered over the eight dazed boys. ¡°We¡¯re not the killers. And from now on, I¡¯m the leader of Government!¡± ¡°What?¡± The leader squawked, rubbing his aching right hand. The others were equally astonished. ¡°We beat you, which means it¡¯s time for a change around here. You¡¯re the one who said you only listen to whoever¡¯s stronger than you. Does a man ever go back on his word?¡± ¡°Uhh¡­¡± The leader could not retort. Nick spoke instead. ¡°Oh? You¡¯ll be taking charge here then, Jenny?¡± ¡°Yeah. I can run two jobs easy.¡± ¡°Then what of my accomplishment here? There was so much I was hoping to do with the position of leader.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll officially recognize your accomplishments later, Nick.¡± ¡°Is that really all?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Having taken the position of leader over Government, Jenny gave orders to her new underlings. That the boys should never congregate together until the culprit had been caught and the case closed. That they should remain shut up quietly in their homes. That they should do absolutely nothing even if they were to encounter other delinquents. That if they were clear on the instructions, they should immediately return home. The former leader straddled his motorcycle and gave the new leader a skeptical look. ¡°You¡¯re seriously not the killers?¡± ¡°No. And I¡¯ll give you back the position once my vacation ends and I go back home.¡± ¡°Right¡­ so I just gotta lay low for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯d tell you to lay low forever, but yeah. That¡¯s the gist of it. Keep a low profile if you don¡¯t wanna die.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The delinquents scattered on their bicycles and motorcycles. ¡°My, I am feeling quite hungry after all that exercise.¡± Nick tossed away his staff without a second thought. Seron glanced at his watch. It was noon. ----- Volume 4 8 — The Photographs Volume 4 Chapter 8: The Photographs ----- Two cars and a motorcycle were traveling down the village road . Larry rode slowly to avoid crashing into the cars and mumbled to himself . ¡°So we¡¯re finally done talking to the leaders. But still¡­¡± Earlier¡ª ¡°Right. The cops told us to keep a low profile too. Just¡­ please find whoever killed our friend. ¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can. ¡± The conversation between Jenny and the leader of the Wolves ended in less than a minute . Seron, Jenny, and Neil left the leader¡¯s house, rejoined the others, and gave their report . Larry called the police from a nearby phone booth and asked if they had found the culprit. He did not receive a satisfactory answer . After discussing their next plan of action¡ª ¡ªthe group finally gave in to their gnawing hunger and decided to go back to the villa . Once they returned, the newspaper club washed their hands and went to the kitchen. Neil was also invited to eat, so he sat beside Jenny . As soon as they sat down, Mrs. Ruf brought in a large, thin pizza. The first one was a meat-lover¡¯s dream, topped with a heaping helping of bacon and sausage slices . ¡°There¡¯s plenty more coming, so eat up! I¡¯ll put on different toppings every time. ¡± When she cut the pizza with a knife, everyone rushed in and grabbed a slice . Once everyone had a slice on their plate, there was only one left on the platter . ¡°If you¡¯re gonna eat it anyway you might as well grab it now, Lia. ¡± ¡°You are the most understanding man in the world, Larry. Thanks a bunch. ¡± Natalia took the final slice. Everyone was so starved that they ate in utter silence. The moment they finished the first pizza, the second came in. It was topped with tomato slices, ham, and basil . As the pizzas came in one after another, the group discussed the progress they had made so far . ¡°It¡¯s mission accomplished, for now. ¡± Said Seron . ¡°More or less. But we haven¡¯t solved the problem. It¡¯s not over until we catch the killer. ¡± Larry nodded, reminding everyone of the root of their problem . ¡°Indeed. But our actions were not without purpose¡ªwe¡¯ve even given Jenny a brand-new title. ¡± Nick said with a smile . ¡°You¡¯re still bitter about that? And how long are you gonna keep your hair up?¡± Asked Jenny. Nick had not yet untied his hair. He smiled and said he would let it down after lunch . ¡°I think it looks pretty cool, Nick. ¡± Said Natalia. ¡°By the way, where¡¯d you learn those wicked moves? Mr. Kurtz was all impressed on the way back. It¡¯s called staff-fighting or something?¡± Meg joined in as well. ¡°It is. It was very surprising! You can do it if you try, Nick! ¡ªI am sorry, is my Roxchean speaking strange?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯tcha ask Seron? Says he knew about this for a while. ¡± Said Jenny . ¡°You really did know this, Seron?¡± Meg asked, turning . ¡°I saw him practice before, during equestrian class. ¡± Seron said, gulping down his tea. ¡°You said you¡¯ve been learning since you were a kid, Nick?¡± As the others nodded, Nick smiled and reached for a slice of pizza . After the late lunch, the newspaper club and Neil found themselves relaxing as they discussed what to do next . Though they wondered if they should go to the police again, Nick shot down the idea . ¡°It¡¯s not as though we have any new developments for them. ¡± Everyone agreed. And there was nothing left to do . ¡°So now we just leave it to the cops. Unless the next murder or murder attempt happens in front of us, we can¡¯t do a thing. ¡± Everyone had to nod. ¡°Not that I¡¯m hoping for another case. ¡± Natalia added . Someone suggested going out for a change of pace. But, ¡°It is not good to make Mr. Kurtz feel more sleepy anymore, I think. ¡± Meg said. So the group decided to stay inside . ¡°You can go home now, Neil. Thanks. ¡± Jenny said. Litner offered to take him and his bicycle home by car . ¡°Thanks so much, everybody. ¡± Neil nodded, and left . Ultimately, their plans for the afternoon were no different from the previous day¡¯s . ¡°So that¡¯s it then. Gotta let Mr. Kurtz rest too. ¡± Jenny¡¯s suggestion was a siesta . No one objected . * * * While the newspaper club and Kurtz, who had not slept a wink last night, were asleep¡ª ¡°Thanks for waiting! Here¡¯s your photos!¡± The owner of the village photography studio came to the villa on a three-wheeled car and handed Mrs. Ruf a large cardboard box . Inside were the newspaper club¡¯s photos and the developed film . Mrs. Ruf thanked the owner, paid a handsome fee, and received the box . ¡°I¡¯ll show them once they¡¯re all awake. ¡± She said to herself, and put the box on a table in the parlor . * * * ¡°Ruf, huh. This is the place. ¡± Hartnett leaned out the window of his black sedan and scrutinized the name on a panel outside the premises. His gaze then fell on the massive villa and the garden bursting with flowers in bloom . ¡°An honest-to-goodness mansion. So this is what they call a villa¡­¡± He grumbled, and stepped off the Jones Motors car . Litner greeted Hartnett and led him to the parlor, informing him that everyone was asleep . Hartnett idled in the parlor, drinking tea and examining the luxury furniture. He noticed the cardboard box on the table . But he did not open it without permission . Eventually, he dozed off in one of the expensive chairs decorating the room . * * * Like the previous day, the newspaper club woke up around five in the afternoon . When they heard about the visitor they went to the parlor and found Hartnett. He woke in a hurry and rubbed his eyes . ¡°Hey there. I decided to take you up on your invitation. ¡± The newspaper club sat down around Hartnett and explained the progress they had made in the afternoon, then asked Hartnett about his assignment . ¡°I showed the wanted poster to most of the big establishments in town, but I got nothing. I¡¯m going back to the Capital District tomorrow morning. ¡± He replied, shaking his head . Mrs. Ruf spoke up just as Hartnett and the newspaper club were starting on tea . ¡°Oh! Miss Jenny, your photographs are here. I left them on the table for you. I¡¯m so terribly sorry; memories do get worse with age. ¡± Six sets of eyes turned to the cardboard box . ¡°Let us quickly look at the photographs. ¡± Meg said excitedly. Jenny opened the box . She set aside the film and pulled out the bundle of developed black-and-white photographs. They were printed on large B3 photo papers, measuring at 25 by 38 centimeters . ¡°Let¡¯s flip through these before dinner. Anyone who¡¯s wasted film on a bad shot has to do ten laps around the track. ¡± ¡°What track?¡± Asked Larry . ¡°Fine. Ten laps around town. ¡± ¡°No thanks. ¡± ¡°So, whose is this?¡± Asked Jenny . At the top of the pile was a photo of the park fountain and a sheep statue. The image was focused on the sheep on the left side of the shot and the fountain was out of focus . At the top of the pile was a photo of the park fountain and a sheep statue. The image was focused on the sheep on the left side of the shot and the fountain was out of focus . ¡°That¡¯s mine. ¡± Said Natalia. Then she furrowed her brow. ¡°Why¡¯s that one first? It¡¯s the last one I took. ¡± ¡°The order gets switched around when they¡¯re developing, so your last picture comes to the top of the pile. This one¡¯s not bad. ¡± ¡°Not surprising. ¡± Natalia grinned. ¡°I¡¯m good at everything. ¡± The next 20 photos depicted unremarkable things like scenes of the countryside or Larry and his motorcycle . Jenny checked each photo, one after another. She passed the ones she had seen to the next person. Hartnett was last in line; he threw each picture an uninterested glance before piling it up with the rest . Then came Larry¡¯s photos . ¡°Well, I got the exposure right. ¡± Larry had indeed gotten the exposure right, but all of his photos were of his motorcycle . ¡°Ah, those would be mine. ¡± Nick¡¯s photos included close-ups of a sheep¡¯s face, shots of a pouting Jenny, and Kurtz, Litner, and the car. Occasionally the photos were too dark, too bright, or out of focus . ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as swinging a staff. ¡± ¡°You need more training. ¡± Jenny said . Next came Jenny¡¯s photos. She had chosen mostly the same subjects as Nick, but her exposure and focus were perfect . ¡°That¡¯s the president for you. ¡± ¡°Flattery won¡¯t get you out of special training hell, Nicholas Browning. ¡± Next came Seron¡¯s photos . About half were shots of pastoral landscapes. The rest depicted the flowers in Hannah¡¯s yard . Like Natalia¡¯s, they were decently done and unremarkable. Meg was not in a single photo . ¡°Hm¡­ kinda hard to judge. ¡± Jenny admitted. Hartnett, who had ended up in charge of organizing the photos, straightened the pile on the desk . Last came Meg¡¯s photos . The photo where Seron was supposed to be pushing the cow was taken with too shallow a depth of field, and the cow was out of focus. As for Seron, even his friends barely recognized him . ¡°My gosh¡­ I am very sorry, Seron. ¡± The photos of the flowers at the Lawrence manor, on the other hand, were perfectly in focus. Jenny was impressed . ¡°Nice work, Megmica. I can feel your love of flowers emanating from these photos. ¡± ¡°Hee hee. It is good to be praised. ¡± Finally came the last photo . It was the picture of the garden, taken from outside the gates . ¡°This one¡¯s pretty good too. ¡± ¡°Thank you, Jenny. ¡± The last photo was also passed all the way to Hartnett . Hartnett gave the photo a glance. ¡°Is that it?¡± He asked, placing it at the top of the pile . Then, ¡°Huh?¡± He picked it up again . Hartnett brought the photo all the way up to his eyes¡ªspecifically, he focused on the right side of the image. He paused for several seconds, but the newspaper club did not notice . ¡°We should go out for another photography session. Next time we¡¯ll go as a group. ¡± Jenny said. Everyone agreed . Then¡ª ¡°AH!¡± Hartnett cried. The newspaper club flinched. Meg, who had picked up her cup of tea, spilled a little on her shirt . ¡°What might be the matter, Mr. Hartnett? You gave us a fright. ¡± ¡°Where?!¡± Hartnett demanded, his face pale. ¡°The house in this photo¡ªwhere is this house?!¡± ¡°In the area. Is something wrong?¡± Seron replied . Hartnett held out the picture to Seron, pointing at the right side of the image . ¡°This man right here!¡± Seron stared at the profiled face of Hampleton the gardener beside the flowerpots . ¡°Yes. He works at this house as a gardener¡ªwait, you don¡¯t mean¡­?¡± He understood the implications quickly. Seron stared at the Confederation Police investigator before him . ¡°Yes! That¡¯s exactly what I mean!¡± Hartnett replied resolutely. ¡°This is the one! This is the man I¡¯m looking for!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Everyone but Seron cried out in surprise . ¡°What¡¯s going on, then? We wanna know too. ¡± Natalia said on everyone¡¯s behalf. Hartnett threw the photo down on the table. Everyone scrutinized Hampleton . ¡°This man here! He¡¯s the assassin the Confederation Police has been hunting down! Look at this. ¡± Hartnett pulled out of his jacket a wanted poster . Below the title of the poster were photos of an intimidating middle-aged man. The photos were taken from the front and the side . The middle-aged man with a full beard, and the photo of Hampleton. There was no resemblance in their profiled faces . Naturally, the man on the wanted poster looked younger and more threatening. He looked completely different from the skinny and beardless Hampleton, even accounting for the passage of time . ¡°You sure? They don¡¯t look alike at all. ¡± Natalia said . ¡°Me too¡­ I do not see it that way¡­¡± Meg agreed. Nick simply tilted his head . Seron examined the two photos again. Then he finally relented. ¡°I can¡¯t see the resemblance, either. ¡± ¡°Lemme see. ¡± Jenny finally said, reaching for the photos. She gave each a three-second glance. ¡°It¡¯s the same person. ¡± She said matter-of-factly, as if she had just taste-tested the difference between salt and sugar . ¡°What makes you so sure?¡± Asked Seron. Jenny¡¯s answer was immediate . ¡°His ears. ¡± ¡°What?¡± Seron compared the photos again . ¡°Oh¡ª¡± He understood immediately . The man in the wanted poster, and Hampleton in the garden¡ª Both had large, wide ears that curved inwards, with dangling earlobes . Their ears were identical . ¡°People have differently-shaped ears, and once you finish puberty your ears never change shape for the rest of your life. They only discovered this recently, though. ¡± Jenny explained . ¡°Yes! We found him! Excellent! Yes!¡± Hartnett cheered, filling the parlor with excitement . ¡°Mrs. Hannah is in a dangerous place!¡± Meg interjected, cutting the cheers short . ¡°The house is a short distance from here, and belongs to a Mrs. Hannah Lawrence. The man here is named Hampleton. He works as a gardener for Mrs. Lawrence and has her complete trust. Naturally, he must be keeping his past under wraps. ¡± Seron explained . ¡°You¡¯ve been a big help, Seron. Damn it! I can¡¯t believe that phony tip turned out to be real!¡± Hartnett replied, trembling . ¡°If it turned out to be real, I don¡¯t believe you could call it a phony tip. ¡± Nick pointed out. But his comment went ignored . Meg was sounding almost hysterical. ¡°Wh-wh-what can we do?! It is dangerous! Mrs. Hannah is in a dangerous place! It is very dangerous!¡± Hartnett got his emotions under control and took a seat once more . ¡°I couldn¡¯t have done this without you guys. Thank you. Now that we know the truth, I promise I¡¯ll do whatever I can for Mrs. Lawrence. ¡± ¡°Then!¡± Larry piped up. ¡°Then this guy¡¯s the one who killed the local kids?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t say yet. ¡± Hartnett replied. ¡°We¡¯ll question him after we arrest him. ¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Larry mumbled . ¡°But what are you going to do? Wait for reinforcements?¡± Asked Jenny. Hartnett looked like he had swallowed a bug . ¡°It takes at least three hours by car to the closest Confederation Police station. I suppose I could ask the local police for help, but¡­¡± ¡°The gardener¡¯s gonna notice the second he spots the police cars. And he¡¯ll take Mrs. Lawrence hostage for sure. We don¡¯t know how far this guy¡¯s willing to go. ¡± Larry pointed out. Hartnett nodded . ¡°The gardener¡¯s gonna notice the second he spots the police cars. And he¡¯ll take Mrs. Lawrence hostage for sure. We don¡¯t know how far this guy¡¯s willing to go. ¡± Larry pointed out. Hartnett nodded . ¡°Couldn¡¯t we get Mrs. Lawrence to come to this villa, then?¡± Asked Seron. Hartnett and Meg turned . ¡°Megmica and I had a pleasant chat with Mrs. Lawrence yesterday. We could give her a phone call and say we want to give her copies of our photos and thank her for her hospitality. It¡¯s reason enough to invite her without arousing suspicion. ¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. But does anyone else live with her? Any maids or other servants?¡± ¡°Not as far as we can tell. Although I can¡¯t be certain¡­¡± Seron trailed off. Suddenly, Jenny stood and ran out of the parlor . Ten seconds later . ¡°I just asked Auntie! Mrs. Lawrence doesn¡¯t have any live-in servants. She just gets someone to clean the place once a week. The gardener lives there, though. ¡± Jenny said as she returned . ¡°Great. Thank you, Jenny. Now we just need to call herover and surround the house. ¡± Said Hartnett . ¡°I¡¯ll help. ¡± Seron volunteered. ¡°I can make the call and invite her for dinner. ¡± Because they could not think of any other plan, they went through with Seron¡¯s idea to call Hannah over . The newspaper club said nothing to Mr. and Mrs. Ruf save for the fact that they wanted an extra serving of dinner to be prepared. But they explained everything to Kurtz and Litner, who were shocked but in agreement with the plan . ¡°But,¡± Kurtz added, ¡°if Mrs. Lawrence does not accept the invitation, I can¡¯t let you leave for her home. Until this incident is finished, I will not let any of you leave the villa, Miss Jenny. ¡± If Hannah were to ask for a ride, Kurtz, Hartnett, and Seron would go to pick her up . ¡°Wait, so what if Mrs. Lawrence declines by phone?¡± Asked Natalia . ¡°The Confederation Police will launch a raid on the house and surround the premises. We¡¯ll make sure nothing leaves the building. We can even deploy snipers if necessary. ¡± Hartnett said reluctantly . ¡°That is horrible! It is very horrible!¡± Meg gasped, but Hartnett refused to yield . ¡°We¡¯ll never get another chance like this. If we lose him now, we might have to wait another 15 years before we find him again. ¡± ¡°I know this¡­ I know this, but please do not let Mrs. Hannah cannot be hurt! I am begging you!¡± Meg pleaded. Hartnett smiled and winked . ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He still has no idea we¡¯ve found him out, remember? He¡¯s found himself a safe position as a gardener, so he has no reason to out himself now. ¡± ¡°Y-yes, that is true. ¡± Meg replied, sounding a little less panicked. When Nick saw her relief, he pointed out to Seron Hartnett¡¯s lie . ¡°That would be true, if only not for the fact that the man has already taken three lives. If he truly is the culprit, he must be ready to flee at a moment¡¯s notice. We are in a race against time. ¡± Seron nodded . ¡°Yeah. I know. So I¡¯d better do a good job of inviting Mrs. Lawrence over. ¡± Nick smiled . ¡°I have every confidence that you will, Seron. ¡± * * * ¡°Good evening, Mrs. Lawrence. This is Seron Maxwell. Do you remember me? My friend and I visited your home yesterday morning to take some photographs. ¡± ¡°Yes. Do you have a moment?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be having a small dinner party here at the villa managed by the Ruf couple. We happened to receive the developed photos just now, and Megmica insisted we had to have you over for dinner and share the photos. I¡¯m terribly sorry being so sudden, but would you like to join us?¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m sure Megmica will be pleased. ¡± ¡°Would seven o¡¯clock be all right?¡± ¡°Would you like us to come pick you up by car, Mrs. Lawrence?¡± ¡°Certainly! We look forward to seeing you soon, Mrs. Lawrence. ¡± Volume 4 9 — Companions Volume 4 Chapter 9: Companions ----- It was 15 to seven. ¡°Another guest! How lovely. The more the merrier.¡± Mrs. Ruf merrily went about her cooking, none the wiser to the plot. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Mr. Ruf agreed, helping her in the kitchen. ¡°I will explain all the circumstances. Seron, when it is hard to explain with my power, please help me to explain.¡± Meg said, looking into Seron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll be right there with you.¡± Seron met her gaze. ¡°Not much I can do now, I guess.¡± Larry mumbled. ¡°Let us pray for success.¡± Nick said in reply. ¡°What about us? What do we do?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Just play it cool and act like everything¡¯s normal.¡± Jenny answered. ¡°We will be here as well.¡± Said Kurtz. Next to him, Litner gave a nod. ¡°¡­¡± In the empty bathroom, Hartnett silently drew his handgun from its leather holster. It was a 3-inch revolver. When Hartnett checked the cylinder, he found six .357 magnum rounds neatly loaded inside. He slowly pushed the cylinder back inside and holstered the gun. It was five to seven. The doorbell rang. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± ¡°She is here.¡± Seron, Meg, and Hartnett all rose from their seats in the entrance hall. As they walked up to the door, Seron took the lead and Meg and Hartnett followed. It was still light outside and the flowers in the gardens seemed to glisten. Meg gave the gardens a brief glance before looking forward again. Seron found Hannah Lawrence at the door. ¡°She has come here.¡± Meg said with a smile. Her pace quickened. Seron and Meg went to the door together. ¡°Welcome, Mrs. Lawrence. Thank you for coming.¡± ¡°You are welcome inside!¡± They greeted her with smiles. ¡°Good evening. Thank you for the invitation.¡± Hannah replied, also smiling. Seron spoke up. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Ruf are the ones who manage the house, but they¡¯re busy with preparations at the moment. Please, come inside.¡± ¡°Thank you for having me.¡± Hartnett hung back a few steps away, watching Seron guide Hannah into the villa. And¡ª ¡°Ah.¡± He noticed the man before Meg and Seron did. Hannah turned as she stepped inside. ¡°Thank you for escorting me.¡± She said to the man. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Seron and Meg noticed Hampleton behind Hannah as Hartnett rushed in. Hartnett drew his gun and charged between Hannah and Hampleton, quickly taking aim with a roar. ¡°James Aide!¡± ¡°Freeze! Confederation Police! You are under arrest! Slowly put your hands in the air and kneel!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Seron grabbed Meg and Hannah by their wrists. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± He pulled them away, gently so Hannah would not fall. But before he could take the final step¡ª ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Hannah said. Seron froze. Before them, Hartnett stood with his left foot forward, aiming the gun with both hands. ¡°If you resist, I will open fire! Put your hands in the¡ª¡± Hampleton did as he was told, slowly raising his hands. Once his arms were outstretched, he knelt on the spot. ¡°N-now get down and put your hands on the ground!¡± Hartnett ordered, lowering his gun. Again, Hampleton complied. He leaned forward and put his hands and stomach against the ground. Hartnett lowered his gun even more and continued, still tense. ¡°Cross your legs together! Now!¡± Still on the ground, Hampleton placed his right leg over his left shin. Only then did Hartnett finally look past the gun and address Seron. ¡°Inside!¡± ¡°Right.¡± Seron pulled Meg and Hannah along once again. This time, both complied. When he turned, he saw Hartnett give another order. ¡°Hands behind your back!¡± Then he went around Hampleton¡¯s back. Hartnett pointed his gun at the back of Hampleton¡¯s head and straddled his back. And finally, he expertly placed a pair of handcuffs on Hampleton¡¯s wrists with his left hand. Hampleton showed no resistance. ¡°James Aide! You¡¯re under arrest!¡± Hampleton, who had not said a word since arriving, looked up at Hartnett with his left cheek on the pavement and smiled softly. And he whispered one calm word. ¡°Finally.¡± ¡°Wh-what just happened here?¡± Seron returned to Larry at the entrance hall, Meg and Hannah in tow. Outside the door was Hartnett, and lying under him was the restrained man, who did not even try to resist. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. He came along with Mrs. Lawrence. Mr. Hartnett¡¯s got him, though.¡± Seron explained, finally letting Meg and Hannah go. ¡°Mr. Kurtz! Restraints!¡± Kurtz rushed outside. He passed by Larry with a strong cloth rope used by bodyguards and ran to Hartnett¡¯s side. Kurtz tied Hampleton¡¯s legs together, then wrapped the rope restraint around his arms and upper body. Hampleton was rendered completely immobile. Hartnett did a quick check on his belongings. He examined everything thoroughly for weapons. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Then he finally holstered his gun and wiped with his sleeve the sweat that had formed so quickly on his brow. Hartnett and Kurtz picked up Hampleton together and carried him to the entrance hall as if he were a mannequin. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Dunno.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain.¡± Jenny, Natalia, and Nick came over, flabbergasted. Hartnett laid Hampleton on the tiles in the entrance hall. Then he pulled out a leather case from his jacket and flashed his ID at Hannah, who watched everything calmly. ¡°I¡¯m Hartnett from the Confederation Police. Apologies for the sudden arrest, but this man is a known assassin wanted by the government.¡± Everyone watched, waiting for Hannah¡¯s reaction. ¡°I see. So you received my tip after all. Although I must say I hadn¡¯t expected an arrest here.¡± ¡°Wh-what? You¡¯re the one who gave us the tip?¡± Hartnett gaped. The newspaper club and the two bodyguards went silent. ¡°Yes. I am.¡± ¡°I¡ªth-thank you! You¡¯ve helped us arrest a very dangerous man, madam! But¡­ I¡­ er¡­¡± Hartnett stammered, confused. He shook his head and furrowed his brow. The others were equally confused. ¡°Wh-what is going on in this way? Mrs. Hannah knew this man was the wanted man? How did you know?¡± Meg, who was nearest to Hannah, asked. ¡°I knew.¡± Hannah replied so very firmly and nonchalantly. Meg was stunned. ¡°B-but how?! Aide even changed his face! How did you know that he was a wanted man? Madam, were you part of the Confederation Police force? I see, you must have discovered this man by coincidence during your retirement and hired him!¡± Hartnett speculated wildly. ¡°The answer is ¡®no¡¯.¡± Hannah replied. Several seconds passed in silence. ¡°I told her.¡± Hampleton was the one to break it. Hampleton lay on the cold tiles, still restrained. ¡°I told her myself, detective.¡± He said, his body completely immobile save for his mouth. There was an absolutely peaceful look on his face. ¡°Why? You were on the run for 15 years. You changed your face, your identity, and had us chasing you around all of Roxche.¡± Hartnett said. Hampleton replied quickly, as if having waited for the question. ¡°Because I don¡¯t need to run anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick. I don¡¯t have much longer to live.¡± Hartnett was silent. ¡°The gods are good, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°But¡­ but why did you tell the madam your identity?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a significant reason. It felt meaningless to hide when I was so close to death. Maybe I wanted to confess to someone. Get a clean conscience. Or maybe not. But either way, I¡¯m grateful to her for listening to me and calling the police as I asked.¡± Hartnett looked back and forth from Hampleton and Hannah, who were both the very picture of calm. ¡°¡­Satisfied now?¡± He finally uttered, swallowing his outrage. ¡°Yes. I am. I don¡¯t have enough time left to pay for the lives I¡¯ve taken now. Just put me in the prison hospital and be done with it. I¡¯ll be gone before spring.¡± ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m taking you to the Capital District!¡± Hartnett spat one last time, and turned to Hannah. ¡°Please pardon us, madam! Seron here and I happened to realize this man¡¯s identity and brought you here because you might have been in danger. We planned to disclose his identity to you and arrest him. We had no idea this would happen.¡± ¡°I understand. But you needn¡¯t have bothered so. I¡¯m an old woman, I don¡¯t have many days left myself.¡± ¡°Not at all, madam. Thank you for your cooperation. We¡¯ll visit you again to take some official statements.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be in this village, so please feel free to drop by anytime.¡± Hartnett nodded. ¡°Is the guest here?¡± Mr. Ruf asked, finally arriving on the scene. Hartnett quickly asked him to contact the police. ¡°Wait!¡± Seron stopped him. ¡°What is it, Seron?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Seron began, extremely conscious of Meg¡¯s worried gaze on his face. ¡°I have a question for Mr. Hampleton.¡± ¡°What is it, boy?¡± Hampleton replied from the floor. Hartnett cut in. ¡°Wait a second. This can wait, Seron.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t. I have to ask now.¡± Hartnett furrowed his brow. ¡°Go on, boy. Ask.¡± Hampleton said, like a kind old man gently consoling a grandson. ¡°Go on, boy. Ask.¡± Hampleton said, like a kind old man gently consoling a grandson. Seron knelt before Hampleton. Sitting on one knee he looked into Hampleton¡¯s profiled face. ¡°Were you the one who killed the three people? Yesterday and the day before, in this village.¡± Meg and the rest of the newspaper club gasped. ¡°Seron, we can take care of that on our end. Don¡¯t bother.¡± Hartnett said. But Seron ignored him. ¡°Did you kill them?¡± From the floor came the answer. In the very same tone, from the very same expression. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± With the voices of shock behind him, Seron quickly continued to the next question. ¡°On whose orders?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, boy.¡± ¡°I was told you¡¯d killed many people.¡± ¡°Yes. At least 20 by my count.¡± ¡°Were any of those kills personal? Any you were never ordered to do?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s precisely what I heard. You only ever killed under orders. You were a professional assassin. Then let me ask again. On whose orders did you kill the three young men?¡± Three seconds passed in silence. Then¡ª ¡°No one.¡± ¡°It was me.¡± Two people gave two opposing answers at once. ¡°It was me. I was the one who hired him.¡± Everyone turned to the owner of the voice. To Hannah Lawrence. ¡°Ah, but, ah, ah,¡± Meg could not find the words to speak. Seron spoke instead, rising to his feet and turning around. ¡°Why, Mrs. Lawrence?¡± Hannah remained just as calm as Hampleton, as serene as ever. ¡°You knew it was me, didn¡¯t you Seron? You knew I was his client.¡± ¡°I had a hunch, but I didn¡¯t have any evidence.¡± Hartnett was the first to butt into the cool conversation between Seron and Hannah. ¡°H-hold on! What are you two talking about?¡± Hannah looked at Hartnett, then looked away. At Seron¡¯s grey eyes. ¡°Was it because of the flowerpots?¡± At Seron¡¯s question. ¡°My goodness! It cannot be!¡± Meg gasped. She was the only other person who knew about the flowers. ¡°Yes and no.¡± Hannah replied. ¡°Please tell me the truth.¡± ¡°It began with the flowerpots just as you say, Seron. When the boys knocked over the flowerpots. But my motive was different.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand the difference.¡± Hannah and Seron alone were the picture of tranquility, an old woman and a young man having a light conversation in the entrance hall of a luxury villa. But around them were other young men and women standing rooted to the ground, a man in restraints on the floor across from them, and two men standing guard over him. All that added up to a scene that resembled a battle between the adults and the children. ¡°What¡¯s this about flowerpots, Seron?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Mrs. Lawrence had potted flowers next to her gate. Someone from the local delinquent gangs apparently knocked them over for fun.¡± ¡°And¡ªand that¡¯s why she had them killed?¡± Larry asked, eyes wide. ¡°I had nothing against them personally. They just happened to catch my eye. And they¡¯re the only ones who go around the village at night. Those were the only reasons I chose them.¡± ¡°Because they were easy to kill, is that what you want to say?¡± Seron¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Yes, Seron. I asked Hampleton to kill a few of the local boys. And he accepted.¡± ¡®Why¡¯, Seron wanted to ask. But Meg was faster. ¡°Why? For what reasons?¡± Seron quietly released the breath he was holding. ¡°To do something bad, Megmica.¡± Said Hannah. ¡°Killing someone¡ªgetting someone killed¡ªis something very, very bad.¡± ¡°Wh-what is good from something like this? I do not understand!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind sharing with you, Megmica.¡± Hannah said, and began. ¡°In Roxche, murderers are sent to hell. Do they say the same in Sou Be-Il?¡± ¡°What? Yes. Yes! Of course we say the same thing!¡± Standing next to Meg, Seron narrowed his eyes and recalled the conversation they had on the autobahn. ¡°That¡¯s why I did something so horrible. So I would go to hell after I die.¡± ¡°Pardon me? Did I hear my Roxchean speaking wrong? Mrs. Hannah said you would like to go to hell?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear wrong, Megmica. Yes, I do want to go to hell.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Meg asked feebly. But before Hannah could answer¡ª ¡°Who?¡± Seron asked, opening his eyes. ¡°Who is waiting for you there, Mrs. Lawrence?¡± ¡°My husband.¡± Hannah replied. ¡°Your husband¡­ why¡­?¡± Meg breathed. ¡°Your husband¡­ why¡­?¡± Meg breathed. ¡°My husband was ordered to kill many people in the past. He would always say, ¡®when I die, I¡¯m sure to go to hell¡¯. So I know he must be there now.¡± ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ why would you¡­?¡± Meg stammered again, and Seron wondered to how ask about Hannah¡¯s husband. But¡ª ¡°Madam¡ªMrs. Lawrence.¡± Hartnett spoke up. ¡°Was your late husband by any chance called Ferdinand Lawrence?¡± When she heard her husband¡¯s name, Hannah narrowed her eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Natalia asked on everyone else¡¯s behalf. ¡°Ferdinand Lawrence¡­¡± The answer came from Nick, who was well-versed in history. ¡°He was Roxche¡¯s longest-serving Minster of Justice. Nineteen years, starting 40 years ago.¡± ¡°Minister? Seriously?¡± Larry repeated. Nick nodded. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Jenny and Seron replied in unison. Nick, who knew not when to stop when it came to history, continued. ¡°¡®Longest-serving Minster of Justice¡¯ also implies that he had signed just as many execution orders. This is what Mrs. Lawrence must mean.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Aha!¡± ¡°I get it.¡± Meg, Larry, and Natalia finally nodded. Hartnett turned to Hannah. ¡°I see your reasoning. Your late husband did indeed send more people to hell in Roxche¡¯s history than anyone else. But he was simply complying with the Confederation¡¯s laws. He was¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªa good and dutiful man, you might say, an epithet I¡¯m sure he must have loved to hear. He always said those who worked in law enforcement, putting their lives on the line for the people, were our heroes. He loved them very much.¡± Hannah said, cutting off Hartnett. ¡°But he always said that his own actions were murders. And if that¡¯s what he himself thought, it must be true.¡± Hartnett could not argue. But Seron spoke up. ¡°In other words, because you believe that your husband is in hell, you hired a professional assassin to kill three people¡ªto do something evil, and so be sent to hell yourself.¡± He said mechanically, simply to confirm the truth. ¡°Yes.¡± Hannah said. And she went even further. ¡°I met Hampleton over there two months ago at the clinic in Darro, the next town over. We¡¯re in the same boat, he and I.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an oncology clinic.¡± Jenny explained quickly. ¡°We had the same viewpoint on hell, so I decided to hire him. It was a happy coincidence that Hampleton also happened to be an excellent gardener.¡± ¡°That is¡­ Mrs. Hannah, you do not have children? How will they think when they see you now?¡± Meg asked. ¡°I had a daughter, but she left before me. Along with my adorable grandson. It was an accident on the autobahn.¡± For the first time, Hannah seemed sad. ¡°I see now¡­¡± Seron whispered. ¡°Then your daughter is in heaven! Your grandson is in heaven! Will you not be happy in heaven? Can you not pick the heaven with flowers?!¡± Meg pleaded. Hannah answered. ¡°My daughter is with her husband and their son in heaven. But there is only one person I love most. Who else will be at his side? I am going to meet him again. I will go to his side and tell him I will be there with him forever.¡± ¡°Will your husband want this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll feel the same way.¡± ¡°Th-then! When the time you meet, he does not agree! How will you do this? It will be so sad when your thoughts are different!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as I can be with him.¡± ¡°I¡­ cannot understand¡­¡± ¡°Someday you will, Megmica. Someday, when you fall in love.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Meg could say nothing. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Seron could do nothing but watch. Several seconds passed, and Natalia stepped up to put a hand on Meg¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There, there. That¡¯s enough tears, Megmica.¡± She said, pulling Meg into a hug. ¡°Anyone else have any questions?¡± Hartnett asked amicably. No one responded. ¡°I see.¡± Hartnett nodded, and turned to Hannah. ¡°Mrs. Hannah Lawrence.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You are under emergency arrest for the contract killing of three young men!¡± Hartnett said sharply. ¡°I understand.¡± Hannah replied, holding out her right hand to him as though accepting a dance. ¡°Guide me, hero.¡± * * * The 3rd day of the eighth month. Seron woke up at the same time again. He changed into his gym uniform and went out onto the balcony. ¡°Yo Seron. You¡¯re up too?¡± He heard Larry¡¯s voice from the garden, lit up by the blinding morning sun. ¡°Good morning, Seron.¡± ¡°Hey there.¡± Then came Nick and Jenny¡¯s voices. Larry and Nick were in T-shirts and jeans, Nick wearing his hair tied up again. Jenny was in red sweats, which may or may not have served as her pajamas. ¡°Good morning. You¡¯re all up early.¡± Seron greeted the others in the garden. ¡°Yeah. Nick said he¡¯d show us his moves.¡± Larry replied. At that moment¡ª ¡°Not every day Seron gets up later than us all.¡± Another voice spoke, this time from overhead. Seron leaned over and looked up to find Natalia with her long hair hanging down from the third floor. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°Morning. You¡¯re free till breakfast, right? You get special permission to come on up here.¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, was that your room, Nat?¡± Seron wondered. ¡°Of course, this is my room!¡± Meg popped up, her long black hair cascading down. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Seron rushed into the bathroom and out again, then out of his room and up the stairs to the third floor. ¡°C¡¯mon in.¡± Natalia said, and Seron obeyed. Doing his best not to look at the sofa covered in Meg¡¯s suitcase and her clothes from the day before, Seron walked straight ahead to the balcony. And he greeted the girls wearing the same sweats as he was. And he greeted the girls wearing the same sweats as he was. ¡°Morning. Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Meg replied with a smile. Natalia nodded. ¡°More or less.¡± The previous night¡ª Having arrested the two culprits, Hartnett took them to the police station on his own car with Kurtz¡¯s help. There was nothing left in the entryway. ¡°Oh dear. We¡¯ll have some food left over.¡± Mrs. Ruf said gently, stepping outside. Meg, who had been sobbing into Natalia¡¯s arms, turned. ¡°I will eat the food left over!¡± She declared, and wiped her tears as she led everyone to the dining room. And she ate more enthusiastically than anyone. ¡°Yeah. Good to see you¡¯re eating right.¡± Natalia said. ¡°When it is sad, it gets happy when I eat!¡± Meg said, eating through half-sobs. Seron, on the other hand, could barely take a bite. ¡°I! Do not! Acknowledge! Or understand! Or give sympathy!¡± Seron stared at his full plate of food and listened to Meg declare over her own. ¡°I will not complain to the Roxche laws! I do not think the Sou Be-Il laws are always truth!¡± Meg¡¯s outrage knew no end. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Megmica.¡± Meg ate enough to worry even Natalia, downed an entire cup of tea, and finally¡ª ¡°I will sleep now.¡± She stood from her seat. Two girls with long hair and a boy with slightly long hair stood in a row on the balcony. ¡°Look at that. Seron¡¯s on the third floor.¡± Larry chuckled in the middle of stretching his arms at the center of the garden. ¡°My, my. Since when was our Seron Maxwell one of the ladies?¡± Nick joked, stretching out holding a long wooden staff he had found somewhere. ¡°Wish you were first, Nick?¡± Jenny played along, looking at the photometer around her neck. ¡°Not at all.¡± Nick replied nonchalantly and began to twirl the staff on his right side. The staff spun loudly, cutting through the air. ¡°After sleeping a night, my heart has calmed. The weather is very good today as well.¡± Meg said with a smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± Seron replied briefly from next to her. He glanced at her profiled face. She looked a little more flushed than the previous day. ¡°I¡¯ll see you two later.¡± Natalia said suddenly, and returned to the room with her long hair swishing. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Nothing big, Seron. I just gotta wash all this hair and dry it and style it. It takes time. I called you to take care of Megmica.¡± Natalia took her towel and headed into the bathroom. ¡°No peeking.¡± Seron said nothing, looking straight ahead. Meg was also looking straight ahead, at the flowers and the plains beyond. Seron wondered what he should say. But he did not have to think long. ¡°Seron. When you have the person you love, after you die, even if it is hell, will you wish to be with her forever?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He replied firmly. Meg looked out at the rolling green plains and smiled a warm, gentle smile. ¡°I hope I¡¯ll be able to say the same too.¡± She said in Bezelese. ¡°Yeah.¡± Seron replied in Roxchean. ¡°Hm?¡± Larry looked up from the gardens at Seron and Meg. ¡°They¡¯re smiling.¡± He saw a pair of shoulders side-by-side and a pair of smiling faces. ¡°Hm?¡± Nick, who had been swinging his staff with his lean but strong arms, stopped in a high attack position and followed Larry¡¯s gaze. ¡°How sweet. Jenny, would that not make for a wonderful photograph?¡± Jenny, who stood with her back to the east, was looking into her viewfinder. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just stop! Keep going! Show me some awesome moves!¡± She ordered. ¡°You didn¡¯t end up taking any photos last night, huh?¡± Asked Larry. Jenny replied, winding the film. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the kind of case we could post about on the school walls. I bet Nick¡¯s secret¡¯ll sell better. Now take off that T-shirt, Nick.¡± ¡°Wha¡ªplease, anything but that, Jenny.¡± ¡°President¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°There are some orders I simply cannot abide by.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be Mr. Popularity, I guarantee it. Especially with the girls.¡± ¡°I respectfully decline.¡± ¡°Oh, did you want to be popular with the boys then?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Then take it off.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t follow your logic, Jenny.¡± ¡°President¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°And we are back at square one.¡± ¡°Man¡­¡± Larry looked up at the sky, listening to the pointless conversation. His blue eyes reflected the clear blue sky. Volume 5 Prologue — During Summer Break Volume 5 Prologue: During Summer Break Seron Maxwell Born on the 3rd day of the third month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student at the 4th Capital Secondary School in the Capital District of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. His hometown is far from school, so he lives in the dorms. Strauski Megmica Born on the 14th day of the second month of the year 3289. 16 years old. A third-year student. She is from the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa. ¡®Strauski¡¯ is her family name. Because she started school a year after moving to Roxche, she is a year older than her classmates. A member of the chorus club. Larry Hepburn Born on the 12th day of the fifth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He is from military family with a very long history, and trains daily to become a soldier himself. Seron¡¯s best friend. Natalia Steinbeck Born on the 8th day of the sixth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. Her parents are famous musicians. Part of the orchestra club, and is skilled with musical instruments. Nicholas Browning Born on the 4th day of the fourth month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. He has an androgynous appearance and is not part of any clubs. He and Seron are acquainted. Jenny Jones Born on the 17th day of the first month of the year 3290. 15 years old. A third-year student. She is the daughter of one of Roxche¡¯s richest people. President of the newspaper club. ----- ----- ¡°So we won¡¯t be able to have another group event for the rest of the summer, Treasurer Seron Maxwell?¡± ¡°Tch. And we still have 25 whole days left before the term starts. Too bad, I wanted to teach you guys some more things. But I guess I can¡¯t push you guys too hard since my family canceled the newspaper club camp.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m blaming him. Oh, and Mr. Hartnett contacted me about the case. Both Hampleton and Mrs. Lawrence are in hospitals designated by the Confederation Police. They¡¯re not sure if either of them are fit to stand trial yet.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else we can do at this point. Just leave it to the adults. Anyway, since we won¡¯t be meeting up until the fall term, tell everyone to think up story ideas. I want our new newspapers up on the walls as soon as possible, so I need everyone to contribute.¡± ¡°Seron. Are you suggesting we sully the sanctity of the press?¡± ¡°Easier than trying to figure you out. Anyway, we can discuss more at the club office when classes start again. Call the others and tell them we have no more plans for the summer, and that they¡¯re to gather at the club office on the first day back. We need to print that first issue, take photographs, submit stuff to competitions and lots of other things. We have a busy fall ahead.¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m surprised you accepted so easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I was talking about¡ª¡± ¡°Never mind. Just let everyone know, okay?¡± * * * ¡°Hello! This is Larry Hepburn, on fire as usual! I seriously stink of gunpowder ¡®cause I was out doing marksmanship practice with Dad and Cato. How¡¯re you doing, Seron?¡± ¡°Ah! You got word from Jenfie?¡± ¡°Hm. Figures. Lia was saying something about a family vacation too.¡± ¡°¡®Meet at the clubroom after classes on the first day of school¡¯. Got that. You¡¯re moving back to the dorms before that though, right? I¡¯m going to drop by school after our military sciences training camp, so let¡¯s meet up for lunch. And¡­ don¡¯t tell anyone, but please help me with my homework!¡± ¡°Right. But you sure you¡¯re gonna be all right, buddy?¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to call Megmica again. You haven¡¯t called her yet, right?¡± ¡°Atta boy! I¡¯m proud of you, Seron!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, right. You did.¡± ¡°¡­Seron, you got a minute? We need to talk.¡± * * * ¡°Hello. Strauski residence.¡± <¡­> ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ohh, you¡¯re one of Sis¡¯s school buddies! Hiya!¡± <¡­¡®H-hiya¡¯? By any chance, are you Megmica¡¯s brother?> ¡°Uh-huh! I¡¯m Strauski Kurt, twelve years old! Nice to meetcha! We have another little brother too. His name¡¯s Johan, ten years old.¡± ¡°¡®Cause I went to primary school in Roxche for two years, duh. But I¡¯m not good at polite stuff yet. The teacher tells me off too.¡± ¡°A lot easier for what?¡± ¡°¡®Errand¡¯? Oh, you mean is she out? Yeah. She¡¯s at the department store with Mom and Johan to buy clothes. I¡¯m watching the house. But they¡¯re gonna bring back some of those deep-fried crisps for me. I love ¡®em!¡± ¡°Y¡¯know, you can¡¯t get that stuff in Sou Be-Il, ever! Crisps like that don¡¯t exist! Me and Johan cried ¡®cause it was so good, when we first tried it! All the Westerners in the Capital District say, ¡®it¡¯s so good!¡¯, ¡®it¡¯s delicious!¡¯ and eat it all the time!¡± ¡°Y¡¯know, you can¡¯t get that stuff in Sou Be-Il, ever! Crisps like that don¡¯t exist! Me and Johan cried ¡®cause it was so good, when we first tried it! All the Westerners in the Capital District say, ¡®it¡¯s so good!¡¯, ¡®it¡¯s delicious!¡¯ and eat it all the time!¡± ¡°Yeah! If they don¡¯t like it, they¡¯re a fake person pretending to be from the West! Even Dad says we¡¯d make a fortune if we sold it to Sou Be-Il! But you only eat it sometimes, Big Bro?¡± ¡°Wow! You live far away? Cool! Can I come over sometime?¡± ¡°Cool! I¡¯m gonna bring Sis too!¡± <¡­> ¡°S¡¯wrong?¡± ¡°Awesome! Oh, you said you wanted to tell her something, right? But she¡¯s out right now.¡± ¡°¡®Take¡¯ a message? Er¡­ oh, that means I have to listen and then tell her the message later, right? I got it.¡± ¡°No newspaper club stuff for the summer, and meet on the first day of school. Got that. I wrote it down!¡± ¡°Leave it to me! Does Sis know your number, Big Bro?¡± ----- Volume 5 1 — The Start of the Fall Term Volume 5 Chapter 1: The Start of the Fall Term ----- The 13th day of the ninth month, the year 3305 of the World Calendar. There was a blue planet with a very large moon. 90 percent of the planet was covered in water, and the poles were covered in ice. There was an oval, potato-shaped continent in the northern hemisphere of that planet. The southern part of the continent was a brown desert. But as the latitude increased, the land exploded in a splash of green. There was a massive mountain range in the middle of the continent, beginning at the desert. The mountains, capped with snow even in the middle of summer, ended abruptly about halfway up the continent. The two rivers on either side of the mountain range converged there, creating the massive Lutoni River that flowed straight north and into the sea. There were two nations on the continent, one on either side. In the east was the Roxcheanuk Confederation, also known as Roxche. It was made up of 16 countries and territories. In the west were the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa, also known as Sou Be-Il. It was made up of the kingdoms of Bezel and Iltoa, along with a handful of small subordinate countries. For eons, the people of the East and West had warred against one another with the Lutoni River between them. In more contemporary times, each side of the continent forged alliances, and Roxche and Sou Be-Il were formed almost simultaneously. What followed was a cold war, one massive war, and many smaller conflicts. But about 20 years ago, the cold war was ended by a certain incident. The threat of another Great War was beginning to fade. The capital of Roxche was the Special Capital District, a region independent of any country within the confederation. It was on the northeastern end of Roxche, very far from the East-West border but also a fair distance from the sea. The Special Capital District was a circular area about 30 kilometers in diameter. It had been built when Roxche was first formed. The city center was home to the presidential residence, the Confederation Assembly Hall, civic centers, and courthouses. Outside the center was a business district crowded with department stores and hotels. Further outside was a residential district full of apartment buildings. And on the outskirts of the Capital District, in the 9:30 direction, was the 4th Capital Secondary School. The 600 meter-square campus was surrounded by apartment buildings, and housed class buildings, the grounds, gymnasiums, and the dormitory building, among others. The dorms were on the edge of the campus. It was a symmetrical building divided by gender on either side of the lobby in the center. Unlike the drab grey concrete of the apartments over the wall from the school, the majestic stone design of the dormitory was a perfect match for the rest of the campus. It was early in the morning, in the lobby on the first floor lined with phone booths. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, buddy! How¡¯re you doing?¡± ¡°Great, Larry. I had an awesome summer.¡± Seron and Larry greeted each other with smiles. Seron Maxwell was 15 years old and a third-year student. He was of average height and had a slender build. He had slightly long black hair and light grey eyes the color of clouds. Seron was dressed in street clothes. Beige pants with a navy long-sleeved shirt, along with laceless shoes. On his left wrist was a simple watch, which he wore every day. Larry Hepburn was also 15 years old. He was shorter than Seron but muscular and fit. His blond hair was cropped short, and he had bright blue eyes. ¡°You¡¯re looking braver than usual, Larry.¡± Larry was wearing a military uniform. He wore a Confederation Army-issue dark-and-light green summer combat uniform. Strapped to the belt around his waist was a magazine belt for rifle rounds and a water bottle tucked inside a cloth pouch. On his feet were a pair of laceless black boots that had been polished to a shine. Larry also carried a large rucksack laden with a rolled-up sleeping bag, a folding spade, and a metal helmet. ¡°Cool, eh?¡± Larry grinned, pushing up his hat. ¡°They haven¡¯t even started issuing this new camo gear yet. Anyway, the military sciences training camp is over!¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Incredible! This time we had an officer from the department of strategy as an instructor telling us how we can deceive the enemy and take them off-guard. It was great! He said the louder the diversion, the more effective it is. But at the same time you have to keep in mind what the enemy might be thinking, to make sure you¡¯re not the one falling for a trap. We also learned that you have to move with the sun at your back when you¡¯re conducting an ambush and¡ª¡± Larry was as energetic as ever, with the same old grin on his face. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough about the camp. ¡­Sorry I gotta bring it up so soon, but please help me with my homework, Seron!¡± But his face quickly took on a desperate hue. * * * Seron¡¯s room was on the third floor of the boys¡¯ dorms. The 4th Capital Secondary School gave each dormitory student their own room out of consideration for their privacy, but the rooms were small and cramped to compensate. The rooms were furnished with wooden beds, desks, closets, and dressers. All the plumbing was concentrated at the center of each floor, so the kitchens and bathrooms were communal. The clear blue sky outside the window seemed to declare the start of autumn. It was warm for the season, however. They could leave the windows open and still be comfortable in summer clothes. The light green curtains fluttered gently in the breeze. ¡°Aw, man¡­ year in, year out, all this homework drives me insane¡­¡± Larry had taken off his uniform jacket, and was in a T-shirt with the word ¡®ARMY¡¯ printed on the front. He sat at Seron¡¯s desk with his own notebook and printouts spread open. Seron sat on his bed behind him and explained all the questions Larry had given up on. Taking a brief tea break partway through, Larry plowed through his homework until sweat dotted his brow. ¡°Done¡­ mission accomplished¡­¡± It was a little past noon by the time he finally finished. ¡°Tell my family¡­ I fell bravely in battle¡­¡± He gasped, collapsing onto the desk. ¡°Good job, Larry.¡± Seron said. ¡°Would you prefer to stay dead a little longer, or do you want to head to the cafeteria?¡± ¡°Food!¡± Larry leapt up. Larry and Seron, both in T-shirts and shorts, entered the dormitory cafeteria. The dormitory cafeteria was the size of a hotel banquet hall, and was usually reserved for breakfasts, dinners, and weekend meals for dormitory students. However, non-dormitory students could also use the cafeteria if they were using the dorms for school-approved activities. A few students were already in the cafeteria. Some were in uniform, and others were not. The former were students who had come to school for club activities. The main cafeteria was closed, so they had to use the dormitory cafeteria. The latter were mostly dormitory students like Seron. Only one of the counters was open that day. Seron ordered cream of mushroom soup with chicken with a side of bread. Larry did so as well, and also ordered a fish burger for two servings for food. Larry was a big eater, but because he exercised every day, he did not gain much weight. He also scooped up a heaping helping of vegetables at the salad bar. Afterwards, Larry wrote down his student number on the record sheet so he would be billed later. Seron and Larry sat away from the other students, prayed, and started on their food. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to help you out, Seron. Let¡¯s start our strategy meeting.¡± Larry said, chewing slowly. ¡°A strategy meeting? What for?¡± Seron asked, not a hint of emotion rising to his face. Larry looked around to make sure no one was around before replying. ¡°For helping you get closer to Megmica in the fall term.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bad the camp was canceled early, but you made some progress this summer. A lot of progress, considering where you started.¡± Larry said with a smile, looking into Seron¡¯s expressionless face. Seron replied, still expressionless. ¡°It was the greatest summer in the history of Roxche.¡± Larry blinked. ¡°That¡¯s some sense of scale, buddy. I guess this summer was basically like your own personal Mural discovery. Anyway, this is where things are really gonna get started. How do we get you and Megmica together this autumn?¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Seron had frozen, deep in thought. ¡°You can keep eating, Seron. Just hear me out. We know Megmica¡¯s gonna be coming to school every day this term. That obviously means you¡¯ll have a lot more chances to meet her. And the more you meet her, the closer you¡¯ll get. That¡¯s how it works.¡± Seron slowly scooped up a large mushroom from his soup. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯ll be hard to take the same classes as her.¡± Larry had to agree. In secondary school, most students could plan their own timetables. Other than the mandatory classes, they had free rein to choose their electives. This meant that everyone¡¯s curriculum was different. Students had to choose the classes they wanted to take and submit their choices in the term before. And because there were so many students and classes, it was unlikely they would end up in the same class by chance. ¡°But! But! Starting this term, you can see her every day! You know why, right?¡± Seron swallowed the mushroom and replied. ¡°The newspaper club.¡± ¡°Exactly. You¡¯ll get to see Megmica every day once class starts in two days. Talk to her about a bunch of things, show off your good side. And when you find the right moment, take a deep breath and ask her out.¡± ¡°What if she turns me down?¡± Seron asked immediately. Larry was taken aback. ¡°Don¡¯t be so pessimistic.¡± ¡°B-but¡ª¡± Seron was expressionless yet clearly anxious. Larry cut him off. ¡°Never mind. I guess there¡¯s no real rush. Let¡¯s just keep the asking out part as a final resort. Like for if her family suddenly has to move back to Sou Be-Il next month or something.¡± ¡°R-right.¡± ¡°You can see her every day now, so we can go with a simple strategy: spend as much time with her as possible and take your time getting to know her. Sound good to you?¡± ¡°Yeah. Great.¡± Though it was a conservative conclusion, they arrived at one nonetheless and finished their lunches to boot. Larry picked up his cup of tea and changed the subject. ¡°You said you moved back in two days ago? What¡¯d you do yesterday? Was Jenny at school by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t spoken to her since the telephone call. Yesterday I went shopping at the department store in the morning and spent the afternoon at the Roxche Museum of Art. It was my fifth time going there, but I think I finally managed to look at all the exhibits.¡± Seron replied casually. Larry cut in. ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah. Of course.¡± Larry fell into deep thought. Why couldn¡¯t Seron have called Meg and asked her to go with him? She lived in the Capital District, after all. Seron could have called Natalia or Jenny or Nick to help him out. Larry agonized over Seron¡¯s timidness, but he did not go so far as to question him over it. ¡°M-makes sense. The museum¡¯s massive, I mean. Last time I went was on a class trip in primary school. I remember yelling about how the weapons exhibit had stuff just like my house, but the curator glared at me so I had to shut up.¡± ¡°Too bad. You were telling the truth, too.¡± Seron said sympathetically. Seron had visited the Hepburn family in the past. The Hepburns were a military family boasting a 400-year-plus history. Their halls were lined with swords and suits of armor passed down through the generations. ¡°The ones at home are all dented and stuff, though. I feel bad for my ancestors, but that¡¯s part of family tradition too.¡± Larry said with a grin. Larry was not the only one who horsed around with the family¡¯s weapons. His brother, their father and uncles, their grandfather, and all the men of the Hepburn family¡ªand some of the women¡ª trained or played around with the weapons and armor, denting and damaging them over the course of generations. After lunch, Seron and Larry picked up their trays and headed for the counter. ¡°Thanks for helping me out with homework, buddy. I¡¯m gonna head over to the military academy armory and drop off my gear and head back home. I¡¯d invite you for dinner, but we¡¯re having relatives over for a conference at my place. Sorry.¡± ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll see you when classes start.¡± They placed their trays on the return counter and left the cafeteria. At that moment¡ª ¡°E-excuse me!¡± A girl came up to them. Two girls had been waiting for them at the doors. Both were in uniform, and seemed to be a little younger than Seron and Larry. The one who had spoken was the taller of the two, with curly brown hair and light green eyes, along with a pair of glasses. And her eyes were fixed intently on Seron. The other girl was petite. She was only a little taller than Jenny Jones, with short black hair and light brown eyes. Unlike her clearly-determined friend, she looked at Seron even more blankly than the way he looked at the girl. ¡°What is it?¡± Seron knew exactly what the girl wanted, but he responded as calmly as ever. Larry also understood what the girl wanted, from her desperate and passionate gaze. ¡°Er¡­ SC Maxwell! M-my name is Margaret Whistler! I¡¯m a second-year! I¡¯ve liked you ever since I first saw you! I¡¯m sorry this is so sudden, but I happened to see you today and I just couldn¡¯t hold back any more! Will you please go out with me?¡± The bespectacled girl¡¯s fists were clenched tightly. She was pouring out her heart. Seron did not avert his eyes all throughout the confession. For some time, Larry and the dark-haired girl looked on. Finally, Seron spoke. ¡°Thank you, but¡ª¡± And he gently followed Larry¡¯s directions on how to turn someone down without hurting their feelings. He had done so many times in the past. Seron had several set responses ready for when someone asked him out in person, or when someone left a love letter in his locker. Each time he made sure to avoid any word that could possibly be misinterpreted, emphasizing that he was not interested. The bespectacled girl seemed sad for a moment, but she listened to Seron until the end and relaxed. Perhaps she already knew that Seron had a track record of rejecting confessions; perhaps she knew it was hopeless from the very beginning; perhaps she considered the attempt more meaningful than the outcome; or perhaps all were true. ¡°I understand. Thank you so much!¡± She said with a bow, looking refreshed. Larry waited for the lull in the conversation before butting in cheerfully. ¡°That was pretty cool, both of you. I¡¯ve never had a crush on anyone and no one¡¯s asked me out as long as I¡¯ve been here, so it was kinda moving to watch!¡± A faint smile rose to the bespectacled girl¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so sorry for bothering you, SC Maxwell. And¡­ er¡­¡± ¡°Larry Hepburn. I¡¯m a friend of Seron.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for bothering you. If you don¡¯t mind, could you please keep this¡ª¡± ¡°I know. I won¡¯t tell a soul.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl thanked them one more time before walking away. The black-haired girl followed expressionlessly. Two seconds later. ¡°Perfect.¡± Neither Larry nor Seron, nor the bespectacled girl noticed the sliver of a smile on the black-haired girl¡¯s face. * * * The 15th day of the ninth month. The fall term of the year 3305 began. Countless cars and students swarmed to the school, which had previously been occupied only by students doing club activities and dormitory residents. The street outside the gates and the school hallways were packed. It wasn¡¯t as chaotic as the start of a new year, when first-years were bound to get lost, but the students were nonetheless streaming through the buildings. Their uniforms consisted of green pants, a button-up shirt with the school emblem over the right breast, and a necktie. Wearing his uniform for the first time in two months, Seron neither panicked nor hurried as he headed for the class he had selected. He had wanted to sign up for Bezelese, but he had decided too late and his options clashed with his timetable. ¡°Oh well.¡± And, as he had expected, he did not see Strauski Megmica in any of his morning or afternoon classes. He did not see anyone else from the newspaper club, either. ¡°AHH! I¡¯m so glad I picked this class! This term is going to be great!¡± A girl in one of his classes was almost in tears at the sight of him. ¡°I remember that guy from last term. The one Meg told me about.¡± A certain girl with a very long name muttered to herself in another one of his classes. The first day of classes ended with introductions and a quick look through their textbooks and curriculum. Seron¡¯s afternoon classes ended early, so he headed to another building. His bag was light because he did not have any of his textbooks yet. On the vast school grounds were buildings both old and new. Seron headed to one of the older ones, on the first floor of which was the newspaper club¡¯s office. Seron knocked on the door. He waited for a moment, but there was no response. The handle would not budge, either. Seron took out a key from his bag and unlocked the door. Beyond was the most lavish club office on campus. The office was about half the size of a classroom. In the corner was a kitchenette with a sink and a hot plate, and a dish rack. In the center of the office were two three-seater sofas and an imposing coffee table set. Beside them were work desks and chairs. Against the wall stood a floor-length locker. It was used to store bags and equipment. Against another wall was a display case and a telephone. The office had another room further inside, built by erecting a wall that bisected the room. It was the club¡¯s very own darkroom. Seron entered. There was no one inside. Seron put his bag on the sofa and opened the window. Fresh air wafted in through the lace curtains, slowly replacing the faint odor of developing solution. Seron sat in the middle of one of the sofas and waited. Soon, a girl opened the door. ¡°Aw, man. Could¡¯ve sworn I got out first today. You win, Seron.¡± Though she did not specify what Seron had won, the tall, bespectacled girl¡ªNatalia Steinbeck¡ªswept into the room. Natalia was a third-year like Seron. Her parents were an internationally famous musician couple. She played the violin in the orchestra club and did double duty with the newspaper club as well. Natalia was tall for a girl, and her long hair was tied up neatly. She wore black thin-rimmed glasses and had dark eyes. She wore stockings with her skirt. Today she was carrying a school-issue bag and had a guitar case on her back. Natalia waved as she strode in. ¡°Yo, Champ! How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Pretty good. It¡¯s been a while, Nat.¡± Seron replied. Everyone but her childhood friend Larry called her ¡®Nat¡¯. Natalia pulled off her guitar case and gingerly set it on the coffee table. Then she took out the guitar. ¡°Had to come back here over the summer for this baby ¡®cause we weren¡¯t using the office for a while.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Natalia took a seat on the sofa across from Seron, but on one of the side seats. She leaned back and began to play some chords. ¡°So tell me~ is the tea ready yet~?¡± She sang, almost as though performing in a musical. ¡°Shall I brew some?¡± Seron asked stoically. Natalia grinned. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m kidding. I¡¯ll make Larry do it when everyone gets here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cruel of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault we didn¡¯t have any club activities over the summer, huh. Sorry, Seron. I had fun, though.¡± Natalia said, not sounding sorry in the least. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be sorry about.¡± Seron replied. ¡°Where did your family go, anyway?¡± Natalia strummed another chord. ¡°Ikstooooovaaaaa~!¡± ¡°Ikstova? Ah, the Kingdom of Iks. They changed their name, didn¡¯t they.¡± Ikstova was a mountain kingdom at the westernmost edge of Roxche, nestled in the Central Mountain Range. ¡°That¡¯s quite far. Almost as far as Sou Be-Il.¡± ¡°Sure was a long trip~ so wanna know more~?¡± Natalia briefly recounted her trip to Seron. She explained how she had been suddenly taken by her parents on a performance trip to the Kingdom of Iks, taking the sleeper train and a bus. How the cheese in Ikstova was so good she stuffed herself silly. How she was invited to the palace in the capital city, Kunst, and watched her parents perform for Queen Francesca and Sir Benedict. How she performed alongside her parents at the reception. How a documentary crew had joined the reception, and that she might receive a brief close-up in a documentary film detailing the sights of the Kingdom of Iks. ¡°That¡¯s a big deal, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m already a celeb. Want me to sign your shirt? It¡¯ll sell for a lot in a few years.¡± ¡°Later, sure.¡± ¡°Later~? Then I will~ I¡¯ll sign it later~.¡± Natalia began singing again, filling the office with music. ¡°I wondered for a moment if I¡¯d come to the music room by accident. You¡¯re both quite early today.¡± A boy stepped into the office. ¡°Afternoon, Nick.¡± ¡°Been a while~ Nick~. Still a beauty, I see~!¡± Seron greeted him normally, and Natalia in song. Nicholas Browning was as beautiful as ever, his uniform still the only way to tell that he was male. He had a slender build and fair skin with brown, back-length hair and narrow green eyes. There was a cream-colored cardigan over his uniform shirt. Carrying his bag, Nick took a seat next to Seron. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Seron. Nat. How were your summers?¡± ¡°Pretty good~!¡± ¡°Great. And you?¡± ¡°Lovely, as usual.¡± Nick replied with a smile. ¡°By the way, it seems I do not share any classes with any of the club members. What about you two?¡± ¡°Same.¡± Seron said, shaking his head. Natalia responded with a strum of the guitar. ¡°I just happen~ to have a class with~ the pigtailed girl from the West~ Miss Strauski~!¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Oh, which class?¡± ¡°¡®Family studies 403: Sewing¡¯~.¡± Natalia replied in song. The boys sighed. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t take that class.¡± ¡°Nor can I. Which classes are you taking this term, Seron?¡± ¡°¡®Roxchean 410: Modern Literature¡¯, ¡®Social Studies 305: Modern History of Roxche¡¯, ¡®Physical Education 301¡ª¡¯¡± ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late!¡± Larry cut Seron off, striding inside. Like Seron, he was wearing his uniform this time. Larry was also carrying his bag. ¡°Hey Larry.¡± ¡°It has been a while, Larry.¡± Seron and Nick greeted him. ¡°Try to open the door~ more quietly~ Larry boy~ do you hear me~?¡± Natalia sang grimly, playing an arpeggio with her fingertips. Larry grimaced. ¡°Wh-what are you doing, Lia?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell~?¡± Larry sighed. ¡°Seron. Nick. If she¡¯s getting on your nerves, just say so.¡± He put down his bag and took a seat¡ª ¡°Hold it. Brew up some tea, Larry. Punishment for coming in last.¡± ¡°Unless two of our club members suddenly turned invisible, I¡¯m pretty sure there are only four of us in here. Or are they in the darkroom?¡± Larry asked. Natalia narrowed her eyes with an elegant smile. ¡°You got me. I suppose once Megmica and the chief get here I can just order them to make us tea.¡± ¡°¡­Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Larry grabbed the kettle and the teapot from the dish rack and took them to the sink. He washed his hands and filled the kettle with water, then placed it on the hot plate. And as he waited for the water to boil, he expertly prepared the platter, teacups, and tea bag. He washed his hands and filled the kettle with water, then placed it on the hot plate. And as he waited for the water to boil, he expertly prepared the platter, teacups, and tea bag. ¡°I must say I am quite impressed, Larry.¡± Nick commented. ¡°Hm? You gotta know how to do this kind of stuff in the military. Brewing tea for your superiors is part of the job.¡± Once the water came to a boil, Larry warmed up the teapot and teacups with the water, then steeped the large tea bag in the teapot. Then he looked up at the wall clock to check how long he had to wait. The tea was finally ready. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here.¡± ¡°I am here now!¡± Two girls joined the group. One was a petite girl¡ªthe club president, Jenny Jones. She had short red hair and big brown eyes. Naturally, she was in uniform. She carried her school-issue bag on her back and had a large leather camera bag slung across her shoulder. The other was Strauski Megmica, a girl with long black hair tied into pigtails. She was from Sou Be-Il, and had lived in Roxche for over two years. She had dark eyes and fairer skin than anyone else in the room. It was the first time in nearly a month Seron was seeing Meg¡¯s smile. ¡°¡­¡± Silently and blankly, he fell into deep thought and reminiscence. ¡°Hey there! Good afternoon, chief~! And you, Megmica~!¡± ¡°You two seem to be well.¡± ¡°Perfect timing. The tea¡¯s just about ready.¡± Natalia, Nick, and Larry greeted them. Seron also chimed in with a brief hello. Jenny strode over to her desk and carefully set down her heavy camera bag. She began to empty it out, taking out a camera and the lenses. Meg stood beside the sofas and bowed lightly. ¡°The school has again started. This is a new term. Please let me do my best from now on, everyone.¡± ¡®That¡¯s my line. Please please please let me do my best for you forever and always.¡¯ Seron replied in his head. At that moment¡ª ¡°All right, all right. Take a seat!¡± ¡°Eep!¡± Natalia pulled Meg onto the girls¡¯ sofa. Larry carefully brought over the teacups and poured tea for everyone. ¡°There.¡± And he called Jenny over as she tidied up her gear. Six students sat on the sofas. Each had their own teacup. As usual, Larry¡¯s was the expensive one adorned with pink flowers. ¡°Any words to start off the new term, chief?¡± Natalia suggested. Jenny rose to the occasion. ¡°Ahem. Thanks for coming, everybody! We¡¯re now starting off the new term. I just officially registered our club with the school, so we should get permission to operate any day now!¡± ¡°Do we even need to register?¡± Larry wondered quietly. Jenny ignored him and continued. ¡°Today is the beginning of our legend! The legend of the newspaper club! As your president, I couldn¡¯t have asked for more! I¡¯ll be bossing you around like crazy starting tomorrow, so do your best! That is all.¡± The club members sipped their tea. ¡°¡­I have something to tell you, Jenny. I fear you may not like what you hear.¡± Nick finally spoke, his tone dropping. ¡°I will not be able to visit the office for some time.¡± ¡°Wh-what¡­? Why?¡± Jenny shot him a glare. Nick continued solemnly. ¡°I believe Nat and Megmica will be absent for the same reason.¡± Larry, who was usually the last to pick up on such implications, understood as well. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± ¡°The fall performance. There¡¯s only a month left, isn¡¯t there.¡± Seron said. ¡°That is right! Ms. Krantz contacted to us. I, who am in the chorus club, am at practice nearly every day after school starting from tomorrow!¡± ¡°The orchestra club too. I¡¯m spending the next month with my violin tucked under my face. Farewell, sweet guitar~!¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Jenny groaned. ¡°So Seron and Larry are the only ones who can do anything for the next month?¡± Everyone agreed in silence. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this!¡± Jenny was furious. The others could not say anything; they simply met her gaze. ¡°Calm down. More tea?¡± Larry offered. Jenny held out her empty cup and ordered, ¡°yes! And a serving of something newsworthy, blondie!¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know? Something interesting. Something that¡¯ll bring all the students flocking to our papers when we post them on the walls. Something that¡¯ll get our papers stolen.¡± ¡°Easy for you to say.¡± Larry said, putting down the teapot and falling into thought. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± That was when an idea came to him. Larry¡¯s eyes flew wide open and he slammed his fist against his open palm. ¡°I got it! I can guarantee it¡¯ll be popular! And I seriously want to try looking into this one. It¡¯ll be perfect for our first issue!¡± All eyes were on Larry. Jenny silently urged him to continue, sipping her tea. Larry Hepburn stood up straight with his head held high. ¡°We¡¯ll run a special! The headline¡¯ll be ¡®The Secrets of Jenfie¡¯s Mysterious Past¡¯! We¡¯ll print the picture of her from three years ago with a recent one and put it on the front page!¡± Aha! The others gasped in agreement. But the president¡ª ¡°DENIED!¡± Volume 5 2 The Love Letter Volume 5 Chapter 2 The Love Letter ----- The 19th day of the ninth month. It was after school on the fifth day of class. ¡°Too bad.¡± Only half the newspaper club was gathered in the office. Jenny, Seron, and Larry (who had been the one to sigh). The remaining three were at the drama club rehearsal in the gymnasium. There was a fierce rainstorm raging outside. The rain had begun in the afternoon, and had grown stronger and stronger until the droplets and fog obscured even buildings next door and the ground seemed to quake. The sky was dark, and the lights in the office were on. Seron sat on the office sofa, doing what he would have done in the library if he weren¡¯t here¡ªreading through a new textbook he had ordered to prepare for class. Larry was lying on the sofa opposite him. Jenny sat pouting at her desk, polishing her large single-lens reflex camera and a spare lens. ¡°Say Jenny. Do we really have to push out a new issue this month? It doesn¡¯t seem possible.¡± Larry asked, turning his head. ¡°What?! Then what do you suggest we do for the next month? This stinks. I finally got a club together, but what¡¯s the point if they never show up? I don¡¯t want to have to give two lessons on developing photos.¡± Jenny groaned. ¡°But they told you ahead of time. Since they¡¯re probably busy tomorrow too, why don¡¯t we try working on this month¡¯s issue, just the three of us? You¡¯ve been working at it alone for a while, so you can¡¯t complain about getting two new helpers. C¡¯mon, Jenfie.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! I¡¯ve said my goodbyes to my past!¡± ¡°All right, all right. Anyway, what exactly goes into making a newspaper? Just some articles and photos?¡± ¡°Yeah. But the photos have to clearly show what we¡¯re trying to communicate, and the sentences have to be easy to read.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to understand. So what about printing?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do it here, so we outsource it to a printing house. We can get it printed in a day once all the manuscripts and photos are in, since we only make about 30 copies.¡± ¡°Right. Then the hardest part will be to post all the newspapers without the teachers¡¯ notice, guerilla-style.¡± ¡°Alone, yeah. But it won¡¯t be hard as long as we have enough people. Which is why it¡¯s such a bummer that people aren¡¯t showing up. When will we ever get things done? ¡­We¡¯re finished for today. The rain¡¯s not helping our case. Go home, people.¡± Jenny waved them out. Seron quietly closed his book. ¡°All right.¡± Larry said, pulling himself up with his gut. Jenny picked up the telephone and called her driver and bodyguard, Edward Kurtz. He was an affable man who had befriended the rest of the newspaper club during the newspaper club camp that summer. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m bussing home today.¡± Larry said, gathering their teacups and taking them to the sink. He quickly washed the teapot and the cups, then wiped them down and put them on the rack. Then he washed the dishcloth and hung it up to dry. The office was littered with valuables like cameras, binoculars, and Natalia¡¯s guitar. Jenny, Seron, and Larry made sure to lock up and left with their bags and umbrellas. ¡°See you.¡± Jenny said cooly and left down the hall. ¡°Sheesh. I¡¯d better get on going too, Seron. Must be nice living in the dorms on days like this.¡± ¡°I think so too. But it means you might never leave campus all term long.¡± They had only taken a few steps forward when Larry suddenly stopped. ¡°Shoot! I gotta drop by my locker. Gotta grab my math textbook or I won¡¯t be able to do my homework.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. It¡¯s a bit of a detour but I won¡¯t get rained on if I go to the dorms through the buildings,¡± said Seron. ¡°Thanks, man.¡± They turned around and went down the hall, in the opposite direction as the exit. The rain was hammering down on the roof. They passed through another building and entered the main building. At the center of the main building were the student lockers. Hundreds of them lined the walls in the long, empty area. It almost looked like a graveyard. Larry and Seron went up to the one labeled ¡®Larry Hepburn, 3rd year¡¯. Larry quickly pulled open the door and looked inside. He did not notice the envelope fluttering out the wide-open door. ¡°Huh?¡± Seron, however, did. As soon as he found the textbook, Larry shut the locker and turned, kicking the envelope in the process. It flew about three meters down the dry hallway floor. Seron jogged over and picked it up. ¡°What¡¯s up, Seron? Dropped something?¡± Seron showed Larry the envelope. It was a perfectly plain, ordinary envelope sealed with glue. Written on it were the words ¡®To Larry Hepburn¡¯ in small letters. ¡°It fell out of your locker.¡± ¡°Out of my locker?¡± Larry repeated quizzically and accepted the envelope. His name was indeed written on it. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice. Thanks, Seron. I¡¯d have just left it on the floor if you weren¡¯t here.¡± ¡°Whoever sent this must have stuck it in your door. But they didn¡¯t write their name.¡± As if on cue, Larry made to open the envelope, but Seron stopped him. ¡°No, Larry. Don¡¯t open it until you get home. Tuck it in your math textbook and read it in your room.¡± ¡°Why?¡± It was a reversal of the situation in the cafeteria the other day. This time, Seron was the one advising the confused Larry. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a personal letter.¡± ¡°Huh. Okay. Sure.¡± Larry tucked the envelope into his math textbook and put the textbook in his bag. * * * The next day. It was the 20th day of the ninth month, after school on the sixth day of the term. The rain had let up completely. A beautiful blue sky spread over the Capital District. ¡°Nice weather today.¡± Once afternoon classes were finished, Seron walked past the stone-paved pathway in the central gardens and headed for the club office with the occasional sunward glance. He had arrived first yet again, and was just about to take out his key. ¡°Seron! Seron! Seron! Seron! This is bad!¡± Larry interrupted him, calling his name as he ran down the hall. That he was sprinting was unusual enough, but there was something even more desperate in his eyes. Seron turned, his eyes narrowing. Finally, Larry came to a stop next to him. Seron slowly took out his key and unlocked the office. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Larry? Is the planet gonna explode if I unlock the door?¡± He asked, thinking back to Jenny¡¯s joke from the summer. ¡°No, just open up the door quick! We¡¯ll talk inside.¡± ¡°Right.¡± They stepped inside. Naturally, no one was in. Larry quickly gestured Seron to the sofa. They sat face-to-face. ¡°Perfect timing, buddy. We need to talk¡ªbefore the others get here!¡± ¡°Sure. But there¡¯s no rush. Jenny¡¯s classroom¡¯s really far away, and the others are busy.¡± ¡°Yeah, but still.¡± Larry paused then, and looked around to make sure no one was within earshot. And he lowered his voice. ¡°About the letter from yesterday¡­¡± The serious look on Larry¡¯s face said it all. Seron also lowered his voice. ¡°So it really was a love letter.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand, buddy! Seriously, a love letter? For me?¡± ¡°You make it sound like a bad thing.¡± ¡°No, but this is me I¡¯m talking about! The musclehead who hasn¡¯t received a single confession in the past two and a half years at this school! I checked over and over again to see if this was a case of mistaken identity. I even went to the faculty office to check if there were any other Larry Hepburns in the school!¡± Larry raved. He seemed half-ecstatic and half-flabbergasted. ¡°You gotta help me, Seron. I really don¡¯t wanna let the others know¡ªespecially not Lia. She¡¯ll never let me live it down!¡± Larry pleaded, looking up at the ceiling and closing his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s this about now?¡± ¡°About the love letter I got¡ª¡± Larry replied reflexively, before realizing his mistake. The question had come, not from Seron, but the door. And the question was not in Seron¡¯s voice, but¡ª ¡°Now this sounds interesting. I want details.¡± ¡ªthe tall girl walking in through the doors. Her eyes glinted. ¡°L-Lia¡­¡± Larry realized that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life. He went as pale as a sheet. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Natalia. Now about this love letter¡­must be the end times if you managed to get one in your locker.¡± Natalia, on the other hand, was brimming with amusement. ¡°What is this conversation? Will Larry learn to write a love letter from Seron?¡± ¡°A love letter, you say? I suppose I haven¡¯t misheard the word ¡®blood-letter¡¯?¡± ¡°President¡¯s orders: I want details now. Looks like my teacher picked the perfect day to end class early.¡± Nick, Meg, and Jenny followed Natalia inside, one after another. Before Larry knew it, the entire newspaper club was assembled. ¡°Wh-why is everyone here today?¡± He stammered. ¡°Cause we¡¯re club members and this is our office.¡± Natalia replied. * * * The newspaper club took their seats on the sofas. Cups of tea were set before them. ¡°Time to spill your guts, Larry Hepburn,¡± said Jenny. All eyes fell on Larry, who sat at the end of one of the sofas. The club office felt like a court of law, or a questioning room. Seron gave his friend a sympathetic sidelong glance. ¡°This is personal,¡± Larry protested. ¡°But you asked Seron for help. What¡¯s wrong with a few more sets of ears?¡± Natalia shot him down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯re all grown-ups here. We¡¯re not gonna tell anyone. It¡¯ll be a club secret.¡± Larry looked around. Natalia seemed to be enjoying herself, and Meg was beaming. Jenny listened intently with eyes glinting, and Nick was smiling elegantly. ¡°Darn it¡­fine.¡± Larry finally relented. ¡°Someone left this letter in my locker yesterday.¡± He took out the letter from his bag, but did not hand it to anyone. He seemed to be ready to take it away the moment anyone made a move. Natalia noted Larry¡¯s name on the envelope and asked a grave question. ¡°You can be honest with us, Larry. How many razorblades did you find inside?¡± ¡°What the heck, Lia! None!¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± ¡°The only thing that¡¯s funny is your head, Lia.¡± Seron, who had been approached first by Larry, spoke up. ¡°What did the letter say? You don¡¯t have to tell us all the details.¡± ¡°Right. So it¡¯s from this girl in second year¡ª¡± ¡°A girl?!¡± ¡°Easy there, Lia. Just shut up for a sec. It says¡­well¡­ ¡®I saw you in the hallway on the first day of fall term and fell in love at first sight. Please go out with me¡¯. But she says she¡¯s never dated anyone before, so she¡¯s not comfortable with meeting alone outside campus. So she wants to eat lunch together, and meet up after school and¡­g-get to know each other¡­and talk¡­and stuff like that!¡± Larry cut off, unable to hide his embarrassment. And he put the letter back in his bag, too embarrassed to bring it up again. ¡°How lovely,¡± Nick commented, as though it were someone else¡¯s business. Meg agreed. ¡°That girl, she had worked so hard to write that letter to you. She has squeezed her courage like a dishrag! It is very proud!¡± ¡°And how are you supposed to respond?¡± Jenny asked matter-of-factly, ¡°it¡¯s in the letter, right?¡± ¡°Huh? Er, yeah. How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°How would anyone not know? So? Spill it.¡± ¡°She wants to get the answer in person, so she asked me to come to the tree on the grounds behind the school after class on the first day after the weekend¡­¡± The others¡¯ eyes lit up. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Larry said. ¡°The tree behind the school, with its perfect confession success rate. Perhaps you will be the star of its second legend. Or perhaps your receiving the letter means the confession has already taken place. What do you think, Larry?¡± Nick asked, making a point of looking out the window. Larry¡¯s response was immediate. ¡°I dunno.¡± A beat. ¡°That¡¯s why I was trying to ask Seron for advice.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness. Why to Seron?¡± Meg asked naively. Everyone froze, unable to respond. Silence filled the office. Knowing the conversation would go nowhere unless someone answered, Jenny spoke up. ¡°Because Seron¡¯s so popular with girls. He¡¯s got plenty of experience turning them down.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! How amazing.¡± Seron froze yet again. He fell into deep thought. He thought. And he thought some more. ¡°Anyway! Somebody¡ªI don¡¯t care who¡ªplease answer me. What should I do?¡± Larry asked. ¡°Go meet her.¡± ¡°I think that you should meet with her.¡± ¡°You should meet her.¡± Natalia, Meg, and Nick replied, one after another. ¡°That sounds like the best course of action,¡± said Jenny, ¡°meet the girl and talk to her. Everything else comes later.¡± ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right¡­ But you think she¡¯s serious?¡± Larry wondered, ¡°I¡¯ve never gotten a love letter before in my life. I mean, it¡¯d be nice to be popular with girls like Seron¡ªer, like other people. But¡­¡± ¡°You think this might be a prank?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t glare at me, Jenny. I¡¯m just saying it might be. For example, someone might be waiting in the distance to take photos of me sauntering up there with this big doofy grin on my face¡ª¡± Larry stopped, his face taking on the look of a funeral-goer. ¡°I¡¯m praying so hard that the newspaper club isn¡¯t trying to prank me. You¡¯re not, are you?¡± ¡°Sounds like it¡¯d be a blast, but unfortunately, no.¡± Natalia replied. ¡°A blast?! Unfortunately?!¡± ¡°We have practice after school on the first day back. No time to peep on anybody. Today too. We have to head to the drama club pretty soon.¡± ¡°Setting that possibility aside,¡± said Seron, ¡°who was the sender? Someone you know?¡± ¡°No. You know what? What the heck. I¡¯ve come this far, so I might as well tell you the rest. Every heard of a second-year named Stella Whitfield?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever done a story on her.¡± ¡°I do not know this girl.¡± ¡°Me neither. She¡¯s not in the orchestra, at least.¡± ¡°Nor the drama club. Quite the mysterious star we have on our hands.¡± The others shook their heads. ¡°What do you mean that she is a star?¡± Asked Meg. Nick gave her a smile. ¡°¡®Stella¡¯ means ¡®star¡¯ in an ancient language.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness! It is very romantic! I learned something very good now!¡± Meg screamed, her dark eyes sparkling like stars. ¡®I knew that too! I should have said so! I bet that¡¯s what Seron¡¯s thinking right now,¡¯ Larry thought, but did not say. ¡°It is a cool thing to have a star as a name. There is a star name called ¡®Cana¡¯ in Bezelese. There are many Bezelese words to mean ¡®star¡¯, but the only name word is ¡®Cana¡¯!¡± The others were impressed. Natalia nodded. ¡°So Sou Be-Il isn¡¯t that different after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name ¡®Whitfield¡¯ before,¡± said Seron, ¡°I wonder where?¡± Nick was the first to reply. ¡°Of course, Seron. The name is on your left wrist.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± All eyes fell on Seron¡¯s left wrist. A black leather strap and a thin silver case with a simple face and three ticking hands. It was a luxury wristwatch Seron¡¯s mother had bought him when he first started secondary school. It was his favorite¡ªand only¡ªwristwatch. As of the year 3305, quartz clocks existed but were still the size of refrigerators. Wristwatches were traditionally mechanical and composed of many tiny cogs connected to a spiral spring. They were also very expensive. A regular watch cost about as much as a motorcycle, and the higher-end models could cost as much as a car. Even at the 4th Capital Secondary School¡ªwith its wealthy student body¡ªonly about a third of the boys wore a watch on a daily basis. The proportion was even smaller among the girls. Larry and Nick had worn their watches to the newspaper club camp, but not to school that day. Seron, the only one in the office with a wristwatch, scrutinized his watch and discovered the words ¡®Whitfield-Farkas¡¯ in a neat, tiny font at the bottom of the face. The second hand ticked and tocked over the words. ¡°I see now,¡± said Seron. ¡°It¡¯s just like you to never notice even when it was on your wrist the whole time,¡± Larry chuckled, ¡°Whitfield is really famous in the industry, you know.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°I did not know that either.¡± Natalia and Meg chimed in. ¡°Then allow me to give you a brief explanation on Whitfield, the famed watchmaker,¡± Nick said without missing a beat, ¡°Whitfield is based in the Republic of Farkas. Its products are highly precise and sturdy to boot, earning them the title ¡®most practical wristwatches in Roxche¡¯. Whitfield was founded about 60 years ago, which puts it behind the 200-year veterans of the Roxche clockmaking industry, but Whitfield is notable for its stable management. The company has been in the family for generations. The founder¡¯s sons almost split the company in two at one point, however. A prime example of a family feud.¡± ¡°Figures you¡¯d know that stuff, Nick.¡± ¡°And I would not be incorrect in assuming you did as well, Larry?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. But you can explain. I¡¯m not as good as you.¡± ¡°Then allow me to continue. The family feud is quite irrelevant, so I will skip the matter. Whitfield is famous for their ¡®Whitfield Watchmaking Academy¡¯, where future watchmakers are trained in the craft. The academy is infamously strict and graduation rates are low, but all graduates are automatically guaranteed a position at Whitfield. Employment is notoriously difficult, so most hopefuls begin by training at the academy. Another point of entry would be the annual Whitfield Competition, which awards the most promising new watchmaker of the year. Entrants are judged on the merits of their submitted models, regardless of age. Winners are guaranteed a position at Whitfield, no matter who they may be. An employee at a rival company, or to exaggerate, even a 10-year old could find employment so long as they were sufficiently talented. It is a method of employment for those confident in their own skills. I believe the results of this year¡¯s competition will be announced soon. That is all I have to say.¡± The others nodded, impressed. Larry chimed in. ¡°I¡¯ve been kinda wanting a Whitfield watch myself, for training. Most watches wouldn¡¯t last a training session, with how much my arms end up in mud and bump into things.¡± ¡°Then the Whitfield waterproof model is the one for you, Larry. A sturdy, accurate and automatic model that can ¡®withstand any battlefield impact¡¯, or so the advertisement says. Why not purchase one?¡± ¡°As if it were that easy. It¡¯s a sweet watch, but I could buy a motorbike with that much money.¡± ¡°Ah, so you¡¯ve checked.¡± ¡°Yeah, you got me. I once flipped through every Whitfield catalogue I could find cause I wanted one so much.¡± ¡°And you gave in?¡± ¡°How could I not?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Natalia cut in, ¡°that¡¯s enough guy talk. You¡¯re getting off-topic here. Are you actually girls? What¡¯s next, going to the bathroom together?¡± ¡°Sorry, Lia.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± All eyes were on Natalia. She brought the conversation back on track. ¡°So this ¡®Stella¡¯ is probably a daughter of the Whitfield family. Makes sense. The school¡¯s at the edge of the capital and Farkas is just west of us. You just hit paydirt, Larry!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves, Lia.¡± ¡°What is the paydirt? Is is a very good soil?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know this stuff, Megmica.¡± ¡°It means that Larry has come across great fortune. The potential to marry into a very rich family. I¡¯m quite jealous of you, Larry. I wish the two of you happiness.¡± ¡°Hey, that last part was uncalled for. Especially with that grin!¡± ¡°Heh heh¡­so the first headliner of the term¡¯s gonna be a romance. I¡¯m gonna give it everything I have.¡± ¡°Oh no you don¡¯t, Jenny!¡± Larry was exhausting himself. Seron spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to meet her.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess I should. I¡¯m not exactly articulate, though.¡± Larry sighed, and sipped from his usual flower-print teacup. ¡°Are you gonna go out with her?¡± Asked Jenny. Larry put down his cup and put his hand on his head. ¡°I dunno. I mean, I always thought it¡¯d be cool to be popular, but I have no idea what dating someone is supposed to be like. You¡¯re supposed to go out with someone you like, but I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ll like her or not.¡± ¡°Perhaps you will know once you meet her. And if she happens to be your type, you could start off there,¡± Nick suggested. ¡°Yeah, but what if it¡¯s the opposite? If she¡¯s not my type? Do I just tell her that and turn her down? Is that all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± Jenny responded, ¡°and if she¡¯s really not your type, tell it to her straight. There¡¯s nothing more cruel than going out with someone you don¡¯t even like.¡± Jenny was looking very serious. Larry fell into thought. Then¡ª ¡°All right. I¡¯ll do that. Thanks for all your advice, guys,¡± he finally said with a smile. ¡°Oh, now a love will begin in front of my eyes,¡± Meg said, beaming, ¡°my heart is beating very fast! It is a great thing to love and confess someone! I hope that everyone will confess very much from now on!¡± Seron silently looked into the distance. * * * The 23rd day of the ninth month. It was the ninth day of the new term, with two days off in between. The sky was clear and the wind was calm. The student cafeteria at the 4th Capital Secondary School took up a large area inside the main building, along with a tiled area in the central gardens. On clear days, table and chairs were placed on the tiles outside. Students who enjoyed the outdoors or disliked crowded areas tended to frequent the garden. Students who brought their own lunches could use the cafeteria as well, but not many of them did because it was easier for them to simply eat in their classrooms. Seron was sitting alone at a table for two in the gardens. He had just started on his lunch when Larry called out to him. ¡°Hey there!¡± Larry was carrying his tray, as energetic as ever. He set it down and sat across from Seron. ¡°Hey Larry. You look nervous,¡± Seron said immediately. Larry blinked. ¡°Oh. Is it written on my face? Am I shaking?¡± ¡°No, but¡ª¡± Seron pointed at Larry¡¯s tray. He had ordered the same thing as Seron; a single serving of fish soup and pasta with salad. ¡°You¡¯re only eating half your usual.¡± ¡°Hah hah hah! Yeah. I¡¯m definitely nervous.¡± Larry prayed before his meal. Then he and Seron dug in at the same time. ¡°Well,¡± Larry said between bites, ¡°I¡¯m still not convinced this isn¡¯t a nasty prank. If it is, I can just give the prankster a nasty arm twist, but if it¡¯s for real¡­¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°¡­You know, I¡¯m really curious to see what kind of girl would say she likes me. Wonder what she¡¯s like. I can¡¯t wait for class to end.¡± ¡°Then make sure you go see her.¡± ¡°I know. Jenny once said love is a battle, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. When we took SC Sophia¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Then I gotta get out there and give it my all. It¡¯s in the family motto¡ª¡®Knights of Hepburn ne¡¯er shall turn¡¯!¡± Seron smiled. ¡°Yeah. Good luck, Larry.¡± ¡°Thanks. By the way, not being able to turn isn¡¯t the same thing as not being allowed to run away.¡± ¡°The motto sounds cooler without the explanation.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Looking cool isn¡¯t really my thing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Looking cool isn¡¯t really my thing.¡± * * * After school. Larry Hepburn was walking in the grounds behind the school, face set and eyes determined. He could see students heading home in the distance. The grounds behind the school were not popular with the students, and was therefore silent. Larry finally arrived at the tree. He took a look around, and when he saw no one was there, leaned against the trunk to avoid the sunlight. ¡°Hm¡­¡± And he waited for a girl who might never arrive. First he checked to see if anyone had set a trap for him. With his eyesight he could even see the newspaper club office, but no one was clinging to the window with binoculars over their eyes. In the gymnasium in the distance, the orchestra club began to play. ¡°Lia¡¯s not gonna get in the way, at least¡­¡± Larry muttered to himself, and waited. Time passed. It had been long enough for a hot cup of tea to go cold. Larry pushed away from the trunk so he could take a seat. ¡°Er¡­I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late.¡± A soft voice. ¡°Ah!¡± Larry turned quickly. All he saw was the tree trunk. ¡°Wait, what?¡± For a moment he had thought the tree was talking to him, but he leaned over and saw a girl standing behind it. She stood with her back to the sun. The girl was clad in uniform, and was petite. She was only a little taller than Jenny Jones, with short black hair and light brown eyes. Her face was inscrutable like a doll. It was hard to tell if she was happy or sad or nervous. She had pretty features but didn¡¯t stand out, which was a perfect fit for her quiet bearing. Larry said nothing, but smiled. His cheeks went pink. The girl also said nothing. Her mask-like face simply looked at Larry¡¯s. Ten seconds passed, and then some. ¡°Hm¡­?¡± Larry Hepburn mumbled. He furrowed his brow and his eyes narrowed. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± The girl seemed nervous. Larry shook his head. ¡°Oh! Sorry! Just zoning out for a bit. Talking to myself. So, er¡­are you Stella Whitfield?¡± ¡°Yes. Please call me Stella, SC Hepburn.¡± Though she was standing right in front of him, it was almost impossible to hear her voice. Her tone was muted and the blanks between her words were almost audible. ¡°I read your letter,¡± Larry said, and paused. Stella did not say a word. She simply waited for Larry with a blank expression. ¡°Er¡­about the stuff you wrote. Did you really mean it?¡± A moment later, Larry frowned. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Stella said briefly. ¡°I¡­I see! That¡¯s good to hear! Yeah.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, I was just a little surprised.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­all right.¡± ¡°Er¡­right. So. Well¡­¡± Stella was so reticent that Larry had to think hard about how he should continue the conversation before he finally settled on a typical question. ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°Yes. After summer break, outside the dormitory cafeteria¡­¡± ¡°Hm? Ah! I remember!¡± Larry cried, loud enough to startle anyone. But Stella did not even blink. She stood as still as the tree next to them. ¡°You were with the girl who asked Seron out!¡± Stella moved her chin up and down by about three centimeters. In other words, she nodded almost imperceptibly. ¡°When I saw you¡­I thought you were really attractive.¡± ¡°I-I see¡­ Thanks. ¡­You said you only wanted to meet at school, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never¡­dated before. I¡¯m not comfortable with being alone¡­outside of campus,¡± Stella replied firmly. Larry gave her the best smile he could muster. ¡°All right!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cool that you can honestly stick to your guns like that! It¡¯s really brave of you! I wish somebody I knew could be more like you!¡± ¡°Huh? Oh¡­right.¡± ¡°W-wait, I was just saying that to myself. Anyway, I like you, Stella!¡± ¡°Th-thank you¡­¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s hang out whenever we have time! You only want to meet on campus, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­thank you so much.¡± Larry looked at Stella, then at the newspaper club office. There was no one at the window. Looking into Stella¡¯s blank face, Larry nodded. ¡°Pleasure to meet you!¡± ----- Volume 5 3 Stella Volume 5 Chapter 3 Stella ----- ¡°¡­And that¡¯s what happened. I forgot to ask her about her family, but she was cute so I guess that¡¯s why I decided I¡¯d go out with her. We¡¯re gonna see each other at school. Having lunch together at the cafeteria starting tomorrow,¡± Larry explained in the office. Opposite the coffee table sat Seron and Jenny. It had not been long since the confession under the tree. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Unusually enough, Seron was wearing his surprise and happiness on his face. Jenny was nodding gravely. ¡°Hm. All right. You have permission to continue¡­for now.¡± ¡°What are you, my mother?¡± ¡°The more you spend time with her, the more you¡¯ll learn about her¡ªboth the good and bad. Same goes for her too. You can decide if you want to get serious after that. Although she might break up with you first. Then that¡¯s just another life experience under your belt.¡± ¡°What, you seriously expect this to end before it¡¯s even started?¡± ¡°Well, do your best. I won¡¯t even smack you for skipping club. We¡¯re missing half our members, what¡¯s another absence?¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Jenny. I thought you¡¯d make me come to club every day anyway.¡± ¡°You should prioritize her for the time being. You¡¯re a man. Be good to her.¡± ¡°¡­Jenny.¡± ¡°What?¡± Larry thought for a moment. Then, ¡°Nah. Thanks for your support,¡± he finally said. ¡°I don¡¯t need your gratitude,¡± Jenny blew him off. ¡°And while I¡¯m at it, there was something I wanted your help with.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Could you look into stuff about Stella Whitfield? I want some information about her,¡± Larry said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jenny and Seron blinked. Seron spoke first. ¡°You want us to investigate her?¡± Then Jenny spoke. ¡°You¡¯re gonna spend a lot of time with her; ask her yourself.¡± ¡°W-well, yeah. But I wanted to know about other stuff too.¡± ¡°Like?¡± Jenny asked, tilting her head. ¡°Like¡­her reputation on campus, or about the kind of people she hangs out with? Stuff I couldn¡¯t ask her myself, you know. I wish I could explain better.¡± Jenny looked a little offended. ¡°Are you a detective? Are you planning to marry her next month or something? Look, it¡¯s rude to dig up dirt on a girl. You¡¯re the one who said we shouldn¡¯t cover this story.¡± ¡°I know, I know. But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Well, I just¡­because.¡± ¡°This is ridicu-¡± Jenny started, but Seron cut her off. ¡°All right, Larry. We¡¯ll try and get as much information as we can.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Thanks, man!¡± Jenny gave Seron a quizzical look. Larry gave him a grateful one. ¡°What gives, Seron?¡± ¡°I just want to know a bit more about my best friend¡¯s girlfriend. And I think it¡¯ll be good practice for newspaper club activities further down the line.¡± When Seron brought up the newspaper club, Jenny could not refuse. She gave a disdainful harrumph but relented. ¡°Fine, whatever. I¡¯m not gonna stop you.¡± But Seron was not about to let her off the hook. ¡°I can¡¯t do this alone. I need everyone else¡¯s help¡ªespecially yours, Jenny.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can utilize all the newspaper club¡¯s fans. And you¡¯re the only one with an information network.¡± Larry¡¯s jaw dropped at Seron¡¯s earnest plea, but he quickly joined him in pleading with Jenny. ¡°I¡¯m begging you, chief!¡± Jenny was taken aback by Larry¡¯s attitude. She grew serious as well. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? I mean, it¡¯s not like I have anything better to do, but still.¡± ¡°You mean it?¡± ¡°Thanks, Jenny.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m warning you! If you start digging up dirt on her, you¡¯ll see things about her you never wanted to see. Ignorance is sometimes bliss. Are you ready to meet all that head-on, Larry Hepburn?¡± ¡°Yeah! Knights of Hepburn ne¡¯er shall turn! It¡¯s the family motto,¡± Larry declared. ¡°In other words, you¡¯re allowed to walk backwards out of battle?¡± Jenny said snidely. ¡°Sure! But we also have a motto that goes, ¡®victory belongs to the people, but the greatest smile belongs to the knight¡¯. In other words, to me!¡± ¡°No worries about anything, huh. Where do you get that confidence?¡± ¡°Dunno. Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± ¡°¡­One of these days, I¡¯m gonna run an investigative piece on how the Hepburn family¡¯s lasted 400 years.¡± * * * ¡°And that¡¯s what happened. Larry can give you the details about the confession. Right now, I want you guys to get whatever info you can get on Stella Whitfield.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fallen far, that Larry. Where did his parents go wrong? Now I really feel like giving him a hand.¡± ¡°Your words are not fitting front to back, Natalia. But if I can help I wish to help Larry. It is sure that Larry wishes to know many things about her.¡± It was the 24th, the day after Stella¡¯s confession. The sky was clear. Jenny and Natalia, and Meg¡ªwho was in the same class¡ªmet up in the halls of the main building between classes. Jenny conveyed Larry¡¯s request to Natalia and Meg. They split up quickly, as they had to move on to their next classes. About an hour later. Larry walked past the very spot. He was the subject of many curious gazes. At his left side was Stella. Stella had her right arm linked tightly around his left, clinging so close they almost looked like one person. Her bag hung from her shoulder and there was a large package in her left hand. ¡°What the heck?¡± ¡°Is that Larry Hepburn?¡± ¡°Larry¡¯s with a cute girl? No way!¡± ¡°Tch! Show-off.¡± ¡°Go to hell, casanova!¡± ¡°How indecent.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a crime?¡± ¡°Maybe somebody should rescue the girl¡­¡± ¡°Should I call a teacher?¡± Larry had good ears. He could hear every last word of gossip. ¡°Er¡­hey, Stella?¡± Larry¡¯s posture was upright, but his voice betrayed his nervousness. Stella looked up at him blankly. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± She replied in a near-inaudible voice. Larry froze briefly when he locked gazes with Stella, so close to his face, but he finally managed to speak. ¡°D-don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit hard to walk around like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± ¡°Oh¡­okay. I see.¡± Larry gave up¡ªin more ways than one¡ªand faced forward once more. And he walked down the hall, practically joined at the hip with Stella. They had been stuck together since he had met her in front of a classroom. They entered the cafeteria, the eyes of every student on them. ¡°So what do you wanna get?¡± ¡°I¡­brought our lunch.¡± Stella slightly lifted up the large package in her left hand. Then she finally disentangled herself from him and strode forward, to a table near the orders counter exit¡ªin other words, the most visible table in the cafeteria. ¡°Can we sit here?¡± ¡°S-sure¡­¡± When Larry took a seat, Stella quickly brought over two cups of tea and opened up her lunch. Inside was a triple-decker lunchbox. ¡°I made it myself.¡± ¡°Th-thanks. Can I open it?¡± ¡°Let me¡­¡± Stella trailed off and opened the lid. The first level was packed with assorted vegetable sandwiches. The second, with grilled chicken and boiled vegetables. The third, with cherries, grapes, and other fruits. ¡°Whoa! This is amazing,¡± Larry gasped, forgetting the other students¡¯ gazes for a moment. The food looked almost professional in quality. ¡°You made all this, Stella?¡± ¡°Yes¡­I¡¯m¡­a good cook.¡± ¡°It looks really good! Let¡¯s dig in!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Larry¡¯s enthusiasm drew yet more gazes as he and Stella wiped their hands with the hand towels she had brought. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the sandwiches¡ª¡± The moment Larry reached out, however, Stella picked up a sandwich. ¡°Here.¡± And she held it out towards his mouth. Larry¡¯s eyes turned to dinner plates. He could feel the murderous glares of the other students. ¡°Pull it together, Larry! Be a man!¡± He whispered to himself, and took a bite. He chewed the mouthful of sandwich. ¡°Mhm!¡± And swallowed, then grinned. ¡°It¡¯s great! This is really good, Stella! Your cooking definitely has my seal of approval!¡± ¡°Thank¡­you.¡± They were the very picture of a happy couple. ¡°Curse you, blondie!¡± ¡°That is disgusting!¡± ¡°Damn it, even the third-year has a girlfriend!¡± ¡°It¡¯s practically a honeymoon.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a special place in hell for people like you, Hepburn.¡± ¡°Go somewhere else! There¡¯s plenty of place on campus where you don¡¯t show off to the entire school!¡± ¡°Maybe I really should get a teacher¡­¡± Larry and Stella were warmly nestled in a storm of murderous outrage. ¡°It¡¯s really good. I can feed myself though, Stella. May I?¡± ¡°Y-yes. Go ahead.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, you should eat too!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Larry wolfed down his food, while Stella nibbled away blankly. It was hard to not notice them in the cafeteria. A pair of sixth-year boys passed by, and once the couple was out of earshot¡ª ¡°They¡¯re seriously dating? Bet the guy¡¯s blackmailing her into the relationship or something.¡± ¡°Yeah. Or maybe the girl lost a bet. Either way, she¡¯s too good for him.¡± As they passed, their voices fell on the ears of¡ª ¡°Hah! Sounds about right.¡± ¡°I suppose we should let them talk for now.¡± An amused Natalia and a smiling Nick. They were sitting at a table for four along with Seron and Meg, at a distance from Larry. ¡°It is a very good atmosphere. I have always admired the campus dating,¡± Meg remarked wistfully. Seron, who sat next to her¡ªSeron, who was eating with Meg in the campus cafeteria for the first time¡ªwent even more silent. Their table was laden with Meg and Nick¡¯s lunchboxes and Natalia and Seron¡¯s trays, and four cups of tea. Their table was laden with Meg and Nick¡¯s lunchboxes and Natalia and Seron¡¯s trays, and four cups of tea. Seron had ordered the roast beef sandwich with a bowl of minestrone soup. Natalia had ordered the same, along with seafood pizza. There was almost no room left on the table. Trying to keep their stack of belonging from tipping over, and keeping an eye on the nearly-conjoined Larry and Stella, they ate lunch and discussed the issue at hand. ¡°Has anyone gathered any information on the target?¡± Nick asked. Natalia was first to answer. ¡°Nope. Ah, I¡¯m gonna try the pizza first.¡± ¡°What about you, Seron?¡± Seron shook his head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just go around asking randomly.¡± ¡°Of course. And you, Megmica?¡± ¡°I have not gathered information too. I will ask the chorus club¡¯s senior-classmen after class.¡± ¡°I see. As for myself, I have acquired one piece of information.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Natalia urged him. ¡°It seems our target is indeed connected to ¡®Seron¡¯s wrist¡¯.¡± Aha. The others nodded. Seron glanced at the Whitfield watch on his left wrist. ¡°A senior-classman I met this morning happened to be wearing the same model, so I slipped in a compliment. The model is of course excellent, but the senior-classman happens to be an expert on the topic. He boasted about his model for a time, then told me that the target attends this very school. The name seemed to have tipped him off.¡± The others were impressed. ¡°So that¡¯s all we have for now, huh. Hope the chief turns up something,¡± said Natalia. Seron looked at Larry. Larry and Stella were still at their table, talking about something over their lunch. ¡°I think we should get to know each other a little better,¡± Larry suggested as soon as they began to eat. ¡°Oh¡­yes.¡± Stella agreed feebly. Larry asked her how much she knew bout him. ¡°Not much. I¡­just fell for you at the cafeteria.¡± ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll tell you a bit about myself.¡± Larry began to tell her things like his birthday, his hobbies and interests, and his dream of becoming a great military man, along with things about his family. Afterwards¡ª ¡°I see¡­thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be grateful about. What about you, Stella? Tell me about yourself.¡± Stella looked at Larry¡¯s smile and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s¡­probably not interesting.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, that¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have hobbies¡­I study all the time¡­people call me gloomy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to those people! You¡¯ve got plenty of time to figure out a hobby,¡± Larry declared. The other students were still giving him disapproving looks. ¡°By the way, Stella. What does your family do? There¡¯s a watchmaker with the same name so I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re related to them?¡± ¡°¡­Er¡­yes. My great-grandfather is the founder¡­and my grandfather runs the company now. My father is a watchmaker too¡­¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± ¡°So¡­I have bodyguards with me all the time outside.¡± ¡°I see. Makes sense. My folks did the same thing with me when I was little. That¡¯s why you only wanted to meet on campus, right?¡± ¡°What about you, SC Hepburn? Did you guess just from my name?¡± Stella asked, sounding unusually firm. ¡°Partly, but I wasn¡¯t 100% sure until I saw that.¡± Stella¡¯s gaze quickly flitted to her slender left wrist. Wrapped around her wrist was a small women¡¯s wristwatch. It had a white leather strap with a tiny silver case and a pink face. ¡°It¡¯s a women¡¯s wristwatch from Whitfield, and an expensive one, right? I remember seeing it in the catalogue. From the price tag, I guessed you must be part of the family. Could I have a look at it?¡± Larry said, effortlessly taking a chance to check the watch itself. ¡°No!¡± Stella cried suddenly, grabbing her wrist with her right hand. ¡°Er¡­¡± Larry flinched. Stella quickly took off her watch and wrapped it up in a handkerchief before placing it in her bag. Then she looked weakly at Larry. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Nothing to be sorry about. Yeah.¡± ¡°This watch¡­is really special to me. It¡¯s a one-of-a-kind¡­so I shouldn¡¯t show it off to people¡­¡± ¡°Makes sense. You¡¯re from a watchmaker family. No worries!¡± ¡°Thank you. SC Hepburn¡­do you like wristwatches?¡± ¡°Yeah. I love anything that¡¯s mechanical! And by the way, it¡¯s kinda awkward when you keep calling me SC Hepburn. Call me Larry. Or SC Larry is fine, if that¡¯s easier.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­you¡¯re still a senior-classman¡­¡± Stella said, shaking her head. Larry chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Y-yeah. I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. Yeah!¡± How many times had they repeated such exchanges? ¡°Speaking of watches, I¡¯m hoping to get one from Whitfield someday. Something sturdy and waterproof I can wear even during training.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m not gonna ask you to get me one. I¡¯m gonna save up my own money! Do you like watches too, Stella?¡± Stella looked up, and gave the most honest and convincing nod she had given all day. And for the first time, she smiled very faintly before Larry. ¡°I love them.¡± Larry trembled slightly, his cheeks going pink. ¡°It¡¯s like there¡¯s a tiny universe inside every watch.¡± ¡°A-a universe?¡± ¡°Yes. Just like the way planets are anchored to a star even if they¡¯re far apart. I like how force travels thought the gears in the little case. How the cogs fit together perfectly, spinning together forever¡­¡± Larry watched as Stella¡¯s gaze grew further and further, until his flushed cheeks were back to normal. ¡°Together forever, huh,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Together forever, huh,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°Wonder what they¡¯re talking about,¡± wondered Natalia. ¡°It is certainly the romantic talking! She is very exuberant!¡± Exclaimed Meg. ¡°It seems more to me that she is off in her own world. Lost in her own thoughts, not particularly concerned with Larry,¡± commented Nick. Finally, Seron spoke. ¡°It looks to me like Larry¡¯s got something on his mind.¡± ¡°Oh? And why might that be?¡± Nick asked, turning. ¡°Just a hunch,¡± Seron replied. They had already finished eating. Because they felt guilty about taking up an entire table in the busy cafeteria, they decided to get up. Agreeing to meet up after class if they could, Seron and Natalia picked up their trays to put them back and Nick and Meg said goodbye. Seron and Natalia happened to be walking by when Larry and Stella finished their lunch and began putting away her lunchbox. They disappeared into the central gardens together. ¡°So he somehow managed not to get dumped on day one,¡± Natalia remarked, sounding almost disappointed. * * * That day, after class. Seron sat alone in the club office, perusing a Whitfield catalogue. ¡®Catalogue¡¯ was almost a misnomer, as it had a separate book cover and was packed with color photographs. Naturally, it was not the kind of catalogue handed out for free at retailers. It was from a luxury wristwatch dealer, which Karen Maxwell had contacted at Seron¡¯s request. ¡°Did you want a new watch, honey? I could get one mailed to you if you want,¡± his mother had said over the phone, but Seron declined and told her he was perfectly fine with the one he had. The watches in the catalogue were, without exception, extraordinary. So were the prices written below. Seron found his own watch listed in the catalogue, and learned its price for the first time in three years. He gave his mother a silent word of thanks. ¡°If you ever run out of money in the Capital District, you can sell the watch and get by for a while,¡± she had advised as she gave him the watch. ¡°Now I get it,¡± Seron mumbled with a nod. He flipped through several more pages and found himself in the couples¡¯ watches section. Featured prominently on the page was a man and a woman, wearing matching wristwatches. Below were the words ¡®A Romantic Gift for that Perfect Betrothal Oath¡¯, and ¡®Life Companions¡¯. Seron fell into thought. He fell very deep into thought. For a time he lost himself in his delusions, until someone opened the door. ¡°Hey Seron.¡± It was the hero of the cafeteria. ¡°Larry? ¡­Everything all right?¡± ¡°Huh? Do I not look all right?¡± ¡°No, I was expecting you to be with Stella.¡± ¡°Oh. I saw her off just now. She gets picked up after school so we can¡¯t hang out right now. She can¡¯t even do club activities. Want some tea?¡± ¡°Sure. Thanks.¡± As usual, Larry got to work on brewing tea. In the meantime Seron gave him the only new piece of information they had, the one Nick had managed to find. ¡°Oh. I checked with Stella at lunchtime too. Her grandfather runs the company. It looks like she¡¯s had a really sheltered upbringing.¡± ¡°So we don¡¯t really have any new information.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just gonna have to hope Jenny¡¯s turned up something,¡± Larry said, walking back to the sofas with teapot in hand. Jenny, who had been conspicuously missing at lunchtime, had probably combed the campus in search of information. ¡°Thanks,¡± Seron said as he received his tea. He did not ask any questions about Larry¡¯s lunchtime date. Once Larry poured his own cup of tea, he spotted the catalogue on the table. ¡°Whoa, it¡¯s the Whitfield catalogue, right? And this month¡¯s, too! Is this yours, Seron? Mind if I take a look?¡± ¡°Sure. I asked Mother for it, just for reference. It came in the mail this morning.¡± Larry flipped through the pages excitedly. He quickly opened it up to a certain page and spread it over the table, pointing at a particular watch. ¡°If you ask me, this¡¯d be my pick! The waterproof 100-meter diving watch! It¡¯s automatic, shows the date, and you can time stuff with the bezel too. They supply this model to the military. And boy, I get why it¡¯s subsidized!¡± Seron scanned the page. ¡°A 24-hour clock and dual time function too. Not bad. With the rotating bezel you could technically have three timezones, actually.¡± ¡°Your place is inside the same timezone as the capital, eh?¡± ¡°Yeah, just narrowly. This¡¯d definitely be useful for long-distance trips, though. It won¡¯t be long until we can cover long distances in a flash on a commercial aeroplane. But I¡¯m not too tempted to get a new watch just yet.¡± Larry continued to peruse the catalogue. ¡°Hey, look. They have a company history section at the end. ¡­Yep. Nothing about the family feud.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. Nick gave us some information, but I wonder about the details,¡± Seron wondered. Larry answered him. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious. The founder died, and his two sons had a row over management direction. One won and the other lost.¡± ¡°And Stella¡¯s grandfather would be the winner.¡± ¡°Yeah. The other one must¡¯ve been real sore¡ªapparently he even changed his family name and started a new watch company. But¡ª¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t work out?¡± ¡°No. The brother who lost wasn¡¯t a watchmaker, so he prioritized business over quality. He never managed to make something impressive. So he gave up and started another business, which was apparently a big success. Don¡¯t know what it was, but if nothing else he must have been a really good businessman.¡± ¡°I see. Interesting.¡± ¡°I hear the two families still despise each other. If they run into each other at a business forum or conference or something, the air turns to ice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s understandable. Running a company must be hard work,¡± Seron commented. At that moment, the president returned. ¡°Whew. I¡¯m back, boys. The others didn¡¯t show, huh.¡± ¡°Welcome back, chief. It¡¯s a little cold now, but we¡¯ve got some tea.¡± Jenny locked the door behind her, took a seat, and picked up her teacup. ¡°You first,¡± she said. Larry reported everything that had happened in the cafeteria, and Seron the fact that Stella was indeed from the Whitfield watchmaker family. ¡°Hm. So it looks like I managed to get more than you,¡± Jenny said. ¡°I expected nothing less. Big haul?¡± ¡°I expected nothing less. Big haul?¡± ¡°You bet. But just to warn you,¡± Jenny said, lowering her voice, ¡°it¡¯s not nice.¡± Larry pursed his lips. Seron said nothing. ¡°The others aren¡¯t here, but I might as well tell you. First off, Larry. That lovey-dovey lunch you had with Stella is the talk of the campus. It¡¯s even reached the teachers¡¯ office.¡± ¡°WHAT?! Are you kidding me?¡± Larry burst out. Seron grimaced. ¡°The students, I¡¯m not surprised. Larry and Stella were eating in full view of everyone. But why the teachers¡¯ office?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the strange part.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I went to the teachers¡¯ office in person to check, just in case. And I overheard some of the teachers chatting in the lounge by the door.¡± ¡°What were they saying?¡± ¡°That third-year Larry Hepburn and second-year Stella Whitfield were in a wholesome relationship with marriage in mind.¡± ¡°Whaaaaaat?¡± Larry¡¯s jaw dropped. Tea spilled from the teacup in his hand. ¡°Calm down. Anyway, I figured marriage was a little early for you, so I asked the teachers who they heard that from.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± Seron and Larry asked simultaneously. ¡°A second-year girl who¡¯s friends with Stella. Apparently she said so after afternoon classes today. Stella¡¯s friends asked her how things were going with you, Larry, and I hear Stella just said so outright. That you¡¯re dating with marriage in mind. Although that second part sounds pretty fishy.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Seron put a thoughtful hand on his chin. ¡°Stella would never say something like that! Those girls are gossiping too much,¡± Larry complained, raising his hands in the air. ¡°Well, what does it matter? That was the good news, by the way.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What?¡± The realization struck them at once. Larry and Seron frowned. ¡°By that, you mean¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªthat there¡¯s worse coming?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jenny said with a nod, ¡°there¡¯s this rumor that¡¯s been going around the second-year girls for a while. A rumor about Stella.¡± ¡°What kind of rumor?¡± ¡°What kind of rumor?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually been around since about a year ago, when Stella was about halfway through her first year. Apparently there was this senior-classman boy who¡¯d follow her around everywhere.¡± Seron said nothing. ¡°Seriously? That better not be me,¡± Larry said indignantly. ¡°Are you an idiot? I said this rumor¡¯s been around for a year.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Sorry, Jenny.¡± ¡°The senior-classman and Stella Whitfield were spotted around campus, always in secluded places like behind staircases or inside gymnasium storerooms. Stella was reportedly troubled, and they had been spotted more often this year. It¡¯s not spreading like wildfire, but a lot of the second-year girls know about it. But!¡± Jenny paused emphatically, ¡°it¡¯s still just a rumor. All we know is that they were seen together often, and we have no evidence to suggest he¡¯s hurting her or even threatening her. Someone asked her about the guy, but Stella obviously denied it.¡± ¡°The heck? That¡¯s a terrible rumor. Girls can be awful sometimes!¡± Larry seethed. ¡°Jenny,¡± Seron said, breaking his silence, ¡°did you find out anything about the senior-classman?¡± ¡°Do you realize how many boys there are in this school, Seron Maxwell?¡± ¡°You have a point, but I get the feeling you¡¯ve already found a clue.¡± ¡°Hmph! You got that right,¡± Jenny replied, getting to her feet and heading towards the darkroom. She grabbed a photograph from the shelf beside the door. Then she placed it on the table. It was a black-and-white photo about the size of a notepad. It was still moist. ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Seron and Larry examined the photo. The photograph featured a male student from the knees up. He was not the only subject of the photo. He was part of a large crowd of students, but he had been singled out and zoomed in on. What little background there was happened to be was out of focus, but there was something resembling a school building. The photo must have been taken on campus. The boy was very well-built. He was even taller than most adults. The other boys in the photo only reached his chin. The boy had broad shoulders and threatening features. But his expression was gentle and almost fainthearted. Put nicely, he looked like an athlete. To be more blunt, he looked like a gorilla. In his left hand was his bag, and on his right wrist was a watch. Larry stared into the picture for a time, then opened his mouth. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°The boy from the rumors.¡± ¡°What?¡± Larry¡¯s jaw dropped. Meanwhile, Seron smiled faintly. ¡°You really are amazing, Jenny.¡± ¡°This is him? This is the guy?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Most likely. I asked one of the witnesses to describe him, and it was kind of hard to find anyone else who matched the descriptor. ¡®Built like a gorilla, looks more fainthearted than a girl, and wears a watch on his right wrist.¡± ¡°So this is the one¡­¡± ¡°I figured someone like that would be easy to find, and I happened to find him near the central gardens outside the cafeteria. I waited for him to finish his lunch and took a photo while everyone was on the move. I even found out what his afternoon classes are.¡± ¡°Jenny, you¡¯re incredible! But you sure this is legal?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s just a snapshot I happened to take. I pretended I was photographing the building. Then I skipped an afternoon class to develop the photo.¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to scare me, Jenny. The newspaper club¡¯s a front for something, I just know it,¡± Larry exclaimed, shocked and terrified. ¡°I checked the student list and the photographs at the office too, just in case. And I couldn¡¯t find anyone else matching the description. This guy¡¯s probably our man.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised the administrators let you check,¡± Seron said, surprised. Jenny was nonchalant. ¡°Our avid reader the office administrator didn¡¯t ¡®let me check¡¯, she just gave an honors student named Jenny Jones permission to help rearrange the misaligned student photographs.¡± Larry stared, still holding the photograph. ¡°So you know his name?¡± Asked Seron. Jenny brought her teacup to her lips. ¡°Linus Francis.¡± ----- Volume 5 4 Linus Volume 5 Chapter 4 Linus ----- ¡°Linus Francis. Sixth-year. One of his classes this term is Natural Sciences 601: Astronomy. That¡¯s all I have on him so far,¡± Jenny explained . ¡°Hm. Even if the rumors about him and Stella are true, it¡¯s hard to say anything conclusive yet,¡± said Seron . ¡°Yeah. Maybe he¡¯s stalking her, or maybe it¡¯s literally just a rumor. Or maybe they¡¯re just acquaintances and people happened to spot them chatting on campus. Or¡­¡± ¡°Or?¡± Asked Seron . ¡°Maybe they were dating. ¡± ¡°What?¡± Larry was incredulous. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Dunno. Cause they¡¯re both wearing watches. ¡± Larry went silent . ¡°But that¡¯s not exactly concrete evidence,¡± Seron pointed out, all the while deluding himself with the idea of getting Meg a wristwatch . ¡°¡­Hey. Jenny,¡± Larry said gravely, ¡°could you look into this guy? SC Francis?¡± ¡°Sure. Why though? Worried? Or are you jealous?¡± Jenny asked with a playful grin . ¡°Both,¡± Larry replied, surprisingly serious . ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do what I can. I¡¯ve been out and about all day today though, so I¡¯m taking the rest of the day off. ¡± Blinking, Jenny put the photograph in her bag and walked over to the telephone . ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll wash the cups,¡± Larry said, gathering the teacups and taking them to the sink . ¡°Larry. Jenny,¡± Seron said, ¡°could we keep this stuff to ourselves for now? Until we find out more about SC Francis, I mean. ¡± ¡°Hm? Sure. ¡± ¡°Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. ¡± Seron also stood. He put the Whitfield catalogue in his bag and helped Jenny lock up . As they stepped outside, Jenny handed Larry a photograph the same size as the one of Linus Francis . ¡°Almost forgot. This one¡¯s yours. ¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Larry¡¯s gaze fell on the photograph . ¡°AAAAAHHHH!¡± Seron flinched because of the scream, not the photo . The photo depicted Stella, who was facing the camera . It was from earlier that day, when she was walking arm-in-arm with Larry through the halls. Larry¡¯s left arm was narrowly in the frame. The photo had been framed this way from the beginning, as opposed to having been trimmed later. It was even in perfect focus . Larry turned to Jenny as he showed the photo to Seron . ¡°Wh-wh-when did you take¡ª¡± ¡°I needed a shot of her face for this story. I was kinda far and I only had a second to take the shot. It was tough, let me tell you,¡± Jenny said nonchalantly. Larry looked like he had swallowed a bug . ¡°Are you training to be a sniper or something, Jenny? And why am I not in the photo?¡± ¡°Why would I include you? It¡¯d be a waste of perfectly good film. ¡± ¡°Tch. Anyway, thanks. ¡± Once Seron had gotten a good look at the photo, Larry wrapped it up in a handkerchief and tucked it away in his bag . * * * The Hepburn manor was about 20 minutes from school by bus, or an hour on foot. Though the Capital District was mostly crowded with apartment buildings, the vicinity of the Hepburn home was mostly occupied by old mansions . It was that evening, after dinner . Larry was in his room doing the homework he really did not want to do . The room was furnished with a bed, a dresser, and a desk. There was a clean sheet on his bed, much like at a hotel. But the sheet had not been prepared by a servant or his mother¡ªLarry had done it himself . The large room was tidy, the walls plastered with posters of motorcycles and cars, and antique rifles that used black powder. Larry¡¯s school and army uniforms hung neatly in the dresser . Larry was in a T-shirt and a pair of shorts, wrestling with his schoolwork . At one point he heard the telephone ring outside, but someone seemed to have picked up . Larry¡¯s father was a colonel in the Confederation Army, and was out of the house for several days for a training session. Cato, Larry¡¯s older brother, lived in the dorms as per military academy regulations. The only people at home were Larry, his mother, the butler, the live-in maids, and the bodyguard . ¡°Done¡­¡± Once he had finished, Larry put his textbook and notebook in his bag so he wouldn¡¯t forget them the next day. Then he took out the photograph . Stella was clinging to him blankly. Larry fell into thought . ¡°I wonder what she¡¯s thinking,¡± he wondered, smiling . Suddenly, there was a knock. Larry quickly put the photo back, asking who it was. A maid replied that there was a phone call for him . ¡°Hm?¡± Normally the maid would mention who the call was from. Confused, Larry headed to the telephone room. The Hepburn family had a separate room for the telephone so they could sit down for long conversations . He entered . ¡°That sounds wonderful, sir. If nothing else, I personally made certain to raise our boys to be gentlemen. Yes, absolutely. ¡± His mother was in the chair, engaged in conversation . ¡°Huh?¡± Larry tilted his head . His mother Mia Hepburn was a woman in her early forties. Unusually for a woman of her age, her blond hair was cut short, giving her the look of an athlete. And indeed she led an active lifestyle, enjoying hobbies like horseback riding and skiing. She was more than a match for the men of the family . ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Larry asked, still in the dark. Mia finally noticed his presence . ¡°Oh my, speak of the devil. Larry is here. Yes, I¡¯ll switch you over, shall I? Thank you for the lovely conversation. ¡± With that, Mia put a hand over the receiver . ¡°Here. ¡± ¡°Who is this, Mom? Why were you taking my call?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an important man. It¡¯s only proper for your mother to speak to him first. ¡± ¡°Wait, is the the call from earlier? How long have you been talking?¡± ¡°Never mind that, Larry. Introduce yourself and make sure to be extra-polite. ¡± Giving his mother a quizzical look, Larry sat down on the chair she had kept warm. Mia gave him a smile and a wave, and left . Larry picked up the receiver . ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry to keep you waiting, sir. This is Larry Hepburn speaking. ¡± From the receiver came the voice of a sprightly old man. Larry had never heard the voice before . ¡°Yes, sir. Pardon me, but my mother didn¡¯t mention your name. Might I ask who you are?¡± ¡®The one who won the family feud!¡¯ Larry thought, but he wisely kept it to himself . ¡°Then you would be Stella¡¯s grandfather, sir?¡± ¡°N-not at all, sir. It¡¯s an honor to make your acquaintance. Er¡­¡± ¡®How does he know?¡¯ Larry wondered. Word had traveled too fast. Aubrey Whitfield continued regardless . ¡°S-Stella? Really?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­of course, sir. ¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s perfectly natural, sir. ¡± ¡®Talk about fast, old man,¡¯ Larry thought, but naturally he did not say a thing . ¡°I-it¡¯s an honor, sir. I¡¯m very proud of my ancestors, and I hope to live up to their great deeds someday. ¡± ¡°Of course, sir. ¡± ¡°Yes, sir. I love them¡ªwearing them, looking at them, and fiddling with them. ¡± ¡°Pardon me, sir? I¡¯m not sure what you mean¡­¡± ¡®Because of the family feud, eh?¡¯ Larry thought, but of course he could not dare say it out loud . ¡°I see, sir. And how does this connect to¡ª¡± ¡°N-not at all, sir! Please give me a moment, Mr. Whitfield. I still haven¡¯t thought quite that far about my life. ¡± Larry, who dreamed of attending the same military academy as Cato and becoming a career soldier, had to give an awkward lie . ¡®¡°A little¡±?¡¯ Larry thought, but managed to hold himself back . ¡®You¡¯re making things difficult for me!¡¯ Larry thought, but managed to hold himself back from the brink of anger . ¡°I understand what you mean, sir. My fellow students and I are still trying to figure out what we want to do after graduation. I still have three years before finishing school, and I hope that I will build up my knowledge and expertise so as to one day go above and beyond expectations,¡± he said without missing a beat. He knew exactly how to please adults because he often had to deal with superiors from the military . Aubrey Whitfield said satisfactorily. Then his tone dropped, as though he had grown ten years older in an instant. ¡°Pardon me, sir? I¡¯m surprised,¡± Larry said, genuinely shocked . ¡°Er¡­¡± Larry began, unable to hold back, ¡°doesn¡¯t Stella have a Whitfield wristwatch?¡± ¡°¡­I¡­I see. I¡¯m sorry to hear that, sir. ¡± ¡°Th-thank you, sir. ¡± ¡°Have a good evening, sir. ¡± Larry waited for Aubrey Whitfield to hang up before slowly putting down the receiver . Then he pursed his lips, looking more upset than ever . His train of thought was interrupted by his mother . ¡°Are you finished, Larry?¡± She opened the door and peered inside, stepping in when she saw the conversation was finished . ¡°Yeah. That was exhausting. ¡± ¡°Who would¡¯ve guessed you¡¯d get a call from such an important man? Asking you to take good care of his granddaughter, at that!¡± ¡°What¡¯d he say to you, Mom?¡± ¡°That you¡¯re seeing the Whitfield heiress at school. Congratulations, honey. Are you thinking of getting married?¡± ¡®Not this again. Why does everyone have to ask me the same thing?¡¯ Larry complained inwardly, and went limp . ¡°I don¡¯t know. And apparently I have to become a watchmaker if I want to marry her. Then I have to inherit the company. ¡± ¡°Why not?¡± His mother asked nonchalantly. Larry got angry . ¡°Mom! I wanna be a soldier like Dad and Cato! You¡¯ve raised me for 15 years, I thought you¡¯d at least know that much. ¡± ¡°I do. But do you want to become a soldier just because you¡¯re part of the Hepburn family? Or because you really want to?¡± ¡°Both. I want to be a soldier because I was born into this family. ¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from going into the military, honey. But you should think of it more as one potential choice out of many. You¡¯re only 15¡ªyou still have plenty of time to think about your future. ¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Dad get upset, though?¡± ¡°Your father agrees with me, honey. ¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°We never talked about it at home because it¡¯s not the happiest topic, but the Confederation military¡¯s not going to be Roxche¡¯s backbone for much longer. ¡± ¡°¡­Maybe. ¡± ¡°After the Mural was found, the cold war ended. So naturally the military¡¯s budget shrank and the military itself is being downsized. They even ended conscription, too. ¡± ¡°Which is why career soldiers will be in higher demand!¡± ¡°And that¡¯s a sound argument. But you know, honey. We¡¯re happy to produce soldiers in the Hepburn family, but we¡¯d be just as happy to produce businessmen and other professionals too. ¡± Larry was silent . ¡°I¡¯m just trying to say that if you really come to love Stella, you¡¯re free to take a different path from the rest of the family. ¡± Larry remained silent . ¡°Remember, there are so many paths out there you can choose from. You¡¯re still young; you shouldn¡¯t settle on one thing so soon. ¡± * * * The next day. The 25th. It was the 11th day of the new term. The weather was cloudy. Larry walked to school alone . He walked out of the neighborhood and onto the main street, continuing for about an hour. The closer he got to school, the more students he spotted . Things were clearly different that day. He could feel the students¡¯ whispers the moment he spotted their gazes . It was obvious why; so Larry decided not to worry and fell into thought . ¡°Maybe I should tell Seron after all. But what if I¡¯m wrong?¡± He wondered under his breath, finally arriving at the intersection in front of the campus . The intersection was packed with luxury cars dropping off students at school . ¡°Hey, it¡¯s him. ¡± ¡°The lovey-dovey guy from yesterday?¡± ¡°What does she see in him?¡± ¡°The whole school¡¯s talking about them now. ¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, Larry. Don¡¯t let them get to you,¡± Larry said to himself, heading for the crowded gates . ¡°SC Hepburn¡­¡± He heard a soft voice beside him. Someone touched the bag in his left hand . ¡°Huh?¡± Larry turned to find none other than Stella. She looked up at him blankly . ¡°Good morning. ¡± ¡°M-morning. Did you just get here?¡± Instead of answering, Stella clung to his arm. She began to walk just as they had the previous day . The other students stirred for a moment, then went silent. Larry was once again the subject of many warm gazes . ¡°School¡¯s starting to look a lot like a chapel,¡± a student joked as Larry passed through the gates . Larry glanced at Stella¡¯s left wrist . She was not wearing a watch . * * * During a long break between second and third period . ¡°Hey there. Thanks for your cooperation. ¡± ¡°Not at all, SC Jones. I¡¯m a big fan of your paper. ¡± Jenny was on the grounds talking to a second-year girl . On the grounds were two wooden benches placed back-to-back . Jenny sat on one, and the girl on the other. Because they were looking in opposite directions it simply looked as though they were strangers . The self-proclaimed fan was tall enough to be a model. She seemed excited to be able to contribute . ¡°This is so cool! It¡¯s just like a secret investigation! Ask me anything, SC Jones, and I will spill the beans. It¡¯s about Stella, isn¡¯t it? Everybody¡¯s talking about it! How she¡¯s dating the senior-classman with stupidly nice blond hair!¡± Jenny concealed her notepad in her left hand and held a short pen in her right . ¡°I hear Stella¡¯s supposed to be mature, but she doesn¡¯t have a lot of friends. ¡± ¡°Hm, maybe. She¡¯s not in a club, she doesn¡¯t say much during breaks, and she goes home straight after classes. But nobody hates her or anything. ¡± ¡°I could tell from the investigation so far. No one¡¯s said anything bad about her. ¡± ¡°Right? She never talks behind anybody¡¯s back since she¡¯s so quiet to begin with. That¡¯s the great thing about Stella. If you need anything, she helps you out. And she¡¯s nice. It¡¯d be great if she could make some friends. ¡± ¡°I see. Anyway, about yesterday. ¡± ¡°Yes? Yes?¡± ¡°Those rumors about her and the blond guy spread awfully fast, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everyone who saw was talking about it, and even Stella said it was true¡ª¡± ¡°She did? Personally?¡± ¡°Yeah. We were in Roxchean class that afternoon and someone asked her about the senior-classman. That¡¯s when she dropped the bomb! ¡®Dating with marriage in mind¡¯! The class exploded, I swear. We didn¡¯t quiet down even when the teacher showed up. Then Stella had to explain again and the class exploded again!¡± ¡°¡­So she really said so herself? I¡¯m surprised. ¡± ¡®Rumors confirmed true¡¯, Jenny wrote on her notepad. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s rewind a bit. Do you know about the rumors with Stella and the hulking senior-classman?¡± ¡°You bet! Stella and the gorilla. That was the biggest piece of gossip last term. I saw them together too. ¡± ¡°Really? When did this rumor get big, and how exactly did it go?¡± ¡°Well, a bunch of people said they saw Stella and the gorilla talking alone in secluded places. It started about a year ago, I think? Wait, it was the term we started here, so it must have been earlier. ¡± Jenny quickly jotted down the information . ¡°So it was pretty soon after you started secondary school?¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± ¡°How did the rumor go?¡± ¡°I mean, Stella almost never talks with boys, so nobody believed it at first. But once a month or so someone would say they saw them together. It sounded like a total urban legend. Someone told Stella to tell a teacher if the senior-classman was stalking her, but Stella said straight-up that he wasn¡¯t stalking her. Then everyone stopped worrying. Well, I mean before this completely overshadowed it!¡± ¡°When did you see them together?¡± ¡°Last term. Er¡­around the beginning of the seventh month. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty recent. Where?¡± ¡°I was visiting a friend on the top floor of the dorms and happened to look out the window. They were by the library¡ª¡± ¡°I was visiting a friend on the top floor of the dorms and happened to look out the window. They were by the library¡ª¡± ¡°Secluded place. Check. What was it like between them?¡± ¡°See, that¡¯s the thing. I didn¡¯t tell anyone because no one would ever believe me¡­¡± ¡°Tell me. ¡± ¡°It looked like he couldn¡¯t possibly be a stalker or something like that. ¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°It looked like they were a couple. ¡± Jenny¡¯s hand froze over the notepad . ¡°¡­What made you think that?¡± ¡°Because it was really¡­nice. ¡± ¡°Specifically?¡± ¡°They were looking at one another and¡ª¡± Jenny got off the bench . ¡°Thanks. You were a big help. ¡± ¡°Happy to help! If you need any more info, you know who to ask!¡± ¡°Call the office if you remember anything else. If no one picks up, call my house. ¡± ¡°Sure thing! But I don¡¯t have your number. ¡± ¡°Check the scrap of paper under your bench. ¡± The girl looked down. There was a neatly folded piece of paper pinned under a small rock . ¡°Wow! It¡¯s just like a spy film!¡± ¡°See you. ¡± Jenny and her informant parted ways without once meeting each other¡¯s gaze. The school bell rang to signal the end of the break . Jenny went into the building and glanced at her notepad . And she reread the last sentence . ¡®looking at one another and smiling. Stella never looked so happy and adorable. ¡¯ ¡°So you¡¯re on to something, eh Larry?¡± Jenny whispered, putting the notepad in her bag . * * * ¡°Sure. How could they not be the talk of the town, acting like that every day?¡± Natalia remarked, popping a piece of meatloaf into her mouth . It was lunchtime. Natalia and Nick, along with Meg and Seron. were sitting together to eat as they had the previous day . The difference was that all four of them were eating cafeteria food. Everyone had ordered meatloaf and salad, but Natalia also had an order or clam chowder . Just like the previous day, Larry and Stella sat at another table some distance away as if in a world of their own. Stella had once again brought a home-cooked lunch. And the students around them were once again watching uncomfortably . ¡°Somebody figured out I was friends with Larry and started hounding me about ¡®em. How am I supposed to know? Am I supposed to be his mother or something?¡± Natalia grumbled . ¡°A girl from the drama club asked me in class as well. ¡®It looks like the boy who helped us out during the summer camp is dating a junior-classman. Shouldn¡¯t we call the police?¡¯ She asked me,¡± Nick chimed in, putting a boiled carrot slice into his mouth . ¡°Everyone is too much¡­if the two are happy together, that is that. It is a very good thing,¡± Meg said angrily . Seron sat across from her, blankly losing himself in happiness at the sight of her face . Natalia continued once she had finished off her meatloaf . ¡°Anyway, we didn¡¯t get any new info. What¡¯s the chief say? Anything?¡± Seron put down his fork and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Then¡ª ¡°No. Nothing notable so far. ¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Natalia asked no more, turning her attention to her clam chowder. She scooped up a spoonful into her mouth, her eye glinting . ¡°Mhm. Delicious. You¡¯re worth being eaten by yours truly,¡± she commented, finishing off the rest . Seron changed the subject . ¡°How are the drama club rehearsals going, Megmica?¡± ¡°They are doing very well! They are flowing!¡± ¡°Quite well. ¡± Meg and Nick replied. Meg continued . ¡°Ms. Krantz is very hardworking as well. President Sears and Vice-president Ulericks look to be happy. But rehearsals will continue. We cannot go to the club office again today. On our behalf, please tell Jenny sorry. ¡± ¡°I as well. Other than Larry¡¯s recent state of near-wedded bliss, has anything noteworthy happened?¡± Asked Nick. Seron¡¯s response was brief . ¡°No. ¡± Volume 5 5 — Wristwatches Volume 5 Chapter 5: Wristwatches ----- After school. The clouds gave way to rain. Umbrellas opened up like flowers at the building doors, and students in athletic clubs looked up resentfully at the sky. Jenny entered the newspaper club office. Seron and Larry were already inside. They were engaged in serious discussion, without even drinking tea. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jenny asked. Seron responded. ¡°Stella¡¯s grandfather called Larry last night.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jenny gasped, ¡°to ask you to take good care of his granddaughter, Larry?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jenny frowned. Seron gave her a quick summary of what Larry had told him earlier. ¡°Oh, I forgot to add something to that,¡± Larry said, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Stella about the phone call today. It was kinda awkward to bring up, and I couldn¡¯t just ask her why she told her folks about us.¡± Jenny, who had been listening to the end, spoke. ¡°She¡¯s beating her family to the punch.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing Stella¡¯s parents and grandfather are some of the most doting people in the world. They probably keep tabs on everything their precious little princess does.¡± ¡°So the opposite of your folks, Jenny?¡± Larry joked. ¡°I guess,¡± Jenny admitted, ¡°so basically she got the jump on them. She came out and told them that the guy she¡¯s dating is the son of a prestigious family.¡± ¡°But her grandfather said he was happy to let her date whoever.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he says, but you can never know for sure with adults. He might think he¡¯s letting Stella see whoever she wants, but it might not be true from our perspective. If you didn¡¯t impress him at all, he might have said, ¡®stay away from my granddaughter¡¯. You¡¯re a Hepburn, though, so he probably approves. You better be grateful to your ancestors.¡± ¡°Er¡­you might be right. Thank you, ancestors¡­¡± ¡°Suppose it was me Stella was dating,¡± Seron speculated, ¡°the son of a nouveau riche single mother from the countryside, heir to a foodstuffs company. Mr. Whitfield probably wouldn¡¯t have approved.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put yourself down like that, Seron! Your mother¡¯s an incredible person!¡± ¡°One more thing,¡± Jenny said, ¡°I looked into why those rumors about you and Stella¡¯s potential marriage were spreading so fast.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Stella said so herself during an afternoon class. It wasn¡¯t just a bunch of gossiping girls blowing things out of proportion.¡± Seron fell into thought. ¡°Why would she do that? I never said anything remotely to the effect. Maybe she just has the wrong idea?¡± Larry wondered. He did not sound happy at all, but something seemed to have occurred to him. ¡°Maybe. Maybe Stella didn¡¯t want people to think it wasn¡¯t a wholesome relationship. The fastest way to find out would be to ask her in person.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Larry said with a nod, ¡°and we also have to solve the mystery of her wristwatch.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s flaunting her relationship and wearing a wristwatch she shouldn¡¯t actually have, huh,¡± Jenny muttered, taking out her notepad, ¡°Linus Francis, 18 years old. A sixth-year at our school,¡± she continued without warning. Seron and Larry listened intently, not missing a word. ¡°His parents own the Capital Department Stores chain. Yes, the super-high-end department stores next to all three of the Capital District train stations. SC Linus¡¯s grandfather founded the business, and the company is doing well. So he¡¯s a pretty rich guy. He has an older sister, but I don¡¯t have details on her. His grades are average-to-below, and the only thing notable about him is his build. He¡¯s shy and doesn¡¯t have a lot of friends, and he¡¯s turned down all the sports club offers he got and goes home straight after class. And you wouldn¡¯t know it from the way he looks, but he¡¯s really good with his hands. Last year he apparently pulled off a really intricate ornamented sculpture on his own for the school festival. Also, he¡¯s always wearing a wristwatch. That¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Larry replied. ¡°And about those rumors about Stella from yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty likely that the rumors are true. The eyewitness accounts add up, unless all the second-year girls are collectively conspiring against us.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s spreading false rumors on purpose,¡± Seron muttered. ¡°The witness I spoke to today said she spotted Stella and SC Linus by the library last term. And he wasn¡¯t bothering her¡ªshe says they were both smiling.¡± Larry lowered his gaze. He was silent. ¡°You¡¯re still looking into SC Linus, right?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Oh? Why do you think I am?¡± ¡°Just a hunch.¡± ¡°Too lazy to answer me, Seron? Oh all right. Fine. Yes, I¡¯m still looking into him.¡± ¡°How?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°When I heard that he leaves straight after class, I called up Mr. Kurtz and had him tail SC Linus. It¡¯s not likely, but maybe he¡¯s meeting Stella off-campus,¡± Jenny replied nonchalantly. ¡°You¡¯re really something else, Jenny. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± ¡°Mr. Kurtz¡¯ll call the office if he sees anything noteworthy. We¡¯ll wait here until sundown, but don¡¯t expect anything. Investigations aren¡¯t as easy as they might look,¡± Jenny warned sternly. At that moment, the phone began to ring. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± Seron and Larry gasped. ¡°Ugh.¡± Jenny cringed and picked up the receiver. ¡°It¡¯s me. Mhm. Mhm. I see. Where? ¡­All right. I¡¯ll have Litner pick me up. Yeah. Thanks. See you soon.¡± Jenny hung up. Seron and Larry waited. ¡°We¡¯ve tracked down Linus Francis. Litner¡¯s going to come get me by car. You in?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll brief you on the details on the way.¡± After leaving the office, Jenny, Seron, and Larry went to the gates with their umbrellas. Jenny was carrying a camera bag. The after-school rush was over, leaving the intersection clear. The club members entered a small hatchback driven by Elsa Litner, Jenny¡¯s bodyguard. Litner was a black-haired woman in her late twenties who had escorted the club on their summer camp, so Seron and Larry were already acquainted with her. Seron sat in the front next to Litner, and Larry and Jenny in the back. Soon they were off. ¡°Your things are in the back, Miss Jenny.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Jenny turned and took out a long bag from the luggage compartment behind the seat. Inside was a large single-lens reflex camera and an extreme telephoto lens large enough to use as a club. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Larry breathed, his eyes wide. ¡°It looks expensive.¡± ¡°It is.¡± The rain had let up somewhat. The car continued down the thoroughfare. ¡°So, where are we headed?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Balfour Technical School. Have you heard of it?¡± ¡°Yeah. What about you, Seron?¡± ¡°No. Could you tell me more?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a school for continuing education. It¡¯s actually an offshoot of Balfour Vocational School, and the classes start after the vocational school students go home for the day. The Technical School students can use the Vocational School¡¯s equipment and facilities, and classes include everything from light woodworking to building car engines. It¡¯s mostly for people who¡¯re already working but want to get technical education for a different career path. Tuition is on the expensive end.¡± ¡°Thanks, Larry,¡± said Seron. ¡°I¡¯m impressed. Even I didn¡¯t know all that,¡± Jenny added. She and Seron quickly realized why. ¡°Aha. I get it now.¡± ¡°Did you read my mind or something, Jenny?¡± Larry asked defensively. ¡°You weren¡¯t sure if you could get into our school with your grades, right? So you were thinking about vocational school too, just in case. And you decided on Balfour Vocational School because it¡¯s the most prestigious school for technicians and engineers in the Capital District. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re too smart for your own good, Jenny. Anyway, SC Linus¡¯s gone to Balfour?¡± ¡°Waltzed right in, according to Kurtz. But¡ª¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°He changed out of his uniform at the department store bathroom on the way.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Balfour Technical School¡¯s for working people, but there¡¯s no age limit or anything. Even a working teenager can attend. But¡ª¡± ¡°Larry continued where Jenny left off. ¡°He¡¯ll stick out like a sore thumb if he goes in wearing a secondary school uniform. So he had to change out of it. And it makes sense he¡¯d hide it from his classmates, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to cover this story since it¡¯s real.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of publishing a newspaper, then? Anyway, why is SC Linus going to this school? Is he actually taking classes there?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of publishing a newspaper, then? Anyway, why is SC Linus going to this school? Is he actually taking classes there?¡± ¡°Probably, unless he¡¯s going to hang out with a friend who studies there.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t add up. He goes to secondary school and technical school every day?¡± Larry furrowed his brow. Seron agreed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine someone doing both at once. It would have been a lot easier for SC Linus if he¡¯d just gone to vocational school instead of secondary school to begin with. Maybe he¡¯s planning to go to university and learning something at Balfour as a hobby?¡± ¡°Or maybe his grades slipped so much he decided to try Balfour instead. But in that case, it would have been easier to drop out of secondary school. I don¡¯t get it,¡± Jenny said. By then, they were in front of Balfour Vocational School. It looked like a factory, with low walls around the campus which included three buildings with few floors. Jenny instructed Litner to pass the school slowly. As they passed the gate, Jenny peered into the school and snapped photographs with her rangefinder. ¡°What¡¯re we gonna do? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d let us get a tour of the place, but we¡¯ll stand out in our uniforms,¡± Larry said. ¡°I¡¯m not too keen on going in there, actually. Litner, take us to Kurtz,¡± Jenny ordered. The car came to a stop in front of an apartment building in the block next to the school. The rain had almost completely let up. ¡°Hold this, Larry,¡± Jenny said as she handed over her long bag and stepped out of the car. At the same time, Kurtz came out of the building in his usual black suit. ¡°Good afternoon, Miss Jenny. And it¡¯s good to see you again, Mr. Maxwell. Mr. Hepburn.¡± Kurtz led the group into the apartment building. Larry slung the long bag over his shoulder and asked, ¡°are we allowed to go inside?¡± ¡°Yes. This apartment has units for rent. Put on your best confident smile and act as though you¡¯re here to peruse the building.¡± They took the elevator up to the fifth floor and ran into a middle-aged woman holding an empty shopping bag. She seemed to be a building resident. ¡°Hi! We¡¯re here to look at some of the units here. The building¡¯s very nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jenny said with a smile. The woman smiled back. ¡°It certainly is. Take your time looking around!¡± ¡°Are you going shopping nearby now that the rain¡¯s stopped?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s a shopping district just two blocks away.¡± ¡°That sounds very convenient.¡± The woman entered the elevator with a smile, completely oblivious. Jenny, Seron, Larry, and Kurtz walked all the way to the end of the hall to a common-use balcony furnished with chairs, tables, and a folded parasol. From the balcony they had a view of the entire Balfour campus. Jenny took the bag from Larry¡¯s shoulder and took out a camera equipped with a telephoto lens. Then she took out two binoculars from her own bag and handed them to Seron and Larry. Kurtz was the only one standing on the balcony. The others crouched down to keep out of sight, turning their lenses toward the school. Not caring that the floor was wet, Jenny got down on one knee and steadied her lens on a chair. Three buildings came into view. ¡°I¡¯ll take the closest building. Larry, you take the one at the end. Seron, the one in the middle. Speak up as soon as you find the gorilla. And I hope I don¡¯t have to remind you that we¡¯re doing this to try and figure out what he¡¯s doing at this school.¡± ¡°This is practically stalking,¡± Larry muttered, but he followed orders and scrutinized the classrooms one by one. The first class he saw contained wide desks with about ten or so adult students engaged in woodworking. The beautifully sculpted wood would probably be turned into luxurious chairs. In the next class over, students were sculpting circular pieces of wood. It was the traditional Roxchean art of making decorative dishes. Jenny also searched the classes through her viewfinder. The students in the first class she saw were making brass instruments, carefully bending the golden pipes. Next to them were people testing out different wind instruments. ¡°There!¡± Seron cried suddenly, ¡°the first floor in the central building. Third classroom from the right.¡± Larry and Jenny turned their lenses. Chairs and desks were placed at regular intervals in the room, no different than an ordinary school. However, the desks themselves were very tall. Sitting there were students in white. The desks went all the way up to their shoulders. The students almost hugged the desks as they leaned in close to the tiny objects before their eyes, moving both their hands as they worked. On the desks were lights and small boxes. ¡°The seat at the back of the class, by the window. That¡¯s got to be SC Linus,¡± Seron said. As Seron said, at the back of the classroom sat Linus with his massive frame wrapped up in white and his large arms on the desk. There was a cylindrical magnifying loupe over his left eye. Linus scrutinized the tiny object before him as he lost himself in his work. Other than the angle of his gaze, it looked like he was lying on the desk. ¡°That¡¯s definitely him,¡± Jenny said with several clicks of the shutter. She wound the film and shot again. Then again, changing the exposure. ¡°That¡¯s definitely him,¡± Jenny said with several clicks of the shutter. She wound the film and shot again. Then again, changing the exposure. ¡°What are they working on? It looks like they have to hold those things close to their eyes,¡± wondered Seron. They could not make out the objects with their binoculars and the camera. But Larry knew the instant he saw. ¡°Easy,¡± he said bitterly, ¡°watches.¡± * * * Just as the stakeout crew began to pack up and leave¡ª ¡°When am I gonna get a chance to shine?¡± Natalia groaned. The rehearsals had been moved from the gymnasium to the auditorium, where the drama club would put on the play later in the term. Natalia and the orchestra club were on standby just below the stage, waiting just as they would during the performance. On the stage, the impassioned Ms. Krantz directed the actors. The orchestra club and the four members of the chorus club were left with nothing to do. Dozens were left to wait idly. ¡°I wish to appear. I wish to be singing,¡± whispered one of the four chorus club members¡ªMegmica. On stage, Ms. Krantz finished and clapped loudly. On cue, Nick the Black Knight ran forward in school-issue sweats and took center stage. ¡°But remember this! I know your true identity!¡± He cried. * * * ¡°Hey Meg. It¡¯s been too long.¡± ¡°Whoa! You¡¯re pretty good at the old-timey lady Roxchean, Meg!¡± ¡°Still busy with the drama club?¡± ¡°That sucks. But I promise I¡¯ll come see the performance.¡± ¡°What about the newspaper club? Helping out with them too?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Yeah. I wear it when I go out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t see many girls with watches, yeah. I mean, they¡¯re expensive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually a hand-me-down from my mom.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s really manly and not cute at all. They made it really big and easy to read because it was designed for pilots, so it practically feels like a bangle. So I don¡¯t usually wear it.¡± ¡°Mom wears a new one she got from a watch company, thought. The company was doing a marketing campaign saying elite Air Force pilots wear their products, so they handed them out. Her co-workers said they were fine with what they had, but Mom took hers. Why turn down a free lunch, she said.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. Don¡¯t remember the name, though.¡± ¡°You think? I dunno. You know what she¡¯s like. Just the other day she flew off without permission on a test unit and had to submit a report. Not like she had much of a choice, but still¡­¡± ¡°N-never mind. Just talking to myself.¡± ¡°N-never mind. Just talking to myself.¡± * * * The 26th day of the ninth month. It was the day after the Balfour investigation. The sky was clear. Yet again, Stella found Larry on campus as he stepped through the gates and linked arms with him. At lunchtime, she opened up a homemade lunchbox. A seemingly unpopular muscular boy and a quiet, stoic girl. As a couple, they were already a cafeteria legend. Which naturally meant that the mystique had worn off and students were reacting less and less to their existence. They simply passed by as if nothing was wrong. ¡°No complaints here. Cafeteria food¡¯s great,¡± said Natalia, yet again with two servings on her tray. ¡°It is good to eat, but I think no longer we should watch Larry and Stella,¡± Meg chimed in. ¡°Have you made any progress?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. I¡¯ll tell you more at the office later,¡± Seron replied, avoiding the question. After school, Jenny, Seron, and Larry gathered at the office. They sat on the sofas around the coffee table. ¡°Let¡¯s get all the facts straight,¡± Seron said. On the table was a photo of Linus at work. The image was grainy because Jenny had to zoom in, but it was clear that he was making a wristwatch. Seron continued. ¡°At the beginning of the term, Stella Whitfield asked Larry out saying she wanted to hang out with him only on campus. When Larry accepted, she began to flaunt their relationship in many different ways. She told her classmates and her family that they were dating with marriage in mind,¡± Seron recited mechanically. Larry nodded slightly, not saying a word. ¡°Let¡¯s rewind a bit. Not long after starting school here, Stella Whitfield was spotted with then-fifth-year student Linus Francis. Everyone thought he was stalking her, but there¡¯s a good chance they were very close, at least until last term. Rumors about them began to spread. Linus Francis currently attends Balfour Technical School and is learning to make wristwatches.¡± Seron stopped there. Jenny picked up where he left off. ¡°At this point, we can probably conclude that Stella had been dating Linus until last term before breaking up and moving on to Larry. She might be flaunting her new relationship to make a point of telling Linus that she¡¯s found someone new and that he should give up on her.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Seron agreed. ¡°I hope that¡¯s what it really is,¡± said Larry. Jenny shot him a glare. ¡°Hey. Larry Hepburn.¡± ¡°Yes, Jenny?¡± ¡°Spill the beans already.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your game? No one asks for an investigation on someone they just started dating. I started helping out because I was curious about the saint of a girl who decided to go out with you, but I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d end up getting in this deep.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°And Seron!¡± Jenny turned, this time glaring at Seron. ¡°What is it?¡± Seron simply stared back. ¡°Why did you agree to Larry¡¯s request immediately? Did he tell you something ahead of time?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No.¡± Seron and Larry replied in unison. Seron continued. ¡°I was shocked when Larry asked us to investigate, but I knew he must have had a good reason. I decided to help out because I knew he¡¯d tell us why.¡± Larry¡¯s eyes narrowed in a smile. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Seron replied, as casually as though Larry had borrowed a pen. ¡°Ugh! This is why boys are such a nuisance!¡± Jenny said with a laugh, ¡°I¡¯m sick of all this ambiguity. I want the truth, Larry.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Larry said, and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and turned his face to the ceiling, exhaling. Then he looked down and opened his eyes again, meeting Seron and Jenny¡¯s gaze. ¡°Stella,¡± Larry said firmly and gravely, ¡°isn¡¯t in love with me.¡± Volume 5 6 — The Trap Volume 5 Chapter 6: The Trap ----- ¡°Stella isn¡¯t in love with me,¡± Larry said . Seron and Jenny listened on, calm and displeased respectively . ¡°I realized it the first time I met her under the tree. I could tell she wasn¡¯t in love with me. But she asked me out anyway. So I started wondering, ¡®why?¡¯ And I realized that this was a trap. ¡± ¡°And how did you know she wasn¡¯t in love with you?¡± Asked Jenny . ¡°I can¡¯t answer that yet,¡± Larry replied . ¡°Seriously? Fine. Keep going. ¡± ¡°Right. So I willingly walked into the trap. Stella¡¯s using me to fool people into thinking she¡¯s going out with me. I confirmed my suspicions when I saw her flaunting our relationship everywhere yesterday and today. This is a diversionary tactic. The louder the diversion, the more effective it is. I just learned that recently. ¡± Seron remembered Larry saying the same thing in uniform before the start of the term . ¡°So?¡± Jenny demanded . ¡°So I wanted to know why Stella was doing all this. ¡± ¡°Hm. ¡± ¡°I¡­I gave up on going out with her from the moment I met her under the tree. But I want to know why she set this trap. And once I find out, I¡¯m going to try and help her out. If I can¡¯t figure it out, I¡¯ll have to ask her myself. Not that she¡¯s likely to tell me, anyway. ¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jenny agreed. Seron nodded . ¡°If I asked, she might break up with me first,¡± Larry speculated, ¡°then that¡¯s just another life experience under my belt. ¡± Jenny realized that Larry was quoting what she had said two days ago. ¡°Heh! You¡¯re getting better, Hepburn,¡± she said with a self-deprecating smile. Larry smiled back . ¡°Then Stella would probably find another target. A boy from a prestigious family her parents would accept. She¡¯d cling to him and share homemade lunches with him for the whole school to see. I know she has her reasons and it¡¯s nosy of me to butt in, but I don¡¯t want to watch Stella go through with this anymore. ¡± ¡°All right. I understand,¡± Jenny said, nodding . ¡°Yeah,¡± said Seron, ¡°thanks for telling us, Larry. ¡± ¡°Nah, nothing to be thankful about. In fact, I should be apologizing for lying to you. Sorry, guys. I mean it,¡± Larry replied with a shake of the head. Then he stood and resumed his usual upbeat tone, ¡°all right! Who wants some tea?¡± He strode over to the kitchenette and began to prepare the tea . As Jenny watched, she asked him, ¡°what¡¯s your take on Linus Francis?¡± ¡°He looks like a gorilla,¡± Larry replied, still busy at work . ¡°Anything else?¡± Larry¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly . ¡°I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence, but I get the feeling Stella and SC Linus still like each other. But they¡¯re hiding it for some reason. ¡± ¡°Yeah. I think so too,¡± said Jenny . ¡°Same. But that doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Seron said. Larry was leaning against the wall by the kitchen, and Jenny sat near Seron on the sofa. Both gave him their full attention. ¡°SC Linus¡¯s family runs the Capital Department Stores chain. Sure, they¡¯re not quite as prestigious as the Hepburns, but¡ªand I really don¡¯t want to put it this way¡ªin terms of standing, they¡¯re definitely a good match for the Whitfields. ¡± ¡°His grades could use work, though,¡± Jenny pointed out . ¡°So could mine,¡± Larry rebutted her . ¡°Then get to it,¡± Jenny scolded him . ¡°And,¡± Seron continued, looking down at his watch, ¡°consider the rule that Stella has to marry a watchmaker. SC Linus is a perfect fit. He¡¯s even doing something as crazy as going to technical school on top of secondary school. ¡± Larry nodded, pointing at the photos. ¡°SC Linus was putting together clockwork. Which means he has to put together all these tiny gears and springs and parts into a tiny system with special tweezers. While looking through a loupe. It¡¯s really intricate work, and not everyone can do it. ¡± ¡°I checked with Balfour Technical School this afternoon,¡± said Jenny, ¡°apparently their watchmaking course is really advanced. Students even make original wristwatches out of scratch. So you basically need foundational knowledge before you enroll. ¡± ¡°In other words, there¡¯s no reason SC Linus can¡¯t make his relationship with Stella public,¡± Seron concluded, ¡°I don¡¯t understand why she would go so far to hide the relationship. And so suddenly, too. ¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± ¡°Same. ¡± Jenny and Larry nodded in unison . ¡°If only we knew, we could figure out why Stella¡¯s doing all this,¡± Jenny sighed . Many seconds passed in silence. It was broken by the whistling of the kettle . Larry put a teabag in the teapot and brought it to the table with their cups . ¡°Thanks. ¡± ¡°Thanks. ¡± Handing Seron and Jenny their cups of tea, Larry poured some into his own flower-print cup and took a seat . For some time they sipped tea in silence. Then¡ª ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll need to do some more investigating. ¡± ¡°Looks like we need to investigate some more. ¡± ¡°Looks like we have more investigating to do. ¡± Jenny, Larry, and Seron spoke nearly at once . Jenny continued first. ¡°We¡¯ve done about all we can on campus. We¡¯re down to investigating the technical school, but if we make too much of a fuss¡ª¡± ¡°Stella and SC Linus will notice,¡± Seron finished . ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry agreed, and took a sip of tea. He continued, ¡°what about this? We could talk to SC Linus and not Stella. They don¡¯t meet after class, so we can catch SC Linus while he¡¯s on his way to Balfour. ¡± ¡°And?¡± Jenny asked . ¡°I¡¯ll tell him that I want to help, and get the whole story. ¡± ¡°A direct assault, huh. But what if he doesn¡¯t tell you? He¡¯d tell Stella about it, and our plan¡¯ll be kaput. ¡± ¡°True. Sorry, that was a stupid idea. Forget I said anything,¡± Larry said with a shrug . ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Jenny replied, ¡°if anything, I¡¯m glad you haven¡¯t changed. ¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°You were sounding so much smarter than usual I was starting to worry¡ª¡± ¡°Okay. I get it. Never mind. ¡± ¡°Jenny,¡± Seron said, ¡°could I have another look at the photo of SC Linus on campus?¡± Jenny took out the photo from her bag and handed it to Seron. Then she picked up the photo from the technical school and filed it away . The photo depicted Linus Francis, the large boy with the gentle expression. And his watch . Seron scrutinized the photo for some time . ¡°I¡­can¡¯t think of anything,¡± he finally said, turning the photo over and placing it on the table. ¡°I need to clear my thoughts. ¡± ¡°Should I sing you a song?¡± Larry joked. There was no response . The air was heavy . ¡°We¡¯re here~!¡± The door opened and Natalia¡¯s exaggerated voice broke the silence. She was singing, projecting like an opera singer or a musical actress . ¡°Pfft!¡± Larry spat out his tea . ¡°Ah~ so good to return~ to our good old office~¡± She was by no means a bad singer, but Natalia¡¯s song was an unconventional one. She was followed by¡ª ¡°My heart is~ also happy~¡± Meg, singing in a lovely soprano . Seron¡¯s heart skipped a beat at the beautiful voice filling the room. He was so distracted that he forgot to put the photo away . And finally¡ª ¡°And~ la la la la~¡± Nick arrived in school-issue sweats, closing the door behind him and skillfully singing one conjunction and several lyric-less notes . The finale belonged to Natalia . ¡°So what I mean to say is~,¡± she sang, in a rather high pitch, ¡°Larry~ put the kettle on~!¡± ¡°So what I mean to say is~,¡± she sang, in a rather high pitch, ¡°Larry~ put the kettle on~!¡± It was an order . The others stared, lost for words . ¡°What¡¯s wrong, guys?¡± Natalia demanded, ¡°It¡¯s me! Natalia the bespectacled beauty! You didn¡¯t forget me just because I was gone for a few days?¡± ¡°I wish we had,¡± Larry replied . ¡°Cruel, Larry. Chief. Seron. It¡¯s been a while!¡± ¡°The practice finished earlier today so we came to this office to drink cups of delicious tea!¡± Said Meg . ¡°We are still part of the newspaper club, after all,¡± Nick added . Larry wiped down the table and sofa and turned. ¡°So what was that song supposed to be?¡± ¡°We made it up on the way here,¡± Natalia replied, ¡°we were going to sing one part in unison but there wasn¡¯t enough time to practice. Didn¡¯t live up to your ridiculous expectations, eh?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have expectations in the first place. What was the point of all that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? We were bringing some peace of mind to you poor lambs, lost and lonely without us!¡± ¡°More like you broke our minds to pieces,¡± Larry sighed, getting to his feet, ¡°I¡¯ll put the kettle on. ¡± He picked up the teapot and headed to the kitchenette again. Natalia, Meg, and Nick sat down in a row . ¡°Why the long face?¡± Natalia asked, looking at Jenny and Seron . ¡°Is the thing you are researching well?¡± Asked Meg . ¡°Not really,¡± Seron admitted . ¡°Is there anything we can do? We would be happy to help,¡± offered Nick . ¡°Nah¡­we¡¯re all right for today,¡± Jenny said. That was when Meg noticed something . ¡°Hm?¡± The photo on the table . ¡°What is this a photo of, Seron?¡± Her pale, slender arm reached for the upside-down photo on the table . ¡°Ah!¡± Seron reached out to stop her, ready to grab Meg¡¯s hand if he had to . But his hand froze in midair, unable to go through with the deed . ¡°What is this?¡± Not noticing Seron, Meg picked up to photograph. It showed Linus, upside-down. Meg turned it around . ¡°Oh my goodness. ¡± ¡°Hm? Who¡¯s in it?¡± ¡°The subject?¡± Natalia and Nick leaned over . ¡°Er¡­¡± Seron slowly withdrew his hand and cast Jenny a glance . She was visibly upset . Larry turned his gaze from the boiling water to the table at the sound of the voices . ¡°Ah¡­not good. ¡± The others had discovered the photo, he realized . ¡°Seron,¡± Meg said, ¡°this is¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s! Er¡­a misunderstanding¡­?¡± ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Er¡­¡± Just as Jenny and Larry stepped up to help, Meg raised her voice . ¡°This is SC Linus! Yes?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Seron, Larry, and Jenny¡¯s shock was eclipsed by the sound of the whistling kettle . Larry gave up on the tea. He turned off the stove and ran to the sofa . ¡°Megmica! You know this guy?¡± ¡°Pardon me? Yes,¡± Meg nodded. Jenny leapt . ¡°How?!¡± ¡°Huh? Er¡­I attended a Bezelese class along with this senior-classman last year. ¡± ¡°Why were you in a Bezelese class, Megmica?¡± Asked Natalia . Meg replied, ¡°to be completely correct, I did not take the class. The teacher asked me to come to the class. The teacher needed a conversation partner helper so I could help. ¡± ¡°Ah. They needed someone to help out for listening exercises. ¡± ¡°Yes, that is right. But it was just once. This person was there at that time. I remember because he is very tall. He introduced himself, ¡®my name is Linus¡¯, in Bezelese of course. I did not remember his family name. I am sorry. ¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Seron breathed, finally recovering from the shock. But his state of calm did not last . ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Francis¡¯,¡± said Natalia . ¡°What?¡± Jenny turned . ¡°H-how¡¯d you know that, Lia?¡± Larry cried, going pale . ¡°Tea ready yet?¡± Natalia asked instead of replying . ¡°No¡ªlook, I¡¯ll brew the tea after you explain. Yes, his family name is Francis. How did you know? You met him before?¡± ¡°Yeah. In the orchestra club. ¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Oh my¡­¡± Meg blinked in confusion, though not as much as Jenny and Seron . ¡°How?¡± Jenny asked . ¡°This guy looks like a gorilla, but he¡¯s really good with his hands. You know him, chief?¡± ¡°Yeah. And?¡± ¡°He repairs instruments. ¡± ¡°So he goes to the orchestra club after classes?¡± ¡°Yeah. Sometimes our supervisor calls him in to the prep room to do some light repairs. He¡¯s pretty nice too, so everyone calls him SC Sweet Gorilla. Heard he goes to a technical school after class, so he must really like this kinda stuff,¡± Natalia said nonchalantly . ¡°Oh, I understand,¡± Meg said, impressed . Jenny, Larry, and Seron, on the other hand, went limp . ¡°I didn¡¯t ask the orchestra club because they were so busy,¡± Jenny groaned . ¡°So what about this guy, chief? Is he the secret to womankind¡¯s happiness? Or the heir to some really noble family?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know¡­¡± ¡°I see this investigation of yours has been putting quite the strain on you all,¡± Nick remarked . ¡°Hey¡­Nick. Nicholas Browning,¡± Larry finally spoke . ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not gonna say you know this guy too, are you? Please tell me no. ¡± ¡°You¡¯re not gonna say you know this guy too, are you? Please tell me no. ¡± ¡°No, I do not recognize him. ¡± Three of the club members sighed in relief. Nick scrutinized the photo in Meg¡¯s hands . ¡°A student of his stature would be quite difficult to miss. Although I suppose I wouldn¡¯t have taken any classes with him anyway, as you say he is a senior-classman. ¡± ¡°Sixth-year,¡± Natalia said . ¡°Of course. His name is Linus Francis, you say? Interesting. I believe the family that owns the department stores by the train stations were called Francis. ¡± Seron nodded. ¡°You know your stuff, Nick. Yeah, his parents run the chain. ¡± ¡°Aha! So he really is the Francis family¡¯s son. Then I suppose it¡¯s only natural for you to investigate him as well,¡± Nick said with a smile . ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Jenny, Larry, and Seron reacted once more . ¡°What do you mean, Nick?¡± Asked Seron . ¡°Naturally¡ªhm? Have I not mentioned this before?¡± ¡°Mentioned what?¡± ¡°The Francis family¡ª¡± Nick began to explain. It did not take long. In fact, it was over in two sentences . ¡°¡ªone. ¡± Afterwards, Seron, Larry, And Jenny, Yelled in unison . ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± * * * ¡°And that¡¯s how it is,¡± Seron said, explaining everything to Natalia, Meg, and Nick. It had taken him some time but he managed to cover all the important points . ¡°That¡¯s one complicated story. Aww, don¡¯t cry, Larry,¡± Natalia teased . ¡°I¡¯m not crying,¡± Larry growled . ¡°That is¡­it is so sorry for Larry! It is okay because he says he is okay, but¡­¡± Meg trailed off . ¡°Thanks, Megmica. I appreciate it,¡± Larry replied with a smile . ¡°I suppose things would have been much easier for you if I had explained everything fully from the outset. My apologies,¡± said Nick . ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Better late than never,¡± Larry said, pouring Nick another cup of tea . ¡°So what now?¡± Natalia asked the obvious question. Seron spoke again . ¡°Nick, when do they announce the results of the Whitfield Competition?¡± ¡°Before the upcoming weekend, which would mean¡­on the 28th, two days from now. It will make the papers on the 29th at the latest. Of course, as the competition is known only to wristwatch aficionados and industry players, the news will only make a corner of the pages. ¡± ¡°Then it won¡¯t be too late to take action on the 31st, the day we get back to school. ¡± ¡°Yes, if your hunch is correct. ¡± Seron nodded . ¡°There¡¯s a good chance SC Linus¡¯s name will make the article. If that happens,¡± he said, looking at Jenny, ¡°it¡¯ll be the newspaper club¡¯s turn. ¡± Volume 5 7 — Cana Volume 5 Chapter 7: Cana ----- The 28th day of the ninth month. It was lunchtime at the cafeteria. ¡°Is something the matter¡­?¡± Stella asked Larry. Spread between them was a delicious homemade lunch. Omelette with plenty of ground beef¡ªLarry¡¯s favorite¡ªalong with boiled broccoli salad, bread, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. ¡°Huh? Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Larry replied. But Stella was not fooled. ¡°No. You¡¯re¡­acting strange, SC Hepburn. Yesterday too,¡± she said, ¡°you look¡­tired. And a little sad.¡± Larry¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Maybe,¡± he paused, then opened his mouth, ¡°Stella.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°About the 31st. The first day back after the weekend.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have something to take care of at lunchtime, so we won¡¯t be able to eat together.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t need to make me anything. Don¡¯t push yourself, okay?¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°But in exchange, could you give me some time after school that day?¡± ¡°¡­I¡­have to go straight home.¡± ¡°Just for a little while. It won¡¯t take longer than one of those days when classes end a little late. And if your family gets worried, I¡¯ll give your grandfather a call and apologize. Or we can go apologize to him together. How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°That¡­sounds fine,¡± Stella said with a nod. ¡°Thanks. Then let¡¯s meet after class on the 31st, under the same tree as before.¡± Seron watched as Larry scratched his right ear, then the back of his head. ¡°All right. Depending on tomorrow¡¯s results, we¡¯ll take action on the 31st,¡± he said to Natalia, Meg, and Nick, who were sitting with him. ¡°Do you think it will work?¡± Asked Nick. Natalia and Meg looked at Seron. ¡°I believe in SC Linus.¡± * * * The next day. Very early in the morning of the 29th. Because it was the weekend, the school was deserted that day. Seron walked out the quiet gates and left the campus empty-handed. About an hour later, he returned through the quiet gates, entering the campus with a newspaper in hand. He stepped into a telephone booth in the dormitory building lobby and called Jenny Jones. ¡°We¡¯re good to go, Jenny. SC Linus really did it.¡± In a corner of the newspaper in Seron¡¯s hand was a small article. ¡®3305 Whitfield Competition Winner Announced: Linus F.¡¯ His family name had been shortened to an initial, but Linus had indeed made it. The name of the prize-winning wristwatch was also featured in the article. * * * The 31st day of the ninth month. It was lunchtime on the first day of school that week. Seron quickly finished his lunch alone and headed to the newspaper club office. ¡°Hey there!¡± ¡°Come on in.¡± Larry and Jenny were sitting in side. A large piece of paper was spread on the table before them. A black-and-white newspaper for posting on the wall. Seron stood over the paper with his hands on the table and read its contents in one go. Then, he looked up. ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°Thanks. I got so pumped up I decided to print 50 copies this time. I can¡¯t wait for class to end.¡± * * * Breaktime, before the last class of the day. In the hallway. ¡°Sorry, got some business to take care of. Put in a good word with SC Portman for me,¡± Natalia said to her orchestra club friends. ¡°Put in a good word¡­¡± ¡°¡­with SC Portman?!¡± Her friends complained as Natalia set off for class. At around the same time, in a different hallway. ¡°I am very sorry. There is a job that can never be missed today, so I wish to rest from practice,¡± Meg pleaded, bowing to her chorus club senior-classmen. ¡°We understand. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± they replied. At the same time, in another hallway. ¡°President,¡± Nick called, stopping Arthur Sears in the hall. He and Sophia Ulericks both turned. ¡°Hey there, Nick. What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I will have to miss practice today. I have business to attend to at the newspaper club.¡± * * * After school. It was clear. Students swarming in droves toward the gates. But a certain part of the campus was separated from the massive flow. The grounds behind the school building were grassy with flower beds dotting the area. And standing prominently over it all was a massive oak tree with green branches. Jenny had once called it a legendary tree, which guaranteed that any confession made under its branches would be reciprocated. A student walked over to the tree. Sixth-year Linus Francis, his frame so large that his tie looked unnaturally thin, and his face so gentle it did not fit the rest of his body. He was carrying his bag, which also looked disproportionately small, and a cloth bag containing a change of clothes. On this right wrist was a watch. He looked as powerless as a man facing the gallows. When he found no one under the tree, he looked around. Then he leaned against the trunk and waited nervously. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Larry Hepburn was keeping a watchful eye on Linus as the latter leaned against the tree. He was watching from very close by. ¡°He is there¡­¡± Meg, Seron, Jenny, Natalia, and Nick were also watching as Linus leaned against the tree. They were watching him from a distance, through their binoculars. ¡°I must say I am getting rather used to this kind of activity,¡± Nick remarked. The five students were each holding binoculars, pressed against the office window as they watched Linus. This time, the three girls were half-kneeling on a soft rug under the window with their elbows on the windowsill. Seron and Nick stood behind them. Mounted on a tripod to Jenny¡¯s right was a camera equipped with a long telephoto lens pointing at the tree. Jenny was holding the cable release. She took a shot and wound the film. ¡°We didn¡¯t give Larry a script,¡± Natalia said, ¡°is he gonna be all right? He¡¯s not gonna run off at the big moment?¡± ¡°Actually, he gave me a telephone call yesterday afternoon,¡± Nick answered, ¡°he asked me the secret to giving a good performance. So I gave him an answer.¡± ¡°What did you answer him with?¡± Asked Meg. ¡°¡®You must be bold¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°Nick, you¡¯re the one who lied to get SC Gorilla out there, right?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Indeed I am.¡± ¡°What¡¯d you tell him to get him to skip technical school? He looks like he¡¯s about to faint.¡± Nick flashed an elegant smile. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot say. It would be a shame if our friendship were to be ruined over such a trivial matter.¡± ¡°Scary,¡± Natalia said with a grin, ¡°so now the rest is up to Larry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gonna be all right,¡± said Seron, ¡°Larry¡¯s not going to run.¡± Just as Jenny smiled at Seron¡¯s remark¡ª Linus¡¯s anxious voice filled the newspaper club members¡¯ ears. He had a deep but frail voice. The voice was coming from the speakers on the table behind the club members. The speakers were hooked up to a tube amp, whose tubes were glowing a dull orange. A long cable was connected to the amp. It ran out the office window, towards the tree, before it disappeared into the ground. At the end of the cable was a microphone sealed in a buried box. ¡°Sounds great. The marvels of civilization, eh.¡± Natalia commented. ¡°Obviously,¡± Jenny replied, ¡°it was tough planting the cable and the microphone over lunch break.¡± ¡°And thanks to your efforts, we will be privy to the truth of the situation. Thank you, Jenny. Your efforts are much¡ª¡± Nick stopped. ¡°There! Our star has arrived!¡± He cried. Everyone stared hard into their binoculars. Through their lenses they saw Stella¡¯s petite form, next to the building behind Linus and the tree. Linus was facing away from her. Stella did not seem to have noticed Linus. She walked briskly to the tree. Larry heard her footsteps. ¡°Whew¡­all right.¡± With leather gloves on his hands, he tightened his grip on the rope. Stella¡¯s voice filled the office. Stella had drawn close to the tree and noticed the boy leaning against it. Linus¡¯s cry of shock followed. Jenny smirked. ¡°Now let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of, Sir Hepburn.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Whoa!¡± ¡°Wh-what are you doing here?!¡± Stella demanded as Linus flinched. ¡°¡­Er¡­I¡­¡± Linus could not manage a proper word. Instead he shook his head slightly and held his bag in front of him with trembling hands. Stella quickly looked around. ¡°Y-you have to go, now!¡± ¡°B-but¡­I¡­¡± ¡°Please, you have to leave!¡± Stella said, and reached into her bag. She pulled out her wristwatch. As Linus watched, she put the watch around her left wrist. ¡°Please, you have to do as I say! You can¡¯t be here!¡± ¡°But I¡ª¡± Then came a third voice. ¡°Whoa there, calm down!¡± The voice had come from above. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Stella and Linus looked up in unison. The first thing they saw were the branches of the oak tree and its splendid foliage. Larry had been hiding inside. A rope came down from the branches, its end touching the ground. ¡°Hah!¡± Larry rappelled down the rope. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Larry appeared before the surprised couple, dressed in camouflage gear. He was wearing a Confederation Army uniform with a pair of combat boots. He also wore a hat and a camouflage scarf over his face. The rope was wrapped around his waist and thighs, fixed to metal carabiners. The rope passed through the carabiners and slowed his descent. Pulling the scarf off his face and unclipping the rope, Larry greeted Stella and Linus. ¡°Hey there! The name¡¯s Larry. Larry Hepburn.¡± Larry landed safely between the large boy and the tiny girl. And he threw out a line straight from a radio drama. Natalia could not keep her composure, her hand over her stomach as she trembled in barely-suppressed fits of laughter. Jenny continued to take more photos. ¡°Going good so far.¡± ¡°He will do a fine job, so long as he remembers my advice,¡± Nick said with a smile. ¡°Do your best, Larry!¡± Meg cheered. ¡°Wh-what are you¡ª¡± ¡°SC Hepburn?¡± Larry looked at both Linus and Stella. ¡°You want to know why I¡¯m wearing this? Obviously, I¡¯m dressed for combat!¡± ¡°PFFFFT! AHAHAHAHA!¡± Back in the office, Natalia finally burst out laughing. But as Larry could not hear her, he continued. ¡°Stella!¡± He cried without warning. Stella flinched. ¡°I¡¯m going to save you!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°From him!¡± With his gloved hand, Larry pointed an accusing finger at Linus. It was bad manners from anyone¡¯s perspective, but he continued regardless. ¡°I started hearing these weird rumors after we started going out.¡± As Stella and Linus stood in silence, Larry continued his monologue. ¡°I heard that a senior-classman named Linus Francis was bothering you. So I asked some good friends of mine to investigate, and it turned out the rumors were true. We have eyewitness accounts from people who saw you with this guy in deserted places on campus.¡± ¡°Er¡­I¡­¡± Linus stammered, shrinking. ¡°You were stalking Stella!¡± Larry accused, finally lowering his hand. Linus flinched. But Larry¡¯s onslaught was not yet finished. ¡°Granted, Stella is really cute! But SC Linus! You took advantage of how shy she was and followed her around when people weren¡¯t nearby! The reason she asked me out this term and asked me to hang out with her as much as possible on campus was because she wanted to avoid you! Not because she was in love with me!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t breathe¡­someone save me¡­¡± Natalia wheezed, almost in tears, but because Larry could not see her he continued without stopping. ¡°This is unforgivable! A real man doesn¡¯t coerce or stalk girls!¡± ¡°I¡­erm¡­¡± ¡°Have I made myself clear? Don¡¯t ever bother Stella again! I¡¯ll deal with you personally if you get near her! I realize it¡¯s wrong of me to use my military training to hurt a civilian, but I¡¯m willing to make an exception when it¡¯s against someone who hurts a woman! Do you have anything to say for yourself, SC Linus?¡± Larry was firing on all cylinders. Linus was struck dumb. But Stella managed to speak up. ¡°Er¡­SC Hepburn.¡± ¡°What is it, Stella?¡± ¡°Er¡­I¡ª¡± But Larry intentionally cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Stella. I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡°What? But I¡ª¡± Stella was beginning to panic. But Larry¡ª ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t regret choosing me.¡± Larry narrowed his eyes, for once telling the truth. Then he suddenly raised his voice. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say, SC Linus! Leave Stella alone, and don¡¯t get near her on campus until the day you graduate! She¡¯s got bodyguards off-campus and me on campus to protect her. Don¡¯t you forget that!¡± Though Linus had shrank back with his head bowed, and looked like he was on the verge of tears, he refused to run. ¡°I¡­¡± he said, finally opening his mouth, ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t¡­¡± Stella was looking at Linus. Linus was looking down. And as a result, both missed the sad look in Larry¡¯s eyes. ¡°Good on you,¡± Jenny whispered, taking a photo of his face. ¡°Which one are you talking to?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Is that even a question?¡± Jenny snapped, before mouthing, ¡®both¡¯. ¡°Man, this is killing me¡­¡± Natalia snickered as she finally came back to life. Five binoculars turned in the same direction for a glimpse of Larry¡¯s heroics. ¡°What? Do you realize what you¡¯re saying, SC Linus?!¡± Roared Larry, who knew exactly what he was doing. He took one intimidating step after another towards Linus. ¡°Fine by me! I wanted to back down here for honor¡¯s sake, but you leave me with no choice!¡± Larry reached out. Linus was two heads taller than him and his arms were thicker, but Larry was not daunted in the least. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the faculty office, stalker! Don¡¯t blame me if I break an arm or two!¡± ¡°NOOOOO!¡± Stella shrieked, shoving Larry. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Eek!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The club members in the office flinched. ¡°Huh?¡± Larry flew through the air and landed on his back. ¡°Gurk!¡± Creating a new Roxchean exclamation for pain, Larry rolled and hit the tree trunk back-first. His hat went flying. Finally, his head hit the tree with a resounding noise and his body slumped forward on reflex. He fell on the grass and stopped moving. ¡°That an act too?¡± Natalia wondered. From the office Larry looked like a giant frog. ¡°I don¡¯t seem to recall teaching him that particular technique. Although I am quite tempted to adopt it for my last fight scene,¡± Nick remarked. ¡°S-Stella¡­?¡± Linus was first to break the silence. ¡°Er¡­I¡­what do I do¡­?¡± He was clearly bewildered at the sight of Stella shoving the belligerent boy. ¡°Ow, that hurt¡­¡± Larry slowly rose. He rolled over to his side and leaned against the tree. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Stella stammered, finally lowering her hands. Larry looked up. And he looked at Stella, his sky-blue eyes shining. Several seconds later, he broke into a grin with blades of grass in his blond hair and dirt on his face. ¡°Good job.¡± Stella did not understand. ¡°Wh-what do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Good job, Stella. You win,¡± Larry replied. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a really strong person. You beat me.¡± Meanwhile, in the office. ¡°Why¡¯s he still in that pose?¡± Natalia wondered. ¡°It makes sense,¡± Seron replied, ¡°you can¡¯t look at a star unless you¡¯re looking up.¡± ¡°Wow! It is very romantic, Seron! It is very cool!¡± Meg exclaimed. Seron¡¯s thoughts came grinding to a halt. Stella slowly stepped forward, towards Larry. Larry looked up at her. ¡°I knew from the start.¡± ¡°Knew what?¡± ¡°That you weren¡¯t in love with me.¡± Stella was silent. ¡°And I found out after doing some investigation that the guy you really like is standing over there. SC Linus. And that he feels the same about you.¡± Stella and Linus¡¯s eyes met. They both looked away. ¡°They¡¯re trying to figure out who spilled the beans. It¡¯s written on their faces,¡± Natalia remarked. ¡°We figured it out ourselves, though,¡± Jenny said proudly. Larry said, ¡°C¡¯mon, get a grip, Larry! When else are you gonna get to shine?¡± Natalia jeered. ¡°Er¡­so¡­basically I was lying when I said you were stalking Stella, SC Linus. I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Stella was silent, but Linus stepped forward to be next to her. He gave Larry an awkward look. Larry looked at the two wristwatches before him. One on the left wrist and the other on the right. ¡°You two must¡¯ve met not long after Stella started school here. And you fell in love. Probably because you both love watches. Right?¡± Stella nodded silently. ¡°So I was right. Yeah. You love watches, Stella, and SC Linus, you like watches enough to make some of your own.¡± Shock spread over Linus¡¯s face. Larry answered the unspoken question. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, SC Linus. I tailed you after class and found out you were attending Balfour Technical School.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Linus said, finally breaking his silence. Larry continued. ¡°You love each other enough to want to pledge your futures together. But there weren¡¯t many places you could see each other. Off-campus is out of the question, and even on campus, people would spread rumors if they saw you together. Which is what really happened. And¡ª¡± Larry¡¯s calm explanation filled the office. Nick, still holding his binoculars to his eyes, quietly repeated what he had told he others several days earlier. ¡°The Francis family was founded by the brother of the current Whitfield CEO after the family feud split them apart. In other words, the Francis family and the Whitfield family were originally one.¡± ¡°You two were second cousins. Stella¡¯s grandfather and SC Linus¡¯s grandfather were brothers, but they had a such a bad falling-out that SC Linus¡¯s grandfather even changed his name. And they¡¯re still on bad terms. They don¡¯t even contact each other, let alone meet in person. That was the reality you two were facing.¡± Larry looked at Stella, who wore a completely new expression. She had a determined, powerful gaze. Linus stood beside her, also looking at Larry. ¡°You met by coincidence at this school. And you were free to see each other in secret here. But if your families were to find out, well¡­honestly, I can¡¯t even imagine, but¡­er¡­it couldn¡¯t be good. I think.¡± ¡°Damn that Larry! Can¡¯t you set up a microphone on this end, chief?! This guy¡¯s butchering his delivery!¡± Natalia fumed. ¡°It is finally the starting,¡± Meg said, trying to calm her down. ¡°Indeed,¡± Nick nodded, ¡°if not for one problem.¡± Seron, who had finally come back to life, whispered along with Larry¡¯s voice. ¡°Winning the Whitfield Competition.¡± Only Larry¡¯s voice came through the speakers, but the newspaper club¡¯s lenses showed Stella and Linus as well. They were listening to Larry under the tree, facing away from each other. Larry continued, looking straight at Stella. ¡°So you chose me.¡± Stella was silent. ¡°We happened to meet in the hallway after summer break ended. That¡¯s when you heard that I¡¯m from a noble family, and that I¡¯m unpopular and don¡¯t have a girlfriend. The perfect target. So you asked me out and told the entire school and your family that I was your boyfriend.¡± Stella did not say a word. ¡°You weren¡¯t in love with me. It was all an act to show the school that you were dating someone who wasn¡¯t SC Linus.¡± Stella still did not speak. ¡°And now, you don¡¯t have to put on an act anymore.¡± Slowly, Larry rose. He approached Stella and Linus. ¡°SC Linus.¡± When he heard his name, Linus¡¯s gaze wavered. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the one who thought of this plan, are you?¡± Larry nodded at Linus¡¯s silent answer and turned to Stella. ¡°It was you, Stella. Excuse me.¡± Larry quickly grabbed Stella¡¯s left arm. ¡°Ah!¡± Stella did not have time to react. Larry gently twisted her wrist to bring the face of her watch into view. ¡°I knew it.¡± His eyes scanned the letters on the face. ¡°¡®My dearest Cana¡¯¡­¡± he muttered, letting go of Stella¡¯s arm. ¡°This looks like a Whitfield watch, but it¡¯s not, is it? It¡¯s a one-of-a-kind watch made for Stella alone. It¡¯s a reminder that even if you¡¯re far apart, your hearts are always together.¡± Back in the office¡ª ¡°You told him that part, right Seron?¡± Jenny asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Seron nodded. ¡°So¡­well, er¡­I didn¡¯t know I had that in me. Looks like hard work pays off after all!¡± ¡°Er¡­SC Hepburn?¡± ¡°Hm? Don¡¯t tell me I got something wrong?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Stella shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Everything you said¡­is true.¡± Larry could not say a word. ¡°Aww, there, there.¡± Natalia said from the office. ¡°SC Linus. Congratulations on winning the Whitfield Competition!¡± Larry said, turning. ¡°Huh? Oh¡­er¡­thank you. But how did you¡ª¡± ¡°I knew it as soon as I read the article. You¡¯re the only one who would have sent in a watch called ¡®Cana¡¯.¡± ¡°I see¡­you must know someone who¡¯s very good at Bezelese.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyway, now you can take a job at Whitfield with your head held high!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Anyway, now you can take a job at Whitfield with your head held high!¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t say for sure.¡± ¡°Huh? Why not?¡± Larry asked. He noticed that Stella still looked sad. ¡°It¡¯s true that I won the competition. But I had to falsify a lot of information when I submitted my watch. My address, my contact information, my birthday, everything. I couldn¡¯t let them find out that I was a Francis. If the Whitfield family makes up their mind to stop me from joining their company¡­they might make it so that this competition never happened to begin with.¡± ¡°I see¡­so Seron was right. I¡¯m impressed.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°N-nothing! Don¡¯t worry about that! We just need to get the word out. We¡¯ll make one big announcement about you and Stella, about your families, and all that hard work you put into developing your talent! That way Whitfield won¡¯t be able to cut you out without getting a whole lot of angry questions getting directed their way!¡± For several seconds, Stella and Linus were silent. But finally, Stella spoke. ¡°How¡­?¡± ¡°Did you forget?¡± Larry replied, ¡°our school¡¯s full of kids from all sorts of rich families.¡± Larry¡¯s statement filled the office. ¡°All right, that¡¯s the cue!¡± Jenny said with a clap, taking one last photo, ¡°the goods are on the table! Get out there and make some waves! Move out!¡± Jenny pointed at the coffee table, laden with a stack of 50 large sheets of paper and rolls of tape. The four remaining newspaper club members rushed out of the office, with the rolled-up newspapers under their arms and rolls of tape in their hands. ¡°Do your best work, Seron!¡± Meg said with a smile. ¡°Yeah!¡± Seron rushed to the grounds behind the school on his own, towards the oak tree. Jenny remained alone in the office. ¡°I knew it,¡± she said with a grin, ¡°the first headliner of the year is a love story.¡± ¡°When we tell the students, word will spread to the parents too. And maybe your grandfathers will change their minds when they see how much everyone is cheering you two on. They¡¯ll realize soon enough that stubbornly clinging to the past won¡¯t benefit anyone.¡± Stella and Linus were still in shock. That was when Seron approached. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting, Larry.¡± Passing by Stella and Linus, Seron stopped beside Larry and said one word. ¡°Extra.¡± He pulled out a sheet of paper from under his arm, handed it to Larry, and ran off. ¡°Thanks, buddy!¡± Larry replied, and opened up the paper. The poster-sized piece of paper featured photographs, articles, and a large headline. Larry spread out the newspaper and held it out for Stella and Linus to see. ¡®Linus Francis Clinches Victory in Whitfield Competition¡¯, said the eye-catching headline. Below was an article covering the truth of the incident in easy-to-read font. And though Jenny had written the article, there was no sign of conspiracy theories or anything of the like. Below was another article entitled, ¡®Linus Francis and Stella Whitfield¡¯s Star-Crossed Love¡¯. It covered the story behind their relationship in detail. The article covered the story behind the Whitfield and Francis families and the fact that Stella and Linus were forced to hide their relationship for over a year, and claimed that Linus¡¯s victory in the Whitfield Competition solved all their problems. The article seemed to suggest the problem had already been solved. Another interesting point was that the article also covered Larry. ¡®Third-year wristwatch aficionado Larry Hepburn, who happened to learn their secret, assisted the beleaguered couple by playing the part of Stella¡¯s boyfriend until the competition results were announced¡¯, the article claimed, though it was all a lie Jenny had cooked up. ¡®Congratulations, SC Linus. Stella. I knew you could do it. It was an honor to lend a hand,¡¯ said an excerpt from a fake interview with Larry. Wide-eyed, Stella and Linus read the articles about themselves. They were both stunned into silence. But finally, Stella turned. ¡°Does this mean that we have a future together after all?¡± Larry, who knew very well that he was not included in that future, responded¡ªwithout a smile, but in a reassuring voice. ¡°You bet! See? I told you you wouldn¡¯t regret choosing me.¡± ¡°No guarantee it¡¯s gonna work out all hunky-dory, though,¡± Jenny mumbled, listening to his voice over the speakers, ¡°you can make all the fuss in the world, but if the adults decide to screw saving face and really go all-out, it¡¯s not gonna work. The rest is up to luck. Damn it, Seron. You knew all that but didn¡¯t tell Larry.¡± ¡°Extra! Extra! Read all about it!¡± Natalia cried. ¡°These are the newspaper club wall newspapers! They are moving articles!¡± Meg called. ¡°May I? Excuse me, miss. How would you like to have a read? We¡¯re covering a very romantic story this issue,¡± Nick advertised. ¡°¡­Is this a little crooked?¡± Seron wondered. In all, they posted over 40 copies of the newspaper around the campus. The newspapers began to cause a stir among the students and staff who had not yet left. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no sense in taking down a proper newspaper¡­¡± Not a single one was taken down. * * * The 1st day of the tenth month. By the next day, even more students had read the newspapers, and the story spread like wildfire throughout the school. ¡°Larry! Is this for real?¡± Larry¡¯s classmates surrounded him at the lockers between classes. ¡°¡®Course it is! The newspaper doesn¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Figures. I knew something was fishy when I heard a girl actually liked you at all.¡± ¡°Whaaaat. Come on, man. Anyway, the important thing here is that SC Linus is a swell guy who¡¯s gonna manage Whitfield someday!¡± In the faculty office, the teachers were talking over tea. First came the topic of Linus¡¯s award. Then¡ª ¡°Come to think of it, what should we do about giving the newspaper club official status?¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯ve published a newspaper and filled the membership requirement. We don¡¯t have any reason to refuse them.¡± ¡°I suppose. But they need a supervisor, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to be a problem. Who¡¯d want to work with a troublemaker like Jones?¡± ¡°We could always leave it to someone who¡¯s not around right now.¡± ¡°What are we, children? But you do have a point.¡± ¡°Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°Mr. Murdoch¡¯s coming back this month. It¡¯ll be perfect.¡± Larry ran into Seron in the hall during the next break. ¡°Hey buddy! How¡¯re things in your classes?¡± ¡°Not bad at all. Word is getting out and people are cheering on Stella and SC Linus. It¡¯s fulfilling, seeing people read our work and talk about the story we cover.¡± ¡°Sure is! Everyone said I put on a really good performance!¡± ¡°¡­You really did great.¡± ¡°Did you hear some of the newspapers we put up got stolen?¡± ¡°Wow. Jenny must be pleased.¡± ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s grinning and putting up more copies she printed today. We¡¯ll talk more after school, yeah? I¡¯m eating in the classroom today so I can tell more people about what an awesome job I did.¡± ¡°Actually¡ªI was going to leave a note about it¡ªthe librarian asked me to help out after school today. I don¡¯t think I can make it to the office. Could you tell Jenny for me?¡± ¡°Sure thing. And I¡¯ll contact you again if we get word from the happy couple.¡± ¡°All right. Looking forward to good news.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Seron watched Larry depart. ¡°The happy couple, huh,¡± he mumbled, recalling the wristwatch couple. Seron looked up from his watch. ¡°Oh, hello there Seron.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± His eyes met Meg¡¯s. Seron flinched. ¡°I am sorry. Are you surprised?¡± ¡°N-no! I¡¯m all right! Hey there.¡± ¡°Hello. Everything is doing very well! It is very good,¡± Meg said, smiling as brightly as though she were one half of the happy couple. It was only then that Seron noticed the other girl standing next to Meg. ¡°Hey Seron. Remember me? We¡¯re in Roxchean class together this term.¡± Seron nodded. ¡°Schultz. I remember.¡± Meg leapt in. ¡°Lillia took the art class last term with us as well! After it, we are best friends! Lillia, you already know but I will again introduce you. This is Seron Maxwell, and he is in the newspaper club with us.¡± Lillia turned, looking neither particularly pleased nor displeased. ¡°I read the paper. It was really interesting.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sure the others will be happy to hear that.¡± ¡°Take good care of Meg, will you? She can be a bit of a ditz sometimes.¡± ¡°Ah! That is mean, Lillia! I am older than you!¡± Meg¡¯s voice stirred up determination in Seron. He would take care of her. He would even give his life for her sake. ¡°Of course. If someone tries to stab Megmica, I¡¯ll take the blow in her stead. Will that work?¡± Lillia¡¯s eyes widened. Then, ¡°Pfft! Ahahahaha!¡± She burst into laughter. Meg chuckled as well. ¡°I¡¯m surprised. You¡¯re such a clown, Seron.¡± ¡°Seron is more often serious.¡± ¡°Seron is more often serious.¡± Unable to figure out what was so funny about what he had said, Seron decided to put on a smile. * * * After school, Larry went to the newspaper club office. ¡°Look who¡¯s here. The man of the hour,¡± Jenny said, welcoming him in. She was drinking tea on the sofa. ¡°You¡¯re here early. What happened to class?¡± ¡°Ditched afternoon classes.¡± ¡°Are your grades gonna be all right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re worrying about my grades? I don¡¯t know if I should laugh or get mad.¡± ¡°¡­Anyway,¡± Larry said, taking a seat, ¡°any new info?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°About the Whitfields.¡± That was when Larry noticed two empty teacups on the table. ¡°Guests?¡± ¡°Are you a detective, Larry?¡± ¡°Even a five-year-old could figure it out. Stella and SC Linus, right?¡± ¡°So you are a detective. Yes. It was them.¡± ¡°What¡¯d they say?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait for Seron.¡± ¡°He¡¯s busy at the library today.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay then, I¡¯ll tell you. To start with the most important part¡ª¡± Larry held his breath. ¡°¡ªLinus Francis is probably going to get that Whitfield position.¡± ¡°ALL RIGHT!¡± Larry cheered, pumping his fists. Jenny continued unfazed at his reaction. ¡°They went straight to the Whitfield family after our little performance. SC Linus told the Whitfields everything, revealed that he was the competition winner, and that he was dating Stella. They showed our newspaper to the family and told them that the whole school knew already. The Whitfields were pretty surprised when they heard who SC Linus was, too. In the end, Stella¡¯s grandfather thought for a long time and asked SC Linus, ¡®does this mean you are willing to abandon your family for Stella?¡¯.¡± ¡°And what¡¯d he say?¡± ¡°He said, ¡®yes, as long as you feed me bananas every day¡¯.¡± ¡°Jenfie! I¡¯m being serious here!¡± ¡°Fine, fine. He actually said, ¡®there¡¯s nothing I want more than to become a watchmaker and spend my life with Stella. I can give up anything for my dream¡¯.¡± ¡°Man, that is so cool! And what happened?¡± ¡°Back to what I said before. He¡¯s been granted admission to Whitfield. Now it¡¯s up to him to accept.¡± ¡°Sweet! Sweet! I¡¯m so happy for them! Now Stella¡¯ll find happiness!¡± Larry cheered. But Jenny gave him a cold look. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you figure out Stella wasn¡¯t in love with you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you, did I? I couldn¡¯t say it before because Seron was around, but I could see it in her eyes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I could see in her eyes that she wasn¡¯t in love with me. She didn¡¯t have the eyes of someone who¡¯s really deeply and desperately in love. I can tell, you know, since I see someone with eyes like that all the time.¡± ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re too nice and stupid for your own good.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m stupid, but you¡¯re the one who¡¯s to nice for her own good.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You mobilized the newspaper club to help.¡± ¡°I¡­was doing it to get a good story.¡± ¡°You gave your all when SC Sophia asked for help, too.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re really nice when it comes to other people¡¯s love stories,¡± Larry remarked with a grin. Jenny¡¯s eyes widened, then narrowed in rage. ¡°Shut up! Argh! See if I help with any of your crushes!¡± ¡°Hah hah! Sure, whatever. But¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Make sure to give Seron a hand.¡± ¡°¡­Dunno how much I can help, but I¡¯m not going to get in the way.¡± ¡°The past few days were really interesting. I think it really gave me a chance to reconsider my possibilities,¡± Larry said, recalling his mother¡¯s advice. ¡°Like your possibilities as a ladies¡¯ man?¡± ¡°That too.¡± Jenny nodded dubiously, then looked up. ¡°Almost forgot. There¡¯s something I¡¯m supposed to give you,¡± she said, getting up. She went to the desk, picked up a small wooden box, and returned to sit across from Larry. The box resembled a jewelry case or a music box, with a polished wooden finish. There was a buckle for securing the lid shut, but otherwise the box was unmarked. ¡°It¡¯s from Stella and the gorilla. They wanted to give this to you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Larry wondered, pulling the box over. ¡°They didn¡¯t give me anything else. Stella said she tried to write a note but couldn¡¯t think of anything, so she¡¯s just giving you this.¡± ¡°I see¡­can I open it?¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you asking me permission? I¡¯m curious too, so hurry up and open it. It¡¯s not gonna explode.¡± ¡°All right. Wonder what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°My guess is¡­a sliced-up banana.¡± ¡°Enough with the bananas already.¡± Larry unclasped the buckle and slowly opened the lid. He still could not tell what was inside, because the contents were covered with a beige cloth. Larry pulled it off. ¡°Ah¡­¡± He froze, his blue eyes narrowing and locked on the contents of the box. Jenny waited. Finally, Larry reached in and slowly, very slowly took out his present. ¡°Look, Jenny.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± It was a wristwatch. Around the small cushion in the box was a large, sturdy wristwatch. It had a black case and a rotating bezel marked off in minutes. On the black face were the words ¡®Whitfield-Farkas¡¯, and the hands were finished with luminous paint. ¡°A Whitfield military-use wristwatch¡­¡± Larry gasped, pulling out the cushion. He held the watch by the end of the strap, holding it just above eye-level. The time and date had been set to perfection. The second hand whirred smoothly around the face. ¡°Stella¡­¡± Larry whispered, looking up at the watch with a smile. ¡°Hey,¡± Jenny said, looking at the watch and Larry¡¯s eyes, ¡°look at the back.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Larry turned the watch over. Like all the other models, the word ¡®ARMY¡¯, a serial number, and a military standard code were engraved on the back. But above the mainstays were words exclusive to this one watch. The words had been engraved by hand. ¡®To Sir Hepburn¡¯. Without a word, Larry put the watch around his left wrist. He tightened the strap and shook his arm, sensing the weight on his wrist. ¡°We didn¡¯t talk much¡­but she was a good girl. I¡­I think I might have liked her a little¡­¡± Larry trailed off, his eyes narrowing in a smile as he gazed lovingly at his new watch. ¡°I can¡¯t speak for you, but it¡¯s a general rule of thumb that first love never works out,¡± Jenny advised quietly. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. My job is done.¡± ¡°Satisfied?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry replied. His teary gaze went from the watch to Jenny as he added, ¡°know what a knight¡¯s supposed to do in the grand finale? After he protects everyone, he rides off into the sunset.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jenny got up and headed to the desk once more. She picked up her rangefinder and took out a single color film from the drawer. She opened the camera, loaded the film, and wound it up as she returned to the sofa. Then she pointed the lens at Larry. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Larry asked. ¡°It¡¯s the grand finale, so I¡¯m taking a photo of you,¡± Jenny replied, ¡°gimme a nice bright smile, Sir Hepburn.¡± Larry put on an embarrassed grin. Jenny focused through the viewfinder and slowly put pressure in her index finger. No one else was around to hear the click of the camera. -To be continued- Volume 6 Prologue — Something Big Volume 6 Prologue: Something Big ----- <¡­> <¡­> Volume 6 1 — Leena and Kurt Volume 6 Chapter 1: Leena and Kurt ----- <¡­Hasn¡¯t anyone taught you you should use more polite language when you¡¯re talking to a stranger?> <¡­Okay, I believe you. What did you just say?> <¡­No. > <¡®In real life in person¡¯? ¡­Obviously he¡¯s handsome. He¡¯s my brother!> <¡®It might have looked that way, but I was only taking photos in secret¡¯! Now that¡¯s what you call manly! Anyway, she has short red hair and her name¡¯s Jenny Jones. Her family runs the Jones Motors! She¡¯s really really really really super-rich!> <¡­> <¡­> <¡­I suppose so, if I¡¯m not busy. Bye now. > Volume 6 2 — The Supervisor Volume 6 Chapter 2: The Supervisor ----- My favorite part about being in the newspaper club? The fact that things aren¡¯t as dull as they used to be. To be perfectly honest, I found life at the 4th Capital Secondary School tremendously dull. Primary school was much more fun. It was a time when, between the ages of six and 12, I was free to fool around without a second thought. I wasn¡¯t particularly disinclined to moving on to secondary school, or growing up. But secondary school was painfully peaceful. Students attended secondary school for the sole purpose of moving on to university, ensuring that its population was composed mostly of the same types of people. Students of a certain academic standing, from well-off backgrounds and with good behavior. Although I must admit I also fall into these categories. Primary school was different. It was a storm, a chaotic and eclectic mix of students both studious and lazy, well-mannered and delinquent, wealthy and impoverished. It was messy, it was lively, and it was interesting. And for two years afterwards I lived a dull life attending classes in secondary school. There was one exceptional moment, however. One particular day, a male student whose score I beat in equestrian class¡ªhmm, I don¡¯t seem to remember his name¡ªa ¡®faceless classmate¡¯ decided to get angry with me. The faceless classmate had been riding since childhood and stood head and shoulders above the rest of us. His technique with the reins was unmatched, and I recall trying to emulate him during classes. But his horse unfortunately happened to hesitate during the test, which resulted in a rather subpar grade. It seemed he was in denial. He could not forgive himself, and he could not forgive me¡ªfor I had the serendipitous fortune of receiving the highest grade that day. After the class, he dragged me into the storage shed under the pretext of receiving assistance for cleaning, and raised his voice at me. ¡°I¡¯m better than you, dammit!¡± ¡°Admit to the whole class that you¡¯re inferior!¡± ¡°Tell them you messed with my horse!¡± ¡°Drop out of class and don¡¯t come back again!¡± He raved like a drunkard. All things in moderation is key, especially when it comes to alcohol and pride. Convincing him verbally would have been entirely too much effort, so I resorted to the stick that happened to be lying around. ¡ªI¡¯d noticed its presence from the beginning, but let¡¯s say I hadn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯ll sue you!¡± He howled afterwards. Indeed, that was a valid option for him. All I did was send him flying into horse dung four or so times. But the fact that he rose to his feet to attack again each of those times proved that he wasn¡¯t heavily injured. I first began learning the staff ten years before that point (I still have no idea why my sisters first took up the art). I knew very well where to strike in order to break bone. ¡°I am going to sue you out of everything you¡¯ve got! Dammit, I am not a loser!¡± It was almost impressive to see the heights of his pride, but I was at a loss. ¡°No one¡¯s a better rider than me!¡± I sighed. What was I to do with a frustrated faceless classmate who was half in tears? That was when another classmate, named Seron Maxwell, happened to walk in to put away some equipment. And he solved the situation. That was when I learned that cleverness and conversational skills were more powerful weapons than violence. Thanks to Seron, I neither dropped out nor ended up in court. ¡°You were really good,¡± Seron remarked at the end. How long had he been watching? That he had chosen to hang back without trying to intervene until the end also spoke for his personality. He made a very good impression on me. And that was the sole exception to my dull secondary school life, until I joined the newspaper club. The newspaper club punctuated my peaceful days with excitement. First was the incident in the basement with the mysterious man and the mastermind. It turned out that the most fascinating surprises lie in wait right beneath our noses. Then came the case of the drama club president and vice-president¡¯s mutual crushes. Their love came to fruition before our very eyes. Then came the beautiful yet senseless serial killings that took place during our trip to the north. I could not empathize with the woman, but¡ªthough I would never admit it to the others¡ªI understood where she was coming from. Then came what appeared to be the case of a girl¡¯s crush on Larry, which turned out to be the tale of a secret love forbidden by the chains of the past. Larry and Seron elegantly brought the case to a close. Looking forward to the next point of excitement in life, I headed to the newspaper club office on the first school day after the fall performance. It was after school on the 8th. Indeed, there was a surprise waiting for me. A rather big surprise. Everyone but Jenny was at the office by the time I arrived. Jenny¡¯s absence was not surprising, as she was often the last to arrive. Seron, Larry, Nat, Megmica, and I chatted about the fall performance that had taken place two days prior. I had been on stage, Nat in the orchestra pit, Megmica in the chorus, and Seron and Larry among the audience taking tickets and ushering the audience to their seats. My performance was a hit, it seemed. Though it made me happy, that was not surprising either. The surprise came later. Jenny opened the door. ¡°Guys, let me introduce our new supervisor!¡± I was stunned into silence. So were the others. Larry¡¯s hand stopped in the midst of pouring tea, and Nat¡¯s fingers stopped strumming. Seron¡¯s eyes were wide. I had never seen him so shocked before. He must have thought the same looking at me. Megmica blinked rapidly, unable to believe her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You guys look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost,¡± Jenny said with a smile. But considering the situation, there was nothing strange about the faces we made. After all, the taciturn middle-aged man standing behind her was none other than Mr. Mark Murdoch. He had lost quite a bit of weight¡ªhe was still quite portly, however¡ªbut he was without a doubt Mr. Murdoch. There was no mistaking him. Jenny broke the silence in the office, leaving Mr. Murdoch standing in the hall. ¡°Well, we need a supervisor if we want to be an official club. School rules. It was hard making sure registration got through. So now we have Mr. Murdoch here as our new supervisor,¡± she explained briskly, ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t need to introduce you to him.¡± Oh, Jenny. What a superfluous question. We all knew full well who Mr. Murdoch was and the fact that he was responsible for the incident early this summer. Mr. Murdoch, who had found that his brother¡ªwho had gone missing in action during the Lestki Island Conflict¡ªwas in fact alive in Sou Be-Il, had hidden the man in the school basement to avoid paying back decades¡¯ worth of his military pension. And he had even attempted to kill us when we discovered the truth, although how serious he had been is still a matter of debate. Suffice to say, it was a shock to see him back at school. ¡°Why so surprised?¡± Jenny asked, as though she had read my mind, ¡°the guy in the basement wasn¡¯t Burt Murdoch.¡± Which is what the official records should say, at any rate. Then what of Mr. Murdoch¡¯s crime of imprisoning a total stranger from cross-river in the school basement? Jenny seemed to have read my mind again. ¡°And apparently the Westerner wasn¡¯t brought against his will. He lived in the basement cause he felt like it.¡± I must say that is an impressive lie. Then ultimately, Mr. Murdoch¡¯s only crime would be using school property for personal purposes. And if Mr. Hartnett from the Confederation Police didn¡¯t inform the school, the crime would never come to light. More importantly, it would look bad for the Confederation Police if they took such a trivial case to court, after going so far as to sneak into a secondary school undercover. ¡°Any questions for me or our new supervisor?¡± Jenny asked. The first to reply¡ªthe first to regain his ability to speak¡ªwas Seron. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes, Seron?¡± Seron looked Mr. Murdoch in the eye. I looked at Seron. At times Seron would put on a blank face, as though he were turning into a sculpture. This was one such moment. Naturally, I don¡¯t believe for a second that Seron is without emotion. He puts on that look when he is deep in thought. ¡°Mr. Murdoch, why did you continue to insist the man was your brother?¡± Mr. Murdoch tilted his head stoically. And he shot back, ¡°what do you mean?¡± ¡°When the Confederation Police was questioning you, you would have been informed by the Sou Be-Il embassy that the man officially wasn¡¯t your brother.¡± ¡°H-how did you know that?¡± Mr. Murdoch¡¯s shock was unsurprising. Our information came from an investigator on the case, though we were not to mention our source. ¡°We were told by an investigator by the name of Hartnett,¡± Seron replied nonchalantly. He probably saw no point in hiding the truth at this point. ¡°I see¡­¡± Mr. Murdoch sighed. It seemed to my eyes that he finally understood that we were working with Hartnett. ¡°If you¡¯d told the police that you¡¯d made an honest mistake, Mr. Murdoch, then you would have been spared the brunt of the legal trouble,¡± Seron continued, ¡°from your presence here I can see that things turned out fine for you in the end, but I don¡¯t understand why you continued to claim the man was your brother.¡± Seron had a point. The claim that the man was not really Burt Murdoch was a lie fabricated by the Sou Be-Il embassy for his protection, but it was theoretically a convenient one for Mr. Murdoch as well. ¡°Maxwell¡­¡± Mr. Murdoch said, ¡°do you have any siblings?¡± ¡°Yes. A younger sister.¡± Leena. Seron¡¯s sister, four years his junior. ¡°Then answer me this,¡± Mr. Murdoch continued, ¡°when does your sister stop being your sister?¡± Seron could not respond. I knew what the answer was. If one had to say, she would stop being his sister only in death. The others must have understood as well. ¡°He is my brother,¡± said Mr. Murdoch, ¡°he will always be my brother. My family.¡± Seron, myself, and the rest of the club listened quietly. Seron, myself, and the rest of the club listened quietly. ¡°Even if I were arrested, I would never have claimed he was a stranger.¡± ¡°I see.¡± We quietly waited, leaving Seron to continue. Larry seemed to have something to say, but he remained silent as well. It was very sweet how much he trusted Seron, and I had to say that attitude of his made me envious, among many other things. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there any other way? A way where you wouldn¡¯t have had to hide your brother?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mr. Murdoch uttered. ¡°What about paying back the pension?¡± Seron asked. Larry winced. That was probably the question he had wanted to ask, which Seron picked up on and asked instead. ¡°Twenty years¡¯ worth? I couldn¡¯t afford that. ¡ªI admit if I¡¯d sold my house, land, and assets, I could have afforded it,¡± Mr. Murdoch confessed with surprising courage, ¡°but that would leave me and my wife without a home in our old age.¡± I had to give him credit for his forthcoming answer. It was certainly wise to plan ahead for old age. Insurance didn¡¯t cover all of one¡¯s medical bills. Generally speaking, a Roxchean¡¯s largest household expense tended to be housing, which should not go beyond 30 percent of one¡¯s income. In other words, if one didn¡¯t have to worry about rent or mortgages, one could live comfortably off their pension. I could see why Mr. Murdoch was reluctant to let go of such a valuable asset as his own home. It was difficult to imagine the three Murdochs living happily together without the things afforded by the pension. I could not completely agree with Mr. Murdoch¡¯s decision, but I understood where he was coming from. I couldn¡¯t speak for the others, of course. Seron asked another question. ¡°About how you ordered your brother to kill us in the basement¡ª¡± That was indeed a cruel order, commanding the brother he had imprisoned to kill his students. To be fair, the brother also had reason to take our lives. Next to Seron, Megmica stiffened visibly. She was the most outraged of us all that day, being a Westerner herself. I supposed that Seron would ask why Mr. Murdoch gave that order. But he surprised me. ¡°What did you think would happen when you gave that command?¡± It would be no difficult task to hold Mr. Murdoch responsible for his command. But whatever his actions, we made it out unscathed thanks to Larry, Seron, and Megmica. Seron likely assumed that there was no point in asking the attempted murderer before us why he made the attempt. ¡°Who knows.¡± That was his answer. In other words, he had given the command without even considering what would happen¡ªnot even to himself. Everyone deflated. Nat made a face, and Megmica went from displeased to vaguely sympathetic. Larry pouted with a shrug. That was a habit of his. Jenny alone stood proud and unchanged. ¡°So you weren¡¯t thinking,¡± Seron said mechanically, as though his only intention was confirmation. Mr. Murdoch¡¯s reply was just as plain. ¡°That¡¯s what happens when you panic. Especially in places like battlefields.¡± Larry¡¯s expression changed, as a fellow military man. His pout shifted into a serious look. Seron seemed to be satisfied with the answer. ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to ask. Anyone else have any questions?¡± Seron¡¯s previous question seemed to have rendered everyone mute; no one seemed to want to ask anything. In fact, everyone¡ªmyself included¡ªshook their heads. I did not fully understand Seron¡¯s intentions, but it seemed that things were now completely cleared between Mr. Murdoch and us. The incident had never happened. We had no energy and no reason to say anything to Mr. Murdoch anymore. Jenny grinned. It seemed she didn¡¯t care who the supervisor was so long as the club was allowed to exist. ¡°Thanks a lot, Mr. Murdoch. We¡¯re counting on you. Would you like some tea to celebrate your new position?¡± She asked, looking up at Mr. Murdoch. I almost wanted to know how exactly she would celebrate his new position, but Mr. Murdoch¡¯s reply dashed my hopes. ¡°I¡¯ve had more than enough poison for one lifetime.¡± Not a bad retort, I had to admit. Even if I was the only one who would admit such a thing. Not a bad retort, I had to admit. Even if I was the only one who would admit such a thing. Mr. Murdoch turned. ¡°I have no intention of drinking poisoned tea in this office. If you need anything, you will come to me at the faculty office. I suppose I could take care of whatever paperwork you need done from me,¡± he hissed, and left. The door slammed shut and left several seconds of silence in its wake. ¡°UGH! What the hell?! Where¡¯s he get the nerve to look his nose down at us like that?!¡± As expected, Nat was the first to speak. She whipped her fingers against the strings of her guitar, strumming angrily. ¡°It is so stunning that I cannot speak!¡± Megmica was also outraged, although I couldn¡¯t tell what it was that angered her most. Indeed, at face value Mr. Murdoch¡¯s parting remark was an arrogant one. But Jenny and Seron had seen the truth behind them, it seemed. Seron was as calm as ever and Jenny sauntered to the sofa to take a seat. As for Larry, he noticed the distinct lack of anger in Seron¡¯s eyes and held himself back. I was impressed. So I took it upon myself to ask the big question. It wasn¡¯t such a bad role to take. ¡°I notice that you are looking quite untroubled by this, Seron. Jenny,¡± I said, though I already knew why. ¡°Hm?¡± Seron seemed to be surprised, but he quickly understood the intent behind my question. ¡°Yeah. Now we have free rein on club activities. I¡¯m really glad,¡± he replied, spelling things out clearly. ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± Nat, Megmica, and Larry asked one after another. It seemed they simply had to hear why Seron was keeping such a cool head. ¡°Mr. Murdoch said that we had to go see him at the faculty office if we needed anything,¡± he replied. ¡°Yeah. The stuck-up pig,¡± Natalia spat. ¡°He is a most terrible teacher!¡± Meg agreed. Larry, however, waited for Seron to continue. ¡°In other words, he¡¯s saying he won¡¯t come to the office.¡± Indeed. Perhaps Mr. Murdoch was giving us space out of a sense of guilt towards us. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Explain it so a dunce like Larry can understand,¡± Nat urged, never missing an opportunity to make a jab at Larry, but Larry was not affected by many of them. ¡°From what I gather,¡± said Seron, ¡°Mr. Murdoch is saying that he¡¯ll be our supervisor, but only on paper. He¡¯s not coming to our office because he wants to let us do whatever we want.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± ¡°I get it.¡± Nat, Megmica, and Larry finally understood. Everyone was on the same page. Jenny finally spoke up, as though asserting her position of leadership. ¡°Now the newspaper club is an officially recognized club at the 4th Capital Secondary School. This is cause for celebration!¡± No one disagreed. ¡°My favorite part about being in the newspaper club? The fact that things aren¡¯t as dull as they used to be.¡± When I said so at the newspaper club¡¯s first official tea party, Natalia replied between sips of tea, ¡°makes sense. It¡¯s just one surprise after another around here.¡± ¡°This kind of thing and a normal student life is much different! It is difficult that I cannot report much things to Lillia!¡± Megmica chimed in, troubled. To note, Lillia was Megmica¡¯s best friend. It was understandable that Megmica could not report all our goings-on to her. An ordinary secondary school girl might urge Megmica to quit the club if she heard about our exploits. ¡°It¡¯s definitely spicing things up a lot,¡± Larry nodded with a chuckle. Seron simply sipped his tea in silence. ¡°Too bad I can¡¯t write an article about this,¡± Jenny sighed in a demonstration of her dedication to the club. Now, what more could be in store for us? I am positively giddy with anticipation. Volume 6 3 — Wherever you go, There you Remain Volume 6 Chapter 3: Wherever you go, There you Remain ----- The 30th day of the tenth month, the year 3305 of the World Calendar. ¡°Man, the weather¡¯s great! What a place!¡± Larry cheered, his eyes on the clear blue sky and his white teeth glinting. ¡°Yeah. Perfect weather for being out. I can even smell the grass,¡± Seron chimed in with a nod, looking at Larry¡¯s smile. ¡°It is a very lovely place! We will do our best work today! Heave-ho!¡± Strauski Megmica exclaimed, fists clenched in determination. They were standing in a sea of green. A thin woodland sprawled out under the clear autumn sky. The trees and grass seemed to stretch on forever, with no wind to blow away the comfortable temperature. A wide plank walkway snaked across the ground, leading from the square and into the woods. And next to the walkway was a wooden sign. ¡®EAST CLARE NATURE PARK. CAMPING, OPEN FIRES, SMOKING, AND FIREARMS ARE PROHIBITED.¡¯ They were not the only ones there. Gathered in the square were about a hundred boys and girls in identical sweats issued by the 4th Capital Secondary School. They were accompanied by about 20 faculty members in faculty-exclusive school-issue sweats. And finally, about a dozen security staff in black uniforms watched over them all. The grassy square was about 200 meters wide and long. On one edge was a large log cabin that housed the park staff, and a bathroom also made with logs. Students sat around, rested on the grass, warmed up, horsed around, lined up in front of the bathroom, or simply waited. Next to the square was a large, neatly-paved parking lot that almost touched the trail that led into the woods. Haphazardly parked there were three large buses that had carried the students to the park. * * * Earlier. The 11th day of the tenth month. The fall performance had ended five days ago, and the newspaper club¡¯s supervisor issue had been addressed. The six members of the newspaper club were gathered in the office after school, elegantly partaking in tea. Because the office was so warm they had taken off their jackets and hung them on the rack at the entrance. A cool autumn rain was drumming against the window. ¡°By the way, these notices were being handed out at the faculty office today,¡± Nick said, taking out a piece of paper from his bag and placing it at the center of the coffee table. Five sets of eyes fell on the notice, but the text was so small all they could read was the title. Natalia leaned slightly forward, breaking her comfortable position against the back of the sofa. ¡°Let¡¯s see. ¡®4th Capital Secondary School Orienteering Day¡¯,¡± she read out loud. ¡°Man, this font¡¯s too small! What¡¯ve they got against people with bad eyesight? Larry, read it for us.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Larry gingerly put down his flower-print teacup and picked up the notice. ¡°¡®4th Capital Secondary School Orienteering Day¡¯.¡± ¡°I just read that. Or does it say the same thing in Bezelese below?¡± Natalia joked. ¡°Then I will read the notice!¡± Meg volunteered, though it was hard to tell if she was joking or serious. Larry politely turned her down and continued to read. ¡°¡®Orienteering Day will test students¡¯ endurance, knowledge, curiosity, and teamwork. Students must apply in teams alongside members of their own clubs¡¯.¡± The school¡¯s very first Annual Orienteering Day would be held on the 30th day of the tenth month, on the first day of the weekend. The exact location would remain confidential to guarantee fairness, but it would take place at a park about two to three hours by bus from the Capital District. Naturally, the school would rent out the park for the day and security would be present. Participants were to gather on campus by 7:30 in the morning. The competition would take place from 10AM to 1PM, and they would depart the park at 2PM. The buses would return to the school between 4 and 5 in the afternoon, subject to traffic. Lunches would be provided, and there was no participation fee. The school would set its own custom rules for the competition. Students had to apply in team of three, with no limitations on gender or age. But all three students had to be from the same club. There would be five possible set courses with different checkpoints, but the courses had some overlap. All five courses were about the same in terms of difficulty. The checkpoints would all be located along the trails, and teams had to pass all the checkpoints before heading to the finish line. At each checkpoint would be a quiz station that would test students¡¯ academic knowledge, and rankings would be based on the time the team took to the finish line and the team¡¯s performance at the quizzes. The names of the top three teams would be published in posters to be put up around the school, and some prize money would be awarded to their clubs. The application deadline was the 12th. Interested students were to write down their names, student numbers, and clubs, and hand the forms to the physical education teacher at the faculty office. There were several warnings as well. Though the trails would not be difficult to traverse, students would have to be fit enough to walk for an hour or two. Students were to wear school-issue sweats, with their sweaters if the weather was cold. Students needed to bring bags¡ªrucksacks preferably, to keep their hands free¡ªto fit the provided lunches. There were no particular restrictions on items students could or couldn¡¯t bring. The event would be canceled in case of rain, and a notice would be posted the day before in case of cancelation. ¡°That¡¯s all,¡± Larry finished. Natalia ended her series of sagely nodding with a question. ¡°Question.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What¡¯s orienteering?¡± ¡°Are you serious? ¡­Well, it¡¯s a sport where you walk around in the wilderness with a map, but it¡¯s gonna take a while to explain¡­¡± Seron spoke up to lend a hand. ¡°Think of it like running errands. You use a map and a compass to reach your destination. Generally, whoever arrives fastest is the winner.¡± It was a simple and clear explanation. Everyone nodded. ¡°That¡¯s it. Thanks, buddy,¡± Larry said, putting down the notice. ¡°I¡¯m no good with maps, though,¡± Natalia admitted. ¡°Nor am I,¡± Meg said. ¡°Sucks for us, huh,¡± Natalia sighed. She then gave Meg a deceptively serious look. ¡°Since Sou Be-Il is in the western hemisphere, are north and south by any chance reversed from Roxche?¡± ¡°Hm? I wonder¡­¡± Meg fell into thought. Larry explained the joke. ¡°As if, Lia. The cardinal directions don¡¯t change no matter where you are.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk. Can¡¯t let preconceptions color your judgement like that, Larry,¡± Natalia said, still feigning seriousness, ¡°for all you know, your compass might start pointing east at some point.¡± ¡°Obviously, depending on the place,¡± Larry replied, to Natalia¡¯s surprise. He brought his teacup to his mouth. ¡°What?¡± Natalia raised an eyebrow. ¡°Finally going senile, Larry? Even I know that a compass always points north. That¡¯s primary school stuff.¡± Seron replied in place of Larry, who was still drinking his tea. ¡°Technically, a compass doesn¡¯t point to the geographic North Pole. It points at something called a North Magnetic Pole, which is slightly out of line with 90¡ã north. So if you were to pull out a compass while standing west of the North Magnetic Pole, the compass would point east.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry nodded, pulling his teacup away, ¡°but that¡¯s not gonna happen unless you¡¯re exploring the North Sea by ship or sled. The difference is practically negligible from the Capital District.¡± ¡°World¡¯s a big place,¡± Natalia groaned, not having expected a lecture in response to a joke. Jenny grinned, turning to the silent Nick. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the prize money, but this whole club competition angle¡¯s got my attention.¡± ¡°I knew you would say that, Jenny,¡± Nick replied with an elegant smile. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Asked Meg. ¡°Suppose we were to make the top three,¡± Nick explained, ¡°our names will be known throughout the school, and the newspaper club would gain some much-needed attention as well.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Meg replied with a clap. Seron watched happily with a blank expression. ¡°So far, our only issue was the one covering Stella and the gorilla. We could certainly use some more credentials to our name,¡± Nick suggested. Jenny frowned. ¡°And who was it that kept ditching club after school last month?¡± ¡°Easy there, Jenny,¡± said Larry, ¡°everyone was busy with rehearsals, and Megmica¡¯s doing double duty with the chorus club. We should be thankful they still managed to drop by once in a while.¡± Unable to retort, Jenny held out her empty teacup. Larry picked up the teapot and poured her more tea. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m doing double duty too,¡± Natalia complained, but Larry ignored her. ¡°What do you think, Larry?¡± Seron asked as Larry poured more tea. The others waited for clarification, but Larry knew what he was talking about. ¡°It¡¯s not bad at all. It sounds pretty good, actually.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rule saying we can¡¯t go off the trails. It¡¯s looking pretty good.¡± ¡°Great.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Natalia cut in, ¡°speak in Roxchean so the rest of us can understand.¡± ¡°All right,¡± said Seron, getting everyone¡¯s attention, ¡°the notice says we have to visit the checkpoints that are along the trails.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve read that real orienteering competitions involve wandering forests and plains with nothing but a map and a compass. It¡¯s an intense activity where every second counts.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Larry added, ¡°it was originally developed as a military exercise. And normally, you have to pass the checkpoints in a certain order.¡± Seron continued where Larry left off, ¡°trails and walkways were incorporated into the exercise when it was adapted for the general public. According to those rules, you have to stay on the road.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Jenny nodded, but Seron continued for the others. ¡°But the rules on the notice have been adapted for our school specifically. We can go to the checkpoints in any order, and there¡¯s no rule saying we can¡¯t go off the trails. In other words¡ª¡± Nick spoke up loudly. ¡°I understand. Larry is accustomed to outdoor activities and could easily find the shortest routes that cut through the woods. It would be no problem for him to navigate the wilderness with a compass.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Natalia and Meg nodded in unison. Seron also nodded. ¡°Yeah, but if we end up losing our bearings we¡¯d have been better off sticking to the trails in the first place. So we need an excellent navigator who knows how to use a compass and read the terrain, unless we want to get lost in the forest.¡± ¡°Can you do it, Larry?¡± Natalia asked, eyes narrowing. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee it until I actually look at the map,¡± Larry said, but determination quickly rose to his face. ¡°But I think I can manage.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jenny smiled. ¡°Can you guarantee an overwhelming victory? No one remembers second place, you know. It¡¯s number one or bust.¡± All eyes were on Larry. He fell into thought. Then¡ª ¡°I think so. But no plan is completely foolproof. If another club decides to do the same thing as us, we¡¯ll have to beat them with endurance, knowledge, and luck. Just keep that in mind, yeah?¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Jenny nodded, though she did not seem entirely convinced. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten so mature, Larry,¡± Natalia chuckled, ¡°back in primary school you¡¯d have guaranteed victory the second the chief asked. Is Seron rubbing off on you?¡± ¡°Maybe. By the way, we have to do this in teams of three.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°Who wants to team up with me? By the way, I¡¯m calling dibs on Seron.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± Jenny, Nick, and Natalia nodded. ¡°Oh my. Why is this so?¡± Asked Meg. But she quickly realized the answer. ¡°It is because of the quizzes! Now I understand. Then Seron is the perfect mole! I mean, role!¡± Larry nodded. Seron, who had flinched at the word ¡®mole¡¯, quickly recovered and managed to say, ¡°thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very welcome,¡± Meg replied. Jenny cast a glance at Seron, the happiest student in the room, and asked, ¡°so who¡¯s gonna be member number three?¡± ¡°Someone athletic, I suppose?¡± Nick suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m too delicate and frail for this,¡± Natalia said. No one reacted. ¡°Hm¡­¡± Jenny fell into thought, crossing her arms. ¡°All right. President¡¯s orders: Megmica will join Larry¡¯s team.¡± ¡°Yes! I may look like this, but it is my specialty to walk! I understand!¡± Meg replied with a clumsy salute. For several minutes Seron sat as still as a statue. But his heart was already galloping through the woods. * * * All club activities were suspended for midterm preparation. Then came the midterms themselves. And finally, the 30th day of the tenth month arrived. ¡°Show ¡®em who¡¯s boss,¡± Natalia said, glasses glinting. ¡°We have high hopes for you,¡± Nick joined in. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down for even a second. I don¡¯t need any second place losers in our club,¡± Jenny warned. Seron, Larry, and Meg were sitting on the grass. Larry grinned. ¡°Got it! We¡¯re aiming for gold! I¡¯m more worried about you guys than us, actually.¡± ¡°We will take our time,¡± Nick replied, ¡°really, our team is more here for a light stroll.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bit of walking,¡± Natalia added, ¡°even I could do that much. You do remember how to walk, Larry? Just stick out your hands and feet one after the other.¡± ¡°Do your best, guys. Don¡¯t worry about us,¡± Jenny finished. ¡°Worry, huh.¡± Larry whispered to her, ¡°don¡¯t overdo it, Jenny.¡± Meg tilted her head. The six members of the newspaper club were all in school-issue sweats, but they were equipped differently. Larry and Seron were wearing small canvas rucksacks of the same design. Meg was carrying nothing. Larry wore sturdy military boots with laces, and Seron and Meg ankle-high leather boots. Larry had advised them earlier, ¡°keeping your feet in good shape is crucial. Buy yourselves some good hiking shoes and thick socks, and break in the shoes before Orienteering Day.¡± So they had done as they were told, taking walks in their new shoes to break them in. Natalia and Nick, meanwhile, were wearing small messenger bags, and Jenny a leather camera bag. The three of them wore plain running shoes. ¡°Line up!¡± When the students gathered, the teachers handed out their lunches. The lunches came in small cardboard boxes, but they were packed enough to be quite heavy. Each pack also contained a 700-milliliter bottle of juice with snap-top caps that prevented the contents from spilling. The juice came in orange, grape, and other flavors¡ªstudents were already exchanging bottles amongst themselves. Lunch included a cheese-ham-and-lettuce sub sandwich, a piece of fried chicken, a small pack of crackers, a small tube of jam, and a chocolate bar. Tissue was also included. ¡°That¡¯s all? I need more,¡± Natalia grumbled when she opened the box. But the others knew that she had gorged on snacks on the bus, had filled her bag with more food, and left an extra bag of snacks on the bus labeled with a note saying, ¡®If you touch this bag I will beat you to death with a violin bow¡¯, so they showed no reaction. The students put their lunches into their own bags. But¡ª ¡°Seron. Megmica. Take out the juice,¡± Larry said, and received Seron and Meg¡¯s bottles. Then he took them back to the faculty member handing out the lunches. ¡°Not gonna get thirsty, Larry?¡± Asked Natalia. Larry put his and Meg¡¯s lunch in his own rucksack. ¡°We brought our own water bottles. The bottles they gave us are too heavy.¡± ¡°I see. But you don¡¯t think that sub sandwich is too heavy for you, Shortie? I can hold on to it for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy it once we cross the finish line first,¡± Larry replied, putting on his rucksack. In his right hand was a compass with a strap wrapped around his right wrist. The compass was a model used in the military, oiled to perfection so the needle would move smoothly. It had a sturdy brass case and lid. There was a groove through the center of the lid with a wire going through it, used to act as a guide. The compass was also equipped with a miniature magnifying glass for ease of reading. ¡°Is that your secret weapon, Larry?¡± Asked Nick. Larry nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s from the Confederation Army. I brought it from home. But it¡¯s super expensive¡ªI¡¯d cry if I lost it.¡± ¡°As much as if you had lost the watch you wear?¡± Larry smiled. ¡°Nah.¡± The Whitfield waterproof military whirred smoothly on Larry¡¯s left wrist. After the break, the students gathered at the edge of the square, at the entrance to the park. Students of all ages were in attendance, from first-years to sixth-years. There was a visible height difference between the different ages. For most people, Orienteering Day was simply an opportunity to enjoy nature with their friends. It was more of a picnic than a competition. The physical education teacher yelled into the megaphone, warning students to not shove one another. They had received most of the instructions about the day¡¯s activities on the bus ride. Students were permitted to use any tactic that did not involve hindering other teams. Students were free to use compasses and go off the trails if they were confident in their skills. But if they did so, they had to watch out for ponds and streams. There were no dangerous animals in the park, and because the property was completely fenced in, there was no danger of straying too far. Teams had to choose one of five courses and go to the checkpoints designated. Park staff would be at the checkpoints to hand out the quizzes, and students had to write down their answers on their answer sheets at the checkpoints. Once they visited all the checkpoints on their route, they would return to the starting point to finish. Students who decided to give up could return to the starting point as well, or they could report to one of the checkpoints. The time limit was three hours. At 1PM all students would be forced back to the entrance. ¡°We¡¯re handing out the maps. Do not open them until I give the signal,¡± said the teacher. Each team received one map. The maps had been rolled up and secured with a string. The faculty finished handing out the maps and answer sheets. The teacher at the front looked at his watch. ¡°It is currently 10:30AM! The competition begins at 10:40!¡± This time, many of the students were wearing watches. Those without wristwatches had pocket watches hanging from their necks, as the school-issue sweats had no pockets. Larry looked at his watch and rotated the bezel, marked off in minutes, so that the triangle indicator was pointed at the 40-minute mark. Now he simply had to look at the numbers marked on the bezel to check how much time had passed. There was no need for calculations and no worry about forgetting their starting time. ¡°Now, we will do our best for the first place!¡± Meg chirped, her pigtails swishing. ¡°But I need only to do as we planned. I will follow Larry everywhere!¡± Seron nodded blankly. ¡®Aw, man. He must have wanted to hear that from her,¡¯ Larry inwardly sighed, but he turned to Meg. ¡°I¡¯ve got this. We¡¯ll stick to the plan.¡± ¡°Thirty seconds!¡± The teacher began counting down. The students stirred. Some reached for their maps, some began doing warm-ups, and some stood in spirited huddles with their teammates. ¡°Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Begin!¡± Nearly a hundred students set off at the signal. With maps open they headed into the trail. At first, there was a massive bottleneck because everyone was on the same route. The teachers made sure there was no pushing or shoving. Jenny¡¯s team joined the crowds and set off immediately, as though entering the school gates in the morning. Larry¡¯s team, meanwhile, did not take a step. Larry quickly had Seron and Meg hold the map open parallel to the ground. He opened up his compass and had the others turn to match North on the compass with the map. The other teams hurried past as Larry scrutinized the map. The map was about 40 centimeters in length and width, and was at a 1/10,000 scale. One centimeter on the map was equivalent to 100 meters. Marked on the map were trails, woods, ponds, marshes, bogs, streams, clearings, rest stops, and bathrooms. There was a legend on the bottom right corner. Ponds dotted the landscape, and streams connected them. At the center of the park was a particularly large pond and a marsh. Wide contours marked off gentle slopes. Trails crisscrossed the map like a maze. The trails began at the bottom right part of the map, where the starting point was. At the beginning of the trail was a bridge that went over a stream, followed by a winding path that led to a fork. The trail broke into three at that point and branched out¡ªfrom dozens to hundreds of meters¡ªand wound and swerved in every direction like the alleys of an old city. The checkpoints were numbered and marked out on the map with cute, stylized animal drawings. A rabbit, a bear, a fox, a deer, and a squirrel. They were all clearly colored differently as well. ¡°They are very adorable,¡± Meg remarked. ¡°Yeah. The game¡¯s been adapted so even kids straight out of primary school can enjoy it,¡± Seron pointed out. Larry counted the checkpoints. There were six per course. It was difficult to tell with just the map how to break through the shortest possible route. ¡°Hm¡­¡± Larry groaned. ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than I expected,¡± Seron commented. Larry nodded. ¡°Yeah. But this might work to our advantage.¡± Meg looked up. The other students were already disappearing, those in the lead already crossing the bridge and making a turn. Their school sweats painted a uniform color along the walkways. Larry had declared earlier that they would confirm their route ahead of time to avoid the chaos at the starting line. And yet Meg still cast him a nervous glance. With his short blond hair glinting, Larry stared at the map. At times he ran his finger over the routes. Three minutes passed. Only the faculty were left on the grass. Some gave them worried looks, and others realized what they were doing and waited with anticipation. ¡°All right!¡± Finally, Larry reached into Seron¡¯s rucksack and took out a crayon wrapped in cloth to keep it from breaking. It was pink¡ªthere was nothing marked in pink on the map. Larry put his left hand under the map as he drew their route. He had chosen the ¡®rabbit¡¯ course. The route entailed passing through the rabbit checkpoints. Larry¡¯s pink line followed the trail to a certain point, but it cut straight through plains and woods where the trails took the long way around. The lines naturally avoided all ponds and wide streams. The pink line went through all the checkpoints efficiently, finally returning to the starting line along the trail. Larry finished mapping their route and checked one more time to see that they had not missed a checkpoint. ¡°All right! I think this is it!¡± He looked up, and put away the crayon. ¡°Seron. Megmica.¡± Larry looked at his two teammates, who were still holding up the map. ¡°Will you trust me?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seron and Meg replied almost simultaneously. ¡°Good luck!¡± As the teachers waved, Larry¡¯s team headed for the trail. ¡°We don¡¯t have to run¡ªa fast walking pace is fine. This is closer to a marathon than a sprint,¡± Larry instructed. Seron and Meg lined up behind him as they briskly covered ground. Just outside the square was a plain and a stream about two meters wide. They crossed the wooden bridge over the stream and turned right, following it for a time. The stream was deep for its width, with water so clear the small fish inside were clearly visible. ¡°These fish remind me of my hometown. When I was young, we lived in a place in Sou Be-Il with many of these rivers! Around us was a large field. It was a place where much wheats could be harvested,¡± Meg remarked. ¡°I¡¯d love to hear more about your hometown one day with the rest of the club, Megmica. Right, Seron?¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± ¡°Then I will tell you very much!¡± Ahead of them, between the trail and the stream, stood a rod. The rod was about 10 centimeters in diameter and six meters long, the colors alternating between red and white every 30 centimeters. A small metal ring was attached to the top. The rod was sticking out of a metal cylinder fixed to the ground. Meg stopped before it. ¡°What is this stick?¡± She asked. ¡°Hm. I¡¯m not sure,¡± Seron replied, taking a good look. ¡°I think it¡¯s a marker,¡± Larry said. ¡°What does it indicate?¡± Asked Seron. But Larry did not give him the answer. ¡°All right. Pop quiz. Look around you.¡± Seron and Meg looked around. The rod was stuck at a point where the trail turned left and diverged from the stream. About 20 meters along the way, the trail disappeared into a deep forest. ¡°I think I got it,¡± said Seron. ¡°It is surrender,¡± Meg sighed. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll explain. Think about it from the perspective of someone who¡¯s walking from the forest, towards us. And imagine it¡¯s raining or snowing really hard, hindering visibility. What would happen if the person missed the turn and kept going straight ahead?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Meg¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He would sink! The river is very low. In the winter, his life may be in danger!¡± ¡°Exactly. The rod is like a sign saying that there¡¯s a stream ahead. The park staff probably hang a flag or a lantern from the rod when the weather calls for it.¡± Seron reached out and grabbed the rod. The rod had not been secured to the cylinder, likely to make it easier to retrieve. Seron pulled out the rod slightly and put it back again. ¡°I understand. How interesting.¡± ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s gonna need it in today¡¯s weather, though.¡± ¡°Of course. But I am certain that with this, I can have very much fun,¡± Meg chuckled. Seron and Larry did not understand, but Meg continued. ¡°Let us go!¡± They resumed their walk. Larry¡¯s team continued down the trail and entered the woods. Only one turn later, they found themselves deep in the forest with neither the stream nor the square in sight. The chirping of birds punctuated the ambience. ¡°If now I cover my eyes and spin around and around,¡± Meg said, ¡°I will probably not know where I have to go to find the square.¡± ¡°No worries. That¡¯s what the map and the compass are for,¡± Larry said. He was holding the map in his left hand. The edge closest to Larry had been rolled up, and the opposite edge was hanging from his hand. Larry had been keeping his thumb on their current position since departing the starting line, slowly making progress. He also made certain to correct his bearings in line with the terrain around them. Whenever they made a turn, he rotated the map accordingly. He also checked the compass in his right hand on occasion to check that he was going the right way. Larry paid special attention to places where their route split. Larry made it all look easy. ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Larry,¡± Seron said. ¡°Thanks, man. I have been doing this for a while, y¡¯know. ¡ªWe¡¯re gonna go straight down this way for a bit. There won¡¯t be any forks until we see a stream to our right, so I¡¯m gonna put away the map. Gotta take it easy when you can.¡± Larry put the compass in Seron¡¯s rucksack and carefully rolled up the map in his left hand. Then he checked the time. Instead of wooden planks, the trail here was paved with wood chips. The ground was soft and easy to walk on. Larry, Seron, and Meg walked side-by-side. Ahead, they spotted other students. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°Hm¡­I remember we made a right turn, and¡­¡± ¡°You sure it wasn¡¯t a left? This is the starting line, so we turned left and ended up here!¡± Three junior-classmen, a trio of girls, were debating their position with the map between them. None of them sounded the least bit anxious. ¡°This is the way away from the entrance! We¡¯ll know once we get to the checkpoint. C¡¯mon!¡± One of the girls said just as Larry¡¯s team passed by. The girls all rose to their feet and headed in the direction of the entrance. ¡°¡­That way seems like the opposite way. Am I remembering wrongly?¡± Meg asked, glancing back. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s all right. As long as they¡¯re having fun,¡± Larry said with a chuckle, ¡°it¡¯s just a game. Even getting lost in the woods will be a good memory to them. Not even the school considers this a real competition, I bet.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Meg wondered. Larry was about to respond, but stopped himself and gestured to Seron instead. ¡°Yeah. I think today¡¯s more of a chance for city kids to get a taste of nature. Most people probably think getting first place here¡¯s just a nice bonus. People aiming for the top like us are probably the exceptions.¡± ¡°Right!¡± Larry nodded. ¡°I see. I understand.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just hope we¡¯re the only weirdos who think of this as a competition,¡± Seron said with a smile. ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry agreed. Meg also put on a smile in response. ¡°Yes! It certainly is a lovely place. It is the perfect weather for walking!¡± ¡°I wish we could do this every month,¡± Seron whispered to himself. * * * Seron, Meg, and Larry continued briskly down the the trail, encountering other students on occasion. They had stopped speaking some time ago, but neither Seron nor Meg tried to break the silence. So Larry was forced to do it himself. ¡°By the way, about Jenny.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Seron and Meg responded, slightly surprised. Larry hesitated, but decided to speak. ¡°I guess it couldn¡¯t hurt,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I think she had another reason for putting you in our team, Megmica. She kind of let it slip during midterm season when we had a chance to talk.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°What is the reason?¡± ¡°She says she wants to dig up Lia and Nick¡¯s secrets.¡± ¡°Pardon? Their secrets?¡± ¡°What does that mean, Larry?¡± ¡°Basically,¡± Larry said, ¡°she¡¯s never really spent a lot of time alone with those two.¡± ¡°Now that you say it, that is true.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Meg and Seron nodded. ¡°She says, and I quote: ¡®The nose knows! Nat and Nick are hiding some juicy secrets¡¯.¡± ¡°Hm¡­Natalia is very good at playing any instrument. She can play a piano and a flute.¡± ¡°Nick is a monster with the staff, though you couldn¡¯t tell from the way he usually acts.¡± Meg and Seron each gave suggestions. ¡°Yeah. Nick really surprised me with how good he was,¡± Larry said, ¡°I think that¡¯s what got Jenfie started. She¡¯s probably assuming they have more secrets to spill or something,¡± he sighed, not even trying to hide his disbelief. ¡°I understand,¡± said Meg, ¡°so that is why I was placed in here and those three people became the same team.¡± Larry nodded. ¡°I would have done the same if I were in Jenny¡¯s shoes. It was either you or Nick on this team. But she probably put you here because she wants to dig up Lia and Nick¡¯s secrets. I bet her team¡¯s not even bothering with the checkpoints. They¡¯re probably sitting around snacking on a bench somewhere, with Jenny grilling the others.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Meg trailed off, but she resumed. ¡°But! But, Natalia is the same inside and outside, and she does not have one thing to hide. She came to visit at my house, and she was the same when we two were alone.¡± Larry nodded firmly. ¡°Yeah. Lia¡¯s been that way all her life. She was born with that crazy personality. Which is what I told Jenny, but¡­¡± Seron chimed in. ¡°Nick, too. The only thing you¡¯d call a secret is his skill and experience with the staff¡ªit¡¯s a surprising secret, but not a particularly deep one.¡± ¡°Yeah. It was definitely a shock, though,¡± Larry agreed. ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Meg did as well. Seron continued. ¡°His vocabulary, his feminine looks¡ªthat¡¯s just who he is. That¡¯s the impression I got taking classes with him, and my impression hasn¡¯t changed since.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry added, ¡°I think those two know themselves really well, and know what they want. They¡¯re completely sure of themselves.¡± ¡°Oh! That is a very cool Roxchean phrase, Larry. You want to say that where a person is now is important, I see,¡± Meg exclaimed. ¡°Huh? Oh. Thanks,¡± Larry said, casting Seron a glance. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s about all with Nat and Nick,¡± Seron said, not a hint of jealousy in sight. Larry breathed a sigh of relief and continued. ¡°I¡¯m more curious about why Jenny¡¯s so convinced they¡¯re hiding things. She¡¯s probably wasting her breath right about now, trying to get them to spill their nonexistent secrets.¡± ¡°I see¡­in a Roxchean expression, Jenny is barking up the wrong tree,¡± Meg noted. ¡°If only that were all¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Meg intoned. ¡°What does this mean?¡± Seron replied, ¡°it means she might end up a mummified grave robber.¡± ¡°A mummified¡­? Do you mean the mummies? Jenny will become a mummy, you mean? She will dry and die? That is terrible! We must save her quickly!¡± Meg panicked, but Seron calmed her down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a figure of speech. There¡¯s an old story about how a grave robber broke into a tomb to find a medicine the mummy was buried with, but he died in the tomb and became a mummy himself. It¡¯s when you try to make someone else do something, only to end up doing it yourself. So¡­¡± Larry picked up where Seron left off. ¡°Jenny¡¯s gonna try to dig up their nonexistent secrets, but they¡¯ll turn it around and¡ª¡± ¡°And Jenny will tell her secrets to them without her thinking?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Larry replied. ¡°Yeah. It seems to me like Jenny¡¯s the one trying to hide something. That¡¯s generally how it goes. The more secrets you have, the more of an appetite you have for other people¡¯s secrets,¡± Seron said. ¡°Oh! That Roxchean expression is very cool too, Seron.¡± Seron lost himself in expressionless bliss, and Larry breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. ¡°Then,¡± Meg continued, ¡°to example, Jenny can tell the secret of the princess photograph she showed to us during the summer camp?¡± Her eyes began to twinkle. ¡°Wh-what will happen?¡± Meg seemed to feel a mix of pity and excitement, mostly the latter. ¡°I wonder¡­¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± The boys replied, trying not to let their curiosity show too much. ¡°Oh? You do not wish to know, Seron and Larry? Jenny¡¯s secret.¡± Meg asked, as though having read their mind. ¡°Look, a pond.¡± ¡°Look, a pond.¡± * * * As the students wandered in search of the next checkpoint, three in their midst went against the flow. ¡°Nice weather. Snacks are great whenever, but today¡¯s perfect for snacking.¡± ¡°It certainly is lovely. I do not feel sleepy at all, but today is perfect for a long nap in the sun.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not much of a nature photographer, but it¡¯s perfect for taking snapshots.¡± Natalia, Jenny, and Nick sat on a bench by a marsh not too far from the starting line. The peaceful water reflected the clear blue sky, with leaves poking out of the surface and delicate ripples left in the wake of passing waterfowl. ¡°I suppose the others must be braving uncharted terrain as we speak,¡± Nick remarked, looking up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯mma put Larry on tea duty if he screws up this one,¡± Natalia snickered, putting a large piece of chocolate in her mouth. ¡°I believe he is already fulfilling that function,¡± Nick pointed out, but Natalia pretended to not have known. ¡°By the way, you two¡ªor, maybe just Nat this time,¡± Jenny said, turning. ¡°What¡¯s up? If you wanna know how to get taller, all I can tell you is to not be a picky eater.¡± ¡°No, no. I was actually curious about Larry.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Natalia grinned, pleasantly surprised. ¡°So what kinda dirt you want? I can tell you anything! We¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Jenny replied brusquely, then grinned to herself. Natalia also grinned, but did not let Jenny see. ¡°All right, so how long¡¯ve you known him?¡± ¡°What was it now¡­I must¡¯ve been five or something, so something like 10 years. My family moved into the empty place next to the Hepburns.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°My folks sold the house when I was in fourth year at primary school saying we didn¡¯t need such a big house since they were away at concerts all the time. I liked the old place. There was this big gingko tree that turned bright yellow in autumn. It kinda stank this time of year, but I didn¡¯t mind,¡± Natalia reminisced. Pleased with the flow of information, Jenny moved on to the next question. ¡°What was he like back then? I get you were childhood friends, but what did you do together? I can¡¯t really picture anything.¡± ¡°What did we do? We did kid stuff. Fooling around without caring about being a girl or a boy. I think we were close. Oh, and he used to be a big crybaby.¡± ¡°I see, I see. So how¡¯d you make him cry?¡± ¡°Was it that obvious? Well, I did a lot of stuff.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°A lot of stuff. I¡¯m sure you can think of something, right? You must¡¯ve made a lot of boys cry yourself when you were in second year of primary school or so. What were your favorite strategies?¡± Natalia asked. Nick, meanwhile, was giving a smile and a wave to a passing girl. And even after the girl disappeared, the smile did not fade. Nick listened discreetly, focusing his senses on the conversation to his left. ¡°Me? I wouldn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t talk with boys at that age,¡± Jenny replied. ¡°Huh? You missed out, chief. Making boys cry is a girl¡¯s privilege in primary school.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Oh. So did they make you cry instead? That¡¯s surprising,¡± Natalia raised an eyebrow. Jenny had no choice but to answer. ¡°No. There just weren¡¯t any boys in my school.¡± ¡°Huh? I thought most primary schools were co-ed. Did you go to a religious school, chief?¡± Natalia gasped, waving her hands dramatically. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then where¡¯d you go? Or don¡¯t tell me¡­you couldn¡¯t afford to go, could you! I¡¯m so sorry, chief¡­your family was broke, wasn¡¯t it? You couldn¡¯t pay the tuition¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± Natalia apologized with a straight face to the heiress to Roxche¡¯s largest car company. ¡°Obviously, no,¡± Jenny sighed, ¡°I did go to primary school.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Halsey Women¡¯s University Primary School.¡± Halsey was the most famous private women¡¯s university in Roxche, also infamous for its difficult admissions requirements. ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s a real fancy lady school!¡± Natalia exclaimed, her shock for once genuine. She leaned in close to Jenny as though zooming. ¡°You serious, chief?¡± Jenny nodded almost imperceptibly. Nick joined the conversation from her right. ¡°Then why not continue on to Halsey Women¡¯s University Secondary School? As I recall, Halsey¡¯s affiliated institutions range from kindergarten to university.¡± Nick had a point. ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± Jenny trailed off. Natalia and Nick saw a rare shadow of doubt in Jenny¡¯s eyes and decided to refrain from prying for all of zero milliseconds. They leapt like predators locked on to their prey. ¡°What a waste! You beat the odds and made it into that fancy primary school, and you could have gone all the way to their exclusive secondary school too. Ours isn¡¯t bad, but I¡¯d have stayed if I were you.¡± ¡°I must agree,¡± Nick joined in with support fire, ¡°but I suppose people all have their reasons, as you must have had, Jenny. And thanks to your decision, we met and befriended you, do club activities together, and even share our pasts with one another.¡± Specifically, Jenny was the only one sharing her past, but Natalia caught Nick¡¯s pass and continued their team effort. ¡°Yeah! You could even call this destiny, chief. We were fated to meet! I bet you must be happy to do club stuff with us and publish newspapers¡ªer, a newspaper with us, eh?¡± ¡°Personally, I am overjoyed!¡± Nick exclaimed, ¡°the best thing about secondary school is that academics are far from all it has to offer, do you not agree?¡± ¡°Exactly, Nick. Exactly. Don¡¯t you think so too, chief?¡± Natalia and Nick were on a roll. Jenny was being dragged along. ¡°Er¡­well¡­¡± ¡°Chief! That¡¯s all the more reason why you should tell us what brought you here! Oh, but I guess it¡¯s not fair if you¡¯re the only one talking. Then we¡¯ll all share. I¡¯ll go first,¡± Natalia rambled without giving Jenny a chance to speak. She was enjoying herself immensely. ¡°The truth is¡­I applied to this school because¡­¡± A spark of excitement rose to Jenny¡¯s eye. She prepared for the moment Natalia began to pour out her heart. ¡°¡­Because it was closest to my house. Ten minutes on foot.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Jenny deflated instantly. Her explanation finished, Natalia cast a glance over Jenny¡¯s head to her right. ¡°All right. You, Nick?¡± ¡°In my case, I live at about the halfway point between our school and the 3rd Capital Secondary School. In fact, the latter may technically be closer to my residence.¡± ¡°So what made you pick our school?¡± ¡°I wanted to avoid the 3rd Capital Secondary School, as my sisters had been attending at the time.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­so is there something between you and them that made you avoid their school?¡± Jenny probed, sensing hints of a secret with Nick¡¯s sisters. ¡°Not at all. They¡¯re both lovely and admirable. I simply thought it would be more interesting to attend a different school.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Again, Jenny deflated. ¡°You, chief?¡± ¡°Huh? No reason.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Natalia and Nick asked at the same time. ¡°It wasn¡¯t anything big.¡± ¡°Oh? Then tell us.¡± ¡°I said it¡¯s nothing big.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to know why you went from the best girls¡¯ school in Roxche to a normal secondary school even if there¡¯s no big juicy piece of gossip behind it. C¡¯mon, chief.¡± ¡°Well¡­it was¡­¡± ¡°It was?¡± ¡°It was just a change of pace,¡± Jenny spat. ¡°I see, I see,¡± Natalia said, nodding repeatedly. She put her right arm on Jenny¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I think I get the picture.¡± ¡°Yeah? Good to hear,¡± Jenny said, looking slightly relieved under Natalia¡¯s arm. But¡ª ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s definitely more fun with some boys around. You could even get a boyfriend!¡± Angry creases formed on Jenny¡¯s brow. ¡°Hey! Where¡¯d that come from?!¡± ¡°Oh? Was I wrong?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°But what else could it be? The only difference between a girls¡¯ school and a co-ed one is the stink of men.¡± Nick chuckled bitterly at the comment, but Natalia continued. ¡°As a fellow girl, I can see how having boys around could make things fun. Mhm.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Jenny snorted, shaking Natalia¡¯s arm off her shoulder. ¡°I said that wasn¡¯t the reason! I applied to a co-ed school because there¡¯s boys around, but not because I wanted to get a boyfriend!¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t want one?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m not gonna date anybody!¡± ¡°Aww, but you¡¯re wasting away your youth. Are you gonna start dating in university?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to know?¡± ¡°If you want to find a decent man, you gotta start early. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I have to get a boyfriend.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± The girl talk continued without giving Nick a chance to intervene. ¡°Fascinating.¡± But he did not seem to mind, looking up at the sky with an elegant smile. * * * Larry was in the woods. Cedars as thick as a grown man stood in orderly rows, their branches overlapping and obscuring his line of sight. Larry stood in the woods, the compass in his right hand open and held at eye-level. Larry peered through the lens in the lid to pinpoint his next heading. When he found the angle the compass indicated, he pinpointed a tree that happened to overlap with the wire fitted into the lid. Larry shut the compass and began to walk, striding across the grass. He took one firm step after another, never once breaking into a run. Seron and Meg followed about 10 meters behind. ¡°He¡¯s checking our heading by using nearby features as landmarks, since we can¡¯t see too far in here,¡± Seron explained, ¡°in this case, Larry¡¯s picked that tree as the landmark. He¡¯ll try to keep walking without losing sight of it. Once we get there he¡¯ll check the compass again and find us the next landmark.¡± ¡°If he does do this, we can walk straightly in the forest. I understand. It is very wise,¡± Meg said with a nod. Then she added, ¡°but it is very bad news if he chooses the wrong direction.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Seron replied. ¡°Yeah,¡± Seron replied. The team had already cleared two checkpoints and left the trail again, taking the fastest route towards the next checkpoint. This route forced them through the woods all the way to their next destination. There were no hills or streams marked, but the next checkpoint was hundreds of meters away. If they failed to continue in a straight line, even when they returned to the trail they would not know whether to head left or right. They would be completely lost. Larry stopped and looked at the compass again. Seron and Meg stopped as well. ¡°So he¡¯s using a really clever strategy to make sure we¡¯ll be all right,¡± Seron whispered, so as to not disturb Larry. ¡°Oh? What is the strategy?¡± Larry began to walk again. Seron and Meg followed. ¡°Right now, we¡¯re not actually walking straight to the next checkpoint,¡± Seron explained, ¡°because if we were, and we happened to get lost, we wouldn¡¯t know if we¡¯d strayed too far to the left or the right. Does that make sense so far?¡± ¡°Yes, it does.¡± ¡°So Larry¡¯s leading us to a point on the trail about 200 meters to the left of the checkpoint. Which means¡ª¡± Meg clapped her hands triumphantly, as though she had solved a riddle. ¡°I understand! When we come to the trail, we will not wander. We will turn right! Even if our direction is a little wrong, it will not be severely wrong.¡± ¡°Yeah. Exactly,¡± Seron replied, his gaze locked on Meg¡¯s smile. ¡°Knowing more and more makes it more and more fun!¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. I once read a book that said women can¡¯t conceptualize maps very well, but I guess it must have been wrong.¡± ¡°The good thing about you, Seron, is that you are smart but you never think your knowledge is always right!¡± ¡°Th-thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very welcome. Thank you for explaining this to me.¡± They stopped, facing one another¡ª ¡°Huh?! WHOA!¡± Larry cried. Seron and Meg also looked ahead. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± They spotted another group of students. * * * ¡°Your parents¡¯d be happier if you brought home your future husband sooner than later,¡± Natalia remarked, crossing her legs. ¡°Sure, I guess.¡± Jenny sat next to her, sitting cross-legged. Next to the Jenny sat Nick, quietly sipping orange juice without joining the conversation. ¡°Right? Better grab one early. Gotta find Mr. Right and put your name on him before anyone else does. Or else you¡¯ll end up an old maid before you know it.¡± Just as Natalia insinuated, most women in Roxche married in their early twenties. It was the same for the upper classes, who went from secondary school to university, and for the working classes, who went into the workforce. Many students would begin dating in secondary school, populated by others of similar backgrounds, and marry while in university or upon graduation. It was not uncommon to marry as soon as one entered university, either. Because it was very likely that one would go on to marry a boyfriend or girlfriend from secondary school, the school hosted a dance party every year in the fourth month to give students an opportunity to socialize and find their match. ¡°Your parents would¡¯ve set up someone for you if you¡¯d stayed in the girls¡¯ school. Isn¡¯t that why you came here?¡± Natalia asked, ¡°that¡¯s all my music-focused brain can come up with.¡± ¡°Does it even matter?¡± Jenny replied, trying to avoid the issue. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re the only one who hasn¡¯t talked. C¡¯mon, I keep secrets. Not Larry¡¯s, though. In second year of primary school he tried to show off on the horizontal bars and fell off. His nosebleed was so bad it completely soaked his gym uniform. I¡¯ve got plenty more secrets to share, if you wanna trade for it.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Jenny demanded, looking up at Natalia. ¡°Why else? I wanna get to know you more and be better friends with you,¡± Natalia replied. Jenny smirked. ¡°All right. I guess it¡¯s true I wanted a freer life here. Girls¡¯ schools are a lot more restrictive.¡± ¡°See? It¡¯s good to be free. So what happened to bring you to a co-ed school? Did something happen to you when you were 12 years old?¡± ¡°Yeah, stuff.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Just stuff.¡± ¡°You gotta tell us what this stuff is, Jenny. I get the feeling it¡¯s something really surprising. C¡¯mon, tell us. I promise I¡¯ll go, ¡®oh my goodness!¡¯ every once in a while.¡± * * * ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Meg exclaimed. She understood what was happening the moment she spotted the other students. ¡°Other people are doing the same thing other than us!¡± About 50 meters in the distance were three people in school-issue sweats. The tallest of the three was a boy with brown hair. He was accompanied by a bespectacled boy with auburn hair, and a girl with black hair a little longer than Jenny¡¯s. From their builds they were likely all senior-classmen. The tall boy at the front was holding a compass much like Larry¡¯s. All three students wore sturdy boots, and wore rucksacks about twice the size of Larry¡¯s. They could probably use the rucksacks to go on an extended camping trip. The rucksacks sagged with weight, clearly stuffed full of heavy objects. The students in the distance were also holding sturdy oaken walking sticks, one in each hand. Each stick was stuck several centimeters into the ground. The team in the distance spotted Larry¡¯s team, and stopped in surprise. ¡°Huh. I¡¯ve never seen that guy in any of my military sciences classes. They don¡¯t give navigation training in any other courses or clubs, though¡­¡± Larry whispered. ¡°They¡¯re serious about this competition too,¡± Seron remarked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Larry nodded. ¡°Three hundred and fifty, Seron.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Meg tilted her head. Seron answered the unspoken question. ¡°That¡¯s the distance we¡¯ve covered since the last checkpoint. Larry¡¯s been keeping track with his strides. He told me because it¡¯s better to have more people remember.¡± ¡°I understand. Three hundred and fifty meters. I have memorized this too.¡± The other team came to a stop when they were close enough to hold a conversation. ¡°Hey there! How¡¯s it going?¡± The tall boy asked Larry with an affable smile. ¡°Good morning. We¡¯re enjoying ourselves,¡± Larry replied, also coming to a stop. The name ¡®Wilkinson¡¯ was embroidered onto the tall boy¡¯s jacket. ¡°I¡¯m surprised we weren¡¯t the only team playing to win,¡± Wilkinson admitted, ¡°I guess you probably thought the same, huh. We¡¯re from the ski club! I¡¯m Wilkinson, the club president.¡± ¡°I see. No wonder he could navigate. It completely slipped my mind,¡± Larry whispered bitterly. ¡°Why was it so?¡± Meg asked quietly. ¡°There¡¯s a variation on orienteering called ski-orienteering. It¡¯s basically the same as the regular game, except with skis. They¡¯re using ski poles to make it easier to walk.¡± Meg and Seron nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Wilkinson said, ¡°I expected no less from a Hepburn. I remember seeing your brother at school a few years back.¡± ¡°Thank you, SC Wilkinson,¡± Larry replied, glad that he did not have to spend the extra time to introduce himself. ¡°By the way, I didn¡¯t know there was a military sciences club at school,¡± Wilkinson mused curiously. ¡°Actually, we¡¯re from the newspaper club,¡± Larry replied. Wilkinson let go of his pole and put a thoughtful hand on his chin. ¡°Ah. I heard the newspaper club found a supervisor and received official status recently.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m surprised you knew.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t seem to have a lot of members yet.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m surprised you knew.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re planning to win this competition and make your name known to the entire school.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡­I¡¯m surprised you know all that, SC Wilkinson.¡± ¡°Of course! How could I not?¡± Wilkinson declared proudly, to Larry, Seron, and Meg¡¯s confusion. ¡°Because that¡¯s what we¡¯re doing!¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Hm. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°The ski club¡¯s been around since the school was founded, and at one point we were so popular we had to limit applications. But now we¡¯re down to only 16 members!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a lot more than our six,¡± Larry pointed out, trying to cheer up Wilkinson. But¡ª ¡°And we¡¯re the only active members.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s a bit of a downer. I can see why you¡¯re having a hard time.¡± ¡°And us three are all in sixth year. What do you think will happen after we graduate next year?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Larry lied, the obvious answer being that the club would cease to exist. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to win and make sure the whole school knows about the ski club and its long history!¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°So you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re aiming for the top! You guys have guts, I admit, but you can¡¯t beat us! Give up and enjoy your picnic. That¡¯s all I have to say! Bye!¡± Wilkinson finished, and the ski club sped off. They rushed into the distance with Wilkinson in the lead, poles piercing the ground as they went in a straight line slightly out of line with Larry¡¯s heading. Soon, they disappeared completely. For some time, Larry and the others stared without a word. ¡°Hm¡­this is gonna be tough. We can¡¯t beat ¡®em for speed and endurance,¡± Larry groaned. ¡°The powerful rivals appeared. We might not be able to win,¡± Meg sighed. But Seron alone seemed undaunted. ¡°You never know unless you try. We¡¯ll keep going at our own pace, Larry.¡± * * * Just as Larry¡¯s team resumed walking¡ª ¡°C¡¯mon, please? Chief.¡± ¡°Stop clinging. You¡¯re acting like a drunk, you know that?¡± Natalia was entangling herself with Jenny, who successfully pushed her away in spite of their size difference. ¡°It¡¯s nothing interesting.¡± ¡°But I wanna know! Please, Jenny!¡± ¡°Like I said¡­¡± ¡°Me and Nicholas already told you our stories! You have to tell us yours!¡± ¡°I said¡ª¡± ¡°You can admit you wanted to meet some boys, chief! I just want to hear it straight from the horse¡¯s mouth!¡± ¡°I told you that¡¯s not it! It¡¯s more complicated.¡± ¡°Oh? How so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing interesting.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°Every way.¡± ¡°Oh? How so?¡± Listening to the conversation to his left, Nick peered through the small binoculars he had brought. ¡°Ah, a mallard. Looks scrumptious.¡± * * * Larry¡¯s team left the woods and made it onto the trail. A trio of girls screamed when the team seemingly materialized out of nowhere, but Larry turned right without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Seron and Meg followed. With the map in his left hand, Larry put his thumb on the spot he supposed was their current location. He checked their coordinates against the bend in the trail and the compass. ¡°We¡¯re on the right track.¡± A short walk past the bend later, they spotted the checkpoint. ¡°There!¡± It all went according to Larry¡¯s plan. There was a table at the checkpoint with a staff member sitting behind it. A flag was set up at the checkpoint, adorned with a stylized rabbit to show that the checkpoint was for those on the rabbit course. It was numbered ¡®4¡¯. Three teams¡ªnine students¡ªwere gathered at the checkpoint. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Larry,¡± Seron said. ¡°Oh! It is the people from before!¡± Meg cried. Wilkinson and the ski club members were already at the checkpoint, scrutinizing a piece of paper together. Their large rucksacks and poles were on the ground beside them. ¡°So they¡¯re on this course too. But they¡¯re taking a different route¡­¡± Larry sighed. He feared that the ski club had found a more efficient route than his. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them,¡± Seron reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ve still got a chance. My guess was right.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Larry and Meg asked in unison. ¡°Look.¡± The ski club members were still staring a hole into their paper. The girl crouched down and took out a book from one of the rucksacks¡ªa thick encyclopedia. They began to rapidly rifle through the pages. ¡°Ah!¡± The ski club noticed Larry¡¯s team draw near. They ground their teeth and quickly returned to their encyclopedia. ¡°What in the world has happened?¡± Asked Meg. Seron answered by flashing their answer sheet¡ªmarked with the name of their course¡ªto the checkpoint staff and receiving the question sheet. The question sheet contained this checkpoint¡¯s quiz. Students had to write down their answers at the checkpoint, and their answers would be graded after they crossed the finish line. Wrong answers resulted in massive penalties, so getting a perfect score on the quiz was absolutely essential to victory. Seron showed the question sheet to Larry and Meg. Quiz (Social Sciences) Which of the below is NOT a reason that the Roxcheanuk Confederation¡¯s Special Capital District was chosen to be built where it is today? 1. Because it was far from the Lutoni River (the border between East and West). 2. Because it was far from the coast and transportation by sea was easier than by canal. 3. Because of its temperate climate and low snowfall. 4. Because the area¡¯s canal and rail infrastructure was well-developed. 5. Because it was on the borders of multiple countries, letting it be a region independent of any Roxchean member state. Seron received a colored pencil from the staff member. Each checkpoint had a differently-colored pencil to prevent cheating. Seron wrote ¡®4¡¯ on their answer sheet and returned the colored pencil. Then, unusually for him, he slapped Larry on the back and raised his voice. ¡°All right, we¡¯re off to the next checkpoint! Lead the way, Larry!¡± ¡°Agh!¡± The ski team shot Seron a murderous glare, but they quickly returned to their encyclopedia. ¡°Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± Larry asked. ¡°Can they not solve their question well?¡± Meg wondered. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t have brought the encyclopedia if they could,¡± Seron concluded. Larry followed the crayon-marked route he had plotted on the map and began to walk. ¡°You think they really brought a whole encyclopedia set with them? That¡¯s pretty stupid.¡± ¡°They¡¯re trying to make up for their weaknesses in any way they can. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s such a stupid idea. Although now we don¡¯t have a massive advantage over them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. ¡ªSorry, ski club. I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t need an idiot like me to call you stupid. Do your best,¡± Larry apologized quietly, as the ski club anxiously watched them depart. ¡°I understand. That was your plan, Seron! Endurance and speed, the ski team has it, but our team has you, who loves books!¡± Meg cheered. Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s gonna be a close one.¡± About five minutes after Larry¡¯s team had left¡ª ¡°Ah! Railroads didn¡¯t exist when the Capital District was formed!¡± Wilkins exclaimed, his voice resounding across the checkpoint. ¡°Four, huh.¡± ¡°Four.¡± The other students learned the answer as well. * * * ¡°It¡¯s nothing interesting.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jenny and Natalia¡¯s back-and-forth showed no sign of ending. ¡°Yes, really.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t get how our clever, intelligent chief would make a life-changing decision for no reason whatsoever.¡± ¡°Thanks for the compliments, but I¡¯m just gonna ignore the rest of that.¡± ¡°Aw, don¡¯t be like that, chief. Hey, are you feeling thirsty at all? Here. It¡¯s on me,¡± Natalia said, offering a bottle from her own lunchbox. It was bottled grape juice. ¡°Thanks.¡± Jenny took the bottle, opened the lid, and downed half its contents in one go. ¡°Not bad. You a heavy drinker?¡± ¡°This is juice,¡± Jenny sighed, but she seemed to recall something and giggled. ¡°But a friend of mine once got drunk on wine.¡± ¡°Oh? How did that happen?¡± ¡°She found some freshly-made wine but thought it was juice. Downed an entire glass and got knocked out. Heh.¡± ¡°Yeah, freshly-made stuff¡¯s easy to drink, though I¡¯ve never tried myself. So the grape juice brought back that memory, eh chief? How do you feel? Tingly? Tipsy at all?¡± ¡°No. But¡ª¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s not something I need to be drunk to talk about¡­since it turned out all right, I guess.¡± ¡°What are you saying, chief?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s not something I need to hide until I¡¯m old enough to actually drink¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Natalia gazed into Jenny¡¯s profiled face, completely lost. Jenny looked up. Their eyes met. Natalia spotted the glint of amusement and abandon in Jenny¡¯s gaze. ¡°So now you¡¯re ready to talk! C¡¯mon, it¡¯s time to expose your secret!¡± Natalia declared dramatically. Jenny grinned. ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s nothing interesting. Prepare for the disappointment of your life.¡± And Nick, who had been silent as a stone for some time, finally spoke up with an elegant smile. ¡°I am quite curious as well.¡± * * * ¡°Not bad, newspaper club! I admit we underestimated you, but we are not going to lose! I swear!¡± Wilkinson and the ski club rushed past Larry¡¯s team at a brisk pace. Their poled drummed against the wooden plank walkway. The ski team members were sweating heavily, their bags heaving. ¡°They¡¯re trying so hard,¡± Larry remarked, not shedding a drop of sweat. He glanced at the map and his watch. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± ¡°To the fifth checkpoint, yes? That is that, and now we are finally overtaken. It is truly a very good challenge,¡± said Meg, her eyes brimming with spirit. Since the third checkpoint, they had left the trails several times and crossed the uncultivated woods. The team beat the ski club to the fourth checkpoint. Seron solved the question with ease, and immediately the team started again, crossing the woods again and following the trail to the fifth checkpoint. The ski club passed them just before they reached the fifth checkpoint, which was visible just ahead. The rabbit flag was displayed clearly next to it. Wilkinson and the others were already there, desperately flipping through pages of their encyclopedia to find the answer. At times they wiped the sweat off their brows with their sleeves. Seron received the question sheet and took four seconds to read through it. Then he showed it to Meg. ¡°Hm?¡± Meg read the question and smiled radiantly. ¡°It is this one! I am certain! It was very easy!¡± She cried, pointing out the answer immediately. Seron nodded firmly. ¡°I think so too!¡± He made a point of declaring loudly, and wrote their answer and showed it to the staff member at the checkpoint. ¡°Urgh¡­¡± ¡°Dammit¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The ski club¡¯s anger was palpable. ¡°All right! On to the final checkpoint!¡± Larry cried, doing his utmost to rattle the ski club. ¡°Yes! Heave-ho!¡± Meg showed no mercy as well. Larry¡¯s team set off again. ¡°Urgh¡­damn that girl¡­¡± The lone girl on the ski club ground her teeth, watching the newspaper club depart. Her teeth were about to crack. ¡°Calm down. We¡¯re not out of the running yet,¡± Wilkinson said cooly. ¡°They¡¯re probably taking the same route as us. And remember, the last checkpoint is far from the finish line. They can¡¯t beat us in endurance, right?¡± ¡°Prez¡­¡± ¡°So we have to calm down and make sure we get these answers right. ¡®What is the full name of the Sou Be-Il soldier who stumbled upon the historic mural that ended the war between East and West in 3287?¡¯ I think it¡¯s number 2, ¡®Carr Benjamin¡¯.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Wilkinson nodded firmly. And¡ª ¡°But let¡¯s look it up, just in case!¡± * * * ¡°I was raised like a real lady. Sheltered and spoiled like a little princess. I didn¡¯t think it was weird, though. I liked being treated that way,¡± Jenny Jones began, bottle of grape juice in one hand and her legs crossed, her shoes on the ground. ¡°Nobody at this school¡¯d believe you. But I do, cause I saw that photo,¡± said Natalia. The photo was one of Jenny at the age of 12, dressed up like a doll in a fancy winter coat. ¡°Indeed,¡± Nick agreed. ¡°Then you wouldn¡¯t have believed me if you hadn¡¯t seen it?¡± ¡°Nuh-uh.¡± ¡°Likely not.¡± Jenny puffed up her cheeks. ¡°So it really was that shocking a photo, huh. Anyway.¡± ¡°But I prefer you now, chief,¡± Natalia commented. Jenny turned. ¡°Heh. You¡¯re just saying that.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m kind of being honest. You look better now.¡± ¡°Thanks. I didn¡¯t mind the long hair and the fancy outfits, though. My parents were strict but nice, and the servants and the maids and everyone around me was good to me. They were all such good people,¡± Jenny said, looking up at the sky, ¡°and they still are.¡± Then she looked down. ¡°I know,¡± Natalia reassured her. ¡°So why the haircut?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Jenny retorted immediately. Natalia and Nick looked at her. Two sets of eyes fell on Jenny. She looked around, meeting their eyes one after another. ¡°What? You look like you¡¯ve just seen an extraterrestrial or something.¡± ¡°Chief¡­¡± Natalia trailed off in a half-sob. ¡°It must have been so hard on you¡­ It¡¯s all right, you don¡¯t have to force yourself to tell¡­¡± Nick also put on a sad look. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll be better off leaving this particular story untold.¡± ¡°Hey! You guys are the ones who wanted to hear this story!¡± Jenny laughed. ¡°Really? I guess we did.¡± ¡°Indeed. I do recall, yes.¡± ¡°Ugh. I barely said anything back there. How¡¯d you guess?¡± ¡°It was a lucky guess. So who was it?¡± ¡°My cousin,¡± Jenny replied immediately. ¡°Oho.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°Kinda surprising, but not really. I guess if you were a sheltered heiress who went to an all-girls school, you¡¯d probably never meet a guy who wasn¡¯t a relative.¡± ¡°Yeah, more or less.¡± ¡°So how old was he?¡± ¡°Six years older than me, so he was 18 back then.¡± ¡°Hm. Yeah, he must¡¯ve looked really cool and handsome.¡± ¡°Speaking from experience, Nat?¡± ¡°Nope. I don¡¯t have relatives.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. My dad¡¯s from a rich family, but they kicked him out when he said he wanted to become a musician. ¡®Steinbeck¡¯ is my mom¡¯s family name. My mom lost her parents when she was young, so she had a tough time too. But my folks both got themselves state-funded scholarships to go to music school.¡± ¡°That sounds incredible,¡± said Nick. ¡°That¡¯s my parents for you,¡± Natalia said with a shrug, ¡°afterwards, when they won a contest together and got really famous all throughout Roxche, my dad¡¯s family sent him a snobby letter. ¡®We will accept you back into our family. Be grateful and do everything in your power to bring prestige to the family name¡¯.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°My dad wrote ¡®em back. ¡®Bullsheet! Go kill yourselves! Don¡¯t ever contact me again! Go to hell!¡¯ in the most elegant Roxchean in the world. So that¡¯s why I don¡¯t have any grandparents or cousins.¡± ¡°Wow. I didn¡¯t know any of that,¡± Jenny gasped. ¡°Truthfully, I did know all this. I kept silent about it, of course,¡± said Nick. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m not torn up about not having relatives. But we were listening to the chief¡¯s story. Sorry, Jenny. Keep going.¡± ¡°¡­Do I really have to spell it all out for you?¡± Jenny asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°We wanna know what happened. Don¡¯t worry, you have the right to speak.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean ¡®duty¡¯?¡± ¡°Nope. The right. Uninteresting stories don¡¯t become ancient history until you tell them.¡± * * * ¡°The answer is 2. That was the year the right to remain silent was officially recognized,¡± Seron said, filling in the answer sheet. All six boxes were now filled. There were no other students at the checkpoint. ¡°All right! Now we just gotta get back to the starting line,¡± Larry cheered, glancing at his watch. It had been almost an hour since the competition began. ¡°We¡¯ll speedwalk all the way back. And we¡¯re gonna stick to the trails this time so we don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Meg and Seron replied. Meg was holding a long, thin thermos. She poured a warm cup of tea for herself and drained it, then turned. ¡°Seron, please drink this tea. You must hydrate.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, thank you.¡± ¡°I will pour the tea for you.¡± Meg poured tea into the same cup and handed it to Seron. Many thoughts went through his mind in that one instant. ¡°Could I have some too, please?¡± Larry asked, lending Seron a hand. ¡°I understand. Please drink first, Seron.¡± Seron told himself over and over again that there was no special meaning to the cup, and drank the tea. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Yes, because Larry is good in brewing tea.¡± Seron returned the cup to Meg. Larry downed his tea in one go. ¡°Let¡¯s get going,¡± he said, putting on his rucksack again with the thermos inside. They started for the goal. * * * ¡°I was just a delusional little girl. A girl who assumed that the guy who was always really really nice to her was in love with her¡ªand ended up falling for him.¡± ¡°It could happen to anyone, chief. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Except for being an idiot.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± ¡°I was an idiot. Stupidly falling for him, stupidly making stupid assumptions, stupidly deluding myself, stupidly imagining those delusions would come true,¡± Jenny said, her face blank. Her eyes were not on her companions, but on the blue sky beyond the trees. ¡°When he broke the news, I felt like I was flung off to another planet. It happens in life. When everything still looks the same but you¡¯re knocked away into another world.¡± ¡°Welcome, then. It¡¯s not too bad here. They say ¡®wherever you go, there you remain¡¯. So what was the news?¡± ¡°Mundane stuff. Something for everyone to celebrate. He said he would marry this beautiful girl as soon as they started university.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°A beautiful girl he¡¯d been seeing in secret for a long time.¡± ¡°Someone you knew?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jenny said, and took a deep breath. ¡°I may have been a sheltered little girl back then, but how could I not know my own sister?¡± * * * ¡°Seron, Larry. The ski club is there,¡± Meg said, having spotted the three first. About 40 meters ahead of Larry¡¯s team, the ski club marched forward with their poles drumming against the trail. They were drenched in sweat. ¡°Must be on their way to the last checkpoint,¡± Larry remarked, checking his map and his watch. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even if they solve it in three minutes, we¡¯ll finish earlier.¡± Even as Larry explained, the ski club came closer and closer. Larry moved out of the way so they could pass. ¡°Hey there, Hepburn! Very courteous of you!¡± Wilkinson grinned, face glistening. ¡°Thanks for your sportsmanship, but I don¡¯t recommend letting your guard down!¡± That was when the ski club stopped running. They looked at Larry¡¯s team, waking slowly down the trail. ¡°The answer is 2, right?¡± ¡°How?!¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Wilkinson grinned at Larry and Meg¡¯s responses. ¡°There¡¯s no rule that says we can¡¯t get the answers from another team. That¡¯s what the colored pencils are for. Thanks for the help!¡± Wilkinson said, smiling. ¡°Argh¡­¡± Larry ground his teeth. ¡°We¡¯re gonna sprint all the way to the checkpoint, and then the finish line. You¡¯d better secure an advantage while you still have the chance! Looking forward to the big showdown!¡± Wilkinson and the ski club began to run again. They drew near, passed by, and disappeared. Larry pursed his lips and watched them depart. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have to run,¡± Seron said cooly. ¡°It is not fun to not run! I will run!¡± Meg chimed in zealously, crossing her arms with a smile. Larry grinned. ¡°All right, guys. Let¡¯s give it our best to the finish line!¡± They took off. * * * ¡°You had a sister, chief?¡± Natalia wondered. Nick cut in. ¡°Odd, that. I¡¯d heard that you were the only child of the president.¡± Jenny turned, meeting Nick¡¯s gaze for the first time in a while. ¡°Nicholas, are you a detective?¡± ¡°Of course not, Jenny. I¡¯ve simply spent some time looking into the histories of prestigious families.¡± ¡°Planning to marry rich, eh?¡± Natalia joked. But Nick nodded without missing a beat. ¡°I am. The Browning family isn¡¯t particularly prestigious, after all.¡± ¡°Whoa, seriously? ¡­FYI, forget the Steinbecks. All we¡¯ve got are mountains of instruments and really good music skills.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite remarkable in and of itself.¡± Nick shook his head. ¡°All my family has are textbooks my parents have read and textbooks my parents have written.¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± Natalia said, bringing the conversation back to the rails, ¡°what happened, chief? You mind telling us?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°She¡¯s my sister, but we¡¯re not related.¡± * * * Seron, Larry, and Meg were running. They were not sprinting, but they were certainly not relaxed. They rushed past other students they encountered on the trail, receiving the occasional odd look. ¡°Right!¡± Larry ordered, and the others turned as he directed. Because Meg was a little slower, the boys matched her pace. ¡°How much are there left?¡± Meg asked. Her beautiful voice echoed through the woods, breathing still relaxed. ¡°We¡¯re only about halfway there,¡± Larry replied. ¡°¡­Oh¡­¡± Seron began to slow. * * * ¡°My parents had a really hard time conceiving. It was tough for them before I was born.¡± ¡°I see. President Jones is quite a bit older than those of my parents¡¯ generation, as I recall,¡± Nick remarked. ¡°You read business magazines every day or something?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Yes, after my mother is finished with them.¡± ¡°I see. Keep going, chief.¡± ¡°So my parents decided to adopt. That was six years before I was born. They went to an orphanage in the Capital District and took in a girl who was abandoned at birth.¡± ¡°So that was your sister?¡± ¡°Yeah. And then my mother got pregnant with me out of the blue.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°My parents wanted to raise us as sisters, but my uncle¡ªmy dad¡¯s younger brother¡ªreally wanted to take her in as his own daughter. He¡¯d really wanted a daughter of his own.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°They had a bunch of family meetings, and in the end my sister was adopted by my uncle.¡± ¡°Wow¡­shunted from one family to another. I feel kinda sorry for her.¡± ¡°FYI, my uncle lives with us in the same manor. We always have dinner together, too. The only thing that changed, really, was her legal guardian.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Anyway, my uncle had a son. He was the same age as my sister.¡± ¡°No way¡­it was him?¡± Natalia gasped, for once looking anxious. ¡°Wanna take a breather?¡± Jenny grinned, finally taking the offensive. * * * ¡°Want to take a break?¡± Seron was the first to run out of breath. Larry was still full of energy, and though she was sweating Meg did not look particularly tired. Seron alone was slowing, his head beginning to loll and his breaths growing ragged. He was starting to slow into a walk. ¡°No¡­I¡¯m just a little out of breath¡­we can¡¯t stop here¡­¡± ¡°All right. We¡¯ll keep going,¡± Larry said, pulling off Seron¡¯s rucksack. ¡°You can do it, buddy!¡± He cheered, shouldering the rucksack over his stomach. ¡°Yes! You can!¡± Meg also cheered. Seron¡¯s pace picked up a little. * * * ¡°You mean to say that the cousin you fancied, in fact, was in love with his own adopted sister?¡± Nick asked for confirmation. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jenny replied as though nothing was wrong. ¡°Oh my goodness! Dearie me!¡± Natalia fussed, going out of her way to sound like a lady. ¡°Stop that!¡± Jenny roared. ¡°Anyway, back to the story. I grew up with my sister and my cousin. We were like siblings. We had so much fun together.¡± ¡°And?¡± Natalia asked. Jenny leaned back against the bench and looked into the sky. ¡°I don¡¯t know when they fell for each other. But I did know that they were going to secondary school together. The 1st Capital Secondary School, for your information. My cousin picked the place because it¡¯s famous for its rowing team. He really wanted to join.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And there I was, going to my fancy little princess school, daydreaming all the time about my rose-tinted future. Waiting in my little tower for my knight in shining armor to sweep me off my feet. Wanna hear more?¡± ¡°Agh¡­¡± Natalia gasped. ¡°CHIEF!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± She pulled Jenny into a suffocating hug. ¡°Ack! Hey! Ow! I can¡¯t breathe! Are you trying to strangle me?!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± Natalia swore, ignoring Jenny¡¯s complaints. Tears were welling in her eyes. ¡°This kinda stuff gets me every time! I can¡¯t listen to much more of this!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked for it! Let go of me!¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t take it back now! Oh, chief!¡± ¡°Enough! And look! This story has a happy ending!¡± ¡°Really? How?¡± ¡°Maybe if you¡¯d let go of me, I could tell you!¡± Natalia finally released Jenny. ¡°Almost saw my life flash before my eyes.¡± Jenny sighed, fixing her hair. ¡°The story does not seem to be headed in a happy direction,¡± Nick said. ¡°Well, surprise. My cousin and my sister were legally siblings, but they could get married if she was taken off the family registry. But my cousin was still torn up about it. And one day, after mulling it over forever, he told the whole dinner table out of the blue. ¡®I¡¯m going to spend the rest of my life with the woman next to me!¡¯ I was listening to it all from across the table.¡± ¡°And? And? What happened then?¡± Natalia asked, staring into Jenny¡¯s profiled face. ¡°No one said anything for a while. But we could all tell he was being serious. So guess what my uncle did then.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°Total chaos? Plates flying, blood and screaming?¡± ¡°The opposite.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He started bawling his eyes out, and bowed his head. Then he said to my cousin, ¡®take good care of her! Make her happy!¡¯¡± ¡°Whoa! I don¡¯t know whether to be impressed or disturbed,¡± Natalia exclaimed. ¡°Indeed,¡± Nick nodded. ¡°Everyone was happy. My uncle and aunt really adore my sister, and it made them sad to even think about her getting married and leaving. My parents too. All the stupid rich families used to look down on her just because she was adopted. Uncle and Auntie really didn¡¯t want her to marry someone who wouldn¡¯t treat her well. Mom and Dad were happy that their nephew wouldn¡¯t end up getting taken advantage of by some shady girl. And it¡¯s not really incest since they¡¯re not blood relatives.¡± ¡°I guess you could think of it that way. Sometimes the family you marry into makes a bigger impact than the person you marry.¡± ¡°So the dinner turned into an impromptu celebration. They were laughing and cheering. Everyone must¡¯ve been so happy. Except for me. I just sat there with a smile plastered on my face, totally thunderstruck. It was like I¡¯d been transported to a bizzarro-world.¡± ¡°¡­And then?¡± ¡°What else? Before I knew it, the wedding date was set and the bells began to chime. It was the biggest celebration in the Jones family¡¯s history. Obviously I was there too. Wearing an expensive dress, watching them kiss from the best seat in the house. Watching everyone beaming.¡± ¡°¡­Chief¡­that¡¯s enough now¡­don¡¯t push yourself¡­¡± ¡°No, I will! I¡¯ve got a few things to say! First off, I don¡¯t resent my cousin one bit. And I don¡¯t resent my sister, either. They might not know how I felt, but they still love me so much. They¡¯re good people, and I love them as much as they love me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t resent my parents, or my uncle and aunt. I¡¯m glad I was born into the Jones family. If I could go back in time and choose, I¡¯d still pick my own parents. But! If I did get a second chance, I wouldn¡¯t just sit around waiting. I¡¯d do everything I needed to do, and say everything I wanted to say. No matter the consequences.¡± ¡°Mhm. Mhm.¡± Natalia nodded again and again. ¡°I learned a lesson from my mistakes. If you¡¯re in love, don¡¯t just sit back and hope they¡¯ll notice you. Just hoping for a future together isn¡¯t going to make that future come true. You¡¯re not gonna win unless you give it everything you¡¯ve got! Figure out that future you want and run for it like your life depends on it!¡± Then, Jenny stood. With her head held high, she held up her right hand and pointed straight ahead¡ª ¡°I¡¯m talking to YOU! SERON MAXWELL!¡± At the sweat-drenched Seron, who happened to be passing by. ¡°¡­Who, me?¡± With that confused question, Seron passed by Jenny¡¯s team. ¡°Ah, everyone! We are doing our best work!¡± Meg passed by a second later, followed by¡ª ¡°You guys are still here?! Good! Hold on to these, I¡¯ll come back for ¡®em after we¡¯ve won! Feel free to snack on everything, Lia!¡± ¡ªLarry, who took a second to put down the two rucksacks in front of the bench. Then he took off running again. Larry¡¯s team soon disappeared behind the trees. ¡°It almost seems as though they are being chased,¡± Nick noted with a smile. ¡°Hmph!¡± Jenny snorted, taking a seat. ¡°They¡¯d better run as if there¡¯s a pack of wolves at their heels. I expect nothing less than first place out of them.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re they running so fast, though? No complaints here, but they even left their food.¡± Natalia wondered, pulling the two rucksacks into her arms. Nick pointed an open palm at the direction Larry¡¯s team had come from. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Natalia and Jenny turned. Natalia and Jenny turned. ¡°We¡¯re gonna win this!¡± ¡°Aaaaaaargh!¡± ¡°Ski club! Ski club!¡± Wilkinson and his team were running as though their lives depended on it. The three sixth-years were exhausted from the long, heavy trek. Saliva dribbled from their mouths as they crashed past Jenny¡¯s team. ¡°I see.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°This might be a close one,¡± Nick said, ¡°if they keep up this pace, this team is likely to catch up with Larry¡¯s at the square entrance.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Oh, a few simple calculations.¡± Jenny leaned back on the bench. ¡°I won¡¯t accept second place.¡± * * * ¡°I see the newspaper club! Tally ho!¡± Wilkinson¡¯s terrifying cry reached even Larry¡¯s team, running about 50 meters ahead. The woods were almost at an end. The trail turned right at the stream, running parallel to it until the bridge that led to the goal. There were about 200 meters left. ¡°What are we, foxes?!¡± Larry complained, speeding up. ¡°We are rabbits, not foxes!¡± Meg pointed out. She was still going strong enough to speak. But Seron, running in front of her, was nearly in tears. ¡°¡®Tally ho¡¯ is what a hunter says to his hounds when he spots a fox.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°Damn it! They¡¯re gonna catch up to us!¡± Larry howled, looking back. They had just made a turn, so the ski club was out of sight. But Wilkinson¡¯s voice was just as clear as before. ¡°Just you wait, newspaper club!¡± Larry¡¯s team finally emerged from the woods. The trail turned right. The rod from earlier came into view. ¡°Larry! Will we be faster to go if we cross the river?¡± Meg suddenly asked. ¡°Huh? Yeah, but¡ª¡± Larry thought for a moment. If they crossed the stream immediately, they simply had to run across a short stretch of grass to the finish line. It would be faster than following the trail and crossing the bridge. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll make it, Megmica. The stream is too wide.¡± With a running start, they could likely make it over the stream itself. But the banks of the stream were steep and wide, meaning that they would actually have to jump three meters to make it safely across. ¡°It is all right! Truthfully, I have done it before!¡± Meg said, passing Larry and Seron. She reached the red-and-white rod and pulled it out with both hands. Then she took several steps back. ¡°Huh?¡± Seron stopped. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Larry asked. ¡°Please watch! The way of life of a Sou Be-Il person!¡± Meg cried, breaking into a run. She charged toward the stream with the rod in her hands. Then she stuck the end of the rod into the center of the stream. ¡°Hyah!¡± With a spirited cry, she clung to the rod and leapt. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Seron¡¯s jaw dropped and Larry¡¯s eyes turned to dinner plates as Meg drew an elegant arc over the stream. ¡°There.¡± The rod crossed all the way to the other side, slowly falling. Still holding the rod, Meg landed on the grass past the slopes of the riverbank. Then she let go and rolled on the ground, her sweats and pigtails getting covered in grass. Her hair came undone. ¡°Please be quick!¡± Meg quickly rose to her feet and tipped the rod across the stream. Her long dark hair rippled across her back. ¡°Yeah!¡± Larry rushed to the bank and caught the rod. ¡°I¡¯m going first, Seron! Come after me, okay?¡± Larry took hold of the rod, took several steps back, and ran. ¡°HAAAAH!¡± He leapt even further than Meg and landed easily on the opposite bank. ¡°Seron! Here!¡± He cried, pushing the rod over again. But at that very moment¡ª ¡°Ah! Curse you, newspaper club! Curse you and your underhanded tactics!¡± Wilkinson roared, popping out of the woods. Seron fumbled as he tried to catch the rod, dropping it. ¡°Oh!¡± Meg cried. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Seron. Stay calm, buddy,¡± Larry instructed. Seron crouched down and grabbed the rod, then emulated Larry as he took several steps backwards. Before him was the stream, which looked wider than ever before. Beyond, his best friend and a beautiful girl with long flowing hair. Both waving and cheering. Seron¡¯s breaths were ragged. ¡°Can I really do this?¡± He wondered to himself. ¡°You gotta jump, Seron! They¡¯re coming!¡± Larry urged. Seron turned. ¡°AAARGH!¡± Wilkinson was charging like a wildebeest, only 10 meters away. ¡°Ugh!¡± There was no time to lose; Seron broke into a run. ¡°Jump!¡± ¡°Seron!¡± He heard two voices. And stuck the end of the rod into the stream. ¡°Oh no!¡± Meg cried. Seron had stuck the rod too close to the near shore. He slowly drew an arc over the stream, falling in slow motion. ¡°Not good!¡± Larry hissed, rushing to the bank. Meg was hot on his heels. ¡°Ah!¡± Seron yelled, suddenly aware of his situation. He would not make it. In midair, he stretched his legs as far forward as he could. That was enough to put his two feet on the grass just above the sloped bank. ¡°Whoa!¡± But he slipped. To make matters worse, his legs had given out in midair, which meant he was tumbling back-first toward the water. Seron¡¯s back hit the grass. He began sliding rapidly towards the stream, head-first. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Please!¡± Larry and Meg leapt, grabbing Seron¡¯s left and right leg respectively. There was a small splash. As Meg and Larry clung to the ground, holding Seron¡¯s legs, and the ski club watched from across the shore, Seron¡¯s head broke the water¡¯s surface. His hair alone was in the water, as though he were getting his hair washed at a salon. The water lapped at his forehead. Seron looked at Wilkinson upside-down. ¡°Pull!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Larry and Meg hauled Seron up the bank. His hair was dragged out of the water. ¡°Agh!¡± Seron also did what he could, grabbing the grass under him and pulling himself into a sitting position. ¡°Here,¡± Larry said, offering a hand. Seron grabbed Larry¡¯s hand with both of his own. ¡°Graaagh!¡± Larry pulled him all the way up in one tense motion. Seron leaned forward in one go, droplets of water spraying from his hair. And he fell onto the grass. ¡°Hah! Hah!¡± Seron gasped, his face and jacket becoming drenched with the water from his hair. ¡°You did it, man!¡± Larry cheered. Meanwhile, Meg was also taking action. ¡°I will never let you have it!¡± She declared, grabbing the rod as it floated partway into the stream. Wilkinson, who had been reaching for the rod with his teammates¡¯ support, watched the rod snatched out of his reach. ¡°Ugh! Damn it! Forget this, guys! Let¡¯s go!¡± The ski club immediately returned to the trail. ¡°Seron! Megmica! We¡¯re going too! Can you run?¡± ¡°Yes! Come, Seron! Stand!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ All right.¡± Meg gave Seron¡¯s arm a gentle tug, pulling him to his feet. Seron slicked his hair back to keep it out of the way. Larry began to run. Meg and Seron followed quickly after. The grassy field was bumpy and difficult to sprint along, so Larry¡¯s team remained mindful of the terrain as they ran. When Larry glanced to the right, he spotted the ski club furiously running down the trail across the stream. When he looked back, he saw Seron lagging behind. ¡°Seron! If you lose here, Megmica¡¯s efforts are gonna go to waste!¡± ¡°No!¡± Seron sped up slightly. ¡°Do your best work, Seron!¡± Seron sped up even more. With his hair slicked back, Seron gritted his teeth and grimaced and ran and ran and ran. With water dripping from his hair and sweat from his face, he kept his eyes trained on the head of long black hair fluttering before his eyes. ¡°Not good¡­¡± Larry, running ahead of the others, spotted the teachers at the finish line. At the same time, he glimpsed the bridge at the edge of his line of sight. Along with¡ª ¡°WE¡¯RE NOT GONNA LOSE!¡± The ski club members, who had just begun to cross the bridge. Larry turned to check on Seron and Meg. ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a close one¡­¡± Though he was in the clear, Seron and Meg would be overtaken by the ski club. Larry took a deep breath. ¡°Megmica! Take Seron¡¯s hand! And help him forward!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Meg replied. ¡°Here!¡± She held out her left hand towards Seron. Seron reached out with his right hand. And he hesitated. ¡°Now! With me!¡± But he did not hesitate a second time. He took her hand and held on tight. Larry looked ahead once more. And without another look back, he sprinted right past the finish line. ¡°Aha hah hah!¡± He laughed, turning once more. He watched Meg and Seron cross the finish line hand-in-hand, the furious members of the ski club hot on their heels. Larry watched the five students pass him by and muttered to himself, ¡°Man, I¡¯m hungry.¡± * * * ¡°So how¡¯d it feel when you cut your hair short, chief?¡± Natalia asked Jenny, after finishing off Larry¡¯s sandwich. ¡°Lighter.¡± ¡°Sure, that¡¯s kinda obvious.¡± ¡°Not my head. My heart.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And I realized then that people can start over again as many times as they want.¡± ¡°Oh, chief,¡± Natalia said sympathetically, pulling Jenny into a hug again. ¡°We¡¯re buddies for life, okay? One soul in two bodies!¡± ¡°Ack! I can¡¯t breathe!¡± This time, Nick also joined in. He hugged Jenny from her right. ¡°Make that three bodies, Jenny. I will help you fight your battles.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Oh wow, look at that,¡± a student remarked, passing by Jenny¡¯s team, ¡°three girls hugging on a bench. Odd.¡± * * * ¡°Both teams have answered all questions correctly! So the winner is the newspaper club with their one-second lead!¡± The teacher judged. ¡°Aw, yeah!¡± ¡°We did it!¡± ¡°Whew¡­¡± Larry, Meg, and Seron cheered. ¡°NOOOO!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± ¡°Ugh, we were so close!¡± The ski club, meanwhile, fell to their knees as the light of hope was snuffed out before their eyes. ¡°You were great, all of you!¡± The teacher said with a smile, ¡°one hour and ten minutes. That¡¯s a park record! They¡¯ve never seen such a close match!¡± But the teacher¡¯s praises did not reach the students. ¡°Seron! Megmica! We did it!¡± ¡°We did it! Yes, we did it!¡± As Larry and Meg jumped for joy, Seron quietly bowed his head. ¡°Thanks, you two. And I¡¯m sorry for being such a burden.¡± But Meg reached for his forehead. ¡°Huh?¡± Seron looked up in surprise and came face-to-face with a frowning Meg. Her long hair was gathered in a bunch over her left shoulder. Meg furrowed her brow angrily, her cheeks puffed up. ¡°What is this, Seron? You solved all the quizzes smoothly! Without you we will still be in the forest!¡± Seron stared, his hair still slicked back and his jaw dropping. The fair girl with dark hair seemed for all the world to be an alien creature. ¡°Do not say bad things about yourself. Yah!¡± Meg¡¯s fist gave Seron¡¯s forehead a gentle tap. But her frown quickly gave way to a smile. ¡°Now that I look, this hairstyle is cool as well. It is too cool that you only should do it sometimes.¡± ¡°Th-thank you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Meg¡¯s beaming face burned into his eyes, Seron took a deep breath. ¡°Megmica, I¡ª¡± A slight distance away, Larry quivered as though having spotted a landmine. ¡°¡ªI couldn¡¯t have done it without you.¡± Larry sighed, his shoulders sagging. But Meg smiled more radiantly than ever before. ¡°Please believe in me! I am a big sister. Lean on me every time!¡± * * * ¡°Hey guys!¡± ¡°We are here!¡± ¡°Hey there.¡± After putting the rod back where they had found it, Larry¡¯s team crossed the woods and returned to the bench where Jenny¡¯s team had taken up residence. Natalia, Jenny, and Nick were having a good time snacking and chatting. ¡°Ah! Speak of the devil!¡± Natalia exclaimed. Larry frowned. ¡°You¡¯d better not have told ¡®em any embarrassing stories, Lia.¡± ¡°Whoa, even I don¡¯t know where you learned to read minds like that, Larry.¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Jenny looked up at Larry. ¡°You¡¯d better have come in first.¡± Larry turned. Meg was smiling proudly, and Seron¡¯s hair was drying off into a messy mop. ¡°Yep. We beat the ski club.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± Jenny smiled. Larry did as well. ¡°Megmica, why¡¯d you let your hair down?¡± Natalia asked, ¡°did Seron do that?¡± ¡°Pardon me? No. I at the end fell a little and the hair ribbons flew. But it is okay!¡± ¡°I see. It wasn¡¯t too tough running like that?¡± ¡°No, it was very fun. I jumped for the first time in a very long time over a river!¡± ¡°A river?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Meg nodded. Natalia tilted her head. ¡°I must say, that hairstyle suits you quite well, Seron,¡± Nick remarked, ¡°why not slick your hair back more often?¡± ¡°Maybe just once in a while.¡± Larry rummaged through the two rucksacks they had left behind. One of the lunchboxes was empty. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually ate it!¡± ¡°Hey, you gave me permission.¡± ¡°¡­Never mind. Let¡¯s get back to the square and eat. You guys didn¡¯t even try for the checkpoints, did you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like a know-it-all and treat us like lazy bums at the same time just because it¡¯s true,¡± Natalia complained, getting to her feet and offering Jenny a hand. ¡°Well, chief?¡± Jenny took Natalia¡¯s hand and stood. ¡°If you¡¯re all going, so am I.¡± The newspaper club slowly strolled down the trail. ¡°We¡¯re gonna win this one, guys!¡± A junior-classman yelled as he passed by with his team. ¡°Hah hah! Good luck, kids,¡± Natalia cheered. ¡°So what did you guys do? Chatted for an entire hour?¡± Larry asked. ¡°More or less. Girl talk.¡± ¡°I participated as well, for your information,¡± said Nick. ¡°Men aren¡¯t supposed to sweat the details.¡± ¡°I simply couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Meg, who had been walking at the very front with Seron, turned. There was a curious look in her eye. ¡°About what did you speak?¡± ¡°Stuff,¡± Natalia replied. ¡°Stuff?¡± ¡°So much stuff I couldn¡¯t answer in one sentence. Jenny¡¯ll tell you someday, so look forward to it.¡± ¡°Wha- wait! ¡­Okay, I¡¯ll tell you someday, Megmica.¡± Jenny surrendered. ¡°Yes!¡± Satisfied at the answer, Meg looked forward again, her long hair cascading down her back. Seron looked forward as well, keeping pace next to her. Without a word, with a blank yet happy face, he walked. ----- Volume 6 4 — We are the Newspaper Club Volume 6 Chapter 4: We are the Newspaper Club ----- Part 1: You Head to the Capital District Your shock is understandable. ¡°Me? A Capital District secondary school?¡± After all, you attend a secondary school in the Republic of Raputoa, thousands of kilometers from the Special Capital District. Your parents are farmers, neither particularly rich nor poor. Simply put, you are an ordinary student living in an ordinary countryside. And yet you are being sent to a bustling metropolis to attend a secondary school that you are certain is full of heirs and heiresses. You suspect that the teacher must be playing a particularly cruel joke on you. There are all kinds of rumors going around about the middle-aged teacher. Some say he swore at a waiter at a restaurant, or that he sexually harassed a young female teacher at the faculty conference. He is infamous for his rotten character. So it is no surprise you ask again, trying not to sound too accusatory. ¡°Maybe there was a mistake, sir?¡± ¡°You¡¯re accusing me of making a mistake?¡± The teacher shoots back, his round belly trembling. He seems always to be on the verge of developing diabetes. ¡®With your diet, yeah,¡¯ you think to yourself, but you are not so clueless as to say so out loud at a time like this. And now that you think about it, this teacher also has a history of making spelling mistakes in class. You stay silent. The teacher continues. ¡°You will leave for the 4th Capital Secondary School next month on a four-week exchange program. You will be housed in the campus dormitories. This is not a joke; it is a message from the Ministry of Education.¡± The Ministry of Education. Suddenly the joke stops sounding like one. Still hesitant, you ask what you must. ¡°Could I ask why?¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯m telling you now. Have you ever heard of Ra Ze-Ohm?¡± It is an unfamiliar acronym. You shake your head. ¡°It stands for ¡®Republic of Raputoa Broader Horizons Student Exchange Program¡¯, which was started last year. You wouldn¡¯t know the details.¡± It bothers you to have to nod at such a condescending comment, but you have little choice in the matter. ¡°The program¡¯s aim is to allow the future pillars of Raputoan society to experience the advanced ways of the Capital District and broaden their horizons. Pah. It¡¯s like the Ministry of Education isn¡¯t even trying to hide that we¡¯re an underdeveloped little country.¡± ¡°R-right¡­¡± You reply for response¡¯s sake, but a part of you is outraged. ¡®Who cares if Raputoa is in the countryside?¡¯ The Republic of Raputoa, situated on the eastern bank of the Lutoni River between Roxche and Sou Be-Il, is a beautiful country with rolling plains, fields, and forests. Mother nature is mostly intact in Raputoa, unlike in other member states. ¡®I like Raputoa, you old pig! Have some pride for your own country! Hold your head high, not your gut!¡¯ You think, but say nothing. The teacher continues to explain the program. ¡°The Ministry of Education sends one student every term¡ªin spring and autumn¡ªto the Capital District to try out their advanced facilities and curriculum, and to get a taste of life in the city. They want you to broaden your horizons, make new friends, and use the experience to make Raputoa a better place someday.¡± The explanation continues. ¡°The program lasts for a month, but it can be extended so long as you do not make any trouble there. All expenses are paid for by the state¡ªin other words, your tuition and dormitory expenses are all covered by the Republic. By your parents¡¯ tax money. They are also granting you an allowance.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Setting your anger aside, you muse to yourself about how lucky you are to be chosen for an all-expenses paid program. ¡°This term, the Ministry of Education chose this school. And this school chose you. Do you understand why?¡± ¡°What? No, sir.¡± You shake your head again. You cannot think of a reason. ¡°How humble of you,¡± the teacher remarks snidely, ¡°it¡¯s because you have the highest grades in the entire school.¡± Now that you think about it, he is right. You never really think about it, but you have never not been at the top of your class since starting here. ¡°Of course. Er¡­it¡¯s an honor, sir,¡± you reply mechanically, internally brimming with excitement. You do not dislike Raputoa, but in all your 14 years you have never once visited the Capital District. The Republic of Raputoa is situated at the western tip of the Roxcheanuk Confederation. Geographically, it is closer to the land west of the river¡ªthe Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa¡ªthan it is to the Capital. You have, in fact, visited Sou Be-Il on a trip across the river in primary school. You remember how the language they spoke at the Western primary school¡ªBezelese¡ªwas completely incomprehensible. When Roxche was first formed, the Confederation strictly enforced the use of the standardized Roxchean language. That decision had its advantages, as anyone from anywhere in Roxche can now communicate without difficulty, but it also eliminated all foreign languages from the eastern half of the continent. During the trip, you were fascinated by the first foreign language to reach your ears. And once you started attending secondary school, you always made sure to take Bezelese class every term. Because Raputoa is so close to the border, many people are keen on learning the language. And at times, a Bezelese-speaking teacher comes across the river to teach classes. The Capital District is very far removed from that life you live. The Special Capital District is an area independent from all other member states. It is the center of Roxchean politics, economy, and culture. Though there is no class or caste system in Roxche anymore, it is where the president, politicians, and the richest of the rich¡ªin other words, the upper classes¡ªreside. Black-and-white photographs of the Capital District come flooding into your mind. What kind of people will you meet attending secondary school in such a city? Your stay will be a short one, but you begin to imagine studying, befriending, and having fun with students in the Capital District. The teacher catches you grinning. ¡°Never had stupid programs like this when I was your age¡­ Tch. If they have the budget to spare, they could have fixed up our building¡­¡± He grumbles, ¡°try not to get bullied by the rich Capital District students. And try not to let your Raputoan show, if that¡¯s even possible.¡± Why is this teacher taking out his anger on you? You think for a moment and find an answer. ¡®You¡¯re jealous of me!¡¯ You think, absolutely convinced, but manage to swallow the thought before it leaves your mouth. * * * ¡°Hey, is it true?¡± You have just accepted the offer for the program, signed and sent in the forms, and received the official acceptance letter¡ª ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡ªWhen the entire school suddenly seems to be informed. You do not know who leaked the information, or if the school itself was responsible for the leak (no doubt for promotion, if true). ¡°Wow! Lucky!¡± ¡°Bring back some souvenirs, eh?¡± ¡°Take me along in your suitcase!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t turn delinquent on us in the Capital District!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t suffocate on the exhaust!¡± Your classmates bombard you with congratulations, requests, and warnings. ¡°An entire month chilling in the Capital District? That¡¯s ridiculous! What gives?¡± And some jealousy as well. Meanwhile, your parents pause in shock when you break the news¡ª ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, honey. Have fun.¡± But they give you more support than anyone else. And¡ª ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful that the government is covering all the expenses?¡± You expected nothing less from your parents. The tenth month goes by in a flash as you prepare to leave. You receive a thorough health examination at a nearby hospital. It is your first time getting an examination that lasts an entire half-day. The results could potentially break your chances of going, but thankfully the doctor gives you the green light. You receive the money you need for the program. You almost wonder if the Ministry of Education made a mistake when you look at the amount on the money order. You are tempted to immediately deposit half into your savings account, but when you hear that the cost of living is much higher in the Capital District, you set the thought aside. You will have to buy your own school supplies. And since you are getting the chance to live in the Capital District, you will need spending money¡ªand quite a bit of it. You go back into town and buy a suitcase. The store has many on display, but you are only allowed to bring one. You buy the biggest you can carry. The program information package arrives. The package includes brief warnings and things of note, but also an informational pamphlet on the 4th Capital Secondary School, which you will attend for a month. ¡°What the heck¡­?¡± You are overwhelmed. The pamphlet itself is cause for shock. It is printed in full color¡ªa luxury unheard of for schools in Raputoa. You wonder if all primary school students in the Capital District get glimpses at their options from pamphlets like this. There are no other secondary schools in your area, so you never had a choice to begin with. It is almost impossible to imagine getting a choice of schools at all. Another cause for shock is the area around the campus. Five-story apartment buildings stand like a forest around it. You have never seen so many similar buildings clustered together in one area. It is completely different from your secondary school, which stands in a field where the horizon is visible, is an hour away from home on foot, and dense with insects at night. All they seem to have in common is the label ¡®secondary school¡¯. The school itself is, of course, no less spectacular. A paved intersection sits before the gates, with expensive cars parked by the curb. The intersection is about three times wider than the dirt-paved crossing at the local station, where old buses spout black smoke as they idle. This must be from a movie, you tell yourself. You spot a car with a long body, reminiscent of a dachshund. Someone must have made a mistake when they were developing the photo, you assume. The buildings are magnificent. If the pamphlet didn¡¯t label it as such, you would never guess that it is a school at all. The student cafeteria by the central gardens are almost too splendid for your sensibilities. It looks like what you picture to be a five-star restaurant at a luxury hotel. The foods featured look expensive and mouth-watering. Even the plates are clearly not cheap. It almost feels like a punishment game that you would have to eat here every day. The dormitory you will stay at is large enough to rival the entire school building in Raputoa, and better-equipped to boot. The photos of the rooms, and the description which states that each room is fully furnished and houses one student, leads you to think that the dormitory was originally a hotel that has been refurbished by the school. That is the only reasonable answer you can think of. Phone booths are lined up in the lobby of the dormitory building, about 30 in all. In Raputoa, your area has a grand total of three public phones, none of them equipped with a booth. You often line up before the phones waiting endlessly for your turn, which makes the photo seem even more otherworldly. You close the thick pamphlet. Your mind goes blank. ¡°Aha hah hah!¡± And laughter escapes your lips. You will live in this strange, foreign world for an entire month. The thought excites you. ¡°Gods bless Raputoa!¡± You cry, jumping onto bed. But you lose your footing and crash to the floor. It hurts. * * * You leave for the Capital District on the 29th of the tenth month. You begin the day by heading to school as you usually do. You greet the teachers and listen to their advice and warnings. The school even holds a small going-away party for you. ¡°Remember the pride of Raputoa and represent our school to your best efforts!¡± The headmaster says in a half-sob of joy. He even salutes, having grown up when conscription was still in effect. Even though it¡¯s not as though you are going into battle. Soon, the car from the Ministry of Education arrives. You finally take the first step outside, to the Capital District. ¡°Come back alive, yeah?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget! Be proud of your homeland!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pick fights even if they call you a hick!¡± ¡°Souvenirs! Souvenirs!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come back a Cappie, you hear me?¡± ¡°Yeah! We don¡¯t need any Cappies around here!¡± Your friends lean out the classroom windows, waving and shouting. It is supposed to be class time now. And what in the world is a Cappie, you wonder as you tilt your head. ¡°Thanks, everyone!¡± You reply, waving vigorously. Then you step into the car marked with the emblem of the Republic of Raputoa¡¯s Ministry of Education. It is driven by a civil servant and not even close to being a recent model. The seats are flat with use, clearly uncomfortable to sit on. The car takes you home, giving you time to grab your suitcase and winter coat. The coat is for the chilly weather to come over the next month. Inside the suitcase are extra uniforms and textbooks. You wanted to take some of Raputoa¡¯s specialty products, but because agricultural products cannot be transported freely, you instead opted for several books about the country. During your stay in the Capital District, you are to wear your Raputoan school uniform. On the left sleeve of your navy jacket is a large Raputoan flag, and your school emblem is embroidered over the left breast. The emblem of the Republic of Raputoa¡¯s Ministry of Education is embroidered on the collar. Your tie is patterned with red and black checkers. It is not as impressive as the uniforms you saw in the pamphlet for the 4th Capital Secondary School, but it is filled with your pride for your homeland. You are not cowed in the least. All the emblems and flags does seem a bit much, however. The uniforms at the Capital District school are all from luxury brands, each one tailor-made and astronomically expensive. It costs many times as much as one of your uniforms. Not even the Ministry of Education could fit one reasonably into the budget, so you are mandated to wear your own uniform. But you will be borrowing a set of school-issue sweats from the 4th Capital Secondary School. As you set out, you say goodbye to your parents. ¡°Take care with the water, honey. I hear some of the taps are actually for liquor.¡± ¡°Have fun. Don¡¯t get too homesick.¡± Your parents worry over the most trivial things. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be fine,¡± you reply with a smile, getting back in the car. The car starts. The village where you were born and raised disappears into the distance. You have never left your home for so long in your entire life. But you are neither nervous nor sad. * * * You are not nervous, but the trip is long. First is the shaky eight-hour car ride. Other than during the brief lunch break, you are traveling continuously across the Republic of Raputoa. The familiar fields and the horizon continue as far as the eye can see. You shift around many times during the ride. The bumpy dirt roads and the flat seats hurt your buttocks. The driver advises you to roll up your coat to use as a cushion. You follow his advice and immediately feel the difference. Around evening, you arrive at Raputoa City¡ªthe national capital. Raputoa City is the largest city in the republic. It is your first time here as well. Just the sight of high-rise buildings past the dusky horizon sends your heart aflutter. You see an airport for the first time in your life. Raputoa International Airport, situated on the outskirts of the city. It is the largest airport in the area, and because of its proximity to the border it is also often used by Sou Be-Il airlines. Two long runways run side-by-side on the wide-open space. Large cake-shaped fuel tanks lie on the pavement. In spite of the word ¡®port¡¯ in the word ¡®airport¡¯, there is no ship in sight. You are awestruck. And you finally get a glimpse at something you have only seen in books¡ªan aeroplane, or specifically, several of them. How does something shaped like that fly, you wonder to yourself. You still do not understand when one of the aeroplanes rumbles loudly as it takes off into the air. You spend the night at a lodging in the airport. You are forced to share a room with six other guests, but you cannot afford to use precious tax money on luxuries. But because everyone has a bed to themselves, you enjoy a good night¡¯s sleep. You even get the chance to speak with some of your roommates before you go to bed. They are scheduled to board the same flight, and are surprised first by your youth and then by the fact that you are a government-funded scholarship student. From the way your roommates dress, you guess that aeroplane tickets must cost a fortune, and then some. * * * The next day. The 30th. The weather is great again. It is a perfect day for flying. The aeroplane takes off on time early in the morning. The aeroplane sparkles, sunlight glinting off the engine on each wing. Someone says that this is the latest model, but you do not know what about the aeroplane exactly is better than the rest. All you know is that the fishlike body of the plane is very impressive. You climb the stairs as instructed and enter the round cabin. It is completely different from the rectangular interior of the local buses. When the engines start, the aeroplane rumbles. You remember hearing about how loud the engines could get, but this goes beyond anything you have ever expected. You begin to understand why earplugs are provided. And, for the first time in your life, you fly. The aeroplane glides gracefully into the air and gives you a glimpse from a whole new angle. The large city grows smaller in the distance and disappears. The plains are aglow with the orange light of dawn. It is beautiful. And when the sun rises fully, the sky and the ground change colors, never giving you time to get bored of the scenery. You cling to the window and watch the world pass by until landing. The aeroplane lands once to refuel and give passengers time for food and a short walk. You do not think you will ever get tired of watching the ground draw near and then grow distant again. You want to keep staring out the window, but soon the world below is obscured by cloud cover. You sit in your seat with nothing to do, and eventually sleep takes over. You open your eyes to the vibrations of the aeroplane landing. Your second landing. You are just outside the Capital District. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re here. Welcome to the Capital District,¡± the passenger next to you says, to your disbelief. But when you disembark, you can disbelieve no longer. Until that morning you were in the Republic of Raputoa, surrounded by its green horizons. But now, in the evening, you are staring at countless high-rises and apartments in the distance. ¡°Aeroplanes are terrifying¡­¡± You mumble, standing on the airstrip. ¡°You say that now?¡± Another passenger quips. Two men from the 4th Capital Secondary School are waiting for you at the airport. Both are in their thirties, but one looks friendly and the other decidedly less so. The friendly one introduces himself as a teacher and flashes his ID. When you internally wonder who the other man is, the teacher explains. ¡°This is our bodyguard. The school hired him for our safety.¡± You are floored. ¡°I¡¯m just a secondary school student from Raputoa, sir. I¡¯m no one important.¡± ¡°Yes, we understand. But sometimes kidnappers strike arbitrarily, so we can never be too careful.¡± You want to go back. This is the first and last time during you trip that the thought crosses your mind. The teacher takes you to a shiny, sturdy-looking car. There isn¡¯t a speck of dust on the car, and the tires do not smell of horse dung. The trunk is large enough for your suitcase, and then three of you on top of that. But there is no school emblem or marking on the car. When you point that out, the teacher explains. ¡°Yes, the car is not marked because any emblems might make us a target for kidnappers or attackers.¡± You take hesitant steps into the car. The back seat is made of luxurious leather. Soft, but not too soft. Your buttocks would never get sore on this seat, you think to yourself. ¡°We¡¯re heading off now. Please put on your seatbelt.¡± You do as you are told and notice something. That you have never heard a teacher say ¡®please¡¯ to a student before. The car seems to glide its way out of the airport. Soon, you enter the Special Capital District. And everything comes into view. Six-lane streets paved to perfection. And sidewalks lining the streets. The countless cars that manage to cause congestion in spite of the quality of the streets. The endless streams of impeccably-dressed pedestrians at the crossing. The jam-packed streetcars sweeping down the middle of the road, and the large buses¡ªalso packed¡ªdriving down the bus-only lanes. The high-rises you cannot see the tops of without tilting back your head. The fine infrastructure that must have cost countless Roxes from the Confederation government¡¯s vaults. The military base-sized train station, which is the last station in the line, and the department stores looming beyond it. The advertising balloons floating over the rooftops make them seem even more like military bases. You are stunned into silence by the sights that fill your eyes. For the first time in your life, you realize that there are some places in the world where the horizon simply is not visible. By the time the car glides all the way to the school, the sun has already set. But the streetlights dotting the campus make the night a brighter one than you have ever seen in your hometown. It feels strange to see the lights lined up at regular intervals. ¡°You must be exhausted. Here, let me carry your suitcase.¡± You step through the gates, leaving your suitcase to the teacher. To your surprise, stationed at the gates is a security guard armed with a gun. You must show him your student ID to enter. The teacher had handed you yours in the car¡ªwithout the ID, you cannot enter the premises. You resolve to put a lanyard on your ID. The intersection and the luxurious school facilities are all exactly as you remember from the pamphlet. There was no lie, exaggeration, or manipulation in the photos. The streetlights on campus cast warm orange light onto the buildings. ¡°We¡¯ll give you a briefing tomorrow, so please get some rest. This building will be your home for the next month.¡± The building the teacher brings you to, as with the rest of the school, looks exactly as it did in the photos. Two boys are chatting by the entrance. They are the first students you have seen at the 4th Capital Secondary School. They are around your age, or a little older. They are wearing identical school-issue sweats. The sweats are green like the uniforms, with lines running down the arms and legs and the school emblem embroidered over the right breast. You are excited to try on such an elegantly-designed outfit. When the students spot the teacher, they greet him. They seem completely calm. ¡°Good evening, boys. Is the dormitory cafeteria emptying out about now?¡± The teacher asks. ¡°Perfect timing, sir. There isn¡¯t even a line at this point,¡± one of the students replies. And as expected, their eyes then fall on you. ¡°G-good evening,¡± you say. The teacher introduces you to the boys. ¡°This is ¡ª¡ª¡ª, an exchange student from the Republic of Raputoa who will be staying with us for the next month. Could you believe ¡ª¡ª¡ª was just in Raputoa, all the way by the Lutoni, until this morning? Aeroplanes are making the world a better place.¡± ¡°Wow, cool,¡± one of the boys says. They seem to know about the exchange program. You brace yourself for what they will say next. But the first thing out of the boy¡¯s mouth is¡ª ¡°I recommend the beef stew today! It¡¯s really good!¡± Your eyes turn to dinner plates. The boys burst out laughing. ¡°Welcome to the 4th Capital Secondary School!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± You reply. * * * The next day. The 1st day of the eleventh month. You open your eyes in your dorm room, feeling refreshed. It is your first morning at the 4th Capital Secondary School. Last evening, you were floored by the sheer size and scale, and the incredible quality of the dormitory cafeteria, before being kindly led all the way to your room by the matron. You soon fell asleep in the room, which was heated 24 hours a day. The first thing you see in the morning is the school grounds, and the veritable forest of apartment buildings beyond. You almost feel like the window is a massive framed painting. You wish you had a camera with you. You want to share this incredible view with your classmates and your family. But you cannot possibly afford such a thing. Your family does not have one, and even your school only has a few. Excited and disappointed at the same time, you have breakfast at the dormitory cafeteria. The selection and the quality of the food seem to have come straight out of a hotel, though you have never been to one before. Though there are other students around you, you are alone. Which is natural, as this is your first day here. But there are surprisingly many other students eating alone. Thankfully for you, eating alone does not seem to be uncommon here. The teacher from last night comes to get you at the dorms and gives you a detailed tour of the campus. He points out all the facilities and provisions as he guides you through the massive school, and you take detailed notes while drawing a map. For a moment you wonder where you could buy school supplies, but when the teacher explains that most school supplies are available at the campus store, you breathe a sigh of relief. You have lunch at the dormitory cafeteria before meeting with an advising teacher at the faculty office. First, the advisor asks you how far your studies have come along in Raputoa. You recite your current progress for all your subjects. But immediately, you feel anxious. ¡°Do I have to take a test, by any chance?¡± ¡°This is the test,¡± the advisor chuckles, ¡°and you¡¯ve passed with flying colors.¡± The advisor suggests what courses you should take, pointing out classes that would let you continue your studies from Raputoa without overlapping. Some of the classes are for third-years, you point out nervously, but¡ª ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll manage just fine,¡± the advisor assures you. Before you know it, you are holding your completed timetable. That evening, you return to your room and write to your parents and your classmates. ¡®I¡¯ve arrived safely at the Capital District. I will study hard and make many friends whom I can keep in touch with even after I return home. I will write again next week.¡¯ * * * Eight days later, on a weekend afternoon. You sit at your desk, staring at the blank piece of paper meant to be a letter to your parents. ¡°I¡­haven¡¯t made any friends¡­¡± You agonize, head in your hands. Your week went by in a flash. Classes began on the 2nd day of the 11th month. You went to class in a clearly different uniform. People stared, but did not come to speak with you or try to make friends with you. You had forgotten that the 4th Capital Secondary School was home to more students than your own school. The students at the 4th Capital Secondary School did not pay much attention to others on campus, and were not particularly concerned about you. And the morning rush was another matter altogether; you almost suffocated in the crowds, to which rush hour back in your hometown did not hold a candle. In your first class, the teacher introduced you. ¡°This is ¡ª¡ª¡ª, an exchange student from the Republic of Raputoa who will be studying with us for the next month. Please get along.¡± And you introduced yourself as well, but your classmates did not surround you during break out of curiosity or anything of the sort. All they did was speak with you for group exercises. It was completely different from your own school, which received perhaps one transfer student a year and each new student received the full attention of the entire student body. During breaks, you had to move to a different classroom and the campus was so large you never had time to talk with your classmates. The classes themselves were much harder than in Raputoa. You could not help but be impressed by the teachers and students at the 4th Capital Secondary School. It was hard for you to match their pace, but the lessons themselves were very enjoyable. And so, the week went on. Every day, you woke up, had breakfast, went to class, had a delicious lunch at the incredible dormitory cafeteria, went to afternoon class, and returned to your room or the library to study¡ªalone. Being alone did not bother you. Many other students often kept to themselves. You were doing a fine job of studying in the Capital District, doing exactly as the program guidelines dictated. Yesterday was the first day of the weekend, so you took a walk around the area. You just walked and walked because you did not want to spend money. It was fun getting a look at the endless rows of apartment buildings and the streets around campus, but naturally you were completely alone. ¡°I can¡¯t write anything¡­¡± You bragged to everyone that you would make many friends. But you can not lie to them. You do not know what to do. Finally, you manage to write, ¡®at first the classes were so hard I had to study the whole time. But now that I¡¯ve gotten used to the pace, I¡¯m going to get out there and make friends¡¯, packaging the cold truth as nicely as you possibly can. * * * The next day. The 10th day of the eleventh month. At lunchtime, you finish your food quickly and visit the advisor to discuss your situation. ¡°I see. First off, I¡¯m glad you aren¡¯t having any trouble keeping up with classes. That¡¯s one of the biggest issues exchange students struggle with. I expected nothing less from you,¡± the advisor says, ¡°now, it¡¯s not uncommon for students here to have a hard time making friends. There are so many people here that sometimes it takes first-year students half a year to really connect with someone. But you don¡¯t have that kind of time, so¡­¡± The teacher makes a suggestion that completely changes the next three weeks of your life. ¡°¡­How about joining a club?¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± You ask. You assumed that your stay was not long enough to allow you to join a club. ¡°You certainly can. I¡¯m sorry, I should have told you,¡± the advisor says, and takes out a list of all the clubs in the school. There was a list of clubs on the pamphlet you received earlier, and you looked at each and every one. But you never really considered them carefully because you never thought you would be able to join one. Appropriately enough considering the large student population, there are many clubs at the 4th Capital Secondary School. Your interest is particularly piqued by the fencing club, the car racing club, the billiards club, the bowling club, the Capital District history research club, the teddy bear-making club, and the creative cooking club, among others. ¡°Were you in a club back in Raputoa?¡± The advisor asks. ¡°No, because I had to help out at home during the busy farming season. A lot of my classmates are in the same boat, so our school doesn¡¯t have a strong tradition of club activities,¡± you confess. The advisor seems to sense the difference in culture. ¡°I understand. Shall we have a close look at the clubs, then? The athletic clubs might be a bit difficult if you don¡¯t have any prior knowledge.¡± You agree. You walk almost 10 kilometers to school every day and are confident in your stamina, but you have never been called athletic. Your marks in physical education are lower than the rest. ¡°How about one of the liberal arts clubs? Do any of them look interesting?¡± You scan the list. Everything seems at least a little interesting, but that makes it even harder to decide. You scan faster. ¡°Hm?¡± And you spot a certain club at the bottom of the list. ¡°Huh.¡± The club was not listed on the pamphlet you received earlier. You are quite confident in your memory. You think for a moment, and¡ª ¡°Er, about this club,¡± you say, ¡°the newspaper club. It sounds interesting. What does it do exactly?¡± * * * Part 2: You Head to the Newspaper Club It is after class. You are standing at the door to the newspaper club¡¯s office. The halls and the first floor of the classroom building, which is closed in the evenings, are deserted. Though classes only just ended, it is strangely quiet. Before you knock on the door, you recall what happened at lunchtime. ¡°The newspaper club¡­¡± The advisor trailed off, as though having stumbled upon a historical site in the middle of construction. In other words, the construction could not happen unless the historical site was covered up, but that was no longer possible. But the advisor still answered your question. ¡°The newspaper club was only recently recognized as an official club.¡± It was a vague answer, but you couldn¡¯t tell why. Still, you assumed it would be easier to join a club that had only recently been formed. ¡°So that¡¯s why it wasn¡¯t on the pamphlet. What does the club do?¡± ¡°They publish newspapers to post on the walls around campus. It¡¯s a student-oriented newspaper by students and for students.¡± It sounded wonderful to you. Your school had a teacher on newsletter duty, but no newspaper written from the students¡¯ perspective. ¡°But they only have six members at the moment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± you breathed. It sounded very exclusive. The six students must have been a tight-knit group. ¡°The president is a rather famous girl in her third year¡­¡± ¡°Ah, a charismatic president?¡± It was surprising that the club was led by someone famous in such a big school. Not only that, she was not even close to being in her sixth year, as many club presidents tended to be. It sounded fun. You decided that you would spend the few weeks you had left in the Capital District with the newspaper club. You asked the advisor how to sign up for the club. Normally a student would have to speak to the supervisor, but the advisor suggested something different. ¡°You should go visit their office first. Get to know the members before you officially sign up.¡± You wondered if you really didn¡¯t need to speak to the supervisor first, but the advisor said it was all right. So you concluded that the president of the newspaper club was trusted so completely by her supervisor that she was given full authority over the club. You began to admire the president even more. After thanking the advisor, you looked around the halls, hoping to find the newspaper club¡¯s latest issue, but found none in sight. Instead, you spotted the results of the recent Orienteering Day competition. You briefly scanned the results¡ªan orienteering competition was unthinkable for your own school¡ªwhen you spotted something. ¡°Ah!¡± The newspaper club had clinched a spectacular victory, according to the poster, beating the ski club (with their inherent advantage) by a single second. You were even more fired up to join this club. Heart pounding, you finished afternoon classes and came straight to the newspaper club. And now you stand at the door. ¡°All right!¡± You steel yourself so as to make a good impression, and fix your tie. Knock knock knock knock. You knock four times. There is no answer. You knock again, just in case, but no one seems to be in. Perhaps you are too early, or perhaps the club is taking the day off today. There is no point in waiting at the door. You decide to return to your room. You would put away your things and come back again. Living on campus has its advantages. You would have to go all the way to the other side of the massive campus, but it is no difficult task. You are used to walking, and back in Raputoa a round trip between home and school would take you two hours. As you walk down the hall, a girl comes from around the corner. She is very tall, with her long brown hair tied up. She wears glasses with a black frame, and is carrying a bag and a large guitar case. You pass her by. The girl casts you a glance, but continues walking. You reach the end of the hall. As you turn the corner, you catch one last glimpse of the newspaper club office. ¡°Huh?¡± And to your shock, you spot the guitar case going through the door. Specifically, you see the person carrying the case go inside. ¡°Is she in the newspaper club?¡± The guitar case led you to think she was from a music club. You quickly rush back. You come to a stop at the door, take a deep breath, and knock. ¡°Yes?¡± This time, you hear a response. Your jaw drops at the sheer opulence of the office. Two comfy sofas, an expensive coffee table, a kitchenette with a hot plate, and a dish rack. And even a tea set. On the desk in the corner is a typewriter in perfect condition. There is a cabinet, and next to it a darkroom for developing and printing photographs. What shocks you most is the telephone. Your family saved up for a long time to finally buy a telephone last year. And yet here is a telephone in the office of a secondary school club, as though it is the most natural thing in the world. At first glance you think it is a replica, but you soon realize that it is real. Are all club offices in the 4th Capital Secondary School so magnificent, you wonder. ¡°Ah, an exchange student fro Raputoa?¡± The bespectacled girl sitting across from you muses curiously, ¡°good on you for coming all this way.¡± She talks almost like a boy, without a hint of reservation. But it is not irritating in the least. The senior-classman introduces herself as Natalia Steinbeck and listens to you explain your reasons for coming. ¡°Gotcha. Yeah, the chief¡¯s not gonna turn you down.¡± ¡°What? Aren¡¯t you the president, SC Natalia?¡± You ask, surprised. ¡°Whoa, do I look like one? Hah hah!¡± She laughs, embarrassed. Then she takes out an expensive-looking acoustic guitar and begins strumming. She seems to be in a good mood. You listen curiously to the chords, when suddenly a voice joins in. ¡°The autumn~ is a lonely season~¡± The door opens, and the voice becomes clear. It is a beautiful soprano. You turn to find a girl with fair skin and dark hair tied in pigtails. ¡°The heart mourns and¡­huh?¡± She freezes when she notices you. So does the sound of the guitar. You and the pigtailed girl stare blankly at one another in surprise. ¡°Hey Megmica. This here¡¯s an exchange student from Raputoa who wants to join us,¡± Natalia explains. ¡°Oh¡­I understand. Now I am so embarrassed,¡± the girl covers her face in shame. Her pronunciation and tone is slightly off, but she comes across as quite adorable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it, Megmica! Just sing! Pour out your heart!¡± Natalia strums again. The girl called Megmica turns and gives you a light bow. ¡°Good afternoon. My name is Strauski Megmica. I am a third-year student. I am a member of the newspaper club and the chorus club.¡± You stand and introduce yourself as well. Then you ask, ¡°excuse me, SC Strauski, but are you by any chance from Sou Be-Il?¡± Natalia and Megmica seem surprised. ¡°How¡¯d you guess, newbie?!¡± ¡°It is very surprising! It is true, yes.¡± It is not hard to guess from her name, accent, and tone. But you do not say so. ¡°I am from the Republic of Raputoa, east of the Lutoni River. It is nice to meet you, SC Strauski. How are you?¡± You say in Bezelese. Megmica is pleasantly surprised. ¡°I¡¯m really well, thanks! How about you?¡± She responds. ¡°I am fine as well. Thank you.¡± ¡°Your pronunciation¡¯s really good. Have you been learning Bezelese long?¡± ¡°Yes. I have been studying Bezelese for three years. Many students in the Republic of Raputoa are studying the language very hard. And I have visited Sou Be-Il just once, over the Lutoni River.¡± ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve only seen the Lutoni from the mouth. I¡¯m sure it must look so majestic, cutting across the continent.¡± ¡°Yes. It is a very big, motherly river.¡± ¡°MOONTONGUE!¡± Natalia interjects with a chord. At the same time, the door opens. ¡°Hey there! Oh, is this a guest?¡± ¡°Good afternoon. Hm?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Three boys enter the office. ¡°Hey! Get some tea for the guest!¡± Natalia orders one of the boys, without even giving him time to sit. ¡°What were you doing all this time? I¡¯ll teach you to brew your own tea later.¡± You turn to the three boys. Megmica introduces them in Roxchean. ¡°They are all club members. This person with long hair is Nicholas Browning, called Nick. He is good in acting and swinging a staff.¡± Nick looks very feminine. At the annual harvest festival back home, some of the men cross-dress and take on the role of ghosts who spray water at people. But the point is that it is funny to see a hulking farmer dressed up as a woman. If Nick were to take on the role, it would not be nearly as hilarious. In fact, women might get jealous of his good looks. But what does Megmica mean by ¡®swinging a staff¡¯? ¡°And this person with black hair,¡± Megmica introduces everyone by their hair, making it easier to remember them, ¡°is Seron Maxwell. He is very smart.¡± If Nick is beautiful, Seron is cool and handsome. His slightly long black hair goes well with his grey eyes. Something occurs to you at that point, but you do not know what. ¡°Last, the person with blond hair in the kitchen is Larry Hepburn. His tea is very good. He is also good in reading the map. We are all in the same year.¡± Larry has a small but powerful build, much like the boys back home. Most of them are muscular because they help out with farm work at home. But what about Larry? Does his family also own a farm? It is a mystery. And just like when you were introduced to Seron, something occurs to you again. And you soon realize what it is. You have seen Seron and Larry somewhere. Where? Seron looks at you, then. ¡°You¡¯re the exchange student from Raputoa, right?¡± ¡°Yeah! I remember!¡± Larry adds from the kitchenette. ¡°Oh?¡± Nick raises a curious eyebrow. ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Megmica cries, ¡°how did you know? Did the uniform show you?¡± The uniform is indeed a giveaway, with the Raputoan flag displayed proudly on the sleeve. But you remember now that you met Seron and Larry at the dormitory entrance on your first day here. ¡°It was the evening of Orienteering Day. You came to the dorms with a teacher, right?¡± Seron asks. ¡°We were on our way back from the dormitory cafeteria,¡± Larry chimes in, ¡°I recommended the beef stew.¡± Both of them seem to remember you. ¡°Yes!¡± You reply, ¡°thank you for the recommendation, The beef stew was very good. I order it every time I see it on the menu,¡± you say, and introduce yourself to the boys. You finish off by saying you want to join the newspaper club for the rest of your stay in the Capital District. You emphasize how you want to broaden your horizons and make new friends. ¡°Oh my, it is wonderful,¡± Megmica says, clasping her hands together. ¡°Sounds lovely,¡± Nick agrees with an elegant smile. ¡°Dunno who came up with the idea, but sounds good to me!¡± Larry pipes up from the kitchenette. ¡°Ah~ I see no reason to say no~¡± Natalia sings, strumming. ¡°Same,¡± Seron says. ¡°Th-thank you,¡± you say with a bow, moved. You are overjoyed. But something still bothers you. ¡°Er¡­don¡¯t I need the president¡¯s permission?¡± ¡°Oh. She¡¯s not here yet, but who cares? Tea ready yet, Larry?¡± Natalia waves off your concern. You are now even more curious. ¡°Er, what is the president like? I heard she was a famous third-year.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Natalia sighs, falling into thought. ¡°She is a very very good person! And she is an uncommon, cool person!¡± Megmica comments first. ¡°She does have a petty side, but she is certainly fun to be around,¡± Nick adds. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s a weirdo, but basically a good person,¡± Natalia concludes. Half the descriptions are unflattering. You wonder if Larry and Seron are keeping silent for a reason. And your guess is soon proven correct. The door slams open. ¡°I heard that!¡± A short girl with short red hair stomps inside. She is full of energy, the large leather bag on her back bouncing. She must be the president, you note. ¡°Aw, chief. It¡¯s not nice to eavesdrop,¡± Natalia scolds the girl. So she is indeed the president. The president puts her bag on one of the desks and strides over to the sofa. She looks into your eyes just as you prepare to introduce yourself. ¡°An exchange student from Raputoa, huh. Interesting. Welcome to the Capital District.¡± You miss your chance to stand, so you greet her from your seat. ¡°Thank you. Actually, I¡ª¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Welcome to the club. I¡¯m Jenny Jones, the president. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Th-thank you! Thank you so much, president! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± you say, bowing your head. ¡°How long have you been listening, chief?¡± Natalia asks from beside you. ¡°A while. I wanted to know what you guys thought of me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be such a naughty girl.¡± ¡°Eavesdropping is the foundation of information gathering. Thank you for all the compliments.¡± ¡°Now, now. Take a seat, chief. The tea¡¯s ready.¡± Before you know it, Seron and Megmica are preparing the teacups. They carefully arrange the cups on the coffee table. ¡°Erm! If there¡¯s anything I can do¡ª¡± you begin, but are interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Sit down and relax. We¡¯re almost done,¡± Seron says. He is both handsome and courteous, which means he is probably popular with the girls. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have more cups on the table once in a while,¡± Larry says, pouring seven cups of tea with an expert hand. You are not certain, but the cups and saucers seem very expensive. You must take care not to break them. It seems that afternoon tea is part of a routine school day for the 4th Capital Secondary School. You expected no less from the upper classes. You resolve to remember all this so you can tell everyone back home. ¡°Thank you.¡± You take a sip of tea. It is very good, no worse than the tea straight from the farms back in Raputoa. The Capital District impresses you once again. And finally, you introduce yourself for the third time. You confess that you decided to join a club in order to make friends. ¡°It is a very good idea! I did this too!¡± Megmica says, being a transfer student. They are all senior-classmen and can be a little strange¡ªespecially Jenny and Natalia¡ªbut you like them. They seem to be good people. ¡°Thank you. Oh, I have a question¡­¡± you begin, all eyes on you. It is a very natural and inevitable question. A simple one you are sure will be answered very quickly. ¡°What do you have planned for your next issue?¡± Everyone looks away. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Look at this, guys. Even the temporary newbie is more concerned than you!¡± Jenny roars. ¡°But it¡¯s not like you have any ideas, chief. Non-fictional ones, I mean,¡± Natalia points out. She does not seem apologetic in the least. ¡°Let¡¯s settle down, everyone. We had a very busy month, with midterms and Orienteering Day,¡± Nick says, calming the others down. ¡°Yes, we can decide on it now!¡± Megmica says optimistically. ¡°Yeah, the newbie got here just in time!¡± Larry agrees, encouraging you. Seron, meanwhile, says nothing. He seems to be a quiet person to begin with. ¡°All right, then!¡± Jenny rises. ¡°I¡¯m now accepting suggestions!¡± The others go silent in unison, with the exception of the already-silent Seron. You understand the situation completely. They do not have anything to write about. There probably isn¡¯t much to cover in such a rich, peaceful school, you think. Or maybe things you consider to be newsworthy are considered mundane here. Maybe that is the right answer. You watch the others as they sip their tea. ¡°Ah!¡± And you think of something. It is a great idea. Divinely inspired, if you do say so yourself. You simply must share it with the others. ¡°Er¡­well¡­¡± Six sets of eyes fall on you. You tense, but make up your mind. You will never get another chance like this. You take a breath, and suggest with a trembling voice¡ª ¡°What about an issue that covers all the club members?¡± Several seconds pass by in silence. ¡°Er¡­what exactly do you mean?¡± Larry asks. You now have the chance to explain yourself. ¡°You could publish short biographies of yourselves on the next issue, and show the school the faces behind the people who make the newspapers. With photographs, too! Then more people might cooperate with you and share information.¡± ¡°R-right¡­¡± Larry¡¯s reaction is underwhelming, but you assume that is because he is moved by your innovative idea. Another moment of silence. Maybe your idea wasn¡¯t such a good one after all. Jenny says nothing, and Natalia continues sipping tea, her glasses fogging. Nick¡¯s smile is plastered onto his face, and Seron¡ªas usual¡ªlooks completely blank. It was a stupid idea, never mind, you are about to say, when someone finally breaks the silence. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it,¡± says Jenny, ¡°it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± You and the others turn. Jenny sits cross-legged on the sofa, kicking etiquette to the curb. Her underwear is almost showing, but she does not seem to are, and nor do the others. So you decide not to worry about it either. ¡°I didn¡¯t really feel the need to discuss the people behind the scenes, but it¡¯s not something we necessarily need to hide. And if we¡¯re out of ideas, it¡¯s better than nothing.¡± ¡°You serious, chief?¡± Natalia asks. She seems about 20 percent worried and 80 percent psyched, although you are not sure in what sense. ¡°Yeah. But on one condition.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the president, so I take the desk.¡± You have no idea what the role of ¡®desk¡¯ entails, but it presumably goes to the highest-ranking club member. ¡°My job is to oversee you all,¡± Jenny says. Your guess is correct, it seems. ¡°In other words, there will be no article covering me.¡± ¡°What?! That¡¯s cheap!¡± Natalia complains, jumping to her feet. ¡°I want to tell the entire school about the pain and glory of your past, the passion brimming in your heart, and your shining future!¡± You realize that this was why Natalia was so psyched. Does Jenny really have such a newsworthy past, you wonder. But¡ª ¡°Denied.¡± The proposal is shot down mercilessly. ¡°Argh¡­dammit! Now what am I supposed to do with my white-hot passion for reporting?¡± Natalia agonizes, dramatically falling into the sofa. ¡°Just cover Larry,¡± Jenny suggests. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Natalia claps, recovering instantly. ¡°Not a great idea!¡± Larry retorts, ¡°then what happens to me?!¡± It is apparent that Larry and Natalia are quite close. But you do not think that they are dating. You understand how Larry would not want his past exposed to the entire school. You are starting to regret making that proposal. ¡°Then you¡¯ll cover Nat,¡± Jenny says, saving the moment. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s perfect!¡± ¡°What? No!¡± Larry and Natalia reply at the same time. Jenny seems unfazed. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to decide on a mutual line to stop at. It¡¯ll help you practice for when you cover more serious stories.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Larry and Natalia nod in unison. You are impressed by their co-ordination. ¡°Then what shall I do, Jenny?¡± Nick asks. ¡°Hm. I¡¯ll have the rest of you go in a circle, then. Nick covers Megmica, Megmica covers the newbie, the newbie covers Seron, and Seron covers Nick.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Megmica¡¯s hand shoots up instantly. She might be too innocent for her own good. ¡°Pardon me, Jenny, but I must admit that I am not quite comfortable with this proposal. Would it bother you terribly to scrap this particular idea?¡± Nick asks, gently but clearly expressing opposition. Does he not want to research things about a girl? You do not understand. ¡°Same here,¡± Seron adds cooly. ¡°What about the rest of you?¡± Silence. You are taken aback. The idea is yours to begin with. Though Jenny gave it the green light, you start feeling more uncomfortable. ¡°Er¡­¡± You speak up. ¡°I know I¡¯m the one who brought it up, but I think it might not be such a smart idea after all. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Everyone else responds. Larry speaks first. ¡°Yeah, honestly, I¡¯d prefer not to do this one.¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Natalia nods, ¡°it might not be so fun when me and Larry are going at it revealing one secret after another. And I can tell you his embarrassing stories anytime, anyway.¡± Megmica chimes in as well. ¡°Then I will follow everyone¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°That seems to be the best course of action,¡± Nick says. ¡°Agreed.¡± Seron nods. You and the others all turn to Jenny. Slightly displeased, she nods. ¡°All right. We¡¯re not going through with this one.¡± You breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, you resolve to think your ideas through before voicing them. ¡°Now¡­what to do?¡± You are back to square one. Jenny holds out her teacup to Larry. You are impressed that the gesture gets through, as Larry rises and pours Jenny her tea. He reminds you of an experienced old butler. ¡°Stuff just doesn¡¯t happen around here as much as outside campus. Not a bad thing, I guess. Larry, gimme more tea,¡± Natalia says. Inwardly, you agree. You would not like it if all the things that happen outside campus were to happen at school. ¡°I realized something when we were working on the previous issue,¡± says Nick, ¡°our format only allows us to publish one article at a time. If we have too much, the font size becomes too small to read comfortably and we will drive away readers.¡± You nod. Newspapers posted on walls are certainly different from regular ones. ¡°But now that we are doing it, I want to publish one this month, at least! Is seven people work together, somehow we can do it!¡± Megmica says. Megmica is always optimistic and full of passion. She must have an honest and outgoing character. ¡°Seven people, huh,¡± Seron mumbles, looking up. Then he falls into thought again. Seron is always cautious and never speaks without thinking. You suspect that nothing could possibly faze him. And you decide to take a page out of his book, so you would not confuse people with sudden, ungrounded ideas. Seron finishes thinking and looks up. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take the opportunity to get an article from the newbie¡¯s perspective?¡± ¡°Me?¡± You ask. Seron nods. ¡°Yeah. The Republic of Raputoa is far both geographically and culturally. You could write an article about how things are different here, what you think about the school and the Capital District, and the students here. Kind of like a travelogue.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± You nod, impressed. You indeed felt some culture shock during your stay. And you are reasonably confident that you could think of things to write with all the experiences you have had here. But your consent alone is not enough. You wait for everyone else. ¡°Hm. Not bad,¡± Jenny says. ¡°Yeah. That way the whole school gets to know about how our newbie here feels,¡± Natalia agrees. She may be a jokester, but she seems to get serious when necessary and stands up for her opinions. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°Me too. Sounds interesting.¡± ¡°It is like the old times.¡± Nick, Larry, and Megmica also agree. ¡°All right, it¡¯s decided.¡± Jenny slaps her knee. ¡°Are you all right with this?¡± You nod. ¡°Then write whatever you¡¯d like about the Capital District and about our school. Don¡¯t hold back; you¡¯re not gonna be here by the time this issue goes up,¡± Jenny advises, ¡°is there anywhere you¡¯d like to cover in the Capital District? You can go check out places over the weekends. You can take a camera along, too.¡± ¡°Does the school loan out cameras?¡± You ask, surprised. You would love to take some photographs to go with your article, but would the school loan out such an expensive device to a student, even if it is for club activities? ¡°Nope. They¡¯re right here.¡± Jenny gets up and reaches for the bag she put on the desk earlier. And to your shock, she takes out a large metallic camera. It looks more expensive than the one at your school. ¡°Wow¡­I can¡¯t believe the school supplies you with something so expensive!¡± Capital District schools sure are different, you tell yourself. ¡°Actually, it belongs to Jenny,¡± Nick points out. You are floored. ¡°What?! You have your own camera?¡± ¡°Several.¡± ¡°No way!¡± You blink rapidly. ¡°Don¡¯t assume all of us here have multiple cameras, newbie. And by the way, feel free to write about this.¡± Your course is clear. In the next 10 days, you are to put down all your thoughts into writing. You must write honestly about the Capital District and the things you felt at the 4th Capital Secondary School. You are free to visit places in the Capital District in the weekend. Anyone who is free will accompany you with a camera and show you around. From this point on, you must visit the newspaper club after class every day and ask about the Capital District, discuss your progress, and throw out ideas. Because some of the newspaper club members are in other clubs, sometimes they would miss meetings. But there would almost always be someone at the office. Your draft is due on the 23rd. Naturally, Jenny will be editing your work to make it easier to read. The newspaper will be published on the weekend of the 24th and 25th, and posted on the 26th. Then you need only wait for the students¡¯ reception to your article. ¡°Thank you! This sounds really fun. I¡¯ll do my best!¡± You say. ¡°Then that¡¯s all for today,¡± Jenny says. The sky outside is already orange. Everyone leaves the office. Natalia leaves her guitar, but you forget to ask her why she brought one in the first place. Partway past the central gardens, the group splits into two. You and Seron head for the dorms just ahead. ¡°See you, Seron! And good luck with everything, newbie!¡± ¡°Bye. Ask Seron if you need any help. He knows everything.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Have a good day.¡± ¡°Later.¡± Larry, Natalia, Nick, Megmica, and Jenny head for the gates. You walk side-by-side with Seron without a word, past the grounds filled with the shouts of the sports clubs. The silence compels you to wonder if Seron is not fond of you. But your worries turn out to be unfounded. ¡°Newbie. About dinner¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°They have oyster and cheese gratin today. They only serve it a few times in the autumn, and it¡¯s really good. I highly recommend it.¡± ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll definitely give it a try.¡± * * * Part 3: The Newspaper Club Says¡­ From the next day onwards, you head to the newspaper club after class with a spring in your step. The other club members ask you to join them for lunch, but your class schedule does not work out. You can only meet them after class. But there is always someone in the office, so you get to greet them, drink tea together, and chat. Today, Seron, Larry, and Jenny are at the office. Megmica is in the chorus club, Natalia is in the orchestra club, and Nick has extra lessons, which means the three of them miss some meetings. Today, you talk mostly with Seron. You ask him all kinds of questions about the Capital District. Seron is very knowledgeable. He answers your every query clearly and calmly. During your conversations you learn that Seron¡¯s mother runs Maxwell Frozen Foods, the brand famous for its bright red packaging. Frozen food is common even in an agricultural state like Raputoa because of its convenience. Seron also explains that he is from¡ªnot the Capital District, but¡ªthe city of Weld, which requires an overnight journey by train. You capitalize on the opportunity and ask him how he felt when he first came to the Capital District. ¡°I was 12 years old back then, and really excited to learn about the Capital District.¡± His impressions are similar to your own. But Weld is a relatively developed city in its own right, so Seron explains that what surprised him were not the high-rises themselves, but the massive clusters of such buildings. The degree of shock you experienced is different, as you are coming from a place with an unbroken horizon. How much something surprises you depends on what kind of knowledge and experience you already have. No one experiences the same degree of surprise. You note down this thought so you can include it in your article. The next day comes. It is the 12th. You talk with Larry. Larry was born and raised in the Capital District, so he was always used to the big city. He is from a renowned military family, and aims to one day become a soldier himself. He has loved the outdoors since childhood is is used to survival activities. When you tell him that you are from a farm in the middle of the wilderness, he bombards you with questions. You feel a surge of pride when he mentions that he admires country living. Impressed, you make a note of this. Larry continues asking about Raputoa, but one part stumps you. ¡°Lieutenant Colonel Walter McMillan¡¯s Raputoa Plan is famous, you know.¡± You are completely lost. ¡°Huh? Didn¡¯t they teach you about the Great War in history class?¡± You have never heard of this Lieutenant Colonel Walter McMillan. You would remember if you had. When you admit this to Larry, he falls silent for a moment. Then, ¡°Huh. I was sure they¡¯d teach you about him in Raputoa¡­¡± The 13th. Megmica comes to the club office. Nick is also there, but when he tells you he will be there tomorrow as well, you turn to Megmica. You are curious to hear what Megmica¡ªwho has come from even further than you¡ªthinks of the Capital District and the school. So you focus on such questions. Megmica explains that she spent her first year in Roxche learning Roxchean from a private tutor, instead of going to school. She says she could not make many friends even after starting at the 4th Capital Secondary School. She also tells you that she was constantly sad and homesick until she joined the chorus club. Megmica found a place to be in the chorus club, but until she befriended a girl named Lillianne earlier this year, she had no one to chat with in classes. And this summer, a series of coincidences led her to join the newspaper club. Now she has many friends and is enjoying every day in Roxche. You realize that she had a much harder time than you. ¡°But looking back, they¡¯re all just good memories. When I go back to Sou Be-Il, I¡¯ll treasure all the times I spent with my friends here. Everyone here is great!¡± Megmica exclaims quickly, her dark eyes sparkling. You are almost embarrassed to listen. ¡°Hm.¡± Larry shakes his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a word of that.¡± Seron, who is studying Bezelese on his own, seems a little upset that he could only catch a few words here and there. ¡°Heh.¡± Jenny, who took Bezelese courses and understands much of your conversation, snorts sheepishly. ¡°You have even less time than me at the Capital District, but I hope you¡¯ll enjoy your time here to the fullest.¡± Speaking in her mother tongue, Megmica sounds like a totally different person. She reminds you of a kind, loving older sister. Which is not too off-base, as she is two years older than you and one year older than the rest of the club. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s an honor to meet you and the others, SC Megmica,¡± you reply. And you begin to wonder if there is anything you could do for the newspaper club and Megmica. On the 14th, you chat with Natalia. Natalia likes talking about food above all else; she rambles at length about the gourmand¡¯s life in the Capital District. She tells you where to find the best restaurants, and what foods are only available in the Capital District. You learn a lot, although you won¡¯t know how good the food she described is until you try them. Natalia is particularly insistent on having you try the Capital District¡¯s famous crisps. ¡°The point is, you have to have them fresh out of the fryer! You can¡¯s say you¡¯ve tried a Capital District crisp until you¡¯ve bitten into a sizzling-hot piece right there in the store!¡± Natalia emphasizes, grabbing you by the shoulders. You feel like she is about to devour you head-first. Natalia¡¯s height makes her very intimidating at times like this. ¡°R-right¡­I¡¯ll definitely try them while I¡¯m in town this weekend.¡± You make a note about trying fresh crisps, when Natalia asks you and Larry what you plan to do this weekend. Upon speaking with the others throughout the week, you decided to visit everything you possibly could¡ªfrom the national assembly building to the presidential residence, the Roxee Museum of Art, and the department store. Natalia¡¯s eye glints suspiciously. ¡°All right! I¡¯ll take you to the best crisp place in town!¡± On the 15th, you talk to Nick. Today, Natalia is in the office, but Megmica is not. Nick¡¯s extraordinary beauty, you realize, is matched by the depth of his knowledge of history. Any question you have about the Capital District is answered with a response straight out of an encyclopedia. Raputoa¡¯s curriculum covers very little of the founding of the Capital District. The teachers simply tell you, ¡®the Capital District was designated a special area at the founding of Roxche¡¯. You learn for the first time today that the school sits on the site of an old village that was swallowed by the expansion of the Capital District. Why was this area selected as the capital? How did the Capital District develop? What are the major issues currently plaguing the city? Nick answers each question with eloquence as you jot down as much as you possibly can. When Nick asks you where you plan to go tomorrow, you list off the places you wrote down. ¡°Mm. Excellent choices,¡± Nick says with a smile, but he seems a little miffed that he has nothing more to add to the list. * * * The 16th finally arrives. It is your second weekend in the Capital District. You booked off today and tomorrow to enjoy all the Capital District has to offer. Unfortunately¡ª ¡°We won¡¯t be walking around in this weather,¡± Larry remarks upon arriving at the dorms at eight in the morning. It is pouring outside. It was perfectly clear yesterday, but the sudden emergence of a low pressure system causes rain to fall almost sideways in the gust. Umbrellas are no use in this weather. Larry, in fact, is wearing a military-issue poncho and waterproof motorcycling pants. Beneath that he is wearing cargo pants and a light sweater. Seron is wearing beige pants and an expensive black jacket. In your case, you are of the opinion that a day out entails dressing up in your best clothes¡ªeven if it is a weekend¡ªwhich means you are once again in your uniform. ¡°Yeah, it happens sometimes this time of year,¡± Larry explains, ¡°makes you want to cry if you¡¯re on a camping trip. We¡¯re really careful about this kind of weather in the army. If you get drenched, in the worst-case scenario you could die of hypothermia.¡± Your plan for today was to visit government offices, but the weather does not allow for such a thing. ¡°But our newbie doesn¡¯t have a lot of time. Let¡¯s try someplace else.¡± Seron suggests a change of plans; a day-long tour of the Roxee Museum of Art. The Roxee Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the Capital District and the Confederation. It is home to such a massive collection of works that not even a full day is enough to see them all. The museum was on your list of places to see. Seron goes to a phone booth in the lobby and calls the others who are scheduled to come. Jenny and Nick have no objections. They agree to meet at the entrance at 10, when the museum opens. Natalia and Megmica are supposed to be eating out with their families today. You wonder if they will be all right in this storm. You take a taxi all the way to the museum. Seron and Larry cover the ride. The taxi comes all the way to the cargo entrance at the back of the dorms, preventing you from getting wet. It is technically against security regulations, but Seron says the guards let it slide at times like this. You note that this is the kind of knowledge only a dormitory resident would be privy to. The taxi drives through the rain. The roads are nearly deserted. This is your first taxi ride in the Capital District. The taxi is clean and the driver is dressed impeccably, as befitting the city. You arrive at the Roxee Museum of Art. The grounds are massive; the road continues even past the main gates, and beyond looms a majestic stone building. The entrance is in the middle, but you can barely make it out in the rain. You are floored first by the museum¡¯s size, then by its grandeur, then the number of visitors lining up for tickets in spite of the weather. There are over a hundred lined up, as far as you can count. You begin to worry that, with so many people, the museum will be too crowded to enjoy properly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Seron reassures you, ¡°it¡¯s so big inside it¡¯ll feel empty even with all these people.¡± Exactly how large is the museum, you wonder. You pay for your ticket with the money from the Ministry of Education. Yours is a one-day pass, but the museum also offers eight-day and month-long passes as well. Soon¡ª ¡°Good morning everyone,¡± Nick says, arriving by taxi, ¡°it certainly is raining cats and dogs today.¡± Finally, Jenny arrives in a large luxury car with a pair of bodyguards, drawing much attention. You do not know much about automobiles, but even you have heard of Jones Motors. Jenny is the daughter of the president, which almost doesn¡¯t surprise you considering what you have seen of her so far. When the museum doors open, the visitors slowly disappear inside. ¡°Let¡¯s go on in, newbie,¡± Larry says, ¡°what do you feel like seeing? Seron¡¯s gonna give you a great tour.¡± You reply that you want to look at the paintings you saw in art class. The museum is filled to the brim with classics and masterpieces you saw only in textbooks, although there is no literal danger of them spilling out. ¡°This way, then,¡± Seron responds without even consulting the guidebook. He seems to have the museum¡¯s layout memorized. You tour the museum for three hours, but according to the map you have seen less than 20 percent of the exhibits. ¡°It¡¯s a lot bigger than I thought. But I¡¯m having a lot of fun,¡± you say once you reach the museum restaurant. The restaurant is encased in glass, just as beautiful as the artworks the museum houses. Rain continues to drum away at the window outside. Around the large table sit Seron and the others. Your order is not yet ready. The long walk has made you a little fatigued. ¡°Good to hear. You¡¯re not tired?¡± Larry asks. He does not seem tired at all, which is what you would expect from an aspiring career soldier. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± You are used to walking as well. Back home, long walks are part of everyday life. You are still doing well. ¡°The exhibits are lovely as always, but I must say a trip here is always exhausting,¡± Nick comments with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m totally bushed. The food¡¯s gonna taste great,¡± Jenny says. They both seem a little tired. Seron looks calm, however. ¡°Seeing results?¡± Larry asks. ¡°I think so,¡± Seron replied, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a lot better than before.¡± Confused, you ask them what they are talking about. ¡°I¡¯ve been running these days,¡± Seron replies tersely. Larry adds on. ¡°Seron realized just how out of shape he was on Orienteering Day last month, so he¡¯s been running almost every night since. Starting the day you arrived, actually. I was at the dorms because I was planning out a route for him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Nick and Jenny nod. It seems this is their first time hearing this as well. So that was why Larry suggested the beef stew at the dormitory cafeteria even though he lives at home. You finally understand. ¡°That sounds wonderful. You would be running on campus then, Seron?¡± Nick asks. Seron nods. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s lit up pretty brightly at night. I run before taking a bath or early in the morning. Larry¡¯s set a pretty interesting course for me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± Asks Jenny. ¡°It involves a bunch of different exercises. I run slowly starting at the dorms, but I have to start sprinting on the track field. Then I have to hang from the horizontal bars by the grounds, run again, and do sit-ups on the grass. And other things too. It¡¯s a lot more interesting than just running endlessly,¡± Seron replies. It does sound interesting. Your walk to and from school¡ªthough a little different from exercising¡ªinvolves an hour¡¯s walk across farmland, and is the most boring thing in the world. You often think how great it would be if you could listen to music as you walk. You once tried walking with a book in hand, but after you fell into the cornfields you decided not to try it again. ¡°It¡¯s really rewarding to teach Seron. He¡¯s hardworking and focused, and he does everything you tell him to do,¡± Larry says. ¡°Thank you for waiting.¡± The waiter arrives with your food. He has a large platter on his right shoulder, supported by his right hand. In his left he has a folding cart for the platter. First, he opens up the cart and places the platter atop it. Then he serves the dishes one after another. You have never seen this style of serving before. Whoever came up with this system must have been very innovative, you think to yourself. As you note down the thought, Jenny snaps a photo. Your meal is the most popular dish on the menu¡ªthe macaroni salad and fried chicken lunch. It is much more expensive than eating out in Raputoa, but the money from the Ministry of Education covers the food. The heaping helping of macaroni salad contains colorful vegetables like carrots and broccoli to spice up the visuals. As for the fried chicken breast, the perfectly-fried batter seems to have been made with special spices. Your food also comes with clear consomm¨¦ soup, a cup of tea, and a small scoop of ice cream for dessert. It all looks and smells so good that you forget to ask Seron why he took up running after Orienteering Day. After lunch, you continue your tour of the museum. Seron and Nick have explanations for all your questions, which makes the tour efficient because you do not have to stop to read the descriptions. You are happy that you get to see all the exhibits you have in mind. At three in the afternoon, you step outside. The rain and wind have let up, giving you hope for nice weather tomorrow. ¡°We¡¯ll look at as many places as we can tomorrow. It¡¯d be nice if we had a car,¡± Larry says. ¡°I¡¯ll bring one. A van, so we¡¯ll all fit in,¡± Jenny says without batting an eye. At this point, even you understand that the luxuries afforded by the newspaper club are not owed to the 4th Capital Secondary School, but to Jenny¡¯s incredible resources. Jenny gives you a ride back on her luxury car. Inside, it feels like a parlor has been transplanted into a vehicle. You are floored. You take many, many notes and even get a photograph taken with the car. You say goodbye to the others at the gates and return to the dorms with Seron. The rain stops. The western sky grows brighter, tinting your room a bright orange. As you organize your notes, you remind yourself how fortunate you are to have joined the newspaper club. But you keep feeling as though you are only receiving from the others without giving back anything in return. Isn¡¯t there anything you can do to help them? * * * The next day. The 17th. It is a beautiful day. The morning sun makes it almost seem like yesterday¡¯s storm never happened. It is cooler than yesterday and the tap water is cold, likely because the weather cleared up overnight. Before breakfast, you look out the window of your familiar dormitory room. ¡°Ah¡­¡± And you happen to spot Seron in the distance, running in his sweats on the deserted grounds. His breath is visible in the cold. ¡°He¡¯s really hardworking.¡± You recall hearing that Seron has excellent grades. And you begin to think¡ªSeron is handsome and well-mannered. And if he becomes athletic as a result of his training, what won¡¯t he be able to do? The plan is to meet at the gates at 10, so you pack your notepad and leave the room. Like yesterday, you are in your uniform, but you leave your coat because you do not get cold easily. You run into Seron at the dormitory entrance. He is in a pair of jeans, a turtleneck shirt, and a jacket. You came a little early because you did not want to cause trouble by being late, but it seems Seron thought the same thing. You exchange greetings and walk together to the gates. Because Seron is so quiet you decide to break the ice. ¡°This might sound like a strange question, but is there anything you¡¯re not good at, SC Seron? You seem to be an expert at everything.¡± Seron thinks for a moment, then opens his mouth. ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t say what it is yet, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°But right now, I¡¯m fortunate enough to have a fighting chance even if I can¡¯t achieve my goal yet. So I¡¯m going to improve myself as much as I can¡ªwithout pushing myself too hard¡ªuntil I can reach that goal.¡± After a short wait at the gates, ¡°Morning! Nice weather, huh?¡± Larry waves, arriving first. Larry is always punctual. The sturdy-looking watch he always wears is probably there to help him with that habit. He seems to be dressed the same as yesterday, but upon closer inspection his sweater today is heavier. ¡°Morning, guys. Want something to chew on?¡± Natalia asks as she arrives. She looks good in pants thanks to her height. She is carrying a paper bag filled with cookies. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Larry asks, peering inside. ¡°Made ¡®em this morning. Hold your hands out, people. I¡¯m distributing rations,¡± Natalia says, giving each person a fragrant chocolate chip cookie. The cookies are much bigger than the ones in stores, almost too large for the palm of your hand. ¡°This is huge! You bake, Lia?¡± Larry asks. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing in the world I can¡¯t do, and that¡¯s making you smarter, Larry,¡± Natalia quips. Everyone starts on their cookie. You take a bite. It is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. The flavor of chocolate and butter spreads throughout your mouth and assures you that yes, this cookie is indeed delicious. ¡°It¡¯s really good, Lia. But you sure we can eat these now?¡± ¡°Sure. I mean, you said yesterday that you¡¯re buying all the crisps for the day¡ª¡± ¡°I did not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really good, Nat. Thanks.¡± ¡°How ¡®bout adding this to Maxwell Frozen Foods¡¯ repertoire? I could sell you the recipe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask Mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really good, SC Natalia. This is the best cookie I¡¯ve ever had.¡± ¡°Aha! You know your stuff, newbie. There¡¯s plenty more where that came from, so dig in and maybe you¡¯ll get taller.¡± You munch on more of Natalia¡¯s cookies as you wait for the others. Nick and Megmica arrive at almost exactly the designated time. Nick arrives by taxi, and Megmica by luxury car. He is in a neat half-coat, and she in a one-piece dress and a short jacket. ¡°It seems I made it on time after all. Good day, everyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! The roads were choked. Good morning.¡± Natalia hands each of them a cookie. ¡°Thank you, Nat. It tastes wonderful.¡± ¡°Please teach later to me to make this cookie, Natalia.¡± You munch on more cookies together, and a little past the meeting time Jenny arrives by car. She is in an outdoor jacket as though dressed for a hunting trip. The van¡ªa Jones Motors model, obviously¡ªis large enough to seat 10. The driver-cum-bodyguard is, as with yesterday, Kurtz. Litner is also there. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, guys,¡± Jenny apologizes, opening the door with a wave. ¡°Ah, chief. Here. This is a legendary cookie bestowed only to the greatest of heroes! Now, guide us all!¡± Natalia cries dramatically, holding out a cookie. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Jenny asks, grabbing the cookie with her mouth. She takes hold of the rest after the first bite. ¡°Not bad. It¡¯s homemade, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°Obviously, you wouldn¡¯t break even selling cookies with so much chocolate inside.¡± You take notes like no tomorrow. You and the newspaper club go from place to place by van, visiting one site and then rushing off to the next. First you visit the presidential residence, the national assembly building, the supreme court, and the major government buildings at the center of the Capital District. Because it is a weekend the traffic is not so bad. Because the people in the buildings govern all of Roxche, they are as secure as they are majestic. Even as a tourist you must show ID at the entrance, and the police officers are armed with military-grade firearms. Because the people in the buildings govern all of Roxche, they are as secure as they are majestic. Even as a tourist you must show ID at the entrance, and the police officers are armed with military-grade firearms. ¡°There was a fire in this building 140 years ago. One of the guards had used a fireplace to ward off the cold and failed to extinguish the fire properly. The interior was, unfortunately, completely gutted. But the building itself is sturdy in construction and made of stone, so it remained intact. Some traces of the great fire are preserved on the eastern wall¡ª¡± Nick¡¯s explanations are as detailed as ever. But you do not jot down his lecture. You can learn historical facts easily through independent research. You limit your notes to your impressions of what you see. ¡°Getting used to the city yet, newbie? Want a bite?¡± Natalia asks, looking off at the presidential residence. In her hand is a hotdog with salted cabbage and pickles, which she bought at a stand in the park around the building. It looks delicious but you cannot possibly eat any more at the moment. First, you politely decline the hotdog. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But it definitely feels different from my first few days here,¡± you admit. Like it or not, humans adapt to new environments. Which is why you have been taking notes so as to not forget how you felt before. You make sure to note down, ¡®someday I¡¯ll even get used to SC Natalia¡¯s endless appetite¡¯. After touring the Confederation Library, you sit on a bench outside and gaze upon the building¡¯s unusual structure. ¡°Now that I think about it,¡± Larry begins, ¡°I¡¯ve never actually gone on such an in-depth tour of the Capital District before.¡± ¡°Same.¡± Natalia nods. ¡°I haven¡¯t been to the national assembly since they took us on a social studies trip in primary school five years ago. Can¡¯t believe it¡¯s still around.¡± She is, of course, joking¡ªit is no surprise that the national assembly building still remains. Nick also agrees, ¡°indeed. I would never tour this area unless we had guests from outside the city.¡± Because the locals have lived here their whole lives, they end up not going to sites they can visit anytime. The other tourists around you also seem to be from out of town, as they are smiling and exclaiming at everything they see. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful here. I almost want to pack up and move tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s do our best to find work here.¡± A couple passes by in front of you, full of hope for their future. The couple passes, and¡ª ¡°Have you ever heard of something called Capital Syndrome?¡± Seron says out of the blue. It is almost scary how he does that sometimes. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Seron, I do not like scary disease stories.¡± You and Megmica flinch at the term. Is it a disease going around the Capital District? Is it contagious? The others seem unaffected, meaning the disease is known to the locals. You wait for Seron to explain. ¡°You could call it an illness of the mind. It¡¯s what happens when people who admire the capital and all it has to offer actually arrive, only to be terribly disappointed by the reality of the city. It¡¯s a kind of culture shock.¡± You nod in understanding. ¡°I know this feeling very well,¡± Megmica says, nodding again and again. Natalia expands on the topic. ¡°Some people think you¡¯ll automatically have a cooler, better life in the Capital District. But people here don¡¯t dress like models all the time. Even expensive old apartment buildings are crummy¡ªelevators breaking all the time, angry old ladies next door, or loud brats on the floor above.¡± ¡°That is not all,¡± Nick adds, ¡°some people romanticize the winding old alleys of the Capital District, but many alleyways are filled with nothing but garbage and feral cats. It¡¯s even more difficult for car owners, as finding parking space is nearly impossible. They say it is local custom to rub bumpers in parking lots, but that is simply an unwanted result of the lack of parking space. Traffic is terrible every day of the year, and costs of living are probably the most expensive in Roxche.¡± Even Larry has things to add. ¡°Human relationships are the worst in Roxche, too. It¡¯s hard to make friends in a bustling place like this, and even harder to find people to find someone to really have a heart-to-heart with.¡± They are taking no prisoners. The locals can only say such things because they live here, you realize. It makes sense that those who harbor delusions about the city would end up disillusioned by its realities. ¡°It makes sense. But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be around long enough to be disappointed,¡± you admit. ¡°Hearing everyone¡¯s stories, I am relieved, I think,¡± Megmica says gravely, ¡°because I did not come alone, and I did not come for admiring. I am very relieved in many ways.¡± She is right. For Megmica, Roxche is a completely foreign land. She is only here because her parents are here, and she is with her family. That must be what gives Megmica comfort. This might not be appropriate material for the article, but you note it down anyway. Megmica is also writing something in her notepad. Jenny snaps a photo of you and Megmica together and speaks up. ¡°Should we move on, then?¡± ¡°Where to next, chief?¡± ¡°The place you¡¯ve all been waiting for. Lunch!¡± ¡°Yessss!¡± Natalia swoons, clasping her hands together. She has been eating all morning without pause¡ªwhat in the world does her digestive system look like? ¡°The restaurant¡¯s a little ways off, but I guarantee it¡¯s good. We might be in for heavy traffic so go to the bathroom now if you have to,¡± Jenny instructs. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll do that.¡± You are the only person to raise their hand. ¡°It¡¯ll be a while before Kurtz brings the car around; take your time.¡± You head to the nearest bathroom¡ªthe one by the Confederation Library entrance. After you finish your business, you walk out through the lobby with the high ceiling when someone calls to you. ¡°Excuse me.¡± You turn to find a man in his mid-to-late thirties. He is in a navy suit and a pair of rimless glasses, and looks very calm and gentle. The man does not seem suspicious¡ªhe comes off as a scholar more than anything else. Appearances are not everything, however. For all you know, this man might be a skilled assassin with multiple kills under his belt. But more importantly, whatever question the man has is probably not something a tourist like you could answer. You feel a little sorry for him, but you must reply. ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Raputoan uniform, isn¡¯t it,¡± the man comments, ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry. It surprised me so much to see the uniform here I called out to you without thinking.¡± You are floored. How does he know? For a moment you are stunned, but you quickly remember the flag on your sleeve. You swell a little with pride. ¡°Yes! I¡¯m a short-term exchange student sponsored by the Republic of Raputoa. I¡¯m studying at a secondary school here for the month.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widen slightly. ¡°That sounds wonderful. Actually, I once lived in Raputoa.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I recognize the Ministry of Education¡¯s emblem. How nostalgic.¡± That is enough to convince you that the man is telling the truth. The Ministry of Education¡¯s emblem is not only on your uniform, but on the car that drove you to the airport from your hometown, and on all school property. Every Raputoan citizen knows the emblem. But few people recognize it outside Raputoa. You cannot tell how long the man might have lived in Raputoa, but it must have been a long time ago if he feels nostalgic about it. ¡°Raputoa probably hasn¡¯t changed much in the past few years, except for in the bigger cities. You should come back to visit someday,¡± you suggest earnestly. ¡°Thank you. I sincerely hope I¡¯ll get the chance,¡± the man replies, just as earnestly. ¡°Sorry to bother you. I must be keeping you from your group.¡± ¡°Oh, right. It was nice meeting you.¡± You turn and walk away from the bespectacled man. You do not know his name, and you do not know what kind of life he has led. You will never see him again, barring a miracle. And yet it makes you very happy to meet someone in the Capital District who knows of your homeland. You may not be able to write about this in your article, but you decide to tell your family and friends about it once you get home. * * * ¡°Finally, lunch!¡± Natalia cheers. You are in a luxurious restaurant a little outside the city center. ¡°Easy there, Lia. You¡¯re not eight anymore,¡± Larry scolds her. Natalia is indeed acting a little childish. The restaurant is nearly full, its patrons mostly dressed to impress. Clearly rich ladies and gentlemen. You see no one else around your age, but the rest of the newspaper club shows no reservations about being here. Because they behave like they belong, you manage to not be completely overwhelmed. You and the rest of the newspaper club sit around a long table, eyes on the dishes being served. Salads arranged to perfection and veal steak topped with foie gras of the same size. Steaming-hot bread straight out of the oven. Fresh-squeezed juice. To top it all off, the food is all served on expensive white ceramic plates. The plates seem to shine with quality. It all reminds you that this is indeed a high-end Capital District restaurant. The dishes, the food, everything is marvelous. The dormitory cafeteria was impressive enough, but this goes above and beyond anything you have eaten at school. ¡°Let¡¯s eat. Gotta keep ourselves going,¡± Larry says. Everyone takes a moment to pray before their meal. Larry and Megmica take the longest, lifting up very earnest prayers. You dig in. You are not used to such luxurious food, but everything is delicious. You scarf down the food with as much grace as you can muster. Then you think about the price and shudder. You followed Jenny into the restaurant, and when she asked you if there was anything you couldn¡¯t eat, you said there was not. Then she ordered the special for everyone¡ªwithout once mentioning the bill. You did not use much of your allowance since coming to the Capital District, but you want to at least set some aside to get souvenirs for friends and family. You hope this meal will not cost you half your spending money. ¡°Er, SC Jenny?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Jenny replies, tearing some warm bread in two. ¡°Isn¡¯t this place supposed to be very expensive?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± ¡°But it¡¯s all free. So don¡¯t hold back.¡± ¡°Huh? Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Jenny says, spreading butter on the bread and popping it into her mouth before it can melt. You stare, dumbfounded, when someone calls out. ¡°Jenny!¡± A man in his fifties raises his voice almost loud enough to disturb the other patrons. He is short and very overweight, his bulges threatening to tear his vest. The man reminds you of the kindly middle-aged men back home. You feel a little homesick. As the other patrons and the rest of the newspaper club watch in shock, the man approaches Jenny. Jenny wipes her mouth with a napkin. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, Jenny! How are you?¡± He cries, pulling her into a tight hug. ¡°Ack! It¡¯s been a while, Manager,¡± Jenny struggles to reply in his arms. You and the others finally understand the situation. The Manager knows Jenny, which is why the food is free. ¡°Aye, it¡¯s been half a year now! Glad you came in to visit!¡± His large hand slapped Jenny on the back again and again. ¡°Have you gotten smaller?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still as big as ever, Manager. You might die if you don¡¯t get yourself fixed up¡ªunless you¡¯re hoping to become foie gras yourself?¡± ¡°Of course not. I plan to live long enough to see you marry, Jenny. I can¡¯t rest until I bake you the perfect wedding cake. So do find yourself a good man and marry soon. Let me rest in peace.¡± ¡°Aw, shut up, Manager. It¡¯s gonna be a long while, you know.¡± They seem to have known each other for a very long time. ¡°You should visit more often, Jenny. I¡¯ll fatten you right up.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wanna look like you, Manager.¡± The exchange goes on briefly, but Jenny finally gets to the point. ¡°Manager, these are my friends from school.¡± Then she introduces everyone, one after another. The manager is outgoing and personable, and holds nothing back. His conversation with Seron says it all. ¡°Ah! Maxwell Frozen Foods, you say? Please do tell your mother that she¡¯s going to drive me out of business with frozen food that good!¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make sure to tell her to step up her products, now that the manager of one of the Capital District¡¯s foremost restaurants is praising her.¡± You wish you could respond so courteously without missing a beat. ¡°Gah hah hah hah! Take good care of Jenny!¡± The manager says, then thanks the other patrons as he departs. ¡°How do you know him, chief?¡± Natalia asks, having at some point finished her food. ¡°He used to be our family¡¯s personal chef.¡± ¡°Ah, I get it.¡± Jenny tells you about the manager. Recognized for his skills, the manager worked as a chef with the Jones family for a long time. But he cast aside his stable job and sought independence. Rather than oppose his departure, Jenny¡¯s father supported his endeavors fully. Four years ago, the Jones family gave the manager full financial support to establish his own restaurant. The business was a success, and the manager came to own two additional branches and even a cooking school. Even after successfully paying back his debt, the manager remained faithful to the family. He swore that he would provide free food to any member of the Jones family indefinitely, no matter when they came to one of his restaurants. ¡°So eat to your heart¡¯s content, guys. More steak, Nat?¡± ¡°Yeah! And the foie gras here is so good! Jenny, can we come here for meetings from now on?¡± Natalia demands jokingly, eyes glinting. ¡°Could I get seconds on the steak here too?¡± Larry asks. Seron and Megmica ask for more bread, and Nick more salad. You ask for a half-serving of steak. ¡°I¡¯m so glad I joined this club,¡± Natalia sighs. Internally, you nod. As you feast on your incredible meal, you realize that the rich people of the Capital District are not rich simply because they worked hard. They gained their riches by treasuring their connections with other people. You note down the thought. And as though reading your mind, Jenny says, ¡°I grew up surrounded by some of the nicest adults in the world. And that¡¯s a fact.¡± After stuffing yourself all the way through dessert, you and the others resume the tour. The afternoon itinerary involves touring the Capital West Station area. You have always wanted to visit the massive train station and the massive department store around it. ¡°The crisps, too,¡± Natalia says. ¡°Yes, that too,¡± you reply. First, you look around the station. Seron takes on the role of guide, being familiar with the station thanks to his trips to and from home. The station is just the way you remember from the photographs¡ªa veritable fortress. A massive glass dome the size of a stadium covers over 10 platforms from high up in the air. It certainly is nice to have a roof to keep the weather out, but you still must wonder if the sheer height of the ceiling is warranted. A lower ceiling would cost less and be easier to build. What were the architects thinking, you ask out loud. ¡°They left some room overhead just in case the railways develop further and they need more platforms. They can¡¯t widen the station property itself because of the surrounding buildings, but with a high ceiling they can build second- and third-story platforms overhead,¡± Seron explains. ¡°Wow¡­that¡¯s amazing,¡± you exclaim. It feels as though your eyes have been opened. The architects must have been looking 10, maybe 100 years into the future when they came up with this design. You open up your notepad as you reflect on your stance. People bearing heavy pieces of luggage rush past. You might be swept away in the flow of people if you stand around aimlessly. It is much more crowded than the airport. ¡°Right now it¡¯s on the empty side, though,¡± says Seron, ¡°you¡¯ll see a lot more people during rush hour. And during the holidays, there are so many travelers you can barely walk.¡± You cannot imagine such a large building filling up with people. You are almost overwhelmed. Afterwards, you get to see, jot down notes about, and take photos of the massive clock and its hammer-shaped pendulum, the long platforms lying parallel to one another, and many other features of the station. ¡°To be truthful, I am coming first to this station too,¡± Megmica says, also enjoying the tour. Megmica says she came to Roxche by ship; it was a long 20-day journey across the North Sea, followed by an entire day¡¯s train ride. ¡°Really? Newbie, you came by aeroplane, right? That¡¯s not cheap, you know. Anyone here ever flown before?¡± Larry asks. Natalia alone raises her hand. You are surprised that Jenny does not raise her hand, but she says she mostly travels by car. Natalia grins. ¡°Oh dear. So me and the newbie are the only ones who¡¯ve managed to beat gravity and soar through the sky. Let¡¯s go over there and leave all these squares behind, newbie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Lia. Newbie, you don¡¯t have to play along.¡± Natalia says she visited the Kingdom of Iks with her family over the summer. You are pleasantly surprised. The Kingdom of Iks is a mountain country located in the Central Mountain Range, southwest of Raputoa. Natalia says her family took a sleeper train and a bus on the way there because they had some business at another city, but took an aeroplane on the way back. ¡°You might have passed through Elitesa, then,¡± you say. There are only two roads into Iks, and Elitesa is at the entrance to one of them. ¡°Oh, yeah. I think so. That sounds about right.¡± ¡°I knew it. Elitesa is a big city on the southern tip of Raputoa,¡± you explain. ¡°So that¡¯s another thing we have in common! Let¡¯s go over there and leave all these squares behind¡ª¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even know the city was in Raputoa until now,¡± Larry cuts in. ¡°Jealous, Larry?¡± ¡°No.¡± Megmica speaks up. ¡°Er¡­are flying aeroplanes not scary?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± you answer, ¡°the engine is a bit loud, but it was very fun.¡± ¡°Mhm. It just zoomed through the air and landed smoothly. It¡¯s way better than traveling by train,¡± Natalia adds. ¡°But¡­but if the aeroplane falls¡­you might fall.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Megmica has a point. But you think to yourself¡ªif you worry about crashing, you would never be able to board an aeroplane. And you simply cannot give up the conveniences it offers, money permitting. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Megmica? Gonna fly somewhere?¡± Natalia asks. ¡°Yes. It is yet not certain, but at the winter break at the end of the year I may for the first time in two years visit to my homeland.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°If we go on a very fast aeroplane, they say it takes about two days to go to my hometown. So my family will. But I said it was too scary.¡± You can see where Megmica¡¯s family is coming from. If they take the same aeroplane as the one you took to the Capital District, they could reach Raputoa in a day and then transfer to a Westbound flight. Maybe she will indeed end up stopping at Raputoa along the way, and maybe she will be able to visit. But¡ª ¡°If the engine breaks, can I fix the engine?¡± Megmica asks in a panic, giving you no time to say anything. Her face looks paler than usual. Seron seems to want to say something. He must be thinking of ways to reassure her¡ªrecite statistics about the low failure rates, or describe emergency landing protocol. But someone beats him to the punch. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If that happens, I¡¯ll just hop right up and fix it. Being tall has its advantages,¡± Natalia says. Even someone as mechanically challenged as you can see she is lying through her teeth. Larry¡¯s expression agrees with you. ¡°Really?¡± Meg says, ¡°it is a relief.¡± Seriously? You stare at Megmica in disbelief. You glance over and see Seron standing silently. Though his expression is blank, it feels as though he is thinking the same thing as you. You leave the station and enter the department store across the street. ¡°The gorilla¡¯s place, eh?¡± Natalia comments. You have no idea what she is talking about, but you miss your chance to ask. Is there a gorilla living in the department store? The Capital District is full of mysteries. The department store itself seems to you like a magic castle. The biggest store you have seen in your life was the local shopping district. The department store, in contrast, is a whopping eight stories tall. ¡°It feels like someone just gave me a chimney saying it was a cob of corn,¡± you say. ¡°Excellent analogy,¡± Nick chuckles. You continue to struggle with the shock. You wonder if all these products on display really will be bought. You can only imagine they will remain unsold on the shelves for a year or two, gathering dust. A clothing store you frequent back home, you recall, has had the dame duffel coat on display for the past four years. When you share your concerns with the others, Jenny replies nonchalantly, ¡°don¡¯t worry about it. All the products get sold and replaced or restocked every month or so.¡± ¡°Oh¡­really?¡± You continue to look around at the countless items for sale, marveling at the sheer quantity. ¡°This is all so expensive.¡± You almost feel dizzy at some of the prices. Meanwhile, the others are enjoying the trip as well. ¡°Ooh, nice hat. I bet it¡¯ll look good on you, Megmica.¡± ¡°It is very nice. I almost want it. I will next time ask my mother and father to buy it.¡± A few minutes later¡ª ¡°Chief! Buy me that camera!¡± ¡°What are you, eight? No.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, please?¡± ¡°You already have two.¡± ¡°True. A few minutes after that¡ª ¡°Why not buy some new gloves for the winter, Seron? Larry? Do last year¡¯s gloves still fit you?¡± ¡°Hm. You have a point.¡± ¡°Maybe I should.¡± From the way the others do their shopping, you realize how different you are from them. It is not a good or a bad difference. Just like you, the students at the 4th Capital Secondary School struggle with their studies and have fun with their friends. And some things you simply do not have in common. You make a note of the thought. ¡®People do not necessarily have to all be the same¡¯. You end up buying inexpensive and lightweight things like postcards, maps, and magazines for the people back home. That should be enough for everyone. You will also buy several items marked with the school crest at the campus store later. By the time you leave the department store, it is already evening. The glowing red sky is just as beautiful as yesterday. But you still have one more thing to do. ¡°You can¡¯t say you¡¯ve been to the Capital District till you¡¯ve tried these babies!¡± Natalia insists, taking you to a crisp store in the area. ¡°You can get these everywhere in the Capital District, but the place in front of Capital West Station makes ¡®em best! Willing to take objections, though!¡± The long lineup at the store is testament to its popularity. You also wait in line for the famed snack. You have never seen such crisps before. Each piece of fried dough is about five centimeters in size, looking like a cross between a cookie and a doughnut. Some packs on display are still sizzling-hot. The paper bags they are sold in absorb the grease. ¡°All right! Give it a try!¡± Natalia says. You reach into the bag and pick up a piece. ¡°Hm?¡± The texture on your fingers feels strange. There is some sort of a powder sprinkled on the crisp¡ªyou cannot tell if it is sugar or salt. You slowly bring it to your mouth and take a bite¡ª ¡°Ah¡­¡± The taste spreads in an instant. Though it is not spicy or sweet, the intense flavor fills your mouth and forces your lips to purse. But once you bite down, the flavor recedes. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± You put the rest of the crisp into your mouth. You savor the taste again with a funny look on your face. Jenny takes a snapshot of the moment. ¡°Well? Well?¡± Natalia asks. You cannot lie to her. ¡°It¡¯s really strong. But¡­I think I might get addicted to this.¡± ¡°Right? Here, have some more!¡± Natalia cheers. You look around and see the others eating as well. Megmica is holding four bags of the stuff. ¡°My younger brothers, no, my family all loves this crisp very much. I will gift them to them.¡± Nick chimes in, licking his fingers, ¡°they¡¯re not suitable for eating daily, but on those occasions when you do treat yourself it¡¯s difficult to stop before you finish the bag.¡± Seron is also eating blankly. ¡°Man, it¡¯s good. Whoever came up with this powder is a genius,¡± Larry says, looking at you. Your eyes meet just as you reach into the bag Natalia holds out. ¡°I love it,¡± you say. Larry grins. ¡°Welcome to the Capital District!¡± That, you decide, will be the title of your article. Surrounded by high-rises, the sounds of countless passing cars, and rich kids around your own age, you indulge in the deep-fried crisps together. You will probably never have an opportunity like this again. When the realization hits, you look up at the sky again. The dusk-tinted sky is as clear as it can be. * * * You start on your article the very next day. Referring to your notes, you begin writing in your notebook. You would fall behind immediately if you write in class, so you use the short time you have after school to write in the newspaper club office. ¡°Working hard, eh?¡± Even when you do nothing but write, Larry serves you tea and Seron looks up from his book to help you clear up some facts. You begin to wonder if you deserve this sort of treatment. But¡ª ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Seron says immediately. ¡°Wanna try using this?¡± Jenny asks, pointing to a brand-new typewriter sitting on one of the desks. But because it looks like it¡¯ll take you a full day to learn to use it, you decline. From the 18th to the 22nd, you spend every day after school at the club office. You write as if you are doing homework for composition class. But because you cannot write too much, Jenny cuts content all the readers are expected to know, leaving behind only your personal impressions. As your sentences are cut one after another, the article becomes more and more dense with information. In the end, the finished article is composed of two parts¡ªyour impressions of the Capital District and the things it has to offer, and your impressions of the school and student life. ¡°Not bad. I like it,¡± Jenny says. At the end of your five-day journey¡ªafter school on the 22nd¡ªyou finally finish. You put down your pen, glad and satisfied. ¡°Oh, almost forgot.¡± After club activities that day, Jenny hands you four bundles of photographs, each the size of a notepad. There are over a hundred photos altogether, which weigh quite a bit in a pile. The photos are of the Capital District, the newspaper club, and you, amidst it all. You are surprised to see that over half the photographs are in full color. ¡°I want you to pick four or five to use in the article. Tell me the numbers on the back of the ones you want.¡± Jenny has already chosen the photo for the headliner¡ªthe funny face you made as you at the Capital District crisp for the first time. It is a bit¡ªor rather, very¡ªembarrassing, but because everyone agrees it is very appropriate for the article, you cannot object. You are happy to be allowed to choose the rest of the photos, however. ¡°All right. Should I give you the numbers by tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure. You can take the photos to the dorms.¡± You write on your notepad, ¡®pick five sample photos by the 23rd and return all photos to Jenny¡¯. You write on your notepad, ¡®pick five sample photos by the 23rd and return all photos to Jenny¡¯. If you had to be honest, you really want the photos for yourself. You want to take them home to show the others. It would make explaining things so much easier. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all. But you do not dare to ask. Film and photo paper are expensive¡ªespecially with color photographs. Swallowing the disappointment, you finish writing your reminder¡ªwhen Jenny nonchalantly comments, ¡°and tell me the numbers of any photos you want to take home. They¡¯re yours.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± You gasp, hands trembling. ¡°A-are you sure?¡± ¡°One newspaper isn¡¯t going to make much of a keepsake, don¡¯t you think?¡± Jenny says dismissively. ¡°But¡­I¡ª¡± You have nothing to give her in return, you want to say. But you are cut off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, newbie!¡± Larry assures you from across the room, washing the teapot, ¡°think of it as promotional material for the Capital District, the school, and the newspaper club!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± You trail off again, but Seron joins in as well. ¡°Take them to remember us by. I would want these photos if I were in your shoes, so I think you should take them. I would have asked Jenny if she hadn¡¯t offered.¡± Nick, who happens to be at the office today, nods beside you. ¡°Indeed. We¡¯ve had such a good time together. It would be a shame for you to lose these wonderful memories.¡± You can no longer decline. You rise from your seat. ¡°Thank you, everyone! I promise I¡¯ll take good care of the photos¡ªand the memories we all made!¡± * * * The end of the week. Lunchtime on the 23rd. ¡°How was the newspaper club?¡± The advisor asks. ¡°It was the best!¡± You reply, beaming, ¡°everyone was very nice to me. I¡¯m having a very good time with them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± the advisor replies with a smile. If he didn¡¯t suggest that you join a club, you never would have met the newspaper club. You owe the advisor so much. You resolve to never forget the advisor¡ªthe Roxchean teacher named Mark Murdoch. * * * Part 4: Your Job ¡°And? And then what happened?¡± It is the 4th day of the twelfth month. You are back at your home school in Raputoa for the first time in one month. Naturally, your return is the talk of the school. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on you during the morning assembly. ¡°I helped make this newspaper in the Capital District,¡± you said at the assembly, unfolding the newspaper. Now it is in a glass case, displayed in front of the headmaster¡¯s office. You left one of the two copies you have at home, so you cannot show your article to your classmates. So instead, you show them photographs as you explain your trip. It is supposed to be social studies class, but even the teacher is more interested in your story than the lesson. ¡°How did the students there like the article?¡± It seems you will be switching places with the teacher today. ¡°After I finished the article, we printed the papers on the 24th and 25th. Dozens of them. There were so many copies,¡± you describe, taking the story to its climax. * * * After school on the 26th, you arrived at the club office and came face-to-face with a copy of the newspaper. A newspaper with your photo on it, and an article by you. You had never seen such a thing before. You stared silently for some time and fell deep into thought. The rest of the newspaper club waited for you to finish thinking. ¡°Thank you,¡± you finally said, looking up. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go post ¡®em,¡± Larry said, and the group split into two. You, Seron, Megmica, and Jenny took the south side of campus, posting the papers in places where they did not cover any other posted materials or hurt the appearance of the space. The others told you that before it was officially recognized, the club had to post newspapers guerilla-style and the teachers would tear them down. After posting all of the newspapers, you returned to the office. ¡°Good work. Here, you can take these home with you,¡± Jenny said, handing you two rolled-up copies of the newspaper. * * * ¡°Jenny sounds like a really cool person,¡± one of your friends remarks. ¡°Well, I guess,¡± you reply. ¡°Hey, why¡¯re you getting all embarrassed?¡± Everyone laughs. You laugh with them, but a part of you feels very lonely. You are no longer part of the newspaper club. All you can see outside the window is the horizon. You are once again an ordinary student in the Republic of Raputoa. If only you could put down these sentiments in writing and publish them in a newspaper. And if only you could send that newspaper to the Capital District. But that is currently impossible¡ªyou do not know if it will ever be possible. So right now, you only do what you can. You tell your friends the whole story. ¡°I went to school the next day, and¡ª¡± * * * When you went to school on the 27th, many people came up to talk to you. Both in the halls and in the classrooms. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the exchange student from Raputoa, right? I really liked your article.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the capital treating you? Isn¡¯t it great? That picture of you eating the crisp was really nice.¡± ¡°It was interesting to see what someone from another state thinks of us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying the Capital District.¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± Each time, you thanked them profusely. You were so happy. Like a village of strangers had suddenly become your family. When you arrived at the club office, Seron, Larry, Jenny, Megmica, Natalia, and Nick¡ªthe whole club¡ªgreeted you with smiles. ¡°You¡¯re a regular celebrity now.¡± ¡°Good going, newbie!¡± ¡°You might be more useful than these lugs here.¡± ¡°You did very good work!¡± ¡°Nothing like some crisps to spice up the newspaper.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the newspaper will be a wonderful memento of your time here.¡± You tried very hard to not break the happy atmosphere, straining to hold back the tears. On the next day¡ªthe 28th¡ªthings had been reversed, and it was your turn to answer questions from the newspaper club. Everyone but Natalia and Megmica was gathered in the office. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear about your homeland,¡± Seron suggested, and the others joined in as well. ¡°Feel free to ask me anything!¡± You answered their questions until the sun went down. It made you very happy to convey even one more thing about your motherland to the Capital District. The 29th was your last day at the 4th Capital Secondary School. Your classes were finished. Each and every one of them had been worth taking. In each of your classes, the teachers presented you with a special report card. As per program rules, you would take back the report cards to Raputoa. As you expected, you had not done quite as well as in Raputoa, but¡ª ¡°We¡¯ve never had a short-term exchange student perform so well,¡± the teachers all said. ¡°Thank you!¡± You received the report cards, brimming with pride. After thanking and saying goodbye to the headmaster, you hurried to the newspaper club. You wanted to spend as much time as you could with the members, as it was your final day there. You knocked on the door for the last time, and found the six members waiting. ¡°Come on in!¡± The table was laden with cakes, each one intricately designed. A strawberry shortcake, a mille crepe, a sachertorte with whipped cream. On the empty boxes news to them was the name ¡®Sears Patisserie¡¯. ¡°Wh-what is all this?¡± You asked incredulously. ¡°It is a goodbye party. It is very lonely, but it will be good to say goodbye brightly,¡± Megmica replied. ¡°Sit down already,¡± Natalia ordered, playing her violin like the talented musician she was. ¡°Don¡¯t make Lia wait too long,¡± Larry advised, brewing tea, ¡°she might gobble up all the cakes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve ordered these from our favorite patisserie,¡± Nick said nonchalantly. ¡°You¡¯ve only been here for a couple of weeks, but you were a great club member. So enjoy your party,¡± Jenny said, taking a photograph. ¡°Here. Take a seat.¡± Seron, ever the gentleman, offered you the best seat. You looked around at the 4th Capital Secondary School¡¯s newspaper club. * * * ¡°Oh shoot! Did you cry, Cappie?¡± ¡°I did not! I held back.¡± ¡°So you almost did!¡± Surrounded by your friends¡¯ laughter, you think again¡ª That whether you are here or in the capital, you are surrounded by the most wonderful people. ¡°So what happened after that? Keep going, Cappie!¡± You continue. ¡°And then¡ª¡± * * * The party in the office seemed to end in the blink of an eye. You were not leaving until the afternoon of the next day, but because you would be busy signing out and taking care of last-minute business, you would not be going to classes or visiting the club. You said goodbye to everyone but Seron at the gates. The sunset was beautiful. Would you ever get the chance to see these people again, you wondered sadly. Then you looked up. Life would go on. Though you did not know what the future held in store, you knew that your attitude could make a difference. There was no use being pessimistic. Right now, the best you could do was say goodbye with a smile. ¡°Take care of yourself, yeah? May the gods smile on the Republic of Raputoa and its people,¡± Larry said with a salute. ¡°Come back and have some more crisps!¡± Natalia said, putting a hand on your shoulder. ¡°You were a most excellent student of Capital District history. An A+ for you,¡± Nick said, becoming the last of the Capital District teachers to give you a report card. ¡°Give me a call if you¡¯re ever in town again.¡± Jenny said, handing you a note with her telephone number on it. In a corner of the note was scribbled the words, ¡®Call me at 8 tonight. Don¡¯t tell the others¡¯. You did not know what she was planning, but decided to obey. You slipped the note into your pocket. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve made a lot of great memories here. Remember, if the engine breaks, do your best to fix it,¡± Megmica advised gravely. Holding back tears, you watched everyone disappear beyond the gates and finally turned to Seron. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re here, SC Seron. I would have felt so lonely if I were alone right now.¡± You walked with him back to the dorms. The magnificent campus buildings, the field dotted by sports clubs finishing up activities, and the forest of apartment buildings beyond, all glowing orange in the sunset¡ªit would probably be the last time you saw this scene. Slowly, you walked. Seron silently matched your pace. * * * ¡°They all sound like such good people!¡± One friend remarks. You nod proudly. ¡°Why are you acting all proud? Never mind. Anyway, it looks like you never managed to do anything in return for them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly true.¡± ¡°Really? It sounds to me like it was all one-sided.¡± You reply, ¡°there was one really important job at the end that no one else could do.¡± * * * You had your last meal at the dormitory cafeteria with Seron. Until then you had not gone out of your way to eat together because you had your own preferred study and bath times, but for the final meal you decided to coordinate. The menu that day was hamburg steak marinated in special sauce. The sweet carrots and demi-glace sauce on the side were mouth-watering. You recalled that everything at the school cafeterias had been delicious. For a moment you hated your tongue for perceiving the great flavors, as you would not be able to eat such foods again. The next day, you would be very busy all day. You said goodbye to Seron after dinner. ¡°Take care. Contact me if you ever get to visit Weld or the Capital District. You¡¯re welcome anytime,¡± Seron said at the lobby as you parted ways. As you watched him depart, the question that had been on your mind the whole time since you first joined the newspaper club came back to you. The thought bobbed to the surface again and again. Wasn¡¯t there anything you could do for the newspaper club to pay back their kindness? You fell into thought, standing alone in the lobby. You could not think of anything, however. You supposed the debt was meant to be paid someday in the far-off future. The thought depressed you. Afterwards, you headed to a phone booth to solve the mystery of Jenny¡¯s note. The booths were quite crowded even so late in the evening. Luckily, you spotted some empty booths and stepped inside one of them. After a brief wait, you called the number at eight on the dot. Jenny soon picked up. ¡°G-good evening, SC Jenny. Is this your personal telephone?¡± You did as you were told and hung up. Just as you picked up the change, Jenny called you back. * * * ¡°So which one¡¯s SC Jenny?¡± Your friend asks, so you point her out in a photograph. The photo was taken by Litner the bodyguard in front of the Confederation Library. This is the only one featuring all seven of you, so you tell your friend to be careful with it. ¡°The short girl right here. She¡¯s the chief.¡± ¡°Aha. So what did she want with you? You said it was an important job?¡± ¡°Yeah. She said¡ª¡± * * * ¡°R-really? Yes! I¡¯ll do anything I can!¡± You raised your eyebrow, but you soon remembered the note and replied, ¡°No, he¡¯s not. And the booths on either side of me are empty too.¡± What was she planning, you gulped. ¡°Huh? what do you¡ª¡± ¡°R-right. A letter. Sure, I can do that. But what do I write?¡± You were taken off-guard. You were planning to write to everyone after you returned to Raputoa. ¡°What is it?¡± You gulped again. Jenny disclosed the truth. ¡°Really? A-are you sure?¡± You spent 10 whole seconds rewinding. But¡ª ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Jenny was harsh. But you could not get angry at her on Seron¡¯s behalf. You had to hear her out to the end. ¡°So why do you need me to write to SC Megmica?¡± ¡°Y-you can¡¯t mean, ¡®beware of Seron¡¯?!¡± You whispered harshly. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± She wanted you to confess Seron¡¯s feelings in his stead. ¡°I-is that really all right? I feel so bad for SC Seron¡­¡± ¡°I think most people would agree with me.¡± Jenny said mercilessly, ¡°You really think so?¡± You managed to respond. But you were inclined to agree. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Jenny said gravely, ¡°What? I¡­¡± Things were not all right as they were. With that in mind, you came to an answer. If Seron was in love with Megmica, he should tell her. If things worked out, then that was wonderful¡ªif not, he would spend some time in misery but soon move on with life. You replied, taking care so as not to be quite so blunt. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I should.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Jenny was getting angry, though you couldn¡¯t tell if the anger was directed at Seron or someone else. It sounded almost as though she had made the same mistake herself. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Do they know too?¡± ¡°Do the others know about your plan, SC Jenny?¡± You asked. ¡°Then maybe you could consult¡ª¡± Jenny cut you off. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± You understood what she meant. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m in the right position to take up that role, since I¡¯m leaving tomorrow?¡± It was a very harsh order. These people who helped you for the past two weeks could end up hating you from halfway across the continent for a very long time because of your actions. Jenny paused, and continued, She was serious. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Th-that would be wonderful, but what if she says she doesn¡¯t like a guy who can¡¯t ask her out himself?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± You thought for several dozen seconds. And though you were silent, Jenny waited patiently. * * * ¡°She said I had to play matchmaker.¡± Everyone bursts into laughter. They were expecting something more serious. ¡°Come on,¡± you say, ¡°there were these two people in the club who liked each other¡ª¡± You lie to your classmates. You could not tell them the truth. But at the same time, you pray that your lie becomes a reality. ¡°She asked me to tell them before I left. If one of the club members did this, they would get caught, so I had to spill the beans instead.¡± As the class applauds, someone asks, ¡°So did you do it?¡± * * * At the Capital District Airport, you wrote to Megmica just as Jenny instructed. ¡®Did you by any chance notice how SC Seron feels about you? It¡¯s been on my mind the whole time I was in the newspaper club. I¡¯m very sorry if this comes off as nosy to you.¡¯ Jenny assured you that she would tell you the whole story, no matter what the outcome. You wanted to hear how it turned out, but at the same time did not want to hear it. But either way, you did all you can. At the Capital District, you studied, visited places, enjoyed club activities, and did what you could to repay the people who helped you. As you finished the phone call, you had asked, ¡°Are you sure this will be a good thing for SC Seron? I¡¯m kind of worried.¡± Jenny had replied. * * * Volume 7 Prologue — Something Big Volume 7 Prologue: Something Big ----- <¡­> ----- Volume 7 1 — The Start of the Year 3306 Volume 7 Chapter 1: The Start of the Year 3306 ----- The 14th day of the first month, the year 3306 of the World Calendar. There was a blue planet with a very large moon. 90 percent of the planet was covered in water, and the poles were covered in ice. There was an oval, potato-shaped continent in the northern hemisphere of that planet. The southern part of the continent was a brown desert. But as the latitude increased, the land exploded in a splash of green. There was a massive mountain range in the middle of the continent, beginning at the desert. The mountains, capped with snow even in the middle of summer, ended abruptly about halfway up the continent. The two rivers on either side of the mountain range converged there, creating the massive Lutoni River that flowed straight north and into the sea. There were two nations on the continent, one on either side. In the east was the Roxcheanuk Confederation, also known as Roxche. It was made up of 16 member states and territories. In the west were the Allied Kingdoms of Bezel-Iltoa, also known as Sou Be-Il. It was made up of the kingdoms of Bezel and Iltoa, along with a handful of small subordinate countries. For eons, the people of the East and West had warred against one another with the Lutoni River between them. In more contemporary times, each side of the continent forged alliances, and Roxche and Sou Be-Il were formed almost simultaneously. What followed was a cold war, one massive war, and many smaller conflicts. But about 20 years ago, the cold war was ended by a certain incident. The threat of another Great War was beginning to fade. The capital of Roxche was the Special Capital District, a region independent of any country within the confederation. It was on the northeastern end of Roxche, very far from the East-West border but also a fair distance from the sea. The Special Capital District was a circular area about 30 kilometers in diameter. It had been built when Roxche was first formed. The city center was home to the presidential residence, the Confederation Assembly Hall, civic centers, and courthouses. Outside the center was a business district crowded with department stores and hotels. Further outside was a residential district full of apartment buildings. It was daytime, cloudy and cold with a high chance of snow. Strauski Megmica was in a room on the fifth floor of one of the apartment buildings. Because she was from Sou Be-Il, ¡®Strauski¡¯ was her family name and ¡®Megmica¡¯ her given name. Her nickname was ¡®Meg¡¯. Meg was turning 17 next month. Her long black hair was tied into pigtails. She had fair skin and large dark eyes. She wore the winter uniform of the 4th Capital Secondary School¡ªa green jacket, a white dress shirt, a red ribbon, and a green checkered skirt. ¡°Say,¡± she began in Bezelese, sitting at the dining table across from another girl, ¡°about that boy who came here before¡ªTreize¡ªhe¡¯s from Iks, right? did you meet him there?¡± The girl across from Meg was also in the same uniform. Her name was Lillianne Schultz, also known as Lillia. Lillia¡¯s full name included the family names of her parents and grandparents and was very long, but she almost never used it. Because she was Roxchean, ¡®Schultz¡¯ was her family name. Lillia had long brown hair and light brown eyes, and in contrast to Meg, looked very self-assured. ¡°Huh? Y-yeah, I did,¡± Lillia replied, taken aback. ¡°Lillia. Did you talk about anything important with him?¡± Meg asked, looking into Lillia¡¯s eyes. Her eyes glinted with hunger for information. ¡°Huh?¡± Lillia raised an eyebrow. ¡°No. I didn¡¯t. Things were so hectic that I barely got to say hello,¡± she replied nonchalantly. ¡°Is that all?¡± Meg sounded unimpressed. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Did you make plans to meet next time?¡± ¡°Actually, no, We just didn¡¯t have time to plan that stuff,¡± Lillia said with a sip of tea, not sounding bothered in the least. ¡°That¡¯s so sad,¡± Meg mumbled. ¡°Huh? For who?¡± Lillia asked. ¡°Both of you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You almost never get to see him, right?¡± Meg said with a serious look. ¡°I guess, but¡­¡± Lillia began, but stopped. She met Meg¡¯s gaze. ¡°Meg, did something happen?¡± Meg¡¯s eyes widened for an instant, but determination quickly rose to them. ¡°Yeah. I wanted your advice on something.¡± ¡°Oh? On what? What happened?¡± Lillia urged, pouring herself more tea. She then put the teapot on the hot plate on the dresser by the table to warm up the rest. Meg took out a crumpled envelope from the leather bag at her feet. ¡°It¡¯s about this letter.¡± ¡°Oh, gimme a sec,¡± Lillia said, quickly clearing the newspaper off the table. Meg put the envelope on the tabletop. The envelope was an extraordinarily normal one, sold at the campus store in the 4th Capital Secondary School. It was addressed to Strauski Megmica and postmarked about a month ago. ¡°Is this a love letter, Meg?¡± ¡°Kind of, but not really.¡± ¡°Can I read it?¡± ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t tell anyone, okay?¡± ¡°Of course! I, Lillianne Aikashia Coraz¨°n Schultz, solemnly swear to speak to no one of what I am about to see!¡± Lillia vowed, and picked up the letter. Upside-down, she spotted the name of the sender with no return address. ¡°Huh? I¡¯ve seen this name before¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Meg began, but Lillia cut her off. ¡°I remember! This is the Raputoan exchange student who studied here in the autumn. I remember seeing the name on the newspaper.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the club¡¯s newbie. You have such a good memory, Lillia,¡± Meg exclaimed. ¡°Hah hah. It¡¯s nothing that impressive. Someone told me at the beginning of the year that I wasn¡¯t just a stupid girl after all, you know! ¡­Anyway, can I read it?¡± Meg nodded firmly. ¡°Please. Tell me what you think about it.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Lillia gingerly pulled the letter out of the open envelope. Inside was a piece of stationery paper from the campus store. About half the page was filled with handwritten Roxchean. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Lillia¡¯s eyes scanned the page quickly. The letter began with greetings and an expression of gratitude before moving on to the issue at hand. The issue was simply that Seron was in love with Meg and that she should know how he felt. ¡°This is¡­well, wow.¡± Lillia breathed. When she looked up, Meg was watching stone-faced from across the table. Lillia reread the letter to make sure she understood its contents. Then she placed it on the table. ¡°Er¡­well¡­¡± Lillia cringed. ¡°I¡¯ve been mulling over this letter for the past month,¡± Meg explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone in the newspaper club about it.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I understand,¡± Lillia nodded, still cringing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t confide in anyone from the club.¡± ¡°That makes sense¡­¡± ¡°To be honest, I wanted to tell you about it when I came over at the end of last term. But I didn¡¯t, because we wouldn¡¯t see each other again for a while. I had to visit home, too.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t even know if any of this is true. Our newbie isn¡¯t the type to play stupid pranks¡ªso maybe this is just a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lillia read over the letter on the table for the third time. ¡°What do you think I should do, Lillia? Should I ask the newbie to clarify? But I don¡¯t have an address or phone number or anything. Jenny might know, but if she asks me why I want that info I¡¯ll have to lie to her. I don¡¯t think I can lie convincingly.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯ve never seen you this serious, Meg,¡± Lillia said, ¡°but you can¡¯t just stand around worrying about this letter forever.¡± ¡°Yeah. To be honest¡­I¡¯m so tired of it.¡± Meg¡¯s expression darkened. She picked up her teacup with both hands, drained it, and put it back down. Lillia quickly folded up the letter, put it back in the envelope, and handed it to Meg. ¡°Seron¡¯s that guy, right? The one from my Roxchean class last term. Not some other guy named Seron?¡± Lillia asked. Meg nodded slightly. ¡°So¡­has he ever come across as having a crush on you? Trying to ask you out, or something like that¡­¡± Meg shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I mean, I started hanging out more with him since we joined the newspaper club in the summer, but not particularly more than Larry or Nicholas.¡± ¡°No more than the other boys, huh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never really gone somewhere alone with him, and he¡¯s never asked me out. I talk to him about as much as I talk to the rest of the club.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± Lillia folded her arms. ¡°So I¡­I¡­¡± Meg gasped, on the verge of tears. Lillia tried to calm her down. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Meg. You have to get a hold of yourself.¡± Meg nodded. ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Lillia said, making a point of sounding cheerful, ¡°you don¡¯t know how to contact the newbie, and you have no way of getting any contact information. Which means there¡¯s only one option left.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You have to ask Seron yourself.¡± ¡°¡­Is that really the only way?¡± ¡°Yes! More tea?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Meg held out her cup and found her eyes drifting to the envelope. She glared resentfully at it. ¡°Here,¡± Lillia said, filling the cup. ¡°Look, it¡¯s the new year; it¡¯ll be better than just moping around. Club activities start after the break, right?¡± ¡°On the 19th, yeah. I¡¯ll probably see Seron again then.¡± ¡°Then you have to ask him outright! It¡¯ll take a bit of courage, but there¡¯s no other option. You can¡¯t stay depressed like this forever.¡± ¡°All right. So there¡¯s no other way,¡± Meg said, looking more cheerful already. But this time, Lillia¡¯s expression grew more serious. ¡°Be honest with me, Meg. What do you think of Seron?¡± ¡°Huh? Er¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You said at the end of last year that you weren¡¯t interested in anyone.¡± ¡°Yeah. You really have a good memory, Lillia.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Anyway, you don¡¯t like him like him, right?¡± Meg¡¯s gaze rose to the Schultz family ceiling, then fell to the Schultz family¡¯s only daughter. ¡°You know, I still don¡¯t really know what it¡¯s like to be in love with someone. Seron¡¯s a club member and a friend, so I don¡¯t not like him. And I don¡¯t think I would mind dating him. But I don¡¯t know how I would go about feeling like I want to date someone.¡± ¡°Mhm. Mhm.¡± Lillia nodded, putting her elbows on the table. ¡°And! Most importantly!¡± Meg raised her voice. Lillia flinched slightly. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Seron is really cool!¡± Seron Maxwell was the same age as Lillia, and a year younger than Meg, who had taken a year off school. He had shimmery black hair and grey eyes, and was known for being very handsome. ¡°Er¡­right. That¡¯s true,¡± Lillia agreed as she remembered their meeting. ¡°He was really popular with the girls in our class. I heard someone asked him out but he turned her down.¡± ¡°Right? He¡¯s handsome, smart, and a real gentleman too¡ª¡± ¡°You have a really high opinion of him, Meg,¡± Lillia said, grinning. Meg was taken aback. ¡°O-of course! He works so hard in the newspaper club too!¡± Then her voice fell. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°How am I supposed to believe it when someone says that a cool guy like Seron is in love with me?¡± Meg said. ¡°What? Er, well¡­¡± Lillia was stumped. She thought for several seconds. ¡°That¡¯s¡­well, sorry. I have to agree with you there,¡± she mumbled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, Lillia. Obviously it¡¯s not very likely!¡± Meg declared, fists clenched. ¡°I¡¯ve never dated anyone before! I¡¯m not attractive! I¡¯m average!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far¡­¡± ¡°So I don¡¯t know what to do! For the past month I¡¯ve been trying to figure out what to say at the newspaper club. Thankfully I was away a lot because of finals, but still!¡± Meg agonized, and rose to her feet. Lillia held up her hands. ¡°Calm down, Meg. You¡¯ve been repeating yourself for a while now. And like I said¡­I think it¡¯d be best if you asked Seron yourself.¡± ¡°Y-you¡¯re right. You¡¯re right,¡± Meg admitted, falling back into her chair. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d end up worrying about something like this. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d even think about dating until I was a little older.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I mean, the person you date kind of decides your future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration, don¡¯t you think? Or are things different in Sou Be-Il? Is it considered too early if you start dating in secondary school there?¡± ¡°Of course! And I went to an all-girls school, too! I couldn¡¯t even think about dating until after graduation!¡± ¡°Hm. I suppose different places have different norms.¡± Lillia nodded, pouring herself more tea. Meg finished her cup and glanced at the clock¡ª ¡°Oh no! I¡¯d better get going. Thanks for listening to me, Lillia. I feel a bit¡ªI mean, a lot¡ªbetter.¡± She stood. And she put the letter in her bag. Lillia got up to see Meg to the door, leading the way. ¡°Not a problem! Happy new year, Meg.¡± ¡°Not a problem! Happy new year, Meg.¡± ¡°Happy new year, Lillia.¡± They walked down the hall. Meg pulled on the wool coat hanging from the wall hanger. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, you don¡¯t have to see me out,¡± she said, taking off her slippers and switching to her leather shoes. ¡°Take care, okay? I mean, not like it¡¯s not gonna be safe,¡± Lillia said, recalling that Meg had an intimidating driver-slash-bodyguard waiting downstairs. The luxury car that had brought them to Lillia¡¯s house from the school, and that would take Meg home, was parked outside the apartment lobby. ¡°See you at school, okay?¡± Lillia said, making an effort to sound more cheerful. ¡°You have to ask Seron how he feels about you, face-to-face! That¡¯s the best way to settle this!¡± ¡°I will! I trust your judgement, Lillia,¡± Meg said with a smile. ¡°Bye!¡± She opened the door and stepped outside with a wave. Lillia locked the door and headed for the living room, when she remembered something. ¡°Oh shoot! I should¡¯ve told her to ask him when they were alone!¡± She stopped and turned, staring at the door Meg had just stepped through. ¡°¡­Well, I guess that part¡¯s kind of obvious,¡± she mumbled, going back to the living room. * * * A week earlier. The 9th day of the first month. Seron Maxwell was sitting in a train. He was in a first-class cabin on a sleeper train bound for the Capital District. The cabin was built for two, with a door with a glass insert. There was a curtain over the insert for privacy¡¯s sake. Two sofas were arranged face-to-face in the long, narrow cabin. The sofas could be converted into large beds for use at night. Seron sat on one of the sofas, wearing a navy jacket and reading a book. He usually lived in the dorms on campus because his house was so far from the Capital District. Most of the year he spent in the capital, going back home by train for the long holidays. There was no one else in the cabin. Seron¡¯s mother once had the displeasure of sharing a cabin with a drunk passenger, so she always made sure that her family traveled single¡ªeven if it meant buying an extra ticket. Seron was on his way back to the Capital District for the new term, which would begin on the 14th. His grey eyes left the pages for a moment, turning to the window. The world outside was completely still. The window was foggy with heat and his breaths. All he could see was snow. The snow piled up on the desolate soil and the snow falling from the sky. It was impossible to tell where the ground ended and the sky began. Such snowfall was rare in these parts. The train had left Weld the previous evening but met many delays along the way. And several hours ago, it finally came to a complete stop. His wristwatch told him it was almost evening. Even if the train were to start moving immediately, it would be midnight by the time they reached the Capital District. And the snow showed no signs of stopping. Seron put his book on hold and took out his agenda to check the date. In most schools in Roxche, the new term began with the new year. Seron, who would be turning 16 in the third month, was now a fourth-year student. The 4th Capital Secondary School¡¯s opening ceremony was on the 13th. Hundreds of first-years would gather at the school, full of excitement and trepidation. Those who lived too far to commute to school would move into the dorms two days ahead of time. Seron had gone through the same thing three years earlier. The incoming first-years would move in their things with their parents, go through orientation, and enjoy dinner together. The nervous first-years would spend their first night away from home, then attend a school orientation the next day. Assisting the news students in that process were senior-classmen designated as Resident Assistants, or RAs. RAs were selected from among high-achieving dormitory students. They would help guide first-years and assist the dormitory manager and the matrons. There was one designated RA per floor, who each received their own room. The RA¡¯s room was larger than the others and was furnished with a table and chairs so students could drop by for long conversations. Being an RA had its perks¡ªlike pay¡ªbut more importantly, it was a coveted job because it looked great on university applications. Students had the option to turn down RA offers, but no one ever did. And this year, Seron had been chosen to serve. He had to return to the dorms by the morning of the 10th to help greet the incoming first-years, three days earlier than the rest of the dormitory students. He would have reached the Capital District by now if the train had been on time, but he was only halfway there. And switching to another mode of transport was not an option. Even if he got off at the next station and switched to an autobahn bus, it might take even longer than the train¡ªand there was no guarantee that buses would be operational in this weather. In the end, Seron had to remain in his cabin¡ªwhere comfort, if nothing else, was guaranteed. He turned his gaze from his agenda to his watch. Cringing at the thought that he might not make it to the Capital District by morning, Seron pursed his lips as his friend Larry was wont to do. Suddenly, there was a knock. Suddenly, there was a knock. ¡°Mr. Maxwell? This is the conductor. May have your permission to enter?¡± Seron closed his pocketbook and got up to unlock the door. The conductor, a man in his fifties wearing a Confederation Rail uniform, took off his hat with a courteous bow. ¡°My apologies, sir, but we¡¯re experiencing a shortage of snowplows. It may take quite some time before we can resume service.¡± ¡°I suppose there¡¯s not much we can do about that,¡± Seron replied, wondering if the conductor was simply there to apologize. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid I must make another request,¡± the conductor said, very politely asking if another passenger could be allowed to share Seron¡¯s cabin. The conductor explained that the passenger was in a first-class seat, but asked to get a ticket upgrade for a sleeper cabin because the train might not arrive until morning. Seron thought for a moment before concluding, ¡°as long as they¡¯re not drunk.¡± The conductor smiled. ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem at all, sir. One moment, please,¡± he said, heading off to get the passenger. As Seron waited, he wondered why the conductor asked him to share the cabin when there was another cabin on the train used by a lone businessman. But because the information he had was not enough for him to come up with a conclusion, he stopped worrying about it. Several minutes later, the conductor escorted Seron¡¯s new cabin-mate over. ¡°Hi there.¡± A beautiful woman in her mid-twenties. She wore beige pants and a moss green jacket, her impeccable makeup giving her an air of maturity. Seron recalled the Whitfield catalogue he had read several months ago and understood to some degree why the conductor had selected him. ¡°My name is Lisa. Lisa Velvet. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± the woman introduced herself cheerfully. Seron stood with a courteous bow and introduced himself. A middle-aged man appeared behind Lisa with her luggage and put it down in the cabin. The man seemed to be a butler or a bodyguard of some sort. He cast Seron a sharp look and disappeared, though it was hard to tell if he was relieved or put on guard. ¡°This snow is terrible,¡± Lisa said, taking a seat across from Seron, ¡°I¡¯m not in any hurry myself, but what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m in a bit of a bind. I have to make it to the dorms by tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, where do you go to school? Do classes start tomorrow?¡± And so, Seron and Lisa chatted away to pass the time. Seron did not go out of his way to talk, but whenever Lisa asked him about his school or his family, he responded politely. Her eyes widened when he explained that his mother ran Maxwell Frozen Foods. Lisa, meanwhile, spoke about herself at length without even being asked. She was the daughter of a rich family that dealt in crude in the Republic of Niasham on the western edge of Roxche. Her hobby was traveling. She visited places alone (though her butler accompanied her), and at her parents¡¯ urging, was looking for a potential husband. ¡°I¡¯ve been all over Roxche, but I haven¡¯t found the right man. Maybe I¡¯ll just go to Sou Be-Il.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re having a hard time. You¡¯re very beautiful,¡± Seron admitted. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lisa replied with a wink. ¡°Oh, if only you were 10 years older¡­¡± The train had not gone a single meter forward by the time the sun began to set. Lisa asked Seron to eat in the dining car with her. And because he had no reason to refuse, they had dinner together. Many curious gazes fell on the odd couple, but Seron paid them no mind as he ate. The train must have had extra food supplies ready, because they were served a full-course meal¡ªappetizer, meat, fish, and even dessert. During the meal, the train finally began to move. The passengers cheered. The train soon stopped at the nearest station. Some passengers disembarked and headed to hotels, but because the conductor assured them that the train would be at the Capital District by morning, Seron and Lisa elected to remain in their cabin. The train continued slowly down the tracks, and eventually it was time for lights-out. Seron stepped out of the cabin to give Lisa time to change. When Seron stepped back into the dark cabin, he saw Lisa sitting on the side of her bed, wearing a set of childlike checkered pajamas. ¡°You could come sit with me, if you¡¯d like,¡± Lisa said with a seductive smile, ¡°no one¡¯s ever going to know.¡± ¡°No thank you,¡± Seron replied firmly, taking a seat on his own bed across the cabin¡ªwhich was still only a meter away from Lisa¡¯s. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re shyer than I thought. Or are you just not interested in girls?¡± Lisa asked from her window-side bed, crossing her legs. ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Seron replied with a shake of the head, ¡°there¡¯s a girl I¡¯m interested in. And someone I respect once told me, ¡®a real gentleman behaves as though the woman he loves is always watching him¡¯.¡± Lisa blinked several times, before breaking out into a smile. ¡°That is so sweet of you. You¡¯ve got a really great look on your face. Your crush is going to work out well, I guarantee it.¡± Then, they each lay in their own beds and fell asleep. The train continued towards the Capital District in the dark of night. ----- Volume 7 2 — The Question Volume 7 Chapter 2: The Question ----- The 19th day of the first month. Including the weekend, it had been three days since the start of the new term . It was past three in the afternoon . It was windy and overcast. Dark, low-hanging clouds covered the sky . The heavy snowfall from the end of 3305 and beginning of 3306 continued to blanket the grounds of the 4th Capital Secondary School. Pathways had been cleared, but the field was rendered unusable . Hundreds of students in winter coats moved in a line towards the gates . It was an after-school traffic jam, a common sight at the school. Hapless first-years were swept up by the crowds and pushed in every direction . Things had only been made worse by the unusually heavy snowfall and the ice left on the roads. Too often students found their feet buried in snowdrifts or lost their footing and fell . Far from that commotion stood a certain building . It was one of the more remote classroom buildings that went unused after school and was therefore nearly empty . ¡°Man, it¡¯s cold,¡± Larry Hepburn shivered, unlocking the door of a certain room on the first floor . Larry had been Seron¡¯s best friend since first year, and was responsible for Seron¡¯s joining the newspaper club . He had blue eyes, which were common in the Capital District, and a head of short blond hair. And though short, he was very muscular. His face was slightly tanned in spite of the season . He entered the newspaper club¡¯s office. It was about half the size of a regular classroom . Expensive sofas and a coffee table were set in the middle, with work desks and chairs lined up on the side and long lockers against one of the walls . On another wall was a kitchenette complete with sink and hot plate, and there was even a telephone¡ªa luxury that most households could afford no more than one of. Further down the wall was a darkroom. The newspaper club likely had the most luxurious office in the entire school . ¡°Brr¡­¡± Larry hung up his coat next to the door and opened the windows with a spring in his step . Having been locked for 20 days, the office air was stagnant. The smell from the darkroom had seeped into the office as well . The wind howled in through the window, sweeping away last year¡¯s air. Larry quickly grabbed a notepad on the desk just as it was about to fly off . A few minutes later, he shut the windows and turned on the heater . Hot-water heaters were installed in the building. They were usually turned on all day, but had been shut off for the break . Larry turned on the large tap on the wall. The hot water from the boiler room flowed into the radiator. Larry checked it carefully¡ªsometimes hot water would leak from the pipes when the heating was turned on . Because it took time for the system to heat up the room, Larry also turned on the kerosene stove in the middle of the office. He filled it up with spare oil from the locker and lit it with a match . Larry was constantly moving . Next, he put the kettle on the hot plate in the kitchenette. He prepared the teapot and tea leaves, and wiped the coffee table . His body and the office had warmed up. But no one else arrived . So Larry reached up to the cabinet to take out the teacups, when¡ª ¡°Good afternoon. Ah, is no one else here yet, Larry?¡± A male student stepped inside . ¡°Been a while, Nick! You¡¯re the first club member I¡¯ve seen all year,¡± Larry chuckled, grabbing a second teacup . Nicholas Browning¡ªalso known as Nick¡ªwas slender with fair skin, emerald-green eyes, and back-length hair . If he were not dressed in a boy¡¯s uniform and wearing a jacket with buttons on the right side, he could have easily passed for a girl . ¡°Thank you for heating up the office,¡± Nick said with a smile, hanging up his jacket and his coat on the wall . ¡°Take a seat. I¡¯ll get you some tea. ¡± ¡°I am in your debt. ¡± Nick sat down . Larry¡ªthe best tea-brewer in the club¡ªexpertly prepared two cups of tea and served them before taking a seat himself . ¡°Happy new year, Nick. ¡± ¡°Happy new year, Larry. ¡± They raised their teacups and raised the first toast of the new year . They discussed their respective winter breaks between lazy sips of tea . Because there was no homework over the break, Larry spent most of it doing voluntary military training . He had gone winter camping and marching with a friend from his military sciences classes and others from a different school. They had marched dozens of kilometers every day on the massive military training grounds with tents, sleeping bags, cooking gear, and food on their backs . ¡°It must have been exhausting,¡± Nick commented . ¡°Nah, but I almost died!¡± Larry laughed . The first half of the march had gone smoothly, but things had taken a sudden downturn at the start of the new year with the onset of the unprecedented cold snap . Larry¡¯s team had been beset by heavy snowfall and cold. They slowed down and could not sleep at night because of the temperatures. Their wet leather shoes almost froze their feet . ¡°Which means I¡¯m more coldproof than any other year,¡± Larry said. Even as they cursed the weather, his team had kept their spirits up and finished the training with an optimistic mindset . They had considered giving up when things had gotten truly perilous, but everyone had persisted even more than they knew they were capable of and made it safely back to the base . When they returned, the base had been in a state of emergency . A different team, composed of soldiers from the Confederation Army, had been stranded. The men had inadequate camping gear and their truck had been stopped by snow, and they almost lost their lives. Though soldiers tended to be wary of autumn rainstorms, such an uncommon weather event took them completely off-guard . ¡°So I didn¡¯t get to participate in the new year¡¯s artillery corps training. Nobody died, but there was a big hubbub because it was a show of lax discipline. Man, if only it hadn¡¯t snowed, I¡¯d have learned to use a 150mm howitzer. ¡± That was all Larry had to say about his break. It was Nick¡¯s turn next . ¡°I visited the Casna Coast with my family and feasted on the local food¡ªbut that¡¯s not the important thing!¡± Nick exclaimed, sounding unusually excited. ¡°The Ikstova Pass! Surely you must have heard of it on the news, Larry?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah! Definitely!¡± Larry replied, leaning forward . The Ikstova Pass was a passage announced by the Kingdom of Iks¡ªa country situated on the Central Mountain Range¡ªat the new year. The Central Mountain Range had always been thought impassable, but it turned out that the Ikstova Pass led straight from the Kingdom of Iks to Sou Be-Il, the former enemy of Roxche . ¡°The royal family of Iks kept it under wraps for 400 years, didn¡¯t they?¡± Larry confirmed. ¡°Cause if the pass was announced, the East would use it to invade the West, and vice-versa later down the line. Makes sense they would hide it. ¡± ¡°Indeed. ¡± ¡°Some soldiers I know say it was treason against Roxche to hide the passage, but I think it was the right decision. The conflict between the two sides is what allowed both sides to form peaceful unions, and both sides prospered after unification because they didn¡¯t go to war. Although my ancestors might get mad if they could hear me right now. ¡± Nick, who had been nodding over his cup of tea, spoke . ¡°I agree with you, Larry. But what excites me most about the Ikstova Pass is something quite different. ¡± ¡°Yeah? Like what?¡± Larry asked, refilling Nick¡¯s teacup . ¡°The first thing that came to mind when I heard the news was this: that the royal family may not have concealed the existence of the pass. ¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Nick¡¯s eyes narrowed, twinkling . ¡°I hypothesize that it is the very opposite. That the royal family was created for the very purpose of hiding the existence of the pass. Perhaps the pass was not discovered by the royal family. Rather, the person who discovered it became king. ¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Larry fell into thought. Nick waited. ¡°The Kingdom of Iks was established 400 years ago, right?¡± At the time, the East had been stricken by civil war. But because the West had formed a union and invaded, they agreed to a ceasefire and fought back. This resulted in a long, tiresome war that lasted over 100 years . ¡°At the time, Iks was the kingdom at the western edge of the East. It had some relations with countries near what is now the Republic of Raputoa, but did not participate in the war. Which is understandable, as battles between the sides mostly raged near the mouth of the Lutoni,¡± Nick explained . ¡°Maybe whoever found the pass didn¡¯t want to get involved in the war. So he became king to hide the existence of the pass. That takes a lot of guts,¡± Larry said, looking off into the distance . ¡°Actually,¡± Nick said with a smile, ¡°I had a different hypothesis. ¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°This is, of course, a theory. But I propose that Iks¡¯s royal family were actually Westerners who had crossed to the East via the pass. ¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Larry¡¯s eyes flew open. He fell into thought, and eventually nodded . ¡°Hm¡­you¡¯re right. That might be possible. I only considered Easterners crossing to the other side, but the opposite is possible too. ¡± ¡°Indeed. ¡± ¡°So maybe the people who crossed over were the advance guard of a Western invasion force? And the Kingdom of Iks was a sort of bridgehead to make the invasion easier?¡± A bridgehead was a base built on enemy territory to facilitate an invasion. Larry¡¯s considerations were focused mostly on the military aspects of the crossing . ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not,¡± Nick said, ¡°but seeing as no other groups crossed the pass afterwards, and considering the fact that not even the royal family of Iltoa knew of its existence, I speculate that those who crossed over were those who had no choice but to flee into the mountains. ¡± ¡°Nomads, huh. So you¡¯re saying they tried to live deep in the mountains where no one would find them. ¡± ¡°They must have risked death to enter the mountain range, and stumbled by chance upon the pass. When they traversed it, they found themselves in what is now the Kingdom of Iks. They may not even have realized that they arrived in the East, simply assuming that there was a community of people living in the Central Mountain Range. And these nomads may have unified the locals into the current kingdom. ¡± ¡°Mhm. ¡± ¡°Prior to the founding of the kingdom, the people of Iks lived in small tribes around Lake Ras. Local legends speak of an ancient kingdom, but there is no clear record of this ancient bloodline. The bloodline of the current royal family of Iks, on the other hand, is well-recorded. Perhaps the ancient kingdom¡ªwhich I suppose could have been no more than a line of chieftains¡ªclashed with the people from across the mountain¡­¡± Nick theorized, almost as though telling a compelling story . ¡°¡­And were conquered by the people from beyond the mountains,¡± Larry finished off darkly . ¡°The new royal family could have altered historical records and made it seem as though the previous kingdom had never existed. They could easily erase evidence or allow evidence to disappear,¡± Nick added enthusiastically . ¡°Scary stuff,¡± Larry said with a shrug . ¡°Indeed. But of course, this is simply a hypothesis. Perhaps the royal family of Iks truly did spring from its current seat and discover the pass by chance 400 years ago. If one were to divide the world into East and West, they might have been categorized as Easterners. ¡± ¡°That would be nice. Either way, we¡¯re all from the same roots. The people who left the Mural of the Beacon might have been rolling in their graves if they saw what happened after they died. ¡± ¡°If we could someday develop a method to determine one¡¯s origins by studying the human body, I¡¯m sure we could figure out a solution to this mystery. Perhaps the blood of Ikstovans and Iltoans share similar characteristics?¡± ¡°If we could someday develop a method to determine one¡¯s origins by studying the human body, I¡¯m sure we could figure out a solution to this mystery. Perhaps the blood of Ikstovans and Iltoans share similar characteristics?¡± ¡°Maybe one day we¡¯ll find out,¡± Larry said, getting to his feet with the empty teapot in hand . Larry was just crossing past the door to the kitchenette when¡ª ¡°I¡¯m first to the office this year!¡± The door slammed open, almost hitting him in the process . ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Oh. You¡¯re here, Larry?¡± Asked the girl stepping inside . ¡°Watch it, Lia!¡± ¡°Is your new year¡¯s resolution to not greet anyone anymore?¡± Natalia Steinbeck was tall for a girl, with her long brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She wore black-rimmed glasses and a pair of stockings under her skirt . Her parents were both world-famous musicians, and Natalia followed in their footsteps by taking part in the school¡¯s orchestra club . Natalia and Larry had been next-door neighbors and childhood friends, though Larry had forgotten the fact by the time they were reunited the previous summer. He alone called her ¡®Lia¡¯ . ¡°Didn¡¯t hear a greeting from you, Lia. Happy new year. ¡± ¡°There¡¯s a good boy. Hey there, Nick. As pretty as ever, I see. ¡± ¡°Good afternoon, Nat. Happy new year. ¡± ¡°Happy new year!¡± Natalia called back, hanging up her coat. ¡°Two sugars, Larry. I need something sweet on a cold day like this. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you usually get,¡± Larry retorted, though he reached for the sugar anyway . Natalia took a seat. Nick turned . ¡°Perhaps that was a little harsh of you, Nat. The door was clearly unlocked, and the first thing you say is ¡®I¡¯m first to the office¡¯ and ¡®you¡¯re here, Larry¡¯?¡± ¡°You got me, Nick! Ever the detective. While you¡¯re at it, I need you to dig up why Larry¡¯s such an idiot in the first place. ¡± ¡°My, my. Larry seems more than intelligent enough,¡± Nick pointed out. Natalia gave a dramatic gasp . ¡°WHAT?! How much did he pay you to say that, Nick?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve fallen far, Lia. It¡¯s not like people act only for money,¡± Larry said, putting Natalia¡¯s usual teacup on the table . ¡°But it¡¯s either money or love, and you don¡¯t have either. ¡± ¡°That would be you, Lia. You¡¯ve never had any love to begin with. ¡± ¡°Then that just means I¡¯ll have to bring some in person next time to show you! Just you wait, I¡¯ll fill up this office with the scent of my love. Don¡¯t step on it. ¡± ¡°Yeah, just make sure to take off the price tag before showing it off. ¡± ¡°Sure, sure. You think the department store by the station¡¯s got some in stock?¡± Nick smiled as Larry and Natalia bantered like an old married couple . ¡°I¡¯d love to take a look at this love of yours next time as well, Nat. ¡± Larry, Nick, and Natalia had just started on the second pot of tea when the door opened again . ¡°You¡¯re early. Well, at least the office is nice and toasty. ¡± Jenny Jones stepped inside . She had a petite build with short red hair and large brown eyes, and had a large leather bag slung over her shoulder . Jenny was the heiress to Jones Motors, Roxche¡¯s foremost automaker, and was the one responsible for the luxurious furnishings of the office . ¡°Hey chief! Happy new year,¡± said Natalia . ¡°Good afternoon, Jenny. Happy new year,¡± said Nick . ¡°Happy new year, Jenfie,¡± said Larry. He was the only one who sometimes called her by her childhood nickname of ¡®Jenfie¡¯ . ¡°Hi guys. Looks like Seron and Megmica haven¡¯t shown up yet,¡± Jenny said, putting down her bag and sitting on the sofa . Larry looked up in the midst of preparing her tea. ¡°Almost forgot. Seron¡¯s an RA starting this year,¡± he said to the others, ¡°he¡¯ll be busy helping the first-years, so sometimes he¡¯ll be late to club or might not show at all. ¡± ¡°All right,¡± Jenny replied. Larry poured her tea and toasted yet again . Jenny seemed to enjoy the tea, but she grumbled . ¡°I¡¯m so sick and tired of attending parties. It¡¯s so nice to be back at school. ¡± ¡°Something happen?¡± Asked Natalia . ¡°Yeah. A bunch of good things. ¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°First, we¡¯ve officially announced our new factory location¡ªand guess what? It¡¯s going to be in Sou Be-Il! So far we¡¯ve only been exporting high-end models, but now we¡¯ll be producing affordable cars for locals. ¡± Larry was the first to react. ¡°That¡­is incredible! Jones Motors cars made in the West, that sounds so cool!¡± ¡°So,¡± Jenny continued, ¡°Jones Motors shares went through the roof in the new year. ¡± ¡°How lovely,¡± Nick said with a chuckle, ¡°if I¡¯d known ahead of time, I¡¯d have bought as many shares as I could afford. ¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that insider trading?¡± Natalia pointed out. Nick replied that he was simply joking . ¡°And we had another cause for celebration. I guess this is even better news,¡± Jenny said with an embarrassed smile, ¡°my cousin and my sister are parents now. She just had a baby girl. ¡± ¡°WOW! Congrats!¡± Natalia exclaimed loudly, burying Jenny in a hug . ¡°Urk. ¡± Jenny groaned, strangled in Natalia¡¯s embrace . ¡°Congratulations, Jenny. That is indeed wonderful news!¡± Nick chimed in, being also privy to Jenny¡¯s past. His and Natalia¡¯s congratulations were directed not at Jenny¡¯s cousin and sister, but at her, for announcing the news in front of the others . Larry, however, simply thought that Jenny was announcing the happy news of a relative¡¯s birth. ¡°That¡¯s great! Good for them!¡± ¡°You¡¯re crushing me, Nat,¡± Jenny strained, disentangling herself from Natalia¡¯s arms. ¡°Thanks, guys. So our family¡¯s been busy both publicly and privately for the past few weeks. So many more people have been coming to visit, and we¡¯ve been attending parties one after another. We were so busy we had to cancel our annual family trip, but that turned out to be a good thing because of all the snow,¡± Jenny said, and changed the subject, ¡°that¡¯s enough about my family. Let¡¯s talk about the club. ¡± She took out a stack of envelopes from her bag and tossed them haphazardly on the table . There were over 10 envelopes of varying sizes and colors. All had been opened with a letter opener . ¡°What¡¯s this, chief?¡± Natalia asked . ¡°I found these in my locker when I opened it this morning. Seeing as none of them show signs of having reproduced out of nowhere, we can safely assume that people have been leaving these there. ¡± ¡°Are they love letters?¡± ¡°They¡¯re addressed to the newspaper club. Have a read. ¡± The others each picked up an envelope and took out the letters inside . ¡°Let¡¯s see here,¡± said Larry, ¡°¡®hello newspaper club, I¡¯m a second-year hotshot and I have a crush on this girl in my class. Please investigate her and see if she likes me too! She probably does. Feel free to write an article about us if we end up getting together!¡¯¡± Then it was Natalia¡¯s turn. ¡°¡®The stray cat that used to live in my neighborhood¡¯s disappeared. Please find the cat¡¯. ¡± Then, Nick. ¡°This is quite the interesting message. ¡®I¡¯m a sixth-year student. Please tell me how to get rich without going to university. What would be the right career for me? What if I became a stock trader? I have a bit of seed money for investing¡¯. ¡± ¡°What are all these?¡± Larry wondered, pursing his lips . ¡°Requests for the newspaper club. ¡± ¡°And they¡¯re all like this?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. After the last couple of issues, it looks like people have started thinking of us as detectives or private investigators. ¡± Natalia flung the letter she was holding. ¡°What are we, their personal servants? ¡­Some of them are pretty interesting though. ¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll take on a couple of these,¡± Jenny said, ¡°more tea please, Larry. ¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Larry got up and began pouring Jenny some tea, when¡ª ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. ¡± Seron Maxwell entered the office . Instead of a school bag, Seron was carrying a large paper bag. He greeted the others one by one and was greeted in turn. Then he hung up his coat and sat on the sofa . The club toasted yet again with tea . ¡°I was busy helping out the first-years at the dorms. ¡­I thought I¡¯d be the last one here,¡± Seron said blankly, discreetly noting that the person he wanted to see most was absent . ¡°Strauski¡¯s coming to club today,¡± Natalia said. Seron nodded . He set the topic of Megmica aside for the moment and asked the others about their break. Then he explained what he did over the holidays . That he spent time with this family, and was dragged out shopping by his sister. That his sister would start attending secondary school in Weld . Then he briefly detailed how his train to the Capital District had been delayed by snow, and how he narrowly made it back to the dorms on time . Finally, he confessed that taking care of first-years as an RA was harder than he had expected, and that quite a few first-years were still learning the ropes . ¡°I might not be at the office as often as last year,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be as busy once the first-years start getting used to living on campus, but I can¡¯t say when that¡¯ll be. We have mandatory meetings after class for a while so I definitely won¡¯t be able to come to the newspaper club then. ¡± ¡°You¡¯re always so good at explaining things, Seron,¡± Natalia said, ¡°see, Larry? This is what it means to¡ª¡± ¡°To be smart, right? You could learn a thing or two, Lia. ¡± ¡°Tch! You win this round, Hepburn. ¡± Seron took out a large case from the paper bag and placed it at the center of the coffee table. It was packaged in colorful wrapping paper . ¡°These cookies have been really popular lately in Weld. I thought they¡¯d complement the tea here. ¡± ¡°FOOD!¡± Natalia screamed, her eyes glinting. She was excited enough to eat the case of cookies whole, wrapping paper and all . ¡°Whoa there, Lia. ¡± Larry reached out and carefully unwrapped the case . ¡°Whoa there, Lia. ¡± Larry reached out and carefully unwrapped the case . Under the wrapping paper was a large tin with a picture of a beautiful mansion. Packed inside were over a hundred assorted cookies. Cookies with sugar on top or jam in the center, chocolate cookies, and even ones shaped like ovals or different animals . ¡°They look wonderful. ¡± ¡°Thanks for the snack. ¡± ¡°Not bad, buddy. They¡¯ll definitely go well with the tea. ¡± Nick, Jenny, and Larry commented. Natalia, however, shook her head gravely . ¡°This is great and all, but what¡¯s the rest of you gonna eat?¡± ¡°Sorry, Nat. This one tin is for all of us. I can get you some more next time if you like it,¡± Seron replied, also completely serious. Larry sighed . ¡°Just buy her an extra tin next time, Seron. One big enough to be a suitcase. ¡± ¡°Sometimes you say smart things, Larry,¡± Natalia said, fixing her glasses . ¡°And fill the tin with sand and gravel. She¡¯d eat it anyway. ¡± ¡°I take that back!¡± Natalia fumed, ¡°Larry, you¡¯re a failure when it comes to women. Siddown over there. ¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting for a while now. ¡± Jenny ignored the banter and picked up a cookie. ¡°Thanks, Seron. ¡± Nick also reached for a cookie. ¡°It seems nothing has changed over the break. ¡± The cookies had been reduced to a fifth of their original number, largely thanks to Natalia. The door opened again . ¡°Good afternoon, everyone. ¡± The last member entered . ¡°Hey there, Megmica! Pigtails again, eh?¡± ¡°Happy new year!¡± ¡°Happy new year. ¡± ¡°Happy new year, Megmica. C¡¯mon in. ¡± Natalia, Larry, Nick, and Jenny greeted her in turn. Megmica responded to them all with smiles, but¡ª ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Happy new year. ¡± To Seron alone, she gave a rigid look . ¡°Oh, yes. ¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Larry and Jenny responded to Meg¡¯s unusual attitude, but Natalia interrupted . ¡°Take a seat! We got cookies!¡± A smile returned to Meg¡¯s face. She hung up her coat, and even her jacket because the office was so warm. She put her jacket and bag aside and took her usual seat on the sofa . ¡°Maybe it was just my imagination,¡± Larry said to himself, brewing more tea . Natalia wasted no time in asking Meg about her break. Meg replied just as quickly as the questions came . She explained that the aeroplane did not crash on the way to her hometown and back, that the engines never failed, and that her hometown¡ªthough she had missed it dearly¡ªwas so different from Roxche that she experienced culture shock . After the first round of questions and answers, Jenny spoke up . ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad to see you all here today. ¡± ¡°Giving us a new year¡¯s speech, chief?¡± Asked Natalia . ¡°Yep. So listen up. ¡± Jenny put her teacup on the table and stood with her head held high . ¡°This year¡ª¡± ¡°Before this! I have a question I wish to ask!¡± The voice behind the sudden interruption belonged to Meg . ¡°Huh?¡± Jenny intoned, sounding unusually taken aback . The others were all stunned into silence by Meg¡¯s sharp voice¡ªthough Natalia continued to reach for another cookie . ¡°Oh, I spoke in a loud voice. I have surprised everyone. I am sorry,¡± Meg said. Jenny shook her head . ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Keep going. ¡± ¡°I am sorry. But¡­I wish to solve this matter quickly. So I will ask now. ¡± ¡°Yeah, no sense in putting off something urgent. ¡± ¡°Yes. In Sou Be-Il a saying is ¡®if you pick up an egg, break it now¡¯. ¡± ¡°Yeah, you can¡¯t exactly make an omelette out of a chick. And considering the temperature in here a chick would hatch pretty quickly. So what¡¯s on your mind, Megmica?¡± Jenny asked, falling into the sofa. All eyes fell on Meg . Seron¡¯s blank gaze was directed at Meg, as usual. Grateful for the fact that he could speak with her and see her in person every day at school, he reminded himself that he would lend an ear no matter what problems plagued her . ¡°Does anyone think that Seron is in love with me?¡± Everyone froze . ----- Volume 7 3 — The Storm Volume 7 Chapter 3: The Storm ----- Seconds passed by in cold silence, as though an ice age had come over the office. The sound of the kettle Larry left on the stove and the second hand on the wall clock ticking away punctuated the air in a din. ¡°Hm? Why is everyone not speaking?¡± Meg asked, surprised, ¡°is my Roxchean speaking very strange?¡± The first one to defrost was Larry, who had recently undergone wintertime training. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s fine. I think we all get what you¡¯re trying to say.¡± ¡°Really? Thank goodness,¡± Meg breathed a sigh of relief. Next to thaw out was Natalia, who had taken in more calories than anyone else. ¡°Er¡­Megmica?¡± ¡°Yes? What is it, Natalia?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a brave soul.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Not a lot of people have the guts to ask something like that¡ªin front of a bunch of people, at that. Mhm. It¡¯s good to be brave!¡± ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Uh-huh! At least, I think so,¡± Natalia nodded, almost like an old man watching a grandchild grow up. But she did not answer Meg¡¯s original question. Next to speak was Nick, who had not actually been frozen. ¡°I believe it would be best to ask the man himself, don¡¯t you agree? Thankfully for us, he is right here in this office,¡± he said, tossing Meg and Seron an angelic smile. ¡°That is pure evil¡­¡± Larry muttered to himself. Finally, Jenny¡ªwho had no reason to be frozen to begin with¡ªturned. ¡°That¡¯d be for the best. Answer the question, Seron,¡± she said as though it were the most natural thing in the world, ¡°I have a speech cooked up for today, so make it quick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all evil¡­¡± Larry breathed silently, but no one heard. Slowly, imperceptibly, he turned to look at his best friend. Seron was like a statue. He didn¡¯t blink, and it was impossible to tell if he was even breathing. Larry glimpsed Jenny reach for her bag. She picked up her camera for a moment, but seemed to bring herself under control as she put it back down. Larry and Jenny looked at Seron. Natalia looked at Seron. Nick looked at Seron. Meg also looked at Seron. Seron took a deep breath and finally said in Roxchean, ¡°Wh-whatever might you mean?¡± Inwardly, Larry sighed and shook his head, but he did not let anything show. No one said a word, waiting for Meg to respond. Calmly, with a voice trained from years in the chorus club, Meg clarified¡ª ¡°It was last year¡¯s event, but the newbie sent me a letter. This letter wrote that Seron is in love with me. I must confirm these words no matter what.¡± ¡®The newbie? Seriously?¡¯ Larry wondered, incredulous, but said nothing. His trained gaze caught a hint of a grin playing at Jenny¡¯s lips. ¡®It was you, Jenfie!¡¯ He quickly concluded, managing to keep himself from speaking. ¡°Hm. I see,¡± Seron replied, as monotonous as ever. ¡®Just say it, buddy! Now¡¯s your only chance!¡¯ Larry pleaded inwardly. He tried to meet Seron¡¯s gaze and sent him all the telepathic signals his brain could muster. All eyes were on him. Seron finally responded with his usual poker face¡ª ¡°I don¡¯t know what the newbie¡¯s talking about.¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Meg replied brightly with a sigh of relief, ¡°everyone, and Seron, I am sorry. I have said something strange. I will end this talk with this.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s it?¡± Natalia inquired, not completely satisfied. ¡°I suppose if the parties involved have nothing more to say¡­¡± Nick said, as elegant as ever. ¡°As president, I have no objections.¡± Jenny said, putting extra emphasis on ¡®president¡¯. Larry said nothing. Seron said nothing. They simply listened as Meg¡¯s cheerful voice resounded through the office. ¡°But it is a relief that this is the newbie¡¯s mistake.¡± ¡°Hm? Why¡¯s that, Megmica?¡± Natalia asked. Meg¡¯s answer was immediate. ¡°That is because, I cannot say ¡®yes¡¯ to a person who cannot confess in person himself. A confession is a thing to say and listen to in person. If this was not the newbie¡¯s mistake I would dislike Seron.¡± Four seconds later. ¡°I just remembered. I have to go buy something.¡± Seron Maxwell slowly got to his feet and grabbed his coat off the wall. And without another word, he drifted out of the office like a phantom. ¡°Oh, er¡­ Whoops! I gotta get something, too! I¡¯ll come with you, Seron!¡± Larry Hepburn struggled to gather his things before hurrying after him. Four people were left in the office. * * * Seron was running under the frozen sky. His unbuttoned coat flapping, he sprinted across the wet tiles. Larry was following after him. The after-school rush was over, and few students were left on the grounds. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that SC Seron, the RA?¡± ¡°Yeah. He¡¯s really good at explaining things, don¡¯tcha think?¡± A pair of first-years spotted Seron and Larry. ¡°Yeah. Wonder why he¡¯s running?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know, Paul? Apparently SC Seron runs laps around campus every day to get in shape!¡± ¡°Uh-huh. What about the other guy?¡± ¡°Must be a friend who wants to be like him. But SC Seron looks faster, though.¡± ¡°That makes sense! You¡¯re really smart, Julio.¡± ¡°Flattery will get you nowhere. But if you got any questions, I¡¯d be happy to answer. We¡¯re friends now!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Without a glance at the budding friendship between Paul and Julio, Seron sprinted out the gates. He passed the deserted intersection and ran down the snowy sidewalk. With the campus wall on his left he raced in a straight line toward the city center. ¡°Wait, Seron! You don¡¯t need to run anymore! Stop!¡± Larry cried behind him. ¡°¡­¡± Seron¡¯s flight finally came to an end. ¡°Hah¡­hah¡­¡± Face drenched in sweat and breath rising in white puffs from his mouth, Seron put his hands on his knees. Larry stood next to him. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten faster, buddy. Stamina¡¯s gone up too.¡± He wiped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve, and leaned down to look at Seron¡¯s bowed face. Seron wore a strange look. Though he seemed as calm and collected as ever, his eyes alone were dead. As though he were a doll with grey marbles for eyes. He was not crying. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Larry looked up, gave Seron a hearty slap on the back, and asked in a casual tone, ¡°so, where are we off to? What do you want to get, buddy?¡± Seron remained quiet for some time, before finally responding in a muted voice. ¡°A time machine¡­¡± ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t know where to get one of those around here. How ¡®bout some soup instead? You know the soup stand in the shopping district?¡± Larry said, giving Seron a gentle push. Seron buttoned up his coat and took out his gloves from his pockets. They walked down the wet, snowy sidewalk for some time in silence. Eventually, Seron opened his mouth. ¡°I was going to tell her¡­¡± He muttered, looking ahead. There was no one else around to hear. ¡°Huh? Oh¡ª¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t say it in front of everyone. So I was going to wait until we were alone and tell her. I thought that would solve everything¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, buddy. No one could think straight in a situation like that, you know?¡± Larry cast a resentful gaze at the sky. The clouds passed by as quickly as ever. ¡°Look, Seron. You can¡¯t cry over spilled milk. Don¡¯t blame Je- I mean, the newbie.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s not the newbie¡¯s fault. It¡¯s mine. I¡¯m the one who couldn¡¯t work up the courage to tell her, putting things off for months. So this is all my fault, and I¡¯m the one who has to solve this situation.¡± ¡°Yeah! Think positive.¡± ¡°But she hates me now. It¡¯s over. I¡¯m done,¡± Seron said blankly, almost sounding like he was about to cry. ¡°I take back what I just said,¡± Larry said quietly. They reached a large intersection. Next to the intersection was a park featuring an old decorative cannon. Crossing a thin layer of snow, Seron approached the old cannon. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, buddy?¡± As Larry watched curiously, Seron stuck his head into the muzzle of the century-old weapon. ¡°I¡¯m finished, Larry. Just shoot me.¡± His voice resounded through the barrel of the cannon. ¡°Sorry, Seron,¡± Larry said, ¡°I still haven¡¯t learned to use one of these babies yet.¡± Seron, shoulders sagging, did not remove his head from the cannon. Larry shrugged. At that moment, it began to snow. It was snowing so hard that if it had been warmer, they would have been instantly soaked to the bone. The snow piled up mercilessly on Seron and Larry¡¯s heads and shoulders. The world, the cannon, and the two of them turned white. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in for a storm,¡± Larry muttered, looking up at the sky. A snowflake landed on his eye and melted instantly. * * * Right after Seron and Larry left the office¡ª ¡°Could¡¯ve done their shopping earlier, those punks. The chief hasn¡¯t given her speech,¡± Natalia said, picking up a cookie. ¡°Oh well. More food for me.¡± ¡°I will eat too!¡± Meg cried, her slender arm reaching into the tin. ¡°Hmph.¡± She grabbed a handful of cookies and placed them on her lap. Then, to everyone¡¯s surprise, she grabbed the cookies with her other hand and stuffed them into her mouth. ¡°One of your techniques, Nat?¡± Asked Nick. Natalia shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t eat like that.¡± ¡°Pardon. You¡¯re not quite so reserved when it comes to eating.¡± As Meg finished off her first handful of cookies, Jenny spoke. ¡°So the newbie wrote you a letter saying that stuff, huh. It¡¯s certainly a surprising claim.¡± ¡°It is very surprising! I was very surprised! I was thinking for a long time, but it is finally solved so I am happy,¡± Meg replied nonchalantly. ¡°Say, Megmica?¡± Natalia asked, tone no different from usual. ¡°Yes! What is the matter?¡± ¡°What did the letter say, specifically? Mind letting us in on the details?¡± ¡°What I said is all,¡± Meg replied, but she soon explained the details. ¡°Hm.¡± Natalia fell into thought. She thought without eating a single cookie. In the meantime, Meg downed five. Finally, Natalia turned to Meg with a smile. ¡°Y¡¯know, maybe Seron didn¡¯t mean what he said.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­maybe he does like you, Megmica. He¡¯s hard to read, y¡¯know. He mighta been too shy to speak up. Maybe you should go talk to him again in person.¡± Nick and Jenny were floored. The former blinked rapidly, and the latter stared as though looking at an exotic animal. They had not expected Natalia to take Seron¡¯s side. Meg was also shocked, stunned into silence. ¡°Whaddaya say?¡± Natalia asked, looking Meg in the eye. ¡°Th-th-th!¡± She stuttered, repeating the same sound. ¡°That a spell witches cast in Sou Be-Il?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I wished to say, ¡®that is impossible¡¯!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°My meaning is, that it is impossible that Seron is in love with me!¡± Meg declared, but Natalia grinned. ¡°You sure about that?¡± ¡°Let us suppose something!¡± ¡°Your Roxchean¡¯s gotten better. Good for you.¡± ¡°Thank you! Let us suppose that this is a possibility. But I will not say it first! To be honest, isn¡¯t it bad? Let us suppose that Seron is in love with me, but he cannot confess in person¡ª¡± Meg¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°¡ªI cannot marry then! My future will be worrisome!¡± She declared, picking up another cookie and chewing on it rapidly. ¡°¡®Marry¡¯? Did I just hear ¡®marry¡¯, not ¡®bury¡¯?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Marry. To become a husband and a wife.¡± ¡°Oh, so why couldn¡¯t you marry him?¡± ¡°It is simple. Thinking of our age, to date is to pledge our future together! There is no other way! There is nothing else.¡± ¡°Ah, I see where you are coming from,¡± Nick said, nodding. ¡°You sure about that, Megmica?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°It¡¯s true a lot of people end up marrying whoever they were dating in secondary school, but a lot of other people break up and end up with someone else. Is it a custom over in the West to marry the first person you go out with? D¡¯you know, chief?¡± Jenny shrugged. With no care for cultural differences in marriage, Meg continued. ¡°For my future husband, I wish for a clear, decisive person. I like a person who can say his opinions with his own mouth. I dislike people who ask me to notice from their attitudes! I cannot accept it!¡± Meg fumed. ¡°¡­I am thirsty.¡± She carefully brought her teacup to her lips and downed the tepid tea in one go. Then¡ª ¡°I-I must show my face to the chorus club once in a while, or they may forget me. Please excuse me today!¡± She declared, and stood. ¡°All right,¡± said Jenny, ¡°come back when you have the time.¡± ¡°Yes. Good day!¡± Saying goodbye to the others, Meg grabbed her coat and marched out the door. For about 20 seconds, the office was silent. The first to finally speak¡ªas though amused¡ªwas Nick. ¡°And now Megmica has fled on us. There¡¯s never a dull day at the newspaper club.¡± ¡°What are you, the peanut gallery?¡± Natalia said, ¡°gotta agree, though. Marriage, huh. I¡¯ve never thought about that stuff. Maybe they do stuff differently in the West.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think Seron would run off like that,¡± Jenny sighed with an incredulous look, crossing her legs precariously. She leaned back and stared into the ceiling. ¡°Man¡­¡± ¡°Looks like you plan just went up in smoke.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Jenny looked down again. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Now, now, don¡¯t play dumb. You¡¯re the one who got the newbie to write that letter.¡± ¡°There is no other possibility. I wouldn¡¯t expect such a thing out of Larry, for instance.¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Jenny repeated herself. Natalia held out a cookie. ¡°Say ahh.¡± She pushed a sheep-shaped cookie toward Jenny¡¯s mouth and continued. ¡°So now you¡¯re gonna play the villain alone? You¡¯re being so selfless, chief. Here¡¯s your reward.¡± Without a word, Jenny took a bite out of the cookie. She picked up the fallen remainder from her skirt and munched on it as well. Without a word, Jenny took a bite out of the cookie. She picked up the fallen remainder from her skirt and munched on it as well. ¡°I wonder where Seron and Larry could be,¡± Nick mused, casting a glance out the window. It had started snowing earlier, painting the ground and the world pure white. Natalia picked up yet another cookie. ¡°I bet they¡¯re out having soup.¡± ¡°Soup?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Nick and Jenny asked simultaneously. ¡°There¡¯s this nice soup stand in the area that Larry¡¯s parents used to take him to whenever he cried.¡± * * * <¡­> <¡­> <¡­Well, that¡¯s certainly something big. I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say, SC Jenny.> <¡­> * * * The 27th day of the first month. An object called Seron Maxwell was sitting on the office sofa. It sat at the edge of the seat, dressed in a school uniform, blankly looking up at the ceiling. Other than the occasional blink, it showed no signs of life. Meanwhile, Larry, Natalia, and Nick sat around a desk with textbooks and notebooks open. From the darkroom came the muffled sounds of Jenny working on something. Snow was falling softly outside the wet window. The cloud cover was so thick that the office lights all had to be turned on. The year had not only come to a cold start, but a snowy one as well. As soon as temperatures rose enough for the snow to melt, it snowed yet again. The Capital District had mild winters and low precipitation, which was one reason why the area was selected as the capital. But this year it was stricken by unusual weather patterns. The world outside the window was covered in snow. The grounds behind the building were buried to the point that it would be impossible to walk across. Even the legendary oak tree stood frozen. The minute hand crept along the face of the clock and pointed at 4:33 in the afternoon. Seron staggered to its feet. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom. I¡¯ll be fine on my own¡­¡± It trailed off weakly, floating out of the office. Because the hallways and the bathrooms were also heated, it did not take its coat. Once Seron had gone, Natalia looked up from her homework¡ªspecifically, from the homework Nick was guiding her through¡ªand turned to her fellow student. ¡°Larry.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do something about that dark, mopey, handsome creature from hell. You¡¯re friends, right?¡± ¡°Do¡­what exactly?¡± ¡°Find him some other pretty girl so he can forget Megmica. Or make him take some medicine that erases his memories.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you do that?¡± ¡°Look, I may be pretty, but I can¡¯t go out with Seron.¡± ¡°I was suggesting we feed him that obliviousness-inducing drug your brain seems to make on its own, Lia.¡± ¡°I was suggesting you grow out your hair and put on a dress and become his girlfriend.¡± ¡°Again, that¡¯s your job. You were always great at pretending to be a girl.¡± ¡°That hurt, Larry. You broke my heart.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you knew that expression. Do you even know what it means?¡± ¡°Aha! If I took this case to court right now, I bet I¡¯d win.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Finally, Nick spoke up with an elegant smile. ¡°There is nothing we can do in this particular case but sit back and watch, I¡¯m afraid.¡± Larry pursed his lips, but he eventually came around. ¡°Once a girl gets mad at you,¡± Natalia said, ¡°it ain¡¯t easy to change her mind. If a relationship doesn¡¯t work out, we girls cut off the thing in one go. Apparently guys can¡¯t, though.¡± She took out a round tin from her bag and grabbed a piece of chocolate from inside, tossing it into her mouth. ¡°FYI, these chocolates are part of my soul. You can¡¯t have any!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want any. And that is one cheap soul you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t judge a product by how much it costs in the store, Larry. One bit of this chocolate, and you¡¯ll become as clean and pure as I am.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need any poison, thanks,¡± Larry declined, and stood. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break. Tea, anyone?¡± As Larry departed, Nick spoke up. ¡°Come to think of it, have you heard that the date has been decided for the 13th day of the fourth month?¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Pardon me. The spring dance party.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± A complicated expression rose to Larry¡¯s eyes as he poured cold water into the kettle. The spring dance party was an annual event held by secondary schools in and around the Capital District. In a way it was an educational event for young elites to learn to fraternize in high society. Students had to be in their fourth year or higher to participate. In other words, the newspaper club members were now all eligible. Because the party was hosted by the school, students could dress up in fancy clothes, stay out late with their boyfriends and girlfriends, and enjoy great food, music, and dances all with their parents¡¯ implicit permission. A condition for attendance, however, was to be registered with a date of the opposite sex at least 10 days before the dance. Every year there were unfortunate students who failed to find a date, left to watch enviously as their friends attended the party¡ªand a large proportion of them were fourth-years, for whom it would be their first year of being eligible to attend. ¡°Will you be attending with someone, Larry?¡± Asked Nick. Larry meticulously wiped off every droplet of water from the kettle before putting it on the hot plate and turning on the switch. Then he replied, ¡°if there¡¯s a saintly girl out there who¡¯d be willing to dance with me, yeah. But that¡¯s not what your getting at, is it?¡± Nick smiled. Larry returned to the desk and lowered his voice. ¡°Look. I want Seron to go to the dance with Megmica as much as anybody. But he¡¯s not in any shape to be asking her.¡± ¡°Indeed. So what shall we do? Presently Seron is but an empty husk. I recall gathering such husks as a child and decorating trees with them, but that certainly isn¡¯t an option for us.¡± It was hard to tell if Nick was worried or amused by the situation, but ultimately he seemed to feel a mix of both. ¡°There¡¯s not much we can do,¡± Larry admitted, ¡°but hope for a miracle.¡± ¡°If Megmica¡¯d show up more often, they might be able to talk it out,¡± Natalia said, serious for once, ¡°but she¡¯s really giving the chorus club her all. Running away from us.¡± That was when someone knocked on the door. Seron was plodding back down the hallway when it spotted the open office door and Natalia¡¯s head sticking out of it. ¡°Welcome back, Seron Maxwell. Right now we¡¯re hosting a VIP by the name of Strauski for tea.¡± Natalia did not often use such a tone of voice. But Seron was more affected by the content of her words. ¡°Ah!¡± Holding back the urge to turn tail and run off, Seron quickly strode to the door. ¡°Come right in,¡± Natalia said, making way¡ª ¡°Hiya, Big Bro! It¡¯s been a while!¡± Twelve-year-old Strauski Kurt gave Seron a smile and a wave. Seron stood with jaw on the ground, swaying like a metronome. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, did I?¡± Natalia said innocently. ¡°Nat¡­I see now. You were the devil.¡± Strauki Kurt was one of Meg¡¯s brothers. She had an even younger brother named Johan who was now 10 years old. Kurt had started attending his sister¡¯s school this year, coming to class with her in the morning by car. After class, he let Meg take the car and took the streetcar home. He was still quite short, only at about Jenny¡¯s height. Kurt had fair skin and dark eyes just like his sister, and black hair cut short. He looked¡ªand was¡ªoutgoing and playful. The Strauski family had come to the school in 3305 to listen to Meg at the drama club¡¯s fall performance. The entire newspaper club met them there. ¡°So this is the newspaper club! It¡¯s just as ritzy as Big Sis said it was!¡± Kurt exclaimed in Roxchean from the sofa, eyes glinting. Nick and the others were also on the sofas for tea. Jenny was at the darkroom door, also looking quite surprised. Seron took a seat on the sofa, in the middle as always¡ªbut sitting directly across was not Megmica but her brother. ¡°How¡¯s school going for you, Kurt?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Great! I got lots of classes, the cafeteria food¡¯s awesome, the uniforms are cool, and there¡¯s lotsa kinds of people around,¡± Kurt replied with a grin. ¡°Big Bro Larry! You gotta give me your military sciences superintendence! First-years can¡¯t take any courses!¡± Kurt¡¯s dream was to join the Sou Be-Il Royal Army¡¯s cavalry. ¡°All right! I¡¯d be happy to help. I can lend you some of my old textbooks if you want to get a leg up on the others before second year,¡± Larry replied, smiling at the descendant of his ancestors¡¯ enemies. ¡°Thanks!¡± ¡°Your Roxchean¡¯s very good, Kurt. You sound like a native speaker,¡± Nick commented. ¡°Thanks! I got in trouble with the teacher for not using proper language, though. I use Roxchean at home too. But Big Sis and Mom don¡¯t like it cause they wanna be comfortable at home. Dad and Johan don¡¯t mind, though, so it¡¯s boys versus girls at our house! Boys use Roxchean, girls use Bezelese!¡± ¡°You guys are a riot. Here, have some chocolate,¡± Natalia said, holding out her tin. ¡°Whoa! Thanks, Big Sis Nat! Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re allowed to bring snacks to class in secondary school This rocks!¡± Kurt picked up two of the eight remaining pieces. Larry turned to Nick with a smile, shrugging, but Kurt did not understand the meaning behind his action. ¡°Good, good. Eat up, kiddo. So how¡¯s your first month here been? Made any friends?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­not as many as I wanted. And I couldn¡¯t pick a club either.¡± ¡°Oh? How many friends have you made so far?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­I got addresses and numbers and promised to hang out with¡­¡± Kurt reached into his slightly-large uniform jacket and pulled out a brand-new student agenda. The 4th Capital Secondary School¡¯s student agenda was expensive, as evidenced by the leather cover. Kurt flipped through the pages until he reached the address book. ¡°Fifty-seven.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Natalia, Larry, and Nick were floored. Jenny cast Kurt a discreet glance as she sipped on her tea. Seron, still as ghostly as ever, remained seated silently on the sofa. ¡°Not much, huh?¡± Kurt sighed. ¡°Are you kidding?¡± Larry retorted, ¡°fifty-seven friends in your first month of secondary school! That¡¯s a lot!¡± ¡°But there¡¯s hundreds of first-years at school. Fifty-seven¡¯s not much at all,¡± Kurt reasoned, confused. ¡°It¡¯s certainly an incredible number,¡± said Nick, ¡°even as a fourth-year, I don¡¯t believe I have so many friends.¡± ¡°Something to be proud of, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Natalia said with a nod. ¡°So what¡¯s your secret? They all guys? Or girls?¡± ¡°Why do you have to be so extreme, Lia?¡± ¡°Perhaps they¡¯re all teachers.¡± ¡°No way, Nick!¡± Kurt thought for a moment before responding. ¡°Hmm¡­about half and half¡ªno, maybe a few more girls.¡± ¡°Whoo! You little ladykiller, you! I thought it¡¯d be harder for you to get contact info from girls than guys¡ªthat¡¯s what usually happens with first-years. So what¡¯s your secret? Tell us all so that Roxche¡¯s Least Popular Guy here can learn a thing or two,¡± Natalia said, pointing at Larry. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s true, but you don¡¯t have to rub it in,¡± Larry replied, ¡°and I admit I¡¯m kinda curious too. How¡¯d you do it, Kurt?¡± Kurt¡¯s response was simple. ¡°Okay, so here¡¯s what you do. Talk to the girl for a bit, and then thank her and make sure to say at the end, ¡®I love you¡¯! It¡¯s that easy.¡± Larry went silent, his eyes turning to dinner plates. ¡°Pfft!¡± Natalia, on the other hand, burst into laughter. ¡°Ahahaha! Hahahaha! That is amazing! And totally impossible for Larry! Ahaha!¡± As Natalia¡¯s laughter continued in the background, Nick smiled. ¡°That¡¯s certainly impressive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice that you can be honest about it,¡± said Jenny. Seron silently drank tea. Once she had recovered from her laughing fits, Natalia put her hands gravely on Kurt¡¯s shoulders. ¡°But remember this, young man. If things go wrong, you may end up having to court every one of those girls. There will be tough times and challenges ahead.¡± Though Natalia was positively gigantic in comparison to him, Kurt was not the least bit cowed. ¡°If that happens, I can just be happy with all of them!¡± He replied. ¡°Good answer, boy! I have nothing left to teach you.¡± ¡°No! I still have so much to learn, master!¡± ¡°Then head west, young man! Head west and learn all that the world has to offer.¡± ¡°But I just got back from the west a couple of weeks ago!¡± ¡°Then east it is! Now depart on your journey of manhood!¡± Larry shook his head at Natalia and Kurt¡¯s banter and poured Seron another cup of tea. Seron quietly gave him a word of thanks. ¡°By the way,¡± Kurt said, changing the subject, ¡°er¡­¡± He thought for a moment before turning to Jenny. ¡°My sister¡¯s been acting strange recently, SC Jones. Do you by any chance know why?¡± Natalia, Larry, and Nick waited in confusion. Seron, who was studying Bezelese, recognized the words ¡®sister¡¯ and ¡®strange¡¯ and flinched. Jenny, who could understand Bezelese, replied, ¡°you should ask in Roxchean if you want the answer. A question involving the newspaper club should be asked to the entire newspaper club.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you,¡± Kurt replied politely, and switched to Roxchean. ¡°So, er¡­my sister¡¯s been acting real weird. D¡¯you know why?¡± Natalia, Larry, and Nick exchanged glances. ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what it was?¡± Natalia said, ¡°I was sure you and Jenny were just plotting to throw me a surprise potluck.¡± ¡°Ignore her, Kurt. So what exactly do you mean by ¡®weird¡¯? We can¡¯t really tell because she¡¯s been so busy with the chorus club recently.¡± ¡°Well, er¡­it was right after the term started. She used to tell me and Johan about the newspaper club all the time before that, but now she doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I see. And?¡± Asked Jenny. ¡°Her stories were really fun, so Johan and me really liked them. And we asked her why she stopped telling us.¡± ¡°And how did she respond?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°That¡¯s the thing, she won¡¯t respond. She¡¯s never like that. And she looks tired for some reason too.¡± ¡°Such a sweet brother,¡± Jenny muttered to herself. ¡°You don¡¯t know either, Big Bro Seron? You think there¡¯s any way to make her feel better?¡± Kurt asked, looking Seron in the eye. ¡°I¡­er¡­I¡¯m not sure.¡± Seron said with a shake of the head. ¡°Why the focus on Seron, Kurt?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°Cause my sister talks about him the most. She says Big Bro Seron¡¯s so smart he can answer any question. But when I ask about him now, she¡¯s like, ¡®Seron has nothing to do with this!¡¯ and gets really angry. I thought Big Bro Seron might know why.¡± The 12-year-old was both curious and commendable. ¡°I-I need to go to the bathroom.¡± On the other hand, the 15-year-old in love with the 12-year-old¡¯s older sister quietly stood and fled from the office. ¡°Man¡­¡± ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°Too much tea, do you suppose?¡± ¡°What an idiot.¡± ¡°What an idiot.¡± The others sighed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kurt asked, still in the dark. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is,¡± said Natalia, ¡°a girl your sister¡¯s age is bound to have secrets. And sometimes changes like that happen out of nowhere. So don¡¯t pry too much. That¡¯s what family¡¯s s¡¯pposed to do. You¡¯re a good kid; don¡¯t ask her about the newspaper club or Seron for now. And don¡¯t tell her you came to see us.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­okay. I got it. And I¡¯ll tell Johan what you told me too. Thanks for everything!¡± Kurt nodded. ¡°Bye, everyone! Thanks for the chocolate and tea!¡± He left with a wave. Larry saw him off and shut the door, then turned to Natalia. ¡°Just out of curiosity, is that supposed to be magic chocolate or something?¡± ¡°You bet it is! None for you, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. But¡ª¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Share some with Seron when he gets back.¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t gonna work on someone as pure as him.¡± * * * Fifteen minutes later, Seron the pure returned to the office. ¡°That was one long bathroom break. Do guys take forever in there too? Kurt left awhile ago to look at more clubs,¡± said Natalia. ¡°I see¡­¡± Seron said mechanically, sitting on the sofa blankly on the verge of tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I got all of you involved.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not the ones you should be apologizing to,¡± Jenny snapped without a hint of mercy. Larry quietly brewed Seron a cup of tea. He poured Seron his own cup and put it on the coffee table. Seron thanked Larry and took two sips. Determination rose to his grey eyes. ¡°No, I¡¯m really sorry that I dragged you into this too. To tell you the truth¡­there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been hiding from everyone but Larry.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Do tell.¡± Natalia, Jenny, and Nick leaned forward. Larry sat silently beside Seron. ¡°I don¡¯t want things to be so awkward in the club anymore. So¡ªthis might be a shock, but I¡¯ll tell you. Please don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± ¡°Oho.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Seron steeled himself¡ªnot that a stranger would be able to tell¡ªand declared blankly: ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve had a crush on Megmica since I first met her in class last year.¡± ¡°We know.¡± ¡°We knew that.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve known for a while.¡± Seron¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°It was pretty obvious,¡± said Natalia, ¡°you looked like you were enjoying yourself in the club.¡± ¡°Especially at the camp in Ercho Village,¡± Nick added. ¡°You¡¯d have to be really dense to not see it,¡± Jenny said with a nod. ¡°Hm? Huh? Whaaaaaat?¡± Seron¡¯s hands were on his head as he floundered in confusion. Larry sighed loudly. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about running to the bathroom again!¡± Jenny admonished Seron, ¡°we¡¯ve all known for a while about your crush on Megmica. We know you were too scared to tell her how you felt, and we understand why you ran off that day. It was still stupid, though.¡± Seron could not respond. ¡°Unfortunately for you, Megmica is dense enough to not notice. She probably didn¡¯t have an inkling until she got that letter.¡± Seron¡¯s arms fell back down as he listened obediently to Jenny. ¡°So just tell it to her straight, like you told us now,¡± Jenny concluded. ¡°Exactly!¡± Natalia agreed. ¡°Megmica only said she doesn¡¯t like people who can¡¯t confess in person. Nothing about hating you, Seron Maxwell. You¡¯re clever enough to know the difference.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°You need only be clear and concise with her as you were with us.¡± ¡°I have to agree, Seron,¡± Larry finally said, ¡°you remember what happened before? If you don¡¯t say anything, you won¡¯t get anything done.¡± Seron slowly looked around at his four friends. Then¡ª ¡°I-I understand.¡± ¡°Understand what? Say it,¡± Natalia urged. ¡°Do tell us,¡± Nick said with a nod. ¡°President¡¯s orders,¡± Jenny commanded. ¡°All right! There¡¯s nothing left to hide, buddy!¡± Larry said with an encouraging look. Seron clenched his right fist and raised his voice slightly more than before. ¡°I¡¯m not going to bother you guys any more! Tomorrow, I¡¯ll find Megmica and tell her the truth! Even if she doesn¡¯t come to club, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to locate her somewhere on campus. I¡¯ll find her, apologize for being such an idiot, and¡­and I¡¯ll tell her the truth. I¡¯m going to ask her out!¡± ¡°Atta boy, Seron!¡± ¡°We are witnesses to your determination!¡± ¡°You got this, Seron!¡± ¡°Go! You can do this!¡± Blushing, Seron rose from his seat. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m gonna do this! I swear it!¡± Seron let the round of applause wash over him as he tensed. He was on a roll. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll do it! I know I can do this!¡± ¡°Great. So it¡¯ll all be solved by tomorrow,¡± Natalia said, putting a piece of chocolate into her mouth. ¡°The solution was closer at hand than we had expected,¡± Nick agreed, smiling. ¡°Good luck, Seron. You have to be forward about confessing or it won¡¯t work,¡± Jenny added, remembering her own experiences. ¡°I know you can do it, buddy. Tomorrow after school, we¡¯re gonna throw you a big party!¡± Larry punched the air with both fists. * * * <¡­> <¡­What about his determination¡­?> ----- Volume 7 4 — The Witness Volume 7 Chapter 4: The Witness ----- * * * The 7th day of the second month. The student cafeteria at the 4th Capital Secondary School was empty. Most of the students had finished lunch, leaving the tables mostly deserted. Middle-aged cafeteria ladies wiped the tables and refilled napkins and condiments. Because the cafeteria was connected to the central gardens, students could eat outside when it was not raining. But in spite of the clouds and weak wind, it was very cold outside and the garden still served as a dumping ground for snow. Nine snowmen stood in a row, built by students as though in competition. Some said that it made for an eerie sight in the evenings. At one of the long cafeteria tables sat a girl with long brown hair and a girl with long black hair. All the tables around them were unoccupied. ¡°So you asked when everyone was in the office, huh,¡± said Lillia Schultz, the brown-haired girl. She was speaking quietly in Bezelese to make sure no one could eavesdrop. ¡°Yeah,¡± Meg replied, downcast, ¡°and Seron left the office. I was so glad that the newbie was just mistaken, but then the others said the letter might have been right.¡± ¡°Hm¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s what anymore.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t cry, Meg!¡± ¡°I know. But I want to. My stomach hurts¡­¡± Half of Meg¡¯s clam chowder, bread, and salad was still left on the tray. Lillia, who had finished her meal, looked up. ¡°Say, Meg.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Try it again just one more time!¡± Meg was silent. ¡°This time make sure no one else is around so you can have a serious conversation together. I think that¡¯ll be for the best.¡± ¡°Y-you think so?¡± ¡°I bet Seron wants to apologize, too! He might have been too shy in front of the rest of the club, but I betcha he¡¯s still sorry for making you worry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yep! There¡¯s no harm in asking, at least. Communication is key.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t ask in front of other people, so don¡¯t talk to him about it at the office. Maybe when you run into him on campus instead.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°And this time, make sure it¡¯s just the two of you! That¡¯s the important part. None of us want you to worry yourself sick over this, Meg. You have to eat right.¡± ¡°All right. Sorry for worrying you, Lillia.¡± ¡°Not at all! I¡¯m just worried because I¡¯m your friend. Just make sure to catch him somewhere and have a long talk with him. You¡¯ll feel a lot better no matter what answer he gives you!¡± Lillia nodded. Meg¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°Do your best!¡± ¡°Thanks for listening to me, Lillia.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going ahead, then,¡± Meg finally said, getting up to go to her next class¡ªwhich was further away than Lillia¡¯s. ¡°See you!¡± Lillia¡¯s classroom was very close to the cafeteria. She waved Meg goodbye, but immediately after she wrapped her hands around her head. ¡°Is this my fault? Oh shoot¡­I hope Seron¡¯s not angry. And I hope I haven¡¯t messed things up for them. What to do¡­¡± * * * That evening, a thick layer of snow was still upon the grounds. ¡°Hah¡­hah¡­hah¡­¡± Seron was running. To be more accurate, he was slowly wading through snow. The snow remaining on the grounds was hardened with weight, and dozens of centimeters of fresher snow had been piled up on top of that. Seron kicked away the snow and sometimes tripped with sweat on his brow as he moved forward. He was wearing school-issue sweats with a cardigan underneath, and a pair of rubber boots. He was dressed a little lightly for below-freezing weather, but did not seem cold. Larry followed several meters behind him. ¡°I suggested a light jogging routine, not a march through the snow¡­¡± He sighed. Larry was wearing a coat and had his backpack slung behind him. On his feet were boots with wooden snowshoes, which allowed him to slowly walk on top of the snow without sinking. From higher ground Larry looked down at Seron¡¯s back. ¡°No one¡¯s watching, buddy. You don¡¯t have to push yourself so hard.¡± ¡°No¡­I want to run at least one lap¡­haven¡¯t run at all for days¡­¡± ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re a little too hardworking, Seron,¡± Larry sighed, but he did a lap around the field with him anyway. By the time they made it back to the gates, Seron¡¯s lower body was covered in snow and his sweats were drenched. Because he had fallen several times snow also clung to his upper body and hair. Sweat dripping from his face, Seron finished the last few meters of his run. ¡°Good work,¡± Larry said, taking off his snowshoes, ¡°you better go on in and take a bath, Seron. If the sun goes down on your you might freeze to death.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Seron replied between gasps, ¡°hah¡­hah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re improving.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you thanking me? You¡¯re the one doing all the work here, buddy! You gotta have confidence. You¡¯re a strong guy.¡± ¡°You think¡­I can deflect bullets at this rate¡­?¡± ¡°That might be tough. Knives are no good either, so avoid them if you ever get into trouble.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t mind if it¡¯s Megmica doing the stabbing.¡± ¡°Please stop trying to summon the grim reaper, Seron.¡± Seron and Larry walked down the cleared path to the dorms. Though Larry could simply walk out the gates and go home, he walked Seron all the way back to the dorms. The sun would set soon. No one else was visible on campus. ¡°Look, Seron,¡± Larry began, looking at Seron¡¯s profiled face, ¡°try not to let anyone know who you have a crush on. And don¡¯t let people know that you do like someone. It¡¯ll be a headache if people find out.¡± Seron nodded. ¡°Yeah, I will. But what if someone asks?¡± ¡°Then maybe you should lie and say you don¡¯t like anyone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a good liar, but I¡¯ll try.¡± They parted ways at the dormitory entrance with a wave. * * * The 8th day of the second month. It had been five days since classes resumed. The weekend was coming up, but Seron was as busy as ever helping out the first-years. Before dawn, he was woken up to the news that a student was sick and throwing up. He took the boy to the dormitory office, where his condition worsened. So he called an ambulance and went to the ill student¡¯s room to get some changes of clothes. Then he contacted the boy¡¯s parents and explained the situation to the student¡¯s floormates. It was a hectic morning. Morning classes began without giving him the time for a relaxed breakfast. Seron spotted a dormitory student who had gotten lost on campus¡ªin spite of it have been a month since the term began¡ªand guided him to his class, ending up tardy for his own class. And though it was not his job, at breaktime he took a girl to the nurse¡¯s office after she slipped on the snow and sprained her hand. Countless other girls sent jealous gazes in their direction, but Seron did not so much as blink. After morning classes, Seron finally got to eat at the cafeteria. The menu was one of his mother¡¯s company¡¯s frozen burgers. ¡°They taste better when you defrost them for longer and cook them slowly on a grill¡­but I guess they wouldn¡¯t have that kind of time at the cafeteria,¡± he remarked to himself. That was when a first-year dropped his tray with a resounding clang, and almost burst into tears. Seron went over to help him out. After afternoon classes and two makeup classes, he carried a towering stack of reports to the science office with a teacher and handed them in. Only then was Seron finally free. The Whitfield watch on his wrist told him it was four in the afternoon. The white clouds that had covered the sun all day had gone grey. It was snowing hard enough to make the world go white. Three seconds of contemplation later, Seron turned not towards the newspaper club but the dorms. From the fourth floor of the new building, he headed for the central staircase. The new building was a five-story structure that had been erected most recently, renovated for a more modern design about 10 years ago. The central staircase at the center of the building was surrounded by large glass windows that offered fantastic views of the grounds. With quick steps Seron strode down the dim, deserted halls. When he reached the central staircase, he began to descend¡ª ¡°Hmm¡­¡± When he spotted a girl at the landing between the third and second floor. She was sitting at a low stair by the window with her legs outstretched. Her legs clad in black pantyhose were in full view, but she did not seem flustered in the least at the sight of Seron. The girl was elegant in bearing with long, wavy golden hair. Her countenance was both lovely and sharp. She was clearly older than Seron, most likely a sixth-year student. Scattered haphazardly next to her was her school bag and an expensive-looking fur coat. Her light blue eyes met Seron¡¯s grey. ¡°Hey, are you busy?¡± A clear soprano voice stopped Seron. He descended the stairs and stopped at the landing, meeting the gaze of the smiling girl. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good. Could you help me find something?¡± Seron accepted yet another request in his busy day. ¡°Of course. What is it you¡¯re looking for?¡± The girl swept back her long golden hair and exposed her right ear. A small, red object glinted there. ¡°I lost my other earring.¡± Seron looked at the striking red earring and the smooth white neck below, and replied, ¡°school regulations prohibit the wearing of accessories for non-religious reasons.¡± The girl stared for a moment, but a smile soon rose to her face. ¡°You¡¯re sounding like a regular RA.¡± ¡°Because I am.¡± ¡°Interesting. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Seron Maxwell. I¡¯m a fourth-year.¡± ¡°Maxwell, as in the red frozen food?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve been at this school for more than five years, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met you before. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Maxwell. I¡¯m Bridget. Bridget Armitage. Aren¡¯t you curious at all about what my family does?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, SC Bridget. Did you drop the earring somewhere around here?¡± Seron asked mechanically. Bridget¡¯s eyes widened again. ¡°Cool as a cucumber. But that doesn¡¯t make for interesting conversation, does it? My family owns Armitage Dresses. We have a big store by the thoroughfare in the north. Have you heard of it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so cold. We¡¯re famous for our wedding dresses, so don¡¯t hesitate to come to us if you ever decide to buy someone a gift. I can give you some extra favors. Right now I¡¯m the vice-president of the sewing club.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And now I¡¯m totally helpless because I lost an earring I¡¯m not supposed to be wearing on campus.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you look. Where did you drop it? It would be unfortunate if I were to accidentally step on it.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°Never mind. I just realized I don¡¯t even know for sure if I dropped it here. I probably didn¡¯t. I suppose I was a little out of sorts and ended up asking you to help for no real reason. But thanks anyway.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything deserving thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a good boy.¡± Bridget slowly rose and approached Seron. She was tall for a girl, almost the same height as him. She drew so near her breath reached his face. ¡°Do you have a girlfriend, Maxwell?¡± She asked out of the blue. Seron replied mechanically, meeting her gaze. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what about a crush?¡± This time, he could not answer immediately. But Seron recalled his conversation with Larry the other day and managed to reply. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really?¡± A moment later, Bridget did three things. She brushed back her hair with her right hand, leaned slightly to the left, and slid closer to Seron. Then she closed her eyes and kissed him softly on the lips. Seron stared blankly as Bridget¡¯s face drew near. Their lips met, and parted. He waited for her next course of action. ¡°You¡¯re not acting as surprised as I thought you would,¡± Bridget commented, letting her hair down again. ¡°That wasn¡¯t your first kiss, was it?¡± ¡°I suppose not, no.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re making me jealous.¡± ¡°My mother and sister kiss me out of the blue all the time at home.¡± ¡°Aww, that doesn¡¯t count. It must be nice to have such a loving family, but this isn¡¯t one of those kisses. Didn¡¯t you feel at least a little excited, Maxwell?¡± Seron¡¯s face changed ever so slightly. A dark shadow came over his grey eyes. And he responded in a plain voice. ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll feel even a little excited kissing someone I¡¯m not in love with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cruel of you. But all right. That was just a little show of gratitude. I can give you all the kisses you want whenever you feel like it. I hope you¡¯ll get to kiss someone you love someday. And¡ª¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nice to lie about your crush, little boy.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, see you around, Maxwell.¡± With her long golden hair aflutter Bridget turned and picked up her things. Then she gave Seron one last look and a wink, and danced down the stairs. Seron did not follow. He waited until her footsteps disappeared from the central staircase. Then he looked out the window. ¡°I keep meeting the strangest women this year¡­¡± He mumbled in a detached voice. The snowfall had become a storm. With snow piling up on her umbrella, Bridget headed to the intersection outside the gates. Her bodyguard quickly got out of a luxury car and opened the door. Bridget handed him her coat and got into the back seat, tossing her bag next to her. Then her slender fingers reached into the breast pocket of her jacket and pulled out a small case. She took out the red earring inside and put it on her left ear with a practiced hand. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go,¡± she ordered the driver. The security guard on the snowy grounds watched the car carrying Bridget disappear from the intersection and spotted another luxury car pull in. He recognized the model, license place, and the bodyguard-slash-driver inside. So he did not go over to identify the car. Because so many students commuted by car, security guards found themselves developing excellent memorization skills. Soon, a girl ran out the gates and into the car. Though she was wearing a coat and carrying an umbrella, what stuck out most to the guard were the pigtails fluttering behind her. But he could not see the look of anger and the tears on her face. ¡°Is something the matter, Miss Megmica?¡± The driver asked, opening the door. ¡°No, it is nothing!¡± She replied as though in a sob, but her voice was absorbed by the fallen snow and never reached the guard. * * * The ¡®hero of the West¡¯ put down the receiver. ¡°Hmm¡­hmm¡­hmm¡­¡± Arms crossed, she paced around her living room. ¡°So this time she ate too much. Is it because of Seron? Did they talk to each other? Hmm¡­¡± She paced back and forth again and again, muttering to herself. ¡°I¡¯m home, Lillia! Oh? What are you doing?¡± Her mother wondered, stepping into the living room decked out in full Air Force officer uniform. * * * The 11th day of the second month. As the week started, things were finally starting to get back to normal at school. The cold snap was gone and so was the unusually heavy snowfall. The heat of the ground slowly began to melt the snow from the bottom up, reducing its volume little by little. The snowmen in the central gardens began to crumble as well. The school curriculum was altered with makeup classes taken into consideration. Classes were assigned to avoid giving students too much stress, teachers did what they could to compress the syllabus, and students (to their chagrin) received large amounts of extra homework. It was 3 in the afternoon. Classes were over and the sky was cloudy. ¡°Tea¡¯s ready!¡± Larry called, hard at work as usual. ¡°Thanks. Take a look at this, guys! I got these cookies at the department store the other day. It¡¯s all for me, but I set a little aside for you too!¡± Natalia bragged, having recently begun to bring her own cookies to school to eat with tea. ¡°Thank you. I can always trust your taste in food, Nat,¡± Nicholas said with his ever-mysterious smile. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think that we¡¯re actually the after-school tea club,¡± Jenny grumbled, though she reached for one of Natalia¡¯s scrumptious cookies. ¡°I will decline today. Overeating is not good,¡± Meg said, limiting herself to tea. ¡°Been a while since you dropped in, Megmica. How are you?¡± ¡°I am well, thank you. It seemed that I should sometimes show my face to this side as well,¡± Meg replied brightly. Natalia downed several cookies before pointedly changing the subject. ¡°So Larry, how¡¯s Seron doing?¡± She asked, glancing at Meg, but Meg did not react. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter, but still.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t ask. He¡¯ll be too busy with RA stuff to come by for the beginning of the week at least,¡± Larry replied, repeating what Seron had said in the office before. And no one else brought up Seron after that. There was a silent agreement between the club members to not interfere, because Seron had declared that he would confess to Meg personally. Jenny changed the subject. ¡°All the snow and weekends and makeup classes are really putting a damper on club activities, huh,¡± she said, munching on a cookie. ¡°Don¡¯t be that way, chief. Cookies and tea aren¡¯t too bad.¡± Jenny sighed and reached for a second cookie. ¡°More importantly, we have nothing about which to write a news article,¡± Nick pointed out. Jenny had to agree. ¡°What about all the requests you got, Jenfie?¡± Asked Larry. ¡°Yes, there may be useful requests among those requests,¡± Meg agreed. ¡°Haven¡¯t gotten much since things started getting hectic,¡± Jenny said, ¡°and none of them were interesting.¡± ¡°Too bad, chief. We¡¯ll easily survive on these cookies for now, though. I can bring even better ones next time,¡± Natalia guaranteed. ¡°What are you planning to do to this club, Nat?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°Make it into the snack club.¡± ¡°You could have at least pretended to think about it, Lia,¡± Larry sighed, when there was a knock. ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± Jenny, who sat nearest the door, got up to personally greet the guest. Behind the door stood a tall male student. He was clearly a senior-classman. The boy had short brown hair and a sturdy build. Not only that, he was handsome enough to be an actor. ¡°Good afternoon. I¡¯m here with a request for the newspaper club. May I?¡± ¡°Of course, come right in.¡± Jenny let the guest into the warm office. The male student looked at the club members sitting around the coffee table. ¡°Good afternoon, everyone,¡± he said, his pearly-white teeth glinting. Jenny led him to the single seat. Larry got up to prepare him a cup of tea. ¡°I¡¯m impressed. Your office is incredible,¡± said the boy. He then turned to Jenny. ¡°So you¡¯re Jones, the president. My name is Kenneth. Kenneth Einsworth. I¡¯m a sixth-year.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, SC Kenneth. Let me introduce you to the members. This is Natalia Steinbeck the eating machine, whose real body is her glasses. Strauski Megmica the Westerner. Nicholas Browning, who is pretending to be a boy but is actually a boy. And Larry Hepburn, professional tea-brewer.¡± Everyone greeted Kenneth in their own way. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re SC Cato¡¯s brother?¡± Asked Kenneth. ¡°I owe him a lot from marksmanship classes a few years ago. You look just like him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a friend of Cato? Cool.¡± Larry handed Kenneth a cup of tea and a small plate of cookies. Even Natalia¡¯s usual ¡°hey, that¡¯s mine!¡± was nowhere to be heard. Kenneth took a sip and remarked on the flavor before moving on to the topic at hand. ¡°I¡¯ve read your two newspapers. And rumors say that you¡¯re taking on requests right now. Everyone is convinced that you guys are capable of running great investigations.¡± ¡°I suppose you could say that,¡± Jenny said. A shadow came over Kenneth¡¯s expression. ¡°I have a request. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll accept, but I don¡¯t have anyone else to turn to here. I couldn¡¯t write to you guys because my situation¡¯s a bit complex, so I wanted to come ask in person.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all ears, SC Kenneth. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing, but right now we¡¯re totally free,¡± said Jenny. ¡°All we do is drink tea every day,¡± Larry added. Kenneth breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the club. Then¡ª ¡°I know this is going to sound very stupid. So please don¡¯t tell anyone about my request.¡± He waited for everyone to nod and continued. ¡°I have a fianc¨¦e. It¡¯s sort of synonymous with ¡®intended¡¯ these days, but in my case she¡¯s not my intended. It¡¯s an arranged marriage that my parents and her parents have been planning since before we were even born.¡± The club members nodded. ¡°Her parents and my parents are such close friends that they promised that if one couple had a son and the other couple a daughter, they would have the two kids marry. It was a very early promise to be making, but it¡¯s still valid now 18 years later. My betrothed and I grew up together and now we¡¯re both attending this school. We¡¯ll probably be married by this time next year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s romantic,¡± Natalia remarked. Meg¡¯s expression darkened. So did Kenneth¡¯s. Steepling his fingers, Kenneth leaned forward and lowered his voice. ¡°My fianc¨¦e is cheating on me.¡± As the newspaper members reeled in shock, Kenneth continued to explain. His fianc¨¦e was a fellow student at the 4th Capital Secondary School, who was seeing many male students on campus. She would approach the boy first and entice him, only to abandon him not long afterwards. Her targets were always handsome younger boys. She would enjoy trysts with them in deserted places on campus where people could not see. Though she had hidden her tracks well, Kenneth had begun to hear rumors around the middle of the previous year. He had not wanted to believe the rumors at first, but the more he investigated the more the rumors seemed to be true. Which meant that he needed decisive evidence of her infidelity¡ªspecifically, photographs. ¡°That¡¯s about it. Do you have any questions?¡± Kenneth asked, tipping tea into his dry mouth. ¡°Do your parents know about this, SC Kenneth?¡± Asked Jenny. ¡°Not yet. My parents¡ªand her parents too¡ªare more enthusiastic about this marriage than we are. It¡¯s practically their life¡¯s goal. They¡¯re not just waiting with bated breath for next year¡ªthey¡¯re already planning the ceremony. We¡¯re both only children, so it¡¯s even worse. I can¡¯t just go telling my parents without concrete evidence to back me up.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jenny said with a nod. Nick spoke next. ¡°Excuse me, SC Kenneth, but does your family happen to run Austin & Amavisca, the renowned jewelers from the Republic of Daurade?¡± ¡°I¡¯m amazed,¡± Kenneth said, eyes widening, ¡°how did you know?¡± ¡°I read a business magazine earlier this year that featured interviews with various people of prominence. One among them featured the Einsworth couple¡ªyour parents¡ªwho claimed that they would be focusing on wedding jewelry as their son would finish secondary school and marry his fianc¨¦e this year.¡± Kenneth shook his head, defeated. ¡°My parents are really fired up about this. If I were to oppose they¡¯d make a brilliant cut out of me. Anyway, it¡¯s good to see that you guys are so well-informed. I¡¯m glad I decided to ask the newspaper club.¡± Meg slowly raised her hand. Kenneth turned to her. ¡°Er¡­SC Kenneth, what will you do when you get the true evidence in your hand?¡± ¡°Excellent question,¡± Kenneth said, and turned the question around. ¡°Put yourself in my shoes. How would you react if you found out your betrothed was a philanderer?¡± ¡°I would get angry,¡± Meg replied quietly. Even Kenneth was taken aback by the seething rage in her tone. ¡°R-right. That¡¯s how I feel. So I want to break up this engagement. It¡¯ll take time to convince my parents and I know it¡¯ll hurt my fianc¨¦e¡¯s parents too. But I want to live my own life.¡± ¡°I understand. You cannot pledge your future with a person with a bad behavior.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Kenneth replied, looking a little sad. But he firmly nodded. Jenny simply stared at Meg during the entirety of the exchange. ¡°SC Kenneth,¡± said Natalia, ¡°have you ever seen her cheat in person? What if it¡¯s just a rumor?¡± ¡°I wish.¡± ¡°So you have seen her?¡± ¡°Yeah. Unlike when we were little, we¡¯re not together all the time anymore¡ªour classes are all different too¡ªbut once I heard the rumors, I tailed her. I know it¡¯s stupid. But I did. And I saw her meet with other guys in deserted places, kissing them quickly. I don¡¯t even want to imagine the rest.¡± The club members sighed. Kenneth continued. ¡°People kissing in hallways isn¡¯t uncommon at school, but it¡¯s still painful to have to watch your own fianc¨¦e kissing someone else. I saw her do it again just a few days ago, on the 8th, I think. She went up to a guy at a landing on the central staircase and kissed him on the lips. I saw it all from the grounds. It was nauseating.¡± The club members each voiced their sympathies to Kenneth, but one person took a deep breath. ¡°Excuse me!¡± Meg cried, raising a hand violently into the air. Everyone turned in shock. Meg had the face of a puppy about to bite an intruder. ¡°Please tell us. Tell us the name of your fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Right. Of course. Her name is¡ª¡± Kenneth took out a photograph from his breast pocket and placed it on the table. The photo featured Kenneth and a beautiful girl with golden hair and red earrings. Both were in uniform, but looked a little younger. Neither were smiling. ¡°¡ªBridget Armitage.¡± Volume 7 5 — The Request Volume 7 Chapter 5: The Request ----- ¡°Jenny! And everyone. We should do this! We must!¡± Meg cried. The others looked up in shock. ¡°Do what?¡± Jenny asked on everyone¡¯s behalf. ¡°This request! We will solve SC Kenneth¡¯s sadness! We will get the evidence in our hands and help! We can do it! Our role is to light the truth!¡± Meg pontificated. ¡°Looks like something¡¯s flipped a switch,¡± Natalia remarked quietly. ¡°SC Kenneth is very sad! It is horrible! If we can make someone happy, we must! The fianc¨¦e was too cruel!¡± Meg continued, as though she were the one who had been personally offended. Jenny fell into thought for a moment, arms crossed. Finally¡ª ¡°I have a few conditions before we accept this request, SC Kenneth.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°First, we¡¯ll do our best but can¡¯t guarantee any results. It¡¯ll get difficult for us if your fianc¨¦e notices something is wrong. And I¡¯d like to set a deadline¡ªcan¡¯t have the club chasing after the target all year.¡± ¡°Right. What do you say to the end of this month, then?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Larry tilted his head, but he did not say anything. ¡°All right,¡± Jenny replied, ¡°we¡¯ll tail her for the next 20 days or so and do our best to get you that photograph.¡± ¡°You can always trust Jenny to take photos in secret,¡± Natalia said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kenneth replied, ¡°and one more thing¡ªI¡¯d like you to give me any and all photos you take of the scene. And if Bridget happens to catch you, don¡¯t go out of your way to feign ignorance. Feel free to tell her that I¡¯ve requested your help in catching her in the act. I¡¯m ready and willing to dirty my own hands.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t worry! We are very good!¡± Meg assured him. * * * Kenneth left the office, leaving behind the photograph, a copy of Bridget¡¯s schedule, and his contact information. ¡°Talk about a sad request,¡± Natalia remarked, munching on a cookie. No one else was still eating. It was getting dark outside. ¡°But I think this is a meaningful request! That marriage is unforgivable! We must do our best efforts and help him! Because we can do it!¡± Meg cried, still indignant. ¡°Well,¡± said Jenny, ¡°considering what we did for SC Sophia and the Stella case, this request isn¡¯t too far from our usual. And like our motto says, ¡®assist all romantic endeavors¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s takes me back!¡± Larry exclaimed from the kitchenette. ¡°To when?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? It was when SC Sophia came to us with her request last summer.¡± ¡°Ah, after we ate bacon and lettuce club sandwiches. I remember now. That bacon was the perfect balance of meat and grease.¡± ¡°Does your stomach double as your brain, Lia?¡± Jenny turned away from the conversation and to Nick. ¡°The Einsworth family¡¯s supposed to be pretty rich right?¡± ¡°Yes, though not as much as the Jones family.¡± ¡°So his fianc¨¦e¡¯s family must be about the same, too¡­¡± Jenny trailed off. Nick nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of her?¡± ¡°I cannot say for certain, but I suspect her family may run Armitage Dresses, located by the thoroughfare in the north. It¡¯s one of the Capital District¡¯s top clothing brands,¡± Nick explained without missing a beat. ¡°I see. So it¡¯s an engagement between two rich families. Then it¡¯ll be hard to break them up without someone losing face. I dunno if a few photographs are gonna work here¡ªI mean, when it comes down to it the parents could just crumple them up and pretend they never existed,¡± Jenny theorized. Nick smiled. ¡°It all seems so very realistic when you put it that way, Jenny. Almost like first-hand experience.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Then does it mean that this marriage cannot be broken?¡± Asked Meg. ¡°For example, even if we have the evidence?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s a very good chance of that.¡± Jenny nodded. Meg exploded again. ¡°It is horrible! Two people who do not love each other marrying will not be well! What is life for? Are they slaves of their parents? What age is today?¡± ¡°There, there, Megmica. Calm down. We all agree with you there. Want a cookie?¡± Natalia asked, pacifying Meg. Meg put a cookie into her mouth and munched on it before swallowing. ¡°I cannot forgive a cheater! I will break this engagement, I promise!¡± * * * * * * The 12th day of the second month. For once the day was bright and sunny. Once again Larry was the first to reach the office. The snow left over outside shone brilliantly under the sun. It was so bright that Larry did not need to turn on any of the lights in the office. He took a seat on the sofa and began fiddling with a camera. It was the rangefinder Jenny had taught the others to use at Ercho Village, equipped with a 50mm lens. Larry put the camera in its bag and stood, holding the bag in his left hand. ¡°¡­There!¡± He quickly pulled the camera from the bag, pointed it at the kettle in the kitchenette and pressed the shutter, then stuffed it back in the bag. He was practicing to catch Bridget in the act. Several more tries later, Larry groaned. ¡°This is harder than I expected. How does Jenny do it?¡± ¡°Hey Larry. Are you practicing a new dance?¡± Seron asked, walking through the door. ¡°Hey Seron! Er¡­I¡¯m trying to practice pulling out the camera for a quick snapshot. It¡¯s not working as well as I¡¯d hoped,¡± Larry replied, quickly turning to Seron and pressing the shutter. Seron gave him a curious look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not loaded. It¡¯s the same with guns¡ªyou gotta practice with an empty one before you move on to a live one. Sit down and I¡¯ll get you some tea.¡± Seron did as Larry instructed. Larry busied himself in the kitchenette. ¡°Did the others tell you about yesterday¡¯s request, by any chance?¡± ¡°No. What was it?¡± ¡°This sixth-year named Kenneth Einsworth wants us to get evidence that his fianc¨¦e is cheating on him. Wants to break out of an arranged marriage, he says. Apparently the girl¡¯s, er¡­loose with men. Kissing boys who catch her eye in the halls and stuff. SC Kenneth says he¡¯s seen her in the act a few times.¡± ¡°¡­Larry?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with the scary face, Seron?¡± ¡°Did he tell you her name?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. Bridget Armitage. She looked real beautiful in the photo he showed us.¡± Seron was silent. ¡°Seron? Everything all right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine. So did Jenny accept?¡± ¡°Yeah. Club motto and stuff, you know. So we¡¯re going to catch her in the act and get some photographs. Deadline¡¯s till the end of the month,¡± Larry said, returning to the table with the teapot and Seron¡¯s cup. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thanks. So that¡¯s why you were practicing, huh.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve still got a long way to go, though. Maybe it¡¯ll be easier to rig the camera bag instead. Cut a hole in it and hide the release cable in my hand and¡ª¡± ¡°Say, Larry. About SC Kenneth¡­¡± Seron said, cutting Larry off in an unusual show of assertiveness. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°He lives in the dorms.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Larry nodded. ¡°So he didn¡¯t tell you, did he?¡± Seron asked stiffly. ¡°¡­No.¡± It was Larry¡¯s turn to hesitate. Seron continued. ¡°That¡¯s not all. Until last year, he¡¯d been an RA for two years in a row. I thought he¡¯d keep going this year, but he turned down the job.¡± ¡°Huh. Don¡¯t people usually keep at it though, after two years?¡± ¡°Yeah. And sixth-years get some leeway in their work too because they have to prepare for university entrance exams. But if he quit anyway, it must mean he¡¯s got something weighing on his mind.¡± ¡°I see. Ever talk to him in person, Seron?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯ve always been on different floors. I¡¯ve seen him give speeches at the dormitory meetings and I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve passed each other by before. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he knows who I am.¡± ¡°Obviously, since you¡¯re an RA now.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ve heard a lot of rumors about SC Kenneth from the other senior-classmen.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Apparently he¡¯s very understanding and smart.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°And one more thing.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°He takes photos as a hobby, and apparently he¡¯s pretty good. He even develops his own photos at home. He might get along with Jenny.¡± ¡°He takes photos as a hobby, and apparently he¡¯s pretty good. He even develops his own photos at home. He might get along with Jenny.¡± ¡°Interesting. He didn¡¯t say anything about that yesterday, though.¡± Seron said nothing. ¡°Seron? You zoning out again?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s nothing.¡± That was when they were interrupted. ¡°Hey guys! I brought more snacks!¡± ¡°It seems I am fourth today. It¡¯s been a long time, Seron.¡± ¡°Hey guys. Glad you could make it, Seron. Dunno if I¡¯d call it good timing, though.¡± The others arrived one after another. But Meg was not among them. When Jenny explained that she was at the chorus club, Seron fell blankly into thought. ¡°Here we go!¡± Natalia cried, taking out a paper bag full of rusks. ¡°Eat up,¡± she offered, and stuffed several into her mouth. ¡°Hey Seron, did Larry tell you ¡®bout yesterday?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then what about how Megmica reacted? ¡®I cannot forgive a cheater!¡¯ She¡¯s really fired up.¡± ¡°¡­I suppose that¡¯s a good attitude to have for the investigation.¡± ¡°Still as cool as ever. Here¡ªthe place I get it from has good bread, but nothing beats their maple syrup rusk. Garlic ain¡¯t bad either but at snacktime you can¡¯t go wrong with maple. You know?¡± Seron, who had not yet had dinner, picked up a rusk and put it into his mouth when someone knocked on the door. ¡°Coming,¡± Jenny said, getting up and turning the doorknob. And she was stunned into silence. ¡°Good afternoon. ¡ªOh, nice office.¡± The girl walking through the door was familiar to all the members. And in Seron¡¯s case, he had met her in person. Bridget Armitage elegantly strode into the office, her golden hair aflutter, and took a seat where here fianc¨¦ had sat the previous day. Everyone but the blank-faced Seron was visibly shocked. Bridget put on a bewitching smile. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with all the glancing? Is there something written on my face?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jenny Jones, the president of the newspaper club.¡± Like the previous day, Jenny introduced the club members. But this time she omitted the strange descriptions. Bridget cast Seron a meaningful look when Jenny introduced him, but no one paid it any particular notice. Then it was Bridget¡¯s turn to introduce herself. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, everyone. I¡¯m Bridget Armitage, a sixth-year.¡± ¡®We all know, because your fianc¨¦ came in yesterday asking us to investigate your infidelity!¡¯ Everyone thought, but no one said a word. ¡°The newspaper club¡¯s supposed to be the most reliable investigators in the school, so I decided to pay you a visit. Could you listen to what I have to say? Provided you don¡¯t tell anyone, of course.¡± Bridget was saying exactly what her fianc¨¦ had said the previous day. ¡°Sure. Go ahead,¡± said Jenny. Larry served Bridget tea. ¡°Oh wow, what a fancy cup. I expected nothing less from the Jones heiress. And the tea smells lovely. Thank you,¡± Bridget said, beginning with comments completely unrelated to her request. ¡°Try these too,¡± Natalia offered, handing Bridget a small plate of rusks. ¡°Oh, wow! I love this bakery. They have the best rusks in the Capital District. And they¡¯re maple-flavored too. How lovely.¡± ¡°You have excellent taste.¡± ¡°Of course. I could say the same for you.¡± ¡°Aw, you¡¯re makin¡¯ me blush.¡± The conversation was going nowhere. Jenny forced it back on track. ¡°Er¡­are you hoping to join the club? We¡¯re always looking for new members.¡± Bridget noticed the hint of sarcasm in her tone. ¡°Oh, sorry. I always get carried away when I see nice things. I hope we can have a nice, long chat someday once my problem¡¯s been solved,¡± she said, the smile on her face never faltering. ¡®We don¡¯t even know if we¡¯ll accept your case, let alone solve it,¡¯ everyone thought, but no one said a word. Bridget finally got to the point. ¡°I have a fianc¨¦. He¡¯s the same age as me and attends this school. His name is Kenneth Einsworth.¡± Everyone knew that already. They nodded. ¡°My parents and his parents set up this marriage before we were even born. They want to hold the ceremony as soon as we graduate.¡± Everyone knew that already, too. They nodded. ¡°He¡¯s verbally abusing me.¡± No one had known that. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Everyone gaped. ¡°He¡¯s verbally abusing me. It¡¯s terrible.¡± Bridget repeated herself. There was no sadness in her eyes¡ªshe told her story with no emotion. ¡°On the outside he seems like a great guy. Handsome, friendly, and nice. But he flips out when we¡¯re alone. Swearing at me. Calling me a useless bimbo. Saying he¡¯s marrying me out of pity so I should do everything he tells me to do.¡± The club members listened in silent as Bridget continued, her beautiful face frozen as though in a mask. ¡°He despises me. So of course he doesn¡¯t want to marry me. He wants someone cuter. But he can¡¯t break away from his parents or go against them because he loves himself too much. He¡¯s not man enough to face himself. So he¡¯s taking out all that stress on me, since I¡¯m powerless to resist. I¡¯m sick of him.¡± Jenny slowly raised a hand. ¡°Could I ask you a few things, SC Bridget? You don¡¯t have to answer if my questions make you uncomfortable, of course.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°When did this verbal abuse begin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s always had a bit of that in him since we were kids. When we were alone, he¡¯d try to act all cool, like he was the best guy in the world. It got worse once we started secondary school together and got more chances to meet. But it didn¡¯t get really bad until around the middle of last year.¡± Natalia and Nick exchanged silent glances. Larry¡¯s lips had been pursed for some time. ¡°I see. Thank you for answering. So what exactly do you want us to do?¡± ¡°Help me break off this engagement. Like I said, my parents are dead set on having us marry, and it¡¯ll be nearly impossible to convince them. Same with his parents.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°So I need irrefutable evidence of his abuse. Something that¡¯ll change my parents¡¯ minds. My testimony¡¯s not going to be enough, so I need someone else to back me up.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re asking for a recording?¡± ¡°That would be the best, but recording devices are too big. I¡¯ve already looked into it, to tell you the truth.¡± ¡°I see. My father does have a tape recorder at home, but it¡¯ll take me some time to prepare to bring it to school. That¡¯s probably the only way, since you can¡¯t capture verbal abuse on camera.¡± ¡°Your testimony will work too. You can even listen in on us if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if anyone would consider us credible witnesses, though.¡± ¡°Oh? You know as well as I do that the Jones heiress is more influential than that.¡± Jenny fell silent. But Nick quickly took over. ¡°Has SC Kenneth ever resorted to physical violence, SC Bridget?¡± ¡°Not yet, thankfully. But that¡¯s not Kenneth being a gentleman. He knows he can¡¯t afford to leave any evidence of his abuse. And he always makes sure we¡¯re alone when he abuses me.¡± ¡°Then I suppose a sound recording will be our best option. It will serve us better than simple eyewitness testimony.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°We could bring the necessary machinery to the office and set up the microphone a distance away. What do you say, Jenny?¡± Nick asked, turning. Jenny thought for a moment before looking up. ¡°It¡¯s doable, but the microphone has to be within a few dozen meters of the office. For example, up to the oak tree behind the building.¡± ¡°That sounds perfect. Then could I trust you to do this for me?¡± ¡°Of course. But it¡¯ll take at least two or three days for us to prepare. Maybe even longer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve waited this long; I can certainly wait a few more days. Then that¡¯s all I have to say for today.¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°If SC Kenneth abuses you again, make sure to note down the place and the content of his abuse somewhere.¡± ¡°All right. That sounds like a good idea. And about contacting me¡ªmy parents might notice if you call my house, so let¡¯s exchange notes through lockers. Mine¡¯s number 6333, with a ribbon and my name tag on it.¡± ¡°Of course. Please wait for us to contact you. My locker number is 4649.¡± ¡°Thanks for everything, newspaper club. Let¡¯s fight hard together,¡± Bridget said with a smile, nearly finishing her cup of tea. ¡°This tea is really good. Who brewed it?¡± ¡°Oh, it was me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really something,¡± Bridget said, winking. Larry¡¯s spine trembled. A minute passed after Bridget left the office. Everyone had been silent¡ªor stuffing themselves full of rusks¡ªbut Nick finally spoke. ¡°Curiouser and curiouser.¡± ¡°So lemme get this straight,¡± said Natalia, ¡°we got an engaged couple. The guy wants us to see if the girl¡¯s cheating on him, and the girl wants us to get proof the guy is abusing her. And they both want to rebel against their parents and break off the engagement.¡± Larry stood and put away Bridget¡¯s teacup. ¡°One¡¯s a cheater and the other¡¯s an abuser. And they both want to get the upper hand on the other. That¡­almost sounds like a match made in heaven,¡± he sighed incredulously. ¡°So what shall we do, Jenny?¡± Asked Nick. ¡°What would you suggest? What would you do in my shoes, Nick?¡± Jenny shot back. ¡°I would carry out both requests dutifully and find out the truth. Then I would judge which one of the two will serve best as an informant in the future and take their side,¡± Nick said, all with a smile on his face. ¡°You are evil.¡± Natalia shook her head. But then she grinned. ¡°And smart! Let¡¯s do it, chief!¡± ¡°So you¡¯re for it?¡± Larry said snidely, returning to his seat. ¡°Can we really call this a romantic endeavor?¡± Jenny wondered, crossing her arms. ¡°Breaking up an arranged marriage¡­ It¡¯ll be hard to pull off.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Natalia said with a nod. ¡°If they could¡¯ve broken up on their own, they would have already.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Seron looked up, quietly breaking his silence. Larry noticed the change but turned back to the conversation between Jenny and Natalia. ¡°You think maybe one of them is lying, chief?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely a possibility,¡± said Jenny. ¡°Oh! That might be it!¡± Larry nodded. ¡°You gotta learn to be more suspicious, Larry,¡± Natalia quipped. ¡°Right, right. You might be nicer than you look sometimes, Lia.¡± ¡°Flattery won¡¯t get you any rusks.¡± ¡°That was suspicion, not flattery.¡± ¡°That was suspicion, not flattery.¡± Jenny cut in. ¡°We have three possibilities,¡± she said, writing on a notepad. The first possibility: Kenneth was lying to the club (in other words, Bridget was a faithful fianc¨¦e and a victim of his verbal abuse). Kenneth wanted to use her as a scapegoat to get out of the engagement. The second possibility: Bridget was lying to the club (in other words, Kenneth was a kindhearted fianc¨¦ tormented by her infidelity). Bridget wanted to use him as a scapegoat to get out of the engagement. The third possibility: Both were telling the truth (in other words, Bridget was cheating on Kenneth and Kenneth was verbally abusing Bridget). Both wanted to hide their own faults and use the other as a scapegoat to get out of the engagement. ¡°That¡¯s nice and easy to understand. Thanks, chief.¡± ¡°So it must be one of these three possibilities. I would bet on the third option.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Everyone nodded, but Seron alone remained still. ¡°Nat, could I have a rusk?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ve got a sudden craving for sweets.¡± ¡°Your brain¡¯s revving up, eh?¡± Seron munched on a rusk, sending sugar to his stomach and his brain. Larry began to think. ¡°SC Kenneth didn¡¯t seem like he was lying yesterday, though.¡± ¡°But did SC Bridget look like she was?¡± Natalia shot back. ¡°No. She didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Guess we can¡¯t just take either of ¡®em at face value. And neither of ¡®em said they were innocent. We might figure something out when we investigate. We¡¯ll know who¡¯s lying, or if they both are.¡± ¡°That does present us with a problem,¡± Nick remarked, ¡°if we wish to carry out SC Kenneth¡¯s request, we will have to get near SC Bridget. But she knows our faces.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Natalia nodded, but she looked up. ¡°Actually, no. You¡¯re doing this on purpose, Nick. SC Bridget hasn¡¯t seen Megmica yet.¡± ¡°Ah, it slipped my mind.¡± ¡°I see right through you, Nick.¡± Jenny nodded. ¡°So we¡¯ll have to get Meg to take the snapshots. I can support her with a telephoto lens from afar.¡± ¡°That does seem to be a reasonable plan. Megmica was very enthusiastic about SC Kenneth¡¯s request. And though it pains me to have to suggest this, I propose that we keep the fact of SC Bridget¡¯s request from Megmica.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­at least, until we figure out what¡¯s going on,¡± Jenny said with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m the one who brought this up, so if Megmica gets angry later, just tell her I put you all under a gag order. Got it?¡± ¡°Aww chief, are you playing the bad guy again?¡± Natalia teased, elbowing Jenny, but Jenny ignored her. And she turned to the member of the club most suited to silence. ¡°What¡¯s your take on this, Seron?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Seron?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, er¡­it¡¯s really good.¡± ¡°Not the rusk,¡± said Natalia, ¡°only an animal has nothing but food on their mind all the time, Seron.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°That was supposed to be a joke, buddy,¡± said Larry. Seron looked around at the others with his blank grey eyes. ¡°I went through the possibilities in my head, but I just can¡¯t figure out why they¡¯re lying to us. So I agree we should carry out both requests.¡± ¡°Oh? So your basic assumption is that both are lying? I¡¯m surprised, Seron,¡± Nick said, a little snidely but still smiling. ¡°Yeah. Wouldn¡¯t be surprising from Nick, though,¡± Natalia agreed. ¡°There¡¯s all kinds of people out there,¡± Seron replied simply. Jenny nodded and wrapped up. ¡°Then we¡¯ll prep for SC Bridget¡¯s request while carrying out SC Kenneth¡¯s request with Megmica at the head. But bringing a recording device from home won¡¯t be as easy as getting some binoculars. I have to give a good excuse for using it, and I need a car and someone to carry it into the office. I can leave it to Kurtz and Litner, but¡ª¡± ¡°I can help with the heavy lifting.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask for help if we need any. Any questions?¡± * * * Volume 7 6 — The Photograph Volume 7 Chapter 6: The Photograph ----- The 13th day of the second month. It was after school on the day after Bridget¡¯s request. ¡°It is unbelievable! That person!¡± Meg fumed on the sofa. Gathered around were, as usual, Natalia, Larry, Nick, and Jenny. Everyone except for Seron. Whether he had luckily¡ªor unluckily¡ªbeen kept busy or had run away was up for debate, but either way he would not come to the office that day. Once again it was a bright and clear outside. The sun reflected off the melting snow was as blinding as ever. ¡°I cannot believe it! That senior-classman is a very unfaithful person! I saw today, in person! I saw it with my own eyes!¡± Meg seethed, face red with rage. ¡°It was around the end of the lunch period. Referring to the timetable that SC Kenneth taught, I hid like a detective at the hallway that SC Bridget passes. Then the person I saw on the photo appeared. She was with a different male student, not SC Kenneth. They were happily walking, like lovers. And¡ª¡± Her hands trembled. ¡°And before they separated and entered the classrooms, I was shocked because quickly SC Bridget kissed! I cannot believe it! Of course there were not many but some students, including me, in the hall. So other people will have seen! Of course many people kiss in school here. But SC Bridget has a different fianc¨¦!¡± Then she fell back into her seat like a toy drained of batteries. ¡°It is very very sad that I was not fast, so I could not take photos. If I had taken photos, I could ease SC Kenneth¡¯s wound¡­¡± The others waited for a moment before offering their opinions. Natalia, holding a biscuit, was first. ¡°That was easy. So SC Bridget was exactly who SC Kenneth said she was.¡± ¡°We may not have photographs,¡± said Nick, ¡°but Megmica¡¯s testimony is trustworthy and valuable information.¡± Larry was next. ¡°But that¡¯s not gonna be enough to convince their parents. It¡¯s not gonna be a walk in the park.¡± ¡°So possibility 1 is out,¡± Jenny said. She took out her notepad. ¡°I looked into SC Bridget too. Lemme go over everything.¡± All eyes were on Jenny. ¡°This is from a reliable informant, and well, it¡¯s basically the exact thing Megmica just said.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s nothing but bad rumors about her, chief?¡± ¡°Pretty much. SC Bridget is popular with the boys thanks to her looks, but it¡¯s almost scary how much the girls dislike her. Not a single girl had anything good to say about her. I quote, ¡®acts like a princess just because she¡¯s rich and pretty¡¯, ¡®flirts with anything male¡¯, ¡®brags about her handsome fianc¨¦¡¯, ¡®recently saw her picking up younger guys¡¯, et cetera. I also spoke to people from the sewing club,¡± Jenny continued, turning the page, ¡°and it looks like she¡¯s not really devoted to the club. She¡¯s the only sixth-year, but she¡¯s only the vice-president. This is all just testimony, of course, so we have to take it with a grain of salt.¡± ¡°But if bad rumors¡¯re all we¡¯ve got, a grain of salt isn¡¯t gonna make any of ¡®em better,¡± Natalia pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s one way of looking at it. I have nothing else to report.¡± Nick raised a hand. ¡°I have also heard similar rumors. Some acquaintances tell me that SC Bridget would entice male students into going out on dates with her off-campus. But none of them would last¡ªthe moment the boy decides to get serious, SC Bridget abandons him and ends the relationship.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an exaggeration?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Indeed, these accounts do seem a little unrealistic. But whatever the case we can conclude that SC Bridget is making no attempt to hide her actions.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I cannot forgive a cheater!¡± Meg cried, munching on a biscuit. ¡°Of course if we had not received the request she is a stranger to us, but now that we are here I will investigate very much! Next time I will take photos, I swear it! I will trail after her! Jenny, please give me special training today!¡± ¡°Sure, but¡­¡± Unusually for her, Jenny trailed off. ¡°Yes? What is the matter?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t tomorrow your birthday, Megmica?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°We all talked about it and decided we¡¯d throw you a party at the office tomorrow. But you¡¯re so fired up it feels like you might not be able to enjoy the party.¡± Meg looked around at the others. Natalia, Nick and Larry all clearly had mixed feelings about holding the party now. ¡°Ah! Thank you so much, everyone,¡± Meg said with a smile, but she went on to declare, ¡°I will receive your feelings gratefully! But from tomorrow I wish to pour my power into answering this request!¡± * * * The next day. The 14th day of the second month. The climate in the Capital District was back to normal. Much of the snow had been cleared from the grounds, allowing students to move about more freely. Makeup classes were almost done as well, bringing a sense of normalcy back to the 4th Capital Secondary School. It was lunchtime. ¡°Hey man, I got lunch!¡± Larry called, opening the door to Seron¡¯s dorm room. He was carrying his school bag and three paper bags containing their lunches. ¡°Thanks, Larry. Have a seat.¡± Seron went into the hall, looked around, then flipped over the sign on his door from ¡®RA AVAILABLE¡¯ to ¡®ON BREAK¡¯. Seron¡¯s new room was about 50 percent larger than the average room. It was furnished with the same things as the others, with the addition of a small table with four chairs around it. Larry and Seron sat opposite one another at the table. Larry tore open the three paper bags vertically. ¡°We¡¯ve got a ham-and-lettuce bagel sandwich, the usual roast beef sandwich, and¡ªthis is one of yours¡ªa burger with cheese and tomato slices. Which one d¡¯you want?¡± ¡°The burger.¡± ¡°Here you go, a taste of home. And here¡¯s your orange juice.¡± Three servings of food and two beverages were laid out on the table. Two servings of the food were for Larry, who was a big eater. They each prayed briefly before starting on their meals. Seron ate as he first listened to Larry¡¯s report. ¡°¡ªand that¡¯s about it for what happened yesterday. SC Bridget is definitely cheating on SC Kenneth, and Megmica is furious. Says she¡¯s gonna tail SC Bridget properly after school today to get that picture. Obviously, we didn¡¯t tell Megmica about the allegations about SC Kenneth.¡± ¡°I see. Thanks, Larry. You¡¯re a big help.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re inviting me all the way here for reports, I assume you¡¯ve got an idea about all this.¡± ¡°I suppose. I don¡¯t know whether to call it an answer or a theory, so I can¡¯t say for sure. But¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you¡¯re not comfortable with it. You¡¯ve always got a good reason for keeping secrets. I trust you, buddy.¡± ¡°Thanks, Larry. I want to get more evidence before I say anything.¡± Larry quickly finished off his bagel before picking up the roast beef sandwich. He finished it also in the blink of an eye and turned to Seron. ¡°Have you properly talked to Megmica at all since then?¡± Seron continued to chew slowly on his food. He swallowed and replied as blankly as ever. ¡°No, not yet.¡± So sudden was the answer that Larry could not help but worry. ¡°Today¡¯s her birthday, you know?¡± ¡°Yeah. We all shared our birthdays before, I remember.¡± ¡°¡­Did you get her a present, by any chance?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°¡­You know, I¡¯m not saying you should go up to her and ask her out, but maybe you should try and co-operate. Help her out, you know? And maybe she¡¯ll change her mind¡ª¡± Larry paused. Then his eyes widened. ¡°I get it now! I¡¯m such an idiot! You were gonna do that from the start, weren¡¯t you?¡± Seron nodded slightly, saying nothing. Larry breathed a loud sigh of relief. ¡°Now this is getting interesting. Don¡¯t worry about messing this up, Seron. Her opinion of you couldn¡¯t possibly get worse at this point!¡± A strange expression came over Seron. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± said Larry, ¡°the worst is over. Now it¡¯s time to wash away that disgrace and recover your honor! Solve this problem in one go and show her what you¡¯re made of!¡± ¡°¡­All right. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Atta boy, Seron!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you something, Larry. Don¡¯t let anyone else know.¡± ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± ¡°Today after school, I¡¯m going to¡ª¡± Once Seron had finished speaking¡ª ¡°WHAAAAAAT?!¡± Larry¡¯s jaw hit the floor. * * * After school. The locker area on the first floor of the main building was bustling with students. The lockers of every student in the school were lined up there like headstones at a cemetery. Students came and went in a hurry. Because students had to go to different classrooms for each class, they had to drop off and pick up textbooks at their lockers regularly. Lockers also housed gym uniforms, things for club activities, and coats during the winter. At that moment, a beautiful girl with golden hair was opening locker number 6333. And a short distance away¡ª ¡°She is there.¡± ¡°There she is.¡± Meg and Jenny were watching carefully. Both were wearing leather bags containing rangefinder cameras over their left shoulders. The cameras were loaded with the most sensitive film they could get their hands on and wide-angle lenses with the greatest depth of field. That was not all. Meg and Jenny were wearing not their usual leather shoes, but white canvas sneakers with rubber soles. ¡°What d¡¯you think she¡¯ll do now?¡± Jenny asked, staring at Bridget. ¡°She may go to the sewing club, I think.¡± ¡°Dunno about that. Apparently she doesn¡¯t attend meetings all that much.¡± Jenny and Megmica pretended to be lost in conversation, but their gazes were locked on their target. Bridget was getting her textbooks at her locker. But suddenly her hand froze as though she had noticed something. ¡°I wonder what is for snacks today.¡± ¡°I have no idea, but I¡¯m happy as long as it¡¯s good.¡± They made a point of carrying on an irrelevant conversation and discreetly cast glances to the side. Bridget seemed to have not noticed them, as she resumed putting her textbooks into her bag. During that timeframe, most students headed either to the gates or the club building where most school club offices were housed. This generally split the crowds into two streams. But Bridget did not follow either. ¡°I think she is going.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Bridget put her bag in her locker, closed it, and walked in a different direction from the other students. As she was empty-handed she did not seem to be heading home yet. She was headed further into the main building, which was full of classrooms. ¡°Mission start. Let us follow her.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯ll keep my distance.¡± Meg began to tail Bridget. Jenny followed several seconds behind Meg, as her face was known. As Meg watched, Bridget strode down the long hallway and crossed the covered walkway to the new building. She did not show a hint of suspicion. Meg quietly followed. Her nervousness and anger gave her the face of a soldier headed for the front lines. ¡°Whoa,¡± a first-year passing by Meg in the hall staggered away, frightened by her expression. ¡°Whoa,¡± a first-year passing by Meg in the hall staggered away, frightened by her expression. Jenny found herself silently taking out her camera at the sight, but she held herself back and put it right back. Bridget entered the new building. Almost no students were left as the building only housed classrooms. Bridget strode down the hall, her heels clicking elegantly. Meg kept a safe distance and concealed her footsteps as she followed after Bridget. Because the new building was nearly deserted, Meg would be easily spotted if Bridget were to turn. So she stopped following right after her¡ªinstead, she would wait until Bridget turned a corner or went into a stairwell. ¡°It is my secret weapon¡­¡± Each time, Meg would take out an extendable pole with a small mirror attached to the end. She would crouch down and hold out the mirror near the ground to check where her target was headed. When the stairs turned, Meg listened carefully for the sound of Bridget¡¯s footsteps so as to not lose her. Jenny watched it all from behind. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into her?¡± She wondered, taking a photo of Meg. The reflection on Meg¡¯s mirror showed Bridget enter a classroom on the fifth floor of the new building. The building was empty enough as it was, but Bridget specifically chose to go to the top floor, where the halls were completely deserted. About 20 meters from the classroom entrance was the girls¡¯ bathroom. Meg crept from the stairwell and slowly opened the bathroom door, slipping inside. Then she turned and gestured for Jenny to join her. Naturally, there was no one in the bathroom. Even the lights were off. ¡°So far so good. You¡¯re pretty good at tailing people, Megmica,¡± said Jenny. Meg turned, excited. ¡°Heh heh. Thank you, Jenny. Even when I played ¡®police and thieves¡¯ when I was young, it was my talent to hide secretly. This mirror is great. It would have been very convenient with this back then! I would have been the hero of my friends!¡± ¡°Shush. ¡ªYou think she¡¯s meeting someone in that classroom?¡± ¡°It is not meeting¡ªit is cheating!¡± Meg corrected Jenny indignantly. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. She¡¯s pretty smart, using the new building and not the main one,¡± Jenny remarked. ¡°Yes.¡± Meg nodded. Unlike in the other buildings, the classrooms in the new building did not have windows that opened into the hallways. This was because classrooms in the new building included overhead projectors, which necessitated complete darkness in the rooms. The windows opening outside were equipped with light-blocking curtains. The walls were quite thin so that the layout could be changed easily. Teachers would often tell off students who were chatting in the hallways. In other words, the new classroom was deserted, hidden from view, and perfect for listening out for intruders. It was the ideal location for a romantic tryst. ¡°The guy might already be inside.¡± ¡°I will secretly pass by in front once. I will know if I can hear two voices.¡± It was a sound plan. Jenny nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve got no other choice. What¡¯re you gonna do if the guy¡¯s in there?¡± ¡°I will listen and check the situation, then secretly open the door to scout. Then I will take the photo and run away! The door is a sliding type of door, so they will not notice if I open it slowly. Then you must run too, Jenny! I wish you luck.¡± ¡°Calm down, we don¡¯t need to go that far yet. We can always take photos from behind once they leave the classroom.¡± ¡°Then it will not be proof that they kissed.¡± ¡°Being caught alone in a time and place like this is proof enough. We can take kissing photos later, when we catch them unprepared.¡± ¡°That is true, but¡­¡± ¡°Just go and scout out the place for now. If one of them happens to look outside and meet your gaze, just say hi really quickly and keep walking like nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°I understand! Strauski, onward!¡± Showing her palm face-up in a Western salute, Meg cautiously slid open the bathroom door. She looked to her left and right before creeping outside. ¡°All right¡­¡± Jenny peered out and watched through the mirror. Meg walked all the way to the middle of the hallway, but once she was by the classroom she clung to the wall. And with all the speed of a lazy bull or a tortoise, she slid all the way across to the back door of the classroom. Once she was past the classroom, Meg turned around and walked normally¡ªbut quietly¡ªall the way back to the bathroom where Jenny waited. ¡°Phew¡­I was worried,¡± Meg sighed, her breaths ragged. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°I heard no sound. I do not think there is anyone else in the classroom.¡± ¡°I see. Then her guy¡¯s bound to show up any minute now. Good thing you didn¡¯t run into him.¡± ¡°Then let us watch from here! Because he is a boy he will not come in here.¡± ¡°What if SC Bridget decides to use the ladies¡¯ room?¡± ¡°Then it is difficult! But¡ª¡± ¡°Shh!¡± Jenny put a hand over Meg¡¯s mouth. The sound of leather shoes against the stairs began to resound from the stairwell. Someone was coming upstairs. ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Jenny concluded, and crept towards the bathroom door again with Meg. They both squatted there and waited. Without a word, Jenny pointed at the classroom and at her mirror. She meant that she would use the mirror once the boy had passed the bathroom. Meg nodded again and again. The footsteps grew louder and louder, arriving at their hallway. The sounds changed from shoes-on-stairs to shoes-on-floor. As Meg and Jenny held their breaths the footsteps came upon them. From the gait they likely belonged to a boy. When the footsteps were loudest¡ªin other words, when the owner of the footsteps passed by the bathroom door, Meg let herself breathe for a split second before pushing her hands against her mouth. The footsteps did not stop. They slowly grew distant. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Meg released the breath she was holding. Jenny slightly opened the door and maneuvered the mirror out the gap. Jenny slightly opened the door and maneuvered the mirror out the gap. At the same time, the footsteps stopped and the classroom door quietly opened and closed. ¡°He just went inside,¡± said Jenny, ¡°although all I saw were his feet.¡± ¡°That means the cheater boy went into that classroom?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will go take photos!¡± ¡°¡­I guess this counts as an opportunity,¡± Jenny said, and gave Meg her orders. Because there was one door at each end of the classroom, Meg and Jenny would each watch one door. They would slowly open the sliding doors and get a grasp of the situation with their mirrors first. If possible, they would take photos of Bridget¡¯s infidelity through the gap in the doorway¡ªbut they would not overextend themselves. ¡°I understand¡­ I, Strauski Megmica, will do her best as a member of the newspaper club.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Megmica. I¡¯ll take care of the main photos. Let¡¯s go.¡± Slowly, they crept out of the bathroom. And quietly, cautiously, they walked towards the classroom. Meg took up her position by the door at the front of the classroom, and Jenny crouched down at the back door. It was close enough to hear the conversation taking place inside. ¡°¡ªstill as cute as before.¡± A female voice. It belonged to Bridget. The boy was listening silently, it seemed. ¡°Why¡¯s he not saying anything?¡± Jenny wondered. Meg gave her a look. Jenny nodded. Slowly, they reached for the door handles and pushed the cushioned edges in minuscule increments. The doors slid open silently. The gaps Meg and Jenny wanted were created with ease. At the same time, the boy finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve been approaching multiple boys on campus, SC Bridget.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The voice was familiar to Meg and Jenny, who were about to stick their mirrors through the doorways. ¡°Oh, is that what you wanted to talk about? All right. I admit it. I like cute boys. It¡¯s only natural to go after things you like.¡± Jenny and Meg looked at their mirrors. The curtains in the room were half-open. And sitting face-to-face in the middle of that classroom were two people. One was, of course, Bridget. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± And the other was Seron Maxwell. * * * <¡­> * * * ¡°What is this!¡± Meg cried, slamming the door open and allowing her trained soprano to fill the room. ¡°Eek!¡± Bridget flinched with a girlish scream. ¡°Whoa!¡± Seron, meanwhile, tried to get out of his seat but tripped over a desk and fell. It took a moment for the noises to die down. ¡°You nearly gave me a heart attack. Who are you?¡± Bridget said nonchalantly to Meg, who stood at the door. ¡°Hello,¡± Jenny said, opening the other door and stepping inside before Meg could say a word, ¡°this is Strauski Megmica. She¡¯s also a member of the newspaper club.¡± ¡°Hello there, president Jones.¡± ¡°Good afternoon.¡± ¡°Good afternoon.¡± ¡°I was just having a nice chat with Seron here¡ª¡± Bridget began, but Meg cut her off. ¡°Cheating is bad! You have a fianc¨¦! So you must not do this!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have the evidence! The immovable evidence! I am certain!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± At that moment, Meg realized that she had let slip Kenneth¡¯s request. She deflated instantly. ¡°Oh¡­er¡­¡± ¡°What a funny girl you are. I think you have the wrong idea,¡± Bridget said with a confident smile. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Even Seron joined Bridget, getting off the floor. Meg fell into complete silence. It had been less than a minute since her outburst. ¡°Sorry for the commotion,¡± Jenny said, moving next to Meg, ¡°what were you and Seron talking about?¡± Bridget pushed back her golden hair. For a second her red earring glinted. ¡°All we¡¯ve done so far was exchange pleasantries. You know, talking about how cute Seron is and how I¡¯d just love to eat him up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a funny way of saying hi.¡± ¡°Call it the mature way.¡± ¡°I see. It might be a little too mature for a fourth-year, though.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Seron is a fourth-year.¡± ¡°Oh? I think he¡¯s studying hard enough for university.¡± The conversation began with an exchange of fire. Then¡ª ¡°So what brings you here?¡± Asked Bridget. ¡°Seron¡¯s letter said we would be meeting alone. It was a little exciting, imagining the two of us alone here in this empty classroom.¡± Meg puffed up her cheeks. ¡°I think we¡¯ve just had a communication issue with Seron here,¡± Jenny replied. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And just to let you know, I think the recording device will be ready earlier than I expected. It¡¯ll be good to go after school on the 16th.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. Then we¡¯ll strike while the iron is hot and go ahead with the plan as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Meg was lost, alone out of the loop about Bridget¡¯s request. ¡°Sorry, Meg,¡± said Jenny, ¡°I¡¯ll explain later, so do you mind saving your questions for then?¡± ¡°Oh. Yes¡­I understand,¡± Meg replied, shoulders sagging. Bridget smiled. ¡°If you¡¯re finished, could you leave us alone now? I have so much to talk to Seron about. And so much I¡¯d like to teach him.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Meg made to speak, but she was cut off. ¡°Don¡¯t make such a scary face, little girl. I¡¯m not going to eat him.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°You remind me of an angry puppy.¡± That was when Seron intervened. ¡°Jenny. Megmica.¡± The girls turned. ¡°I have something to discuss with SC Bridget. I can make it to the office tomorrow, so I¡¯ll explain everything then.¡± It almost sounded like he was shooing them away. ¡°Jenny! Let us go!¡± Meg spat, and turned. But when she spotted Bridget slide uncomfortably close to Seron, she stopped. ¡°Huh?¡± Jenny¡¯s gaze followed Meg¡¯s. ¡°Oh.¡± And she quickly took out her camera. Bridget went up to Seron, who stood still in the middle of the room, and planted a kiss on his mouth. All Jenny and Meg could see was Bridget¡¯s back and her head of blond hair, which blocked Seron¡¯s face completely. Click. Jenny¡¯s camera captured the moment. She quickly put the camera back in her bag. Two seconds later, Bridget pulled back. Seron stood in a blank daze. ¡°Wh-wh-wh-wh¡ª¡± And Meg stammered, her jaw agape. ¡°Oh? Were you two still here?¡± Bridget asked sarcastically. She put on a smile. ¡°Please excuse me!¡± Meg cried loud enough to rattle the windows, and took off as though about to break down the classroom doors on the way. ¡°Excuse us,¡± Jenny said, also in shock. She slowly closed the door. Meg and Jenny were gone. ¡°What are you really after, SC Bridget?¡± Seron asked the beauty before him. ¡°What do you mean? I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about,¡± she replied nonchalantly. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re finally alone now. Why don¡¯t we try something a little more romantic?¡± Seron¡¯s reply was calm. ¡°No thank you.¡± Volume 7 7 — Kenneth Volume 7 Chapter 7: Kenneth ----- The 15th day of the second month. It was lunchtime at the cafeteria. The weather was clear . ¡°We have the photo we need, but I¡¯m kinda iffy on using one with Seron on it. ¡± ¡°It is no matter! Just give it to SC Kenneth!¡± ¡°Calm down, Megmica. ¡± ¡°Indeed. You have some sauce on your face. ¡± Everyone but Seron was sitting at the same table . The table was at a corner of the cafeteria. Because it was so far from the counter and close to the walls, it was poorly heated. That kept other students away from the vicinity . A single black-and-white photograph lay in the middle of the table, surrounded by empty plates on platters . The photo was 25 centimeters by 30 centimeters in size. It depicted Seron and Bridget standing in a classroom . Though Bridget¡¯s golden hair covered their faces, from the way they stood it was clear that they were kissing. Seron¡¯s face was almost completely concealed. Only someone who knew him in person would recognize him from the photo . But the newspaper club, naturally, could tell who he was. Nick and Natalia were shocked when they arrived at the table (having been told by Jenny over the telephone the previous night to meet up at lunch) . ¡°It is unforgivable!¡± But their shock was overshadowed by Meg¡¯s continued outrage, giving way to calm . ¡°Well, in a way this might be a good thing,¡± Natalia said, having finished two servings of food, ¡°we got our job done quick. The guy being Seron might make it look like we goaded SC Bridget into this, but what SC Kenneth doesn¡¯t know can¡¯t hurt him. ¡± ¡°Indeed. I suppose we have completed SC Kenneth¡¯s request, then,¡± Nick said nonchalantly, ¡°that was easier than I had expected. ¡± Larry was silent the whole time . ¡°It is unbelievable! SC Bridget, who is doing this even though she has a fianc¨¦! And Seron, who is kissing happily without running away!¡± Meg cried, holding the edge of the table in a vise-like grip . ¡°Oh?¡± Natalia raised a playful eyebrow. ¡°Getting angry at SC Bridget I can agree with, but why¡¯re you so angry at Seron?¡± ¡°Pardon? What is it?¡± ¡°Even if Seron has a crush on you, you¡¯ve never really talked with him about it. So Seron¡¯s free to think you turned him down, and he¡¯s allowed to kiss or date or marry whoever he wants. Right?¡± Megmica could not retort. Instead, she picked up her platter. ¡°I have my next class now. Excuse me first!¡± ¡°Come to the office after class, okay?¡± Said Jenny, ¡°we¡¯re gonna have a strategy meeting for tomorrow. ¡± ¡°I understand¡­ Please excuse me. ¡± Larry hesitated for a second, but he decided to speak . ¡°Seron¡¯s coming too. ¡± ¡°I understand. But I am not angry. Please excuse me. ¡± The others watched as Meg walked away with puffy cheeks . ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Larry sighed . ¡°Your lunch not going down, Larry?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s always got food on her mind, Lia. ¡± ¡°So what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s meeting¡¯s gonna be tense. ¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what¡¯s bothering you? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re probably right,¡± Natalia said nonchalantly . ¡°Finally, a true confrontation,¡± Nick said with a smiled and a nod, ¡°I¡¯m looking froward to¡ªer, I mean, I am quite worried. ¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to bother acting nice, Nick,¡± Larry sighed. ¡°Is this really gonna work out for the best, Seron?¡± He wondered quietly . * * * ¡°How many more times do you intend to skip practice, Natalia?¡± Immediately after school, Natalia had been caught at her locker by Lena Portman, who was now a sixth-year and still the president of the orchestra club . ¡°I will drag you to the music room on a leash if I have to. It¡¯s such a relief that you¡¯re not a woodwind or a brass. ¡± ¡°Sorry, SC Portman, but I don¡¯t think I can make it today. ¡± ¡°And why is that? Just try and convince me if you can. ¡± ¡°Sure. Thing is¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The newspaper club¡¯s holding an important meeting today to determine Megmica¡¯s fate. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I have to be there to calm her down. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Otherwise she¡¯ll lose her mind. Might grow to ten times her size and go on a bloody rampage. She¡¯ll destroy the campus, the Capital District¡ªI¡¯m sure the Confederation Army¡¯ll bring in their tank brigade to take her down in the end, but no one wants that. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Which is why I¡¯ll be ditching today. ¡± * * * The members gathered one by one at the office . As usual, Larry was the first to arrive. It was essentially a given as his last class of the day was closest to the office . ¡°Good afternoon. ¡± ¡°Hey Larry. ¡± Nick and Jenny were next . ¡°Hi guys!¡± Natalia was next. As usual, she had brought snacks¡ªa box of large donuts and her so-called ¡®purifying chocolates¡¯ . And as usual, Larry got to work brewing tea . ¡°I am here¡­ Good afternoon, everyone,¡± Meg said, stepping inside with a complicated look . Several minutes later . ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. ¡± Seron entered the office. It had been a long time since the six members were gathered together . Seron sat on the sofa, but Meg¡ªsitting across from him¡ªmade a point of looking away . ¡°There, there, have a donut. Or some chocolate. ¡± Natalia tried to push a piece of chocolate into Meg¡¯s mouth, but Meg leaned away in a show of refusal, allowing the chocolate to go to Natalia instead . ¡°All right,¡± Jenny began, ¡°now that we finally have everyone together, let¡¯s get down to business. Ready?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°No objections here. ¡± Amidst the enthusiastic responses, however, Seron and Meg remained silent. Like Roxche and Sou Be-Il locked in a cold war over the Lutoni again, they sat quietly across the table. Jenny looked at them both . ¡°Today, we¡¯ll be discussing the two requests that SC Kenneth and SC Bridget have given us. I explained the request from SC Bridget to Megmica yesterday, too. ¡± ¡°Yes, I listened to the explanation,¡± Meg said cooly, ¡°it was a very big surprise, but I understand the reason it was secret from me. ¡± Then¡ª ¡°But that does not mean I can forgive SC Bridget¡¯s cheating! This and that are very different problems!¡± ¡°Indeed. We have yet to confirm the allegations of SC Kenneth¡¯s verbal abuse,¡± Nick said with a nod . Natalia stopped mid-donut. ¡°We¡¯ll get our answer tomorrow if we¡¯re lucky. Something about SC Bridget tells me this won¡¯t be too hard for us,¡± she said, reaching for more chocolate. Seron stared . ¡°Want some?¡± ¡°No thank you. ¡± Jenny continued the conversation ¡°I asked Mr. Kurtz and it looks like we¡¯ll have the recorder at the office by tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll set up the cables at lunchtime. It won¡¯t be as hard as before. ¡± Everyone nodded . Thanks to the recent bout of warmer weather, the snow on the grounds had melted to the point where people could cross without difficulty. It would be much easier to set up the cables than it was with Stella¡¯s case, when the club had to bury the cables all the way to the tree . ¡°So we¡¯re going ahead with the plan. After school tomorrow, we¡¯ll have SC Bridget call out SC Kenneth. Then we record their conversation and see if he really is abusing her. If her accusations turn out to be true, then we have our evidence. ¡± The others nodded again . Meg seemed very displeased, but she said nothing . ¡°We have two possibilities,¡± Jenny said, holding up a finger. ¡°First, SC Kenneth is a gentleman who is not abusing SC Bridget. In other words, SC Bridget is lying. In that case¡ª¡± ¡°It is unforgivable!¡± ¡°Easy there, Megmica. Keep going, chief. ¡± ¡°Right. In that case, it¡¯s simple. Hand this photo to SC Kenneth and explain everything we found out. SC Kenneth can break off the engagement and live his own life. As for SC Bridget, well, she¡¯ll have to own up to what she¡¯s done but she¡¯ll be free too, so it¡¯s not all bad. This possibility will solve everything. ¡± Everyone but Seron nodded. Meg gave an especially pronounced nod . ¡°The problem is the second possibility,¡± Jenny said, holding up another finger, ¡°if SC Kenneth heaps verbal abuse on SC Bridget when they¡¯re alone, just like she said. In other words, they¡¯re both tormenting each other. We¡¯re gonna have to take one side or the other. ¡± ¡°Of course it is SC Kenneth! She is cheating like so, so he can be angry to her!¡± Meg argued, but Nick had a rebuttal . ¡°But Megmica, we still have no idea about the extent of his verbal abuse. For all we know, tomorrow we may hear profanities and insults that make us cringe. What would you do then?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Meg quieted down, and fell into thought. ¡°I do not know¡­¡± ¡°Or maybe we should just expose it all to both families,¡± Jenny suggested. No one responded . After a time, Natalia finally broke the silence . ¡°Well, no need to rush into anything. Have some donuts. ¡± Seron reached for the tin of chocolate instead. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Sure, sure. ¡± Once he had permission, he picked up a piece of chocolate and popped it into his mouth . Just as Seron finished the piece, Larry spoke . ¡°What¡¯s your take on this?¡± All eyes fell on Seron . ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Seron confessed . Larry raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯d you mean?¡± Asked Natalia . ¡°You¡¯re sounding real funny, Seron,¡± said Jenny . Nick simply smiled . ¡°What do you mean, Seron?!¡± Meg cried. ¡°This is a newspaper club activity. You must tell your opinions!¡± Seron remained silent even in the midst of Meg¡¯s angry arguments . ¡°We are all working hard to solve this problem. So you must say clearly what your thoughts are too, Seron!¡± Seron replied, ¡°This time, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t agree with that. ¡± Again, he was being honest almost to the point of foolishness . ¡°That is not right!¡± Meg exclaimed . Next to Seron, Larry scratched his head. There was a look of defeat on his face . Meg and Seron¡¯s stubborn argument continued for some time . ¡°You are disgraceful, Seron! You are very smart, yes, but you can tell us what you are thinking, no?¡± ¡°Not this time, I can¡¯t. ¡± ¡°What is the reason?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say that, either. ¡± ¡°Then when can you say it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t have enough information. ¡± ¡°On whose side do you wish to stand, Seron? SC Bridget? Or SC Kenneth?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say yet. ¡± ¡°But from your kiss yesterday, are you not leaned to SC Bridget?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. ¡± ¡°I cannot believe! And about what did you speak with her yesterday?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say yet. ¡± ¡°You are leaned to SC Bridget, then! Because you kissed?¡± Meg was beginning to take her frustrations in the wrong direction. Natalia cast Jenny a look just as she was putting a piece of chocolate into her mouth . ¡°I wish to break this engagement for SC Kenneth¡¯s happiness!¡± Meg declared. Something was clearly wrong with her argument. ¡°Of course there is the suspicion that SC Kenneth is a verbal abuser, but put this aside, and I am clearly on SC Kenneth¡¯s side. ¡± Seron listened silently . ¡°To say honestly, SC Kenneth¡¯s verbal abuse suspicions will be removed tomorrow, I think! It is a thought and not a conclusion, and it is just a feeling! But SC Kenneth is the innocent!¡± Though Kenneth was not on trial and there was no real evidence yet, Meg was being an excellent defense lawyer. Tears welled in her eyes and her voice came out in half-sobs . ¡°Well, hopefully you¡¯re right. ¡± ¡°We do not yet have concrete evidence. ¡± ¡°Yeah. ¡± Natalia, Nick, and Jenny each threw out a comment. Larry wisely opted to remain silent . ¡°On whose side are you on, Seron? Say it clearly!¡± ¡®On yours,¡¯ Larry thought, but he did not say so. Seron¡¯s expression remained inscrutable . ¡°A person who cannot say it clearly can look like a person with no opinions! It cannot be helped!¡± Only then did he look slightly crestfallen . Larry cast Seron a glance. He could imagine his desperation . But Seron stubbornly kept silent . Several seconds later, ¡°If I had to say¡ª¡± Seron finally spoke, as though against his will, ¡°I¡¯m also probably on SC Kenneth¡¯s side. ¡± ¡°What? Pardon?¡± Meg asked. The others seemed just as surprised as she was. ¡°Please wait, what did you just say?¡± ¡°If I had to say¡ªif I really had to pick one or the other, I¡¯m on SC Kenneth¡¯s side. ¡± Seron repeated himself . Meg could not say anything. Jenny spoke instead . ¡°Wow. So you¡¯ve been thinking that way from the start?¡± ¡°Been cooking up a theory behind our backs? Creepy,¡± Natalia said . ¡°I cannot say I would call it ¡®creepy¡¯, but I do think it is very much like Seron to be this way,¡± Nick remarked . ¡°That¡¯s a relief!¡± Cried Larry. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to say anything conclusive until you had evidence, eh? You¡¯re always so cautious about everything. You wanted to wait till you could be 100% sure. ¡± Seron nodded . ¡°Whoa, Larry¡¯s being useful for once!¡± Natalia cheered, taking a donut in each hand. ¡°Here¡¯s your reward, boys. ¡± Leaning forward, she stuffed one into Larry¡¯s mouth and the other into Seron¡¯s . ¡°Mmph. ¡± ¡°Mm. ¡± ¡°Cheese-flavored with cheese filling. It¡¯s good. Creative. Moved me to tears. Now enjoy it!¡± The boys were forced to chew before they could speak again . ¡°S-Seron is on SC Kenneth¡¯s side? I do not believe it!¡± Meg cried, rising from her seat. ¡°But Seron kissed!¡± Seron seemed to want to say something to that, but he had not finished the donut . ¡°And you kissed twice!¡± Seron paused . The others stared at Meg . Larry, who finished his donut first, asked the question on their minds . ¡°Twice?¡± ¡°Yes! Twice!¡± ¡°Huh? He kissed her once yesterday after school, we know that. But when else?¡± ¡°On the 8th day! At the central stairs! SC Kenneth said to us when he came to request, he saw something sad!¡± ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± ¡°I remember that. ¡± ¡°Indeed. He did mention something to that effect. ¡± Jenny, Natalia, and Nick seemed to remember what Kenneth had mentioned. Larry turned to Seron in shock . ¡°That was you too?!¡± Seron chewed as fast as he possibly could so he could finally swallow the donut and respond . Then, ¡°Everyone!¡± He cried in an unusually loud voice. ¡°SC Kenneth said that? Really?¡± ¡°He did!¡± ¡°Indeed he did. ¡± Meg and Nick replied. The others nodded . ¡°Megmica. Where did you see us from?¡± This time, the question was directed solely at Meg. She was taken aback for a moment at Seron¡¯s sharp gaze, but she quickly recovered . ¡°At the top of the central stairs! I was in the halls at the time, you see. I coincidentally saw your back in the new building and followed to talk with the two of us alone, but¡­I saw you happily kiss SC Bridget at the landing and went home then. ¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Seron¡¯s gaze on Meg grew even sharper. But even when Meg moved away his gaze remained fixed to the spot . ¡°Was there anyone else there?¡± ¡°Pardon? No¡­ I was the only one at the stairs. ¡± Meg¡¯s tone returned to normal, spooked by Seron¡¯s sudden show of emotion . ¡°The landing I met SC Bridget at isn¡¯t visible from downstairs,¡± Seron said . ¡°Yeah. ¡± Larry nodded . ¡°And you¡¯re saying SC Kenneth saw us? From where?¡± ¡°The grounds, I think. You know how the landing¡¯s totally visible, what with the big glass wall. Heck, you can see the entire staircase top to bottom,¡± Natalia pointed out. Everyone else nodded in understanding . And as for Seron¡ª ¡°I see¡­¡± He nodded in even deeper understanding . Then he said nothing . ¡°Oh? That it for your defense, Seron?¡± Natalia quipped, but Seron still did not respond. Jenny took over in his stead . ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m surprised she kissed you twice. I¡¯m sure the first time she got you by surprise too¡ª¡± ¡ªMeg was visibly angry, but she did not interrupt Jenny¡ª ¡°But more importantly, about tomorrow,¡± Jenny changed the subject, holding her notepad. She went over their plans . They would have Bridget call Kenneth to the big oak tree behind the building, which was clearly visible from the office window. The meeting time would be one hour after classes ended . They would have Bridget bring up the topic of the arranged marriage, which was sure to bother Kenneth . The newspaper club would listen to the conversation and record it, and even take photographs in case Kenneth decided to resort to physical violence . After that, it was up to the club to decide what to do with the evidence . ¡°Is everyone clear?¡± Asked Jenny . ¡°Sure. ¡± ¡°Yep. ¡± ¡°Excellent plan. ¡± ¡°I am clear. ¡± Everyone but Seron responded . ¡°And what about you?¡± Jenny asked to the barely-present Seron Maxwell . ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Nat, stuff a donut in his mouth. ¡± ¡°Sure. Which flavor?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. ¡± Larry gently elbowed Seron . ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Sorry to bother you, man, but Jenfie¡¯s asking you a question. ¡± ¡°She is?¡± ¡°Yes. About tomorrow¡¯s plan. We¡¯re setting up microphones and recording the conversation. Sound good?¡± ¡°Oh. Er¡­yeah, sure,¡± Seron finally replied. Jenny sighed . ¡°So what¡¯ll it be?¡± Asked Natalia. ¡°Chocolate or black tea?¡± * * * That evening, at the Strauski residence . Meg and her brothers were eating on their own as their parents were both out . On the table in the large dining room of the luxury apartment was a Roxchean-style meal prepared by the housekeeper . The meal included vegetable salad, apple juice, and chicken-and-macaroni gratin with sliced onions and a heaping helping of cheese . It was Meg¡¯s job to move the gratin into the plate and bake it in the oven . ¡°More cheese, Big Sis! Y¡¯gotta add more!¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Kurt and Johan begged their sister . ¡°Oh, all right. ¡± In response, Meg dumped a veritable mountain of grated cheese onto the dish. As putting it in the oven would inevitably result in a cheese avalanche, she had to move the gratin to a larger dish . ¡°May peace be upon the royal family, the people, and the land of the setting sun,¡± the siblings prayed in Bezelese before digging in . ¡°GRATIN!¡± ¡°GRATIN!¡± The boys were not quite young enough to stuff themselves full of the piping-hot gratin in their excitement¡ªthey made sure to blow on their food before taking a bite . ¡°It¡¯s sooooooo good!¡± ¡°It¡¯s good! I love cheese!¡± The boys cheered as they cooled off their food just enough to not burn themselves, shoving the scrumptiously browned cheese into their mouths . Meg, on the other hand, simply stared at her gratin and the cheese for some time . ¡°Your food¡¯s gonna get cold, Big Sis,¡± Johan pointed out . ¡°Hmph!¡± Meg snorted and stabbed a piece of chicken through the cheese. And she began to eat . She was not even trying to hide her anger at the cheese¡ªor perhaps something else. Kurt noticed . ¡°Are you gonna overeat again and get sick, Big Sis? You stuffed yourself yesterday too,¡± he said in Roxchean . ¡°No,¡± Meg replied in Bezelese. She had gorged on food at her birthday party the previous day . ¡°That¡¯s good. Hope you don¡¯t hafta go back to the digestive medicine again today. That would suck. ¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll eat slowly,¡± Meg replied, slowing down to a normal eating pace . ¡°I guess being in secondary school is rough. It¡¯s good to be young. ¡± ¡°Kurt, you¡¯re only in first year. Don¡¯t act like you know everything. ¡± Brother and sister conversed in different languages over the dinner table. Johan, meanwhile, paid them no attention as he downed his gratin . ¡°I¡¯m a secondary school kid too, Big Sis. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s only going to get harder for you from here on out. Stuff happens in school that¡¯ll make your stomach hurt. ¡± ¡°Really. ¡± ¡°For example,¡± Meg said, putting down her fork, ¡°I have this friend. ¡± ¡°What¡¯s she like?¡± ¡°She says there¡¯s this guy who likes her. ¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to be young. ¡± ¡°But the guy just can¡¯t work up the courage to ask her out. ¡± ¡°That¡¯s stupid of him. If I were him I¡¯d just go up to her and say ¡®I love you¡¯!¡± Kurt mused . ¡°I love you!¡± Johan parroted his brother, still wrangling his gratin . ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what he¡¯s like. But one day someone found out that he likes my friend, and¡ª¡± ¡°I see. Other people got fed up with this guy being all wishy-washy and told the girl for him. Must¡¯ve made them feel better. ¡± ¡°Wh-why do you say that?¡± ¡°Obviously, cause it¡¯s frustrating to watch. Both the guy who can¡¯t confess and the girl who doesn¡¯t notice. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Life is short. You gotta get out there and get the girl or fail in a blaze of glory, basically. ¡± ¡°A ¡®blaze of¡­¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh, it means you gotta try as hard as you can and go down fighting,¡± Kurt replied, mixing in Bezelese to simplify the explanation. Then he shoveled gratin into his mouth . ¡°But it¡¯s too much of a risk to take if failure means dying,¡± Meg pointed out . ¡°Maybe,¡± Kurt replied,¡± but it¡¯s better than just dragging things out forever. And besides, love isn¡¯t like a war. Even if you lose you don¡¯t die or anything. You can just get back on your feet and move on. Waste less time. Am I wrong?¡± Meg had been argued into submission by a 12-year-old. She put lukewarm gratin into her mouth . For some time the meal continued in silence . But Meg spoke once again . ¡°About that girl. ¡± ¡°Huh? That friend you were talking about?¡± ¡°Yeah. Apparently the guy didn¡¯t actually confess properly to her even after he got found out. ¡± ¡°He¡¯s such an idiot. ¡± ¡°Yeah. I thought that was the end of that, but¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°Apparently the girl doesn¡¯t know why, but she keeps feeling frustrated, she gets angry when she looks at him, and keeps acting cold to him. She doesn¡¯t know herself why she feels like that, which is frustrating her even more,¡± Meg said firmly, and very quickly . Kurt stopped mid-salad . ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°What do you¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s totally simple, though. You wanna know why the girl¡¯s so angry?¡± ¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s why she consulted me in the first place!¡± ¡°Then tell her as soon as you see her tomorrow,¡± Kurt said, putting down his fork and reaching for the apple juice. He sounded very bored. ¡°She¡¯s madly in love with the guy. So she¡¯s waiting for him to ask her out, although she doesn¡¯t even realize it. ¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You okay, Big Sis?¡± Meg stood . ¡°I-I have to go to the bathroom. ¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯re eating here!¡± Kurt complained as Meg took off . ¡°We¡¯re eating here,¡± Johan parroted his brother . * * * <¡­> * * * The 16th day of the second month. On the day of the plan, heavy snow once again enveloped the Capital District . Though there was almost no wind, snow piled up endlessly on the roads that had only just begun to dry . It was lunchtime . ¡°I guess he couldn¡¯t possibly see us from here, so there isn¡¯t much to worry about. ¡± ¡°The weather report says the snow¡¯s going to ease up in the afternoon. ¡± ¡°I hope it does. ¡± Larry, Seron, and Jenny were preparing the recording equipment . Snow fell in clumps from the branches of the massive oak tree on the grounds behind the building . ¡°I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s managed to grow this big through so many winters,¡± Larry remarked, hiding a microphone and remembering how he had once climbed the tree. This time, the club was hiding two microphones in snowdrifts and one between the branches . They covered the microphones with white cloth and scattered snow on top to conceal them . ¡°We have to dust off the snow once before we start using them. Could you do that, Larry? It has to be straight after class,¡± said Jenny . ¡°Sure thing,¡± Larry replied with a smile . Their coats covered in snow, Jenny, Seron, and Larry buried the microphone cables in snow all the way back to the office. It was not difficult¡ªall they had to do was step on the length of the cables so that snow would cover them. The snow falling later on would cover the cables completely . The cables led directly to the newspaper club through an open window . Jenny and Larry shook off the snow from their clothes and connected the cables to the recorder . The recording device was a machine the size of a small suitcase with two reels sticking out of it like arms. Jenny¡¯s bodyguards had received permission from the school to bring it onto campus in the morning . The desks against the wall had been cleared completely to make room for the recorder . ¡°Wow. I¡¯d kill for one of these babies,¡± Larry said . ¡°It¡¯s my uncle¡¯s. You break it, you buy it. ¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think my allowance is gonna cover this. ¡± ¡°Then you can pay once you¡¯ve gotten ahead in life. ¡± ¡°Ah, so you think I¡¯m gonna get ahead? Thanks. ¡± ¡°Correction. Work off your debt working for free at one of our factories,¡± Jenny said, and promptly checked the recorder. ¡°All right. Give it a try. ¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Larry turned a flashlight on and off to signal Seron, who was still outside . Though Larry was fluent in Morse code, Seron was not. So they decided on several signs to use ahead of time . Because of the heavy snowfall it was hard to make out Seron in the distance . Seron¡¯s voice was carried all the way through the cables and came out clearly from the speakers . The recording test was a success as well. Larry signaled at Seron for him to return . Once Seron was in the office, Larry brewed tea. Then the three club members had sandwiches from the cafeteria as a late lunch . ¡°Good work, guys,¡± said Jenny, ¡°and Seron Maxwell?¡± Seron caught her glare mid-bite. ¡°Hm?¡± Seron caught her glare mid-bite. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You better spill your guts before the others get here. ¡± ¡°What do you mean, Jenny?¡± ¡°Seron. What are you planning?¡± * * * After school . The weather forecast was proven correct as the snow let up, slowing to a mild flurry . Larry took off the moment class ended to check the microphones. First he dusted off the snow piled on the cloths, then covered them again . He even brought a broom with him, which he used to hide his tracks completely . When Larry returned to the office he found Jenny and Seron checking the recorder again . ¡°I let SC Bridget know about the plan,¡± said Jenny, ¡°and she said that SC Kenneth agreed to meet here today. ¡± ¡°Great!¡± Larry cheered . Seron nodded silently . ¡°So we¡¯re going ahead with the plan as scheduled. I¡¯m leaving photography to you this time, Larry. ¡± ¡°Just leave it to me! It¡¯s an honor to get to use this baby,¡± Larry said, casting a glance at the sturdy tripod by the window and the telephoto lens and single-lens reflex camera mounted on it . The other club members arrived earlier than usual as well . ¡°Today¡¯s the day! Here¡ªnothing like macarons for an eavesdropping session,¡± Natalia said, holding up a shopping bag stuffed with sweets . Then came Nick. ¡°It¡¯s good to see the weather has improved. I hope the mystery will be solved once and for all today,¡± he remarked with his usual smile, hinting that there was a mystery to be solved . ¡°Today the truth will come to the light!¡± Meg declared as she entered, trying very hard to not make eye contact with Seron. ¡°I believe that my intuition is not wrong!¡± Though preparations were complete, there was still another half an hour to go before Bridget and Kenneth were scheduled to arrive . ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± So they had no choice but to follow Natalia¡¯s suggestion. The newspaper club sat around on the sofas and relaxed . ¡°This is taking the wind out of my sails,¡± Larry said, sitting alone by the window and keeping an eye on the oak tree with a pair of sunglasses and binoculars. The oak tree simply stood alone in a world of white . The hands of the clock continued to tick and tock, and the macarons disappeared into mouths at a rapid pace until it was five minutes before the designated time . ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom,¡± Seron said, getting up . ¡°Hurry back or you¡¯ll miss the conversation,¡± said Larry . ¡°It¡¯s all right. We¡¯re recording everything anyway,¡± Seron replied, grabbing his coat from the wall hanger . Then he turned and called the name of the girl he loved, to whom he had not said a single word all day . ¡°Megmica. ¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± Meg replied, looking up . ¡°Do you believe in SC Kenneth?¡± For several seconds Meg looked into Seron¡¯s grey eyes, unable to answer . Seron waited without averting his gaze . Eventually Meg gave her reply . ¡°I do! Because he does not look to be a bad person!¡± ¡°I see. I think so too. ¡± The others thought they saw a hint of a smile on Seron¡¯s lips . The door opened. Then it closed . Once Seron had taken his coat and left¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s get into position. I hate rushing at the last minute,¡± Jenny said, heading to the recorder . ¡°Sure. ¡± The others moved to the window as well. Placing a rug on the floor by the window, they squatted or knelt and wiped the glass and adjusted the lace curtain for a better view . Finally, everyone picked up binoculars from the desk and checked their lenses. Larry checked the oak tree once more through the camera viewfinder . The hands on the clock continued to move until it was one minute to the scheduled time . ¡°You think they¡¯ll get here on time?¡± Natalia wondered, casting glances out the window . ¡°Yeah. ¡± ¡°I am certain they will. ¡± Jenny and Nick replied simultaneously . ¡°Really? Why?¡± Jenny let Nick explain . ¡°Sc Kenneth seems almost serious to a fault. He will arrive exactly on time. As for SC Bridget, however, I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to arrive late. ¡± ¡°Right,¡± Natalia said with a nod, reaching for a macaron on the desk¡ª ¡°There! SC Kenneth, from the left,¡± Larry hissed. Everyone picked up their binoculars . ¡°Mhm?¡± Natalia picked up her macaron anyway and put it in her mouth . Jenny put a hand on the record button, but did not press it . Kenneth appeared in the scene beyond the binoculars, crossing the snowy grounds from the left and approaching the oak tree. There was a hint of anxiety on his handsome face . ¡°SC Bridget¡¯s not here yet,¡± Larry said, shaking his binoculars left and right . The others looked around for her as well, but Kenneth was the only person in sight . When he reached the oak tree, Kenneth checked his watch. The minute hand on the office wall arrived at the designated time at that very moment . ¡°Talk about accurate!¡± Natalia exclaimed . ¡°It is rude, being late after calling out someone oneself,¡± Meg snapped to someone who was not within earshot, puffing up her cheeks . ¡°By the way, it seems Seron is taking quite a while in the bathroom,¡± Nick noted. The others finally remembered Seron¡¯s absence . ¡°Maybe he¡¯s got a stomachache?¡± Larry said, covering for his friend, ¡°we¡¯re practically done anyway, so let him off easy. ¡± Five minutes passed in bored silence . ¡°How much longer?!¡± Natalia complained . The club members waited in the office, and Kenneth waited by the oak tree in the cold . Not once did Kenneth look back down at his watch. He stood upright, his breath rising in puffs, as he quietly waited for Bridget to arrive . ¡°Hey, there she is!¡± Larry cried, discovering their second target. ¡°That¡¯s gotta be SC Bridget. Jenny!¡± ¡°Right. ¡± Jenny began the recording. The reels began to turn with a click . And sound flowed from the speakers . The sound of footsteps crunching into the snow grew at a slow crescendo . Beyond the binoculars Bridget walked towards the tree, wearing an expensive coat and carrying her bag . ¡°She¡¯s here!¡± Natalia mumbled, excited. She was holding a macaron in one hand . ¡°This will be interesting. Let us keep our ears on their conversation,¡± said Nick . Meg glared into her binoculars . The footsteps suddenly came to a stop . In the distance, Bridget stopped about three meters from Kenneth . The first thing to come out of the speakers was a simple greeting . Bridget¡¯s voice carried across clearly. The tape recorded everything . And as Meg, Natalia, Larry, Jenny, and Nick listened, Kenneth¡¯s voice emerged from the speakers for the first time . ----- Volume 7 8 — Bridget Volume 7 Chapter 8: Bridget ----- The moment Kenneth¡¯s words reached the office, several things happened at once. ¡°Mph!¡± Larry cringed as he watched through the viewfinder, pressing the shutter. Then he stuck his hands in his jacket. Nick chuckled to himself, unable to hide his amusement, but no one noticed. ¡°Gah!¡± Natalia spewed chunks of macaron across the floor. Jenny simply grinned. Meg also said nothing, her face locked in a droll expression with her mouth agape. Thankfully no one was looking in her direction. Bridget replied mechanically, neither angry nor surprised. Kenneth and Bridget¡¯s conversation under the oak tree continued. <¡­> <¡­> <¡­> Inside the office. ¡°He¡¯s just as bad as she is!¡± Natalia exclaimed. ¡°Which one do you think we must side with for the greatest merit?¡± Nick wondered amusedly. ¡°It cannot be this¡­ It cannot be¡­¡± Meg shook her head, looking about ready to burst into tears. ¡°C¡¯mon, Mr. Hero. It¡¯s about time for you to show up,¡± Jenny whispered under her breath. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Larry muttered, taking another photo. Kenneth said, turning. But a voice stopped him from very far away. Everyone in the office soon heard the sound of footsteps running across the snow. ¡°Huh?¡± Meg¡¯s teary eyes blinked at the familiar voice. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Natalia and Nick were taken by surprise as well. As they watched, a figure in a coat approached Kenneth and Bridget. ¡°Seron!¡± Bridget and Kenneth were visibly shocked by Seron¡¯s entrance. Seron said, positioning himself near the two students so his voice would be captured on the microphones. ¡°Why is Seron there?!¡± Meg asked out loud. ¡°Ah! Shoulda noticed when he took his coat with him!¡± ¡°He pulled one over us, I see.¡± Natalia and Nick seemed to feel a mix of defeat and triumph. Meg alone remained oblivious. ¡°Wh-what will he do?¡± She wondered, hanging from the windowsill. ¡°I wonder.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s Seron.¡± Jenny and Larry¡¯s reactions were clearly feigned, but the others were too busy focusing on the conversation by the tree to notice. ¡°Pleasantries? Now? What a couple of losers,¡± Natalia commented. said Kenneth in a cold voice, Meg nodded furiously. ¡°Yes! Seron is a side role! Why is he interrupting?!¡± She cried, though Seron could not possibly hear her, ¡°someone please, bring Seron back!¡± ¡°How?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Even if with sleeping mind powers!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have any of those. You, Nick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not hiding anything else up my sleeve.¡± Seron and Kenneth¡¯s conversation continued. That was when Bridget spoke. ¡°No, Seron is interrupting!¡± Meg cried. The conversation continued. Kenneth spat, his attitude towards Bridget unchanging. Larry¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You¡¯re incredible, Seron¡­¡± ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Jenny mumbled, taking note of the timecode on the recorder. ¡°What is happening? Is SC Kenneth a bad person? Is Seron confused out of his mind? What is happening?¡± In spite of her questions, Meg was the most confused person in the room. And as though in response¡ª Seron said, Kenneth threatened, turning. Seron calmly repeated himself. From the silence over the speakers and the gestures beyond the binoculars it was clear that Kenneth¡¯s breath was caught in his throat. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Natalia and Nick¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Oh?¡± Meg regained some semblance of calm in her surprise. <¡­> <¡­> <¡­Where?> Kenneth finally asked. Seron strode over the snow. He was followed by Kenneth, who was followed by Bridget. The three students headed to the building housing the office, their footsteps growing distant over the speakers. ¡°What¡¯s going on here, chief?¡± Natalia asked, turning. Rather than respond, Jenny pressed the stop button and began to rewind the tape. ¡°You don¡¯t seem very surprised by this turn of events, Jenny,¡± Nick said with a smile. ¡°Oh wow, I wasn¡¯t expecting that,¡± Jenny said sarcastically. ¡°Seron¡¯s right, though,¡± Larry said, collapsing and putting away the tripod and the camera, ¡°it¡¯ll be better to talk someplace warm.¡± ¡°You too, Larry! You and Jenny are up to something!¡± Natalia accused. ¡°Sorry,¡± Larry replied. And he turned. ¡°Hm? What? Why? How?¡± Meg was still lost. ¡°Megmica,¡± said Larry, ¡°Seron¡¯s going to bring them over now.¡± ¡°Pardon? Yes. Yes.¡± ¡°So please don¡¯t jump on them even if you get angry. Please.¡± ¡°P-pardon? But¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Seron¡¯s going to answer any questions you might have, Megmica. He¡¯ll solve everything. So please trust Seron and wait until he finishes. Please.¡± Overwhelmed by a mix of expectation, rage, and confusion, Meg remained silent. The door opened. Kenneth and Bridget sat side-by-side on one of the sofas. Bridget placed her bag on the empty seat on her right side. Seron sat across the coffee table from them. ¡°Take a seat,¡± Larry urged Meg. She did as he asked and sat next to Seron. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a sec.¡± Jenny emerged from the darkroom next door and sat in the chair, on the right side from Seron¡¯s perspective. ¡°We¡¯d better sit back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t decide for us, Larry. You¡¯re totally right, though.¡± ¡°Indeed. Allow me to sit at the very back.¡± Larry, Natalia, and Nick also brought chairs over to sit behind Jenny. Larry brewed more tea to serve the guests. Natalia reluctantly volunteered her macarons. Nick, left with nothing to do, quietly swept the floor with a broomstick. When Larry served him tea, Kenneth finally broke his stubborn silence to briefly thank him. Bridget, on the other hand, smiled as elegantly and proudly as ever. ¡°I¡¯m so glad I get to savor this tea again.¡± She did not even try to hide the fact that she had visited the office in the past. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®again¡¯?¡± Kenneth inquired, turning. Bridget hid nothing from him. ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. I¡¯ve been here before. I made a request to the newspaper club.¡± ¡°What request?¡± ¡°I told them that my fianc¨¦ is a piece of trash who is verbally abusing me and that I needed a recording of his abuse to use as leverage in breaking off our engagement. Only the newspaper club is capable of that, with all their experience.¡± Kenneth¡¯s handsome face was frozen stiff. Bridget kept her eyes on him and continued mercilessly and triumphantly. ¡°Surprised? You were just showering me with insults back there by the tree. That¡¯s right. The newspaper club set up microphones around it and made a recording of the whole thing. That was why I called you out today.¡± Kenneth was silent. ¡°Playing dumb now, are we? Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯m sick of this. I¡¯d rather die than marry you, but I¡¯m not interested in suicide. I am going to live my own life.¡± Larry looked at Seron in front of him, and beyond, Meg and her trembling fists. ¡®Thank goodness I warned her not to lash out,¡¯ Larry thought, but naturally he did not say a word. That was when someone tapped him on the back. ¡°Here¡¯s your reward,¡± Natalia said, stuffing a macaron into his mouth. ¡°Mmph.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Kenneth, ¡°so you got me, is that what you want to say?¡± He looked around at the others. His gaze met those of the sad pigtailed girl and the boy with the blank face. ¡°That¡¯s right, you little dog, you,¡± Bridget said, ¡°whoops! It looks like someone¡¯s rubbing off on me.¡± ¡°Hmph. Ahahahaha!¡± Kenneth¡¯s laugh was an unnatural one, almost creepy to behold against his handsome face. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°What about this is not funny, you little whore?¡± ¡®Oh! He¡¯s fighting back!¡¯ Larry thought, chewing on the macaron in his mouth. When he turned, he spotted a bespectacled girl and a girlish boy waiting with bated breath for the rest of the exchange. ¡®Oh man, these two are so messed up,¡¯ he sighed inwardly, but said nothing. ¡°I know everything, Bridget. I know you¡¯re wagging your tail at every prettyboy you see on campus. You take them out on dates until you get bored and throw them away. You even kiss them in the hallways for everyone to see.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Not even trying to deny it, eh? Fine. In fact, now it¡¯s easier for me to settle things. I don¡¯t want to marry you either. Good on you for making that recording¡ªnow I don¡¯t have to hold back.¡± ¡°Oh? Going to insult me to death like a third-rate lawyer now?¡± ¡°No need. Because a picture¡¯s worth a thousand words.¡± Kenneth pulled a photograph out of his pocket. And he placed it on the coffee table before Bridget. The club members recognized the photo at a glance. It was the one Jenny had taken of Bridget kissing Seron. ¡°What is this?¡± Bridget howled. ¡°It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kenneth said. It was a cold question. Bridget went silent. Kenneth pushed her further. ¡°Thanks to this photo now I know that you¡¯re at least capable of kissing people¡ªyou¡¯ve never kissed me, after all. I could give you the photo if you¡¯d like. To your parents, too, and even the entire staff at Armitage Dresses.¡± Bridget did not respond. ¡°You know who took this photo? Obviously you must¡¯ve figured it out by now. It was Jenny here, president of the newspaper club.¡± Bridget still said nothing. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who came to the newspaper club. I asked them to get me evidence that you were cheating. And it looks like they completed both our requests perfectly.¡± Bridget maintained her silence. ¡°What¡¯re we waiting for? Just send out all this evidence for the whole world to see. I don¡¯t want to marry you, and you don¡¯t want to marry me. This photo and the recording will convince both our parents.¡± It almost sounded as though Kenneth had surrendered completely. ¡°¡­Yeah. you¡¯re right,¡± Bridget finally replied, putting on a bold smile. ¡°Glad you agree. I can¡¯t wait to start my life over.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the weekend. You and I will both have to prepare to fight our parents to the death.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Bridget snorted and drained her cup of tea in one go. Then, ¡°this tea¡¯s as good as ever. Thanks for all your help, newspaper club. Now please give me the tape.¡± Kenneth also smiled. ¡°You¡¯re something else, you know that? Keep up the good work, newspaper club. Dig up more truths for the world to see.¡± It was hard to tell if he was being serious or sarcastic. That was when Seron finally broke his silence. ¡°Please wait.¡± Kenneth and Bridget seemed to be just about ready to leave, but Seron¡¯s gaze refused to let them go. ¡°Please don¡¯t end the conversation yet.¡± ¡°Larry, more tea,¡± Seron said. ¡°Sure.¡± Larry got up. ¡°Sure.¡± Larry got up. ¡°We¡¯re done here, Seron,¡± Bridget said, annoyed, ¡°if you want compensation, I can give you as much as you¡¯d like later. A kiss, even.¡± Meg seemed to grit her teeth at that statement. ¡°No, SC Bridget. I brought the two of you here to speak to you, but you didn¡¯t give me the chance to say anything. You two simply came to a conclusion on your own.¡± Kenneth nodded. ¡°That¡¯s true, I suppose. But we¡¯ve come to an agreement. Any more of this will only be a waste of your time. As you can see, we¡¯re both pieces of trash. Feel free to mock us or even publish a paper on this case if that strikes your fancy. If we manage to break up¡ªwe will, by the way¡ªyou¡¯re the first people we¡¯ll come to. Because we¡¯re both very grateful to you,¡± he said. Meg¡¯s expression darkened. Larry served them more tea. ¡°After we received your requests¡ª¡± Seron began. Having been completely ignored, Kenneth and Bridget sighed and reached for their cups of tea again. ¡°The newspaper club fell into confusion. You had each asked us to investigate the other in the span of two days. So I began to consider the possibilities.¡± Seron paused and raised his right hand, the back of his hand pointed at Kenneth and Bridget. And raising his thumb, he went over the possibilities that Jenny had outlined before. ¡°The first possibility was that SC Kenneth was lying, and was using SC Bridget as a scapegoat to escape the engagement.¡± Then he put up his index finger. ¡°The second possibility. SC Bridget was lying, and was using SC Kenneth as a scapegoat to escape the engagement.¡± Finally, his middle finger. ¡°Third. Both were telling the truth, hiding their own faults while scapegoating the other to escape the engagement.¡± ¡°And now you know the truth,¡± Kenneth said. ¡°Lying wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought it would be. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, though,¡± Bridget spat as though it were someone else¡¯s business. Meg cast Seron a sad glance. That was when Seron put up his ring finger. Because his pinky was still folded the ring finger could not be unfolded completely, left to point in a different direction. ¡°The fourth possibility was,¡± Seron said, his voice filling the office, ¡°that both were lying.¡± In the silent office Seron continued to explain. ¡°Yes. There was a fourth possibility, that you were both lying,¡± he said, putting down his hand, ¡°in other words, SC Kenneth falsely claimed that SC Bridget was cheating, while SC Bridget behaved to create such an image of herself. SC Bridget falsely claimed that SC Kenneth was verbally abusing her, while SC Kenneth behaved to create such an image of himself.¡± For what, the others wondered, silently urging Seron to continue. ¡°You were working together to break off your engagement. You may not have been cheating or verbally abusing the other, but you didn¡¯t want to marry. Unfortunately, you simply didn¡¯t have the power to overrule your parents, who have been planning this marriage for two decades,¡± Seron said, ¡°you tried to think of ways to convince them. And eventually you came to a horrifying conclusion. All you had to do was show them that you were not the model son or daughter they thought you were. You could convince your parents that the other party was someone so depraved that they could not possibly marry you to them. It was a sad, socially suicidal tactic.¡± No one said a word. Seron continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know when you came up with this plan. But you agreed to it and put it into motion. And you carried it out with frightening determination. First, SC Bridget began enticing boys in order to circulate the rumors about herself. She even took them out on dates and kissed them on campus. ¡°Then it was SC Kenneth¡¯s turn. But unfortunately, the nature of his story meant that he needed someone to testify to his verbal abuse. Which is why you two came to the newspaper club, which was capable of procuring something as expensive as a recorder. You came to us almost at the same time so you could fabricate the photograph too. That your visits were on consecutive days was not a coincidence.¡± Seron took a breath and took a sip of tea to wet his dry throat. ¡°In the end, we at the newspaper club carried out both of your requests. You both got your evidence, and managed to achieve your goal.¡± ¡°Th-then¡­¡± Meg began, ¡°earlier, the two people¡¯s argument was¡­¡± ¡°An act. They were trying very hard to cover up how happy they were.¡± Meg could not continue. Seron turned to the couple. Kenneth looked away. Bridget met Seron¡¯s gaze with a glare sharp enough to kill. ¡°Well?¡± Asked Seron. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Neither Bridget nor Kenneth responded. Natalia spoke instead. ¡°Hold on. How¡¯d you end up at that conclusion? Give us the rundown while our two senior-classmen go look for their missing vocal cords.¡± Sensing Meg¡¯s gaze on his left side, Seron turned to Natalia and Nick on his right. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the 8th. SC Bridget kissed me out of nowhere at the central staircase. At first I was very confused and assumed that she was just a beautiful but strange girl.¡± ¡®That is cold, Seron!¡¯ Larry laughed internally, but he naturally kept silent. ¡°Then on the 11th, the first day back after the weekend, SC Kenneth came to the club with his request. I wasn¡¯t there, so I heard about it on the next day¡ªthe 12th. I knew that SC Bridget was the one who had kissed me, so I almost fell for the claim that she was a cheating fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± Natalia remarked. ¡°There was a specific reason that SC Kenneth came in on the day after a weekend. Because he knew that I¡ªthe guy who Bridget kissed¡ªwould be away at an RA meeting.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nick said with a nod. ¡°And then SC Bridget came with her request. I¡¯m sorry I have to put it this way, SC Bridget, but I was obviously suspicious that the girl who kissed me out of the blue came asking for evidence of her fianc¨¦¡¯s harassment to use as leverage to break up with him. That was when I began to suspect that you were both lying. And I began to search for answers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pure evil! Expected nothing less from our Seron.¡± ¡°Is that a compliment or an insult, Lia? And aren¡¯t you the one who said people should be more suspicious?¡± ¡°Shaddap.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°In other words,¡± said Nick, ¡°from the very beginning you were operating on the assumption that both were lying? You should have told us.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t have concrete evidence, and I thought I might find more evidence the more I looked into it. And two days later, I had a breakthrough. I invited Larry to my dorm room and got his report. The newspaper club found mountains of testimony about SC Bridget¡¯s infidelity, which struck me as odd. It was too easy.¡± ¡°It was too easy?¡± Meg repeated. ¡°Yeah. If it was that easy to get so many eyewitness accounts in only two days, it wouldn¡¯t have been so hard to get a photograph of the moment. Which is why I began to wonder why someone known for being so clever would go to the trouble of asking our club to get this evidence.¡± Seron continued. ¡°So I came up with a theory. That SC Bridget was pretending to cheat, hoping to get a photograph taken.¡± Nick nodded. ¡°So I decided to contact SC Bridget and meet her after school. I put a letter into her locker and asked her to meet met in a classroom on the fifth floor of the new building, which would be deserted. I was sure SC Bridget would agree to meet me if she really were intent on creating as much evidence as possible. And that¡¯s exactly what she did.¡± ¡°Then Seron, you did these things on purpose!¡± Meg cried. Seron apologized for no apparent reason and continued. ¡°I knew that you and Jenny were planning to tail SC Bridget with a camera, Megmica. And I checked that you made it to the girls¡¯ bathroom by the classroom.¡± ¡°Seriously? How¡¯d I not notice?¡± Jenny spat. Larry glanced at Kenneth and Bridget, who had not said a word for some time. Larry glanced at Kenneth and Bridget, who had not said a word for some time. From their silence it almost seemed as if they were gone, but in reality they were still very much present in the office. Kenneth had the look of a dead man; on the other hand, Bridget was glaring daggers at Seron with rage apparent on her beautiful face. A chill ran down Larry¡¯s spine. ¡°So I went into the classroom. I didn¡¯t have anything in particular to say. All I had to do was act the part of a excited boy who¡¯d come back for more after the last kiss. When Megmica charged in I got worried for a moment¡ª¡± Meg became visibly angry, but Seron continued. ¡°But as I expected, SC Bridget kissed me in the presence of two cameras, and our top camerawoman captured the moment perfectly. That was when I became convinced that SC Bridget was only pretending to cheat.¡± Natalia and Nick nodded in understanding. ¡°Then it was time to think about SC Kenneth. I couldn¡¯t completely set aside the possibility that SC Kenneth was verbally abusing his fianc¨¦e. But yesterday Megmica gave me the evidence I needed.¡± ¡°Pardon? Evidence from me?¡± ¡°Yeah. You got angry at me and said that I kissed SC Bridget twice.¡± ¡°Oh, of course I did say this. But¡­it is truth, yes?¡± ¡°It is. By coincidence you spotted the kiss on the central staircase from the empty hallway.¡± ¡°I did!¡± ¡°The rest of the club was floored when they heard, because they had no idea I was the boy SC Kenneth had claimed to see kissing Bridget on the 8th.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then we have to think¡ªfrom where did SC Kenneth witness the moment?¡± Seron asked. Natalia was quick to answer. ¡°We talked ¡®bout this yesterday. You can¡¯t see from the stairs so he must¡¯ve seen you from the grounds.¡± But Seron shook his head. ¡°He couldn¡¯t have. Not in that snowfall.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, we had a big snowstorm then. Man, with all this crazy weather I can barely remember what happened when,¡± Natalia groaned. ¡°Indeed. It does seem quite unlikely,¡± Nick agreed. ¡°Hm? Then what is the thing that SC Kenneth saw?¡± Meg wondered. Seron had her answer. ¡°He didn¡¯t see a thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°SC Kenneth didn¡¯t see SC Bridget kiss me on the 8th. He couldn¡¯t have.¡± ¡°Then how did he know this?¡± ¡°SC Bridget must have told him that she kissed a fourth-year named Seron Maxwell at the central staircase on the 8th.¡± Meg was silent. ¡°They probably hadn¡¯t expected another witness to the scene. So SC Kenneth gave us the objective facts when he came to us with the request, without taking perspective into account.¡± Though Seron could easily turn to the two senior-classmen for confirmation, he did not. He simply continued to explain his thought processes for Meg and the club members. ¡°Once I realized that they were in cahoots, I managed to solidify my theory. Then came today¡ªthe day we would record evidence of SC Kenneth¡¯s verbal abuse.¡± Seron looked at Meg, Natalia, and Nick in order. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry I didn¡¯t let you know sooner, but I told Larry and Jenny all this at lunchtime. And I told them that I would intervene once SC Kenneth and SC Bridget¡¯s conversation began.¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Natalia exclaimed. ¡°I was sure that SC Kenneth would come out with guns blazing, acting like he was abusing SC Bridget. They needed that recording, after all. That and the photograph. I considered the possibility that SC Kenneth wouldn¡¯t say anything incriminating, but¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what he did,¡± Larry continued, taking out his flashlight and flicking it on and off. ¡°I told Larry ahead of time to signal me once SC Kenneth¡¯s abuse began. I was watching the whole thing with a pair of binoculars from the building across the way.¡± ¡°What?! Larry, you sneak!¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Natalia and Nick remarked, both smiling. ¡°My plan was to approach them and bring them both to the office. That was when SC Kenneth slipped up. He verbally abused SC Bridget in my presence. ¡ªJenny?¡± Jenny got up and went to the recorder. She rewound the tape to the timecode she had noted down and pressed play. Kenneth¡¯s voice filled the room. Jenny stopped the recording and took a seat again. She did not look pleased. ¡°That all you get to do today, chief?¡± Natalia teased. ¡°Not another word, Natalia.¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Seron, the man of the hour, continued. ¡°As we clarified when SC Bridget first came to us with her request, a verbal abuser doesn¡¯t carry out the abuse when a third party is present. In public, they try to act the part of a good person. That¡¯s the scary thing about it¡ªno one will believe the victim¡¯s claims. Which was why it was strange to hear SC Kenneth say something so harsh to SC Bridget when I was standing right there. It was the last piece of evidence I needed.¡± The unhappily engaged couple said absolutely nothing. Seron continued. ¡°Well, SC Kenneth? SC Bridget? Am I wrong?¡± Seron¡¯s question was the same as the one from earlier. But this time he got a response. ¡°What will you do if you turn out to be right?¡± It was Kenneth. He was looking sadly at Seron. ¡°In that case,¡± Seron replied, ¡°I would humbly advise you to put a stop to this terrible plan.¡± He looked directly at the senior-classmen before him. ¡°I understand clearly that the two of you wish to end your engagement. And that you would do anything to achieve your goal. But as I said earlier, this is suicide. I don¡¯t want to simply let you go through with this. I¡¯m sure your parents will believe your claims if you show them the evidence we collected. But it will cause them incredible grief, and news of your dishonorably broken engagement will spread no matter how much they want to sweep it under the rug. Your reputations will be dragged through the mud.¡± Kenneth was silent. ¡°Hah hah hah!¡± But Bridget laughed. She laughed so very elegantly. Holding her head high, she spoke without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Volume 7 9 — Even now, I feel the same Volume 7 Chapter 9: Even now, I feel the same ----- ¡°Th-then¡­¡± Meg stammered, the realization dawning on her, ¡°these¡­things you two did¡­ Seron was all correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, pigtails.¡± Bridget did not waste a second in giving her an answer. Seron and the others could hear Meg gasp. ¡°Not one nasty detail out of place. And digging up all these secrets we¡¯ve been so desperately trying to hide¡ªyou¡¯re all disgusting. Seron, and all of you in this club.¡± ¡°Aww, thanks,¡± Natalia replied. ¡°That¡¯s not a compliment, Lia!¡± ¡°Larry, don¡¯t butt in. We¡¯re having a moment here.¡± Larry could not respond. ¡°That¡¯s a good boy,¡± Natalia cooed. Seron also was silent. He did not seem happy at all about the fact that his hypothesis was proven correct. ¡°If, as president, I may be frank,¡± Jenny said, ¡°we¡¯re not exactly happy that you lied to us and used us for your suicidal plot. So please don¡¯t blame us for just doing our job.¡± One of the two sixth-years replied. ¡°Looks like all of you need to learn some tact. Especially you, Seron.¡± ¡°Th-that is not true! For you, Seron did all these things!¡± Meg retorted. ¡°For us?¡± However, all she got in exchange was an icy glare. ¡°If he wanted to do anything for us, he should have let us carry out our plans in peace.¡± ¡°But it will be messy for your future!¡± Meg tried to argue. But Bridget showed no mercy. ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t care. Stop sticking your nose in where it doesn¡¯t belong, pigtails.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°I said you don¡¯t know anything. I¡¯m not surprised. How could you know anything? How would you know how sad and painful it is to have been engaged to someone since before you were born? Tell me, pigtails. What¡¯s your favorite food?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Your favorite food. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°I-I do have my favorite foods. In Roxche and Sou Be-Il, I love cheese dishes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to have any cheese. For the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°What else do you like?¡± ¡°Chocolate cake¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have that anymore, either.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I bet you also like chicken noodle soup. But that¡¯s off-limits forever too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Slowly, Meg¡¯s expression changed from one of confusion to one of utter horror as the implications of Bridget¡¯s restrictions dawned on her. ¡°You finally get it. That¡¯s how I grew up. My parents always said I was only allowed to have one food for the rest of my life. The food that they had decided for me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°They told me every single day of my life. That I didn¡¯t have a choice. That I couldn¡¯t choose the person I would love and spend the rest of my life with. They said all that with a smile. They said it was all for my sake.¡± ¡°That is¡­painful, I think¡­¡± Meg whispered, finally understanding. ¡°Of course. Although ¡®painful¡¯ doesn¡¯t even begin to describe it,¡± Bridget said with a snort. ¡°Seron called our plan suicidal. And he¡¯s right. We¡¯re putting our lives on the line. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not really killing ourselves. Better to be shamed in public than to die. I considered just offing myself to make a point to my parents, but I decided that I wanted to live.¡± Bridget pushed back her long hair with an elegant motion. ¡°So now you all know. Both Kenneth and I have been struggling for years. You said you were worried about us? Don¡¯t make me laugh. I don¡¯t need your pity. All I need is that evidence you¡¯ve collected for us. Give me the tape and forget all this ever happened. That will solve everything.¡± No one from the newspaper club responded. Bridget¡¯s voice alone filled the quiet room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You found the truth. Your job¡¯s done. Or were you planning to tell our parents about all this to ¡®rescue¡¯ us? Sure, that might make them happy. No one would lose face. But remember, that¡¯s no different from killing us.¡± Bridget picked up her teacup, pausing briefly. That was when Seron finally spoke. ¡°We want neither of those outcomes. I want to help you.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Bridget almost spilled her tea. She put down her cup. ¡°Please, Seron, I almost stained my uniform.¡± ¡°Uniforms can be washed, but you can¡¯t cleanse a stained reputation.¡± ¡°This is none of your business. You already know what we want¡ªthe plan you called suicidal.¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you sure? Are you absolutely certain that both of you want things to come to such a tragic end?¡± ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re going to resort to tears? This is ridiculous,¡± Bridget said, turning. ¡°Let¡¯s grab the tape and go, Kenneth. We can¡¯t waste time and energy here¡ªhe have work to do.¡± Kenneth met Bridget¡¯s gaze. He took a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s stop this.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We should stop this.¡± Seron breathed a long sigh of relief. But only Meg noticed. She turned. Seron noticed her gaze and locked eyes with her. For a split second his grey eyes looked gently into hers. ¡°We should stop this plan, Bridget. I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­¡± Though Bridget understood the meaning of the words, she did not understand Kenneth¡¯s intent. ¡°What are you talking about? We can¡¯t back out now. Are you too scared to face your parents?¡± ¡°No¡­I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Then are you scared of your reputation being destroyed? Is that it?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never minded losing face. Even now, I feel the same. I¡¯m willing to go up against my parents and fight as dirty as I can.¡± ¡°Then explain to me why you want to stop.¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t let your reputation be destroyed, Bridget¡­¡± ¡°¡­Are you joking?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you hit your head, Kenneth? Newspaper club, did you poison his tea?¡± Bridget accused, but no one replied. However, Seron addressed Kenneth directly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take the photos yourself?¡± ¡°What?¡± Bridget raised an eyebrow. Kenneth grimaced. ¡°The photos to use as evidence against SC Bridget,¡± Seron explained, ¡°there is nothing suspicious about coming to the newspaper club for help with photography, as the club¡ªI mean, Jenny¡ªhas experience taking photos in secret. But setting the recording aside, photographing SC Bridget kissing other boys should have been easy as you were both in cahoots. That¡¯s not all. I¡¯ve been told that you are a hobbyist photographer yourself, SC Kenneth.¡± ¡°To get evidence on their own selves¡­now that I think, that sounds to be right,¡± Meg said with a nod. ¡°It would have been simpler if SC Kenneth had taken the photos and SC Bridget came to the club with her request alone. And yet both of you came to us. That created the risk that the club might only fulfill one request, deeming one person more useful than the other. It¡¯s a minor risk, but a risk nonetheless.¡± ¡°What does that matter? Either way, we ended up at the same place,¡± Bridget spat, uninterested. ¡°That¡¯s right, you probably haven¡¯t thought too much about it, SC Bridget,¡± said Seron. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that SC Kenneth was the one who came up with this plan. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°So what?¡± Bridget did not understand Seron¡¯s line of questioning. ¡°SC Bridget,¡± Seron said, ¡°SC Kenneth just couldn¡¯t bring himself to take those photos. He didn¡¯t want to see you kissing someone else. That¡¯s why his plan involved the both of you coming to us.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t take a photograph without being there in person. In other words, SC Kenneth couldn¡¯t take a photo of you cheating on him unless he watched you kiss someone else. He couldn¡¯t bear it.¡± ¡°Ah! Aaaaah!¡± Meg exclaimed. Bridget flinched. ¡°Yes! I understand! Oh my goodness!¡± Meg cried, eyes turning to dinner plates. ¡°Oh, I cannot believe it!¡± Everyone but Seron and Kenneth reacted with looks of confusion. ¡°I understand Seron¡¯s words now! Yes! SC Kenneth never wanted to see SC Bridget kiss someone! He did not want to see with his eyes! Because¡ª¡± Seron did not stop Meg. ¡°Because! SC Kenneth is in love with SC Bridget! He loves SC Bridget with the whole of his heart!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°My, my!¡± Natalia and Nick exclaimed. And Jenny and Larry¡ªwhom Seron had spoken to earlier¡ªnodded, impressed that Meg managed to reach the answer. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± Bridget uttered, incredulous. ¡°Kenneth, what are they talking about?¡± Kenneth slowly turned. ¡°¡­They¡¯re right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said they¡¯re right, Bridget. I love you. More than anyone else.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve loved you for a long time. I¡¯ve never hated you at all, although I never told you.¡± ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± ¡°Then why were you helping me?¡± Though the question was directed at Kenneth, Meg responded for him. ¡°It is an obvious answer! SC Kenneth wants your happiness, SC Bridget! He wants the happiness of the person he loves! Even if he is not the person to be beside her for always!¡± ¡°You said something earlier, SC Bridget,¡± Seron said cooly, ¡°that if we wanted to do something for you, we should have let you carry out your plans in peace. That¡¯s exactly what SC Kenneth has been doing. He wasn¡¯t acting for both of you¡ªhe was doing all this for you alone. He did everything he could to help because you wanted to break off your engagement at all costs. Without any regard for himself.¡± Seron shot Bridget a glare. ¡°But remember what SC Kenneth said before. He wanted to stop this plan. He didn¡¯t want you to be dragged through the mud. Even now he¡¯s only thinking of you, SC Bridget. He wants you to be happy. So please stop this plan. Think of another way.¡± ¡°Yes! You do not really have to use these ways!¡± Bridget looked at Kenneth. And with a gentle smile she asked him a question. ¡°Kenneth. I tried to run away from you. But you cooperated with me because you loved me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You could have married me if you¡¯d just sat back and waited.¡± ¡°But then you wouldn¡¯t be happy, Bridget. There¡¯s no point in marriage if the person you love isn¡¯t happy.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never told me that you loved me. Didn¡¯t it ever occur to you to tell me?¡± ¡°I thought that would be like betraying you.¡± ¡°Heh. One last question. What are you going to do now? What do you want, now that everything¡¯s out in the open?¡± ¡°Your happiness.¡± ¡°Specifically?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to do everything I can to break off this engagement. I¡¯ll find a different way, one that won¡¯t hurt you. I already know you¡¯re never going to return my feelings.¡± ¡°I see¡­ Sweet and considerate to the end, Kenneth.¡± Bridget¡¯s right hand quietly moved. Away from Kenneth, to the bag on her right. ¡°Kenneth. Seron. Pigtails. And everyone from our esteemed newspaper club. Do you know what I hate the most?¡± No one could answer her sudden question. ¡°Let me tell you. I resolved to do absolutely anything and everything to escape this position. I did all of this because¡ª¡± Her hand went into her bag. And took hold of something that was always inside. ¡°¡ªI hate it when people make my decisions for me!¡± Bridget¡¯s scream seemed to have risen from the depths of hell. She pulled her right hand out of the bag, pushing the sewing scissors in her grip into the side of the boy beside her. ¡°No!¡± Though he heard Meg¡¯s scream, Kenneth could not react in time. ¡°Grk!¡± His fianc¨¦e, out of the blue, stabbed him. The glinting scissors tore through his jacket, shirt, and skin. When Bridget pulled them out again, several centimeters of the blades were covered in blood. ¡°I should have done this from the start,¡± she remarked dryly. There was no joy or madness in her face. No emotions. Nothing but simple calm. Kenneth slowly fell over the left side of the sofa. A red stain slowly spread over the right side of his jacket. Bridget turned her sights on Meg. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°I hate you too, pigtails.¡± Meg¡¯s line of sight was filled with Bridget, slowly climbing over the table with the bloody scissors in her hand. Followed by Seron¡¯s back. Bridget put all her weight into her scissors as they pierced Seron right in the stomach. But the moment the tips of the blades sunk into him, Seron grabbed Bridget¡¯s arm. With his arms and his own body, Seron stopped her attack. ¡°Dammit!¡± Larry cried, clambering forward. But he was beaten to the punch. ¡°Hah!¡± Nick swung the end of his broomstick, striking Bridget in the temple. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Concussed, Bridget slowly began to fall. Nick held out the broomstick to change the direction of her fall to the sofa. Only Seron was left standing. A pair of scissors stuck out of his stomach. ¡°This really hurts, but I¡¯m sure the adrenaline is making it feel less painful than it actually is¡­¡± He analyzed mechanically. * * * <¡­> <¡­> ----- Volume 7 10 — The Fiancée out of the Blue Volume 7 Chapter 10: The Fianc¨¦e out of the Blue ----- The 18th day of the second month. It had been two days since the so-called accident in the office. It was a weekend. The sky had been clear all day. It was 1 in the afternoon, the sun shining down upon the world. Strauski Megmica looked up at the hospital. The general hospital was the largest in the Capital District, its doctors famed for their skill. Multiple wards towered over the ground. Meg was in her uniform. Though she was dressed for class, she held in her hands not her bag but a bouquet of flowers. Eyes brimming with tears, Meg slowly began to walk again, her pigtails swishing. She stepped in through the main doors and headed to the reception desk to check in. She filled in a form and received a visitor¡¯s pass and a room number. And soon Meg stood before a hospital room labeled with the name ¡®Maxwell¡¯. For four minutes she simply stood before the door. Without warning, the door opened. ¡°Whoa.¡± The previous visitor was surprised to see Meg. It was Larry, wearing jeans and a sweater and holding a leather jacket under his arm. He slowly shut the door and came out into the hall. ¡°Hey there, Megmica,¡± he whispered. ¡°Good afternoon, Larry. Er¡­¡± Meg could not continue. Larry looked her in the eye. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s all right now,¡± he said. Meg was shocked. ¡°Are you certain of this? Can you know?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry said firmly. ¡°Anyway, I gotta get going. Seron¡¯s been knocked out with painkillers for a bit, but you should stay with him in case something happens, Megmica. Watch over him until he wakes up, all right? Thanks!¡± ¡°Huh? Er, I¡ª¡± Before Meg could properly respond, Larry waved and departed down the hall. Twenty steps later, he looked back. ¡°Please¡­¡± Meg was no longer in the hallway. When Larry went down to the lobby, he spotted a familiar face sitting on a bench. ¡°Hey there!¡± ¡°Hi Larry,¡± Jenny replied glumly. Larry took a seat on her right. Jenny was wearing long pants and a rough winter jacket. She was dressed almost as casually as Larry was. ¡°You¡¯re here too, eh? Might want to wait a bit if you want to see Seron.¡± ¡°I know. Why else would I be sitting around in the lobby?¡± Jenny shot back. Larry thought for a moment and gave her a thumbs-up. ¡°I get it! You saw Megmica too. So you got the hint and decided to wait here. That¡¯s our president for you.¡± Jenny glared. ¡°Anyway, Megmica¡¯s gone to his room, right?¡± ¡°Yep. More like I pushed her in there, asking her to look after Seron.¡± ¡°Hmph. Not bad. For you, anyway,¡± Jenny replied, taciturn. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about now.¡± ¡°What d¡¯you mean?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be fine. You don¡¯t need to worry about them.¡± This time, it was Jenny¡¯s turn to think. She looked into Larry¡¯s profiled face¡ªhis bright blue eyes¡ªand thought. And reached an answer. ¡°Ah, that thing you said about the eyes,¡± Jenny said with a nod, remembering how Larry had seen through Stella in an instant. ¡°More or less, yeah.¡± Larry slightly held up his left hand. The wristwatch from the star was on his wrist. He checked the time¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± And noticed Jenny¡¯s gaze on him. He turned. She was staring. Unamused, but not bored. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Nothing. It looks like I¡¯m still all right.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too stupid to understand.¡± ¡°What.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if you were smart, either.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°No one in the world can really know how other people feel.¡± ¡°Sure, even an idiot like me knows that much.¡± ¡°Hah hah! That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Whoa! That¡¯s unusual.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°You putting on such a bright smile. You looked just like that photo from three years ago.¡± Jenny was caught off-guard for a moment, but she soon smiled. This time, the smile was that of a hunter locked on to a new scoop. ¡°Say, Larry.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Suppose Seron and Megmica go to the dance together.¡± ¡°Hm? Oh right, it¡¯s still more than a month away. Seron¡¯ll make it out of the hospital in time.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see how they¡¯ll look as they dance in front of half the school?¡± ¡°Heck yeah!¡± ¡°Right? And wouldn¡¯t you want to take photos of it all too?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± ¡°Perfect. Then as president, I¡¯m granting you special permission!¡± ¡°Permission for what?¡± ¡°Do I really have to spell it out for you? You¡¯re really dense, you know that?¡± ¡°Yes, I know that. So please spell it out for me?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°¡­Do you know how to dance, Larry?¡± * * * Seron was asleep. He lay in a luxurious bed in a luxurious private room, bathed in the soft sunlight that filtered though the curtains. Meg sat on a chair beside the bed, watching his face. Once she had put the flowers she brought in a vase, she had been left with nothing else to do. This time, she did not fall asleep. She watched Seron¡¯s sleeping face, her gaze never wavering. The minute hand on the clock had done nearly a 360 when a voice broke the silence. ¡°Mr. Maxwell?¡± A nurse quietly stepped inside. She gave Meg a brief nod when the latter turned. ¡°How is he? Not out of sorts at all?¡± Asked the nurse. ¡°Yes, he is feeling well, I think,¡± Meg replied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back in an hour,¡± the nurse replied, departing. Meg watched the door until it closed and turned back to Seron. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Their eyes met. ¡°Er¡­I¡­erm¡­¡± Meg was lost for words. ¡°What a strange dream.¡± Seron, meanwhile, was calm. ¡°Larry¡¯s turned into Megmica.¡± ¡°I-it is not a dream!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Seron flinched, cringing when his injury ached. ¡°Oh, I am very sorry¡­I am sorry that I spoke in a loud voice. I will speak in a normal voice¡­¡± Meg briefly explained how she had switched with Larry and that she was here to visit. ¡°I see¡­ Thank you for the flowers,¡± Seron said, finally calm. Meg, however, was not. She took an angry breath. Gritting her molars and baring her teeth, she glared. ¡°What was it that you did?!¡± She demanded in as loud a voice as she could use in the hospital. ¡°Huh? Wha¡­?¡± Seron blinked. ¡°Why did you do something that was so risky?! Why?! Jumping to a person carrying a weapon!¡± ¡°¡­Oh. Right.¡± ¡°Do you really say, ¡®oh right¡¯ in a time like this, Seron? You may have almost died! It was dangerous!¡± ¡°No, really. It wasn¡¯t that serious. It¡¯ll only take two weeks to heal¡ª¡± ¡°That is not the problem!¡± Tears began to fall from Meg¡¯s eyes. ¡°Er¡­ Miss Strauski Megmica, please listen to me,¡± Seron said in response. ¡°There¡¯s something I would like to tell you,¡± he said quietly and politely. ¡°Er¡­ Miss Strauski Megmica, please listen to me,¡± Seron said in response. ¡°There¡¯s something I would like to tell you,¡± he said quietly and politely. Meg wiped away her tears and snapped, ¡°please say it!¡± ¡°Thank you. You see, I¡¯m glad things turned out this way. I really am.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because things stopped at this, when it could have been so much worse. Someone could have died.¡± ¡°But!¡± ¡°If you¡¯d been stabbed, Megmica¡­and if you¡¯d died¡­that wouldn¡¯t have been the end. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to forgive myself¡ªI might have killed myself to follow after you.¡± ¡°Wh-what?! Killing yourself to follow me? That is too scary, Seron, please do not say it!¡± ¡°I would choose to follow the one I love to the depths of hell.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Meg paused. Memories of the previous summer flashed past. The beautiful forests and flowers of Ercho Village. And her own words, spoken on the balcony with the beautiful view. The next thing she heard was in Bezelese. It was slow, awkward, and badly pronounced¡ª ¡°I, love you. More than, anyone else.¡± But it was a clear and resolute confession. ¡°Then¡ª!¡± Meg responded in a furious flurry of Bezelese. The only thing Seron understood properly was the first word. ¡°¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª no ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª, ¡ª¡ª, ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª! My ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª, ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª!¡± Seron froze for a moment at the barrage, but he managed to respond. ¡°Please, speak slowly. I do not, understand.¡± Meg smiled and responded to Seron slowly, with a very gentle voice. ¡°I also love you very much.¡± ¡°I understand, those words. Please, go out with me,¡± Seron replied. Meg gave a nod. Meg remained on the chair and Seron lay in his bed. They continued to talk, looking into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Now, I will speak in Roxchean again, Seron.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± ¡°Please! Now even at graduation if my family returns to Sou Be-Il, I must live in Roxche!¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Because I will be a Roxchean person!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°But I cannot forgive a little for kissing that person. I do not want to see the person I love kiss. But I will never let this happen again! It it my goal as a new Roxchean person.¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± ¡°No, I will not let this happen! Because my eyes are wide open!¡± ¡°Oh, er¡­right.¡± Seron nodded, still lost. Then¡ª ¡°Seron!¡± ¡°Seron!¡± The door flew open and two women rushed into the room. ¡°Ah!¡± Surprised, Meg leapt to her feet and offered her chair to them. One of the two visitors was a woman in her early forties wearing an impeccable red suit. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re not as pale as I expected, sweetie! You¡¯re practically blushing!¡± She got down beside Seron¡¯s bed and began to shower him with kisses all over his cheeks and forehead, and sometimes his lips. ¡°Huh?¡± As Meg watched in confusion, the other visitor¡ªa short black-haired girl in a light red cardigan and a blue skirt¡ªclung to the other side of the bed. ¡°What happened, Seron? We were so worried about you!¡± She mussed his hair with a tiny hand and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead. ¡°Wha?¡± They completely ignored Meg as they continued to fuss over Seron. ¡°They said it wasn¡¯t too deep, right? Can you eat, honey?¡± ¡°We brought cake!¡± ¡°Do you know if we¡¯re allowed to sleep over tonight?¡± ¡°And juice!¡± Meg stared in a daze as the visitors fretted over Seron. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m terribly sorry! I knew you were there, but for some reason I assumed you were a nurse! I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Seron¡¯s mother Karen Maxwell finally greeted Meg and introduced herself. ¡°And this here is Seron¡¯s sister Leena. She¡¯s 12 years old.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Leena said with a curtsy. ¡°It is nice to meet you. My name is Strauski Megmica. I am a student at Seron¡¯s school and do club activities together with Seron,¡± Meg said with a deep bow. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re very polite. If I may ask, are you from cross-river?¡± Asked Karen. ¡°Yes!¡± Meg replied. Then¡ª ¡°Seron and I have just pledged our future together. I am still lacking, but please take care of me!¡± Many things happened at once. First, Seron¡¯s eyes turned to dinner plates. ¡°Huh?¡± He tried to pull himself up, but the wound on his stomach put a painful end to his attempt. ¡°Ow.¡± ¡°Oh my! How lovely!¡± Karen exclaimed, almost loud enough to bother the other patients. She took Meg¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°So you¡¯re going to become Seron¡¯s bride someday! It¡¯s so nice to meet you, Megmica. Please, do take care of Seron!¡± ¡°Yes, Mother!¡± Leena ran over from the other side of the bed. ¡°Wow, Seron! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re gonna marry such a pretty girl! So this is Megmica,¡± Leena exclaimed, ¡°Megmica, are you by any chance older than Seron?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I am the one year older.¡± ¡°Wow! I knew it! An older girl who¡¯s not from Roxche! I must be psychic!¡± ¡°You are very cute, Leena. Just like a doll. I am very happy because I do not have any younger sisters!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Leena cheered, hugging Meg. ¡°Yes!¡± Meg nodded, patting Leena¡¯s head. ¡°This is wonderful! I was so worried on the way here, Seron, imagining my poor baby in pain on a hospital bed, but you gave me such a lovely surprise!¡± ¡°Mom, let¡¯s have a party today! Let¡¯s go get crisps together!¡± Leena begged. ¡°Of course! Do you like Capital District crisps, Megmica?¡± ¡°Yes! I love them very much!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s decided!¡± ¡°Yay! Megmica, can I call you Big Sis?¡± ¡°Of course you may!¡± Seron watched the women chatter excitedly in the middle of the room. Left to his own devices in his bed, Seron managed to squeeze out a voice in spite of his aching wound. ¡°Er¡­what¡¯s this about¡­marriage¡­?¡± ¡°Where do you live, Megmica?¡± ¡°I live with my family on Rue Trente Street in the Western District.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lovely neighborhood, from what I remember.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Seron gasped, ¡°listen to me¡ª¡± ¡°Big Sis! You have a brother, right? His name¡¯s Kurt, right?¡± ¡°Oh my, how do you know this?¡± ¡°Hee hee! Actually, I talked with him on the phone a lot!¡± ¡°I see! I did not know that. It is wonderful!¡± ¡°Er¡­everyone?¡± Seron asked feebly. ¡°Can I please meet him sometime?¡± ¡°Of course you can meet him. I will introduce you while you are at the Capital District.¡± ¡°Er¡­I don¡¯t even know anymore,¡± Seron sighed, looking up at the ceiling in surrender. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m dreaming right now. When I open my eyes, I¡¯ll see Larry. And he¡¯ll say, ¡®Seron, you were grinning in your sleep¡¯.¡± He closed his eyes. The painkillers were luring him back into sleep. But¡ª ¡°Seron!¡± He opened his eyes to find his mother¡¯s face only 20 centimeters from his own. ¡°Whoa! Yes, Mother?¡± ¡°What should I do for the engagement gift? What do you want to get your future wife to remember today by?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care if this is a dream anymore¡­¡± ¡°Speak up, honey. There must be something you¡¯ve wanted to get for her.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Seron slowly closed his eyes as he replied, ¡°A Whitfield wristwatch¡­¡± * * * <¡­Could you just confirm that with me one more time?> <¡­> <¡­> ----- Finale: Endings and Beginnings ----- The 13th day of the fourth month, the year 3306 of the World Calendar. In the middle of the school gymnasium, which had been converted into a ballroom¡ª A boy and a girl were dancing. A boy with black hair, And a girl with long, decorated brown hair. They boy, in a black tuxedo, And the girl, in a yellow dress. With the gazes of many other boys and girls on them, they danced. Elegantly, and maybe a little violently. ¡°You¡¯re even good at dancing, huh. I hate you just a little bit more now, Treize.¡± ¡°Cut me some slack, Lillia. I¡¯m trying my best here.¡± ¡°Tch. You know, I won¡¯t go easy on you even if you¡¯re a prince or whatever.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The words they exchanged as they danced¡ª ¡ªWere drowned out completely by the music around them. ¡°I am wondering what the two people are talking about¡­ But in any case, they are both very, very cool.¡± A girl with long black hair done up¡ª A girl wearing a white dress¡ª Said to the boy standing at her right side. ¡°It sort of looks like they¡¯re fighting.¡± A boy with grey eyes¡ª A boy wearing a black tuxedo¡ª Replied with a flustered look. The emcee on the dance floor called out, ¡°Everyone, are you just going to stand around all night?¡±. Boys and girls stepped onto the floor with their chosen partners beside them. The black-haired girl turned her gaze from Lillia and Treize, looking to her right. And she held out her white-gloved hand to the boy standing there. The grey-eyed boy turned elegantly, And gently took her hand in his. ¡°Shall we dance, Seron Maxwell?¡± The girl asked in Bezelese. ¡°It would be my pleasure, Meg.¡± The boy replied in Roxchean. ¡°Atta boy, Seron¡­you¡¯ve come so far¡­I¡¯m so proud of you!¡± ¡°You¡¯re sounding like a regular mother figure. If memory serves, weren¡¯t you s¡¯pposed to be a guy?¡± ¡°That aside, are you two simply going to watch from the sidelines? We should enjoy the evening as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that right. It¡¯s no fun just watching¡ªI¡¯m going to show off my moves.¡± And life would go on¡ª -----