Volume 4 - CH 2.5

When Kazuya returned to the group looking disgruntled, Avril was enthusiastically explaining her ghost theory.

“There was no one else in the room, and it was locked from inside. It has to be a ghost.”

“Stop talking about ghosts, please,” Ms. Cecile said, removing her glasses. “I can’t handle it.”

Avril, seeing Kazuya return, became more eager. “Why don’t we all go down to the village to gather information? Like rumors about the clock tower, and info about the victim.”

Kazuya was hesitant at first, but when he realized that there was no stopping Avril when she was this enthusiastic, he reluctantly agreed.

“I guess it’s fine,” he said.

Avril nodded happily, then turned to Victorique. “Come with us, Victorique,” she said brightly.

Kazuya and Ms. Cecile exchanged looks.

Victorique let out a small gasp.

For reasons unknown, Victorique de Blois, born to Marquis de Blois and a mysterious dancer, was confined at St. Marguerite Academy and was not allowed to go outside without permission. Avril, of course, was unaware of this.

Victorique studied Avril’s smile for a while. She looked sad.

Suddenly, an expression of irritation and anger flashed across Victorique’s ruthless, yet stunningly beautiful face.

She looked away. “I’m not going.”

“Really?” Avril replied, disappointed.

Sensing the gloomy atmosphere, Kazuya attempted to cut in, but before he could speak to cover for Victorique, she went on, annoyed.

“Go with Kujou wherever you want. They say that two heads are better than one, but not when those heads belong to morons. Go ahead and waste your time, farting newt.”

Avril, shocked by the tongue-lashing, just stared vacantly at the tiny girl.

“Victorique!” Kazuya snapped, grabbing her little chin.

This time, Victorique didn’t fight back. When Kazuya peered into her small face, she stared back at him, stubbornly biting her lip.

Kazuya gave up and removed his hand from her face. “What in the world is wrong with you today? Avril might have called you a monster first, but she apologized and never said it again. But you keep calling her a farting newt. What’s the matter with you?”

Victorique’s emerald eyes widened to their fullest at Kazuya’s enraged expression. A single pearl of tear, which Kazuya failed to notice, formed in the corner of her eye.

“You haven’t apologized even once,” he went on. “It’s just wrong. Come on, now. Apologize to Avril.”

“…way.”

“What?”

“No way!” Victorique shouted.

Avril quickly stepped in between the two. “It’s okay, Kujou. I’m not that mad about it.”

“Stay out of this, Avril,” Kazuya said. “Victorique, I thought you were nicer than this. You’re always mean, cold, and unapproachable, but when I’m in trouble, you always help me out. But something’s wrong with you today. Talk to me. You’re my closest friend.”

Avril froze at Kazuya’s last words. Her face, always so bright and cheerful, clouded over. Upset, she kicked a fist-sized stone that was lying by her feet. Then, she picked it up, grumbling as she tossed it back and forth between her hands.

“Closest friend… Closest friend… I see, it’s not me. Okay…”

She put the stone on top of her head and started rocking from side to side.

“Farting Kujou!” she mumbled with a frown.

Kazuya turned around. He looked at Avril’s face and then the stone sitting on her head.

Come to think of it, she sometimes puts random stuff on her head.

Avril continued rocking.

A dry summer breeze blew past.

Kazuya snapped back to his senses and turned to Victorique, who remained silent, looking even more stubborn than before.

“Victorique, do you understand what I’m trying to say?” Kazuya said in an exasperated tone.

“…”

“Hey, Victorique. Say something, will you? Darn it…”

Victorique hung her head lower and lower. Kazuya studied her curiously, but anger slowly rose within him.

“Okay, fine. If that’s how you want to act, so be it. We’re done!”

Victorique swallowed and lifted her head a little. No one noticed the flicker of sadness in her eyes.

Kazuya’s stubborn nature had reared its head. He turned his back to Victorique and walked away. Avril was quite literally stunned. She had never seen Kazuya Kujou angry before. She immediately removed the stone from her head. Ms. Cecile had taken off her glasses.

Avril glanced at Kazuya and then at Victorique, who was still looking downward. She tossed the stone aside and followed Kazuya as he hurried away.

“Why don’t we have a competition?” Avril said. “You and I will go to the village to gather information. And Victorique, uhh, will check the clock tower with Ms. Cecile. We’ll meet around here at noon and have lunch together, then battle it out. Who can solve the alchemist’s mystery first?”

Kazuya looked over his shoulder. “You can’t win against Victorique,” he said flatly.

Avril, who’d only witnessed Victorique’s beauty and not her brain, shot Victorique a curious look.

“Really? N-No way. We never know. All right, then. We’ll meet back here at noon.” Avril said cheerfully and started running after Kazuya.

While heading for the main gate, she turned around to see Victorique standing alone in the middle of the pathway, staring at Kazuya.

Her cherry lips trembled. She tried to say something, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Victorique looked so small and lonely that Avril could not bring herself to leave her behind. She turned to Kazuya, but he just kept walking. Troubled and confused, Avril ran back to the terrifying, sharp-tongued, but beautiful girl in frills and laces.

“D-Do you want to come with us?” Avril asked.

Victorique did not answer. She raised her head a little, and opened her lips as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, said nothing. She simply shook her head, slowly, sullenly.

“Okay… See you later, then.”

Avril took off once more.

Kazuya, and then Avril, walked out of the campus through the main gate. Victorique stood there for a long time, watching them go, a tiny, lonely figure.

Suddenly, Victorique kicked a pebble and tried to run after them. Ruffles bouncing, she only managed a few steps before someone grabbed her by the scruff of her neck.

She was hoisted up like a kitten, and returned back to her spot. Victorique looked up with teary eyes, and there stood Inspector Blois, his drill-shaped hair sagging.

He regarded Victorique sternly.

“You can’t go.”

“I know.”

“Do not go outside. You, too, are a piece of Europe’s dark history. You are not allowed to take even one step out of this place. You’re different from those carefree students.”

“I know that. So keep your mouth shut, pinhead!”

“You’re the one who made it like this!”

Victorique stayed silent. Suddenly, she spun and started running toward the clock tower. A moment later, her small, slender legs got tangled and she tumbled.

She let out a groan as she fell flat on the ground. Layers of ruffles billowed.

Victorique remained still for a while, bearing the pain. Then, she sprang up and began dusting off the dirt from her face, hair, and hands.

She sobbed faintly. “Stupid Kujou,” she mumbled. “He didn’t have to get so angry. Meanie,” she said in between sobs.

Victorique slowly stood up. With Kazuya gone, she fixed her dress herself, then walked slowly this time.

She heard footsteps following her behind. Loud footsteps produced by long strides. It stopped behind Victorique.

It was Inspector Blois. He looked serious.

“And how are you involved in this case?” he asked.

“Are you curious?”

“Of course.” Inspector Blois nodded grimly. “Those two… No. Just the English student. I can tell that she finds this case amusing. What I don’t understand is you. Why did you come all the way down from the library? Is there something more to this case? What are you plotting?”

Victorique snorted. “The alchemist Leviathan challenged me.” She held out a golden book.

Inspector Blois flipped through its pop-up pages and scoffed. “A memoir of the dead, huh? Hmm… As you may know, my dear half-sister, this man must be kept locked in the dark. Whatever powers he may have had, whatever plans he may have formulated, all of that are gone, buried along with the rest of Europe’s dark history. For the sake of the Kingdom of Sauville, for the sake of the king and queen. And of course, for the sake of the Blois family.”

“I understand,” Victorique replied curtly.

She resumed walking, but the inspector blocked her path.

“Do you really understand, though? If you do, don’t pursue this case—”

“Grevil,” Victorique muttered in her husky voice.

Her eyes were completely different from those of the little helpless girl who, just a few moments before, had been upset at her friend. They were dark and deep, like the eyes of a hundred-year-old man. They were mysterious, bottomless green pools.

“The truth is, I’m very bored. Do you understand, Grevil? My foolish half-brother. My father, terrified of me, tossed me in here. I cannot leave. So here I am, drifting in an abyss of boredom, a fate worse than death. I have reached my limit.”

Victorique turned her back to her brother and walked away, ruffles flaring behind.

“I may not be able to step outside, but this academy is enough. Fragments of chaos await me. I will solve the mystery of the Leviathan, Grevil, to stave off my boredom.”

“No one dies, understand?”

“Don’t worry. No one will. I’m just shining a little bit of light into the abyss.”

Victorique moved further and further away.

Inspector Blois stood still, glowering at her.