CH 25.2

“Was the ribbon originally tied?”

“Marianne you put it on in the morning to match the ribbon in my hair.”

Collen knocked on the side of the carriage to make the coachman stop.

“My daughter spilled the ribbon on her way home. Would you like to pick it up?”

Collen gave the coachman a silver coin. The coachman jumped to the ground. Leon stared at me. He recovered suspiciously quickly.

“As expected, I’ll get off here.”

Leon’s reaction was as expected.

“This is dangerous.”

“It’s okay, really.”

I thought after hearing Leon’s answer.

‘That’s not it, there must be a ‘reason’ to get off at this alley.’

I grabbed him by the clothes.

“Wait, mr. Leon. I have something to ask you before you go.”

I squeezed my skirt with my hand and glanced at him slightly.

“Me?”

“Yes. It’s not that important, but Mr. Leon, have you seen me before?”

“Yes? It can’t be. If I saw you, how could I forget such cute little girl.”

Leon opened his eyes wide and looked at me.

“If not, how do I know you?”

“What?”

At my question, the eyes of the three grew wider and wider.

“I have met Leon before. It was a long time ago.”

“What do you mean, Leticia?” Jade frowned and asked.

“I’ll ask you one question.”

I looked Leon in the eye and asked.

“What color is the tower at the train station?”

At those words, Leon tilted his head.

“Who doesn’t know this? It’s golden.”

It was true. The largest clock tower in the train station, it glittered gold. However, Leon had said otherwise on the island earlier.

“I still remember the first day at the academy. Tiles in a red glow and excitement when leaving the train station, bells and pigeons on the blue clock tower. It is a great success to spend your childhood in the capital.”

I opened my mouth slowly, retracing the words.

“You said earlier that the clock tower at the train station is blue.”

“Ah… did I?” Leon was amazed. “Since I drank alcohol earlier, I made a mistake.”

“I wasn’t mistaken. Blue is also correct.”

“Yes?”

Leon became more and more puzzled. However, thanks to Leon’s ‘mistake’, my riddle was easier to solve.

“The clock tower at the train station turns blue only at night. Street kids use the clock tower as a meeting place. ‘Let’s meet at the blue clock tower’, which means that we will meet at night.”

It was true.

The tower at the station is golden. It was a small but very beautiful clock tower. And the watch is painted with a special dye, so it glows blue in the night. I know that for sure.

This is because my friend once sneaked into a train station after being tricked by his friends when he went to watch the train during the day.

“Oh, this clock tower for sure. Last time it was blue…”

This is because my friends used to go there.

The clock tower glittered gold in broad daylight. It was like magic.

‘At that time, I was eventually caught by a station attendant and was scolded.’

And no sane person ever goes to the train station at night. This was because all imperial trains were cut off before 6pm, and access to the train station was restricted at night.

And the only people who gather at the tower are street children. Mostly pickpockets.

“I saw Leon once at the night clock tower meeting.”

I laughed softly.

“I came out of the same places as Leon. Are you a street kid? So, I’m so worried about what happened today…”

“…”

“Oh, but you said you were from the countryside, right?”

Leon’s face hardened.

“What happened? It’s difficult, so I don’t know. It’s not like there are two Leons.”

Collen’s expression changed.

“Two people,” he whispered as if singing. Jade’s expression was similar.

“I am…”

Leon moved his hand anxiously. Jade grabbed him.

At that moment, the carriage door opened. Someone entered.

“Ah!”

The next moment, a cold blade touched my neck.