Chương 137: Don't Blame Me Because You Got Caught

Foreigners weren't too rare in Soleil, especially in large cities and ports, where they were quite common. There were plenty who worked in Soleil, usually as merchants acting as middlemen between Soleil and their home country. They had temporary residencies as they tended to return home. If they married a Soleil citizen, then their residency would become permanent under their spouse. They and their children would also be given citizenship, which encompassed the two ways one could become a Soleil citizen.

A citizenship marriage and jus sanguinis, which was citizenship by blood. For those taken in as refugees from other countries, like Dede's family, there was a separate process, but that was rare and circumstantial. Tori wasn't too surprised; these were common in her original world. In Soleil, Tori knew several students who had parents or grandparents from other countries and married into Soleil. There wasn't anything alarming about that. However, it was strange that Neil's employees came from Nord.

It was such a harsh and desolate living environment that to this day, the center of the march was not settled. All prospective settlers of the center of the march needed to register with Nord in case of a natural disaster or a particularly devastating winter that could destroy the settlement and lose its people. In the spring, a search team would go and search for them if communication were suddenly cut off. Idunn told her that more often than not, some settlers were never found again.

It was to the point that the march actively discouraged it. Tori didn't want to rule out the off chance that perhaps Neil's employees were survivors of those settlers who managed to escape and seek shelter in more temperate lands, not knowing or bothering to register their new residence, but for so many people under one person to claim the same thing was suspicious. The names weren't stolen from dead soldiers. The family names were all relatively common Soleil surnames.

The three merchants and Adrien Rosiek were all legal residents who had no affiliation with the military.

"All four of them seem to be orphans. Rosiek grew up on the streets since he was a child. Neil's family farm was lost in a forest fire, and she was the only survivor, as she had been out playing at the time. Gordon Hauffman was taken in as a carpenter's apprentice after being found in a carpenter's barn one winter, seeking shelter. Vincent Magnussen lost his family during infighting and became the sole heir of a mining fortune. He sold the mine and got into money lending."

"Have their backgrounds been confirmed?"

"For the most part, yes. There are witnesses to Rosiek doing work for local street gangs as a child to earn money. The Neil family farm really was lost in a forest fire. It was rather secluded, and the village leader found Neil. She hadn't been registered as a member of the village, so he did so for her, and she grew up in an orphanage nearby. Hauffman's situation was similar, and the carpenter registered him as a member of their village when he took him on as an apprentice. Magnussen's background is the heftiest.

The Magnussens were an old, wealthy family." Tori wrinkled her nose. Rosiek was suspicious to begin with, and while Magnussen seemed the most legitimate out of the four businessmen, it was strange that all four of them were technically orphans; two of whom were simply found.

"There are many reasons they could be telling the truth and are who they say they are," Tori said, more to herself than to her brother.

"But I can't help but find them suspicious. Chetterswickshire is an agricultural barony off the trade routes. It's not a convenient location to set up a business that depends on them." Even if the merchants were doing it as a favor to Adrien, it had too many drawbacks.

"We are all suspicious," Kasen said in a rather amused voice.

"We've reviewed their business history and you're right: building in Chetterswickshire doesn't make sense. The only reason we could think of was because Rosiek encouraged them for Hart's sake. As of right now, we can only watch them carefully, though there will be some delay in what they are doing."

"Why?"

"Viscount McLauren has arrived and wants to pause all new businesses so he can review the current financial status of the barony, as instructed by the Emperor," Kasen said. He let out a small chuckle.

"That young Baroness likely didn't expect her actions in the delta to hinder development in her barony." The corner of Tori's lip curled up.

"I still think this is a rather mild punishment considering the worst that could've happened." Her brother let out a hum.

"Viscount McLauren was assigned by Siobhan when she was notified by the Emperor, so he will work closely with our investigation team."

"All right," Tori said.

"That must mean she trusts him."

"They had the same tutors. Viscount McLauren spent time in the navy and later attended Université to study law and administration. His wife, the Viscountess, studied infrastructure and planning at Université, so they're an ideal pair for this. This isn't the first village to which they've been assigned. The previous ones have significant improvement."

"Oh, I see."

"We will keep an eye on these would-be merchants, but for the time being, they won't be able to do much," Kasen told her.

"Don't worry about it. Focus on Lycée and your projects."

"Okay."

"But don't overwhelm yourself. The Lunar Pavilion sounds quite large; work on it a little at a time."

"Don't overwork yourself, either. You hardly call me now with how busy you are," Tori sighed. Due to the nature of his work, Tori didn't want to call him, for fear of disturbing him at a crucial moment. Instead, she waited until he called once a week or would call Sebastian, instead. Kasen chuckled.

"I will be in Horizon in a few weeks and will come see you then, all right?"

"All right. Be safe."

"You, too." Her brother ended the call and Tori wrinkled her nose. She took a deep breath and leaned back against the wall.

"Tori!" Ilyana threw open the door and walked in, looking around.

"The Sword Association First Year Excursion training and preparedness session is going to start soon. Albert and I already set up. Your comcry was busy, so I came to get you."

"Have I been on the phone for so long?" Tori reached towards her time piece on her nightstand. Ilyana cocked her head and furrowed her brows.

"Tori, you have a silence charm activated. I can't hear you!" Ilyana made hand motions towards her ears, though raised her voice as she spoke, as if Tori couldn't hear her either. Tori cringed and looked at the charm stuck on one of the bed posts.

"Opps..." She chuckled and crawled to the side of the bed. She stood up and brushed off her clothes.

"I'm ready. Are the second-year members there to learn for next year?"

"Yes," Ilyana nodded.

"What did your family say about the Lunar Pavilion?" Tori stretched her arms over her head and sighed.

"What else? Buy it."

"Is it my imagination, or does it seem like His Highness is avoiding Hart?" Ilyana leaned close to Tori as they packed their things after homeroom ended. Tori lifted her head and followed Ilyana's gaze towards the front of the room, where Gideon sat with Fabian. All the students were preparing to leave for their elective classes and Gideon was no exception. Tori squinted to try to discern any difference, though she didn't pay much attention to Gideon normally.

She watched him gather his things together and picked them up before Fabian could reach for them. Gideon didn't carry a bag for his notebooks, writing supplies, and assorted books. Fabian usually carried his things if there was too much for Gideon to carry. However, rather than hand off anything to Fabian, Gideon clutched his belongings against his chest and stepped out into the walkway, averting his eyes. Fabian followed behind him without a word.

He hadn't said anything to Hart, either, but it may have been because Gideon didn't.

"Has he been like that since we came back?" Tori asked, narrowing her eyes. She was a bit caught up in her own business to pay attention. She also didn't expect any change, even after they had a strongly worded conversation.

"He used to go over to her desk during breaks and wait for her to get ready to leave, but now, if he's not engrossed in something during breaks, he leaves the classroom. He didn't even look at Hart." Ilyana continued to whisper, as if sharing a conspiracy. Tori looked towards Hart. Gideon may have fled, but Dimitri remained. He stood beside Alessa's table with a smile on his face as he talked to her. He didn't appear the slightest bit worried about his father and family being investigated for corruption.

"It'll be good if he stays away," Tori said as she slung her satchel over her shoulder.

"Then we can prevent any more surprise visits." Ilyana let out a small grunt of agreement and followed her outside. They separated for their classes and Tori headed to the building where many of the arts classes, including dance, were held. Most of her classes so far were stretches and basic exercises to warm up her body. This week, she'd begin to practice the first few steps of the dance. The version she was doing required her to be barefoot.

The elective dance class differed from the dance classes that comprised of niche students. Tori's class was just a handful of students who were interested in learning or fine-tuning their abilities. Tori was likely the most serious dancer out of all of them and she only wanted to focus on one specific dance. The instructor was a former classmate of her Auntie Lucia, which was how Tori was able to contact her directly for assistance.

"Countess Guevera." Someone called for her and she looked over her shoulder. Her brows rose just a bit as she saw Montan slow his walk towards her. His brows were furrowed, and his lips were in a tight line. He appeared almost hesitant to speak to her.

"Mr. Alvere," Tori said with a small nod of her head.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

"Please tell Duke Alvere that I have returned the money to my boss and received a receipt." He reached into the pocket of his coat and took out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Tori, who reached out to check. She gave him another affirmative nod.

"I see. I'll let Axton know that the debt has been cleared." She returned the paper to him, but Montan didn't take it back. Tori moved it towards him once more.

"Please show this to Duke Alvere, so he is sure," Montan said. Tori furrowed her brows.

"He'll believe me if I tell him I confirmed the receipt myself. Take this-""No!" Montan nearly pulled back, as if avoiding a flame. Tori drew her head back. She could've sworn she saw a bit of fear and panic on his face.

"Is there something wrong?"

"It needs to be kept in a safe place," Montan told her.

"Yes, as proof it's been paid. That's why you should hold on to it." He shook his head once more.

"In the winter, I can't stay in the dorms and may run into my father." Tori immediately frowned.

"Your father? Has he been approaching you?" Montan took a step back. He lowered his eyes and gave her a small bow of his head.

"Thank you for your assistance, Countess." He quickly turned and scrambled off.

"Mr. Alvere, wait!" Tori nearly shouted to stop him. He froze in mid step and clenched his hands at his sides. Tori furrowed her brows.

"If you're in any danger, Axton will not turn you away. I would bet my life on that." Montan didn't respond. He stood there a moment longer, before continuing forward. Tori shook her head and quietly tucked the receipt into her bag. She made a mental note to call Axton later to tell him about the receipt and about Montan's vague premonition that he'd be in trouble if his father found out. They'd only been at school for two weeks or so and already the love interests exasperated her.

Despite Dimitri's father being investigated for corruption, he seemed to act as if nothing was wrong. Tori was waiting to hear about the start of the construction for the orphanage, as she wanted to see just how badly it turned out. Piers told her that the Prime Minister had faced some criticism from his party and the likelihood of the Prime Minister being re-elected to his post had become smaller. Tori wasn't sure how exactly this would affect Dimitri.

While his father would no longer be Prime Minister, he would still be the representative of Ville de la Fleur, a large town an hour northwest of Horizon, on the trade route to Anlar. Unless, of course, Ville de la Fleur's noble, Count Wentworth, decided to replace him. Tori was not privy to that information.

The Guthrys were the wealthiest family in Ville de la Fleur and had consistently served it well for generations, so Tori doubted Count Wentworth would replace him, especially if the Prime Minister weren't found guilty of corruption and was in fact wrongly accused. Tori entered the building, greeted some classmates on her way to the changing room, and then quickly changed into suitable attire.

Her leggings were thin silk material that ended at her ankles, leaving her feet bare, and her dress, while fitted around her upper body, draped down from the waist in loose, sheer layers and ended just above her knee. The dance she was doing would be performed indoors, barefoot on tile. While she wore a pair of leather flats in and around the dancing studio, when she was on the floor, she was barefoot. She tied up her hair into a neat, secure bun and scarf, and headed towards the practice room.

Several students were already there, and she greeted them before beginning her warmup stretches. Tori sat on the parquet floor, stretching her legs as the rest of the students and Instructor Dubois arrived. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Tori heard the door open and close a few times as she stretched. As she pushed herself up, she heard a few gasps of surprise behind her.

She turned around, about to lift her leg on a barre fastened to the wall when she jerked her head back. She grabbed onto the barre to keep from losing her balance.

"Everyone, another new student has joined us today," Instructor Dubois said as she clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention. She motioned to the young man with a stoic expression in tights and a long tunic.

"This is Mr. von Dorn, and he will spend this year with us." Tori's mouth dropped. What the hell is this?

"Thank you for having me in your class. I am here by imperial order to improve my body movement for swordsmanship." Bull-fucking-shit! Tori grit her teeth to keep from screaming. The other students in the class welcomed him encouragingly. Tori restrained her disbelief and gave him a small nod before turning back to the barre to stretch her leg and pretend he didn't exist. What he was doing there was none of her business. She had dance goals to focus on.

Instructor Dubois clapped once more and called their attention to start the class. Instructor Dubois walked them through the schedule for the day and then let another instructor start leading the class while she followed up with the first few steps of the goddess of wisdom dance. After Tori nodded, she turned to head to the smaller room only to be stopped.

"Miss Guevera, I heard that you and Mr. von Dorn are both part of the Sword Association. As you're familiar with him, I'd like you both to partner up."

"What? No, what about Miss Sousa?" Tori said, quickly as she stepped forward and grasped Instructor Dubois' arm like a lifeline.

"She was paired with me last week when we started."

"Miss Sousa sprained her ankle when she tripped while carrying a bolt of fabric working on her textile project this weekend." Instructor Dubois grimaced a bit.

"She won't be able to come to class for a few weeks while her ankle is healing." Tori's shoulders sank. She made a mental note to check on Miss Sousa and send her a get-well snack, then jumped to the immediate issue.

"Then why can't I be partnered up with someone else?" Why do I have to be stuck with Sir Failure? Instructor Dubois gave her an apologetic look.

"Everyone has already partnered up. I'm afraid Mr. von Dorn is the only available person. You know that each student must practice with another in case an instructor is not in the room and there is an accident." Tori flared her nostrils and took a deep, trembling breath.

"Can I at least ask if someone is willing to trade partners?" Instructor Dubois gave her a deadpan look and Tori pursed her lips. That was a silent 'no.' She slowly turned to look at Fabian and forced.

"Mr. von Dorn, it seems we will be.... part... partners." It hurt to say it out loud. Fabian's dull expression didn't falter.

"I understand."

"Wonderful! Miss Guevera, you may begin and Mr. von Dorn, please follow Miss Guevera's movements. She is only doing the first few steps." Tori tried not to grunt as she made her way to the other room. As soon as Instructor Dubois was out of sight, Tori kicked her shoes off and looked at Fabian.

"As per usual, please stretch first. Follow me." It was an awkward two or so minutes and the two of them stood across the room from each other. When Tori was satisfied, she crossed the room and stood a few paces beside him.

"What is this dance?" Fabian asked.

"The Nazaria version of the dance to the goddess of wisdom," Tori said.

"It is a long and technical dance."

"What do I do?"

"Right now, we're practicing the starting movement. Put one put forward, in a sort of lunge...." She slid her left leg forward and bent it while sliding her other foot back, stretching so it pointed down and out behind her.

"Your arms are extended, palms open and facing you. The left-hand hovers just above your eyes, the right-hand hovers just above your heart. As you slowly pull them apart, your right leg remains straight as it circles forward. Your left leg begins to straighten, lifting you. Follow me." He followed her directions without question and Tori had to admit, she was a bit surprised that this was going so smoothly. Fabian didn't say a word unless he had a question.

When he wasn't talking about Alessa or harassing Ewan, she had nothing to really be bothered about.

"My right leg is not staying straight."

"It's fine; we're used to keeping our knees slightly bent in sword. If it's giving you trouble, let's just focus on the single movement first. May I touch you?" Tori asked as she rounded him and stood by on his right side. His red eyes were wide as he looked at her.

"Pardon?"

"May I move your leg? Your extension may be too far to keep your leg straight, so I want to move it to a position where it stays straight," Tori said, motioning to his leg.

"Oh...." He swallowed hard and his eyes darted away.

"Yes." She gave him a nod and bent to adjust him by pushing his ankle a few degrees forward. There was some resistance and she looked up to ask him to relax, only to find her word dying in her mouth. His face was flushed. Tori furrowed her brows. Fabian did a lot of training as a knight; he shouldn't have been tired by this. Then again, perhaps the movement was more difficult than he thought.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine!" He snapped at her and stepped away.

"I'm simply not used to these movements." Tori raised a brow and nodded.

"It's still a good exercise in body control. You'll get used to it. That's why you came here, isn't it?"

"I didn't want to come here," Fabian said with a slightly darkened look.

"Her Majesty 'suggested' I take this class. This is a punishment." Her eyes squinted at him. Dance was a very legitimate way to help with body control and many swordsmen she knew both in Soleil and her original world were excellent dancers in one shape or form. Tori shook her head.

"Even if that's the case, don't treat it as a punishment. This is an excellent chance to practice your movements," Tori told him.

"At the very least, the Empress had you do something that would be beneficial to you despite your actions." She stretched out her arms and slid back into the dance's starting position.

"My actions?" Fabian nearly choked out as she pushed herself up.

"I'm only here because of you!"

"Why is this my fault?" Tori hissed back as she completed her turn.

"You called the Empress when we were in Viclya and told her we were there," Fabian replied with a glare.

"If you hadn't done that, we would've returned immediately."

"Do you honestly think that Piers and Axton wouldn't have reported you when they saw you three at the delta? You were there and they did. They called Captain Gaumond before I called the Empress. You and the second prince broke protocol and were punished for it. Don't blame me because you got caught." Tori raised her arms and snorted as she returned to her first position again.

"You of all people should know to report his whereabouts to the palace."

"We were in a rush and the Empress would never have allowed us to leave." Fabian walked around her, and Tori turned around to avoid looking at him.

"With good reason!"

"How can you be so quick to judge what we did for our friend when you fought me for one of yours?" Tori paused. She slowly turned her head to look at him as her arms lowered.

"Do you think fighting you because you continuously disparaged Ewan is comparable to breaking imperial protocol because Hart desperately needed to use the second prince's authority to enter a closed settlement, for no other reason than to ask Constantine why he was leaving?" She sneered and shook her head.

"Don't try to use the excuse that you thought he was in danger. You've seen us in Viclya with Constantine. He's one of us and we love him; where did you see us even hint at hurting him?" Fabian swallowed hard. He gritted his teeth and looked away from her.

"She needed our help at the time," he said in a low, measured voice.

"What if it was a real emergency?"

"Then you could've checked with me," Tori replied with narrowed eyes.

"If you don't trust me, there is Axton. If you don't trust Axton, there is Piers. It wasn't a secret that they were at the delta that weekend to attend Constantine's party and see him off." She shook her head.

"Why is it that whenever Hart is involved, you and those other idiots don't think straight or listen to reason?" He looked taken aback and glared.

"What are you talking about?"

"It just seems to me that you and the second prince will do whatever she says without considering the consequences of your actions. I understand she is your friend, and you trust her, but don't ignore common sense and break protocol for such flimsy reasons. Her asking you to take her to the delta resulted in two knights losing their positions. Doesn't that concern you in the least?" Tori asked with narrowed eyes.

"I've only spoken to Piers' escort knights and even I know that they've dedicated their entire lives to becoming a first-tier knight. Now, because two escort knights followed the second prince's order, they were demoted and can never become a first-tier knight again."

"That... that wasn't necessarily her fault. It was His Highness' decision-""Yes, he's told me. He wants to shoulder all the blame for this," Tori said as she raised her arms once more and took a careful step.

"He has no problem with being used and then blamed. Like some masochist..." she muttered under her breath.

"He's not!" Fabian stepped around Tori to stop her from ignoring his protest and ending the conversation.

"Prince Gideon is a kind, supportive person. He is loyal and will do what he can for those he cares about. He would never turn his back on people who needed him! How dare you call him something like a maso-""Shut up, von Dorn." Tori cut him off and met his glare with a defiant one of her own.

"If he is a kind and loyal person who would never turn his back to those he cares about, then you, as his personal knight, should protect him from those people when they put him in danger. Do you understand? Regardless of who it is he cares about, if their actions and words threaten to hurt him or put him in any sort of danger, it is your duty to protect him from them." She drew her head back and let out a low breath.

"Even Axton dared to piss me off for Piers. If you aren't willing to do that, then perhaps you shouldn't be a personal knight."

"On a scale of one to ten... how awkward was it?" Ewan asked as he sat in the carriage with an excited look on his face. He had appeared outside the gates of Lycée as the last day of the work week, La Garda didn't have classes and he wanted to tag along before going with them to the delta that evening. Tori gave him a deadpan expression.

"Five, but the irritation is at eleven. The rest of the week has been ten. We don't talk unless it's dance related." It was a strange cold war of sorts, but at least it didn't dissolve into screaming chaos or a fight. Although, she was pretty sure the entire class felt the tension.

"What did you tell him?" Albert asked.

"I asked him who is more important: his duty to the second prince or Hart." Tori looked out the window, nonchalant.

"I was annoyed, so it came out. I mean...." She turned to look at her friends with frustration.

"Two escort knights lost their position because of this. I would think that as a knight himself, he would understand the severity of what happened, but it's as if it doesn't affect him. It's as if he doesn't care; that it happened to strangers and not people he worked with for years." Dimitri was the same or at least, that's what it appeared like. His own family was being investigated for corruption and he acted as if nothing was wrong.

This was something that happened in these sorts of stories: it didn't matter what the collateral damage was, as long as the hero or heroine got their way. She knew that the love interests had blinders on, but when it touched significant people in their lives, she hoped they would at least show a shred of empathy and wake them up a little.

"That's true," Ilyana said.

"Von Dorn has worked with those escort knights for some time. He should be familiar with them. It's strange he doesn't seem at all bothered by them losing their jobs. We're only a little familiar with Prince Piers' escort knights, but I'd be upset if I had a part in them losing their jobs."

"His focus was on Hart, as usual," Tori said. She shook her head.

"Did he at least look upset when you told him what you said?" Albert asked. Tori nodded.

"He was upset, but I'm sure it was mainly towards me for saying it."

"Do you want to bet that he'll tell the second prince about what you said and then he'll confront you?" Henrik asked, raising a brow. Tori shot him an annoyed look.

"I don't even want to know how badly those two have talked about me. Though, to be fair, I've talked badly about them." They reached Duel and the five of them filed out of the carriage. There were still guards at the door, but they were let in without a problem. Henrik and Ilyana went to check on the status of the various rooms and Albert and Ewan went to see what new games had already been stalked while Tori went to the back room to talk to the printers.

Sir Villalobos had requested to speak to her in person about a brief leave of absence. When he asked to see her in person, Tori couldn't help but worry that something was wrong and hoped it wasn't an illness or death in the family.

"Sir Villalobos, thank you for waiting."

"Thank you for coming, my lady. I wanted to show you what we've done so far and what will be focused on before I leave," he said. They did as he said and walked around the print shop and wood carving table. Everything was on track, and several glass casted and wooden game pieces had already been delivered from Sur.

"I hope this is satisfactory and the schedule while I'm away is acceptable, my lady."

"It is. Thank you for telling me in advance, Sir Villalobos," Tori said with an understanding nod. Her brows furrowed and she stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Is everything all right?" The old man gave her a look of relief and nodded.

"Yes, my lady, it's just that the print shop in Presidio requires rearranging. One of the young men we hired suddenly told us that he was quitting." He hesitated for a moment.

"He was a... special case." Tori gave him another understanding nod.

'Special case' likely had to do with a direct order from her father or brothers.

"It's not a problem. No need to say any more. Are you in need of transport or lodgings?"

"I will be riding my horse, my lady," Sir Villalobos said, lifting his hand and pounding his chest a bit.

"I am not so settled working in a print shop that I cannot ride. I will be able to take care of my own lodgings, as well." Tori nodded with a smile.

"All right. If there is anything else, please let us know."

"Of course, my lady." Tori turned around and took one step forward. Her head perked up and she turned around.

"Sir Villalobos, this 'special case'... was he 'hired' about a year or so ago?" Sir Villalobos lifted his eyes from the cutting table.

"Yes."

"A teenager... my age... blond hair... from Anlar?" Sir Villalobos stood up straight and nodded once more.

"That's correct." Tori knit her brows together and silently counted the months. Her eyes widened.

"No fucking way...." Her voice was a whisper as her arms dropped at her side. Alessa's childhood friend's two-year ban from Horizon was set to end soon. The print job in Presidio was a good job and allowed him to work with a disability; most people in Tom Field's situation wouldn't give it up so easily. There was no guarantee that he'd find a job if he returned to Horizon. He obviously had trouble finding a job prior to the print shop in Presidio.

"My lady?" Sir Villalobos called out and Tori snapped out of her daze.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Thank you," Tori said, forcing a small smile. I just didn't think he would return so soon... or ever.

"If I may ask, is the special case employee a good worker? Did he cause any trouble?" Sir Villalobos jutted out his lips and shook his head thoughtfully.

"No, he was very attentive to learning the basics. We insisted he slowly get used to the different stations. He hasn't become proficient in all of them, but he was diligent and made few mistakes while learning. I'm surprised he's quitting, actually." He rubbed his chin and Tori cocked her head.

"Did he give the impression of wanting to stay?"

"He was very eager to work and learn," Sir Villalobos replied.

"He seemed very satisfied with the pay. He had much of his pay forwarded to his family, and is hardworking and polite. He never complained, so his resignation is surprising." He looked at Tori carefully.

"From your expression, this isn't a surprise?" Tori took a deep breath.

"He's coming here." Sir Villalobos jerked his head back, his eyes wide.

"Here? Why didn't he apply for a transfer?"

"You know that he's been banned from Horizon?"

"Yes... but I don't know the duration."

"Two years. It's almost up," Tori said. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment.

"Does he know that you three have come here to set up a print shop at Duel?"

"No, my lady. No real details about this assignment were given. Lord Sebastian was careful when selecting us to come." Thank you for your caution, Sebby....

"He has a close childhood friend who attends Lycée. He had followed her here to work. He had broken into one of my stores two years ago and was caught, resulting in a fine and a two-year ban from Horizon. I wouldn't be surprised if he quit the print shop in Presidio to come here to be closer to her." Sir Villalobos' brows rose.

"I see... should we continue to treat him as a 'special case'?"

"Yes, please," Tori said with a nod.

"He doesn't have much power of his own to do a lot of damage, but we should always be prepared." He returned her firm, affirming nod.

"Then, I will inform our people, my lady. He will not be able to breathe without us knowing." Tori didn't bother to refute him.

"Then, I'll leave that in your hands. Thank you, Sir Villalobos." She turned back around and walked back into the main showroom of Duel. Ewan and Henrik were admiring the gaming table set in the north wing while Albert and Ilyana explored the upper floors. Albert was gushing.

"I'm going to reserve this place for my birthday next summer."

"You don't want to have it at the delta?"

"... I will have two birthdays next summer."

"Are you all ready?" Tori cringed a bit as her voice echoed around the empty rooms.

"We need to get to Lions Gate to finalize the details for the Autumn and Winter party." She stepped outside to wait for her friends and paused. A little boy was looking up at the building, his eyes wide and almost in a daze. Tori had seen him multiple times and if it weren't for the fact that he was so young, likely about Ava or Riri's age, he would think he was some sort of spy. He seemed to sense that someone was staring at him and lowered his gaze to meet her eyes with a sharp, almost unblinking stare.

For a moment, Tori wondered if he knew all her secrets.

"Oh, it's Haben." Henrik came down the stairs and gave the child a nod.

"Haben, good day." The child blinked. He slowly nodded his head.

"Hi."

"You know him?" Tori asked. Henrik nodded.

"I asked what he was doing the last time we visited. He heard there are games here, so he seems to be waiting. I told him it will be another few months, but he goes to school nearby, so he likes to walk past."

"Ah...." Tori nodded. She looked at the child once more.

"Always nice to have enthusiastic kids."

"See you later!" Henrik gave the child a grin as they climbed into the carriage.

"My lady, to Lions Gate's flagship?" Mr. Novak asked.

"Yes, we'll be a while. Afterwards, we'll go back to the Academic Quarter, pick up our things and Alexander, and go straight to the delta." It had only been a few weeks and she already missed it.