Chapter 133 Volume III - Chapter 54: Meeting at the Café
Alex sounded a little hesitant with the question of where I had found out about his skill. And I decided to pose a question to him in the same way.
"Do you still doubt me?"
"Not really. I'm just... curious. Not only do you know about my skill, but you know you'll need it at the end of the dungeon. You've even memorized the map of the dungeon, but this is the first time we've entered it. There are so many things that don't connect, contradict, don't make sense... That's why I'm curious."
There was silence between us again.
"You can't make the connections despite using the skill, huh... If even that skill doesn't work, I must be more mysterious than I thought."
Of course, it's obvious that the skill won't work. If I had any doubt that it would work and that Alex would be able to get information about me, I wouldn't have even approached him in the first place.
"Yes, I'm afraid there's not much I've been able to learn using it, but you're not answering my question."
I sighed and then smiled when I saw his stubbornness.
"There are some things I can't say, Alex, and your questions relate to them. So there's nothing I can do but apologize."
Alex took his eyes off the wall and turned them back to me.
"I kind of trusted you, but that trust has waned a bit. Still, I think I understand you, so I won't say anything."
I grinned despite the brown eyes staring back at me.
"You know I know your skill. I can tell you something to give you confidence in me, I know the nature of your skill as well as the skill itself."
Alex didn't react to what I said as much as I thought he would.
"If you know the skill, it's only natural that you know that too."
"So, yes. I think the fact that I've had plenty of opportunities to kill you and take your skill for myself, and I haven't done it until now, is a simple reason for you to trust me."
I didn't continue, just pulled two potion bottles out of the bag next to me and handed one to Alex. Then I put mine to my mouth and stretched slightly, lying down on the hard rock.
"I'm going to sleep. When we wake up, we'll be well enough and we can continue the journey. So you rest well too."
"Alright."
Alex drank the potion and closed his eyes after lying down, just like me. Still, his lips moved one last time before he fell asleep.
"Lheal... You're sure the plant is here, right?"
His voice sounded strained, but since his mother's life was at stake, there wasn't much I could say.
"Yes. As I said before, I can sign a mana contract anytime you want, but unfortunately, it's a bit late for that now... Still, you have to trust me, because at least for now there is no other way forward."
Alex clicked his tongue, but he didn't look particularly annoyed. It was more like a casual gesture.
"You're right... Sleep well."
I was stunned for a moment when I heard him tell me to sleep well, I hadn't expected that from him yet.
I couldn't help a slow smile forming on my face, because at last this Alexander Callidas really started to see me as his 'friend'...
"You too, as well..."
Adrian, Julian, Sue, Celine, Lucia, Alysia even though I can't yet and maybe never call her my 'friend', and now Alex...
I had forgotten that it feels good to make a new friend, to have someone you consider a friend also consider you a friend.
I closed my eyes and tried to lower my grin, but I couldn't stop myself. It was just... a good feeling.
*******
I straightened my clothes one last time and slowly stood in front of my mirror. I was wearing a blue long-sleeved sweater with a slight pattern on it and my jeans looked good. On my face, I wore makeup that was almost imperceptible but I thought it was effective.
My appearance was good. I always made sure I looked good.
Still, when I saw my image in the mirror, I couldn't help feeling annoyed.
Why am I doing this? Do I have to go to the trouble of trying to look nice to try to kill someone? I shouldn't be doing this. This is ridiculous...
"Tch."
I clicked my tongue, turned around, headed outside, and looked at my watch.
<<------------------------------
12:51 Friday, December 11, 2043
One new message from Adrian Caleo:
Can we meet, Alice? You agreed to help me but we never talked about what to do. - 11:58
------------------------------>>
It had been almost twenty minutes since I saw the message. However, I hadn't clicked on it yet.
<<------------------------------
You: I'll be at the academy cafe in half an hour.
------------------------------>>
I sent the message, and it took me only seconds to receive a reply.
<<------------------------------
Adrian Caleo: All rigth.
------------------------------>>
I frowned when I saw the typo, feeling even more uncomfortable, but I ignored it and headed for the café.
I started thinking, thinking about my purpose, about what I was told I had to do.
Adrian Caleo owes me two debts. Isn't it easy for me to take care of him with these? I just have to make sure that the academy doesn't suspect... Then I can't show that he had any connection with me. At least his last moments shouldn't be spent with me when he's discovered dead.
Should I use poison? No...
Should I call him outside the academy and kill him where no one can see him? But there's a huge statistical gap between us... I don't know how fast he'll react. If something unexpected happens, I'll throw away my whole future.
Then do both? Take him outside and poison him? Of course, I still have to make sure the academy can't find me...
"Alice! I'm here."
What woke me up from my thoughts was the sound of the voice that made me realize that I had already arrived at the café. Adrian Caleo was shouting at me from the table where he was sitting, with a huge and stupid smile on his face and his shouting was attracting all the attention.
I sighed and walked over to him. I saw some of the people I passed whispering and looking at Adrian, but I didn't care. I sat across from him with my usual expression and looked him straight in the eye. I didn't say anything and Adrian spoke without lowering his smile.
"You said half an hour, but you're early."
"I'm early everywhere I go."
"Oh... Okay. Do you want something to drink?"
I waited without answering and Adrian continued to stare blankly at me.
Can't he get straight to the point? I'm wasting time...
"I'll pay, don't worry."
"Anything hot will do."
"Coffee?
"Sure, but it's even better if we get to the point quickly."
Adrian nodded quickly, looked at the waiters circling between the tables of the café, and raised his hand in the air. The moment he did so, one of the waiters ended up right next to us. It was as if he had been waiting for this moment.
Adrian quickly ordered two coffees at above-average prices and then turned back to me.
"So let me start from the beginning, it will be better for you to understand."
I nodded. Then Adrian told me about the boy James, the commoners who had gathered together, and the group they had formed. Slowly he moved on to our current problem and how he met them yesterday.
Even though we were talking about all this at a table in the corner of the café, he was very quiet, almost inaudible from outside the table. And even when he was paying attention to me, one of his eyes seemed to be scanning his surroundings, looking for anyone who might be trying to listen to him.
He adjusts his voice to avoid being overheard, but it seems natural. He pretends to be focused on me, but he is always watching his surroundings... I may have underestimated him a bit.
"... basically, I need to stop this group and James."
I took a sip of my coffee, which had already arrived by the end of his narration.
"So, you've decided to be a hero again?"
I put my coffee back on the table and looked directly into his eyes. Adrian's expression dropped a little but remained as much the same as possible.
"I want to help these people because they are the people that I can reach out to. I don't think I'm trying to make myself a hero by doing this. Maybe I'm trying to satisfy myself inside, I don't know... But it doesn't change the fact that I can help people who have a problem right now."
Oh... He actually seems a bit better since the last time I saw him. He must have taken what I said seriously, and if that's the case, he must see me as closer to him, as I thought. It's a good thing I followed him that day.
Still, I don't want to give him too much face. It annoys me that he always smiles and wants to help people.
"It's up to you. It's your life, your choices, but it's hard to think about others. I hope you're taking that into consideration."
"Of course, I do."
I was even more frustrated when I saw how determined he was and how proud he seemed to be of it.
"Even if you're confident, you can't wage direct war on a group that already has more or less influence in the academy. I hope you have a plan that gives you that confidence?"
Adrian opened his mouth, he was about to say something, but then he stopped, put his hand to the back of his head, and smiled.
"That's kind of what I need help with..."
Ah... Right. If he could do it with strength, he wouldn't need any help. I can't think straight because he annoys me with everything...
Would it make me feel good to kill him? No... I'm ignoring the fact that he's so strong, I'm lost in my thoughts again.
"Then let me find out how strong you are first."
"My general level is D+, but you can consider me a C-."
He didn't move up a grade, but... I'm sure he's stronger than before.
I took a deep breath.
How can I kill this monster? I need to catch him when he's vulnerable...
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, but even now he was on guard. He was acting relaxed, but since the last incident, it really felt like he had eyes even behind his back.
"You said James was smart, right?"
"Yes."
"He adjusted his clothes twice while he was talking to you?"
"Yes."
He's obsessed with keeping himself clean and he's the illegitimate son of a noble family... He must have developed this obsession to prove himself, to look good all the time.
I sat back and started to think.
Even if the group they've formed is misguided, if we simply stop James, they'll rebel and put someone else in charge... We have to finish James off in such a way that they can't even think of such an attempt.
The best option is to get him kicked out of the academy somehow, especially in a public way. It would be quite a good intimidation to show that we can get him kicked out of the academy.
Of course, that's my first thought, and if I come up with better ideas, I can use that as plan B.
Ah...
I paused with an idea that came to me out of the blue.
Actually... Do I really need to solve this problem?
Can't I just kill him and blame it on those idiots?
Why didn't I think of that before...?
"Did you find something?"
"No... Actually... Yes, I kind of did."
Adrian's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Do you think we can handle it ourselves?"
His excitement skyrocketed and everyone around us turned to us. I was instantly pissed off.
"Sit down, you look like an idiot."
Adrian paused, put his hand to his mouth, coughed slightly, and sat back down softly.
"Can we?"
With the scenario starting to take shape in my mind, I realized how simple I could make this job done. It might be a bit of work, but it's not that hard...
I raised my hand, rested my head against it, and fixed my eyes on the table.
"Yes, I think we can."
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