Chapter 25
Camilla forced out her constricted voice to answer.
“…I know.”
“Evidence?”
“Gilrota…”
She paused briefly. Her voice trembled with uncharacteristic tension. Cursing her own weakness, she continued.
“Cannot drink alcohol.”
The lake sank deeper. Camilla felt she might drown. Then suddenly, the frozen lake shattered with a crack.
“Damian?”
The space broke. Stopped time began flowing again. The choking sensation vanished. Camilla exhaled her held breath and looked at the voice’s owner. Golden hair like melting honey scattered in the wind. A young girl with a still-innocent face was looking curiously at her standing before the Crown Prince. Camilla wanted to smile casually at the girl but could only manage a forced grin.
“Who are you?”
The girl was quite bold. Meeting those amethyst eyes, Camilla recognized who she was. She resembled a junior too famous to forget from when Camilla attended the academy.
That junior was still famous now. The Iron Duke. Calion von Dürman.
This girl was the Duke’s eldest daughter.
The tension eased somewhat. Much better than facing the Crown Prince. Camilla regained her composure. Moreover, judging by his demeanor, the Crown Prince clearly never showed this side of himself to the girl. Which meant staying near the girl was her lifeline.
Camilla moved her feet that had seemed frozen and walked to the girl. Then, like a courteous gentleman addressing a noble lady, she knelt on one knee and kissed the girl’s hand.
“I pay my respects to the first flower of the Lion, my Lady.”
The lion was the ducal family’s crest. Ayla looked down at the woman, appraising her. Ordinary brown hair and eyes. Not among the nobles she knew. Given her mature face, not an academy student either. So an outsider.
If not noble, then common-born. But her bearing was too distinctive for a commoner. Rather like a soldier hardened by battlefields.
Ayla was about to ask again who she was. But her captured hand prevented her from speaking. The hand that had been caught by the woman was now in Damian’s grip. Camilla’s hand, briefly suspended in air, was withdrawn.
Camilla rose with a hollow laugh. Like a righteous knight protecting his lady from a ruffian, the Crown Prince stood behind the girl, tightly holding her hand. His eyes were still frozen like before, but Camilla no longer feared him. She had found powerful backing.
“Isn’t it proper manners to state one’s name along with greetings?”
Oh my? Camilla’s lips twisted into a smirk at the Crown Prince’s completely changed attitude.
“Damian, do you know her?”
“No.”
A firm answer. Camilla thought she would have burst out laughing if the people before her weren’t the Crown Prince and the Duke of Dürman’s eldest daughter. True, they were strangers. But the scene was quite amusing.
So Lady Ayla and the Crown Prince were childhood friends? Well, it seemed he saw her as more than just that. Wonder what the overprotective Duke Dürman would do if he knew.
“Right. I haven’t introduced myself yet.”
Camilla smiled at those indifferent amethyst eyes and answered.
“I’m Camilla. I came to request a private audience with His Highness regarding the reinvestigation of Gilrota’s case.”
* * *
Though nominally egalitarian, the academy provided single rooms to all students regardless of noble or common birth. But Damian Lancaster was this empire’s Crown Prince. Even the academy couldn’t be entirely equal with him. Thus, Damian had a separate building. A standalone structure somewhat removed from the academy dormitories. Whenever entering Damian’s quarters, Ayla was thankful both for its isolation and that he was a mage. With a small sound and a blink of her eyes, they were back in his room.
Damian pulled out a chair for Ayla with gentlemanly manners, and she sat with familiar ease. Camilla watched this with a knowing look, but neither noticed.
Ignoring whether Camilla would sit or not, Damian seated himself beside Ayla and asked her like a puppy wagging its tail at its master:
“Ayla, aren’t you tired? Where were you heading?”
A scoffing “huh” was heard, but he ignored it.
Ayla recalled her errand at his question.
“To Caelum.”
“To study? Should we go together later?”
Ayla hesitated briefly. Actually, studying wasn’t… but she could rightfully claim wanting to see his notes.
“Bring your notes too.”
“Should I get them ready now?”
A notebook flew from the bookshelf and landed before Ayla. Camilla momentarily wondered what she was doing here, but she had important business and couldn’t leave.
Camilla sat down with a deep sigh. And thought: Ant, you’d better spend your whole life repaying this debt to me.
“Now that you’ve decided your destination and gathered your notes, might I hear your answer to my request, Your Highness?”
Those relaxed eyes instantly sharpened. Damian turned from Ayla to face Camilla. She could now meet the Crown Prince’s gaze steadily. Tense air flowed between them. Once again, it was Ayla who broke it.
“You said you’re Camilla?”
“Yes, my Lady.”
“You can just call me Ayla. This is the academy, after all.”
But your dog doesn’t seem to want that, Lady Ayla. That face is clearly saying ‘who are you to dare call Ayla by name?’
Swallowing those words that had risen to her throat, Camilla looked at Ayla while avoiding Damian’s burning gaze.
“Then shall I call you Miss Ayla? Would that be acceptable?”
“Well, such things aren’t really important anyway, Ms. Camilla.”
“Yes, Miss Ayla.”
“You said you requested Damian to reinvestigate Gilrota’s case, what’s the reason?”
At Ayla’s question, Camilla remained silent for a moment, as if considering something. She was gauging how much to tell them. Could she truly trust them? Would the ice-cold Crown Prince risk investigating a mere commoner’s case?
Was seeking out the Crown Prince the right choice? Maybe Violet was right?
Lady Ayla was ultimately a noble too. A duke’s daughter, no less. Would someone like her care about a commoner’s case?
Memories she thought forgotten washed over her. Camilla reached for her cigarettes in her pocket but stopped herself. Before her were academy students. Minors, at that. She couldn’t harm their education.
Fingering the cigarette in her pocket, she gazed into those mesmerizing amethyst eyes. Then, as if resolving herself, she answered Ayla’s question.
“Gilrota cannot drink alcohol.”
The same reason she’d given the Crown Prince. But Ayla’s follow-up question made Camilla elaborate.
“How do you know that?”
“…Do you know the name Ant?”
Ayla’s face showed she didn’t. Camilla continued.
“He’s a boy who works for me, and he…”
Her gaze turned to the frozen lake.
“Is Gilrota’s friend.”
* * *
They thought that would be enough for today. But meeting Camilla had pushed the case into a new phase.
Damian and Ayla recalled their recent conversation in silence. Camilla had said her employee Ant was Gilrota’s friend, having known him since childhood. She’d provided Gilrota’s letter as evidence—a letter sent to Ant. It still lay open on the table.
Ayla read the letter’s contents again.
Ant. I… I really don’t know anymore. Have I been living right until now?
According to what Camilla heard from Ant, Gilrota had wanted to become a journalist. That’s apparently why he’d entered the Literature Department. Ant had thought this letter was just about career concerns. He’d said it was Gilrota’s last letter.
[When was this letter received?]
[From what I heard, it was before the academy midterms… so probably around April. Midterms are usually early May.]
Camilla seemed quite knowledgeable about academy schedules. On a hunch, Ayla asked:
[Are you perhaps an academy graduate?]
Camilla just smiled at Ayla’s question. Putting a finger to her lips, she said “Shh” and continued:
[A woman with secrets is more beautiful, isn’t she, Miss Ayla?]
Though that response seemed to confirm it, Ayla didn’t press further. Camilla was an academy graduate. And probably involved in some… rough business. It showed in her speech and mannerisms. Though her words and etiquette were impeccably noble.
Above all, Camilla’s business card.
[If you accept my request, I think we could have more interesting conversations. I’ll await your response.]
With those parting words, Camilla had left a business card on the table, which read:
Cobelot Financial Company. President: Camilla.
Financial company. Something felt off from there. Though not too familiar with such companies, it seemed… less than completely legitimate. As if reading her thoughts, Damian broke the silence:
“She’s a loan shark.”
“…What?”
