Lilia looked to her in surprise, "This friend of yours is rather blunt with her words, then."
Lotus nodded, "That's what makes her so special. Those who are blunt with their words are usually those you can trust when they are your friends. She and I were inseparable friends many years ago."
"Were?" Silver looked to her in confusion.
Lotus nodded again but with a sad smile, "She... had been forced to leave us under certain circumstances... That was the last I've seen her."
"But, you'll be able to see each other again." Lilia pointed out curiously, "She is probably somewhere in this world, after all."
Despite his optimistic words, she could only smile bitterly still and nod her head, "Perhaps. Hearing and seeing the dorm leader's reaction today reignited many fond memories I had in the past. I suppose it doesn't help that the two of you also have such striking resemblance, aside for your age and gender. Anyway, enough of that. I also need to make sure the ice has completely melted before tomorrow. Then, I can purchase something from Mr. Sam's shop to replace the cold source.""
"I see." Lilia nodded with a wide smile and turned to Sebek, "Sebek, can you give Lotus a hand? I'm pretty sure I saw the ice melting not too long before before I froze it up again."
"Yes!" Sebek responded despite looking rather reluctant as he followed after Lotus out the door.
Once they have left, Lilia heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head before Malleus spoke up, "His explanation is very unusual. It's clear that he's rather attached to this friend of his... But..."
Lilia nodded with a heavy sigh in exasperation, "It's clear that he shows no hostility towards you in the past. Instead. you are a constant reminder of his old friend. And his silence only goes to show that he did know what happened to her in the end. It makes no sense, but it's clear that she's no longer amongst us anymore. However..."
Lilia looked up in bewilderment, "I'm surprised to hear that there would be someone resembling you so much, Malleus. Hehe... even her speech and personality is very similar to you."
"Lilia, that's enough..." Malleus huffed in silence before drinking the tea again and another bite of the shaved ice before looking to her direction in confusion, "However, I'm also curious who resembles me..."
Silver frowned, "But, aside from her majesty and the late king and queen, there's no one else who resembles Malleus-sama..."
"There's also the Witch of Thorns that the royal family is said to resemble to the most." Lilia added, "However, her era was many, many years ago. I don't believe her majesty, the queen, has seen her in all her glory either... If it had been a lie, then, it's a well developed lie, but something about him tells me otherwise..."
After hearing his own words, he shook his head, "I've also made a mistake with my words earlier and struck the wrong place with him. However, I also can't guarantee his ingenuity if I do not do this. But... someone else who resembles Malleus..."
"It sounds interesting as well..." Malleus nodded with a frown, "I would also like to meet her myself if I ever have the chance. Sadly, it won't be for a while still..."
Lilia nodded, "That definitely won't be for a long time... However, I was surprised by something else as well."
"Hm? What is it, Lilia?" Malleus glanced over to him in confusion.
"On our way here, I learned that Lotus's parents are close to the Valley of Thorns and was probably a citizen from our country. However, as I said, he was adopted into a family and they are near the Valley of Thorns."
"If that was true, then we would've heard of her existence as we had with Ren. Speaking of Ren, where is he?"
Lilia sighed, "Probably studying for the upcoming classes again. Ren is always like this after all. A person that tries to please others."
Malleus frowned, "How are things back at home? My grandmother has chosen not to tell me anything again, this year."
Lilia sighed, "Nothing much, Malleus. You should know that your grandmother wants you here to experience life as a student amongst others. Naturally, she won't tell you of things back home to lessen the burdens. Though I'm not the queen or dare say so, I can still assume this much. Did she tell you something out of the ordinary? Anything that could be shared?"
Malleus shook his head, "She just wished me a happy birthday on a card and sent me a letter telling me to watch over Ren and give her updates on him. She's apparently interested in Lotus too."
"Really..." Lilia looked to him in surprise, "Does that mean that she might look into his background?"
Malleus shook his head, "I'm not sure, but I doubt it. Also, have the Ebonvile family messaged Ren lately?"
Lilia shook his head, "None what so ever... For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this."
"A bad feeling?" Silver looked to Lilia in confusion.
Malleus shook his head and thought carefully before turning to Lilia, "How about we send Silver to watch over Ren for now?"
"Silver?" Lilia looked to Malleus before nodding his head, "All right."
Malleus thought for a bit and frowned, "I hope everything isn't difficult for grandmother back home."
Lilia sighed, "It can't be helped that the Ebonvile family is so devious and sly. To think that they managed to become nobles by trickery..."
"If my father had known that this would happen, he wouldn't have agreed to letting their ancestors become nobles to begin with..." Malleus frowned in deep thought.
Lilia nodded with a frown, "If only we had obtained the evidence sooner."
"Don't let Ren know anything related to this. Just make sure that he doesn't communicate with his family." Malleus instructed Silver.
"I understand."
Silver nodded his head as Lilia nodded, "Coming to this dorm just so you can put aside your duties... I was wondering why the queen wanted you to watch over Ren. If my thinking if right..."
Lilia sighed as he grumbled, "Humans really think in strange ways..."
Malleus nodded biting back a sigh and said, "Also, we need to keep a close eye on Lotus."
"Oh?" Lilia looked to him in surprise.
"During the beginning of the weak, he suffered a blow to the head and a fever before coming to our dorm." Malleus recalled with a frown, "Yuu had been dragged into the matters with the Scarabia dorm. I can understand why he was unable to visit him. However, it seems that Lotus got hurt again..."
Hearing this, Lilia narrowed his eyes as he sighed, "I see. So, you saw it too..."
Silver looked to Lilia in confusion, "Lotus was hurt again. But he was getting better..."
"I've heard from the nurse once when passing by that Lotus often gets hurt. Every time this happens, the supervisor gets worried often and goes to check on him in the nurse office everyday." Lilia pointed out with a frown, "However, his skills with the acupuncture seemed to be so good that the doctor who treated the queen keeps in contact with our nurse."
Malleus's eyes lit up in shock, "That doctor? The one who cured grandmother twenty years ago?"
Lilia nodded and continued, "After hearing this, I called him."
"Father just called him?" Silver looked to him in shock and confusion.
"Of course!" Lilia laughed, "The two of us had a long chat after he saved the queen from her illness twenty years ago and became good friends! At that time, he talked about owning a small shop in an alley somewhere in the land of Pyroxene and becoming a hermit. Apparently, he's not fond of the attention he would receive after treating the queen and the queen respected his decisions back then. We had a long chat to catch up before I told him what I heard from the nurse. He's not someone that likes lies and he is really good and seeing through lies too. He said that he wants to take Lotus in as his assistant in name. Then, he could help him with his future using his name as a stepping stone."
"That human?" Malleus raised a brow in confusion, "Didn't he said that he doesn't have plans to acknowledge any students"
"That's right." Lilia nodded and frowned, "However, he said something that surprised me. He said that he didn't want to teach some amateur that would use his name to patch up accidents in treatment or gain benefits. However, Lotus was far more skilled in this field than him. Taking him in as an apprentice and assistant is only in name. In truth, the real apprentice may just be him in this case because Lotus's knowledge in acupuncture far exceeds his knowledge and he also doesn't recklessly boast his skills unless he has to. If he could help someone like this, it would satisfy him already."