'I called her Lia...'
Why did I say her nickname as if we're close friends?! Will she find me weird? Well, obviously, yes. Who wouldn't be worried if someone you just met acted as if you've known each other for a long time?!
Wait, why am I so bothered about her feelings? I mean, it is not like I should be concerned. The girl standing before me is the woman who killed me. Although, we're not supposed to meet this early.
She gave me a curious look, making me gulp in anxiousness. Why am I so nervous? I need to compose myself.
"I find you uncanny, and it's disturbing." She coldly stated. Her voice is still sweet despite the cold response.
I scratched my head and sarcastically smiled, "I apologize for my unsettling act just now. You just reminded me of someone I know." She leaned and replied, "That someone must have frightened you. You always look scared when you look at me."
'You are that someone.' I thought to myself.
"Always?" I asked. I believe that this is the first time I have talked to her. She started counting on her fingers. "We had eye contact at the school entrance, but you panicked and ran away. This is the second time, actually." So much for her always. Her soothing voice relaxed me, and I was able to respond, "That's not many. You can't say it's always."
She giggled and walked toward me. "More than one is many. Say, can I sit beside you?" She leaned her head in anticipation of me agreeing. I silently nodded. I was unable to refuse her due to unknown reasons.
Lia sat beside me, ranging the proximity of an acquaintance. Her wariness made me snicker, and she noticed that little action of mine. "What's funny?" She asked with an irritated expression. I shook my hands and replied, "It's nothing. Forgive me for my rudeness. You are sitting far away from me, which may be a hurdle for our conversation."
"Let me remind you that I am still wary of you." She pointed at me but quickly apologized for her rudeness. A few moments later, she kept quiet. I wondered if my presence was bothering her, so I glanced to see her expression.
I gasped the moment I looked at her.
She doesn't look bothered but instead mesmerized by the majestic sky. I genuinely smiled as I was also fascinated by seeing her reaction. We were both in silence, but it was not due to awkwardness. The silence is mainly due to her appreciating the starry sky and how I admired her from afar.
A few moments later, I snapped out of it, "Would you mind telling me now why you are still roaming around at this hour?" I asked. She returned to her cold expression and replied, "I want to explore the academy. It's lively around the hallways, so I thought I could find a quiet place."
"Did you find the place you're looking for?" I asked. She smiled contently, "Somehow."
I was relieved and smiled as I responded, "Good to know."
She glanced away and continued, "Have you heard that many early-level students are planning to stay up all night?"
I shook my head, but I somehow expected it. It is the students' chance to go wild without breaking the rules, so who wouldn't get excited by that? The academy only requires students to ace their performance rate, and the rest is up to the students themselves.
Now that I think about it, was Lia also influenced by these students? I expressed an uncertain look and asked, "Are you also planning to stay up all night?" She shook her head and replied, "I was only familiarizing myself with the academy so that I won't be late tomorrow. Also, I forgot to mention I was looking for you."
Why is she looking for me? Does she have an idea of what I did at the banquet?
The relaxed atmosphere turned tense, and it felt suffocating. I wasn't able to move an inch, for I was afraid that I get to experience this heavy pressure from Lia again.
I asked for her reason. She directly looked me in the eye, "I noticed something wrong with the cutlery and plates assigned to me. I also smelled a faint scent of chemicals."
Lia smelled the chemical, meaning to say that she could die in a few hours. Did I fail on my mission successfully? I acted as if I was concerned and asked, "You smelled the chemical. Are you alright? How are you feeling right now?"
I tried observing her, but she didn't look bothered, "Whoever did that is only targeting me. The chemical on the food is not airborne. It should be intake to cause harm." She coldly stated.
"How did you know that the poison isn't airborne?" I was doubtful of her statements, and I am sure how my poison works. She reassuringly smiled, "I have a brother in the medical field. He specialized in studying toxins and chemicals. The scent on my tableware is similar to what he's experimenting with, so I am familiar."
I feebly nodded in response. My knowledge about the poison isn't wrong but advanced. Airborne chemicals are still in the process of making, and the one I have right now is just a sample. I am very disappointed because I thought she would die in a few hours. Is it just me, or is she not yet destined to die this early? Lia stood up, fixed her dress for the last time, and glanced at me.
"Victor mentioned that you asked for my assigned seat. Perhaps you have an idea of who's the culprit?" She asked. I am at a loss for words, just like it has always been whenever she questions me. I can't even keep directly looking at her eyes.
"..." I replied in silence. That's all I could do. Why can't I argue with Lia? Where did my confidence go? I can't even manipulate a weakling like her anymore. Did the same thing happen before? Have I managed to control Lia because she's not yet the monster she has become? Or has she always been like this, and I'm playing by her hands the whole time?
***
"Raphael, you have great potential, but you're an idiot. Clever Kings don't subdue villains but wisely keep them watched. Knowing how much of a threat you could be, it's better to suppress when you let down your guard."
***
I recalled someone telling me about suppressing and subduing villains. I didn't listen, so in the end, I foolishly died.
My thoughts made me ponder, and I unintentionally looked distracted in front of Lia. I only managed to get back to my senses when I heard a rustling on Lia's feet. I quickly glanced at her, and she promptly returned to the walkway under the flower arches.
"You're distracted. It seems that our unexpected encounter interrupted you from pondering about it too much. I'll ask you again about the poison when you're free." For the second time, Lia looked at me directly and smiled. This time, her smile is not cold but tender. Her expression portrays a message, 'Whatever is distracting you, for sure you'll be fine. Don't overthink it.'
I nodded and automatically smiled. Albeit Lia is the reason why. She altered the tense mood around us to a warm, soothing atmosphere like someone comforting a child. I thanked her, but she said nothing in return and then left the garden.
---
Now that I'm left alone, the whole place is quiet. The garden is disturbingly calm, as if I can anticipate that someone will unexpectedly attack me from behind. The eerie sound of the wind made me shiver down my spine. I stood up and looked around, but it was just me and the garden alone.
I heard some rustling. I glanced back to where the rustling was coming from, which was at the lake. The sight before me stunned me; hundreds and thousands of fireflies gallivanted around the area, complementing the peaceful ambiance of the night. What a truly magnificent view.
Starring at the beautiful scenery, the anxious thoughts that distracted me suddenly disappeared. Instead, I thought of an old, ironic, and fictional book I once read, 'Magic Under the Moonlight.' The book is about lovers of different statuses. One is a noble's daughter, and one is a peasant's son. The story happened at Central Academy, where the lovers acted like strangers in front of the many. However, every full moon, they secretly meet in the garden.
The book emphasizes the garden's beauty but seeing it comes with a curse. The lovers faced disturbing obstacles, specifically the peasant. The noble's daughter was forced to marry her cousin, but the young lady couldn't accept it, so she took her own life. The family blamed the peasant and requested an execution. Unfortunately, the peasant was tortured and beheaded in front of the whole community. The book then concluded that people of different statuses are incompatible, thus scaring the academy students not to visit the garden at night.
Even before, until now, I never believed the philosophy of that book. I also didn't think the curse was real; it is history. I am aware that this book's author is a twisted bastard who emphasized discrimination against status. This book was not for advocacy but a biased one decades and centuries ago.
I just realized I am fortunate enough to live in such an era of haphazard equality.
Despite the book's dark and disturbing story plot, I never thought the exaggerated narration about the garden's night view couldn't compare to what it looks like. It could lift the soul of even a cunning villain like me.
Again, I sat and leaned back on my arms as I entertained myself with the enchanting scene of the garden before me.