"What in the world just happened?" Valerio asked in a dumbfounded manner.
"Uncle Val, it's usually us asking the question and you answering" Lyra mocked him with a smirk. But the look of confusion was till evident in her face.
"I don't know. You got something to tell me, Mathew." Valerio looked at Mathew absentmindedly.
Mathew ignored him and looked at Ruby and Arthur who were cleaning the tables diligently.
"Well well, look how the tables have turned" Mathew replied as he looked at the group.
"Please Mathew, no more puns" Valerio said with a sigh. Seriously, sometimes he gets a headache trying to deal with this new manager whose personality is always fluctuating.
"I am dumbfounded too, Mr Valerio" Mathew replied with a shrug.
"Manager, you said other than us bearers, no one should be able to see it right?" Kael asked.
"Yeah, it's usually like that" Mathew replied without much thought.
"Then…do you think he is one the 'eye' bearers" Kael asked, his tone dragging.
"I don't think so. Usually, I get some sort of reaction from our kind even if they have not awakened their powers. But I didn't sense anything from Arthur" Valerio replied as he looked at Arthur with a frown.
'I really don't sense any abnormalities' he thought, his confusion deepening.
"Come to think of it, he couldn't see the coated weapons that night right?" Lyra asked.
"Yeah, you're right sis" Kael replied with a nod.
"Should.. we confront him, Mr Valerio" Mathew asked in doubt.
"I don't think that is a good idea" Valerio replied, his gaze still on Arthur.
Before anyone could react, Kael immediately opened the kitchen door and hurriedly walked towards Arthur.
"He never thinks, does he?" Valerio remarked with a smile.
"Not for a second" Lyra replied with a sigh.
As Kael neared Arthur, he manipulated his Nova into the shape of an amoeba-like creature.
"I wonder what he's up to" Mathew said with interest.
"Hey Arthur, what do you see?" Kael asked Arthur who was still cleaning the tables. Arthur looked at him in confusion. Ruby also looked at Kael with confusion and interest.
"Your palm?" Arthur replied after some thought.
"Other than that" Kael asked with some irritation.
"Ahh, you are showing off your apron to me" Arthur replied with a smile.
"It does look good on you" Arthur said with a nod.
Kael frowned as Arthur didn't notice the Nova in his hand.
'Is he lying and trying to feign ignorance?' Kael thought.
"Haha, I kinda am. Anyway Arthur, are you feeling alright? You were saying some weird things earlier" Kael asked with some concern, pushing his doubts to the back of his mind.
"Oh, I did?" Arthur questioned with confusion.
"Yeah about the monkey, I didn't have anything in my hand earlier" Kael replied.
"Ah really" Arthur replied with a sigh as he continued.
"I think I am seeing things nowadays"
"Are you ok?" Ruby asked with concern as she noticed Mathew, Lyra, and Valerio coming towards them.
"Seeing things?" Lyra asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Yeah, it's kinda weird. Also, I am getting a lot of strange dreams about slaughtering, blood flying everywhere" Arthur replied, shivering as he recalled the recurring dream.
"Arthur, if you're not feeling well, take a few days off. It's fine, we can manage" Valerio suggested in a calm and reassuring tone.
"No no Uncle Val, it's fine and it's been just 2 weeks since I joined, I need to be consistent" Arthur replied nodding his head vigorously.
'I would make a bad impression if I took a few days off after working here for just 2 weeks' Arthur thought.
"Your health is more important, Arthur" Valerio replied with concern.
"It's nothing serious Uncle Val. I'll be okay, thank you, guys, for your concern. No one asks me these things" Arthur replied with a smile as his voice started to break a little at the end.
"We're here if you need any help Arthur" Ruby said with a warm smile as she patted his back.
"Thank you guys" Arthur replied earnestly.
"It's settled then. People are coming, so time to get to work" Mathew said as he clapped his hands.
"Yes manager" the group replied in unison as he started their daily chores of tending to customers.
"Do you think he's lying?" Mathew asked as he looked at Valerio. The kids dispersed as only the two of them were standing.
"I don't think so. But I still feel like we're missing a part of the puzzle" Valerio replied absentmindedly, his mind seeming to be thinking about something.
…
The day went by peacefully as there were no other hiccups. It neared closing time and the group finally got a bit of rest and sat at a table, talking about trivial things.
"Mathew, take care of the shop, I'll be back in a minute" Valerio said as he started to leave the shop.
"Is it an emergency?" Mathew asked.
"No no, it's nothing like that. Anyway, I'll be back soon" Valerio replied without even turning back as he left the shop.
"I wonder what he's up to?" Kael muttered with confusion.
"It's nothing new" Lyra said.
Ruby and Arthur also didn't sense anything amiss. He was just going out for a bit. Maybe to get some fresh air.
"Today went by in a rush" Ruby said with a sigh.
"Yeah" Arthur replied, his tone tired.
"Okay guys, I'll leave now. See you guys tomorrow" Ruby waved, taking her belongings to return home.
"Yeah, I'll also leave with you Ruby" Arthur said as he also packed his belongings.
"Okay, guys return safe" Lyra said as she waved them goodbye. She put up the 'Closed' sign and went back inside.
The twins started to practice with their Nova while waiting for Valerio.
"Do you know something , manager?" Kael asked as he looked at Mathew.
"I am as clueless as you guys. Don't worry he will be back soon" Mathew reassured them. He knew that the twins were on edge because of so many things happening simultaneously.
The twins just nodded and continued with their training. After a while, the door opened and Valerio entered with a smile.
"What took you so long, Uncle Val?" Kael asked as he looked at Valerio with interest.
"Take a seat, everyone, I have some important information" Valerio replied with a smile. Everyone took their seats at a table.
"What is it?" Lyra asked.
"There's an interesting rumor going around the town" Valerio replied, his tone slow and dragged, as if he was trying to act mysterious.
"There are all sorts of weird rumors going around the town" Kael said, thinking it was not such a big deal.
'There are all sorts of rumors about celebrities, sportspeople, politicians' he thought.
"It may be related to the supernatural" Valerio replied with a smirk.
"Woah, is it about another fragment?" Kael asked hurriedly. Lyra and Mathew also looked at Valerio with expectations.
"I don't know, I'm not sure" Valerio replied with a shrug.
"We have 3 out of 12 here" Mathew said looking around the table.
"Wait, there's four of us here, manager" Kael replied as he pointed at each one, as if counting.
"Ah Kael, Uncle Val, and the manager each bear an eye, but we're both part of the same eye, so I think he got confused" Lyra replied with a smile.
"Oh right" Kael nodded in enlightenment.
"So what's the rumour, Mr.Valerio" Mathew asked.
"As I said earlier, there's a rumor going around the town-" Before Valerio could finish, Kael interrupted.
"Wait a minute… Do people know something about yen fragments? Did they find out about us??" Kael asked, his eyes widening in horror.
"Let him finish idiot" Lyra said as she gave a smack to his head.
"Oh sorry, Uncle Val" Kael said, rubbing his head as he glared at Lyra. Lyra just ignored him as usual.
"Anyway, the thing is, People are seeing weird things in the mirror" Valerio said.
"Like what?" Lyra asked with a frown.
"Like their reflection attacking them, hearing weird voices in the mirror, constantly feeling someone or something is inside the mirror" Valerio explained patiently.
"Woah, that's straight outta a horror movie" Kael exclaimed in shock as he kept thinking about those things happening to him. He shivered.
"So, that's the lead" Mathew said, nodding his head.
"There's another thing that's bothering me" Valerio said, his tone turning serious.
"What is it?" Lyra asked with a frown.
"Too many things are happening around us at once. It's hard to believe there can be so many coincidences" Valerio explained with a frown.
"Yeah, I've been thinking about that too. Us being spied on, Arthur seeing Kael's nova, and now this. It's like all the chess pieces are moving at the perfect time for a checkmate" Mathew voiced his concerns. Valerio looked at him with a deep look and nodded.
"I think we gotta keep an eye on Arthur" Valerio said as he looked at the twins.
"Leave it to us, Uncle Val" the twins nodded, clenching their fists.