A Meal Among Ghosts
Approximately twenty minutes had passed since Maxim began working alone with Adeline. Though blind, she moved without difficulty while simply walking. Like someone who could see, she deftly sidestepped anyone approaching her, occasionally turning Maxim’s glances back on him and leaving him feeling awkward.
“Is there anything you would like to eat?”
In that short time, Maxim had learned one thing about Adeline: aside from when she was working, she rarely pushed her own opinions. Rather than saying she had “very few” opinions, it was more accurate to say she never voiced them at all. When asked what she wanted for lunch, for example, her answer was always the same.
“I will follow your wishes.”
It was neither a claim that she had no preference nor that nothing came to mind—just a statement that she would go wherever Maxim chose. To some it might have sounded ordinary, but to Maxim it was deeply uncomfortable.
Am I being too sensitive?
Perhaps because he was speaking with a potential enemy, every word scraped against his throat and ears like a razor. Still, he needed to focus on the operation. To do that, he would have to grow somewhat closer to the knight named Adeline—at least close enough that, should the order come, he could take her life without hesitation. Maxim drew that line in his mind. Until he reached it, he could afford to become close enough for ordinary conversation.
“I’ll take you to the place I usually go.”
“Yes.”
Of course, Maxim’s plan to narrow the distance under the guise of consideration was already running into serious trouble thanks to the knight’s indifferent, almost nonexistent sense of self. He looked at Adeline with a mixture of discomfort and irritation, but the blind woman had no way of noticing.
“Haa…”
Her sharpened hearing caught the sigh at once.
“Is something the matter?”
“…It’s nothing. Nothing at all.”
Even that faint exhale had been detected and questioned. Maxim decided, for now, to swallow his discomfort.
“Do you have any foods you particularly enjoy?”
“Were we close enough to be asking each other such questions?”
Ah. That was my mistake. Maxim nearly sighed again but managed to bite it back. At this rate, he doubted they would ever manage a proper discussion about the operation. He resolved to keep his mouth shut until they reached the restaurant.
“…This way.”
At the intersection where the main road split into several alleys, the restaurant Maxim had chosen lay down one of the side streets. It was a place he had frequented during his time as vice-commander of the Raven Knight Order. The sign still hung, weathered and peeling, and through the dust-clouded windows he could see a few men silently clearing their plates.
“Are you not going in?”
When Maxim suddenly stopped and stared blankly at the sign, Adeline, who had been waiting quietly, asked. He was thinking of the person he used to visit this place with. Sensing he was lost in thought, Adeline did not press him and simply waited.
He remembered how she used to complain about the creaking sound the old door made every time it opened—yet she had always smiled while doing so. Maxim forced his furrowed brow to relax and pushed the door open.
“Let’s go in.”
He spoke quietly. Perhaps choosing this restaurant had been a mistake. Even the creaking sound only stirred painful memories now.
The owner merely glanced up as Maxim and Adeline entered, then lowered his head again without greeting. Had Maxim’s appearance not changed, the man would likely have scolded him for staying away so long.
“Place your order over there.”
A curt, gravelly voice called out. Maxim turned to Adeline, who sat blankly, and explained the menu before asking what she wanted. As expected, her answer was the same.
“Order whatever you like.”
Her voice carried no trace of emotion. It was not sarcastic, yet it irritated him again. Without showing his displeasure, Maxim ordered the same meal for both of them. Even then, the owner responded with nothing more than a distracted acknowledgment.
“…About the investigation, then.”
He had no time to dwell on the awkwardness. Maxim cut straight to the point. Adeline nodded, appearing ready to listen. At least this indifferent knight’s unchanging attitude was some small comfort.
“Are you capable of stealth?”
Adeline tilted her head, as if wondering why he asked. The cascade of her deep navy hair was rather striking, but Maxim paid it little attention.
“If ordered, I can manage.”
“Good. Then, at this hour—when the streets are busiest—do you believe you could slip into the Magic Tower without being noticed?”
Adeline straightened her head, her demeanor shifting.
“You truly intend to sneak in.”
“As I said, if our seniors begin their investigation first, it will be difficult for us to examine their research results properly once we move as an official investigation team. That is why it would be better to act before the mages can blind us.”
“…So you have no intention of conducting an official investigation under the team’s name?”
When Adeline asked, implying it would be problematic, Maxim shook his head.
“We can move after we’ve grasped the situation. That way, the investigation will finish much faster.”
Adeline nodded at his explanation.
“Your reasoning is sound. However—”
For the first time, she raised an objection. Maxim adopted a listening posture.
“The risk if we are discovered increases accordingly. In any case, this would be an unofficial intrusion rather than an official investigation. Is it worth taking such a risk?”
Adeline’s words were aimed not at the royal family, but at Maxim. The information they might obtain by stirring up the Magic Tower would certainly be valuable, but the danger of being caught was too great. If the kingdom decided to cut them loose, Maxim alone would bear the responsibility.
“If you cannot agree, you may conduct the investigation alone. It makes no difference to me.”
Maxim’s reply was not an attempt to persuade or explain. Adeline answered his willful statement in her usual flat tone.
“How willful of you.”
“Well, whether I get caught snooping around the Magic Tower alone and end up skewered, burned, or turned into an experiment, it’s none of your or the count’s concern, is it? In fact, that’s probably what you’d prefer.”
“And… you seem rather impatient as well.”
Maxim fell silent, as though struck. Impatient—he was, in fact, acting with unusual urgency. There was a reason he had to be more desperate than ever before. Even while knowing his silence confirmed her words, he offered an excuse.
“Because the situation truly is urgent. Our seniors will want to begin their investigation quickly, and we don’t have much time to match their pace.”
Adeline pressed her lips together. Maxim imagined her eyes beneath the cloth must be narrowed.
“…We are not short on time. There is no need to be so hasty. Or is there another reason?”
“I am merely following orders. It feels improper to ramble on without hearing your answer. So, will you accompany me or not?”
Maxim deliberately cooled his voice. Adeline did not answer immediately. Her lips moved as though lightly biting her lower lip several times, as if thinking. Maxim watched her quietly. Just as Adeline seemed about to speak—
“Your food is ready.”
The owner arrived at their table with a tray. Both fell silent at once. On the plates sat nothing particularly remarkable: steamed potatoes topped with thick slices of meat.
“The potatoes are very hot, so be careful.”
The owner set the plates down in front of them one by one. As he did, he glanced curiously at the blindfolded Adeline for a moment before turning to Maxim. A rare spark of curiosity appeared on his usually brusque face.
“Your lover?”
The question was directed at Maxim. The owner was looking at Adeline out of the corner of his eye. Maxim stared back as though he had been struck.
“Pardon?”
“You and the young lady there.”
Who would ask if they didn’t already know? Why did people always ask such things the moment they saw a man and woman sitting together? Maxim rubbed his forehead as though his head hurt and answered.
“We’re colleagues.”
The owner narrowed his eyes and glared at Maxim. Flipping through the pages of memory, he seemed to find the right recollection and spoke haltingly.
“…A few years ago, when I asked the same question, I got an answer just like yours. A tall fellow who brought in a very pretty blonde lady. Wonder where he is now and what he’s doing.”
The owner shrugged. Yes, there had been such a time. She had nodded, agreeing with the owner’s words, and laughed playfully, while Maxim had shaken his head awkwardly.
“That’s right. My boyfriend is quite the blockhead, isn’t he?”
“Indeed. Hey, you should know how lucky you are to have a girlfriend like this.”
“Are you even listening to me?”
Maxim pushed the memory away before it could bring him pain again. It was not yet time to drown in memories—not when they only hurt him.
“Well, I’m sure that fellow’s doing fine. With the lady, of course.”
Grumbling, the owner walked away from the table. Maxim stared blankly at the man’s retreating back before turning back to his plate. He faced the same meal as before. Steam rose from the potatoes. Pointlessly, Maxim poked at one with his fork. The scent of the food wafted up. He lifted his head toward the other side of the table, where no sound of utensils could be heard. As expected, his companion simply sat staring blankly at the food in front of her.
Feigning composure, Maxim asked, “Aren’t you going to eat?”
“…Because you have not eaten yet.”
Maxim frowned in discomfort at Adeline’s attitude, as though he were her superior.
“Let’s stop that.”
“Stop what?”
“Saying you’ll follow whatever I do, or that you won’t eat before I do. It feels as though I’m your superior.”
At his words, Adeline’s head tilted again. It seemed she had a habit of expressing expressions she could not show with her eyes through the tilt of her head.
“…I had not considered that. Unintentionally.”
He wanted to ask what sort of life she had led at the count’s household, but it seemed the count was a sensitive subject for this knight. Maxim let out a short sigh.
“Try it. This restaurant does it quite well.”
Adeline hesitantly picked up her fork and knife, then poked around the plate with the fork. When the tines touched the thick slice of meat, she carefully brought the knife over, cut off a piece, and lifted it to her mouth. As though eating meat for the first time, she opened her mouth passively and took a bite. Then, chewing very slowly, she flinched in surprise at the taste.
“About what we were discussing earlier—”
Maxim cut into his own meat as he spoke. Adeline’s reaction had been rather amusing, but he did not watch further and focused on his food.
“Discussing…”
Adeline’s reply was delayed as she hurriedly chewed and swallowed. Maxim gestured for her to eat slowly and continued.
“As I said, I intend to uncover their research results even if I must go alone. What will you do?”
Adeline paused her hand as she cut another piece of meat. The count’s orders to her. She quietly recalled them. Only that inorganic voice lingered in her ears.
“Find out what the Magic Tower is plotting. Even if you must force the information out.”
“Stay close to that Arsene Vern fellow and monitor his actions. It would be even better if you could learn what plans the king is making.”
The count’s words were her sole principle of action, her only motivation. Adeline answered Maxim’s question.
“I will accompany you.”
Maxim nodded indifferently, as though he had expected it, and picked up his fork again. He did not ask why.
“…By the way, do you have any plan for the infiltration?”
“If the two of us are going in, the method will be a little different.”
Maxim folded his arms and nodded.
“The first and second floors of the Magic Tower are open to the public. Simply entering won’t be that difficult.”
“…I was not suggesting we attempt to sneak into the tower’s secret areas unarmed.”
Adeline replied in a reluctant tone.
“I have no intention of uncovering everything the Magic Tower is hiding today. What matters is observing the mages’ movements. With your keen senses, you should be able to tell how they are moving right away.”
At Maxim’s words, Adeline sighed and nodded.
“You intend to use me as a detector, then.”
“The count himself said as much—that your ability to detect mana far surpasses that of most people.”
Adeline’s lips tightened for a moment before relaxing. For a while, only the clinking of utensils filled the space where conversation had been.
“Then, once we are inside the Magic Tower, how do you intend to proceed?”
Adeline was the one to break the silence. Wiping his mouth, Maxim answered.
“I’ll focus on the first floor. There are rumors that the tower has a basement, so I’ve heard as much. If something happens, there will be a commotion on the first floor.”
“Will the mages simply allow us to wander around the first floor like that?”
At Adeline’s question, Maxim spoke in a dissatisfied tone.
“That’s why we’ll need to put on a little performance.”
For the third time that day, Adeline’s head tilted.
“A performance?”
“The pitiful blind little sister act.”
At Maxim’s words, Adeline’s lips tightened once more.