Hidden Eyes

Mirac stood still for a moment.

Michelle's words echoed in his mind, powerful and sudden, like thunder in a clear sky.

His expression, already tense, shifted into a mix of disbelief and apprehension.

"Someone is spying on you?" he repeated, trying to stay calm. "Are you sure? Did you see someone? Or is it just a feeling?"

The questions tumbled from his lips, urgent, as his concern grew.

Michelle crossed her arms, as if trying to shield herself from a cold that didn't exist, despite the hallway being warm and silent. Her dark eyes, usually so enigmatic, now betrayed a deep anxiety.

"I didn't see anyone in particular," she admitted, her voice trembling. "But it's like… I constantly feel eyes on me! When I walk through the castle, when I'm in the garden… even in my room, while I sleep! It's a persistent, unsettling feeling, like someone is watching me from the shadows! But every time I turn around… there's never anyone behind me!

Mirac remained silent, trying to process the information.

"How long have you felt this way?" he finally asked, hoping his tone sounded reassuring.

"For a few weeks," Michelle murmured, lowering her gaze again. "At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but now… now I'm pretty sure it's not!"

Mirac didn't doubt his sister: she wasn't the type to make up stories or be easily influenced by fear.

"I really don't know what to do!" Michelle exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't want to worry the others, but I can't keep living like this!"

Mirac stepped forward and placed a hand on his sister's shoulder.

"Don't worry. You don't have to face all this alone anymore. I'll help you! After all, we are a family! And a family always protects each other, no matter what or why! Right?"

For Mirac—or rather, for Vector—That was what being a family truly meant!

Laughter, affection, love…

But above all, being there in times of need! Being ready to give everything, without hesitation, just to protect one another!

Hearing Mirac's words, Michelle's eyes, filled with anxiety just moments before, softened for an instant. Perhaps without even realizing it, a glimmer of relief crossed her face, accompanied by a faint smile.

"Well, yes. Actually, you're right. Thank you," Michelle replied, raising her gaze and appearing slightly calmer. "But… what exactly can we do? Should we inform the royal guards? Or go speak to our father directly?"

Mirac thought for a moment, staring at the floor as if the answer were hidden there.

After a brief silence, he lifted his gaze and said:

"Neither. For now, we won't say anything to anyone."

"What?!" Michelle was speechless, visibly surprised. "I don't understand… why?!"

Mirac crossed his arms, his expression serious yet calm.

"Well, it's very simple," he replied. "If we alert the royal guards or our father without having at least a clue about who we're dealing with, the investigation would start from nothing. And under these conditions, it's almost certain they wouldn't find the culprit. The castle is full of residents, and trying to discover the 'spy' using traditional methods would be nearly impossible. Furthermore, if we make a move now, there's a high chance that whoever is watching you will find out. They'd realize that you've noticed them and that we're on their trail. At that point, they'd adopt a more cautious approach, making it even harder to uncover their identity. Or worse, they might stop all activity until things have settled down, waiting for the right moment to resume without raising suspicion."

Having said this, Mirac concluded firmly:

"In short, involving the royal guards or our father right now would only be disadvantageous and counterproductive."

Michelle stared at him, trying to follow his reasoning.

"But then… what do you suggest we do?" she asked, her voice filled with both curiosity and concern.

Mirac cleared his throat, as if buying time to gather his thoughts.

"For now, nothing. Pretend you don't know anything. Go on with your day as usual. I'll take care of the rest."

Michelle looked at him in disbelief, unable to hold back her reaction.

"W-What? What do you mean 'nothing'? I don't understand you at all. What exactly do you have in mind?"

Mirac kept his gaze steady, trying to instill a sense of calm in her.

"Unfortunately, I can't tell you. But if we want to solve this, you'll have to trust me. At least until I leave. If my plan doesn't work, then of course, we'll inform the guards. But for now, it's crucial that this stays between us."

He couldn't reveal it openly, but Mirac insisted on keeping the matter secret precisely because it was part of his plan…

At her younger brother's request, Michelle nodded slowly, though her expression remained uncertain.

"I don't know…" she murmured, visibly uneasy. "To be honest, your plan seems far too reckless! What if this person is like that assassin who infiltrated the castle? He used Artifacts, didn't he? And what if this person has one too? No, acting alone is far too risky!"

Mirac met her gaze directly, his eyes filled with determination.

"You're afraid this person wants to take your life, aren't you? Well, you can be sure that's not the case! With the new security system implemented after the Klark incident, it's practically impossible for an assassin to have infiltrated again like last time. So, it's almost certain that whoever is spying on you now is just someone sent as an informant on behalf of someone else. Perhaps a secret organization… Besides, if they really did have an Artifact, it would mean they had infiltrated the castle before Klark's arrival and before the new security system was put in place. But if that were the case, why would they choose to act now, after more than eight years? It wouldn't make any sense! It's far more likely that they don't possess any Artifact at all. In that case, the spy is hardly someone to be worried about."

Mirac's explanation was so well-constructed, based on such solid logical reasoning, that Michelle couldn't find a single flaw to contradict him.

"So," Mirac continued, "there's one thing I'm absolutely certain of: the person spying on you poses no threat to your life!"

Michelle lowered her gaze, hesitant.

"I know you're scared, but you have to trust me!" Mirac insisted. "It's the only way we can find out who's behind all of this!"

Michelle bit her lower lip, torn between fear and trust.

"Mirac… I don't know what you're planning, but I absolutely don't want you to put yourself in danger for me!"

Mirac gave her a reassuring smile, as if trying to erase every doubt from her mind.

"Don't worry. Nothing will happen to me. But if you really want to help me, then you need to keep this whole spy situation between us. At least for now. Do you think you can do that?"

Michelle let out a deep sigh, allowing the silence to stretch for a few seconds.

Then, she lifted her gaze to meet Mirac's. Her dark eyes were filled with uncertainty, but there was also a spark of trust she couldn't completely extinguish.

"Alright," she finally said in a soft voice. "I trust you. But promise me you won't do anything reckless and that you'll tell me everything when the time is right."

Mirac nodded solemnly, as if sealing a secret pact between them.

"I promise! I won't do anything reckless," he said, placing a hand on his chest with an elegant and measured gesture, typical of nobles as a sign of oath or devotion.

She kept staring at him for a few more seconds, trying to determine whether his words were truly sincere or just a way to reassure her.

In the end, however, she decided not to insist.

They knew each other well enough to understand that once Mirac made a decision, it was hardly possible to make him change his mind.

"Well then," she finally said, with a note of resolve. "I should head back to my room. I promised Camilla and Veronica that we'd try on some dresses together, in preparation for your ceremony. I wouldn't want them to be upset with me for being late."

A smile accompanied her words, as if to ease her lingering anxiety.

Then, Michelle turned and slowly walked away.

And yet, as she made her way down the corridor, one thought continued to haunt her.

Whatever Mirac's plan was, she knew something big was about to happen.

And even though he had asked her to stay out of it, deep down, Michelle knew she wouldn't be able to do so forever…

'If you knew the whole truth, you wouldn't be so kind to me, little brother…' she thought as she silently moved through the corridors, her smile fading away.

* * *

'Dammit! Someone is spying on my sister? But who could it be?' Mirac wondered as he entered his room and collapsed onto the bed. 'Maybe the person who hired Klark to kill me? Or perhaps the one who gave me the sword to face him and save myself?!'

He sat up from his lying position, crossing his legs on the bed, his mind in turmoil.

'No. Actually, it might not be either of them,' he thought, pressing his lips together. 'It could be a third person who has truly infiltrated the castle as just a simple spy.'

Mirac sighed deeply, the weight of his thoughts pressing on his shoulders.

With all the chaos swirling in his head, he had lost the desire to eat the apple he had taken. So, he set it down on the nightstand next to the bed, leaving it there.

'Wait a minute! Now that I think about it… I, too, eight years ago—after entering and exiting the royal library for the first time—had the feeling that someone was secretly watching me. A hidden presence in the shadows, behind me, at the end of the corridor… Could it be the same person who is spying on Michelle now? The one who deliberately dropped "my father's" book in front of me? The one who gave me the sword to face Klark?'

Too many questions, too many theories crowding his mind, but no concrete answers.

However, Mirac felt he was getting closer and closer to the truth!

If the spy was really the person he thought it was, Mirac couldn't let this opportunity slip away!

It was time to find out, once and for all, who was behind all of this!

'Finally, after all these years,' he thought, with a mix of excitement and determination, 'maybe I'll be able to find out who it is!'

With his heart pounding faster, Mirac decided he couldn't wait any longer.

He had to act immediately!

But actually, he couldn't do it alone.

He needed help if he truly wanted to solve this matter…

'I absolutely need to talk to Carmen!'

In fact, Mirac's plan was precisely this: to ask the red-haired servant for help!

And it was precisely for this reason that Mirac hadn't been able to tell Michelle about his plan: after all, he certainly couldn't reveal that Carmen was actually his "secret bodyguard," and potentially a member of a secret organization…

With his mind already focused on what he needed to do, Mirac went downstairs, hoping to find Carmen around.

But there seemed to be no trace of her in the castle.

Determined, he searched high and low throughout the palace, but couldn't find her anywhere.

At that point, he decided to delegate the search. He approached a servant and asked her to look for Carmen in his place, ordering her to send her to his room as soon as she found her.

The servant nodded without asking questions and immediately left to carry out the task.

In the meantime, Mirac returned to his room.

'Alright! Now, all that's left is to wait,' he thought, closing the door behind him.

This time, however, Mirac didn't collapse onto the bed like he had before.

Instead, he headed for the desk, briefly surveying the chaos that reigned on the wooden surface.

Scattered papers, open books, pens, and various objects were piled up in a mess that almost seemed like a metaphor for his thoughts.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

'Wow!' he thought, almost ashamed of himself. 'Well, until Carmen arrives, I might as well clean up this mess!'

Without hesitation, Mirac rolled up his sleeves and got to work.

He started by gathering the scattered papers, trying to separate the important ones from those he could finally throw into the trash. After discarding the useless ones, he grouped the rest into various colored folders, one for each subject or topic.

Next, he tackled the books, collecting them one by one and stacking them carefully. On one side, he left the ones he would probably need in the future for his educational journey. On the other, he placed those he no longer needed and would return to the royal library later.

Finally, after putting the pencils and erasers back into their designated containers, Mirac took a look at the drawers.

They were all quite tidy, so there wasn't much more to do.

But when he opened the second-to-last drawer, Mirac jumped slightly.

"Oh! This is…" he murmured, with a mix of surprise and nostalgia.

He gently pulled out the item that had caught him off guard: a notebook with a hard, yellow cover.

He stared at it for a moment, as if reliving a distant memory.

"This is my to-do list! Damn, I completely forgot about it!" he exclaimed, flipping through the beige pages.

He scratched his temple, sighing.

He was a bit disappointed with himself for having let his dreams sit there for so long.

But when he realized that it didn't make much sense to dwell on it, he quickly recovered from his melancholy.

"It doesn't matter! Now that I'll finally be able to travel, I'll have the chance to accomplish each of my dreams, one by one!"

After placing the yellow notebook back on the desk and finding comfort in the realization that there was still time to fulfill his dreams, he opened the last drawer. 

There, another object immediately caught his attention.

"Heh, there you are!" he said, picking up a thin book wrapped in a soft burgundy leather cover. The edges were decorated with golden geometric patterns, which sparkled in the room's light.

The cover read:

"ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS: Discovering Numbers"

"Dave Arangot"

As soon as he saw it, Mirac remembered finishing that book many years ago. Since then, it had been forgotten in the lowest drawer of the desk, buried under other books.

And although it was about Math, Mirac had read it somewhat "pleasurably," but only because it was supposedly his father's book from his previous life.

"I think it's time to return this as well…"

Without wasting any more time, Mirac gathered all the books he needed to return, including the math book, and headed towards the royal library.

'Wait a minute!'

As he was leaving the room, a sudden thought crossed his mind:

'Now that I think about it… why would someone want to spy on my sister?'