Chapter 79 - Vicente's origin

Out of the corner of his eye, Vincent watched his young master, sensing that something else had changed. It had been a few days since he had learnt about Leonardo's trip to the train, which had left him very worried. And to the relief of all the non-humans in the mansion, nothing serious had happened like the other time.

On the contrary, Leonardo seemed much more confident.

Maybe it had the opposite effect.

— Is something bothering you, Vicente?

Waking from his reveries, the administrator hesitated before returning the account books to the shelf. Was he staring at him so blatantly that he was caught? His young master was definitely more sensitive.

— Just my thoughts, nothing much, young master.

— Do you want to tell me what you are thinking?

Leonardo rested his head on his hand as he read some documents. Even though he seemed to be concentrating on his work, he was still able to pay attention to what Vincent had to tell him. Checking the pocket watch he always kept in his overcoat, the administrator found a chance to be annoying.

Coffee time.

Going over to the worktop to switch on the electric kettle, Vicente prepared a hot coffee to serve to his young master. As soon as the cup was delivered, Leonardo seemed to notice his initiative and leaned back in his chair from staring at the paperwork to give his full attention to his secretary.

— Why did you come all the way back to the train?

Opening a thin smile, Leonardo took a sip of his coffee.

— I had been looking forward to that question.

— Really?

— Yes, and I'm glad you finally asked — Crossing his legs, Leonardo stared at Vicente with a certain amusement mixed in those deep, dark eyes — Our detective has obtained security camera footage from the night my brother died.

Although he struggled to disguise his surprise, his amber eyes gave away how unexpected it was to hear that. Vicente was perceptive to realise that his reaction was caught as Leonardo's smile grew wider. It would be no use trying to pretend, not for his evolved young master.

— I imagine it was shocking what you saw.

— I was more surprised to learn that that area had security cameras, as if it needed to be watched. Why did you take it down?

— Master Evilian preferred to avoid the involvement of the police in the matters of... Dreamland's magicians.

Leonardo tapped his index finger on his cup, seeming to process the answer he had gained. Then he nodded without further questioning.

— Although the images do not show the moment of Lucca's death, they do show interesting points. The train headlight on and the shadow of someone wearing a top hat.

Ah.

Now he understood.

Vincent touched the top hat over his head, letting out a low, disbelieving laugh.

— I'm afraid your friend is suspecting me even more.

— Vicente, that night is engraved in my mind like a strong ancient tree that will never fall. If there is one thing I am sure of, it is that you were not there that night.

— I am honoured that you believe that, young master.

— If it hadn't been for the vision I had in that mirror, Giovani wouldn't have taken your name off the list of suspects.

Vision in the mirror? Vincent had been warned by Benjin about it. He hadn't questioned it directly, imagining that Leonardo might get angry at the attractions exchanging information in secret. Not that he didn't already know that, but it was good to avoid trouble.

— I wonder what the young master might have seen in that mirror.

— An exact copy of you, if it wasn't for looking like someone more... Dark.

For the second time Vincent hesitated.

The detective was definitely right to get Leonardo off that train.

Letting out a sigh, Vincent massaged his temples, not quite believing he was grateful to a human policeman for protecting his young master. Giovani was someone whose existence worried him. His intuition and professionalism were leading him into the secrets of Dreamland, and he was still dragging Leonardo along. Still, he would give his arm for protect his young master this time.

— I ask you to avoid that train, young master.

— And I ask you to be honest with me, Vicente.

When Vincent turned to face his young master, he found an expression so serious that it added to the pressure the administrator felt. The presence of an Evilian was intense when they wanted it. A human being did not have enough power to make a superhuman being obey him, but that family was an exception. Thanks to the contract. Rohan hardly used his presence to force the attractions to obey him, since they did it naturally and of their own free will.

But Leonardo was different.

His determination to get the truth out of his secretary would make him use his presence. However, Vicente did not believe that Leonardo knew he could use such a resource on the attractions.

Sighing in defeat, Vicente just accepted that a certain puppet had managed to polish that rough diamond.

— Diablo.

— Diablo? That man I saw in the mirror was him? — Receiving a nod from Vincent, Leonardo did not hide his surprise — And what mirror is that?

— I'd rather you didn't know. For now, at least.

— Why not?

— What do you intend to do if you know? — the secretary asked, picking up the now empty cup and taking it to the worktop again. — The train as a whole is an important link for us, and the less you touch it, the better.

— An important link... I see.

Sighing in relief at not having any more questions about the mirror, Vincent figured the short break was over. They could get back to work and finalise the day. He already did the boring part of warning the boy to avoid that place. However, his young master seemed to think differently.

— I'll just take it that the mirror is in fact some kind of toy of Ray's. Now I want to know why you and that Diablo look so much alike. Are you by any chance... related?

Vincent let out a chuckle, though he didn't seem all that amused by the hypothesis.

— Is this an interrogation, young master? You're hanging around the detective too much.

— You are trapping me more and more in this place, but you are still brazen enough not to tell me things. I may have agreed to be the heir to Dreamland, but I did it more to prevent the worst from happening. How can I protect you if I know nothing?

— Don't you already know about your father's contract?

— Vincent!

Haa... A curious human was always something of a problem. Especially when it came to an Evilian.

— We were raised by Diablo, of course we have similarities.

— Ben is not at all like him.

— Not apparently, but Benjin's personality is very similar to Diablo's.

— Don't fuck about...

Vicente would squint his eyes as if he saw a tightrope beneath his feet. He would be walking along it to reach the other side where his young master was waiting for him. The point was that one measly mistake would send him tumbling metres down, with no chance of catching himself to save himself. Mentioning the marionette seemed to be something that made that rope sway.

What could he count on? What couldn't he?

It would be best if he just answered every question Leonardo had. What was not asked would be omitted.

— Surely you have noticed the greed and possessiveness that Benjin has shown. We are fortunate that he shows this only towards the young master, and that you know how to deal with it. Diablo, on the other hand, is greedy towards all of Dreamland, something expected from a creature as hideous as him.

The silence of his young master was the limit imposed for Vincent to stop talking. Perhaps it was hard for him to imagine how similar Benjin and Diablo were, since he had never met that demon. He preferred it to remain that way, for everything was going according to that person's plan.

About to resume his task of organising the documents, Vincent was surprised by the return of the conversation.

— Even the way he dressed was similar to yours. As if he was always in costume.

— I think everyone here is in costume, since we're in an amusement park.

Leonardo stood up to approach the clown. And despite the slight difference in height between them, Vincent felt anxious when his young master crossed his arms and stared straight at him, leaving no room for escape.

— Vicente, why did he make you in his image?

There was no way round it.

If he had decided to tell only when questioned, he would have underestimated his young master's curiosity.

— Very well.

Walking past Leonardo, Vincent went to the window, closing the curtains. Switching on the office lights, the secretary removed his top hat, leaving it on the messy table. Then he removed his dark overcoat and hung it on the chair. Opening the buttons of his white dress shirt, he revealed his white skin full of tattoos.

Leonardo, who was watching him silently and patiently, approached as soon as he saw the tattoos. Leaning in for a closer look, astonishment soon became present on his countenance.

— What is this, Vincent?

— A contract — the secretary replied, spreading his arms to show the lines that covered his skin. — This is the contract that Masters Rohan and Douglas signed with Diablo.

Reaching out to touch Vicente's skin, Leonardo peered into his eyes, seeming to read every tattooed word.

— Why do you have that on your body?

— That's how I was born.

The dark eyes meet the amber ones before silently reading those lines again. Then, after a long while, Leonardo took three steps back.

— You are not a doll or a drawing created by my father, are you?

— No, sir.

Squinting his eyes, Leonardo smiled.

— I always questioned your loyalty. Why were you so diligent, fulfilling my father's every wish to perfection, and treasuring Dreamland so much. But now I understand — Sitting down in his chair again, Leonardo crossed his arms, looking pleased with his new discovery — Seeing this contract, I imagined that you would be some sort of guardian that would serve as a bridge between my father and that demon, but in fact you are the contract itself, no?

Ah... Master Evilian, your son was really clever.

Benjin was cutting that diamond not only to make it beautiful and shiny, but sharp enough to survive on its own.

Smiling with satisfaction, Vincent nodded in agreement.

— That's right, young master.

— In that case, will you allow me to read it?

Why did he ask? He was the heir, there was no need to ask. Still, Vincent was pleased by such a gesture.

Three hours later, two knocks on the door were unheard. Benjin entered the office surprised to see Vincent sitting shirtless at the desk, while Leonardo was leaning over touching his skin.

— What the hell is this?

Vicente looked over his shoulder and gave a silent signal to the trapeze artist, who pressed his lips together and marched furiously to the desk. Then Leonardo stood up holding Vicente's arm, continuing to observe the marks on his skin, then whispering.

— Hm... So that demon also has a function within Dreamland.

— Leo!

The young master turned his attention to his lover and smiled to himself.

— Hey, Ben!

— What do you think you're doing? And why is Vicente naked on your desk?!

— Reading my father's contract. I found a lot of interesting things here.

— This is annoying, why don't you ask Vinnie to make a copy on paper? Do you have to read it like that?

Leonardo didn't seem to care much about his lover's scandalous reaction. In fact, he turned his arm away from Vicente and continued to read the contents of the contract. Vincent sighed and looked at the trapeze artist, who was glaring at him.

— Do you need anything from the young master?

— Haa... It's dinner time, I just came to call you two. But — Benjin glanced at Leonardo, who was still concentrating on reading the lines written on Vicente's chest — it looks like this is going to take a while.

Leonardo read that contract several times, making notes and asking questions about the clauses. If he was showing interest in Dreamland, then he wouldn't mind sitting there for hours on end. He was only glad that his young master was not afraid of him, nor that he was angry at him for keeping his existence a secret.

The thought made him happy.