[57.7] Not a Threat. A Promise.

The day of the funeral came and I never had time to meet with my mother or the Headmaster as they were too busy planning for the funeral. Everything was pushed forward so quickly, I barely had time to even get used to walking on my foot lacking toes.

As I stood at the graveyard wearing a plain black dress and veil, I stared at the willow tree beside the grave of my grandparents.

Huh.

You can't even tell the grave was dug up recently.

I guess Chief Gonza is also good at digging up graves without being caught.

…I should ask him why the next time I see him.

As people started arriving, I took a seat beside my mother who was blotting her tears with a handkerchief. I placed Zephyr on her lap so he could comfort her.

The casket then arrived, with the Headmaster carrying it. With a dead look in his eyes and a stiff face, he and a few other men carried it to the freshly dug hole. Out of the other three, I only recognized Captain Lou carrying one side.

Captain Lou's eyes were filled with a burning vengeance as he tried his best not to melt the casket with his own magic.

Ah. He was close to Chief Gonza, wasn't he?

I turned my eyes away from him and looked at my father.

Ugh. This is the first time I've seen the Headmaster since the news came out.

His expression is so dark he looks like the grim reaper.

I want to tell him Chief Gonza is okay, but there are too many people around.

I felt a single snowflake drift down and land on my nose. I looked up to see a sky full of snowflakes and held out my catch one before it disappeared.

My mother sniffled next to me, "Reika… Are you alright?"

"Uhhh-" I glanced at the crowd behind me and noticed Cyrus standing in the back. He wore a gloomy expression, but when our eyes met, a flash of suspicion came across his eyes. I averted my gaze before I gave away anything that someone in the crowd could pick up on.

It's not like I'm keeping it a secret from him, I'm just trying to not give away anything.

My gaze swept across the crowd and stopped upon seeing Uncle Albert staring at me with narrowed eyes.

My mother nudged me, "Um. Reika?"

I turned my head back to look at the casket.

Ah. From everyone's position, I'm not sad at all about my Uncle's death despite being so close to him.

Even the Headmaster cast me a side glance full of suspicion.

…I have to cry to make this believable.

I squeezed my thigh, managing to get out a few tears, but it wasn't enough to get the suspicious eyes off of my back.

It's no good! I'm incapable of crying!

Why am I such a terrible actor?!

I have to think of something sad and quick!

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

In the depths of my memory, a hazy scene slowly started to appear.

I stood up suddenly, startling the people watching me. I slowly walked over to that casket.

-It was my fault-

My finger traced the cedar surface of the coffin.

-It was my fault–

-It was all my fault-

A steady stream of tears rolled down my cheeks as my eyes grew dull and lifeless.

It was always my fault.

It will always be my fault.

Perhaps if I didn't exist-

I collapsed to my knees and fell helplessly onto the casket.

Ice spread out from beneath me, causing everyone to jump to avoid the creeping sheets of ice. Under my fingertips, I felt something burning, but I was stuck in that endless loop.

Only one person approached as I sobbed silently in the casket. When his cold touch touched my shoulders, I was shaken from those memories.

Ah.

I made it too convincing.

As the Headmaster hugged me while I lay over the casket, I whispered in a low voice for only him to hear.

"He's alive."

The Headmaster froze.

I couldn't see, but I knew the effect my words had.

I added, "Uncle has a plan. Just keep acting, but don't take action until he says."

My heart started to race.

Will he believe me?

Will he play along?

The Headmaster turned his icy gaze to Uncle Albert, "Don't worry. Those demons who killed our family will suffer for this."

Hearing those words as if the Headmaster was admitting defeat, Uncle Albert grinned ear to ear disgustingly. "Don't worry, Aldrich. My family will personally search for the killer."

My eyes turned harsh as I stared at the empty casket.

Albert Orphelio.

You've messed with the ones I loved for the last time.