A Talk Between 'Friends'

This was Quill's second visit to the academy mall.

Now, sitting in one of the cafes, he was simply enjoying a coffee.

The interior was antique, the technology far surpassed what he knew. Yet, the food and drinks were familiar, providing a comforting sense of nostalgia.

It was a strange blend of elements that made the place uniquely charming.

He was waiting for a specific individual to ask about something that had been on his mind since the first day of the field trip.

The video he had been sent was ominous at the time, but with his current knowledge, he assumed that Silas or Weiss had sent it to intimidate him, to play mind games.

Too bad that Quill hadn't even known what the content of the video was supposed to mean, as he hadn't had the memory of it.

How could he? He wasn't Quill Nocturne, but Elias Rosental.

But there was one thing he wanted to know, something that could potentially be a huge advantage for the future: How in the world did those two manage to bypass the school's security?

Sure, they weren't dumb, especially Weiss, but even then, it seemed impossible.

Quill had chosen a secluded seat in the cafe, away from the bustling center of the cafe, in case he had to show the video and didn't want any unwanted gazes.

Looking around the entrance, he finally saw the person he needed. Quill raised his hand, making himself noticeable.

The face that greeted him was one of utter annoyance mixed with disdain.

Yet the male student had no choice but to follow Quill's request and soon sat parallel to him.

"Want to order something?" Quill asked innocently, trying to ease the tension.

Silas sharp brown eyes bore into Quill, demanding to know the reason for this meeting.

"Cut to the chase," he snapped.

"Well, if you insist."

Quill sighed, taking a deliberate sip of his iced coffee. 

*Slurp*

The casual act seemed to irritate Silas even more, but Quill remained unfazed.

He leaned forward, his playful demeanor giving way to a serious tone.

"How were you able to bypass the school's security?"

Silas looked at him for a few seconds, then replied, "What are you talking about?"

'...He seems genuine.'

Though seeming genuine was part of Silas's talent, Quill decided to cut to the chase, putting his scroll in front of him and displaying a video currently showing only a black screen.

"Play it."

Silas looked at Quill, then at the scroll, tapping the play button.

A few minutes passed, and during that time, Quill observed various expressions from Silas, starting with shock and ending with anger.

'...It looks like he has no idea about the video... Did Weiss never reveal it to him?'

Questions built up, but none that he could answer himself.

Everything he was going through now was obviously not part of the plot points the protagonist, Emrys, faced in the novel.

Silas punched the table, drawing the attention of some students. "What the hell is this?"

"That's what I wanted to know. I got this on the first day of the field trip. I assume it was one of you?"

"This is the first time I'm seeing this video, you bastard."

"...You mean you didn't send it?"

"I did not!" Silas's voice grew louder with each sentence. Quill raised a hand to calm him down.

"Silas, I get you're mad, but keep it down." Quill's voice was steady, his eyes conveying a seriousness that made Silas pause.

Silas realized the gazes he had attracted. Even if he didn't want to comply, he understood the need for discretion.

"Do you believe Weiss could have been the one to send it?"

There was a moment of silence until Silas responded, "No. It's clear who filmed it, so Weiss is the owner. But she would never exploit her brother like this. Using his final moments on video for her advantage? That's unthinkable for her. No, she would sooner kill herself than do that."

'...He's right.'

Which made the whole thing even more complicated.

If he took Silas's words as truth, that he didn't send the video, then who did?

Like Silas said, Weiss wouldn't do this.

That was something Quill already assumed, but given how certain characters behaved differently, there was a slim chance that Weiss also deviated from the character he knew.

But at least this side of her remained the same.

"...But," Silas began, his demeanor seemingly back to normal, "if it wasn't any of us, who in the hell sent you this?"

"That's what I wanted to know... But it turns out to be more complex than I expected. Especially since the person managed to bypass the scroll's security system."

"Wait, what?" Silas seemed genuinely astonished.

"Notice the addressed name; there is none. The scroll wouldn't let a message go through without a sender's identification, yet it shows no one."

Silas looked back at the scroll, just now realizing what Quill was talking about. "But... who would even have the ability to do that? Even the headmaster isn't free from its security."

"Exactly... I don't know if Weiss shared this with you, but when we were in the forest, she vented her anger, and during one of her rants, she said that an anonymous person had given her all the proof of me being the one who hired those men."

Silas's eyes squinted, processing the information.

"Silas, you're more level-headed about this than Weiss, so please listen and think logically. ...How certain are you that I, Quill Nocturne, am the culprit?"

Silas scoffed, understanding where Quill was going, "You really want to go down this road? Talk your way out?"

"I asked you a question."

"Very certain! I have seen the evidence. There were audio clips, videos, and even documents proving you hired those criminals."

"I see... But what if they were manipulated?"

"Ha, that's..." Silas stopped for a second, his mind racing.

"What if someone is controlling her and her rage, navigating her like a puppet?" Quill said.

"You know what the problem is... even if we assume everything was staged and manipulated, the truth is, you, Quill Nocturne, are more than capable of these acts. You are a demon in person. I admit that your scenario isn't impossible. But it doesn't change the fact that you deserve to be judged."

"Don't you want to find out if someone is exploiting both your and her mourning?"

"And what if it traces back to you?"

"If it does, it won't change anything. But if it doesn't, wouldn't that mean someone has already set Weiss on a predetermined path? And I can't imagine it ending well."

Silas paused, all these options Quill fed his mind forced him to really consider everything he said.

What if Quill was making sense? What if his involvement was staged? What if Weiss was merely a pawn?

"I... I need to think about it." Silas stood up, his mind clearly absent from his surroundings.

"Of course, take your time... Oh wait." Quill called out, making Silas turn around slightly.

"Please, for the love of coffee, come up with a better excuse than a confession."

It took a second for Silas to understand what he meant, a little grin on his face. "Why, embarrassed?"

"No, I'm quite amused actually. I just hope there won't be any rumors—I don't want to irritate Weiss in any way."

Silas twitched his eyes. The people he had told were Ophelia, Emrys, Violeta, Ana, and Oliver... and Weiss's two teammates!

Realization struck him, actually fearing what would happen if those two girls spread rumors.

"Silas, you're turning pale."

"Please, for the sake of my mental health, shut up."

And with that, Silas left the cafe.

'...That was easier than I expected... Perhaps he had already been considering this, or the years in the syndicate have hardened his mind.'

Truth be told, Quill didn't know all that much about Silas. He wasn't part of the main cast, only showing his true colors halfway through the novel.

Additionally, everything he had just planted in Silas's head—he wasn't even sure how logical it was himself.

Sure, sometimes people simply go along with the most apparent choice, just to have something to chase after instead of searching for the truth. But he couldn't imagine Weiss handling the matter this carelessly.

Then again...

Quill had witnessed a side of Weiss that could go completely blind in her rage.

'...What exactly is waiting for me on the other end?' Quill thought, finishing the rest of his coffee.

/||\

"You're cheating!" Violeta's voice rose, echoing through Emrys's room.

"AM NOT!" Oliver shot back, matching her volume and intensity.

Meanwhile, Emrys calmly shuffled his pair of cards while the other two were engrossed in their argument, making it easy for him to sneak in a cheat.

"I won!" Emrys exclaimed, startling both of them.

"What the hell? How did you suddenly win?" Violeta demanded, eyes narrowing.

"Skill," Emrys replied with a smirk.

"Skill my ass," Oliver grumbled.

The three of them were currently in the Sentinel dorm, with Emrys and Violeta being residents and Oliver invited for the evening.

They had decided to unwind with some card games, seeking a brief escape from the burdens of school life.

However, the conversation soon shifted back to more serious matters.

"Hey guys," Oliver began, setting his cards aside. "Would you mind training me?"

Violeta tilted her head, while Emrys feigned an overdramatic shocked expression. "You, of all people, want to train?" he teased, but quickly adjusted his tone when he saw Oliver's serious face.

"Why?" Emrys asked, genuinely curious.

"...If I stay as I am, I won't be of any help. Worse, I might become a burden."

"That's true," Violeta said bluntly.

"That's not true," Emrys countered, their words overlapping as they looked at each other.

"Emrys, he doesn't need comforting lies. If he's aware of it himself, then clearly there's something wrong."

Emrys stayed silent, acknowledging her point.

Violeta stood up with a decisive jump, her red hair falling onto her shoulders, not tied in a ponytail today. "Come, stand up," she commanded, gesturing to both boys.

"Wait, you want to train... now?" Oliver looked up, surprised.

"Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Let's go, hop hop." she said, already moving towards the door and forcing the boys to follow.

"Is it possible to bring someone else along too?" Emrys suddenly asked as they opened the door.

"Sure, who?" Oliver inquired.

"Anastasia," Emrys answered, noticing the immediate concern in Violeta's and Oliver's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Well..." Oliver started, hesitating.

"I don't know if it's wise to get too close to her," Violeta finished.

"Why is that?" Emrys asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Hell, your ignorance about others is becoming more irritating by the minute..." Violeta sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Have you ever heard of Grafit? The Soulless Human?"

"Hold on... Isn't that the criminal who abducted dozens of innocent people to feed a Reaper?" Emrys's voice grew heavier with realization.

"Exactly, and that man happens to be Anastasia's grandfather," Violeta explained.

"...You must be kidding?" Emrys was shocked. "...I can't fathom how hard it is to be related to such a monster."

"Well, then you see why most people avoid associating with someone who has that monster's blood," Violeta said. Oliver remained quiet, feeling out of place to comment.

"You know that stuff doesn't matter to me, right? Ana is Ana," Emrys said firmly.

"As a Sol, I do care, and I have to. Even Oliver, as an Arc, shouldn't associate with her without careful consideration," she replied, waving towards Oliver.

"I suppose you could stay and play your cards. I'll focus on doing something productive for the future of humanity," Emrys said bluntly, heading towards the elevator.

Oliver and Violeta followed, Violeta clearly annoyed. "I swear, your reckless behavior is unbelievable! It's the same thing you pull with Quill Nocturne!"

Emrys stopped and turned around. "Everyone has made a scene about Quill, spreading all kinds of rumors, yet I have to see one of them proven true."

Emrys disliked people blindly believing others' experiences without making their own judgments.

"That's just a facade! He must have been threatened with disownment if he doesn't graduate from Sentinel! I swear, the moment he achieves that, you'll see his true colors," Violeta argued passionately.

"Look, mind your own life and let me handle mine. Come if you want, but stay if you'll just be an annoyance," Emrys said, ending the conversation. Then, he walked away and entered the elevator.

Feeling a warm hand on her shoulder, Violeta turned to see Oliver smiling at her. "I understand where you're coming from, but I don't think you should be so negative. You've interacted with Anastasia, right? Did she seem like a bloodthirsty villain?"

Violeta's gaze dropped to the floor, shaking her head.

"And regarding Quill..." Oliver paused, "Well, a Sol like you should have no problem handling him, right?"

Her gaze lifted, meeting Oliver's. "Of course! Come on, let's follow that idiot before he does something stupid!" she said, sprinting towards the elevator.