Chapter 68 - Detective's report

— Do you want me to be in a new show? Why?

— I think it would be ideal for the young master to get to know the whole process of creating a show, and also to get closer to the other circus employees.

Leonardo made a disgusted face towards Vicente, who only gave him a warm smile looking forward to a positive answer.

Why did he come up with that idea? Leonardo had already been doing his duty as heir for a few days, he even participated in the meetings with Vincent - which were so boring that it was a challenge to stay awake. Now he would have to get even more involved with the circus?

— Vincent, I am already doing my apprenticeship with Mr. Barley. I know everyone in the circus.

— Actually, I was thinking of doing this show at the opening of the Winter Flavour.

— You want to do a circus show in a food court? But the structure there is much smaller than the circus, so you can't do much.

— We don't need to do a big show, just a small and short one — Vincent stepped forward, approaching Leonardo's table — And we also need to introduce the new main attraction.

— Main attraction? Who is it?

— We have a new member, don't we?

Leonardo looked between his eyes, not really understanding Vincent's lines. Who would be the new attraction? As far as he knew, none of them had ever discussed hiring an artist with such potential, nor did they see in the research that the public was interested in someone in the whole Dreamland. After all, popularity was necessary.

However, the way Vincent had said it implied that they already had someone.

But who?

The only person they had met recently had been the detective and Viola...

Rolling his eyes, Leonardo tapped the table in surprise.

— You want that girl to be the new attraction of the square?

— Exactly, young master.

— But she is just a victim... of you. Oh no, I kept a survivor close to her kidnapper all this time?

About to burst with worry for his mistake, Leonardo was interrupted by the gloved hands of Vicente, who kept smiling elegantly. He wanted to curse him for daring to smile as if it was not a big problem.

— Young master, Viola is like Benjin and Ray.

— Like them? You mean she's not human?

— Exactly. Although you found her in a very... peculiar situation, this girl is nothing more than Master Evilian's last request.

Your father's last request? The only thing your father left behind that was still unfinished was the food court. He had not read any other document that specified his wish for a new attraction.

Thinking deeply about it, Leonardo didn't take long to notice the common point with the other attractions. It was as if a space created in Dreamland needed someone, a main attraction, to manage it. The plaza was under the care of Aslan, the only human in that troupe, the amusement park was under Ray's care while the Circus was under Benjin and Vicente's care. If his father wanted to build a large food court, he would need someone to take care of it.

Was this the part where the demon Aslan had mentioned the other day would enter?

Knocks at the door interrupted their conversation. Vincent went to the office door, finding Giovani holding a folder.

— Am I interrupting?

— Not at all, detective — smiled Leonardo, then looking at the secretary — Vincent, later we will finish talking about this show, but I would like you to make a report about the main ideas so we can discuss the details.

— As you wish, young master. If you will excuse me.

Vincent bowed and left the office. When the door was closed, Leonardo sighed heavily, leaning back in his chair. He would leave aside the hypothesis that this demon had created Viola for some purpose. It reminded him of the little confession Benjin had made the night before, which Leonardo still needed to digest.

At that moment, he had something else to worry about.

— It seems you are having more work than before, my boy.

— Vicente wants me to be part of a show for the inauguration of the food court. I don't know whether to tell him about my being a terrible dancer.

Giovani laughed, but soon disguised it with a dry cough. Leonardo was surprised to hear him laugh, since the detective was usually serious. On the other hand it was a relief to hear him laugh. Ever since his identity had been revealed, Giovani had distanced himself a little. Maybe they could still be friends.

— Surely he must be anxious, since the heir is out of the burrow.

— This heir would love to enjoy the little holidays — Leonardo grumbled — I need to find a way to lessen the workload when the classes come back.

Arching his eyebrow, Giovani scratched the back of his neck, looking afraid to extend the folder. Leonardo even waited for a few seconds thinking that the detective was going to give up the report, however the folder was handed over just the same. His indecision was what most caught the young master's attention.

— I know you already have a lot on your mind, but I needed to show you this.

— What is it?

Opening the folder, Leonardo read the report slowly and attentively. Then his eyes widened and he felt his hands suddenly become cold.

— This is Aslan's record! Wait, you investigated him?

— Actually, I investigated everyone at the mansion, but there's only his because it's the only one I found in the system — Giovani crossed his arms looking a bit threatening again — As for those other three, it's as if they never existed.

A shiver ran through Leonardo's body. Of course Giovani couldn't find any record of those three, they weren't even human! And the fact that he had found only Aslan's might increase his suspicions.

Ever since he had discovered part of the truth about Dreamland, Leonardo had completely forgotten that detail. Giovani already suspected them, given that he was residing in the mansion as Viola's temporary guardian, and still investigating the train found in the empty lot. But he had forgotten that he could just try to search the database for their identity.

Haa... He stopped paying attention to the detective and now he was about to be cornered.

What was he supposed to do?

— You said you saw the suspect's silhouette that time while protecting Lucas. Do you happen to have any suspicions?

— I will be frank in saying that the trapeze artist has the same mark in his eye that I remember seeing on the suspect that night.

Letting the leaves fall to the ground, Leonardo blinked in astonishment. All right, he already knew that those attractions were doing something they shouldn't, but it wasn't easy to imagine, nor to believe, Benjin trying to take a child.

Leonardo didn't want to imagine that. What should he do to protect him? Since the night some secrets were revealed, no more disappearances have been reported. I mean... The people who disappeared were Alex and the noisy customer, no one else. And it all happened on Leonardo's own orders. And as far as he had noticed, Giovani had said nothing about the disappearance of those two.

That being so, he had control of the situation for the time being.

But that didn't mean that Giovani would let go of what had already happened.

— Haa... Did you look through the Dreamland files?

— Your secretary gave me some folders, and I found all their activities. But it's still strange that I can't find anything about them in the government system.

— I'm not surprised — murmured Leonardo, taking the sheets back to read the rest of the report — What about the train, have you found anything?

— We found a body this morning.

Leonardo raised his eyes to the detective, who didn't show much concern or anger. It was annoying to feel like he was walking on eggshells when he talked to Giovani. He knew very well that his every reaction was being evaluated by those deep, dark eyes.

Well, Leonardo needed to keep up appearances and protect Dreamland. His father seemed to do well doing that over the years, even with all the atrocities happening. Only Leonardo had no idea how he would have done that. Nor could he imagine what Rohan would do if it had a smart detective like Giovani on its roof.

It would be a problem he would have to solve himself.

— Could be one of the missing persons?

— We are still checking his identity, as the body was quite... unrecognisable. It appeared to be an adult and unfortunately he didn't have any documents or belongings that could identify him. So it will take a little longer.

— Does anyone else know about this?

— No one but my team and you.

Leonardo stroked his temple, sighing heavily. As if the disappearances weren't enough, now there was a dead body in Dreamland. His head hurt just imagining how much trouble this would get him into. I mean, that was already the result.

Though he had some idea who the poor corpse might be.

— Kid, I know this is a tough thing for someone your age to deal with. But you know I'll have to question your boyfriend, the magician and your secretary.

— Sure, it's the right thing to do.

— I know this has you worried, after all, they are your... friends. But if they are not guilty and not involved in this, then there is nothing to be afraid of, right?

Leonardo had no choice but to follow the rhythm of the music. He gave him permission to interrogate the main attractions, just as he gave him permission to continue checking Dreamland's administrative files, since they were the only documents that proved the existence of the main attractions.

As the sun set, Leonardo stared out the window watching the glow of the circus tent in the distance. It was only a matter of time before the corpse was identified and Giovani discovered that Leonardo had some problem with the victim. Considering the paths that hypothesis had, he would not doubt that the detective would see him as an accomplice of the supposed kidnapper.

Before that happened, Leonardo needed to find some way to clear his name and confirm his innocence. Not only his own, but the attractions' as well.

— Leo... What are you thinking?

Lowering his eyes to his lap, he saw Benjin sitting on the floor laying his head on his leg, where he received the stroking of his bleached hair. He looked like a sly little puppy wanting attention. Leonardo was playing with his hair without even noticing, since his thoughts were more concerned at the moment. But he couldn't resist those greenish eyes that showed concern for his young master.

— What am I thinking of? A way to keep Giovani away from the truth.

— You worry too much about him, I don't like it.

— I don't want anything bad to happen to him, but I also don't want him to find the dirt under our carpet.

Just as Vincent was talking, the detective was a noose around Dreamland's neck. If Leonardo rejected his request for cooperation, the park would be even more suspicious and would have more police attention on them. But by accepting, Giovani risked not only discovering the truth behind Dreamland, but also becoming another victim of the devil.

And that was his biggest problem.

Leonardo had never seen the demon playing in his park. It was infuriating to know that he had contact with the attractions and could persuade them to make the kidnappings. He should find out more about that demon and find some way to deal with him, keep him on track like his father had done for all those years.

Maybe he should read his journals and do some research on his own.

Feeling warm fingers touch his cheek and his lip be taken up in a kiss, Leonardo woke from his thoughts seeing those greenish pearls transpire a fiery emotion. The usual slyness was not there, but that insatiable lust that came to hold his prey firmly.

— I hope you're thinking of me, Leo.

— Not really.

— Then I'll make you think, don't you dare think about anyone else while you're with me.

How could he devise a plan to keep that idiot puppet safe, when he always made sure to distract him? Benjin seemed increasingly thirsty for his young master's attention, and Leonardo was always willing to give him what he wanted so badly.

So when he was kissed by Benjin, Leonardo hugged him tight to show him that he had his full attention. It seemed to have been enough, since the trapeze artist managed to sit on the young master's lap and keep getting a cuddle on his head.

— Now, just the way I like it.

Laughing softly, Leonardo gently stroked Benjin's cheek.

— Don't worry Ben, I will make sure that everything will be alright.