The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 35: There's a Person in the Closet

My gaze was noticed by the three of the people present. A faint smile appeared on Eris' lips, while Cocytus' mouth protruded a bit. It was Leigh who verbally acknowledged the golden butterflies' fluttering presence outside of the stained window of the formal dining hall.

I smiled even with the absence of their master.

"Tsk! Deo, that bastard is a such a show-off," Leigh scoffed, but there was also the trace of gentleness on his eyes as we both caught each other's eyes.

"I don't feel his presence around the campus though," Eris said. The hope that I might see him was extinguished though I knew clearly that there might be a great possibility that he would not be actually here. "Maybe Deo is still—"

"Ahem!" Leigh coughed loudly and fakedly, I should add. It was the fakest cough ever conceived by a Deity, which, I guess, was actually true when I thought of it since Deities like Leigh and Deo (the Seer, as always, was exempted with that) would never have any colds or any of the sort.

"That's honestly is a fraud and we all know it," Cocytus pointed out, his fork was currently piercing a piece of the steak we were all eating. "Couldn't care less if Lord Deo is here or not, even what in the name of the earth he was doing. It's only her." He then pointed at me.

I pursed my lips. I righted the placement of the spoon on my place, and set down a few green peas, a two or three I guess, on the curve of the spoon. With a swoosh towards Cocytus, it catapulted to his direction, just narrowly missing his forehead. One of the three green peas touched his nose and I thought that was actually better.

"Hhmpph!" he groaned and went backwards to his chair, colliding down with the force I put on my good green peas.

It was actually I who was good at aiming. There was a smug curve on my lips at the sound of Cocytus Amitiel, the i***t, crashing down.

"That's foul!" he roared while he was still down. "You b***h!"

"Yto!" Leigh shouted at him, brows almost knitted together. "Language!"

"What is that?" I said politely, ever the formal one. "I cannot hear you from up here, my laughter is too loud. Ha ha ha," I told Cocytus mockingly and I heard his groan became louder which made my smirk wider.

"You two," Leigh said, a tone of scolding on his voice, "fighting on the table. Where are your manners!"

"They are kind of cute though," Eris said, happily slicing through her own steak. "Like brother and sister. Keep that up and you guys might just destroy the whole house."

I did not mind both Leigh and Eris though, my eyes quickly went back to the butterflies fluttering around outside of the stained window.

"Eat first, Seraphin," Leigh scolded me yet again, "those butterflies won't die."

I nodded solemnly, a smile lingering on my lips.

"Stop smiling," Cocytus protested as he got up from whatever ditch he came from and caught the smile on my lips. "It creeps me out."

The next thing that happened was an epic battle between my spoon s***h catapult and Cocytus' table napkin s***h shield.

"Kids!" Leigh tried to stop us, but I just threw and threw more green peas at the boy sitting from across me. Not for long, Cocytus also learned to use edible things aa his weapon against me. "KIDS!" Leigh screamed at us both.

He was heaving deep breaths of air into his lungs both through his lips and nose. His red eyes became bloodshot with aggravation towards Cocytus and me. Meanwhile, Eris was still timidly sipping from her wine glass, the red and violet mixed colors on the fluid she was drinking was swirling around. She smiled at Cocytus and me, and then pointed at the aggravated immortal.

"Listen to the Immortal Deity if you two still want to be alive," she whispered, but knowing Leigh and his powers, the three of us were all certain that he heard it and the implication of it.

Cocytus snorted and just set down his utensil. He looked expectantly at the Deity sitting at the head of the table, his eyes turning into little slits but I saw the small and the very slightest protruded tips of his lips as though Cocytus was sulking.

"Are you... are you scolding me?" he asked in disbelief.

I laughed greatly at his tone and his expression.

"Seraphin!" Leigh sternly shouted at me, his tone was definitely saying he wanted to scold me but there were the butterflies by the window, still waiting for me and there was nothing I could do that would suppress my smile.

Eris did not disappointed us with her vision. Deo did not indeed make an appearance on the following days even though his golden light butterflies were around me everywhere I go.

They were the same that I could remember them, providing me warmth and security but was never out of line when it came to when I wanted be left alone. If I seek them though, I could find them and, as before, I could also manipulate them into doing what I wanted and even change their appearance to that time when they were made as my hair clip.

However, the peace and calm within the Middle Ground was just a facade that the four of us; Cocytus, Leigh, Eris, and me, were trying to maintain.

"The Academia Amitiel has been infiltrated," Leigh concluded, his tea cup was just mere inches away from his lips. "That is one of the many things that is certain."

We never have a sit-down meeting wherein we would all be seated on particular spots and seats at a drawing room or even a conference room then discuss our tactics and strategies. That seemed a little too much, even for Leigh and Cocytus. We only talk like this, casual and relaxed despite the turmoil that was happening at our surroundings.

Even to myself, I kept on pretending that there was nothing but calm and serenity though I knew it was the exact opposite. I do not want to be taken over by panic and anxiety. Maybe one of the factors that I could remain so calm was that I was confident with my own capabilities and I was craving for something to test myself with.

One more factor was that because I have two Deities and the Seer by my side; supporting me with every action I take.

I reached for my tea cup and also took a timid sip, just enough to dissolve my parched throat. I hesitated, knowing that Leigh has ulterior motive with why he told me to tell Haziel to withdraw the other Dalcanorian children.

I was made aware that it were not just that I knew enrolled here that were from Dalcanoraz, but also some other students who escaped from the capital of the country, Veladim, and made their way to the Middle Ground, even though if it was already demolished and reduced to a school.

"Were any of the missing students Dalcanorians or mages?" I asked, my eyes were looking at the far corner of the room.

"No, you'd think that Haefen would be cruel and just get on with the Dalcanorian children seeking refuge inside the academy, but it seemed as though..." There was a long pause from Leigh which made me look and watch him when the pause dragged on to a minute and two. "As though Lord Araqiel Ellliot has some thing else within his mind. Be mindful with your every action, it is you whom he was seeking and not anything else."

I nodded.

"So you think he was the kidnapper then?" I demanded to Leigh. "Was he?" I added with uncertainty.

"As you might have heard already from the Seer," he responded, a big sigh was just behind his last word, "she cannot see those people. They might be connected or they might not be at all. After all, what use would human children with no means of controlling magic and being a Warrior have that might be beneficial with Lord Elliot?"

I did not answer for I did not exactly know the right answer either. I remained silent, but in my silence, Leigh saw through my neutral expression.

"You do not agree with me?" he asked me with a small smile.

I shook my head, disturbing the golden light butterflies that were perched on my shoulders.

"It was not like that, Leigh," I, however, contradicted him. "It is just I am worried that people from even outside our world should get involve. It should not be anything like that. Are you not worried that Lord Araqiel Elliot is not targetting the Dalcanorian children hidden within the mortals exactly because they are Dalcanorian? If he was to win the war they said he started, then was it not logical to gain favor from the Dalcanorians themselves earlier on if the time comes and he won?"

There was a gentle smile on Leigh's face. It was apparent that my guess was far from the truth he was thinking of. I gave an askance look, but he did not return it and instead looked away from me. My great-uncle's side profile was as immaculate and perfect as ever. One look and any onlooker would suggest we may only be peers and not have an actual familial relationship. It was those eyes that gave him away though, looking so sage and old.

"I am quite glad that you don't think he would actually win," he stated, taking noticed of my usage of my words. It was not, after all, such a hopeless battle between Eirini and Haefen and even the royal family which just branched off from the Eirini but with the same footing. He leaned towards the table in between us and placed the tea cup he was holding on top of it. "But it was never the Dalcanoraz, any sort of political power and influence, and specially not even its people that you said he might to want to get to his favor."

"Do you know him personally?" I asked Leigh.

He did not answer that fast, but his eyes turned rather sad and forlorn. There was also regret within those red eyes that was still looking very far away.

"Leigh?" I asked yet again with more anxiety that he would not answer or that I had hit a nerve for being to nosy around.

But when I called him like that, it seemed to be enough to get him out of the daze his mind has fallen over. He blinked thrice before turning to his tea that has turned cold. I immediately picked up another tea cup and poured him from the still hot tea pot. He nodded after I was done and muttered his thanks in a low voice.

"I have been around for most days," he finally said, he put the rim of his tea cup a few inches away from his lips, seemingky contemplating whether to sip on it or not. "Longer than most people, actually, and I could never seem to fathom that the people whom I knew as kids are now a thing from the past."

Leigh looked at me and nodded.

"Your father was a very talented mage," Leigh suddenly said, swerving from the topic that I opened or maybe not at all and just that I was not seeing any of the connection just yet. "But it was not jealousy that made Araqiel moved in this way. Maybe it is not the time yet, but you will understand."

"How exactly did my uncle started this war ten years ago?" I finally asked. "And why would he risk everything, even this country, just for his goal? What was his goal anyways?"

I can never quite grasp how Deo seemed so easily spoke about the raging outside of Academia Amitiel while the world I was living in was relatively peaceful. For me, I have always regarded the war as a tell-tale that I have never witnessed. Only from the stories and contemporary books that Deo has read for me.

That I was wrong though.

"There were many rumored reasons why such a brilliant kid like Araqiel would start waging the war against the whole royal court and the Eirini," Leigh said thoughtfully, "but what most think as his reason of doing so was to bring an innovation to Dalcanoraz. I'm not a native of that place nor was I ever a citizen. My beloved was from my hometown, England, and my children grew up in this world, relatively away from all the magic. Must be why I can never understand that kid Araqiel."

I never knew that, of course, but it was nice to hear that Leigh was being a little reminiscent of his good memories while thinking of the current generation's problem.

"What about my mother and my father? Will you tell me about them?" I asked him.

"You were close with him," Leigh said without inhibition, "when we were all celebrating your first year, it was the grandest party ever. Everyone was there, including the townsfolk. Life was simpler then, Adonai dotted on you. My goddaughter however, she was strict. The disciplinarian. She knew that you will take over both of the factions to finally merge them and the ruling rank of Dalcanoraz together."

There was a sharp pang on my chest with the mention of Erina.

"She was cold," I told Leigh, "she was so cold within my memories. She looked at me like I was her possession. As though I was only one of her possessions."

Leigh took a long sip from his tea cup, stalling for time to think what to tell me. Did I want him to assure me it was not true, all of it? Did I want him to tell me that there was a reason behind every single thing?

"I have not seen her such a long time, Seraphin." There was regret on his voice as he talked. "Maybe the reasons such events have gone too far was also because of me, but I am here to help you."

I nodded. One of the butterflies went to my cheek seemingly trying to comfort me.

"Anyways, the missing students," I reminded him, "I'd like to take part on the investigation as I have said before."

Leigh nodded, waiting for me to get to the point.

"I'm not sure how though?" I said, uncertain with how I should really proceed on this with Leigh.

"Well that is your problem, my dear granddaughter," he said with a small skile behind his tea cup that I almost wanted to smash it on his head. "You've got everything at your disposable, I don't see why you'll be struggling with anything on this case. Now—" Leigh stood up from his seat, both abandoning me and his cup of still warm tea "—if you will just excuse me and I still need some time to oversee my company."

Traitor!

I felt a nerve twitched near on my eyebrow and I gulped down in one go my own tea, almost breaking the delicate porcelain when I set it down on the table. My mind's clogs started to work and twist its way to what can I do first. Maybe I can go Haziel Imbert and just be done with it. As I often geard people say, more brains generally meant that the job would be done easier and I am all in for that.

But it was not like I wanted to just rely on them. Maybe I should get information first before I go to them so I could contribute something? Well that sounded like a group activity that I absolutely do not like to do by group where it consisted of other people that exceeded a single person.

Within my mind and the light butterflies following close behind me, I arranged the tea set on the table properly on the tray and marched out of the drawing room. I ascended the stairs that led me to the second floor of the house and knocked on Cocytus' room.

I knocked three more annoying times before the git opened the damn door.

"What?" he demanded, his eyes were bloodshot and there huge bags under his eyes as though he was overworking his eyes and they were about to fall off on both of his sockets. "You're disturbing me."

"What a great way to greet your master," I told him sarcastically. I pushed the door wider than how he opened it. "I need a hand." I paused, listening to that prior sentence, there was quite a difference to what I wanted to actually say. "I mean I need help in general. I'm solving the case of the disappearances of the academy's students."

Cocytus let me pushed the door open and let me in on the process of it. I walked towards his room which was not actually a room, but rather the othet half of the mansion s***h his house. It has an atrium where anyone who entered the door could see the skies. This time, the sun had just sunk and the darkness of the night was impending to take over of the sky above.

The second floor was practically a mezzanine but with a more spacious area where the king-sized bed was located, and some other shelves and things. At the far east side of the second floor's wall was a shiplap of wine and different alcohol.

The overall place was rather elegant actually, but I still wanted to trash it just because it was all owned by this git named Cocytus Regulus Amitiel.

"So you're helping me," he stated in a daze and one of the cabinets of his walk-in closet just made a crashing sound. It was quite loud that even someone like me who was all in for indifference could not just avoid on taking notice of it.

Nonetheless, I still ignored the crashing sound and proceeded on talking casually with the git.

"Yes," I answered, "essentially—" the same crashing and smashing sounds "—that is actually a by-product of me working on this case. So help me so I can help you."

Even while I was still speaking, the smashing sounds on his walk-in closet was still continuing. He casually walked over to it and closed the door.

"What says you?" I demanded as if nothing has happened.

"There is—"

Before Cocytus could finish his sentence, the crashing sound appeared again although muffled by the closed door that separated the two spaces. This time, I could not just turn a blind eye to it so I just ask him very directly.

"Is there a person inside your closet?" I asked him, looking just over his rather muscular shoulder to the closed door to his walk-in closet. "Why would you even keep a person in your closet?"

"Ignore it," Cocytus said or sighed, I guess. "That thing inside will shut up sooner or later."

I nodded along.

"I have got a lot on my plate right now," Cocytus continued, stifling a yawn and blinking rapidly. His bloodshot eyes naturally darkened his usually bright features, I could not even see clearly his bright blue eyes. "But I appreciate your help with this case. The whole Amitiel family appreciates it—"

"Stop it," I told him indifferently, "stop with all the pleasantries. I felt as though you have some terminal cancer by saying those words. Are you dying?" I asked Cocytus very seriously.

"I might as well be at the rate we are going," he mumbled, which I guessed was not actually for my ears but was only for his own. Cocytus stifled another yawn with the fist of his hand before saying, "but let's get on patrol first around the Amitiel then talk about the case."