𝟎𝟖
Kilian remembered bits and pieces about y/n's four most trusted associates. He definitely remembered their names.
There was Captain Oleander and Serafina, the Lawyer, were two out of four. The other two were often terribly busy, and rarely met with y/n.
One was Gabriel, or Gabe, Martin. A real estate agent who mostly worked in Westalis. He used to bring lots of gifts to Kilian, and typically only visited when WISE requested assistance from Achille or Y/n. Kilian had overheard that she was meeting with the man, which was why she couldn't take him to the exams that one day.
The other was Corinne Klein, a terrifying woman with an even more terrifying way of getting rid of people. She own plenty of restaurants and bars, and she had an iron grip on the alcohol industry in Ostania. Recently, she'd been starting to reach into Westalis as well.
She was pretty awkward around kids, but damn.
"Cousin Corinne cooks very well." Kilian commented as he nibbled on the grilled cheese sandwich the lady had made for him.
Y/n, Kilian, Zain, and Elena were all sitting at a table together in a completely empty restaurant. A couple days had passed since Kilian's exam, and they were about to go see the results. However, Kilian got nervous and asked to have lunch first.
He really wanted to avoid that Becky girl.
They chose to eat at The Lazy Lion, y/n's favorite spot, partially for food and partially so y/n could check in on someone.
The only person working there, a tall beautiful lady with a stoic face, cold brown eyes, and long deep red hair which had been tied back into a bun, had been the one y/n wanted to see.
Despite her stoic expression, there was a light tint of pink on her cheeks at the compliment from the little boy, "Thank you, Kilian. If you ever want me to cook you something... er... just ask."
Kilian nodded, "Will do!"
"Hehe, Corinne is a wonderful cook, isn't she?" y/n agreed with a warm smile as Kilian continued happily enjoying his lunch, "If you ever want something good to eat, feel free to ask to visit the Lazy Lion!"
"Oh, by the way, who named this place?" Kilian questioned, "Lazy Lion is an odd name."
"Oh." Corinne fiddled with the apron she wore, "Your father named it, I left it up to him since he was very eager to name it."
Kilian fell silent at the mention of his late father, but he smiled a little and nodded, "Aha, I had a feeling."
There was a long awkward silence.
"Ahem, so, are you all on your way to see the results for the exam?" Corinne asked as she carried a seat from another table and set it down, "I heard from Laurence that Kilian took Eden Academy's Entrance Exam. The results came out today, didn't they?"
Kilian flinched before covering his mouth with an uneasy look, "Urgh... I've— I've gotta go to the bathroom."
Kilian practically rolled off the seat before running off and around the corner to the bathroom in a panic.
"Huh." Corinne glanced at y/n with a half smile, "Guess stress induced diarrhea runs in the family, eh?"
Y/n rubbed the back of her neck, "Haha, yeah..." she waved her free hand and Zain nodded, getting up and taking a seat by the front of the restaurant instead while Elena joined him much to his barely contained delight.
"We've got the SSS on our backs again." Corinne said quietly and y/n groaned, lifting a hand to rest it against her forehead.
"We can't afford to lay low again, Cor..."
"It's not for the reason you're thinking." Corinne added hastily, "Oleander told me that they're searching for that spy from Westalis."
"Heh? Nightfall?"
"No, not that one. Twilight."
"Ah, Twilight." y/n murmured before raising a brow, "What? They want our help finding the guy or something?"
"Precisely." the red haired woman confirmed with nod, "Laurence wanted to hear your thoughts before he provided an answer."
"No, tell them to 🚚 off." y/n said sharply, "I'm not gonna go stabbing WISE in the back, not when they're doing us a huge favor."
Corinne seemed like she wanted to say something else but nodded, "Very well, I'll have someone pass on the message."
She hesitated for a long moment.
"They... uh, they said that have information on the last suspect involved with Achille's death. A name, address, and a couple people actively keeping tabs on him."
The mention of her brother got y/n's attention and she tightened her grip on her cup to avoid any sudden movements.
'Easy there, don't go freaking out.' she reminded herself before waving a hand, "Give WISE another... let's say two weeks. If they fail to provide the same amount of information that the State Security Service says they have..."
Y/n didn't need to say anything else for Corinne to nod in confirmation with a soft, "I understand."
Just as Corinne spoke, Kilian returned from the bathroom with a weary look as he slowly wandered over and clambered back into his seat.
"Everything alright, Kil?" y/n questioned and the boy blinked, seemingly surprised about this question.
He averted his eyes with a quiet groan, "Hhh..."
He really wasn't ready but he didn't have much of a choice, as they would have to go eventually.
"Don't worry about a thing, Kil." y/n chuckled, resting a hand on his head and ruffling his hair, "You'll be alright."
'I hope so.' Kilian thought warily.
Maybe it'd be better if he didn't get in at all!
Maybe he could go to a different school!
Or maybe homeschooling, that too!
More time with y/n!
Yeah, Eden Academy wasn't worth it.
He could get his education somewhere else!
Some...where...
Kilian gawked at his number, K-226, on the list of applicants who passed. An odd sense of doom fell over him as Elena shrieked with delight, throwing herself at Zain and hugging him as the two celebrated while y/n cheered and lifted Kilian in the air.
'I... I passed...' he thought, 'I passed, but...'
But he felt oddly scared about it.
Kilian was stunned into silence even as he was treated to strawberry cake and y/n threw a party at the manor where everyone congratulated Kilian on passing.
He was scared. Terribly scared.
Not because he was nervous about school, but because that Becky girl had passed. He'd recognized her number on the board, oh my goodness, he was definitely gonna be unable to avoid her now.
'No, no, maybe I'm overreacting.' Kilian thought with dread as he was laying awake one evening, blinking blearily as he struggled to sleep.
'Yeah, definitely overreacting.' he concluded as him and y/n played chess in the park another day.
Y/n watched warily as her nephew crouched in the corner of the living room, biting at his finger nails with a distressed look on his face.
'What's got him so worked up?' y/n wondered as she glanced at the textbooks he'd abandoned in the coffee table, 'Maybe he's missing Yuri? Is that it?'
She smiled to herself a little, recalling how the two had so much fun together going through the textbooks. *this is not true, they were arguing the entire time.
"Kil!" y/n exclaimed and the boy perked up with curious eyes, "Would you like to draw with me?"
The little boy nodded once, clambering to his feet and running over to join y/n at the kitchen table. He climbed into a seat beside her with a, "Sit across from me, Auntie, I'm gonna draw you a portrait!"
"A portrait, huh? Okay then!"
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"Go back to Hugaria, I don't want you here."
"I'm not happy to see you either, brat."
Once again, Kilian and Yuri were glaring daggers at one another. Y/n felt a little wary about how badly they were still getting along as the two snapped sharp comments at one another.
Yuri had returned from his business trip, sooner than expected. Kilian, of course, showed no enthusiasm.
'And they were actually doing good before Yuri left...' y/n sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, "Hey, how about we all go hang out at the park instead?"
"Hand out at the park?" Kilian question, "Why?"
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"OUCH!"
"You're supposed to kick the ball!"
"It bounced and hit me in the face!"
Y/n exhaled lightly as Kilian attempted to kick the ball back to Yuri again only to trip on it and land flat on his back with a yelp.
Kilian wasn't very good at sports, but he was trying.
Yuri had suggested that they try it out, making fun of the little kid for doing nothing but studying all the time. This managed to provoke the six year old, and he heatedly agreed to kick a ball back and forth with the man.
It wasn't going too well for Kilian so far.
"Here, Kil." y/n hummed as she joined her nephew and grasped his shoulders gently, "You want to hit it with the side of your foot, not your toe."
She guided him backwards and whispered something to him, the boy listening attentively. His grey eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly as y/n pulled away with a warm smile.
"Got it?"
"Mhm!"
"Alright, Yuri!" y/n exclaimed, "Get ready!"
She stepped back, giving Kilian some space before the little boy ran forward and kicked the ball. It went zooming on over to Yuri successfully and Kilian's eyes lit up with triumphant.
"Auntie! I did it!!!" he exclaimed with bright eyes.
"You did do it!" y/n cheered, scooping up her nephew and rubbing her face against his, "Nice job, Kil!"
She set him down again and the boy, feeling much better, happily continued to kick the ball back and forth with Yuri.
'It's good to see him smiling.' she thought, fondly gazing at her nephew as him and Yuri actually had a civilized interaction, 'And Yuri seems to be enjoying himself as well!'
Despite the carefree and joyous scenery before her, the young lady felt as though something were weighing heavily on her shoulders.
One more person.
There was one more person she had yet to find and punish for the murder of her older brother. As long as they were still out there, Kilian would be in danger.
So the SSS knew who this person was, huh?
'No, I'm not gonna risk it.' y/n thought with a fitful shake of her head, 'WISE is doing all they can, and I can respect that. I'm not going to stab them in the back.'
But did she really have the time?
How long would it be before this final person came out of their little hiding spot and went after Kilian next?
The thought had y/n's stomach twisting, and she felt incredibly nauseous wondering what would happen if she waited for WISE any longer.
WHAM!!!
"🚚ing hell!"
Y/n snapped out of her thoughts and looked up in alarm as Yuri keeled over in pain, the ball him and Kilian had been kicking slowly rolling away from him while the little grey eyed boy held his hands behind his back with an innocent look.
"I kicked the wrong ball. My bad."
"WHAT SO YOU MEAN YOU KICKED THE WRONG BALL?!" Yuri demanded and Kilian gave him a little snug look, "Don't look so smug about it!"
Oh boy, y/n would leave the worrying to Laurence.
She had to worry about Kilian and Yuri first.
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