The unexpected revelation left me unsettled for quite a while. I spent almost an hour on a bench, sifting through facts, speculations, and possibilities. Even Maya had grown weary of watching me ruminate, and the girl eventually wandered off, no longer shadowing my every move.

While Spark had confirmed the accuracy of my primary assumption, many unknowns still remained. For instance, the most crucial one: why did Sugawara harbor such a deep-seated hatred toward his supposed kin? Besides, even if Ketsu and Izao do share the same father, what of it? Izao's shapeshifter powers had not awakened. This meant I couldn't stake a claim to his noble lineage or his inheritance. Also, Sugawara's animosity was deeply personal, too personal. Therefore, clan matters, heritage, or anything equally formal was likely extraneous to the issue at hand.

Why did the mere existence of a sibling drive Ketsu to kill? At the same time, it seemed that the young shapeshifter hadn't considered me a potential relative before. What had changed? Only the revelation of Izao's mother's name and her association with museums. And this information alone was enough to make Ketsu lose nearly complete control over his inner Beast.

However, what if Sugawara had only fragmentary knowledge of his brother's existence? In this case, several scenarios could provide a somewhat plausible explanation of the events. Of course, such conclusions were speculative, but they offered a coherent picture of the situation.

When it came to the reasons behind such intense hatred, guessing games wouldn't get me far. For a comprehensive analysis, I was critically short of data. I hadn't studied the young shapeshifter thoroughly enough to comprehend his motives.

Should I seek out Ketsu and confront him directly? Not the craziest idea, actually. Yes, I might end up getting a beating! But if I'm cautious, regardless of how swift Sugawara is, I'll be able to shift into the Break in time. Overall, a solid, even mature idea. But if I'm going to initiate such a conversation, it definitely won't be today. I need to allow the guy some time to cool down. Right now, he's overwhelmed with emotions and unlikely to think clearly. Tomorrow? No, that's too risky. The day after tomorrow? That sounds more sensible.

I've made up my mind - I'll give Ketsu a couple of days to simmer down and then confront him directly. Regardless of what Sugawara believes, in memory of Izao, I must uncover the truth about his father. And I will. The arrogant shapeshifter has no idea who he's dealing with. It's a good thing Maya has already left; otherwise, I can't imagine how she'd interpret the predatory grin on my face.

I longed to shift into the Break and soothe my emotions, but it was a no-go. Thanks to the blasted scratch that would take at least two days to heal! And for these two days, the Break was off-limits for me unless I fancied piquing Maya's curiosity with unnecessary questions. Once more, I found myself tethered to reality – the second time due to injuries, which was beginning to grate on me. Perhaps I should ask Zanh Kiem to certify me as a sensum? After all, it seemed like everyone who had even a slight interest in Izao Vaillant was aware that I had awakened a Spark. Why not have the abbot of the Abode of Knowledge issue me papers with the Feeler rank? Then no one would bat an eye at my rapidly healing wounds and bruises.

Indeed, a shake-up had done me a world of good: this was the second clever idea in less than an hour!

After wandering around the island for a bit, I grabbed dinner at the canteen, indulged in some eclairs, and retired to my room. To my relief, Maya didn't come back to keep an eye on me. Having been deprived of proper sleep for two days, despite the day's events, I promptly fell asleep after washing the scarf Maya had given me and taking a shower. I slept so soundly that it took me three minutes to register the alarm clock.

In the morning, I refreshed myself and tied the girl's scarf in the fashion of ribbons worn by medieval knights, dedicating themselves to the Fair Lady. Sadly, my jest fell flat: Maya was absent from classes that day. But Claire didn't let it slide.

"Chris!" The redhead jabbed a fork at her classmate as soon as we settled at a table in an open cafe. "Just look!" She nodded at the scarf. "This one's already found the Dame of His Heart too!"

"Ah?!" Halting a spoonful of soup before his mouth, Christian gaped at me. "What?"

"This is the ribbon of the Fair Lady!" Claire snorted in disbelief at his ignorance. "Plus, the way Izao wears it implies it was personally gifted by the Lady."

"Really?" Christian swallowed his soup hastily, intrigued.

"Absolutely!" Claire retorted. "And you'd know if you hadn't skipped two heraldry lectures in a row!"

"But I..."

"We know what you did!" The girl dismissed him with a wave of her hand and turned back to me. "I'm more interested in who Izao's courting, and so successfully at that!"

In response, I stuck out my tongue at her.

"I'll find out regardless," Claire said confidently, cocking her head.

"Aha!" Christian nodded in agreement. "She's like that: if she wants something, she'll move heaven and earth to get it."

I shrugged, saying nothing. An unusual silence descended upon our table... lasting all of two minutes, until we had all finished our starters.

Pulling her plate of spaghetti bolognese closer, Claire suddenly held her fork like a weapon and shot us a slightly wicked glance.

"I don't understand! What's wrong with me?" Christian and I wisely held our tongues at this provocation, and she carried on. "Am I intelligent? Yes! Beautiful? Yes!" The girl nodded in sync with each of her statements. "Do I have everything in place?" She felt her chest, causing Christian to blush a deep red. "Everything is in place! So why aren't the two guys sitting next to me dating me?!"

"Um-m-m. Maybe because we value our lives?" Christian retorted, getting back at the redhead for all her previous jabs.

"Are you asking for trouble?" Claire shot back immediately, brandishing the fork in her hand.

"No, you just forgot to add to your list of virtues: intolerant, devious, arrogant, mocking, and too... brilliant." I didn't expect the dark-haired guy to show such bravery and lay it all out there. "But you are definitely beautiful, that's true!" He quickly added, noticing a dangerous spark in the girl's eyes.

"Regardless." Claire leaned back in her chair and put down her fork. "I would still reject both of you!" The redhead proudly turned up her nose. "This one!" Her finger pointed at the black-haired lad. "It's clear why he's off-limits, the first girl that flirted with him, and he fell for it.

"I..."

"Don't be ridiculous! Fine, the first attractive girl that flirted." The girl clarified. "But from you, Izao, I didn't expect this!"

"Didn't expect what?" I had to step in, as Christian was puffing up like a rooster, and this duo could genuinely start a brawl, which I didn't want.

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"I thought you were one of those who, once they've chosen, don't change their minds. That you, unlike this fickle..." She cast a glance towards the dark-haired guy. "Are steadfast in your feelings. And then, I see you wearing the Fair Lady's ribbon!" The girl leaned forward. "What about Maya Grimm?"

"Stop grilling him!" Christian defended me. "Maya is his unreachable ideal, but life goes on! Our Izao won't remain a bachelor forever just because he fell in unrequited love!"

"Hey!" Claire perked up. "Chris, look, he's smiling!"

I really couldn't hide my smile.

"So?" The boy was confused.

"S-o-o-o-o!" The redhead suddenly lit up.

Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out a smartphone and started scrolling through it. She apparently found what she was looking for and, moving towards the dark-haired guy, showed him the phone screen.

"No way!" Christian's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes, way!" Claire nodded in agreement.

They looked at each other and then simultaneously turned their gaze on me. Clearly ignoring their stares, I continued eating my spaghetti.

"It's Maya's scarf!" Christian blurted out first.

Most likely, Claire found a photo on her phone of Maya wearing that exact scarf. With such evidence, there's no escaping, so I remained silent.

"Exactly!" The girl confirmed Christian's words. Her previous insults and feigned anger were now nowhere to be seen - she had transformed into a bundle of curiosity.

"Man!!" Christian jumped up from the table. "High five!"

"It doesn't really mean much." I tried to dampen my friend's enthusiasm, but responded to his gesture. "More of a coincidence than..."

"A long journey starts with a small step!" Claire interrupted me and winked. "Okay! Since this is Maya's scarf, I'll let you live - you're forgiven!"

She returned to her meal, and Christian and I exchanged relieved glances. The unexpected storm of female resentment had thankfully passed us by.

After lunch, I didn't run into this lively duo again, as our lecture schedules differed. The rest of the day, I tried to find Maya in my spare time, but to no avail. It was somewhat disappointing: yesterday she had followed me around for half the day, and now, when I wanted to see her, she was nowhere to be found.

Due to the situation with Sugawara, I had to adjust my habits. Usually, I preferred to walk around the island using less-traveled and unpopular paths, but today prudence dictated the opposite, always be among the crowd and under observation. Perhaps this was why Ketsu and I didn't cross paths. But it was probably for the best; he needed to cool off and calm down. I would seek him out later.

I visited the hospital in the evening, but was not allowed to see the head physician. The nurse examined my chin, grumbling something along the lines of, "Oh, all these people, coming here and bothering doctors with trifles," disinfected the wound and quickly ushered me out the door. That was a good sign; it meant that the shapeshifter's claw hadn't left any infection.

Since I couldn't access the Break, I spent the rest of the day immersed in my studies. I stayed in the library until almost midnight and only went back to my room when it closed.

As a result, I felt it would be better not to go to bed at all. I placed mugs filled with water on the windowsill and propped the door with a bedside table. When a shapeshifter has you in their sights, such precautions are the least you can do. Still, I didn't sleep well. I kept waking up at the slightest noise. As luck would have it, the neighbors downstairs were up to who knows what, moving furniture around for a good part of the night.

In the end, I would have been better off not going to bed. Even the ringing of the alarm clock seemed like a relief to me. After taking a refreshing contrast shower, I managed to bring myself back to normal and got dressed. Giving it some thought, I removed the scarf Maya had gifted to me and tucked it into my bag. You never know, there might be someone as sharp-eyed as Claire around, and that might set off unnecessary rumors at the university. That was something I absolutely did not want. As for the eccentric duo of classmates, I trusted they would stay silent. For as much as they loved to gossip, they both understood the clear difference between sharing among friends and spreading information to outsiders. Had they not, they would not have been welcomed into Count Runar's group, nor prepared for the role of future curators.

Before leaving, I set up hidden markers that would indicate whether anyone had entered my room in my absence. With my brother's unexpected visit, my paranoia was once again on high alert. According to our class schedule, the morning classes were divided, and everyone had their own curriculum. This suited me fine as I had absolutely no inclination to entertain Claire's jests or Christian's queries that early in the day. But by lunchtime, I had regained my composure and was mentally ready to engage with my classmates. Still, I opted to lunch alone and picked a less frequented café at the northern end of the island.

Lost in thought, I strolled down a bustling street and almost bumped into Maya. Or rather, her bodyguard. Maya was standing a little to the side, engaged in a conversation with Mr. Rock. The last person I wanted to encounter was the curator from the House on the Hill. I swiftly changed my course, but it was too late.

"Izao!" Maya called out to me and, turning to the curator, she excused herself. "Mr. Rock, I'll be back in a moment."

"Of course," the Heir's representative granted her permission.

The Knight maiden gestured for her bodyguard to halt and approached me.

"Let's step aside," she suggested, nodding towards a clearing free from the crowd.

"Hello," I greeted her, at a loss for anything better to say.

"Hello, hello..." She waved off my greeting nonchalantly.

We had moved far enough away that it would be difficult for even a shapeshifter to eavesdrop, and Maya stopped.

"It's about Sugawara," she began.

"Yes?"

"Last night, first-year student Ketsu Sugawara applied for a two-week vacation and left the campus."

Oh! I wished I had received this news yesterday - I would have slept soundly! However, the worried look on Maya's face unsettled me.

"Is that good?" I asked for confirmation.

"Not exactly," Maya shook her head. "I did some asking around."

"And?"

"Sugawara is a unique clan. Their inner beast..." She paused, and I filled in:

"Fox."

"Yes, that's correct, a fox." The girl seemed slightly surprised by my knowledge. "And their clan's beast aligns perfectly with the Sugawara clan's specialization."

"Is this bad news for me?" I asked for clarification.

"Yes, it is," Maya confirmed. "The Sugawaras hold a very peculiar position in Japanese aristocracy. They're spies, secret diplomats, and, while this isn't confirmed, there are rumors that they're killers." She then dropped the bombshell, "The teachers I've spoken with label Ketsu as one of the most talented students in two decades when it comes to stealth and covert assignments. His official departure from the island means nothing. Given his abilities, young Sugawara could easily return without anyone noticing. I'm afraid the local security wouldn't be competent enough to stop Ketsu if he doesn't want to be stopped."

"That doesn't sound good," I managed evenly, though my inner paranoia screamed in alarm.

"I'm not sure what transpired between you two," Maya stepped back. "But if possible, the best outcome would be for you to make peace with him. Such an enemy would pose a challenging adversary, even for me."

With these words, she offered me a chance to retreat and save face — nothing more. No matter how formidable a fighter Ketsu was, he stood no chance against Maya, who had experienced numerous real battles.

"I wanted to talk to him," I confessed truthfully. "I was planning to find him tomorrow and resolve all issues without resorting to force."

"Pf-f-f," she exhaled. "Claire was right after all."

"Right about what?"

"That within this young body," her finger pointed at my chest, "lies a fairly mature mind."

"Thank you?" I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not.

"Never mind," she brushed it off. "You're the only seventeen-year-old I know who would choose to talk through a problem rather than resort to running away or engaging in a hopeless fight."

Again, she was exaggerating. However, my words seemed to calm her down slightly. A pleasant warmth spread through my body — she worries about me! I had thought I was only capable of irritating her, but it turns out things weren't as bleak as they seemed.

"I can arrange security guards for you for the next two weeks," Maya suggested.

A simple refusal would offend her, she genuinely wanted to help, and it wouldn't be right to flatly turn her down.

"Guards capable of stopping Ketsu Sugawara?" I found a way out.

"No," she admitted after a moment's reflection. "I'm afraid only the Castle and the BKDW headquarters are guarded that well, and that's after Eshin's terrorist attack."

"In that case, it won't be necessary," I played along, feigning a hint of regret. "I don't want to draw too much attention to myself." I added another argument, "Also, the Count wouldn't be too pleased if his ward was guarded by an outsider."

"Oh! Right! You're under his protection," Maya agreed. "Then you can ask Gabriel for protection yourself."

"If I see fit."

"Exactly," she nodded and suddenly smiled. "You could have made a decent boyfriend..." After a dramatic pause, she added, "If not for your robots!"

Feigning indignation, I rose to my feet and declared, "I do not betray what I love!"

"Pf-f-f..." Maya brushed off my comment, but I didn't miss the slight blush that colored her cheeks. "Okay, someone's waiting for me."

"Of course."

"Hold on." She pressed her business card into my hand. "If there are problems, call."

"Can I call when there aren't any problems, just because?"

"Don't be cheeky!" The Knight maiden grinned and quickly returned to Mr. Rock.