It's morning. I open my eyes and…
Cough... Cough...
I still haven't adapted to the air here… And because of this, I barely even slept tonight… The only positive thing is that I didn't have any nightmares. Maybe my brain was too focused on trying to breathe properly. I go to check on Rhys.
ZZzz… ZzzzZ…
She is still deeply sleeping. I'll just leave then—I don't want to wake her up.
---
As I did previously, I try to flirt the fog with a handkerchief. Yesterday I asked Rhys if she knows anyone who is around 230 cm in height and it appears not. It's hard to get unnoticed if you are that tall, so I want to check the place where yesterday I met the 'ghost', to see if I can find some clues.
As I walk there, I find the same people I saw yesterday—the street artists. The kids are preparing and the musicians are already playing. One is missing though: the juggler. This leads the crowd of people to be more focused on fewer artists. The number of people around is roughly the same. I decide to talk with one artist playing an instrument—the drums. He isn't bad, but he keeps getting slower as he plays, leading the rhythm to slow down by hundredths of a second every two or three beats; I believe it's because he gets tired. It's not a lot in a single moment, but if you hear the song from start to end the difference becomes quite noticeable.
I leave a tip and talk to him.
"Do you mind answering one question?"
"No problem, ma'am! And thanks for the tip!"
Ma'am… "This place is enormous. I thought there would be more artists around."
"Oh, that, it's because of the ghost. It attacks artists—even haunting them if they don't abandon this place right away. We were way more before, and it's just a matter of time for my turn too. I don't want to have anything to do with it, but the longer I can stay here, the better it is. It's the best place for these kind of things, you know."
"Also, by any chance, do you know anyone tall 230 cm?"
"What? You kidding, right? No one is that tall around here."
"I see. Thanks for your time." I leave another tip and walk away.
---
I arrive where I met the 'ghost'. I'm here specifically to check the footprint. He made two steps on some mud and… there are none, how? Ok, let's check if this is actually the place. I watch my memories, and I'm sure this is the place. It's not even that someone covered them—there would be signs of it, or even others' footprints if they stepped there after. But no, nothing. There is not even a single shoe's mark, as if no one ever stepped here. But I heard the steps, right? Or am I crazy? I'm missing something…I close my eyes and watch yesterday's memory, from the start to the end. I need to check everything.
...Yes! Got it! It wasn't that hard. I know who the ghost is, how he is doing it, and why.Let's put an end to this joke.I'll go check on Rhys now, but before, I'm gonna buy something to eat for both.
---
"Hey… Wake up…"
"Mmmm… five more minutes…"
"It's 11 a.m., get a decent sleeping schedule…"
"Mmmmm… Shut up!"
"I have some food, idiot…" I move the meat pie closer to her nose.
"Gimme!!" She takes it, unwraps the tin around, and eats with a big smile. It makes me smile as well.
We eat together.
"I found out who the 'ghost' is."
"Whaw? Veally!? Whu?" she says with her mouth full of food.
"You'll know soon enough. Do you want help me catch him?"
"Uf cuursse!!"
"Do you know where I can find twenty balls?"
---
"Wow!"
"How!?"
Alongside talented musicians, a crowd of people is watching a little girl juggling with twenty balls. I always found it relatively easy. It's just a matter of keeping the rhythm and creating the right trajectory at every throw. If people were precise enough, everyone would be able to pull this off. It's just hard to start, but I had Rhys to help me with that. Now she is just walking in the crowd, collecting a few tips here and there.I obtained the reaction I wanted—the ghost is watching me right now. I'm seeing him with the corner of my eye. It's still too soon to catch him though. I'll wait until night for that.
---
"How much did you collect?"
"They gave me… lemme count… WOW!"
"Could you actually count those shillings?"
"No, but they seem a lot!"
"Let me check… 34 shillings… I think it's a lot for a few hours."
"Nathae…"Rhys looks embarrassed. She is slightly blushing too. I know what she is gonna ask me now."Yes, don't worry. They are yours."
She hugs and lifts me. "Thanks… And sorry."
"I told you, I wouldn't mind having to hide you at the Palace. I know everyone's turns and schedules, you'll slip in with no problems."
"No, that would be too much."
"As you want."
I feel guilty. I don't know if I like her because she is Rhys or just because she reminds me of Patea. Or maybe I just needed a new friend in general. I wish I knew.
She eventually lets me go."Anyway, why did you want to perform?"
"Because the 'ghost' was there. He mainly attacks artists, so I wanted to pass as one."
"Are you sure no one noticed who you actually are?"
"No, don't worry, it's always like this. As long as I don't say my name, people won't know. I was genuinely surprised when you recognized me, but I guess it can happen sometimes. It's just that Victoria has five children, each with their own family, and they are all more important than me. I also rarely appeared in public, so people likely know my name but won't recognize me. Especially the lower class.
Anyway, tonight I'll make sure he sees me, so he'll try to scare me. You'll catch him. Just move close and remove the sheet."
"Alright boss, as you want."
---
"This should be it. Now I'll wait."
I eventually hear the Tic… Tic… Tic… and when I do, I light up a match and point it in the direction of the 'ghost'.
"Here you are."
He keeps getting closer but eventually stops. Finally Rhys makes her appearance, and illusion switches to reality.
"Uo! Who is this?"
I move closer, and with the match I illuminate his face. It's the 10-year-old kid who performs on stilts.
He seems speechless.
"Don't worry. We are not gonna tell anyone, but you should stop. It's not nice, ok?"
"Uuuu… I… Uuu…" He jumps down from his stilts, takes them, and runs away. He was visibly scared. We let him go, of course.
"Wow, I would have never thought of him. You knew it was him, right?"
"Yeah. The first clue is that the ghost mainly scares artists who worked at that place. He noticed that it was always crowded, and if some artists were missing, then the same crowd would have split within the remaining artists, increasing their personal earnings since there was less to share. So he started forcing others to move away. Another important hint was the fact the ghost was 230 cm. At first, I was looking for someone who is that tall because—while unlikely—it's still possible. But it was the wrong track. The decisive hint was when I noticed he wasn't leaving footprints while making stepping noises. Of course he wouldn't leave them if he doesn't step with his feet but on stilts. If it wasn't for the sound, I would have never caught him. I wouldn't have been able to calculate the height, and it would have appeared he was actually floating."
"Uu… It worked, I guess."
"Now I have to return to the Palace… I'll see you in the next days, ok?"
"I'll walk you, wait!"
---
"Sorry… I really didn't mean to offend you…"
"No, Nathae, I really understand what you meant. And I have to say you were correct, but… Even if I'm the Queen, I alone can't change everything… You have to understand…"
"I know. That's why I need to ask you a favor."
"What is it?"
"I need a special pass to participate in all police investigations. I want to change this city for the better and… it will help me finding Jack."
"Are you sure you want to walk that path? I know you are smart, but it's dangerous…"
"I'm aware. But… now I feel like I must do it. Not only because of my personal reasons. I was born with gifts… I have to use them for the better… I have to stop accusing nobles and act on my own."
Victoria smiles. "I see. Even if I refuse, you'll find a way to have it your way, am I wrong?"
"It's correct."
"I'll see what I can do with that pass then… Just be careful… Please…"
"Don't worry."
"I want to change topic as well… Nathae… Where have you been these days? The servants didn't see you at the Palace."
"Oh, I just didn't feel like getting noticed. I was here… Don't worry. Well, good night, I'm going to sleep." I jump off the chair and walk out of the room.
"Good night… If she is like this now, I won't imagine the next years…" Victoria sighs.