CK left for the Red Manor the next day. It was supposed to be a simple visit, but CK put effort into dressing up. After all, one does not show up to a Duchess' residence in shabby pajamas (though tempted CK was to do so).
A satyr greeted her when she entered the lobby.
"Good afternoon, Lady CK. The Duchess is waiting at the courtyard. Allow me to escort you there," she said politely.
"Please," CK nodded. The satyr said nothing else and walked ahead, making sure that CK was following by occasionally looking over her shoulder.
'Relax. It's not like I'll run off on an expedition,' CK wanted to say. But she tactfully kept her silence until they reached the doorway leading to the courtyard.
The shade cast by the large oak tree was enough to shield the whole courtyard from the sun. Underneath the tree was a small but sophisticated solarium. CK could see the Duchess' figure through the glass walls.
"The Duchess is up ahead. Please excuse me now. I must attend to my other duties," the satyr told CK. "Of course. Thank you," CK said and approached the solarium.
"You arrived earlier. Good. There's time for a brief discussion," the Duchess said. CK has barely set foot into the solarium when the Duchess spoke, causing her to pause in confusion.
"Good afternoon, Your Grace," CK curtsied but the Duchess waved her hand dismissively. "Save the etiquette for formal events. Every time I see someone bend their knee, I thought I could feel my own joints aching," the Duchess muttered with a frown.
"As you wish. What did you wish to discuss, Your Grace?" CK asked. The Duchess adjusted the terrarium bowl atop the table.
"We are meeting a guest from the Blue Faction. I am not very fond of those working under Rhodopis' stewardship, but this particular guest is someone we must cooperate with," the Duchess said.
"Are they troubling?" CK asked. "No. It's a matter of personal bias. The ways the Blue Faction handle things are not to my taste. Fortunately, we are meeting someone whose goals align with ours. That is why I thought that you should join us for the meeting," the Duchess explained.
"This sounds like a negotiation," CK said. "Something of the sort," the Duchess looked at CK, "I've accepted his proposal and arranged this meeting so the both of you can be introduced. You will be acting on our behalf so whether or not you will cooperate with this person will be up to you."
"I'm afraid I don't understand, Your Grace," CK said. "You will after the meeting," the Duchess simply said.
She paused and looked up for a few seconds. "He's here," she said and looked at CK, "Be on your best behavior."
"Yes, Your Grace," CK muttered, though she wanted to grumble a complaint. Why does it sound like the Duchess is treating her like a naughty child?
"Your Grace, the young Lord Tewdorn is here."
"Let him in," the Duchess replied. CK stood a little behind the Duchess and folded her hands over her stomach, anticipating the visitor.
The same satyr who escorted CK returned with another guest: a young man with cerulean hair garbed in simple but refined clothes colored white and royal blue–a sign of one who belonged to the Blue Faction obviously.
He stood out like a sore thumb in the environment full of rich, red colors. But then again, so did CK in her emerald dress. He paused when he saw CK.
"Hm?" he stared curiously. CK tilted her head in confusion as response. Who was this guy?
"Locke Tewdorn. I trust you had no troublesome encounters on your way here," the Duchess said.
"Ah, yes. It was a smooth travel. I must thank you for providing such reliable transportation," the young man smiled and looked at CK, "Might I ask who your companion might be?"
"This is the young Lady CK of House Vincenzo. CK, this is Locke Tewdorn, son of Duke Tewdorn and steward of Glass City," the Duchess disinterestedly introduced the two nobles to one another.
"Oh. So you are the daughter of the esteemed Count Vincenzo. I've heard about you, though I believe this is the first time we've met," Locke told CK.
"I believe so, too. But then again, I'm rarely in touch with any of the other nobles," CK said amusingly and curtsied, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Locke."
"The pleasure is mine, my lady. But um...please, just call me 'Locke'," the young lord smiled awkwardly. "In that case, feel free to call me 'CK'," CK replied.
"CK will be working with you on behalf of the Red Faction. She has proves herself capable enough to handle tasks given to her. If you need anything, approach her first," the Duchess stated.
"Oh...I see," Locke said. "Will this new arrangement be any problem to you?" the Duchess asked.
"Not at all, Your Grace. The more manpower there is, the easier it will be to accomplish our goals... But that also means more effort to conceal ourselves, unfortunately," Locke smiled wryly.
"I cannot agree more. It just so happens that CK landed herself in a little incident with Lumiere this past week," the Duchess sighed while CK smiled apologetically.
"Truly? Might I ask what kind of incident this is?" Locke asked. "Curiosity got the better of her, that's what," the Duchess mumbled, "There's another reason why I've asked you to come. We must arrange for CK to join the Academy of Dreams as soon as possible."
"What?" CK blinked. "Join the Academy?" Locke was just as surprised, "I apologize, Your Grace, but entering the Academy is not that simple. An entrance exam is necessary, and this semester's entrance exam has just concluded."
"You misunderstand, Locke Tewdorn. I don't mean to send CK in as a student, but as a researcher–the same thing that you do," the Duchess clarified.
"Oh, great," CK sighed in relief. She was NOT going back to school right after getting out.
"So you mean as a research aid? It is possible. But ah... The Academy will still require 'proof' that she can be useful. Just like students, research aids need to be assessed as well. They can't just accept anyone," Locke said apologetically.
"So you want a resumé. I can give you that," CK said, eyes twinkling. "But...might I ask why she must enter the Academy of Dreams?" Locke asked.
"Due to that little incident with Lumiere, CK might be under the risk of monitoring, thus impeding her movement. In order to lessen the chances, I'm sending her to the Academy. She will still be under monitoring there, but at least we know who will be watching," the Duchess yawned, "If she's any help to you, great. But it doesn't really matter if CK can do things as a researcher or not. She just needs to lie low for the meantime and avoid attention."
"I understand now. I'll see what I can do and inform you both immediately if something occurs," Locke said.
"Good," the Duchess nodded. "The Academy, huh?" CK muttered.
She remembered what Flavio told her about the institution. Now, the Duchess wants to send her there without warning.
"Don't worry. The Academy is not as strict with researchers as they are with the students," Locke suddenly said, causing CK to look at him in confusion.
"Hm? Oh," CK said and smiled, "That's good to hear. I'm not very good with protocols nor work in a rigid environment so a bit of freedom helps."
"Locke and I will take care of the necessary documents. You only need to do your part," the Duchess told CK meaningfully.
"Yes, Your Grace," CK replied. "It will be tricky, but it's not impossible to do. I will need time to arrange a panel to assess CK's eligibility as a researcher," Locke said.
"Can't you just vouch for her? Surely your words hold weight inside the Academy," the Duchess said bluntly. Locke laughed lightly.
"Be that as it may, I cannot violate ethical standards. I will help smoothen the process, but I cannot directly intervene. That is simply not right," he said.
'He's got guts telling the Duchess she's asking for something wrong,' CK thought.
'It helps being the son and heir of a Duke,' CK thought. They'll be sharing the same rank in ten or so years so they might as well get used to talking to each other like equals.
"Your tea is getting cold, Locke. You should drink," CK said as she reached for the plate of sweets.
"Oh. You're right," Locke said and took a sip. His brows rose slightly.
"I recognize this taste. Dummel flower petals, correct? They're perfect for headaches and blood circulation," he said, looking at the Duchess.
"Correct. They grow in the forests west of this manor and are perfect for harvest this season. I can send a few boxes of tea petals to your residence," the Duchess offered.
"Please, if it's not too much trouble," Locke said. CK grew curious and decided to have a taste of the Duchess' tea.
A few tentative sips led her to her own judgment of the taste: rich, thick, and aromatic. All in all, it was high-quality tea and best taken in the afternoon or after a heavy meal. But like all luxurious treats, Dummel tea should not be taken too frequently, else its value and flavor diminishes over time.
Once the matters were discussed and afternoon tea was drunk, Locke placed his empty cup on the table.
"Thank you for your time and your hospitality, Duchess dela Rouge. But I'm afraid I must take my leave. I don't wish to overstay my welcome and I have a few businesses to tend to," Locke stated.
"Nonsense. Any ally of ours is always welcome to stay over," the Duchess said. "I'm glad to hear that," Locke said and turned to CK with a smile.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss CK. Once the necessary documents are processed, please visit me at the Academy. We can begin investigations together," he said.
"I look forward to it," CK replied. "Likewise. If there's nothing else, good day," Locke bowed courteously to the seated women and left the courtyard.
The Duchess and CK were left in temporary silence. Once the young man in blue was out of sight, the cordial atmosphere shifted back to its tranquil, stagnant state.
"What are your thoughts on the boy?" the Duchess suddenly asked. CK thought for a while.
"He seems genuine. Though for a Duke's son, he is quite meek," she answered. "He does poorly when faced with confrontations, so he does everything to perfection. The time he spends at the Academy leaves him no room to behave haughtily towards others," the Duchess said.
"I see," CK said. "Your entrance to the Academy as a researcher is only a cover story. You will focus on finding more information about the Marchen's plans and see if they correlate to the cases of altered history," the Duchess stated.
"Does Locke know about it?" CK asked. "No. He told me that he wishes to uncover one of the Marchen's secret plans, which may not be the same one we are aiming for," the Duchess replied.
"The Marchen has many ambitious goals," CK commented. "And they're accomplishing them rapidly during these past few years. It's almost as if they're trying to catch time," the Duchess said.
"Mm," CK hummed. "Locke Tewdorn knows about the altered history. But he doesn't know that we suspect the Marchen has been deliberately manipulating it. This assumption must stay between us. Don't tell the boy anything else," the Duchess said firmly.
"I'll be careful," CK assured. "Though you must be careful, it is just as important to have good relations with Locke Tewdorn. Betrayal is a possibility, but chances of it happening lessens when you are on good terms," Duchess dela Rouge said, "Build rapport with him. It will be one of the keys to a successful investigation."
"I will keep your words in mind," CK said. "Good," the Duchess nodded contentedly, "Go now. The sun is about to set."
"Of course. Thank you for this afternoon, Your Grace," CK said. As per the Duchess' earlier request, CK did not bow and simply left the Red Manor.
CK twisted her upper body and stretched as soon as she settled in the amphiptere carriage. She'll need to learn everything she can about the Academy of Dreams if she'll be investigating that place.