I arrived at the meeting spot and parked my car in a nearby lot. Stepping out, I made my way to the meeting place—it was Leonamon’s Cake Shop.
As soon as I walked in, the metal chimes rang out, and the rich scent of pastries filled the air. The place was packed with customers, so much so that every table was taken. It was no surprise; after all, this was Leonamon’s cake shop.
A woman with closed eyes approached me slowly. She gave off an airheaded vibe, as if she was lost in thought about something, even though she should have been focused on her task right now.
She glided over to me and said, “Hello, welcome to Leonamon’s Cake Shop. How may I assist you today?”
Despite her deliberate movements, she was surprisingly adept at her job. I told her I had a reservation for a room. She asked for my name, then paused, her eyes unfocused as if searching through her mental archives. After a moment, she seemed to snap back to reality and directed me to follow her.
I followed her through the bustling shop, past the aroma of freshly baked pastries that wafted through the air, until we reached a door marked for VIPs. The VIP room was a secluded haven designed for those who wanted to enjoy their treats without interruption or noise. It was an exclusive retreat, costing a hefty 5 gold coins to reserve. I couldn’t help but wonder how Leon had managed to book this room and where he’d come up with the 5 gold coins.
When I stepped into the room, I found Leon already seated at the table. The door clicked shut behind me, leaving just the two of us in the cozy space.
“Good evening, Professor,” he greeted me with a nod. “Please, take a seat.”
I settled into the plush chair, my gaze drifting eagerly to the table. It was overflowing with an assortment of pastries, each one more decadent than the last, their sweet aroma mingling in the air.
“Don’t worry,” Leon said, catching my eye. “I ordered enough for both of us.”
“I’m going to pay you,” I said, feeling a twinge of discomfort. I was a working adult now, with a car of my own. It would be downright embarrassing if I let an academy student pick up the tab for my food.
“No, it’s fine,” Leon said with a dismissive wave, a confident smile on his face. “I did this because I wanted to.”
“But do you even have the funds for all this?” I asked, taking in the lavish spread. “It’s quite a lot.”
“I told you it’s fine,” Leon repeated, his tone firm. “Besides, if this is going to be a date, then it’s only natural for the person who invited you to cover the cost.”
A warm flush surged up to my cheeks, and I quickly turned away, hiding my face. How could he say something so utterly embarrassing? Was this kind of smooth talk just second nature to him? He really knew how to get under my skin, how to play the seducer without breaking a sweat. But I wasn’t about to let him see me flustered. I drew in a steadying breath, forcing myself to regain composure, and then turned my gaze back to him.
“Thank you for your consideration,” I said, my voice steady as I picked up my fork and began to eat.
***
As we dug into the assortment of pastries, our discussion turned to the Eclipse and the findings Leon had uncovered.
“I found something interesting from an information broker,” Leon said, leaning in slightly. “There’s some shady stuff going on at the pier in the Kingdom, near the fishing village. I got a tip-off about illegal activities—something like human trafficking from neighboring villages. It’s likely a case of kidnapping. Have you heard about the missing daughters in other countries? I think this might be connected.”
“Virgin sacrifices, huh?” I mused, recalling a grim conversation with an ex-member of the Eclipse before his execution—a blow to the head that ended his life. He’d mentioned something about virgin sacrifices needed to summon… something, though the details remained elusive.
“You might be jumping to conclusions,” Leon said, his tone cautious but thoughtful.
“What do you mean?” I asked, confusion lacing my voice as I tried to grasp his point.
Leon leaned back slightly, his gaze steady and intense. “I don’t think they’re specifically targeting virgins this time around,” he said. “From the intel I’ve gathered, some of the kidnapped girls were sold into prostitution. They weren’t virgins anymore by the time they ended up there. And remember, I mentioned that Charlotte Sierra is being targeted directly. That suggests these other girls might not be Eclipse-related at all. They could belong to a different group or agenda. But it’s also possible they still need to meet certain criteria for what’s happening.”
His reasoning made a disturbing kind of sense. The trafficking of these girls could indeed be part of a more mundane human trafficking operation. And his point about Charlotte Sierra being a specific target of the Eclipse was compelling. But the lack of concrete evidence left us with too many unanswered questions, and the puzzle remained frustratingly incomplete.
“The winter vacation is just around the corner, right?” Leon suggested, his eyes glinting with resolve. “Why don’t we take advantage of the break to investigate? There could be something there that reveals the true objective of the Eclipse.”
I raised an eyebrow, studying him closely. “You’re still a student at the academy, Leon. It’s too dangerous for you to get involved in something like this. I’ll handle it on my own.”
Without warning, Leon’s hand shot out, his grip firm and assertive as he seized mine. The sheer strength in his grasp made my heart pound and my cheeks flush with a hot blush. “W-What?” I stammered, the intensity of his touch sending shivers down my spine. Just how powerful was his grip?
“You can’t face something this dangerous alone, Professor,” he said, his voice edged with determination and concern. His serious gaze sent a strange, unsettling thrill through my groin. “I won’t let you.”
I forced myself to push down the fluttering sensation in my groin and shook my head. “But I’ve got more experience,” I told him firmly. “I’m alone, but I can handle myself.”
Leon’s grip on my hand tightened, a steady pressure that felt almost like a warning. “I can handle myself too,” he said. “I may be younger, but I’m no slouch.”
His touch sent a pounding sensation through my chest, an unsettling mix of anxiety and something more primal. If he didn’t release me soon, I felt like something bad might happen.
“O-Okay…” I managed to say, trying to keep my voice steady. “But promise me you won’t get yourself killed, and we’ll proceed with caution.”
With that, he finally let go of my hand. I sighed in relief, trying to steady my racing heart.
