Should she be the one to tell me?
Zane blinked. There was nothing wrong with the old man's words, yet they somehow sounded… odd.
"Old sir, how's your health?"
Since the old man had made his stance clear, Zane didn't press further and instead shifted the topic.
The old man simply smiled and shook his head without speaking, but the meaning was obvious. Zane understood the unspoken answer.
"Everyone reaches the end eventually. Fortunately, I have no regrets."
The old man exhaled softly, leaning back against the bed as he spoke in a calm tone.
"Nicole is an exceptional child—brave, kind, responsible, clever… though she can be a little reckless at times.
"And… she rarely shows her true feelings. Still, they're not that hard to read—at least not for you, I'd imagine."
Meeting the old man's serene gaze, Zane nodded. With how well he knew Nicole, it wasn't difficult to see through her.
Or perhaps Nicole was never hard to understand in the first place—Hare's House probably understood her even better than he did.
"Out of all the kids who came out of the orphanage, Nicole was the most energetic. Honestly, I still feel a bit—"
"Sir, you can rest easy about Nicole," Zane interjected.
He thought back to what had happened yesterday at the Tanuki House and added,
"She's grown up."
Nicole might be like a hare, but she was a cunning hare—behind her spur-of-the-moment actions was careful thought and judgment.
The old man paused, then gave a knowing nod.
"Yes… she has grown up."
Indeed, he had known the Nicole of the past well, but he hadn't spent enough time with the Nicole of today.
"I wanted to meet you because there were many things I wanted to say—scattered thoughts, really…" The old man looked at him with a faint smile. "But now it seems you don't need me to say much. You're not an ordinary person. Normally, mystery makes people uneasy, but for some reason, you give me a sense of peace."
His tone was steady—if one ignored the words themselves, it was no different from a conversation between old friends or family.
Zane said nothing, his gaze calm but his thoughts clear. The old man, seeing this, completely set his mind at ease.
"Nicole has a good eye. Not just you—I've met the others at Hare's House as well. They're all fine companions."
His voice was gentle, his smile warm. Yet after hearing this, Zane felt that the man before him no longer radiated vitality—he seemed instead to be in the quiet, luminous stage before the end.
"…Are you sure you're alright with this?" Zane asked softly, and the old man instantly understood what he meant.
"Hahaha, child, I don't mind these things—so why should you worry? My story is ready for its final period…"
He shook his head, then coughed twice, the fit easing after a moment.
"I believe Nicole will do better than I ever did. I have nothing to fear and little to regret. Though I am reluctant to leave, that is only natural…
"My only real concern is how Nicole and the others will fare after I'm gone. The sorrow of parting is unavoidable."
Zane was about to speak when the sound of light footsteps came from outside. The door opened, and Nicole stepped in.
She was slightly out of breath, clearly having hurried back. She glanced at both men, then stepped past Zane's knee to place a bag of candy on the bedside table.
"You two seem to be getting along well."
"I heard something about sadness when I was outside. What were you talking about?"
She sat beside Zane, curious. The old man answered before Zane could,
"Zane looks like he stays up late often, so I was telling him to rest more. Staying up late is bad for the liver."
"Huh? This guy?"
Nicole raised an eyebrow at Zane, suspicion flickering in her eyes. When he nodded, her puzzlement deepened.
She knew perfectly well that when he had nothing to do, Zane could sleep the day away—how could he possibly be staying up late?
Besides, he didn't have dark circles, nor did he look remotely worn out…
"Hey, Nicole, no need to get that close…" Zane said helplessly.
She leaned back, though a glint of doubt still lingered in her gaze. The headmaster liked to joke, and Zane wasn't exactly the serious type either—were the two of them plotting something?
Whatever the answer, she clearly wasn't going to get it.
They stayed a while longer, Nicole chatting with the headmaster until it was time to leave.
"Headmaster, don't eat too much sugar," she reminded, like scolding a child.
The old man readily agreed—but what he'd do once she was gone was another matter.
Nicole and Zane left the hospital together, discussing Hare's House along the way. The first few days after the exposure were always the most turbulent.
Since there was nothing else pressing, Zane decided to return to Hare's House with her to check on things.
The day passed quietly.
...
The next day, Zane and Shin had agreed on a time and place to meet that evening. Beforehand, he informed Hare's House and stopped by the video store.
When the time came, he took a cab to the location. Shin was already there, waiting, and her expression brightened at the sight of him.
"So, did you look over the banquet guest list? Anything catch your attention?"
Wearing casual clothes, Shin studied him with open curiosity. She had her own information, of course, but she was interested in just how many channels Zane had.
"I did. Your banquet's going to be quite the spectacle—everyone from wealthy merchants and politicians to several of the great Founders' families and various factions."
Zane spoke with quiet amusement. After getting the list, he had gone to the video store to investigate—Fairy was there, and this was right up her alley.
A few suspicious guests would be seeing his attention tonight, and the rest he'd use the opportunity to approach.
Shin's brows rose slightly at that.
If Zane could speak with such certainty, it meant his sources were no weaker than hers—something that piqued her curiosity.
But that wasn't something she intended to pry into.