Chapter 66: The Names We Carry
LEO
"Good morning, Mr. Mathias," I greeted Mr. Mathias Falken cheerfully as I entered his office.
To be honest, it was a little too early in the morning for me.
I didn’t sleep very well the night before, turning in my bed all night, periodically like a roast pig. It wasn’t so much that my mind was full of things, but rather, I felt physically restless, like that one night after I ate a whole jar of honey in one sitting (which got me scolded later when Mom found out).
"Good morning, Leo," Mathias greeted me cheerfully too.
He was seated on the couch with a mug of tea on the tea table, rather than at his work desk. It seemed he had been waiting for me, just drinking tea, and hadn’t started his work for the day yet. That made me wonder what ’work’ he actually did at the Academy. He wasn’t a teacher, but he was not an administrative clerk either. All I knew was that he took care of students like me who needed ’special assistance,’ in his own words, which he did not elaborate on further.
"Please take a seat," he gestured for me to sit across the table, which was a single comfortable armchair rather than a couch. I took the seat as he suggested and felt myself immediately sinking into its velvet comfort.
"I’m sorry that I asked you to come in early before your classes started, but I just wanted to check on you and see how you are doing," Mathias said.
"I’m fine, Mister. A little tired, though. I didn’t sleep well."
"Oh? What happened?"
"I just felt, erm, ’unsettled.’ I think that’s the word, probably."
"Did anything happen?"
"No..."
I thought about what happened before I went to bed—that little conversation with Marius that I had, which took some weird turns. But for some reason, I felt a little embarrassed to speak about it.
"I could have your bed changed to something more comfortable if you think that’d help," Mathias offered kindly.
"It’s okay, Mister. I like sleeping on the bunk bed. I got the top bed, heh."
"Are your roommates bothering you?"
"Well, other than Dimitri snoring a bit too loud, it’s mostly okay. They are my friends and I’m happy."
Mathias then looked up, his eyes moving a little as if he was trying to read something invisible written in the air.
"Dimitri Volkov, right?"
"Wow, how did you know?"
"And Briant Rosenborg."
"Geez, I didn’t even know Briant’s surname. He probably said it during the introduction, but I forgot."
Mathias simply smiled, took a sip of his tea, and said,
"I’m just good with names. That’s all."
"Do you know about all the students in the Academy? Wait—that would be a bit silly, wouldn’t it? Haha. I don’t think anyone can remember so many names!"
"I try my best," he said.
"Heh, then could I ask you—if it’s okay—something about someone?"
"Sure."
"Do you know Blanche?"
It was for a very, very short moment, and only a tiny, tiny bit, but I thought I noticed Mathias’s eyes widen.
"Blanche... who?" he asked in return.
"Hmm, let me think—Blanche... Blanche... yeah, I got it—it’s Blanche Belrive. That’s what Briant said."
"How do you know her?" Mathias asked, leaning forward a little to put his cup down on the table. I thought if he were a rabbit, his ears would have twitched.
"I met her at the art club."
"Art club?"
"Yes, Mister. I’m planning to join the art club."
Mathias brought his right hand to his ear and said while rubbing his earlobe,
"That is very interesting. Do you like drawing?"
"I realized I do!"
"Have you seen Blanche’s drawings?"
"Just the one she was painting at the time when we visited. So you do know her?"
Mathias put his right hand down and rubbed his left earlobe with his left hand this time.
"Why are you asking about her?"
"Erm... I’m sorry if it’s a little rude... but you know, Briant, my friend, recognized her and said he met her once when he was young, but I felt like he was hiding something and I just got curious. I thought maybe she was secretly someone famous!"
Mathias cracked a smile, seemingly relieved, and said,
"Leo, either you are famous—everyone knows you—or you are a secret—nobody knows you."
It was only then I realized how silly my theory was.
"Haha, that is true. You are right, Mister."
Then Mathias leaned back on his couch, his hands clasped behind his head.
"To tell you the truth—I just know that she is a good painter. You don’t need to go and tell everyone, but her family is, let’s say, somewhat well known in the social circles that appreciate art. They have always produced good painters."
"Oh wow, that is so cool."
"Indeed, it is. Indeed. But please do not go around saying this to everyone, Leo. I believe Blanche would like to keep a low profile, if she hasn’t told you yet."
My thoughts then drifted to Marius, and I thought aloud,
"I think... Marius has something like that too. His family is really famous, right? Everyone’s talking about Vayleencraft this, Vayleencraft that."
"It’s Valenkraft, Leo," Mathias interrupted me, amused.
"I’m sorry... I’m not so good with names."
"It’s fine. So how are Marius and Blanche similar?"
"I don’t think Marius actually likes the fact that everyone knows him," I said.
Then a warm smile broke out on Mathias’s face.
"That is... very observant of you."
"...is it?"
"You will have to ask him yourself sometime."
I thought about it for a moment. I supposed I could ask him, but somehow, today, I didn’t feel quite comfortable talking to him, almost as if I wanted to avoid him for a while.
Weird...
"Anyway, thank you for coming and telling me everything. It’s great to see that you have recovered well and are engaging in club activities, but I wouldn’t want you to be late for your morning class. Is there anything you’d like to tell me before you go?"
"No, Mister. That’s about it for now, I think."
"Right then. And Leo, just before you go—"
"Yes?"
"I’d like to see your paintings someday."
That made me happy for some reason.
"Sure! I will bring them to you the next time I finish a picture."
"Excellent."
That’s what he said.