Fuuka's shadow stretched across the floor as she straightened herself, her eyes still fixed on Yuxin's unconscious body. Then, with that same unnervingly calm tone she always carried, she spoke without hesitation, as though she had already solved the dilemma long before Yuki had finished ranting.
"We can ask for help. There is someone I know. Someone I can trust. They'll make this simpler."
The words slid into the silence like a blade. Yuki froze mid-step, staring at her with disbelief, her mouth twitching open as though she wasn't sure if she should laugh or choke. Her crimson-gray eyes narrowed, scanning Fuuka's face for any hint of sarcasm. But all she saw was that same flat, unreadable expression.
"…You? Knowing someone? That you actually trust?"
Her voice dripped with incredulity, muttered half under her breath as she paced again, running her fingers through her hair.
Since when does this girl have acquaintances, let alone ones she trusts enough to drag into this mess? She barely talks to anyone. She's practically allergic to people.
Yuki cast another glance at Fuuka, who simply stared back with that serene, unblinking calm. Yuki grumbled low in her throat, rubbing her temple.
"Unbelievable. This whole time you've been acting like you don't care about anyone outside your books, and now suddenly you've got a secret ally tucked away like some damn plot twist?"
Fuuka ignored the jab entirely. Without another word, she lifted her hand, tracing a faint sigil in the air. Shadows rippled outward like water disturbed by a stone, and in a heartbeat her own form split and multiplied. Another Fuuka stepped forward, identical down to the subtle sway of her hair, then another followed. The clone straightened, expression just as blank as the original, and without hesitation began walking toward the door with steady, soundless steps.
The wooden frame creaked softly as the duplicate slipped into the hallway, vanishing from sight. Yuki's jaw tightened as she followed its movement, then turned back to the real Fuuka.
"You'd better not be screwing with me. Who exactly are you sending that thing to?"
Fuuka's voice was as even as ever, unshaken by Yuki's sharp tone.
"Someone reliable. Someone who will not ask questions. And most importantly, someone who does not talk. Not to anyone. Not even if pressed."
Yuki crossed her arms tightly over her chest, scowling, her suspicion palpable.
"Yeah, yeah, that's exactly what people say before their so-called 'friend' rats them out. I swear, if this blows up in our faces, I'm putting the blame squarely on you."
Fuuka didn't flinch, didn't even blink. Her reply was absolute, almost unnervingly so.
"It won't. I am certain. This person is safe."
The certainty in her voice was like stone laid into the foundation of the room, unyielding, immovable. Yuki clicked her tongue and looked away, muttering curses under her breath, though she made no move to stop the plan.
Minutes dragged out in uneasy silence, the ticking of time far louder than it should have been. The only sound in the room was Yuxin's faint breathing, shallow and steady, the rise and fall of her chest a reminder of how fragile the moment was. Yuki leaned back against the wall, her arms still folded, one leg tapping impatiently against the floor.
Her eyes darted toward the door more than once, suspicion gnawing at her chest despite Fuuka's confidence.
"I'll say it again, Fuuka… if this backfires, I'm not covering for you. Not one damn word."
Fuuka, seated now with her hands folded neatly in her lap, didn't even bother looking up.
"You won't have to."
The silence after her words was heavier than ever, stretching as the two of them waited, minutes dripping slowly by, until the promise of Fuuka's mysterious acquaintance finally began to feel like a shadow on its way.
The sound of footsteps echoed down the empty corridor—measured, graceful, but with enough weight to announce the presence of someone who carried both authority and refinement. Yuki's head snapped toward the door instantly, her crimson-gray eyes narrowing before widening in recognition.
"Wait—no way. That's… that's Blanche freaking Van Equinox! Yuxin's friend!"
Her voice pitched higher than usual, half-shock, half-panicked realization. Without thinking, she grabbed Fuuka by both shoulders and shook her hard, her voice dropping into a frantic whisper.
"Why the hell is she here?! You didn't say your 'contact' was Blanche! She's literally a noble, you lunatic—what if she drags this straight to the Head Council? Silas will find out about this problem."
Fuuka's body rocked slightly under Yuki's rough shaking, her expression utterly unchanged, her tone calm as ever.
"So you're more afraid that Silas will find out about this? Blanche is the one I meant. She's the acquaintance I trust."
Yuki froze, still gripping her, her jaw going slack in disbelief.
"You're telling me, out of everyone, that is the person you meant? The perfect noblewoman? The one who's like a walking academy emblem?!"
Before Fuuka could answer, the figure emerged into full view. Blanche Van Equinox stepped into the light, her long blond hair catching the faint glow of the lamps, her posture impossibly composed—the very image of nobility. Her pale blue eyes widened the moment they fell upon the scene inside the club room: Yuxin lying limp on the floor, a faint glow of an extinguished parchment rune still flickering beneath her body.
Her voice, normally calm and poised, cracked with urgency.
"What happened here? Why is Yuxin like this?"
She swept forward, skirts whispering against the floor, her eyes darting from Yuxin's pale face to the paper talisman half-crushed under her hand.
Fuuka, still unbothered, inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment, her voice soft and even.
"I am glad you came, Blanche. We need your assistance. Please—help us carry Yuxin to my library."
Blanche stopped mid-step, her brows furrowing. There was a long pause, her gaze flickering between them both. Her words came slow, heavy, each syllable measured in her polished, aristocratic cadence.
"…The library? Forgive me, Lady Minase, but why the library? Shouldn't she be taken to the infirmary at once? This—this condition looks serious."
Her tone carried genuine worry, her eyes brimming with that earnest compassion she could never quite hide, no matter how composed she tried to seem. She looked again at Yuxin's still form, her hands curling into fists at her sides.
"Tell me honestly. Is Yuxin suffering from something grave? Some illness that has been hidden from us?"
The question hung, weighted with sincerity. Fuuka, for a moment, stood utterly still, her usual calm betraying the faintest flicker of hesitation. She hadn't intended to weave this far into lies. But Blanche's directness forced her hand.
Fuuka closed her eyes briefly, then spoke again, her tone carrying an air of restrained gravity.
"Yes. You could say that. It is not an ordinary ailment. Yuxin suffers from… an ancient sickness. Something old, something few in this academy could even recognize. It is beyond the care of the medical ward."
Blanche gasped softly, her hand lifting to her mouth, her eyes widening in pure shock.
"An ancient sickness…? That's… that's terrible…"
Her reaction was immediate, her noble heart too trusting, too compassionate to question further. She stepped forward at once, lowering herself to Yuxin's side, her hands hovering as though afraid to touch her too roughly.
"Then we mustn't waste another moment. Tell me what I must do. If it means ensuring Yuxin's safety, I will obey without question."
Fuuka's gaze softened, just slightly, as she looked upon Blanche's earnest face. The lie had rooted itself firmly, and Blanche had accepted it without hesitation. In the silence that followed, Yuki turned away, pressing a hand against her forehead with a muttered groan.
"Unbelievable… she actually bought it, this girl's too damn easy."
But Blanche didn't hear her. Her full attention was already on Yuxin, worry etching itself into every perfect line of her face as she prepared to lift her friend with all the care of someone carrying something infinitely precious.