As soon as Noah left the library, he headed to the nearest southern train station and sat on one of the benches, waiting for the train to arrive.
"I can't forget that book for some reason… maybe because it's strange: 'We cry for your mercy… please do not descend and remain in your sky and ivory tower, O axis of the universe and Lord of Ruin'... Who were he praying to? Lord of Ruin and Axis of the Universe? There's no god by that name… and the way it's phrased sounds more like a desperate plea than a prayer. Could it be one of the chaos gods, like Eris?… Well, thinking about this won't get me anywhere. That man, Frederick Penrose, is nothing but a blasphemer who believes in none of the gods—just like me. Good for him," Noah thought to himself sarcastically as he stretched his limbs lazily.
After a few minutes, the train arrived, and Noah boarded it heading toward Sector 1, hoping to meet the old man Eldon—perhaps to ask for advice or simply out of habit.
Half an hour later, at 9:47 AM, Noah arrived in Sector 1 and made his way toward the garden where he usually met Eldon, beneath the blooming pink cherry trees whose petals drifted down with the breeze. He reached the garden but didn't find Eldon there.
"He's not here… he's probably waiting for the right moment to enter dramatically so he can look badass, like always. That old man really knows what he's doing," Noah thought to himself sarcastically. Just then, a strong breeze rustled the cherry leaves, and when Noah opened his eyes, he saw a girl sitting on one of the benches.
She had long white hair, pale white skin, deep blue eyes, long white lashes, and soft pink lips. A single glance from her could melt a man's heart, even though she looked more like an ice princess.
The girl noticed Noah and looked at him. They exchanged eye contact for a few seconds in silence. She tried to say something, her lips parting slightly, but the words seemed stuck in her throat. Instead, she patted the space next to her, inviting Noah to sit.
"Is she… calling me over?" Noah thought to himself as he found his feet moving and sat beside her in silence.
Once he sat, the girl looked toward the horizon, and Noah followed her gaze to the sky. Then she finally spoke.
"What's your name?" she asked in a soft, friendly voice, though devoid of emotion—cold and calm.
"…Noah Grace. What about you?" Noah replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Catherine Winters," the girl said calmly. Her voice was so quiet and serene that it felt like the whole world hushed just to hear her whisper.
"Winters? Then she must be related to Elliot Winters… maybe his sister. Ah, I remember, there were luxury cars outside the university building. Must've been the Winters family attending Elliot's funeral," Noah thought, squinting toward the sun, though the cherry branches shaded him while the light still touched Catherine—as if the world itself bent toward her.
"What are you doing here?" Catherine asked again gently. It didn't feel like an interrogation, but with every question, she took more control of the conversation if she hadn't already. And Noah was aware of that.
"I just… came to wander around. I usually come here at this time. What about you?" Noah asked with a fake friendly smile. Of course, he wasn't the kind of guy who would blush in front of a girl like this, spending time with Sirius was way more embarrassing and difficult.
"My father sent me here to meet people and maybe make friends. I'm joining this place soon," Catherine replied indifferently, though she showed a hint of interest.
"Her father? If she came with her father, then he must be one of the Winters elites. That would make her someone important too. Sending her out like this with a serial killer on the loose and no protection is a bit reckless," Noah thought to himself, subtly scanning the surroundings through the corners of his eyes without alerting Catherine.
"If you're joining soon, I could introduce you to some friends. I'm sure you'll get along," Noah said, turning to her with a wide, friendly smile.
"I'm not allowed to speak to males," the girl interrupted, which gave Noah a small hit to his pride.
"And what the hell do you think I am?!" Noah thought, biting his tongue to stop himself from saying it aloud. He kept his calm and maintained a respectful distance.
"They're girls… I'll introduce you to females, not males," Noah replied, his fake smile still glued to his face, a smile that had fooled many.
"Maybe when I join though it's not confirmed yet," Catherine replied coolly. It seemed like she understood what Noah meant from the beginning, but wanted to tease him a little.
"If I introduce her to Luo Yan or Livia, they'll keep an eye on her and report anything odd. If she does something strange, I'll know," Noah thought to himself as he imagined how it would go when Luo Yan met Catherine, but then he noticed something new within himself.
"What's with this sudden desire to control? Where did it come from?... No, no, it's okay. If I want to become the person I aim to be, I have to change and adapt. As Mr. Everyn said, it doesn't matter which path you take, but who you are when you walk it," Noah thought, giving himself a boost of morale.
As if on cue, Noah and Catherine heard footsteps behind them and turned to look curiously—only to see old man Eldon walking toward them with his wooden broom in hand.
"You really do know when to make an entrance, huh?" Noah thought, a smirk of sarcasm and respect tugging at his lips.
"What are you doing here, boy? And who's this with you?" Eldon asked, stopping in his tracks.
"Ah, this is Catherine Winters," Noah replied, his friendly smile returning.
"I wasn't talking about the girl…" Eldon thought to himself as he opened his right eye, his 'seer's eye' reflecting the image of a clock, looking at Noah before closing it again.
"What are you two doing here? You know there's a rule against this kind of activity, right?" Eldon asked, stepping closer to stand in front of them, sweeping the fallen cherry leaves.
"Ah...it's not like that. We were just… talking, I guess," Noah replied a bit nervously. For the first time, he cursed his introversion and inability to start a normal conversation unless it was question-based.
"Well then, I've got work to do, so you two better leave," Eldon said in a serious tone. He clearly didn't want to talk right now.
"Um… okay," Noah said, nodding as he stood up, followed by Catherine, and the two of them left the garden.
"Doesn't that boy realize what he brought with him? That strange presence standing behind him… Is he practicing black magic? That's probably why I can't see his age… Anyway...," old man Everyn thought to himself, glancing behind him and noticing a dark silhouette between the trees.
"How long do you plan to keep hiding?"
———————
Outside the garden, Noah and Catherine stood at a crossroads in silence.
"So, I'll be leaving now," Catherine said, turning and walking back toward the university.
"Um, alright," Noah muttered, waving a hand to say goodbye before turning and walking in the opposite direction.
"Looks like they really are going to hold a funeral for Elliot. His girlfriend will probably be there. If the Winters family gets involved in the investigation, the net will tighten around the killer and they'll catch him faster. Everyone's in danger now… even I'm at risk, walking alone like this. Someone might try to kill me right now… I'm sure that won't happen. It's broad daylight, right?" Noah thought nervously, glancing around to make sure the area was clear of people or threats. He sighed in relief.
"I knew it—"
Noah suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, which startled him and made him leap backward, dodging the perceived threat.
"What the hell?! Where are you?!" Noah shouted in alarm, spinning around quickly to spot the supposed killer only to find Livia standing there, frozen in shock at Noah's sudden fright.
"Oh… Livia," Noah said, realizing the 'threat' was her, not a bloodthirsty murderer.
"damn noah, i didn't know you were such a pussy," Livia said with a teasing tone, trying to get under Noah's skin.
"...Why are you here?" Noah asked, deciding to ignore Livia's current provocation.
"Oh, I was just wandering around, looking for any unusual activity when I saw you and decided to say hello," Livia replied with a warm, genuine smile that came from heartfelt kindness.
"Ah... alright," Noah said, puzzled at how open Livia could be especially considering it had only been a few days since they first met. The fact that she had the courage to speak to him alone was astonishing. Or maybe she was just simple rather than brave.
"What are you doing here anyway? It's a holiday, so it's strange to see a student near the campus," Livia asked with an innocent smile that seemed to radiate light.
"It's a mourning, not a holiday... I just came to wander around, like you," Noah replied. What he said was kind of true, he had come to walk around and pass by Eldon.
"Hmm, then since you're free, come with me. I want to show you something," Livia requested. The innocence of her request made Noah feel like he was talking to a child rather than a girl his age, which made it hard for him to say no.
"W-What do you want to show me?" Noah asked, slightly nervous. Livia then smiled and placed a finger to her lips.
"It's a secret."