Carter Plaza sat in an unusual hush, the surrounding streets buzzing awake with energetic activity. Horse carriages drifted past at an easy pace, whispering over the cobblestones.

Leomaris shielded his hands from the bitter wind by keeping them deep in his pockets as he made his way down the street.

Hazel had been dispatched to find Raine, he needed her input on the plot hole that had surfaced in the story concerning contracts and their costs.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

None of that mattered much now. He simply wondered whether he was late or on time. The novel had never specified when Charlotte arrived at the plaza, only that she went there right after checking her examination results.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Even if she was already there, whether his arrival mattered at all came down to one thing: whether a specific incident had happened or not.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Leomaris puffed out a breath.

’I hope I’m not too late.’

After walking a little further, he arrived at the corner of the plaza, where it curved into a narrow alcove.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The café came into view almost at once. Ivy curved over the stone archway like a decorative curtain, the whole place looking quite simple compared to the shops around it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Simplicity, though, was the very reason Charlotte had chosen it.

He walked closer.

A sign carved from similar polished wood hung above the wooden door. What appeared unmarked at first was flipped by a brief gust of wind, letters carved into the surface came into view, dressed in dimmed lights that lent it a vintage feel.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

’Bienvenue au café.’

He smirked. ’How fancy.’

Leomaris paused before stepping in, unable to help the amazement that crept over him. That language was similar to one from his previous world. It was spoken by a small group in the capital, Wexford Vale. Valer, they called it. Few recorded words, but widely considered the language of elegance.

A gentle warmth drifted out through the doorway, carrying the aroma of fresh and roasted beans and a quiet hint of floral.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Different from what he’d known in his previous life, but he wasn’t going to question it. The fresh smell had stirred something deep in his mind. The original Leomaris had enjoyed it as a child. Long before he became a ruffian.

He pushed the door open, and a bell chimed overhead, immediately drawing an attendant’s attention his way.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Stepping inside, he was welcomed with liveliness. Wooden panels lined the floor. Copper pipes ran across the ceiling, feeding hot water from a boiler, the machine humming without intrusion as it released thin wisps of steam into the air.

Tables sat neatly spaced, each one wiped clean. A lantern near the counter flickered with a steady flame, powered by the plant whose constant hum could be heard and whose vibration could be felt subtly across the floor.

Leomaris lingered at the entrance for a second or two, taking everything in.

Before he could make a move, an attendant was already approaching. "Welcome to Beans & Blooms," she said.

"Table for one?"

"Yes," the words left him calmly.

He let his gaze drift across the room as the attendant showed him to his table. Coffee wasn’t why he’d come, but after the emotions stirred within him, he couldn’t help but want something for himself.

Leomaris took his seat by the window, near the wall adorned with mural art. His attention never rested, though he never appeared restless.

He momentarily surveyed the interior thoroughly.

Himself included, there were about ten customers. A couple had taken the corner booth near the exit, breath misting the rims of their cups as they talked and giggled between themselves.

One sipped a flat white with spiced foam. Another stood near the counter, eyes moving over the menu with quiet curiosity.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Further into the middle sat the rest. They were cadets like himself. One was deep in a plate of tiramisu, the others beside him picking through gluten-free pastries and açaí bowls while flipping through a newspaper. Second year, probably, checking the first-year examination results.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

His face showed a trace of confusion. Charlotte should have been around, but there was no sign of her anywhere.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

’It’s possible she used her ability, Poems, to alter her appearance, even though that never occurred in the novel. But I suppose relying too much on the story would be foolish now, since much has already changed.’

Another sweep of the room. None of them looked particularly odd, except for the one near the counter, who’d been going through the menu far longer than any ordinary person would. But the energy she was putting off wasn’t something Charlotte would do even in the best of moods. Charlotte was quite gloomy by nature. And today was supposed to be a sad day for her as well.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Besides, he couldn’t approach her directly if she was.

’After my contract with Mystery, I gained certain abilities that can help me identify her.’

His eyes went to the back of his left hand, the magic circle, imprinted in white, a mark left by the completed contract. With a thought it disappeared, and the grimoire appeared in his hand. No longer dirty and worn as it had once looked. He’d polished it to its finest; a hard, dark shell, almost charcoal black, with white and purple stars scattered across the interface.

’I have Null, Solve, and Learn right now. Solve might help me figure out which one is Charlotte, but unless their behavior is logically suspicious, I won’t be able to detect her.’

For a moment or two, he stroked his chin in quiet contemplation.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

He exhaled.

’I guess I’ll have to wait. I need to wait until she gets into a heated argument with the female cadet.’

The caffe macchiato he’d ordered arrived soon enough. "That will be 5 pennies, sir."

Leomaris smiled and counted out exactly five pennies from his pocket. Expensive by the standards of his previous world, but he was too excited about the macchiato to give it much thought. The bold love mark on it made his heart flutter.

Terrible timing. Before his spoon could so much as graze the foamy love mark, a commotion caught his attention.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

He turned his attention to the red-haired young woman who had been sipping a flat white coffee moments before.

"How rude. Were you not taught manners? Why do you think you can bump into me? Do you know who I am?"

"..."

The red-haired girl said nothing, offering only a slight respectful bow. It clearly irritated the other cadet, but it was exactly what Leomaris needed to confirm that this was indeed Charlotte.

The restrictions her ability, Poems, placed on her were severe, speaking could kill someone on the spot. That was precisely why Leomaris hadn’t approached her carelessly.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

’This is my chance.’

Stepping in for Charlotte and setting the stage for a conversation was what mattered now. Ending up on the bad side of the other girl was the least of his concerns. Charlotte’s alliance was worth it at any cost. He just made sure to get his macchiato down in one gulp first.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​