Chronicles of Mystery

Two mysteries

Once back home, the investigation began. The field of research was immense. They didn't even know what country the man might be in. They decided to try London first, to limit the possibilities a little. But their chances seemed increasingly slim. If such a powerful society still couldn't get its hands on such a person, how would they succeed?

Despite everything, Lucy refused to give up. Even though their chances were low, she continued to think that they still had a few, Lucy was indeed even more delusional than she was optimistic. Maude was working diligently, without ever complaining, just as an underpaid typing secretary would have done. The task was different from what she was used to, but she felt more motivated each time she thought that it was she who had decided to accomplish it, smiling happily, without being able to grasp what it was about. She had the imagination of a woman little inclined to invent, confined to the dark and gloomy streets of London little subject to the impulses of the dreams of a soul. As such, her imagination had found itself atrophied and could hardly grasp what an immortal knight could be, except that he was more important than the count she had served.

Alistair kept silent most of the time, rarely communicating with others. He had barely spoken about what he thought of their interview with Liora and what she had revealed to them about the White Lily, despite Lucy's pleas. He knowingly revealed nothing and, no matter what words Lucy used, nothing could convince him. He only spoke with veiled truths and never said more than was strictly necessary.

Alistair's reactions seemed strange and unusual to Lucy. She didn't dare talk to him about it, for fear of upsetting him. He was in a bad mood and locked himself into his monotonous and taciturn silence, like a sky veiled by a thick layer of clouds.

Several times, Lucy tried to put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him and encourage him to confide. Alistair, however, did not seem to want it and never answered the calls she made to him. He just gave her a weak, grateful smile and got back to work, while the dark circles that underlined his eyes attenuated the brightness of his gaze. Sometimes he even ignored her, giving her a simple shrug of the shoulders as a response.

They had to consult dozens of newspapers, hoping that one of them would mention something about the Silver Knight, even the beginning of a lead. They also tried to question those around them as discreetly as possible, in the hope that someone would know something. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Nothing positive had yet come out of their research. It was despairing. Lucy almost wanted to suggest to Alistair that he give up, but he seemed strangely absorbed in this research. Lucy remained perplexed by his behavior. She sometimes wanted to ask him directly if he, Alistair, really believed in this kind of nonsense but always refrained when faced with the unfriendly appearance her companion wore. Every day he moved a little further away from Maude and her, sometimes not speaking to them all day. Lucy, despite everything, continued to move forward. Because Alistair was, against all odds, her comrade, the only one who had agreed to believe in her dreams as a detective and even to offer her the means to make them come true.

From now on, it was their investigation, she had to solve it!

In a moment of discouragement, Lucy almost wanted to go out into the street and travel throughout the city, calling for the Silver Knight to show himself. At the time, it seemed like the most productive thing to do. However, she was stopped in time by Alistair who still managed to see the flaws behind this seemingly infallible plan.

When she felt least well, Lucy would go up to the roof to throw grains there to attract birds, against the will of their carekeeper, but he didn't need to know. There was one in particular she was hoping to see. An eagle with golden brown plumage who came to see her very often. She was very surprised the first time to encountered such an animal in the city of London. But she had gradually gotten used to his presence and had stopped asking questions. When she looked into his eyes, she felt like she was reading the wisdom of the world there. She found him magnificent.