How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 65: Chapter 65

The young male sneaking around with loud footsteps was unskilled, Kaden noted as he observed the darting figure. For an amateur, it could barely be sufficient.
But his movements were sloppy and unnecessarily noisy—was there any point in hobbling around and accidentally bumping into bottles on the streets? However, in the town of bedridden citizens, it was more than enough.
A large hood hung over their faces, which did explain why they kept running into things. They couldn't see, of course.
Or at least, Kaden hypothesized.
He sighed. At least they found a disguise; the bare minimum of acting like a thief. It was awful regardless to watch such a terrible display of stealth. Were they even trying? Obviously not, or they would've at least tried to walk quietly instead of running noisily.
He strode through the streets, tailing behind. His pace remained steady. The figure hardly moved fast enough for a chase to be required.
The figure darted around a corner, and seconds later, the pink-haired man stopped at the door. He lifted his chin to gaze at the moon before remembering it was shrouded by clouds and fog. Sighing softly, the man closed his eyes.
The next second, a long leg swung through the air.
It collided with the door, knocking down the old wood at its hinges with a loud thud. He didn't fear being caught; everybody was ill or dying in this strange town.
The three stalkers following behind stared with surprise, not expecting such a move.
Kaden ignored them and scanned the scenes within seconds.
A cramped and small space belonging to one of the poorer citizens. A frail child, curled and panting on the ground as their eyes were squeezed shut in the prison of a nightmare. Sweat beaded their forehead, and tears sprung at their eyes.
The cloaked figure, now without their pathetic disguise, stood over a fallen faerie whose golden hair pooled over the dusty ground.
The man cocked his head, humming as a smile took to his lips. A familiar mask of cruelty. "This isn't a good look for you, don't you think? Really, what are you doing?"
The intruder swun around, alarmed, before lunging without a response. A gleam of metal flashed in front of Kaden's sharp gaze, and he calmly sidestepped to avoid it. The other collided onto the ground.
"A secret rendezvous? A dramatic family tale?" He scrunched his nose, gazing coldly at the figure on the floor. "Although the participents in this room, a fallen faerie and an ill child, hardly fit the right characters for that role. I suppose if you're that desperate..."
The intruder leapt to their feet, dashing foward. Kaden's smile fell as he snatched their wrist, yanking them closer. "...You can dance with me instead?"
He threw them to the ground, hearing the muffled groan. They were persistant, he praised. The panicked attacks were hardly anything to take notice of, though he felt a little familiarity in the man's face, likely in his 20's.
A person passing the village, finding easy prey? A coincidence or intended?
But if they were a student of the Academy, it was simple to find the trail so long as they were prompted or told.
"......" They lunged again and Kaden laughed sharply, frost hitching his voice. Goosebumps crawled up the intruder's arm as he paled. "A dance it is, then. I'm not the best, I'm afraif. I've been told I step on others' toes."
He was done observing. Immedietely, he stopped being passive and dodged the next flimsy attack, swinging his leg high. It slammed into the other's waist, sending them scattered onto the ground as they coughed in pain.
Without pause, Kaden continued to rain a series of blows relentlessly.
A clean kick landed on the suspected student's shin. "Ah, sorry."
They scrambled from the ground, and he strolled over, kicking them in the stomach. "I'm bad at controlling my foot, please forgive me."
He spun and toyed with his fellow student, a smile spreading across his lips. "Come on, is that all you've got? I'm a little disappointed, after all the classes we learn in the Academy!"
The wide-eyed recognition confirmed Kaden's suspicion. But what was a student of the Academy doing, sneaking into citizen's houses at night?
Lux watched the dance, the one-sided battle as violence gleamed in the green of Kaden's eyes.
This was the true face of the Chauvet's family's most loyal dog.
And even if Kaden tried to deny it, the reluctance to violence had transformed into eagerness, a wild delight in the breathless fight.
Lux said nothing as he leaned on the door frame.
Had it been a defence mechanism, to turn fear into delight?
Knowing a little of the orphan's history in the palace, he thought his theory had a good chance of being true. He didn't stop watching.
Skye appeared worried at the side, but didn't interfere. Lux scoffed. Worried about Kaden losing his life, but unwilling to protect him—because protecting meant freeing Kaden from his duties, and that meant letting him go.
Once again, Lux sighed at the foolishness of the royal siblings.
Although he wouldn't interfere either. Even if the tides turned, his goal had never wavered, and would never still. And if it meant watching that pitiful puppy fall to ruins, then it could only be so.
He glanced sideways, at the standing man who'd followed them—followed Kaden, specifically.
They appeared calm, watching without worry from the gaps of their mask. Was it a confidence in Kaden's skill, or an indifference?
Kaden, unsurprisingly, knocked the other man to their knees, stepping heavily onto their hand, nailing them to place. He smiled indifferently at the groan of pain, tilting his head.
His smile didn't reach his eyes. "I like dancing, but my feet are a little sore now. Did I charm you so much that you're willing to kiss my feet?"
"You're crazy!"
"Sure. Tell me, dear student, what are you doing here?"
"N-nothing—!"
Kaden slammed his foot against the man's hand, shoving it into the harsh and brittle wooden floors, eliciting another muffled gasp of pain.
He took a step back and crouched down, lowering his eyes at the fallen figure. "I like liars, you know? They're easier to predict, and I don't have to feel guilty about what I'll do to them."
The student shivered, not daring to raise their head as Kaden's stare drilled into them.
"I'm sure you recognize me. Do you think I'd be in trouble if I deliver your corpse to the Academy? A student attacking faeries and children alike, what could the helpless me do but retaliate in defence?"
"They— with your reputation, they would never—!"
"My reputation?" Kaden spoke slowly, expression masked by the shadows. The glow of the light didn't reach him. "With my reputation, do you really think I'd be in trouble for taking a meaningless life like yours?"
He'd moved into a clearer angle, seeing the state of the collapsed faerie. They'd put up a good fight, wings in tatters and blood streaked across their silky clothes. Eyes shut—Kaden wondered if they'd open again.
And if they did, could they continue to help humans after being broken by one?
Kaden sighed softly, and the student was paralyzed with fear.
He spun two blades, crossing them and shoving them against the other's neck. His smile dropped, a cold pair of green eyes peering lazily at the student.
"I'm tired, and I want to sleep. Tell me now, or tell me never. You have three seconds."
The student swallowed, and the roll of their neck drew a trickle of blood.
"Careful," Kaden moved the blades back slightly. "I never said you could die on your own terms. Anyway, we're at two seconds now."
"That—!"
"Three. Goodbye."
"No! I'll talk, I'll talk!" The student blubbered, tears springing in their eyes, trembling uncontrollably. "I wanted to obtain a vial of blood! The reward is immeasurable, I... I need money."
"A vial of blood?" Kaden frowned, his expression twisting.
What was a mere student doing involved with the underground? Every student's background was hidden, a mystery that wasn't to be uncovered in the Academy. However, this man clearly wasn't trained.
So once again, how did a regular human come across the underground?
"What sort of a mess have you gotten involved with?"
"The— The Academy! I heard it at the Academy! Somebody's collecting blood!"
———xxx———
Kaden sat on his bed, resting his chin in his hands. He'd turned to leave immediately, hearing the student's confession. They'd threatened to report him as he left, but it didn't matter.
Reed would cover up any loose ends of his crimes, as always.
Lux and Skye had followed him back before he abandoned them in one of the shifting oaken hallways, and the masked man had faded into the fog of night long before they returned.
The Academy. Somebody in the Academy was requesting blood of other species. Or was that person too, a medium connected to somebody grander? A web of connections that spread far and wide.
Was that person the centerpiece of the recent blood hunt, or other chess piece to the grandmaster's plan?
Noah had yet to return and his mind was spinning into its constant state of a throbbing headache, pulsing persistently in his head. He pressed a hand to his temples, rubbing it slightly.
The lights hadn't been turned on.
Then, deciding something, Kaden uttered a single name.
"Leonara."
The surroundings went deathly still, void of even the slightest creak of wood or a whisper of the wind. Violet tendrils began to stem from the cracks in the wood beneath his foot, slowly rising and spinning into a ball.
The sphere spun faster, glowing threads dancing and knitting together.
It condensed into a blinding sphere of light before bursting into thousands of sparkles. Kaden shielded his eyes, narrowly watching as a delicate figure emerged from the sphere.
A young woman smiled happily at him, her flowing white hair tied into a careful braid as her eyes curved with delight. "Ahh... finally! I've been waiting so long!"
Then, her lips formed a pout. "Although, really, you could've called me sooner. You've aged since I've last seen you—human lives are so fleeting. My dear sister told me you'd only call in a time of need, but I'm free all the time!"
Kaden couldn't help but smile softly at the enthusiastic fairy that he'd met a short time ago, back in the forest. "I apologize for taking so long. However, don't you have duties you must attend to?"
"I'm more productive when I do things last minute, but don't tell my sister! Now," She floated around the room, standing before him. "What would you like from me, Kaden Alluin Chauvet?"
He got straight to the point. "There are a lot of deaths, lately. Of various species and lives. Are you able to determine the cause?"
Leonara shook her head sadly, swaying. "Unfortunately, we cannot determine the cause lest we dive into their memories—but that is a difficult task. The Book of Connect reveals those who need to pass, and those who are unable to, plagued by regrets."
"What if somebody had an unwilling death? Would that form into a regret?"
"There are many who don't wish to die. If only that were powerful enough to bind the dead to the living world, I would quit my job immediately."
Kaden's opinion of the beautiful fairy had subtly changed. Her appearance was gentle, serene and empathetic, but in a strange way, she could be called humane. Or perhaps the definition humans had given faeries were too inhumane.
He leaned back, sighing. "Then I don't think you'll be able to help me. Thank you, regardless."
She smiled sadly. "I'm sorry that I cannot be of more help, Kaden Chauvet."
"No, I'm sorry for summoning you pointlessly."
"It is not pointless! Once again, I reinstate that I've been patiently waiting—it is awfully boring, stuck in the Record Hall, although I do adore it."
Kaden laughed. "Is that so? Then, I'll summon you again some other time."
"Will you? I would be pleased."
"I'm worried your sister will come scold me."
"If she does, I'll stand in front of you." The fairy, Leonara, spoke confidentially and Kaden couldn't help but laugh softly. What would something like that even do to prevent a scolding?
He sighed into his hands, leaning forward slightly. The pulsing glow that surrounded her body was the only light in the room, a gentle lavender hue that made him feel relieved.
Neither spoke, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Leonara's eyelashes fluttered, softly gazing at the human sat in front of her. To have an encounter with humans was already rare—to form something akin to friendship was near impossible.
She wilted slightly, imagining the scolding her sister would give when she returned. Every day, they were witness to the passing of life, the death that came inevitably.
Sometimes, rather than watching the finale of the living's time, she wanted to witness the journey that led to that ending in person.
But everything alive had their roles and freedom was a luxury some didn't have the means to grasp.
A sound chimed in the distance, but Kaden didn't hear it.
Leonara turned her head to the closed door, the glow spreading into the depths of her stare. "...there's a presence."
Tuned to both emotions and the lingering regrets of the deceased, Leonara was more observant than her sister. Her sister, darling and strong as she was, could only listen to the laments of those who refused to pass.
Leonara could see the regrets of the living.
"The colour of regret... one persistent enough to reach my gaze." She closed her eyes gently, a light wind creeping around her. "A similar essence to the one from the Book of Connect."
Kaden lifted his head, confused. "The Book of Connect? It only records the regrets of the dead, doesn't it?"
"Indeed, and the lingering attachments I saw around you when we met was certainly from that of a spirit long passed. And yet..."
"There isn't anybody who would refuse to pass for the likes of me. There will never be anybody."
Leonara smiled sadly. "That is a truth that most wish to believe. But your existence, meaningless to yourself, can bury itself in the most unexpected places. It's easier to believe nobody cares, than to fear somebody losing their care for you."
Her eyes opened and the breeze around her slowed. "This regret is deep, but it's the regret of the living and not the dead. I cannot determine the location, but I have a sense these emotions are from several, or intense enough to rival several."
"I... can't think of anybody."
"Time reveals all answers, should they be ones you need to hear."
"Cryptic."
"Am I? I've been practicing."
Then, a knock came on the door followed by the sound of chatter standing outside. Leonara smiled at Kaden, and waved her hand across the air.
"I'll be waiting for your summons again, Kaden Chauvet."
"Thank you, Leonara."
As her figure dispersed into lavender sprinkles, delicate snowflakes that gently floated to the ground, sinking into the wood, the handle twisted urgently. The door swung open, and Kaden squinted at the light that spilled inside.
Noah, with an intuition to be feared, skimmed the room. His words were always purposeful. "You didn't open the door."
Kaden hummed lightly. "Was there any point? You have a key."
Of course, that wasn't what the dragon implied. Noah would've assumed that somebody would be inside the room—especially if he heard noises coming from within. Therefore, it made more sense to knock.
Despite that, Kaden continued to play dumb, knowing that the dragon would allow him to.
From behind Noah, a head popped out, similarly peaking around. "Aw, I swear I heard some voices! I was hoping to catch you in a rendezvous. Let me know if you invite anybody over, Kaden."
Kaden raised his eyebrows. "So you can burst into my room when I do?"
"I need a little drama, and when I say drama, I mean somebody else's drama."
"That's something I'll agree with you on, Niklas!" a cheery voice followed.
Noah seemed to sigh, walking to turn the lights on as three extra figures entered the doorway. Nicola smiled at Kaden, waving a little helplessly. "I apologize for disturbing your rest. Were you sleeping?"
Kaden shook his head. "It's fine. I wasn't doing anything."
"Leave him, leave him, he was probably sulking and hating on himself in the dark." Niklas jumped onto his bed, ruffling the neatly folded cloth. "More importantly,"
Holly grinned, sliding over as she held an amber bottle in her hand with excitement. "I've found a little something while exploring earlier~"
Kaden stared dumbly at the glass container, almost entirely certain of what these 'goods' were. He debated questioning its origins, and whether she purchased or stole it, before deciding he didn't want to become an accomplice by knowing.
The night was still young, hardly breaking into the beginnings of a new day. Noah settled beside Kaden, his weight sinking the mattress as he quietly listened.
Nicola had taken the role of supervising, sitting between Holly and Niklas who both wore matching expressions of eagerness.
It was noisy, the muffled laughter and chattering in the small space lit by the glow of hanging flowers.
It was noisy, and Kaden had never felt more at peace.