Matizu Writes
patreon
StLQ Chapter 12 - Distrust
🕑 Added 2025-08-10 11:17:57 +0000 UTCMy words grabbed Luna’s full attention. Her awkwardness was suddenly gone, replaced by an emotion I couldn’t quite identify. She eyed me weirdly and spoke in a whisper. “Liches…?”
“You’re involved with lichcraft, right?” I said, matching her volume. “I’m interested in helping you. I know a thing or two about liches as well.”
I studied her closely for her reaction. Whether she agreed or not, just confronting her about this should reveal information. At the very least, I hoped to confirm whether Luna was the culprit or not today.
She faced me blankly. Then her eyes meandered off nervously. She inched away from me, clearly wanting to leave.
I’d seen people react the same way when offered drugs by a friend. Luna wanted nothing to do with the offer, but she was glued to her seat, if only because she didn’t want to offend me.
“I’ve seen bits of the future,” I said. “That’s how I was able to improve my magic overnight. I also saw you in the near future. You were transformed into a lich, and I think the transformation is happening soon. You are, or you will be, involved in lichcraft soon.”
Luna wasn’t sipping her lemonade anymore. The discomfort remained on her face.
Should I pretend like I’m interested in committing the crime with her, I pondered, now somehow uncertain, despite having thought this through many times. Or should I promise to help her out of the transformation?
“I don’t know the details beyond that,” I said. “But I’m interested in helping you. I’ve always been interested in lichcraft as well. Not necessarily to gain power, but the topic is very interesting.”
“Is that why you’ve been trying to befriend me?” Luna said. “Because you think you’ve seen the future? Because you think I’m… doing lichcraft?”
“I initially seeked you because of that vision,” I said. “But after hanging out with you, I do think you’re interesting. I would ask to be your friend regardless. But even still, this is important. I’d like to discuss this more in detail with you.”
“No,” Luna suddenly said. She stood, leaving the lemonade on the seat. “I don’t know anything. I need to head home. Sorry.”
She was at the doors within seconds, out of reach by the time I could even think of saying “wait.” She left my mother’s red jacket at the hangers, hopping into the cold in her summer jacket.
I stared at the door, head blanking.
Well… That’s not good. Did I attack too early?
“Kai?” Marcus called from the counter. “Everything okay? Did you just get dumped?”
I sighed. “This wasn’t a date, Bob. Thanks for the lemonade.”
Marcus eyed me as I slid into my jacket. I didn’t like the smirk on his face at all, but I waved goodbye regardless, leaving back toward home.
The winter was pitch black now, paths lit only by street lamps. I walked home with my head drooping down, lost in thought, my mom’s jacket in my hands. Luna’s reaction lingered in my mind.
Had I learned anything at all? Luna’s reaction was severe, but then again, I was literally confronting her about lichcraft. That was quite an allegation. Joshua would have had a similar reaction too.
I suddenly felt like a total idiot. This had been the wrong approach.
Luna had enjoyed the time at Bob’s. I truly believed that. She hadn’t opened up to me, but I felt like I was seeing more of who Luna was. So far, I was surprised by how normal she was. There weren’t many red flags in her behavior at all.
Could it be possible that she actually wasn’t the culprit?
I suppose I could try talking to her one more time… I thought. Luna hadn’t totally turned me down. Maybe the plan to befriend wasn’t totally ruined.
I’m a complete fucking idiot, I told myself again. I was reminded that I’d never actually been good at preventing crimes. Lich sight could just solve crimes like a true cheat, but only crimes that had already happened. Traumatic events rarely happened during the planning phase
When I got back home, passing Luna’s snow-filled house, I remembered I had another job to do. To plow her mom’s damned yard free of snow before morning. I decided I should probably do it now. I picked up our snow-plow, which was definitely better than the Quines’ shovel, and got to work.
The yard was so filled with snow that the job took me an hour. By the end of it, my toes and fingers were frozen cold, and my back was sweaty enough to warrant an immediate bath.
I was lost in thought for the remaining few hours of the day, thinking of how to salvage the situation with Luna. I twisted my alarm clock for an early wakeup.
***
“Kaiii, you’re late!”
I squinted myself awake after a good night’s rest. Nelly was sprawled over the bed sideways on top of my stomach. I rubbed my eyes. I actually felt rested. Suspiciously so.
I glanced at the clock and my heart skipped a beat. Useless fucking alarm clock!
I overslept by almost an hour. Luna must have already headed to school. Hell, I’d need to run just to reach class in time. I jumped up from bed, drank a quick glass of milk for breakfast, washed my face, slid on my jacket and boots, grabbing my mom’s jacket just in case I needed it, and ran into the slowly brightening winter.
When was the last time I ran like this? I thought with a funny smile. I ran at full speed for two whole minutes before I started to slow down. My older body could never have done this. Even jogging used to make me out of breath, and my calves would burn to all hell.
Fourteen-year-old me cleared the way to school in less than five minutes. Fast enough that I reached the gates actually on time.
I found one of my classmates taking off her winter wear. I asked what class we had next. When I learned it was math, I immediately regretted asking.
Is attending school even worth it at this point? I thought, catching my breath while climbing the spiraling stairway up to class. I could spend much more time investigating if I didn’t have math class…
Not that I had any ideas about what the hell I should have been investigating.
Skipping classes would have been time efficient, but dropping out would also cause problems. Not only would my mom have one hell of a talk with me—I was still a fourteen year old kid, who was essentially owned and controlled by my parents—but I’d also no longer have a chance to talk with school staff. Like Donovan or Johannes.
In order to solve this case, as stupid as it sounded, my best course of action was probably to sit through math class… I cursed in my head as I entered the class, still out of breath from my run, but I sat down in my seat.
Immediately, I noticed the classroom was far more silent than normally. A lot of people were looking at me. My friends, and even classmates whose names I still didn’t remember.
I glanced at Higu behind me. “Did something happen?”
“Kai…” Higu said. His expression was somber, almost sad. He spoke quietly. “I’m sorry.”
“About what?”
“About what happened with Luna,” Higu said. “You got dumped.”
Oh, for fuck’s sakes, I thought. “Where did you hear that?”
“Bob said it happened in his lounge,” Higu said.
“Ah, fantastic,” I said.
Luna was present in the corner of the class with her head pointing at the wall like usual. She didn’t sit any differently than she did on the first day I woke up in the past. Everyone was looking at me or her.
Goddamned fourteen year olds, I thought. I had a hunch today would be a dreadful day at school.
Math class provoked the same interesting emotions that falling into a dark and endless void did. I survived by not paying attention, which just turned the class into the longest hour and a half of sitting still while pretending to look productive, my brain struggling to come up with anything intelligent to solve the crime.
Class eventually ended. I was already prepared to leave—because, as expected, Luna stood the moment the bell rang. She exited the room, and I followed, sliding past my friends’ inquisitive gazes.
“I’m sorry for yesterday,” I said.
She picked up her pace. I did as well.
She paused. “I said I don’t know anything. Stop talking to me.”
“Luna, I know this sounds really weird,” I said, “but your life is probably in danger. I really need to talk to you. Could you meet me for five minutes after school? Behind the tree, at the spell range. I’m on your side.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Luna said. “My mom wants me home.”
“I won’t take more than five minutes of your time,” I said. “Your mom won’t mind, right?”
Luna was biting her lip, genuinely looking troubled. “I’ll think about it.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
With that, she turned the corner, and I didn’t follow. If this didn’t work, I probably needed a different approach. I waited through the remaining classes, trusting that Luna would show up.
***
Luna didn’t show up.
School ended, and I waited behind the World Tree amongst the practice fields and snow-filled benches. There was no sight of Luna, not a single glimpse of her shivering figure in her summer jacket.
I was fairly certain at least one of my classmates was spying on me, though.
So I guess this plan was a total failure… I thought. It was safe to conclude that I wouldn’t be befriending Luna, and I wouldn’t be solving the case through her alone. Not unless I snooped my way into her house by force to search for evidence, which I wasn’t going to do. Luna’s mom stayed at home almost always. Breaking in was probably too much of a risk.
I stepped back into the World Tree with a sigh, feeling upset and honestly disappointed in my skills as an investigator. I knew the future, and I still struggled to prove that a crime was happening.
I had one more crucial clue. Johannes Longfield.
Problem was… Johannes was a teacher. He’d be even more difficult to gain information from. I couldn’t exactly just contact him and start asking questions.
While I was thinking of options, the man himself happened to step down the spiraling stairway. Johannes carried a stack of papers, followed closely behind by a bunch of girls from a different class. Johannes spotted me, leaning next to the wall, and came over with a smile.
“Evening, Kai,” Johannes said. “The life of a genius has begun troubling you already, eh?”
“A lot more problems than that in this school, teacher,” I said.
Johannes laughed lightly, a knowing look in his eyes. “True enough. I could be of use with friendships and such, if that’s what’s troubling you.”
My frowning panned to him. “Seriously? You too? Where does this spread from?”
“Ella from your class was eager to gossip,” Johannes said. He appeared serious, sympathetic even. The honest kind of sympathy, though the girls behind him were chuckling. “You and Luna have grown quite famous, I’m afraid.”
I stared back at him, thinking of my next words.
Then I decided, fuck it, and asked, “Is someone planning on blowing up a cauldron full of lichstone shards around here?”
Johannes’s expression dropped in an instant.
I winced internally. That was not the face of confusion. He was fully serious in a flash. He knew what I was talking about. This was not the reaction of an innocent man—Johannes was involved. In one way or another, he knew.
A long fuuuck passed my thoughts. I had not wanted this man to be involved. My favourite teacher, the sole reason why I was still interested in alchemy, was involved in this shit.
“I don’t quite understand what you mean,” Johannes said. “But I think we will need to talk about this. Privately. Do you have a moment?”
Hesitantly, I nodded. “I do.”
Johannes turned back the way he came, up the stairs. The girls stopped following, having heard this was private. I was biting my lip, but I caught glimpses of his expression on the way up. He looked serious, though not maliciously so. I would not have called his expression evil.
He entered an empty classroom, indicating to follow. I hesitated. But thinking about it, my life probably wasn’t in danger. Everyone saw me come here. He can’t kill me. At most, he can try to drug me.
I entered, closing the door.
Johannes didn’t sit down. He spoke immediately. “So you’ve noticed as well?”
I blinked. “Pardon?”
“The lichstone shards,” Johannes said. “Someone is spreading lichcraft around campus. Mostly just signs and warnings. Empty shards, for example, or odd threats, like engravings on the walls. Unnerving stuff.”
My eyes widened up, surprised by what I was hearing. I decided to play along. “Yes, I found a shard. Empty of lifeblood, but it was definitely a mana shard.”
Johannes nodded, not even slightly surprised. “Thank you for letting me know. Do you have the shard? It’s whereabouts?”
“It was underneath the wardrobes near the door,” I said, coming up with some nonsense. “I didn’t pick it up.”
“If you spot anything more, inform the staff,” Johannes said. “Teachers and janitors have all been informed. This whole business with lichcraft is either some sick prank, or there is someone with malicious intent. Staff has theories about what is happening. Donovan and I are the main investigators behind this.”
“Staff already knows?” I asked. “Really?”
Johannes nodded again. “Everyone has been warned from the chefs to the janitors. We have not warned students yet, and if possible, I would like you to stay quiet. Liches prey on fear and confusion. It’s very likely fear is exactly what this culprit is trying to build.”
For a strong lich transformation, yes, I thought. But I was still surprised. The reports of the crime had listed that suspicious activity regarding lichcraft had been present prior to the accident, but the records never listed that everyone in the academy’s staff knew. This was yet another detail left out of the investigation.
Perhaps Johannes’s strong reaction did not stem from involvement? He did sound honest now, and he wore a serious expression.
“The baseline is,” Johannes continued, “that students have no need to worry. We will make sure of this. Whoever this lich freak is, they will be caught.”
I bowed slightly. “Thank you. That’s all I had to say. Knowing that it’s being handled will help me sleep better.”
Johannes smiled lightly. “If you or if your friends find anything related to lichcraft, inform me, the headmaster, or an available teacher.”
“I will, thank you,” I said. I prepared to leave.
“Ah, and if you need advice regarding Luna,” Johannes said with a less honest smile, “feel free to visit my lab as well. Love potions, just like wisdom potions, are an expertise of mine.”
I snorted, returned the smile, and exited.
Only half a dozen students lounged around in the World Tree. They, of course, eyed me like I was some celebrity. I ignored them and grabbed my coat, heading outside. The outside world was pitch black again. As was typical in Lokora, every hour of my day’s sunlight was spent inside waiting for school to end.
A lot of information flowed through my head. Johannes said he and the headmaster are leading the investigation on this, I thought. And in my previous life, the investigation was garbage. Was the investigation purposefully awful?
If Johannes truly was the culprit, as he had been punished for, it would make sense that school staff failed to capture the culprit and prevent the crime. Johannes could have easily given false signals to staff, letting the crime happen.
What I didn’t understand was why investigators from outside Lokora had written down so little information in their reports. Johannes had said that Donovan was a lead investigator in this. In my prior life, Donovan had very much lived through this, and he had given testimonies to the real investigators alongside all other academy staff members.
Maybe they just didn’t think this was important, I thought. Which was odd, but it could have been a possibility.
On the street before my home, I was wondering if there was a chance Donovan could have been involved with the culprit—which I struggled to believe, considering he was the sole reason why I wasn’t a homeless bum—when I felt a twitch in my left eye. Purple tendrils glowed in the darkness, oozing out of the Quines’ house.
A void hole had appeared inside Luna’s house.
