Chapter 134: Chapter 31. A Visit to the Academy
Razor Blanche did not know where he was or how he got here.
Walls of white mist surrounded him from everywhere and prevented him from getting out. The boy fell into a state of bewilderment. Of course, he had seen all kinds of things before, but this was the first time…
What was the meaning of all this?
Razor sighed, realizing that he was in one of his regular dreams. Normally, in such cases, he could not wake up of his own accord and had only to wait.
The second prince patiently froze in place.
But just a couple of minutes after he saw those white walls, they suddenly began to turn into a strange kaleidoscope. Events of the past, the future, and the present blended into one.
Razor watched in amazement, as if he were watching a film.
One second he was watching his childhood at the Imperial Palace, the next second he was entering the Royal Academy, and then… He was cold and dead in the corridors of his once home palace.
Razor was taken aback.
— What is this…?
The new death he saw was unlike any he had seen before. This time it was not Rachel Cassius's blade hovering over his neck. It was… Someone else's.
Following the rewind of his own biography: the boy had already caught events from other people's lives. This turned out to be a first.
Two boys were standing in front of each other on the playground. One had scarlet eyes and short black hair. The other was blond. The first was holding out his hand to the second, who had fallen in the sand.
Razor had a vague feeling: as if they were similar to those he knew. In particular, he focused his attention on the child with the blond hair.
Looking closely at his features, the second prince was shocked. It couldn't be…! He could not have imagined that the two had known each other since childhood.
In a way, it confirmed Razor's fears about his last dream. He already knew who the boy was. And that only increased the heavy feelings in his soul.
After the dream with the children cleared before him like smoke, the prince saw a new image. This time, instead of memories from this world, he saw a woman in front of him.
Razor was even more surprised. He hadn't known anyone could be here besides himself.
It was an unremarkable middle-aged woman, dressed in unusual clothing for the present time. Glasses and shoulder-length brown hair. Without a word she held out her hand to him. As if mesmerized by this, Razor extended his hand in response.
At that moment a thousand memories flashed through his mind. It was as if he was seeing his life again. But a different one.
This time he wasn't born the second prince in an imperial family, but the daughter of an ordinary office clerk. Went not to a prestigious academy of aristocrats, but an ordinary city university. The people and the environment around him… seemed completely different. None of the things he had now were there.
However, far from these strange things struck Razor in the first place. What excited him more was that they seemed familiar…
But that's just impossible…!
The boy had always been the second heir to the Blanche dynasty, and refused to believe that it had ever been otherwise.
The woman he met looked at him with an absent expression. She still said nothing, and had only touched each other once. But then why that frightening feeling… Like looking into her own reflection?
The two stared at each other for a few seconds, after which the woman suddenly uttered:
— He knows everything, too.
Razor was taken aback by this strange remark.
— Who is «he»? Knows what?
The stranger said nothing and simply turned and walked away. Razor didn't understand anything at all.
— Hey! Wait! — The prince shouted hysterically, «Who are you?!
But the woman's silhouette had already completely vanished into the fog. But one way or another the lad was left without answers. And it seemed that the only thing to do was to wait…
When this woman would come to him again.
***
The second prince woke up to someone shaking him insistently on his shoulder. He opened his eyes slowly, and he couldn't think what was going on after his long sleep.
A sigh was heard in the distance.
— At last! I thought you were going to go on sleeping.
Razor looked up, and remembered what was going on. About a week ago, he had ordered a private carriage to get to the Royal Academy. It turned out to be a forced measure.
Since the guy was no longer a student at the academy, he could not use a private vehicle accordingly. On this basis, he had to spend a lot more time on the road than usual.
The strange dream with the woman was left behind — when the prince remembered the business at hand.
The coachman was beside him in the cabin of the carriage, and grumbled grudgingly:
— I've been trying to wake you for half an hour.
The man did not recognize the young man as a nobleman — and so he treated him rather ignorantly. But the prince himself didn't seem to care.
— Did he? — Razor was embarrassed. I'm just a little tired.
Razor snorted.
— He snorted. «Yes. At this rate, I'd just leave you here like this.
— Thank you for not doing that.
— Ha! Boy, you've wasted a lot of my time already. Are you going out?
Razor sighed. He had turned twenty this year, but those around him still saw him as a child… I wonder if he would ever look like an adult.
Razor paid the coachman for his fare and got off the carriage. As soon as he did, the carriage immediately moved off and drove away.
The second prince looked around the building in front of him with an uncertain expression on his face… How long since he had last been here?
The giant golden gates and castle of the Royal Academy hadn't changed a bit. Considering how quiet it was and the noise of voices could not be heard: apparently the academy had already begun its vacation. Even so, the headmaster must still be there.
Razor exhaled tensely once more, gathering his thoughts. Preparing himself for this conversation to put a final end to his doubts.
***
The light from the living room chandelier was reflected in a glass of white wine.
A sumptuous meal had been arranged for Philippe Blanche at the long dining table-at which he alone was seated. A line of servants lined up beside him, ready to do his bidding at any second.
The crown prince sighed irritably.
He had been in this place for some time now, but the master of the house kept feeding him excuses. For some reason, it was the murder of Duke Cassius that he put at the head of their plan. And in some ways even more so than restoring him to the throne…
Philip was not entirely happy with the current situation. However, there was nothing he could do to change it, so he just had to put up with it. That man was right — he was helping him, not the other way around.
The guy picked at the turkey with his fork, pondering the fact that he was tired of waiting his turn.
He was all set to go bowling again today. Typical entertainment for the rich. What else was there to do?
— Pour me some wine,» Philip carelessly ordered the servant beside him.
— Yes, Your Highness.
The crown prince involuntarily recoiled from his thoughts. That voice… seemed vaguely familiar to him.
As the servant poured wine into his glass, the lad looked up at her and was stunned.
— You…! — He held up his finger angrily, «What are you doing here?!
Philip couldn't believe that this insolent commoner was after him again.