.....
Shin is already been waiting for an hour, but Alice still don't want to say something.
*Sigh* "What's wrong with this girl? Don't tell me she really think that she is welcome here, to enjoy those snacks?" said Shin in his heart while massaging his temples.
Alice happened to see Shin's actions as she is putting down the teacup on her hand. She felt a little ashamed but didn't show it outside.
"Are you that eager to chase me out? Even if you didn't tell me, I can still see it on your face." said Alice nonchalantly.
The corner of Shin's mouth twitch when he heard that. Then he look at her with a serious expression while saying. "How about tell me your purpose already? I still have something to do you know?"
'What's wrong with this guy? This is the first time that someone have treated me like this.' said Alice to herself frustratedly, after all she is a princess of an aristocratic family, so no one have the guts to treat her so rudely. And to add to the fact that she a famous celebrity, so she is used to being idolized by everyone.
She glared at Shin fiercely before replying. "OK, Fine! I just want to asked you something."
Shin's brows are locked on a frown because of the girl's attitude. But he can't do anything about that, after all he cab get some idea about her background from the way she acts, even if she didn't tell her about it.
*Huoo* Shin took a deep breath calming himself down before asking. "So want do you want?"
Alice close her eyes for a second before looking at Shin with her activated 'Mind Reading' talent. And from the looks of it, she really want to know about the truth.
'Eh!? she is activating her ocular talent?' Shin is taken aback when he saw Alice' pupils turned rhombus.
Alice look straight at Shin's eyes before saying. "Now tell me. Do you know who's Alyssa Stuart?"
'Huh? Alyssa Stuart? who is that? I know a few people that have Alyssa as their names but with the Stuart as their Family name, I guess none.' said Shin in his head, not aware of Alice being able to read what's running on his mind. After all he is not clear about her 'Mind Reading' ability.
What he only know is that she only has an ocular talent but he is not sure on what is it. What's more is that there are a lot of talent related to eyes, and if you add the ocular skills in the mix, then it is understandable for Shin to not remember all of it.
Alice were frowning her brows when she read what's on Shin's mind. 'He doesn't know about Elder Sister Alyssa?'
After some hesitation Alice asked another question. "Aren't you from the 'Black Serpent Mafia' training camp?"
Shin is gotten off guard when he heard that question, then the look on his face suddenly become fierce and frosty. He look at Alice with a fearsome expression and asked coldly. "How did you find about that?"
'Huh!?' Alice is startled because of the sudden change of attitude. She didn't expect that Shin is sensitive about that subject.
"I am asking you, how did you know that I am from that Organization's training camp?" said Shin when Alice didn't answer his question immediately.
"I... I...." Alice become a little panicky when she heard that Shin's tone is becoming colder and colder. Especially when she felt that the atmosphere around Shin become completely different, it is as if he transformed into a gigantic beast that is looking down at her.
What's more is that her Mind Reading ability is starting get useless again because what's in Shin's mind are starting get cloudy.
"Wait this is just a misunderstanding." said Alice with a panic tone because she saw that Shin aura are starting to become even more terrifying. 'I don't know what's happening, but I'm sure that this guy become completely different compared to last night.'
"That is why that I am asking you how did you know about that. All of the informations about me being form that place were tightly guarded by Military. So it is impossible for you to just heard it from somewhere." said Shin solemnly while putting his fingers together. Then he lean his body forward and put his elbows on his thighs before supporting his chin with his thumbs.
Shin look at Alice fiercely while saying to himself. 'I need to keep my emotions down, or else that I'll lose myself again.'
When Alice see that look, she felt that her heart skip beat for some unknown reason. Then she took a deep breath deactivating her 'Mind Reading' looking at Shin and said. "If I say that it is just a guess, wound you believe me?"
Shin look straight to Alice eyes, waiting for her to explain it more.
Alice feel uncomfortable at that look, so she avoid having an eye contact. Then she sighed helplessly when she realize that Shin is not going to talk unless she clarified it.
After some hesitation, Alice take out a picture from the pocket of her coat and put it on the table in a gentle manner before asking Shin carefully. "Do you know her?"
Shin is frozen on his spot when he saw the picture. He stared at it with wide eyes while muttering to himself. "Big Sis Alyssa."
Even though Shin's voice is too silent and hard to hear, Alice still manage to heard that with her Mentalist senses. Then she become excited but didn't show it outside.
Alice look at Shin and said. "So you really know my Elder Sister."
Shin is gotten off guard when he heard Alice. He look at her blankly, together with the disappearance of the strange aura around him. Then he asked Alice when he regain himself. "Elder Sister?"
Alice nodded her head to confirm what she have said. Then Shin look at the picture in the table before looking at Alice once again, he compared the two and said subconsciously. "Big Sis Alyssa is from your Stuart Family?"
When Alice heard that, she look at Shin and said. "You don't know about that?"
Shin shook his head and smiled bitterly. Then he took a sip on his tea before saying. "She never told me about me about. All I know was that she run away from home. Even though she told me a lot about her family, she never mentioned about her being part of an Aristocratic Family."
Alice is startled when she heard Shin's reply, she look at Shin with a little doubt on her faces and said. "You sound close to my Elder Sister."
"You can say that." replied Shin while having a sorrowful look on his face. Then a sudden thought entered his mind. He raise his head and throw a confuse look at his face before asking doubtfully. "How did you know that she is also a part of that training camp, if she....?"
Shin didn't finish his words, but Alice know what he want to say, especially that she saw the sorrowful look at his face.
"Our Household is a Mentalist Family, when we start practicing Mentalism, we can light up a 'Soul Lamp' with Mental Energy. And when one of us died, thier personal 'Soul Lamp' will also dies." said Alice nonchalantly before refilling her teacup, then she look at Shin and continued with a less coldness on her face. "When 'Elder Sis' run away from home, our family do their best to locate her but they failed multiple of times. Until one day, a 'Lamp Guard' notice that her 'Soul Lamp' died."
Alice pause for few moments and asked herself. 'Why am I telling him about this?'
She take a quick glance at Shin and convince herself. 'Maybe it is for him to tell me what really happened to Elder Sister.'
She nodded to herself and continued. "And our entire family was shaken because of that, even my Grandfather overseas have gotten the news of the incident. And that is when we discovered that she have been taken by the Black Serpent Mafia."
"Even though our family have a very powerful influence, we still can't deal with that gigantic group alone. So my family proposed a joint operation against that group."
"But they take an entire year, before they manage to pinpoint one of Black Serpent Mafia's hideout. And you should know what comes after that."
Shin nodded his head after Alice finished what she were saying. He fell in a deep thought before look at Alice and said. "So you want me to tell you what have happened to her in that training camp?"
When Shin saw Alice slightly nods her head, he started to narrate what Alyssa have experience during her stay at the training camp. He didn't even hesitate about it, since for him she have the right to know about it, she is Alyssa's family after all.
...
In the meantime Arthur is walking towards Shin's room together with Leonard.
"D*mn that guy! How dare he lied to me, saying that 'Big Sis' is looking for me just to shake me off. Once I saw him I'm going to beat him into a pulp." said Arthur while gnashing his teeth and rubbing his left cheek.
On the other hand Leonard is trying hard to contain his laughter. When Arthur saw Leonard's action, he glared at him and said. "What are you laughing about? Is this your first time seeing someone that have a swollen face?"
Leonard couldn't endure it anymore when he heard that, so he burst out laughing while holding his stomach with both of his hands and ignoring Arthur's threats.
Few moments later Arthur and Leonard reach Shin's room. Then they directly entered into it since they are already familiar with it.
"Shin! you bas-.... Ah!"
The moment Arthur entered the room he started yelling while clenching his fist, but he immediately stop what he were saying when he saw a beautiful lady sitting across Shin.
"Isn't that Princess Alice?" asked Arthur at Leonard doubtfully, trying to confirm if there are some problems with his eyesight.
Leonard nodded his head without removing his sight at Alice. Then the two of them simultaneously turn their heads at Shin who also happened to be looking at them.
Arthur misunderstand that look from Shin as some sort of signal. He look at Leonard who also turned his head on him.
Arthur snap out of his dazed state and awkwardly said. "Hahaha.... Looks like we entered the wrong room. Hahaha.... sorry for the intrusion."
On the other hand Leonard look at Shin and said. "Shin Bro, did Sis Clo-.... Hmm... Hmm"
Arthur immediately covered Leonard mouth and drag him outside the room while saying at Alice. "Hahaha... don't mind him, he is just mumble headed and confused. Hahaha...."
*Clack!*
Arthur immediately closed the door the moment he and Leonard exit the room. Then they look at each other again and see the shocked look on each other faces.
Arthur said with a disbelieving tone. "How the hell did that guy get to know Princess Alice the International Idol?"
Leonard nodded his heavily while having a disbelief word written allover his face. "I thought 'Shin Bro' is a shut-in type of person? Someone that do nothing but attending school and spending most of his time at home?"
"I also thought that I know all about him. Not to mention the circle of his friends." added Arthur while putting his right hand on his chin while supporting his right elbow with his left hand.
"And from the looks of it earlier, those two are quite close to each other." said Leonard.
"Of course! When did you see Shin invite some stranger to his room? What's more serve them with his homemade snacks and tea." agreed Arthur while recalling what he saw earlier. Even if he just have a glimpse on what's on the table, he is very familiar with Shin's cooking.
...
Going back to Shin's room, Alice is laughing softly when she saw Arthur and Leonard's actions.
At the same time Shin is staring at her dazedly. Alice stop laughing when she notice Shin's gaze. She regain her cold look and glares at Shin while saying. "What are you looking at?"
Shin chuckles when he saw Alice reaction. "So you also know how to laugh and smile."
"Of course I know! Don't you know who I am?" said Alice while throwing a fierce look at Shin. But the corner of her mouth twitch when she saw that Shin is just staring at her blankly, indicating that he really don't know what she is talking about.
'This d*mbshell really don't know? I can't believe this! This is my first time seeing someone that don't know my second identity. Even a child on the street can recognize me even if I just stand few distance away from them, much less hear my voice.' said Alice to herself while shaking her head.
Then after a few moments, she stood up and look at Shin while saying. "I should be going now. I still need to do something. And thanks for telling me about 'Elder Sis' experiences."
Shin replied while standing up. "That is nothing, it is your right to know since you were her sister. I should be that one that is saying thank you, since you give me some tip on how to start practicing Mentalism."
Alice nodded her head slightly before walking towards the exit while saying in her heart. 'I only told you about it out of the whim, but I didn't expect you to really want to become a Dual-Practioner, despite having a Martial-Arts that is comparable to my Kaleidoscope Mentalism.'
Shin see Alice off outside his room and wait for her to disappeared on the corridor before going back to his room.
But before he set foot inside his room, he saw Arthur and Leonard coming out from the room right across his room, then they immediately bombered him with a barrage of questions the moment they confirmed that Alice is already gone.
....
