Chapter 156: Five-Star Burger

Argy let out a perfectly natural sigh as he set his own sword on the floor.

"You're going to be disappointed."

"I already know that."

They took their places in the middle of the arena under the amused gaze of Blanche and Kysten, who now stood with his arms crossed, the corner of his mouth already twitching in anticipation of the show.

Matthew raised his hands.

"Ready?"

"Absolutely not."

"You'll survive."

They began circling each other slowly.

Matthew made the first move, reaching for Argy's shoulders.

Argy reacted...

...with a perfectly calculated half-second delay.

He let himself get caught.

"Seriously?" Matthew muttered.

"I panicked."

"In slow motion?"

"It's an ancient technique."

Matthew rolled his eyes before attempting an outside sweep.

Argy jumped awkwardly, tangled his own feet together, and nearly tripped over himself.

His arms flailed wildly as he struggled to regain his balance, looking far more like a drunken flamingo than a trained fighter.

Blanche had to turn her head to hide her smile.

It was so bad that it became suspicious.

Matthew took the opportunity to give him a light shove.

Argy dramatically collapsed onto the mat.

"Ow..."

"I barely touched you!"

"I'm fragile."

Kysten discreetly coughed into his fist to disguise a laugh.

"Extremely fragile," he confirmed with perfect seriousness.

Matthew offered Argy a hand, and the young man accepted it while ostentatiously rubbing his back.

"Again."

This time Matthew executed a genuine grappling maneuver, trying to secure his waist.

Argy offered exactly enough resistance to look believable, stumbled backward two steps, deliberately caught the edge of the mat with his foot, and landed on the floor once more.

"Honestly..." he groaned. "Contact sports just aren't for me."

Blanche was beginning to seriously question the man standing before her.

He was an extraordinary actor.

Even his breathing matched that of an only moderately athletic college student.

None of his movements were too precise.

None of his reflexes too fast.

Just enough skill to avoid looking ridiculous and just enough clumsiness to remain perfectly human.

Matthew eventually managed to pin him for a few seconds.

"Pathetic!"

Argy slapped the mat twice.

"I surrender. You're way too strong for me."

Kysten deliberately looked up at the ceiling.

"It's beautiful to witness such talent..." he murmured in a perfectly neutral tone.

Argy shot him a pointed glare toward the elf seated high in the bleachers.

A very pointed glare.

The vampire answered with an innocent smile that meant precisely the opposite.

Only then did Blanche realize that Kysten was probably watching the worst performance of Argy's entire career and savoring every second of the comedy.

Because beneath the ridiculous falls, failed holds, and carefully rehearsed clumsiness stood a young Player who could, without the slightest doubt, put Matthew flat on his back in fewer than three moves.

But that was something no one besides the three of them could ever be allowed to discover.

So Blanche spent the next hour chatting idly with Kyst and quietly listening.

Because Matthew had said an hour.

Which meant that no matter how dreadful his godson's performance appeared the lesson would continue.

Fortunately, people revealed an astonishing amount when they believed you couldn't hear them.

After a well-earned shower—meant as much to wash away the sweat as to recover a shred of dignity after that afternoon's performance—they met up with Matthew again.

Or rather they endured him.

Argy far more than the other two.

But Blanche had been waiting for him, and Kyst was his bodyguard, so they all got to hear it.

Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Matthew waited with that perfectly neutral expression that invariably announced disaster.

He stared at Argy for several long seconds.

Then inhaled.

And began speaking.

For a very...

Very...

Long time.

Long enough for Blanche to sincerely wonder whether the man actually needed to breathe like ordinary mortals.

Then again...

He was a vampire.

The reprimand, delivered with surgical precision, covered his lateness, his lack of discretion, his questionable improvisations, his debatable decisions, and, more generally, his almost supernatural ability to complicate even the simplest operations.

No shouting.

No insults.

Just one endlessly flowing sentence, interrupted only by the occasional breath, that seemed destined never to end.

After several minutes, Blanche completely lost track.

Argy, meanwhile, maintained a perfectly serious expression, hands clasped behind his back like a child caught misbehaving.

As for Kysten...

He had wisely fixed his gaze straight ahead without moving a muscle or attempting a single joke.

For once.

When Matthew finally finished, an almost sacred silence settled over the hallway.

No one dared speak.

Even Matthew himself looked satisfied after getting everything off his chest.

"Any questions?"

The three of them shook their heads in near-perfect synchronization...

...as though the other two had been scolded as well.

"Good."

He turned on his heel and walked away as though nothing unusual had happened.

Argy waited until he disappeared around the corner before quietly exhaling.

"I think he just broke his personal record."

"You think?" Kysten replied with a crooked smile.

"I had enough time to relive my entire life."

Blanche burst out laughing.

The tension evaporated instantly.

A few minutes later, the three of them left the gym and headed for the restaurant at the North Tower.

It occupied one of the tower's uppermost floors.

When the elevator reached its destination, the doors opened onto an elegant dining room bathed in soft, subdued lighting.

Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped almost entirely around the room, offering a breathtaking view of the winter city below, where snow-covered rooftops glittered beneath the streetlights.

The tables were spaced generously apart to preserve each guest's privacy and were set with understated refinement: immaculate tablecloths, silver cutlery, crystal glasses, and a few candles whose flames danced gently.

The tranquil atmosphere contrasted pleasantly with the chaos of the day.

For the first time in hours, Blanche felt her shoulders finally relax.

Argy collapsed into his chair with a contented sigh.

"All right..." he announced, picking up the menu.

"I vote that we officially erase today from our memories over an excellent meal."

Kysten calmly closed his own menu.

"Excellent idea."

Then, without taking his eyes off Argy, he added,

"As long as you don't pretend you don't know how to hold a fork."

"After this afternoon's performance, nothing would surprise me anymore."

Argy rolled his eyes.

"I hate you."

"No."

The vampire smiled with obvious satisfaction.

"You love hating me."

Judging by Blanche's laughter he probably wasn't entirely wrong.

Sebastian hadn't been able to cancel a business dinner.

Otherwise, Blanche knew he would have joined them.

Unable to eat, Kyst contented himself with watching his two companions devour their burgers while slowly sipping an especially red glass of wine.

The chef had outdone himself.

Normally, he only cooked like this for Argy...

...or for honored guests.

Argy talked about life on campus, his medical degree, and vampire society.

Kyst occasionally interrupted with a sarcastic remark.

Blanche simply let herself drift along with the conversation, wrapped in a rare feeling of peace and quiet knowing full well it would only last for a few precious hours.