We finally left the laboratory.
And honestly...
The silence in the hallway felt way more dangerous than the giant automaton.
Because every time I glanced to the side...
I caught Amity avoiding my gaze.
Then turning red.
Then looking somewhere else.
...
It was honestly kind of fascinating.
For several minutes, we walked through the manor's long corridors in silence.
This time, there were no explosions.
No murderous automatons.
And no Alador trying to turn an invention into a weapon of mass destruction.
A relatively normal evening.
At least by Boiling Isles standards.
Eventually, Amity broke the silence.
« You've been hiding a lot from us. »
...
Ah.
There it is.
I had a feeling this conversation was coming.
« What do you mean? » I asked innocently.
She gave me a look.
The kind of look that clearly said:
Don't play dumb.
« The ice spell. »
« Ah. »
« You never mentioned you could do something like that. »
I scratched the back of my head.
« You never asked. »
« That's not an answer. »
« It technically is. »
Amity sighed.
A long one.
The tired kind.
« Do you always do that? »
« Do what? »
« Answer without actually answering. »
« Depends. »
« On what? »
« The question. »
...
This time she rolled her eyes.
And somehow...
A small laugh escaped her.
« You're impossible. »
« I've heard that before. »
« I can see why now. »
We kept walking.
Then after a few seconds, her expression became a little more serious.
« Thank you. »
I blinked.
« For what? »
She looked away.
« Earlier. »
...
Ah.
The falling chunk of metal.
I got it immediately.
« It was nothing. »
« No. »
Her voice was firmer this time.
« You could've gotten hurt. »
I shrugged.
« So could you. »
Amity fell silent.
For several seconds.
Then she lowered her gaze slightly.
« When I saw that thing falling... »
She stopped.
Like she wasn't sure how to finish the sentence.
« Anyway. »
Yeah.
Very subtle.
Absolutely nobody noticed that.
« Anyway, » I repeated with a grin.
« Don't start. »
« I didn't say anything. »
« You were about to. »
« Maybe. »
« Pierc. »
« Alright, alright. »
This time she actually smiled.
A real one.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
Eventually, we reached the manor's massive front gates.
Night had already fallen.
The magical lights along the gardens cast a soft glow over the pathways.
Honestly...
The place looked beautiful.
« Well. »
Amity stopped walking.
« You know the way from here. »
« Probably. »
« Probably? »
« Knowing my luck, I'll somehow get lost. »
« That's concerning. »
« I know. »
A brief silence followed.
Not an awkward one.
Just...
Comfortable.
Then Amity crossed her arms.
« So... tomorrow. »
« Tomorrow. »
« Don't forget. »
« I have a feeling your dad wouldn't let me forget even if I tried. »
Amity laughed softly.
« That's true. »
Then she hesitated.
Just for a second.
« And... »
« Hm? »
« Be careful on your way home. »
...
I smiled.
« You too. »
Her ears instantly turned red.
Again.
At this point it was basically becoming a habit.
« Goodnight, Pierc. »
« Goodnight, Amity. »
Then I finally turned around.
And started walking away from the manor.
A smile was still on my face.
The day had been completely insane.
I'd met Amity.
Met Alador.
Started my project.
And survived a giant automaton.
Honestly?
It was probably the best day I'd had since arriving in the Boiling Isles.
...
Or at least that's what I thought.
Because only a few minutes later...
As I walked down a deserted street on my way back to the Owl House...
A hooded figure appeared at the end of the road.
Motionless.
Silent.
As if it had been waiting for me.
...
The smile slowly faded from my face.
Ah.
Apparently...
The universe had decided my day wasn't over yet.
The hooded figure remained standing in the middle of the road.
Silent.
Motionless.
As if they had been waiting for me.
...
I slowed down slightly.
Not because I was scared.
Well...
Not only because I was scared.
« Okay, » I muttered.
« Either this is a mysterious assassin... »
I kept walking forward.
« Or it's just another completely normal thing in the Boiling Isles. »
The figure didn't move.
« Honestly, both options suck. »
Still no response.
Then, when I was only a few meters away...
The person slowly raised their head.
A pair of yellow eyes glowed beneath the hood.
Cold and unreadable.
« Pierc. »
...
My body immediately tensed.
He knew my name.
Not a good sign.
« Do we know each other? » I asked calmly.
« No. »
« That somehow makes this worse. »
The man remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke again.
« You've attracted a lot of attention for someone who arrived so recently. »
...
The smile faded from my face.
« I don't know what you're talking about. »
« Really? »
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
« An unknown human appears out of nowhere. »
« Gets involved with the Owl House. »
« Befriends Luz Noceda. »
« And gains the interest of the Blight family in less than a day. »
...
Ah.
That.
Okay.
Someone had been watching me.
Wonderful.
I was really starting to miss the giant robot.