Chapter 12: The Radius Festival
EVENTUALLY Mathias managed to drag Felix out of the house to go into town, per Henrik’s suggestion. A whole day spent lounging around the mansion was sure to put Felix in the foulest of moods.
Besides, even if Felix helped out in the clinic, he’d be a complete third wheel to Mia and Henrik. Mathias wondered how well he’d have handled that. His guess was “not well at all.”
✦ ✦ ✦
THE town was bustling with festival atmosphere, and there were people everywhere. They gave the two young men a wide berth, though, probably trying to evade Felix’s scowl and angry aura. Mathias felt nervous. It was bad enough to be on guard duty, but Felix wasn’t exactly trying to blend in.
“Hey, get it together. You’re stickin’ out like a sore thumb.”
“I think it’s your rabbit that’s making us stand out, actually.”
Felix smiled wryly, and Mathias looked down at his coat pocket. The bunny’s head suddenly popped out. Mathias had been forced to bring it along, not wanting to leave it unattended. But they weren’t on campus, and there was no need to try to hide the rabbit using magical means. Besides, it was small and dark-colored, so it hardly stood out all that much.
“No, I hardly think so.”
“Sure, you keep telling yourself that.”
Felix scowled. The way Mathias kept anxiously looking all around was making him feel seasick.
It should be all right…my fake identity has been maintained perfectly.
Still, Mathias continued to scan the crowds around them.
“Tch. Why did I even come here in the first place?” Felix muttered under his breath as they walked down the cobbled streets.
“You tell me!” Mathias snapped, losing his temper. He was only there to guard Felix. “Did we come all the way here for you to just lounge around and waste an entire day? This is the busiest time of the year! You blew off the royal court banquet for this. Last year we were able to excuse it with your illness, but you passed the school year this time, so that excuse has worn itself out.”
“I told you, that’s all in hand. Besides, as I keep telling you, my father only invited me to keep up appearances. He doesn’t actually want me to go.”
Felix was clearly in a terrible mood. Mathias fell silent. It was true, he knew full well the extent of the familial discord that existed between Felix and his father.
“Hmph! I want to know what Mia and Henrik are doing right around now. He’d better not be putting the moves on her in my absence…”
Felix’s scowl was growing fiercer and fiercer. Mathias dreaded to think about what might be going on in his head.
“Henrik isn’t the type to disregard Mia’s feelings, I don’t think.”
Unlike you…is what he wanted to add. He was secretly impressed by Mia’s firm resolve against Felix’s constant advances.
“Mia is frighteningly naïve with stuff like that. That’s why the situation is so dangerous.”
Mathias had to agree there. Otherwise, she’d never have accepted an invitation like this so readily.
“I didn’t even get to give her my present, either.”
“You can give it to her after the workday is done.”
“Henrik’s bound to have beat me to the punch. What am I going to do if he’s screwed me over?”
Young love was so depressing.
Felix had always been smart as a whip, but he became a complete and total idiot where Mia was concerned.
Mathias tried to think of something that could snap Felix out of his funk. Then he remembered something Henrik had been talking about.
“Right…the Frog Festival.”
“Frog Festival?”
Finally, Felix was listening.
“It’s Radius tradition, apparently.”