As she'd noticed the arrow's destined target a mere second or two before it impacted, she'd been harrowed by the realization that there was nothing she could do to stop it in time. Alto was too far away, unaware, and the arrow was moving too fast. However, in the last second before it passed Alto, she'd noticed something strange about the blur of its trajectory. It was subtle, but the arrow was moving unnaturally.
When the arrow eventually whizzed by Alto without even scratching her, Alyse had been dumbfounded, questioning her own abilities. That is, until she noticed Mizuki's face and processed his reaction. In those last fractions of a second before the arrow clattered to the ground behind them, as it passed over Alto's shoulder, his eyes were fixed on the arrow.
All the while, as his eyes tracked the arrow passing by Alto, he hadn't shown any concern. In other words, he was sure that it wouldn't hit her. This revealed to Alyse two things about Mizuki that terrify her.
First, he has an astounding magic ability that he's somehow been able to keep completely hidden. The lack of an incantation, the unknown nature of the spell, and the speed at which he'd calmly reacted...they all point to that fact.
Second, he's heartlessly calculating with his actions. Given his obvious magical prowess, he could have easily dealt with the arrow in a much more decisive fashion. Instead, he calmly adjusted its trajectory the bare minimum to avoid harm to Alto while minimizing his risk of exposure, then flawlessly acted like a helpless bystander. He even did so knowing that Alto would likely be terrified by the unnecessarily close call.
Now, she's quite suspicious that Cara is aware of those facts as well. Her sister may be even more privy to Mizuki's secrets. Thinking back on this morning in the Egris house, and earlier at the riverside, it's the only thing that explains how timid and deferential Cara has been towards him.
Still, one thing has been bothering her the most, ever since she discarded her preconceptions about Mizuki. It's the way Nedonera, Alto, and him all treat one another. She'd thought earlier that, based only on their implicit behaviors, it seemed like Mizuki is really the one in charge. Not Nedonera.
But for that to be true, either Mizuki rivals the power of an Elder Dragon, or Nedonera is the only Elder Dragon that cares about weak creatures. Of course, both are absurd, so she'd dismissed the possibility. However, if Mizuki is actually in charge...it would certainly explain how Nedonera behaves towards him.
So, absurd or not, she shouldn't dismiss the possibility out of hand. Perhaps she should reconsider her reasons for discounting it in the first place. First, everyone, including Mizuki himself, claims that Nedonera is in charge. That's easy for her to discount – the group is obviously incredibly secretive, and not above subterfuge.
Of course, Mizuki's hidden magic is the principal example of this, but Alto is similarly mysterious. She's a dual-classer that's mastered incantation-less magic and obscure spells. By all accounts, an elf of incomparable skill and strength in the kingdom. Yet, she lived in anonymity before joining Nedonera's party, and still hides her abilities. So, they can't be taken at their word.
Next, there's the requirement that either Nedonera can care about weaker creatures, or Mizuki rivals an Elder Dragon's power. Alyse finds the former unlikely. Sure, Nedonera seemed to enjoy the company of other elves today, but like one would enjoy a form of entertainment. Nedonera was never interested in them personally.
Even an elf as powerful as Alto, who Nedonera actively works alongside, who seems friendly with Nedonera and vice versa, and who has the favor of Nedonera's precious Mizuki. Alyse hasn't seen Nedonera ask Alto for a single opinion all day, nor inquire about her wants or well being. She didn't even request anything of Alto. Compared to Mizuki, Nedonera doesn't treat Alto like someone consequential to her.
So, if she removes Mizuki from consideration due to his unknown abilities, it's clear to Alyse that Nedonera has little capacity to form meaningful attachments with weaker creatures. That just leaves...Mizuki's power rivaling an Elder Dragon. Does she have any compelling reason to discount that possibility?
As she looks out over the Egris River in the fading sunlight, Alyse feels a shiver run down her spine. It's a terrifying question to consider, but the answer is more troubling...no, she has no proof that Mizuki is significantly weaker than Nedonera. Truthfully, her observations so far only support Mizuki having incredible strength.
If Nedonera has the same sentiments about strength and the value of other races that Elder Dragons are known for, and her behavior around Alto and the others suggests to Alyse that she does, then her clear respect for Mizuki is very telling. At minimum, even if earning Nedonera's respect doesn't require power rivaling her own, Mizuki still requires enough strength for Nedonera to consider him far superior to Alto. Is that level of power really so much less absurd than an Elder Dragon's? It's far above any elf or human she knows about.
Alyse once again returns her attention to Mizuki, watching him as though she could answer her questions just by focusing intently enough on him. As her thoughts begin to swirl, a pair of green eyes suddenly lock with her own, and she's jarred from her contemplation.
Mizuki is staring at her expectantly, as though waiting for her to say something. She gives a polite but apologetic smile.
"Err, I'm sorry, Mizuki. Did you say something to me? I must have been distracted." (Alyse)
Mizuki returns a polite smile to her, his eyes serene, and makes a dismissive gesture.
"No, nothing like that. I just noticed that you've been silent for most of this boat ride. I looked over to see if you were enjoying yourself, and you were giving me a peculiar look. It kind of seemed like you wanted to ask me something. Did you?" (Mizuki)
Shit...he'd noticed her staring at him like that. If she's sure of one thing by now, it's that he's not an idiot. It's probably unwise to lie to him outright. Still, she can't just voice her suspicions. She doesn't know that he'd react poorly, but he's obviously secretive about it. At the end of the day, she doesn't really know him. It's probably best to play it safe with a half-truth.
She smiles sheepishly back at Mizuki.
"Oh you noticed, huh? Sorry, yeah...I kind of had a question on my mind. I was wondering, what's this 'train' thing that I've been hearing about? I wanted to ask you about it earlier, but I got sidetracked with so many other questions." (Alyse)
She was actually curious about the train, and did mean to ask him about it at the restaurant. That's just obviously not the exact question she was thinking of now.
She sees Nedonera give her a brief over-the-shoulder glance, then look at Mizuki. Mizuki's expression becomes puzzled for a moment, then his eyes narrow curiously at her. He looks like he's about to speak, but Cara interjects with an exasperated sigh.
"I would've told you that soon enough, Alyse. There was no need to bother them. The train is a magic item that quickly transports large numbers of people along a special road. There's currently one connecting Alara's new city, Eden, to Avalon via a two-hour train ride. I asked Lady Nedonera if she'd build a train between Eden and Wellick, and she kindly agreed. The train is not something that us elves can build on our own, you see." (Cara)
Alyse is so shocked by the news that she nearly forgets about her suspicions of Mizuki entirely. She directs a bewildered look at Cara.
"Seriously, that's what the 'train' I've been hearing about can do!? Still, why was it built between Avalon so soon, and why do you want one here? Didn't Alara just become a noble only a couple of weeks ago? Last I heard, her first city is just some hot spring in the mountains." (Alyse)
"Please calm down, Alyse. The answer to both your questions is the same. The reason Eden is connected to Avalon, and I want it connected to Wellick, is because Eden is already a thriving city with a bright future as a trade partner and economic hub. It has housing, citizens, entertainment, and critically, it has trains connecting Avalon to the western coast, where they plan to build a port city with ships." (Cara)
She can't believe what she's hearing...it's been less than half a month! How is this possible!? No, of course....there's only one explanation. She turns to face Mizuki in exasperation, instinctively acting on her recent inference that he's the one truly in charge.
"How are you doing all of this!? It's absurd!" (Alyse)
She tries to remain composed, but there's an involuntary shrillness to her voice. Mizuki seems taken aback by her sudden and intense questioning of him, but not offended. He simply shrugs and gives a measured smile.
"My Lady is an Elder Dragon...an especially powerful one. Naturally, her assisting Lady Alara would result in...unexpected...levels of success." (Mizuki)
"That...doesn't answer my question at all, though. Elder Dragon or not, how, specifically, is your Lady managing this? I'm just failing to see how entire cities can be conjured out of nothing, practically overnight. You'd need all the elven construction laborers in the kingdom and endless money to even attempt that, to say nothing of transportation and these 'trains'!" (Alyse)
Mizuki purses his lips thoughtfully for a moment, staring out over the water, before looking back at her seriously.
"I'll tell you what, I'll answer another question of yours, if you answer a question of mine honestly. Just like before, we'll trade. How does that sound?" (Mizuki)
A question for her? If it's more stuff about her sister or family, she doesn't really mind when it's just the five of them. She didn't feel the need to avoid or lie in response to any of his other questions. If it will get her answers, that's a small price to pay. She shrugs at Mizuki.
"Sure, you've got a deal. What's your question?" (Alyse)
Mizuki nods at her appreciatively, then his eyes narrow, and he stares at her intently.
"Tell me what your real question for me was earlier. I know that it wasn't about the trains, though I'm sure that you were curious about them." (Mizuki)
Alyse's entire body tenses, and she feels a cold sensation in her chest. She stares at Mizuki, trying to give nothing away in her expression. He just stares back at her with a curious expression. There's not a trace of uncertainty in his eyes. Does he know she was hiding something? How could he possibly be so sure of that, though?
No, there's no way it's a coincidence...he can obviously tell that she was deceiving him. But what should she say, then? She's not sure it's the best idea to freely admit her suspicions about him. Although, it's not like she'd be revealing what she knows to anyone who doesn't already know the same things. That's what she suspects. Still, maybe it's best to just forfeit her right to further questions to avoid this one?
Seeming to sense her indecision, Mizuki interjects before she can respond.
"If you're worried about how it will be perceived, allow me to give you my assurance that I won't be upset at you over the question. Regardless of what it is. After all, it'd be unreasonable for anyone here to blame you, when you decided not to ask it in the first place." (Mizuki)
Mizuki gives a pointed look at her sister as he mentions nobody having the right to blame her. Is he telling her sister to not chastise her if Cara doesn't like the question? Also, will he seriously not hold the question against her? He can't mean that, right?
She might as well test the waters, because it doesn't seem like she can lie to him, and just abandoning her earlier question will be incredibly suspicious. Plus, if there's even the slightest chance that she can answer her burning questions about him and Nedonera's party, without upsetting them, she'd like to do so.
"Uhm...admittedly, I'm a little concerned that you might resent the question. How can you be certain that you won't? After all, you have no idea how private or intrusive the question might be." (Alyse)
Alyse watches Mizuki carefully as she poses the question. He only seems to become more curious, then smirks and nods.
"If the question is about something personal that I don't want you to know, then I will merely avoid answering, and there is no reason to be upset at you. If the question implies that you already know something private that you think I don't want you to know, then I give you my word I won't hold it against you. After all, in that case, the only difference in you asking versus not asking the question is whether I know what you know. So, it's best to hear your question." (Mizuki)
She watches him closely, waiting for any sign that he might not mean what he says, but he just stares at her patiently...resolved. Well, that's that. Nobody has ever accused her of being overly cautious.
"Okay..." (Alyse)
A huge grin breaks out on Mizuki's face, as though he's genuinely pleased she caved. He nods to her encouragingly, presumably awaiting her question. Alyse steels herself, then takes a shaky breath. Guess she's doing this. She looks up to meet Mizuki's expectant gaze, and she notices all the others staring at her as well.
"Well...I'll just come out and ask, then. Mizuki, are you secretly the one in charge, instead of Lady Nedonera? Are you actually...as strong as an Elder Dragon?" (Alyse)