"Hm?"
Hearing his name, Dick Grayson looked up in mild confusion.
"Dean? What did you just say?"
Dean turned slightly in his seat, smiling as he gestured toward the noisy classroom behind him. Students were clustered everywhere, arguing passionately, waving white cards like prized trophies.
"I was asking whether you're so focused because you've already figured something out," Dean said lightly. "It feels like the whole school has turned into a riddle contest."
He leaned back, expression open and curious—exactly like any other student caught up in the excitement.
"I've heard a lot of explanations already. Some are wild, some are clever, but they all sound convincing. You're the smartest guy I know, Dick. I want to hear your take on Kaito Kid's Notice box."
Dick smiled faintly and shook his head.
"You're exaggerating. I'm just looking at it for fun. My thoughts probably aren't any better than everyone else's."
Dean laughed and casually draped an arm over Dick's shoulder.
"Come on. Everyone here is 'just looking for fun.' Say whatever comes to mind. Even if it's completely ridiculous, I promise I won't laugh."
"…Alright," Dick said after a short pause. "I'll just say what I think. Actually, I haven't fully deciphered it—only confirmed part of it."
That wording made Dean's heart tighten ever so slightly.
Not fully deciphered.
Confirmed a part.
Those weren't the words of someone guessing blindly.
Dick lowered his gaze to the card and pointed at the lines one by one.
"'The feast of the nobles is luxurious and boisterous.' That part is straightforward. It clearly refers to the elite auction next Saturday—high society, wealth, spectacle."
Dean nodded, encouraging him to continue.
"Then there's 'When Kronos returns to the origin'—"
"Wait," Dean interrupted smoothly. "What about the middle line? 'No one remembers the tragedy of Troy'?"
Dick hesitated and scratched the back of his head.
"That's the part I can't fully explain," he admitted. "If I force an interpretation—Helen, the cause of the Trojan War, or the Trojan Horse at the end—it can be made to fit. But honestly, it feels stretched. Like something's missing."
"That does sound a bit forced," Dean said seriously, agreeing without hesitation.
Dick continued.
"'When Kronos returns to the origin' refers to time. Kronos represents time itself—specifically the beginning of time. Returning to the origin would mean the very start of a day."
He looked up.
"Midnight. 0:00. That's the time Kaito Kid plans to act."
Dean's expression remained calm, but inside, he was genuinely impressed.
"Finally," Dick said, tapping the last line, "'Hermes shall appear in the spotlight, to reveal the final deception.' Hermes is the patron god of thieves. That clearly represents Kaito Kid himself."
He exhaled slowly.
"As for the 'deception'… I think it refers to the rumors surrounding the so-called world's largest pink diamond that's about to be auctioned."
Dick leaned back slightly, eyes unfocused as he connected the pieces.
"Taken together, Kaito Kid's goal doesn't seem to be theft at all. It looks like he's planning to expose a lie."
This was the key conclusion.
For a moment, Dick's voice dropped, uncertainty creeping in.
"But… why?"
He frowned.
"What's his motive? If he doesn't care about money, why steal priceless gems in the first place?"
Dean studied him quietly.
There it was—the same look he'd seen before. The look of someone trained to question motives, not just actions.
As expected of someone taught by Batman.
Dick had deciphered the Notice box almost perfectly, missing only a single layer—and he had done it in less than a day.
This Notice box was meant to be understood, Dean thought calmly.
Not by everyone—but by people like Dick.
A faint glint flashed deep in Dean's eyes. This conversation confirmed something important.
Robin was already moving to his rhythm.
Dean gave Dick's shoulder a light shake.
"Hey," he said casually. "You're drifting off again. What's going on in that head of yours?"
Dick snapped back to reality and let out a dry chuckle.
"Sorry. I was thinking too deeply."
Then, unexpectedly, he turned and stared straight at Dean.
"Dean," he said slowly, "I want to ask you something."
Dean raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Do you know any magician," Dick asked seriously, "who's so proud of his talent that performing on stage isn't enough—and decides to commit crimes just to prove himself?"
He paused, then added:
"Or maybe a talented magician who never got his chance, who feels overlooked, and tries to validate himself through crime?"
Dean didn't answer immediately.
Dick continued, voice steady but intent.
"You're the best magician I know. You understand that world better than anyone here."
Dean leaned back, considering the question honestly.
"You're asking whether we can trace Kaito Kid's identity through the magician community, right?"
After a moment, he nodded to himself.
"Truthfully? Gotham is full of magicians like that. People with egos as big as the city itself. There are probably as many of them as clowns who want to be the next Joker."
Dick couldn't help but smile faintly.
"But," Dean continued, "magicians who can reach Kaito Kid's level are rare. Very rare."
He raised a finger.
"Publicly known ones? Including myself, maybe twenty. As for hidden geniuses—unknown, struggling magicians working in obscurity? That, I honestly don't know."
Dean didn't distance himself from suspicion.
He didn't say I can't be Kaito Kid.
He simply acknowledged that he could be.
Anything else would have sounded fake.
"Twenty…" Dick repeated softly, nodding. "Thanks, Dean."
Then Dean tilted his head, studying him with exaggerated suspicion.
"By the way," he said, narrowing his eyes playfully, "why the sudden interest?"
Dick froze slightly.
"I remember before this, whenever people talked about Kaito Kid, you didn't care much. But whenever supercriminals showed up, you were always unusually energetic."
Dean leaned closer.
"And you never seem interested in gossip about Batman or Robin either."
He stared at Dick for a long second.
"Dick," Dean said slowly, "don't tell me you're actually—"
Dick's pupils shrank.
His mind went blank.
Did he notice something?
Did I slip up?
Then Dean finished his sentence.
"—a member of a supervillain fan club?"
Dick: "..."
The classroom noise swallowed the moment.
Dean burst into laughter.
And Dick let out a long, silent breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
The final details were falling into place.
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