Since he had visited his room a few days ago, there had been no occasion to encounter Lorenz Lockhart again. Even though they were living under the same roof, on the lower and upper floors, it was possible to go days without seeing each other’s faces. It was completely different from life in Brooklyn where he would see and talk with the Bellotti family several times a day.
The thought of having to deal with him was uncomfortable.
The emotionless face that spoke of Lucas as if he were a means to achieve a goal, and the arrogant face that looked down on Debussy listened to on a cheap turntable.
He was clearly someone who probably didn’t even realize what he was doing wrong. He’d met quite a few dogmatic types of guardians and arrogant wealthy guardians, but this was the first person who was this unsocialized.
Can’t Margaret receive it and relay it to me instead? —But he couldn’t say such childish things. Lorenz was the counseling child’s guardian. For Lucas’s sake too, it was a problem that had to be resolved soon anyway.
“When might I be able to see him?”
Margaret checked the wall clock and smiled briefly.
“He’ll return home at 7 today.”
Unless there was something special, Elian would ride his bicycle for about an hour after work. It was for exercise, but he also needed time to breathe away from the mansion’s solemn and authoritative atmosphere.
There was no need to go far—Central Park was right nearby. It was a decent place to clear his head, surrounded by grass, trees, and the lake. He would stop intermittently to take photos and videos to show Lucas.
From the park entrance to the mansion was only a 5-minute walk even at a leisurely pace. Elian passed in front of the main building, turned the corner, and headed toward the annex. The small side door there was both for employees only and the only passage through which he could enter and leave the mansion with his bicycle.
As he entered through the side door, a man unwrapping a box in front of the annex entrance came into view.
Short hair and tanned skin, faint freckles on his cheeks. It was a face he’d never exchanged greetings with but had seen a few times from afar.
Unlike the people who worked inside the mansion, the man was always in work clothes instead of a uniform. He seemed to be an employee who managed the garden, parking lot, building exterior, and such.
As he pushed his bicycle into the rack, Elian greeted him first.
“Hello.”
The man who turned around casually recognized the owner of the voice and his face soon brightened.
“Hello! Looks like you’re coming back from riding your bike.”
“Yes.”
“The weather’s been cool lately, so it’s really great for biking.”
“That’s right.”
“I went out to Hudson Park last week, and it already felt completely like fall.”
“You went far. It must have taken two hours round trip.”
“I really like riding bikes too…”
The man trailed off and glanced at Elian. The atmosphere was as if he was hoping to be invited to ride together. However, Elian wasn’t particularly social by nature. It wasn’t to the extent that he felt awkward and uncomfortable at gatherings and stood on the sidelines, but he wasn’t born with the gumption to easily get along with anyone and become close quickly. He couldn’t possibly suggest riding to someone he’d only just properly greeted.
However, he did need to build rapport with the people here.
If he tried to get close to Lorenz Lockhart and extract the truth through his mouth, the remaining time of this life would probably not be enough.
Elian, having firmly secured his bicycle, turned his attention to the detergent the man had taken out of the box.
“You must be washing a car.”
“Oh, this? Right. It just came out so I bought it. They say it maintains shine for a long time while minimizing damage. They say it’s enough to just wipe it with a soft cloth without using a sponge. Ah, but you’re probably not interested in this kind of talk…”
The man who had been explaining excitedly rubbed his flushed cheeks with his palm and averted his eyes.
Elian wasn’t obtuse enough not to recognize that he was being shy. However, it wasn’t welcome since it was affection he couldn’t reciprocate. This man’s affection was probably just light curiosity that started from appearance anyway. Such feelings were fleeting.
“If it’s okay, could I watch you wash the car?”
“Yes, of course… Huh??”
The man who had just answered reflexively raised his head and asked back after realizing the meaning of what Elian had said. His reaction was as if he’d heard an incredibly amazing proposal.
“If it’s not a bother…”
The man actively waved both hands.
“Not at all! How could it be! It’s not a bother!”
Elian approached the man more closely and offered a handshake.
“I’m Elian. Elian Bellotti.”
“I’m Noah Carter.”
The man only extended his hand after rubbing his palm several times on his work clothes waist. The touch that came to meet his was excessively polite and cautious.
Noah, holding a basket, towel, brush, and such in his hands, led the way, and Elian followed behind. It was his first time coming down to the underground parking lot. Elian calmly looked around.
The space that continued from the entrance where cars came and went spread out in a long rectangular shape, and cold white LED lights covered the entire ceiling. Not a single shadow fell on the floor. Thanks to this, despite being underground, there was no gloomy or stuffy atmosphere at all.
Under the dazzlingly white lights, amazing cars were lined up. The roughly twenty vehicles were rare models that any car enthusiast would be thrilled about.
“It’s like the Batcave, right?”
“…Pardon?”
“The ‘Dark Knight’ movie. Ah, you’re probably not interested in that kind of thing.”
Noah, who had asked with eyes shining like a child, scratched his head awkwardly.
“There are so many Batman series… I’ve watched one or two.”
“In ‘Batman Begins,’ Wayne Manor, you know, the mansion where Batman lived with his parents, gets severely damaged. So in the next series, ‘The Dark Knight,’ the mansion is being rebuilt. The Batcave is also temporarily set up.”
Listening to his excited explanation, the image of the all-white lights filling the ceiling seemed to come to mind.
“Ah… yes. I remember.”
“This place is just like that Batcave, isn’t it!”
Something like pride could be felt in Noah’s voice. Pride in the work he was responsible for, in the subjects he cared for, came through.
Batman’s secret base.
Now that he heard it, it was plausible.
That place was not simply where cars were parked, but a location with a cinematic touch, imbued with the owner’s intention to make the collection items stand out.
He imagined Lorenz Lockhart choosing one of the cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, driving under the white lights and exiting the underground parking lot. To Noah, that image seemed to appear like Batman, like a lonely hero of the city.
Elian nodded roughly.
“It’s certainly amazing. It’s an incredible collection.”
“The Master’s… I mean, Lord Damon’s cars are still remaining as they are.”
“Mr. Lockhart’s cars aren’t here?”
“Which Mr. Lockhart?”
At Noah’s question, Elian paused briefly.
He had asked that way without realizing it because he called Lorenz Lockhart “Mr. Lockhart,” but naturally, Lorenz wasn’t the only Lockhart.
“Ah, Mr. Lorenz Lockhart.”
“Lord Lorenz’s cars here are about four.”
Noah, who had stopped walking, pointed to two cars in turn.
“The car he drove out today, that Bentley over there, this Aston Martin in front… and this one.”
Noah tapped the hood of the car parked behind. Like patting the back of a dog that had completed difficult training.
In an instant, Elian could hear his heart pounding madly.
A Rolls-Royce Wraith in a color close to burgundy, like wine mixed with blood.
The wheel cap at the center of the car’s wheels was decorated with the family crest.
The Lockhart family crest consisting of a shield, crescent moon, and griffin¹⁾. Symbolizing authority, wisdom, fate, and protection…
It was a car and crest he could never forget.
It was right before his eyes.
Sweat seeped into his palms with the realization that he had finally entered inside the Lockhart family. Along with his heartbeat, even his breathing was becoming rough.
Footnote:
- Griffin: A mythical creature with the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle, and the body and hind legs of a lion. It symbolizes strength, courage, protection, leadership, and glory.
