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The White Queen Reigns – Part 03

“What’s going on here? Why is it rowdy so early in the morning?”

From the right side of the towering grand entrance gate of the academy, a peculiar golden contraption with a rotating tip emerged. It moved slowly from right to left, revealing the profile of a young man. He had deep green eyes, green as the surface of a serene lake, while his elegant and flawlessly beautiful features gave the impression of a sculpted masterpiece.

He was a remarkably handsome individual, possessing a breathtaking beauty that left onlookers in awe. Enhancing this allure were his glossy white coat with a tailcoat design and sparkling silver buttons. His trendy riding boots, crafted from white leather, added to the radiance, making him resemble a prince of snow.

Unfortunately, his hairstyle…

His dazzling golden hair was oddly pointed, resembling a cannon, spiraling forward. It shimmered brilliantly under the winter morning sun as snowflakes settled upon his drill-shaped head. In one arm, he cradled a porcelain doll clothed in frills.

A male student wearing a prop of a black horse’s head and a female student with blonde pigtails, wrapped in white cloth resembling a priest’s robe, strolled past, holding hands. Both of them shared similar, almond-shaped eyes.

“It’s a rook!” remarked the male student, pointing at the peculiar Snow Prince, who was none other than Grevil de Blois, a police inspector serving at the village police station despite his noble status.

“Shh! Don’t point at him. Just ignore. Ignore.”

“But sis…”

“Don’t let his looks deceive you. He’s a renowned police inspector. If you do something wrong, he’ll arrest you.”

“Oh, I see. Today is human chess day.” Inspector Blois nodded as he watched the siblings go, his drill swaying with a lively, yet melancholic, flexibility. “To be so carefree at this particular time… Well, I suppose there are no particularly peculiar incidents, so I need not drop by today. My cursed sister Victorique, the last and most powerful weapon of the Old World, daughter to my father and a legendary Gray Wolf. She probably won’t venture out on a day like this and will likely be holed up on the top floor of the library tower or something. A-Ah…!”

Suddenly, Inspector Blois jumped and let out a peculiar cry.

Then, his legs propelled him to a trot, as if being pulled by an invisible force. His upper body remained in a fleeing posture as he hastened along the snow-covered path.

Silently, he approached the grand carriage parked in the middle of the path. It exuded an air of luxury, its sturdy black frame adorned with fashionable car-like embellishments. The crest of the de Signore family that plagued his dreams, a jet-black widow spider, glistened resplendently like a car emblem.

“Wh-What is this? Is Commissioner Signore here? No, it can’t be. Then it has to be Ja… No, no, no, Ja… No, let’s head back. Ja, Ja, Ja!”

“Indeed, I have brought Miss Jacqueline, Master Grevil!”

Suddenly, a hoarse voice emanated from what he thought was an empty coachman’s seat, causing him to shriek and jump in surprise.

It was the coachman from his childhood friend Jacqueline’s household, who apparently accompanied her even after she was married. He was looking at him, chuckling.

Inspector Blois swiftly regained his composure, clearing his throat as he attempted to maintain his dignity.

“It has been quite some time, my friend,” he said. “You seem to have aged considerably.”

“Young master, that hairstyle really needs to go,” the old man replied.

“I-I don’t like it either! Explaining it would take an eternity, so I won’t bother.”

“Oh, really? Well, if you’re looking for the Madam, she’s in the chairman’s office. There seems to be a tournament among the students today, and she came to observe in the Master’s place since he’s busy.”

“I-Is that so? I see, she must be serving as a judge for the human chess tournament. Well, I had some business with the chairman anyway, and if there’s any incident, this renowned inspector will have to resolve it. S-So I suppose I may as well drop by.”

With composed steps and a leisurely gait, he took a stride forward. Only to stumble immediately.

The drill snapped in the middle and crumbled with a crunching sound. The elderly coachman swiftly alighted from the coachman’s seat, displaying agility belying his advanced age, and rushed over to help the inspector up.

“Are you all right, young Master? I can’t believe a grown man would fall face-first to the ground.”

With teary eyes, Inspector Blois slowly lifted himself up and quickly repaired the broken drill with both hands. “I’m fine. All good.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m used to it. I’ve grown accustomed to this feeling. It’s just… I suppose this is nothing new, but…”

Sitting on the ground, Inspector Blois narrowed his eyes, wearing a faraway look.

Snow had blanketed the benches, the fountain, the gazebos, transforming the landscape into a pristine expanse of pure white under the radiant morning sun.

The air was bone-chilling cold, yet the light itself shone with a breathtaking brilliance, an enigmatic glow that constantly illuminated his heart steeped in both icy despair and fervent emotions.

Propping up his drill, Inspector Blois let his shoulders drop forlornly. “Jacqueline is always such an elusive woman, but every once in a while, we bump into each other when I least expect it. It makes it difficult to forget…”

“I understand now. So that’s the reason behind your hairstyle.”

“No! This hairstyle has nothing to do with Jacqueline! What’s wrong with you? How rude! No, actually…”

Inspector Blois staggered to his feet and brushed off the snow delicately from his elegant white coat, narrowing his eyes even further.

“I forgot. I initially adopted this hairstyle for Jacqueline. A worthless story, though.”

“Hey, now you’ve piqued my curiosity, young Master. What happened?”

“Oh, it’s nothing… Just something that Jacqueline must never find out about.”

Uttering the last part in a barely audible murmur, Inspector Blois stumbled forward. Like a puppet pulled by invisible strings, he walked awkwardly toward the school building.

The rays of the morning sun fell onto the French-style garden, lightly dusted with snow as white as fresh cream.

The winter breeze rustled through the trees, sending clumps of snow plopping to the ground.

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Inspector Blois entered through the front of the large, U-shaped building. As soon as he strode down the chilly corridor, his riding boots clacking loudly, a throng of students adorned in knight, bishop, king, and soldier costumes instantly surrounded him.

Inspector Blois blinked in bewilderment. “Wh-What is all this? Stop running around so early in the morning! You better not come crying to me if you get into trouble!”

“It’s the Queen! The Queen!”

“The Queen of the white team is a grownup!”

“But who is she?”

“I’m not sure. But she’s incredibly strong. She defeated nearly thirty people single-handedly. She must be some noblewoman from somewhere. Look, she’s here!”

“The Queen is here! Make way!”

“It’s the Queen! Our Queen!”

Seeing the students excitedly pointing, Inspector Blois couldn’t help but turn his head, along with the drill, to the direction of their gazes, down the hallway.

Around the corner, the Queen in white glided gracefully.

Standing about half a head taller than the teenage students, she wore a makeshift white long dress, possibly fashioned from curtains or a similar fabric, and a crown hastily crafted from cardboard and painted haphazardly. In her right hand, she brandished a false holly branch, wielding it fiercely with a stern expression.

Jacqueline de Signore, the wife of the Police Commissioner of Sauvile. Inspector Blois gaped at the approaching Queen.

Her brown eyes glinted with the mischievousness of a child. Her curly brown hair, styled by the female students, cascaded freely. The cardboard crown surprisingly suited her well. More than the expensive dresses she hated wearing as a child, rolling around in gardens and corridors, more than the luxurious uniforms crafted from high-quality materials at the prestigious girls’ school where her father had placed her after her private tutor quit, unable to handle her playful nature and inquisitive mind, even more than the dignified aura she carried as Mrs. Signore. It was a splendid attire that accentuated Jacqueline’s true essence more than any other clothing.

She was different from the other girls, in some intangible way.

Always had been.