Teaching & Learning Methods [BL]

Untitled Part 30 volume 2

I opened my eyes.

I don't know how I got into bed. I must have managed to change my clothes and sleep.

I kicked the bundle of clothes tangled with the blanket down and stood up. As I was getting down under the bed, I stepped on something and fell on my butt. It was a pencil.

I was thinking about why a pencil was rolling around on the floor when I noticed a crumpled piece of paper next to my pillow. It was written in gibberish. It looked like a worm had crawled on it, but I could more or less make it out.

― Albert Letier hated Marie.

― Marie doesn't want her son to know about this relationship.

― Marie = Marie Lankard = Mrs. Pale = blonde visitor / Lionel Pale = (self-proclaimed) Samuel Just

― Marie arranged a lecture at her salon for Albert Letier.

― Lecture = money in addition to salary.

― Marie said she would pay.

― Sneaking in and out of the house at night.

― It wasn't rape.

I put on my shirt and pants and stuffed the paper into my pocket.

As I was going down the stairs, Tan peeked out from the study on the second floor for a moment. He still seemed to be searching the first study. Albert Letier's studies were unassuming in appearance but had a vast collection of books. It was unusual for him to be searching every nook and cranny of the books' insides.

My stomach growled. I opened the kitchen cupboard and looked for something to eat. Thanks to shopping yesterday, there was plenty of food.

I put bread, butter, cheese, jam, milk, and some fruit on the table and sat down. The bread was cold and stale, but it was edible.

Still, I wanted something warm and thick for lunch. I wonder if Tan knows how to make cream stew.

After eating a hearty meal, I cleaned up the dishes. I was about to head up to the third floor when I changed my mind and stepped outside.

The air was damp and humid, as if it was about to rain. The sky was overcast and gray. I took a deep breath and walked to the front door.

Arundel Street was just as I had first seen it. It was quiet. A wide road suitable for carriages ran between the closely packed rows of small houses. It was a good place to get off a stagecoach.

Some people living nearby might have their own carriages, but I didn't think I would attract attention if I took a stagecoach. It was a structure where it was difficult to guess who was coming and going from which house unless they were constantly under surveillance. Mrs. Pale's movements last night wouldn't have looked suspicious either.

A young woman walking down the street glanced at me. She seemed to be imagining all sorts of things, looking at a man who was roughly dressed in a shirt and pants, with a crow's nest of hair, staring at the house across the street. I gave her a light nod and went inside.

"Professor, have you eaten?"

Tan poked his head out of the kitchen.

"Yeah."

"Okay. Should I just prepare my own lunch?"

"Why?"

"Didn't you just say you ate?"

"I had breakfast."

"If you're hungry enough to eat lunch right after breakfast, I'll prepare enough for two. What do you say?"