Chapter 275

"To all the faculty, students, and parents of Bridge Public School, as the fifty-third Prime Minister of the Kingdom, I am deeply honored to have been invited by my alma mater to stand here and share some thoughts on education."

A middle-aged man, of similar build to Class One's homeroom teacher and with a noticeable paunch, stood on the central stage of the grand auditorium, bowing to the teachers and parents below.

"As a native of Bridge who spent his entire youth at Bridge Public School and completed his studies at Bridge University, though I may offend my former teachers, I must admit that Bridge Public School is not the most elite school in the capital."

"But the significance of education for a person lies not merely in acquiring knowledge within school walls; often, what truly accompanies one throughout life are things beyond knowledge—such as..."

As he spoke, the Prime Minister smiled toward the audience, about to mention his wife, whom he had met at Bridge, to inject some humor—when he saw his wife sitting beside their daughter Charlotte, chatting warmly with a handsome young man with black hair. His expression darkened instantly; he skipped this lighthearted interlude and continued:

"Such as understanding and awareness of our society."

"The Royal Inner School and Central Public School may offer slightly superior instruction, but education is not merely for individual success—it must also serve societal progress and the common welfare. In cultivating these qualities in students, Bridge Public School, rooted in the old district, is undoubtedly the most outstanding..."

"What an excellent speech."

Sensing a slightly malicious gaze, Leon instinctively glanced at the middle-aged man on stage, then turned back and complimented the Prime Minister's wife:

"You are usually immersed in state affairs, yet you possess such profound insight into education—no wonder you are the Prime Minister."

"Your Grace flatters me."

The Prime Minister's wife, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, with faint crow's feet yet still radiating charm, smiled:

"Stephen is naturally exceptional in governance, but he is stretched too thin—he rarely involves himself in the children's affairs, so he speaks only in broad strokes, for he is not skilled in details."

"That is more than enough."

Holding Melanie, Leon shook his head:

"As the saying goes, 'The Prime Minister is the rudder, the King is the anchor.' The Prime Minister need only steer the right course for the Kingdom's ship; the rest—hoisting sails, measuring ballast—is left to those better suited. He need only hold the helm steady... By the way."

After the polite exchange, Leon raised a hand to his gleaming cufflink, pressing his fingertip against the reflection of the ram's horn within it, and asked casually:

"Madam Martha, you mentioned earlier that you had some questions regarding my 'work'?"

"Yes."

The Prime Minister's wife hesitated, then glanced at Melanie in Leon's arms.

Noticing her gaze, Leon smiled, then, amid Melanie's terrified expression, handed her to Anna beside him.

"Wait! Wait a minute! Big brother! I haven't—"

"Melanie!"

In one swift motion, Anna seized Melanie's ear, then lifted her by the collar, her small legs kicking uselessly; after enduring this long, Anna gritted her teeth:

"Big brother has work to do—don't disturb him!"

"I... uh!"

Sorry, big brother wants to spare you from punishment, but matters involving 'anomalies' are too dangerous—you simply shouldn't hear them.

Giving Melanie a look of helpless sympathy, Leon leaned slightly toward the Prime Minister's wife and whispered:

"Madam Martha, you may speak now."

"Very well. I have two matters to ask. The first is... I'd like to inquire about someone in your bureau..."

After biting her lower lip in embarrassment, the Prime Minister's wife leaned close to Leon's ear, blushing:

"Your Grace, do you know a man named Piony?"

Piony?

Hearing the name, Leon paused briefly, then recalled it—he had seen it on the office door opposite Senior Jerry's.

But Senior Piony seemed to be on a long, complicated mission; Leon had never seen him in the bureau, and his office remained empty, the doorknob coated in dust.

"I know him, sort of. Senior Piony is a Level Two Crisis Handler in the bureau; his office is near mine..."

After giving a vague answer, seeing the Prime Minister's wife's evident discomfort, Leon blinked in surprise and whispered:

"Madam Martha, may I ask... what is your relationship with Senior Piony?"

"We... are friends, I suppose..."

The Prime Minister's wife turned even redder, stammering:

"The kind... uh... very, very close friends. Closer than ordinary friends. We talk about everything."

"..."

Got it. The kind of friend you can't let the Prime Minister know about.

Seeing the flicker of understanding in Leon's eyes, the Prime Minister's wife could no longer bear the topic. She rummaged in her handbag and pulled out a letter, clearly written long ago.

"Your Grace, if it's not too much trouble, could you deliver this letter to Piony? And... and please deliver a message for me."

With Leon's expression bordering on disbelief, the dignified Prime Minister's wife turned her head away, blushing faintly as she whispered:

"Tell him... tell him I wait for him every Monday at noon, at our usual place..."

"Alright..."

Leon, unwilling to play matchmaker, took the letter with stiff formality and tucked it away:

"And the second matter?"

"The second matter..."

The Prime Minister's wife hesitated slightly, then whispered:

"Could I ask—is there any object in this world that can make someone impersonate another's relative, without the person ever suspecting a thing?!"

Hearing her words, Leon's pupils shrank sharply—he immediately recalled the photograph stored in the Mirror World.

Such an anomaly certainly exists. And the highest-known grade of such an anomaly is the object 【If】—created by the Aquarius Director using the flesh of the God of Enlightenment as seed, and Anna's longing for family as the catalyst. And it now rests in his hands.

"Madam Martha, why do you ask this?"

On full alert, Leon rubbed his specially polished metal cufflink—its mirror surface ready to alert the young Hound—while maintaining a calm expression:

"Do you suspect... a relative has been 'replaced'?"

"More like... a relative appeared out of nowhere..."

The Prime Minister's wife reached into her chest and withdrew a silver falcon pendant, then explained softly:

"This was given to me by Piony. He said it can nullify once the effects of your 'work' upon me. Recently, when my niece visited, it activated unexpectedly."

Leon narrowed his eyes.

"So you suspect your niece is not your real niece—that some special 'object' has altered your memory, and even your family's?"

"Yes."

The Prime Minister's wife nodded, then added with concern:

"I've tested them with words. My husband Stephen, and even the children—all remember this person named Nicole. They recall her annual visits. Only I have no memory of her at all..."

"Wait!"

At this, Leon's brow twitched slightly.

"You just said... what was your niece's name?"

"Nicole. She says her name is Nicole."