She decided to go see Crystal Tear herself instead of beelining to the food stocks. She was eating with her husband a few tables away from their son.

Before she could reach them, she caught Beeno’s unhappy face, and turned around.

“I’m sorry, milady. I thought perhaps you could sit with us a little longer?” he tried shyly, and it made her smile. “I could even help you with your questions.”

“Of course. Tell me anything that comes to mind.”

“I don’t think Crystal Tear really lied. Um, she’s my mother. I think she’s been dismissed as head cook? Maybe not. I’m not sure. I heard her talk about it. Um, but it doesn’t matter. The point is that, um, well…”

Beeno sighed to try to cool down. Now he had forgotten what he had meant to say.

“I have no reason to believe this is the case, but here’s a theory: perhaps some people are using planes to go sell the food to other people in town. Perhaps they’re dumping the food crates in the forest.”

“Or perhaps they dump them before getting them to the castle,” Kuba reflected. “I think your mother and the other cooks are the only ones who have seen the reserves lately. Is that the case?”

“Well, I go there sometimes to eat cherries,” Beeno shrugged.

“What does it look like? Is it well-garnished?” Kuba insisted.

“I don’t know. It’s full of food. There’s also the gooey part behind the stocks. It’s made of smooth rock, and there are disgusting liquid things on the floor coming out of a tunnel, but it’s fun to play around in. It’s like a little cave. There’s even a hole to see the light from, so it’s not very dangerous. You don’t think our food has been taken by stray rats or something, do you?” Beeno fretted.

“That would be disappointing,” Kuba laughed.

“Maybe not. I mean, the tunnel is rather hidden, and it’s a big one.”

“Big?” Kuba frowned.

From what she knew, this tunnel was big enough for cats and dogs to pass through. There was also a lighthouse in it or something.

“Do you ever see animals there?” she asked.

Beeno shrugged. Perhaps they lived in the lighthouse. Kuba sighed. She was getting frustrated with her research. This wasn’t what she thought she would be doing here. She rubbed her eyes unhappily. Perhaps this was even where the kidnappers would come from later.

“Thank you,” she sighed. “Please refrain from going in that tunnel. It doesn’t seem very safe. Tell your friends.”

She finally stood up and went to get something to eat. The smiling doctor at the counter gave her a tray that she accepted happily. She then walked less happily to a free table.

"The Yellow Eyes wanted food, water, and better school conditions. This means that Crystal Tear isn't one of them. How could I assume that they were the 'bad guys'? It's quite rude. I suppose giving each other a group name hasn't helped with that.

I haven't talked to anyone about school. I know Beeno has had problems with a specific teacher. Perhaps I should find that teacher, or talk to Beeno himself."

She looked around. Book Violet was finally realizing that Peebo was too small to eat sausage, and was hurriedly removing her plate. Peebo shoved her face in it, and her mother started to laugh.

"Peebo Peebo Peebo," Boolo sang. "Onion Treeeeee. I want to be an onion tree, but a real one, not dad."

He looked up at his mother as she wiped his little face clean.

"Can I be a real one?" he asked.

"Maybe one day," Book Violet smiled.

"But I want sausages," he added, and he started to eat with his hands again.

Peebo mimicked him, but she didn't grab anything, and put imaginary food in her mouth.

"Good job. You're eating all the sausages," Book Violet praised.

"Do you want more sausages? Here," Boolo grinned, and he pretended to put sausages in his sister's chubby hands. "Here, eat them like noodles. Like this!"

He started to slurp.

"Be careful, honey," Book Violet laughed.

Kuba looked at them, and wrote the obvious down.

"I don't think Book Violet would give her children less to eat for no reason. She seems like she loves them very much. She must think it's necessary. Whoever made those rumours must have been very scary and convincing. But are they even rumours? Beeno seems to think there could be invaders stealing the food, or bugs, or something.

Does Crystal Tear know something? Perhaps she heard something about food problems in town, or a wave of cold hit the resources. Maybe she's trying to watch everyone's backs. She doesn't look malicious to me.

I don't think the king pressed her for details. Maybe she was too scared for the conversation to continue, or maybe everyone here has a communication problem. No, that would be rude of me to say.

The Yellow Eyes seem to be people who think like me that the food problem is very bizarre -- maybe I misjudged them. I suppose it's easy to jump to conclusions, given that they staged a battle. Was it prepared? I assume it was, since they gave each other jackets. Oh, I'm no detective. Why am I in charge of this investigation?"

She sighed and put her papers away. She finished her food, then finally left the cafeteria. It felt like she had been stuck there for days -- both physically and mentally. She needed a distraction.