“They say even the nation can’t save stupidity—my son has caused trouble again.”
“Ah, oh my! You really were Cain’s mother! Ahaha. You were so beautiful back then that I really thought you were his older sister and was rude…!”
“You have good eyes. And you speak prettily too.”
“However pretty my words may be, how could they be prettier than you, madam? Ahaha!”
“Oh my.”
In some strange reception room I didn’t even know the location of, I was breaking out in cold sweat while drinking tea with Sylvia. Next to me, Cesare and Cain were still bound and kneeling in a strange scene.
“This isn’t the time to be flattering, Lionel.”
“Let us go right now! I’m going to report this to the Imperial Family! What Countess! When you’ve been doing such filthy deeds behind the scenes!”
Click. When the blade of a dagger that kept appearing from who knows where pointed at me again, they quieted down.
“Kids who don’t even succumb to sleeping incense—you must train regularly? How tiresome. This is why I hate boys around this age the most.”
So we’d been hit by sleeping incense. Probably because I collapsed and was taken hostage, Cesare couldn’t use magic either and was reluctantly being held captive.
“Anyway, I was surprised when word suddenly came. That you were asking about me and even knew about that incident.”
Having already put away her dagger, she adjusted her silk gloves while glancing at me. I quickly bowed my head in gratitude.
“F-first, thank you for saving us…! Countess Astol.”
“Even knowing I’m from the Dark Guild, you’re treating me as a noble? I quite like that, should I make you my attendant…”
“Don’t try anything with Rye either!”
Worried the dagger might pop out again at Cain’s fuming, I put my index finger to my lips telling him to please be quiet. Now, when the other party was most relaxed, might be the best opportunity to extract information.
“To introduce myself properly, I’m Lionel Mellans. I apologize for unintentionally entering with a false identity and causing Countess Astol worry.”
“Hmm.”
“Are you truly the daughter of the Dark Guild’s leader, madam?”
“The leader of the Dark Guild has no family.”
She answered with a blooming smile. It was exactly the same as what that man had said. Then Cesare glared at her and said.
“That’s a lie, Lionel. Before, that woman’s subordinate spilled everything to me. The hidden daughter is definitely that woman.”
“It doesn’t seem like information obtained through humane methods. I guess Yanox knows how to use confession magic?”
Sylvia set down her teacup irritably.
‘He must have found out using Brainwashing Magic. Sheesh. That bastard is truly hopeless except for his face.’
In the current atmosphere, it seemed difficult to reconcile peacefully and escape. As Cain started glaring and snorting again, I quickly took the initiative to mediate the situation.
“To operate such a large and dangerous guild for a long time, you can’t have weaknesses, right? So you wouldn’t have family.”
Then Sylvia released her displeased expression and burst into laughter. She even pushed a piece of cake toward me and said with a smile.
“That’s right. Heir of Mellans. If you have weaknesses, you can’t be at the top. I trust you understand.”
“…Does Count Astol know your true identity, madam?”
“Heir. He is the only person who made me, who had hidden only in darkness all my life, exist under the light. A man who confirmed only my burning heart without probing into my past.”
“You mean he doesn’t know….”
“The name Sylvia was also given to me by him. I’m very fond of that name.”
I didn’t think the face of a girl dreaming was fabricated. Taking this opportunity, I subtly brought up the matter of Cain.
“I heard from Cain that you don’t think well of him. Countess Astol, you mustn’t forget that Cain is undeniably the eldest son and legitimate heir of Astol.”
Love is good and all. But I spoke to her politely, meaning she should keep appropriate boundaries.
“If what my husband cherishes most is Astol, then I want to protect that too. But if one stupid son tries to interfere with that, I can’t just sit still either.”
“You vicious witch! Who interfered!”
“Baby. 27 times. I’ve received 27 warning letters from the Imperial Academy in nearly 5 years—if that’s not tarnishing Astol’s face, what is it?”
“That’s…!”
You received warning letters 27 times?! I only got 2! I couldn’t shield him even if I wanted to. In fact, if Sylvia knew that Cain was secretly gathering troops in Trüf, how much would she faint?
“About a year ago, I also saw you secretly stealing Astol’s seal. I couldn’t bring it up worried he’d be angry at you, but as a mother, shouldn’t I establish discipline?”
“The age gap itself doesn’t make sense! That’s not real love! It’s filthy!”
– Thud.
Finally, Sylvia rose from her chair and approached Cain. She gripped the kneeling Cain’s shoulder hard and asked sharply.
“What’s filthy about it?”
“Countess Astol!”
“Cain Astol. Right now you might mistake everything as love when you get a hard-on, but there are many forms of love.”
‘H-hard-on….’
At the racy word choice, all three of our cheeks flushed slightly.
“He gave me a life under the sunlight, and I filled his sense of loss. It’s a love like salvation to each other. I may not be able to fill all the gaps of deep years in your family, but I’m proud that I tried. But have you ever given me even a little space?”
“……!”
“Even today, when I heard there was a pink-haired man with a greatsword among the customers looking for me, I dropped everything and came running. If it weren’t for me, you would have disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye. The only one thanking me for sparing your lives even though your cover was blown is that child.”
Cain. I don’t think you can win against that woman. I shook my head at him, having an intuition of Cain’s defeat in this war of words.
Sylvia released her hand, then with a small sigh gently arranged Cain’s disheveled hair and spoke softly.
“If I dare pray to the Lord, Cain Astol. I pray that you too will have a burning love that’s not recognized, like me. Then you’ll be able to understand a little how I feel.”
“…T-there’s no way that would h-h-happen to me!”
Cain, who had been dazed, suddenly flared up and stuttered.
Ooh. Perfect from introduction to development to twist to conclusion, even finishing with provocation. Perhaps the frog in the well was actually me? I had made a name for myself as a hellish motormouth at the Academy, but it was a moment that humbled me as there were too many geniuses in the world who could elegantly destroy others with their own charm without cursing—each with their verbal talents.
Lampel, Professor Peter, and now Sylvia.
When I looked at her with sparkling eyes, Sylvia cracked her neck left and right, then sat in her chair as if nothing happened and cut into her cake.
“I propose a deal to you all. If you promise not to expose my identity to anyone including my husband, I’ll tell you everything I know about who commissioned the Crown Prince assassination attempt and what happened that day.”
“……!”
At her words, Cesare and I simultaneously looked at Cain. He was already preparing to bulge the veins in his neck. Soon Cain’s ear-splitting resentment was heard.
“A deeeeal? Cut the bullshit!”
Thanks to Sylvia, who left the room saying she’d give us time to talk, only the three of us remained. Cain shouted almost sobbing, filled with indignation.
“The perfect chance to kick that woman out has come! Why are you backing down? If we go out right now and expose this place, that woman will get caught too!”
“Cain. Because of that incident, innocent professors and mages are being misunderstood.”
After the news of Professor Mahoff’s arrest appeared in the Fiman Times, bad rumors about mages were spreading like mushrooms after rain. That they were wicked people harming the Empire.
Even in the capital, a mage who had been quietly researching was evicted from their lodgings for no reason, and at a tavern, there was an incident where knights yelled at someone who looked like a mage to bow their head. Even though it wasn’t confirmed that person was actually a mage.
Academy students were also quietly buzzing about the fact that a professor was the culprit. Everyone tacitly avoided mentioning magic, and even the kids who had occasionally played by making small magic sparks in the Academy hallways had disappeared.
“Frankly speaking, what’s the use of finding out who planned the assassination! They rejected the commission anyway! If we don’t even know who did it, we’re back to square one! In the first place, mages and my business have fuck-all to do with each other! Ugh, Cesare, that was, that was our promise!”
“Cain, what’s wrong! Let’s calm down and talk for a moment!”
The highly agitated Cain was somehow strange. Like someone who didn’t want to face reality, he shook his head with vacant eyes and trembled. I was about to quickly approach Cain when I heard Cesare’s sharp voice.
“Back off, Lionel. Cain is just a little confused. I can solve everything.”
When I turned my head, I saw Cesare, who had already undone his bindings, rising from the floor and gathering mana. At the thought that flashed through my mind, my blood ran cold.
‘Could it be that he also… brainwashed Cain?’
Only then did the suspicious points become clear. Why he gathered troops just for the reason of kicking out Sylvia. Why he was excessively angry about Sylvia beyond necessity. It wasn’t because Cain was stupid. No, was he stupid? Because he trusted Cesare.
“It’ll only take a moment. Step aside for a second.”
At the blood-red gaze looking at me like a viper whose venom had reached its peak, my whole body shivered eerily. I instinctively pulled Cain into an embrace and glared at Cesare.
“No.”
My nose started stinging. Seeing Cain, who kept muttering something as if anxious, burrow into my arms, tears welled up without me knowing.
“…Don’t. I don’t know what you’re trying to do, but don’t come closer. Cain is anxious. Please.”
Whether pushed back by Cesare’s intimidating presence, my voice also flowed out thinly trembling.
