Surviving the Saintess (3) 21
First, I took Veronica up to the second floor.
A cramped living space.
One bed.
One desk.
The moment we got upstairs, Veronica balled her fists and let out a frustrated huff.
"Shouldn't we just keep a vulgar woman like that from ever coming here? Right? Yeah? I don't even want to lay eyes on a disgrace to the nobility like her!"
If calling a perfect specimen like Chloe a disgrace to the nobility meant most nobles couldn't even qualify as human…
Including you.
……Of course, I couldn't say that out loud, so I just nodded along appropriately.
"Veronica, try to understand. She's an important client."
"How am I supposed to understand that? Didn't you hear? She just badmouthed our entire family…."
"Sis, please."
"……."
Ever since that day, she'd grown especially weak to the framework of family.
It worked like a charm.
Her flailing hands, which had been thrashing just moments ago, were now covering a smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Heehee, 'sis,' huh."
A goofy grin peeked through her fingers.
Just one word—"sis"—and her complaints vanished in an instant.
……It was so simple it was almost disconcerting.
Her mood seemed lifted, but there was one thing she apparently had to say, judging by her suddenly serious expression.
"Still, don't keep her too close. That woman's shady."
It rang true enough that I nodded vaguely.
Her eyes sometimes went pitch black, and honestly, even I got a little scared.
I left Veronica on the second floor and headed back down to the first.
This time, I called Chloe off to a corner.
"Miss Chloe. Over here for a sec."
"Teacher, has that tall woman got some kind of dirt on you? If so, you must tell me."
"I can't just turn away a client who's come to me."
"The Sinclair family really has no class. It suits them, hanging out with barbarians from the borderlands."
Did the Sinclair family really lack class?
Maybe I was contributing to that quite a bit myself.
"Miss Chloe."
"Yes."
"You're the truly precious one, so don't worry."
"……."
Her cheeks flushed.
"Hmph."
I thought that had settled it, but no.
Chloe's face stayed red as she puffed out her cheeks.
"But you know… isn't the second floor your room?"
"It is."
"…You're leaving that shameless woman alone in your room? I haven't even been in there yet?"
What was I supposed to say?
It wasn't like I could explain it was because she's my sister.
More importantly, why was she talking like she needed to go in there?
I decided to bluff my way through.
"Because you're down here on the first floor."
"Pardon?"
"I can't leave you alone on the first floor, can I?"
"…Well, that's fortunate, then."
Even as she said it, Chloe glanced longingly toward the stairs.
I had a feeling she might launch a surprise attack someday.
Maybe sooner rather than later.
……But why is it so quiet?
Truth be told, I'd felt a subtle unease coming back down to the first floor.
Chloe might sulk alone, but I didn't think she'd do anything weird left by herself down here.
Veronica, on the other hand…
Isaac, how long are you gonna leave me up here by myself!
…She was the type to yell something like that.
So her silence was somehow more unnerving.
"Mind if I check upstairs quick?"
"…Why? I'm right here."
"I think it's about time to tell her to come down."
"Shall I come with you?"
Her eyes sparkled with what felt like a challenge if I refused.
In the end, I went back up with Chloe.
Creeeak—
The old door swung open, revealing…
"Hnnng…."
Red hair like the Sinclair family emblem.
A noble ebony dress.
And Veronica, sprawled across the bed amid it all, rolling around.
"……."
"……."
Chloe and I were both speechless.
Veronica hadn't even noticed the sound, clutching my pillow tight and sniffing it deeply.
As if savoring it.
What the hell?
"Hnnng…. Iza—."
"……."
"……."
Veronica, nose buried in the bed, finally noticed us.
A suffocating silence fell.
Chloe looked at her with pitying eyes, while Veronica buried her flushed face.
We turned and left without a word.
We came back down to the first floor and took our seats.
Well, just me, actually.
Chloe calmly sorted the tea leaves with a straight face, and Veronica didn't come down for a good while.
Then she wandered around like nothing had happened.
But her facade only went so far.
Her earlobes were still beet red.
Like a criminal caught red-handed.
It was… kinda pathetic.
"……."
"……."
When Chloe's gaze landed on her, Veronica hunched her shoulders and averted her eyes.
A brief silence.
Chloe broke it.
"Tea?"
She offered Veronica a cup with a gentle smile.
Steam rose warmly.
"……No thanks."
Veronica rejected the consoling gesture.
Her words were curt, but her darting eyes showed she was still mortified.
Well, who'd not be embarrassed getting caught like that?
"What a shame."
Chloe smiled sweetly.
As she set her cup down, she added,
"I read in a book that seeing someone pathetic warms the heart. It really does."
"What?!"
Veronica's eyebrows shot up.
Lightning-fast from her moping just seconds ago.
This was heading for trouble again, so I jumped in.
"Miss Chloe."
"Yes, Teacher."
"Pretend you didn't see."
"Of course."
Even as she said it, her eyes crinkled with mischief.
But this was my limit.
Telling her not to tease… that was humanly impossible.
Veronica cleared her throat, avoiding even my gaze.
"A-anyway. I didn't want to come empty-handed."
She clapped lightly, and the counseling office door opened.
I didn't know how he'd heard, but a servant entered politely, carrying something.
Neatly wrapped in cloth.
Size-wise, maybe clothes?
"What'd you bring?"
"Was gonna give it later, but perfect timing."
She set the package on the table.
Without missing a beat, Chloe pulled a small box from her bosom.
Sealed with Levantia family wax.
It joined Veronica's package side by side on the table.
"I have something for you too, Teacher."
A radiant smile.
Two gifts lined up on the table.
A bundle of ebony fabric.
A neat little box beside it.
Their eyes met over each other's gifts, then flicked away.
Like a competition.
I went to open Veronica's first, but Chloe shot me a sharp glare.
So I opened hers instead.
Inside was a lapis lazuli bracelet.
Chloe, mentioning some saintess's blessing, said calmly,
"Lapis lazuli calms the mind and clears the spirit. I thought it would suit you, Teacher."
Veronica scoffed.
"Big deal, a bracelet."
She tapped her own gift.
Chloe shot back without yielding.
"Does the Sinclair family not even know gift-giving etiquette?"
Before they could clash again, I tore open Veronica's package.
Out came a black suit of fine fabric.
Embroidered with the Sinclair crest in red.
Veronica shrugged proudly.
"Had it tailored to your build. You can wear it right away."
There was probably meaning in that too.
Like, now it's okay for you to wear the family clothes.
I had no lingering attachment to the family, but thanks first.
"Thank you both."
"Of course."
"Don't you dare use it for anything stupid."
Nearly simultaneous.
Even the timing matched.
They glared at each other briefly, then turned away in sync.
Their relationship sucked, but they synced up in weird ways.
"By the way."
Chloe crossed her arms and tilted her head.
"A Sinclair family suit. Is it really okay for Teacher to accept something like that?"
"What's the problem?"
Veronica snapped back instantly.
Chloe replied calmly.
"It has the family crest on it, after all."
"Doesn't matter. It's always suited him anyway."
"Always?"
Chloe's eyes narrowed.
"Come to think of it, Teacher's name…."
"Isaac."
Veronica said it first.
Without any intent to hide.
"Isaac Sinclair."
Silence.
Chloe's smile froze.
Her lapis eyes slowly turned to me.
Then to Veronica.
Back to me.
The Sinclair family only occasionally deals with northern barbarians, right?
Chloe's eyelashes trembled faintly. Ah, maybe the Sinclairs have no other options but that. Her lips twitched briefly. Does the Sinclair family not even know gift-giving etiquette?
……Looking back, she'd said a lot.
Wasn't this basically a pad lip?
Veronica pounced without mercy.
Her earlier shame gone, with a wicked grin.
"What's wrong, Lady Levantia?"
"……."
"Go on, keep talking. About our family."
Chloe's teacup rattled harshly.