Family Betrayal
Glan Braden. I'd had a brief conversation with Celestia, but I still harbored suspicions about her. I'd overheard her muttering to herself after she took down the golem: "This ruins the plan. You're more useless than I thought." I still hadn't heard what that "plan" of hers was about. I'd held back from asking since Mariella and Yuria were there at the time, but my doubts about Celestia lingered.
If she's up to no good, Mariella and Yuria could get dragged into it. To clear my suspicions, I need to meet Celestia alone.
I didn't want bystanders getting caught up. Still, I'd gotten info out of her about the "special class," and I even learned where it was located. So, on my way to confront Celestia one-on-one...
"Gaaah! Help! Somebody help!"
Whoosh—! Something shot past. I couldn't make it out clearly, but something definitely whizzed by. And that something was screaming for its life. Then, someone else came dragging a girl's foot along, grunting with effort.
A wide-brimmed mage's hat, round horn-rimmed glasses. A girl who looked like a mage was dragging another girl by the feet.
"Ugh...! S-so... heavy...!"
"..."
"Um, e-excuse me... c-could you... h-help?"
"What the hell is going on here?"
I couldn't make sense of the situation at all. But one rule of the mercenary corps: 'Never ignore the weak in distress.' I couldn't break that. I hurried over and helped lift the girl together with her.
Afternoon, after classes at the academy. During lunch, I'd popped into the central academy cafe because Cedric dropped by. He bought me a coffee with his generous Fredericia family allowance.
"This sucks. Why do I get so little pocket money?"
"Don't kid yourself. I only get exactly one gold more than you. We're pretty much even."
"Still weird, though. We should be about the same, but why are you always loaded while I'm scraping by every time?"
"Because you blow your money on whatever... Sigh... Never mind. As if you'd know what saving means..."
I get 11 gold allowance every month from the Fredericia family. And like Cedric said, he gets 12. So why am I always broke? Eleven gold isn't chump change, but it's way too little. Too little for buying all sorts of comics, knick-knacks and clothes, macarons, and snacks.
No matter how I thought about it, Cedric had to be getting extra on the sly.
"Dad's so stingy. Discriminating like this just because I can't use magic..."
"Cut the crap. Anyway, I didn't come find you for that."
"What is it, then?"
"Dad's trying to push your engagement forward again. He's scouting some dog-boned freak or whatever."
"What?!"
I'd been sipping my coffee but shot up from my seat. Cedric gestured for me to keep my voice down.
"You know Dad. He treats promises like dirt. He doesn't give a damn about your trust if it means family gain."
"True."
"So, word is, he's reached out to the Roishutent family again. The deal was he'd call off the engagement if you proved useful to the family, right? But noble society runs on marriages, and you'll have to marry eventually anyway, so he's scheming to advance things behind your back."
"Secret engagement contract?"
"Without your consent. You could end up sold off to some weirdo without even knowing."
"Hmm... Interesting."
Marriage, huh... Noble society sure loves its marriages. But I had zero interest in being sold to some guy.
"Can't it be a girl? I'd accept getting sold to a Roishutent lady."
"Your tastes are beyond normal."
"I'm perfectly normal."
"Anyway, I'm your brother, even if Dad's not looking out for you. I don't want you sold to some creep."
"Oh? Finally acting the big brother now?"
"Nothing's free in this world, Celestia."
"What do you mean?"
"Sometimes a sister has to help her brother out. That's what makes us close siblings, right?"
There it was. He wanted something from me, that was why he was buttering me up. I decided to hear him out.
"Fine. And you're in the special class, right? You can pick any class you want, join any club. Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"I want two things. First, sign up for the third-year 'Advanced Magic Design' class."
"Just sign up?"
"Nah, obviously not. I want grades, and you've got the skills. Meaning... help me cheat without getting caught."
"..."
Help him cheat, huh. Cedric was crazier than I thought. But it was so him, and I kinda liked it. That's just who he was.
"What's the other thing?"
"There's a girl I like. Set up a meeting for me."
"Huh...? But you already have a fiancée, big bro."
"Ugh... Not that fat cow. No way I'm marrying some girl Dad picked on his own."
Cedric shuddered like he was genuinely repulsed. But if he brought home someone better, he could ditch the current fiancée easy. Dad was that kind of guy.
"Who is it?"
"First-year special class, 'Eldrin Viola El Aristia.' Aristia family's a solid administrative house with good rep, and she's my type. So, just help me out once."
He clapped his hands together pleadingly. Eldrin, huh... She's cute, but looks-wise, doesn't she seem too young?
"Lolicon."
"No! We're only two years apart. Lolicon? That's harsh."
"You always loved bullying the weak, big bro. Right?"
"So?"
"I figured you'd go for girls who look weak. Pervert... What are you even gonna do to her... Ugh..."
I glared at him with genuine contempt. Of course, eyes closed, so he couldn't read my face...
"Don't look at me like that. Makes me sound like the bad guy. So, will you help or not?"
"I'll help. But in return, you keep me out of that Roishutent mess or whatever."
"Deal. Contract sealed."
Cedric stood up. Why was Dad always trying to sell me off to weirdos? Sure, weirder the buyer, bigger the payoff, but still...
"Anyway, thanks, sis."
"Of course."
Cedric left the cafe. This was the academy cafe, mostly for students. After he was gone, I glanced around—kids leisurely enjoying coffee and drinks. Still plenty of chill time.
Once assignments piled up, they'd be chugging bitter coffee from beer mugs to survive the days...
Ding—
Not my problem anyway. I was special class. As my coffee ran dry and I got up to leave, someone came looking for me.
I looked up. The original protagonist, Glan.
"Finally found you, Celestia."
"Glan Braden. What brings you here?"
"To finish that talk we couldn't before."
He sat across from me and stared. What? Not ordering coffee? I'd finished mine anyway, so I stood quietly to go.
He stopped me. "Celestia. Just one question."
"What?"
"What was that 'plan' you mentioned before?"
Plan...? Did I say that? I made a confused face, and he grabbed my arm suspiciously.
"This ruins the plan. You said that after killing the golem. What scheme were you plotting?"
"Doesn't ring a bell."
"Doesn't ring a bell?"
"People don't remember every word they say."
"Playing dumb, huh..."
Glan stood too, drew his sword from his back, and pointed it at me. Cafe students started murmuring.
Wait... Is this...?
Chance for hero worship? I smirked mischievously.
"Robber~! The robber's pulling a sword and threatening me~!"
I yelled that, drew my Black Demon Sword, and pointed it at Glan. Calling him a robber threw him off.
"Hold on... You think you can dodge this with tricks? I'm not leaving without answers."
"The robber's attacking me. No choice. Gotta take him down and show everyone my heroic side."
Yeah. Knock down Glan, who drew first and threatened me, and bask in the praise. Heroes who crush villains always get cheers. Plan set, time to act. My lips twitched, barely holding the poker face.
But it didn't go as planned.
"Glan! What are you doing here? Celi?"
Someone crashed the party. Mariella. She wedged between us, swords at the ready.
"What are you two doing?"
"Mari, be careful. Glan's a robber. Tried to steal my money."
"Wait... No! Misunderstanding!"
"Not?"
"Celi. Why are you fighting? Did Glan suspect you again?"
"Pretty much."
"I'm so done with you, Glan. What did Celi ever do to you?"
Mariella finally snapped. Glan panicked, his sword lowering bit by bit.
"I-it's..."
Shing—click—
I sheathed my sword quietly and sat back down. Sipped the iced remnants of my coffee.
Inside, I cheered their fight on. Good, good. Whoever wins.
Not for the dopamine, of course.