Were You a Good Guy?
I summoned Sane and asked her a few questions about the black market.
"Sane. Do you know anything about the black market in Dirty Hill?"
"…I've been there a few times. A scroll related to demon summoning came up for auction there."
"And?"
"I was alone back then, so I tracked the scroll, the buyer, and a few sellers, took care of them, and left. …The security was tighter than expected. Or maybe that's normal?"
"But why ask? …Do you need to go there?"
Sane seemed to have roughly guessed why I was inquiring about the black market.
"…Yeah. There's something I need to steal."
"Eh? Y-you're not buying, you're stealing?"
"I don't have money."
Sane spoke to me with a serious expression.
"The guards there are higher quality than you'd think. Probably because some shady noble runs the place… Plus, the identity checks are thorough…"
"It's fine. I'll sneak in."
"That's exactly what I'm saying is difficult…"
"I'll handle that part. Get ready quickly."
Sane tilted her head as if puzzled by my words, then her expression gradually hardened as she understood their meaning.
"That means…"
"Yeah. You and me. We're breaking into the black market together."
I had considered bringing Kiene and Liana, but decided the risk would only increase with more people, so it would be just the two of us.
"Aaaaaah! I hate this! Last time I went in there, I got marked!"
"That's none of my concern. You have thirty minutes."
Sane's screams echoed through the empty space.
"Eh..?"
Isabel let out a dumbfounded sound, clearly flustered by Serein's unexpected appearance.
"Do you know what that guy said to me and Hero..? He lumped me and Hero's parents together as commoners and insulted us, then later threatened me using Hero's disciplinary action as leverage."
"If that kind of guy isn't a disgrace to the nobility, then what is? Is that the average noble?"
Serein's face was filled with obvious anger. The other two had left at some point, leaving only Serein and Isabel behind.
"No matter what you think of that guy, he's worse than you imagine."
'Logue... did that..?'
"Let's stop here, Serein."
Hero appeared beside Serein at some point and stopped her.
"You know it too. That guy's trash beneath a beast…"
Hero wore a complicated expression after hearing Serein's words.
"…Isabel. Sorry. Serein seems a bit worked up. It'd be better to talk another time."
"Uh?... Uh.."
After saying that, Hero and Serein headed back on their way. Left alone, Isabel felt a sense of dissonance between the Logue she had experienced and the one Serein described.
"…Good work. You fought well."
I recalled Logue offering words of encouragement while the other students were gripped with fear after the sparring ended.
'What on earth is the truth...'
"…This is really ridiculous. You're defending a guy like that?"
"Haha.."
Serein continued venting in an agitated tone, as if her anger hadn't subsided.
"…I was sorry back then."
I recalled Logue apologizing to me after the practical training class ended.
'His suddenly improved skills, and just what happened....'
As if the person inside had changed…
"Um... excuse me!"
Just as we were leaving the academy grounds to eat with Serein, a girl called out to us.
"…Yes?"
She had short black hair. She gave off an overall gentle air, yet there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes.
'She looks a bit like Logue...'
The girl, whose face gave the impression of resembling Logue, looked slightly younger than us.
"D-do you... know someone named Logue..?"
Serein reacted coldly upon hearing the name Logue. She still seemed angry.
"…Why?"
Hearing Serein's cold voice, the girl spoke cautiously, her voice trembling as if frightened.
"Lo...Logue oraboni hasn't been in contact..."
"What's your relationship with that guy…?"
The girl, who had been trembling like a kitten before Serein, continued.
"Sh-she's his younger sister... After oraboni was kicked out of the family, I couldn't contact him... *sob*... *hic*..."
…The girl who introduced herself as Logue's younger sister eventually burst into tears. Serein was flustered and didn't know what to do.
"Th-there! I know! Logue! So don't cry.. Big sis is sorry!"
"*sob*.. *hic*.. Really..?"
'Logue had a younger sister…?'
Eyes were gathering from the surroundings. I spoke to Serein and the girl claiming to be Logue's younger sister.
"Let's move somewhere else to talk. We can't stay here."
Serein and the girl nodded.
After changing locations, we questioned the girl.
"Um. What's your name?"
"It's Lidia.. Lidia Hartford. The second daughter of the Hartford Count family."
The girl spoke in a now stabilized voice, seeming calmer.
'Hartford.. Logue did say he was from the Hartford family.'
Poke. Serein jabbed my side and whispered.
"That can't be... That cute kid is Logue's younger sister?"
She did resemble Logue a little. But that was all. Unlike the cold, overbearing Logue, Lidia seemed warm and kind even after just a few words.
"Yeah. I'll call you Lidia. I'll ask again—why did you come here?"
Serein asked Lidia in a gentler voice than before.
…Serein liked cute things.
"Th-that.. Logue oraboni.. after being kicked out of the family this time.. I haven't been able to contact him at all.."
"…Logue was kicked out of the family?"
It was the first I'd heard of it, but it made sense given the commotion he'd caused at the academy and his usual behavior. Poor grades, sexually harassing a classmate, assaulting commoner students...
"Yes... Father didn't properly explain the reason... From what I heard, he discriminated against commoners.. and hit them... things like that..."
"I-I see."
"But.. there's no way such a kind oraboni would do that!"
""…?""
Question marks appeared on both my and Serein's faces.
'Logue... is kind..?'
"Usually, oraboni said we should treat commoners well.. that because of them, we're able to live like this... That's what he told me."
"There's no way oraboni like that would discriminate against commoners..! It must be some kind of misunderstanding.."
Serein seemed incredulous but was trying to calm her emotions.
'Even listening to this feels absurd...'
"Logue really said that..?"
"Yes... Plus, he always cherished me.. When father said I had to enter a political marriage this time.. he strongly opposed it.. saying I'd only be happy if I married someone I love…"
It was common among nobles. Except for the one child who would become family head, the others were usually married off politically to strengthen the family's position.
"My fiancé... had a bit of a bad reputation.. so oraboni was very worried..."
"May I ask what the rumor was?"
"Yes.. Th-that.. my fiancé had been married several times before... and all the previous wives were found missing or dead..."
"I see..."
If the other party was a high-ranking noble, the family head couldn't abandon the marriage despite the rumors—it was too valuable a connection. Especially for the relatively weaker Hartford family.
"Before enrolling in the academy... oraboni told me... that he'd definitely stop the political marriage, so don't worry... …There's no way such a kind oraboni would..."
Lidia couldn't continue, overcome with emotion.
Serein spoke while watching Lidia carefully.
"Hero. Does this make sense...? That Logue, what..."
…Wait a minute.
"Lidia. Do you have any other siblings besides you and Logue?"
"Ah.. no.. It's just the two of us.. There was a younger brother... but a few years ago, due to illness.."
Lidia made a pained expression, as if recalling her younger brother.
"…Sorry for making you remember."
"Ah.. it's okay... So.. I'm worried that even the last remaining oraboni might be in trouble.."
If Lidia's words were true, Logue had originally been someone who cherished his sister and was grateful to commoners—a truly noble person—before attending the academy.
But the Logue I'd seen at the academy was different. Discriminating against commoners was routine, he sexually harassed a classmate, and deliberately skipped exams to fail.
'What if all of that was deliberately planned..?'
It might be absurd, but what if it was intentional—to protect his sister?
If Logue were kicked out, the Hartford family—with no other heirs—would have no choice but to name Lidia as successor. A political marriage would then become unprofitable. The family might even be absorbed by the higher-ranking fiancé's house.
What if Logue, having thought that far ahead, deliberately ruined his reputation at the academy to get expelled...?
…It didn't make sense.
But then Logue's apology flashed through my mind.
"…I was sorry back then."
'What if the reason Logue suddenly changed was because he no longer needed to keep acting...?'
"Lidia. Don't worry, Logue is still attending the academy just fine."
Serein spoke to Lidia in a calm voice, trying to soothe her.
"R-really?"
"Of course. …I'll take you to Logue later. Are you hungry? Let's go eat."
"I... didn't bring any money.."
"It's okay! Big sis will buy everything! …Oh my... you're too cute!!!!"
"I-I'm suffocating..."
Serein hugged Lidia tightly.
I watched the scene with a complicated heart.
'…I need to confirm this.'