Chapter 32: The Sponsor
Since it got late yesterday, I only brought up the sponsor matter with Estelle this morning.
"That's great, isn't it? No more starving, right?"
"Yeah, but…"
"What's the problem? It's not like anyone else besides that professor contacted you about sponsorship from a decent place."
"Th… that's true."
Objectively, it's a good sponsor. Lacking in nothing. My rational side had already stamped the contract, sealed it, and even taken a commemorative photo.
But why?
I tried to trace the source of my unease, but I couldn't find it.
"Yeah, I guess taking it is the right call."
"Uh, hold on. They're here."
I spotted Estelle walking toward us from a distance.
"Hey, you made it?"
She waved at me.
"I'm here. Oh right, just in case, you take one too."
She handed me a bracelet.
"What's this?"
"A perception-inhibiting artifact. It's mass-produced so the effect isn't great, but you should wear it just in case."
"Got it."
Because you never know.
"So what exactly is the problem?"
"I don't really know."
It's definitely the best… no, it's a sponsor so perfect you couldn't even complain.
But what is this feeling?
Then a thought struck me.
Maybe I can't figure out what I'm feeling, but Luna—who's contracted with me—might understand why I feel this reluctance.
Thinking that, I called out to her.
'Luna.'
Hearing my call, Luna immediately materialized in front of us.
"What's up?"
"Luna, do you know why I feel uncomfortable whenever I see Professor Kim Hyera?"
"Uh, huh? I-I don't know?"
Luna said that and looked away.
"Ah, fucking got it! This bastard's into older women."
"Ha, shut the hell up."
Hearing Estelle's nonsense, I put a hand to my forehead. Why do these people insist on tying everything to romance?
"That's not it!"
Luna snapped too.
"Oh, really?"
I'd expected Estelle to get annoyed, but apparently, she hadn't expected Luna to lash out, because her voice sounded a bit flustered.
"Anyway, there's nothing to worry about, right? Or does she remind you of your mom? Most people from the First Continent have black hair and black eyes."
"No, that's not it. She doesn't look like her."
Even after thinking it over…
Uncomfortable?
Minerva?
"Aha."
"What? Why are you suddenly convinced?"
"I guess… I'm uncomfortable because she's nice to me."
"Huh? Why would being nice make you uncomfortable?"
"Doesn't it feel uncomfortable when someone is nice to you for no apparent reason? Isn't it easier when they're obviously fake because they want something?"
"You… whatever. You're taking the sponsorship, right? You've been way too stressed lately—you're getting some gray hairs."
"Am I?"
Considering I average four to five part-time jobs a day, I guess that's not surprising. And that's just weekdays; weekends are even worse.
"At this rate, I'll end up with white hair."
Estelle laughed as she said it.
"I think Dad would look good with white hair too."
Luna said that while fidgeting with her own white hair.
"If you're getting sponsored, there's no problem, right?"
"Luna thinks if it's too uncomfortable, it's okay not to accept. Luna is a spirit, so I don't need to eat."
"How much do you even eat to say that? I do need it. I'm starting to feel the strain too."
"Then should we have a celebration party?"
"What party?"
I'd noticed this before, but this girl really likes parties.
"Why not? It's worth celebrating…"
I saw her expression harden as she looked ahead.
The person staring back at her also had a stiff face.
"Hey, Estelle."
Her name cut through the silence. But it wasn't me who said it.
The voice came from the man in front of us—short blonde hair and amethyst eyes just like hers.
"Where the hell have you been wandering lately? Every time I try to find you, you're gone."
Unable to grasp the situation, I just stood there dumbly, alternating my gaze between Estelle and the man.
"Oh, um… hey, big brother?"
"'Hey' my ass. Hold on."
The man finally seemed to notice me standing next to him, and stared straight at me.
Some perception-inhibiting artifact, you fucker.
"Hey. Don't tell me… it's true?"
He then looked at Luna beside me.
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
Following his gaze, all of our eyes turned to Luna. Under the combined scrutiny, Luna simply tilted her head.
"What the fuck?"
"Wait, bro, that's not it."
"Are you insane?"
She's exactly like Estelle—doesn't listen when you try to explain. Even though Estelle only called him 'oppa' and didn't explicitly say they were siblings, I could tell they were brother and sister.
"Did you do it?"
I looked at Estelle. And a mischievous thought came to mind.
"You didn't explain to your family?"
"Hey, don't say it like that."
"Ah, my blood pressure. Wait, I'm going to contact Father."
The man pulled out his phone.
"Wait, you crazy bastard, I told you no!"
"What do you mean no, you crazy bitch! It's fine to date—I have a girlfriend too—but fuck, this is not okay!"
"I keep telling you no, are your ears clogged?"
A struggle ensued between the one trying to snatch the phone and the one trying to protect it. They were moving so fast the phone seemed to multiply.
Wow, Pendragon siblings fighting for real? My heart can't take this.
***
We got a room nearby and were now having a three-way conversation.
Even though Estelle was wearing the perception-inhibiting artifact, her brother wasn't, and the scene they made would have drawn attention no matter what. So I booked a room nearby.
"Alright, let me summarize the situation. So please let go of each other's hair."
I tried to separate the two, who were grabbing each other by the hair.
"First, this is Luna. My daughter."
Luna trotted over and sat on my lap.
"And I'm just friends with Estelle. Nothing more."
"Then what about that knight article?"
Estelle's brother took out his phone and showed me the article.
"Yeah, that's just gossip. Our faces weren't shown anyway, and Estelle hasn't corrected it because she finds it annoying to come up with reasons to reject confessions every time. She's keeping it as a convenient excuse to reduce the number of people confessing to her. Please scold her for me."
"Then you should've said that, you bitch."
"I was going to, asshole."
"Aha!"
"'Aha' my ass. One of us is dying today."
"Hey, you've been running around like crazy lately and I see you hanging out with a guy—it's only natural to assume!"
"No, first of all, would I have a kid that big! Common sense! Would I have a kid that big!"
"I know."
"Ah, just die."
So this is what siblings are like. I don't have brothers or sisters, so I wouldn't know. In web novels, they usually get along well.
Come to think of it, I remember there were cases where they didn't get along too. Seems like this is closer to that side.
"So, is the misunderstanding resolved?"
Seeing that he didn't seem intent on scolding her to correct the rumor, I cut in to stop their back-and-forth.
"But who are you?"
The reply came in the form of a question.
"I believe I explained that I'm just a friend."
"There's no way this girl has friends! I still remember! She swung weapons at me, saying 'This one's name is Manners, and this one's name is Etiquette. They're my friends!'"
"Just die."
Estelle struck her brother on the head with a hammer.
"It was summer."
"No it wasn't, you crazy bitch!"
I watched her brother collapse to the floor, blood streaming from his head.
"Ah, I need to clean this floor. Blood doesn't come off easily."
"Whatever. I'm out."
I gave up trying to think.
I decided to just contact the professor and stepped out of the room.
"Hello, Professor. I heard there's a lot of paperwork to fill out for receiving sponsorship. When should I come by to do it?"
[It's all been filled out already.]
"I haven't done any of that, though?"
[I did it all for you.]
???
[I've already sent this month's sponsorship fee.]
I checked my account on my phone.
"Professor, I love you."
From today, I withdraw my support for the professor.
No, I go beyond support. From today, the professor and I are one body. From now on, any attack on the professor will be considered an attack on me.
[Good. Now we can also do some private tutoring. Let me know when you're free and I'll schedule it.]
"I'm available anytime."
[Then, shall we do it today?]
"Where should I go?"
[I'll send you the address.]
"I'll head right over."
I took a taxi to the address she sent.
It was my first luxury purchase.
***
"Professor, I've arrived."
[Yes, I can see you over there.]
"Yes, I can see you over there."
A voice came from behind me.
When I turned around, I saw Professor Kim Hyera.
"Let's go in."
She gestured as she said that.
The place was a gym. More precisely, it would be correct to call it her personal gym.
"If you ever need a place for personal use, feel free to come and use it."
She said that and handed me a pass.
"Is Luna's establishment progressing well?"
"No, not really. She doesn't seem to want to be anything in particular."
"Then let's use the private tutoring for Luna's establishment."
"Yes, understood."
I called Luna, and soon she materialized herself.
"Hello."
Luna greeted Professor Kim Hyera.
"Hello."
She also waved back.
"I heard you haven't been able to get a grasp on how to proceed with the establishment."
She lowered herself to meet Luna's eyes and got to the point.
"Even if a spirit hasn't been established, it still has an affinity type. You probably have some ability, even if it's faint. Could you show me what it is?"
Luna had actually shown an ability that was hard to describe when we were at the ruins.
"There's nothing like that."
Contrary to my expectation that she would show her ability, Luna lied. A lie that would be exposed with a single word from me.
I could have denied it, but I could feel the anxiety coming from Luna, so I decided to just observe for now.
"Is that so."
She seemed to ponder, chin in hand.
"I-It's true!"
Seeing that, Luna hastily reacted, probably feeling guilty about lying.
"I don't particularly doubt you. I'm not very knowledgeable about artificial spirits anyway. For VIP custom production, it's possible they deliberately left the affinity undefined, isn't it?"
The professor didn't seem suspicious and accepted Luna's words as they were.
"Then, Student Seoha."
"Yes."
"Do you know any fairy tales?"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm glad you do. Let's try reading a fairy tale to Luna."
I should stop asking rhetorical questions from now on.
She just assumes every question is an affirmative.
And why a fairy tale all of a sudden?
I looked at Luna with a bewildered expression, but she just smiled brightly at my face.
It was cute, so I patted her head.