Moonlight on the Stars
'To think I'd end up as the Demon King's second-in-command.'
Thanks to Drimirkan's spatial teleportation ability, I arrived in front of the duke's mansion in an instant. Letting out a deep sigh, I began walking toward the front gate.
"Ah, h-hello."
The gates swung wide open, revealing the Class A commoners lined up in a row, their faces flushed with embarrassment as they bowed their heads in greeting. The boys in butler suits and work clothes were somewhat presentable, but the girls in maid outfits... Anyone seeing this would probably curse me out.
"Come in."
Of course, I flashed a sleazy grin and stepped inside the mansion.
".........."
The girls shot me looks of pure disgust, confirming my judgment was spot-on.
"...Oppa, what the hell is this?"
Ignoring the stares—like I was some swarming insect—Aria blocked my path as I entered the mansion.
"Ah, Aria. Starting today, take Cardia and get out of our house."
"What!?"
When I said it casually to her frowning face, she growled and started ranting.
"Cut it out, oppa. Stop this ridiculous nonsense and apologize to these innocent people..."
"Get out of our house until vacation ends."
Cutting her off coldly, I watched her sigh and approach the commoner students behind me.
"I'm so sorry."
She bowed deeply in apology, and the commoners blinked in wide-eyed confusion. Did they think, being the sister of the empire's infamous scum, she'd be just like me? For some reason, I felt a pang of guilt toward Aria.
"My brother has caused you trouble. I'll talk to him, so please, just head back ho— Eek!"
But as she tried sending them home, I had no choice but to grab her arm and drag her upstairs.
"Ow! Oppa, what are you doing? Let go! I said let go!!"
"Shut up and follow."
Aria thrashed wildly, even gathering Star Mana in her hand, but she glanced at the commoners watching from below and whispered urgently.
"You want to blast off with Star Magic in front of your classmates? If you don't let go, right in front of them..."
"Shut up before I disown you from the family."
I was already half-dead from beating the Demon King's second-in-command, and if Aria hit me with Star Magic now, my sister would become a murderer. Before she could cast, I spoke coldly again, and she muttered in shock.
"You mean that... for real, oppa?"
"........."
"Are you serious?"
"...Yeah."
Irritated, I answered, and she glared, about to say something.
"Oppa, I can't take this anymore— Kyaa!"
But I'd already reached Cardia's room and shoved her inside.
"F-Frey-nim...?"
Kania's little sister, playing with her doll, blinked up at me.
"Pack your things right now and get out until vacation ends. If you don't, Aria, you're disowned from the family. Cardia, you're out on the streets."
"W-What about unni...?"
Cardia sniffled and asked, so I smirked.
"Of course, I'll keep your sister. She's mine."
"U-Ugh..."
As Cardia teetered on the edge of tears, Aria—gnashing her teeth beside her—started yelling.
"Why! Why are you doing this, you bastard!"
"Can't tell from bringing those commoners here?"
Grinning wickedly at her, I launched into my pre-planned excuse.
"I'm throwing a depraved party. Booze, drugs, and... Ghk."
"...Stop."
But I barely got halfway through my script before Aria punched me in the gut.
"Cardia, let's go."
"Y-Yes? But..."
"Just stay out until vacation ends, right? We'll be ready by tonight. Have a good break."
Grabbing the hesitant Cardia's arm, Aria glared at me with disgust and left the room with her.
"...Cough."
Hit dead-on by my sister—who had a strength stat of 4—I wiped the blood from my mouth and slumped against the wall.
'I need to secretly hire mercenaries to guard their lodging.'
The reason I chased them out was simple. If those two stayed in the mansion all vacation, they'd inevitably face danger.
Right now, I was under 'assassination threats' from Clana and the Moonlight family. And this unprecedented exam was probably Clana's trap.
So when her team inevitably stormed the place soon, there was a high chance of assassins infiltrating, bugs planted, or bombs smuggled in.
Thus, I needed to evacuate Aria and Cardia at least until the exam ended.
Of course, I'd love to hide the commoners too... but exam rules prevented it. And since I wanted to help these poverty-stricken kids anyway, this was my chance...
"Oh, right. About that last incident... Huh?"
Lost in thought, Aria suddenly burst back in to ask something—then froze.
Wondering what was up, I stared blankly until suspicion hit. Touching my mouth—yep, blood trickled down.
"Uh, so this is... Ugh...!"
"O-Oppa! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
I tried wiping it and standing, but my legs buckled from exhaustion, and I collapsed again. Aria stared blankly, then clenched her teeth.
"Where the hell have you been and what have you been doing?"
"None of your business."
"Yeah, figured you'd say that. I'm so sick of this."
She pulled something from her pocket, threw it at her feet, and stomped it.
"I'm never speaking to you again."
With a cold expression, she stormed out.
"...What the hell?"
Confirming she was gone, I looked down curiously.
'A key-like thing made of light magic.'
Staring at the crumpled key, I quietly covered it with my hand and closed my eyes.
"...Done."
Practicing light magic too, I gathered sparkling light in my palm. Smiling at the restored key...
- Shhh...
"...Ah."
But the key in my grip soon broke into glittering particles and scattered into the air.
'Damn, did I accidentally infuse too much Star Mana?'
Thrilled at my improved mana control yet bummed about never learning the key's purpose, I sighed and left the room.
"Ah, F-F... Frey-nim. Dinner is ready."
A timid-looking girl reported, face red.
"How long ago did you start?"
"R-Right after we arrived."
"Yeah?"
Nodding, I approached, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trembling.
"What's wrong?"
"S-Sor... I'm sorry... I'm just... not used to talking to people..."
Leaning in, her face turned beet red as she stammered.
"...You're cute, huh?"
"Hiii...!!"
Stroking her chin, the timid girl stiffened like a board.
"What's your name?"
She looked familiar, so I asked. Her lips quivered softly.
"Lulu... desu."
"...Ah."
Realizing who she was, I stopped teasing and stepped back.
'Never thought I'd see her again here.'
Recalling the previous loop, I passed her and murmured lowly.
"You. From today, no more chores. You're my personal attendant."
"Y-Yes?!"
"My personal attendant."
She stared dumbly, then bowed frantically.
"U-Understood! I'll do my best!"
Hearing her goofy voice behind me as I headed downstairs, I sighed quietly and paused.
'...Annoying.'
Something always irritated me when I came home.
......
The dinner table, fully set, overflowed with colorful dishes.
"...What is this?"
"Um... It's potato stew my family loves."
"It's the carrot stir-fry I make for my little sibling."
"I saw eggplant, so I tried frying it... Don't like it?"
Of course, all weeds.
"There were plenty of premium ingredients in the pantry, right? And you serve this grass for dinner?"
The girls' veggie dishes looked decent—I'd eat fine—but I snapped at them watching my reaction.
'Did I scare them too much?'
I'd been excited to stuff these commoners with Starlight's pricey foods all vacation, but I'd avoid expensive stuff too if I feared punishment.
Just order them to use premium ingredients from now on...
"We've never touched fancy ingredients."
"...Ah."
The commoners glared silently. Petite Perloché in her maid outfit, hands bandaged, glared too.
"The Saintess has eaten fancy food a few times, so she tried recreating it from memory... but as you see, her fingers nearly became the dish instead."
Among them, a sharp-faced girl—the commoner rep—glared and spoke.
"So we used what we're used to. Sorry for being poor."
Her voice thick with resentment, she bowed. The others followed.
"...Aris, right?"
"Yes."
Staring blankly, I recalled her name and pondered.
'She led the protests after the 'commoner dorm raid' in the previous loop...'
She spearheaded commoner protests, becoming a revolution leader in the future. No wonder her resentment toward me was fiercer.
"If I may humbly suggest as a mere commoner... Hire a professional chef instead of us paupers who can't touch fancy food."
"...Haa."
Staring at her sharp tone matching her looks, I sighed.
"Damn commoners—useless even when you want to use them. Fine, I'll handle it."
"Thank you for considering our position, Frey Raon Starlight-nim."
Aris's eyes widened to retort, but Ariane quickly stepped in, bowing.
"Yaaawn... Throw it out or eat it yourselves, whatever. I can't stomach that disgusting grass."
I stared at her briefly, then stood and headed to my room.
"That fucking bastard..."
"Aris...! Endure it! He's Frey!"
"Yeah, even if it's bullshit... we have to hold it in."
Ascending calmly, I gathered Star Mana in my ears to eavesdrop, then sighed deeply, lost in thought.
'...Should I hire a chef?'
This mess was mostly my fault for overlooking that commoners never touched premium ingredients. I'd been biased because Kania—my longest, closest commoner—cooked so well.
I knew better than anyone how the empire rotted from noble ignorance like this. Shame burned my face.
'Kania and Irina said they were out briefly. Ask them to cook when they return?'
But I shook my head with a sigh.
Their skills were great, but cooking for me and all these commoners daily until vacation's end? They'd collapse.
Couldn't recall the dismissed servants either—Dad's 'Servant Welfare Policy' would cost me later, and rehiring would ruin it.
Hiring a chef? With intruders and assassins incoming, bad idea.
"Ugh, whatever."
Head throbbing from banging it on the wall in penance, I staggered to my room.
Time for a nap.
"Hm?"
As I lay down, something snagged my back.
"What's this?"
Tilting my head, I picked up a box.
'Keyhole.'
Spotting the small keyhole, I realized it matched Aria's crushed key.
"Sorry... Aria."
Dejected, I set the box on the desk instead of forcing it and closed my eyes.
For some reason, I missed cat dreams.
......
"Young master? Young master!!"
"Mm... Kania?"
Waking from a dream of a giant owl crushing me instead of cats, drenched in cold sweat at Kania's call.
"You're safe!"
She beamed—the brightest smile I'd ever seen—and hugged me tight.
"I believed you'd return safely, young master. Truly."
"K-Kania... Can't breathe."
Choking from her fierce embrace, I gasped. She pulled back, face instantly neutral.
"Irina? Why the long face?"
Chuckling at her, I noticed Irina's exhausted expression and tilted my head.
"Kania... all day..."
"Anyway, young master, Aria wants to see you."
Irina started dazedly, but Kania cut her off.
"...Why her?"
Still sulky about the suspicious box and her smashing its key, I grumbled. Kania shrugged.
"She said she has something to say before leaving."
Silence from me, and Kania looked worried.
"...It'd be bad if Aria kept worrying about you."
"It's fine. She's already losing affection from this. One big incident, and we're good."
I said calmly; their faces hardened.
"Won't see her all vacation otherwise... Guess I should go. What time is it?"
"1 a.m."
Asking casually, I stood and headed to the door.
"Kania, Irina. Escort Aria and Cardia to safety. Please."
"Leave it to us."
"...Back by morning. You rest."
Instructing them, I went to the front gate.
"...Oppa."
Finding Aria there, I sighed.
"If you're here for nonsense..."
"...That last incident. You saved me then, right, oppa?"
Her words froze me in place.
".....Hah."
Kania and Irina gasped too, staring.
"I'll believe that. Even if it was a dream... I still believe in you, oppa."
Thankfully, no penalty window popped.
"So please... don't disappoint me anymore..."
Peeking at her emotions, I realized she hadn't figured it all out—she was just denying reality.
"One more disappointment, and I can't..."
Struggling, she trailed off, head down, and extended her hand.
"...This?"
I took it absently—the key she'd crushed earlier.
"Bye."
Handing it over, she turned and left the mansion.
'That hallucination again?'
A sob echoed from somewhere; assuming it was like last time, I ignored it.
"...Aria-unni is crying, Frey-nim."
But Cardia—with her luggage, peering at me—shattered my denial.
"Just... thought you should know."
Biting her lip, Kania and pitying Irina left with her.
"...So, what gift did you give to act all high and mighty?"
Standing frozen, I muttered cheerfully and headed to my room.
"...Perfect fit."
In my room, I inserted the Star Magic-forged key into the box on the desk and turned.
- Click!
"This?"
Inside was something unexpected.
- Don't spit blood, it's gross.
"Haha, ha."
A neatly folded handkerchief embroidered with a silver cat.
"Auto-clean magic too?"
Examining it, I smiled softly, folding it into my pocket...
"...Don't move."
A cold sensation pressed my neck, followed by a muffled voice.
'How'd she flank me? How'd she infiltrate? Protection magic's still up. Voice suggests... woman. Clana's assassin? Moonlight? Or... Demon King Army?'
In that split second, thoughts raced. I surged Star Mana to subdue her...
"Resist, and it won't be fun."
But she pressed harder; I froze.
"...What do you want."
Regretting not saving life force earlier, I asked calmly.
"Wrong move, and you're dead."
Her words screamed unreason; eyes shut, I debated my last resort.
"...Maybe?"
Until her addendum.
"...Serena?"
Asking incredulously, she dropped the voice modulation and whispered sweetly in my ear.
"Tonight will be long, Frey."
"What?"
"...So prepare yourself."
Looks like that owl dream was prophetic.