Chapter 7 - Counseling
"...Frey Raon Starlight, do you even realize how serious the crime you've committed is?"
"Beats me? Why make such a fuss over using one little artifact?"
Right now, I'm in a private meeting with Isolet in the faculty office.
Why private? Because the other professors kept sneaking glances at me before slipping out one by one.
Even if I am the firstborn son of the duke who dominates the empire, professors being scared of a student? That's ridiculous.
Yet this corrupt academy in this corrupt empire has somehow pulled it off.
At this point, it's honestly impressive.
Of course, most of the professors who left are rookies handling first-years or commoner hires, but that doesn't make this normal.
"...If it had been an ordinary enhancement artifact, we wouldn't have blown it up like this. Sure, it's still a violation, but a scolding and some penalty points would've sufficed."
As those thoughts crossed my mind, Isolet spoke up with a grave expression, so I shot back with the most annoyed look I could muster.
"Then why the drama now?"
"That artifact reacted to the saintess's divine power. You know what that means, don't you?"
"My gun lost its light ages ago—my sister knows that too. What's with the sudden fuss?"
I crossed my legs and brazenly replied, prompting Isolet to sigh before her face softened with worry.
"Frey... you weren't like this before... What happened to change you so much...?"
Her gentle voice tugged at my heart for a moment.
Anger / Disappointment / Worry / Regret / Pity
I'd unwittingly activated my Mind Reading skill, staring blankly at the floating info before closing my eyes and sinking into memories.
Back in my childhood, Professor Isolet—no, big sis Isolet—had always been kind to me. Even when everyone pointed fingers, she was one of the few who believed in me to the end.
Come to think of it, my childhood friend and fiancée tried to reform me too, but Isolet sis just treated me like a little brother and still trusted me. That gratitude runs deeper.
Was that why? When I saw her corpse—still at the academy, cutting down Demon King's forces to save students even as she died—I knew she'd revive upon regression, yet I clung to her cold body and sobbed uncontrollably.
...No. Don't get caught up in useless emotions.
Isolet Arham Bywalk is alive right in front of me.
Not just her—the five main heroines who hated, cursed, and tried to kill me are alive too.
To keep them from dying again... I must become the villain.
"...Don't try that sentimental crap. I didn't change—I just adapted to the world."
"Frey..."
"...And you'll realize it someday too, sis."
"...Realize what?"
"Living so upright? You'll break eventually. You know that deep down."
"............"
For her—a woman who never bent her will, wielding conviction like a weapon—those words must sting.
"Maybe so. But even if I break... the seedlings I nurture will bloom one day."
Yet she gazes at me softly, without a hint of distaste.
Damn, what a pure soul.
"So, Frey. Drop the stubbornness and—"
"Get to the point. So, what about that artifact?"
Any deeper, and she'd see through me. I quickly changed the subject. Isolet stared, sighed, then reverted to her businesslike demeanor.
"That artifact reacted to divine power. Meaning... it's an artifact infused with forbidden black magic in the empire."
"...And?"
"Where'd you get it, Frey?"
"...Back Alley."
"That's not something sold in a place like the Back Alley..."
"You know it's code, right?"
"............"
Among nobles, "Back Alley" is slang for the infamous underworld black market—the biggest and most notorious.
Of course, it's a capital offense under imperial law, but no noble follows that.
Hell, rumors say even empire bigwigs and power players detour their carriages there instead of sending letters.
"...Can you handle the consequences of admitting that?"
"What, gonna report the firstborn of Starlight Duke's house? These days, even baron's wives brag about Back Alley trinkets. Think that'll stick?"
"...You've forgotten my influence."
"A half-disowned Bywalk who was the hero's comrade? Versus the firstborn of the hero's own Starlight house—hated but not discarded? Guess who has more pull."
"............"
I kept sassing back, and she glared before speaking.
"...I'll report this to the imperial family."
"Do whatever."
"And to your father."
"Ah, that's..."
I was planning to write Dad for cash after heading back to the dorm...
This reaching his ears would suck.
"Look, anything but telling Dad... please?"
"............"
"...Huh? Sis?"
"Haaah..."
I pleaded desperately with a pathetic face, and she let out a deep sigh before replying.
"Fine. One condition."
"...Condition?"
"...Take me to where you bought it."
"...What?"
"I can't leave a place selling dangerous magic tools to students unchecked. I'll raid it myself and gather evidence."
"...Jesus, you don't live in the real world."
Her ironclad sense of justice made me click my tongue in momentary admiration, but I nodded eagerly.
"Deal! I'll take you! Skip telling Dad if I do?"
"...Yes."
"Sweet! Solid deal. Weekend work? Got business there anyway!"
"...We're raiding, not shopping."
"Come on, sis—check it out while you're there! Tons of cool stuff!"
"...No."
I grinned slyly, but inside I was crying blood.
...Fuck, best value there too.
That quirky owner sold illegal artifacts for villain points at fair price—no student ripoffs.
Losing that shop hurts.
But illegal is illegal. Smash the place, poach the skilled owner as my personal craftsman.
"Whatever, your loss... Anyway, we're done? I'm out."
"............"
I stood, peeking at her reaction. She was lost in thought, silent.
"See ya weekend!"
"...Fine."
I waved goodbye to her distracted self and bolted from the office.
For reference: As I left, the professors who'd been loitering blankly in the hall started trickling back in.
Guess I need to work on boosting faculty authority too.
Time flew, and soon the last class of the day arrived.
Isolet never showed—some issue—so it naturally turned into self-study.
Party-loving nobles clustered, chatting away.
"So anyway! That drunk bastard then...!"
"No way, really?"
"Pfft... hilarious..."
By last period, factions were crystal clear.
"Lord Frey, so... if you're free after academy, join us...?"
"...Ignore that idiot professor. We're on your side."
"Tampering with your brooch? Gotta be some lowly commoner. Grill 'em one by one?"
No, impossible to miss.
All the nobles crowded around me, shielding and schmoozing.
From afar, looks like I'm bullied by nobles—but nope. They're signaling they wanna join my faction.
Unlike the commoners quietly reading or reviewing, these nobles jockeyed for position and survival.
Blood boiled watching, but unavoidable.
To be the villain, I must lead these hopeless idiots.
- Scraaaape!
As I gritted through dealing with them one by one, suppressing my rage, the door opened. Someone entered.
"............"
The chattering nobles froze solid.
It was the empire's Third Princess, Clana Solar Sunrise.
Her radiant golden hair and eyes—the imperial hallmark—paired with a haughty, captivating face, radiated aura enough to dominate the class instantly.
But...
"...I know a great bar nearby! I'll cover everything—let's drink, forget today's mess?"
"...That prof's half-disowned from Bywalk, right? Kinda irrelevant then?"
"...Dunno. She had some skill."
"Still, from that duel... you're stronger, Lord Frey! So cool!"
"Totally! Lost ugly, so blamed the brooch—someone snuck it in maliciously!"
The nobles glanced at her briefly, then ignored her completely, turning back to me.
"............"
They treated her like air even as she quietly took an empty seat.
Yes—they'd judged her worth.
Bottom of succession? Puppet princess? Better my faction—Starlight firstborn, 1000-year powerhouse even the royals tread lightly around.
"............"
Commoners kept distance too.
Nobles scorn her, but to average imperials? She's untouchably high.
"............"
Kania and Perloché avoided her too.
Kania's black mage—approach solar-powered Clana or Perloché, mana riots.
Perloché? Traumatized by church-imperial power games last loop, despises royals.
She's a total outcast.
"Already succeeded once..."
But I heard it clearly.
"...No reason can't twice."
Her determined mutter, eyes ablaze.
...What a powerhouse.
If my fiancée's innate genius incarnate, the princess is effort-made-it archetype.
"Lone bottom princess"? Last loop, she gritted teeth, built support, honed combat brutally.
Effort piled on effort crowned her top heir—but wore her cute personality to icy shards.
Occasional old cuteness? Palace entertainment staple pre-Demon King apocalypse.
"............"
Lost in memories, she suddenly glared daggers at me.
I averted eyes hastily, pondering a new dilemma.
...Block her building influence? Or let it slide?
Let her? My neck's at risk now.
Block? Future empire doomed—all other heirs trash.
...Headache city.
"...Fucking trash game."
"Pardon? What?"
"Nothing. You mentioned a bar...?"
I spat an ancestor-favorite from the prophecy book, then locked in drinks with the nobles.
Tonight? Binge till dawn, crash hard.
"...Welcome back, Master."
"...Oh, right. Forgot you were here."
Forgot Kania in my dorm.
She's wide-eyed, waiting despite my dawn booze-fest return.
"...Shall I prepare a bath?"
"Nah. Get out."
"Yes. I'll use the cot."
"No—out of the room."
"Then goodnight."
"...Fuck."
Rare genuine curse slipped. But it's villain points loss—calmed, hit the bed.
...Stay put till Kania sleeps, infuse life force tomorrow, then crash.
Rolling in sheets, spotted a black cat plush on the desk.
"...Yo, what's that?"
"That?"
I pointed; Kania smiled.
"...Gift from my little sister. Cute, isn't it?"
"Tch, black cat... bad luck."
I adore cats, but lied reflexively.
Habit from constant villain acting.
...Sad.
Booze and dawn mood hit; killed the bedside lamp, feigned sleep.
Quite some time after Frey and Kania settled...
"...Asleep?"
"............"
Frey lay still, eyes shut. No response—he rose quietly.
"...Good, out cold."
Daily life force infusions made spotting her sleep easy.
Judging her deep asleep, he twirled his right hand, heading to the cot.
"Alright, time for today's dose."
At the cot, he slowly extended his hand toward sleeping Kania.
"................"
And that scene reflected in the eyes of the black cat plush on the desk.