Chapter 80 - The Letter

"What do I do... I only trusted that contract..."

"Should I start looking for part-time work right now..."

The commoner students emerging from the Starlight Mansion began muttering to themselves with dark expressions.

They had blindly signed the contract upon first entering the mansion, only to be chased out without a single penny.

Though talented enough to proudly enter Class A of the prestigious Sunrise Academy, they were powerless against this issue.

In the empire, there was an unwritten rule that one needed to graduate from the academy to join a decent-paying job or guild. Even as Class A students, their options were limited to short-term gigs or monster hunting.

Of course, their skills were exceptional enough to earn a decent amount from such work.

But most Class A students were young heads of household—boys or girls supporting their families. After sharing their hard-earned money with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠relatives and paying the empire's absurd taxes, what remained was always a pittance.

They had scraped by, dashing from one odd job to another over the years. But spending so much time at the Starlight household had finally triggered a fatal financial crisis.

"...Hey, guys. We still have hope!"

Amid the gloomy atmosphere, one female student stepped forward and spoke up.

"According to this contract, if they terminate us unilaterally before the term ends, they have to pay us severance..."

"We know that already."

"...Huh?"

A male student, who had been wearing a sullen expression, cut her off with a sigh.

"Contracts like that are worthless. The people judging them are all on the nobles' side anyway."

"B-but..."

"What, go back and confront Frey? If we're ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lucky, we won't end up like Lulu, grabbed and turned into his plaything."

"N-no, not that..."

Only then did the girl grasp the situation. She collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face.

"If I can't get medicine this month... my little sibling's in danger..."

The nobles, led by Frey, could blow through in a day what she couldn't scrape together for her sibling's medicine—a bleak, pitiful plight. The watching students quietly averted their eyes.

No matter how kind they were, they had their own sick family members or couldn't even afford a meal.

In other words, scraping by to buy a single textbook by pooling pennies and passing it around—they couldn't help the crying girl before them.

"...Guys, I've made up my mind."

After weeping amid their helpless indifference, the girl steeled her expression.

"I'm... going back to the Starlight Mansion."

"...What?"

The male student who had spelled out reality earlier looked flustered.

"Going back won't change anything. Frey will just nullify the contract anyway. Even if he pays, he'll use you as his plaything..."

"If being his plaything saves my sibling, I'll do it gladly."

Her eyes burned with a resolve far too mature for her delicate age.

"W-wait a second! You can't do that!!"

From the crowd of commoners watching her, Perloché burst forward with a desperate look.

"I'll help you! With my divine power, I can heal him! Let's go now! If we hurry..."

"But saintess treatment is expensive."

"...Pardon?"

Perloché blinked blankly at her words. The girl continued darkly.

"To receive the saintess's blessing or healing, you have to pay the church. Everyone here knows that."

She glanced around, and the students nodded solemnly.

"Th-that can't be...? I've always treated people for free!"

This was incomprehensible to Perloché, who found fulfillment in providing free care without ever asking for a coin.

"Maybe there's an imposter pretending to be me!"

She arrived at the most logical conclusion she could muster—a huge leap for Perloché, who would normally just tilt her head in confusion.

"........."

The commoners merely stared at her silently.

If Frey or other nobles had said that, they'd have been met with scorn or quiet mockery.

But they knew how Perloché always treated them and her true character.

So they knew the truth but dared not speak—lest the church retaliate and end their hard-fought lives.

"Right, an imposter."

"I knew it! Do you know who it is?!"

Someone stepped forward before Perloché.

"If you tell me, I'll go straight to the church and..."

"It's the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠church."

Amid the students' anxious gazes, commoner representative Aris spoke calmly to Perloché.

"More like robbers than imposters, though."

Perloché stared blankly while some commoners bowed their heads—the memory of their own horrific experiences resurfacing, ones they'd never want to relive.

"When Perloché gives free treatment or blessings, church collectors show up within days."

"Collectors...?"

"Yes, they demand payment for your treatments and blessings."

Perloché muttered in disbelief.

"The world... They've been doing this all along...? The church..."

"Perloché?"

"N-no, nothing. Anyway! I get it now! I'll settle this with the church today!!"

Snorting, Perloché turned toward the church. Aris shook her head.

"Even if the saintess steps in, it'll quiet down temporarily—at worst, they'll extort more discreetly and severely. And I'd probably get kidnapped for telling you the truth."

"......Urgh."

Perloché groaned wordlessly.

"Hehe, thanks for worrying, saintess."

"Ah..."

The girl hugged her tightly, then spoke in a trembling voice.

"Don't worry about me. Even Frey... he wouldn't kill me, right?"

She said that, but rumors of black-sacked corpses carted in and out of the Starlight Mansion every Sunday fueled her terror.

"Everyone... take care."

But to save her sibling, she had no choice. Forcing a smile, she turned back toward Frey's mansion.

"Please wait a moment."

"Yes?"

Kania, who had briefly stepped away, blocked her path.

"There's no need for you to return to our mansion."

"What do you mean?"

The girl tilted her head at Kania's composed expression. Kania smiled.

"Severance pay will be provided to all of you."

She distributed slips detailing the compensation to everyone present.

"Wh-what is all this...?"

"This says gold coins, not silver, right?"

The commoners, taking the slips without expectation, widened their eyes at the staggering amounts stamped on them.

"Penalty for wrongful termination, plus severance."

Kania explained calmly once more. The students' faces hardened.

They should be thrilled, but receiving such fortunes—sums they'd never dreamed of—from the infamous villain Frey bred suspicion, anxiety, and fear over joy.

"H-how is this possible? How can this even happen?"

The male student who had awakened the girl to reality asked in a trembling voice amid the confusion.

"I've never seen a noble-commoner contract honored like this... Is this a trap?"

"It is a trap, but not aimed at you."

As the scam-weary boy eyed her suspiciously, Kania chuckled softly.

"It's the one I dug for Frey."

The commoners tilted their heads. Kania explained slowly.

"The contracts you signed are based on rules set by Abraham, the official head of the Starlight family."

"Rules?"

"Yes, legally... and magically unbreakable ones."

She shook a contract slip, summoning a faint magic circle.

"Abraham, who valued trust with servants, embedded legal safeguards and magic in all servant contracts."

"S-so..."

"Yes. Even Frey has no choice but to pay you this amount."

The commoners began to look dazed.

Only now, as Kania finished, did the unimaginable sum feel real—their windfall from the heavens.

"Wait, Kania... Did you plan all this?"

Irina, who had been watching shrewdly, chimed in naturally.

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

"You made us wear maid outfits and butler clothes on day one and had us sign. You told us never to show Frey the contracts."

The commoners all turned to Kania.

"And today, you got Frey's firm 'firing' of the commoners, triggering the contract magic. Considering everything, you..."

"...Haa."

As Irina trailed off, pushing her acting to the limit, Kania sighed and addressed the students staring in realization.

"I just wanted to see you all happy."

The commoners let out sighs.

"It wasn't anything grand, no need for those expressions..."

"Ka-Kania! Thank youuu...!"

Kania, speaking calmly, looked troubled as the girl, now able to buy her sibling's medicine, burst into tears and hugged her.

"Th-thanks to you... my sibling... Hic..."

"Hoo..."

As the girl sobbed into mutters, Kania's expression darkened slightly, patting her back.

"But... Kania. Are you really okay?"

"Pardon?"

One student asked.

"If Frey finds out we're getting this fortune, he won't let you off easy..."

"It doesn't matter."

Kania gave a wry smile.

"I've already resolved myself."

The commoners glanced at the red handprint on her cheek and her hand gently rubbing her sore abdomen, falling silent with bowed heads.

"Then, farewell."

Kania smiled and bowed to them.

Her fragility tugged at them—they wanted to help—but they soon realized it was futile.

The Starlight Mansion looming behind her was too vast for them.

The commoners could only bow repeatedly as they left, groveling over and over.

Gazing wistfully at their sad, ingrained obeisance, Kania turned at a presence beside her.

"Kania... Are you really okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

Perloché stood there, deeply worried.

"If you are, shall I stay at Frey's mansion? As the saintess, I could protect you from him..."

"...No, that's fine."

Kania gazed softly at her, then grew serious.

"Farewell, Perloché."

"Pardon? Ah... Understood. Take care."

Overwhelmed by Kania's inexplicable aura, Perloché tilted her head before stepping out.

"......You should go now too."

"Wh-why me?"

Kania turned coldly to Irina, who stood blankly beside her.

"Planning to stay here all vacation?"

"Yeah, obviously. I have to stick to Frey every second to repay what I owe."

"Haa..."

Kania frowned at Irina's response, speaking irritably.

"One of me is enough. I've served the young master since childhood..."

"Then why are you still rubbing your stomach? The act's over."

At Irina's curious question, Kania flushed and clamped her mouth shut.

She couldn't admit that Frey had pressed his foot into her abdomen earlier, and her recently sensitive belly—often turning cat-like—had reacted painfully.

"Anyway, in conclusion..."

"Wh-what? Her?"

As Kania fell silent and began to speak, Irina paled, pointing at the mansion. Kania stiffened and turned.

"......!"

Kania doubted her eyes.

At Frey's window, Lulu perched blankly.

"St-stop her! We have to stop her!"

"Calm down. That's the second floor. She won't die falling."

"Oh, right."

Kania replied lowly to the panicking Irina, intending to approach as Irina scratched her head.

Swish...

".......!!!"

Lulu drew a small knife from her bosom toward her arm. Irina and Kania paled in horror.

"Block her for real this time!"

"I know."

As frantic Kania prepared black magic and Irina chanted a makeshift wind spell—

"Whew, that was close."

Frey appeared from behind the window, striking Lulu's nape to knock her out.

"...Good thing the young master was there."

"Yeah."

Relieved as the limp Lulu was dragged inside, the two muttered tensely.

"So, what do we do with her?"

"Tie her up, maybe?"

"Can't brainwash her with black magic?"

"That's for evil black mages."

Suddenly icy, they pondered handling the headache now back inside.

Their perfectly synced banter continued long after.

......

"Whew, that was close."

I had snuck into the room to observe if Lulu would try anything. Spotting the knife from her bosom, I knocked her out immediately.

Looks like I need Kania to check her over when she returns.

"...Sigh."

As I thought that, a system window popped up before me.

Ignored for so long, was it annoyed? The message felt urgent.

Shrr...

I couldn't ignore it forever, so I checked the reward. A strangely shaped jade tablet appeared before my hand.

"Now that's more like it."

'Rocinante,' who made the decorative box from the old auction, was a master blacksmith prophesied to etch his name in imperial history.

Like most such geniuses, he was notoriously eccentric.

Commissioning him was like plucking stars from the sky—but with this tablet, he might even build a star-plucking machine.

"...Hm?"

As I carefully tucked the tablet into my desk drawer, a white bird flew toward the window outside. I smiled.

"Gugu?"

"...Huh?"

But perched on the sill wasn't the expected white owl—it was a carrier pigeon.

"Gugu gu!"

"A letter..."

I eyed the pigeon curiously, then snatched the letter bearing the imperial seal.

To Clana Solar Sunrise...

"Clana wrote to me?"

Spotting her name on the envelope, I tore it open with trembling anticipation.

"Ah, this."

I'd imagined all sorts, but deflated upon reading it.

Clana referred to the 'slave market raid' as the classified matter.

Makes sense—with the Cloud Kingdom's prince and princesses, set to enter Sunrise Academy next year as first-years, captured there, tight security was understandable.

'Free the slaves and earn the princess's hatred. Easy.'

Sad to be hated by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a sub-heroine, but necessary to clear the main quest.

"...Huh?"

As I went to file the letter away, I spotted tiny writing at the bottom and slowly froze.

P.S. What did you do to me, Frey?

"What the hell...?"

Indeed, the world never goes according to plan.