Kashi Iliya - The Party's Surprisingly Muted Reaction to the Princess Reveal

Kashi Iliya's true identity as the corporation's princess had been revealed, but the Amon party's reaction remained subdued. That made sense—they were still inside the boardroom. Amon and the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠others struggled to compose their expressions as they glanced at Kashi. Sensing the mood, the chairman wrapped up the negotiations.

"We'll leave it there. Looks like you've got plenty to talk about with your friends. You're free to go."

The chairman mentioned he still had business with the executives and dismissed only Amon's party. They exited the room calmly, though with an underlying haste. Once outside, they shut the boardroom door behind them. Only after putting some distance between themselves and the office did the party finally let out a collective stifled scream.

"Hey...! You're a princess?!"

"Princess? Nah, she's a duchess or something!"

"Kashi, I'm sorry! I apologize for all my rudeness up till now! Please, just spare my life!"

"Uh... Kashi. Have I said anything rude without realizing?"

They were discovering for the first time that whispers and screams could coexist in the same words. Watching them stifle their yells, Kashi looked fairly flustered herself.

"Huh? What?"

The ones who should have been panicking were Amon and his crew, but since Kashi was flustered too, Amon's side regained their cool first. Amon turned to her.

"What's with that reaction?"

"No, I mean... don't you have anything else to say?"

"Like what?"

"Like why I kept it hidden all this time..."

"You didn't say anything because we didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ask, right?"

"Or that I deceived you guys..."

"Deceived us how?"

"You know, that kind of thing."

Kashi hemmed and hawed before speaking up.

"It's kinda awkward for me to say it myself, but... you know, like 'I've been toying with you all this time because I wanted to play mercenary' or something..."

"Huh?"

Amon made a dumbfounded face.

"Come on. We've bled together, eaten the same meals, slept in the same dungeons— if we can't trust you after all that, who the hell can we trust?"

Amon wasn't the only one; the rest of the party felt the same. They harbored no suspicion or fear toward Kashi. There wasn't a trace of distrust or betrayal in their eyes. Just surprise—like finding out your regular diner owner graduated from an Ivy League school. Exactly that level of surprise.

To make sure, Kashi asked them.

"You guys know our company is a megacorp, right?"

"It's all over the internet. Of course we do."

"Then why the lukewarm reaction?"

"Why? You want us to drop to our knees now and go 'Oh my glory, princess'?"

"No, that's not what I—"

"Then we're good. Come on, let's head down. This place gives me the creeps."

Amon teased her lightly. The rest of the party smiled and urged her along. Only then did she realize her mistake. These party members weren't the type to distance themselves over a secret like this. If anything, considering the dark histories they'd confessed to her, they were the kind of people who had no reason to fear her.

The water buffalo tank who turned the chairman's only son into mincemeat for trying to massacre civilians for fun during the European War, then got an dishonorable discharge.

The Israeli intelligence deaf-mute sniper who castrated his boss for trying to flood civilians with drugs to fund a war, then quit.

The ogre who disguised a lab explosion as an accident after his own company tried to test bioweapons on South America, then laundered his identity.

The androgynous utility mage who psychokinetically ripped out every pubic hair from a professor experimenting on underage kids, then graduated grad school.

And finally, Amon—too complex to sum up in one sentence.

Thinking about it, they weren't the type to cower before corporate bigwigs.

Seeing her unchanged comrades, Kashi's expression softened.

"Thanks, everyone."

"Thanks? A megacorp's nothing special. If you wanted, we could turn you back into a commoner."

"?"

All eyes turned to Amon at his words. He raised both hands defensively.

"Kidding. Don't take it seriously. You think I'd actually wipe out a megacorp or something?"

The party nodded at that.

"You ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could probably pull it off."

"He'd chant 'Amen' and bring down divine judgment if you messed with his faith!"

"H-Honestly... I think Amon could do it and then some..."

Amon's face hardened as he turned to Kashi.

"What about you?"

At that, Kashi burst out laughing with a pfft.

"Look at your track record."

"Hey! Why me?!"

Amon's quiet protest continued until the elevator arrived.

*

The elevator arrived, and they descended back to the lobby. In the spacious car that could easily fit six, Amon and his comrades' mouths never stopped moving.

"What's for lunch today? Hey, Kashi, any good spots around here?"

"This is the corporate plaza. Normal heiresses hang out in the eastern residential district."

The water buffalo tank answered Amon's question in her stead. Still, Amon didn't give up.

"But come on, you've probably come here a few times for 'take your daughter to work' day or whatever."

All eyes turned to Kashi at his words. Amid those gazes, she smirked and replied.

"I know a restaurant. Let's go there."

"Not fine dining, right?"

"You think I'd take you lot to fine dining? Those places need reservations anyway."

"Roger. Today we bleed Kashi's wallet dry."

"Hey, I'm short on pocket money 'cause of gear repairs."

"Pfft, princess. You're giving off cheap vibes. How much could we even cost you?"

"Says the guy who shells out fifty bucks at the merc broker's diner."

"Ahh, my abilities burn through stamina like crazy."

"Sigh... Fine, I'll teach you basic table manners before we go. Just follow them."

"Whoa, table manners? Kashi, you're acting all distant now."

"Like I can't say anything."

As Amon joked around, they reached the lobby. As they passed through, security and staff eyes locked onto them. While everyone else wore suits, Amon's party screamed "mercs" from a mile away. But seeing Kashi at the front, no one stopped or snubbed them.

The princess's friends, huh.

What kind of deal are they here for?

Even low-level staff who didn't know Kashi's face by heart didn't pick fights. Anyone with a shred of social savvy could tell from their seniors' and bosses' glaring eyes that these weren't people to mess with.

Thus, they headed to the exit without interference. But just before pushing through the glass doors, a group in suits blocked their path.

Question marks popped up over the party's heads. Kashi, who had been beaming at the thought of taking her comrades to lunch, darkened.

Before anyone could ask why, the group parted, and a man approached.

"Long time no see, Kashi."

"Owen bro."

Kashi's expression upon seeing the man she called "bro" wasn't good, even as empty flattery. If anything, it mixed disgust, anger, and fear.

Amon looked up at Owen. Not as tall as the water buffalo tank, but around 190 cm—a towering figure. The way he tilted his chin to look down at her and Amon rubbed Amon the wrong way. His words grated just as much.

"Kashi, enough with the mud pies. Time to come home."

"Shut up. Dad's got like eighty years before retirement. And I'm not interested in the chairman spot anyway."

"Dad's picked you for it."

"Whatever. I said I'm not interested."

"You need to start training now if you want even a shot at his toes. I'm doing this to support you."

"Then you do it, bro. You're more capable than me."

"No can do. Mom said so, and the revelations say the same. Our family follows her words..."

That was when it happened. Killing intent poured from Kashi, pressing down on everyone there. The source herself bowed her head, her expression hard to read. In a voice like she was scratching her throat, she spoke.

"Don't... bring up... that woman in front of me. Or that fraud..."

"Fraud? That's a revelation."

"Bro, I warned you."

Her hand reached behind her back. A folding spear was strapped there. Owen's bodyguards tensed, hands drifting to their weapons. The watching security crouched, ready to intervene.

A powder keg. Kashi muttered her final warning low.

"Bro, stop forcing your faith on others."

"Kashi, what are you talking about?"

"To proselytize properly, you become heavenly first and approach them—or are you saying dragging them to heaven and locking them up makes it heaven?"

"Kashi, we have a duty to spread Mother's words to others."

"Duty my ass. Since it's come up— if you're spreading it, spread the real thing. What you and that woman believe in is a cult. Get your head straight."

"Kashi."

"And don't introduce that ragtag priest to my friends."

"Kashi! The revelations are always right! They're real!"

"Revelations my ass! I've told you a million times—it's your ability!"

Thud! Owen ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stomped. The entrance floor cracked, and the metal detector flashed red. Their auras turned vicious, on the verge of lunging.

That's when Amon grabbed Kashi's hand.

"H-Huh!?"

"Hello, Owen sir."

Owen's eyebrow twitched at Amon's sudden intervention.

"Sir?"

"Ah, sorry for the late introduction. I'm Amon, Kashi's comrade. Since you're her brother, I called you sir. Was that rude?"

Owen's eyes drifted downward, scanning Amon from head to toe before stopping at his cross necklace. Staring at it intently, Owen suddenly changed his tune.

"Oh, my apologies. I thought you were just a merc Kashi hired, not a comrade. Forgive my lack of greeting."

His voice was kind, but the content wasn't. It sounded like an admission of fault at a glance, but dripped with disdain for mercenaries. Amon, however, didn't react.

To Amon, mercenaries' average character deserved such looks anyway. His creed was "do well yourself," so it didn't faze him.

"No, it was my late intro. All good."

"Right. But... you're a Goddess believer, aren't you?"

"Yes. I attend church."

"Huh. Rare breed in this world."

"This world needs the Word."

"Agreed. I'm one too."

Owen rolled up his sleeve, revealing a cross tattoo. Kashi's eyebrow twitched. Amon admired it with an inscrutable gaze.

"Cool tattoo."

"You get it. Kashi's got good friends."

"Haha. Meeting Kashi is the Goddess's grace for me too."

Before they knew it, the conversation had shifted from Kashi to Amon. They stepped aside from the entrance, naturally settling into the ground-floor reception room to chat. Mostly about faith—how they lived by certain scriptures.

Owen showed piety rivaling Amon's. But Kashi's face soured listening.

Then Amon broached a sensitive topic.

"Come to think of it, you mentioned revelations earlier."

"Oh, interested?"

Owen brightened. Kashi looked horrified, trying to stop Amon. He placed a hand on her thigh to calm her.

Just watch.

His eyes conveyed that. Meanwhile, Owen eagerly touted the revelations' feats.

"First one was when I was fifteen."

A priest introduced by his birth mother taught him how to see revelations, and following one led to a huge investment win. Success followed each time. Soon, Owen was recognized not as the chairman's son, but as an investment genius. That's when he started attending church devoutly—even after his mother donated to the church, angering his father into divorce, Owen didn't stop.

"Father permitted it."

Unlike his mother, who tried donating company and family funds alike, Owen brought profits and donated only part of his salary. The chairman figured it was money going to booze and smokes anyway and tolerated it.

"What do you say? Wanna come to that church with me?"

Owen's fanatic gleam met Amon's eyes—like a cult zealot's. Amon's comrades shrank back. Kashi recoiled. Even Owen's bodyguards looked uneasy. But Amon, staring straight into it, was utterly calm.

In a flat, gentle tone, Amon replied.

"?"

"Everything we gain on this earth is Mother's grace. If She bestowed it upon you, sir, it's only right to be grateful."

"Exactly."

Up to here, everyone thought Amon had bought into Owen's pitch. But then Amon's voice dropped low.

"Unless Mother didn't say not to spread her will through revelations henceforth."

"Huh?"

Amon's aura shifted. Wrath-infused recitation filled the room.

Amon's hand had somehow drifted to an ashtray—like he might smash Owen's skull with it any second.

Amon spoke.

"Say that again. Who gave the revelation?"

Owen peered into Amon's eyes. Only then did he sense something off. Amon's gaze wasn't serene—it had embraced madness as inner peace.

Owen bolted up in horror.

"Haha, sorry. Just remembered a meeting in ten minutes. Gotta run."

Forcing a dry laugh, Owen fled. His bodyguards followed, flashing thumbs-up in salute.

Soon, only Amon's party remained in the reception room. Confirming they were gone, Kashi sighed and leaned back on the sofa. She patted Amon's shoulder.

"Man, that was satisfying. Your acting was top-tier. Could've won best supporting actor."

"Huh? Acting?"

"You know, reciting Bible verses and all."

"That was dead serious."

"...? No way you were actually gonna smash bro with the ashtray?"

Kashi swung her arm like swatting. Amon nodded.

"Why'd you stop me then?"

"..."

Kashi was speechless. The party whispered behind them.

"Uh, do we gotta go to church this weekend or something?"

"Then it'd be a knife, not an ashtray."

"I already have a baptismal name, though."

Only after Amon assured them it wouldn't happen did they stop searching for churches on their apps.