While Johan was having a pointless conversation with the Oracle,
Yuna was out shopping with Melana.
For Melana, being with Yuna felt uncomfortable, but Yuna herself seemed completely indifferent about being with her.
That very indifference only made Melana more uneasy.
Just as the two were maintaining a kind of close-yet-distant relationship—
“Huh?”
Walking along the street, Yuna suddenly spotted some familiar faces standing in front of a fancy restaurant.
“People you know?”
“Mhmm!”
When Yuna who had been half-skipping ahead without a care came to a stop, Melana quietly followed to her side and asked.
“They’re new friends I made recently. They transferred in from outside.”
“…Both of them?”
“One of them skipped a grade and moved up to second year, and the other’s a mercenary.”
“No wonder I didn’t recognize them.”
Melana nodded.
Since she herself was from the Cradle, she could tell the two of them were different from the other students.
“Wow… but it looks like they’re dating. I had a feeling, but that was quick.”
Seeing the two holding hands and smiling, Yuna gave a pleased smile of her own.
But then—
“Oh.”
Raven and Ollie exchanged a natural kiss and smiled bashfully.
It was a sweet, innocent romance.
But to Yuna who until recently had only exchanged a brief cheek kiss with Johan, it was a sight that filled her with self-pity.
How long had Raven and Ollie even known each other?
And how long had she and Johan known each other?
“Hey, Yuna?”
“Hmm?”
Melana, seeing Yuna looking half‑angry about something, asked with a slightly awkward expression,
“Don’t you think it’s a bit strange?”
“What? Me?”
“Huh? Oh, no… I never thought that.”
“Then what’s strange?”
“It’s just… for someone you said was a mercenary, he seems a bit too natural.”
“The kiss?”
“No, I mean… a place like that.”
“That’s discrimination, you know.”
“Uh…”
Melana was still having a hellish time.
***
When Yuna got back, she immediately perched on my desk and stared me down.
What kind of thoughts had she been having outside that made her come back just to bother me?
“Johan, I saw Raven and Ollie today.”
“Yeah? Sounds like they’re doing well.”
So they’d been hanging out together without telling us?
From the look of things, I’d already suspected as much, but maybe it was about time I started giving them some space.
I mean, I do have some sense—
I can’t exactly stick myself between two people who are clearly dating.
“They were at a fancy restaurant, smiling and kissing each other.”
“I‑I see.”
“Johan, how long has it been since those two first got to know each other?”
“About three weeks, maybe?”
“And us?”
“A little over half a year…”
“Right.”
“……”
“Johan, don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“Did you buy the things I asked for?”
“Not that!”
“…I was joking, Yuna.”
So don’t look at me like you’re about to kill me.
We should at least be able to joke about things like this, shouldn’t we?
“But Yuna, we’re more mature people, right?”
“Oh, so just kissing on the cheek while others are kissing on the lips is what you call mature?”
“…I meant that we’re capable of not getting swept up in emotions and taking things step by step. And besides, you’re the one who kissed me on the cheek, not the other way around.”
Please, miss, don’t go back and argue over something we already agreed on.
“So… can we kiss right now, then?”
“Well, if that’s really what you want.”
It’s not like I’m trying to string Yuna along or anything.
That’s just honestly how I feel.
Sure, I’ll have to deal with whatever backlash comes afterward.
But if I’ve got any decency at all, I should be willing to take that much responsibility.
“Mm… forget it.”
“Alright.”
Yuna seemed to hesitate at my sincere answer before finally shaking her head.
Right. She knows there’s no need to rush.
She’d only been stirred up after seeing someone else.
We’re mature people; we don’t get carried away by a momentary impulse.
It’s not like we’re drunk…
And we’re certainly not Lobelia.
Anyway—
“By the way, Johan.”
“Yeah?”
“Remember how I told you I saw Raven and Ollie earlier?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, Melana was with me at the time.”
“What was she doing there? Grabbing a meal with Jeff or something?”
“No, nothing like that. She was shopping with me. You gave me a lot of errands to run, remember?”
“Why her of all people…? Actually, never mind. I’m sure you had your reasons. Guess it’s a good thing you two seem to be getting along.”
“Right? Anyway, Melana said something about it being strange.”
“What was strange?”
“She said Raven’s behavior seemed way too natural.”
“Really?”
“Mhmm.”
“Well, that’s possible. But it’s nothing unusual. Anyway, can you get off my desk now? I’ve got to make an antidote.”
“Puhihi.”
Yuna gave a sly little smile, then stretched both hands toward me.
“Carry me down yourself.”
“Good grief.”
So I just did as she wanted.
I can’t help but think she’s getting more and more spoiled. At this rate, I wonder where this will end up.
***
After making around twenty bottles of antidote, I headed straight to the Andvaranaut Merchant Guild’s headquarters the next day.
As usual, Cattleya was slumped over the counter like an overworked employee who had collapsed from exhaustion.
If it’s an act, it’s a convincing one.
Of course, the part about collapsing from overwork probably wasn’t an act.
“Cattleya, I’m here.”
“Oh, you’re here? Got the goods?”
“Right here.”
“Oh!”
Cattleya who had been flopping around like a squid out of water sprang upright at the mention of the antidote.
That spark of motivation was nice to see.
Not that it was the kind of motivation used for anything noble, of course.
“How do you use this stuff?”
“One bottle is enough to fully cure someone who’s been poisoned with a lethal dose.”
“I see. So if it’s more than a lethal dose, one bottle won’t cut it, huh?”
“Obviously.”
Chuckling to herself, Cattleya began moving the antidotes I had brought.
“So, is that it for today? Or do you have a favor to ask me?”
“It’s not a favor, but I do have a proposal. One or two, actually.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
By then, she was holding a mug. Apparently she’d gone and made herself some coffee.
She really does live a tiring life.
“There’s someone who wants to meet you. Would you be willing to see them?”
“Who? If you’re talking about the Third Princess, then forget it. I’ve already met her once.”
“I wasn’t aware of that.”
“She said it’d be hard for her to accept my offer. Well, that’s only natural. Still, unlike the idiots who sugarcoat their words or tell blatant lies, she gave me an honest answer. Definitely better than most of the other imperial members.”
“What exactly did you ask her for?”
“I told her that in exchange for my full support and backing for her to become emperor, I wanted the right to behead Loki.”
“Yeah… I can see why that wouldn’t fly.”
“Yeah. I figured as much when I asked. I just wanted to get a read on what kind of person Lobelia is.”
One way or another, if Lobelia is to become emperor, she’ll inevitably have to clash with Loki.
But she was someone who walked a different path from Loki; she wasn’t the type to hand her family’s head to someone else.
If Loki’s head was to be taken, she would be the one to take it herself.
And besides, given her status as an imperial member, granting an outsider the right to execute someone would naturally be a serious problem.
Unless that outsider was a professional executioner, it would be seen as an act of private vengeance.
And what Cattleya wanted was exactly that. It was private vengeance.
“Anyway, she and I just don’t mix. She could very well end up my enemy. No… the odds are high she will.”
“Honestly, it’s a miracle she didn’t have you arrested on the spot.”
“I know. Not that I’d have gone quietly.”
Cattleya was a criminal.
She had done business with countless terrorist groups. By imperial law, there’s no way she could avoid the death penalty.
The fact that Lobelia overlooked that much was already a huge concession on her part.
“So? Who’s this person who wants to meet me?”
“Before I tell you, can you promise you won’t blow up in anger or flip the table before I’m finished?”
“My, my… our little puppy. Still as timid as ever, aren’t you?”
“That expression really makes you sound old.”
“Wanna die?”
“Of course not.”
I only meant the expression sounded old-fashioned.
Cattleya was still young enough. If only she took better care of herself…
“Anyway, just spit it out.”
“There’s someone who wants to meet you: Stan Robinhood, heir to the Robinhood family.”
“Can I kill that bastard?”
“Absolutely not. Not that I expect you to listen to me… but at least hear me out before you do anything.”
“Talk.”
No matter how you look at it, the Robinhood family was bound to be her mortal enemy.
After all, it was through their investigation that the Tales marquisate was wiped out.
In a sense, you could say this was the beginning of it all.
To Cattleya, they might have looked like nothing more than bats clinging to power.
“The Robinhood family regrets their involvement in the fall of the Tales marquisate.”
“Regret doesn’t bring back the dead. They were the ones who destroyed us just to curry favor with those in power. Surely they’re not going to claim they’re innocent simply because they ‘didn’t know’ are they?”
“If they were shameless enough to say that, do you think I would’ve bothered to relay their words?”
“We’ll see.”
It was clear the Robinhood family carried a debt toward the Tales marquisate.
That was why they’d chosen to side with the dangerously unstable Lobelia.
And Cattleya knew this well enough. That was the only reason she had refrained from touching the Robinhood family until now.
Whatever shape her revenge would ultimately take, at least for the moment, that was how it stood.
“The Robinhood family is hiding a child of the Tales marquisate.”
“……”
“Her name is Emily, and she’s currently living as the Robinhood family’s adopted daughter.”
Cattleya said nothing.
She showed no sign of surprise or anger. None of the emotions one might expect.
Resting her chin on her hand, she looked as though she were listening to a dull story.
“It was probably the least they could do as atonement.”
“Fine, I’ll give them that. For those powerless bats, even taking in the bloodline of a traitor’s family must have been a risky gamble.”
Cattleya let out a scoffing sigh, as if the idea amused her.
“Johan Damus.”
“Yes.”
“I appreciate you bringing me the news, but I have no intention of meeting those worms.”
“Is that so? Well, I suppose there’s no helping it. They’ll understand.”
“I don’t need that kind of understanding. Anyway, is that the end of your story?”
“Do you have no desire to meet your family? Not the Robinhoods….just your own flesh and blood?”
“No, I don’t.”
“……”
No one could read what was going on inside Cattleya.
After all, she was the one leading the big merchant guild called Andvaranaut.
Her poker face was bound to be far better than mine could ever be.
Either way, I couldn’t begin to guess what she was thinking.
“So this matter is really over, then?”
“Ah, there’s still one more thing.”
“There’s still someone you want me to meet?”
“No, nothing like that.”
The business with Emily and Stan had already become a matter we couldn’t do anything about.
If she didn’t want to meet them, then what could I do? I had no desire to dig that deeply into someone else’s family affairs.
Cattleya must have her own reasons.
Maybe she thought that, as a criminal, she couldn’t face her family or something along those lines.
Anyway, with things falling through with those two, only one matter remained.
“As you’ve probably guessed, I’m going to set a trap for Loki.”
“Now that sounds interesting.”
“It’s not what I want, but it could end up killing him.”
“Even when you’re planning to kill someone, you still cling to self-preservation.”
“I’m just an ordinary man.”
And really, isn’t it the fault of the one who jumps into the fire, not the one who built it?
“What you told Princess Lobelia earlier that she couldn’t give you.”
“……”
“I’ll give you the right to kill Loki yourself.”
“I like that.”
“So I’ll ask. How far are you willing to help me?”
Cattleya smiled faintly at my proposal before spreading both hands wide.
“I’ll give you everything.”
I looked at her smile and replied,
“You don’t mean that.”
It was an obvious trick.
***
After striking what was, in its own way, a successful deal with Cattleya…
I returned to the Cradle and threw myself into the first problem that needed solving.
Make more antidote?
Study and learn more magic?
No, that would be pointless.
I already had more than enough antidote, and no matter how much stronger I became, there was a limit.
As always, I needed to work from behind the scenes, pulling the strings.
To do that, I had to stand in the most discreet spot. A spot that also gave me the clearest view of the stage.
And for that, I needed to gouge out the enemy’s eyes.
“Raven.”
“Huh? Ah, Johan. What is it?”
“Catch.”
I tossed a small vial toward Raven who had been staring off blankly.
He caught it in a clumsy, off-balance motion, then tilted his head and asked me,
“What is this?”
“An antidote for mood poison.”
“……”
Raven stared down at the vial for a long moment, then gave me a bitter smile.
“How long have you known?”
“Had my suspicions from the start. Got my confirmation recently.”
Raven, the so-called transfer student at the Cradle and a mercenary.
In reality, he wasn’t a mercenary at all.
He was one of Loki’s spies who was merely pretending to be a transfer student.
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