You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02
༺ Extinguishing Stars and Shining Moon ༻
"…Young Master, please get ready to leave."
"…Hmm."
The weekend arrived, and it was time to visit the Duke's mansion as planned.
Even if it wasn't on schedule, I had to go there because I need to take care of a lot of affairs as the Provisional Lord.
"Then, before heading to the Duke's mansion, I'll give you a brief report."
"…Sure."
As I stood up to get dressed, Kania took out her notebook and diligently began to report what had transpired so far.
"First of all, about the case of 'kidnapping in the middle of the duel'… it was successfully calmed down as instructed by the Young Master."
A few days ago, thanks to Kania, the kidnapping incident during the duel was safely resolved. I entrusted her with full authority the moment I was appointed as the Provisional Lord of the Starlight family when I arrived at the capital.
Saying it was safely resolved would be an overstatement, rather, the incident was 'buried' would be the right way to put it.
"Some bribes were paid to the chief of the investigation squad and Dean Lionel to cover up the case, and the Magic Tower didn't want to disclose that they were involved in this to begin with, so you can rest easy."
"…Well, the magic tower would have been rather anxious if we couldn't cover up the incident. By the way, the chief of the investigation squad took the bribe?"
"Yes, he even provided guidelines on how much bribes should be offered to cover the entire incident."
"The Empire is becoming worse day by day."
I frowned and added the chief of the investigation squad to the future blacklist. I then asked carefully.
"Did you spread the rumor well?"
"Yes, currently at the Academy, almost everyone has accepted the rumor as a fact that the Young Master is the true mastermind behind this incident. It's just that everyone is trying to stay quiet in front of you."
"…I see. That's a relief. Then, what about Arianne?"
"She was released yesterday and returned to the Academy again. Of course, I secretly leaked the story that it was the Young Master who manipulated the guards with black magic and swapped the scrolls."
"Good job, Kania."
I swore I wouldn't cross paths with Arianne in the future, and I asked Kania, who was still reporting in a stern tone, the next question.
"Finally… What about Irina?"
"Yes, Ms. Irina is waiting outside the room at the moment."
"…Hmm, I get it. Then let her in."
When I said so in an anxious tone, Kania nodded quietly and left the room. A few seconds later, Irina entered the room.
"All right, so… Why are you here?"
When I looked at her and spoke arrogantly, Irina trembled, then soon fell to her knees and opened her mouth.
"From now on… I will absolutely obey you, Frey…"
"…Absolutely obey me?"
When I looked at her with an intrigued expression, Irina crawled right up to me, then slammed her head hard on the floor and said.
"I'm begging you… I'll obey you, please, just spare my life… Please…"
"And what's in it for me?"
When I inquired as such, Irina cautiously glanced at me while still keeping her head lowered and said.
"…I will do anything you ask me to do. So, please, only my life…"
"Did you just say you will do anything?"
I cut her off, then grabbed her arm and threw her onto the bed.
"Aaahhh…!"
"…Then, before I leave, why don't we spend some time together?"
As I got on top of Irina and whispered softly in her ear, Irina bit her lip, then nodded quietly and said.
"P-Pl-lease be …"
"....."
Watching her reaction with an icy gaze,I sighed, then quietly got out of bed and said.
"Sigh, well… in times like this, you have to resist… else it really ruins the mood."
"So-Sorry…"
"All right, clean my room and do my laundry till I return."
"....."
I quietly got out of bed and tried to ignore Irina, who was gawking at me as I took off my clothes.
'…Damn it, she's also suspicious.'
Irina suspects me.
When I ran into her a few days ago, I used the ❰Mind Reading❱ skill and noticed there was 'suspicion' among her feelings towards me.
I don't know what she's suspicious of, but apparently there are some lingering uncertainties she has about me.
So I acted aggressively today, but she didn't get infuriated like usual and instead begged me to be gentle.
And now she's closely inspecting me as I get undressed. It seems she is trying to ascertain whether I have any wounds on my body.
But unfortunately for her, I have already prepared a countermeasure for the wounds.
"There you go. On top of these clothes, make sure you wash all the rest of the clothes in the room."
"Huh…?"
"What are you doing? Did you not hear me?"
"N-No… no that's not…"
Upon hearing my cold tone, Irina, who was examining my naked body, blushed and turned her eyes away.
'…As expected of Kania. Even if she is in a mana exhausted state, she is able to deceive Irina.'
Currently, Kania disguised my body to appear to be in a pristine state by cloaking it with dark mana.
In other words, with one snap of Kania's finger, my body will revert to its tattered state.
Black magic isn't the sort of magic that can heal wounds, but it can be applied in this manner.
"Then… have a safe trip."
"Sigh, you shouldn't say something you don't really mean."
"...…"
After successfully deceiving Irina, I threw the remaining pile of clothes on her face and walked out of the room.
[Acquired False Evil Points: 50pts! (Close Call)]
"…Sigh."
Considering that the number of false evil points earned is this small, it seems this won't resolve Irina's suspicions right away. Perhaps I need to make a plan to clear her suspicions.
"…How did it go, Young Master?"
As I was walking down the hallway, while being immersed in my thoughts, Kania cautiously approached me and inquired.
"…Everything's fine. I just let her do some simple chores."
"I see…"
When I answered indifferently, Kania nodded her head, then immediately asked me one more question with a sharp glint in her eyes.
"…By the way, what was that scream I just heard from your room?"
"Ah, that's… well.. it was just a brief experiment."
When I stuttered as I roughly tried to gloss over her question, Kania stared at me with suspicions in her eyes.
"…Frey."
While I was trying to avoid her gaze, I heard a familiar voice from across the hallway.
"Isolet?"
Isolet was walking towards me with a harrowing expression on her face.
"Hmm? What brings you here…"
"I'll ask you straight."
When I tried to reply to her in my usual sly tone, she sharply cut me off and stopped right in front of my face.
"What's with those rumors circulating in the academy?"
Before long, she asked a question, exuding a murderous aura that I had never seen before.
"I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Frey, I'll warn you for the last time. Tell the truth."
While I was trying to figure a way out of this situation, I heard her voice seething with rage and intuitively realized that the moment I was waiting for had finally arrived. So, as such, I soon replied with a grimace.
"Well, I got rid of all the evidence… There's nothing more to hide now that the case has come to naught. I did nothing wrong."
"…What?"
"As the professor must have heard from the rumors, indeed, the truth is, I was the one behind the kidnapping."
Then Isolet trembled as she lowered her head and asked.
"Why…? Why… Just why did you do such a thing…"
"Why do you keep asking questions when you know everything?"
Inwardly praying that she would finally stop worrying about me, I drove the final nail into the coffin.
"I kidnapped her under the guise of an accident to add her to my assortment of sex slaves. Of course, I didn't feel guilty since I was only putting a lowly bitch and her friend who kept bothering me every day in their places."
Then, as Isolet hardened like a statue, I continued to speak with an irritated expression.
"However, one of the sex slaves escaped, and did you know that lowly bitch revealed the location of the secret hideout? Well, I did teach that little bitch a lesson."
– Kick!!
"…Argh!!!"
But before I could finish speaking, Isolet hit my stomach with a spinning kick and I slumped to the floor, writhing in pain.
Isolet gave me an icy stare. Soon, she crushed me under her weight and began to punch me violently.
"Ugh, wait! What are you doing…"
"Cruel… disgusting… hateful bastard…"
"Ugh, Ughhh…"
"It's a shame… that I once cared about you…"
After being beaten by Isolet for a while, I floundered my arms and shouted.
"If you hit me any longer, I will formally protest against the Bywalker family as the Provisional Lord of the Starlight family!! So, stop it now!!"
"…Provisional Lord?"
Upon hearing that, Isolet stopped beating me for a moment, then looked down at me with an icy gaze and declaimed.
"Are you referring to the position you usurped from your father, who collapsed due to stress because of the repulsive deed you committed?"
When I heard that, I laughed shamelessly and exclaimed.
"Yes, I know!! And now I'm the Provisional Lord of the Starlight family!! So, if you use any more violence… Arghh!"
"…Fine, I'll stop the violence here. Provisional Lord."
Then Isolet, who struck me with all her might for the last time, said with a resentful look.
"Then have a pleasant weekend."
Leaving those words behind, Isolet walked out of the hallway.
[Isolet Arham Bywalker's Current Emotions: Rage / Disappointment / Disgust / Contempt / Regret]
"…Ha, Haha. Hahaha."
I began laughing hysterically when she walked out of the hallway, because when I used the ❰Mind Reading❱ skill on her I was relieved to see that her 'concern' and 'sorrow' had finally disappeared from her system window. However, I felt bitter at the thought that the only person left now who still worries about me is Kania.
[Acquired False Evil Points: 700pts!! (Euphoria)]
"Hahaaa, Haha… ha…"
"Young master…"
Meanwhile, Kania, who kept her eyes closed and turned a blind eye to the situation, cautiously approached me. As I was laughing without even bothering to remove the system window that appeared in front of my eyes, Kania grabbed my hand and muttered.
"Are you all right? I'm sure the wound hasn't healed yet…"
"Haha… The only thing that matters…is that Isolet's life is safe."
"…"
Upon hearing this,Kania glanced at me with pity and tried to reach out—
"…Go away! I don't need any help!"
"…?"
She looked perplexed when I slapped her hand and shouted.
When I stared at Kania with my brows furrowed and eyes squinted, she soon turned around to see what's behind her.
"…Oh."
Ferloche was walking down the hallway with a maid's outfit in her hand.
After witnessing the bizarre situation and immediately understanding the meaning of my signal, Kania naturally passed me by and began heading to the other side of the hallway.
"…I'm here to serve you as promised."
Meanwhile, I opened my mouth when I saw Ferloche, who looked disgusted, arrive in front of me.
"…What?"
But when I asked with a bewildered expression, Ferloche clenched her teeth and began to speak in a voice seething with anger.
"Master… as you ordered last time… I came to serve… you at exactly 7 o'clock…."
I stared at her with a vacant gaze, then replied in a composed tone.
"I told you to come at 7 pm, not in the morning."
"…Ah."
And there was silence for a moment.
"…Then I'll return at seven o'clock in the evening, Master."
"Yes."
After a while, the Saintess responded coldly, then turned around and began to head out of the hallway.
'Ferloche, what the hell happened…'
Normally, I would have laughed out loud because of her silly appearance, but since the time I saw her past self in my last dream, I don't find such a situation humorous at all.
Just what the hell happened… to make that smart looking Ferloche change like that.
And did I actually live my life with fabricated memories that I couldn't even notice such a change?
"… Young Master, are you fine?"
"I'm not fine."
"Huh?"
"Oh… no, I'm absolutely fine. No problem at all."
After restlessly pondering over it for a while, I spouted some nonsense to Kania, who approached me, and then stood up.
"…Let's go, Kania."
"Yes."
As I staggered out of the hallway with Kania's support, I paused for a moment and asked in a hushed voice.
"Ah, are you investigating how the scrolls were swapped?"
"Yes, but… it's a complicated situation to track down. As the Young Master ordered, we must keep it secret, and the number of people involved in this case and witnesses are limited…"
"No matter how long it takes, we must find the cause."
Looking at Kania, who quietly nodded at those words, I added in a bitter voice.
"Isolet gave me a chance so I could change her mind and force her to abandon me. That's why in order to repay her, I need to find the cause of this case."
.
.
.
.
.
– Neigh!!!
"It seems we have arrived, Young Master."
"Yes, it seems so."
After getting out of the dormitory and spending some time chatting with Kania in the carriage we boarded, we arrived at our destination, the Duke's mansion.
""Welcome, Provisional Lord.""
"…Yes, address me with the proper title."
When we got off the carriage, all the servants of the Starlight household, who were waiting for us, bowed their heads to greet me. I replied with a pleasant smile when I was addressed as 'Provisional Lord.'
""...…""
Then, some of the servants who were loyal to my father frowned.
If possible, I was considering earning a few false evil points by yelling at them, but since the morning I had to deal with a lot of mental stress, so I decided otherwise and began heading towards the entrance.
"Y-Young M-Master! Please forgive me!!"
However, while I was walking, one of the maids standing on the right suddenly rushed to me and fell at my feet. She finally started begging.
"What are you…"
"Pl-Please… forgive my sister…!"
"…Aha, so it's you?"
After a moment of confusion, I soon smiled coldly when I realized that she was Arianne's older sister, and then kicked her.
"…Argh!"
As a result, she rolled on the ground and the faces of the servants watching the scene hardened.
"Pl-Please… Please… Master… she's my only little sister… I've only seen that child–"
Meanwhile, Arianne's older sister trembled and crawled to me. She grabbed my leg and implored.
It seems she is clinging on to me this desperately because of my notoriety… even after Arianne's release, she appears to be living with anxiety every day.
"…You, I'll remember your face."
So, I had no choice but to utter my usual line, and Arianne's older sister, who was frozen stiff for a while, slammed her face on the ground and muttered,
"T-Thank you… Thank you… very much… Sob…"
"".....""
As I looked around with a satisfied smile, all the maids standing in the line quickly avoided my gaze.
"…Let's go, Kania."
"Yes."
I winked at them, then wrapped my hand around Kania's waist, and entered the Duke's mansion.
[Acquired False Evil Points: 100 pts! (Glamorous Entrance)]
As the system said, it was truly a glamorous entrance.
.
.
.
.
.
"Kania, where is your little sister now?"
When I arrived at the duke's residence and unpacked my luggage, the first thing I started looking for was Kadia, Kania's younger sister.
"…Kadia is asleep in her room."
"Is that so? Then things will be easier."
"…I'm sorry I won't be able to help you."
"No, it's fine."
And when I heard from Kania that Kadia was sleeping in her room, I left Kania, who looked worried, and began heading to Kadia's room.
The reason why I left Kania behind is that in her current state, Kadia will become sick if Kania's dark mana resonates with her ❰Healing Power❱.
Therefore, until Kadia's healing power is fully awakened, Kania should refrain from getting close to her as much as possible.
[Store / Elementary Items]
– Elixir of Potential Lv1 (700pts)
Description: This mysterious elixir can draw out the potential of the person who drinks it.
(Purchase Limit: 0/1)
Accumulated Points: 2200pts
"…All right, it's finally time to buy this."
Therefore, it's my responsibility to feed Kadia the elixir that will help grow her healing ability.
If possible, I would like to have other servants do it, but it would be problematic if the servants misunderstood my intentions and threw the elixir away. On the other hand, it wouldn't be fully effective if I mixed it with food or drink.
– Creak…
With that in mind, I purchased the ❰Elixir of Potential❱, then quietly opened the door to Kadia's room, and went inside.
"Zzz… Zzz…"
"…Hmm, no matter which angle I see her, she looks exactly like a miniature Kania."
After endearingly staring at Kadia, who resembled Kania, for a moment, I opened the cap of the elixir of potential and began pouring its content into her mouth.
"Ugh…"
"There you go… well done."
Then Kadia frowned and began gulping the elixir down her throat without spitting it out. Seeing this, I gently stroked her hair, feeling proud, then muttered.
"…Soon, you will be able to hold your sister's hand again."
After saying so, and pouring the elixir into Kadia's mouth, I left her room with a satisfied smile.
– Craaash!!!
"Ughhh!!!"
And the next moment, I was hit by a shimmering flash of light as my body flew across the hallway and crashed into the wall.
"Cough…Cough… Wh-What in the…"
"This fucking bastard… what did you do…"
As I was leaning against the wall, pondering about this sudden unexpected situation, a girl approached me with a disgusted look on her face.
"What did you do to Kadia, you filthy bastard!!!"
Then the girl grabbed me by the collar and began shaking my torso while screaming her lungs out, only then I realized the identity of my attacker.
"Aria… Let go of me."
She was my sister, Aria Raon Starlight.
"You…it's a narcotic, isn't it…? It's a narcotic, right?"
"What do you mean narcotic…"
"There's no reason for you to give Kadia a potion unless it's a narcotic, you scumbag!! You did it last time as well!!"
"Sigh…"
As I sighed at her allegations, Aria grabbed me by my collar and began crying.
"My father collapsed because of you… Is that the only thing going on in your head?"
"And so—"
"My mother died because of you!! Now my father is going to die because of you!! Did you return home just to threaten a maid and drug a girl the same age as me?!"
"....."
"Y-You should have died instead of my mother… you should have died instead of my mother back then!! You devil bastard!!!"
Eventually, Aria howled as the noise echoed through the Duke's mansion. However, I couldn't say a word to her.
Because no matter how accidental… It's indeed a fact that my mother died because of me.
"....Sigh."
I calmly listened to Aria, who continued to yell that I should have died instead of our mother.
Tonight, I wish I can see my mother again, even if I have to go through a nightmare like last time.
.
.
.
.
.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Western Continent.
"Hello, old archaic witch."
Frey's fiancé Serena, who was eating a sweet cake in a humble villa, said so with a mischievous smile when an elderly woman wearing an old cloak opened the villa's door.
"Hey, I'm the rightful owner of the Sunrise Empire's Magic Tower, and it's only been four years since I've been called that way."
"Actually, it's better to address you in that manner rather than the Magic Tower Master."
"Sigh…you really are a shrewd bitch, anyway—"
Surprisingly, the elderly woman who introduced herself as the Tower Master of the Sunrise Empire took off her cloak, then sat across from her and said.
"—So, what's your urgent request?"
Serena answered with a sharp glint in her eyes.
"It's simple. Please erase my memory."
Upon hearing this, the Tower Master burst into laughter and opened her mouth.
"Pfft Hahaha!! Do you have any memories you want to forget? Did you get dumped by Frey? Or did you witness an affair again?"
"…Perhaps?"
"Pfft… well, it's not my job. So, how much memory do you want me to erase?"
After laughing out loud for a long time, the Tower Master wiped away her tears at the corner of her eyes and asked a question. As such, Serena replied with a composed expression.
"…What?"
Upon hearing her following words, the smile on the Tower Master's face completely disappeared, and she inquired with a serious look.
"You want to go back to your childhood?"
"Perhaps I do?"
"…I really wasn't going to ask you this, but I guess I have to do it. So, what the hell do you mean?"
When the Tower Master asked seriously, Serena frowned slightly and began speaking.
"Ummm… well… I don't know if interpreting mainly words rather than sentences was somehow godsend… or if my habit of always 'doubting' everything to the end helped…"
"…Huh?"
"Still… there is a limit to 'force' myself to remain 'doubtful'… without drawing the 'conclusion,' so I'm trying to prevent that from happening."
As she uttered incomprehensible words, there was a scrap of paper full of check marks and circles tucked in her grasp.
"…What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Oh, and I have one more request."
The Tower Master stared at her as if she was looking at a lunatic, but Serena didn't care and once again uttered a shocking statement.
"…Please cast the 'Absolute Obedience Magic' on me."
"...!!!"
Upon hearing this, the Tower Master looked at Serena with her mouth agape, then soon asked in a serious voice.
"…Who will you obey?"
Serena replied with a subtle smile reminiscent of the moonlight.
"Frey Raon Starlight."
Upon hearing her answer, the Tower Master, who had been silent for a while, soon asked with an irritated expression.
"What's the point of doing all these crazy things?"
Then Serena answered with a broad grin.
"…I'm actually going to pull one over the Sun God."
Having said that, Serena picked up the slice of cake in front of her with a fork and nibbled at it. The Tower Master stared at her blankly, then soon shook her head and muttered.
"…Crazy bitch."
You can read 505 episodes for $10. p.*atreon.com/Astrid02