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Chapter 70
🕑 Added 2025-09-09 08:35:11 +0000 UTCAfter a good hour of kowtowing, apologising to my mother and saying whatever she wanted to hear, I finally managed to retreat to my room upstairs. Of course, I also dragged Caren with me too lest the hellspawn do something worse.
My room was decidedly simple, mostly because I never even used it. A simple bed. A closet. A shelf with a few books 'borrowed' from one of the Clock Tower's many libraries, and a simple study table beside the bed with a lamp and a laptop. Oh, also a nice carpet over the wooden floor. The nicest carpet.
"You went too far." I closed the door behind me. Caren floated over to my bed and climbed on top of it to stare out the window above it. "I'm not kidding. I can respect insanity, but leave my family out of it."
She glanced back at me, a measure of conflict flashing through her golden eyes, "You... need someone to keep you in check. Or, you'll hurt yourself. I don't want-... You need a handler to stop you from jumping off a skyscraper just cause it seems funny. The Lord has blessed you with great strength, and made your own mind your lifelong trial."
Damn.
"To be fair, I'm pretty sure I'd survive that. Wait no, I did. Last week."
Caren just stared at me, as if I'd just proven her point. Then, she sat down properly on the bed before straightening the edges of her habit.
"We both know the license holds no significance. If you want, I'd be happy to perform my duti-"
"No thanks." I shut her down before she even finished.
I was loyal to my Luvia, nothing was ever changing that. No one had done more, and risked more, than that absurdly rich foreign princess for my sake. The way the Clock Tower's politics functioned wasn't lost on me, she'd made herself an enemy to one of the three greatest families presiding over that place, all for me.
"A shame. I thought you'd be unable to control your beastly desires once you found out you'd been wed to someone as alluring as myself."
"You listen here," I held up a finger, taking the chair lying next to the side table, "The only person you're alluring to is a priest with one of those basements... Hey, wait a second-"
"No. I hope the Lord can forgive you for even insinuating such an act. I remain pure and untouched, until my marriage. Unless..." She smiled mischievously, placing a hand on her collar.
I deadpanned, "Don't even try. I'm not about to be seduced by a twig. But of course I can understand why the Church thought sending you could work with how much you guys adore kids."
"I'll start eating more then..." She dangled her feet idly, a hand over her stomach. "And you can tear that license up if you want, I have a hundred more copies."
...
...
This girl really was far too absurd. However, that aside, there was a decent chance this was some ploy by the Holy Church too. Some method of ensuring they had an inside man, a spy, plainly put. While I didn't necessarily mind her company, or Mark's, I had my reservations about that piece of information.
I sighed, "What makes you think I can't see that you're here to keep any eye on me?"
"I'm not." She answered calmly. "The only person who knows I'm even here is Father Mark. I am under his tutelage, for all intents and purposes. I hope the Lord can forgive me for deceiving my peers, but this is His trial."
"You know I find it crazy how some of you guys believe you can speak for Big G."
"All is His plan, and I have eyes and ears... A functioning brain too. Ah wait, my apologies, I suppose you're not familiar with that term." Caren shook her head from side to side. "But, don't worry. I have no intention of reporting anything to my superiors."
Strangely enough, this was the second time someone had done this. I wasn't all that surprised though. Caren was definitely the type to withhold information just to annoy someone, then enjoy when they found out and got pissed off.
I still had to ask.
"...Why?"
Instead of her usual snark, she averted her gaze with a slight tint on her cheeks. "M...My reasons are my own."
...
I blinked.
...
AH HELL NAH-
She immediately threw cold water on my thoughts. "W-Will you force them out of me by violating me now?"
I steepled my fingers, inhaling deeply. Then, I stepped over to her.
Why was she blushing?
"H-Henry-"
I grabbed her by the nape like a particularly rowdy cat and threw her inside my closet. With not even the slightest hesitation, I locked her inside before tossing the keys out the open window. For some godforsaken reason, my mother chose to come in at that very moment with a tray.
"I brought tea and biscuits-... Where did Caren go?"
I pursed my lips, "Bathroom."
Mama Smith gave a slight nod, looking over the room once again. Once she was satisfied and sure Caren wasn't here, she stepped inside.
"Hal, I've been thinking."
"That's never a good sign."
"Cheeky." She sighed softly, "I'm sorry about how I reacted."
...She had nothing to be sorry about.
"No matter how much I wish you were still my baby boy and how much I still want to watch over you... You're a grown-up now."
Woah... actual parenting. As William, I'd never really gotten that particular experience. My 'parenting' consisted of cold shoulders, a lot of sighing, and a lot of disappointment. For some reason, my mother then always mistook my attempts at garnering her attention for taunts-... Hm, it mattered little now.
I pushed the thoughts away, not too keen on souring this moment.
"It's not fair of me to want you to behave according to what I... expect. You've made me plenty proud already. You've proven that-... well, hm, this is a little embarrassing."
It really was. I couldn't even meet her gaze right now.
"I just want you to be careful, alright? And when you feel it's alright, tell me what happened."
Somehow, I felt that would never happen naturally. But that was alright, I wanted her to know I trusted her with this, even if I had to force it.
"We met at a Church. She's a foul-mouthed, clingy brat with a rotten personality and crippling daddy issues. On top of that, she has no place to belong to, and everyone who knows her finds her insufferable."
"Henry Smith."
"But that's exactly why I can't find it in me to be too harsh to her."
After all, I was also the same. Denying her nature meant denying my own. Shutting her down meant being the same as those people who knew I was troubled as a child and withdrew instead of even trying to be nice or help.
I was not a good person. I was not a kind person. Yet, I refused to be the same as them, out of sheer spite.
"I'll take her in, even if it means my own life becomes bloody hellish. If this is how she wants to go about it, then that's fine too."
The only issue was... Caren was definitely not a child.
Instead of another scolding, or more questions, my mother just smiled at me. I lowered my gaze when she stood up and approached me. Then, out of nowhere, she ruffled my hair. When I looked up, she was smiling more. It was a proud smile, I realised.
"You know, I sent Ellie to her room but I'm pretty sure that girl heard everything... good luck consoling her."
Oh no.
My mother left me with those dreadful words.
I thought about it for a second, before, like the manliest of men, fishing the strange envelope left outside my home from my pocket. That was to say, I completely ignored the issue at hand and coped by turning my full attention to another, easier one.
"Let's see..."
The seal was unrecognisable.
I curiously twirled the envelope in my hand before shrugging and ripping it right open with barely contained excitement.
I hadn't expected to be attacked so soon, but here we were. Truly, it was something to look forward to. Someone had willingly provided themselves as an example and testing subject. I needed to shake their hand and thank them profusely when we met.
Inside, was a single piece of paper. An evil eye was inscribed onto the back. The sort seen throughout history among all branches of the mysticism we studied. Commonly, at least in our society, the evil eye referred to Mystic Eyes and methods of dealing with them.
Immediately, I recalled Yvette's family, the Lehrmans. Experts in said field. The possible culprits?
I discarded that thought as quickly as it came. Yvette knew better than most why outright antagonisation wasn't a feasible idea.
With a shrug, I read the other side of the letter.
'After a review of your request, you are hereby cordially invited to the annual auction held at Rail Zeppelin as a Seller. Please arrive at the designated location timely, as there are severe consequences for not doing so. You will find your sister there, safe and sound.'
...?
Ellie was still at home.
Oh wait, I knew what this was. They weren't expecting for their man to fail at piercing my defenses. He just dumped the letter and ran away without doing what he was there for. Still, the attempt was made. An attempt at getting my cute and innocent sister caught up in a shitshow. That was indeed enough reason for me to head over, in earnest.
'You may bring two guests of your choice with you. Adequate lodgings have been prepared.'
All I got from the letter was that an auction was to be held, and that I was supposed to sell something there. I couldn't really place what that was. My only hint was the Evil Eye inscribed on the back suggesting a possible connection to Mystic Eyes.
And if Mystic Eyes were the answer, then I knew someone who was perfect for the question.
I dialled her up.
"Yay~! Hal finally called me! Are we hooking up? We are, right?!" I ripped the phone away from my ear, "I'm already wet-... Ehem, so, where are we meeting?"
"What's the Rail Zeppelin? I figure it has something to do with Mystic Eyes, right?"
Yvette went quiet for a moment. When she answered, her voice was a tad more serious than usual.
"So they invited you too? Not as a seller right?"
"Um-..."
"Well, that's a bit dangerous~! But I'm sure you'll be fine. You're strong, after all. And so, so hands-... er... right. The Rail Zeppelin. As a prospective mistress, I can't imagine withholding information from you so,"
In typical fashion, she danced around the subject, and kept yapping about useless shit.
"Yvette."
"Right, right! Of course. The Rail Zeppelin is the name used for the Mystic Eyes Collection Train. It's an annual auction, where distinguished ladies and gentlemen sell and buy... Well, you can guess, right? It's strange that they invited you though, especially as a Seller."
I raised a brow. "They want me to sell my eyes there?"
"Mhm. And I think you already know, but saying no isn't an option. They'll hunt you down, or blackmail you into it. Something tells me they already tried." She hummed over the phone, and I could imagine her frills twirling about.
"Oh no, I'll go. I'll definitely be there."
Yes, in fact, there was no way in hell to stop me from going.
"Still, Hal. You have to wonder, how'd they even find out you had something worth selling?"
The obvious answer was, someone told them.
Who that someone was, I planned to find out soon.
"Ah well, see you there~!"
Suddenly, my closet let out a groan. The lock broke. As I watched, Caren tumbled out halfway before lying down flat, her back to the floor, arms spread. She stared at me through unamused eyes.
"Enjoy your stay?"
"I enjoy asphyxiation play." She smirked back.
...
"Also, your fashion sense is staggering in how uninspiring it is. Allow me to change your wardrobe. I only require some alms, in the name of the Lord... so that I may help you not look like someone who frequents dumpsters for clothes."
I deadpanned. "You know, I'm pretty sure you heard all of what I said to my mother before."
"I did."
"So be a little nicer, you shitty brat."
For that second time that day, Caren showed me a face I didn't even know she had. Her aloof and distant gaze wavered and she turned to face the side, suddenly finding the banana-coloured lining paper over my walls to be the most interesting thing in the world.
"... Thank you."
-
Hope you enjoyed. Please don't forget to leave a comment.
Mama Smith on top!
Edit: No like chapter??
Comments
Bleap
They're still cooked for trying
Bleap
At least someone appreciates her like I do ToT
BigBot
God they got lucky that they failed is kidnapping his sister 💀
DaoOfAnime
Too much sugar man, Caren is too kawaii. The gap moe
