'Jeez, the teacher is always giving you the most attention. Did your daddy and mommy bribe seonbae or something? Cuz, we also want him to help us.’
‘Yes, yes, we know you can sing well; you don’t need to show it off so much. Not everybody is talented enough to be a singer … some of us are only good enough for background dancers …’
‘Ooooh, she got rejected from another audition? Can’t always win on the first try, right? And then she failed the second. The third. The fourth. The fifth. Not so special from us, huh? I wonder if her parents are regretting the money they put into her, but Little Miss Rich Girl probably has no problem with money, hahaha!’
Why is it coming back now? Go away! Fuck off!
My perception of time slowed down, my mind disconnected from reality as a memory surged through my brain. A painful throbbing in my head began, so loud I could hear it beat in my ears. I was fighting this dizziness, making sure nobody could see me in mental agony, but that only caused those images to become even more vivid.
I could see silhouettes of girls laughing at something. They were covered in shadows, hiding their faces to me, but I could tell we were inside a dancing room … one I was very familiar with as I spent a good chunk of my adolescence inside it. The training studio of my dancing instructor where I learned how to sing, dance, and act like an idol on a professional level—a “retirement” home for a pretty popular Korean idol trainer who I called “seonbae.” Mentor in Korean.
‘You know, I know it’s your dream and wish and so on, but … aren’t you putting a bit too much time on it? Like, you’re obsessed! When was the last time we just hung-out? You don’t even call us that often, either.’
‘Hey, if you ever have time, we could go to bucks or to that boba shop you like so much. Cool down a bit. It might help you not take those auditions so seriously every time. It isn’t fun seeing you depressed all the time.’
‘Hey, hey, how about trying to go on and stream your singing? I mean, you could also play games. We could play some games together. An influencer or streamer is just like an idol, right, and you probably wouldn’t be too stressed … What do you mean by this isn’t the ‘proper’ way? Come on! We can see you’re a wreck!’
The myriad of silhouettes disappeared, replaced by three female ones. Just, hearing these three was actually more painful. It felt like my heart was pierced by a nostalgia arrow. Their voices felt so … familiar? The way they talked … Did they know me well? Did I know them well?
‘… Oh HEY, sorry, we don’t have any time today! Huh? Another one? That’s too bad, but you’ll get it next time! For sure! Let’s hang out when we’re all free, ok? Bye! Wooo, I love this song-----’
The sound of people dancing and socializing. The loud ruckus you would only find if you had a social life. It was the same voice as before, but she felt detached. Could those be … my friends? The friends I made in school?
… I-I really don’t want to remember this … why … why does it sound so different from what I remembered? What I … thought I remembered?
***
Memories of the bullies from my dance lessons and the “bitches” who stopped being my friends because I didn’t fit in with them. Were they all wrong? Could I believe these memories? Were Aurena’s words correct when she said my memories would come back to me slowly? Well, if that was true, then she was right to say … this would hurt. ‘Cause it hurt.
I remembered the bullies being envious and talking me down due to my parent’s money, but was that the only reason? When I blew up on them—how did it happen and why did I do it in the first place? My friends from school, why exactly did we lose contact? Was it ‘cause they couldn’t accept how much I was changing, or ‘cause I couldn’t compromise with anything else outside my idol training?
Was I just a bad friend and person?
I didn’t know. These memories were so confusing. Just thinking about them caused me to feel sick of myself.
… And with pain, came anger.
“Wha—L-Lady Hestia, pardon, what did you say?” Francesca, the older of the Chezaic twins asked with a flustered face. She probably didn’t expect me to shout from a few tables away.
“Did I stutter? Lady Francesca. Lady Iracela. Back away from Lady Ellaine this instance! I won’t tolerate you badmouthing my friend, even if this is your party.” Barely able to control my aura skills from rampaging and frightening everybody in attendance, I stormed over to them, forgoing the more elegant slow walk.
“B-badmouthing?! How ludicrous, as if we would do something that uncouth during our own tea party! Ladies, you were close to us, you did not hear anything, correct? We were just performing small talk!” Iracela, the younger twin, turned to her groupies, using them to undermine what I just stated. They hesitated a bit before they nodded, agreeing that what I said was completely wrong. “See? Lady Hestia, greifnoble or not, such random and unwarranted claims are unacceptable! This is a social occasion where bonds are made and maintained, not an event for lies and plotting! To think you would do this when we are welcoming you to our realm, Lady Hestia.”
Whispers began running rampant in the garden, the other girls were speaking about it intently, as expected. Some took the twin’s side, as they found it inappropriate of me to speak up like this during a public event, while others were murmuring that I was creating a fuss for nothing.
The rest, on the other hand, had entirely different reactions. Some stayed quiet, worried to say anything and breathing as if they were nervous. Those who heard me mention my magic skill levels were nervous as they pondered if my words were real and if I would create a mess. And then there were those who mentioned, “The twins are doing this again.”
My ears heard them all. A perk of having a high [Enhanced Audio Sense] within my [Idol] skill.
“Don’t you dare lie to me after getting caught red-handed! Lady Iracela, did you forget that I’m a dragonewt? Did my horns or tail or scales not tip you off, or do you need glasses, hmm? My hearing is far better than a human’s,” I then pointed at a group of noblewomen who were the furthest away from us. “I apologize, Lady Oleanna, I did not intend to eavesdrop; however, did you not speak about your studies at the royal academy? That you were worried about the next semester and the combat practices? Lady Clementine, you mentioned your [Wind Magic] has been improving slowly recently? Lastly, Lady Kiara, didn’t you say your father has been putting you and your brothers through more strenuous knight training?”
They were of course left speechless. Naturally, people wouldn’t like others to eavesdrop on their conversations, and I could see that as some of them had flushed faces.
I really didn’t want to make them uncomfortable, however I had to use somebody as an example to bring my point across. The moment these bitches successfully denounced me, then Ellaine and I would have lost.
Once I apologized to them after I proved my ability to listen, I turned back to the twins. “Have I proven myself enough? You and your little followers were snickering about Ellaine, speaking ill about her simply because she and I have become friends? You two invited me here through Ellaine and you do something like this? I will repeat myself. You. Two. Are. SCUM!!!”
Maybe that last part came out more aggressive than I planned. Maybe I shouldn’t have called them “scum.” Well, it couldn’t be helped when my throat wanted to explode.
… Also looking at the twins and their three cronies’ expressions, I guess I accidentally released my [Draconic Aura] a bit.
As I was staring those five down, Ellaine moved her head a bit for her to see me, although she still kept her head down in front of the twins, “Lady Hestia …”
A noble should never bow her head except in front of their lord or those of a higher rank. As daughters, Ellaine and the twins weren’t nobles per se. Per definition, nobles were the people who currently held a noble rank and possessed the privilege of one, while an aristocrat was simply a person of a higher rank than a commoner. The upper class. That meant, all nobles were aristocrats, but not all aristocrats were nobles.
Calling all these young women “noblewomen” was technically false, but it was easier to use and it reminded everybody of their statuses. The twins didn’t outrank Ellaine, but their parents did. That influence would trickle down to their relatives and was the reason why nobles loved mentioning family members with noble ranks. It gave them more authority, as a family was tight among the nobility, from what the few nobles I’ve come to know have told me.
If I used that logic, it made sense for Ellaine to bow her head, as the twins’ father was an arcanuess while hers was a count. They were both mednoble ranks, but an arcanuess was higher in the hierarchy. It made sense for her to bow. Seeing it through a noble’s eyes.
But I was here.
“Lady Ellaine, why are you bowing your head? The last time I checked, we had already finished introductions and greetings, correct? Everybody saw us at the front of the garden, curtsying to our fellow attendees.”
People began whispering again as they hid their mouths with fans, thinking they could stop my eavesdropping with that. Well, I could fine-tune my senses enough to ignore stuff, so I would do just that. But, in general, everybody was wondering what I was saying with this. What was my purpose in bringing this up?
As I was about to continue, one of the girls behind me spoke in trepidation, “Pardon me, but has Lady Hestia accepted Lady Ellaine as her retainer?!” It was just loud enough for everybody to hear.
And that was all that was needed to create a chain reaction.
“What?! But she’s a foreign nobility, and a dragonewt!”
“A greifnoble of Loatryx making a noble of our kingdom her retainer. Wouldn’t somebody of a higher rank be more suitable? Like another greifnoble. So, why Lady Ellaine?”
“Don’t forget that Lord Marquess Sirius knows about this. Maybe this is part of a plan to reconnect with the dragonewts of Loatryx? Similar to how we’re improving relationships with the dwarves? The trade routes to the northern sea and the dragonewt’s goods would bolster our trading prowess, probably closing our gap to Estralia.”
The rumor of Ellaine becoming one of my retainers has begun to take shape and, like a floodgate, once the girls began to consider it to be true, they couldn’t stop gossiping about it and spreading it to everybody around them. Even the retainers and guards couldn’t help but be curious.
However … I didn’t plan anything like this!
W-wait, what is this?! I was about to say that Ellaine shouldn’t be bowing ‘cause I’d leave if it continued! I was planning to tell them off for bullying Ellaine, so how the hell did this rumor begin?! Wadafuk?!?!?
I looked at the situation with exasperation, but I couldn’t say anything as it got worse and worse.
“Oh, that does make sense. Lady Ellaine must have become Lady Hestia’s lady-in-waiting to travel with her to Loatryx. Wouldn’t she have more opportunities there without anybody knowing how she gave up her birthright?”
“And it would give our kingdom a link to the north. An ambassador. I heard that Loatryx was a cold place, so trade would flourish between us, as we can provide different goods. The Marquess and Lord Duke Greenveil must have planned this! How brilliant!”
“According to reports, the one-sided trade between the Dukedom of Lecartiglio and the Republic of Caedhul still brings in a lot of money. Remember, Caedhul and Loatryx are allies. Levianewts, dragonnewts, and-and dragons! If we can establish some sort of connection to Loatryx, our whole Kingdom might benefit! … Lady Ellaine, what a selfless sacrifice to leave her home kingdom. I cannot help but admire her.”
… Greenveil nobles act more like merchants, huh? Yeeaaaah, these were only their daughters and they’re already speaking like this? Wow.
The majority of the conversations were about the economic value of Ellaine becoming my retainer; however, the gossip began to turn more into “how can I benefit from this.” The original reason for my outrage began to fade from everybody’s memories as they started mumbling about how their houses should take advantage of this new information. It wasn’t super obvious, but the ravenous eyes of these young ladies were directed at Ellaine and me. The gentle, elegant, and cute first impressions I had were gone, replaced by the opportunistic and greedy nature of these noblewomen.
“W-we sincerely apologize! We are at fault!” the twins exclaimed loudly, bowing their heads so deeply I thought they would fall down.
“W-We stepped out of line. We did not mean what we said!” As their two leaders faltered, so did their three followers.
Although I didn’t plan for it to happen like this, it just … kinda worked. I didn’t even admit to anything, everybody was already making some random suggestions and one of them stuck around, becoming believable enough by itself without any further evidence. Crazy, but “never look a gift horse in the mouth,” right?
“W-wait, everybody—” Ellaine was about to say something that would ruin this moment, so I quickly activated [Telepathy] to speak with her.
[“Ellaine, Ellaine, don’t say anything. Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear anything, okay? They were covering up their mouths, so it would make ‘sense’ for us to not eavesdrop, right? We didn’t admit to anything, the rumors were created outside our control, so let’s use it for now. I really want to make these bitches pay for what they did.”]
“L-Lady Hestia tha—! Ahem.” Maybe using the word “bitches” wasn’t the correct choice, but Ellaine quickly regained her composure. “I-I did not take any offense. Please, be at ease Lady Francesca and Lady Iracela.”
It was a pretty meek response, but I guess this was more Ellaine’s personality. Outside of her prideful nature as a noble and being the spoiled daughter of a wealthy family, she was pretty kind and considerate. She knew where to hold up appearances and use her authority, seeing at how she managed the mansion and the many staff members.
Personally, I wanted to continue confronting the twins on their bullshit. They reawakened those annoying memories in me and I wasn’t done letting my anger out. I barely had a chance, but this wasn’t my bully incident, but Ellaine’s. Being petty here when I somehow garnered people’s respect from a false rumor would be kinda idiotic.
So, I let those five off with a simple warning, using [Royal Presence] to pressure them into accepting it without question. Seeing as how it was practically a charisma skill, it also helped everybody accept me more. It was similar to my first meeting with House Helvas, where I accidentally let out my aura from [Princess] title. I was controlling it here, but the little bit I leaked really showed its worth.
“Lady Ellaine, we had a few arguments in the past, but let us bury it for the sake of our houses? If you could forgive me, I would be honored to have our houses support each other. I will speak with my mother to make it true.”
“Lady Hestia, your aura was astounding. We weren’t able to assess your mana levels, but your aura skill must be high, no? Certainly impressive. Might we even assume you unlock a Territory?! If that is the case, would you be kind enough to divulge your training schedule? After all, you have overheard our concerns, so it is just right.”
Territory?
Seeing as I was still practically a novice when it came to whatever Territories were, to the point I’ve never seen one in action, I quickly shut her down on this, but the many young ladies wouldn’t let me really finish my sentence.
“Lady Hestia, if you are free, my house is holding a tea party soon before we students must go back to the academy for the new semester. Would you be interested in coming with Lady Ellaine?”
The highlight of this tea party was meant for the twins to increase their reputations, but, due to a certain rumor, Ellaine and I had taken the spotlight. I was already in everybody’s focus, but it got to the point that nobody would stay away from us for an extended period. Nobody would even talk with the twins anymore.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see the twins ball their hands into fists. They trembled as they glared at Ellaine and me, hiding their teeth-clenching mouths behind their fans. They were mad, they were so mad. I bet they were cursing us at this very moment.
Ahh, schadenfreude.
On the other hand, Ellaine was smiling. It was an uneasy, uncomfortable grin as she understood everybody was being nice to her due to the rumors, but at least it wasn’t the gloomy one she had before. I could hear others admitting that their opinion of her deteriorated since she gave up her inheritance rights, but that they wished to amend it now.
It reminded me of how fickle nobles could be. Honestly, noble society was scary with how they could ping-pong from hating to loving you just ‘cause of a single story. It was the definition of false friends, but I guess nobles saw each other more like rivals. Friendships and alliances were only made for benefits. After all, my friendship with Ellaine started ‘cause of her father’s selfish wish.
The party continued until Saori and Josine came back, whispering that they were done. After that, we said our goodbyes and thanked the Chezaic twins, although insincerely on my end, for inviting us to this wonderful party. It made me smirk internally when the twins’ smile quivered a bit when they looked at Ellaine.
When we entered the carriage, Saori and Josine wanted to sit outside to get some fresh air. They looked a bit exhausted and exasperated as they did so, but neither Ellaine nor I questioned them. Any discussion concerning the investigation had to be avoided before we were in a more secure location.
While I sat with Ellaine, she began to speak, “… Those twins will despise me now. They made fun of me before without any real ill will, but I believe House Helvas and House Chezaic will become enemies, if I were to anticipate their mother’s actions.”
“Is she that bad?” I questioned, remembering the twins’ mother was Annabella Chezaic, the second wife of Arcanuess Chezaic. “Manuela mentioned she was a schemer, but don’t all nobles do that? Even the ladies at the party, some of whom aren’t even adults yet, were speaking to us with the intention of becoming closer.”
“Yes, she is. A horrible woman. Manuela spoke correctly when she said Lady Annabella was an opportunist. When Lord Chezaic’s first wife died, Lady Annabella immediately courted the mourning man at his most vulnerable moment. My mother had nothing good to say about her in the letter I received,” she explained, telling me that she contacted her parents. “Father also told me to use this moment well for the benefit of our House. He believes if everything goes well with the investigation and if my brother could graduate in the top rankings, he could be named an arcanuess. Ambitious, right?”
A promotion, huh? Saori mentioned noble promotions were extremely rare, but if House Chezaic really did participate in the fairy hunting, there would have to be a new arcanuess house to replace a decrepit one.
“Well, it certainly fits your dad. We’re doing the pawn work while he;ll benefit from the results. Lame,” I complained, frowning at my first impression of Andre Helvas. I then took a deep breath to calm myself down completely. “… Also, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry I blew up like that. After all the training and time you spent on helping me become a proper lady, I was pretty emotional.”
Now that I had time to think about it, all of it could have gone terribly. Not only did I accuse the twins at their own party, but I did it so loudly that I considered myself to have acted like a kid throwing a tantrum. I was unable to hold my emotions at bay at all. The situation could have been solved without me shouting.
After all, presenting myself like that was a bad first impression, right? If the rumor about Ellaine being my retainer hadn’t spread, who knew what the other girls would have thought. While I didn’t care, Ellaine was still part of noble society. If I was gone, what would she do about her reputation after I ruined it? The current situation wasn’t perfect either, since the moment I leave Artorias, people would question her.
“I didn’t admit anything about the rumors, but I also didn’t stop them. I’m sorry, I probably caused you huge amounts of problems for the future. I’m really sorry, Ellaine …” I bowed. I felt bad that I was being a bad friend. The past memories that I regained today were making my guilt even worse, as I couldn’t help but consider myself a horrible person back on Earth.
Ellaine listened to what I had said before placing her hands on my cheeks, raising my head in the process. “Lady Hestia, I am not angry, if you thought that. In fact, I felt … relieved. Happy. After I became a social outcast due to my actions, I only received words of comfort, but nobody really supported me through this time. Josine did, but she couldn’t do much about the people badmouthing me. Nobody would talk to her seriously, after all. In fact, if she spoke up, I would be the one that would be shamed. That is how noble society works.”
She continued, showing her first genuine smile since the party, “So I was happy to hear you step up for me. ‘Friends,’ yes. You risked receiving social stigma for me. I cannot thank you enough for … becoming my friend, Lady Hestia. I am honored. And blessed. Whether Goddess Aurena planned this or not, I do not know, but I cannot help but thank her for allowing us to meet. Ever since I heard your idol concert, I couldn’t help but feel you’ve been supporting me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
“… Urgh, I can’t take it anymore, come here!” Her speech was so sweet, too sweet that it was diabetes worthy. Without her consent, I hugged her for the first time to release my pent-up emotions.
Ellaine was surprised for a moment, unsure what to do with her arms, before accepting my embrace by caressing my back. “Such dramatic physical contact is actually frowned upon when done in public, Lady Hestia, hiehie. Your warmth is … nice, albeit a bit too hot for me. You are truly making me question the rules of noble society with all your random behaviors. You’ve shown yourself to be graceful.”
Understanding what she meant, I couldn’t help but frown at that fact as I let her go from my hug. “… I cannot help it. I haven’t mentioned this to you, right? I am like this because I wanted to act less like a ‘rich’ or ‘noble’ girl, so I could fit in more with the ‘normal’ girls my age. It’s what I consider the true me, as you probably guessed. If it weren’t for Saori and Tasianna, my speech would be far cruder, like a commoner’s. How I speak to you and how I think are completely different.”
“For what reason did you want to fit in as a ‘commoner’ girl? There is pride in being graceful.”
Come to think about it, we never really talked about ourselves, huh? I mean, about what happened before we met, like my life on Earth and her life as a noble girl. I guess we had to catch up a bit.
“When I practiced my dancing and singing, I had ‘commoner’ girls train with me. Didn’t I tell you? Feudalism was abolished long ago, and the concept of ‘nobles’ and ‘commoners’ was practically dying during the time I lived on Earth. I was the only one who spoke formally among this group, like, excessively for the city I lived in.” For Manhattan, I was a bit too formal due to my etiquette teacher. “Unfortunately, that failed. I was technically the social pariah in that training group, and I guess what happened to you today brought that memory back from the depths of my head. That pain was one of the reasons why I exploded.”
“Oh, then shouldn’t I apologize? I was the main reason for that event!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Don’t, please. We’ll just bounce ‘I’m sorry’ at that point. Let’s not do that, hiehie.”
We both chuckled. We knew what the other would do, and that made me appreciate being in her presence that much more.
“… If you could, would it be alright for you to help me control my emotions? Due to some of my natural characteristics, for example, my ancestor’s blood, I can become quite hot-headed sometimes. It would help me avoid embarrassing situations like today.”
Thankfully, [Battle Frenzy] hasn’t appeared in a long time. Evolving into a sunfang dragon was the correct choice, even if my emotional dragon side was still pretty intense. Although, at this point, I think being a dragon was the most fitting thing I could reincarnate into. Maybe.
“Of course, it would be my honor, Lady Hestia. This time, I will give you the full course to help you grow! Also, I think I have become curious about your past social life, so please tell me more. I would love to learn more.” Ellaine asked with an innocent interest. “Considering how you carried yourself during our first meeting, I assumed your charisma must have attracted a lot of people. That was my first impression. Well, also your huge appetite. Most ladies are light eaters if they aren’t children of knights.”
“Did you really have to emphasize the last part? I know I’m a glutton, but having it pointed out is rather embarrassing.”
If the memories I regained today were true, then I should aim to change myself a bit. A bit more mature, so I wouldn’t cause trouble for everybody. That included Saori and Tasianna.
“Well, I do hope our little ‘lie’ won’t affect you much. Sorry that I didn’t tell everybody you’re not my retainer, he he.”
“Y-Yes, I’m not your retainer…but, I don’t think it will be a problem. Once I do something about the ‘lie,’” she mentioned with a joking giggle, before looking out of the window.
Huh? Was she becoming flustered? For what reason? Ah, whatever.
Once we returned to the mansion, we immediately began a meeting to allow Saori and Josine to speak about their findings. What they learned today was pretty bad … for House Chezaic.
“Lord Chezaic’s study was protected by runes, so I couldn’t sneak in without alerting the guards. However, his bedroom was being cleaned when I sneaked in, and one of the documents mentioned his financial backing for one of the alchemy guild’s projects. It was kept vague, but a large amount of Davi was invested into an unnamed project,” Saori handed a document to Ellaine. “Here are also his activities concerning the alchemy guild, which mostly includes bribes and authority abuse. Here is one where he convinced multiple nobles to support the alchemy guild instead of the mage’s guild, and here is where he bribed a few mage’s guild officials to redirect supplies to the alchemy guild. These are only the old documents, as the more recent ones are probably in his study, unfortunately.”
“Well, we now have evidence that he went against the mage’s guild, which caused them to shut down their branch in Firwood. The mage’s guild is now allowed to demand an investigation on House Chezaic to pursue corruption charges,” Ellaine said, after analyzing the information. “However, as we wish to keep this under us, we have to deal with this issue instead of informing the mage’s guild. With the testament of the spirit and your recommendation, Lady Hestia, Lord Sirius is now forced to aid you in this investigation.”
Ellaine continued, “Good, thank you, Miss Saori. With this, Lord Theodore will have enough reason to send in his own spies to investigate what Lord Chezaic has been doing recently. Since he will be missing these documents, he will be on guard, which will probably prolong our search for something damning enough for something other than indefinite house arrest. Lady Hestia, please proceed with the second part of the plan.”
“Okay. Time to make a few priests and priestesses angry, huh? White Mage Hestia is ready to work,” I saluted like an overly dramatic anime character before suddenly realizing something. “Oh … speaking of priestess, I forgot to mention I was one during the party, right? … Oh well, the High Bishop won’t like that.”
“Oh, true.” Ellaine clapped her hands in surprise. It seemed the both of us were too consumed by the experience.
I was too occupied with the twins and helping Ellaine’s reputation afterward to remember to improve my own! Well, nothing we could do about it, but considering how more experienced all the nobles in this plan were, they probably could handle it. I mean, for certain, I made a name for myself with my performance today. Surely, I would become the talk of the town!
Ellaine comforted me and I nodded. “Well, I am sure it wouldn’t be an issue.”
“Well, I guess.” I sighed slightly in exasperation before noticing Saori and Josine looking at us seriously. “Was there anything else, Saori? You and Josine still look like you need to say something.”
There was a small shadow under Saori’s and Josine’s eyes. Saori sighed in exasperation before she spoke, “… Lord Chezaic’s firstborn son is imprisoned in his bed due to a chronic illness. A maid was serving him food when I saw him. Documents I found in the room suggest he is receiving special elixirs from the alchemy guild to prolong his life. Apparently, the white grace has been unsuccessful.”
Wait, healing magic didn’t work?
Well, it wasn’t the first time that I heard that healing magic didn’t do its job properly. My damaged mana paths were a testament to this. However, an illness, a status ailment in this world? Well, that I didn’t know.
But it seemed I wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
“He has a son?!” Ellaine and Manuela exclaimed.
It seemed like the existence of Lord Chezaic’s son was never made public.
AbyssRaven So I somehow forgot to add author notes in the last chapter. Well, I guess Hestia's little bully moment got to me too and I forgot to do things. In any case, ahem, "He has a son?!"
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Thank you for reading this chapter.
'Jeez, the teacher is always giving you the most attention. Did your daddy and mommy bribe seonbae or something? Cuz, we also want him to help us.’
‘Yes, yes, we know you can sing well; you don’t need to show it off so much. Not everybody is talented enough to be a singer … some of us are only good enough for background dancers …’
‘Ooooh, she got rejected from another audition? Can’t always win on the first try, right? And then she failed the second. The third. The fourth. The fifth. Not so special from us, huh? I wonder if her parents are regretting the money they put into her, but Little Miss Rich Girl probably has no problem with money, hahaha!’
Why is it coming back now? Go away! Fuck off!
My perception of time slowed down, my mind disconnected from reality as a memory surged through my brain. A painful throbbing in my head began, so loud I could hear it beat in my ears. I was fighting this dizziness, making sure nobody could see me in mental agony, but that only caused those images to become even more vivid.
I could see silhouettes of girls laughing at something. They were covered in shadows, hiding their faces to me, but I could tell we were inside a dancing room … one I was very familiar with as I spent a good chunk of my adolescence inside it. The training studio of my dancing instructor where I learned how to sing, dance, and act like an idol on a professional level—a “retirement” home for a pretty popular Korean idol trainer who I called “seonbae.” Mentor in Korean.
‘You know, I know it’s your dream and wish and so on, but … aren’t you putting a bit too much time on it? Like, you’re obsessed! When was the last time we just hung-out? You don’t even call us that often, either.’
‘Hey, if you ever have time, we could go to bucks or to that boba shop you like so much. Cool down a bit. It might help you not take those auditions so seriously every time. It isn’t fun seeing you depressed all the time.’
‘Hey, hey, how about trying to go on and stream your singing? I mean, you could also play games. We could play some games together. An influencer or streamer is just like an idol, right, and you probably wouldn’t be too stressed … What do you mean by this isn’t the ‘proper’ way? Come on! We can see you’re a wreck!’
The myriad of silhouettes disappeared, replaced by three female ones. Just, hearing these three was actually more painful. It felt like my heart was pierced by a nostalgia arrow. Their voices felt so … familiar? The way they talked … Did they know me well? Did I know them well?
‘… Oh HEY, sorry, we don’t have any time today! Huh? Another one? That’s too bad, but you’ll get it next time! For sure! Let’s hang out when we’re all free, ok? Bye! Wooo, I love this song-----’
The sound of people dancing and socializing. The loud ruckus you would only find if you had a social life. It was the same voice as before, but she felt detached. Could those be … my friends? The friends I made in school?
… I-I really don’t want to remember this … why … why does it sound so different from what I remembered? What I … thought I remembered?
***
Memories of the bullies from my dance lessons and the “bitches” who stopped being my friends because I didn’t fit in with them. Were they all wrong? Could I believe these memories? Were Aurena’s words correct when she said my memories would come back to me slowly? Well, if that was true, then she was right to say … this would hurt. ‘Cause it hurt.
I remembered the bullies being envious and talking me down due to my parent’s money, but was that the only reason? When I blew up on them—how did it happen and why did I do it in the first place? My friends from school, why exactly did we lose contact? Was it ‘cause they couldn’t accept how much I was changing, or ‘cause I couldn’t compromise with anything else outside my idol training?
Was I just a bad friend and person?
I didn’t know. These memories were so confusing. Just thinking about them caused me to feel sick of myself.
… And with pain, came anger.
“Wha—L-Lady Hestia, pardon, what did you say?” Francesca, the older of the Chezaic twins asked with a flustered face. She probably didn’t expect me to shout from a few tables away.
“Did I stutter? Lady Francesca. Lady Iracela. Back away from Lady Ellaine this instance! I won’t tolerate you badmouthing my friend, even if this is your party.” Barely able to control my aura skills from rampaging and frightening everybody in attendance, I stormed over to them, forgoing the more elegant slow walk.
“B-badmouthing?! How ludicrous, as if we would do something that uncouth during our own tea party! Ladies, you were close to us, you did not hear anything, correct? We were just performing small talk!” Iracela, the younger twin, turned to her groupies, using them to undermine what I just stated. They hesitated a bit before they nodded, agreeing that what I said was completely wrong. “See? Lady Hestia, greifnoble or not, such random and unwarranted claims are unacceptable! This is a social occasion where bonds are made and maintained, not an event for lies and plotting! To think you would do this when we are welcoming you to our realm, Lady Hestia.”
Whispers began running rampant in the garden, the other girls were speaking about it intently, as expected. Some took the twin’s side, as they found it inappropriate of me to speak up like this during a public event, while others were murmuring that I was creating a fuss for nothing.
The rest, on the other hand, had entirely different reactions. Some stayed quiet, worried to say anything and breathing as if they were nervous. Those who heard me mention my magic skill levels were nervous as they pondered if my words were real and if I would create a mess. And then there were those who mentioned, “The twins are doing this again.”
My ears heard them all. A perk of having a high [Enhanced Audio Sense] within my [Idol] skill.
“Don’t you dare lie to me after getting caught red-handed! Lady Iracela, did you forget that I’m a dragonewt? Did my horns or tail or scales not tip you off, or do you need glasses, hmm? My hearing is far better than a human’s,” I then pointed at a group of noblewomen who were the furthest away from us. “I apologize, Lady Oleanna, I did not intend to eavesdrop; however, did you not speak about your studies at the royal academy? That you were worried about the next semester and the combat practices? Lady Clementine, you mentioned your [Wind Magic] has been improving slowly recently? Lastly, Lady Kiara, didn’t you say your father has been putting you and your brothers through more strenuous knight training?”
They were of course left speechless. Naturally, people wouldn’t like others to eavesdrop on their conversations, and I could see that as some of them had flushed faces.
I really didn’t want to make them uncomfortable, however I had to use somebody as an example to bring my point across. The moment these bitches successfully denounced me, then Ellaine and I would have lost.
Once I apologized to them after I proved my ability to listen, I turned back to the twins. “Have I proven myself enough? You and your little followers were snickering about Ellaine, speaking ill about her simply because she and I have become friends? You two invited me here through Ellaine and you do something like this? I will repeat myself. You. Two. Are. SCUM!!!”
Maybe that last part came out more aggressive than I planned. Maybe I shouldn’t have called them “scum.” Well, it couldn’t be helped when my throat wanted to explode.
… Also looking at the twins and their three cronies’ expressions, I guess I accidentally released my [Draconic Aura] a bit.
As I was staring those five down, Ellaine moved her head a bit for her to see me, although she still kept her head down in front of the twins, “Lady Hestia …”
A noble should never bow her head except in front of their lord or those of a higher rank. As daughters, Ellaine and the twins weren’t nobles per se. Per definition, nobles were the people who currently held a noble rank and possessed the privilege of one, while an aristocrat was simply a person of a higher rank than a commoner. The upper class. That meant, all nobles were aristocrats, but not all aristocrats were nobles.
Calling all these young women “noblewomen” was technically false, but it was easier to use and it reminded everybody of their statuses. The twins didn’t outrank Ellaine, but their parents did. That influence would trickle down to their relatives and was the reason why nobles loved mentioning family members with noble ranks. It gave them more authority, as a family was tight among the nobility, from what the few nobles I’ve come to know have told me.
If I used that logic, it made sense for Ellaine to bow her head, as the twins’ father was an arcanuess while hers was a count. They were both mednoble ranks, but an arcanuess was higher in the hierarchy. It made sense for her to bow. Seeing it through a noble’s eyes.
But I was here.
“Lady Ellaine, why are you bowing your head? The last time I checked, we had already finished introductions and greetings, correct? Everybody saw us at the front of the garden, curtsying to our fellow attendees.”
People began whispering again as they hid their mouths with fans, thinking they could stop my eavesdropping with that. Well, I could fine-tune my senses enough to ignore stuff, so I would do just that. But, in general, everybody was wondering what I was saying with this. What was my purpose in bringing this up?
As I was about to continue, one of the girls behind me spoke in trepidation, “Pardon me, but has Lady Hestia accepted Lady Ellaine as her retainer?!” It was just loud enough for everybody to hear.
And that was all that was needed to create a chain reaction.
“What?! But she’s a foreign nobility, and a dragonewt!”
“A greifnoble of Loatryx making a noble of our kingdom her retainer. Wouldn’t somebody of a higher rank be more suitable? Like another greifnoble. So, why Lady Ellaine?”
“Don’t forget that Lord Marquess Sirius knows about this. Maybe this is part of a plan to reconnect with the dragonewts of Loatryx? Similar to how we’re improving relationships with the dwarves? The trade routes to the northern sea and the dragonewt’s goods would bolster our trading prowess, probably closing our gap to Estralia.”
The rumor of Ellaine becoming one of my retainers has begun to take shape and, like a floodgate, once the girls began to consider it to be true, they couldn’t stop gossiping about it and spreading it to everybody around them. Even the retainers and guards couldn’t help but be curious.
However … I didn’t plan anything like this!
W-wait, what is this?! I was about to say that Ellaine shouldn’t be bowing ‘cause I’d leave if it continued! I was planning to tell them off for bullying Ellaine, so how the hell did this rumor begin?! Wadafuk?!?!?
I looked at the situation with exasperation, but I couldn’t say anything as it got worse and worse.
“Oh, that does make sense. Lady Ellaine must have become Lady Hestia’s lady-in-waiting to travel with her to Loatryx. Wouldn’t she have more opportunities there without anybody knowing how she gave up her birthright?”
“And it would give our kingdom a link to the north. An ambassador. I heard that Loatryx was a cold place, so trade would flourish between us, as we can provide different goods. The Marquess and Lord Duke Greenveil must have planned this! How brilliant!”
“According to reports, the one-sided trade between the Dukedom of Lecartiglio and the Republic of Caedhul still brings in a lot of money. Remember, Caedhul and Loatryx are allies. Levianewts, dragonnewts, and-and dragons! If we can establish some sort of connection to Loatryx, our whole Kingdom might benefit! … Lady Ellaine, what a selfless sacrifice to leave her home kingdom. I cannot help but admire her.”
… Greenveil nobles act more like merchants, huh? Yeeaaaah, these were only their daughters and they’re already speaking like this? Wow.
The majority of the conversations were about the economic value of Ellaine becoming my retainer; however, the gossip began to turn more into “how can I benefit from this.” The original reason for my outrage began to fade from everybody’s memories as they started mumbling about how their houses should take advantage of this new information. It wasn’t super obvious, but the ravenous eyes of these young ladies were directed at Ellaine and me. The gentle, elegant, and cute first impressions I had were gone, replaced by the opportunistic and greedy nature of these noblewomen.
“W-we sincerely apologize! We are at fault!” the twins exclaimed loudly, bowing their heads so deeply I thought they would fall down.
“W-We stepped out of line. We did not mean what we said!” As their two leaders faltered, so did their three followers.
Although I didn’t plan for it to happen like this, it just … kinda worked. I didn’t even admit to anything, everybody was already making some random suggestions and one of them stuck around, becoming believable enough by itself without any further evidence. Crazy, but “never look a gift horse in the mouth,” right?
“W-wait, everybody—” Ellaine was about to say something that would ruin this moment, so I quickly activated [Telepathy] to speak with her.
[“Ellaine, Ellaine, don’t say anything. Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear anything, okay? They were covering up their mouths, so it would make ‘sense’ for us to not eavesdrop, right? We didn’t admit to anything, the rumors were created outside our control, so let’s use it for now. I really want to make these bitches pay for what they did.”]
“L-Lady Hestia tha—! Ahem.” Maybe using the word “bitches” wasn’t the correct choice, but Ellaine quickly regained her composure. “I-I did not take any offense. Please, be at ease Lady Francesca and Lady Iracela.”
It was a pretty meek response, but I guess this was more Ellaine’s personality. Outside of her prideful nature as a noble and being the spoiled daughter of a wealthy family, she was pretty kind and considerate. She knew where to hold up appearances and use her authority, seeing at how she managed the mansion and the many staff members.
Personally, I wanted to continue confronting the twins on their bullshit. They reawakened those annoying memories in me and I wasn’t done letting my anger out. I barely had a chance, but this wasn’t my bully incident, but Ellaine’s. Being petty here when I somehow garnered people’s respect from a false rumor would be kinda idiotic.
So, I let those five off with a simple warning, using [Royal Presence] to pressure them into accepting it without question. Seeing as how it was practically a charisma skill, it also helped everybody accept me more. It was similar to my first meeting with House Helvas, where I accidentally let out my aura from [Princess] title. I was controlling it here, but the little bit I leaked really showed its worth.
“Lady Ellaine, we had a few arguments in the past, but let us bury it for the sake of our houses? If you could forgive me, I would be honored to have our houses support each other. I will speak with my mother to make it true.”
“Lady Hestia, your aura was astounding. We weren’t able to assess your mana levels, but your aura skill must be high, no? Certainly impressive. Might we even assume you unlock a Territory?! If that is the case, would you be kind enough to divulge your training schedule? After all, you have overheard our concerns, so it is just right.”
Territory?
Seeing as I was still practically a novice when it came to whatever Territories were, to the point I’ve never seen one in action, I quickly shut her down on this, but the many young ladies wouldn’t let me really finish my sentence.
“Lady Hestia, if you are free, my house is holding a tea party soon before we students must go back to the academy for the new semester. Would you be interested in coming with Lady Ellaine?”
The highlight of this tea party was meant for the twins to increase their reputations, but, due to a certain rumor, Ellaine and I had taken the spotlight. I was already in everybody’s focus, but it got to the point that nobody would stay away from us for an extended period. Nobody would even talk with the twins anymore.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see the twins ball their hands into fists. They trembled as they glared at Ellaine and me, hiding their teeth-clenching mouths behind their fans. They were mad, they were so mad. I bet they were cursing us at this very moment.
Ahh, schadenfreude.
On the other hand, Ellaine was smiling. It was an uneasy, uncomfortable grin as she understood everybody was being nice to her due to the rumors, but at least it wasn’t the gloomy one she had before. I could hear others admitting that their opinion of her deteriorated since she gave up her inheritance rights, but that they wished to amend it now.
It reminded me of how fickle nobles could be. Honestly, noble society was scary with how they could ping-pong from hating to loving you just ‘cause of a single story. It was the definition of false friends, but I guess nobles saw each other more like rivals. Friendships and alliances were only made for benefits. After all, my friendship with Ellaine started ‘cause of her father’s selfish wish.
The party continued until Saori and Josine came back, whispering that they were done. After that, we said our goodbyes and thanked the Chezaic twins, although insincerely on my end, for inviting us to this wonderful party. It made me smirk internally when the twins’ smile quivered a bit when they looked at Ellaine.
When we entered the carriage, Saori and Josine wanted to sit outside to get some fresh air. They looked a bit exhausted and exasperated as they did so, but neither Ellaine nor I questioned them. Any discussion concerning the investigation had to be avoided before we were in a more secure location.
While I sat with Ellaine, she began to speak, “… Those twins will despise me now. They made fun of me before without any real ill will, but I believe House Helvas and House Chezaic will become enemies, if I were to anticipate their mother’s actions.”
“Is she that bad?” I questioned, remembering the twins’ mother was Annabella Chezaic, the second wife of Arcanuess Chezaic. “Manuela mentioned she was a schemer, but don’t all nobles do that? Even the ladies at the party, some of whom aren’t even adults yet, were speaking to us with the intention of becoming closer.”
“Yes, she is. A horrible woman. Manuela spoke correctly when she said Lady Annabella was an opportunist. When Lord Chezaic’s first wife died, Lady Annabella immediately courted the mourning man at his most vulnerable moment. My mother had nothing good to say about her in the letter I received,” she explained, telling me that she contacted her parents. “Father also told me to use this moment well for the benefit of our House. He believes if everything goes well with the investigation and if my brother could graduate in the top rankings, he could be named an arcanuess. Ambitious, right?”
A promotion, huh? Saori mentioned noble promotions were extremely rare, but if House Chezaic really did participate in the fairy hunting, there would have to be a new arcanuess house to replace a decrepit one.
“Well, it certainly fits your dad. We’re doing the pawn work while he;ll benefit from the results. Lame,” I complained, frowning at my first impression of Andre Helvas. I then took a deep breath to calm myself down completely. “… Also, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry I blew up like that. After all the training and time you spent on helping me become a proper lady, I was pretty emotional.”
Now that I had time to think about it, all of it could have gone terribly. Not only did I accuse the twins at their own party, but I did it so loudly that I considered myself to have acted like a kid throwing a tantrum. I was unable to hold my emotions at bay at all. The situation could have been solved without me shouting.
After all, presenting myself like that was a bad first impression, right? If the rumor about Ellaine being my retainer hadn’t spread, who knew what the other girls would have thought. While I didn’t care, Ellaine was still part of noble society. If I was gone, what would she do about her reputation after I ruined it? The current situation wasn’t perfect either, since the moment I leave Artorias, people would question her.
“I didn’t admit anything about the rumors, but I also didn’t stop them. I’m sorry, I probably caused you huge amounts of problems for the future. I’m really sorry, Ellaine …” I bowed. I felt bad that I was being a bad friend. The past memories that I regained today were making my guilt even worse, as I couldn’t help but consider myself a horrible person back on Earth.
Ellaine listened to what I had said before placing her hands on my cheeks, raising my head in the process. “Lady Hestia, I am not angry, if you thought that. In fact, I felt … relieved. Happy. After I became a social outcast due to my actions, I only received words of comfort, but nobody really supported me through this time. Josine did, but she couldn’t do much about the people badmouthing me. Nobody would talk to her seriously, after all. In fact, if she spoke up, I would be the one that would be shamed. That is how noble society works.”
She continued, showing her first genuine smile since the party, “So I was happy to hear you step up for me. ‘Friends,’ yes. You risked receiving social stigma for me. I cannot thank you enough for … becoming my friend, Lady Hestia. I am honored. And blessed. Whether Goddess Aurena planned this or not, I do not know, but I cannot help but thank her for allowing us to meet. Ever since I heard your idol concert, I couldn’t help but feel you’ve been supporting me. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”
“… Urgh, I can’t take it anymore, come here!” Her speech was so sweet, too sweet that it was diabetes worthy. Without her consent, I hugged her for the first time to release my pent-up emotions.
Ellaine was surprised for a moment, unsure what to do with her arms, before accepting my embrace by caressing my back. “Such dramatic physical contact is actually frowned upon when done in public, Lady Hestia, hiehie. Your warmth is … nice, albeit a bit too hot for me. You are truly making me question the rules of noble society with all your random behaviors. You’ve shown yourself to be graceful.”
Understanding what she meant, I couldn’t help but frown at that fact as I let her go from my hug. “… I cannot help it. I haven’t mentioned this to you, right? I am like this because I wanted to act less like a ‘rich’ or ‘noble’ girl, so I could fit in more with the ‘normal’ girls my age. It’s what I consider the true me, as you probably guessed. If it weren’t for Saori and Tasianna, my speech would be far cruder, like a commoner’s. How I speak to you and how I think are completely different.”
“For what reason did you want to fit in as a ‘commoner’ girl? There is pride in being graceful.”
Come to think about it, we never really talked about ourselves, huh? I mean, about what happened before we met, like my life on Earth and her life as a noble girl. I guess we had to catch up a bit.
“When I practiced my dancing and singing, I had ‘commoner’ girls train with me. Didn’t I tell you? Feudalism was abolished long ago, and the concept of ‘nobles’ and ‘commoners’ was practically dying during the time I lived on Earth. I was the only one who spoke formally among this group, like, excessively for the city I lived in.” For Manhattan, I was a bit too formal due to my etiquette teacher. “Unfortunately, that failed. I was technically the social pariah in that training group, and I guess what happened to you today brought that memory back from the depths of my head. That pain was one of the reasons why I exploded.”
“Oh, then shouldn’t I apologize? I was the main reason for that event!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Don’t, please. We’ll just bounce ‘I’m sorry’ at that point. Let’s not do that, hiehie.”
We both chuckled. We knew what the other would do, and that made me appreciate being in her presence that much more.
“… If you could, would it be alright for you to help me control my emotions? Due to some of my natural characteristics, for example, my ancestor’s blood, I can become quite hot-headed sometimes. It would help me avoid embarrassing situations like today.”
Thankfully, [Battle Frenzy] hasn’t appeared in a long time. Evolving into a sunfang dragon was the correct choice, even if my emotional dragon side was still pretty intense. Although, at this point, I think being a dragon was the most fitting thing I could reincarnate into. Maybe.
“Of course, it would be my honor, Lady Hestia. This time, I will give you the full course to help you grow! Also, I think I have become curious about your past social life, so please tell me more. I would love to learn more.” Ellaine asked with an innocent interest. “Considering how you carried yourself during our first meeting, I assumed your charisma must have attracted a lot of people. That was my first impression. Well, also your huge appetite. Most ladies are light eaters if they aren’t children of knights.”
“Did you really have to emphasize the last part? I know I’m a glutton, but having it pointed out is rather embarrassing.”
If the memories I regained today were true, then I should aim to change myself a bit. A bit more mature, so I wouldn’t cause trouble for everybody. That included Saori and Tasianna.
“Well, I do hope our little ‘lie’ won’t affect you much. Sorry that I didn’t tell everybody you’re not my retainer, he he.”
“Y-Yes, I’m not your retainer…but, I don’t think it will be a problem. Once I do something about the ‘lie,’” she mentioned with a joking giggle, before looking out of the window.
Huh? Was she becoming flustered? For what reason? Ah, whatever.
Once we returned to the mansion, we immediately began a meeting to allow Saori and Josine to speak about their findings. What they learned today was pretty bad … for House Chezaic.
“Lord Chezaic’s study was protected by runes, so I couldn’t sneak in without alerting the guards. However, his bedroom was being cleaned when I sneaked in, and one of the documents mentioned his financial backing for one of the alchemy guild’s projects. It was kept vague, but a large amount of Davi was invested into an unnamed project,” Saori handed a document to Ellaine. “Here are also his activities concerning the alchemy guild, which mostly includes bribes and authority abuse. Here is one where he convinced multiple nobles to support the alchemy guild instead of the mage’s guild, and here is where he bribed a few mage’s guild officials to redirect supplies to the alchemy guild. These are only the old documents, as the more recent ones are probably in his study, unfortunately.”
“Well, we now have evidence that he went against the mage’s guild, which caused them to shut down their branch in Firwood. The mage’s guild is now allowed to demand an investigation on House Chezaic to pursue corruption charges,” Ellaine said, after analyzing the information. “However, as we wish to keep this under us, we have to deal with this issue instead of informing the mage’s guild. With the testament of the spirit and your recommendation, Lady Hestia, Lord Sirius is now forced to aid you in this investigation.”
Ellaine continued, “Good, thank you, Miss Saori. With this, Lord Theodore will have enough reason to send in his own spies to investigate what Lord Chezaic has been doing recently. Since he will be missing these documents, he will be on guard, which will probably prolong our search for something damning enough for something other than indefinite house arrest. Lady Hestia, please proceed with the second part of the plan.”
“Okay. Time to make a few priests and priestesses angry, huh? White Mage Hestia is ready to work,” I saluted like an overly dramatic anime character before suddenly realizing something. “Oh … speaking of priestess, I forgot to mention I was one during the party, right? … Oh well, the High Bishop won’t like that.”
“Oh, true.” Ellaine clapped her hands in surprise. It seemed the both of us were too consumed by the experience.
I was too occupied with the twins and helping Ellaine’s reputation afterward to remember to improve my own! Well, nothing we could do about it, but considering how more experienced all the nobles in this plan were, they probably could handle it. I mean, for certain, I made a name for myself with my performance today. Surely, I would become the talk of the town!
Ellaine comforted me and I nodded. “Well, I am sure it wouldn’t be an issue.”
“Well, I guess.” I sighed slightly in exasperation before noticing Saori and Josine looking at us seriously. “Was there anything else, Saori? You and Josine still look like you need to say something.”
There was a small shadow under Saori’s and Josine’s eyes. Saori sighed in exasperation before she spoke, “… Lord Chezaic’s firstborn son is imprisoned in his bed due to a chronic illness. A maid was serving him food when I saw him. Documents I found in the room suggest he is receiving special elixirs from the alchemy guild to prolong his life. Apparently, the white grace has been unsuccessful.”
Wait, healing magic didn’t work?
Well, it wasn’t the first time that I heard that healing magic didn’t do its job properly. My damaged mana paths were a testament to this. However, an illness, a status ailment in this world? Well, that I didn’t know.
But it seemed I wasn’t the only one who was surprised.
“He has a son?!” Ellaine and Manuela exclaimed.
It seemed like the existence of Lord Chezaic’s son was never made public.
AbyssRaven So I somehow forgot to add author notes in the last chapter. Well, I guess Hestia's little bully moment got to me too and I forgot to do things. In any case, ahem, "He has a son?!"
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