Chapter 31: An offer
"Did you know what the fuck you just did?" Hanely gritted his teeth, glaring at Carl with obvious murderous intent.
Carl froze for a second, then forced a smile, trying to ease Hanley’s fury.
"Well, don’t be mad. I’m just kidding... Just my habit. I don’t want to ruin your relationship with your classmates."
...
"But if you think about it, isn’t it also a good thing for you?" Carl smirked, trying to justify himself.
"What do you mean?" Hanley scoffed, crossing his arms, waiting for Carl’s answer. It seemed he wasn’t actually that furious about what Carl had done.
Carl realized the mood was leaning in his favor, so he spoke more politely, gathering all his slyness to convince Hanely.
"Marsh is a wild hound—you’ll never be able to keep him under control. Even when he looks obedient, he’s more dangerous than my little sister. Take me as an example: he used to be at my feet, but now... just look at him."
’’He’ll bite you the moment he gets the chance. I’m gonna kick him out of the student council soon when I get strong enough, so why are you wasting your precious time on that pile of garbage’’
Hanely sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"You’re not wrong. I know it too."
He turned his cold eyes back to Carl and warned, as if all he wanted at this moment was for Carl to leave, barely paying attention to Carl’s earlier reasoning.
"Now get out. I need a break."
Carl smiled politely, nodded, and quickly slipped out the door. That was the best thing he could do for now.
A few minutes later.
The office was quiet, with only Hanely inside.
He let out a deep breath and looked out the window.
Then he steadied his voice.
"My lord! I need a report!"
His voice was cloaked in mysterious mana, distorting the air in the room until a screen appeared above his desk.
Hanley looked at it with a flicker of fear, bowing slightly as the faded figure on the screen grew clearer and clearer.
***
"Holy shit! Lucky me! I just imagined he would have attacked me or something." Carl felt a chill of fear when he glanced back at the office door.
"Sigh..." He let out a deep breath and turned his eyes to the hallway. There were still too many things he needed to deal with.
First, even though he was already part of the student council, he knew it was just for show—his position was basically useless. If he wanted to finish his mission as soon as possible, he had to become stronger...strong enough to crush every enemy.
Second, there was something else he had to do before it was too late.
"My little sister." Carl grimaced for a moment and scanned the hallway, looking for her room.
Thanks to Earl’s map of the castle, which Earl had designed thanks to some odd talent, finding it wasn’t hard. He’d felt more certain about his decision ever since he accepted them as subordinates.
He walked up and down the castle stairs, running through corridor after corridor. There were too many branching paths, but since he already memorized the map, he wouldn’t get lost so easily.
"Here!" Carl drew in a breath and slowly approached Ceillia’s door.
"Relax... relax... relax..." He rubbed his chest and gave a light knock.
"Ceillia! It’s me... your big brother."
But half a minute passed—no response.
"? What’s going on? Normally, guess she must smash the door and beat me up then, or something like that"
Carl even triggered his [Dragonic Physical] skill, just in case he had to protect himself—but nothing happened.
"I’ve got a bad feeling about this..."
Channeling mana into his fingertips, his nails extended, shaping a top of dragon nails as if a tool to pick the lock.
Creak!
"Forgive me, Ceillia... ah, but this isn’t the first time I’ve done this."
Carl glanced around sneakily and walked in. He took a quick look at Ceillia’s room.
"Tsk." Carl frowned lightly in worry and shook his head.
All the decorations in the room were destroyed, pieces of chairs and a desk shattered on the ground.
He lifted his gaze and saw the long slash across the wall, the mark left by Ceillia’s dragon claws.
But, One thing quickly took Carl’s attention, one thing was very familiar to him.
"A painting?" Curious, Carl stepped forward.
"Oh. She’s still keeping it." Carl sighed when he saw the painting his sister had made in their childhood.
It was a painting of their family, but now the parts of him and his parents had been scribbled over, even torn in places. His image was especially buried under rough lines more than anything else. Yeah, she really hated Carl.
"Yet, she didn’t throw it away. My poor sister..."
...
"What are you doing here?" A weak voice drifted into Carl’s ears.
He turned to the bed nearby and looked at his sister, who was just now sitting up. She looked utterly exhausted, drained of both energy and life.
With dark circles under her eyes, she glared at Carl with hostility.
...However, Carl just shook his head slightly and forced himself not to run over and hold her in his arms.
"It’s been a long time, Ceillia." Carl smiled bitterly.
Carl tilted toward the broken chair that had somehow survived her madness. He sat down, turned his eyes to her, and answered softly.
A tinge of sadness flickered in his eyes, a heavy weight pressing on his heart when he looked at her state.
’’I said. What are you doing here?’’ Ceillia shouted in fury, even harshly in her voice.
Carl let out a deep sigh. The love drowned in his voice.
"A brother really needs a proper reason to see his little sister?"
Some later.
Ceillia gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. Then, in a burst of emotion, she shouted:
"I’M NOT YOUR SISTER!"
"ALL YOUR FAULTS... I’VE SUFFERED ALL THIS TORMENT BECAUSE OF YOU!"
"Y-YOU... DAMN—!"
Unable to control her emotions, Ceillia exploded in sobs, wiping at the relentless tears rolling down her cheeks.
When Carl watched it, he shivered and tightened his fist and controlled himself as best he could. He didn’t want to show his true emotions.
He really, really desired to approach her and hug her on his chest to comfort his miserable sister.
[System Notice]: Relax...You still have me, your beloved wife.
’I know... but it hurts.’
He let out a deep breath, counted slowly from one to ten, then waited another half minute.
He finally spoke.
’Ceillia... I have an offer for you.’