Chapter 34
“Can you tell me about the Ogile family? I joined in high school, so I don’t know much.”
“The Ogiles are a central noble family with a count title, a prestigious lineage.”
Luca made a circle with his fingers.
“They made a fortune in the weapons business. All the weapons supplied to the academy come from the Ogile family, so their influence here is huge.”
“I see. And you want me to assassinate or half-kill one of them?”
Wearin nodded.
“Do I need to further tarnish my already ruined reputation? One wrong move, and I could be socially buried.”
“The princess is playing it safe.”
“Quiet, Heart Kitty.”
“….”
Seeing Sigrin’s indifference, Wearin knelt and pleaded.
“Is half-killing the issue? Then use any means to make Gus stop targeting my brother! Please!”
Wearin burst into tears.
Sigrin, watching her, let out a deep sigh.
“Hm… Tell me more about your plan. As an older sister with a younger brother, I’m concerned.”
“You have a brother too…”
Wearin’s face brightened.
“For reference, beating them up to warn them won’t work. It doesn’t solve the root issue, and they’ll just bully more discreetly.”
Put nicely, but if she fought and lost, she could be reverse-bullied by middle schoolers.
Then Luca would demand a rematch, and she might get kicked out of the library.
“Eek!! Thank you, thank you, Ebenkera!!”
Sigrin’s serious response overwhelmed Wearin with gratitude.
She seemed more rational than expected, which was a relief.
Wearin had feared Sigrin would have Luca and Apple beat her up for daring to make a request.
Like how she took Bilha to the mid-tier hunting grounds and “handled” him.
Still, she asked Sigrin for help because she seemed oddly trustworthy.
Maybe because Apple and Luca seemed so vibrant since becoming her subordinates.
“Ebenkera, then maybe…”
Gulp.
Wearin swallowed hard.
To drive out a ghost, you need a bigger one.
Sigrin didn’t seem eager to fight middle schoolers and risk her pride.
So…
“Instead of Gus Ogile, can you bully my brother Cardin??”
“What??”
Sigrin stepped back.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sigrin grabbed a broom and headed to the middle school building.
Was she going to beat Cardin with it?
No way.
She was just assigned to clean the middle school building during her probation.
Apple, Bilha, and Luca were also on probation, all holding brooms.
“Sigrin, are you really going to bully Cardin?”
“Just pretending.”
With her delinquent label already cemented, she really didn’t want to, but Wearin’s desperate plea tugged at her.
She wants my bad reputation to scare off flies by targeting Cardin.
Sigrin understood the logic.
Finishing cleaning early, Sigrin sighed deeply and spoke.
“Alright, it’s about time. Gus Ogile leads his gang to this staircase every day after morning classes.”
Time to transform.
Sigrin rolled up her sleeves to show her tattoo, slicked her bangs back with water, put on a gold necklace and rings, and draped her jacket over her shoulders.
Done.
“Wow…”
Luca covered his mouth, impressed.
The nouveau riche vibe was totally his taste.
“Everyone, look as tough as possible. Apple, come here.”
Sigrin swapped Apple’s fidget spinner for a shuriken, unbuttoned the top of her shirt, and applied black lipstick.
“Bilha, come here.”
“…?”
Sigrin pulled down Bilha’s mask and put on one with holes only for eyes and mouth, then handed him an unloaded pistol.
Perfect, super intimidating.
“…Why does this mask look familiar?”
“Eek, Luca! Come here.”
She’d accidentally brought the mask used for the library infiltration.
Sweating, Sigrin redirected Luca’s attention to her.
“What do I do?”
“….”
Luca’s eyes sparkled with anticipation, but there was nothing to fix.
His first impression was already intimidating.
“You’re perfect as is. Full of edge.”
“…That’s good, right?”
✦ ✦ ✦
Gus Ogile headed to his hangout with friends.
Among the kids was a boy with his head down, unable to look up.
Short and frail for a middle school third-year.
Wearin’s brother, Cardin Igete.
At the start of his second year, he was outgoing and had many friends.
But bumping into Gus' shoulder while chatting with friends sparked trouble.
He’d been bullied ever since, even after moving to a different class.
Another kid, arm around the timid boy, spoke loudly.
“Ugh, so boring today. Anything fun? Cardin, tell us something interesting.”
“Don’t know…”
“Got any stories about your sister?”
“Sis… I haven’t talked to her much lately…”
Smack!
Gus Ogile hit Cardin’s head hard.
“Hey! If you know I’m bored, you should’ve prepared something!”
“Sorry…”
Gus rolled his eyes and smirked.
“If you’re sorry, bark and run down the hall on all fours.”
“…Okay.”
Cardin weakly replied, placing his hands on the floor.
“Woof… Woof…”
Gus and his friends laughed, holding their stomachs.
“Pfft, is he crazy? He’s actually doing it. No shame?”
Thwack!
Gus kicked Cardin’s butt hard as he watched.
“Does a dog bark like that?”
“Woof! Woof!”
Cardin barked louder, running on all fours.
“Doggy, fetch my shoe! 10 seconds!”
Gus took off his shoe and threw it to the end of the hall.
“Ten.”
Cardin ran desperately.
“Woof, woof!”
“Nine.”
“…Woof!”
“Eight.”
“….”
“Seven. Cardin, I can’t hear you!”
“Woof woof!”
“Six!”
Cardin’s face flushed as he ran.
He had to grab the shoe with his mouth and return. Panting, Cardin suddenly squinted.
“…??”
From afar, a masked figure was sprinting on all fours at incredible speed.
Grab!
Bilha, with the shoe in his mouth, charged at Gus and tackled him.
“Strike! Good job, my puppy.”
“Woof.”
A tall, graceful female student approached, smiling.
Her gold necklace jangled with each step. Her green eyes were gentle yet sharp, exuding presence.
Her aristocratic face contrasted sharply with the tattoo of a snake pierced by a sword on her arm.
Though a stranger, everyone there knew her.
Gus' pupils trembled. The pain from crashing into the masked boy vanished under his fear.
A new high school student from Nipi Island’s Ebenkera Family.
Sigrin Ebenkera.
Behind her followed Apple Sitimtri and Luca Drümuel, whom she’d subdued as subordinates.
“Are you Cardin? The one with Wearin as your sister?”
Sigrin grabbed Gus' hair and asked.