Oct 03 2021
※From Lambert Orso’s perspective.
“Got her done?”
“Yes.”
I responded to my colleague―or rather, someone who looked exactly like him and yet spoke with an entirely different voice.
We were at one of the many research facilities on the Bauer Royal Academy’s campus grounds. This department focused specifically on the study of monsters, and, while I was still a student, I was also a registered member of the lab.
The man in front of me looked exactly like one of my colleagues from the same lab, but that colleague wasn’t actually here with me. The man with me now was an assassin sent by the accursed Naa Empire.
I showed him a bell that was small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand.
“Hmm, so this is the artifact that can control monsters, huh. Quite the tiny little thing, ain’t it.”
“It was made with military use in mind after all. If it was too big, it wouldn’t be practical. Admittedly, there are limits to the monsters that it can control.”
“But, it’ll do the job, yeah?”
“… It will.”
When the man asked to confirm, I nodded. That’s right, I too had my hand in the schemes that would soon unfold. I would unleash an out of control chimaera and slaughter students in the academy.
“And? How’s that Chimaera coming along?”
“That should not pose any problems either, much thanks to Salas-sama’s assistance.”
My mind drifted to memories of the Chimaera Incident just one year ago. The mastermind behind the incident that had forced Christoff-sama to resign from the Order was none other than the kingdom’s prime minister, Salas Lilium. As one of Salas-sama’s underlings released the chimaera, I manipulated it. The trick to do so had been discovered while researching familiars, and it allowed me to control monster’s actions from a distance.
It was also this incident which allowed me to infiltrate and secure the academy’s trust. Everything had been planned out in advance.
I was never informed of why, but it appeared Salas-sama sought to harm the children of influential nobles attending the academy. Broadly speaking he likely wanted to crush the heirs of important families early on in their lives, but I couldn’t claim to understand how nobles thought. Regardless, I was but a pawn in Salas-sama’s greater ambitions.
I understood all of that now, but at the time, all that I knew was that the mysterious man before me relayed orders from above. Whoever they were had promised that they could grant our wish, and at first, all that I had done was assist in research. I had no idea that the magic artifact born as a result of my efforts was to be used in such a heinous act of terrorism.
When I found out, I tried to withdraw from the plan, but it was then that I was brought face to face with Salas-sama. The great man personally listened to our troubles in earnest, and then explained the full extent of the justice he sought. I no longer held any doubts. After we helped Salas-sama’s ambitions come to fruition, we too would―
Suddenly I felt a strange sinking feeling.
Did our wish have anything to do with Salas-sama’s schemes? Something… something seemed off, it felt as though we were making a huge mistake…
And yet, that feeling soon disappeared as quickly as mist. All I needed to do was follow his instructions. The moment I thought that, an inexplicable sense of ease settled over me.
“Looks like it’s still working.”
“? What do you mean?”
“Nah, it doesn’t concern you. My dad’s pretty cruel to everyone though huh, including me.”
“What have you been saying?”
“Just talking to myself again. So? We’ll be good to go in three days, yeah?”
“Yes.”
“A’ight, I’ll give the signal back home to move the troops. Do your thing and leave the rest to me.”
“Uhm… Alter-sama.”
I called out to the man. I was informed that his name was Alter-sama, surely an alias. Everytime I met the man, he had a different appearance. It had been explained to me that he was a spy sent by the empire, but even that wasn’t certain information.
“What.”
“Ah, hm… Will it really be okay? Doing something like this…”
“What, you worried? The nobility sure won’t be okay, but you’ve got nothing to sweat about.”
“…”
“What, you’re just going to give up this chance to be together with your beloved sister?”
“No.”
Yes, that was my―no, our wish. It was one of the few options left to us, who desired a romance that should not be. I loved Lene and she reciprocated my feelings, not as siblings, but as members of the opposite gender. And yet, as siblings connected by blood, we would normally never be allowed to wed.
However, Alter-sama―Salas-sama promised that he would prepare a future where we could live our lives as lovers. My only option was to believe him.
―But… was it really okay to do so?
“… Seems a bit shaky. Well, so long as the effects last the next three days it won’t matter”
“?”
“Again, nothing to do with you. Hang in there, a few more days and you lovers will be flirting under the sun.”
“Yes, I’m trusting you on this.”
“No sweat.”
With that, Alter-sama left the lab and I let out a huge sigh.
“… I should go home too.”
◆◇◆◇◆
I long left the Orso family’s main residence to live at the academy dorms. The reason was of course―
“Onii-sama.”
“I’m home, Lene.”
My sister, Lene, was there to greet me as I returned. She had already changed out of her maid uniform and into her pajamas. She lived and slept at the academy’s servant dorms, but came to visit me almost everyday.
My accomodations at the dorm were a little special. Though the rooms at the dorm were normally made for two, mine was meant for one. The room itself was located in the corner of the dormitory and smaller than the other rooms, so it could only accommodate one, but I still found living alone relaxing.
“Lene, it’s been decided when that plan will take place.”
“… So it’s finally going to begin…”
I knew that she would oppose the plan if I explained it to her, so I hadn’t given her all the details. Even so, Lene made a dark expression.
“Onii-sama, are you sure we can trust this? To me… It all just sounds too good to be true.”
It was clear that she felt anxious. As she spoke, she rushed toward me and clung onto my chest.
“It will be fine, Lene. I can’t tell you the specifics, but I have an agreement with someone who has both the status and power to make it possible, we can trust them.”
“But if they have such power, can’t they just single handedly ignore the agreement?”
“…”
Now that she mentioned it, that was true. How did I overlook such a simple and important fact? I tried to reconsider my current position from an objective perspective.
“… It will all work out, Lene. Trust me.”
“Onii-sama…”
Despite my efforts, I couldn’t seem to think properly. Whenever I tried to think about this, I felt as though I was wading through a thick fog. For some reason I’d always come to the conclusion that things would turn out alright. I should not and could not doubt. That much was clear to me.
“Ah, you prepared me some food? Thank you. But Lene, it’s already late, you should return to your own room.”
“But―!”
“It’s alright, you don’t need to worry. Leave everything to me, I’ll make sure everything goes well.”
“… I understand. Good night.”
Lene put on a fleeting smile and left my room. Once I was alone, I ate the food that Lene prepared. Though she made the meal with simple ingredients, I could tell that each dish was filled with her love.
Now that I thought of it, I had caused Lene nothing but trouble. So long as the plan went well, the day that we could do away with our current lifestyle was not too far off.
“Lene, it’ll be just a little longer…”
Without realizing my fatal flaw in all this, I naively awaited the happiness that I was convinced would come.
Oct 03 2021
※From Lambert Orso’s perspective.
“Got her done?”
“Yes.”
I responded to my colleague―or rather, someone who looked exactly like him and yet spoke with an entirely different voice.
We were at one of the many research facilities on the Bauer Royal Academy’s campus grounds. This department focused specifically on the study of monsters, and, while I was still a student, I was also a registered member of the lab.
The man in front of me looked exactly like one of my colleagues from the same lab, but that colleague wasn’t actually here with me. The man with me now was an assassin sent by the accursed Naa Empire.
I showed him a bell that was small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand.
“Hmm, so this is the artifact that can control monsters, huh. Quite the tiny little thing, ain’t it.”
“It was made with military use in mind after all. If it was too big, it wouldn’t be practical. Admittedly, there are limits to the monsters that it can control.”
“But, it’ll do the job, yeah?”
“… It will.”
When the man asked to confirm, I nodded. That’s right, I too had my hand in the schemes that would soon unfold. I would unleash an out of control chimaera and slaughter students in the academy.
“And? How’s that Chimaera coming along?”
“That should not pose any problems either, much thanks to Salas-sama’s assistance.”
My mind drifted to memories of the Chimaera Incident just one year ago. The mastermind behind the incident that had forced Christoff-sama to resign from the Order was none other than the kingdom’s prime minister, Salas Lilium. As one of Salas-sama’s underlings released the chimaera, I manipulated it. The trick to do so had been discovered while researching familiars, and it allowed me to control monster’s actions from a distance.
It was also this incident which allowed me to infiltrate and secure the academy’s trust. Everything had been planned out in advance.
I was never informed of why, but it appeared Salas-sama sought to harm the children of influential nobles attending the academy. Broadly speaking he likely wanted to crush the heirs of important families early on in their lives, but I couldn’t claim to understand how nobles thought. Regardless, I was but a pawn in Salas-sama’s greater ambitions.
I understood all of that now, but at the time, all that I knew was that the mysterious man before me relayed orders from above. Whoever they were had promised that they could grant our wish, and at first, all that I had done was assist in research. I had no idea that the magic artifact born as a result of my efforts was to be used in such a heinous act of terrorism.
When I found out, I tried to withdraw from the plan, but it was then that I was brought face to face with Salas-sama. The great man personally listened to our troubles in earnest, and then explained the full extent of the justice he sought. I no longer held any doubts. After we helped Salas-sama’s ambitions come to fruition, we too would―
Suddenly I felt a strange sinking feeling.
Did our wish have anything to do with Salas-sama’s schemes? Something… something seemed off, it felt as though we were making a huge mistake…
And yet, that feeling soon disappeared as quickly as mist. All I needed to do was follow his instructions. The moment I thought that, an inexplicable sense of ease settled over me.
“Looks like it’s still working.”
“? What do you mean?”
“Nah, it doesn’t concern you. My dad’s pretty cruel to everyone though huh, including me.”
“What have you been saying?”
“Just talking to myself again. So? We’ll be good to go in three days, yeah?”
“Yes.”
“A’ight, I’ll give the signal back home to move the troops. Do your thing and leave the rest to me.”
“Uhm… Alter-sama.”
I called out to the man. I was informed that his name was Alter-sama, surely an alias. Everytime I met the man, he had a different appearance. It had been explained to me that he was a spy sent by the empire, but even that wasn’t certain information.
“What.”
“Ah, hm… Will it really be okay? Doing something like this…”
“What, you worried? The nobility sure won’t be okay, but you’ve got nothing to sweat about.”
“…”
“What, you’re just going to give up this chance to be together with your beloved sister?”
“No.”
Yes, that was my―no, our wish. It was one of the few options left to us, who desired a romance that should not be. I loved Lene and she reciprocated my feelings, not as siblings, but as members of the opposite gender. And yet, as siblings connected by blood, we would normally never be allowed to wed.
However, Alter-sama―Salas-sama promised that he would prepare a future where we could live our lives as lovers. My only option was to believe him.
―But… was it really okay to do so?
“… Seems a bit shaky. Well, so long as the effects last the next three days it won’t matter”
“?”
“Again, nothing to do with you. Hang in there, a few more days and you lovers will be flirting under the sun.”
“Yes, I’m trusting you on this.”
“No sweat.”
With that, Alter-sama left the lab and I let out a huge sigh.
“… I should go home too.”
◆◇◆◇◆
I long left the Orso family’s main residence to live at the academy dorms. The reason was of course―
“Onii-sama.”
“I’m home, Lene.”
My sister, Lene, was there to greet me as I returned. She had already changed out of her maid uniform and into her pajamas. She lived and slept at the academy’s servant dorms, but came to visit me almost everyday.
My accomodations at the dorm were a little special. Though the rooms at the dorm were normally made for two, mine was meant for one. The room itself was located in the corner of the dormitory and smaller than the other rooms, so it could only accommodate one, but I still found living alone relaxing.
“Lene, it’s been decided when that plan will take place.”
“… So it’s finally going to begin…”
I knew that she would oppose the plan if I explained it to her, so I hadn’t given her all the details. Even so, Lene made a dark expression.
“Onii-sama, are you sure we can trust this? To me… It all just sounds too good to be true.”
It was clear that she felt anxious. As she spoke, she rushed toward me and clung onto my chest.
“It will be fine, Lene. I can’t tell you the specifics, but I have an agreement with someone who has both the status and power to make it possible, we can trust them.”
“But if they have such power, can’t they just single handedly ignore the agreement?”
“…”
Now that she mentioned it, that was true. How did I overlook such a simple and important fact? I tried to reconsider my current position from an objective perspective.
“… It will all work out, Lene. Trust me.”
“Onii-sama…”
Despite my efforts, I couldn’t seem to think properly. Whenever I tried to think about this, I felt as though I was wading through a thick fog. For some reason I’d always come to the conclusion that things would turn out alright. I should not and could not doubt. That much was clear to me.
“Ah, you prepared me some food? Thank you. But Lene, it’s already late, you should return to your own room.”
“But―!”
“It’s alright, you don’t need to worry. Leave everything to me, I’ll make sure everything goes well.”
“… I understand. Good night.”
Lene put on a fleeting smile and left my room. Once I was alone, I ate the food that Lene prepared. Though she made the meal with simple ingredients, I could tell that each dish was filled with her love.
Now that I thought of it, I had caused Lene nothing but trouble. So long as the plan went well, the day that we could do away with our current lifestyle was not too far off.
“Lene, it’ll be just a little longer…”
Without realizing my fatal flaw in all this, I naively awaited the happiness that I was convinced would come.
