A voice devoid of emotion, reciting not blame but plain fact.
The term "big brother" that came from her lips.
It sounded pleasant enough, but the feeling it carried...
At the very least, there was no respect for kin—only icy coldness.
...My head was starting to ache.
I had no idea what she wanted from me by summoning me like this. The unpredictability was the problem.
Regardless of the complicated thoughts swirling in my mind, I had to maintain my composure.
She might have found some pretext and called me here to kill me.
It was an absurd thought, but with her, it wasn't entirely impossible.
What was Celine thinking?
I couldn't even begin to guess.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Absorbing negative emotion 'Contempt'] [Absorbing negative emotion 'Disgust']
'She really hates me, huh.'
Haah... I wanted to sigh.
The atmosphere here was that uncomfortable.
My body was sticky, my one and only sister's gaze was filled with disgust, and even after being summoned, she hadn't offered me a seat.
The silver lining was that the Authority's experience points were steadily rising.
"Why don't you say something?"
Celine crossed her arms, her large eyes mocking me fiercely. It felt like my insides were burning under that glare, but on the surface, I pretended not to care and met her eyes straight on.
"Because I'm a disgrace, that's exactly why I had to do it."
"...What nonsense is that?"
I took a step forward.
"Think about it, Lin."
"...Don't you dare call me by a nickname, you bastard child!"
Lin. The nickname Evan had used for his sister in the past.
At my unwitting slip,
Celine's veins bulged as she snapped like a cold gust slipping through the open door.
"Even a bastard like me cares about the family's reputation. But some lowly maid insults her master and brings out pig slop. If word of this spreads, who do you think people will curse?"
For the first time, Celine's expression hardened at my words.
"People won't curse me personally. They'll whisper that the Dreadnote Family can't even manage one maid properly—a household with no discipline. My disgrace is the family's disgrace."
This was my prepared counterargument.
Turning her utmost priority—the family's honor—against her.
"I know how you see me. Like a bug, right? But even a bug like me couldn't tolerate staining the family name. That's why I disciplined her. What's the problem?"
A heavy silence filled the study.
Celine stared at me piercingly, lips sealed.
To her, I must seem utterly bizarre right now.
A worthless lump who had abandoned all logic and merely existed, now spouting painfully rational words.
After a long pause, she spoke coldly.
"A fitting excuse for you, big brother."
"It's just the truth."
"But you know, don't you? That it's Father's will. You couldn't possibly not know."
'...Playing that card, huh?'
It was true.
The part I feared most.
On the surface, my actions amounted to harassing a servant who acted under the family head's tacit approval.
And with no allies in the family,
If Celine latched onto that, I had no escape.
But.
'I expected her to bring that up.'
I smiled as if I'd been waiting.
"Of course I know."
"...What?"
"Father's will, that a wretch like me deserves such treatment—how could I not know his deep intentions?"
At my meek admission, Celine's expression shifted subtly again.
It must look like I'd set a trap, only for the prey to step in willingly and smile nonchalantly.
Before she could continue, I spoke first.
"But Celine, you're overlooking one thing."
I took another step closer. Now, just three steps away.
A faint lilac scent wafted from her, brushing my nose.
"Father's tacit approval was meant to punish me. It wasn't permission for a mere servant—even if toward a bastard—to mock a member of Dreadnote."
"What..."
"Hear me out. She wasn't following her master's orders. She was using them as a shield to feed her superiority."
She looked so shocked, her eyes wide round.
"I didn't complain about the food given to me. I ate every bite without a word."
"..."
"The only thing I punished was a maid's arrogance in looking down on her master. I simply corrected the lapse in discipline. Is that wrong?"
...I did complain that the food was like garbage, though.
'Doesn't matter.'
If she pressed me on that, I could just play dumb and deny it.
No one who saw my actions would have overheard our conversation anyway.
Perfect silence reigned in the study.
Celine stared at me, lips firmly shut.
Her mind must be desperately calculating for flaws in my words, but she'd find none.
To hold me accountable, she'd have to accept the absurd logic that it's fine for servants to disrespect their masters.
And a genius like her would never tolerate such nonsense.
After a long silence, she finally parted her lips slightly.
"Sweating every dawn in the training grounds is for discipline too?"
Her voice was a tone lower than before.
It was coming.
I'd tried to act without being seen by the family members, but I couldn't hide it perfectly.
One of the servants who'd glimpsed me must have told her.
I nodded without hesitation.
"Yes."
"..."
"To live no longer as a disgrace. To not tarnish the Dreadnote name even at the academy. That's why I'm struggling."
This wasn't a lie.
It was true, except for my goal being survival.
"...Hmph."
Celine clamped her slightly parted lips shut and bit her lower one.
Irritation flashed in her eyes as she waved her hand dismissively. I nodded.
She didn't want to face me anymore.
"Get out."
Her voice had sunk even lower.
"Don't do anything that annoys my eyes from now on. Whether it's an excuse or sincere, I hate the fuss."
Essentially, an unconditional pardon.
She couldn't find grounds to punish me.
'One crisis averted for now.'
At least the immediate fire was out.
"Understood."
Worried she might change her mind,
I replied curtly and turned to leave.
Just as I exhaled in relief and stepped out of the study.
Celine's voice came from behind.
"Big brother."
"...?"
"If... everything you're saying now is just an act to deceive me."
She spoke while still gazing out the window.
Her face reflected in the glass was shrouded in shadow, invisible.
"Then I'll pierce your heart myself."
A chilling warning.
If anyone else had said it, I'd have laughed it off.
But Celine Dreadnote.
Knowing the abilities of the family's genius, I knew she meant it.
I didn't show it, but a shiver ran down my spine.
"Got it."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙[Absorbing negative emotion 'Murderous Intent'] [Absorbing negative emotion 'Love-Hate'] [Absorbing negative emotion 'Expectation']
'...Love-hate? Expectation?'
I doubted the words that appeared in the system window.
Because strange emotions like love-hate showed up.
"You lot outside. Escort the Young Master out now."
"Yes, sir! Please come out, Young Master."
But with no time to ponder, as the knights urged me on,
I closed the heavy mahogany door behind me without another thought.