Claire's True Feelings
"I... I want to spend time with you like we used to..."
"We can."
I answered her sincerely.
But Claire shook her head, as if denying it.
"But it’s impossible... My brother—no, the Mertzalo family won’t allow it..."
"Why? Why would your family restrict our relationship?"
"Because I’m my Brother’s shadow... I have no worth except to keep making magic herbal medicine for him..."
“…!"
… This is awful.
They monopolize her exceptional talent and act as if it’s their own achievement. To maintain this, they’ve even resorted to brainwashing her to cut off all outside contact.
Claire apparently developed social anxiety after being kidnapped as a child... But what if even that was orchestrated?
This might all be the doing of that idiotic brother of hers, who wants to bask in praise for talent he never earned.
—But Claire said it clearly.
She wants to return to how things used to be.
If her trash brother is the one stopping that, I’ll remove him.
Letting a talent like hers go to waste is a huge loss.
As a merchant, I can’t ignore this.
"... Wait here, Claire."
"Huh?"
"I’ll stop him."
"N-no! If you catch my Brother’s attention, who knows what he’ll do!"
He’ll probably wield the Mertzalo name to cause trouble. Maybe terminate contracts with our company or something along those lines.
But those are trivial problems.
"It doesn’t matter. Losing my connection with you is far worse."
"Eh...?"
"After all, I need you to become our company’s asset someday."
Having Claire—who’s far more reasonable than her fool brother—become the Dead of the Mertzalo Sanctum would make negotiations smoother.
"Stay here. I’ll settle things with Walton—and come back for you. Until then, grow some delicious herbs for tea, okay?"
"Lake... Okay! I’ll prepare the most amazing blend!"
Claire bloomed into a radiant smile.
This is how she should always be.
A gloomy face doesn’t suit her.
◇◇◇
The next day, during lunch break.
I entered the bustling student cafeteria and headed straight for the terrace. There, Walton Mertzalo sat surrounded by female students, smug as ever.
I walked up to him without hesitation.
“Hm? Lake? What do you want?”
Walton’s face twisted into a scowl, a stark contrast to the delight he’d shown moments earlier while being fed by the girls.
Clearly, I’m an inconvenience to him.
Then I’ll become an even greater inconvenience.
“Walton Mertzalo... I challenge you to a duel.”
What do you think about this chapter?
