Chapter 27
"Did my brother say he’s giving you approval authority?"
"Yes, sir. Please check it."
With that, Maria carefully slid an electronic document across Benedict’s desk.
It contained the news of their victory in the [Showcase] against Militech, predictions of related companies’ next moves, and the Stingray Foundation’s strategies in response.
At the end of the report, the signature line authorizing the execution of the plan was still blank.
Benedict only skimmed it with a sideways glance before turning his eyes back to Maria.
The way he tapped the desk with his fingers made him look rather displeased.
"What do you think his goal is?"
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Don’t play dumb. You’ve been at my brother’s side long enough to know exactly what I’m talking about."
Benedict’s brow furrowed.
"Or was it a lie when you said you’d cooperate with me back then? Have you changed your mind?"
"That’s not it."
"Then answer me. What is that man thinking, acting like this?"
Normally, Aaron was not the kind of man who would ever allow his younger brother to meddle in such matters.
To outsiders, he might appear the perfect superhuman, but inside, a proud and greedy snake was coiled.
Benedict knew that truth better than anyone.
If it were the Aaron of the past, he wouldn’t have hesitated to strip Benedict of the title ‘acting chairman’ upon returning, and throw him out.
Yet recently, Aaron had not only allowed Benedict to remain in the foundation, but had left all matters related to recruiting external talent for the Academy entirely in his hands.
"It’s too much authority to be leaving just because he’s still sick and can’t be bothered. This feels more like he’s really preparing to hand me his seat."
"……"
Realizing the meaning behind Maria’s silence, Benedict continued on his own.
"Right. For someone claiming to still be unwell, he looks far too healthy. And whenever I think he wants to step away from the successor fight, he suddenly stirs up things like the Special Class or the [Showcase]. I don’t get it."
"It’s difficult to say, but…"
Maria replied evenly.
"Lately, I don’t really understand Young Master Aaron’s thoughts either. He seems the same as before, yet sometimes acts in ways that make me think he’s a different person."
"Explain."
"His attitude and words toward me or the others haven’t changed. But when he deals with Miyu or Miss Elisbell…"
"Ah, the special scholarship students he selected this time. You’re saying he’s unusually lenient with them?"
"That’s right."
Just looking at Iri’s case made it clear.
Aaron Stingray was famous for not even considering lower-class people—especially those from the Fallen Sector—as human.
And yet, for some reason, he showed boundless kindness toward Iri and Miyu. Even if they were geniuses, thinking of the Aaron from before, it made no sense.
"So you don’t know the reason either?"
"Correct."
"Tsk. What the hell. Did he almost die and have a change of heart or something?"
"…Perhaps that might be the case."
"What?"
"I mean Shade Wells, the one I mentioned last time. Maybe that dead young man somehow moved Young Master Aaron’s heart—"
"Pft—phuhuhuh!"
Before Maria could finish, Benedict burst into laughter.
He laughed for quite a while, as if he’d heard a ridiculous joke, before suddenly wiping the smile from his face.
"You can’t seriously mean that. You know better than anyone what kind of man he is."
"……"
"Don’t tell me you’ve grown attached to him now? Thinking ‘he seems to have changed, let’s give him another chance’?"
"That’s not it. It’s just…"
"Enough nonsense."
Benedict waved her words away. Then, signing the report on Aaron’s behalf, he spoke again.
"I can sign papers like this as much as you want. It’s just a matter of moving my fingers a few times—annoying, but nothing serious. The real problem is that I’m still only ‘acting’ in the position. You understand what that means, don’t you?"
"Of course, Young Master."
"A dog that bites its master will be sent to the slaughterhouse if it can’t find a new one quickly."
You’re a dog that bit its master.
I can’t fully trust you.
If you want my trust, prove yourself with results.
That was what Benedict was telling her.
"…Understood, Young Master."
Yet she held no resentment over such treatment.
She had already steeled herself for this.
Even if she bore the stigma of a traitor for a time, it was all for the prosperity of the Stingray Group.
She believed that one day, this sacrifice would be recognized.
"Bring me proof that the monster is bleeding. Only then can I unleash the hunters."
Proof that Aaron was sufficiently weakened.
Proof that his illness wasn’t fully cured.
Something that would make it certain—now was the time to strike.
"…Understood."
"Good. You may go."
"Excuse me, then."
Maria bowed politely, then left Benedict’s office.
‘Proof…’
She had several suspicions.
Such as how Aaron kept her from ever meeting Miyu, or the occasional look in his eyes.
But with nothing more than such uncertain signs, Benedict would never make a move. He wouldn’t take the risk of tugging the whiskers of a sleeping beast.
‘I need something definite.’
A way to know for sure whether Aaron’s power was intact or not—without arousing suspicion.
What method could she use to pass without notice…?
As Maria pondered, a quiet unease crept into her heart.
‘If, by some chance…’
Benedict had mocked her for the thought.
But what if, by some chance, Aaron had truly changed? If his terminal illness had awakened him not as the ticking time bomb threatening the Stingray’s future, but as a true heir?
She didn’t care what happened to her.
But if she were to stab in the back someone who might actually illuminate the future of the Stingray Group… she could not bear it.
‘How ironic.’
Once, she had wished for Aaron to abandon his monstrous nature and come to his senses for the sake of the Stingray Group. Yet now, she hoped he remained the same murderous demon.
It seemed that no matter how advanced technology became, one could never predict the twists of life.
Swallowing down the bitter taste in her mouth, Maria quietly walked away.
‘I’m so… sleepy I could die…’
The next day.
On her way to class, Iri was nodding off. She’d woken up at dawn from a dream and hadn’t been able to fall back asleep.
Iri was the type whose routine, once broken, left her utterly listless.
The only saving grace was that most of the Academy’s desk lessons took place in cyberspace.
Once the brain connected to cyberspace, the AI supposedly adjusted the content according to each student’s educational status and IQ level.
She couldn’t be more grateful that she didn’t have to run around in such a tired state.
‘It’s all his fault…!’
She grumbled inwardly out of spite.
Aaron Stingray—why did that man have to barge into her dream and steal the ‘big brother’ role? They didn’t even resemble each other in the slightest.
‘Ugh, useless as always.’
It had been a rare chance to reunite with her brother in a dream, but Aaron had ruined it completely. Or so Iri silently poured out her absurd complaint.
—Are you hurt anywhere?
‘Uwaah! Waaaahhh! Ack!’
She tried not to think about it, but just remembering made her face burn. She banged her head with both hands like a spasm, then lay down in the capsule for cyberspace access.
‘Ah, seriously, what’s wrong with me?!’
She didn’t know the reason.
It was the first time she’d ever felt this way.
But only for a moment.
The moment I became aware of the module chip lodged in the back of my neck, my mood instantly cooled.
‘A dream…’
It had ended in a strange way, but aside from that part, most of what happened in last night’s dream had actually taken place in reality.
Being served an eviction notice by a Stingray employee.
Receiving a module chip as my brother’s keepsake.
Going to get it appraised by a modular, only to be marked by thugs and chased.
All of that was true.
Only one thing was different.
In reality, when I was cornered in that dead-end alley, there had been no one who came to save me.
I’d had to fight those thugs alone.
And when I was pushed to the brink, desperate not to lose it, I hastily jammed the module into my own socket.
…Something I should never have done.
“…Haa.”
Out of habit, Iri fiddled with the module socket on the back of her neck.
Lodged there was the combat module—her brother’s keepsake. She had touched it so often that the end was slightly worn.
‘I need to find a way to remove this safely somehow…’
As she was thinking that, the professor in charge of today’s [Safe Module Management] lecture walked into the classroom.
He scanned the room once, then suddenly called her name.
“Miss Elisbell.”
“…”
“Iri Elisbell? Not here?”
“Huh? Ah—yes! I’m here!”
The sudden mention of her name made her react a bit late.
Iri tensed up, desperately going over in her head whether she had done anything wrong. But what came out of his mouth was completely unexpected.
“Your sponsor is urgently calling for you. Go to them.”
“…Huh? Why?”
“How would I know? I’ll mark you as present, so just hurry along.”
Huh?
Was it really okay to skip class like this? Was the Academy’s system really fine with this?
The thought crossed her mind, but both the professor and her classmates were looking at her like, “What are you still doing here?”
‘Ah, right…’
Her backer was a member of the Imperial Family that ruled this city.
Following the orders of the highborn was naturally more important here than diligently attending class.
“…Understood. I’ll go.”
Iri left the classroom without hesitation.
Academy, 249th floor.
At the door to the innermost room of the Stingray Scholarship Foundation’s Academy branch office, the door opened as if it had been waiting for her.
“Come in.”
A low, resonant voice.
Iri carefully stepped into the office, keeping her guard up in case something happened.
But the moment she took a step inside, the tension melted away at the sight before her eyes.
She had thought the Stingray scholarship dormitory was already luxurious enough, but Aaron’s office flaunted a completely different level of wealth.
‘Ah! I think I saw that painting on TV once… I’m pretty sure they said selling it could buy a house in Sector B, the price must be—’
“You could buy a house in Sector A, not Sector B.”
“Eh?! What?”
Aaron’s sudden remark made Iri gasp and cover her mouth. Did she just speak her thoughts out loud?
“No, you didn’t say anything. You just had that look on your face—‘If I sell this, I could buy a house in Sector B.’”
“…”
Aaron smiled mischievously as he said it. Having her thoughts read so perfectly, Iri could only open and close her mouth in wordless protest.
“I-I, um…”
“That’s enough. Sit on the sofa over there.”
“Ah, no… I came out in the middle of class, so I need to head back soon. I’d appreciate it if you could just get to the point.”
To anyone else, it would have sounded shockingly rude, but Iri didn’t even realize it. From her perspective, she was trying her best to be polite.
Aaron seemed to know that too, as he didn’t rebuke her.
“You mean the [Safe Module Management] lecture. I just had it arranged so you’ll be absent for the whole class today, so don’t worry.”
“Huh? Is… is that really okay?”
“You look tired. You must’ve been up late. In that condition, attending class will do you more harm than good—resting here will be better for you.”
“…!”
Wh-who do you think is the reason I’m so tired!
Unable to actually say it, Iri obediently sat down on the sofa.
She was startled by how comfortable it was. If she didn’t stay alert, she might fall asleep on the spot.
Enjoying her reaction for a moment, Aaron finally got to the point.
“The reason I called you here today is because of that broken combat module stuck in you.”
“Ah—don’t tell me…?”
Now it made sense.
Since the lecture was about module management, her combat module must have naturally come up during the lesson.
Of course, it wasn’t a topic Iri was particularly happy about, so this time, she couldn’t help but be surprised by Aaron’s foresight and consideration.
Just how far ahead could this man see? Even if he was from the Stingray Family, she had to admit when something was impressive.
While she was quietly impressed, Aaron continued in a calm voice.
“I’ll be away for a while soon, on some business.”
“Like a business trip?”
“Something like that. Before I go, there are a few things I need to tell you. You could call it… a ‘mission.’”
“A mission?”
“To explain, I’ll have to show you something first.”
In response to her question, Aaron reached down, pulled something out, and set it on the desk.
The moment Iri realized what it was, she gasped again.
“W-wait, that’s…!?”
It wasn’t a “thing.”
It was a person.
A small girl with long hair.
Aaron had been holding her dangling by the hand, and placed her on the desk in a way that reminded Iri of a kitten being carried.
“Ah… Aaron…”
The girl looked up at him with teary eyes, full of reproach.
But Aaron ignored her gaze completely.
“This one’s called Miyu.”
Then, with a meaningful smile, he added:
“From now on, you’ll take care of her.”