CHAPTER 32: PATHWAYS AND PLOTS 10

[Hm... If I’m not mistaken, right around now is when Varyn puts that tail on me, no?]

There were three days left before the Gala. Currently, Aegis’s stats were looking like this:

STATUS SHEET

BASIC INFO

Name: Aegis Starcaller

Race: Human (Fertility-Blessed)

Titles: The Impossible Commoner

MP (Mana Points): 100/100

STATS

POWER (Combat ability): 10

INTELLIGENCE (Academic knowledge, magical theory, and strategic thinking): 30

GRACE (Elegance, poise, and artistic expression): 10

INSIGHT (Reading people, detecting lies, and understanding hidden motives): 10

CHARISMA (Ability to persuade, intimidate, seduce, and charm through words): 100

RELATIONSHIP STATUS

Active Love Interests: Professor Nazraya

Current Relationships:

Professor Nazraya: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️(Bondmarked)

Scarlett Lionheart: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🤍

Queen Rosanna: ❤️❤️❤️🤍🤍

Liora Vale: ❤️❤️❤️🤍🤍

Lune Solana: ❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍

Talia Stone: 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

REPUTATION/SOCIAL STANDING

School Reputation: Notorious

Faction Standings:

Commoners: +15 (Friendly)

Academy Guards: +10

Commander Korvo: +5

House Valemont: +5 (Interested)

House Stone: -15 (Hostile)

House Duskbane: -10 (Suspicious)

House Roseheart: +30 (Grateful)

Scandal Points: 15

SKILLS/ABILITIES

Magical Spells:

Shadow Bolt (Basic)

Shadow Embrace (Passive, gained from Bondmark with Nazraya, +25% Shadow Magic Affinity)

Aether Breathing (Basic)

Aether Whip (Novice) (5 MP, Damage scales with Charisma)

Aether Step (Novice) (5 MP, Distance: 3 meters, Cooldown: 10 seconds)

Aether Veil (Novice) (8 MP, Creates a barrier absorbing damage, Cooldown: 10 seconds)

INVENTORY & GIFTS

Current Items:

Commoner’s LocketEffect: Increased ability to go unnoticed by those of higher social status

Maid’s EarringPassive: Hear Conversations within 50 meters

- Active: Focus Hearing through Barriers (3 uses/day)

The Lover’s RingEffect: Doubles Affection Gains, Doubles Experience Gains

- Special: Cannot Be Removed Once Worn

Starbloom PetalEffect

: +15% Magical Potency (Permanent)

Ruby & SapphireType: Charisma-Scaling Weapons

- Current Damage: 100 (Base 1 x Charisma 100)

Moonlight VeilEffect: Grants Invisibility Once Per Day

- Special: Conceals Magical Signature

COMBAT TECHNIQUES

Basic Combat Skills (7% Progress)

ART PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES

Basic Singing (76% Progress)

Obviously, Aegis would still need to get her stats even higher, but this was a damn good start to the year. Now, she was in the last straits of the proverbial road to the gala, but before she could get there... she’d need to deal with the pest behind her, first.

---

Aegis walked through Rosevale’s marble halls, with Lune at her side. The afternoon sun streamed through stained glass windows, painting rainbows across the floor.

And thirty feet behind them, a shadow moved.

[Right on schedule.]

In the game, Varyn always hired the same bargain-bin spy around this time. Some desperate ex-guard named Marcus who needed quick coin and didn’t bother verifying anything he heard.

The kind of idiot who’d report gossip as gospel.

"You’re smiling." Lune’s soft voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Planning something?"

"Always." Aegis glanced at her roommate. Perfect. Lune was exactly who she needed for this. "Actually, can I tell you a secret?"

Lune tilted her head.

"A secret?"

"About the gala." Aegis lowered her voice just enough. Not an actual whisper, just quiet enough that their tail would have to strain to hear. "I’ve been planning something special."

"Oh?"

"You know how Lady Roseheart invited me as her guest?"

"Mm."

"Well..." Aegis bit her lip, putting on her best conspiratorial expression. "I found out she has this rare flower in her private greenhouse. A Midnight Orchid. They only bloom once a year."

"Wow." Lune’s pink eyes widened slightly. "Those are incredibly valuable."

"Exactly." Aegis leaned closer. "And she mentioned how much she’d love to see one at the gala. So I thought..."

She waited.

Lune (eventually) put two and two together, bless her heart.

"You’re going to steal it?"

"Borrow." Aegis winked. "Just for the night. Imagine her face when I present it during the opening dance! She’ll be so touched she’ll probably sponsor me for the rest of my education."

Behind them, footsteps paused. Then resumed, slightly faster.

[Hook, line, and sinker.]

"That’s..." Lune frowned. "Dangerous. If you’re caught—"

"I won’t be." Aegis patted her shoulder. "I’ve got it all planned out. Tomorrow night, while everyone’s preparing for the gala, I’ll slip into her greenhouse. In and out, five minutes tops."

"But the guards—"

"Please." Aegis flipped her hair. "Have you seen me? Guards melt when I smile at them."

"Still. Breaking into a noble’s greenhouse..."

"It’s not breaking in if I’m invited to the estate." Aegis grinned. "Just... exploring areas I wasn’t specifically shown. And, hey, I’ll be returning it to her anyway... what’s the problem?"

Lune didn’t have much of a counter.

[Wait,] Aegis realized, blinking. [I’m actually convincing her. She’s believing my lies. Lune, I’m not being serious here, please!]

They turned a corner. The shadow behind them scrambled to keep up.

"Anyway, promise you won’t tell anyone?" Aegis grabbed Lune’s hands. "This stays between us."

"I..." Lune glanced away. "I won’t tell."

"You’re the best!" Aegis pulled her into a quick hug, noting how Lune stiffened before relaxing slowly. "I knew I could trust you."

As they continued walking, Aegis activated her Maid’s Earring. The spy’s rapid breathing filled her ears, along with muttered words.

"—orchid theft—tomorrow night—greenhouse—!"

[Perfect. Run along to your master, little rat.]

"Stop petting my hair."

"Sorry."

---

Marcus the spy practically sprinted through Rosevale’s back alleys. His worn boots slapped against cobblestones as he navigated the maze of servants’ passages.

Varyn would want this information immediately.

He burst into the abandoned classroom they used for meetings. Varyn sat at a desk, violet eyes cold as always.

"Well?" The noble didn’t look up from his papers. "Report."

"The Starcaller girl, my lord." Marcus caught his breath. "I overhead her planning—she’s going to steal from Lady Roseheart!"

That got Varyn’s attention. His head snapped up.

"Steal?"

"A Midnight Orchid, from the greenhouse. Tomorrow night, during gala preparations." Marcus straightened. "She plans to present it at the gala itself. Some scheme to secure permanent sponsorship."

"Interesting." Varyn drummed his fingers. "You’re certain?"

"Heard it clear as day, my lord. She made her roommate promise not to tell."

"The Solana girl?"

"Yes, my lord."

Varyn smiled.

"Excellent work. Here." He tossed a small pouch. "Your payment. Continue surveillance until the gala."

Marcus caught the gold, bowing low.

"Yes, my lord."

After the spy left, Varyn leaned back. A commoner stealing from nobles? And not just any noble—Lady Roseheart, who’d publicly sponsored her? Betraying her trust? Just like that?

He grinned. A gross, disgusting, perverted, creepy smile that would make women everywhere scowl if they saw it.

[This is too perfect.]

---

Talia paced her private study, yellow eyes burning. Three days until the gala and she still hadn’t found a way to expose that insufferable commoner.

A knock interrupted her brooding.

"Enter."

Varyn stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"Princess. I have information you’ll find... illuminating."

"Unless it’s about Starcaller’s expulsion, I’m not interested."

"Oh, but you will be." He moved closer. "My sources just confirmed something delicious."

Talia’s eyes narrowed.

"Speak."

"Our dear commoner plans to rob Lady Roseheart. Tomorrow night."

"What?" Talia stopped pacing. "That’s absurd. Even she’s not that stupid."

"Apparently she is." Varyn’s smile widened. "A Midnight Orchid from the greenhouse. She intends to present it at the gala as some grand gesture."

"But that’s—" Talia’s mind raced. "Lady Roseheart’s Orchids are priceless. They’re protected by—"

"Exactly." Varyn spread his hands. "Theft of noble property. From her own sponsor, no less. The scandal alone would destroy her."

Talia stared at him. Could it be true? Could Aegis really be that arrogant?

[Of course she could. That smug, flirtatious pest thinks she’s untouchable.]

"You’re certain?"

"My spy heard her tell the Solana girl directly. She made her promise secrecy."

"Tomorrow night." Talia’s lips curved into her first real smile in weeks. "During preparations."

"We could alert the guards. Have them waiting."

"No." Talia’s eyes gleamed. "No, no, no, NO! Actually... Let her do it. Then..."

Talia grinned.

"We’ll confront her at the gala!"

"W-What? At the gala?"

"Yes," Talia paced throughout her study. "She’ll present the orchid and we’ll confront her then. But... we will need evidence of her having taken it from the greenhouse."

Talia nodded.

"Leave me, Varyn. I’ll figure this out."

"A-As you wish, Your Majesty."

As Varyn left, Talia allowed herself a moment of satisfaction. Finally. After all the humiliation, all the losses, she’d have her revenge.

[Enjoy your last days of freedom, Starcaller. Because once the gala comes around...]

She smiled at her reflection in the window.

[You’re finished.]

---

Back in her dorm, Aegis flopped onto her bed, grinning at the ceiling.

"You’re in a good mood." Lune sat at her desk, paintbrush moving across canvas.

"Just thinking about the gala." Aegis stretched. "It’s going to be memorable."

"Because of your... plan?"

"Something like that."

Lune’s brush paused.

"Are you really going to steal that flower?"

Aegis sat up, studying her roommate. Lune’s expression was carefully neutral, but her fingers gripped the brush too tightly.

"Would it bother you if I did?"

"I..." Lune set down the brush. "I don’t understand you sometimes."

"Join the club." Aegis moved to sit beside her. "No, though, I’m not going to do that."

"What? Then... Why...?"

"We had a spy on us," Aegis explained, casually. "I noticed as we turned a corner. So, I said that to spread a false rumor. Varyn, and of course Talia, will confront me at the gala over it. And, I will, as usual, embarrass them both."

Lune’s eyes widened.

"You thought of all that during our walk?"

"Mhm," Aegis grinned, taking Lune’s chin with her hand. "Your roommate is rather clever, don’t you think?"

"Scary, more like." Lune lightly batted Aegis’s hand away.

Scandal Points: 15 → 25

New Rumor: The Orchid Thief

[Perfect. Let them chase shadows while I chase what really matters.]

Three days until the gala.

And Aegis had them exactly where she wanted them.