Bab 98: Accountability

Using the excuse that he still needed to meet with Naitus, Will and Ohta left the celebration shortly after the impromptu fashion show ended. The meeting itself was uneventful, as Naitus had already pre-prepped packets of everything they had missed, so after parting ways with the cat-headed Master Swordsman, they made their way to the Elite Class's dormitory.

Before Will and Ohta could reach their destination and unwind, they were intercepted in the First Years' shared lounge by David and two other boys, presumably functioning as his lackeys.

"You certainly took your time arriving..." remarked David, sporting a slight frown.

"Had I known you were waiting, I would have arrived sooner," responded Will, countering David's seriousness with a smile.

Closing his eyes and visibly suppressing a sigh, David demonstrated his developing sense of authority and refinement by linking his hands behind his back and calmly stating, "Leave us..." in a calm, commanding tone. His two lackeys complied without hesitation, but Ohta stayed put, making it clear she had no intention of leaving by falling backward over the armrest of a nearby sofa and staring blankly at the crystalline chandelier overhead with her hands resting on her abdomen.

Waiting until his lackeys were gone, David, staring in Ohta's direction but speaking to Will, remarked, "Your friend is just as rebellious as you..." in a faintly exasperated tone.

"Well, what did you want to talk about?" asked Will, drawing David's focus to him. For a brief moment, the latter's frown deepened, but there was no real hostility in his eyes or tone as he explained, "You've caused our family no small amount of trouble, Will. I know you don't truly respect me, but as your older brother and future Lord, I have a duty to chastise and mete out an appropriate punishment when you ere or step too far out of line..."

Surprised by David's words, Will's brows perked as he countered, "You're mistaken about one thing. While I might not have shadowed or looked up to you like some do their older siblings, I have always respected you and the ideal our family represents. As long as the punishment you decide fits with my actions, I will abide without complaint."

"Haaaa...."

Though Will's response was objectively what he wanted to hear, David got the distinct impression his younger brother didn't believe he had done anything wrong. He thought they had grown a bit closer after their heart-to-heart near the start of the term, but since Will had left him in the dark regarding his departure and intentions, David couldn't help feeling slightly betrayed, but—more than that, he was concerned for his brother's future.

Meeting Will's gaze, David revealed, "Your actions have put our family out of pocket more than a hundred million Astra. As such, until you can repay at least half of that amount, you will no longer receive financial support or a monthly stipend. How you repay it is up to you, but the method must be above board, and your earnings and expenses must be documented and submitted to me for review each month. That means you cannot borrow the funds, accept bribes, or leverage your position and strength to secure benefits from sponsorships or private dealings. This is your opportunity to squash the rumors of you being a profligate and a pretender, so work hard to restore your honor and the trust others had placed in you..."

"Understood," responded Will, nodding affirmingly with a far more serious expression than he wore a few moments prior. He still had more than five million reserve funds, but that would quickly dry up with his sponsorships and the financing he promised the Silver Cats. With the Quest System and System Shop, he could effectively earn as much money as he needed, but since David and his family would want to know where the Artifacts he sold off were acquired, he would need to be mindful of how he went about it or find a different solution.

Seeing Will get serious, David felt a wave of relief wash over him, a faint smile developing across his face as he extended his right hand to grasp his younger brother's shoulder, stating, "You're one of the most naturally gifted and capable people I've ever met, Will. I am absolutely certain that you'll be able to overcome this hurdle and become a greater person for it. And remember, if ever you feel like you're backed into a corner and can't find the solution on your own, I'll be there to listen and support you to the best of my ability..."

Feeling he had said what needed to be said, David nodded, removed his hand from Will's shoulder, and stepped past him to depart. He passed by Ohta in the process, so while he felt the former was partly responsible for Will's recklessness, David briefly stopped to say, "Please take care of my brother..." before moving on without waiting for a response.

Waiting until David had left, Ohta rolled her eyes before holding up her right hand and saying, "Come and help me up..."

Though Ohta was more than capable of rising on her own, Will made his way over and helped her to sit on the sofa's armrest, their gazes meeting as she remarked, "Your family really cares about you..." with a slight pout.

"I know..." responded Will, exhaling faintly from his nose. He inferred that Ohta was feeling bothered by her unknown origins and possible lack of a family, so since it was just the two of them, he gently cupped the sides of her face with his thumbs, caressing her cheekbones as he asserted, "And I care about you..."

"Not enough to kiss and reassure me..." countered Ohta, narrowing her eyes without missing a beat. She was right, of course, but while he might not be willing to kiss her on the lips, Will didn't hesitate to guide her head forward slightly to plant one on her billboard of a forehead...

...

Upon seeing Will and Ohta emerge from the elevator connecting to their floor, the well-dressed man responsible for its operation offered them a courteous bow, saying, "Welcome back, Masters William and Ohta. I hope your time abroad was insightful."

"I definitely learned a few lessons," responded Will, prompting Ohta to roll her eyes behind him before they made their way past the man, headed for the former's room. Unfortunately, it would be a while longer before Will, in particular, could unwind as, before they could reach his room, the door to Azir's opened, followed by a pair of purple-hued, rabbit-like ears poking out, attached to a petite figure with reddish-brown skin, purple eyes, and a notably annoyed look.

"You're late..." accused Aisha, stepping into the center of the hallway with a pair of training sickles in her hands. Azir appeared at the entrance of his room and looked over, but instead of emerging fully or saying anything, he crossed his arms with slightly narrowed eyes.

"I also come bearing gifts," responded Will, materializing a large basket of traditional Deisceartian fruit, spices, and oils. Aisha's frown deepened, but she didn't attack or attempt to block his path as he drew near and handed the basket to Azir. In Deisceartian high society, attacking someone who came bearing gifts was the same as declaring war or expressing that you had irreconcilable differences that could only be resolved with the spilling of blood, so while she was certainly angry at him, Aisha promptly lost her motivation to attack.

"And this is for you alone..." added Will, pulling out a gold, menat-style necklace embellished with green and blue gemstones. More importantly, while the necklace only came with two Enchantments, they were perfect for Aisha as he had received it after consoling her in the past. He would have passed it to her sooner, but he first had to ensure doing so wouldn't be interpreted as a marriage proposal or something similar.

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[Aurum Collar of Wisdom]

Grade: B[Unique]

P.Def: 10

M.Def: 300

Enchantment(s): [Talent Blossom(B)], [Wisdom Surge(B)]

A necklace rumored to have been completed by the First Sultana and gifted to her beloved daughter in the hopes that it would lead her and their people toward a brighter future.

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After staring at the necklace with a befuddled look for several seconds, Aisha's waning frown returned with a vengeance as she looked up at Will and asked, "What are your intentions? We shouldn't be close enough that you would gift me such a precious item without an ulterior motive..."

"My only motive is to appease any anger or frustration you might have felt as a result of my impulsive actions," assured Will, holding the necklace up in front of Aisha with both hands as he added, "I prepared similar gifts for everyone I believed deserved more than a verbal apology. Besides this, I also prepared you and your brother matching armbands."

As it wouldn't be particularly difficult for her to verify Will's claims, Aisha maintained her frown but raised her chin, exposing her neck and the divot between her collarbones as she huffed, "Fine...I will accept your gift, but I still expect a verbal apology and an explanation..."

'It's good that I refreshed my knowledge of Deisceartian culture...' mused Will, causing Aisha to briefly bare her teeth as he passed the necklace to Azir instead of placing it on her directly. In her tribe, a woman allowing a man to adorn her with jewelry was the same as authorizing them to court her. If he accepted a gift in turn, depending on whether it was a weapon, necklace, or collar, it was the same as accepting a position as her warrior, husband, or property...

...

"I was beginning to think we would never see the interior of this room again..." joked Will, loosening and pulling away his uniform's tie before loosening his cuffs and undoing the buttons of his blazer.

"No kidding..." responded Ohta, shedding her blazer much faster by briefly compressing her body to its original form, causing her shorts to slide down her legs and allowing her to pull the restrictive garment over her head. When she returned to her full size, all she was wearing was a white dress shirt, her loosened tie, and a pair of panties, but Will didn't so much as bat an eye at the sight as he handed her his blazer, not because he expected her to hang it up but because she was holding out her hand, clearly indicating for him to hand it over.

"So, what now...?" asked Ohta, dropping to her knees and neatly folding Will's blazer before arranging her previously discarded clothes on top of it.

"I still need to draft and send out those letters..." sighed Will, followed by the removal of his belt, the undoing of his garter straps, and the sacrifice of his pants to Ohta's neatly arranged pile.

"Then, after I put these in the clean-and-press and get changed, I'll get started on dinner..." said Ohta, turning her head to avoid Will staring down at her with an appreciative smile. He didn't believe it was necessary, but he respected her desire to change and become more feminine, not at his behest but of her own volition.

"Then I shall leave it in your increasingly capable hands," responded Will, nodding for effect. In hindsight, the first thing he and Ohta should have done once they entered the room was perform a detailed sweep to make sure they weren't being spied on, but since their search turned up nothing of notice, they weren't penalized for it. A secondary sweep produced the same results, so while she was told she would need to enter Ohta's body if anyone approached the dorm, Fionnadh was able to come out and give the former a hand with dinner. Fortunately, as it was already fairly late by then, no one arrived to disturb them...

...